Chapter 61 Granary Audit
Prince Qi has actually been very busy these days. In addition to the wedding, he also has to deal with the autumn harvest, food and medicinal material reserves, as well as the arrangements for supplies to the Northeast Army base next month, all of which require his review and approval.
Gu Youan also understood that he could let his subordinates handle the matter, but Prince Qi himself needed to know the situation. Gu Youan asked him, "Why did you come here today to tell me this?"
“I hope you can participate in these things.”
Gu Youan raised his eyebrows: "Leave it to me from now on?"
Prince Qi nodded.
He believed that she was willing and able to arrange these matters. Once she became familiar with these affairs and took over completely, starting next year, his focus would be entirely on the garrisons throughout the northern border.
The northern border is too important, and he doesn't trust that kid Zhou Xuan.
Gu Youan nodded thoughtfully: "Account book..."
"The account books for Songjiang City are ready. It's not convenient to send them to the neighboring village. You need to go to the Songjiang City government office to check them."
"Okay, I'll go to Songjiang Castle tomorrow."
"Today, come back with me later."
Gu Youan was not a person who procrastinated, so he nodded and agreed without hesitation.
Gu Wenqing finally got rid of Xu Zhi who was in the way, and asked someone to make tea and bring it over. Before he even entered the door, he saw the two of them coming out side by side.
"Your Highness Prince Qi, An An, where are you going?"
"Go back to Songjiang City."
Gu Wenqing thought Prince Qi was about to leave, so he quickly said with a smile, "I'll see His Highness Prince Qi out."
Prince Qi flicked his sleeves and said leisurely, "No need, An An will accompany me back."
An An? Gu Wenqing turned to look at his sister. An An accompanied Prince Qi back to Songjiang City? His parents would probably scold him to death.
Gu Youan said, "Brother, I have something to do in the city. I'll tell my parents in person later."
Gu Youan really had something to do, and Gu Wen and the Du couple no longer wanted to agree. However, for the sake of their daughter's future, they had to agree without caring about the gossip of outsiders.
Madam Du sent her daughter out and whispered, "According to the rules, men and women shouldn't meet before the wedding. It's okay that Prince Qi is here today, but when you return to the city, you'll live with us and you won't have to meet Prince Qi again. Do you understand?"
"Yeah, I know."
Mrs. Du was still worried, so in addition to Xiaoju, who served her daughter personally, she also sent Mrs. Wei and Mrs. Zhang to serve her daughter, and asked them to keep a close eye on her.
Prince Qi stood aside politely, waiting until the Gu family members had finished their instructions and their words, and his fiancée got on the carriage. Only then did he get on his horse and stand guard beside the carriage.
Prince Qi, sitting on his horse, bowed and said, "Master Gu, Madam Du, I bid you farewell."
"Your Highness, take care."
Watching Prince Qi take her daughter away, even though the wedding day hadn't even arrived, Du felt unhappy.
Gu Wen patted her shoulder and advised, "The children have grown up and each of them has their own future. As parents, we will always face this day."
"Daddy, I won't leave."
A Xuan, who wanted to go with her sister just now, did not leave. Now she stared at her sister's carriage going away, then turned around and acted nice to her parents again.
Mrs. Du looked down at her little daughter and smiled, "I can see you're not one to stay still. When you grow up, you might even be able to run faster than your sister."
A Xuan snorted softly. Anyway, she wouldn't run now. Oh, she couldn't go anywhere.
Disturbed by her little daughter, Mrs. Du had no time to worry. She said, "We agreed to invite the Tian and Zhang families to dinner tonight. Wang Quan, go and treat them later."
"Hey, I've made a note of it."
Gu Wen accompanied his wife into the house and said as they walked, "Da Lang and An An are getting married next month. Although their uncle is far away in Yizhou Prefecture and can't come, we should still send a letter to him."
"That's right. Write a letter and have it delivered."
The first purpose of sending the letter was to inform the Du family that their children had married. Secondly, An An had become the Princess of Qi. After the Du family learned of this news, if they had other plans, they would come earlier next year.
Gu Wenqing turned around and looked at the door lintel of the Gu family. A trace of shame rose in his heart. He was an unworthy brother, and the Gu family was supported by his father and sister until now.
Songjiang City.
Prince Qi was very busy, so he personally sent Gu Youan to Minren Lane and went on with his business, saving Sisters Wei and Zhang the trouble.
Prince Qi left, and half a minute later many servants from Prince Qi's mansion came to the Gu family, including maids, housemaids, servants, boys, guards, etc. These were almost the staff provided for the princess.
The chief eunuch Liu Ling came here today specifically to send someone over, and also to meet the future mistress.
Liu Ling's legs and feet were not very flexible, so Liu Zhongqin helped his godfather Liu Ling into the house.
Seeing this, Gu Youan hurriedly said, "Since you're not feeling well, you should have asked Liu Zhong to handle it. Why did you come here in person?"
Liu Ling held his godson's hand and walked in slowly, saying with a smile, "This old servant pays his respects to the master. May the master be blessed with good fortune."
