Miao Chu

Chapter 201 Applying Oil
Han Li did not respond.

Cen Dezhang remained silent for a moment, looking at the cloth bag on the table. He felt an unbearable itch, as if a thousand ants were scratching at his heart. Finally, he reached out and pulled the cloth bag in front of him.

When he opened it, the first thing he saw was a pair of straw sandals on top. The sandals were very large, and although they might not fit properly, they were woven very carefully, with not a single blade of grass or a single scrap of grass in sight. It was clear that a lot of thought had been put into them.

Moving aside the straw sandals, underneath were two futons, rolled into heavy cylindrical shapes, each about an inch thick.

The prayer mat was made of ordinary straw rope, which was yellowish-brown, but there was a white ring in the very center—it turned out that the aggrieved party had used some white withered grass from who-knows-where to weave a large swastika.

Since the previous Zhaotian Emperor defined the swastika as "the gathering place of auspiciousness and virtues", it has become a popular symbol among the people because it is simple to write and auspicious. You can see it everywhere, whether it is on the bottom of the bowls of vendors and shops or on the purses and hats of pedestrians.

Such an ordinary yet auspicious swastika made Cen Dezhang's heart ache.

He wanted to speak, but didn't know how to begin. After a long while, he could only let out a long sigh.

Hearing his sigh and seeing his reaction, Han Li hesitated for a few moments before saying, "Brother Cen is a prefectural judge, while I am just an ordinary student. Our statuses are different, so I shouldn't say such things—but I am just a commoner."

“I know Brother Cen’s character; these words are both relevant to the matter and to the person.”

“When I was young, my teacher and I went to Brother Cen’s jurisdiction to survey the terrain and record the hydrology. We received a lot of help. Not only did they arrange our food and lodging, but they also took the initiative to arrange for someone to accompany us and guide us. Because of Brother Cen’s warm invitation and his dedication to his work, my teacher stayed for an extra half month to visit local elders, consult the county annals, and help revise the drawings of the county’s dikes.”

"Three years later, I revisited the place with Mr. Cen. The canals and dams had been modified by about 70 or 80 percent according to the original blueprints. Upon inquiry, I learned that it was indeed the work done by Brother Cen during his tenure, and it was still used by his successor."

"When the locals talk about it, they all praise the former Magistrate Cen for his hands-on approach to everything and his love for the people. During his tenure, he repaired dikes and bridges, and brought water to irrigate the fields. When he heard of any good rice varieties, he would do everything he could, even making seven or eight trips himself, to find them and distribute them to the county school for trial planting. He also increased subsidies for students in the county school and allocated quotas to all villages and towns. The people were very grateful."

"The gentleman also told me at the time that if I were to become an official in the future, I didn't necessarily have to be a high-ranking official. Even a low-ranking official could have his own way of doing things. If I could become a county magistrate like you, Brother Cen, I would have no regrets in life."

Upon hearing this, Cen Dezhang showed no sign of pride, but remained lost in thought for a long while before finally saying, "Before, I only governed one county, with a limited population. Although the affairs were numerous and the people varied in their cunning and honesty, in the end... if there was anything truly difficult, I would simply work harder myself. But now, I am in charge of a prefecture, and personnel matters are much more complicated..."

Han Li then said, "When superiors are kind, subordinates naturally feel comfortable doing their jobs. But if this kindness is not differentiated and is spread everywhere, mistakes are not investigated, and there is no discipline to prevent people from making excuses, who would be willing to work properly?"

"Human nature is different; some are good, and some are bad. The harm caused by corrupt officials taking advantage of one's power is something you, an official who has served for many years, surely understand better than I do."

"To be lenient with those wicked officials is to be cruel to the people."

"Previous magistrates were unable to deal with Qian Zhongming and were eventually demoted or transferred, but they had all done their best. They were just limited by their abilities. This official is clearly capable and can get things done, yet he deals with things in this way. This people-friendly official does not stand up for the people and only tries to be amiable. It's fine for him, but he has wealth and backing. What are we common people supposed to do?"

As he spoke, he pointed to the shoes and cushions on the table and said, "What are we commoners supposed to do?"

Cen Dezhang bowed his head for a long time before finally saying, "Zheng Yan is right."

After Han Li finished speaking, he didn't linger, bowed, and left on his own.

Cen Dezhang sat alone behind the table for a long, long time, sometimes looking at the futon in front of him, sometimes at the shoes.

Finally, he took off his soft shoes and tried them on.

As expected, without measuring, the straw sandals were neither the right length nor the right size, but once you put them on, step on the ground, tie a knot, and walk without any hindrance.

He walked around the room, and when he returned to his seat, he took off his shoes and looked at the knotted grass. He felt even more empty and sad inside.

Just as he was lost in thought, there was a knock on the door. A short while later, a servant came in carrying two food boxes and said, "Zhengyan said that the master has not eaten yet and asked me to bring some food."

Cen Dezhang had no appetite for food, but since his retainers had already brought it over, he couldn't very well refuse.

