Chapter 55 A Purposeful Argument: Zhou Rui and His Entire Family Exiled to Pingnan Town...
Upon returning to the Marquis of Zhongyong's residence, Mu Chuan first summoned his men and asked, "Any new information? Have you found the Lin family members?"
The subordinate replied, "Three groups of men have been dispatched, but no new information has been received."
Mu Chuan waved his hand, signaling the men to leave.
His original plan was to find the Lin family and, under their name, arrange some houses and shops for Lin Daiyu.
The main goal was to break her dependence on the Rongguo Mansion, both in terms of daily life and psychologically.
Of course, this "pretend" was just a superficial way to fool the Rongguo Mansion. He would tell Lin Daiyu the truth and would also consult with the Emperor beforehand.
But after meeting the people today, he realized that the Rongguo Mansion was indeed quite eccentric.
Zhou Rui's entire family is in jail, so why isn't the Rongguo Mansion treating her well? It seems they haven't put in enough effort.
So Mu Chuan thought that if he couldn't find anyone else, he would have to send his men to impersonate members of the Lin family.
Having made his decision, he then organized the Thousand Character Classic he had copied over the past two days, finished copying the last bit, and called Granny Shen in, instructing her: "Take this to Miss Lin tomorrow morning, and tell her that I want to formally practice calligraphy after the fifteenth. Ask her if there's anything else she needs to prepare."
Granny Shen smiled and agreed, then asked, "Is that all?"
Mu Chuan laughed at her, "I'll go again in a couple of days. You can talk to me about it yourself."
Granny Shen left reluctantly.
Mu Chuan thought again that he could support Lin Daiyu, but in feudal society, what truly gave a person confidence was the imperial power, so in the end it still had to fall on the emperor.
Although the knot in his heart that had been tied up for four or five years was not so easy to untie, if the emperor's knot in his heart still could not be untied, he would have to increase his efforts.
The next day was the tenth day of the month. Following Jia Baoyu's instructions, Li Gui went to the Wu-Yue Guild Hall at dawn.
He was older and much more composed than Mingyan. Although the Wuyue Guild Hall was not open to the public today, he had a high-level sign in his hand and ordered the usual dishes, so he got his food very smoothly. He returned to the Rongguo Mansion at 7:45 AM.
Jia Baoyu also got up early in the morning. He could probably sense that Lin Daiyu was becoming somewhat distant from him, so he was naturally very attentive now that he was finally asked to do something.
Upon receiving the message from the old woman at the second gate, Jia Baoyu said with relief, "Tell them to take the things to the old lady's room, and give Xiren some reward money."
After giving his instructions, Jia Baoyu hurriedly went to Xiaoxiang Pavilion.
Lin Daiyu had just finished washing up and was sitting in front of the mirror, with two maids combing her hair behind her.
"Are your girls up yet?"
Zijuan handed the basin of water to the maid and welcomed Jia Baoyu in: "He's combing his hair, Second Master, please have a seat."
Jia Baoyu had made several attempts to enter the inner room, especially after Xichun stayed overnight last time. Afterwards, Lin Daiyu gave proper instructions to the old women and maids of Xiaoxiang Pavilion.
Not to mention that there are always two old women guarding the door to her bedroom, even Zijuan would have to stop Jia Baoyu if she saw him.
Looking at the wary eyes of the maids and servants in the room, and knowing that he had indeed upset his sister last time, Jia Baoyu sat listlessly on the chair closest to the inner room: "Good sister, you used to comb your hair without hiding it from me, and you didn't hide it from me when you put on makeup. Why have you become distant now that we've grown up? When we were little, we only knew each other for a year or two, but we were still closer than we are now after more than ten years together."
"Keep it simple, nothing too complicated. Wear light-colored clothes today." After instructing the maid, Lin Daiyu raised her voice slightly: "Second Master, why don't you read some books? You've even written the Book of Rites."
One sentence was enough to silence Jia Baoyu.
