Volume I: River City Tune Chapter 66: Li Ling Offers a Strategy

Today is the first day of the second lunar month, which is once again the day for the monthly administrative assembly. Everything remained as usual, and the county yamen maintained an atmosphere of solemn dignity from top to bottom, until the gathering dispersed a little over two hours later, with everyone returning to their respective offices to busy themselves.

However, upon returning to his private office, Wei Liang appeared somewhat absent-minded, completely lacking the high-spirited ambition he had shown after his first assembly half a month ago. Deep within his eyes, there even lingered a sense of anger, helplessness, and bewilderment.

A profound sense of powerlessness continued to spread in his heart, leaving him restless. Just moments ago in the main hall, Magistrate Wei had once again proposed to try and adjudicate Zhuang Hong's case, only to be brushed aside and blocked by Feng Ping and the others with evasive pleasantries. What exasperated him the most was that their arguments actually sounded somewhat reasonable; they claimed that there were currently too many other important matters in the yamen that required attention, and that Zhuang Hong's case could easily be postponed, leaving Wei with nowhere to vent his anger.

In fact, it was not just this single matter. Ever since the yamen resumed operations for the New Year, Wei Liang had been plagued by an uneasy feeling of being constrained and controlled by others. On the surface, he appeared to be the magistrate of this county, holding supreme authority where his word was law. Yet in reality, the matters he could truly decide upon were negligible. Whenever he put forward an idea, someone would invariably jump out to object, and their reasoning would invariably sound plausible, ultimately forcing him to give up.

After half a month of this, Magistrate Wei could already perceive a hint of contempt in the eyes of many of his subordinates. It was only at this moment that he discovered with a jolt of terror that, even without Zhuang Hong, there was still a strong possibility that he, the magistrate, could be reduced to a figurehead by the two assistant magistrates working in concert with those slick and veteran clerks.

People often said he was young and promising, and that the ease with which he took down a formidable figure like Zhuang Hong right upon arriving in the county demonstrated his brilliant methods. Yet only Wei Liang himself knew that this wonderful outcome was actually due to Master Cao's guidance behind the scenes, coupled with Li Ling's assistance from the side. But now, after returning to his hometown, Cao Jin had been delayed on his return journey due to illness, and Li Ling was preoccupied with official business in the revenue department. Suddenly, he, a magistrate, found himself without helpers and could only struggle on alone.

Originally, he had intended to use the momentum of today's assembly to further investigate the case, but it had ended in failure once again. When all was said and done, Magistrate Wei, despite his seemingly superior background and capabilities that made him look like the protagonist, was still far too naive. After all, he had been a local official for barely two months; how could he possibly be a match for those cunning and experienced old clerks?

Growth always required paying a price and learning lessons... The problem was simply that he could not stomach it any longer.

"Knock, knock..." A crisp knock on the door brought Wei Liang back from his vexation, and he responded, "Come in and speak."

The door opened, and the person who entered was none other than Li Ling, which finally brought a trace of a smile to Wei Liang's face. "Is there something wrong with the revenue department?" This revenue clerk, whom he had personally promoted and cultivated, was the most considerate, at least allowing him to maintain control over the yamen's treasury without becoming a complete puppet.

Li Ling first gave a respectful bow before making his report. "As Your Honor says, these are the various expenses for the county yamen's spring operations that your subordinate has compiled over the past few days. The river embankments need reinforcement to guard against the spring floods, which will require three hundred and sixty taels of silver. Over at the Ever-Normal Granary, some warehouses have suffered damage and need repairs, and there is also..."

As he listened to Li Ling's report while reviewing the clear and detailed records in his hands, Wei Liang felt his mood improve considerably. Only now did he experience the pleasant sensation of holding absolute power. When Li Ling finished, Wei Liang nodded approvingly. "You have thought this through well. Approved."

"There is another expenditure for the salary allowances distributed to each of the clerks and runners..." Li Ling then handed over another schedule, which clearly marked the specific salary figures for the dozens of individuals throughout the yamen, making it easy for the magistrate to understand at a glance. "The total expenditure will be three hundred and ninety-eight taels and five mace."

"Hmm..." Looking at the names and positions listed one by one, Wei Liang could not help but think of his current plight, and a shadow crossed his eyes. However, there were established precedents for this; for many years, the salaries of officials and runners at all levels of the yamen had been fixed, and it would not do for him to arbitrarily deduct or alter them. Thus, he nodded to indicate his agreement.

Just as he picked up his brush to sign and approve the document, Li Ling suddenly spoke up. "Your Honor, please wait."

"Hmm? Is there something wrong with this?" Wei Liang paused slightly, holding his brush suspended as he looked up.

Meeting the magistrate's puzzled gaze, Li Ling's expression grew solemn. "Are you truly content with your current situation, Your Honor? If your subordinate may be so bold as to speak the truth, during today's assembly, those people completely laid bare their double-dealing nature. Whether it is the punishment department or the works department, they continue to cling tightly to their petty authority, leaving Your Honor with no way to intervene whatsoever."

After a prolonged silence came a soft, heavy sigh. "You've noticed it too? I've been feeling utterly stifled lately. Those people address me as Your Honor to my face, but in truth, who among them actually takes me seriously?"

