Meishan Su family, Su Yun is the most virtuous

Chapter 323 Fierce debate in the court!
Since Lai Zhishao himself doesn't care, Su Yun naturally won't be pretentious.

Sure enough, after Lai Zhishao returned, he quickly asked the clerks to bring various materials and tools to the Ministry of Works. After this replenishment, the Ministry of Works suddenly became very lively, which seemed like a world away from the deserted state before.

Other government offices nearby became very curious when they saw how busy the Ministry of Works was. Some clerks came closer to inquire. They heard that the Ministry of Works was actually building a large-scale Qingming Riverside Park, and that all the engineering teams had been poached from the Ministry of Construction. They immediately realized that the Ministry of Works might be on the rise under the leadership of that young scholar Su!
The news that the construction affairs of the General Supervisor had been snatched away by the Ministry of Works quickly spread throughout the court.

At the court meeting three days later.

As the Minister of Six Ministries, Su Yun stood in a relatively front position. He had nothing to say, and Empress Dowager Gao would not ask him anything, so Su Yun lowered his eyes and listened to Empress Dowager Gao's questions about government.

While listening, Su Yun simulated in his mind how he would handle these government affairs if he were to handle them. Su Yun was still able to maintain a fairly positive attitude. He still liked to learn, and these things could not be learned anywhere else.

After listening like this for about half an hour, the questions about government affairs gradually became less and less, and the rest would probably be moved to the Chongzheng Hall, where Empress Dowager Gao would invite the ministers to discuss the matter.

Just as Su Yun was waiting for Empress Dowager Gao to announce the end of the court session, someone suddenly shouted, "Empress Dowager, Your Majesty, I have something to report!"

This shout immediately perked up the spirits of all the ministers. Even Su Yun opened his eyes and looked towards the source of the voice. Well, he had attended court more often recently, and many people's faces became familiar to him. He recognized this man - Censor Liu Zhi.

This man had a long career. He passed the imperial examination and became the magistrate of Nangong County. He had outstanding political achievements and was called the "Three Magistrates of Heshuo" together with Li Chong, the magistrate of Xindu County, and Huang Shen, the magistrate of Qinghe County.

Later he was transferred to Jiangling Prefecture as an inspector. Recommended by Han Qi, he was appointed as a proofreader in the Imperial Library and later promoted to a writer.

During the reign of Emperor Shenzong of Song Dynasty, he was highly regarded by Wang Anshi and was appointed as the Inspector of the Secretariat and Rites, and later promoted to the position of Supervisory Censor.

However, after Wang Anshi's reform, he wrote a letter to the emperor pointing out the shortcomings of the new law and was demoted to supervise the salt warehouse in Hengzhou.

In the early years of Yuanfeng, he served successively as the school manager of Jixian School, the secretary of Zongzheng, the prosecutor of Kaifeng Prefecture, the doctor of the Ministry of Rites, and was later promoted to the doctor of the Right Ministry.

This person has an extremely stubborn character. Some people call him "bone-stuck", which means that once he gets into a fight with you, he will make you feel like there is a fishbone stuck in your throat.

Hehe, I don’t know who this stubborn censor is going to impeach. Whoever gets entangled by him will be in trouble!
Su Yun felt somewhat gloating, but he didn't expect Liu Zhi's next sentence to be like a bucket of cold water poured over his head.

Liu Zhi said, "I heard that a few days ago, Minister Su of the Ministry of Works built a large shopping mall in the east of the city, named Qingming Shanghe Garden. This garden is used for business, which is fine. After all, our Song Dynasty has developed commerce. As long as the Ministry of Works does not compete with the people for profits, it is fine.

However, I have heard that the Ministry of Works directly snatched away all the craftsmen from the General Administration of Works and placed them directly under the Ministry of Works. This is a practice of directly snatching away manpower from other government offices. What do they regard the laws of the court as?

