Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation It was drizzling. Ning Zhongze stood in front of the window and looked at the thin streaks of rain outside. He felt as if he was in a daze. The ground was not splashing with bubbles like it usually did in summer, and the rustling sound seemed to be never-ending.
"It will be the new year in a month's time. It should still be this lively this year, right?"
Ning Zhongze muttered to himself. The wind blew in from outside, bringing with it a slight chill. Weiwei shivered when it hit him.
Ning Zhongze opened the window wider and sat back in the chair. He stroked the delicate and smooth armrest of the chair with his hand. He did not know what to feel.
"Master, it's time for dinner." The housekeeper stood in the corridor outside and reminded him with a knock on the door.
"There's no hurry. Let them eat first. Come in, I want to ask you something." Ning Zhongze had no intention of eating. He did not seem to be hungry.
"Master, what do you want to know?" The housekeeper pushed the door open and came in. He stood respectfully beside Ning Zhongze and asked softly.
"Has Zhang Zhong of Lu Zhou done anything recently? I mean, did he send someone to persuade the locals to go to Lu Zhou? "Ning Zhongze asked as he stroked the stray hair on his forehead that was messed up by the wind.
"Master, no. Since more than 10,000 people went to Lu Zhou, only 5,000 people followed them. The rest of the people are still stable," the housekeeper said carefully.
He deliberately made the matter of the 5,000 people who went to Lu Zhou in a calm manner. He knew that the master was in a bad mood now. The impeachment memorials had an effect. The imperial court did not continue to pursue the matter. The Ning family could be considered to have escaped this time. However, that was all. Zhang Zhong was fine. The imperial court did not send anyone to investigate. They did not even see an edict of reprimand.
Who said that the mountain was high and the emperor was far away? It seemed that the imperial court had long known about this matter. Zhang Zhong was safe and sound. The news he bought from the capital was that the emperor had suppressed all the memorials to impeach Zhang Zhong. Or rather, he kept them and did not send them out. He just stopped them at the Secretariat, and no one from the Menxia Province could see them.
This was bias. Under normal circumstances, the Secretariat would make a proposal, the Menxia Province would make a decision, and the Emperor would approve it. Then, the Secretary would send the relevant people to investigate. It seemed that the entire imperial court approved of what Zhang Zhong had done here, and the reply to the Master was not to correct......
The Gale incident was also mentioned. However, the words' not to correct 'had many meanings. It felt like the emperor was not going to pursue the losses caused by the Gale, but the words' not to correct 'were written in front. After the Secretary sent out the memorials, they added the words of the Secretariat and the Menxia Province, which meant that the Gale was not something that could be resisted by humans.
The emperor's reply was not that simple. It made sense not to correct the Gale incident in Qin Province, and it also made sense not to correct the Zhang Zhong incident. However, the most frightening thing was that the emperor did not want to pursue the malicious impeachment this time.
If they really wanted to know what the emperor meant, they could write another impeachment memorial and send it to the emperor. Then, they would know what the emperor's reply was. However, would anyone dare to do so? What if it was the last meaning? If they went to impeach again, they would be corrected.
Ning Zhongze was extremely depressed because he thought of the last possibility. More than 15,000 commoners were gone, and they went to Lu Zhou to help fix things. If they were to calculate, the Ning family was wealthier than the Zhang Zhong family, and their influence was greater than the Zhang Zhong family as well. The main reason was that the Ning family had spent all their money on the stalls.
This was the most unacceptable thing. The Ning family had been running the stalls for several generations, and they spent every bit they earned. Their stalls were bigger than the Zhang family. The problem was that although the Zhang family's stalls were not comparable to the Ning family's, the money they earned was dozens of times more than the Ning family's, or even hundreds of times more than the Ning family's.
Zhang Zhong was always able to transfer a large amount of money from his side. He even had money to build the posthouse in Guangzhou and the canal for the imperial court. Nominally, it was not the Zhang Zhong and Wang families who were paying for it. Instead, it was under the name of the government. However, the imperial court did not release any notice to claim credit for such things.
The commoners did not know about it, but how could the imperial court not know about it? How could the emperor not know about it? 110,000 strings of cash! The Zhang family gave it to him without asking for anything. It was no wonder that the emperor would suppress the impeachment petition against Zhang Zhong. The total amount of money Lu Zhou paid in rent last year was only about 10,000 strings of cash, less than 20,000 strings of cash.
