Chapter 13: Improvement

Words : 1294 Updated : Sep 10th, 2025

Chapter 13 - 13: ImprovementQingshui County Government Office. The sunshine was pleasant, just like Historian Li's mood at present. He walked briskly to the inner hall, "I have come to see the Old Master." "Gongpu, you are an archivist now. There's no need for such grand formalities when you see me." County Magistrate Wu looked at Li Gongpu with a smile. The recent purge of the Taohua Temple not only brought in a fortune but also settled the account with the treasury silver. Sёarᴄh the Novelƒire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The one thousand taels of official silver collected by Dong Dahai and the other treasurers added up, with eight hundred taels making their way into his own pocket. All these benefits made him appreciate Li Gongpu more and more. Li Gongpu: "It's all thanks to the Old Master's nurturing that I am where I am today, how can I forget my roots." "Ha ha, you are a sincere person. By the way, what are you holding?" County Magistrate Wu made small talk, noticing that Li Gongpu had come to see him with a matter in mind. Having matters is good. A subordinate reporting, whether the news is good or bad, is a way of getting closer to him! He's afraid of those who make their own decisions without reporting to him. Like Zhao Xiong before, who seemed obedient on the surface but actually did not take him seriously at all. Of course, being third-rank Jinshi, it's normal for his career to have limits. Just for the position of County Magistrate, it took him unimaginable efforts. As the saying goes, three unfortunate lives lead to governing a county seat. Qingshui County is indeed the seat of Jiangning Prefecture, otherwise, a large county like this would not fall to a third-rank Jinshi like him to become County Magistrate. Li Gongpu then took out a storybook and handed it to County Magistrate Wu, without saying directly who wrote it. The storybook wasn't long, and County Magistrate Wu's education couldn't be compared to those prodigies from Hanlin Academy. But in a local position, he could finish reading it quickly as if with weaker opponents, he was overpowering. County Magistrate Wu first pondered, then suddenly smiled and said, "I have only done some trivial things, how can I deserve such praise, but..." He changed his tone, "this poem is truly well-written, the friend who wrote this storybook has great talent." It turns out, at the end of the storybook, the main character, County Magistrate Wu, recites a poem, "In the magistrate's quarters I lie, hearing the bamboo's sigh, suspecting it might be the sound of people's distress; Though we are but minor county officials, every branch and leaf bears the weight of concern." This single poem alone, in the eyes of County Magistrate Wu, was worth a fortune. The scholars hold reputation in high esteem, if this poem could spread from his own mouth, it would surely win him a good name, and even fame for generations to come. Especially since this poem was tailored to him. It depicted his life, his integrity, it depicted him... Brilliant! The more County Magistrate Wu recited it in his mind, the more he savored it endlessly. Li Gongpu remembered Xu Qing's instructions, his face turned still, "Isn't this poem written by the Old Master himself?" County Magistrate Wu then had a sudden realization, laughed out loud, and warmly grabbed Li Gongpu's sleeve, saying, "Gongpu, my good brother, look at my memory, I completely forgot about this poem I wrote myself, good that you reminded me." Seeing County Magistrate Wu's smiling face, Li Gongpu felt a great sense of relief. He hadn't expected that Xu Qing's storybook would truly hit the mark as he had said, touching the Old Master's heart. Before, Xu Qing said that this storybook would have an even bigger effect on the Old Master than the previous purge of the Taohua Temple. Initially, he did not believe it, but now he had no choice but to. "The Old Master is so devoted to public affairs, naturally, you don't have the time for private concerns. One can truly say you forget your personal interests for public duty!" Hearing the words "private concerns," County Magistrate Wu's eyes gleamed. "I, this dull man, am no saint, I don't deserve such praise for 'forgetting personal interests for public duty.' By the way, who is the actual author of this storybook?" "It is my unworthy nephew." "Has he participated in the examinations?" A scholar with the title of Scholar is qualified to participate in examinations, County Magistrate Wu's question was clearly a probe. "No, this boy has read too many miscellaneous books and neglected the classic texts, he was just recently expelled from the academy." Li Gongpu replied truthfully. He didn't know why Xu Qing wanted him to reveal the fact that his nephew was expelled from the academy, but his nephew was cunning and surely had his reasons. County Magistrate Wu smiled: "Not bad, this storybook is well written; it's obvious that he hasn't been concentrating on the classic texts. But the Imperial Examination is the true path, after you go back, you must urge him to study hard." In truth, writing storybooks, in the current cultural atmosphere, is indeed regarded as not engaging in proper work. But Xu Qing did it deliberately; it was easier to explain his expulsion from the academy to County Magistrate Wu. Because the storybook was well-written, it showed Xu Qing was intelligent, but it was his indulgence in miscellaneous books that led to him neglecting the classical texts and his expulsion from the academy. This way, County Magistrate Wu wouldn't think of Xu Qing as useless. Moreover, the poem written by Xu Qing earned extra points. With all this, the issue of Xu Qing's prior expulsion from the academy was resolved in County Magistrate Wu's eyes. In the future, even if Xu Qing's classmates from the academy pointed out after the county examination that Xu Qing lacked genuine talent and learning, County Magistrate Wu was unlikely to believe them. And this would also deepen the relationship with County Magistrate Wu further. Li Gongpu, obviously unaware of all the thoughts Xu Qing had in mind, opportunistically said: "My nephew has recently been diligently studying and is preparing for this year's county examination. However, he has wasted too much time before, and in my view, he is biting off more than he can chew this time. It's a good thing for a young man to suffer a bit." County Magistrate Wu smiled mildly: "It's good for a young man to have ambition. Besides, the county examination is just the first hurdle of the Imperial Examination, and it's not very difficult. He still has two months to prepare, and I can see your nephew is clever, he might not fail to achieve something in this county exam. I have a piece of advice for him, take this back to him. A scholar must not lack fortitude, for the responsibilities are heavy and the path ahead is long. Tell him to keep striving. However, as the chief examiner of the county examination, it would not be appropriate for me to see him before the exam." ... "A scholar must not lack fortitude, for the responsibilities are heavy and the path ahead is long." Xu Qing murmured the phrase, then smiled at Li Gongpu, "Did the County Master really have you bring this message to me?"

Chapter 13: Improvement

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