History of Women in the Wei Dynasty

Chapter 412 The Disagreement Between the Secretariat and the Ministry of Personnel

She opened the scroll, which contained the story of how she had used a ghost to scare the fishmonger the day before. Sure enough, the servant of a neighboring fish market tested her, and when the fishmonger said the words she had left behind, "I've caught you," the servant exposed his lie.

The leopard sheep asked, "Shall we close the net?"

Wei Yao nodded slightly and told her, "Go find a few scoundrels and cause trouble at the fish market. Tell them they sell rotten fish sauce that has killed people. You don't need to worry about the rest."

She summoned Gu Kai and instructed him: "Take my name card to the Sizhou government office and have the jailers go to the south of the pontoon bridge this evening to seal off that fish shop. Bring the merchant in charge that day to the Sizhou prison. Don't let ordinary jailers interfere in the trial; have your disciple do it. Only investigate the fish sauce matter. Don't use torture. Release him after two or three days. Next, arrange for the jailers in the Sizhou prison to continue their work and bring the rest of the fish shop people to be interrogated. This time, arrest two people and interrogate them separately. After everyone has been interrogated, it's your disciple's turn to act. This time, take the suspects to the Sizhou Imperial Prison."

The Great Wei Dynasty had only two prisons: the Court of Justice and the State Administration Office, where special and severe interrogations could be conducted depending on the case.

Gu Kai pondered for a moment and immediately understood: "Shaoqing wants them to be suspicious of each other. Suspicion will lead to thoughts and actions of colluding in private. When they see the prison guards in their official uniforms arresting them, all suspicion will turn into greater distrust. When they are forced to confess under torture, they may deny their own evil deeds, but they can talk about the evil deeds of others when they learn about them during collusion! As long as they confess to one evil deed, they can uncover more."

He finished speaking with a smile: "Actually... Shaoqing's intention is probably to avoid implicating the fishmongers." If he could make the decision, he could arrest everyone in the fish market, and he didn't believe anyone could withstand his torture methods!

Wei Yao: "In the past, those in power were the butchers and the knife. When I was a commoner, I hoped that those powerful and wealthy people would be lenient and treat the lives of ordinary people like mine with respect. Now that I also hold a knife, I should repay those who treated me kindly in this way."

The position of Grand Master of the Imperial Clan was temporarily held by Yuan Shao, a minister of the imperial clan. Yuan Shao's original position was Right Vice Minister of the Ministry of Personnel. Officials in the Ministry of Personnel, from top to bottom, all disliked the people from the Secretariat. He had just finished dealing with Yuan Yi, the Attendant-in-Ordinary, when a member of the Imperial Guard came over and said that Wei Yao, the Vice Minister of Justice, was waiting for him at the Grand Master of the Imperial Clan.

Seeing Yuan Shao's brows furrowed, his colleagues teased him, "Go quickly, or the Imperial Attendant will impeach you."

Some people complained: "The two whiny complainers in the Secretariat, one is Yuan Kuang, the Vice Minister of the Imperial Secretariat, and the other is Wei Yao, the Attendant-in-Ordinary. They are like two maggots in the latrine, disgusting wherever they go."

"Keep your voice down, Prince Qinghe hasn't left yet." The man gestured with his chin toward the shadow peeking out from the doorway and reminded him, "Don't think that the Attendant-in-Ordinary and the Vice Minister of the Imperial Secretariat are vying for power. That's in the Secretariat. As soon as they come out, they collude and boss us around like lowly clerks."

"Your voice isn't quiet either."

"Haha."

After the shadow disappeared, Yuan Shao came out of the office and met the gaze of Prince Qinghe, Yuan Yi, who had not left. Yuan Shao awkwardly let out a soft "Ah." Yuan Yi imitated Wei Yao's usual tone of voice and pointed into the office: "You have slandered my department behind my back. I will impeach you!"

A small, disgruntled voice came from inside the room: "Three maggots."

Even though Yuan Shao disliked Wei Yao, he had to put everything aside and rush to the Court of Imperial Clan Affairs.

"What does Vice Minister Wei want to investigate?"

"Case files of the Prince of Jingzhao and the Prince of Guangping violating criminal law."

"Has His Majesty been consulted on this matter?"

“I have inquired, and His Majesty has given his permission. I also have a letter from Cui Tingwei authorizing me to access the case files.” Wei Yao handed the letter to the other party.

