If they guessed correctly, isn't this security department just the gatekeepers of various mansions?

To put it bluntly, he's just a doorman!

Jing Zhe's next words confirmed their suspicions.

"When the time comes, I'll have someone build a small pavilion outside the gate. The security personnel will live inside, arriving before everyone else and leaving after everyone else. Hmm, it'll be an easy job, so there will only be one person in the security department, and no minister. But although there's no minister in name, there's the substance of a minister!"

Leading oneself, is that even possible?

After hearing this, everyone mentally ruled out the Security Department, thinking that they absolutely could not join it.

"The Security Department is a lucrative position! Are there any of you who would be willing to volunteer for a job in the Security Section?"

"..."

The entire room fell silent.

Jing Zhe looked at Wu Pin and said with a smile, "Wu Pin, don't you have any ideas?"

Wu Pin shook his head and said expressionlessly, "No."

Damn it, do you really think I'm stupid?

This job is easy, but it's so unsightly.

My family used their connections to get me a leisurely scholar position, but I ended up working as a doorman. If word gets out, won't people laugh their heads off?

"Good, very good!"

Jing Zhe clapped his hands, then pointed at the others and sighed, "You guys are really far behind Wu Pin in terms of ideological awareness!"

"..."

"Such a good position, easy and free, and you're on the front line of the newspaper, protecting its safety. It's such an important position, everyone would want it! But Wu Pin doesn't have that kind of ambition for fame and fortune! His lack of ambition means he wants to give such a good position to someone else! His high level of awareness moved me, so I decided to give him this good position!"

"???"

The Security Department descended from the sky and knocked Wu Pin unconscious.

"etc…"

After calming down, Wu Pin quickly said, "Who said I wanted to give this position to someone else? Don't talk nonsense, I don't have such high aspirations!"

Are you trying to pin the blame on me?

No way!

Wu Pin thought bitterly.

"Oh? You're telling the truth?"

"Of course it's true! I never intended to give this position to anyone else. I don't have the kind of high moral character you're talking about, so you don't need to be moved or give me such a good position!"

When he said "such a good position," he deliberately emphasized it, looking fierce.

"Alright, since Wu Pin has no intention of giving up this position to someone else—it's obvious he wants to keep it for himself! And the last thing I want to do is take what others want, so I'd rather do him a favor. I hereby officially announce: Wu Pin joins the Security Department and becomes a member of the Security Department—and of course, the only member. Everyone, welcome him!"

"Clap clap clap!"

Everyone followed Jing Zhe's example and applauded enthusiastically.

With more people in the security department, they no longer had to worry about being unlucky enough to be assigned there later, so they were naturally happy.

Even the idle scholars breathed a sigh of relief. Adhering to the principle of "better to die than for a fellow Daoist," they showed no sympathy for Wu Pin.

Wu Pin, panting heavily, said, "I won't do it!"

"You're not going to do it?"

Jing Zhe dropped his joking expression and gave him a cold glance: "If you're not going to do a good job, then get lost!"

"..."

"If you don't want to get out, then I'll call the shots. You'll do whatever I tell you to do! It's just a gatekeeper job, at most a watchdog. It's not like I'm asking you to eat shit. What are you afraid of?"

"..."

Jing Zhe's words were both vulgar and harsh, causing everyone to gasp in shock.

Wu Pin really wanted to turn around and leave, but in the end he held back.

Hmph, I'm not leaving. I'd like to see how you manage to leave!

I'll go to Wuxian Garden later tonight. I'll go home first, complain to my grandfather, and then ask him to ask Prince Xiang for help. Let's see how long you can stay here!

Wu Pin clenched his fists and gritted his teeth, remaining silent.

"That's more like it."

Jing Zhe smiled and continued, "Now that we've talked about the Security Department, let's talk about the General Affairs Department. This department is also very important, as it is responsible for the normal operation of the entire newspaper. For example, if the printing department runs out of paper or ink, they can ask the General Affairs Department for it. The General Affairs Department can ask the Imperial Academy for it, or they can buy it themselves. I will allocate a portion of the funds to you every month."

Of course, I personally encourage asking the Imperial Academy for help, since it's free, right? And if other departments need anything, they can also contact the General Affairs Department.

Upon hearing this, everyone thought that the General Affairs Department was not bad. If it were actually operated, there would be some lucrative opportunities, making it a fairly lucrative position... well, much better than the Security Department.

Seeing that everyone understood, Jing Zhe continued, "Alright, the selection for the Security Department has been finalized. As for the other departments, each department will have seven people, consisting of three Grand Secretaries of the Security Department and four Grand Secretaries of the Imperial Household Department, and one minister will be selected from among them!"

At this moment, a Grand Secretary of the Imperial Academy asked, "President Jing, will this ministerial position be chosen from among us?"

The "we" he refers to is naturally the Grand Secretary of the Imperial Academy.

He wasn't the only one who thought this way; the other Grand Secretaries of the Baohe Academy thought the same way, and even the idle Grand Secretaries themselves thought so. After all, they had just offended Jing Zhe, so how could he let them continue to be ministers?

Meanwhile, the Grand Secretary of the Baohe Academy was thinking that if the minister were chosen from among them, and there were three Grand Secretaries of the Baohe Academy in a ministry, the probability of becoming the minister would be one-third, which is still very high!

They all looked at Jing Zhe with excited expressions, waiting for his answer.

"What good thoughts are you having? Of course not."

Jing Zhe said it casually.

The Grand Secretaries of the Imperial Academy were stunned, while the Idle Grand Secretaries became excited.

One of them asked, "Does President Jing mean that people like us could also become ministers?"

"Of course, the opportunities are fair! Our ministers will be rotated, with each person serving as minister once. Each time a newspaper is printed, a new minister will take over. In other words, each minister will be responsible for one issue of the newspaper. Finally, based on newspaper sales and public feedback, the best minister will be selected. Even if you don't hold an official position, that's fine. If you can do a good job, I can ask His Majesty for an official title for you, no problem!"

"Thank you, President Jing!"

As soon as Jing Zhe finished speaking, the group of idle scholars nodded and bowed and cheered.

Seeing his lackeys turn against him, Wu Pin was furious. While cursing under his breath, he walked to the back of the crowd and whispered to them, "What are you thanking him for? Do you really think he'll make you ministers? Bah! He won't be in that position for long himself. He's just making empty promises to you!"

“Listen to me, nobody listen to him. After we get rid of him, I’ll become the president, and then you can all be department heads, wouldn’t that be great?”

The crowd glanced at him, then turned away indifferently.

They were all spoiled brats from their families, with no special skills and no one paid attention to them. Jing Zhe had finally given them a chance, so who wouldn't want to seize it and climb up the social ladder?

————