The soldiers came in and saluted Wang Xiaolie: "Xuan Fu, Xu Cai is outside asking to see you."
After hearing this, Wang Xiaolie stood up and said, "Let him go to the reception room next to him. I'll meet him there. By the way, bring some tea."
The soldiers said goodbye and went out. Wang Xiaolie stretched out, leaned on the chair and looked at the roof in trance.
Xu Cai was originally a failed Jinshi, but he was recruited as an official when he was in Xiangyang. In the past few years, he has attended almost every training class organized for their system and achieved good results. In his official position, he can be regarded as conscientious. After arriving in Luoyang, he was also transferred to Luoyang to take up his post.
Xu Cai’s system has its roots from ancient times to the present. But most of the time, the context is vague and the sense of presence is not high.
The Qin Dynasty regarded the prime minister, the Taiwei, and the imperial censor as the three princes, and subsequent generations followed suit. Historians therefore traced it back upwards and said that there were three gods from the Zhou Dynasty onwards. Taking the Qin Dynasty as an example, the prime minister represents the highest administrative power, the Taiwei represents the highest military power, and the imperial censor represents the highest supervisory power. In other words, in the eyes of the ancients, administrative power, military power and supervisory power were the most important powers of the country.
The system Xu Cai was in gave the people the power to supervise the officials. It cannot be said that it has not existed in the past dynasties, and it is very unimportant if it has existed.
Wang Xiaolie's interpretation of the Book of Songs believes that "Wind" is the people's supervision of the officials, so it is very necessary to establish this system. However, how this system actually operates, its relationship with administration, military affairs and supervision, and its relationship with the people are still being explored.
After returning from Shizhou, Wang Xiaolie focused on the construction of this system, and the status of relevant officials suddenly became important.
Getting up from the chair, Wang Xiaoli straightened his official uniform and walked to the reception room.
Seeing Wang Xiaolie come in, Xu Cai hurriedly stood up from his seat and saluted Wang Xiaolie.
Wang Xiaolie sat down and asked Xu Cai to sit down as well. He said: "I read your official documents a few days ago, and I roughly know what's going on. But I still need you to tell me the specific situation."
Xu Cai said: "A few days ago, I went to Xinzheng to collect news and heard about this matter. The county was hit by heavy snow last year, and the county magistrate worked tirelessly to visit the victims. But how can natural disasters follow people's wishes? When the magistrate was inspecting the victims, there happened to be A house was collapsed by heavy snow, and five members of the family froze to death. All the officials discussed and suppressed the matter and reported it to the police. Later, an official expressed condolences to the disaster and asked about the situation. The county clerk has never lied, so he reported this to the police. The matter came out. Because of this incident, the commendation that the county magistrate deserved was gone. Later, the county officials blamed the chief clerk, and he could no longer stay in the county."
Wang Xiaolie flipped through Xu Cai's official documents and frowned unknowingly as he listened to him telling the whole story.
After a long time, he said: "We have always said that we should seek truth from facts at work, do not exaggerate, and do not boast of merits. How difficult it is! Just like this matter, who is at fault? If you don't have a clear mind, I'm afraid you can't say it well. . Some people think that the chief clerk made a mistake. Everyone knows the matter, but everyone also knows the merits of the county magistrate. Naturally, they should cover up their minor faults and talk about their merits. Occasionally telling a lie, it doesn't matter at this time. Even Some people think that this is maturity and a quality that a person must have in real life."
Having said this, Wang Xiaolie shook his head: "That's not the case! We require seeking truth from facts, and we must create necessary conditions for a realistic attitude in terms of system and execution. The chief secretary must be right, and the others must be wrong. Yes. But if this matter is not reported to me, but handled by someone below, then the chief clerk is really wrong. What does this mean? It means that there is something wrong with our system and the people who implement it!"
Xu Cai said: "When I was in Xinzheng, it was true that the people praised the magistrate's merits and even built a temple for him. He was not rewarded for his meritorious service and worked hard for him. This result was due to the words of the chief clerk, and he was very hostile to the chief clerk. .”
At this point, Xu Cai sighed: "Xuanfu often said that whether something is right or not depends on what the people say. But when the superior official asked, the chief clerk answered truthfully, where did he borrow it? The lower official also felt confused."
Wang Xiaolie said: "That's why we need you, we need you to understand the real people's sentiments and the real situation. The chief secretary's answer is correct, but why do the people still hate him? In most cases, this shows that our The system is wrong, and the people who implement it are wrong. There is nothing strange. A system will encounter various situations in reality. How to implement it and how to choose are tests for officials. We require officials to have If such ability is not achieved, the position will be changed. People who go to their superiors cannot turn a blind eye to the merits of the county magistrate just because of the words of the chief clerk. Correspondingly, they cannot ignore the words of the chief clerk. How to deal with it must of course be combined with There are solid plans for the actual situation.”
Xu Cai kept nodding. After hearing the end, I was a little confused and said: "What should I do?"
Wang Xiaolie sighed and said: "First of all, the person who went there must have neglected his duty and must be dealt with. The person who sent this person clearly knew that the county magistrate had merit and agreed to deal with it, which is considered a dereliction of duty. In addition to the chief bookkeeper in the county, Officials outside the department, who clearly know that their superiors are wrong and dare not blame them, but instead blame the chief clerk, are equally unfit for their duties. Such a small matter that takes a year to deal with will go up several levels and affect many people. Let a chief clerk suffer Is it easier to be aggrieved or to deal with so many people? What’s more, these people who are being dealt with may have other merits. It is easy to shout a slogan of seeking truth from facts, but it is difficult to implement it. "
Xu Cai said: "I understand somewhat."
