Transmigrated into a minor official in a county government, with children at home waiting for rice t

Zhang Shouren was silent for a moment, then his face twitched. "That ingrate. I shouldn't have transferred the old house in the first place, leaving him to sleep on the streets with his two burdens."

Mr. Zhang waved his hand, "That's not how it works. We were the ones who brought up the issue of severing ties. The old house was given away, and the ancestral land was given away. To argue about it now would only make us look petty."

He picked up his teacup and took a leisurely sip. "It's fine if no one from the county government comes. The shopkeepers and wealthy men who do come are enough to make a good impression. Once Silang passes the imperial examination, people from the county government will naturally come running."

Zhang Shouren was about to say something when his father raised his hand to stop him. "Go, put the gift list away and copy it into the account book. Remember everyone who came today. In the future, we should return the favor when they have something to do."

Zhang Shouren responded, picked up the gift list, folded it, and put it in his pocket. He poured his father more tea and then poured himself a bowl. "Father, is Sanlang's situation really over like this?"

Zhang's father looked into the void, his gaze somewhat unfocused. "You know what happened back then. If he hadn't insisted on marrying that woman, things wouldn't have come to this."

Zhang Shouren paused for a moment, "That's all from nine years ago, why bring it up?"

"No matter how many years it has been, it's still twenty strings of cash." Zhang's father's voice turned somber. "That woman put up a sign on the street to sell herself, saying that her father had died and she had no money for a burial. The old woman in the brothel offered ten strings of cash, but he argued with her and ended up buying her for twenty strings of cash."

"He said that the woman was very filial and he couldn't just watch her go into the fire pit. There was nothing I could do. He was talented in his studies back then, no less so than the current Fourth Prince, so I accepted the twenty strings of cash, just as if I were buying a maid to serve tea and water for the family."

As he spoke, Zhang's father glared at Zhang Shouren, "Who knew that the slut, who looked honest and kind, was actually a vixen? She'd only been in the house for a month, and she'd already started an affair with this beast, and even you were tempted by her!"

Zhang Shouren chuckled awkwardly, muttering something without making a sound.

"The deal was all set with the Sun family. Manager Sun's daughter is a good match in age and appearance, and her dowry is generous. Once the two families are united in marriage, our shop won't have to worry about its supply of goods."

Mr. Zhang slammed his teacup down. "He's quite something. He not only did it with that slut without a word, but he also boasted to me that he wouldn't marry anyone but her. What does Manager Sun think? People are saying that my words, Zhang Shiqing's words, are like farts."

Zhang Shouren's Adam's apple bobbed; he wanted to offer some advice but dared not, knowing that the old man was in a fit of anger.

Zhang's father smiled grimly. "I made a three-point agreement with him. He must perform the county government's assigned labor for the family, thus cutting off his path to the imperial examinations. All his stipends will be turned over to the public; he is not allowed to keep a single penny for himself. I can sever ties with him at any time."

Zhang Shouren looked up in surprise at his father. "Father, I was wondering back then why you agreed to let him marry a girl who had been betrothed to a deceased woman. Now I understand."

Mr. Zhang snorted coldly, "I made this condition to force him to give up, but who would have thought he would agree to anything for that woman. And what was the result? That woman died a few years after marrying into the family."

"happy Mei is only a few years old, and Qing Ge is still in my arms. Twenty strings of cash, plus that good marriage with the Sun family, that beast's future is all gone!"

Upon hearing this, Zhang Shouren suddenly realized why his parents had treated the third wife so badly all these years.

"The biggest mistake I've ever made in my life was being soft-hearted." Father Zhang put down his teacup. "I shouldn't have given him the money in the first place. Otherwise, none of this trouble would have happened! Thankfully, Silang is doing well in his studies; thankfully, Heaven has been kind to the Zhang family!"

Night was falling outside the window.

