There are many people who have the motive to spread this kind of news. Whether it is Zhao Zongquan, the Queen Mother, the British Duke, or even other people with different intentions, they all have reasons to spread this kind of news.
Maybe Zhao Zongquan wanted to lure the snake out of its hole and bring out the secret opponents.
It may also be that the Queen Mother deliberately created chaos and wanted to fish in troubled waters.
Perhaps the news spread by the British Duke caused turmoil in the court, forcing Zhao Zongquan to deal with the Zou family quickly and severely.
Other enemies, such as Gu Tingye himself and those with vested interests in the salt tax, may take advantage of this moment to cause trouble.
"Your Majesty, there are rumors circulating in Bianliang City. Should the imperial court take some measures to dispel these rumors?"
When he went to court the next day, someone immediately started testing the emperor.
Many people, like Sheng Changbai, are not able to know the news thousands of miles away so quickly.
I really don’t know what the situation is between Prince Huan and Gu Tingye.
Only some interested people with relevant interests will send people to follow the salt patrol team and send people back to the latest news at any time.
"No matter what it is, the imperial court has nothing else to be busy with. Those who purify themselves will purify themselves. Rumors are just rumors after all, and they will disappear soon."
Zhao Zongquan's attitude was ambiguous. He couldn't tell whether he was the initiator or not, and he couldn't determine whether the news was true or false.
Not to mention that Zhao Zongquan himself was a man of great power, but even if he didn't have a great power, he had been an emperor for so long, and he still managed to do it.
"Chang Bai, you said that Gu Er finally turned around and prospered, but he was not really assassinated and died. Then how pitiful is Sister Rong?"
This kind of thing is not only discussed in the court, but also at home, this topic is inseparable.
Gu Tingye is also a conspicuous person, and various things related to Gu Tingye can easily become headlines in Bianliang.
"Yes, please don't send the child back yet. Let the child continue to live in our house. Also, we need to restrain the servants not to discuss this matter at home. I will also talk to Aunt Chang about Sister Rong's side.
Tell me, grandma, let her restrain the servants brought over there."
Sheng Changbai was not sure whether this girl was included in the Gu family's genealogy or not.
Even if it is recorded in the genealogy, if Gu Tingye is really gone, the children will not be able to survive in the Gu family.
The only person he can rely on is probably an old nanny. Aunt Chang is Gu Tingye's nanny.
She was regarded as Gu Tingye's confidant. When Gu Tingye left home, his children were always taken care of by this nanny.
"Just ask your mother to arrange this matter." Sheng Hong replied.
After making arrangements at home, Sheng Changbai paid attention to the outside reaction to this matter.
Zhao Zongquan mobilized several more forbidden troops to command and enter the city. The timid Zhao Zongquan must always have a sense of security.
Then the Queen Mother began to frequently call the old nobles headed by Qi Heng into the palace.
Some of the Kineda clans in the city are also quite active.
In all aspects, it is a normal reaction after hearing the news.
With the undercurrent surging, I don't know which side will cause trouble first, and which side is actively planning.
The trigger of the incident may have been Zhao Zongquan's treatment of the Zou brothers and sisters.
"Your Majesty, the Zou brothers and sisters only arrest but do not sentence them. They do not confess their crimes and bring them to justice. Where do they put our laws in the Zhou Dynasty?"
"Your Majesty, I beg your Majesty to deal with the Zou family as soon as possible. Killing people to pay for their lives and debts to pay back money is the right thing to do. Only by executing the Zou family brother and sister can my family Guifen be buried in peace."
"Your Majesty, if the Zou brothers and sisters are not dead, my daughter's soul in heaven will be really uneasy!"
Even a dignified British prince handles these matters no differently than ordinary people.
Because the emperor never punished the Zou brothers and sisters, Shen and Zhang were never buried, in order to force Zhao Zongquan.
After asking again and again, Zhao Zongquan killed two people to avenge his daughter.
The entangled Zhao Zongquan no longer dared to show his face. In the past few days, he even excused himself from illness and canceled the court meeting.
"The Queen went to the British Duke's Mansion. I heard that she was going to kneel down to apologize to the British Duke and Duchess. She almost knelt down. After that, the Queen left the British Duke's Mansion and went to General Shen's Mansion to pay homage to Shen and Zhang."
While on duty at the Yushitai, Sheng Changbai heard everyone talking about the news.
When Zhao Zongquan was forced by the British Duke to deal with the Zou brothers and sisters according to law, Empress Shen chose to come forward.
"This is enough to give the British public face. I hope this matter can be brought to an end."
