Although they ended up buying only three mu of paddy fields instead of the originally planned six, Lin Yue and Shen Huaizhi decided after discussing it to purchase only eight mu of uncultivated land. If they still hadn’t managed to buy any paddy fields by next spring’s plowing season, they would buy another three mu of uncultivated land.

In addition to the county magistrate, deputy magistrate, chief clerk, and administrative officer, the county government office also comprised three divisions and six departments. The responsibilities of these six departments were similar to those of the six ministries—Personnel, Revenue, Rites, Military, Justice, and Works—in the imperial court; the only difference was that while the imperial ministries governed the entire nation, the county government office governed a single county. Among them, the Revenue Department was responsible for land and taxes, and it was precisely this House of Household Affairs that received the autumn taxes submitted today by the various villages and towns under Youjiang County.

However, the officials responsible for land and taxes were not the same, so after Lin Yue and his three companions paid their taxes, they proceeded to another room.

As it happened, a clerk in the Household Bureau—who served as a guide and errand runner—had also been present the day Shen Huaizhi came to the county office to register. At that time, it was this very clerk who had shown Shen Huaizhi the way after he entered the county office. Seeing Shen Huaizhi at the county office again today, and coincidentally being on duty himself, he asked, “Xiucai, are you here to see the officials of the Household Bureau?”

Shen Huaizhi clasped his hands in a bow and replied, “Indeed. A ten-day period ago, the County Magistrate graciously bestowed some silver and advised me to purchase some farmland. I’ve come today to ask the officials in the Household Bureau to serve as witnesses for the transfer of the land deed, and to purchase a few mu of fallow land while I’m at it.”

“The official in charge of the county’s land affairs is in the room on the left. As it happens, I’m on duty today, so I’m afraid I can’t escort you there myself.” 

Shen Huaizhi replied, “I wouldn’t want to trouble you. Thank you for showing me the way.”

Although the title of “Xiucai” is the lowest-ranking academic distinction and does not qualify one for official office, it does allow one to serve as a clerical officer, and there were indeed several Xiucai among the clerks in the six departments of the county yamen. This was why the gatekeeper showed Shen Huaizhi a degree of respect—though that respect amounted to little more than a polite remark, since he knew it was virtually impossible for Shen Huaizhi to enter the county yamen. This fact was clear not only to the gatekeeper but to Shen Huaizhi as well.

As the saying goes, “Officials come and go, but clerks remain.” The county magistrate serves a fixed term, but the lower-ranking clerks do not.

Therefore, to become a clerk in the county government office, one must not only hold an academic degree but also have connections. To take just one example: if you inquire about the clerks in the Household Division of Youjiang County’s government office, you’ll find that their fathers were once clerks, or their grandfathers were clerks a generation earlier. For the few whose ancestors never held such positions, it’s because their families are wealthy—and their family was among the local gentry in Youjiang County.

The position of clerk sounds respectable, but it has one major drawback: it’s difficult to advance. Generally, ambitious scholars would not choose to become clerks; instead, they would persist in taking the imperial examinations. This is because once one becomes a Juren, there is a chance to hold public office. In some remote areas, one might be appointed directly as a county magistrate, though more often than not, one serves as a “deputy official” to the county magistrate—such as a deputy magistrate, chief clerk, or school inspector.

Upon learning these rules, Shen Huaizhi decided almost without a second thought to continue taking the county-level examinations. However, since these exams were held in the provincial capital, the round-trip expenses were considerable. Not only that, but the tuition for studying under a mentor was also very expensive.

Shen Huaizhi had previously asked around in the Prefectural City and learned that tuition at the prefectural academy was five taels of silver per year, with room and board charged separately. If he wanted to live and eat at the academy, even ten to twenty taels of silver a year might not be enough. However, if he ranked among the top students at the prefectural academy, he would receive subsidies and rewards. If he chose to attend a private school instead, the costs would be unpredictable, which was why Shen Huaizhi had considered opening a private school first.

The official in charge of land affairs at the Household Bureau was a lean, middle-aged man who rarely smiled; the wrinkles between his brows made him appear even more stern. Yet, to Shen Huaizhi’s surprise, he was quite accommodating.

