My Portable Ming Dynasty

Chapter 399 The Great Ming Dynasty's Number One Talent Scout
Su Ze nodded repeatedly after hearing this.

Yang Sizhong, worthy of being the Minister of Personnel, immediately stated his needs.

Being in charge of maintaining order in the capital was an extremely difficult task.

The capital city is full of powerful and influential people, and one can easily offend someone if one is not careful.

But if even these few people are unwilling to offend, then there's no way to maintain order in the capital.

Therefore, maintaining order in the capital has always been a difficult task throughout history.

Even tough jobs need to be done by someone.

Therefore, it would be best to have someone of high rank and prestige take on this role.

However, with the development of cities, urban governance has become a highly specialized task. If an incompetent layman were to give orders haphazardly, Li Defu would certainly be unable to carry out the work properly.

This is what Su Ze is worried about.

However, Yang Sizhong already had someone in mind.

Maintaining order in the capital has always been a matter that offends people.

Besides offending people, this job is one where doing it well brings no credit, but doing it poorly makes you the scapegoat.

The capital city is a gathering place for powerful and influential people. The emperor and his important officials all reside in the capital. If the security of the capital deteriorates or a fire breaks out, the head of the security department will definitely be in trouble.

In short, the head of this Public Security Bureau was a complete scapegoat.

Having figured this out, Yang Sizhong immediately had a candidate in mind.

He said to Su Ze:

"I do have someone in mind."

Su Ze exclaimed in surprise:
"Minister Yang, please enlighten me!"

Yang Sizhong said:

"Mu Changyou, the centurion of the Imperial Guard, is the younger brother of the current Duke of Qian and also a guard by His Majesty's side. He can serve as the head of this Security Division."

Su Ze thought about it carefully and remembered this person.

Back then, Mu Changyou had transferred to the Martial Arts Academy, but dropped out after only a few days. Then, somehow, he ended up in the Imperial Guard Battalion.

It turns out he is the younger brother of the current Duke of Qian.

If you calculate it that way, his status is sufficient.

The Public Security Bureau was just a department under the Patrol Battalion, and its rank was not high, so Mu Changyou was qualified to take the position.

Yang Sizhong then said:
“Mu Changyou can take on the role concurrently. He usually serves as a guard in the palace and does not need to go to the Security Bureau every day.”

"Mu Changyou has connections with the meritorious officials in the capital. This status can also keep those sons of meritorious officials in check and give him face."

"Furthermore, with Mu Changyou by His Majesty's side, it is convenient for His Majesty to inquire about the security situation in the capital at any time."

After listening, Su Ze was filled with admiration for the Minister of Personnel, and he couldn't help but exclaim in praise:
"Minister Yang is truly the greatest talent scout of our Great Ming Dynasty!"

Hearing Su Ze's sincere praise, Yang Sizhong's mood immediately improved.

Thinking of Mu Changyou's fate, Yang Sizhong felt even more pleased.

"How about this, the Ministry of Personnel will recommend this candidate to His Majesty."

Upon hearing that Yang Sizhong was willing to offer his help, Su Ze even saved himself the trouble of submitting a memorial recommending Yang Sizhong. Su Ze then submitted a memorial to the Ministry of Personnel expressing his deepest gratitude.

Su Ze also didn't understand why there were rumors in the capital that Yang Sizhong was vindictive.

This Minister Yang is truly a wonderful person!
"What!? The Ministry of Personnel has recommended me to concurrently serve as the head of the Public Security Bureau!?"

When Mu Changyou learned of this news from Tu Dashan, he felt as if the sky had fallen.

Mu Changyou was a smart man, and the smarter a man is, the more he knows that being the head of the Public Security Bureau is a tough and tiring job.

He never expected that this task would fall to him.

Mu Changyou looked helplessly at Tu Dashan.

Tu Dashan sighed and said:
“Young master, I told you last time that we must not speak ill of Minister Yang in the Ministry of Personnel.”

Mu Changyou pleaded:

"Master Tu, what should we do?"

Tu Dashan said:
“Young master, this is a public recommendation by the Ministry of Personnel, you certainly can’t refuse.”

Mu Changyou also understood what Tu Dashan meant.

If you refuse to take up the post recommended by the Ministry of Personnel, it's not just a matter of criticizing the Minister of Personnel behind his back; it's a public slap in the face to the entire Ministry of Personnel.

Moreover, the emperor and his high-ranking officials would also have a bad impression of Mu Changyou, believing that he was not capable of shouldering heavy responsibilities and was not up to the task.

More importantly, the Duke of Qian's mansion had just caused so much trouble, and his elder brother sent him to the capital in order to restore the mansion's reputation.

If I don't do this well, what will I do when I go back to Yunnan?
As a second son in a family without inheritance rights, he always had to live at the mercy of his elder brother, the head of the family.

