After the Rebirth of the Red Chamber

Prince Jin didn't want to look at Shi Nai's face that made him extremely uncomfortable, so he looked at the crown prince with a reproachful face, and asked dissatisfiedly: "What's going on? Didn't you say that someone came to the mansion to announce the decree?"

But Shizi is also very wronged.

As for Shi Nai's posture when he came, he still held the imperial decree in his hand, anyone who saw it would mistakenly think that he was here to proclaim the decree.

But when he thought about it carefully, he did not say that he was here to proclaim the decree, he just let him look at the imperial decree in his hand, and asked him to invite Prince Jin back by the way.

Come on, the mute eats Coptis chinensis, and can't tell the pain.

—Life is not easy, baby sighs.

Shizi looked at his father with a sad face, trying to let his father understand his grievance and suffering with his eyes.

Unfortunately, even if his father wanted to understand, Shi Nai didn't give him a chance.

"Prince Jin doesn't have to blame the prince. Although the official came to the palace, although it wasn't for a decree, it was indeed ordered by the emperor."

"Oh?" Prince Jin's expression turned serious, "What is the important matter of Mr. Shi, please tell me clearly."

Shi Nai stopped talking nonsense, turned his head and gestured to Jin Langzhong: "Take it out and show it to the prince."

"Yes, my lord." Jin Langzhong responded, took out a piece of paper from the account book, flipped through the account book again, and found the page with the title of Prince Jin, and handed it to Prince Jin together, "My lord, Please take a look."

Prince Jin was about to reach out to take it, but Jin Langzhong hid back, staggered his extended hand, and said with a smile: "You don't need to do it, my lord, I will hold it for you."

Prince Jin was annoyed, but thinking about the fact that they came here under the holy order, he didn't dare to get angry, so he had to look at the paper and booklet with Jin Langzhong's hand.

That piece of paper is an IOU, which he wrote down by himself back then.And that booklet is an account book, and the page that Jin Langzhong turned out records that he borrowed 100 taels of silver from the treasury on a certain day, month, and year.

"Lord Chun," Shi Nai asked, "you know both of these things, right?"

"That's right." Prince Chun nodded, and there was nothing to deny.

Shi Nai nodded, and said bluntly: "Now the treasury is empty, and the frontline soldiers are on standby to prevent Oala's sudden attack. The saint can't let the soldiers guard the frontier hungry. Therefore, I specially ordered the lower officials to come forward and take back the loans borrowed from the treasury. Silver. Prince Chun, you are a relative of the emperor, and you are more closely related to the country than me. It is about the stability of the border, you will not stand by and watch?"

It can be said that the big hats were buckled down in piles, even if Prince Chun had a hundred guts, he didn't dare to say "yes".

But what was he borrowing money for?Isn't it like light and dust?

This shows that he is neither a person who is upright and not afraid of shadows, nor is he a man who does not care but is strong.Now, how could he be willing to pay back the money first and become such an early bird?

"Master Shi," Prince Jin said with a look of embarrassment, "It's not that this king is unwilling to return the money from the treasury, it's because the palace's expenses are too high and there is no money to pay it back."

Shi Nai asked, "Is the lord trying to embarrass the officials, or the sage?"

"Don't dare, dare not." Chun Qinchao cupped his hands in the direction of the palace, and said with a straight face, "The old minister is loyal to the Holy One, and the world can learn from it."

Then, his face turned bitter, and he changed the topic, "It's just that there is really no money in the palace. My eldest son just got married last month, and my youngest son was just full moon last month."

"The nobles who go up and down in this mansion are not an expense every day? I am a big man, I can't let my wife and children go hungry?" Prince Jin calculated with his fingers, and the other The rapid change of face made Shi Nai couldn't help but suspect that the ancestral home of the royal family was from Sichuan?

Shi Nai didn't interrupt him, just watched his performance quietly.Waiting until Prince Jin couldn't continue talking to himself, Shi Nai's gaze slowly passed over the ornaments in the main hall of the Chengyun Hall.

Then, while looking at it, he asked, "What does Prince Chun mean, that you can't even get the 100 taels?"

The prince followed his gaze to look at the past, wine vessels from the Qin Dynasty, palace lanterns from the Han Dynasty, ancient paintings from the Tang Dynasty, and porcelain from the Song Dynasty.

