The Great Qin Empire---Qin Li

Everyone followed the clerk into the county clerk's office, and a familiar feeling came over them.

At that time, Heifu had just arrived in this era not long ago, and he was just a small sergeant, and his future was uncertain. Relying on the opportunity he seized during the martial arts performance of the clerk, he was appreciated by Du Xian, who asked General Chen Bai to summon him here and asked him a question.

Are you willing to be an official?

In the blink of an eye, more than two years have passed.

Heifu still remembers the old jujube tree in the courtyard that looked like a canopy. Now there are no leaves left on the tree, which feels quite bleak.

After entering the courtyard, the others were taken by the clerk to submit the "Zhi", which is the certificate of the end of service. Heifu was led by the clerk into the hall. When he took off his shoes in front of the hall, Heifu suddenly remembered that when he first came here, he had just finished the hard work of the city corvée, and he didn't even have socks, and had to walk barefoot on the cold floor.

Further inside, the layout of the hall has not changed much. On the left is a bookshelf with bamboo slips, and on the right is a "Lanqi" with five kinds of weapons, including spears, halberds, bows, swords, and halberds. The right and left lieutenants of the county are sitting in the middle, both wearing black clothes and bamboo hats, waiting for Heifu.

The left lieutenant is an old acquaintance, so there is no need to introduce him. The right lieutenant is a new face. He is Zheng Shou, a Yingchuan native who was transferred after Heifu served. His title is the 8th level of Gongdafu.

Two years ago, Heifu had to walk over and kneel to the two people as soon as he entered the door, but now that he came, the right lieutenant Zheng Shou immediately smiled and stood up first regardless of his status as a county lieutenant. Seeing that the top leader had moved, the left lieutenant Yunman couldn't continue to sit, so he had to stand up to greet this "little pavilion chief" whom he hated.

"Heifu greets the two county lieutenants."

Heifu bowed slightly, but this was not to show off. He was now an official. According to the rules of Qin, he could bow without kneeling even when meeting a county magistrate, not to mention two county lieutenants with the same rank as him.

The right lieutenant and the left lieutenant also bowed to him in return.

"Although I have never met Heifu, I have heard a lot about your deeds as a pavilion chief since I came to Anlu. You are really a rare capable official. After joining the army, you have made many achievements. I have always wanted to meet you, but after meeting you, I was surprised to find that you are so young..."

Zheng Shou is almost forty years old, and there is a sense of old age in his words and deeds. Heifu just celebrated his twentieth birthday on the winter solstice last month. He is indeed so young that people envy him. He is an official at such a young age. What about ten years later? I really can't imagine.

"I am a young man, and I got the reward suddenly by luck. I am very humble. I hope the right lieutenant can give me more guidance in the future."

Zheng Shou took the initiative to show his goodwill, and Hei Fu was of course humble in his words, but he also heard that the new right lieutenant was far inferior to the predecessor Du Xian, and was cowardly and uncompetitive. The power of the county lieutenant's office was in the hands of the left lieutenant.

However, as long as one is a person, it is impossible to be willing to be a puppet or a stamp. This time Hei Fu and his men returned, it might be a good opportunity for the right lieutenant to counterattack and seize power?

After a few greetings, Zheng Shou asked Hei Fu to sit down and sit on the left, just opposite to the left lieutenant Yun Man. The status of the two was equal.

When their eyes met, Hei Fu grinned, and the left lieutenant actually smiled at him, as if the previous festival had never happened. This surprised Hei Fu a little. In his impression, Yun Man has always been a man with deep mansions and great patience.

The two of them were silent, the atmosphere was a little awkward, and only the voice of Zheng Shou, the county's right lieutenant, could be heard in the hall.

Zheng Shou asked Hei Fu about the situation on the front line. Hei Fu only concealed some confidential information and told him everything else.

"After the snow in late November, the war basically stopped. The Chu army retreated, and our army began to withdraw troops and sent the old soldiers who had expired back home..."

Even if the King of Qin was still unwilling to fight this war, conscription must follow the basic law. For soldiers like those in Nanjun, if they were forced to serve outside, their morale would only be further reduced, and at the same time, it would cause dissatisfaction among the counties and prefectures about the war. It would be better to dismiss them and recruit another batch, so Hei Fu and others were able to return home.

Hei Fu knew in his heart that the King of Qin would never give up. As early as the end of spring plowing and as late as autumn harvest, when the country had slightly emerged from the shadow of failure, a new mobilization order would be issued. That would be a real national war!

Anlu County was bound to be not spared.

But those things were naturally ordered by the superiors. Heifu no longer had a military rank, so he could not intervene. At most, he kindly reminded the county's right lieutenant that the two countries were still in a state of hostility and that he should not relax the training of the local guards. That was all.

At this time, the county's right lieutenant also mentioned the county's arrangements for these "combat heroes". After they returned with great merit, their status had risen sharply. Of course, they could not continue to be minor officials. In the edict praising Li You, the King of Qin also required the counties to entrust important tasks to the soldiers who had made merit this time, so they did not dare to let them stay idle at home, so as not to be accused of being cold to meritorious people.

"Everyone has made meritorious contributions, so this lieutenant must certainly use them!"

Right lieutenant Zheng Shou changed his usual cowardice and was extremely strong today. He did not ask Yun Man for his opinion at all and made the decision himself. Yun Man moved his lips but did not raise any objections.

"But..."

Zheng Shou said: "Heifu is now an official doctor. Being a lieutenant or patrol officer is too young. I can't arrange for you here..."

