usatvline Chapter 81 News of Defeat
Chapter 81 News of Defeat
Zhujiazhuang.
Although Zhu Zhicheng was old, he still insisted on personally checking the accounts. The Zhu family had achieved what it had today through his hard work and accumulation, so he naturally had to take good care of the money.
"Registration Officer Yang said that the imperial court will be expanding land ownership this year, and the autumn tax may increase by 20%. Our land rent..."
The butler, while calculating the accounts, glanced cautiously at Zhu Zhicheng.
Zhu Zhicheng was sitting in a chair, resting with his eyes closed, when he heard this, he couldn't help but frown.
Adding 20% to the rent and tax would be a considerable expense for his many properties, and even he couldn't help but feel a little heartache.
After a moment's thought, Zhu Zhicheng made a decision: "Let's raise it by another 40% this year."
With a few casual remarks, Zhu Zhicheng easily decided the fate of many people.
However, judging from his furrowed brows, he was clearly still not satisfied.
"Yes, sir." The butler jotted down his note. "Should we also raise the rent for those who come to us to rent oxen and plows?"
Zhu Zhicheng nodded: "Yes, if they can't pay, let them use land as collateral."
After saying that, he couldn't help but sigh.
"Sigh, neither of them gives me any peace of mind. To this day, they haven't even achieved the title of Juren (a successful candidate in the imperial examinations)!"
The steward hurriedly chimed in, "Both young masters are intelligent. Given a few more years, they'll surely pass the imperial examinations with flying colors, and might even bring some honor back to the master."
When he heard others praising his son, a smile appeared on Zhu Zhicheng's old face.
But he retorted, "Just the two of them? Humph!"
Speaking of Cao Cao, Cao Cao will arrive.
Zhu Bingzhong strode in, casually calling out, "Father!"
Ignoring the butler's greeting, he plopped down in a chair and casually picked up a piece of fruit and took a few bites.
"Father, this is great news! Dozens of those constables who fled back for their lives have returned, all of them scared out of their wits, probably their gall bladders have popped out! Hahaha!"
Zhu Zhicheng slammed his cane down hard: "Who told you to come back? Didn't I tell you to stay there and keep watch?"
Zhu Bingzhong waved his hand dismissively: "Those people are crying and wailing, it annoys me. I'd rather go back and lie down. Dad, please don't make me stay there."
Zhu Zhicheng took a deep breath and waved to the butler beside him.
The butler tactfully went downstairs.
After only the father and son were left in the room, Zhu Zhicheng said to his son, "I'm doing this for your own good. You can't even pass the imperial examinations, what will you do in the future? First, make sure to speak well of these people and let them remember your kindness. When the magistrate returns, I can then ask him to let you find a job in the yamen."
Zhu Bingzhong clearly didn't care about his father's good intentions.
"County Magistrate?" Zhu Bingzhong sneered. "That guy surnamed Li is probably dead by now. He's such a useless piece of trash. His group of people were beaten to a pulp. Even if that guy surnamed Deng doesn't kill him, the tigers in the mountains won't recognize him."
Hearing his son say this, Zhu Zhicheng couldn't help but smile.
Since yesterday, soldiers have been fleeing from the mountains one after another, all looking terrified, saying they had been ambushed.
Zhu Zhicheng disguised himself well, providing them with good food and drink, which helped calm the group of people who were still in shock.
At the same time, he naturally didn't forget to gather information.
With the embellishment of those defeated soldiers who didn't even have time to look back, the mountain bandits were portrayed as incredibly terrifying, and as for Magistrate Li Chong, he was probably doomed as well.
After feeling even more contempt for Li Chong, Zhu Zhicheng couldn't help but become even more arrogant.
What good is passing the imperial examination? What good are parents from a county?
If he refuses the toast offered to him, then he can only suffer a crushing defeat. In Yanggu, there is nothing that this Zhu fellow cannot accomplish!
However, Zhu Zhicheng was still a little angry at his son's arrogant demeanor.
"Whether that Li fellow lives or dies is irrelevant, but he was still an official of the imperial court. Even if he was that stupid, it took my father, Yang the Registrar, and those mountain bandits—so many people working together—to plot against him. If you were just trying to pass the imperial examinations, why would I bother with all this?"
Perhaps, regardless of the era, encouraging children to study is a required course for parents.
But Zhu Bingzhong ignored his father's earnest advice, saying, "I know, I know. I'm studying every day. I'll go to the capital to take the imperial examination soon."
"Sigh!" Zhu Zhicheng sighed, "If only you could really keep studying. Sometimes you should learn from your older brother, he..."
Upon hearing this, Zhu Bingzhong jumped to his feet, his expression irritated, and said, "Brother, brother! He didn't pass the imperial examination either, did he? How is he any better than me?"
"This is boring, I'm going back to my own courtyard!"
Having said that, without even looking at his father's reaction, Zhu Bingzhong left without turning back.
Zhu Zhicheng raised his hand to call out, but Zhu Bingzhong still ignored him until his figure disappeared from Zhu Zhicheng's sight.
Shaking his head helplessly, the old man propped himself up and ordered, "Someone, I'm going to check on the soldiers outside the village. Bring them some food and give them a good reward!"
The servants immediately sprang into action.
Zhu Bingzhong's face turned extremely gloomy after he left his father's place.
"Big brother, big brother, all you ever talk about is big brother! He's just a lowly clerk in the yamen, does he really think he's some big shot? Killing a county magistrate is a piece of cake for him, does a mere clerk really think he's that important?!"
He went straight back to his own courtyard, where his maidservant came out to greet him.
"Second Young Master."
Upon hearing the word "two," Zhu Bingzhong's expression of tyranny intensified.
"You!" He glanced around and spotted a maid. Ignoring the woman's flinching, he grabbed her.
"Come inside with me, I'll show you some fun."
The maid was somewhat frightened: "Second Young Master, I...I..."
"Shut up!"
He slapped her across the face, his steps unwavering: "If it weren't for the fact that you look somewhat like that young lady, I wouldn't have bothered touching you! That young lady is probably dead in the mountains, so I just used you to vent my anger!"
Clearly, he was referring to Zhong Mei.
Ignoring the maid's resistance, Zhu Bingzhong forcibly pulled her into the room, closed the door, and then a series of cries and screams were heard.
After an unknown amount of time, the crying and shouting inside the house gradually subsided and became almost inaudible.
The other maids remained silent, none daring to utter a sound, fearing they would be next.
Finally, someone broke the dead silence.
A servant boy came running up like the wind: "Young Master! Young Master! The Master wants you to go there immediately!"
"Squeak~~~"
Zhu Bingzhong opened the door impatiently, still fastening his belt: "What now? Do I have to personally receive a few escaped soldiers?"
The servant quickly bowed and said, "No, the master said that the magistrate has returned and asked you, young master, to go and greet him."
"The guy surnamed Li is back alive?" Zhu Bingzhong perked up. "Then I'm going to go and see what this drowned chicken looks like."
After saying this, Zhu Bingzhong had someone straighten his clothes and then walked outside.