134: Chapter 134 The head of the Finance Department is replaced! A major change occurs in the City Hall!

The next day, early in the morning.

The winter dawn light spilled over the gray stone walls of City Hall.

However, the atmosphere inside the hall was unusually gloomy and tense.

In the corridor outside the City Lord's office, many well-informed or sharp-nosed officials had already gathered.

They spoke in low voices, their gazes occasionally darting toward that heavy, tightly closed oak door.

The new City Lord, Count Golden Flame, Rowan Flynn, was already inside.

And just a moment ago, the head of the Finance Department, Garrett Gray—that old bureaucrat who had operated in City Hall for over fifteen years—had also been summoned inside.

After yesterday's official reporting session, the new City Lord summoned the powerful head of the Finance Department on his second day in office?

Was this a routine work briefing, or did it have a deeper meaning? Some officials with close ties to Garrett began to feel anxious.

The atmosphere inside the office was even more stagnant.

Rowan sat upright behind the large City Lord's desk, wearing only a simple, dark-colored casual outfit, yet he possessed a natural dignity belonging to the City Lord.

Several files were spread out in front of him, and his gaze calmly watched Head Garrett, who stood three paces away from the desk with a respectful smile on his face.

Garrett was nearly fifty this year, stout, with a ruddy complexion and well-maintained appearance, wearing a well-tailored, deep purple civil servant uniform, with a silver service medal symbolizing his years of service pinned to his chest.

After some simple pleasantries and a few routine inquiries about financial work, Rowan suddenly picked up a file on the table and asked in a flat tone that betrayed no emotion:

"Head Garrett, regarding the approval and write-off records for seasonal tax exemptions at the Third Market in the East District over the past few years, the discrepancy with the final amount deposited seems to be increasing every year."

"Which financial regulation is this loss based on? Why has it increased for several consecutive years?"

Upon hearing this, the smile on Garrett's face froze instantly. The accounts for that market in the East District... were one of his carefully crafted masterpieces, which he considered flawless. How could they be seen through at a glance by a new City Lord who had only arrived one day ago?!

"Th-this..." Garrett's brain raced, trying to find a reasonable explanation. But Rowan didn't wait for him to explain and continued:

"Also, there are several discrepancies between the batches and prices of extra cold-weather supplies purchased by the City Guard last winter and the market average prices and inventory records for the same period."

Garrett's body began to tremble slightly. He knew it was over. The new City Lord had come prepared. He was here to find fault! He was going to make an example of him!

Just then, the office door was lightly knocked. Afterward, Rowan's temporary secretary led someone in. It was none other than Jeremy Fisher.

He was wearing a slightly dated civil servant casual outfit, his eyes behind gold-rimmed glasses calm, and he had a thick leather briefcase tucked under his arm.

He bowed respectfully to Rowan: "Lord City Lord." Then, as if he had only just noticed the ashen-faced Garrett, he nodded slightly: "Lord Garrett."

The moment Garrett saw Jeremy Fisher, the last shred of luck in his eyes was extinguished. Jeremy Fisher, the head of the Finance Department's Contracts and Fees Bureau, a subordinate official who knew every process and convention of the Finance Department like the back of his hand!

No wonder... no wonder the new City Lord could so precisely grasp his weak spot!

Rowan did not look at Garrett, his gaze landing on Jeremy Fisher, his voice still steady:

"Jeremy Fisher, regarding the doubts about the Finance Department's accounts over the past few years that I mentioned earlier, as well as the preliminary requirements for a systematic audit, what is your take?"

Upon hearing this, Jeremy Fisher opened his briefcase, took out a pre-prepared proposal, and said loudly:

"Reporting to you, my Lord, I have served in the Finance Department for many years and have some understanding of the relevant processes and records."

"The points you raised, my Lord, indeed contain discrepancies with the current 'Imperial Finance Management General Rules' and deserve a thorough investigation."

"I have preliminarily compiled an index of relevant files and an analysis of the doubts, and have drafted a one-month outline for a special audit of the Finance Department's accounts and a process optimization plan for you to review, my Lord."

