Shipin Dalizheng

The people outside were cursing the Jin family like crazy, "What kind of thing is this? The Rong family's assets are gone, but their own son is suffering outside, while their son-in-law's concubine enjoys wealth and luxury. The family members can't even eat, and the concubine's brother-in-law is taking over their shop, cutting off their chance to start a small business. This is forcing the owner to die!"

Several women from Rongjia Village stood in the crowd, talking at once and saying all kinds of unpleasant things. The instigated people almost rushed in and overthrew the father and son of the Jin family.

"Quiet, quiet."

Nangong Jing slammed the gavel hard, and it seemed that he could no longer control public opinion.

Jin Shizhao opened his mouth with difficulty and said, "Your Excellency, I am completely unaware of this matter. Please investigate."

"Master Jin, although you have repeatedly claimed that you had no knowledge of the incident, Yang is your concubine, and you must bear all the responsibility. The fate of the retired wounded soldiers in Fuxinzhuang violates His Majesty's grace to treat the wounded well. This matter cannot be judged by this official, and must be reported to His Majesty for resolution. I now render a verdict on the case of Jin Yaoyang seriously injuring Rong Tang three days ago. Jin Yaoyang beat Rong Tang and his guards in the street, causing serious consequences and adverse effects. Jin Yaoyang is now sentenced to 30 strokes of the cane and confined to the Minister's residence for one year of reflection. He is also ordered to pay Rong Tang 15,000 taels for medicine, 200 taels for recuperation, and 200 taels for the imperial physician's treatment. Since the medicinal materials used by Rong Tang were all provided by the palace pharmacy, the expenses will be paid directly to the palace pharmacy. Master Jin, are you satisfied?"

When Jin Shizhao heard that the cost of the medicine was 15,000 taels, he was initially dissatisfied. But when he heard that it was the palace pharmacy that asked for the money, he felt disappointed.

"This officer, give..."

Jin Yaoyang didn't want to be beaten, so he cried out, "Dad, I don't want to be beaten, please save me, save me!"

The guard on duty came up and grabbed Jin Yaoyang. Jin Shizhao wanted to stop him, but he heard the tide of attacks and insults outside. He was afraid that if the eldest son didn't get a few beatings, the father and son would not be able to return to the Minister's Mansion.

Jin Yaoyang was carried out and pressed on a bench. The crackling sound of the spanking board, accompanied by Jin Yaoyang's cries for his parents, tore Jin Shizhao's heart.

After the thirty strokes of the board, Jin Yaoyang fainted several times from the pain, and Jin Shizhao stared at Nangong Jing with bloodshot eyes.

"Quit."

After the case was tried, Nangong Jing went straight into the palace.

Jin Shizhao looked at the allied forces he had invited for help, but they all ignored him and walked away as if they had repaid a favor.

When Jin Shizhao had his son carried back to the Minister's residence, another piece of terrible news arrived. Steward Wu said with a mournful face, "Sir, this is terrible. Concubine Hong has looted the money in the residence and has run away."

Aunt Hong was Jin Shizhao's favorite concubine in the past two years. Just yesterday, she coaxed him into handing over the management of the household to her, but after just one day, she ran away.

Jin Shizhao shook his body, feeling like blood was about to spurt out, "What did you take away?"

"Sir, you forgot that you gave the key to the warehouse to Concubine Hong, who has been tidying up the warehouse since yesterday. When you brought the young master to the Jingzhao Prefecture for questioning, Concubine Hong had all the valuables in the warehouse loaded onto a cart, saying she was hiding them on your orders. But then, both the person and the cart disappeared."

Jin Shizhao followed the housekeeper Wu in a trance and found that all the valuables in the warehouse were gone except for the junk, even the tens of thousands of taels of silver notes he had hidden in the study were gone.

Only at this moment did he realize that the person who had been deceiving him and having an affair with the groom might be Concubine Hong, and Yang was wronged.

"Where's Madame?"

Butler Wu said with a bitter face, "I've been locked up by the adults for two days."

When we went to Guan Yang's room, we found that no one had brought her food or water for the past two days, and she was so hungry that she fainted.

