"Seize every moment. How can I not be anxious?" Chen Pingping's thin face was expressionless. His smooth, beardless chin made the wrinkles on his face seem even deeper. He looked very old. "Remember, I am not much younger than Xiao En."
Fan Xian was silent. He could smell some sort of gray aura from the old cripple in front of him. He forced himself to calm down and reported some of the secrets that had occurred on his journey, but he did not reveal that he had talked with Xiao En all night in the cave, and that he already knew the specific location of the temple.
"When can Si Lili enter the palace?" Chen Pingping seemed to be very confident in controlling that woman from a thousand miles away.
Fan Xian frowned slightly, wondering when he would be able to get in touch with Si Lili's brother. "I'm making arrangements with some people. For the Northern Qi court, this isn't a big deal. It shouldn't be difficult."
Chen Pingping nodded. "You know, the First Bureau's position was originally reserved for Yan Bingyun. I didn't expect Yan Ruohai to want to retire at such a young age. Yan Bingyun has always worked for his father, and is very familiar with the Fourth Bureau. Staying there is not a bad choice. But the First Bureau has been thrown to you. You need to be careful. "
Fan Xian squinted. "Is there anything I need to be careful of?"
Chen Pingping looked into his eyes with a strange smile. "There are many things you need to be careful of. In fact, His Majesty has always hoped that you would pick up the First Bureau. After all, there are many officials in the capital. If you don't keep a close eye on them and let them get too close to the princes, there will always be some trouble. "
Fan Xian's heart trembled. He began to secretly curse that person in the palace. Your sons are making a ruckus. Why do I have to put out the fire?
Chen Pingping's withered fingers gently tapped on the armrest of the wheelchair. His knuckles protruded like the joints of bamboo. Fan Xian turned to look and heard the tapping of the armrest. Only then did he realize that the armrest was hollow, just like bamboo. He couldn't help but have a strange thought. This most strict and terrifying old man in the Qing Kingdom was as temperamental as bamboo in the wind?
"You did well in the north this time," Chen Pingping said. "You had Wang Qinian stay there. I know what you want to do, but as long as His Majesty doesn't say anything, you can't make a move."
Fan Xian frowned and said, "The Eldest Princess made a lot of money from that line. You also know that I will be taking over the palace treasury after the New Year. If I do not clean up this mess before I take over, I will not be able to produce results. How can I explain it to the world? "
Chen Pingping glanced at him and said, "The Cui family sells goods to the north on behalf of the Eldest Princess. If you cut off this line, is there anyone suitable to take over?"
Fan Xian thought he had something to introduce, so he put on an expression that said he was all ears.
Chen Pingping waved his hand. "I will report this matter to the Emperor. The Emperor also feels that the Eldest Princess has stretched her hand too far these past few years. But, after all, we are one family. If he is not willing to relent, then you should not act. You must know that the Council also hopes that you can firmly control the palace treasury. First, you are the commissioner. Second, you must know that the reason the Overwatch Council is able to maintain its current position among the three departments and six departments is inseparable from the palace treasury."
Fan Xian asked, "What do you mean by that?"
Chen Pingping glanced at him and slowly explained in a gloomy voice, "The Overwatch Council has the power to supervise all officials, so it cannot have any relations with these departments. The affairs of the state and the Council have always been separated. The Overwatch Council spends a large amount of money a year, but in all these years, not a single cent has been taken from the national treasury. So, whether it is the Ministry of Revenue or the other departments, they cannot order the Council around. This is the so-called independence."
Fan Xian understood. "The Overwatch Council's funds and salaries are all directly taken from the profits of the palace treasury."
"Correct." Chen Pingping continued, "This was an iron rule set by your mother in order to separate the Council from the officials of the world. So, if you want to control the Council in the future, you must plan for the thousands of officials in the Council and the people on the periphery. The healthier the palace treasury, the more stable the Overwatch Council's economic foundation, and it can always maintain this independent position. "
Chen Pingping laughed coldly. "Since the beginning of the bloodshed 13 years ago, the Emperor has made who knows how many new policies. The old Ministry of Military Affairs was changed to the Council of Military Affairs, and now it is changed to the Bureau of Military Affairs. He has also reestablished the Ministry of War. This is just a small example. These things in name, changed again and again, seem to have no impact on the bones, but in reality, they have kneaded these departments into a big pile of dough. And the reason the Overwatch Council has always been like it was before is because of the so-called independence. "
Fan Xian smiled bitterly. "This is all because of the Emperor's words."
