Chapter 231 Fish in the Pond
"Oh, Ming'er..."
Zhou Hongjing only realized at this point that what he wanted to talk to King Ning about didn't seem to be about taxes.
But Prince Ning had already run away, and even if he sent someone to pass the message, he was afraid that Prince Ning would not come to see him.
"Master, let's go back home and think of other ways."
When Butler Zhou heard Zhou Hongjing's tone, he knew that the matter had not been accomplished, and he felt a little regretful.
However, no matter how regrettable it was, he, a servant, could not change anything, so he decided to just bring his master back home first.
Zhou Hongjing was filled with remorse, but there was nothing he could do. He had to be supported by Butler Zhou and left Prince Ning's Mansion, looking back every few steps.
In order to save Zhou Jiaming, he had to discuss with Matthew Li and get him to agree to Ma Ruyu's divorce again.
Another way is to tamper with the household registration and then find a way to cross out Zhou Jiaming's name from the Ma family tree.
The household registration files of the population in Beijing were all in the Jingzhao Prefecture government office, so it was not difficult for him to make changes to the household registration.
But it was not easy for him to get the genealogy of the Ma family.
Zhou Hongjing sat in the carriage on the way back home, thinking all the way about how to save Zhou Jiaming.
After returning home, he sent several of his trusted aides out.
He had to try every method he could think of, just in case he could find an opportunity.
"Old Zhou, let's leave Ming'er's matter alone for now. If it doesn't work, I'll go to the Dali Temple prison and reason with that old horse head."
Zhou Hongjing had been suffering a lot recently. After arranging for people to go out to do some work, he couldn't hold on any longer and lay down.
"That's what the master said."
Butler Zhou also agreed with Zhou Hongjing's approach.
The Ma family was just imprisoned in the Dali Temple today. If their old man had gone there in a hurry, some people might have thought that their Zhou family was also involved in the Ma family case.
The life of the Second Young Miss is certainly important, but if we have to sacrifice the entire Zhou Mansion to save her, we need to think long-term.
"Old Zhou, let's get someone to raise money, two hundred thousand taels."
Zhou Hongjing was half lying on the bed, his heart bleeding when he talked about the two hundred thousand taels of silver.
He had been investigated by the Censorate for such a long time, and even his warehouses and private properties were not spared. He clearly did not have a property worth two hundred thousand taels, but Prince Ning asked him to fill the hole.
It seems that he has to pay the money even if he doesn't want to.
"Master, the Supervisory Office has checked all the properties owned by you and your wife, and even the storehouse in your house. How can we have two hundred thousand taels of silver?"
When Butler Zhou heard that they had to raise two hundred thousand taels of silver, his heart skipped a beat.
Only without money can one prove his innocence. Is my master confused?
"Thoroughly check all the granaries and treasuries in the counties under the jurisdiction of Jingzhao Prefecture, and find a way to collect 200,000 taels."
Zhou Hongjing said bitterly.
If the Ministry of Revenue cheated him, he would cheat the counties and prefectures under his jurisdiction. Anyway, he could not be the only one to bear the loss.
"Master, it's only the beginning of spring now. The granaries in all counties were only checked after last autumn. As for the autumn tax, all the money collected was deposited into the national treasury at the end of the year. How can we check it again?"
Although Steward Zhou was not from the Jingzhao government, he knew all the government affairs well.
However, if the matter was to be investigated, it would not be him who should do it; it would have to be the official in charge of grain and taxation in the Jingzhao government office who should do it.
As the steward of the Zhou residence and Zhou Hongjing's confidant, he must remind his father of what needs to be reminded, so as to prevent his father from getting anxious and making another big mistake.
The grain in the Changping warehouse cannot be used at will.
There are also taxes. Not to mention that it is not time to collect taxes yet, local banks are empty.
Even if we have it, we wouldn't dare to embezzle it.
"I know what you are talking about. Isn't the Supervisory Department keeping an eye on this? If I don't let people check the county treasuries, how can the two hundred thousand taels of silver get away?"
