Rise From the Humble

At noon, the earth seemed to have turned into a cauldron of alchemy under Emperor Jiajing's fan. The air that filled the sky and earth was like steaming fireworks. The whole world was burned, and it was so hot that it made people breathless.

The domesticated guard dogs in Taicang Bank were lying under the shade of the trees sticking out their bright red tongues, and the horses in the stable had their nostrils dilated...

Compared to the heat outside, there is a room in Taicang Yinku that is like a paradise, as cool as spring.

There was an old dog lying outside the door, curled up comfortably and sleeping soundly.

There was a reason why this old dog was lying outside the crack of the door against the sun. The cool air that leaked out from time to time in the crack of the door was much cooler than under the shade of the trees outside.

From the outside, the room looks unassuming.

So inconspicuous.

It is no different from other warehouses in Taicang Bank. It is a very ordinary structure of blue bricks and red tiles. There are no carved decorations on the outside. It even looks shabbier than other warehouses. There is a small and medium-sized door plaque with peeling paint hanging above the room. , the unified number of the warehouse with "Jiyou" written on it.

There is a saying that "gold and jade are on the outside, and lint is on the inside." In fact, sometimes, the reverse is also applicable, "white lint is on the outside, and gold and jade are inside."

This room is like that.

Although it looks simple and unpretentious from the outside, the inside of this room is unique and luxurious beyond the imagination of ordinary people.

The room is very spacious, with two warehouses connected together. The room is brightly lit, and in the center is an ingenious indoor spring pool and water gallery. The water gallery is carved with small bridges and flowing water, and a rockery stone stands in the middle of the spring pool. The spring water flows down like a waterfall, winding through six small bridges, passing through an S-shape along the water corridor, and then disappearing underground.

There are potted green plants around the water corridor, and more than ten pots of ice cubes are placed, exuding a slight coolness, making the whole room cool.

Indoors and outdoors, as if there were two seasons, the temperature differed by more than ten degrees, just like turning on the air conditioner in modern times.

In the middle of the room, there was a banquet that was just taking place. The tables and chairs were all made of huanghuali wood and were carefully crafted. It looked like the work of a master at first glance.

Amber wine, luminous glasses, gold and jade bottles, jade plates...

The food is picturesque, the wine is flowing, and the table is filled with delicacies rarely seen in the world. Even the winged abalone can only be placed in an inconspicuous position on the wine table and is rarely used with chopsticks.

Such a feast is just an ordinary work meal for the eight people here. They are all officials and management of Taicang Bank. This is their "late night canteen". They usually Just come here for a "simple" "work meal", like today. If someone has an impromptu happy event or something, they will add a few more dishes and some wine to the "working meal". For them, it is not good food or wine, that is, swallows, abalone, ginseng wings, etc. The home-cooked food is just the daughter's red that has been produced for decades.

It was noon, it was as hot as a stove outside, and the room was cool and comfortable. We were all alone at the banquet, so the atmosphere was naturally relaxed and happy.

Sitting at the head of the banquet was Mr. Zhang, the Minister of Finance and Treasury in Taicang. Mr. Zhang had been the Minister of Finance and Treasury for five years.

Mr. Zhang is about forty or fifty years old. He has an elegant look and is well-kept. His face is like a crown jewel, gentle and elegant. He holds a gauze and silk Suzhou fan in his hand.

However, no one dared to look down upon the sparkle in Mr. Zhang's eyes.

The Ming Dynasty implemented the two-capital system. Mr. Zhang was the Minister of the Nanjing Household Department. The Nanjing Household Department was responsible for collecting taxes and grains from Nanjing Zhili and Huguang, Jiangxi, and Zhejiang provinces (the taxes and grains paid by these provinces accounted for half of the taxes and grains in the Ming Dynasty). ), and was also responsible for water transportation, salt diversion, surveying and other duties. As the Minister of Household Affairs in Nanjing, Mr. Zhang had a good relationship with Yan Shifan, so he was naturally appointed as the Minister of Bank Management and Treasury in Taicang.

The other seven people at the banquet were also senior executives of Taicang Bank. The two sitting to the left and right of Zhang Guanku were Taicang Bank Managers, and the other five people at the table were all treasurers of Taicang Bank.

The eight people at this table are the senior executives of Taicang Bank.

The Ming Dynasty had a strict management system for the Taicang Bank. There was a minister in charge of the Taicang Bank, which was usually held by an official from the Ministry of Household Affairs. Below the minister in charge of the treasury, there are two doctors and several treasurers, followed by eight treasury clerks, and below the treasury clerks there are a number of treasury officials and fifty treasury soldiers.

Taicang Yinku is the fattest man in the Ming Dynasty, and the positions in Taicang Yinku are naturally all fat jobs that make people jealous and drooling.

Not to mention the officials in charge of the treasury, just the treasury soldiers who serve here. Each treasury soldier is a coveted job. The number of treasury soldiers is a constant fifty, and a batch is replaced every five years. When working as a military soldier, every military soldier position was watched eagerly by hundreds of related households.

Every Ku soldier has a strong connection, either a relative of someone or a close confidant of someone. Even so, to seek this position, you have to use all kinds of means and spend a lot of money to buy connections. Only then can he obtain a hard-won position as a military soldier.

This is true for both treasury soldiers and treasury soldiers. You can imagine the relationship between the treasury officials and officials here.

