Green Mountain
Chapter 266 - 210, Sell official positions, Buy official positions

Chapter 266: 210, Sell official positions, Buy official positions

Who was surveilling him? It wasn’t Wang Gui nor Mrs. Liang.

In this era, raising homing pigeons was no easy task; it required extremely professional training starting from when the pigeons were young, with the training objectives progressing from simple to complex, from nearby to distant, from daytime to nighttime.

Only forces with tight organization and abundant manpower, material resources, and financial power could own homing pigeons; it was beyond what Wang Gui and Mrs. Liang could achieve.

Was Bai Long surveilling him? Impossible, as this surveillance had started several years ago, at which time Bai Long had no idea who he was.

That left only two possibilities, one being his high-ranking uncle in the Jing Dynasty, and the other his missing biological mother.

As for the person who manipulated the Taotie last night...

Chen Ji stood inside the house, watching Xiao Man bustling about outside. Barely having placed the kettle on the stove, she took advantage of the water heating to sweep the yard’s dust and fallen leaves into one spot.

Chen Ji asked softly, "Wu Yun, do you think she looks like an executive officer?"

Wu Yun meowed, "No... do you believe she’s an executive officer, or believe I’m an Immortal?"

"That’s true," Chen Ji mused to himself, "Would a dignified executive officer willingly perform menial tasks?"

From the right ear room, the sound of the kettle steaming came, and Xiao Man, swift as the wind, dashed back into the ear room and brought out a basin of warm water, "Young Master, time to wash up! I’ll tidy up your hair in a bit, as we have to attend the promotion banquet at Zhang Mansion this noon!"

Chen Ji hummed in response.

Xiao Man appeared slightly worried, "Young Master, would Mrs. Liang forbid you from attending the banquet at Zhang Mansion?"

Chen Ji smiled, "Don’t worry, she won’t."

...

...

31st year of Jianing, the 13th day of the twelfth lunar month, noon.

Cuiyun Lane was decorated with lanterns and streamers, and the ground was covered with red confetti from fireworks, making it vividly eye-catching.

Servants from Chen Mansion and Zhang Mansion stood at the entrance, distributing candied sour plums to children and handing out "benefits" to men and women, old and young.

Wrapped in red paper, these "benefits" containing Copper Coins were given out; the common folk tucked the Copper Coins into their clothes and carelessly tossed the red paper, turning the whole street into a fluttering sea of festive red paper.

By noon, house servants carrying gifts rushed over.

In front of the main entrance to Zhang Mansion, a servant stood firm. As someone brought a gift, he took up the list and sang out at the gate: "Emblem Merchant Association’s Mr. Wang Changgu, presenting six pairs of South Sea East Pearls, a pair of red corals, and a jade ruyi scepter..."

"Jin Shang Chamber of Commerce’s Mr. Qiao Dezong, presenting twenty silver winter melons, and a golden Maitreya Buddha..."

Hearing the names mentioned, those queued up to present gifts suddenly changed expressions.

A manager turned and walked away, muttering under his breath, "Zhang Zhuo’s appetite for gifts is rather unseemly, which official dares to receive gifts so brazenly?"

The manager’s young assistant curiously asked, "Shopkeeper, are we not sending a gift?"

The manager spoke in a disgruntled manner, "How can we not? I’m going back to the storeroom to prepare another gift! They say Lord Zhang has a photographic memory; being ridiculed by peers is a minor issue, but if the Left Assistant Minister of Personnel takes notice, walking on eggshells daily would be the least of our worries!"

"He’s from the Ministry of Personnel, not our concern..."

"You know nothing!"

Compared to the lively scene at Zhang Mansion, Chen Mansion seemed slightly quiet.

The gifts for Chen Mansion, overseen by Mrs. Liang, were discreetly brought into the backyard and along with the gift list, they were stored to be tallied later on.

Although holding today’s banquet was indeed for collecting gifts, the Chen family cared about their reputation and did not want to be heavily associated with the smell of money.

Mrs. Liang stood in the main hall, faintly hearing the singing of the gift list from Cuiyun Lane outside, looking down at her own list of gifts, which was noticeably more modest.

In fact, every gift sent to Chen Mansion was worth more than what ordinary people could earn over several lifetimes, but humans feared comparison; no matter how much one received, if it was less than others, it was disappointing.

Maid Dongzhi stood by, glanced at Mrs. Liang’s face, and whispered, "The Zhang family is so shameless, accepting bribes in broad daylight. Officials from humble backgrounds really have shallow foresight."

Hearing the singing of the gift list outside the mansion, Mrs. Liang said with indifference, "Lord Zhang has been taking money for so many years without trouble, that’s a feat in itself."

Dongzhi muttered, "What feat, it’s just Official Xu protecting him."

Mrs. Liang sternly said, "Watch your words, nowadays Lord Zhang is an official in the Ministry of Personnel and deserves our respect."

During their conversation, Chen Liqin, dressed in a dark-purple mandarin jacket with a high collar, walked out from inside. His feet shod in soap boots and a corrugated official cap on his head, he indeed looked imposing.

Mrs. Liang praised, "Master seldom takes care of his appearance when he visits the river embankments, but with his recent grooming, he already resembles an official. I believe in a few years, he can certainly be promoted to hold a ministerial rank."

