Transmigrated to the Northern Song Dynasty as a County Magistrate (GL) - Chapter 63

63: Receiving an Interim Assignment

Tian Qingyi eagerly unwrapped the package to find:

– A jade flute in a slender case
– Two miscellaneous books
– Two boxes of premium ink sticks
– A jade hairpin in a small box
– A letter written before Yun Jingchu’s departure

Though brief, the letter overflowed with blessings and longing, making Tian Qingyi clutch it tenderly. This unexpected gift from her beloved instantly revitalized her melancholy mood. She immediately drafted a five-page reply, unable to stop once she started.

Yun Jingchu had not only remembered her birthday but secretly prepared these gifts in advance—likely feigning forgetfulness to deliver this surprise. The presents delighted her, but what moved her most was being cherished so deeply. It confirmed her unique place in Yun Jingchu’s heart, just as Yun Jingchu held in hers.

Buoyed by joy, Tian Qingyi tackled even mundane tasks with renewed vigor in the following days.

By early autumn, Zhou Ba had returned per Yun Jingchu’s insistence, while Tian Qingyi dispatched Wei Shier to her side—a unilateral decision that provoked Yun Jingchu’s anger, resulting in a rare month without correspondence. Normally, they exchanged at least one or two letters monthly, sometimes three or four.

Workwise, the summer-autumn tax season brought relief as civil dispute cases paused. Tian Qingyi collected only the required amounts, knowing the people already struggled with corvée labor and miscellaneous taxes. She personally inspected collections twice to prevent clerk corruption.

After over a year in Huating, even the dimmest subordinates had grasped her governance style. Compared to previous magistrates’ tenures, they tread carefully—if even the troublesome Pu family had yielded, who dared misbehave?

The Pu family’s newfound tax compliance spurred other wealthy households to follow suit, drastically improving efficiency. For this, the prefect publicly commended Tian Qingyi among fellow magistrates.

However, promoting Champa rice during spring planting met resistance—some farmers feared its unfamiliarity. While Tian Qingyi favored patient persuasion, Registrar Li advocated forceful measures. Reluctantly, she acquiesced after Zhang Sancheng’s counsel, stipulating no physical harm.

Sheriff Wu executed this perfectly—minor conflicts occurred but no injuries, ultimately fulfilling the prefecture’s Champa rice mandate.

Tian Qingyi recalled only fragments about this drought-resistant, high-yield Southeast Asian strain. Its successful adoption pleased farmers, who later thanked the yamen for the superior seeds. She credited the achievement collectively in memorials to both the emperor and prefect.

Despite lingering summer heat, harvest anticipation warmed the air. Tian Qingyi, usually homebound, now strolled the quaint streets at dusk, savoring sunsets—even though Yun Jingchu’s absence dimmed the joy. If possible, she’d gladly spend lifetimes with Yun Jingchu watching seasons turn, even without grand adventures.

One evening upon returning, before she could sip a chilled perilla drink, Qingyu entered with a letter: “From Kaifeng, Second Young Master.”

Assuming Yun Jingchu’s hand, Tian Qingyi opened it casually—only to find an unsigned poem containing numbers. Realizing it might be Ma Zhusege’s directive, she dismissed attendants and decoded it using Zuo’s Commentary on the Spring and Autumn Annals—the original host’s favorite book and cipher key.

Poem title length indicated mission type (under five characters for interim tasks). The first line’s numbers denoted cipher pages, the second paragraphs, the rest specifics.

This interim task required intelligence gathering—military, political, and literary—standard spycraft the Liao dynasty had refined impressively. Their tradecraft included dead drops at fur shops or temples, with biannual check-ins on January 31 and July 31.

Previously, Shi Wan handled these, but since his disappearance last year with Ruoshui, Shi Qian temporarily assumed the role. This letter likely came from the July temple retrieval.

As a lowly magistrate, Tian Qingyi could access only county/prefecture-level intelligence, some circuit-level. Zhejiang Circuit’s forces were mostly Xiang Army (regional troops), and famous literary works were easily obtainable.

The dilemma: falsify reports to avoid treason or provide genuine but non-critical intel? Fabrications risked exposure if neighboring magistrate Shang Yan (likely receiving identical tasks) submitted truths, inviting Ma Zhusege’s scrutiny.

Ultimately, she delegated:
– Zhou Ba: Military/political intelligence
– Qingyu: Literary collections (plus art purchases to maintain cover)

Neither questioned why, assuming it aided governance and career advancement. They pursued their assignments with solemn diligence.

In Hangzhou, Yun Jingchu’s shop thrived during festivals under the Xun family’s protection. Before Baoqin’s arrival, Qingyu had managed monthly inspections competently despite lacking commercial experience.

Now Baoqin visited biannually—updating Tian Qingyi on operations while asserting the owner’s oversight through her official presence. Though less business-savvy than Yun Jingchu, Tian Qingyi suspected these visits also served to check on her wellbeing—a silent expression of love across the distance.