novelAbuy Chapter 18 Man Zhang 4
Chapter 18 Man Zhang 4
For days, he traveled to the surrounding villages, traversing fields and paths, supervising the digging of wells, the distribution of water to protect seedlings, and the inspection of fields. The officials of the entire Chenliu County government were so overwhelmed by the drought that they could not rest day or night.
Once the ditches were dredged, the water distribution was standardized, and the seedlings were stabilized, the drought across the entire region was completely brought under control. Only then were Tang Geng and his associates able to finally extricate themselves, pack their belongings, and slowly return to their office.
Having traveled a long and dusty journey, Tang Geng stepped into the county government office and went straight to the main hall. He ordered someone to announce his arrival and requested an audience with Magistrate Luo Shi.
When Luo Shi heard that Tang Gengfu had urgently requested an audience as soon as he returned to the government office, he assumed that something had happened in the countryside or that another disaster had occurred. Not daring to delay, he immediately ordered Tang Gengfu to be summoned.
"Prefect Tang has been busy inspecting the countryside for days and has just returned to his office. He is eager to see you, but what urgent matter has arisen in the countryside?"
"Your Excellency, there is indeed an important matter that I must report immediately."
"Speak frankly."
"I have heard that Your Excellency is preparing to send a letter to Kaifeng Prefecture, which will then forward it to the Ministry of Personnel, requesting that Registrar Shen be commended, exempted from the civil service examination, stripped of his nominal position, and actually appointed as the Registrar of Chenliu County. Is this true?"
Upon hearing this, Luo Shi lightly tapped the table with his fingertips, his expression slightly somber.
"That is indeed the case. Registrar Shen's efforts in combating the drought and ensuring the well-being of the people have been instrumental in the county's success, and his merits are evident. Such a reward is well-deserved. Could it be that Magistrate Tang has some objection to this arrangement?"
"Your subordinate has no objection..."
Tang Geng quickly shook his head in denial.
"On the contrary, I believe that such a promotion and reward is far from sufficient compared to Shen Zhubu's real achievements."
Luo Shi was taken aback and leaned forward slightly.
"What do you mean?"
"I have worked with Registrar Shen for over a month, spending every day together and jointly managing the county's affairs."
In clarifying backlogged documents and rectifying corruption among county officials, his subordinates were not as capable as him.
In terms of being familiar with the agricultural seasons, planning water conservancy, and providing disaster relief and farmland protection according to local conditions, his subordinates are far inferior.
As a fellow assistant official, holding the position of county magistrate, yet having to rely on a newly promoted registrar for everything, I honestly feel ashamed for holding a position without doing any work.
Having said that, Tang Geng straightened his clothes, bowed deeply, and spoke with a respectful and solemn tone:
"I am not here today to pay my respects to Your Excellency, nor am I jealous of your talent."
I humbly request Your Excellency to allow me to resign from my substantive post as County Magistrate, and instead serve as an assistant, holding the position of Registrar, to sincerely assist Shen Zhong'an in managing all civil affairs, agricultural affairs, and water conservancy matters of the county. I will relinquish my post to the more capable and competent, and focus on governing the county with peace of mind.
Luo Shi served as an official for decades, holding various positions in prefectures and counties. He witnessed firsthand the infighting in the officialdom. It was common for colleagues to be suspicious of each other, to plot against each other, and to frame each other over matters of rank and position. Everyone was attached to power and position and would not yield an inch.
Those who voluntarily request demotion or resignation, willingly serving under younger generations to assist in governance, are rare finds even among thousands of officials.
However, Shen Zhong'an passed the imperial examination at a young age, acted with composure, and had a broad vision. His current disaster relief efforts have been extremely successful, and it is hard to guarantee that he will not receive secret assistance from high-ranking officials in the capital.
Luo Shi feared that someone behind Shen Zhong'an was secretly pressuring Tang Geng to step down by using his achievements, thus undermining the order of officials in the county.
