Chapter 27: Digging out the Traitor

  The borrowed account method, unexpectedly used in the Great Ming Dynasty for reimbursement of bus tickets.

  Du Hong narrowed his eyes and carefully examined the table, checking one of the tables again, finding no errors, and his eyes widened involuntarily.

  "What a wonderful thing! As you said, income and expenses, gains and losses, are all clear at a glance. If one wants to cheat, it's hard to do so without being discovered... Du Hong is not stupid, he understands the great significance of the borrowing and lending accounting method in this era. In comparison, those flowery poems seem inferior. He is an official, and a good one at that, with the country and its people in his heart."

  He adjusted his clothes and hat, Du Hong's expression was solemn as he bowed deeply to Qin Kan. Qin Kan was startled, almost jumping up in fright.

  "I, as the representative of the Emperor, thank you for this gift. This method is worthy of your acceptance. If all government offices in the Ming Dynasty implement this method, I don't know how many corrupt officials will be bound hand and foot, and how much more money and grain will be added to the national treasury every year. This method is a way to strengthen the country, and I want to present it to the Ministry of Rites, the Ministry of Revenue, and the Censorate in Nanjing, and ask the imperial court to issue an edict, so that all prefectures, subprefectures, and counties in the Ming Dynasty use this method for accounting."

  Qin Kan's heart was filled with mixed emotions.

  His request was actually very simple, as long as Du Hong returned the two hundred taels of silver to him, he would consider the account settled and not mention anything about the country, the court, or the world... just a lot of big hats, but in the end he still didn't get any benefit...

  Qin Kan rubbed his nose and smiled wryly, it seemed he had made another bad deal.

  Is it necessary to climb a high-voltage pylon to get back 200 taels of silver?

  "County Magistrate, if you want to implement this method in the Great Ming government office, I'm afraid there will be considerable resistance. It harms the interests of too many people..." Qin Kan couldn't help but remind this hot-headed County Magistrate.

  Du Hong sneered coldly, "There will inevitably be obstacles, but I have made up my mind. As long as the Emperor is wise and diligent today, with three upright and decisive scholars in the cabinet, the sky above our Great Ming Dynasty is still bright. What's there to fear from just a few corrupt officials?"

  Qin Kan remained silent, it seems that the current emperor and the three senior scholars of the Imperial Cabinet still have a good reputation among the people. The environment determines one's life choices, if he were in a dark and corrupt dynasty, he would not be a teacher even if you killed him, he would rather earn money honestly and become a rich man.

  These were just distant topics, Du Hong said a few words and then kept his eyes on the stack of forms.

  "Have you found out who's been embezzling from the official treasury?"

  Qin Kan smiled and said: "Since the loan law is clear at a glance, County Magistrate can take a look himself."

  Du Hong concentrated his gaze and looked carefully, after a moment of fragrance, he suddenly showed a happy expression, and his fingers tapped heavily on several items in the debit column of the table.

  "Borrowing 200 stones of millet, why is the lending side only 1,000 coins? This borrowing and lending does not match...... Also here, borrowing 500 catties of raw silk, the lending side only has 4,000 coins..."

  Du Hong did not disappoint after serving as a county magistrate for many years. In a short period of time, he found all the places where the accounts did not match, more than a dozen in total.

  In the traditional method of account bookkeeping, due to the difference in continuity between time and events, such a subtle place is difficult to find. However, with this table, it's clear at a glance by comparing left and right.

  There were over a dozen discrepancies in the accounts, totaling more than 3,000 taels of silver and over 400 stones of grain. At the end, in the column for the person handling the transaction, one name was clearly written.

  Shan Yin County Magistrate's Chief Clerk, Cao Congzhou, courtesy name Yude.

  Du Hong quietly gazed at this familiar name, his face calm as water. After a moment, a few sparks of anger burst forth in his eyes.

  "What a good Cao Yuande, what a good chief clerk! The official treated you with familiarity, but you repay him by stealing his seal, how ungrateful can you be? Are you not afraid of the severe laws of the country?"

  Du Hong immediately called for the high-ranking police officer of the yamen and ordered him to arrest Cao Congzhou.