The atmosphere was somewhat somber, at least Jia Baoyu felt it was quite somber.
Zijuan quickly brought over the tea and said with a smile, "This is the new Qing Shuang Gu Teng tea that Miss has acquired. Would you like to try it, Master Bao?"
Jia Baoyu took a couple of sips, gave Zijuan a grateful look, and raised his voice to claim credit, saying, "I have done everything that my sister asked me to do."
"Where is that thing?" Lin Daiyu asked.
Jia Baoyu laughed and said, "I asked them to take it to the old lady's room."
"You want the old lady to watch me eat?" Lin Daiyu asked in surprise.
Jia Baoyu hurriedly said, "I also ordered one for the old lady, and another one for the madam. I was thinking that the old lady usually dotes on you so much, and the madam... although she is a bit strict with you, she has also cared for you a lot. I'll take this opportunity to express my filial piety."
Of course, subconsciously there might also be a desire to retaliate against the Earl of Loyalty and Courage, though that's a bit childish.
Lin Daiyu originally thought that if he made the order properly, she could use it to provoke him—to test her third brother. If he caused any trouble, she could also use it to test her third brother and take the opportunity to argue with Jia Baoyu.
Although she wins either way, isn't this a win-win situation?
"You took Zhongyong's things to your maternal grandmother and second aunt to show your filial piety?"
“That’s not how it works,” Jia Baoyu argued. “It’s your filial piety.”
The maid lifted the curtain, and Lin Daiyu came out from inside.
"I'm asking you, does your eldest aunt have one?"
Jia Baoyu fell silent.
"Where are Sister Feng and Sister-in-law Zhu?"
Jia Baoyu remained silent.
"What about Second Sister, Third Sister, and Fourth Sister? Do the two Xue family girls have any? What about your sister Xiangyun? You were thinking of them last time when you ordered something that wasn't good, why aren't there any this time?"
“Sister Lin… I… Since it belongs to the Marquis of Zhongyong, it’s not appropriate to use it too much.”
Lin Daiyu sneered: "Now you know it's from the Marquis of Zhongyong? You didn't even think to order one for yourself."
Jia Baoyu blushed slightly: "Why do you have to mock me like that, sister?"
“Go and tell your maternal grandmother and second aunt that this stuff was bought with Zhongyong’s money. See if they will eat it.”
Jia Baoyu was speechless again.
Besides, he was inconsiderate, but he was always fawned over by everyone. Even his beloved Lin Daiyu couldn't stand being constantly contradicted like this.
Zijuan was anxious and wanted to smooth things over, but the girl was becoming increasingly distant from her, so she was a little hesitant.
Lin Daiyu urged again, "Aren't you going? Don't make your grandmother and second aunt clean up your mess again. You're not young anymore, it's time for you—"
The words "official career and economics" immediately popped into Jia Baoyu's mind. He stood up abruptly and said, "Since you don't want to talk to me, I'll leave. Take care of yourself!"
He had only taken two steps when Lin Daiyu suddenly called out, "Second Master Bao!"
Jia Baoyu hesitated for a moment, then turned around, only to hear Lin Daiyu say, "Where's the nameplate?"
Jia Baoyu's face immediately turned red: "I'll have someone bring it to you right away! It's just a plaque, nothing rare."
Lin Daiyu chuckled softly, and Jia Baoyu turned around with such force that the hem of his winter robe was kicked up.
After Jia Baoyu left, Zijuan stammered, "Second Master is only doing this for Miss's own good. Second Madam doesn't treat Miss very well, so it's good for her to be more respectful to Second Madam in the future—"
"So you're suddenly feeling sorry for your Master Bao?" Lin Daiyu retorted. "Whose maid are you, anyway?"
After asking this question, Lin Daiyu felt that she had asked unnecessary questions. Zijuan was a servant born into the Rongguo Mansion, her indenture was with the Rongguo Mansion, and her parents and brothers were also with the Rongguo Mansion.
