Linshan Town is located within the prefecture town on the border of the Central Plains, which is the administrative province where the capital of the ’Great Qian Empire’ lies.
According to the traditional imperial examination customs of Da Qian, the palace examination would comnce in the fifth year after the Juren exams, calling scholars from all over to the Capital City to take the final test administered by the Emperor himself.
At that ti, the top three scholars—the champion, the runner-up, and the second runner-up—would erge, joining the bureaucratic system as a new force.
Li Ming was eighteen this year, but he had passed the Juren examination when he was sixteen; thus, he only needed to wait three more years for the palace examination to begin, and then he could travel to the Capital City to take the last stage of the examination path.
Although it is possible for Juren to hold an official position, few choose to take office directly with this status; instead, most strive to take the more advanced palace examination, ultimately seeking to secure a Jinshi degree based on their results. Only this would allow them the chance to enter a fast track for career progression.
Those who beca Jinshi through the imperial examination system would typically start their official careers at the rank of a seventh-grade official.
However, even though the prospects for graduates of the imperial examination had changed significantly, good results alone were not sufficient; after all, the Emperor had co to greatly favor scholar-officials, and therefore, practical ability was essential.
To train new Jinshi, emperors of the ’Great Qian Empire’ usually dispatched them to places far from Kyoto to serve as local officials. They would earn promotions step by step through their achievents, eventually earning the opportunity to serve in the Capital City.
Only the top three scholars in the imperial examinations were entitled to stay directly in the Capital City as officials, with the champion not only having the privilege to stay but also starting from a higher position.
The difference between serving as an official in the Capital City and as a local official was significant, not just in terms of treatnt, but also in the avenues for career progression.
In general, local officials had greater power, capable of fully exercising their abilities, earning achievents, or conversely, becoming corrupt officials, embezzling enough silver, then washing their hands of it all. Local officials were the true power-holders on the ground; although there was oversight by supervisory agencies and higher authorities, their influence on local officials was limited. Local officials’ inco, including various informal earnings, was higher than that of those in the Capital City.
However, it was not so easy for officials in the Capital City, where there were many officials, as well as nurous censors and other monitors. With so many restrictions, these officials couldn’t act freely, and in addition, they received relatively low pay.
The annual salary in silver for Capital City officials was as follows: first-grade officials received 180 taels, second-grade 150 taels, third-grade 130 taels, fourth-grade 105 taels, fifth-grade 80 taels, sixth-grade 60 taels, seventh-grade 45 taels, eighth-grade 40 taels, principal ninth-grade 33 taels and 1 qian, and secondary ninth-grade 31 taels and 5 qian. On top of this, they were also allocated 1 hu of rice per tael of salary.
The inco was not high, but their expenses were not small.
As an official in the Capital City, one incurred many costs, often engaged in social reciprocations, and had to frequently host or dine out with others, sothing their salary alone could not cover.
Moreover, they had to rent or buy a residence in the Capital City, support an entire household, and hire servants and caretakers, relying solely on their ager official inco. This was impossible, so they depended on their families for support.
Nevertheless, many officials were willing to serve in the Capital City, as being near the Emperor increased the visibility of one’s talents and the opportunities for promotion, which were more nurous than for local officials. Even if the prospects were slim, officials in the Capital City could still rise to mid-level positions based on seniority, which was much harder to achieve in local positions.
Inco standards for local officials were as follows: as the top regional commander, the governor received an annual salary of 180 taels; grand coordinators and financial commissioners, 150 taels; surveillance commissioners and salt transport commissioners, 130 taels; prefectural intendants and prefects, 105 taels; sub-prefects and district magistrates, 80 taels; deputy prefects and assessor magistrates, 60 taels; county magistrates and educational instructors, 45 taels; deputy county magistrates, moral instructors, and teachers, 40 taels; chief clerks, 33 taels and 1 qian; recorders and patrol inspectors, 31 taels and 5 qian. The salaries for lower-ranked clerks and hired help were even more ager: fasters received 12 taels, militia soldiers 8 taels, doorn, janitors, coachn, storekeepers, attendants, porters, and palace guards averaged about 6 taels.
Essentially, these were the imperial salaries offered within the entire system. But obviously, these were not enough; most of the inco ca from unofficial, grey sources, and higher-ups often turned a blind eye to such earnings, allowing local officials to live more comfortably than their counterparts in the Capital City.
However, local officials, unless they perford exceptionally well and knew how to manage relationships with their superiors, rarely had the chance for promotion. With few positions and many contenders, many local officials served one or two terms and then retired, a far cry from the career trajectory of their colleagues in the Capital City.
Officials in the Capital City had lower incos but more opportunities, whereas local officials had the opposite.
Generally, those willing to take positions in local governnts were of high status and had connections in the court. Only with such backing would they be able to live comfortably in local positions.
For most, relocating to serve in local governnts was an act of necessity; they had limited chances for advancent once assigned to a particular post.
But the situation for Capital City officials was different. The imperial capital would always be the center stage of the nation, whether in terms of wealth, power, or the pursuit of ideals and personal fulfillnt. Officials in the Capital City had more opportunities.
Many think that officials in the Capital City live frugally and do not earn much, but that’s because they are not Capital City officials and can only see the surface.
The extra inco Capital City officials could obtain... well, it was much more than what local officials made.
In the Capital City, the true heart of the ’Great Qian Empire,’ people queued from all directions, seeking help with their affairs, and the silver delivered to officials’ hands each day was innurable. As long as one served as an official in the Capital City and was sensible, there was always a chance to get a share when superiors profited.
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