Chapter 1699: Chapter 1699: Punishment

These people have come to curry favor with the Gu Family. Seeing the path blocked, they urgently said, "Quickly move your vehicles, don’t block our way!"

Damn it, your families have a good relationship with the Gu Family, you can enter and curry favor, but you’re stopping us from currying favor with the Gu Family People. Do you have any sense of righteousness?

Master Qi said, "Brother Shi, you arrived late. My two sons have already escorted Manager Gu and his wife back to their hometown."

"What? They’ve escaped!" Master Shi San felt like hitting a wall upon hearing this. The two most easy to curry favor with had run away, making it difficult for them to curry favor with the Gu Family.

That Gu Jin’an is too clever, secretly cultivating some formidable men, not accepting soft or hard approaches, making them impossible to curry favor with him.

"They’ve only just left, hurry and move your vehicles, we can catch up," suggested Master Shi San.

Master Qi pondered for a moment and agreed, "Alright."

But everyone waited for a quarter of an hour, and not a single vehicle from the Qi, Hu, An, and Xu families moved.

Master Shi San became angry, questioning, "Master Qi, this is excessive. Do you want everyone to stop operating in the Prefecture?"

Master Qi coldly laughed, "Shi San, why are you shouting at me? I’m saving you, ask yourself honestly, are you truly here to celebrate or just to take advantage?"

He continued, "Don’t blame me for not warning you, some silver must be spent, otherwise, if the Emperor gets angry, none of you can bear it!"

Everyone was shocked upon hearing this, asking in a flurry, "What does Master Qi mean? Did Lord Qi convey any message to you?"

Master Qi’s brother serves as an official in the Capital, with relatively informed intelligence.

Master Qi replied, "Don’t worry about who warned me, just don’t act recklessly if you don’t want to die."

Pointing at them: "Hurry and clear the way, don’t block the path, we need to go back."

The situation reversed, becoming Master Qi questioning them about blocking the road.

Everyone was displeased, but could only yield... if they didn’t, what could be done? Gu Da Gui and his wife had already vanished.

Once the path was cleared, Master Qi and his group finally managed to exit the alley, bidding farewell and heading back to their respective mansions.

However, Master Qi noticed that the mule cart from Fu Inn seemed to be following him, frowning as he ordered, "Si Xiong, stop, see what that Fu Family kid intends to do."

"Yes." Si Xiong stopped the carriage.

Young Master Fu was startled, intending to follow to the Qi Mansion before asking Master Qi. Unexpectedly, Master Qi had stopped the carriage right on the street.

"Young Master Fu, my master requests your presence." Si Xiong came over to invite him.

Young Master Fu could only nervously go to meet Master Qi.

Master Qi straightforwardly asked, "Fu Family kid, what do you want? Haven’t given up yet? Do you believe I’ll report you to the officials and have you arrested? I hold an official position after all!"

"Master Qi, forgive me, I meant no harm," Young Master Fu hurriedly pleaded, adding, "I just wanted to ask Master Qi if I could visit Da Feng Village to see the two Qi brothers."

Huh?

Master Qi eyed Young Master Fu, gritting his teeth, "You’ve got the nerve, thinking of using our Qi Family to get close to the Gu Family People? I’m telling you, it’s not going to happen! Live your life honestly, don’t do anything useless. The taxes are collected by the Emperor, currying favor with the Gu Family won’t help. Moreover, what do you have to connect with Gu Jin’an when your scholarship is poor?"

The man is Jianghuai’s Small Three-Yuan Scholar, won’t associate with wastrels like you who frequent brothels drinking with prostitutes!

Hmm?

Why does it feel like I’m being scolded?

He also loves going to brothels for wine, watching the beautiful prostitutes.

Young Master Fu replied, "Master Qi, precisely because my scholarship is poor, I want to seek Scholar Gu’s guidance."

"Got it." Master Qi simply didn’t believe it, waving his hand, "The Gu Family isn’t ordinary, and Gu Jin’an equally isn’t ordinary, not easy to foster good relations. Moreover, if you visit now uninvited, Gu Jin’an will categorize you as someone who flocks to the rich and powerful, distancing himself from you, never forming good ties in this lifetime."

