Chapter 91: Copying Back First

Wen Gu had only mentioned the Academy's suggestion that one day; seeing that Old Master Hong had already taken it to heart, he did not bring it up again.

The Old Master still held a deep interest in the Jingxing Fang canteen.

It was the liveliest place in the entire Ward, and with people of different statuses from various Wards, the Old Master managed to puzzle out quite a few things from it.

The extracurricular assignment he set for Wen Gu remained the same: to paint the Jingxing Fang canteen.

Wen Gu had his own affairs, and the Old Master had his new undertaking, so he told Wen Gu he did not need to come every day; once every day or two would suffice.

Submitting the work and receiving pointers on painting technique did not interfere with either party's official business.

The Old Master had been busy lately, filled with grand ambitions, running to the Zhao Family side frequently, and his mood was becoming increasingly high-spirited. If all went well, the matter of the Academy could be settled before the end of the year.

On this day, Wen Gu came to the canteen again to collect material for his painting.

Because Wen Gu had not deliberately concealed it, He Da had already learned from his younger brother that Wen Gu had been learning calligraphy and painting from a big shot during this time, and what he was painting was the scene of the canteen—and he, the newspaper reader, had been painted into it too!

Did this mean that he, a small fry, was also known to the big shot?

He Da performed with even more vigor.

After finishing the newspaper reading and the interesting stories with great emotion, he wondered if the Ward Chief would paint him into the picture again, and looked toward the Ward Chief.

He happened to see someone standing in front of Wen Gu, seemingly recommending himself.

He Da had seen that person a few times; it seemed he was an Idler from another Ward.

The expression on his face instantly collapsed.

As fellow street-drifters, there used to be a Yu Er competing with him, but later Yu Er went to the iron smithy across the way.

Nowadays, there were still quite a few people full of ambition who wanted to join.

He Da felt threatened.

Folding up the newspaper and putting it away, he walked over quickly.

Wen Gu was also looking at the person in front of him at this moment.

The other party was an Idler who ran errands and delivered messages; there were many such people in the canteen, but this one in front of him seemed to have deliberately waited here to recommend himself.

This person's surname was Tao, third in his family, a local of Xinzhou City.

His face was resolute, his build agile, and his appearance looked quite upright; although not sturdy, he was not thin or weak either, looking like someone who could endure hardship.

There were elders in his family who had studied, so Tao San also knew a few characters and was familiar with the terrain distribution around Xinzhou City.

"... If the Ward has need in the future, I can also run errands outside the city and handle matters in nearby Villages," Tao San said, stating his advantages.

Wen Gu listened patiently to the end; he did not reprimand him, but he did not make a decision on it either. His tone was gentle, and he only told the other party to go find Zhou San.

There were quite a few people wanting to join Jingxing Fang during this time.

Anyone could see the development momentum of Jingxing Fang; the prospects certainly wouldn't be bad, and ordinary people coming here could at least have work to do and wouldn't suffer from cold or hunger. The person in actual charge also had connections and was reliable.

Even more people were getting ideas.

From the perspective of Jingxing Fang, if they encountered suitable talent, they could indeed accept them in.

However, the person responsible for these affairs was Zhou San. Since he had handed the affairs over, under normal circumstances, Wen Gu would not take it upon himself to make decisions.

He Da stood not far away, pricking up his ears.

Seeing Wen Gu's reaction, He Da felt slightly relieved, his gaze glancing toward that "colleague": Hmph! Just based on you?

That person caught He Da's gaze, but did not get angry; he only nodded slightly and gave a very magnanimous salute with cupped hands.

He Da's guard went up even higher.

They were all street-drifters, who didn't know who?

What are you pretending for?!

Among those who run messages and handle errands and can still live a decent life, how many are decent people?

Ptooey!

Hypocrite!

Putting on an act!!

He Da was not at ease; to prevent the other party from using underhanded tactics, he specifically dragged his younger brother over to recognize the face.

"Remember this person. If there are any big movements, you must tell me as soon as possible!"

After saying that, He Da added: "Of course, don't tell me things Ward Chief Wen wants to keep secret; I just meant other situations that don't affect official business!"

He Xiaodi could distinguish the importance of things in this regard; working by the Ward Chief's side, things that couldn't be said, he wouldn't tell his older brother.

After Wen Gu finished collecting material in the canteen, he went back to work on his painting.

Recently there was not much official business, and other matters were proceeding smoothly according to plan, requiring no extra effort, so he had more free time to put into painting.

The next day, Wen Gu brought his "homework," along with Tietou and He Xiaodi, to Old Master Hong's residence.

