Da Tang: Father, can I resign?

Chapter 415 Someone who retired but did not rest
"Oh? His Majesty has delegated the power of personnel to you, 'Prime Minister'?"

That night, in the master bedroom of the prime minister’s residence.

Fang Xuanling was lying on the sickbed, with a mocking expression in his calm eyes.

At the head of his bed, the eldest son, Fang Yi, was kneeling, the corners of his calm mouth twitching slightly.

He was also very desperate. He was just a small accountant who kept accounts and took the blame.

His Majesty Li Ming suddenly endowed him with the duties of Prime Minister, not to mention the most crucial power of recommending personnel appointments and dismissals. What can he do?

He could only go home in shame and ask the real Prime Minister for help.

"I was wondering why you came back so early today. It's the first time you don't have to work overtime.

"So you came here with a mission?"

Fang Xuanling leaned weakly on the pillow and rubbed his eyes tiredly.

It's strange to say, he had clearly taken sick leave and was staying at home to recuperate.

But why do I still feel so tired?
Your Majesty Li Ming, wise, why is this happening?

"Father, for the sake of the empire and our father-son relationship, please help me."

Fang Yize pleaded expressionlessly.

"You and I are father and son, so why should we be so distant? You can call me grandpa, it will be more intimate." Lao Fang instructed with an expressionless face.

"Grandpa, please help me~" Xiaofang said coquettishly with an expressionless face.

Fang Xuanling suddenly felt goosebumps all over his body. He shuddered and did a sit-up on the bed, holding down his little son who was about to give him a bear hug.

"I'll help you, I'll help you, okay? So can you stop being so cheesy?"

"Oh, okay." Fang Yize withdrew his hand obediently and knelt back in his original position.

Alas, I fell into that kid's trap again... Fang Xuanling sighed helplessly, gave up resistance, and spread his hands:
"Where is the original proposal for career adjustment?"

"It's here." Fang Yize pointed to his head, took out a wolf-hair brush, and started writing on a piece of white paper.

As this involves employment confidentiality, written documents may not be taken out of the office.

Fang Xuanling took the piece of paper solemnly with both hands, as if he was holding the future and destiny of the empire in his hands.

This is true, because a country is made up of people.

Officials above the sixth rank will undoubtedly become the backbone of this country.

The old prime minister squinted his eyes, and under the flickering candlelight, he carefully read, studied, and pondered each name.

Officials above the sixth rank can be considered high-ranking officials, but the Ming Dynasty is vast and rich in resources, and is rich in talented people. Adjusting all the officials across the country would be a complex systematic project.

According to the usual work process, the Ministry of Personnel should draw up a framework, which should be reported to the Deputy Prime Minister in charge, Zhangsun Wuji, and then drafted by the King's Uncle himself.

After the draft is completed, it will be reviewed and revised by Prime Minister Fang Xuanling, and finally presented to His Majesty. If His Majesty is not satisfied with any part of it, it will be sent back for revision.

In this way, Your Majesty has the final power to make personnel decisions, officials have endless work tasks to do, and everyone has a bright future.

However, this time, in order to improve efficiency and to take care of the old Prime Minister and not be driven crazy by Party A's repeated changes to the plan.

Li Ming changed the process and first wrote the first draft himself, and then asked Fang Xuanling to review and write it.

Anyone who has gone through the process in a government agency knows that the leader is often the last to sign.

His Majesty Li Ming's change in process is almost a reversal of Tiangang's favor.

Fang Xuanling couldn't help but tremble in his heart.

His Majesty is truly sincere to his ministers, and has given them all the favors, both materially and spiritually.

What a rare and good monarch.

In order to allow the oxen and horses under his command to work well, he can make his body so flexible.

Well, I can't find any fault with His Majesty, except that he likes to treat officials like cattle and horses...

"Changsun Wuji... did a really good job."

Fang Xuanling was flipping through the adjustment list of new officials while muttering to himself.

Selecting the best and most capable people for the positions are just four simple words, but it is very complicated to actually do it.

Let’s not talk about whether we can select truly talented people and whether we can balance the interests of all parties.

Even if one is able to select qualified people, who can resist the urge to fill them with “their own people”?
However, according to Fang Xuanling, Changsun Wuji really held back and did not include any personal agenda in the list of new officials.

The evidence is that there are many old ministers of the Tang Dynasty on the list, many of whom are unfamiliar faces to His Majesty Li Ming.

Not to mention His Majesty, even ordinary senior officials may not know about the new officials who have been promoted.

Because they are all middle and low-level bureaucrats in the three provinces and six ministries, and are professional managers who "do practical work."

He does not show off his abilities and is unknown both among the people and in official circles.

Only when a policy is actually implemented or a plan is proposed, do we realize the importance of these "unknown people".

