Chapter 21 Trembling
That day, Song Zhimian finished her lessons with everyone, and the rest of the time was supposed to be for rest.
But today, Aunt Cui asked Master Yue to lead everyone on a tour of the inner palace.
This is a place we'll be visiting often in the future, so we'll definitely need to get to know it better.
We can't expect everyone to be unable to find the place when they need to go on business!
Today is the last time that the candidates for female official and female physician will attend class together.
Tomorrow, the candidates for female official and female physician will begin their classes separately.
Of course, they still live together.
The inner palace was very large, and like the other girls, Song Zhimian had not come out to explore since entering it.
Most people mainly stay in the Tian Shu Academy, Tian Quan Academy, and Tian Ji Academy, plus the main hall where classes are usually held...
Sixty-four girls, eight in a row, eight rows in total, all dressed the same, curiously observing everything they could see.
At each location, Master Yue would give a detailed introduction to everyone.
What is this place for? How many rooms are there? Who lives in it?
If I'm here on business, who should I look for, and which way should I go...?
Everyone listened very attentively.
"Auntie, why are there no trees in the inner palace?" a girl asked in a low voice.
"What do you need tree trunks for? To provide a hiding place for those with ill intentions?" Master Yue asked with a smile.
Everyone immediately understood.
Yes, the inner palace is so big. If we plant big trees there, wouldn't it be too easy for petty thieves to hide?
No wonder Aunt Cui told everyone this in the first lesson.
Behind almost every regulation of the Imperial Household Department lies a bloody story...
Master of Ceremonies Yue led everyone on a tour of the inner palace.
The inner palace is divided into a front courtyard and a rear courtyard.
The backyard is where everyone usually rests and lives, while the front yard is where errands are conducted.
"See those two abacuses over there? That's where the Inspection Department is located."
Everyone should know what the Inspection Department does; in the past, it investigated the accounts of the Six Ministries and merchants.
The current Censorate can also audit the accounts of the Imperial Household Department.
In short, you'd better pray that the Inspectorate doesn't come knocking on your door.
"Their coming to our door is definitely not a good thing!" Master Yue whispered to everyone.
Everyone had long heard of the prestigious reputation of the Censorate, and many of them even wanted to join it...
Even Song Zhimian glanced at the solemn courtyard of the Supervisory Department.
Other people's houses have lions guarding their gates on both sides.
The Censorate used two large abacuses to ward off evil spirits; it really made a difference...
After walking a while longer, we came across a house.
Unlike other courtyards, this one looks grand and imposing.
Instead of lions at the main entrance of the courtyard, there were two large golden caskets.
In addition, two gold ingots were hanging on the door...
"This must be the Merchant Guild!" Song Zhimian asked in a low voice.
Everyone felt the same way; anyone who could so blatantly flaunt their wealth must be a merchant guild that rakes in money for the royal family!
Master of Ceremonies Yue nodded with a smile.
"It is indeed the Merchant Guild! The Merchant Guild is in charge of the Imperial Household Department's commercial affairs and has its own caravans."
You'd better not let the merchants come knocking on your door.
When they come knocking on your door, they're definitely going to try and take money from your pockets.
"Remember that, stay far away!" Master Yue joked with a smile.
Everyone nodded vigorously.
Yes, the Merchant Guild really dares to take money from anyone's pocket. I heard that there used to be a female official in the Merchant Guild who even took money from His Majesty's private treasury.
As for those princes and nobles below, none of them escaped being swindled out of their money.
She didn't even spare her own family and her husband's family...
"What do you think those two large buckets are made of?" Master Yue suddenly asked.
"It's so big, it must be made of iron!"
"Yes, the iron is coated with a layer of gold leaf to make it look like gold."
"Well, the Merchant Guild is rich, maybe it's actually gold-plated silver inside, even if it's silver inside!"
...
Everyone was talking at once.
Song Zhimian peeked out and suddenly an idea popped into her head.
"Is this made of gold?" Song Zhimian blurted out instinctively.
Master of Ceremonies Yue nodded in satisfaction.
"Yes, they are made of gold! These are two large gold caskets that the lady of the Merchant Guild commissioned to be cast from overseas."
"To move these two golden caskets here, we almost had to tear down the main gate of the inner palace."
Everyone was dumbfounded.
It's so big, taller than a person, with two huge golden caskets displayed at the entrance of the trading company...
Regardless of the reasoning, it all conveys the same message: you're rich, so come and rob me if you dare...
"This...can I touch it?" the talkative, round-faced guy in the group asked in a low voice.
"Sure! Ten taels of silver for touching it!"
Don't go! This isn't a rule I set; it was a rule set by the former Minister of Commerce, and His Majesty agreed to it!
Seriously, you won't find a golden casket this big anywhere else. Come and touch it!
Before Master Yue could speak, the young yamen runner at the gate of the Merchant Guild immediately answered the question with a smile.
Upon hearing this, everyone immediately followed Master Yue without looking to the side...
They're not crazy; they'd be tempted to touch something worth ten taels of silver...
...
Seeing the bright and excited faces of the female officials and physician candidates, Yue Siyi was also pleased.
Once upon a time, she, like these girls, was also full of curiosity and longing to become a lady-in-waiting...
"alright……
"Greetings, Your Highness, Young Marquis!" Master Yue suddenly bowed and greeted the two young men approaching from a distance.
Upon seeing this, the others also bowed in greeting.
The two people approaching from a distance were Prince Zhao and Cai Boju, the young master of the Marquis of Wu'an's mansion...
The two men came to the Merchant Guild today specifically to urge the Northern Army to pay their wages.
"Although trade in the north was halted due to the war, and the two caravans of the Trading Company suffered losses, the Trading Company has a strong foundation."
"Three million taels should be easy to come up with!" Cai Boju didn't deliberately lower his voice.
"No matter how many merchants the company has, it's all up to them; it just depends on whether they want to take them or not."
The Bureau of Inspection hadn't finished reviewing and bringing over the accounts from the northern regions, so the Bureau of Commerce wouldn't be able to provide the silver.
If all else fails, I'll ask my father again tomorrow and have him urge the Censorate to take action.
"Exactly! Ye Yunshu from the Inspection Department is just... never mind, I don't want to talk about her anymore, such a rigid old woman!" Cai Boju's voice faded into the distance.
Everyone stood up only after the two of them had turned the corner.
Song Zhimian felt ice-cold all over her body, as if her blood had been frozen.
That young marquis's voice...
Isn't that the young general that the original owner overheard talking about the murder of his third uncle and aunt's family while laughing?
Even after so many days, Song Zhimian's body still trembled when she heard that voice...
"Lianqiao, what's wrong? Why is your forehead all sweaty?" Yue Siyi suddenly looked at a girl next to Song Zhimin.
Song Zhimian glanced to the side and saw that the girl's forehead was covered in large beads of sweat, and she seemed to be trembling.
His hands were clenched so tightly that his palms were almost bleeding...
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