bestfiction Chapter 265 Future Whereabouts
Chapter 265 Future Whereabouts
Wenyuan Pavilion
"Your humble servant pays respects to the Crown Prince."
Wen Zongji bowed to the Crown Prince.
The Crown Prince put down the memorial in his hand: "No need for formalities, please sit down."
Wen Zongji sat below the Crown Prince.
The Crown Prince raised his eyes and looked at Wen Zongji.
It is now the twelfth month of the sixteenth year of the Shun'an era.
More than a year has passed since Wen Zongji took charge of the Beijing Gazette Bureau.
The Beijing Gazette has become the undisputed premier official gazette of the Great Chu, and local official gazettes have also begun to be published, with good results, firmly keeping public opinion under the control of the imperial court.
The intelligence section is also making good progress. Over the past few months, intelligence has been flowing into the capital from various places and has been classified and compiled into files by the intelligence section of the Beijing Gazette Bureau.
It can be said that the Beijing Gazette Bureau is now fully on track, and Wen Zongji's continued presence there is no longer of much significance, and it would even be a waste of his talent.
Wen Zongji could leave the Capital Gazette Office at any time, just waiting for the Crown Prince to find someone to succeed him.
Therefore, the first thing the Crown Prince said today was: "I have already found someone to succeed you."
Wen Zongji looked at the Crown Prince, quietly waiting for what was to come.
"As for where you'll go next, do you have any ideas?"
Wen Zongji cupped his hands and said, "Your Majesty, I will follow your instructions."
The Crown Prince smiled and said, "Both Zhou Shiyue, the Minister of Revenue, and Grand Secretary Han have mentioned to me that they want you. Wei Zhengsong of the Censorate also intends to send you to the Censorate."
Wen Zongji was not surprised by the first two, since they had both tried to recruit him in person, but he really didn't expect the Censorate to recruit him.
"The Censorate?"
The Crown Prince said, "Because you solved the Tongzhou Prefecture case, Wei Zhengsong appreciates you very much. It just so happens that the Censorate has recently completed its internal reorganization and is short of manpower."
Wen Zongji suddenly realized.
The Crown Prince tapped the table lightly and pondered, "What the Censorate lacks right now is people to oversee the provincial judicial offices. If you go to the Censorate, you'll most likely be assigned to oversee the provincial judicial offices. My cousin is pregnant and will give birth next year. If you are transferred away from the capital, she might tear down my Eastern Palace."
Of course, the Crown Prince wasn't worried about the Eastern Palace being demolished; his main concern was that Pei Rujing would ask him to play chess again, which would be too torturous.
"As for the Ministry of Revenue and the Ministry of Rites, the court has appeared to be at peace and prosperous in the last ten years, but natural disasters and man-made calamities have never ceased. In addition, the annual military expenses paid to the border troops have emptied the national treasury. I believe you have the ability to manage finances, and the Ministry of Revenue needs you more than the Ministry of Rites."
Whether it was the Beijing Gazette Bureau or the current Fusheng Newspaper, both have proven Wen Zongji's financial management skills.
The Crown Prince saw all of this, and in fact, from the beginning he had preferred to send Wen Zongji to the Ministry of Revenue.
Wen Zongji stood up: "Your Majesty, I will obey your every command."
The Crown Prince nodded: "The New Year is just around the corner. It's not a good time to make any moves before the New Year. We'll announce your official position after the New Year. I'm telling you today so you can be prepared and think about how to replenish the national treasury."
The Crown Prince put it bluntly: he transferred Wen Zongji to the Ministry of Revenue because he was counting on him to generate revenue for the national treasury.
After all, the Crown Prince's private treasury is now full thanks to Wen Zongji.
"Yes."
……
Wen Zongji did not hide his upcoming trip to the Ministry of Revenue from Wen Chuanhong. He was unfamiliar with the Ministry and needed Wen Chuanhong's help to analyze the situation.
Wen Chuanhong was quite pleased to learn that Wen Zongji had gone to the Ministry of Revenue, saying, "Zhou Shiyue was personally promoted by the Emperor. Although he's known as a miser, he's very capable. The fact that the treasury still has money despite the court's many expenditures over the years is all thanks to Zhou Shiyue."
"Since Zhou Shiyue appreciates you, you don't need to be timid when you get to the Ministry of Revenue. Be bold and do your job. The important thing is to complete the tasks assigned by the Crown Prince. The thoughts of other people are not important."
Wen Zongji nodded: "Your son understands."
"However, everything should be done in a proper way; being too rigid can easily lead to breakage."
Wen Chuanhong knew that Wen Zongji was cautious, so he reminded him not to be too cautious and become timid.
However, one cannot act recklessly just because someone is backing them up.
In fact, Wen Chuanhong was just casually reminding him of this; he believed that Wen Zongji was not that kind of person.
Because he had many matters to consult Wen Chuanhong about concerning the Ministry of Revenue, Wen Zongji had dinner with Wen Chuanhong at Juanqinzhai.
When Wen Zongji returned to Yunguang Courtyard, Pei Rujing had already finished her walk and bath and was preparing to go to bed.
"Why are you back so late?"
Wen Zongji had just returned from outside, still carrying a chill, so he didn't approach Pei Rujing: "I ended up talking to my father for a while and we ended up talking a bit longer."
Pei Rujing nodded without asking any further questions. She couldn't possibly ask Wen Zongji what they were talking about just because they were chatting.
Wen Zongji, on the contrary, took the initiative to say, "The Crown Prince plans to have me work at the Ministry of Revenue after the New Year, so I asked my father about the situation at the Ministry of Revenue."
"The Ministry of Revenue?"
Pei Rujing was not surprised that Wen Zongji left the Beijing Gazette Bureau; it was only a matter of time.
"Why would it be the Ministry of Revenue?"
Once Wen Zongji felt a little warmer, he went over and squatted down on Pei Rujing, resting his head on her stomach: "Is there something wrong with the Ministry of Revenue?"
Pei Rujing is over four months pregnant and felt fetal movement for the first time yesterday. Wen Zongji was very excited when he found out, but he listened to Pei Rujing's belly for a long time without feeling anything.
But he didn't give up and continued to experience it today.
Pei Rujing looked at him gently and explained, "I remember my elder brother mentioning before that the national treasury is empty now, and the officials in the Ministry of Revenue are extremely busy, thinking all day about how to generate more money. The Ministry of Revenue is not a good place to work now."
Wen Zongji said, "I know, the Crown Prince told me. He sent me to the Ministry of Revenue to find ways to replenish the national treasury."
Pei Rujing complained, "He certainly knows how to boss people around. Does he think he's omnipotent? He assigns you all the tricky tasks."
Wen Zongji smiled: "Doesn't this show that the Crown Prince values me?... He's made a move! He's made a move!"
Before he could finish speaking, Wen Zongji felt a kick from the blanket and immediately became agitated.
Pei Rujing naturally sensed this as well, and smiled, "It seems the child feels sorry for her father."
Wen Zongji accepted this explanation and patted her belly: "Good girl, when you are born, Daddy will personally teach you to read and write."
Pei Rujing said, "What if it's a daughter?"
Upon hearing about reading and learning to read, she subconsciously assumed that Wen Zongji thought it referred to his son.
Wen Zongji stood up: "It's all the same, just don't be like my wife who doesn't like reading."
Pei Rujing glared at him: "From now on, you are not allowed to mention the past in front of the children."
Even the county magistrate has her pride.
Although she hasn't become a mother yet, the county princess is already consciously paying attention to her image, and she looks much more composed.
Wen Zongji raised his hand and begged for mercy: "Okay, okay, I promise I won't say anything."