Once I enter the pass, great Confucian scholars will surely debate the classics for me.

Ma Shun clasped his hands in a salute: "I will obey the Commander's orders."

Zhou Qingfeng watched Ma Shun leave quickly, then sat alone in the head seat, lost in thought.

To control the five Plum Blossom Divisions, one cannot do without trusted confidants.

We need to find an opportunity to infiltrate Jin Wei and Zhi Qi; they must be placed in core leadership positions.

Jin Wei, in particular, was a money bag specifically kept to make money for him, and he would take it with him wherever he was promoted.

For now, assign the two appropriate identities to participate in solving the case of an official being murdered in the street.

Once this case is solved, he will be credited.

It was only natural to promote them exceptionally and entrust them with important responsibilities.

A moment later, Jin Wei and Zhi Qi arrived at the main hall of the Fifth Plum Blossom Division. They bowed and clasped their hands in greeting, tactfully changing their forms of address: "Jin Wei, Zhi Qi, greet the Commander."

Zhou Qingfeng nodded slightly: "You two go to the side and listen carefully. You will be assigned a task later."

Jin Wei and Zhi Qi exchanged a glance, secretly suppressing their excitement, and stepped aside to stand.

Immediately afterwards, the two deputy supervisors and four officials, all dressed in bright red official robes, entered the main hall. They first bowed and greeted each other, and then, at Zhou Qingfeng's signal, took their seats on both sides, waiting for Zhou Qingfeng to speak.

Zhou Qingfeng glanced around and slowly said, "Three things."

The six mid- to high-ranking officials present immediately pricked up their ears, listening intently to what followed.

Zhou Qingfeng said calmly, "First, let me meet everyone and get to know you all briefly."

"Second, I'd like to announce a small personnel arrangement."

"Third, everyone, please report on the current progress of the case regarding the official who was killed in the street."

At this point, Zhou Qingfeng smiled slightly and pointed to the first official in the first row on his left: "Let's go through it one by one, starting with self-introductions. You can start."

The middle-aged official named by Zhou Qingfeng was a little taken aback, but then calmly clasped his hands in response: "This humble official is Che Yuxuan, and holds the position of Deputy Director of the Plum Blossom Division of the Fifth Bureau."

Zhou Qingfeng nodded slightly and looked at the next person.

The second official clasped his hands and said, "I am Zhai Xingyuan, and I hold the position of deputy director."

"Your humble servant Yan Wenjiu holds the position of chief clerk."

"Your humble servant, Bi Muge, holds the position of Chief Clerk."

"Your humble servant, Hao Duanhun, holds the position of chief clerk."

"Your humble servant, Pei Xingchun, holds the position of Chief Clerk."

The six officials gave brief self-introductions. What caught Zhou Qingfeng's attention was that among these six mid-to-high-level officials was a woman named Pei Xingchun. This was quite intriguing, not because women couldn't hold office.

Moreover, as a woman, few can reach such a high position.

Pei Xingchun not only rose to prominence but also secured a stable position as the head of the Fifth Division, which indicates that she is no ordinary person. She likely has a powerful background and her personal abilities should not be underestimated.

He took a brief look at the woman, then, without further ado, moved on to the next step: "Jin Wei, Junior Officer of the Night Patrol Division."

Upon hearing this, Jin Wei immediately stepped forward, faced Zhou Qingfeng, and clasped his hands in a salute: "Your subordinate is here."

Zhou Qingfeng said calmly, "Starting today, I will transfer you to the Plum Blossom Division of the Fifth Bureau to serve as the Chief Clerk. The personnel files of the Night Patrol Division will also be transferred to the official files of the Fifth Bureau. The official document of your appointment will be officially issued by the City Lord's Mansion within seven days."

"This humble official thanks Commander for the promotion." Jin Wei's face lit up with joy, and he bowed deeply, clasping his hands in a fist salute.

He was just a junior officer in the Night Patrol Division, essentially a low-level clerk.

He didn't even have an official title; he was always on loan to Zhou Qingfeng to be used.

Now Zhou Qingfeng has promoted him to the Censorate, directly elevating him from a low-level official to a high-ranking official in a core power institution. Even if this official position is just a low-ranking one, it still represents a leap across social classes.

