Chapter 205: Promoted to a higher official position, concurrently serving as the deputy governor of the capital, in charge of the power of the capital!
At the moment when Luo Shan fell, the crowd cheered.
“We won, Great Wu won!”
“Victory in both civil and military affairs, a great celebration for all!”
“This matter will be clearly revealed! Hahaha!”
…
Moreover, this good news quickly spread outside the venue, and the people celebrated, rejoicing together.
“5 sets, 3 victories, our martial arts competition is also won!”
“Victory in the civil competition, great victory in the martial competition, victory in both civil and military affairs, Great Wu is mighty!”
“We have created a history!”
“We, Great Wu, have created a miracle!”
…
The thunderous cheers from outside swept into the arena like an overwhelming force.
The officials became even more excited, and the empress was also happy.
Especially the empress, her smile blossomed like a hundred flowers, stunningly beautiful.
She never expected that in this contest between Yan and Wu, under various unfavorable circumstances, such a brilliant victory, such a miraculous victory could be achieved!
Victory in the civil competition, great victory in the martial competition, victory in both civil and military affairs!
Opening a new chapter in history!
Etched in the annals!
All of this was brought about by a certain little rascal!
Although he often did absurd and headache-inducing things, he was always trustworthy in crucial moments!
“Spread my decree, the contest between Yan and Wu is a great victory, open the night market, and celebrate for three days throughout the country!” the empress said loudly.
“Thank you, Your Majesty, for your great grace!” the officials congratulated in unison.
The good news quickly spread outside, and the people outside were excited, and a resounding voice resounded.
“Thank you, Your Majesty, for your great grace!”
“Please invite the young talents representing Great Wu in this contest to come forward!” the empress said loudly.
Including Lin Beifan, 10 participants lined up neatly and came before the empress.
“In this contest between Yan and Wu, all of you have achieved great merit, so I will reward you generously! Liao Rumin, step forward and accept the title!”
“Your Majesty, I’m here!” Liao Rumin excitedly stepped forward.
The empress said loudly, “Liao Rumin, you performed outstandingly in the civil competition and won a victory for Great Wu! Therefore, you will be rewarded with ten thousand taels of silver, promoted to a higher official position, and appointed as a sixth-ranked official in the court. Congratulations!”
“Thank you, Your Majesty, for your great grace!” Liao Rumin was overjoyed.
“Xu Shan, step forward and accept the title!” the empress said loudly.
“I’m here, Your Majesty!” a young man excitedly stepped forward.
“In this civil competition, you performed exceptionally well and won a victory for Great Wu. The poems you composed were greatly appreciated by me! Therefore, you will be rewarded with ten thousand taels of silver and promoted to a higher official position!”
“Thank you for your reward, Your Majesty!” Xu Shan was overjoyed.
…
In this way, one by one, the empress rewarded them.
Every person who received the reward was overjoyed, thanking the empress for her generosity.
Until the end, only Lin Beifan remained.
Everyone was extremely eager, as he was the greatest contributor in the contest between Yan and Wu. What would the empress reward him with?
“Lin, step forward and accept the title!” the empress smiled contentedly.
“I’m here!” Lin Beifan bowed.
The empress smiled and said, “In this contest between Yan and Wu, Sir Lin, your contributions were outstanding! If it weren’t for your excellent performance and arrangements, Great Wu would not have achieved such a brilliant victory! Therefore, you will be rewarded with ten thousand taels of gold, ten bolts of fine silk, and ten purple jade pearls…”
It was a string of rewards, more than the previous nine individuals combined, showing a clear favoritism!
However, the officials present were already accustomed to this and remained indifferent!
However, the young talents from the Great Yan side were not calm!
This was the first time they had seen such a grand display!
Wasn’t this reward too extravagant?
One reward after another, it seemed as if they were throwing away things as if they didn’t cost anything, more than all the rewards they had received in their lifetimes!
Their eyes turned red with envy and jealousy!
However, reality told them that their envy came too early!
After rewarding with gold, silver, and jewels, the empress smiled and said, “Sir Lin, with the merits you have previously achieved and your abilities and knowledge, I think it’s time to give you more responsibilities and raise your position! Therefore, I grant you a promotion, and you will be appointed as a third-ranked official in the court!”
The officials were slightly unsettled!
You see, a third-ranked official could already be considered a senior official in the court.
Among the Six Ministries and Nine Chief Ministers, although not the top position, it was the second, third, or fourth in command.
