Chapter 32

Lin Yanzhao stayed at the Yin Inn for two full days and nights. He wanted to ask Mr. Shen to send a message to his grandfather and uncle, assuring them not to worry. However, Mr. Shen sent someone to tell him that the matter was not yet resolved and no news could be leaked. He was to stay at the Yin Inn for these few days and not leave at all.

Lin Yanzhao, seeing the innkeeper who smiled unpredictably and the gatekeeper who always had a sour face as if he owed him hundreds of silver taels, decided not to invite trouble by wandering around. He settled down to stay at the Yin Inn.

Although he was confined to the Yin Inn, fortunately, the meals were quite good, with four dishes and one soup, including three vegetarian and two meat dishes.

Lin Yanzhao spent his days at the Yin Inn either eating or sleeping. He did not dare to lie down too comfortably, as he was constantly thinking about the news from Magistrate Zhou and Mr. Shen.

He wondered what kind of waves his letter would cause between Houguan and Min counties.

Thinking of Mr. Shen's admiring expression, Lin Yanzhao did not feel particularly proud. This was largely due to his habit in his previous life of reading miscellaneous books whenever he had free time. The ancients, though intelligent, had a narrower scope of information and more limited methods to solve problems, with less broad thinking than he had.

When faced with such matters, Magistrate Zhou and Mr. Shen would first try to use connections, backdoor channels, and personal favors.

Now, Lin Yanzhao was considering whether to inform the Inspectorate. In the end, he decided against it because he could not meet Inspector Hu, and the credit might be claimed by Mr. Xu. Mr. Shen, on the other hand, was more reliable as he would consider the faces of Mr. Xu and Inspector Hu.

This was why sometimes one's own people were less reliable than outsiders. After two days and nights, Lin Yanzhao was also a bit anxious. If Mr. Shen decided to claim all the credit from Magistrate Zhou, there would be nothing he could do.

He blamed himself for being too weak. For Lin Yanzhao, even a slight chance to stand out could not be missed.

Just as Lin Yanzhao was worried, footsteps were heard outside, and the door opened. Mr. Shen's cheerful face appeared, saying, "Young friend, I have been neglecting you these past two days."

Lin Yanzhao, seeing Mr. Shen's expression, felt a surge of joy, knowing that the matter was settled. He smiled and said, "Congratulations, Mr. Shen, to the Magistrate."

"Where, where, once the legal documents were delivered, Magistrate He of Min County backed down and sent 30,000 dan of grain overnight. The government office is now busy posting notices, storing the grain, and mobilizing the gentry. Magistrate Zhou said that if he were not busy overseeing disaster relief, he would come to thank you personally."

Lin Yanzhao felt both happy and a bit disappointed. He was disappointed that he would not see Magistrate Zhou, meaning he would have to continue dealing with Mr. Shen. However, he maintained a calm demeanor and said, "How can I trouble the Magistrate? I merely did my part for the people of my hometown."

He was neither humble nor arrogant, neither proud nor complacent. If a young person had achieved such a feat, they would likely be proud and self-satisfied, but this young man showed no such arrogance. Clearly, he was a sharp sword that knew how to hide its edge. Mr. Shen nodded slightly, feeling even more ashamed for his earlier intention to claim the credit for himself.

"Master said that although he cannot come in person, he still wants to express his gratitude to you." Magistrate Zhou had indeed promised to come, but with so many disaster relief matters, he felt it unnecessary to meet a mere student. So, he sent Mr. Shen.

Mr. Shen had already discussed with Magistrate Zhou that he should not damage the relationship with the Inspectorate and that Magistrate Zhou would claim the credit for saving the people. Therefore, the young man must not leak the information.

Thinking of this, Mr. Shen coughed and said, "Here are five taels of silver, a personal gift from Master, to express his gratitude!"

Lin Yanzhao was stunned when he heard about the five taels of silver. He cursed in his heart, "Damn, is your official position worth only five taels of silver? This is too little."

