Fortunately, she still had her cheat.
Using the excuse that she needed to concentrate on checking the ledgers and could not afford distractions, Yun Shu dismissed everyone from the study, including Ting Xue. Once the room was empty, she closed the doors and windows, making certain even Ah Ku and the Dragon Shadow Guards outside could not see in. Only then did she place her hand on the stacked boxes of account books and swiftly transferred them all into the villa space.
"So many!"
Yun Ni sat on the sofa, dazed.
"Good thing I did what you said and found plenty of people. Otherwise, how long would this have taken?"
"And you're already complaining it's a lot?"
Yun Shu gave a tired chuckle.
"Then you clearly haven't hired enough. This is only the accounts from one province."
Yun Ni was speechless.
"Heavens have mercy! The position of Crown Princess was clearly not for ordinary people!"
She swallowed hard, then nodded. "I'll find more accountants later."
"They all signed the non-disclosure agreements, correct?"
Yun Shu reminded her with some concern. "These ledgers are in classical text and there are so many. We can't risk anyone making trouble."
"Don't worry. I handpicked them from across the country, and none of them know each other. I told them the account books were passed down from my ancestors, and that I was bored and wanted to check if the old records had any mistakes. No one questioned it."
She glanced at Yun Shu and added, "Besides, with my celebrity status, the breach penalties in the agreement were set high. Unless they've lost their minds, no one would dare leak a word."
As she spoke, Yun Ni pulled a book from one of the boxes and fed it into the scanner.
"Wages are generous. Accountants are easy to hire. But scanning these... that we really have to do ourselves, page by page."
"This is already far better than doing all the calculations myself."
One province had filled ten entire boxes!
And she had to finish cross-checking all of it before the twelfth lunar month.
Even the most ruthless modern capitalists would weep at this workload.
Yun Shu scanned as she muttered, half irritated, half resigned.
"I've been so busy running around that I forgot to teach them the simple modern method of bookkeeping. When this is over, I'll have to teach it properly. Otherwise, all the credit will go to that shameless old man from the Ministry of Revenue."
"Whether it goes to him or not, aren't they all going to be working under you in the future?"
Yun Ni couldn't help but laugh.
"You'll be their superior soon enough."
"That's not certain."
Yun Shu snorted.
"That Minister Yan is older than Father Emperor."
Who knows, perhaps he would retire to farm before she even took the throne.
The two continued scanning the endless ledgers as they chatted.
Just like that, the days dragged on for over a month.
Finally, the last day of the eleventh month arrived.
Yun Shu had barely set foot in the Xuan Zheng Hall early that morning when she was intercepted by someone entirely unexpected.
Minister Yan, who normally could not be bothered to give her so much as a glance, let alone a word, was now standing before her as if he had been waiting.
"Crown Princess, I heard the account books from the various Merchants' Associations were delivered to you over a month ago. Might This Minister inquire how much commercial tax has been collected this year?"
"Is Minister Yan seeking a position in the Merchants' Association now?" Yun Shu turned with a half-smile. "Or do you wish to overstep your bounds and question something that should be asked by This Princess's Father Emperor instead?"
"Crown Princess, your wit grows sharper by the day. How could this old minister dare presume such authority?" Minister Yan returned a similarly insincere smile. "But the commercial taxes are to be sent to the national treasury. This old minister merely needs a rough estimate, so that I may ensure the vaults are cleared in time to store the silver."
"Didn't Minister Yan used to complain daily that This Princess had already emptied the treasury?" Yun Shu raised a brow and parried with his own words. "If it's completely empty, what space is there to clear?"
"This..."
Minister Yan stiffened. He had not expected that retort to rebound so precisely.
Fortunately, Emperor Xuanwu arrived just in time to spare him from further embarrassment.
All the officials returned to their places and, after the customary three cries of long life, morning court officially began.
Yun Shu stood in the front row, relaxed, as if observing rather than participating, while the ministers traded barbed arguments.
As expected, it was not long before Minister Yan brought up commercial taxes once more.
This time, however, he returned to his usual lament.
He recited the woes of an empty treasury, described the hardship of his position as Minister of Revenue, and then turned the topic once again toward Yun Shu.
"...We still do not know how much commercial tax was collected this year, nor when it will be deposited into the treasury. This humble minister truly needs the funds, Your Majesty."
"Hmm."
Emperor Xuanwu responded lightly, then turned to his right, where Yun Shu stood in the front row.
"Crown Princess?"
"Reporting to Father Emperor. All commercial tax ledgers from the thirty-four provinces have been fully reviewed. Yesterday, Your Daughter sent urgent messengers to the heads of each Merchants' Association, instructing them to deliver the tax silver to the capital with utmost speed. If all proceeds as planned, it will arrive before the end of the year."
She really finished them all?
Just one person, in just over a month?
How much could that amount to?
It must pale in comparison to the land tax.
No wonder she refused to say the total earlier.
She must be too embarrassed.
Minister Yan sneered inwardly, though his expression remained calm as he bowed again toward Yun Shu.
"Might the Crown Princess share an approximate figure? If the amount falls short, this old minister could begin considering alternative solutions."
"A shortfall?"
Yun Shu turned slightly to face him, her expression tinged with amusement.
"And just how large is this supposed shortfall?"
"Far too much."
Minister Yan straightened, his voice edged with frost.
"There's only one month left until New Year's Eve. The salaries of all court officials, military pay, costs of the palace banquet, and the required reserve funds — altogether, the total will be no less than thirty million taels."
"Just that?"
"What?"
"What do you mean just that?"
Minister Yan had anticipated many possible reactions to this figure. Shock, perhaps. Accusations of exaggeration. Embarrassment.
But never had he imagined she would respond with those two words.