“I am acting on the orders of the Princess.”
Shen Jintang's voice was cold and hard as he pushed the token forward. The gilded cloud pattern gleamed coldly in the rain, clearly indicating that it was the Princess's personal order.
The copper bells on the eaves were suddenly struck by a gust of wind, their clear sound echoing in the rain.
Shen Jintang saw the guard's Adam's apple bobbing and fine beads of sweat appearing on the back of his neck, clearly showing his guilt and helplessness.
"So it's Lord Siyan, please come in." The man lowered his head, his attitude instantly becoming humble.
Shen Jintang retrieved the token and strode into the yamen.
Passing through the triple hanging flower gate, the air was filled with the musty smell of old ink sticks, making one feel somewhat oppressed.
Zheng Huai'an, the Right Vice Minister of the Ministry of Revenue, was already waiting under the eaves, his round face beaming with a fawning smile. He quickly stepped forward and said, "Lord Siyan, I have prepared tea and snacks. You must be tired from your journey. Why don't you rest your feet and have a cup of tea to soothe your throat?"
"Let me see the payment records for last month's grain transport."
Shen Jintang stepped straight across the threshold. As his crimson official robe swept across the threshold, a jade clasp tapped crisply against the door frame, making a clear sound.
Zheng Shilang's eyes darkened, but he quickly apologized, "Yes, Lord Siyan, please wait a moment. I will send someone to fetch it right away."
As he spoke, Minister Zheng gave a wink to the servant behind him, who understood and hurriedly withdrew.
Shen Jintang narrowed his eyes, noticing the Pixiu pattern embroidered in gold thread on Minister Zheng's sleeve, which gleamed with an eerie blue light in the shadows.
A vice minister's monthly salary is only ten taels of silver. Where would he get the money to afford such a gold-embroidered dress?
However, Shen Jintang did not alert the enemy and suppressed his doubts for the time being.
The storeroom was filled with cobwebs and dust. Zheng Huai'an personally brought over a stack of account books and placed them in front of Shen Jintang, his face still beaming with a smile: "Lord Siyan, the account books you requested are all here."
Shen Jintang's fingertips had just touched the paper when she suddenly stopped.
The ink on the two characters "漕运" (Grain Transport) on the cover was still wet, yet it smudged onto her fingertips.
She glanced up at the corner and indeed caught sight of a half-square of newly cut Xuan paper, which aroused some doubt in her heart.
"Is this a newly copied ledger?"
She tossed the booklet onto the table with a soft thud.
"You jest, sir."
Zheng Huai'an's face twitched, and he forced a smile, "Perhaps the heavy rain the other day caused the ink to smudge a bit..."
They're treating her like a fool!
Shen Jintang gave him a cold look for a few seconds, then picked up another book.
"Is this the treasury ledger from the twenty-third year of the Tianshun reign?"
She stared at the incomplete vermilion seal on the cover, her brows furrowed. "Why are the last three volumes missing?"
"The fire two years ago destroyed some old documents."
Zheng Huai'an took out a handkerchief to wipe his sweat, and suddenly a gold melon seed slipped out of his sleeve, rolling into the crack of the blue bricks with a clinking sound. His expression changed slightly.
He suddenly raised his voice: "Wang, the clerk! Hurry up and take some men to search again!"
Shen Jintang coldly watched as several military advisors from the granary ran towards the west wing, their shoes covered in fresh yellow mud, which was extremely unusual.
The rain intensified, falling densely like a beaded curtain.
Shen Jintang stood under the eaves, gazing at the crabapple tree in the courtyard.
The fallen double-petaled flowers were stuck in the mud, washed and disheveled by the rain, looking like blood-stained silver ingots, a shocking sight.
Zheng Huai'an chased after him, carrying a freshly brewed cup of Junshan Silver Needle tea. The tea steamed in the rain and mist, its white wisps resembling snakes' tongues. He smiled ingratiatingly and said, "Why trouble yourself, sir? These trivial matters can be left to the servants. Look at this tea, it's still warm..."
"Minister Zheng".
Shen Jintang suddenly turned around, her gaze sharp, startling the other person so much that they staggered back half a step. "Please send the salt tax from the three provinces that were verified today to the Princess's residence at Chenshi (7-9 AM) tomorrow."
Shen Jintang dug his fingertips into his palm to suppress the cold laugh rising in his throat.
The so-called original ledgers taken away by the Transport Office had clearly visible sealing wax on the covers and a waxy sheen, making them obviously fake ledgers that had just been made.
"yes."
Minister Zheng was very respectful to Shen Jintang, but after she left, he immediately spat on the ground: "What is that?!"
As the sound of the evening drum pierced through the rain curtain, Shen Jintang stood outside the Ministry of Revenue and looked back.
The eaves and ridge beasts transformed into ghostly shadows in the dark clouds. Two sweeping servants were scooping up water from the corridor with wooden ladles, splashing it onto the blue brick floor with a splash. In the blink of an eye, the traces of "Twenty-third Year of Tianshun" written in cinnabar were washed away, as if to wash away those unknown secrets along with it.
Shen Jintang lightly lifted her lotus-like steps, boarded the carriage, and uttered two words indifferently: "Let's go."
The carriage moved slowly along Zhuque Avenue, its wheels making a dull thud as they rolled over the stone pavement.
Shen Jintang closed his eyes to rest, but his heart was in turmoil and he could not calm down.
She knew all too well that the loss of silver from the Ministry of Revenue was far more complicated than she had imagined.
The Ministry of Revenue was so lax that even when someone came to investigate, they remained unperturbed.
All the clues are out in the open; there's no need to pretend anymore.
Zheng Huai'an was just a minor official, yet he dared to openly tamper with things in front of her, showing no fear whatsoever of the princess behind her.
This is enough to show that he must have a powerful force supporting him, and it is even possible that he is targeting the eldest princess.
Shen Jintang tapped her fingers lightly on her knees, recalling the letter Xing Hui had brought back from the Grand Tutor's mansion.
The letter mentioned that the rebellion in Youzhou was inextricably linked to the Ministry of Revenue's embezzlement of silver.
Now, a large amount of silver from the Ministry of Revenue has been lost, and its whereabouts are a mystery. But who exactly misappropriated so much silver?
She lowered her eyes, lost in thought, feeling as if she had missed some crucial clue.
"Master, where are we going now?" Liu Huo's voice came from outside the carriage.
"Go to Baichuan Academy." Shen Jintang opened her eyes slightly, a hint of determination in her gaze.
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