Chapter 55

Chapter 55

The moment Shen Yuan’s name was recorded in the household registry, it spread throughout the yamen.

Magistrate Pang had long wanted to meet him, but Shen Yuan had been pleading illness, making it impossible for the Magistrate to even arrange a "chance" meeting at a teahouse.

Today, Shen Yuan came to the yamen, and Magistrate Pang, contrary to his usual practice, showed up as well.

Feigning diligence despite his illness, he made a show of toiling hard, but in reality, he had been sitting leisurely in his room drinking tea for quite some time.

When a clerk came running to report Shen Yuan’s arrival, he immediately ordered the young man to be brought to him.

A person personally recommended by Xie Yulin for an official position—he absolutely had to see him.

If possible, he might even be able to get close to him in his capacity as a superior, and perhaps later use that connection to approach Xie Yulin.

Magistrate Pang happily fantasized about gaining Xie Yulin’s favor, imagining the Pang family rising to prominence because of him and finally catching the Emperor’s eye.

This beautiful dream peaked when Magistrate Pang saw the official robe Shen Yuan was wearing, which was different from everyone else’s.

Silk!

In the entire Qingyun County, the only person who could source silk for garments was Xie Yulin.

Although Shen Yuan’s robe wasn't entirely made of silk, the fabric was exquisitely woven. Even if it was a blend, such craftsmanship could only come from the Xie family’s artisans.

There were two ways to obtain official uniforms in the yamen.

One was to prepare clothes that met regulations according to one’s rank at one's own expense.

The other was to purchase them through the yamen. In short, officials had to pay to outfit themselves in the proper regalia.

There was also an unwritten rule in official circles: even if officials had their uniforms made privately, they still had to purchase the official version from the yamen.

The officially provided uniforms were made of poor-quality material and wore out quickly. Yet their price was several times higher than that of equivalent fabric. The extra silver, of course, was embezzled.

The Scribe, who registered yamen supplies and managed finances, could easily cook the books in these matters.

How much was embezzled depended on the influence of the person behind it.

Even if the lower-ranking constables complained, there was nothing they could do. Most came from families of some means and were accustomed to spending money to curry favor with their superiors.

Shen Yuan was unaware of the convoluted schemes behind a simple official uniform. From the moment Magistrate Pang saw Shen Yuan, he couldn't stop smiling, praising Shen Yuan’s appearance and abilities.

He then immediately brought up, "Lord Shen, the weather is getting hotter. The constables need to purchase their summer uniforms. I'm entrusting this matter entirely to you. Oh, and since you're new, if there's anything you don't understand, remember to ask me. Don't hesitate."

Magistrate Pang arranged the task for Shen Yuan with a beaming smile, making a show of placing great trust in him.

Shen Yuan pondered for a moment. It seemed similar to buying different school uniforms for spring/summer and autumn/winter back in his school days. The task didn't seem difficult—just take a headcount and order the clothes.

He nodded, thanking Magistrate Pang for his consideration.

It sounded reasonable, so Shen Yuan immediately said he would start right away.

Watching Shen Yuan’s departing figure, Magistrate Pang felt even more pleased.

When a person’s luck is on the rise, nothing can stop them!

Ji Pingan, worried that Shen Yuan might be devoured by the old fox, stood waiting for him at the door with his arms crossed. Seeing Shen Yuan come out in one piece, he sighed in relief and asked, "Magistrate Pang didn't try to cozy up to you or make things difficult, did he?"

Shen Yuan thought for a moment and shook his head. "No, he just praised me a couple of times. Then he directly assigned me the task of handling the summer uniform procurement for the constables."

There were some dirty dealings within the yamen that Shen Yuan didn't know about, but Ji Pingan was well aware.

He immediately understood and cursed under his breath, "That old thing."

Shen Yuan asked curiously, "What’s wrong?"

Although Magistrate Pang hadn't tried to cozy up verbally, he had done so in deed.

