"Although there is silver in the treasury, it is not in the pocket of my household!" Ling Huang said with a sad face.

"What do you mean by Lord Ling?" Zhou Wenxin asked blankly, "The silver in the treasury has always been managed by the household department, what does it mean to have silver but not in the pocket of the household department?" ”

Ling Huang sighed heavily, "Hey... Lord Zhou, you have been away from Beijing for many years, so naturally you don't know. It's a long story! ”

Wei Ming's face was gloomy, and his black eyes turned cold and devouring. "Lord Ling is talking about the fact that the officials of the DPRK and China privately borrowed the treasury silver?"

"Exactly! More than half of the newly collected silver in the treasury has been lent out in less than half a year, and now there is no silver, but the accounts are all there, but isn't the silver in the treasury not in the pocket of the household? "Ling Huang" a few days ago, Huainan handed over the excerpt and said that he wanted to repair the waterway, and he needed 200,000 taels, and I was still worried about this matter. ”

Wei Ming lowered his eyes, paused, and muttered: "I have also heard about this matter, and the reason why I have not stopped it before is that I feel that there is still some surplus silver in the treasury. ”

"When the emperor first ascended the throne, the treasury did have some silver, so no one took it seriously at that time. But this has come and gone, and after a few years, this is not the case. The household department is also sandwiched in the middle, inside and outside is not a person, if you borrow this prince, you can't help but borrow that prince, and if you borrow this prince, you can't help but borrow that prince, but if you continue like this, sooner or later you will have to empty the entire treasury. Ling Huang suddenly opened the conversation and began to complain incessantly.

Zhou Wenxin also looked more solemn the more he listened, and asked: "Is it true that no official has returned the silver over the years?" The accounts are all in the hands of your household, and they can't rely on them, so they can't all become old accounts, right? Debt repayment is also a hard thing in the people, not to mention the silver of the imperial court. ”

"The borrowers on the account are all clan relatives! After all, my rank is limited, and when those princes and princes reach out to my household, the household department can't even say the word 'no', so how can you let me pull out the silver from people's mouths now? ”

"Lord Ling, you can't open your mouth, then the emperor is always qualified, right?" Wei Ming's eyes were sharp, "Since this situation has arrived, digging the east wall to make up the west wall is not a long-term solution, the household department should still play the Ming Sheng, and the emperor will make the decision." ”

Ling Huang hesitated slightly, and Fang said slowly: "It's not that I haven't thought about handing over the fold, but there are too many people involved in the accounts, and if you rashly present it all to the emperor, you will inevitably fall into the notoriety of stabbing people in the back." ”

Wei Ming stared straight at Tobe Shangshu, his gaze was as sharp as a knife blade, and even the air around him seemed to turn condensed in an instant. "Lord Ling still wants to protect his reputation at this time? It's good to be able to keep your black yarn and your head. ”

Seeing that the atmosphere was gradually becoming heavier, Zhou Wenxin persuaded softly: "Lord Ling, this matter is not a trivial matter, it is a matter of national capital, and the household department will not be able to hold this big pit." It's one thing for you to report it yourself, but if you hide it and let the emperor find out in the future, it's another matter. Paper can't contain the fire, or should you try your best to tell the heavens about it. As for what to do in the future, the emperor is wise and can always think of a way. ”

Ling Huang pondered for a long time, and finally reluctantly lamented: "I understand what the two adults mean, and now it can only be like this." I will go back today and present it tomorrow morning. ”

After the three of them discussed the matter, Ling Huang hurried back to the mansion. In the paperwork, Wei Ming sat down again and drank the tea that had already cooled, but there was a flame in his chest, which was burning hotly, and he said slowly for a long time: "It is an open secret that the princes and ministers privately borrow silver from the national treasury, although the emperor does not approve of it, but it is not explicitly forbidden. It's just that I didn't expect it to come to this point now, and it seems that it will not work if it is not strictly rectified. ”

Zhou Wenxin nodded and said: "Yes, although the country is safe now, everything should be prepared for a rainy day." To put it mildly, if something really happens, it will be too late to dig a well when the country is in a hurry to use the money. ”

Wei Ming suddenly raised his eyes, narrowed his eyes playfully, and said mockingly: "Lord Zhou has long known about the deficit of the household, so he deliberately brought the old man to the book and accompanied you to play such a play?" ”

Wei Ming saw through his thoughts, Zhou Wenxin did not see embarrassment on his face, but his face was calm, and he bowed slightly and said, "Sure enough, I can't hide anything from your eyes." It was also because Xia Guan checked the records and accounts of the recent sacrificial palace banquet of the Ministry of Rites that he accidentally found something different. ”

"Although I am old and dizzy, my heart is not confused." Wei Ming snorted coldly.

"Since the adults have a clear mind, they should know that Ling Huang doesn't want to put this matter on the table at all." Zhou Wenxin's eyes flashed with a cold light, "If it weren't for you today, Ling Huang would definitely be able to delay it for a while, and I wouldn't be able to persuade him with a book of etiquette." What's more, did the deficit in the treasury become what it is today overnight? Since there had been a foreboding for a long time, why did the household department delay the performance of the imperial court, and still let the situation become more and more strict? Don't these adults know? ”

Zhou Wenxin's every word and sentence was like thunder, which made Wei Ming's heart tremble. He slowly closed the wrinkled one, and took a deep breath, as if suppressing the sharp pain in his chest. When I opened my eyes again, my eyes were full of exhaustion and sorrow. "How could I not know. Ling Huang is sleek, and he doesn't want to offend those court gentry, imperial relatives. More importantly, he didn't want to let this matter get in the way of his promotion. Hey, I don't know when the imperial court became..."

Thinking of the big cases that have occurred one after another in recent days, the officials of the six ministries have fallen one after another, and the unknown dark side has begun to be revealed to people again and again, which is shocking and thought-provoking at the same time. Although he has always tried his best to compete with Huo Pei'an and his party, he has reached the end of his life after all, even if he has the heart to be strict, he is afraid that he will not be able to reach the whip. If it really comes to the time when he returns to the west, the court doesn't know what else will become. Thinking of this, Wei Ming choked up even more sadly.

Zhou Wenxin saw Wei Ming's distressed appearance, and he couldn't bear to ask aggressively, and his tone gradually eased. "Therefore, Xia Guan deliberately arranged for the adults to be present today. My lord, you are a rare stream of clear water in the court, and Ling Huang also knows that you have an upright personality, once you know it, then this matter will not be hidden, so that Ling Huang can be forced to reveal the truth. Please also ask your Excellency to ignore the mistakes of the subordinate officials who make claims. ”

Wei Ming waved his hand weakly, "As you said, fortunately, the imperial court still has time and effort to solve this matter." At that time, if the household department is not strong, when necessary, the old man is not afraid to be this bad person. ”

"Another important reason why you came here today, Lord Xiaguan, is this." Zhou Wenxin hurriedly shook his head and interrupted Wei Ming's words, "Your Excellency must not come forward to meddle in this matter!"