Taoists, huh.
After a meal of lamb soup with crumbled flatbread, Lin Feng had lain down on the kang, ready for battle. Then a group of Taoists arrived.
Hmm? A group of Taoists had arrived.
Lin Feng jolted upright on the kang and felt his way over to Zong Yang's bedside. Zong Yang woke warily, then jumped at the sight of Lin Feng beside him.
"What are you doing?"
Lin Feng said, "Something just occurred to me. You've studied, haven't you?"
Zong Yang said, "Of course I've studied! How else do you think I became the head of a county?"
Lin Feng said, "Ah, but you told me earlier that the imperial examinations haven't been held for almost ten years.
"You also told me that the Ministry of Rites wanted to squeeze out one last haul of money, so not long ago, they posted their prices openly.
"A County Chief cost a thousand taels of silver. If you wanted it expedited, or wanted a top-tier county, that was three to five thousand taels.
"If you knew someone and knew the going rate, even a Military Governor's post only cost ten thousand taels or so."
"Buying office has become standard practice under this dynasty.
"Busy, complex, troubled, or impoverished—every kind of county magistracy has a listed price. Not to put too fine a point on it, but no matter how well you studied, you couldn't compete with people throwing silver around.
"In a prosperous top-tier county, a hundred expectant magistrates stood behind every serving magistrate. Some waited until they died without ever taking office.
"Your Honor, we know each other this well already. Why beat around the bush with me?"
Zong Yang opened his mouth, then closed it again.
He was thoroughly disgruntled.
Lin Feng was right. That really was how