After Su Xiuning entered the room, Huang Yourong and Gu Quan left knowingly. .
Suddenly, only Su Changzhen and Su Xiuning, father and daughter, were left in the room.
"Dad..." Su Xiuning walked quickly to Su Changzhen, her expression was worried and concerned, and she was about to say something.
However, before Su Xiuning could speak, Su Changzhen had already said, "Ning'er, time is running out. Don't talk yet. Listen to me, daddy."
Su Changzhen's eyes were fixed on Su Xiuning in front of him, and his tone was urgent: "Ning'er, dad is in doom now, and the Su family is going to collapse completely. Daddy brought it upon himself. I have nothing to say. I can only pity your brothers and nephews."
Sons, they were implicated by their father. Even if they escaped this disaster, as family members of prisoners, they will neither be able to take the imperial examination nor do business in the future. Even if they work in the fields, they will definitely be stigmatized and humiliated.
, all our family’s property has been confiscated by the court, and they will have no way to make a living from now on. I’m afraid they will have to live on the streets. From now on, they will be cold and hungry, and I don’t know how long they can last..."
Having said this, Su Changzhen's face was filled with sadness, and there were two lines of tears.
Hearing Su Changzhen's words, Su Xiuning also looked sad, but she didn't know how to comfort her father, and she couldn't think of any solution.
She was proficient in playing music, chess, calligraphy and painting, but when it came to survival, she was helpless.
Then, Su Changzhen wiped away his tears, stared at Su Xiuning's beautiful face again, and said, "So, Ning'er, you are the only one who can save the Su family now!"
"I?"
After hearing what Su Changzhen said, Su Xiuning was a little confused.
Su Changzhen nodded and said: "When dad asked you to take the initiative to approach Zhao Junchen, the Minister of Household Affairs, he anticipated today's crisis and wanted you to become Zhao Junchen's wife. In this way, we have Zhao Junchen in the court.
With the support of the center, you can survive today's disaster... But dad also knows that Zhao Junchen is not a good match for you, and you have never taken the initiative to please a man's temperament. This matter is indeed too difficult for dad. In the end
, Zhao Junchen did not choose you as his first wife, and our family has also suffered today's disaster, but dad does not blame you, after all, it is dad who is sorry for you..."
Although Su Changzhen said that he did not blame Su Xiuning, after hearing these words of Su Changzhen, Su Xiuning still couldn't help but feel guilty. She only felt that she was too reserved when she first contacted Zhao Junchen and failed to do her best to save him.
Su family.
After seeing the change in Su Xiuning's expression, a trace of guilt flashed through Su Changzhen's eyes again, but after hesitating for a moment, he finally spoke again: "However, for the sake of your brothers and nephews, and for the future of our Su family,
Daddy still has to beg you one more time... Ning'er, don't blame daddy, daddy has no choice but to do it!... Gu Quan, the censor of Youqiandu, is Zhao Junchen's confidant. He is taking care of you today, obviously because
What Zhao Junchen means, it seems that Zhao Junchen still has a good impression of you, so..."
At this point, Su Changzhen seemed a little reluctant to speak, but he still gritted his teeth and continued: "So, after the matter here is over, you will immediately go to the capital and approach Zhao Junchen again. You will definitely find every way to enter the Zhao Mansion.
Please please Zhao Junchen and become Zhao Junchen's woman! Now that your father has lost power, he can't support you, and Zhao Junchen has a respected position and growing power, so I'm afraid he won't marry you as his wife... But, even if he just becomes Zhao Junchen's
Concubine, you have to do your best! As long as you please Zhao Junchen and get Zhao Junchen's favor, then Zhao Junchen will help our Su family so that your brothers and nephews will not live on the streets with nothing to live for.
Yes, maybe our Su family has the possibility of turning around again!"
After hearing Su Changzhen's words, Su Xiuning looked at her father in front of her blankly, as if she didn't recognize the person in front of her at all.
Is the person in front of her still the father who dotes on her and takes great care of her?
