SBCEJM -Chapter 75 Exposing the Hidden Cards! Who Is the Real “Hidden Gem”?

The Left Vice Minister of the Ministry of Personnel stepped forward stiffly.

“Your Majesty, this minister… this minister recommends the Left Vice Minister of the Ministry of Revenue, Wang Song.”

His voice trembled slightly. “Minister Wang has served in the Ministry of Revenue for many years, is well-versed in financial affairs, and is upright in character—he is fully capable of taking on this great responsibility!”

Wang Song’s eyes lit up instantly. He hurried forward and waved his hands repeatedly.

“Your Majesty, I am of limited virtue and ability. I fear I may not be up to the task…”

Despite his words of humility, the corners of his mouth were already stretching almost to his ears.

Xiao Juechen looked on coldly at this performance.

【Oh wow, the boss is holding an on-site interview for a CFO.】 Feng Zexuan’s inner voice sounded.

【Let’s see which of these candidates is all show and no substance.】

【System, initiate scan! Start with Wang Song!】

【Received! Advanced scanning mode activated… beep! Report generated!】

The system responded excitedly.

【Candidate One: Left Vice Minister of the Ministry of Revenue, Wang Song.】

【Professionally competent, upright in appearance… cough, that’s just the surface!】

【Real situation scanning… oh my god! Host, look at this!】

【Privately, he is a super VIP of the three largest underground casinos in the capital! Ten years of gambling experience—he loses every single bet!】

【Accumulated gambling debts: thirty thousand taels of silver! He has even mortgaged his ancestral home!】

【If he were to manage the national treasury? Within three days, all of Great Xia’s finances would be thrown into gambling bets! The entire nation would be eating dust!】

The official who had recommended him went pale instantly, his face turning the color of a pig liver—darker than eggplant purple.

He almost wanted to slap himself.

He never imagined that Wang Song, who always looked the most steady and reliable, was actually such a rotten man in private!

Cold sweat poured down Wang Song’s forehead. His legs began to tremble.

He wanted to deny it—but the accusation was only in someone’s thoughts. How could he refute it?

Xiao Juechen shifted his gaze toward the Minister of War. The silence carried more pressure than any rebuke.

The Minister immediately understood and stepped forward reluctantly.

“Your Majesty, I believe the Deputy Minister of War, Chen Jing, is suitable.”

His voice was dry.

“Minister Chen is highly capable and excellent in coordination. If he manages the Ministry of Revenue, he will surely ensure financial order and efficiency.”

System: 【Next one! Chen Jing, right? Let me take a look…】

【Beep beep beep! Scan complete!】

【Candidate Two: Deputy Minister of War, Chen Jing.】

【Indeed capable and efficient—but unfortunately…】

【He’s a ‘family-devotion demon’—an extreme version of one!】

【His entire hometown county—seven aunts, eight uncles, young and old, more than 300 people—are all waiting with fingers counting the days for him to become minister so they can be arranged into government positions and draw salaries without work!】

Feng Zexuan: 【So he’s planning to single-handedly boost his hometown’s GDP!】

【The Ministry of Personnel is going to be working overtime just carving fake seals for his relatives!】

The Minister of War flushed red.

He only knew Chen Jing was devoted to his family and sent money home regularly during festivals—but he never expected it had reached this outrageous level!

Thankfully, he could hear the young lady’s thoughts—otherwise this would have been a serious disaster…

Xiao Juechen then turned his gaze toward the Censor-in-Chief, Zhang Xian.

Zhang Xian stepped forward with his head held high.

“Your Majesty, in selecting the worthy, I do not avoid kinship—I recommend myself!”

“I am confident I can manage the treasury well, ensuring not a single coin is embezzled or wasted! I swear to make the national treasury abundant and the people prosperous!”

Feng Zexuan grew interested.