Soon, three or four dishes and a large bowl of porridge were placed on the table.

Cen Dezhang asked first, and upon learning that the guest had already eaten, he picked up his chopsticks and began to eat and drink slowly.

With something on his mind, he couldn't taste his food at all. He ate a couple of bites absentmindedly, but finally couldn't swallow. He put the bowl back on the table, looked at the retainer, called out to him, and then said, "Following an official like me, who is indecisive and needs guidance in everything he does, you have really suffered these past six months."

The retainer had endured for half a year, but now that the man had brought it up, he could no longer hold back and said, "Since you know how hard we've been, sir, then act like a superior! To be honest, I've served several masters before, and none of them were as generous as you, sir. But I've never slept soundly with you—I'm always afraid that something will happen to my men tomorrow, and that you, in your good nature, will let someone else cover it up, leaving us to clean up their messes!"

"Just now, Han Li told us a lot about your past deeds in the county. How come the higher your rank is now, the more restrained you become!"

He became more and more agitated as he spoke, listing all of Cen Dezhang's faults again—following countless times in the past, all to no avail.

Cen Dezhang looked ashamed and said, "You're right, I will try my best to correct it."

He thought to himself: The summer floods will come any day. Even if the new river channel is indeed useful, as Zheng Yan said, it will still require people and materials for maintenance in the future. If it cannot be used and floods occur, and he continues to be indecisive, even if Qian Kongmu falls now, there will be Sun Kongmu and Li Kongmu in the future. Will he be manipulated by others again?

A thousand-mile dike can be destroyed by an ant hole. This time, a major disaster almost occurred. If this continues in the future, what will happen if a real catastrophe is caused?

The worst outcome would be losing his job. He had been trying to be amicable in everything, but he was also afraid of causing trouble for his father-in-law. In the end, he didn't get away with it. So he might as well be ruthless.

Thinking of this, he turned his head and saw the straw sandals and futon that had been placed aside.

Gritting his teeth, Cen Dezhang forced a smile and said, "Tomorrow morning, arrange two teams to patrol the counties, including the prefectural government. Anyone caught without a valid reason being absent, late, or leaving early will have their entire salary confiscated and be given a warning..."

"Those who use illness as an excuse to avoid their duties should first be advised; if they still do not repent, then they should be asked to resign..."

Having served as an official before, Cen Dezhang knew that when arresting someone, one must first address their conduct. At this moment, he uttered a series of orders, one, two, three, four, and they sounded quite professional.

The retainer was so happy he almost cried.

As long as you try and make changes gradually, no matter the outcome or whether you can persevere, it's better than being a dead pig that doesn't react even when you pour a bucket of boiling water on it.

He hurriedly replied, "Yes! Yes! I will go and pass on the message to the lord right away!"

As he spoke, he quickly ran outside, so excited that he almost moved his hands and feet in unison.

Sitting alone behind the table, Cen Dezhang reflected on his actions and realized that although making a decision was difficult, once he started, it wasn't as hard as he had imagined.

Try again. If you still don't have the ability, then honestly resign from your post!

There are those in the world who love being officials, and there are those who don't or don't know how to be officials! As long as I explain it properly to my father-in-law and uncle, they probably won't force me. Thinking this, Cen Dezhang felt relieved and gradually felt hungry. He picked up his bowl and chopsticks again, picked up some vegetables, and ate a couple of mouthfuls of porridge.

While eating, one can't help but make plans in one's mind.

—It would be best to visit the new river channel and embankment tomorrow, and also check the irrigation canals in Liuxian County, which are closest to the new river channel. We can also see if we have time to go to the fields to inquire about the millet situation…

We might not be able to finish the race; it might have to be split into two days...

Huh? What kind of dish is this?

He lowered his head blankly and saw a few three-inch-long water spinach stems soaking in the porridge, along with two water spinach leaves with dark green stems.

The water spinach stems were stir-fried until they were both sour and spicy, and crisp. A little oil was used, and when mixed into the porridge, the porridge itself had a slightly sweet taste, which softened the intense sourness and spiciness, making it extremely appetizing.

The stir-fried water spinach, with its unique aroma and rich flavor, had an extremely strong and intense salty and savory taste, thanks to some unknown seasoning.

The vegetable leaves had softened and were almost dark green; having been left out for so long, they naturally lacked the wok hei (wok aroma).

However, the seasoning used when stir-frying the vegetables was a bit too strong. After waiting for half a day, the water spinach leaves had absorbed the flavors and were actually a little salty. But the saltiness was complemented by the freshness, and the vegetables themselves were sweet. When all three were combined, and a big mouthful of white porridge was slurped down, the saltiness was neutralized.

This is the kind of vegetable you should eat with plain porridge in the summer!
A simple meal, a bowl of vegetable soup!

Cen Dezhang!

With straw sandals and vegetable soup, those who are close to the people should work hard, and the people will have a better life!
***
Several tables were prepared for dinner, and porridge and dishes were also sent to the prefectural government office. In total, there were meals for dozens of people. With so much food to prepare, it naturally took a long time.

