Transmigrated into a minor official in a county government, with children at home waiting for rice t

The next day at dawn, Zhang Sanlang arrived at the clerk's office.

He picked up his pen, dipped it in ink, and continued copying the case files he hadn't finished the day before.

The door was pushed open.

Household registration officer Zhou Qianxing stood at the door, his two mustaches slightly twitching, holding a file in his hand. He gestured with his chin toward Zhang Sanlang, "Officer of Posting, come out for a moment."

Zhang Sanlang put down his pen and followed him to the corridor.

Zhou Qianxing looked around and lowered his voice: "The household registration office will be clearing accounts in a few days. The autumn tax accounts need to be checked and the tax register needs to be copied. Tao Yasi asked me to ask you if you could be temporarily transferred over to help out for a few days after the Mid-Autumn Festival."

Zhang Sanlang readily agreed, "How could I refuse when Clerk Tao asks? What day is it?"

"The day after Mid-Autumn Festival."

"Alright. I'll inform Clerk Feng."

"That's good then." Zhou Qianxing stroked his beard, a smile appearing on his lips. "I'll go ask Clerk Feng for the man later."

He received a satisfactory answer, tucked the file under his arm, and turned to go back to the household registration office.

Zhang Sanlang walked to the entrance of the clerk's office, turned a corner, and headed towards Feng Jian's office.

Feng Jian was sitting behind his desk drinking tea. His round face wore his usual smile. When he saw him come in, he put down his teacup and gestured for him to sit.

Zhang Sanlang stopped and relayed Zhou Qianxing's words, saying that Zhou Qianxing would come to formally demand the person.

Feng Jian picked up his teacup, blew on the tea foam, and replied, "Alright. You owe Clerk Tao a favor, so repay it. Just don't neglect your duties in the Clerk's Office."

"Tao Yashi has a sharp eye; out of the three clerks in the clerk's office, he chose you. Did he use his personal connections or a relationship to help you with the property transfer last time?"

"I have both." Seeing the hidden meaning in his words, Zhang Sanlang didn't leave immediately.

Feng Jian took a sip of tea, put down the teacup, and looked up at him.

That gaze held the gentleness of an elder looking at a younger person, but beneath that gentleness lay a measuring stick.

"In all these years you've been in the clerk's office, you've never made a mistake in the attendance records, and you've checked the stipend lists faster than the clerk's office. You've also handled the secondments to the criminal and household departments with ease. You're even better at writing than the students at the prefectural school."

He paused, as if suddenly remembering something, and his tone became more casual: "Speaking of which, the head of the Rites Department retired due to illness at the beginning of the year, and the position has been vacant ever since. I originally wanted to promote one of the three of you from the Personnel Department's three Assistant Directors."

He took another sip of tea and leisurely set out a tent for three people.

"Fang Zhong'an is the most senior and knows his place in the world. However, he's too talkative and not honest enough. Ma Boqian is honest and diligent, but he's clumsy with words and slow with his hands, so he can't handle the affairs of the gift room."

He looked up at Zhang Sanlang and said, "You are different. You were once a promising candidate for the state school. You are full of knowledge, but you are too upright and cannot blend in with the world. After observing you for the past few years, I think it is a pity to keep you in the position of a minor official."

Zhang Sanlang met Feng Jian's gaze. "I remember Feng's kindness. But I'm not familiar with the affairs of the rites department either. If I accept it rashly, I'm afraid I'll not only betray Feng's trust, but also be detrimental to the operation of the rites department."

He pondered for a moment, then changed the subject: "There is someone who is more suitable than the three of us."

Feng Jian's teacup stopped at his lips.

He originally just wanted to reassure Zhang Sanlang and let him know that the Bureau of Personnel had not mistreated him and that the position in the Bureau of Rites would eventually be his.

These words were half to win him over and half to test him; after saying them, he intended to have him go back and continue copying the case files.

Unexpectedly, instead of taking advantage of the situation, this person actually started recommending candidates to him.

The usual smile on his lips remained unchanged. "Oh? Tell me about it."

