Chapter 1042: Making Mischief

A prefecture government is a massive entity. It has a Prefect and an Assistant Prefect who jointly manage the prefecture's affairs. There are also Signatory Judges or Judges, Chief Secretaries or Dispatchers, and Trial Judges. Then there are the Record-Keeping Military Advisors, as well as the slightly lower-ranked Judicial, Legal, and Household Military Advisors. Their ranks are roughly equivalent to a county's Registrar or County Commandant, though their actual status is certainly higher. Collectively, they are known as the "Judicial, Legal, Registrar, and Commandant" officials.

These people are the high-ranking officials of a prefecture. The Prefect and Assistant Prefect issue orders, while the others manage their own departments, specifically handling the "Five Offices": Military, Personnel, Justice, Water, and Works. Each has a person in charge, or they are concurrently held by high-ranking officials. Below them are various levels of low-ranking or even unranked minor officials, leading a large group of contract-based clerks. These people below carry out the work within the prefecture, conducting specific production, construction, and tax collection activities.

As for the local troops, that is a separate system. There is some overlap, but it is not close. After all, when a military officer meets a civil official, their official rank is automatically reduced by one grade. A military officer who isn't impressive enough might even be reduced by two grades.

The commander of the Hangzhou Garrison troops couldn't even get a seat at the table in front of Wang Yan and the others. Even the low-level office clerks below could bully a bunch of military officers. Of course, if it were a military officer from the Imperial Guard, the treatment would be better; after all, that belongs to the regular army and is much more impressive than the Garrison troops. Even if the status of a military officer is low, it is only relative; it's not as if anyone can bully them whenever they please...

Naturally, there were no military officers at the gathering of high-ranking prefecture officials like Wang Yan, and certainly no other low- or mid-level officials. The lowest-ranking attendees were the Registrars and County Commandants of Qiantang County. That is to say, the people who were with Fan Zhongyan in the morning, plus the core members of the Qiantang County administration.

Except for Fan Zhongyan, the Prefect, who had no interest, all the other prominent officials in Qiantang County arrived. Even the Qiantang County Magistrate, whose actual status was higher than Wang Yan, the Assistant Prefect of the prefecture, came to participate in that evening's gathering to welcome Wang Yan.

As for Fan Zhongyan not coming, no one dared to have an opinion, and no one dared to say a single word of nonsense. A big shot is a big shot. Even if a tiger falls to the flatlands, no one would be foolish enough to seek trouble for themselves.

The banquet went very smoothly. As for some matters within the prefecture and some affairs at the imperial court, everyone only briefly mentioned them. The conversation mainly revolved around Wang Yan, chatting about romance and flattery about how impressive Wang Yan was.

There was no direct embarrassment because it wasn't time to get down to business yet. Everyone just wanted to lift Wang Yan, the nineteen-year-old top scholar and superior official, up high first. Later, whether it was making him a scapegoat or fooling him in his work, it would be easier to manipulate him.

The intentions of this group of old foxes were quite sinister.

This is a very normal thing. No one is willing to soften their stance toward a newly arrived superior, obey orders, and listen to commands. Moreover, everyone has their own position, their own interests, and even the interest groups they represent. Even if Fan Zhongyan were here, his words wouldn't necessarily be fully effective. Everyone would only respectfully accept Fan Zhongyan's instructions, but when it came to execution, it would become a different story.

Since ancient times, the central government and the local governments, local governments and other local governments, and the internal parts of local governments have never been a single, unified block. This is why there is the saying that "politics is the art of compromise," because through constant struggle and mutual concessions, a result that is barely acceptable can finally be reached.

In the end, it is still a matter of people's positions.

Wang Yan, of course, would not be fooled by them, but he didn't show much of a reaction either. Anyway, no matter what they said, he just chatted along, and he could chat very well. Not only was he not blinded by the flattery, but he also went to flatter others. Who could be better at bluffing than him?

Although they didn't talk about any other important matters, this meal wasn't just idle chatter. In the end, it was still mutual probing. In the time it took to finish a meal and wine, Wang Yan had already roughly grasped what kind of players these officials were and what their relationships were like. This is part of the so-called political ecology and the foundation for forming alliances.

Of course, Wang Yan didn't need it too much. He was just simply stabilizing the situation, not wanting to be targeted by everyone.

"How was it today, my lord? I heard from Father that entering officialdom for the first time means people will make things difficult for you."

Seeing Wang Yan return to the room smelling of alcohol, Hualan imitated the way her mother treated her father, considerately taking off Wang Yan's outer robe. She watched as Wang Yan decisively took off his inner garment, wearing only the large shorts he had made himself, still revealing his strong muscles.

