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

Inside the imperial tent box was only a thin, old ledger with the words "Old Ledger from Jiangbei" written on the cover.

When Bai Zhi was brought into the Mingde Hall, her hair was all disheveled, but she bowed quickly and stiffly.

Her expression changed immediately when she saw the cover.

"This is the third debt left by my father."

"Can I watch it?"

Bai Zhi was not turned over immediately.

She washed her hands first, dried them with a handkerchief, and then carefully opened the first page.

The first page contains Bai Song's calligraphy.

Bai Zhi's eyes reddened after just one glance.

But she didn't cry.

He just took a very light breath.

"It's my father's handwriting."

No one inside was urging them.

Even the emperor didn't have one.

He looked at Bai Zhi, his eyes flashing with a complex expression for a moment.

Perhaps it was guilt.

Perhaps it's something else.

Bai Zhi turned to the second page.

I sat next to him, with the stubs of Yongfeng Three Stores, rice coupons of Qinghe Yicang, medical records of Nanyaopeng, and the general register of merit of Ci'en Temple spread out in my hands.

These things were piled up on the emperor's desk.

To be honest, it's against the rules.

But there aren't many rules tonight.

They use the rules to kill people, and we use them to suppress cases; we're both quite busy.

Bai Zhi read the accounts very quickly.

She first looked at the total number, then the last digit, and finally the reverse hook.

My fingers slid along the lines of the ledger, while the abacus beads moved gently beside me.

"The old accounts from Jiangbei were not disaster relief accounts."

She suddenly said.

I asked, "What is that?"

"It is the original book of the folding method."

The emperor looked at her.

Explain yourself.

Bai Zhi said, "This booklet doesn't record how much grain was distributed in which year, but rather how to count households, convert grain into cash, transport supplies, and resettle people during famines. It was originally a disaster relief law."

She turned to a page.

"It is written here that after the disaster victims are registered, they will receive food according to their actual number of people. The elderly, weak, sick and disabled will receive additional medicine. The deceased will be removed from the register, and those who have fled will be re-registered, but they will not be allowed to receive food again."

If Ah Liu were here, he would probably ask: Isn't this great?

I think it's pretty good too.

Good things are most likely to fall into the hands of bad people.

Continue turning over the Angelica dahurica.

"It was changed later."

She pointed to a clipboard.

The original booklet stated "No duplicates allowed," but the marginal note changed it to "Can be folded into three items."

What are the three items?

"Rice for the People, Medicine for the People, Merits for Water and Land Deeds."

My heart sank.

It was Qinghe Yicang, Nanyaopeng, and Ci'en Temple.

Bai Zhi put the side notes and Yongfeng ticket stubs together.

"The same set."

She then took out Zheng Huaien's calculation book.

"Zheng Huaien used the modified folding method."

The emperor looked at the line of marginal notes.

"Who changed it?"

Bai Zhi did not answer.

She turned to the next few pages of annotations.

A thin, old letter was tucked between the pages.

It's not Bai Song's calligraphy.

It wasn't Zheng Huaien's either.

The characters are vigorous and the brushstrokes are very steady.

I glanced at him once, then looked at the emperor.

The emperor's face darkened.

"Wang Xiang's courtesy name."

Bai Zhi unfolded the letter.

The letter read:

There are many displaced people in Jiangbei, and the national treasury is not full.

Even with actual relief efforts, the imperial court could hardly sustain the effort.

The old method of compensation should prioritize the imperial court's policies, and there is no need to be rigid in distinguishing between living households, dead households, and runaway households.

First, we must stabilize the government, then we can discuss the people's livelihood.

There was no signature at the end.

There was only one private seal.

Wang Shi.

The room was very quiet.

This letter was even more deadly than the incense burner sent by the Wang family with their private seal.

The incense burner can be said to be a seal borrowed by the women and servants in the household.

This old letter was written by Grand Secretary Wang himself.

Wang's private seal.

It was tucked inside Bai Song's old tent.

The calculation method for the fourteenth year of Chengxi was changed, which was personally promoted by Prime Minister Wang.

Bai Zhi's voice was cold: "So the three-item calculation wasn't Zheng Huaien's idea after all."

She looked at the emperor.

"It's Grand Secretary Wang."

The emperor remained silent.

I looked at the letter, but I didn't feel relieved.

It has Wang's own handwriting, which is very good.

But not enough.

Wang Ge Lao could say that this was an expedient measure taken when the national treasury was in dire straits, and it does not mean that he encouraged embezzlement, killing of disaster victims, burning of accounts, or poisoning.

We need to thoroughly investigate both the old approvals from the Wang family and the current disaster relief fund cases.

I continued flipping through the Yongfeng ticket stubs.

"Bai Zhi, look here."

Among the ticket stubs in Yongfeng's three counters, there are several new tickets from the seventeenth year of Chengxi.

Disaster relief funds were distributed in Jiangbei.

The merit rice from Qinghe Yicang was converted into silver.

Ci'en Temple's Water and Land Offerings of Incense and Silver.

Anmin Pharmaceutical Silver.

