Forced to marry, I picked up a young powerful official

Chapter 151: Connecting with the Government

After the matter was settled, it was getting late, so everyone went back to their rooms to rest.

The next morning, after breakfast, Shen Nankui asked Hehua to call the waiter of the inn.

The waiter was young, but he looked very smart. When he saw Shen Nankui, he bowed and greeted her with a smile, "What can I do for you, Madam?"

Shen Nankui smiled and asked, "What's your name, little brother?"

The waiter was a little surprised. He was just a rough man who ran errands and did odd jobs. Few guests who came to stay in the hotel asked his name, especially such a dignified and kind young lady. He could not help but respectfully replied, "Madam, my name is Ding Liu."

"Ding Liu, I noticed when I checked into the inn yesterday that among all the other staff members in the inn, the innkeeper gave you all kinds of advice, which shows how much he values ​​you. This also shows that you are a reliable person."

Ding Liu scratched his head a little embarrassedly, "Madam, you are too kind. I can't stand your praise!"

Although he said that, the corners of his mouth were almost stretched to his ears.

Shen Nankui smiled and said, "Little brother Ding Liu, I'm sure you've figured it out. We're from out of town and aren't very familiar with the affairs of Yongzhou City. We asked you to come here because we want to get some information from you."

Ding Liu felt even happier when he heard her use the word "please".

After all, people of his status have been ordered around many times, and have never been treated with such courtesy.

"Madam, you are too polite. Please feel free to ask me anything you want. I will tell you everything I know!"

Shen Nankui nodded to He Hua, who took out a piece of silver and gave it to Ding Liu, saying with a smile, "Young man, my wife would not disturb you from working for nothing, so please accept this little gift."

Ding Liu was flattered, patting his chest and saying, "Madam, if you want to get information, then you have found the right person. I have worked in this inn since I was a child, and it has been more than ten years. There is nothing in the city that I don't know!"

"That would be perfect."

Shen Nankui smiled and motioned him to sit down, then said: "It's like this, we are merchants from other places, and we are facing some difficulties in our business. We need the help of government officials, but we are unfamiliar with this place, and we don't know how to get in touch with the government officials. I wonder if you know any way?"

She knew nothing about the Yongzhou government, so even if she wanted to give a gift, she had to find out the details first so that Cai Ling's paintings could be used to their maximum value.

"Government connections?"

When Ding Liu heard the word "government", he immediately felt guilty and regretted that he had boasted too much.

He smiled shyly and said, "The information that Madam wants to find out is really not easy..."

"Even my little brother doesn't know?"

Ding Liu looked thoughtful and asked after a moment, "Which master do you want to get in touch with, Madam?"

Shen Nankui said: "It doesn't matter who it is, as long as he has real power and is reliable."

Ding Liu thought for a while and murmured, "If we talk about the most powerful person in Yongzhou City, it must be Lord Zhou Zun, but our Lord Zhou Zun is impartial and upright, so I'm afraid it's not easy to give away his gift."

When he talked about the prefect, his face was full of reverence, which shows the status of this prefect in the hearts of the people of Yongzhou.

"The judge likes to make friends, but he only knows how to drink and have fun. I don't know how many people have asked him to do things for them. They spent money and gave gifts, but all of them went down the drain. Others have no place to complain. After all, if they really investigate, bribing officials is also a crime..."

Shen Nankui was slightly surprised. "Is there such a thing? Since so many people have suffered losses, why has no one reported it?"

Ding Liu sighed, "Madam, you don't know this. Although this judge is not honest, he has done a lot of practical things for the people under the rule of the governor. Moreover, he often accepts benefits under the banner of making friends, and he doesn't really do things for others, so the governor turns a blind eye to him and doesn't pay attention to these things."

"I see……"

Shen Nankui frowned slightly.

The connections with the Yongzhou prefect were not easy to come by, and this judge sounded like a man who would take money but not do anything. She didn't want to tarnish Mr. Cai's masterpiece.

Does that mean we should release the news in the market first and wait for them to come?

But this is too slow.

We can put the workshop aside for now, but we don’t know what the situation is like for Miss Tao in prison. If we delay it any further, what if she’s in danger?

Just as she was thinking about it, she heard Ding Liu say, "Madam, there is another way. The governor is honest and upright, while the judge is greedy. However, our Tongzhi of Yongzhou is exactly the same as the two of them. He is fair and strict in his administration, but very lenient to others in private. If Madam asks him for help with business, he might agree, but..."

"Just what?"

"Madam, I heard from the shopkeeper that this Tongzhi will be transferred to the capital soon. He is hosting a banquet at home these days. If you want to send a gift, you'd better hurry up. If you wait until he leaves office, you may not be sure whether he can still help you."

This news was extremely useful to Shen Nankui.

"I see. Thanks for letting me know, little brother."

Ding Liu scratched his head and smiled, "It's all right if I can help you, Madam. If there's nothing else, I'll go get busy first. Call me if you need me!"

"Go ahead." Shen Nankui smiled slightly.

After he left, He Hua said, "Madam, is Ding Liu's information reliable?"

Shen Nankui said: "These are well-known facts, so they should not be wrong. We should not delay any further. Miss Tao is still in prison. Let's go and meet that Tongzhi Zhang."

All the way to Zhang's house.

It was just as Ding Liu had said, with guests coming and going constantly, and the doorman standing outside to greet and see them off, never stopping.

Shen Nankui finally waited for a free moment and went over to explain his purpose.

The doorman at the Zhang residence was an old man who had never heard of Cai Ling's name. He only asked Shen Nankui because she did not have an invitation and refused to let her in.

"My master doesn't see strangers. If you don't have an invitation, please go back!"

Shen Nankui was not angry either. He still asked Hehua to give the gatekeeper some silver and said with a smile, "Don't rush to chase him away, old man. You just need to tell Zhang Tongzhi that someone brought the original Cai Ling painting to him, and he will come to see me."

Seeing her extraordinary demeanor and accepting her benefits, the doorman agreed.

"Well, I can pass the message, but I can't say whether the master is willing to see you."

It means that no matter whether the matter succeeds or not, the benefits will not be lost.

He turned around and called a servant, told him what Shen Nankui had said, and asked the servant to pass on the message.

Shen Nankui waited quietly outside Zhang's house.

The servant walked all the way to the front hall where the banquet was being held and whispered something to Zhang Tongzhi. As soon as he finished speaking, Zhang Tongzhi cried out in surprise.

"What! Cai Ling's authentic work?"