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

Chapter 571

Upon hearing this, Li Zan's expression changed several times before his face was soon filled with a smile.

"What are you saying, Lord Lu? What are your orders, sir?"

Li Zan said with a hint of flattery.

"Lord Li is also lucky. His Majesty has specially decreed that you be treated leniently. It must be because the Grand Secretary pleaded for you."

Lu Wanshan said.

Upon hearing this, Li Zan recalled Yang Yiqing's frail and aged appearance, and couldn't help but feel a little guilty.

"I am ashamed to trouble him again."

Li Zan sighed.

"However, there are many interpretations of leniency. His Majesty only instructed that leniency be granted, but how it is handled is entirely up to Lord Zhou. Does Lord Li understand?"

Lu Wanshan looked at Li Zan in front of him with a hint of teasing.

"I understand, sir. I will cooperate fully and tell you everything that needs to be told."

Seeing Lu Wanshan's appearance, Li Zan immediately understood what the Embroidered Uniform Guard wanted him to do. After all, even if the punishment was lenient, there had to be a reason.

"Not bad."

Lu Wanshan nodded and then left the prison.

Soon, the officials from the Northern Garrison Command responsible for interrogation arrived at the Zhaoyu Prison.

"Lord Lu has said that whoever confesses first will be treated leniently."

Upon hearing this, all the officials from the Ministry of Works turned their heads away defiantly. After all, Zhou Chu hadn't imprisoned them separately, so they were unusually assertive when they were together.

When everyone thought no one would step forward, Li Zan stood up.

"I need to confess."

Upon hearing this, all the other officials looked at Li Zan with disbelief.

On the other side, Dazhu's parents watched in disbelief as Dazhu injured so many people and yet remained completely unharmed.

"Dazhu, is your official position so high now?"

Dazhu's father looked at Dazhu as if he were seeing his son all over again.

Dazhu shook his head upon hearing this.

"It was Brother Zhou who was backing us up. He had many officials from the Ministry of Works arrested, mainly Shao Xi. They are all in the Zhaoyu prison now."

"That's what Dazhu said."

"How did Lord Zhou find out about our family's affairs?"

Zhang's mother looked puzzled.

Dazhu smiled helplessly upon hearing this.

“In this capital city, nothing can be kept from Brother Zhou. He can find out whatever he wants to know.”

At this point, Dazhu found it increasingly difficult to communicate with his parents. Many things he took for granted were difficult for his parents to understand.

"Then we must prepare a generous gift to thank Lord Zhou properly."

Mr. Zhang said.

"Just give me the gifts, and I'll take them to Brother Zhou. He's very busy with official duties right now, dealing with those officials from the Ministry of Works, so please don't bother him."

"That's what Dazhu said."

“Dazhu is right, I’ll go prepare the gifts right away.”

As she spoke, Zhang's mother went to the back room of the shop, wishing she could give Zhou Chu all of her family's possessions.

"Mom, what are you doing? Brother Zhou has everything he needs, he has so much money he doesn't even know what he's got. If you want to give a gift, just give something thoughtful."

Dazhu looked at the large bags and packages Zhang's mother was carrying and said with some helplessness.

“That’s right. One of Brother Zhou’s luminous pearls could buy our shop. These things you gave him are nothing to Brother Zhou.”

Er Ya chimed in from the side.

"So what should we send?"

Zhang's mother said with a worried look on her face.

"Dad, let's go hunt some game. Just give it to Brother Zhou. No need for all that. Bear is best; bear paws are delicious."

"That's what Dazhu said."

“Alright, let’s go hunting, it’s been a long time.”

Upon hearing this, Zhang's father immediately perked up.

Zhou Chu looked at the tiger and bear in front of him and fell silent.

How could there be tigers near the capital?

"Did you two do this?"

Zhou Chu looked at Da Zhu and asked.

"I also called on some of my brothers from the Embroidered Uniform Guard for help, and my father set up a trap, otherwise we really wouldn't have been able to win."

Dazhu scratched his head and said.

Zhou Chu examined the tiger carcass in front of him carefully. He didn't know much about tigers, but he guessed that the tiger in front of him was most likely a South China tiger.

During the Ming and Qing dynasties, tigers were present in most areas, and some emperors even issued edicts to hunt and kill them.

It now appears that this record was not unfounded.

Zhou Chu didn't know what to do with the tiger skin. If he made it into a seat cushion, it would give off a bit of a mountain king vibe.

However, both tiger skin and bear skin were rare items in the capital, and many high-ranking officials and nobles coveted them.

"Find someone to process the tiger and bear skins."

Zhou Chu looked at Da Zhu and said.

The fur on tiger and bear skins is very tough and requires special treatment.

“My dad knows how to do it; it’s a family heirloom.”

Dazhu chuckled.

"Stew the bear paws, go to Zuixianlou and call my cousin and Chuliu over to have a taste. Oh, and send a bear paw to the Lu family."

Zhou Chu looked at Chunlan and said.

Chunlan nodded and began to systematically arrange for people to process the bear paws.

Since there are tigers, it's impossible to only eat bear paws. Every part of a tiger is valuable, so this is a feast.

"Send the tiger whip to Wenxin; I've noticed he's been feeling a bit weak these past few days."

Zhou Chu smiled.

Soon, Sun Qiang and Chu Liu arrived at the Zhou residence.

Sun Qiang was as calm and capable as ever, but on the sixth day of the lunar new year, he looked preoccupied.

"What? Something on your mind?"

Zhou Chu looked at Chu Liu and asked.

"Don't even mention it, that kid's recently fallen for a rich girl."

Sun Qiang laughed.

Upon hearing this, Chu Liu blushed deeply with embarrassment. Although he was a master at gambling, he was a complete novice when it came to love, with absolutely no experience.

"Is that so? Does that young lady like him?"

Upon hearing this, Zhou Chu immediately perked up.