The weak scholar in the end of ancient times

Chapter 121 Idiot
The Qingyunfang across the street has calmed down, and the Taoist priest probably won't have time to do anything else in the short term.

As long as the opponent doesn't drift, there's no need to worry too much about reviewing.
After finishing his official business, he reviewed the work reports of the officials in Jing and Qing wards and pondered some things.

The next day, he went to Centai Academy, which was under construction.

With money, grain, building materials, and labor available, and under the supervision of authoritative figures, the academy was built very quickly.

Wen Gu wanted to discuss something with Grandpa Hong, but unfortunately, the old man was just about to go back to get something.

Wen Gu thought that since there was no urgent official business, he accompanied the old man to the central residential area of ​​the inner city.

The old man didn't ride a horse today; the two walked at a leisurely pace, chatting about academy affairs.

The central area of ​​the inner city, that is, the neighborhoods near the Zhao residence, were mostly inhabited by powerful and wealthy families.

In the neighborhood where Grandpa Hong lived, many of the residents held official positions. Having visited this area many times, I've clearly noticed the changes here.

The changes here after the New Year have been significant, especially in terms of personnel, with many new faces appearing.

The area nearby is quite lively.

Wen Gu knew that a small isolation zone was to be built here, funded by the wealthy and powerful families in the neighborhood.

The monsters outside are about to become active again. To prevent the invasion of the evil plague, the nobles need to add another layer of protection.

only……

"Was there a lot of difficulty in constructing this courtyard used for isolation?" Wen Gu asked.

The progress was the same as last time I checked. Apart from another batch of building materials being stockpiled, nothing else seems to have changed.

The construction progress is not visible to the naked eye.

Several clerks were behind a pile of building materials, chatting about something, when they suddenly burst into laughter.
Old Master Hong glanced in that direction and shook his head: "I haven't heard of any difficulties. That courtyard is under the jurisdiction of Zhuo Cheng, the new head of the neighborhood. Have you heard of him?"

“Zhuo Xiang’s eldest son,” Wen Gu said.

"Yes, that's him." Old Master Hong was also very dissatisfied with the construction progress of the isolation courtyard, but he was busy with the affairs of the academy and it was inconvenient for him to interfere here.

As they were talking, another person walked over from the front.

He was tall and slender, with the air of a young master from a noble family, but there was also a hidden sense of contradictory despondency.

The person who came was Zhuo Cheng, the son of the prime minister whom Wen Gu and Old Master Hong had just mentioned, and also known as Zhuo Fangzhang.

The other party passed by the location of the quarantined courtyard first.

The officials who had been chatting and laughing together had fallen silent, but they didn't seem to show much respect, giving only a perfunctory bow.

With a hint of dejection in his eyes, Director Zhuo glanced at the construction site, then looked at the officials, his tone flat and unchanging: "I heard there are several delays here, what's going on?"

A clerk said with a grin, "Hey, it's a small matter! It's already been resolved, no need for the neighborhood head to worry about it."

Director Zhuo's expression turned more serious, and his tone became more forceful: "We still need to speed things up! We can't afford to be careless!"

The officials opposite him looked three parts bewildered and seven parts indifferent. You're going to get angry and throw a tantrum over something like this?

Another official said, "Director Zhuo, please rest assured. We have been in the north for two years now. The weather won't get hot so quickly, so there's no need to rush."

Director Zhuo watched them quietly, and seeing that they truly had no other explanation, he gave them a tolerant smile, offering a silent and sincere compliment:
"Silly beep!"

He only made a whispering sound, and the people on the other side didn't hear him clearly.

The officials were puzzled: "?"

Zhuo, the head of the workshop, maintained a fake smile, and said, almost as if he were forcing the words out from between his teeth, "Is it possible that the heat will come a little earlier this year? Patriarch Zhao reminded all the workshops to prepare for this as soon as possible, and I also emphasized it to you a few days ago!"

"Is...is that so?" one of the clerks began to recall.

However, some people believe that the newly arrived Director Zhuo is just showing off his power and taking advantage of others' authority.

Just as they were about to make a few sarcastic remarks, they caught a glimpse of something out of the corner of their eye, looked over there, and their attitude immediately changed. Their gaze swept past Director Zhuo and fell upon Wen Gu and Old Master Hong, who were passing by, with overflowing enthusiasm:
"Chief Wen! Old Master Hong! How did you two manage to walk back today? There's a lot of clutter here, so please watch your step." An official had already picked up a broom: "I was just about to sweep this area. Don't worry, the path will be perfectly smooth when you walk here again!"

Anyone who didn't know better would think Wen Gu was the head of their neighborhood, completely ignoring the real head of the neighborhood, Zhuo.

However, this Director Zhuo did not put on a cold face, but instead put on a perfect social smile and came over to exchange pleasantries with Wen Gu and Old Master Hong.

In a warm and amicable manner, I also performed a perfect set of literary social etiquette with the other party.

After exchanging pleasantries and saying hello, Director Zhuo turned and went to check elsewhere.

Although Wen Gu couldn't see him turn around, he could imagine the seamless switch of his world-weary expression.

Wen Gu and his companion did not linger there and continued walking towards the old man's residence.

In the area where building materials were piled up, the officials gathered again and began to chat idly.

"That guy surnamed Zhuo always has a long face, and he looks at everyone with an impatient expression. Who does he think he is?"

"Exactly! So what if he's the Prime Minister's son? Does he think he can compare to Chief Wen?"

"Be more precise, the son of the former prime minister!"

"Therefore, having power is the most important thing. If you only have a title but no real power, who's afraid of you?"

In this neighborhood where powerful and wealthy people congregate, even the sweepers, night watchmen, and chamber pot workers have powerful backers, let alone these lowly officials.

As for the new neighborhood head, it's enough to just maintain a polite facade; how much respect he receives and whether he obeys instructions are other matters.

After Wen Gu and Grandpa Hong walked away, the old man sighed.

"The Zhuo family is not in a good position."

"I've heard a little about it," Wen Gu said.

The Zhuo family of the South has produced several important officials in the imperial court, but the world is different now, and the fates of powerful families are all different.

The Zhuo family only arrived recently. When the river was high, the family led their group north by boat and arrived in Xinzhou.

After arriving, Zhuo Xiang remained bedridden, and the Zhao family head even made a special trip to visit him.

I heard that the former Prime Minister, Master Zhuo, doesn't have much time left.

Once Prime Minister Zhuo leaves, this eldest son of the Zhuo family will definitely be marginalized in various ways, and it's uncertain whether he can retain his position as the head of the neighborhood.

Old Master Hong said, "Zhuo Cheng used to be an official in the court just like his father. Perhaps the difference is too great now, and he hasn't been able to adjust for a while."

Wen Gu looked over there.

Judging from Zhuo's appearance, it didn't seem like he hadn't adjusted "for a while," but rather that he had a kind of madness that made him half-dead.

the other side.

The newly appointed head of the Zhuo family, the eldest son of the Zhuo family, had finished his patrol and returned home. After tidying up a bit, he waved.

Without a word, the attendant skillfully took out a soft pillow stuffed with cloth.

Zhuo Cheng took it, placed it against the wall, and then banged his head against it repeatedly.

While ramming the car, he muttered curses under his breath:

"You idiot!"

"A bunch of idiots!"

"Do I really want to continue working with a bunch of stupid, pretentious, and incompetent idiots?!"

Destroy it!
(End of this chapter)