Northern Song Dynasty Text Copyist

Chapter 14 2 consecutive days off

Liu Laocao had worked in the county government for over thirty years. On weekdays, he either followed the orders of the clerk or was dispatched by the registrar. At most, he had only had sporadic interactions with the county magistrate and never had the opportunity to meet the county magistrate directly.

At this moment, Liu Laocao was filled with trepidation at being singled out by Luo Shi. He stood with his head bowed, his eyes constantly glancing in the direction of Shen Zhong'an, unsure whether he should accept the credit.

"Your Excellency, this is indeed true..."

Seeing this, Shen Zhong'an quickly stepped forward to help him out of the predicament.

"On the day the drought relief measures were just beginning to show results, and the wheat seedlings were showing signs of turning green again, Liu, the old official, reminded his subordinates."

The current favorable situation has not come easily. We must be on guard against troubles such as powerful people fighting over water and labor disputes, and not let the hard-earned achievements be ruined by selfish thoughts.

Later, the subordinates had a long talk with the old official Liu, and based on his many years of experience, they summarized three strategies: establishing water regulations, verifying land area, and assigning labor service. He also offered many suggestions on other methods of agricultural management.

Shen Zhong'an's words were true; Liu Laocao had indeed reminded him and told him how the county government had handled similar situations in the past.

The newly written booklet on drought relief and seedling protection did indeed adopt some of Liu Laocao's suggestions, but not all of them.

Furthermore, Shen Zhong'an incorporated a great deal of experience from later generations, especially in the section on soil fertility maintenance, where he added a great deal of content.

Upon hearing this, Luo Shi nodded slowly and then looked at Liu Laocao.

"Old Liu's insight is extraordinary; I wonder where he got it from?"

Now that Shen Zhong'an had spoken frankly, Liu Laocao's anxiety had largely dissipated. He no longer hesitated and bowed in response.

"Your Excellency, I only benefited from being older."

Since I took up this post, I have experienced eight droughts of varying sizes. I have seen too many examples of powerful people fighting over water, people arguing, and laborers complaining after droughts.

Knowing full well that these incidents would surely lead to disaster if not prevented in advance, he dared to remind Registrar Shen.

Your subordinate never imagined that Registrar Shen would compile these rudimentary insights into a book and present it to Your Excellency.

Upon hearing this, Luo Shi nodded again, his gaze returning to Shen Zhong'an, a complex and indescribable look in his eyes.

He has good strategies, is capable, has made great contributions but is not arrogant, and is considerate of his subordinates and good at listening to others' opinions. Such character and talent come from a boy who has just turned eighteen.

Given time, this child will surely become a pillar of the imperial court!

Shen Zhong'an's achievements in drought relief are evident. From the method of loosening soil and filling the irrigation holes to the method of connecting pipes and tipping carts, he was responsible for the entire process of surveying, planning and implementation.

As a county magistrate, Luo Shi had already achieved a solid foundation of good governance, ensuring the orderly management of famine relief and the protection of crops. There was no need for him to compete for minor achievements.

If they were to intervene and take over the follow-up matters at this point, they would be suspected of being the superiors who were actually reaping the benefits, and would be branded as mean-spirited and greedy.

Luo Shi, assessing the situation, decided to go with the flow and publicly entrusted Shen Zhong'an with all matters concerning drought relief and seedling protection, canal and dam maintenance, water management, and post-disaster agricultural maintenance in the county. All officials and servants of the six departments of the county government, as well as local constables and militia, were at Shen's disposal.

According to the official system of the Song Dynasty, the county magistrate was ranked above the chief clerk, serving as the second-in-command and subordinate official, and his rank was always one step above that of the chief clerk.

Unfortunately, Tang Geng had been out in the countryside for days measuring fields and demarcating boundaries, and had not returned to the county town for a long time, thus missing the entire process of formulating drought relief strategies in Qilihe.

When Tang Geng returned from his official business, the situation had already been settled. The dignified third-class graduate and acting county magistrate had ended up working as an assistant to the acting registrar, who was only a fifth-class graduate.

The positions of county magistrate, assistant clerk, and chief clerk seem out of place and strange according to the established system, but it is clear to everyone that Tang Geng should not have received any of the benefits from this great achievement of benefiting the people.

