Chapter 38 of 100

Chapter 38

15 min read3,773 words

Lin Ergou, being a straightforward villager, was not good with words, but his wife was quick-witted and kept thanking Xia Hongsheng. After their first meeting, Xia Hongsheng had a good impression of Lin Ergou, finding him to be a simple and honest farmer with no ill intentions, which was enough.

As the weather grew warmer, Xia Hongsheng began to feel drowsy. He was used to taking afternoon naps in his previous life. After sending the Lin family, who had walked all morning, back to rest, Xia Hongsheng also returned to his bed for a deep sleep. As the saying goes, "If you don't sleep at noon, you'll collapse in the afternoon." By evening, his sister-in-law would return home, and he would have to prepare a table full of food for the family banquet.

However, things never seemed to go as planned. Just as Xia Hongsheng was beginning to drift off to sleep, he heard a commotion outside, which was quite annoying. Listening closely, it seemed to be coming from his own front door. Reluctantly, he got up and went out, only to find a large crowd gathered outside his house. As soon as they saw Xia Hongsheng, an elderly neighbor with a ruddy face strode in and grabbed Xia Hongsheng, pulling him outside.

"Xia Hongsheng, come quickly! The county magistrate is here to see you!" The elderly neighbor said hurriedly while dragging Xia Hongsheng along.

Xia Hongsheng was pulled to the front door, and the crowd of neighbors parted to reveal a middle-aged man, about forty years old, who was smiling and chatting with the neighbors. Looking around, Xia Hongsheng noticed that the neighbors were all excited and flushed, a familiar sight from news reports of leaders visiting villages or towns in his previous life.

Seeing Xia Hongsheng come out, the middle-aged man smiled and ended his conversation with the neighbors. He then took a few steps forward and sized up Xia Hongsheng.

Xia Hongsheng, being a perceptive person, quickly stepped forward and performed a respectful bow, saying, "Student Xia Hongsheng, I pay my respects to the county magistrate!"

Xia Hongsheng was not a subordinate official, so he did not perform the subordinate's bow. Kneeling was not common in the Tang Dynasty, unlike in the Ming and Qing dynasties. At present, even commoners only needed to bow when meeting officials, unless it was a formal occasion. As a student of the Luanzhou Academy, Xia Hongsheng was addressing a scholar and a senior in the Confucian tradition, so using the appropriate respectful terms was most fitting.

The county magistrate quickly sized up Xia Hongsheng. Despite his young age and humble background, Xia Hongsheng did not appear timid or nervous. He stood confidently, dressed in clean linen, with a calm and composed demeanor. Though not particularly handsome, he had a dignified presence.

"Xia Hongsheng, a remarkable young man! I have heard much about you. You first contributed the 'Three-Character Classic' to the academy, a masterpiece for enlightenment. At a young age, you wrote excellent poetry and proposed the noble idea of 'a gentleman keeping away from the kitchen.' The line 'I laugh heartily as I step out the door, for we are not mere commoners' has inspired me greatly. Moreover, the feather pen you invented has made writing more convenient and efficient, and is now widely used in the county office. Your salt-making technique will benefit all the people of the Tang Dynasty. This is a great act of kindness. Both Lord Yan, Lord Xu, and Lord Xu have praised your broad-mindedness and your skills in practical science. Today, I have come to meet the talented Xia Hongsheng and to thank you on behalf of the people."

With that, the county magistrate waved his hand, and several bailiffs brought in a few ox carts loaded with silk and valuable items, placing them in front of Xia Hongsheng's house.

"These silks and silver are a gift from the Luanzhou County Office. Your contribution to the people with the salt-making technique is a great deed, and I must reward you," the county magistrate said with a smile. "Luanzhou is a poor county, and the reward may seem small, but I hope you will understand and not be offended. When the method is reported to the emperor, the imperial reward will be even greater."

"If it weren't for the guidance of Master Yan and the scholars of the academy, and the benevolent governance of the county magistrate, I would not have had the opportunity to develop these things. I feel unworthy of such praise and am ashamed to accept it," Xia Hongsheng humbly replied, deferring the credit. He knew how to handle such situations, much like receiving awards from leaders in his previous life. He had experienced this before, and it was important not to be stingy with flattery. All the credit should go to the leaders, who made it possible through their wise decisions and effective guidance. By showing this attitude, the leaders would not take the credit from him and would be pleased, recognizing his thoughtfulness and competence. This was the way to advance in the hierarchy. Xia Hongsheng understood these principles and had practiced them before, but he had grown to dislike the path of flattery and manipulation, so he had left the government to teach in the village.

Now, he could not afford to be so principled. This was a society where official power was even more significant than in his previous life, and he had a family to support. He had to reluctantly use these despised tactics again.

Sure enough, the county magistrate's face lit up with a smile. He patted Xia Hongsheng on the shoulder and looked around, saying, "As the magistrate, it is my duty to seek the welfare of the people. I will always sincerely thank and reward those who benefit the people."

The county magistrate spoke with righteous pride, and the crowd of neighbors cheered.

Xia Hongsheng's front door was surrounded by a sea of people. For these ordinary, poor villagers, the county magistrate was the highest official they might ever see, a topic of pride and boasting. If someone could get a word in with the magistrate, it would be a great honor, making them stand tall and earn the envy of others.

"Xia's wife is back! Xia's wife is back!" someone shouted from the back, and the crowd turned to see Xia Hongsheng's sister-in-law standing there, panting and sweating from running, trembling with excitement but unable to move forward.

The county magistrate walked over to her and smiled. The woman, unused to such a scene, stood there in a daze, too excited to even bow.

"Xia Linshi, your family has shown great loyalty. Two generations have died for the country, leaving only this one descendant. Despite your young age, you have shown great virtue by not remarrying and raising this child to become a talented person. You have done a great service," the county magistrate said with a sigh.

"Thank you, thank you, county magistrate!" the woman was overwhelmed with emotion, feeling that all her years of hardship had been worth it, and tears streamed down her face.

"Sister-in-law, don't cry! Hongsheng has grown up, and it's time for him to repay your kindness," Xia Hongsheng said, walking over to her. She was indeed a great woman!

The crowd cheered, and the county magistrate chatted with Xia Hongsheng for a few more moments. He mentioned that the memorial had already been sent to the emperor via the express route, and advised Xia Hongsheng to wait at home for the imperial reward. Then, amidst the cheers of the crowd, he waved goodbye and left. He did not put on any airs, as Xia Hongsheng was a student of Master Yan, who had great prestige, and he did not dare to act arrogantly. Moreover, he wanted to gain a good reputation among the people, so he was particularly approachable.

Even after the county magistrate left, the enthusiasm of the neighbors did not wane. They gathered again in front of Xia Hongsheng's house. Being personally visited and rewarded by the county magistrate was a great honor for these common people. They felt proud to have such a person in their neighborhood, and it gave them face to talk about it.

The woman was even more excited, her body trembling with joy. The women in the neighborhood surrounded her, eager to learn how she had raised Xia Hongsheng. Her vanity was greatly satisfied, and she raised her arm, deciding to invite the neighbors to a feast, which was met with more cheers.

By this time, Xia Hongsheng had retreated back into the house. He did not find this particularly joyful. If anything, he was glad that the county magistrate's gifts would bring in some money, especially the ox carts, which were a significant reward.

However, hearing his sister-in-law's joyful laughter from outside, Xia Hongsheng smiled. She had suffered so much for the family, and today, she deserved to be happy. Let her enjoy herself!

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