Chapter 58: Taking Up the Post

By the tenth day of the twelfth month, the winter sacrifice had passed and the weather had turned even colder. Even Anlu County, where it never snowed in years past, saw a heavy snowfall…

The snow fell all night, and by the next morning, the whole of Anlu had become a vast expanse of white. The trees on the mountain forests were draped in clumps of snow, like branches of jade and leaves of agate. The rooftops of the hamlet were buried under the drifts, and the common folk huddled shivering indoors, unwilling to step out. Those empty fields had turned into a snowy plain, where a few foraging hares left plum-blossom-like tracks. A thin layer of frost had also formed over Cloud Dream Marsh, the north wind howling across the lake's surface — a scene of pure desolation everywhere.

Despite the foul weather, there were still some travelers and carts on the road. Thirty li south of Anlu County town, a two-horse carriage was trundling slowly along. The horses' hooves were wrapped in straw to prevent slipping, and the driver exhaled white puffs of breath as he drove. The cart bed behind him was piled high with firewood and straw, and on top of the thick haystack lay a man…

This man was wrapped in heavy winter clothes, wearing a straw rain cape and a bamboo hat, a pack slung at his side and a sword on his belt. But the hat could not hide the bright red headband on his forehead, nor could the rain cape conceal the crimson uniform on his body.

Judging by his attire, he had to be a Constable. It was none other than Hei Fu, who just days ago had passed the examination and been appointed Constable of Huyang Station!

Hei Fu was on his way today to take up his post. By his reckoning, he had already delayed his arrival by several days.

It turned out that on the first day of the twelfth month, in front of the Chief Clerk, Hei Fu had answered twenty legal questions in one breath without changing expression, shocking the entire Chief Clerk's office. Amazed, the Chief Clerk had promptly reported the matter to the County Magistrate, the Right Commander, and the Left Commander.

With that, the Left Commander, who had been insisting all along that Hei Fu was a crude fellow ignorant of the laws and unfit to serve as a clerk, had no more excuses. He had to hold his nose and watch as the County Magistrate and Right Commander approved the appointment — after all, he was not the chief official.

Although the appointment had been issued, Hei Fu had gotten entangled in yet another lawsuit — his own case against the Hamlet Chief of Sunset Hamlet!

Hei Fu had reported to the County Assistant that the Hamlet Chief of Sunset Hamlet had incited the hamlet folk to riot, attempting to break into his family's hut and seize the treadle pestle. The Hamlet Chief's personal vendetta and retaliation against Hei Fu's family over the past few years were also dredged up.

By sheer coincidence, the one assigned to hear the case was once again Prison Clerk Xi. When Xi saw it was Hei Fu, he first froze, and then his expression said, "You again?"

Fortunately, this case had no complications, because Hei Fu had too many witnesses. From his teacher, the old clerk Yan Zheng of Bian Hamlet, to the Hamlet Gatekeeper of Sunset Hamlet, they all sided with Hei Fu and confirmed what they had witnessed that day.

As for the summoned residents of Sunset Hamlet, perhaps because they felt guilty about that day's events, or perhaps out of fear of Hei Fu, the newly appointed Constable, they all claimed they had been purely incited by the Hamlet Chief to gather and cause trouble. Some even testified: "The Hamlet Chief of Sunset Hamlet favors his own relatives when distributing plow oxen and farming tools. Those he bears grudges against often get no oxen and have to pull the plow themselves…"

The Hamlet Chief himself was indeed not clean. Now that the wall was falling and everyone was pushing, he could not wash away the charges.

In the end, with conclusive evidence, Xi cited that "Code of Conduct for Great Qin Cadres" (The Way of the Clerk), specifically the "Five Failings of a Clerk," and found that the Hamlet Chief of Sunset Hamlet had committed errors such as "behaving arrogantly toward the people, being uneasy in his duties, being greedy while in office, and undertaking improper projects." At the very least, it was a crime of dereliction of duty.

