Chapter 35 Unplanned Success
Outside the city, Zhu family manor.
Old lady Zhu Jia was anxiously waiting for news from the city.
For most of the candidates from Anlu, the success in the selection of the royal companion is certainly gratifying, but failure is not unacceptable. After all, studying is studying no matter where you are.
But in the Zhu family's view, this is a crucial battle for their turnaround.
Finally, as the sun was setting, Zhu Wanjian hurried back and ran to the back hall to report to the old lady: "Mom, things are not going very smoothly."
Zhu Jia's heart skipped a beat: "But is there any result from the election?"
"I don't know if there are any results, but among the five children we sent to take the exam, none of them made it to the final round. They were all sent back early!"
Zhu Wanjian had a look of gloating on his face, and was waiting to see the joke as if it had nothing to do with him.
Zhu Jia's face darkened instantly: "My family sent so many children, even those from tenants who were good at studying, and yet..."
Zhu Wanjian said, "I heard that the young master of the new county magistrate's family has a boy named Zhu Hao... He performed well in the first two selections and advanced easily without making any mistakes... That's all I know for now... By the way, mother, that Zhu Hao... couldn't be the little Haozi from the third family?"
"Zhu Hao?"
Zhu Jia's face looked even uglier.
At this moment, Butler Liu came in and said respectfully, "Madam, Captain Lin of the Imperial Guard is here to visit you."
Zhu Jia knew that Captain Lin had come with ill intentions and probably came to denounce the Zhu family for losing the selection of companions.
I didn't want to see you, but I had to.
Captain Lin was a special envoy sent by the court to find out the inner workings of Prince Xing's Mansion. In addition, he had previously stated that the spies lurking in Prince Xing's Mansion had recently reconnected with him. His information channels were by no means comparable to those of the Zhu family.
"I will go to see him now. No one is allowed to disturb me. Also, prepare two hundred taels of silver..."
In Zhu Jia's opinion, since the family members failed in the selection of companions, they could only make up for it from other places. It might be a good idea to feed Captain Lin with money and use his information channels to serve the Zhu family.
…
…
Zhu Jia met Captain Lin.
Captain Lin's expression was not as dark as one might imagine. Instead, he showed admiration and flattery. He immediately clasped his fists and bowed to her, "Congratulations to Madam Zhu first."
Zhu Jia frowned: "Where does the joy come from?"
"oh!?"
Captain Lin frowned, as if he was a little confused. He rolled his eyes, as if he had thought of something, and said with a smile, "The final result has not yet been announced, but we have learned from our insiders that among the two shortlisted candidates, in addition to the son of the Changshou County Magistrate, there is another one, Zhu Hao, the young master of the third branch of your Zhu family..."
"Isn't it a cause for celebration that the Zhu family was able to send their children to the Prince Xing's Mansion through such a fair and just selection process, relying solely on their own abilities?"
Captain Lin's words revealed two important messages.
The most important one is the one named "Zhu Hao", the grandson of Zhu Jia, the third legitimate grandson Zhu Hao.
Also, Captain Lin is now "very powerful". He has found out the news in advance before the results were announced to the public by Prince Xing's Palace. Maybe he came to show off his power?
Even if your Zhu family sends your child to Prince Xing's mansion as a companion, how much important information can be passed out? It's better than me. I can just contact an insider and bring out everything I want to know!
Zhu Jia's face was calm and she was not moved by Zhu Hao's selection. She asked calmly, "There were so many candidates, but only two were selected in the end?"
Captain Lin said, "Yes, there are only two people. The news is not wrong at all. It is precisely because there are so many children participating in the election that I say that you, old lady, are far-sighted... I heard that your third branch has always had a bad relationship with you. In this case, if the children of the third branch of the Zhu family participate in the election and are selected, it will not have much to do with the Zhu family. The people in the Prince Xing's Palace will not be too suspicious... Otherwise, how can I say that you, old lady, are far-sighted?"
