Great Tang Idyll

The next day, the sky was covered with flying snow. The snow that began to fall at night did not seem to stop even when noon came.

The people in San'shui County who were near the Administrative Office gathered together. They followed behind the Recorder, Magistrate Assistant and others. Standing in the snow at a place that was three li outside of the county seat of the San'shui County, they waited for the arrival of the new magistrate.

Magistrate Assistant Zhang wrote some things about the new county magistrate yesterday. The entire article was all about the new magistrate's positive attributes--- how he loved the people like his own children, how he was good at strategizing, and how he could improve the people's life. Magistrate Assistant Zhang ordered people to post this article all over the county in the morning. Those who lived further away rode their horse through the snow to this place if they had a horse at home.

The people didn't know that the new county magistrate intended to take a good look at this place here yesterday to find ways to earn money. They really thought the new magistrate was like how the Magistrate Assistant described him to be. Those who were illiterate pulled people who were literate over with them to read the content of the announcement aloud. Their faces were filled with expressions of happiness. Magistrate Assistant Zhang only wrote the news of welcoming the magistrate at the bottom of the announcement, and the people rushed over voluntarily.

They didn't have too many requests. It was fine as long as life would be the same as when Magistrate Cheng was here. Their biggest wish was for the people in their family to still be able to do odd jobs when they were idle. and have a good year.

"Father, what would the place be like when we get there today? Is it possible that we won't have to meet anyone, and you have to quietly take office by yourself? And then as soon as you begin work, a lot of people will gather outside to file complaints, and the complaints will be just trivial matters? And then your desk is covered with paperwork from a few years ago to the present. Would it be a zhang high [3.3 metres]?"

Jia Wei'ran said worriedly. After thinking about it, he added, "And when you give orders, although there are obviously so many bailiffs, they will all say that they're sick and can't come. The Magistrate Assistant and the Recorder will stop being as sharp as they were yesterday, and pretend to not know the answer to anything. And will people with a bit of influence come over to cause trouble?"

Magistrate Jia didn't know what could happen, but he felt like what his son said seemed to be right. Usually, some of the underlings don't like to see the people above them come, so they would employ these seemingly simple but effective tactics. Not a lot of people would be able to pull through.

After pondering for a while, he said to his son, "Don't be afraid, I will find a way to deal with it when that time comes."

Jia Wei'ran was in a bad mood, but he knew that this was the only choice.

The people who were protecting them did not have such calm thoughts. They were not stupid and they knew the that their Master pulled some strings in order to become the magistrate here. Perhaps they will have to live in a dilapidated house and the food may not be so good.

Everyone had their own thoughts and emotions. Gradually, they approached the county seat. When they were four li away, they still could not see the area ahead clearly because of the heavy snowfall. Their surroundings were completely white, but as the group got closer and closer, everyone finally saw the scene ahead: countless people stood in the snow, looking to this side.

The people over there should have seen them too. People wearing the same clothing led them over to welcome the incoming group. Such a scene frightened Jia Wei'ran and the others and they thought they were going to come and besiege them.

Magistrate Jia raised the curtain and looked out. "Master, look at their clothes. They should be the bailiffs of the San'shui County. There are so many." A person standing next to the carriage reported.

"Hmm, I see. Stop here." Magistrate Jia felt upset, but had to put up an act.

As soon as the two people had finished speaking, the bailiffs and the commoners spoke in a disorganized manner to welcome them, and gave way by standing to the sides.

Magistrate Jia, who originally sat in the carriage thinking about what would happen, could no longer sit still. Even though his original intention for coming here was to earn heaps of money, seeing this many people standing in the snow to welcome him made him feel touched.

It made sense that the Recorder and the Magistrate Assistant came to welcome since they have to give him some respect. The bailiffs came over because they feared that the Magistrate would make things difficult for them in the future. However, even the commoners came. No matter what, he was able to take office in an impressive way this time.

Unable to sit still, he got out of the carriage and looked at the bailiffs with a serious and slightly respectful expression. Then he looked at the joyful people, and he knew right away that the people were not forced to come over. He walked a certain distance forward towards a seven- or eight-year-old child who was nestling next to his parents. He squatted down and asked,

"What's the little child's name? How old are you? Are you cold?"

The child was a little afraid of strangers, so he hid behind his father. He hugged his father's waist and stuck his head out, and spoke in a crisp voice, "My name is Li Xiao'shu. I'm seven years old. It's cold. When the wind blows, it becomes cold. Daddy said that when a good official comes, it won't be cold anymore. Are you a good official?"

Seeing the child's innocent appearance and slightly shivering body, Magistrate Jia was speechless for a while. He could feel the expectant gaze of the people around him. He wanted to say that he was a good official, but he felt that it was a bit contradictory because of his ulterior motives. What if he said he was not a good official? What a joke that would be.

