Climbing to the Top: A Reborn Queen's Journey-Chapter 496: Inspection (5)

Zheng Chen was so furious that his handsome face turned dark. Arguing in public was not befitting of a secretary, and it was even less gentlemanly. Not to mention, against Jiang Shaohua and Chen Jinyu’s tandem act, he couldn’t win an argument even if he wanted to.

Frustrated, Zheng Chen shut his mouth, and the annoying buzzing in his ears finally stopped.

Jiang Shaohua continued to watch attentively.

After three days, craftsmen successfully devised a plan for the river embankment construction and created a sand table model. It was submitted level by level upward, awaiting the superiors’ review and decision.

"How long does this process take according to past procedures?" Jiang Shaohua asked Zhao Dahong.

The Commandery Princess had been coming for several days, just watching them work each day without causing trouble for anyone. Feeling reassured about his safety, Zhao Dahong was less fearful of the Commandery Princess and thought for a moment before replying, "If short, five or six days; if long, it’s hard to say, maybe half a month."

It’s not just the Ministry of Industry; inefficiency and lengthy procedures plaguing the Six Ministries of Da Liang were infuriatingly common.

Jiang Shaohua tugged at the corners of her mouth, yet her eyes showed no amusement. "The workshop is commendable, diligent and not delaying work. I’ve seen it all. Continue your work and prepare for the on-the-ground inspection."

Zhao Dahong and Fang Yu exchanged a glance and mustered the courage to ask, "The superiors haven’t convened a meeting yet to discuss and decide."

Jiang Shaohua said lightly, "Don’t worry! It will be quick!"

Then she stood up and left.

Minister Zhou was on edge for days, but seeing everything calm in the Ministry of Industry, his vigilance dwindled. As usual, he called for a meeting with all the Ministry of Industry officials.

The workshop’s river embankment construction plan consisted of over forty pages, detailing an 80-mile embankment, divided into segments ten miles each. The topography of each riverbank stretch was clearly marked, and construction methods were exhaustively outlined. There was also a sand table model providing a clear overview.

Officials sat around the long table in order of rank, with the proposal initially being reviewed by Minister Zhou while other officials watched eagerly. Minister Zhou, old and with poor eyesight, struggled greatly, taking quite some time before passing it to the Assistant Minister. 𝕗𝐫𝚎𝗲𝘄𝐞𝕓𝐧𝕠𝘃𝕖𝐥.𝐜𝚘𝚖

At this speed, going through it once would take half a day. Then, discussing and deciding every item would consume endless words and time. No wonder things took so long!

Jiang Shaohua suddenly spoke, "Minister Zhou, building the river embankment is a priority for the Ministry and a significant affair for the country, concerning the safety of millions. With a plan in place, make a prompt decision to avoid wasting time."

Unhappy yet courteous, Minister Zhou replied, "The Commandery Princess is concerned about national affairs and the people’s safety; my heart is full of admiration. However, building the river embankment is a major task that demands utmost caution. An unqualified embankment would be submerged or destroyed by flooding, endangering the counties and villages along it. Given its importance, careful deliberation is a must."

"The Commandery Princess hasn’t been to the Ministry before, unfamiliar with our procedure, so please be at ease and patient."

The final sentence carried a hint of dissatisfaction.

A young girl like you, who knows nothing, shouldn’t meddle and give orders.

The officials inside the Ministry of Industry nodded internally in agreement, maintaining a serious countenance.

Jiang Shaohua tugged at the corners of her mouth, still no hint of a smile. Her gaze swept over the officials, and she said calmly, "Indeed, I don’t know how the Ministry does its work. While in Nanyang County, jobs assigned were completed by Shen Gongzheng of the workshop in the shortest time possible. For example, the new plow was made after two nights of efforts."

"Throughout these few days, watching the craftsmen work, I’ve seen no laziness or slackness. The discussion and decision making is indeed no trivial matter, yet shouldn’t consume excessive time. I’m giving you all two days to come up with results; then, I will report to the Emperor."

Two days?

How is that possible?

Minister Zhou was the first to object, and other officials quickly voiced their dissent. A sense of tumult erupted among them.

Zheng Chen watched coldly from the sidelines, curious to see how she’d resolve this.

Jiang Shaohua didn’t rise nor did she attempt to placate anyone; she remained firm in her stance. "Everyone in the Ministry is present, and if anyone has opinions or suggestions, feel free to propose them for discussion. If time is insufficient, let no one leave, staying in the office for accommodations."

"I won’t leave either, staying here with you all. I intend to observe properly how the Ministry conducts its work. Minister Zhou and the two Assistant Ministers, your performance evaluations for this month depend on this."

Minister Zhou: "..."

The two Assistant Ministers of the Ministry of Industry: "..."

Minister Zhou struggled between swallowing his anger and erupting.

Ignoring Minister Zhou’s twitching face, Jiang Shaohua turned and instructed Chen Jinyu, "Sheren Chen, bring over the proposal and read it along with the sand table; make it clear and quick, finishing within an hour."

Then she instructed Zheng Chen, "This meeting is significant; Sheren Zheng, please put in the effort to diligently take notes, to present to the Emperor afterwards."

Chen Jinyu promptly complied, stepping forward to take the proposal from the Vice Minister.

Zheng Chen, unable and unwilling to undermine Jiang Shaohua in front of everyone, kept a straight face as he took pen and ink to start writing.

Having honed his skills by Jiang Shaohua’s side for years, Chen Jinyu was at least an excellent speaker. His voice was clear, pleasant, and methodical. With the sand table model in front of him, it was even clearer.

Minister Zhou sat silently with a sour face, while the two Assistant Ministers perked up their ears to listen. As for the other officials, since their immediate superiors remained silent, what more could they say? Thus, no idle chatter or irrelevant topics, they got straight to the point.

Half an hour later, Chen Jinyu indeed finished reading.

The extended duration provided enough time for Minister Zhou to recover from his frustration, as he began to moderate the meeting, inviting officials to voice their views.

With the youngest grandson of the Grand Empress Dowager Zheng and the Emperor’s secretary Zheng Chen from Duke An’s Mansion taking notes, every word spoken would be recorded and reviewed by the Emperor. Drink the tea freely, but be cautious with your words!

Adhering to the principle of speaking less to avoid mistakes, the officials’ statements were brief and concise, advancing the process several times faster than usual.

Having shown authority at the outset, the Commandery Princess refrained from further interruption; however, with her sitting beside them, watching intently, who dared slack off?

The sky darkened, and the sound of night watchmen came from outside.

According to the usual schedule, this was the time to leave the office, each going their way to drink and entertain themselves.

Yet, the Commandery Princess showed no intention of leaving, even instructing to light candles and prepare simple dinner from the Ministry’s kitchen.

Alright then, keep going!

’Eating and sleeping at the office,’ normally just empty words, leaving a minimal crew on duty at most. Tonight, they worked hard truly until 9 p.m.

Minister Zhou finally couldn’t hold it, yawning twice.

Only then did Jiang Shaohua stand up, smiling as she said, "Thank you for your hard work, everyone. I’ll return tomorrow."