Hearing the magistrate's bitter words, Li Ling sighed along with him. "Your subordinate has long seen that those people are untrustworthy. Although they reluctantly acknowledged Your Honor as the chief official of this yamen before the New Year, in reality they each fiercely clutch at their own shreds of power, plotting to keep things as they were so that Your Honor remains nothing more than a figurehead magistrate of Jiangcheng County! Yet previously, your subordinate was of humble status and low influence, unable to share Your Honor's burdens, which truly shames me."

The resentment and anger in Wei Liang's eyes intensified, but a flash of thought crossed his gaze. "You mention this today—do you have a method to assist me? If you can truly help me reclaim supreme authority, I will certainly not treat you poorly."

"You flatter me, Your Honor. Sharing your burdens is precisely my duty as your subordinate. I was promoted by Your Honor, and you have given me much guidance regarding the imperial examinations; it is no exaggeration to say we share the bond of master and pupil. Your difficulties have likewise troubled me. Previously, I truly could not think of a countermeasure, but seeing this salary schedule today, an idea has occurred to me."

"Let's hear it." Magistrate Wei immediately grew interested and urged him to continue.

"Does Your Honor know why your subordinate has been able to bring all the clerks of the revenue department into complete submission? It relies entirely on the rules I established early on. If they commit a fault, they face punishment, and the power to determine whether they have erred rests in my hands." Li Ling briefly explained the regulations he had instituted in the revenue department, leaving Wei Liang in a daze before concluding, "Therefore, your subordinate believes that if Your Honor wishes to truly grasp the power of the county yamen, you must make them abide by newly established rules as well!"

"How easily said than done?" Wei Liang gave a bitter, self-deprecating shake of his head. "The key to your ability to make the revenue department clerks bow to your will lies in your capacity to single-handedly manage all the accounts and affairs of the revenue department, so that you would have no fear even if you dismissed them all. But the affairs of the county yamen are vastly complex and myriad; if I were to actually dismiss people, even if I recruited replacements later, it would undoubtedly delay a great many matters."

They say that the longer one spends in the jianghu, the more timid one becomes, and the same adage holds true in officialdom. Newcomers entering officialdom are always full of drive and willing to take any risk for their ideals. Wei Liang had possessed precisely this mindset when he first entered the county yamen, even boasting that he would not hesitate to dismiss everyone.

Yet after taking charge of governance around the New Year, he discovered that things were a hundred times more complex than he had previously imagined. Those official duties were not like what Li Ling described, where anyone could just step in and handle them seamlessly. Consequently, anxiety took root in his heart, and bound by the fear of breaking the precious vases while trying to hit the rat, he could no longer casually threaten to dismiss subordinates as he had before.

Now Li Ling seemed to be bringing up the old proposal again, and Wei Liang naturally found it hard to accept. Upon hearing this, Li Ling inwardly sighed; as the saying goes, once a person remains an official long enough, their initial drive fades, and they inevitably conform to the corrupt environment.

"Your subordinate naturally understands Your Honor's reservations. However, have you considered this? Although the yamen cannot do without these veteran clerks to handle affairs, by the same token, they cannot do without the official status and protection that the yamen provides them."

"Oh? Explain what you mean."

"Does Your Honor know the current plight of the few county yamen clerks who were dismissed previously? The two who served in the punishment department offended too many people to remain in the county and had to sell off their family property at a pittance before fleeing. As for the two former revenue department clerks, they were tracked down by enemies; though injured, they dared not come to the county yamen to seek justice and instead had to pay compensation in silver to the other party... And then there is Constable Lin's in-laws. Previously, the revenue clerk Zheng Gen held absolute sway, but now the situation has completely reversed, and Constable Lin is living quite comfortably within the Zheng family. Such is the impact brought about by a shift in status. The county magistrate may not have paid attention to all this, but everyone else has seen it clearly."

"Could... could such things really have happened?" A trace of confidence instantly surfaced in Wei Liang's eyes.

"These are matters your subordinate had people secretly investigate, and there is no mistake. These yamen clerks have used the yamen's backing to commit countless misdeeds against the common people on ordinary days; once stripped of this protective layer, their ends are bound to be miserable. Everyone else knows this full well, so as long as Your Honor takes genuine action, there is no fear that they will refuse to submit.

"Furthermore, this time we are not punishing them arbitrarily. Their ordinary wrongdoings have been witnessed by Your Honor, by your subordinate, and by everyone else—there is no mistake. Moreover, in your subordinate's view, this time we should simply dock their salaries, issue a stern reprimand, and wait for them to correct their ways. If next month they still refuse to reform, heavier punishments can be administered. Once the rules are firmly established, why worry that they will not yield? Just as your subordinate said just now, no one in the county yamen dares to risk losing their livelihood to make an enemy of Your Honor. Once Your Honor grasps this point, why worry about supreme authority not returning to your hands? When that time comes, whether you wish to retry Zhuang Hong's case or intervene in other matters, it will be as effortless as turning over one's hand!"

Wei Liang's complexion flushed with warmth as he listened to these words. Thoughts swirled endlessly in his mind as he weighed the pros and cons—this seemed to be the best and most effective method currently available for him to reclaim his authority. His only remaining reservation was: what should be done if Li Ling's assessment of those people proved wrong, making the situation impossible to tidy up?

Without Cao Jin by his side to plot and strategize, Magistrate Wei's courage was still somewhat lacking after all.