Tiantang Splendid

Chapter 4793 Bureaucracy
To their surprise, they thought they would not have enough time to get things done today, but the queue in front of them was rapidly reduced. The speed of the new government office was surprisingly fast...

Before noon, it was the turn of two people to do the work.

When we entered the yamen, we found that the original main hall had been divided into compartments. Each compartment had a "window". Words such as "Civil Affairs" and "Military Affairs" were written in a prominent position on the "window", one next to the other, making it easy for people to find the place to handle affairs.

The first thing to do is to process Liu Er's "pass". This "window" is at the innermost part, and is staffed by clerks drawn from Jingzhao Prefecture and the Secretariat.

The head of the village brought Liu Er's family to the "window", explained the specific reasons and attached a document with his own signature. The clerk at the "window" briefly asked some basic information and the reasons why Liu Er's family went to Huating Town, and quickly issued a "pass" with the seals of Jingzhao Prefecture and the Ministry of Shangshu.

Liu Er and his family were a little stunned when they held the brand new "passes" in their hands. How could it be so fast...

Then I started to handle the property transfer and tax payment...

In less than half an hour, all matters were completed. Although the clerks who handled the matter could not be said to be "smiling at each other", they were definitely "friendly and amiable". Not only did they avoid all kinds of difficulties and delays, but they also did not engage in the implicit or blatant "bribery" that was seen everywhere in the past. Their efficiency was extremely high.

After leaving the new government office, the head of the village could not help but sigh: "If everything is like this in the future, it will be a blessing to the world."

Xu Sifu nodded repeatedly: "Prefect Ma is fair and honest, a role model for the world!"

*****
The morning meeting on the first day of the new year was filled with excitement.

"You, Ma Zhou, seek fame and sell your integrity, and are praised by the world, but in fact you are stealing power. You have set up a 'one-stop' office in the huge Jingzhao Prefecture, thus holding all power in your hands. No one has any objection to your words. What do you want to do?"

"Officials have been doing things this way since ancient times. If not, how can the government and the court demonstrate their authority? If you do this now, the court's laws will no longer be secretive in the eyes of the people, and your authority will be completely lost!"

"Officials are fine, at least they have the court's salary to support them, but those clerks all rely on the income that is tacitly allowed within the rules to support their families. Now that all government affairs are in the hands of the useless 'hall', all the rules disappear under the scorching eyes. The clerks dare not ask for a penny. How can they support their families in the long run? Without these clerks, can the officials be asked to run errands? This will inevitably increase the number of officials, but how can the court bear the increasingly heavy salary expenditures?"

"This is a policy that will bring disaster to the country and the people. Ma Zhou deserves death!"

……

As expected, Jingzhao Prefecture's trial of a "one-stop" office hall aroused widespread opposition in the court. Various criticisms against Ma Zhou were heard everywhere, and impeachment memorials flew onto Li Chengqian's desk like snowflakes.

There were all kinds of doubts and insults, among which the two most serious accusations were: first, the officials of this "one-stop" office hall were selected and transferred by Ma Zhou himself, and they "did things according to the rules" in the hall, which made the original heads of various departments become nameless, and Ma Zhou was suspected of usurping power.

Secondly, this move deprived the clerks who had been passed down from generation to generation in the government of the right to "extort bribes". If this continued, the entire clerk system would inevitably collapse completely...

……

Facing all kinds of accusations, questions and insults, Ma Zhou held the board with a gloomy face and said nothing. He stood firm in the midst of stormy waves.

Li Chengqian cursed for a long time in the court before waving his hand to stop him. He looked at Ma Zhou leisurely and asked, "What does Ma Fuyin have to say?"

Ma Zhou bowed and saluted. After he stood up, he looked even straighter and more upright. "When Emperor Taizong was in power, the court was full of loyal military and civil counselors. Although the empire was struggling, everyone worked together and made the Tang Dynasty proudly stand on top of the world, and the heroes were in awe! However, how long has it been since today? The court is full of despicable villains. They are not enterprising and indulge in government affairs all day long. They confuse right and wrong and engage in petty intrigues. I am ashamed to be associated with them!"

In a word, the faces of those ministers who were filled with righteous indignation and denounced him just now turned black, and their anger rose, and they were about to start discussing, scolding and accusing again, so that this bastard who claimed that "I am the upright one among the treacherous people in the court" would be destroyed in his anger.

"Shut up, everyone!"

A loud shout interrupted the boiling emotions of the crowd. They became more and more angry and were about to turn their firepower to impeach and attack those who were ignorant of the consequences and spoke rudely. However, when they followed the voice and saw that it was Fang Jun who was speaking, they stopped abruptly like a duck with its neck strangled.

Fang Jun stood under the second civil official, Li Ji, and looked around at the ministers who were jumping up and down. He said slowly: "Where is the Imperial Censor? If anyone else speaks obscene words, please arrest him immediately and punish him for disturbing the court."

"Ah."

Liu Xiangdao looked unhappy. It was his responsibility as the Imperial Censor to supervise etiquette and maintain order in the court. However, he remained silent for a while because he had received a hint from Liu Li in advance. He planned to wait until the criticism lasted for a while before coming out to maintain order. However, Fang Jun got there first, which highlighted his dereliction of duty...

