Chapter 33: Even the Cleverest Housewife Cannot Cook Without Rice

Half a month passed in the blink of an eye.

Chen Ping obediently followed Old Ye’s side, cross-referencing the documents one by one, steadily refining the new-style ledgers.

Yet, despite Magistrate Wang’s strenuous efforts to conceal the outcome of the embezzlement case, the truth leaked out through the mouths of several newly transferred clerks.

To everyone’s surprise, not only was Deputy Magistrate Huang left completely unscathed, but even the chief clerk who voluntarily confessed was only required to return the stolen funds as a warning.

Beyond that, there were no punishments at all. The whole affair seemed to vanish like a stone sinking into the sea, without a ripple.

Only the head of the kitchen crew was severely punished—thirty brutal lashes left him battered and bedridden. Moreover, he was dismissed from his post and forever barred from public service.

This truly served as a stark warning to others.

As for how the confession of the chief clerk was suppressed by Magistrate Wang and Deputy Magistrate Huang, none of these men could know.

After hearing the gossip, Chen Ping looked back at Magistrate Wang and Old Ye, who had no moment’s rest beyond eating and sleeping.

He suddenly realized that his ability to judge people and affairs had much room for improvement.

He had nearly misjudged Magistrate Wang!

Wang was not inactive; rather, he deliberately concealed most of the truth, so much so that even Chen Ping knew almost nothing about how the storm was truly calmed.

The news discernible outside was all intentionally leaked by Wang himself. As for the core details, everyone was left to guess blindly, with no evidence. Even rumors that surfaced could not stir up a wave.

He was adept at budgeting, but in official dealings, Chen Ping felt he was still too naive.

Old Ye saw Chen Ping lost in thought again and casually flicked his forehead, snapping him back to reality.

“Ow~~”

Chen Ping covered his head with a look of grievance, somewhat unaccustomed to his teacher’s growing irritability these past two days.

Since last night, after thoroughly reconciling the general ledger and calculating the true material and grain costs per mile of road repaired, Old Ye had become noticeably agitated.

More impatient than usual, he paced silently back and forth in the room.

When Magistrate Wang hurried over and saw the consolidated figures in the ledger, he jumped up on the spot.

“How is this possible? How can the costs be half again as much!”

“The numbers I estimated were based on the cost of newly repairing main official roads near the provincial capital,” he shouted in disbelief.

“We are only repairing rural roads around the county seat. These roads don’t have the sturdy purlins and blue bricks of main roads, and since we straighten out the bends, the expenses should be even lower!”

Magistrate Wang’s eyes were bloodshot as he stared at Old Ye with a complex expression.

If Old Ye said he was just teasing him, he wouldn’t resent it.

But how could Old Ye joke about official business?

Old Ye forced himself to maintain composure and cast a sympathetic glance at Wang, then closed his eyes in silence, clearly helpless.

Even the cleverest housewife cannot cook without rice.

Old Ye had fulfilled his role to the utmost, managing every detail from station dispatching, vehicle allocation, load and mileage conversion, to calculating laborers’ wages.

Yet sometimes, fate is simply unkind.

This fickle thing called destiny randomly digs bottomless pits for those who strive forward, pulling them mercilessly into the abyss.

Although unwilling to further provoke Magistrate Wang, Old Ye felt compelled to fulfill his duty.

He immediately circled the anomalies in the ledger and said gravely:

“The problem lies entirely with the roadbed!”

“The newly repaired official roads in the provincial capital were built atop previous dynasties’ roadbeds, naturally saving significant expenses.”

“But the official roads of Yongshun County have long lacked maintenance and must still be used; even the lowest layer of the roadbed has decayed into mush.”

At this, Magistrate Wang understood the problem.

Three feet of ice does not form in a single day. After years of trampling, the road’s foundation had loosened, requiring re-compaction before construction could proceed.

But the remaining funds were insufficient even to purchase a hundred-pound iron rammer.