But considering that no serious consequences had resulted, and that his noble rank was Second Grade, which could slightly offset the crime, he was ultimately sentenced only to "redeeming the tattooing punishment." At the same time, he was stripped of his Hamlet Chief post, his merit rank was revoked, and his awarded fields were confiscated…

The Hamlet Chief had now completely lost his status. He spent most of his family fortune, paying over thirty thousand coins to avoid the facial tattooing. Those field slaves were all taken away by the authorities. In the future, he would likely have to go down to the fields and labor himself, alongside the lowly hamlet folk he had once looked down upon.

The matter did not end there. Shang Yang had said: those who judge by ten hamlets are weak; those who judge by five hamlets are strong. Though the grassroots hamlet official was minor, the post could not be left vacant for a single day. Sunset Hamlet still had to elect a new Hamlet Chief.

Generally, the Hamlet Chief was recommended by the local hamlet folk or directly appointed by the township officials, usually the person with the highest noble rank, the greatest prestige, and the strongest financial means.

In the end, the old Hamlet Gatekeeper, who held the highest rank in the hamlet, got his wish and became the new Hamlet Chief. With that, the post of Hamlet Gatekeeper became vacant again…

What no one expected was that when it came time to select a new Hamlet Gatekeeper, the villagers actually came to their door one after another, asking Zhong to serve as Hamlet Gatekeeper!

…

Although Zhong appeared weak-willed by nature, he was honest and kind, handled matters fairly, and could earn people's trust. That day, his roar from the threshold of their home had earned him a measure of respect from the hamlet folk.

Coupled with their fear of Constable Hei Fu, some hamlet residents made gestures to curry favor with Hei Fu's family, and so Zhong was pushed into this position.

"I have no desire to be some Hamlet Gatekeeper…"

But Zhong himself was unwilling, shaking his head like a rattle-drum. He was not one who liked to stand out, and truly had no wish to invite trouble for a mere pittance.

The third brother, Jing, felt that if there was a clerk's post to be had, why not take it? How prestigious! But Hei Fu supported Zhong, believing it was better not to wade into these murky waters.

Hei Fu said this to Zhong and Jing: "For posts like Hamlet Gatekeeper or Elder of Five, even if the hamlet folk recommend you, eldest brother need not accept. It is simply because the Qin laws are excessively harsh on these positions. One moment of carelessness, and you'll be implicated when trouble arises."

For example, if a thief enters A's house and wounds A, and A cries out for help, but his four neighbors, the Hamlet Chief, and the Elder of Five are all out and do not hear the cry — when judgment is passed, the four neighbors, being out, can escape punishment. But the Hamlet Chief and Elder of Five, even if absent, cannot evade responsibility. The Hamlet Gatekeeper who allowed the thief in will also not escape punishment.

In Qin, serving as a clerk not only meant enjoying the benefits of a stipend, but also bearing responsibility and risk. Remember this, always remember.

Hei Fu becoming a Constable was a move made out of necessity. As a transmigrator, he knew the great trends of the era well. Like a salmon swimming against the current, he knew where he had to swim to be safe. If he could not advance, he would be swept all the way back.

Moreover, Hei Fu had something he did not say outright: "Trying to curry favor with our family? Seeking forgiveness? Sorry, I don't have my eldest brother's good temper — I don't appreciate it!"

Besides, what was so great about being a gatehouse grandpa!

And so, Zhong declined the hamlet folk's recommendation and continued to focus his energy on the family's two hundred-plus mu of land and on Jing's education.

Meanwhile, Hei Fu's brother-in-law, Yuan, had been kept on at the county's woodworking workshop to take part in manufacturing the "treadle pestle."

It turned out that after the County Artisan and the Granary Overseer had presented the device, the Anlu County Magistrate had taken it very seriously. He immediately ordered a batch produced and put into use at the county granary — government-run workshops could not casually manufacture items outside the official "mandated documents," that is, the production plan, unless approved by the local county magistrate.

