Chapter 72: Moving House and Opening a Store (Part 2)

  He fell silent and looked at Tian Qi, only to see his lips move slightly before firmly saying: "Let's just call it Qī Gū Niáng Diàn (Seven Maiden Shop) anyway."

  "Others come for your craftsmanship, what's the point of calling my name?" Seventh Girl waved her hand repeatedly: "Still call you by your name, master."

  "If it weren't for my father-in-law taking me in, I would have become a wild ghost in the outskirts of town long ago." Tian Qi shook his head and said: "And to make matters worse, these years the people of Shaoxing haven't recognized my skills, I couldn't even earn enough silver to support my family. It's all thanks to you doing laundry for others and living off the charity of the Shen family that we were able to barely hold on until Shen Xiaogong appeared and helped us turn our fortunes around..." As he spoke, his eyes turned red and his voice choked with emotion: "In this lifetime, I, Tian Qi, have three benefactors, one is my father-in-law, one is Shen Xiaogong, and the third is you..."

  The seventh girl's tears also fell down with a plop, and she said apologetically: "How can I be counted? In the past, I didn't scold you or make you angry."

  "At that time, I couldn't help but slap myself in the face when I looked in the mirror. You scolded me a couple of times, which is normal. But you scolded and scolded, yet never treated me poorly," Tian Qi also wiped away tears and said: "In winter, it was cotton-padded jackets; in summer, it was single-layer clothing; in spring, it was large cloaks; and in autumn, it was fur hats - which of these did you ever deprive me of? I'm clear about this in my heart."

  The silent audience all had a sour nose and coughed dryly: "Which one to use after all? Give me an idea."

  "In his name." "In hers." The two voices sounded out at the same time.

  Smile silently and say nothing.

  "Let's ask Young Master to decide then." Seventh Maiden stopped Tian Qi, she felt that Shen Mo would definitely lean towards using a man's name.

  But then he fell silent for a moment, and said to her, "Seventh Sister, why don't you just write your name?" He chuckled and added, "Tian Qi Dian sounds like the name of an herbal medicine shop, it's easy to misunderstand. 'Qī Gū Niáng Jīn Yín Zhì Qì' is more attractive." In his heart, he silently added: "Of course, that's assuming no one knows you."

  Tian Qi applauded and praised her, Seventh Girl blushed for a moment, then happily agreed.

  "Is it settled then?" Shen Mo picked up his brush and dipped it in ink, smiling faintly.

  "It's settled then!" they exclaimed in unison.

  With a flourish of his brush and a splash of ink, the bold and powerful characters "Qī Gūniáng Jīnyín Zhìqì" (Seven Sisters' Golden and Silver Utensils) leapt onto the paper!

  He declined the invitation to dinner from both of them and promised to congratulate them on the eighth day of the new year. Only then did Shen Mo return upstairs, where he saw his father trying on a new robe made by the main house... Of course, when Master Shen ordered clothes for Shen Mo, there were also two sets made for Shen He.

  "Chao Sheng, look, doesn't Father look dashing?" Shen He had trimmed his beard and tidied up his hair, looking quite different from the usual unkempt old man.

  Shenmo washed his face while laughing and said: "With this appearance going out, people will definitely think that we are brothers, not father and son."

  "You little stinker!" Shen He made a gesture as if he was going to hit him, laughing and scolding: "You're getting more and more unscrupulous." This is indeed a one-in-a-million pair of extreme father and son.

  Shenmo silently took a dry towel and wiped his face, and said in a low voice: "Are you preparing to go to the county government to report?"

  "Yes, the county magistrate has sent someone to urge us." Shen He carefully took off his new clothes and said: "I'm in good health now, I can walk and move around, so it's better to go to work earlier."

  "What's going on?" Shen Mo patted his head and said, "Damn it, I've been so focused on studying that I forgot to ask about it beforehand."

  "It's probably just a scribe." Shen He sighed and said, "Apart from copying and writing, drafting pleadings, I can't do anything else." According to the Ming dynasty system, for all kinds of litigation matters, whether the plaintiff or defendant, they were not allowed to write their own pleadings. They had to have the 'scribe' personnel from the government office draft the lawsuit documents and stamp them with an official seal.

  "Although it's an off-payroll public servant, the salary is real money, and both the plaintiff and defendant have to show respect, it's a good job."

  "I knew it was about money." Shen He lifted the overturned rice bowl on the table, revealing two dishes and a soup, and smiled: "Can't you say something positive?"

  "Oh, it should be of great help in studying the Ming Code." Shen Mo smiled and said, "Let's eat quickly."

  The father and son both thought they would start from the bottom this time, but who knew that Shen He would return with a big smile on his face the next day, carrying half a catty of pork head meat, half a catty of sauce beef, and a jar of Huadiao wine. As soon as he entered the door, he laughed and said: "Chao Sheng, don't work hard for now, come and have a drink with your father."

  Chen Mo put away the books on the bed, cleared the dinner table and arranged the wine and dishes. "What's the good news?"

  "Thanks to County Magistrate Zun's care, your father doesn't have to start from the bottom rung anymore." Shen He poured a cup of Huadiao wine, picked up two melon seeds and put them in his mouth, chewed slowly, then washed it down with yellow rice wine, and sincerely praised: "Indeed, it has a divine flavor."

  "Silently, he chewed on a piece of beef and asked: 'What's going on after all?'"

  "Your dad, I don't need to pretend anymore," Shen He said with great satisfaction: "We will directly enter the county government's sixth house and work in the Criminal Court!"

  "Prison clerk?" Shen Mo nodded: "As soon as he came up, there was a quota, it's really not bad." The prison clerk is the head of the prison, with a name and number in the Ministry of Officials of the imperial court, and is an official within the quota.

  Shen He's old face turned red, and he muttered: "How can it be that fast? Ordinary people have to work their way up from 'substitution' to the sixth house, at least a year or two. Your father is already taking a shortcut." As he spoke, his face was serious: "Being contented is the key to happiness, Cai Sheng."

  Chen Mo was choked by Niu Jin for a moment and rolled his eyes, saying: "Lao Gou is indeed formidable, he learned to speak official jargon on his first day of work."

  "You little stinker, you don't leave any face for your old man." Shen He scolded with a smile: "As my father first entered the prison, I naturally still have to start from being a 'copy clerk'."

  "Ah, that's good." Shen Mo nodded and said. Today he let Shen Jing investigate clearly, and also had a certain understanding of the division of labor and power within the county government - the county government can be divided into three levels: officials, clerks, and servants. Officials make decisions, clerks manage documents, and servants serve as messengers.

  In the first rank, the county magistrate is a regular official, the county lieutenant and the chief clerk are assistants, and the registrar is the leader. These four positions are all appointed by the imperial court, with very few in number... Large counties have two county lieutenants and two chief clerks, while small counties do not have these two officials, and the registrar takes on both roles alone.

  The second-class officials are those who are registered in the Ministry of Officials, have formal positions, and are responsible for handling daily affairs. Examples include six-room clerks, warehouse accountants, patrol inspectors, medical instructors, postal station masters, and school teachers. The number is not too large, with fewer than 20 in larger counties and fewer than 10 in smaller counties.

  As for the third rank, which is the largest in number, it refers to the so-called "three shifts of yamen runners" who are responsible for duties such as attending to the hall, keeping watch, guarding, urging payment, and making arrests, awaiting orders from officials.

  All three of them are considered formal officials and receive imperial salaries.