  Cao Congzhou was still sitting in the government office working at ease. As for Du Hong's order to Qin Kan to check the accounts, he had never been worried about it.

  Qin Kan's estimate was not wrong, Cao Congzhou was a master of making false accounts. No matter how much he embezzled or misappropriated, he always had the skill to make the accounts look balanced and stable, and no one could find anything out of place. Qin Kan, a young man under twenty, would have been a ghost if he could have found the trick in these confusing account books.

  When Gao's men led by the chief of police burst in with a loud noise, Cao realized that he had indeed seen a ghost.

  In the face of iron-clad evidence, Cao Zongzhou's complexion turned deathly pale, his lips trembling as he tried to defend himself, but couldn't find any words to say, and finally let out a long sigh, bowing his head in front of Du Hong.

  In the 14th year of the Hongzhi era, Cao and Zhou colluded with certain officials and storehouse clerks. The two of them worked together inside and out, one responsible for falsifying accounts and the other for embezzling money and grain from the official treasury. They divided their ill-gotten gains equally between themselves. This case was handled by Qin Kan and was made public to all under heaven.

  Two days later, Du Hong wrote two official documents and presented them to the Shaoxing Prefecture Government Office and the Nanjing Ministry of Revenue. The documents detailed the benefits of the borrowing and lending account method and requested that it be implemented throughout the empire. Du Hong's documents caused a stir in the Nanjing Ministry of Revenue.

  A name called Qin Kan, appearing and disappearing on the desks of the big shots in the Ministry of Revenue in Nanjing...

  The case of Cao from Zhouyi shocked the Yinn County government office. A county clerk falling was no small matter, but when people heard that the new Qin Kan had caught the mole in the county government office in just two days, everyone's gaze at Qin Kan changed and became very complicated. At least in Qin Kan's view, it was not admiration, but rather more estrangement.

  In the official circles where seniority is valued, newcomers pushing out old-timers, no matter what their starting point is, ultimately commit a major taboo. Those minor officials in the government offices are all seasoned old birds who have seen storms come and go. In their eyes, people like Qin Kan are not worth befriending.

  As a result, Qin Kan was isolated. His colleagues in the government office would shun him as if he were a mad dog, showing fear and avoiding him from afar.

  Qin Kan really wanted to gather all these people together in a long line and then slap them from head to toe with a loud "slap".

  You're all following Du Lao Da's orders, what business do I have with you? My loan law was used for free and even presented to the imperial court. In the end, not a single penny of benefit came from it. Who can I reason with?

  In his past life and this life, Qin Kan always thought he was quite likable, so why is he now like feces, being shunned by everyone?

  These officials should really reflect on themselves, not asking for self-reflection every day, at least occasionally doing some self-criticism, criticizing why they isolated a Da Ming five-good teacher who is full of ideals and harmless to humans and animals.

  Of course, there are also those who don't squeeze him out. In the afternoon, a colleague came to visit and was overly enthusiastic in his attitude.

  "Is this the trusted aide of County Magistrate Qin, Instructor Qin?" A green-robed official with a white complexion and numerous red spots on his face appeared at the door of Qin Kan's office, wearing a gauze hat.

  Qin Kan was taken aback, stood up and clasped his hands: "Your praise is misplaced, I haven't had the pleasure of receiving your teachings..."

  The official smiled and said: "Mo Xiu Nian, I'm ashamed to be the county government's historian, and I've long admired you as a colleague of Qin Shi Ye."

  Qin Kan let out a "pu" sound and almost spat out a mouthful of saliva.

  Mo Yan, Mo Yan with a face full of blisters...

  Qin Kan's face turned white in an instant.

  "Alas, the newcomer is not benevolent! Indeed, the heavenly net is vast and loose, yet nothing escapes..."

  Mo Xiu's eyes were filled with mist: "………"

  "......Are you here looking for trouble or asking for medical expenses?"

  "Huh?"

  "County Magistrate still owes me 200 taels of silver, how about I transfer this debt to you? On the condition that you yourself go to County Magistrate to collect it and be prepared for him to deny the debt..."

  Mo Xiuyuan almost collapsed, so much valuable intelligence, but... what the hell is this Master saying?

  P.S. There is another update tonight.