Chapter 2, the so-called sudden change in artistic style

Zhao Hao stood there in a daze, what kind of miraculous reversal is this

"Don't tell me you just thought of this now..." Zhao Hao looked at Zhao Shouzheng in disbelief. Even he, a newcomer, could immediately sense that something was amiss. Could it be that this native-born official's son had never considered this aspect?

Zhao Hao has surprisingly begun to consider the feasibility of this matter. Indeed, those who are not of the same family do not enter the same door

Zhao Shouzheng placed his hands on Zhao Hao's shoulders, looking at him with a face full of reluctance

What if? Zhao Hao, however, was not so blindly optimistic; after all, in his two lifetimes, he had yet to experience great fortune

Then the grandfather agreed Zhao Hao thought to himself, Zhao the Assistant Minister has been in the officialdom for thirty years, surely he must have some insight into it

Of course, it must be acknowledged; the marriage contract written in black and red paper cannot be retracted, can it?" Zhao Shouzheng's eyes widened.

... ...

In a state of confusion, Zhao Hao suddenly heard the sound of sobbing coming from the courtyard outside. The voices were both male and female, as if they had received some terrible news.

Oh... Zhao Hao let out a long sigh of relief, finally putting aside his worries about making a living, and began to concern himself with the fate of his cheap grandfather

Is there still any doubt? Haven't you heard of 'the vastness of Dongting Lake and the wealth of Huizhou'? Your future father-in-law is the vice president of the Suzhou Dongting Chamber of Commerce, a wealthy individual who can stand shoulder to shoulder with our Huizhou merchants

Did you forget? Last year, your grandfather arranged a marriage for you. Your future father-in-law is a wealthy merchant from Suzhou residing in Nanjing, with assets amounting to no less than one million

Unfortunately, these all belong to others...

Sigh, although the old master is somewhat family-oriented, he is by no means a reckless person. However, Zhao Shouzheng shook his head and said: "Look at our family, after twenty years of accumulation, we have only saved fifty thousand taels. Where would he find the greed for so much?"

... ...

Zhao Haowen, upon hearing this, came to his senses and forced a smile, saying: "I am fine..."

"What is that..." Zhao Hao asked with a slight frown

But our family is in trouble, can anyone still recognize this relationship?

Oh? Zhao Hao could not help but sit up straight, crossing his arms and falling into deep thought

As you know, a father devoted solely to reading the classics has never been concerned with household matters Zhao Shouzheng could not help but feel a bit embarrassed and replied softly, The specifics of the matter, I am not very clear about ... ...

Your grandfather has encountered great misfortune during this inspection in Beijing, and he has been detained at the Nanjing Supervisory Court for a full three days now. Your uncle has been seeking help everywhere and has finally met with Minister Guo. Minister Guo informed him that if the deficit of one hundred thousand taels can be repaid within three days, there may still be a way to cover it up.

How dare Minister Zhao single-handedly take down so many, does he really not know how to write the word 'death'

During this season, even with the sun shining, it is not very warm, yet the father and son can only stay here. This is because the individuals responsible for receiving the property have already arrived, and at this moment, they are counting and packing the valuable items from the room, one by one, right in front of the father and son.

Zhao Shouzheng was taken aback upon hearing this, and then nodded in deep agreement, saying: "Indeed! There are the Minister and the Left Deputy Minister above, and a number of officials in charge below. These people usually 'search for peas in a quail's throat and split fine meat on a heron's leg.' Which of them does not seek to earn a little money? Yet now, only your grandfather has suffered, which is truly outrageous"

Zhao Shouzheng, unable to contain his anger, kicked the nearby artificial rock formation with great force, causing him to clutch his foot and hiss in pain as he drew in a sharp breath

Although it is the late winter of February, the beauty of the rockeries, flowing water, pavilions, and towers in this garden remains stunningly exquisite

Wen Zhengming's "Orchid and Bamboo Scroll" set

"In fact, it is a shortfall of one hundred thousand taels in the department's accounts." Zhao Shouzheng said with a shrug, "Your grandfather was responsible for the department's accounts in addition to the salt tax, so he cannot escape responsibility."

The father and son sat quietly in the garden, unaware of when those people had left.

Oh, it turns out that the old man is merely an accountant. There are higher officials above him, and specific individuals handling matters below him. Zhao Hao expressed his confusion, saying: "How did it ultimately become his sole responsibility?"

A pair of Hongwu blue and white dragon double-handled basin vases

Having finished speaking, Zhao Shouzheng confidently said: "So, my son, you can rest assured that there will definitely be no situation where both ends are left without support"

Zhao Shouzheng is indeed a privileged young master who has lived a life of comfort; he has never experienced such a drastic change in his life. He is now in a state of anxiety and uncertainty.

