Chapter 1509: Chapter 1509 Cute
Zhou Shuren waited for Zhang Jinghong to leave before taking out the zhezi and pondering for a while. He genuinely admired Zhang Jinghong. Weighing his words carefully, he finally picked up the brush and wrote Zhang Jinghong’s name on the zhezi.
As he left the government office, Zhou Shuren encountered Zhang Jinghong and offered a piece of advice, "If you wish to leave, you must demonstrate sincerity."
Zhang Jinghong instantly understood. He wasn’t lacking in silver; back when he left, he brought a considerable amount with him. He and his wife lived discreetly, employing only a few servants over the years. Most of their expenses were for their son. He began deliberating over how to craft a convincing zhezi that would put the royal family at ease.
Upon returning home, Zhou Shuren saw his wife immersed in drawing and writing, with an entire table piled with things. "What are you working on? You’ve written so much?"
Zhulan felt like pulling her hair out. "I want the orphanage kids to eat some meat occasionally. Living was difficult before, but why does it feel even harder here?"
Zhou Shuren proposed, "There are quite a few children. What if each child took responsibility for raising a chicken or a duck, and for every certain number of children, they raised a pig together? What do you think?"
"That would be good, but with larger numbers of livestock, disease might become an issue. How would we solve that?"
"The Imperial court is planning large-scale animal husbandry and has already found people skilled in livestock care. We can send a few kids to learn from them. When people face pressure, they tend to seek solutions—they’ll figure it out sooner or later."
Zhulan sighed, "Then let’s raise fewer animals for now."
There were too many children, and she knew all too well how much food they could eat.
The next day, after court had adjourned, Zhou Shuren remained behind. The Emperor didn’t bring up Zhang Jinghong’s zhezi. "Marquis Zhou, do you believe Zhang Jinghong is the ideal candidate?"
Zhou Shuren had already prepared his response. "Yes, Zhang Jinghong’s status is delicate. If he is tasked with a mission, he wouldn’t dare to be negligent, which would help Prince Qin in provincial construction efforts even more effectively."
After pausing briefly, he added, "Yesterday, I inquired who was willing to go, and only Zhang Jinghong stepped forward. Zhang Jinghong’s intentions are easy to gauge; as a father and son, his considerations are far-reaching—he’s doing this for his son."
The Emperor accepted the zhezi, naturally conducting a review. Indeed, as Zhou Shuren said, Zhang Jinghong’s zhezi centered on donating grain. Zhang Jinghong had a penchant for stockpiling, and over the years, he had hoarded a significant amount of food and supplies, all of which he donated to the Imperial court while leaving enough only for daily sustenance.
The Emperor was moved. He knew exactly what Zhang Jinghong possessed. After a long silence, he said, "It’s all for the children."
Zhou Shuren speculated internally that Zhang Jinghong must have given up a substantial amount of his resources. "Throughout the years Zhang Jinghong served in the Ministry of Revenue, he never let up, always working diligently. I’ve observed this clearly. He understands his place very well."
The Emperor held complex feelings toward Zhang Jinghong. After all Zhang Jinghong had been through, he hadn’t been defeated but had instead prospered despite challenges. Aside from his background, there was nothing about Zhang Jinghong that warranted suspicion. "Let’s appoint him to assist Rongchuan."
Zhou Shuren exhaled deeply, genuinely happy for Zhang Jinghong. This success indicated that the royal family’s tolerance for Zhang Jinghong was indeed high. "Understood."
Upon returning to the Ministry of Revenue, Zhou Shuren delivered the good news to a visibly nervous Zhang Jinghong. Zhang Jinghong stood up, offered a respectful bow, and said, "This humble official owes everything to your guidance. I will forever remember your kindness."
Zhou Shuren waved him off. "Completing the assignment successfully will be thanks enough for me."
Zhang Jinghong responded, "This humble official will certainly not let you down."
In Qiizhou Province, Chang Lian stood by the riverbank, staring at the broken dam that had been washed away last year. On both sides of the dam, many villagers dug for wild vegetables, desperately wanting to scrape off a layer of earth.
The Magistrate had already completed his inspection and returned. "Now all we’re waiting on is silver from the Imperial court."
Chang Lian remarked, "The Imperial court is short on silver, and their current focus is on the grasslands."
