Chapter 302: When you show your courtesy to others, you must have a purpose
Zhang Lun returned to the Ministry of Revenue and stayed in his office all night until the next morning when Minister Lu came to see him. After knocking on the door, he found Zhang Lun staring at a painting hanging on the wall.
"What are you looking at, sir?" Minister Lu asked carefully.
Both of them had tired looks on their faces, and it was obvious that neither of them had slept that night.
Zhang Lun asked him to come and see.
Minister Lu moved closer and saw that the lotus in the pond was only dotted with colors, without any ink outlines, pure and flawless. The water plants and small fish dotted among them, making the lotus look more noble and self-restrained.
"When I was young, I loved the lotus. This lotus painting was made when I first entered the official career. It was intended to use the lotus as a warning to myself that even if I step into the mud, I should not be stained by my mind and lose my original heart." Zhang Lun looked at the lotus and let out a soft sigh.
"But I don't know since when I have never painted lotus again."
Minister Lu heard the hidden meaning, "Sir...are you still thinking about what the lady-in-waiting said yesterday?"
Zhang Lun sat back in the position of Shangshu, and his voice became a little deeper. "You and I have been in the abalone shop for a long time and don't know how bad it smells. Or maybe everyone pretends to be deaf and dumb, which is why the atmosphere in the Ministry of Revenue has become like this. The predecessors did not reflect on themselves, and the later generations dare not speak out. If this continues, it will be a sign of failure.
Although Qiao Youyou's words and actions yesterday were absurd, breaking the law is not a bad thing for our Ministry of Revenue."
"What do you mean, sir?"
"Let's take advantage of the good show she performed yesterday and win another round of applause." Zhang Lun raised his eyes, with the majesty of a minister in his eyes.
"From now on, the entire Ministry of Revenue will be investigated from top to bottom. If Min Yuan, Zhao Shengping and others are found again, they will all be suspended and severely investigated.
The government regulations also need to be revised, especially in the recommendation of officials and the review of their performance, so that all performance is the basis and no opportunities are given to those who seek profit and profit.”
Zhang Lun paused and said that as the Minister of Revenue, he should set an example for everyone and would ask the emperor to review the case himself to show fairness.
Minister Lu saw that the Shangshu had made up his mind to clean up the Ministry of Revenue this time. For some reason, his fighting spirit from his youth ignited in his heart, "I will do it immediately!"
After saying this, Minister Lu suddenly remembered something and said, "Sir, now that Min Yuan is gone, the position of Director of the Ministry of Revenue is vacant. Who should take the position?"
"What do you think?" Zhang Lun asked.
Minister Lu took out the resumes of officials from the Ministry of Revenue that he had prepared long ago, as well as the duty records of recent months, and placed them in front of Zhang Lun.
"Last night, I led a group of people to sort out the information of officials in the Ministry of Revenue and conducted evaluations and comparisons. Doctor Xiao Wan's ability is the most outstanding." After saying this, Minister Lu took out Xiao Wan's detailed performance report of the past few months and showed it to Zhang Lun for review.
Since Xiao Wan joined the Ministry of Revenue, her abilities have been evident to everyone. Every government matter she has handled has verifiable results and is very convincing.
After reading it, Zhang Lun nodded with satisfaction, then circled Xiao Wan's name and asked Minister Lu to report it to the Ministry of Personnel for approval.
…
Qiao Youyou didn’t know how long she had slept. When she opened her eyes, the sun was already high in the sky.
The sun is shining outside the window, and the mottled shadows of the trees are cast on the window, and the years are peaceful.
Qiao Youyou stretched lazily, then got out of bed to wash up, and then heard someone coming back in the yard.
"Lanlan, why didn't you go to work today?" Qiao Youyou asked with her hair casually spread out. She leaned half of her body out of the window while brushing her teeth with a homemade toothbrush.
"Today is a day off!" Zhu Lan smiled, covering his lips. "You are free from official duties now. You have slept for the past few days and don't even know what day it is."
Zhu Lan said as he walked towards her. One of them was inside the house, the other was outside, both leaning on the windowsill.
Zhu Lan threw a red date into his mouth, "I just heard the news that Min Yuan and Ning Xiang have been executed. The Ministry of Revenue has been thoroughly cleaned up after your disturbance, and many people have been dismissed and demoted.
Xiao Wan's appointment letter has just come down. She is now the new head of the Ministry of Finance. I have asked Wang Yuchu to tell Yu Wei the good news."
Qiao Youyou was brushing her teeth with a very happy look on her face.
Zhu Lan tilted his head and stared at her for a long while. "But you have been sleeping in the room for several days. What are you going to do next?"
Qiao Youyou rinsed her mouth and said to Zhu Lan with a grin, "I slept these few days to make up for the mental damage I suffered in the Ministry of Revenue over the past few months! Now I'm fully recovered!"
She suddenly moved closer to Zhu Lan, her big eyes blinking.
"Lanlan, I want to work in a bank, do you have any good ideas?"
"Money house?" Zhu Lan thought for a moment and said, "There really is one."
Zhu Lan asked her to pack quickly and planned to take her to He Mansion in the morning.
Qiao Youyou started to work happily, while Zhu Lan went back to his room to wait for her.
After Zhu Lan returned to the house, his eyes fell on the new inkstone on the table, and the smile on his lips gradually faded.
The new inkstone was sent by Princess Murong Lian of Prince Qi two days ago. The material of the inkstone itself was not very expensive, but the carving craftsmanship was from the hands of a famous craftsman, and it was worth a fortune.
When Murong Lian delivered the things, he mentioned in his words that Prince Qi had the same intention as Zhou Gong, and he also mentioned the matter of the Minister's Mansion in a tactful way.
Zhu Lan understood immediately - in order to protect Qiao Youyou, she had deliberately mentioned to Emperor Liang in the court that she was investigating Anju Real Estate Bank, and then confessed in front of Yan Changwen that she and Qiao Youyou were classmates.
I thought Yan Changwen would be dissatisfied and even become my enemy, but I didn't expect that he would directly push Ning Xiang and Min Yuan out to help Qiao Youyou.
This was a favor he sold to himself.
Zhu Lan recalled that on the day of the palace examination, Murong Lian came to give him clothes as a present, and now he was showing goodwill like this. He felt that they must have some plan.
However, the Qi Wang couple's attitude towards him was always gentle. Even though he did not respond to their attempts to win him over, they did not make any other unfriendly moves.
Zhu Lan felt a little guilty and even a little sorry.
No...! Zhu Lan immediately patted his head, trying to eliminate the emotional interference.
The third prince is a man of deep thoughts and is definitely not a good person, let alone a harmless and gentle gentleman.
Although he had won the first place in the imperial examination, he was still a newcomer to the official career. The position of editor in the Hanlin Academy was neither that of a provincial governor nor that of a prime minister. What on earth was worthy of His Majesty the Prince Qi to lower his posture and try to win him over with nice words?
When you show courtesy to others, there must be an intention behind it.
Even people like Min Yuan and Ning Xiang were treated as abandoned pawns and sold to him as a favor, but King Qi still did not reveal his true intentions. What he was planning must be something big, but he had no idea.
Zhu Lan gradually clenched her fists. She didn't like this feeling very much. It was too passive.
Qiao Youyou's bright voice came from outside the door, "Lanlan, I'm done packing, let's go!"
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