YWTGU -Chapter 45 Muddy-Legged People Enter the Halls — Are the Six Ministries in Chaos?

The next morning.

Li An unusually got up early and immediately excitedly opened the system panel.

“Yesterday’s calculation delay… today it should have results, right?”

He rubbed his hands together, full of anticipation.

Ding!

【Newly appointed officials detected entering the Six Ministries…】

【Overall impact assessment in progress…】

【Host, please remain patient. Results will be fully presented after all officials assume their duties.】

“Pending again?”

Li An paused, feeling a little dissatisfied.

“What’s wrong with this system anyway?”

“Ah, forget it. The result’s probably going down anyway. No rush.”

He got ready, changed into his official robes, and prepared to leave.

“Master, where are you going today?”

Hongmei appeared at the doorway without him noticing. Clad in black, her expression remained as cold and flawless as ever.

“The Ministry of Personnel.”

Li An smiled with a hint of expectation:

“My precious little recruits are reporting today. I have to be there to support them.”

Hongmei widened her eyes in disbelief:

“You mean that group of blacksmiths and farmers?”

“What’s wrong? Do you have an opinion?”

“I—I dare not.”

Hongmei hesitated, wanting to say more.

“It’s just… letting these people become officials will make the entire court laugh.”

“Now even the people at the National Academy are networking, planning to jointly impeach you.”

“Impeach?”

Li An snorted.

“Impeach away!”

“The harsher they hit, the worse my reputation, the happier I get!”

“Come on, let’s go watch the fun!”

…

Ministry of Personnel.

Today was the day for newly appointed officials to formally report for duty.

According to Great Qi regulations, any official selected through the imperial exams must first register at the Ministry of Personnel, receive official seals, robes, appointment documents, and other items.

But today, the Ministry seemed exceptionally… lively.

To be precise, it was utter chaos.

“Who are you? Stop right there!”

A junior clerk blocked a burly man with a bare torso, his face full of disdain.

“I am Zhang Tiezhu, newly appointed officer of the Ministry of Works!”

The man’s voice was deep and hoarse, coal dust still clinging to his arms.

“You… what did you say?”

The clerk nearly choked on his own saliva.

“Officer of the Ministry of Works? You?”

“You’re not even wearing official robes! How dare you pretend to be a court official?”

“Someone! Throw this lunatic out!”

Zhang Tiezhu’s face darkened immediately.

“Who the hell’s the lunatic?!”

He grabbed the clerk by the collar and lifted him off the ground.

“I was personally appointed by the Emperor!”

“Lord Li personally recruited me!”

“And who are you to boss me around?”

The clerk turned pale from the sheer forcefulness, his legs trembling.

“L-let go… murder… ahhh…”

Chaos erupted around them.

Other new officials gathered, all bizarre and diverse.

There were farmers in patched coarse cloth, mud-streaked boots still on.

Burly men reeking of alcohol, with scruffy beards, looking like street thugs.

Middle-aged men waving feather fans, squinting, with the air of mystics.

And several more whose backgrounds even they couldn’t clearly explain.

As this group stood in the Ministry hall, surrounding officials were dumbfounded.

“Is… this the new batch of officials?”

“My heavens, what on earth are these?”

“Selected through the imperial exams? Did someone just pick them off the street corner?”

Whispers spread, all mocking and disdainful.

“What’s happening?”

An elderly voice rang out.

Everyone turned and saluted immediately.

“Greetings, Minister Wang of the Ministry of Personnel!”

Minister Wang Run, in his sixties, with graying beard and gaunt face, shuffled over, trembling slightly.

He glanced at the scene, then at the ‘bizarre’ new officials, his face immediately changing.

“This… what is happening?”

“Outrageous! How could the Ministry allow these people in?”

Zhang Tiezhu threw the junior clerk to the ground and strode up to Wang Run.

“You are Minister Wang?”

Wang Run recoiled at the intimidating presence.

“Impudent!”

He tried to regain composure, scolding loudly:

“Do you know who you’re speaking to?”

“I am a senior official of three reigns, Minister of Personnel!”

“And you… crude man, how dare you be so rude?”

“Rude?”

Zhang Tiezhu didn’t yield an inch, speaking boldly:

“I’m here to report for duty, not to be humiliated!”

