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

Zhao Changyan understood the implication: "Jingzhai, are you saying Hao Yunhui holds a grudge against Shouli?"

Li Hang did not answer directly.

He looked at Zhang Sanlang as if he were looking at a chess piece that had already been placed in its position: "Shouli, your second brother Zhang Fuzhi, attended the same year banquet in the capital."

Zhang Sanlang raised his head: "Yes, I've heard my elder brother mention Shouli."

"Given Zhang Fuzhi's personality, he probably hasn't mentioned this to you. At the banquet for those who passed the imperial examination that year, Hao Yun made a few sarcastic remarks, mocking Kou Pingzhong, a fellow Jinshi (successful candidate in the highest imperial examination) for being too young and ranking too high."

"Kou Pingzhong was young and hot-blooded, and he refuted him on the spot, and the two started arguing. Your second brother couldn't stand it, so he carried Hao Yun out of the banquet. He carried him with one hand, and Hao Yun's feet left the ground, making him look very disheveled."

"He didn't mention it to you. Firstly, it was a small matter to him. Secondly, he wouldn't have imagined that Hao Yun would be appointed to Puzhou, and that all the documents you submitted would have to go through his hands."

Zhao Changyan opened his mouth, clearly unaware of this matter.

Gu Yansheng and Tao Cheng exchanged a glance, then shook their heads and smiled bitterly.

Zhang Sanlang grinned upon hearing this; his second brother had indeed never mentioned it.

Never expected it!

Not only did he offend Hao Yun, but his second brother had also offended this person.

No wonder he sent Wu Haogu to Juancheng to cause trouble.

Whether Wu Haogu succeeds or fails, Hao Yun will have something to watch!

Having successfully provoked him, he avenged the embarrassment he suffered at the banquet that year.

Even if his provocation fails, he can still divert Kong Wenfu's attention by talking about the conflict between Wu Haogu and the Juancheng County government.

This guy's cunning is just as bad as Kong You'an's!

Zhang Sanlang slowly lowered his head, a hint of murderous intent flashing in his eyes.

Li Hang frowned slightly: "Hao Yun is afraid of your second brother so much that he tries to avoid him whenever he sees him. He knows you are Zhang Fuzhi's younger brother, and he will probably use some tricks whenever he gets the chance. You should be careful and on guard."

A thin layer of sweat seeped from Zhao Changyan's back.

He reached up and touched the back of his neck; his fingers were icy cold. "Jingzhai, why didn't he make a move against Shouli today?"

Li Hang leaned back in his chair: "There are three reasons why he didn't do anything to Zhang Shouli today. First, he had planned to join forces with me before he came. We were both Jinshi graduates, so we were natural allies."

"He needs me to support him in the county government so that he can secure his position as registrar. Secondly, there's nothing wrong with him in the household registration office."

"The lists, files, and collection receipts that Shouli had handled were laid out on the table one by one. He went through them three times but couldn't find any flaws. He wanted to take advantage of the situation, but he couldn't find any pretext and didn't know where to start."

"However, he eventually found a loophole in Fang Zhong'an's defenses and questioned me on the spot. I had no choice but to deal with him on the spot. Hao Yun's actions were ostensibly meticulous, but in reality, they were an act of venting personal grievances."

"Thirdly, he also realized that the Juancheng County government was united. County Magistrate Gu and County Lieutenant Sun, one a civil official and the other a military officer, were both protecting Shouli. If he were to act forcefully, the entire Juancheng County government would turn against him."

"He's just a newly appointed registrar; there's no need for him to offend all the officials in the county over this. Besides, with me here, he wouldn't dare to go too far. In the end, he's just a registrar; he doesn't have any real power."

Upon hearing this, Gu Yansheng's tense smile relaxed slightly: "Does Your Excellency mean that Hao Yun's concession today is not a matter of not holding a grudge, but rather a temporary truce?"