Chen Liqin replied with a smile, "My dear, you mustn’t speak like this in front of others, lest it incites ridicule, claiming that I, Chen Liqin, am obsessed with officialdom. As a Junior Scholar in the Master’s Mansion, I should devote myself to assisting the Crown Prince."

Mrs. Liang straightened his collar, "In my heart, you stand taller than any official. With you assisting the Crown Prince, when the day comes for his accession, you surely will fulfill your aspirations and realize your ambitions. Hasn’t the head of our family arranged this position for you solely to smooth your path?"

Chen Liqin’s smile broadened, "It’s quite strange. Originally, every promotion attempt arranged by my family met with obstructions, and the Department of Rites always created numerous difficulties. But now, for some reason, the palace has suddenly agreed to my taking on this position. Perhaps my efforts in river management have caught His Majesty’s eye."

Mrs. Liang laughed joyfully, "Master has now caught the eye of His Majesty, which is certainly a cause for great joy."

Chen Liqin asked, "What were you discussing just now?"

Mrs. Liang’s eyes shifted slightly, "I was about to send Dongzhi to fetch Wenzong and Chen Ji, planning to attend the banquet with them. It would also show Chen Ji that he is in his father’s thoughts."

Chen Liqin replied reassuringly, "I was worried that you and Chen Ji were at odds, being mother and son. Seeing that you are now reconciled and even recite Buddhists Scriptures together eases my mind. However, today’s occasion does not allow for Chen Ji’s presence. According to the longstanding rules of our Ning Dynasty, concubines and bastards cannot join the feast. It would be acceptable if he had some titles, but he hasn’t achieved any academic degrees yet, so bringing him might make outsiders think our Chen family lacks propriety."

Mrs. Liang clung to Chen Liqin’s arm, hesitantly saying, "Are you truly not bringing him along? What if he thinks his mother is being petty?"

Chen Liqin patted her hand, "It’s no big deal. Chen Ji has known these rules since he was young, and he has lived with them for many years. He won’t overthink it."

After that, he told a servant, "Instruct the kitchen to add two more dishes for Chen Ji today, and send a jug of wine. Make sure the kitchen prepares them meticulously and does not neglect him."

The servant stammered, "Old... Master, the Third Young Master left early this morning."

Chen Liqin was slightly stunned, "Where did he go?"

The servant hurriedly replied, "Second Miss Zhang came over and called him to help next door."

...

...

At this moment...

In front of the side door of Zhang Mansion, servants discreetly ushered in officials delivering congratulatory gifts: the main entrance was reserved for merchants, while the side door was for officials, whose gift-giving could not be too conspicuous.

In a small side yard, Zhang Zheng sat laid-back behind a table covered with a red silk cloth, while Chen Ji and Xiao Man sat idly in the courtyard.

A maid continuously brought snacks and tea, with Xiao Man happily munching away.

At the red cloth-covered table, a young official stepped forward, respectfully presenting a gift list.

Zhang Xia took the list with a brush, looked it over briefly, and then looked up at the young official, "What position are you seeking?"

The official humbly said, "Your subordinate heard that the County Magistrate position in Wei County, Henan Province is vacant, and I would like to fill that post."

Zhang Xia glanced at him and said lightly, "Then your gift is not sufficient."

In the harsh winter cold, the official’s forehead broke out in a fine sweat, "I will add another gift in a few days."

Zhang Xia nodded, wrote "Wei County County Magistrate to be supplemented" on the gift list with his brush, and then tossed it aside, "No need to join for the meal, go back and prepare the gift."

The young official repeatedly affirmed and backed out of the side door of Zhang Mansion.

Such blatant monetization of official positions was a rare sight in the long history of the ups and downs of the Ning Dynasty.

However, Zhang Zhuo was now in line to become the Left Assistant Minister of Personnel, and within the ministry, left-sided officials traditionally held more honor, the Left Assistant Minister overseeing internal affairs, and the Right Assistant Minister external affairs. Zhang Zhuo indeed had the power to decide on the county magistrate’s position.

Moreover, after Liu Gun’s suicide, the Minister Rank was temporarily held by Official Xu, and Zhang Zhuo had married Official Xu’s niece. That ministerial position might very well become Zhang Zhuo’s in the future.

When the young official had left, Chen Ji was puzzled, "Why was I called so early in the morning to help? There isn’t really a need for me here."

Zhang Xia turned to look at him, "My father sent for you, surely with some deeper implications."

Chen Ji, confused, said, "I’d like to hear them."

Zhang Xia pointed at the gift list on the table, "Father needs you to record the gifts sent by the officials today for a secret report to be sent to the Imperial City Department of Rites."

Chen Ji was taken aback, "Lord Zhang wants me to spy on the Zhang family? What is the reason for this?"

Zhang Xia smiled, "Do you really think this is my father’s own doing? Collecting so many gifts, he would have likely lost his head by now. These gifts are for officials to send directly to the Imperial City, intended for buying positions."

Chen Ji grew even more puzzled, "Buying positions? Lord Zhang has already been appointed as the Left Assistant Minister of Personnel, who could be selling him a position..."

Before he finished speaking, Chen Ji realized: the only person who could sell Zhang Zhuo a position was in the West Garden Renshou Palace.

This matter was unheard-of and utterly astonishing to him.