Chapter 232

First Volume, Chapter 232: Appointment as County Magistrate

"Go visit the nearby villages and check how much grain and next year's seeds the common people have left. If it's insufficient, use this money to buy more from Lin Xian and distribute it free to the people."

"Ah!" Qin Feng suddenly sighed heavily, looking miserable: "You can't handle this kind of delicate work—just go buy the grain and seeds. I'll deal with it myself when you get back."

Saying this, Qin Feng slumped back in his chair, legs spread, face twisted in despair: "I came to Beixi County to save my old lady—how the hell did I get stuck in this mess? What bad luck."

Seeing Qin Feng's disheveled clothes and uncouth demeanor, with not a trace of official bearing, Ning Hu's eyes burned with admiration: "Qin Brother, it's not that this mess clung to you—it's that you can't stand to see the common people suffer. What else can you be but a good man?"

Hearing the words "good man," Qin Feng flew into a rage: "You're the good man! Your whole family are good men!"

Being a good man means spending money.

Let whoever wants to be a good man be one—Qin Feng has no interest.

Ning Hu laughed loudly and ran out of the County Yamen.

Qin Feng had planned to use this chance to return to the Back Courtyard and catch up with Qin Cheng Clan and Li Xiaolan. After returning from Da Ze Mountain, he'd been trapped in the Beixi County Courthouse with no time to go back.

But as Qin Feng stood up, Ning Hu stormed back in, face dark as thunder, as if he'd stepped in dog shit.

Qin Feng frowned in confusion: "Why are you back?"

Ning Hu punched the wooden sign reading "Silence" beside him, scowling: "Qin Brother, you don't need to worry about Beixi County's mess anymore."

Hearing this, Qin Feng froze: "What do you mean?"

Ning Hu's face turned pitch-black, teeth clenched: "From now on, Beixi County's mess is all yours. You've been appointed Beixi County Magistrate."

Qin Feng nearly fell off his chair, leapt over the Shushu, grabbed Ning Hu's shoulder, and shouted in shock: "Don't joke with me—I've got a weak heart and can't take shocks!"

Ning Hu pointed to the County Yamen's Door: "Who's joking? Look!"

Following Ning Hu's gesture, Qin Feng's heart sank halfway— a Yizhan messenger stepped in, holding two Military Dispatches, smiling obsequiously as he offered them: "Young Master Qin, congratulations."

Congratulations to your grandmother!

Qin Feng snatched the Military Dispatches—the first dealt with Chen Li's punishment: unsurprisingly, death sentence, to be carried out by Zhou Fu.

The second praised Qin Feng's great achievements in Beixi County and officially appointed him Beixi County Magistrate as a reward.

Right before the messenger's eyes, Qin Feng tore the dispatches into shreds, stomping his feet in fury: "Those old bastards are ruthless! I just got to Beixi County and they've cut off my road back to Beijing! Who's behind this? Minister of Revenue Li Xu? Grand Commandant Gao Ming? Second Prince?"

Qin Feng was seething—he wanted to grab his guards and ride straight back to chop those old bastards to pieces.

The messenger, waiting for a reward, was utterly bewildered: "Young Master Qin… uh, ahem, Lord Qin, you're an official now—why aren't you happy, but angry?"

Before Qin Feng could answer, Ning Hu snapped coldly: "If it were Jingdu's Metropolitan Prefect or a county near Beijing, fine. But Beixi County? A godforsaken hole. Once you're rooted here, you'll be forgotten by Beijing in no time—three to five years, maybe thirty or fifty. For a Beijing noble, being posted here is worse than being cut down."

"Besides, Young Master Qin, you're all about commerce—your greatest taboo is entering officialdom. The Minister of Revenue, Grand Commandant Gao—they're old foxes, stabbing you right in the heart!"

Qin Feng sighed inwardly.

Before, he'd only feared fire in the Back Courtyard—now these old foxes had turned the tables, using a mere County Magistrate post to trap him in Beixi County.

How is this different from when his mother, Qin Cheng Clan, was banished here to observe Filial Mourning?

What a clever move!

If he remembered right, the Imperial Consort excelled at this trick.

Could Li Xu or Gao Ming have been guided by the Imperial Consort?

Or perhaps… the Imperial Consort feared that after this affair, the Emperor might summon Qin Cheng Clan back to Beijing, so she struck first to cut off the possibility at its root?

Ah!

Qin Feng sighed again—this court intrigue was beyond his expectations; one misstep and you'd be ruined.

This time, Qin Feng had been careless.

One setback, one lesson learned.

Since the deed was done, no amount of grumbling would help—he sighed, pulled two Taels of Silver from his waist, and handed them to the messenger: "Thank you for your trouble."

The messenger was already terrified.

Seeing Qin Feng and Ning Hu openly curse the Minister of Revenue and Grand Commandant, he'd never witnessed such a scene—his spine prickled with cold.

Looking at the silver, he shook his head like a rattle drum: "Lord Qin, you're too kind—it's my duty."

Qin Feng sighed gently, signaling the messenger not to fear: "Take it—it's protocol. You've traveled a thousand li; you've earned it."

Hearing this, the messenger gained courage, clasped the silver with both hands, and bowed deeply: "Thank you, Lord. I'll take my leave."

Ning Hu, still fuming, growled: "Qin Brother, are we still buying the grain and seeds?"

Qin Feng had planned to patch up Beixi County's holes before leaving, so the next County Magistrate wouldn't repeat the same abuses. But now—he'd become the County Magistrate himself. This money needed From Long-Term Planning.

Qin Feng thought for a moment, took the Silver Note, and said: "Go gather the village heads and township elders, count Beixi County's population. We'll still buy grain—but we'll be frugal."

After Ning Hu left, Qin Feng stared at the dilapidated County Yamen. The task was enormous: besides calming the locals and managing People's Livelihood, the Yamen itself needed repairs—and worst of all, the staff. He couldn't run this entire county alone, even if he dropped dead.

Qin Feng immediately summoned several guards—not for delicate work, but to send for reinforcements.

"Send word via Yizhan to Qin Residence—tell Lin Quqi to come at once. Also bring Qin Xiaofu and Xiao Xiangxiang."

As he spoke, Qin Feng pulled out a Five Hundred Tael Silver Note and handed it with the letter to the guards: "Five Hundred Taels for the Yizhan—they'll be needed often; don't shortchange them. Also tell the Yizhan: from now on, they'll receive Five Hundred Taels annually as miscellaneous funds—get more Horses, train more messengers."