The people of the Censorate were a bunch of lunatics. In the eyes of the officials of the Qi Kingdom, they were a bunch of psychopaths who had been repressed for too long.
They kept an eye on the officials at all times, waiting for them to make mistakes. Even the most trivial matters were worth making a big fuss about. There was once when Cui Jiang couldn't help but let out a fart during the morning court session, and a certain censor pointed it out mercilessly in front of the officials. Cui Jiang was embarrassed on the spot …
But this wasn't the worst part.
The most outrageous thing was that in order to catch the officials where it hurt, they would stop at nothing. They would even secretly send people to deliver gifts. Once an official accepted a bribe, there would be people from the Department of Investigations knocking on the door in the middle of the night and inviting them to the Supreme Court for tea …
Cui Jiang was already familiar with this kind of routine. Even if the other party gave him real money, he wouldn't waver, let alone stones …
Although he vaguely felt that something was wrong, he couldn't say what it was, so he could only let it go.
He pointed at the two large chests in the hall and ordered, "Come, take these things out and throw them away …"
Qian Estate.
Yang Yanzhou looked at Qian Duoduo and asked, "What did you have those censors give to Official Cui?"
"Stones," Qian Duoduo replied.
"Stones?" Yang Yanzhou looked at him and frowned. "This is a serious matter. I hope that Young Master Qian won't fool me. They came into the Cui Estate with great fanfare just to deliver two chests of stones. Who would believe them?"
"Yes, who would believe them?" Qian Duoduo sighed. "But we really did deliver stones. Don't you think we're wronged …"
…
Heng Estate.
"Zhao Yi's people carried two very heavy chests into the Cui Estate …" Zhao Zheng looked at the elder and asked, "When did this happen?"
The elder looked at him and said, "Yesterday."
Zhao Zheng's expression was unreadable. After a moment, he waved his hand and said, "Go call Cui Jiang over."
Before long, Zhao Zheng looked at Minister of Revenue Cui Jiang, who had hurried over. He said, "These days, the censors have visited the Cui Estate many times. You must have suffered."
Cui Jiang hurriedly said, "This lowly official does not feel wronged at all working for His Highness."
Zhao Zheng smiled and asked, "I heard that yesterday, a few Imperial Censors carried two boxes into the Cui Residence. What are they?"
Cui Jiang hurriedly said, "It's just two boxes of stones."
"Rock?"
Cui Jiang bowed and said, "Yes, those people said that they wanted to test this official, so they used two boxes of stones to pass off as gold and silver, asking this official to pledge allegiance to the Third Prince. This official has already refused."
"Shi Tou, are you testing me?" Zhao Zheng looked at him and a smile appeared on his face. "Haha, I understand. You can leave now."
"This lowly official shall take his leave." Cui Jiang raised his head and looked at him. He felt apprehensive as he slowly retreated.
"Stone …" Zhao Zheng watched him walk out, and the smile on his face gradually disappeared, becoming gloomy. "Hehe, what a good Stone, what a good test …"
The Eldest Prince summoned him urgently. Cui Jiang nervously entered the Heng Prince's residence. After being asked a few questions, he retreated.
It seemed that nothing had happened, but in his heart, he felt even more apprehensive.
After returning to the Cui Residence, he felt even more uneasy.
"Bang!"
He walked with his head down and suddenly bumped into someone. He was already upset and was about to curse, but when he saw the person who had been knocked down, he immediately stepped forward and helped him up.
He looked at the woman and complained, "Madam, why don't you look where you're going when you walk …"
"What's wrong with Master?" The woman looked at him and said, "Just now, I saw Master walking with his head down from afar and called out to Master a few times. Master didn't respond and directly bumped into me …"
Cui Jiang was annoyed and didn't want to talk about this matter anymore. He changed the topic and said, "You went to visit your parents' home this time. How are your parents' health?"
"Father and mother are in good health." The woman said, then looked at him and asked, "Master, did you encounter something difficult? Why don't you tell me?"
Cui Jiang sighed and said, "Let's go back to the room and talk."
Cui Jiang knew that he wasn't a smart person, but it didn't matter because he had a smart wife.
He became a Jinshi at a young age. Because he didn't have any background in the court, he only became a county magistrate in a remote county.
After becoming a county magistrate, he realized that studying and being an official were two completely different things.
He didn't make any achievements in the two years he was in office. According to the evaluation requirements of the court, if he did nothing for another three years, he wouldn't even have the qualifications to be a county magistrate.
He had already lost all hope and no longer dreamed of one day being able to enter the court. The drive of a young man was worn down by reality. Disheartened, he married and had children …
Then, his life seemed to be riding on a speeding carriage.
