Jing Xingzhi’s Daily Life in Ancient Times

Entering the yard near the Zhang family, the person once, was a member of the Zhang family.

On the day Zhang Kaiwei and Zhu Da fell into the water, Zhu Da was ‘smashed’ to death by Zhang Kaiwei. The servants of the Zhu family were worried about their own lives, so they desperately grabbed Zhang Kaiwei and quickly invited Zhu Da’s parents.

Zhu Da was the only son in the family, and he was doted on by the whole family. This also showed how important he was in the hearts of the Zhu family. If he died, how could the Zhu family let Zhang Kaiwei go?

Mr. Zhu didn’t even wait for the government officials to come over. He directly promised to be wealthy and healthy for the rest of his life, and asked his loyal servant to knock Zhang Kaiwei on the head with two sticks, killing him.

When the depressed Ning Yongyuan waited for a moment and got off the boat, Zhang Kaiwei was already dead. He only had to stay for a few more days to deal with what happened due to the deaths of Zhang Kaiwei and Zhu Da. At any rate, Zhang Kaiwei had received him for a few days, and the accident was also on his ship.

The news was sent to the Zhang family. As soon as Zhang Mingwen threw the cup in anger, his step-wife came to him in tears and persuaded him not to offend the little marquis of Zhenyuan. Zhang Ming thought about it over and over again, and finally suffered the humiliating loss. He couldn’t even take revenge on the Zhu family because the Zhu family had a backer.

As for the people left behind by Zhang Kaiwei, Zhang Mingwen did not have the space to supervise them. Those who could return to the Zhang family did so. Those who did not have such connections and could not return to the family were dismissed or sold.

However, Ning Yongyuan suddenly had an idea when he saw these people. He bought a few and left them to stare at Huanshui Academy. On the pretext of paying attention to Fang Qichen, Chief Fang, who was in the emperor’s heart, he took Jing Xingzhi along and asked these servants to send news to Ning Yongyuan about something important.

Watching Jing Xingzhi go away and finding out clearly that Jing Xingzhi was going to Hannan, these servants who were grateful to Ning Yongyuan for taking them in carefully wrote down the news and sent it to Marquis Zhenyuan Family’s gold shop in the city of Hanbei Prefecture.

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At the beginning of the afternoon (three o’clock).

The boat arrived at the dock in Fucheng, Hannan Prefecture.

Wang Zhuang directed people to keep an eye on the luggage and hired several people to carry the luggage to the carriage.

Jing Xingzhi looked at Wang Zhuang’s arrangements and then at his empty hands, thinking that the bud of capitalism was indeed more enjoyable than socialism. However, Jing Xingzhi was used to this feeling of not having to worry about anything. After all, he had been enjoying happiness since he was born, and the life he enjoyed was beyond the imagination of many people.

Jing Xingzhi got on the carriage and looked at the list of Hannan Prefecture personnel sent by Wang Zhuang.

The name at the top was Cheng Wei, the person Fang Qichen told him to treat politely. He was the prefect of the prefecture, and his subordinates were in charge of the entire Hannan Prefecture.

Cheng Wei’s name came down to the names of his trusted aides and the directors of the government office. Each of them also marked their personality, preferences, and other details.

While Jing Xingzhi observed, he raised his head and glanced at Wang Zhuang sitting in front of the carriage.

He pondered: ‘Brother Zhuang is no ordinary person. His clear understanding of government affairs makes me wonder if Fang Qichen is still handling other matters for the emperor; otherwise, Wang Zhuang’s abilities would be wasted. If Wang Zhuang were unfamiliar with officialdom, finding these details on the road wouldn’t be so effortless.’

Jing Xingzhi silently memorized the names on the paper, closed his eyes, and mentally combed through them sequentially. After memorizing the first sheet, he placed the second one in the front row.

This paper listed individuals deserving attention beyond the government office—friends of his teacher Fang Qichen and the aristocratic families of Hannan Prefecture. Understanding the strength behind him enabled Jing Xingzhi to grasp the entire situation of Hannan Prefecture through a single sheet.

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The horse’s hooves trampled, and with a ‘hush’ from the groom, it halted at the government office’s back door.

Referred to as the back door because the front of the government office housed the government hall where the prefect managed affairs—not a passageway for carriages and horses. Even the prefect’s family members used this back door when they had no official business.

Wang Zhuang had sent word ahead. To display formality, Cheng Wei, clad in casual attire, waited at the back door with his wife and young son.

Cheng Wei’s wife, Xu Zhongqi, a plump woman, eyed her confident husband with confusion: “Husband, why personally greet a junior? Let Huan’er do it.”

Cheng Huan, waving a fan, chimed in: “Exactly, Dad, let me handle it.”

Cheng Wei swatted Cheng Huan’s head: “You fool, he’s the former Imperial Master’s disciple, the junior brother of the emperor, his seniority should be the same as me. Address him as uncle. No need for you to greet him.”

Cheng Huan pouted, looking aggrieved, muttering, “He’s just a bit older. Luckily, my brother isn’t here; he’d never let you off.”

Xu Zhongqi hit Cheng Huan again: “Mind your words. Don’t tease your brother.” Cheng Huan drooped, then raised his head, glancing around nonchalantly.

As Cheng Huan finished the banter, Jing Xingzhi’s carriage arrived.