Besides the Yongfeng Third Counter mark, there is also a small seal on these ticket stubs.

Cui.

Cui Jing.

Wang's relatives.

Bai Zhi took it and looked at it, then quickly started working on the abacus.

"Wang's old annotation from the fourteenth year of Chengxi, with the fifth note at the end."

She refurbished the tickets again.

"This year's Jiangbei disaster relief efforts, calculated in three installments, also end in five."

I asked, "Can you prove that the same accounting method is being used?"

"It can be proven that the person who did the accounting deliberately used the old batch."

"Who will do it?"

"Yongfeng Three Containers"

Who is in charge of the three counters at Yongfeng?

"Cui Jing."

Cui Jing was a relative of the Wang family.

Wang's old batch, Yongfeng three cabinets, old and new have the same last digit.

The line is finally connected.

The emperor looked at Wei Zhi.

"Where is Cui Jing?"

Wei Zhi said, "He has been taken to the inner guard's duty room."

The emperor said, "Bring it."

When Cui Jing was brought to the Mingde Hall, he was completely disoriented.

He was timid to begin with, and after being detained by Gu Xingzhi for half a day and then brought before the emperor, his legs were so weak that he could barely kneel.

"Your Majesty, spare me! I was just watching the counter; I knew nothing about it!"

Before the emperor could even ask, he begged for mercy.

Such people usually know a lot.

I just don't know which one to sell to first.

I placed the Yongfeng ticket stub in front of him.

"Second Master Cui, why is the old postscript from the Wang family's remittance in the fourteenth year of the Chengxi era still used for the disaster relief silver payments from Yongfeng Third Bureau this year?"

Cui Jing stared at the ticket stub, his fat face jiggling.

"I...I don't understand postscripts."

Bai Zhi sneered: "Do you not understand, or are you afraid to understand?"

Cui Jing glanced at her, then at the emperor, and immediately kowtowed.

"I really don't know! The old accounts of the three counters have always been managed by Cao Heng. I only know that when the clear account card comes, I open the counter, exchange the ticket, and transfer the money according to the old counter rules."

I asked, "Who brought the accounting plaque?"

"This...this cannot be asked."

Gu Xingzhi looked up.

Cui Jing immediately changed his tune.

"Yes, yes, I can ask! But I really don't know your name!"

"Tell me about it."

Cui Jing swallowed hard.

"Sometimes they are from the palace, sometimes from the temple, sometimes from the Ministry of Revenue, sometimes from the Prince's residence..."

He suddenly shut up.

I raised an eyebrow.

"The Prince's Mansion?"

Cui Jing almost collapsed to the ground.

"I was referring to the Wang family residence, not the Prince's residence!"

The emperor's eyes were frighteningly cold.

"Who has visited the Wang family residence?"

Cui Jing cried out, "Wang Fu, the chief steward of Grand Secretary Wang's residence."

Wang Fu.

The steward of Wang Gelao's mansion.

This brings us closer to Grand Secretary Wang.

I asked, "When was the last time Wang Fu visited the third counter?"

"Last night."

"What are you doing?"

"Retrieve the old account box."

"Bai Song's old grievances?"

"The lettering on the box was written in white; I dare not ask."

"Where's the accounting card?"

"He...he took him away."

My eyes narrowed.

Which piece did you take?

Cui Jing shook his head: "I don't know, I only saw that it was a black card."

I took out the accounting list that I found in the incense burner of the princess's residence.

"This one?"

Cui Jing glanced at it, and his expression changed.

"no."

Everyone in the room looked at him.

I asked, "What's the difference?"

Cui Jing pointed to the back of the card.

"The one he took didn't have 'An Chaogang' on the back."

My heart skipped a beat.

An Chaogang was not there.

Those were the first batch of cleared accounts.

The "Clearing Old Accounts" plaque made by the late Empress.

When Wang Fu retrieved Bai Song's old account book from Yongfeng's three counters last night, he used the first batch of tokens.

The ones that fell into the incense burner in the princess's mansion were the second batch of counterfeit goods.

This indicates that the Wang family possessed not only the false Qing dynasty account book.

There is also the late Empress's Qing Dynasty tent plaque.

That's what gave them the confidence to throw dirty water on Xiao Lingyi.

One is true, the other is false; both sides can be used.

Bai Zhi immediately asked, "Where did the real amulet go?"

Cui Jing stammered, "After Wang Fu took him away, I don't know anything else."

The emperor looked at Gu Xingzhi.

"Take Wang Fu."

Gu Xingzhi turned and left.

However, just as he reached the door, another urgent report came from the guards.

"Your Majesty, an urgent report from the south of the city!"

My heart sank.

"explain!"

The guard knelt and said, "When Princess Zhaoning was comforting the disaster victims at the southern soup kitchen, someone threw a plaque from the crowd, claiming that the late Empress's former officials were still alive and that Princess Zhaoning wanted to use the disaster victims to start a rebellion!"

My fingers clenched tightly.

Wang Fu took the first batch of genuine cards to the south of the city.

