Tang Dynasty: A Guide to Avoiding Pitfalls for Li Er at the Start

Chapter 232 Instruct Changsun Wuji to seek out Wen Hexue

Wen He raised an eyebrow slightly. Wen Zhong would make up any nonsense to save his life.

"Has there been any disasters near Chang'an recently?"

"If I remember correctly, the autumn harvest just ended not long ago."

"Oh, right, there's one more thing I want to ask you. I told you before that I would exempt all the farms under my name from rent, you probably didn't collect it, did you?"

Wen He looked at him with a smile.

Wen Zhong was startled, and his pupils immediately contracted.

Since Wen He made that comment last time, he has not inquired about the rent again.

So he deliberately didn't mention it, and didn't even record it in the ledger.

The rent collected naturally went into his pocket.

"I heard that Steward Wen bought a house in Yonghefang for a whopping five thousand strings of cash. That's quite a sum!"

If the Hundred Riders wanted to investigate, they absolutely could not keep this information a secret.

Nowadays, most of the notorious young ruffians in Chang'an have been recruited by the Hundred Cavalry.

And those unruly people, every month the Hundred Riders would give them more than 300 strings of cash as an extra income, and they were responsible for keeping an eye on the movements of various markets.

In addition, Hundred Riders has an extra expense every month.

Huang Chun was in charge of this. Even Wen He only knew that the money had been put in the accounts, but he never asked where it was spent.

Therefore, Wen He already knew Wen Zhong's background.

Li Shimin must have known this as well, which is why he sent Gao Yue here today.

Wen Zhong's face immediately turned ashen.

Just then, the servant who had gone to fetch the abacus returned.

Wen He stopped asking him questions and instead picked up the abacus to begin calculating.

Wenzhong will definitely be kicked out of the mansion, but the money he took from me must be returned.

Not a single penny less.

Wen He tidied up the ledgers, and then his fingers moved rapidly across the abacus.

The "splashing" sound was like a light rain on a summer afternoon.

Gao Yue looked on, completely bewildered.

Watching Wen He fiddle with the beads on the strange object a few times, she quickly calculated a number and wrote it down.

Gao Yue called the servant who had gone to fetch the abacus over and asked, "What is this?"

"This is called an abacus. The young master had it made yesterday, saying it could be used for accounting," the servant replied cautiously, bowing deeply.

Seeing that Wenzhong was about to be finished, the servants in the mansion couldn't help but panic.

They had all come from the Prince of Qin's residence with Wen Zhong, so they were all worried that they might suffer the same fate.

"Would you like some tea? I'll brew it for you." The servant was trying to curry favor with Gao Yue.

But he glared at her fiercely: "You have no sense of propriety. Can't you see how hard your young master is working? Why don't you make him a bowl of tea first? No, he said he can't drink too much tea right now. Go and prepare some honey water."

"Yes, yes, I'll go right away."

The servant quickly bowed and withdrew.

While Wen He was doing the accounting, Wen Zhong's body trembled uncontrollably.

Looking at the numbers the former wrote down on the paper, he felt a sense of panic.

In Gao Yue's eyes, his appearance had already revealed his true intentions.

Having witnessed too many guilty people in the palace, Gao Yue knew what they looked like before their secrets were exposed.

Fortunately, he had anticipated this and had someone subdue Wenzhong.

To avoid him causing any trouble.

"What's going on? Haven't they taken the person away yet?"

Just then, a group of people walked in from outside.

As Wen He was working on her abacus, she looked up and saw Li Daozong leading a tall, thin man into the room.

The man behind him was well-off, with a round face and a big belly, and was wearing a light green silk robe.

He wasn't wearing an official round-necked robe, so he wasn't an official or a nobleman.

"Greetings, Prince Rencheng," Gao Yue said, bowing.

Li Daozong nodded to him, then looked at Wen He, who was doing the accounting.

"Little kid, what are you doing? What are you doing making all that noise?"

He walked over out of curiosity.

Seeing Wen He writing down numbers and then fiddling with the abacus, he couldn't help but become interested.

"You're doing the math? This thing is much better than counting rods!"

He stroked his short beard, his eyes fixed on the abacus.

Watching Wen He's hands move across the surface, he couldn't figure out how to use it.

"Don't argue."

Wen He coldly rebuked him.

As Wen He tallied up each and every one of these accounts, he was absolutely furious.

He'd only moved here less than six months ago, and this bastard had already taken so much of his money.

Furthermore, he and Xiaorou hardly made any clothes, but of the hundreds of bolts of cloth sent from the palace, less than twenty remain.

The reason recorded in the ledger was that all the money was used to make clothes for him.