“From the moment I entered, you’ve all been picking faults with me!”

“The Emperor appointed me—who are you to question me?”

“You… you…”

Wang Run trembled with rage, pointing at Zhang Tiezhu, unable to speak.

“Disgraceful! Utter disgrace!”

“Allowing such riffraff into the officialdom is a shame to Great Qi!”

“I’ll submit a memorial!”

“I’ll impeach that Li An—ten memorials! A hundred memorials!”

At that moment, a familiar voice came from outside.

“Minister Wang seems very angry… who’s upset you today?”

Everyone turned toward the voice.

Li An strolled in calmly, followed by Hongmei in black.

“Li An?!”

Seeing him, Wang Run grew even more agitated.

“You still have the face to come!”

“Look at who you picked!”

“Blacksmiths! Farmers! Fortune-tellers!”

“Are these your new officials?!”

“What do you take the court for?!”

Li An, however, remained unperturbed, a faint smile on his face.

“Minister Wang, please calm down.”

He spoke slowly and deliberately:

“Didn’t I say? The imperial exams do not bind us to one type of talent.”

“Although they look rough, they all possess real skills.”

“Real skills?” Wang Run almost laughed in anger.

“What skills could a blacksmith have? Ironwork?”

“Send him to the Ministry of Works to forge iron?”

“Then the Ministry of Works would become a blacksmith shop!”

“So what’s wrong with that?”

Li An spread his hands.

“The Ministry of Works oversees production, right?”

“Having someone skilled in ironwork manage ironwork is a perfect match of expertise!”

“This… this is absurd reasoning!”

Wang Run stomped angrily.

“Since ancient times, officials have been scholars!”

“They study the sages and learn governance!”

“How could you let a bunch of muddy-legged people be officials?”

“Times have changed, Minister Wang.”

Li An sighed and feigned a solemn tone:

“Now is the era of practical governance!”

“Scholarship is important, but ability is more important!”

“These people may not read many words, but they each have a skill!”

“Blacksmiths can forge, farmers can cultivate, fortune-tellers… uh… can predict.”

“Much better than those bookworms who mouth Confucian phrases but can’t lift a hoe.”

The surrounding officials at the Ministry immediately erupted in outrage.

They all stepped forward, accusing Li An.

“Lord Li, what you say is wrong!”

“This insults scholars everywhere!”

“High treason!”

Wang Run, trembling with fury, shouted:

“Li An! Every word you’ve spoken today will be in my memorial!”

“Tomorrow in court, we’ll see about this!”

“Fine by me.”

Li An shrugged nonchalantly.

“I have a clear conscience and am not afraid of your memorials.”

Then he turned to Zhang Tiezhu and the others, patting Zhang Tiezhu on the shoulder.

“Ignore these old stubborn men. Complete your registration and go assume your posts.”

“Work hard. I’m counting on you!”

Zhang Tiezhu and the others were immediately moved to tears.

“Master Li, don’t worry!”

“We won’t embarrass you!”

“Yes! We’ll give it our all!”

Li An nodded with satisfaction, secretly laughing in his mind.

“Give it your all? You lot?”

“If you don’t turn the Six Ministries upside down, I’ll consider it a failure!”

…

At that moment, an unexpected person appeared.

“Oh? Such a lively scene?”

A slightly aged voice came from the doorway.

Everyone turned, their faces changing immediately.

“Prime Minister!”

Prime Minister Wang Fu strolled in leisurely, waving a folding fan and smiling amiably.

“I happened to pass by and heard the commotion, so I came to take a look.”

His eyes scanned Zhang Tiezhu and the others, a subtle amusement flickering.

“These are the new officials?”

“Lord Li’s choice of talent is… indeed unconventional.”

Seeing the Prime Minister, Wang Run felt like he’d found a savior.

“Prime Minister! You must support us!”

“Li An is acting recklessly, letting these muddy-legged people into officialdom…”

“This is clearly undermining the court!”

However, Wang Fu’s reaction shocked everyone.

“Minister Wang, you exaggerate.”

He said with a smile:

“Lord Li is simply employing talent without restriction.”

“Although it is somewhat… novel.”

“But since the Emperor agreed, we, as ministers, should naturally support it.”