Yet, others couldn't find fault with it because this was exactly the Scribe’s purview.

Ji Pingan cursed the old man again silently, then said to Shen Yuan, "Fifth Uncle arranged two assistants for you. They came to see me while you were inside. I’ll take you to your office. Don't handle this yourself; leave it to those two subordinates."

Shen Yuan wasn't foolish; he immediately sensed a trap.

"What’s going on?"

Ji Pingan’s face darkened with dissatisfaction toward Magistrate Pang.

As they walked, he explained the hidden intricacies. "Among the yamen personnel, the constables are the most numerous. Other functionaries aren't forced to buy uniforms, but for the constables, it's compulsory."

Shen Yuan understood the reason: more people meant more silver to be collected.

The functionaries ranked above the constables came from prominent backgrounds. They were the beneficiaries; they weren't the ones being fleeced.

Ji Pingan continued, "The stated price for a uniform is one thing, but privately, it's another. Everyone in the yamen knows you were recommended by Fifth Uncle. Those wanting to curry favor with you will seize this opportunity to offer you bribes of gold and silver."

"Magistrate Pang gave them a chance to approach you, and also gave you a legitimate opportunity to accept bribes. He wants to gain your goodwill this way, playing both sides so it's a win for all three parties."

Shen Yuan frowned slightly. So, Magistrate Pang’s short sentence was so loaded.

Ji Pingan said, "However, the constables are divided into two factions. One faction has family wealth. To climb higher, they don't mind spending money. They generally don't participate in dangerous tasks like bandit suppression or catching thieves. At most, they patrol the streets with their blades. In the yamen, these are called the Civil Blade Faction."

"The other faction genuinely risks their lives, taking on the most dangerous tasks. These men have no family background; one could even say they are very poor. They are the ones who want money and status but value their lives less than their duty. Although their status is low, they are notoriously unruly. They are called the Martial Blade Faction."

"For the Martial Blades, having to purchase uniforms twice a year is an unnecessary and burdensome expense."

Ji Pingan analyzed the situation for Shen Yuan. "Officially, a uniform costs five hundred copper coins. But in reality, no matter how tough the Martial Blades are, they know some silver must be given, or they risk losing their positions. Privately, they pay at least one tael of silver. For them, this represents several months' salary."

"Although they pay to survive, they simultaneously resent their superiors. When they are truly needed, they might feign compliance while secretly disobeying. That leads to mutual torment."

Ji Pingan’s expression grew grimmer. "Li Baozhu, the head of the Civil Blades, is easy to deal with; he’s eager to use money to get close. But Qin Shisong, the head of the Martial Blades, is different. He has a fiery temper; even Magistrate Pang can't handle him. However, the Martial Blades only obey him. Without him, they can't be controlled, and the yamen can't suppress bandits."

"Collecting uniform fees is a lucrative job. The previous Scribe was just a figurehead; the profit never reached him because Magistrate Pang kept it all for himself. By giving you this task now, he intends to secretly win you over. He also wants you to face Qin Shisong and his Martial Blades—to give you a warning and make you realize which side you should join."

Ji Pingan also recounted some of Qin Shisong’s deeds.

He mentioned a recent one: because Xie Yulin had come to Qingyun, Magistrate Pang was determined to suppress bandits to ensure a good impression.

Qin Shisong led his men to a great victory.

But something happened during the operation. With his belly slashed open and covered in wounds, he charged into the county yamen, swinging his blade at Magistrate Pang.

In the end, if he hadn't collapsed from severe injuries and exhaustion, Magistrate Pang would have lost half his life.

Magistrate Pang claimed to the public that Qin Shisong suffered from hysteria and had suffered a fit of madness.

However, Ji Pingan wasn't buying it; even if he didn't know Qin Shisong well, how could he not know Magistrate Pang?

While Magistrate Pang must have had a hand in what happened, it couldn't be denied that Qin Shisong was far too rigid—a man who acted without considering the consequences and whose methods were ruthless.

