Chapter 76 Filial Piety

Zhou Yin mixed with the public gate.

There has always been a saying here that goes "entering the yamen to scrape off layers of skin". This kind of thing is not uncommon during the Qingming period of the government, but it is naturally common during unstable court situations. The Jin Yi Wei has long caused a lot of complaints among the court and the public, and this kind of thing is done with ease, making it a leader among them.

Those who have committed crimes, the richer they are, the better they are. After being detained in prison for seven days, they are so scared that their courage is broken. Naturally, the family is worried, holding money to clear the way up and down, afraid that the adults in the public gate will not accept them.

This is done with kindness.

Those who are ruthless and have darker hands, regardless of whether you are the victim or the perpetrator, will be arrested and imprisoned under the pretext of being detained for trial when the lawsuit is tangled up. At that time, the perpetrator will only bribe the officer, and even the victim will have to spend money to alleviate the disaster.

If we don't give silver, it's easy.

The case of a foolish official breaking a gourd, regardless of whether you are guilty or innocent, you will be punished with one stroke.

When Zhou Yinzhi arrived from the yamen today, she was thinking about what Jiang Xuening wanted on the way. When she arrived at the teahouse, she noticed that although she had always distanced herself from the relationship with You Fangyin and held You Yue in her arms, every word seemed to be for her good. However, the expression of this "bitter master" was not the same.

So after a brief thought, he guessed that she was going to treat You Yue.

The Jin Yi Wei is on a mission outside, and he is a newly recruited thousand households. He dare not openly approach Jiang Xuening, but his actions are not ambiguous: no matter what else is caught first, what to do next is only up to Jiang Xuening.

But he didn't expect that Jiang Xuening had such an idea.

Qin is too expensive

That's because we're running out of money.

Zhou Yinzhi nodded without showing any surprise or hesitation, and only said, "I understand."

Yan Lin had given her many things in the past, but it would take some time to sell those things. Although Jiang Xuening had some money in his hands, when the brave and resolute Marquis's Mansion was in trouble, even if there was a lot of silver, it might not be enough. Moreover, she was determined to obtain the Ziliujing Salt Field, and had enough money in her hand to prevent any accidents and ensure no losses.

Since You Yue has offended her, she is considered unlucky.

Today, she was supposed to be acting, but she didn't expect You Fangyin to risk her life to protect her and pick up the bench to deal with You Yue. If you give up on this and let You Yue take her back to the mansion like this, you will have to be beaten severely.

Jiang Xuening really didn't want to think about that scene.

I dare not.

It is better to report to the government first, arrest the person in prison, and let Zhou Yinzhi serve him well, rather than go back to the mansion and suffer torture. Anyway, hide these days for now and think about any permanent solution in the future.

Jiang Xuening gently pinched her eyebrows and said, "You Yue is also the attendant of Princess Leyang in the palace. Xiumu and the other two should go back to the palace. You should handle this matter carefully and don't make too much noise. After all, your position as a thousand households hasn't been down for long. Even if you have made contributions to the investigation of the Yongyi Marquis's Mansion and the rebellion of the Prince of Pingnan, you can't resist the hype. If you are seen as a thorn in your side, it's not good."

Zhou Yinzhi's pupils suddenly contracted.

Jiang Xuening didn't say anything ordinary, just continued, "I've been in the palace these days. I know the situation with the Yongyi Marquis's Mansion is ominous. You can talk about it."

The tea house was empty, and as soon as the people of the Royal Guards picked up someone, they all left empty.

But after all, there was such a big battle just now.

Zhou Yinzhi is very cautious in his dealings, only saying that it is not convenient to speak here. He would like to invite Jiang Xuening to his humble abode for a chat.

Originally, Jiang Xuening came today with the intention of meeting Ren Weizhi for a while, but she also encountered an accident with You Yue. It seems that today is not a good time to get things done, and since You Fangyin has already met before, she doesn't really need to come forward again.

So he agreed.

After the cup of tea was put down, she and Zhou Yin went out of the teahouse together.

Jiang Xuening's carriage is right by the roadside.

Zhou Yinzhi came by horse.

But now this white horse is no longer the beloved horse that was raised for two years.

Jiang Xuening glanced at it and remembered what she had recently heard from Yan Lin. Zhou Yinzhi killed a horse

===Kunning Section 95===

In the previous life, Zhou Yinzhi married Yao Xi.

