Different from the noisy environment outside, the Hubu Yamen was extremely quiet. Even though there were a few officials walking around, there was not much sound. In addition, this Yamen occupies a very large area, and the various signing rooms are also separated by a long distance, which makes people feel even more empty.
Sun Tu followed the instructions of the clerk at the door and came to the duty room of Zuo Cao of the Ministry of Revenue. He saw a few people waiting quietly outside the door, obviously they were here to handle official business like himself.
In fact, when the Song Dynasty was first established, Emperor Taizu concentrated most of the court's financial power in the transfer envoy's office in order to distribute power among local governments, leaving the Ministry of Household Affairs, an old financial department, ineffective and neglected for decades. It was not until Shenzong Dynasty Yuanfeng's reform, which was known as Wang Anshi's Reform in later generations, that the Ministry of Revenue regained its prominence and gained the power to collect taxes from all over the world.
Zuo Cao, as the most important branch in the Hubu Yamen, has the authority to be in charge of household registration, taxation and tribute, etc. His power is second to none in the entire Hubu yamen. Because of this, the officials in this department were also the busiest. When Sun Tu stood outside the door and looked around, he could see several officials either sitting at their desks writing notes or discussing something quietly with the people around them, but none of them were free.
But after waiting outside for a while, Sun Tu realized that something was wrong. Obviously, the officials in the duty room were busy with their own affairs. Even if someone came in and out, they didn't even glance at the few people who stood outside for a long time. If they waited so honestly, I'm afraid they would have stood there for a whole day. It would be impossible for God to get things done.
After understanding this, he saw the right opportunity. When a relatively kind-looking official came from another place, he quickly stepped forward and saluted: "This official has invited me. I would like to see this official, Mr. Chen. I don't know." Can he be in the room? Can I meet him?"
The man glanced at Sun Tu, then pointed to a junior official inside who was looking through official documents and said, "That is Mr. Chen. Just go and see him." He didn't hesitate any longer and went on his own. Gu walked into the room.
Sun Tu hesitated for a moment. It seemed a little inappropriate to break into the check-in room so casually. After all, this was an important financial place for the imperial court. But then he made a judgment that procrastination would not get things done, so he had to bite the bullet!
So, seeing the strange looks in the eyes of the other companions who were still standing in front of the corridor door with their hands tied, not knowing what to do, Sun Tu walked directly into the duty room, without waiting for the officials among them to make the next reaction. He had already come to the desk where Mr. Chen was writing and saluted with clasped fists: "I've seen Mr. Chen."
Mr. Chen, who was immersed in the papers, raised his head when he heard the sound, with a questioning look on his face: "Who are you?"
"I'm here to pay taxes. These are the relevant documents from Yuncheng County. I'd like to ask someone to check them out." Sun Tu simply stated the purpose of his visit and took out the relevant certificates he had put in his sleeves and handed them over with both hands. passed.
Chen Yuanwai subconsciously reached out and took the thing, but there was a hint of dissatisfaction in his expression. He was obviously blaming Sun Tu for disturbing his official business. At the same time, several other people around him also looked at it, looking a little curious. There were really few people here who dared to break in directly.
Those waiting outside felt a little regretful and eager to try when they saw this scene. If they knew they could do this, they would have had the courage to break into the room, but now they let a young boy take the lead.
But soon, Chen Yuanwai's expression darkened. He completely ignored the package containing silver that Sun Tu took down, and just said to himself: "Although the taxes owed by the county are mine, It's Zuo Cao's errand, but it has to be verified by someone before it can be handed over to the bank. You can give these to Li Duzhi." As he said that, he threw the Chinese document back on the case.
Sun Tu's hands froze, but he quickly smiled and asked, "Who is Li Duzhi?"
"Here, it's him." Chen Yuanwai pointed to the official in the other corner.
Sun Tu thanked him hurriedly, picked up the paperwork package, and walked over there again. This Li Duzhi seemed a little leisurely. He opened an account book in front of him and looked at it. When he saw Sun Tu coming over, he just asked casually: "What errands are you here to do?"
