Shipin Dalizheng

Prince Rong is a ruthless man!

This was the label the Liang family steward had given Rong Shi, but when he reported back to his master, some psychological factors played a role and he simply said, "Prince Rong thought the shop was too expensive and said he didn't want it anymore."

Lord Liang narrowed his eyes slightly, snorted, and didn't take it seriously. Prince Rui wanted to win over Prince Rong for his own use, but shouldn't it be the other way around, with Prince Rong rushing to curry favor with Prince Rui?

Twenty shops, just consider it as a token of my loyalty!

When Rong Tang walked down the Yuxiao Tower, he heard a familiar noise of shouting and yelling in a private room near the stairs. He paused for a moment and listened carefully. Sure enough, it was them.

Looking inside through the crack in the door, I saw several inmates sweating profusely as they threw cards, cursing each other for stealing and cheating, and no one was willing to give in.

Gu Zhongxun was very alert. He noticed someone peeping at the door and rushed over to open it. "Who... is it you?"

"It's me, just passing by, just passing by, take your time and have fun."

Rong Tang wanted to leave after saying that, but Gu Zhongxun pulled him back in. "Since you're here, why not try it out for a bit before leaving? How hateful! They're teaching others how to play, but they can't even find the feeling of being in the Jingzhao Prefecture prison. Those people are really stupid."

In fact, it’s not that they are stupid, it’s just that playing cards is not a proper job after all. People who want to improve themselves generally don’t have this hobby or need, so naturally they have no intention of learning.

They were bored to death in prison at that time, and they were not sure when they would be released. With plenty of time and extreme boredom, they were of course willing to put in the effort and brainpower, and once they gained some experience, they would appreciate the taste of bamboo shoots.

Rong Tang said, "I don't have time."

Gu Zhongxun said, "Why don't you come to the restaurant if you don't have time? You must accompany this prince to touch it twice today."

"Someone died in the family."

The young masters: "..."

He Qilin asked, "Who died?"

"Jin Yaoyang and his mother were beaten to death by my father."

There was a moment of silence, so quiet that you could hear a pin drop.

Jin Yaoyang, as the eldest son of Minister Jin, played with his father for a few years. However, things had changed and within two months, he fell into a quagmire and died at the hands of his father.

Xie Bingzhi sighed, "Compared to Jin Yaoyang, Xiao Zhenyue is still happy. At least his father really loves him."

Rong Tang was about to turn around and leave, but stopped when he heard this because he discovered a problem: Xiao Zhenyue did not show up.

"Where's Xiao Zhenyue? Doesn't he often play with you guys?"

Several people looked at him strangely, "You don't know?"

Rong Tang said, "I really don't know. I've been busy outside the city. What happened to him?"

After a moment's silence, Gu Zhongxun said, "Something happened to his family, and the whole family was imprisoned in the Ministry of Justice."

Hey! This Ministry of Justice Prison has been very busy lately, right?

Wang Boan whispered, "Actually, something happened in the Ministry of Revenue. His Majesty ordered a thorough investigation. Xiao Zhenyue's father was involved, so the Right Vice Minister stepped in to stop it."

"Wang Boan!"

Gu Zhongxun gave him a warning look. Rong Tang had not entered the officialdom, so many inside stories of the court should not be revealed to him.

However, Rong Tang heard some useful information when he got there, "Right Vice Minister of the Ministry of Revenue? Liang..."

Gu Zhongxun shook his head at him, and Rong Tang understood that this Yuxiao Tower belonged to the Liang family and had many eyes and ears.

"You guys play, I'm leaving first."

Several people lost interest in playing at once. Wang Boan even said, "Someone died in your family. Do you need help?"

Rong Shidao: "Of course! Will you dig a hole?"

"..."

When he returned to the Jin family, housekeeper Tao had already bought a coffin to bury Yang's mother and son, and came to ask him what to do with them.

"What else can I do with them? Dig a big hole and bury them. Do you still expect me to hold a funeral for them?"

