Qing Yao

Chapter 15: Interview

In Zhao An’s hometown in his previous life, there was a teacher from a rural middle school who was seconded to the government office by the county because of his good writing skills. He worked as a secretary for the county leaders.

Later, this county leader was promoted and eventually became a high-ranking official at the governor level. This also helped the middle school teacher become a prefect and a well-known figure in Zhao An's hometown.

Although the county leader who became the governor was the benefactor in the middle school teacher's career, the turning point in the middle school teacher's life was actually the experience of being seconded from the school to the government office.

If he had not worked in the government office, this middle school teacher would not have been appreciated by the county leader and would have been a retired teacher for the rest of his life, and at most he would have been a dean of studies or vice principal.

From this perspective, we can see how valuable the secondment experience is to this middle school teacher.

In fact, there were countless officials who had secondment experience in Zhao An's previous life, because everyone knew that only by frequently appearing around the leaders or working directly with the leaders could they have their own opportunities in their careers.

There are many people who rack their brains for this, and asking others for gifts is even more common.

Of course, many people who have had secondment experience did not end up being successful. Some of them returned to their original units, and some even became unknown in their new jobs and were unable to adapt, and ended up doing worse than in their original units.

In short, every person has his own life.

But no matter what, secondment is a rare and valuable opportunity for those who are interested in a career in politics.

Zhao An also wanted to seize this opportunity. Although Master Ji was a consultant hired by the county magistrate, he was not an official recognized by the court and was also a temporary worker. However, this temporary worker was actually a deputy county magistrate in charge in the county government system, and the power he possessed was no weaker than that of the two assistant officials, the county magistrate and the chief clerk.

So as long as Master Ji is willing to help, Zhao An can really be seconded from the Taxation Department to work in the Sixth Office of the County Government.

It’s easy to figure out which unit is better, the tax bureau or the government agency, and which one has a brighter future.

Now it depends on whether Master Ji is willing to give Zhao An this opportunity.

After all, it was not someone else who proposed this matter, but Zhao An shamelessly proposed it because he couldn't bear to miss the opportunity.

As for learning something, it is naturally a humble statement and a euphemism.

"Do you want to work in the county government?"

Master Ji had not expected the young man in front of him to have such thoughts. He smiled and asked, "How long have you been working in the Taxation Department?"

Zhao An didn't dare to hide anything and said honestly, "Sir, it's been two months."

"It's only been two months, and you haven't even figured out the affairs of your department, yet you're already thinking about working for the government. Young man, I'm not saying anything bad, but aren't you being a little too ambitious?"

As he spoke, Master Ji put on the myopic glasses that were hung on his chest with a silk ribbon on his nose.

Zhao An didn't find it strange. Myopia glasses had been around since the Ming Dynasty and were common on the market today. Suzhou, in the south of the Yangtze River, had many workshops specializing in producing glasses. They were affordable, with the most expensive pair costing seven or eight qian of silver, but you could get one for as little as two or three.

There are several shops selling glasses in Yangzhou City. The difference between these glasses and those in later generations is that the frames are not plastic, but made of pear wood and copper, and the lenses are also super thick.

"Sir, please don't blame me. I believe that only by following a scholar like you can I learn the real things. Without a scholar like you, I would probably live a mediocre life.
Furthermore, people strive for higher things, and water flows to lower places. I am still young, and it is time for me to work hard. I hope you can give me a chance. If I succeed, I will never forget your kindness! "

What Zhao An said was his true thoughts. Telling lies in front of a cunning person like Master Ji was not disrespectful to the other party, but disrespectful to himself.

Afterwards, he knelt down and kowtowed to Ji Bochang without any hesitation. He did not stand up immediately, but looked at the other party with an extremely eager and sincere look.

It seems that winning or losing all depends on this one hand.

Looking at the young man kneeling in front of him, Ji Bochang, who was over forty, couldn't help but think of the time when he had no hope of passing the imperial examination and had to ask his fellow villagers to take him out to cook for others for the sake of his family's food and clothing. The past events were really vivid in his mind.

The scene before him was a replay of what happened at his fellow villager's home back then.

Feeling the same, he thought that although he was the county magistrate's advisor, he did not have many close and capable people in Ganquan County. This little guy in front of him was utilitarian, but who doesn't have utilitarianism?

It is easier to be driven if you have a utilitarian motive. If you really don't have a utilitarian motive, why would you ask him for help as a master?

Then think about it, this little guy is very smart, and the county magistrate also has a good impression of him. You might as well give him a hand. If he can really make a name for himself in the yamen, won’t there be someone to take care of him when he comes to Ganquan in the future?
After all, they were all moving around, without a permanent place to stay. Thinking of this, he had already considered helping out, but he didn't agree right away. He simply gestured for the other person to stand up and said calmly, "I'll consider it. You go back and wait for news. Also, don't tell anyone in your department about this. Too many people talking isn't necessarily a good thing."

