dognovel Chapter 107 Bring it to your father personally
Chapter 107 Bring it to your father personally
"Weiwei, go change your clothes quickly, your father is back!" Liu was originally going to You County to check on the harvest of the farm there, but halfway through she received news that Xia Zhaofeng had returned to the city. She hurriedly asked the driver to turn around and go to Anhe Hall to find Xia Weiwei who was preparing pills.
"Daddy is back, that's great!" The apprentice who was squatting nearby and helping took over the semi-finished product that Xia Weiwei had not yet finished. Xia Weiwei stood up, patted the medicine powder on her hands, and was about to tidy up her clothes and go home, but was grabbed by Liu and led into the inner room of Anhe Hall.
"Jinrong, help the young lady change her clothes quickly." After Liu gave the order, she felt that the maid was serving too slowly, "Forget it, I'll do it myself!" She wanted to dress her daughter up beautifully and let her husband see that she was taking good care of her daughter even when he was not at home.
"Dad, why did you take so long this time? I missed you so much!" As soon as she got home, Xia Weiwei went straight to the study, followed by Liu. Seeing Xia Zhaofeng sitting on the armchair in the study reading a book, she hurriedly sat next to him, hugged his arm and acted like a spoiled child. In the past, Xia Zhaofeng would bring his beloved daughter with him every time he went to Beijing to report on his work, but this time he didn't bring her with him.
"Well, Daddy misses my baby too!" Xia Zhaofeng stroked her hair. After a while, he straightened her body and looked at her lovingly. "I haven't seen Daddy for a long time. Does my baby have any response?"
"Oh no, my daughter hasn't asked daddy for a gift yet, why is she asking me for one?" Xia Weiwei was dissatisfied, pouted, and got up to sit on a chair beside her. She was angry and wanted to stay away from her father.
"Alright, alright, Daddy said something wrong. I apologize to my precious daughter. Daddy brought you a gift this time when I went to Beijing!" Seeing that his beloved daughter was unhappy, Xia Zhaofeng hurried over to comfort her and took out the gift he had carefully selected in Beijing from his arms. "This is an extremely rare red jade. Daddy spent a long time looking for it."
Xia Weiwei took it, and the warmth in her hand made her smile. "It's as red as a rooster's comb. It's really a top-quality product. I like it very much. Thank you, Daddy!"
Then she thought for a moment and waved to Jinrong behind her, "Daddy's belt is old, so I will embroider a belt for you these days." Liu told her about this belt because Xia Zhaofeng's belt was old, and asked her to embroider one for him when she was free, otherwise how could she give this to him.
Calling Jinrong to her boudoir to get the belt, Liu, who had been watching the interaction between father and daughter silently, said hurriedly, "Weiwei, put it on your father personally!" She was afraid that her daughter would let her personal maid give it to her father directly, which would make her husband unhappy. Besides, her daughter had been embroidering the belt for so many days and just needed this one step.
Xia Zhaofeng listened to his wife and gave her a meaningful look. The original couple was still the best. She knew his thoughts very well. He quickly took off his old belt and handed it to Liu next to him.
Liu gave birth to five sons, three of whom passed the imperial examination and are now serving as officials in the capital. Another just passed the imperial examination this year and has gone to study at the Beijing Academy. In two years, he will be able to take the exam directly there. The youngest son is currently still a scholar.
In ancient times, a son's achievements and status could directly affect his mother's status. A mother would gain the respect of her husband and in-laws because of her son's success, which would of course also improve her social status.
"Oh, OK!" Xia Weiwei was stunned when she heard that. She originally wanted to let Jinrong give it to her mother, and let her mother tie it for her father. But her father's eyes were full of expectations, and she couldn't bear to refuse, so she half squatted down and helped Xia Zhaofeng tie her newly embroidered belt around his waist.
