武库司
十月霜降,京城入了深秋。夏简兮正式赴兵部武库司上任那日,天色阴沉,飘著细密的雨丝。
武库司衙门在兵部大院最西侧,是个三进院落。门前两尊石狮子经年风雨,已有些斑驳。夏简兮身著五品女官服色——黛青色襦裙,外罩绣云雁补子的深蓝比甲,头髮梳成简洁的圆髻,只簪一支素银簪。虽不华丽,却自有一股清正之气。
门房是个白鬍子的老吏,见她递上任命文书和“忠毅”金印,愣了好一会儿,才忙不迭地行礼:“夏……夏大人,里面请。”
院子里已站了二十余名属官,从主事到书吏,清一色的男子,年纪从二十到五十不等。见她进来,神色各异:有好奇,有不屑,有警惕,也有几个目光躲闪,显然心中有鬼。
夏简兮走到廊下,扫视眾人,声音平静:“本官夏简兮,奉旨协理武库司事。从今日起,司內一应事务,需按新规办理。诸位可有异议”
无人应声。一个四十来岁、麵皮白净的主事上前半步,躬身道:“下官武库司主事周明,见过夏大人。敢问大人,所谓『新规』是指……”
“三日后会张贴明细。”夏简兮淡淡道,“今日先办两件事:一,封存近十年所有军械出入库帐册;二,司內所有人员,今日起不得擅自离衙,需配合本官问询。”
此言一出,人群骚动。
“夏大人,这不合规矩!”一个满脸横肉的员外郎叫道,“帐册乃司內机密,岂能说封就封我等还有公务要办,怎能禁足衙內”
夏简兮看向他:“阁下是”
“下官武库司员外郎,吴有德。”那人挺胸抬头,颇有几分倨傲。
夏简兮点点头:“吴员外郎,建文七年至永和三年的军械督造,可是你经手”
吴有德脸色微变:“是……是又如何”
“那正好。”夏简兮从袖中取出一本薄册,翻开,“建文九年,北境雁门关守军上报,新到弓弩『十之三四弦断』,兵部核查结论是『边军保管不善』。但同期武库司的採购记录显示,那批弓弦的供应商『永昌號』,实际是吴员外郎表兄所开。採购价高於市价三成,而弓弦材质,以次充好。”
她每说一句,吴有德的脸色就白一分,冷汗涔涔而下。
“永和元年,”夏简兮继续翻页,“云州卫鎧甲甲片『厚薄不均』,经手人也是你。供应商『利通铁铺』,掌柜是你岳父。这批甲片的铁料,实为回收旧甲重熔,强度不足標准七成。”
她合上册子,抬眼:“吴员外郎,还需要我继续念吗”
院內死寂。所有人都盯著吴有德,后者面如死灰,嘴唇颤抖,一个字也说不出来。
夏简兮挥手:“拿下,暂押司內厢房,待查实后移交刑部。”
两名隨她而来的兵卒上前,將瘫软的吴有德拖走。剩下的人个个噤若寒蝉,再无人敢出声。
“周主事。”夏简兮转向那个白面主事。
周明浑身一颤,躬身更深:“下……下官在。”
“司內帐册、文书,由你负责清点封存。今日酉时前,我要看到清单。”
“下官遵命!”