"I understand, sir, please rest assured!"

Always listen to the tone of the voice. It was obvious that Master Ji wanted to help. Zhao An was naturally very excited. He suppressed his joy and said goodbye to Master Ji.

When he left, he did not take the fifty-tael silver note, and Master Ji did not call him back. It seemed that the fifty-tael silver note should be considered as hard work fee.

Or it can be called an introduction fee.

Unexpectedly, the wait lasted for more than a month. During this period, there was no news from Ji Bochang, and Zhao An was not in a position to go to the yamen to urge him. Every day, he suffered from the torment of having no follow-up on his job transfer, and at the same time, he and Liu Xiaolou patiently listened to Wang Tai's orders and continued their unshakable career as a calculator.

After receiving his salary at the end of the month, Zhao An took Liu Xiaolou to Dongguan to buy some snacks and gifts, and bought some pork heads from a braising stall in Luosijieding Lane. He also bought a pot of wine and went to his cousin's house to thank him for taking care of him during this period.

Although Wang Defa, Zhao An's cousin, rarely visits him since he started working at the Taxation Bureau, and never greets him when he sees him, as if he doesn't have this cousin, he actually cares about Zhao An very much in private. Ambassador Ding and Manager Zhang have no idea how many meals Wang Defa has given him.

He really just does it without saying anything, and treats his cousin Zhao An as his own nephew.

"Come on, why waste all this money? Save it and ask your aunt to find you a house and a wife. That's the real thing."

Despite saying this, Wang Defa had a bright smile on his face. He pulled Zhao An into the house and the two of them started drinking. During the meal, someone mentioned that Zhao An's cousin's wife, Wang Defa's eldest son Wang Ming'an's wife, was about to give birth next month. Judging from her belly, she might be pregnant with twins. Wang Defa, the soon-to-be grandfather, was extremely happy.

As a result, he drank too much and Zhao An carried him to the room to rest.

After telling his aunt Ma to check on his uncle more often at night, Zhao An returned to his residence in Renfeng Lane in the dark, hiccuping. His head was still groggy, and he said a few words to Liu Xiaolou before falling asleep.

If Liu Xiaolou hadn't woken him up the next day, he would have almost been late.

After finishing the usual three tasks of sweeping the floor, pouring tea and wiping the table, Zhao An began the boring work of dealing with abacus beads and account books.

The "crackling" sounds in the calculation room sometimes sound quite harmonious.

While he was calculating the accounts, he vaguely heard someone talking outside, and then he saw the ambassador of the Taxation Department, Ding Zhenglong, coming over to call Zhang Quan, the manager of the accounting office, as if to say that some important person was coming to inspect the department.

What kind of important people could there be in a county? At most, they would be the three officials in the county government office.

It turned out to be Secretary Lu, the chief clerk among the three, who came to inspect. However, among the people accompanying Secretary Lu was a person Zhao An had dreamed of meeting - Master Ji Bochang.

Strictly speaking, the chief clerk is the deputy county magistrate. When the deputy county magistrate arrives, Ding Zhenglong, as the "director", must give him a grand welcome.

Almost all the middle-level managers in the company came out to welcome Secretary Lu and his party at the gate. As a grassroots employee, Zhao An wanted to welcome Secretary Lu, but due to his low position, he could only check the accounts with Liu Xiaolou and others in the accounting room.

Secretary Lu's visit to the Taxation Department this time was nothing major. He just came over to take a look and say a few words symbolically, conveying some of the latest instructions and spirit of the county magistrate and the court regarding taxation.

The regular meeting was held in Ding Zhenglong's duty room. After the talk was almost over, Secretary Lu cast his gaze towards the face of Master Ji who had accompanied him, and said to everyone, saying something that would have broken Zhao An's defense again: "Now, please allow Mr. Ji to speak a few words on behalf of the county lord."

Ji Bochang actually said a few words, which were nothing more than expressing the county magistrate's high concern for the Taxation Department. He hoped that the Taxation Department could effectively complete this year's summer tax collection work, ensure that the county's tax collection work this year would reach a new level, and become a role model for all counties under the jurisdiction of Yangzhou Prefecture.

After finishing his official remarks, Ji Bochang suddenly said to Ding Dalong, the ambassador of the Taxation Department, "By the way, the county's Household Affairs Office is short of a servant. Do you have any young people in your department who are hardworking and quick-witted? Please transfer one to the Household Affairs Office to help out urgently."

Since the county magistrate's representative had spoken, and it was a good thing to borrow people from the department, Ding Zhenglong naturally cooperated fully.

Soon, Zhao An, Liu Xiaolou, and three young people from other departments who were diligent, quick-witted, and young were called into the duty room to be selected by Master Ji himself.

It is obvious that this selection is a tailor-made interview for certain people.

Because, it was Zhao An who was finally successfully selected by Mr. Ji and seconded to work in the household affairs office of the county government.

(End of this chapter)