However, Hualan was already used to it now and no longer blushed.

Wang Yan smiled and said, "It's alright. They want to kill me with kindness. But these are all minor problems. The main thing is that Fan Gong thinks I'm a bit impatient and wants to temper me. He didn't assign me any duties and had me look at account books for a day."

"Haste makes waste. My lord is still young, so just be at ease in your duties, and you will always get ahead. No, you have already gotten ahead. As long as you are cautious and don't make any mistakes, there will always be a time when you hold power."

"Does my lady think your husband is impatient?" Wang Yan smiled, soaked his feet in the hot water brought by the young maid in the house, and asked, "Where did you go to play today?"

"I toured the West Lake with Fan Gong's wife and went up the tea mountain. I also went to look at the incense shop and other shops for business. In a few more days, they will be able to open."

The Song Dynasty prohibited officials from doing business. Furthermore, the scholar-official class looked down upon commercial affairs. But as everyone knows, it's useless. The scholar-officials who look down on commercial affairs all have people in their families doing business.

Which dynasty or generation hasn't prohibited civil and military officials from doing business? Even a thousand years later, the prohibition is the same, but they do what they should do and earn the money they should earn. It's just using someone else's name and getting a few more gloves.

Wang Yan followed the local customs. Everyone who had heard of the incense shop knew that this business was his. It had even become a supplier of palace goods for the imperial harem, and Wang Yan had specifically opened a new series for the royal family. It was only sold to members of the royal family; no one else could buy it.

This was already considered open and aboveboard, and no one came to deal with him. Of course, if they really wanted to deal with him, it would be useless. He still had other names he could use to evade supervision. No one would really be serious about it; after all, everyone is unclean, and that would just be looking for trouble for themselves. Everyone just muddles through like this.

"That's good. Don't trap yourself in the inner courtyard. Go out more and take a look. You must bring guards, and don't go too far from the city. Although the world seems peaceful, there are still many dangers. I will familiarize myself with the situation these few days, and then I will go out and play with you."

"That would be excellent." Hualan nodded happily.

"Has everything in the house been settled?"

"Ping'er and the others, along with Sister-in-law Youjin, have all been settled."

"Tomorrow, have someone go to Fan Gong's mansion to pass a message and send the family chef over to learn."

"I already told Fan Gong's wife today, and someone will come tomorrow."

"With such a virtuous wife, what more could a husband ask for?"

Hualan laughed, "Fan Gong is famous throughout the world, virtuous and respected, and he thinks highly of you, so we must not forget that."

"Exactly. In the words of Father-in-law, this is our family's backer, so everything must be done thoroughly."

"Actually, Father is also very difficult. In the past, the family fell on hard times, and it was Father who studied hard, which is how he managed to hold up the family's reputation. So it's inevitable that he is cautious in everything, fearing that one wrong step will lead to total ruin."

Hualan still understood her own father very well, and the facts were indeed just as she thought. The current Sheng family was tied to the person of Sheng Hong; they were nothing in the capital, but in the provinces, they were already a proper, wealthy household. They dared not stir up trouble, seeking only stability, fearing that their wealth and status would vanish in a single day.

The husband and wife chatted and then fell asleep in each other's arms...

The next day, Wang Yan arrived at the office and had only just checked in when he was called over by Fan Zhongyan.

"Fan Gong." Wang Yan bowed respectfully.

"Sit down and speak."

"Yes."

After Wang Yan sat down and the minor official serving tea left, Fan Zhongyan asked with a smile, "How does it feel?"

"It's alright."

"Did you gain anything from the banquet yesterday?"

"All the colleagues were very enthusiastic."

"Lies."

Wang Yan smiled and said, "If I were at Fan Gong's mansion, I would say that they have sinister intentions, want to kill me with kindness, and their words are full of contempt and lack respect. If I don't discipline them, I won't be able to be an Assistant Prefect."

Didn't he just say all that... Fan Zhongyan smiled, knowing that Wang Yan never treated him as an outsider.

He couldn't help but ask, "Do you have a way to discipline them?"

"I heard that the clansmen of Signatory Judge Zhang set up gambling dens outside the city, bribed the county Registrar, seized hundreds of acres of fertile land, and sold the wives and daughters of good families. However, these are just idle rumors and cannot be taken as truth; they must be verified. Moreover, Signatory Judge Zhang at most has the fault of lax discipline, making it hard to remove him from his position. For now, it stops here. I still need to look at the prefecture's account books to find some problems."

