Qiang Jin Jiu (Author : Tang Jiuqing 唐酒卿)

Chapter 12 : Dragon Boat Festival

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Eighth Year of Xiande. Midsummer.
(Five years later)

The round-collared robe of the Secretary of the Ministry of Revenue, Wang Xian, was drenched in sweat. He sat uncomfortably on the chair as if he was sitting on pins and needles. It was not the first time he raised his wusha hat to wipe his sweat. 

“Your Excellency Xiao.” Wang Xian hemmed and hawed. “It’s, it’s not that the Ministry of Revenue doesn’t want to allocate the funds to you. It’s just that the expenditure of the treasury has yet to be tallied, and Pan-gonggong up there has not given his endorsement. There’s really no way we can allocate you the sum!”

“It takes time to work out the accounts.” Xiao Chiye held up the teacup to take a few sips. “Am I not waiting here now? Take your time.”

Wang Xian’s throat throbbed. He looked at Xiao Chiye, who was as cool as a cucumber, and at the Imperial Army standing still on the veranda outside.

“Your Excellency.” Wang Xian said almost pleadingly. “The weather is hot, and I feel really bad to let the soldiers stand outside. Let me invite the various gentlemen for some cold drinks. The ice in reserves—”

“We have not made any contribution to deserve it.” Xiao Chiye smiled superficially. “Our Imperial Army are sturdy and burly men who deal with manual labor. So what’s the harm in standing for a few hours? Pay it no mind, Your Excellency. Focus on your accounting.”

Wang Xian grasped the account book. For a long time, he could not bring himself to lower the brush. 

That had been the beginning of spring, and the Emperor was seriously ill. For this reason, the Empress Dowager instructed men to carry out large-scale construction in the palace to build a temple so that she could chant the scriptures to accumulate blessings for him. The Ministry of Works, having received this assignment, had to receive large quantities of lumber from Duanzhou. To save money, they ordered the Imperial Army to transport them. The Imperial Army transported the lumber into Qudu, but the Empress Dowager withdrew her plan to build the temple upon receiving Secretariat Elder Hai’s memorial against it. The Ministry of Works was thus short of this sum of money on hand. For two months, they had dragged this matter on, delaying settlement of payment to the Imperial Army.

Money was scarce. Had this been a period when the state treasury was well-funded, this situation would not have posed any problem. Who would dare to provoke Second Young Master Xiao over such a trivial amount? However, at this moment, the Ministry of Revenue was facing its own difficulties. Last year, they had spent almost a million for the Empress Dowager’s birthday just by hosting the banquet and giving out monetary rewards alone.

Wang Xian set aside his brush. He might as well stick his neck out. He said, “Your Excellency, there’s no way the money can be settled now. To tell you frankly, the expenditure at the end of the year doesn’t match up to our budget going by the current accounting. Even our salaries might not necessarily get paid out. We really have no money. Even if you give me, Wang Shoucheng, a stab today, there’s still nothing I can do!”

“The salaries and provisions of the Eight Great Training Divisions are paid out as usual without delay. But when it comes to our Imperial Army, you are always desperately broke. We are all officials serving the Emperor. I, Xiao Ce’an, deserve to be in this low position where all I can do is cling to this debt and wait for you all to gather enough money to pay us.” Xiao Chiye threw the teacup onto the table with a “clatter”.

“The Ministry of Revenue cries about being poor every year. But what has it got to do with me? Pay up, and we’ll work. It’s all down in black and white. Once we are done with our tasks, you have to settle the payment. Don’t talk to me about anything else; those aren’t my responsibility. If all the problems of the Ministry of Revenue have to bank on the understanding of others, then what else is there for you people to do? Vacate the position earlier and let someone else take over.”