Those original approval copies, receipt documents, and detailed lists that should have been attached at the back to prove the reasonableness and authenticity of the funds were either blank.
Or they only contained a cold line of red ink stating that the attachment was missing or the receipt was unseen.
This made the entire account book look like a skin from which the skeleton had been extracted; it appeared massive, but it could not withstand any substantial scrutiny or verification.
Cui Shifan's frown deepened, the deep crease between his eyebrows almost carving into his bone.
In account verification, the most important thing is the completeness of the original voucher chain.
Without vouchers, even the most beautiful summary figures are just a pile of meaningless symbols, or even carefully fabricated lies.
As the financial hub, it was unjustifiable for the Ministry of Revenue to have such a large-scale deficiency.
He slowly closed the account book, raised his eyes to look at Shangguan Yuan, and questioned in a deep, slow voice:
Minister Shangguan.
Cui Shifan used the formal title to show the seriousness of the situation: This account book is indeed exactly as Gu Chengyin said, with a severe lack of key vouchers. How do you explain this matter?
The pressure instantly shifted to Shangguan Yuan.
Facing Cui Shifan's questioning, Shangguan Yuan seemed to have been prepared. He did not panic, but instead showed an expression of mingled indignation.
Elder Cui!
Shangguan Yuan pointed to his bruised right eye, his voice full of grief and indignation: Look at this, look at this! Just because of such a minor storage negligence of an old account.
Gu Chengyin hit me without any explanation, destroyed my curios, and damaged my dignity! Now, even you, Elder Cui, are going to question me about this?
Shangguan Yuan first played the victim to gain sympathy, and then steered the topic to an explanation.
Elder Cui, surely you know!
The Ministry of Revenue's annual accounts go from the initial reports of various counties and prefectures, to the review of various departments, then to the summary and re-verification, and are finally filed and settled.
How many procedures and how many eyes are watching in the middle? Which year's accounts are not repeatedly and strictly checked at all levels, and only finally sealed into the warehouse after confirming they are correct?
Then, Shangguan Yuan pointed to the account book in Cui Shifan's hand, and fearing that the other party couldn't see clearly, he simply stood up.
He snatched the account book from Cui Shifan's hand, turned to the cover, pointed to the blurred year mark on it, and raised his voice:
Elder Cui, look! This is the account book of the Luoli year five hundred and fifty-six! It has been exactly ten years! Ten years!
According to the rules, such old accounts that have been settled and sealed for many years are uniformly stored in those old brick and wood warehouses in the backyard of the Ministry of Revenue.
Shangguan Yuan showed a helpless expression on his face: But that warehouse... Alas! Elder Cui must have heard of it, it is an old building left over from the previous dynasty.
It has been in disrepair for years. It is hot and humid in summer, breeding mosquitoes and insects, and cold and damp in winter, with water seeping from the walls. The officials of the Storage Department submit reports every year, applying for special repair funds to improve the storage conditions.
Shangguan Yuan spread his hands, helpless: However, when the reports are submitted, they are either rejected for reconsideration or sink like a stone in the ocean, with no follow-up for a long time!
As the Minister of Revenue, I must also act according to the regulations. If the Cabinet does not approve, I dare not touch a single cent of this fund.
The warehouse conditions are just like that. These paper account books may not even be preserved intact for two or three years, let alone ten years.
Bug-eaten, rat-bitten, damp, mildewed... Isn't it very normal for some attachments to be missing and paper to be damaged?!
Finally, Shangguan Yuan suddenly turned to Gu Chengyin, pointed at him and said with a trembling voice:
But what about him?! He holds on to this little wear and tear caused by objective conditions! He insists that my Ministry of Revenue is derelict in its duty! That it is intentional destruction! That it is obstructing the investigation!
Shangguan Yuan looked up and poured out his grievances: Elder Cui! Listen to these words! What would the hardworking officials of the Ministry of Revenue think! Isn't this chilling their hearts!!
Working day and night, checking money and grain, not daring to slack off in the slightest, but just because of some wear and tear of these old accounts, we are charged with such a big crime! Is there any justice in this?!
Although Shangguan Yuan's performance was of an award-winning caliber, and his tearful speech was deeply moving.
But after listening to the long speech, Gu Chengyin's face did not show the slightest emotion, and the sarcasm in his eyes was not concealed at all.
I won't listen to your excuses about bugs, rats, and leaky warehouses!
I don't care if your Ministry of Revenue's warehouse is a golden palace or a thatched hut!
I only know one fact: the accounts are incomplete! The key vouchers are missing! This directly causes His Highness to be unable to smoothly check the accounts, nor to clarify the reasons for the empty national treasury.
Gu Chengyin's voice suddenly rose, carrying the sharp edge of accountability: His Highness bears the heavy burden of the state and worries about national affairs. Every moment of his time is extremely precious!
And your Ministry of Revenue uses a pile of crippled account books to deal with it! Isn't this dereliction of duty? Isn't it dragging your feet? Isn't it a disguised obstruction?!
Since the accounts came from your Ministry of Revenue, if there is a problem, then your Ministry of Revenue must take responsibility! You must immediately! Right now! Give me, and give His Highness an explanation!