"Tsk, tsk, the stew of the bear's paw today is better than the stew of the pig's trotters. Chef Wang really deserves his reputation. He is indeed a famous top chef in Liaodong."

Taicang doctor Zhao Dingtian picked up a bear paw with chopsticks, shook it into his mouth, opened his mouth and took a bite. The juice from the bear paw splashed in his mouth, and the fragrant taste immediately poured into the internal organs. After a moment of aftertaste, it was very delicious. He sighed with satisfaction.

"Hahaha, Mr. Zhao, you are only half right. On the one hand, Chef Wang's cooking skills are good. On the other hand, Mr. Zhang doesn't want to think about where this bear's paw recipe comes from." Another Taicang man Doctor Jia Xu joked with a smile.

"Oh, what recipe? Where did it come from?" Zhao Dingtian, the doctor, asked with great interest.

"For those with hair, dig a pit in the ground, put half of it in lime, put your palm in it, add lime on top, and pour cold water on it. After it has grown, stop cooling and pick it up. The hair will be easy to remove and the roots will come out. Wash and soak. Soak the rice for one or two days. Boil it in lard and remove the oil. Tear off the strips and stew the pork with the dragon meat from all over the world. It is better than the delicacies of immortality and must not be missed by gluttons." Jia Xu, the doctor, tasted a mouthful of dragon well. Tribute tea, knocking on the table, chanting silently in a cadence.

"So particular. Lao Jia, you haven't said where the prescription comes from." Zhao Dingtian, the doctor, clicked his tongue and then asked where the prescription came from.

"Thanks to Mr. Zhang for not being too precious, you and I have this blessing." Taicang doctor Jia Xu said to Zhang Guanku.

"Thank you, Mr. Zhang."

After hearing this, everyone present thanked Zhang Guanku one after another.

"You guys, if you want to thank me, just thank Jia Langzhong. It was Jia Langzhong who discovered this recipe in one of my books." Zhang Guanku stroked his beard and smiled, shook his head, stretched out his finger and pointed, Jia Secretary said with a smile. .

There was a burst of laughter at the banquet, and everyone drank and drank.

"Hey, speaking of which, how is the inspector appointed by the imperial court doing now?" Treasurer Liu at the wine table thought of this and couldn't help but ask.

"Hehehe, Treasurer Liu, what are you so worried about? It's not like we haven't had inspectors come here in the past years. One term after another, it's always the same. Hold a meeting, look through the ledgers, and check the files. The worst is possible. Look at the scene, give some guidance on the work, then collect some people and leave." Another Qian treasurer smiled without any worry.

"But I heard that this year is different. The Holy Father has set up a cross-inspection system. I am afraid that the inspection will be serious this time." Secretary Liu said hesitantly.

"So what, don't think about it, how deep the water is here, no matter how many ships come, they will have to float on it." Treasurer Qian next to him said meaningfully.

"Haha, Liu Kushu doesn't know yet, but the inspection team appointed by the imperial court has probably been wiped out." Jia Xu, the doctor, looked at Secretary Liu, with a smile slowly blooming at the corner of his mouth, as if the inspection team was a joke in his eyes.

"Ah?" Secretary Liu was surprised, and then his eyes lit up.

"Inspection envoy Liu Guangzuo went home to Dingyou. The deputy envoy Qu Tongyang suffered a stroke last night. The censor Sinan was beaten with a cane. He couldn't get out of bed for a few months. If nothing happens to Gao Rui and Gao Lang, Something should have happened this time. Of course, I don’t need to explain the reasons to you. As for the young Zhu Ping’an, there is no need to worry too much.” Jia Xuru, a strategic strategist, smiled. profound.

"Hahaha, it's just good to know what's interesting. Don't think about who is above us." Treasurer Qian's mouth curled up in a perfect arc.

"Hush, be silent, who is above us? The one above us is of course the Holy One." Taicang doctor Jia Xu raised his hands and said to Xiyuan in a serious tone.

"Of course it's your Majesty, of course it's your Majesty." Treasurer Qian knew the look, laughed dryly, and replied repeatedly.

"Haha, the superiors have had accidents one after another, so Zhu Ping'an must be too scared to leave the house." Another Treasurer Zheng said with a smile.

"No, I still want to see what the No. 1 Scholar looks like. Besides, someone from the inspection team must come."

"That's right, this inspection team needs one person."

"Let's take time to deliver the account book to Mr. Zhu another day and coax Mr. Zhu to come."

The atmosphere at the wine table became more relaxed, and everyone laughed and joked. There was no pressure at all, and it felt like the inspection team was wiped out in ashes.

At this moment, there was a knock on the door outside.

Boom, boom, boom.

Three long and two short.

Everyone at the wine table heard the knock on the door, and their laughter continued. These three long and two short knocks on the door were the agreed-upon codes, and they belonged to one of them.

"Who is it?" Taicang doctor Zhao Dingtian asked loudly.

"Lord Zhao, I am Sun Kushu. The guards outside just now told me that there is a man named Zhu Ping'an outside. He said he is the inspector of Taicang Bank and requested to enter the warehouse for inspection."

Sun Kushu's voice came from outside through the crack in the door.

"What? Zhu Ping'an is here?"

"Why is he here?"

Everyone in the room was shocked, and then fell silent instantly.