With an official position, Jin Wei's future merits and promotions would be legitimate, and his future would be brighter.

In the Fifth Division, a "bureaucrat" was merely a low-ranking official engaged in clerical work, essentially a secretary or assistant. While not a high-ranking official, they were still considered officials, and their status depended on who they were associated with.

Most of the officials present remained silent, and no one expressed a clear stance or attitude at this moment.

In reality, the selection, appointment, and dismissal of officials, even a low-ranking one, must be reported up through the ranks and approved and stamped by the city lord's office before it is valid. After all, even the lowest-ranking official is still an official, not a minor clerk like a clerk.

Even if Zhou Qingfeng, the deputy commander, needs an assistant and secretary, he should choose from the existing fourteen clerks in the Fifth Division, rather than finding two people from outside to fill the position.

However, Zhou Qingfeng held a high position of power, had a noble status, a deep background, and strong backing. Sending a low-ranking official appointment or dismissal document to the city lord's mansion for approval and stamping would result in its issuance within seven days. This was indeed not a difficult task.

He wanted to put someone in, but it was just an insignificant position. Who would openly oppose him? After all, unless their core interests were touched, no one would be foolish enough to make a fuss over such a trivial matter.

Zhou Qingfeng calmly glanced around and then said, "Take the weapon."

Upon hearing this, Zhiqi stepped forward, faced Zhou Qingfeng, clasped his hands in a salute, and said, "Here."

Zhou Qingfeng said, "From today onwards, you are appointed as the clerk of the Plum Blossom Division of the Fifth Bureau."

Upon hearing this, Zhiqi's expression brightened, and he clasped his hands in a fist and said, "Yes, sir. Thank you for your promotion, Commander."

Dianbo is not an official, but a formal clerk in the Fifth Division. Zhou Qingfeng has the right to dismiss and appoint him directly. With the legal and compliant status of a clerk, Zhiqi can be promoted smoothly if he makes meritorious contributions in the future.

"Step back." Zhou Qingfeng waved his hand.

Jin Wei and the two men holding the weapon immediately clasped their hands and stepped aside, waiting for instructions.

At this moment, an untimely voice rang out: "Heh, the commander has just taken office and is already stuffing people into the Fifth Division. We don't have that rule in the Fifth Division, and it's not a place where just anyone can come and go as they please."

Zhou Qingfeng shifted his gaze to Pei Xingchun and asked indifferently, "Does Manager Pei think it's not acceptable?"

Pei Xingchun chuckled: "Sure, of course it's fine. Who are you? The fourth young master of Sword Tower, the deputy governor, a member of the council chamber, and the deputy commander of the Censorate, in charge of our five departments. Who would dare say no?"

Zhou Qingfeng was somewhat surprised to hear this. He hadn't expected that someone would dare to challenge his authority when the core interests of no one present had been violated at all. They must be incredibly stubborn.

His expression was calm, his eyes like a deep spring, as he began to scrutinize Pei Xingchun.

If you say she's being dissenting, she's not really against it; she just pops up and makes sarcastic remarks, as if she really dislikes you. But when you ask her directly, she agrees.

If this were a small place like the Night Patrol Division, they could have easily taken her job and established their authority. But in a high-level power institution like the Censorate, the old methods wouldn't work, and they had to find a more sophisticated way to do it.

Regardless of her background or connections, Pei Xingchun's official appointments and removals were all handled by the City Lord's Mansion. Without her mother's personal approval, even Qiu Chengde could only transfer her to a lateral position or order her to remain on standby, but could not remove her from her post.

Since we can't defeat the opponent, there's no rush.

First, find out her background and play along.

Zhou Qingfeng smiled faintly: "It seems that Steward Pei is not very welcoming of my arrival."

Pei Xingchun said neither humbly nor arrogantly, "It's not a matter of welcoming or not welcoming; I'm just speaking up for Manager Luo."

Zhou Qingfeng shifted to a more comfortable sitting position, a smile playing on his lips, and said, "Oh, I'd like to hear more."

Pei Xingchun bluntly stated: "Deputy Commander Zhou, this position of deputy commander is of no importance to you; it is merely a dispensable opportunity in your promising future."

"But for Manager Luo, it was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for promotion."

"Supervisor Luo worked diligently in the Fifth Division for 150 years."

