Chapter 37: Teaching and the Proteges of the Powerful who Stay With their Benefactions like Parasites

Chapter 37: Teaching and the Proteges of the Powerful who Stay With their Benefactions like Parasites

After Jia Yucun showed up at the reception banquet the day before, Sun Shaozong met the big boss of the Central Judicial Office, Prefectural Magistrate Han Anbang.

After Han Anbang called him over, he just said a few polite sayings. Apart from encouraging him to work diligently for the public and enforce the law for the people, there was nothing important.

But these nonsenses sent an unmistakable signal that Han Anbang did not want to be on bad terms with his future Deputy because of Sun Shaozong!

So in the next few days, everything became calm again, as if the series of difficulties at the beginning were just Sun Shaozong's illusion.

Of course, Sun Shaozong didn't think it was an illusion, nor will he let down his vigilance. Instead, he became more cautious.

Han Anbang chose to give up at this time, mainly because Jia Yucun suddenly intervened, which made him a little unprepared. When he calmed down, he might not be able to think that ”peace is the most precious thing.”

Therefore, Sun Shaozong couldn’t let anyone pick fault and find his evidence on it during this period, otherwise, Han Anbang would certainly take him out to punish as a warning to Jia Yucun once he had a bad relationship with him in the future!

For seven or eight days in a row, Sun Shaozong was familiarizing himself with his official duties and took time to review the case files accumulated by his predecessor. If he didn't understand something, he had to look up the law of the Great Zhou Dynasty or lead Zhao Wuwei and the others to the scene for prospecting. He was busy for a moment.

However, he couldn't trust any of the petty officials and clerks of the Department of Punishment. He didn't dare let them touch any of the official documents, so he thought about hiring a secretary, who should be called a private adviser these days, to help.

When he went home to discuss with his big brother, Sun Shaozu said, "We are all swordsmen and spearmen. How would we know any advisers? The second master of the Jia family loves to raise proteges of the powerful who stay with their benefactions like parasites the most. Isn't it nice that you will have three days off for the upcoming Lantern Festival? You might as well go to the Rongguo Mansion and ask Jia Zheng to see if he has a reliable candidate to recommend."

Sun Shaozong was in a hurry to hire people. He couldn't think of a more suitable way for the moment, so he had to do so first.

So on the 14th day of the first month, Sun Shaozong took Ruan Rong with him to visit the Rongguo Mansion again.

However, when they arrived at the gate of the Rongguo Mansion this time, they saw that there was heavy traffic on the quiet long street, and the hustle and bustle cut off most of the street.

After the host and guest took their seats, Jia Zheng could not help sighing after a few polite words and said, "Your Brother Zhu was a self-motivated man before, but it's a pity... Now I don't request the vile spawn to have any achievements in anything. As long as he can strengthen his muscles and bones, it’s enough to pass on my family business."

"Uncle must be joking."

Sun Shaozong laughed and said casually, "I heard that Brother Baoyu was gifted and had brought some psychic jade with him when he was born. I think he will have a great achievement in the future. I'm afraid my skills are too bad and will delay him."

Hearing Sun Shaozong's praise of Baoyu, Jia Zheng became more complacent, but quickly waved his hand and said modestly, "What giftedness and intelligence, he’s just filled with a head of foolish ideas! You can just do it freely, no matter whether it's moral character, talent, or martial arts, riding and shooting, if you can make that unfilial son make some progress, I will be grateful and find great benefit here!"

He kept on saying “Unfilial son, vile spawn,” but this time Sun Shaozong came to teach, and Baoyu was not the only one he would be teaching. However, he did not mention Jia Huan, his concubine son, and Jia Lan, his immediate grandson. Obviously, Jia Baoyu was regarded as the most important person in his heart.

Sun Shaozong got up and solemnly answered. He changed the subject and said with an arch hand, "To tell you the truth, I'm in a small predicament in the Central Judicial Office recently. I’m looking for two private advisers to help me, but I can't find a suitable one. I heard that there are many talents around you. I wonder if you can bear the pain and recommend one or two to me."

Most of the so-called ”proteges” were those who had fallen into the ranks and were unwilling to be that petty official. They rely on their words to show off their literary skill and make some free meals for the big and noble family. Instead of saying they are noble, only they know their well-being.

It would be a good job to be a private adviser for the six grades. Especially, Sun Shaozong became famous when he was young, and it would be of great use in the future.

Naturally, Jia Zheng was happy to do the same, so he asked someone to send invites to several people to take on the challenge, including Zhan Guang, Hu Silai, Cheng Rixing, Shan Bingren, Bu Guxiu, and Wang Zuomei. There were about seven or eight people.

Although Jia Zheng didn't make it clear that this was like an audition to hire a private adviser, these people's eyes and eyebrows all gave a worldly-wise person look. They only chatted a few words and have already guessed 70% or 80% of the total. Immediately, everyone was enthusiastic and competing for the place. They were full of red flushes that spread from their faces to their neck.

If it weren't for Jia Zheng's presence, he's afraid they would all start to expose each other's past misdeeds.

However, in Sun Shaozong's opinion, most of these people are talkers. It's fine to talk, but if he wants to do something, they’re useless.

Only one of them, Cheng Rixing, was pretty good at it. In addition to being a protege, he also worked as a shopkeeper in the Xue family antique shop. He has experience handling mundane affairs and was proficient in accounting.

Just the first impression alone was not enough to make Sun Shaozong make up his mind, so he asked Cheng Rixing to visit his mansion in the evening to get to know him better.