GBP Chapter 532 Taking Advantage Again
Chapter 532 Taking Advantage Again
At three quarters past the hour of Si, Li Cunxi brought Ma Rong and Zhou Bi back to the mansion.
When I looked up, I saw the three people counting the accounts eating noodles.
Qiao Tai sat on a wide chair at the side, slurping noodles while reminding the three of them not to make a mistake in their calculations, otherwise they would have a hard time explaining to Li Cunxi later.
The oldest retainer stared at the account book without blinking, and answered without raising his head:
"Guard Qiao, don't worry. I've been eating government food for so many years, but I haven't lost a single tooth."
Qiao Tai laughed to himself and whispered:
"Sister Xiao has only been in charge of Snake Spirit for a few years. How many more years can you eat government food?"
The youngest guest took a sip of tea and said:
"About ten or twenty years."
Ma Rong, who was outside the second hall, coughed twice and strode in.
"Atai, come out for a moment. I'll keep an eye on this place."
Qiao Tai looked up at Ma Rong, and out of the corner of his eye he noticed Li Cunxi and the unfamiliar Zhou Bi outside the door. He finished his noodles in a few bites, put down the bowl, and came out to look for Li Cunxi.
Ma Rong sat in Qiao Tai's seat as expected and said softly:
"Gentlemen, please finish eating first. After that, we can go over these accounts. The world is big, but eating is the most important thing."
Those people had been idle in the Li Mansion for half a year. Now that they finally had a chance to contribute, they naturally had to put in their best efforts.
Immediately, the three of them waved their hands and started eating like wind sweeping fallen leaves, only taking a bite or two occasionally.
Qiao Tai, who had just come out, bowed to Li Cunxi and said, "Master, what do you want to talk to me about?"
"Atai, this is Zhou Bi, my former student and former official. You should know him." Li Cunxi pushed Zhou Bi out. "When he came to see me, he was stopped and not allowed in. You take him to deal with this matter."
One of the unwritten rules of the Li family is that you can accept bribes, but you cannot actively ask others for them.
If you don't give me the regular silver, I won't let me see Li Cunxi. What's the difference between this kind of person and Zhu Liren or Zhu Liji's brothers?
No matter what the purpose is, Li Cunxi must investigate this matter thoroughly.
Qiao Tai also noticed Li Cunxi's change of mood, and immediately bowed slightly and said:
"Don't worry, Patriarch. No matter who started this evil, I will deal with him."
Li Cunxi nodded and signaled Qiao Tai to take Zhou Bixian to deal with this matter.
In less than half an hour, Qiao Tai led Zhou Bi back from outside.
“Is this resolved?”
"Yes, Master, it has been completely resolved." Qiao Tai said.
Li Cunxi trusted Qiao Tai very much, so he stopped asking questions.
As for whether Qiao Tai had driven the person away or something else, Li Cunxi didn't care.
"Come in and sit down. The kitchen will be serving food to the dining hall soon."
Upon hearing this, Zhou Bi quickly bowed and said:
"I came to Luoyang and haven't hosted a banquet for my teacher yet. How can I do this?"
Li Cunxi shook his head. He was not one of those good-for-nothings in the court who squeezed his subordinates who had little money every day. Why would he do that?
"Since you have been promoted to the position of Censor, you should first settle down in Luoyang. Tell me if there is anything missing."
"How can this be?" Zhou Bi said with a blushing face, "I would like to thank you for your guidance, Master."
Zhou Bigo remembered that he was doing well as the county magistrate of Liang County, but suddenly, he and the county magistrate Yu Qing were promoted.
He went to the capital to serve as the Censor-in-Chief, a position ranked eighth above the rank; Yu Qing went to Shang County to serve as the county magistrate, a position ranked sixth above the rank, both of which were promoted.
Why didn't other county magistrates in the same state get promoted, but these two did?
It must be because they both have a good mentor.
"When you are an official in the capital, especially when you are in the Censorate, you must never act on your own accord."
"Everything must be done on the basis of protecting myself to serve as the Censor."
"The situation in the court is constantly changing. I can't even protect myself in this treacherous officialdom. You must be more careful."
Seeing Zhou Bi, who was nearly 40 years old and just followed his old path, Li Cunxi still gave him a reminder.
It is easy to be any official in the officialdom except the one in the Censorate.
Haven’t you seen that the last Imperial Censor Li Zhaode was executed immediately just because he urged Wu Zetian to pass the throne to Li Xian and restore the orthodox Li Tang Dynasty?
The current Imperial Censor, Zong Qinke, almost died in the prison of the Internal Guard House a few years ago because he wanted to protect Princess Taiping, the heir of the Li family.
The death rate of the Imperial Censors was 50-50, so the death rate of other officials in the Censorate was also high.
Many other officials of the Censorate who did not follow Wu Zetian's wishes died in the past few years.
"Teacher, I've kept it all in my mind."
Zhou Bi's face was full of gratitude.
……
As soon as Li Cunxi saw Zhou Bi off, he met Sun Xiangzhou who came to visit him specially.
As soon as the eldest son of the late Sun Wanrong, the governor of Guicheng Prefecture, general of Youyuqinwei, and grand marshal of Khitan, entered Li's mansion, he immediately knelt on his knees and kowtowed to Li Cunxi.
"My little nephew Xiang Zhou greets his uncle."
"I have been under surveillance by the Ministry of Rites since I came to the Great Zhou, so I had no choice but to come and see my uncle. I hope my uncle will forgive me."
Sun Xiangzhou kowtowed to Li Cunxi again and again with great sincerity, showing great respect for the prime minister of the Great Zhou Dynasty who was praised by his father.
Li Cunxi reached out to help Sun Xiangzhou up. Although he didn't understand when he became the other's uncle, he did not refute but accepted it with pleasure.
Li Cunxi developed the good habit of taking advantage of others as early as the Turkic period.
At that time, Jili Khan asked his two sons to recognize him as their ancestor. Although he was a virgin, he had two sons who were older than him within just a few days.
"Please get up quickly, please get up quickly."
"Thank you uncle!"
"Come in with me and sit down."
"Thank you uncle!"
Sun Xiangzhou and Li Cunxi walked hand in hand into the lobby of Li's mansion and sat down as host and guest.
Qiao Tai was sharp-eyed and saw the two people starting to chat, so he ordered the servant to quickly make tea and bring it over.
"The weather is good this year, will there be enough food next year?" Li Cunxi asked.
Sun Xiangzhou licked his dry lips and smiled:
"Uncle, this year the weather is good and the Khitans have produced a lot of grain."
"At the beginning of the year, the respected Emperor of the Great Zhou sent a large amount of supplies to our Khitan people. Our people, who were short of food and clothing, have survived until now with the supplies from the Great Zhou, and there is still surplus."
"The clan leader ordered me to come to the capital to pay tribute to Your Majesty with grain, fodder and horses. This is to show Your Majesty that we have taken the grain and fodder from the Great Zhou, but we have not been idle and have also worked hard to cultivate the land."
Li Cunxi smiled slightly and rubbed his palms on the armrest.
"You guys are still somewhat filial. If that's the case, I have nothing to worry about."
"How does the new Yingzhou governor Su Honghui treat you? Is he as rude and unjust as the previous Yingzhou governor Zhao Wenhui?"
Sun Xiangzhou quickly shook his head and defended Su Honghui, "Uncle, the governor of Yingzhou has been very kind to us and has never bullied us."
"That's good. I still say the same thing. If you have any problems in the future, just come to me. Don't resort to violence."
"I understand, uncle."