Qing Yao

Chapter 44: A Job

"County Master, is it necessary to go to the student's hometown to retrieve the student's school records when donating a school?"

Zhao An mustered up the courage to ask this nonsense question because he also wanted to confirm whether there were any workarounds for the relevant procedures.

Because let alone a degree, he doesn't even have a degree.

Jiang En, the elementary school principal who handled his documents, said it clearly - although the student license was genuine, there was no file on him in the county!
There is no gear, what to adjust?
So, it’s best not to adjust it.

Can't special cases be handled specially?
The county magistrate answered simply, "Of course. Without a school form, how can we process the regulations for you? And how can the government report you?"

It’s not that the county magistrate doesn’t want to be flexible, but the Imperial College needs a “copy” of the relevant files, otherwise how can they be admitted?
We can't issue you a diploma just based on your name in the local newspaper.

After confirming that the process was correct and that special arrangements were impossible, Zhao An's face turned pale. After struggling again and again, he mustered up his courage again and said timidly, "County Master, can I not give up this title of Supervisor?"

"don't want?"

The county magistrate could hardly believe his ears and looked at Zhao An in surprise, "You know that your student license is only enough for you to become a clerk in the county. If you want to go further, you have to obtain a student license, and the only other way is to donate money.

Now the government and the county have made an exception and donated money for you to be a prisoner. It is nothing more than seeing that you are capable and hoping that you can have a good future. And you just say no?"

"Replying to the county lord, I am just thinking that since I am still young, I am afraid that if I donate money to become a student, I will have no hope of pursuing a legitimate career."

Zhao An's explanation was extremely far-fetched, so far-fetched that the county magistrate did not believe it at all. If Zhao An was really determined to pass the imperial examination, he would not have given up his studies so early and gone to Yangzhou to seek a living.

Seeing Zhao An's expression was not right, he couldn't help but feel suspicious. He stood up and shouted, "Zhao An!"

"The students are here!"

The majesty of the county magistrate made Zhao An tremble instinctively.

"Bah!"

The county magistrate slammed his hand on the table, his face filled with anger: "Are you hiding something from me?"

"I wouldn't dare. Even if I had ten thousand guts, I wouldn't dare to deceive you, the County Master!"

Zhao An shook his head repeatedly in panic. Although he didn't know what crime Qing law defined for forging a primary school graduation certificate, he knew it was definitely an illegal act.

And standing before him was the county's biggest law enforcer.

"Are you really hiding something from this county?"

As he spoke, the county magistrate had already walked in front of Zhao An, staring at him with eyes as sharp as torches.

"The student really has nothing to hide from the county magistrate!"

Zhao An was just being stubborn and insisting on doing it.

"Is it?"

The cunning county magistrate snorted slightly and said, "Then this county will send people to Xinghua County to retrieve your school records. Let's see what you are afraid of!"

Before he finished speaking, Zhao An had already knelt down with a plop, hugged the county lord's thigh, and almost begged: "I was wrong, I was wrong, please forgive me, please forgive me!"

"Tell me, what are you hiding from me? If you don't tell me, I'll have you thrown in jail!"

Knowing that something was wrong, the county magistrate kicked Zhao An to the ground and pretended to call for help.

"County Master, student, student, I am your student,"

Zhao An, who was desperate, stammered and told the facts of the crime. He had to tell it because he couldn't kill the county magistrate to silence him.

Besides, I don't have a dagger on me, so it would take at least two minutes to kill the county magistrate with just my bare hands.

In those two minutes, the people outside rushed in.

It is better to confess and seek leniency.

He should not be worthy of being executed later. At most he will be imprisoned for a few months.

"Asshole, why didn't you tell me about such a big thing earlier!"

After figuring out what had happened, the county magistrate was furious and kicked Zhao An in the chest again.

While Zhao An silently endured the power of the county magistrate, he explained with great shame that the reason he forged his academic qualifications was to make a living in the Taxation Bureau, or simply to do something for the government office, for the people, and for the county magistrate.

