National color raw owl

It is normal for officials in the capital to walk around with each other, especially officials from the same yamen, they often get together to eat and have fun.

Chu Huan’s situation in the household department is a bit special. From the first day he entered the household department compound, he was regarded as an outsider in the eyes of many household department officials. It stands to reason that even if the officials of other Caos would not invite him, the judges of Duzhicao would not invite him. It's better to take the initiative to invite Chu Huan to be a guest at home. Whether Chu Huan will go or not is another matter.

However, because everyone knows that Hu Bufan, the Minister of the Ministry of Household Affairs, seems to be at odds with Chu Huan, but none of the officials in the ministry dare to be the first bird, and they all know that whoever is the first to invite Chu Huan, I am afraid It is to offend Hu Butang, and then life in the Hubu compound will not be so easy.

Hu Bufan has never been cruel to Chu Huan. It's not that he can't find the fault. However, Hu Bufan knew that Chu Huan was dispatched by the emperor himself after all. To deal with Chu Huan, he had to find a way to kill him. Chu Huan was even more uncooperative in Duzhicao, which was of no benefit to Hu Bufan.

However, Hu Bufan, other officials of the household department, wanted to take action to rectify it, but it was much easier.

Wuxu, the servant of the household department, invited Chu Huan to the Lang Mansion for tea. After this incident, many officials wondered whether they should also invite Chu Huan to have a meal. Thinking this way, but no one dared to take this step after Lang Wuxu. It should be known that there are not many idiots in the office. When Chu Huan got close, many people felt a little weird, and some even guessed that it might be the master of the ministry who instructed him, so although there were predecessors first, there were very few who really dared to approach Chu Huan.

But no one thought that the officials of the household department did not post an invitation to Chu Huan, but Chu Huan took the lead in posting a few posts to Duzhicao's compound, and invited five judges of Duzhicao.

Several judges were in a dilemma when they received the post. They didn't know whether they should go. They sent someone to inquire and found out that Lang Wuxu, the servant, would also go to the banquet tonight. Thinking that Lang Wuxu would take the lead, they discussed it and finally Except for one judge who was on duty at night, the other four judges discussed how to go at night and what gifts they should get.

Although Chu Huan did not deal with Hu Bufan, after all, he was personally dispatched by the emperor, and it was the last time that the judges did not dare to neglect him.

The four judges can't go directly to the Chu Mansion after they are on duty, and they have to prepare gifts. They dare not offend Hu Bufan, but they also dare not be rude to Chu Huan. Put some thought into your gift.

After Lang Wuxu was put on duty, he didn't have so many scruples. He took the car and went to Chu Mansion first. Chu Huan wanted to entertain guests, so he went back to the mansion earlier and went to Ximen Office first. Huan wanted to transfer a few people from Wang Fu's side to help.

After Wang Fu knew what Chu Huan was coming for, he personally led the team without saying a word, transferred Sun Jingyi and other four or five Wu Jingwei who had come down from their shifts to the Chu Mansion. Wang Fu and Bai Xiazi took the lead, while arranging the banquet venue in the elegant hall, On the one hand, they sent people to the best restaurants nearby to order food and drinks, and delivered them back.

Lang Wuxu was the first to come to the Chu Mansion, and Chu Huan led him to a room. Lang Wuxu frowned and said, "Master Chu, you came to me, do you really want to have a meal?"

Chu Huan asked in a low voice with a smile: "Master Minister, remember the red and silver book that was mentioned today?"

Lang Wuxu was taken aback for a moment, and then he said in surprise: "Master Chu, are you still thinking about the red and silver book?" He glanced out nervously, with the doors and windows closed, and said in a low voice, "This can't be done, although the red and silver book is indeed Hu Bufan can be put to death, but... but there is no chance to get that red and silver book."

Chu Huan asked with a smile: "My lord servant, actually, I am surprised by one thing!"

Lang Wuxu was puzzled and asked, "What's the matter?"

"Is this red and silver book not the only one?" Chu Huan asked softly: "Master Minister is so familiar, does it mean that this kind of red and silver book existed before?"

Lang Wuxu pondered for a moment, and finally said: "Master Chu, do you know what is recorded in this red and silver book?"

"The lower officials don't know!"

Lang Wuxu sighed lightly: "I told you before that although Hu Bufan is the Minister of the Household Department, the Household Department has always been under the control of Lord Anguo, and the Department of Household Department of the Ten Dao of the Great Qin Dynasty has Anguo Gong In the whole world, there is probably no one who knows more about the financial revenue and expenditure of the empire than An Guogong."

Chu Huan nodded slightly.

"The annual income and expenditure of the Ministry of Households is huge, and the operation of income and expenditure is much more complicated than Master Chu saw. Master Chu is only looking at the accounts at Duzhicao now, but Duzhicao's accounts are only the tip of the iceberg. Many of the taxes paid will not be revealed in Duzhicao, and there are other ways to pay them." Lang Wuxu looked a little nervous: "In the simplest terms, if the Ministry of Households accounts for 1000 million taels of silver every year, then the real The taxes paid from all over the country are definitely more than 500 million taels, and if the household department spends 100 taels, in fact, the real expenditure will never exceed 50 taels."

