"Haha, once this warehouse door is replaced, Taicang can rest easy."
"Yes, yes. This is a wrought iron gate. Even if a thief enters Taicang, he can't do anything facing the warehouse gate. Lord Zhu's action is worthy of immeasurable merit."
When the craftsmen were replacing the door of the Taicang Silver Vault, several officials whom Zhu Ping'an did not know came up to him with unexpected enthusiasm. They greeted Zhu Ping'an and congratulated him with a smile.
For a moment, Zhu Ping'an was surrounded by seven or eight officials and couldn't get away.
While these officials were surrounding Zhu Ping'an, Zhang Guanku and Jia Langzhong from Taicang came to Yan Shifan and whispered for a while, then left quietly.
After a while, Doctor Jia and Doctor Zhao from Taicang and more than a dozen officials who came to watch the ceremony quietly left the crowd and appeared in a secluded place in Taicang.
"From the look of Zhu Ping'an, he will definitely count the gold and silver in the treasury as soon as the treasury door is replaced." Sun Guanchen, a member of the Ministry of Works, glanced at the officials in Taicang and spoke.
Sun Guanchen, the Deputy Director of the Ministry of Works, was a favorite of Yan Shifan and one of the vested interests of Taicang, receiving several thousand taels of silver from Taicang every year.
"Yes, now think about it, Zhu Ping'an's request to replace the storehouse door is not just a simple attempt to steal credit." Zeng Disheng, a doctor in the Ministry of Revenue, nodded with a serious look on his face.
"I heard that when Zhu Ping'an was checking the account books, he specially went to see the emperor and invited people from the East Factory to come. What is he trying to do?!"
"My right eyelid keeps twitching..."
Several other officials also spoke up, with lingering fear and uneasy expressions.
"Don't worry, everyone. Every year, officials come to inspect Taicang, and everything goes smoothly every year. This time will be no exception." Doctor Jia smiled slightly and comforted the officials.
"I wonder how Taicang is preparing?" Sun Guanchen asked.
"Don't worry, sir. Just like in previous years, the amount of gold and silver entering the warehouse will be counted by our Taicang officials and soldiers. Our Taicang officials and soldiers are all experienced and well-trained, and we guarantee that there will be no mistakes. As for the amount, ha ha, it is naturally the same as the amount in the account book, not a single cent different." Doctor Jia smiled slightly and replied meaningfully.
He hinted very clearly that the person who took inventory of the gold and silver in the warehouse was the official from Taicang, and the result of the inventory would naturally be exactly the same as that on the account book, so there was absolutely no possibility of any problem.
"Because the warehouse was closed a few days ago, Manager Zhang was worried that the officials and soldiers would neglect their work, so he specially asked us to gather the officials, soldiers and accountants yesterday to study the Taicang laws and regulations and arrange the warehouse inventory." Doctor Jia made another special addition, implying that they had already reminded the officials, soldiers and accountants yesterday to ensure that there would be no problems with today's inventory.
"What if Zhu Ping'an insists on going into the warehouse to take inventory?" asked the doctor from the Ministry of Revenue.
Doctor Jia, Doctor Zhao and others from Taicang couldn't help but laugh when they heard this. "If Zhu Ping'an wants to come in, then we have to show him the Taicang regulations. The regulations stipulate that anyone entering or leaving the treasury must take off their clothes and only wear a pair of crotchless pants. They must also be inspected... Can Zhu Ping'an do it?"
Yes, people live by their face and trees live by their bark, and scholars in particular are most particular about propriety, righteousness, integrity and shame.
As the saying goes, one's body and hair are given by one's parents. Taking off clothes in public is equivalent to being stripped and paraded through the streets. This is a great shame and humiliation! If that scholar was stripped and paraded through the streets, nine out of ten would be so ashamed that they would bang their heads against the pillars and commit suicide. A scholar can be killed, but he cannot be humiliated!
Especially those who are officials.
What matters is reputation. If you have a good reputation, you can be promoted and everyone will follow you. If you have a bad reputation, your career is over.
Who can take off their clothes and wear a pair of crotchless pants in public? Do you still have shame? Do you still want to live? Do you still want to be an official
You want to go into the vault, right?!
Okay, take it off!
I'll drown you in spit!
Pointing fingers at me, I'll embarrass you!
Hehe, why did you invite so many officials to watch the ceremony? Officials from the six ministries, various government offices, the East Factory, the Embroidered Uniform Guard, and the Hanlin Academy also came. Hehe, if something interesting happens today, I dare not say anything else, but half of the officialdom will definitely know about it on the second day, and the entire officialdom will be talking about it on the third day.
After hearing what Doctor Jia from Taicang and others said, Sun Guanchen, Zeng Dichen and others couldn't help but laugh, and the uneasiness in their hearts disappeared.
"Besides, even if Zhu Ping'an can do it and go in wearing crotch pants, crotch pants can still hide things. If the amount of gold and silver in the treasury doesn't match the account book, then it has nothing to do with us, and we can only find Zhu Ping'an. You know, before Zhu Ping'an checked the treasury, the gold and silver in the treasury were exactly the same, so why is there less gold and silver after Zhu Ping'an checked the treasury? So, if there is a lot of gold and silver, that would be the best; if there is less, that is Zhu Ping'an's problem, and it has nothing to do with us."
Doctor Jia, Doctor Zhao and the others began to laugh sinisterly as they spoke, their eyes narrowed into a line.
It would be best if Zhu Ping'an did not go into the treasury to check the treasury. In this way, the officials of Taicang would go in to check the treasury, and the amount in the treasury would naturally be consistent with the account book. If Zhu Ping'an went in, it would not matter. If the amount in the treasury was the same as the account book, then there would be no problem. If there was a shortage, then it would be that Zhu Ping'an secretly smuggled some money in... ...
Anyway, no matter what, it's foolproof.
Since it's foolproof, there's nothing to worry about.
Upon hearing this, Sun Guanchen and other officials who were watching the ceremony smiled with relief. The haze in their hearts disappeared, and they suddenly felt bright and cheerful.
Afterwards, Doctor Jia discussed some specific details with Sun Guanchen and others, such as asking everyone present not to leave after the warehouse door was replaced; what everyone should say when Zhu Ping'an spoke, etc.
After the discussion, Jia Langzhong and others returned to the treasury to continue watching the ceremony.
When the officials surrounding Zhu Ping'an saw that Doctor Jia and others had returned, they stopped greeting Zhu Ping'an.
When the officials surrounding him began to disperse, Zhu Ping'an still looked puzzled.
I originally thought these officials were trying to trick me.
As a result, those officials whom he had never met before surrounded him and started to chat awkwardly, from Kumen to Analects, from Analects to whether the birthday peaches at the 80th birthday banquet of the former Minister of Personnel Wang were delicious... ...
What a psycho!
Zhu Pingan was secretly complaining in his heart.
When something is abnormal, there must be something wrong.
Zhu Ping'an was alert in his heart, and then pretended to be calm, watching the movements of the departing officials with his peripheral vision. Then he noticed Doctor Jia of Taicang and others who had just returned. He felt relieved. He guessed that those officials surrounded him just to cover for Doctor Jia of Taicang and others.
Avoid yourself.
Then, Doctor Jia and others must have been discussing how to deal with their own inventory.
If you were them, what would you do
Zhu Ping'an pondered for a moment, then curled the corners of his mouth and said, "I'm sorry, I'm afraid I will disappoint you."