As soon as the fifteenth day of the twelfth lunar month passes, the days fly by in a "whistle".
In previous years, at this time, people would "besiege" the government offices to ask for food, but that won't happen this year. Everyone is busy buying new year's goods.
The grocery stores and markets in Fucheng are also more lively than in previous years.
Those selling couplets, those selling head flowers...you name it.
Compared with the busy people who are happy, the busy government offices are mixed with anger.
The outstanding accounts have been settled, and everyone was dumbfounded when they saw the final amount to be paid.
One million and seventy thousand taels. Over the years, the Northern Territory actually owed one million and seventy thousand taels.
This amount is comparable to the Liangyan treasury.
Li Hui saw that everyone was stunned, "Haha..." chuckled:
"With so much silver, half of the relief grain will be deducted every year to pay off the debt. Can someone help me calculate it? How much money should be deducted?"
Calculate?
Can this be counted? Is it clear?
It really corresponds to the saying, "It's not that I don't know, but I'm shocked if I think about it."
One million and seventy thousand, even if you use all the bones and scraps to pay off the debt, you can’t even pay it back!
Everyone is not stupid, and they all know that Li Hui is not taken advantage of.
Let him acknowledge this debt? Just dream!
Mou Haibin stepped forward, bowed his hands, and suggested:
"Sir, I will help you draw up a plan. We cannot repay this money, and we cannot afford it at all."
"Yes, yes, the state government has picked up all the belongings of everyone, but they can't even collect the 1.07 million snowflakes of silver." Sun Dianli had lingering fears.
He has a good relationship with the official Bai Dianli of the household, but he owes so much money, no matter how good the relationship is, it is useless. This is going to be beheading and the house will be confiscated.
Everyone's eyes were directed towards the household, and the faces of the several clerks were slumped, each looking more innocent than the last.
Although all money-related matters are handled through the household, they are just fishy people, and such a large amount of money will never fall on their heads.
No wonder the boss and Mr. Fan sent him, it turned out that they were... throwing people out to settle the accounts later!
Shen Jue didn't speak the whole time. He had guessed that this would be the result when he asked Bai Dianli for the key. Anyone who could help had already reminded him. As for whether Fan Chengfang followed it or not, it had nothing to do with him.
Thinking of this, he cupped his hands and said:
"Sir, since we have come to this point, why not check all the accounts in the north. Including salt tax, personal tax, carriage tax, etc. Although the state capital is poor, it can still collect the annual tax before the bandits.
Eighteen thousand, this one million and seventy thousand... I really don’t know how I owe it, and I want to find out."
The last sentence "I'll understand after death" made everyone suddenly realize.
Yes, everyone here counts, except Li Hui, everyone is suspected and must be investigated.
Once someone is involved, it is better to confess now and be lenient, so as not to regret it when the incident comes to light. To put it most honestly, which one can withstand investigation? Even among the big officials in the capital, even one of them can't.
After investigation, including relatives of the emperor.
When Li Hui saw this, he smiled and waved his hands and said:
"We must investigate, but to capture the thief and capture the king, we have to capture the biggest one. Catching fish, turtles, shrimps, and crabs is useless and affects the overall situation. It's better for you to work together with me. Let's completely eliminate the cancer in the state capital. As for the For other small wounds, just heal them. Don’t tear them and add more wounds.”
With such a clear explanation, what else don't everyone understand? They nodded one after another and started to do things. We are all foxes with thousands of years of history. Even though we know that Li Hui is not a fool, everyone has to play fair and aboveboard.
"Okay, since Mr. Li has this request, we will naturally go all out. There are still eight days until the Little New Year. Let's all work harder and celebrate the New Year with peace of mind. I will not go home from today on."
After Shen Jue's statement, Mou Haibin and others also expressed their intention not to go home and settle the accounts of the northern state capital for so many years.
This is a big project, and it requires the full cooperation of everyone. From this day on, the three shifts of yamen began to be busy. There was no distinction between fast shift and soap shift. If there was work, everyone did it together. If the workload was too busy, they would work another shift. After During the training at Huwei Mountain, everyone's relationship was much closer than before, and the differences between them were reduced.
Under Shen Jue's deliberate guidance, the first thing the government office checked was salt. Many of the accounts were confused, and after more thorough investigation, they all pointed to the cabinet shop in the middle of West Street.
Everyone is familiar with this shop, it belongs to the Shan family, and the Shan family's industry cannot be underestimated in the northern cities.
The largest restaurant, Shun Xing Yuan, is owned by a single family. The largest bathhouse, Qing Shui Xing, is also owned by a single family. And...
Ever since Fan Chengfang was kicked out of the government office, the Shan family has been under Cheng Xi's surveillance. After that day, the Shan family did not make any move, which naturally provided an opportunity for the government office. In the clear day, Manager Xu of Shunxing Garden was there. The Yamen came out of the cabinet with salt under their noses. This was a death-defying rhythm.
The officer stepped forward and pressed Manager Xu down. Not only did this man fail to understand current affairs, but he started making a lot of noise——
"Yu Liang, are you crazy? Do you dare to arrest me? Don't forget, your brother-in-law is working in Shunxing Garden, and I am - uh uh... uh uh..."
Liu Yuliang covered the last words with his hands, and then twisted the person away with the stolen goods. The remaining yamen went directly into the cabinet shop. After clearing the people, they began to search, and then took away all the stewards and clerks of the cabinet shop, and sealed the door. seal.
It only took a stick of incense to do it, it was so quick and easy that people had no time to react.
By the time Shan Chen found out, it was already too late. But he still didn't recognize the reality clearly and slapped the table and stared.
"What do you do for food? Only now do you know that the Yamen is going to arrest someone? Where is Liu Yuliang? Why didn't he fart in advance?"
Because of Liu Yuliang, every time the Yamen took action, the Shan family would know about it in advance and restrain themselves.
Shan Chen's wife, Mrs. Xu, panicked when she heard that Xu Li had been arrested. Because he was her brother, the only son of the old Xu family.
"Dad, what should I do with my brother? The old Xu family is just a small family, you can't just die without saving it."
"What a panic, my brother-in-law is still at the government office, and Shen Jue's."
Just when Shan Chen was about to send someone to the government office to find Shen Jue, the person who came to report the news said in a trembling voice:
"Old...Master, that seal was written by Mr. Shen. A while ago, his wife went to the jewelry shop and took all the jewelry given by Shopkeeper Hao and exchanged it for the cheapest ones. She also gave some silver."
"What?!" Shan Chen was shocked.
He is not stupid and knows that selling salt privately is a serious crime, so he and his brother-in-law take half of it and give the remaining half to the governor. But the new governor has not gotten along with him so far. Before leaving, his brother-in-law told him to finish earning this money before the year. He will stop writing after a year. He is also preparing, but he didn't expect...
Oh, I understand, this Li Fuyin first lured his brother-in-law away from the mountain, and then took care of him behind.
Listening to Mrs. Xu's cry, he was in a mess inside.
"His father..."
"Shut up!"
How could he take care of his uncle when he was a Buddha himself? For this plan, he would introduce two scapegoats, and then...