Chapter 1087: The Emperors Gift, Zhou Zongs Choice
After listening to Cui Yingying's report, Su Mingzhe couldn't help but asked in surprise:
"You said that Taifu Zhou went to a Yangzhou salt merchant to mortgage his fertile land, and then he rebuilt this courtyard?"
"good!"
Cui Yingying looked at her with concern and sighed softly:
"Although His Majesty said in his letter to Taifu Zhou that he was just staying for a few days without going into a big fight, the entire Zhou family regarded this matter as a favor from the Heavenly Family. How could they dare to neglect it? Therefore, for To receive the Holy Master, Master Zhou mortgaged all the fertile land in his family..."
When Cui Yingying heard the news, her scalp immediately felt numb.
What Zhou Zong did directly reminded her of the story in the Spring and Autumn Period of "Meson pushed and cut off the emperor's penis".
She never expected that Taifu Zhou would be so loyal to the king.
Su Mingzhe couldn't help but sigh:
"Actually, I also expected it!"
As Su Mingzhe spoke, he made some guesses and then told Zhang Kui's instructions.
After Cui Yingying heard this, her brows suddenly lit up, and she quickly bowed her head and apologized:
"Your Majesty is always magnanimous, but I am worrying too much!"
A few days passed in the blink of an eye.
Zhang Kui has already inquired clearly.
In order to welcome him this time, Zhou Zong borrowed a total of 80,000 taels of silver from local salt merchants to repair the manor.
The collateral for the loan is all the property of the Zhou family.
After hearing this, Su Mingzhe sighed, but didn't say much.
Waited for half a month.
The concubines in the harem had no interest in playing.
When Zhou Zong and the local officials and gentry saw him off, Su Mingzhe walked to the boat. Then he waved to Zhang Kui and motioned him to return the redeemed farm land deed to Taifu Zhou:
"The Grand Tutor is as upright and upright as the green pines and cypresses. It is better not to have anything to do with that businessman in the future."
"Since ancient times, businessmen have been ruthless and unscrupulous. Trading with them is tantamount to seeking the skin of a tiger..."
"I am ashamed of myself!"
Zhou Zong did not expect that the land deed of the farm he had used as mortgage would be taken back by the Supreme Emperor. For a moment, his mind was filled with shameful thoughts.
As for Su Mingzhe's persuasion, Zhou Zong was over seventy years old, how could he not know about it?
It's just that when things got to that point, he had to leave.
Fortunately, the Supreme Emperor is still wise and wise, and as before, he never lets his loyal ministers suffer.
Watch the dragon boat disappear into the distance.
Zhou Zong was not in the mood to party with the local squires, so he made an excuse and went home in a carriage.
When Zhou Zong returned home, he saw that the female family members at home had also returned sitting on a bamboo horse.
Bamboo carriages were generally used by women during the Tang Dynasty.
There are also various grade regulations.
For example, only those with a life wife level or above can use quadruple fetuses.
Ordinary people can only use two people to carry it.
Otherwise, it will be regarded as trespassing, and may be punished with confiscation of family property, or severe penalties.
As the Grand Tutor, Zhou Zong could have used four or even eight people to carry his family members.
However, Zhou Zong was always strict in his conduct, so two people carried the bamboo carriages used by his family members.
This time, the Zhou family lent the Zhou Mansion to Su Mingzhe to stay temporarily.
Zhou Zong and his servants lived in a nearby temple, while his female relatives stayed at Kun Xiu Taoist Temple.
Now, Su Mingzhe has left and everyone is back together.
Had a reunion dinner.
The Zhou family sat together, and Zhou Zong took out the mortgaged farm land deed. When the family members saw it, they all clasped their hands in thanksgiving.
This time, it was a bit risky to mortgage the property and restore the garden.
If the Supreme Emperor fails to notice the Zhou family's problems, the Zhou family will go bankrupt.
Mrs. Zhou is the second son of Zhou Zong. She is only in her thirties. She usually takes care of the family's belongings.
At this moment, Mrs. Zhou happily received the title deed of the farm, and Mrs. Zhou suddenly exclaimed.
When everyone looked towards her, Mrs. Zhou said sharply:
"Master, this... this land seems to be more... much more!"
"Mom, how come there are so many?"
Zhou Xian is the eldest daughter of Zhou Zong and Mrs. Zhou Xian, nicknamed Ehuang. She is eighteen years old this year.
Above Zhou Xian, there are two sons, Zhou Zheng and Zhou Qiang, born to Zhou Zong and his ex-wife. Below Zhou Xian, there is a two-year-old little girl.
Among the four children of Zhou Zong, two sons inherited Zhou Zong's integrity and noble conduct. They served as officials for many years and always abide by their duties.
Zhou Xian, on the other hand, inherited Zhou Zong's talents and knowledge. Although he was only eighteen years old, he had already won the title of the most talented woman in Yangzhou locally.
