Chapter 292 Jiangzhou Sima
The warm sun shone on the old eaves of the Jiangzhou Hall.
Ouyang Rong dismounted.
He stroked the horse's mane and handed the reins to his attendant.
"Feed them better fodder."
"Yes, sir."
The attendant prepared to lead the horse to its stall, touched its smooth, dark red skin, his eyes filled with envy. After a moment's hesitation, he turned back and asked:
"It's a divine steed, sir. Why don't you give it a name?"
Ouyang Rong, adjusting his official robes, turned around and looked at the horse, which was even taller than the young attendant beside him.
This horse was a gift from Li Xian and Wei Mei to him as a token of celebration, and Ouyang Rong didn't stand on ceremony.
He didn't pay much attention to it these past few days, and after bringing it back, he rode it directly to his shifts.
Perhaps due to the legacy of the mixed Han and non-Han culture of the Northern and Southern Dynasties, both the Gan and Zhou people loved horses. Most officials rode horses to court or wherever they went, which was a fashionable trend at the time.
He was much like Ouyang Rong in his previous life, a car enthusiast.
"Is this horse rare?" Ouyang Rong asked casually.
The servant nodded vigorously, his face full of envy:
“Master, this is a Ferghana horse from the Western Regions. Ferghana is known for its fine horses, and its horses are known for their sweat and blood... This divine steed is truly exceptional even among Ferghana horses.”
Ouyang Rong took a closer look at the dark red horse.
Tall and slender with long limbs, a thin head and high neck, thin skin and fine hair—well, among horses, he would certainly be considered a handsome man. No, he seems to be female; he would be a beautiful girl.
"Sweat like blood?" Ouyang Rong muttered, "Isn't this the Ferghana horse?"
The servant asked curiously, "The Ferghana horse? What is that name? It's quite fitting."
Ouyang Rong shook his head: "Just kidding, it's fine now. As for naming it..."
A certain person who was terrible at naming things stroked his chin and pondered:
"People say that among men, Lü Bu is the best; among horses, Red Hare is the best. So let's call him..."
"Red Hare?"
Ouyang Rong nodded: "Lü Bu."
Chang Sui: "..."
Ouyang Rong suddenly laughed: "Just kidding, let's call it 'Winter Plum'. It means sweating like blood and being as fresh as a red plum. It's almost the winter solstice."
After saying that, Ouyang Rong walked directly into the main hall of Jiangzhou.
The servant led 'Dongmei' to the stable.
On the first day of the new year, Ouyang Rong went to work as usual.
The Jiangzhou Grand Hall is the main hall of the Jiangzhou government office. A bright mirror hangs high, allowing wronged people to beat the drum and enter the hall for the government to adjudicate their cases.
However, the Jiangzhou Grand Hall was of a higher standard and was usually the place where the governor, chief secretary and other state officials worked and performed their duties, and rarely handled cases.
Unless it's the Jimin Granary Rice Case, or a major or unsolved case that the counties below can't handle.
However, after glancing at the dusty, grievance drum, Ouyang Rong shook his head. He had been working here for a month and hadn't encountered a single case. His biggest feeling here was... boredom.
The officials in the main hall of Jiangzhou were all lazy and idle, each more so than the last.
Where is Lord Wang?
Not seeing the governor in the main hall, Ouyang Rong stopped a minor official in blue robes and asked.
The official in blue robes replied, "The governor summoned two renowned scholars from Kuanglu to the Xumin Courtyard in his residence to discuss the landscape and customs of Jiangzhou and to show concern for the people's plight."
Kuanglu refers to Mount Lu, which is adjacent to Xunyang City.
Mount Lu is renowned for its breathtaking scenery, attracting scholars and poets alike. In the words of Ouyang Rong from his previous life, it is a must-visit spot for internet celebrities in this era.
The mountain is dotted with scenic spots and historical sites, and countless literati, artists, and celebrities have left their mark on it. There are also many reclusive hermits, including those from Confucianism, Buddhism, and Taoism.
