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

Zhang Sanlang laughed upon hearing this. "Goodness isn't about doing good deeds; it's about what's inherent in a person's heart. What makes a person a great person isn't how many good deeds they've performed, but that they haven't lost what was originally there."

"Once you lose it, no amount of repair can fix it. If you keep it, even if you do something wrong, you'll still know in your heart that it was wrong."

Zhang Jin paused for a moment, then suddenly slapped the page of the book. "Third Brother, I understand. The Master talks about one's true nature to teach us to seek goodness. The true nature you speak of, Third Brother, is the real true nature, transcending good and evil!"

Zhang Sanlang continued, "That's right! Who decides good and evil? What is good may be evil to that. Isn't doing good also evil? I did good by awarding five acres of poor land to the Liu family, but the Chen family sees it as evil."

"How to distinguish between good and evil depends on one's own conscience. If I make a fair judgment, I am a good official. If I fail in my duties and am despised by the people, I am a bad official. As an official, I am responsible for minor matters, so I cannot escape being praised or criticized by others."

Zhang Jin remained silent for a moment, then his gaze grew brighter as he looked at him. "Third Brother, officials can shift blame to their subordinates! Those who govern the people are, in fact, the clerks of the world, and those who suffer the consequences are also the clerks of the world!"

Zhang Sanlang remained noncommittal, changing the subject, "Is there anything else?"

Zhang Jin's expression darkened, knowing that he was still young and Zhang Sanlang didn't want to discuss things too deeply with him.

He rolled his eyes, closed the book, and said, "Third Brother, the policy question I wrote at the state school last time was 'On the Governance of Prefectures and Counties Lies in the Officials, Not in the Magistrates.' The teacher gave me a neutral review, neither saying I was wrong nor that I was right. I've been thinking about it for a long time, but I don't know what's wrong with it."

Zhang Sanlang gave him a meaningful look, knowing that this kid was trying to be clever in front of him, mentioning that the state school wrote it; he wanted to continue discussing officials and clerks with him. "Oh? So how did you write it?"

Zhang Jin thought for a moment and said, "I said that the administration of prefectures and counties is very complicated. County magistrates are replaced every three years. They are not familiar with the local area, the people, or the affairs of the bureaucracy. The officials have been entrenched for generations. They know the people's background, the conditions of the people, and the advantages and disadvantages."

"Therefore, the governance of prefectures and counties depends on the officials, not the magistrates. If a county magistrate wants to govern the county well, he must first employ capable officials, and to employ capable officials, he must first subdue them..."

Before he could finish speaking, Zhang Sanlang waved his hand and said, "Your teacher is being lenient by giving you the middle grade. If someone takes it seriously, it wouldn't be surprising if they expelled you from the state school."

Zhang Jin was stunned.

Zhang Sanlang looked at him, his expression turning serious. "What you said is true, but the imperial examination isn't about telling the truth. It's about offering advice to the court. If you write the truth down on paper, how will the teacher approve it?"

"If he says you're right, it means the officials in the court are useless. How would all the high-ranking officials feel if they saw that? If he says you're wrong, but what you said is right, then he can only give you a neutral rating, neither praising nor criticizing you."

"If this topic really exists, you should write about 'Although officials are essential for governing a county, they cannot be left unchecked.' First, place the officials above the officials, and then discuss how to use the officials."

"This way, both the teacher and the examiner will be pleased. No matter how talented you are or how sound your arguments are, you can't make the reader uncomfortable. That's the essence of human relationships!"

Zhang Jin was stunned for a long time before closing his mouth and bowing to Zhang Sanlang. "Third Brother's words are more effective than three years of study at the prefectural school. Only today do I understand that when the teacher gave me a mediocre grade, it wasn't because he thought my writing was bad, but because he thought I was ignorant."

He paused, his eyes suddenly twitching. "But, according to Third Brother, if I were to write policy questions from now on, wouldn't I have to hide the truth and only say what the examiners want to hear? What would be the point of writing policy questions then?"