And later, this person also teamed up with Chen Ying to frame Zhang Zhe, causing him to sit in unjust prison for several months. It was not until Xie Wei rebelled that Zhou Yinzhi's head was taken off by Xie Wei and hung high at the palace gate.

Thinking of this, her mood became a bit gloomy.

The coachman has already placed a footstool under the carriage shaft.

Jiang Xuening walked over and supported Tang'er and Lian'er's hands before getting on the car.

But she never expected that when she accidentally lifted her eyes, she scanned the entrance of a pharmacy diagonally across the street and happened to bump into a pair of silent and calm eyes——

Green hairpins and hairbands, meticulous in every detail; The plain blue robe looked particularly simple, but it fit perfectly on him.

I am still carrying a small medicine bag in my hand.

Zhang Zhe stood quietly at the entrance of the pharmacy, whether he had just come out or had been standing here watching for a long time.

At that moment, Jiang Xuening's body stiffened, all her movements stopped, and there was a buzzing sound inside her head, leaving her completely blank.

Zhang Zhe withdrew his gaze at this moment.

He withdrew his gaze from looking at her, as well as Zhou Yinzhi's gaze from looking at her. With a slight nod, he bowed and turned to follow the bustling street, carrying the medicine he had just grabbed, and slowly walked away.

Lian'er followed her gaze and saw only a thin figure, not knowing who it was. She was a bit confused and said, "Miss?"

Jiang Xuening raised her hand and pressed down on her heart with some force.

She felt flustered in her heart.

Although it was just such an ordinary glance, Zhang Zhe may not have known Zhou Yinzhi, a newly appointed member of the Royal Guards, yet she tasted the continued discomfort and guilt

Zhou Yinzhi is undoubtedly not a good troublemaker.

In the previous life, he despised her for being associated with such people, and in this life, she still cannot escape. To wander in this Shura realm, she must first use such people.

Zhou Yinzhi noticed a strange expression on her face and secretly speculated about the identity of that person just now.

Jiang Xuening slowly turned her head to look at him.

His gaze was somewhat dazed, as if he had seen something else through him, and in the end, a hint of melancholy and melancholy appeared

Zhou Yinzhi never denied the beauty of the woman in front of him. He had already experienced it when he was still in the countryside.

But this is still the first time

For the first time, he was moved by the incomprehensible look in her eyes.

He said, "What's up, Miss Er?"

Jiang Xuening blinked and looked at the tall man in a flying fish suit, still as if in a dream, slowly saying, "I really hope that in the future, you don't do anything too bad; or maybe, if you do it better, don't let me know..."

Zhou Yinzhi looked up at her.

Jiang Xuening, however, lowered her gaze and silently tugged at the corner of her lips, then turned around and stepped on the footstool, getting on the carriage.

*

In the early winter afternoon, the Yao Shangshu Mansion, located in the east of the city, has a quiet and elegant courtyard with four courtyards. Although the outer door is tightly closed, the inner corridor is long, but there are occasional figures of maids and women walking and laughing.

Yao Xi heard the news and ran to her father's study with great joy.

Before even waiting for someone to pass on the message, he eagerly asked, "Dad, did Zhang Zhe send someone to deliver the letter? What did he write?"

Yao Qingyu is already in his fifties this year. Yao Xi is his youngest daughter and also his only daughter. She has always been the apple of his eye, so even if she behaves irregularly on a daily basis, no one criticizes her.

The servant didn't inform her when he saw her enter.

Yao Qingyu sat behind the desk, looking at the opened letter. However, his aging face gradually revealed a layer of darkness.

Yao Xisu was being pampered and was eager to know news about her marriage. However, when she entered, she didn't notice Yao Qingyu's expression. Instead, she saw the opened envelope on the side and noticed the letter that Yao Qingyu was reading.

She immediately leaned over and said, "My daughter also wants to take a look!"

She picked up the letter.

On the simple plain white letterhead were familiar handwriting that Yao Xi had secretly read many times when she was in the palace. Each stroke was clear and smooth, penetrating the back of the paper, just like the person she saw in the Cining Palace that day.

The letter was written to Yao Qingyu, but for some reason, she felt shy and hot at the sight of this word.

