The film and television world begins with the battle for the throne in Kowloon

Chapter 633 Zhou Kui Sends His Daughter

If Li Yan guessed correctly, Zhou Kui came here to sell good things.

Thinking about it, after a little thought, a light flashed in Li Yan's eyes and a slight smile appeared on his face. Perhaps, Quan Wanji, this useless person, can still be used again. Who says that waste cannot develop new value and function?

"Let him wait in Chongren Hall."

Li Yan gave some instructions to the guards, and then said to Xue Rengui and his group, "You continue to practice archery here, Xuan Ce will go with me."

"Yes, Your Highness!" Everyone bowed.

After making the arrangements, Li Yan brought Wang Xuance to Chongren Hall while thinking about his ideas.

"Your servant Zhou Kui pays homage to His Royal Highness the Crown Prince!" A middle-aged official in a light crimson official robe bowed quickly when he saw Li Yan coming in.

"Master Zhou, you are too polite. Please get up!"

Zhou Kui was led to a small living room in the side hall. After the palace maid served tea, the two sat down. Li Yan smiled slightly and asked in a friendly manner, "What wind blew Lord Zhou to my East Palace today?"

"My father often reminds me that criminal cases are a matter of national importance and are related to the well-being of millions of people. I need to learn more about the law. I was thinking that after I finish the work at hand, I will take some time to go to the Dali Temple and ask Lord Zhou for some advice on this matter."

"What a coincidence! Mr. Zhou is here!"

Li Yan smiled and waved his hand to a maid who was waiting beside him and said, "Tell the kitchen to add two more dishes later."

"It's almost noon now. It's not easy for Lord Zhou to come here. I want to have a good chat with Lord Zhou after lunch."

Zhou Kui had been an official for more than 20 years. In the early Sui Dynasty, he was just an inconspicuous errand boy under the Dali Temple. When the new dynasty was first established, Zhou Kui quickly changed his mindset and tried to curry favor with the superiors of the Tang Dynasty. However, he started from too low a position and was always a bottom-ranked character wherever he went.

After more than ten years of hard work, he finally managed to get the position of Dali Temple Assistant Secretary, a sixth-rank official. He barely took off his green robe, put on a red robe, and entered the ranks of middle-level officials.

Since Li Shimin ascended the throne, Zhou Kui would personally visit the Crown Prince, the King of Shu, the King of Wei, and Li Shimin's brothers every year to seek opportunities.

But he was a low-ranking official with high-ranking officials above him, so he was really insignificant and everyone looked down on him. Only the crown prince Li Yan, although young, was very methodical in dealing with people and did not look down on Zhou Kui because of his low position.

Whenever he had time, he would talk to him in person, asking him about criminal cases and reminding him that no matter how trivial a matter was, it was important to make sure that the Dali Temple was the last checkpoint in the country's criminal justice system. As long as there was the slightest doubt in a case, it would not be concluded hastily.

As long as there is a death row prisoner who cries out for innocence, no execution order can be given. Even if there is no evidence, he can be kept in prison and his head cannot be beheaded easily.

Zhou Kui knew that Li Yan was not just talking casually, and he even wrote a special letter to the emperor for this purpose, stating that those who were not guilty of extremely heinous crimes and had irrefutable evidence would not be sentenced to death. He would rather put them in prison for an indefinite period of time, let them do labor, and make contributions to various projects of the court to atone their sins, than behead them easily.

It even made minor changes to some of the laws and regulations from the early Tang Dynasty.

On the one hand, Zhou Kui was treated with courtesy by the prince because he had run into obstacles elsewhere, and on the other hand, he also wanted to curry favor with him. Since the prince valued him, what else could he say? So he canceled the annual visits to the palaces of several princes and replaced them with visits to the prince's palace on major festivals.

Every time he came to visit the Eastern Palace, he would select some representative cases in advance to discuss with the prince. Li Yan had never been impatient. As long as he had nothing to do, he would receive him seriously and chat with him for a while.

So as time went on, Zhou Kui believed himself to be the prince's man. This time, the King of Shu's loyal subordinates fell into his hands, so he naturally enforced the law impartially and gave Quan Wanji a severe beating. Then he came to the East Palace to take credit from His Royal Highness the Crown Prince.

When I saw the cup of tea brought by the maid just now, I knew that the prince treated me well.

Things in officialdom are often not said very directly, but are expressed in a euphemistic manner to indicate closeness or distance. You need to feel these very carefully. If you cannot even catch these signals, it only proves that you are still too inexperienced.

Zhou Kui had been in the officialdom for a long time, so he knew that the funds should be divided into several levels;
If the housekeeper sends me away, it means that he doesn't like me at all; if I can meet the master and chat with him for a few words, it means that he gives me some face, but if he doesn't even offer me tea, it means that he only gives me time to say a few words.
But if you can sit down and have a cup of tea, you can chat for a while!

The most important thing, of course, is that the host directly arranges a banquet to entertain the guests, which is to treat them as guests. This is also the treatment that Zhou Kui has never enjoyed in the East Palace.