It wasn't for hiding.

It was meant to be thrown out in public.

This is Wang Ge Lao's real scheme.

The princess's residence was found to be carrying counterfeit credentials, leaving them with no choice but to frame someone.

Only by throwing out the real cards in front of the disaster victims in the south of the city can the fire be lit.

"Where is His Highness?" I asked.

The imperial guard reported, "His Highness is unharmed, but the disaster victims are in disarray. Some are shouting for the granaries to be opened, some are shouting for the removal of corrupt officials from the court, and others are shouting..."

He paused.

The emperor's voice turned cold.

"What are you shouting for?"

The guard bowed his head.

"They claim that Shen An is the young master of the rebel army in the southwest, and that Princess Zhaoning is colluding with the rebels and using disaster relief as a pretext to start an uprising."

The room was deathly silent.

My mind went blank.

finally come.

Southwest identity.

They finally managed to pull the knife out.

The emperor looked at me.

Bai Zhi was also looking at me.

Wei Zhi's expression changed.

I stood there and suddenly felt very quiet.

It's like all the sounds receding into the distance.

I always knew this day would come.

I never expected it to arrive just as the imperial tents were being opened, when the disaster victims in the south of the city were in disarray, and when Xiao Lingyi was besieged.

They want to detain Xiao Lingyi.

It's not just about protecting the Grand Secretary Wang.

They want to implicate me, Xiao Lingyi, the disaster relief case, the clearing of the accounts, the late Empress's former subordinates, and the rebel army in the southwest all as treason.

The emperor spoke slowly.

"Shen An".

"Your subject is here."

He looked at me with a deep gaze.

"Do you have anything to say?"

I remained silent for a moment.

Then kneel down.

It wasn't because of a confession.

Because of this, I can no longer pretend I didn't hear it.

"His Majesty."

"I am indeed the son of Shen Lie."

Bai Zhi gasped.

Wei Zhi closed his eyes.

Cui Jing was so frightened that he collapsed.

The emperor was not angry.

He just looked at me.

"continue."

I looked up.

"I have come to the capital to carry out my father's orders to kill the emperor."

The room was completely silent.

After I said that, I actually felt a little relieved.

The knife, hidden for so long, has finally been drawn.

The emperor asked, "And now?"

I looked at him.

"Now, I am going to the south of the city."

"Save His Highness!"

"Also, we're helping disaster victims."

The emperor remained silent.

Gu Xingzhi was not present.

Wei Zhi looked at me, his face unusually devoid of a smile.

Bai Zhi gripped the account book tightly, as if unsure whether to scold me or scold Grand Secretary Wang first.

After a long silence, the emperor said, "You admit you are the son of a traitor, and you still dare to ask me to release you from the palace?"

I said earnestly, "If Your Majesty arrests me now, Grand Secretary Wang will have won."

The emperor looked at me.

I continued, "If I flee, Your Majesty may execute me. If I rebel, Your Highness may kill me. If I die in the south of the city, then I will have repaid the debt I owed when I entered the capital."

"But now, the south of the city cannot be thrown into chaos."

"Your Highness cannot die."

"Disaster victims must not be used as pawns anymore."

I bowed and kowtowed.

"Your Majesty, I request to leave the palace."

The warm room remained quiet for a long time.

Finally, the emperor's voice faded.

"Wei Zhi".

"A gold medal is bestowed upon Shen An."

Wei Zhi suddenly looked up.

The emperor said, "I have said so."

He looked at me.

"Of all the officials in the court, I only trust you."

I knelt there, feeling as if something had struck my heart heavily.

The first time I heard this, I thought the emperor had gone mad.

The second time I heard it, I just felt unlucky.

Hearing it now feels like a knife being handed to me.

It's also like a shackle.

Wei Zhi handed me the gold medal.

The emperor slowly said, "Go to the south of the city."

"Tell the Prime Minister Wang."

"If he wants to purge the court of corrupt officials, he should purge me first."

I accepted the gold medal and stood up.

As I turned to leave Mingde Hall, Baizhi suddenly chased after me and stuffed several sheets of account paper into my arms.

"Take it with you."

I looked at her.

Her eyes were very red, but her tone was very fierce.

"We'll settle the score for you being the son of a traitor later. Let's settle things with them first."

I smiled.

"it is good."

She gritted her teeth and said, "Don't die."

I sighed.

"Why is everyone talking about this today?"

"Because you look like you're going to die."

That was a bit hurtful.

But I didn't have time to argue.

Clutching the emperor's gold token, I ran towards the palace gates.

Chaos is brewing in the south of the city.

Xiao Lingyi is there.

The accounting sign is over there.

Wang Gelao's hand was also there.

And I no longer have to hide my identity.

This is very dangerous.

It was also very enjoyable.

Suddenly, an urgent report came from the south of the city outside the palace.

Wang had already preemptively included my identity in the treason notice.

I picked up the emperor's gold medal.

The son of a traitor ordered to assassinate the emperor wants to use the emperor's token to save the princess and the disaster victims.

Absurd as it may be.

People must be saved first.