Chapter 86
Wen Shi glanced at Hu Yong'an with a serious expression, then shook his head. He knew that this man had no bad intentions, but he had lived a wealthy and carefree life since childhood, and his thinking was simple.
"Thank you for your kind offer, Brother Hu."
Borrowing money is undignified and would leave him indebted. For him right now, a carriage isn't necessary, so there's no need for that.
Those around him were not surprised. They had all spent several days together and knew each other to some extent. Hu Yong'an was a man who loved to show off, though he didn't have any major flaws.
He had great respect for officials of rank. He wasn't stupid either. He would only show off his superiority to those of lower rank in front of them, to demonstrate how much effort and talent he had put in.
His family was well-off, but there were others in the school who were better off than him, and there were also a few like Wen Shi who came from farming families and were not well-off.
In the afternoon, Wen Shi left the Hanlin Academy in a good mood. He was going to the Ministry of Revenue to collect his salary that day.
As he walked, he pondered. These days, he ate at home for breakfast and dinner, but for lunch, he had no choice but to find a restaurant near the Hanlin Academy. There were a few others like him who ate out, while others had their families bring them food.
It's hot, so he can't bring his own food; it won't keep.
When Wen Shi arrived at the Ministry of Revenue, he found it to be quite different from the Hanlin Academy, as if it had just been renovated. Since it was his first time there, he couldn't help but ask some questions. The officials were quite hospitable and helped him find his way. When Wen Shi arrived at the door where he was to collect his salary, he found that there were quite a few people waiting.
He took out his badge and waited in line.
Officials of high rank would usually have their servants come to fetch them, while those of lower rank would come on their own. The cost of living in the capital was very high, so many people tried to save money wherever possible.
On a mahogany table not far away, there were several large boxes filled with brand-new silver notes, which were easy to carry.
"Do you want one month's pay, six months' pay, or a year's pay?"
When he finally heard this, he was taken aback. The official distributing salaries was quite old, but seeing that he was still young, he moved his lips slightly.
"The national treasury has been full in the past two years. How much you receive is up to you. Remember to sign and put your fingerprint here. In the past, it was paid out monthly or every six months. Now it can be paid out once a year. Think it over."
"I want to receive it for a year."
Wen Shi did not hesitate. He didn't have much money left, and with the rent, he would need at least ten taels of silver every month.
"good."
After Wen Shi signed and pressed his fingerprint, the next second, the official distributing his salary began counting out silver notes for him, each note worth fifty taels, and he received four notes in total.
Thank you.
Wen Shi carefully put away the waist token and silver notes, looked at the thick record book on the table, and recalled the previous rumors that the capital city was not short of officials. First-rank officials were rare, but there were quite a few low-ranking officials of the seventh, eighth, and ninth ranks.
He arrived early, and when he went out, there was already a long queue outside, including well-dressed butlers and officials in official robes.
On the way, we passed a very grand money exchange. Upon hearing this, I did not hesitate and went straight in.
"Sir, would you like to deposit or withdraw money?"
The clerk at the counter glanced at Wen Shi. His attitude was neither particularly good nor bad. Wen Shi was wearing a blue official robe, not red, which meant that the person in front of him was of low rank and might not even be qualified to attend court.
"Deposit 180 taels, and exchange the remaining 20 taels for silver."
Wen Shi's lips moved slightly. It might not be safe to keep so much money at home. He would take out some loose change for daily use.
"good."
After another round of signing and sealing, the waiter counted the silver notes and weighed the silver for Wen Shi. It was exactly twenty taels. He even showed the scale to Wen Shi.
Wen Shi took out his money pouch from his pocket and nodded.
Although the capital city is very safe, and very few people dare to commit murder or arson, petty theft is another matter. He is currently living off his salary and cannot afford any mistakes. Storing his money in a bank is the safest option, and he can come to collect it whenever he needs to.
If his deposit slip is stolen, the thief will not be able to withdraw money from this bank. When withdrawing money, the bank will ask you to write your name separately and compare the handwriting privately.
If someone could learn his writing perfectly, they wouldn't need to steal to make a living.
This bank not only allows deposits and withdrawals, but also exchanges for silver and copper coins. In addition, it also lends money. The clerk, seeing Wen Shi bending down to collect money, seemed to have an idea and began to promote the business.
"Sir, I don't recognize you. You must be new to the capital. We not only deposit money here, but we also lend it out. If you need to buy or sell a house in the future and don't have enough money, just come over and we can lend you money. We only charge 3% interest per month."
Wen Shi is a scholar, so he naturally understands the law and is good at math; taking out a loan is not a good idea.
Offering a 5% interest rate is illegal, and private lending is also prohibited. Even if a written agreement is drawn up, it is useless, as the government will not recognize it.
Even a 3% interest rate isn't small. He's not stable yet, so why borrow money? That would only increase his pressure.
He shook his head. If he really needed to buy a house, he would buy it if he had the money, and rent it if he didn't. He wouldn't take out a loan. If he couldn't pay it back, it would not only be embarrassing, but it would also affect his career. People would say that he was dishonest and didn't repay the loan. There was no need for that.
After putting away the money and deposit slip, Wen Shi walked home. Looking at the afterglow of the setting sun not far away, Wen Shi did not stop.
