Chapter Sixty-Nine: The Death of Magistrate Zhao

Zhao, the Registrar, gazed at the letter, overwhelmed by a tumult of emotions.

He stroked his hair, now half grey, and could not help but reflect on the story of his life. Since his childhood, when his parents had been hounded to death by petty officials, he had resolved to enter the yamen, not to bully others, but simply to ensure he would not be bullied himself. He studied diligently and mastered the arts of writing and criminal law, eventually finding his way into officialdom. In the beginning, he was but a lowly jailer, and because he refused to cooperate with his superiors in extorting prisoners, he was sent away to his hometown as a minor clerk. There too, his scrupulous conduct and refusal to exploit the common folk or keep shady accounts led to the resentment and exclusion of his peers.

By rights, he ought to have remained forever frustrated and unappreciated, drifting through life in obscurity—until the day he met Chen Xiang, who was then the chief clerk of the county.

That day, Chen Xiang summoned him for a conversation, declaring that among all the county clerks, Zhao was the one man who remained untainted by corruption. Zhao remembered vividly how anxious and deferential he had been, listening to Chen Xiang’s casual inquiries about his life.

From that day forward, Zhao’s fate changed. He became the most trusted official in Chen Xiang’s service, rising through the ranks until he reached the pinnacle of a county official’s career as Registrar.

Grateful for Chen Xiang’s recognition, he repaid this kindness with all his might, refusing to collude with the other clerks and even aiding Chen Xiang in exposing and curbing corruption within the county. But after Chen Xiang was transferred, Zhao’s fortunes took a sharp turn. He had offended many in the yamen, and with his patron gone, he had no support. Struggling to maintain his position, he could only cling to the new magistrate and build his own network of influence within the county and the prefecture.

Thus, he took on all the troublesome cases that others shunned, sometimes even acting against his conscience and causing harm to the innocent. In this way, Zhao’s standing was finally secured; he maneuvered deftly among the powerful, expanded his influence, and arranged a most promising marriage for his daughter. If there remained any regret, it was that the many wrongs he had committed might one day bring retribution—proof that his conscience was not yet wholly dead.

But everything changed when his future son-in-law fled from the marriage.

Zhao scrutinized the letter carefully, only to find that it contained the most damning secret of his life—a secret he could not fathom how the sender had learned. If this matter were laid bare, not only would he lose his life, but his family would be ruined, and his wife and daughter might face the humiliation of being sent to the Bureau of Music.

He could neither suppress the truth nor deal with his adversary. The sender, a newly minted scholar, had a stronger patron in the prefecture than he did. Should that man submit a single letter to the authorities, nothing could stop the disaster. In the Song dynasty, it was all but impossible to kill an official, but to dispose of a petty clerk required only a word. The only reason Zhao had wielded such power in the county was that no one above him had sought his downfall.

Zhao glanced at the date on the letter—ah, it had been sent before the Ministry of Rites examination; perhaps at that time, the young gentleman Zhang was still journeying from Suzhou to the capital. How could he be so certain of success? Was his victory all but assured?

Now that the man had indeed passed the imperial exam, Zhao's worst fears were realized.

"One must never provoke a scholar!"

These were the words an old clerk had said to him when he first entered the yamen—words Zhao had understood, and yet had not truly understood.

Zhao had always considered himself an upright man when he entered the yamen, unlike the clerks who had driven his parents to their deaths. Yet, in the years that followed, he had committed countless wrongs. He had always believed in the yamen’s law of retaliation, that as long as he was ruthless enough, others would fear him and dare not cross him. But Young Master Zhang was not afraid of him; he had even dared to flee the marriage.

He did not kill the eldest Zhang son, and the third son, fearing future revenge from the second, was kept from entering the county school. Yet in luring the eldest into gambling and barring the third from education, Zhao still feared the Zhang family’s eventual resurgence.

He believed he had kept his actions within bounds, so why had he come to such a miserable end? He truly could not understand.

But there was no time left for understanding.

He fetched the fine wine he had been saving for years—meant for his daughter’s wedding day, which now would never come. He drank half a jar, then smashed what remained, and shattered the rest of his wine jars as well. At last, he wiped a smile across his mouth and exclaimed, “How satisfying! How utterly satisfying!”

The next day, at the county yamen.

The magistrate and the school examiner were discussing the list of candidates for the county school examination.

The magistrate said, “Professor Hu, I’ve heard talk about Young Master Zhang’s change of registration. It seems he did it without informing his family, but I see no harm in that.”

The examiner stammered, unsure how to respond.

The magistrate chuckled, “Whether we congratulate him or not makes little difference; it’s only a matter of going through the motions. However, speaking of which, Zhang’s rank in the provincial exam is so high that entering the top tier will be no difficulty.”

“If he does place first, even if he doesn’t become a metropolitan official after shedding his student status, he will still be a selected candidate, with office and rank above mine. One must proceed cautiously.”

In the Song dynasty, there were governors known as zhixian and magistrates called xianling. Metropolitan officials were referred to as zhixian when posted locally, while selected candidates were called xianling. The magistrate of Pucheng was, naturally, a selected candidate.

Between metropolitan officials and selected candidates, the distinction was vast. A magistrate, as a third-rank, fifth-grade selected candidate, could never be compared to a metropolitan official.

“Actually, whether Zhang cares about his family or not is no matter. But if this county does not act properly, he will lose face. As for the third Zhang son, I see him as an honest fellow. Even if he becomes a yamen official in the future, he will not change his nature. I have observed him myself and have high hopes.”

The examiner smiled, “Magistrate, your keen eye for talent is already the talk of the county.”

The magistrate continued, “And that senior, Guo Lin—I find him upright as well. Though he was on the borderline, good things come in pairs; there’s no reason to separate those two schoolmates. What do you think?”

The examiner was delighted. “Your insight is truly remarkable. Guo Lin’s father is the village schoolteacher in Wuxi, teaching and nurturing students for many years, with a most upright family tradition. If Guo Lin is admitted to the county school, it will surely inspire all the scholars of our county!”

The magistrate laughed heartily, stroking his beard. “Since the professor says so, let it be done! Copy out the list, affix the seal, and post the results tomorrow!”

“You are a true promoter of virtue and talent, a blessing to our county!” The examiner offered further praise.

Just then, a yamen runner entered and reported, “Your honor, last night Registrar Zhao hanged himself in the yamen.”

“What?” The magistrate and examiner were both shocked.

The magistrate’s surprise quickly gave way to a hint of satisfaction. “So be it. His death cleanses all.”

“But do we know why he took his own life so suddenly?”

The runner replied, “That is not yet clear. However, his wife said he received a letter from the capital yesterday, sent by Young Master Zhang, who has just passed the imperial exam.”

“Oh?” The magistrate stroked his beard. “That Zhang has real ability—to kill a registrar in this county from a thousand miles away! If he ever rises to the court, he will be either a renowned minister or a cunning power.”

He turned to the examiner. “I have heard that Lord Chen of Jianyang once tried to recruit the Zhang brothers as companions for his nephew, to bolster his reputation for the examinations. But those brothers are not the sort to serve beneath others; though born humble, they are not men to be treated as retainers.”

“Lord Chen has always been known for his discerning eye, but this time, he misjudged them.”