Chapter 76: dutiful son
Zhou Yinzhi is a Gongmen.
There has always been a saying here called "going into the yamen to pick up layers of skin". This kind of thing is not uncommon when the government is clear, and it is naturally common when the government is unstable. Jin Yiwei has already attracted a lot of complaints from the ruling and opposition parties, and he is even more familiar with doing this kind of thing, so he can be called "the best among them".
Those who committed crimes, the richer and less powerful the better, were put in prison for seven days, scared to death, and the family members were naturally worried, holding money to clear the door, lest the adults in the public house would not accept it.
This is done kindly.
Those who are cruel and ruthless, don’t care if you are the culprit or the offender, if you are entangled in a lawsuit, you will be arrested and locked up in the name of detention pending trial. The sufferer will have to spend money to eliminate disasters.
If you don't give money, it's easy.
In the gourd case of a confused official, no matter whether you are guilty or innocent, you will be punished in one stroke.
When she came from the Yamen today, Zhou Yinzhi was thinking about what Jiang Xuening wanted to do on the way, and went to the teahouse to have a look. It's for You Yue's good, but the expression of this "sufferer" doesn't seem to be the case.
So after thinking about it for a while, he guessed that she wanted to cure You Yue.
Jin Yiwei was on errands outside, and he was a newly recruited Qianhu, so he didn't dare to be too blatant to Jiang Xuening, but he was unambiguous in his work: no matter who else arrests him first, I just listen to Jiang Xuening's instructions on how to deal with it next.
But he didn't expect that Jiang Xuening had such an idea.
violins are too expensive...
That means money is tight.
Zhou Yinzhi nodded, neither showing any surprise nor expressing his beak, he just said, "I understand."
Yan Lin had given her many things in the past, but it would take a while for those things to be sold. Of course, Jiang Xuening also had some money in her hands, but in the event of a disaster in the Yongyi Hou's mansion, even if she had a lot of money, it might not be enough What's more, she is determined to win the Ziliujing saltworks, and she has enough money in her hands to prevent any accidents and ensure nothing is lost.
Since You Yue fell into her hands, she was considered unlucky.
Today she was just acting, but she didn't expect that You Fangyin risked her life to protect her, and picked up the bench to deal with You Yue. If you let it go and let You Yue take her back to the house like this, a severe beating is inevitable.
Jiang Xuening really didn't want to think about that scene.
I dare not.
Therefore, it is better to report to the official first, put him in prison, and let Zhou Yinzhi serve him with delicious food, than go back to the mansion to be tortured. In any case, hide this period of time first, and then think about whether there is any solution once and for all.
Jiang Xuening lightly frowned, and said: "You Yue is also the companion of Princess Leyang in the palace. She should go back to the palace after two days of rest. You can handle this matter according to your discretion, and don't make too much trouble. After all, you The position of household has not been down for a long time, even if he has been successful in the case of hiding in Cha Yongyihou's mansion and colluding with King Pingnan against the party, he can't stand the limelight too much, and it would be bad if he is regarded as a thorn in the side."
Zhou Yinzhi's pupils shrank suddenly.
Jiang Xuening didn't say anything, she was still normal, she just continued: "I've been in the palace these days, I know something about the Yongyihou's residence is ominous, just tell me."
The teahouse was empty, and when the people from Jinyiwei came to pick up people, they all left empty.
But after all, there was such a big battle just now.
Zhou Yinzhi was cautious in handling things, he just thought it was inconvenient to talk here, so he wanted to invite Jiang Xuening to his humble house to talk.
Originally, Jiang Xuening came here today to meet with Ren Weizhi for a while, and he encountered You Yue's accident, so today is not a good time to go to work, and since You Fangyin has met, she is not too serious. The big ones need to come forward again.
So I agreed.
After putting down the cup of tea, she and Zhou Yinzhi went out of the teahouse together.
Jiang Xuening's carriage was beside the road.
Zhou Yinzhi came on horseback.
It's just that this white horse is no longer the original beloved horse that has been raised for two years.
Jiang Xuening glanced at it, and remembered the incident that she heard from Yan Lin not long ago, Zhou Yinzhi killed the horse...
