When the post station began construction, Jiang Zhi, carrying a grain ration stamped with the county magistrate's seal, excitedly went with his men to ask the logistics officer about bricks and stones.
Because the proceeds from selling grain can be used to purchase building materials.
At this time, timber and bricks were piled up haphazardly on the official road, and oxcarts carrying supplies from other places were still coming.
On the open ground, a row of large pots had been set up as stoves, and several migrant workers and cooks were already boiling water. The wet firewood produced a lot of smoke, billowing black smoke.
Jiang Zhi didn't see Xiang Dejin and Wu Hongmao, his acquaintances, here, so they must be on other business.
In a few makeshift sheds, Jiang Zhi found the official in charge.
The official was an older, tall, and thin man who remained calm and showed no discrimination in the face of Jiang Zhi, the female village chief.
Seeing Magistrate Zhang's note, he smiled even more, but did not reach out to take it. He spoke gently and calmly: "When I came out, Magistrate Zhang said that the materials that Kuan Yu brought out must be handed over to the village to offset the grain payment."
Don't worry, we officials all follow the magistrate's orders. If Magistrate Zhang says to detain, then we will definitely do so.
However… as you can see, Village Chief Jiang, we’ve only just started, everything is still a mess, and we don’t know how much we can actually get. We’ll have to wait until the accounts here are clear before we take it.”
That was a tactful and reasonable statement, so Jiang Zhi didn't press the matter. She only asked, "If you don't deduct my grain allowance, can I buy some additional materials separately?"
The old official pondered for a moment, then pretended to be hesitant: "Village Chief Jiang, your village is in urgent need of house repairs, and I will certainly help."
The accounts are currently in disarray, and only a portion has been sorted out. It's fine if you take a smaller amount of the grain funds, but it's not allowed if you take more.
If it's for individual purchases, I can squeeze out some bricks.
Jiang Zhi understood; she could pay extra to buy it, but the entire amount couldn't be deducted from the grain payment.
The amount of money I receive for food is similar to using vouchers; you have to spend a certain amount to redeem that amount.
The grain funds are available; this is what the county magistrate requested.
However, these officials' regulations required cash transactions, and it was only by doing so that they could make a profit.
Jiang Zhi fell silent for a moment. Xiao Man, who had come with her, was very angry and whispered, "It's only because Brother Wu and Brother Xiang aren't here that they would have deducted all our grain payments."
With Jiang Zhi as her mother, discussing the medicinal herb business, and having listened to Xia Xiucai talk about the past and present for so long, Er Rui has now learned to be calm and composed.
Knowing that the old official wanted to sell the grain, but worried that his family would demand the full amount of the grain payment, he quickly stopped Xiaoman from speaking: "Let's see first. What he said makes sense. It's not good to take it if the accounts aren't clear. But you should have heard that he said it's okay to buy."
Previously, everyone was worried that it would be difficult to get things from the government, and now the old official indeed made excuses, but said that it was possible to buy them.
Jiang Zhi didn't argue with the old clerk: "Clerk Zhao, then tell me the amount of grain I can deduct, and I'll consider how much more money I need so I can go back and raise it with everyone."
The officials in the county government's household registration office were called "Jingcheng," and they had deputies called "Guannian." The people who carried out the actual work were called "Shuli."
The clerk in front of her was just running errands and speaking for others; he didn't have much decision-making power, so Jiang Zhi didn't make things difficult for him.
Seeing that Jiang Zhi was so understanding, Zhao the clerk immediately took out the account book, did a quick calculation, and said that the total amount that could be deducted from the grain tax was nineteen taels and four mace, which was the entire output of Jiang Zhi's dozens of acres of land for two seasons.
Grain sold to the government naturally didn't fetch a high price, but there were other benefits.
For example, right now, it seems that we can use this money to get cheaper materials from the government, which is more than what we can buy on the market.
Zhao, the clerk, said with difficulty, "Village Chief Jiang, the county government is short of money these days. These materials were obtained with great difficulty. You can't keep them all; you can only divide them among your accounts."
It's like a phone plan rebate, meaning you spend fifty yuan a month to top up fifty yuan. If you need to spend nineteen taels of silver for grain, you'll need to prepare the same amount of cash in addition.
Jiang Zhi said she understood, but added, "Zhao Shuli can't change the price any further."
It's fine if I pay for it myself, but I have to get the insider price.
Zhao, the clerk, immediately assured him: "Village Chief Jiang, rest assured, there are regulations regarding grain payments, which I cannot change. I will definitely make sure you are satisfied with the sales."
"Okay, you prepare all the grain, money and materials for me first, and I'll go back to the village to raise the money."
Jiang Zhi came excitedly, and left bare-handed.
After Jiang Zhi left, Zhao, the clerk, tidied up the account books on the table, and Song, the village head, came out from the next room.
Zhao, the clerk, said nonchalantly, "Old Song, the Jiang family isn't as unreasonable as you say!"
"She's just a village woman with a bit of courage, how did she manage to cause you, a scholar and village head, such a humiliating situation that you're now too ashamed to even see her?"
He felt that Jiang, this village woman, was very perceptive; she understood as soon as he explained it.
Magistrate Zhang did say that grain payments could be used to offset payment for goods, but the county government cannot simply use IOUs to handle affairs.
Moreover, the county government has so many people in the household, including clerks, runners, and laborers, and they all need money to eat. How can a monthly allowance of only one tael of silver be enough?
In this way, he could both withhold grain payments without offending the county magistrate, satisfy the demands of his superior, the manager, and sell timber and bricks, thus making Xujia Village and the brickyard happy.
A sharp knife cuts tofu smoothly on both sides; doing a job to everyone's satisfaction is the minimum professional quality of a junior clerk, and he was in a very good mood.
Song, the village head, tightened his cotton robe and said with disdain, "A gentleman does not quarrel with women and children. Besides, she pays taxes and grain, which is what the government and the people should do. As the village head, I will not stop her."
Zhao, the clerk, did not expose him, but smiled and said, "What you say is absolutely right. Magistrate Zhang even praised you, Song, the village head, for your effective governance."
"You've done an indispensable job in transforming Pear Blossom Town from a wasteland to a place where its people live in peace and prosperity. It seems the position of Pear Blossom Town's head is truly yours."
The displeasure on Song Lizheng's face vanished instantly, replaced by great joy. He bowed to Zhao Shuli and said, "I entrust this to Brother Zhao's kind words! Tonight, I will host a welcome dinner for Brother Zhao at my home."
This was exactly what Song Lizheng had been waiting for.
He had a fight with Xujia Village in the summer. Although it cost a lot of money, it was eventually suppressed and did not leave a bad impression on the county magistrate. He did not come to Xujia Village to cause any more trouble.
But when I heard that the county granary was transporting grain from Xujia Village to pay taxes, I felt a little uneasy.
This woman doesn't understand social etiquette; when something good happens, she bypasses her own position as the village head.
If I had known the news earlier, wouldn't it have been better for me to go to the county government office and make my presence known?
Zhao, the clerk in charge of the post station's supplies, is an old acquaintance of mine, and I must teach Jiang the proper manners.
Zhao Shuli's unexpected and easy agreement to Jiang's request only fueled his anger.
But Zhao Shuli's words, "The county magistrate praised him, and the position of village head is secure," made him very happy again.
Zhao, the clerk, was also a scholar. Although he was just a lowly clerk in the county government, he had the advantage of being close to the source and was better informed than outsiders like himself. It must be true.
Zhao, the clerk, smiled silently at the delighted Song, the village head, and with a single sentence, he appeased the fifth person.
Thinking about the banquet that evening, he felt even better.
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