At the beginning, Su Changzhen begged Su Xiuning to abandon her reserve and happiness and take the initiative to approach and please Zhao Junchen. But after all, it was to seek the position of the Zhao family's head wife. Su Xiuning would not suffer too much injustice after marrying into the Zhao family.
But now, Su Changzhen actually begged Su Xiuning to abandon her dignity and pride again and try every means to enter Zhao Junchen's house, all just to become Zhao Junchen's woman, even if she became a lowly concubine?
Obviously, Su Changzhen was planning to sacrifice everything Su Xiuning had for the future of the Su family.
Su Xiuning grew up with all kinds of care and attention. Everything went smoothly and she never encountered any major setbacks or grievances. Now she was asked to find a way to become the concubine of a corrupt official, and she never had any dignity again.
status, being ordered around, beaten and scolded at will, the gap is really too big.
Therefore, although Su Xiuning also wanted to do something for the Su family, it was still difficult to accept Su Changzhen's request.
But seeing Su Changzhen's pleading look, and then thinking of her brothers and nephews, although Su Xiuning was extremely resistant in her heart, she could not refuse after all. She just turned her head slightly, avoided Su Changzhen's eyes, and whispered
: "Dad, my daughter has tried her best to please Zhao Junchen. Zhao Junchen seems to be very polite to her, but there is always a sense of alienation. I'm afraid it will be difficult for my daughter to accomplish this..."
Seeing that Su Xiuning did not refuse directly, Su Changzhen couldn't help but be overjoyed, and quickly said again: "My good daughter, as long as you are willing! The situation today is very different from that of the past. Back then, Zhao Junchen was choosing his first wife, so he was naturally extremely cautious.
But if it were just a concubine, Zhao Junchen would not be so cautious. With your talent and beauty, as long as you take the initiative to cater to you, no man in the world can refuse. It must be easy to get Zhao Junchen's favor.
matter."
However, thinking of Su Xiuning's conservative and reserved temperament, Su Changzhen was still a little uneasy after all, and said: "Also, before you go to the capital, you first go to Gezi Lane in the south of Suzhou City. There is a house there, which was secretly built by father.
There is a woman in the house named Xiangzhi, who is one of my father's... concubines. This Xiangzhi was originally from a brothel and was redeemed by her father a few years ago. However, due to the court's laws,
It was not convenient for her father to bring her into the house, so she kept her outside. You can call her aunt when you see her... She is quite good at some foxy skills, and her father also left her a sum of money. She is very fond of her.
Daddy has always been loyal, you can take her to the capital with you, learn from her some ways to cater to men, and you can also ask her opinion on many things..."
After hearing Su Changzhen's explanation, Su Xiuning found out that Su Changzhen actually kept an extramarital affair in private and even visited a brothel...
The image of a father who was originally perfect became increasingly dilapidated at this moment.
She stared blankly at her father in front of her, not sure how she should treat this man or whether she should agree to his pleading.
After Su Changzhen saw Su Xiuning's expression, he smiled bitterly and said: "Dad knows that I am really sorry for you for these decisions. If things hadn't developed to this point, Daddy really wouldn't be willing to do this. Ning'er, you might as well resent Daddy.
, it doesn’t matter if you despise dad, but this is all for the entire Su family! Ning’er, can you really bear to see your brothers and nephews living on the streets, or even being demoted to untouchables and never getting over it? "
After saying that, seeing that Su Xiuning's expression was still hesitant, Su Changzhen knelt down in front of Su Xiuning, crying and saying sadly: "Ning'er, even if it's my father begging you!"
Half an hour later, Huang Yourong and Gu Quan came to Su Changzhen's room again.
In the room, Su Changzhen was holding Su Xiuning's hand, his old face was full of pleading, not like a father at all, while Su Xiuning was wiping away tears, her expression full of contradictions and embarrassment.
After seeing Huang Yourong and Gu Quan appear, Su Changzhen's expression became more urgent and sad, and he stared at Su Xiuning closely. After Su Xiuning hesitated for a long time, he finally gritted his teeth and nodded: "My daughter promises her father."
