A few days later, soone in Pingshui Town discovered that Wang Erlai and the other two, who used to freeload on food and drink and act like scoundrels everywhere, seed to have disappeared.
Not seeing a trace of them for several consecutive days, so people said that these three scoundrels might have gone to another town.
Others said that the Songliu Water God had opened his eyes and taken away these three shaless things.
Regardless of which possibility it was, the commoners in the town hoped to never see these three people again.
A few more days passed, and Chu Xun received a ssage sent by soone from the county office, telling him to go see the County Magistrate Tang Shijun.
Before leaving, Zhang Anxiu specially changed him into a newly made jacket.
According to Village Chief Li Shoutian, once Chu Xun went and ca back, he would be Secondary Guest Chu.
In the surrounding dozens of miles, there were very few who could have the title of Secondary Guest.
Her own man was striving for success, so Zhang Anxiu naturally wanted him to dress more decently.
She had entrusted Lin Qiaoxi to cut three zhang of fine white cotton cloth from the old fabric shop in Pingshui Town, and then invited Old Man Chen from the east end of the town, who had been making clothes for over thirty years.
The stitches were fine and dense, and the fabric was thick but not stiff. Although it wasn't eye-catching silk or satin, because Chu Xun's figure was tall and straight, it didn't lose the steadfastness of a farr.
After repeatedly straightening the corners of his clothes, Zhang Anxiu took a few steps back to look, and nodded in satisfaction.
Chu Xun smiled, walked over, and kissed her on the forehead, "Wait for to co back."
Zhang Anxiu gave a soft "mm" and watched her husband leave, her eyes full of infatuation.
She had liked Chu Xun since she was a child, even back when Chu Xun's house had only four bare walls and he hadn't yet shown much ability.
To this day, it had never changed.
After Chu Xun had been gone for a long ti, Zhang Anxiu entered the woodshed and took out the dicine bottle hidden behind the stove.
She poured out a grayish-brown pill, conveniently stuffed it into her mouth, and swallowed it with water.
Then she stroked her belly and muttered, "Why is there still no movent..."
Not long after, Chu Xun arrived at the county office.
The Registrar Zheng Xiuwen, who had received the news early on, had been waiting here for a long ti.
Seeing Chu Xun, this eighth-rank Registrar smiled and took the initiative to step forward to greet him, "Master Chu, long ti no see, have you been well lately?"
Although his rank wasn't high, he was ultimately an official appointed by the imperial court.
This behavior was already giving him a considerable amount of face.
Chu Xun cupped his hands and said, "Thanks to Your Excellency's blessing, life is still passable."
Zheng Xiuwen said cheerfully, "That's good. Lord Tang is already waiting in the back hall, go quickly. I still have to welco a few people here, so I won't go with you."
"Very well, please do as you wish, Your Excellency."
After cupping his hands again, Chu Xun stepped into the county office.
The yan runners or officials coming and going would all politely cup their hands and greet him as "Master Chu" or "Ordinary Guest Chu" when they saw him.
Chu Xun didn't neglect them either, returning the greetings one by one.
Entering the back hall, he saw Tang Shijun standing there.
Hearing the footsteps, Tang Shijun looked up, then waved at Chu Xun, "Ordinary Guest Chu, co quickly, let show you a good thing!"
Having been the County Magistrate in Zhangnan County for five years, Tang Shijun had gone from a young man in his twenties to now sporting a handlebar mustache.
On his face, there was a bit more maturity and prestige.
In the room, various calligraphies and paintings were hung.
They were all personally done by Tang Shijun. He was a scholar, even more skilled in calligraphy and painting, and had even given himself an elegant na—Mr. Huaitang.
This was written in the "Odes of Shao - Sweet Pear Tree", "Flourishing is the sweet pear tree; do not clip it, do not cut it down! It is where the Duke of Shao rested. Flourishing is the sweet pear tree; do not clip it, do not destroy it! It is where the Duke of Shao rested. Flourishing is the sweet pear tree; do not clip it, do not bend it! It is where the Duke of Shao halted."
It was to commorate the Duke of Shao from hundreds of years ago, who was said to have practiced benevolent governance, a famous virtuous and honest official deeply loved by the commoners.
Tang Shijun's elegant na was taken from the allusion of "the legacy of love from the sweet pear tree."
Chu Xun had always had a very good impression of this quite ambitious County Magistrate, and walked over as told.
Tang Shijun showed him the thing he was holding in his hand and said with a smile, "This was sent from Qingshui Town, a good thing rarely seen in a thousand years! I plan to present it to the Emperor to highlight the abundance of agricultural products in our county. What do you think?"
Chu Xun looked down. The good thing Tang Shijun spoke of was a stalk of rice.