Fortunately, Tu Dashan had already come up with a plan before he arrived.

Tu Dashan said:
"Young master, the court has appointed you as the head of this Public Security Bureau, but your primary position is still a centurion of the Imperial Guard."

"Therefore, I have a solution."

"Master Tu, please enlighten me!"

Mu Changyou asked anxiously.

Tu Dashan said:
"Young master, you are usually on duty, so you can delegate the tasks of the Security Bureau to your subordinates."

Mu Changyou immediately said, "Brilliant! Then if trouble arises in the future, it won't be my problem!"

Tu Dashan secretly scorned him, but he still said:
"Absolutely not!"

"Why?"

Tu Dashan said:
"The security of the capital is a matter of great importance, and His Majesty may consult you on this matter. If you shirk responsibility and pass the buck to your subordinates, how will His Majesty view you?"

"Moreover, the patrolmen below are all clerks. If something happens, they will at most be dismissed by the court. What will you do, young master?"

"So if you, young master, shift the blame to your subordinates, the duties of the Public Security Bureau will be completely ruined, and in the end, the responsibility will still fall on you, young master."

Mu Changyou almost burst into tears.

Seeing that the atmosphere was about right, Tu Dashan said to Mu Changyou:
"We can't ignore the affairs of the Public Security Bureau, but we also can't manage them entirely."

This was beyond Mu Changyou's knowledge; his brain was about to explode.

Tu Dashan said:
“We can’t ignore it. In other words, you need to know what’s happening in the Security Bureau, so that His Majesty and his ministers will ask about it. You need to know what’s going on in the capital.”

"You can't manage everything. Even if the young master knows about the matter, he can't give orders directly. Instead, he should let his subordinates take the initiative. If things go wrong, it's naturally the subordinates' fault for not doing their job well."

"And if things are done well, the young master will also get credit."

“If you insist on doing everything yourself and always have to get involved, and things go wrong, His Majesty and the senior officials will all think it’s your fault.”

Mu Changyou suddenly realized:

“I think I understand now, but according to Steward Tu, His Majesty did not dismiss me from my position in the Imperial Guard, so how could I know about the Patrol Battalion?”

Tu Dashan said:
"This is actually quite simple. Young Master can have his subordinates compile the important news every day, form a brief report, and submit it to Young Master for review."

"And it needs to be made clear to them that if anything happens to anything listed in the briefing, the young master will take responsibility; but if anything is not listed in the briefing, they will be responsible for it themselves." Mu Changyou exclaimed in surprise:
"Am I supposed to be responsible to the Public Security Bureau?"

Tu Dashan said:
“Young master, you are the head of the Public Security Bureau, and you cannot escape this responsibility.”

"Instead of doing that, it's better to take the initiative to assume responsibility, which will win people's hearts."

"I have also heard that Li Defu of the Public Security Bureau is a capable official and a very shrewd person. As long as he is willing to assist you properly, the Public Security Bureau will not cause too much trouble."

"Therefore, if you trust Li Defu and entrust him with the main affairs of the Security Bureau, Li Defu will naturally be grateful to you and do his job well."

Mu Changyou nodded repeatedly.

Tu Dashan then said:

“We need to use Li Defu, but you also need to manage him. You also need to develop a few of your own people in the Public Security Bureau to report on things within the Bureau at all times. We can’t wait until Li Defu causes trouble before we find out.”

Mu Changyou nodded again, accepting the instruction.

After saying all this, Tu Dashan then said:
"Let me say one last thing: the affairs of the Public Security Bureau are the affairs of the young master."

"If you really provoke a problem that the Public Security Bureau cannot solve, young master, you must not be too calculating. You must find a way to help the Public Security Bureau solve the problem."

Mu Changyou felt bitter. After Tu Dashan's lecture, he understood his relationship with the Public Security Bureau. It seemed that he was destined to take the blame.
-
Perhaps it was because the city management problems in the capital had indeed reached a point where a change was urgently needed, that the Security Bureau was established very quickly.

On May 23, the Public Security Bureau was established.

The Public Security Bureau was located near the city gate and was responsible for fire prevention, public security, urban management, and workshop administration in the capital.

Mu Changyou, a centurion of the Beijing Garrison of the Duke of Qian, served as the Director of the Public Security Bureau.

Li Defu, the former police superintendent of the outer city patrol battalion, was appointed as the deputy director of the Public Security Bureau.

The Public Security Bureau drew personnel from the Five Gates Police Station and added the latest graduates from the Police Training Class, bringing the total to two hundred people, finally setting up the department's framework.

Of course, two hundred people are far from enough to manage a megacity like the capital.

After taking office, Li Defu's first priority was fire prevention.

In the autumn, the capital city often experiences strong winds. If a fire starts in a wooden house, it can spread rapidly, causing huge economic losses.

Therefore, after May, preparations for autumn fire prevention work should begin.

