Chapter 12

After Lin Shuge finished the work at hand, he silently calculated in his mind the salary after the promotion. This time he was directly promoted twice, and Ling Shi only had 900 coins a month, which was barely enough to make ends meet. If he spent more, he would even have to pay for his work.

As the second-in-command of a county, the county magistrate has a salary of 200 dan. However, these 200 dan will not be paid out in grain. In this dynasty, part of the salary will be paid out in silver and the other part will be paid out in wheat, millet and other grains. If all of it was converted into silver, it would be about 3,000 coins per month.

Lin Shuge smiled with satisfaction. This was a leap from just having enough food and clothing to a comfortable life. However, before going to the county magistrate's office, the family needs to be settled again.

"Brother Huai Ting, are you so happy that you're silly? Oh no, now I have to call you Lord County Magistrate." Zhou Du raised his hand and bowed.

Lin Shuge was lost in thought until he heard Zhou Du calling him, "Stop it, I was thinking if I go to the county governor's mansion, there will be no one to take care of me at home. Although Zhongxuan is very skilled in martial arts, he is still a child after all."

Maybe I can move soon. I have some cash on hand, so I can rent a house in the county town, which will be convenient for commuting to get off work.

"Erlang, do you know any real estate agents? I want to rent a house in the county town."

"Why rent? Just buy a house in the county town. Didn't County Magistrate Li reward you with five thousand coins?" Zhou Du blurted out, without any worries of the poor masses.

Lin Shuge's face was filled with black lines. The price of a house in the county town ranged from two thousand coins to tens of thousands of coins. What kind of house could he buy with such little money? Erlang is a man who doesn't even know how expensive firewood, rice, oil and salt are until he manages the household.

Seeing Lin Shuge's speechless face, Zhou Du came to his senses and said, "Okay, I'll go with you to have a look after I'm off duty."

Fengsheng Lane is the most prosperous area in Ganzhou County. At this moment, it is crowded with people coming and going, and the sounds of hawking are constant.

"Please come this way, my two lords. This house is adjacent to Fengsheng Lane. The neighbors are either wealthy families or officials who receive public salaries. Moreover, the house is spacious and bright, and the price is reasonable, two hundred coins a month." The broker brought Lin Shuge and Zhou Du to a house.

Lin Shuge took a look and found that the house was located in Xinyuanli. It was divided into two parts, with thick courtyard walls, a spacious main house, two east and west wing rooms, and a well in the courtyard for convenient water drawing. There was a pear tree in the courtyard. The house had a convenient geographical location and a good environment. It was indeed good.

"Yes, it's here." Lin Shuge said to the broker.

Zhou Du nodded, "It's really good, and it's close to the county government office, so you don't have to travel in the cold weather."

The broker smiled and said, "The owner of this house is also very kind. He only takes one hundred coins as a deposit. Here is the deed. Please sign and seal it."

After Lin Shuge signed the agreement, he took out a bag of money and handed it to the agent, "Please help me find some people to clean the house inside and outside, and the rest will be my hard-earned money."

"Oh, this is not worth it. I'll help you find the money. This money is not worth it."

"Take it, you deserve it."

The guarantor smiled happily and put the money in his arms.

…

The weather has been cold in recent days and it has snowed again. After dinner, the family sat around the kang. Lin Qingyuan and Lin Xuan were reviewing their lessons, and Xie Chen would give them guidance from time to time when they had any doubts.

Lin Shuge brought over the fried chestnuts and gave a few to each person. These chestnuts were picked by Xie Chen and his two companions on the mountain. After being fried, they are soft, sticky and sweet.

"I have something to tell you. Let's move tomorrow. I have rented a house in the county town." After Lin Shuge finished speaking, the three of them looked up at him.

"Brother, why do you suddenly want to rent a house and move?" Lin Qingyuan asked in confusion.

"Firstly, today County Magistrate Li asked me to temporarily take over the position of County Magistrate. The County Magistrate has a lot of affairs to deal with, so it is convenient for him to live in the county town." It is cold in winter and hot in summer, and the half-hour one-way journey is indeed tiring. Moreover, the responsibilities of the county magistrate are heavier than those of the clerk. If something happens in the county government, wouldn't it be a delay if he were here?

"Brother got promoted?" Lin Qingyuan said excitedly. Xie Chen and Lin Xuan were also very happy. Both pairs of eyes looked at Lin Shuge with excitement in their eyes.

Lin Shuge said with a smile: "Listen to me. Secondly, I will go to the prefectural governor's mansion with County Magistrate Li to meet with Envoy Wei in a few days. It will take several days to go back and forth. I am worried about leaving you alone at home, so I rented a house in the county town. Let's pack up and move there together tomorrow."

When the three heard this, their excitement instantly turned into reluctance, "Brother, how long will you be gone?" Lin Qingyuan's mouth sank.

"It's not clear yet. It depends on the arrangements of the county magistrate." Seeing tears in Lin Qingyuan's eyes, he paused and said, "Brother, promise that you will be back in five days at the latest."

"Brother, let's make a deal, no lying."

"Okay, I won't lie." Lin Shuge pinched his red nose and said, "Okay, it's getting late, let's go to bed. We have to get up early tomorrow to pack our things. I borrowed Zhou Du's carriage to help us move our things."

After Lin Shuge finished washing up, he saw that Lin Qingyuan and Xie Chen had fallen asleep. Suddenly, he heard the sound of a door opening. He was puzzled and thought it must be Lin Xuan. "Brother, can you come out for a moment?"

