xymnovel Chapter 102 Seeking an Audience with the County Magistrate
Chapter 102 Seeking an Audience with the County Magistrate
"Secondly, and this is what you care about most, Father, is land and corvée labor. According to the laws of the Great Qian Dynasty, students who receive stipends can be exempted from land tax on fifty mu of land."
"Fifty acres?!"
Lu Shouye originally thought that he would only be exempted from the exemption of ten or eight mu at most, but when he heard that it was a full fifty mu, his eyes widened.
But then he thought about it again, and with a troubled expression, slapped his thigh:
"Oh my, this is truly a tremendous reward. But Chuan'er, our family only has three mu of poor land. Wouldn't it be a complete waste to have the remaining forty-seven mu of quota?"
Seeing his father's appearance, Lu Chuan was speechless and dropped out of school.
"Father, you're confused. Our family doesn't need it, but the uncles and elders in the village do. When I went to the prefectural city to take the imperial examination, our family was going through the most difficult time. The villagers helped us a lot. One family contributed ten coins, another contributed a few liters of rice, and that's how we managed to send my son off."
"Now that we have these 47 acres of tax-free land, we can distribute the rest to the villagers who helped us, and register their land under our son's name. Then the county government won't be able to collect their taxes."
"Let them pay less grain and enjoy a few more comfortable days. Consider it repaying a debt of gratitude; how can it be considered a waste?"
Upon hearing this, Lu Shouye's eyes were filled with relief: "Yes! Yes! We must have a conscience, that's the truth. If we can help our fellow villagers get their grain tax waived, our Lu family can finally hold our heads high in this whole area."
But before Lu Shouye could be happy for long, Lu Chuan's smile vanished.
"However, Father, these fifty acres of grain-exempt land are not something we can hold onto for the rest of our lives."
"It's not so easy to take advantage of the imperial court."
"Huh? What other changes have occurred here?" Lu Shouye quickly turned around.
Lu Chuan held up two fingers and said:
"Father, remember this: in the Great Qian Dynasty, every year, scholars must return to the prefectural school to participate in two major examinations, one called the annual examination and the other called the provincial examination. These two major examinations are like whips lashing us scholars from behind."
"If my son indulges in pleasure and neglects his studies, and does poorly in the annual examinations, his status as a government-subsidized student will immediately be downgraded to second or third class by the imperial court. At that time, the tax exemption quota for these fifty acres will also drop."
"We just passed the exam and we have to take another one?" Lu Shouye asked hesitantly. "What if we fail? What about the land belonging to our fellow villagers that's registered under our names..."
"Then naturally we can't keep it, and we'll have to pay taxes to the county government again."
"That's not even the harshest punishment. If a student consistently ranks at the very bottom in multiple annual examinations, the court's punishment is simply dismissal."
"That means stripping you of your official robes, removing your peacock-feather headscarf, and returning you to your original form."
"Once dismissed, one is forever barred from taking the exam again. Tax exemptions are completely lost, and one must still kneel before officials. This is the imperial examination system—like rowing against the current, if you don't advance, you fall behind!"
"Moreover, Father, if we can take the exams to get into a higher level and become a Juren (a successful candidate in the provincial-level imperial examinations), then things will be completely different."
"Once you pass the imperial examination, you have truly leaped over the dragon gate. Once you reach the level of a Juren (a successful candidate in the provincial examination), the court will no longer hold annual examinations or provincial examinations to torment you, and you will never again face the danger of being demoted or dismissed."
"Passing the provincial examination is equivalent to obtaining the qualification to become an official. Even if you never set foot in the capital again to take the imperial examination, the court will reserve vacancies for you in various counties and prefectures. At the very least, you can be appointed as a county magistrate or a registrar."
"The official titles and honors held by him are a secure job, unlike Xiu who has to take exams every year."
The oxcart swayed and rocked along, finally rounding the last mountain pass.
Ahead, the blue brick city gate of Qingyang County came into view.
Compared to the bustling prefectural city, the county town seemed somewhat old-fashioned.
There were no armored soldiers with halberds at the city gate, only two familiar yamen runners leaning against the gate, cracking melon seeds.
The shops on both sides of the long street are mostly workshops selling mountain products and homespun cloth.
But as soon as you step into this place, you are greeted by a familiar atmosphere.
"Finally home." Looking at the familiar street scene, Lu Shouye felt a sense of relief.
"Dad, let's not go straight home. Let's find an inn in the county town first and settle all this stuff in." Lu Chuan patted the edge of the car and said softly to his father.
Lu Shouye asked, somewhat puzzled, "Chuan'er, we're already in the county town. It'll only take another hour or two to reach our village. Why are we still staying at an inn in the town?"
Lu Chuan shook his head and said, "Father, once a scholar has achieved academic success and returned to his hometown, the first thing he should do, according to reason, law, and regulations, is to go to the county government office to thank the local officials."
"The county magistrate is our respected elder. If a son passes the imperial examination in his jurisdiction and doesn't go to the county government office to pay his respects and present his visiting card, but instead goes straight back to the village, it's considered disrespectful to his elders and he'll be accused of arrogance."
The rules for scholars are often very strict.
Upon hearing that it concerned his son's future and reputation, Lu Shouye dared not delay and nodded repeatedly.
After discussing it, the father and son drove the oxcart and, familiar with the area, arrived at a small inn they knew well.
When the shopkeeper saw the Lu family father and son, his jaw almost dropped. He quickly led his staff to settle the goods and the oxcart in the backyard, and patted his chest to guarantee that nothing would go wrong.
Inside the guest room, Lu Chuan locked the door from the inside.
He took out a blue robe from his bosom and put it on.
"Father, are the gifts ready?" Lu Chuan looked down at his wide sleeves.
"Okay, it's all here."
Lu Shouye hurriedly picked up a bundle from the table.
This was Lu Chuan's special instruction: when visiting the county magistrate, one must bring a gift, but absolutely not something vulgar like gold or silver.
Lu Chuan opened the bundle and took a look.
Inside was a ream of Xuan paper, and next to it were two boxes of almond shortbread and pine nut candy brought back from the prefectural city.
Xuan paper represents literary elegance, while pastries represent respect.
These two items are inexpensive, yet flawless, preserving both the dignity of a scholar and the filial piety of subordinates and students.
Lu Chuan held these things in his arms.
"Father, please stay at the inn. I'll go to the county government office now to pay my respects to the magistrate."
Two stone lions still stand majestically in front of the county government office gate.
Lu Chuan stepped steadily onto the stone steps in front of the county government office.
Two old yamen runners were guarding the gate.
They had just changed shifts and were idly idly walking by with their hands in their pockets when they looked up and saw a young man strolling over leisurely.
Upon closer inspection, the two constables exchanged a glance and exclaimed in surprise, "Hey! Isn't this Lu the child prodigy from our county? No, we should call him Scholar Lu now!"
In Qingyang County, a tiny place, the good news that Lu Chuan had won second place in the first class of the imperial examination had already spread throughout the entire town.
The two constables, no longer daring to be presumptuous, hurriedly bowed and jogged down to greet them.
Lu Chuan stopped in front of the gate, cupped his hands to the two constables, and spoke softly:
"My two elder brothers, I am Lu Chuan, and I am returning home after completing the examination at the Academy of Sciences."
"It is both proper and reasonable for me to first thank the magistrate of this county. Please ask the two officers to convey my message that I, Lu Chuan, request an audience with the magistrate."