N-A-A Chapter 898: Fighting for Xianyang!
Chapter 898: Fighting for Xianyang!
During the Qin Shihuang era, there was a lack of independent and effective law enforcement and supervision agencies, and policies were implemented solely based on the dependence of officials under centralized power. This model had many shortcomings in the specific implementation process and was unable to truly supervise the last link of policy implementation. It could only ensure that policies were issued, but it was difficult to guarantee the quality and effectiveness of policy implementation.
Now officially crowned king, Gaoyao's territory, strictly speaking, rivals that of Qin Shihuang's initial reign, though its population density and level of development remain somewhat different. Faced with such a vast territory and increasingly complex governance challenges, Gaoyao's announcement of the Qingyi Society serves primarily as a warning—a clear, top-down signal that the ruler possesses independent oversight capabilities and that all individuals must exercise caution and refrain from reckless behavior.
Gao Yao was well versed in human nature. He understood that completely selfless and selfless individuals rarely existed; and that in a large political organization, being completely free of greed and possession was even more impossible. The only difference was the degree of greed.
In such cases, the deterrent effect of supervisory agencies is often far greater than the effectiveness of actual law enforcement. Gao Yao did not want his officials to live in fear and trepidation, but rather to clearly understand the existence and boundaries of supervision. Understanding what the Qingyi Society is and what it does is far better than not knowing where these people are, what they do, and when they might appear before you.
Excessive oversight can lead to local officials being afraid to act, unable to act, or even too lazy to act. Under the official philosophy of "less talk, fewer mistakes; more action, more mistakes; no action, no mistakes," officials will choose to protect themselves, preferring inaction to the risk of innovation. After all, speaking less, doing less, or doing nothing will only result in dismissal, which is better than losing one's life. Gao Yao absolutely did not want to see this happen. Otherwise, how could the territory develop? How could people's livelihoods improve? How could the country progress?
The public disclosure of the Tsing Yi Society's existence is precisely intended to dispel such excessive concerns and make it clear to everyone: its responsibilities are limited, primarily targeting corruption and serious malfeasance, rather than excessive interference in normal government affairs. This way, officials who truly want to get things done can carry out their work with confidence and courage, without having to worry about being plagued by false accusations.
The selection and training of the Qingyi Society is extremely rigorous. Candidates, most of whom come from humble backgrounds or are orphans, undergo multiple rounds of secret screening before being accepted. Training encompasses, but is not limited to, specialized skills such as stealth techniques, intelligence gathering, cryptanalysis, reconnaissance and counterintelligence, and psychological analysis. Furthermore, members must learn local customs, dialects, and even basic knowledge about business and agriculture to better integrate into diverse environments.
Gao Yao personally participated in the formulation of the training outline, emphasizing the principle of "being invisible in the city, observing without disturbing", and requiring members of the Qingyi Society to be omnipresent like air yet difficult to be detected.
Unlike the Ming Dynasty's Jinyiwei, which were directly subordinate to the emperor and possessed the power to arrest and interrogate, the Qingyi Society's authority was deliberately limited. They primarily oversaw intelligence gathering and fact-finding, lacking direct law enforcement authority. Any subsequent actions they discovered were still subject to the purview of regular judicial bodies. This design ensured the effectiveness of oversight while preventing potential abuse by overly powerful supervisory bodies.
Gao Yao envisioned the Qingyi Society as a "third eye" within the political system, independent of the administrative and judicial systems, objectively recording and reflecting policy implementation. Qingyi Society members in various locations would assume various identities—perhaps as vendors in the marketplace, minor clerks in government offices, or even rural teachers. They regularly reported to the central government through a secret reporting system, and this firsthand information became Gao Yao's crucial channel for understanding local realities.
Gao Yao placed special emphasis on the moral integrity of Qingyi Society members. In addition to professional skills training, they also received rigorous ideological education, emphasizing the principle of "supervision for the people" and preventing corruption. Gao Yao was well aware that the harm caused by corruption among supervisors would be more serious than that of ordinary officials.
The Qingyi Society's operational model embodies Gao Yao's unique philosophy of governance—a delicate balance between centralization and decentralization, openness and secrecy, and deterrence and trust. This balancing act is precisely what distinguishes Gao Yao from Qin Shihuang. He not only established a strong central government but also devised oversight mechanisms to ensure its healthy operation. This demonstrated the ruler's resolve and ability while also leaving ample room for local officials to exercise their authority.
After Qinglong took his orders and left, his figure disappearing into the shadows of the long corridor outside the palace, Gao Yao did not pause. He immediately dismissed his attendants, leaving only his trusted men behind, and ordered in a deep voice, "Invite Mr. Xiao He to discuss matters immediately! Quickly!"
In just a stick of incense, Xiao He hurried to the temporary meeting room. His clothes were slightly disheveled, clearly having been summoned directly from his official duties. A subtle hint of doubt crossed his brow. With the Southern Border's military affairs currently busy, Gao Yao's urgent summons must be for something urgent.
"Your Majesty, why do you summon me so urgently? I wonder what's the important matter?" Xiao He bowed and asked in his tone.
Gao Yao didn't exchange pleasantries. He pointed directly at a few seemingly ordinary bamboo slips and silk scrolls on the table, his expression solemn. "Sir, please take a look at these first. This is the latest intelligence we just received about Xianyang."
Seeing Gao Yao's serious expression, Xiao He knew something was seriously wrong. He immediately stepped forward, picked up the bamboo slips, and began to carefully read through them. At first, his expression was one of concentration, but as he read deeper, his brows furrowed tighter and tighter, and the shock on his face grew more and more intense.
The silk book not only recorded in detail the new round of fierce offensive launched by the Chu army on Xianyang in recent days, and the difficult situation of the defending Wang Ben and his son, but also mixed with some seemingly fragmentary but extremely critical information in the city - food and grass dispatch, people's hearts and minds, and even some abnormalities in some secret alleys... The depth and details of this intelligence are by no means obtained through temporary inquiries. This is clearly news that can only be obtained through long-term planning and lurking!
He suddenly raised his head and looked at Gao Yao, who sat at his desk with a stern expression. His eyes were filled with disbelief. "Your Majesty! How could the situation in Xianyang have deteriorated so badly? Moreover, judging by the detailed intelligence, you... you seemed to have anticipated major changes in Xianyang and even planted secret agents in the city long in advance?"
Xiao He's shock wasn't without reason. In his view, as in the eyes of most people, the Great Qin Empire, which had swept across the world and unified the world, had spiritually perished since Prince Fusu's grief-stricken suicide before the army. Later, Wang Ben and his son, relying only on their military prowess and the last vestiges of the Qin army, barely managed to maintain the last vestiges of the Great Qin, defending the isolated city of Xianyang.