Chapter 5, The Porter and the Servants

If Xu Xun had not been only slightly drunk and had deliberately paid attention, he would have inevitably missed the low murmurs. At this moment, he maintained a calm demeanor, but inside, he could not help but ponder repeatedly. When he entered the main room and saw Ruisheng approaching awkwardly to apologize, he waved his hand and sat down on the cot against the wall in the west room. He then said to Ruisheng, who was bending down to take off his shoes, "Ruisheng, why don't you go out later and find out what position my sixth uncle has been promoted to and what kind of event he plans to hold."

After Jian Ruisheng agreed, he turned to leave. Xu Xun suddenly thought that this young man had only come from the countryside for a month, and having been influenced by the previous master’s nonsensical ways, sending him to do such a task would surely yield little result for much effort. Therefore, before the person reached the door, he called out, "Wait, don’t rush off. First, call Jin Liu here!"

After saying this, he slowly walked inside. Just as he stepped through the second gate, he heard a woman's reproachful voice coming from behind: "Why are you being so meddlesome! The young master has always ignored these social dealings; if he happens to hear and gets angry, scolding you would be quite unjust, wouldn't it?"

Jin Liu sat on the stool, yet his eyes were still restless. However, upon hearing this question, he was genuinely taken aback. Stealing a glance at Xu Xun's expression, and seeing that it did not seem to be sarcastic, he immediately perked up: "Young Master, it is indeed a pity that you asked me this. Today, I encountered the old man Ying from the second master’s household, who is in charge of outings. He was deliberately showing off and spoke quite clearly. The sixth master has been promoted to the position of an official in the Experience Department, which means he has finally reached the seventh rank. It is said that apart from relatives of the family, the sixth master’s household plans to send out about a hundred invitations. Not counting the well-known families nearby, it is uncertain whether the chief magistrate and the two deputy magistrates of Yingtian Prefecture will honor the occasion, but the deputy and the director are likely to show respect. Moreover, with those wealthy families, there will be at least twenty tables, and they will probably celebrate for three consecutive days.

Then Jin Liu smiled broadly and said a few words, suddenly slapping his forehead and exclaiming, "Look at my memory, I've completely forgotten the important matter. Young Master, I just went out to buy something and happened to run into someone from the second master’s family in the west. I heard something. The sixth master is said to be getting a promotion, just waiting for the official documents to come through. The Xu clan is planning to celebrate at that time, and it was the eldest master who proposed it first, to which the sixth master also agreed. As you are a junior, you must put in your utmost effort for the gift."

Xu Xun did not give Jin Liu any chance to evade the topic, abruptly cutting off his words: "Since you have reminded me about Uncle Liu's promotion, I will leave this matter to you to investigate. Whether it is official news or rumors, you should inquire thoroughly. The more detailed and comprehensive your findings, the better. As long as it is accomplished, I will not treat you and the library unfairly."

Although Xu Xun had a general understanding that the capital had several subordinate officials such as the deputy magistrate and the assistant magistrate, upon hearing the various titles at that moment, he immediately felt overwhelmed and interrupted, saying: "Slow down, slow down, what are the titles of the first, second, and third magistrates? What is the position of the deputy director?"

Rui Sheng was organizing two shoes when he heard this and immediately looked up in surprise, then nodded and said, "Young Master, rest assured, I understand."

Is it Brother Jin Liu, not Sister Jin Liu

This ... ...

Jin Liu still wanted to ask, but Ke Rui was so angry that she shook off his hand and returned to the house. The curtain she swung nearly hit his nose. He took a step back and looked up at the neatly arranged main house, lingering for a long time before turning to leave. By the time he reached the courtyard gate, he found himself smiling unconsciously.

Xu Xun originally thought that Jin Liu was quite slick and worldly-wise, and he figured it would be more reliable to ask him for information rather than having Rui Sheng go out and inquire everywhere. However, he did not expect Jin Liu to speak so fluently and knowledgeably, as if he were recounting treasured family stories, which made Xu Xun regard him with newfound respect. Seeing that Jin Liu was getting dry in the mouth from talking, he instructed Rui Sheng to bring him some tea. When Jin Liu received the tea and drank it eagerly, Xu Xun, with a half-smile, remarked: "In the past, I thought you were rather taciturn; I never expected you to be so well-informed about the affairs of the yamen. Wouldn't it be a waste of talent to keep you here as a gatekeeper?"

Oh dear, young master, have you gone out with the books? Your health is still fragile, and Rui Sheng actually left you alone to return. This is truly lacking in manners.

