Chapter 9 Cleaning up the mess
A cell near the skylight in the county jail.
Su Xigui sat on a rattan chair, humming a tune, shaking his head, and drinking tea leisurely.
"Boss, just stop while you're ahead. If you make things worse, aren't you afraid of ruining our brother-in-law's reputation?" The accountant and several followers nearby were all persuading the boss to stop in time.
Su Xigui smiled and said, "You are afraid, but there are people who are more afraid than you... Do you think the county magistrates here don't want to be promoted? I insist on sitting here, not because I feel that I have lost face and need to make up for it, but because I have to calculate clearly, how much is my face or my brother-in-law's face worth? If you don't know how to take advantage of the situation when doing business, how can you make a fortune?"
Su Xigui drank a few cups of tea and was about to have a chamber pot brought to him to relieve himself when he suddenly heard footsteps. He thought it was the magistrate Shen Li who had returned, so he immediately sat up straight.
But it was an old woman who walked into the cell as if she was strolling in her own back garden.
Su Xigui was also a man of the moment. He stood up and walked to the prison door. He looked at the graceful old lady in front of him with a puzzled look on his face: "Who is the old lady...?"
Zhu Jia nodded and said, "I am the wife of Zhu Mingshan, a captain of the hereditary Jinyiwei. The person who reported the illegal salt trafficking to the government was none other than my son."
Su Xigui immediately turned her face away and smiled: "Oh, my son made a mistake, and I came out to clean up the mess?"
Speaking of.
He returned to the desk and poured himself another cup of tea, but found that he had to urinate, so he stopped there.
Zhu Jia did not respond, but turned around and said to County Magistrate Song, "May I have a private conversation with Lord Su?"
"this……"
Before Su Xigui could say anything, County Magistrate Song hurriedly called out and not only sent away the jailer, but also took out the accountant and others who were imprisoned in the cell with Su Xigui.
Soon, only Zhu Jia and Su Xigui were left in the cell.
"Madam, just be frank. I'd better avoid making apologies if possible. I won't leave without a proper explanation."
Su Xigui had a cold attitude and had no interest in sitting down and talking in detail with Zhu Jiashi.
Zhu Jia sat down on a bench nearby and said casually, "Master Su is unwilling to give face to my Zhu family?"
Su Xigui thought that the other party came to admit her mistake, but unexpectedly, the old lady came up with an overbearing attitude, which not only puzzled him, but also aroused his competitive spirit.
“Hehe.”
Even if the magistrate came to beg me, I would not go out.
Do you dare to threaten me?
Are the Jinyiwei awesome?
In this Huguang land, no matter how powerful you are, can you be more powerful than the governor?
Zhu Jia said, "It is said that my Zhu family moved to Anlu in the seventh year of Hongzhi, and it has been twenty years. My eldest son is currently serving as a deputy captain in the Beizhenfusi Yamen in the capital."
Su Xigui frowned: "Old Madam, it's meaningless ."
"What are you talking about, Master Su? I just want to reminisce about the past."
"My Zhu family has been blessed by the emperor for generations and has been given the imperial surname. Lord Su, do you know why my wife and did not stay in the Northern and Southern Capitals but came to this remote place called Anlu?"
Zhu Jia's words were still calm. She didn't talk to you about making amends or apologizing, but only talked to you about my family's past.
Su Xigui frowned slightly: "Anlu... King Xing?"
"It is the Prince Xing's Mansion... It is said that in the last years of Chenghua, there was a treacherous concubine in the court who tried to depose the crown prince and establish Prince Xing, but failed. Soon after the late emperor ascended the throne, he ordered Prince Xing to become a vassal. The court sent my Zhu family to move to Huguang to supervise nearby, which shows that the late emperor valued my Zhu family."
Zhu Jia said, "The new emperor ascended the throne. His Majesty doesn't pay much attention to the past. After all, it's been a long time. But the Empress Dowager has never forgotten it. She often writes to ask about it. If there is any disturbance on the ground in Anlu, my Zhu family will report it truthfully. Could it be that Lord Su wants my Zhu family to make up a little about what happened in the past two days and report it to the Empress Dowager so that everyone in the court will know?"
Su Xigui was so angry that he slammed the table and stood up: "Old Madam, are you threatening me?"
Zhu Jia said, "Master Su, there is a good saying, it is better to offend a gentleman than a villain."
"Pooh."
Su Xigui spat out the tea foam on his lips: "Are you saying that everyone in your Zhu family is a villain?"
The cell was filled with a strong smell of gunpowder.