Sun Tu hurriedly explained his purpose of coming again and handed over the documents. This person flipped it over casually and threw it back: "You can come back on the second day of the lunar month next month."
"Ah? What did Li Duzhi say?" Sun Tu's expression changed and he asked quickly.
"This department has rules. All counties must pay taxes only on the second day of the first month of each quarter. No acceptance will be accepted on other days. You can come back on the second day of next month." After that, he lowered his head again and looked. Get the account book.
Sun Tu was really dumbfounded now. How could there be such a rule? How come he didn't know about it before? Does the imperial court actually have to pick a date to collect taxes
After a long while, he suppressed his temper and said: "Li Duzhi, I came all the way from Shandong, hundreds of miles away, on the request of the county government. I really can't afford to delay. Can you be accommodating?" As he spoke, , he even thought about whether he should take some money to treat the other party, but because there were other officials present, he didn't really take action.
Li Duzhi was already a little impatient, and immediately said with a straight face: "The rules are the rules, how can they be changed because of you? Most of the people who come to my household department to do business every day come from all over the country. Others If it is said to be from Shandong, it means it is from Jiangnan. As long as it does not comply with the rules, I will not approve it."
After a pause, he raised his head and glanced at Sun Tu again: "Also, the figure of the tax money owed in the document you brought is wrong. The tax amount that should be paid is two hundred and fifty-six taels, not one. One hundred and thirty-four taels." After saying that, he lowered his head again, and now he really didn't want to pay attention to Sun Tu anymore.
Sun Tu was stunned on the spot. The attitude of the other party was secondary, but the most important thing was the amount of tax money to be paid. If Li Duzhi said it was true, the amount of money he had to pay would have almost doubled. If he included his own expenses, it might be about the same.
"How is this possible? This is a number recorded by the county government!" Sun Tu wanted to ask the other party, but in the end he fell silent. Because he knew very well how big the gap was between the county government and the household department. Not to mention him, even Liu Yaochen, the county magistrate of Yuncheng, was here in person, and he couldn't bargain with him, because if he really wanted to calculate it, it would definitely be the household. The department’s ledger is the main one.
Only then did he realize that Liu Yuan's method of dealing with him was not limited to intercepting and killing him on the road, but had actually left foreshadowing in official matters. Obviously, such a big gap was either that he was wrong before, or that there was an unspoken rule that he did not break, and Sun Tu believed that it should belong to the latter.
On that day, Yu Xiaohe had mentioned that becoming a government official would probably lead to the destruction of people's families, but Sun Tu really didn't have too strong feelings about it. It was only then that he truly understood the power of it.
The vacancy of nearly a hundred taels of silver, converted into copper coins, is one or two hundred taels, which is an astronomical sum for ordinary people. It was impossible for the vast majority of the people to make up the difference, and once the government investigated it, the responsibility would naturally fall entirely on the Yaqian. However, the officials, big and small, who profited from it, could stay out of the matter and have nothing to do with it.
Sun Tu was greatly excited, not because of panic, but because of anger! It is really unreasonable that I have to work hard to come to Tokyo from Yuncheng, and it is not only difficult to run errands, but also have to bear such a heavy responsibility.
For a moment, he even wanted to make a fuss and spread the word so that the world could comment. But in the end, his rationality made him give up the idea. After all, this was the Hubu Yamen, and it was not a place where a commoner like him could act arrogantly. Moreover, the other party's current refusal to accept the matter has legitimate reasons. If the matter is spread out, the only one who can be blamed for the loss is himself. If the government takes over and convicts him, he will suffer huge losses.
So in the end, Sun Tu could only retreat angrily. After all, he failed to get the thing done. When the few people outside saw his appearance, they showed expressions of gloating, and were somewhat glad that they did not rush in and disturb the officials like this ignorant boy, otherwise they would be the ones who suffered.
Sun Tu, who entered the Ministry of Household Affairs for the first time, completely hit a wall this time...
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I asked for collection at the beginning of the week, and everyone felt happy. . . . . Now I have become a jingle master. . . . .