Capital.

Entering the Zhengyang Gate, there is an ancient and solemn building on the right hand, although they are all low small green tile houses, but the lights that are not extinguished all night long, and the figures shuttling back and forth, give people a strong sense of oppression.

The cold wind of the spring night blows lightly, the figures sway, the lights flicker, but the slightest noise is not heard.

The wind is vaguely mixed with the smell of sand and dust from the Mongolian Plateau, and the ecological environment of Beijing 400 years ago was not much better than it is today, and every year at the beginning of spring, there are several annoying sandstorms.

That's right, this is the political center of the Ming Dynasty.

As soon as you enter the Zhengyang Gate, you will be greeted by the majestic palace of the Forbidden City. The right hand is the Criminal Department, Dali Temple, Inspectorate and Taichang Temple, while the left hand is the Six Yamen.

Compared to the splendid palace, this piece of architecture looks dilapidated and shabby. The official does not repair the government, a huge building complex, since Chengzu moved the capital to Beijing to build a new building, it has not been renovated, and grass grows in many places. A century-old house, there are naturally many unusual places. Needless to say, after nightfall, you can hear the fluttering wings of night owls everywhere, and even during the day, weasels can be seen running quickly across the rooftops.

The building at the west end of Zhengyang Gate is the Yamen of the Household Department, the center of the money and grain of the Ming Dynasty. Even with a lot of lights, the yard still looks a little gloomy, especially the cry of night owls from the lush persimmon trees, which makes people's hearts chill.

Tonight is the second master of the Sun family, Sun Henian, who is in his early forties this year, and it is the heyday of a person's experience ability and energy. But after being on duty for several nights in a row, he was still exhausted, and he only felt that his mind was a mess, and he couldn't figure it out.

The rebellion of King Ning on the Jiangnan front has been quelled, and the Huanhui Rebellion, which had tormented the Ming Dynasty for most of the year, has finally come to an end. But the Son of Heaven couldn't stay in Yangzhou, spending tens of millions, and every day at dawn, he went out like a huge amount of silver splashing water.

The treasury of the Ming Dynasty was already full of holes, and the accounts of the household department had long been rotten out of control. In the past, Sun Henian and they demolished the east wall to make up the west wall, which could still maintain a basic shape of this leaky big ship. But now, the Son of Heaven has personally conquered the rebellion, and this big ship is sailing without the will of the people, and is sailing in the stormy seas, and if you are not careful, it will scatter into pieces.

If such days continue, not only the head of the household, but also the servants and principals below can only hit the wall.

As the head of the first section of the household department, Sun Henian's main task is to collect taxes in Huguang and Guangzhou. If this year's summer tax can be collected smoothly and properly, the use of the Jiangnan front line can also be basically balanced.

Therefore, for Sun Henian's work, not only the head of the household, but also the first assistant of the cabinet, Yang Tinghe, also had high hopes.

However, only his own family knows his own suffering. It is true that Huguang is rich, and as long as a little means are used, there will be no problem in doubling the summer tax this year compared with the usual year. But the situation in that place was complicated, and there were many squires, wealthy families, and vassal kings. Guantian, Wangtian, and Mintian, tax reductions and tax exemptions are staggered. Who's to receive, who to exempt, how much to collect, how much to reduce, are all things that deserve careful consideration.

Hearing the cry of a night owl, Sun Henian raised his eyes, which had become red from staying up all night, and rubbed his hands, feeling more and more uneasy in his heart.

The room where he worked was large, but it was cramped because of the large number of books piled up. The room was quiet, and the lights were flickering, and the two officials were burying their heads in checking the tax data.

Sun Henian was originally a deep and peaceful person, and he was also kind to his subordinates on weekdays. But the recent events are too complicated, and he is in a bad mood after staying up late, and he didn't know what evil he had fallen for just now, so he severely reprimanded the two little officials under him. At this moment, the two officials were trembling and burying their heads in their work, not daring to look at the chief officer more.

Seeing the sincere and frightened appearance of his subordinates, Sun Henian suddenly had an indescribable pleasure in his heart, power is really a tempting delicacy. As long as you have even a little bit of power in your hands, you can decide a person's life and death. Is there anything more desirable in the world than this?

