The door of the Song Mansion was soon knocked again. This time Zhou Ze revealed his identity without saying much.
It was the first time that the guard saw such a big official. He stammered and hurried back to the house.
As soon as Song Jintang heard that the Minister of Rites was coming, he stood outside the gate of his house and hurriedly got up and came out to greet him.
Wen Shaoxue thought that she had waited outside the door for a whole hour yesterday before he came late, and she was still thinking that she should be more considerate of him, so she wanted to strangle her humble self yesterday.
Song Jintang was obviously surprised when he saw the people outside: "It wasn't yesterday that you..."
Zhou Ze took a step forward, with his usual harmless smile on his face: "I'm Zhou Ze, the Minister of Rites. I'm here to disturb you. I hope Master Song doesn't mind."
Song Jintang's face was filled with a flattering smile: "What are you talking about, Mr. Zhou? Mr. Zhou is willing to visit. The small house is really full of glory. Mr. Zhou, please come in."
Zhou Ze pulled Wen Shaoxue over and said in a friendly tone: "To be honest, the magistrate of Xiangzhou is my close friend. I originally went to Xiangzhou to help at his invitation. I met Xue'er on the road and I felt very cordial during the conversation.
I thought she was my adopted sister. I sent her back yesterday, but unexpectedly I saw my sister at the door this morning, so I thought maybe there was a conflict with Mr. Song?"
Song Jintang didn't expect that the person who sent Wen Shaoxue home and waited for an hour at the door yesterday was the Minister of Rites. He couldn't help but regret it. He didn't expect that Wen Shaoxue would be lucky enough to have a relationship with the Minister of Rites. It seemed that he
I really underestimated her.
Thinking that she had heard everything he said last night, he couldn't help but feel guilty. But when he thought about it, he was still engaged to the Wen family anyway, and it would be better if the woman was angry and coaxed for two days.
Thinking of this, he became a hundred times more confident: "It is true that a little unpleasantness happened. It was because I didn't take care of it well. Thank you Mr. Zhou for sending Xue'er back."
Liu'er looked at his completely different face from yesterday and couldn't believe it. He really grew up with the lady since he was a child. He dragged a dirty and broken doll to the lady and said that he would definitely marry her when he grew up.
Did Song Jintang make her feel a little wronged? What turned the innocent and kind-hearted child into the duplicitous villain she is now?
Song Jintang could see Wen Shaoxue's displeasure and Liu'er's surprise, but he still came over and took Wen Shaoxue's hand affectionately. "Master Zhou, let's not stand here talking. Come in quickly."
Zhou Ze nodded happily: "Since we are all a family, there is no need to be so polite in the future. Just follow Xueer and call me Brother Zhou."
Song Jintang was so happy, but he didn't expect that he would be able to get it without any effort. It took no effort to win over a fourth-rank official in the dynasty. This was really an unexpected fortune. From now on.
She will be able to travel around the capital in the name of visiting relatives, and she will also have her own connections, and maybe she will soon be able to become a Beijing official.
Thinking of this, she greeted Wen Shaoxue even more attentively, and kept apologizing for what she did yesterday. She said that what she said yesterday was just nonsense after drinking too much, and asked her not to take it to heart.
Wen Shaoxue turned her face away and refused to pay attention to him. Liu Er groaned angrily and said: "Mr. Song, that's not what you said yesterday. Yesterday you..."
"Liu'er... stop talking"
Song Jintang was happy when he heard this. Wen Shaoxue's tone was obviously to defend himself. It seemed that she really had a deep affection for him. It only took him two days to calm her temper. He felt that he had an opportunity to get promoted and make a fortune.
.
Lin Chong and others also received the treatment of honored guests because of Zhou Ze's glory. Wen Shaoxue lived on a brand new soft bed and looked at the furniture around her, which was her favorite style. She looked at this carefully decorated room.
, thinking back to the musty and damp old house where I and Liu Er lived last night, I felt as if I had knocked over the spice rack, and the smell was mixed and unpleasant.
She is now living with her engaged future husband, not because she is his unmarried wife, but because she has an older brother who is the minister of etiquette in the capital. This is such a ridiculous thing. She followed Lin Chong
As ordered, Song Jintang was not given a good look for the entire day.
Not only was Song Jintang not impatient at all, but he was more attentive, gentle and considerate, but now his thoughtfulness had erased bit by bit the romantic and tender memories that Brother Jin had created for Xueer.
Song Jintang was still worried about how he could use Zhou Ze's help to gain some benefits for himself, but Zhou Ze himself had already raised the matter.
On the afternoon of the third day they lived here, Zhou Ze mentioned it casually: "It is said that next year, people from the Ministry of Civil Affairs will conduct on-site inspections of local officials. Those who are inspected can be promoted if their performance is particularly good."
Song Jintang was moved, and Lin Chong fell to the side and asked: "Do you know the officials who will be evaluated by the Ministry of Civil Affairs this time?" Zhou Ze shook his head: "No, I don't know him."
Song Jintang was a little disappointed, and then heard Zhou Ze continue to say: "Although I don't know the officials of the Ministry of Personnel who are inspecting this time, Mr. Ren, the Minister of the Ministry of Personnel, is an old friend of mine. When I came out this time, he also asked me to inspect the local officials in advance.
Woolen cloth."
Song Jintang's heart was pounding nervously. If Zhou Ze was willing to give him a few kind words in front of the Minister of Civil Affairs, wouldn't his future be bright?
He was very excited in his heart, but on the surface he remained calm and calm: "I dare to ask Brother Zhou, what do local officials need to look at when they want to inspect?"
"The investigation of local officials is not that strict. At most, it is about whether the officials are honest and upright, whether they are loved by the people, whether the money allocated by the court is distributed to the people, and whether the various taxes collected are paid to the public in an honest manner.
That's probably it."
"It's just an unwritten rule that no two or more local officials in the same place will be promoted at the same time. I heard that the prefect of Weihui Prefecture has always been fair in his official appointment.
Very well received.”
"Originally I wanted to write a letter of recommendation to the Ministry of Household Affairs, but Xueer kept telling me along the way how Song Xiandi cared about the people and how upright he was. If I had written a letter, I would have told Xiandi that you looked down on me as a brother, and it would have been a waste of humiliation.
I understand your dignity and pride."
Song Jintang was originally pointing out that Zhou Ze could write him a letter of recommendation, but when he was blocked by his words, he really didn't know what to say. He couldn't change his words and say that he was not a person who cared about the integrity of the people.
Besides, what I just heard from him is that Wei Hui Mansion can only have one local official who has been promoted exceptionally, and it seems likely that he is the prefect.
I know best what the prefect of Wei Hui Mansion does every day, but what qualifications does he have to be promoted? As long as he shakes off the story of bullying men and women and bullying others, he will not be promoted. This opportunity will never be passed on.