Today, the Ministry of Works can snatch the people from the Ministry of Works, so tomorrow, can our Censorate snatch the people from the Court of Remonstrance? And tomorrow, can the Ministry of Shangshu snatch the people from the Ministry of Personnel?
Queen Mother, this trend must not be allowed to continue. If it continues, the three provinces and six ministries will never have peace again. I ask the Queen Mother to severely punish Minister Su and return the people who were in charge of the prison!"

Damn it, it turns out that I’m the one being impeached!

Just when his mind was in a mess, he suddenly heard Empress Dowager Gao say, "Minister Su, is this true?"

Su Yun hurriedly stepped out upon hearing this, and said with a folded hand, "This is true, but there is another hidden story behind this."

Queen Mother Gao looked at Su Yun through the curtain and said, "Oh, what do you mean?"

Su Yun put down his hand, looked at the ministers who were staring at him, and especially at Liu Zhi, and said with a smile: "Those craftsmen were found from the list of craftsmen of the Ministry of Works. They are naturally from the Ministry of Works. Our Ministry of Works uses our own people, so how can they be the ones who snatched the Supervisor of Works?"

Liu Zhi's face suddenly darkened, and he said, "The Ministry of Works has not had any authority for many years. It is the Construction Supervisor who has been in charge of construction. What you are doing is against the rules!"

Su Yun laughed and said, "What rules? Before, the construction was in the charge of the Three Departments. After the restructuring, the construction was transferred to the Ministry of Works. It's just that the Supervisor of Construction took advantage of the fact that no one in the Ministry of Works was in charge and took over this matter."

"What a joke! Even when the three departments took power, it was the General Manager who was in charge of the specific construction affairs. Since the founding of the country, it has always been the General Manager who was in charge. Everyone knows this!" Liu Zhi shouted angrily. Su Yun suddenly realized what he said, "So that's it, I remembered it wrong."

Seeing Su Yun admit his mistake, Liu Zhi immediately took advantage of the situation and said, "In this case, you should return the person as soon as possible. However, you must be punished for your actions. Queen Mother, I suggest punishing Minister Su to serve as a warning to others."

Queen Mother Gao was about to speak when she heard Su Yun say, "Wait."

Liu Zhi looked at Su Yun and said, "Minister Su, do you have anything else to say?"

Su Yun said in a clear voice: "The previous emperor changed the system, and the power returned to the three provinces and six ministries. The three departments were abolished, the finance was returned to the Ministry of Revenue, the Ministry of Personnel took back the power from the Court of Review, and the Ministry of War took back some of the power from the Privy Council and the Three-Class Court. As for the Ministry of Works, the power of the Water Conservancy Department was taken away by the Capital Water Conservancy Bureau, the power of the Ministry of Works was taken away by the Ministry of Construction, and the Ministry of Construction was also set up in vain. Isn't it a strange thing?

As the Minister of Works, I have checked the documents from the time of the reform since I took office. Both the Water Conservancy Bureau and the Civil Engineering Bureau were under the leadership of the Ministry of Works. Therefore, there was no such thing as the Ministry of Works robbing the personnel of the Civil Engineering Bureau, because the Civil Engineering Bureau was a subordinate department of the Ministry of Works.

Since everyone is here today, I might as well let you know that the Ministry of Industry will take over all the responsibilities of the Metropolitan Waterworks Supervisor, the General Works Supervisor, and the rest of the Ministry of Industry!"

As soon as these words were spoken, the whole room was in an uproar, especially the Minister of Revenue Zeng Bu who was particularly excited.

Although Su Yun did not mention the Ministry of Revenue by name, the responsibilities of the Capital Water Conservancy Bureau, the Military Construction Bureau, and the Military Farms were all taken over by the Ministry of Revenue when the three offices were merged. Now they are all the property of the Ministry of Revenue. If Su Yun wants to take them all back, how can that be possible!

Zeng Bu shouted, "This is absolutely not allowed!"

Su Yun looked at the Minister of Revenue Li Chang who was resting with his eyes closed, then looked at Zeng Bu who had jumped out, and said with a smile: "Minister Zeng, why not?"

