Chapter 672 - 665_1
The Family Head’s original intention was to have Magistrate Ceng curry favor with Eunuch Li. A person of Eunuch Li’s standing had considerable power in the palace, and currying favor with him was definitely advantageous. If it were the old days, the Family Head would have directly analyzed to Ceng Lu the threats and benefits of this matter. But now there was Quan An; in order to compete for status in front of Ceng Lu, the Family Head had no choice but to coax Ceng Lu into doing so. With his head full of straw, Ceng Lu only knew indulgence, eating, drinking, and merrymaking. If he was coaxed properly, he would cheerfully do anything. The Family Head and butler had followed Ceng Lu for quite some time, and they had brought him over from the main family; they inherently hoped that Ceng Lu would do well. If Ceng Lu could make headway in his official career, it would only benefit them. The greater the authority Ceng Lu held, the more they could rely on him.
"That makes sense. Although my cousin enjoys the Emperor’s favor in the palace, she is a favored concubine and has many things to attend to. I shouldn’t bother her with ordinary matters. If I had Eunuch Li’s help in moving around the palace, it would indeed be much more convenient. I should certainly strive to win him over. Advisor, go arrange it for me. This magistrate will immediately go to Zhao Family Village to see Eunuch Li." The more Ceng Lu thought about it, the more he felt the benefits of befriending Eunuch Li. This was not something to delay. He didn’t know how many days Eunuch Li would stay in Zhao Family Village, so he ordered the advisor to prepare and immediately set out for Zhao Family Village. At this moment, he did not forget to bring Quan An along.
The advisor and butler exchanged glances, clearly both displeased with Ceng Lu’s action. Quan An, on the other hand, remained composed, bowing to the advisor and butler before following Ceng Lu. The curve of his lips betrayed his current good mood.
Quan An was well aware that the advisor and butler were not fond of him, but what of it? As long as Magistrate Ceng was willing to trust him, that was enough. No matter how long the advisor and butler had been with Magistrate Ceng, he had advantages they could not match. Though born a poor Scholar, at least he was educated, and with the slightest chance, he could climb higher. Sooner or later, he would obtain what he wanted. While the advisor and butler were not without their skills, they originated from the Ceng Family’s servants, with their contracts held by the family. This determined they would always be servants, and could not compare to him. While he usually appeared very respectful to the advisor and butler, it was only superficial; in his heart, he looked down on them somewhat.
The butler needed to stay at the Government Office to oversee affairs. Watching Ceng Lu and Quan An walk some distance away, the advisor and butler exchanged a glance full of understanding. The advisor hurried to catch up with the leading Ceng Lu, intentionally squeezing Quan An out behind. Seeing the advisor do this, Quan An merely frowned slightly, his mind occupied with another matter: upon arrival at Zhao Family Village, how to secure more benefits for himself.
Quan An was different from the butler and advisor, who had followed Ceng Lu from Capital City. He was born in Xin’an City, and his home was not far from Zhao Family Village, just a village away. When the Zhao Family recruited workers, many people from his village had also gone there. They had worked for the Zhao Family for a few months and earned higher wages than elsewhere. The Family Head treated people kindly and generously; there were few who didn’t praise the Zhao Family, as if they were something special.
At that time, Quan An had felt unbearably uncomfortable, thinking that they were just peasants who happened to get lucky with some unexpected wealth. They simply mustered some extra Silver Coins, and yet they managed to allure the nearby villagers as if they were some noble patrons. What’s more, after the flood, many more villagers sought work at Zhao Family Village, receiving numerous favors. Those foolish villagers nearly venerated them as saints. Quan An, having passed his scholar exams, didn’t see the village people showing him the same respect, even when he started working at the Xin’an Government Office; the situation remained unchanged.