Within five years, he was promoted several times, from a county magistrate to a provincial governor of Zhongzhou. It took another five years for him to be transferred to the capital and become the assistant minister of the Ministry of Revenue …
From the assistant minister of the Ministry of Revenue to the Minister of Revenue, it took him another ten years.
Until now, he had realized the long-cherished wish of his youth and entered the court. Although it couldn't be said that he could cover the sky with one hand, the Minister of Revenue could be considered one of the important pillars of the court.
Of course, this wasn't because he had an epiphany and comprehended the way of governing and outstanding political achievements. It was because his wife was by his side, giving him advice, judging the situation, and avoiding risks. This allowed him to be like a fish in water in the officialdom and sit in the high position he had today.
Along the way, there were countless people who had better political achievements and were more talented than him, but he, Cui Jiang, was the Minister of Revenue.
He felt that the greatest achievement in his life wasn't success at a young age, nor was it passing the imperial examination, nor was it even managing the Ministry of Revenue, but marrying such a wife.
In the room, after listening to Cui Jiang's words, the woman let out a long sigh.
"I only went back to my parents' home for half a month. How could you make things like this …"
Hearing this, Cui Jiang's heart trembled and he hurriedly asked, "Madam, are you saying that there's something wrong with those stones?"
The woman didn't answer him directly. She shook her head and said, "Master, do you remember what I did when the Crown Prince sent someone to invite you?"
"I remember …" Cui Jiang shivered and said, "It was in the middle of winter. You snatched my blanket in the middle of the night and caused me to catch a cold. I was bedridden at home for half a month …"
"But you still went to the Crown Prince's banquet despite your illness …"
"What's the point of saying this now?!" Cui Jiang was a little anxious and said, "Quickly tell me, what's wrong with those stones!"
"There's nothing wrong with the stones." The woman shook her head and said, "The Third Prince's people come to the Cui residence every day. Yesterday, they came with gifts but returned empty-handed. What would the First Prince think?"
Cui Jiang was stunned and said, "But they used the stones to test me. I've already told the First Prince everything …"
The woman continued to shake her head and said, "Unless you block them outside the Cui residence. As long as the two chests enter the Cui residence, there's no point in leaving."
"Moreover, when I came back, I heard some rumors."
"What rumors?"
"The Third Prince bought a few residences in the capital, but he didn't name them."
"Does the Third Prince buying residences have anything to do with this matter?"
The woman looked at him and said, "Master, why don't you guess which residence was given to you?"
…
Cui Jiang slumped weakly on the chair. His face was pale and he cursed, "Conspiracy, this is a conspiracy. They're too shameless and cunning!"
"This isn't a conspiracy. This is an open conspiracy. An open conspiracy." The woman looked outside and said, "They've taken advantage of the Crown Prince's suspicious nature. These things may seem unrelated, but they're actually interconnected. Whether you respond or not, you'll fall into their trap …"
An open conspiracy was more powerless than a conspiracy carried out in the dark.
Cui Jiang jumped up from the chair and said loudly, "I'll go and explain to the First Prince. I'll go now!"
"Master!" The woman's voice suddenly rose. Cui Jiang's body trembled and he turned to look at her.
"It's too late." The woman held his hand and said, "It's too late. Master, you know the Crown Prince's character very well. He won't make things difficult for you on the surface, but he'll be even more suspicious … There's an expert on the Third Prince's side …"
She looked at Cui Jiang and said slowly, "For the Cui family, Master, you have to make plans early …"
…
Qian family.
"Get lost, all of you!" Qian Duoduo climbed up the tree and hugged the trunk tightly. His face was filled with fear as he shouted at the group of Taoist priests and monks below.
At this moment, he was already above the roof. It was hard to imagine that a fat man could climb so high.
Under the tree.
A monk in red held a wooden fish and chanted the name of Buddha. With a sorrowful expression, he said, "Amitabha. Humans and ghosts are different. If you're willing to let Young Master Qian go, I'll chant sutras for you with all the monks in the temple for three days and help you reach paradise …"
A Taoist priest in green held a horsetail whisk and said coldly, "Evil creature, leave quickly. If you dare to harm the human world again, don't blame me for enforcing justice on behalf of heaven and destroying your soul!"
Under the eaves, a woman looked at the God of Fortune Qian. She hesitated for a moment and said, "Master, don't you think it's too much to punish Duoduo like this?"
The God of Fortune Qian snorted and said, "I'm trying to wake him up. Now that he's grown up, he even dares to deceive his father. With his little cultivation, if he's not careful, he'll be eaten up by others!"
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