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墨書 Inktalez
I stepped through the gates of the Construction Bureau construction site, the familiar scent of dust filling the air.
I surveyed my surroundings; the busy figures of craftsmen, the cacophony of hammers striking, everything felt like a scene from yesterday.
The difference was that I was no longer the dismissed official but a man dressed in fine robes, representing the Imperial Merchant.
I walked straight toward the conference hall, and officials on either side turned to look at me, their expressions a mix of surprise and confusion.
As I pushed open the doors to the conference hall, the previously noisy atmosphere fell silent in an instant.
All eyes were on me.
Chief Inspector, Yang Jianyong, and Liu Jun sat at the main table, their faces turning pale as if they had seen a ghost.
I approached the main seat and slowly sat down, my gaze sweeping over everyone before finally resting on Chief Inspector and Liu Jun.
"Gentlemen, it’s good to see you again," I said with a faint cold smile.
Yang Jianyong's face was ashen, his lips trembling but unable to form words.
Liu Jun gripped the armrests of his chair tightly, fear evident in his eyes.
"Today, I have been appointed as the Deputy Chief Judge for this project, fully responsible for its progress and quality," I stated calmly, but each word struck Chief Inspector and Liu Jun like a hammer on their hearts.
The hall was silent; one could hear a pin drop.
I signaled for lord Ru to distribute the newly revised Engineering Management Regulations.
"This is a set of new rules I drafted overnight, detailing various aspects of project management and penalties for violations," I paused for effect before adding with emphasis, "I hope all of you will study it carefully and refrain from testing the law."
lord Ru then stood up to report recent issues at the construction site, emphasizing that some problems stemmed from improper design plans.
"Lord Lu," the blueprint... Lord Ru hesitated, stealing a glance at the Chief Inspector.
I took the blueprint and examined it closely, a smile spreading across my face.
"Chief Inspector, there are no less than a hundred oversights in this design," I said, tossing the blueprint onto the Chief Inspector's desk with a crisp sound.
The Chief Inspector's face turned ashen, beads of sweat forming on his forehead as he stammered, unable to find his words.
"This... this..." he attempted to defend himself but realized he had no ground to stand on.
"Did you forget, Chief Inspector, that this design was outsourced to Liu Jun?" I turned my gaze toward Liu Jun. "Liu Jun, what do you have to say about this?"
Liu Jun's face went pale, trembling as he stuttered, "This... this... I..." He tried to explain but found himself unable to make sense of it.
"Liu Jun, as an official of the Construction Bureau, you have neglected your duties by outsourcing important design work and disregarding the quality of the project," I reprimanded sternly. "Moreover, there are signatures from the craftsmen on this blueprint; do you mean to say they were unaware of this?"
"Chief Inspector, as the highest authority of the Construction Bureau, you bear an irrefutable responsibility in this matter," I said coldly. "Considering this is your first offense, I will deduct the cost of rework from the project funds as a warning."
The Chief Inspector gasped, nearly fainting at my words.
"Liu... Lord Lu, this..." he tried to argue but was cut off by my icy tone.
"Lords and ladies, I hope everyone remembers that projects do not accommodate idlers," I surveyed the room with a cold demeanor. "From now on, I will conduct thorough inspections at every stage of the project and will not tolerate any violations."
I paused, fixing my gaze on Liu Jun. "Lord Liu, how do you plan to address the issues with this blueprint?"
Liu Jun's face was deathly pale, his lips quivering as he finally managed to utter, "This... this blueprint was... approved by the Chief Inspector..."
I chuckled lightly, my eyes icy. "Approved? The Chief Inspector is too busy with affairs to scrutinize every single blueprint."
I turned to Chief Inspector, my tone growing colder. " Chief Inspector, what do you say?"
Sweat beads rolled down Chief Inspector's plump cheeks as he wiped his forehead, his gaze flickering. "This official... this official has been busy with matters. The review of these blueprints... is indeed the responsibility of Liu Jun..."
I nodded, a hint of sarcasm in my voice. "I see, then Liu Jun certainly has a heavy responsibility."
I picked up the blueprint and pointed to a glaring error. "The load calculation for this beam is incorrect. If construction proceeds according to this blueprint, the entire building might collapse."
My voice was not loud, but it resonated in the silent conference hall.
Liu Jun's face turned even paler; he opened his mouth but could not utter a word.
"Liu Jun, do you have anything to say?" I fixed my sharp gaze on him.
Liu Jun trembled all over, nearly losing his balance. "I... I... will go revise it right away..."
I scoffed. "Revise? Is it too late for revisions now? The timeline has already been delayed. If we postpone any further, the Emperor will surely blame us, and neither of us can bear that."
A flicker of despair crossed Liu Jun's eyes; he knew he had truly messed up this time.
I continued, "However, considering this is your first offense, I can give you a chance."
I paused, scanning the crowd. "From today onward, all blueprints must be reviewed by me before any construction can begin."
Everyone nodded in agreement, their eyes filled with a hint of fear.
Satisfied, I nodded back and then looked at Liu Jun. "Liu Jun, go back and revise the blueprints thoroughly. I want to see the new proposal by tomorrow morning."
Liu Jun weakly nodded, like a marionette with its strings cut.
In the following days, I meticulously scrutinized every blueprint, leaving no minor error unchecked.
Liu Jun was driven to the brink, staying up late every night to revise the drawings, utterly exhausted both physically and mentally.
The dark circles under his eyes grew heavier, and his eye bags became increasingly prominent, leaving him looking haggard.
Watching him in this state, I felt not a shred of pity, only endless satisfaction.
I wanted him to experience the taste of being pushed to the edge.
This was just the beginning; I intended to make him pay for his actions.
I returned Liu Jun's drawings multiple times, each time citing reasons like "insufficient details" and "lack of consideration," forcing him to revise them repeatedly.
Liu Jun was on the verge of a breakdown, even stumbling slightly as he walked.
I looked at him with a cold smile; this was merely the start.
I called Liu Jun into my office again and, in front of everyone, mercilessly criticized him: "Liu Jun, your abilities are truly concerning. This is already the fifth revision, and there are still numerous mistakes. Can you even handle this job?"
Liu Jun's face turned pale, his lips trembled, but he couldn't utter a word.
I continued, "I've given you enough chances, yet you keep disappointing me. It seems I will have to choose someone else to take over this project."
A flicker of terror flashed in Liu Jun's eyes; he knew that losing this project would mean his complete downfall.
He pleaded, "Lord Lu, please give me one more chance. I promise I'll make the revisions properly..."
I looked at him coldly. "I've already given you a chance; it was you who failed to seize it."
I paused, my tone growing even colder. "You can leave now; I don't want to see you again."
Despairing, Liu Jun left the office, his figure appearing particularly lonely.
I watched his retreating figure, a cold smile curling at the corners of my mouth.
Next, Liu Jun requested an early disbursement of project funds to expedite completion.
Without hesitation, I refused, "The process is not in accordance, and funds are tight."
Liu Jun fell into utter despair; ultimately, he claimed illness and requested sick leave.
As I looked at the sick leave note he submitted, I sneered inwardly, "Trying to escape? It's not that easy."
I picked up my pen and approved the leave request with a simple note: "Leave granted."
Then I raised my head and called out to the door, "Someone, go check if Liu Jun is really sick or if there's something else going on."
Liu Jun, did you think that claiming illness would allow you to escape my control?
You are too naive.
I want to see just how long you can hide.
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