Da Tang: Father, can I resign?

Chapter 434 The Complete Form of the Ming Dynasty Bureaucracy

"Zhangsun Jianguo, the weather in the disaster-stricken areas of the Central Plains is getting colder, and we need to buy clothes and bedding in advance."

"The provincial governments in the Central Plains will purchase first, and the shortage will be allocated by the Taifu Temple, which is in charge of the warehouse. At the same time, the Ministry of Works will supervise the production of bedding and replenish the inventory at any time."

"Duke Jianguo, the borders of Jiannan Road and Lingnan Road are in danger! The people on the border have been harassed by the southern barbarians for more than a year. This time, the Zhenla army is coming with great force. The people are suffering terribly. I beg the court to lend a helping hand!"

"Damn the southern barbarians! Why are they at this critical moment... Oh, if we hold on firmly, there will be a way! A great disaster has befallen us, our national strength is stretched to its limits, and the imperial court has no surplus food. Please ask them to hold on for a while longer, and once we get through this difficult period, the heavenly troops will surely arrive!"

"Your Excellency, the Regent, a strange disease has begun to spread in the disaster area. The victims are vomiting non-stop. The governors of various states have requested the court to send more doctors to support them."

"All the clinics in the capital, Chang'an and Luoyang are empty, and all the doctors who can be sent have already rushed to the disaster area! After a major disaster, there will be a major epidemic, and it has been like this for so many years! Those provincial governors should not just complain about being poor, but sometimes they should look for their own reasons. Have the bodies been buried in time after so many months, and have they been limed? We must first understand the concept of epidemic prevention and disaster relief, otherwise no matter how many doctors there are, it will be useless! Have you turned a deaf ear to His Majesty's golden words? Control the source of infection, cut off the transmission route, and protect the susceptible population! Have the local provincial governors done it?!"

"Lord Changsun, there is not enough money and food for disaster relief..."

"Turn left when you get out of the door and look for Fang Yize - oh no, it's noon now. Fang Yize has gone back home to bring food to Prime Minister Fang. You can go there in the afternoon."

Tangzhou, the State Council Office.

Regent Changsun Wuji was so busy that he took off on the spot.

The Ming Dynasty spanned thousands of miles and had a population of tens of millions, so its daily affairs were already very numerous.

The country is in trouble now, and bureaucrats at all levels are working overtime, and they are all extremely busy.

"...I understand."

The lower-level bureaucrat who requested funding from Changsun Wuji - Brother Xiao Yu - scratched his head subconsciously.

As Fang Xuanling's lifelong enemy (self-confessed), he was also very old and had originally planned to retire.

But after Lao Fang retired early, the burden that had been weighing on Xiao Yu for a lifetime was finally lifted. Lao Xiao suddenly felt that he was capable enough and he gritted his teeth and stayed at his job.

Unexpectedly, after several courses of "chicken breast therapy", Xiao Yu's energy is getting better and better, and he can continue to make use of his remaining energy.

Then, he was tasked with the "disaster relief" task and was responsible for the overall procurement of supplies.

Purchasing requires money.

They are all old eels in the officialdom, and each of them is very slippery. How could Xiao Yu not know that he had to consult Prime Minister Fang Yize about the money issue?
But he failed to extort money from Prime Minister Ji.

That's why this old wily guy turned to Zhangsun Jianguo.

He hoped to first coax a note of approval from the Regent, and then use the note as a token of authority to pressure the Prime Minister to give him money.

However, how could this little trick escape the eyes of Changsun Wuji?
He was kicked back to Ji Xiang exactly the same way.

Without money, how can I buy supplies? Xiao Yu left in a depressed mood. When he reached the door, he still didn't give up and turned around to ask:
"Lord Changsun, disaster relief is the top priority, why is Prime Minister Ji so stingy and unwilling to approve more money?

"Do you know anything?"

Changsun Wuji naturally knew Xiao Yu's difficulties, pursed his lips and said:

"Your Majesty, I'm afraid something has happened outside."

Xiao Yu exploded immediately:
"The people of the Central Plains are still eating grass, why is Your Majesty going to use military force again?!

"I think your majesty is not troubled by external affairs, but by internal affairs!"

As we all know, "something happening" is a euphemism for "fighting a war".

In the year of great disaster, this is too much. The fact that Changsun Wuji used such words shows that he himself was also very guilty.

"Your Majesty always has his own considerations..."

"Your Majesty has considered it, but why did Prime Minister Ji agree to it? Did he withhold the money for disaster relief and use it for military affairs?" Xiao Yu asked relentlessly.

Chang Sun Wuji looked at him and said only two words:

"Conquer the Japanese."

"Oh? Oh~" Xiao Yu understood at once.

In a year of great disaster, it is not good to go to war.

Except for fighting the Japanese.

This is the consensus of the people across the country.

Therefore, no matter how much Fang Yize hated war (mainly hated military spending), he was willing to save some money.