Zijuan was so frightened that she knelt down on the ground with a thud: "Miss! My heart belongs only to you!"
Seeing her like this only made Lin Daiyu feel tired: "Why are you kowtowing?"
Zijuan's eyes reddened, and she began to cry: "Miss, you may be angry, but please don't skip meals. You've finally recovered a bit, so please don't upset yourself again because of me."
Just as Lin Daiyu was about to tell her to wait outside, Xueyan lowered her head and held her breath as she entered, not daring to look at Zijuan even once, and said cautiously, "Miss, Mama Shen is here."
"Aren't you getting up?" Lin Daiyu then instructed Xueyan, "Please come in."
Zijuan quickly got up, wiped away her tears, tidied up the tea set that Jia Baoyu had just used, and took it out.
Granny Shen quickly entered, first bowing to Lin Daiyu, then offering a few New Year's greetings, before smiling and saying, "This is a copy of the 'Thousand Character Classic' that our general copied, and he asked me to bring it to you, Miss."
Lin Daiyu's face was still a little pale, but she felt better when she heard that her third brother was there. She took the stack of papers, flipped through a couple of pages, and found that there was no improvement compared to the first half of the book.
"It must have been tough on Third Brother, having to copy this during the New Year."
Granny Shen laughed along with her and asked, "The general also asked me to ask the young lady what else she needs to prepare if she starts practicing calligraphy after the fifteenth of the first lunar month?"
"There's not much to prepare," Lin Daiyu thought for a moment. "Just paper and pens, that's all. Some families find paper too expensive, so they write in the sand with twigs. But writing in the sand is just for learning to read; it's quite different from writing with paper and pen. I don't think Third Brother needs those things. Besides—"
She then picked up Mu Chuan's "Thousand Character Classic" and said with a smile, "Although Third Brother's calligraphy is not yet up to par, he is indeed literate and has some basic knowledge. He knows where to exert force and where to lift the brush, unlike someone who just copied a picture."
"The general will be pleased if he hears you praising him. But you must say this again when you see him."
This was hardly a compliment, and since Granny Shen's words were so funny, Lin Daiyu laughed a few more times.
After exchanging only two words, Chunyan, a maid from Yihong Courtyard, came to deliver a token. Xueyan went out to receive it, brought it back, and placed it on the table. Lin Daiyu glanced at it, her expression somewhat unnatural.
She asked Jia Baoyu to order some food, not for the sake of eating, but because the people of Zhongyongbo would find it even more unbearable.
"When Mother came in just now, did she see a young master on the way?"
Granny Shen nodded: "I did see him, but he wasn't in a good mood. He even snorted and glared at me when he saw me."
Lin Daiyu suddenly felt a little embarrassed. What a terrible topic she had chosen! She had only said half of what she wanted to say, but she had to bite the bullet and continue.
"That must be Baoyu."
Granny Shen was clearly a master of supporting roles, and she exclaimed in surprise, "I heard that the boy who was born with a jade in his mouth? Wow, if I had known that, I would have taken a closer look at him. His skin is truly as smooth as jade, so enviable."
Well, although Granny Shen's skin looked rough, her envy wasn't genuine at all.
Lin Daiyu laughed, but the more she laughed, the more helpless she became, and the more helpless she became, the funnier she found it: "We should look at the jade pendant on his chest."
The two exchanged a few more words, then Granny Shen got up to take her leave, and Lin Daiyu only told her to be careful on the road.
After seeing Granny Shen off, Lin Daiyu thought for a moment and decided not to order breakfast. Instead, she took out the pastry box that her third brother had given her, picked out two pieces, and ate them with her tea.
As for Jia Baoyu, he returned to Yihong Courtyard in a huff, threw himself onto the bed, and refused to move.
Xi Ren sat down beside him and gently patted his chest, asking, "Did Miss Lin have another argument with Second Master? It's the New Year, and she doesn't seem to care about such things at all."