What surprised him this time was that the prince actually invited him to dinner in the East Palace for the first time, and he didn't do it in a polite way, but arranged it directly. What a great honor this is. Does it mean that he has passed the test and entered the prince's eyes, and will be a member of the East Palace in the future? Zhou Kui's face showed an inexplicable excitement, and he looked at Li Yan with admiration, wishing to repay him with his death.

Li Yan smiled slightly. These old officials were extremely proficient in the superficial skills of welcoming and seeing off guests. Thanks to Li Yan who had been in the core of officialdom for many years, he was able to surpass a thirteen-year-old child. Otherwise, he would have been played around by these officials.

Li Yan had an excellent memory. He knew by heart which officials had visited the Eastern Palace several times and what attitude to use to respond. Among them, Zhou Kui was relatively attentive. In the ninth year of Wude, Zhou Kui came once during the Chinese New Year; in the early years of Zhenguan, he came to visit twice, once on the first day of the first lunar month and once on the fifteenth day of August.

In the second year of Zhenguan, Zhou Kui came no less than seven or eight times. Except for the Sanyuan Festival, he would come to every festival, including Cold Food Festival, Shangsi Festival, Dragon Boat Festival, Mid-Autumn Festival and Double Ninth Festival. Li Yan's attitude towards him became better and better.

The reason why he accepted all these officials was that, firstly, as the crown prince, Li Yan had to win over these officials for Li Shimin; secondly, if he turned them away, wouldn't he be pushing these people to his other brothers?

Li Yan would definitely not do such a stupid thing. What's more, others are trying to curry favor with him. As long as Li Yan accepts the flattery and kindness from others and smiles from time to time, he can make these people gather around him. Why not do it?

The two chatted about everything under the sun for a while, and their relationship became even warmer. Li Yan asked in a friendly manner, "Master Zhou, you have come to visit me at the East Palace quite a few times, and I don't treat you as an outsider. I wonder who are the people in your family?"

Zhou Kui did not state his purpose, but he believed that the prince must know the reason for his visit. Since the prince did not ask why he came, he did not need to use those official-sounding reasons to prevaricate. In fact, everyone knew in their hearts that everything was just to get closer.

Hearing the prince asking about his family situation, which was obviously intended to deepen the relationship, Zhou Kui said excitedly: "Your Highness, I have a wife, two concubines, three sons and two daughters."

"Thanks to your majesty's blessing, the eldest son entered the official career in the ninth year of Wude and became a clerk in the Dali Temple. The second and youngest sons are still studying."

"I have two daughters. The eldest daughter was married to a colleague in the early years of Zhenguan, and the second daughter is a young girl."

At this point, Zhou Kui's mind moved, and he said: "Your Highness, my little daughter is the legitimate daughter of the first wife. Although she is still young, she is born with a beautiful face and natural beauty. She is very lovely, gentle and sensible. She is very smart and beautiful. I love her from the bottom of my heart!"

Well.
Li Yan was stunned. He was just casually chatting about some family matters to get closer and lay the groundwork for the next plan. You just mentioned it casually. Others just mentioned it in passing. Why did you make a special introduction to your beautiful little daughter and use so many words?

Looking up at Zhou Kui's expectant expression, Li Yan instantly understood what he was thinking and felt helpless. As the crown prince, over the past three years, he didn't know how many dignitaries wanted to send their daughters to the East Palace to serve him.

Li Yan deeply felt that women were indeed good things, especially beautiful and sensible women, but there were too many of them and he could hardly handle it.

During these three years, he took in no less than a dozen young girls, and handed them over to Wenjun for management, asking her to do tasks such as serving tea and water and waiting in the harem.

So Li Yan was not unfamiliar with this. Seeing that Zhou Kui also had this plan, and thinking that the next action would still require this person's cooperation, he did not refuse again.

"Oh really?"

Li Yan looked very interested: "Master Zhou, don't brag, I have seen many smart girls, but those who exude spiritual aura are really rare. It is said that every girl like this is a goddess from heaven who has descended to earth. It is hard to find such a girl!"

"I didn't expect that Lord Zhou would have such a blessing and it fell to you, hehehe!"

As soon as Li Yan let go, Zhou Kui, who received the signal, was overjoyed. He immediately stood up, knelt down in front of Li Yan, and said earnestly: "Your Highness, if I am lucky enough to serve such a noble as Your Highness, it will be a blessing that my Zhou family has cultivated for several lifetimes."

"I am willing to send my daughter to the East Palace to serve water and fan the Crown Prince. I hope Your Highness will not despise me."

Even if it was just a gift for his daughter, there was no need to be so humble. Zhou Kui had other intentions, and was using the gift of his daughter to express his sincere desire to join the Eastern Palace.

The conversation had come to this point, and Li Yan no longer pretended. Winning over his subjects was his duty as the crown prince, so he helped Zhou Kui up cordially, held his hand and said, "Lord Zhou, is this a token of my love for you?"

"If I refuse again, it will disappoint Mr. Zhou's sincere heart."

"If that's the case, I'd be disrespectful to refuse. But your daughter is still young. How about waiting two years until she's older and sending her to the Eastern Palace?"

(End of this chapter)