Chapter 153

Before the New Year, Yingxiang arranged for someone to deliver a gift to the old gentleman, which has already arrived.

Wen Shi thought he would receive no reply, just like before, but this time, he did.

In the blink of an eye, many years have passed since he studied in Songshan Prefecture.

He was one of the old gentleman's first students. Looking at the familiar handwriting on the yellow envelope, he recalled the days when he studied hard and the guidance and comments the gentleman gave him on his articles.

Wen Shi opened the letter with great care; the contents were very brief.

"The gift has been received. Everything is fine. Do not worry. In the future, you must guard against arrogance and impetuosity, continue to work hard, be loyal to the emperor and the court, and do practical things for the people."

For most people, his career path was quite smooth. He never encountered any obstacles or was promoted in name only. Whether he stayed in the Hanlin Academy or came to Ping County, he rose step by step.

After reading the letter, Wen Shi sat upright in his armchair, his heart filled with gratitude for the old gentleman. The gentleman had never been impatient in imparting knowledge, teaching skills, and resolving doubts, and had even privately taught them many ways of being an official.

Wen Shi knew that he had no connections or family background and could only rely on himself, so he studied very hard.

He was also very glad that he had made the right decision to leave the county school and find a teacher. The old teacher was not only talented, but also went through a career in government, mingling in the court, and finally retired with honor.

Many of his experiences and principles were genuine and practical; he never held anything back and always combined theory with practice to explain the ways of being an official, which benefited Wen Shi for life.

Wen Shi carefully put the letter away and then began processing official documents.

Beijing

Inside the Imperial Study

After reading the last memorial, Emperor Jingyuan put down his brush. He didn't like too many people serving him when he was reviewing memorials, so there were only a few eunuchs in the hall.

Inside the golden cauldron not far away, large blocks of ice that had just been placed there were still emitting wisps of cold air, making the hall very cool.

Emperor Jingyuan was about to head to the inner palace when he remembered something and sat down again. He took out a book from a drawer and looked at it carefully; there were no words on the cover.

Inside, there are records of some matters that are currently difficult to handle.

He had been on the throne for many years. After reading Wen Shi's memorial, he pondered for a long time but did not make a decision directly, nor did he ask his court officials to discuss it. He had no good way to solve the problem at once.

Re-dividing the land? That's impossible. It might seem like a quick fix, but it could potentially shake the very foundations of the nation.

As he gets older, he sometimes has to admit he's getting old. He also wrote this down, which contains some things he recorded a long time ago. The crossed-out items are things that have been dealt with, and the uncrossed-out items are things that haven't been resolved yet.

"Your Majesty, the Imperial Kitchen has sent you some hawthorn cake. Please have some."

"Leave it there, I have no appetite right now."

"yes."

The emperor thought for a long time, then put the book back and got up to go to the back hall.

He doesn't pursue immortality; a person's lifespan is predetermined. As one gets older, it's inevitable to sometimes feel powerless, but he's still holding on.

The eldest son is not yet fully established, and the other princes are not so well-behaved either; his presence is enough to keep them in check.

Emperor Jingyuan understood the importance of a smooth transition of power in order to ensure a stable transition of rule.

He already had a plan in mind regarding the choice of the crown prince, but now was not the best time. He could not indulge himself and had to take good care of his health.

Gradually, Emperor Jingyuan fell asleep.

Summer passed and autumn came, year after year. Yingxiang sat in the garden, looking at her youngest son who was already walking very steadily, and couldn't help but smile.

Not far away, Wen Shi strode over. His life had improved a lot, but he hadn't been indulging in excessive eating and drinking. His figure was about the same as before. His brows were relaxed, and he looked very happy from afar.

He is more composed and mature now than before.

"father."

Seeing him return, the little one dropped the embroidered ball in his hand and ran straight towards him. Wen Shi quickly walked over and hugged the child in his arms.

Under the eaves, Yingxiang, dressed in a light purple robe and holding a diamond-shaped fan, looked at the father and son with a smile.

"Go down first."

"Yes, madam."

