Eternal Immortal Dynasty: Starting as a Petty Official

The Qian Law states: "In the fifth month of each year, each county shall report its household registration, cultivated land, income and expenditure of money and grain, and the number of thieves to its register."

At the end of May, the most important task for the officials of Wohu Township was to survey the fields, that is, to investigate the acreage of land.

Of course, when surveying the land, it is also necessary to count the people in order to establish household registration and collect taxes.

Investigating the land and calculating the number of people was not difficult.

This was because in the early years of the Qian Dynasty, when Emperor Qian first ascended the throne, he issued a land survey decree to the whole country.

He ordered all prefectures and counties to investigate the amount of land owned by the people, their population, and their age, and to compile a register to facilitate the collection of taxes and the imposition of corvée labor in the future.

At that time, many powerful families had their own private armies, known as "chief soldiers of the big clans," who concealed their land holdings and the number of people they had conscripted, and opposed land surveys.

Local officials, fearing powerful clans, embezzled and colluded with each other, allowing these clans to falsify reports on land and population.

Emperor Qian ordered the execution, imprisonment, or dismissal of dozens of prefects for the crime of "inaccurate land surveys."

As a result, powerful clans, military commanders, and bandits rose up in rebellion, which Emperor Qian suppressed. The powerful clans were relocated to other prefectures, and the land survey decree was successfully implemented.

Although the Qian Dynasty has collapsed, the Qian Laws are still in effect throughout the land.

Every May, a survey of farmland is conducted in accordance with regulations.

In previous years, this matter was presided over by Cao Miao, the village chief, and naturally, it will be presided over by Cao Miao again this year.

However, the person who went to investigate each pavilion and village became Zhao Xian.

Zhao Xian was also very shocked when he learned that he was in charge of the investigation.

Having just assumed the post of a local official, and not yet familiar with local affairs, he felt it was too important for him to preside over such a crucial matter. Therefore, he quickly asked Cao Miao for permission to resign.

Cao Miao, the village official, stated frankly that this matter was instructed by Chen Yuancheng.

Seeing Zhao Xian's solemn expression, Cao Miao, the village assistant, also spoke frankly, saying that if there was anything he did not understand, he could come and ask him for advice.

Zhao Xian's expression softened somewhat, and he bowed to Cao Miao to take his leave.

On May 26th of the 526th year of the Xian calendar, the land survey in Wohu Township officially began.

......

The village office of the official.

Zhao Xian pushed open the door and entered. The three officials inside all stood up and bowed, saying, "Greetings, Lord Zhao!"

"Please be seated, everyone!"

Zhao Xian quickly returned the greeting and then said with a smile.

"This year, Cao Jun ordered Bozhang to conduct the land survey. However, Bozhang is of limited talent and experience, and knows he is incapable of handling this task!"

"I offered to resign several times, but Cao Jun rejected my offer each time. I had no choice but to accept the job."

"Gentlemen, you are all older and more experienced than Bozhang. I hope you will assist me in this land survey!"

Looking around at everyone, Zhao Xian stood up again and bowed.

As Zhao Xian said, they were inexperienced and the three of them were quite resistant to obeying Zhao Xian's orders!

Seeing Zhao Xian so respectful and polite, the three officials' expressions softened somewhat. They exchanged a glance, and the leading official immediately stood up and helped Zhao Xian up.

"Bozhang, we have worked together for over three months, and we greatly admire your character and talent. We will do our utmost to assist you in the land survey!"

"Thank you very much, Mr. Liu!"

Zhao Xian bowed again before slowly rising.

The person who spoke was named Liu Mao, an old official who had previously inspected the villages and distributed grain seeds with Chen Yuancheng and Zhao Xian.

He is shrewd and capable, with a meticulous mind, but he is extremely greedy!

Thinking of this, Zhao Xian took out three palm-sized cloth bags from his sleeve and gently pushed them in front of the three people.

"Gentlemen, the survey of the fields will require several days of arduous work and insufficient food. This is a subsidy from Bozhang to cover your expenses during the journey."

"Bo Zhang, we are all officials in the same court. Inspecting the fields is our official duty. Each garrison has its own lodgings to provide for our meals and expenses. How can you expect Bo Zhang to subsidize these expenses!"

"Besides, Bo Zhang's family is poor; how could we possibly accept money from him!"

Upon hearing this, Liu Mao immediately spoke up righteously and pushed the three cloth bags back.