"From a lowly clerk to the head of five departments, he solved countless major cases."

"He is honest and incorruptible, always clean and upright, and works diligently and conscientiously, always fulfilling his duties."

"In the fifty years since he became a manager, he has never taken a single day off."

Do you know how much pressure there is in solving major cases?

"Working under high pressure year after year, day after day."

"Manager Luo is suffering from a serious mental illness. Famous doctors have advised him to take a good rest for a while, but he does not listen and insists on working despite his illness, without letting his illness interfere with anything."

"The position of deputy commander should have been his all along."

"But you came and effortlessly cut off his path to promotion."

"Is this fair to Supervisor Luo?"

Upon hearing this, Zhou Qingfeng remained calm and composed.

This is all Pei Xingchun's side of the story and is not credible.

He chuckled lightly: "Chief Pei, I didn't expect you to have such a strong sense of justice, and to be able to sit in the position of the Fifth Division Chief. You are a pure white lotus that rises from the mud unsullied. Would you mind telling me how you did it?"

Pei Xingchun raised his head and said confidently, "With my own abilities, I have solved as many as 166 major cases since I took office. I have reached this position today entirely by my own efforts!"

Zhou Qingfeng shook his head and chuckled, his smile containing three parts mockery, three parts helplessness, and four parts disdain.

He didn't delve deeper into the topic, but instead steered the conversation to the main point: "Colleagues, let's cut the small talk and talk about the progress of the case of the official killed in the street. Chief Pei, you can go first."

When it came to serious matters, Pei Xingchun straightened her chest, raised her head, and became serious. Her aura changed instantly. She flipped her hand and took out the prepared case files from her storage ring, stood up, and handed them over.

"Commander, this is a detailed case file that I have compiled. Would you like me to dictate it to you?"

Zhou Qingfeng took the case file and placed it on the desk, then looked down and flipped through it: "Tell me about it."

Pei Xingchun clasped his hands in a salute, then stood with his hands behind his back and said, "The deceased was named Yang Jianxin. He was a deputy director of the Household Registration Department and ranked in the Food Demon Realm. He was ordered by Emperor Gengshi on March 1, 1092 to conduct a census of the registered population."

"When Yang Jianxin investigated the suspect, the suspect suddenly attacked and killed him. Yang Jianxin was caught off guard, his life palace shattered, and he died on the spot. The suspect then fled and disappeared, but it can be determined that the suspect is still in the city."

"Because the city guards had already imposed a full curfew and issued a wanted notice with a reward at the first moment of the incident, and there were eyewitnesses present, and the perpetrator's physical appearance was clear, it was only a matter of time before he was caught hiding in the city."

Zhou Qingfeng continued looking down at the case file and casually said, "What is the name of the perpetrator, where do they live, how many people are in their family, what do they do for a living? These things are not written in the case file. Is it because they didn't check, or because they can't find them?"

Pei Xingchun said, "We can't find anything. The perpetrator is an unregistered resident. Apart from his appearance and physical characteristics, we know nothing else about him."

Zhou Qingfeng hummed in agreement: "What are you planning to do?"

Pei Xingchun clasped his hands in a fist and said, "This humble official is working hard to investigate and find new clues."

Zhou Qingfeng stared at Pei Xingchun for a long time, then calmly waved his hand to signal that Pei Xingchun could go back and sit down. He then had the two deputy supervisors and the three chief officers report on the progress of the case one after another, and they all gave very detailed and logical reports.

But when it comes to the crucial issue of apprehending the criminals, the answer is that they are working hard to solve the case and find new clues.

No one made any pledge or guarantee.

After the two deputy supervisors, Dai and Zhai, and the four main managers, Yan, Bi, Hao and Pei, left one after another.

Zhou Qingfeng casually tossed the case file onto the table, stood up, put his hands behind his back, and glanced at Jin Wei and the other man holding the weapon: "Remember the names of these six people, and thoroughly investigate their backgrounds, including the supervisor Luo Bingyi."

Jin Wei and Zhi Qi exchanged a glance, then clasped their hands in unison: "As you command."

For the next period of time, Zhou Qingfeng remained calm, neither eliminating dissidents nor seeking quick success. He went to get off work and left work on time every day, pretending to urge the two deputy supervisors and four chief officers to speed up the investigation and arrest the criminals.

