No one outside the Zhōu family knew the details of their internal affairs, but Minister Zhōu’s face, dark as a charred pot, was enough to make anyone shudder. Many officials wisely steered clear of him, lest they be used as cannon fodder.
The more he thought about it, the more miserable Minister Zhōu felt. He was currently regretting his actions so deeply his intestines were turning green. He had been so shortsighted before, dismissing maritime trade as nothing more than a waste of silver. Now, he felt a burning, stinging pain across his face, and his rebellious son back home refused to listen to reason. This only made the Minister’s frustration mount. Several officials at the Ministry of Revenue had already been berated by him today; he admitted he was venting his anger, but he truly felt he had no other choice, as he was hovering on the very edge of an outburst.
"Director Liú, unless this is a matter of the utmost urgency, I suggest you avoid Lord Zhōu for now. He is currently in a towering rage; you are likely to get scolded if you go over there," a junior clerk kindly warned.
Chapter 659