Top Scholar

Chapter 272 Early Examination
In fact, the original plan of the two provincial governors was that even if the new emperor was not interested, the province should still promote the phonetic symbols.

However, not long after the new emperor ascended the throne, he ordered the provincial governors to pay an annual tribute of 10,000 taels of gold.

The eunuch Wu, the garrison commander of Sichuan, then levied the debt onto the provincial government, threatening that if the province didn't help, he would personally send people to collect it. That would be a catastrophe for the people of Sichuan…

Although the Grand Chancellor is still negotiating with Eunuch Wu, he has already ordered the Provincial Administration Office to tighten its belt in preparation for any eventuality.

The plan to promote phonetic symbols throughout the province was also shelved.

However, Xiao Tixue knew that implementation was only a matter of time—it was a political achievement that could produce immediate results and leave a good reputation for educating the local people, something no one wanted to miss!
Knowing that the top scholar appointed by the prefecture and county was the inventor of the phonetic symbols, destined to go down in history, Xiao, the provincial education commissioner, felt his anger subside considerably, but he still felt very uncomfortable.
"Su Hongzhi has indeed made great contributions, but he should not be rewarded in this way. It is disrespectful to the imperial examination system!"

"Hehe..." Governor Du laughed, "The magistrate of Hejiang County, Lu Zhaoye, has been a magistrate for more than ten years. He is always mature and prudent, and last year he even won the 'Outstanding' award. Prefect Jia is also a top student of Grand Secretary Li. He is usually very aloof and cannot tolerate any wrongdoing. If the two of them really wanted to reward him with the top honor, they should have paid more attention to the procedures and would not have left any room for criticism like this."

“Hmm…” Xiao Tixue nodded slowly.

Then Du Fantai added, "Moreover, Prefect Jia has already submitted his resignation to the Censor-in-Chief!"

"Huh?" Xiao Tixue exclaimed in surprise, "Why?"

"He said he wanted to return to his hometown to take care of his elderly mother." Governor Du said, "Brother, think about it, if Prefect Jia doesn't even want to be an official anymore, is it necessary for him to cause trouble for others?"

"Hmm..." Xiao Tixue nodded again. Officials usually have the mentality of "the less trouble, the better" before leaving office, so as to avoid any complications.

For example, himself...

"In any case, there is probably more to this matter than meets the eye. My dear brother, you should not be prejudiced and go to Luzhou in a fit of anger," Governor Du said in conclusion.

"Thank you for the reminder, brother." Xiao Tixue clasped his hands in gratitude and said, "I will be very careful."

"I'm glad you don't mind my talkativeness, my dear brother," said Governor Du with a smile.

"Not at all, I'm too grateful to even think about it," Xiao Tixue replied with a smile.

"And this schedule?" Du Fantai held up the 'Examination Schedule Book' in his hand.

"The itinerary will remain unchanged." Then Xiao Tixue said, "I will just be more cautious."

"Alright, we'll do as you say, brother." Governor Du knew he was still going to cause trouble, but he couldn't persuade him any further.

Despite being three ranks higher than the other party, he not only couldn't command the education official, but also had to cooperate with him as much as possible.

Otherwise, the other party could easily file a lawsuit against him...

~~
Luzhou Prefectural Government Office.

Prefect Jia received an official document from the provincial government, jointly informing him that the provincial examination in Luzhou would be held on May 20th. The Grand Master would be visiting three days before the examination, and he was instructed to make all necessary preparations for the examination without fail.

"You're here for the provincial examination so early?" Prefect Jia was somewhat surprised.

"It seems that Dongweng's behavior has displeased the Grandmaster," Feng Muyou said with a smile. "The Grandmaster thinks you're treating his affairs like a joke."

"I knew someone would file a complaint against me, and I even asked my senior brother Du to intervene on my behalf, but I didn't expect that I still couldn't stop him," Prefect Jia said with a wry smile.

He had a unique advantage in officialdom: his teacher, Li Dongyang, had served as the chief examiner for the imperial examinations twice! As a result, he had a group of fellow students who had already occupied high positions, and they were naturally bolder in their actions than ordinary people.