"How dare you say you're working for this county!"

The county magistrate, whose blood pressure soared with anger, slapped Zhao An in the face and stamped his foot in anger: "You have caused so much trouble for this county!"

It was really a disaster, because it was the County Master who personally introduced Zhao An to the Prefectural Master. What should I do now? Should I tell the Prefectural Master that Zhao An entered the County Office by forging his academic credentials?
Once the matter is exposed, it will not only be Zhao An's business, but the business of his entire Ganquan County government.

If he was implicated, not only would he, the county magistrate, lose his job, but who knows how many people in the government office would suffer as well.

Zhao An covered half of his face and didn't dare to raise his head, ready to accept the final judgment of fate.

At the same time, my mind was racing: As long as I don’t die today, the worst that can happen is that I move to another place and continue to cheat.

Damn it, next time I'll just get a Juren diploma to save myself all this trouble.

Donate a prison, donate your mother's prison!

Just as he was about to get angry, the voice of the county lord rang in his ears: "Someone come here!"

Zhao An shuddered when he heard this, and all his distracting thoughts disappeared.

A servant named Lin came in from outside. He was the one the county magistrate brought from his hometown. He saw Zhao An, who was recently highly regarded by the county magistrate, kneeling on the ground. The county magistrate also looked angry. Lin became curious, but did not dare to ask.

"Lin Da, go to the county school right away and ask Teacher Song to come over. Also, have someone go to the clerk's office and get Zhao An's yellow slip."

The angry county magistrate sat down on the chair after he finished speaking, apparently sulking.

"Whoo!"

Lin Changsui withdrew in response.

Zhao An, kneeling on the ground, didn't dare to move, and didn't know how the county magistrate planned to deal with him.

But I have a vague feeling that things may not develop in a bad direction, because the most effective way to resolve a crisis is to transfer the crisis to others.

One sits, the other kneels.

One doesn't speak, and the other dares not speak.

The room remained silent until Song Deqing, the county school instructor, hurried over and stepped into the study.

The instructor is similar to the director of education in Zhao An’s previous life, in charge of the county school and all the community schools under it.

"Old Song, you're finally here!"

The county magistrate, who had been sulking and silent, stood up and grabbed Teacher Song as if he had seen a savior. Without waiting for Teacher Song to sit down and catch his breath, he told him what had happened.

"what?"

After hearing what the county magistrate said, Teacher Song was also shocked.

"Don't do that for now,"

The county magistrate was furious. "This matter must not be known to the government. Do you have any way to transfer this person's school registration to this county?"

Ok?
Zhao An was startled when he heard this, and looked up at the county magistrate as if he saw the Bodhisattva in the sky: High, high, high!

Teacher Ren Song shook his head in embarrassment. "Your Excellency, changing the student's status is very complicated. We have to send someone to Xinghua to retrieve the Huanglu of his family for three generations. We also need a certificate from Xinghua. It will take at least a month to complete the whole process, and it may not be completed."

"So troublesome?"

The county magistrate frowned and asked, "Is there any faster way?"

"Yes, yes, yes,"

"Old Song, why don't you just tell me what's going on? Are you trying to drive this county crazy?"

Seeing the county magistrate was really anxious, the helpless Song Jiaoyu could only whisper: "Don't worry, Your Excellency. What I want is to change this man's name and parents."

The county magistrate was confused: "What do you mean?"

"Last month, a child died of illness at the county school. He was about the same age as this person."

Before Song Jiaoyu could finish, the county magistrate's eyes lit up, "Are you saying that Zhao An should impersonate this person?"

Teacher Song nodded slightly. This was the only way for the county magistrate and the entire government office to overcome the personnel crisis.

I will never change my name or surname!
Zhao An refused to accept it, but immediately agreed, because Song Jiaoyu said that the dead student also had the surname Zhao and a good name, Zhao Youlu.

If you have wealth and status, doesn't that mean you are destined to have a stable job?

It's him!

(End of this chapter)