The fact that I am now able to join the ranks and work together is thanks to Shen Zhong'an, allowing me to be associated with his achievements and attend his place in the awards.

If one remains completely detached from this, when the year-end evaluation comes and the two are compared, one will become the laughing stock of the whole city.

The third-ranked scholars were inferior to the fifth-ranked scholars, and the assistant officials were inferior to the capable assistant officials, thus becoming excellent negative examples in officialdom.

Rumors spread incredibly fast, and within half a day, such gossip quietly spread among the county government offices and clerks' quarters. Every word and phrase deliberately elevated Shen Zhong'an and belittled Tang Geng, exaggerating the stark contrast between their backgrounds, ranks, and temporary assignments.

These rumors were spread by Wang Dianli's trusted clerks at Wang's secret instruction.

Rather than hiding for four years, it would be better to put Tang Geng, the acting county magistrate, out to confront him. No matter which side loses, he can profit from the situation by observing from the sidelines, taking the opportunity to regain real power over agricultural and water conservancy, and then slowly control Shen Zhong'an.

Unexpectedly, Tang Geng, upon hearing the various criticisms, showed no anger or resistance whatsoever. He responded to people with composure and candor, and even spoke frankly in public.

"Everyone has their own expertise, and in managing affairs, one should be judged by their talent and ability, regardless of their official rank or age."

Zhong'an was young and capable; his strategies for famine relief, benefiting the people and protecting the land far surpassed mine.

"The accomplished are my teachers. I am new to the county government and unfamiliar with the local customs and outdated regulations. It is my good fortune to be able to learn from them and handle practical matters. What disgrace is there in that?"

These insightful and humble words reached Wang Dianli's ears, causing his anger to surge and his back teeth to nearly shatter again.

The carefully laid plan to sow discord failed once again. Tang Geng, disregarding rank and pride, remained unassuming and willing to serve as an assistant without a fight. He showed none of the arrogance or airs of a top-ranking scholar. In his eyes, Tang Geng was truly weak and cowardly, having lost all the integrity and dignity of a scholar.

On the other hand, Shen Zhong'an also had concerns at first.

During the Song Dynasty, the official hierarchy was very strict. The county magistrate held a higher position, and since I was in charge of important matters as the chief clerk, I inevitably had a slight advantage over the assistant clerk. I was afraid that Tang Geng would harbor resentment, so I was outwardly friendly but inwardly sabotaged him.

After working together for half a day, Shen Zhong'an lowered his guard.

Tang Geng was an upright man. When he encountered situations where he was unfamiliar with local customs, unclear about old practices, or had minor issues related to water conservancy, he would openly ask questions without holding back or pretending to be strong, and he would discuss and act on everything.

The contrast between the two situations makes it seem as if Shen Zhong'an's previous speculations were based on a petty mind judging a gentleman.

Everyone knows that Tang Geng would later be remembered in history for his poetry and prose, and that he was exceptionally talented in writing. However, few people know that he was also a capable official.

When he first took over the rural affairs, he was a little flustered because he had been studying literature for a long time but had little experience in handling civil affairs. However, he was very quick to understand and after becoming familiar with the procedures, he handled matters in a clear and organized manner and dealt with documents efficiently. He quickly became Shen Zhong'an's most capable assistant.

The two men had a clear division of labor and worked seamlessly together. In just two days, they clarified the severity of the drought, the amount of farmland, the distance of water sources, and the terrain of more than 30 villages in the four townships of Chenliu. They then arranged the order of treatment and refined the appropriate strategies.

County government documents and notices were drafted, copied, stamped, and distributed overnight, and posted at city gates, village markets, and the gates of neighborhood leaders. This ensured that government orders were justified and that the county's policies were implemented smoothly.

Using Qilihe Village as a model, Shen Zhong'an systematically rolled out the entire drought relief system in three phases, adapting to local conditions and avoiding a one-size-fits-all approach.

The first priority is to focus on the southeastern townships, where the drought is most severe and the soil is most cracked. Immediately issue the design for making tools and dispatch experienced officials and craftsmen to the townships to provide on-site guidance, so as to protect the withered seedlings and stabilize the foundation.

