Chapter 1577: Humiliation

Not spending a single coin, yet getting the matter done—Chen Chen Guanlou felt quite a sense of accomplishment.

Once the Wei family's money reached the account, he decided to treat Sun Sun Daoning to a night of wine and women, to thank the other for being so cooperative.

The moment Sun Sun Daoning heard "wine and women," he knew what was going on.

"How much did Wei Huaizhang pay you?"

"What money! I'm sharing your burden for you."

"Those who see get a share. This official wants thirty percent. Remember to offer it up."

Chen Chen Guanlou: …

The money hadn't even warmed in his hands before thirty percent was given away. If he'd known, he wouldn't have bothered with a conscience, wouldn't have offered the wine and women—not a single coin would have been lost.

"Thirty percent it is. First, make up last year's money and grain shortfall."

"Once the summer grain enters the granary, this old man guarantees he'll make up the grain and fodder arrears from last year. As for silver—pardon this old man's incompetence. The Ministry of Revenue owes the Ministry of Justice, and the Ministry of Justice can only owe the Heaven Prison. The national treasury is empty—please be understanding."

Chen Chen Guanlou sneered. "From the day I started duty at Heaven Prison, the national treasury has always been empty, always been broke. That was before the war even started! Old Sun, just get someone to impeach the Ministry of Revenue, screw it. Those people in the Ministry of Revenue are fat as pigs from gorging—can you really stomach that?"

Sun Sun Daoning responded with a heh-heh.

"The Ministry of Revenue is not someone I can afford to offend. It's always been the Ministry of Justice watching the Ministry of Revenue's face to eat, never the other way around. Don't go causing trouble for me. These are troubled times—the court can't take any more turmoil!"

Because once the turmoil started, Emperor Yuanding would seize every opportunity to plant his own people, splitting and dismantling the Zhengshitang's power.

Xie Changling had set the tone from the very beginning: this year's greatest task was stability.

No matter how great the grievance—even a life-and-death feud—within this year it must be set aside, no pursuit allowed. Whoever dared defy his will, oppose him, make a fuss—he'd deal with them. Guaranteed they'd never see the rising sun again!

Chen Chen Guanlou didn't care about the court's movements; he only cared about his own interests, his own turf.

He complained bitterly: "You alone skim off thirty percent, yet when I ask you for some money and grain, you stall and make excuses. Old Sun, that's no way to do things—too hateful."

"Cut the nonsense! If the Ministry of Justice had money, could it short Heaven Prison? The Ministry of Justice is a clever housewife without rice—where do you expect me to scrounge up money for you? I can't exactly use the small treasury's funds to cover the public account's debts, can I? Nobody does that!"

On the surface, the Ministry of Justice had no money, was running a deficit—all of it on the public account, the official books.

But the entire Ministry of Justice, including the Six Doors, never relied on the public account to eat.

The Ministry of Justice also had a small treasury. Its main source was the cut taken from Heaven Prison and the Six Doors. Part of it came from silver payments from prisoners' families. That was the real rice bowl for Ministry of Justice officials—every month's bonus went through the small treasury.

Salary?

Hadn't seen a court salary in eight hundred years—had already forgotten what a court salary even looked like.

Chen Chen Guanlou wanted money—the money on the public account.

Sun Sun Daoning's answer was always the same two words: "No money!"

He really had none!

"At least give me something first." Chen Chen Guanlou refused to give up. The Ministry of Justice's ledger was like time—squeeze it and something would surely come out.

Sun Sun Daoning, annoyed: "I told you—once the summer grain enters the granary, I'll allocate it to you. There's really nothing right now."

Chen Chen Guanlou didn't believe a single word. "Don't talk about summer grain—even autumn grain entering the granary won't reach Heaven Prison. Since we're meeting today, give me something first. The logistics storeroom is nearly running rats."

"That's because there are too many human-shaped rats, every one of them embezzling."

"You can't pin that on me. Logistics isn't under me—I only handle demanding money and grain."

"It's not under you, yet you're this eager."

"The mess hall cut the meal standards—tell me, can I not care? If I don't help them demand money and grain, they cut the meal standards. How about you stay and try it? It tastes like pig slop."

Sun Sun Daoning, exasperated: "You—I told you, in a few months…"

"Don't tell me 'in a few months'—not even a few days will do. Don't I know you? Hmph!"

All of it is a con—not a single word can be trusted! Whoever believes it is a Wang Ba egg.

"Fine, fine, fine. I'll allocate part of the grain and fodder first—two hundred dan. Is that enough?"

"Too little! At least five hundred dan!"

"There aren't that many! Three hundred at most. Take it or leave it."