Ouyang Rong nodded in agreement:
"What a great show of concern for the people! Lord Wang must be very busy, working every day."
He sat down in the empty main hall at the head of the table. His office was to the left of the governor, since the chief clerk was nominally the governor's first deputy.
Upon hearing this, the minor official in blue dared not utter a sound, pretending not to have heard, and retreated with a forced smile.
Sitting in his seat, Ouyang Rong remained calm as he opened the pile of documents on his desk and began his daily "accounting."
To be honest, Jiangzhou is indeed a good place.
Bordered by the Yangtze River to the north, nestled against Mount Lu to the east, and facing Yunmeng Mountain to the south, this place boasts a unique combination of major rivers, lakes, and famous mountains—a situation perhaps unparalleled in the entire country.
It is said that eyes can convey emotions, and beautiful eyes are the source of the reputation of Xunyang City in Jiangzhou as "the land of beautiful eyes under heaven".
Unfortunately, the political and cultural centers of the Great Gan and Great Zhou dynasties were in the two capitals of Guanzhong in the north, making the picturesque Jiangzhou Xunyang a good place for officials to be demoted.
Officials from the imperial court, when banished to this place, could still enjoy the scenery and relax. It wasn't bad for those who had lost their way to find some peace of mind. Thus, a very unique culture of banished officials developed in Xunyang City.
Yes, this is a new term he recently came up with.
"Heh." Ouyang Rong chuckled and shook his head.
The atmosphere created by the culture of exiled officials in and around Xunyang City is quite interesting; the common people and officials are both equally indifferent.
Moreover, there are many monks and Taoists who roam around Xunyang City. They all like to visit Mount Lu. The Buddhist and Taoist schools of thought are very popular and highly regarded by the people of Jiangzhou.
After all, my buddy has suffered setbacks in life and been demoted, so I'd better stop lying to him and stop mentioning the active Confucianism. It would be better to worship Buddhism and Taoism, and seek solace in spiritual practice.
This is roughly where the "salted fish" (a derogatory term for someone who is lazy and unambitious) atmosphere comes from.
But to say that he had no desire for promotion? No desire to be relieved of his demotion and return to the capital?
That's not necessarily true. Every night, among the newly composed poems at various literary gatherings in Xunyang City, which one doesn't contain the sour allusion of "Yang Yi not meeting his match" and "Zhong Qi meeting his patron"?
It expresses the regret of being talented but not appreciated, having the desire to give up one's pen but having no way to volunteer.
"Feigning illness without cause."
Ouyang Rong pursed his lips, buried himself in his documents, and continued to work hard.
The sunlight outside the main hall gradually rose to its zenith, and the winter morning quickly passed.
Ouyang Rong wielded his brush with great efficiency, completing today's official document task.
He put down his brush, pushed aside a set of counting rods on the table, twisted his wrists, leaned back in his chair, and let out a long breath:
"No problem, all set. I'll cut a bamboo at Yinbingzhai and make an abacus. These counting rods are too cumbersome and outdated. But I heard from my mentor that even the court officials like Master Di use them for accounting. Tsk tsk, how about I send one over later?"
Ouyang Rong muttered to himself for a moment, then turned to look at the sundial in the corridor.
There was still an hour and a half until lunchtime.
Ouyang Rong turned around and looked at the empty seat opposite him.
"It's fine if Governor Wang doesn't come, but where are you, Commander Yuan? You didn't even show up for the morning shift. Are you that confident?"
Ouyang Rong sighed.
He was the Chief Clerk of Jiangzhou, and the seat opposite him, which was to the right of the Governor, should have been the office of the Jiangzhou Sima.
The Jiangzhou Sima was considered an assistant official to the governor, but his position was lower than that of the chief clerk, making him only the nominal third-in-command of the prefecture.
However, unlike the Chief Secretary, due to historical reasons, the position of Sima, who should have been in charge of the troops of a province, gradually lost its military power and was essentially stripped of it by the governor and other official positions.
Becoming an official with a title but no power was a widely recognized, leisurely local position in the Great Zhou Dynasty, and a popular option for demotion.
