Reborn as a Landlord-Chapter 718 - 368 Stirring_1
At the second watch, requesting pink powder.
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The County Magistrate is an eighth-rank official position, second only to the Magistrate in county administration, and is also referred to as the "Second Hall." According to the rules of the Great Ming Dynasty, smaller counties did not establish the position of County Magistrate; only large, populous counties with more than 2,200 households and plentiful affairs would have this role.
Although the County Magistrate is but an eighth-rank official, in the eyes of tenant farmers, he is already a significant figure. The saying goes that a broken family can make a county magistrate; perhaps tenant farmers do not understand the importance of generals, ministers, or imperial censors, but in their eyes, the Magistrate and the County Magistrate are very important officials. The general populace respectfully refers to the Magistrate as "Old Parent" and the County Magistrate as "Parent." As the local parents of the populace, the Magistrate and the County Magistrate hold the power of life and death over their citizens in their hands.
First, a Jiansheng title was purchased, and directly following this came a substantive official post, assuming the role of a local parent official. For the Lian Family, this was truly a stroke of great fortune, the ancestors’ graves must be puffing blue smoke with pride.
Old Master Lian had Lady Zhou take out money to send people to the town to buy wine and groceries, and he gathered the whole extended family, naturally including Lian Shouxin’s family, who had already separated and set up their own household.
As Lian Manman entered the grand courtyard of the old residence, she could feel the festive atmosphere. By the time they walked into the Upper Room, it was already full of people.
"Old Fourth, come sit over here, by your eldest brother," Old Master Lian said with a smile as he saw Lian Shouxin arrive with Lady Zhang and the children.
Having progressed from Scholar to Jiansheng, and now having been appointed an official, as well as being the eldest son, Lian Shouren’s status in Old Master Lian’s eyes was unshakable. Although Lian Shouxin could not compare to Lian Shouren, his prestige in the surrounding ten-mile radius as a successful farmer meant that among the brothers of the Lian family, Lian Shouren was foremost, with Lian Shouxin just slightly after him, yet still ranking ahead of Lian Shouyi and Lian Shouli.
Lian Shouxin responded but did not follow Old Master Lian’s direction to sit next to Lian Shouren; instead, he sat a bit farther away beside Lian Shouli.
Lady Zhang, with Lian Manman and a few others, took their seats on the edge of the brick bed, right next to Lady Zhao and Lian Yeye.
"Hailong said last time that he could soon secure a substantive post for me. At that moment, not only did you, Father, not believe it, but I also dared not believe it. Who doesn’t know that purchasing a Jiansheng title requires connections? But for a substantive official post, not any sort of connection will do. Not only do you need the right connections, but your service record and literary works must also win the appreciation of the superior officials, and you must have genuine talent and learning to be considered for a substantive post," Lian Shouren said, cross-legged on the brick bed, gesticulating as if instructing on important matters.
The head of the brick bed in the Upper Room East Room of the Lian Family Main House has always been the exclusive seat of the head of the family, Old Master Lian. Even Lian Shouren would previously only sit briefly on the edge of the bed. But now, with Old Master Lian sitting inside the brick bed, Lian Shouren seated himself next to Old Master Lian on the head of the bed.
"Who doesn’t know my father is talented? It’s just been a run of bad luck these years. Now, things have turned around, and finally, it is time to shine. From now on, it’s my father’s turn to show his capabilities," Lian Jizu said, sitting on a chair below the edge of the bed, laughing.
"...This was promised by the Song Family when they married our Huahua. Huahua at the Song Family wouldn’t stop urging them three, four times a day, and even when she was in labor, she mumbled about this matter. Huahua provided a granddaughter for the Song Family, and Old Madam Song, delighted, took favor on our Huahua, putting in some extra effort. It was also to honor our Huahua. Old Master, we have finally weathered the storm..." Lady Gu said with a smile at the corner of her mouth and moisture in her eyes.
The tears were real tears, and the smiles were genuine smiles, unlike the forced smiles she had when she had just returned from the Song Family.
"The Song Family handles things in an interesting way," Lian Manman said. "Just like last time with Eldest Uncle’s donation for the Jiansheng, they gave no prior notice, and suddenly, they presented the official certificate. And this time too, Auntie went to see Sister Huahua and stayed at the Song Family for over half a month without a word. Auntie hasn’t been back for many days, and now the government documents have arrived."
"What do you mean by that, child?" Lian Shouren retorted, displeased, immediately darkening his face.
"Manman is just a child, she says what’s on her mind. Eldest brother, you’re going to be an official; you need to have this temperament," Old Master Lian interjected before Lian Shouren could reply, saying, ""As I see it, the Song Family did help with the lobbying, but after all, it’s a matter of the government office, not something the Song Family can decide. There are some things the Song Family cannot foresee. When the government documents are dispatched, they take the postal routes, which are definitely faster than any messengers they might send."
