Chapter 4

Chapter 4

The first battle was a resounding victory.

Yet Ji Chu did not allow himself to be swept away by joy.

During the case review, he uncovered a major local problem:

The land tax.

Here, the land tax seemed far heavier than in other regions—many times over.

Li Shiye, who stood beside Ji Chu, helped investigate and also sensed something amiss. He remarked, “This year is a bountiful one. Logically, there shouldn’t be so many loan disputes.”

“But most of yesterday’s disputes stemmed from debts incurred this year,” Ji Chu replied.

In a year of plenty, people shouldn’t have to borrow money.

“There must be something wrong,” Ji Chu said.

He wanted to probe further, but all the financial ledgers were in the hands of Zhao Shiye.

Not only the land tax records, but also the accounts for the upcoming winter relief were tightly controlled by Zhao.

Previously, Master Zhang had mentioned that Zhao was extremely slick and greedy.

And ledgers meant money; it was expected he would be reluctant to hand them over.

Moreover, after yesterday’s events, Zhao likely harbored even more resentment toward him.

As they spoke, unexpectedly Zhao Shiye himself came to the county office.

The purpose of his visit was even more surprising.

“An apology?” Ji Chu looked at him. “What do you have to apologize for, Zhao Shiye?”

“Poor hospitality caused the county magistrate to misunderstand,” Zhao said cautiously and sincerely. “Please allow me to invite you to my humble home for a meal to make amends.”

This was a gesture of goodwill.

Ji Chu understood.

After yesterday’s events, both sides knew each other’s strengths and weaknesses and now came to plead for mercy.

Whether it was sincere or not was for him to judge.

But Ji Chu had no intention of playing along. He replied bluntly, “I am very busy today and cannot spare the time.”

“Since you are here, the winter relief is imminent. Have the funds and supplies been prepared? Where are the accounts?” Zhao Shiye asked incredulously.

He had come to host a banquet, and the new county magistrate immediately demanded the ledgers? Who was this man?

Zhao then glanced at Li Shiye beside Ji Chu, realizing that if he handed over the ledgers, it would be the end of his affairs. So he stubbornly claimed they had not been organized yet.

Li Shiye was taken aback. “Isn’t that a bit too straightforward, sir?”

The conversation ended on an unpleasant note.

After Zhao left, Li Shiye said, “Sir, aren’t you being too disrespectful? A strong dragon cannot suppress a local snake.”

He believed the proper approach was to negotiate slowly.

Ji Chu smiled. “Negotiate slowly? For how long?”

“There’s the winter relief, and then next year’s budget.”

“If this matter is abandoned now, next year’s ledgers will be even harder to obtain.”

Usually, the office would finalize the next year’s budget by the end of the previous year.

All funds for the three departments and six divisions of the county office were disbursed from this budget.

Without securing this, the entire next year he would be at the mercy of the others.

His position as county magistrate would become that of a puppet, likely bullied like his predecessor Master Zhang.

Ji Chu had promised the previous occupant that he would take good care of everyone.

A promise made was a promise kept.

Besides, he was not one to be controlled by others.

Li Shiye was amazed.

Having previously worked as a clerk, he had never realized so many critical details.

Perhaps this explained why Ji Chu had passed the provincial exam while he remained a mere scholar.

Before Li Shiye could ponder further, Ji Chu said, “Investigate the actual land tax here.”

He added, “Take Ji Zhen with you. He has learned martial arts and can protect you.”

Ji Zhen was Ji Chu’s nephew, a mute but physically strong youth, who would certainly provide protection.

Li Shiye agreed and immediately began the inquiry.

Meanwhile, as Ji Chu familiarized himself with local affairs, a dispute broke out in the second hall of the county office.

It was mainly between the financial department’s clerks and those of the criminal department.

Both operated in the second hall. Usually, the financial clerks under Zhao and the criminal clerks under Master Fan were such that Zhao’s side held the upper hand.

But today was different.

Master Fan’s clerks were eating chicken legs and loudly praised, “This chicken leg is delicious.”

“The new county magistrate is really kind—he not only increased our pay but gave us extra food.”

“Indeed, with the new county magistrate here, our days won’t be so hard.”

The financial clerks seethed silently.

“Just a chicken leg, and the criminal clerks think they’re so great? They’re so poor they’re thrilled by a chicken leg.”

Usually, they had to beg for their silver.

Besides, the chicken legs were paid for by their own Master Zhao!

When Master Zhao entered and heard the criminal clerks boasting, scowling, he said, “You talk so much but now why no comeback?”

They lost face both before the county magistrate and here in the office—was this still his Anqiu County?

Unexpectedly, one clerk whispered, “The new county magistrate protects them now; it’s not good to speak recklessly.”

After yesterday’s events, everyone knew the new magistrate was capable and favored the criminal side.

Who dared speak out of turn?

This only enraged Master Zhao more.

He slapped the clerk and scolded, “Useless thing! You like to scavenge scraps like a dog—if it’s not your food, go drool elsewhere!”

The criminal clerk eating the chicken leg glanced over, clearly feeling mocked.