Of course, after a moment he calmed down and was secretly vigilant. People who can work in the household department, even if the position is low, also have a certain background. As far as the two little people in front of them are concerned, to be able to enter this critical department, there must be the care of the big people behind them.

Working in the household department, and holding a certain amount of real power, the money and food that passes through every day is an astronomical amount, and a little leakage between the fingers is enough for ordinary people to eat and wear for a lifetime. But because of this, sitting in this position is like being in a thorn bush, and you don't know when you will be pierced.

From the Hongwu Dynasty to the present, are there still fewer officials who have been beheaded and exiled from the five departments of the household department?

Well, we need to find a chance to appease them. Don't be afraid of 10,000, just in case. Who can say what will happen in the future?

It is difficult to be an official in Beijing, but there is enough oil and water, especially the head of the household department, which is coveted by tens of millions of people. Behind the chair where I was sitting, I don't know how many people were waiting in line to fill the vacancy.

On this day, it warmed up, and as soon as the day was hot, the Son of Heaven should drive back to Beijing. At that time, without this huge expense, and then use your hands and feet on the numbers, this hurdle will be over. As for this bag of bad debts, and sealed in the archives, in ten or twenty years, wait for the next section director to have a headache.

The wind gradually subsided, and the dust in the air rustled down and fell on the leaves in the courtyard, which could be clearly heard in the still night.

Just as I was thinking about it, a rush of footsteps came.

was disturbed by someone, Sun Henian was a little dissatisfied, with a blank face, and was about to have a seizure. When I looked up, it was my eldest brother Sun Songnian who came over.

Sun Henian stood up and saluted: "Isn't my brother on duty in Taichang Temple?" ”

"It's not a few steps, just raise your feet, the Son of Heaven is far away in the south of the Yangtze River, and the affairs of various ministries and institutes are busy." Like Sun Hao, Sun Songnian is also a fat man, and the official uniform on his body is a little ill-fitting, and he is tightly stretched on his body, which makes people feel uncomfortable: "I was on duty before, and suddenly someone came to see me, guess who?" ”

"Oh, who?" Sun Henian relaxed his body and asked casually.

"Mao Cheng Mao Shangshu." Sun Songnian said proudly.

"Wait." Sun Henian glared at his brother, signaled him not to speak, and said to the two little officials in the house: "Please also trouble the two of you to check Huguang's tax list last year and check a data." ”

"Yes." Knowing that the two brothers had something to say, the two servants hurriedly stood up and went out of the house as soon as they gave a salute.

When the two of them went far away, Sun Henian asked Sun Songnian: "But Mao Cheng, the secretary of the Ministry of Rites?" What does he ask you for? ”

"Yes, it's Lord Mao." Sun Songnian sat proudly in front of his younger brother and said with a smile: "Master Mao came to me just now and told me that the Ministry of Rites is short of a foreigner and wants to recommend me to come over." Hehe, it's also my luck, I've stayed in the water yamen in Taichang Temple all these years, and my body is moldy. Now I can finally find a good one to go out and grow my hair. ”

Sun Henian's face couldn't see any joy: "Brother, in my brother's opinion, you are honest and simple by nature, and you are suitable to stay in Taichang Temple." Although the six parts of the side look beautiful on the surface, but the water in here is muddy, and if you are not careful, there is an unforeseen danger. ”

Hearing the second brother's words, Sun Songnian was not happy. On the surface, he is the patriarch of the Sun family, but all the affairs of the family are decided by Sun Henian. He was a lazy and peaceful person, and he was too happy not to these idle minds. But this time it is about his future, and he can't help it.

Sun Songnian shouted unhappily: "In the Year of the Crane, what you said is not right, just Xing You have unlimited scenery in the household department, you can't let me, the eldest brother, have to enter the Ministry of Rites to nourish for a few days, where is there such a reason?" ”

"Come on, since my brother said so, what else can I say?" Sun Henian also felt that what he said just now was a bit excessive, and his tone softened: "If my brother really wants to go to the Ministry of Rites, I won't stop me." Mao Shangshu is Yang Ge's old person, if you follow him, there will be no trouble, just go by yourself. ”