Chapter 1025: Punishment to Kneel

The Zhou family was very lively today. Tao held a fan in front of her mouth and asked Zhulan, "Why did you invite so many people?"

Moreover, many of the people who came were wives of officials who were standing in the team. Look, who did she see again? It was the wife of Lord Qiao. Her daughter was famous in the capital and was the concubine of the fifth prince who got pregnant.

Zhulan also blocked the crowd with her fan and said, "It's so lively with so many people. The Zhou family hasn't been so lively for a long time."

Tao looked sideways. She didn't believe it. Yang liked to be quiet. Her friend knew it. If it weren't for some social events that couldn't be turned down, the Zhou family would have wanted to not hold a banquet once a year. "I don't know what you want to do, but I will cooperate."

Zhulan curled her lips, "No need, I have arranged everything."

It was good to have so many people today. She not only invited those who were standing in line, but also the families of the girls from the backyards of each royal palace. Of course, the family of Zhang Yang's concubine had to be there.

When Mrs. Tao heard this, she realized that there was something wrong. Mrs. Yang didn't say anything and she didn't ask.

At the tea-tasting party, one could tell the factions from the seating arrangements. Zhulan did not invite many people who were really close to the Zhou family.

In the Ministry of Rites, Chang Yi and Gu Zhuo Min were chatting, "The prefectural examination for the children's exam is over. Although Liu Feng's score is at the top, the academy exam is not easy. I don't know how Liu Feng's score will be in the academy exam."

Chang Yi was very concerned about his future son-in-law, and he inquired about many children of officials who took the Tongshi exam. Too many of them failed the Yuanshi exam, and he was unsure.

Gu Zhuomin still had some confidence, "Liu Feng's county exam results were very good, he took second place, and his prefectural exam results were a little lower, not because Liu Feng's ability was not good, but because he was somewhat affected by the cold. I believe he will be able to make the list in the college exam."

Chang Yi talked with Gu Zhuomin to increase his confidence. "Now that you say that, I feel relieved."

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Gu Zhuomin hoped that Liu Feng would pass the imperial examination in one try more than the Zhou family did. He knew too well that failing several times would discourage a person. He took the exam twice before passing it, and only he understood the hardships he felt in the process.

Speaking of this, Gu Zhuomin looked at Zhou Changyi with envy. Because he had a good father, Zhou Changyi became an official. Although he had to admit that Zhou Changyi had his own abilities.

Chang Yi was puzzled, "Why are you looking at me like that?"

Gu Zhuomin paused and said, "I don't know what Wu Ming is doing. He is quite busy."

Obviously, he and Wu Ming held the same official position, but Wu Ming was assigned to a new department, and now he and Zhou Changyi were in the same department, both under the charge of Lord Wang, while he remained in his original place, having little time, but he was unwilling to accept his fate. It was difficult to make achievements in the Ministry of Rites, and when the new department was first established, everyone who had seen it knew that it was a place where people could be promoted quickly.

Chang Yi didn't know much, and shook his head, "I haven't asked."

Gu Zhuomin felt regretful and unhappy. The gap between him and Wu Ming was getting bigger and bigger.

The Zhou family was having a very lively banquet. No one knew who started it, but everyone was gossiping about the concubines in the backyard and the true and false pregnancies.

The most eye-opening gossip is that a concubine cheated on her husband in order to get pregnant.

The fan in Tao's hand was waving intermittently. If she remembered correctly, she came to talk to Yang about the gossip about the concubine having an affair the day before yesterday. This happened in the Shangjia family who was related to the Wang family. It was the mistress of the house who decided whether it was an affair or not. Shangjia was not at home, and the concubine was beaten to death.

Of course, this has happened in the past, but if the family was respectable, the wife at that time would not be stupid enough to get rid of the concubine, as that would bring shame to the entire family.

Tao pressed down the fan, "What on earth do you want to do?"

Zhulan looked at Tao innocently, "I didn't do anything. Look at my sincere eyes."

Tao, "We have known each other for several years, and I understand you well."

Zhulan smiled and said, "Nothing much, just planting some seeds."

Tao was stunned. She still didn't understand what Yang was doing.

Zhulan stopped talking and looked at Lord Qiao's wife. She had been asking about the Qiao family a lot in recent days. Lord Qiao's wife had many tricks, and people with many tricks would be suspicious. Zhang Yang's concubine was pregnant, which was already strange. Looking at Lord Qiao's wife's expression, she must have discovered something.

Zhulan curled the corners of her mouth. As for the affair, she didn't care whether the rumors about Zhang Yang were true or false. Whether the poison was really detoxified or not, it would be a big deal if pregnancy news came out in the Fifth Prince's Mansion in the future. Those who came today were not pushovers.

Zhulan looked at the other officials' wives. She had just heard someone mention Zhang Yang's concubine Qiao, who was an expert in domestic fighting and had a strange miscarriage. Now that it involved the Fifth Prince, she didn't believe that the other princes would let her go.

Especially now, the Ning family has taken action. Zhang Yang is extremely worried and anxious. I believe that several princes are only adding fuel to the fire.

Inside the palace, Zhou Shuren followed the eunuch and when they arrived outside the Zheng Palace, they saw a kneeling figure. Yao Wenqi was punished to kneel again today. Yao Wenqi's kneeling body was shaking a little. After the torture he had endured in the past few days, Yao Wenqi seemed to have aged a lot.

When Yao Wenqi heard the footsteps, his face changed again and again. The emperor was looking for trouble with him, and it would be wrong for him to speak up or not. The emperor was deliberately humiliating him. Many ministers had entered the palace in the past two days, and he could feel that these people looked at him strangely.

Yao Wenqi raised his head and saw Zhou Shuren, his face turned pale again. When he first met Zhou Shuren, he was superior to him and never took Zhou Shuren seriously. Now Zhou Shuren was standing and he was kneeling. He was still kneeling beside Zhou Shuren. He felt like a mouthful of blood was boiling in his heart and his eyes were blackening.

Eunuch Liu came out to greet him, "Sir Zhou, the Emperor is waiting for you."

Zhou Shuren shook the sleeves of his official uniform and walked out of the government hall in strides. He was narrow-minded. Now Yao Wenqi was kneeling, and he had deliberately stopped in front of Yao Wenqi just now. This feeling was good.

Eunuch Liu looked at Lord Yao in confusion, questioning the young eunuch with his eyes, wondering what Lord Zhou had just done and why Lord Yao was so angry that he seemed to be fainting.

The eunuch was also confused and shook his head. Lord Zhou did nothing!

Zhou Shuren entered the hall and looked up. Oh, Zhang Yang was there too. Zhang Yang was not kneeling in the inner room as punishment. He had been kneeling for who knows how long and was already staggering.

Zhou Shuren thought to himself that this time the emperor was not just angry, he also wanted to force Yao Wenqi, otherwise he would not have humiliated Yao Wenqi so much.

The emperor saw Zhou Shuren, "Shuren, come here and take a look."

Zhou Shuren paused for a moment, but still walked over after politely greeting him. The emperor now liked to call him by his name more and more. "Your Majesty, is this a model of a foreign ship?"

The emperor touched it lovingly and said, "Yes, this is the model built by the Ministry of Works. Look at this ship, isn't it more beautiful?"

Zhou Shuren didn't understand the technology, but he had seen his own ship model before, and he could compare it with the model. The one in front of him was indeed better looking. "Yes, it's very beautiful."

Now that the model is out, there is no problem with the drawings that the emperor sent people to steal.

The emperor curled his lips, "Shu Ren."

Zhou Shuren, ".......Your Majesty, the Ministry of Revenue really can't spare much money at the moment."