Peasant Woman’s Decreed Life as a Wife

Chapter 2546: Chapter 2543: Reprimand and Punishment

Now that the Official Gazette Office has Elder Zhong keeping an eye on things over there, plus Xu Chan and the others, it no longer requires much of Chu Heng’s attention.

On the contrary, at the Ministry of Industry Office there are many commercial regulations that need to be redrafted, then sent down to the localities for feedback and revision.

But drafting regulations is not the hardest part; the hardest part is enforcing them, especially in the more remote state government offices, where the darker dealings run deeper, sometimes with the entire yamen colluding to deceive their superiors and hide the truth. Some of those malignant growths, even if the imperial court knows of them, are not easily cut out.

It was precisely this sort of petty but troublesome matter that Chu Heng needed to handle.

As soon as he entered the Ministry of Industry Office, he saw a pile of government business on the desk, most of it disputes that were hard to adjudicate.

After reading through everything, Chu Heng let out a cold sneer. Clearly someone was trying to make trouble for him; otherwise how could they have racked their brains to dig up so many cases specifically to put him in a bind.

Chu Heng directly picked out eighty percent of them, wrote his comments on each, then divided the remaining twenty percent into three separate piles.

He had the Subordinate Official called in.

“Lord Wang, who submitted these?”

Wang Lin hadn’t expected Chu Heng to finish so quickly. Without thinking much, he answered directly, “Right Vice Minister, Official Hu, and Minister Yan.”

“Go and call them over.”

“Yes.” Wang Lin didn’t dare delay, quickly withdrew, and went to carry out the order.

Soon, the three of them were summoned over.

“Lord Chu, you’re finally in today. We’ve piled up so many cases lately, we were afraid we wouldn’t be able to get them all processed, and then wouldn’t be able to explain ourselves to the Emperor. Yet we didn’t dare rush you, so they’ve been held up for this long.” The Right Vice Minister walked in and, at the first opportunity, slickly tried to shift the blame.

Chu Heng gave a cold laugh, not bothering with courtesies. “Right Excellency, I previously laid out the rules for you: similar cases are to be categorized and handled together. But from the looks of it, you’ve paid that no mind.”

He directly pushed the stacks on the desk toward them and had them look for themselves.

After the Right Vice Minister finished reading, he said with a smile, “Lord Chu is indeed capable. We just weren’t sure in our own minds how to group them, and could only trouble you.”

“Since Right Excellency admits he has no capability, then I shall grant your wish and report this matter to the Emperor, so as not to delay those who actually do have ability.”

“You—” The Right Vice Minister had never imagined Chu Heng would give him no face at all; his expression changed on the spot. If not for a subordinate beside him tugging at his sleeve, he would hardly have been able to keep up even the appearance of peace.

“Lord Chu, your words are far too harsh.” The Right Vice Minister took a deep breath to steady himself, his eyes darkening.

“All I know is that the court keeps only those who are useful. For Right Excellency to sit in his present seat and still be making such basic mistakes—don’t blame me for being rude.” Chu Heng gave a cold laugh. “Take these back and handle them according to my approvals. I hope there will be no next time, Right Excellency.”

“When you try to make trouble for me, you’d best first consider whether you can bear the consequences.”

“Official Hu, you as well—this type of government business, I recall you’ve already dealt with similar cases before. Next time, write your proposed disposition directly; I will annotate it.”

“Minister Yan, there are flaws in several of the dispositions you made. I’ve pointed them out in my comments; go back and study them carefully.”

“The Ministry of Industry does not keep idlers who eat without working, but it will not shortchange those who work in earnest.” On the spot, Chu Heng meted out differing degrees of reward and punishment to the three.

And he had it announced publicly within the Ministry of Industry.