Chapter 3332

Zhang Zhidong's example is considered relatively good, at least there was a real reason for writing. Many officials' run-pen fees have reasons that can be ignored, such as writing couplets and characters for gift-givers, naming the gift-givers' sons, etc., or even having no reason at all, and they accept money sent in the name of run-pen fees without hesitation.

By the mid-to-late Qing Dynasty, gift-giving suddenly became simple, and gift-givers didn't need to ponder how to give at all. Because at that time, a complete set of gift-giving systems and culture had already formed in officialdom. Entering officialdom, as long as one followed the rules, one could give gifts smoothly and harmoniously. For example, the "Three Festivals and Two Birthdays"—subordinates had to give gifts to superior officials. For example, "welcoming and sending off"—officials had to give gift money to each other, and the names for gift-giving were also very pleasant, not touching on words like money, revealing a sense of elegance. When high officials left their posts, officials had to see them off; when colleagues set off, officials had to see them off. These names sounded like they were full of human touch, making it hard for people to refute, and even more inconvenient to investigate strictly according to the law. Moreover, the expenses for these items could be listed under the public funds of the yamen; why wouldn't the officials be happy to do so?

In various official exchanges in the late Qing Dynasty, it was inevitable to tuck a silver note into official documents. The Qing Dynasty anecdote collection "Shiye Yewen" says that when late Qing frontier ambassadors paid tribute to the Empress Dowager and the Emperor to show their filial piety, they had to tuck silver notes into the gift list; on the Emperor's birthday, when submitting memorials to the Forbidden City to congratulate him, they had to tuck silver notes into the memorials. These silver notes were all taken by the handlers in the yamen, who were equivalent to the personal attendants around leaders today. To give gifts, one had to start with the personal attendants. If you didn't tuck silver notes, they would delay submitting your congratulatory memorial by a few days, so the Emperor wouldn't see your filial piety. Each yamen had a set of execution standards for the specific amount of gift money. In "The Bureaucracy," there was a newly appointed official who offended his superiors and colleagues because he didn't get the gift money standards for various welcoming and sending-off activities in his yamen, and finally stepped down in gloom.

In the late Qing Dynasty, which had a gift-giving system, people in officialdom didn't need to worry about the channels or safety of gift-giving. Everyone was happy. If someone wanted to express extra sincerity or loyalty, they just needed to add money on top of the standard. Originally, for a prefect's birthday, a subordinate magistrate only needed to give one hundred taels of silver. If a certain magistrate offered two thousand taels of silver as a birthday gift, plus a famous painting to ask for "appreciation," the prefect would immediately understand what this magistrate meant for him.

These gift-giving methods and channels derived from ancient times, with the development of society, have gradually formed a set of complex gift-giving methods in modern officialdom, and catering to preferences remains the most popular way of gift-giving in modern officialdom.

Zhao Desan knew that Qiu Qiming wanted to use him to understand Sister Su's hobbies first, so as to cater to her preferences and strive for successful gift-giving. Once Sister Su accepted Qiu Qiming's gift, it meant that Sister Su would speak a few words for him regarding his promotion.

Zhao Desan squinted his eyes slightly and pondered for a moment. For a while, he couldn't think of what hobbies Sister Su had. Having lived with her for more than two years, Zhao Desan really didn't seem to have noticed any particularly obvious hobbies of Sister Su. As the Minister of the Provincial Organization Department and Deputy Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee, Sister Su was usually too busy with work. When she returned home at night, the two of them would watch TV together, chat, and cuddle in bed, and the day would pass. He really couldn't think of any special hobbies Sister Su had for a moment. He racked his brains, shook his head, and said: "I really don't know what special hobbies my cousin has."

Hearing Zhao Desan say this, the smile on Qiu Qiming's face dimmed slightly, and he said: "Then... then old brother really doesn't know how to express himself to Minister Su..." Catering to preferences was one of Qiu Qiming's specialties. The reason he was able to invite He Fengnian out for dinner that day was, on one hand, because He Fengnian felt it wasn't good not to give face since Zhao Desan had invited him, and on the other hand, because Qiu Qiming knew He Fengnian had a hobby of collecting watches. Before this, he had visited three times, each time presenting expensive watches of different styles. Although he had spent the equivalent of over 100,000 RMB back and forth, it was presented just right and deeply won He Fengnian's heart. Although he had spent so much, for Qiu Qiming, as long as he could successfully be promoted to the position of deputy bureau chief and enter the municipal bureau's leadership team, 100,000 was just a drop in the bucket and not worth mentioning.

Listening to Qiu Qiming, Zhao Desan glanced at the beer bottles on the table. Two bottles of beer were already bottom-up. For some reason, he felt he hadn't had enough, so he turned his head and shouted to the bar: "Bring two more bottles of beer~!"

Seeing that Zhao Desan hadn't had enough, Qiu Qiming suggested: "Little brother, why don't we two brothers have some hard liquor? You don't have anything to do this afternoon, right?"

Zhao Desan smiled slightly and shook his head, saying: "Let's just have some beer. In case there's something at the unit this afternoon, it won't delay things."