For example, the person who initially built the framework and drafted the outline of this list of new officials must have been a bald bureaucrat in the Ministry of Personnel.

They are like "farmers" working hard in the big field of officialdom. They usually don't achieve anything outstanding, but the normal operation of the country cannot do without them.

And there are many such "screws" in this list.

These "screws" that originally belonged to the Tang Dynasty could not have been personally selected by Emperor Li Ming, but could only have been stuffed in by Zhangsun Wuji.

Moreover, it is almost impossible for a small official in such a large department to be a direct descendant of Changsun Wuji - such a small fry has no qualifications to take sides.

Some of the names that Fang Xuanling was familiar with were even fierce opponents of the foreign relatives group, and were completely opposite to the emperor's uncle Changsun Wuji on the political spectrum.

This guy, Changsun Wuji, really only promotes people based on their talents!
This guy wasn't like this before. He used to like to cultivate his own clique and even stuff his relatives into the bureaucracy.

Why did the King's uncle suddenly change his personality?

Could it be that under the benevolent rule of His Majesty Li Ming, even the old fox Zhangsun Wuji was influenced?

"No, most likely he has lost all desire for power after being tortured by His Majesty.

"Just like me..."

Fang Xuanling couldn't help but complain in his heart.

Just like the best way to quit internet addiction is to enter an e-sports school, the best way to quit cravings is to overeat.

The best way to help a power animal get rid of his desire for power is to give him lots and lots of power.

He has to take care of this and be responsible for that.

After obtaining the Prime Minister Experience Card and experiencing several consecutive late-night overtime experiences.

Changsun Wuji almost went into shock from this shock therapy.

After he came to his senses, he no longer had any worldly desires.

Everything is business as usual.

Power...power and obligations are dialectically unified. The greater the power, the greater the responsibility. Do you understand?

If one is well-versed in officialdom, he or she will naturally not mix personal interests into work.

As for building wings and paving the way for future generations... forget it.

If Your Majesty is already in his eighties, then there is some meaning in doing this.

As long as they can survive this generation of powerful leaders, he and the Changsun family may still be able to make a comeback and return to the good old days of "only power but no responsibility".

But how old is His Majesty Li Ming now?

Among his confidants, sons, and even grandsons, who can outlast His Majesty?
Even if Changsun Wuji really stuffed his own stuff into the officialdom.

After my generation passes away, who knows whether Emperor Li Ming, who is in the prime of the Spring and Autumn Period, will launch a bloody and cruel purge, which will bring disaster to his descendants...

The kindness of a gentleman will be cut off after three generations.

Under the leadership of the impeccable Emperor Li Ming, it was only natural for Zhangsun Wuji to put aside his selfishness and serve as a good official.

Not to mention nurturing wings, if it weren't for the fact that his great grandson Changsun Yan had already taken root in the officialdom, Changsun Wuji would have wanted to admonish his descendants: Don't be an official, go into business. "Children and grandchildren have their own blessings. If he can wisely realize this, the eldest grandson will also be a prime minister..."

Fang Xuanling sighed, feeling a little regretful that he had not yet completely gotten rid of the huge burden of being "Prime Minister".

However, no matter how unfortunate it is, the task assigned by the leader still needs to be completed.

That’s right, although His Majesty Li Ming assigned this task to Fang Yize.

But those who understand know that the target is the person behind Xiao Fang, Fang Xuanling.

There is no way, who made my goose be in someone else's hands?
"Human resources are a profound subject. We need to appoint talented people, but we cannot completely ignore other political factors."

Fang Xuanling was annotating carefully while talking loudly to himself.

Fang Yi asked expressionlessly, "Are you making some malicious political metaphor, Grandpa?"

Fang Xuanling flatly denied: "No, don't believe it. I don't mean that at all. I am just teaching you some principles of being a prime minister."

"I don't want to be prime minister, I'm just an accountant." Fang Yi said, it would be better to look for someone else.

Fang Xuanling put down the work in his hands and rubbed his eyes.

"This job won't be finished in a short time. It's rare that you come home early today. Now that things have come to this, let's eat first.

"I'll ask the kitchen to prepare it right away."

Fang Yi shook his head:

"No need, father. His Majesty the Emperor has bestowed upon our family an imperial meal and has instructed me to personally serve it to you."

Take it, is this the poison bestowed by the emperor... Fang Xuanling was about to complain when he suddenly remembered the unforgettable Dragon Boat Festival "full moon" banquet a few days ago.

During the banquet, His Majesty created a memorable dish...

His eyes involuntarily focused on his son's hand as he watched him take out a plate of white, animal tissue-like substance from a brocade box.

"Boiled chicken breast, father."

