Xu Jingchang walked in the lobby of the General Affairs Department. To be honest, he was not a little disappointed... When he was here, the progress of various ministries' government affairs was hung on the wall.
It’s clear at a glance how much has been accomplished.
Needless to say, once you stop here, it will be clear who is doing well and who is not.
Even if you are an official in the civil service department, you must bow your head.
This is authority!
But after Xu Jingchang left, although this rule was not abolished, the Jiuqing Xunhui was moved to the Ministry of Personnel, and was presided over by Tianguan. After that, the chief officials of each department stopped coming, and only ministers at the level of servants were sent.
But after Xu Jingchang went north, not even the minister came, so he simply withdrew.
If we are officials in the same dynasty, why should we make things difficult for each other?
Isn’t it good for everyone to be in harmony?
Xie Jin knew these things very well, but he was helpless. In the final analysis, his prestige was not enough.
In terms of qualifications, a Hanlin person who was hastily promoted by Zhu Di is far inferior to most ministers and ministers, and he does not have a strong background. Why do you want to control these ministers?
Xu Jingchang turned around and asked again: "Why are there so few people? Where are the six subjects?"
This time Xie Jin's expression turned even more ugly, "If I go back to Ding Guogong, the Sixth Section has already moved out on the grounds that the General Administration Department is cramped and inconvenient to work in."
Xu Jingchang looked around again and said hehe: "Then the residence newspaper will not be moved as well, right?"
Xie Jin said helplessly: "The Di newspaper has not been moved, but the funds allocated by the court are not enough, so the circulation can only be reduced. Furthermore, there is a lack of manpower. Our official Di newspaper, sometimes, needs to plagiarize King Zhao's
Private newspaper."
When he said this, Xie Jin's face felt feverish and he was really embarrassed.
How powerful was the Secretary of General Affairs when Xu Jingchang was there?
Both internal and external memorials and essays must go through the General Affairs Department, and all major and minor matters must go through his nod.
Relying on the progress of government affairs, we can manage six departments.
Rely on the Di newspaper to influence the direction of public opinion.
Mastering the six subjects, one can be responsible for collecting taxes and supervising all officials in the court.
Although Xu Jingchang was very restrained at that time, everyone understood that he already had the authority of the prime minister.
Everyone was so frightened that they united to get rid of Xu Jingchang.
Although Xu Jingchang later took control of Jinyiwei and became the deputy envoy of Pingzhangyuan, he was still separated by one layer after all. Moreover, the authority that Xu Jingchang gathered into the Political Hall was also cut off by the sun and the moon, and not much was left.
Take the official newspaper for example. Originally, the official newspaper was drafted first, and then part of the content was extracted from the official newspaper and placed on the private newspaper for sale to the common people.
However, without Xu Jingchang's management, the private newspapers were getting bigger and bigger, and the budget staff of the official newspapers were getting smaller and smaller. In the end, the official newspapers did not even have the ability to interpret government affairs and could only plagiarize private newspapers.
If courtiers wanted to get the most accurate information, they actually had to read private newspapers.
This is simply off the mark!
"Xie Xie, things are so different and people are so different!" Xu Jingchang just sighed lightly, but Xie Jin was trembling all over, and cold sweat broke out on his forehead.
"Dong Guo, I am indeed at fault, but a long time ago, His Majesty had already held a meeting with the courtiers in the Wuying Hall. Whether it was the Jiuqing Xunhui or the supervisory authority of the General Affairs Department, they all fell into the Wuying Hall. I am also a mantis, unable to do anything.
"
When Xu Jingchang heard this, he just hummed and didn't say anything else. In fact, there was no need to say anything more.
Xie Jin is dishonest!
The power of the General Administration Department was lost, and there was definitely a reason for Xie Jin's connivance, but it was hard to say what his motives were for this connivance.
Is it to arouse Xu Jingchang's wrath and counterattack?
Or maybe after he joined the Wuying Palace, he felt that the General Affairs Department was irrelevant... It's hard to say.
But one thing is, he is by no means as innocent and helpless as he appears now.
Xu Jingchang's heart was churning and he turned to leave.
At this moment, Jian Yi hurried in from outside.
"Dingguo Gong, have you always been kind?"
Xu Jingchang glanced at him and chuckled: "Master Tianguan, you haven't been to the General Affairs Department in a while, right?"
Jian Yi was startled and said with a smile: "I'm really busy with government affairs there, so I don't have much free time. But when Duke Dingguo comes back, I will be on call. By the way, according to the decree, the Secretary of General Affairs has been promoted to the first rank.
In the future, the Jiuqing Xunhui will also be moved to the General Affairs Department, and I can finally relieve the heavy burden and hand it over to Duke Dingguo. I am very grateful."
Xu Jingchang smiled and nodded, "Jian Shangshu, please come over here."
Xu Jingchang led Jian Yi to the guest room next to him. Xie Jin followed him. Just as he was about to come in, Xu Jingchang said lightly: "I'll have a chat with Jian Tianguan."
Xie Jin immediately stopped, not daring to take even half a step forward, and bowed back, with even more cold sweat on his forehead.
Jian Yi saw this and didn't care at all. He just smiled and said, "Dong Guo, what are your orders?"
Xu Jingchang smiled and said: "It's nothing. It's just that when I came back, I heard that a row of buildings collapsed over the East Palace, almost injuring His Highness the Crown Prince. Is this true?"
Jian Yi hurriedly smiled and said: "His Royal Highness must have told you about this. The East Palace is a building from the Hongwu Dynasty. It has been in disrepair for a long time. The Ministry of Works is delaying it, and the Ministry of Revenue is not willing to spend... But please Dingguo
Don't worry, sir, I will immediately order someone to repair the East Palace so that this kind of thing will never happen again."
