From Hoarding to Time-Travel: My Supplies Saved Him

Chapter 318: Chapter 319: Sleepless Night

Tonight was destined to be a sleepless night in the Imperial Palace. Ever since the gates were locked, box after box of account books had been carried into a side hall. The entire Ministry of Internal Affairs—from the Internal Affairs Chief down to the eunuchs and palace maids—had been rounded up by General Wei, Liu Chang, and his men, then herded into a courtyard for separate detention.

Hua Shunming did not mobilize the Six Ministries this time. Instead, he had his confidants conduct interrogations and raid homes overnight. By the time the sky began to lighten at dawn, a long line of carts, filled to the brim with confiscated goods, was already queued up at the palace gates.

The various ministers arriving for the morning court session could only dismount from afar and walk into the palace. By the time everyone reached the main hall, they still had no idea what was going on.

"By order of the Holy Emperor, will all you lords please move to the side hall." Le San only stepped out to deliver the proclamation after they had been left standing for a long time.

"Eunuch Le, why isn’t the Holy Emperor holding court?" Chen Zishu asked, glancing at the Historian standing to the side, as if reminding Le San that today’s events would be recorded.

Le San made a gesture of invitation. "You lords will find out in a moment.

The side hall contains what you lords wish to know. Please, proceed!"

After speaking, Le San did not linger, as the Holy Emperor was still waiting for him.

"This...?" Chen Zishu turned to the other lords. "Shall we go to the side hall and see?"

"Let’s go." They couldn’t very well defy an imperial edict, could they?

Pushing open the doors to the side hall, they found rows and rows of people already seated inside. Each person held an abacus, the beads clacking away as they calculated.

"Don’t tell me the Holy Emperor wants us to watch these people do the books?" Cao Xiangqian stepped forward and flipped through an account book, his head immediately starting to spin.

He recognized many of the characters, but he couldn’t understand what they meant when put together.

"Can you even understand it?" Xu Zhiwen’s tone was sharp. He had been in a foul mood ever since his grandson, Xu Zhongren, only managed to become a lesser Advanced Scholar and was dispatched to the Eastern Province as a small county magistrate.

Cao Xiangqian wasn’t like other officials who would defer to him, and shot back directly, "I may not understand it, but that’s far better than someone who pretends to. They say the higher you climb, the harder you fall. Lord Xu should have a deep appreciation for that saying."

"You..." Xu Zhiwen glared at him. "That’s still better than not having the opportunity to understand at all, like you."

Cao Xiangqian snorted and stopped paying him any mind. Since he already had an account book in his hands, he might as well look through it.

He might not have understood much, but the other officials did. Even if they weren’t involved in daily household expenses, they knew the cost of living in Shangjing. Instantly, their eyes grew wider and wider.

The Vice Minister of the Ministry of Revenue, Zhou Shicong, quietly approached the Minister of the Ministry of Justice. "Lord Huang, how did you all manage to cause such a huge commotion so quietly?"

Huang Jin, however, looked completely baffled. "We at the Ministry of Justice truly didn’t know. Besides, with so many account books, shouldn’t your Ministry of Revenue be responsible?"

Zhou Shicong instantly shook his head. "Our Ministry of Revenue has no authority over the Ministry of Internal Affairs. We just allocate so much funding each year... so this is how it all gets squandered. The sky is about to change."

Huang Jin looked at him with suspicion. "You’re so calm right now. Are you sure you won’t be implicated?"

You have to understand, even for the Ministry of Internal Affairs, all their silver taels are drawn from the Ministry of Revenue. This is the kind of thing that’s hard to explain away.

Zhou Shicong’s face froze. He knew Huang Jin had a point. ’Although my own conscience is clear, will others think the same?’

Now, all the civil and military officials just stood by, silently watching the men work their abacuses. The sharp CLACK-CLACK of the beads made them all feel a sense of dread.

Gong Zhengping and Bai Jinglie were suffering this same torment.

They had been waiting in the Upper Study Room ever since entering the palace yesterday.

Although they had each found a corner to rest for a while, they couldn’t sleep soundly at all.

Watching Ancient Wen Heng, who sat at a desk calmly turning page after page, the two men once again admired his composure. He was the one who had brought this whole affair to light, yet he seemed calmer than anyone.

In truth, they were mistaken. Ancient Wen Heng’s heart was also pounding with anxiety. ’Are my wife and child at home sleeping poorly because I haven’t returned all night?’

"Wenheng, it’s broad daylight. Why hasn’t the Holy Emperor gone to court?" Bai Jinglie whispered, creeping over to Ancient Wen Heng’s side. He glanced toward Hua Shunming, who still sat before his desk, his face grim.

Ancient Wen Heng replied, "We’re waiting. Waiting until the truth surfaces and all the fish are in the net. Only then will things truly begin."

Ancient Wen Heng guessed that Hua Shunmin was now thinking about much more, and had even grown suspicious of everyone around him.

"Regardless of whether you know anyone involved, you cannot plead for them." Ancient Wen Heng offered this kind advice out of consideration for their acquaintance and for the many silver notes Bai Jinglie had helped him earn.

"Do you think I’m that stupid?" Bai Jinglie replied, then looked at Ancient Wen Heng with concern. "You’re probably going to be made the target now. You need to be mentally prepared."

Ancient Wen Heng glanced up at him. ’My proposal was tantamount to catching everyone in a single net. If any fish did escape, they’d have to keep their heads down. Who would dare to surface now?’

"Do you think everyone will be staring at me? Don’t forget, I’m not the only one who’s been in the Upper Study Room since yesterday."

Bai Jinglie had to bite back a string of curses. ’So I’ve been dragged into this after all.’

Gong Zhengping sighed. ’Oh well. After so many years, he’d lost count of how many enemies he’d made. One more or one less doesn’t make a difference. So be it.’

In contrast to the three of them, who could take things in stride, Hua Shunming felt the rage in his heart was about to explode. He was just waiting for the interrogations to bear fruit to see how many others were involved.

Meanwhile, Ancient Wen Heng had finished organizing the list of all assets seized from the overnight raids. Fortunately, these officials from the Ministry of Internal Affairs usually lived within the palace, so the raids hadn’t caused a huge disturbance. Even so, a considerable amount of goods had been brought in from their private villas outside.

Looking at the piles and piles of accounts, Ancient Wen Heng couldn’t help but feel that he was still too poor. All the years of hard work he and Jin Qianqian had put into their businesses, and they still couldn’t compare to this one fat rat.

Still feeling a bit like he was just watching a good show, he respectfully presented the account book before Hua Shunming’s desk. "Holy Emperor, it is all compiled."

Hua Shunming glanced up at him, then flipped to the last page. Staring at the shocking figures, he roared "Good!" several times in fury.

"We have always believed Ourself to be the wealthiest under Heaven, but it turns out We have just been working for these people!" Hua Shunmin slammed his hand on the table and shot to his feet. "Le San, go and press Liu Chang again! If they still won’t confess, then use the highest forms of torture! We don’t care if they live or die!"

Although Bai Jinglie and Gong Zhengping were also curious just how much these people had embezzled, they didn’t dare show their faces now. They could only shrink into a corner, trying to minimize their presence.

Ancient Wen Heng prudently retreated behind them as well. ’Right now, I’m just a minor editor. It’s safest to just stand here.’

Bai Jinglie: "..."

Gong Zhengping: "..."