The Eldest Daughter of a Rural Family-Chapter 597: Eighth Rank Preaching Pei Zongli(1)_1

As soon as Lu Hai and his party had departed, a letter from Shen Songming arrived.

"Oh~" Pei Qin, seeing that he finally replied to her letter, opened it, and with just a glance, her face darkened. fгee𝑤ebɳoveɭ.cøm

"Elder sister! What’s wrong?" Pei Qian asked anxiously.

Mo Heng came over to take a look and also furrowed his brow.

"Pei Zongli has donated for an official position," said Pei Qin as she handed the letter to them.

"What do you mean he ’donated for an official position’? He’s become an official now!?" Pei Qian said in a shrill voice, grabbing the letter to read it carefully.

Pei Yuan read with a deeply furrowed brow, "This time, it’s not because of the Shen family. Which loophole did they exploit to actually secure an official post by donation?"

"With thousands of civil and military officials in the Imperial Court, aside from those famous ministers, the Emperor wouldn’t remember who anyone is. If they want to exploit a loophole and someone lends a hand, it becomes very easy," Mo Heng commented, then added, "it’s not necessarily a good thing either."

Pei Zongli had been assigned the Eighth Rank Preaching official post, responsible for preaching about sweet potato cultivation across Great Chu, similar to the newly appointed Double-season Rice Preaching role in Jiangnan.

Although it’s an Eighth Rank, it is still a government office with some importance.

Soon, Mo Heng’s informant from Capital Jingcheng also sent back a message, stating that Pei Zongli’s appointment as the Eighth Rank Preacher was drafted by the Ministry of Revenue and that the Emperor would not remember a scoundrel like Pei Zongli from the Pei family. The Emperor simply approved it without a second thought.

The Ministry of Revenue and the Ministry of Appointment weren’t overseen by Shen Bi, who was in charge of the Ministry of Justice and related by marriage to the Minister of War. They tightened their grip on their jurisdictions. The Emperor, balancing various powers, wouldn’t let anyone completely dominate.

Thus, Pei Zongli’s position as the Eighth Rank Preacher had been set.

Last time, the Emperor conferred a reward on the wrong person, Shen Songming was able to enter the palace to state his case, debating with a multitude of ministers. But this time, the appointments of officials by the Imperial Court was something they could not question.

Her family hadn’t accomplished much yet, and now Pei Zongli, riding on their coattails, had become an Eighth Rank Preacher responsible for sweet potato cultivation, which filled Pei Qian with rage. "It was bad enough that the reward was snatched away, and just like others, we didn’t get the credit we deserved because we had no power or influence. Whereas others were made County Magistrates, we only got a Pai Building. Now they even let that scoundrel from Old Pei’s House become an official, which is utterly hateful!"

"Think before you speak," Pei Qin gave her a look.

Pei Qian, having had her own shares of experiences where people were all too ready to find fault and shop her, knew what could be said and what couldn’t. But she couldn’t help herself due to the resentment.

Pei Yuan said, frowning, "Now that they have become official personages, they will have more convenience in their actions, and knowing their methods, they will surely take the opportunity to strike at us."

"Then let’s give them a good game to play!" Pei Qin scoffed coldly.

Mo Heng, holding his daughter’s small hand, silently pondered.

The appointment letter soon reached Runing Prefecture and then Yuanyang County.

The entire Old Pei’s House was both surprised and delighted, as if bliss had descended from the heavens.

Although they had made many movements for the donation of the official position, they had not held much hope; yet unexpectedly, the appointment letter had swiftly arrived, which was an immense surprise!

Pei Zongli himself also felt somewhat dizzy from the surprise. An unanticipated event became reality; it was truly like a pie falling from the sky.

The Fang family had produced three Scholars, but his family had also produced two Scholars, and now they had an official among them, elevating their family’s status. No matter how much they tried to catch up, they would be unable to surpass him! As for Sister Peiqin and her brothers, what could they do with just an imperial merchant? Wendong, who could represent the Pei family, was still young, and it was uncertain whether he could achieve anything in a few years. By that time, their family would have already become a prominent household.

However, the task of preaching sweet potato cultivation made Pei Zongli somewhat uncomfortable and even nauseous inside. Moreover, he had never grown sweet potatoes and could say he hardly ever worked in the fields from the beginning, and in recent years he led a life of privilege, let alone cultivating sweet potatoes.