Qing Yao

Chapter 46 A burden falls from the sky

Zhao An was very satisfied. The project, which was personally directed by the county magistrate, was progressing rapidly.

From the education department to the household registration department to the personnel department, forged personnel files and academic certificates were circulated unimpeded as if they had been given a green light.

No department conducted a serious review, and no department raised any objections.

If Zhao An had known that this thing was so easy to do, he wouldn't have had to risk being discovered and forge it.

However, he couldn't get a job in the Taxation Department without a fake diploma. How could he have a chance to show his abilities if he couldn't even get into the department?
It’s hard to say whether it’s a blessing or a curse.

Although the county magistrate approved the forgery largely for the sake of his own official hat, it may also be because he truly appreciates Zhao An's talent. Zhao An must appreciate this favor.

The title of "reborn parents" is absolutely worthy of the County Master.

He is really a mentor, Master Ji, and his parents are County Magistrate Ding.

He was also full of confidence about his future, because the thing he was most worried about was no longer a big trouble for Zhao An after the county magistrate's operation, but a big problem for the county magistrate.

If something really happened, Zhao An would be in trouble, and County Magistrate Ding would not be much better off.

What's the old saying?

Snakes and rats are of the same nest and are in cahoots with each other.

If there really were to be any mistakes, the county magistrate would have solved it for him without Zhao An stepping in.

The weight and power of a seventh-rank official are not comparable to those of him, a person without any rank or official title.

The final result was a happy one.

With the personal protection of the county magistrate, Zhao An's becoming a student of the Imperial Academy is just around the corner.

Sure enough, as soon as the new materials were ready, the county magistrate personally took charge of donating a prison for "Zhao Youlu".

Donating money to become a prisoner is not enough; you also have to fabricate some documents that are acceptable to the officials.

For example, how the donor is eager to learn, how he returns lost property, how he is brave enough to do what is right, how he is kind and generous, how he helps an old man get on a boat, and how he helps an old woman cross the street.
In short, it must be good words, no matter whether it is true or false, just report it.

It’s impossible for the higher-ups to come and investigate.

The relevant materials in this regard were written by Song, the county school teacher. They listed many of Zhao Youlu's deeds that were praised by the world. After reading them, Zhao An felt that he was too great and glorious and felt embarrassed.

He took Song Jiaoyu's materials back to the county government office and asked the county magistrate for approval.

The county magistrate was obviously still a little angry. He approved Zhao An's donation materials with a glare on his face, and then stuffed his own letter of recommendation written against his conscience into the file. He then ordered someone to seal the file and send it to the professor of the provincial school.

The person in charge of education in the county is the instructor, in the prefecture is the professor, and in the province is the education commissioner who can sit in the highest chair.

Once the official school stamps the document, the prefect will issue a "letter of recommendation", and the fake materials can be sent to the provincial government for stamping, and then directly submitted to the Imperial College in the capital.

If it’s fast, the title of “Zhao Youlu” as a student can be obtained in one month, and if it’s slow, it will take at most three months.

During this period, Zhao An was still asked by the county magistrate to preside over the certification department, and from time to time he went to the government office to write some reports to the province for the prefect.

There is nothing serious happening at the Certification Department. They have been looted twice, so it’s time to calm down for a while.

Therefore, Zhao An's main job was to write materials, both for the prefecture and the county. For a moment, he really seemed like a chief secretary exclusively for the prefecture and the county.

Judging from the time, the birthday letter from the Ten-Perfect Old Man should have reached Emperor Qianlong long ago, but there was no news from the capital.

This made the prefect a little nervous, thinking that he had flattered too much.

The two chief advisors, Xia and Zhao, comforted the prefect, saying that no news was good news.

The Emperor had just returned to the capital from the Mountain Resort, and the month-long celebrations for his birthday were about to begin. Accurate information wouldn't arrive until after the celebrations were over. "If the Emperor was dissatisfied with your memorial, he would have issued an imperial decree reprimanding you long ago."

"You can't eat hot tofu in a hurry. Sir, please be at ease. I dare say that there will be good news next month at the latest."

The words of the two legal advisors made the prefect feel a little relieved. He felt that he was too impatient. The emperor's eightieth birthday was a cause for celebration throughout the country. No matter how good his birthday gift was, he had to wait until the emperor was free.

Qiafu School handed over Zhao An's application materials for donating to the Imperial College, but when he was about to approve it, he found that the name was wrong.

Confused, he summoned Zhao An to ask, and Zhao An responded according to the explanation given by the county magistrate and Song Jiaoyu.

The prefect didn't think anything was wrong after hearing this. He just said "Oh" and then laughed and said, "Youlu is a good name, but it's not elegant and it's not suitable for public use."

Zhao An smiled awkwardly. Everyone had different opinions. The Lord of the Mansion thought Lu was vulgar, but he felt it was a blessing.

Have longevity, money, fortune, luck and virtue.
What the masses like is good.

A name is just a symbol. Whether it is Zhao An or Zhao Youlu, as long as he is a talented person who can do things for me, it will be fine.

Without saying anything, the prefect stamped his seal and put the letter of recommendation written by Mr. Zhao into the already bulging "file bag".

On the same day, the files were specially delivered to the Education Office in Jiangning by the government officials.

Zhao An came out of the prefectural yamen while humming the little tune "The sunny day of September 9th comes, and the eighteen-year-old brother sits by the river" all the way back to the county yamen.

When I arrived at the yamen, I found that Teacher Song was also there.

Old Song came to report on his work, regarding the Zhao family.

Under his personal lobbying, the poor Zhao family's parents agreed to "transfer" their deceased son's identity certificate. For this, the county government gave the Zhao family thirty taels of silver out of humanitarian spirit.

This amount of money may not sound like much, but for the Zhao family, whose annual income is only a few taels, it is a huge sum of money.

In particular, the Zhao family owed a loan shark in order to arrange their son's funeral.

After paying off the high interest with these thirty taels, there will still be more than ten taels left, and the old couple can live a better life.

"This is the Zhao family's signature receipt,"

Teacher Song took out the "contract" with the fingerprints of Zhao's parents. The county magistrate took it, looked at it carefully, and nodded with satisfaction.

With this "contract" in place, there is no need to worry about the Zhao family going back on their word.

If the matter really gets reported to the government, the county can also use this "contract" to charge the Zhao family with extortion.

In other words, as long as the Zhao family accepts the money and still makes trouble, the county magistrate will have plenty of ways to deal with them.

"Old Song, you have made great contributions to this matter. This county will remember it."

There is no need to say anything extra. You, Old Song, will definitely have a share in the money distribution, and your reputation in the year-end assessment will definitely be top-notch.

Zhao An was completely relieved. As long as the Zhao family did not make trouble, his position as Zhao Youlu would be a sure thing.

Unexpectedly, Teacher Song turned around and glanced at Zhao An, then said to the county magistrate with some embarrassment: "But the Zhao family has a request."

The county magistrate smiled and said, "What request? As long as it's not excessive, this county can help them. If they want to be exempted from the land tax, they can ask the household department to exempt his family from this year's summer tax."

"It has nothing to do with the land tax,"

Teacher Song coughed lightly and his gaze fell on Zhao An's face, who was also curious. "The two elders of the Zhao family said that whoever takes the name of their son will support their daughter-in-law and granddaughter."

(End of this chapter)