After finishing the meal, he chatted with the kitchen staff for a while, and by the time he saw the guests off and cleaned up the mess, it was already quite late.

After washing up, Song Miao went to the kitchen to check the stove and the hot water on it before closing the door.

Just as she was about to return to her room, she unexpectedly ran into an acquaintance on the way.

"It's so late, Miss Song, aren't you asleep yet?"

—This is Kong Fuyang, who has just returned from outside.

He had been yawning, but upon seeing Song Miao, he immediately perked up and hurriedly asked, "Did you have that braised goose liver today?"

Song Miao smiled and said, "We got to eat!"

He added, "Young master is so kind. He was afraid I would miss out on this bite, so he went out of his way to tell everyone. Actually, I love the other dishes too. You don't need to go to such trouble next time."

Kong Fuyang said smugly, "Other things are other things, but foie gras is foie gras—how much liver does a goose produce? If I hadn't told you beforehand, and you're such a polite person, they would have snatched it all up, and there wouldn't have been any left!"

He paused, looking as if he had already been very well-behaved, and proudly said, "I haven't even mentioned that you also said you liked to eat goose intestines!"

Seeing his teeth sticking out, Song Miao found it amusing and couldn't help but say, "According to what Young Master Kong says, wouldn't you yourself enjoy eating everything?"

Kong Fuyang chuckled and said, "So, Miss Song, you're only finding out now?"

She added, "With your culinary skills, Miss Song, I love everything you make. Today's stir-fried goose intestines with crisp bean sprouts were absolutely delicious. Oh dear, it's a pity that the goose was so disappointing. It's so big, but it has so few and so short intestines. Why didn't it wrap them around a few more times inside? It's just not enough to eat!"

As they were talking, a gust of wind suddenly blew from behind.

Song Miaoxian sensed that this young master Kong was unusually excited tonight. Because he was a bit far away, he wasn't entirely sure. But when the wind blew in his face, he could smell a faint smell of alcohol, and he knew that most of the people there had been drinking tonight.

She didn't point it out, but just smiled and said, "Then another day when we return to the capital, I'll cook you a separate dish."

He then stepped aside, said goodbye, and asked Kong Fuyang to go first.

Just as he stepped aside, before he could finish speaking, Kong Fuyang responded twice and said hello. After taking only a few steps, he couldn't help but turn his head back.

His eyes were clearly very sleepy, but he was still trying to keep them open. Suddenly, he called out to Song Miao and said mysteriously, "I got something today, but I can't show it to others. It's better to keep it hidden than to wear fine clothes in the dark!"

"Old Lu isn't here, and after thinking it over, you're the only one left—so I have to show this to you!"

As he spoke, he reached into his pocket and pulled out a purse.

Seeing that he spoke clearly and walked in a straight line instead of zigzagging, and that this was the main path between the two doors with guest rooms on the side and people could hear voices, Song Miao wasn't worried that he was drunk and causing trouble. Besides, given his anxious and excited appearance, she was afraid that he wouldn't be able to sleep well tonight unless he saw that "brocade robe". So she stood still and waited.

Kong Fuyang took out his purse, opened it, and found another cloth bag inside.

Inside the cloth bag, there was still a piece of oiled paper.

Seeing the layers upon layers of protective measures, Song Miao was genuinely intrigued.

When the contents were finally revealed, it turned out to be a small square seal.

"Did you bring a handkerchief?" Kong Fuyang had just asked when he shook his head. "Never mind, use mine!"

As he spoke, he took out his handkerchief, pressed the small seal firmly onto it, and then held the handkerchief and seal up to Song Miao. Despite his efforts to suppress it, the desire to show off was hard to hide—"See? Isn't it beautiful?"

"As the saying goes, when he was feeling really tired, he thought he could clear his head, so he would carve a few pieces whenever he had a spare moment. He finished a couple of days ago—and this was made from Qingtian stone that he got from Master Min. Not only that, but he also carved it himself, stroke by stroke!"

Song Miao looked at the seal, then at the handkerchief. It was indeed a beautiful seal, so she praised it earnestly and finally said, "Young Master Han must be very compatible with you and value you highly, which is why he went to such lengths!"

Kong Fuyang, who already had some wine, was overjoyed to receive this remark. In his delight, he couldn't wait to spread his elation throughout the world and let everyone share his pride. He couldn't help but say, "I'll tell you a secret: Zhengyan has three name seals engraved. One for me, one for Lao Lu, and the other one... guess whose it is?"

Just as he was about to speak, he heard voices behind him. He listened carefully and was surprised to hear that it was Lu Wenming and Han Li coming towards the backyard.

Kong Fuyang's smile froze instantly, as if he had suddenly sobered up. He jolted awake, hastily threw the seal and cloth into a ball, stuffed it into his arms, and whispered, "I'm not guessing anymore. Just pretend you didn't hear anything! I'm leaving!" He then slipped away as if his feet were greased.

(End of this chapter)