The second phase of the project will focus on villages near rivers and wells, relying on natural water sources and prioritizing the installation of improved connecting pipes and parallel tipplers to take advantage of the water flow and save labor in protecting the fields.

The third batch covers high-lying dry land and villages with poor water sources. The main methods are to dig deep wells and shallow wells and excavate capillary irrigation ditches, combined with small water-lifting farm tools, to adapt to the local soil fertility and terrain, and to gradually combat drought and protect seedlings.

At the township level, a separate position of Township Chief was established, selected from the village heads and elders who were experienced and prudent. This position was responsible for coordinating the village's labor, materials, equipment manufacturing, and irrigation, and was directly connected to Shen Zhong'an of the county government. This ensured that the township was under the overall control of the county government, with clear responsibilities and powers, and prevented any shirking of responsibility or disorder.

The county government centrally allocated materials, including logging of bamboo and timber in the mountains belonging to the county, and the allocation of hemp rope, tung oil, and wrought iron components from the official granaries, in order to prevent villages from illegally logging and raising prices to disturb the people.

The officials and craftsmen drew up standard patterns, copied them into more than a hundred copies, and distributed them widely in the countryside so that the villagers could understand, learn, and make them.

At the overall level, Shen Zhong'an oversaw the county government office, coordinating and scheduling, verifying regulations, and approving documents.

Tang Geng, along with veteran officials such as Liu Laocao, traveled to the surrounding villages to inspect, supervise, and mediate water disputes among neighbors.

The workshop's chief clerk and registered artisans went to various villages to personally teach carpentry, ironwork assembly, and waterwheel construction techniques, ensuring that the tools were standardized, durable, and practical.

At the same time, clear reward and punishment rules are established to govern people's hearts and set the tone for a positive atmosphere through the rule of law.

Villages that work together to build projects, manufacture tools according to the specifications, and strictly adhere to the regulations on water distribution will be exempted from short-term miscellaneous corvée labor at the discretion of the authorities.

The local gentry and wealthy households who voluntarily donated materials and labor, and cooperated in patrolling the canals and distributing water, were publicly commended by the county government and their names were recorded in the township archives as evidence for performance evaluation and exemption from corvée labor in the autumn.

As for those who repeatedly violate the law, illegally divert water from canals, occupy wells, block ditches, or obstruct government orders, the ringleaders will be arrested first, given a light punishment and admonishment, and their misdeeds will be recorded in the local register. Those who repeatedly violate the law will be reported to the Kaifeng Prefecture for punishment according to the law.

With the government order implemented, all the scholars, farmers, officials, laborers, and artisans in Chenliu County were mobilized, and everyone worked together to fight the famine.

In just three to five days, the previously withered and yellowed wheat fields regained their vitality at a speed visible to the naked eye, with stems and leaves straightening up and withered tips becoming moist again.

Even in the southeastern township, which was the hardest hit by the disaster, less than 30% of the wheat seedlings were truly beyond saving and completely withered, and most of the fields were preserved.

The villagers were overjoyed and wept with joy at their miraculous escape from their desperate situation. Their gratitude was palpable in the fields and the poor farmers and tenants praised the plan, saying that without the magistrate Shen's effective drought relief measures, Chenliu would have been devastated this year, with nine out of ten households empty and people fleeing the famine.

Opinions from all sides have become increasingly polarized as the actual results have been finalized.

The elders in the countryside and families with a long tradition of farming and scholarship praised him for being reasonable, disciplined, virtuous, and talented. He was able to plan practical matters and maintain stability in the village. He was young, resourceful, and handled matters with moderation. His future career prospects were limitless.

Although small and medium-sized landlords and ordinary gentry each had their own plans, they never dared to openly criticize because their own land was completely preserved and they personally benefited; they simply kept quiet in secret.

The only ones who harbored deep resentment were the local tyrants and powerful clans who used to control water sources, monopolize irrigation canals, and were accustomed to running rampant in the countryside.

Shen Zhong'an established regulations for equal water use and cracked down on illegal water diversion, breaking the long-standing practice of their monopoly on rural water conservancy and reducing local private power.

