PDLP Chapter 48 Was it a master hired by Master Ninth?
Chapter 48 Was it a master hired by Master Ninth?
Ever since Brother Qiu Rongmu brought Xiao Sizi to this ancient Tang Dynasty town to serve as Ninth Master's assistant.
Ninth Master—this Virgo with obsessive-compulsive tendencies—has discovered that Qiu Rongmu is indeed a talented person and is growing to like him more and more!
Not only is he a skilled doctor, but he also added two powerful new projects for Ninth Master!
First, we helped Ninth Master's younger brother, Zi'an, not only quit drinking but also start doing legitimate work, opening a private school!
Ninth Master's younger brother, who was used to idling around, has finally taken the initiative to do something serious this time, opening a private school and making a fortune!
Secondly, Qiu Rongmu recruited villagers to cultivate medicinal herbs, and the yield is now promising. To resolve the issue of sales procedures, Ninth Master plans to change the existing sales procedures and increase transportation capacity!
In the ancient town, there was a wealthy man named Uncle Zhan who dealt in jade. He was quite knowledgeable about the procedures, so he recommended a subordinate who was good at handling the paperwork to Master Jiu, saying that he was an expert in this area. Everyone thought he was a master, but unexpectedly, this man had problems.
Zhang San, a villager from the Tang Dynasty, had close ties with the town's officials and was considered a prominent figure in the village and among the local gossips!
Zhang San, a lackey, arrived at Ninth Master's residence: "Ninth Master, you've come to the right place. Only I have so many preferential policies in my hands; nobody else does!"
Ninth Master invited him to sit down, and the guy, with his shifty eyes, took a sip of tea, pretending to be deep in thought.
"Ninth Master, don't worry, I won't take a single penny, and I guarantee I'll handle things perfectly," just then, another villager ran into the mansion looking for Zhang San.
"You all wait outside. Can't you see I'm doing something for Ninth Master?"
Zhang San then said to Ninth Master, "Look, there's a constant stream of people asking me for favors, but I'll still prioritize Ninth Master's requests."
Ninth Master quickly said, "Let the villagers come inside and wait. It's alright, everyone can come in on a first-come, first-served basis."
Zhang San said, "Ninth Master, here's the thing: the annual customs clearance fees across the country can be settled with just an 89-tael gold package!!"
“It’s acceptable,” Ninth Master said, about to call the steward to bring the money.
The butler glanced at Xiao Si, then reminded him, "Master, this isn't cheap, and you'll need to pay a deposit first!"
Ninth Master was a little confused for a moment. Although he was extremely meticulous in his medical practice, he left these trivial matters to the butler and had no idea how to do them.
At this moment, Sizi interjected: "What does it include? A written contract!"
Zhang San spoke eloquently, "Ask these villagers who are lining up to see me, they all know."
Okay, Ninth Master, even though I'm busy, I'll say it again!
This package includes 2000 letters, delivered free of charge by Akhal-Teke express courier!
200 super-fast horses at your disposal!
The right-of-way to 1000 wide roads, and no tolls required!
Each master can also bring four servants along, for a total of five pass tokens, granting you free access nationwide—it's that affordable!
After hearing Zhang San's abilities again, the wealthy villagers were so anxious that they forgot all about rules and etiquette and rushed to sign contracts and pay money.
Seeing everyone's enthusiasm, Ninth Master felt a bit caught up in the hype and grew impatient. So he said to the butler, "Hurry up and sign the contract, and give them the money too!"
The butler glanced at the little ox but didn't move.
Ninth Master was displeased and asked, "She's the master, and I'm the master?!"
Helpless, the butler could only ask Zhang San, "What do I need to sign the contract? You won't be shortchanged on the money!"
Zhang San replied, "Ninth Master's official seal will suffice."
The steward had no choice but to fetch the official seal.
Having received the silver from the villagers, Zhang San continued speaking to Master Jiu:
"That's not enough, Ninth Master! This isn't all! First, we'll allow you to try out all the customs clearance procedures for free for two months!! We'll also give you a pure copper engraved mailbox and a year's supply of the official gazette free of charge!!"
Ninth Master was extremely satisfied.
"What does 'all you can eat' mean?" Qiu Rongmu asked.
"Hahaha, it's not about providing food, it's about official announcements!!"
Xiao Si pondered for a moment: "In the Tang Dynasty, China's earliest official newspaper had already appeared, at the latest during the Kaiyuan era of Emperor Xuanzong."
Xiao Si said to Qiu Rongmu, "Mu Guoguo, the official newspaper is the official newspaper!!"
These documents were delivered to Chang'an by officials from various regions; these officials were called "Jinzouguan" (进奏官).
They copied the newspapers and distributed them to various places. At that time, people called this the "Jinzouyuan Zhuangbao," "Jinzouyuan Zhuang," "Dili Zhuang," or "Baozhuang."
Before, I saw a report from the Imperial Secretariat dated to the third year of the Guangqi reign of Emperor Xizong of Tang Dynasty in a museum; it was an official newspaper of the Tang Dynasty.
The butler cast an approving glance his way, thinking to himself, "This girl is definitely a little fairy."
At this moment, the master nodded and took out his official seal to stamp it.
Then, Zhang San asked the master for 300 taels of silver: "Ninth Master, when I heard that you were going to go through customs clearance and upgrade procedures, I was afraid that it would delay your business, so I paid 300 taels of silver for you in advance."
We're all acquaintances, and Uncle Zhan introduced us, so we can look out for each other. I don't think you'd be shortchanged me, especially since I'm just a deliveryman."
The old man felt a little awkward, but he couldn't let Zhang San, who was handling the matter, pay for it out of his own pocket.
So he hurriedly urged the steward to go out and get the silver.
It was already evening. Qiu Rongmu, who was always a good and honest person, quickly followed the steward to find the money.
Little Si panicked when he saw this. Wasn't this a scam?!