"This action will help ensure the city treasury is full to meet unexpected needs, such as... supporting the various pro-people measures you are planning, my Lord."

Rowan chuckled, took the summary, scanned it quickly, and nodded. He looked back at the pale-faced Garrett, his voice not loud, yet it delivered the final verdict:

"Baron Garrett Gray, in view of the current doubts regarding the Finance Department's accounts, a thorough investigation is required."

"Effective immediately, you are suspended from all duties and must cooperate with the subsequent investigation."

"During the investigation, you are not allowed to leave Gino City and must be ready to be summoned at any time."

He paused, his gaze turning to Jeremy Fisher: "The Finance Department cannot go a single day without a head."

"Jeremy Fisher is familiar with the department's affairs and is courageous in taking on responsibilities."

"Effective immediately, you shall temporarily act as the head of the Finance Department, with full authority over its daily operations, and preside over this account audit and optimization."

"I hope you will perform your duties diligently and live up to the trust placed in you."

"I obey, my Lord! I will do my utmost to ease your worries and manage the accounts well for Gino City!" Jeremy Fisher suppressed the wild joy in his heart, bowed deeply, his voice trembling slightly.

Garrett's body swayed, as if he had aged ten years in an instant, and the last trace of color on his face vanished completely. He cast a resentful glance at Jeremy Fisher, opened his mouth as if to say something, but in the end, he just lowered his head dejectedly, unable to utter a single word.

Two guards waiting outside the door walked in, one on each side, and escorted him out of the office. The office door closed again.

In the corridor, the officials who had been watching the matter, although they did not know what had happened, understood everything the moment they saw Garrett leave with an ashen face and Jeremy Fisher remain inside.

This City Hall was about to undergo a major change!

On the second day of the new City Lord's tenure, he had used thunderous means to take down Garrett Gray, the powerful head who had entrenched himself in the Finance Department for fifteen years!

And the one replacing him was none other than that usually inconspicuous, even somewhat sidelined Jeremy Fisher! A Lord from a merchant family with a low noble title! Why him?

This news instantly swept through the entire City Hall and spread at an astonishing speed to every corner of Gino City...

Viscount Willis turned livid and gritted his teeth when he received the secret report at his residence. He did not know how Rowan had found out that Garrett Gray was his man. But he believed that Rowan must be targeting him, retaliating for his competition for the title of Count Golden Flame.

"The Fisher Family? That upstart?! Rowan Flynn, how dare you humiliate me like this! Using such a lowly merchant to manage the finances?! Good, good, good... It seems you are determined to cut yourself off from the Northern nobles!"

The hatred and wariness he felt toward Rowan deepened, and at the same time, he felt a sense of powerlessness. The other party did not act according to common sense at all and did not care about the unspoken rules and face of the noble circle.

Vanessa Bryce heard the maid's report at Oak Manor, elegantly put down the quill in her hand, and a glint of surprise flashed in her eyes: "Moving against the head of the Finance Department first?" This was somewhat beyond her expectations.

The business world in Gino City was in an uproar. The Fisher Family was originally one of the local medium-sized merchant guilds. Now that a core member of their family had suddenly taken control of the financial power, what did this mean?

Countless merchants turned their gazes toward the Silver Leaf Manor, beginning to re-evaluate their relationship with the Fisher Family. Large merchant guilds even immediately sent banquet invitations to the Fisher Family.

First, the helmsman of the Black Sail Merchant Guild sent a steward to deliver century-old coral wine, with implicit yet meaningful wording on the gift card. Immediately afterward, the Mountain Ridge Alliance, which controlled most of the ore business in Gino County, also brought generous gifts and sent an invitation to actively show goodwill.

Inside City Hall, people were even more anxious. Those officials with deep ties to Garrett became like ants on a hot pan. The centrists began to wait and see, thinking about how to align themselves with the new head of the Finance Department.

Vice City Lord Brant Hoffman also received the news. He sighed; he also could not understand the City Lord's intentions. After thinking for a moment, he instructed his servant to send an invitation to the new head of the Finance Department, Jeremy Fisher.

Everyone knew that the City Lord's next move would certainly start with this new head of the Finance Department.