Zhou Jianshu frowned, but since it was just the two of them talking in secret, he was too lazy to argue with his son about how His Royal Highness was addressed. He said slowly, "Why are you so impatient? What did I tell you in the past? Only by smiling and talking calmly can you achieve big things and become an official. I won't keep you in suspense. The Lingzhou General's Manor has no intention of pursuing the matter of Wenquan Street. His Highness has a big plan and doesn't have the time to fight with these soldiers who don't know what's good for them. During the banquet, His Highness pushed out Hwangnam County's Song Yan and Longqing County's Xu Beizhi to become the Lingzhou Provincial Governor and Lingzhou Provincial Governor. This is a good thing and a bad thing. Let me test you, tell me what is good and bad about it? "
Zhou Congwen, who was not unfamiliar with the conflicts in the officialdom, began to think carefully. After a long silence, he said, "The good thing is that father is one of the first officials to enter the general's official residence. The new Provincial Governor and his Excellency are not looking at the monk's face, but at the Buddha's face. If they want to take control of father's position in Lingzhou, they have to consider His Highness' eyes. The bad thing was that His Highness did not settle the score with Dong Yueqi and that group of old men. Then, their positions were temporarily stable. The connections that Father had built up in the Lingzhou military, according to Father's instructions, most of the captains had been hiding like turtles. It seemed like they did not have a chance to take advantage of the situation to rise up. I'm afraid that I will have to make up for it to appease them. At the very least, it will be a few hundred to a thousand taels of silver. We have received quite a lot of gifts this New Year, but we have already given out 70-80% of it. With that, our family has no income at all. Ever since I became an official, this is the first time that I haven't earned any money. "
Zhou Jianshu twirled his beard and smiled, "Not bad, not bad. I have never cared about money. As long as I continue to be an official, I will get what I need. A lot of idiots, even if their family background isn't thin, once they see shining silver, it's like a hungry man seeing a beautiful woman. If they eat too badly, it's tantamount to neglecting the essentials and chasing after the trifles, they won't go far in the officialdom. "
Zhou Congwen mocked angrily, "That Dong Yueqi and the other two are really funny. That person just said one sentence and one knelt, one cried, and one was beaten. This bunch of uneducated general seeds don't think they are embarrassing. However, at least they know how to act according to the wind, but they are too stiff. They are not as simple as you are, Father. "
Lord Zhou, who was flattered by his son, smiled even more brightly. The corner of his mouth curled up, "These people rely on the military merits they have accumulated to be arrogant. Don't look at how I am friendly with them in the past. In fact, I don't think I have any respect for them. Let's not talk about others. Just that military officer, Huang Zhong, until today, I only know the ten words in his name. Can this old man manage Lingzhou's political affairs well? He has four sons and a bunch of grandsons, but none of them are promising. They bully men and women and do all kinds of evil. Most importantly, it is fine if they do bad things, but they do it so openly. Aren't they stretching their necks and begging the Xu family to chop off their heads? Luckily, His Highness still remembers their old relationship and is too lazy to bother about it. If it was any other master, they would have already chopped off their heads and made them into candied haws to show their might. "
Zhou Congwen sneered, "This Lingzhou general is too soft-hearted. If it was me, I would have already killed the chicken to warn the monkey in Lingzhou. I would have killed a few hundred people from his family. Anyway, they are all people who deserve to die. When that time comes, the entire city will be frightened and no one will be convinced! I can also make a good name for myself among the ignorant people. "
Zhou Jianshu laughed heartily before retracting his smile. He said solemnly, "During this period of time, don't show your face outside the manor. His Highness is about to leave Lingzhou. When you meet up with those family members, remember, you are only allowed to say good things about His Highness. If anyone refutes you, you will fall out with them on the spot!"
Zhou Congwen hesitated for a moment, then said with a smile, "I'll listen to you, Father. Those generals who call me brothers might still be useful in the past, but in the future, they won't be worth much. Sooner or later, I'll fall out with them."
Zhou Jianshu's face was filled with gratification.