After calming down, I looked down.

In the letter, Zhang Zhe first asked Yao Qingyu how he was, and then recounted the events before and after the two families discussed marriage. He also spoke highly of the beauty of the Yao family. Yao Xizhen felt more and more embarrassed as she looked at it. She couldn't help but mutter in her heart that this person looked at the cold and hard letter but still knew how likable it was. But as soon as this thought crossed, the next line of words jumped into her eyes, making all her previous joyful expressions stiff on her face!

"How could..."

She quickly read these few lines twice again, but her originally beautiful face had a faint twist, and her body trembled. She clenched the letter tightly, unwilling to believe it.

"Why does he still want to step down? Father, why does he still want to step down!"

Yao Xi's tears rolled in her eyes, only to feel that all her previous shyness and joy had turned into a huge slap, hitting her face and blinding her whole.

I can't even save face.

She couldn't accept it and kept asking Yao Qingyu.

Yao Qingyu lifted his eyes, which had been soaked in the ups and downs of time, and looked at his beloved daughter. He remembered the reason why he had sent his servants to inquire earlier.

He is a bit unbelievable.

At this moment, he didn't answer Yao Xi's words, but instead asked her, "Have you forgotten what you said and wanted to do in the palace?"

Yao Xi was unsure, so he said, "What?"

Since seeing this letter, Yao Qingyu has been suppressing his anger and finally exploded at this moment. He patted the table and suddenly stood up, loudly questioning, "Did you plan with someone in the palace to ruin someone's reputation and reputation when you wanted Zhang Zhe to withdraw?"

Yao Xi has never seen her father get so angry before.

In that moment, she didn't even react and said in a daze, "Dad, how would he know..."

Yao Qingyu almost couldn't resist slapping her when he heard this sentence!

But after all, this is his most beloved youngest daughter.

The hand was raised high, but in the end, it didn't fall down. Instead, it dropped the paperweight on the desk, causing my voice to change in anger: "How could I have raised such a daughter like you! That cover was originally my painstaking effort for you, with a strong character and patient temperament. Although it may not be well-known now, it will become a great treasure in time!"! You can't help but see him feeling down for a while and want to quit. As a father, you can't bear to marry him and suffer. Who would have thought that you had planned such harmful thoughts to quit! People Zhang Zhe is concerned about the face of your girl's family, and it's not easy to explain the truth to me in a letter. He only blames himself for the withdrawal, but they all know what you have done! You have ruined the face of my Yao Mansion! "

It's like a bolt from the blue, hitting me head-on.

Yao Xi was completely confused.

At this moment, she realized why Zhang Zhe had withdrawn from the marriage. Her whole heart was disheartened for a moment, and she took two steps back in a dejected manner, as if she was a bit unstable. She only murmured, "How could he know, how could he know..."

Yao Qingyu said coldly, "If you want people to know, you must not do it yourself! Since you can do such a thing, it's not uncommon for others to know!"

Yao Xi, however, felt embarrassed. She wrinkled the entire page of the letter and gritted her teeth, saying, "Impossible! That was just a joke in the palace, how could Zhang Zhe know! With such a prominent family background as our Yao Mansion, how could he possibly withdraw from the marriage? His mother, who knew about this marriage, was so happy that she couldn't let him withdraw!"! Someone must have instigated it secretly, father. Someone must have instigated it secretly to ruin my marriage... "

Upon hearing these words, Yao Qingyu felt a chill in his heart.

He looked at her and couldn't speak.

Yao Xi suddenly had a face in her mind that was so bright that it made her jealous. Tears streamed down her eyes and she gritted her teeth, repeating, "Someone must have been secretly instigating..."

*

Zhang Zhe returned home carrying medicine.

In the depths of the alley, there was an inconspicuous old door that, when pushed open, didn't look like a government official's door. It was only a small entrance into a simple courtyard, with a bamboo rack for hanging clothes on a clean bluestone slab and his official uniform hanging from it.

The sound of tables and chairs being moved came from the east hall.

Someone is sweeping and sprinkling.

The elderly woman was dressed in coarse cloth and tied an apron around her waist. She was arranging the tables and chairs in the room neatly and wiping them clean with a cloth.

When Zhang Zhe walked in, she was putting a cloth into a basin filled with water to clean.

