"Your Majesty!!" Chu Dong, the Minister of Personnel, suddenly roared himself hoarse, making even Xu Jiu, who had weathered countless storms, flinch.
"I am guilty!!"
The assembled officials, who had reacted too slowly and lost the initiative to Chu Dong yet again, froze, their pupils trembling!
For a little silver, they were... they were even starting to confess their own crimes?!
Wasn't the competition in this money-begging business getting a little too fierce?!!
Chu Dong wore a grief-stricken expression and looked straight ahead, treating his colleagues as so many white radishes, utterly unmoved by them.
Jiang Yanchuan's eyes flickered. He spoke unhurriedly. "Minister Chu, what crime have you committed?"
"The County Magistrate of Quchun was able to stir up wind and waves here for years, leaving the local people trapped in deep water and scorching fire without outsiders knowing a thing. Ultimately, this happened because our Ministry of Personnel failed to properly assess officials throughout the realm." His voice choked with emotion, Chu Dong lifted the hem of his robe and dropped straight to his knees. "I cannot escape responsibility!"
Chu Dong looked mournful, but in truth, the beads of the abacus in his mind were practically flying into everyone's faces.
Assessing officials throughout the realm was indeed the Ministry of Personnel's responsibility, but Great Rui encompassed vast territories. Moreover, Emperor Mingze had spent recent years campaigning far and wide, bringing all manner of new lands under his rule. The ministry had been severely understaffed all along. How could it possibly attend to every detail in every corner?
Besides, the County Magistrate of Quchun had been reasonably diligent in office. Though the local people's lives were not as prosperous as those in major hubs, they had largely lived in peace and contentment-
He had merely cultivated a band of rebels