"Where is the grain?" Xiao Yue asked.
"It's in Beicang. Come on, I'll show you around!"
After saying this, Qin Chuan led the three out of the national treasury and then headed to the North Granary.
The capital city had two granaries: the North Granary and the South Granary. They were built by Emperor Taizu Gao and continuously repaired and improved by later generations. They were mainly used to store grain in years of plenty and to distribute grain in years of famine to save the people.
However, Emperor Jing later changed the system and adopted a "tax silver law" similar to the Single Whip Law to replace the previous grain payment system. From then on, the people no longer had to send grain to the government, but instead paid silver directly.
The drawbacks of the "Tax and Silver Law" soon became apparent. In years of famine, the state failed to stockpile grain, which was instead speculated on and sold or hidden by wealthy landowners, leading to the starvation of millions of people.
Kitakura was located outside the palace grounds.
It was already night.
At least two or three hundred Imperial Guards were seen moving about in the streets and alleys.
"His Majesty is traveling! No one else may enter!"
The yamen runners in the capital, banging their clappers, worked with the Imperial Guards to clear the road the Empress needed to travel.
A large procession of eunuchs and palace maids led the way with lanterns, and the luxurious royal carriages with their canopies slowly drove through the streets, followed by the imperial carriages of the Grand Preceptor's residence. Then, Yun and Yue followed on horseback...
Before long, we arrived at Beicang.
The Empress, helped down from the carriage by palace maids, walked to Qin Chuan's side and asked, "This North Granary is practically abandoned, with only a few old granary supervisors looking after it. When did you buy the grain and put it here?"
Qin Chuan naturally used the system to complete the task, and he spent all his modern money, plus one million taels of silver, to purchase 1 million shi of grain and another 1 million shi of sand, filling the entire Beicang warehouse.
"Your Majesty, you don't need to ask. Perhaps they are right. I am indeed a monster, with some ability to turn beans into soldiers." Qin Chuan intended to gloss over the matter and did not want to explain.
Upon hearing this, the Empress's phoenix eyes blazed, "Creating soldiers from beans? You're not an immortal!"
Qin Chuan decided to stop pretending and confessed: "Your Majesty, I am actually a transmigrator, I am practically an immortal, and I also have a system with me..."
"A time traveler?"
The Empress blinked her phoenix eyes, then chuckled. "I have no idea what you're talking about... Fine, since you don't want to explain, I won't force you. Tell me, how much grain have you stockpiled here?"
"The grain was 1 million shi, but after being mixed with sand, it became 2 million shi."
After Qin Chuan finished speaking, Yun and Yue came to his side, and the four of them walked into the granary together.
After entering the sack, Xiao Yue seemed a little uneasy. She even inserted a sampler into the sack until the sampler was indeed filled with rice grains mixed with sand, at which point she showed a look of shock.
"I didn't expect the Imperial Advisor to actually manage to obtain so much grain. It seems I really underestimated him; he truly possesses extraordinary abilities..."
Thinking of this, Xiao Yue glanced at Qin Chuan silently, her eyes filled with respect.
"Xiao Yun, tonight you must send more men to guard the North Granary well." The Empress issued the decree. "After court tomorrow, I will issue an edict to let Zhang Xun and Li Yunrui, those two good-for-nothings, redeem themselves through meritorious service. Now that we lack nothing, if they still fail to handle the disaster relief properly, I will exterminate their entire families!"
Xiao Yun accepted the order and left.
The Empress then said to Xiao Yue, "Xiao Yue, go back to the Dali Temple and continue investigating evidence of corruption among officials. Confiscate every piece of evidence you find! Especially that old fox, Right Chancellor Li Zongmin, don't let him get away with it!"
"Yes, Your Majesty."
Xiao Yue also led her people back to Dali Temple.
