Chapter 1638: Chapter 1638: Mind Normal
In the blink of an eye, Zhou Shuren, who had spent many days at sea, reluctantly came ashore, only to be met with the darkened face of the Retired Emperor.
Zhou Shuren, “!!”
The Retired Emperor didn’t return to the capital?
The Retired Emperor spoke with a hint of sarcasm, “Finally willing to come back?”
Zhou Shuren, “…”
The attitude of a resentful spouse is quite an eyesore.
The Empress Dowager asked curiously, “You didn’t return to the capital?”
Zhulan silently gave the Empress Dowager a thumbs-up. Look at how directly the Empress Dowager spoke! And during these days, the Empress Dowager seemed quite carefree. Zhulan observed for a few days and didn’t notice any hint of her missing the Retired Emperor!
The Retired Emperor felt aggrieved, “I finished my tasks and wanted to go to sea to find you, but didn’t know the route, so I had to stay here and wait.”
Then he quickly added, “Wherever you are is my home.”
Zhulan, “…”
Zhou Shuren, “…”
So the Retired Emperor is like this in private, tsk tsk!
The Empress Dowager’s face showed a trace of awkwardness, she glared at her husband, “Get in the carriage.”
The Retired Emperor eagerly stepped forward, “I’ll help you.”
Zhulan and Zhou Shuren also boarded the carriage. Once it was moving, Zhulan whispered, “The Retired Emperor can’t stay away from the Empress Dowager.”
Zhou Shuren said, “That’s why they say old companions are the best.”
The carriage didn’t return to Pinggang but went straight to the city hall. They rested there overnight, and the journey was quite smooth, making it into the city before the gates closed.
Upon entering the city hall, Zhou Shuren immediately encountered the Crown Prince and was surprised, “Your Highness, the Crown Prince?”
The Crown Prince, seeing that his grandparents were safe and that Marquis Zhou was in good health, finally felt at ease, “My father calculated the days and instructed me to wait in the city hall.”
Zhou Shuren said, “It’s been hard on Your Highness.”
The Crown Prince carefully examined Marquis Zhou and asked with a smile, “During this vacation, did Marquis Zhou manage to rest well?”
Zhou Shuren, “If I say I didn’t rest well, can I get more leave?”
The Crown Prince smiled, “No.”
“Oh.”
After speaking, Zhou Shuren turned and went back to the carriage.
The Retired Emperor smirked, “Since you’re waiting here, I trust accommodations are arranged?”
The Crown Prince said, “Everything is arranged, let me lead the way, Grandson.”
Soon they arrived at the inn, and as Zhou Shuren was washing up, he encountered the Crown Prince, who seemed eager to chat. Zhou Shuren grimaced, “Oh, getting old, not feeling well, I need to deal with urgent nature calls.”
The Crown Prince, “…”
The Crown Prince waited for a while but didn’t see Marquis Zhou, so he sent someone to inquire, only to learn that Marquis Zhou had already left the inn, “!!”
He’s still too young.
Zhou Shuren went around town, oh Jinzhou Province, he was so familiar with this place. Because it was close to the capital, Jinzhou Province had changed significantly, “I remember when I left, there weren’t even three-story buildings here.”
Jinyan asked a passerby, “Built three years ago.”
Zhou Shuren, “What a big change.”
By the time Zhou Shuren returned to the inn after walking around, it was already dark, and there were not many pedestrians on the street, nor were there many people in the inn’s lobby.
As a result, Zhou Shuren was helpless, “The Crown Prince hasn’t rested yet?”
The Crown Prince, “It’s still early.”
Zhou Shuren stopped pretending, “Is the Crown Prince waiting for me?”
The Crown Prince gestured to make some tea and invited, “Mr. Hou, please.”
Zhou Shuren knew he couldn’t avoid it, so he signaled for Jinyan and the others to rest and slowly walked to the table to sit down, “What does the Crown Prince want to talk about?”
The Crown Prince said, “When Mr. Hou returns to the Ministry of Revenue, I will accompany you to handle affairs there.”
Zhou Shuren was dumbfounded; he thought he was just taking a vacation, but quickly understood, “Because of smuggling?”
The Crown Prince nodded, “The Ministry of Revenue will be very busy soon.”
