cite Han

Chapter 22 Conversation

After Liu Jing finished reading the letter, Zheng Dang offered to resign. Liu Jing sent him out, and then went to see his stepmother Zhang and sister-in-law Lai Ci, and told them that he was about to leave the county government at the end of this month.Seeing Huan Jie today, the matter is settled.

Because they had revealed their tone before, they were already mentally prepared, so they didn't show too much surprise.

"Zhongda, you're gone, what about the family's fields?" Mrs. Zhang asked hastily.This is her biggest concern.

Liu Pan had already assured him of this before, so Liu Jing said in a calm and unhurried manner: "Your Majesty, there is no need to worry. In order to let me have no worries, my elder brother Liu Yuanlong promised to let his servants take over the house after I took office. farm work."

"That's good." Zhang's heart was put back into his stomach immediately, and at the same time, a little strangeness inevitably appeared in his heart.Liu Jing was favored by Liu Pan, and in the future, let alone a prosperous career, at least he would have a worry-free future, just like his brother Liu Yuan back then, completely out of her control.

No matter how reluctant she is, Zhang has to admit that her two stepson have extraordinary talents and virtues.

How enviable!

Then Zhang looked worriedly at her son Liu He next to her. As a mother, she certainly hoped that her son would also be an outstanding person, but he was already 11 years old, and he hadn't shown any extraordinary talent. , when he gets older, he will definitely be compared with the two elder brothers...

Liu Heke didn't know that his mother was worrying about his future, so he said with a bitter face: "Brother, you are not at home, what should I do if I have a problem with A Li's study?"

Since the elder brother returned home, he and his sister have made rapid progress in learning, which is all thanks to the careful teaching of the elder brother.

Liu Rao nodded in agreement, unwilling to let Liu Jing leave from the bottom of his heart.

Liu Jing patted the heads of his younger brother and younger sister, and said, "Ah Ruo, A Li, don't worry, you read books on weekdays, and write down when you encounter confusion, and I will explain it to you when I come back from Xiumu."

Liu He and Liu Rao nodded reluctantly.

Sister-in-law Lai Ci asked from the side, "Zhong Da, I don't know what job you will have?"

Liu Jing replied: "No accident, I will be the secretary."

"Shuzuo is mainly in charge of document writing and other things. Your elder brother started as a meritorious scholar. Zhongda, how about you? Are you going to be a meritorious or a subordinate?"

It's not surprising that Lai Ci would ask this question. Liu Pan, as a member of the county government's five officials, would naturally find a good place for Liu Jing to find a good place for Liu Jing.

Liu Jing shook his head and said, "Neither of the two, I'm going to work in the city."

"Ah! Isn't the marketplace a place that gentlemen should stay away from?!" Lai Cimei's eyes widened, Xin Dao Ji Shu's choice was really unexpected!However, she felt that although Uncle Ji was young, he had always had plans, and there might be some special reason, so she didn't ask any more questions.

"The market is good, the market is good..." Liu He and Liu Rao clapped their hands and applauded. Their idea is very simple. Brother is working in the city, so they will have an excuse to go to the market in the future.

"It's not wise to choose to live in the market and hang out among merchants without taking so many promising positions." Zhang was not satisfied with Liu Jing's choice, completely forgetting that her ancestors also started as cloth sellers .

Liu Jing smiled and said nothing. His choice has been questioned by too many people. As the saying goes, there are too many lice and it doesn't itch.

In fact, I don’t blame everyone. Since the Spring and Autumn Period, the traditional concept of the market has always been a place where villains gather and compete for profit.In addition, executions of prisoners were also carried out in the city, which was considered an unclean place.

During the reign of Emperor Wu of the former Han Dynasty, Liu Bo, the prince of Changshan Kingdom, was accused of "carrying around the city with a woman" as a disrespectful act.

Now times have passed, people's thinking has gradually changed, and "market tour" has become a new fashion among officials. On holidays, officials often go to the market in groups of three or four. City tour, no shyness.

Of course, it is limited to this, and there are very few people who are willing to serve in the city.

But Liu Jing didn't care what other people thought, as long as he thought his choice was right.

Seeing that the room suddenly fell silent, Lai Ci quickly changed the subject and said: "After all, the secretary is just an official with a meager salary. However, Zhong Da will live alone in the official house in the future, and get along with colleagues and friends on weekdays. He must have no money. On behalf of Mrs. Deng, the supervisor presented funeral money and hardware, which made the family a lot more comfortable, Zhong Da may wish to bring some money with him when he takes up his post."

