gnovel Chapter 9 New Regulations
Chapter 9 New Regulations
"Thank you all for your hard work in helping me with these arrangements these past few days. This small gift is a token of my gratitude."
Upon seeing this, the six scribes' eyes lit up instantly. They quickly accepted the book with both hands, bowed repeatedly to express their gratitude, and their excitement was palpable. Their previous complaints had long been forgotten.
Besides Liu Laocao, the oldest among them was Chen Shi, who had been a clerk in the county government for more than ten years and had served as the chief clerk for seven or eight different officials. In the past, let alone such a decent reward, even the basic tools issued by the public treasury were often in short supply and crude, and they would make do with whatever they could.
Unexpectedly, this new registrar, whom they had criticized in private, had seen their hard work at their desks and had even considered such a small detail as writing implements. Overwhelmed with emotion, he felt a lump in his throat and his eyes welled up with tears.
Shen Zhong'an then smiled and said, "Yesterday, I attended a banquet in the capital and there were quite a few good dishes left over. I couldn't bear to waste them, so I packed them all up and brought them back to the public kitchen for storage. If you all don't mind, please enjoy them with us at noon."
Having just received the pastries and fine stationery, the six were already filled with gratitude and had no complaints whatsoever. They readily agreed, saying that they would eat even thin porridge with pickled vegetables, let alone leftovers.
After the six scribes entered the storeroom to organize the documents, Shen Zhong'an called Liu Laocao over and took out two items from his package and handed them to him.
"My father-in-law is always hunched over his desk, and I often see you massaging his back and waist. This is a famous muscle-relaxing plaster from Beijing. You should try it."
You often go to the countryside for inspections, and the soles of your shoes wear out quickly, with the uppers patched again and again. These shoes are sturdy and durable; you should change into them.
Old Liu took the items with both hands, his fingertips stroking the surface of the brand-new cloth shoes, then he squeezed the stack of neatly arranged plasters, and his eyes instantly reddened.
When he had previously accepted the stationery, he simply thought that the new registrar was generous, knew his place, and was good at interpersonal relationships.
Seeing that the other party had noticed and remembered even the most inconspicuous details, such as his chronic back pain from years of working at his desk and the worn-out soles of his shoes from traveling to the countryside, he realized that this was the first superior in all his years of service in the county government who had shown him such consideration. He felt a lump in his throat and tears welled up in his eyes. He wanted to say something, but he didn't know where to begin.
Shen Zhong'an pretended not to see him, reminded him to have lunch together, and then sat down to deal with official business.
Liu Laocao stood there for a moment, carefully put the plaster and cloth shoes into his pocket, wiped his face, turned around and went into the storeroom to work with the others.
Throughout the morning, the scene inside the Registrar's Office was quite different from usual. There was less of the usual perfunctory and lazy attitude, and more of a diligent and efficient one.
The six scribes consulted Shen Zhong'an much less frequently when they encountered problems. Instead, Liu Laocao's scolding voices could be heard from time to time in the storeroom.
The busy morning passed in the blink of an eye, and the gong clapper sounded precisely on time to signal the end of the day at the county government office.
Shen Zhong'an put down the official document in his hand, raised his hand to rub his throbbing temples, looked at Liu Laocao and the six scribes who were still busy working in the storeroom, and said loudly:
"You've all worked hard. Take a break and come with me to the kitchen to get some food. We'll eat back in the office."
Liu Laocao and the six scribes immediately stopped what they were doing, agreed, and followed Shen Zhong'an to the public kitchen.
Upon arriving at the public kitchen, Shen Zhong'an instructed the cooks to retrieve all the food boxes that had been stored the previous day, and the group carried the food boxes back to the clerk's office.
On the way there and back, the group secretly speculated about the leftovers Shen Zhong'an mentioned. They figured it was nothing more than ordinary food like meat soup and flatbread. At most, they could have two or three meat dishes to fill their stomachs, and no one dared to have any more expectations.
When everyone opened the food boxes one by one and laid them out on the long table under the corridor, all seven people stared wide-eyed, speechless for a long time.
Honey-fried fruit, rabbit on a plate, crispy tendon, perilla fish, mixed-flavor soup, lychee and pork kidney, steamed goose and duck ribs, rabbit with scallions, lotus-shaped duck skewers, wine-roasted tripe, and roasted meat with various ingredients are all top-quality dishes in Bianjing restaurants. The main dish is flaky mutton pastry, the soup is refreshing and refreshing three-crisp soup, and at the end there is a plate of plump and juicy pears and bright kumquats.
What's in front of us isn't just leftovers; there's a full range of dishes, including cold appetizers, main courses, staple foods, and fruits. With such a setup, if we added a pot of wine, it would be a truly respectable feast!
Not to mention the six scribes, even Liu Laocao, who had worked in the county government for more than 30 years, had never seen such a scene in the registrar's office.
Just who is this Registrar Shen?
Given his considerable wealth, instead of spending so much money to treat these insignificant clerks to a meal, he should use it to bribe his superiors and perhaps secure a more respectable position. Why stoop to the lowly and unpromising post of acting registrar? It's truly baffling.