"Not in a hurry to be assigned duties?"

"I suppose Fan Gong thinks my method of governing the local area is too impatient and wants to temper my temperament. However, I am, after all, an Assistant Prefect. Prefect Fan shouldn't keep tempering me; after all, I should be given some authority."

"What you said is not wrong. Prefect Fan should indeed give Assistant Prefect Wang some authority."

Fan Zhongyan laughed, then shook his head and said, "Since you understand the meaning and have spoken clearly, it's not good to make things difficult for you anymore. Since that's the case, go take a look at the Garrison troops first. There are over three thousand registered Garrison troops in Hangzhou, distributed among the counties. There are one thousand Garrison troops in Qiantang, and the office is in the north of the city. Just go there yourself."

"No hurry. I'll look at the account books first, find the mistakes of the prefecture officials, and then go," Wang Yan pondered for a moment, bowed, and continued, "I won't hide it from Fan Gong, I have already arranged for people to occupy the mountains and act as kings. Once I figure out the situation of the wealthy families in this prefecture, I will carry out robbery next month."

"The old man already knows."

"Oh? How does Fan Gong know?"

"Yesterday, when your family's steward went out, it was seen by my family's old servant."

Wang Yan told the truth, and Fan Zhongyan also spoke clearly: I knew you brat were not worry-free, and I have been watching the people you arranged.

"They are all caravan guards, skilled in some martial arts. I have pondered some methods of battle formation and combined attack. Although they are not as good as the Imperial Guard, they are handy for beating up the servants of wealthy families."

"Oh? What method is it?"

Fan Zhongyan also fought in wars in his early years. The situation after Li Yuanhao's rebellion can be said to have been stabilized by Fan Zhongyan. Of course, Han Qi and others also contributed a lot, but saying Fan Zhongyan's contribution was the greatest is not wrong at all. He was a minister who really knew military affairs. He also promoted many generals, the most famous being Di Qing, as well as Zhong Shiheng, who was equally famous...

So Wang Yan chatted with Fan Zhongyan about some of the "methods of battle formation and combined attack" he had "pondered himself," and even demonstrated them to Fan Zhongyan on the spot. Fan Zhongyan also felt like a young man again, testing Wang Yan's views on some of the battles he had led in the past, and discussing the wars against Western Xia and the Liao Kingdom, having a paper-talk military simulation.

"Ziyan is truly a genius..."

"Fan Gong thinks too highly of me. It's just paper-talk military strategy."

"Does Ziyan think that Zhao Kuo was truly incompetent?"

Fan Zhongyan shook his head and didn't continue talking about military affairs. How could he not be talking about military affairs on paper? If he could beat Western Xia and Liao, why would he need to pay annual tribute to buy peace? He would have killed them long ago. Speaking of these things, Fan Zhongyan was old and knew his fate, and couldn't help but feel sad and angry.

He pushed some official documents over, "Prefecture affairs need the names of the Prefect and Assistant Prefect. I have already signed these. You take them back, look at them, sign them, and have someone send them down."

After speaking, he drank tea again.

Wang Yan picked up a stack of official documents and bowed, "Student will take his leave."

These are official documents that can be signed directly. After all, Fan Zhongyan has already gone through them. Even if he wanted to test Wang Yan's sensitivity, Fan Zhongyan wouldn't use such serious matters to find trouble. After all, as long as both names are signed on the document, they have to take responsibility. He wasn't afraid of taking responsibility, but these are policies to be implemented in the prefecture and reports to be submitted to the capital.

The only people who would do this are Wang Yan's subordinates. They would come up with some inconspicuous but important matters to fool Wang Yan and achieve some of their goals. Writing official documents is a professional skill. Whether it is now or a thousand years later, there is a lot of attention to detail. Especially work traces, checkable links, and many influences.

Returning to his office, after casually flipping through them, Wang Yan decisively wrote his name, handed it to his subordinate minor official to send out, and then went to report to the accounting room.

He was very active in auditing accounts. The fate of prefecture and county officials lies here, and his power also comes from here.

Struggle sounds like a high-end term. But the actual struggle is actually making mischief for others, letting opponents make mistakes, and grabbing their handles. When the time comes, whether it is winning over or suppressing, one has grasped the initiative and pushed things in a direction favorable to oneself, which is victory.

Wang Yan auditing accounts is looking for other people's mistakes and making mischief for others. Others killing him with kindness and various non-cooperation afterward is also making mischief.

Struggle, struggle; one must fight and one must compete. It's not that harmonious.

