Strange Tales from the Northern Qi Dynasty

Chapter 55: Humble
Dark clouds gathered in the sky, but the sunlight was extremely dazzling, tearing the clouds apart and casting light onto the ground.

Kou Liu looked up and saw that the dark clouds were torn apart by the sunlight and scattered everywhere, with dazzling light surrounding the dark clouds.

Kou Liu swallowed the cake in his hand in one gulp and looked across.

Two soldiers were standing at the door, and students had already lined up at the door.

Kou Liu wiped his hands and hurried forward to line up.

He also completed full-term teaching in the school and was preparing to enter the county government as an official.

There weren't many people in line, only six.

Four of them came from the Law School.

Kou Liu and others waited here for a long time. The soldier finally opened the door, checked their birth cards, and motioned them to go in.

When they walked into the inner courtyard, there were several desks on the ground with papers, pens and ink on them, and two clerks standing on both sides.

Everyone took their seats one by one.

"The test lasts for one hour. No talking or plagiarism is allowed. After the time is up, you must stop writing regardless of whether you have finished writing or not. Those who violate the rules will be punished with caning."

The clerk explained the rules and procedures of the examination to everyone.

Kou Liu took a deep breath, picked up the pen, and looked at the test questions in front of him.

Seeing the test questions, Kou Liu was stunned. How come this test question is so similar to what Lu Jijiu had said? ?
He subconsciously raised his head, only to find that several classmates were looking at each other.

Apparently, everyone has this idea.

The clerk hurriedly scolded him, and Bandit Liu quickly lowered his head.

He began to recall the knowledge that Lu Qubing had told him. During these days, he worked very hard.

He quickly picked up the pen and was about to answer the question.

At this moment, footsteps were heard from the inner gate. Everyone looked up and saw a man in an official robe striding in.

This man had a very thick beard, which was almost clumped into a ball and was bigger than his face.

He walked in, looked at everyone, and suddenly asked, "Are there any Chinese among the new officials?"

Kou Liu stood up in a daze.

Seeing Kou Liu, the man's eyes lit up and he quickly asked, "What's your name?"

"The common people are bandits."

"What about oral drainage?"

"Yes."

"Okay, you are a Chinese, you don't have to take the test, you passed, come with me!"

The man waved his hand, signaling Kou Liu to follow him.

Kou Liu stood there, his whole body somewhat stiff.

Being treated like this, Kou Liu did not feel any honor. His face was flushed. His classmates looked at him with complicated eyes. He did not dare to look them in the eye.

He murmured, "Thank you, sir. I still want to take the exam."

"I told you not to! Come here now!!"

The man spoke again, but his tone was somewhat unfriendly.

Kou Liu moved his body stiffly. He didn't know how he got to that person. Anyway, the gazes behind him seemed to pierce through him. He could only pretend that he knew nothing.

The man led Kou Liu away from here.

The two clerks looked at each other and then said to the crowd, "If you are not Hu Xianbei people, then don't look around and continue."

"My surname is Tu Nan, and I am temporarily serving as the county clerk."

The man walked along the road and introduced himself to Kouliu, and continued, "The county government is full of Han people and Qiehu people, and there are hardly any Xianbei people to be found."

"You came at the right time. The county government is in need of clerks. We have the final say in the military, but we can't leave all the affairs of the government to these Han people, right?"

He pursed his lips and said, "If the mouth is draining, I can't promote you now."

"But there are many opportunities. I will directly assign you to the ranks of the casual officials. You don't have to be a substitute. When the time comes, you will help me keep an eye on them."

He stopped and looked at Kou Liu, his eyes full of kindness.

"The scattered officials usually go to various places to help. When the time comes, you should pay attention."

"These officials in the county are not good people. You should mingle with them. It would be best if you can find some evidence. If you can't, it doesn't matter. Oral evidence will do."

Kou Liu was still confused, "I don't understand."

A trace of displeasure flashed across Tu Nan's face, but he forced himself to say, "It's okay, it's not a bad thing anyway, just keep an eye on them and stand up when necessary."

"We are all Chinese people, so we should support each other, understand?"

Without waiting for Kou Liu to answer, he directly handed him an official badge.

"Go ahead, it's the courtyard across the street. You have to work hard. The county is short of Chinese people. You will definitely be promoted in the future."