When going out, money is used everywhere, especially in the officialdom, which is even more costly. When Liu Yuan was an official, Lai Ci had to sell part of the dowry in order to prevent her husband from living too hard.

Liu Jing was greatly surprised when he heard the words, and directly called Deng's wealth and wealth.

Mrs. Zhang did not shirk this time, and promised to give [-] yuan to Liu Jing.

She has a stingy personality, but is also a shrewd person. She will never do business at a loss. Liu Jing is just like Liu Yuan in the past. Once she is in office, she will immediately become the pillar of the family.Taking out [-] dollars today is to gain more in the future.

The meaning of Spring and Autumn: "Mother is more expensive than son." Stepmother is also a mother.

"Thank you, Mother." Liu Jing thanked Mrs. Zhang and accepted the money honestly. Unless he planned to be a clerk who would devote himself to his work and ignore foreign affairs, he would not be able to support him without his family in the first place.

The late Cui Jian, a famous scholar in Youzhou, said in his book "Politics" that a county magistrate in charge of a land of hundreds of miles "gets twenty millet and two thousand dollars for one month's salary."

If there is no servant in the family, it needs to spend [-] yuan a month to hire a servant to take care of daily life, [-] yuan for fodder and meat paste, [-] yuan for firewood, and salt vegetables. If the monthly money has been used up, the normal income is not enough at all. The cost of supplying winter and summer clothes, offering sacrifices in four seasons, and drinking with guests, not to mention supporting parents, wives, concubines, and children.

As the head of a hundred miles, the county magistrate feels that life is difficult, and he can't even guarantee the minimum living. If he doesn't use his brain to increase extra income, does he want his family to go hungry?

This is what the imperial edict of "Han Shu·Jingdi Ji" said: "Officials use bribes as a market, fish for the people, and invade the people."

Officials' chariots, horses, and clothes all come from the common people. Honest officials can satisfy their daily needs, while greedy officials let their families benefit along with them.So treacherous officials cleverly set up names, searched for money, harmed the government and harmed the people, and everyone in the country complained about it.

In any case, Liu Jing still has some pursuits in his heart. He has insisted on integrity in modern times, and he will not break the principles when he returns to ancient times.

However, Shuzuo’s monthly salary is only more than three dendrobium rice and hundreds of dollars. It can only be said that he has more than enough to make ends meet, and he has more than enough for other things. The money given by his stepmother Zhang can be regarded as a solution to his worries.

Sister-in-law Lai Ci said again: "Zhongda, it's a benevolent act to pledge the book to save the neighbors, but sister-in-law feels that it is inappropriate to pledge the book to the market. Now that the family is not short of money, how about redeeming the book?"

Zhang's complexion suddenly became a little ugly, as if hesitating to speak.

"Thank you sister-in-law for your kindness. However, I was the one who insisted on pledging a letter to save people. I should find a way to pay back the money myself. How can I use the wealth of the family to solve my difficulties?"

Liu Jing categorically rejected his sister-in-law Lai Ci's proposal.

At this time, only a few days have passed since he "saved the neighbors with pledged books". If he redeems the mortgaged books now, people will think that he is putting on a show to gain fame, and his good reputation that he has painstakingly managed will inevitably be damaged.

Stepmother Zhang let out a sigh of relief, and said to Lai Ci: "Since Zhong Da has this ambition, let's follow his will."

Uncle Ji refused, so Lai Ci didn't say anything more.

After talking about the matter, Liu Jing got up to say goodbye to Mrs. Zhang and Lai Ci. After returning to the dormitory, he picked up Deng Yuan's letter and read it carefully again, feeling a lot of emotion for a while.

This fiancée of mine is not only beautiful in appearance, but more rare is she is beautiful and intelligent. To be able to marry such a wife is definitely a blessing in a previous life.

Deng Yuan mentioned in the letter that the day he left Shizhou County, the two would be able to fulfill their marriage contract. It stands to reason that Liu Jing can propose to Deng's marriage now.However, he still decided to wait a year or two to talk about it. His current status is too low. If he wants to marry a daughter of the Deng family, even if he is a commander of the county, the level of facial features, and the postal supervisor, there are still some shortcomings. It is best to be promoted as a county. Xiaolian and Zhou Maocai have become the slaughter of Baili, and they will live up to the trust of Deng's beauty.

Of course, Deng You, the "cheap father-in-law" at present, is not clear about his intentions, and his approval must be obtained first.

(End of this chapter)