vstars Chapter 318 The Divine Calculator Jiang of the Ministry of Revenue
Chapter 318 The Divine Calculator Jiang of the Ministry of Revenue
Jiang Xiaoqi missed her grandfather, who was far away in Beijing, even more.
The last time I sent something to my grandfather was in Chunyi. Later, I went to the more distant southern region. The journey was too far, and I was busy making floral essential oils, so I didn't send anything there.
Now that we've arrived in Xinghe Prefecture, which is much closer, we can naturally send all the good things we've collected over the past six months to our grandfather at once.
"Li Mo!"
"Master."
"I've packed up the things for my grandfather. Tomorrow, take them to the post station, give him extra money, and get them to the capital as soon as possible."
"Yes! Master!"
Two jars of berry wine brought back from Chunyi, ten purple bamboo folding fans bought on the way, two bottles of sleep-aiding essential oil, and six bottles of fragrant flower hydrosol.
There are also various kinds of flower teas, with rich aromas and beautiful colors, which can be given to grandfather to try something new.
Besides these, there are also abacuses made of glazed jade. They are small and not very practical; they are just hand-held pieces, meant to be played with.
There are also some tie-dyed fabrics, but they're not suitable for making clothes; they're mainly used for tablecloths, just for a novelty.
In addition, there were some silver items, such as silver wine cups and pots, cups, bowls and chopsticks. These were all bought from the south. Using silver items was not particularly unusual, as the capital city was not short of silver items.
However, the silverware from the south had unique designs and local characteristics, which piqued Jiang Xiaoqi's interest, so he bought a lot.
Aside from keeping one set for my mother, I sent some to my eldest sister and brother-in-law, and the rest are in a package that is about to be sent to Beijing.
I hope my grandfather will like it.
The capital city, the Ministry of Revenue—
"Manager Jiang, please take a look and see if there are any problems with these accounts."
"Master Jiang, could you please take a look at this one and see if there are any discrepancies? I've looked at it several times, but I really can't tell the difference."
Landlord Jiang—oh, no, Steward Jiang—rubbed his temples and began to examine each item.
Sigh, he once again sincerely wished that his old eyesight was failing, but the medicinal diet his beloved grandson had prepared for him was so effective that his hearing and vision had become increasingly sharp over the past two years.
It seems I can't use old age and weakness as an excuse to retire early. Alas...
Fortunately, there were indeed officials in the capital who were older than him.
However, among the officials older than him, there were practically none below the fourth rank, so it seemed he still had a long way to go. How could he not work hard?
Therefore, he never refuses any troublesome or difficult task that the Ministry of Revenue asks him to do, even if these tasks have nothing to do with him at all.
Yes, just like my grandson said, sixty is the age to really push yourself~ even though he's already sixty-one.
"Alright, alright, gentlemen, please put down the problematic accounts. We should be able to review them by tomorrow."
"Thank you very much, Manager Jiang. Thank you very much."
"You've gone to so much trouble, you've gone to so much trouble."
Even though they were high-ranking officials, they were extremely polite to Jiang, the "intern" from the Ministry of Revenue.
There's no other reason than that the Ministry of Revenue was a department that judged people based on their abilities; the Ministry's accounts for a year could be hauled up by horse-drawn carriages.
There were many minor officials in the Ministry of Revenue, but their abilities varied greatly, with only a few being truly capable.
Finally, the accounts were compiled and sent to the heads of each party, who still had to review and sort them out themselves. It's not that there couldn't be any mistakes or omissions.
Manual accounting will inevitably result in some discrepancies, but within acceptable limits, they are harmless.
However, if the difference in amount is too large, the submission will be rejected.
When it came time to settle accounts, the officials who couldn't handle things themselves turned to the Ministry of Revenue's math genius, Chief Clerk Jiang Changshou.
Jiang Changshou ground the ink again and opened the account books, which still contained fairly clear records.
"Master Jiang, a message has arrived from your home. A letter and a package have arrived." The guard from the Ministry of Revenue entered to deliver the message, showing extreme respect to Jiang Changshou.
"Oh? Alright, alright. I have some things to finish today, so I'll probably have to stay at the Ministry of Revenue. I'll take a look when I get home tomorrow."
"Could you please tell them to keep a close eye on the items and not to open the letter before I get back?"
"Sigh~ My precious grandson is the most filial, always thinking of his old man."
After his initial excitement, Jiang Changshou threw himself back into his busy official duties, but this time he felt a sense of warmth and comfort, and his enthusiasm was even greater.
With an abacus in one hand and a writing brush in the other, he stayed up late by lamplight.
The Fourth Prince's residence was completed but he had not yet officially moved in. Now it has become a ready-made place for the Fourth Prince to reflect on his mistakes behind closed doors.
Because it was newly built, the mansion was not fully furnished, and the Fourth Prince was brought back to the capital in a hurry, which meant that the Imperial Household Department did not continue to decorate and maintain the Fourth Prince's mansion.
Although the Fourth Prince's residence looks neat and tidy from the outside, there is really no scenery inside. The buildings are complete, but there are no artificial hills, fish ponds, gardens, or corridors that require more attention.
It's not that it's not in the regulations, it's just that we haven't had time to finish the work yet.
Around the age of sixteen, each prince would move out of the palace and reside in a prince's residence outside the palace.
Basically, princes start construction once they turn twelve. Now Zhao Hongsheng is fifteen, and his fourth prince's residence has been under construction for three years.
In another year, the scenery and flowers in the prince's residence would be fully arranged, but at this time the emperor issued an edict ordering him to stay in his own residence and reflect on his mistakes.
Naturally, the remaining construction could not continue. Now, the area that should have been a garden in the Fourth Prince's residence was all half-turned over yellow earth.
The fishpond is only half-dug, but it hasn't been filled with water or reinforced yet. There's no water, so of course there can't be any fish.
There are artificial rocks, but they are all spread out on the ground and piled up in a heap, without being shaped or fixed in place.
There are pavilions and towers, but they are just frames that have been erected and have not yet been painted, so they are still in their original wood color.
It can be said that because the Fourth Prince was suddenly confined to his residence, the Fourth Prince's residence became an unfinished project.
As for when the project can resume, it depends on when the Fourth Prince is released from confinement.
However, even if the Fourth Prince is released from confinement, it is still uncertain whether construction can begin immediately.
The construction of the prince's residence required not only funding from the Imperial Household Department but also implementation from the Ministry of Works.
The entire Ministry of Works had long been thoroughly offended by the Fourth Prince.
The Ministry of Works could not possibly disobey the imperial decree and refuse to build a mansion for the fourth prince.
However, with so many projects both inside and outside the capital, there has to be a priority order. Even if the Fourth Prince is released from confinement, the projects at the Prince's residence will probably be placed far down the list.
Don't ask, don't rush me, the answer is the Ministry of Works is busy!