"Zhou Qianxing, the head of the Household Registration Department, was brought by Tao Yasi. I heard that he used to be a private tutor. The Department of Rites is in charge of the imperial examination documents and sacrificial ceremonies. Everything is inseparable from the classics and rites, and Zhou Qianxing is very familiar with them."

"In terms of academic qualifications, experience, and position, Zhou Qianxing is far more suitable than the others. If Clerk Feng could transfer him from the Household Department to fill the vacancy in the Department of Rites, wouldn't that be a logical step?"

Feng Jian did not respond immediately.

He looked at Zhang Sanlang as if he were re-evaluating a person.

The four chief clerks are in charge of personnel in one or two departments, while the daily affairs are handled by the assistants of each department.

Zhou Qianxing was not very familiar with the household registration department, so every year during the two tax seasons, Tao Yasi had to borrow a clerk from another department to help him.

Sending Zhou Qianxing to the ceremonial office would not only spare him the trouble of money and grain arithmetic, but also free up the household office space.

The vacancy in front of the Household Registration Office can be filled by someone from the Personnel Office.

Who is suitable?

Zhang Sanlang, who has been transferred to a household registration office multiple times, is naturally the most suitable candidate!

He slowly put down his teacup, a slight smile appearing on his lips.

This Zhang Sanlang knew better than he thought how to move the pieces among the different rooms.

He picked up his teacup and gestured towards Zhang Sanlang, saying only the most polite words: "Zhou Qianxing's transfer to the Department of Ceremonies is a favor to the Department of Household Affairs, a way to fill a vacancy in the Department of Ceremonies, and also a good thing for you."

"It's not a bad thing for young people to be ambitious. After the Mid-Autumn Festival, go to the Household Affairs Office and do your job well. After the year-end evaluation, without anyone saying anything, I'm afraid Chief Clerk Tao will strongly recommend you for the position of Household Affairs Office Director."

Zhang Sanlang knew he couldn't hide his thoughts from the old fox Feng Jian, so he simply stopped pretending and said, "Clerk Feng has thought things through very well. I thank you in advance for your kindness."

Feng Jian waved his hand, picked up his teacup again, and his tone returned to its usual warm and gentle manner.

He stopped talking about official business and instead asked how the old house was going, how the two children were doing, how Ximei was doing, whether Qingge was going to school, and whether the injury on his head had healed.

He also advised her not to work too hard at the government office, emphasizing the importance of her health and the difficulty of raising two children.

She kept nagging, all because she was thinking of him.

Just then, the door was pushed open.

A tall, thin clerk walked in, holding a document in his hand. It was Song Zhao, the head of the clerk's office. "Clerk Feng, these documents need your review."

Feng Jian took the document, nodded to Zhang Sanlang, and said, "You can go back now. We can talk again another day when you have time."

Zhang Sanlang stood up, bowed to Feng Jian, nodded to Song Zhao, and then turned and left the office.

Back in the office, Fang Zhong'an was sitting at his desk copying documents. Seeing him enter, he uttered, "Zhou Qianxing has been talking to you for so long?"

"The household registration office needs to settle accounts after the Mid-Autumn Festival, and they told me about the temporary transfer." Zhang Sanlang returned to his seat and sat down. "I need to report to Clerk Feng. He asked about the old house and then about things at the yamen, and we ended up talking for a few more minutes."

Upon hearing this, Fang Zhong'an put down his pen.

He retired due to illness at the beginning of the year and kept an eye on the vacancy.

All the money I've saved over the years has gone to giving gifts to Clerk Feng, totaling no less than six or seven strings of cash. If I can't get a way to get a favor from the gift shop, it'll all be for nothing!

Could it be that Clerk Feng intends to promote Zhang Sanlang?!

The office remained quiet for a long time, with only the rustling sound of a brush gliding across paper.

After hesitating for a while, Fang Zhong'an suddenly spoke, his voice lower than usual, carrying an barely suppressed probing: "Did Clerk Feng mention the matter of the rites department?"

Zhang Sanlang paused for a moment, then looked up at Fang Zhong'an.

Fang Zhong'an was looking at him, his gaze filled with an undisguised tension.