Li Zhi, don't be a coward

Chapter 722
For all official projects, no matter how large or small, there are some things that are unclear in terms of accounts.

There are those who make false reports, those who make false accounts, and those who shoddy, and so on. When it comes to these methods, they can be described as dazzling and eye-opening.

The project of this palace in Puzhou is no exception.

Relying on their dandy status, the little bastards swaggered in and out of the construction site, as if they were in a land of no one, and the officials and supervisors dared not get angry, let alone speak out.

What they want to see, they can only let them watch, and they have to be accompanied by someone.

Whatever data they want, of course, they will happily show it to them.

In short, on this construction site, the officials dare not refuse any request from the little bastards.

A few days later, Li Sujie came to Li Qinzai excitedly with a stack of account books, and said that he had completed the task perfectly, and got all the materials and various expenditure accounts for the construction site.

Li Qinzai took it and flipped through a few pages, then sneered.

This account book is really... eye-catching.

After reading only a few lines, Li Qinzai found at least five problems, each of which was two or three times false.

Li Qinzai didn't bother to check whose pocket the falsely reported money ended up going to. He wasn't an imperial envoy to check the accounts, and he wasn't interested either.

When the water is clear, there are no fish. Isn't it too ridiculous to expect the officials below to be as clean as water for such a huge project?

Putting a piece of pork in the refrigerator, you have to touch your hands with oil, let alone a large project that costs hundreds of thousands of pounds.

Li Qinzai is not a pioneer in law and politics, let alone moral cleanliness. What he needs to do is to grasp the data and use it as a basis to persuade Li Zhi.

It is not his turn to investigate and punish corruption.

"Good job." Li Qinzai patted the account book in his hand, smiled at Li Sujie, and praised him, "I finally did something reliable, and I will reward you with a chicken leg tonight."

Li Sujie said a few words modestly happily, and then thoughtfully said: "Sir, looking at these account books, the number seems to be wrong. For example, the price of the purchased materials listed above is a bit high... No, it's not a bit high, it's very high. I’m afraid it’s famous…”

Li Qinzai waved his hand: "That's not our business, the emperor didn't give me the right to arrest, you and I can't go beyond that."

Li Sujie was puzzled and said: "Sir, is it the way of a minister to see a crime and not to investigate it?"

Li Qinzai sighed, and said with a smile: "In ten years, you will know that the darkness in the world can only be controlled, not eliminated."

"Why can't it be extinct?"

"Because there is black, there is white, and there is yin, there is yang. Black and white coexist, and yin and yang complement each other. This is the real world. The so-called everyone is like a virtuous person, but it is just an imaginary ideal."

Li Qinzai lowered his head and looked at the account books in his hand, and said quietly: "These account books can be easily obtained by you, which means that they..."

Li Qinzai stopped suddenly when he said this, and then shook his head.

The account books that can be easily obtained are most likely fake accounts. To put it bluntly, they are account books deliberately fabricated by officials on the construction site in order to fool dudes like Li Sujie.

Li Qinzai was sure that it must be another account book that was actually handed over to the court for the prime ministers and ministers to check. Although that account book would also contain moisture and shady things, it would not be too outrageous, otherwise it would be a fire.

Seeing Li Sujie in front of him with a sense of accomplishment on his face, Li Qinzai couldn't bear to hit the child.

"Sujie, you should work hard to learn math well, or you won't be able to understand the account books." Li Qinzai patted him on the shoulder earnestly.

"Sir, I understand now." Li Sujie said in a daze.

Li Qinzai shook his head: "It is only when you understand the hidden message behind the account numbers."

…………

Tai Chi Palace.

After the sweet potatoes were planted in the field of Ganjingzhuang, Li Zhi and Empress Wu were very happy, and this happy mood lasted for several days.

The food problem is the ultimate problem that has plagued the emperors of all dynasties. It is no exaggeration to say that once the food problem is solved, the rest is basically not a problem.

From ancient times to the present, the source of dynastic changes has been "lack of food".Don’t you see that the change of dynasties is caused by a catastrophe, and after the catastrophe comes a catastrophe, whether the peasants who are about to die of starvation are spontaneous or instigated, in short, they rise up and the world changes hands.

If there is a kind of grain with a yield of more than [-] catties per mu, which does not occupy fertile land and is not afraid of drought or flood, after it is widely planted, will the people still worry about grain?

The people's stomachs are full, who will rise up and rebel when they are full?

A kind of high-yield grain can continue the national fortune of a country. In the ancient pure agricultural society, this is no exaggeration.

So after Li Zhi and Empress Wu came back from Ganjingzhuang, they were always in a good mood.

They knew how important sweet potatoes, a new food, were to Tang Sheji and the Li family's royal family. Li Zhi counted the days with his fingers almost every day.

"The sweet potato has been planted for more than ten days, right? According to reports from the guards, it has already germinated, and the leaves are as wide as a pinky finger. It is still... well, several months before it matures."

Li Zhi did some calculations, then shook his head, showing a look of anxiety: "Why does good food grow so slowly, I really live like years..."

Empress Wu smiled lightly and said: "Your Majesty, don't be impatient. No matter what kind of food, it will take some time to wait for it to be harvested. Your Majesty counts the days every day. The more you count, the more difficult the days become. Why don't you just forget about it and stay for a few months. Your Majesty will suddenly realize that the harvest is in sight."

Li Zhi nodded with a smile: "What the queen said is true, I will wait for it with peace of mind. Even if the harvest is harvested this year, we still need to keep the seeds and push them forward. It will probably take several years to be widely planted in the Tang Dynasty. This is a great achievement for thousands of years. , to benefit future generations for thousands of generations, there is no rush."

Empress Wu laughed again: "Sweet potatoes were discovered in the Year of Linde of Your Majesty. No matter how many years it takes for it to become popular in the world, at least according to the historian's writings, Your Majesty's achievements are remarkable, and must be written down."

"At the end of last year, outside the Hanyuan Hall of the Daming Palace, the palace people found the footprints of the auspicious beast unicorn, which is obviously an auspicious gift from heaven to His Majesty. Look, is everything going well this year? Your Majesty not only accepted Tuyuhun, but also discovered New types of grain..."

"While everything is going well, let the three provinces hurry up and start construction. Don't delay your majesty's conferment on Mount Tai. Otherwise, the concubines are worried that your majesty will not climb Mount Tai to express their gratitude, and God will take offense."

Li Zhi grimaced, nodded and said, "That's right, the construction of palaces and roads in various places must be speeded up. For money and food, you might as well borrow temporarily from private landlords and gentry. Since Jingchu discovered new grain with a yield of [-] catties per mu, I'm afraid Am I sorry?"

The couple chatted for a few more words, Li Zhi yawned inadvertently, as if he was sleepy in spring, Empress Wu resigned and left the hall.

Not long after walking out of the main hall, a court lady came and whispered a few words in Empress Wu's ear.

Empress Wu paused, her black eyebrows furrowed.

"What did Li Jingchu go to Puzhou for nothing? He brought those disciples along and asked about the account books. Did His Majesty give him a post?"

The palace maid shook her head: "The servant has checked the recent official documents of the Ministry of Officials, but did not find that Li County Marquis was appointed an official position by His Majesty..."

Empress Wu frowned more and more.

This Li Qinzai, what is he up to when he has nothing to do?What does the Puzhou Palace have to do with him?

"Officials from the Ministry of Industry came to report that Marquis Li and his disciples concealed their identities when they first went to the construction site, and even took the disciples to take the initiative to do coolie work. Collect the materials and expenses for the construction of the palace everywhere..."

(End of this chapter)