However, the reward that should have been issued was long delayed. The County Magistrate, unsure of how great a merit this counted as, had bundled the matter along with a replica treadle pestle and sent it to Jiangling City, the capital of Nan Commandery, for the Nan Commandery Governor, Teng, to decide…

From Anlu to Jiangling, separated by the great Cloud Dream Marsh, was a journey of five hundred li over land and water, taking over half a month round trip. There would be no resolution to this matter anytime soon, and Hei Fu could not be bothered to pay attention. Because of Qin's infuriating household registration system, the device had been presented by Yuan, so this matter had little to do with him. Fortunately, no matter the outcome, it benefited his own family, so it was no loss.

Hei Fu himself paid another visit to Yan Zheng's home to thank him for his help. On the eighth day of the twelfth month, after hurriedly observing the winter sacrifice and settling matters at home, he set out to take up his post.

However, Hei Fu did not go directly to Huyang Station. Instead, he first went to the township seat of Yunshui Township and paid a visit to the "Patrolman" responsible for catching bandits and thieves in the township.

Although the Constable was a subordinate official directly under the County Commander, with no direct superior-subordinate relationship with the Patrolman — the "township police chief" — their duties had many overlaps. They would inevitably have dealings in the future, so it was best to greet him first.

The Way of the Clerk was not just about ability, but also about human relations and propriety.

After that, Hei Fu had been trapped at the Yunshui Township seat by this sudden snowfall. Only this morning, when the snow stopped, was he able to set off.

He was in luck; a carriage heading to the county town agreed to give him a ride.

Unlike at the end of the ninth month, when he had gone to the county town for corvée labor and had to rely on his own two feet for the round trip, Hei Fu now had official status. With the red headband on his head and the crimson uniform on his body, whenever he encountered a passing carriage, he could simply stretch out a hand to flag it down, then cup his hands and politely ask if he could hitch a ride. Eight times out of ten, the carriage owner would agree.

And so, Hei Fu lay there on the carriage, swaying comfortably, hitching a ride all the way to the northern part of Yunshui Township…

…

"Constable, Huyang Station is here."

The carriage slowly came to a stop by the roadside. The driver blew on his hands to warm his frozen fingers, then turned and roused the drowsily sleeping Hei Fu.

Hei Fu rose and looked. Beside the straight paved road stood a wooden pillar over a zhang tall. Atop the pillar sat a statue of a strange beast, shaped like a leopard cat, yet also like a dog — Hei Fu could not name it. Looking down, a wooden board was nailed to the middle of the pillar, on which were carved four small-seal characters: "Huyang Station District."

Hei Fu knew this was a huanbiao, also called a huabiao. Legend had it that in the time of Yao, huanbiao were erected at major thoroughfares for people to write remonstrances and point out current ills. Later, they gradually became markers for post stations.

Past the huanbiao and further in was an earthen ramp leading all the way to a few earthen huts covered with black tiles — that was the station compound…

"So this is my station district…"

Over these past months, Hei Fu had seen many station compounds along the road and had long ceased to find them remarkable. Yet this one before him alone made him feel both familiar and strange, a surge of mixed emotions in his heart.

His story had begun with a conflict with the Constable of Huyang, and by a twist of fate, he had come here to take up that very post. And becoming this Constable had truly not been easy.

At that moment, two men walked out from the station compound's door, which had been left open. They seemed to have been waiting at the entrance. Spotting the carriage stop from afar, they came out, shouting loudly: "Could it be Hei Fu?"

The voice was resonant, shaking the snow on the roadside pines and cypresses. Hei Fu looked and immediately grinned.

The arrivals also wore crimson uniforms, swords at their waists. One had thick, flaring sideburns on both cheeks and a startling leopard-spot birthmark on his forehead.

Who else could it be but his good friend, won through a fight, Dongmen Bao?

PS: Recommending a sci-fi book I've been reading recently, "Future Pet Shop" — a pet genre story by an experienced author, with guaranteed writing and plot quality.

(End of chapter)