Chapter 210: Selling and Buying Official Positions

Who was monitoring him? It wasn't Wang Gui, nor was it Liang Shi.

Raising messenger pigeons in this era wasn't easy. It required extremely professional training starting from young pigeons, with training goals progressing from simple to complex, near to far, and daytime to night.

Maintaining a messenger pigeon force required a strict organization and significant human, material, and financial resources. This was absolutely beyond Wang Gui and Liang Shi's capabilities.

Could it be the White Dragon watching him? Impossible, because this monitoring had started several years ago, and at that time, the White Dragon had no idea who he was.

This left only two possibilities: either his uncle who held a high position in the Jing Dynasty, or his birth mother whose whereabouts were unknown.

As for the person who drove the Taotie last night...

Chen Ji stood in the room, watching Xiao Man busy herself outside. She had just placed the kettle on the stove and was now using the time while waiting for the water to boil to sweep the dust and fallen leaves in the courtyard into a pile.

Chen Ji asked in a low voice, "Wuyun, do you think she's an official messenger?"

Wuyun meowed, "Doesn't seem like it... Do you believe she's an official messenger, or do you believe I'm an immortal?"

"Right," Chen Ji muttered to himself, "Would a proper official messenger willingly do servant's work? Let's test it, we'll know after a test."

The sound of steam escaping from the kettle came from the ear room. Xiao Man put down the broom in her hand and ran back into the ear room like a gust of wind, carrying out a basin of warm water. "Young master, it's time to wash up! I'll properly tie your hair later, you're going to attend Zhang Fu's promotion banquet at noon!"

As she spoke, Xiao Man swayed as she carried the water basin out of the ear room. Chen Ji went over. "Let me do it, this water basin is quite heavy."

Xiao Man quickly said, "No need, no need!"

Chen Ji ignored what she said and took the water basin himself. As the two of them stood in a stalemate, the water was about to spill out. Xiao Man was forced to let go.

Just as Xiao Man let go, Chen Ji also released his grip.

The water basin fell between the two of them. Chen Ji didn't look at the water basin but looked at Xiao Man.

Time seemed to slow down. The water basin fell to the ground little by little. Xiao Man's eyes widened little by little. She wanted to reach out and catch the water basin again, but it was too late.

With a bang, the water basin hit the ground. Hot water splashed out from the edge of the basin, wetting Xiao Man's cloth shoes.

"Ah!" Xiao Man exclaimed and jumped to the side.

Chen Ji quickly said, "Sorry, sorry, it's my fault."

Xiao Man also quickly said, "How is it your fault, it's my fault."

Chen Ji: "Hmm?"

Xiao Man said mournfully, "Blame me for not having four arms."

Chen Ji: "..."

He pondered in his heart. Could it be that the official messenger who drove the Taotie really wasn't Xiao Man?

Xiao Man lowered her head to look at her wet shoes and said aggrievedly, "Just don't cause trouble. Let the servants do the things that servants should do. Why are you always rushing to do the work?"

Chen Ji looked at Xiao Man and apologized, "Sorry, just... don't you wish you could do less work?"

Xiao Man was slightly startled. She said in a low voice, "You don't understand. For people like us who were sold to human traffickers when we were young, the first thing we were taught was that we must be useful. Only by being useful will a master buy us and avoid being beaten by human traffickers; only by being useful will we be liked in the master's home and not be sold to others again."

Chen Ji was silent. "Useful" seemed to be the philosophy of survival that Xiao Man had learned from a young age.

He asked, "Do you still have shoes you can change into?"

Xiao Man said casually, "Of course I do."

Chen Ji thought for a moment and then said, "Then I'll take you to Zhang Fu to eat a good meal today, as compensation and apology."

The corner of Xiao Man's mouth curved up, but she mumbled, "I'm actually not that greedy."

Chen Ji said, "I heard there's not only seafood, but they also specially invited a master chef from the Welcome Immortal Building."

"Really?" Xiao Man's eyes lit up. Then she said with a slight worry, "Young master, won't madam not let you attend Zhang Fu's banquet? According to the rules, you are an illegitimate son and shouldn't attend the main banquet."

Chen Ji smiled, "Don't worry, she won't."

On the 13th day of the twelfth lunar month in the 31st year of Jialiang, at noon.

Cuiyun Lane was hung with lanterns and colorful decorations. The ground was covered with the red shredded paper flowers left after firecrackers, which were particularly bright and eye-catching.

The young servants of Chen Fu and Zhang Fu stood at the door carrying baskets, giving candied sour plums to the children and "lucky money" to the passing men, women, old, and young.

When the "lucky money," which was copper coins wrapped in red paper, was handed out, the common people stuffed the copper coins into their bosoms and casually threw away the red paper. Red paper flew all over the street, creating a joyful atmosphere.

At noon, the young servants from each family carried congratulatory gifts and hurried over.

In front of the main gate of Zhang Fu, a young servant stood still. When someone came with a congratulatory gift, he would pick up the gift list and announce at the gate: "Old Master Wang Changgu of the Hui Merchant Association presents six pairs of pearls from the South Sea, one pair of red coral, one branch of jade ruyi..."