This magistrate was truly stingy. Mr. Shen's face showed no guilt, and Lin Yanzhao suddenly understood.

His face turned sour in an instant.

Mr. Shen, seeing Lin Yanzhao's expression change, quickly explained, "Young friend, these five taels of silver may seem little, but they establish a good relationship with the Magistrate. You are aiming for an official career, and you will eventually have to pass the county examination. This good relationship will be very helpful to you in the future."

Lin Yanzhao's expression improved slightly. Mr. Shen's willingness to explain showed some sincerity, or perhaps there was room for negotiation regarding the reward.

However, Lin Yanzhao also understood the value gap between five taels of silver and Magistrate Zhou's official position. If he dared to ask, would Magistrate Zhou give only five taels of silver for the help from Inspector Hu?

As for the county examination and the good relationship, benefits that were not yet realized were like clouds.

If he were to take the county examination and Magistrate Zhou had already left Houguan County, who would he appeal to? Mr. Shen really thought he was a naive thirteen-year-old?

Although he thought this, Lin Yanzhao remained very respectful and listened carefully to every word.

"Look, your family was exempted from two years of corvée labor, right? I know it was Inspector Hu's suggestion, but the Magistrate also approved it."

"Also, having a good relationship with the Magistrate is a great honor. If any local officials or clerks cause trouble for your family in the future, you can come to the government office, and the Magistrate will stand up for you."

Mr. Shen made many promises, and if it were another naive young person, they might have been convinced and thanked him profusely. But this young man showed no emotion, listening attentively.

Do not underestimate a poor young man.

Do not bully the young.

These two phrases popped into Mr. Shen's mind, the result of his years of experience in the government office.

Mr. Shen made more empty promises, and Lin Yanzhao continued to listen attentively, but he had no interest in these intangible benefits.

"Yes, yes, Mr. Shen, you are right."

"However, I am still a young man, and this..."

"It's a bit too far off, but I still thank Mr. Shen for your care."

Mr. Shen finally realized the young man's shrewdness. He stroked his beard, pondering. It seemed he could not easily deceive him, but Magistrate Zhou had given him very little to work with.

Mr. Shen smiled slightly and said, "Young friend, do you have any family members who are officials?"

Real benefits were coming.

Lin Yanzhao quickly compared his grandfather and uncle in his mind and said without hesitation, "My grandfather is a postmaster at the express delivery station, and that's all."

"Your grandfather? The one on the main hall today?"

Actually, Lin Gao was still relatively young, thanks to early marriage and early childbearing, he was only in his forties and had practiced martial arts since childhood, keeping him in good health.

Mr. Shen nodded, thinking he finally had a way. He said, "That's good. Since your grandfather is a postmaster, he must be literate. The express delivery station and post stations are under the jurisdiction of the military office. In theory, he could be promoted to a clerk in the office."

"The military office is a good position. You sit in the government office, protected from the wind and rain, and it's a thousand times better than being a lowly clerk who has to go to the countryside to do menial tasks. This is a bit crude, but it's the truth. You know, every position in the government office is like a fixed slot, with many eyes watching. I will have to ask Master to speak to the heads of the various offices to find a position for him."

"If it weren't for your sake, I wouldn't make such a promise lightly. Being a clerk is like being a minor official in the eyes of the people, and it's a very good deal for a young man."

Lin Yanzhao inwardly cursed, "Are you kidding me? Do you think I know nothing? A clerk in the military office is not a regular official, meaning he has no official position. Even if he were a regular official, what difference would it make? My grandfather is currently a postmaster, which is a minor official position."

Although minor officials and clerks are not of high rank, they have more power and benefits than regular officials. However, in terms of status, they are higher than regular officials.

"Cough, Mr. Shen, my grandfather's eyesight is not good, and he might not be suitable for clerical work," Lin Yanzhao politely declined.

Hmm? Not interested? Mr. Shen was a bit stumped. What else could he offer?