When he arrived home, the courtyard was empty, and the sky was gradually darkening. He sighed, wondering when Yingxiang and the child would be able to come over.
Several days have passed since he sent the letter, and of course the gentleman in the prefectural city has already received it.
The old gentleman has quite a few students, but Wen Shi is the first of his students to go to high school. After reading the letter, he smiled.
Wen Shi's start was really good. He went straight to the Hanlin Academy and wasn't assigned to some harsh, cold place as a minor official. Hopefully, he can continue to be steady and reliable and gradually advance his career.
In June, the capital city was like an oven all day long, scorching the people of the entire city. The wealthy could afford ice, while the poor drank bowl after bowl of mung bean soup.
That noon, Hu Yong'an came in from outside carrying a food box, looking very happy.
"My family wrote to me saying that I have already set off."
When I heard this, I was about to go out for dinner and said "Congratulations."
"Brother Wen, how about we grab something to eat together?"
Hu Yong'an's daily meals were delivered to him at precise times, ensuring they were neither too hot nor too cold. Many people couldn't afford this; everyone knew his family was wealthy and that he ate the best food.
The sons of officials tend to be much more low-key than those of merchants.
"Thank you for your kindness, Brother Hu. I'll eat out. I'll take my leave now."
Hu Yong'an didn't insist on keeping him. He went to his usual noodle shop, which was reasonably priced and had generous portions. He ordered a bowl of braised pork noodles and a serving of crispy fried dough.
The ice-cold pastry was served first. He had never eaten this before and figured it was only sold in the capital. It was perfect for this time of year, cool and refreshing.
One bite and I felt much cooler. I thought to myself, when my wife and children come to visit, they will definitely like to eat this too.
Brother Wen, when will your family arrive?
The speaker was Yang Xun, one of Wen Shi's current colleagues. Wen Shi talked to him more than he talked to Hu Yong'an.
The two came from similar backgrounds and had much to talk about. Yang Xun was not flamboyant and was usually very low-key. He was a few years older than Wen Shi. After sitting down, he ordered a bowl of his favorite chicken leg noodles and a bowl of mung bean soup.
Because they often bumped into each other at this restaurant, even though they weren't from the same place, the two became quite familiar with each other over time.
"It will take some more days."
Wen put down his spoon. He had roughly calculated that if Yingxiang and the child could arrive before winter, that would be considered fast. Right now, he didn't even know if they had received the letter.
They couldn't take the official roads. The journey from the county to the prefectural city and then to the capital would take them through many places and would take at least three or four months.
Where are your family members?
"It might be almost Chinese New Year."
After Wen Shi finished eating the crispy fried dough, the shopkeeper brought out noodles. He picked up his chopsticks and ate with refined manners.
“My parents and brothers will all come.”
As Yang Xun spoke, he also felt worried. The courtyard he rented was quite large and expensive, costing ten taels of silver a month. There were five rooms in total, which were not enough to accommodate everyone. He had an older brother and a younger brother, both of whom were married with children. Of course, he had been fully supported by his family before, so he could not do anything ungrateful.
Now that he's made something of himself, he naturally wants to bring his family out with him.
"And you?"
"Only my wife and children came first this time. My family members can't come for a while. My eldest brother and fifth brother are all in school, and my parents and two other brothers run a shop."
Yang Xun nodded; his family were purely farmers.
"Then your family can be considered a scholarly family."
In the village, in the town, and in the county, many people say this. Wen Shi knows, of course, that they are just saying nice things. His family is no longer associated with a scholarly family.
He smiled and then said, "My eldest brother has the title of Xiucai (a scholar who passed the imperial examination at the county level), but my fifth brother is still young and can't be said to have it yet. Our ancestors were farmers."
"That's good too."
Yang Xun finished his mung bean soup in a few gulps, and then looked a little worried.
He and Wen Shi had it tough. Sometimes he envied Hu Yong'an, who had no pressure and had already bought a large mansion in the capital, so he didn't have to worry about money.
He had calculated that the annual rent in the capital would be 120 taels, which was a fixed amount. He didn't know if the remaining 80 taels would be enough for his family to live on, as his nephews were growing up and needed to go to school.
"They almost worked themselves to death to support my education, so they deserve to enjoy their retirement. I can earn some income by copying more books in the future."
Wen Shi took a bite of the roasted pork and was somewhat surprised to hear this. Yang Xunren was really quite good. Seeing him and thinking about Wen Chuanzong, the difference in their abilities was immediately apparent.
His older brother hadn't made it big yet, but he wanted to abandon the whole family, fearing they would affect his future. Wen Shi still hasn't forgotten that. Although he never says it, thinking about it now, it still chills him to the bone.
"There will always be a way. My family will definitely be with me in a few years. I just don't know what the future holds."
After hearing what he said, Yang Xun sighed. He was also worried about this. Right now, it seemed like he could stay in the capital, but if he failed the assessment in three years, he would still be sent to a post outside the capital.
He picked up his chopsticks and started eating. There was no point in thinking too much; he'd just have to take it one step at a time.
Everyone studied together, and the atmosphere was generally harmonious. Of course, some sons of officials didn't like to associate with them. Over time, everyone gradually developed their own social circles.
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