Chapter 36

Listen, listen, listen, listen (Third update of the night, recommendation votes!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!)

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Grand words are easy to say, but it's hard to be a daughter-in-law who isn't favored by the mother-in-law.

Wang Xian was in Li Sihu's room, enduring a scolding that lasted the length of a joss stick. By the end, he was dizzy and disoriented, and finally, he left with a stack of account books, returning to his own office.

Although he had long told himself that Li was just spouting nonsense, hearing too much of it could still make one feel overwhelmed. Even a clay figure has a bit of temper, and when one is scolded harshly, it's hard not to feel indignant.

Wang Xian wasn't a novice in the workplace. When he dared to write on the difficult clerk's painting, it was because he had no hope of getting a job and just wanted to vent his frustration. Now that he had entered this door, he had no reason to act capriciously. He had to find a way to carve out a bloody path for himself!

Because he had already realized that this was the best way to ensure his family lived without worry and for him to live with dignity. Anyone who wanted to drive him away was his enemy!

But at present, the enemy's strength far outweighed his own, and there was no possibility of a fight. He could only keep a low profile, avoid making mistakes, and not give Li any more opportunities to punish him... But this was basically impossible. Since the other party was his superior, it was incredibly easy to find trouble... Before finding a solution, he could only endure day by day.

Wang Xian calmed himself and focused on his work. According to Li Sihu's orders, he had to complete the accounting of these account books before the next morning's roll call. If he was late or made a mistake, he would be questioned!

Wu Xiaopang came over to take a look, opened his mouth to say something but stopped, shook his head, and sighed, then returned to his desk. Wang Xian knew what he was sighing about. First, so many account books were a nightmare for someone who had never dealt with them before, and it was impossible to complete them. Second, these were old accounts from the fifth year of Yongle, and even if they were calculated, they would have no real significance, purely a way to keep him busy...

Wang Xian wasn't afraid of accounting. On the contrary, when he touched the abacus, he didn't feel unfamiliar, because his previous profession was a certified public accountant. Although in later times everything was computerized, he had still practiced abacus for two years thanks to the lag in school education...

As for the official account books of the Ming Dynasty, they clearly used the single-entry bookkeeping method, recording each transaction, then aggregating them monthly, quarterly, and annually, and finally using the four-column settlement method to calculate income and expenses.

This was simpler and clearer than the double-entry bookkeeping method, and he could understand it at a glance... at least for him.

The other clerks in the room slowed down their work, waiting to see Wang Xian make a fool of himself. But they saw him using one hand for the abacus and the other for the brush, though his technique was a bit rusty, it was clear he had practiced before...

'No wonder he comes from a family with a deep background in this field,' this made everyone lose interest, and they turned back to their own work.

After an afternoon, Wang Xian had almost regained the feeling of being the school's second-place winner in the abacus competition, but he had only cleared half of the account books.

It was almost dinner time when a clerk in a blue robe came over and asked, "Which one is Wang Xian?"

"I am," Wang Xian stood up.

"Follow me," the clerk turned around with a blank expression.

Wang Xian was puzzled but still put down his work and obediently followed.

As soon as he left, the other clerks couldn't sit still. They looked around and whispered, "I told you, offending the boss will make you regret it. Now, he's been handed over to the criminal department for punishment!"

"Ah, actually, I think he's not bad," one clerk, who had developed sympathy for the diligent and low-key Wang Xian, said, "Why does the boss hate him so much?"

"Don't say that, or the boss will hear and punish you too," another clerk advised. The other clerks agreed and stopped talking about it.

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In the other room, Wang Xian followed the clerk, left the finance department, and came to the criminal department.

As soon as he entered, there was a burst of laughter. The clerks in the criminal department joked, "What's wrong, Second Son, are you going to get a beating on your first day?"

These were all old subordinates of Wang Xian's father, including Li Guan, who had all been beneficiaries of Wang Xingye's kindness... If it weren't for Wang Xingye's resolve to not implicate anyone during his torture, the people in the criminal department would have been purged by He Guancha.

Therefore, when Wang Xingye came out, the people in the criminal department visited his home the most frequently. This time, when Wang Xingye went to run for office, it was these people who raised the money for him!

Out of love for the house, they naturally treated Wang Xian with extra warmth. The clerk, who had been stern outside, now spat, "That bastard Li Sheng, taking a needle for a club, just because Second Son didn't come in the morning, he issued a warrant to beat him twenty times with a small stick!"

"Unbelievable!" another clerk angrily said, "Second Son just started, and Li Sheng wants to beat and kill him! This isn't aimed at him, it's clearly aimed at our old boss! And he handed it over to us in the criminal department, this is clearly a slap in the face!" He slammed the table and said, "I'll go and scold him!"

"Stop!" Li Guan lifted the curtain and came out, scolding, "What are you shouting about? According to the rules, 'absence for one day results in twenty small sticks,' what right do you have to scold him?"

