After leaving Zhou Mansion, Fan Jin was sobered by the wind.
After getting on the carriage, he opened the curtains out of boredom and looked at the bustling streets, feeling lost in thought.
It is said that being an official for thousands of miles is just for money.
Zhang Xiangshen became a county magistrate through bad luck. In order to make friends with him, a newly promoted official, he bought an exquisite courtyard worth thousands of taels of silver.
Zhou Xuedao fell into poverty in his early years, but since he became an official, even if he holds a noble official position like Xuedao, he still doesn't look down upon two thousand taels of silver notes.
In this situation, if it had been the Hongwu period, when people were often peeling off skins and making grass, who would have dared to be so flamboyant?
This is not to say that Zhang Xiangshen and Zhou Xuedao must have taken bribes.
In fact, if you are really unscrupulous, it is common for you to be magistrate of a county for three years and get one hundred thousand snowflakes and silver.
How much tax did the Ming Dynasty collect from a county every year? It's just a million taels of silver. Anyone with more than 30,000 taels of taxable silver is a very wealthy place.
But many times, just because of human nature and sophistication, it is destined that once you become an official, your hands will be full of oil and water.
There is no real pure person in the world. They are just ordinary people in the world, choosing the roles they play according to the script!
Fan Jin shook his groggy head and whispered: "No wonder they say that everything is of inferior quality. Only those who are well-educated, learned in literature and martial arts, and have the goods to belong to the emperor's family..."
It is indeed a feudal society. Not to mention being in a high position, even with the slightest possibility of becoming an official, money will come to you by itself.
Fan Jin chuckled softly, "What kind of wealthy businessman may seem majestic, but in front of officials, what does he mean?"
The Ming Dynasty, in particular, was notorious for cracking down on merchants and killing pigs at every turn.
Is Shen Wansan's business big enough?
Rich as a country!
What a miserable ending!
Since the literati of the Song Dynasty governed the country, the Donghua Gate has always been sung by good men who read the books of sages. Even in later generations and around the world, the people who govern the country are elite intellectuals.
Just after returning to Fan Mansion to rest for a while, the housekeeper came to report that guests had arrived.
Fan Jin simply washed up and immediately ordered someone to welcome him in.
The visitors are Zhang and Zhou, two squires from the county. Fan Jin has already met the former, while the latter is another Juren whom he has not seen before. Today he is visiting with generous gifts.
This person wore a black gauze hat, a light-colored round collar, and black high-top white thick-soled shoes. His face was full of joy, and he cupped his hands toward Fan Jin to congratulate him.
Fan Jin returned the favor, led the two of them to sit down, and talked for a long time before getting down to business.
"I heard that Mr. Shi intends to spend the spring next year. I wonder if there are any shortcomings?" Mr. Zhou took a sip of tea and asked enthusiastically.
Fan Jin shook his head, "The cost is still not enough."
Not to mention that Zhou Xuedao just got him two thousand taels of silver notes, how many people came to flatter him after he won the election?
There are those who give away land, some who give away shops, and those who live in dilapidated houses and couples come to work as servants for shelter.
Within a few days, there were servants and maids, and rice, flour, money, grain, fruits and vegetables were all available.
The Fan family is used to living a hard life, and although their expenses are now more refined, they are not that extravagant family, and they will not be able to make ends meet in a short period of time.
Both Zhang and Zhou squires nodded and said, "I wonder if Brother Fan has ever visited your teacher?"
Fan Jin thought the two were talking about Zhou Xuedao, so he nodded subconsciously, then when he realized it, he quickly shook his head.
The noble teacher mentioned by the two people should refer to Tangzhi County in Gaoyao City.
Zhang Xiangshen smiled and said, "If I just paid it back in the past, now that my husband is prosperous, it is really inappropriate not to pay a visit to your teacher!"
Squire Zhou also advised, "Brother Zhang is right. The high place is fertile, and Brother Fan may be able to enjoy the autumn breeze."
Fan Jin remembered that he had not paid a visit to the magistrate of Gaoyao since he was elected, and secretly made a mistake. It seemed that he was not sophisticated enough in terms of human relations.
So without any hesitation, Fan Jin nodded in agreement, thinking about the matter in his heart.
Squire Zhang said happily, "I also want to bother my uncle, why don't we make an appointment to go together?"
"I'll take care of all the transportation and boating expenses along the way, so Mr. Shi doesn't need to worry about it."
For this reason, Fan Jin agreed and agreed on a date.
After thinking for a moment, Fan Jin said: "Brother Yu, I have also received great love from the old gentleman, but I don't know what kind of gifts I should prepare?"
When he said this, Fan Jin looked at Zhang Jingzhai.
After all, Zhang Jingzhai had been an official and knew something about the reception and delivery in the officialdom, so he would not make any mistakes.
Although he is a newly rich man, and even has the reputation of Zhou Xuedao, a fourth-rank official in the imperial court, he still has a dark eye in the ancient officialdom.
Zhang Jingzhai said with a smile, "The friendship between gentlemen is as light as water. It doesn't matter what you give. It's more about affection than courtesy!"
Fan Jin was convinced and felt confident.
After talking about business, several people started talking about Fengyue.
The Zhou squire did not know Fan Jin's background, so he encouraged him to recite poems and compose poems.
Zhang Xiangshen had heard that Fan Jin was not good at poetry and thought it was a rumor. He thought it was just a private chat, so he didn't take it seriously. Therefore, he looked at Fan Jin intently, full of expectations and ready to listen.
Fan Jin smiled bitterly and said, "I'm really not very good at poetry."
As Director Qi said, how can a poor child who doesn’t have enough to eat have any qualifications to fall in love?
We can only rely on our own people. Personality is a luxury for us and we really can’t afford it.
Before he passed the examination, Fan Jin was in dire need of writing paper for calligraphy. He couldn't even collect the Four Books and Five Classics, so he shamelessly borrowed them from others to read and recite. The edges of his hands were thickly calloused from copying books.
The Fan family is not a heirloom of farming and reading. For the past eight generations, they have been poor and have never produced any scholars.
It was precisely because of this that people in Baimiao Village spread rumors that he was crazy and became Master Wenquxing. He clearly did not have that fate, but he refused to repent.
To be honest, even Fan Jin himself couldn't figure out how the original owner could survive the cynicism of others and the repeated blows of reality.
Perhaps what kept him from compromising was the heavy sunk costs and the reluctance in his heart!
Some things, as long as you persist for a long time, will become muscle memory and spiritual sustenance.
Zhang Xiangshen thought for a while, waved his hand and said, "It doesn't matter. This is our private entertainment work. It will never be spread outside and cause trouble in the city. It doesn't matter whether it's good or bad, just do it as you like."
Squire Zhou also agreed repeatedly, and before speaking, he recited a poem he had recently obtained.
Fan Jin saw that he couldn't escape, so he just said something, and immediately put the pen on the rice paper.
“Stay firm on the green hills and don’t let go, your roots are still in the broken rocks.”
"Still strong despite repeated attacks, you can do whatever you want, east, west, south, north."
Zhang Xiangshen's eyes shone brightly, and he tugged on Fan Jin's sleeve and asked hurriedly: "I wonder what the name of this poem is?"
Fan Jin looked sideways at the old bamboo growing in the cracks of the rockery in the garden, and wrote "bamboo stone" on the rice paper!