While the child waited, Magistrate Jia finally said, "I don't know if I'm a good official or not, but I will do my work properly."

While speaking, he untied the cloak from his body, and draped it around the child's body. He touched the child's head, then he stood up and said to the person behind him, "Go in with me."

With him leading the way, other people dismounted their horse and followed. Jia Wei'ran followed behind too with his mind blank. He hypothesized many scenarios that they would encounter, but he never expected that it would be like this. He didn't expect that he would be surrounded by so many people. In the center of the crowd, the wind was weakened and he felt warmer, but he still felt unhappy.

Looking at the Recorder and Magistrate Assistant, he could only secretly praise their greatness. So many people came out in the heavy snow to welcome them. If he and his father really did anything in the future, what will the people say then? The Zhang and Wang families had two seven-rank officials, and if everyone signed a petition, even a governor, let alone a county magistrate, would have to step down. Especially since they were so close to the capital.

Zhao Ming'sheng replied, "Good official."

They walked three li, and when they entered the county seat, the sound of gongs, drums and firecrackers sounded one after another. Many people waited on the side of the road. When they saw that the new county magistrate arrived, they cheered and hollered while the children smiled and jumped happily.

Magistrate Jia smiled and gestured to the people on both sides, but there was an indescribable feeling in his heart. He could imagine that many people would know about today's affairs. People in the prefecture, or even people in the court, would perhaps send rewards to him and then everyone would know that he is a good official.

Good official? Aiya~! Amazing. This was even better than the idea his son came up with earlier. Good officials can't be greedy for money, and can't think for themselves, otherwise....

While thinking of things in his mind, the road seemed so long. He finally reached the Administrative Office. He knew ahead of time that the outside of the building appeared very glamorous, but he had no idea what the inside was like. His son couldn't find out about that.

As he entered the main hall, he felt like this place was not bad. Magistrate Jia was quite satisfied. After the handover, the people dispersed happily, and the group began to head off to see where they were going to live in the future. Everyone felt uneasy.

"Huh? Father, this-- this is where we will live in the future?" When he came to the back , Jia Wei'ran saw neat bluestone bricks on the ground with withered flowers and grass on both sides. The newly painted courtyard walls were beautiful, and new tiles were installed on the roof. The path that led to the curved path further away had a pagoda tree. He couldn't believe his own eyes.

Magistrate Jia was also surprised. He looked at the yard that was obviously newly renovated. He didn't expect that the Administrative Office would treat him like this. When he walked past the front yard, entered the yard and arrived at the second entrance, he began to wonder even more if he had gone to the wrong place.

The path was paved with blue tiles, and had yellow sand on both sides. There was a flower bed on the left and a moongate leading to another courtyard on the right. This entrance was clean and tidy.

Passing through the moongate, one could see that the path in front was curved again. There was a small pond with a corridor leading to it and there was a pavilion at the pond area. On the other side of the pavilion was a cluster of plum blossoms with wind chimes hanging on the branches, and it chimed with the moving wind.

"My lord, please come here." A bailiff walked in front of him and led Magistrate Jia and the others to take a few turns along the path. They arrived at another place surrounded by Oriental thuja trees and that place had curtains set up. Someone cleared the snow from time to time. Before they had the chance to look inside, the scent of cucumber floated over.

"My lord, this is the cucumber prepared for you. Fresh ones can be harvested and eaten. Let's go to the pavilion to heat up wine and admire the plum blossoms in the snow." The bailiff introduced.

"Oh, good. Assistant Zhang, I wonder what this is for?" Magistrate Jia suppressed the surprise in his mind and asked Zhang Ming'sheng who was following behind.

Zhang Ming'sheng looked puzzled, "What is my lord referring to?"

Magistrate Jia knew that he was deliberately speaking like this, so he had to speak explicitly, "Why was my place repaired so well?"

"That's what my lord is asking about? It's not that well. It's enough for people to live in. We can't let my lord's family live in the middle of the yard. This was the people's decision. My lord is a good official, so of course the place needs to be renovated. The days are cold now; if my lord falls ill, the people will suffer."

Magistrate Assistant Zhang Ming'sheng gave the reason, but no one around him believed his words.

"My lord, also, from time to time people will deliver some common foods for eating. This will be done by merchants on a voluntary basis." Recorder Zhao Xiang added.

"Hmm, then my thanks goes to all of the people."

Magistrate Jia couldn't say anything else. He now fully understood that the people here, or to be precise, the Zhang family, won't let him be greedy for money. All the benefits can be given to him, so that he can live well, and they will provide him with food and drinks, so all he needed to do was to work honestly and fulfill his duties as a magistrate. No matter what, he couldn't extend his hand out, otherwise.......