“Don’t you agree, Lord Li?”

He looked at Li An, a subtle meaning hidden in his gaze.

Li An paused for a moment, then immediately understood.

That old fox!

He’s deliberately letting me cause trouble!

Once I make a big enough mess, he can jump in to clean up, all the while stepping on me himself!

But…

That’s exactly what I want!

The more you let me run wild, the better I can throw Great Qi into chaos!

When the national fortune plummets, each and every one of you will pay the price!

“Your Excellency the Prime Minister is wise!”

Li An immediately put on a look of being both flattered and shocked.

“With the Prime Minister’s support, I am even more confident!”

Wang Fu nodded slightly, giving him a meaningful glance.

“Do your work well. I’ll be watching.”

With that, he walked away unhurriedly.

Wang Run and the others were left dumbfounded by this sudden turn of events.

“The Prime Minister… he… what is he—”

“Don’t bother with that!”

Li An clapped his hands and shouted.

“Now that the Prime Minister supports me, what are we waiting for?”

“Hurry and process their appointments!”

“Everyone must take office today!”

With that, he turned and left.

Hongmei followed closely, whispering:

“Master, regarding the Prime Minister’s side—”

“I know.”

Li An’s lips curled into a cold smile.

“That old fox thinks he can control me with the secret of my dealings with the Empress, and now he wants to see me make a fool of myself.”

“When I cause a major incident, he’ll jump in to display the might of the Prime Minister!”

“So Master will—”

“Fear what?”

Li An snorted.

“If he wants a joke, I’ll give him one!”

“My goal is to throw Great Qi into disorder.”

“The more he indulges me, the easier it is for me to act!”

“When the national fortune collapses, he’ll regret it!”

…

Ministry of Works, Armaments Department.

By afternoon, Zhang Tiezhu officially assumed his post.

The moment he stepped through the Ministry of Works’ doors, he couldn’t help frowning.

“This is the Ministry of Works?”

He looked around.

The workshops were spacious, but the equipment was antiquated.

The casting molds were obviously decades old.

Craftsmen were scattered in small groups, listlessly hammering away with pitifully low efficiency.

“Master Zhang, please this way.”

An old Ministry clerk respectfully led him further in.

Though inwardly he didn’t respect this “blacksmith-in-charge,” the newcomer was now the official in charge, so proper appearances had to be maintained.

Zhang Tiezhu followed him on a tour but grew increasingly dissatisfied.

“You call this forging?”

He suddenly stopped, pointing at a craftsman working on a knife blank.

“The heat is all wrong!”

“The timing for quenching is off!”

“A knife forged like this will dull after just a few uses!”

The craftsman was stunned.

“Sir, we’ve always done it this way…”

“Always done it this way, and that makes it right?”

Zhang Tiezhu’s eyes widened as he said with full confidence:

“I’ve been working iron for thirty years. I’ve never seen such sloppy technique!”

“Step aside, all of you! Watch and learn!”

Then, rolling up his sleeves, he strode to the furnace, picked up a large hammer, and began working.

The surrounding craftsmen and officials were dumbstruck.

“This… this new head is too—”

“Wasn’t he supposed to be an official? Why is he working himself?”

“Ridiculous! Absolutely ridiculous!”

The old clerk was practically hopping in anxiety.

“Master Zhang, you’re the head, not a craftsman!”

“You’re supposed to oversee operations, review documents. How can you be forging yourself?”

“Review documents?”

Zhang Tiezhu didn’t even glance back, swinging the hammer with ferocious energy.

“I can’t read! Reviewing documents my ass!”

“Besides, what piece of paper is more important than a good knife?”

“You all are just idle!”

“Always scribbling and drawing, never doing any real work!”

The craftsmen exchanged looks, unsure whether to laugh or cry.

Meanwhile, at the Ministry of Revenue, things were no better.

Old Li, dressed in a brand-new official robe, squatted in the backyard flowerbeds, uprooting carefully cultivated exotic flowers.

“Sir! These are rare tributes from Nanyang!”

The clerk in charge of flowers nearly cried.

“Each plant is worth dozens of silver taels!”

“Silver taels?”

Old Li scoffed.

“Can you eat these?”

“No? Then what use are they?”

“Plant sweet potatoes! Plant corn! Plant things that fill bellies!”

