Love is More than a Word《识汝不识丁》Shi Nu Bu Shi Ding
Love is More than a Word, Chapter 4: The new official takes office (4)...
The two of them returned to the county office, Tao Mo was preoccupied and goes to his room without mentioning it. But he said that Lao Tao had called up all the servants at midnight and counted the number again, and there was really one less manservant. Knowing that he must be the one who painted the painting, he took out the contract signed by this man and pulled it in his arms.
The next day, Lao Tao knocked on Tao Mo's door early in the morning, but saw that he was already up, and wondered, "Why did you get up early?
Tao Mo said: "Out visiting friends."
"Is it that friend Mr. Lu?" When they first arrived, they barely had struck the friendship of this Lu Zhenxue for tea.
Tao Mo said, "No, I want to visit Mr. Yichui."
Lao Tao was startled, and then said with joy, "Young master has actually thought of something with me."
Tao Mo stared blankly, "How could you also want......"
"Mr. Yichui and Mr. Lin Zhengyong are people of great repute in the area, we are first here in the Tangyang County and deserve to see them." He knew that a strong dragon cannot easily overpower a local tyrant. There are often people with strong backgrounds in the official arena who have become officials at the local level, which shows the importance of local connections. Last night's experience at the Mingchui House made him realize how powerful the local lawyers are here, not only smiling and proud at the court, but even the people were very impressed by them. Such people, they must not be offended.
"In that case, let's prepare two gifts before we depart." Tao Mo prodded.
Lao Tao said, "Just wait. What kind of gift would the young master like to buy?"
How about that is one sentence would be a hard pill to swallow for Tao Mo.
He thought about it and said, "My father's friends in the business world were all yours to take care of, and there was never a mistake.”
Lao Tao said, ''Young master is being ridiculous. Whenever the master sent me to procure a gift, he always asked for the other party's preference before he gave it to them. But right now I know nothing about Mr. Yichui and Mr. Lin Zhengyong." When he saw Tao Mo's expression was loose, he added, ''The gift can be big or small. Small is nothing to behold, and can be tied up in a loft. If one sends a big gift it might offend taboos and turn the other cheek."
Tao Mo listened in horror, "Then how do I inquire?"
"They are famous here and the locals naturally would know that." Lao Tao said, "But ordinary people only know one thing, but not the other, and even if they do, they may not know everything about certain people. I think it's best for the young master to hire a local master, and with a local master by his side to offer advice, the young master will naturally be able to navigate the water like a fish."
Tao Mo said, "That's good, I just don't know if there's enough money left."
I will not leave my family without rice to cook," said Lao Tao.
Tao Mo nodded, "Then go ahead and ask."
"Has Young Master ever heard the story of the Three Guesthouses?" [1] There is famous episode in the fictional Romance of Three Kingdoms in which Liu Bei recruits Zhuge Liang to his cause by visiting him three times
"Heard that." Tao Mo made sense, "Who do you want me to invite?"
"Master Jin."
Tao Mo froze, "Isn't he unwilling to be?"
Lao Tao said, "I have inquired, this Master Jin is very famous in the area. He had worked for three Magistrates before and after, and he is very experienced."
Tao Mo said: "If that's the case, then why won't he stay and help me?"
Lao Tao said, "Rumor has it that Master Jin used to be a lawyer, but he lost to Mr. Lin Zhengyong in a verbal dispute, so he joined the official family. But the arrogance of the scholar, the cunningness of the lawyer, has never left him. If Young Master wants to invite him out of his solitary mountain, he still needs to make the journey."
Tao Mo sighed, "It's so complicated?"
"In the case of trivial matters, there is nothing more trivial than a thousand times more trivial than the affairs of the county office and the people. If you really want to be a good official, you must learn to do everything yourself and know the roots of everything about anything. That's what makes you worthy of the court's trust and the people's love."
Tao Mo laughed bitterly, ''Isn’t that wrong? I'm afraid the court's trust and the people's love are both things I haven't had yet, so how can I let them down?"
"Since you don’t have it, let's do one thing at a time until there is." Knowing that he had been persuaded, Lao Tao immediately ordered Hao Guozi to prepare the palanquin chair.
The magistrates had their own official palanquin, just no palanquin bearers. Lao Tao had to pick a few young, strong men of about the same stature to fill in among the newly purchased servants.