After paying his respects, Liu Ling said, "Liu Zhong doesn't know as much about the affairs of the palace as an old man like me. Since the prince asked me to come here in person to see him off, he must want me to explain everything to you."
"I see. Thanks for the trip."
Gu Youan asked him to sit down and asked someone to bring tea.
"Thank you, Master, for the seat."
Liu Ling slowly sat down, took a breath, and handed over the list in his arms. He then said, "Master, you don't know that our Prince Qi's Mansion has been in Songjiang City for some time. Over the years, the servants in the mansion have grown old, sick, and died. The population has increased and decreased, but most of them are the ones who followed us from Luoyang. There are not many new servants."
Gu Youan opened the list. This list was more detailed than the one Liu Zhong had handed her some days ago. In addition to the position of each person, the relationship with the in-laws and old friends was also written on the back. Some managers in the palace followed the relationship to trace up and found cousins, and some even worked in the palace.
Gu Youan didn't find it strange to see this. The royal family's descendants of servants were like local officials. Their masters changed again and again, but they remained, multiplying and thriving.
Liu Ling laughed and said, "These people are not like old slaves who have no roots and no one to rely on except their masters. They call themselves slaves, but their inner thoughts are uncertain. Unfortunately, the masters sometimes need them, but they can't just send them away."
"Is there such a thing as this among the slaves who were sent here?"
"There are a few capable old ghosts like this among us. Those sent to serve you are simpler. For example, the first-class maid Zhang Xiaoyue I've chosen for you was exiled from my grandfather's generation. Before her exile, she was just a constable of low birth. Now, she only has a brother who is a captain in the city defense army, and her family is simple."
Gu Youan flipped through another list and found Zhang Xiaoyue's name, the same as Liu Ling had mentioned. Then he looked at the first-class guard assigned to her, Li Xian. He was selected through military officers in Songjiang City and was not a family-born servant. He had no connections behind him and was simple.
Liu Ling: "Maidens and guards are fine, but the one who manages your warehouse can't be a poor judge of character, so I've chosen a daughter-in-law from the Zheng family for you. The Zheng family's daughter-in-law's surname is Meng. She was originally a maid who came with the late queen, and later married a steward named Zheng. People call her Zheng's daughter-in-law."
Gu Youan hummed and said, "That's very thoughtful. Since she's close to the late queen, she must have a sharp eye. There's no way anything will go wrong if she's in charge of the warehouse."
Liu Ling nodded with a smile: "Zheng's second daughter-in-law is a dutiful person. The Meng family has come to Songjiang City every year over the years, and Zheng's second daughter-in-law has never secretly met with anyone from the Meng family. She is a reliable person."
People say that an old man in the family is like a treasure. Liu Ling, an old eunuch who has spent most of his life in the palace, has a lot on his mind. He knows everything about the origins and personalities of the old people in Prince Qi's mansion and the servants sent to her.
What Liu Ling told her today was much more profound than what she had seen in the booklet a few days ago, and more complete than what Liu Zhong told her.
Liu Ling spoke for two hours as soon as he sat down, and only drank a cup of tea to moisten his mouth. Gu Youan understood that he was not in good health and did not keep him for long. He just asked him to go back first and invite him to come and sit for a while in two days.
Liu Ling said, "No hurry. Everyone is outside right now. Why not invite them in so you can meet them?"
"Okay."
Seeing his master nod, Liu Zhong lowered his head and went out to pass on the message.
After a while, Liu Zhong came to report outside the door: "Master, the maids, wives and mothers are here to pay their respects."
"Enter!"
Xiaoyue, the head maid, and Zheng Er's wife, the housekeeper, each led a group of people in to kowtow. After they finished kowtowing, they announced their names one by one, and Gu Youan remembered them all in his mind.
After meeting the maids and old women, he summoned the guards. The leading first-class guard Li Xian brought the guards in to pay their respects. Gu Youan looked at all the guards.
"Eunuch Liu."
"Our home is here."
Gu Youan asked, "Are there any female guards in the mansion?"
"In the past, there was no female master in the mansion, and no female guards were specially trained. There are several women with good skills in the mansion, and they are responsible for other tasks. If the master needs them, I will go back and select a female guard."
Gu Youan hummed, "Choose first, and I'll give you a list later. Add them all to the palace guards."
Liu Ling was very smart and knew who she was talking about. She nodded and took note of it.
All the necessary staff are now in place, and it's time for her to start handling all the tasks that need her help.
The next day, Gu Youan took the carriage ordered by the princess to the west street where the government office of Songjiang City was located. He was surrounded by guards and servants, and looked very imposing.
The warehouse where the account books were stored was not far from the Agricultural Affairs Office. Gu Wen rode on horseback from the neighboring mountain village to the office early in the morning to report for duty. As soon as he registered his name, several colleagues surrounded him.
"Master Gu, your general just passed by our government office. He was so impressive and majestic!"
"Oh, is that the carriage frame of Princess Qi? I thought so. Prince Qi never used to display such a grand ceremony in the city. Apart from Prince Qi, I can't think of any other family with such a grand background."
