Warehouse Clerk's Notes

Lin Mancang, an apprentice at the county's central granary, has an assessment in three months. If he fails, he's out.

On the first day of inventory, the books showed a shortage of three hundred shi of grain.

The handwriting on the page recording the shortage belonged to his father, who was dismissed three years ago over a grain deficit case.

Concealing the page could save his job, but investigating would dredge up his father's old case. He privately checked the page again, and from then on, every account that failed to add up pointed to the same gang of grain thieves.

If the numbers don't add up, don't speak yet. Once they do, go ask questions.