The first two times he brought Cheng Zhi, it was to figure out the layout of the few Wards over there; later, he took turns bringing the clerks and officials from the Ward to broaden their horizons.

Today it was He Xiaodi's turn.

Finally being able to see the scene of a sixty-year-old man dancing with a sword, He Xiaodi was very excited.

He followed Wen Gu into the Ward where many nobles lived, his face serious, not daring to let his gaze wander.

But as they walked, Wen Gu suddenly stopped.

He Xiaodi also stopped in his tracks, looking at their Ward Chief in confusion, then followed Wen Gu's gaze forward.

Then, his jaw gradually dropped.

Not far ahead, at the entrance of a certain residence.

A straw mat was spread on the ground, and someone was kneeling on it, crying and pleading.

Crying so hard that the veins on their forehead bulged, as if suppressing an extremely painful emotion, forcibly restraining and enduring it. The voice was hoarse and miserable.

They were wearing thin, tattered cloth clothes with many patches, which accentuated their emaciated frame.

He Xiaodi stared blankly at that side.

If I'm not mistaken, that looks like Tao San? I saw him at the Jingxing Fang canteen just yesterday!

Yesterday, this man looked robust, strong, and capable of hard work!

Right now, he looks completely different: destitute, pitiful, and physically frail.

In just one day, how did he end up in such a miserable state?

Is he faking it?

He Xiaodi suspected the other party was acting, but as he watched and listened, he felt the man's emotions were genuine.

Without walking closer, he heard vaguely that it seemed to be about the distribution of supplies.

Since it involved the distribution of supplies, He Xiaodi felt it was a bit more credible.

Only those of them who are "little people" know how difficult it is for those at the bottom to receive relief supplies.

After all, having experienced the treacherous nature of human relationships in these chaotic times, He Xiaodi remained vigilant; he asked Wen Gu in a low voice, "Ward Chief? That person ahead..."

Wen Gu replied, "It has nothing to do with us."

"Oh, that's good then!"

He Xiaodi trusted Wen Gu's judgment and felt slightly at ease.

Sympathy?

He did have a little, but in this day and age, who can worry about so much? Taking care of oneself and one's loved ones is enough!

However, He Xiaodi wasn't sure if Wen Gu would help out. The Ward Chief had always been a soft-hearted person.

He turned his head to look at Wen Gu.

He saw that Wen Gu was watching the front intently. No emotion of sympathy or indignation could be seen on his face.

At this moment, Wen Gu was indeed observing and analyzing carefully.

It wasn't that he was analyzing some conspiracy.

He didn't think Tao San was waiting for him today; he hadn't told anyone in advance what time he would be going out.

The other party's target was the person living in the courtyard ahead.

Recalling the information gathered recently, an official lived here; the position wasn't very high, but he managed the supply distribution for several Wards.

Before the Spring Festival, the Zhao Family was going to allocate a batch of charcoal to those impoverished Wards, trying their best to let the residents inside survive this winter.

The crying in front was about this matter.

Perhaps because the three of them had stood there for too long and had become too noticeable, the person on the straw mat turned their head to look over.

Upon seeing the three of them, the person's crying paused, then they turned back as if nothing had happened and continued smoothly.

That figure, carrying an aura of misery, kowtowed toward the courtyard gate, forehead pressed against the cold mat; one couldn't see the expression on their face, only the trembling of their spine, as if they were in extreme grief.

Even He Xiaodi, who had his suspicions, felt that sense of plight and sorrow.

Wen Gu continued to size up the person on the straw mat.

The volume of the sound was controlled just right—not loud enough to cause a scene and disturb other residents, yet enough for the people inside the residence to hear the commotion.

It wasn't an accusation, nor was it a cry of injustice; they were simply crying while stating their life difficulties, and urging that the relief grain and charcoal be issued as soon as possible.

On a technical level, there were at least three changes in timbre within a single wail, and the auditory sensation created by the alternation of breathy and full voice could greatly trigger the emotional resonance of the listeners, creating a massive vortex of misery within these few yards.

It was absolutely professional-grade!

This melodrama was performed with such fluid ease, and even after being caught, the person acted as if no one else was around—the mental fortitude was truly strong!

At this moment, the gate of the courtyard ahead finally opened, and someone looking like a Steward came out, looking very troubled and speaking in a harsh tone.

Mindful of others nearby, the Steward lowered his voice, said a few words quickly, then ran back into the courtyard and closed the door.

The person on the straw mat looked tearfully grateful, stood up, wiped the snot and tears from their face, and packed up the straw mat.

When they turned back around with the straw mat on their back, their face was completely blank.

