There was a sudden sound of footsteps at the door, and Wang Shichong lazily sat back in his chair and continued to look at the scroll of drawings in his hand.

An old man with a tall figure, a majestic face, white eyebrows, and about fifty-four or five years old walked in the door, wearing a purple official robe of three grades, wearing a black veil, Wang Shichong was a little surprised when he saw this person, and quickly stood up, straightened his clothes, bowed his hand, and said respectfully: "Wang Shichong, a member of the Wailang of the Lower Official Driving Department, participates in Su Shangshu." ”

The person who came was Su Xiaoci, the secretary of the Ministry of War, he looked at Wang Shichong, frowned slightly, waved his hand, signaled that Wang Shichong did not have to be polite, and walked to Wang Shichong's copywriting by himself, looked at the accumulated official account books, and said in a deep voice: "Outside the king, what about Lang Zhongliushu of your driving department?" ”

Two years ago, the confidential secretary who made a record for the left servant Gao Xi, Princess Shang Lanling's concubine Ma Liushu, was transferred to the driving department of the Ministry of War half a year ago as Langzhong, but he was just a fictitious post here, Wang Shichong only saw him once on the day he took office in more than a year, this person was as low-key as a grandson in front of Gao Xi, but he was arrogant like an uncle in the Ministry of War, looking at people without eyes but with nostrils, even to Su Xiaoci is very rude, a lack of virtue.

And the reason why this Liu Horse is so domineering is not entirely because of the identity of a horse, he is now just a member of the Ministry of Soldiers, but he has never appeared once, and he still follows Gao Xi as his confidential secretary all day long, and the specific things in this driving department are completely handed over to the two outsiders - Wang Shichong and Han Baohu's nephew Li Jing.

Because this department is also a department that supervises the manufacture of weapons, it is the clearest yamen in the military department. The number of ordnance built every year is jointly decided by the senior officials of Shangshu Province and the Shangshu of the Ministry of War, Wang Shichong's daily affairs are to check whether the number of weapons that need to be supervised and the number of weapons that are actually made are consistent, and most of the tasks of inspection and verification are handed over to the leaders of the driving department, while what Wang Shichong and Li Jing do is to check the accounts and deal with the money.

It is precisely because this is an inconsequential department, and today it is a martial arts cultivator, so there is no need to prepare for a big war, and there is no need to build too many ordnance, so it is even more deserted. Usually, even Su Xiaoci rarely comes here to go around. Early this morning, Li Jing, who couldn't bear the loneliness, went out of the warehouse to look for a map, leaving Wang Shichong alone to guard the house.

Wang Shichong replied: "If you go back to Su Shangshu, you are also clear about Liu Langzhong. He's always been there for high servants. It's just a name for us. Anyway, there aren't many things here, and it has always been me and Li Yuanwailang who have dealt with it directly, directly to you or Cui Hongsheng, the squire in charge of this driving department. ”

Su Xiaoci's eyebrows furrowed, and there was a hint of majesty and dissatisfaction in his calm voice: "I will talk to them about Liu Langzhong and Cui Shilang when I go back." Outside of the king, you have accumulated so many account books here that have not been processed, why is this? ”

Wang Shichong smiled slightly: "These are just small accounts, the lower officials have always been accustomed to handling affairs when there is no urgent matter, and they will start to deal with these the day before the settlement once every ten days, anyway, these account books, the lower officials can be processed in half a day." ”

Su Xiaoci was a little unhappy, her gray eyebrows moved, and she said in a deep voice: "Wang Yuanwai, although I have always heard the high servant shoot about your talent, but this is not a reason for you to neglect your government, so many account books, can you really deal with them in half a day?" ”

Wang Shichong said: "Back to Su Shangshu, this is the Ministry of War, the so-called no jokes in the army, and it is the same here, if Shangshu does not believe it, Shichong is willing to work on the spot, so that you can see if Shichong is a lie." ”

Su Xiaoci nodded, moved a stool and sat down next to the copywriter, and said, "Very good, then the official will see the talents of the directors outside the king today." Come on, take the hourglass!"