Two pieces of high-quality Tianhuang stone carvings

What is the follow-up move

If it cannot be repaid, then all will be lost

So what?" Zhao Hao asked with a dazed expression, still holding onto the last shred of hope in his heart, wishing that it would not affect his life too much

Upon hearing this, Zhao Hao's eyes lit up; it seemed that heaven had not completely abandoned him

Even someone like him, who has enjoyed a life of wealth for less than half an hour, finds it hard to accept. Moreover, these items were all collected one by one by Zhao Shouzheng

Zhao Hao deeply understands Zhao Shouzheng's suffering

"Turning back to urge the in-laws to hasten the marriage, the dowry for my daughter-in-law will surely be substantial. By then, as a couple, what could my son possibly have to worry about?" Zhao Shouzheng, with a serious expression, was planning for his son, seemingly unashamed of the prospect of his son relying on his wife.

He wishes he could crash into the pillar once more to travel back in time

Damn it, how could I be so focused on my own sadness that I forgot about my son

Zhao Hao felt a pang in his heart and couldn't help but think: 'Could it be that I am not his biological child'

Ah... Zhao Hao couldn't help but exclaim, not expecting that his father-in-law was so vigorous! However, upon further reflection, considering that his grandfather was a distinguished Deputy Minister of the Ministry of Revenue and held significant power, it seemed that his family background was even superior to that of the other party, so there was nothing particularly surprising about it

Sigh, don't mention it... Zhao Shouzheng said with a worried expression: "After the incident, your grandfather was detained in the Duzhayuan. Your uncle and I have not seen him even once until now..."

Zhao Hao and his son sat huddled together on the stone bench by the pond, each thinking the same thing

According to Zhao Hao's previous life studies, the taxation system of the Ming Dynasty was primarily based on physical goods, and the amount of silver collected was not substantial. Additionally, in recent years, the rampant activities of Japanese pirates had led to a sharp decline in the court's tax revenue, seemingly amounting to only over 2,000,000 taels nationwide.

Be careful, this all belongs to the Zhang family...

Fortunately, Zhao Shouzheng did not resort to pedantry here, using the simplest language to help Zhao Hao understand the current situation

It was not until the sun had set in the west that Zhao Shouzheng was awakened by the chilly breeze. Glancing at the still silent Zhao Hao, he suddenly slapped his forehead.

At noon, the warm sunlight bathes the back garden of the Zhao residence

As the saying goes, "When you reach the end of the water, sit and watch the clouds rise." Son, try to see things more lightly. Zhao Shouzheng patted Zhao Hao's shoulder and quietly comforted him, saying, "I have just thought of a way out. Trust me, the difficulties are only temporary, and we still have a backup plan."

Indeed, it is no longer the case. Within five days, we must leave with nothing, and all the servants must be dismissed as well. After Zhao Shouzheng finished speaking, he could not help but let out a heart-wrenching sigh: "The flowing water and falling flowers, spring has gone, in heaven and on earth..." He turned his head away in sorrow, not wanting his son to see his appearance as if he had lost his parents.

So, Zhao Hao, feeling a bit parched, pointed to the valuable furnishings in the room. "All of these, are none of ours?"

How could Grandfather be so ruthless? He actually embezzled as much as 100,000 taels?

Zhao Shouzheng indeed dotes on Zhao Hao greatly; seeing him pretentiously deep in thought, he does not urge or interrupt him, but quietly stands by.

Every time he counted a single phrase, it felt like a knife piercing Zhao Shouzheng's heart, causing him to tremble involuntarily

"There is nothing to fear!" Zhao Shouzheng smiled with a hint of restraint, and said mysteriously, "Let me tell you a secret. Your grandfather has arranged a marriage for me!" As he spoke, he clasped his hands in a salute, proudly declaring, "My future father-in-law is none other than the Grand Scholar of the Nanjing Imperial Academy! A distinguished member of the Hanlin Academy, he would never shamelessly break off an engagement."

A middle-aged man with a goatee, resembling a bookkeeper, was counting the harvest while sharply reminding everyone with a raised voice

Therefore, your uncle took the initiative to sell the family property, disposing of our farmland and this residence. He also included all valuable items in the valuation, and as a result, there remains a shortfall of fifty thousand taels that cannot be covered

You must hold on...

Is that so? Zhao Hao couldn't help but gasp. This million is not comparable to the million of four hundred years later! This refers to one million taels of silver, and if one must make a comparison, it would at least be something that the billionaires of later generations could aspire to

Suddenly, a heavy sound of footsteps came from the direction of the drooping flower gate