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

In the first year of the Hongxi reign, autumn arrived.

The autumn wind in Shuntian Prefecture, with its distinctive northern crispness, swept away the haze over the Forbidden City.

Under the azure sky.

The fate of the Ming Dynasty was surging forward in a grand and unprecedented manner.

Inside the Ministry of Revenue, the delicate fragrance of osmanthus blossoms drifted into the duty room on the breeze.

At the exact moment of Mao Shi (5-7 AM), the water droplets from the copper water clock fell crisply.

Gu Yannian was dressed in a bright red official robe of the third rank, and the peacock insignia on his chest shone brightly in the morning light.

He sat upright behind his desk, steadily sketching on the register with his pen.

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

"Add to the spirit."

Gu Yannian's mind stirred slightly.

A cool and refreshing sensation spread from my mind and quickly permeated my entire body.

After more than twenty years of accumulation, his five senses have now reached a profound level.

Without needing to concentrate, one could hear the rustling of clerks turning pages and the clinking of abacus beads within the Ministry of Revenue compound.

Even the shouts of breakfast vendors along half the street could be heard perfectly.

He picked up the Ding kiln white porcelain cup on the table, took a small sip of this year's autumn tea, and looked serene.

For the past six months or so, my work at the Ministry of Revenue has been going very smoothly.

Ever since that day in the main hall, when he used a sandalwood abacus to dig up twenty years of old grievances.

No one in the entire court dared to falsify information regarding money and grain anymore.

He arrives at dawn and leaves at dusk every day, without fail.

Life was more regular and leisurely than when I was in the Bureau of Justice.

As they were enjoying a cup of tea, Xia Yuanji, the Minister of Revenue, with a radiant face, lifted the curtain and strode into the duty room.

"Minister Gu, great news! Incredibly great news!"

The old minister clutched a bright yellow folding book in his hand, his white beard trembling with excitement.

"A report has come from Yangzhou: that brat Kuang Zhong has truly crushed the backbone of the salt merchants of Lianghuai!"

Gu Yannian put down his teacup, unsurprised, and simply smiled gently.

"Minister Xia, please sit down, have some tea, and speak slowly. Have you uncovered concrete evidence of the salt merchants' embezzlement?"

Xia Yuanji pulled out a chair and sat down, spreading the folding paper on the table, his eyes filled with admiration and shock.

"It's more than just solid evidence! Kuang Zhong is truly a ruthless sword that doesn't draw blood! When he arrived in Yangzhou, he didn't attend the welcoming banquet hosted by the salt merchants, nor did he pay any attention to the several cartloads of unpaid debts they sent him."

"Following the method you taught him, he found several down-on-their-luck accountants in the countryside who had a long-standing feud with the big salt merchant, and they stayed inside without ever leaving their rooms."

Xia Yuanji swallowed hard and continued, "The salt merchants thought the imperial envoy was a bookworm who didn't understand the business, so they conspired to put up an account saying that they had been losing money for years and owed the court three million taels of silver for salt permits."

"Kuang Zhong immediately held court in the Salt Commissioner's office and made public the accounting methods for the four categories of income, expenditure, inventory, and debt."

"He only needed to ask one question: why the amount of salt stored in the salt warehouse, plus the amount sold, didn't match the amount purchased. Those merchants who were usually so eloquent were immediately rendered speechless!"

Gu Yannian nodded slightly.

This "Dragon Gate Tent" method balances the four pillars, so that moving one part affects the whole.

No matter how sophisticated the accounting methods were in ancient times.

Unless it's a balanced account with four different accounts, it will inevitably reveal numerous flaws under the scrutinizing lens of deposits and balances.

Those salt merchants were used to fooling ignorant civil officials; where had they ever seen such rigorous mathematics?

"That's not all."

Xia Yuanji slapped his thigh and laughed heartily.

"When the accounts of those powerful salt merchants were exposed, they secretly colluded with local ruffians to plot an attack on the imperial envoy's residence, hoping to escape punishment for their numbers. That scoundrel Zhong is truly a ruthless character!"

"Holding the imperial sword, he preemptively mobilized the troops of Yangzhou Guard, and on the grounds of privately keeping servants and overstepping his authority, arrested the ringleader, the head of the Wang family, on the spot!"

"The Wang family's mansion in Yangzhou dared to use the bright yellow color reserved for royalty in its carved beams and painted rafters, and even privately made armor was found in a secret room!"

"Now, resisting taxes has become treason!"

"With a swift stroke of his blade, Kuang Zhong beheaded the head of the Wang family in the marketplace. The other salt merchants were terrified and knelt down, begging for mercy and voluntarily paying the taxes they had owed over the years!"

At this point, Xia Yuanji stood up excitedly.

"Lord Gu, do you know how much treasury silver Kuang Zhong recovered during his trip to Yangzhou?"

"Seven million taels?"

Gu Yannian casually gave a fictitious number.

"A full twelve million taels of silver!"

