Chapter 1618 - The Sansi Statutes Bureau

The Law Society had been drafting a similar research report. This effort predated the Lingao disturbance—the imminent Third Plenary Session made institutional adjustment unavoidable, and they had begun work half a year prior.

Had that been all, Ma Jia would have simply offered a professional comment. He would have viewed Lu Xuan's report as a personal stepping stone, given the man's comportment today. But the rectification suggestions sent Ma Jia into deeper thought. The proposal itself wasn't unfathomable. It merely suggested that each administrative department clarify its own functional authority, formulate departmental regulations based on actual circumstances, submit them to the Executive Committee for review, and finally have their validity confirmed by the Senate General Assembly. Simple and feasible, though hardly brilliant.

However, the proposal contained a crucial premise: before submission to the Executive Committee, departmental regulations from each department must first pass an initial review by a "committee composed of policy researchers and relevant professionals."

Committees had been proliferating across the BBS lately, and Ma Jia had grown particularly sensitive to the word. Of course, following this line of reasoning, once such an institution was established, Law Society members would naturally be elected into this "committee" by virtue of their professional backgrounds.

Are you trying to curry favor with the Law Society and use this as your stepping stone? Ma Jia considered for a moment before speaking. "Your proposal is excellent. As for revisions—this is a Grand Library project, after all. It wouldn't be appropriate for our Law Society to intervene. With papers like this, there are always too many people who can't be listed as authors. Hahaha."

Lu Xuan was about to respond when the secretary knocked.

"Come in!"

She entered and reported: "Chief Ji has arrived."

"Please ask him to come in."

At the title "Chief Ji," Lu Xuan's eyebrows twitched almost imperceptibly.

Soon, the thick-browed, stout president of the Indigenous Protection Association appeared—Ji Xin, senior teacher at Fangcaodi Education Park and the Senate's most famous "Soy Sauce Senator."

Lu Xuan was first to rise, greeting Ji Xin with a smile. "Hello, Teacher Ji."

This Senator—who had participated in every major legal incident in the Senate yet stubbornly remained at Fangcaodi to teach, refusing administrative positions and living in relative seclusion—had always eluded Lu Xuan's understanding. He exercised extra caution around people he couldn't read. As colleagues in the education sector at Fangcaodi, Lu Xuan always addressed him as "Teacher" when they met.

"Teacher Lu is here too..." Lu Xuan was the only Senator who used "Teacher" for Ji Xin. The man enjoyed this simple, affectionate title. Over time, he had learned to reciprocate.

"Curator Yu arranged for me to ask Executive Ma for instructions on some work." Lu Xuan turned to Ma Jia. "Executive Ma, since you have business, I won't disturb you any longer. Please notify me anytime if there are questions about the report."

"Very well, leave the report with me. Please tell Curator Yu we'll study it carefully. I'll have Director An contact you if anything arises."

Ma Jia rose again to shake Lu Xuan's hand and saw him to the door.

"Why is he here?" Ji Xin asked An Xi suspiciously the moment Ma Jia closed the door.

While pouring tea, An Xi replied: "The Grand Library is preparing a policy study touching on legal matters. Lu Xuan is leading the project. He brought the first draft today for Executive Ma to review. The proposal is still on Executive Ma's desk—I don't know the specifics."

"The Grand Library? A legal proposal? Undertaken by Lu Xuan?" A cascade of question marks filled Ji Xin's mind.

Though Ji Xin couldn't claim to know Lu Xuan well, his impression was unfavorable. Lu Xuan's work had been exemplary when they'd collaborated, and the man had always been polite in their limited dealings. But as president of the Indigenous Protection Association, Ji Xin was deeply disgusted by Lu Xuan's actions at Lu Family Manor. Out of consideration for a fellow Senator and colleague, Ji Xin hadn't openly broken with him, but he maintained deliberate distance beyond perfunctory greetings.

At that moment, Lu Xuan—already seated in a carriage—felt equally uneasy about Ji Xin's appearance. Unlike Ji Xin, Lu Xuan remembered every interaction between them with crystalline clarity—especially from more than four years ago, when they'd participated in disaster relief together. Lu Xuan had handed over several orphans collected by the relief working group to Ji Xin. Among them, two children who wished to study had entered Fangcaodi through Ji Xin's recommendation...

Ma Jia picked up Lu Xuan's report from the table and handed it to Ji Xin. Ji Xin flipped through it quickly. He wasn't surprised by the beautiful fountain pen calligraphy—he'd seen Lu Xuan's penmanship during open classes long ago. But the content equally surprised him. Ji Xin's brows furrowed, and the habitual sorrowful expression on his face deepened. Countless thoughts raced through his mind, but overriding them all was Lu Xuan's gradually hideous face, constantly emerging from the depths of memory.

