The Lucky Farmgirl
Chapter 224 - 213: Ambition (Additional update for 205,000 recommended votes on Yunqi)

Chapter 224: Chapter 213: Ambition (Additional update for 205,000 recommended votes on Yunqi)

The steward was startled and hurriedly said, "My lord, why would you have such concerns?"

County Magistrate Fu stepped back a few paces, clenched his hand into a fist and pressed it onto the desk, saying, "Lord Wei is about to arrive in Yizhou with the relief food, and I’ve heard that his visit isn’t merely for disaster relief. He will also investigate the breach of Jin Dike."

County Magistrate Fu paused for a moment before continuing, "As you and I both know, this breach of Jin Dike involves too many prefectures and counties. Almost half of Yizhou, even nearly the whole of Jiannan Circuit, are implicated. Our Luojiang County is not exactly close to Yizhou, but it’s not far either."

The steward understood, afraid of becoming collateral damage.

He thought for a moment, then said in a low voice, "Lord, have you asked about this with Lord Fu from the capital?"

County Magistrate Fu shook his head, replying, "I’m afraid my uncle probably cannot extend his influence to this place. It’s better to rely on oneself than others."

That wasn’t his real uncle, just a distant relative from a collateral branch of the Fu family.

The steward then quietly consoled him, saying, "My lord, the casualties in Luojiang County are not severe, at least when compared to other disaster-stricken prefectures and counties, our situation can be considered good. Therefore, your subordinate believes that my lord need not worry too much."

"What if I want to seize this opportunity to advance further?"

The steward looked up in surprise at County Magistrate Fu.

County Magistrate Fu walked two steps with his hands behind his back, carefully choosing his words before saying, "This is my sixth year as the county magistrate of Luojiang. I should have received some news at the start of spring, but there has been no movement from above. I had someone inquire at the Ministry of Personnel, but they found out nothing."

This topic had been discussed with the steward before, and they both tended to think that the Ministry of Personnel wanted them to serve another term, or they had simply forgotten about them, thus the matter of promotion was of no concern.

But County Magistrate Fu did not wish to serve another term, saying, "Traditionally, after serving two terms as a county magistrate without fault, one either gets promoted or transferred back to the capital. Yet I’m about to serve three terms—nine years, Uncle Wen, how many sets of nine years do I have?"

Generally, those county magistrates serving indefinite terms fall into two categories: one is those who are older and cannot be decently transferred, so they retire in their position; the other is those who have offended people in high places and got their promotion indefinitely delayed.

However, County Magistrate Fu felt that he belonged to neither category; he was simply forgotten. If he did nothing, it was likely he would be forgotten indefinitely.

His status was indeed a bit awkward. He came from a family with a scholarly background but was a very distant relative to the main branch. While his family wealth was significant, he had little connections in the officialdom.

And having achieved no particularly outstanding political achievements during his tenure, being neither meritorious nor flawed, his superiors had no intention of promoting him, and the Ministry of Personnel naturally remembered him even less.

If he did nothing, he might really serve four or five terms in Luojiang County. By then, even if he was transferred, it would most likely be a lateral move to another county to serve as magistrate there.

This was not what County Magistrate Fu wanted to see.

Of course, the steward did not wish for his employer to achieve nothing either. After a short contemplation, he understood and asked, "My lord, do you have a plan?"

"I mentioned a few days ago to the Assistant County Magistrate and others that I wanted to report exempting the autumn taxes and also apply for some relief food from Lord Wei. After all, our county has taken in quite a few refugees, and the local commoners have suffered losses as well. Without relief, I fear incidents of selling children might occur," County Magistrate Fu said thoughtfully. "They agreed with the latter, but we couldn’t reach a consensus on the former."

Failure to reach a decision usually meant there were both agreement and opposition.

The steward indicated his understanding that not all autumn taxes were shipped to the capital; most were retained locally to support the fiscal expenditures.

County Magistrate Fu, aiming for greater achievements, was naturally willing to tighten his belt and make a significant effort, but the officials below him were mostly locals. Most would spend their entire lives here, naturally valuing the money and grain they could get in hand more.

Moreover, the request would have to be approved by the governor, and the governor might not be willing to exempt the taxes.

"However, today someone made a similar suggestion," County Magistrate Fu said with a profound look, walking with his hands behind his back. "Even if it’s just a child with such an idea, how many people among my subjects would be thinking the same thing? If in the end there’s neither relief nor tax exemption, plus the addition of so many refugees under our jurisdiction, should someone incite them, then..."

The steward was startled and after a moment of thought, said, "Lord, you are right. And now with the entire officialdom of the Jiannan Circuit in turmoil, if anything goes wrong..."

"I share the same concern," County Magistrate Fu said in a lower voice. "My uncle wrote to me that His Majesty and the court are extremely furious about this breach of Jin Dike. Not only the military governor and the governor are implicated, but even the Prince of Yizhou might get dragged into it."

These individuals were either high-ranking officials of the second rank or members of the imperial family. If they could barely protect themselves, let alone the less significant officials below them.

Luckily for County Magistrate Fu, Luojiang County was located off the beaten path, deep in the mountains, so the great flood hadn’t reached them. Since the breach of Jin Dike, three county magistrates had already perished.

One drowned during the fight against the flood, his body swept away without a trace, one was executed by the military governor, and the other hanged himself.

As a fellow county magistrate, although Yizhou was far from Luojiang, County Magistrate Fu was still terrified, fearing he would become collateral damage.

It was for this reason that he was even more eager to make some achievements, not only for promotion but also for self-preservation.

County Magistrate Fu and the steward deliberated for half the evening, and then he slept on the couch in the study. He got up from bed as the crow of the rooster sounded for the second time the next day.

Days of hard work and insufficient sleep made him look as though he had aged ten years, but he still had a simple meal and took his entourage to Dali Village.

Manbao was stunned when he saw the county magistrate, almost mistaking him for the magistrate’s father. If not for the magistrate’s official garb, Manbao would certainly have called him ’Grandfather.’

Manbao and Keke sighed and said, "Our county magistrate doesn’t seem to be too bad, even if he always collects our entry fees."

Keke didn’t respond.

Manbao was used to it and joined his friends to watch curiously.

County Magistrate Fu was there to investigate the disaster situation. This was his first visit to Qili Village, although he had been to Dali Village three times.

The Chief of Qili Village lived in Dali Village, and since the fields of the two villages were intermingled with each other, if County Magistrate Fu ever came down to encourage agriculture, he only went as far as Dali Village.

The reason he came to Qili Village this time was threefold: firstly, for Old Master Bai, secondly, to verify the disaster situation, and thirdly, to see Zhou Man and Bai Shan.

Especially after Zhou Man and his second daughter had made such a suggestion.

This flood disaster resulted in three homes collapsing and twelve homes being damaged in Qili Village. Under the Chief’s organization, the villagers helped each other to rebuild or repair those homes.

While the disaster was not severe, the lives of those affected, especially the three families whose homes had collapsed, became very difficult.

There was no helping it. When the houses collapsed, many belongings were damaged, and the grain also got damp.