Ji Pingan advised Shen Yuan to have as little contact with Qin Shisong as possible, and that it was best to steer clear of him altogether.

"Qin Shisong can't stand me; he rolls his eyes whenever he sees me. I don't even know when I offended him. When you're in the yamen, make sure not to have any contact with him, or else he might hold a grudge against you for some reason or another at some point."

Shen Yuan listened silently, thinking to himself how terrifying officialdom truly was.

He even began to feel as if his official robes were scorching him, making him feel restless and uncomfortable.

The road ahead was tough indeed.

"What about you, brother?" Shen Yuan changed to a lighter topic and asked Ji Pingan, "Where do you stand among the yamen clerks?"

Ji Pingan said, "I don't belong to either side; to be precise, I'm my own faction."

Especially after Magistrate Pang feigned illness and Xie Yulin, in order to investigate the private salt matter, gave Ji Pingan a lot of power.

His status in the yamen had already surpassed that of the regular clerks, and he was effectively overseeing both the civil and martial clerks.

Ji Pingan looked down at Shen Yuan's thin shoulders and couldn't help but pat him on the shoulder. "If it really doesn't work out, I'll go plead with Fifth Uncle for you, so you don't have to serve as this Scribe anymore."

He was genuinely afraid that someone as clean-cut and innocent as Shen Yuan, entering such an environment, wouldn't be able to handle the complexities of officialdom and would end up eaten alive without a trace.

He even began to suspect whether Fifth Uncle's move was truly to protect Shen Yuan or to harm him.

Shen Yuan shook his head firmly. "Fifth Uncle pulled strings to get me an official position without even the Emperor knowing. Although doing a good job will be hard, Fifth Uncle has already thought of everything possible and given me a lot of support. I don't want to disappoint him."

Ji Pingan was stunned for a moment before saying, "Little Yuan, don't you know that Fifth Uncle has the authority to directly appoint officials?"

Shen Yuan turned to look at Ji Pingan, his eyes clear. "Appointing officials requires recommendation letters and sending them up through the ranks, doesn't it? Even if the Emperor doesn't actually read them, that process is required, right?"

"That's correct," Ji Pingan explained further. "But that only applies to officials of the ninth rank and above. I don't know about other high officials, but given Fifth Uncle's relationship with the Emperor, he can directly appoint any official below the fifth rank."

Shen Yuan's eyes widened, and he gasped. "Did Fifth Uncle save the Emperor's life?"

Ji Pingan actually nodded. "Yes, more than once. The Emperor calls Fifth Uncle his elder brother; even during court sessions, he calls him 'Brother Lin'."

These matters were mentioned in his sister's past letters; it was normal for those not in Youyang's upper circles to be unaware.

Shen Yuan walked forward silently for a few steps before finally unable to resist asking Ji Pingan, "Brother, I mean hypothetically, if I told Fifth Uncle I didn't want to be the Scribe because I was worried it might make the Emperor suspect him, would he think I'm foolish and then ignore me?"

Ji Pingan knew Shen Yuan well; when the boy said this, it basically meant it had already happened.

He said with a serious expression, "Hypothetically—brother means hypothetically—if you've already said it, from the perspective of someone at Fifth Uncle's level, he wouldn't think you're foolish, but he'd be on guard against you. He'd think everything you do has an ulterior motive."

Like calculated worry and concern, meant to soften the other's attitude to get closer and seek something.

In prominent families, constantly embroiled in scheming and intrigue, there was no such thing as sincerity—even in a family background like his own.

At the very beginning, he too had suspected that Shen Yuan's approach was to suck up to him, to have ulterior motives.

If it weren't for some of Shen Yuan's actions and temperament being so similar to his deceased younger brother, his wariness towards Shen Yuan would only have grown.

Ji Pingan directly asked Shen Yuan, wanting to help him analyze and see if there was any way to salvage the situation.

"When you went to see Fifth Uncle, how did he react?"