The Magistrate was aware of this predicament. Conquering is easy, governing is hard—especially for the foreign tribe people who harbored hostility toward them. "Have you written home lately?"
Chang Lian sighed, "My lord, the matter of silver isn’t something a simple letter can resolve."
Last year, his father’s savings were wiped out. The Imperial court needed silver, and the Emperor had turned to his father for it. Though his father hadn’t shared many details, Chang Lian understood the difficulty he faced.
Watching the river, the Magistrate fell into silence. He felt a deep fear—afraid that another flood this year would mark the end of his tenure as Magistrate. While he didn’t expect Chang Lian to secure silver, he hoped that if the Emperor inquired, Marquis Zhou might speak on behalf of Qiizhou Province.
"Ah, the dam simply must be repaired."
Chang Lian replied, "Naturally, the dam is of utmost importance. The Imperial court is counting on Qiizhou Province to produce enough grain this year to alleviate some of the ongoing food shortages."
Hearing this, a smile flickered across the Magistrate’s face. "I’ll take that as a good omen."
As the words settled, the Magistrate added, "Your eldest daughter is engaged to the Yu family. Yu Daren works in the Ministry of Commerce, correct?"
Chang Lian nodded. He was very pleased with this match—his eldest daughter had shouldered many responsibilities from a young age, including managing her siblings. As a father, he felt he had short-changed her. Marrying into a family without an eldest son would allow her to live a freer life.
Seeing that Chang Lian didn’t elaborate further, the Magistrate didn’t push for more conversation.
Meanwhile, Lady Dong impatiently sent away a visitor and turned to her maidservant. "Why are they meddling in whether I have children or not? Even my mother-in-law doesn’t interfere, so what business is it of theirs? Did you hear them insinuating that I’m incapable of bearing children and suggesting that I allow a concubine into the family? Have they forgotten the Zhou family’s rules after so long?"
The maidservant poured her tea and said, "Don’t be upset, madam. These people haven’t forgotten the rules—they’re blinded by greed after seeing the power and prestige of the family. Ever since the young master moved to the capital, the household only has you and the master. Their desires have reared their head."
Lady Dong drank her tea, her anger dissipating quickly. She wasn’t inclined to lose her temper these days. "I don’t want more children. Three are enough."
Even her parents urged her to have more children, but she couldn’t be bothered to respond to their letters anymore. Nowadays, she was at peace with the idea—thanks, in no small part, to the confidence her husband had instilled in her.
In the capital, Yu Yi ran into Miss Qie, an encounter that felt like destiny’s cruel play. There were several musical instrument shops in the capital, yet to expedite her purchase of new strings, she had avoided the most famous shop—only to run straight into her rival. Truly, an unlucky coincidence.
Miss Qie Fourth also felt the sting of misfortune. Her younger uncle had safely arrived, but her grandmother still clung to old grudges.
Miss Qie Fourth jeered, "Why is Miss Zhou Fourth leaving already? Could it be that you’re afraid of us?"
Yu Yi wasn’t one to engage in public quarrels. Even if she won the argument, it wouldn’t reflect well on her. Her inclination to leave spoke not of fear but of disdain for confrontation. "Miss Qie Fourth is joking. A defeated opponent hardly scares me."
Miss Qie Fourth’s face darkened. "Such sharp words!"
"The Empress once praised my elegance and intelligence. She never mentioned sharpness of tongue."
Miss Qie Fourth retorted, "... Is that all you can use against me? Aren’t you capable of anything else?"
"If honesty counts, I’d say it’s something I excel at."
Onlookers, "..."
Yu Yueyang arrived to retrieve Yu Yi, having been sent by his mother who was in the tea house across the street. As he approached, he overheard Yu Yi’s sharp remarks and couldn’t suppress a laugh.
Yu Yi’s ears tingled in embarrassment, but hearing his laughter that only continued, she turned back and shot him a glare.
Yu Yueyang stepped forward with a smile, taking the guqin from Yu Yi’s arms. "Mother saw you and asked me to invite you for tea."
Yu Yi smiled and nodded, "Alright, let’s go."
The two left together, leaving the other young ladies looking rather displeased.
Unable to hold back, Yu Yueyang whispered cheekily, "You were adorable just now."
Yu Yi, "??"
Did he not notice how close she was to making Miss Qie cry?