Ripples appeared on Fang Xuanling's old face.

…………

"It's my treat today, please don't be polite and enjoy the meal."

That night, the banquet hall on the first floor of the State Council Yamen was the venue for the Dragon Boat Festival "Full Moon Banquet".

Li Ming sat at the top and held a grand banquet to entertain all the officials in the capital.

Is there anything more delicious than a business meal in the cafeteria after a busy day?

All the officials in Beijing faced the small table in front of them and forced themselves to smile.

Because the exquisite food boxes are filled with white things——

Chicken breast, hard-boiled eggs, fish and shrimp.

If there is anything else, it is green-

Amaranth seasonal vegetable.

All are boiled in water with appropriate amounts of oil and salt. It looks very healthy. Although there are meat dishes, it creates an atmosphere that is even more simple and elegant than vegetarian meals.

The sashimi that everyone eats is not available, nor are the greasy sheepskin shreds and Tonghua soft beef intestines.

There is cheese, but not in the form of ice cream, but in the most primitive form of cheese -

A piece of fat, neither salty nor sour.

In addition to this nutritious dinner that only lacked "deliciousness", each person also received an extra jug of grape juice -

No quotation marks, no fermentation, just pure chilled freshly squeezed grape juice.

It can relieve the heat and the cost is quite high, but considering the level of fruit breeding in the seventh century AD, the squeezed liquid will inevitably have a sour taste even if sugar is added.

"Gulp gulp... Ha! Please don't be polite, everyone. Eat quickly because we have to continue working overtime!"

Li Ming took the lead, drank a glass of sour fruit juice, and then began to feast on it.

After all, he didn't eat rice mixed with millet for nothing in the past few years.

However, the food that Your Majesty can eat is a little difficult for the nobles who usually eat the most exquisite food to swallow.

But, you can't just not eat and not give His Majesty this face, right?

The emperor can eat it, but you can’t. Who are you?

The ministers looked embarrassed. They dipped the chicken breast in the sauce, closed their eyes and put it into their mouths.

Well, fortunately, no dark ingredients like cod liver oil were added.

Well, the chicken selected by the Shangshi Bureau is good. It is the black-bone chicken tributed by Baekje, and the breast meat is not too tough.

Ah, but it still tastes terrible...

The ministers found the working meal tasteless.

But I have to eat it.

When the emperor invites guests, who dares not to attend?

"Prime Minister Fang is really wise. He escaped early due to illness." Wei Ting and his son Wei Daijia, who had fled from Chang'an, whispered to each other.

Wei Daijia shrugged his shoulders, his tone extremely sad:
"Prime Minister Ji packed up the food and took it back."

Wei Ting was speechless.

An inappropriate idea suddenly occurred to him - maybe it would be more merciful to give the old man some poison, at least it would be more satisfying...

Among the ministers, Liu Li was much smarter.

He seemed to have anticipated this disaster and secretly hid some salt and a small can of sesame oil in his sleeves.

If you think the food is bland and tasteless, just secretly lick it or drop a few drops.

Hou Junji, who was sitting on his left, snorted with disdain when he saw this.

It seemed that because he was a military general and consumed more energy, his meals were different from those of the civil officials. Although they were a little bland than before, there were still some fish and meat.

But his old friend Li Daozon, who sat on Liu Li's right, was different.

He was almost drooling from the smell of the sesame oil and unconsciously leaned towards Lao Liu.

Old Liu subconsciously moved his butt further away.

Li Daozon's mouth twitched.

After all, he is the chief civil servant of the Tang Dynasty, and he is a cunning and treacherous person.

Li Ming on the stage naturally saw everything that was happening below clearly.

He himself was a migrant worker, so if his colleagues did something behind his back, as long as it was harmless, he would usually turn a blind eye.

However, Niuma gave himself high blood pressure factors and rushed to the road of death. He couldn't just sit back and watch -

Fang Xuanling has given up his work due to illness, which has made me feel quite overwhelmed.

You guys are obviously only in your fifties or sixties, and haven't even reached the legal retirement age yet. You are still young and middle-aged people in your prime.

Now most of them have gray hair and are very old.

Have you ever thought that this is not because the time has come, but because of your own reasons?
It’s because you eat and drink too much on a daily basis and don’t know how to take care of your body!
Now that you, the old ministers left over from the Zhenguan Dynasty, have fallen, who will serve me like a slave?
Thinking of this, Li Ming slammed the table angrily.

snort!
The whole place fell into silence.

Liu Li's body trembled, salt and sesame oil scattered all over the floor, and he lowered his head guiltily.

Li Ming looked around at the people sitting below him, then suddenly looked up at the sky at a 45-degree angle, tears streaming down his face.

The whole place was shocked.

(End of this chapter)