Flowers in full bloom

Chapter 677 Understand the situation

In the main hall, all the officials and colleagues in the government office have gathered together.

Hua Lei paused and looked at Rong Jin, who was one step behind her. Her heart beat a little too fast. Rong Jin raised his hand, patted Hua Lei's back gently, and nodded slightly.

Hua Lei, who was originally feeling a little guilty, took a long breath, straightened his official uniform, and stepped into the main hall.

"Greetings, Your Excellency." The officials, led by Pan Wan, bowed in salute.

"No need to be polite, sirs." Hua Lei and Rong Jin politely returned the greetings, and Hua Lei sat down in the first seat.

Looking at Hua Lei, who was wearing a scarlet official uniform and sitting in the top seat, everyone except Pan Wan Tong had a look of surprise on their faces, and some even opened their mouths in astonishment.

They knew that a new prefect would come, but many people didn't expect it to be a woman. And such a young and beautiful woman.

"How could it be... a woman? When did the court have a female official? I have never heard of the court holding an imperial examination for women. Is this a mistake? Or have I become so blind and deaf?" Several people were shocked.

'Why is there a woman here? What can a woman do? She is not at home taking care of her husband and children, but comes here to be the prefect? ​​The court can't send anyone? This is a joke.

Even if the Tongpan was promoted to the prefect, it would be better than a woman, right? The court really didn't pay enough attention to Xichang Prefecture.' A few people complained in their hearts.

As a result, several people also showed disdain on their faces. Looking at the people in the hall with different expressions, Rong Jin glanced at Hua Lei slightly, feeling a little worried.

"Please take a seat, sirs." Hua Lei spoke in a clear voice, "Here is Hua's letter of appointment and the fish talisman. Sirs, can you pass them around and take a look? Are they genuine?"

"I am terrified." Whether they were surprised or secretly complaining, everyone stood up and apologized. The matter had not been clarified yet, so no one would take the lead.

"It doesn't matter. This is also part of the procedure for me to take office. Lord Wan, please help pass it on." Hua Lei handed the letter of appointment and the fish token to Wan Tongpan who was sitting on her lower right.

Judge Wan Tong carefully took Hua Lei's letter of authorization and fish token. He had checked them personally yesterday and of course there was no problem, but his other colleagues had certainly not seen them.

In addition, this was originally part of the procedure for new officials in the Dasheng Dynasty, so after Wan Tongpan took it, he paused for a moment, glanced at it pretentiously, and then passed it to his colleague Liu Zhishi next to him.

Governor Liu took it, looked at the seal of the Ministry of Personnel carefully, concealed the disdain in his eyes, and passed the letter of appointment and the fish token on.

A quarter of an hour had passed when the letter of authorization and the fish token were returned to Hua Lei's desk. Looking at everyone's excited faces, Hua Lei sighed softly in her heart.

It seems that not only is there a long way to go to improve the people's livelihood and economy in Xichang Prefecture, but it is also a long way to go to make these subordinates accept themselves as the prefect.

However, this cannot be blamed on them, after all, she is the first female official, and she is so young. Most of the officials under the hall can be her fathers.

It was indeed impossible to get them to admit themselves directly. Hua Lei calmed down and opened the notebook in her hand. Last night, she discussed this matter with Rong Jin.

Looking at the things listed in the notebook, Hualei spoke.

"Today is my first day in office. I don't know much about Xichang Prefecture yet. I'm sure my colleagues don't know much about me either. But it doesn't matter. We have a long way to go."

After a pause and a look at the people sitting there, Hua Lei said, "Before discussing various matters, I would like to ask the adults first, have you not received your salary for half a year?"

In the Great Sheng Dynasty, there was no convenient bank transfer like in the previous life, nor convenient electronic payment, so when we went to the capital.

Hua Lei and other officials in the capital all went directly to the exclusive agency under the Ministry of Rites to receive their salaries. Even if the surrounding areas of the capital were a little far away, they could get there in a short time by riding a carriage or a horse, so it was still quite convenient.

However, it was different for local officials. In the Great Sheng Dynasty when transportation was extremely underdeveloped, it was unlikely for them to go to the capital to collect their salaries.

Therefore, the imperial court established special agencies in various places to distribute the salaries of local officials. The agency for distributing salaries in Xichang Prefecture was set up in the Xichang Prefecture government office. There were households to allocate silver and rituals to distribute it.

All officials in Xichang Prefecture needed the signature of the prefect to receive their salaries, otherwise they would not be paid. In addition, in order to take care of officials in remote areas of the prefecture, they could also receive their salaries on time.

In order not to interfere with local affairs, the officials' salaries were paid twice a year instead of once a month.

The salary for the first half of the year, from January to June, is collected at the beginning of January each year, and the salary for the second half of the year, from July to December, is collected at the beginning of July each year.

Magistrate Fei returned home for mourning in November last year, so his salary, which should have been paid in early January, has not been paid yet until the end of March.

Therefore, many officials in the hall were a little anxious. After all, they had spent a lot of money during the New Year and now they were in urgent need of money. Even if the court was willing to pay, it would be more reassuring to keep the money in their own pockets.

Therefore, as soon as Hua Lei brought up the topic of salary, everyone's attention was immediately drawn to it, and their suspicion and disdain towards Hua Lei were temporarily forgotten.

Rong Jin looked at the flower bud in the first place and raised the corner of his mouth slightly. Originally, the two of them had discussed the matter of salary and put it at the end of today's meeting.

However, Sister Hua made a temporary adjustment and put it in the first place. Seeing everyone's happy expressions, Rong Jin was also very happy in his heart. Sister Hua's move worked well.

"Sir, do you want to pay the salaries immediately?" Wan Tongpan said in disbelief. Many former prefects would first hold up the payment of salaries in order to control their subordinates.

This is an unwritten rule in the officialdom. Some prefects would even deliberately find faults with their subordinates and fine them their salaries so that they could better control and suppress them, making them obedient and allowing them to take over the affairs better.

"Yes, who is the official in charge of the Ministry of Rites?" Hua Lei looked down and spoke directly.

A middle-aged man in his forties who was sitting at the end of the right hand side stood up and said, "I, Wu Yousheng, greet you, sir."

"Sir Wu, please prepare the salary list as soon as possible and submit it to me for my signature. It would be best if it can be distributed to the officials in the government office before the end of the month. At the same time, notify the people in the provincial capital to send someone to collect the salary." Hua Lei ordered.

"Yes, sir. The salary list has been compiled in early January. Do you want me to get it for you right away?" Wu Yousheng said with some surprise.