"So you must fight!" Chen Pingping stared coldly into his eyes. "If there is a day in the future when the palace wants to crush the Overwatch Council, you must fight! If the Overwatch Council also becomes a broken thing like the Supreme Court, then our Qing Kingdom … I'm afraid it will slowly become a broken thing like the Wei Kingdom! "
Fan Xian understood the old cripple's worries. He had seen more than him, and naturally understood the importance of the so-called independence of the Overwatch Council.
"So, the palace treasury and the Overwatch Council have always been one and the same." Chen Pingping said each word clearly. "Your father's thinking was really childish! To be in charge of the palace treasury, you must have power in your hands and firmly control this Council! And to control this Council, you must ensure the Council's blood supply! Don't underestimate this thing called money. This small thing is enough to destroy the most tightly controlled organization in the world. "
Hearing him talk about his father, Fan Xian, as his son, could not say much. He could only silently accept the lesson.
— — —
That day, Fan Xian went to the First Bureau and officially took up his post. The yamen of the First Bureau was not in the square, gray-black building of the Overwatch Council. Instead, it was in a courtyard next to the Supreme Court in the east of the city. The door looked solemn and solemn, but the sign on the door almost made Fan Xian spit on the face of Teng Zijing, who was acting as a coachman.
He leaned against the wall of the carriage and resisted the urge to laugh. He looked at the sign, which he thought was neither fish nor fowl.
"The First Bureau of the Overwatch Council of the Qing Kingdom."
Fan Xian suddenly felt as if time had reversed. He thought he had come to another time and space, to the door of a prosecutor's office in a city famous for its oil fields.
The carriage was light, and Mu Tie had not been notified beforehand. The Council's official documents had not yet been issued, so the Overwatch Council officials of the First Bureau did not know that a new leader would be arriving today. The gatekeeper looked at the carriage in front of the yamen and muttered to himself. The young man standing outside was holding his belly and laughing like an idiot. What a waste of that pretty face of his. He stood there for a long time and did not come in. What was he doing?
At this time, Fan Xian had already led Deng Ziyue and a few of his trusted aides inside. Teng Zijing did not want to go in. From the bottom of his heart, he wanted to stay away from the Overwatch Council. The gatekeeper was an old man nearly fifty years old. He hurried out and stopped them. "Sirs, what can I do for you?"
Fan Xian was slightly surprised. The first time he had rushed into the Overwatch Council, no one had stopped him. That was because no one else was going to wander into the Overwatch Council later. His mind worked quickly. Seeing the gatekeeper come to stop him, he wondered if the First Bureau had a lot of officials visiting them on a regular basis.
Although he was not wearing his official robes today, Deng Ziyue and the others were still wearing the uniform of the Overwatch Council. So the gatekeeper did not know who they were, and his tone was relatively gentle.
Fan Xian ignored him and walked straight in. Deng Zi Yue held up his hand to stop the old man, and they walked straight into the yamen.
Once inside, Fan Xian realized that the First Bureau was indeed different. Not only did no one come up to greet him, but after walking through a few rooms, he found that the rooms were empty. When it was time to be on duty, there was not a single person. He was a little confused. He found a chair in the side hall and sat down. He could faintly hear the sounds of chatter coming from the back of the yamen.
There were a few officials in the Qinian Unit. Coincidentally, one of them was with the commissioner today. His name was Su Wenmao. Seeing that Fan Xian did not look pleased, he hurried to the registration room to look for the official on duty. Unexpectedly, he could not find him. Su Wenmao was also puzzled. He had only left the First Bureau for a year. Why had the atmosphere in the yamen become so strange? Fortunately, he was an old man. Even if he could not find him, he could still find tea and hot water. He hurriedly and respectfully made a cup of tea and brought it to Fan Xian.
Fan Xian was not in a hurry. He held the tea cup in his hands and sipped it gently. Like the old officials in the court, he maintained his composure.
Deng Ziyue glared at Su Wenmao. What he meant was, after all this time, no one had come out. Su Wenmao stood by Fan Xian's side, his body half-bent with a bitter smile on his face. He did not dare to respond. He truly did not think that the First Bureau of the Overwatch Council would, under Director Chen's might, become like an idle yamen.
The gatekeeper poked his head in from outside the door and saw that these officials were only drinking tea. He guessed that they were waiting for someone, so he didn't bother to pay them any more attention. Thus, they sat awkwardly in the middle of the hall. Fan Xian was getting impatient. He stood up and motioned for them to sit, while he walked to the cupboard at the side of the hall. He began to flip through the files that had long been covered in dust. He thought to himself that no one had come to stop him. The discipline of the First Bureau was truly broken.
Suddenly, a few people walked in, talking and laughing. Looking at their uniforms, they were all officials of the Overwatch Council. In their hands, they carried large bamboo baskets. In the baskets, there were fish chilled. They looked quite fresh. When these people passed by Fan Xian's group, they did not look them in the eye. Only one of them caught a glimpse of Su Wenmao and laughed loudly. "Old Su, how come you have time to come back today?"