“其余人等,”夏简兮目光扫过眾人,“各归其位,整理手头公务,准备接受问询。若有隱瞒、抗拒者……”她顿了顿,“吴有德便是前车之鑑。”
<dia bea, verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; lor: #999999; overflow: hidden; dispy: flex; positioive; flex-dire: n;}#exo-native-widget-5820802-whjqx.exo-native-widget .exo-native-widget-outer-ntaer .exo-native-widget-ite-ntaer a.exo-native-widget-ite .exo-native-widget-ite-iage-er { positioive; float: left; width: 100%; -width: auto; z-dex: 2; flex: itial; height: 100%; overflow: hidden;}.video-thub-er { position: absote; : 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; overflow: hidden; background-lor: #000; visibility: hidden; dispy: flex; align-ites: ter; er-seleone; -webkit-er-seleone; -oz-er-seleone; -s-er-seleone;}.video-thub-er > video { width: 100%; object-fit: nta; height: auto;}#exo-native-widget-5820802-whjqx.exo-native-widget .exo-native-widget-outer-ntaer .exo-native-widget-ite-ntaer a.exo-native-widget-ite .exo-native-widget-ite-iage-ratio { width: 100%; paddg-: 100%; z-dex: 1;}#exo-native-widget-5820802-whjqx.exo-native-widget .exo-native-widget-outer-ntaer .exo-native-widget-ite-ntaer a.exo-native-widget-ite .exo-native-widget-ite-iage { background-positioer; backgrou: ; background-size: ver; position: absote; : 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; transition: background-size 0.3s;}#exo-native-widget-5820802-whjqx.exo-native-widget .exo-native-widget-outer-ntaer .exo-native-widget-ite-ntaer a.exo-native-widget-ite .exo-native-widget-ite-iage:hover { transfor: scale;}#exo-native-widget-5820802-whjqx.exo-native-widget .exo-native-widget-outer-ntaer .exo-native-widget-ite-ntaer a.exo-native-widget-ite .exo-native-widget-ite- { ax-width: 100%; ax-height: 90px; overflow: hidden; position: itial; right: 0; : 0; width: 100%; height: 90px; paddg-left: 0px; paddg-right: 0; paddg-: 10px; paddg-botto: 0; dispy: block; text-alig; flex: itial; positioive;}#exo-native-widget-5820802-whjqx.exo-native-widget .exo-native-widget-outer-ntaer .exo-native-widget-ite-ntaer a.exo-native-widget-ite .exo-native-widget-ite- .exo-native-widget-ite--box { position: absote; width: 100%;}#exo-native-widget-5820802-whjqx.exo-native-widget .exo-native-widget-outer-ntaer .exo-native-widget-ite-ntaer a.exo-native-widget-ite .exo-native-widget-ite- .exo-native-widget-ite-title { font-faily: arial, helvetica, verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; lor: #000000; fo: bold; text-deration: none; dispy: block; transition: lor 0.16s;}#exo-native-widget-5820802-whjqx.exo-native-widget .exo-native-widget-outer-ntaer .exo-native-widget-ite-ntaer a.exo-native-widget-ite .exo-native-widget-ite- .exo-native-widget-ite-text { font-faily: arial, helvetica, verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; lor: #000000; fo: noral; text-deration: none; dispy: ransition: lor 0.16s;}#exo-native-widget-5820802-whjqx.exo-native-widget .exo-native-widget-outer-ntaer .exo-native-widget-ite-ntaer a.exo-native-widget-ite .exo-native-widget-ite- .exo-native-widget-ite-brand { font-faily: arial, helvetica, verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; lor: #000000; fo: noral; text-deration: none; dispy: block;}/ hover se below: /#exo-native-widget-5820802-whjqx.exo-native-widget .exo-native-widget-outer-ntaer .exo-native-widget-ite-ntaer a.exo-native-widget-ite .exo-native-widget-ite- .exo-native-widget-ite-title:hover { lor: #000000; fo: bold; text-deration: none;}#exo-native-widget-5820802-whjqx.exo-native-widget .exo-native-widget-outer-ntaer .exo-native-widget-ite-ntaer a.exo-native-widget-ite .exo-native-widget-ite- .exo-native-widget-ite-text:hover { lor: #000000; fo: noral; text-deration: none;}ia all and{ #exo-native-widget-5820802-whjqx.exo-native-widget .exo-native-widget-outer-ntaer .exo-native-widget-ite-h-; }}</style>los angeleslos ag<s css=“eas6a97888e2“ data-zoneid=“5820802“ data-processed=“true“></s>
眾人轰然应诺,作鸟兽散。
夏简兮走进正堂。这是她父亲当年办公的地方,陈设几乎未变:一张宽大的紫檀木公案,背后是满墙书架,上面整齐码放著歷年文书。窗边一盆兰已枯死,盆边缘有细细的裂纹。
她走到公案后,手指抚过桌面。木质温润,角落处有一小块墨渍,像是多年前不小心洒上的。父亲是否也曾坐在这里,为了一批军械的质量,与那些蛀虫据理力爭是否也曾感到无力,感到愤怒
“夏大人,”周明抱著厚厚一摞帐册进来,小心翼翼放在桌上,“这是近三年的出入库总帐。其余年份的,还需时间清点。”
夏简兮翻开最上面一本。帐目清晰,格式规整,看不出问题。但她知道,真正的猫腻,往往藏在细节里。
“周主事在武库司多少年了”
“十……十二年。”
“那我父亲在时,你已在司內”
周明脸色微白:“是。下官那时还是书吏,蒙夏老大人提携,才一步步做到主事。”
夏简兮抬眼看他:“我父亲出事时,你可曾为他说话”