Lin'an Never Night

Chapter 560 I Want to Make a Big Move

In the Song Dynasty, the New Year's Day holiday lasted seven days, and the Lantern Festival also lasted seven days.

However, the government wants to keep people on duty and work overtime.

Officials of local governments were not allowed to leave their offices during festivals.

As for many government offices in the capital, even ordinary clerks did not have a day off, but were instead busier than usual.

For example, the Censorate has just been reorganized with the Censorate as its basic framework.

Due to the huge personnel adjustments, many matters cannot be smoothly transitioned and require very cumbersome handovers.

Under such circumstances, and as it was the Spring Festival, the Censorate needed to send censors to various places to inspect the localities and investigate the people's sentiments. The staff left behind were short-staffed, and the situation became even busier.

However, the busiest place in the entire Lin'an palace was the Lin'an government office.

During the festival period, the Lin'an government office was not only responsible for the maintenance, management and operation of Lin'an City, with its affairs increasing exponentially, but there were also many things to do that did not need to be done at other times.

For example, Tongpan Liu Yiguan has been in charge of legal affairs.

During the New Year's Day holiday, he transferred many prisoners with minor crimes from Lin'an Prison to perform shows at various intersections in Lin'an City. Most of the content was about popularizing the law and guiding people to do good.

It's true that there are many talented people in the prison. Many prisoners have unique skills. The performances are varied and quite attractive.

On Mr. Qiao's side, he would send yamen runners and street vendors from each wing and alley to patrol everywhere to see which houses had no lights in the windows at night and which houses had no smoke coming out of the chimneys at dinner time.

Then they would have to visit the family and find out whether the family could not afford to light a lamp or eat.

There would be patrolling officials who would investigate together with the neighborhood guards who were familiar with the local conditions. If the people were indeed too poor, the government would give them "money, wine, oil and candles" at its discretion.

Lin'an is the best place. During the Chinese New Year, you should at least let those poor families who can't survive have a good New Year, otherwise big problems will easily arise in this festive atmosphere.

Wang Zirui is now temporarily taking over Yang Yuan's position, so the task of visiting the elderly and comforting the orphanage will fall on him.

These days, Wang Tongpan has to smile at the elderly and even more so at children, and his face has become sore from smiling.

Yang Yuan was newly married, and the wedding leave for officials in the Song Dynasty was nine days, so Yang Yuan did not return to the Lin'an government office until the fifth day of the New Year.

The fifth day of the New Year is the day to welcome the God of Wealth, but Yang Yuan is not the God of Wealth, so he did not receive a grand welcome. In fact, everyone was busy and there were few people sitting in the government office in Lin'an Prefecture.

Now only Qiao Zhen was left, leading a few kittens and sitting in the government office.

Yang Yuan helped Mr. Qiao handle some government affairs. The next day, the Ministry of Personnel sent someone to Lin'an Prefecture to convey Yang Yuan's appointment:

He was transferred to the Censorate and appointed Right Censor-in-Chief.

After reluctantly sending Yang Yuan out of the mansion, Mr. Qiao straightened his back and felt that the burden on his shoulders was suddenly lightened a lot.

It's very stressful for Governor Qiao and Yang Yuan to get along with each other.

Liu Yiguan is a bit mean, Zhang Mi is a bit shameless, and Wang Zirui has just been promoted from the local level, so his temperament and character remain to be seen. However, these three people are capable of handling the affairs during their tenure.

Although the three of them have their own problems, at least Qiao Zhen does not feel any psychological pressure when facing them.

Yang Yuan doesn't have the problems of these three people, but he likes to do things unconventionally.

There are too many uncertainties in what this kind of person can do, but he has a powerful backing. He is a subordinate that no chief officer would welcome.

Let's go, let's go, from now on, you and I will go our separate ways and wish each other well.

