Chapter 143 How Come I'm Just a County Magistrate...?
In the warm spring of March, able-bodied men tilled the fields, and the labor force for building dikes on the north bank of the Yellow River was greatly reduced, leaving only a thousand people digging mud and sand on the banks where the river water had not yet submerged.
Du Min stood on the newly built river embankment, gazing at the river in a daze, until a familiar voice entered his ears, bringing him back to his senses.
"Lord Du, are you going home or not?" Du Li called out from the carriage.
Du Min lifted his official robe and walked down the steps of the outer embankment. He approached the carriage and said, "You've finally returned. If you hadn't, I would have taken Wang Zhou to Luoyang to look for you."
"He's causing trouble again?" Du Liteng offered him a seat.
"I've mentioned it a few times." Du Min, also sitting in the carriage, leaned inside. "Second Sister-in-law, was the journey alright?"
"My bones are aching from lying down, but everything else is fine." Meng Qing leaned against a cushion. "After this trip back, I probably won't be going out this year."
“I’ve asked someone to buy a cage of carrier pigeons and keep them at the yamen. If anything comes up, you can send a message by pigeon. If you encounter any problems, have the manager come to Heqing County to see you,” Du Min said.
Thank you for your thoughtfulness.
Du Min found her overly polite manner nauseating, gave a fake laugh, and left the carriage.
“Why do I see saplings transplanted on the dike? There are quite a lot of them. Aren’t you planning to use them for farming and planting wheat?” Du Li asked.
“It’s not suitable,” the Sihuzuo reminded me. “Planting wheat requires tilling the land year after year. Once the soil is loosened by plowing, the dike will not be strong.” Du Min explained, “After six months of building a ten-mile-long dike, the Sihuzuo led people to measure it and set aside forty mu of permanent land for planting fruit trees and mulberry and hemp. This land was then distributed to ten adult males who had not yet received any land.”
Du Li realized, "I'd forgotten that tilling does loosen the soil. Sigh! I've almost forgotten how to care for the land."
“I’m not going anywhere else, and you don’t need to leave with me. Stay in Heqing County this year and work on figuring out how to grow rice,” Meng Qing said from inside the car.
Du Min suddenly let out a long sigh.
"Why are you sighing?" Du Li asked, displeased.
“I have a problem I can’t solve. The riverbed will flood again this spring, and it won’t be exposed again until winter. That’s another six months. Where am I supposed to get the mud to repair the dikes? Digging from the mountains and transporting it to the riverbank is not only time-consuming, but also requires hiring oxcarts and donkey carts to haul the soil – a real waste of resources and manpower. I’d like to dig ditches to bring Yellow River water to the fields, and use the excavated mud to repair the dikes. That would kill two birds with one stone, but digging ditches requires buying land from farmers, which is another huge expense.” Du Min had been holding back for a while. He turned his head and asked, “Second Sister-in-law, do you have a way to solve this problem? Something that will allow me to get the mud without spending any money?”
Meng Qing thought for a moment and then answered, "No."
Upon arriving at the county government office, the three of them disembarked one after another, and the driver drove the carriage back the way it came.
Wang Zhou was still in class at the primary school. Meng Qing and Du Li didn't disturb him. The two of them ate some tea and snacks to fill their stomachs first, while Du Min sat aside, pondering his own affairs.
Half an hour later, the elementary school ended, and Wang Zhou and his classmates ran out one after another. As usual, he saw the teacher and classmates off one by one. Just as he was about to ask the servant if his third uncle had returned, he heard a long-lost cough in the dining room.
Wangzhou rushed in like a little colt, and upon seeing his parents in the dining room, he shouted, "Mom, when did you get back?"
"Half an hour ago," Meng Qing replied, "I saw you were in class, so I didn't disturb you."
Wang Zhou snorted a few times, then shuffled over, saying resentfully, "I turned seven yesterday, and none of you came back."
“We were supposed to come back, but something came up and we were delayed,” Du Li explained. “Although we couldn’t come back, we haven’t forgotten your birthday, and we’ve already prepared a birthday gift for you.”
Meng Qing untied one of the bundles on the table. Inside were a piece of Huizhou ink, a black jade inkstone, two purple-tipped brushes, and a purse she had embroidered herself. “May my son be safe and sound every year.”
Du Li picked up the purse and tied it around Wang Zhou's waist, saying, "Your mother isn't good at needlework, but she still wanted to embroider a pretty purse. She took it apart and patched it up, ruining three before finally getting this one. Only you are worthy of her putting in so much effort. I wanted one too, but I ended up with three ruined ones."
Wang Zhou chuckled.
Du Min picked up the black jade inkstone from the bundle. The jade was clear and transparent, and its color was like ink. The light that shone through the window frame fell on the inkstone, like winding watermarks.
"It's quite expensive, isn't it?" Du Min asked, glancing at the boat. "Do you even know how to use it? Don't waste it. Your third uncle will keep it safe for you for a few years."
“No!” Wang Zhou refused. “These were a gift from my parents.”
"Mmm, I know, I won't fight you for it..."
"You're trying to take it from me."
"I'll keep it for you for a few years, and I'll return it to you when you grow up." Du Min picked up the inkstone, got up, and ran away.
Wang Zhou took off after him.
“And another one! Third brother, you’re one of them,” Du Li shouted.
"You should have said so earlier." Du Min immediately returned the black jade inkstone to Wang Zhou.
"Have you no shame? Stealing your nephew's things," Du Li cursed.
Du Min reached out his hand, "What about mine?"
Meng Qing took out a larger black jade inkstone from another bundle and said irritably, "I was thinking of giving it to you as a wedding gift."
