The Ming Dynasty started with caution

Come out of the main hall,

Li Dongyang felt uneasy, and when he mentioned his two sons, he began to complain about Yan Chengjin.

If it weren't for this son, Zhaoxian and Zhaofan would not have gone to sea. When they were in their forties, they would not have a son around them.

"What is Mr. Li thinking?"

Li Dongyang came back to his senses and saw Yan Chengjin standing behind him, angrily: "I miss you!"

Yan Chengjin's face froze.

It must have been just now that Emperor Hongzhi mentioned the Li brothers, which aroused Li Dongyang's hatred.

"I have something important to discuss with Mr. Li. Now that I'm on duty, can I go to Mr. Li's house to discuss it?"

If overseas trade is left unchecked, invasion of alien species will inevitably lead to widespread disasters.

Jiu Qing's official position is not strong enough, and he alone cannot compete with hundreds of officials in the court.

If Li Dongyang can make suggestions together, perhaps there will be some certainty in setting up a new customs inspection office.

"Are you looking for me to set up customs supervision? No, I don't agree with it either." Li Dongyang waved his sleeves and walked down the stairs neatly.

…

It was quiet when the household department was on duty.

Han Wen looked through an account, which was full of deductions for money from various places. Since the autumn harvest, none of them have been credited.

"The national treasury is so empty that Yan Chengjin also wants to set up a monitoring customs. If he sets up another customs, the army will not be able to afford it."

Hearing Han Wen muttering to himself, Liu Yu, a doctor on the side, wondered: "Sir, what is customs?"

"It's the yamen that monitors overseas commercial goods. It's different from the Shipping Department." Han Wen said.

"Just now, when the official went to Dong Nuan Pavilion to deliver the memorial, he saw Yan Chengjin going to Nuan Pavilion. He must have met the saint in private." A civil servant said.

Han Wen bit his lips unconsciously;

Your Majesty must have known that the treasury was running out of money after looking at the accounts.

"Has the income been settled?"

"Come out soon. Master Han, please wait."

…

At this time, in Fengtian Palace.

Emperor Hongzhi was looking through the account book of the year-end balance, and found that there were more than 12 million taels in the account.

Today, there are more than three million taels left in the national treasury.

Maintaining the Nine Borders and supervising the construction of the Great Wall, the money is stretched thin.

"How could so much money be spent?" Emperor Hongzhi murmured, fascinated.

Xiao Jing knew that Han Wen had clearly written out the accounts, and there was no need to answer His Majesty's words.

Emperor Hongzhi carefully traced each line of numbers with his fingers, secretly thinking that the bulk of the treasury's expenditures were on the nine sides.

Later, the Great Wall was built, and it cost more than three million taels of silver to build it as far as Alxa!

The young eunuch reported: "Your Majesty, Master Yan is here."

Is this person here to advise on the establishment of customs supervision?

The national treasury is so depleted that I really have no money left.

Emperor Hongzhi raised his eyelids and said to Xiao Jing next to him: "No."

Yan Chengjin was waiting outside the palace gate.

I saw Xiao Jing walking out with a smile: "Your Majesty is missing, Master Yan, please go back."

"Why not?"

"Your Majesty knows that you are inspecting customs matters for the capital."

Yan Chengjin pondered for a moment, turned around and left.

After getting off duty, Yan Chengjin came to Li Dongyang's house. Although Li Dongyang didn't like him coming, if he really wanted to come, his servants couldn't stop him.

When he walked into the courtyard, he could not see Li Dongyang studying in the main hall. He must not have come back yet.

Yan Chengjin walked through the corridor and came to the middle hall, where he saw Li Qing'e making a dress, which seemed to be a handkerchief.

When the fat maid saw him, her eyes became brighter and she whispered secretly: "Miss, my uncle is here. Oh, I won't lie to you."

Li Qing'e turned slightly. She came from a humble background, but as Yan Chengjin became an official, she became more and more powerful. It was inevitable that there was some gap in her heart.

Being called uncle by the maid, she couldn't help but scolded him lightly: "Don't talk nonsense, if dad listens to it, you will be punished again."

