My Husband is a Drama King [Book Transmigration] 89

Chapter 89: Turmoil in the Ministry of Works

After washing up, Song Changxu returned home. Xu Zhizhou shrunk into his arms and talked about the matter at the execution ground.

Song Changxu was silent for a long time but still did not tell Xu Zhizhou the whole story. He was afraid that he would be scared.

Now that the matter had come to an end, there was no need for him to say it.

Song Changxu suddenly thought of Xu Cheng’s words. He reached out and touched Xu Zhizhou’s stomach.

Xu Zhizhou turned over impatiently and slept. “Don’t touch. There’s nothing.”

Song Changxu bit his cheek. Xu Zhizhou deliberately puffed out his cheeks so that he couldn’t bite.

He couldn’t bite. Song Changxu did not struggle and instead went to kiss Xu Zhizhou’s lips.

Their breaths mingled. After he had kissed him, Xu Zhizhou touched his Adam’s apple and then nestled in his arms to sleep.

Song Changxu pinched his nose.

.

Su Yuanwailang was adapting well to the Ministry of Rites. He had still kept his official position and had not been demoted. At first, he was a little unaccustomed to it, but he soon adapted. It was more relaxed than at the Ministry of Personnel.

After he had been transferred, Song Changxu had immediately been promoted. Su Yuanwailang couldn’t help but think that His Majesty was making way for him.

“I’m still considered lucky. As for Sir He, he’s already gone,” Su Yuanwailang thought of his superior and couldn’t help but feel a little wistful.

Most of the people implicated by Director He were local officials. A few people had been selected from the Shuchang Hall to be local officials.

Xie Feng and Luo Shuang were among them.

They were lucky this time and were appointed as county magistrates in a county under the jurisdiction of the capital. It only took two shichen to go back and forth.

That was still close.

The new director of the Ministry of Personnel was surnamed Li. Song Changxu had seen him. He was about thirty years old and was very respectful to him.

Song Changxu and he were on good terms. Now it was the honeymoon period.

The director of the Ministry of Personnel was surnamed Zongzheng. He had been a prefect in a local place and was now a director in the Ministry of Personnel. Song Changxu had looked at Zongzheng Jia’s file through his position. He was a capable person who could get things done.

It was a little surprising to Song Changxu that Emperor Pingjing had noticed him. But thinking of the surname Zongzheng, it was not like that of a common person. He must be from an aristocratic family.

“Sir Song, these are the documents that need to be processed today,” Xiao Ding said.

Xiao Ding’s original name was Ding Minde. He was a diligent worker, smooth in his ways, and loyal to his superiors. Ding Minde placed the documents on Song Changxu’s desk and then went to make him some hot tea.

“After the promotion, there are fewer trivial matters, and I have my own office and a dedicated clerk. As expected, each level is better than the last,” Song Changxu said with a sigh.

He also thought of Laifu’s words and was wary of himself. He could not be so reckless in his work in the future. Otherwise, he didn’t know what the consequences would be.

He had another piece of good news when he was on duty today. Pei Shengrong had returned from a local place.

This time, he had made a contribution in the disaster relief and had political achievements. He was not far from a promotion.

His eating companion was back. Without Pei Shengrong, the food in the dining hall was not as fragrant.

Song Changxu finished reviewing the documents and rested. It was comfortable to work alone. He didn’t have to worry about being caught slacking off.

He slowly drank a mouthful of tea, thinking of bringing some pastries and more snacks tomorrow.

At noon, Song Changxu saw that there was another person at his usual seat.

“Brother Pei,” Song Changxu said quickly.

Pei Shengrong still looked dead. He was very dissatisfied with the food in the dining hall.

Seeing him, Pei Shengrong’s expression was a little happy. “Brother Song.”

He saw that Song Changxu’s bowl was full again and couldn’t help but laugh. It felt like a lifetime since he had returned from Youzhou. His experience there had made him shudder, and he didn’t dare to mention it to outsiders.

Even though he was so anxious in his heart.

“Brother Pei, how was it in Youzhou?” Song Changxu asked with a smile.

Pei Shengrong: “Alright. I heard you were promoted when I came back. Congratulations.”

Song Changxu smiled.

Pei Shengrong lowered his voice, his tone a bit tentative. “I did find that the river dikes in Youzhou had been cut corners. I investigated and found that the river official was gone.”

Song Changxu first looked around. He lowered his voice. “Brother Pei, let’s talk after work.”

Pei Shengrong nodded.

Song Changxu returned to the Ministry of Personnel and ran into Pei Shengrong at the entrance of the imperial palace after he had finished his official duties.

Pei Shengrong called out, “Brother Song, let’s go to my house.”

Song Changxu nodded. He had a child send a message to his home that he would not be back.

When Pei Shengrong arrived, he pulled Song Changxu into his family’s carriage. When they reached the Pei residence, he greeted his wife and then took Song Changxu to the study.

An attendant brought some tea and then left. Pei Shengrong pulled Song Changxu to sit down and showed him the evidence he had collected.

After reading it, Song Changxu said thoughtfully, “From what you’ve investigated, they won’t be able to pay off their debts in a short time. Report it to your superior and let him handle it. Remember to say that you’ve already told your family and friends about this.”

Hearing this, Pei Shengrong relaxed. “Alright, I know. I just didn’t expect them to be so bold as to cut corners when I went to Youzhou. They’re just fooling the common people, relying on the fact that the sky is high and the emperor is far away. Last time, Brother Song and Brother Shen went to Yongzhou. This time, I’ve seen it for myself.”

Song Changxu: “Don’t be angry, Brother Pei. As long as there’s evidence, they will be brought to justice sooner or later.”

