"I need to think about this more. I know of a few places, and it's up to you to choose."
After Fu Changfeng finished talking with Lord Hu, Madam Hu invited them to stay for lunch before returning home.
"Well, what did Lord Hu say?" As soon as she entered the room, Xichun was eager to know what she had gained that day.
"Lord Hu told me about several places, all of which are local government offices, but the advantage is that they are close to home. One is a county town under Juzhou in Qianzhong Circuit, another is Wanzhou in Shannan Circuit, and the third is Lanzhou in Longyou Circuit, but that place is even further away than the first two."
Officials are subject to a recusal system; they cannot return to their hometowns to take up positions. Therefore, if they cannot secure a good official post, it is better to stay closer to home.
“I’ve heard of these three places. Before they were subjugated, Juzhou in Qianzhong Road was under the jurisdiction of the local chieftains. The chieftains were very powerful, and ordinary officials had no power. Wanzhou in Shannan Road is said to be a mountainous and forested place. As for Longyou Road, I think it’s really far from home.”
They felt the three places were all about the same and couldn't decide for a while. Xichun then told him to consider it himself and that she would go wherever he chose.
As for places like Jiangnan Road and Huainan Road, they have relatively convenient transportation and abundant resources, which are good resources that they cannot seize. If they try their best to obtain them, they will probably not be able to get them. It is better to settle for second best.
"Well, I need to think about it carefully. I'll discuss it with Brother Zeng. I wonder how Brother Zeng's inquiries have gone." Fu Changfeng thought for a moment and realized that he really couldn't make a decision, so he went to see Brother Zeng. He had just returned from visiting him.
"I don't have any good news either. Our two families are in similar situations, both doing business. After asking around for a while, I found that my thoughts are similar to yours. Let's think about it carefully."
After discussing it for a long time, the two finally decided on the place they wanted to go.
"I discussed it with Brother Zeng, and I have decided to take up an official post in Wanzhou, Shannan Circuit," Fu Changfeng told Xichun upon his return.
"Alright, then you should talk to Lord Hu tomorrow and ask him to help us make peace. Remember to bring a gift; you can't go empty-handed." Xi Chun agreed after hearing his suggestion.
"I thought everything would be smooth sailing after the exams, but I never imagined the real test was just beginning. I wonder what the situation will be like in Wanzhou." Fu Changfeng and Xi Chun lay on the bed. The mental pressure before the exams hadn't made him toss and turn like this, and he was even having some insomnia.
"The officialdom is naturally a more complex environment than studying, and we still need to adapt to it. I hope that we can get through our terms smoothly in office in the future."
“I think it will be difficult. I heard from Lord Hu that these places are all quite remote. Many of them are far from the emperor’s reach. We don’t know how difficult it will be for us to deal with. I think we should ask for leave to go home and see our parents after the appointment letter is issued. By the way, I want to select a group of lawyers and clerks from home. We can’t go without our own people.”
“I think it’s a good idea. We’re not familiar with the locals, and if something happens, we might not be able to prevent it. It’s better to choose some of our own people.” Xi Chun also thought his idea was feasible.
The two didn't fall asleep until late at night. The Zeng family was in the same situation. Being an official is a difficult choice; there are always concerns about which option to choose.
The next day, Fu Changfeng brought gifts and waited until Lord Hu finished his shift before coming to tell him about his choice.
“I didn’t expect these places to be so popular. Now the vacancy in Shannan Circuit has been filled, and you only have Juzhou and Lanzhou to choose from. Why don’t you choose another one?” Unexpectedly, Lord Hu told him that Wanzhou had already been chosen.
“Then I’ll choose Juzhou. It’s close to home, and if anything happens, I can bring my family here.” Fu Changfeng thought for a moment. This was the second choice he and Xichun made yesterday.
"Alright, don't worry, I will definitely try my best to get it for you this time. These days, all the successful candidates are looking for connections, and if you're too late, someone else might take their spots first. Don't worry, just stay home and wait for my news. Once it's confirmed, I'll send someone to find you."
"Thank you very much, Lord Hu, for your trouble." Fu Changfeng also expressed his sincere gratitude.
“It’s nothing. We’re all from the same hometown, and you’re my father’s student. It’s just a small favor. The court knows about these things and won’t punish us for it, unless it’s a place like Jiangnan with abundant real estate, where people will fight tooth and nail for it. I’ve heard many colleagues mention this these days.”
Lord Hu was already quite pleased that Fu Changfeng didn't choose some county or town that he couldn't reach due to his unrealistic expectations. In the capital, there were countless fifth-rank officials like him. If Fu Changfeng's demands were too high, he wouldn't be able to meet them either.
Fu Changfeng returned home to wait for news. Finally, on the third day, Lord Hu sent his personal servant to report that his request had been granted and he had been chosen as the magistrate of Shaoming County, which was under the jurisdiction of Juzhou.
There was also good news for Zeng Jinshi: he was appointed magistrate of Xihe County, Chengzhou, Longyou Circuit.
With both of them finding a place to go, the weight on their hearts was finally lifted. Xichun and Sister Cao bought some vegetables to celebrate. Fu Changfeng also invited Xie Jinshi to be a guest. Now that he was the son-in-law of Lord Xu, Lord Xu would naturally take care of his future.
"Now that Lord Xu has arranged a place for me, it's in Ruzhou, Henan Province. Our official positions are finally settled. Come, let's have a drink. I haven't dared to relax these past few days, and I can only feel at ease now that everything is settled."
The scholar Xie's name was Xie Biping. Since he became Lord Xu's son-in-law, many of his fellow examinees invited him to go out and play, but their words implied that he had climbed up a high branch and was no longer the same. Only Fu Changfeng and his companion treated him as before.
"We'll be scattered all over the country from now on, and who knows when we'll be able to meet again. Come on, let's have a drink to celebrate the friendship we've built up over these past few days." Zeng Jinshi was in high spirits at this moment, finally releasing all the pent-up emotions he had been suppressing since arriving in the capital.
"Yes, we brothers have been through thick and thin together. I just hope that the future will be the same as it is now. I wish you both a bright future and hope you will help me out when you do."
"Haha, no problem, no problem. I wish us all the best in our careers." The three of them drank until midnight. Xi Chun didn't realize until midnight that Fu Changfeng had returned drunk.
Five days later, their appointment letters finally arrived. Fu Changfeng took the opportunity to inquire and learned that the court was still very considerate of them. Newly appointed officials were given a month's leave and only needed to return to their posts within the specified period.
Fu Changfeng and Xichun didn't linger any longer. Both families bought a lot of gifts from the capital to give to their families back home. After that, they canceled their lease and hurriedly went home together.
As for Xie Biping, he has already written home. He will only go home after holding a wedding this time, and thanks to his father-in-law, he was able to take more leave.
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