The miserable atmosphere from just a moment ago stopped abruptly.

He Xiaodi: "..."

Seeing the person walk over—having been at a distance earlier, he couldn't see clearly, but now that they were close, he realized this person hadn't become frail in a single day; it was entirely a visual deception caused by their attire!

He Xiaodi's eyes widened, his expression dazed, his worldview shaken once again.

Tao San walked up to them at this moment and bowed to Wen Gu.

He Xiaodi: "!!!"

How miserable he was just a moment ago, a tough man shedding tears, weeping and wailing, and now he was respectable and polite again!

So, it really was acting, wasn't it?

The speed at which the other party's expression changed, the ability to turn tears on and off at will, and the top-tier self-control of emotions were truly impressive!

Just as He Xiaodi was marveling, he heard Wen Gu say to the man, "Come to the Jingqing Public Office tomorrow for an interview."

The person, who was about to leave with the straw mat on their back, looked as if they had heard something unbelievable; they stared at Wen Gu, unable to hide their wild joy, and bowed deeply: "Thank you, Ward Chief Wen!"

Wen Gu didn't say anything more and took Tietou and He Xiaodi toward Old Master Hong's house.

Once they were further away, He Xiaodi was puzzled: "... Ward Chief?" You want to recruit that kind of person into Jingxing Fang?

Wen Gu smiled: "He is a talent."

That acting ability, capable of turning emotions on and off at will, shouldn't be wasted.

In the future, when raising funds, he could be brought along to cry poor!

He didn't know when it would be useful, but since he had encountered him, he would just use a landing net to scoop him back first.

He Xiaodi stopped talking, only feeling sympathy for his own older brother in his heart: Big Brother, your competitor's underhanded tactics are too fierce; you can't out-act him!

On the other side, Tao San hadn't expected that coming here for a run today would bring such good luck!

He stood in place watching Wen Gu and the others walk away before he quickly left.

There were many officials living here, so he couldn't run around recklessly; only after leaving the Ward did he let loose and run back toward his own home.

Inside a ward where local commoners lived.

Low stone and earth walls and small houses of wood and stone structure; a middle-aged Clerk waited at the doorway, looking back and forth.

During the Spring Festival, the Zhao Family would allocate a batch of relief supplies to every impoverished ward, but whether it was a little more or a little less, those above would not investigate, yet those below them took it seriously.

In order to snatch a bit more for their own people, they each exhausted their resources, displayed their abilities, and each led the way in their own style.

The crying child gets the milk; everyone lives bitterly, but the supplies are only so much.

They must let that official who distributes the supplies know that their ward is poorer, more bitter, and in greater need of relief!

It is just like so many mouths in a bird's nest; if you don't cry out, don't open your mouth, and don't squeeze to the front, when will the fed food ever reach you?

The masters above are busy with ten thousand tasks, so one cannot count on them.

Thus, between enduring in silence and giving gifts, they chose to sell their misery.

The master currently in charge does not easily punish people.

For what kind of person, use what kind of trick.

If a matter can be solved by crying once, why give gifts?

It cannot be called selling misery either; in fact, everyone is miserable.

Regardless of the past or present, regardless of a prosperous age or a chaotic age, every winter people always freeze to death; they can only try their best to keep their own fellow villagers off the death list.

In the eyes of others, it is selfish, but in the eyes of the fellow villagers, it is saving the suffering. Who cares what others think!

Considering that letting a woman go might invite gossip, after discussing it, he recommended his own nephew.

The ward in the rich district was not open to outsiders, so they picked a time and entrusted someone to take Tao San over.

And one did not know if it went smoothly.

The middle-aged Clerk felt anxious in his heart.

Only when he finally saw Tao San run back safely did a look of joy appear on his face.

"How was it? Was the matter handled?" he asked impatiently.

Tao San ran all the way back, panting heavily, draped in a thick coat, poured a bowl of hot water, sat in the main room to catch his breath, and only then looked excitedly at the middle-aged Clerk.

"Old Uncle! My grandma was right, you really are the one who brings me prosperity!"

The middle-aged Clerk thought to himself: That was just nonsense the old lady spouted before she died, just to make you cling to me and not let go.

Though he slandered him in his heart, there was a more important matter at hand, so the middle-aged Clerk pressed, "Looking at you like this, it was a success? About how long until our relief supplies here are allocated?"

Even if they couldn't get more supplies, don't let them be skimmed; even if they were skimmed, let them skim others', not theirs; even if they skimmed theirs, don't skim too much.

The middle-aged Clerk silently made a wish.

"I don't know how long until they are allocated; I didn't see that official who distributes the grain, I only saw his steward, who even drove me away," Tao San said.

