Chapter 36: Without a Single Complaint

Before dawn, the subordinates of Magistrate Wang tracked him down to his room at the Yihong Brothel.

"Hey! Hey! Wake up! Magistrate Wang, get out here! The Prefect has issued instructions! Magistrate, hurry out! The Prefect has given you orders!"

"Damn it! Who is that? Making such a racket, so utterly tactless!"

Magistrate Wang threw off the quilt and kicked the woman beside him. Disheveled and seething with rage, he stormed to the door, his hands clenched tight, determined to land a punch on whoever had dared to interrupt his pleasant dream. The woman let out a cry of pain as he kicked her, clutching her bruised hip and rubbing it.

He flung the door open and lashed out with a kick. His subordinate let out a yelp, collapsing to the floor and clutching his stomach.

"My lord, it’s me!"

"Didn't I tell you? Do not disturb me when I come here! I will return on my own!"

"But sir, the Prefect has issued an order! You must return to handle it; it seems quite important!"

"Oh!"

Magistrate Wang helped the subordinate he had kicked to his feet and began dragging him back toward the courier station.

"Sir, sir! You haven't put on your clothes yet!"

"Oh, right!"

He returned to the room, gathered his scattered garments, and dressed. Just as he was about to leave, he turned and sat back down on the bed. The woman’s eyes were filled with terror. With a vulgar display, he groped her lewdly before finally walking away. After he left, the woman pulled her knees to her chest, resting her chin upon them. She stared blankly at the chaotic, rumpled sheets. A life of being treated with such contempt had rendered them numb, leaving behind nothing but hollow shells.

Magistrate Wang went to the rooms of the other magistrates who were also patronizing the brothel, gathered them up, and returned to the courier station. Once there, they pored over the proposal the Prefect had handed them.

Their eyes gleamed with surprise, quickly followed by expressions of smug triumph.

"So, Cao Wenzhao is still just one man after all! Nothing to fear! This proposal is meticulous, but it doesn't apply to all counties; I can certainly put my own spin on this. Hahaha! We must inform the others and discuss how to suppress Cao Wenzhao!"

Most of the other magistrates shared this sentiment and gathered in the hall of the courier station.

"Oh, Magistrate Wang, here so early? Have you finished reading the Prefect's proposal?"

"Of course! What do you all think of it?"

"It is exquisitely written, yet it lacks an understanding of the other counties in the prefecture. It cannot be applied to our own jurisdictions as is, but it serves as a good reference."

"Indeed! We must draft our own proposals based on the specific conditions of our counties, but we should certainly draw inspiration from this document."

"True! I thought we would be sidelined by the Prefect, but it seems he still cannot do without us! That Cao Wenzhao is nothing more than this—lacking in wisdom!"

"Why don't we draft our proposals together and present them to the Prefect? It will surely make him look at us with new eyes."

Magistrate Wang grew displeased at this. Driven by jealousy, he was unwilling to miss an opportunity to stab Cao Wenzhao in the back. Revealing his true colors, he said to them:

"Do you gentlemen lack such ambition? The Prefect is advanced in years. Once he retires, we experienced magistrates are the strongest contenders for his position. If we earn his favor, won't he recommend one of us as his successor? Let us join forces to suppress Cao Wenzhao. He is currently the Prefect’s favorite, yet he prides himself on his integrity and refuses to mingle with us. If he becomes the Prefect, how will we ever have any peace?"

"Magistrate Wang, we have discussed this many times. Let’s just talk about the plan! We are all in the same boat; we will naturally cooperate with you."

"Then I will speak plainly! Everyone, write your proposals carefully. They must be better, more detailed, and have better strategic depth than his. At the same time, write in a way that emphasizes the unique, complex conditions of your own counties. Alter parts of his plan accordingly, and make sure to guide the Prefect to realize that Cao Wenzhao is short-sighted and narrow-minded. He lacks a grand vision—he may be a good official for managing a single county, but he only pays attention to small details and cannot see the prefecture as a whole. Once that is done, the Prefect will realize he is unfit for higher office. We can plan the rest slowly. We are all scholars who have passed the imperial examinations; surely, writing such a piece is not difficult for any of you!"

"Hahaha! Excellent strategy, Magistrate Wang! Give us a few days! We will certainly deflate Cao Wenzhao's arrogance."

"Splendid! Splendid! Get to work, gentlemen!"

The group returned to their rooms, pacing back and forth, occasionally jotting down a few sentences. Progress was slow, like squeezing toothpaste. Other magistrates who had not joined the gathering were also in their rooms writing their proposals. They were relatively honest, maintaining neutrality, siding with no one, and quietly doing their own work. They were not fools; they realized that Cao Wenzhao’s proposal was not entirely applicable to their own counties, so they also began drafting plans tailored to their own jurisdictions.

At that moment, Cao Wenzhao was discussing the prefecture's affairs with the Assistant Magistrate and the Prefect.

"Wenzhao! Fang Zheng! You two are the most capable and responsible men in this prefecture. Do not blame me for entrusting you with the hardest counties to govern! I am an old man, and I know how difficult it is for you! Do not be afraid of making mistakes. I know you handle everything personally and have never once been slack in your duties. No matter what errors you might commit, I will secretly cover for you. I only hope you do not blame this old man for not being able to help you in time. The twenty-five magistrates of Chu Prefecture are difficult to manage; sometimes, to utilize them, I have no choice but to compromise."

As he spoke, he stroked his graying beard, bowing his head with a look of deep self-reproach. Cao Wenzhao and Fang Zheng exchanged a glance.

Magistrate Cao spoke first: "The Prefect’s willingness to share these thoughts with us shows us his heart. We have never blamed the Prefect, for we understand his character well. We are officials of the Great Zhou, and it is our duty to work hard for the people. This is the responsibility of an official, and we have no complaints."

Assistant Magistrate Fang added: "I was born in Zeng County and requested to be transferred back there to serve. I only wish to bring prosperity to my hometown. I have no complaints; I am happy to do so."

The Prefect rested his hands on his knees and sighed.

"Fang Zheng, you are a *Jinshi* scholar who served as a *Shujishi* in the Hanlin Academy for three years. After being transferred to the provinces, you have been demoted repeatedly; how could you not feel dejected? Why else would you wait until many years into your career to request a transfer home? And Wenzhao, you were an A-grade scholar at the Shexia Academy; you should have had a smooth path to power. Yet, after years of drifting in the bureaucracy, you are still only a magistrate. How could you not feel a sense of loss?"

Struck by the mention of the pain they had struggled to move past, the two men lowered their heads in silence.