After the maids left, Wen Shi, dressed in official robes, sat down next to Ying Xiang with his son in his arms. As evening approached, the little baby who used to cry in his swaddling clothes was now almost three years old, able to run, walk, and talk.

Wen Shi smiled as he pinched the little tuft of hair on his youngest son's head, just like Wen Leqian had done, which Yingxiang had personally tied with a red string.

As autumn deepens and the weather begins to cool in the mornings and evenings, Yingxiang puts her fan aside, feeling somewhat sentimental.

"My husband, time really flies."

"Once this year is over, how about we find him a tutor to mentor him?"

No rush.

The child couldn't sit still; he would soon start fussing about wanting to run around, so I just let him go.

His term is about to end, and it's impossible for him to stay here. He either has to move to another place or stay where he is.

As for where he went, it's hard to say. Two years ago, a new prefect came to Yunzhou. He was a good person and came from a good family. The previous one was directly promoted and went to the capital.

"In two years, let him go directly to the academy to study."

Yingxiang didn't refuse. Wen Shi would definitely make arrangements for the child's education. Wen Leqian went earlier, and the situation was very different then. He and his wife were busy working hard.

Yingxiang didn't know much about the matter of officials being promoted, and Wenshi rarely talked to her about it. Sometimes she thought about how difficult it was for him too.

Yingxiang mostly just keeps him company and doesn't ask him many questions, not wanting to put pressure on him.

The specific arrangements will depend on the Ministry of Personnel and the Emperor's wishes, and Wen Shi is naturally waiting as well.

A month later, Wen Shi received his new appointment document. After reading it, he stood there and read it twice more.

He was promoted to the fifth rank, which was certainly something to celebrate, but unfortunately, he was still serving in a distant place, this time as a prefect.

According to the appointment document, he had to set off quickly, as Jiangzhou was not close to Yunzhou, and he could only arrive ahead of time, not late.

After he leaves, a new official will definitely take over the position; the Ministry of Personnel has already made arrangements.

In the backyard, the news came unexpectedly. Yingxiang had just finished lunch with her son. She could read, and when Wenshi showed it to her, Yingxiang sighed inwardly, but didn't show it much on her face.

This time, setting off again is almost like bringing the whole family along; all the servants, carriages, and such must be taken along. Of course, it's not without its advantages.

"Husband, I'll have Chunyu pack up right away, let's leave as soon as possible."

On the bright side, it wouldn't be a bad thing if Wen Shi's annual salary increased in the future. Although Yingxiang really wanted to go to the capital, she knew it wouldn't be that easy.

Being an official is not easy. In those days, without connections or family background, it was already difficult to be promoted smoothly.

“Jiangzhou is similar to Yunzhou. It’s not a harsh place either. After we arrive, we’ll stay in the backyard of the government office.”

"In two years, we'll find him a school over there to begin his education."

Upon receiving the appointment letter, Wen Shi knew that his future five years were set. He was not pessimistic about the promotion, but his only regret was that he would have to stay away from home for another five years.

"I'll write to Leqian later. If he wants to come again this year, he can go directly to Jiangzhou."

"good."

Yingxiang wasn't unhappy at all. She first closed the shop and didn't renew the lease. She had made some money here over the years. Then she wrote to the capital, asking them to send the account books and money for this year to her in Jiangzhou.

The house isn't difficult to tidy up, and all the servants we bought will definitely be brought over.

He was promoted upon hearing the news, which is ultimately a good thing.

In recent years, he has not been idle in Ping County. He has done a lot of practical things for the people, and his judgments are fair. He has a good reputation. When the news came that he was going to be promoted and leave, some people were reluctant to see him go.

No one knows if the new magistrate will be like him. Every time an official takes office, they all look pretty much the same, but the difference between those who are willing to do their jobs and those who are not makes a big difference to the people.

Ordinary people prefer a good official, otherwise, if they have no money or power and something happens, no one will stand up for them.

In less than five days, everything was ready.

The couple boarded a carriage bound for Jiangzhou. They traveled along the official road, which made the journey less tiring. Inside the carriage, Yixin sat in Yingxiang's lap, holding a piece of cake in her hand and taking small bites.

