My father ordered me to kill the emperor, but His Majesty bestowed a princess upon me instead.

Recorded by Zheng Huaien.

These four characters are placed on the first page of the merit book, as quiet as a lamp offered to the Buddha.

But when I look at it, all I see is a knife.

A knife that extends from the Ministry of Revenue, bypasses disaster victims, charitable granaries, Ci'en Temple, and the Imperial Wardrobe, and finally stabs back into the Imperial City.

Ah Liu stood behind me, his voice trembling.

"Young master, isn't this...aren't we being a bit too direct?"

I looked at that line of text.

"Yes."

"Could it be fake?"

"That's possible."

Ah Liu was stunned: "Huh?"

I turned a page in the merit book.

The second page is a list of names of those who have made meritorious contributions.

Qinghe Yicang offered three hundred stones of rice.

The incense offerings for the Ci'en Temple Water and Land Ritual were 600 taels of silver.

One hundred and twenty catties of lamp oil were used for prayers by disaster victims in Jiangbei.

The Ministry of Revenue transferred the surplus funds from disaster relief to charitable donations for repairs.

Every line was written with a kind and benevolent expression.

If you ignore the starving disaster victims outside, and just look at this booklet, it really looks like a group of benevolent people relieving suffering.

I flipped to the middle and saw several familiar names.

Discounted grain.

Incense ash cart.

Rice coupons.

Merits and virtues performed on land and water.

These things are like a string of beads, strung together by the same thread.

The other end of the line was held by the Ministry of Revenue.

Ah Liu asked in a low voice, "Young Master, if Zheng Huai'en is really that stupid to write his name on the first page, how did he become a Vice Minister?"

I glanced at him.

"You're remarkably clever."

Ah Liu's spirits lifted.

"So it's fake?"

"not necessarily."

He looked dejected again.

I said, "It might have been written by Zheng Huaien, or it might have been deliberately copied by someone else. But regardless of whether it's true or not, one thing is true."

"What?"

"This book of merit is meant to let us see Zheng Huaien."

Ah Liu blinked.

"Is that a good thing or a bad thing?"

"Let's see how we use it."

Xiao Lingyi was still standing in front of the black wooden box.

She stared at the old garment for a long time without moving.

This is not how she usually is.

Even with a knife to her throat, Xiao Lingyi could always tell where the knife came from, who handed it to her, and where the next blow would land.

But at this moment, her gaze fell on that old garment, as if she were being held back by a distant night.

I didn't rush her.

Some accounts can be checked by living people.

Some pain can only be swallowed by oneself.

The disaster victims outside the warehouse were still restless.

They didn't know what the old garment meant.

They only saw sandbags, moldy rice, and jars of incense ash piled up in the granary, and they knew that their hunger was not a natural disaster, but a man-made one.

This is enough.

Hungry people don't need to understand the old cases of the late empress.

All they need to know is who hid the grain.

Ma Cheng knelt on the ground, his face deathly pale.

Lu Wenjing had already collapsed, repeatedly muttering, "This humble official did not know, this humble official did not know..."

I'm tired of hearing it.

"Supervisor Lu."

He looked up sharply.

How many ledgers does Qinghe Granary keep?

He opened his mouth.

"No...it's not just this one."

Explain yourself.

Lu Wenjing glanced at Ma Cheng.

Ma Cheng said sternly, "Lu Wenjing! Think it through before you speak!"

Yan Xiaoyi's scabbard immediately pressed down on Ma Cheng's shoulder.

Ma Cheng groaned, nearly collapsing half of his body under the weight.

Yan Xiaoyi said lazily, "Think it over before you shout."

Ma Cheng gritted his teeth and shut up.

I looked at Lu Wenjing.

"continue."

Lu Wenjing was sweating profusely.

"The granary has three official ledgers. One is for the Ministry of Revenue, one is for the granary itself, and one is for Ci'en Temple. There is also... there is a general register of merits."

I waved the notebook in my hand.

"This one?"

He shook his head.

"no."

My eyes paused.

"Then what is this?"

"This is a book of merits for people to see."

Ah Liu couldn't help but ask, "The Book of Merit is divided into one for public viewing and one for private viewing?"

Lu Wenjing said with a long face, "These days, what kind of accounts don't have two sets?"

He said it so naturally.

It was so natural that I didn't know whether to scold him first or praise him for being honest.

If Bai Zhiruo were here, she would probably be very pleased.

After all, this is a rare instance of honesty in the accounting world.

I asked, "Where is the true register of merits?"

Lu Wenjing's lips trembled.

"At...at Ci'en Temple."

Xiao Lingyi finally turned her head.

Who is in charge of Ci'en Temple?

Lu Wenjing said, "The abbot of the temple is Jingci, but the accounts are not managed by the abbot. They are managed by a supervisor named Mingjue. He keeps records of the rice supplied by Qinghe Granary, the grain rations from the Ministry of Revenue, and the donations from disaster victims by water and land.

Mingjue.

I wrote down this name.

The Ci'en Temple line should have been investigated in the first place, and now it's even more unavoidable.

