Chapter 304: Benefits
When Xu Zhenying received the letter from Wang Sanniang, he couldn't help but curl the corners of his lips.
Seeing this, Xu Yinxi smiled and complained to the secretaries on duty today, "Look at how happy his highness is. He must have tricked someone again."
Xu Zhenying rarely showed a hint of girlish innocence. Strangely enough, Xu Zhenying started her business at the age of thirteen, and at that time she looked very old and sullen. But now that she has grown up, she occasionally reveals a charming and charming look that does not belong to her age.
But Xu Yinxi finally understood it later.
What's so coquettish about it? That's clearly the pride after having tricked a big enemy.
"People are always in high spirits when good things happen. Someone has kindly provided us with next year's military funds, so I'm naturally happy."
"Oh?" Xu Yinxi became interested this time. Seeing the letter from Shouzhou on Xu Zhenying's desk, her smile widened. "King Ming has made a generous donation?"
"That's right. We've sold all that scrap metal, including the discarded, inferior black powder, including the ten Tianyuan beads. Wang Sanniang has helped us get back nearly 600,000 taels of silver for military expenses. Next year, we can have another prosperous year."
Xu Yinxi covered her lips and laughed secretly, "It's hard for Sanniang."
Qu Min, who was standing at the side, said, "Shouldn't we pity His Majesty Ming Wang? We've tricked him so many times that I feel sorry for him now."
Chang Yuanshan interjected at the right moment, "A fake blueprint cost the Prince hundreds of thousands of taels. The people in Qiongzhou are foolish enough to believe the lie that gunpowder was mixed with Tianyuan Pearls. Tianyuan Pearls are just glass balls, and there are plenty of them in His Highness's room."
Xu Yinxi was even more malicious, "I think today is the next day, let's play glass beads--"
Pang Xiaohua was very calm. "In the entire Zhou Dynasty, only our government office is filled with treasures. Those people in the Propaganda Department are really amazing. A glass bead, by changing its name, has become a toy of the rich and powerful, and each one is sold at a sky-high price. I also heard that in Bianjing City, this glass bead is promoted as a divine object blessed by a high monk, and wearing it can prolong life. It's ridiculous."
"So... knowledge changes destiny," Xu Zhenying said with a smile. "If those people in Qiongzhou had read more, they wouldn't have been cheated so badly. So people should still read more."
Qu Min said, "It's fortunate that His Highness anticipated the situation and anticipated that they would attack Fang Ruyu, so he replaced the blueprint with a fake one. Now that we have attacked two of King Ming's cities, he must be on pins and needles."
As they were talking, the clock pointed to nine o'clock, and the entire Jinzhou Prefecture began to enter the normal track of the day with the sound of nine o'clock.
Xu Zhenying subconsciously glanced at his pocket watch. "It's nine o'clock. Time to go to work. Is there a regular meeting today?"
Xu Yinxi said, "Yes, the ministers have all arrived. Secretary Zhou is also at the conference venue."
"Okay." Xu Zhenying stood up and stretched. "Then let's start the meeting."
When passing by Xu Yinxi, Xu Yinxi clearly heard Xu Zhenying muttering: "Hey, working every day, when can I retire?"
Xu Yinxi hid her smile, "You should take us with you to earn this honor first. If you retire, I will retire with you, and then we can go traveling."
The secretaries on the side shook their heads helplessly and remained silent.
Everyone in Jinzhou Prefecture is working hard to achieve success, but the man who holds the most power is thinking about retirement every day.
If this person retires, won’t the world be shocked?
Before nine o'clock, even in the time it took for them to speak, the large conference room was already full of people.
Today is the regular meeting at the beginning of the month, and all ministers, deputy ministers, and military representatives need to attend.
As soon as Xu Zhenying walked into the meeting room, everyone immediately stood up and looked at her, occasionally accompanied by warm greetings.