Looking at it, Shizi felt that his cheeks were a little hot.

——Take out any one of these things, and it’s more than 100 taels.

But Prince Chun has a thick skin and turned a blind eye to the decoration of Chengyun Hall.

"Master Shi, the palace really has no money. Otherwise, why would this king go to the treasury to borrow money?"

Then, Jin Langzhong saw Shi Nai's smile that made everyone in Hubu feel creepy.Shi Nai said: "Your lord's difficulty, the lower officials can understand. It's just..."

"It's just what?" Prince Jin raised it again before he breathed a sigh of relief.

He had a hunch that nothing was good.

Shi Nai walked up to the ancient Tang Dynasty painting hanging on the wall, looked at the inscription, and said in admiration: "It turned out to be the authentic work of Wu Daozi. There are not many surviving ones. Your lord is really good at it!"

When mentioning his favorite collection, Prince Jin couldn't help but show a reserved smile, "Master Shi is too proud."

The smile on Shi Nai's face deepened, but his tone became a little more puzzled, "If I remember correctly, this painting should be a birthday gift dedicated to the sage by Minister Yan of the Ministry of Industry in 28 years, and the sage also How could it be hung in Prince Chun’s Mansion if it was never rewarded by the master?”

Prince Chun's complexion changed drastically.

However, Shi Nai turned a blind eye and continued: "Prince Chun's mansion is a title handed down from the Tai-zu period. Over the generations, I don't know how much wealth has been accumulated. But the prince still has to borrow money from the treasury to support his family. It can be seen that the management is dishonest. "

He turned his head to look at Prince Jin, with a gentle smile on his lips, but what he said made Prince Jin and his son fall into the ice cellar: "The House of Internal Affairs is the royal private treasury, and it is entrusted to Prince Jin who can't even run his own family." Good people, even if a sage is relieved, I, as a courtier, can't be relieved either."

After finishing speaking, he didn't wait for Prince Jin to come back to his senses, he got up and left, "Prince Jin, son, I will take my leave."

Before he could take the second step, Prince Jin had already stopped him. No matter how pitiful his clothes were, Wu Fangcai was embarrassingly "what can you do to me" in secret.

"Master Shi, please stay, please stay." Prince Jin slapped himself lightly with a smile on his face, "This king is getting old, and his memory is not good."

He turned his head and pretended to ask the prince: "Is there any silver in our warehouse?"

The son was not stupid, and hurriedly said: "There should be some. Father, my son will fetch it for Master Shi himself."

"No need." Shi Nai stopped him, "The palace is difficult, and the officials can't just watch the family members in the palace starve to death. Don't worry, the prince, the officials will definitely tell the saint. The saint is the most merciful, and he will definitely understand the prince. hardship."

Then, he greeted the doctors who came with him: "Let's go, I will go to the palace first, and you go on to the next one."

"Yes, my lord."

Several household officials looked at Prince Chun sympathetically, and said to themselves: Just now I told you to give it, but now you want to give it, but it depends on our adults' mood.

However, the old grievances between the Household Department and Prince Jin are in the forefront, and none of the Household Department officials will sympathize with him, they will only think that he deserves it.

"Master Shi, Master Shi, you have something to say, something to say." How dare Prince Jin let him go?

Yes, the sage is merciful.But the sage also has a strong sense of power and indebtedness. If he knows that he secretly manipulated Nenu's things, it is definitely not as simple as peeling off his skin.

Shi Nai didn't really want to leave, he just wanted to teach Prince Jin a lesson.Seeing that he was about to dry out, he pretended to be impatient and said: "Your Majesty, the border guards are all waiting for my household department to raise money. Since the palace can't come up with the money, don't stop the officials from going elsewhere!"

Prince Jin had a flash of inspiration and said loudly: "Master Shi, the palace is rich, rich. This king is willing to donate [-] silver to the border guards."

Shi Nai's footsteps stopped.

Seeing that there is a door, Prince Jin wiped off his sweat secretly, not daring to delay any longer, and said to the prince, "Quickly, open the warehouse and carry the silver. Didn't you hear Mr. Shi say that the soldiers at the border are all waiting to use it?"