Upon hearing the purpose of Shen Huaizhi and his three companions’ visit, he made no excuses and immediately retrieved the documents for registration. As the tip of his brush moved across the paper, fifteen mu of farmland were added to the Shen family’s household registry; among them, three mu of paddy fields and four mu of wasteland were registered separately under Lin Yue’s name. This was followed by the handover of the land deed.

As he set down his brush, the clerk explained, “The county office has been busy lately, so the village chief of Linshui Village will be in charge of surveying the fields. A county official will go to inspect them in three days. Additionally, out of consideration for the people’s circumstances, the county magistrate has decided to charge only six hundred wen per mu of wasteland; for eight mu, the total is four taels and eight qian of silver.”

Shen Huaizhi and Lin Yue thanked him in unison: “Thank you, Your Honor.” Lin Yue then took out his money pouch, retrieving four taels of silver and a scrap of silver. The clerk in charge of errands at the Household Bureau weighed the silver on the spot, trimmed off the slight excess, and returned it to Lin Yue. With that, the transaction was complete.

Shen Guangchu then bowed and said respectfully, “Thank you, Your Honor, for your trust. This old man will be strict and meticulous; not a single fen or li will be added.”

With the exception of a few people living deep in the mountains and forests, almost everyone knew that clearing and cultivating wasteland without permission was illegal, and if caught, a prison sentence was inevitable. This was a tradition passed down from their ancestors. For farmers who eked out a living from the land, it was common not to keep track of changing dynasties, but when it came to land, they knew the rules inside and out. Even in years when land reclamation was encouraged, it still required approval from the county government.

Since Lin Yue and his group had been granted permission for eight mu of wasteland, they could only cultivate that much. However, taking a little extra along the field ridges and edges was no big deal—that was something best kept between themselves.

“The county office is busy, so I won’t keep you all here. Please feel free to go about your business.”

Lin Yue and his group didn’t leave Linshui Village until noon, and by the time they arrived at the county office and delivered their grain, it was already late. By the time they stepped outside, the others traveling with them had already returned from shopping.

“Father, Second Uncle, Huaizhi, Yue—you’re finally out.” Shen Yanzhi had come today as well, though he hadn’t gone inside with them.

“By the way, Huaizhi, if you want to buy anything, you’d better hurry. We need to make a quick return trip; otherwise, we won’t make it home before it’s completely dark.”

Shen Huaizhi didn’t need to buy anything himself, so upon hearing this, he looked at Lin Yue and asked in a low voice, “Is there anything you want to buy? If there’s a lot to get, we can split up to shop.”

Lin Yue shook his head. With the land deed tucked in his robe, he felt a bit nervous and just wanted to hurry home. “I’m not buying anything. We’ve got everything we need. But there’s a shop across the street that sells scallion pancakes—let’s grab a couple to eat on the way.”

He had actually brought some packed food when he left that morning, but it had long since gone cold. The aroma wafting from that flatbread shop was incredibly enticing; Lin Yue felt hungry the moment he caught a whiff of it. Especially when he saw that the people traveling with him had also bought some—meaning they wouldn’t have to worry about eating in public where it might be inconvenient—he was even more tempted.

If it were any other purchase, Shen Huaizhi could have handled it for him, but buying food was a different story. Lin Yue had many favorite foods, and his tastes weren’t consistent—one day he’d crave something sweet, the next something spicy—but he didn’t like everything; there was always at least one flavor he didn’t care for.

Shen Huaizhi glanced up at the flatbread shop and asked, “Wait here for me. I’ll go buy some. The shop isn’t very big, so they probably don’t have wide varieties. Let’s each get one first. If there’s one you don’t like, I’ll eat it.”

Lin Yue shook his head. “Let’s go together. Two will be enough.”

In the past, Lin Yue might have agreed, but their expenses had been too high lately. Buying the farmland had cost a total of fifteen taels and four qian of silver; Shen Huaizhi’s reward from mid-August had been spent before it had even had a chance to cool, and Lin Yue had even chipped in an additional four qian of silver.

