Chapter 4

Qin Xiang is a well-regarded "good" bailiff who does not exploit the people or take bribes, so he is very poor. His job is like a modern-day security guard at the gate, which makes him even poorer.

Qin Xiang's monthly salary from the government is only one dan of rice, called work food silver, with occasional bonuses. He has to support his wife, daughter, and nephew, so life is very hard.

The next day, Qin Xiang took Qin Dewei to the yamen to relax. On the way, he asked, "What do you plan to do in this period? Or do you want to learn some skills? You're not young anymore, you should consider your livelihood."

Qin Dewei instantly understood his uncle's thoughts, still wanting him to work as a bailiff to earn more income from the government.

After careful consideration, Qin Dewei politely declined his uncle with high emotional intelligence: "I think the position of magistrate is more suitable for me."

Qin Xiang's face twitched, suddenly feeling that his sister-in-law had hit him too lightly yesterday. His nephew's nonsense was getting worse. Are these officials in the same world as them, the lowly commoners?

Qin Dewei sighed inwardly. Why doesn't anyone believe the truth? He, a Ph.D. in the history of Ming and Qing judicial systems, of course, would be most suitable to be a magistrate who makes decisions in the county yamen!

In any case, he really can't be a bailiff. The court has a rule that bailiffs and their descendants are not allowed to take the imperial examinations.

The two were walking on San Shan Street when they passed a beautifully carved stone archway. At that moment, six or seven people were loudly arguing, catching Qin Dewei's attention.

Among these six or seven people, there was an exceptionally beautiful young woman, about twenty years old, with a radiant beauty that could be described as a peach blossom. However, she was wearing white mourning clothes.

Imagine, even in the simplest mourning clothes, her beauty was still so striking. Such a woman couldn't help but attract attention. Qin Dewei, who was in his twenties in his mental age, couldn't help but stare, and his steps slowed down subconsciously.

He felt that this woman's气质 was very similar to some female celebrities in the spotlight in his previous life. Even in plain mourning clothes, she had such an effect. In the Ming Dynasty, she would probably be considered a beauty of the highest level.

Qin Xiang noticed his nephew's unusual behavior. He was just about to say something casual to comfort the "depressed" Qin Dewei and asked, "Do you think this young lady is beautiful?"

Qin Dewei naturally replied, "She is very beautiful, at least an eight out of ten, and she is my type."

Qin Xiang teased, "You little brat, you know how to look at women now? And you dare to say you like her? I'll tell your mother that you like a widow ten years older than you!"

"I'm not! I didn't! Don't say that!" Qin Dewei skillfully denied it three times.

Qin Xiang was puzzled. What strange talk is this?

Qin Dewei slapped his forehead in frustration. He had inadvertently brought out his speaking habits from his previous life. He quickly changed the subject and asked, "What's going on here? Why are they arguing?"

"It's about inheritance." Qin Xiang summarized briefly and then explained, "This young lady is surnamed Gu. Her husband was sick for several years and passed away recently. But he left a wealthy estate, including four large salt shops, selling tens of thousands of pounds of salt annually, with a profit of at least one or two thousand silver taels."

Oh wow! This is not a small amount. Nowadays, the annual income of the working class in the Ming Dynasty is about ten to twenty taels, so an annual income of one or two thousand taels is a hundred times that of an ordinary worker.

A rich widow, indeed. Qin Dewei was curious, "Her husband is gone, so the estate naturally belongs to her. What's the dispute about?"

"Isn't it true that even a clear official finds it hard to resolve family matters." Qin Xiang sighed and continued, "The key is that her husband, Mr. Yang, had no children. Now Gu is alone.

The Yang clan is afraid that Gu will remarry and take the estate to another family, or that she will take the estate back to her own family. So the Yang clan wants Gu to hand over the estate, but she refuses, and that's why they are arguing."

Qin Dewei sympathetically glanced at the young widow. In five hundred years, such disputes would be impossible. What does it have to do with others if a couple's property is concerned?

But now it's still the Ming Dynasty, and the social environment and concepts are not as progressive. Women lack independence, and the Yang clan's demands might seem reasonable to many people. This is really a mess!

After watching for a while, Qin Dewei was about to leave, but a thought suddenly struck him. Yang Bo, the Yang clan?

Yang Bo, who maliciously mocked him in the community school, said that he had an uncle who died without a son, and the clan planned to adopt him, so he could inherit a large estate.

Could it be that what Yang Bo said and what he saw now are the same thing? It should be, they are both surnamed Yang and live not far from his place. There shouldn't be another family.

This is interesting. Qin Dewei couldn't help but stare at the young widow again. Yang Bo is willing to be adopted by a woman ten years older than him just for the estate, truly greedy and shameless!

Qin Xiang urged his nephew, "Let's go, you're not really interested in that Gu lady, are you?"

"Uncle, aren't you a bailiff at the county yamen? Why don't you help Gu lady? Look, those Yang clan members are rushing into her house. Isn't this the same as breaking into a private residence and committing violence?" Qin Dewei said.

"Are you hit on the head by your mother?" Qin Xiang directly questioned his nephew's intelligence, "How can we interfere in other people's family matters? They won't give us a single tael of silver! Even if they report it to the yamen, it will be the magistrate who handles it, not a small bailiff like us!"

Qin Dewei pouted. A money-making opportunity is right in front of him, and his uncle doesn't even notice. What a poor fate.

Nanjing City is divided into two counties, roughly the northern part is Shangyuan County, and the southern part by the Qinhuai River is Jiangning County. Qin Xiang works at the Jiangning County yamen.

Although the Jiangning County yamen is low in status in the former capital of Nanjing, with a complete set of government officials and resident ministers and eunuchs above it, it is still an official office that common people can only look up to and kneel before.

Where there is power, there is business around it.

Lawyers who handle lawsuits and help people in court are mostly gathered under the sunshade opposite the yamen gate, waiting for business.

These people are very noticeable, all dressed in long robes with wide sleeves, different from other traders. Qin Dewei, following his uncle to the yamen, first noticed this group.

"This is interesting!" Qin Dewei pointed at the lawyers.

Qin Xiang resisted the urge to slap his nephew, "Say something I can understand."

As a Ph.D. in the history of Ming and Qing judicial systems, Qin Dewei eagerly said, "Didn't Uncle ask me about my livelihood? I think I can earn money by being a lawyer."

Qin Xiang rolled his eyes. He found that his nephew, after waking up from a high fever, had a strange way of thinking that was hard to understand. Was he hit by his sister-in-law?

"You're so young, you don't even understand human relations, and you want to be a lawyer?" Qin Xiang questioned.

Qin Dewei really wanted to say that being a lawyer is better than being a bailiff, but his high emotional intelligence reminded him not to say that to his dear uncle.

So he changed his words: "Being a lawyer can help me practice writing."

"Rubbish! Do you think I don't know anything?" Qin Xiang bluntly exposed his nephew's excuse, "Writing legal documents and writing scholarly essays are completely different!"