Zhou Houfang immediately stepped forward and whispered, "Your Highness, the Military Affairs Department has an urgent report. I've scheduled their presentation first. The second item on the agenda is a discussion of the official assessment method developed by the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security. Also, regarding this year's end-of-year performance and welfare benefits for officials, the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security and the Ministry of Finance have already discussed and jointly submitted a plan. The Ministry of Finance also has a year-end settlement and next year's budget to report on. The relevant materials are on your desk."
Jiang Chaoping immediately said, "The Medical Department has a matter regarding the assignment of the first graduating class of medical students and would like to discuss it with Your Highness in private. They have selected a dozen student representatives and are waiting outside."
Zhou Houfang continued, "The Ministry of Commerce has also brought some business representatives with them. They also want to meet Your Highness. They said they have some business matters that they want to discuss with Your Highness."
Xu Zhenying listened calmly, and saw a group of people in the waiting area hidden in the woods outside. It was a cold day and snowing outside. They were so cold that they stood up and walked back and forth.
Xu Zhenying frowned slightly: "They came early, right?"
"I've been waiting for an hour."
"Find a craftsman to build a baffle and get some charcoal. Oh, and it'd be best to move that waiting area indoors. It's winter, freezing cold, and people are just waiting in the freezing wind. Also, tell the soldiers in charge of reception at the front to help sort out the flow of people so that no one is left waiting here."
Zhou Houfang explained, "The soldiers who received them had already told them not to wait any longer, but they refused to listen and said they just wanted to get a taste of our government office. There was nothing we could do, so we had to wait outside in a large group."
Xu Zhenying was also helpless.
Pang Xiaohua immediately said, "I'll go assign them a number so they don't have to wait."
Xu Zhenying walked into the room, and she and her secretaries took their seats, facing dozens of officials below.
Soon, someone in charge of logistics came to pour tea for everyone.
It’s just that at today’s regular meeting, no one was in the mood to drink tea.
Before Xu Zhenying arrived, this group of people had already exchanged some information in the house, so they knew the situation on the front line even earlier than Xu Zhenying.
Looking at the serious expression on the representative's face from the Ministry of Military Affairs, it was clear that the situation on the front line was not optimistic.
Sure enough, the first sentence that person said made people's faces darken.
"Your Highness, the followers of King Zhoushan to the west are powerful, and our forces are unable to penetrate them no matter what. General Dazhuang originally hoped to capture the city with minimal casualties, but the followers' counterattacks were fierce, and most of them were unarmed civilians. We were repeatedly frustrated and could not advance westward."
Someone was the first to get anxious. "Should we send propagandists into the city to publicize our policies here in Jinzhou Prefecture? What about the cowpox vaccine? They had a plague there two years ago, so the horrors of the plague must still be fresh in their memory. Don't they want to get the cowpox vaccine?"
Speaking of the plague, Xu Zhenying still felt a little uncomfortable.
Even though she had secretly executed Hu Wei and nailed him to the pillar of shame forever, Xu Zhenying still couldn't let it go.
"They only believe in King Zhoushan and his teachings. King Zhoushan claims our smallpox vaccine is fake and that the people here are suffering. He constantly vilifies His Highness, describing him as a terrifying demon from the underworld. The people there run away when they see us, and anyone who speaks well of Jinzhou Prefecture is immediately arrested as a spy. We've already lost several of our propagandists."
Xu Zhenying frowned slightly. "The King of Zhoushan must have been prepared for the public opinion offensive launched by An Peilin and his men last time. Now that his power has been greatly weakened by us, he naturally needs to hold on to the remaining forces in his hands."
"That's right. Although the King of Zhoushan has retreated to the Yazhou and Shuzhou areas, and his remaining forces are few and far between, firstly, the mountain roads there are complex, making it easy for them to hide. Secondly, they are now as united as an iron barrel, and our people simply cannot break through from the inside."
Xu Zhenying nodded and said, "The roads in Shuzhou are extremely difficult, the terrain is complex, and it's all mountainous, so it's naturally difficult to break through."