— — —
Dong Manor. Dong Yueqi, who had lost all face on Wenquan Street, closed the door and refused to see any guests. Dong Zhen watched as her father, who could talk and laugh in front of General Zhong, became depressed. He put on his clothes and no longer exposed his chest and back. However, he continued to stare blankly at the Yueqi military officer's armor. Dong Zhen tried to persuade her father to eat a few times, but he did not listen. She could only heat up the food again and again.
Dong Zhen, who was originally a little stubborn and did not want to admit her mistakes, cried as she knelt at her father's feet.
Dong Hongqiu sighed heavily and reached out his right hand that was covered in calluses and scars. Back then, even when he slept, he had to hug the Beiliang blade with both hands to sleep peacefully. Dong Hongqiu rubbed his daughter's head and said softly, "Do you think that six hundred old soldiers sent His Royal Highness out of Beiliang and into the capital because I was blind? I just did not want to admit it. Do you think that I would not believe the rumors that His Royal Highness went to Beimang alone? I just did not want to believe it. Not only Lingzhou, but the entire Beiliang is the same with all the old generals and officials like me. However, when I knelt today, I was still not kneeling to the young prince. I was kneeling to the general and to the Beiliang soldiers who died in battle. If I did not take off my armor today, even I would have forgotten how many scars and arrow wounds I have. Do you still remember what I told you in the past? The reason why I joined the army and risked my life to fight with my life on the line was not because I had nothing better to do. Father's ancestors were all officials, and their ranks were not low. Your great grandfather was a Deputy Imperial Censor of Northern Han, and your grandfather was a county magistrate. They were all upright officials with a good reputation. Afterwards, your entire family was killed by bandits who took advantage of the turmoil in the country. Their eyes were red from the killing, and they killed every official they saw. They did not care if the official was good or bad, as if they were good people as long as they killed the official. When I first joined the army, I only felt that there was hope in joining the Xu family's army, with its strict military laws and strict rewards and punishments. By killing more bandits who willfully slaughtered the innocent, not only would I be able to take revenge, I might even be able to restore the Dong family's name to the annals of history. Perhaps there are some things that I have never told you. In the past, I felt that there was no need. As a girl, even the general said that children should be raised in poverty, and daughters should be raised in wealth. Since you have an official as a father, you should be born to enjoy a life of prosperity. Father will not nag at you about those things. Only after today's unforeseen event did I realize that I was wrong. When I was young, the family rules were still in place. When I was young, I knew to look down on those children of influential families who used their power to bully others. Why is it that, in the blink of an eye, my own daughter has become someone that I dislike? Do you remember Meng Ya, who grew up in our family? She is your Uncle Meng's orphan. Originally, they were betrothed when we were little. However, you were unwilling no matter what, disliking that he did not have a scholarly rank or a family background. Even if I had to betray you, I would accept it for you. Back then, if it wasn't for your Uncle Meng blocking the stab in the back for me at the Western Shu Chunshan Pass, it would have been you living under someone else's roof for 20 years. I'm not saying this to persuade you to marry Meng Ya. I just want to tell you that before Uncle Meng, who was born in the marketplace, died, he often told me that if he became an official in the future, he had to be a good official who would not bully the commoners. Whoever dared to commit crimes in his territory, he would kill them all on sight. If the general did not agree, he would even dare to scold the general. Heh, once, he was bragging with Father and his old subordinates and was caught red-handed by the general who was patrolling the military camp. At that time, your Uncle Meng was still a junior military officer. He was so scared that he almost peed his pants. Guess what? Not only did the general not teach this junior military officer who had a big mouth and a heart higher than the sky a lesson, he even squatted down to chat with us about daily life. He said that when your Uncle Meng became an official in the future, he would definitely be a good official. The general even said that he could not bear to scold him. Zhen 'er, tell me, how did your father become someone who would definitely be the first bastard he would kill as long as your Uncle Meng was alive? "
Dong Zhen, who was used to being arrogant and unruly in Lingzhou, could only cry. It was as if the sky had collapsed as she sobbed uncontrollably.
Dong Hongqiu walked in front of the old and mottled armor. His gaze was desolate as he said in a low voice, "Zhen 'er, don't cry. Father will bring you to that cenotaph. Give Uncle Meng a few toasts of wine. If Father remembers correctly, after you were eleven years old, you never went there again. All these years, you looked down on Meng Ya. How did he look up to you? "
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