Master Qiao stood at the gate of the government office, stroking his beard, watching Yang Yuan and his servant Liu Dazhuang leave along with the officials from the Ministry of Personnel who conveyed the appointment. Then he flicked his sleeves elegantly, returned to the government office, and plunged into his mountain of documents.

……

The office of the Censorate was originally located in the former Censorate.

Since the reform had just taken place and things were too complicated, no one was given a holiday during this festival.

Accompanied by a doctor from the Ministry of Personnel, Yang Yuan rushed to the Censorate and met the Chief Censor Zhu Zhuo.

Chief Censor Zhu Zhuo was a Jinshi during the Xuanhe period. He is seventy years old this year, with white hair and beard, but he is still in good spirits.

Zhu Zhao was a man of integrity and uprightness. He was once demoted to a professor in Yuezhou because he contradicted Qin Hui in person, and spent several years on the bench.

After the personnel from the Ministry of Personnel left, Zhu Zhuo introduced the situation of the Censorate to Yang Yuan.

The Censor-in-Chief of the Censorate was supposed to have two members, the left and the right, but now there is only one, the Right Censor-in-Chief.

The left and right deputy censors are fully equipped.

The Left Vice-Chief Censor was named Xiao Hongji. He was a Jinshi in the fifth year of Shaoxing and was transferred from the post of prefect of Zhangzhou.

The Right Censor-in-Chief was named Tan Qi, a Jinshi in the early years of Jianyan.

Among the left and right Censors-in-Chief, the Left Censor-in-Chief Wang Chenkun arrived at the office only half a month earlier than Yang Yuan and was a Jinshi during the Shaoxing period.

As many censors were dispatched to various inspection tours, only more than 20 censors were left in the Censorate, three of whom were classmates of Yang Yuan.

They were fellow Jinshi with Yang Yuan, Xiao Yiran, Lu Chengze and Yu Zeping.

Yang Yuan is the new top scorer, Xiao Yiran is the second, and Lu Chengze is the third.

The top three in this class have all been transferred to the Censorate, which shows how much Emperor Zhao expects of the Censorate.

However, Chief Censor Zhu Zhuo felt that people who were too old lacked vitality, but people who were too young lacked experience and were easily deceived or had other problems.

Therefore, Zhu Zhuo valued those censors who were between 30 and 50 years old and had served in local positions.

Those he sent to conduct local inspections this time were basically people of this age group with this kind of work experience.

Xiao Yiran, Lu Chengze and Yu Zeping were all young and had just entered officialdom, so they were kept in the capital by him.

Yu Zeping was a second-class Jinshi in this year's imperial examination and was originally sent to work in Pingjiang Prefecture.

He had been in office in Pingjiang for just over half a year when he was transferred back to Lin'an and took up a position in such a popular government office as the Censorate. It can be seen that he had some background.

After Zhu Zhuo and Yang Yuan introduced the situation, they called the left and right deputy censors and the assistant censor-in-chief Wang Chenkun to let these colleagues meet Yang Yuan and get to know each other, and then had someone take Yang Yuan to his signing room.

At this time, Xiao Yiran, Lu Chengze and Yu Zeping were already waiting outside Yang Yuan's signing room.

Xiao Yiran was very happy about Yang Yuan's arrival.

Xiao Bangyan had always been a supporter of Yang Yuan. He was convinced that Yang Yuan, after traveling around the northern country, brought back two younger brothers to the Song Dynasty and forced an uncle to become his younger brother.

Now he has become Yang Yuan's little fanboy.

Tanhua Lu Chengze has complicated feelings towards Yang Yuan.

Before Yang Yuan went on a diplomatic mission to the Kingdom of Jin, he was still determined to compete with Yang Yuan.

Being the top student in high school does not tell us everything. Throughout history, many of those who were the top students in high school did not necessarily reach the highest or the farthest level.

But now Yang Yuan is the Right Censor-in-Chief and also a marquis. The gap between the two is too big.

In this regard, whether it was due to their political stance or their personal jealousy and self-esteem, Lu Tanhua was particularly entangled. As soon as Yang Yuan arrived at the signing room, he saw the three people waiting in the corridor.

