xymnovel Chapter 21 Learning requires paying tuition.
Chapter 21 Learning requires paying tuition.
With Shen Ce's guidance, the two clerks calculated quickly, and in less than half an hour, they had completed the verification of all the budgets submitted by the family temple.
Upon receiving the final results, Wan Jigang glanced at the documents they had submitted and then bowed to Shen Ce, reporting, "Registrar Shen, I have completed my verification. The procurement documents submitted by the Imperial Household Department this time are 30% higher than our estimate."
Shen Ce spat out the licorice in his mouth and asked, "How did the former registrar handle this situation?"
"Keep no copy, don't make a copy, return it via the same route," Wan the clerk hesitated for a moment, raised an eyebrow at Shen Ce, and said ruthlessly, "Send a minor official to send it back via the same route."
When Shen Ce asked the question, the considerate clerk quickly retreated and closed the door tightly behind him. At this moment, only Shen Ce, the two clerks, and Chief Clerk Qian remained in the main hall.
Shen Ce's gaze swept back and forth between the three of them, who remained seated firmly, showing no sign of panic.
He stood up, walked to Wan Lushi, picked up the memorial, and patted it lightly twice in his hand.
"Master Qian," Shen Ce suddenly turned around and looked at Qian Yanxiu, and said with a smile, "Master Qian, today you will make a trip and take the draft paper of the two masters' calculations, plus the remonstrance I asked you to write, and give it to Zhang Huaisu of the Imperial Household Department."
"What do you need to say, Your Excellency?"
"Zhang, the Vice Minister of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices, is a smart man. After reading the draft and the remonstrance, he will understand my meaning."
"promise"
Seeing that things were about to escalate, Liu, the registrar, quickly leaned closer to Shen Ce and whispered, "Registrar, Lord Zhang was personally selected by the Emperor. Wouldn't it be... dangerous for us to do this?"
"Do you all think I'm just being stubborn? Or am I trying to squeeze more benefits out of Lord Zhang?"
Upon hearing this, the three looked away, not daring to answer, but their meaning was crystal clear.
Shen Ce patted Liu Lushi's official robe, turned around and said, "I'm in a good mood today, so I'll tell you all about it."
"An official must establish himself, cultivate virtue, and command respect, not only towards his subordinates but also towards his colleagues."
"Treat your subordinates the same way I did today. I'll know your worth with just one test."
Ignoring the awkward expressions of the three men, Shen Ce continued, "The same applies to colleagues. For example, if someone puts their hand under your blanket and touches your concubine, do you chop off their hand and throw it out to feed the dogs, or do you lift the blanket and invite them in?"
Liu Lushu hung his head and muttered softly, "Of course we'll fight them out."
"That's more like it. Even if you've been planning to share a concubine, you should chop off your hand first before we talk about exchanging them."
"If we don't fight back this time, what if next time they just pull off the covers, or the time after that they go into the main room?"
"Once a person takes the first step back, they will be squeezed out of their place by others."
Seeing the three men's somewhat confused expressions, Shen Ce shook his head: "Alright, go and do your jobs."
After everyone left, Shen Ce touched the fish-shaped tally in his pocket, pondered for a moment, and then went out. Instead of leaving the imperial city directly through Yanxi Gate, he turned a corner and walked north for the time it takes for an incense stick to burn. He looked up and saw the plaque of Youchunfang before stopping.
"Go and announce that Shen Ce, the chief clerk of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices, requests an audience."
Normally, when meeting an official of the eighth rank or above, one doesn't need a minor official to pass on a message; one can simply go in and knock on the door. However, since I need a favor from someone today, I have to adopt a more humble attitude.
Before long, a man with a square face walked out of the door. Before he arrived, his voice preceded him: "Registrar Shen, what business do you have here today instead of relaxing in your office?"
The Imperial Censor of the Eastern Palace of the Court of Judicial Review, whose position was equivalent to the highest judicial organ in the country being stationed in the Eastern Palace, was a combination of public security, procuratorate and judiciary. In the huge courtyard, there was not a single person in sight. The minor officials passing by in the distance all kept their heads down and took a detour.
"I am Wen Wuyin, Imperial Inspector of the Eastern Palace of the Court of Judicial Review."
"Shen Ce, the Registrar of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices."
The two greeted each other politely.
Seeing that Wen Wuyin was quite cheerful, Shen Ce couldn't help but tease him, "Imperial Censor Wen, are we talking here? Is there any secret in the official residence that I, Shen, am unaware of...?"
"Not at all, not at all, Registrar Shen, please come inside."
The two sat down.
Wen Wuyin burst forth with unimaginable enthusiasm, ordering people to burn incense and brew tea, like a lonely woman in her boudoir who had been parched for a long time and finally received rain. He used all his best tricks and tricks, and half an hour had passed by in the process.
Seeing that the other party had no intention of probing his purpose, Shen Ce couldn't help but speak up: "Imperial Censor Wen, it seems you have no interest in my purpose whatsoever."
Wen Wuyin waved his hand, signaling the clerk outside the door to leave, before getting to the point: "When I saw Registrar Shen arrive, he was neither accompanied by any officials nor was he carrying any goods or services. I assumed that Brother Shen had come to chat with me."
"I want to raid their house," Shen Ce suddenly blurted out.
Upon hearing this, Wen Wuyin, who had been wearing a forced smile, instantly perked up. He sat up abruptly, put down the cherished item in his hand, and reached out to Shen Ce: "Give me the item."
As an outpost of the Dali Temple, it was a fearsome presence everywhere else, but under the great mountain of the Eastern Palace, even if one smelled the stench of blood, one had to proceed step by step. First, one had to ask Gou Tong if he agreed to enter, then inquire with the servants, and finally ask the master.
"What does Lord Wen want?"
"Documents and testimonies."
"No"
"No?" Wen Wuyin raised his voice high and flicked his sleeves: "Could it be that Registrar Shen has nothing to do today and has come to amuse me?"
"I have this, Lord Wen, please take a look." After saying that, Shen Ce placed the goldfish tally on the table. The tally had the character "同" (tong) engraved in the center for verification, and below it were engraved "太子詹事府，詹事宇文士及" (Crown Prince's Chamberlain's Office, Chamberlain Yuwen Shiji).
Wen Wuyin's eyes widened immediately. He quickly picked up the fish-shaped tally and rubbed it in his hands. "Please wait a moment, my lord, while I verify it."
He then walked to the door and shouted outside, "Quickly bring me the Zuo Yu tally from the Dali Temple!"
Before long, a green-robed official, panting, brought the Dali Temple's left-hand fish tally and official documents into the back hall. Soon after, a hearty laugh rang out. His office hadn't opened for business for three years, but now that it was open, it could feed him for three years.
"I say, Registrar Shen, don't speak so slowly in the future. Take this out as soon as you enter the room, and I will act according to the rules. Why go through all this trouble?" Wen Wuyin strode out of the back hall and returned the imperial edict fish tally with both hands.
Shen Ce smiled awkwardly: "It's just a raid on a low-ranking official; it's nothing major."
Wen Wuyin asked curiously, "Then why go to such lengths? You could have just gone to the Ten Commanderies. Why let an outsider like me benefit from this?"
"This matter involves confidential information and cannot be discussed with internal staff."
Wen Wuyin's heart was filled with excitement. He paced back and forth in the hall. What a great achievement! If he could uncover some remarkable clues, his record as the chief investigator would be greatly enhanced in the Ministry of Personnel's Examination and Evaluation Department.
"Bring me some fine tea so I can have a detailed discussion with Registrar Shen."