The wicked mother-in-law doesn't try to whitewash herself; she only abuses her awful children.

Chapter 706 Leaving a Way Out

Two days before Gu Jingzhe and Lu Zhaozhao went to Shengjing, Lu Zhaozhao handed over the remaining dowry list to Tong Huaqiong, asking Tong Huaqiong to take care of it for her.

This level of trust is truly exceptional.

Originally, Tong Huaqiong planned to transport this dowry to the prefectural city.

But they were also worried that it would be too conspicuous, and that if they were robbed on the way, it would be a greater loss than gain.

It was Hong who reminded Tong Huaqiong.

She said that many aristocratic families and officials in Shengjing in the past had their homes confiscated, and the women and children who were pardoned returned to their hometowns, where they lived in great hardship because they had no property. However, some families thought long-term and would register part of their property under the name of sacrificial lands, so that even if the family fell into ruin, the women and children could still live a stable life after returning to their hometowns.

Many descendants of officials whose homes were confiscated continued their studies by relying on the ancestral lands, hoping to regain their status through the imperial examinations when the court granted them a pardon.

Tong Huaqiong was not very familiar with the operations of this era, so she carefully inquired with the Hong family.

After Hong's explanation, Tong Huaqiong understood that sacrificial fields were a special land system based on the patriarchal society of this era, mainly used for ancestor worship, embodying the concept of filial piety.

In this dynasty, where filial piety is the foundation of governance, even the emperor cannot defy public opinion by confiscating sacrificial fields.

Therefore, some prominent families would allocate a portion of their assets to ancestral lands, essentially leaving a way out for their descendants.

Although they are called sacrificial fields, very few are actually used for ancestral worship. Most are fertile farms under the guise of sacrificial fields.

Tong Huaqiong then had an idea: to turn Lu Zhaozhao's dowry into sacrificial land.

After all, Gu Jingzhe was destined for a career in government.

In ancient times, the path to officialdom was never easy. If the emperor went mad, one could easily be beheaded or have their property confiscated.

Tong Huaqiong naturally hoped that Gu Jingzhe would be safe and sound, but it never hurts to be prepared.

She didn't want her old hideout to be raided and she to end up with nothing, having to start from scratch with her crippled body.

If, as Hong said, there are sacrificial fields as a guarantee, then even if the land is seized, there will still be a way out.

However, using Lu Zhaozhao's dowry to purchase sacrificial land seems rather immoral, especially since Tong Huaqiong had heard that when confiscating property, the bride's dowry is not confiscated.

Madam Hong said, "Not confiscating the bride's dowry is just a nice-sounding statement. If we really did confiscate it, who would care that it was a dowry? The sacrificial land is different; the whole world is watching."

These words solidified Tong Huaqiong's idea of ​​acquiring sacrificial land.

Anyway, once it was purchased, it was all put under Lu Zhaozhao's name.

Now that Lu Zhaozhao and Gu Jingzhe are bound together, if Gu Jingzhe does something bad, Lu Zhaozhao will suffer the same fate. This sacrificial land is equivalent to providing a guarantee for Lu Zhaozhao and Gu Jingzhe's descendants.

“However, there is a problem: the sacrificial fields are the common property of the clan, and the clan chief is in charge of managing them. I don’t get along with the clan chief of the Gu family,” Tong Huaqiong said.

She didn't want the clan chief to manage the sacrificial fields.

She had wanted to replace the clan leader for a long time and had discussed it with her second uncle and aunt. After all, the current clan leader was elected by the entire clan and could not be replaced by Tong Huaqiong with just a word.

Unless Gu Jingzhe succeeds in the imperial examinations, it's possible to find a fault with the clan leader and replace him.

Tong Huaqiong had already decided that Gu Daqiao or Gu Fengnian would become the clan chief.

It is estimated that it will take several years to achieve this.