Steward Tao received the go-ahead and ordered his servants to rent two oxcarts to transport the two coffins out of the city. Rong Tang entered the room and glanced at Jin Shizhao lying on the bed. His mouth and eyes were severely crooked, and he was vomiting non-stop, appearing to be in great pain. Indeed, he must have burst a blood vessel from anger. I'm afraid his brain is half-blistered with blood. It would be strange if he wasn't in great pain.

Rong Wanli asked, "How should we deal with him?"

Now Jin Shizhao and his mother are like meat on the chopping board, at the mercy of others. However, considering that he is too busy to hold a funeral, Rong Tang plans to let them live for a while.

"Find two people to serve carefully in case someone unexpectedly visits. Send all the servants out to spread the news. Tell me how Jin Shizhao killed his wife and children, how he secretly sold his ex-wife's property, and how the Liang family took advantage of his misfortune and robbed Jian'an Earl of twenty shops for less than 30% of the market price. Spread it all to me."

He doesn't want the shops anymore, but he won't give away the original deeds. These twenty shops may not be a hot potato in his hands.

By evening, the Liang family's greedy and ugly intentions had spread far and wide. Although they seemed to have taken over the shop, their reputation had plummeted.

Prince Rui was the first to come to his senses. Upon learning Rong Tang's reaction, he accidentally knocked over the teacup and his face turned pale. "He said he doesn't want it anymore?"

Those are twenty shops in the capital, with a market value of 80,000 taels. Can you just give them up?

He would rather give up than come to me to plead for it?

Lord Liang sneered, "Shame on him! He thinks I'll return the shop to him just by saying a few harsh words. He doesn't even bother looking at his own status before threatening me. Once the Left Vice Minister is convicted, I, the Right Vice Minister, will naturally take his place. Then the prince can appoint one of his own to the position. Then I'll have my way, and who'll dare to accuse me of wrongdoing?"

Prince Rui looked at his uncle in disbelief. He had worked so hard to build up his good reputation!

"Uncle, although Jin Shizhao has fallen, the Jian'an Marquis' Mansion is different. Father has no intention of implicating the Rong family. Uncle, if you take action against the Rong family without caring about anything, it will only make people criticize you."

Lord Liang disagreed. "What can a young man with no one to rely on do to me? Isn't he so scared that he doesn't even dare to open the shop? Well, your cousin is getting married in a few days. Just go to the wedding and your uncle will take care of the rest."

Prince Rui had nothing to say, the thing had already been done. No matter whose money his uncle had cheated, it would pave the way for his own future. Whether Rong Tang joined him or not, he had already played a major role.

So be it.

Rong Tang stayed at the uncle's house that night. He ate dinner with Rong Xiu. The atmosphere was a bit depressing because of what happened during the day.

During this time, Rongxiu wanted to speak several times, but was stopped by Mother Yao's shaking head.

After Rong Tang went to his yard to rest, Rong Xiu and Mother Yao also returned to the backyard. Rong Xiu finally couldn't help it, "I just wanted to ask him what happened over there, why do you keep stopping me?"

Mother Yao was so disappointed with her son that she couldn't make him a success. "Madam, why are you asking that? Isn't it all spread out there? The master has gone mad, beaten Yang and Jin Yaoyang to death, and sold his concubines and children. The two lords of Jingzhao Prefecture and the Xie family's steward saw it with their own eyes. How could it be false? In the end, just believe whatever is spread out there."

Rong Xiu was still uneasy. "I heard what was said outside, but is it necessarily true? I want to know the truth. I asked those servants, but they all kept silent, as if they were united in hiding something from me."

"What else? Madam, what truth do you want to get out of me before you give up? Do you want the prince to come before you and admit that he killed his father with his own hands?"

Mother Yao really didn't understand Rong Xiu's train of thought. Wasn't it better for her to be a quiet and peaceful lady? She was so obsessed with meddling in men's affairs. Was that something a woman in the inner chamber should be involved in?

"Madam, I see you're really bored. Why don't you go out for a walk tomorrow? How about visiting Madam Tang? She's been having a falling out with Master Tang lately, so she must be in a bad mood."