He had paid less than 30,000 strings of cash in this province, including the conversion of the local tribute. Those who dared to spend money were indeed protected. Since the emperor had received benefits this time, it was only natural that the emperor would protect him.
This matter was puzzling. What benefits could Zhang Zhong get from the canal? What benefits could make him earn 110,000 strings of cash? Treacherous official. Zhang Zhong was a treacherous official. He gave sofas to some officials over there and cement to build pavilions and flower beds.
He was clearly a villain. Which gentleman would do such a despicable thing? Bah! Wasn't it just some furniture? He did not need them tomorrow. He did not need the chair, nor did he need the foldable table. He did not see what was so good about them.
Ning Zhongze's hand was still touching the armrest of the chair. In his heart, he criticized the set of furniture that Lu Zhou gave for free again and again. What a piece of junk! Just by sitting on the chair for a long time, his butt would be damp and wet. He even added a cotton pad. It would be the same if he sat on the futon.
The more he thought about it, the angrier he became. Ning Zhongze slapped the armrest and said to the butler, "Tomorrow, put all these things sent by Lu Zhou … in the living room. Using them for a long time will make one tired. Don't use them in the study."
"Yes, master. Shall we also send the two-story bed that the young master usually sleeps on to the living room?" The butler nodded and asked again.
He was afraid that the Old Master would order everyone to put the things Lu Zhou sent to the living room. Therefore, he received one himself. It was a riveted leather table. He did not know how it was made, but it looked very comfortable. Especially the drawer, it could be pulled out with just a pull. There was also a chair that came with the table, it could be turned back and forth. There was a buckskin surface, a mahogany shelf, and two kinds of cushions made of cotton and bamboo. It was really distressing to take them out.
Ning Zhongze also knew that these things were comfortable to use, but he did not feel comfortable in his heart. After hesitating for a moment, he said, "Just move the study over. Don't touch the other things. After all, they are sent by Lu Zhou. Even if it is awkward to use them, we have to give Zhang Zhong some face."
"Yes, master is benevolent and righteous. You even gave Zhang Zhong some face." The butler was relieved.
"Well, if there is nothing else, let's go eat." Ning Zhongze knew very well the thoughts of the people who received these furniture. Who did not like to use good things? Moreover, these things were very valuable. Even the chair he was sitting on could not be bought without at least 80 strings of cash.
These things came as a set. You can't just buy one, can you? According to the calculation of the same level, it was impossible to buy a study room without at least five hundred strings of coins. After buying this, there was also a complementary tea set. After buying the tea set and tea leaves, if one wanted to be more presentable, one thousand strings of coins would be enough to decorate a study room.
How much was the cost? How much could the Zhang family make from this?
Even if Ning Zhongze was full of hostility toward the Zhang family, he could not help but admire their means of making money. There were people who lived in thatched houses, but not many. Why would they live in such houses? Wasn't it because they did not have the ability to make money?
Even his family could do this, let alone those who had no conflict with Zhang Zhong.
The butler did not care what the master was thinking. As long as he did not take out the things he received, it was fine. He agreed and left.
Ning Zhongze touched the armrest of the chair with great reluctance. The longer the mahogany was used, the deeper the color, and the more beautiful it looked. Listening to the sound of rain outside, he took a deep breath. Before he could exhale, the housekeeper who had just left came back with a letter in his hand.
"Master, there is news from the capital. Master, please take a look." The butler, Weiwei, lowered his head. His back was not as straight as before. He looked up at the master, afraid that the master would suddenly change his mind and continue to send the things to the living room.
Ning Zhongze did not think too much. He took the letter and read it carefully. There was no trace of it being opened. He opened it bit by bit and read it from top to bottom, right to left.
As he read, he lost his spirit. He leaned back in the chair and threw the letter at the butler, asking, "Do you know what cement is?"
The butler managed to catch the letter before it fell to the ground. Before he could read it, he immediately said, "I heard that it was made by Lu Zhou. It seems that it can be used to build roads and seawalls. Lu Zhou is now buying iron wire, ironware, steel wire, and steel from various places at a high price. I don't know what they are used for."
"Just read the letter and you will know. Another profitable business has come out. Send someone to find out. No matter what, we have to know how the cement is made. With this, the Ning family won't have to hide in Qinzhou anymore."
Ning Zhongze gasped for breath as he looked at the rain outside the window.
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