Zhu Jia sneered in her heart.
He was clearly unaware of the situation, yet Captain Lin described him as "farsighted"?! If the other party was deliberately pretending to be ignorant, this remark was like pointing at a bald man and scolding a monk - taking advantage of the situation to make a point.
However, judging from Captain Lin's reaction, the other party obviously didn't know the whole story, otherwise he wouldn't have come to congratulate him... Perhaps Captain Lin felt that the Zhu family was valuable again, so he was so easy to talk to.
In this case...
It seems that we don't have to prepare money in advance to bribe the other party.
In a situation where both parties are taking advantage of each other, who needs to give gifts to whom?
"Madam, seriously, your young master's selection seems to be a good thing, but it is not entirely true... It is impossible for the Prince Xing's Mansion to be completely defenseless against the Zhu family. I am afraid that after he enters the palace... he will also behave like those traitors before." Captain Lin expressed his concerns.
Zhu Jia said, "You mean, someone will attack the children of my Zhu family?"
Captain Lin sighed, "When it comes to the succession of the throne, even an adult would disappear from the world quietly, let alone a child who has not experienced much of the world? It can be said that it is extremely dangerous for this child to enter the Prince Xing's Mansion... Old Madam should make plans early. If there is anything you need from me, just let me know."
When Zhu Jia first heard this, she thought it was a piece of advice, but after hearing the rest, she could only think that it was a disguised threat.
Don't think that just because a child enters Prince Xing's Mansion, he can suppress me. This child has no one to help him in Prince Xing's Mansion, he is like a headless fly.
It is uncertain whether the task can be accomplished or not, and it is also uncertain when it will fail.
"May I ask Captain Lin, if my child enters Prince Xing's mansion, can you get in touch with the secret line planted by the Jinyiwei in Prince Xing's mansion to discuss a strategy of advance and retreat?"
Zhu Jia immediately took a negotiating stance.
Since they are using each other, both parties must show sincerity.
If you still want to hide people from others, then you are not showing a cooperative attitude.
Unexpectedly, Captain Lin just smiled and said, "If necessary, it's fine, but this person's identity is very special. It's very difficult to get in touch with him again. He is very worried that his identity will be exposed... In fact, I had to use a little trick to force him to submit."
"Coercion and inducement?" Zhu Jia probably understood.
"Roughly the same."
Captain Lin did not hide anything. "That's why I can't tell him his true identity. The fewer people who know, the less likely it is to be exposed. Now I am the only one who knows his details, and even my superiors don't know... If your young master enters Prince Xing's Mansion, I will arrange for this person to help in secret in an emergency. Otherwise... If you can avoid meeting him, try your best!"
Zhu Jia understood that Captain Lin did not want to reveal his trump card.
She could have tried her best to win, but then she thought, the third room's child was selected without her knowing, and she didn't know what to say next...
Can that child become the trump card in his hand?
If you don’t have any cards, what can you use to exchange with others?
"Captain Lin, I hope you can help my child after he enters Prince Xing's Palace... We can discuss it later. I have something else to do, so I won't send you off!"
…
…
Zhu Jia ordered Lin Baihu to be escorted out of the mansion without giving any bribe.
In her opinion, dealing with Zhu Hao right now is more important than anything else.
At this time, Zhu Hao had already returned home, but Zhu Niang did not come back from outside until the sun set... She went to hand over to the person sent by Su Xigui and bring back the money earned from selling the snowflake salt.
Zhong Shu and others followed behind, carefully protecting the three large black bags.
Zhu Niang instructed Zhong Shu and others to put the bundles on the counter, then she opened the drawer herself and gave each of them two hundred coins.
Zhong Shu and others tactfully said goodbye.
After seeing the guests off, Zhu Niang and Aunt Li looked around, returned to the shop, closed the door, breathed a long sigh of relief, then walked to the counter and opened the bundle, immediately revealing a pile of white silver, fifteen ten-liang silver ingots.
