Marrying a concubine and swallowing her dowry? The mistress turns around and marries a high-ranking

Chapter 649

Huo Tingsheng couldn't figure it out either.

He knew all too well the size of the national treasury and the contents within it. Even if they sent carriages to haul it all away, it would require hundreds of carriages. It would take an entire caravan to sneak into the palace and a whole day to empty the national treasury!

But how is this possible!

Even if the entire Imperial Guard were to conspire to steal from the place, they wouldn't have the ability to do so.

Huo Tingsheng roared, "Investigate! You must give me an explanation within half a month! If you fail to find any results, the crime of the theft of the national treasury will be doubled and all of you will be held responsible!"

The commander of the Imperial Guards was inwardly devastated, but naturally dared not disobey, and could only accept the order with a sense of unease.

Huo Tingsheng simultaneously ordered a citywide curfew and a thorough investigation into the theft of the national treasury.

Because Huo Jinghuai was in the Ministry of Justice, the case was handed over to several other agencies for joint investigation.

Nothing was found.

Logically, there should be some clues as to how the enormous wealth in the national treasury was transported out of the palace, regardless of the method used. However, there has been absolutely no indication of any such transport over this period of time.

If it wasn't transported out, it must still be hidden somewhere near the palace. But after searching the palace thoroughly, inside and out, not a single ingot of silver was found.

With no progress in the case, Huo Tingsheng became extremely anxious. He summoned all the officials investigating the case to the palace every day, berated them mercilessly, and even dismissed several high-ranking officials from their posts.

He had been restless and emotionally unstable lately, and now he's become increasingly paranoid, seeing everyone as a thief from the national treasury.

Some outrageous speculations even emerged, suggesting that the Imperial Guards, in collusion with palace servants and officials outside, had formed a massive gang that emptied the national treasury.

In addition, the deficit in the national treasury directly caused the sudden interruption of the royal family's economic chain.

The expenses within the palace, including those for Huo Tingsheng's three palaces and six courtyards, as well as the expenses for hundreds of guards, maids, and eunuchs, all came from the inner treasury.

However, less than one-tenth of the national treasury remains, and it's not real gold or silver, but just some precious items. Even if they are sold and converted into cash, it will only be a drop in the bucket.

To put it bluntly, the entire palace was out of money.

The monthly allowances for the various palaces cannot be paid, and the Imperial Household Department cannot even cover the cost of groceries for the month. The noble ladies and concubines of the various palaces are having trouble even eating.

Since its founding, the Western Qi royal family had never been in such a sorry and impoverished state.

Huo Tingsheng could only rack his brains to find a way to borrow money from the outer treasury. However, this money was under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Revenue and was part of the national fiscal revenue. Although the Ministry of Revenue dared not disobey Huo Tingsheng and had to lend the money, it could not lend too much, otherwise the national economy would collapse.

Huo Tingsheng found all sorts of excuses to raid the homes of several corrupt officials and wealthy households, seizing a sum of money, but it still wasn't enough.

He even wanted to bring forward the annual autumn and winter tax collection to replenish the depleted national treasury, but a group of censors and civil officials desperately remonstrated against it.