Transmigration: The Evil Mother-In-Law Is Actually Innocent!
Chapter 745: Just Bring Ears_1

Chapter 745: Chapter 745: Just Bring Ears_1

In the evening, Chang Lian didn’t see his father at dinner. "Mother, hasn’t Dad come back yet?"

Zhulan placed the peeled shrimp meat into her younger son’s bowl. "Your father is resting at the Ministry of Revenue and won’t be coming back for the next few days."

Chang Lian thought about the end of the month when the Ministry of Revenue was indeed busy. After asking, he felt at ease.

Chang Zhong ate the shrimp meat. "Mother, I can peel them myself, you don’t have to do it for me. Mother, you should eat as well."

Zhulan handed over the shrimp she had peeled to her son’s mouth. "Mother knows you can peel, but I’m afraid you’ll dirty your clothes."

The little guy was somewhat impatient, but being a child, he was yet to learn to control his emotions.

At the Ministry of Revenue, Zhou Shuren also had his dinner, but instead of resting, he was carefully checking the prepared plan, ensuring nothing was overlooked, before folding it and placing it in his bag. There was unity as well as covert competition within the Ministry of Revenue; keeping it close to him felt safer.

He had long sensed Mr. Qiu’s ambivalence towards him. Ever since he met Higher Officer Xiao, Mr. Qiu had not been shy in probing him. While he was writing, Mr. Qiu would occasionally come over to say a few words, his eyes not idling, often landing on the paper he was writing on. Fortunately, he was cautious and would cover it up as soon as he was done writing.

Qiu Yan looked up at Zhou Shuren several times, each time with a deeper frown. He sensed that Zhou Shuren had found a solution, and he wanted to probe, but Zhou Shuren was on his guard. He was somewhat panicked; any means he could think of to get silver, the Grand Master of Writing had already considered. The Ministry simply couldn’t squeeze out any more silver.

Qiu Yan looked at the ledgers on the table. "Mr. Zhou, I can’t finish all this work by myself, can you help me share the load?"

Zhou Shuren curled his finger against his palm, his face full of smiles, "Sure."

Qiu Yan, not a trace of a smile in his eyes, thanked him. "I really appreciate it. If I were to do the calculations myself, who knows when I would finish."

Zhou Shuren took the ledgers handed over by Qiu Yan. He really wasn’t being polite, taking half of the workload. "Mr. Qiu, to say thanks is to be too formal. I am the Vice Minister of Revenue. We’re all busy, how could I slack off?"

Qiu Yan, without a hint of a smile in his eyes, said, "Then I’ll leave these ledgers to Mr. Zhou."

"Okay."

Zhou Shuren picked up the abacus. He was quite adept at using it. Qiu Yan was not only trying to trick him but also to drain his energy. Unfortunately for Qiu Yan, his plan had failed.

Qiu Yan, hearing the sound of the abacus, looked up with an increasingly cold expression. When he first arrived at the Ministry of Revenue, he had learned bit by bit. Zhou Shuren, on the other hand, was proficient from the start. Qiu Yan pursed his lips, realizing he had miscalculated. He still intended to suggest to the Grand Master of Writing the next day that Zhou Shuren help with the calculations, but now he couldn’t keep it a secret.

His original intention was for Zhou Shuren to struggle due to inexperience and fail, so that he could smear Zhou Shuren’s name in front of the Grand Master of Writing the next day.

After all, the Grand Master of Writing disliked those who offered unhelpful assistance, especially during the busiest times at the Ministry of Revenue. But now, his plan had fallen through, and it only highlighted Zhou Shuren’s ability to do the accounts!

Zhou Shuren, feeling the gaze, looked up with a smile. "Mr. Qiu, why are you looking at me like that?"

Qiu Yan forced a laugh. "I noticed how adept you are with the abacus, so I couldn’t help but watch for a bit longer."

Zhou Shuren explained, "Back in Lizhou Province, every coin had to be carefully spent. Practice makes perfect, and I gradually became proficient. The moment I touch the abacus, it feels quite familiar."

Qiu Yan was extremely frustrated. "Is that so? Mr. Zhou, you are indeed well-suited for the Ministry of Revenue."

"I think so too."

Qiu Yan didn’t want to speak anymore, nor did he want to see Zhou Shuren’s unchanged smiling face any longer. Instead, he felt more urgency. He couldn’t be slower than Zhou Shuren at accounting, so he lowered his head and quickly went through the ledgers.

Zhou Shuren looked at Qiu Yan. The man’s talents were not small either. He could understand Qiu Yan, who was in his thirties and had earned his degree step by step over a decade to reach his current position. Qiu Yan might respect Deputy Minister Chang who was transferred in, but not him; his experience was indeed shallow.

