Chapter 0006: Appreciation

The young man comes from a family of blacksmiths, as his father and brothers are also blacksmiths. Therefore, from a very young age, he helped with the work, tending the fire and moving materials. As he grew older, he also took turns hammering, which made him somewhat lean, but he possessed considerable strength. However, he was only able to capture the three bandits mainly because Qin Erge displayed extraordinary bravery, killing the bandit leader with a single blow, which demoralized the others. I merely took advantage of the situation and cannot be compared to Qin Erge.

In the county office, there are three classes of yamen runners, namely the Zao class, the Kuai class, and the Zhuang class, each with its own responsibilities. The Zao class is similar to judicial police, responsible for accompanying the officials, clearing the way, standing on both sides of the main hall during trials to maintain order, escorting criminals, and carrying out torture and corporal punishment.

Please spare my life, I was also thinking of quickly returning to seek help

In the words of the county magistrate, a certain individual originally served under the Grand General of the Right Wing Guard, accompanying the Duke of Rongguo stationed in Dengzhou to train for naval warfare. Recently, he received a letter from home stating that his elderly mother was gravely ill, so he requested leave from the commander to return home for a visit. However, unexpectedly, he encountered bandits on the way.

The Quick Response Unit is specifically responsible for tasks such as apprehension, detention, and escort, akin to the police of later generations

"Those who do good will be rewarded, and those who do wrong will be punished. Zhao Laosan, you have done well by returning with the news, and this county will remember it, rewarding you with five guan of silver. However, you must also be punished for abandoning my daughter. Even if the punishment were severe, it would not be unjust. But since my daughter is unharmed, this county will spare you this time. However, such a cowardly person as you cannot remain in the county office any longer. From this moment on, you are dismissed from your position in the county and may return home."

The county magistrate, my family is from the neighboring Qinjia in Licheng, and has previously studied some books. My brothers and I were taught reading, writing, and arithmetic by our mother when we were young, but I have always been dull-witted, having only memorized half of the Classic of Filial Piety, which cannot be considered as having received an education

However, the so-called three classes, along with their heads, do not hold any official positions. Within the county office, the only formal officials are the county magistrate, the deputy magistrate, and the chief clerk. Some larger counties may also have a county constable, and some counties may have educational officials such as instructors. Others, such as recorders and assistant historians, do not hold any rank and are merely clerks

For instance, among these three teams, the few individuals with designated quotas are considered formal contract workers, while the number of officially appointed personnel in a county is actually quite limited. For example, there are only ten official constables in Zhangqiao County, and given the size of such a county, ten constables are certainly insufficient. Consequently, there are many temporary workers; each constable typically has three to four deputy constables by their side, and each deputy constable supervises between ten to twenty constable assistants.

Returning to Zhang County, I am sixteen this year. Previously, I was summoned by the county government to serve in Jizhou for river excavation. After three months of work, I completed my service and returned home. On the way, we encountered the county's Chief Zhao escorting the county magistrate's daughter back, and he asked us to accompany them.

Zhang Xutuo turned to Magistrate Zhang and said, "Compared to Qin Erlang and Luo Erlang, the Zhao Constable you truly appointed is far too derelict in his duties. When encountering thieves, he only knows how to flee. Although he did send a warning, he is still negligent in his responsibilities. If he were in the military, he would be considered a deserter"

The strong battalion is primarily responsible for guarding important locations such as city gates, government offices, and warehouses, as well as patrolling urban and rural roads, similar to modern-day armed police.

Compared to the robust and strong Qin Qiong, Luo Feng appears somewhat thin and frail, especially as he looks quite young.

No wonder he is both brave and resourceful. At a young age, he helped his father with blacksmithing, building his strength, and learned half of the Classic of Filial Piety from his mother, adding to his wisdom. Moreover, he possesses a chivalrous spirit and a sense of righteousness. At such a young age, he has great potential for the future

Compared to the temporary catchers, those fixed three-shift constables, although they do not receive monetary allowances or subsidies, have established positions with considerable authority. It is said that where there is power, there is profit. Do not underestimate the role of a mere constable; the opportunities for personal gain can be abundant. Being a constable, especially in the countryside, is a position of great prestige and advantage.

