Free Web NovelChapter 46: Chapter 44: Military Officer Appointment
After reading the letter.
Wei Tu was a little surprised. The four of them had stood together against Prefect He, resolving not to join Wuyun Tower and withstanding considerable pressure.
Now that they had already offended Prefect He, going back to join Wuyun Tower... would inevitably seem foolish.
’Then why would Fu Zhizhou bring this up? Could it be because... the offer from the Wuyun Tower Elders was too good to refuse...’
After weighing the possibilities, Wei Tu found this speculation the most plausible.
Every cohort of Martial Scholars represented the elite of their county, each with bright prospects. If Wuyun Tower hadn’t made such a high offer, the other Martial Scholars would not have joined this Great Martial Arts Sect, becoming a thorn in the Government Office’s side.
’Trying to play both sides will only lead to disaster. No matter how high Wuyun Tower’s offer is, I will refuse it outright!’
Wei Tu steeled his resolve.
After reading the letter, Wei Tu mulled it over for a moment before tossing the letter from Fu Zhizhou into the charcoal brazier, destroying it instantly.
「The next day.」
Weii Fei came to visit, and he and Wei Tu conferred in private for half the day.
First, they formed a united front on the matter of refusing Wuyun Tower. Then, they briefly discussed the Appointment Certificate and decided to visit Jian Liang, the Household Clerk, with gifts to ask about some inside information.
Seven or eight days had passed since the two had their Martial Registry updated, yet they still hadn’t received their Appointment Certificates from the County Yamen.
Compared to previous years, this was a bit late.
While they were preparing the gifts, Weii Fei noticed Wei Tu’s financial straits. He proposed that he buy gifts for both of them this time, and once Wei Tu received his salary after taking office, he could treat Weii Fei to a fine meal to call it even.
Hearing this, Wei Tu didn’t argue. He thanked Weii Fei, and they went together to the West Market in the County Town to purchase the gifts.
And so, the two of them bought three catties of mutton and two catties of pork each, along with several boxes of pastries, and went to Jian Liang’s home to pay him a visit.
Upon seeing the generous gifts, Jian Liang became quite forthcoming and immediately revealed the reason the County Yamen had delayed their appointments.
"Brother Wei, you are a Second-Class Martial Scholar. According to precedent, you should be appointed to the position of clerk. It’s a miscellaneous post, a civil position within the military, unranked. But within the Xiang Army, it’s considered a good assignment—out of the wind and rain..."
"And Brother Weii, you are a Third-Class Martial Scholar. While the position you’d be granted is not as good as Brother Wei’s, you should still receive a post as a Military Envoy, responsible for rewarding merits and punishing faults."
"But now..."
At this, Jian Liang shook his head and gestured in the direction of the Prefecture City.
"My two brothers, did you happen to offend some big shot in the Prefecture City?" he asked, lowering his voice.
Officials may come and go, but the clerks are here to stay.
The Jian Family had been clerks in Qingshan County for generations. Although they weren’t a wealthy and powerful family in Qingshan County Town, their connections were deep and complex. They had little to fear from a high official in the distant Prefecture City, far from the Emperor’s reach.
Therefore, Jian Liang spoke without much reservation.
"Offend someone?"
"The two of us haven’t offended anyone."
Wei Tu and Weii Fei had already suspected that Prefect He was suppressing them before they arrived, so they had prepared their story in advance.
They played dumb as they spoke.
Seeing this, Jian Liang instantly understood the situation. He nodded to himself and pointed out a clear path for Wei Tu and Weii Fei.
"The Xiang Army in Qingshan County is all managed by County Captain Xu, and his wife, Madam Xu, has always been greedy. Brother Wei and Brother Weii, you just need to find Housekeeper Liu at the Xu Mansion and offer him some money."
"However, the money you give will only ensure your Appointment Certificates are issued. It’s hard to say whether your actual posts will be clerk and Military Envoy," he said.
Upon hearing this, Wei Tu and Weii Fei immediately expressed their gratitude to Jian Liang. Weii Fei then took a silver ingot from his money pouch and pressed it into Jian Liang’s hand.
"Thank you, Brother Jian, for showing us the way."
Weii Fei said with a bow.
It’s always easier to get things done when you know someone in the Government Office.