This attitude was extremely tough, not yielding an inch, making it clear that he wanted to pin the blame firmly on the Ministry of Revenue.
Seeing that the two were about to argue like fighting cocks again, and the scene of flying spit was about to be staged once more, Cui Shifan only felt his temples throbbing even harder.
He struck the red sandalwood desk in front of him heavily, making a dull thumping sound.
Enough! Both of you, say less!
Argue, argue, argue! Can arguing solve the problem?!
Cui Shifan's gaze swept over the faces of the two, quickly making a handling decision in line with convention:
I already know about this matter.
The storage of accounts involves long-standing abuses and objective conditions. It cannot be clarified in a few words, and coming to blows is indeed unseemly.
He looked at the two of them and ordered: Both of you, go back first and handle your own official duties.
As for this matter, after I discuss it with the other Grand Secretaries, a decision will be made.
Saying this, Cui Shifan reached out his hand, wanting to put away the account book on the table, preparing to temporarily seal it and leave it for the Cabinet's decision.
However, just as he was about to touch the cover of the account book.
A slender and powerful hand preempted him and pressed down on the account book.
Cui Shifan's hand stopped in mid-air.
He slowly raised his head, his gaze following the arm upwards, and finally met a pair of eyes.
It was Gu Chengyin.
At this moment, he leaned forward slightly, with one hand pressing on the account book, his gaze meeting Cui Shifan's without any evasion, without the slightest sense of awe or retreat.
Elder Cui.
As a junior who has just arrived, I am not very familiar with many of the court's rules.
So I would like to ask Elder Cui, for a matter like this that requires Cabinet discussion, how long does it usually take to give a definite result?
] This is a dark fantasy-themed dating simulation game. The main gameplay involves containing various monster girls and investigating the truth of a world shrouded in mist alongside your companions. However, due to his love for the dark and bizarre atmosphere, Luo Wei ended up turning a dating game into a detective mystery game. Women? Women only slow down his quickdraw! To Luo Wei, the female leads in the game are more like tools to perfectly clear levels and squeeze out rewards. For Luo Wei, flirting with every girl he meets and then discarding them is standard procedure. Worried about characters losing affection points? No need. With his maxed-out charm stat, Luo Wei is practically a "human incubus." A little psychological manipulation and those points come right back. It's a bit scummy, but the paper cutout heroines in the game won't actually come at him with real cleavers. However... Luo Wei has transmigrated. He's accidentally entered the second playthrough of this game. His past actions have caused all the girls to transform into terrifying yanderes. Due to the game's setting, most of the heroines he once contained are "troubled girls." Obsessive, twisted, mentally unstable, all aggressive yanderes... The type who will kill you if they can't have you... Luo Wei wants to cry but has no tears left. "I really just want to survive..." In short, this is a story of battling wits and engaging in a love-hate relationship with yanderes.
e, Immortal Body, Transmigration, System, Progression Fantasy, Academy Setting, Third-Person Perspective. Alternate Title: Transmigrating into a High Martial World and Reading Live Comments. Bad news: I transmigrated. This is a terrifying high-martial world, and my original, pathetically weak body fell into a coma and never woke up. Good news: I got a Popularity Points system upon arrival. I can see live comments and even create an unkillable alternate identity. Starting out, the alternate identity has all stats at 1. The system tells me that to grow stronger, I must participate in the plot, gain popularity points to allocate stats and grow stronger, and ultimately awaken my original body. And so, carrying my original body on my back, I officially entered Huaqing Academy, where the story's protagonist resides. From that moment on, Chen Guan kicked the original plot to pieces. Live Comments: [Doesn't anyone find this mysterious coffin guy creepy? He can summon indescribable grey misty hands.] [Is this guy a hero or a villain? What kind of onion became a spirit?] [By the way, does anyone know who's in the coffin? Shouldn't the debt for saving his life be repaid by now?] [According to unofficial histories, the person in the coffin was Chen Guan's first love. Their love was once passionate and earth-shattering, but they were separated by life and death due to worldly circumstances. What a star-crossed pair.] ... Years later, the world knew of a demon god born from a coffin, shrouded in grey mist, impossible to gaze upon directly. His foremost divine emissary often wielded a scythe, reaping lives like the god of death. As war approached, facing former friends and a boundless sea of enemies, Chen Guan merely raised his scythe. "Would you like to dance as well?"
grated, and just when he finally managed to get into an elite academy, he discovered that he actually had a system, and the way to earn rewards was extremely ridiculous. So for the sake of rewards, he had no choice but to start acting ridiculous as well. Su Cheng: "It's nothing but system quests after all." But later, what confused Su Cheng was that while he was already quite ridiculous, he never expected those serious characters to gradually become ridiculous too. And the way they looked at him became increasingly strange... (This synopsis doesn't do it justice, please read the full story)
tions: attribute allocation, analysis, proficiency, and simulation. Specializing in mechanical alchemy, from crafting sorcerous battle armor to handcrafting mechanical maidens, his mechanical legion conquers endless realms... Relying on his wits, he begins with a student-teacher romance, wins over a female director, enslaves a female assassin and a underworld queen, becoming the husband of a Grand Duchess... He enslaves the Goddess of Magic from the divine realm, developing his power simultaneously in both the Wizard World and the Realm of Gods...
