Chapter 111: Buying an Official Position

In the Sino Commercial House.

Chen Xiao Mi sat on the bed and said sullenly, "This is too much."

Lu Lin looked at Chen Xiao Mi and said, "The people don't fight with the officials. Our County is about to resign soon. This should be his strategy to make a fast buck. However, the Secretary-General must have something to do with this."

It seemed that it wasn't just their store that had been targeted. There were several other stores that had met the same farce, including Good Luck Restaurant. Luckily, the county magistrate was afraid that things would get out of control, so he just releases everyone after their family paid a big amount of bail.

Lu Lin felt this incident should have something to do with Lu Cheng Yu.

Lu Lin suddenly felt that in this world, money wasn't enough, one needed to have power in hand to protect himself.

Yang Heng Zhi had remined him a few days ago, saying that there might be some upheaval soon, he told Lu Lin to watch out. However, it was hard for ordinary people to contend with the officers.

In the past few years, the commercial house had enjoyed a great reputation. He and Chen Xiao Mi had no backing, so they were targeted easily.

Chen Xiao Mi said sullenly, "I envy those government officials!"

Lu Lin nodded, "Yeah!"

Chen Xiao Mi looked at Lu Lin excitedly and said, "Do we have enough money to buy an official title?"

"It's not enough to buy a high-ranking official title, but it's enough to buy an inferior one. I heard that the county magistrate in Sha County can be bought for three thousand taels," Lu Lin said.

Lu Lin had been considering the matter of buying an official title, so he paid great attention to the pricing.

Chen Xiao Mi said, "Then let's buy that title in Sha County."

With the official title in Sha County, they would be on an equal footing with the county magistrate in Forest Town. In the future, it would not be so easy for the other party to create difficulties for them.

Lu Lin hesitated for a moment and said, "The county magistrate decree of Sha County is not an easy job."

"Why is that?" asked Chen Xiao Mi.

" Sha County is on the border with Liao Country. Liao Country is puffed with ambition. If Liao Country invaded us, Sha County would be the first to be affected."

"The original residents of Sha County have almost died. Most of the people who are still staying there are soldiers who have their armors removed and returned to the fields. Many of them were stained with blood on the battlefield, they are very hard to tame."

"The soldiers left in Sha County know the generals in the capital city. Once the county magistrate is not doing a good job, the soldiers have access to file complaints directly to the generals."

"Natural disasters is a regular occurrence, it's bitter cold all year round and the land is not fertile. The residents have a hard time paying taxes in any form, and they require the government's relief all the time."

"After the war, the population there is decimated or fled, in order to attract the people to settle there, the imperial court has passed a law that the residents there will be exempted from taxes and military service for 10 years. That law had made it impossible for the local officials to fill their own pocket with embezzlement. Even if the local officials wanted to collect money, they might not necessarily get it considering how poor the local residents were.

The last county magistrate lost his life during the war with the Liao Dynasty. As for the one before him, he was kidnapped once by some local residents for he took advantage of his power to bully people, then he resigned overnight and fled back to his hometown.

It seemed that the position of the county magistrate had been vacant for a long time.

Chen Xiao Mi looked at Lu Lin and asked, "Are you still interested in buying this position?"

Lu Lin nodded and said, "I think this is a good opportunity. Although this official position is not easy to do, it is still an official! We can conjure a career from thin air."

Chen Xiao Mi nodded and said, "Okay then."

......

Chen Xiao Mi and Lu Lin exchanged a look and smiled at the same time, they spent 3,000 taels of silver and bought the county magistrate position of Sha County.

Sha County was a hot potato in the government's eyes. Many officials assigned there had either lost their lives on the battlefield or fled back to their hometown for fear of the local residents. The imperial court was more than happy to trade a position like that for 3,000 taels of silver.

The formalities were issued soon, Lu Lin could go to his appointed post anytime now.

Yang Heng Zhi came visit them this day, he sat in the yard and looked at Chen Xiao Mi, "Xiao Mi, is it official now? Are you guys really going to Sha County?"

Chen Xiao Mi nodded and said, "Yes, the higher-ups gave us three months to be ther."

Yang Heng Zhi looked at Chen Xiao Mi and said in confusion, "You have a successful business here. What made you guys change your mind, all of a sudden, you are leaving Forest Town and becoming an official?"

Chen Xiao Mi glanced at Yang Heng Zhi and said, "Our business is indeed very successful, but we are like a lamb to the slaughter when the official directs against us. It's a scary feeling."

Yang Heng Zhi nodded and said, "This is true, but this Sha County is a a place where one is apt to get into trouble."

Chen Xiao Mi nodded and said, "Thank you for your concern, master yang, but me and Lin can only afford that county at the moment. Some rich counties are priced as 10,000 taels."

Yang Heng Zhi looked at Chen Xiao Mi with a worried look and said, "It's cheap over there, but it's dangerous! It is said that Sha County is a place where no one was willing to go to. Most of the county magistrate who are assigned there are those have offended influential high-ranking officials in the capital city.

The land there was infertile, the residents were impoverished, making it impossible for the local officers to reap any profit. What was more, the invaders tended to invade them first due to their special location.

There was also a border patrol. Many villagers were related to the members of the border patrol. In war times, many villagers fought side by side with the patrol. The war was over now. They still kept that patrol to make the people feel safe, the patrol severely punished any enemy that dares to intrude and they saw their role as to protect the people from domineering officers. They had successfully scared several officials away during the past few years.

Most of the county magistrates in this time and space were well-respected. However, it was a different story in Sha County. If the county magistrate did not show justice and handled things unfairly, the patrol would enforce justice on behalf of Heaven.

