Zhao An had previously consulted Old Ding on how to offer gifts to superiors. Old Ding had provided an explanation, but it was rather vague. For instance, while he had given 11,000 taels to the Viceroy’s Yamen the previous year, this sum was not delivered all at once but in several installments. Zhao An had mistakenly assumed the entire amount was required in a single payment—a misunderstanding that easily led to trouble. Wasn't that exactly how the old Commissioner had managed to pin a bribery charge on him?
"The Great Qing court only permits officials to offer gifts to superiors during the 'Three Festivals and Two Birthdays,' as well as for weddings and funerals, plus the seasonal 'Ice Gifts' and 'Charcoal Gifts.' The 'Three Festivals' refer to the Dragon Boat Festival, Mid-Autumn Festival, and the Lunar New Year. The 'Two Birthdays' refer to the birthdays of the official and his wife. You should understand the weddings and funerals—any joyous occasion in a superior's household, whether the birth of a child or a marriage, counts as a happy event, while the other refers to mourning."
Teacher Lou was a man of integrity who did not accept gifts, but having served as an official for several years, he was well-versed in the unspoken rules of the bureaucracy.
Chapter 139