Li Hang nodded: "He changed his mind about transferring people from Shouli to Tao Yashi, which was to leave himself a way out. If he couldn't transfer Shouli, he could at least transfer Tao Yashi. He would still have an extra helper in the prefectural government, so he wouldn't lose out either way."

He glanced at Tao Cheng: "That's why I agreed."

Tao Cheng straightened his back slightly.

He stood by the door, sunlight slanting in through the window and falling on the hem of his robe.

He didn't speak, but his fingers, hidden inside his sleeve, gradually loosened.

Li Hang's voice was softer than before: "If he transfers Shouli to the prefectural government, it won't be long before Shouli faces off against Kong Wenfu. If Shouli wins, he can reap the benefits. If Shouli loses, he can avenge the humiliation Zhang Fuzhi caused him."

Zhao Changyan sat in the chair, sweating again, and writhed a couple of times as if his buttocks were itchy.

He wiped his sweat with his sleeve. "Jingzhai, you told me to come with you to Juancheng to broaden my horizons. I originally thought it was just to look at the county government's accounts and criminal cases."

"You...you can figure out someone's moves three steps ahead just by looking at them. How can my brain keep up? Sigh, I'm not going to take the exam."

"From now on, I'll be your advisor, wherever you go. I'm afraid I, Zhao Changyan, will never be able to learn the intricacies of officialdom in this lifetime."

Li Hang glanced at him, his lips twitching slightly. "Changyan, you don't need to be like this. Your ambition lies in scholarship, not in strife. Besides, the job of a staff member is meticulous work, not necessarily easier than your studies."

Zhao Changyan waved his hand, his tone tinged with self-deprecation: "What's the use of studying so much that you've become a bookworm? What you just said sounded like an abacus, but I couldn't see how the beads were being moved."

He leaned back in his chair and let out a long sigh. "I'm not going to waste my brainpower on that anymore. From now on, if you ask me to copy documents, I'll copy documents; if you ask me to keep accounts, I'll keep accounts. Trying to guess what people are thinking is asking too much of me."

Gu Yansheng looked at Li Hang, his gaze now carrying a deeper meaning.

He rarely showed that layer of something, but now it was laid bare before his eyes, as if he had finally confirmed something: "Your Excellency arrived in office not much earlier than Hao Yun, yet you have managed to unite the entire county government, far surpassing your peers."

"To see Hao Yun in such a good light, and to understand Kong Wenfu's methods so clearly as well. I served as the registrar in Juancheng for three years, and I consider myself fairly good at judging people and situations. But after hearing what Your Excellency said today, I dare say that even with ten more years of experience, I could not do it."

He sat upright in his chair, his gaze toward Li Hang hardening. "Your Excellency is not only a thousand times better than me, but also far more magnanimous and upright than the likes of Hao Yun. I am completely convinced today, and from now on, I will obey any orders you may give me."

Tao Cheng stood by the door. When he heard Gu Yansheng say "I'm convinced," his gaze lingered on Gu Yansheng's face for a moment before returning to Li Hang's desk.

He took half a step forward, cupped his hands in greeting, and said, "I truly admire your abilities, Your Excellency, and I have another matter to ask you."

Li Hang raised his chin: "Go on."

"I have served in various counties for ten years and have never taken the initiative to ask to be transferred to the prefectural government. Today, Your Excellency has accepted Hao Yun's appointment as the clerk, and I think: Since Your Excellency dares to let me go, I dare to go."

"Although I have rarely made mistakes in matters of household registration, after serving as a clerk for twenty years, what I owe most is your trust, Your Excellency. However, if I am transferred to the position of clerk, I would like to ask Your Excellency to give instructions on how I should perform my duties."

Upon hearing this, Zhao Changyan couldn't help but mutter from the side, "You're making it sound like you're going to your death. It's just going to the prefectural government to be a clerk!"

Tao Cheng did not respond to Zhao Changyan's words.

He looked at Li Hang as if waiting for a definitive answer.