Chapter 79: Emphasis on love and justice
When the time comes, I can spend some money and pay a symbolic amount to take over the two coal mines. Maybe it will be cheaper than buying them directly from Zhou Jian.

This was a very good plan, but the Ministry of Revenue, which had always been extremely inefficient, sold the coal mine so quickly this time.

But I don’t know whether it is lucky or unlucky.

These two coal mines were not sold to nobles like Zhu Chunchen, but to a weak and vulnerable commoner.

But this is also the unfortunate part. Who could have thought that a common citizen would be so bold as to go and file a complaint to the emperor?

If ordinary people encounter such a thing, shouldn’t they just consider themselves unlucky?
The more Zhu Chunchen thought about it, the angrier he became. How could this young man expose him?

In the past few months, he had performed well in front of Chongzhen, appearing to be loyal to the emperor, patriotic, and a man of both civil and military talents.

Not long ago, Chongzhen even mentioned that he wanted to serve as the supervisor of "The Veritable Records of Emperor Xizong".

What an honor is this?

But at this critical moment, someone came out to file a complaint against him. He was simply courting death.

Seeing his master's uncertain face, Zhu Wuneng probably guessed some of the truth.

After all, the Zhu family has done quite a few things over the years. Although he didn't know when Zhu Chunchen occupied other people's coal mines again, there were more than one shopkeeper in charge of the Duke's Mansion, so it might have been done by other shopkeepers.

It's just that the young shopkeeper was unlucky, and both businesses were targeted at the same time.

Thinking of this, Zhu Wuneng said tremblingly: "Master, since the emperor has issued an order, should we..."

Zhu Wuneng wanted to ask if he should be restrained, but Zhu Chunchen interrupted him immediately, "What are you afraid of? Didn't you hear what old Shi Fenglai said? The underworld didn't say anything blaming me except that I should return the coal mine and stop dealing with the common people!"

"I think the emperor still respects me and won't punish me for such a small matter! It's just that someone filed a complaint with the emperor, so I just do something to show off."

"Then..." Zhu Wuneng thought about it and it made sense. On one side are the pillars of the country, and on the other side are ordinary people. If he were the emperor, he would never side with the common people!

Thinking of this, he suddenly became excited. Zhu Wunengke still remembered the thick phlegm that was spat on his face. It was so smelly!
"Hehe, then let's wait until the storm has passed before we deal with that ignorant fellow!"

Zhu Chunchen sneered at him and said, "You dare to file a complaint against me. If I don't teach you a lesson, how will the people of the capital view me?"

"I have to give the emperor face, but I also have to maintain my prestige! Go find a few people, disguise them as bandits, and find a chance to kill that brat for me!"

"I think His Majesty will not ask about this matter any further. If we do it cleanly, Shuntian Prefecture will not be able to find out. Even if we leak some details, what can the Shuntian Prefecture Governor do to us?"

Zhu Wuneng gave a thumbs up and flattered: "Our Duke is indeed resourceful. A commoner wants to fight with our Duke's Mansion. I'll kill him!"

Director Zhu sneered a few times, as if he had seen a corpse left in the wilderness to be eaten by wild beasts.

...............

After Wang An filed his complaint to the emperor, he left the Meridian Gate and returned to the herbal medicine shop with some trepidation.

Thinking about it, Emperor Chongzhen didn't give him any clear statement. He had originally planned to test whether the other party was a "colleague" or not, but he didn't have the chance.

I had originally thought of coming up with a couplet for the other party, something like "Pagoda to suppress river monsters" or "Symbols to indicate quadrants", but I forgot all about it when I started to file a complaint.

But when I thought about it, if I filed this lawsuit, it would be a matter of life or death!
If Emperor Chongzhen did not give him justice, there was no reason for Zhu Chunchen not to know about the complaint. By then, it would be tantamount to making a mortal enemy, and he would have to prepare to run away.

So he didn't bother to think about it anymore. When he returned to the herbal medicine shop, he saw that Yun Zhao had not left yet. Instead, he prepared a table of decent food. Wang An frowned: "Why don't you leave?"

However, Yun Zhao ignored the impatience in Wang An's words, and instead came forward happily.

"Master, I have prepared a meal for you. Come and try it to see if it suits your taste."

Wang An sat down at the table and sighed, "Didn't I tell you to take me away from the capital as soon as possible? But you didn't find the indenture or the silver?"

Yun Zhao's face darkened, but he still forced a smile and said, "Master is loyal to me. If I abandon you now, who will Yun Zhao become?"

"As for my mother, I have secretly embezzled the old man's two silver coins to put on her, and placed her in Brother Ergou's house. If I really have anything, I will surely be able to make a living with Brother Ergou's help."

"What about you?" Wang An asked angrily.

Yun Zhao raised the corner of his mouth slightly, picked up the wine jug and poured a full glass for Wang An, then poured himself a glass.

"Yun Zhao is already my master's man. No matter what happens, I will follow him through thick and thin!"

After saying that, he picked up the wine in the glass and drank it all.

Wang An sighed, and without saying anything else, he picked up the wine glass and drank it all.

Then he called out to Yun Zhao: "After this incident, no matter whether Old Yan and I are alive or dead, rich or poor, we will always remember your kindness."

"Sit down, let's have a good meal together, the result will be revealed in the next two days."

The two of them had a simple meal, and Wang An asked Yun Zhao to pack up his belongings and be ready to run away if things went wrong.

But at this moment, a hearty laugh was heard outside the door.

"Brother, what are you doing with all these bags?"

Wang An turned his head and saw that it was his little brother!

Wang An was worried about where to find his elusive little brother to tell him not to show up if anything happened.

He just happened to come to the door and immediately came over to greet him and pulled Chongzhen to sit on the chair.

"It's a disaster! Little brother, I'm so sorry!"

Wang An started talking with a nonsensical sentence. Although Chongzhen knew what had happened, he pretended to be confused.

Wang An immediately told the whole story from beginning to end, and sighed silently, "I thought it was a good business to pretend to get rich, but now it seems that I will cause my younger brother to lose tens of thousands of taels of silver in vain..."

"It's my brother, I'm sorry!"

Chongzhen pretended to comfort him, "We are brothers, how can we say who is wronging whom? Besides, didn't my brother file a complaint with the emperor about this matter? It shows that my brother has done his best. I believe that His Majesty will definitely do justice for us. It is too early to say that these tens of thousands of taels of silver are wasted."

Wang An snorted coldly and said dejectedly: "The old emperor didn't say a word, just said that this matter is serious and we need to investigate it first. Who knows if he will cover up!"

(End of this chapter)