Chapter 1456: The Grace of Not Killing

Chang Yi snorted, "You should be thankful that you didn't meet a kind-hearted person, so you met me."

What does it matter if my wife meets a kind-hearted man because of her looks? Even if she escapes the fate of being sold, she will still be taken as a concubine.

Zhao blinked and said, "So I'm lucky."

"You should say that you and I are destined to be together."

Zhao laughed, "Okay, okay, it's all fate that allowed me to meet you."

Chang Yi was satisfied and sighed, "I still remember the drought that year so badly."

Zhao: "Yes, it's too bad."

The carriage moved fast and arrived at the county government office in the evening. Xuemei got the news and went out to greet them in advance. When she saw her parents, her eyes turned red. "Dad, Mom, your daughter has made you two suffer."

Chang Yi looked at the young lady and said, "You've lost weight."

Then he looked at his son-in-law with dissatisfaction. Liu Feng's heart tightened. His father-in-law's eyes were too sharp. He stepped forward and said, "Father-in-law, mother-in-law has worked hard all the way."

Chang Yi hummed in a haughty manner, looked around the county government office, then glanced at the housekeeper and other servants standing there, and walked inside with his hands behind his back.

Zhao said to her son-in-law, "Your father must have been worried about you all the way. He just likes to be pretentious."

Liu Feng had a smile in his eyes. He had only been working in the county government for a year. His father-in-law had helped him a lot. With his father-in-law's support, the government office also gave him a lot of support.

Changyi carefully looked at every spot from the front yard to the back yard of the county government office, and finally sighed that it was really poor. He could tell at a glance that the painting hanging in the house was painted by his son-in-law.

Zhao also cared about the residence of her concubines. The furniture in the concubines' houses in the capital were all made of expensive wood, but the furniture here was only practical.

Yu Shuang, "Mom, please stop looking and sit down and have a rest."

Zhao sat down and hugged her grandson. "Your father and I brought you a lot of food. Your grandmother also packed two carts of food for you."

Xuemei was embarrassed, "Mom, we have food."

None of the food in the house was sold; it was shipped here after the autumn harvest.

As the grain donation process progressed, the busiest department in the capital was the Ministry of Revenue. Zhou Shuren had a list of grain donors in his hand. His eyes fell on Zhang Jinghong's name and he called Zhang Jinghong over, "You donated 500 shi?"

Zhang Jinghong nodded, "Yes, I remembered the list correctly."

"I thought you would keep a low profile."

Zhang Jinghong, "I didn't donate much."

Zhou Shuren said, "You are an individual, not a family. You say that 500 shi is not a lot if you donate as an individual?"

Zhang Jinghong lowered his head, feeling bitter. He knew that the weather was abnormal and that the food in his home had not been sold at all. Now he had to donate most of it. "Outsiders may not know my family background, but the royal family must know it. I cannot keep it to myself at this time."

His identity was always a problem. He had to show his loyalty to the emperor at all times and be grateful to the royal family for not killing him.

Zhou Shuren was silent. He thought Zhang Jinghong was just trying to show off. It turned out that he had a lot of money. "You can go back."

Zhang Jinghong felt warm inside. Lord Zhou had been very caring towards him over the years. "Thank you for your reminder, Lord."

Zhou Shuren waved his hand, "Go and get busy."

He then continued to look at the grain donation booklet, his brows becoming more and more furrowed. He then took out the list of people who would receive an advance on next month's salary. The emperor said that people should donate according to their ability. Some people were just trying to make themselves look rich, while others were forced to receive an advance on their salary.

Fortunately, the court had good policies toward officials, and officials in need could receive up to three months’ salary in advance.

The two lists were sent to the palace. He didn't want to worry about it anymore and let the emperor worry about it.

Inside the palace, the emperor was very disappointed that he did not see Zhou Shuren enter the palace. He wanted to discuss ideas with Zhou Shuren, but unfortunately Zhou Shuren did not have to enter the palace.

The emperor read it and handed it to the prince, "Take a look."

The prince looked at the list of advance payments and said, "The benefits of the Wen family taking the lead in donating more will outweigh the disadvantages."

The emperor nodded, "These ministers can still live on their salaries in advance, while the people can only rely on the court."

The prince raised his head and said, "Father, I heard that my brothers wanted to donate food."

The emperor raised his eyebrows, "Why, you want to donate food too?"

The prince spread his hands and said, "My mother did want to prepare something for me, but I didn't want it. Father, you are my father. I don't have the wealth of my brothers, so I can only ask you to help me prepare food."

The emperor snorted, "Your mother prepared it for you but you didn't want it, and you still care about me?"

The prince narrowed his eyes and said, "My son has a younger brother. My mother prepared for his younger brother, and my father prepared for my son. How fair is that?"

The emperor had a smile in his eyes. The prince was close to him. He was even happier that the prince told him everything he was thinking. "Slippery."

The prince knew it had worked, he was overjoyed, his brothers were prepared with the help of their mother's family, he didn't spend a penny, it is true that when in trouble, one should look to their father!

In Zhoujia Village, Ming Qing came to Jiang's house. Jiang Miao was settling accounts with her mother-in-law. This year's grain was not sold, so there was less income from the fields, but more social interactions.

Dong Yiyi said, "Patriarch Zhou is here."

Ming Qing said, "Auntie, I'm here to deliver a letter to Sister Jiang Miao."

Jiang Miao was surprised, "My letter?"

Ming Qing explained, "I wrote a letter to Beijing, and I also brought back a letter for you."

Jiang Miao took it. There was a reply from his mother and a letter from his grandmother. He didn't rush to read it. "Thank you, Brother Qingming."

Ming Qing waved his hands, "Thank you, you helped me a lot in Zhoujia Village."

Jiang Miao appeased the Zhou clan members during their last escape. This time, the merchants wanted to buy grain at a high price, but the Jiang family did not sell any. There were not many people in the Zhou clan who sold grain either, so it was much easier for him, as the clan leader, to handle clan affairs.

Jiang Miao smiled and said, "Brother Mingqing is exaggerating. All matters within the clan depend on Brother Mingqing."

Dong Yiyi is extremely satisfied with her daughter-in-law. Not to mention the benefits her daughter-in-law brings, she also says that her daughter-in-law knows how to behave very well. Before her daughter-in-law got married, she only knew that she was quiet. After she got married, her daughter-in-law brought her so many surprises.

Before leaving, Ming Qing thought for a moment and said, "I heard from my wife that the Jiang family sold their grain."

Jiang Miao, "I know."

Ming Qing smiled and said, "It's good that you know. I'll go back first."

"Okay, I won't send you off."

After Jiang Miao and others left, she was speechless to her second uncle. If she couldn't buy food at that time, she would not borrow food.

In the capital, at the Ministry of Revenue, Zhou Shuren unexpectedly saw Mingrui, "You didn't go home after school?"

Mingrui helped Grandpa get on the carriage, "Sun'er has an appointment with Shangguan Liu to go to the bookstore. Since it's getting late, I just came to pick you up."

Zhou Shuren had met Shangguan Liu before. "I seem to have heard from his grandfather that he is looking for someone to get engaged to?"

Mingrui nodded, "Yes, it's almost settled."

He paused and said with some regret: "Shangguan Liu is top-notch in both character and family background. If his family background was not so good, he would be a good candidate for brother-in-law."

Zhou Shuren also felt a little regretful and changed the subject, "How is Liu Yuanbo?"

Mingrui, "He's fine now."

Zhou Shuren smiled. Among the three grandsons-in-law, Liu Yuanbo was the most interesting. "He and Yudie are a good match."

Two people who don't need to take any responsibility, just need to live freely.