He smiled and patted Kou Liu's shoulder, and Kou Liu turned away in a daze.

After Kou Liu left, the man pulled out a piece of cloth from his arms, wiped the hand that had just patted Kou Liu's shoulder with a look of disgust, and glared at him with contempt, "You lowly Ruokouyin."

As Kou Liu walked into the South Courtyard, a minor official immediately blocked his way.

The clerk looked at Kouliu's clothes. "What can I do for you?"

Kou Liu took out the official badge that Tu Nan had just given him, and the clerk was stunned for a moment.

"This is you. Please follow me."

The clerk didn't know how to respond for a moment, so he called Kou Liu and walked towards a house not far away.

When I walked into the inner room, I smelled a lingering smell of medicine.

The smell was very strong, but Kou Liu did not show any abnormality and his expression remained the same.

As he got closer, he saw an old man lying on the bed.

The man was seriously injured, his body was wrapped in cloth, and he couldn't get up. But when he heard the footsteps, he spoke, "Is it Mr. Zhao?"

The clerk hurriedly said, "Mr. Zhang, it's me."

He glanced at Kou Liu, then hurried forward and whispered in Zhang Li's ear.

Zhang Li nodded, "Let him get closer."

The clerk hurriedly called Kou Liu over. Just as Kou Liu was about to salute, the clerk said, "That's not necessary."

"Was your official badge given to you by Tu Nan Gong?"

"Yes."

“Are you Chinese?”

"Yes"

"I see."

He looked at the clerk beside him and said, "Let him become a casual clerk. Here are the quotas. Just give him my quota and let me become a reserve clerk."

The clerk named Zhao hurriedly said, "How can this be possible?"

"It is better to"

"Don't say anything more. I can't do anything. Why am I taking up the quota? Even if I am a reserve official, I will just lie here and give it to him."

The clerk sighed and said, "Thank you, Mr. Zhang. I know what to do now."

The clerk led the bandits out of here and said, "I am the chief clerk here, and I am responsible for assigning tasks."

"You can tell me anything"

The clerk arranged a place for Kou Liu to stay, gave him a few instructions, and then left. Kou Liu looked at the clerk's badge in his hand and felt upset. He couldn't sit still in the room, so he went out to wait and see.

The courtyard was very clean, and a few officials were chatting and laughing.

After a long time, they heard a sound coming from outside the door and the officials hurriedly got up. Kou Liu saw the students who had just taken the exam with him walked into the courtyard.

The outer courtyard was also neat and clean, with many beds and a lot of things placed there.

Everyone stood up and came forward to congratulate the new officials. The experienced officials told them about the current situation inside and outside the court and passed on their experience to them.

Kou Liu was sitting in the distance, watching them alone.

Everyone's eyes would sweep over him, but would quickly look away, even his classmates.

Suddenly, an invisible barrier appeared between the two sides.

Kou Liu watched the newcomers being happily taken to see the situation in the hospital, and then gathered together for a meal. The atmosphere was no different from that in the law school, and it was very harmonious.

However, this time, he was unable to blend into this friendly and pleasant atmosphere again.

Laughter filled the courtyard, and it seemed that all this had nothing to do with Kou Liu.

"Hey."

Suddenly someone shouted.

Kou Liu looked up and saw a ferocious-looking guy. The man was wearing a black official uniform, a sword on his waist, had slightly curly hair and a fierce look in his eyes.

Kou Liu suddenly jumped up, turned around and was about to run, but suddenly remembered that he had given up his old job, so he stopped and saluted awkwardly.

"Are you Kou Liu?"

"I am."

"Come with me, Youjiao wants to see you."

Kou Liu's heart trembled, but he still followed him obediently. Several officials waved to the Hu official, "It's time for dinner, don't you want to come and have something to eat?"

"No, I'm doing business!"

They walked all the way to the north courtyard. The security became increasingly strict, and Kou Liu became more and more anxious.

Could it be that I was involved in some internal strife within the county government?
The Hu official brought him to a house, pointed inside, and then stood at the door with a knife in his hand.

Kou Liu took a deep breath, hurried in, bowed his head and worshipped.

"Your subordinate Kouliu pays homage to Lord Youjiao!!!"

"Oh, get up."

"Um???"

(End of this chapter)