In the previous life, Zhou Yinzhi married Yao Xi.
And later this person joined forces with Chen Ying to frame Zhang Zhe, and he was imprisoned unjustly for several months. It was not until Xie Wei rebelled that Zhou Yinzhi's head was taken off by Xie Wei and hung above the palace gate.
Thinking of this, she felt a little gloomy.
The coachman had put footstools under the shafts.
Jiang Xuening walked over to hold Tang'er and Lian'er's hands before getting into the car.
But she never expected that when she accidentally raised her eyes, she passed the door of a pharmacy diagonally across the street, and bumped into a pair of silent and calm eyes——
The green hairpin tied her hair meticulously; the plain blue robe looked extraordinarily simple, but it fit perfectly on him.
He also carried a small medicine bag in his hand.
Zhang Zhe stood quietly at the door of that pharmacy, he didn't know if he had just come out, or he had been standing here looking for a long time.
At this moment, Jiang Xuening's body froze, all movements stopped, and there was a "buzz" in her head, but it was blank.
Zhang Zhe looked away at this moment.
He withdrew his gaze from her, and also from Zhou Yinzhi beside her, nodded his head slightly as a gesture of courtesy, then turned around and walked along the busy street, carrying the medicine he had just grasped, and walked slowly far away .
Lian'er followed her gaze, and only saw a thin figure, and she didn't know who it was, she was a little confused: "Girl?"
Jiang Xuening raised her hand and pressed her heart with some force.
She felt panicked.
It was just such an ordinary glance, and Zhang Zhe might not know Zhou Yinzhi, a Jinyiwei Qianhu who just took office, but she still tasted the pain and guilt...
Zhou Yinzhi is undoubtedly not a good person.
In the last life, he hated her being with such a person, but she still can't get away in this life. If she wants to go around in this Shura field, she has to use such a person first.
Zhou Yinzhi noticed that there was something strange in her expression, and secretly guessed the identity of that person just now.
Jiang Xuening slowly turned her head to look at him.
There was a bit of trance in those eyes, as if he saw something else through him, and finally there was a bit of faint worry and bewilderment...
Zhou Yinzhi never denied the beauty of the woman in front of him. He had learned it as early as when he was still in the countryside.
But this is the first time...
For the first time, she was moved by her eyes that made him unable to understand.
He said: "What's the matter with the second girl?"
Jiang Xuening blinked, looked at the tall man in a flying fish suit, still as if in a dream, and slowly said: "I really hope that you won't do anything too bad in the future; or, you can hide it if you do it." Well, don't tell me..."
Zhou Yinzhi looked up at her.
However, Jiang Xuening lowered her eyes, and silently pulled the corners of her lips, turned back and stepped on the footstool, and got into the carriage.
In the afternoon of early winter, Yao Shangshu Mansion is located in the east of the city. The four entrances are quiet and elegant. Although the doors outside are closed, the corridors inside are long, but there are maids walking around and laughing from time to time.
After hearing the report, Yao Xi rushed to her father's study with great joy.
Before he even had time to wait for someone to communicate, he couldn't wait to ask: "Daddy, did Zhang Zhe send someone to deliver the letter? What did you write?"
Yao Qingyu is in his fifties this year, Yao Xi is his youngest daughter and his only daughter, she has always been treated like a jewel in his palm, so no one reprimanded her for her unruly behavior.
The boy didn't report when he saw her go in.
But Yao Qingyu was sitting behind the desk, looking at the opened letter, a cloud gradually appeared on his already aged face.
Yao Xi has always been favored and wanted to know the news related to her marriage. When she came in, she didn't notice Yao Qingyu's expression. Instead, she saw the envelope that had been torn apart at a glance, so she noticed the letter that Yao Qingyu was reading.
She immediately leaned over: "My daughter wants to see it too!"
She picked up the letter.
On the simple plain white letter paper were the familiar handwriting that Yao Xi had secretly read many times when she was in the palace, each stroke was clear and smooth, and penetrated the back of the paper, just like the person she saw in the Palace of Compassion and Ning that day.
The letter was addressed to Yao Qingyu, but for some reason, when she saw the word, she was filled with shyness and felt her face burn.
This time he settled down and looked down.