Yan Chengjin sat down and asked Li Qing'e, "Who is Miss Li giving the handkerchief to?"

"Give it to Mrs. Jiang. If Master Yan wants it, I will knit one for Master Yan."

There are several concubines in Li Dongyang's house.

Yan Chengjin thought about it carefully and nodded: "Yes."

…

In the Forbidden City, the Household Department is on duty.

Chen Zan, the doctor from the Ministry of Finance, moved his fingers rapidly and his abacus clicked. He broke into a cold sweat and was short of five million taels of silver!

"Where did it go? Where did it go? Where did the money go?" he murmured to himself in a panic.

He made every calculation correctly.

But where did the money go?

The civil servant came in and urged: "Master Han wants to get the income at the end of the year, have you done the math?"

"Wait a minute, I'll do the calculation again."

After waiting for a long time, Han Wen felt strange and walked into the check-in room in person. His eyes fell on the account book and his eyes widened: "Is this this year's annual income?"

"Yes...yes, this year's tax amount has been reduced by five million silver compared with previous years. The subordinates are still checking to see if there are any mistakes..." Chen Zan's body trembled.

Last year, the imperial court's annual tax revenue was more than 16 million taels.

This year, there are only more than 11 million taels in the account.

The shortfall is about 4.5 million taels!

Han Wen's eyes darkened and he almost fell over.

The sky is falling!

In previous years, there were more than 16 million taels, but this year there were only 5 million taels, which was a big piece of meat missing!

If His Majesty and the princes know about it, it will not make you lose your hat, but your head.

"Where is the local censor's office? Who embezzled the money?!" Han Wen looked at the accounts tremblingly and became furious.

"My subordinates don't know. Why don't we send someone to the Metropolitan Inspectorate to ask?"

"What are you still asking? Report to Your Majesty!"

Han Wen has been an official for many years and knows this matter well and cannot delay or deceive him at all.

Jinyiwei will investigate where the five million taels went!

…

Eastern Warm Pavilion,

Emperor Hongzhi stood up, raised his hands to the sky, stretched his waist, and felt very comfortable in his stomach.

He was about to go to Kunning Palace, but the eunuch came in and reported: "Your Majesty, Lord Han wants to see you!"

"I want to see Princess Taiping, let him come again tomorrow." Emperor Hongzhi took a step and prepared to leave from the side hall.

A figure rushed in with a dragon-like and tiger-like step, like a person who couldn't hold back his bowels, anxious and a little flustered.

"Your Majesty, something big has happened!" Han Wen didn't bother to salute.

"What's the matter?"

"The surplus at the end of the year is five million taels less than last year!" When Han Wen said this, his heart still felt like being stabbed by a file.

Emperor Hongzhi stood there stiffly, with only air coming in but no air coming out of his nostrils.

I deposited the gold and silver from the imperial farm and mining taxes into the treasury, saving for nine years, and it is only three million taels so far!

His eyes were focused: "How much? Han Qing's family just said that five million taels of silver were missing?!"

Xiao Jing was frightened by the number. Who dared to covet so much silver?

Han Wen said solemnly: "Five million taels!"

Emperor Hongzhi took a deep breath and sat back on the throne: "Who coveted it?!"

"I don't know yet, but the taxes in the two capitals and thirteen prefectures are much less than in previous years."

If it was lost in one place, it is very likely that a thief with all the power appeared.

But if it appeared in all the two capitals and thirteen prefectures, it is very likely...a gang crime.

Now, the only one who has not been uprooted is Bai Lian.

………

Yan Chengjin sat in the mansion for a while, but did not see Li Dongyang coming back.

Not long after, he saw Li Guanjia walk in and said: "The master has returned to the palace and ordered not to come back for dinner."

After speaking, he looked at Yan Chengjin again. The young lady has not yet married, should you leave?

Yan Chengjin got up and said goodbye, and Li Qing'e gave him a basket of snacks.

When he returned to the mansion, he saw Wang Bushui waiting anxiously in front of the mansion gate.

When he saw the sedan chair, he rushed over in two steps.

"Master, all the things you asked me to buy from the foreigners were brought into the palace by His Royal Highness the Crown Prince!"