Xia Yuanji's face flushed red, as if he had become ten years younger.

"Twelve million taels of silver! With this money, the border troops can be paid in full, the disaster victims in Henan can get through the winter safely, and even the Emperor's long-awaited new policies will have a solid foundation!"

"Lord Gu, your recommendation of Kuang Zhong and your ingenious method of auditing accounts are truly a great achievement for the Ming Dynasty!"

Gu Yannian remained calm, closed the folded book, and pushed it back in front of Xia Yuanji.

"Minister Xia, you flatter me. I am merely an accountant in the Ministry of Revenue. Moreover, Your Excellency has the courage and wisdom to wield your sword in the dragon's den and tiger's lair in Jiangnan. That is your own good fortune, and also the might of His Majesty."

"I've merely been sitting idly in the capital; how could I possibly have deserved the highest merit?"

Xia Yuanji gave him a deep look.

Knowing that this colleague had always disliked fame and fortune, he did not press the matter further, only sighing:

"I am ashamed to admit that I do not possess your self-cultivation and lack of ambition. His Majesty will summon you for an audience after the morning court session today, so please be prepared."

as predicted.

Around noon, a palace eunuch came to deliver an imperial edict, summoning Gu Yannian to the Qianqing Palace to accompany the emperor.

Inside the Qianqing Palace, the air was filled with the fragrance of incense.

Emperor Hongxi, Zhu Gaochi, sat upright behind his desk, his figure still broad and imposing.

However, it is no longer as bloated and dilapidated as it used to be.

His complexion was exceptionally rosy, and his eyes were bright.

The sickly condition that used to make him breathless after just a few steps has completely disappeared.

All of this is thanks to Gu Yannian's healthy lifestyle of controlling his diet and exercising, which emphasizes the importance of whole grains.

"Your humble servant Gu Yannian pays his respects to Your Majesty, long live the Emperor."

"Yan Nian has arrived! Please take a seat!"

Zhu Gaochi laughed heartily and pointed to Jinwu beside him.

After Gu Yannian took his seat, Zhu Gaochi picked up Kuang Zhong's report of victory and waved it around.

"I'm sure Xia Qing has already told you about the memorials from Jiangnan. Twelve million taels of silver—my national treasury hasn't been this full in a long time!"

"Yan Nian, you deserve the greatest credit!"

"Your Majesty is too kind to this humble subject."

Gu Yannian replied neither humbly nor arrogantly.

"This is due to Lord Kuang's swift and decisive actions, as well as His Majesty's wise decision. Your humble servant has merely fulfilled his duty in the Ministry of Revenue's accounting work."

Zhu Gaochi pointed at him and shook his head helplessly.

"I've figured out your personality. Others would exaggerate even the smallest achievement, but you always push away the biggest ones. Fine, I won't reward you with an official title, but I'll give you something tangible."

"These past few days, a new batch of fine Songjiang cotton cloth and Wuyi Mountain tea have been sent as tribute from Jiangnan. I have ordered them to be delivered to your residence. You must not refuse them again."

"Your humble servant thanks Your Majesty for the reward."

Gu Yannian bowed and accepted.

Cotton cloth and good tea are indeed what he needs, so it wouldn't hurt to accept them.

Zhu Gaochi changed the subject, his expression gradually becoming serious, and his gaze turned to the distant sky outside the hall.

"Yan Nian, I am much better now, and I have tightened my grip on the purse strings in Jiangnan. These past few days, I have been pondering a major matter."

Zhu Gaochi lowered his voice.

"When the late emperor was alive, the country was constantly at war, leaving the treasury empty and the people exhausted. Now I wish to allow the nation to recuperate, but there are still hidden dangers beside my bed that have not been eliminated."

Gu Yannian lowered his eyes slightly, fully aware of the situation.

This hidden danger refers to Zhu Gaoxu, the Prince of Han, who was far away in Le'an Prefecture, Shandong.

In the original history, Emperor Hongxi's reign was short, and he was unable to deal with his ambitious younger brother.

When Emperor Xuande ascended the throne, the Prince of Han couldn't wait to raise the flag of rebellion.

But now, thanks to Gu Yannian's butterfly wings, Zhu Gaochi not only didn't die, but instead became more and more energetic.

The Ming Dynasty's national strength was unprecedented.

This fat emperor, who has been biding his time for many years, is finally ready to take the initiative.

"When the King of Han was in Le'an Prefecture, he privately recruited soldiers and horses, and raised a retinue of loyal warriors. He often said, 'Am I not as valiant as Emperor Gaozu?'"

"His rebellious intentions are now crystal clear."

Zhu Gaochi snorted coldly and slammed his hand on the imperial desk.

"I originally intended to treat him with leniency out of brotherly affection. However, he has not restrained himself and has recently been sending envoys to secretly contact his former subordinates in the capital."

"If I do not take precautions, I fear I may be raising a tiger that will eventually become a threat."