Xu Jingchang smiled and nodded, "Of course I can rest assured that Jian Tianguan will do things. When I return to Beijing this time, I will come over and mention it to you before I tell His Highness the Crown Prince."
Jian Yi smiled and said, "It's Duke Ding who trusts me. I'm flattered."
Xu Jingchang said: "That's what it means, but there is another little thing. The official who was in charge of the material procurement of the East Palace at that time bought fake goods and passed them off as good ones. The wood used in them was all eaten by insects. This happened
Does Jian Tianguan know?"
Jian Yi's eyes widened and he shook his head hurriedly: "I don't know about this. After all, it is a matter of the Hongwu Dynasty. After four years of Jianwen, it caught up with the Battle of Jingnan. There were many wars and misfortunes, and the capital was also on fire several times. The original
Even if you want to investigate the matter, I’m afraid you can’t explain it clearly, right?”
Xu Jingchang nodded, "Yes, there are many things that cannot be explained clearly about people's deaths and events. However, the materials used in the palace must have their sources. There will be a source of purchase on the wood. It is difficult to fake this matter. Of course there is no
It’s necessary. After all, it’s built inside the house, so who knows? And even if there is a record and it can be checked, if the official is dead and there is no solid evidence, it will be settled, right?”
Xu Jingchang's tone was calm and he spoke with a smile, as if he was talking about family matters.
But deep in Jian Yi's eyes, there was a trace of waves.
"Dong Guo Gong, what do you mean, could it be that you have a certain intention?"
Xu Jingchang smiled and said: "It's hard to talk about it. It's just that the official who did this back then must not have a high position. He was either the head of the Ministry of Industry, a member of Zhongshushe, or some other small official. It's insignificant. But if he can stand up in the government
If the palace does not fall, I am afraid that I will be promoted to minister, but I can’t say for sure!”
Hearing this, Jian Yi could no longer calm down.
"Mr. Dingguo, do you want to thoroughly investigate this case and find out the person who was there?" Jian Yi took a breath and sighed: "Even if there is such a person according to what you said, he was just doing errands back then, and he definitely doesn't count.
What a sin, it’s just helpless.”
Xu Jingchang smiled and said: "Yes, it's really nothing. It's just that when the news spreads, it will be confirmed by people's opinions and cause a little trouble. Don't worry too much, it's nothing."
Xu Jingchang said with a smile: "Nothing happened. I just came back. Let's talk later."
Jian Yi was full of things to say, but he couldn't say any more. He came out of Xu Jingchang's place and quickly sent someone to inquire... When the news came back, Jian Yi's blood ran cold.
It turns out that when the building materials in the palace, such as floor tiles, stone, and wood, were purchased in batches, in order to ensure quality, they would use the Heavenly Stems and Earthly Branches, and add some marks, origin, and surface provenance to facilitate tracking of problems.
Coincidentally, something happened to the East Palace. According to the markings on the wood, this batch of wood was originally not supposed to be used in the East Palace, but in the Royal Horse Prison.
Someone actually stole the beams and replaced the pillars, using inferior building materials to fool the East Palace.
This incident happened in the 21st year of Hongwu, and the official who handled it was Jian Yi, who was a member of Zhongshushe at that time and had just been in office for three years!
"Xu Jingchang, how could you even find out about this?" Jian Yi was at a loss.
According to what Xu Jingchang said, after all, it was a matter of the previous dynasty, and a lot of evidence has been destroyed. It is definitely not enough to deal with Jian's righteousness.
But this kind of thing often doesn't require much evidence. As long as everyone believes it, that's enough.
You, Jian Yi, are the head of a hundred officials and everyone looks up to you, but you actually did such a bastard thing?
It’s really eye-opening and refreshing.
Zhu Gaochi arrived at the Xu Mansion and gathered in the study. He had nothing but admiration for Xu Jingchang.
"I said, cousin, how awesome are you? How can you even dig out such old sesame seeds and rotten millet? I didn't expect that Jian Tianguan, who has always been cautious and careful, actually has such a handle!"
Xu Jingchang chuckled and said, "Your Highness, the Ministry of Personnel is so important. If Jian Yi could successfully enter the Ministry of Personnel back then, I'm afraid he would also have a big story."
Zhu Gaochi was taken aback, "Cousin, you mean that Jian Shangshu connived at misappropriating materials from the East Palace, and then got an errand from the Ministry of Personnel? If that's the case, this is a big crime!"
Xu Jingchang said calmly: "Your Highness, since it is a serious crime, can you convict Jian Shangshu?"
Zhu Gaochi shook his head, "No, after all, we are too old and have experienced great chaos. If we find out clearly, it will be strange."
Xu Jingchang nodded, "That's true, but I don't think Shangshu Jian will just sit back and watch his reputation be damaged."
Zhu Gaochi was not a fool, and he quickly understood what Xu Jingchang meant, "Are you planning to use this matter to grab Jian Tianguan's tail?"
Xu Jingchang smiled faintly, "If I guess correctly, Minister Jian will be here within the next few days."
It didn't take a few days, but Jian Yi came the next day.
"I did indeed do this, but it was Jianwen's biological mother, Queen Mother Lu, who asked me to do it."
Xu Jingchang was startled and said with a smile: "What kind of way is this to cut corners on your own house?"
Jian Yi said: "Maybe I want to save some money! If Duke Ding wants to investigate, he can just go to Fengyang and ask the Lu family."
Xu Jingchang shook his head, "I don't want to!"
Jian Yi frowned and said, "Then what does Duke Ding want to do?"
Xu Jingchang smiled and said: "It's nothing, it's really nothing...Jian Tianguan, let's discuss serious government affairs!"
