Qing Yao

Chapter 56: Hou Bu Loan

Teacher Zhao’s ideology and morality class is really great.

I wouldn’t say my level is as high as three stories high, but at least I’m a qualified junior high school politics teacher.

Of course, if Mr. Zhao dared to talk about the essence of the country, the Qing Dynasty would definitely not tolerate him.

Must ascend.

Nine tribes elimination game.

But when it comes to loyalty, especially the statement that Emperor Qianlong was the sun of the Qing Dynasty, no one in the entire prefectural school dared to question Teacher Zhao's "argument."

Although everyone knows that Teacher Zhao is a big flatterer, who dares to say that Teacher Zhao is just flattering?
You should know that Teacher Zhao's flattery is a small matter, but questioning the flattery is a big deal.

Upon learning that the new student Zhao Xuelu did not teach according to the pre-arranged curriculum, but instead talked to the students about the principle that scholars should be primarily loyal to the emperor, Professor Jiang of the provincial school found this novel and specially found Tong Xundao, who was in charge of course arrangements, to make some adjustments.

That means there is no need to schedule classes for Zhao Xuelu in the future.

How could Mr. Jiang, who has been a professor for twenty years, not guess that Teacher Zhao couldn't even teach the simplest class!

It's something I can handle. I just need to keep quiet from now on and leave as soon as the transfer order comes from above.

Out of sight is pure.

Not having to attend classes was a good thing for Zhao An, because he couldn't always talk nonsense with his students. If he really taught the classics honestly, everyone in the school would immediately know that he was just a show-off.

Facts are facts, but he should at least have some dignity.

The prefect had good intentions in getting him a ninth-rank academic official position, hoping that this noble official would help him advance a little further in his official career in the future.

If this becomes a big joke in the eyes of the academic officials, then all the efforts of the prefect will be in vain.

Reputation can be fatal at critical moments.

However, the school did not assign any specific work to him, a ninth-rank academic officer. Even if they asked him to manage the cafeteria or purchase teaching materials, they did not assign him any work at all, and did not even require him to go to work or leave work on time. As a result, Zhao An did not feel any sense of integration into this new unit.

Like a marginal person.

I am also very confused and don’t know what to do next.

Feeling confused, he made a special trip to Xiaguan Wharf to see off the governor who was going to the provincial capital.

The "biejing" was packaged according to the standard for a ninth-rank official in the government office, and it was not much, only thirty taels of silver.

Zhao An, the school registrar's salary was 35 taels a year, while the county magistrate's salary was 90 taels (paid twice a year, 45 taels each time).

Of course, none of the Qing Dynasty officials and clerks, even the clerks and temporary workers, lived on salaries.

If they really rely on their salaries, a lot of officials will starve to death.

The third-rank Neitai Lord certainly could not accept the "special gift" directly from his subordinates, and Zhao An could not really hand over the thirty taels to Neitai Lord in person, so it had to pass through an intermediary.

The middleman is of course the chief servant who is in charge of the finances for the Lord Neitai.

There were many officials seeing him off at the dock, including Zhao An’s former “leader” Ding Xianzun. The scene was so grand with laughter and joy that it was almost like a big opera.

A ninth-rank official was destined to be invisible, especially since Zhao An's student status hadn't been finalized, so strictly speaking, he wasn't an official. Furthermore, he was still wearing the clerk's uniform he'd borrowed from the Certification Office, which made him even more indifferent to everyone.

He does have an official uniform. After Zhao An is appointed as a student, the Ministry of Personnel will give him a set of lianque patches and an official hat with a court crown and gold-embossed patterns.

I only have one set. If I want another set, sorry, I have to buy it myself or ask a tailor to make it for me.

These days, officialdom is a business, and naturally, business circles are formed around officials.

The Imperial Household Department made a fortune selling imperial beads.

Lord Neitai was too busy, and there were too many officials gathered to say farewell. Even if Zhao An wanted to squeeze in and join in the fun, he was not qualified. He could only watch from afar with a smile, hoping that Lord Neitai would transfer him there as soon as he settled down in the provincial capital so that he could do what he could for the Qing Dynasty.

I can't do big things, but I can still play some musical instruments and sing.

Just when the atmosphere was getting lively, someone called Zhao An, and it turned out to be his mentor, Master Ji.

Ji Bochang had returned from collecting taxes in the countryside yesterday, and today he had come with the county magistrate to see off the magistrate. Naturally, he had heard about Zhao An from the county magistrate, so the first thing he said when he saw Zhao An was to complain, "You're still confused. If you had told me about it earlier, there wouldn't have been so much trouble."

"The students also don't want to implicate the teacher,"

Zhao An felt quite guilty.

Ji Bochang shook his head and then comforted Zhao An, saying, "Now that things have come to this, there's no need to dwell on it. Just study hard in the prefecture. If the magistrate doesn't remember you, I'll talk to the county magistrate and see if I can get you a job at the grain transport office or the salt transport office."

The grain transport office was in Huai'an, and the salt transport office was in Yangzhou.

Both are the most lucrative large units in JAC.

Therefore, even if you are just a low-level official in these two government offices, you can definitely make considerable money in a year.

Zhao An was naturally overjoyed. With Master Ji as a backup plan, he felt much more at ease.

Master Ji was also busy and had little time to chat with Zhao An. Zhao An didn't dare to delay his business. Seeing that he really couldn't get close to the Lord Neitai to say a few words, he left embarrassedly.

After returning from the dock, I originally wanted to find some Green Gang members to have some fun, but I felt hungry. I was too lazy to go back to eat the meal made by Miss Chunlan, so I just found a small restaurant.

After ordering a meat dish, a vegetable dish, and two bowls of rice, he was about to start eating when an old man who looked very poor came in. He timidly walked up to the counter and whispered something to the shopkeeper. Then the shopkeeper said impatiently, "Old Wu, you've already borrowed dozens of coins from me. I'm a businessman, not a charity worker, so how can I let you borrow money all the time?"

The old man felt really embarrassed by what the shopkeeper said. His face turned red but he refused to leave. He begged the shopkeeper in a low voice to give him another meal on credit.

There were many customers in the store, and the owner was afraid that the customers would think he was not good, so he asked his waiters to kick the old man out.

When Zhao An saw this, he couldn't help but think of the time when he first came to Yangzhou and ate for free. Seeing that the old man didn't look like a rogue, he was willing to be kind and pay for him, about twenty or thirty cents at most.

Unexpectedly, a customer at the table next to him laughed and said to the waiter who was threatening the old man with his fist: "Little Sanzi, Old Wu is a Jinshi, do you dare to really hit him?"

The clerk called "Xiao Sanzi" exclaimed, "If he is a Jinshi, how come he can't even get an official position?"

The guest laughed and said, "If your shopkeeper wants to lend him two hundred taels, then Old Wu will be an official."

Hearing this, the accountant put down his pen and looked over. "It's not that I don't want to lend him money, but he's fifty-three now, and the Ministry of Personnel has a rule that no official positions can be given to those over fifty. What's the point of spending money if it can't fill an actual vacancy? If it were really useful, the bank would have lent him a loan long ago. With nine out of ten interest payments, only a fool would not lend him money."

After saying that, he also found it funny and added, "If you want to blame someone, blame his old man. He always finds him a stepmother, who dies today and tomorrow. He made his own son, who passed the imperial examination, spend thirty years in mourning. It's really weird!"

(End of this chapter)