Sheng Changbai was happy to see the impact on Zhao Zongquan's prestige.
Facts have proved that after Zhao Zongquan was given too much power, he did not follow the rules.
With Zhao Zongquan's educational background having not received education in the ways of the emperor, Zhao Zongquan could not control a country well.
But Sheng Changbai still didn't want to see such a thing as swordsmen clashing.
When something like this happens, no matter what the outcome of the fight between the big guys above is.
Soldiers and civilians will definitely suffer a wave of old crimes.
Even if it is just a small commotion, it will affect tens of thousands of people, and they will receive pensions for those who die and rewards for those who live.
This is another huge expense, not to mention the loss of troops and people, but also a serious loss of national strength.
"Now the British Duke should be satisfied. The men of the Zou family are apprentices and the women are prisoners."
In Bianliang City, there were still many people who were loyal to the British government. For the old people in the court, they instinctively rejected the Yuzhou group that suddenly appeared and competed with them for the rights and interests in the court.
Besides, after the Yuzhou gang entered Beijing, what they did was really unpopular.
After the queen put on a show, the Zou brothers and sisters were finally sentenced.
After all, the queen has already knelt down to the British father-in-law and his wife, so of course it will be effective.
It can be seen as the Queen's sincere regret towards the British father-in-law and his wife, or it can also be seen as a form of coercion.
The brother and sister were not executed, the elder brother was exiled two thousand miles, and the younger sister was imprisoned for life.
As a result, the Zou brothers and sisters will definitely not be able to turn around in a short time.
If you want to return to Bianliang or gain freedom, you must at least wait until Zhao Zongquan can completely control the British government.
It is definitely inevitable to endure hardship for several years.
"Seeing him building a Zhulou, watching him entertaining guests, and watching his building collapse. The education of the family's children should not be neglected, otherwise even if wealth and honor falls from heaven, the children will not be able to catch it."
The Zou family in Bianliang is like a shooting star, passing by in one stroke.
In Bianliang, he was arrogant and domineering for more than a year, and then it disappeared.
Seeing the fate of the Zou family, Sheng Changbai decided to take advantage of this period of time to be less busy, and it was difficult to do anything in the treacherous situation in Bianliang.
Just in time to pay attention to Sheng Laosan and Sheng Xiaoqi,
Sheng Changfeng is still the same as before, and he has always been a bit unsatisfied in his studies.
He likes poetry more than policies and discussions, and he likes conversation more than practical politics.
When I first failed the rankings, I was still able to work hard under the dual anger of Sheng Hong and Lin Jiaoshuang.
But when the frustration, sadness, and disappointment come to an end, this effort will also dissipate.
After this period of hard work passed, Sheng Changfeng made progress again.
Participating in literary and poetry gatherings, going to restaurants and brothels all day long.
Sheng Changbai couldn't manage Sheng Changfeng's studies and didn't have much time to supervise her.
But occasionally, it is enough to remind Sheng Changfeng not to cause trouble after he goes out.
Sheng Changfeng is already quite young. He is nineteen now and will be twenty next year. He will be a crown prince and be considered a real adult.
However, the marriage was never mentioned at all. Sheng Hong still held on to the plan that Sheng Changfeng would become a Jinshi in high school and then marry a noble girl from a high family.
At Sheng Changfeng's age, even if he waits for another five years and two imperial examinations, he is still not too old.
Then Sheng Xiaoqi and Changtong, who had already become enlightened, began to study.
Although this child is just like his mother, he is a little transparent at home, not taken seriously by others, and easily ignored.
But after all, a boy is the hope for the prosperity of the family. He has the possibility of becoming a Jinshi and strengthening the family.
Sheng Hong hired a private tutor to teach the child at home.
Although the level of the private school teacher was far inferior to that of the original Zhuang Xuexue, he was already in his forties and had not passed several exams.
But it was more than enough to teach Sheng Xiaoqi, who had just started studying the classics.
After all, without the fetters of kindness, the Sheng family really can't invite a great scholar to teach the family's children.
Otherwise, Sheng Changfeng wouldn't have to study outside.
This child Sheng Xiaoqi really needs to be taught. The time is not long and he cannot teach him much knowledge.
But it is enough to help children develop good study habits.
The situation in the court also temporarily eased as the British Duke was appeased.
This time it can be regarded as Zhao Zongquan's compromise with the British Duke.
After all, the benefactor who saved his wife was exiled and imprisoned.
In the Great Zhou Dynasty, this was the punishment second only to beheading.
Zhao Zongquan's reputation also suffered a lot of damage.
Even the queen put on a show in front of the public and put down her face for the sake of the mother of the Zou family.
