Chapter 6

Chapter Three: Salt Inspector

Zhao Wanshan, a man from the countryside, knew little about the ways of the bureaucracy and had no idea how to console, so he just kept urging everyone to drink.

Zhao Shi listened intently. Although the information he received was not much, he had a general understanding of the situation in Gongyi County. In Zhao Shi's memory, his life before the age of thirteen had been quite peaceful, but after the sudden disaster, he realized that a seemingly peaceful life always hid various crises. Just like now, although life was peaceful, who knew what would happen in the future?

To be honest, he had no extra thoughts about making a name for himself. In modern times, his greatest wish before the age of thirteen was to live a good life with his mother, but after the age of thirteen, his main concern was how to survive.

These thoughts swirled in Zhao Shi's mind, but he, who was accustomed to thinking and recalling alone, did not feel anything was wrong. Thinking about these things only made him understand a truth more clearly: if a person does not think about the future, they will surely have worries in the present. His thoughts, as meticulous as a computer, quickly calculated that although this third brother was too easy-going and seemed to have limited ability and talent, he was quite good to his family and had some influence at home.

A good fallback option, this thought flashed through his mind.

Thinking about this, Zhao Shi casually said, "This position should be for Third Brother."

When children speak, adults often first consider whether the topic is appropriate for their age and identity, rather than whether what they say is right or wrong.

Zhao Wanshan was taken aback but did not take it seriously. According to his usual nature, he would have slapped the child and scolded him, but with his nephew present and the child's sudden change in behavior, he was unsure of the child's thoughts. So he just laughed and scolded, "What do you know, child? Don't talk nonsense."

Zhang Shiwen did not take it seriously either, but as a young man with a gentle nature, he was used to joking with others. He laughed and asked, "Oh? How does Shi know this position should be for Third Brother?"

Zhao Shi glanced at the two men, grasping their thoughts almost perfectly. In his mind, this was a simple matter, and he had several methods to achieve his goal. However, he knew that his identity as an eleven-year-old child prevented him from speaking directly. After a brief hesitation, he lowered his head and said, "It sounds like several families are fighting over land, and no one is satisfied. It would be better to find an outsider to help. As long as the division is fair, everyone can benefit to some extent, and they will have nothing to say. Otherwise, the land will remain uncultivated, and if the farming season is missed, no one will benefit, right?" In just one year, he had learned to mimic the speech and behavior of the people here quite well.

Zhang Shiwen initially did not take it seriously, but upon careful thought, he immediately opened his mouth wide, and the chopsticks in his hand fell to the table. If someone else had said these words, he would have thought it was a good idea, but for an eleven-year-old child to think so deeply, it was truly astonishing.

This strange reaction startled Zhao Wanshan. Although he heard the words, he did not understand the implications, thinking that Zhao Shi had offended Zhang Shiwen in some way. He immediately slapped the table, ready to scold the child.

But Zhang Shiwen suddenly grabbed him, his eyes shining as he looked at Zhao Shi and said urgently, "Third Brother's position is low, and this outsider can hardly be Third Brother. Even if he were, the position might not be Third Brother's. Could you give Third Brother another idea, cousin?" In just a moment, he had started calling Zhao Shi "cousin."

Glancing at Zhao Wanshan, Zhao Shi did not pick up on the topic. Although he was usually quiet and seemed even more reserved than his father, he was a thoroughly intelligent person, unlike Zhao Wanshan. The years of war had only made him more cold and peculiar.

This glance conveyed much meaning. Zhang Shiwen, not a fool, now valued his cousin even more. A thought flashed through his mind: he never realized his cousin was so intelligent and talented. Why hadn't he noticed before? However, he did not think deeply about it. Normally, he would not have been so flustered, but since the other party was just an eleven-year-old child, even if the words were on point, he would not immediately seek advice from a child. Zhang Shiwen did not have grand ambitions; unlike his elder brother, he only wanted a decent job in his hometown, to maintain his dignity in front of his fellow villagers, and to support his family. His elder brother wanted him to go to the capital for a job, but he, with a strong sense of home, was unwilling to leave. However, the situation forced him to consider it. Today, after drinking a bit more and being preoccupied with these matters, he was immediately drawn to the key points of the words. His heart felt like a drowning person grabbing a lifeline. Even if he knew a child might not say anything useful, he still wanted to know more.

"Aunt and Uncle, don't blame your nephew. Your nephew has always been smart. From the looks of it, he might achieve great things in the future. At just eleven, he can have such insights, truly remarkable. Cousin, tell Third Brother more, do you have any good ideas?"

Which parent does not like to hear praise for their child? Zhao Wanshan was no exception. Hearing Zhang Shiwen's words, he was immediately pleased, humbly responding. He did not understand the implications and did not believe a child could say anything meaningful. The child's behavior had become increasingly peculiar, and today's talk might be a good omen, so he drank alone and did not speak.