Zhu Jia stood up and turned around as if she was about to leave, but she still said in a calm tone: "The adults take the main road, and the little people take the small road. Sometimes the main road is blocked, and people are forced to take the small road, or even a dead end. What can we do?"
Zhu Jia's meaning is very clear.
It doesn’t matter whether our Zhu family is villains or not. It’s you who is forcing us into a desperate situation, so let’s fight to the death!
Su Xigui gritted his teeth and said nothing.
Zhu Jia walked away gracefully, and her voice came from outside the prison door: "The Zhu family never interferes in local affairs. Huang Fantai has a bright future, so he probably doesn't care about some rumors."
After saying this, Zhu Jia walked out of the prison without looking back.
…
…
The sun is at noon.
Zhu Jia came out of the cell.
County Magistrate Song was staring at the prison door nervously. When he saw Zhu Jia appear, he didn't know what was going on inside, so he hurried over, intending to ask questions.
Zhu Jia waved her hand and said, "I'm leaving now, my son ."
Zhu Wanjian was stunned for a moment when he heard this, but quickly followed to avoid being caught by the government and charged with false accusations.
County Magistrate Song was about to stop him, but he saw Su Xigui slowly walking out from the prison door.
"Mr. Su... Mr. Su, you... you finally come out. My county magistrate has prepared a banquet to calm you down, and you are waiting for you to come." County Magistrate Song hurried over to flatter him.
Su Xigui looked gloomy, looking at Zhu Jia's back, and sneered: "Small Anlu is actually a place where dragons and crouching tigers are hidden. It seems that I have to avoid it as much as possible when doing business in the future! Humph!"
He is not afraid of local authorities.
But if we make enemies with the Jinyiwei, especially those who can communicate with the higher-ups, then things will become serious.
Zhu Jia had said before that we would never tell the truth when reporting, but would "fabricate" the news. Even if Su Xigui was good at business, he would not dare to gamble with his brother-in-law Huang Zan's political future.
"Mr. Su... Mr. Su, I wonder what... Mrs. Zhu said to you... just now?" County Magistrate Song was very curious and could not help but ask as he accompanied Su Xigui to the backyard of the county government office.
Su Xigui said unhappily, "It was just a friendly discussion about future business matters. Old Madam Zhu is very calculating, and I am ashamed of myself!"
"Wait, where's the toilet?"
…
…
Zhu Jia came out of the county government office with her son and housekeeper Liu.
She did not get on the carriage, but walked south with a gloomy face, and the carriage followed behind her.
"Mom, what did you say to that guy surnamed Su? Are we just leaving like this? Aren't you afraid that the government will come back to cause trouble for you?" Zhu Wanjian was still worried about whether the government would come back to take revenge on him later.
Zhu Jia glanced at him and said, "If my Zhu family doesn't even have this little bit of face, how can we survive in Anlu? No need to say anything more. Come with me to the shop of the third elder family."
Upon hearing this, Zhu Wanjian instantly became angry: "It was all that woman's fault. She actually provided false information. This is going to cause a big uproar... I'll skin her alive this time... Mom, you must help me vent my anger!"
Zhu Jia ignored him and her face looked uncertain.
Zhu Wanjian was also very upset: "Who asked me to report to the government yesterday? It was clearly you, old lady, who caused the trouble. Not only did you let me take the blame, but you also put on a bad face?"
A group of people came to Zhu Niang's rice shop with murderous intent.
At this time, the rice shop had just opened. Zhu Niang was taking care of the accounts behind the counter. When she saw Zhu Jiashi coming, she hurried to the door to greet her: "Mother, why are you here? Your daughter-in-law didn't have time to greet you..."
Zhu Niang stepped into the shop first, looked around, and did not go to the counter. She just walked to a chair placed aside and sat down leisurely, as if she had no intention of taking over the show.
"It's nothing. I just went to the county government office and came to visit." Zhu Jia's tone was gentle.
Be polite before using force.
Zhu Haoben was designing a salt pond suitable for drying salt in the hilly areas of Huguang in the back. When he heard some movement in front, he hurried out.
This was the first time he met the old lady of the Zhu family.
At first glance, the old woman has gray hair tied neatly into a bun with a plum blossom hairpin inserted diagonally. She has kind eyes and a smile on the corners of her lips. Her attitude is humble, but gives people a sense of majesty without being angry.
"Xiaohao, come here and kowtow to your grandmother."
Zhu Niang greeted.
Zhu Hao certainly didn't want to kneel down to an old woman who repeatedly framed his mother and son. As he was hesitating, he saw Zhu Jia wave her hand and said, "Don't worry about these red tapes... My grandson has grown up and is smart. With his mother by his side, he won't be mistreated, and as a grandmother, he can rest assured."