"Yes, father." The son took the man away with a bitter face, complaining to his father in his heart: What do you think you are trying to do?Wouldn't it be enough to give the 100 taels of silver to others earlier!

Shi Nai's goal was achieved, and he was naturally satisfied.But in order to satisfy Prince Jin, he still has to be reserved.

"My lord, isn't that good?" Shi Nai pretended to be embarrassed, "My lord took out 100 and [-] taels all at once, what should I do with the expenses of the mansion?"

Prince Jin bared his teeth and said with a smile: "Master Shi, don't worry, my ancestors still have some savings. It's just that this king was originally unwilling to use the money left by his ancestors. But now the border guards need money. The clan is naturally duty-bound. I think that no matter how spiritual the ancestors are, they can only be comforted."

Shi Nai's face was full of emotion: "Your Highness is really dedicated to the country, and he is loyal to the saint!"

"That's nature, that's nature." Prince Jin smiled, and then whispered, "Master Shi, look, that Wu Daozi's painting..."

"Painting? What painting?" Shi Nai asked blankly, "Wu Daozi's painting, isn't it in the sage's interior?"

Prince Chun was startled, then he relaxed and said with a smile: "Yes, yes, yes, the saint's paintings are naturally in the saint's warehouse."

——He turned around and sent the painting back.

Seeing that Shi Nai was willing to let him go, his resentment towards Shi Nai disappeared.

After all, 1 taels of silver can buy the safety of the whole family, which is a very good deal.

At the same time, he couldn't help sighing in his heart: No wonder Shi Nai had tidied up the entire household department in less than half a year after entering the household department. He really wasn't a fuel-efficient lamp.

******

Not long after Shi Nai and the others returned to the household department, the news that he had brought out 1 taels of silver from Prince Jin's mansion spread like wildfire, and soon spread throughout the capital.

At the beginning, everyone didn't have deep feelings, they just felt that Prince Chun was cowardly, and when people asked for it, he would give it.

But when the news spread that Prince Chun's actual debt was only 100 taels, everyone was shocked.

No matter how good the Prince Chun's Mansion and the Ministry of Household said, no one believed that the 1 taels of silver was really given by Prince Chun willingly.

It's just that I don't know what method Shi Nai used?

For a while, Prince Jin's mansion was full of people, and countless clan children came to the door, wanting to get inside information from Prince Jin.

But how dare Prince Chun dare to say it?

He just showed an indescribable expression, and advised these clan juniors: "Those who have borrowed money, pay it back quickly. This second Shi, he is not a thing!"

Seeing that Prince Chun, who was the best in the clan, was dealt with like this, the clan didn't know what was going on, and they didn't dare to have other thoughts.When officials from the household department came to the door, they obediently returned the money.

——They don't want to be like Prince Jin, and have to learn how bad this Second Shi is.

After the clan, it's the turn of honor.

Because Shi Nai chose this special period, Xungui's side was the easiest.

Because among the noble children, those who can work hard to study and take the imperial examination are the minority among the minority.The way out for most nobles lies in military exploits.

Seeing that the border war was about to start, many nobles tried to send their children to the army.

What are they for?

Don't you just want to take advantage of this rare opportunity to let your descendants earn a future?

Therefore, when it was said that the national treasury was empty, to the point where even the food and grass of the frontline soldiers were in short supply, those nobles who had children in the army returned their money without saying a word.

And most of those who have the ability to send their children to the army are the best among the nobles.They have all paid back, and the rest of the unsatisfactory ones, how dare they procrastinate?

On the side of the clan and honorables, it can be said that the smooth progress is unbelievable. Even the saint who watched from the side was a little dumbfounded.

——It’s okay to be noble, but there are several famous hob meat in the clan.How could they be so obedient this time?

For this reason, the sage specially called Shi Nai into the palace to express his doubts.

Shi Nai smiled, and replied: "In the end, it's just bullying and fearing the hard. They know in their hearts that the saint is a benevolent king, and they won't really do anything to them. But the word-of-mouth of the minister is not very pleasant after being passed on by Prince Chun. Under the instinctive trend of seeking advantages and avoiding disadvantages, they will naturally not confront the minister head-on."

