Chapter 214 - Imperial Eminence
“Master Lu is here …” Following the shout, all the officials within the prefectural attendent went out to receive him.
Lu Zheng carried Zuo Shaoqing off the horse. His gentle and careful actions nearly blinded everyone.
Zuo Shaoqing couldn't help but roll his eyes at him. Recently, this person had been pretending to be a virtuous husband in front of outsiders.
After Lu Zheng carried Zuo Shaoqing off the horse, he didn't immediately let him go. Instead, he wrapped his arm around Zuo Shaoqing's waist and walked forward. “There's so many people watching!”
“You don't like it?” Lu Zheng tilted his head and looked at Lu Zheng's slightly red ears. He joked, “Every time you see that person, don't you look like you want to hide me?”
“I didn't!” Zuo Shaoqing became angry because of embarrassment. He was actually exposed by Lu Zheng. Was there anything else he didn't know?
Lu Zheng chuckled, and only after walking in front of everyone did he stop smiling, and nodded at Jiung Hengzhou and Assistant Minister Ministry of Justice with a straight face.
Jiung Hengzhou's gaze, whether intentionally or unintentionally, fell on Zuo Shaoqing's waist, looking at the harmonious scene between the husband and wife, it was unspeakably eye piercing. He quietly looked around, and realized that the citizens of Crane City did not have any expressions of disgust towards the actions of the two, could it be that only he had such narrow-minded thoughts?
“Sir Jiang, we meet again.” Zuo Shaoqing cupped his hands towards Jiung Hengzhou. His smile was natural, but it actually pulled the relationship between the two of them apart.
It wasn't that he didn't notice the strange look in Jiung Hengzhou's eyes every time they saw him standing together with Lu Zheng. Although it was very brief and secretive, Zuo Shaoqing paid too much attention to him and it wasn't hard to notice.
However, that was not important. No matter what his thoughts were, he would never be his love rival in this life.
In his previous life, he had never come into contact with Jiung Hengzhou, so he had no doubts about that rumor. But in this life, after many investigations, he found that Jiung Hengzhou was a man who was self-disciplined to the point that he was almost harsh on himself.
That was to say, even if he really had a good impression of Lu Zheng, he would never admit to such feelings due to the mundane world.
“Master Lu, Lord Zuo Ann!” The officials saluted first, and Jiung Hengzhou smiled at Zuo Shaoqing, “Lord Zuoson, long time no see. I've heard a lot about you along the way.”
“Oh? What new rumors have appeared? ” Zuo Shaoqing blinked his eyes and acted like he didn't care at all.
The assistant minister of Ministry of Justice at the side seized the opportunity to answer: “The citizens are spreading rumors, Lord Zuo is very smart, not only did he foresee Master Lu's troubles, he could also formulate a perfect rescue plan, and even accurately found Master Lu's whereabouts on the vast ocean, and helped Master Lu catch all the pirates in one fell swoop.
Zuo Shaoqing clearly knew he was flattering him, so he naturally took the initiative. After saying a few words of modesty and praising the other person, the two people who originally didn't have any interaction with each other instantly started to call each other brothers.
Lu Zheng frowned as he looked at these officials' sharp mouths. It was just a simple sentence, but they could say it in an extremely obscure manner. It even brought up a large part of the classical saints, making people's stomachs ache.
“Let's go in first!” Lu Zheng pushed Zuo Shaoqing forward two steps, leading the way to prefectural attendent.
After Lin Zhihao was apprehended, the subordinate officers of prefectural attendent were all anxious, afraid of being implicated, so they worked extremely hard, and all those who came to deliver gifts were chased away, and the brothels did not take a step inside, and the drinking had all stopped, and they all went to bed early and woke up early, spending most of their time on official business.
All of the beggars in shabby clothing on the streets had been properly arranged, and the thieves on the streets had all been invited to eat prison food. Wherever there was a fight, they would definitely be taken away by the patrolling constables as soon as they could, and for a moment, the security of Crane City was actually better than what Lin Zhihao had done during his time.
In the current prefectural attendent, the green brick floor was so bright that it could be used to judge people. The flowers, plants, and trees flourished, and the fragrance of incense filled the air.
Zuo Shaoqing nodded as he walked. Not bad, not bad. This newly developed prefectural attendent can fool people. It seems that in order to receive the lord messenger, the yamen has spent quite a bit of money.
Everyone was present. The orders that should be announced and the orders that should be accepted. Although Zuo Shaoqing knew beforehand that there would be rewards for him, he didn't expect that His Majesty's first decree would be passed on to him.