Two small eyes darted back and forth. Wen Shi sat to the side, holding a book in his hand, reading it very attentively.

As for Yingxiang, she leaned against the cushion with a bored expression. She remembered that she had gone to celebrate the birthday of the prefect's wife before. Later, a different person and a different family member were involved, and she went again.

In local areas, a fifth-rank official is, to some extent, a person with a name and a surname, and is not considered a minor official.

Wen Shi was not yet forty years old, and many people believed that he still had a bright future ahead of him.

“My husband, we shouldn’t celebrate birthdays. Our parents are still alive. Once we arrive in Jiangzhou, I estimate we’ll have to meet quite a few people, and there will inevitably be some social obligations.”

Given Wen Shi's personality, Ying Xiang didn't need to think too much. The county government office was different from the prefectural government office. Before, when he went down to inspect, it didn't take more than a month. This time, if he went to several counties, it would take much longer, possibly two or three months. After that, there would definitely be more things to do. It might not necessarily be a bad thing for Wen Shi; it could also help him develop.

He will definitely go. Yingxiang knows him; he's not someone who just drifts along. And thankfully, that's the case, otherwise, he wouldn't have been able to move so smoothly.

"When it gets warmer next spring, we'll have a spring banquet so we can rest and settle in when we get there."

The merchants in the city are better off; it's mainly the local officials who are outwardly compliant but inwardly defiant. Yingxiang believes Wenshi can handle these matters well. She won't be idle either; she'll be busy for the first six months after this.

Yingxiang sighed almost imperceptibly. Busy, busy, it's not like there's no gain.

In the years since they left, the family's total annual expenses have been about three hundred taels. Yingxiang calculated that one hundred taels of that was given to Wen Leqian, which was essential.

The remaining hundred taels were for daily household expenses, assuming there was no rent; otherwise, it would have been even more.

As for the banquets, in the following years she held two a year: a spring banquet and a winter banquet on the day of the Beginning of Winter.

They had one show each in the first half and the second half of the year. Including these expenses, they earned a little over 300 taels a year in Ping County. Sometimes it was a little more, sometimes a little less, but it was roughly the same.

She didn't buy any fancy clothes or jewelry; what she had was enough. Considering that her children were getting older, she wanted to save more. Even if she were to retire in Beijing in the future, she didn't want to rent a place to live.

Wen Shi had no such needs. He had to wear official robes when he was on duty and rarely went out. The clothes that had been bought for him before were more than he could wear, and he had clothes for all four seasons.

Yingxiang didn't own much for herself. She had a few sets of silk clothes to wear for social occasions, but the rest were ordinary cotton clothes, though they had nice patterns. Many of them were bought in the capital and they weren't bad looking. She wasn't a wasteful person.

In previous years, we were truly poor.

There's also the system check-in. Over the years, besides going out for food and drinks, she's earned more than two thousand taels of silver from this, which she's kept in the system.

She now has over eight thousand taels of silver, and if you add the system's money, it will be over ten thousand.

Going to Jiangzhou will definitely increase expenses. There will be no rent, but we still need to maintain a decent standard of living. Fortunately, Wen Shi has also increased his salary.

At first, he earned 200 taels a year, then 400 taels a year, and in the next few years, it will be 600 taels. Over these five years, his pure salary income will be 3,000 taels of silver.

He doesn't solicit benefits from his subordinates, nor does he accept bribes. His income is not high; it's about that much.

When I was a county magistrate, the annual rewards sent from the capital would first go to the prefect, who would then distribute them to his subordinates. Naturally, the best of the rewards would never reach him.

In the future, when Wen Shi becomes a high-ranking local official, Yingxiang believes that his income in this area may increase to some extent, at least he will be able to choose.

With all that she had, Yingxiang thought that buying a house after returning to Beijing would definitely not be a problem. If there were any unexpected surprises, she might even be able to buy a very nice house right away.

Her business in the capital continued as usual, but her income was not very stable. The teahouse and wine shop were doing well, but the farm was the main problem due to too many uncontrollable factors.

Livestock are not so easy to raise, and breeding them is not so easy either.