Chapter three hundred and ninety-ninth sugar-coated shells
Zhu Biao listened and found out that these were the corrupt officials handed over by the local government in recent months. They were all low-ranking officials, and of course most of them would not collaborate with them.
Before Zhu Biao entered Qingyang, he ordered the Chen family to investigate secretly. Corrupt officials are rampant and there will always be a few clean ones. Killing corrupt officials is part of purging officials, and retaining and promoting honest officials is also part of it. Punish evil and promote good.
It can reverse unhealthy trends.
Chen Bingxian's business was common in Qingyang. It is not difficult to investigate this kind of thing. After all, the officials no longer need to cover up the current situation. It is clear that those who follow the rules will prosper and those who go against the rules will perish.
In the morning, Zhu Biao took a tour of Qingyang Fucheng under the guise of touring the Chen family's shop. Not talking about what he saw and heard along the way, no matter how cruel the reality was, he would become numb after seeing it too much.
At noon, Chen Bingxian led Zhu Biao to the gate of Zhang's Mansion. They also entered the courtyard, but the style of the courtyard was much better than that of the courtyard where Zhu Biao stayed. There were two stone lions carved from Shoushan Stone standing at the door, which looked very majestic.
extraordinary.
Looking up at the eaves of the door, it is also very distinctive. There are two layers of brackets under the eaves, two on the forehead and four on the lower eaves. They all have sloping arches, which look like flowers from a distance. Except for the brackets, there is no wood carving on the gate.
The decoration looks simple and solemn.
Zhang Heng personally led his son out to greet him. This was considered a family banquet, and it was indeed very honorable. Zhu Biao smiled and handed over his hand: "How dare you trouble your uncle to welcome him in person? This makes my nephew embarrassed to enter the house."
"Hahaha, my nephew is so polite. Why can't I personally welcome him when he comes to our house for the first time? It will be more convenient from now on, just treat him as if he comes straight in."
Zhu Biao raised his hands and looked at the young man aside. He looked like he was in his early twenties and had a bookish air: "I have met Brother Shi, so it is really rude to come to visit him rashly. I hope you won't be offended."
The young man warmly raised his hands and returned the greeting: "Foolish brother Zhang Mingyuan has met your wise brother. It's my fault that I didn't go to pick him up yesterday. Please come into the house and talk to me."
Zhu Biao nodded with a smile, and the three of them walked in the front, Chen Rongyan and others followed behind. When they entered Zhang Mansion, they saw the screen wall, which was engraved with the pattern of the Eight Immortals crossing the sea. It looked like the work of a famous artist.
After passing the courtyard of Yimen, we entered the main hall of the front yard. After everyone took their seats, the servants served tea, and Zhu Biao also presented gifts prepared by the Chen family. In this way, the guests and hosts enjoyed themselves even more.
Zhang Mingyuan was very curious about the Imperial Academy in the capital. After drinking tea for a few words, it was not like Zhu Biao had never been there before, so he naturally told him about it carefully.
Zhang Heng laughed at the side and said: "From now on, we will be considered acquaintances. We should move around more and move around more. If we come and go, we will become brothers."
Zhang Mingyuan really likes Zhu Biao's appearance as a cheap and good brother. He is from a noble family in the south of the Yangtze River and studied in the Imperial College in the capital. His appearance and temperament are also extraordinary, so he naturally wants to make friends with him.
Chen Rongyan drank a cup of tea and said to the teacher of Zhang Mansion across from him: "I came here from Huaiqing to transport grain just because the price of grain here has increased. I wonder if this business can still be done now?"
Zhu Biaozheng was talking to Zhang Mingyuan. Hearing this, he frowned and was about to scold him. Zhang Heng waved his hand to stop him and said: "Businessmen are cheap, and my nephew is a high-ranking scholar in the Imperial Academy. He should not be involved in this matter more. Mr. Xun led Chen
Let the shopkeeper go down and talk about the current market situation."
Zhang Mingyuan also nodded and said: "Since there are dedicated people to handle it, brother Xian, there is no need to pay more attention. Since my father has spoken, I will not let you suffer."
After Zhu Biao heard this, he said no more. Mr.
The servant tried to persuade me, but there was no response at all.
After all, Zhang Heng was a co-prefect of the same prefecture. He could tell at a glance that he was an elite member of the army, and he seemed to have a calm demeanor. He didn't care at all that he was a co-prefect. He was probably a bodyguard specially arranged by His Highness the Crown Prince to accompany Chen Yunze.
Thinking of this, Zhang Heng was even more determined to make friends with Chen Yunze, a wise nephew. Most people, even if they were helping His Highness sell grain, were not qualified to have His Highness send personal guards to protect him.
Soon it was time for lunch. Behind the screen in the main hall was a large Eight Immortals table, which was filled with dishes. When Zhu Biao passed by, Zhang Heng's wife also came out to meet him. Even though she just said hello,
But this means something different.
In this era, a housewife from a wealthy family would not easily meet outsiders. At most, she would meet the nephews of her husband's family or her natal family. Zhu Biao looked flattered on his face, which made Zhang Heng and his son laugh a few times.
Only the three of them could sit down to eat. The dishes were not as numerous as those at the banquet last night, but the delicacies were the same. Zhu Biao took a chopstick of fish, and the taste was similar to what he had eaten at the West Lake in Hangzhou.
Zhu Biao naturally sighed after eating it, and Zhang Heng smiled and said: "It must have been a long time since my nephew left home to study and work. I went to the Jiangnan chef specially invited by the prefect, just because I wanted to
Let my good nephew eat some local food."
Zhu Biao toasted a glass of wine with a smile. To be honest, if he were not Zhu Biao, Chen Yunze would really regard Zhang Heng as his uncle. After all, there are not many people who can take care of you so carefully.
Human nature is like this. If someone treats you well, you can't help but defend him. Even if you know that he is a bad person to others, you will always think of being nice to me.
Of course, it is not an exaggeration to say that Zhu Biao has lived for so long and has stood tall and seen far. Zhang Heng took care of him in this way just for the sake of General Affairs Minister Chen Youzong and the Crown Prince of the East Palace.
I thought I would take this opportunity to build a relationship. After all, he looked like he didn't want to stop being a mere fifth-grade fellow.
What's more, the things he indicated with Zhu Biao were all obtained by plundering the people's wealth and anointing. Could it be that the whole world is the king's land? In other words, he robbed Zhu Biao's things to please Zhu Biao. This is naturally wrong.
Having said that, Zhu Biao ate the food in his mouth and looked at Zhang Heng and his son across from him. He suddenly had a strange feeling. Now he was the guest of honor, but in the future, all the people in this house would be raided by him with an order.
cut……
Even though he still kept a smile on his face, the food was really not delicious. Maybe his heart was still not cold enough or hard enough. This small favor was nothing. If he were his father, he would not be shaken at all.
.
Zhu Biao took a few more mouthfuls of fish and reflected in his mind. Thinking about it, the people in the city immediately woke up. He had just performed so seriously that he really thought he was Chen Yunze.
But it also shows how powerful these corrupt officials are. They haven’t paid any real money, and they haven’t used coercion or inducement. If Zhu Biao hadn’t come in person, the ordinary imperial envoy would have been able to withstand such sugar-coated bullets.
?
We are not afraid of the ruthlessness of corrupt officials, but we are afraid that corrupt officials have many tricks and it is really difficult to prevent them.