Now, the young couple had less than six taels of silver to their name, all told—and three of those taels were their wedding savings. Even this meager sum wouldn’t last long. Clearing the land was time-consuming and labor-intensive; if the Shen family were to do it alone, who knew how long it would take? They would inevitably have to hire a few people to help, and renting oxen to plow the fields would be yet another expense.

Lin Yue did have a dowry, but it consisted of bracelets and silver hairpins made by his mother—items he wouldn’t touch unless absolutely necessary. Shen Huazhi’s parents also had some savings, but both Lin Yue and Shen Huaizhi preferred not to rely on them for the time being, reserving them for when they had absolutely no other choice. With no money to spare, Lin Yue had even started counting every penny when buying a pastry.

In the end, however, Lin Yue did buy three pastries. The shop’s specialty was the pickled mustard greens and braised pork pastry—a round pastry about the size of two palms, rolled out thin with a modest amount of filling, but baked to a wonderfully fragrant and incredibly crispy finish .As the owner wrapped the pastry in oil paper, he snapped it in half with a crisp “crack,” and crumbs fell onto the counter—one could almost imagine just how crispy and delicious it would be with a single bite.

A preserved mustard greens and braised pork pie costs three wen, and there are also crispy pastries sprinkled with a few sesame seeds and brushed with a layer of sauce, which cost only two wen each. After much hesitation, and with Shen Huaizhi’s “encouragement,” Lin Yue bought one meat pastry and two vegetarian ones.

After buying the pastries, the two returned to the procession. As soon as they left the county town, Lin Yue climbed onto a mule cart. On the way there, the cart had been loaded with grain, so there was no room to sit, but now it was empty—perfect for passengers. However, only three people rode in the cart, while the other two walked. Except for Lin Yue, who rode all the way home, the others took turns walking for a while.

Under a sky dotted with stars and a crescent moon, Lin Yue and Shen Huaizhi pushed open the courtyard gate. Shen Lingzhi had already gone to bed, while the Shen couple were waiting for them by the hearth in the kitchen.

As soon as the courtyard gate creaked open, Song Xunchun came out to greet them. “You’re finally back. Did everything go smoothly today? Come inside quickly—the water’s just come to a boil. After you wash up, go to bed early.”

Lin Yue nodded and replied, “Mother, everything went smoothly. We’ve obtained the land deed and the contract. We can go measure the wasteland tomorrow, and if we work quickly, we’ll be able to start clearing the land the day after tomorrow.”

Song Xunchun was overjoyed. She urged them repeatedly to go to the kitchen, then took Shen Zhengchu’s hand and led him back into the house.

After washing up, Lin Yue and Shen Huaizhi returned to their room. On a typical day like today—when they weren’t working in the fields—they’d usually spend the night together, but it was already too late. Lin Yue fell asleep almost the moment he hit the bed, and after Shen Huaizhi secured the doors and windows, he settled down as well.

Early the next morning, the Shen family rose at the crack of dawn. After a hurried breakfast, they grabbed their hoes and farming tools and headed to Shen Guangchu’s house. Shen Guangchu had also risen early. Once the two groups met up, joined by several clan elders, they set off in a large procession to the area behind the Shen family’s home. The wasteland there wasn’t very large—only half a mu—but Lin Yue had long had his eye on this plot, hoping to buy it to grow some vegetables for their daily meals.

After measuring this plot, the remaining vacant land wasn’t in such a good location. Aside from the area at the foot of the back mountain, there was just a small patch by the river—but both were marshy and flooded whenever it rained. The Shen family hadn’t chosen those spots either; instead, they’d settled on the one at the foot of the mountain.

Although the fall harvest was over, there were still quite a few busy farmers in the fields, and when they saw them measuring the land, they came over to join in the commotion.

“This plot is great. Even though it’s fallow, there aren’t many rocks in it—just a bit too many weeds. It’ll be easy to clear.”

The people of Linshui Village were very familiar with the land in their village, but that was cultivated farmland. When it came to wasteland, only those whose family fields bordered such land really knew it well. For convenience, the Shen family chose wasteland that was adjacent to their existing fields. Such plots were hard to find, so the group circled the village a few times before settling on one. Now all that was left was to start clearing it.