Chapter 817: Asking for Help

Zhulan wanted to call Mrs. Song, but immediately remembered that Mrs. Song was not at home. She signaled the maids to go out and then opened the letter. If it was an urgent matter, she would ask someone to go to the Ministry of Justice to look for Shu Ren.

Zhao Bo's letter was really a big deal. He went straight to the point and hoped that Zhou Shuren could help him so that he could be transferred away from the Jianghuai area. He did not dare to mention the Fourth Prince in the letter, but it could be seen between the lines that the Jianghuai area must be in trouble, otherwise, Zhao Bo would not be so anxious to seek help from Zhou Shuren.

None of the Zhao family members held high official positions, and especially after someone from the Zhao family retired a few years ago, there were few people in the capital who were related to Zhao Bo.

Zhulan lit the letter. She wanted to help not only because of the relationship between the two families, but also because the Zhao family had a deep foundation in Pingzhou. Now that there was a gap, no one could predict what would happen in the future.

Especially since Zhao Bo is the one with the most potential to rise to the top in the Zhao family, if the Zhou family helps, the Zhao family will have to owe the Zhou family a favor. In addition, the grandsons and sons are young, so for the sake of the future, they have to help.

Zhulan called the maid and told Shuren that it would be better to tell her the letter as soon as possible. After the maid called housekeeper Wang over, Zhulan handed the handwritten note to the housekeeper and said, "Give it to the master."

Deputy Steward Wang did not dare to delay and carefully placed it in his arms, "Yes, I will be careful."

Zhulan blinked her eyes and said, "Stop pretending. You will definitely look at it secretly later." Zhulan didn't want to hide the letter. The emperor would know it sooner or later anyway.

In the Ministry of Justice, Zhou Shuren was looking through the records of promotion. He simply treated the Second Prince as air. No matter how many times the Second Prince circled around him, he just wouldn't raise his head.

Zhang Jingshi looked for a long time. Zhou Shuren did not hide anything and showed it to him openly. He was not sure why Zhou Shuren wanted to see the promotion record.

And they also checked the prison guards' records of taking leave and taking substitute shifts!

Zhou Shuren checked the names he had memorized in his mind. This promotion record was interesting. Every time the officials he had memorized were promoted or transferred, problems would arise and they would remain in the Ministry of Justice.

Zhou Shuren took the paper and pen, lowered his head and was about to sort out his findings carefully. He had already figured out the pattern, but just as he picked up the pen, the shadow above his head was a bit big, so he had to look up, "Second Prince, you blocked the light."

Zhang Jingshi straightened up and stood behind Zhou Shuren. "I won't block you this time. Please, Mr. Zhou."

Zhou Shuren glanced at the prince out of the corner of his eye. The prince must have heard the noise, but he didn't even raise his head. After pondering for a moment, he understood and lowered his head to write down everything he had sorted out in his mind.

Write them down in order of rank. If there are any that you can't remember, just find the records at hand and write them down.

Five officials, big and small, were written about, and their official positions were not high, the highest being only the fifth rank. The official positions were handled very well and would not catch the prince's eye.

For five officials, Zhou Shuren wrote six sheets of paper.

Zhang Jingshi deliberately did not leave, he just wanted to see what Zhou Shuren wrote, just to test Zhou Shuren, knowing that he was behind him, would he dare to write about his discoveries? The fact that he dared to write about it showed that Zhou Shuren was still more loyal to his father, and the prince had not yet completely given in.

Zhang Jingshi had not expected that Zhou Shuren really dared to write. He looked at the papers Zhou Shuren had written one by one with a sullen face. Not only did Zhou Shuren write, he also gave comments and summaries.

The interesting thing is the evaluation. If someone fails to get promoted regularly, he must have some ulterior motive.

After Zhou Shuren finished writing, he rubbed his neck and looked at the sullen-faced Second Prince. He didn't want to investigate the jailer anymore. He had already found out enough. The Crown Prince had remained silent, which was like using the Second Prince as a knife. He should also prepare to get sick and recuperate.

At this time, the criminal department servant passed on a message, and Zhou Shuren stood up, "There is something going on at home, I will go out and take a look."

The prince then raised his head and said, "Okay."

Zhou Shuren arrived at the door of the Ministry of Justice, took the note handed to him by Steward Wang, and tore it up after reading it. When Zhou Shuren returned, he didn't know what the Crown Prince and the Second Prince had said to each other. What he wrote was already in the Crown Prince's hands, and the Second Prince walked out with a cold face.

The prince was in a good mood and asked, "Is there something wrong at home?"

Zhou Shuren said openly, "My friend wrote to me, and my wife was afraid that it might cause delays, so she asked the housekeeper to tell me."

The prince was in a good mood today. Not only did he find something, but Zhou Shuren did not disappoint him. He found the hidden rat. "Mr. Zhou doesn't have many friends, but is there a friend named Zhao?"

Zhou Shuren smiled, but he was thinking, "Yes, Zhao Bo has always been a man of his duty. I don't know what happened at home a while ago, but he still borrowed money from me."

The prince smiled faintly, "I am indeed doing my duty."

Zhou Shuren expressed what he needed to express, and didn't say much else. He was concentrating on thinking about how to ask for leave to recuperate, and also thinking about how to help Zhao Bo. Zhao Bo came this time not only to be transferred, but also to seek his protection. Jianghuai was going to have a major purge, and Zhao Bo was afraid of being implicated.

He could imagine Zhao Bo's life now, he must be terrified. If he wanted to help Zhao Bo, he had to use connections in the Ministry of Personnel, and Lord Zhong would probably do him a favor.

At Zhou's manor, Changzhong got off the carriage. A maid was waiting at the door. After asking around, Changli said to his younger brother and son, "You can play in the manor, but you are not allowed to wander around."

Changzhong rode in the carriage and looked around all the way. He didn't want to play in the manor any more. "Big brother, are you going to look for the second brother?"

"Um."

Changzhong raised his chubby little hands and said, "I want to go too. I want to go too."

He saw many people harvesting crops, and he wanted to join in the fun.

Chang Li's face darkened. He knew that his younger brother would not be obedient. He looked at Mrs. Song and said, "Please say something."

Mrs. Song and Shen Xing looked at each other, and Mrs. Song said, "Master, Shen Xing and I will take good care of the young master."

Chang Li heard it and said, "Okay then."

Three quarters of the farmland on this estate has been harvested, and the rest are paddy fields. This estate is intended to be given to Xue Han as a dowry.

Changzhong took his nephew to the edge of the field and saw his second brother at a glance. His second brother was talking to the steward and he ran over quickly, "Second brother, second brother, your younger brother is here to see you."

Chang Yi was so nervous when he saw his younger brother running, "Go slower, don't fall down."

This is my parents' treasure. Even if he is really hurt, my dad won't eat him.

Changzhong grinned, "Brother, this place is really fun."

Changyi picked up his younger brother, "Why are you here too?"

"I want to come to the manor to play, and my mother agreed."

Chang Li held his son in his arms and asked his second brother, "How many days will it take to finish the harvest?"

Chang Yi replied, "We hired some villagers today, and we can finish the harvest in one day. We can go to another farm tomorrow, and finally take over the farm that was given as a reward. Brother, why don't you take a few more days off?"

"I just can't sit still."

Changzhong had already seen the children in the fields. Some of the children were about his age. They were following the adults, picking up fallen rice ears. They were very thin. Changzhong couldn't help but stretch out his chubby white hand. The back of his hand was red as if it was bleeding after he had just scratched it.

Changzhong pulled at his second brother's clothes, "Second brother, how can a child work?"