With Qin Chuan left, the Empress narrowed her phoenix eyes and smiled deliberately, saying, "Qin Chuan, you have really helped me a lot. Come with me back to the palace. I will have the imperial kitchen prepare some delicious food, and I will personally accompany you for a meal!"
After saying that, before Qin Chuan could react, she pulled him into the royal carriage.
"No... Your Majesty... No..."
Qin Chuan boarded the carriage, inhaling the faint fragrance emanating from the Empress's elegant and beautiful body. He almost forgot the most crucial matter for a moment, then suddenly slapped his forehead to remember.
"Your Majesty... well, about the money, shall we talk about it?"
"Oh, you mean the salary? No problem, no problem. How about I give you four thousand a month?" The Empress blinked her phoenix eyes and said with a smile.
"No, Your Majesty, it's not this money; I spent money to buy grain..."
Before Qin Chuan could finish speaking, the Empress interrupted him again:
"I know four thousand is indeed a bit too little. How about I give you five thousand?"
The Empress extended five slender, jade-like fingers, as white as scallions.
"No, Your Majesty, it's not this money..."
Qin Chuan was on the verge of tears. "I spent so much money buying grain, aren't you going to give it back to me?"
"Ah, I know! I know! Five thousand taels a month is indeed not much. You also have to support a group of servants in the Imperial Preceptor's mansion. Oh, and you have a wife, right? Five thousand taels is indeed a bit tight to support your wife and family. How about this? I'll give you an extra five thousand two hundred taels."
Just as Qin Chuan was about to speak, the Empress said again, "I really can't add any more! You know my treasury is really short of money, so please don't make things difficult for me..."
"Your Majesty, I..."
Qin Chuan felt like he was about to have a stroke. How could you, the emperor, not give others a chance to speak?
I've spent so much money, equivalent to two million taels of silver, and you're not going to pay me back?!
Is spending a meal with someone in person considered repaying the debt?
This is absolutely outrageous!
I don't want to be the imperial advisor anymore, it's such a huge loss!
The Empress patted Qin Chuan on the shoulder with a smile and coaxed, "Alright, alright, you'll have a good meal with me later, so don't say anything!"
Qin Chuan slumped against the soft backrest, seemingly paralyzed, his eyes vacant, muttering, "My money, my money..."
The Empress turned her head to the side, her phoenix eyes gleaming, her red lips curving into a smile, almost bursting into laughter.
He thought to himself: "I'm so anxious for him, so anxious for him!"
How interesting! It's not like I'm not going to pay him back... How come he's such a miser, just like me!
...
The Imperial Palace, the Imperial Kitchen.
A large table of delicacies was laid out on the table. The Empress summoned two stunningly beautiful palace maids to serve Qin Chuan, serving him food and massaging his shoulders.
Seeing Qin Chuan's listless appearance, the Empress smiled and said, "Eat! Why aren't you eating? Don't you like it?"
"Someone, get another table!"
At the Empress's command, all the dishes on the table were immediately cleared away and replaced with another.
The Empress ate with great relish, while Qin Chuan ate as if he had lost his parents.
...
The next day, Qin Chuan asked for leave and did not attend court, which the Empress granted.
The next day, Qin Chuan asked for leave and did not attend court, which the Empress granted.
On the third day, Qin Chuan asked for leave and did not attend court. The Empress remained silent, and then granted his request.
...
On the seventh day, Qin Chuan asked for leave and did not attend court.
Empress: ...
After the court session, the Empress summoned Xiao Yue.
"Xiao Yue, the Imperial Preceptor has failed to attend court for seven consecutive days. Go and summon him to the Imperial Study. I don't know if he has suffered some injustice, or if my salary is too low. In any case, go and summon him..."
Xiao Yue hesitated, as if she wanted to say something but then stopped herself.
You're the one who made him angry, why do I have to go and call him?
However, after thinking about it, he realized that there were some matters in the court that needed to be resolved by him, so he went to the Imperial Preceptor's residence.
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