Qiu Qiming nodded with a smile. When asking someone to do something, of course, one had to go along with them in everything.

Soon, a young waitress brought two bottles of beer. Just as the waitress placed the beer on the table, Zhao Desan inadvertently saw the emerald jade bracelet on the waitress's wrist. His heart gave a jolt, and he suddenly thought of the last time he met Sister Su, when the jade bracelet on her wrist accidentally fell to the ground and shattered, which made Sister Su very regretful. From the pained expression on Sister Su's face at that time, Zhao Desan could tell she liked that jade bracelet very much. Jade—Zhao Desan's eyes moved, and he said to Qiu Qiming: "Old Brother Qiu, why don't you try using better jade, for example, a bracelet or something? I think cousin should be quite interested in this."

Qiu Qiming, who was worrying about having no way to give gifts, suddenly heard Zhao Desan say this, as if he had discovered a new continent. He looked at Zhao Desan with glowing eyes and said happily: "Really?"

Zhao Desan poured a glass of wine, took a sip, and said: "You can try it first."

Thus, Qiu Qiming firmly kept Zhao Desan's reminder in his heart, preparing to find an opportunity to visit Su Qing. While thinking happily, he poured a glass of wine, raised the glass, and said: "Come, brother, thank you so much for this matter. Once it's done, old brother will definitely thank you well."

Zhao Desan smiled slightly and said: "No need to thank me. I didn't help much. Instead, little Fang girl helped you a lot. Once you become a deputy bureau chief, old brother, just make little Fang a formal staff member."

Hearing Zhao Desan speaking for Fang Qi, Qiu Qiming moved closer to Zhao Desan, hugged him, and whispered in his ear: "Little brother, don't worry about this. As long as it's something you, little brother Liu, say, old brother will definitely do it, hehe..."

Zhao Desan knew that even without him personally stepping forward, Qiu Qiming would definitely tell Fang Qi that he had spoken for her. A beautiful woman like Fang Qi who knew how to be grateful would definitely take the initiative to throw herself into his arms to repay him, hehe... Thinking of the alluring body that was faintly visible when Fang Qi was bathing behind the frosted glass door that night, Zhao Desan's heart was already a little itchy.

The next morning, Zhao Desan was sitting in his office, picking up the document signed between the District Party Committee/District Government and the Lin Construction Group to study it carefully. Because of this major matter, after Zhao Desan returned from the system training in the city, Gao Haiping didn't report it to him. Zhao Desan remembered this matter early in the morning and called Gao Haiping to the office to ask about it. Although he didn't explicitly criticize him, between the lines, Zhao Desan still showed his majesty to Gao Haiping, clearly telling Gao Haiping that in the future, such major matters must be reported to him at the first opportunity. Seeing Zhao Desan's very bad complexion, Gao Haiping realized that he must have been holding a grudge against him because of this matter, so he could only nod obediently and then slink out of Zhao Desan's office.

"Knock, knock, knock..." Shortly after Gao Haiping left Zhao Desan's office, there was a knock on the door.

Zhao Desan responded nonchalantly while looking at the document in his hand: "Come in!"

The door was pushed open slowly with a "creak," and Liu Yue appeared at the office door, a tender smile on her pretty face, sending autumn waves to Zhao Desan with her bright, watery eyes.

Seeing Liu Yue's somewhat infatuated look, Zhao Desan felt a burst of pride and asked with feigned seriousness: "Liu Yue, is there anything?"

Liu Yue had a graceful smile on her face and said gently: "Someone is looking for you."

Zhao Desan couldn't help but frown slightly and asked with some doubt: "Who?"

Liu Yue turned her head to signal outside the door. Immediately, a familiar middle-aged man appeared at the office door. Zhao Desan looked closely and found it was Qiu Qiming, with whom he had just eaten yesterday, standing at the office door with a smile.

Zhao Desan quickly got up and greeted him enthusiastically: "So it's Old Qiu... Captain Qiu, come in and sit, come in and sit." Zhao Desan was originally used to calling him "Old Brother Qiu," but suddenly felt it was not very good to show too close a relationship with Qiu Qiming in front of Liu Yue, so his mind turned, and he immediately changed it to an official title.

Qiu Qiming said with a beaming smile while walking in: "Director Liu is very busy."

"No matter how busy I am, I still have to entertain you, Captain Qiu." Zhao Desan said with a smile.

Saying polite words, he walked out from behind the desk, greeted Qiu Qiming to sit on the sofa, and sat down on the sofa opposite him.

Hearing Zhao Desan call this middle-aged man "Captain Qiu," Liu Yue knew that this man was a leader of some unit. Being extremely tactful, she took the initiative to pour tea for Zhao Desan and Qiu Qiming and brought it over.

"Liu Yue, alright, you go do your work. I'll call you if there's anything." Having met Qiu Qiming just yesterday, and having said what needed to be said and made the suggestions that needed to be made, he came to the unit to find him personally today. Zhao Desan felt there must be something going on. With Liu Yue present, it was not very convenient, so he used tactful words to try to send Liu Yue away.