"Master Gu, congratulations."
"When will we have the wedding banquet for Master Gu's daughter?"
A group of colleagues surrounded Gu Wen, who simply smiled and said, "The date is set for October 8th. I'll invite everyone to my home for a drink then."
"Okay, then we have a deal."
The bronze bell outside the door rang three times, and it was time to take up duty. Everyone chatted for a while and then dispersed to do their own work.
Gu Wen whispered to Chen Chang to go outside and take a look, and come back to report later.
Chen Chang quietly went out and ran back half a minute later. He found a chance to report, "It's our young lady. The gatekeeper said that our young lady came early this morning. Zhou Changshi from the palace is with her, looking over the grain account books for the past two years."
Chen Chang showed his delight: "Our young lady is already in charge of these matters before she even enters the palace. This shows how much the prince values our young lady."
"Well, we just need to keep these things to ourselves. Don't tell others about it, lest they say we are frivolous."
"Don't worry, Master. I know my limits."
The Gu family knew their limits. At this moment, Zhou Chen, who was standing by and accompanying the future princess to look at the account books, regretted that he had lost his sense of proportion before.
In the end, he underestimated her. Who could have known that the little girl who was exiled a few years ago and almost died at the hands of robbers could now mercilessly scold him for doing things inappropriately?
Gu Youan frowned slightly. "Fortunately, the general ledger is correct. I won't pursue the minor omissions in the sub-accounts. I'll go to the granary this afternoon to check if the account books match the grain."
Zhou Changshi hurriedly said, "Master, don't worry. The military rations are of great importance. No one dares to play tricks."
Gu Youan didn't believe what he said, she only believed herself.
The audit lasted until noon. In the afternoon, the princess drove out of the city and went to the granary in the western suburbs. The officials and handymen from top to bottom of the granary lined up in an orderly manner and knelt to welcome her.
Gu Youan got off the carriage, looked around, and said to the head maid Xiaoyue, "Take the others to check the account books, I'll go check the granary."
"I obey your orders."
Zhang Xiaoyue was the maid who was sent to Gu Youan yesterday. She was tested this morning. She is smart and careful, and knows how to use account books, so she will be in charge of reconciling the accounts today.
Gu Youan went to the granary without any nonsense. The eunuch Liu Zhong hurried to follow him, and Zhou Chen and the granary manager also hurried forward to accompany him.
If a daughter-in-law, not yet married, meddled in her husband's household affairs, she would be laughed at. Gu Youan, however, was different. She rode in the princess's carriage, accompanied by servants and guards appointed by the princess. When she returned home in the evening, Prince Qi would personally greet her.
As soon as the two met, Prince Qi smiled and bowed, saying, "Thank you for your hard work, Princess. I thank you and pay my respects to you."
Gu Youan smiled and snorted, "Go away and don't block the way."
"It's my fault, Princess, please come in." Prince Qi hurriedly made way.
Gu Youan couldn't help laughing. He held Xiaoju's hand and walked into the carriage. After they sat down, she opened the curtains and smiled at him, "My father is back in the city today and will be waiting for me at home. I'm leaving first. You should go back early after you finish your business."
Prince Qi nodded with a smile.
After the princess's motorcade left, the smile on Prince Qi's face gradually faded.
Zhou Chen knelt before Prince Qi and pleaded guilty: "About 10% of the grain in the granary was inferior and passed off as good grain. It was my negligence that allowed someone to take advantage of it. Please punish me, Your Highness."
Someone wanted to tamper with the military rations account books, but just as they started, they ran into Gu Youan who was checking the accounts. Gu Youan didn't know the inside story and just let it go.
In the afternoon, he checked the account books of the granary. There was nothing wrong with the account books, but the grain in the warehouse had been replaced with inferior grains, and a lot of good grain had been replaced. As soon as he found out, Gu Youan asked the guards to report to King Qi, and King Qi rushed over.
Prince Qi remained silent for a long time. Zhou Chen felt anxious and wanted to defend himself, but he couldn't find the words to begin.
"Zhou Chen."
"I'm here." Zhou Chen slammed his forehead to the ground.
Half of Prince Qi's handsome face was facing the beautiful sunset, and the other half was hidden in the shadows.
Zhou Chen, who knelt on the ground and didn't dare to raise his head, only heard his master's voice, which was piercingly cold: "This king orders you to investigate this matter thoroughly within two days. If anything goes wrong again, you know the consequences."
Zhou Chen kowtowed and promised, "I guarantee with my life that the food that was exchanged will be recovered, and no one involved will be able to escape."
King Qi sneered, what is Zhou Chen's life worth?
Prince Qi turned around and ordered, "Xu Zhi, keep an eye on this matter."
"yes."
Prince Qi rode away on horseback.
Xu Zhi looked at Zhou Chen, who was lying limply on the ground and unable to get up, with sympathy. Tsk tsk, that's what he said, this old guy Zhou Chen has had too many good days and takes himself too seriously.
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