To the First Emperor of Qin: The state has decreed this!

Chapter 315 This brat is definitely just making excuses!

"Done, that's it."

Zhang Fan stretched lazily, rolled up the stack of paper account books in his hand, then pushed open the door of the side hall and strolled towards Zhangtai Palace.

Before even entering Zhangtai Palace, Zhang Fan could see from afar a large group of civil officials standing in the square outside the palace.

These aristocratic officials had been waiting here for half a day under the scorching midday sun, and they were all restless and agitated.

Hearing footsteps, everyone turned to look at Zhang Fan. When they saw that he only had a few sheets of paper rolled up in his hand, their faces immediately showed disdain and schadenfreude.

They didn't even bring counting rods or bamboo slips; this is clearly a blank exam paper!

Faced with the hostility of the crowd, Zhang Fan not only did not show any fear, but instead smiled calmly, slowly walked forward, and joked:

"Oh, what a refined taste you gentlemen have! Instead of resting at home in the middle of the day, you've come to the palace to sunbathe as a group?"

These words were spoken.

The already distressed civil officials turned pale and nearly vomited blood from anger.

Shaofuzong, who was standing at the front, immediately stepped forward and said sarcastically, "You still dare to talk so arrogantly when you're about to die! Immortal Master, have you gotten your head all sunburnt in the side hall all day?"

"If you can't deliver the accounts to the Emperor later, let's see if you'll still be laughing then!"

Faced with the old man's barking, Zhang Fan shook his head speechlessly, looking at him as if he were a clown who had brought shame upon himself, and simply couldn't be bothered to pay him any attention.

Suddenly, with a creak, the gate of Zhangtai Palace slowly opened.

Eunuch Li strode out, brandishing his whisk, and announced loudly, "The half-day period is over. His Majesty has decreed that all the officials be summoned for an audience!"

Hearing the summons.

Everyone immediately perked up, straightened their court robes, and walked in with their heads held high.

Upon entering the main hall, Ying Zheng, seated on the high platform, cast his majestic gaze upon Zhang Fan and asked in a deep voice:

"Zhang Fan, the half-day period is over. How's the accounting going?"

Zhang Fan smiled slightly, stepped forward, cupped his hands in a respectful bow, and then calmly tossed the stack of light papers in his hand:

"Your Majesty, it's just a few messy accounts. Your humble servant has already calculated everything, and the whereabouts of the deficits are crystal clear!"

Upon hearing this, the entire court was immediately shocked!

Zong Yu, in particular, shuddered violently, his eyes nearly popping out of their sockets, his face filled with disbelief.

But after only a moment of shock, Zong Yu's lips curled into an extremely cold and sinister smile.

Have you figured it out?

fart!

He immediately concluded in his heart that Zhang Fan had been driven to a dead end and was lying to His Majesty, committing the crime of deceiving the emperor!

"This is utterly absurd!"

Zong Yu sneered inwardly, "That was a messy account that I, along with dozens of the most capable accountants from the Imperial Household Department, spent several days and nights meticulously shuffling and recklessly creating!"

"How could a mere brat like you, who might not even be able to understand the Qin Dynasty's account books, possibly calculate this in half a day all by yourself, without using counting rods?!"

"You think you can get away with this by accusing me of deceiving the emperor? Today, I will expose your absurd lie in front of His Majesty!"

The other civil officials also realized what was happening and immediately began to whisper among themselves.

"To settle several truckloads of long-standing debts in half a day? That's utterly ridiculous!"

"Exactly! They didn't even bring counting rods or bamboo slips, just a few scraps of paper in their hands, and they dare to say they've figured it out?"

"I think he's clearly been pushed to the limit and is just bluffing! This is a crime of deceiving the emperor!"

"..."

The look of schadenfreude in the eyes of the crowd towards Zhang Fan intensified.

Faced with the ridicule and sarcasm of the courtiers, Zhang Fan showed no sign of panic. Instead, he turned around, calmly bowed to Ying Zheng on the high platform, and asked for instructions:

"Your Majesty, since the Minister of the Imperial Household and the other officials do not believe us, I humbly request Your Majesty's permission to set up a courtroom within this Zhangtai Palace! I am willing to conduct a face-to-face account with Minister Zong in Your Majesty's presence, item by item, to verify the truth and discern the falsehoods!"

Ying Zheng narrowed his deep eyes slightly, looking down at Zhang Fan.

Seeing the confidence radiating from his brows, Ying Zheng immediately understood and waved his hand:

"allow!"

Before long, several nimble eunuchs, as Zhang Fan had requested, brought over a large desk and a grand chair, which they placed steadily in the center of the hall.

Zhang Fan didn't stand on ceremony. He lifted his robe and sat down directly in front of the desk, blocking the view of all the civil officials.

Upon seeing this, Ying Zheng on the high platform immediately frowned.

This kid's behavior seems to suggest... he's addicted to it?

Zong Yu and the other civil officials standing below exchanged bewildered glances, feeling an indescribable discomfort and awkwardness.

What happened?

This place is clearly the Zhangtai Palace for deliberating on state affairs, so how did this kid manage to turn it into something like a court hearing?

And judging from this arrangement, Zhang Fan is sitting in the main seat!

Do they look more like prisoners being interrogated?

Before anyone could even process what was happening...

The gavel slammed down on the table with a "thud," and then Zhang Fan leaned forward slightly, drawing out his words in a pretentious tone, and asked:

"Who is kneeling before me? What brings you to accuse me?"

Upon hearing this, the hall fell into a deathly silence.

"Pfft!"

A burly general standing nearby couldn't hold back and burst out laughing. He was so startled that he quickly covered his mouth, his shoulders shaking as he tried to suppress his laughter.

Ying Zheng, standing on the high platform, turned pale and his lips twitched involuntarily.

That brat!

They really take advantage of you and think they can do whatever they want!

You've had your fill of being a county magistrate in my Zhangtai Palace, haven't you?

Zong Yu and the group of aristocratic civil officials looked even worse than if they had swallowed a dead fly. Their faces turned pale and then purple, as if they had suffered a great humiliation!

"presumptuous!!"

Zong Yu trembled with rage, his mustache bristling. He immediately stepped forward, pointed at Zhang Fan, and angrily rebuked him, coldly snorting:

"Zhang Fan! Stop pretending to be crazy and trying to attract attention! The huge deficit of several million coins is right here, with witnesses and physical evidence. The evidence is conclusive, and it is an indisputable fact that you embezzled public funds from Da Qin!"

Faced with Zong Yu's desperate roar, Zhang Fan leaned back in his chair, completely unconcerned.

He smiled slightly, slowly picked up the account book, and gently tapped it.

"The evidence is conclusive? Lord Zong is celebrating too soon."

Zhang Fan stared intently at Zong Yu. "But... how come the accounts I calculated are completely different from those reported by yours truly?"

Upon hearing this, a gasp of surprise rippled through the Zhangtai Palace, and everyone was greatly astonished.

The calculated accounts are different?

How is that possible!

Those were accounts prepared by dozens of accountants from the Imperial Household Department working together!

Upon hearing this, Zong Yu was startled, and cold sweat broke out on his forehead.

But having spent many years in officialdom, he was a man of deep intellect. After a brief moment of panic, he immediately sneered inwardly:

Pretending! Still pretending! This brat is definitely just making excuses!