Reborn in the last years of Kangxi

Chapter 157
Taking sick leave is obviously a helpless strategy that has been prepared long ago, and Li Qichang is a good man.This conclusion was reached after Cao Yong assumed Li Qichang's position.Because Li Qichang had already completed all the accounting work at hand before he "sick".At this time, several major affairs in the ministry were left to Peng Zhu's side to adjust the grain. After this matter was completed, there was nothing to call Cao Yong's final judgment, so Cao Yong took over easily, and it was leisurely. Little half a month.

Until the official document sent by the fourth elder brother arrived.

A few days ago, Shengjia went to Tongzhou to inspect the river embankment, and the prince, fourth elder brother, fifth elder brother, eighth elder brother, fourteenth elder brother, fifteenth elder brother, and sixteenth elder brother followed him.Right now, the fourth elder brother is driving along the Yuehe River with Shaotun, but he sent an urgent official document, asking the household department to re-examine last year's sea tax and pirate losses.

The sea ban officially ended in the 23rd year of Kangxi. In the following year, four customs offices in Guangdong, Fujian, Zhejiang, and Jiangnan were established in Macao in eastern Guangdong, Zhangzhou in Fujian, Ningbo in Zhejiang, and Yuntai Mountain in the south of the Yangtze River to manage foreign trade.

On the Ministry of Households side, the Guangdong Division, Fujian Division, Zhejiang Division, and Jiangnan Division are all involved in sea taxation, and because pirates from Fujian went north and went ashore to rob in many coastal areas, losses were reported everywhere. Therefore, Fujian Division, The Zhejiang Division, the Jiangnan Division, and the Shandong Division all had accounts lost by pirates, but this re-inquiry made half of the household staff busy.

The Fujian Division was involved in both, and Cao Yong personally participated in the review of the pirate losses. Therefore, when he organized manual accounting, he avoided re-accounting for the pirate losses. Instead, he took Fu Xiangong and others to account for the sea tax. .

There were no outsiders around, Fu Xiangong looked at the accounts and couldn't help but complain for Li Qichang: "There is a total of five or sixty thousand taels of silver, how can there be mistakes in this account? Master Li is really wronged! That person is really deceiving people too much." !"

As soon as he said a word, although everyone present was regarded as his confidant, everyone was shocked—although he didn't mention Shi Wengui by name, who didn't know who he was referring to?It is well known that Shi Wengui took the sea tax and happened to Li Qichang that day.

Cha De couldn't help saying: "Your Excellency, be careful! Don't cause trouble!" Cao Yong also euphemistically reminded Fu Xiangong to pay attention to his words.

Fu Xiangong waved his head and lowered his voice a little bit, but he was still full of dissatisfaction: "There is no reason, and the sea tax can make a fuss? Mr. Cao, tell me, he is not a bully, what is it?"

Cao Yong patted him on the shoulder and had nothing to answer.That's the obvious thing.

During the Kangxi period, the customs tax was set very low, and the Fujian Customs tariff quota was only 3 taels. This year, Fujian suffered from catastrophe and catastrophe. The trade volume dropped a lot, and the tariff was also greatly reduced, at most 5000 taels.The Fujian Division also inspects the customs duties in Tianjin. Over the years, the tariffs collected on food and crops sent back and forth between Tianjin and the Northeast Customs have been large, with a quota of only [-] taels, and there are not many other sporadic items in total.

Adding these two together, Li Qichang's sea tax account is only five to sixty thousand taels of silver. Compared with other accounts that cost hundreds of thousands to millions of taels, this is the simplest and most error-free.Pian Shi Wengui was able to pick this fault out, presumably Li Qichang was angry even if he was "ill".

But what if you know that Shi Wengui is picking faults?He clearly did it on purpose, the previous few times the disputes with Li Qichang were mostly yelling behind closed doors, the petty officials only reported some incidents of throwing cups, but this time even the content of the quarrel was reported, and the petty officials The officials also said that not only one or two people heard it!

It's one thing to know it well, but it's another thing to say it out loud. It's not a good thing to talk about your boss in private anyway.

Cao Yong had a good impression of Fu Xiangong, and he didn't want to see any troubles caused by his tongue, so he changed the topic: "Since Prince Yong can send an urgent document and come back to check the accounts, there must be some reason, let's take a closer look. Just don’t make any mistakes.”

A few of them nodded in agreement, they stopped talking just now and concentrated on their work.

