Under One Person: I Opened the Age of Mythology

Chapter 433

After Sun Wukong circled the list, he handed the jade slip to Nezha and said in a calm tone:
"Nezha, you have to remember all these people and arrange the follow-up matters as soon as possible. There must be no mistakes."

Nezha took the jade slip, looked down at the circled name, the corners of his mouth slightly raised, a hint of excitement flashed in his eyes:
"Don't worry, Monkey. I'll do it right away."

He turned around and walked out of the Qitian Palace with brisk steps, already beginning to think about how to arrange these new immortal officials.

After leaving the palace, Nezha went straight to the Selection Department and summoned several immortal officials who were in charge of specific matters.

In the main hall of the Selection Department, several immortal officials were busy sorting out files. When they saw Nezha coming in, they all stopped what they were doing and bowed respectfully:

"Third Prince."

Nezha waved his hand, indicating that they did not need to be polite, and then handed the jade slip in his hand to the immortal official in charge of reading it:

"This is the final list selected by the Great Sage himself. You are to announce it immediately and arrange the inauguration ceremony."

The immortal official took the jade slip, looked serious, and carefully unfolded it. He scanned the list and then read aloud:

"The final list of candidates selected by the Heavenly Court Three Realms Talent Selection Department is as follows: Zhang Xuan, Li Yu, Bai Ling..."

As each name was read out, the immortal officials in the hall whispered to each other, some nodded in approval, while others looked puzzled.

After reading it, Nezha looked around and said firmly:

"Everyone, this selection is of great significance. The Great Sage will personally review it. We must ensure that the subsequent inauguration ceremony is done properly without any mistakes."

All the immortal officials responded:
"Don't worry, Third Prince. We will definitely do our best."

Nezha nodded and immediately began to arrange the specific matters:
"The investiture ceremony is scheduled to be held in the High Heaven Palace in three days. You must start preparing immediately. You must confirm the official uniforms, procedures, and etiquette one by one to ensure that everything goes well."

Several immortal officials took the order and left, and the hall suddenly became busy. Nezha stood there, looking at everyone in the hall, feeling a little relieved.

He walked out of the hall and looked up at the sky. The outline of the Lingxiao Palace was faintly visible between the clouds, and he couldn't help but feel a lot of emotion in his heart.

Three days later, outside the Lingxiao Palace, the newly promoted immortal officials were lined up in neat rows, wearing brand new official uniforms.

They looked solemn, and their eyes could not hide the excitement.

On both sides of the square, immortal officials from heaven also arrived to witness this grand event.

Inside the Lingxiao Palace, the Jade Emperor sat on a high seat with a dignified look.

Sun Wukong and Nezha stood on the left and right, looking at the newly promoted immortal officials outside the hall with serious expressions.

The inauguration ceremony officially began, and the newly promoted immortal officials walked into the hall one by one, kneeling down to listen to the announcement.

The Jade Emperor held the jade slip in his hand and said in a loud voice:
"Zhang Xuan is appointed as the deputy general of the Tianhe Navy, in charge of the defense of Tianhe. Li Yu is appointed as the clerk of Zixiao Pavilion, in charge of documents and books. Bai Ling is appointed as the law enforcement officer of Yaochi, in charge of the order of Yaochi..."

As each name was read out, the newly promoted immortal officials kowtowed to express their gratitude, then stood up and took over the official seals and uniforms with solemn and respectful expressions.

After the ceremony, Sun Wukong stood in front of the hall, his eyes swept over the crowd, and his voice was steady and powerful:
"Everyone, today you officially become a member of the Heavenly Court. You have a heavy responsibility and must be loyal to your duties and not slack off. The peace and stability of the three realms all depend on you."

The newly promoted immortal officials responded in unison:
"Follow the Great Sage's teachings!"

That night, Sun Wukong held a banquet in the Qitian Palace to entertain the new immortal officials.

The hall was brightly lit, and the atmosphere was lively with clinking glasses.

The newly promoted immortal officials toasted each other, their faces filled with joy.

During the banquet, Sun Wukong picked up the wine glass and walked in front of the newly promoted immortal officials. His tone was gentle but with a bit of majesty:

"Everyone, today you officially take office, and the future of Heaven is in your hands. I hope you will take this as a starting point, work diligently and conscientiously, and contribute to the peace and stability of the Three Realms."

Everyone raised their glasses and said in unison:

"Thank you for your cultivation, Great Sage. We will definitely do our best!"

Halfway through the banquet, Sun Wukong put down his wine glass, turned his gaze to Nezha, and nodded slightly.

Nezha understood, stood up and walked to Sun Wukong's side, whispering:

"Monkey, do you have something to say?"

Sun Wukong's eyes were deep and his voice was deep:

"Nezha, this selection is over. Next, the institutional reform of the Heavenly Court should be put on the agenda. Do you have any ideas?"

