After the Rebirth of the Red Chamber

Besides, when Shi Nai came down from court and arrived at the Yamen of the Ministry of Household Affairs, Hu Zhan and the other two Lang Zhong directly blocked him in the classroom with a stack of account books with worried faces.

"You guys... is there something wrong?" Shi Nai glanced at the account book in Hu Zhan's hand.

The three Langzhong looked at each other, and it was Hu Zhan who said, "Master, you should take a look at the account books." Then, he put the stack of account books in front of Shi Nai.

Shi Nai quickly flipped through the pages, and soon found the last book.

Recently, Wala in the north is about to move, the imperial court is preparing for war, and the money in the treasury is like running water. Isn't it just like the sage said, gouging Shi Nai's flesh?

And this last account book records the money spent on repairing armaments and preparing food and grass.

Shi Nai endured his distress, and flipped through the pages one by one, until he reached the last page, his eyes widened dreamily.

"Zhongqing, come and help me see how much money is left in the treasury?" His voice trembled a little, apparently in disbelief.

Hu Zhan had known him for a long time and had a certain understanding of him.Although the situation was rather difficult at this time, he still wanted to laugh when he thought of Shi Nai's state of mind at the moment.

But he held back, and said with a sad face: "My lord, don't worry about it, there are indeed only 23 taels of silver left in the treasury."

This is because under the leadership of Shi Nai, the officials from top to bottom of the household department have all explored the essence of "stingy".

For this reason, those grain merchants who have been cooperating with the Ministry of Households for a long time have secretly muttered: What happened to these grown-ups?Get some more rebates, isn't it delicious to buy meat?

In this regard, the two doctors in charge of procurement had a lot to say: It is indeed delicious to buy meat with kickbacks, but the cruelty of the immediate boss let us know that it is good to be alive.

Mr. Shi is actually very talkative, but the premise is not to talk about money.

——He will kill anyone who dares to covet his money.

The misfortune of the officials of the household department stems from the fact that since Shi Nai took charge of the household department, he has regarded the national treasury as his own responsibility.

He has made it very clear: Work hard, I will go to the saint to ask for rewards for you, don't try to trick the treasury.If anyone thinks his hands are long, feel free to stretch them out, I don't mind the hard work, so I'll chop them off for him!

It can be said that the officials of the household department respected and feared him, loved and hated him at the same time.There is also a saint who hates his teeth itching.

——What the hell, I want to take out a tael of silver from the national treasury, it's rare to be like the sky, you kid still let me take out money from the private treasury to reward your subordinates?

But no matter how much the sage hated him so much, he finally compromised.

Because, as soon as the word "money" was involved, Shi Nai immediately became more talkative than Zuodu Yushi.

It is conceivable that when Shi Nai saw the "Yu 23 taels" at the end of the account book, how heart-piercing he was.

But this is not the most important thing. Although he is stingy, he will not ignore national affairs.

The most important thing is: the treasury has already been emptied before the war started.The money needed in the follow-up will only be more than the pre-war preparations. Where do you ask him to get it?

"Does King Zhongjing know about this?"

The sixth prince sits in charge of the household department and is also responsible for the household department.

"This... Sixth Master already knows." Hu Zhan's face was a little ugly, and he said falteringly, "But, Sixth Master said... Sixth Master said..."

Shi Nai already understood, "He doesn't care?"

He knew how cruel the sixth prince was to the courtiers after he ascended the throne, and how unwilling he was to offend people when he was a prince.This is probably because it was suppressed hard in the early stage, and it will be particularly serious when it explodes later.

Sure enough, Hu Zhan nodded, a little aggrieved on Shi Nai's behalf, "The sixth master said that the household department is now in the hands of the adults, and it is not good for him to do it for him."

It sounds so good, but no one can hear it, isn't it because they don't want to take this responsibility?

Shi Nai sighed.

The three of Hu Zhan followed in silence, not knowing what to do.

After a long time, Shi Nai suddenly asked, "I remember that there are still three boxes in the treasury."

Hu Zhan was taken aback, and asked hesitantly: "My lord said, but those three who pretended to be IOUs?"

"Correct."

"My lord, you can't do it!" A Langzhong surnamed Liang hurriedly stopped, "It's filled with civil and military IOUs from the Manchu Dynasty, not from one family or two."

—Don’t they know how many boxes of IOUs there are?Doesn't the sixth prince know?

They all knew it, but they were just pretending to be confused.

Because there are too many people involved in this matter, and no one dares to lift the cover, for fear of being unable to cover it.

Shi Nai originally didn't intend to put this matter on the agenda so early.But, isn't there no way out?

"You said, besides this road, is there any other way for us to go?"

"This..." The three were speechless.

Another doctor surnamed Jin said: "Why don't you discuss it with Liu Ye?"

This sentence, Jin Langzhong himself said very hesitantly and without confidence.Obviously, after working together for many years, he is also very clear about the virtues of the sixth prince.

Shi Nai glanced at him and nodded, "I'll go and ask."

Hu Zhan also said: "It's okay to ask, so as not to make a fuss in the end..." Regardless of whether it was successful or not, he was beaten up, saying that they didn't support him in the first place.

Some things don't need to be finished, everyone tacitly.

As expected by the few of them, discussing with the sixth prince is really a process of seeking.The sixth prince still said the same thing: "Now the household department is in charge of Mr. Shi, so you don't have to ask me about this matter."