Su Wenmao's face was full of awkwardness. He saw Fan Xian's hand gesture in the corner and could only smile. "Today, the commissioner is reporting to the Council. We have nothing to do, so we brought you guys for a walk." On the way north, the Qinian Unit knew of Fan Xian's methods. Under the pressure, they did not dare to say a word of warning.
The man clapped his hands and called for the others to bring in the basket of fish. With an envious expression, he said to Su Wenmao, "Old Su, you have made a meteoric rise. If you follow that young master, won't you be able to do whatever you want in the future?"
Su Wenmao considered his words and carefully replied, "The commissioner's demands are strict. I don't dare to use his name to mess around outside."
The man laughed and said, "Let's not talk about that. In any case, these good things will not fall into the hands of the First Bureau. Let's go …" At the same time, he called out to Deng Zi Yue's colleagues. "Since you're here, don't leave first. Everyone knows how long the meeting in the Council will take. Come in with me to rub some."
Deng Zi Yue huffed coldly and turned his face to the side. Seeing that he did not give him face, the man's face revealed an embarrassed expression. He thought hatefully, Isn't it just holding onto Commissioner Fan's leg? What's there to be proud about? He paid them no more attention. After chatting with Su Wenmao for a bit, he prepared to leave.
Just then, Fan Xian walked out. With a warm expression, he asked, "Brother, earlier I saw you bring in a basket of fish. Are you going to eat this for lunch? I'm afraid I'll have to trouble you for a meal. "
The light in the yamen was dim, so the man did not see Fan Xian's face clearly. He only knew that he was a young man. He laughed and said, "Of course I can't bear to eat it. We'll give it home later."
"Oh? Looks like it's a valuable fish. Otherwise, it wouldn't be packed in ice, "Fan Xian said.
"Of course!" The man squinted at Deng Zi Yue and showed a proud expression. "Dreamy Cloud Fish shipped 800 li south. They were fished from a large lake. They're incredibly delicious. If they don't keep them chilled, they would have gone bad long ago. In Jingdou, even those high-ranking officials would find it difficult to eat them. Only the military has the ability. Fortunately, we are the First Bureau of the Overwatch Council. Otherwise, we wouldn't have such good food. "
"So it was sent by the military." Fan Xian smiled. He knew that the various departments in Jingdou would try their best to please the First Bureau, but he didn't think they would put in so much effort.
The man cupped his hands and said, "Let's not talk anymore. Since you are waiting for the commissioner's meeting to end, then please sit for a while. I'll go in and snatch my own fish, and then I'll come out to talk with you."
Fan Xian said, "Don't panic. We still have something we need to see Master Mu about. It's just that we haven't been able to find him. I hope you can help us."
The man looked at him and smiled. "I thought it was a big deal. I'll go inform him. You wait here."
— — —
The man laughed and walked to the backyard. As soon as he left Fan Xian's line of sight, his expression changed. He jogged into a room at the back of the yamen and kicked the door open.
Inside the room, there were a few people sitting at a table playing mahjong. Being disturbed like this, they jumped in fright and couldn't help but curse. Mu Tie, who was sitting at the head of the table, had an unfriendly expression on his face. He turned a green mahjong tile into a hidden weapon and threw it at the man. "Are you going to a funeral? How can a few fish make you so hungry? "
The man trembled. "Master Mu, a young man has come to the bureau."
Mu Tie frowned and said proudly, "What kind of person is that? If it's someone we know, then bring him here. I don't want to give up such a good mahjong tile. "
"I don't know him." The man's voice trembled. "But Su Wenmao is with him. I think … could it be … that young master has come?"
Mu Tie was shocked. He slammed the table and stood up. He pointed at the man's nose and scolded, "You … you have to take responsibility for what you say!" He was so frightened that he stood up and paced in circles. "Is it really the commissioner?"
"I think so." The man's face was full of grievance. "In front of him, I didn't dare recognize him. I pretended I didn't know him and came to inform you. If it really is Commissioner Fan, you have to be careful."
Mu Tie's face was full of panic. He quickly ordered his men to remove the mahjong table and rearrange it like an office. He jogged with the man to the front hall of the yamen. As he ran, he said, "Feng'er, you have done well. Go back and ask your aunt to introduce you to a good marriage. Damn, why did the commissioner suddenly come? Thank goodness you reacted so quickly. You are truly worthy of the First Bureau of the Overwatch Council! You did not neglect your disguise work. Good, very good! "
The secret agent called Feng 'er wiped the ice water on his hands on the back of his clothes and said, "It's Lord Mu's good leadership, good leadership."
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