Several entourages behind Su Xiaoci brought the hourglass on the side of the office hall, and the fine sand was slowly flowing down, reminding everyone of the passage of time.

Wang Shichong smiled slightly, rolled up his sleeves, took an abacus on the side of the desk, blew the dust that had been covered for several days, picked up the first of the dozen or so account books on the desk on the left hand side, spread it out in front of his eyes, put the abacus in his left hand, and the brush in his right hand began to be stained with ink in the inkstone, and began to fill in the numbers in the account book while playing the abacus, and from time to time he used the addition, subtraction, multiplication and division of later generations on the paper to calculate some difficult problems.

Wang Shichong after many years of businessman career, everything has long been familiar with this, once he devotes himself to this kind of work, there is great fun, as if time has stopped, the abacus in the left hand crackled, and the pen in the right hand is also like a dragon snake, the account book in front of him kept turning page by page, only a quarter of an hour, a volume of more than 100 pages of account books were completely liquidated by him, and the numbers were put aside.

Su Xiaoci saw such a fast and fast calculation ability for the first time, Rao is he is well-informed, but also his face changed slightly, taking advantage of Wang Shichong's efforts to open the second account book, he quietly walked to Wang Shichong's case, picked up the first account book that had been calculated, and looked at it carefully.

Su Xiaoci also learned some nine-chapter arithmetic when he was a child, although he was not proficient, but after many years of fighting, as the head of the march, the calculation of some military rations and salaries also made his mathematical ability good, and after flipping through a few pages, he found that Wang Shichong did calculate the expenses of one item in an orderly manner, not a millimeter, and at the moment when he read seven or eight pages, Wang Shichong calculated another book in front of him, and opened the third book in the calculation.

Su Xiaoci looked back at the hourglass, and even counted two account books, but it took less than half an hour, at this rate, half a day, five or six hours, it is really not a lie.

Su Xiaoci sighed and said to Wang Shichong: "Outside the king, don't forget it, this official believes your words." ”

Wang Shichong put down the pen in his hand, raised his head, and smiled slightly: "Su Shangshu, the lower official is from a businessman, and you also know the way, so in this driving department, the biggest fun is to save a bunch of account books, and then you can find back the feeling of doing business when you settle the accounts. ”

Su Xiaoci knew that this Wang Shichong was lying and bragging, but he had nothing to say, so he had to sigh: "Outside the king, you do have the ability, but I hope you can be sincere, this driving errand is indeed a little colder, but it doesn't mean that you can't give full play to your talents here, in addition to settling accounts, inventing some weapons, this is also something that is beneficial to the imperial court, I hope you don't let me down." ”

Wang Shichong stood up and said respectfully: "Yes, the lower officials strictly follow Su Shangshu's teachings. ”

Su Xiaoci looked around and suddenly remembered something: "Where is Li Yuanwai today?" ”

Wang Shichong replied unhurriedly: "Li Yuanwai went out on business today, maybe to check the warehouse or to find some maps, you also know that he can't be idle, he is generally responsible for running outside, and the lower officials are here to deal with the account books and the like." ”

Su Xiaoci sighed and shook his head: "You are all very talented, but you should be diligent here, Wang Yuan, in a few days, Gao Servant may come to talk to you about things, you had better be mentally prepared." ”

Wang Shichong was slightly startled in his heart, but his face was still calm as usual, raised his head, and asked, "Are you going to transfer the subordinate to another department?" All it takes is a paper order, why not talk to the official in person? ”

Su Xiaoci smiled slightly: "Gao Servant said, you have the talent of a general outside the king, I received a military report the day before yesterday, the West is unstable, the people are in chaos, the court has decided to send a heavy general to conquer and suppress, if the official is not bad, Wang Yuanwai, this time you have the opportunity to make a contribution, the official wants to congratulate you first." ”

Wang Shichong was startled at first, then regained his usual composure, and said with a smile: "Then may I ask Su Shangshu, the court has decided which general and important minister will be sent to take command?" ”

Su Xiaoci glanced behind him, and several guards exited the gate with great interest, he stepped forward and said in a low voice: "Your old acquaintance, General Shangda, Long live Shi." (To be continued......)