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

"Auditing the accounts?"

Pei Yuan suddenly burst out laughing.

He stepped aside, making way for them, and pointed to the huge, bustling factory area behind him that stretched as far as the eye could see.

"Lord Xu wishes to inspect the accounts, and I naturally offer my full support. The shipyard gates are wide open; please come in, sir."

Xu Wenchang was taken aback. He had thought that Pei Yuan would obstruct him in every way, or even resort to violence.

I didn't expect them to agree so readily.

"Hmph, you're smart to know what's good for you."

Xu Wenchang flicked his sleeves and, accompanied by several clerks, swaggered into the shipyard.

However, the moment he actually stepped into this factory area...

His self-proclaimed uprightness and his preconceived notions of corruption and embezzlement were evident.

Everything was blasted to smithereens by the awe-inspiring sight before them, leaving not a trace.

There were no complaints as I had imagined, and no destitute laborers who were barely clothed and skin and bones.

What he saw were tens of thousands of strong men, shirtless, wielding hammers in the cold wind.

What he saw were mountains of top-quality timber and barrels of tung oil emitting a strong odor.

He also saw the massive, breathtaking skeletons of two treasure ships, each weighing a thousand liters, rapidly taking shape in the dry dock!

"This...this..."

Xu Wenchang stood frozen in place, his eyes almost popping out of their sockets, his lips trembling violently.

Although he was a civil official, he knew this.

To support such a massive shipyard, tens of thousands of people need to be fed and clothed, working day and night.

This would require an incredible amount of financial resources and coordination capabilities!

Just as he was lost in thought.

A muffled, loud bang suddenly came from deep within the factory area.

"boom!"

Those were the craftsmen testing the newly cast Thunderclap Gun.

Xu Wenchang was so frightened that he almost fell to the ground, which drew good-natured laughter from the surrounding craftsmen.

Pei Yuan slowly walked to Xu Wenchang's side, and looking at the pale face of this upright censor, the sarcasm on his lips became even more obvious.

"Lord Xu, these are the accounts you requested to investigate."

Pei Yuan pointed to the enormous warships and mountains of supplies, his tone revealing an air of domineering arrogance.

"I am a treacherous official, and I am greedy for money. But all the money I have embezzled has been squandered on this river."

"Every plank of this ship, every cannon, represents the most valuable and worthless debts of the Ming Dynasty!"

Pei Yuan leaned close to Xu Wenchang's ear, his voice as cold as ice.

"Lord Xu, go and investigate. If you can find out from the rations of these craftsmen, or from the cracks in these ship planks, that I have embezzled one tael of silver."

"I will immediately present you with this head with both hands and send you back to the capital to report for duty."

Xu Wenchang swallowed hard.

Auditing the accounts? What kind of auditing is that!

If this project were carried out according to the rigid rules of the Ministry of Works and the Ministry of Revenue, it would take ten years to complete even half of this scale.

Pei Yuan not only created it, but he created it faster and better than anyone else.

With such tangible achievements before him, if he dares to find fault again, then he is deliberately obstructing the formation of the Ming Dynasty's navy.

He, a mere vice censor-in-chief, could not bear such a crime.

"Governor Pei... you flatter me."

Xu Wenchang wiped the cold sweat from his forehead, instantly losing his previous sharpness, and even his address became respectful.

"This humble official...this humble official was also acting under orders. Now, witnessing the grandeur of this shipyard with my own eyes, I realize that Governor Pei is truly a pillar of the Ming Dynasty."

"I will now return to the post station and write a letter to the cabinet, truthfully reporting the Governor's great achievements."

All he wants now is to get out of this place as quickly as possible.

"Wait a minute."

Pei Yuan, however, had no intention of letting him go so easily.

"Lord Xu has come from afar. In this cold weather, how can you leave without even having a cup of hot tea? I have prepared a simple meal at Xichun Garden to welcome you and wash away the dust of your journey."

"If you do not go, sir, it means you will think I am being negligent."

Xu Wenchang dared not refuse, so he had no choice but to bite the bullet and follow Pei Yuan into the sedan chair to Xichun Garden.

That evening, Xichun Garden was brightly lit.

The "light wine" that Pei Yuan set up was outrageously extravagant.

The dishes on the table were all made with bear paws and bird's nest, and there were even rare seafood items brought from overseas.

The wine vessels were all made of pure gold and inlaid with gemstones.

Even the maids serving wine were dressed in gold and silver and had stunningly beautiful faces.

Xu Wenchang sat on the table, feeling extremely uncomfortable.

He was an honest official who considered even eating a simple white flour bun a luxury.

Faced with such extravagant and decadent scenes, I feel as if every bite of food I swallow is like swallowing a knife.

Pei Yuan, holding a golden goblet, looked with a smile at the uneasy Xu Wenchang.

"Lord Xu, is the food to your liking? This wine is a top-quality wine imported from Persia, worth a fortune. Please have a few more cups, my lord."

Xu Wenchang wiped his sweat and waved his hands repeatedly.

"You're too kind, Commander. I... I can't hold my liquor."

"Oh dear, Lord Xu is showing me no respect."

Pei Yuan deliberately put on a stern face and sighed.

"I know that you upright officials look down on people like me who indulge in pleasure. But Lord Xu, do you know how much effort I've put into maintaining the peace and tranquility of the Longjiang Shipyard?"

Pei Yuan suddenly leaned closer to Xu Wenchang, lowered his voice, and put on a heartbroken expression.

"The salt merchants and wealthy gentry of Jiangnan, in order to obstruct shipbuilding, even hired Japanese pirates to launch night raids on the shipyard. If it weren't for my desperate resistance, that thousand-ton treasure ship would have been reduced to ashes long ago."

"My Xichun Garden is heavily guarded every day, and the expenses are a bottomless pit."

Xu Wenchang was stunned, even though he knew Pei Yuan was talking nonsense.

However, the imperial court did issue a report on the Japanese pirates attacking the shipyard, and he dared not refute it.

"Governor...you have done a great service, and I will certainly report the truth to His Majesty."

"No need to report."

Pei Yuan's true intentions were revealed, and a cunning smile, like that of a shrewd businessman, curled at the corner of his mouth.

"I believe Lord Xu is a sensible man. The expenses for guarding this shipyard are simply too high. Since Lord Xu is an imperial envoy sent by the cabinet, his travel expenses must be sufficient."

Pei Yuan tapped the table, and Lu Zheng, who was standing to the side, immediately stepped forward.

He pulled a blank bill from his pocket and slapped it down in front of Xu Wenchang.

"It is fate that we met. Lord Xu dined at Xichun Garden today and also observed the secrets of the Ming Dynasty's navy."

"I won't ask for more than the cost of this meal, plus the expenses for protecting Lord Xu's personal safety during his stay in Jinling."

Pei Yuan held up five fingers.

"Five thousand taels of silver. Lord Xu, please settle the bill."

Xu Wenchang stared at the bill, his eyes nearly popping out of their sockets, as if struck by lightning.

Five thousand taels?!

How much does a vice censor-in-chief earn in a year?

Pei Yuan invited him to a meal, but he actually tried to extort five thousand taels from him!

This is outright robbery!

This is absolutely outrageous!