So Luo Shi probed indirectly, asking detailed questions about their daily working relationship, division of responsibilities, and communication, testing them with every sentence and questioning them layer by layer.
Tang Geng answered frankly, every word was true, and his words were all from his heart. He respected Tang Geng's talent and ability, and voluntarily stepped down without any coercion or reluctance.
After several verifications, Luo Shi finally let down his guard and secretly admired Tang Geng's upright character, which was truly rare.
"I am already aware of your intentions and your magnanimity."
However, the appointment and removal of officials and the assignment of temporary posts are matters of the system and cannot be decided hastily.
Registrar Shen is currently on leave in the capital region. After he returns to his post, I will personally inquire about his thoughts and then discuss appropriate arrangements.
Luo Shi did not give a definite answer. After speaking, considering that Tang Geng had been working hard for days and was exhausted, he immediately wrote a document granting him two days off to go home and rest.
They deliberately avoided the day Shen Zhong'an returned, so that the two could rest and recuperate, avoid any awkwardness, and leave enough room to calmly arrange subsequent personnel matters.
Tang Geng could not possibly misunderstand Luo Shi's intentions. He immediately bowed and accepted the order, went to the small courtyard to pack his things, and left the county government office.
Luo Shi sat alone behind his official desk, lost in thought, his fingertips lightly tapping the edge of the desk.
Shen Zhong'an was exempted from the civil service examination and appointed as a registrar. With his achievements in disaster relief, the prefectural government and the Ministry of Personnel had no objections, and the matter could be easily accomplished.
However, if one were to bypass the regulations and directly promote a newly appointed registrar to a proper county magistrate, given that his rank, qualifications, and the regulations were all incompatible, even if he had made great contributions to relieving the drought, it would be impossible to achieve this overnight.
It is extremely difficult to officially appoint a county magistrate, but if one is temporarily granted the position of acting county magistrate while concurrently holding the duties of a registrar, there is still room for maneuver within the regulations and rules.
The process is cumbersome, involves a lot of paperwork, and requires approval at each level, which is quite time-consuming and exhausting.
Although Shen Zhong'an was exceptionally talented, excelling in agriculture, people management, and disaster relief, he was ultimately just a newly graduated scholar.
While his current abilities are certainly worthy of appreciation, they are far from warranting my best efforts and lobbying to promote him out of turn.
Luo Shi's gaze slowly swept across the hall, finally settling on the stacks of documents on the desk.
On the table lay a document, an urgent report submitted by the Registrar of Households, formerly under Tang Geng's jurisdiction.
The grain in the county's Ever-Normal Granary was damp and moldy, and the losses and problems accumulated over the years were deep-rooted. There were also hidden issues such as shortages and discrepancies between the accounts and the actual amount of grain received during the grain transport. Each and every one of these issues was one of the most troublesome and troublesome tedious matters in the administration of the prefecture and county.
This was originally the county magistrate's responsibility, and according to the rules, it should have been handed over to Tang Geng to handle the matter, including rectifying the warehouse affairs, clarifying the losses, and thoroughly investigating the reasons for the shortage of grain.
Since Tang Geng has the magnanimity to voluntarily step down and be content with a lower position, there is no need to rush to make personnel appointments and removals.
They decided to treat this most complicated, difficult, and potentially offensive task—the granary administration—as a test.
If Shen Zhong'an can sort out this mess of moldy grain, accumulated losses, and grain shortages, eliminate the long-standing problems in the granary, and handle it properly, it will prove that he is indeed capable of handling affairs.
At that time, it wouldn't be unreasonable for me to be willing to go to great lengths to help him, to fulfill Tang Geng's wish to step down to a more capable person, and to make an exception for Shen Zhong'an to seek the position of acting county magistrate.
Having made up his mind, Luo Shi casually gathered the prison sentence document and placed it under the paperweight on his desk.
Once Shen Zhong'an returned to the yamen after his leave, this tricky task would be handed over to him.
the other side.
