The flowers in the back garden of Yanfu Palace are in full bloom.

Zhao Huan wore a simple white robe, which swayed like a cloud in the wind.

He held a newly improved flintlock pistol in his hand; the development of the flintlock pistol had been underway for more than five years.

There have been significant breakthroughs in both accuracy and range.

Moreover, short-barreled flintlock muskets were already available, making them very convenient to carry and allowing them to be fired while riding on horseback.

Zhao Huan fired ten shots in a row, eight of which hit the bullseye.

In recent years, as emperor, in addition to his increasingly better physical skills, his marksmanship has also become more and more refined.

After spending some time in Yanfu Palace, refusing to see anyone, and having settled almost everything outside according to his plan, he finally summoned Li Gang.

Liu Xing, the transport commissioner of Jiaozhou in the southwest, was beheaded, leaving the position vacant.

This location is of paramount importance. Jiaozhou is not only an important grain base for the Song Dynasty, but also a strategic location for the southwest to expand into the southern continent.

Whether from the perspective of people's livelihood or military affairs, it is of paramount importance.

Zhao Huan had already decided on the requirements for the Jiaozhou Transport Commissioner: his abilities didn't have to be outstanding, but his personal morality had to be high.

Important positions inherently require stability, especially for someone like the Transport Commissioner who is responsible for overall logistics; stability and a strong sense of responsibility are even more crucial.

If someone is less capable, that's okay; you can make up for it by finding a capable deputy.

This is also why Zhao Huan, after much deliberation, appointed Li Gang as the Privy Councilor.

Li Gang is not particularly outstanding in terms of ability.

But Li Gang is a capable person who can handle things and take responsibility.

To put it simply, he is a person with a strong sense of justice.

The duties of the Privy Councilor today are different from those of the Privy Councilor in the past.

The emperor established the Military Commission, and the Privy Council's current role, apart from the power to mobilize troops, is more like that of a logistics department.

Zhao Huan believed that Li Gang's personality was well-suited for logistics.

Upright, meticulous, and responsible.

On this day, Li Gang went to Yanfu Palace and met with the emperor.

And the candidate for the Jiaozhou Transport Commissioner was submitted.

“Chen Gongfu?” Zhao Huan quickly read through the man’s resume.

Zhao Huan remembered that in official history, this Chen Gongfu was a member of Li Gang's faction and could be considered a prominent figure in the early Southern Song Dynasty.

This person's personality is somewhat similar to Li Gang's; otherwise, how could the two have become so close?

People with a straightforward temper are suited for logistics work.

"He's the one. Bring Chen Gongfu to see me."

"yes!"

After Li Gang took his leave, Chen Gongfu arrived at Yanfu Palace the next day to meet the emperor.

"Your subject Chen Gongfu pays his respects to Your Majesty."

"Minister Chen, I have been watching you for a long time."

Upon hearing this, Chen Gongfu was immediately moved.

He was a Jinshi (a successful candidate in the highest imperial examinations), and he ranked first in the highest-level examination, but in recent years he has been staying in the military wing of the Privy Council, doing things that have prevented him from achieving great things.

It can be said that during the Jingkang era, he was almost entirely uninvolved in all the major events, and even when he was involved, his contributions were minimal, which naturally caused him great distress.

Hearing the emperor say this, he was overjoyed.

"Thank you for your mercy, Your Majesty."

"Jiaozhou is crucial to the Song Dynasty's food supply." Zhao Huan took a scroll of reports from the table, handed it to Chen Gongfu, and lamented, "Liu Xing was corrupt and lawless during his tenure. The Jiangling grain case was caused by him colluding with the imperial family to bleed the people of our Song Dynasty dry. My heart is breaking."

When Chen Gongfu opened the document, he saw that it contained all of Liu Xing's crimes, which were recorded in detail.

After reading it, Chen Gongfu immediately knelt down and said excitedly, "Your Majesty, I am willing to defend Jiaozhou. If I cannot, I am willing to offer my head as a reward."

Zhao Huan quickly went over to help him up, holding Chen Gongfu's hand and saying, "Minister Chen, just go ahead and do it. I fully support you. If you encounter any difficulties, you can tell me."

"Thank you, Your Majesty! Your Majesty, I am willing to give my life for you!"

"By the way, the Duke of Chongguo is about to go to Jiaozhou. Keep an eye on him for me and don't allow him to misbehave because of his princely status!"

The Emperor has been very direct in his words: you must regularly report to me on the daily life of the Duke of Chongguo.

"yes!"

Chen Gongfu was also aware that things would become even more difficult after he went to Jiaozhou.

Jiaozhou is located in the northern part of the Southern Continent and borders Dali and other countries. Moreover, it will serve as the front line for the Song Dynasty's war against the Southern Continent, making it the most troublesome place.

There were countless local powerful clans, two teams that kept their food supplies running day and night, and the costly Southwest War Zone.

It was also the region with the most frequent trade between the Song Dynasty and the Dali Kingdom, and there were conflicts between different countries.

The Transport Commissioner was in charge of logistics, grain transport, and finances.

It can be said to be a very tricky position.

Chen Gongfu was prepared to offend people; in short, his head was in his hands.

Zhao Huan wanted precisely this kind of personality that wasn't afraid to offend people. No matter how big the problem was, it was just a matter of one's head. Regardless of a person's ability, as long as they had the guts, they could handle things well.

The appointment of Chen Gongfu as the Transport Commissioner of Jiaozhou was very quick; the emperor approved the list as soon as Li Gang submitted it.

However, the appointment process also requires the joint stamping of the Privy Council and the Three Departments.

Because the transport commissioner was involved in people's livelihood, grain transportation, and finance, he was naturally inseparable from the Three Departments.

Upon hearing that Chen Gongfu had been appointed as the Transport Commissioner of Jiaozhou, Zhou Chao, the Commissioner of the Three Departments, rushed to Yanfu Palace to meet the Emperor and strongly opposed Chen Gongfu's appointment to the position.

"Your Majesty, Chen Gongfu is ambitious but incompetent, and his temper is as hard as a rock in a latrine. If he goes to Jiaozhou, he will surely disrupt the peaceful situation there. At this time, the southwestern army is about to conquer Zhenla, and there must be no trouble in terms of logistics. I believe that Chen Gongfu is not suitable for the position of transport commissioner of Jiaozhou. I urge Your Majesty to reconsider!"

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