Since Prince Ning has made it so clear, if Zhou Hongjing doesn't want to fill this hole with money, he will have to use the lives of the Zhou family.
He has the money, but he has to be particular about how to take it out.
The Supervisory Commission had already shown him the account books and had him make a copy of any discrepancies in the accounts.
Well, let's just consider it as a way to avoid disaster.
"Master, that's right. Shall I go and invite Deputy Envoy Lu to come to the palace?"
Butler Zhou asked tentatively.
He didn't have a very good impression of Deputy Envoy Lu.
It was the Zhou family who was marrying off their daughter, but he went to the Ma family to attend the wedding banquet. Wasn't that a slap in the face of the Zhou family?
It would be strange if someone who doesn't even give face to his superior can do a good job.
"No need to call him, call Li Yisheng, the doctor of the household department."
Zhou Hongjing waved his hands. Lu Yigeng was his deputy and had long wanted to replace him. He would never hand the handle to him personally.
"Hey, I'll go right away."
Butler Zhou agreed and quickly sent someone to deliver the message.
......
Xiao Hulu watched the video and finally understood the real reason why Zhou Hongjing was released.
"Master, is it your fifteenth uncle who is trying to trick Zhou Hongjing?"
Little Gourd asked Chu Qinshu.
"Little Hulu, you can't say that. It was clearly him who failed to pay the tax. How can you say that the Fifteenth Uncle cheated him?"
Chu Qinshu didn't think there was anything wrong in tricking Zhou Hongjing.
It is said that a clean magistrate can earn 100,000 silver coins in three years.
Although Zhou Hongjing served as Jingzhao Yin for only five years, he was promoted all the way up from a county magistrate.
He was promoted all the way and made a lot of money along the way. He didn't know how many hundreds of thousands of silver coins he had made.
The recovery of the two hundred thousand taels this time can be regarded as a wake-up call for him.
Let’s see if he dares to let his daughter do whatever she wants and target the wrong people in the future.
"When water is too clear, there are no fish."
Little Gourd said a very true saying.
Between the heavens, the human world, the underworld, and the demons, how can there be a clean and honest world?
Even a tiny spiritual treasure from the underworld has its own unspoken rules for recognizing its master, let alone the officialdom in the human world?
It is said that human hearts are the most complicated. Since ancient times, it is rare to find officials who can keep themselves clean.
What's more, Zhou Hongjing is so timid that he doesn't look like a greedy person.
"Then my fifteenth uncle's move is just taking advantage of the situation.
Anyway, Zhou Hongjing is also a fish in Sheng'an's pond. It is up to him to decide whether to touch him or when to touch him."
Chu Qinshu said with a smile.
Of course she understood what Xiao Hulu meant.
As long as some things are not excessive, the court will naturally not take them too seriously.
But the prerequisite is that this official can work for the people and establish achievements for the court.
If you can't do both of these and are always thinking of evil things, then you can't blame the court for not giving you face.
Zhou Hongjing's case is a typical example of someone who had the wrong idea and ended up running into a tough opponent.
Although he didn't know what Zhou Jiaming did in private, it was still the father's fault if the son did not teach well.
He had to bear the consequences, so he couldn't blame Chu Chengxi, let alone Emperor Yongping.
"Well, the little gourd can't argue with the master."
Little Gourd was dizzy and turned around after hearing Chu Qinshu's words.
What fish? Zhou Hongjing is obviously a human being.
"You don't need to beat me. Just do what a spirit treasure of the underworld should do."
Chu Qinshu stretched her body and wanted to wake up to drink goat milk.
She and Xiao Hulu looked from Zhou Mansion to Ma Mansion, then to Prince Ning Mansion and then back to Zhou Mansion. It took them almost two hours to look around. It was probably dark outside.
"Well, the master is right. Let's go and see the hen in the attic."
Speaking of what the spiritual treasures of the underworld should do, the little gourd thought of the time when it freed the snake.
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