Looking up and seeing his figure, Jiang smiled at him and said, "You're back. What would you like to eat tonight? Mom will make it for you.""

Her husband died early, and Jiang became a widow at a young age. She pulled her son to adulthood alone, and the traces left by the wind and frost of time were particularly cruel on her body. The corners of her eyes and eyebrows were engraved one after another, which was completely different from the successful wives of her sons in the capital.

Back in the day, her family was in dire straits, and she put in a lot of effort to ask the teacher in the school to accept Zhang Zhe.

But other expenses in the school are also high.

Pen, ink, paper, and inkstone all cost money.

Jiang frugally saved up money to buy for him, hoping that he would achieve fame and fame, and one day clear his father's name.

She knew her son was smart and knew that if he were to study, he would definitely be the top student.

But who would have thought that after only a few years of studying, he secretly went to take the official examination in the yamen that year. After passing the exam, I'll tell her when I come back that he won't study or take any exams.

She was so angry that she hit him with a vine.

As he fought, he cried and cursed, "Think about how unjustly your father died. What did he teach you back then! He's not good at anything, he doesn't make a name for himself! What can he become after being a civil servant? The government only uses you when things are urgent, and if you don't, you'll have to dismiss you! You've been working for people all your life, you really want to anger me!"

At that time, Zhang Zhe neither hid nor avoided, so he knelt in front of his father's spirit and was beaten and scolded by her.

The back was covered in blood.

At the back, Jiang threw away all the vines and sat in the hall crying, only hating her own incompetence and being a woman without the ability to make money. How could she not know that her son went to take the civil service exam instead of taking the exam, because she knew there was no money at home and didn't want her to suffer so hard?

The more she knew, the more she felt uncomfortable.

Since Zhang Zhe took office in the yamen and received the salary given by the court, although the family's life was still poor, it gradually improved compared to the previous financial difficulties.

What surprised Jiang even more was that——

After less than half a year, Gu Chunfang, the censor of Henan Province, inspected the government office. Zhang Zhe was sued and eventually had his father's old case retried by the government office. After more than a decade, the injustice was finally settled, and Zhang Zhe was also favored by Gu Chunfang. After more than two years, he was recommended to the court and appointed as a member of the Criminal Investigation Department. He broke free from his official duties and became a "Beijing official".

This small courtyard was set up by the mother and son when they first arrived in the capital.

It was originally very dilapidated.

But Jiang was diligent in tidying up. Although he was still humble and didn't add much decoration, he looked very popular and had a home like appearance.

Zhang Zhe placed the medicine he had bought on the table, frowned but didn't say a word. He stepped forward and took down the cloth from Jiang's hand, put it in the wooden basin, and then brought it aside before saying, "I wiped it once yesterday, and there's not much dust at home. You're not in good health, don't work hard anymore."

He also said this with a cold face.

Jiang shook her head as she looked at her and said, "Your face always smells so bad, and you act hard. You don't know how to hurt anyone at all. How can you marry a wife in the future?"

Zhang Zhe pressed her to sit down and remained silent.

Jiang, on the other hand, began to nag, "But it's good if the marriage of Yao Mansion is cancelled. It was indeed a matter of our high aspirations, but there's no need to resort to such despicable thoughts to harm others. Moreover, your stubborn temper, such as not being able to pour water, insert needles, and eat oil and salt, is just like your father's. If a lady from a wealthy family marries you, how many of you can bear it?"

Zhang Zhe lowered his head to dismantle the medicine and refused to answer.

===Kunning Section 96===

Jiang looked at his silent nature and couldn't help but say, "From now on, it's better for my mother to help you watch more. Generally, if there is a good girl in the family who knows how to take care of people, it's better to be gentle and virtuous. She can bear you even if she takes you to heart. Otherwise, one day when your mother and I go down to see your father, we will still have to worry about you in our hearts."

"..."

The thread that bound the medicine package had been untied, and the mixed medicinal herbs scattered on the paper. A bitter taste followed suit, and Zhang Zhe's clearly defined fingers pressed against the corner of the paper without moving.

The various torments in the prison of the past life seem to surge up again,

After a long time, he finally suppressed them all, and also suppressed the joyful eyes under the dim palace walls, which made his heart ache deeply. Fang looked up at Jiang Shi and slowly said, "Don't talk nonsense about this."