Father Zhang stood up, walked to the window, and looked at the shadow of the old locust tree cast on the ground in the yard. “Eldest son, although you are not good at studying, at least you are filial. You have always listened to me, so this huge family business will naturally be under your management.”

The Zhang family father and son were having a late-night conversation, unaware that a hundred miles away, someone was plotting against the Zhang family.

The prison camp was located outside the mines north of Puyang City. A dozen or so low houses were surrounded by an earthen wall, with thorns stuck on the top of the wall. The doors were made of thick jujube wood planks, closed during the day and locked at night.

The courtyard was bare, without a single tree. A dozen or so prisoners squatted against the wall mending burlap sacks, while a jailer stood beside them with a stick in his hand, a blade of grass dangling from his mouth, watching them idly.

Kong Youan has been here for almost two months.

The section chief's office was on the left-hand side of the entrance, a small room with a list of prisoners and entry/exit records piled on the desk.

The sound of chains dragging on the floor came from outside the door. A jailer led a prisoner across the corridor, his steps slow and drawn, toward the innermost cell.

Kong Youan opened the roster and paused on the name "Song Qi".

This prisoner had been in there for half a month. He used to work as a handyman at the state school, but he was caught stealing ingredients by the professor and handed over to the state government, whereupon he was sentenced to a year in prison. He had never seen this man before, nor did he intend to. A petty thief cook wasn't worth the trouble.

The door was pushed open. A tall, thin jailer leaned halfway in, a smile plastered on his face. "Officer, I have something to report to you."

Kong Youan raised his eyelids and glanced at him. This jailer's surname was Sun. He was originally a handyman in the torture chamber. He came with Kong Youan when Kong Youan was transferred here. He was quick on his feet, but he was a chatterbox and was not given important responsibilities.

Sun, the jailer, stepped forward. "That Song Qi in the cell, he was chatting with someone during his exercise time today and mentioned the Zhang family of Zhencheng. I overheard a bit of it."

Kong Youan closed the roster, leaned back in his chair, and asked, "What did he say?"

"I didn't hear the whole thing, but I caught one sentence: 'That fourth son of the Zhang family in Zhencheng is quite the ladies' man at the state school.'" Sun the jailer looked at Kong You'an's expression. "Jiejie, should we bring Song Qi over for questioning?"

Kong Youan exchanged a glance with his trusted aide. "The Zhang family? A life of pleasure? Mention it!"

Sun Laozi responded with a smile and turned to leave.

A moment later, the clanking of chains rang out, and a short, stout middle-aged man was brought in. He wore a gray cloth short jacket with worn-out cuffs, and had a bruise on his face from a fight. He knelt down as soon as he entered, his head bowed, not daring to look up.

Kong Youan glanced at him and gestured with his chin toward Sun Laozi. Sun Laozi stepped back and stood by the door.

"Your name is Song Qi?" Kong Youan asked in a stern, official tone.

"Your Honor, this humble man is Song Qi."

"You used to work at the state school?"

"Yes. I worked in the company kitchen for three years."

"What did you do wrong?"

Song Qi shrugged, his voice lowering, "I was momentarily confused and took a string of pig offal home. The headmaster reported it to the professor, who said I was dishonest and sent me to the prefectural government..."

Kong Youan waved his hand impatiently, "You mentioned the Zhang family of Zhencheng during your exercise time?"

Song Qi was stunned for a moment, raised his head, and then quickly lowered it again, "I... I was just saying it casually."

Kong Youan remained expressionless. "Then tell me something casually too."

Song Qi swallowed hard. "When I was working at the state school, I often heard the scholars gossiping. They said that Zhang's fourth son was not only learned but also handsome, and that he was having an affair with the professor's daughter."

"Some people say that he got the exam this year because of the professor's influence. A while ago, several candidates jointly filed a complaint against him for cheating in the exam, and this Zhang Silang was implicated."

Kong Youan frowned. "The professor's daughter?"