While he was scolding the servants, he felt cold in his heart. The servants changed their attitude and gave up Yang to curry favor with Hong Yi Niang. Jin Yaoyang and Jin Xiangxiang were also at home all the time, but no one came to care for their mother and let her almost starve to death.

What kind of children are these?

Before he could lose his temper, Yang Lianye, who was in charge of the town's liquor store in Xicheng Suburban County, came to his house crying and complaining that he had been beaten for no reason and asked his brother-in-law to help them get revenge.

Jin Shizhao got furious when he saw Yang Lianye. He thought it was because of the Yang family's dirty deeds that made him feel suffocated.

"Come here, arrest him, and then go to Fuxinzhuang to arrest Yang Liangui as well."

Someone has to bear the emperor's wrath. Instead of waiting for the court to come and punish you, it is better to hand the person over voluntarily and clear yourself first.

The order had barely been issued when Old Lady Jin arrived. Upon hearing that her nephew was being tied up, she threw a tantrum, forcing Jin Shizhao to release him. She even threatened, "Shizhao, you spent a lot of money on your studies back then, and your uncle helped you a lot. Now you're trying to arrest his two sons, you'll be struck by lightning."

Jin Shizhao was overwhelmed, exhausted by his mother's pressure. Before he could even catch his breath, the Empress Dowager and the Empress came down from the palace to reprimand Madam Jin. Not only did they deprive her of her imperial decree, but they also discredited her.

Mrs. Jin had lived to such an old age, and her greatest pride was that her son had obtained an imperial decree for her, which had vaulted her from a country woman into the rank of a noblewoman in the capital. Now she had fallen into such a quagmire that not only had her imperial decree been lost, but her reputation as well. From now on, she would never be able to attend banquets of high-ranking families again. She felt dizzy and spat out a mouthful of blood.

"Mother, mother." Jin Shizhao lost his father at a young age and was raised by his widowed mother. He still had deep feelings for his biological mother, and now he had to speak out his hardship. "My two cousins ​​are not good at their work. This time they have offended His Majesty. I am afraid that we can't save them. If we must save them, our Jin family will also suffer."

Madam Jin grabbed his hand and said, "No matter what, as long as we save their lives, we can start over. Go and ask Lord Tang and the others for help, as well as His Royal Highness Prince Rui. Over the years, our family has paid tribute to Prince Rui's mansion..."

Jin Shizhao covered his mother's mouth to stop her from speaking.

"Mother, if you want to save their lives, I'm afraid you'll have to spend a lot of money. Now there's nothing left in the Minister's Mansion, so we can't pay."

Old Madam Jin heaved a sigh of relief. "There's nothing here at the Minister's Mansion, but there are some at the Earl's Mansion. Don't worry, I have the key to the Earl's Mansion's treasury, so nothing will be lost. There are also quite a few banknotes in the Lotus House, which can all be taken out and used."

Jin Shizhao was in a complicated mood. He didn't want to admit it, but he had to admit that he was a complete scumbag who wanted to eat his wife until nothing was left.

A man without ruthlessness is not a hero. His Majesty has already decided to appoint Rong Tang as the prince of the Bo Mansion, and the Bo Mansion will soon be returned to you. Why not empty the Bo Mansion before the imperial edict comes down? When are you going to do that?

The mother and son entered the mansion from the moon gate and went straight to the big storehouse. But when they arrived at the storehouse door, they saw the housekeeper Tao who had not been seen for a whole day and night, and Mother Yao, the capable maidservant who had been by Rong's side when she was alive.

The two of them, along with a group of servants from the Bo's Mansion, blocked the way outside the warehouse, preventing Jin Shizhao and his mother from approaching.

Jin Shizhao was furious, "Butler Tao, are you planning a rebellion? How dare you disobey the master?"

Butler Tao usually obeyed him without hesitation, but today, he didn't know what had happened. He stiffened his neck and said, "Master, although you are the male master of the Bo Mansion, the Bo Mansion is surnamed Rong, and the head of the family is the wife's legitimate son. At best, you are a relative."