“That’s how it is with grandmasters. If they give too much face to the locals, they lose face themselves,” Feng Muyou said. “And even if they have to give face to Governor Du in the end, they will make up for it by taking it out on the old man.”

"Let him do as he pleases." Prefect Jia was already invincible, saying calmly, "Anyway, I'd rather die than be a prefect. What can he do to me?"

“Indeed.” Feng Muyou nodded with a wry smile. In the Ming Dynasty, becoming a Jinshi (a successful candidate in the highest imperial examinations) was a golden title with an ironclad future. As long as one did not commit murder, arson, treason, or rebellion, no matter how outrageous the matter was, the worst that could happen was demotion or dismissal.

Prefect Jia himself didn't want to be an official anymore, and the mere Vice Commissioner of Education couldn't do anything about him.

"Master Dong, is it really that serious?" Feng Muyou asked in a low voice.

"Yes. The teacher said something big is about to happen, and that we should preserve our lives to wait for the right time to repay the Emperor's favor!" Prefect Jia cupped his hands towards the north and said, "So let's avoid it if we can."

He then pointed to his armchair and said helplessly, "Besides, this lousy seat is like a red-hot stove right now. It's burning my butt, buddy!"

“Indeed…” Feng Muyou nodded and said, “The garrison commander is pressing us very hard, and Huang Bingxian is forcing us to repair the river. The two chieftains of Yongning and Bozhou may fight at any time. There is really nothing to be reluctant to keep this position of prefect.”

"That's right, so I'm extremely grateful to Su Hongzhi for giving me such a perfect opportunity to escape!" Magistrate Jia said with a sigh of relief.
"When I saw his draft at Minglun Hall, I was overjoyed and wanted the whole world to see it!"

"Yes, with this 'The Difficulty of Coloring the Easiest Letter' as a foundation, even if the Master resigns and returns home, he will be remembered as a model of filial piety in the nation. In the future, he can advance or retreat as he sees fit, depending entirely on the situation." Feng Muyou looked at Prefect Jia with admiration. He truly deserved to be the outstanding disciple favored by Grand Secretary Li.

Quick-witted, insightful, and willing to go all out... such a person is sure to have a bright future!
Unfortunately, this was not good news for him. Feng Muyou, about to lose his job, couldn't help but sigh, realizing that from now on, his joys and sorrows would no longer align with those of Dongweng.

"Don't worry, brother," Magistrate Jia said with a smile, seeing the sadness in his eyes. "I will arrange a good place for you."

"Thank you very much, sir." Feng Muyou did not refuse. The job market for people in their line of work is very narrow. They can only find new jobs through referrals from their previous employers.

As the two were talking, the doorman reported from the entrance, "Sir, Magistrate Lu of Hejiang County has sent a letter requesting an audience."

"What's this old fellow doing here?" Prefect Jia glanced at Feng Muyou.

"They probably know that the Master is going to retire, right?" Feng Muyou said.

"This old dog has a pretty good nose," Magistrate Jia chuckled, then ordered, "Receive the guest in the back hall."

~~
In the back hall of the prefectural government office, Magistrate Lu sat upright.

Prefect Jia emerged from behind the screen, a broad smile on his face, and asked, "What brings Old Yinzhang here?"

"This humble official pays his respects to the esteemed Magistrate." Magistrate Lu hurriedly rose and bowed respectfully.

"Sit down, no need for formalities. I won't be your superior for much longer," Prefect Jia said amiably as he sat down next to him.

"I'm sure Elder Yin has already heard that I'm returning to my hometown to care for my elderly mother. I've already submitted my resignation and am just waiting for Your Excellency's permission to leave."

"Yes, I have heard about it." Magistrate Lu hurriedly replied with a face full of earnestness, "Upon hearing the news, I rushed to Luzhou overnight to beg the old patriarch to change his mind!"

As he spoke, he lifted his robe and knelt before Prefect Jia, saying in a tearful voice, "Luzhou cannot do without our ancestor! What will I do if you leave?"

"Get up, get up quickly." Prefect Jia quickly helped Lu Zhaoye up and said, "No one can stop me from leaving. Old Yin, there's no need to persuade me anymore."

