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

"The salt merchants' usual trick is to move accounts between different ledgers. When you arrive in Yangzhou, you don't need to pay attention to the general ledger they send you. You only need to keep separate accounts for their purchases of coarse salt and their sales of table salt."

"Then check the salt reserves in each salt warehouse, as well as their debts to the imperial court."

"These four details must be perfectly balanced, without the slightest error."

Kuang Zhong opened the booklet, glanced at it, and his eyes flashed with a terrifying light.

The accounting method recorded in this booklet is simply an unheard-of wonder!

The complex and tangled flow of water is supported by four extremely clear pillars.

If any merchant were to embezzle even a single penny, these four pillars would immediately tilt and become riddled with flaws!

"This...this wondrous technique, you're truly willing to impart all your knowledge to me, sir!"

Kuang Zhong's hands trembled with excitement, as if he were holding a peerless martial arts manual.

With this accounting method, the salt merchants' supposedly flawless false accounts became nothing more than tattered rags riddled with holes in his eyes!

"In addition, the salt merchants will definitely try to bribe your attendants. You must not bring your accountants from the capital. When you arrive in Yangzhou, go directly to the countryside and hire those down-on-their-luck abacus masters who have grudges against the big salt merchants."

Gu Yannian continued to offer guidance,

"Furthermore, if they resist stubbornly, seize the evidence that they have privately kept slaves and overstepped the bounds of propriety, and kill one of them as a warning to others."

"These merchants fear power but not virtue; with a knife to their throats, they'll naturally spill the beans on their ledgers."

Kuang Zhong listened with rapt attention, his blood boiling with excitement.

He seemed to see a broad road ahead that would sweep away the long-standing abuses of the salt administration in Jiangnan.

"Your Excellency's insight is brilliant! I am now enlightened! On this trip south, I will certainly skin those corrupt officials alive and replenish the Ming Dynasty's treasury!"

Kuang Zhong suddenly knelt down, his expression filled with indignation.

"I will return to my residence immediately to study this method. Tonight I will draft a detailed investigation strategy and submit it to you for review first thing tomorrow morning. I am willing to pledge my loyalty..."

"Thump! Thump!"

Before the words were finished, the long and deep sound of the evening drum penetrated the walls of the Ministry of Revenue and spread in the evening glow of the capital.

Kuang Zhong's words came to an abrupt halt.

Gu Yannian, who was in the main seat, stood up calmly and slowly untied the belt on his cuffs.

He tucked the sandalwood abacus on the table into his sleeve, and then carefully smoothed out the wrinkles on his official robes.

"Lord Kuang, there's no rush for strategic matters. Take this booklet back and read it at your leisure."

Gu Yannian picked up his teacup and drank it all in one gulp, then turned and walked towards the door.

Kuang Zhong stood there, stunned, still kneeling, his face full of confusion.

"Lord Gu, this...this strategy for quelling the rebellion, I haven't yet had the chance to consult you in detail! What is it you..."

Gu Yannian stopped and turned around, his expression revealing a nonchalant air of self-righteousness.

"It's already late afternoon, I should leave the office and go home for lunch. As for the rest, you can go to Yangzhou and handle it yourself."

Having said that, this Right Vice Minister of the Ministry of Revenue, who held the power of the nation's finances and had just orchestrated a dramatic storm, left.

With steady, measured steps, he leisurely walked out of the side room.

Kuang Zhong was left standing there, bewildered and disoriented in the wind.

Kuang Zhong clutched the priceless ledger, watching the dashing figure gradually disappear into the distance.

An indescribable sense of awe welled up in my heart.

"This is truly a peerless national hero! He handles heavy responsibilities with effortless ease, regarding the world's wealth as nothing. His character and stature are beyond our reach!"

Kuang Zhong secretly vowed in his heart that he must never betray the trust of this benefactor.

Night falls inside the Qianqing Palace.

Several bowls of ice emitted a cool breeze, but it couldn't hide the fine sweat on Zhu Gaochi's forehead.

The emperor of the Ming Dynasty was wearing a loose-fitting undergarment and holding a bitter melon in his hand, biting into it with great difficulty.

On the small table next to it, there was a bowl of extremely light brown rice porridge and several dishes of boiled green vegetables.

The old eunuch watched from the side, his heart aching so much that tears streamed down his face, but he dared not utter a single word.

Since heeded Gu Yannian's advice, Zhu Gaochi has resolutely given up all sweet and greasy foods and roasted foods.

For the first two weeks, he was so hungry that he saw stars and was extremely irritable.

But after getting through that period, a miracle happened.

The ulcers on his legs that had been refusing to heal for a long time began to scab over.

Although he was still obese, he walked much more lightly and no longer panted after just a few steps.

To survive, and for the sake of the Ming Dynasty, this emperor displayed astonishing perseverance.