Shen Yuan carefully recalled Xie Yulin's reactions from the day before, stroking his chin and saying, "He prepared an official uniform for me, had me eat some pastries, told me about my aunt's whereabouts, and promised to help me find her."

Ji Pingan pondered for a moment; he couldn't figure it out either.

He didn't even kick him out.

After much thought, he could only attribute it to Shen Yuan's young age; Fifth Uncle was more than ten years older and probably viewed it as childish behavior, not thinking too deeply about it.

Thinking this, Ji Pingan ruffled Shen Yuan's hair. "You're lucky you're so young. According to the prominent families in Youyang, at Fifth Uncle's age, his eldest child would be about your age."

As he spoke, Ji Pingan again advised Shen Yuan, "Someone like Fifth Uncle doesn't need others to worry about him. For people like him, anyone approaching has a purpose. In the future, whatever thoughts you have about Fifth Uncle, keep them bottled up and don't show them. I'm afraid you might really be misunderstood as scheming and something might happen."

Ji Pingan concluded, "In short, don't get too chummy with Fifth Uncle; it's not good for you."

Feeling the soft hair under his palm nodding, he chuckled softly, not sure if the boy had truly taken it to heart.

The place was fully furnished too. Two walls had sturdy wooden shelves filled with bamboo slips wrapped in small cloth bags.

Each compartment had a wooden tag hanging, listing the year and the general category recorded in the bamboo slips.

Adjacent was a small room, which was the office for Shen Yuan's two assistants.

The two people arranged by Xie Yulin had been waiting in front of the room for Shen Yuan to arrive. Upon seeing him, they immediately bowed with cupped hands and introduced themselves.

"This lowly official Guo Mingchen pays respects to Lord Shen."

"This lowly official Xu Kangfu pays respects to Lord Shen."

Shen Yuan greeted the two with a smile. "Hello, I'm Shen Yuan."

Ji Pingan saw Shen Yuan safely into the care of Guo and Xu.

Knowing that the two were selected by Xie Yulin and had the ability to help Shen Yuan handle the pitfalls Magistrate Pang had set, he felt at ease. Having other matters to attend to, he left first.

Shen Yuan asked Guo and Xu, "The summer uniforms for the clerks need to be custom-made. Do you know which clothier the yamen frequently works with?"

Guo Mingchen nodded. "The Liu family in Caiyun Lane. Their family has passed down painting skills for generations and is excellent at color painting. Therefore, they are very skilled at blending colors. The cloth from the Liu family's shop has the best colors in all of Qingyun County. The yamen has long cooperated with them to custom-make various official uniforms."

Previously, Ji Pingan had revealed that the finished official uniforms officially cost five hundred wen at the yamen. Shen Yuan continued to ask, "How much does a clerk's uniform actually cost to make?"

"The cloth used in summer is thinner. The clerks all have lean, sturdy builds, and the cloth is dyed with black dye. Actually calculating, it would cost a hundred and fifty to two hundred wen."

Having a rough idea of the price, Shen Yuan asked Guo Mingchen to take a count to see who wanted to buy new uniforms.

He specifically reminded them, "Those who don't want to buy don't need to give their names."

This way, the martial clerks wouldn't be forced to pay and probably wouldn't feel resented or singled out.

Guo Mingchen didn't show much reaction to Shen Yuan's reminder; he just gave a respectful nod and went back to get his things.

After Guo Mingchen left, Xu Kangfu remained, as he indeed had something to inform Shen Yuan.

"Lord Shen, the communal kitchen has submitted tomorrow's menu; it requires your review and approval of the funds."

Initially, when Shen Yuan received the bamboo slips, he didn't think much of it.

After reading the amount written on the bamboo slip, he was completely floored.

The official canteen was located in a large courtyard near the yamen. All government personnel were required to eat there.

Shen Yuan pointed to the final price on the slip and asked, "There are 325 registered public officials in the yamen. The daily cost for the canteen actually amounts to a hundred taels of silver? That’s an average of 200 wen a head per day?"