Just like this, Wang Yan's life was briefly fixed.

Every day he came to the office to check in, then chatted with Fan Zhongyan for a while, took the official documents and left, looked at them, and then signed them. Then he plunged into the accounting room, and lunch was delivered by his family. This went on until he left the office, or participated in an invitation from some high-ranking official, or chatted with Fan Chunren about his way of governing the local area.

He didn't look for trouble, smiled at everyone, honestly stayed in the accounting room where others thought there was no problem, came early and left early, and gave face. If someone invited him, he would basically show up.

As for other low- and mid-level officials, Wang Yan's attitude was also very kind. When he saw people, he could always call them by their names and chat casually, which was considered mixing in. Anyway, the low-level clerks liked the new Assistant Prefect very much. There had never been such a kind Assistant Prefect before who remembered their names and was willing to stand and talk to them for a few more words.

Only the two minor officials following Wang Yan felt uneasy. They were ignorant of life and death, and actually started speaking well of Wang Yan behind his back...

It wasn't that Wang Yan wasn't good. On the contrary, Wang Yan was very good to the two subordinates he managed directly. Sometimes he even brought them a portion for lunch. On weekdays, he was also like a spring breeze.

But only the two of them had experienced Wang Yan's interrogation and knew what Wang Yan was like when he wasn't good. He really killed people with a smile. They had been observing for half a month and couldn't read any information from Wang Yan's face. They asked themselves that they were used to reading people's faces, and this was too scary.

Of course, Wang Yan didn't know his two subordinates' thoughts. It certainly wasn't that exaggerated. Except for smiling, there were no extra expressions; that would be too creepy. He still had other expressions, but those were all things he wanted to show. Expression management wasn't deliberately practiced, but stemmed from his calm mentality; after all, nothing could shake him.

And he couldn't always keep a straight face, as that would make people very uncomfortable, so he could only smile...

Half a month passed like this. That evening, Fan Chunren brought his wife to Wang Yan's house for a small meal.

He asked with a smile, "I heard Brother Ziyan has been auditing accounts for half a month. Any gains?"

"Naturally there are."

Wang Yan knew Fan Chunren's mentality of watching a joke. After all, seeing an impressive person hit a wall and meet with coldness is always an enjoyable thing. Especially since they were friends, and especially since he was inferior in every way. There was no malice; it was just purely wanting to make a joke and comfort himself.

"Oh?"

Fan Chunren raised his eyebrows in surprise, "Tell me about it?"

"This is a prefecture matter. Although you have an official status, you have no duties, and you are not an official of this prefecture, so you cannot pry."

For a moment, Fan Chunren, who had quite high cultivation, wanted to hit someone.

Seeing his resentful look, Wang Yan laughed, "I did find some account books that were wrong, and there must be corruption in them. However, specifically who is corrupting, I still need to carefully verify and cannot act rashly."

"How much is the amount?"

"Currently, there are 120,000 strings of cash, which is the discrepancy over the past three years."

"So much?"

"It's just the cost of a few months of fun at Fanlou."

"How can Hangzhou compare with the capital?"

Wang Yan was just indicating the gap. He turned to say, "Next month, I want to invite Fan Gong to audit the Ever-Normal Granary together. I think it should be quite lively."

"When my father first took office, he had already audited it."

"How do you know if they didn't borrow grain in advance to fill the granary? Or if it was just some superficial work?"

Fan Chunren was silent, because this possibility indeed existed. Although his father was powerful, he was not a god. Human hearts are unpredictable and really too complex.

"Don't worry. Fan Gong is in very good spirits now, and his health has improved a lot. They are just a few rats and won't amount to anything."

"Brother Ziyan is confident. Is there a discrepancy in the account books?"

"Every autumn harvest, the Ever-Normal Granary needs to replace old rice and supplement it with new rice. There are many tricks in this..."

After exchanging some questions about the operation of the Ever-Normal Granary and learning some new knowledge, Fan Chunren brought up idle matters: "I wonder if Ziyan has time?"

"What is it, Brother?"

"I am teaching at the academy in the city. The scholars all admire the great name of Wang Ziyan. Knowing that I am close to you, they begged me to invite you. If you have free time, you can come to the academy to give a lecture to the scholars."

"Scholars admire Wang Yan, and Wang Yan naturally cannot fail their expectations. Moreover, my path is still narrow, and having like-minded people support it is a great joy. Brother, please arrange it, and I will go at any time."

"How about seven days later?"

"Very good." ===== CHAPTER 1043 =====