He raised his hand, too lazy to continue the charade with Lu Zhaoye, and went straight to the point with a smile, asking, "The Grand Chancellor asked me to recommend a successor from this prefecture. I wonder if Old Yin Chang would be interested in taking on this responsibility?"

"I...I...I..." Lu Zhaoye had prepared a whole bunch of roundabout ways to say it, but he didn't expect the other party to just shove what he wanted right in the face. He was speechless for a moment.

“Brother, there’s no need to make things difficult for you. If you don’t want to get involved in this mess, I can recommend someone else,” Magistrate Jia said with a smile.

"No, no, no!" Lu Zhaoye hurriedly waved his hand and said awkwardly, "I am deeply grateful for your kindness, Father. How could I not appreciate it?"

"Haha, that's right! However, my recommendation is for reference only. In the end, Your Excellency will have to weigh all aspects and decide who should take over," Governor Jia added, issuing a disclaimer.

"To gain it is my fortune, to lose it is my fate. I have long since come to terms with it," Magistrate Lu said with a smile.

“That’s the right way to think,” Magistrate Jia said, still unable to resist giving him a couple of pointers. “But my friend, every cloud has a silver lining. Not getting the position might not be a bad thing for you.”

"Yes, Your Excellency will remember your teachings." Magistrate Lu was not going to listen to such words now. He pulled out a gift list from his sleeve, sighed, and said:

"Alas, my father's filial piety is beyond my ability to dissuade him. I can only offer a small gift, which I hope my father will accept with pleasure."

"What is this for?" Prefect Jia feigned reluctance for a moment, but then accepted it.

After thinking it over, he took the opportunity to recommend Feng Muyou to Lu Zhaoye, allowing Mr. Feng to find a new job in the same place, thus fulfilling his promise.

~~
After leaving the prefectural government office, Magistrate Lu went to the military commissioner's office to submit a letter requesting an audience.

Huang Bingxian immediately summoned him.

After Magistrate Lu bowed, Huang Bingxian asked him to come closer and sit down, saying, "You've come at the right time. The River Works Bureau reported that the salt merchants from the eighteen villages on both sides of the Chishui River have become restless again. Let's discuss how to deal with them and prevent them from causing trouble."

“This must be instigated by the Yang family of Bozhou behind the scenes.” Magistrate Lu, in front of Huang Bingxian, put on a capable official demeanor and pointed out the crux of the matter: “They should have realized by now that they want to prevent us from extending the waterway to their doorstep.”

“That’s what I think too.” Huang Bingxian nodded and said, “Yang Bin is no pushover; he’ll definitely try to trip us up.”

“This is actually not a bad thing,” Magistrate Lu said with a smile. “The fact that the Yang family of Bozhou is causing trouble behind our backs shows that we have their weakness in our hands. If they try to take over Yongning Pacification Commission again, they’ll have to think twice before we stab them in the back.”

“You’re right, but mere intimidation isn’t enough. We need to establish a real deterrent to make the Yang family completely obedient!” Huang Bingxian said resolutely, “No matter how much trouble they cause, my determination remains unchanged. We will begin construction once the truth comes out in the autumn!”

"Yes," Magistrate Lu replied.

"Pingfeng, the people in the bureau aren't very capable, so I can only rely on you!" Huang Bingxian looked at Lu Zhaoye with great anticipation.

"Yes. I will try my best not to disappoint the military commissioner," Lu Zhaoye said, bowing.

"What do you mean by 'try your best'?" Huang Ke asked, frowning.

"Because I have no choice," Lu Zhaoye said helplessly. "When the new prefect arrives, I will have to get his consent again before I can continue to serve the military governor."

“This is indeed a problem.” Huang Ke nodded. Lu Zhaoye was not his direct subordinate; he had only joined the River Works Bureau, which was set up for this purpose, on the orders of Prefect Jia.

If the new prefect doesn't cooperate, there will definitely be obstacles from all sides, so how can the river be repaired?
After a moment of contemplation, Huang Ke said decisively, "You just focus on doing a good job on the river works, and I'll make sure you become the prefect of Luzhou!"

"I will go through fire and water for you!" Lu Zhaoye knelt down before Huang Ke again with a thud.

P.S. Requesting monthly votes for the new week!!

(End of this chapter)