Magistrate Wang staggered back two steps, nearly falling.

He grasped the edge of a chair, slowly sat down, and lowered his head.

It was precisely because he understood the key issue that he looked so despondent in an instant.

No money!

This was the most vexing problem since he took office.

After years of persistent petitions, this year finally brought allocated road construction funds from the court.

Though theoretically, if construction funds ran short, local officials could present reasonable justifications to apply for more.

But that was theory; in reality, it was nearly impossible!

Though Wang came through the imperial examination, he lacked the noble lineage of Deputy Magistrate Huang and had no trusted contacts at court. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have remained in Yongshun County for seven years.

Without connections, no one in the court would advocate for him.

In such circumstances, any petition for additional funds would be passed back and forth among the Ministries of Revenue, Finance, and the Treasury with endless delays—no reply in a year or more.

Even if a reply came, the general tone was predictable.

Perhaps someone would use the opportunity to question his lavish expenditure or accuse him of embezzlement.

Looking at the muddy roads of Yongshun County, Magistrate Wang could not help but shed tears.

He only wished to do a benevolent deed during his tenure—how could it be so difficult?

Just as Old Ye tried to console him, Wang wiped his tears away.

Suddenly, his gaze cleared, the confusion and fear replaced by fierce resolve like blazing fire.

Even if it meant plunging into an abyss, the future was boundless.

Red-eyed, he spoke mournfully:

“To do what is known to be impossible!”

“When I was a student, I always thought this phrase was heroic and inspiring.”

“But now that I truly face doing the impossible, my heart is only frozen cold!”

Old Ye’s eyes grew moist as well; he knew what Wang was about to do.

Even knowing that further petitions would gain no funding, Wang had resolved to write that petition.

Even if he were attacked by censors, slandered by malicious tongues, dismissed from office, or imprisoned—stripped of his rank—he would fulfill his duty.

“To do what is known to be impossible” sounds simple.

But when truly faced with such a task, how many can persist to this point?

As Wang, filled with tragic determination, turned to leave, a child’s voice suddenly spoke:

“Perhaps… I mean perhaps, we can find other ways to raise funds for the road repairs!”

Wang froze instantly, mechanically turning to stare wide-eyed at Chen Ping.

“If you had an idea, say it earlier—your tragic moment just went to waste.”

Actually, after Old Ye’s last warning, Chen Ping had no intention of meddling further.

Besides, he was only seven years old.

Doing too many things beyond his age would make people see him as strange.

But when Wang sorrowfully uttered “to do what is known to be impossible,” Chen Ping was deeply moved.

A benevolent and compassionate magistrate is a blessing to the people, and as a commoner, Chen Ping too was a beneficiary.

Those who bear the firewood for the many must not be allowed to freeze to death in the snow.

Old Ye also looked at his frequently ingenious disciple in astonishment.

Chen Ping awkwardly scratched his head and smiled, then said slowly:

“The roads are mainly built for whom? Then let those people pay for it.”

“Since the roads are primarily to facilitate merchants transporting goods, why not have them contribute money for the repairs?”

Hearing this, Old Ye and Magistrate Wang both instinctively shook their heads in refusal.

In the past, the government had asked merchants to contribute funds, but no one ever took this ‘contribution’ seriously.

It was merely a forced levy, imposed by brute authority.

Moreover, official affairs related to people’s livelihoods should not involve lowly merchants.

A glance through the annals shows no precedent for such a thing.

It’s not that it never happened, but historians disdained recording merchants’ merits. Besides, a careless move could invite accusations of collusion between officials and merchants.

As expected, Old Ye snapped:

“Nonsense!”

“How can official matters be entangled with merchants?”

“Besides, if we impose heavy levies, countless small merchants will go bankrupt, intensifying conflicts between officials and businessmen, leaving endless troubles.”

Old Ye would never allow such a thing to happen!

At least, this suggestion must not be attributed to Chen Ping!