Ji Xin couldn't quite organize his thoughts. He looked up at Ma Jia, who appeared calm as still water. An Xi, by contrast, leaned over anxiously. Ji Xin hurriedly passed the report to him.

An Xi was equally surprised—he thought he understood Lu Xuan. This report's standard far exceeded his expectations. After the surprise came visible confusion, and he murmured: "I suspect it's not as simple as he claims. This Master Lu probably wants to use Executive Ma and our Law Society as a stepping stool!"

An Xi's inference reflected not genuine insight but instinctive defensiveness against Lu Xuan's sudden appearance: One who is unaccountably solicitous is hiding evil intentions. He understood that much, at least.

"Master Lu? As in the Zhang Family Manor at East Gate Market?" Ma Jia, as the Executive overseeing powerful departments, suddenly connected something.

"Yes. Lu Xuan is actually the master of Zhang Family Manor."

After An Xi finished, Ma Jia's expression shifted again. He looked at the confused An Xi, then at Ji Xin, who seemed to have realized something, and held back what he'd been about to say.

Ji Xin raised his head, staring at the ceiling. After a long while, he muttered: "The Sansi Statutes Bureau!"

Both Ma Jia and An Xi were confused. An Xi, ever eager, asked immediately: "What? What Sansi Statutes Bureau? What does that mean?"

"In the second year of Xining during the Northern Song Dynasty, Wang Anshi served as a Participant in Determining Governmental Matters and presided over the reforms. Based on his proposal, the Sansi Statutes Bureau—the Three Departments Statutes Bureau—was established to formulate regulations for the new laws. Later, this institution actually became the headquarters from which Wang Anshi directed the entire reform movement." Ji Xin was from the East China University of Political Science and Law and understood the Xining Reforms, which occupied a prominent place in legal history.

"Reform headquarters?!"

Ji Xin found An Xi's jaw-dropping reaction amusing. He continued: "At its inception, besides formulating regulations for new laws, the Sansi Statutes Bureau was also responsible for national finance and accounting..."

"He wants to seize power from the General Administration of Finance too?" An Xi couldn't help interrupting.

"He has no such intention. The Sansi Statutes Bureau was also responsible for supervising the implementation of new laws and possessed the power to inspect and impeach local officials. I'm merely illustrating the scope of authority this institution wielded." Knowing An Xi's limited professional knowledge, Ji Xin explained further to prevent over-interpretation.

"Indeed—just the power to formulate new laws and supervise their implementation is already formidable," Ma Jia observed.

An Xi raised the report indignantly. "The Grand Library has calculated well—wanting to use our Law Society as a ladder to claim positions for themselves. The formulation of departmental law is a matter of state; how could they possibly handle it at their level? Executive Ma, I'll go refuse them right now."

Ji Xin, however, appeared relaxed. "His phrasing states clearly that this preliminary review committee is to be composed jointly with professionals. In terms of wording, you can't find any fault—it's all official boilerplate."

"The Grand Library clearly wants to use the Law Society as laborers while they pick the fruit. Who doesn't know that submitting Policy Research to the Executive Committee is the Grand Library's specialty?" An Xi had completely written Lu Xuan off; he couldn't believe such a scheming proposal could come from that man.

"Hehe—do you really think this is the Grand Library's intention?" Ji Xin asked leisurely.

An Xi instantly thought of something. His expression smoothed as he turned toward Ma Jia.

Ma Jia gave Ji Xin a look full of profound meaning. "I also think it's impossible for Old Yu to have approved this. He's a man who has read history books his whole life; would he not recognize this trick? He occupies a position of prestige now and is engaged in his own profession of history. He doesn't understand administrative law or organizational regulations. Why play this game? What good does it do him if this proposal passes?"

"So you're saying it's—"

"Exactly. I believe it's Master Lu's own calculation." Ji Xin had never been one to mince words. He smiled slightly. "How much do you know about this Master Lu?"

"Not much," Ma Jia said cautiously.

An Xi sensibly excused himself: "I have something to attend to. I'll return to my office."

"I know a bit about this Director Lu," Ji Xin said. "You know he married a native wife, correct?"

Ma Jia shook his head. "I genuinely didn't know that. He's always lived in seclusion and rarely contacts our Law Society. I have no concept of his private life."

"You are the Director of the Political Security Bureau. Alright—mentioning that is perhaps taboo. Let me get to the point: did you know that not long after he married, both his father-in-law and brother-in-law died in accidents?"

"Such a thing happened?!" Ma Jia was astonished. "Are you suggesting..."

(End of Chapter)