Chapter 27: The Gentry: Master Huang Will Lead the Charge

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When Wang Defa saw Old Zhang, the gatekeeper, return, a faint smile crept onto his usually stern face. “What did the county magistrate say?” he asked.

He hadn’t expected that Zhang, who was originally just sweeping out the empty residence, would strike it lucky and become the county magistrate’s gatekeeper.

Just sitting there every day, sipping tea, brought in a steady stream of gleaming silver coins—far better than people like them, who braved wind and rain daily to earn their wages.

Take this recent "clearing the countryside" operation, for example. Parading their power around, they only managed to extort a little over four hundred taels of silver from those poor souls. Upon hearing the new magistrate had taken office, Zhang hurried back excitedly and immediately presented two hundred taels as a tribute to the county magistrate.

“Damn it, it’s still these officials who make money the easiest!” Wang Defa cursed inwardly.

“Captain Wang, the magistrate will be in the second hall shortly. You should wait there,” Old Zhang said.

“Alright, I’ll be counting on you, Zhang. Here’s some money—have some tea on me,” Wang Defa said, digging into his sleeve to pull out two taels of silver. He handed it over.

Zhang nodded and accepted it without a word.

But he hadn’t truly taken the money; instead, he casually tossed it into a drawer. Having only served under the new magistrate for two days, he hadn’t yet grasped the man’s true character and dared not pocket bribes recklessly. If he offended the magistrate, his seat would cool before he could warm it, and he’d be relegated to some forgotten corner again.

Wang Defa stood outside the second hall, bored, watching sparrows chase each other beneath the eaves.

Only when he heard movement inside did he cautiously approach and knock on the door.

“Come in,” came a clear voice.

Rubbing his cheek lightly, a smile spread across Wang Defa’s face as he pushed the door open and bowed slightly upon entering.

“I am Wang Defa, captain of the strong squad. I was in the countryside leading the constables on the clearance operation when I heard the magistrate had taken office…”

His steps quickened as he circled past the bamboo screen, but when he saw the person behind the desk, his words faltered.

The young man wore a blue mandarin collar robe with a bright mandarin square emblem—the unmistakable attire of a seventh-rank civil official. Yet the youthful face sparked a sense of familiarity. The next moment, he recalled the young man from a few days ago, rebuking gamblers outside the gambling house.

At the time, he had thought him just an ordinary youth.

“Since you’re on duty, report—the progress of the clearance operation,” the magistrate, An Xin, said, setting down an ancient book.

He showed no displeasure.

Yet Wang Defa felt his limbs grow cold, trembling as he reported. He was in a daze until he stepped out of the second hall, unsure how he had emerged.

After days of anxious waiting, Wang Defa’s hopes finally died.

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Due to accepting bribes and beating civilians, Wang Defa was stripped of his captaincy for lacking virtue.

Several other constables familiar with him were also dismissed, though the magistrate, being kind-hearted, did not fire them outright but gave them a good thrashing instead.

However, over a dozen white-collar constables from the third squad were expelled from the county office.

It wasn’t only the third squad; several unregistered clerks from the household and military offices were also dismissed.

Rumors flew wildly through the office, and everyone became as jumpy as a startled bird.

For a time, no one dared ignore this new magistrate, whose face often bore a smile. Orders from the second hall were executed with unprecedented efficiency.

In the following days, the magistrate made no new dismissals. Instead, he shuffled clerks and officials among various offices until the situation stabilized.

Why is the personnel department so powerful? Because controlling appointments determines authority.

Who holds power and perks, who toils without influence—all decided by the magistrate’s decree, visibly reinforcing his authority among the subordinates.

“Changshan, you take over as captain of the strong squad for now. Though the head constable seems prestigious, he’s just a lowly official and won’t be promoted to an official constable,” An Xin told Hu Changshan, now dressed in the captain’s uniform.

“Heh heh,” Hu Changshan was thrilled.

Returning to his hometown without connections, it was impossible to become a constable before—even carrying a pig’s head wouldn’t get him through the temple gates.

Now, promoted overnight to captain, he could return home in style—with no complaints at all.

“Yes, sir, I understand!” he responded eagerly.

With no trusted aides nearby, An Xin entrusted Hu Changshan with the strong squad captaincy, enabling better control over the constables.

“Remember, being a captain isn’t just brute force. You must be willing to spend money, learn to win over, suppress, and divide your subordinates. They can’t be a solid block,” An Xin gave him direct advice.

If only he had more trusted men, he’d work harder to reshape the six offices.

But the opportunity came soon enough.

In mid-September, the street outside the county office buzzed with activity. All the county’s prominent figures had gathered.

Even Huang Shurong, head of the usually reclusive Huang family, came with great fanfare.

Inside the second hall, An Xin sat at the main seat, flanked by the family heads.

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Once everyone was seated, An Xin placed the ancient text "The Supreme Clarity Palm Scripture" on the desk.

“Since taking office, I have been honored to receive over three thousand six hundred taels into my account, thanks to the benevolence of you wise gentry. This pleases me greatly, and I thank you all,” An Xin said, bowing in gratitude.

His words left the assembled gentlemen exchanging puzzled glances.

Though this unspoken rule was tacitly understood, it was not meant to be openly declared.

From their previous encounter, it was clear the magistrate was no fool—so what did this mean?

“As far as I know, two bands of bandits have entrenched themselves in Wuren County. Over years, they have grown in strength, often descending the mountains to raid caravans and even slaughter villagers. Their actions have aroused the wrath of both heaven and man.

“To be a magistrate is to bring prosperity to the land. Blessed by the emperor as a scholar and appointed magistrate, I refuse to be a corrupt or incompetent official who turns a blind eye.

“All these funds will be used to finance the campaign against the bandits!”

An Xin glanced around, observing their expressions.

“This is not for my glory but for Wuren’s future.

“Yet, 3,600 taels are still insufficient to eradicate the bandits. I have therefore convened you wise gentry to assist in funding this campaign, to rid Wuren’s people of this persistent scourge!”

At once, the hall erupted.

The “enlightened gentry” had not expected even 3,600 taels to fall short of the new magistrate’s demands, and had conceived this as a lucrative opportunity.

Clearly, they did not believe An Xin genuinely intended to eliminate the bandits but saw this as a pretext to line his pockets.

Yet tribute money was an unspoken rule of officialdom; beyond that, who would willingly pour silver into this insatiable abyss?

“Your Honor, those bandit lairs lie deep in the mountains, easy to defend but hard to attack. This matter requires careful planning,” one said.

“Indeed. The patrol unit has been sent to the Eastern Sun Prefecture to fight pirates. Wuren County currently lacks troops. Relying on just over three hundred constables is insufficient to handle these bandits,” another added.

“I’ve heard some bandits are seasoned pirates, formidable opponents. If not completely eliminated, they may threaten Your Honor’s safety,” a third warned.

They exchanged words, seeing the magistrate’s brow furrow deeply, then all turned to Huang Shurong, silently begging for his support.

At this moment, naturally, the local gentry leader stepped forward to take charge. Their words carried weight, pressing the impetuous new magistrate to relent.

They sought to assert their dominance, delivering a warning to remind him that a powerful outsider cannot easily suppress local authority.