William Thompson suddenly realized he was about to face the first major hurdle of his life: kneeling. He had just knelt before his father, and that was a kneel from the bottom of his heart. But now he had to kneel again, and he couldn’t help but feel he was letting his father down. Yet there was no other way. William Thompson could only hesitantly, reluctantly kneel down, just like a bride entering the bridal chamber for the first time. “William Thompson pays his respects to the magistrate.”

There was no response for a long time. William Thompson peeked up, stealing a glance. It seemed there were three people sitting in the room. In the center was an old man with a bulbous, red nose and a sickly look, his eyes half-closed as if he were asleep, completely unaware of William Thompson’s arrival. This was the county magistrate of Linhuai, Magistrate Bolton. He had entered the Imperial Academy as a student at forty, endured nearly twenty years there, and finally obtained the position of county magistrate. But by then, he was already sixty, his energy long since spent, and it was indeed a struggle for him to serve as the head of a county.

“Fifth Brother Thompson, we meet again.” The county magistrate finally spoke. Though his voice was weak, a faint smile appeared at the corner of his mouth.

“Deputy Thompson, is this your distant nephew? He’s got a pretty stiff knee!” The speaker was Clerk Young on the left. He looked to be about forty, originally a clerk in the criminal office, promoted to registrar for his competence. His complexion was sallow, his build thin and wiry, looking much like an opium addict, with a sparse tuft of beard under his chin. Though his appearance was unimpressive, his eyes were sharp and piercing.

Opposite him sat a plump, amiable-looking man, who was likely the distant second uncle serving as county assistant. As soon as Clerk Young finished speaking, Deputy Thompson’s previously friendly face darkened, and he pointed at William Thompson, scolding, “I recommended you for a minor post because you’ve studied for a few years, and yet you dare to be disrespectful? Guards! Throw him out, he’s not to be hired.”

“No need to get angry, county assistant. I was just making a comment. Young people, after all! It’s normal for them not to know the rules.” Clerk Young glanced at the county assistant, giving a fake smile. “But the county assistant’s agitation is rather suspicious, haha!”

“What do you mean by that, Sir Young?” Deputy Thompson replied coldly, “As a village head, Li Yuanwai has been among the top in grain contributions for five consecutive years. By the rules, his son can be given a post as a minor official in the county office. I’m just following the rules. I don’t see what’s suspicious about that.”

“All right, you two, stop arguing. It’s time for my medicine. Everyone, you may leave!” County Magistrate Bolton shakily stood up, ignored everyone, and turned to go to the back.

William Thompson immediately understood the relationship among the three, and couldn’t help but feel uneasy. He glanced sideways at Sheriff King, who was kneeling there silently, as if it had nothing to do with him. By rights, he should have warned him in advance, but he hadn’t said a word. William Thompson couldn’t help but sigh inwardly, “Truly, even a small sparrow has all its vital organs!”

……

(Hongwu banknotes came in denominations of one string, five hundred wen, four hundred wen, three hundred wen, and so on—a total of six types. This book differs slightly, introducing a ten-string denomination, which is not historically accurate. Also, by the twenty-third year of Hongwu, one string of banknotes was worth only 250 wen on the market, and both gold/silver and banknotes were in circulation among the people, which even harsh laws couldn’t prohibit. Lao Gao specially notes this.)

Volume One: Swept into a Major Case

Chapter Four: The Distant Second Uncle

“Brother, now that you’re wearing this uniform and carrying this sword, you really do look imposing!”

William Thompson had already changed into the official’s uniform, but his hat was the large black cap of a yamen runner, with a feather stuck in it at an angle. He was already tall and sturdy, and now, dressed in uniform with a long sword at his waist, he looked even more heroic. After the scene in the courtroom just now, William Thompson suddenly saw things clearly: in fact, the Ming dynasty was no different from later times—power struggles, social maneuvering, you just had to be careful.

Seeing that there was no one else in the room, he pulled a ten-string banknote from his sleeve and quietly slipped it to Sheriff King. “Second brother, you’ve been running around for me and working so hard. This is just a small token of my appreciation. Please, you must accept it.”

“What are you doing? The thought is enough, there’s no need for this… sigh!” Sheriff King protested verbally, but the banknote disappeared into his hand. Perhaps the money acted as a catalyst, for Sheriff King’s feelings grew even warmer. He pulled William Thompson down to sit and said with some embarrassment, “About what happened just now, I didn’t warn you in advance because I had my reasons. Please don’t blame me.”

“What are you saying, second brother? How could I blame you? I’m new here and don’t know anything. I’ll be counting on you to look after me in the future.”

William Thompson spoke with utmost sincerity, and Sheriff King nodded to himself, “This Fifth Brother Thompson really has made great progress. He’s worth supporting.”

After a moment’s thought, he said earnestly, “You must have noticed the conflict between Deputy Thompson and Clerk Young just now. That’s an open struggle, and they’re not the ones to fear. The truly dangerous one is County Magistrate Bolton.”

‘County Magistrate Bolton?’ In William Thompson’s mind appeared the image of a sickly old man with a bulbous red nose. He couldn’t see what was so frightening about him. Seeing his disbelief, Sheriff King gave a wry smile and said, “You’ll understand in time. The reason I didn’t dare tell you about these things in advance was because I was afraid Magistrate Bolton would see through our relationship. Don’t be fooled by his closed eyes—his mind is as clear as a mirror. I have to be extremely careful!”