Chapter 414: Account Books and Ledgers
The area near the secret tunnel had undergone major changes, with a large open space cleared out and soldiers guarding the surroundings.
Yang Wang drew closer, “Grandpa Emperor, would you like to take a break and have some tea?”
“Grandpa Emperor, let’s take a rest.” Yang Ye also chimed in.
Yang Wenxiao grunted in affirmation, glanced around and took a seat on the chair.
Despite the cool mountain air, the summer heat had caused a thin layer of sweat to form on his body as he arrived near the secret tunnel.
A maid came over with a teapot and poured him some tea.
“Gu Sheng, sit.” Yang Wenxiao pointed to a chair nearby.
Tong Tiehu quickly waved his hand in refusal, but after a stern glance from Yang Wenxiao, he hurriedly sat down carefully.
“Where is the account book for disaster relief?” Yang Wenxiao asked.
Tong Tiehu looked quickly towards Tong Sanlang, who was standing nearby with Qiao Xiaomai.
Tong Sanlang stepped forward, opened the cloth bag he was holding, and respectfully said, “Every expenditure for the thirty million taels of silver and the full account of the treasure are all in here.”
Yang Ye took over the bag of cloth and passed it to Yang Wenxiao.
Even though the account book was well-preserved, one could tell at a glance that it had weathered many years.
Yang Wenxiao opened the topmost book, and what entered his eyes were the distorted brush strokes, causing him to pause, his heart filled with a mix of emotions.
With a silent sigh, he focused his eyes on the content.
The first entry read: In the first year of the Great Cause era, the southeastern province of Yangling suffered a flood. Fifty thousand taels of silver were used to purchase food and set up gruel sheds to aid the victims.
The Great Cause, it was the reign title Yang Wenxiao used during his time as Emperor.
In the first year of the Great Cause, his first year as Emperor, Yangling, which was at the southeastern border of Daqi, suffered from a disaster. At that time, Daqi was newly founded and national treasury was depleted. The disaster was finally relieved from his own private fund.
Unexpectedly, that person had been secretly helping him ever since his first year as Emperor.
Those were events that occurred fifty years ago, memories of which had become somewhat blurred.
But now these incidents were forcefully brought back to his mind in this way, catching him off guard.
A surge of warmth coursed within his chest, and his eyes also began to heat up, his hand holding the book trembling slightly.
“Little Yezi, come, read it.” Yang Wenxiao closed his eyes.
Yang Ye swiftly took over the account book, looking worriedly at Yang Wenxiao, “Grandpa Emperor, are you okay?”
“I’m fine, just a bit tired.”
Seeing that his expression did not seem gravely unwell, Yang Ye bowed his head to read the account book, only to be met with the distorted brushstrokes. The writing was even worse than when he first held a brush.
Clearing his throat, he began to read:
In the first year of the Great Cause era, Jiangdong Prefecture suffered a snow disaster. One hundred thousand taels of silver were used to purchase grains and clothes to aid the people.
In the spring of the third year of the Great Cause era, Chuanyu Prefecture suffered a flood. Tens of thousands of fields were submerged, causing crop failure. Three hundred thousand taels of silver were used to purchase grains to aid the victims.
In the spring of the third year of the Great Cause era, Heshi Prefecture suffered from a locust plague. The locusts destroyed all vegetation wherever they passed. Four hundred thousand taels of silver were used to purchase grains and seeds to distribute to the victims.
In the autumn of the third year of the Great Cause era…
In the winter of the third year of the Great Cause era…
Yang Ye grew more and more astonished as he read.
So many disasters happened in the third year of the Great Cause era?
In just one year, the Tong Family had used one million taels of silver for disaster relief.
Moreover, during disaster relief, human and material resources were definitely required, all of which needed silver.
When Tong Tiehu first disclosed the figure of thirty million taels of silver, he merely considered it a number. But now, looking at this account book, that unassuming number suddenly came alive.
How much sorrow and bloodshed of the common people did it conceal behind?
How many people were making silent sacrifices behind it?
Moreover, with so many successive disasters, how did his Grandpa Emperor manage to hold on? Tʜe source of this ᴄontent ɪs novel~fire~net
The Aristocratic Families must have taken advantage of the situation, right?
Those must have been incredibly difficult times, right?