Mo Jinchun immediately said, "Your Highness, although Shu is fertile, it is easy to defend but difficult to attack. The King of Zhoushan occupies a favorable terrain, which may be disadvantageous to us. In fact, the west is not a must-fight area for us. If it takes too long, I think it is better to abandon the western battlefield and only defend it, and focus on attacking Qiongzhou."
Ming Xiaoshuang suddenly said, "I remember that Zhu Kui, who surrendered two years ago, was a subordinate of the Ming King and the one who guarded Fancheng before. I think he is from Shu, right? The terrain over there is complicated and our people can't get through the roads, but Zhu Kui should be familiar with the roads over there. Why not send him there—"
"Zhu Kui?" Xu Zhenying pondered in his mind, but Mo Jinchun beside him immediately said, "Zhu Kui, after surrendering, he was assigned to the Xishan Camp and has now become the head of a regiment. After undergoing our formal training, he is both knowledgeable and physically strong. If he is only assigned to defend the west, he should be more than capable of doing so."
Xu Zhenying nodded. "I remember these surrendered soldiers have been training for a year or two, right? They need to be trained like a mule or a horse. We also need to give them the opportunity to make achievements. Pay more attention to the battlefield in the east. I suspect they might be about to develop firearms. We need to speed up our efforts."
These words made everyone feel both happy and worried.
If Ming Wang and his men had failed to invent firearms, they could have taken advantage of the situation and headed eastward, perhaps reaching Qiongzhou within a year or two.
However, if they were to invent firearms, the tide of war would immediately turn, putting them at a considerable disadvantage. The cities they currently occupied would most likely be lost.
Therefore, this is a battle of time. Whoever can seize the initiative will be able to occupy most of the Great Zhou Dynasty!
All in all, it’s all Fang Ruyu’s fault!
Many people still felt dissatisfied when they thought that His Royal Highness Prince Zhao had let the Fang family off so easily.
"On the eastern battlefield, temporarily appoint Zhu Kui as general to assist Liu Dazhuang. Everyone else can withdraw and fully attack the west." Xu Zhenying tapped the table, narrowing his eyes slightly. "Although we emphasize maximizing benefits at the lowest cost, our mercy cannot become a weakness that the enemy exploits. The western strategy must be adjusted. At this critical moment, Liu Dazhuang must not show mercy. If another crazy cultist counterattacks, I don't mind taking tens of thousands of lives."
Looking at the slightly surprised looks of the crowd, Xu Zhenying raised his eyebrows and said, "Why, do you think I'm a soft-hearted person?"
Elder Lin immediately said, "No, it's just that Your Highness is now well-known for his benevolence and righteousness. If we rashly change our strategy, I'm afraid we'll end up with the same reputation as the one from Qiongzhou."
Xu Zhenying laughed, "Didn't we build up Ming Wang's reputation? I started a newspaper to control public opinion. A war is about why, how, and what the outcome is. Although newspapers are based on facts, ultimately, newspaper opinion serves politics. It determines the outcome of whatever those in power want it to portray."
Elder Lin's eyes lit up. "Your Highness, do you mean that if we take action against the West, we can embellish the reasons for the action?"
"Although I don't want to admit it, it's true. History is a little girl who can be dressed up by anyone. How she is dressed up is entirely in the hands of the Propaganda Department."
Elder Lin immediately understood. "The so-called winner is king and the loser is a bandit. There are many historical distortions in history books. Moreover, the followers of King Zhoushan are too crazy. We must eliminate this power. Otherwise, even if we take over the land in the future, it will be difficult to manage."
"That's right. That's why I've always said that we need to break up the power of local tyrants, family forces, and religious forces, and replace them with laws to govern the country. This is because these forces are beyond our control and can easily backfire."
Mr. Lin quickly bowed to show that he was learning from you.
Previously, he had some objections to Xu Zhenying's advocacy of breaking up clan power, but now he seemed to be thinking about it.
Your Highness always said that the clan system has both advantages and disadvantages.