Did they have bottomless pits for stomachs?

In Dashu Village, the men who built his house had a food budget of 10 to 20 wen each per day, which covered two meals. They ate their fill and even had meat every now and then.

He got that vegetables would be more expensive in the county town and that the canteen’s selection of meat would be better, with meat served at every meal.

But based on the menu, individual portions, and market prices, 60 wen a head max would cover three meals a day, with meat at every meal and everyone eating their fill.

Xu Kangfu lowered his eyes and said, "I've checked previous quotations, and they have consistently been around a hundred taels."

Shen Yuan didn’t know what to say. The yamen spending a hundred taels a day on food...

Did they have money to burn?

"The accounts are so blatantly fake. Has no one above noticed?" Shen Yuan was genuinely puzzled.

Xu Kangfu replied, "This price is normal for those above."

Shen Yuan was speechless.

He glanced at the menu again, then closed his eyes.

If such a high price was considered normal, it was either because the nobles and their subordinates were also cooking the books and embezzling—after all, they wouldn’t go out to buy groceries or check meat prices themselves—or it was due to sheer extravagance. Their usual expenses were so high that such prices didn't seem like much.

Or perhaps both.

Regardless, Shen Yuan wasn't in a position to dig deeper.

Seeing Shen Yuan’s hesitation, Xu Kangfu reminded him, "The official canteen has been run this way forever. The expenses are stamped and signed by the Chief Clerk as a mere formality for record-keeping. If you find it hard to accept, I won't present the canteen’s accounts for your review in the future. I will handle them directly."

Shen Yuan understood the advice: even though something was clearly wrong, there was nothing he could do.

Rules were rules, and so far, no one had been able to break them.

If he couldn’t bear it, he could simply turn a blind eye.

Shen Yuan sighed softly, "Alright, you handle it from here on out."

Xu Kangfu had been worried that Shen Yuan would insist on interfering with the canteen’s affairs. Seeing him nod, he finally relaxed.

At least he wasn't going to make waves.

...

On Guo Mingchen’s side, taking orders for the new uniforms was going smoothly.

He had the word passed around: petty officials who wanted to order new uniforms should line up in the courtyard to register. Soon, people began to arrive.

The first to arrive were the well-connected "Civil Blades" and clerks.

The first official in line was tall, with somewhat effeminate features. Aside from his official uniform, he was adorned with various accessories.

He had jade hanging from his waist, a red gemstone around his neck, a pearl-encrusted headband, a gold bracelet on his wrist, and a silver ring inlaid with a red gemstone on his left index finger.

Even the scabbard of his sword was embedded with colorful jewels.

His eyes were a bit red-rimmed as he proudly placed a small wooden box on the table. "Blade Officer Li Baozhu, putting in for one set. Here is the 500 wen for the uniform."

Ever since Li Baozhu learned that the yamen was getting a new Chief Clerk recommended by the Xie family’s main branch, and knowing that new uniforms were purchased every year, he guessed that Magistrate Pang would try to flatter this person. He had prepared the bribe money early and carried it with him every day.

Today, it finally paid off.

Guo Mingchen used the shaft of his brush to press against the latch on the box, levering it open with a flick of his wrist. Inside were ten gold cakes.

Guo Mingchen didn't bat an eye. He withdrew the brush and coolly noted down on a bamboo slip: Li Baozhu, one set of official uniform, 500 wen.

Then, on another slip, he wrote: Li Baozhu, one set of official uniform, 150 wen.

After that, he started a third slip and recorded: Li Baozhu, fifth year of Yuanwu, June, ten gold cakes.

After making three different entries, he moved on to the next person.

Plenty of others were thinking the same thing. As Guo Mingchen watched the amounts they pulled out, the totals were skyrocketing compared to the previous records.

One after another, they were attempting to use this gold and silver to get close to Shen Yuan and, by extension, Xie Yulin.

Those who hadn't prepared in advance hurried home to fetch their silver and returned one after another.