These words not only praised the saint, but also belittled himself by the way.Tell the saint that although he has made great contributions, his reputation among the nobles of the clan has been ruined, thus dispelling the fear that the saint may have.

——The crown prince learned from You Yin, and Shi Nai did not want to follow in his footsteps at all.

Sure enough, after hearing this, the sage smiled more sincerely: "The clan and nobles have all been returned, and it must be easier for the civil servants in the court to put them away. You have made such great achievements, and no one can doubt that you are sitting as a minister at such a young age." position."

Shi Nai was silent for a moment, and said: "The sage's eclectic selection of talents is not only the luck of the minister, but also the blessing of the world. It's just..."

The sage was being flattered, but he suddenly got stuck and couldn't help asking, "Just what?"

Shi Nai said, "It's just for the civil servants, I'm afraid it won't go well."

The sage thought for a while and couldn't help but fell silent.

These civil servants, if they say they love face, they really love face, and if they say they are shameless, no one can compare to them.When they met Ren Jun, they were all tough, and when they met Yan Jun, their knees bent faster than anyone else.

To be honest, is there anyone who is upright?

Of course there is.

It's just that there are too few such righteous people.

Unfortunately, today's saint is a well-known benevolent monarch.

Shi Nai could already imagine the scene where they cried desperately for poverty on the grounds of their meager salary.

The sage thought that if he forced civil servants to repay their debts, his benevolent monarch for so many years would be in vain.

"Shi Qing, after the clan and nobles have paid off their debts, it will be almost the same, right?"

When Shi Nai heard it, he understood what a saint meant.

He secretly sighed: This saint is fine with other things, but he only seeks fame with all his heart, so he will inevitably be burdened by fame.But this time, I'm afraid it won't happen.

"Saint, think about it, the clan and nobles have all been paid back, if you just don't let the civil servants pay back, what will they think?"

Only then did the sage discover that the matter has developed to the present, and it is already in a state of difficulty.

He couldn't help complaining in his heart: Shi Qing harmed me!

But he also knew that Shi Nai was dedicated to the country.The household department has nearly ten million taels of silver to return during this period of time, and none of the household department has been greedy for a penny.

At this time, Shi Nai said again: "The colleagues in the household department, those who have ample money, have already settled their accounts. For those who are really difficult, I have also formulated a repayment plan for them, allowing them to pay back slowly. .It’s just that I haven’t asked the sage for instructions on this matter, and ask the sage to forgive me.”

"Repayment plan?" Saint's eyes lit up, "What plan?"

"This..." Shi Nai was a little embarrassed and a little embarrassed.

The sage became interested, and said with a smile, "Why, what else can I not tell you?"

Shi Nai smiled embarrassedly, looked left and right, and said in a low voice, "It's really hard for the sage to know about this matter."

This is interesting.

Since Shi Nai dared to tell the imperial court, it must not be illegal or taboo.But it's not easy to let him know, isn't it interesting?

"tell me the story."

Shi Nai coughed, and said, "There are seven people in the household department who haven't paid the silver. I have investigated carefully, and they are really in trouble. Some parents are old and their money is spent on medicine." What doesn't happen is that there are many sisters in the family, but little income."

The saint nodded: "They are all filial people."

"The minister is also grateful for this, and can't bear to be persecuted, so he came up with a bad plan."

"Oh? What's the worst strategy?" The saint's appetite has been lifted high.

Shi Nai said: "I discussed with them, and each of them lent them another 100 taels of silver. Then, let the minister's wife come forward, join forces with their female relatives, and open a shop. Part of the silver earned by this shop every year will be given to you." They pay off their debts, and some of them can subsidize their families.”

The saint said: "You also have good intentions."

Shi Nai said sternly: "It's just that this matter is suspected of being kind and forming a clique. I know the sage's sage and see clearly, but I'm afraid that someone with a heart will use this matter to destroy the sage's fame and benevolence. Therefore, I dare not make this matter public. "

The saint raised his eyebrows, "Then why did you say that again?"

Shi Nai said: "The sage is the father of the emperor, and he must speak to the father of all matters concerning the subjects.

The sage was delighted to hear it, and felt comfortable all over his body.

The author has something to say: the new year brings a new beginning, I wish you all the troubles of the old year and everything goes well in the new year.

happy New Year!