Chapter 927 - 924: Eradicate the Roots
Lu Jinxian quickly calculated, then looked up solemnly and said to Bai Qingyan, "However, establishing schools by the Emperor, whether it’s setting one school per county or one per city, still needs detailed planning. And since the state will establish schools, the Ministry of Revenue will need to allocate silver taels yearly, so this matter probably must wait for the return of the Minister of Revenue."
Prime Minister Lu: "..."
"Then at the enthronement ceremony, announce it to the world, and wait for the return of Minister of Revenue Wei Bugong to implement this matter," Bai Qingyan said, then looked at Minister of War Shen Jingzhong, "Has Wei Zhong handed the people over to Master Shen?"
Before Bai Qingyan left Dadu City for Luohong City, she instructed Wei Zhong to entirely control the Jin Dynasty’s Royal Hidden Guards... and hand over half to Minister of War Shen Jingzhong for the new establishment of the Chancellery.
After all, these Royal Hidden Guards were always in the shadows, rarely showing their faces. Even members of the same squad couldn’t guarantee knowing one another, being raised by the Hidden Guards since they were taken from their birth parents. Such unfamiliar faces with no ties were the safest to send out in public.
Shen Jingzhong nodded, "Master Wei has already handed the people over to me, and besides that... I’ve also gathered some talented individuals and, after screening and verifying them, selected another batch. According to the Emperor’s instructions, the second batch has been dispatched to different places in Yan Kingdom. If nothing unexpected happens... after the enthronement ceremony, the third batch can also be sent to Yan Kingdom."
Bai Qingyan had already sent a batch before going to Luohong City. She told Shen Jingzhong... now that Yan Kingdom had just swallowed Wei Kingdom, it was unclear about Wei Kingdom’s details, which was the perfect time to plant personnel. She instructed Shen Jingzhong to ensure this matter was handled promptly.
However, because selecting spies to infiltrate enemy countries wasn’t easy, requiring capable people who could endure loneliness, given the significant future goal of unifying the nation, Shen Jingzhong naturally became more cautious, which slowed progress compared to expectations.
Bai Qingyan nodded slightly, listening as Prime Minister Lu addressed her again, "Your Majesty, there’s one more matter... The construction of the Guanghe Canal was half completed, and later, when King Liang rebelled and fled to Luohong City, Mr. Qin, who originally oversaw the construction, also went to Luohong City. Moreover... to my knowledge, Mr. Qin comes from the Crown Prince’s residence of the Jin Dynasty. Now that the canal construction is half done, Your Majesty, do you have any instructions? Should we continue using Mr. Qin or find someone else?"
"Qin Shangzhi has been brought back alongside the deposed Crown Prince, and regarding the canal construction... I originally intended for Qin Shangzhi to continue overseeing it. Before the enthronement ceremony, I will speak with Qin Shangzhi. If he is unwilling, there are other suitable candidates, though it might delay things somewhat."