"It doesn't matter, this means they have already heard; as long as we achieved our goal, that is enough." The middle-aged Clerk's hovering heart finally landed on solid ground.

Tao San said smugly, "There was someone behind the courtyard gate at the time, observing me through the crack in the door; they definitely heard everything. I cried so miserably in front of his door! I told you, leave this kind of thing to me, you can rest easy!"

"Good, good, good! It was indeed completed well!"

The middle-aged Clerk still wanted to praise him a few more times.

Tao San interrupted, "That is not what I want to say. Old Uncle, I saw another noble person over there today!"

The middle-aged Clerk sat across the table and said indifferently, "Oh? You saw a high official?"

"What counts as a high official? Nowadays in Xinzhou City, it is not about the height of the official position, what matters is status!" Tao San was so excited his face flushed red, "I saw that Ward Chief of Jingxing Fang over there today!"

The middle-aged Clerk sat up slightly: "This one is certainly not of low official position!"

They, these minor clerks who had been muddling along for decades, could see clearly; although both were called 'Ward Chief', the administrative rank was worlds apart!

The Ward Chief of a poor ward had to rack his brains and be extremely cautious just to protect the relief supplies for everyone.

That one was different; supplies could be requested directly from the Zhao Family, and there was no need to go through other procedures in between, so there was no need to worry about skimming.

Not to mention how many high officials and nobles in the city took the initiative to throw money at Jingxing Fang.

If time could turn back, when Jingxing Fang opened at the beginning of winter, they would definitely have squeezed over there with their whole family!

What a pity!

There was no way to start over!

The middle-aged Clerk shook his head and sighed.

Tao San leaned forward, looking like he was about to share a big secret:

"The Ward Chief of Jingxing Fang has taken a liking to me!"

The middle-aged Clerk looked at him quietly, then suddenly stood up and ran to rummage through the cabinet by his kang.

The wine he had hidden for two years was still there.

He let out a long sigh of relief.

His nephew hadn't stolen the wine, hadn't gotten drunk, and wasn't talking drunken nonsense.

The middle-aged Clerk came back and sat down.

Tao San was speechless.

"Old Uncle, the trust between us uncle and nephew..."

"Is still there!"

"..."

If it's still there, what were you just checking?!

The middle-aged Clerk skipped over this topic and looked at his nephew: "Are you dreaming?"

Tao San dangled his legs: "Tsk, Old Uncle, you are looking down on me! Would I dare to brag about this kind of thing? Tomorrow I am going to Jingxing Fang for an interview; you know what an interview is, right? If I pass, I can find a job there and move to Jingxing Fang!"

The middle-aged Clerk stared at his nephew, unable to understand it at all.

His own nephew, a local street loafer in Xinzhou, who used to moonlight as a professional mourner and was now an Idler running errands for others, had always relied on this straight face to fool people.

"What did he see in you?"

"Believe it or not!" Tao San intended to hurry and prepare for tomorrow's interview.

Just as he stood up, he was pulled back by his uncle.

The middle-aged Clerk hurriedly said, "I believe you, I believe you. Since Ward Chief Wen spoke personally, as long as you perform well tomorrow, there will certainly be no problem. San'er, our old Tao family will have to rely on you in the future!"

Tao San did not buy this at all: "My grandmother said, the old Tao family each has their own fate."

Seeing his uncle was about to speak again, Tao San hurriedly said, "I haven't truly passed yet. If I want to help everyone, I have to wait until I officially join Jingxing Fang."

The middle-aged Clerk stopped mentioning this and turned to help offer ideas, glancing outside the door to make sure no one was eavesdropping.

"Don't look at that person from Jingxing Fang as being young; in these chaotic times, how many people have perished along the way? To be able to flee all the way from the south to the north and still be living well, such a scholar must be full of black water..."

Slap!

The middle-aged Clerk slapped his own mouth and corrected himself, "Full of ink!"

He solemnly warned Tao San, "With your level of cultivation, don't try to act in front of him!"

Tao San also said seriously, "Does this need you to tell me? When I was acting over there today, I was caught on the spot and seen through at a glance. I thought there was absolutely no hope left, but who knew that person would actually let me go for an interview tomorrow. How would I dare to play tricks now? As long as I can pass the interview, whatever he tells me to act out in the future, I will act it out!"

It was just that the uncle and nephew did not understand, what kind of business would a noble of that status need small fries like them to handle?

"Actually, there is no need to worry. Nobles like them have money if they want money, and power if they want power. They still value face quite a bit, so he won't take you out to cry."

(End of this chapter)