One of the reasons is that people of the same year are more likely to stick together and form a small circle, because it is more convenient for them to communicate with each other.

For a new court noble like Yang Yuan, even if others want to get close to him, they have to find a suitable stepping stone first.

The fact that Xiao Yiran, Lu Chengze and Yu Zeping are of the same age as Yang Yuan naturally serves as a stepping stone.

They had entered the examination hall together, met the emperor in the Golden Palace together, become the emperor's disciples together, and ridden horses through the streets together. Wasn't this a close enough relationship?
Upon seeing the three people, Yang Yuan seemed very enthusiastic and quickly led them into the signing room.

The servant Liu Dazhuang had arrived earlier and was familiar with the inside and outside of the signing room. He immediately served tea to the four people.

Yu Zeping took a sip of tea and said with a smile: "Good tea, Ziyue's tea is the best Shifeng Longjing."

Yang Yuan smiled and nodded, and ordered: "Da Zhuang, bring my tea. Each of the three classmates can have a can. Everyone can take it back and try it."

The three of them declined hastily. They felt embarrassed when their superior was giving gifts to their subordinates after just meeting each other.

After some pushing and shoving, the three of them accepted the tea.

Lu Chengze smiled and said, "Ziyue, when you were taking the palace examination, you spoke out for General Yue Fei. It was you, Ziyue, who advocated for the adjustment of the policy towards Jin. Now it seems that you were right. This kind of foresight is really a role model for us."

Xiao Yiran said: "I heard that you will be the deputy judge of this court, and I am very happy. In the future, we will follow the deputy judge and will surely achieve great things."

Yu Zeping said, "Yes, we have just taken office and are young and inexperienced. The Chief Censor is worried about us. This time when he sent the Imperial Censor to inspect the local area, he did not dare to let us take charge alone. With the Assistant Censor here, we will have a backbone."

After hearing this, Lu Chengze's expression became a little unnatural.

He always calls him "Zi Yue", but others call him by his title. Doesn't this make him seem very inappropriate?
Yang Yuan said: "I just met the Prime Minister, and he said that a new official has three things to do when he takes office, and everyone in the government and the public is waiting for our Prime Minister to do these three things. And it depends on how you and I will do these three things.

Inspecting local areas is important, but in my opinion, staying in Lin'an may not mean there is nothing to do.

Now that the Censorate has just been established, the three of you can take a good look at the many files transferred from the Censorate.

You should find all those major and long-pending cases, and we will solve them one by one.

In the past, the Censorate was unable to handle matters, so I took charge; now I still handle matters that others in the Censorate are unwilling to handle; I will handle matters that others dare not handle even more. When Yang does things, he likes to do so quietly, but when he does, he will make a big splash! "

Xiao Yiran and Yu Zeping felt their blood boiling and were greatly inspired after hearing this.

They had just entered officialdom and were young and energetic, wanting to make a big splash in their careers. However, the Chief Censor Zhu Zhuo was too cautious and did not trust young people like them with little experience. Now with Yang Yuan, things were different.

After hearing this, Lu Chengze just sneered secretly. What an ignorant person! Do you think you can do whatever you want just because you are a favorite of the government?

However, after thinking about it, Lu Chengze suddenly changed his mind.

Well, since you want to take on a tough task, I will look through all the old cases transferred from the Censorate and find a few difficult cases for you.

You make big promises today, but I'll see how you end up tomorrow!
……

In the Privy Council, a big hole was torn out in the wall between the Xuanzhiyuan where Zhang Mi originally worked and the Jisufang.

This place will be converted into a portal.

The most important intelligence departments of the Privy Council, both internally and externally, have always been the Chanfang and Yufang of the Bafutang.

Now Zheng Yuandong has allocated the intelligence affairs against Western Xia to the "Quezifang".