To spare the Gu Family this trouble, Master Qi said, "If you truly want to connect with Gu Jin’an, wait until the tax turmoil settles. Once he revisits the Prefecture and my home hosts him, I’ll send someone to invite you for the occasion."

"Really?!" Young Master Fu was delighted.

"Of course it’s true. Remember not to do anything foolish." Master Qi finished speaking and instructed Si Xiong to drive away.

Internally, he thought: When I return, I must write a letter to the Gu Family, reminding them that persistent individuals might chase them to the village to curry favor.

Thanks to the help of Master Qi and his group, Mr. and Mrs. Chen managed to smoothly leave the city. Meanwhile, the officials from the Capital’s Three Departments and One Temple, besides bringing news of Qin San Lang and Gu Jinli’s great achievements rewarded by the Emperor, also conveyed the news of He’an Prefecture Qianyang County Company Commander Ding Ge colluding with bandits to sabotage Kangrong Generals, the plot failed and executed, with the Emperor ordering the confiscation and execution of the entire Ding Family clan.

This news once spread, the businesses hoping to cook the books to evade some taxes all quelled their mischievous thoughts... with the Emperor so murderous, they better pay obediently.

...

The news of the Emperor’s dealing with the bandit killing and troop attack incident also reached the Ji Family in Linhe Prefecture.

Elder Ji said, "The Ding Family’s three clans must consider themselves lucky, were it not for the outbreak of this poisonous insect disease needing manpower to lure and exterminate the insects, the three Ding clans would have been doomed."

Originally, the three Ding clans were destined to perish. However, an official advised, saying Great Chu was lacking people amid the poisonous insect disease outbreak, and these insects were vile creatures, difficult for ordinary people to handle. It was better to spare the Ding clans to lure and eliminate the insects.

The Emperor agreed.

Similarly spared were Lu Chong and the Company Commander Shi’s clans.

Lu Chong and the Shi’s helped Ding Ge commit wicked acts. After their plot failed, their whole families were slain. Fortunately, their clan members received a pardon, only requiring them to lure and eliminate the insects to atone.

"Our Brother Cheng is remarkable, not only earning military honors but also befriending Hero Qin and the grand-daughter-in-law of Guang Cheng Marquis Mansion, truly bringing prestige to our Ji Family. My son is now treated kindly by various family masters during social events," Ji Zhenniang’s father exclaimed with a grin, unable to hide his pride.

Elder Ji was displeased seeing this; this was just the beginning, and his eldest was already becoming conceited, not realizing overconfidence easily courts disaster!

"Brother, while Xie Cheng has achieved merits, everyone only knows the Qin surname. The Emperor only rewards the Gu Family, why are you happy?" Ji Family’s Second Uncle said dissatisfied.

Ji Zhenniang’s father became angry hearing this: "Second Brother, how can you say that? The battle isn’t over, even if the Emperor intends to promote Brother Cheng, it has to wait until the battle concludes, why are you anxious?"

Ji Family’s Second Uncle laughed, "Indeed, the battle isn’t over, who knows if one can survive? Survive first then talk about promotions."

These words made Elder Ji darken his face, slam the table, and pointing at Ji Family’s Second Uncle said, "Someone, drag the second to the ancestral hall, apply family rules, whip ten lashes!"

Ji Family’s Second Uncle turned pale, quickly pleading, "Father, spare me, I dare not again."

"Hmph, won’t dare again? First, you must face punishment for this foolishness!" Elder Ji fumed, scolding, "Ji Family has been prosperous for generations, yet must always act subserviently in business, why? Isn’t it because our family belongs to the inferior merchant class without officials among the descendants! Now finally an official emerges, yet you can’t bear to see him prosper?"

Xie Cheng is such a good lad, capable, able to connect with nobles, treats Zhenniang well; otherwise, with Zhenniang’s unruly nature, if married elsewhere, she’d have been divorced and sent back long ago.

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