"Alas, I wanted to take you home to enjoy life and my grandson to go to school, but since you don't want to, then just stay in the city. Third brother's wife, if you have extra money in the future, remember to hire a teacher for my grandson and live up to the spirit of the third brother in heaven."
Neither humble nor arrogant.
This sounds fine, but Zhu Hao always feels something is wrong.
The old lady was determined to take back the shop before, but now her words imply that she wants to let the orphans and widows in the third room go their own way?
There is a conspiracy!
Zhu Niang was extremely terrified and bowed: "Mother is right, your daughter-in-law will do her best to raise Xiaohao into a talented person."
"Um."
Zhu Jia nodded again, "I heard that you have paid off most of your foreign debts by selling salt recently. My son has good taste and married a woman who is good at managing the household."
Zhu Niang said: "Mother, you are too kind. I am just doing my best."
Zhu Jia sighed softly, "Don't underestimate yourself. Among all the people in my mother's family, you are the best at doing business."
"I have explained the current situation at home to you. We need to spend money everywhere. I just hope your uncle can get out of this misery soon. As for the previous misunderstanding, just pretend it never happened and let it go."
"I was worried that you, an orphan and your mother, wouldn't be able to run the business, so I assigned you an accountant. I didn't expect that he would poison the salt. This is a good intention with bad results! How about this, you pay 40 taels of silver to your family every month, as a filial piety to the third brother, and your family will no longer interfere in the business here..."
At this point the truth is finally revealed.
Zhu Hao understood Zhu Jia's conspiracy.
Seeing that there was no reason to take back the shop, Zhu Jia took the initiative to change her strategy.
Now the shop has offended the Anlu state and county governments and local salt merchants, and is basically unable to do business normally. If the Zhu family still insists on the rule of handing over 90% of the profits every month, not only will their income drop sharply, but the shop will also continue to remain in Zhu Niang's hands, which goes against the original intention.
Zhu Jia simply decided to "delegate power".
It's not impossible for me to let you run the shop, but you have to hand over 40 taels of silver to the family every month as a price, even though the business is now more than 90% less than before the accident.
If you can't pay the membership fee, your family will be able to take over the shop.
"mother……"
Faced with this rude request, Zhu Niang certainly had to fight back.
Zhu Jia stood up and raised her hand to interrupt her daughter-in-law: "Third daughter-in-law, we are sensible people and don't say stupid things. As long as you pay the money on time and in the right amount every month, our family will not bother you and will help you if you are in trouble."
"But if you insist that you can't even pay forty taels of silver, then that proves that you are incompetent. Hand the shop over to someone who can complete the task and go back to the Zhu family with peace of mind... The Zhu family is large and powerful, and there is no problem in supporting your family! Second brother, let's go!"
To the old lady of the Zhu family, the words were almost like an imperial edict.
She has spoken, which means there is no turning back.
Zhu Wanjian raised his eyebrows, glared at Zhu Niang and her son with a sly smile, and followed Zhu Jia out of the shop.
At this time, a carriage drove over and the group prepared to get on and leave the city.
"Mother, you are wise. With the current business situation of the shop, we can ask the third daughter-in-law to pay 40 taels every month. She can't raise the money even if she sells everything she has. In this way, it is natural for us to take back the shop."
Zhu Wanjian realized it later. While Zhu Jia was talking to Zhu Niang in a friendly manner, he was standing aside, puffing his beard and glaring, looking unwilling.
Zhu Jia glanced at him sideways and said, "Go home with your mother."
"Mom, there are some things going on at the cloth shop at home, and I have to go take care of them." Zhu Wanjian immediately let go of the hand that was holding Zhu Jia's arm and prepared to run away.
Zhu Jia grabbed him and then raised her chin. Butler Liu came forward tactfully.
"Old Liu, go check the accounts of all the shops in the city...Old Second, you drive the carriage back home!"
Zhu Wanjian was unhappy when he heard this: "Mom, what do you mean by this? Asking outsiders to check the accounts?"
Zhu Jia turned around, stepped on the horse stool and got into the carriage. Before lowering the curtain, she said coldly, "It's okay if you don't want to go back. I will ask someone to send you to the county government office right now."
Zhu Wanjian got scared when he heard this and argued, "Mom, why are you putting all the blame on the child? It was clearly that woman's conspiracy!"
A cold voice came from behind the curtain: "I gave you a trap and you jumped into it. The sand can't cover your head, but you don't raise your head to look at the sky? Seeing so many salt carts and salt ships, you don't wake up. How could the Zhu family produce such a fool like you!"