But there is a rule of how one goes about carrying a palanquin.
You just have to know it by hand.
From the county office to Master Jin's house is only two streets away, not very far. But when Tao Mo came down from the palanquin, it was as if he had been sitting in the palanquin for a whole year, not only was his face pale, but his feet were so weak that he could not even stand up.
"Young master?" Hao Guozi held him up with both hands, eyes full of worry.
Lao Tao went to deliver the post, only to learn that Master Jin had gone to the snow appreciation convention.
There are many lawyers and scholars in the Tangyang County, and there are naturally many parties.
He thought that he might meet Mr. Lin Zhengyong and Mr. Yichui at the meeting, so he immediately asked them to carry him to Tai'an School, where the snow appreciation was held.
Many of the Confucian students in the county had come from Tai'an School before.
The door was wide open when Tao Mo arrived.
From the doorway, you can see that a snowy field has been swept out of the door, and I don't know who wrote the word "snow" on it, but it is very appropriate.
Hao Guozi handed the post and the doorman flew to report it.
By the time Tao Mo walked into the garden, the director of the Tai’an School had already greeted him personally.
"It would be a mistake to not want Lord Tao to come in person." The dean is in his fifties, well maintained and red-faced.
Tao Mo saluted back, "Excuse me."
He nodded secretly, saying, "It's just that today we have a lot of local scholars writing poems on the snow, so if you don't mind the simplicity and hospitality, why don't you join us?"
"So much obliged." Tao Mo also did not refuse and walked towards the garden.
In fact, he had long since wanted to press on. When he had just entered the garden, he saw Gu She sitting in the pavilion, like the moon was making light. There were many people sitting around him, one by one, all smiling and looking at him like he was a man.
Seeing him walking towards the pavilion with unblinking eyes, the dean was busy saying, "Is my lord cold?"
"Not cold." Tao Mo stopped in his tracks despite his reluctance.
The pavilion, though covered, leaked wind on all sides and did not keep warm," the dean said. Why doesn't my lord go and sit in the hall?"
Tao Mo said, "No need to go inside the hall, I'll just watch the snow in the pavilion."
The dean thought to himself that all the people in that pavilion were lawyers, and that the one thing they hated most were officials.
Where did Tao Mo know what was in his mind and was about to continue on, when he was thoughtlessly blocked from going by Lao Tao, saying, "Young Master, Master Jin is over there."
He glanced at Lao Tao's hand, and sure enough, Master Jin was sitting on a stone bench wearing a dark blue cotton jacket, sipping a small glass of wine and laughing with someone.
Tao Mo looked at the nearby pavilion, struggled in his heart, and finally raised his feet towards the direction of the stone bench.
From the moment he came in, the people in the garden more or less listened to his movements with their ears turned up, and now when they see him walking towards the stone bench, they all turn their necks to look.
Master Jin seemed to have expected him to come, and sat on the bench and curtsied perfunctorily, "I hope you are well, County Master."
Tao Mo sighed, "Not good, not good at all."
Master Jin looked at him askance with his eyes, "Isn't there something wrong with you?"
Tao Mo said, "I'm short of a Magistrate advising master, will Master Jin bend?"
Master Jin said, "I am old and frail, and I have long since outgrown my position."
Tao Mo continued with a sigh, "So you are not good at all."
The people on the sidelines listened to their interesting answers, and they all fell silent and listened intently.
Tao Mo stretched out his palm, flipped it over, and then looked at Master Jin.
Master Jin also looked at him.
After a long time, Tao Mo said, "I turned it over."
"......."
"So, you will follow me." Tao Mo said seriously.
The corners of Master Jin's mouth twitched slightly. As much as he didn't want to admit it, the situation in front of him was really a bit like... Someone courting a woman. "Why is the county lord so insistent?"
Tao Mo thought about it and said, "I remember a very famous saying once."
"Oh? Which sentence?"
Tao Mo grunted once in his mouth before speaking confidently, "Use only one scoop from one bucket amongst three thousand other." [1] Use only one scoop from one bucket amongst three thousand other means that you may encounter many beautiful things in your life, but it is enough to hold just one of them well. It also likens to being loyal and dedicated to love.
~ Love is More than a Word ~
Thanks for the chapter! Good story : )
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