Although the crowd harbored resentment, they had no choice but to restrain their arrogance due to the strict laws of the county government and the impeccable conduct of Shen Zhong'an. They dared not openly violate the rules and regulations, and instead kept their grudges hidden in the shadows, observing the situation with forbearance.

According to the official system of the Song Dynasty, local officials in charge of serving the people strictly adhered to the rule of "prioritizing urgent matters." In the event of disasters, emergencies, border police, or busy farming seasons, their ten-day rest and holidays were suspended. It was common practice to work for ten consecutive days, working from dawn till dusk, and there were no regulations for compensatory rest.

Although Luo Shi was known for his strictness and pragmatism, he was not without human compassion.

Since the implementation of the drought relief policy, Shen Zhong'an has been working tirelessly day and night. During the day, he inspects the villages to supervise the work and guide agricultural methods. At night, he draws diagrams, improves tools, and checks the field accounts. He works so hard that he forgets to eat and sleep. Even his routine ten-day rest is completely delayed because of official business. All of this has been seen by Shen Zhong'an.

Now that the Miao population in the county has been stabilized, the water management regulations have been established, rural affairs are in good order, and the mundane affairs of the government office are also handled by the officials, so Shen Zhong'an no longer needs to do everything personally.

After the meeting concluded that day, Luo Shi called out to Shen Zhong'an, who was about to leave.

"Zhong'an, you have worked hard these past few days and your achievements are outstanding. You also need to rest. I hereby grant you two days of leave to go home and recuperate. You do not need to come to the yamen every day. Rest up your energy before returning to take charge of the subsequent county affairs."

Shen Zhong'an wanted to agree immediately, but at that time, scholars and officials valued humility, diligence, and not indulging in comfort. If he agreed directly, he would not only appear lazy, greedy, inconsiderate of public affairs, and ignorant of his duties, but also leave his colleagues with a reputation for being arrogant and lazy.

Therefore, Shen Zhong'an had no choice but to bow and decline.

"Thank you for your consideration, Your Excellency. However, although the drought relief efforts in the county have yielded initial results, the subsequent management of agricultural equipment and the verification of farmland have not yet been fully implemented. I dare not leave without permission, and I urge Your Excellency to rescind your order."

"Governing affairs is indeed important, but people also need rest. The affairs of the county will be temporarily handled by me and the six clerks. The two days off are a matter of public consideration, not a personal favor, so there is no need to refuse."

"Since Your Excellency insists on showing consideration, Zhong'an will obey. If there is any urgent matter in the county, you only need to send someone to deliver the message, and I will rush back immediately without any delay."

After going through the process of pushing, persuading, and agreeing, Shen Zhong'an was granted a rare two-day break.

Only Shen Zhong'an was granted a day off. Tang Geng and the other officials still had to travel to the countryside, so Shen Zhong'an hired a carriage and headed straight for the capital.

Fortunately, the share of the storytelling revenue from last time was quite substantial, so this little bit of money for the carriage was just a drop in the ocean for Shen Zhong'an now, and he didn't need to worry about it at all.

The carriage bumped along the way, and after an hour, nearly twenty days later, Shen Zhong'an finally set foot in the capital region again.

The long streets are crisscrossed by shops, bustling with people and traffic. Merchants and ordinary people come and go in an endless stream, and the sounds of music and vendors' cries blend together. Despite the drought outside the city, the streets remain lively and vibrant.

Upon entering the capital region, Shen Zhong'an went straight to a used bookstore.

After meeting with Zhou Cairen and the three bookstore owners last time, we agreed to meet again on a day off ten days later.

Unexpectedly, a drought struck, and burdened with heavy responsibilities, he had no choice but to break his promise.

Eight days have passed since the agreed date, and Zhou Cairen and the others must be extremely anxious.

As expected, as soon as Shen Zhong'an stepped into the shop, he saw Zhou Cairen sitting upright by the window in the inner room, holding a book in her hands, with a somewhat anxious expression, and occasionally glancing towards the door.

Seeing Shen Zhong'an step over the threshold and enter, the anxiety in Zhou Cairen's eyes instantly disappeared, and she quickly got up to greet him.

"Brother Bai, you've kept me waiting!"