Then, Su Xiuning took out her hands, turned around and left, never looking back at Su Changjin again.
Su Changjin looked at Su Xiuning's back blankly, with an extremely complicated expression. He seemed a little guilty, a little sad, and a little relaxed.
Huang Yourong is also a person who has experienced many ups and downs. He is used to seeing the ways of the world and all kinds of things in the world. Now after seeing this scene, how can he not guess what happened between Su Changzhen and Su Xiuning?
For a moment, even if he was as selfish and cool as Huang Yourong, he could not help but feel some sighs in his heart.
So, Huang Yourong walked up to Su Changzhen, patted Su Changzhen's shoulder, and sighed: "If I had known today, why did I do it in the first place? If Mr. Su had not taken bribes in these years, he would not have to sacrifice his daughter's life now.
You first made her carefree and carefree, and now you personally push her into a pit of fire. It is really cruel to her."
Su Changzhen turned his head and glanced at Huang Yourong, with a hint of sarcasm flashing in his eyes. Huang Yourong was not an honest and self-responsible person, and he was really not qualified to preach to him. It was quite like a cat crying like a mouse and pretending to be compassionate.
However, after a moment of silence, Su Changzhen said slowly: "So what if I'm not greedy? If I'm not greedy, I can't survive! My salary is meager. Su not only has to support his family, but also has to deal with the welcome and farewell in the officialdom.
To maintain the dignity of a court official... how can a small amount of salary be enough? At first, Su was not willing to be greedy, but seeing that he was making his family suffer and being ridiculed by sticking to his duty, and
The colleagues around me are all nourishing their lives, so naturally their hearts are unbalanced.
Then, Su couldn't help but be greedy. It was just a little money, which was enough to live on. But after seeing that his little tricks were not discovered by the court, he gradually became bolder. After his life became more nourishing, he also
I am even more unwilling to go back to the poor days of the past.
The funny thing is that when Su was still honest and self-reliant, he became an outlier in the officialdom. Everyone suppressed, excluded, and hindered me, and I was still in the position of county magistrate! But Su committed corruption.
After that, he was promoted continuously, reaching the fourth rank in just three to five years. Everyone regarded Su as one of their own.
Su still remembers that when his daughter Xiuning was just born, Su was serving as a prefect in Jiangxi. He secretly intercepted a batch of plumbers' money and was reported. He originally thought he was going to be unlucky, but it turned out that the new appointee was accused of this matter.
The governor of Jiangxi suppressed it, and Su became a close confidant of the governor because of this incident, and received a key promotion... Haha, this is not because Su's handle fell into his hands, so he can feel at ease.
Have you used Su?
Gradually, Su became more and more greedy and courageous. When it was time to retire and become an official, he came to Jiangnan, where life was so rich and glamorous, and got the high position of governor of South Zhili, thinking that he had been greedy for so many years.
None of them were discovered. When I was getting old and I got a good job, I had to take the opportunity to do something big and make enough money so that the Su family could be rich and prosperous for a long time. The result turned out to be God's calculations. Su clearly still had one year left.
He was about to retire and return to his hometown, but at this time he was liquidated by the court. What a twist of fate...
After all, what you said, Mr. Huang Ge, is right. Su was just lucky and too greedy..."
As an imperial envoy of the imperial court, Huang Yourong should vigorously condemn Su Changzhen's statement at this time.
But Huang Yourong himself was not clean either. After hearing Su Changzhen's remarks, he actually felt the same way.
In the end, Huang Yourong changed the topic and no longer bothered Su Changzhen about corruption and bribery. He just asked: "Mr. Su, according to your request, I have asked you to meet with Su Xiuning in private, so should you also put yourself in it?"
Did you tell me where the money was hidden?"
Su Changzhen sighed, and then said without hiding anything: "Su has three more places to hide his silver. One is Su's ancestral home in the countryside. There are about 350,000 taels of silver hidden in the cellar, and there are seven more places.
