Chapter 210: Be a Useful Person

Hearing from Li You that his name had already "reached the heavens" and that he had even received praise from King Zheng of Qin, Heifu acted extremely moved, nearly incoherent with excitement.

But after leaving the Commandant's mansion, he had his own entirely different interpretation of the remark Li You had relayed.

"Perhaps in the King's eyes, all under heaven are merely tools and objects of varying worth. Those useless to his imperial enterprise are nothing but thorny scrub fit only for kindling, or timber like the oak — tall, yet good for nothing."

The oak may grow tall, but build a boat from it and it sinks; make a coffin from it and it swiftly rots; fashion a utensil from it and it easily breaks; craft a door or window from it and its sap never dries; use it as a pillar and worms will soon devour it.

Thus thorn and oak are both worthless trees, good for nothing.

Only the timber of the catalpa can be used to raise a great hall — only such a person is useful in the King of Qin's eyes.

Though Zhuangzi also said, it seems, that the catalpa is quick to be felled, and only the useless can long endure — but that saying is outdated now, unsuited to this age.

Qin is a harsh society, something like Sparta. It does not sustain the "useless." The most telling example: although Qin law makes infanticide a crime, if a newborn has congenitally defective limbs and is destined to be crippled when grown, then after an official inspection confirms it, the child may be put to death…

In the eyes of the Qin people, this is perhaps the greatest mercy one can show a child. That is why Heifu rarely saw disabled folk in Qin — no Quasimodos, no little imps. From the moment of birth, their odds of survival in this era are far lower than others'. Though Heifu could not bring himself to praise such a practice, this was the cruel reality of Qin.

It is the same on the battlefield: those deemed useless are sent to fill the ditches. So in this state, every person must strive to make themselves "useful," shoulder social duties, establish merit, and earn rank — only thus can they and their family endure.

"As it happens, I too have now caught the King of Qin's eye and become a useful man."

After this silent self-mockery, the minor clerk leading the way ahead stopped and, pointing to a small courtyard, announced, "Left Arms Section Clerk, this is your residence."

Heifu's post as Left Arms Section Clerk was, after all, a four-hundred-dan official rank, equal to a County Magistrate or County Commandant, so he had his own courtyard to live in and did not need to crowd into the dormitories with the ordinary commandery clerks.

As he guided Heifu toward the small courtyard where a lamp glowed, the minor clerk chuckled. "When others come to take up a post, they bring several maidservants or bondservants to attend them. That gentleman Feng Jing brought twenty or thirty people — he needed a three-courtyard compound just to house them all. But you, Left Arms Section Clerk, are quite the opposite, bringing only a single carriage driver…"

Heifu gave an embarrassed laugh. Though he was already a Grandee Official with a hundred thousand cash in his household, he was like many newly rich — he had no real foundation. Never mind servants and maidservants, even the carriage driver was hired. Once the man had delivered Heifu to his destination, he would return to Anlu. Heifu planned to get around on horseback from now on; after all, Ying County had a strong military character, and plenty of people rode out alone…

Fortunately, Heifu was not the only official to arrive empty-handed for his post, so the Commandant's mansion would assign some government slaves — male and female — to look after his daily needs. He could hardly be expected to come home and cook for himself after a full day of official business…

The minor clerk knocked at the door. It opened to reveal an old government bondservant with graying hair and a lame leg. Holding a torch made of hemp stalk, he saw that the master of the house had arrived and hurriedly ushered Heifu inside.

By the torchlight, Heifu swept a glance around and found the courtyard was not small. The stable alone could easily hold four or five horses — more than enough for his own carriage and two horses.

Facing the gate was a brick-and-stone house, built in the one-hall-two-rooms style. Small as a sparrow, it was complete in every part. In the front courtyard, besides the small hut where the old bondservant who cleaned and opened the gate lived, there was a vegetable patch fenced with brushwood, a covered well, an empty chicken coop, and beside it a modest latrine. At the far south end was a kitchen, fully stocked with cauldrons, bowls, ladles, and basins.

The rear courtyard was where Heifu would live. It had three or four brick-and-tile rooms. Apart from one that had already been tidied and furnished with a new sleeping mat and bedding, the rest still stood empty.

"Left Arms Section Clerk, you'll have to make do for tonight."

The minor clerk said apologetically, "The two government maidservants will be sent over to you tomorrow."