In the letter, Zhang Zhe first asked Yao Qingyu how he was, and then recounted the experience before and after the marriage negotiation between the two families. People looked at the cold letter but still knew they were cute, but as soon as the thought crossed the line, the next line of words jumped into her eyes, and all the previous joyful expressions froze on her face!
"how come…"
She hastily read these few lines twice again, but her originally pretty face was slightly distorted, her body trembled, and she squeezed the letter tightly, unwilling to believe it.
"Why does he still want to withdraw the marriage? Father, why does he still want to withdraw the marriage!"
Tears rolled in Yao Xi's eyes, and she felt that all the shame and joy that she had previously turned into a huge slap, which fell on her face and completely blinded her.
I can't even hold back my face.
She couldn't accept it, so she kept asking Yao Qingyu.
However, Yao Qingyu raised his eyes, which had been soaked in the ups and downs of the years, and looked at the daughter whom he had always loved, remembering the reason why he asked his servants to inquire about it.
He just couldn't believe it.
At this moment, he didn't answer Yao Xi's words, but instead asked her: "Have you forgotten what you said in the palace and what you want to do now?"
Yao Xi didn't understand, so she asked, "What?"
Yao Qingyu pointed at the suppressed anger since he saw this letter, and finally exploded at this moment. He slapped the table, stood up suddenly, and asked loudly: "When you wanted Zhang Zhe to retire, were you in the palace?" Colleague schemes to destroy people's reputations, bad people's reputations?!"
Yao Xi had never seen his father get so angry.
She didn't react at this moment, and said in a daze: "How could Daddy know..."
When Yao Qingyu heard her words, he almost couldn't hold back a slap and was about to slap her!
But after all, this is his most beloved youngest daughter.
That hand was raised high, but in the end it didn't fall down, but dropped the paperweight on the desk, and his voice changed in anger: "How could I raise such a daughter as you! That cover was originally I have painstakingly worked hard for you, I have a dignified character, and a patient temperament. Although my reputation is not obvious now, it will become a great weapon in time! You are blinded by lard and see that he is in despair for a while and want to retire. I can’t bear it as a father You suffered in the past when you were married, who would have thought that you would even plan such harmful thoughts in order to withdraw from the marriage! Zhang Zhe is concerned about the face of your girl's family, so it is not good to explain the whole story to me in the letter, and only the matter of withdrawing from the marriage Blame it on yourself, but everyone knows what you have done! My Yao Mansion has been completely disgraced by you!"
It was really like a bolt from the blue, hitting on the head.
Yao Xi was completely dumbfounded.
Only at this moment did she know why Zhang Zhe had withdrawn from the engagement, and her heart sank for a moment, and she took two steps back dejectedly, as if she could not stand still, she murmured: "How could he know, how could he know... "
Yao Qingyu said coldly: "If you want people not to know, you have to do it yourself! Since you have done such a thing, it is not unusual for others to know!"
Yao Xi felt that her face had been hurt, and the page of the letter was crumpled by her. She gritted her teeth and said, "Impossible! It was just a joke in the palace, how could Zhang Zhe know it! Our Yao Xi With such a prominent lintel in the mansion, how could he, a poor and shabby householder who was born as an official, withdraw from his marriage? There is also an old mother in his family, who was so happy when she found out about the marriage, it is impossible for him to withdraw from the marriage! Someone must have secretly instigated , Father, there must be someone secretly instigating to ruin my marriage..."
After hearing these words, Yao Qingyu felt chills in his heart.
He looked at her speechless.
Suddenly, a face so bright and jealous appeared in Yao Xi's mind, tears fell from her eyes, she gritted her teeth and repeated: "Someone must be secretly instigating..."
Zhang Zhe returned home with the medicine.
There is an unremarkable old door in the depths of the alley. It doesn't look like an official door. It only enters a simple courtyard. There is a bamboo rack for drying clothes on a clean bluestone slab, and his clothes are hung on it. Official uniform.
The sound of tables and chairs being moved came from the main room to the east.
Someone is sweeping.
The elderly woman was wearing coarse clothes and an apron around her waist. She was arranging the tables and chairs in the house and wiping them clean with a rag.
