Da Ming: The system granted me immortality; I clock in every day.

After the rain, the glazed tiles of the Forbidden City gleamed with a cool, washed-out light in the morning glow.

The sudden thunderstorm yesterday evening not only washed away the bloodstains on the golden bricks of the Wenhua Hall.

This also stirred up a terrifying storm in the officialdom of the Ming Dynasty.

The Imperial Guards, in the darkness and torrential rain, poured out in droves, like a merciless reaper.

The residence of Zhou Lin, the Left Vice Minister of the Ministry of Works, along with the houses of the three officials in charge, was ransacked overnight.

In the prison of the Northern Garrison, screams echoed all night long, accompanied by the sound of rain.

Zhao Si, a centurion of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, personally took charge of the operation.

After several rounds of torture, the three pampered river management officials spilled their beans like beans pouring from a bamboo tube.

They colluded with superiors and subordinates over the past few years to uncover the complete list of those who embezzled funds from river works projects.

More than 30 officials were implicated, and the confiscated cash, land deeds, antiques, and calligraphy and paintings were packed into boxes overnight.

They were carried into the imperial treasury in a grand procession.

Early morning, the Grand Secretary is on duty.

Gu Yannian changed into a brand-new purple-red brocade python robe and sat upright in front of the desk.

A ray of morning light shone through the window and fell precisely on his handsome and gentle face.

[Ding! Today's attendance complete. Attribute point gained +1.]

"Add to the spirit."

Gu Yannian's mind stirred slightly.

In an instant, his mind became clear and bright, and his spiritual perception, which was as tangible as a physical entity, spread outward, taking in every movement of the entire imperial city.

He could clearly sense that the officials who came to court today were walking with much heavier steps than usual.

His breath betrayed his barely concealed fear and unease.

"Has the list of items confiscated last night been sent to the Qianqing Palace?"

Gu Yannian picked up his teacup and asked slowly and deliberately.

Zhao Si, who was standing to the side, bowed and answered.

"Your Majesty, it was sent over at the crack of dawn. A total of 420,000 taels of silver was confiscated, along with various rare items valued at approximately 300,000 taels. After His Majesty reviewed it… after reviewing it…"

Zhao Si swallowed hard, then paused with a strange expression.

"What did you think after watching it?"

"After reading it, His Majesty didn't even bother with breakfast. He personally took an abacus and checked the confiscated property list in the warm pavilion. According to the eunuchs serving him there, His Majesty was calculating on the abacus while cursing that Zhou Lin had died too easily."

"If I had known he had so much silver hidden in his house, I should have spared his life and made him carry sandbags in the West Garden for the rest of his life."

Upon hearing this, Gu Yannian's lips curled up slightly, and a relaxed smile flashed in his eyes.

"With this windfall, His Majesty will surely feel more confident in court today."

"Let's go to Fengtian Gate. Today's morning court session is sure to be a good show."

Gu Yannian stood up, opened the plain folding fan in his hand, and strolled outside.

Outside Fengtian Gate, civil and military officials were already lined up and waiting.

Before attending court in the past, officials would gather in twos and threes to exchange pleasantries or discuss the latest developments in the court.

But today, the entire square was completely silent.

Everyone kept their eyes downcast, their noses closed, and remained silent as if frozen in fear.

The news that Zhou Lin's skull had been smashed alive by the emperor with a copper paperweight had already spread like wildfire throughout the capital.

That puppet emperor, who in the eyes of the officials was always subservient to Chief Minister Gu and only knew how to calculate in the Wenhua Hall.

It actually revealed such a violent and bloodthirsty set of fangs!

What's even more terrifying is that the emperor killed people not because of verbal clashes, nor because of factional infighting.

It was because the accounting revealed the loopholes in the embezzlement!

This is even more terrifying than the imperial prison of the Embroidered Uniform Guard.

"The Emperor has arrived!!"