"Well, my baby's needlework has improved again!" Xia Zhaofeng's mouth was almost grinning to the back of his ears. He touched the pattern on the belt over and over again and was still smiling until he lay on the bed at night.
When Liu saw that he received the belt embroidered by his child, he was very happy. He seemed to be very proud of his daughter's embroidery skills, which was unbearable to watch.
"You're not asleep yet?" Liu couldn't stand it anymore, and finally decided to out of sight, out of mind. She wanted to blow out the lamp beside the bed. If the light wasn't turned off, the day would never end, right?
"Hey, wait, let me take another look." Xia Zhaofeng hurriedly stopped her. He had not seen enough of the belt his daughter gave him.
"By the way, didn't you say before that Prince Jin and the Crown Prince were both going to get married? Have they decided on their marriages?" Liu remembered what Xia Zhaofeng said before he went to Beijing to report on his work. This was also the reason why her husband did not bring their daughter with him this time.
"Neither of them has a wife yet, so Madam must hurry up and find a good marriage for our baby. It would be best if it is settled within six months, otherwise our daughter will be in trouble!" Xia Zhaofeng didn't want to send his beloved daughter to the palace to be a royal daughter-in-law. It would be difficult for him to see his daughter in the future.
Since ancient times, the royal family has no family affection, only supreme power and profit. He only wants his children to have no worries about food and clothing, a simple relationship between husband and wife, and a happy life.
next day
"Zhang Shixian, Ji Fang, the evidence of your corruption and dereliction of duty is conclusive. What else do you have to say now?" Xia Zhaofeng sat in the court, looking at his former subordinates wearing shackles and kneeling in the court with a listless look, and his heart was sad.
The two men were so hungry that they had no strength to speak. Li Leyou ordered his men to give them only two steamed buns and two bowls of water a day. As long as Zhang and Ji did not starve to death, it would be fine. This situation continued until Xia Zhaofeng returned to the city to appear in court and pronounce the verdict.
"Censor Luo, Censor Pei, do you have any objections?" Xia Zhaofeng asked Jiang Ling to present the witness statements compiled by Judge Cao to the two censors for their review. If there were no objections, he would close the case.
He received a handwritten letter from Xia Weiwei. After reading it, he was horrified and immediately reported the matter to the court. This time, he traveled day and night back to the city on the emperor's orders to thoroughly investigate the case of Zhang Shixian and Ji Fang's corruption and bribery. The two censors were also ordered to come and look after the confiscated properties of Zhang and Ji.
The emperor sent people to Guangping Prefecture before the two men's case of dereliction of duty was heard. It was obvious that it was because the treasury was empty. The drought in the north was large and affected a large number of people. Some people had taken the opportunity to cause trouble, and the Ministry of Revenue was urgently needed to allocate funds for disaster relief.
The court's disaster relief funds have not yet been raised. The longer this time is delayed, the more panic people will have, and the situation in the north is very likely to change. His Majesty can't wait to use the confiscated property of the two to solve the current urgent needs in the north.
"Well, no problem!" Censor Luo exchanged glances with Censor Pei, and pushed the documents on the table. His Majesty sent the two of them here, not to try the case, but to fill the treasury with the confiscated money.
"Zhang Shixian is guilty of corruption and bribery and dereliction of duty. He is sentenced to immediate execution, and his family will be exterminated!" Xia Zhaofeng paused, looked at the list in his hand, put a little cinnabar on the pen, and crossed out the name. "Ji Fang is guilty of shielding and condoning his sons and nephews' crimes, corruption and bribery and dereliction of duty. He is sentenced to immediate execution, and his family will be exterminated! Court adjourned!"
The yamen runners standing on both sides beat the ground rhythmically with their long sticks in their hands, "Mighty!"
"Sir, I am innocent!" Zhang Shixian, who was being held up by the yamen runners, suddenly kowtowed and cried out for justice. He said he was not the only one who had taken bribes and was corrupt. If we were to die, we should all die together!