The current Sima of Jiangzhou is named Yuan Huaimin, and he seems to be a native of Chang'an Jingzhao Prefecture.
I've heard that this person with the surname 'Yuan' comes from a prominent family, but I don't know why they were demoted to Jiangzhou.
Since Ouyang Rong took office, he has seen him no more than twice.
When he first took office, Ouyang Rong could still see him jogging in every morning, still sleepy-eyed, to clock in.
Then he became increasingly absent, often citing "minor illnesses" as an excuse for being late or leaving early.
Well, now look what's happened. This Yuan Sima isn't even showing up for the morning shift.
For each day of absence, half a bushel of salary will be deducted.
Ouyang Rong remained expressionless, took out a roster, dipped his wolf-hair brush in ink, and added a stroke.
He stood up, holding the roster and a writing brush, and left the empty Jiangzhou Hall to inspect the surrounding subordinate offices.
This is also considered part of the daily work of the Chief Secretary of Jiangzhou.
Aside from Wang Lengran being the prefectural governor and having the excuse of 'being considerate of the people's plight,' Ouyang Rong was not really in charge.
In the main hall of Jiangzhou, all officials, including the Jiangzhou Sima, were under his supervision and management.
Ouyang Rong took a stroll around the government office and found that today was not bad; the number of people who came was seven or eight more than yesterday.
In other words, the number of people taking sick leave is seven or eight fewer than yesterday, which is cause for celebration.
Of course, this excludes Sima Yuan Huaimin of Jiangzhou, who was absent without leave.
Strange, what's with this feeling of relief?
Ouyang Rong lowered his head to take notes, a slight twitch at the corner of his mouth.
If this kind of frequent absences and mere attendance to complete tasks had happened in Longcheng County when he was in charge, the county magistrate and his colleagues would have had their salaries confiscated.
However, at present, Wang Lengran is the nominal head of the Jiangzhou government. Since he sets such an example, it will naturally be followed by those below, making it difficult to eradicate.
Furthermore, when Ouyang Rong reported this matter a few days ago, he suggested establishing a penalty mechanism to restrict subordinates from taking leave or leaving early. However, Wang Lengran, as the governor, simply smiled and nodded, brushing it off.
And he said nice things, saying that he would give Ouyang Rong, the Prefect of Jiangzhou, full authority to handle things, and that he would fully support him and let him do his best.
Ouyang Rong was well aware of the old governor's trap.
He remained inactive, refraining from committing any evil deeds for the time being.
After finishing his inspection, Ouyang Rong returned to the main hall, but still couldn't find Yuan Huaimin.
He looked around the empty main hall.
"Absurd." Ouyang Rong shook his head slightly and casually tossed the roll call list onto the table.
It's late December now, and the holidays for New Year's Day and the Winter Solstice are just around the corner.
Logically speaking, the end of the year should be the busiest time.
Now, things have gotten worse; not everyone in Jiangzhou's main hall has arrived.
Ouyang Rong has recently been wondering if he is the only "honest person" in the Jiangzhou government office. Well, he's the only one here to take up an official post; everyone else is here to stay, travel, and enjoy the scenery.
Currently, most of the city's livelihood matters have fallen on Ouyang Rong's desk, piling up high.
Aside from the lucrative position of managing trade at the Xunyang Ferry Maritime Trade Office, it seemed that no one wanted to do other tasks.
Or, to put it another way, those who want to do it don't have the official rank, while those who do have the rank are unwilling or unable to do it.
The former refers to the slick petty officials below the main hall of Jiangzhou.
The latter, such as Wang Lengran and Yuan Huaimin, were scholars who either came from the imperial examination system or were granted official positions through family connections.
Ouyang Rong finally understood why the tens of thousands of shi of grain in the Jimin Granary of Jiangzhou had been emptied by a few rats who had moved mountains like the Foolish Old Man Who Moved Mountains.
The main principle is "governing by doing nothing".