In addition to inheriting his father's talents and knowledge, Zhou Xian also inherited his mother's beauty. In addition, since he was a child, his skin was fairer than snow, and he was more beautiful than flowers. He also knew music, singing and dancing. He had been sought after by the locals since four or five years ago.
There was an endless stream of people coming to Zhou's house to plead for mercy.
Zhou Zong was the daughter of an old man and regarded Zhou Xian as a treasure, but he has been refusing to betroth her to her until now.
Mrs. Zhou also doted on her eldest daughter. She directly handed the land deed to her daughter and said with a smile:
"See for yourself whether it's too much!"
When Zhou Xian took the land deed from his mother, he couldn't help but frown:
"Five thousand acres? Our family's one thousand acres of fertile land can only be mortgaged for fifty thousand taels of silver. The extra four thousand acres of fertile land are worth two hundred thousand taels of silver?"
"Is this much a reward from the Supreme Emperor?"
Mrs. Zhou said puzzledly:
"Isn't this a reward from the Supreme Emperor? Who else could give it to you?"
Zhou Xian hesitated for a moment and guessed this time:
"Perhaps... those grain merchants saw that our Zhou family is so favored by the emperor, so they gave us more gifts?"
"It must be a reward from the Supreme Emperor!"
Mrs. Zhou couldn't help but chuckle when she saw how naive her daughter was. Finally, she touched her daughter's smooth forehead and said with a smile:
My dear, there will be more after this chapter, please click on the next page to continue, there will be more exciting things to come!
"Xian'er, think about it, this land deed was given to me by the Supreme Emperor, which means that the Supreme Emperor and his elders must know the whole story. Even if the extra land was taken out by the salt merchant, our Zhou family
, I just need to thank the Supreme Emperor and his wise old man..."
"What the lady said is absolutely true!"
Zhou Zong couldn't help but sigh in his heart when he saw that his wife was so smart for once, and then when he saw his daughter still looking cute and adorable.
Although my daughter has the appearance of someone who could conquer a country, she is kind-hearted and not good at strategy. If she were to marry into an ordinary family, she would probably be bullied to death.
Think again and again.
Zhou Zong remembered an order conveyed by the eunuch to powerful officials from various places a few days ago, and finally paid attention:
"Xian'er, a few days ago, some officials came to Yangzhou and said they wanted to select beautiful girls for Luoyang and Hangzhou. Are you interested?"
"Daddy... my daughter obeys daddy's orders!"
When Zhou Xian heard that his father wanted her to be a show girl, although she was not very happy, she had been well-behaved since she was a child and had abided by the "three obediences and four virtues", so she let her father make the decision.
Seeing this, Zhou Zong expressed his thoughts:
"Xian'er, actually, my father wants you to go to Hangzhou and serve the Emperor!"
Zhou Xian's expression was slightly stagnant, and he looked at his father in surprise. After a while, he finally realized what he was doing, lowered his head and said:
"My daughter listens to her father's arrangements!"
"Well, Xian'er, you go back and prepare first. I'll go find the internal officer later!"
Zhou Zong watched his daughter wandering around the backyard in a daze, and sighed secretly in his heart.
When Mrs. Zhou saw her daughter leaving, she couldn't help but question her husband:
"Master, why do you think of sending your daughter to the palace?"
"Is it okay if I don't enter the palace?"
Zhou Zong did not expect that at this time, his wife would doubt his decision.
The temper that had been suppressed for many years suddenly burst out:
"I told you a long time ago, don't let Xian'er be in the limelight, don't be in the limelight!"
"But, have you and Xian'er heard what I said?"
"Now Xian'er is known as the most talented woman in Yangzhou. Have you ever counted how many powerful families have come to our house to propose marriage over the years?"
"Do you know that if we agree to a certain family, will other powerful people hate us for it?"
"I'm still alive now, and they don't dare to do anything. But I'm already in my seventies, how many more years can I live? When I leave, will you, Zheng'er, and Qiang'er be able to withstand that? How angry is the noble?"
When Mrs. Zhou heard this, her expression changed and her eyes flickered:
"Master, have you ever told me this before?"
Zhou Zong didn't expect that his wife would tell lies with her eyes open. He was so angry that he almost couldn't survive. In the end, he could only sigh and said:
"What the sage said is true, it is true that 'only women and villains are difficult to raise'!"
Mrs. Zhou knew that her master was magnanimous and would not argue with her, so she simply asked all the questions in her mind:
"Sir, the Emperor is already almost fifty. Why do you want your daughter to go to Hangzhou to serve the Emperor instead of sending her to Luoyang?"
"What a woman's opinion!"
Zhou Zong sighed and said:
"Although Xian'er is naturally beautiful, talented and beautiful, and has the reputation of being the most talented woman in Yangzhou. However, if she is sent to Luoyang and she is not favored, she will still survive. Once she is favored, she will definitely not die well!"