He put on his clothes, got down from the heated kang, and walked out to see that it was indeed Lin Xuan. The little girl had a serious face and pulled him, "Brother, come to my room. I have something to tell you."

Seeing that she had just come out wearing a single layer of clothing, Lin Shuge hurriedly put his own clothes on her and said, "Why don't you wear thick clothes? Come in and talk."

However, Lin Xuan pulled him into her room and said, "Brother, I want to know why you are going to the County Magistrate's Mansion." A Yuan just kept crying and didn't even bother to ask his brother why he was going to the County Magistrate's Mansion. Could something have happened?

"Axuan, do you still remember the opportunity I mentioned to you?"

"Brother, are you talking about paper...paper is really made?" Lin Xuan has always been calm, but she was really excited this time. Her brother never boasted, but she still couldn't believe that paper was really made.

He looked at Lin Shuge again and saw a look of determination on his face. "So, big brother, are you going to the county governor's office to discuss this matter?"

"Almost. Although the paper has been made, how to expand the scale and promote it throughout the county still requires meeting with the county governor in person to discuss in detail."

Moreover, some matters that County Magistrate Li handled were only within Ganzhou County. If it were the County Magistrate's Office, the promotion would be faster and on a larger scale. This was the main reason why he agreed to go to the County Magistrate's Office.

"So, Xuan, you and Zhongxuan take good care of the house while I'm away. When I'm done with my work, we'll have a good meal and move into the new house. It can be considered a celebration of moving into a new house." Lin Shuge said with a smile.

Lin Xuan also laughed, but then her face became embarrassed.

"What's wrong?"

"Brother, I have something on my mind that I can't help but speak out. Don't you think Erlang is weird? He clearly..."

"He is obviously a man of both civil and military talents, has an eloquent conversation, and can even quote annotations and allusions from scriptures at will. Yet, he came to the northwest and stayed in our house. You suspect that he has an extraordinary background and may have some unspeakable secrets." Lin Shuge said first.

"Brother, you know everything. I just think that he said he escaped from the Qiang tribe, but with that kind of knowledge, how could he be just a runaway slave? Maybe..." Lin Xuan was worried.

Lin Shuge asked, "Do you think he is a bad guy?" Lin Xuan shook his head. Although Erlang was cold and quiet, he was very good to him and Lin Qingyuan. He always took care of them when he went out to work, and he did all the heavy work, not to mention that he had been guiding them in their studies recently. In a sense, Xie Chen had a semi-teacher-like relationship with them.

"I know everything you said. I know that his background is questionable, but after spending some time with him, I believe he must have his own difficulties."

Thinking of the young man protecting him, he added, "Besides, he treats people with sincerity. If he really wanted to cover himself up, why would he show off his literary talent and martial arts? This would do him no good and would also expose him. So, Axuan, I won't expose him. If he wants to say something, he will definitely say it."

"I understand, brother." Lin Xuan said with her head down.

"But Xuan, you are right. We should be on guard against others. It is amazing that you have such insight at such a young age."

"Brother, you are joking." Lin Xuan blushed slightly.

"You should go to bed early. I'm going to bed too." Lin Shuge said and helped her close the door.

"Sweet dreams, bro."

"Sweet dreams, Xuan."

The temperature at night was lower than that during the day. After Lin Shuge went out, he felt cold. He took off his outer robe and was about to get into bed when a voice suddenly sounded beside him.

"elder brother."

Lin Shuge was startled and glanced at the sleeping Lin Qingyuan, "Zhongxuan, you scared me to death."

"Brother, when are you leaving for the County Magistrate's Mansion?" Xie Chen asked as he sat up with reluctance in his eyes.

"It should be within two days. What's the matter? You all can't bear to leave me?" Lin Shuge teased.

"Well, I can't bear to part with it." Xie Chen said sincerely, but it made Lin Shuge's old face blush.

"Stop talking nonsense and go to bed early." Lin Shuge had the look of a feudal patriarch.

Xie Chen said aggrievedly: "Did my brother go out just now to tell A Xuan something?"

"Well, I have to tell you that I put the remaining money at home at the bottom of the box over there. Xuan also knows that you can buy whatever the family needs and whatever they want to eat. You don't have to save money for me. You are older and have great martial arts skills, so I entrust them to you. Please take good care of them for me."

Xie Chen felt the trust in his tone and was moved, "Brother, I will definitely take good care of A Yuan and A Xuan."

"Okay, let's go to bed. We still have to move tomorrow." Lin Shuge lay down first, closed his eyes, and fell asleep soon.

Xie Chen was silently thinking about his worries and couldn't fall asleep for a long time.

The next morning, the sun pierced through the clouds and shone across the entire Ganzhou County. A horse-drawn carriage was speeding on the road. Lin Qingyuan opened the curtain and looked out the window curiously. "The carriage is going really fast. We have already passed Qingxi Town."

"You've been looking for a long time. Be careful not to catch a cold if the cold wind blows in." Lin Shuge stopped his brother from letting everyone in the car suffer from the cold, and asked outside, "Zhongxuan, come in and rest for a while. I'll drive."

A voice came from outside the car, "Brother, I'm not cold, don't come out."

Lin Shuge was helpless and shook his head. He could only go out and catch the man himself. He had refused just now, so he had to come in to warm up.

He lifted the curtain and walked out, forced the people into the carriage, and drove the car himself. The carriage sped past and soon arrived in Ganzhou County.