Nezha's eyes flashed with excitement. He took out a prepared file from his sleeve and handed it to Sun Wukong:
"Monkey, I've been prepared. The Heavenly Court has a complicated organization, and some departments have overlapping responsibilities and low efficiency. I think the organization should be streamlined, and departments with similar functions should be merged. At the same time, a new supervisory agency should be established to ensure the transparency of the operations of each department."

Sun Wukong took the file, lowered his head and read it, his brows sometimes relaxed and sometimes slightly frowned.

After a moment, he raised his head with a look of approval:

"Yes, the idea is clear and well thought out. However, how to implement it still needs to be carefully considered."

Nezha nodded, his tone firm:
"I have already drawn up a specific plan. If you don't mind my being long-winded, I can explain it in detail now."

Sun Wukong smiled slightly and patted Nezha on the shoulder:

"Okay, tell me about it."

The two walked to the side hall of the palace. Sun Wukong sat in front of the desk while Nezha stood aside, unfolding the file and explaining his reform ideas one by one:

"Among the existing departments in the Heavenly Court, the Tianhe Navy and Tianhe Defense have similar responsibilities. It would be better to merge them and have them all under the command of the Tianhe Governor. In addition, the document processing functions of the Purple Sky Pavilion and the High Heaven Palace overlap, so they can be merged into one department to be responsible for the processing and filing of all documents in the Heavenly Court..."

Sun Wukong listened carefully, nodded from time to time, and occasionally interrupted Nezha's explanation to express his own opinions:
"Is the power of the Tianhe Governor too great? If they are merged, it may weaken the power of other departments and cause dissatisfaction."

Nezha smiled slightly and replied calmly:

"What Monkey said makes sense. However, although the Tianhe Governor has great powers, we can set up a supervisory agency to specifically monitor the operation of the Tianhe Governor to ensure that he does not abuse his power."

A trace of approval flashed in Sun Wukong's eyes, and he nodded:
"Okay, that's a good idea. Keep going."

Nezha then explained:

"In addition, Yao Chi's law enforcement officer has similar functions to the law enforcement department of the Heavenly Court, but Yao Chi's law enforcement officer has less authority. It would be better to merge it into the law enforcement department for centralized management and improved efficiency."

The two of them talked back and forth, and the discussion was very engaged.

Time passed unknowingly, and the noise outside the hall gradually died down, leaving only the discussion of two people in the side hall.

Finally, Sun Wukong closed the file, took a deep breath, and said firmly:
"Okay, let's follow your plan. I will issue the reform decree tomorrow, and the institutional adjustments in Heaven will begin immediately." Sun Wukong stood up and swept his eyes firmly across every corner of the side hall, as if he had already seen the scene of Heaven after the reform.

He turned to look at Nezha, his tone steady and powerful:
"Nezha, this reform is of great importance and will inevitably affect the interests of some old immortal officials. You must be prepared to deal with any resistance and challenges that may arise at any time."

A trace of determination flashed across Nezha's eyes, and the corners of his mouth slightly raised:

"Monkey, don't worry. I had expected that there would be opposition, so I have made some preparations in secret. However, I think it is not enough to rely on just the two of us. We need to bring Yang Jian along. His prestige and methods are most effective against those stubborn old men."

Sun Wukong nodded, tapping his fingers lightly on the table, as if thinking about something:
"Yes, Yang Jian is indeed a capable assistant. Go find him first, and the three of us will discuss it together to ensure that everything goes well."

Nezha took the order, turned around and walked out of the side hall with brisk steps, as if he had seen the dawn of successful reform.

A moment later, Nezha brought Yang Jian back to the Qitian Palace.

Yang Jian was wearing silver armor, with a stern look and a hint of doubt in his eyes:

"Monkey, it's so late and you called me here in a hurry, but what happened?"

Sun Wukong smiled slightly and pointed to the file on the case:

"Yang Jian, I called you here this time because of the institutional reform of the Heavenly Palace. Nezha and I have drawn up a plan and would like to hear your opinion."

Yang Jian raised his eyebrows, and a hint of interest flashed in his eyes:
"Reform? That's a good thing! The Heavenly Court has been bloated and inefficient over the years. It's time to make some changes."

After saying that, he quickly walked to the desk, took the file, and began to read it carefully.

Sun Wukong and Nezha stood aside, waiting patiently for Yang Jian's reaction.

Yang Jian's brows sometimes relaxed, sometimes slightly wrinkled, and occasionally he would nod slightly, obviously agreeing with this reform plan.

After a moment, Yang Jian closed the file, looked up at Sun Wukong, with some approval in his eyes:

"Monkey, this plan is well thought out, especially the proposal to set up a supervisory body, which can effectively prevent the abuse of power. However, I am worried that some old immortal officials will strongly oppose it, or even secretly make trouble."

Sun Wukong chuckled, with a bit of confidence in his tone:

"We have also taken this into consideration. Therefore, we plan to start with those departments with less influence and advance step by step to avoid affecting the interests of too many people at one time."