"Liu Junlian pitied Bo Zhang's family's poverty, and Bo Zhang was deeply grateful. However, he hoped that you would accept this small token of his appreciation!"

Upon hearing this, Zhao Xian spoke sincerely and then pushed it back.

"Very well, then we will not refuse any longer!"

Seeing that Zhao Xian was truly sincere, Liu Mao smiled slightly, exchanged a glance with the other two, and sighed.

The three of them each took a cloth bag, and with a light touch of their fingers, they knew that there were five low-grade spirit stones inside. They were quite satisfied.

After receiving the spirit stones, the three of them became more friendly.

"Bozhang, investigate the fields. This matter is neither difficult nor easy."

After a few moments of contemplation, Liu Mao looked at Zhao Xian and said in a low voice.

"Please advise, Mr. Liu!"

Upon hearing this, Zhao Xian responded in a low voice.

"In Wohu Township, there are several thousand households and more than ten thousand people. Among them, the three most prominent surnames are Yan, Xu, and Cao."

"These three families each own more than a thousand acres of land, and are deeply rooted in the county and township, with intertwined roots."

"These three families are very powerful, and we lowly officials dare not investigate the land they own; we must let them report it themselves."

"Besides these, there is no need to investigate the impoverished Daoist people who have neither a roof over their heads nor a place to stand."

"These two represent the extremes of wealth and poverty in the village; there's no need to concern yourself with them."

"The only difficult thing is dealing with those wealthy households in the pavilions who are caught in the middle. These wealthy households are not considered major families in terms of land or power, but they can still establish connections with the powerful and influential families."

"During annual land surveys, these wealthy households truly make things difficult for us!"

After Liu Mao finished speaking, he picked up his teacup, took a sip of warm tea to moisten his throat, and Zhao Xian was also immersed in his words.

"Mr. Liu, how did the village officials conduct themselves in previous years?"

Seeing Zhao Xian deep in thought, Liu Mao and the other two remained silent until Zhao Xian spoke again.

"The three clans in the village will send someone tonight to present them with registers of population and land holdings. We will then report accordingly based on these registers!"

"As for the wealthy households in each pavilion, we still need to go to each pavilion to verify their information!"

After thinking for a moment, Liu Mao spoke cautiously.

Upon hearing this, Zhao Xian nodded slightly, saying that they would discuss it after tonight.

......

As night fell, the three families in the village indeed sent their servants to deliver the scrolls.

Inside the village official's office, the lights were on.

The four sat around the table, staring at the three bamboo scrolls and three packages in front of them, without saying a word.

"Bo Zhang~"

Seeing that Zhao Xian remained silent, Liu Mao had no choice but to speak up and remind him.

Zhao Xian snapped out of his daze, picked up one of the bamboo scrolls, untied the bindings, unfolded it, and stared intently at it.

After a long while, Zhao Xian put down the bamboo slips and gave a bitter smile.

The Yan family, a prominent family in Wohu Township and even Rongtai County, actually only owned fifty mu of ordinary farmland!

Zhao Xian's family, together with his uncle's, his other uncle's, and his third uncle's families, all owned nearly a hundred acres of land!

Seeing this, Liu Mao and the other two all sighed.

"Would Bozhang like to take a closer look at the remaining two volumes?"

Liu Mao asked gently from the side.

"No need to look at it again, just report it accordingly!"

Zhao Xian sighed and waved his hands repeatedly.

"Bozhang, shall we open this package and take a look?"

Liu Mao then gestured towards the package on the table.

"No, I will send it to Lord Cao along with the bamboo slips."

Zhao Xian didn't need to open it; a quick scan with his divine sense revealed the contents of the package: pieces of mid-grade spirit stones, each about the size of a palm.

"These items were presented to the county magistrate by three different families!"

As if thinking Zhao Xian had misunderstood, Liu Maofu explained in a low voice.

Zhao Xian nodded slightly, understanding the situation perfectly. The powerful families in the county were hiding their land holdings and populations, and as the head of the county, how could the county magistrate not know this?

The county magistrate has served here for more than ten years, and it seems that every year will be like this.

What benefit would it bring to oneself to investigate the land holdings of large families? It would be better to obtain something tangible to nourish one's spiritual practice.

"Gentlemen, please rest well. Tomorrow we will begin by inspecting the fields and acreage in the villages!"

Zhao Xian stood up and said with a smile, then walked out of the office and returned to the central courtyard to rest.