When Zhang Zhe walked in, she was cleaning the dishcloth in a basin filled with water.
Looking up and seeing his figure, Jiang smiled at him: "I'm back, what do you want to eat tonight? Mother will make it for you."
Her husband died early, and Jiang became a widow at a young age. She raised her son alone. The Destiny is quite different.
Back then, the family was desolate, and it took her a lot of effort to ask the master in the school to accept Zhang Zhe.
But other expenses in the school are also high.
Pen, ink, paper and inkstone all cost money.
So Jiang saved money to buy it for him, just wanting him to get a good name in the examination, to get ahead, and to clear up his father's grievances one day.
She knew that her son was smart, and also knew that if he studied, he must be very good.
But who would have thought that after only a few years of studying, he took the official examination in the Yamen that year without telling her. When he passed the exam, he would tell her when he came back that he didn't study or take scientific exams.
She was so angry that she beat him with a cane.
While beating, weeping and scolding: "Think about how wronged your father died, and what did he teach you back then! You are useless, you are not promising! What can you be an official after the examination? Only use it in emergencies in the government, don't use it!" I will dismiss you! You have been doing things for others all your life, you are really going to **** me off!"
Zhang Zhe didn't dodge or dodge at that time, he just knelt before his father's spirit and let her beat and scold him.
His back was bloodied.
After the fight, Jiang threw away the rattan, sat in the hall and cried, only hating herself for being incompetent, a woman who doesn't have the ability to make money. How could she not know that her son went to take the official examination instead of studying because he knew that the family had no money and didn't want her to suffer so much?
But the more she knew, the more uncomfortable she was.
Since Zhang Zhe took office in the yamen and received the salary from the court, although the life at home is still poor, it has gradually become better than the original stretch.
What made Jiang even more unexpected was——
Half a year later, Gu Chunfang, the supervisory censor of Henan Province, inspected the government office. Zhang Zhe filed a lawsuit against him, and finally asked the government office to retry his father's old case. After more than two years, he was recommended to the imperial court, served as a secretary in the criminal department, broke the rules and became a "Beijing official".
This small courtyard was built by their mother and son when they first arrived in the capital.
It was originally very dilapidated.
But Mrs. Jiang is diligent in tidying up. Although it is still shabby and cannot add much decoration, it looks popular and looks like a home.
Zhang Zhe put the bought medicine on the table, frowned and didn't say anything, he stepped forward and took the rag from Mrs. Jiang's hand, put it in the wooden basin, and put the wooden basin aside, said: "It was wiped once yesterday, and there is no dust in the house. You are not in good health, so don't be tired anymore."
He also had a cold face when he said this.
Jiang shook her head when she saw it, and said: "You always have such a stinky face, and you are tough in doing things. You don't know how to hurt others. How can you marry a wife in the future?"
Zhang Zhe pressed her to sit down and didn't speak.
But Mrs. Jiang started nagging: "However, it's fine if the marriage in Yao's mansion is withdrawn. It is true that we are the ones who are the ones who are the best, but we don't want to use such low-spirited thoughts to harm others. Besides, you can't pour water and needles. , the tough temper that does not eat oil and salt, is just like your father. Even if a lady from a rich family is married to you, how many people can bear it?"
Zhang Zhe lowered his head to remove the medicine, but didn't answer.
Jiang looked at his silent temper, and said angrily: "In the future, it's better for your mother to help you watch more. Generally, if you can find a good girl who knows how to take care of others in the family, it is best to be gentle and virtuous. You can bear you if you put it in your heart. Otherwise, one day your mother and I will go down to see your father, and I will still worry about it in my heart."
"..."
The thread that bound the medicine bag had been untied, and the mixed medicinal ingredients were scattered on the paper, and a bitter taste also diffused, Zhang Zhe's knuckle-boned fingers pressed against the corner of the paper, and did not move.
All kinds of torture in the prison in the previous life seemed to come up again,
It took a long time before he suppressed them all, and also suppressed the pair of eyes under the dark palace wall that were suppressed and fixed on him with joy, the pressure made the bottom of his heart ache, Fang raised his head and looked at him. Mrs. Jiang said slowly, "Don't talk nonsense about such things."