Chapter 364: The ways of officialdom are quite abundant

Impressive.

Impressive.

This is no longer mere greed; it has been refined into a kind of "Way of Greed," right?

In that case, how could it not be called formidable?

Just listening to Chen Weifang's retelling, Du Shanü could picture a big-bellied, sharp-eyed old corrupt official of many years.

Most importantly, Du Shanü felt that this person's words were rough but sound—

A hundred taels as bribe is enough to move this person, but not Chen Weifang.

But if it were a thousand, ten thousand, or even a coffin-full of "Yellow Intestine Soup," though insufficient to sway Chen Weifang, it would certainly at least catch her eye.

Du Shanü had once heard a saying: "If a person has not yet betrayed, it is only because the price offered is not enough."

Today, hearing Afang mention the unseen Thus line: Bai Liren, Du Shanü immediately recalled that saying.

But for Thus line: Bai Liren, the 'price' he values is silver money.

Whereas for people like Chinu and Chen Weifang, the 'price' they desire is sincerity.

Put nicely, it's easy to find priceless treasures, hard to find true lovers.

Put bluntly, love fills one's stomach with water; infatuation clouds the mind.

If Du Shanü were not taking advantage of their temperament, frankly speaking, she might not be able to hold this position today.

But in other words, if Du Shanü could previously offer a 'price' that moved Chinu and Chen Weifang, then wouldn't simply offering the price that moves Thus line: Bai Liren suffice...

Would Thus line: Bai Liren also be easily obtained?

Since he is already a deputy magistrate, if we win him over, thereafter not only could we offer Guangzhou Prefecture, but surely we could also reach an external agreement, right?

Moreover, seeing that he accepted a hundred taels from the Spring Day clan and genuinely interceded for others, he seems to be someone who takes money and really gets things done.

No wonder his courtesy name is "Benevolence and Righteousness"...

Du Shanü's thoughts flowed, and she spoke again:

"Speaking of which, aside from greed for wealth, how capable is Thus line: Bai Liren?"

"Good slave-slave, you have acted as regent for quite some time; what is your impression of this person?"

Chinu had previously been busy holding a bowl and chasing Du Shanü to feed her cow's milk, without diverting attention to speak.

Now, when called upon, he pondered briefly and then uttered a sentence that Du Shanü never expected:

"I have never seen this person; I suppose his ability is average...... In other words, at least in the imperial examinations, his ability is very average."

Du Shanü, hearing this, felt somewhat bewildered and asked doubtfully:

"Isn't it said that examinees must pass the provincial, metropolitan, and palace exams? Having reached the palace exam, you have acted as regent for years—how could you not have seen him?"

"Could it be that, like Ruansizong, he did not first shine during the Taizong era, but rather during the Taizu era, or even earlier, obtaining office through the palace exam of a previous dynasty?"

How old would he have to be!

At such an age, still engaging in corruption—how is that not a kind of "diligence"!

Chinu's beautiful eyes rolled, giving a sideways glance full of resentment:

"Wife Master, do you really think I am an omniscient who knows everything and can do anything?"

"Not having seen Thus line: Bai Liren is indeed normal; not everyone has the lifetime right to go to the capital to take the exams..."

In the time it took to burn half an incense stick, Du Shanü heard for the first time a "rule" utterly different from her stereotypical impression.

According to reason, it is indeed the provincial, metropolitan, and palace examinations.

As long as one serves as an official, one usually must undergo the palace exam; and having undergone the palace exam, one gets a chance to see the emperor.

However, there are two types of people who, even while serving as officials, fundamentally cannot see the emperor.

The first type: those who enter office through hereditary privilege (yin bu), relying on familial connections.

If one's forefathers held mid- to high-ranking posts, served a certain number of years, or if they died directly on the battlefield, then descendants may obtain hereditary or posthumous privilege; through imperial grace, they can receive a yin bu quota.

This method has conditions, and those conditions are far stricter than ordinary people imagine; if the inherited rank is insufficient, one still lacks yin bu eligibility.

But the advantage is that one need not take the imperial examinations, nor even the provincial, metropolitan, or palace exams.

Usually one only needs to attend the Ministry of Personnel's selection exam (held in the capital, but only in the bureau's examination hall, not the great hall); after passing, one is directly assigned to a local prefecture or county post.

Many yin bu heirs, after passing the selection exam and receiving their appointment certificates, immediately go to the provinces; thereafter they drift among various prefectures for life, and as long as they are not recalled to the capital, they never see the sovereign.

The second type: scholars who pass the provincial exam and become recommended candidates, but recognizing their own lack of learning, therefore do not take the metropolitan exam; or they go to the capital to take the metropolitan exam but repeatedly fail.

In such cases, they also directly participate in the selection process; if qualified, they are appointed as local officials.

Such people have not even taken the metropolitan exam, let alone the palace exam.

Even if later promoted, it is only through local selection, so they naturally never have the fortune to see the heavenly countenance.

And Thus line: Bai Liren is precisely of the second type.

When facing his wife master, Chinu always has inexhaustible patience.

After he finished explaining the selection of officials in detail, he finally obediently leaned close to Du Shanü and spoke softly:

"Although I have never seen this person, I do have an impression of the official rank associated with this name."

"This person's age is not particularly great; it's just that I've heard he indeed struggled in the imperial examinations for a long time, taking the metropolitan exam over ten times without success, only then participating in the selection process."

If one follows his reasoning, since even passing the metropolitan exam is so arduous for him, his other abilities should also be quite ordinary.

Although I do not know how he rose from a petty sesame‑sized official step by step to the position of prefectural deputy judge, it is likely also inseparable from that ever‑mentioned "bribery".

As long as this person is greedy enough and offers enough bribes upward, surely someone will be willing to do him a favor.

Thus, given time, perhaps one day he could truly bribe his way to the golden hall.

Although Chinu constantly says he wants to be a treacherous minister, a flatterer, upon encountering such people he always has no good impression.

Thus, without realizing it, he adopts the contemptuous attitude he once had as a chief minister, clearly not wishing Du Shanü to follow Thus line: Bai Liren's path.

As for this, Chen Weifang, unusually, holds a different view from Chinu:

Chinu is often right, but regarding this matter, I really need to say a few more sentences.

Some people may fail the exams repeatedly, but that doesn't mean they lack ability. Especially as I said before, nowadays most of the classic texts are in the hands of the various aristocratic families......

Under these circumstances, let alone poor students; even someone like him, a distant relative who has produced prominent officials, finds his family straitened, borrowing books even more difficult—each time he goes to someone's door, he must suffer humiliation.

He is already like this—what then for Thus line: Bai Liren?

I've heard that Thus line: Bai Liren's family, not to mention three generations back—even the previous generation—still scraped a living from the soil!

The aristocratic families control the literary tradition; ordinary students can't borrow books, they don't even know what the classic mentioned in the exam papers is, let alone have read it—how can they take the exam?

Although Chinu constantly laments his lowly status and lack of a name, after entering the palace it is true that he can freely peruse the palace's collections of histories and philosophies.

Therefore, Chinu actually cannot represent the vast body of students, and naturally he may not know just how difficult studying and taking exams really are........

Chen Weifang rubbed his brow and spoke softly:

In my view, the Wise Lord truly cannot afford to be careless.

Chinu has never actually met Thus line: Bai Liren; some people can tell at a glance that he is not ordinary...... in other words, he is no easy opponent.