But unlike ordinary rice, the ear of this stalk was simply too long, actually approaching two feet.
The rice grains were densely packed, frighteningly nurous.
Ordinary rice ears were at most no more than a foot, far inferior.
No wonder Tang Shijun said it was a good thing and wanted to present it to the Emperor; it was indeed rarely seen.
However, after Chu Xun looked at it, he shook his head and said, "This commoner feels it is inappropriate."
Tang Shijun raised his eyebrows slightly, "Why is it inappropriate?"
If soone else had said it, he might only feel displeased, but just as Chu Xun appreciated him.
This County Magistrate also appreciated Chu Xun very much, so he was even more curious why he said so.
Chu Xun said straightforwardly, "Such an extraordinary object is rarely seen. If His Majesty sees it, he will indeed be delighted. He might reward Your Excellency with so gold and silver, and with the Dragon Heart greatly pleased, promotion in rank and title would also be a matter of course."
"But has Your Excellency considered, if His Majesty is overly delighted and requires you to grow such rice ears throughout the entire county, what should you do?"
Tang Shijun was startled; he really hadn't thought of this possibility.
But thinking about it carefully, it wasn't necessarily impossible.
Chu Xun continued, "Since it is a rarely seen extraordinary object, it is naturally difficult for it to appear universally. If you don't plant it, it is defying an imperial decree. If you can't grow it, it is deceiving the sovereign."
"If Your Excellency has this confidence, you should naturally present it to the Imperial Throne Room. If you have no confidence, you still need to consider it carefully."
These words made Tang Shijun's face change as he listened.
What Chu Xun said, every word pierced the heart.
As a County Magistrate, he had frequently gone down to the villages to inspect farmland personally over the years, so he had quite a bit of understanding.
Of course he understood that such rice ears couldn't be grown casually.
In the whole world, there might only be this one stalk, and even after a hundred years, a second one might not appear.
If he really presented it and the Emperor issued a decree, would he accept it or not?
Whether it was defying an imperial decree or deceiving the sovereign, both were capital cris of confiscating property and exterminating the clan!
Although this was only a possibility and not a certainty, being in officialdom, how could he not understand the principle of advancing step by step and treading on thin ice.
As the saying goes, accompanying the sovereign is like accompanying a tiger. No one can guess the Emperor's thoughts, and those who are officials must tremble with fear and be cautious in their words and actions.
It is better to do nothing than to make a mistake.
Moreover, his political achievents had been remarkable these past few years, and who knows how many pairs of eyes were staring at him. It was hard to say if soone would deliberately trip him up as soon as he stuck his head out.
If this possibility really occurred, his ambitions would vanish into thin air.
His clansn would die and their paths would be extinguished.
Thinking of this, Tang Shijun couldn't help but break out in a cold sweat.
Looking again at the rice ear in his hand, he only felt it was like a terrifying poisonous snake.
How was this so extraordinary object? It was clearly a deadly poison that would take his life!
But Tang Shijun didn't discard this rice ear. Instead, he called soone over and ordered them to mount the rice ear.
In the future, he would hang it at the head of his bed in his bedroom and look at it every day to remind himself to be prepared for danger in tis of peace and to think thrice before acting.
After pulling Chu Xun to sit down, Tang Shijun personally poured him a cup of tea.
After each took a shallow sip, Tang Shijun couldn't help but ask, "You have never entered officialdom and have lived in the countryside fields all year round. Why do you understand these things?"
Chu Xun smiled and said, "There are many principles in the world, but very few are worth pondering deeply. The most important principle, when laid bare, is nothing more than the two words, life and death."
"When life is bitter, one will think more about such principles. I've made Your Excellency laugh."
Tang Shijun listened in a daze. After carefully savoring these words, when he looked up again, he was sowhat amazed.
"You co from a humble background, and haven't studied to take the imperial examinations. I'm afraid it has caused the imperial court to bitterly lose a talent."
These words were already an extrely high evaluation.
After all, the County Magistrate before him ca from the background of a Second Place Graduate.
Under the whole heaven, there were very few who could enter his discerning eyes.
Tang Shijun didn't say any more unnecessary words and said, "We will talk about idle matters another day. Inviting you here today is only for one matter."
Saying this, Tang Shijun stood up and cupped his hands in a bow towards Chu Xun.
"It has been nearly six years since the refugees rented land. Ordinary Guest Chu has contributed a great deal to Zhangnan County. This official thanks you on behalf of the commoners of the entire county."
"Today, I wish to invite Ordinary Guest Chu to advance to the position of Secondary Guest, to benefit a region, be an exemplar for the commoners, and a pillar of the world!"
[End of Chapter]
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