blogombal Chapter 257 Intelligence Section
Chapter 257 Intelligence Section
Wen Zongji stayed with Pei Rujing for several hours, then went to inspect the Ruijin Hall next door, and did not return to the Marquis's residence until it was almost lunchtime.
For the next few days, Wen Zongji stayed with Pei Rujing. When it was hot, he stayed in the mansion, and when it was cooler, he would go out for a stroll.
My day off is over, and I have to go to the Beijing Daily office for my shift.
Wen Zongji woke up early, turned his head to look at Pei Rujing who was still sleeping soundly beside him, and got up quietly.
After changing clothes and washing up, practicing health-preserving boxing, having breakfast, and then taking a carriage to the Beijing News Office.
He did this routine every day before leaving Beijing, and although it was interrupted for several months, he is now back on track.
Beijing News
Upon seeing Wen Zongji enter, everyone stood up and said, "Welcome back to the capital, Your Excellency."
Wen Zongji raised his hand: "No need for formalities, Maofang, come with me."
Office
Chang Dong served tea to Wen Zongji.
Wen Zongji said, "Maofang, the imperial court has decided to allow local branches to issue their own official gazettes, and the officials in charge of drafting these gazettes have all been promoted to the eighth rank."
Yao Maofang was stunned: "All of them?"
There are over a hundred people here.
Wen Zongji nodded: "All of them!"
Yao Maofang swallowed hard. He hadn't expected the imperial court to be so decisive, and he was somewhat bewildered by the rapid development of the Beijing Gazette Bureau.
When he first arrived at the Imperial Gazette Office, it was still a newly established government agency. Although it was established under the supervision of the Crown Prince, not many people were optimistic about it.
Now that Wen Zongji has taken charge of the Beijing Gazette Bureau, the bureau has not only gained a great reputation among the people, but also established branch offices. Now that the branch offices are operating normally, they are allowed to publish official gazettes on their own, and the status of local officials in charge of drafting has been promoted.
The rapid pace of development left Yao Maofang somewhat incredulous.
However, he quickly recovered and cupped his hands in thanks, saying, "It's all thanks to you, sir."
Wen Zongji shook his head: "It's the result of everyone's joint efforts."
"Young master, someone from the Eastern Palace has come to summon you to the palace."
An Feng came in to report.
Wen Zongji did not expect that the Crown Prince would seek him out as soon as he finished his leave.
Wen Zongji had no choice but to get up: "I'll go to the palace first. You keep a close eye on the affairs of the Capital Gazette Office. Don't tell anyone what I just said."
"Yes, I understand."
……
Wenyuan Pavilion
The Crown Prince raised his hand to excuse Wen Zongji from his greeting: "Have you rested well?"
Wen Zongji nodded: "Thank you for your understanding, Your Highness."
"You handled a major case, helping the court rid itself of corrupt officials. This is what you deserve... I summoned you here today to discuss the intelligence gathering by the regional offices. They will definitely send the collected intelligence back to the capital, otherwise it's meaningless. Therefore, the Capital Gazette Office will have to assign people to handle the intelligence sent back from various places, compile it into volumes, and refer to it when needed."
Wen Zongji said, "We can set up a separate intelligence section in the Beijing Gazette Office, which will be responsible for compiling intelligence from various places. As for the officials who are currently responsible for publishing the Beijing Gazette, they will be divided into the Beijing Gazette Section. The two will not affect each other and will be directly managed by the editor."
The Crown Prince nodded: "In this way, we can also ensure the secrecy of the intelligence. However, in doing so, the matter of the Capital Gazette Bureau collecting intelligence will be brought into the open."
The crown prince originally intended to keep it hidden.
Wen Zongji smiled wryly: "Your Highness, it involves intelligence gathering in all the prefectures and counties of the entire Great Chu. It is impossible to completely conceal it. The fact that we have set up a separate intelligence department is already the best we can do to reduce the probability of being discovered."
"That's true."
In the capital, keeping a secret is not easy, and the more people involved, the harder it is to keep it a secret.
Do you have any recommendations for the next person to handle the manuscript?
Wen Zongji shook his head: "However, I do have a candidate to recommend for the position of Director of the Intelligence Section."
"Who is it?"
"This is Yao Maofang, the current head of the Beijing Gazette Bureau. He is an upright man who is conscientious and hardworking. He was appreciated by the Crown Prince and entered the Beijing Gazette Bureau. He is very grateful to the Crown Prince, so it is most appropriate for him to be in charge of the intelligence section."
The Crown Prince looked at him and said, "I thought you would recommend Yao Maofang to take over the position of chief editor."
After all, when Wen Zongji was not around, Yao Maofang was in charge of the Beijing Gazette Office, and the people below him respected Yao Maofang very much.
Wen Zongji said, "Yao Maofang is not suitable."
The crown prince raised an eyebrow: "Why?"
Wen Zongji explained, "The Beijing Gazette Bureau is already high-profile enough in the capital. When it comes to intelligence again, it will inevitably attract the attention of countless people. The head of the Beijing Gazette Bureau must be a strong person with the courage to block all the prying eyes from the outside world. Yao Maofang is cautious and too conservative. He is not suitable to be the head of the bureau."
In other words, Yao Maofang is better suited to be an executor than a decision-maker.
Even though he was in charge of the intelligence department, he was just a recorder of intelligence.
The crown prince nodded.
Wen Zongji knew Yao Maofang well, and if he said Yao Maofang was unsuitable, then he really was unsuitable.
"If he really chooses a powerful person, wouldn't he replace the heads of the Imperial Gazette and Intelligence Sections with his own confidants after taking charge of the Imperial Gazette Bureau?"
Wen Zongji said, "Of course it's possible; that's human nature. The Capital Gazette Office works for the Emperor and the Crown Prince. As long as they get things done well and without any mishaps, what does it matter whose people they work for?"
The crown prince looked at him intently and said, "You are quite magnanimous."
Wen Zongji smiled slightly and said, "Your humble servant only knows that no matter how you conduct yourself or what you do, you must be clear about your own position."
"That's very well said."
It's just that too many people in this world can't see their own place, which is why so many people do foolish things.
Wen Zongji added, "However, in the initial stages, I do not recommend changing the person."
The crown prince laughed and said, "I'm still here."
It was Emperor Shun'an's order to have the Beijing Gazette Bureau stop sending intelligence.
With the priority of ensuring the smooth development of the intelligence department, the Crown Prince naturally wouldn't allow anyone to sabotage it.
……
A few days later, the news that the branch offices of the Beijing Gazette Bureau were allowed to publish their own official gazettes and that all the officials in charge of the branch offices were promoted to the eighth rank quickly spread throughout the court and the public. The Beijing Gazette specially set aside a small section of its pages to publish this news.
Once this issue of the Beijing Gazette is distributed throughout the country, people in almost every region of the Great Chu will know that their local area will soon have its own official gazette.
It was a disguised form of GG (game over).
The effect of hitting GG is significant.
All the topics of discussion in the capital city had turned to the affairs of the local authorities, and many people were curious about what the local officials' reports would look like.
Those with a strong sense of curiosity planned to wait for the official gazette from the nearby prefectural city to be published, and then they would go and buy a copy to take a look.
While the common people focused their attention on the official gazettes of various regions, the officials in the imperial court focused their attention on the newly established intelligence section of the Beijing Gazette Bureau.
Such a straightforward name really makes people think a lot.