I continued, "Why are the old clothes here?"

Lu Wenjing's face was even paler than before.

"I really don't know. The box was only delivered a few days ago. They said it was for Ci'en Temple to hold a Buddhist ceremony and to be used to suppress old items. I only know that it shouldn't be opened."

"Who sent it?"

"Qinghe".

It's Qinghe again.

A mere maid in the Imperial Wardrobe is almost as busy as I, the unfortunate prince consort.

I asked, "Who's behind Qinghe?"

Lu Wenjing dared not answer.

I rephrased my question: "Who printed the rice coupons for you?"

He was stunned.

"The seal of the granary itself."

"Who can transfer it?"

"This humble official, the accountant Zhao Ji, and the supervisor sent by the Ministry of Revenue."

Who is the overseer of the exchange?

Lu Wenjing lowered his head.

"Master Ma."

All eyes immediately fell on Ma Cheng.

Ma Cheng's face turned ashen.

"Shen An, don't listen to his accusations! The Ministry of Revenue sent an official to oversee the exchange of rice coupons only to prevent chaos in the granary accounts; it doesn't mean he'll handle every single one!"

I nodded.

"rational."

Ma Cheng was taken aback.

I said, "So, we're checking the accounts."

His face darkened again.

I put the rice coupons, merit book, and granary register together.

"The Qinghe Granary is to be sealed today. All account books are to be taken back to the Censorate for verification. The grain in the granary is to be counted according to the list of disaster victims. Moldy rice, sandbags, and counterfeit grain are to be registered separately. The disaster victims outside are to be given the edible grain they can eat today."

Ma Cheng suddenly looked up.

"Shen An, you still dare to distribute rations?"

I looked at him and said, "The granary is already open, why not distribute food? Are you just saving it for sand to eat?"

"There is no approval document from the Ministry of Revenue!"

"There's a princess here."

"Your Highness cannot overstep the Ministry of Revenue's regulations!"

Xiao Lingyi looked at him coldly: "Ma Cheng."

Ma Cheng's voice faltered.

Xiao Lingyi said, "You just said that even I cannot overstep the regulations of the Ministry of Revenue?"

Ma Cheng immediately knelt down: "That's not what I meant."

"So what do you mean?"

He couldn't answer.

Xiao Lingyi walked to the warehouse door and looked at the disaster victims outside.

The crowd included elderly people, women, and children.

They've stopped shouting.

They just stared at the warehouse.

Looking at the sandbags that had been cut open and the moldy rice, and also at the real grains that were still edible in the corner.

I didn't dare look into that kind of gaze for too long.

When a person has been hungry for a long time, their eyes don't light up when they see grain.

It's fate.

Xiao Lingyi spoke up: "Qinghe Charity Granary, under the guise of disaster relief, collects relief funds from the Ministry of Revenue, receives donations from Ci'en Temple, and distributes rice to disaster victims. Today, I personally witnessed the presence of moldy rice, sandbags, and fake accounts in the granary."

Her voice wasn't loud, but it carried far.

"The edible grain in the granaries should be distributed to the elderly, children, and the sick and weak according to the list of disaster victims. Anyone who dares to loot will be arrested. Anyone who dares to obstruct the distribution of grain will be questioned by me first."

She paused for a moment.

"Is this grain meant to save lives or to save debts?"

Some of the disaster victims cried out.

It wasn't wailing, it was an uncontrollable sob.

Soon, the sound of crying filled the air.

Ah Liu's eyes also turned red, and he kept sniffling.

I looked at him and asked, "Why are you crying?"

He wiped his face.

"Young master, I just think... what His Highness said is quite right."

It's really good.

She's so good that I think the people in the Ministry of Rites might be so angry they'd die if they impeached her for interfering in politics tomorrow.

The distribution of grain must not be done haphazardly.

I had Ah Liu lead the guards from the Princess's residence to arrange the people according to the wooden signs that the disaster victims had previously registered. I also had the inner guards guard the warehouse gate, and Yan Xiaoyi kept an eye on the warehouse workers and the accountants.

Lu Wenjing looked as if his bones had been removed.

Ma Cheng, however, is still stubbornly holding on.

He knew that this matter could no longer be suppressed.

But he is still waiting.

Who are we waiting for?

It's Zheng Huaien, of course.

Zheng Huaien would not let a lowly clerk shield him from death.

This kind of old fox either doesn't come at all, or when he does, he's definitely carrying a knife.

Sure enough, before the grain had been distributed, the sound of horse-drawn carriages could be heard in the distance again.

The car was parked outside the charitable warehouse.

The curtain was lifted, and Zheng Huaien got out of the car.

He was still wearing his Ministry of Revenue official robes, his face was gentle, and even the sweat on his forehead was just right, as if he had rushed here to care for the disaster victims.

This person knows how to make a name for themselves.

Looking at him, it's hard to believe that he would turn relief funds into incense offerings, exchange charitable rice for rice coupons, and put prices on the cries of disaster victims.

When he arrived, he didn't look at me or Ma Cheng.

Let's look at the disaster victims first.

"Fellow villagers, don't panic."

