Mr. Huang Jin, holding a stool in his hand, led a group of officials from the Ministry of Rites to search for the thief.
What happened was that the Ministry of Rites was rewarded with some fruit wine by Emperor Longqing. Mr. Huang Jin treated these wines as treasures and kept them in the warehouse. Everyone occasionally took them out to order and have a few drinks.
Because Emperor Longqing had given a lot of rewards, I could have drank for a long time if I had saved myself from drinking. But today, when a doctor from the Ministry of Etiquette went to get the wine, he suddenly discovered that there were two full jars of wine missing!!
After Huang Jin, the Minister of Rites, learned about it, he sent people to the Ministry of Punishments to shake people off, and at the same time led a group of officials to start looking for the thieves everywhere with rulers, stools, wooden sticks and potted plants.
Although Mr. Huang Jin is thin, he has muscles in his bones. He is 70 or 80 years old, but he still has an imposing manner while carrying a stool.
When the officials from the Ministry of Punishment arrived at the Ministry of Rites, they thought they had lost something valuable, but when they learned that they had only lost two jars of wine, they were ready to let the Ministry of Rites handle the matter themselves.
After all, the Ministry of Justice has a lot of weird cases, and the incident of throwing the wine was most likely done by some official. After all, the Ministry of Rites is not a place where little cats and dogs can get in.
…
"Junchen, what do you think of this fruit wine? Does it taste good?"
In the residence of the Marquis of Bowen, the trio sat in a circle and were tasting wine.
Chen Chen: "This fruit wine is okay. It's mellow but not strong, sweet and soft. It's a good wine."
Xue Hong didn't do much research on wine, but he just thought it was a bit like juice and quite sweet. He would ask Zhu Hui later if he had any more, so he could bring some back to Baochai.
In response, Zhu Hui told Xue Hong that he could only get a jar of this wine himself.
Zhu Hui: "By the way, I will get married at the end of this year. Junchen, have you prepared any gifts?"
Chen Chen: "Your Highness, I have a lot of land in Japan. I just don't know what to do with it. Can I give you some?"
Zhu Hui: "Go away, I have more than 10,000 households in my own land. Why do I need so much land? Why don't you just cash it in?"
Xue Hong: "Hmm... by the way, whose family did your highness marry?"
Zhu Hui: "The granddaughter of Mr. Huang Jin, the Minister of Rites, to be honest, I have never even met her."
In ancient times, it was normal for people like Zhu Hui to never meet their unmarried wives, especially among wealthy and aristocratic families.
After the three of them chatted for a few more words, Zhu Hui said goodbye, preparing to go to the brothel again to commemorate his passing youth.
After Zhu Hui was sent away, a servant came to report: "Master Qi, Lord Marquis, the Ministry of Rites has made a thief."
Xue Hong: "The Ministry of Rites has recruited thieves?"
He can understand how the Ministry of Household Affairs, the Ministry of Works, the Ministry of Punishment, the Ministry of Personnel, and even the Ministry of War recruit thieves. What can be stolen from the Ministry of Rites?
Servant: "I heard it seems to be... fruit wine given by the emperor."
Xue Hong: "Oh... hmm? What is it?"
Servant: "Replying to the Master, what was stolen from the Ministry of Rites was the fruit wine given by the emperor."
Xue Hong and Zhu Hui looked at each other and suddenly remembered the fruit wine they just drank...
Hiss! Zhu Hui can definitely do this!
…
In the end, it was found out that it was really Zhu Hui and Ni Yuanlu, a new academician.
The two of them didn't know each other, but they happened to have heard that the Ministry of Rites had a batch of good wine.
And Ni Yuanlu is now serving in the Ministry of Rites, so she is naturally close to the water and easy to do things.
After the two sneaked into the warehouse, they were confused when they saw each other. Both of them had wine ladles in their hands, and they both looked sneaky.
Then the two of them instantly understood that the other person was of the same mind.
We originally agreed to only drink a little, but it turned out that "a thousand cups are too little for the same bad taste", and the whole jar of wine was gone without even realizing it.