【Oh? Self-recommendation. This guy is pretty confident.】

System: 【Zhang Xian… this one is actually genuinely incorruptible—so clean that even rats entering his house would leave in tears because they can’t find a single grain of rice.】

【But! Extreme incorruptibility turns into harshness!】

【If he becomes Minister of Revenue, his first policy would cut northern military funds by 30%! Second would slash disaster relief funds by 50%!】

【Reason: frugality builds the nation! Shared hardship!】

【Third policy might be making all officials wear patched clothes to court to show thrift!】

【At that point, northern soldiers would be eating bark in thin clothes, disaster victims starving and crying!】

【The treasury would save money—but lose the hearts of the people!】

Feng Zexuan laughed loudly.

【This kind of person should be a discipline inspector or censor at most.】

【Letting him manage the economy would be a disaster! A walking economic killer!】

Xiao Juechen’s temples throbbed.

He had indeed once considered Zhang Xian—after all, incorruptibility was a virtue.

But Feng Zexuan and the system’s commentary was like a bucket of ice water poured over his head.

Selecting officials was never just about virtue—it required balance between integrity, ability, and vision.

【Sigh… it’s over, it’s all over. What kind of ragtag group is this?】

Feng Zexuan sighed.

【Is there really not a single capable “CFO-level talent” in the entire court? This is too tragic!】

The Golden Hall fell into awkward silence.

The ministers exchanged glances. Some stared at their shoes, others at the ceiling beams.

【Wait! System, don’t give up!】

Feng Zexuan suddenly perked up.

【Expand the scan range—look in the corners, see if any hidden gems were missed!】

【Maybe the real masters are like hidden monks among janitors!】

【Received! Expanding scan… searching peripheral personnel…】

【A potential candidate has been found!】

Both Feng Zexuan and Xiao Juechen straightened instantly.

【Who is it?!】

【Ministry of Revenue, Deputy Minister, Chu Heng.】

Chu Heng?

Xiao Juechen racked his brain trying to recall the name.

【Dig deeper! Every detail! Do not miss a single one!】

【Chu Heng, age fifty, widowed, no children. Low profile, does not socialize. Has served in the Ministry of Revenue for over twenty years with diligence and precision—never a single accounting error.】

【Half of his salary is used for daily expenses, and the other half… oh my god!】

Even the system rarely swore.

【Host! This Chu Heng!】

【He has been anonymously donating his entire remaining salary to an orphanage on the outskirts of the capital!】

【For fifteen years straight! Without interruption, rain or shine!】

【And he even spends his free time teaching those children to read and write!】

【Unbelievable!】

Feng Zexuan was stunned too.

【What kind of god-tier person is this? In this filthy officialdom, there’s actually a pure white lotus like this?!】

The system continued:

【His accounts are crystal clear with zero corruption.】

【He owns only a small courtyard. His only hobby is growing orchids in the backyard—ordinary ones at that.】

【No servants. He does his own cooking and laundry.】

【This man is practically tailor-made for the position of Minister of Revenue—both morally and intellectually perfect!】

【The only flaw is that he’s too rigid, not flexible, and doesn’t flatter others—so he has been sidelined his entire career.】

Feng Zexuan’s thoughts were filled with excitement and regret.

【Such a practical doer, such a true official, just because he doesn’t flatter people or build connections, he’s been buried all this time?】

【What a pity! A hidden pearl in dust!】

Xiao Juechen’s pupils contracted sharply. He straightened his posture completely.

Chu Heng!

He remembered now!

Every account report submitted by the Ministry of Revenue—Chu Heng’s section was always the clearest, most detailed, and flawless.

Neat handwriting, precise numbers—no errors whatsoever.

He had always thought Chu Heng was just a rigid, mediocre bureaucrat—a forgettable nobody.

But he never expected…

He actually possessed such integrity and depth of character!

A man willing to live frugally and donate half his salary for decades—how could he ever embezzle a single coin from the treasury?

A man capable of managing accounts flawlessly for twenty years—how could he lack true administrative talent?

Xiao Juechen swept his gaze across the hall, searching through the crowd.