Chapter 760 - 762: Scary?
Chapter 760: Chapter 762: Scary?
Hua Shunming looked at Zhou Shixiong for a long time before smiling and saying, "Gu Wenheng is indeed a man of some talent, and I intend to entrust him with heavy responsibilities. Adding so much fertile land to the Rong Dynasty this time is already a massive achievement.
"Only the mediocre are free from envy; I know he has drawn a lot of jealous eyes.
"You have a deep personal friendship with him. How do you think we should break this deadlock?"
Zhou Shixiong was completely speechless. He thought to himself, "Holy Emperor, this is just a disguised way of making things difficult. Whether it be wrath or grace, it is all an imperial blessing. You used to be so dictatorial; would you even listen to a subject’s opinion?" He only dared to voice these complaints in his head. Out loud, he said, "It is precisely because I have a deep personal friendship with Mr. Gu that I should stay out of this matter."
"You haven’t been in Shangjing for long, yet our great defending general has already learned to speak such bureaucratic pleasantries," Hua Shunming said. "It seems you’ve been corrupted by those old foxes."
Catching the double meaning, Zhou Shixiong hastily knelt on the ground. "The Holy Emperor is wise. I am used to the rough and unrefined life at the borders. I have tried my hardest to blend in here in Shangjing, but alas, I am naturally foolish and simply cannot learn how. The Holy Emperor is wise; perhaps it would be better to send me back to the borders."
Hua Shunming’s hand paused. He smiled and said, "Minister Zhou, you must not mention this again. If the Empress knew I entertained the thought of sending you back to the borders, she would probably take the Eldest Prince and the others and ignore me completely."
Zhou Shixiong kept his head lowered and said in a muffled voice, "I only know how to wield swords and spears. When it comes to political affairs, my spirit is willing but my flesh is weak. Holy Emperor, how about I resign from my post as Minister of War and let my dull brain study under a famous teacher for a few years first?"
"Minister Zhou, haven’t I had Cao Aiqing guiding you all these days?" Hua Shunming asked. "Is he not qualified as a teacher? Or should I find a few more teachers for you?"
Zhou Shixiong had used this excuse before. How could the Emperor possibly let him return to the borders? Cao Xiangqian had been entrusted with the heavy responsibility of guiding Zhou Shixiong and familiarizing him with all government affairs.
"Mr. Cao has taught me a great deal; it is simply my own stupidity," Zhou Shixiong replied. He truly disliked entering the palace more and more; he could already feel his back drenched in cold sweat.
He genuinely envied Gu Wenheng a little. Gu Wenheng didn’t have to face the old foxes in the imperial court all day, nor did he have to enter the palace to face an increasingly harsh Emperor.
He missed his days in Lu City more and more. Although it had been a bit stifling at first, his life had become exceptionally carefree ever since Brother Gu arrived there.
"Then you should study more. The Empress and the two Princes cannot do without you."
Hua Shunming spoke so bluntly that Zhou Shixiong was frightened into kneeling down immediately.
As if unaware of how terrifying his words were, Hua Shunming helped him up and said, "Brother-in-law, there are no outsiders here. We can set aside state affairs and only discuss family matters."
Zhou Shixiong thought to himself, "To hell with your family matters. Does the Tian Family even have normal family matters?"
Ever since he returned to Shangjing, many people had approached him in private to pledge their loyalty. However, the two Princes were still young, and he didn’t dare to make promises to a single one of them.
It was precisely because of his tact and discretion that Hua Shunming had developed a greater fondness for the Empress and the two Princes. He frequently visited them to enjoy family time, which was also a reason why no one in the harem dared to provoke the Central Palace.
"The Royal Family owes the Zhou Family. For several generations, the Zhou Family has been fiercely loyal, and now you are the sole surviving heir. You have been married for many days now. The Empress is too embarrassed to urge you, but you should really put in the effort to expand the Zhou Family’s lineage."
Zhou Shixiong thought to himself, "Has the Holy Emperor been entirely too idle lately? Why is he even micromanaging my family planning?"
"I accept the decree," he finally said.
"That’s more like it. Only with a stable household will you have more energy to focus on the Ministry of War.