Jia Baoyu turned over and faced inwards without saying a word.
Xi Ren smiled and said, "Second Master, don't be angry. You won't get full if you're angry."
She leaned over and patted Jia Baoyu's back: "Second Master, tell me what happened? I'm not sure how to reason with her, after all, Miss Lin is a young lady, but I won't be so angry if I tell you."
Jia Baoyu turned over again, this time face down.
After Xiren offered a few more words of comfort, Jia Baoyu finally told her everything, which immediately startled Xiren into a cold sweat.
She was closest to Ping'er and Yuanyang, and often heard Yuanyang say, "The old lady doesn't like Zhongyong Earl."
As maids, they had to speak softly first, and Yuanyang disliked her; to put it bluntly, she hated her.
If the old lady finds out that it was Bao Er Ye who did this, what if she gets angry with him?
Xiren said anxiously, "Miss Lin is like that. She doesn't care about what she wants. Master Bao, please rest first. I'll go check and come back right away. If you're not hungry now, don't eat yet. I'll ask them to make you something else later."
Having successfully fooled Jia Baoyu, Xiren got up, and Jia Baoyu said again, "You are not allowed to bring it back."
Xiren remained calm inside the room, but once she left, she practically ran all the way to Grandmother Jia's courtyard.
Thankfully, the old lady hasn't recovered from her New Year's visit to the palace to offer congratulations and is only just getting up now; the meal hasn't been served yet.
Xiren quickly found Yuanyang and honestly told her everything: "Why don't we just throw the things away and pretend nothing happened?"
"I knew it. They brought some porridge this morning out of nowhere, and the old lady doesn't like sweet porridge." Yuanyang laughed. "I know, don't worry, she won't bring you along."
She then called over a maid, gave her a few instructions, and that was it.
Xi Ren breathed a sigh of relief. It had long been a habit. She continued, "Our Second Master is a simple-minded man. Since Miss Lin could think of these things, but didn't tell our Second Master in advance, and then got angry, sigh... Miss Lin is getting more and more difficult to serve."
Upon hearing this, Yuanyang frowned slightly. It was one thing to say it before, but now the winds have changed. She hadn't seen the Earl of Zhongyong take Miss Lin out, and the old lady just pretended not to see it, trying to fool her as long as possible. If Miss Lin found out about what Xiren said, wouldn't it implicate the whole household?
Yuanyang reminded her, "Miss Lin is just a girl, a year younger than Master Bao. How could she have thought of these things? Don't bother guessing. Hurry back and serve him. Your master can be quite a handful when he gets upset."
"Sigh, I was just anxious. You don't know how heartbroken Master Bao was. Miss Lin is a young lady, and of course I cherish her." Xiren said with a smile, "I'll go back first. Don't overwork yourself. If you need anything, ask the servants to do it."
Not long after, another maid from Xiaoxiang Pavilion came to say that Miss Lin was not in good appetite today and would not be coming for breakfast. Yuanyang thought for a moment, then went into the inner room, her smile tinged with surprise: "What a coincidence today, both Miss Lin and Master Bao said they were not in good appetite and would not be coming for breakfast, so as not to upset the old lady's appetite."
Yuanyang had heard Grandmother Jia's comment about the two being "enemies," and she smiled, deliberately steer the conversation toward the point where the two were having a falling out.
As expected, Grandmother Jia didn't think much of it and laughed, "If they don't want to eat, they don't have to. With so many people serving them, how could we let them go hungry?"
Around noon, Mu Chuan arrived at the Wu-Yue Guild Hall.
Minister of Personnel Li is the highest-ranking official from the Wu-Yue region in the capital, so in recent years, any non-official events have been held at the Wu-Yue Guild Hall.
Mu Chuan was tall and imposing, always the most eye-catching person wherever he went. As soon as he entered, the waiter led him to a quiet courtyard at the back.
"Lord Li instructed that you be invited in as soon as you arrive."
