After being transferred to a prefecture, Zhang Ronling changed his old habits and began to take the initiative to manage government affairs.

With Zhang Ronling's foundation and wisdom, he quickly took control of the situation in the prefecture. With his experience in the center, he quickly subdued the local wealthy families, made the prefecture's economy prosperous, and the court's taxes were paid in full.

This is very rare in the declining empire.

Many state capitals could not even pay taxes and had to apply for money from the court to tide over the difficulties. Zhang Ronling, who had such ability, naturally quickly entered the eyes of senior officials again.

No one has trouble with money.

Especially old-schoolers like Si Ge Lao.

By the pond.

Zhang Ronling was wearing a cyan robe. The clothes were woven from fine silk and the color was very bright. He was lying on a chair with a fishing rod in his hand. Chen Luo sat next to him, also holding a fishing rod in his hand.

"Everything in this world is a fish. As long as there is enough profit, there is no fish that cannot be caught."

Zhang Ronling's fishhook is straight. He is not really fishing, but just resting.

Only when fishing with his second uncle would he have a similar mentality. It has been seven years since he came to Dizhou. Within seven years, Zhang Ronling became the unrivaled prefect of Dizhou. The biggest reason for this is profit. He uses interests to connect everyone together!

All that's lost is the numbers on the roster and some of the lowest-level bastards.

The clan squires were all well fed, so Zhang Ronling's official duties were naturally comfortable.

Seven consecutive years of tax payment made his name Zhang Ronling reappear in the capital and on the jade case. This step can't be accomplished by just paying taxes. In the past few years, Zhang Ronling had no idea how much money he had sent to the capital and how many people he had won over. In order to climb up, he almost used any means, and he also had the handle of many Beijing officials, so that they could speak for him.

Chen Luo didn't speak, he just looked at Zhang Ronling quietly.

The aura of calamity in Zhang Ronling's body became more and more intense. He was obsessed with 'fame and wealth'. Not only could he not let it go, he was also deeply involved in it. He was so focused on fame and fortune that he had already lost his original intention.

Behead the tribulation!

Kill the heart demon.

He couldn't do any of it, and Chen Luo could already foresee Elder Rong Ling's ending.

"Second Uncle, it won't be long before we can return to the capital and get back everything we lost." Zhang Ronling flicked the fishhook in his hand, and there was actually a fish pulled up from the water with its tail swung by him.

"My lord is awesome!"

"This fish is really lucky to be caught by an adult."

The two young men standing behind saw this and immediately ran over and flattered him. Their disgusting words made Zhang Ronling laugh, and he took a few broken pieces of silver and threw them on the ground.

"For your reward."

"Thank you, Lord!"

The two boys immediately knelt down and picked up the silver on the ground with excitement on their faces. Just these few broken pieces of silver were enough for the two of them to struggle for several months.

While the two were picking up silver, a fat man wearing a yellow gold-trimmed uniform came in from outside. When he saw Zhang Ronling, his eyes lit up and he immediately spoke.

"Sir, I finally found you!"

Zhang Ronling glanced at this person, then continued to swing his fishing rod and start fishing.

When the fat man saw this, he immediately said anxiously.

"I went to pick up my son from the county government office this morning, but those cheap servants refused to let him go."

This fat man is the local tycoon Huang Daniu. This guy is a complete scumbag. Not only does he bully men and women, but he also doesn't do anything with his own son. A few days ago, his son rode a horse on the street and trampled a hawker to death. The incident was so big that Zhang Ronling had him killed immediately.

Originally, the case ended here, but Zhang Ronling did not handle it according to the law, but sent a message to the other party.

The next thing is to follow the process. The sensible Mr. Huang immediately sent some local specialties to Zhang Ronling, the county magistrate. At the same time, he arranged for someone to go to the victim's house to deliver some money, and he also threatened him again, finally suppressing the matter. Unexpectedly, the process changed when he mentioned people. All the people he sent to the county government were detained. It was useless to go there in person, and they were kicked out by the people inside.

"Mr. Huang, this matter is difficult to handle. The people are very angry and it may affect my evaluation."

Zhang Ronling didn't look back and stared at the fishhook with all his concentration. Chen Luo sat aside and watched quietly. Over the years, Zhang Ronling's appetite has become bigger and bigger, and the amount of corruption has become more and more exaggerated. He is not only corrupt, but also traitorous! He resells ordnance secretly, obtains a large amount of money by reselling ordnance, and then uses the money to build his own network of relationships.

From top to bottom, every word of reputation is made with money.

The whole court is full of people who say good things about him. If you can get money, you are the master!

"I see."

Upon seeing this, Mr. Huang quickly took out two one hundred tael silver notes from his sleeve.

The price is two hundred taels at a time, which shows how much this Mr. Huang is worth.

Zhang Ronling glanced at it and spat into the lake. He stood up from the chair, threw the fishing rod aside, and gave instructions to the two boys behind him.

"This fish is really stupid. I've been fishing for so long and it won't even take the hook. I'll go back and find some people to drain the pond for me."

"yes!"

The two boys immediately ran forward to pick up the fishing rod. They did not forget to look at Mr. Huang in the process, insinuating that this man did not understand the rules and had the nerve to take out a mere two hundred taels. Mr. Huang's expression changed for a while, and finally he took out five more silver notes from his sleeve. This time, all the denominations were 500 taels, adding up to a total of 2,700 taels.