Li Defu still approached Mu Changyou.

"Deputy Director Li's idea is to build fireproof buildings in the capital and install special fire-resistant water tanks in them."

Li Defu nodded and said, "Sir, this is a summary of fire prevention experience from my subordinates."

“There is a hutong in the north of the capital that has not experienced a major fire for decades. I personally went to see it, and they use this kind of mutual assistance system to prevent fires.”

Mu Changyou said with a headache, "But wouldn't that require a lot of manpower? And a lot of silver dollars?"

Li Defu said:
"Actually, the fireproof building can be built using the suggested method, right next to the Bell and Drum Towers. The main issue is coordination."

Mu Changyou understood what Li Defu meant.

The construction of so many fire-resistant buildings required communication with various government departments, such as the Shuntian Prefecture and the Ministry of Works. After completion, fire prevention teams needed to be set up, and these teams also required funding.

Li Defu said:
"Minister Si, fire prevention in the capital is of utmost importance. If a fire breaks out, the court will certainly hold us accountable."

Mu Changyou was startled awake. Fire prevention was the main responsibility of the Public Security Bureau. Just as Li Defu had said, if a large-scale fire really broke out in the capital, he, as the head of the bureau, would definitely be held responsible.

Mu Changyou no longer had any intention of shirking responsibility and immediately began to pull strings.

It can only be said that Mu Changyou really has the talent in this area. Three days later, he ran to all the relevant government departments and obtained the permit to build the fire prevention building. He also obtained a sum of money from the Ministry of Revenue to train the Baojia fire prevention team.

By the end of May, the fire prevention work in the capital had begun to show results, which earned the Public Security Bureau widespread praise from all levels of the capital.

Su Ze thought to himself, "Minister Yang is really good at using people!"

Mu Changyou is the perfect candidate to head the Public Security Bureau!

At the end of May, Shen Yiguan came to the newspaper office again.

"Brother Zilin, the Public Security Bureau is in trouble this time!"

Luo Wanhua asked in confusion:

"Weren't the officials in the court praising the Public Security Bureau for its effective work just a few days ago?"

Su Ze also raised his head, and Shen Yiguan said:
"The Public Security Bureau recently issued an order requiring the clearing of illegal structures in the neighborhood."

Su Ze asked:

Why demolish it?

Shen Yiguan said:
“These illegal buildings were all built right next to houses. Once a fire starts, the flames can spread from these illegal buildings to other buildings. It was based on this experience that Deputy Director Li ordered the demolition of these illegal buildings in the capital.”

Luo Wanhua said:
"It's difficult!"

The illegal construction in the capital city still stems from the problem of insufficient housing.

The illegal structures were built because of a housing shortage.

Demolishing illegal structures is something everyone opposes.

No one would accept Li Defu's order to give up their current interests for a "possible" fire prevention requirement.

Su Ze asked, "And then?"

Shen Yiguan said:
"Many people said that we should first have the Public Security Bureau demolish the illegal structures in the mansions of those important figures in the East and West Cities of the capital."

"Then Li Defu actually stormed into the mansions of the nobles and demanded that they demolish the illegal structures."

Unlike ordinary people, nobles' illegal constructions mainly consisted of shops.

In the capital, these wealthy families were separated by walls, and their residences were quite far apart.

Many nobles actually lived in poverty, and some couldn't even afford to live in the capital.

However, the mansion was a matter of family prestige and could not be sold, so some meritorious officials occupied the land around their homes and built shops there.

This would allow these nobles to maintain their dignity in the capital, while also satisfying the needs of other wealthy nobles and making it easier for them to purchase luxury goods.

The fact that Li Defu wants to demolish these things shows how much resistance he faces.

Su Ze asked seriously:
"Is the Public Security Bureau facing difficulties? If these nobles refuse to dismantle it, then I will petition the court to support the work of the Public Security Bureau!"

Su Ze had already made up his mind that he must support the Public Security Bureau this time, otherwise how could the Public Security Bureau carry out its work?

But Shen Yiguan changed the subject and said with a smile, "This time, Brother Zilin, you don't need to worry. The Public Security Bureau will handle it themselves."

Su Ze asked:

"How to deal with it?"

Shen Yiguan said:
"I heard that after hearing about it, the magistrate Mu Changyou scolded Li Defu for a while, but he still visited these nobles from house to house, trying to reason with them and appeal to their emotions."

"When faced with the stubborn ones, Mu Changyou asked several dukes to come up with the solution, and they finally managed to demolish these illegal buildings."

"Those meritorious officials were willing to demolish the structures, and there was also progress on the side of ordinary people. The cabinet ministers all praised the Public Security Bureau for doing a good job."

Just as the three were talking, an editor rushed into the newspaper office.

"My lords! A great victory has been achieved in the southwest!"

(End of this chapter)