Li Daozong didn't take Wen He's reprimand to heart. He now realized that this unruly servant was not only deceiving his master.

They even dared to embezzle money.

After about the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, Wen He finally figured it out.

"A total of 6,753 strings and 921 coins! All the money I worked my butt off to earn has been swallowed up by you!"

Enraged, Wen He picked up the account book and threw it at Wen Zhong.

He suddenly jumped up and kicked Wen Zhong hard.

That old man had told him before that he only had a thousand strings of cash left in the mansion.

He couldn't shake the feeling that something was wrong.

Wenzhong rolled on the ground once, then quickly got up and tried to run away.

But the imperial guards that Gao Yue brought immediately stepped forward and captured him.

"I've already calculated all the accounts. Please hand them over to His Majesty. Every penny of this money must be returned to me, or I'm quitting!"

Wenzhong was appointed as the steward by you, Li Er.

Now look what's happened, the housekeeper has practically emptied my house.

Gao Yue stood there awkwardly, not daring to respond to Wen He's words, and could only relay Li Shimin's words: "His Majesty said before I came that the county magistrate can recruit the people in the manor himself. If there are any people in the manor who dare to neglect you, you can deal with them yourself."

Although Li Shimin did not say what followed, Gao Yue knew that His Majesty must have meant the same thing.

"Okay, okay, I get it."

Wen He also knew that Li Er meant well but did more harm than good.

Those who can become stewards of the Prince of Qin's mansion are naturally not ordinary people, but if a person is too clever, he will have some unrealistic expectations.

"Go back and tell His Majesty that the steward should still be someone from the palace, but I want to choose him myself. Ah Dong, the one who drove me in the Forbidden Garden before, is quite clever, so let him come."

Wen He got along well with that person.

Moreover, I had promised him before that I would save his life, so I might as well take this opportunity to come to the manor.

A person who can jump out of a moving vehicle to save their life in a crisis must have excellent reaction skills.

Although he is young, he can be nurtured gradually.

"No, little one, I've found you the best broker in town."

Upon hearing this, Li Daozong immediately became anxious.

He beckoned the well-to-do man he had just brought over.

"This man is called Zhao Quan. I made a special inquiry and found out that all the stewards and maids in my household were bought from him."

"This humble man, Zhao Quan, greets the magistrate of Gaoyang County."

Zhao Quan bowed to Wen He, smiling obsequiously.

Wen He looked him up and down. No wonder this man was so well-off; he was a broker.

And judging from his appearance, he seems to be someone who serves the powerful and wealthy. "The person in charge will still be someone from the palace, but you need to find me a few accountants, cooks, maids, and the like, but not too many."

Wen He wasn't deliberately making herself uncomfortable.

Instead, there must be someone who can promptly relay messages to Li Shimin.

However, this person cannot be like Wen Zhong, who can monitor him at all times.

He told Li Shimin everything, big and small, that happened in the mansion.

Therefore, choosing a eunuch to be his steward is the most suitable option.

As for the people who came with Wen Zhong, Wen He didn't dare to use them either.

"Is that all? Why don't you find some more beautiful concubines... Oh, by the way, you're only ten years old now."

Li Daozong scoffed.

Wen He rolled her eyes at him speechlessly, really wanting to tear his mouth apart.

"Zhao Quan, listen carefully. Don't choose those low-class people. If the person you choose dares to treat me poorly, you know what I can do."

Li Daozong, who had been all smiles just moments before, suddenly turned sharp in his gaze.

Upon hearing this, Zhao Quan quickly said that he dared not.

On the other side, Gao Yue had already had Wen Zhong taken away and came over to ask Wen He, "County Magistrate, what about the other servants in the mansion?"

"Take everything from the front yard, leave everything from the back yard."

All the maids knew Wenrou, and if they were replaced abruptly, the little girl would definitely think something had happened.

"Don't worry, Wenxian County Resident."

Gao Yue smiled gently, letting out a long sigh of relief.

Fortunately, Wen He didn't make a big fuss about this, otherwise the Imperial Household Department would have been in trouble again.

He then took the account books written by Wenzhong and Wenhe back with him.

Li Shimin was resting in Wanchun Palace when Empress Zhangsun personally brewed him a pot of tea.

"This tea is good, but it's too refreshing. I drank a whole pot last night and couldn't sleep a wink."

Li Shimin smelled the aroma of the tea, chuckled, and shook his head.

Recalling what happened last night, Empress Zhangsun blushed slightly and glared at Li Shimin.

Just then, the voice of a palace maid came from outside.

Upon learning that Gao Yue had arrived, Li Shimin summoned him in.

