Chapter 410: Chapter 106 Central Governnt
Imperial City, Lanling City.
This place is the center of the entire Da Lan Dynasty, and even the center of the whole world!
Although eighteen years ago, in that battle, the Da Lan Dynasty was nearly defeated all the way to the Imperial City.
But that was a battle where the Da Lan Dynasty fought against seven countries!
And yet, the Da Lan Dynasty still won!
Therefore, the prestige of the Central Empire remains, and to say Lanling City is the center of the world is not an exaggeration.
As the capital of the Da Lan Dynasty, Lanling City previously had a permanent population of over a million.
After the reforms, many old districts were demolished and rebuilt with new buildings that could accommodate more people.
Now, the population of Lanling City has exceeded two million!
From the outside to the inside, there are the outer city area, the inner city area, and the Imperial City.
Naturally, the Imperial City is the center of this ‘center of the world.’
Many years ago, the Da Lan Dynasty changed from an Imperial System to a dual monarchy.
Simply put, a dual monarchy ans the Emperor and the Cabinet Ministers govern the country together.
The Emperor has the authority to appoint the Cabinet Ministers, as well as the power to veto cabinet decisions.
He appears to remain high and mighty, the Emperor.
But much of the power has indeed been divided away by the Cabinet.
In most cases, the Emperor does not need to manage specific affairs, the Central Cabinet can directly decide on matters of the world!
Thus the Imperial Cabinet and the Golden Throne Hall within the Imperial City are considered the two ‘hearts’ of the Imperial City.
Great matters of the state are almost always decided in these two places.
May 27, the forty-sixth year of Hongguang.
Lanling City, Imperial City, Cabinet.
Though called a courtyard, it actually encompasses a vast array of palaces.
Internal Affairs Pavilion, Judicial Pavilion, Monitoring Pavilion, Inspector Pavilion, Righteous Law Pavilion, and Zhi Ge Pavilion together form the Central Cabinet of the Da Lan Dynasty.
Becoming a Cabinet Minister, even if just a regular cabinet official, earns the honorific title ‘Senior Minister’ from other officials.
In fact, the average age of the cabinet officials has always been over fifty years, so the title ‘Senior Minister’ is quite fitting.
In the very center of the Cabinet stands Zixu Hall, the hall furnished with desks and chairs, where piles of scrolls and books accumulate on the long tables.
The hall is always bustling with people coming in and out, eunuchs or others carrying scrolls swiftly entering from outside the hall, cautiously placing items on a Senior Minister’s desk, or carrying already decided scrolls out.
These in-and-out scrolls, like flowing blood, are brought into and out of this giant called ‘Da Lan Dynasty.’
The vast Central Empire lives and changes under this circulating ‘blood.’
The hustle and bustle in Zixu Hall starts in the morning and continues until evening.
Every day, initial reviews of matters needing decisions are handled within the Six Pavilions, then sent to Zixu Hall for final review, and finally sealed with the grand seal of the Central Cabinet and distributed everywhere.
Inside Zixu Hall, apart from the Senior Ministers of the Six Pavilions, there are also so officials who do not belong to any of the Pavilions.
They have a more prestigious title, called ‘University Scholars of Zixu Hall.’
These individuals all report to the current Chief Minister, joining him in the final review of all matters concerning the Six Pavilions.
Amidst the busyness, a University Scholar of Zixu Hall with a purple celestial pattern embroidered on his official robe suddenly stood up, carrying a scroll towards the long table in the center of the hall.
Seeing this, all the busy officials in the hall stopped their conversations and turned their gazes in that direction.
“Teacher, this scroll needs your decision.”
The University Scholar of Zixu Hall approached the long table, bowed respectfully, and offered the scroll in both hands with a soft voice.
At the end of the table, the man referred to as ‘Teacher’ by the University Scholar sat upright, his deep blue official robe embroidered with a sun on the front and a moon on the back, and eighteen purple stars—indicating he is a top-level 18th-rank official, the pinnacle of Da Lan Dynasty’s civil servants!
