Chapter 339: Strategy for Winning Over the Magistrate, Part 3

After inspecting everything, Magistrate Tian still had him copy books.

He wouldn’t let him leave either, ordering the servants to bring in a low table so he could write right there.

Yan Lao’er silently groaned in frustration.

Writing at a low table was uncomfortable no matter if he sat cross-legged or knelt.

He carefully wiped the table clean, then brought out the paper and charcoal pencil he’d made himself and arranged them neatly.

After adjusting his posture, Yan Lao’er began copying the book.

The study was quiet.

Only the soft rustle of the charcoal pencil against paper and the occasional sound of pages turning from the magistrate’s reading broke the silence.

Since he’d copied this text before, Yan Lao’er moved even faster this time, as if guided by unseen forces.

He was so focused he didn’t notice what was going on behind him.

Magistrate Tian got up to stretch, slowly walking over to check Yan Lao’er’s writing speed.

After all, in just one day, there was a limit to how much his handwriting could improve.

He wanted to know how fast the boy could write with that charcoal pencil so he could adjust his workload accordingly.

At that moment, a servant brought in a few letters.

One of them was from Yan Huaiwen.

It reported that the sick and disaster victims in Gufeng City had all been re-registered and separated into different areas according to the doctors’ diagnoses.

Afraid of missing the deadline to deliver grain to the Prefectural City, Gufeng City had ordered the outlying towns to deliver grain to the outskirts of the city on their own, where the Household Registration Office would send people to receive it and issue receipts. Manpower was already tight, and having to handle both tasks at once only made it worse.

Yan Huaiwen also noted in his letter that he and the government officers with him did not interfere with Gufeng’s autumn grain collection. The Magistrate of Gufeng seemed displeased about that…

Magistrate Tian let out a quiet snort when he read that part.

He made a mental note against that man: Utterly clueless.

Further down, the letter detailed that with the grain now stored, there was no immediate concern about food for the disaster victims. However, there was still a critical shortage of medicine. At the end of the letter, Yan Huaiwen mentioned Yan Lao’er, suggesting that the magistrate send someone to check how much medicinal herb stock Xiao’an Village still had and send it over as soon as possible.

“Huai’an, your brother sent a letter,” Magistrate Tian said, scanning it once more from beginning to end. Seeing nothing particularly urgent, he handed the letter directly to Yan Lao’er. “Take a look.”

Yan Lao’er was hit by a wave of unexpected joy!

He hadn’t imagined that studying in the government office would come with this perk: getting letters from his big brother!

These days, reading wasn’t much of a problem for him anymore. He recognized quite a few characters by now. He quickly skimmed through the letter and, upon seeing the part at the end about the medicine shortage, his brow furrowed.

There wasn’t much prepared medicine left in the village. They had sent quite a bit earlier, but they’d been busy recently and hadn’t had time to organize another trip into the mountains.

Looks like he’d have to head out again to buy a batch of herbs.

Yan Lao’er started working through the logistics in his mind.

Then he read through the letter again, grumbling internally. His big brother was unbelievable… couldn’t he have written a bit more? His wording was so concise, there wasn’t even much room left for imagination.

“Magistrate, I’ve been to Gufeng City too. There are just too many people there. The ones who are sick need medicine, and the refugees who fled there have been living in fear the whole way. Even once they get there, they can’t really settle down. Their nerves are shot.

Headaches, fevers, colds, diarrhea… especially the elderly, children, and frailer folks, they’re always getting sick. And with so many deaths already… even if our village went into the mountains every single day and did nothing else but gather herbs, it still wouldn’t be enough to meet their needs.

We’ll have to go outside and look for medicine.

Last time I went to Longxing, the supplies in Border Town were mostly external injury remedies. If we go back to Longxing or Fengming again, we won’t get much. It would be better to head toward Linhai Prefecture. That area’s had fair weather this year, and the sea routes are open. If we just spread the word and leave a few people there to wait, merchants who hear the news will naturally bring medicine over.”

Magistrate Tian said, “That’s a good plan. I’ll send a letter to Gufeng and have them follow this approach.”

Yan Lao’er: …

You’re really just going to give away my brilliant idea like that?