After a long round of praise, Zuo Shaoqing heard this sentence, “I knew that Director Zuo was quick thinking and brilliant, but I never thought that my beloved official was a resourceful man who didn't fear death. I was very pleased, especially promoted to the fourth rank, Crane City Prefect …”
Zuo Shaoqing suddenly felt as if a pie had fallen from the sky. He was still the same dizzy one. After receiving the letter of thanks, he looked at Jiung Hengzhou with a dozen or so confused eyes: “Do you know what His Majesty is planning?”
Jiung Hengzhou obviously just found out about the content of the imperial edict as he looked at him with a complicated expression before congratulating Shao Qing, “Shao Qing not only saved hundreds of lives, but also exposed the contributions of the former Underworld Cultivator who sold his country. Such talent, His Majesty will definitely not miss it.”
Zuo Shaoqing raised his brows. He was only fourteen years old, but he had already reached a height that many officials might not be able to reach in their entire lives.
Then, Jiung Hengzhou read out a few more pieces of imperial edict. Prefect Lin's search and investigation of the case was temporarily placed in prison, and after the conclusion of the Ministry of Justice trial, Vice Minister Liang had rendered meritorious service by bestowing a third class viscount with a reward of a thousand taels of gold.
After receiving the imperial edict, Zuo Shaoqing pulled Lu Zheng and left as a result of his official business. The moment he returned to Cao Sect, Zuo Shaoqing casually threw the imperial edict on the table.
Wu Tie took a box and put away the imperial edict, then walked to sit beside Zuo Shaoqing. “What's wrong? A rise in wealth is one of life's greatest pleasures, why are you unhappy? “
Zuo Shaoqing leaned on him and sighed. “Did the emperor put all your credit on me again?”
“You think so?” Lu Zheng straightened his face and stared into his bright eyes.
“Isn't it?” Zuo Shaoqing stretched out his five fingers and listed the reasons one by one. Finally, he said that he was extremely annoyed.
With his contributions, being promoted was nothing, but considering his age and qualifications, the Emperor shouldn't let him hold the position of Prefect. The highest possibility was like Liang Qi, giving him a title and giving him some property.
How generous is the Emperor, for a county magistrate to have so much power in his hands, when compared to a young husband with Ministry of Works?
He had barely been an official for Ye Zichen in the past. It had only been half a year, and the change had been too great.
Lu Zheng pulled the person onto his lap and explained in detail, “Although the Emperor's actions are a bit unexpected, but it's not impossible for him to find you. He promoted you to Crane City Prefect, firstly, because he appreciates your talent, and secondly, because he can take advantage of this opportunity to test you. Thirdly, with you as an official in the Crane City, the navy will be able to grow as fast as possible, and as for the fourth …”
“There's still a fourth?” Lu Zheng looked at Zuo Shaoqing who was staring speechlessly, laughed and said: “Fourth, Crane City revenue is an important source of revenue for the country's treasury. Finding a government official who knows his place and is rich is always better than finding one who is seemingly honest and secretly greedy, right?”
Speaking of money, Zuo Shaoqing's heart was clearly moved. The Lin Family had been visited by them once, and the treasures they found made him understand that the phrase “three years of clearing the government and a hundred thousand snowflakes” was not a joke.
He only took a few items that made people envious. As for the rest of the things, they were left untouched. He was waiting for Jiung Hengzhou to come and rob the house.
Zuo Shaoqing understood the crux of the matter, but he secretly cursed: Zhan Yuanfeng thought he would be a good and honest official, how could he know that he had a weakness for money?
“The Prefect has been in office for three years. Doesn't that mean that we're going to separate now?” Zuo Shaoqing hugged Lu Zheng's neck and rubbed his shoulder with his cheek.
“Do you really think you can practice like that? In three years' time, it would be good enough for them to have a go at it. ” His goal was to form a navy of one hundred thousand men, twenty thousand men in each of the five marine battalions on the coast. As long as there was no large-scale naval battle, these men would be enough to protect the coast.
Zuo Shaoqing smiled, “In other words, you will be staying in Crane City for the next three years?” Although he wasn't sure if Lu Zheng had left this place for him on purpose, this news was too disturbing for him.
Lu Zheng raised his chin, “As long as the Left Prefect obediently complements with me, I will definitely ensure that no pirates within a thousand miles of Crane City dare to come visit!”
Zuo Shaoqing turned his head away and muttered: “Maybe there aren't any pirates within a thousand miles?”
“Then, how about I protect the Left Prefect's safety for three years?”
“Protect him from every inch of the ground?” Zuo Shaoqing raised his eyebrows.
“Mm …” And it's even a personal protection! ” Lu Zheng went over and answered in a soft voice.
Zuo Shaoqing imagined himself going to the yamen every day to see the famous Duke Zhen. He was afraid that no one would dare to mess with him anymore, right?
He grinned and laughed silently. It was only when Lu Zheng bit his neck that he realized that the so-called close protection might not be as beautiful as he had imagined.
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