Having never received such treatment before, the group was all quite uneasy. They looked at each other, and no one dared to pick up their chopsticks first.
Seeing this, Shen Zhong'an immediately picked up his chopsticks, took a piece of tender goose meat, put it into Liu Laocao's bowl, and said with a smile, "Old Liu, try this steamed goose and duck ribs, the taste is not bad."
As he spoke, he placed food into the bowls of the six scribes in turn, saying, "Please don't be shy, treat this as ordinary food and eat as you like."
Under Shen Zhong'an's repeated urging, the group hesitantly picked up their chopsticks and cautiously took a bite.
Once they tasted it, they couldn't stop. The group, who usually ate simple meals, couldn't resist such a temptation. They wolfed down their food until their bellies were bulging and their eyes were almost popping out. Only then did they reluctantly put down their chopsticks, their faces showing a satisfied look.
Such a lively scene inside the registrar's office naturally did not escape the notice of the other officials and servants in the county government.
Having received such a benefit, the six scribes couldn't contain their desire to show off. When a familiar official came over to inquire, they blurted out that Shen Zhong'an had given them pastries, fine writing implements, and treated them to a lavish meal.
The news quickly reached Wang Dianli's ears, and he immediately became so angry that he glared at the table and slammed his fist on the table.
"These idiots who've never seen anything good before! A few pastries, a set of stationery, a meal, and you're all bought off? You have no backbone!"
After venting his anger, Wang Dianli secretly thought to himself that Shen Zhong'an was truly short-sighted.
Every registrar who took office, if he wanted to gain a foothold and please others, did he not start by being the local tyrant of the county government?
Even if you don't want to please him, you should at least try to curry favor with Magistrate Ming.
It is important to know that the evaluation of the county magistrate directly affects Shen Zhong'an's future appointment after the civil service examination.
But Shen Zhong'an is something else entirely. He offended him first, then ignored the Prefect, and instead tried to curry favor with those low-class scribes who could only copy documents their whole lives. It's utterly ridiculous.
But the anger in his heart was hard to quell. Wang Dianli's eyes lit up and a plan came to mind. He quickly summoned his trusted subordinate, whispered a few words in his ear, and the subordinate nodded repeatedly in agreement and bowed as he withdrew.
Shen Zhong'an was completely unaware of this and continued to focus on managing the affairs of the Registrar's Office.
Two days passed in the blink of an eye, and the documents in the warehouse, which were originally in a mess, had been sorted out and were now clear and easy to understand.
Riding this wave of momentum, Shen Zhong'an summoned Liu Laocao and six calligraphers and announced two new rules.
"Starting today, two new regulations will be implemented in the warehouse."
First, establish a document registration system. All incoming and outgoing documents must be registered in detail, noting the date of receipt, source, title, deadline for processing, and the person in charge. Two copies must be made, one to be kept in the warehouse and one to be kept by me personally.
Secondly, anyone taking the exam paper must register their name and sign their name for confirmation. The number of papers must be counted and verified in person upon taking them, and must also be checked in person upon returning them. If even one page is missing, the person responsible will be held accountable on the spot without exception.
These two rules seem ordinary, but in fact they are extremely complicated.
The warehouse handles dozens or even hundreds of documents every day. This registration and verification undoubtedly adds a lot of extra work for the scribes, and they all complained bitterly.
But then she thought again, she had just received a favor from Shen Zhong'an, and it would be too unreasonable to turn around and refute him.
Moreover, Shen Zhong'an was their superior, and they had no choice but to obey orders when given tasks by their superiors.
Without any obstacles, the two new regulations were successfully implemented in the Registrar's Office.
After leaving the yamen that day, Tian Erniu, one of the six scribes, quietly slipped away from the crowd, found Wang Dianli's men, and returned the small bag of copper coins that the man had given him earlier, untouched.
"Brother, I'm sorry, I really can't do this job."
Since Clerk Shen took office, the warehouse has been kept under tight control, making it difficult to find opportunities to steal.
Today he set new rules, with registration, signing, and counting all done in full. If I dare to tamper with anything, I'm sure I'll be exposed on the spot.
Under the new regulations, it would be easy to pinpoint an inside job. There are only six of us in the warehouse; a simple investigation would surely lead back to me. I really can't take that risk. You'd better find someone else.
Seeing this, Wang Dianli's subordinates' faces darkened. They took the copper coins, said nothing more, and left in a huff.
Tian Erniu sighed and walked out from the corner. Just as he was about to turn around and go home, he saw Liu Laocao standing at the corner, who had obviously seen everything that had just happened.
"Old Liu, you...you saw it all?"
Upon seeing this, Tian Erniu panicked and hurriedly stepped forward, offering a rambling explanation.
"I didn't do it on purpose. It was Wang Dianli's men who forced me to do it. I've already returned the money. I really didn't dare to tamper with it..."
"Since I didn't succeed, I'll pretend this never happened."
Liu Laocao was not interested in his explanation and directly interrupted Tian Erniu.
