"My lord, we've arrived in Chengdu."
Gongsun Ce gazed at the magnificent city walls before him, a mix of emotions welling up within him.
"I wonder what brings you here, my lord?"
"You'll find out when you see him; it's nothing more than getting to the bottom of things."
Bao Zheng lived a very frugal life, receiving almost no income beyond his salary.
However, this didn't mean he was living poorly.
Because the King of Qin had a separate office called the "Integrity-Maintenance Department," independent of the Ministry of Revenue. This department was responsible for evaluating every official and clerk before distributing a stipend.
This was to prevent his officials from living too hard, a form of appropriate compensation, a humane gesture to instill gratitude.
But if someone was corrupt or broke the law, they certainly wouldn't receive any reward…
And they would face legal trouble, imprisonment, and arrest.
Therefore, Bao Zheng's incorruptibility didn't mean he was living poorly.
Inside the prefect's residence, Lu Ming was watching the servants hoe the ground. One must not forget one's roots.
Therefore, planting vegetables must continue. Soon after, Hu Sanniang came to report, "Husband, Lord Bao has arrived."
"Hmm, come with me to see him."
Lu Ming nodded and then left.
There were countless people eager to flatter him. Every day before dawn, servants would line up to fetch water from the irrigation ditch, carrying buckets.
As for those busy working, utilizing every available space to plant vegetables and fruits, there were countless others.
Whenever he wanted to go for a walk, he would see eunuchs bustling about in front of the palace. Some even went to great lengths, deliberately waiting for him to return, then deliberately bustling about in the courtyard with buckets of water.
And this wasn't even before he became emperor; the various attempts to curry favor and scheme to get close to him were already countless!
In short, he now only needs a word, or even a glance, and countless people will fawn over him, handling everything flawlessly.
Merchants, after all, crave all sorts of official documents for passage…
But Xiao Pass is different.
Xiao Pass is different; beyond it lies Taiyuan, and further north stretches the long Great Wall defenses of Dai State and Shangjun.
What those who want to leave Xiao Pass are up to is obvious!
Merchants are profit-driven and have no homeland.
Such people must be restricted and controlled.
Upon entering the main hall, Bao Zheng and his two companions were already seated and waiting. Seeing Lu Ming enter, they immediately rose to greet him, "Greetings, My Lord!"
"No need for formalities."
Lu Ming said, then took the head seat. "Don't stand, sit down."
After a maid brought him fragrant tea, Lu Ming began, "Yizhou has just been pacified, but powerful clans have been entrenched for many years and cannot be completely eradicated.
We need to gather evidence, and then bring them down with a single sentence.
Bao Zheng, I now appoint you as the Vice Minister of Yizhou, in charge of all criminal matters in Yizhou. You can intervene in any case, large or small.
Clean up Yizhou for me. I will have Wei Yan cooperate with you."
"Yes, My Lord."
After accepting the appointment, Bao Zheng began to analyze the situation in Yizhou.
Where should he begin? Where should he find a starting point?
The situation in Yizhou was indeed complex. Long-standing intermarriages, much like the Jia, Wang, Shi, and Xue families of Chang'an, meant they were inextricably linked.
To eliminate them all, a breakthrough was needed.
"The county government office will be your workplace from now on. I've already assigned someone to guard the files there; you can retrieve them yourself.
Some matters don't need to be reported to the emperor; the law of the land takes precedence."
Lu Ming added that there would definitely be people pleading for leniency and using connections.
But encountering Bao Zheng was their misfortune.
"Yes, my lord."
Bao Zheng responded mechanically. He didn't know how to flatter or fawn; he only knew how to get things done.
What emperor wouldn't like a minister like that?
"Gongsun Ce, you are the Prefect of Yizhou, and you will be responsible for assisting Bao Zheng.
Besides investigating cases, you will also be responsible for evaluating officials. Those suitable should be promoted regardless of their background.
When it comes to important matters, don't be bothered by trifles; even someone from a bandit background is acceptable.
A hero's origins are irrelevant; as long as they serve the people, there are no problems."
"Your subordinate obeys."
Gongsun Ce was more polite, as he and Bao Zheng were old partners.
This time, he came to work together.
One plus one doesn't necessarily equal two; it can also equal three, four, five, six, or seven!
Lu Ming then looked at Zhan Zhao, who seemed to have become somewhat darker-skinned. "Zhan Zhao, you will still lead the troops to protect the two gentlemen. If anything goes wrong, I will hold you accountable!
When necessary, act expediently according to Bao Zheng's instructions.
If you do a good job, you will be innocent and meritorious.
If you do a bad job, you will be guilty and have no merit."
"Yes, your subordinate will do his utmost to protect the safety of the two gentlemen."
Zhan Zhao replied resolutely. The situation remained the same, only the location had changed.
Lu Ming nodded with satisfaction, then gave them some further instructions.
He asked them to share their thoughts and see if there were any more suitable methods.
Bao Zheng, after listening, spoke frankly, offering his insights.
"The so-called management of officials is actually an art, and a considerable one at that. Whether to focus on the big picture or let go of the small details, it's all an art, and decisions must be made according to the situation."
Ultimately, Bao Zheng's plan was to first make a roundabout visit to assess the situation, gradually traversing Yizhou to gain a general understanding before making a decision.
In the meantime, all affairs would continue as usual, allowing him to see if any foolish individuals would dare to cause trouble and teach them a lesson.
Lu Ming remained noncommittal; he was accustomed to delegating tasks to his subordinates.
He didn't interfere much in how his subordinates performed their duties.
Lu Ming hadn't yet decided who to appoint to govern Yizhou this time.
The scholars he had trained were more than capable of serving as minor officials.
Minor officials were the most crucial link.
As the saying goes, "It's easier to avoid the King of Hell than to deal with his underlings."
These underlings referred to minor officials.
It wasn't uncommon for officials to inadvertently offend these minor officials; Qu Nai'an, for example, had taken office in Xingguo Prefecture.
Because of his stingy nature, he refused to pay his former accountant to redeem the detailed ledgers recording various "tribute" amounts.
In a fit of anger, the accountant simply altered all the figures in the ledgers. For example, what was usually a 100-tael bribe to his superiors was changed to 100 silver dollars; what should have been 100 dollars was changed to 50 dollars.
Qu Nai'an, confused and bewildered, followed the falsified ledgers in his gift-giving, offending one person after another, without even understanding why. He quickly alienated all his superiors and colleagues.
Initially, because the Governor-General of Huguang, Tuan, was his godfather, and his godfather Dai Shichang was also influential, some superiors knew his background, and the general public, out of respect for the Governor-General, didn't hold it against him.
Unexpectedly, Lord Tuan was later transferred from Hubei, expanding his network of connections. As a result, the marginal utility of his power diminished. Even Dai Shichang had lost power, so naturally, no one would take responsibility for Qu Nai'an, his adopted grandson-in-law who had gone through so many twists and turns.
When the newly appointed Governor-General of Huguang, Lord Jia, first took office, some people spoke ill of him. Initially, Lord Jia, out of respect for his predecessor, refused to dismiss him immediately. However, as more people spoke ill of him, he finally dismissed Qu Nai'an.
The gatekeepers, gatekeepers, and gatekeepers in officialdom were merely the private servants of officials, yet they possessed invisible power.
Such people could not be offended.
This is the meaning of "It's easier to avoid the King of Hell than to deal with his underlings."