Chapter 49

"Easy enough. You're watching all the accounts here. If they don't match up, just have the Father of the Empress go and pay the interest to those nobles then."

"I acknowledge the silver I received; as for what I didn't receive..."

"Let them go find whoever they want!"

Isn't this just shifting the blame?

In other matters, Zhu Zhu Zhu Zhu Zhu Zhu Youjian might not perform well.

But when it comes to shifting the blame...

This is a traditional skill that has been rigorously practiced since the generation of Zhu Zhu Zhu Zhu Zhu Zhu Youjian's great-grandfather, the Seeing Seeing Jiajing Emperor.

If Zhu Zhu Zhu Zhu Zhu Zhu Youjian cannot even figure out something this simple...

Then he might as well just abdicate immediately.

Hearing Zhu Zhu Zhu Zhu Zhu Zhu Youjian's words...

Wang Wang Wang Chengen's eyes suddenly lit up.

He immediately smiled and said:

"Your Majesty is wise! This old servant is impressed, truly impressed!"

Hearing Zhu Zhu Zhu Zhu Zhu Zhu Youjian's plan...

The last stone weighing on Wang Wang Wang Chengen's heart finally settled.

One month later...

The news that carriage after carriage loaded with silver was slowly entering the Earl of Retainer's residence completely shook every noble and scholar-official in the Great Ming Empire...

51, Hong Hong Chengchou: This official will absolutely not succumb to such temptation!

At the Earl of Retainer's residence...

Zhou Kui, dressed in a python robe, stood personally outside the gate of the earl's residence, holding Zhu Zhu Chunchen by the hand, bowing with clasped fists and smiling as he said:

"Duke of Cheng, come, come, please enter. Have the servants in your residence count out this silver quickly, and let us go to the main hall to drink tea!"

Looking at the boxes upon boxes of silver in the courtyard...

The eyes of the city's powerful elites instantly turned red with greed.

Meanwhile, amidst the crowd, Hong Hong Chengchou hid inside his sedan chair, chanting repeatedly to himself:

"Do not be envious."

"Do not be envious."

"This is all a deception."

"These few fools will sooner or later lose their entire investment..."

Just as Hong Hong Chengchou was chanting this...

Suddenly, exclamations of surprise from Marquis of Wuqing Li Li Guorui, Duke of Britain Zhang Zhang Zhiji, and Duke of Dingguo Xu Xu Yunzhen came from outside the sedan chair.

"Lord Father of the Empress, our silver arrived a day later than that sent by the Duke of Cheng!"

Immediately, Zhou Kui's cheerful voice drilled clearly and distinctly into Hong Hong Chengchou's ears:

"Hahaha, no matter, no matter, one day makes no difference."

"Besides, now that everyone's silver has been transported here, what difference does it make whether I settle the accounts tomorrow or today?"

Hearing Zhou Kui speak thus...

Zhang Zhang Zhiji and the others actually felt somewhat embarrassed.

These nobles were originally military men from the armies.

Each one, upon seeing the silver, smiled until their eyes narrowed into slits.

At present, the Great Ming had suffered disasters year after year.

Harvests everywhere had been poor.

Even the income of the court's nobles had decreased significantly.

Although they all had family fortunes...

They had long been living off their accumulated capital.

Suddenly finding such a path to wealth...

How could these people not be happy?

A young book attendant standing nearby, looking at Hong Hong Chengchou whose expression was nearing distortion, asked in a low voice:

"Master, why do you not go and deposit some..."

Hong Hong Chengchou immediately roared:

"What do you know?!"

"Even a fool can see that this is a trap!"

"They claim they will settle the silver payments, but do you think these few fools will be able to take any silver home today?!"

"This old master has seen through such tricks countless times!"

"We will just stay here and watch; wait until these few idiots come out empty-handed in a moment!"

Gnashing his teeth, Hong Hong Chengchou plopped back down into his sedan chair.

Not long after...

Zhang Zhang Zhiji, Li Li Guorui, and the others walked out of the earl's residence with faces glowing red.

Zhou Kui even walked out personally.

Bowing with clasped fists to the few people before him, he smiled and said:

"Take care on your way; send someone ahead to your residences to make arrangements."

"Otherwise, with so much silver, it is not safe!"

"..."

Under Hong Hong Chengchou's gaze,

the retainers from Zhu Zhu Chunchen's residence drove carriage after carriage, heading straight for the Duke Prefecture.

Witnessing this scene, Hong Hong Chengchou was utterly stunned.

Did those boors actually manage to earn silver?!

Countless talented scholars from Jiangnan fail to earn a single tael.

On what grounds do these few martial men make money?!

What pained Hong Hong Chengchou most of all was this:

when Zhu Zhu Chunchen took the silver to find Zhou Kui, Hong Hong Chengchou had been standing right beside him!

In other words, Hong Hong Chengchou should have effortlessly pocketed over a hundred thousand taels of silver today!

The mere thought nearly made Hong Hong Chengchou spit out a mouthful of old blood.

Meanwhile, outside the residence of the Earl of Retainer, the noise had already reached a fever pitch.

Princes and high officials from every quarter—

this Marquis, that Ministry Head, this Grand Secretary—

were all crowded at Zhou Kui's gate.

Everyone shared a single, identical goal:

to beg Zhou Kui to accept their silver!

"Lord Zhou, Imperial Father-in-Law! You are imperial kin, and so are we; by any reckoning, we are relatives. You cannot forget us when such a favorable opportunity arises!"

"Exactly! Is this business still open? My residence still has some silver!"

"Lord Imperial Father-in-Law! Back in the days at Qianmen Street, you and I were bosom friends!"

"..."

Zhou Kui played the game of feigned reluctance with masterful skill.

The nobles and dignitaries of the entire capital immediately found themselves unable to cope.

Inside his sedan chair, a voice suddenly arose in Hong Hong Chengchou's mind:

"You have already missed one opportunity."

"Do you intend to miss this one as well?"

"Even if it is a scam, so what? Just withdraw in time!"

"We have seen such tricks countless times; as long as we join early enough, profit is guaranteed and loss impossible!"

"Cheap gains delivered right to our door! It would be foolish not to take them! What are you still waiting for!"