They were being insulted for eating what fell from the financial clerks’ table.

“What do you mean by that?” a criminal clerk demanded.

Zhao sneered, “Who do you think you are, talking to me like that?”

Master Fan, dark-faced, approached and said, “Why not? We all serve the office. Who’s better than whom?”

Looking at Master Fan’s new boots, bought with Zhao’s money, Zhao gritted his teeth.

How generous!

Normally, Zhao might have restrained his anger, but with old grudges and new conflicts, tempers flared.

The quarrel escalated into a brawl.

A dozen clerks tumbled into a mass of limbs.

Who dared intervene? This border county’s martial spirit was indeed strong.

Naturally, the noise reached the county magistrate.

Ji Chu looked at the crowd below the hall, half-smiling, “The second case we handle is our own people fighting each other.”

“Who said they’re our people?”

Though neither side spoke, their expressions were unanimous.

“Then let me judge the case and see who is at fault.”

His words struck a chord.

Zhao was the first to realize that the plan to treat the new county magistrate as a mere figurehead, like his predecessor, was failing.

Why did he now come with people to settle disputes?

This proved one thing: everyone there was beneath the county magistrate.

Though obvious, it had never been so clear.

Both the financial and criminal clerks had to rely on the county magistrate’s judgment.

Zhao, who had controlled Anqiu County for decades, looked up in disbelief.

At this moment, the new county magistrate had seized command of the entire office.

Listening to the accounts from his subordinates and the rebuttals from the criminal side, the new magistrate showed no favoritism.

Instead, he carefully pointed out each side’s faults and, with excellent rhetoric, convinced everyone.

No matter what else he said now was irrelevant.

“Yesterday, the patrol officers received extra pay because they stayed with me throughout the case review. The sudden influx of people to the office made their work hard,” Ji Chu smiled. “Next comes the winter relief. The preliminary accounts and supplies still rely on the financial clerks.”

“If the work is done well, you too will receive extra pay.”

“We are all staff of Anqiu County. As long as you work properly, I will not treat you unfairly.” Ji Chu nodded to one man. “I hear you are organizing the winter relief?”

This man was a trusted aide of Zhao. Thinking quickly, he admitted, “I am responsible, but there is not much progress yet.”

Meaning no results to show.

Ji Chu smiled. “Today is already the seventh day of the eleventh lunar month. The supplies must reach the people before December. Why is there no progress?”

“Do the financial clerks know the situation?”

Hearing this, the financial clerks exchanged glances. Some wanted to speak but dared not with Zhao present.

Zhao sneered.

He had trained these men for years; they would not be so easily swayed.

“I… I know,” one clerk whispered. “For the winter relief, one-third of the funds come from the office, two-thirds are donations from wealthy families.”

“The wealthy families have agreed to donate and are just waiting for the funds to arrive.”

“Once the money arrives, the supplies can be procured.”

The clerk spoke clearly and fluently.

Ji Chu nodded approvingly. “Good. Can you read and write?”

“Yes,” the clerk immediately replied.

“I need a clerk by my side. Come with me.”

If they worked well, he promised fair treatment.

It was genuine!

After all, didn’t those from the criminal side who helped him yesterday immediately benefit?

Zhao stepped back, staring hard at Ji Chu with eyes full of anger and envy.

After years of building his position, he was outdone by a mere seventh-rank official, a fledgling youth.

To Zhao, it felt like watching his hard-earned empire crumble overnight.

Ji Chu was not a naive scholar fresh to office.

He was more like a veteran official.

All tricks and schemes were useless before him.

He skillfully manipulated people and relationships, bending everyone to his will.

After all, he was the county magistrate, the highest local official.

If Zhao could not get the ledgers from him, he would find another way.

It wasn’t just Zhao envying Ji Chu’s rank.

Master Fan’s eyes gleamed brightly.

From the grand hall, a faint voice asked, “Why is the position of Anqiu County’s registrar and deputy magistrate vacant? Does anyone know why?”

“I intend to petition the Qu Xia Prefecture officials to add two new posts. What do you think?”

Deputy magistrate and registrar—official court positions.

If one could hold such posts, a lifetime of worry would vanish.

If Master Fan’s position was relatively stable on the criminal side, the financial side was different.

Everyone saw that the county magistrate did not favor Zhao.

Didn’t that mean everyone in the financial department now had opportunities?

They were already eager to curry favor with the new magistrate, now even more so.

They would work diligently!

They wanted to become officials!

As for Zhao himself, his eyes were bloodshot.

“County Magistrate Ji! It’s you who forced this! Don’t blame me for being rude!”

Ji Chu regarded him steadily.

He sensed that the abnormal land taxes would soon reveal their truth.

Zhao had controlled the local finances for many years.

There was no way he was uninvolved.

Ji Chu pressed on, determined to extract an answer.

Late that night, Li Shiye and Ji Zhen returned to the county office residence with their findings.

“The local land tax is sixty percent.”

“On a good year, a mu of land yields 280 jin of grain, but the tax is 168 jin.”

“The normal grain tax should only be 56 jin.”

“They have been paying such a high land tax for a full ten years.”