Yu Xingshu, who had once served as grand military governor of Jiangzhou before taking a post in the Ministry of War, was transferred by Fang Yun to serve as deputy minister of the Court of State Ceremonies.
The Court of State Ceremonies primarily handled foreign affairs, such as sending envoys to other kingdoms and receiving foreign guests. Its duties had almost nothing to do with Yu Xingshu's military background, and some voiced objections.
Fang Yun stated that Jing Kingdom was steadily growing stronger, and its foreign affairs required a decisive, firm-handed official-a scholar with military experience-to keep pace with its development.
After the officials discussed the matter, even Sheng Boyuan, the minister of personnel who had consistently opposed Fang Yun, acknowledged that his argument made excellent sense. Only then did the doubts subside.
There was also a minor incident in Jing Kingdom: the Sacred Academy's Ritual Hall dispatched a Grand Academician to take up residence in Jing Kingdom's Ministry of Rites, ostensibly to promote ritual teachings. Such things happened often, and the visitor kept a low profile, so no one paid much attention, treating it as an ordinary initiative by the Ritual Hall.
The matter of the personal reports caused no great stir afterward. What many did not know, however, was that Fang Yun used the personal reports of the Left Prime Minister's Office staff to transfer several people out, one after another, and bring capable officials from Mi Prefecture and Xiang Prefecture into the office.
Since these were minor officials whose ranks rose no higher than the eighth grade, and there were only five of them, even the Censorate, which kept Fang Yun under constant scrutiny, could not be bothered to take notice.
The Censorate's investigating censors had always served as weapons for the various factions, often thrusting the