"As for the matter of Gu Wenheng being impeached, since you share a brotherhood with him, it would be best for you to give him a heads-up."
Zhou Shixiong asked, "I am slow-witted. Is it because everyone feels that Mr. Gu and his wife shouldn’t hold a share of the sea trade profits?"
Hua Shunming patted his shoulder. "I am an enlightened ruler. I have kept all the contributions Mrs. Gu has made in my heart. Letting them keep a small cut of the profits is harmless.
"It’s just that certain people in the imperial court are using this as an excuse to stir up trouble, hoping to diminish his recent achievements.
"Rest assured, I remember the agreement Bai Jinglie made with him back then. I will not let them suffer any losses."
Since Gu Wenheng was a highly useful subordinate, Hua Shunming naturally would not treat him harshly.
Moreover, this couple was practically his lucky charm. Not only had they stabilized Lu City, but they had also brought massive reforms to Yi Province. He planned to entrust them with even greater responsibilities in the future.
It was just that Zhou Shixiong’s brain was a bit too rigid. He had wasted so much breath explaining things to him, yet there was absolutely no tacit understanding between sovereign and subject.
"Just tell them to focus on working for me with peace of mind. Once his term is up, I will definitely promote him."
Looking at the Emperor’s smiling face, Zhou Shixiong felt a recurring chill run down his spine for some unknown reason. In his heart, he silently pitied Gu Wenheng for a moment.
"Gu Wenheng is an Honest Minister whom I think highly of. I don’t care what the civil and military officials are scheming in private, but none of you are allowed to touch this man."
Just as Zhou Shixiong was taking his leave, Hua Shunming’s cold voice echoed through the hall.
Zhou Shixiong bent his back even lower. "I obey the decree."
After he left, Hua Shunming’s expression turned icy.
"The Princes are still so young, yet these people already can’t hold themselves back."
Le San stood off to the side. At this moment, all he had to do was listen quietly.
"I hope the Zhou Family will not betray my trust. Otherwise, even the Central Palace..." Hua Shunming’s voice trailed off ominously.
As soon as Zhou Shixiong arrived at his residence, he took his advisors and locked themselves in his study. The door wasn’t opened until late into the night.
「Meanwhile.」
Gu Wenheng was completely oblivious to the chaos and disturbances in Shangjing. With the autumn harvest approaching, most of the people by his side had been sent out!
Over this past year, the lives of the commoners in Yi Province had undergone earth-shattering changes.
The commoners now had more land to their names. On ordinary days, they would also gather mountain products and send them to the various purchasing stations set up across the region, which more or less helped to subsidize their household expenses.
These purchasing stations had all been single-handedly established by Gu Le Ping. He surprisingly possessed quite a knack for business. By borrowing some initial capital from Jin Qianqian, he had slowly built the enterprise from the ground up.
Now, whenever he went out, everyone would respectfully call out "Mr. Gu," and he had acquired many servants and shop assistants for his entourage.
Gu Le Ping had just delivered a batch of goods to the escort agency and brought his men over to the Gu Mansion.
"Seventh Aunt, is there still no news from Uncle Yi?" he asked.
Jin Qianqian replied, "How could it be that fast? The prefectural exams probably just finished not long ago. The journey is so far; it’s quite possible that he has already arrived, but the news hasn’t caught up yet."
"Uncle Yi will probably make a trip back to Gaoling Village," Gu Le Ping said. "I wonder how things are going back home."
Jin Qianqian looked at him with a smile. "If you’re homesick, kid, just follow the escort team back for a visit. Your shops are already on the right track; leaving for a while won’t hurt anything."
Having his thoughts seen through, Gu Le Ping scratched his head. "I wonder if any of the other brothers want to go back too. That way, I’d have some company on the road."
"How long have you even been away from home, and you’re already thinking about going back?" Gu Wenheng suddenly stepped out from the inner courtyard, startling Gu Le Ping.
It was only because Seventh Uncle hadn’t been around that he dared to speak so casually with Seventh Aunt. The sudden appearance of the man caused Gu Le Ping to jump back in fright before standing up perfectly straight and behaving himself.
"Am I, your Seventh Uncle, really that scary?"