Chapter 307

At this time.

The people who had already arrived at Liangzhou Prefecture all witnessed this spectacle.

These were the chief officials Liu Zheng had long since recruited from various places in Liangzhou; watching this group of high-and-mighty Liangzhou government officials being beaten until they were searching for their teeth on the ground, they were delighted to see the joke.

"Hahahaha, satisfying, satisfying!" Qianyingyingyao

Liu Dahao laughed until he was rolling on the ground.

Feng Sanniang beside him glared fiercely at Liu Dahao and snapped angrily: "Can't you at least show some decorum? You are, after all, a military governor!"

Liu Dahao then chuckled nervously, scratched his head, and gave a dry cough: "Quiet, quiet! Who was it... Qin Zhangfeng, go see what's going on!"

Qin Zhangfeng received the order, dawdled, brought a few garrison soldiers, and walked out.

After those lazy officials were rescued and brought into Liangzhou Prefecture, each one was in a terrible state—some even had blood streaming down their faces, several teeth knocked out, looking utterly disheveled. Even Ying Rong, his official robe covered in footprints, came crawling in, so angry his beard was trembling: "Ruffians, a bunch of ruffians!"

Everyone tried hard not to laugh.

"Your Excellency, a bunch of lowly people, so arrogant—if not punished, where is the state law?"

Ying Rong shouted angrily.

A group of people followed suit and echoed him.

Liu Dahao, however, just chuckled: "Your Excellency Ying, this year is the first People's Representative Congress, with a seven-day holiday, so it's normal for the people to have some grievances..."

"Next year, as the fuss continues, everyone will just get used to it, won't they?"

"You..."

Ying Rong looked at Liu Dahao, having no intention of punishing this troublemaking group, trembling with rage all over. This Liu father and son are going too far! They simply don't give him, an elder, any face!

Especially feeling that he had now become the laughingstock of the entire gathering, being looked at with mocking eyes. He wanted to lash out on the spot, but was held back by a few lackeys—circumstances are stronger than the individual. Ying Rong trembled all over, thinking: it seems the Li father and son are going to lock horns with him! They truly believe that without him, Ying Rong, and his lackeys, Liangzhou Prefecture can still function?

Not to mention seven days—even if another seven days came, he'd probably still fail to find suitable people to take office!

He, Ying Rong, has this capability and these connections!

"Hmph!"

Thinking this, Ying Rong let out a cold snort, his face turning dark as iron as he sat down in his own seat.

This moment.

The Liangzhou officials and local administrators who were supposed to come have all arrived. Liu Zheng glanced around and saw over two hundred people present. Each prefecture and county, he had sent five people to come as representatives.

Thirty prefectures and counties make one hundred fifty.

The rest are all officials of Liangzhou Prefecture.

At this time.

The personnel have all arrived.

Liu Dahao stood up, smiled, and said: "I believe everyone also understands why we have gathered here today. So I will not waste words—I will distribute one copy each of the 'Platform' and the 'Method' to everyone. Over these seven days, we will elect the first cabinet members of Liangzhou Prefecture, nine in total!"

One copy after another of the booklets were handed out.

Actually, these past few days, the 'Platform' and the 'Method' have already become known to many. Some people are on high alert, while others don't care.

Those on high alert believe this reform will transfer decision-making power upward, affecting their interests.

Those who don't care are mostly the chief officials of various prefectures and counties; they think, after all, this is your Liangzhou Prefecture's affair—what does it have to do with us? Whether you deliberate or decide, just notify us, and we'll carry it out. Why must you shout for us to come all this way?

Is it necessary?

Looking at the booklet in his hand, Ying Rong first chuckled: "Your Excellency the Prefectural Governor, nine cabinet members, yet you've summoned all the chief officials of Liangzhou's thirty prefectures and counties—truly unwise!"

Everyone nodded in agreement.

The meaning is: isn't it just nine people? Then it's naturally the pocket of those under Ying Rong's command.

Who would have thought Liu Zheng would step forward and smile: "Your Excellency Ying, your words are mistaken. Not only will this happen this year, but every year thereafter! The Liangzhou Cabinet must rely on the People's Representative Congress! This shall be the first article of Liangzhou law from now on!"

Everyone hearing this was startled.

Ying Rong felt even more uneasy, his face slightly changing: "What Liu Zheng means is, cabinet members must also be elected by that bunch of lowly people?"

As soon as he said this, the entire hall erupted.

Absurd!

When did officials need to be elected by a bunch of commoners, even lowly people?

Since ancient times, officials have ruled over commoners!

Isn't this just turning things upside down?

The entire hall exploded in uproar.

Liu Zheng chuckled: "Please, everyone, calm down, calm down. Regarding official appointments, they should be linked to the imperial examination. The People's Representative Congress does not decide between officials and commoners."

Upon hearing this, everyone breathed a sigh of relief.

As long as these elite classes firmly control educational resources, the chance for that bunch of lowly people to rise is just minuscule!

However, Liu Zheng continued: "But, whether one can enter the cabinet or not, is truly inseparable from our people! Please, everyone, carefully read Article Ninety-Eight of the 'Method': the People's Representative Congress system—each representative shall be elected by the representatives of the next lower level! That is to say, Liangzhou Prefecture's cabinet members shall be elected by the representatives of each prefecture and county; each prefecture and county's representatives shall be elected by the township and village representatives; township and village representatives shall be elected by the village representatives; and village representatives shall be elected by the free people of the entire village!"

"So, in the end, the cabinet is still inseparable from the people!"

This is Liu Zheng's envisioned perfect combination of the cabinet system and the People's Representative Congress!

He believes that this combination of two systems, proven effective countless times in later ages, will become the most scientific method of governance!

Boom!

After this explanation, Ying Rong's face changed on the spot.

What does that mean?

Are cabinet members to be selected from these two hundred plus people here? Meaning these local officials also have the qualifications to join the cabinet? As long as they gain a voting majority, they can retain their posts in Liangzhou Prefecture? Then what about my people?

At this moment, who still fails to see that this cabinet will become the true center of power for Liangzhou in the future?

Who wouldn't want to squeeze in?

"This this this..."

Ying Rong immediately couldn't hold back, and angrily said: "Prefectural Governor, absolutely not! Local officials, after all, have short-sighted vision—how can they manage Liangzhou affairs? This, this isn't it going to ruin the overreach?"

As he said this, those local officials were displeased.

Who just has short-sighted vision?

If it were before, they would still have to watch Ying Rong's expression, but now that they have a chance to enter the Cabinet, who cares whether you are the Salt Transport Commissioner? Now, Prefect of Yinzhou Shen Xing, stood up first, coldly laughing and said: "Lord Ying, your words are mistaken. The Viscount said, governing the world is like cooking a small fish—how, we have cooked a prefecture and county, can we not cook this entire Liangzhou?"

"Exactly!"

"Lord Ying, what, this Cabinet, you want to monopolize it?"

A group of people retorted sharply.

Ying Rong was rebuked to the point of being speechless.

Because he actually saw that among the group scolding him, there were even some who were disciples and apprentices he himself had once personally brought up!

Ruined!

He suddenly felt a bad premonition welling up in his heart.

Liu Zhizhou's three board-axe.

It's likely going to make him lose control of the Liangzhou officialdom!