The man had slightly gray temples, a goatee, and naturally heavy pupils that were quite intimidating.
His na was Ye Ze’an, the current Chief Minister of the Da Lan Dynasty.
Second to none, supre over tens of thousands!
Ye Ze’an took the scroll from the other, quickly looked it over.
After reading, his expression unchanged, he decisively called out two nas
“Fang Xingmao, Duan Qi.”
The two Cabinet Ministers, called by na, swiftly rose and bowed to Ye Ze’an:
“Your subordinate is here.”
One was from the Monitoring Pavilion, the other from the Zhi Ge Pavilion.
Ye Ze’an said, “You two are in charge of affairs in Feng Province, what are your thoughts on the Zhang Zongyang case of Datong Prefecture?”
The scroll in his hands listed petitions from Feng Province Inspector Lu Wenzheng and Datong Prefecture Garrison Commander Bian Jingru that accused each other of wrongdoing.
Both n expressed their views, and each sternly blad the other for being at fault!
Fang Xingmao and Duan Qi knew very well that Chief Minister Ye Ze’an preferred swift and decisive action and efficiency, and detested slippery, ambiguous attitudes.
Thus, both had prepared their statents in advance.
The Monitoring Pavilion official, Fang Xingmao, spoke first:
“Reporting to the Chief Minister, your subordinate has carefully reviewed all the scrolls regarding Zhang Zongyang’s case from Datong Prefecture. There indeed exist so doubts, with key witnesses identifying forr Wu’an University’s Zhi Ge Departnt professor Xu Jing conspiring with spies from Western Countries, aiming to harm the students of Wuda; and also orchestrating a plot against the Martial Arts Sect Iron Blade Sect, intending to use Divine Skills to devour the Divine Skills of Sect Leader Gu Xianfeng of Iron Blade Sect to achieve a breakthrough to Great Grandmaster.
To my knowledge, this Xu Jing is likely the headmaster that Feng Province Inspector Lu Wenzheng is shortlisting for the upcoming new university. This matter concerns the establishnt of the new university and involves many parties, thus your subordinate cannot reach a conclusion at this ti.”
Grandmasters, a new university—Fang Xingmao’s words made many of the officials present shift subtly in their expressions.
Ye Ze’an listened in silence before turning his gaze to another cabinet minister, Duan Qi.
Duan Qi imdiately started speaking:
“Chief Minister, I have carefully reviewed the case files of Zhang Zongyang, and all the evidence, both testimony and physical, is conclusive. I believe that any competent judicial officer, upon reviewing the case, would conclude it. As for the so-called crucial witness ntioned by Minister Fang earlier, I find it ridiculous!
Can a re testimony, without any solid proof, slander a Martial Arts Master as colluding with Western spies?
Rather, isn’t the evidence solid regards the transactions between the Iron Blade Sect in Datong Prefecture and Western spies? How can it then be claid that Xu Jing orchestrated it all?”
Ye Ze’an listened to Duan Qi’s statent expressionless and then said:
“Get to your conclusion.”
“Yes.”
Duan Qi loudly declared, “I believe all accusations from the Garrison Commander Bian Jingru regarding Zhang Zongyang are baseless, with no solid evidence, just malicious allegations!
Bian Jingru, in slandering his superior, is guilty of one cri.
Failing to secure the execution ground within his jurisdiction, allowing criminals to be rescued, which sared the court’s reputation, constitutes his second cri.
Being unable to protect his colleague on the day of the rescue, resulting in the death of a Sitting Official, marks his third cri.
Such cumulative offences demand his removal from the position of Garrison Commander!”
These words made many faces in the room change.
Ye Ze’an still expressionless, then turned to Fang Xingmao:
“Do you have anything else to say?”
Fang Xingmao replied calmly:
“Chief Minister, Xu Jing and two other professors along with over a dozen special lecturers from Wuda submitted their resignation notices on the day of the execution rescue, clearly preditated.