Cao Yong was facing the accounts and pondering, and suddenly made the loss of the sea pirates and the customs tax seem to be two completely different things, and he didn't know what it meant to check together.If it is said that pirates have affected overseas trade, that is for sure, but the sea tax itself is not much, and it can even be said that it may not even account for [-]% of the current total tax revenue. Why so much fanfare?
While Cao Yong was thinking about it, he suddenly heard a low cry of surprise from Chade, the pen post style.Because the room was quiet, even though his voice was not loud, everyone could hear him clearly, so they all looked towards him.

Seeing everyone's questioning eyes, Chad felt a little uncomfortable, opened his mouth, but shook his head again without saying anything.In another post, Jin Jie was the most impatient, and couldn't help saying: "It's nothing, what are you 'huh'? Just say something!"

Chad made him say it a little awkwardly: "It looks a bit wrong...I'll check it later..."

Everyone was startled, and quickly asked him: "What's wrong? The accounts are wrong?"

Cha De hesitated for a while, but still made a page of account, and took it to Cao Yong and Fu Xiangong, and everyone gathered together to have a look.Chad circled a few merchant ships with a pen, and said: "Here it is written that due to pirates, the goods on board were damaged and taxes were confiscated. But... a few days ago, it was the merchant ship that I inspected, and I didn't see these few. ..."

Everyone fell into silence. Before, everyone was complaining about Li Qichang's injustice, but seeing such things now, they didn't know what to say.Everyone was thinking, could it be that Shi Wengui didn't deliberately find fault with Li Qichang?
Soon, this idea was rejected by Fu Xiangong, who was the first to speak: "It's not me, Mr. Li is a man I can trust, and several of you must know it. Besides, these boats cost only 800 taels of silver. Things, if you want to erase them for personal gain, then you should wipe them out more!"

Cao Yong nodded. This matter is indeed strange. Although he has only been in touch with financial accounts for a short time, he also knows that if he wants to make fake accounts, he must flatten the relevant accounts. Falsified accounts for a thousand taels of silver, just saying that as the head of the first department, these accounts will eventually be settled in his hands. It is easy for him to balance the accounts on both sides. How could such a loophole be left? To be noticed?

I went back to Mr. Zhuang and said, but I couldn't find the reason for a while, so Cao Yong decided to wait and see.I don't think it was Shi Wengui who deliberately faked it in order to run on a doctor. If that is the case, he is really stupid. Is it impossible to pretend to be the old man of Kangxi?

*
Although Cao Yong only lived in the Prince Chun's Mansion for three days, Chu Yu will stay there until the end of February.Even if he was thinking about her, Cao Yong couldn't go there every day, and when he returned to the mansion every day, he felt very cold.

On this day, after dinner, it was still bright, and Cao Yong was bored, so he went to the Banyan Courtyard to play chess with Zhuang Xi.

Although it was already mid-February and the weather was much warmer, Zhuang Xi was afraid of the cold and still didn't bother to go out.Seeing Cao Yong coming over, he didn't seem to be in trouble, Zhuang Xi smiled: "It can be seen that this is a newlywed, and the two of you just separated for a few days, and you feel that life is hard?"

Cao Yong didn't stick to it, and nodded with a smile: "Mr. is right, I didn't think so, but now I'm back in the room, but I feel empty and uncomfortable!"

Zhuang Xi stroked his beard and jokingly said: "Master, you know the joys of the boudoir. It seems that your father will have grandchildren within this year!"

Just when Xiqiu brought tea, Cao Yong took a casual look and found that he seemed to have forgotten something.Xiqiu noticed something, hurriedly lowered her head and retreated.Zhuang Xi coughed next to him, interrupting Cao Yong's meditation.

Cao Yong looked at Xiqiu's back, turned his head and said to Mr. Zhuang: "I remember that two days ago, Zijing mentioned that Lianqiu on Mr.'s side was ill, and that she invited a doctor from outside to take a look. Because these few days I have a lot of errands every day, but I forgot to ask, I don’t know if I’ve recovered? Now it’s the time when it’s warm and cold, so don’t delay the illness. The same is true here, sir, and the health is not good, what should I do if I get infected again!”

Mr. Zhuang's face was rarely uncomfortable. He looked at Cao Yong, hesitant to speak.