The long-standing funding shortage problem faced by the courtyard was solved so easily.
"Madam, why is there so much silver?"
At this time, Aunt Li's eyes widened. She had never seen so much money since she was a child.
Zhu Niang looked at Zhu Hao, her eyes full of smiles: "It's all thanks to Xiao Hao. We dried more salt while the weather was good. Su Dongzhu was very satisfied with the quality of our salt. It is said that he has sent the first batch of salt to Jinling for sale. It went very smoothly, so he gave us an extra penny for each pound of salt this time."
Zhu Niang was very happy.
Zhu Hao heard the problem: "Mom, why did he ask for more money? If someone is too nice to you, he is either a traitor or a thief. I have seen that Su is not a good person."
“…”
Zhu Niang and Aunt Li looked at each other.
It was you who advocated doing business with Su Xigui in the first place. Now that the business between both of you has just started to pick up, you are saying that Su Xigui is not a good person?
"Mom, today I'm going to the palace to be selected as a tutor." Zhu Hao said again.
Zhu Niang nodded. She didn't have much hope for this matter. With so many children applying for the selection, it was said that they had to study for more than two years to have a chance. Zhu Hao didn't even have an education. At most he followed Mr. Lu for a few days and then ran to apply for the selection. How could he possibly be selected?
"It doesn't matter if you are not selected. Mother has money now and will hire the best teacher for you. As for going back to the Zhu family... the worst that can happen is that I can give your grandmother some more money... and then I will ask her to let you go..." Mother Zhu had her own considerations.
Zhu Hao smiled and said, "Mom, what I want to say is that I did quite well in the exam. If nothing unexpected happens, I should be selected."
"ah!?"
Zhu Niang was very surprised.
Her son hasn't even completed his elementary education. Most of the knowledge he has mastered are the few words she taught him on a daily basis. How can he pass the assessment with this?
At this moment, there was a knock on the door: "Is this the residence of the young master of the Zhu family?"
Zhu Niang quickly hid the silver, tidied her clothes and went to open the door, and Zhu Hao followed closely behind her.
As a door panel was removed, Zhu Hao saw Jiang Lun standing in front of the door with an attendant.
Jiang Lun was stunned for a moment when he saw Zhu Niang, and then he saw Zhu Hao, nodded as a greeting, and helped take down the other door panel and put it aside.
"Who is this gentleman...?"
Zhu Niang didn't recognize Jiang Lun and looked a little confused.
Jiang Lun said, "I am from the palace, and I have come to inform the young master of the Zhu family... the young man behind you, that he has been selected as a companion to the palace. The day after tomorrow morning, he will pack up everything and go to the palace to be the companion to the prince... From now on, he will eat and live in the palace, and he will also have a hundred coins of pocket money every month."
Upon hearing this , Zhu Niang immediately became nervous: "Enter the palace? This... this..."
Jiang Lun smiled and said, "This must be the widow of General Zhongyi, the mother of the young master of the Zhu family? Madam, don't worry. You will be a companion to the prince's study in the palace. You can come out to visit your family once every ten days, and you can also reunite with your family during the holidays. You can eat and sleep well in the palace, and study with the prince. You have a bright future! I won't bother you any more. I still have to inform the other two families... Goodbye, goodbye!"
Zhu Hao ran out and asked, "Mr. Jiang, who else has been selected?"
Jiang Lun said: "There is also the son of the county magistrate, and the son of Lu Dianzhang."
Jiang Lun was a down-to-earth person and he revealed all the candidates without hiding anything.
This fully shows that he is very optimistic about Zhu Hao, and he came to inform him immediately, and then went to the Jing family and the Lu family. But Zhu Hao thought about it, is it necessary to inform the Lu family specifically? Just say hello to Lu Song and ask him to bring his son to the palace. Isn't it redundant for Jiang Lun to go there?