The waiter went up and knocked on the door: "Lord Zhongyong is here."
Ke Yuanqing opened the door again. Mu Chuan went inside and saw that besides Ke Yuanqing, only Li Taijiu was there, in addition to what the waiter had said—
"Is there some progress in the Rongguo Mansion case?"
Li Taijiu laughed and said, "The Marquis of Zhongyong is quick-witted and should attend the morning court sessions more often when he has free time."
Ke Yuanqing then flattered, "Sir, have you forgotten? The Marquis of Zhongyong will soon be in charge of the Northern Camp, and we will often see him at the morning court."
After exchanging greetings, the group sat down at the round table, and Ke Yuanqing poured tea for Mu Chuan.
Mu Chuan laughed and said, "It seems things are progressing well; you're keeping us in suspense."
"Not only is it good," Ke Yuanqing laughed. "I was just about to have a good talk with you, sir." After he finished speaking, he glanced at his mentor and received an affirmative answer, knowing that he could tell him anything, and that he was about to reveal a major secret.
"Wang Gou'er is dead."
ah?
They had originally planned to use Wang Gou'er as bait, so Mu Chuan asked, "Did you catch someone?"
Ke Yuanqing shook his head: "We haven't caught the person, and... it's hard to say how he died. On the surface, he fell into the latrine in winter and froze to death, but his legs hadn't fully healed, so he couldn't squat down no matter what, so he definitely didn't go there by himself."
Mu Chuan remained silent, but Ke Yuanqing continued, "I also interrogated several members of his family. Liu and her son served him when he went to the toilet. The night before last, no one knew why he suddenly went to the latrine on his own, leaning on his cane, and after falling in, he didn't even cry for help."
"So it was murder?" Mu Chuan asked, then added, "If you fell into the latrine, there wouldn't be any hard objects, and you wouldn't have been knocked unconscious. Was there anything in your airway?"
"No." Ke Yuanqing shook his head: "After a little interrogation, Liu said that she suddenly woke up in the middle of the night and saw someone in the yard. Wang Gou'er was not beside her, but the person in the yard was walking steadily. She thought that a thief had broken in, so she dared not make a sound. Later, she waited until dawn before she dared to go out, and that's when she found that Wang Gou'er had died in the outhouse."
“There are some suspicious points here. Apart from his mother-in-law, Liu and his two children all have injuries on their bodies, which shows that Wang Gou’er has been beating them frequently recently.”
"You suspect that it was a group of people from the Liu family who committed the crime?"
Ke Yuanqing shook his head: "Wang Gou'er can still fight even with a broken leg, which shows that he is not completely powerless to resist. The coroner examined him carefully and found that Wang Gou'er had no injuries, no signs of poisoning, and had not been drinking. A strong young man with only a few people left in his family could not have done these things."
"Was it the Rongguo Mansion or Prince Teng who was behind this?" Mu Chuan said. "Since he came back, there has indeed been no movement at all, not even a visiting card has been sent to my residence. I guess he is waiting for something. He probably thinks that with Wang Gou'er dead, the blame can be placed entirely on him, and even if Zhou Rui cannot escape punishment, it will be difficult to implicate the Rongguo Mansion."
Ke Yuanqing hesitated for a moment: "The constables did find half a very blurry footprint on the wall, the size of which looked like that of an adult male."
Mu Chuan understood his implication and said, "If it was Prince Teng who did it, then there would definitely be no trace left. Since he can wipe away other traces, why would he leave half a footprint? I think it would be even more puzzling if no trace could be found at all."
Li Taijiu suddenly said, "I think the same as Zhongyongbo. Wang Gou'er can't do it himself, and Liu Shi, his two children, and his mother-in-law can't do it either. But we can't find any evidence that he was murdered, and the constables near his house didn't see anyone either. That's enough."
If there's no evidence, then we must talk about motives. With such capable people under Prince Teng's command, even His Majesty must be wary.