Pei Shengrong used to think that the work in the Ministry of Works was a lot. Now he thought that there were so many projects in the world, so many river dikes. If they all cut corners and filled their own pockets, what would happen to the common people?

He had seen the river dikes wash away the common people, and the houses collapse. It was really unbearable to watch.

Of course, he understood that more or less all the officials in the officialdom were corrupt. A little from you, a little from me, and it would add up.

The money from the common people’s taxes, the money from their suffering, were all used by them to eat and drink their fill, to be carefree.

Pei Shengrong was ashamed of this.

“Brother Song, all the officials, big and small, are corrupt. The river dikes are made very thin. I remember that the higher-ups had allocated three hundred thousand taels of silver, but only a little over thirty thousand was used to build them. It’s fine when the river is not high, but once it is, the impact will cause the dikes to be destroyed. Below are the houses and farmlands of the common people. The losses caused by this will be borne by them.”

The Ningxing Dynasty had existed for too long. Some of the classes were rigid, and corruption was rampant. In addition, the land annexation was serious. It was actually the end of a dynasty.

But in the end, an emperor like Emperor Pingjing had appeared, who was decisive and diligent, and cared for the world. He was also ruthless to his maternal relatives and court ministers, and he streamlined the officialdom.

Song Changxu: “It’s good that you think so, Brother Pei.”

In the evening, Song Changxu stayed at the Pei family’s for dinner before he returned home. He saw Xu Zhizhou embroidering a purse under the candlelight.

“Why did you think of embroidering a purse today?” Song Changxu asked, changing his official robe.

“I saw my elder brother embroidering, so I followed suit. All your purses are embroidered by me. I was thinking of embroidering a new one for you now that you’ve been promoted,” Xu Zhizhou said. This time, he planned to be serious.

Song Changxu glanced at him and let him be. He was thinking of what Pei Shengrong had said, about the Ministry of Works cutting corners.

If the Ministry of Works was cutting corners, it could be targeted at common buildings, such as the size of bricks and tiles, and the specifications of wood. In addition, a work manual could be formulated, recording the materials used, the work hours, the responsible workers, and the inspecting officials. If anything went wrong, the responsibility would be traced directly to the person, and the work process and responsibilities would be implemented in detail, for refined management.

The river dikes also had a lifespan of six years, during which they would not be destroyed. If they were, there might be a problem, and an investigation was recommended.

The management of the craftsmen should be regulated, and their names should be carved on them.

After Song Changxu had finished writing, he put away the paper after the ink had dried.

Xu Zhizhou sat on the bed and blinked at him. “Have you been very busy recently?”

“Why do you say that? It’s been fine at the Ministry of Personnel recently. It’ll only be busier at the end of the year,” Song Changxu said, rubbing his hands. Then he sat on the edge of the bed. “Brother Pei came back today to ask me something. That’s why I came back a little late.”

Xu Zhizhou: “Tomorrow is a holiday. We said we were going to the Huguo Temple in the outskirts. You have to come with me.”

Song Changxu smiled and nodded. “I know.”

He went to blow out the candle and put his arm around Xu Zhizhou to kiss him, his fingertips moving down.

Xu Zhizhou kissed Song Changxu’s nose, his legs wrapped around him.

…

The next day, they took their family in a carriage to the Huguo Temple.

Xu Zhizhou lifted the curtain. “Husband, we should buy a carriage another day. Otherwise, it’s not convenient to travel. You’re now a junior fifth-rank assistant minister. You can’t just rely on your legs to walk like before, especially when it’s raining heavily. It’s much more refreshing to sit in a carriage.”

Song Changxu said thoughtfully, “You’re right. It will be convenient when my mother, my mother-in-law, and my elder brother need to use it.”

Cao Qin was curious about the temple. She thought that the abbot of the Huguo Temple must be very profound. She was very devout and wanted to pray for the family’s peace, and also for the two ge’ers to have a son soon, and for their life to be harmonious.

The elders always hoped that the younger generation would have descendants soon.

The Xie family had a carriage. He had a horse and just had to harness it. He had a family attendant drive it.

Xu Zhici was helped down by Xie Huaichuan.

The family walked all the way to the Huguo Temple, talking and laughing. A young novice monk took them to the various halls.

“Is the abbot here?” a bejeweled lady asked.

The young novice monk: “Amitabha. The abbot is receiving a distinguished guest.”

Seeing this, the lady frowned but did not say anything else.

Xu Zhizhou did not often come to the temple. He prayed with his mother, and also to the Goddess of Childbirth.

Song Changxu stood at the Temple of the God of Wealth and couldn’t move his legs. He lifted his foot and went in to pray.

“Husband, why did you pray before me? I also want to,” Xu Zhizhou said, and offered incense to the Temple of the God of Wealth.

After the two of them had finished praying, they walked out of the temple. They walked all the way to a quiet place.

Xu Zhizhou: “There’s no one here. Let’s go back quickly.”

“Alright. It’s just right to go and find my elder brother and the others, and take them to have a vegetarian meal,” Song Changxu said, and turned to walk back.

After the two of them had left, Xiao Yurong came out from behind a large rock. In front of him was a young and handsome man.

“Cousin, you don’t have to say any more. Since you’ve been caught, no one can save you. If you had known this would happen, you wouldn’t have done it. While His Majesty has not yet made a move, you can go and confess your crime first,” Xiao Yurong said coldly.

“If I go and confess, won’t that just confirm my crime? Your Highness, please help me. You’re pregnant now, and His Majesty values you.”

***

Author’s Note:

Little Song: I didn’t see anything. [Laughs]

Little Xu: I didn’t see anything. [Laughs]