When Shi Nai heard this sentence, he lowered his eyes and smiled, turned around and left the sixth prince's classroom, and asked Hu Zhan to find someone to carry the three boxes of IOUs, while he himself took the last account book and went directly to Qianqing Palace.

******

Here in Qianqing Palace, the sage seldom has time, watching his grandson finish his homework, the grandparent and grandson are getting together to complain about Shi Nai, when he heard Dai Quan come to report: "Sage, Mr. Shi is asking to see you."

"Hey, it's about Cao Cao, Cao Cao is coming." The saint coughed a little guilty, and asked, "Did he say what it is?"

Dai Quan said: "Master Shi said that it's about front-line armaments."

When he heard that it was related to the war, the sage didn't dare to delay, and hurriedly said: "Send him in."

Shi Nai asked Dai Quan to find some young eunuchs to help him carry the three boxes in.

"My humble minister, Shi Nai, meet the sage, and pay homage to His Royal Highness the Grandson."

Tu Xun hurriedly said: "Master Shi, excuse me."

The saint slightly raised his hand, "Get up and talk."

"Thank you saint, thank you grandson."

The sage looked at the three boxes and asked suspiciously, "Shi Qing, what are those?"

Shi Nai said: "Report to the sage, this is the only tael of silver left in the treasury. Please take a look at the sage."

The saint laughed and said, "What kind of medicine can you sell in this gourd?"

Shi Nai said, "A sage knows it at a glance."

"That's all right," the saint told Dai Quan, "open the box."

"Here." Dai Quan stepped forward and opened the three boxes one by one.

The sage saw that there were three boxes of paper with words on them, and he couldn't help but wondered, "Didn't you mean silver?"

Shi Nai said: "There is no money, only IOUs."

The sage was startled for a moment, but he understood in a blink of an eye, and asked solemnly, "Tell me the truth, how much silver is left in the treasury?"

"23 taels."

Thinking of the upcoming war in northern Xinjiang, the saint became angry, "Why don't you save some money?"

Shi Nai raised his head slightly, glanced at the sage, then lowered his eyes again, "Reporting to the sage, I have tried my best to save."

——Since he took charge of the household department, he has not asked anyone to lend out a penny.

These, the sage actually understood in his heart, he was just complaining.

After complaining, the problem still needs to be solved.

The sage looked at the three boxes of IOUs, frowned and asked Shi Nai, "Are you trying to... recover the debt?"

Shi Nai said categorically, "It's only natural to pay off debts!"

The sage stared at him for a long time before slowly opening his mouth: "It has been more than 20 years since the first money in the treasury was lent out. For more than 20 years, only people have said to borrow money, but no one It was brought back. Shi Qing, do you know why this is?"

Shi Nai's tone was straightforward, "I know."

"You still insist on collecting the debt?"

Shi Nai finally raised his head and looked directly at Tianyan regardless of etiquette.He said seriously: "Sages, soldiers in northern Xinjiang, cannot fight on an empty stomach. Apart from this, I have no other way."

The sage looked up to the sky and sighed, and asked again: "You know, many times, even the Son of Heaven has a lot of involuntary things."

What the sage said was not cryptic, so Shi Nai naturally understood.

——If you really offend everyone, I can't keep you.

Shi Nai laughed and said, "Saint, don't worry, if there is any disagreement, I will go home and farm by myself."

A heart full of fists made the saint feel a little embarrassed.He felt that such a courtier needed to be rewarded in order to be worthy of his little conscience left.

"Decree, from now on, promote Shi Nai, the left servant of the household department, to be the secretary of the household department."

"My humble minister, Shi Nai, take the decree to thank you."

Shi Nai left with a mission, and the grandson was full of confusion, "Grandfather, is what Master Shi is about to do dangerous?"

The saint took a deep breath and patted his grandson's head, "It's more than dangerous!"

Taisun asked again: "Will Master Shi be assassinated again?"

He also heard about Shi Nai's assassination in the palace last time, and it was Uncle Qi who did it.

"It's much more dangerous than being assassinated."

Assassination is a clear spear, but the dark tide in the court is turbulent, but it is a hidden arrow, which is hard to guard against.

The grandson didn't understand even more, "Then why does Mr. Shi still beg to do it?"

The sage did not answer directly, but instead asked his grandson, "Where did you read your history books?"

Taisun replied: "Recently I am studying the history of Qin and Han Dynasties."

"Shang Yang Reform, have you read it?"

"I have read it." In order to prove that he had indeed read it, Taisun also uttered one of the idioms, "Shang Yang established a trustworthy tree and established the prestige of the Qin court."

"What's the end of Shang Yang?"

Grandson was silent for a moment, then said, "Grandson thinks that he shouldn't end up like that."

"No," the saint laughed, "that's how he should end up."

"why?"

"Why? Because Shang Yang is not dead, Qin's new law will be dead." Only when Shang Yang died can the public anger be appeased and King Huiwen have a chance to breathe.

"Hey, when Shang Yang decided to change the law, he might have foreseen his own end. But he still did it. Tell me, why is that?"

Taisun was full of confusion.

The saint lovingly rubbed his confused little face, and said affectionately, "There is no hurry, just think about it slowly, and when you understand it, come and tell the emperor."