Lu Yuan heard the Governor’s implication. ’What does he an, "I can’t be the County Magistrate anymore"? He hasn’t even evaluated , and he’s already saying this.’
Lu Yuan asked, "Why is that?"
Although Lu Yuan didn’t care much about the position, he at least wanted to understand what was going on.
Lu Yuan had no desire to be dismissed and sent ho without knowing why.
"I’ve heard so whispers. The Court has already issued a transfer order. Lord Lu can no longer serve as the County Magistrate of Taiping City."
Although the position of County Magistrate of Taiping City had originally been granted by this Governor, the fact that the Court was now issuing an order concerning Lu Yuan ant it was no small matter.
The Governor’s rank was already very high. Before the Court’s specific order arrived, his address for Magistrate Lu had changed to "Lord Lu." This showed that the Governor, having navigated the official world for many years, was a wily old fox.
The Governor continued, "A promotion or a demotion, what the position is, what grade the office is—I don’t know any of the details."
Seeing that the Governor didn’t know the reason either, Lu Yuan naturally didn’t press the matter further.
Lu Yuan changed the subject, bringing up the County Magistrate who had been viciously scolded by the Governor that afternoon.
Lu Yuan said, "That County Magistrate, he seems like an honest man. But Su Changliang is young and inexperienced; I’m afraid he’ll have trouble commanding respect."
As Lu Yuan’s brother-in-law, Su Changliang’s words in the Taiping County Yan carried so weight, and others would have to show him so face.
This speech of Lu Yuan’s was purely for the Governor’s ears.
The Governor naturally understood his underlying aning.
After so thought, the Governor said, "That County Magistrate... he’s one of my own n, actually. He’s a diligent worker, but for so reason, he hasn’t produced any achievents these past few years, otherwise I could have promoted him. How about this: what if we let him go to Taiping City to be a Steward?"
If he went to Taiping City to be a Steward, he could also assist Su Changliang.
"That would be excellent, of course." Lu Yuan readily accepted.
By going to Taiping City as a Steward, with Lu Yuan around, there would be no shortage of political achievents in Taiping. He could earn his way back to a promotion later on.
By putting in a good word for this County Magistrate, Lu Yuan was repaying the man for having once kneeled and begged him for help.
Just as the two were chatting, several people walked in from outside. No one dared to stop them.
The Governor’s servants were worldly-wise; they knew these were people who could not be stopped.
The person at the very front entered the main hall with minced steps, followed by several n with sabers at their waists.
The Governor and Lu Yuan looked at the intruders, who were dressed magnificently.
With Lu Yuan’s keen sense of sll, he could even detect the faint stench of urine.
The Governor hurriedly rose to greet them.
Seeing the Governor’s reaction, Lu Yuan stood up as well.
The man in the lead held a glittering golden scroll and shouted in a shrill voice, "An Imperial Edict has arrived!"
Hearing this, Lu Yuan recognized the situation imdiately, even though it was his first ti experiencing it.
It was a common scene in palace dramas.
Lu Yuan dropped to his knees with a THUD.
The Governor watched Lu Yuan kneel so decisively, as if he received imperial edicts all the ti.
The Governor also knelt.
Everyone present, aside from the group that had co to announce the edict, knelt—even the servants at the door, who knelt a short distance behind them.
The clean-shaven, pale-faced old eunuch slowly unrolled the scroll and read in a strained, high-pitched voice: "By the Mandate of Heaven, the Emperor proclaims: Lu Yuan, County Magistrate of Taiping City. We have heard of your extraordinary abilities and, in light of your outstanding achievents, you are hereby promoted to Prefect of Dongchang in Qilu Province. You are to take up your post imdiately. By Imperial Decree."
After the imperial edict was read, the Governor and the others rose.
Still kneeling, Lu Yuan received the imperial edict with both hands raised.
The eunuch who had read the edict stepped forward to help Lu Yuan up, saying, "Congratulations, Lord Lu. Please, rise quickly."
Lu Yuan politely expressed his thanks before standing up.
The Governor called for his servants to bring a full banquet back from the Provincial City’s largest restaurant. They would eat at his mansion tonight to hold a welco feast for the eunuch.
With so many eyes and ears outside, it wouldn’t be appropriate to feast the eunuch in public.
The Governor had navigated the Court for many years and naturally understood the unspoken rules.
Although the imperial edict the eunuch announced had nothing to do with him, it had been read in his mansion.
As the host, the Governor naturally couldn’t neglect the eunuch.
The eunuch, making a delicate, orchid-finger gesture, said, "Lord Governor, you mustn’t. This old slave is not worthy of such an honor."
The Emperor had erected a stone tablet with the inscription: "Palace eunuchs must not ddle in politics!"
Eunuchs didn’t hold a very high status at present, but who could say what the future might hold?
Therefore, such people could not be slighted.
The eunuch used the excuse of having just arrived in the Provincial City to first return to the Post House to rest, saying before he left that he would be on ti for the engagent tonight.
’I should have been the one to host the eunuch, but since I’m in the Provincial City and not on my own territory, it wouldn’t be appropriate for to host a grand banquet. Since the Governor is willing, I can’t be bothered with it.’
Lu Yuan rembered that during the current Emperor’s reign, these eunuchs couldn’t stir up any significant trouble, so he didn’t pay it too much mind.
Lu Yuan and the Governor escorted the eunuch to the Mansion Gate.
After the eunuch and his n had left, the Governor pulled Lu Yuan back into the mansion, saying with a hearty laugh, "Lord Lu, to be promoted three grades at such a young age, appointed to the post of Prefect of Dongchang in Qilu Province—your future is boundless!"
A Prefect was a Fourth Grade Official Position. Compared to a County Magistrate, a Seventh Grade Official Position, this was indeed a three-grade jump.
From the looks of it, the Governor intended to have Lu Yuan stay the night.
Lu Yuan replied, "Yes, I didn’t expect this either."
’The Emperor actually had the edict delivered here, and with such perfect timing, too.’
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