NFBE Chapter 328 Official Strike
Chapter 328 Official Strike
Several government offices in the capital were in chaos, with officials and clerks running around in the rooms like headless flies, carrying government documents.
Many officials in important positions fell seriously ill overnight and were recuperating at home. At a time when tax collection is imminent and official duties are busy, more than a hundred officials in important positions are not showing up. To whom should they report urgent official duties and how should they hand over the duties?
The emperor convened a small court meeting in the imperial study and asked more than a dozen important ministers to discuss countermeasures.
The little emperor sat there with a stern face and said nothing. His Royal Highness the Regent remained calm and composed, and did not look annoyed or anxious.
Shen Lun, the vice chancellor, knew the reason for this. Gu Pingzhou had come to his house yesterday to persuade him to join the strike of all officials today. Shen Lun refused to agree, but promised to persuade His Royal Highness the Regent to give up the implementation of the new policy throughout the country.
Such a visible and large-scale strike of officials was collectively seriously ill. All the smart people present knew that this was a premeditated strike of officials to resist the new policy reforms.
This move is cruel and damaging enough. It depends on how His Royal Highness the Regent will deal with it. Will he continue to fight despite the turmoil in the court, the delays in government affairs and the officials on strike, or will he compromise and admit defeat?
Seeing that no one was talking, Regent Zhao Defang smiled faintly, "Since hundreds of officials are collectively seriously ill, it proves that their bodies are weak and they are really not suitable for the heavy government affairs. Let them stay at home forever!"
The ministers were all surprised!
Is the Regent going to dismiss those officials? This is a big deal. If hundreds of officials of all ranks were suddenly dismissed, wouldn't the government offices in the capital be in chaos? If government affairs are delayed for too long, the government offices in the provinces will also be in chaos.
Shen Lun hurriedly tried to persuade him, "Your Highness, this cannot be done! These officials who are seriously ill all hold important posts in various government offices. If they are dismissed, the government affairs of the court will be in chaos!"
Regent Zhao Defang looked at Shen Lun and asked, "Sir Shen, these hundreds of officials suddenly became seriously ill overnight. I'm sure you all know what happened. If we don't dismiss them, will we let them occupy their positions and delay the handling of government affairs?"
Shen Lun smiled bitterly, "To be honest with you, Your Highness, someone approached me yesterday to persuade me to strike today. This new policy affects the interests of too many people. Even if the poor people at the bottom support it, Your Highness, this country needs to be governed by knowledgeable and capable officials!
If this new policy is implemented forcefully, it will inevitably cause civil unrest. Please think twice, Your Majesty."
The little emperor Zhao Wuji said angrily: "Without rat shit, the porridge in the pot is cleaner!"
No one argued with the little emperor. The person in charge was His Royal Highness the Regent in front of them, and all the ministers were watching his reaction.
Regent Zhao Defang, however, was uncompromising: "The new policy reforms must be implemented. Whoever resists will be punished by me.
Why not quickly promote a group of young and promising or capable low-level officials to replace them, and let them recuperate at home and resist? "
Prime Minister Xue Juzheng said worriedly: "Your Majesty, it is easy to select a group of low-level officials who are familiar with government affairs to replace them, but the positions of those low-level officials also need to be filled immediately.
There is a talent shortage! If more officials respond to the strike, then... it will be a big trouble!"
"There won't be any big trouble." Regent Zhao Defang smiled confidently, "The group of young students that Lord Luo and Lord Kou have trained in Xishu can make great achievements."
Kou Zhun, the youngest among the court officials, came out upon hearing this and said, "The group of young people that my mentor, Lord Luo, and I have personally taught are pragmatic, down-to-earth, and capable. They are no worse than ordinary officials in handling government affairs, and are a hundred times better than those corrupt officials who are just sitting there doing nothing. We will not let you down."
Luo Ji stroked his beard and agreed with a smile, "Yes, that's right. At the beginning, following the order of the prince, Kou Zhun and I spent a lot of effort to teach those more than 600 carefully selected young students how to handle government affairs. They are down-to-earth, hardworking, passionate, willing to use their hearts and brains, and each of them is a talent."
"More than six hundred?" Prince Gao Huaide of Bohai exclaimed!
If this news gets out, I wonder how many officials will be in danger?
Some people looked at the young and handsome Regent with fear and trepidation, while others looked at him with admiration and admiration. It was truly a foresighted plan to plan this early on!
Regent Zhao Defang said calmly: "Of the more than 600 young students trained in Shu, I have sent more than 300 to the Sixteen Prefectures of Yanyun. In addition, the Mingfeng Academy, which opened in the winter of the previous year in the capital, was also funded by me. Lord Luo and Lord Kou are both guest teachers of the academy. Cao Wei and Gao Yingxiong are also guest martial arts teachers of the academy.
Do you need capable people? I have plenty of them!"
Everyone was shocked again! The Mingfeng Academy in Nanshan outside the city, which only recruited students from poor families, was actually organized by the Regent?
The young Emperor Zhao Wuji smiled triumphantly when he saw his ministers being surprised and shocked to the point of being dumbfounded!
[How can you old guys who stick to the old ways understand the great talent and foresight of the Emperor's uncle?
Don't even think about catching up with him, even if you flatter him, you can't catch up with the emperor's uncle. 】
Cao Bin and Gao Huaide were shocked, and secretly scolded their son in their hearts: "You little bastard! You're really tight-lipped. Last year, he ran out every few days and was nowhere to be seen. It turns out that in addition to being on duty in the military camp, he also served as a martial arts teacher in the prince's "Mingfeng" Academy? Although he was a guest martial arts teacher, his father was also proud!
On the second day, the court was shaken!
More than 100 officials of all ranks who were seriously ill and at home were awarded the treatment of being able to stay at home. More than 100 capable or young and promising junior officials were lucky enough to be promoted quickly to replace the officials who were being given treatment.
More than one hundred young people with Sichuan accents and Beijing accents were hired as special recruits to fill the vacancies of low-level officials. The various government offices were in chaos for a while, but then they became orderly, and government affairs were handled smoothly.
Minister of Rites Gu Pingzhou almost vomited blood! He failed to achieve his goal of threatening to resist by striking, but instead lost his job?
His position as Minister of Rites was replaced by Liu Yaozu, the Right Vice Minister of Rites, and Liu Yaozu's position as Vice Minister was replaced by Fan Jinjiang, a sixth-rank censor. How could Fan Jinjiang's position be temporarily replaced by a white-clothed scholar with only the title of scholar?
This is truly an unprecedented and shocking thing! It is intolerable by law and by heaven!
Zhao Defang, are you determined to go against the aristocratic families and the wealthy and powerful? Do you want to give up the supreme honor enjoyed by the Zhao royal family and die without a burial place?