Among them, Zhu Hui only drank about a small pot, and most of the rest went into Ni Yuanlu's stomach, which was a proper wine master.
In the end, maybe because he was too drunk, Zhu Hui took a pot of wine with him before leaving.
If you are found out, you will definitely be punished. Apart from a fine of salary and twenty canes for both of you, there will be nothing else.
Needless to say, Zhu Hui, the biological son of Emperor Longqing, has caused a lot of troubles since he was a child.
Although Ni Yuanlu was newly promoted to the Ministry of Rites not long ago, her ability was obvious to all and she was a practical person, so Emperor Longqing was reluctant to punish her severely.
But after all, it was a bit embarrassing to steal something into the Ministry of Etiquette, so in order to convince the public, he ordered someone to tie the two of them to the pillar at the entrance of the Ministry of Etiquette for a day.
…
Mr. Huang Jin looked at the two people tied up at the door of his territory, and his beard stood up in anger.
One is a noble prince and his grandson-in-law.
The other person is also a talent that I value, and even more so, His Majesty.
Are you two so greedy?
Mr. Huang Jin clenched his fists and comforted himself for a long time before flinging his sleeves and leaving.
Zhu Hui has done this kind of thing a lot since he was a child. He feels so ashamed. How much is that thing worth per pound? Is it five hundred thousand taels?
Ni Yuanlu was still a little ashamed after all. She was tied to a pillar with her head lowered, not wanting to have her face seen clearly when she raised her head.
Zhu Hui also comforted Ni Yuanlu: "What are you afraid of, a real man? If you dare to do something, look at me!"
An official from the Ministry of Etiquette on the side couldn't stand it any longer and told Ni Yuanlu: "Master Ni, drinking secretly is just a trivial matter, but don't be shameless."
Zhu Hui was stunned: "Huh? Old man, what do you mean? Do you believe that I will go back to your house and talk to you?"
Ni Yuanlu: "Your Highness, just calm down."
Zhu Hui: "By the way, Mr. Ni, I remember that you came from Donglin Academy."
Ni Yuanlu: "Exactly. What advice does your Highness have?"
Some time ago, the Donglin Party was directly eliminated by Emperor Longqing and was crippled. The few people left in the court were insignificant.
Donglin Academy was also reshuffled by Emperor Longqing, and lost its former glory, but it still had its foundation.
…
Ever since Xue Hong and Baochai got engaged, Mrs. Wang was very reluctant, but she didn't have the guts to refute the imperial edict.
So I had to look for a wife for Jia Baoyu again, and she actually found one!
The imperial merchant family named in the Ministry of Household Affairs is Xia Jingui, the Xia family.
Mrs. Wang also met Xia Jingui, who was very good-looking and well-off.
Today is the first time Xia Jingui enters the Jia family. Because Xia Jingui is a sweetheart and a swordsman, she won the love of all the women in the Jia family at the first meeting.
Xia Jingui was born like a flower and a jade, and she was a perfect beauty. In Jia Baoyu's eyes, she was no worse than the Twelve Hairpins of Jinling in the Grand View Garden. She was also quite literate, and her literary talent was outstanding among women, both internally and externally.
What's even better is that the Xia family is not only a wealthy family with millions of assets, but also has no sons. The heir is a grandson. All the family wealth will be given to the daughter as a dowry to the son-in-law's family and passed on to the grandson. Marrying Xia Jingui means you will get the Xia family's millions of wealth and illustrious family fortune for free.
This is in line with Mrs. Wang's expectations for her daughter-in-law. Once Baoyu and Xia Jingui get married, won't the Xia family's property belong to Jia Baoyu?
As for Xia Jingui? She is just a mere woman, and she is not allowed to be manipulated by Mrs. Wang?
If Baoyu enters politics in the future and becomes an official and needs a wife with a powerful natal family, then he will divorce Xia Jingui!
(Do you want to see Xia Jingui causing trouble in the Jia family?)