Zhang Sanlang picked up the teacup Wang Yue'e had brought him, took a sip, and gave him a meaningful glance. His gaze fell on Zhang Jin's face, which still held a hint of defiance, and a faint smile appeared on his lips.

The smile held the helplessness of someone with experience, but also an appreciation for the young man's still-unpolished edges. "Who says that saying only what the examiner wants to hear isn't a skill? You write policy questions not to vent your frustrations, but to find the answers."

"Once you pass the imperial examination, become an official, and hold the seal of office, then when you write an essay titled 'In the official position, not in the bureaucracy,' all the high-ranking officials will have no choice but to tolerate it, because they know you have the seal of office."

"But you don't even have a single solution yet, so what makes you think people will tolerate your writing? Policy essays are just a stepping stone, not a book to be passed down through generations. Don't complain about the dirt on the bricks when you knock on the door; just knock on the door first."

Zhang Jin lowered his head and remained silent for a while. When he looked up again, most of the confusion in his eyes had disappeared, replaced by a clear-headedness as if he had been doused with cold water. "I'll remember what you said, Third Brother. I'll think about it when I get back."

Zhang Sanlang watched him leave the courtyard and listened to the sounds from next door.

The maids were still laughing when Zhang Si Niang said something that made Xi Mei laugh louder than anyone else. Zhang Sanlang smiled and turned to go into the main room.

In the afternoon, Zhou An returned from the city.

When he entered the courtyard, his forehead was still damp with sweat, and his clothes were covered in dust, but his expression was different from when he left. When he left, his brows were furrowed, but when he returned, his brows were relaxed, and the corners of his mouth were turned up high.

Zhou An stood under the eaves and bowed to Zhang Sanlang. "Uncle Zhang, my uncle asked me to invite you over for a casual meal. He said you haven't been to his place yet."

Zhang Sanlang was tidying up the account books in the main room when he heard this, so he closed the books and came out.

Today, the young man was wearing a fine cloth shirt, and the silk sash around his waist had been replaced with an ordinary cloth belt.

"Why did your uncle suddenly decide to invite me to dinner?"

Zhou An grinned. "We'll talk about it on the way. Hehe!"

Zhang Sanlang glanced at the sky; it was just past Shenshi (3-5 PM), still quite bright. He turned and called out to the kitchen, "Huangfu Niangzi, I'm going out for a bit. Don't worry about me having dinner."

Wang Yue'e responded from the kitchen.

Zhang Sanlang followed Zhou An out of the courtyard, turned out of Jinshi Lane, and walked along the main street toward the north of the city.

Zhou An walked ahead, his steps lighter than usual, as if he had something on his mind that he couldn't suppress.

After walking about half a street, just as Zhang Sanlang was about to ask him a question, Zhou An spoke first, "Uncle Zhang, when I returned to the city this time, I told my maternal grandfather about returning to our clan and using the same surname."

Zhang Sanlang didn't stop walking. He glanced at him and had already guessed seven or eight parts of it, so it wasn't unexpected.

Zhou An spoke a few steps faster, "After hearing this, my maternal grandfather got up and went to the inner room. He came out after a while, holding a sealed document bag, and handed it to me."

He said, "Anlang, when I discovered your talent for studying, I knew this day would come. I just didn't expect it to be so soon. The documents are ready; take them."

Zhou An's Adam's apple bobbed as he spoke, "I opened it and saw it was a release document. It bore the Jiang family's private seal and stated my real name and the reason for my release..."

Zhang Sanlang hummed in agreement.

"I said I wanted to be my uncle's adopted son, and my maternal grandfather supported me. He said that I just needed to visit them in the prefecture during festivals. My mother was very angry when she found out about this, but my maternal grandfather..."

As the two were talking, they turned the corner and entered Yaqian Alley in the north of the city.