"But I have a few words to tell you. Our newly appointed Registrar Shen is a kind and considerate man who knows how to care for his subordinates. He may not say it, but he remembers everything you do and how much effort you put in."
As long as you follow his orders and work diligently, you'll have plenty of good days ahead of you.
People should always walk the right path; only by having a clear conscience can one sleep soundly...
Among the scribes, Tian Erniu wasn't the most diligent, but he was usually quite efficient, rarely making mistakes when copying documents or registering records, and was always reliable and worry-free.
In the past few days, however, Tian Erniu seemed to have lost his soul. He made frequent mistakes in copying case files, often lost focus in document registration, and his writing was crooked and he often missed things. He also looked haggard, with dark circles under his eyes and a cloud of worry between his brows. In just four days, he even took leave twice.
Shen Zhong'an saw this unusual behavior and, even if he wanted to ignore it, he couldn't.
That afternoon, Tian Erniu came to ask for leave again, his eyes red and his expression flustered. Shen Zhong'an saw this and readily agreed without asking any questions.
Watching Tian Erniu's hurried departure, Shen Zhong'an summoned a scribe who was familiar with Tian Erniu and pulled him to a quiet spot under the corridor, where he asked him in a low voice.
"You and Erniu are quite familiar with each other. He's been acting strangely these past few days, seemingly out of sorts. Do you know if anything has happened in his family recently?"
Upon hearing this, the scribe, whether truly ignorant or unwilling to speak out of respect for Tian Erniu, stammered for a long time before finally managing to utter a disjointed sentence.
"Master, Registrar, I'm not quite sure either... Erniu is a quiet person and never talks to us about his family. Maybe...maybe he's not feeling well."
Seeing that he was unwilling to elaborate, Shen Zhong'an did not press him. He waved for him to go back, thinking that he would ask Tian Erniu in person when he returned tomorrow.
Before he knew it, it was lunchtime. As usual, Shen Zhong'an was the first to pack up his official documents and leave the office. He had only taken two or three steps when a soft voice called out from behind him.
"Registrar, please wait!"
Shen Zhong'an stopped and turned around, seeing Liu Laocao walking quickly out of the registrar's office.
"Old Liu, what is it?"
Liu Laocao glanced around and, seeing that no one was around, lowered his voice and spoke.
"Registrar, I just heard you inquire about Tian Erniu's matter, and I know a little about it."
That child was stubborn and extremely concerned with his reputation. He never revealed the difficulties his family faced to outsiders, and even his fellow scribes were mostly unaware of them.
My subordinate has worked in the county government for decades, knows everyone and is well-informed. I overheard someone mentioning it...
"Tian Erniu was also unfortunate. He lost his mother at a young age. After his father remarried, his stepmother was cold-hearted, and four or five younger siblings were added to the family, making their life very difficult."
Fortunately, his grandmother loved him dearly and, despite her advanced age, scrimped and saved to help him learn a few words. She also went through a lot of trouble to ask an old acquaintance for help, and finally got him a job as a scribe in the county government. He finally had a stable salary and a foundation to make a living.
Unfortunately, things didn't go as planned. Since the beginning of spring, the cold air has not dissipated. The old man is already frail and has fallen ill with a cold. He has been bedridden for more than a month now, his breath is weak, and he is so thin that he is just skin and bones.
His father, seeing the old man's condition fluctuate, had long since lost all hope. He had even prepared the coffin and burial clothes for the funeral, waiting only for the old man to breathe his last.
"If it were an incurable disease, that would be fine, but this disease is not incurable. It's just that the old man is old and weak, and has been overworked for a long time. The cold is just a trigger that has brought out all his old ailments. He needs to be slowly recuperated with precious medicinal herbs, and also needs to eat fish and meat every day to nourish himself, and rest quietly, so that he can slowly recover."
"Outsiders see us scribes sitting at our desks writing and drawing, sheltered from the wind, sun, and rain, seemingly very respectable. But who knows that our monthly salary is only three strings of cash?"
Tian Erniu had only been in the business for a year. He lived frugally and used most of his salary to support his family, leaving him with no savings.
The doctor's prescription cost one string of cash per dose, and with the daily expenses for fish and meat, how could he possibly afford it with his meager monthly salary?
Most of the scribes in the yamen came from modest backgrounds and were barely making ends meet. Tian Erniu was too embarrassed to ask his colleagues for help, and now he was like an ant on a hot pan, anxiously pacing around, but at a loss for what to do...
Liu Laocao recounted Tian Erniu's predicament in one breath, and then stood aside with his hands at his sides, looking down at his nose and his heart, saying nothing more, just quietly waiting for Shen Zhong'an's reaction.
Shen Zhong'an remained silent, slowly walking dozens of steps along the corridor. His gaze fell on the old locust tree in the courtyard, its branches just sprouting, yet still carrying a hint of desolation.
After a long while, Shen Zhong'an let out a soft sigh, his tone full of emotion.
"Even a hero can be brought down by a single penny. In times of chaos, people struggle to make a living; in times of prosperity, they struggle to survive. It is not easy for anyone in this world."
"Old Liu, if you have nothing to do after you leave work tonight, please come with me to Tian Erniu's house."