On the tenth day of the tenth month in the second year of Tiande, the Wu Dynasty held a grand court meeting.
This was the first grand court meeting held by Emperor Dezong after returning from the sea. All officials were naturally extremely cautious. After all, the grand court meeting that they once disliked had now become something they cherished.
Who knows when His Majesty will convene the next grand court meeting?
Who knows what earth-shattering move His Majesty will make at this grand court meeting?
This was Gongsun Ce's first time attending such a grand court meeting. Yun Xiyan and Zong Shiji came to pick him up early. The three of them bought three drawers of crystal bags at Xinglin Ji and rode in a carriage to Qinglong Gate.
In the carriage, Gongsun Ce ate a bun and asked, "Does our gentleman... rarely hold meetings?"
Gongsun Ce has been working for two months. Not to mention the grand court meetings, there have not even been any ordinary court meetings. At most, a small meeting would be held occasionally when there was something going on in the three provinces.
This was completely different from the Yu Dynasty, so much so that Gongsun Ce was not used to it at first - the Yu Dynasty had to report for work at the hour of Mao, but the Wu Dynasty had to report for work at the hour of Chen, which was a full hour late!
But during the work process, Gongsun Ce discovered a problem. Take the Ministry of Personnel for example. The officials were obviously more serious at work and their efficiency was much higher than that of the Yu Dynasty. It was somewhat similar to the Ministry of Commerce of the former Yu Dynasty.
Yun Xiyan laughed when he heard this. "Actually, last year, this gentleman was still very diligent in his work and never missed a court meeting. It's just that this year he has returned to his old ways."
"...If this is the case, won't he be able to fully understand and grasp political affairs?"
"Hey, if you think about it, how many meetings did he hold when he was at Wofeng Road?"
Gongsun Ce suddenly came to his senses, laughed at himself, and shook his head. "I thought being an emperor meant I should be more diligent than being a prefect. I forgot what he said about governing a large country being like cooking a small fish. It's really the same thing."
Yun Xiyan finished his bun in a few bites, wiped his mouth with a handkerchief, and asked, "By the way, today's grand court meeting might be related to the administration of officials. Didn't they say that Wuyuan Prefecture, under the investigation of the Censorate, has found more than 80 officials? It seems that your Ministry of Personnel has also sent people to investigate this matter."
"Well, it's been half a month since Wuyuan Prefecture Magistrate Chen Yang submitted his apology. Eighty-one corrupt officials, escorted by Zuo Zhongtan Zuo, a doctor in the Ministry of Personnel, arrived at Guanyun City a few days ago. The Ministry of Justice completed their interrogations yesterday. I suspect the verdict will likely be announced at today's grand court meeting."
After a pause, Gongsun Ce asked, "Do you still remember He Sheng'an?"
Yun Xiyan was stunned. "Of course I remember. That day when the results were announced, this kid came in second place and knelt by the Weiyang Lake to kowtow to his mother. What? He came to Wu Dynasty?"
"He served as the county magistrate of Nanping County in Wuyuan Prefecture."
Yun Xiyan laughed. Even Li Cai, the guys from the Ministry of Commerce, had come to Wofeng City. The Yu Dynasty's Ministry of Commerce was completely deserted. He hadn't expected He Shengan to come to the Wu Dynasty either.
"How many people from Wofeng Road came back then?"
"Sixty-three... Shang Liang didn't come. His grandfather is still the Minister of the Central Secretariat, so he can't leave."
"So most of Wofeng Road has been taken?"
"Well, most of those who are still staying in Wofeng Road have family ties."
Yun Xiyan sighed, "Speaking of which, Wofeng Road is a really great place. If this gentleman hadn't run away, Wofeng Road would probably have become the economic center of the world. Sigh...!"
Zong Shiji also shook his head. "Not to mention the young men who followed Your Majesty back then, even my father has resigned from his official position and said he's going to settle down in the Wu Dynasty with Wei Wubing's family. Tell me, how many people in the Yu Dynasty have such thoughts?"
"Isn't it Chang Huan, the Minister of Revenue appointed by Yu Wendao? My family has also received a letter, saying that this year's taxes have increased by another 10% compared to previous years."
Yun Xiyan sighed, "The Yu Dynasty is short of silver. If it weren't for the silver we earned from selling commodities to the Wu Dynasty, the Yu Dynasty's economy would have been in even worse shape. The Wofeng Road has changed its governor, and with the change in policy, the merchants who invested in Wofeng Road are complaining bitterly. The status they had worked so hard to build up has collapsed in an instant."
"I estimate that more than half of the factories and workshops in Wofeng Road will go bankrupt next year. So, Lao Zong, there will definitely be more businessmen coming to Wu Dynasty to invest next year. We must be prepared to deal with them."
"Now that the Commerce Bureau has covered all states, and with Lord Li Cai in charge, I think there won't be any problems."
Gongsun Ce suddenly asked, "Master Li used to be the Minister of Commerce in the Yu Dynasty. Now you two are the Minister and Deputy Minister of Commerce. What position did Master Li hold?"
Yun Xiyan grinned, "I originally wanted to ask Lord Li to be the director of this department, but His Majesty gave Lord Li the title of Chief Advisor of the Ministry of Commerce... This means that future business decisions will require Lord Li's consideration and approval, and must be implemented unanimously by the three of us."
"Oh..." Yun Xiyan nodded, thoughtfully.
This is the balance of power. The Ministry of Commerce is still led by Yun Xiyan, but his power is restricted by Li Cai.
It has roughly the same meaning as the three provinces.
The three of them came to Qinglong Gate while chatting. As the morning bell rang, everyone stopped discussing and walked into the Xuande Hall.
…
…
Gongsun Ce felt a little uncomfortable sitting in a high position and looking at the emperor below.
The emperor standing below seemed extremely indifferent.
"Today's grand court meeting will discuss three things." Fu Xiaoguan started and went straight to the point.
"First, the governor of the Daling River, Ge Su, committed suicide out of fear of punishment. Eighty-one people, including officials from Wuyuan Prefecture and the river, have confessed their crimes. I have reviewed the charges against these eighty-one people one by one, and they... all deserve death!"
Fu Xiaoguan's tone suddenly became sharp, and everyone's gazes towards him tightened at that moment.
"The flood problem concerns the safety of people's lives and property! But these people treat human lives as if they were grass!"
"They don't care about the lives of the people they rule. All they care about is corruption!"
"I have resolved to announce the crimes of these eighty-one men to the world, and to execute them all on October 15th! This will serve as a memorial to the over three hundred thousand people who perished in Wuyuan Prefecture!"
Your Majesty is finally going to kill someone!
This guy is going to kill eighty-one people!
Only then did all the officials see the cold side of the young emperor.
"All the women in the families of these criminals will be sent to the Jiaofangsi, and all the men will be exiled to Wuyuan Prefecture to build the dike!"
"Also, the former Vice Minister of Personnel, Duan Shuwen, has been investigated by the Ministry of Justice and found to have accepted bribes while in office, resulting in superficial evaluations by the Ministry of Personnel, allowing a large number of incompetent officials to escape scrutiny. This man... must be executed! Behead them all!"
"Minister of Personnel Wen Siyuan, you are a minister, yet you were deceived by the officials below you? ... Remember this, if it happens again, it won't be just a one-year salary deduction!"
"All of you, remember this: in this world, anyone who wants to deceive me hasn't even been born yet!"
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