Throughout history, the clan system is actually a manifestation of Confucianism. The advantage of the clan system is unity and cohesion. If one person succeeds, the whole clan will benefit.
Many uprisings and rebellions in history were actually secretly initiated by the nobles of the old dynasties, which shows how strong the power of the family is.
But at the same time, clan forces like to form small circles, and even some powerful families have formed political forces that are in opposition to the local governments.
Of course, as a member of the clan, there will actually be sacrifices.
At that time, women were strictly guarded in the city of Bianjing, and the atmosphere was tense. Some women were even executed for the honor of their clan just for talking to a man for a few more words, and the government had no right to interfere, which was really ridiculous.
However, Mr. Lin was deeply touched by Xu Zhenying's words, "History is a little girl who can be dressed up at will."
As expected of His Royal Highness Prince Zhao, while he does things in an upright and honest manner, he strangely has the demeanor of a real villain.
He deserves what a gentleman deserves, and he deserves what a villain deserves. This is what a true king does!
Liu Jianlin from the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security said, "Your Highness, we currently have 60,000 civil servants. As the year draws to a close, do you have any ideas regarding this year's assessments, grading, and benefits?"
Xu Zhenying flipped through the personnel management regulations submitted by the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security, reading ten lines at a glance.
Since it concerns the welfare and benefits of everyone present, everyone's first concern is the front line, and the second is naturally the affairs of the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security.
After all, the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security is the department that pays them salaries and benefits, and is closely related to them.
Elder Lin, surprisingly quicker than Xu Zhenying, pointed to one item and said, "This assessment score includes not only the tax revenue issued at the beginning of the year and whether per capita income has increased, but also the construction of civilized new villages, school enrollment rates, literacy rates, and so on. Why is there also public satisfaction? How is public satisfaction surveyed? Of a full 100 points, public satisfaction accounts for only 30 points?"
Qian Zhenniang also asked: "What is this internal democracy assessment?"
Liu Jianlin explained: "The public satisfaction survey is about whether the people are satisfied with the local government's governance and how they rate the government."
Elder Lin said calmly, "I understand. This is a good idea, and it coincides with the idea Your Highness proposed years ago of increasing the participation of the people in politics. However, implementing it is difficult. It has been said since ancient times that the people should not fight against the officials. Even though the bureaucracy in our Jinzhou Prefecture is many times better than that of the Great Zhou Dynasty, those who dare to stand up and criticize the government are rare. Let alone this kind of scoring that affects the local government's assessment? When it comes to the local government, I'm afraid the people will be forced to give high scores."
"It is indeed very difficult to implement. But we have also thought of many ways to avoid it."
Liu Jianlin glanced at Xu Zhenying with a bitter expression. This was not the order of His Highness, but now he was asked to debate with the scholars. It was really too difficult for him.
"For example, the Supervision Department is an independent department. The three departments could collaborate to conduct assessments using random checks and blind voting by passersby."
Elder Lin disagreed. "This policy has always been distorted when implemented at the local level. Just like the famous Qingmiao Loan in history, it was clearly a good policy, but when it came to the local level, it became a tiger that exploited the people. This shows that implementing a policy is a greater test of governance than formulating it. Is your so-called randomness truly random? I'm afraid that once our people go there, the local authorities will know exactly where we are going, how many people we are with, and our itinerary. Not to mention something as crucial as the evaluation of local officials. For every one evaluation criterion we come up with, the local authorities will have ten countermeasures."
"Let's not talk about this, but what is this internal democratic evaluation?"
"It's the local grassroots officials who rate the top leader."
"Okay, the original intention is good, but these grassroots officials still have to work under the top leader. Who would dare to give a low score? Minister Liu, how can we prevent this internal democratic evaluation from becoming a tool for the top leader to falsify his political achievements?"
