Gou was a member of the imperial family in the late Ming Dynasty

Chapter 229 Someone is coming

After receiving Zhang Xijun's letter, Zhu Shenzhui made a series of arrangements on the same day. These arrangements were not only notified to the trading company, but also to Wang Rong and Zhou Anmin.

There is nothing wrong with normal business. With the ability of the imperial court, it is not too difficult to find out who the owner behind Hengtong Trading Company is, so this identity cannot be concealed, and Zhu Shenzhui has no intention of hiding it.

As for the private salt business, Zhu Shenzhui was not too worried. Hengtong Trading Company already had a salt shop and was not short of normal salt permits. In addition, due to the Zhongkai Law, using salt permits to smuggle and sell private salt had long been a semi-public thing, which was very common in Shanxi.

At best, the operation of private salt in Hengtong could be reduced, and this part of the business could be transferred out directly. Anyway, most of the private salt now is mainly divided into two parts. One is the trade with the grassland, and the other is the sale in the territory of the Ming Dynasty. The latter has colluded with the garrisons, and the channels have been opened. In addition, Wei Zhongxian is also a part of it. As long as the business covers up on the surface, there is no need to worry about anyone coming to investigate.

The key issue was smuggling with the grassland, which was no small matter. For safety reasons, Zhu Shenzhui asked Kang Youfu to notify the caravan, and Ma Shizhou and Hu Lin to transport the inventory directly to the grassland, and clear the inventory before winter came. At the same time, he told them not to come back after arriving at the grassland, but to stay in Tana and wait for news from Daming, and to notify them after this matter was over.

After making these arrangements, Zhu Shenzhui finally relaxed a little. The next step was to wait patiently for the results. He didn't know when the people investigating him would arrive in Shanxi, but judging from the time, it shouldn't be too late.

As expected, one day Zhu Shencui was at home with his wife and children when suddenly a guest came to visit.

"Old housekeeper, why are you here?"

Seeing the visitor, Zhu Shenzhui asked with a little surprise, he was very familiar with the visitor, wasn't he the old housekeeper of the general's mansion? Some time ago, when his son held a full moon banquet, the old housekeeper came to congratulate on behalf of the general's mansion and gave him a gift.

When he met Zhu Shencui, the old butler smiled and said that he came to invite him to his house. The general had something to ask Zhu Shencui to go to the general's house.

Hearing this, Zhu Shenzhu glanced at the two people behind the old housekeeper, and understood. If he guessed correctly, the person he was waiting for finally arrived. The two people accompanying the old housekeeper looked unfamiliar. Zhu Shenzhu knew a thing or two about the people in the General's Mansion. After all, the General's Mansion was the leader of the royal family of Pingyang Mansion. Zhu Shenzhu had been to the General's Mansion many times over the years, and he knew most of the servants in the General's Mansion. Even if he was not familiar with them, he had met them before.

But Zhu Shencui had no memory of these two people, and since they were able to accompany the old butler to invite him, their status in the General's Mansion would not be too low. So if they were really from the General's Mansion, then Zhu Shencui decided that he should know them.

However, these two people looked unfamiliar, and their behavior was different from that of ordinary servants. There was a faint smell of government officials about them. If he was not mistaken, these two people were definitely not from the general's mansion, but people who came to investigate him.

Zhu Shencui was not in a hurry. He asked what the general wanted to see him about. The old butler made up an excuse. Zhu Shencui nodded, apologized and asked them to wait for a moment. He went back to his room to change his clothes and then followed them.

The old butler did not comment, but the two people who came with him were a little alert, as if they were guarding against Zhu Shenzhui. They followed Zhu Shenzhui into the yard, one on the left and one on the right. When Zhu Shenzhui entered the house, the two people were still guarding outside. Seeing this, Zhu Shenzhui pretended not to see it.

After a while, Zhu Shenzhui changed his clothes and left the room, followed the old housekeeper and others and headed towards the general's mansion. Along the way, Zhu Shenzhui had no unusual expression as usual, and he chatted with the old housekeeper on the way, talking about the interesting things about his children. The old housekeeper and Zhu Shenzhui were acquaintances, and he was also confused this time, and he didn't know the truth. The two of them walked and talked, and the atmosphere was very harmonious.

The general's mansion was not far from Zhu Shenzui, and it didn't take long to get there.

After entering the general's mansion, the old butler led Zhu Shenzhui directly to the main hall, served him tea, asked him to sit for a while, then said he would go and inform the general, and then left first.

After the old butler left, Zhu Shenzhui was not nervous waiting alone. He picked up the teacup, sipped the tea slowly, and then waited patiently.

After a while, footsteps were heard, and then the general Zhu Minfan arrived. He was not alone, and he came with a man in his thirties. He had never seen this man before. He was wearing a Taoist robe, with a white face and a long beard, and he didn't know where he came from. "Sixth uncle!" When he saw Zhu Shenzhu, Zhu Minfan smiled and bowed. Although Zhu Shenzhu was older, he didn't act like a big shot. After all, his age and title were there. He quickly stood up and bowed.

"Who is this...?" After Zhu Shenzhui returned the greeting, he looked towards the man.

"Oh, this is the new professor in my house, Mr. Ma Quan." Zhu Minfan introduced with a smile.

The Auxiliary General is different from the Auxiliary Lieutenant like Zhu Shencui. The Auxiliary General belongs to a high-ranking royal family and his title is much higher than Zhu Shencui. According to the rules of the court, the Auxiliary General has subordinates, among whom professors are subordinates of the General's Mansion.