"How is Wenzhong's situation?"

Li Shimin put down his teacup and asked with a stern face.

Gao Yue handed over the account books from Wen He's residence with both hands. Li Shimin took them with a frown, and was furious after just one glance.

"silverfish!"

He slammed the ledger onto the table.

Sitting opposite him, Empress Zhangsun glanced up and couldn't help but frown.

"This Wenzhong is an old man from the Prince of Qin's mansion, how could he be so muddle-headed!"

Upon seeing this, Gao Yue continued, "Wen Xianzi also said that he had long ago exempted all the farmers under his name from rent, but when I checked, those farmers were still paying these rents for the past few months, but it was not recorded in Gao Yangzi's account books."

"What a wicked servant you are!"

Li Shimin's anger flared up instantly.

"If I hadn't ordered you to investigate, that brat would probably have thought I had ordered that scoundrel to do it."

"Take him to the Imperial Household Department, as for Wen He..."

Li Shimin paused suddenly, looking at Gao Yue.

Seeing this, the latter continued, "Wen Xianzi said that the steward in his household asked His Majesty to select one for him from the palace, saying that he wanted a eunuch named A Dong from the Forbidden Garden."

"What does this Ah Dong do?"

Empress Zhangsun asked.

This is a family matter, so she has the right to inquire about it.

Moreover, it's about choosing a son-in-law for one's own daughter.

"He was driving the carriage in the Forbidden Garden. He was the one who drove the carriage when Wenxianzi was in the Forbidden Garden before. He is 18 years old this year."

"It's a bit small." Empress Zhangsun shook her head.

“However, since it is Jiaying’s wish, let him go. But he will not be the steward. I will find him another mature and reliable person.”

Empress Zhangsun shook her head, and after speaking, she looked to see what Li Shimin meant.

An eighteen-year-old housekeeper is unlikely to be able to keep people in check.

Moreover, the housekeeper's duties also include helping Wen He contact relatives and friends, delivering gifts, and dealing with visitors.

Choosing a young person might just make us a laughing stock.

"Well then, let the Empress decide on this matter. As for the other servants, let that brat do whatever he wants."

Thinking about this incident made Li Shimin furious.

But Gao Yue had not yet left. He hesitated and said, "Your Majesty, there is one more thing. I don't know whether I should say it or not."

"Just say what you have to say, why are you stammering?"

"Yes, the magistrate of Gaoyang said that His Majesty should return all the money that Wenzhong embezzled, and he has already calculated the amount."

"Pfft."

Upon hearing this, Empress Zhangsun couldn't help but cover her mouth and chuckle.

Li Shimin looked helpless, but then he realized something was wrong: "He figured it out so quickly, could it be that that brat had prepared it all along?"

“I witnessed it with my own eyes. This is the account book compiled by Wen County Magistrate.” Gao Yue took out another set from her sleeve.

Looking at the neatly organized table above, Li Shimin's eyes gradually became serious.

"In addition, Wenxianzi also made an object called an abacus. I saw him use it with my own eyes. It is much easier to use than counting rods."

Li Shimin was not surprised by this.

The methods of later generations will naturally surpass those of their predecessors.

But that brat is hiding it away; why didn't he bring out such a useful thing sooner?

How long did he calculate?

"A stick of incense."

"A stick of incense!"

Empress Zhangsun was extremely surprised.

As the person in charge of the harem, she naturally understood how difficult these accounts would be to calculate.

She had only glanced at the ledger, yet she sensed its complexity.

But Wen He only took the time it takes for an incense stick to burn.

"This brat is now in charge of the Ministry of Works and the Ministry of War. Does he want me to arrange a position for him in the Ministry of Civil Affairs?"

Li Shimin was indeed tempted.

This kind of bookkeeping method is something those incompetent officials in the Ministry of Revenue should learn from.

He had previously instructed the Ministry of Civil Affairs to compile the expenditures of the six ministries for this year.

But so much time has passed, and the Ministry of Civil Affairs still hasn't submitted it.

That brat Wen He should really be sent over there.

But he knew that doing so was too hasty.

Wen He is only ten years old.

If we give him too many official positions, how will we be able to control him in the future?

And others will definitely be jealous.

"Snapped!"

Li Shimin was furious.

"Why doesn't this brat grow a few more years older?"

Upon hearing this, Empress Zhangsun, who was standing to the side, was both amused and exasperated.

His Majesty is throwing a childish tantrum again.

"Go to the Ministry of Civil Affairs and have Fu Ji find Wen He and inquire about the bookkeeping and abacus matters. Have the people in the Ministry of Civil Affairs learn them."

(End of this chapter)