The Peach Blossoms White by the Village Edge

Chapter 103: Taking Office

Although the Bureau of Land Records is a subordinate department of the Tai Chang Temple, it is not a permanent institution. When there is a war, the emperor cannot perform land ceremonies or sacrifices, so the Bureau of Land Records steps in to handle these tasks. As a result, the Bureau of Land Records does not have a fixed office within the Tai Chang Temple.

With no current military conflict, and the emperor being quite pleased with himself, flattered by sycophants like the scheming Ding Xiang, the Bureau of Land Records was reestablished as ceremonies and sacrifices were resumed.

For the past two years, the Bureau of Land Records had been reestablished, but with few personnel and no dedicated office, the Land Records Commissioner and the Deputy Commissioner had been working alongside other departments of the Tai Chang Temple such as the Bureau of Rural Societies, the Bureau of Music, the Bureau of Drumming, and the Bureau of the Palace.

When Zhao Changxia reported to the Tai Chang Temple office, received her official uniform, and obtained the "official notice" and "seal" proving her position as Land Records Commissioner, she went to work at the government office located in the northern part of the inner city.

The emperor performs the land ceremony in January, so this year's ceremony had already passed. Zhao Changxia's upcoming tasks included managing spring plowing and preparing materials for mid-year sacrifices.

Though she had never been an official before, years of system training had equipped her with the relevant skills. She had a preliminary plan for managing the thousand acres of land. However, on her first day, her main tasks were to transfer work from the previous Land Records Commissioner, familiarize herself with the office environment, and meet her colleagues.

After the previous Land Records Commissioner handed over all the ledgers, documents, farmer rosters, and official seals, he called in the Deputy Commissioner of the Bureau of Land Records, as well as ten overseers in charge of fruits, vegetables, and grains, and informed them that Zhao Changxia was their new superior.

Once they were all acquainted, the former Land Records Commissioner, seemingly casually, asked Zhao Changxia, "I heard you can produce six stones of rice per acre?"

Zhao Changxia raised an eyebrow, recognizing that he was trying to create trouble—perhaps trying to intimidate her as a new arrival or feeling disgruntled about losing his position. He might be looking to embarrass her in front of her future subordinates.

"I can't produce six stones of rice..." Zhao Changxia began to respond.

Before she could finish, the former Land Records Commissioner gave a sneer, quickly covering it up with, "I said no one can produce that much rice."

"...Actually," Zhao Changxia continued after being interrupted, "I usually produce eight stones per acre. Only producing six stones is quite an insult."

The former Land Records Commissioner: "..."

The Deputy Commissioner: "..."

The overseers: "..."

Everyone displayed expressions of disbelief, underpinned by deep skepticism.

The former Land Records Commissioner thought to himself that Zhao Changxia was just a powerless figure and that even if he offended her, there would be no repercussions. Moreover, since he was leaving and would no longer work with her, he couldn't be bothered to be polite. He said, "Young people should not boast too much. Being an official is not the same as farming at home. The food crops you harvest here will be recorded meticulously. You can't fake it or flatter."

"Since rice can't be grown here, I can't prove my words..." Zhao Changxia said calmly.

Hearing this, everyone was even more convinced she was lying—she couldn't possibly produce eight stones of rice per acre!