The disgraced official I took care of was actually Zhu Houcong's childhood friend.

Chapter 564

If you get too involved with these officials, you'll be hampered when investigating cases, and you'll have to decide whose people to protect and whose people to keep.

I might as well play dumb.

Yang Shen was in a better position. He was a lone official with few close friends and virtually no supporters in the court.

But Yang Yiqing was unaware of this. Two years ago, Zhou Chu had basically eliminated Yang Yiqing's cronies in the court, and at that time, Yang Yiqing also showed goodwill to Zhou Chu.

But more than two years have passed, and Zhou Chu has not been in the capital for the past two years. No one can guarantee that Yang Yiqing's ambition will not resurface.

Putting everything else aside, Zhou Chu absolutely refused to believe that the Ministry of Works didn't have a single person under Yang Yiqing's command.

Since we're going to investigate, why distinguish between you and me? If Zhou Chu and Yang Yiqing had to discuss this beforehand, Jiajing wouldn't be able to sleep.

On the other side, Dazhu followed Erya to their shop, and Zhang's parents felt as if they had found their pillar of support when they saw Dazhu.

"Dazhu, will you be alright?"

Dazhu's mother said with a worried expression.

"What a load of rubbish! Let alone a mere official from the Ministry of Works, even if they were from the Ministry of War or the Ministry of Revenue, I would chop them up if they dared to come."

As he spoke, Dazhu grabbed a stool and sat down in the middle of the shop with an air of superiority, waiting for the纨绔子 (playboy) to arrive with his men.

"If you can avoid making a move later..."

Zhang's mother said.

“Mother, you don’t understand. This is the capital. If we back down, they will only take advantage of us. Only by beating them until they are terrified and subdued will they not dare to provoke us. Don’t worry, I know what I’m doing.”

In the past two years, not only has Zhang's father learned the manners of people in the capital, but Dazhu, having followed Zhou Chu, has also become much more sophisticated in his speech.

"Leave it to Dazhu. He's been with Lord Zhou for so long, he knows better than we do what needs to be done."

Seeing that Zhang's mother was about to say something, Zhang's father stopped her.

They dared not address Zhou Chu by his given name.

"Mother, you and Er Ya go to the back so you won't get hurt. Father and I can stay here."

Dazhu looked at his mother and said.

“I’m not going. I want to fight too. I’ve been practicing martial arts for the past two years.”

Er Ya said with a resentful look.

"What kind of behavior is this, a young lady like you, kicking and punching like that? If word gets out, do you still think you can find a good husband?"

Zhang's father glared at Er Ya and said.

"That's right, go to the back room with Mother."

Regardless of Er Ya's dissatisfaction, Zhang's mother dragged Er Ya towards the back room.

Not long after, Shao Xi's son arrived with a dozen or so servants, looking very aggressive.

The once arrogant Young Master Shao was stunned when he saw Da Zhu sitting imposingly in the shop. To be precise, he was a little intimidated when he saw Da Zhu's uniform as a Jinyiwei captain and the embroidered spring knife in Da Zhu's hand.

Although the Embroidered Uniform Guard has not made any major moves in the capital in the past two years, it is still the Embroidered Uniform Guard after all.

However, the thought that if he were to leave now, having already invited his own people, he would lose all face.

"Brother, let me give you a piece of advice: you'd better not get involved in this mess."

Young Master Shao looked at Dazhu and said.

Upon hearing this, Dazhu glanced at the good-for-nothing in front of him. He looked unsteady on his feet and had dark circles under his eyes. It was obvious that he had been drained by alcohol and women. Dazhu would usually give way to this kind of person, for fear of accidentally bumping into him.

But this time it's different.

"This is my family's shop. You're telling me not to get involved? How ridiculous!"

Dazhu sneered.

Upon hearing this, Young Master Shao glanced at Dazhu and then at Dazhu's father, only then realizing that the two shared a five or six-point resemblance in their features, and immediately understood their relationship.

"Brother, you're just a mere captain of the Embroidered Uniform Guard. My father is not someone you can afford to offend. He has powerful figures behind him. If your sister follows me, she'll have wealth and honor, and everything she could want. Wouldn't that be wonderful?"