There were two people involved in the rescue that day, one of them nad Hao Yi, who had an old grudge with Xu Jing from many years ago. This individual has always been a thorn in Xu Jing’s side.
During the fight on that day, Xu Jing used the ‘Cloud Soaring Divine Power’ of the Iron Blade Sect’s Sect Leader Gu Xianfeng, indicating that he possesses the ability to absorb others’ Divine Powers.
First absorbing the Divine Power, then resolving the old grudge, he made a Breakthrough and then resigned from Wuda to go to Feng Province, where he ultimately applied to beco the chancellor of the new university as a Grandmaster—this is the plot crafted by Xu Jing along with the Inspector of Feng Province, Lu Wenzheng!”
“Hmm, so Minister Fang is still engaging in conjecture!”
Duan Qi snorted coldly.
Fang Xingmao didn’t even look at him and loudly said:
“Whether it’s conjecture or not, those present here are no fools and can judge for themselves. Or perhaps, Minister Duan, can you guarantee that Feng Province won’t allow Xu Jing to apply for the new university in the province using his status as a Grandmaster in the future?”
“You…”
Duan Qi angrily stared, about to retort but was interrupted by Ye Ze’an:
“That’s enough.”
The Great Hall beca quiet again.
“For the case of Zhang Zongyang in Datong Prefecture, with conclusive evidence and lacking new concrete proof, proceed according to the already concluded judgnt.”
Ye Ze’an began announcing his decision:
“Regarding the rescue of the execution ground and the murder of a colleague, Garrison Commander Bian Jingru should bear the primary responsibility, penalized with a forfeiture of salary for three years, and given three months to apprehend the criminals and retrieve the escaped convicts, otherwise, he will face severe punishnt!”
Hearing this decision, everyone present quickly pondered it.
Duan Qi previously ntioned Bian Jingru had three major cris, but Ye Ze’an eventually only ntioned the latter two, not even touching on the first ‘the cri of slandering a superior.’
Also, the punishnt for Bian Jingru left substantial leeway for redemption, which suggests that Fang Xingmao’s allegations of ‘malicious intentions’ did impact the decision.
Indeed, as Fang Xingmao had said, no one present was a fool.
For years, the Lu Family worked towards the establishnt of the new university, now it was practically ‘ready but for the opportunity.’
Under such circumstances, to claim that Xu Jing’s sequence of actions had no ulterior motives—nobody would believe it!
Yet in regards to the new university being established in Feng Province, Ye Ze’an did not seem averse.
At least currently, as long as Lu Wenzheng could secure a Grandmaster, there was a high likelihood the new university would ‘fall into the Lu Family’s lap.’
“Chief Minister.”
Just then, another University Scholar from Zixu Hall stood up and saluted Ye Ze’an:
“On the night of May 25th, a special train sent from Feng Province… eventually, all eleven officials from the investigative team were killed…”
He revealed the ambush on the train from Feng Province.
Ye Ze’an’s expression turned cold:
“Have the culprits been identified?”
“According to evidence left at the scene and survivors’ testimonials, it’s preliminary confird that the perpetrator is soone claiming to be the ‘Blood-faced Ghost.'”
“The Blood-faced Ghost?”
“Minister Fang just ntioned that there were two assailants at the Datong Prefecture execution ground rescue, one nad Hao Yi, and the other was this ‘Blood-faced Ghost.'”
“In that case, tell Bian Jingru, if he can’t catch the Blood-faced Ghost within three months, he need not remain as the Garrison Commander!”
Ye Ze’an coldly stated.
After speaking, he looked around at the present attendees:
“Does anyone have any objections?”
The officials in the Great Hall rose up speaking in unison:
“Let’s follow what the Chief Minister says!”
…
This day, the na ‘Blood-faced Ghost’ entered the awareness of the high echelons of the Empire for the first ti.
….
The third update, adding up to ten thousand words completed~
Seeking monthly tickets
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