Constable Zhao stood to the side, his legs weakened from listening, and with a thud, he knelt down

As for the roles of catchers and lowly laborers, he had never really considered them. In his view, the official catchers of the county office were equivalent to formal police officers. If this were in later times, it would indeed be a coveted and stable job that many would envy.

Zhang Xutuo observed that Luo Feng spoke very fluently, neither servile nor arrogant, showing no signs of fear or timidity towards officials. Especially the way he spoke was so organized that it was somewhat surprising.

These laborers are directly conscripted by the county office from the local populace to perform duties, taking turns to serve. Generally, they serve for ten to fifteen days a year, without any wages or allowances, and are even required to bring their own provisions.

Magistrate Zhang directly dismissed Constable Zhao, leaving Constable Zhao's face pale with anger

There must be rewards as well as punishments, Luo Wu. Although you are young, I see that you possess both courage and wisdom. Since Zhao Laosan has been dismissed, why not let you fill his vacancy and join the fast track to become a constable?

Beneath these officials, there are clerks, and those who are heads of the three classes can be considered clerks, while the individuals below them can only be regarded as laborers

This sudden pie thrown out caught Luo Feng somewhat off guard

"Luo Wulang, how old are you this year?"

Zhao Laosan is merely a constable from the fast track, not a head constable; this worthless fellow is too incompetent and cowardly

"Qin Qiong, as a soldier of the Imperial Guard, why do you appear here"

The Classic of Filial Piety is one of the Nine Classics officially designated after the establishment of the imperial examination system in the Sui Dynasty. The fact that the Luo family from Qin could teach their sons this text indicates their remarkable capability. Similarly, Luo Feng, the son of a blacksmith, at just sixteen years old, boldly claims to have memorized half of it, which is also quite impressive

He truly did not expect such a thing to happen. Being a constable should not be considered a bad thing; it is certainly better than being an ordinary commoner like he is now. He has already turned sixteen and is about to begin his service. Even if he does not become a constable, he will still have to take turns serving at the county office every year, which may involve watching over the granary, acting as a bodyguard, or assisting the constables. However, such duties offer no benefits at all, and one must even bring their own provisions.

Oh. Zhang Xuduo nodded and then turned to examine Luo Feng.

Encountering two idol-level figures in a single day was truly unexpected

Officials without rank are not considered as officers, yet they are regarded as formal civil servants

Zhang Xutuo, not clad in military armor, appeared quite approachable. This individual, hailing from a prominent military family in the Guanzhong region, had risen through the ranks to the position of Zhuguo due to his military achievements. The middle-aged man, newly appointed as the Prefect of Qijun, did not exhibit an air of superiority when facing the two young men of lower status.

"Luo Wulang, considering your young age, I did not expect you to defeat three blue-faced ghosts. How did you manage to do that?" Zhang Xutuo asked with great interest.

During the Sui Dynasty, the clerks were not as looked down upon as in later dynasties. For instance, officials in the Sui Dynasty still had opportunities for promotion, and clerks also had chances to serve in the military. Moreover, in this world, who does not know that being a constable actually has many benefits? Not to mention, if one could truly become a regular constable, the income would be sufficient to support an entire family, and one could even live quite comfortably.

First, he encountered Second Brother Qin Shubao, and now he has met the God of War at the end of the Sui Dynasty, Zhang Xutuo. Luo Feng's face flushed with excitement. In the history of Huaxia, he particularly favored the Sui and Tang dynasties, and among the history of the Sui and Tang, he admired the fierce figures of that era the most

Each of the three classes has a class leader who oversees their respective class, and each class also has a fixed quota for its members

It seems that you have read books from the way you speak