The tall linden tree covers a small half of the small courtyard, and the whole courtyard is shaded. The house is not in the shadow of the linden tree, and there is a row of plantains planted in front of it. Plantain leaves are tropical medicine, and every family has to plant several, and the general judgment hall in the state government is no exception.

In the spacious general judgment hall, behind the three large cases, Zheng Kongmu, Duan Kongmu, and Li Kongmu each brought a large group of officials who were nervously busy, sorting out the accounts of the past few years. Every time a new official takes office, they have to toss it once, and it is natural for them to become habitual. It's just that this time the new general judge has one more trick, and after the account books are sorted out, they are also sent some forms, which they fill in as required, and after filling them out, I heard that they will draw charts.

Public officials, unlike liuguan, have been doing this job all their lives, with almost no transfers. When encountering a prefect who is not good at the council, it is naturally very nourishing, and he can get his hands on it, and once the chief understands the affairs of the officials, he will suffer them, and he will be careful in doing things. The Song Dynasty gave preferential treatment to the scholars, but they did not treat them preferentially, as long as they were caught by the commander, and said that they would be pulled out to play the board, and the soldiers accompanying those officers were not good-looking.

Xu Ping was also a small civil servant in his previous life, he was very familiar with these miscellaneous things, and after checking the accounts twice, no one dared to fool him with luck, and worked there honestly.

These public officials are different from the errands who do chores outside, they also have a good salary, they take money to work, it is a matter of course, professionals have to do professional things, Xu Ping does not have the leisure to pity them.

The small room next to it was a resting place, and in the small room on the left, Xu Ping was lying on the table, concentrating on putting a pencil lead into a wooden stick.

Professional is professional, Xu Ping originally thought that there was no hard pen in this era, and he used to use charcoal to draw a picture with a pencil in Zhongmu's own grange, until he came into contact with these professional accounting personnel, and he knew that he had seen less before. Pencils have been in use for many years, and even the manufacturing method has not been much different from later generations, graphite is ground into powder, and glue to make the desired shape, called "lead", in the professional bookkeepers spread widely. At this time, there was only a pencil lead, so Xu Ping tried to put it in a wooden sleeve to make it look like a pencil in later generations, which was easy to carry and use.

Thinking of the legend in his previous life, the pencil was invented by a European craftsman for some special reason, Xu Ping felt funny. There were too many things like this in his previous life, which had been circulated in China for a long time, but they were all put on the heads of Westerners with all kinds of mysterious and mysterious sayings. The Mongols invaded the Central Plains and destroyed many of China's native cultures, but they were transmitted to the West by the Mongols, where they became popular. Later, Westerners brought these to China with cannons, and since then they have become their inventions.

Xu Ping also has a bamboo pen beside him, and the middle of the tongue is slit, which is similar to the dipping fountain pen in later generations, and it is used as a dipping pen at this time. Listening to Zheng Kongmu of the Grinding and Exploration Division, they also commonly use a dipping pen made of goose feathers, because it is not as easy to use as a bamboo pen, and there is no one in the general judgment hall.

Looking at these things, Xu Ping just shook his head. I thought that the quill pen was a specialty of Europeans, but I didn't expect that China has also used it for one or two thousand years. The Chinese finally chose the brush as a universal writing tool, which is the result of a combination of many reasons, related to paper, ink, aesthetics and the craftsmanship level of the pen, but not because these tools were not invented.

Putting the pencil lead in the dissected semi-circle sleeve, Xu Ping sighed, applied glue to it, picked up the other half and closed it, pinched it vigorously, and put it aside to dry naturally.

Picking up the bamboo pen, Xu Ping observed it carefully. In my previous life, I was used to writing with a fountain pen and had a natural affinity for this tool. The tongue part of this pen has not much different from the dipping wine of later generations, but the fine encounter in the middle is still a little not very particular, it should not be for special inking, but in order to increase the elasticity of the nib, and has the function of inking. If you improve the shape a little, I wonder if you can make a real steel dipping pen out of iron.

Just as Xu was thinking calmly, there was a commotion in the hall.

Xu Ping was very annoyed by being interrupted, put down the bamboo pen, and walked quickly to the hall.

Li Yonglun, the clerk of the record, and Zhou Tianxing, the judge of the festival, were theoretically theorized with Duan Kongmu of the Liyu Division, and when they saw Xu Ping, the three of them hurriedly bowed.