Chu Huan was stunned for a moment. Although he knew that the Ministry of Accounting would be extremely troublesome, he never expected that the gap between income and expenditure would be so large.

"Master Chu, if there is not such a big gap, why is the household department always short of money, and the tax increases again and again?" Lang Wuxu said softly: "Actually, the gap was very small in the early years, and the household department did not take much action. Four years ago when Xuanzhen Daozong entered the palace, An Guogong resigned as Minister of the Household Department, and Hu Bufan served as Minister of the Household Department, since then, the hole has become bigger and bigger."

Chu Huan rubbed his chin and said, "Duke An voluntarily resigned from the position of Minister of the Household Department?"

"Yes!" Lang Wuxu said, "Duke An is also the Minister of the Household Department and the Minister of the Ministry of Education. He can be said to be an extremely personable minister. He resigned from the position of Minister of the Household Department four years ago and only worked in the Ministry of Education. But Hubu has never been out of his control." After a pause, he smiled strangely, and said: "Actually, he resigned from the position of Minister of Hubu, in my opinion, it is nothing more than making Hu Bufan a scapegoat!"

"scapegoat?"

"An Guogong was born as a businessman, and he is very shrewd in his work. He often arranges things that we can't think of." When Lang Wuxu mentioned An Guogong, his eyes were full of nervousness, and he looked down. Said: "There is a loophole in the income and expenditure of the household department. It is impossible for the Holy Majesty to be ignorant. Although An Guogong is very careful in the household department, he must still worry that one day the emperor will do something to the household department. After he retreats, There was a secret action once, and many traces of Hubu that were unfavorable to him were skillfully erased by An Guogong. Hu Bufan took the position of Hubu Shangshu, and everything was still under the orders of An Guogong. If the emperor really wanted to investigate Hu Bu, of course Hu Bufan is a scapegoat!"

Chu Huan said softly: "I'm afraid Mr. Minister has been implicated a lot by Hu Bufan!"

Lang Wuxu's expression was a little embarrassed, and he said: "I was also forced to do nothing, Master Chu... Master Chu should be able to understand!"

"Master Shi Lang's difficulties, the lower officials will naturally understand." Chu Huan nodded and said: "Actually, as long as His Majesty understands His Majesty's loyalty to His Majesty, many things will become unimportant."

Lang Wuxu nodded hastily, and said: "In the past few years, the deficit of complementarity has become bigger and bigger, because the gap between income and expenditure has been torn apart. There are many iron proofs in that red and silver book. Hu Bufan is working for Anguo Gong. , The secret receipts and disbursements of a large amount of money are recorded in the red silver book, and the accounts will be checked with the people at An Guogong's side every six months."

"So that's how it is." Chu Huan nodded and said, "Master Shi Lang helped to calculate the red and silver books, so naturally he knows many things about it?"

Lang Wuxu's eyelids twitched, and he hurriedly said: "It's just a half-knowledge. Only Hu Bufan knows about the specific affairs." Dirty things, this guy must be a vanguard, he knows a lot, but he also understands Lang Wuxu's mood, he wants to get closer to King Qi to avoid the catastrophe of the household department, but he doesn't want to get involved too deeply. The Hanwang Party is tearing their face apart in the open.

Chu Huan pondered for a while, and finally said: "Master Minister, since this red and silver book is so important, I have two things that I don't understand!"

"Master Chu, please speak!" Lang Wuxu tried his best to be very cooperative.

"Once this red and silver book is obtained, it will be a fatal blow to the Hanwang Party." Chu Huan said slowly: "If that's the case, why hasn't Taizi Dang ever thought of making a red and silver book? I heard that Taizi There are many powerful characters in the dang, and there are many strange people under the crown prince, why has he never thought about the red and silver book?"

Lang Wuxu showed a bit of color, and said: "Lord Chu, you still think that everyone knows about this red and silver book? To tell you the truth, even the Holy Majesty, it is impossible to know the existence of this red and silver book. Knowing the red and silver book There are only a few people, and I am one of the few people."

"So it seems that An Guogong and Hu Bufan have great trust in the servant?"

"I come from Anyi Road. Before An Guogong was Conglong, my father used to be the accountant of An Guogong." Lang Wuxu said: "After Conglong, my father also followed An Guogong to follow the Holy One, so An Guogong still treats me. Very trustworthy."

Chu Huanxin thought to himself: "Mr. An might never have imagined that you have such a relationship with him, so you sold him like this." Although Xin felt that Lang Wuxu's character was extremely despicable, but now such a person has huge feelings for him. s help.

"No wonder Taizi Dang is not interested in the red and silver books." Chu Huan said with a smile: "If it wasn't for the reminder from the servant minister, how would the lower officials know that such an account book exists." After a pause, he asked again: "It's just The lower officials still can't figure it out, such an account book is extremely hot, why does Hu Bufan press his fingerprints on it? If it comes to light, how can he get away with it?"