"But... I'm afraid Prince Teng might accuse you of framing me."
"It's alright," Mu Chuan said with a smile. What was the point of all the groundwork he had laid beforehand? "Just write down that you suspect it was a revenge killing and include me in the list of enemies. Then, just like last time, let him speak first."
Ke Yuanqing sighed. It wasn't for any other reason than that he was about to be promoted, and this case was affecting his future prospects.
But since both his mentor and this favored minister of the two emperors said so, and even their thinking was different from his, he gave up his original idea: "Then let's submit it as a suspected case? Please ask the Ministry of Justice to send more experienced officials to investigate the case."
"Alright." Li Taijiu was a little dissatisfied with his performance. "I'll talk next. You started with this, which shows that your perspective is still too narrow."
Mu Chuan helped Ke Yuanqing save face, saying with a smile, "This is exactly what a local official should do, so that he can go far in the future. It is clear that there are successors for you, sir. You have such a disciple."
Li Taijiu also said politely twice, and laughed, "Alright, since the Earl of Zhongyong is giving you face, please continue. However, if we investigate the matter further, it is indeed beyond the jurisdiction of him as the county magistrate."
Ke Yuanqing's only concern was the murder of Wang Gou'er; there was nothing else to worry about.
"Zhou Rui's family has been locked up in jail for many days and knows that no one will come to rescue them, so a lot of cases have come out of the way."
Ke Yuanqing even took out a piece of paper covered with writing.
Mu Chuan raised an eyebrow: "It seems you really revealed quite a few secrets."
Ke Yuanqing smiled and said, "Zhou Rui confessed that Lai Shangrong, the son of Lai Da, the steward of Rongguo Mansion, is a prefectural official in Zhang'an Prefecture."
"They're courting death! Especially the person who changed his identity, their crimes are unforgivable!" Li Taijiu suddenly said viciously, "You continue."
“Their ancestors for three generations were all servants, and this whole family deserves to die.” Ke Yuanqing then said the second point: “Jia Lian, the eldest son of the Rongguo Mansion, married a second wife during the period of national and family mourning.”
“This is also a capital offense,” Li Taijiu said, “but it’s not easy to investigate.”
"Zhou Rui said that this matter caused a stir before. The second wife originally had a husband and had filed a complaint with the Censorate. It was Zhang Junling, the Left Vice Censor-in-Chief who was suspended from his post, who handled the case. The man she was originally engaged to was named Zhang Hua, and someone had already been sent to deal with him."
Mu Chuan nodded: "Lord Ke, you've worked hard, even during the New Year."
Ke Yuanqing chuckled sheepishly, "It was all Zhou Rui who said it; I haven't even punished him yet."
Li Taijiu laughed and scolded, "Don't show off!"
"There were two other cases that involved Jia Yucun. It is said that the eldest son of the Rongguo Mansion took a fancy to a few fans, but the man refused to sell them. So Jia Yucun found a pretext to confiscate the fans, and they were confiscated by the public."
Li Taijiu sighed again: "This is also difficult to investigate. There's no way to prove that the fan that was returned to the public is in the Rongguo Mansion. Even if we find the victim, the fan is very easy to destroy."
"Another one is Jia Yucun helping Wang Ziteng's nephew get away with his crime. Then there's usury, forced marriage that led to death, and so on. Compared to the previous ones, these are minor crimes, but if you really think about it, it's impossible for them to get away with it unscathed."
Before Mu Chuan arrived, Li Taijiu had told Ke Yuanqing that if the previous cases couldn't be solved, these next few things would be very important.
Mu Chuan advised, "My lord, you are being too attached to appearances. What do we officials, especially important court officials, value most? It is His Majesty's trust. Just report it."
Lee Tae-gu stroked his beard and smiled: "I'm really starting to look forward to serving in the same court as the Earl of Chung-yong."