He secretly glanced at His Majesty and was relieved to see that His Majesty did not look angry. Then he said with a stern face: "Everyone, pay attention and maintain order."

Li Chengqian then looked at Liu Xiangdao and asked, "Jingzhao Prefecture has been trying out the 'one-stop' hall for several days. The Censorate has been closely monitoring and tracking the policy and is familiar with the foundation of this policy. I wonder what your opinion is on this?"

Liu Xiangdao hurriedly said, "I have ordered the Censor Sun Chuyue to follow up on this matter. How about letting him report to Your Majesty?"

He was willing to have some tacit understanding with Liu Li, but he only indulged officials in criticizing Ma Zhou in the court. This was the way of being an official. But it definitely did not mean that he stood on the side of the civil officials to oppose Ma Zhou. This was a principle.

He is no one's ally in the court, merely His Majesty's eyes and ears.

"allow."

As Li Chengqian agreed, a eunuch hurried out of the Taiji Hall and brought in Sun Chuyue who was waiting outside the door.

"I, Sun Chuyue, am here to see Your Majesty."

"No courtesy, stay on your own."

Li Chengqian looked at this heroic young official and felt a liking for him. He said in a gentle tone, "Since your superiors have recommended you to report, then tell us everything you have seen, heard, and thought. Don't be restrained. Just express your opinions objectively. Don't be afraid of offending anyone. I will make the decision for you."

The ministers looked at Sun Chuyue, knowing that he was another young official who was "favored by the emperor" and that as long as he did not make any serious mistakes, his future would be limitless.

"Thank you, Your Majesty!"

Sun Chuyue was overwhelmed with emotion and moved to tears. He tried to calm himself down and then began to recount what he had seen and heard in the "hall" during these days.

Finally express your opinion.

"The evils of clerks have been prominent in every dynasty. It is not because the government does not want to do so, but because it wants to save salaries and official treasury. However, in order to save a few salaries and official treasury, the clerks are allowed to do whatever they want, embezzle and solicit bribes. This not only makes it cumbersome and difficult for the people to do things, but also seriously damages the dignity of the country. When the people lose trust in the country, they complain about the government."

"Our Tang Dynasty is rich and has a vast territory. It is a glorious and prosperous empire that has never been seen before. How can we allow lowly people like clerks to ruin the reputation of the empire? These clerks have long been a nuisance to the empire. A 'one-stop office' will reveal their rottenness and stench."

"Your Majesty is wise and should issue an imperial decree to reform the clerk system and abolish it completely, either recruiting them, dismissing them, or investigating their past and judging them according to the law. This will surely make the administration clean and the government smooth. By then, the people will be loyal and the whole world will obey you. Your Majesty's holy name will shine through the ages and be praised by both China and foreign countries."

The ministers in the court were all stunned. This deafening shout was like a loud bell that made everyone's brains buzz. Where did the Censorate get these talents from? They overturned and rebuilt the entire bureaucracy just for a "one-stop" hall? They only cared about themselves and ignored the overall situation, right?

This is simply the second Wei Zheng!
Liu Li no longer cared about his status and simply stood up and said, "Your Majesty, please be clear. This person is seeking fame and reputation for his own selfish reputation and disregarding the overall situation of the court. He is really spreading rumors and misleading the people. He deserves death. I implore Your Majesty to expel him from the court, deprive him of his official position, send him to the frontier, and never employ him again!"

Such harsh words spoken by the Minister of the Central Secretariat in front of a group of civil and military officials in the court would have almost determined Sun Chuyue's fate under normal circumstances. Even the emperor could not refute Liu Li's remarks. After all, the dignity of the prime minister was far more important than the future of a mere censor.

Li Chengqian, who was sitting on the throne, remained silent.

Fang Jun stood up again, with a righteous face and stern words: "What nonsense is the Minister of the Central Secretariat talking about? Since the founding of the Tang Dynasty, the most important thing is to let people speak freely. The censors and censors have never been punished for their words. Is the Minister of the Central Secretariat planning to go against the grain and disrupt social order?"

Liu Li was so angry that his face turned red. He shouted angrily: "Stop slandering me! Is this a matter of blocking the channels of speech? It is Sun Chuyue who wants to disrupt the imperial bureaucracy. He wants to completely destroy the foundation of the Tang Dynasty! You are only concerned about your achievements and listen to the flattery of the people, but you have completely forgotten your position and principles. Such people who bring disaster to the country and the people should be punished by both humans and gods!"

Clerks do not need to be paid by the state, but they inherit the position from generation to generation. The clerks are permanent, while the officials come and go. It does not matter who is the chief official, but without those clerks, the government's administrative enforcement will be greatly reduced.

And the problem of clerks is not just the clerks themselves, it is a set of official rules from the bottom up. It is precisely because of the clerks who are like mud that the officials can be clean and incorruptible.

Now the spearhead is directed at the clerks, and the intention is to cut them off with one stroke. What should those high-ranking officials do?
Do those grunt chores yourself?
Are you willing to shamelessly ask for bribes from the victim?
How dignified!