In short, they were important figures at the forefront.
This little fox was promoted again, making him even harder to deal with in the future.
But there seemed to be no reason to stop him.
During this period, he had achieved quite a lot, and it was indeed time for him to be promoted.
The officials were unsettled, let alone the delegation from Great Yan?
You see, most of them were colleagues with Lin Beifan, and they were even a few years older than him!
But Lin Beifan was already a senior official ranked third in the court, while they were still stuck in the Hanlin Academy as minor officials. How could they accept this?
They were instantly provoked and became jealous!
“Sir Lin, the Court Sacrificial Wine Official, has been promoted again!”
“Now he’s a third-ranked official, so enviable!”
“When will we have a chance?”
…
However, it seemed that the empress was not satisfied with just provoking them. She smiled at Lin Beifan and said, “Sir Lin, with your talents and abilities, it’s a waste for you to just be a Court Sacrificial Wine Official. How about also serving as the vice governor of the Dedian Mansion?”
Once again, the officials were unsettled, and this time, extremely unsettled!
You see, the Dedian Mansion was the capital of Great Wu.
As the highest local administrative institution in the capital of Great Wu, the Dedian Mansion had a governor, equivalent to a mayor, a particularly prestigious position, and ranked as a third-ranked official in the court.
Below the governor was the vice governor, equivalent to a deputy mayor, and a fourth-ranked official in the court.
As the capital’s important place, the governor of the Dedian Mansion was usually a trusted member of the imperial family or a senior official supervised by the court.
Sometimes, even the crown prince or the heir apparent held this position concurrently.
The empress herself had once served as the governor of the Dedian Mansion and had not given up this position until now.
Therefore, the one in charge of the Dedian Mansion’s affairs was the vice governor.
So, although the position of vice governor seemed small, it actually controlled everything in the capital, including all taxes, finances, official matters, criminal affairs, and even life and death decisions.
It was an important position with real power and a status that was no less than that of a third-ranked official.
Whoever held this position meant they controlled the capital, and they only had to answer to the sovereign.
This little bastard was already difficult to deal with, and now he was going to become the vice governor of the Dedian Mansion, wielding local power in the capital. He would certainly be even more challenging to handle in the future!
“Your Majesty, this cannot be!” the officials exclaimed in fear.
The empress smiled and said, “Why not?”
“The capital is an important place, and it should be managed by experienced and capable ministers! Sir Lin is still too young to bear such responsibility as the vice governor. Your Majesty, please reconsider!” a senior official advised anxiously.
The empress smilingly replied, “You’re all right. That’s why I’ll let him first serve as the vice governor! When he gains enough experience and accomplishments, it’ll be only natural for him to become the governor!”
The officials inwardly cursed!
What’s the difference between making him the vice governor now and directly making him the governor?
“But Your Majesty, the current vice governor of the Dedian Mansion is Lord Zhao Beiming! If Lin becomes the vice governor, what will happen to Lord Zhao? It’s not appropriate, is it?” another veteran official advised.
The empress waved her hand dismissively, “Just transfer Lord Zhao somewhere else! Although Lord Zhao has held the position of vice governor of the Dedian Mansion for all these years, his abilities are limited, and he hasn’t achieved much. It’s time to give up the position and let a more capable person take over!”
“Although Sir Lin is young, since he entered the court as an official, he has solved many problems and made many contributions to the court. His abilities are definitely sufficient! The court should recruit talents without bias and let Lin have a chance!” another official argued.
“Your Majesty…”
“Enough, don’t say anymore. I have made up my mind!” the empress said firmly.
The officials opened their mouths to speak but ended up sighing.
Then, the empress encouraged Lin Beifan, saying, “Sir Lin, from today onwards, you are the vice governor of the Dedian Mansion! I hope you continue to use your wisdom and talents to achieve great things and not disappoint me and the people’s love!”
… ….. …….
“Thank you, Your Majesty! I will devote myself wholeheartedly and serve until death!” Lin Beifan exclaimed loudly, his heart filled with joy.
Becoming the vice governor of the Dedian Mansion meant having power in his hands and more opportunities for embezzlement, right?
Empress, I love you to death!
The delegation from Great Wu was filled with envy and became completely estranged!
They were insanely jealous!
Now that he had become the vice governor of the Dedian Mansion, wouldn’t the next step be becoming the governor?