As soon as he finished speaking, the lieutenant came again and reported that the county magistrate's office next door wanted to invite Heifu, an official doctor!

"Sure enough." The right lieutenant smiled and said: "The county magistrate heard that you are back and can't wait to see you. As for how to arrange your position, it's up to the county magistrate!"

Heifu stood up. At this time, he turned his head and walked to the left lieutenant Yunman who had not said a word today. He bowed and smiled and said: "Speaking of which, if the left lieutenant hadn't asked me to escort the prisoners to the north to serve, Heifu would never have had the opportunity today. Heifu is here on behalf of himself and the garrison soldiers who followed me back home in brocade clothes. Thank you, left lieutenant! As an elder, the left lieutenant really spared no effort to promote the younger generation of fellow villagers in this county!"

Yunman's face suddenly turned pale and blue, and he almost had a fit.

But in the end, he swallowed his anger, regained his composure, and smiled as if nothing had happened: "Official, you are too modest. We will work together for a long time in the future!"

...

"Official, what position did you get?"

Half an hour later, when Heifu walked out of the county magistrate's office, his eight subordinates were still waiting outside. When they saw him coming out, they swarmed around to ask.

Heifu kept it a secret, looked at everyone and smiled: "Tell me, what positions did you get?"

Dongmen Bao was no longer sad about not having a son, and smiled: "The right lieutenant arranged for me to be a patrol officer in Beijiao Township."

In the Qin State, the position of patrol officers in the local area corresponded to the position of doctors and no more. Letting Dongmen Bao be a patrol officer was considered a privilege. With Dongmen Bao's fierce reputation, it was no problem to deter thieves and teenagers in the township.

Xiao Tao also stammered: "Right... Right Lieutenant asked me to be the head of the village and train... train the archers of the material officers."

Xiao Tao's strength is accurate archery. In the past two years, as his life has improved, he has continued to grow taller at the age of 19. Now he is over seven feet tall and can shoot stronger bows and arrows. His weakness is that he is not good at speaking, but as a village head of a material officer who is only responsible for training, he is more than enough, not to mention that there is a garrison soldier with the title of Shangzao who was arranged to be his sergeant and can speak for him.

Hei Fu taught him: "Don't be nervous, the military camp speaks with strength. When the time comes, you will demonstrate your archery skills and everyone will be convinced."

In addition, Ji Ying was arranged to be a postman in Yushui Township, in charge of the postal service of the township.

Most of the other Shangzao, or pavilion chiefs, or qudao, were arranged near their homes.

Only Li Xian seemed to be thinking about something. When Hei Fu asked him, he said, "I was summoned to the county town to be a lieutenant..."

Coincidentally, this position also fits Li Xian's meticulous and strategic characteristics.

Li Xian touched his chin and said, "The positions we got are quite in line with our wishes, and they are all near the village. The right lieutenant is not familiar with us, and does not know our talents. How can he arrange them so well? Could it be..."

He looked at Hei Fu.

"Yes." Hei Fu smiled and said, "I made suggestions to the right lieutenant. Are you satisfied with this new position?"

"It's exactly what we want!" Everyone bowed to thank him and was more grateful to Hei Fu. After all, they had been soldiers under Hei Fu for more than a year, and he really understood everyone.

Hei Fu guessed correctly that the right lieutenant Zheng Shou did want to take this opportunity to counterattack and seize power. The return of Heifu and his men just gave him a large number of ready-made candidates who could be placed in various positions in the county lieutenant system, squeezing out the old friends and confidants of the left lieutenant Yunman. It was like a pillow when he was sleepy. Heifu was of course happy to see his "faction" take root and grow in the county, so the two hit it off and formed an unspoken "alliance".

"After you take office, you must be respectful to the right lieutenant and obey his orders." But Heifu was also confident that the right lieutenant was an airborne official with no roots in the local area. He was replaced every few years, and at the critical moment, everyone would still listen to him.

"The official doctor hasn't said yet, what position has the county magistrate arranged for you?" Ji Ying asked curiously.

Heifu said disapprovingly: "Before the county magistrate opened his mouth, I said that I had just returned from the front line and suffered a minor injury. I planned to rest at home for a while and didn't plan to be an official immediately."

"Why is that!" Dongmen Bao was shocked.

"Nonsense!"

Li Xian glared at them and said, "Does this small Anlu County have room for a position of official?"

Everyone thought so. Originally, the number of local people with the title of official in Anlu County could be counted on one hand. If Heifu were to be appointed as the township official or warehouse official, it would be a bit unfair to him. The three positions of chief clerk, prison official, and left lieutenant that are worthy of this title are not vacant.

"That's right. Rather than making the county magistrate embarrassed, it is better to decline first."

Heifu said so, but in his heart he disliked the small fish pond of Anlu County.

He was originally a golden unicorn, and he should swim in the Yunmeng Lake. How could he be satisfied with being a fish in the pond?

Heifu was waiting, waiting for Li You's promise! It was time to get the first return for the favor he had given before.

Before that, just stay at home and do some leisurely work. After running around for more than a year, Hei Fu felt that his bones were about to fall apart...

However, after Hei Fu said goodbye to everyone and rode back on his horse, his group of subordinates did not disperse, but were called together again by Li Xian and whispered.

"In fact, there is another way to make a vacant position suitable for an official doctor in the county."

"What method?" Dongmen Bao, Li Xian and others quickly pricked up their ears.

"It's very simple."

Li Xian said gloomily: "Let the left lieutenant be punished and dismissed!"