Although this subordinate official is from the General's Mansion and his rank is not high, only the ninth rank, he is sent by the court, and the General's Mansion does not have the right to appoint him on its own. In other words, the subordinate official of the General's Mansion is equivalent to the court's spies planted in the General's Mansion to supervise and monitor the royal family on a daily basis, and his status is relatively transcendent.

"It turns out to be Mr. Ma. I am Lieutenant Zhu Shenzhui of Fuguo. Nice to meet you, Mr. Ma." Zhu Shenzhui showed an expression of sudden enlightenment and quickly bowed to Ma Quan.

“No, no, I’m Ma Quan, your humble servant, honored to meet the lieutenant…” Ma Quan hurriedly avoided Zhu Shenzhui’s greeting. Although Zhu Shenzhui’s title was low, he was a member of the royal family. Moreover, as a lieutenant of the auxiliary state, he was of the fifth rank, which was much higher than his ninth rank professor.

The lieutenant of the royal family took the initiative to salute him. If Ma Quan accepted it, it would be against the rules. Even though he had an extraordinary status in the General's Mansion, the problem was that Zhu Shencui was not a member of the General's Mansion at all. The court rules were there. Once Zhu Shencui made a fuss about this and reported it to the emperor, Ma Quan would be in trouble.

Seeing Ma Quan take the initiative to avoid him and then respectfully bow to him, Zhu Shenzhui felt more certain. If he guessed correctly, this Ma Quan was definitely not from the General's Mansion, let alone a professor. Ma Quan was most likely someone sent by the court to investigate him. Firstly, the fact that he was invited to his house today and accompanied by two unfamiliar faces of the old housekeeper was problematic. Secondly, Ma Quan did not rush to bow to him first, and only hurriedly avoided him after he bowed first. This showed that Ma Quan did not take his identity as a professor to heart, and was only busy sizing up Zhu Shenzhui when he showed up, which was not in line with common sense.

Zhu Shenzhu naturally would not expose this matter. He knew it in his heart and acted as if everything was normal. After greeting, he asked with a smile when Mr. Ma came to the general's mansion to take up his post, and where the previous professor Mr. Zhang had gone. In response, Ma Quan told Zhu Shenzhu that he had just arrived not long ago, and the previous professor Mr. Zhang had been appointed by the court to another position and had left the general's mansion before he came. As for where he had gone, he did not know.

After hearing this answer, Zhu Shencui felt more confident and nodded with a smile. Then, under the enthusiasm of General Zhu Minfan, he sat down again and started a casual conversation.

After sitting down, Zhu Minfan asked about Zhu Shenzui's child, his cousin Zhu Minlan, with concern.

Some time ago, Zhu Shenzhui held a full-month banquet for his child. The General's Mansion sent the old housekeeper to deliver gifts, but Zhu Minfan, the General of the State, did not come, and even other members of the royal family of the General's Mansion did not show up. But this is normal, after all, Zhu Shenzhui is only a low-ranking royal family, and his status is quite different from that of the General of the State. A child's full-month banquet is not a big deal. Every year, a lot of royal family members give birth to children. It is very good for the General of the State to send a generous gift according to the rules. He can't come to congratulate in person, right?
But having said that, after meeting today, Zhu Minfan still expressed his apologies for not being able to go and congratulate in person. Zhu Shenzui smiled and said that it was okay, and that the gift from the General's Mansion was enough. Besides, his own courtyard was not big, and he did not invite too many clan members at that time. If all of them came, there would not be enough space. Moreover, he was very grateful that Zhu Minfan had the intention to do so.

Zhu Minfan laughed loudly, stroked his beard and nodded repeatedly, then asked with concern why not move to another house since the yard they lived in was too small?

It would have been fine if he hadn't said this, but as soon as Zhu Minfan said it, Zhu Shenzhui started to complain to him, saying that it was not so easy to change a house. You, the general who assists the country, are not unaware of his family's situation. Don't you know how much salary the court owes to their clan members for so many years?
Let’s not talk about other families for now, just Zhu Shenzhu’s family, starting from the time of Zhu Shenzhu’s father and elder brother, up to now, the court has owed a lot of salary. This money has never been paid, and the family’s life is difficult. How can they get the money to buy a house when they are so tight on money?
The general's family is rich and powerful, and naturally different from ordinary royal family members like them, but I am just a lieutenant of the auxiliary state, and I rely on salary to make a living. Oh, right, it's just right that you asked me to come today. The salary from last year to now has not been paid. When Zhu Shenzhui went out, his family asked when the salary would be paid? He happened to bring an account book with him today, and all the outstanding amounts on it were recorded. Can you help me settle part of the previous amount?

“Cough cough cough…” Zhu Minfan, who was drinking water, choked on the water in his throat and almost choked to death by this sentence. He coughed repeatedly and his face turned red.

Especially when he saw Zhu Shenzhui took out a small booklet from his arms, he was very familiar with this booklet, and the edges of the booklet were all frayed. In the past, Zhu Shenzhui came to see him every few days, and each time he brought this thing with him, he would take out the booklet and calculate the amount of salary owed with him, and pester him for the salary.

At that time, Zhu Minfan felt overwhelmed every time he saw Zhu Shenzhui. He had no way to deal with the court's salary. Although he was the head of the royal family of Pingyang Prefecture, he could not make the decision! Not to mention that he was just a general, even if he was a prince or a prince, other things could be discussed, but how could the silver be discussed? Could he be asked to pay for these poor relatives to support the court?
Happy Chinese New Year and all the best to you all
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(End of this chapter)