"I..." the clerk sighed, "I just wanted to give Second Son some encouragement."

"You, with that foul mouth, if you scold him now, will he still be able to work under him later?" Li Guan waved his hand impatiently, "All of you, go home!"

"Oh..." the clerks in the criminal department winked at Wang Xian, one patted him, another touched him, and then dispersed.

"Come in," Li Guan turned and went into the room, and Wang Xian followed.

"What tea do you want?" He made him sit down and personally brewed tea, "How about Bi Luo Chun, I like it..."

"..." Wang Xian was helpless, why were these clerks all so arrogant.

"What, do you think Uncle Li is different?" Li Guan said calmly, "Of course, originally you were a commoner, and I was your father's old subordinate, so I naturally treated you politely. But now that you're wearing this white robe, you're a clerk, and I have to follow the rules of the office."

"Yes," Wang Xian humbly said, "I know nothing, please teach me, Uncle Li."

"Ha ha..." Li Guan finally showed a smile, "Do you know why I'm laughing?"

"No," Wang Xian shook his head.

"I'm laughing at you for seeking help from the wrong person," Li Guan poured him a cup of tea, "Most of what I know, I learned from your father. Who do you think you should learn from?"

"He's not in Fuyang," Wang Xian smiled bitterly.

"Alright, I'll take the liberty this once," Li Guan nodded, "I'll tell you one thing: being a clerk is not easy. If you want an easy life, don't be a clerk. Whether you're a clerk or an official, as long as you're in the office, you have to follow the rules and won't have an easy life. For example, you have to get up at the fifth watch every day and go to the clerk's office to sign in. If you're late or absent, you'll get a beating. If it happens too often, you'll end up in jail. If you want an easy life, go back to being a commoner..."

"I've already repented and am starting anew," Wang Xian said softly, "Don't look at me with old eyes, Uncle Li."

"It doesn't matter how I see you, but for your father's sake, I'll definitely protect you," Li Guan, who was relatively young among the six department clerks, mainly due to Wang Xingye's favor, otherwise, he would have been in his forties. "But each of the six departments has its own world, and you have bad luck, ending up in the finance department. I can't help you much even if I want to."

"I understand," Wang Xian nodded. Li Guan's support wouldn't help; it would only make his situation worse.

"Go back," Li Guan sighed, "Be careful, follow the rules, Uncle Li can only protect you from beatings, the rest you have to handle yourself."

"Do I not have to get a beating?" Wang Xian widened his eyes.

"No need," Li Guan said calmly, "I'll just give a heads-up, but don't be too happy these few days. Walk a bit slower, and it's best to pretend to be limping, otherwise, Li Sheng will find ways to torment you."

"I understand," Wang Xian stood up and respectfully said, "Then I'll go first."

"Okay," Li Guan nodded. As Wang Xian reached the door, he added, "Li Sheng, that guy, won't have a good end, just bear with it..."

Wang Xian was taken aback, nodded, and left.

Leaving the criminal department, Wang Xian saw Wu Xiaopang looking around not far away, and quickly limped over.

"Are you okay?" Wu Wei quickly supported him, concerned, "I've been beaten before, it doesn't hurt people, but it really hurts."

Wang Xian nodded and said vaguely, "Why did you come here?"

"It's time to go home," Wu Wei said, "I'll help you back to the clerk's quarters, and I'll check your injuries. Do you need to see my father?"

Wang Xian then remembered that this kid had a family background in medicine. He couldn't deceive him, so he whispered, "I was beaten very lightly, there's no bruising."

"Oh?" Wu Wei thought for a moment and understood, "They went easy on you."

"Right," Wang Xian nodded, "I need to go back and get the account books, I won't finish if I don't work overtime tonight."

"You really don't understand," Wu Wei smiled bitterly, "The account books of the finance department can't be taken back to the clerk's quarters. They can only be seen in the office, and the door is locked after work, and reopened in the morning."

"Then I won't finish my task tomorrow!" Wang Xian said angrily, "Won't I get scolded or even beaten again?"

"Beating is unlikely," Wu Wei comforted him, "At most, you'll get a scolding, just ignore it."

"..." Wang Xian was very depressed.

Sure enough, as Wu Xiaopang had predicted, Wang Xian was scolded harshly the next day, and Li Sheng ordered him to finish the task by the afternoon.

This time, with more time and more practice, Wang Xian finished the accounting early, set up the four-column ledger, and checked the accounts. The new receipts minus the disbursements equaled the current balance minus the old balance, and the numbers matched.

He breathed a slight sigh of relief but felt something was off. With his years of auditing experience, he saw that these accounts had serious problems!

The accounts should have been done by an expert, with each income and expenditure clearly recorded. Using the four-column ledger method alone wouldn't reveal any issues. But what if he used double-entry bookkeeping? Wang Xian felt that some things would likely be revealed!

With the spirit of a certified public accountant who likes to delve into details, he picked up the first account book again... He would re-record the accounts to see what was really going on!