There are still a few days until the Mid-Autumn Festival, and as usual, I will go to the Ministry of Housing to report.
In fact, it’s a job, and I don’t have much work to do. In addition, I’m the prime minister now, and no one dares to instruct me to work, which makes me panic.
The fragrance in the Boshan furnace is said to be used to refresh the mind, but I always feel dizzy because of the smoke, and I really miss the aroma of coffee.
I wiped the pineapple wood case three times back and forth. I really had nothing to do, so I grabbed a piece of paper and doodled, thinking about adding a pot of bamboo and cactus to the case tomorrow. It’s too monotonous and suffocating without green. !
"Your Majesty!"
A crisp sound pulled me back from the fog. I looked up and saw it was an old song.
Lao Qu is a mysterious figure in the Ministry of Housing, he has no official position, but he is obviously important, and everyone is very polite to him.
He nodded at me, and I followed him suspiciously into a small room next to him.
That room is usually locked, and it is said that there are only two keys, one is in the hands of this mysterious Mr. Lao Qu, and the other is in the hands of our head Huang Shangshu.
I walked in, the room was not small, but a little crowded, because half of the country was occupied by a large dark cabinet. The cabinet was divided into several layers, each layer was carved with gold arabesque patterns, and the heavy gold ring made this The behemoth looked very heavy.
Lao Qu's slender body was hidden behind the black brocade curtain, making it even more mysterious.
"Master Shilang is here for the first time, but Huang Shangshu has already ordered that this month's monthly payment will be given according to the fifth grade!" Lao Qu flipped through the booklet in his hand, raised his head and smiled at me.
"What monthly payment?" I was very confused, could it be salary? Posted so soon? It seems to be early in the day.
"You don't know." Lao Qu walked to the big black cabinet, groped for a key from his arms, and explained as he opened it, "Hubu is the treasury of the Xi Kingdom, and it is also our treasury, and I want it from us. To be filial, to give gifts to those who have committed a crime, and to give dividends to everyone according to their grade, once a month, so it is called a monthly payment!"
There is such a thing! Isn't it blatant corruption and bribery? I was dumbfounded.
"This... this is illegal!" I asked tentatively, "Could it be that Huang Shangshu..."
I stopped abruptly, and suddenly remembered that he said it was an order from above!
"What's wrong with you sir?" Lao Qu glanced at me inexplicably, as if disapproving of my surprise, "Not only our households, but also the six departments and nine temples have this practice, and the above is tacit approval!"
Lao Qu pursed his lips in the direction of the Qingxin Temple, so even the emperor turned a blind eye
When I opened the brocade bag Lao Qu handed me, I was surprised again. It was full of gold and silver, and I grabbed a handful of them. There were fine jadeite pearls, exquisite silver jewelry, and a heavy gold thorn!
This... This is just the example of the fifth grade! I can't imagine how much money such important officials like Mo Gaosheng and Jun Qidao should have! I am afraid this is not even the filial piety sent to their home in private! No wonder, with the small salary of the imperial court, it is impossible for the palace to interrupt such a luxurious life!
"Sir, Lao Qu, I don't know what you like, so I just picked some at random this time. Tell me next time, and I'll keep it for you!"
I'm still in shock and can't help myself. Although Xiguo is rich and prosperous, it is not so corrupt that it has become an open secret! How can it be so effective! I shook my head secretly in my heart. This is the cream of the people. Are the people working so hard and paying a lot of taxes to support this bunch of people who have nothing to do all day long? Right now, though, I'm one of those moths. People all over the world are persevering in taking the imperial examination and entering the official career, whether it is one out of a hundred or one out of a thousand, now it seems that there is indeed another huge motivation.
Should you accept it? Should you accept it? There is a war in my heart, let’s take it, it seems to be against the principle, how can I say that I am also a good young man with conscience, morality and a little timid in the 21st century! Don't accept it, so much gold and silver in front of you is really crazy.
However, depending on the situation, accepting bribes has become a common practice. If I don't take it, it will be too ostentatious.
Thinking about it again, I have already spent the ill-gotten wealth of the King's Mansion. I am not a noble person. I will take it as I take it, and let this girl help you to use this dirty money more cleanly!
Facing the bag of gold and silver, I was still a little stunned. Sitting at the table, I didn't notice that the painting I just doodled had disappeared, and only a little ink was left on the edge of the paper.