Zhou Huaili placed the 30,000 taels of gold notes on the edge of the coffee table.
The bills were neatly stacked, tied with a red string, and the top one was stamped with the vermilion seal of the Western Suburbs Treasury.
He didn't dare let go, his fingers pressing on the ticket, creating a shallow crease in the paper.
Only the occasional crackle of the charcoal fire remained in the open pavilion.
Gu Moran didn't rush to reach out.
He picked up his teacup, blew away the foam, and took a sip.
"Even the tea in my second brother's house is from the previous year."
He muttered to himself, put down his teacup, and then looked at the stack of gold notes.
Sweat streamed down Zhou Huaili's forehead, down his temples, onto his chin, and dripped onto the front of his blue robe.
He stood ramrod straight, but his calves were trembling.
"Your Highness, the 30,000 taels of silver in the secret treasury in the western suburbs are all here."
"Not a single ounce less?"
Not a single ounce less.
Gu Moran nodded and waved.
"Big guy, come in and count the money."
Tuoba Mang, who was outside the door, lifted the curtain and came in, the string of dried garlic on his waist swaying back and forth.
He sat down at the table, tore open the red string with his large hand, licked his fingers, and twisted the sheets out one by one.
"One thousand taels, two thousand taels..."
Zhou Huaili stared at his hand, his Adam's apple bobbing up and down.
Tuoba Mang counted to the eleventh bill, then stopped and held it up to the light to examine it.
"Your Highness, this one has a strange smell."
What does it taste like?
"It smells like cosmetics."
Tuoba Mang brought the bill to his nose and smelled it, then smelled the garlic on his waist.
"My version is still the best."
Gu Moli chuckled and covered her mouth with a silk handkerchief.
Zhou Huaili's face flushed red and then turned pale.
Gu Moran didn't press further, only saying, "Continue counting."
After counting for the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, Tuoba Mang stacked the bills into three piles and slammed them onto the table.
"Thirty thousand taels, not a single tael missing."
"OK."
Gu Moran pushed the three stacks of gold notes to the right, in front of Gu Moli.
"Bookkeeping."
Gu Moli had already laid out the blue ledger.
That was something she had brought all the way from the capital, containing records of spies, grain prices, post stations, and horses from eleven cities along the way.
The next few dozen pages were left blank, which were just enough to record the income of the Yi Prefecture Army.
She picked up her brush, dipped it in ink, and with her wrist suspended, wrote each stroke neatly.
"The Prince of Anyang 'Prince An's Residence donated 30,000 taels of gold to support the army's campaign against the Japanese pirates."
After she finished writing, she looked up at Zhou Huaili.
" Master Zhou, do you think the word 'donation' is written correctly?"
Zhou Huaili's lips trembled.
"Yes, that's right."
"That's good."
Gu Moli placed the brush on the inkstone.
"When historians look back on this matter in the future, they will all praise Second Brother for his great understanding and righteousness. Master Zhou's involvement has also earned him a place in history."
Zhou Huaili's knees buckled, and he had to grab the edge of the table to keep from kneeling.
Gu Moran glanced at her younger sister.
This girl insults people without using any vulgar language; her knives are all wrapped in candy wrappers.
He took over the conversation.
" Master Zhou, please have a seat."
Zhou Huaili dared not sit down.
"Your Highness... this humble one..."
"You can say it standing up."
Gu Moran leaned back in his chair and removed the last few peanuts from the plate.
You know better than I what Anyang City lacks right now.
"Food shortage."
"Anything else?"
"There's a lack of... a lack of people to manage it."
"Right."
Gu Moran cracked open the peanut shells.
"The refugees need to be resettled, grain prices need to be suppressed, overseas shops need to be registered and their goods sealed, and the city's defenses need to be monitored. Even though Second Brother is lying down, someone still has to do these tasks."
Zhou Huaili looked up, not understanding for a moment.
Gu Moran popped a peanut into his mouth and chewed it a couple of times.
"You do it."
Zhou Huaili stood there, stunned.
He thought he would lose his head tonight, or at the very least be thrown in jail.
"Your Highness means..."
My meaning is very simple.
Gu Moran brushed the crumbs off his hands.
"You must guard the grain supply route to Anyang; not a single grain of rice can be cut off. You must properly settle the refugees; not a single one can starve to death at the city gates. You must copy every single account book, ship register, and name of the Wa and Goryeo merchants and send it to Dengzhou."
He paused.
"If these matters are taken care of, I will not see anything that I should not see."
Zhou Huaili's breathing paused for a moment.
What if it can't be done?
He regretted asking that question as soon as he did.
Gu Moran wasn't angry; instead, she smiled.
"If you can't handle it, my eyesight is excellent, and my tongue is quick."
Zhou Huaili knelt down on the bluestone slab with a thud.
This time he knelt down firmly, his knees making a dull thud.
"I... will certainly not fail Your Highness's trust."
Shen Ling'er watched from below and muttered something under her breath.
"Your Highness has someone's Achilles' heel, and yet you expect them to work for you."
Lin Qingdai leaned against the door frame and casually replied with half a sentence.
"He's always been like that."
Gu Moran pretended not to hear.
What's this called?
In the previous life, this would be called asset restructuring, or revitalizing and reusing non-performing assets.
Zhou Huaili is capable, but he's spineless. He made a fool of himself when Lady Lü used the child as leverage.
It would be a waste to kill such a person, but keeping him around is useful; as long as the reins are in hand, that's fine.
Get up.
Gu Moran stood up and straightened his sleeves.
Zhou Huaili gritted his teeth and agreed.
He knew in his heart that from tonight onwards, the key to the Prince An's Residence's residence was in the hands of Prince Yi.
Gu Moli closed the ledger and blew on the still-wet ink.
"Third Brother, how should we spend these thirty thousand taels?"
"Buy grain, build ships, and pay wages."
That's all?
That's all.
Gu Moran walked out.
Money is only money when spent wisely. Otherwise, it's just paper.
Gu Moli followed behind him, carrying the account book and muttering to herself.
"Then buying me a new hairpin, would that count as a blade?"
"That's of course the most important thing."
Gu Moli's eyebrows curved into a smile, her mood much better than before.
The gold notes were deposited into the Yi Prefecture Army's ledger.
Gu Moran walked out of the open pavilion. The night breeze blew in from under the eaves, making the lanterns sway twice.
Tuoba Mang followed, carrying the three stacks of gold notes, walking with a brisk and powerful stride.
Gu Moli followed beside Gu Moran.
Before leaving, she tugged at Gu Moran's sleeve and gave him a word of advice.
"Third Brother, don't overwork yourself tonight."
After saying that, she glanced meaningfully towards the back of the house, then turned and left.
Gu Moran stood under the corridor, rubbing his temples.
This girl knows everything.
He walked along the corridor towards the guest rooms in the back courtyard.
At the end of the corridor was the courtyard that Prince An's Residence had prepared for him; the gate was half-closed, and lights were on inside.
Several figures were reflected in the paper window.
One was carrying a basin, one was leaning against a pillar, one was squatting on the ground, and another was standing motionless at the door with a sword in his hand.
Gu Moran stopped in her tracks.
Zhen Meili's loud voice came from inside the house.
"There's a hidden compartment under this bed! Who's hiding something under their bed?"