Liu Jianlin, overwhelmed by Elder Lin's pressure, quickly cast a pleading glance at Xu Zhenying. Xu Zhenying could only cough and say, "In that case, let's discuss this matter privately and find a way to improve it. Since we're evaluating local officials, we naturally have to incorporate public opinion and the opinions of the people below. Otherwise, simply focusing on whether local governments have achieved performance targets will only lead to quick success and fraud."
Elder Lin nodded, "It needs to be carefully considered."
Xu Zhenying and Liu Jianlin both wiped the cold sweat from their foreheads unconsciously.
It’s amazing that Mr. Lin is well-read. Even as an ancient native, he still has the ability to criticize current social ills.
"Speaking of the next item on the agenda."
"Your Highness, we're not done with the character design yet. Will this year's benefits still be based on last year's? And regarding performance bonuses, last year's average annual bonus for each person was ten taels of silver. Are you considering increasing it this year?"
The Ministry of Finance, however, relaxed its stance. "This year, we've opened up several trade routes, especially for illegal salt, which is almost a monopoly. The treasury is currently full, and even after factoring in next year's military spending and other budgets, there's still more than enough. We can adjust the increase slightly, and we recommend maintaining a 20% increase."
"Okay, since the God of Wealth has spoken, let's follow this standard."
"Are there any changes to benefits? Last year's year-end bonus was a 20-kilogram bag of rice, 10 kilograms of pork, and 10 kilograms of cooking oil. Will that also be increased?"
Zhao Qiaonian from the Supervisory Department interjected, "Your Highness, speaking of the year-end benefits for government officials, during our local inspections this year, many merchants reported collusion between officials and businesses. There were even cases where a county magistrate directly instructed the logistics department to purchase goods from a particular merchant, then took kickbacks to enrich himself. While the amount involved isn't large, if higher-ups follow suit, there could be a lot of complications!"
Xu Zhenying frowned slightly. He didn't expect that the corruption methods that are common in modern times were also so popular in ancient times.
This fully proves that no matter how the world changes, as long as there are people, there will be rivers and lakes.
Others were also shocked, "How could this really happen?"
Zhao Qiaonian said with a smile, "There's nothing these people can't do, except what you can't imagine. There are many people who exploit loopholes for a few small gains."
"These people are truly despicable! Our imperial court hasn't even been properly established yet, and already they're poaching our people!"
"So, relying solely on ideological education is not enough. We must strengthen supervision and establish a comprehensive assessment system. Only through these three approaches can we truly curb corruption."
Huang Weiguang was the only one present whose family was in business. He was a student of Bailu Academy who took the civil servant examination together with Lu Shiwen. Although he started two years later than Lu Shiwen, he has now become the deputy director of a department of the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security.
Originally, the room was full of important figures speaking, and he, sitting in the corner, had the privilege of merely listening in. But now, he boldly raised his hand and said, "Your Highness, my father is a businessman. He only placed me under my second uncle's name so that I could take the imperial examination. Therefore, I know everything about the tricks the merchants are up to. The merchants themselves are the ones who know best what links are prone to corruption and how it's carried out. If possible, I'll compile a document for your review when I get back."
Xu Zhenying's eyes lit up. "Yes, that's a good idea. What's your name?"
Huang Weiguang seemed afraid that his superior, Liu Jianlin, would dislike him stealing the spotlight, so he hesitated to speak. However, Liu Jianlin introduced him openly, "This is Huang Weiguang, a student at Bailu Academy."
Huang Weiguang looked at Liu Jianlin, but did not see any impatience or accusation on his face. Instead, he looked at him with a smile, encouragement in his eyes, and even a sense of honor.
Xu Zhenying said he had no recollection of him, but Ming Xiaoshuang, standing beside him, said, "Your Highness, that's the one who used to write proclamations cursing you! He also liked to lead the students from the White Deer Academy in causing trouble. On the day of the first civil servant assessment, they stood at the gate of the Jinzhou Prefecture government office for a whole day and night!"
Huang Weiguang immediately felt ashamed and embarrassed, and then he was frightened.
It's over.
His career is over.
This is the only thought in my mind.
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