Maybe his facial expressions were just too vivid to hide his thoughts, because Magistrate Tian looked at him and asked, “Huai’an, do you see any flaws in this plan?”

Everywhere is flawed!

“Magistrate, with the situation in Gufeng City right now, can they even spare people to go out?”

He didn’t wait for an answer but continued, “If they can’t send anyone, they’ll have to ask for help from others or borrow manpower, right?”

“So why don’t we be more proactive and handle it for them? We could step in, buy the medicine and deliver it. That way, we solve their urgent need, and we could also…”

Yan Lao’er fell silent at that point.

Realizing what he was saying, he thought, Oh no, my mouth’s faster than my brain again! Why did I blurt out so much?

“And also what?” Magistrate Tian didn’t let it go easily, pressing him for more.

Yan Lao’er racked his brain. He couldn’t just say, “and also make a bit of money off it.” That sort of thing was for keeping in one’s heart, not saying out loud.

Taking a detour, he said, “Crouching Tiger doesn’t have anything to do after the grain harvest. Helping Gufeng buy medicine is also helping ourselves. The days are getting colder, and because of the epidemic, medicine is running low in our city too.”

Magistrate Tian looked thoughtful.

Yan Lao’er silently gave himself a big thumbs up.

It wasn’t just Crouching Tiger that was low on medicine. Gufeng and Yongning were in the same boat.

Just as Yan Lao’er had said, in past years, the Border Towns had small populations and didn’t stockpile many supplies. But this year, Guanzhou had taken in a massive number of refugees. The shortage wasn’t just in medicine, but food too. The gap they faced wasn’t small.

Crouching Tiger City had been draining its resources for years due to constant border repairs, leaving its stores nearly empty. Other cities were at least better off than Crouching Tiger.

Even Gufeng, struck hard by the plague, still had firmer foundations than Crouching Tiger…

Magistrate Tian’s gaze toward Yan Lao’er slowly shifted.

He thought to himself, This Yan Lao’er really does have a nimble mind!

He had always believed in teaching based on a student’s strengths, and now he felt that someone like Yan Lao’er shouldn’t be confined to book learning alone. There might be a broader world waiting beyond the classroom for him.

Spurred by his enthusiasm, Magistrate Tian had Yan Lao’er set down his brush and come out with him.

Yan Lao’er: I’d been hoping for this!

Magistrate Tian walked ahead while he followed closely behind.

Since the man in front said nothing, Yan Lao’er kept quiet too. But just as they stepped out of the back office, he saw a lantern hanging by the gatekeeper’s station. He glanced at the darkening sky, called out to someone, and grabbed one to take with him.

Magistrate Tian took him to the storage granary at the Crouching Tiger government office.

The Granary Guard saw them approaching from a distance and hurried over to greet them.

Magistrate Tian waved off the formalities and strode straight inside.

The role of Granary Guard was a cushy job, and no one who held this position was a simple character.

He took the lantern from Yan Lao’er’s hand with one hand, while the other subtly slipped something into Yan Lao’er’s now-empty palm.

A small lump of silver landed in Yan Lao’er’s hand.

It was light, barely any weight to it. But silver was silver. If it were in copper coins, it would have heft, but that would be far too conspicuous.

“What’s going on, brother?” the Granary Guard asked in a voice barely above a whisper.

Yan Lao’er accepted it smoothly, as naturally as breathing.

Why wouldn’t he? This wasn’t the first time he’d handed someone a little something. When in Rome, after all.

As long as the silver felt right and made the other party feel it was worth their time, that was enough.

“Last-minute orders. Just keeping an eye out,” Yan Lao’er replied casually.

The Granary Guard understood immediately and gave his hand a firm squeeze.

He nodded slightly.

Just two short sentences between them, but it spoke volumes more than a thousand words.

No open flames were allowed in the granary.

The Granary Guard left the lantern outside and opened the door a bit wider.

Luckily, the last rays of the setting sun still lingered. With twilight casting its golden light, there was just enough visibility.

I kinda wish I could just keep writing about the strategy master, then I wouldn’t have to think up chapter titles, haha~

(End of this chapter)