Zheng Huaien's voice was calm and steady.

"The Ministry of Revenue is acting on imperial orders to provide disaster relief and will not allow any victims to starve. If there are any irregularities at the Qinghe Charity Granary, the Ministry of Revenue will investigate. If anyone uses the pretext of investigating a case to disrupt disaster relief efforts, the Ministry of Revenue will not tolerate it."

In short, it's a double bind.

They say they are investigating corruption, but also that it's causing disruption.

The disaster victims couldn't understand the words "knife" inside.

The officials can understand it.

He turned to Xiao Lingyi and bowed deeply.

"Your Highness, may you be well. Your Highness's concern for the disaster victims is admirable. However, the granary is involved in the allocation of relief grain and the resettlement of disaster victims. If we open the granary impulsively, it may affect the subsequent relief efforts."

Xiao Lingyi said coldly, "Minister Zheng is late."

"This humble official is terrified."

"The warehouse is open."

"I saw it."

"The grain has already been distributed."

Zheng Huaien lowered his head.

"Since Your Highness has given the order, I naturally dare not obstruct it. However..."

He finally looked at me when he said that.

"Lord Shen, do you know how serious a crime it is to open a public granary without authorization and to use relief grain privately?"

I smiled.

"Know."

"You knew that, yet you still drove it?"

"Minister Zheng, do you know how grave the crime it is to fill the granary with sandbags, moldy rice, and jars of incense ash?"

Zheng Huaien's expression remained unchanged.

"Therefore, the Ministry of Revenue will investigate."

"The Ministry of Revenue is checking the Ministry of Revenue?"

"Qinghe Granary is not the private property of the Ministry of Revenue."

"But your Ministry of Revenue has an official in charge of supervising the exchange of goods."

"The Ministry of Revenue will not cover up any dereliction of duty by the supervising officials."

Ma Cheng's face turned pale instantly.

I understand.

Zheng Huaien has arrived.

The knife he brought wasn't the first one he used to cut me.

He first killed Ma Cheng.

Ma Cheng understood.

He crawled two steps on his knees, his voice trembling: "Your Excellency, this humble official..."

Zheng Huaien didn't even look at him.

"Ma Cheng's oversight was inadequate, resulting in discrepancies between the grain records and the granary accounts. Guards, take him into custody."

The Ministry of Revenue officers stepped forward to arrest the person.

I raised my hand to stop him.

"slow."

Zheng Huaien looked at me.

"Does Lord Shen have anything else to say?"

"Ma Cheng is a witness."

"He was also an official in the Ministry of Revenue."

"He's also a person involved in the case."

Zheng Huaien said gently, "It is precisely because he is involved in the case that the Ministry of Revenue wants to bring him back for questioning."

I laughed and said, "Take him back to the Ministry of Revenue for interrogation?"

"Why not?"

"Qian Rong also brought it back with him back then."

Zheng Huaien's gaze finally darkened for a moment.

Of course he knew how Qian Rong died.

I also know.

Therefore, Ma Cheng cannot enter the Ministry of Revenue this time.

I looked at Xiao Lingyi.

She immediately replied, "Ma Cheng is appointed to the Censorate."

Zheng Huaien frowned: "Your Highness, this matter is probably against the rules."

"I've heard enough of the rules today."

Xiao Lingyi looked at him.

"Han Shangfu died in the palace, Aunt Sun was hidden in the old clothes room, the Qinghe Yicang warehouse found the Empress Dowager's old clothes, and Ma Cheng is involved in the Ministry of Revenue's relief funds. If Vice Minister Zheng thinks this is just an internal matter of the Ministry of Revenue, I may enter the palace now and ask the Emperor to inquire personally."

Zheng Huaien remained silent.

He can dominate me.

But he cannot force Princess Zhaoning to submit here.

Especially since she had just distributed food to disaster victims in front of a fake granary.

Public opinion is something that is usually so easily overlooked that no one pays attention to it.

When things really get chaotic, it's heavier than iron.

Zheng Huaien cupped his hands in greeting.

"Since Your Highness says so, Ma Cheng can be temporarily handed over to the Censorate."

He paused, then looked at me.

"However, Lord Shen, now that the Qinghe Granary has been opened, the inspection of the accounts and grain cannot be decided by you alone. The Ministry of Revenue, the Censorate, the Princess's Residence, and the Ci'en Temple all need to be present."

A thought struck me.

Ci'en Temple.

He brought up Ci'en Temple on his own initiative.

This doesn't seem like a mistake.

It's like handing me the next step.

I said, "Okay."

Zheng Huaien looked at me.

"Then we will meet at Ci'en Temple early tomorrow morning for the trial."

I laughed.

"Why wait until tomorrow?"

His gaze darkened slightly.

I held up the book of merit.

"Minister Zheng, at midnight tonight, the Qinghe Granary was supposed to be cleaned of ashes. Now the ashes haven't been cleaned, and there's a possibility that the Ci'en Temple might be on fire."

I closed the book.

"There's no time like the present."

"Let's go to Ci'en Temple now."

Zheng Huaien finally stopped laughing.