A Scheme Takes Shape, Trouble Rises at the Southern Border

At this moment, Geng Chi's praise brought Wang Jing back from his shock. He looked at Qiu Yan, wanting to speak, yet not knowing what to say.

By now, Wang Jing had naturally seen that relying on Zhang Hai and Qi Jinchang to hollow out Qiu Yan's authority was no longer realistic. It was not that Qiu Yan's political maneuvering was particularly brilliant, but that he simply did not bother with such methods. He had used the most direct, most primitive way to shake the very foundation on which the two men stood.

In the end, an office had to get work done. When faced with a superior who possessed prestige, ability, and efficiency, the presence of subordinates would become exceedingly faint. They could forget about hollowing him out.

Still, if Qiu Yan were allowed to dismiss all the clerks in the office just like that, once word got out, Wang Jing's image would inevitably suffer, and hidden troubles would be left behind.

Thus, after pondering for a moment, Wang Jing still decided to delay Qiu Yan's decision.

But before he could speak, Qiu Yan said first, "I roughly understand the Privy Council Commissioner's difficulties. Since that is so, I only hope for a promise from my superior: that you will first approve the Secretariat Office's dismissal of its clerks. This subordinate will not put it into effect immediately. There must be a period of adjustment. Just as you said earlier, understanding these clerks will ultimately take some time."

As he spoke, Qiu Yan smiled. "Perhaps they had their own reasons for not being diligent before, but their sense of crisis was still too weak. They did not understand the urgency of a national war. From this day onward, I imagine they will have a new understanding." As he spoke,