Chen Xiao Mi blinked and said, "Don't worry, me and Lu Lin will do our best to bring benefits to local people. Plus we only plan to stay there for two years or so, we will be all right. Hopefully, Lin will be transferred to another post."

Yang Heng Zhi smiled, he thought to himself, 'My friend, you and Lin bought this title, it's almost impossible for you guys to get transferred.'

"Xiao Mi, please take good care of yourselves! We shall meet again some day." Yang Heng Zhi said.

Chen Xiao Mi nodded and said, "Don't worry, we will be all right."

Yang Heng Zhi smiled and said, "I have every faith in you and Lin, I know how capable you both are, don't forget your old friends in Forest Tow after you rise to a position of great importance!"

"Of course!" Chen Xiao Mi said cheerfully.

......

Lu Lin transferred the possession of all the commercial houses and properties in Forest Town, Chen Xiao Cai followed suit, he had sold his properties in Willow Town.

Chen Xiao Mi and Lu Lin told Chen Xiao Cai it was up to him whether he wanted to follow them or nor considering the future remained problematic.

Chen Xiao Cai and Shen Chi discussed it and decided to follow their brother and brother-in-law.

Granny Shen passed away last year, Chen Xiao Cai and Shen Chi hadn't got a care in both towns.

After selling the houses and the shops, Lu Lin bought another horse and two more mules.

The news that Lu Lin was leaving had shocked the villagers. Over the years, many villagers had relied on Lu Lin's commercial house to make money and support their families. They couldn't help feeling slightly wistful about the perks that they were going to lose.

Shen Chi decided to deal with the farmland that Granny Shen left him in the village.

"Ah Chi, you're really leaving together with your brother and brother-in-law?"

Shen Chi nodded, "Yeah! Cai and I will follow them wherever they go."

Several villagers asked curiously, " Chi, did Chen Xiao Mi really buy an official title in remote area?"

Shen Chi nodded and said, "It is true."

The villagers were shocked. "To think you can actually buy an official title!"

"It's not a prosperous place, but I trust my brother and brother-in-law, they know what they are doing," Shen Chi said.

The villagers agreed. No matter how poor the area was, they were still officials! There was actually the first official in the village.

"Chi, you're really lucky!" A group of villagers surrounded Shen Chi and started to praise him.

Chen Xiao Mi and Lu Lin had bought a government official and Shen Chi had become an official's family member.

The news had reached Grandma Chen's ears. Grandma Chen was shocked to the core to hear Chen Xiao Mi had become an official overnight, he was arrested just a few days ago!

When she found out that things were true, Grandma Chen immediately exploded and felt that it was too unfair. Her favorite grandson Chen Jing who had persevered in his studies in spite of hardships, was still just a peasant. But Chen Xiao Mi's partner Lu Lin who hadn't got any education has just become an official! Things were indeed unfair!

Grandma Chen let fly with a stream of abuse. Some villagers reminded her that any form of discontent was equivalent to great disrespect to His Majesty who had approved this decision.

That reminder had frightened Grandma Chen off, she shut up immediately.

......

In Lu family.

Tang looked at Lu Cheng Yu and said, "Cheng Yu! I heard that Chen Xiao Mi and Lu Lin had bought an official title and they are leaving Forest Town soon, they have already sold every property in town. Have you heard that? Is that true?"

Lu Cheng Yu nodded and said, "It's true."

Tang frowned and said, "How can they just buy an official title like that?"

Lu Cheng Yu said sullenly, "As long as you have money, you can buy anything. However, this Sha County that Chen Xiao Mi and Lu Lin are going to is very remote, basically the land of the barbarians. It is very likely that they won't be able to return home. The previous county magistrates were either killed or forced to resign. That place is tough! I don't think Lu Lin can accomplish anything there. But if they left Sha County without approval, they would lose the title and they wouldn't get any refund."

Lu Cheng Yu was actually mad jealous in his heart. Sha County was a tough place, but county magistrate was an actual official! He, on the other hand, was still preparing for the provincial exam, and truth be told, he didn't have high hopes.

Tang said indignantly, "I heard that this official title is worth 3,000 taels of silver."

Lu Cheng Yu nodded, "That's true."

Tang gasped. Even though Tang had long figured that Chen Xiao Mi had money, she never guessed that Chen Xiao Mi had so much money. 'With so much money, you can do anything you like, I don't understand why he bought an official title in such a remote area!' thought Tang.

"Do you know it's Lu Lin who is going to become an official, not Chen Xiao Mi like some villagers have said," Lu Cheng Yu said.

Tang was a little surprised. "Really?"

Lu Cheng Yu nodded and said, "Yes. Bios are not entitled to the right of becoming a government official. Even though Lu Lin is married into his family, it's Lu Lin who is going to have that official title."

Tang's face darkened and she said in disbelief, "Lu Lin, that brat, he is no official material!"

Tang's eyes widened. 'How is Lu Lin supposed to be an official, isn't he ill-starred?'

Tang felt everything Lu Lin had achieved was beyond logic and above reason.

Tang said sullenly, "Didn't you say that Chen Xiao Mi was arrested just a few days ago? Why was he released so soon?"

Lu Cheng Yu's lips curled, "The county magistrate just wants to make a fast buck and he doesn't want to offend anyone."

Lu Lin put up a bail for Chen Xiao Mi, the county magistrate released Chen Xiao Mi after he got the 300 taels of silver. The county magistrate and the Secretary-General had split the money without informing Lu Cheng Yu.

Lu Cheng Yu felt so indignant after he found out that no one took him seriously.

Lu Lin and Chen Xiao Mi had sold their properties to Yang Heng Zhi for 400 taels. After spending 3000 taels on the official title, they only had less than 2000 taels left.