This is so wrong!Cao Yong looked at him like this, and couldn't help feeling suspicious, but the maid was sick, what can't be mentioned?Is there something hidden that needs to be covered up?
Seeing Cao Yong looking at him like this, Mr. Zhuang stroked his beard and laughed a few times: "I wanted to tell you about it sometime, but since I'm in a hurry today, I'll tell you!" He paused again and said: "I didn't have any intention of continuing to take concubines, but sisters Lianqiu and Xiqiu are docile, and they have served them with all their heart in the past two years. It's really..."

Two sisters, Lianqiu and Xiqiu?Cao Yong could not help but dumbfounded.In the past two years, I also persuaded Mr. Zhuang to marry a house filler, so as not to be lonely in old age, but Mr. Zhuang pushed him away, but here are two sisters, so what is the reason!
Mr. Zhuang was already a little bit embarrassed, seeing Cao Yong's response, he couldn't help it, his old face flushed.

When Cao Yong saw him, he didn't know whether to say "Congratulations" first, or to say something first. Thinking of Lian Qiu's unspeakable illness, could it be?
Although I respect Zhuang Xi as relatives in my heart, but Lian Qiu and Xi Qiu are only seventeen or eighteen years old, it's fine if they are willing, otherwise it is really emotional.

"Sir, they are two sisters..." Cao Yong was a little embarrassed and didn't know how to ask.Although Lianqiu and Xiqiu sisters are servants and have been serving here since they bought them, Cao Yong has no intention of underestimating them, nor will he force them to do anything for the sake of An Zhuangxi.

Zhuang Xi has been with Cao Yong for more than a year, and he knows his temperament. At the beginning, Fang Cha was so thorny, and he would not deal with it arbitrarily. She has a docile personality, thinking of having them as companions, of course they are willing to do so, can I be that impatient kid?" While speaking, there was a hint of complacency, and she no longer called herself an "old man", rather In order to rejuvenate, he looked younger for several years.

This is not obvious, so I took two at a time. Cao Yong couldn't see his complacent look, looked at him and said, "Mr. is not in a hurry, so what's wrong with Lianqiu's little teacher? Could it be that I misunderstood Well, isn't she happy?"

Zhuang Xi was drinking tea, and he almost choked when he heard the words, but he was not embarrassed, but shook his head and smiled more proudly: "It's just one time, who would have thought that there will be a result, I really didn't expect it!"

Cao Yong thought that he had been a widower for many years and was also lonely. Most of the dissatisfaction with his "old and uncultivated" disappeared in his heart, and he said seriously: "It is a good thing that Mr. is willing to renew his strings, and it is also a double blessing. When Chuyu comes back, we will stay in the mansion. The house here should be well organized, and the house here should also be well furnished." Thinking in my heart, I will send someone to the yamen tomorrow to cancel the slave status of Lianqiu and Xiqiu, and then ask Zijing to help prepare two Neat dowry, don't wrong them.

Zhuang Xi hurriedly shook his head, telling Cao Yong not to make too much noise.He usually acts like an elder in front of everyone in the mansion, but now he wants to accept his maid, and she is pregnant out of wedlock, thinking about it, he feels ashamed and flustered, so he has hesitated until now, and he is not ashamed to speak.

It's okay here for Cao Yong, and I can be considerate here; the princess is just married, so I still have to be scruples.Therefore, Zhuang Xi only said to choose a day, and asked Zijing to send two nuns to show favor to their sisters, and then set up two tables of wine to invite a few managers in the house, and that's all.

Cao Yong saw that it was getting dark outside, so he didn't stay any longer, and said goodbye with a smile and went back.

The next day, Cao Yong told Zijing about the Banyan Courtyard, and she helped Mr. Zhuang make arrangements for the marriage.Zijing listened, pondered for a while, and said: "My lord, this servant listened to Mr. Zhuang's meaning, it looks like he is taking a concubine, but it doesn't seem like he is going to continue the string!"

Cao Yong asked with some doubts: "Could it be that they are scruples about their identities, and the slave status will be eliminated here!"

Amethyst glanced at Cao Yong, smiled wryly and said: "The uncle treats people well, and he doesn't look down on slaves and servants. How many people in the world are like uncles?" Yes, even the children and grandchildren will be ashamed as well!"

Cao Yong shook his head: "Mr. is usually open-minded, and he doesn't care about these worldly rules."

Zijing pondered for a while, and said: "Even if Mr. Zhuang doesn't care about it himself, he is still worried about other things! Although his daughter is married, it is not good for her natal family to act carelessly!"

Cao Yong was speechless and did not speak again.

(End of this chapter)