The six mid- to high-ranking officials always seemed very busy, and the five departments were in complete disarray. However, when asked about the progress of the case, the answer was always that the case was being investigated diligently and new clues were being sought.

After taking leave for medical treatment, Supervisor Luo Bingyi voluntarily took a long leave of absence and never came back.

Day after day, the pressure of handling the case piled up on Zhou Qingfeng, the senior leader in charge.

After all, Zhou Qingfeng has only recently taken charge of the Fifth Division, the Plum Blossom Division, and has yet to achieve any significant accomplishments, making his position unstable.

He deserves the credit for solving the case.

Before the case was solved, a huge black pot was slammed down on them.

Even though my mother is the city lord and my master is the head of the Censorate, I can forget about becoming the deputy commander.

He was dismissed as soon as he took office and had to leave in disgrace.

Most people would have been frantic and jumping around in panic.

However, Zhou Qingfeng remained calm and composed, wisely choosing to plan before acting.

Seven days later, Jin Wei and Zhi Qi came to report.

Zhou Qingfeng sat in the tea room of the five main halls, leisurely drinking tea and reading. He read "The Survival Story of the Borderland" to broaden his knowledge. When he saw the two of them arrive, he gestured, "Sit down and have some tea."

"Yes, sir." Jin Weihe clasped his hands in a fist and bowed in response, then sat down behind the tea table, sipping his tea slowly and reservedly.

Zhou Qingfeng smiled faintly: "Tell me what you've found out from your secret investigations these past few days."

Jin Wei straightened his expression, put down his teacup, and took out the collected files from his storage bag, placing them on the tea table in front of Zhou Qingfeng: "Commander, these files are what I and my staff have investigated recently. After multiple verifications, they are accurate. Due to time constraints, we cannot find anything deeper or more secretive for the time being."

Zhou Qingfeng remained calm and quietly reviewed the files.

Jin Wei and Zhi Qi looked at each other and sat quietly drinking tea.

After a short while, Zhou Qingfeng had finished reviewing the files of seven mid- to high-ranking officials and had gained a comprehensive understanding of their family backgrounds, past experiences, and factions.

But what followed was a very tricky situation, because all seven officials had powerful backgrounds and connections.

For example, Pei Xingchun's father was the former deputy commander of the Censorate and a close friend of Qiu Chengde. Although he has retired and is now living at home, half of the people in the Censorate are his father's protégés and former subordinates.

Many of these former students and subordinates held high positions of power, becoming the top or second-in-command of their departments.

Pei Xingchun relied on her father's legacy, essentially following in his footsteps, and rose through the ranks step by step, possessing incredibly strong connections.

Her mentor was Supervisor Luo. From the moment she entered the Censorate, Supervisor Luo personally guided her in investigating cases, and all her professional skills were taught by Supervisor Luo himself.

Deputy Director Zhai Xingyuan was promoted by the current Deputy Commander Jiang of the Censorate.

The instructor was Supervisor Luo.

The uncle of the deputy director Che Yuxuan is the current deputy commander of the Censorate, Mao.

Similarly, the instructor was also Supervisor Luo.

The remaining three leaders, Hao Duanhun, Yan Wenjiu, and Bi Muge, were all close associates of Supervisor Luo, capable individuals personally trained by him, and were considered his mentors.

Supervisor Luo is highly capable, incorruptible, and cherishes his reputation. He never takes sides, is focused on making contributions, achieving results, and getting promoted, and is also very adept at cultivating connections and resources.

He had no background or connections, yet he rose through the ranks to become the head of the Fifth Division.

He was truly unaffiliated with any party or faction, relying entirely on personal connections, leaving no dirt on anyone, his hands were impeccably clean.

Moreover, the mid-to-high-level officials in the Fifth Division were all students of Director Luo, and behind these students were former Deputy Commander Pei and current Deputy Commanders Mao Jiang, making the relationships intricate and complex.

Like a tangled ball of yarn, it's enough to make your scalp tingle and leave you wondering how to untangle it.

Zhou Qingfeng closed the file, rubbed his temples, and clicked his tongue twice: "Tsk tsk, this is a bit troublesome."

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