"Thank you, Second Sister-in-law." Du Min bowed, holding the inkstone, and then bowed to Du Li. "Thank you, Second Brother."
Du Li was displeased. "How dare you steal your nephew's birthday gift?"
"Look at what you're saying, I was just keeping it for him." Du Min denied it. He happily took the inkstone and left, ordering, "Good nephew, bring me your Huizhou ink, let's try this ink together."
Wang Zhou actually ran in and took away the ink stick and the purple writing brush. Du Li and Meng Qing exchanged a glance. After a short while, he followed into the study and saw the two purple writing brushes hanging on two separate brush holders.
Clearly, the uncle and nephew had already agreed that each would receive a pen.
Du Min glanced at Du Li and hinted, "Wang Zhou, when your third uncle receives his birthday gift, he'll give you half of it too."
“From now on, every October, remind your third aunt to prepare a birthday gift for your third uncle.” Du Licai will not give him a gift.
The boat should be well.
“My birthday isn’t in October; I celebrate it earlier each year, on the first day of the third month,” Du Min said shamelessly.
Du Li was so angry she laughed.
Du Min picked up the ink stick and shook it. "I'm missing one. Remember to make it up to me."
Du Li left immediately.
“Your parents are really biased,” Du Min said to Wang Zhou.
Wang Zhou took a deep breath.
Du Min laughed heartily, ruffling Wang Zhou's hair. "Why aren't you saying anything?"
"I don't want to talk to you." Wang Zhou wiped the inkstone clean and then took the inkstone to wash it in the water basin.
Du Min handed over his own inkstone as well, saying, "Wash this one too."
Wang Zhou did as instructed.
"Come out for dinner," Du Li called from outside.
Du Min responded, and after Wang Zhou finished his work, the uncle and nephew went out together.
At the dinner table, Meng Qing mentioned Master Konghui and Chief Secretary Yin, saying, "Third brother, if there's an opportunity in the future, could you help my uncle gain some influence? He has great potential, and if he's ever favored by a noble person, you and Wangzhou will both benefit from his presence."
“Okay, I’ve got it.” Du Min agreed.
"There's one more thing I'm unsure about, and I'd like to ask for your advice. Do you think I should suggest to Minister Zheng that he arrange for a group of minor officials to learn how to make paper-mache funerary objects, and then have them go to various prefectures and counties to establish free schools to promote paper-mache funerary objects?" Meng Qing said. "Or should we continue with my current approach and hire managers to go to various places?"
"Why did you suddenly have this idea?" Du Min asked.
“There are Buddhist temples everywhere. If paper effigies and funerary objects are associated with Buddhism, the officials should be willing to buy into it. I think this is an opportunity. It would be much more effective for the newly appointed scholars from various regions to work with the temples to create momentum than for the officials to travel a long distance to figure it out on their own,” Meng Qing explained. “To be honest, a prefecture has four to seven counties, and the Tang Dynasty has more than three hundred prefectures. I alone cannot make free schools spring up everywhere. Besides, I can’t control them all. I can’t take your second brother to inspect every free school every year. The money earned doesn’t go into my pocket.”
After Du Min finished eating, he took out a handkerchief to wipe his mouth and asked, "Second sister-in-law, why are you in such a hurry? Just like you said, it's not like we're making money for you. Whoever collects the money should worry about it. This is the Ministry of Rites' responsibility. Just do things your way. If there are any changes at the Ministry of Rites, just cooperate accordingly."
“This is not like your usual style. How can you gain the appreciation of your superiors? You should share their burdens in advance.” Meng Qing shook his head. “No matter how prestigious the reputation of the charity school is, it has become associated with profit and commerce. Officials may look down on it. They may not value the development of the charity school. They only care about making a profit.”
I want to use this opportunity to build momentum for myself. If my plan is adopted, not only will it grant an official position to many candidates waiting for the imperial examinations, but the amount of money collected in donations within a year or two will also be considerable, perhaps reaching millions of strings of cash. In that case, Minister Zheng's position as prime minister will be within my grasp, and I can even ask him to request rewards for me. Perhaps the emperor will even bestow an honor upon me." Meng Qing's thoughts became clearer as he spoke.
Du Min sat up straight, picked up the cold tea he had brewed before the meal, and took a big gulp. The coldness suppressed the turmoil in his chest. He calmly analyzed, "There are two difficulties. First, the matter of granting official positions falls under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Personnel. This matter was initiated by the Ministry of Rites, and the free schools also fall under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Rites. In the end, the Ministry of Rites will gain both fame and profit, while the Ministry of Personnel may not be willing. The dispute could drag on for years. Second, regarding you, there are already heads of free schools in various places. What will you do? Will you only be in charge of the free schools in one county? This is equivalent to weakening your relationship with the Ministry of Rites and reducing your influence."
“The manager sent out to build schools this year will definitely make the schools profitable within a year. By the end of the year, the combined profits of a dozen or twenty schools may reach one or two hundred thousand strings of cash. Once the Ministry of Rites receives the money and suddenly realizes the value of the schools, will they arrange for a minor official to manage the schools with your second sister-in-law and swallow up the fruits of her hard work? If it really comes to that, wouldn’t they have lost their advantage? Her influence will still be weakened.” Du Li proposed another possibility.
“That’s certainly possible,” Du Min agreed. He rubbed his face, stood up, and paced around the dining table, saying anxiously, “How come I’m just a county magistrate? If only I were the Minister of Rites or the Minister of Personnel! Such a big piece of fat meat has been swallowed up by outsiders! It breaks my heart!”
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