With Wang Zhen's slightly trembling shout.

Emperor Zhu Qizhen strode up the steps and sat down properly on the dragon throne.

Today's Zhu Qizhen seems completely different from the past.

His back was straight, and his eyes were as sharp as a hawk's. When he looked at the ministers, there was no trace of retreat or cowardice.

What terrified the officials even more was that on his large dragon desk, besides writing brushes, ink, paper, and inkstones, there was a large abacus made of sandalwood, polished to a shine.

"Long live the Emperor! Long live the Emperor! Long live the Emperor!"

The courtiers knelt on the ground and shouted "Long live the Emperor!"

"All of you, rise."

Zhu Qizhen's voice was deep and powerful.

Once the officials had taken their positions, the hall fell silent once more.

Zhu Qizhen's gaze swept across the crowd and finally landed on a red-robed official standing in the middle of the line.

That was the Salt Commissioner of Lianghuai, named Lu Zongdao.

"Minister Lu."

Zhu Qizhen spoke slowly.

Lu Zongdao shuddered and hurriedly stepped out of the queue, kneeling beneath the steps.

"Your humble servant is here!"

Zhu Qizhen placed his hand on the sandalwood abacus, and gently flicked the beads with his fingertips, producing a crisp "click" sound.

The soft sound, in the silent Fengtian Hall, made Lu Zongdao's heart pound.

"Last night I reviewed the year-end accounting report on the salt tax in Lianghuai submitted by the Ministry of Revenue. The report stated that the Lianghuai salt fields produced a total of 1.2 million yin of salt last year."

"However, the salt tax paid into Taicang was a full 150,000 taels less than that in the ninth year of the Zhengtong reign."

Zhu Qizhen leaned forward slightly, his eyes icy and piercing.

"Minister Lu, the explanation in your letter is that last year there was a lot of rain in Jiangnan, and the salt fields were flooded. The salt was diluted, and due to improper storage, the salt became damp and turned into water, resulting in a huge loss."

"Yes and no?"

Lu Zongdao was drenched in cold sweat and prostrated himself on the ground, kowtowing repeatedly.

"Your Majesty is wise! Last June, torrential rains fell in the Yangzhou area, and the salt fields were indeed flooded. Much of the coarse salt piled up in the open was turned into brine by the rainwater and flowed into the sea."

"Your Majesty, I am deeply grieved and have done everything in my power to save lives, but this natural disaster is merciless and beyond human control!"

Lu Zongdao had already rehearsed this speech a thousand times in his mind.

Salt dissolves in water; this is common knowledge that even a three-year-old child understands.

Using this excuse to cover up embezzlement was a tried and true method used by salt inspectors throughout history.

He was convinced that even if the emperor in the deep palace knew some basic arithmetic, he would be utterly unable to investigate the "unresolved accounts" caused by such a natural disaster.

However, Zhu Qizhen, upon hearing this, not only did not get angry, but instead let out a mocking sneer.

"How merciless natural disaster is, how utterly destructive salt is!"

Zhu Qizhen stood up.

He pulled a thick booklet from the desk and threw it in front of Lu Zongdao.

"Lu Zongdao, do you really think I've been holding grudges for eight years for nothing? Do you think I don't know how many shady dealings are hidden in this salt matter?!"

Zhu Qizhen strode down the imperial steps, and that violent aura stained with blood once again spread out.

"I'll teach you what it means to keep accounts!"

The young emperor pointed to the booklet, his voice booming like a bell.

"Last June, there was indeed heavy rain in Yangzhou. But I have checked the calendar and local chronicles of the Imperial Observatory, and the rain lasted for a total of five days!"

"The Lianghuai salt fields cover a vast area, and even the coarse salt piled in the open is mostly covered with straw mats."

As Zhu Qizhen spoke, he strode back to the dragon desk and grabbed the sandalwood abacus.

He held it with one hand while the other hand frantically manipulated it.