Although it was only a third-ranked official position in the court, the power was no less than that of a chief minister!
Why is there such a big disparity in officials’ positions, even though they are all successful in the imperial examinations?
The faces of the talented scholars from Great Wu were filled with envy, which the empress noticed.
In fact, she deliberately did this.
She wanted to tell them that they would have no chance to stand out in Great Wu.
Only by coming here could they realize their ambitions and dreams.
As long as they had talent and knowledge, they would be highly valued.
Just like Lin Beifan, who was from the same cohort of scholars as them, he had become an important official in the court.
Not only did he have power, but he also enjoyed endless glory and wealth.
Didn’t they envy that?
Didn’t they want it?
If you envy it, come here. If you want it, come here!
Haha!
At this moment, the third prince of Great Yan led the others and stood up, wearing a bitter expression. He said, “Your Majesty of Great Wu, the competition between Great Wu and Great Yan has come to an end. I would like to take my people back to rest. Please grant me permission!”
The empress smiled and said, “It has been a day of competition. Indeed, you should rest. I grant your request!”
“Thank you, Your Majesty of Great Wu!” the third prince said respectfully.
“As the saying goes, friendship comes first, competition comes second! Although you lost in this competition between Great Wu and Great Yan, don’t take it to heart. Relax and have fun in Great Wu for a few more days before returning!” the empress advised.
The corner of the third prince’s mouth became even more bitter. How could he not take it to heart?
They had come with full confidence but returned empty-handed. They didn’t know how to explain it to their father!
My heart is bitter!
More bitter than eating bitter gourd!
“Thank you for your consolation, Your Majesty of Great Wu. We have our own arrangements!” The third prince led the dejected Great Wu delegation and left the place.
The Six Ministries and Nine Chief Ministers refer to the organizational structure of the ancient Chinese government during certain periods of its history, particularly during the Tang Dynasty (618-907) and Song Dynasty (960-1279). These structures were designed to divide and manage various administrative functions within the government.
The Six Ministries (六部, Liù Bù) were the main ministries responsible for specific areas of governance. They were as follows:
1. Ministry of Personnel (吏部, Lì Bù): Responsible for personnel management, including recruitment, appointments, promotions, and demotions of government officials.
2. Ministry of Revenue (户部, Hù Bù): In charge of financial matters, including taxation, revenue collection, and fiscal policies.
3. Ministry of Rites (礼部, Lǐ Bù): Responsible for ceremonial rituals, court etiquette, state ceremonies, and diplomatic affairs.
4. Ministry of War (兵部, Bīng Bù): Oversaw military affairs, including the recruitment, training, and deployment of troops, as well as the management of weaponry and defense systems.
5. Ministry of Justice (刑部, Xíng Bù): Administered the legal system, including the formulation and enforcement of laws, criminal justice, and prison management.
6. Ministry of Works (工部, Gōng Bù): Managed infrastructure projects, such as construction of buildings, maintenance of roads and waterways, and engineering works.
The Nine Chief Ministers (九卿, Jiǔ Qīng) were high-ranking officials who served as the heads of various government departments and agencies. They were appointed by the emperor and held significant influence in the imperial court. The specific positions and responsibilities of the Nine Chief Ministers varied throughout history, but they generally included the following:
1. Minister of Personnel (吏部尚书, Lì Bù Shàngshū): Oversaw personnel management and the bureaucratic system.
2. Minister of Revenue (户部尚书, Hù Bù Shàngshū): Managed financial affairs and taxation.
3. Minister of Rites (礼部尚书, Lǐ Bù Shàngshū): In charge of ceremonial rituals and diplomatic affairs.
4. Minister of War (兵部尚书, Bīng Bù Shàngshū): Led military affairs and defense.
5. Minister of Justice (刑部尚书, Xíng Bù Shàngshū): Administered the legal system and criminal justice.
6. Minister of Works (工部尚书, Gōng Bù Shàngshū): Oversaw construction and infrastructure projects.
7. Minister of Imperial Clan (宗正, Zōng Zhèng): Responsible for matters related to the imperial family.
8. Minister of Agriculture (度支尚书, Dù Zhī Shàngshū): Managed agricultural policies and rural affairs.
9. Minister of Education (太常少卿, Tài Cháng Shǎo Qīng): Supervised educational institutions and literary examinations.
These administrative structures played crucial roles in governing the vast Chinese empire, managing various aspects of governance, justice, finance, military, and infrastructure.