The "Quezifang" was transformed from an internal affairs department into a government office mainly responsible for foreign intelligence. Both the staff and the scope of affairs expanded, and the original staffing and office area were no longer sufficient.

Zheng Yuandong went to ask Yang Cunzhong for instructions.

Yang Cunzhong's attitude towards the Machine Speed ​​Room is different from Qin Hui's. Qin Hui suppressed and restricted the Machine Speed ​​Room in every possible way, but Yang Cunzhong attached great importance to the Machine Speed ​​Room.

Therefore, he reduced the size of some large and useless government offices, merged, abolished or centralized a number of them, and freed up more space for the machine room.

Now that this wall has been opened, the "Quezifang" will move out of the original signing room and use half of the original Xuanzhiyuan as their new office.

Liu Shangqiu is now the secretary of the "Quezifang", specializing in intelligence affairs against Western Xia.

Liu Shangqiu lived a more refined life than a woman and was very dissatisfied with the architecture and furnishings of Xuanzhiyuan.

In addition, this was half of the area allocated from Xuanzhiyuan, so it was originally in need of some adjustments and renovations.

However, even Zheng Yuandong and Yang Cunzhong did not dare to easily violate the rule that "officials do not repair government offices."

Not to mention large-scale construction, they felt that even just some renovations were inappropriate.

Liu Shangqiu persuaded them for a long time and finally promised to bear all the expenses personally. Only then did Yang Cunzhong ask the government for approval.

Liu Shangqiu was overjoyed and immediately asked someone to invite Wang Changsheng over.
When Liu Shangqiu visited Yang’s house before, he was very impressed by the construction of the Yang mansion.

He specifically asked Yang Yuan and learned the name of the master craftsman Wang Changsheng, so he thought of him this time.

Although it is still the first month of the year, Liu Shangqiu offered high wages, so the workers only took three days off and resumed construction.

"Oh, set up a "Que" room to collect intelligence on Xixia."

Liu Shangqiu stood in the corridor, stroking the moist and crystal jade handle, with a look of disgust on his face: "The Xixia people's spies are called 'flying kites', and Yang Cunzhong and Zheng Yuandong, these two idiots, asked me to preside over the 'sparrow room'. A sparrow fighting a kite, what's the difference between this and a meat bun beating a dog?"

Yuan Chengju and Guo Xuzhi, who successfully completed the task of receiving the Jin Kingdom and the New Jin, are now his left and right escorts.

The two yamen officials stood on Liu Shangqiu's left and right, their eyes looking at their nose and their nose looking at their heart, like old monks in meditation.

Their own official was complaining about the Emperor and the Prime Minister. What could the two of them do but pretend they didn't hear anything.

"Wow~"

A gable of a house collapsed with a loud bang after being hit by several laborers with sledgehammers, and dust flew high into the air.

Although it was still far away and the dust did not float over, Liu Shangqiu still took out a white handkerchief in time and covered his mouth and nose.

"Chengju, go tell them to sprinkle some water on the dusty areas before demolishing. We still have people working in half of the buildings. How can we handle this dusty place?"

Yuan Chengju agreed and just took two steps forward when he heard a strange cry.

Several workers rushed out from the dissipating smoke and dust, their faces pale and shouting loudly.

"Dead man, dead man..."

Liu Shangqiu's face suddenly changed when he heard this. He rushed forward and shouted, "How could you be so careless? Did you hit someone? Why don't you go dig the person out and send him to the hospital? Why are you screaming here?"

A laborer pointed at the collapsed gable with a pale face and shouted tremblingly: "Sir, there is a dead body there. It's not that someone was crushed to death, but there is a dead body inside the wall!"

PS: I owe JJ Alliance a chapter.

In addition to the two-month emergency task mentioned earlier, I also have to return to my hometown with my cats and dogs early this morning.

Tomorrow is the third anniversary of my father's death. I am going to the mountains.
I will be on the road almost all day today and tomorrow, so I will finish some of the things in advance and send them to you on time.

(End of this chapter)