The next morning, Higher Officer Xiao mentioned that he would give data to Zhou Shuren first thing in the morning, and by morning, Zhou Shuren had already received it.

Xiao Qing handed over the data to Zhou Shuren. "This was double-checked last night. The Ministry of Revenue has indeed expended a great deal of manpower. Now that it’s been checked, there’s no turning back. Have you really thought this through?"

Zhou Shuren held the ledger, confident. "The officer has considered it fully."

Xiao Qing’s serious face brightened with a smile, he too just wanted to hear it once more, to bolster his own confidence, "Go and attend to it, I await your good news."

Zhou Shuren gripped the booklet, "Yes."

Back in his office, Zhou Shuren first reviewed the data on the jewelry and other items. The amount was quite substantial. He called over Jin Yan, "Go to the Xu family and inquire about the price of the overseas jewelry from Old Master Xu."

Jin Yan, "Yes."

Zhou Shuren wasn’t afraid the Xu family would lie; they owed a great favor to the Zhou family, and with the Xu family backed by the Crown Prince, once they were questioned, the Crown Prince would definitely be informed. Once the Crown Prince knew, the Emperor would too. Zhou had always felt that the taxation on overseas goods was too low. It was the perfect opportunity to let the Emperor know. If future taxes increased, the Ministry of Revenue would have more silver. He was a man who considered the long term.

When Qiu Yan returned, Zhou Shuren had already reviewed all the data. Some of the damaged paintings and calligraphy were hard-to-find authentic works, albeit severely damaged, but that was not a problem—they could be used as a draw. He had never intended for the Ministry of Revenue to spend silver on repairs.

At Hanlin Academy, Chang Lian returned from meeting with a scholar, finding the place unusually lively, "What’s going on here?"

Mr. Lv curled his lips, "Shen Yang just came back from inside the Palace, saying he wants to treat us. Everyone’s looking to join in the fun, and they’re discussing where to eat!"

Chang Lian’s eyes quickly found the Jade Pendant on Shen Yang’s desk, a possession beyond Shen Yang’s means. In recent days, Shen Yang had been living thriftily, even selling his house, and had stopped inviting people out for extravagant meals like before. Combining this with everyone’s reaction, "Did he receive a reward?"

Mr. Lv, green with envy, "Hmm, the Crown Prince rewarded him with a Jade Pendant."

He himself had entered the Palace several times but had never received a reward, "Speaking of which, you’ve been to the Palace several times yourself and haven’t received a reward either, right?"

Chang Lian returned to his seat and hummed in response. He wasn’t jealous, just puzzled, how could the Crown Prince have rewarded Shen Yang—had he done so without the Emperor’s knowledge?

Shen Yang came over, "Chang Lian, are you joining us for dinner tonight?"

Chang Lian laughed distantly, "Thank you, but I’ll have to decline for tonight."

Today’s reward made him feel that Shen Yang was nothing but a huge headache!

Shen Yang was only asking out of politeness, not expecting Chang Lian to join. Remembering what he had heard in the Palace, his eyes twinkled with amusement, "The heavy rains in the south continue, and silver is urgently needed now. The Ministry of Revenue must be very busy, right?"

In his wicked heart, he thought it would be best if Mr. Zhou mishandled his duties and was demoted!

Zhou Changlian squinted his eyes; people from Hanlin Academy entered the Palace occasionally and were well-informed. He understood what Shen Yang was implying—wasn’t it just the shortage of silver in the Ministry of Revenue?

Chang Lian spoke indifferently, "We should be prudent with our words; when entering the Palace, it’s best to just bring ears."

Shen Yang wanted to retort but swallowed his words instead. He didn’t dare to say too much but felt some pleasure inside. So what if he was part of the Ministry of Revenue? It was going through a tough time and he had only just learned of the silver shortage there.

By now, the onlookers had dispersed. Shen Yang had received a reward from the Crown Prince, so they had to be cautious. Zhou Changlian’s father was the Vice Minister of Revenue, so they also had to be careful. The commotion wasn’t worth watching, especially Zhou Changlian’s comment. Indeed, when entering the Palace, one should only bring ears.

In the Palace, the Crown Prince received the news and then relayed it to the Emperor, "Zhou Shuren has set his sights on the backlog of jewelry in the Ministry of Revenue."

The Emperor hummed in response, more concerned with another matter, "Is the jewelry sold overseas very expensive?"

The Crown Prince didn’t dare to hide the truth, "It’s more than double the domestic price, and if it’s jewelry with precious gemstones, the selling price can double again."

The Emperor narrowed his eyes, "So the taxes have indeed been set too low."

The Crown Prince, "...Yes."

At this moment, someone was reporting on Shen Yang.

The Emperor commented, "Zhou Shuren indeed knows how to teach his son."

The Crown Prince agreed inwardly, thinking thankfully that Shen Yang was a sham!