Without the path Jian Liang had shown them, it would have been difficult for them to find the right person to approach, even if they had tried to offer gifts.
"We are all colleagues. I’m helping you two today, and in the future, you two will help me," Jian Liang said with a laugh, returning the silver ingot to Weii Fei’s hand.
"I’ve accepted your gifts, but the silver is unnecessary," he added.
After leaving the Jian Family’s home, Wei Tu and Weii Fei decided it was best to act sooner rather than later. They rushed to a jewelry shop in the County Town, picked out a gift, and then proceeded to the Xu Mansion, where County Captain Xu resided.
After tipping Housekeeper Liu of the Xu Mansion, the two had him deliver the gift they had chosen to County Captain Xu’s wife.
That afternoon, they received a definite answer. Madam Xu told them to wait at home, and it wouldn’t be long before the Appointment Certificates from the County Yamen arrived.
And so, the next day, while practicing his Pile Skill at home, Wei Tu received his Appointment Certificate, delivered by a Xiang Army soldier.
He opened it and took a look.
On the certificate were the three large words: "Capital Army Envoy."
’The official post is one rank lower. This must be the County Yamen’s response to the Prefecture Government Office. They can’t just completely ignore Prefect He...’ Wei Tu mused.
Only a Third-Class Martial Scholar would be granted the rank of Capital Army Envoy.
He was a Second-Class Martial Scholar; the Military Officer position he should have been granted was at the level of a clerk.
’The appointment itself is secondary; the County Yamen couldn’t delay forever. Prefect He’s real suppression of the four of us concerns promotion...’
Wei Tu sighed inwardly.
Martial Scholars like them, who had participated in the Military Examination and earned a title, were a hot commodity in the local Xiang Army. After being appointed as miscellaneous officials, their promotion speed was typically not slow.
Within ten years, they could hope to become a Ninth-Grade Official.
Within twenty years, they could hope to become an Eighth-Grade Official.
But because of Prefect He’s interference, if they didn’t find an opportunity, they would be stuck at the bottom of the Xiang Army for the rest of their lives, with no hope of promotion.
Even if Prefect He were transferred away from Qingfeng Prefecture in a year, it would be of no help.
Within the system, if you do nothing, you can do no wrong.
Prefect He still had old friends and allies in Qingfeng Prefecture’s Officialdom. So even after he was gone and his influence had waned, the lingering remnants of his power would be enough to suppress Martial Scholars like them from humble backgrounds, ensuring they could never get ahead.
"But... I’m different."
"As long as I pass the next provincial Military Examination and become a Martial Scholar, the Officialdom of Qingfeng Prefecture won’t be able to hold me down!"
A sharp glint flashed in Wei Tu’s eyes. With a single palm strike, he snapped the willow tree in the courtyard in two.
The appointments for Martial Scholars from the provincial Military Examination were different.
The Martial Champion would be granted the post of a Seventh-Grade Military Officer, equal in rank to a County Magistrate.
Those in the top twenty would be granted an Eighth-Grade Official’s post, equal in rank to an Assistant Officer at the County Yamen.
Once his Health Cultivation Technique was perfected, he could transition from external practice to Inner Cultivation. This would allow him to generate Inner Qi and enter the Qi Sensing Realm. After that, placing in the top twenty of the Military Examination would not be difficult.
’I’ll endure for three more years.’
Wei Tu walked into the house and asked Xinghua to carefully store his Appointment Certificate.
"Capital Army Envoy..."
"Brother Wei, you’ve finally made it in life."
Xinghua’s reaction to the Appointment Certificate was different from Wei Tu’s; she didn’t know about the twists and turns of official military appointments.
"Yes, I’ve made it."
Seeing the smile on Xinghua’s face, the gloom in Wei Tu’s heart instantly dissipated by more than half, and his state of mind returned to calm.
Yes, he was being suppressed by Prefect He.
But compared to last year, his status and social standing had already taken a great leap forward, and his life had changed dramatically...
There was no need to dwell on such minor setbacks.
After all, he possessed the "Late Bloomer" Destiny Chart. In a few years, he would have another chance to turn things around. Worrying about these small matters would only cause him unnecessary frustration and serve no other purpose.