"And then there's Zhou Rui's family." Ke Yuanqing inexplicably wilted. "I can handle their case myself. They've been accused of encroaching on other people's land, forging official documents, reselling noble property, and incestuous marriage. Oh, and about the case of Zhou Rui's son-in-law that I mentioned to you last time, sir. He got into a fight while drinking and broke someone's head. That person died not long after, right within the statute of limitations for causing death. For all the crimes, the whole family is exiled to Pingnan Town."
This was to be expected. Although he was the culprit, the difference in their status was too great, so once it was resolved, it was fine and didn't deserve too much attention.
Ke Yuanqing laughed and said, "I didn't ask for permission from you two days ago before I arrested Jiang and put her in jail. I was thinking that she should experience prison life, otherwise it might be too late."
Mu Chuan could roughly guess that Jiang was Zhou Rui's surname. He sighed, "I only knew she was from Zhou Rui's family. I didn't expect that going to prison would restore her original surname. It's clear that prison isn't entirely without its advantages."
A subtle smile appeared on Li Taijiu's face: "The style of the Marquis of Zhongyong is very suitable for attending the morning court."
"To be honest, I also have some questions," Ke Yuanqing asked with a relaxed expression. "The Rongguo Mansion, this Duke's Mansion, is very strange. Although the eldest son inherits the title, he doesn't manage the household or inherit the family property."
Li Taijiu also said, "I also checked the records from back then, and it only said that the retired emperor agreed, without writing down the reasons."
Mu Chuan immediately understood what they meant. He smiled and said, "Since only the Emperor Emeritus knows, I'll go ask him later and tell you."
The three of them laughed together.
Ke Yuanqing said, "There is a clerk position available in the county government. If you know anyone who can recommend you, why not ask him to come over as soon as possible? He can take advantage of the less busy days to learn properly."
"I plan to ask my younger brother to go," Mu Chuan said quite frankly. "We also need to give him a suitable formal name. I'll call him San'er, and he'll call him Si'er."
Everyone knows how Mu Chuan got his name, and the two of them smiled kindly.
Ke Yuanqing reminded him, "After a clerk enters the ranks of officials, he can be promoted to an official position after passing three examinations in nine years. If you want him to become an official, you need to prepare in advance."
"That depends on him, but becoming an official means a life of constant ups and downs, so he might not be willing to do it."
Both officials who had passed the imperial examinations rolled their eyes at him, thinking that this Marquis Zhongyong really knew how to use idioms.
Just then, the waiter knocked on the door: "Sir, it's time to start the banquet."
The three of them came out one after the other, and Li Taijiu suddenly said, "Actually, there's something else I don't understand. If Wang Ziteng could take action against Wang Gou'er's family, why did he let Zhou Rui's family go? This case is not small."
Mu Chuan chuckled a few times: "Last time, Lord Ke told me about his path to promotion. Wang Ziteng's official position came too easily. Besides, it involves the Rongguo Mansion. What does it have to do with him? If the Rongguo Mansion is on the verge of collapse, wouldn't it rely on Wang Ziteng even more?"
Li Taijiu laughed and said, "I heard that the Wang family is going to marry a daughter into the Baoning Marquis's mansion. I have to send someone to remind the Baoning Marquis to take a good look at the fate of the Jia family."
"As the saying goes, it's better to tear down ten temples than to break up one marriage." Mu Chuan sighed, "Sir, please don't take this blame. Perhaps the Wang family will fall before the marriage even takes place."
Li Taijiu really liked Mu Chuan's style of being able to satirize in just a few sentences. He suddenly laughed, bowed to Mu Chuan, and sighed, "I really didn't expect this case to involve so much."
The officials involved in issuing identities to the Jia family's servants certainly lost their positions, and their lives were not guaranteed. This also implicated many officials from the Ministry of Revenue. And that was the Ministry of Revenue, after all.
Mu Chuan returned the greeting: "Congratulations, sir, on achieving your wish."
Lee Tae-gu smiled even more broadly: "Congratulations to you too."
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com