"Have you heard that your elder brother has returned?" Zhao Shi did not say what Zhang Shiwen wanted to hear but asked an unrelated question.

Zhang Shiwen was not in a hurry, nodding and saying, "Yes, my elder brother has been back for some time, but with family matters, he hasn't come to pay respects to Aunt and Uncle. It was indeed impolite, and I hope Aunt and Uncle won't be offended." Normally, he would have just nodded, but with this calm and composed cousin, he was extremely cautious. Although the latter part of his sentence was directed at Zhao Wanshan, his eyes never left Zhao Shi.

"Wouldn't it be different if your elder brother visited the important officials?" Zhao Shi was not sure about this. The elder brother, according to Third Brother, was quite impressive, but he did not know if he was the same outside. He had seen too many people who were tough at home but weak outside. Who knew if this elder brother was one of them?

Zhang Shiwen's eyes lit up again, but his face turned red. He knew he was far inferior to his elder brother in both ability and knowledge, but being easily seen through by a child made him uncomfortable. Still, he asked, "Then what?"

Zhao Shi had given up on Third Brother. If something happened, it was uncertain how much help Third Brother could provide. But since the conversation had reached this point, he said indifferently, "Then it depends on whether Third Brother understands the minds of the officials. Those with more power get more, those with less power get less, and the rest is for Third Brother. As long as others are satisfied, it depends on how well Third Brother handles it. I'm just a child, I don't understand anything." After saying this, he did not wait for Zhang Shiwen to respond, put down his bowl and chopsticks, and left the room.

"Of course, of course, what does a child know? Shiwen, don't listen to him, let's drink." Zhao Wanshan chimed in.

Zhang Shiwen hurriedly returned to the county town. Before leaving, he was even more polite, ignoring the puzzled looks of Zhao Wanshan and his wife. He held Zhao Shi's hand and said, "Cousin, I'm going back now, but rest assured, your matters are my matters. Once my affairs are settled, I'll find you a beautiful wife, and getting you into the county school will be no problem at all."

To Zhao Shi, these words were well-intentioned but sounded awkward. After some thought, he coldly said, "Third... Brother, just take care of your own affairs. My matters don't need your help..."

Before he could finish, Zhao Wanshan pulled him aside, truly angry, and scolded him.

But Zhang Shiwen was not bothered. Although he did not understand why his cousin had changed so much, after careful observation, he realized that the carefree, playful cousin of the past was gone. The cold and indifferent child standing before him had a strong sense of self. Despite the few words, he could hit the key points. Such insight and wisdom in a familiar child was astonishing and could no longer be treated as a child. But now was not the time to dwell on these things. His mind was full of how to proceed after returning.

"Don't be angry, Uncle. Rest assured, I will take care of your nephew's matters. If my affairs succeed, I will thank you. I'm leaving now, take care, Uncle and Aunt. I'll visit you soon..."

...

Leaving aside how Zhao Wanshan scolded Zhao Shi, let's talk about Zhang Shiwen returning to Gongyi County. He spent several days thinking about every aspect, considering everything he could and could not think of before approaching his elder brother, Zhang Shijie. The three Zhang brothers were from the same mother and had a good relationship. Zhang Shijie originally planned to take his third brother with him, understanding Zhang Shiwen's thoughts. However, the second brother was not much of a help, but the third brother was quite intelligent and capable, though lacking in ability and knowledge, he was not inferior in social skills. It was a waste to let him stay in this small place. Leaving one person to take care of the family was enough, and with the family divided, there would be no immediate problems. As long as the two brothers could secure positions outside, they would not worry about being bullied at home.

With this in mind, Zhang Shiwen's position in the county was not very important. Otherwise, with his experience, he could easily secure a good position for Zhang Shiwen, and there would be no need for Zhang Shiwen to worry.

But before he could discuss it with his third brother, Zhang Shiwen approached him first, explaining the situation. Zhang Shijie thought about it and advised him. The salt inspector position was a good one, but the current political situation was unstable, and getting involved was risky. But Zhang Shiwen was determined to get the position and did not want to leave his hometown, so he did not listen.

With Zhao Shi's guidance and Zhang Shiwen's embellishment, Zhang Shijie had no choice but to agree.

With Zhang Shijie's intervention, the matter was settled in just two days. It was not entirely due to Zhang Shijie's influence. First, the three officials in the county realized that arguing was not a solution. Second, after some time, everyone understood that placing someone in the salt inspector position was not worth the risk. Offending colleagues and causing trouble could lead to losing their positions, which was too risky.

The officials, unable to let go of their pride, had been at an impasse. Now, with Zhang Shijie as a mediator, they were more than willing to agree, especially with Zhang Shiwen's private promises. They immediately relaxed and agreed to the matter.

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