Zhao An was not lying to the County Magistrate. As long as he was willing to marry his granddaughter to him, Zhao An would do everything in his power to secure his promotion over the next two years.
The County Magistrate was forty-seven this year. In modern times, if one were only at a department-level position at that age, one would be lucky to reach a bureau-level post before retirement. But in this era, there was still plenty of room for advancement. The Old Ancestor had nine more years to live, and provided they were willing to spend the money and find the right path, it was entirely possible for the County Magistrate to secure a seat at the provincial level. After all, the County Magistrate was a true Tong Jinshi—his academic credentials were solid.
Zhao An’s own qualifications were not bad either. Setting aside the issue of his assumed identity, he was a man who eclipsed his peers in almost every other respect. In what dynasty or era had there ever been a twenty-one-year-old Tong Jinshi who served as a Prefectural Academy Professor? Furthermore, he was already on the Old Ancestor’s radar. In terms of prospects, was he not even more dazzling than you, Old Ding, a real Jinshi?
Chapter 121