At this moment, Jin Liu no longer dared to speak as casually as before. After standing there in contemplation for quite a while, he finally forced a smile and said, "On ordinary days, I can only catch a distant glimpse of Lord Liu; how could I possibly speak of Lord Liu's preferences..."

Jin Liudun, who was drinking water, suddenly choked. He hurriedly handed the tea cup to the side to Rui Sheng, coughed for quite a while, and then anxiously stood up, repeatedly bowing and saying: "Young master, forgive me, young master, forgive me. I was only repeating what I heard, not intending to speak carelessly..."

What did the young master just say? He won't be treated unfairly... Tsk, no wonder that brat Ruisheng feels so aggrieved; it turns out it was for this! Hey, do you think you alone can curry favor with the young master? You still have a long way to go if you want to compete with me, you little brat!

The terms "Da Yin," "Er Yin," and "San Yin" originally referred to the various officials within the county office, but nowadays, they are also used in the prefectural office. In our Ying Tian Prefecture, the "Da Yin" naturally refers to the esteemed Lord Wu, the Prefect of Ying Tian, who holds the rank of a third-grade official. Even when interacting with those senior officials in the court, they merely exchange polite gestures. Moreover, since Lord Wu has been in poor health since the beginning of this year, Lord Liu, the Sixth Master, would certainly not dare to impose on him. The "Er Yin" and "San Yin" refer to Lord Liu, the Deputy Prefect of Ying Tian, and Lord Fang, the Director of Ying Tian, both of whom hold high ranks and are unlikely to be easily summoned. As for the other officials, the references are to the judges Lu and Zhu from Ying Tian Prefecture, while the presiding officer is Judge Shen. Additionally, officials from Jiangning County and Shangyuan County may also come to make an appearance, so the number of guests will undoubtedly be considerable

What do you understand? Long hair but short knowledge! In the past, the young master caused trouble outside, and I couldn't manage it nor dared to intervene. But this time, the matter has escalated. I heard that the elder master and several clan elders are discussing it behind the scenes, wanting the seventh young master to face consequences. Where will we go? Such a light task has saved our elder's chewing expenses on those few plots of land, and the income from purchases is also considerable

You wretched woman, I haven't even entered yet, and you are shouting so loudly. If someone hears it, I will be the one wronged

Rui Sheng was completely baffled, but he could see Xu Xun nodding, so he could only leave in confusion. Before long, he returned with Jin Liu.

Xu Xun observed Jin Liu's attentive smile and casually nodded, saying, "It's good that you are attentive, I understand now"

Seeing Jin Liucheng's panic, Xu Xun squinted his eyes and brushed off the matter, then laughed and said, "You wouldn't say you don't know about Uncle Liu's preferences, would you?"

Seeing Xu Xun's face full of unyielding authority, Jin Liu couldn't help but stand there in a daze. After a while, he finally came to his senses and quickly agreed. When Ruisheng led him out, he stepped out of the main room and turned back to grab Ruisheng's sleeve, asking in confusion: "Young Master, what is going on? It seems like he has become a different person, suddenly taking such an interest in all of this?"

As Xu Xun saw Jin Liu Yi enter, his eyes darted around, surveying the surroundings. He took in the tall wardrobe, the camphor wood chest with a brass lock, the porcelain vases on the high table in the corner, and even the bed frame beneath him, forming a rough estimate of the person's character in his mind. He instructed Rui Sheng to bring a stool for the guest to sit down, and then he got straight to the point: "You just mentioned that your sixth uncle has been promoted and is planning to host a banquet. Do you know what position he has been promoted to, when the banquet will be held, how many tables will be set, how many guests will be invited, and who they will be?"

Seeing Jin Liu smile with satisfaction, Rui Sheng cleared his throat and couldn't help but urge, "Young Master is asking a question, Jin Liu, please don't keep us in suspense!"

You ask me, who should I ask! This matter was originally to be handled by the young master, but it has fallen to you!

Returning from Xu Liang's small courtyard to his own residence was merely a distance of over one hundred steps. However, Xu Xun had just consumed alcohol and his health had not yet fully recovered, causing him to slow his pace significantly, taking quite a while to arrive. Upon entering the door, he unexpectedly bumped into a short-statured man. With his bleary eyes, he recognized it was the doorkeeper, Jin Liu. Before he could speak, the other party smiled and stepped forward to greet him

Where else would I go without a job? It was you who got into trouble in the first place; otherwise, you could have stayed comfortably in the office. Do I really need to suffer alongside you here?