The "residing officials" of Jiangzhou Prefecture seemed less enthusiastic about the affairs of Xunyang City than the shrewd merchants who had gathered from other places.
However, this situation of inaction and negligence seems to be beneficial to Ouyang Rong.
A Jiangzhou Prefect who was willing to take on many responsibilities naturally wielded immense power in Xunyang City, controlling both finances and the people's livelihood.
Wang Lengran, in particular, seemed unconcerned that the Jiangzhou Prefecture's treasury had fallen into Ouyang Rong's hands.
It seems silly, but upon closer inspection, it's actually quite normal.
In this era of feudal imperial power, in the eyes of arrogant nobles and officials, scholars, farmers, artisans, and merchants ranked last, even lower than artisans, and as lowly as actors.
What money bag? That's called an ATM.
Ouyang Rong guessed that in Wang Lengran's eyes, it was probably enough to just hold onto the military power of Xunyang City and the nearby Zhechong Prefecture.
Wang Lengran kept everything tightly under wraps, not allowing Ouyang Rong to get involved in anything involving guns. In particular, the guards near the Xunyang Prince's Mansion were practically imprisoned, and they had to report their movements to Wang Lengran every day.
Ouyang Rong chuckled lightly and continued to bury himself in his documents, carefully calculating the costs for the upcoming Buddha casting project.
About an hour later, the noon bell rang, and Ouyang Rong put down his pen.
"I went out of town this afternoon to scout locations..."
He muttered something to himself and left the main hall.
First, he summoned his servants and they all went to the stable to prepare to lead "Dongmei" away.
Ouyang Rong had just arrived near the stables when his expression froze.
In the stable ahead, a man in green clothes, who looked to be about twenty-seven or twenty-eight, was circling around "Dongmei," occasionally reaching out to stroke her with a dazed expression. He even went over and bent down to change the feed in the trough.
"Dongmei" couldn't stand it any longer, so she snorted and suddenly kicked back with both feet, startling the official in green who fell backward. He got up from the ground, straightened his hat, touched himself, and breathed a sigh of relief.
Luckily, he wasn't kicked, otherwise his first case after taking office would have been fresh off the press.
"Yuan Huaimin, what are you doing?" Ouyang Rong frowned and approached.
"Ah, Chief Secretary."
The Jiangzhou Sima was startled and asked sheepishly, "This...this is your mount?"
"Hmm." Ouyang Rong nodded. "Its name is Dongmei. What happened? Did it offend your stallion?"
"No, no." Yuan Huaimin perked up, pointed at Dongmei, and said seriously, "This is a fine horse. May I borrow it, Chief Secretary?"
"What do you want to do?" After a pause, she gently reminded him, "It's a mare."
"Such a fine steed deserves a poem. I would like to take it back and observe it carefully. Let it wash first, and perhaps I should paint a picture of the steed emerging from its bath."
"..."
Ouyang Rong led his horse away without looking back: "Stay away from Dongmei, she doesn't want to see you."
Dongmei immediately snorted and nuzzled its master's shoulder, as if it understood human nature and was moved to tears of gratitude.
Horse enthusiast Yuan Huaimin immediately followed, pleading, "My lord, please grant my wish..."
Ouyang Rong suddenly turned around: "You didn't show up for your shift? You weren't bothering it all morning, were you?"
"Roll call?" Yuan Huaimin was taken aback, then slapped his forehead, his face contorted in a pained expression: "Ah, I forgot!"
"You're really something." He nodded in praise, then his expression changed a second later, and he calmly said:
"A day of absence will result in a deduction of half a shi (a unit of dry measure) from one's salary."
"Oh, oh, oh, Chief Secretary, please don't be angry. Could you please not record my name? My salary is almost gone, and we're going to have to eat snow on New Year's Eve..."
Yuan Huaimin suddenly clutched his stomach: "Ouch, my stomach hurts today, Chief Secretary, I need to take a day off, a day off..."
How could he be so unreliable?
Ouyang Rong left with a stern face.
You deserve to be the Sima of Jiangzhou.
(End of this chapter)
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