Time Travel: Brothel Maid

Chapter 222 Who Regrets

Zhao Yunrong put Xiao Guoer's file into the drawer under the table, then unfolded Tang Jingchen and the Tang family's files and read them carefully.

It was not something that the Tang family could achieve in just a few years or even decades for them to become the richest merchant family in Li Dynasty.

After several generations of hard work, they continued to explore and innovate in various industries. While accumulating wealth, they were also good at making friends with powerful people from all sides and using various resources to expand their own industries.

As the Tang family grows and develops, it will inevitably need some powerful forces to provide support and help behind the scenes.

These forces may be high-ranking officials in the government or famous and upright people in the underworld. Under the means of solicitation and bribery by the Tang family, they provide the Tang family with help and protection to the best of their ability.

Over time, under the deliberate maintenance and nourishment of the Tang family, many low-level local officials and even middle and upper-level officials of Li Dynasty had intricate relationships with the Tang family.

By now, the Tang family has unknowingly created a dense and solid protective network.

No wonder the Tang family’s business has grown to such a large scale.

Zhao Yunrong looked at the lines of text on the thick Tang family files and was somewhat surprised.

It is indeed rare for a businessman to have such a mind and vision.

But, all under heaven belongs to the king.

No matter how big a merchant is, he is still just a merchant. How can he be compared with a noble prince or even the ruler of the world?

After Zhao Yunrong closed the Tang family's file, he slowly leaned back and leaned into the cushion behind him. His half-closed eyes revealed a sense of laziness, and his thoughtful gaze fell on the teacup with a white background and blue plum blossoms on the table.

After a long while, he picked up the pen and quickly wrote down two secret investigation orders.

One is to find out the families whose girls were lost in Shangjing City ten years ago.

According to Mother Qin of Zuihualou, Xiao Guoer was sold to Zuihualou ten years ago. If he wants to find out Xiao Guoer's true life experience, he can only start from this direction.

The other is to investigate the Minister of Rites Gu Jiangyun.

Nineteen years ago, the Tang family sponsored a scholar, who later became the top scorer in the imperial examination. After his success, he became very famous. Because of his handsome appearance, he was spotted by the daughter of Princess Anhua at a palace banquet. The daughter married him regardless of their status. Now, the scholar is a favorite of His Majesty, the current Minister of Rites - Gu Jiangyun.

After becoming rich, Gu Jiangyun did not forget his benefactor, Tang Bozong, the head of the Tang family, and the two families had a very close relationship.

Interestingly, an old servant of the Tang family once revealed to others that Gu Jiangyun and Tang Bozong had joked when they were young that they would get married after they had children.

The reason why it is called a joke is definitely because of the subsequent situation, where one of the two families changed their minds, or both families changed their minds.

But who actually went back on their word?

From the perspective of the world, the ones who regretted it must be the Gu family. Madam Gu was the daughter of Princess Anhua, and was extremely loved by the Queen Mother in the palace. She gave birth to a daughter named Gu Huatong, and she also had some face among the nobles in the palace.

With such status, are you still willing to marry into the Tang family? No matter how big the Tang family is, it is still a merchant family after all, and cannot be compared with the princes and nobles.

I don’t know if the Tang family also has self-awareness, but as the children grew up, they never mentioned the “joke” of the year. The relationship between the two families has always been very good, as if they had “forgotten” the incident tacitly.

Zhao Yunrong sneered repeatedly. Who could tell whether it was a "promise" or a "joke"?

Most people in the world are ungrateful. The promises that were made in the past with full confidence and as heavy as Mount Tai will eventually become worthless as time goes by.

After Zhao Yunrong handed the two secret orders to Shen Jing, he drank the already cold tea in one gulp.

He seldom drinks herbal tea, but he suddenly felt that on a summer day like this, herbal tea could make people feel more relaxed.

The next day, the usually quiet court suddenly became lively.

As the Eighth Prince, dressed in solemn court robes, walked into the court, the officials who had been standing upright in their seats all looked sideways, and some even walked towards the Eighth Prince.

"I haven't seen you for more than a month. The Eighth Prince has become even more charming and dashing."

An official said this while bowing, and several other officials echoed him with flattering smiles on their faces.

"Yes, the Eighth Prince has made great contributions this time and is in high spirits. His Majesty is very pleased and will surely reward him."

"The Eighth Prince was able to cure the plague in Huaiyang City in such a short time. He is truly brave and wise!"

With these officials flattering in the front, the rest of the officials who were ready to make a move gradually gathered around, as if they were afraid that if they didn't flatter him slowly, they would lose the opportunity to please the Eighth Prince who had worked so hard and made great contributions.

Zhao Yunrong had a polite yet distant smile on his face. "Thank you for your praise, my lords. I was only blessed by heaven and by chance, so I was fortunate enough to find out the source of the plague. I really don't deserve such praise from you lords."

Zhao Yunrong's eyes slowly swept over the faces of the flattering officials around him, and then looked across the crowd at the other indifferent officials in the court. After seeing the resentment and resentment on their faces, his tone suddenly changed, and he continued: "In fact, I am just lucky. If it weren't for my fourth brother's leg injury, such good luck would not have befallen me. Speaking of which, I really have to thank my good fourth brother."

The Fourth Prince Zhao Yunye was originally standing in front of Zhao Yunrong. When the officials gathered around him, he quietly took a few steps back.

He was already feeling depressed and upset, and after hearing Zhao Yunrong's words with hidden meanings, he felt even more upset. He couldn't help but turn around and look at Zhao Yunrong who was mocking him in his words.

This sight made him feel even more upset. The wanton and ostentatious smile on Zhao Yunrong's face was really annoying no matter how he looked at it.

Zhao Yunrong looked at his "good fourth brother" who turned around, his eyes seemed to flash with anger, and his mood became more and more cheerful.