Qing Yao

Chapter 98 Nepotism in Appointment

The supplier that Ma Xuezheng was leading was the owner of the Fuxue designated restaurant, surnamed Huang.

Boss Huang was also the biggest creditor of the academy, owing them a total of 2125 taels and 350 cash for entertainment expenses.

What kind of hospitality was it?
There were banquet expenses for people from the provincial education commissioner's office, social expenses for the prefectural school itself, and expenses for official business handled by officials from the prefectures and counties below. However, the majority of the expenses were for the school officials' signature fees.

It wasn't lavish spending of public funds, but rather a perk for academic officials tacitly approved by the imperial court—a legitimate expense.

If the cash is redeemed at 60% of the original price, Mr. Huang can get back about 1,300 taels of silver.

That's almost half gone; anyone would feel the pinch.

Left with no other choice, he had to ask Ma Xuezheng to bring him over to plead with the new principal on his behalf.

Those who run restaurants are much more particular; without even needing Principal Zhao's prompting, they directly handed a two-hundred-tael silver note to the principal's desk.

“I run a small business. If I were to settle the bill at 60%, I would not only fail to make a profit, but I would also lose a lot of money. I have a group of people to support in my shop. If I don’t make a profit, I won’t even be able to pay their wages, and the shop will be impossible to keep running. I really have no other choice. I beg you, sir, to be lenient.”

Mr. Huang had a very proper attitude, with a sincere smile on his face, and his back was bent at about 25 degrees.

Although he might be inwardly cursing the young man sitting in front of him, who was sitting there like a big shot and unreliable, he still knew that the other party was an official appointed by the imperial court, and not someone a restaurant owner like him could afford to offend.

"Sir, our academy has been dealing with Manager Huang for ten years. His dishes, if not the best in Yangzhou, are definitely top-notch. His braised lion's head meatballs are especially delicious. If you have time tonight, you might want to try them."

Having already received the benefits, Ma Xuezheng naturally did his best to speak up for Boss Huang; otherwise, he wouldn't feel secure receiving the benefits and would have to return some of them.

"Is that so? Then I'll have to find some time to try it."

After glancing at the face value of the banknote, Principal Zhao accidentally dropped the "Spring and Autumn Annals" in his hand, which landed right on the banknote. Instead of taking the book, he asked Ma Xuezheng, the clerk, how much it cost.

Ma Xuezheng hurriedly replied, "Reporting to Your Excellency, the prefectural school settles accounts with his family twice a year. This settlement covers the period from the end of last year to now, totaling over two thousand one hundred taels."

Upon hearing this, Principal Zhao frowned immediately: "How come there's such a big difference? Where's the order form? Let me take a look."

"The order is here, it's here."

Ma Xuezheng quickly gestured to Boss Huang to hand the stack of three-part "invoices" to the principal.

After pretending to flip through a few pages, Zhao An had no intention of refusing anyone. He simply picked up a brush, dipped it in ink, and signed each one. Mr. Huang, who was overjoyed but also a little uneasy, almost knelt down to kowtow and express his gratitude.

You know, without the principal's signature, no matter how many bills there are, they're just a pile of waste paper!
Besides, this is a debt left by the predecessor, and no one will say anything if the new professor doesn't acknowledge it.

After signing the form, Zhao An handed it to Ma Xuezheng and instructed, "Tell the accountant to settle the payment on the 20th of next month."

It's not that we're deliberately withholding the money; we just genuinely don't have any in the company account.

As for these orders, once they are settled, they are completely written off. The provincial education commissioner allocates a fixed amount of money to local prefectural schools every year, regardless of whether there is any overspending or not.

In other words, all the accounts of the Yangzhou Prefectural School were settled by Principal Zhao An. Similarly, he had the final say on all expenses, without even needing to consult the prefectural government. "The 20th?"

Mr. Huang, who thought he could get the money right away, looked troubled, which displeased Principal Zhao: "What, do you think our academy, such a big institution, would be short of money? If you want it now, I'll have it settled in the account immediately. But to tell you the truth, I have no interest in lion's head meatballs. No matter how good yours is, I won't eat it."

After saying that, he picked up the Spring and Autumn Annals and began to read it carefully. The silver note that had been pressed underneath was immediately exposed and lay alone on the principal's desk.

I don't know whether their surname is Huang or Zhao.

Seeing that Boss Huang was still not satisfied, Ma Xuezheng impatiently kicked the other man's right leg under the table: Are you still going to do business with this academy!
Once he realized what was happening, Mr. Huang quickly apologized, saying, "Principal, you can pay me whenever you want, even if it's at the end of the year."

If all else fails, a 10% discount will do; if that's still not enough, then 80% off!
"Alright, I also come from a humble background, and I know that it's not easy for you businessmen. You can go back now. In a couple of days, I'll come to your shop to sit down and try your Lion Head Chicken. Is it really as Lord Ma says, the best in Yangzhou?"

Considering the 200 taels of silver, Principal Zhao gave him a way out. After Mr. Huang thanked him profusely and took his leave, Principal Zhao gave Ma Xuezheng an unpleasant look: "Don't bring people into my room in broad daylight in the future. What will people think if they see this? We, as academic officials, must set a good example for teachers and students. We can't be two-faced. School spirit is academic spirit, understand?"

"Yes, yes, Your Excellency is right. I will definitely pay attention."

Ma Xuezheng accepted the principal's criticism seriously. He then told the principal that Wang Wanquan had come to the prefectural school earlier. He had completed the onboarding procedures for Wang Wanquan as instructed by the principal and asked him to come to the prefectural school to start his work the next day.

"My lord, Wang Wanquan has never worked in the yamen before and is not very familiar with the affairs of the prefectural school. Therefore, I dare not make a decision on my own. What kind of job do you think would be suitable for him?"

Ma Xuezheng has clearly learned from his previous experience and understands the secrets of officialdom behind the six words "bow more and speak less".

As his own cousin, Zhao An naturally had to arrange a lucrative job for him. After a moment's thought, he asked Ma Xuezheng, "Who is in charge of logistics at our prefectural school now? Who is in charge of the canteen?"

He was told that it was Chef Ding, who cooked dinner for his family.

"Old Ding? Who is he?"

As he said this, Zhao An placed the Spring and Autumn Annals on top of the silver notes again.

Ma Xuezheng didn't dare blink, saying that Old Ding wasn't anyone important; he was just the brother-in-law of Secretary Lu, the chief clerk of Ganquan County.

"Secretary Lu?"

Zhao An knew this man; it was Secretary Lu and Master Ji who arranged his "temporary transfer" at the tax office that day. Moreover, Secretary Lu and he had no conflict of interest, and in the future, many places would need the cooperation of Ganquan County. It would certainly not be appropriate to offend Secretary Lu, so he abandoned the idea of ​​letting his cousin manage the canteen.

Since a canteen couldn't be set up, it was obviously unrealistic to appoint my cousin as the dean of students or the head of the academic affairs office. After thinking it over, I instructed Ma Xuezheng: "Here's what we'll do. Have Wang Wanquan take charge of the duty room next door. In the future, inform him about all matters, big and small, of the prefectural school. I'll also have him hand over any matters to you."

What is this position?

It's not the chief secretary, but the director of the school office, meaning the head steward.

It meets the element of nepotism.

(End of this chapter)