"Shiji."
Inside the Imperial Secretariat, Zhong Hui sat beside Cao Mao, all smiles.
Documents of every description covered the space before him. It was clear that Zhong Hui had been exceedingly busy lately.
Under He Zeng's butcher's blade, the imperial court's efficiency had increased many times over.
Take the library, for instance. Without He Zeng's efforts, there probably would still have been no progress.
Only now did Cao Mao understand why emperors liked employing ruthless officials.
Even someone like Emperor Wu of Han had entrusted important duties to ruthless officials who framed people and knew no bounds.
Clearly, it had been to achieve precisely this sort of effect.
He Zeng might have been utterly inhuman, but since he had taken charge, the efforts to put things in order had proved far more effective than before in every quarter.
Having brought this matter to fruition, Zhong Hui was now immensely pleased with himself.
Zhong Hui had truly accumulated too many merits lately.
Fortunately, Cao Mao could still keep writing poems.
Now, sitting beside Zhong Hui, Cao Mao began speaking at a leisurely pace.
"I just visited Youjiao Prefecture. There were many scholars waiting at the entrance, and they were all very happy. This undertaking succeeded entirely thanks to your efforts."
"Now the scholars are all praising your character, calling you a true man of distinction who concerns himself with the whole realm!"
This was exactly what Zhong Hui liked to hear, and he grew considerably more animated.
"Your Majesty, the credit does not belong to me alone."
Cao Mao offered several more words of praise, then abruptly changed tack. "Shiji, although you handled this undertaking well, if things continue this way, I fear your reputation will suffer in the future. Quite a few people will come forward to curse you."
Taken