"Old Master Qiao Dezhong of the Jin Merchant Association presents twenty silver winter melons, one gold Buddha of Maitreya..."

The queue of people waiting to give gifts all changed their expressions upon hearing the announcement.

A manager turned around and walked away, muttering in a low voice as he walked, "This Zhang Zhuo's eating appearance is really too ugly. Which official dares to receive gifts so openly?"

A young clerk beside the manager said curiously, "Boss, aren't we sending gifts?"

The manager said unluckily, "How can I not send? I'm going back to the warehouse to prepare another gift! I heard that this Master Zhang has a photographic memory. Being laughed at by peers is a small matter, but if this Vice Minister of Personnel keeps it in mind, I'm afraid he'll be deliberately made things difficult for every day!"

"He's from the Personnel Department, he doesn't manage us..."

"You understand nothing!"

Compared to the liveliness of Zhang Fu, Chen Fu was slightly quieter.

The congratulatory gifts entering Chen Fu were discreetly carried into the backyard by Liang Shi, along with the gift list, and collected. They would be tallied after today.

Although the banquet today was originally held to receive gifts, the Chen family considered their reputation and were unwilling to appear so overtly materialistic.

Liang Shi stood in the main hall. She faintly heard the sound of congratulatory gifts being announced in Cuiyun Lane and then lowered her head to look at her family's gift list, which was obviously much shabbier.

In fact, the congratulatory gifts sent to Chen Fu were all things that ordinary common people could not earn in several lifetimes, but people were always afraid of comparison. No matter how much they got, as long as they got less than others in comparison, they were dissatisfied.

The maid Dongzhi stood by, looked at Liang Shi's face, and said in a low voice, "The Zhang family is too shameless, actually accepting bribes in broad daylight. An official from a small family indeed lacks foresight."

Liang Shi listened to the sound of the gift list being announced outside the mansion and said casually, "Master Zhang has received money for so many years without incident, which is also his ability."

Dongzhi mumbled, "What ability? Doesn't he still have Xu Ge Lao protecting him?"

Liang Shi said in a low voice, "Don't be rude. Master Zhang is now an official of the Personnel Department, you need to show some respect."

As she spoke, Chen Liqin walked out of the room wearing a crimson-purple stand-up collar robe. He wore black boots and a black gauze hat with a tile edge, looking noble and imposing.

Liang Shi praised, "Old master usually doesn't dress up when he goes to the river dike, but now that he's tidied up a bit, he already has the appearance of a government official. I think in a few years, he will definitely be able to enter one of the Six Ministries and take charge as a minister."

Chen Liqin smiled and said, "Madam, you absolutely must not say such things in front of outsiders, it will just make others laugh and say that I, Chen Liqin, am an official-obsessed person. Now, as the Vice Compiler of the Hanlin Academy, I just need to wholeheartedly assist the Crown Prince."

Liang Shi adjusted his collar. "Old master is like a pillar in my heart, even those ministers can't compare. With you assisting the Crown Prince, when the Crown Prince ascends the throne, you will definitely be able to fulfill your wish and display your ambitions. Didn't the head of the family arrange this position for you just to pave the way for you?"

Chen Liqin's face was full of smiles. "It's strange, originally the family's arrangements for my promotion were repeatedly obstructed, and the Imperial Secretariat also made things difficult in every way. Now I don't know how, the palace suddenly agreed to let me take this position. Perhaps it's because my governance of the river was meritorious and caught His Majesty's eye."

Liang Shi smiled joyfully, "Old master has now entered His Majesty's eye, which is a double joy."

Chen Liqin asked, "What were you just chatting about?"

Liang Shi's eyes flickered slightly. "I just sent Dongzhi to call Zong and Chen Ji, planning to take them to attend the banquet together, so that Chen Ji knows that the old master has him in his heart."

Chen Liqin said with gratification, "I was originally worried that you and Chen Ji wouldn't get along as mother and son, but now I see that you are reconciled as before and can even recite Buddhist scriptures together, which has relieved my heart. However, today's occasion is not suitable for bringing Chen Ji. It is a rule in our Ning Dynasty since ancient times that concubines and illegitimate children cannot be seated at the main banquet. If he had an official position, it would be fine, but now that he hasn't obtained an official position, bringing him to the banquet might make outsiders think that our Chen family doesn't understand the rules."

Liang Shi held Chen Liqin's arm and said hesitantly, "Old master, are you really not bringing him? What if he thinks I, his mother, am narrow-minded?"

Chen Liqin patted the back of her hand. "It's not a big deal. Chen Ji has understood these rules since he was young, and it's been like this for so many years, he won't overthink it."

As he spoke, he said to the young servant, "Instruct the kitchen to add two dishes for Chen Ji today and send a pot of wine. Tell the kitchen to be careful and not neglect him."

The young servant stammered a bit, "Old... old master, the third young master went out early in the morning."

Chen Liqin was slightly startled. "Where did he go?"

The young servant quickly said, "Miss Zhang the second came over and called him to go next door to help."

At this moment.

In front of the side door of Zhang Fu, young servants led in officials who had come to give congratulatory gifts discreetly: the main door was for merchants, and the side door was for officials. Officials giving gifts were naturally not so high-profile.