Money is like time, you can always have it if you squeeze it.

"Since Prime Minister Ji has diverted military funds to conquer Wo Teng, it's no wonder.

"I'll think of a way to get disaster relief supplies."

After Xiao Yu finished speaking, he left without stopping.

This is the recent working status of the people in the yamen. They walk briskly and do things vigorously and decisively.

We must strive to improve work efficiency a little bit more, provide relief to the disaster victims as soon as possible, and allow the new country of Ming to live healthier lives.

"That old slacker has become more responsible."

Changsun Wuji looked at Lao Xiao's hurried back and couldn't help but smile and shake his head.

That's enough, he has wasted enough time today, he needs to focus on his work.

The officials at all levels in each department are like a huge organism.

The reason why they can cooperate with each other and operate efficiently is all thanks to the brain of Changsun Wuji who is in charge of overall planning.

So he had to work and think all the time.

"The flood has receded and the situation in the disaster area has stabilized. Next we must go all out to resume work and production, otherwise we will have to starve in the second half of the year.

"Reconstruction of the disaster-stricken areas in the Central Plains and Huanghuai regions must also be put on the agenda. The accommodation conditions are too bad, and we can barely hold on for a while. If people really freeze to death, the people will rebel.

“Your Majesty also requested that the old course of the river be dredged so that it could leave the Bian River and redirect its course back by the end of the year.

“Although this can minimize the losses, where will the money for the diversion project come from?
"If we conquer Japan this year, we will be really short of funds and resources...

"By the way, what are the southern states doing? Why haven't they submitted their tax returns for the summer harvest yet?"

Changsun Wuji's brain was spinning rapidly.

dong dong.

There was a knock on the door, and a clerk with a calm face came in and said:

"Duke Jianguo, please raise money and food for disaster relief."

"Didn't I tell you? For matters concerning money and grain, turn left and look for Fang Yize!" Changsun Wuji's tone was a little irritable.

He is different from Li Ming. As a senior noble, he still likes to show off. It is unreasonable for a subordinate to enter the house without waiting for an invitation!

"you are?"

But when he saw who the person was, Changsun Wuji couldn't help but pause.

The person who came was a stranger who had never been seen before, and his facial features had no special features.

When he first met the Regent, he did not feel uneasy at all, and a gentle yet polite smile was on his face.

A clerk of his level should not be able to go beyond this gate, and he could not even enter the State Council Office.

When something is abnormal, there must be something wrong, that is, the other party is someone who does not need to be reasonable.

There is only one kind of person who can be so magnanimous as to enter any official's room without asking for permission and not be thrown out by the guards.

"You are from the Cheka?"

Changsun Wuji's expression changed slightly, and his brain, which had been working non-stop, went blank for a moment.

Lai Junchen's minions loved to carry out surprise operations. They would suddenly swoop down from the sky when officials were in meetings or working, and bring corrupt officials to justice.

Could this person be coming...

"I am following your majesty's orders to send a copy of the secret letter to the Duke of Regent."

Seeing that the other party's expression was becoming increasingly strange, the visitor quickly reported the truth.

Huh... Changsun Wuji breathed a sigh of relief silently.

To be honest, he didn't know what crime he had committed.

It is impossible for an official at his level to stand on the dry shore with a clean record.

If Your Majesty or your political enemies want to deal with him, there will be many reasons to settle the score with them later.

"But why did Your Majesty send me a letter? Why did you ask the Purge Committee?"

Changsun Wuji was puzzled when a letter suddenly appeared on the table.

The spy had quietly disappeared outside the door. With this skill, if he was going to take my head... Changsun Wuji's forehead was covered with cold sweat, and after a long while, he opened the letter with trembling hands.

As he read, his hands trembled more and more violently.

“There’s a flood in the south too?

"The upper reaches of the river suddenly burst the dike in the middle of the night, and everyone downstream was unable to escape.

"Even the prefecture was destroyed, and many governors are missing...

“Ha, ha, ha, ha…”

Changsun Wuji casually threw the secret letter aside and laughed out loud.

The smile was full of bitterness.

No wonder the southern states have remained silent. I thought they were in rebellion. It turns out they are completely silent (physics).

Hahaha……

"Ugh!"

Changsun Wuji slammed the table heavily.

I feel uncomfortable and want to cry.

It's really like one problem after another. The issue of the Yellow River's course change has not been resolved yet, and the Yangtze River is in turmoil again.

The Yangtze River and the Yellow River are different.

The Yellow River can change its course and do some tricks, but the Yangtze River cannot.

The Yangtze River will only use its abundant water to silently destroy humans on both sides of the river.

One is a weird mechanism, the other is a weird number.

The Yellow River changed its course, causing widespread misery.

What is the meaning of the Yangtze River flood? Where did the wild geese come from? Why are they everywhere?

No wonder there has been no movement from the southern states.

The huge amount of water rushed in and the entire land was deserted, so naturally no sound could be made.