The banquet that year was lively and bustling. During the banquet, Shen Zhong'an felt relaxed and unknowingly increased his alcohol tolerance, thanks to the praise from the crowd and his own inner joy.
Despite his constant restraint and deliberate attempts to control himself, he couldn't resist the constant urging of his fellow students to drink. After several rounds of shoving and socializing, he eventually drank himself into a stupor.
Having learned from his previous experience of losing control while drinking with Tang Geng, Shen Zhong'an was already well aware of the consequences.
After the alcohol took effect, he became quiet and reserved, and when others asked him questions, he would only nod or shake his head in response.
Seeing this, the other students present did not want to bother or urge him to drink any more, and simply let Shen Zhong sit quietly to the side, chatting about their own lives.
As dusk fell and the Eight Immortals Restaurant closed and the banquet ended, Shen Zhong'an, supported by the restaurant staff, returned to his lodging inn.
Back in his room, Shen Zhong'an lay down in a daze and slept soundly without any dreams until the sun was high in the sky the next day, when he slowly woke up.
Slightly hungover, with a heavy feeling in his head and shoulders, Shen Zhong'an muttered to himself that drinking really does lead to trouble, and dared not be lazy and procrastinate any longer.
Shen Zhong'an immediately called out to the innkeeper, ordering him to bring paper, brush, inkstone, and ink. He sat down at the table, dipped his brush in ink, and wrote several pages of manuscript in one go.
Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.
Yesterday, Shen Zhong'an instructed him that he had something important to ask for his help with today, but he did not say what it was. This matter weighed on Zhang Si's mind like a stone. Even though he was usually very careful, he couldn't help but be absent-minded from time to time.
While polishing the bamboo clappers, I almost dropped and broke one; while cleaning the shed, I missed something; and when serving tea to Zhang Shanren, the storyteller on stage, I nearly knocked over the teacup on the table...
These frequent mistakes enraged Zhang Shanren, who then sternly reprimanded the servants in front of them.
"You blockhead! You're so distracted today, making mistakes everywhere. If you keep acting like this, get out of the shed and don't bother looking for me again!"
Zhang Si knew in his heart that it was all his fault, so he immediately bowed respectfully to admit his mistake, suppressing all his worries and anxieties, and forced himself to do his job well.
After enduring this until noon when the event ended, Zhang Si was delayed for a long time by cleaning up the tent and putting away the props before he was finally able to have lunch.
When they arrived at the servants' kitchen inside the city, there was hardly any food left, only a pot of cold mixed grain porridge and a plate of bland pickled radish.
Zhang Si was at the age when he was growing and had a big appetite. After eating three bowls of bland mixed grain porridge, he felt empty in no time. After urinating, he felt even more empty.
Unfortunately, he was short of money, so Zhang Si had no choice but to endure his hunger and find a secluded spot in the corner of the shed. He curled up next to a pile of hay, intending to rest for a while and get through this hunger.
Just as I was drifting off to sleep, a gentle voice suddenly came from outside the shed, mixed with the servants' responses.
It turned out that Shen Zhong'an had rushed over as fast as he could, but by then the performance had already ended, and the shed was deserted, with not a single person in sight.
Shen Zhong'an was unwilling to make a wasted trip, so he stopped a passing servant and asked him if he knew Zhang Si and where he was.
There were dozens of menial laborers in Sangjiawazi, each with different work schedules and duties. This particular laborer thought for a long time before vaguely replying:
"Zhang Si? There is such a person. He seems to have eaten in the kitchen just now, but I don't know where he went now."
Zhang Si, who was inside the shed, heard it clearly. When the name "Zhang Si" reached his ears, he suddenly jumped up and rushed outside the shed.
Looking up, sure enough, it was the young master who had given him instructions yesterday. Zhang Si quickly bowed and greeted him.
"Young master, I am Zhang Si, and I have been waiting for you here for quite some time."
No sooner had he finished speaking than a loud rumble came from Zhang Si's stomach. Two blushes instantly appeared on his face, and his ears burned. He was at a loss for words and tried to explain, but before he could finish speaking, two more rumbles came from his stomach.