"Your Majesty, this is a secret report from the Embroidered Uniform Guard."

A bodyguard appeared silently, knelt down, and presented a secret memorial.

Zhu Gaochi swallowed the bitter melon flesh in his mouth, took the folding book, and opened it.

The above record details the events of today when Gu Yannian summoned Kuang Zhong to a side room in the Ministry of Revenue.

After reading the memorial, Zhu Gaochi not only did not get angry, but instead burst into hearty laughter.

"Hahaha! What a fine account book of deposits and debts! What a shrewd Gu Yannian, leaving office at dusk!"

Zhu Gaochi threw the folded paper on the table, his eyes filled with joy.

The old eunuch cautiously approached.

"Your Majesty, isn't it a bit too hasty of Minister Gu to so casually entrust such a momentous task as inspecting the salt administration to a lowly clerk, while he himself simply went home on time?"

Zhu Gaochi snorted coldly and glared at the old eunuch.

"What do you know! Trust those you employ, and don't employ those you don't trust. Those whom Yan Nian has chosen, have they ever made a mistake? He simply doesn't crave credit or power!"

"Every official in the court is scrambling to curry favor with me, trying every possible way to show off their diligence."

"Only he arranged the affairs of the world clearly and then turned around to live his own leisurely life."

Zhu Gaochi stood up and paced back and forth in the hall, feeling the power coming from his legs, and felt extremely happy.

"He wants to go home for dinner, but I will not grant his wish. Issue an imperial decree that tomorrow is a day off, and Gu Yannian shall enter the palace."

"Tell him that I am greatly cured and that I want to invite him to a simple meal so he can see the results of my months of arduous training!"

The next day at noon, by the Taiye Pond in the West Garden.

A cool breeze blows gently, and the blue waves ripple.

Gu Yannian, dressed in casual clothes, sat at the stone table.

Looking at the stewed carp, cucumber salad, boiled cabbage, and a bowl of brown rice with no oil in front of me.

He couldn't help but smile.

Zhu Gaochi sat opposite him, shoveling mouthfuls of brown rice into his mouth, eating with great relish.

"Yan Nian, how do you think I look?"

Zhu Gaochi put down his chopsticks and patted his still round but no longer bloated belly, his face full of pride.

Gu Yannian examined him for a moment, then sincerely cupped his hands and said:

"Your Majesty is radiant and full of vitality. Although this thirst is difficult to cure completely, as long as you follow this method of treatment and supplement it with daily slow walking, it is no exaggeration to say that Your Majesty can prolong your life."

Upon hearing this, a deep sense of relief and gratitude flashed in Zhu Gaochi's eyes.

He knew all too well how weak he had been a few months ago; he was practically on the verge of death.

"Yan Nian, this world belongs to me. But you saved my life."

Zhu Gaochi dismissed those around him, lowered his voice, and spoke with a sincere and heartfelt tone.

Gu Yannian remained calm and did not take credit for anything.

"Your Majesty is the Son of Heaven, blessed with abundant fortune. I have only offered a suggestion; what can truly overcome the desire for food is Your Majesty's unwavering will."

Zhu Gaochi shook his head and looked at the vast Taiye Pond.

"Now that I have survived, the game of the Ming Dynasty must be played anew."

A sharp glint flashed in Zhu Gaochi's eyes.

"Zhanji is in Nanjing, and his temperament remains impatient. The Prince of Han is in Le'an Prefecture, secretly recruiting soldiers. I originally intended to use benevolence to influence them, but now it seems that unconditional leniency will only lead to them taking advantage of me."

"I am determined to clear all obstacles for Zhanji and leave behind an impregnable empire!"

He turned his head and stared intently at Gu Yannian.

"Yan Nian, Kuang Zhong's trip to Yangzhou was just a side move I made. I'm about to take action, so you must keep a close eye on the Ministry of Revenue's finances."

"No matter how many people I kill or how much trouble I stir up outside, as long as the Ming Dynasty's treasury remains full, the sky will not fall!"

Gu Yannian picked up the teacup, took a sip of the clear tea, and found it slightly bitter with a sweet aftertaste.

He knew that his butterfly flapping its wings had finally stirred up a storm powerful enough to change the course of history.

Emperor Hongxi was no longer just a fleeting visitor.

He will take an even tougher stance to reshape the future of this empire.

"Your humble servant obeys the decree. As long as the evening drum sounds before dusk, your humble servant will do his utmost."

Gu Yannian smiled slightly, his response still as infuriating as ever.

Zhu Gaochi pointed at him and burst into laughter.

The emperor and his minister reached an unspoken understanding on the shimmering shores of Taiye Pond.

At this moment, the great historical wheel of the Ming Dynasty abruptly turned onto an unknown course.