“These flowers will only bring disaster to Great Qi!”

As he spoke, he uprooted a peony and casually tossed it into the nearby dung heap.

Several clerks fainted on the spot.

As for the Ministry of Revenue…

Liu Banxian shook his bamboo fan while flipping through a thick ledger, his brow tightly furrowed.

“This account isn’t right.”

He muttered to himself.

“Clearly three million taels are missing, yet the books still show a surplus?”

“Master Liu, the accounts are correct.”

An old accountant smiled nervously as he explained.

“This has always been the practice. That’s just how bookkeeping is done…”

“Practice?”

Liu Banxian sneered.

“You call this practice? Let me cast a divination for you!”

“This year, those in conflict with the stars will suffer bloodshed!”

“If you don’t hand over the true accounts, I’ll make sure your family is ruined!”

The accountant’s legs went weak with fear.

What kind of new official is this?

Aren’t you supposed to be an administrator, not a street-side fortune-teller?

Li An, standing at the workshop entrance, watched the scene from a distance, a satisfied smile on his face.

“Excellent, excellent.”

“Just as it should be!”

“Break all the existing rules, throw the order into chaos!”

“If this Ministry of Works doesn’t turn into a complete mess, I’ll never be satisfied!”

Ding!

A pleasant alert sounded in his mind.

【New official Zhang Tiezhu has joined the Ministry of Works】

【His radical “reforms” caused discontent and confusion among craftsmen…】

【Efficiency drops, morale falters…】

【National fortune -500】

【Current national fortune: 79,500】

Li An’s eyes lit up.

It dropped!

It really dropped!

Although only by 500, this was just the beginning!

Once they mess up all six ministries, the national fortune will surely fall back to pre-liberation levels!

“Master.”

Hongmei leaned close and whispered.

“Today’s events will surely be noted by the Prime Minister.”

“The Minister of Personnel also said he would submit a memorial to impeach you.”

“Tomorrow in court, it won’t be peaceful.”

“Good, the more chaos, the better.”

Li An chuckled.

“I love watching them panic!”

With that, he climbed into his carriage.

“Back to the mansion!”

“I need a good rest and to regain my energy.”

“Tomorrow, the real show begins…”

…

Night, Scholar’s Study, Top Scholar’s Mansion.

Li An lit an oil lamp and reopened the system panel.

Ding!

【Today’s national fortune summary】

【Chain reaction triggered by new officials joining, comprehensive evaluation in progress…】

【Scholarly public opinion continues to ferment, civil unrest… national fortune -1,200】

【Radical actions by new Ministry of Works head disrupt old order… national fortune -500】

【Personnel Department appointment conflicts, government shaken… national fortune -300】

【Current national fortune: 77,500】

【Daily drop: 2,500】

Li An looked at the numbers, nodding in satisfaction.

“A drop of 2,000 in a day, not bad.”

“When these people mess with all six ministries, the drop will double!”

As he was plotting with delight, the system popped up another alert.

Ding!

【Friendly Reminder】

【Minister of Personnel Wang Run is staying up all night drafting an impeachment memorial…】

【Expected to trigger a storm in court tomorrow morning】

【Prepare accordingly】

“Impeachment?”

Li An wasn’t alarmed; he laughed even more gleefully.

“Impeach away!”

“The harsher the scolding, the faster the national fortune drops!”

“Old Wang, I’m counting on you!”

He blew out the lamp and lay down contentedly.

Meanwhile, at the Minister of Personnel’s residence, Wang Run was writing furiously by candlelight, his eyes red with rage.

“Li An harms the country; his crimes demand death…”

His brush flew across the paper!

“Tomorrow, I shall expose this treacherous official in court!”

…

And in the Prime Minister’s study, Wang Fu looked over the intelligence submitted by his subordinates, a sly smile forming on his lips.

“Excellent! Excellent!”

He whispered.

“Li An, go ahead and make trouble.”

“The bigger the chaos, the worse Great Qi becomes.”

“When the time is right…”

“I will use you to counter the Emperor…”

He marked a list.

On it was written:

“Li An’s Record of Crimes. Item 7: Incited subordinates to create chaos in the Ministry of Personnel, insulted court officials, and corrupted the atmosphere of governance…”