Heifu did not mind. He had long grown used to making do in the army. What was more, the main room he was staying in had a bed, a table, and a wooden screen — it was decorated even more nicely than his house back in his hometown of Anlu.

After the minor clerk took his leave, Heifu told the old bondservant outside to shut the gate. He swept his eyes over the little courtyard once more. Barring the unexpected, this would be his home for the next half year.

"No matter what, first I must find my footing in Ying County! If I want to keep climbing, I'll have to keep showing Li You my 'catalpa timber' talents!"

Still, just today's prediction that Wang Jian would take six hundred thousand men to conquer Chu was surely enough to make Li You see him in a new light again, wasn't it? Heifu had to keep the heat just right, though — he couldn't overdo it. If he scared Li You, that would be worse.

It was still early for sleep, so Heifu chatted a while with the lame old bondservant. Only then did he learn that the man came from the local Office of Punishment and had only been temporarily assigned to guard and clean the courtyard.

"The Left Arms Section Clerk has come to his post alone and has no need of too many slaves. Your daily needs will be looked after by two government maidservants. This old man will be leaving for another post tomorrow…"

Heifu nodded, while inwardly musing, "Wait — so does this mean I'll be living the decadent life of one man with two women?"

…

The next day, after Heifu rose, the carriage driver he had hired and the old bondservant gatekeeper took their leave one after another, just as expected. Heifu did not want to sit around waiting for the minor clerk to deliver the maidservants, so he put on

the official seal, cord, robe, and cap he had received the day before, and went first to the Arms Section office to show his face…

Heifu wore a new official robe of crimson with black leather trim, marking him as an officer under the Commandant. The double-paneled long cap on his head signified his rank as Grandee Official. From his leather waist-belt hung a pouch on a bronze hook; inside the pouch rested Heifu's small bronze seal, its black cord hanging outside and draping naturally. The officials of Qin distinguished rank by the number of cords, their color, and their pattern.

The Commandant oversaw military affairs and armored troops, so both the Arms Section and the Bandit Section fell under his authority. Thus it was the same temporary palace compound Heifu had visited the day before. The soldiers guarding the gate, seeing his attire, knew at once he was a senior clerk. They immediately bowed with clasped hands and then led him to find the Arms Section.

When Heifu stepped into the Arms Section courtyard, everyone looked him up and down with curiosity. Just as Man had said, his name had long since spread through the Arms Section and the entire Commandant's office.

The Arms Section Head was named Jiang Hua. Naturally, he dared not slight a trusted man personally named and recommended by the Commandant. He welcomed Heifu warmly and introduced him to the various Accessory Clerks, subordinate officers, and scribes.

"Left Arms Section Clerk, since you are newly arrived, the Commandant has specially granted you two days of rest. There is no harm in waiting until the day after tomorrow to assume your duties."

Arms Section Head Jiang Hua, who sported a fine beard, added that the Right Arms Section Clerk had been dispatched to inspect the arsenal today and that Heifu would meet him when he came in tomorrow.

Heifu's purpose in coming today was simply to pay his respects to his direct superior and get to know his colleagues — he did not want them to think he was being negligent or arrogant, relying on his status as Li You's trusted man. So after familiarizing himself with the surroundings, chatting a little with the scribes and minor clerks, learning where he would sit once he formally took up his post, and getting a general idea of the work, he saw that it was already afternoon and left work together with everyone else.

When he rode his horse along the city wall and returned to his home a li away, he found that the minor clerk from yesterday had already been waiting outside the gate for some time.

"When did you arrive?" Heifu asked casually.

"Left Arms Section Clerk, I too have only just arrived."

The minor clerk, nervously and respectfully piling on smiles, had the two government maidservants behind him — dressed in black, full-length robes — salute Heifu.

"Your servant greets the Left Arms Section Clerk…"

Heifu took one look and was instantly speechless.

Two women — one around forty, the other probably nearing fifty. Both could be called old crones.

Heifu could not help rolling his eyes.

"They're just here to wash my clothes and cook my meals. It seems I was overthinking it."

PS: March is finally over. I'm dog-tired. I won't lie to you all — this month was truly grueling. I lost six jin and I'm all skin and bones now. Fortunately, on most days I managed three updates. Though I owe a few chapters, I'll make them all up in April, so I haven't broken my word. I hope to reserve next month's guaranteed monthly tickets — thank you, everyone!

(End of chapter)