But this can't change the reality that people like the Zou family who helped Zhao Zongquan's wife end up miserable.
Although the courtiers praised Zhao Zongquan this time for not showing favoritism, for being fair in dealing with matters, and for being strict with the law, their words actually did not reflect the true thoughts of the courtiers.
As time passed, news of King Huan and Gu Tingye's public appearance in Jiangnan spread back to Bianliang.
The situation in Bianliang City that was on the verge of breaking out has calmed down again.
As the two men appeared in public, the story of their assassination also spread.
Since the two of them went south to patrol the salt industry, they encountered numerous assassins.
There were too many assassins to kill the two people in front of them. Needless to say, after all, the two people taking away so many elite soldiers were not just for show.
This time, two people were plotted against in Suzhou, and they encountered people who stopped them and complained about injustice.
In order to show his closeness to the people, King Huan allowed the people to come forward.
Unexpectedly, this ordinary woman who blocked the road and complained about injustice turned out to be an assassin.
While he was talking, he took out a dagger and stabbed King Huan.
King Huan didn't react in time, so Gu Tingye flew to save him and blocked him.
It was indeed Gu Tingye who blocked the knife for King Huan and was stabbed twice by the dagger.
But after all, Gu Tingye was beaten by Gu Tingye from childhood to adulthood.
Get the most severe beating and the thickest armor.
Gu Tingye has the most experience in being beaten and is also extremely capable of resisting beatings.
There were no serious injuries. Although Gu Tingye was injured, it was not serious.
It is not to the point where he collapses on the spot and does not know whether he is alive or dead.
The British Duke seemed to have been comforted, Gu Tingye was confirmed to be alive, the military giants were all fine, the Imperial Army seemed to be still under Zhao Zongquan's control, and Zhao Zongquan could continue to sit on the throne.
The plum blossoms have finished blooming, the peach blossoms have bloomed, the peach blossoms have finished blooming, the pear blossoms have bloomed, and it’s April.
"Zhong Huai, this time you and His Highness Prince Huan went south and achieved great results. It was a big relief for the treasury. My father-in-law asked me to thank you on his behalf."
King Huan and Gu Tingye, who had been away for nearly half a year, returned to Bianliang from their salt inspection.
Regarding the disposal of the salt tax, the two people only sorted out the accounts and collected this year's salt tax.
No one dares to collect the arrears of previous years on a large scale.
However, those who do not have to pay back taxes are those with backgrounds and backers, such as big business owners like Gu Tingye himself.
The little guy below is certainly not within the scope of this kind of forgiveness.
These people were like raised leeks, which King Huan and Gu Tingye had to cut clean.
The two men brought back nearly 20 million yuan of goods back to Bianliang, at least two or three of Gu Tingye's worth, which relieved the national treasury.
After the money was brought back, the life of Sheng Changbai's father-in-law and the third deputy envoy in charge of Du Branch, Mr. Hai, was certainly much better.
Duzhishi was really in trouble because he had no money, and every yamen he saw would press for money.
Another point to mention is that although the imperial court has a large deficit, there are many arrears that should be paid in previous years, but they have not been paid.
But the deficit is basically just a figure on the books, and the largest arrears are military expenditures.
This kind of problem has long been solved by military officers and officers using their own free wages.
Even if there are actually soldiers who do not receive enough salary, there is no possibility of repayment.
Even the soldiers themselves would not have such luxury. If they can make enough salary this year, they will be very satisfied.
So after bringing the money back, most of it was actually deposited into the national treasury.
"They are all doing things for the country. Uncle Hai doesn't need to thank me. But I really want to thank you more. I heard from Aunt Chang that Sister Rong has been bothering you for a long time." Gu Tingye replied.
"This is all a trivial matter. My female relatives quite like your sister Rong. If you have something to do when you go out to Beijing, it will be no problem for your sister Rong to continue to live in my house."
Although Shengzhai is far smaller than Gu Tingye's Chengyuan, it is not a problem to have a yard for a child.
The key point is that this child is not a naughty child. If it does not affect the life of the Sheng family, it is not a big deal.
"As soon as I leave Beijing, letting Sister Rong live in your house is not a long-term solution. It's time for me to find a mother to take care of Sister Rong."
Finally, after such a long time, Gu Yankai's filial piety period finally came, and Gu Tingye immediately wanted to marry a wife again.
Gu Tingye has no shortage of women. There are confidantes everywhere in the major brothels, and they have always wanted to marry a wife.
Maybe it was Gu Tingye's obsession with being unable to marry a noble daughter-in-law in the early years.