Wang Xiaolie shook his head slightly: "Do you really understand? How do you think we should deal with it?"
Xu Cai said: "The lower official thinks that it would be more appropriate to change the chief clerk to a larger county, or to promote him to another official position and transfer him to another county."
Wang Xiaolie said: "You still don't understand. Seeking truth from facts is our principle as an official. What is the use of officials who cannot do this? No matter how difficult it is, this principle must be adhered to. The chief clerk is still there, Only in this way can we show the will of the Xuanfu Division and the will of the Xuanfu Division to seek truth from facts! We cannot try to find some seemingly clever ways to get around it just because it is difficult. In reality, there are difficulties and facing them is what we need to do. made!"
Xu Cai said goodbye and left the room, still thinking about what method Wang Xiaolie said. I can't figure it out myself.
Wang Xiaolie felt unhappy for a long time after sending Xu Cai away. After thinking about it, I asked someone to find Chen Yuyi.
Chen Yuyi entered Wang Xiao's hunting hall and saw him standing next to the peony garden. The peonies have begun to bloom, and the red and white ones are particularly beautiful.
Chen Yuyi stepped forward and saluted Wang Xiaolie.
Wang Xiaolie said: "I asked you to come today because I have something to say. The peonies are blooming these days, and they are really beautiful. They boast that they are unparalleled in the world and the most fragrant in the world. Don't deceive me! Come, let's go to the peonies today. Next, let’s talk.”
Chen Yuyi felt strange, but couldn't say anything, so he had to respectfully agree.
Over the years, Chen Yuyi has done nothing administratively and has been gradually marginalized. Civil affairs affairs belong to Chen Qiudao, and military affairs affairs belong to Wang Ruohai. Although Chen Yuyi is also a staff officer of the Xuanfu Division, there are not many actual affairs. There is no way, Chen Yuyi is indeed inferior to those two in terms of administrative and military capabilities.
Occupying a staff position but not doing much, Chen Yuyi often felt uneasy. Many times, Chen Yuyi thought that he might as well go out and become a magistrate or something like that. In the past two years, Wang Xiaolie's demands on the governor have become higher and higher, and Chen Yuyi was actually a little afraid of the difficulties.
Today, Wang Xiao called Chen Yuyi to his official office. Chen Yuyi didn't know what was going on, and he was inevitably worried.
After sitting down, the soldiers served tea. Wang Xiaolie poured a cup of tea for Chen Yuyi, put down the teapot, and looked at the peonies in front of him in trance.
Chen Yuyi had no choice but to pick up the tea, take a sip, and accompany Wang Xiao to look at the flowers.
Suddenly, Wang Xiaolian said: "When I was in Xiangyang, I went to my place to recommend myself. I remember that life was difficult. It has been many years."
Chen Yuyi said: "Yes. That was the third year of Jianyan, and it has been more than four years now."
Wang Xiaolie nodded: "It's been more than four years. Qufei has been a counselor of the Zhenfu Division step by step and has done a lot of things. But since I was promoted to Xuanfu Envoy, have you ever felt that... Less work to do?”
Chen Yuyi smiled bitterly: "There is no way. At first, I felt aggrieved, but as time went by, I realized that I really can't do what Chen Qiudao did. I am born like this, so what can I complain about?"
Wang Xiaolie nodded: "It's the nature of nature, and this sentence is true. If you don't play with nature and don't play with your thoughts, one is one, two is two, it is indeed not suitable for administrative matters. But for so many years, I have not adjusted your Work, do you know why?”
Chen Yuyi did not answer, but looked at the peonies in front of him, his vision gradually blurred. After a long time, he said: "Maybe it's because Xuan Fu is nostalgic for the past -"
Wang Xiaolie smiled and shook his head: "Nostalgic? A staff officer is an important position, and the salary is from national public funds. No matter how much I miss you, I will never let you stay in this position. Find another position, such as a factory or a bank. Isn’t it better? You make more money and I have less worries. That’s not the case.”
Chen Yuyi said: "No? Why is that?"
Wang Xiaolie said: "With your temperament, it is true that you are not suitable for administrative affairs, especially now that there are so many requirements for administrative affairs. However, if you are not suitable for administrative affairs, you will not be suitable for being an official unless you explain it. So. For many years, I have been wanting to set up a bureaucratic system where the people look to the officials. But there are too many influences, and I have never been able to make up my mind. And you are the top official selected for this system."
After hearing this, Chen Yuyi couldn't help but open his mouth. Such a result was something I never expected.
Wang Xiaolie said: "Now that our territory is larger and there are more states and counties, we can no longer control the facts of the lower states and counties. If we only listen to reports from officials at all levels from top to bottom, there will be many things we don't know. Not to mention the concealment of reports by the officials below, even if it is normal, there are many things that should be known but are not known, and there are also many things that the officials below do completely different from what I think. Not to mention, concealment of reports is unavoidable and cannot be controlled at all. .”
Chen Yuyi nodded: "Xuanfu is now in a high and powerful position, it is true."
Wang Xiaolie said: "At this time, there must be a bottom-up bureaucratic system to supervise officials on behalf of the people. If there is not, or the system is not done well, the bureaucratic system will soon become corrupted, and it will be impossible to prevent it. . In fact, even if I have it, I don’t know whether I can prevent it or not.”
Having said this, Wang Xiaolie seemed a little helpless.
(End of chapter)