Hong said with a smile, "Just like many private properties that are nominally registered as sacrificial land, the manager can also be an empty shell."

Hong spoke vaguely, but Tong Huaqiong understood perfectly.

In other words, sacrificial fields are registered as sacrificial fields, but in reality they are used to grow crops like ordinary fields or rented to tenant farmers.

Whether the clan leader is the actual manager is irrelevant. This is similar to how commercial apartments in later generations can still function as private apartments.

So, on the night before Gu Jingzhe and Lu Zhaozhao went to the capital, Tong Huaqiong told Lu Zhaozhao about her idea of ​​using part of Lu Zhaozhao's dowry to purchase sacrificial land. After all, the dowry belonged to Lu Zhaozhao, and her opinion should be respected.

Lu Zhaozhao's opinion was simply that she had no opinion.

When Lu Zhaozhao heard that the sacrificial fields were being acquired, she was even told that some poor but virtuous families in the clan could cultivate them at extremely low rents, which was equivalent to managing the land for their own families. Moreover, a portion of the produce from the sacrificial fields would be used to support qualified children in the clan to study.

Lu Zhaozhao was an indigenous woman of this era, naturally trusting the power of her clan.

Which prominent family doesn't unite as one? If a member of the family isn't capable, they'll invest in ambitious young people from poor families who can be absorbed into the family's power structure.

The more successful people a clan has, the more powerful a force that others dare not underestimate will become.

The Gu family had been poor farmers for generations, and only one scholar, Gu Jingzhe, had emerged from their family today.

Gu Jingzhe's path in officialdom was destined to be less smooth than that of scions of prominent families.

Just like her brother, even though he was the top scholar in the imperial examination, he was still constrained by powerful families.

Sponsoring the education of children in the clan is a way to find support for Gu Jingzhe.

After all, only when the clan is powerful can an individual be protected under the clan's umbrella.

This is the origin of the saying that a great family that lasts for centuries does not die out.

Lu Zhaozhao was thinking long-term, so Tong Huaqiong was naturally willing to listen to her advice.

After all, the dowry belonged to Lu Zhaozhao. Whether she wanted to purchase sacrificial land or sponsor the education of people in the clan, Tong Huaqiong would fully respect her opinions.

Not long after Gu Jingzhe and Lu Zhaozhao arrived in Beijing, Tong Huaqiong summoned the Gu family members and announced two things to the clan without delay.

First, to acquire land for ancestral worship; second, to provide financial assistance to qualified children in the clan to attend school.

Of course, she attributed both credits to Lu Zhaozhao.

Tong Huaqiong, a modern person, has no feelings for her clan, but Lu Zhaozhao is different. According to the trajectory of her previous life, Gu Jingzhe is destined to shine in his official career. As the wife of an important official, Lu Zhaozhao is the leader of the clan.

Tong Huaqiong needed to make her presence felt in the clan and elevate her status within the clan.

As expected, many people in the clan cried with excitement when they learned of Lu Zhaozhao's two "plans".

After all, Gu Jingzhe has become successful, and not everyone can benefit from his success.

However, the sacrificial fields that Lu Zhaozhao acquired were different.

They can rent the land, or help look after it. If they do a good job, they won't necessarily become rich, but they won't have to worry about making a living.

More importantly, their children have the opportunity to study for free.

If one could read it and pursue a career in government, the future would be unimaginable.

Even if you can't read, being able to read and do accounting and working as a small manager under Tong Huaqiong or Lu Zhaozhao would be a comfortable life.

Gu Daqiao was literate and capable, and even his limp didn't stop Tong Huaqiong from promoting him to be the manager of the weaving workshop.

Even the head of the Gu family, whose seat at the head of the table was occupied by Tong Huaqiong, looked excited.

What does this mean? It means that Gu Jingzhe still cares about his clan, and that he made the right choice in marrying this woman.

The resentment he felt towards Gu Jingzhe for disregarding the clan vanished completely.