"Fine, three hundred it is." Chen Chen Guanlou achieved his goal, refreshed and clear-headed. Originally, his bottom line had been getting a hundred dan and calling it a mission accomplished. Sure enough, he'd underestimated the Ministry of Justice's finances.

Sun Sun Daoning was like a pixiu—only taking in, never letting out—he must have stockpiled plenty of grain and fodder. His claim that the public account had no money was probably a lie too.

One can't grow fat in a single gulp. Today he got the grain and fodder, so he wouldn't push for silver. Tomorrow, when the chance came, he'd ask Old Sun for money again.

The Ministry of Justice's money was like time—squeeze it and some would always come out.

……

Wei Huaizhang's case involved Consort Jing and her son. Recalling the late emperor's entrustment, Chen Chen Guanlou decided to visit Wang Fu to see how Consort Jing and her son were faring.

The result…

He saw a Wang Fu only half-built, with all kinds of building materials piled in the courtyard in a mess. Yet not a single craftsman in sight.

Emperor Jian Shi doted on Consort Jing, doted on the Prince of Rui. After bestowing the title of Prince of Rui, he ordered the Ministry of Works to construct the Wang Fu. Other princes' mansions were all pre-existing—a residence arranged by the Shaofu.

As the residence of Emperor Jian Shi's most beloved young son, how could an old, worn-out residence be passed off as a Wang Fu? A new one had to be built from scratch, had to be resplendent and magnificent…

Every requirement was top-tier, and that caused the construction progress to be slow.

When Emperor Jian Shi was alive, everything was fine—ask for money and get money, ask for men and get men, all kinds of precious timber and stone given as much as wanted.

The day Emperor Jian Shi died—no, the very next day—construction stopped, every craftsman was pulled out! All the precious timber and stone was hauled away, leaving only some ordinary building materials and a messy construction site.

Then, Consort Jing and her son left the palace and moved into the unfinished Wang Fu—only the front courtyard had been tidied up enough to barely be livable!

Resume construction!?

Don't even think about it!

As long as Emperor Yuanding lived, the Wang Fu could not possibly resume construction.

Unless Consort Jing and her son paid to build the residence themselves.

This was a massive project.

Just from the footprint, one could see Emperor Jian Shi's doting on Consort Jing and her son.

Once doted upon so dearly, now so vexing — the burden has grown just as heavy.

【2】 Chen Chen Guanlou avoided the people and walked a circuit of Wang Fu. From the look of it, Consort Jing and her son had no intention of resuming their former life. Perhaps their finances were insufficient, or perhaps the timing was wrong.

【3】 In any case, the front courtyard was still livable; with a few fewer servants kept, the place was reasonably spacious.

【4】 Prince Rui was still a nursing babe, being soothed in his wet nurse's arms.

【5】 Consort Jing was flipping through an account book, her brow unknotted. Beside her stood a eunuch — her own brother, Eunuch Shen.

【6】 The brother and sister had once been so illustrious; now they were so down on their luck.

【7】 Fortunately, the late Emperor had been thorough, leaving behind a life-preserving edict that could keep their whole family safe.

【8】 "The Court of the Imperial Clan deliberately humiliates us. The rank-grain rice allotted to Prince Rui's residence is all old stock — can't be eaten, and can't be sold for any money either. We still have to spend extra to buy grain from outside. My Lady, going on like this is no solution!" Eunuch Shen reported truthfully.

【9】 Consort Jing sighed. "When you live under someone's eaves, you have to bow your head. For now, we can only endure!"

Chen Chen Guanlou avoided the people and walked around the Wang Fu. From the look of it, Consort Jing and her son had no plans to resume work. Perhaps their finances were insufficient, or perhaps the timing was wrong.

In any case, the front courtyard was livable; keeping a few fewer servants meant the place was reasonably spacious.

Prince Rui was still a babe in arms, being soothed in his wet nurse's embrace.

Consort Jing was flipping through an account book, her brow furrowed. Beside her stood a eunuch—her own brother, Eunuch Shen.

How glorious the brother and sister had once been, just so were they now destitute.

Fortunately, the late Emperor had thought things through and left behind a life-preserving posthumous edict, enough to keep their whole family safe.

"The Court of the Imperial Clan deliberately humiliates people. The stipend grain allotted to the Rui Wang's residence is all old stock—inedible, and it can't be sold for any money either. We still have to spend extra to buy grain from outside. My Lady, going on like this is no solution!" Eunuch Shen reported truthfully.

Consort Jing sighed. "When one lives under another's eaves, one must bow one's head. Now, we can only endure!"