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?
ive and Ruthless] Before his transmigration, Ye Xuan was playing a game called "Severing Emotions to Attain the Dao." The game's core wasn't about leveling up by fighting monsters, but about conquering various "bad women" with wicked personalities and cold, fickle natures. There was only one method to conquer them: stay unwaveringly by their side, then die at a critical moment, driving them to madness after losing the protagonist. The higher their level of regret, the higher the player's score. To dominate the server, Ye Xuan conquered all the bad women. In the early stages, he showered them with boundless tenderness, only to choose to sacrifice himself for them later, making them weep bitterly and drown in regret. Among them were: Xia Lengyue, the unfaithful immortal wife who chased after powerful men and discarded her husband like trash. Ye Qingcheng, the Demonic Venerable of the Joyous Union Sect, who appeared pure and innocent but was, in reality, promiscuous. Wu Lingxiao, the Empress of the Great Xia Dynasty, who lusted after men and loved maintaining a harem. Bai Qiangu of the Endless Demonic Sect: a bloodthirsty mass murderer. However, when the protagonist transmigrated into the game world, he made a horrifying discovery. Eight hundred years had already passed. The bad women he had conquered had now each become deities and revered ancestors. Faced with the endless stream of toxic women coming for him, Ye Xuan could only rely on his god-tier acting skills to carve a path of survival through this world of treacherous women.
m back to his original world. In the end, he realized he had overthought things. [Hey, why is Shen Manni, the female lead, acting strange? Shouldn't she be fawning over the male lead at this point?] [Zhou Qiaoqiao, are you sick? Weren't you supposed to break off your engagement today?] [Damn it! An Youyi, please do your job as an undercover agent and sell my information to the protagonist, you idiot!] ... At this moment, Xu Mo himself didn't know that these female leads had already heard his inner thoughts. Then they decided not to play by the rules. Xu Mo: Please respect my profession as the big villain!
lanned to earn money steadily and take life at a slower pace. But he never expected... his father's remarriage, and the stepmother bringing along a dependent, would completely disrupt his life's plans...
ut it can buy an entire year of absolutely perfect training results! Su Yu stared at his empty wallet and decisively opened up various online loan platforms. “Borrow a thousand bucks! Recharge my vitality!” Boom! His vitality broke a hundred points, shattering the limits of the human body! “Borrow ten thousand bucks! Recharge my combat skills!” Boom! A basic punching technique so common it was everywhere instantly maxed out, revealing the ultimate assassination technique of Five Elements Unity—Inner Force! When a rich kid hired assassins for a midnight ambush, aiming to break both of his legs, they instead ran headfirst into a monster—a human-shaped tyrannosaur, brimming with dragon-like vitality. With just two fingers, Su Yu snapped a steel staff reinforced with alloy. Staring at the killer’s stash of stolen cash—a staggering quarter-million dollars—he showed a corporate-sincere smile: “Thanks for the pre-exam gift pack, Mr. Zhao! I’m gonna go re-invest this!” Three days later, at the National Martial Arts College Entrance Exam, while everyone else struggled just to reach the passing line, Su Yu threw a single punch—and more than a thousand vitality points literally detonated the entire arena!