"What's the noise?" Xu Ping glanced at Li Yonglun and Zhou Tianxing, and asked in a deep voice.

Li Yonglun said respectfully: "Cao Zhizhou wanted to withdraw thirty yuan from the minister's treasury to use, but he didn't sign the judgment, so I refused the officials who came to hand it over. I don't want Cao Zhizhou to send a personal entourage to blame me, saying that it is a general judgment to let the Department of Debt Appeal give priority to the payment of the arrears of the military treasury, and the minister can't come up with a penny in the treasury, so I want to find Judge Zhou to sign on my behalf, and I don't need to come to the general judgment to sign again. Where does Judge Zhou dare to be this master? The two of us didn't dare to make our own decisions, so we had to report the verdict. ”

Seeing the sincere and frightened looks of the two, Xu Ping nodded: "You should be like this, the money and materials in the military treasury cannot be tampered with, and the deficit cannot be explained, even Cao Zhizhou needs to act according to the system." ”

"That's what the verdict says." Li Yonglun echoed, looked up at Xu Ping, and whispered: "But Xia Guan is only a state bureaucratic adjutant, how dare he disobey the meaning of Zhizhou?" Judge, look—"

After thinking for a while, Xu Ping said: "In this way, let Zheng Kongmu go with the two of you to check the military treasury, and leave the key with me after the inspection, so as not to embarrass you." ”

Li Yonglun's face was overjoyed: "Through the judgment of Mingjian, I will go with Zheng Kongmu!" ”

After speaking, he glanced at Zhou Tianxing next to him, and both of them breathed a sigh of relief.

The daily miscellaneous items of the military treasury shall be handled by the records of the military and shall be judged to the commander-in-chief. Xu Ping didn't want to trouble, so he put the key with Li Yonglun and didn't get it back, and Cao Zhizhou took a look. Fortunately, the two of them are well-behaved and come to report in a hurry.

Seeing the three of them go out, Xu Ping's expression became cold. There is no official business in the past few days, and Cao Keming's money must only be used for daily use, and it is likely to be used for himself. There is no need for the money in the minister's treasury, Xu Ping spends his own money to live well, why can't Zhizhou?

When he set off from home, Xu Ping brought three thousand taels of silver to deal with emergencies. Along the way, there are post coupons issued by the imperial court, and the post house does not need money to eat, drink, and borrow horses, and some local officials also give gifts, which is also one of the uses of the minister's money, and when he arrived in Yongzhou, the three thousand taels of silver he brought did not move at all, and there were one hundred and ten taels more. So these days I pay out of my own pocket, and I don't feel anything.

Li Yonglun and a few people went to inspect the warehouse and seal the door, and the little official with good things ran to report to Cao Keming.

"How can this be true? The erector is too deceitful! Cao Keming, who was sitting under the tree, got up.

He has been holding back for a few days, thinking that Xu Ping's temper will be forgotten in a few days, but he didn't expect it to get worse, the military treasury no longer allows him to interfere, and the minister's treasury has actually been blocked, and his daily use has become a problem these days.

Although Yu Lu is taller than Xu Ping, Cao Keming has to support a large family, which is not as good as Xu Ping, and he doesn't have to worry about it at all, how many flowers there are, and he can subsidize it from time to time.

Most of the comfortable lives of officials in the Song Dynasty were when they were in office, and unless they became high-ranking officials in the court, they couldn't save too much money. Usually look comfortable, it is supported by a large number of public subsidies, and there is not much cash in my hands, and even a large part of the money is distributed in kind, where is there spare money. Especially the magistrates, they are not allowed to lend, they and their relatives are not allowed to buy properties in the land under management, and they are not allowed to marry wives and concubines in the land under management, what else can they do to make money? It is important to know that lending includes the investment of money into shares, and in fact it means that officials are not allowed to engage in commercial activities in the localities and work as civil servants who receive salaries.

The life of the magistrates is supported by the minister's money, and the west road of Guangnan is the most in Guizhou, with 4,000 guan a year, and along the border of Yongzhou, there are also 3,000 guan a year. This is the money allocated by the imperial court, and it is tightly enough to cover the expenses of official activities, but the bulk is not here, and the main source is to use the money to regenerate money in the local government. In a lower state like Yongzhou, if it is in Jianghuai or the Central Plains, wine vinegar and other commercial activities can be doubled, and some wealthy states can even reach more than 10,000 guan a year, which is enough to do. The legitimate corruption of officials is to give each other away with minister's money, I give it to you, you give it to me, and you will bleach the public money into your own. At this time, this kind of elephant was not common, and when the Southern Song Dynasty flooded, there were many people who swept away the minister's treasury.