Upon hearing this, Shen Zhong'an belatedly realized that he had only drunk a bowl of hangover soup given to him by the inn after waking up this morning, and had not eaten anything else. Now, Zhang Si's rumbling stomach made him feel hungry and empty.
"Judging from your appearance, you probably haven't eaten lunch yet. I'm hungry too, so why don't we go get something to eat together and fill our stomachs?"
"Young master, you mustn't! How could I possibly dine with you? It would be beneath my dignity." Upon hearing this, Zhang Si waved his hand in a flustered manner to decline.
"It's alright, it's just a roadside stall, a simple meal of home-style food. Don't be shy or worry about anything else."
Hearing that it was just a roadside stall and not some high-end tavern, Zhang Si respectfully followed Shen Zhong'an out of Sangjia Wazi and headed towards the East Market.
The two found a clean and tidy noodle stall and sat down. Shen Zhong'an didn't stand on ceremony and casually ordered a table full of meat dishes.
Two bowls of meat-filled flatbread, four mutton steamed buns, a plate of goose and duck buns, a serving of fried dumplings with vegetable and meat filling, and then asking the stall owner to bring two bowls of mutton offal soup from the next stall before finally stopping.
After Shen Zhong'an started eating, Zhang Si could no longer contain himself. He picked up a bowl of meat soup noodles and began to wolf it down.
After not having meat for many days, the warm and fragrant meat soup dumplings instantly dispelled the hunger in my stomach.
Zhang Si ate extremely quickly. In just five or six bites, he devoured the entire bowl of meat soup dumplings, licking the soup at the bottom of the bowl clean.
"Young master, I'm full. Thank you for your generous gift."
Shen Zhong'an had no idea. Without saying a word, he put the mutton buns and goose and duck dumplings on the table into Zhang Si's bowl.
Zhang Si was about to refuse, but a single glance from Shen Zhong'an made him swallow the words that were already on his lips. He silently picked up a mutton bun and began to nibble on it in small bites.
However, this so-called small bite is only relative to eating meat soup dumplings just now; it is still much faster than for an ordinary person.
Before long, Zhang Si had finished a bowl of meat soup with flatbread, four mutton buns, a plate of fried dumplings, and a bowl of mutton offal soup.
This meal was the most filling, delicious, and satisfying meal Zhang Si had ever eaten since he could remember.
Zhang Si was born into a rural farming family. His parents worked hard all day long since he was a child, but they still struggled to make ends meet.
Later, the river in his hometown breached its banks, causing floods that inundated the fields, and his parents passed away one after another.
To survive, the ten-year-old sister was sold to a family in a neighboring village in exchange for half a bag of bran, and the seven-year-old brother was fostered by a distant relative.
Alone, he traveled north with the refugee caravan for two whole months before finally arriving in Bianjing. He managed to find a menial job in Sangjia Wazi, finally finding a place to settle down.
During my years in Wazi, I rose before dawn and rested before midnight every day.
When I was young, my monthly wage was only two hundred coins. It wasn't until I got older and more experienced that it increased to five hundred coins.
But most of these five hundred coins had to be sent back to distant relatives on time, for fear that they would mistreat his younger brother.
Later, he recognized Zhang Shanren as his master and had to give him money during festivals, which made his already meager savings even tighter.
After a satisfying meal, Zhang Si felt a mix of emotions.
He both hoped that Shen Zhong'an would be the benefactor who could pull him out of the mire, and feared that this young master's demands were too great.
After a long period of anxiety, Shen Zhong'an finally finished his meal at a leisurely pace.
Before Zhang Si could muster the courage to ask what he wanted, Shen Zhong'an took out a few pages of bamboo paper from his pocket and handed them to Zhang Si.
"This is a passage from a script I wrote. Perform it for me. Don't be shy, and don't imitate Zhang Shanren. Just act according to your own thoughts and ideas..."