He was indeed meticulous in his work. Yuan Shao took the letter and read it, then took Wei Yao to the file archives, saying, "These are all confidential files, and according to the rules, I must supervise them from the side."

Wei Yao smiled and replied, "Okay." Her purpose was not in this, so she multiplied her attention, asking as she read, "Did Attendant Yuan go to the Ministry of Personnel today to inquire about General Yuan of the Imperial Guard?"

Yuan Shao: "Hmm." He immediately realized what she meant. Was the Prince of Qinghe following her orders? This was exactly what Wei Yao had deliberately implied. The officials of the Ministry of Personnel were the most gossipy, and almost all the rumors and nicknames of the ministers originated from the Ministry of Personnel. It wouldn't work for her to compete for power within the Ministry of Personnel alone; she also needed to create a reputation outside.

She asked again, "It seems that Attendant Yuan has spoken with the Right Chancellor. What did he ask?"

Yuan Shao: "Has Yuan Zhi ever helped me manage administrative affairs? Was he responsible?"

Wei Yao: "Yuan Zhi, write down as many details as you can think of regarding the specific matters you need to help with. Write them down for me now. Unless His Majesty asks, the Right Chancellor should not mention this matter to anyone else."

Yuan Shao's expression changed repeatedly, and he couldn't help but defend Yuan Zhi: "Yuan Zhi is an honest man. The mistakes he made in the past were all framed by others after investigation."

Wei Yao said with a half-smile, "That's why Right Chancellor Yuan needs to write in even more detail, lest I frame him."

The crimes committed by the two kings of Guangping and Jingzhao were nothing more than condoning their subordinates to bully the people and seize land. She quickly finished reading it, took out the book of criminal law that she carried with her, and sat down to recite it silently.

Yuan Shao understood even more clearly that Wei Yao's purpose was not to investigate the two princes at all, but to find a reason to send him out of the Ministry of Personnel. What he was writing now was different from what he had perfunctorily told the Prince of Qinghe.

The Right Vice Minister of the Ministry of Personnel was an important assistant official in the Ministry of Personnel. In addition to managing all general affairs, he was also responsible for impeaching and prosecuting officials, handling memorials from prefectures and counties, arrest warrants, military registers and weapons, and criminal cases. He also handled and stored appointment documents and official resumes for officials of princes and dukes.

Yuan Shao wrote and wrote, saying, "This will take until dark."

Wei Yao: "I'm not in a hurry."

Yuan Shao: "I heard that the Attendant-in-Ordinary often stays at the Secretariat at night, and only gets one or two days off a month."

Wei Yao: "I think that reporting things based on hearsay is the practice of the Censorate."

This man is so sarcastic! He truly lives up to his nickname "poisonous tongue." Yuan Shao thought to himself, but didn't stop himself from continuing to inquire: "I will definitely keep today's events to myself, but could you reveal more, Attendant-in-Ordinary? What did Yuan Zhi do that you suspect him of?"

Wei Yao smiled: "The only difference between my Secretariat and your Ministry of Personnel is this... I keep my mouth shut."

"You sharp-tongued Wei! You sharp-tongued Wei!" Yuan Shaohua channeled his anger into ink, poking a hole in the paper.

Time passed between recitation and writing until night. The candle oil was refilled, and an official outside called to Yuan Shao: "Is the Grand Master of Ceremonies on duty tonight? I have something to report."

Just as Yuan Shao was about to get up, Wei Yao spoke up: "If it is related to the Prince, please tell me later."

"Then what's the point of doing it afterward?" Yuan Shao asked sullenly, "Come in and talk."

The official reported: "After dusk, General Yuan Yu of the Chariots and Cavalry met on the street outside the residence of Li Shixian, the Right General of the Central Army. The two argued about something and got into a fight. Li Shixian dragged General Yuan Yu to the Sizhou Office to reason with him. Yuan, the Prefect, said he couldn't handle it and couldn't enter the palace gates, so he asked if the Grand Master of the Imperial Clan was there and asked him to go to the Sizhou Office."

Yuan Shao: "What's the use of me going? Will Yuan Yu listen to me?" Despite his complaints, he couldn't refuse this kind of thing.

"I heard that the incident involving Yuan Yu and Yuan Yu last night was handled by Attendant-in-Ordinary Wei. Would you like to go along?"

Wei Yao: "Alright." She asked Yuan Shao to carry the written record with him, and the two of them rode with the minor official. Wei Yao's first assassination attempt came like lightning in the dark of night!