Yang Jian nodded, a gleam of light flashed in his eyes:
"Yes, a gradual approach is a good approach. However, I suggest that at the beginning of the reform, a large-scale survey should be conducted to understand the actual situation of each department, especially those departments where corruption may exist."

When Nezha heard this, a hint of excitement flashed in his eyes, and he immediately replied:
"Great! Yang Jian, your proposal is very timely. We can send people to conduct secret investigations in various departments and obtain first-hand information. This way, the reform will be more targeted and effective."

The three of them talked enthusiastically, until the night fell and the heavenly soldiers outside the palace began to change shifts, and then they finally finalized the final reform plan.

The next day, Sun Wukong convened a meeting of all immortal officials in the Lingxiao Palace and formally issued a decree on the institutional reform of the Heavenly Court.

With the promulgation of the decree, the various departments of the Heavenly Court began to integrate, and some immortal officials were transferred to other departments due to functional adjustments.

The magnitude and scope of this reform were unprecedented, and immediately aroused dissatisfaction among some immortal officials.

They gathered together privately, talking in low voices, with expressions of dissatisfaction or worry on their faces.

"This reform is too hasty. Our department has finally gained a firm foothold. If we merge it now, won't all our efforts go to waste?"

An old immortal official stroked his beard, frowned, and spoke with a hint of resentment in his voice.

"Yes, setting up a supervisory body clearly shows that they don't trust us. How can we do anything in the future?"

Another immortal official echoed, his tone full of resentment.

Some even went further, spreading rumors and questioning the necessity of reform:
"I heard that this reform was orchestrated by Sun Wukong and Nezha. They just want to take advantage of the opportunity to seize power and weaken our power."

These sounds spread wider and wider, even reaching the ears of Sun Wukong.

When Sun Wukong learned about this, a hint of coldness flashed in his eyes, and he immediately summoned all the immortal officials to the Lingxiao Palace.

In the Lingxiao Palace, the immortal officials stood on both sides with different expressions. Some had firm eyes, while others lowered their brows and looked submissive, obviously dissatisfied.

Sun Wukong stood on the high platform with a serious expression. He glanced at everyone and said in a loud voice:
"Everyone, this reform of the Heavenly Court is aimed at improving efficiency and eliminating malpractices. If anyone has any doubts, please raise them in person."

An old immortal official stepped forward and bowed, saying:
"Great Sage, this reform involves a wide range of issues. Many immortal officials have been transferred to other positions, which inevitably makes them confused. We are not against the reform, but we are worried that the reform is too hasty and may backfire."

Sun Wukong nodded slightly, with a hint of approval in his eyes:
"What the old immortal said makes sense. However, reform is no joke. It is a long-term development plan for the Heavenly Court. The establishment of a supervisory body is also to ensure the fairness and justice of the operation of various departments. There is absolutely no other intention."

After saying this, he turned to look at Nezha, motioning for him to take over the conversation.

Nezha took a step forward and said loudly:
"Everyone, this reform is not aimed at anyone, but for the better development of the Heavenly Court. The establishment of the supervisory body is precisely to make the Heavenly Court more transparent and fair, to prevent anyone from abusing their power and damaging the interests of the Heavenly Court."

After hearing this, some immortal officials gradually relaxed their expressions, with a hint of understanding flashing in their eyes:
"I see. We thought too much."

However, there are still some immortal officials who are dissatisfied and secretly collude to prepare a joint letter to oppose the reform.

Nezha noticed the unusual movements of these immortal officials and secretly investigated, and discovered that some of them were actually connected with Zhang Yu who was demoted to the mortal world.

He was shocked and immediately told Sun Wukong about it:

"Monkey, those immortal officials who opposed the reform had contact with Zhang Yu. I'm afraid they have ulterior motives."

Sun Wukong frowned slightly, and a hint of coldness flashed in his eyes:
"It seems that some people can't sit still about this reform. In this case, we will take advantage of their tactics, secretly observe their movements, and wait for the right time to catch them all in one fell swoop."

The two smiled at each other, with tacit understanding in their eyes.

At the same time, the newly promoted immortal officials also began to officially perform their duties. They actively participated in the affairs of the Heavenly Court, demonstrated extraordinary talents, and gradually won the recognition of other immortal officials.

The reform of the entire heaven is progressing steadily.

A few days later...

Nezha stood outside the Qitian Palace, holding the organized evidence book tightly in his hand, his eyes solemn.

He took a deep breath and walked into the hall, just in time to see Sun Wukong sitting at the desk with a frown on his face, as if he was thinking about something.

Nezha stepped forward and respectfully presented the booklet:

"Brother Zi, this is the evidence of Zhang Yu's collusion with the immortal officials. I have sorted it out."

Sun Wukong took the booklet and quickly scanned the pages. The calmness on his face was gradually replaced by anger.

He suddenly closed the book, a cold light flashed in his eyes, and his voice was low but with unquestionable majesty:
"Zhang Yu, you dare to collude with the immortal officials and seek personal gain in secret! Nezha, have you found out the list of these people?"

(End of this chapter)