"Mr. Huang is worthy of being a local squire. This incident is a misunderstanding at first glance. It must be those unruly people who are responsible. Don't worry, Mister Huang. I will definitely give you an explanation for this matter and make the young master innocent."

"Then I'll trouble you, sir."

Mr. Huang breathed a sigh of relief, and after saying a few more polite words to Zhang Ronling, he left cautiously.

"Are you going to let him go?"

Chen Luo asked from the side.

"How could the fat pig that was finally caught be let go so easily? The Liu family is interested in the Huang family's business. This incident is a trap set up by the Liu family."

Zhang Ronling said casually.

He has done similar things countless times over the years.

The county magistrate destroyed the family and the prefect exterminated the family.

This sentence is most vividly reflected in Zhang Ronling.

After fishing, the uncle and nephew separated. Zhang Ronling went to deal with matters, while Chen Luo returned to the small courtyard and continued to practice his health-preserving skills. His body is already sixty-seven years old, which is considered an advanced age in this world.

"Second brother, you are back..."

The woman struggled to sit up, but she tried several times but failed. Her health got worse. After the age of sixty, a woman's physical fitness deteriorates rapidly, and all the problems she suffered from when she was young are now showing up.

She spends most of her time lying in bed. Chen Luo can see her weakness. A woman's life has entered a countdown. This is the life of ordinary people.

"I'll get up and make porridge for you..."

The woman still wants to get up and take care of him as before, but she can no longer do it now.

"Have a good rest, I ate at Rong Ling's place."

Chen Luo squeezed the woman's rough hand, this silly woman, a woman who had even forgotten him in his whole life.

"I'm fine, I'll be fine after just some sleep."

Sensing the emotion on Chen Nuo's face, the woman tried her best to smile.

"When I get better, I'll make porridge for my second brother..."

The woman fell into a deep sleep and never woke up.

Her hand was still holding Chen Luo, her rough hand was filled with life.

Chen Luo carefully covered her with a quilt.

Walk out of the house in silence.

It was raining lightly outside, and the aura of calamity in the sky became even more intense.

The woman's funeral arrangements were handled very simply, just Chen Luo and Zhang Ronling. Zhang Ronling came over personally to kowtow to the woman. With his current status, there was absolutely no need to do this, but he still came, which proved that in Zhang Ronling's heart, his second uncle and his second aunt had always been the closest people.

"Rong Ling, have you ever thought about letting go?"

Above the mourning hall, Chen Luo reminded Zhang Ronling again.

After spending half a lifetime together, how can our hearts become as strong as iron?

"I can't let it go, second uncle."

Zhang Ronling shook his head, threw the last piece of yellow paper into the brazier, looked at the old second uncle in front of him, and said seriously.

"I am not alone. If I let go, what will happen to the people who follow me? What will happen to Jun Ru?"

The Jun Ru he mentioned was the prime minister's daughter and his only wife in these years.

Although the prime minister had been betrayed before for a future, it was a political game and did not affect the relationship between them as husband and wife. Perhaps due to the influence of Chen Luo, or perhaps because he had failed someone in the past, Zhang Ronling has only had one wife in these years. For him, his wife is his obsession that he cannot let go of.

For these people, he must move forward and do something.

Even in the eyes of some people, he is a heinous corruption and traitor.

"Fame, fame and wealth are gone. Maybe there is a you on the other side waiting to wake up."

Chen Luo could only say this. As a natural disaster, there were some words that he couldn't say, and even if he said them, Zhang Ronling wouldn't be able to hear them.

"Then let me on the other side never wake up. Here, I have too many things that I can't let go of."

Zhang Ronling responded with a smile, his eyes serious.

Chen Luo sighed and gave no further advice.

half year later.

Zhang Ronling, who had seven years of experience in local governance, was transferred back to the capital again. This time, he returned to the stage of the empire, took back his rights, became a minister, and ranked first.

In the same year, the emperor died and a new emperor succeeded to the throne.

With the change of power, the new party once again seized the initiative and regained power by relying on its relationship with the new emperor. A large number of the old parties were expelled from the court. Zhang Ronngling relied on the influence left by his former father-in-law to change his family again and became the banner figure of the new party.

"Mr. Zhou Ge, my father-in-law told me before he was alive that you were his most proud disciple."

Zhang Ronling is as philistine and tactful as ever.

The new Mr. Zhou Ge looked at the son-in-law of his former mentor and remembered some of his reputation. It's just that today is no longer the same as in the past. Zhang Ronling is no longer the new junior official of the past. There is also a large number of people standing behind him, and he is a force in his own right. Under this situation, it is natural to win over and unite to deal with the old party.

As a superior, the first thing to abandon is personal likes and dislikes.

"I have often heard my mentor mention you before. Come in and sit down." In just two words, the two formed an offensive and defensive alliance.

Zhang Ronling's power took a step further and he began to peek into the cabinet.

In the following months, Zhang Ronling joined forces with Mr. Zhou Ge to eliminate dissidents. A force headed by him appeared in the court. Although it was not as good as the old and new parties, it was already a force that could not be ignored.

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