Chapter 6 The Fallen Jinshi Yan Shizhang

6. Fallen scholar Yan Shizhang

After telling everything, Hu Chuyuan was ready to guard the tomb again. Just as he was about to leave, someone outside the door said that Li Zongtang's staff came to see him.

Hu Chuyuan hurried out and found that it was the poor old scholar. He wondered if Zuo Zongtang had finished all the instructions just now. Why did he have something to discuss?

He stepped forward and hugged the old scholar and said, "The younger generation has met my husband, but I still don't know his name. It's really offending!"

The old Xiucai also shook his sleeves and clenched his fists and said, "You're welcome. My name is coming. I'm afraid it will scare you, so Lord Zhongtang didn't introduce it to you. This is a letter of recommendation from Lord Zhongtang. Zhongtang should have written about my origin and life.

With that, he took out a letter from his sleeve.

I just finished writing, but the ink is not dry yet.

Hu Chuyuan said oh, and he didn't care in his heart. While inviting the old scholar to sit in the room, he opened the letter.

There are not many words in the letter. It only said that this person's name is Yan Shizhang, Pingqing, a native of Qufu, Shandong Province, Xianfeng's nine-year-old scholar and served as an official of the Ministry of Criminal Justice. In the court's two official examinations, he was rated as a first-class official who was afraid of the people.

Nowadays, this person can no longer serve as an official. Zuo Zongtang hopes that Hu Chuyuan will keep him as a staff member.

After reading the letter, Hu Chuyuan wondered that if everything Zuo Zongtang said was true, if people like Yan Shizhang had not been hit hard in the infighting of the court, he would be a governor now!

He immediately hugged Yan Shizhang and said, "How offended. It turned out to be Lord Yan Jinshiyan!"

Yan Shizhang sighed with deep feeling and said, "Master Hu, I dare not use the word "Your Excellency" again. If you think I'm still a little useful and leave me with you as a clerical counselor, then call me Mr. Yan.

Hu Chuyuan nodded slightly and said, "Well, Mr. Yan, I don't know how much monthly salary you need to give in with me?"

"Not much!" Yan Shizhang stretched out five fingers.

Hu Chuyuan smiled and said, "Isn't five taels of silver too little?"

In this era, as a hard-working person, his monthly income is three taels of silver, and he has to find a good job. Ordinary people have a monthly salary of 5,000 yuan, which is less than two taels of silver.

If you are a literate reader to make a clerical accounting room, the monthly salary is about four taels and five taels.

Yan Shizhang shook his head and said, "How can it only be worth five taels?"

Hu Chuyuan smiled and said, "Fifty taels, that's okay!"

He thought, it doesn't matter. I have a lot of money!

Yan Shizhang shook his head again and said, "The monthly salary is 500 taels. If Master Hu thinks I'm worth this price, then I will stay."

Hu Chuyuan took a breath. The monthly salary was 500 taels, and the annual salary was not 6,000 taels. His income was higher than that of Wang Baotian, a big housekeeper!

I don't know why, he thinks that Yan Shizhang should be a little interesting. Maybe it's really worth the money.

Thinking of this, he agreed and said, "Well, let's pay the monthly salary at this price first. If you don't have any other accommodation in Hangzhou, I'll ask someone to arrange a small courtyard for you to live in the compound now.

Yan Shizhang hugged his fist and said, "Thank you, Master Hu. I have been poor for so many years that I have not remitted money to my family. It is also very difficult for my mother and wife and daughter to rely on the rent of dozens of acres of thin fields. If it is convenient for Master Hu, could you please advance this month's salary in advance and remit it to my family!"

Listening to this, Hu Chuyuan couldn't help but sympathize and felt that this person's experience was very miserable. He must have been tricked in the officialdom.

He sighed and said, "There's no problem, but it hasn't happened recently. You haven't been home for so long. I'll give you a salary of 1,000 taels. Why don't you go home and have a look first? Or, you can also bring your mother and wife and daughter with you. The house must be enough to live in.

Yan Shizhang shook his head with a wry smile and said, "The old man's life is hard. He can't go home, and the mother and daughter in the family can't come. I can only thank the boss for his kindness!"

"Is that so?"

Hu Chuyuan became more and more curious. He didn't know who Yan Shizhang had offended in the officialdom and was so miserable.

Thinking of this, Hu Chuyuan was more sympathetic to this person. He asked the housekeeper Wang Baotian to vacate a courtyard of Dongyuan for him to live in, and also took a thousand taels of silver, asking Liu Chengxiang to send a reliable old man to send Yan Shizhang to his home.

When Hu Chuyuan quickly got the matter done, Yan Shizhang sincerely sighed with Hu Chuyuan, "My boss, the Hu family's office is indeed extraordinary. No wonder it can be said today. Since you are a counselor and a host, let me give you two strategies.

"Oh?" Hu Chuyuan was a little curious and wanted to know what the ability of this down-and-out old Jinshi, who was over half a hundred years old, said, "Then you can talk about it!"

Yan Shizhang said, "I have seen Hu Siye a few times. He should be a trustworthy person. For the sake of the future, you should discuss with Fourth Master Hu as soon as possible to re-merage the two families that have been separated. However, everything in business will be named by him. Only you know how to divide the shares of the two companies.

Hu Chuyuan smiled and asked, "Why?"

Yan Shizhang said, "Businessmen can't be an official. At most, they are official merchants, but the children and nephews of merchants are different. There is no clear clause strictly prohibited by the court. Take Hui merchants as an example. Cao Zhenyong, who went through the three dynasties of Qianlong, Jiaqing and Daoguang, was the head of the three middle halls of the Han people at that time. He successively served as the three minister of workers, households and officials, and was a scholar of Wuying Hall. His grandfather, uncle, cousin and nephew were all very famous salt merchants at that time. If you want to be an official, you can't do business, at least you can't come forward. It's the best choice for the fourth uncle Hu Yueqiao and his two younger brothers to come forward.

Hu Chuyuan didn't think about this kind of thing. He asked Yan Shizhang, "Where's the second strategy?"

Yan Shizhang said, "The old man thinks that if you want to be an official, you must first grab the position of supervision of Jiangnan Manufacturing Bureau. I'm afraid you are the easiest to be outstanding in this position, because the previous supervisors have done too poorly. Taking a step up from this position is the Shanghai Daotai with the official title of Zheng Sipin, and the next step is the political envoy of Zheng Sanpin. There are also special cases of being promoted directly from Shanghai Daotai to the governor and governor. It depends on what you do and how to take care of it.

Hu Chuyuan was speechless. Yan Shizhang said it simply and clearly, and he found the easiest official road to climb for him.

This person is indeed a little special!

He smiled admiringly and said, "Thank you, Mr. Yan, for your advice. If so, I will definitely thank you a lot of money."

Do you really want to be an official?

Hu Chuyuan didn't say anything, and he didn't think clearly in his heart.

Yan Shizhang smiled and said, "Since the owner agreed, the matter of the family with Fourth Master Hu should be handled as soon as possible. Don't wait until the matter of salt is finalized, so as not to let people fall behind."

Hu Chuyuan nodded silently, but he was still hesitating in his heart.

Be an official, not an official?

This is a very strange question!!!