In a way, disaster victims are like children—

I am not afraid of the victims crying, I am just afraid that no sound can be heard from the disaster area.

Because the latter often means the whole team is wiped out.

"Even the officials have been dispersed, so the common people will be even more... Alas!"

Changsun Wuji held his forehead with his hand in distress.

We had originally hoped that the South would come to the aid of the North.

As a result, the South is now also suffering from the flood, and is suffering even more than the North!

Rescue lives, provide disaster relief, transport food, raise funds, rebuild, prevent epidemics, resume farming and work...

The same process has to be repeated again!
“This… hey, hey hey!”

Changsun Wuji started to grin foolishly again.

He suddenly felt that it would be great if Lai Junchen's lackey could take him away.

What's a little hardship in a dungeon?
It's better than being tortured in this position!
"It's not easy to sit in the position of regent!"

Although he finally became the powerful official he had always dreamed of, Changsun Wuji did not enjoy the pleasure of power at all.

On the contrary, they are almost overwhelmed by the heavy obligations.

Disasters struck both the north and the south. What should we do?

While I was thinking hard, I heard anxious footsteps outside the corridor.

The study door opened again, and this time no one knocked.

Changsun Wuji raised his head suddenly and smiled with relief:

"Sure enough, it's you who's here."

Fang Xuanling, supported by his eldest son Fang Yize, hurried to his old seat and sat down. Without any politeness, he got straight to the point:

"It seems that the expedition to Japan will have to be postponed. Have you heard about what happened in the south? The river is flooded, and the cities and towns are destroyed."

Changsun Wuji nodded:

"I just got the news from the Purge Committee. Did Mr. Fang get the same news?"

"Yes." Fang Xuanling sighed softly:
“Your Majesty must be sharp-minded.

"I just suspected something was wrong in the south, and your majesty has already sent out a talented official to make a secret visit to the south and report the news back to Liaodong."

Excluding the time spent on the road and investigating, that is to say, in the southern states, documents were late for no more than three days. Li Ming noticed the abnormality and responded decisively.

This sense of smell is simply terrifying.

The investigators chosen were also very particular. Lai Junchen might be careless and incapable of solving problems, but when it comes to finding problems, he is definitely the best in the world.

Thinking back on it, if the series of typhoons could wreak havoc on the north like this, then the south must have suffered even more.

But that's hindsight.

Beforehand, who could have thought of this except Emperor Li Ming?
“Fortunately, your majesty has already made preliminary responses in advance.

“In addition to Tangzhou, he also simultaneously issued orders to Guanzhong, Jiangnan, Minyue and other places that were not affected by the flood, rushing to the major river basins that were most severely affected.

"Besides, the South has a small population and a poor economy, so it won't suffer as much as the Central Plains..."

As Fang Xuanling spoke, he gently wiped the dust off the table.

It's been too long since I came...

At the same time, his eldest son was diligently making tea for his father.

Fang Xuanling couldn't help but frown:
"Prime Minister Ji, can we waste our time on trivial matters like these?

"Let the servants make the tea, and you just sit here and work with us."

I don’t want to work with these two giants... Fang Yize felt under great pressure and sat down in the corner angrily.

"With Minister Fang back in office, the cabinet finally has a backbone."

Changsun Wuji was polite to his old colleague whom he met again after a long time, and there was a lot of complaint in his tone.

Fang Xuanling replied expressionlessly:
"I am ashamed. Because the situation is urgent, I got up from my sickbed and came here to bother Your Excellency the Regent. Please forgive me."

In fact, there is no need to explain, you can understand it. The country has suffered a great disaster in the north and south, how can Fang Xiang stay at home?

Sixty years old is the age for hard work, how can you sleep well?
"No, no, no, not at all." Changsun Wuji laughed.

"Regarding the current situation, I would like to report to the Prime Minister..."

"No, no, no, you are the regent. Everything revolves around you," Fang Xuanling said modestly.

The two of them pushed and shoved each other, creating a harmonious working atmosphere.

Fang Yi, who was standing by, couldn't help but twitch his lips.

How could this be a reconciliation between generals and ministers? He clearly saw two old foxes trying to blame each other.

Perhaps it was the game between the old foxes that shaped the complete form of the Ming bureaucracy...

"Are you all here? That's great."

At this time, a gentle female voice came from outside the door.

The three of them looked up at the same time.

I saw Her Majesty the Empress Dowager standing at the door with a smile on her face.

Princess Jinyang Li Mingda followed behind her aunt, holding a bowl in her hand.

The women in the palace are allowed to show their faces in public. This is an elegant policy of the new Ming Dynasty and is not to be missed.

"The country is in trouble, and you have devoted your lives to the country. As a girl, I can't help much, so I can only make some Tremella soup for you, which can be regarded as a small contribution for the people."

As Empress Dowager Yang spoke, she naturally sat down in the middle of the study.

(End of this chapter)