In the final analysis, it's still strange that Cao Keming doesn't know how to operate, he only knows how to put money in the treasury and sit empty, but if he is flexible and finds a reliable person to do some business with government money, he will not face this dilemma. Liangguang does not ban alcohol, and the largest vinegar interest money is discounted, can you still do other business.

After pacing back and forth in the courtyard for a while, Cao Keming could no longer hold back the anger in his heart. As a military general, Cao Keming is fond of alcohol and greedy for cups, especially likes a famous wine "Gu La Spring" produced in nearby Pennsylvania and Hengzhou, and feels uncomfortable if he doesn't drink it for a day. Without the minister's money, these days "Gu La Quan" can't afford to drink, can only buy some ordinary wine in Yongzhou City, because of Xu Ping's obstruction, seeing that the usual wine can't afford to drink.

As the lord of a state, he was bullied by Xu Ping, a hairy boy, Cao Keming's anger could no longer be contained, and he strode out of the room.

Seeing Zhizhou coming angrily, the people in the state government were far away, and they didn't dare to seek bad luck.

When he arrived at the general judgment hall, Cao Keming completely ignored Xu Ping's personal soldier and broke in.

Xu Ping was instructing Li Kongmu in the division to draw charts, and when he saw Cao Keming coming in, he got up and saluted: "Why does Zhizhou have time to come to me?" If you have something to order, just send someone over. ”

Cao Keming snorted coldly: "In this Yongzhou City, who can enter the eyes of the law?" Who can I send? I'll come here myself, I'm afraid you won't give me face! ”

All the officials who were working stood up, and they didn't dare to say a word, for fear of attracting the anger of the chief.

Xu Ping said in a deep voice: "Zhizhou is so angry, just say it if you have something." ”

Cao Keming looked left and right, and shouted: "I have something to say to the general judge, everyone else will get out of here!" ”

Seeing that everyone was out of the room, Xu Ping sat down and said to Cao Keming: "There are no outsiders, just sit down and talk." ”

Cao Keming stepped on the stool and said sharply: "You sealed the envoy's treasury, what do you want?!" ”

"Where did Zhizhou come from this? Can I reject the money and goods you approved once? ”

"Nonsense! What if you approve it? If you take it out, you will be taken away by the Debt Division, what is the difference between approving and not approving? You're not giving me a way to live! ”

Xu Ping said slowly: "Paying off debts is a matter of course!" What is there to say about this? ”

"You, you-" Cao Keming pointed at Xu Ping, "you just want to repay the money, you can't wait until the new minister's money is sent in the next year to collect the debt?" When the green and yellow are not accepted, the imperial court is not allowed to call for rent! ”

Xu Ping sighed: "Cao envoy patrol doesn't care about time!" We are separated in Liuzhou, and it won't be long before Wang Cao's envoy arrives in Yongzhou, so I can't help but prepare! These days, I haven't touched a penny from the minister's treasury, and Zhizhou should be patient. ”

Cao Keming was stunned for a moment, yes, Xu Ping never stretched out his hand to the minister's treasury, and he didn't even settle down yet. People are more popular than people, how to care about this kind of thing, gritted his teeth and said: "People are different, I have the great responsibility of appeasing the barbarians, how to compare?" Besides, what's wrong with the Cao Envoy? If something happens, I'll naturally bear it! ”

Xu Ping stood up, looked at Cao Keming and smiled: "Zhizhou has this responsibility, it would be good to say no earlier!" Come, write a note and draw a pledge, and I immediately instructed the secretary to not collect the arrears from the minister's treasury first! ”

Cao Keming's eyes were on fire, and Zhizhou wrote a letter of guarantee to the general judge, and he would not be laughed to death. It's a pity that at this point, if he doesn't bow his head, some of his subordinates won't be able to eat, he is not as rich as Xu Ping, he can put his strength inside, and he relies on the minister's money to support the scene.

Although his chest was about to explode, Cao Keming still obediently signed and drew on the note.