Zeng Bu snorted and said, "Why were the three departments merged into the Ministry of Revenue during the reform? It was because the Ministry of Revenue had the ability to take over these affairs. What does the Ministry of Works have? After these things are taken over, can you bear them?
The Ministry of Works now has only a few cats and dogs. If you take over these affairs, won't it ruin the court's affairs?"

Su Yun smiled and said, "What kind of excuse is that? The Ministry of Revenue was not much better than the Ministry of Works at that time. You took it over as well. Moreover, whether it was the Water Conservancy Bureau or the Construction Bureau, they all had their own team. When our Ministry of Works took over, these people will naturally be the original team to manage these matters. It's just a change of leadership. What can it delay?

It was your Ministry of Revenue that merged the three ministries. You don't have the advantages of the three ministries, but you have learned a lot about their bloatedness. Listen to my advice, separate the functions of our Ministry of Works and return them to us. Let your Ministry of Revenue focus on financial management, which will be more beneficial to the court!"

Su Yun turned around and bowed to Empress Dowager Gao, saying, "Empress Dowager, you saw it when the Three Departments were here. The Three Departments seized the power of the Six Ministries and grew into a giant. As it grew, it became plagued by problems. This is why the late emperor wanted to split up the Three Departments.

Now, the Ministry of Revenue is gradually showing signs of becoming another of the Three Departments. If it does not take this opportunity to return the power it has usurped from other ministries, it will certainly follow the path of the Three Departments in the future.

Why did the Qing Dynasty return to the old way of the Three Provinces and Six Ministries after abandoning them for many years? It is because the Three Provinces and Six Ministries are the most reasonable power structure. The three provinces can check and balance each other, and the six ministries can supervise each other to avoid infringement.

If a country wants long-term stability, it is natural that everyone must perform their duties. If, as Liu Yushi said today, the Ministry of Revenue can encroach on the power and responsibilities of our Ministry of Works today, then tomorrow the Ministry of Shangshu can encroach on the power and responsibilities of the Ministry of Personnel, if this continues, the country will no longer be a country!"

After these words were spoken, even Empress Dowager Gao could not help but be moved.

She used to be disgusted with Su Yun's behavior. In her eyes, Su Yun was unwilling to be lonely and had to get some power in his hands. But after Su Yun said this, the checks and balances passed down by the ancestors of the Zhao family suddenly appeared in her mind - and different opinions must be mixed together, so that no one dares to do what is wrong!
The knowledge that Empress Dowager Gao had learned flashed through her mind quickly: Zhongshu made the decision, Menxia reviewed it, and Shangshu implemented it, so that chaotic politics could not be carried out; the Ministry of Personnel recruited people, the Ministry of Rites promoted rituals, the Ministry of Revenue managed finances, the Ministry of Punishment dealt with chaos, the Ministry of War defended against enemies, and the Ministry of Works built things. The six ministries each performed their duties, and the world was peaceful! …

While Empress Dowager Gao was thinking quickly, Zeng Bu had already snorted and said, "Empress Dowager, don't listen to Su Yun's words of chaos! The late emperor's idea of ​​reform is naturally good, but it may not be right.

When the system was reformed, the Political Affairs Hall was split into three provinces, which seemed to have checks and balances on each other. But recently, haven't you had to re-discuss the possibility of merging the three provinces into one? What is the reason? It is because when decisions are too decentralized, government affairs will be delayed, and ultimately nothing will get done!
Matters such as water conservancy, military farming, and construction can be of greatest use under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Revenue. The Ministry of Revenue is originally in charge of taxation. Whether it is water conservancy, military farming, or construction, which one is not related to taxation?
If it is divided, it will certainly lead to a significant reduction in the court's annual income. Queen Mother, finance is the foundation of the court, and it must not be shaken!"

After Zeng Bu said this, Empress Dowager Gao suddenly became shaken again.

Annual income is the biggest problem!
(End of this chapter)