Thousand taels of gold and some jewelry and property; in addition, there was also silver under the floor of the ancestral hall of the ancestral home, about 200,000 taels; and the other place was in the ancestral tomb in Su's hometown. The cemetery in the northwest was all empty, and the coffins were
There is gold and silver hidden in it, totaling 170,000 taels of silver and 30,000 taels of gold; and in Su's study, there is a hidden compartment behind the bookshelf, which is full of banknotes, both official and private, totaling
There are also two hundred and fifty thousand taels of silver."
After a pause, Su Changzhen continued: "In addition, after Mr. Zhao of the Ministry of Finance established the 'United Shipping Company', Su asked two shipping companies under his name to join it, and also invested about 150,000 taels.
Silver, this money should not have been used yet, it is still all in the account."
After hearing Su Changzhen's explanation, Huang Yourong and Gu Quan both looked at each other with surprise.
Su Changzhen's hidden wealth was even more than they imagined!
The question now is that all these sums of money were hidden by Su Changzhen. Now only the two of them know about it, do they still need to be handed over to the court?
If it does not need to be handed over to the court, then what should be done with the money?
After Huang Yourong and Gu Quan looked at each other for a moment, their gazes were both meaningful.
Then, Huang Yourong turned to look at Su Changzhen again, his eyes were sincere, and his expression was full of sincerity, as if he was considering Su Changzhen wholeheartedly, and said slowly: "Master Su, the total of these three places to hide the silver, I'm afraid,
Can there be two million taels of silver? With such a huge amount, this matter may not be easy to handle! In addition to the gold and silver treasures seized in the Su Mansion, as well as your various properties, Mr. Su, the total is enough
There are more than four million taels of silver!
If I report this figure truthfully, it will be one of the largest corruption cases in the history of the Ming Dynasty. At that time, Your Majesty will definitely be furious. Mr. Su, you are not only doomed, but you will be infamy for thousands of years from now on, even for the Su family.
The punishment will also be more severe, so..."
When Huang Yourong said this, he winked at Gu Quan.
Gu Quan smiled and said: "So, according to my opinion, it is best to keep hiding the money hidden in these places. Mr. Su, please don't tell others. This will be good for everyone! Mr. Su, you
What do you say?"
Su Changzhen had long expected what Huang Yourong and Gu Quan would do.
After he revealed some of his hidden money, it was destined to be secretly divided among some people.
If it were Su Changzhen who became the Imperial Envoy, Su Changzhen would do the same thing.
Therefore, Su Changzhen looked calm and said slowly: "In this case, Su would like to thank the two adults for taking care of them. Don't worry, Su knows what to do. These money will be regarded as given to you by Su.
I just hope that the two adults can be kind to the Su family during this period."
After hearing Su Changzhen's answer, Huang Yourong and Gu Quan's expressions became even happier.
Then, after the two said a few good words to Su Changzhen, they left the room together.
But after walking out of the room, their expressions changed one after another. Huang Yourong's expression looked a little sinister, while Gu Quan's expression was thoughtful.
As he walked slowly forward, Huang Yourong said slowly: "Master Gu, if you want to eat Su Changzhen's hidden silver with peace of mind, Su Changzhen cannot stay for a long time. Even though he happily agreed today, but
Who knows whether he will tell these things in the future?"
Gu Quan hesitated for a moment and said, "It's best to inform Mr. Zhao about this matter and find out what Mr. Zhao thinks."
Seeing that Huang Yourong's expression was vaguely unhappy, Gu Quan said again: "Don't worry, Imperial Envoy. We will stay in Nanzhili for a long time, and we will be back soon. I will write a letter to Zhao, Imperial Envoy.
Let's get some rest, inspecting the Su Mansion is just the beginning, there are still many things we have to do next."
This time, Huang Yourong had a smile on his face.
Indeed, Su Changzhen's house being ransacked was just the beginning. Su Changzhen still had many cronies, and these people would also have their house ransacked. At that time, they would be able to make a lot of extra money.
In addition, there is also the matter of "United Shipping Lines" that they need to deal with. If everything goes well, the benefits will be even greater**********s: The first update, a 5,000-word chapter! It will be updated around the early morning