Zhou Shuren understood, The Emperor was going to take action. It’s not clear whose family will be searched. With so many years of experience as the Minister of Revenue, confiscating family assets could really make one rich, “So the Ministry of Revenue is going to profit from this?”
The Crown Prince, “…Yes.”
Zhou Shuren began to ponder. With the smuggling discovered by the Retired Emperor, and the Retired Emperor himself investigating it, they had unearthed quite a few things. He asked in a deep voice, “Have you investigated the military?”
The Crown Prince, “Investigated. My father was furious and has already detained several people in the capital. The amount discovered is shocking.”
Zhou Shuren stroked his beard, “It’s only been a few years.”
The Crown Prince also felt distressed. The Navy, which had been so prestigious, had in just a few years become a mere protector for some people.
Early the next morning, they set off, and Zhou Shuren was consumed with thoughts of confiscation. Especially after learning from the Crown Prince about some of the amounts involved in corruption, he was determined to prepare for action upon returning to the capital!
The journey back to the capital was very safe. Upon separating from the Retired Emperor in the capital, Zhou Shuren murmured, “I thought someone would take desperate measures.”
The Retired Emperor rolled his eyes, “The evidence was sent to the capital long ago, what’s the use of intercepting it? Even if someone is hell-bent on a dark path, would they dare to harm the Retired Emperor and the Crown Prince? Madness?”
Clearly, the punishment was to confiscate and exile, yet some would go so far as to implicate their whole clan? Only those not right in the head would do that!
Zhou Shuren rubbed his nose, thinking of what he had seen in dramas, “I will return to the mansion first.”
The Retired Emperor waved dismissively, thoroughly unimpressed.
Zhou Shuren almost wanted to roll his eyes too. Who was it that shamelessly followed him back then? And now in the capital, again with the Retired Emperor, humph!
Returning to the Hou Residence, Zhulan saw several daughters-in-law, “Has anything major happened in the house recently?”
Lady Li responded, “Everything in the house is fine, nothing major at all. It’s just that with you and father gone, the house felt like it lost its backbone, and whatever we did felt unsettling.”
Zhulan, “You’ll get used to it eventually. You will have to manage on your own sooner or later.”
Lady Li hurriedly said, “I’d like to spend my whole life with you, mother.”
Zhulan laughed, saying they couldn’t even separate households but wanted to stay with the eldest’s family, indeed for a lifetime.
The next day, Zhou Shuren attended the early court, and before the palace gates opened, Li Zhao came over, “You’re something! Were you on vacation or conducting an investigation?”
Zhou Shuren, “It was clearly investigated by the Retired Emperor.”
Li Zhao hasn’t had it easy recently, “Recently, I’ve wanted to pretend to be sick, but dare not, alas!”
Zhou Shuren, “A lot of people have been looking for you lately, right?”
Li Zhao, “I haven’t seen anyone.”
If people panicked early, it would have done them some good.
As the two spoke, the palace gates opened, and the two fell silent. Li Zhao actually wanted to hear more details from Zhou Shuren; this hanging sword made him anxious.
After court, Zhou Shuren still hadn’t come to his senses. Li Zhao also had no mind for chatter as he hurriedly left the palace.
This morning’s court session, the Emperor detailed the crimes of corrupt officials, with irrefutable evidence, announced an order to confiscate family assets in anger.
The Crown Prince, “Marquis Zhou?”
Zhou Shuren returned to his senses, “The Crown Prince and I return to the Ministry of Revenue?”
He thought the Crown Prince would go along for confiscation.
The Crown Prince, “Yes.”
Zhou Shuren turned, “Please, Crown Prince.”
Returning to the Ministry of Revenue, Zhou Shuren arranged for someone to oversee confiscations. With so many confiscations, several officials from the Ministry of Revenue went. Zhou Shuren didn’t personally accompany the Crown Prince. Since he was there to learn, Zhou Shuren had Zhang Jinghong accompany him.
In the afternoon, Zhou Shuren was surprised to see Zhuo Guyu; shouldn’t Zhuo Guyu be at the Hanlin Academy?
Zhuo Guyu placed the account book in his hand down and respectfully said, “These are account books found during confiscations. The Emperor wishes for the Grand Master of Writing to review them.”
Upon hearing this, Zhou Shuren stroked his beard, knowing the Emperor had summoned Zhuo Guyu today, “Hmm.”