The handwriting on the document was clearly not that of the Magistrate, Ding Chengen. There was no point in hiding that fact, nor was there any reason to, for a subordinate’s talent was a matter of pride for the Magistrate himself. If this project could secure the full support of the Prefect, it would still require Zhao An to oversee its execution, so there was no need to scramble for the credit. Furthermore, when a superior praises a subordinate, is that not essentially praising oneself? It was a cause for great pride. It was hardly as if a Magistrate would be jealous of a mere Licentiate who was not even an official clerk.
The Prefect truly did admire the talent behind the report. Putting aside the positive impact that the "Yangzhou Trademark" would have on local economic development, the report itself was detailed, logically structured, fluently written, and incredibly refined. Even a layman would understand the situation at a glance. It was the kind of work that could only be produced by an old clerk who had gone bald from thirty years of toil! The more he read, the more delighted he became; one had to realize that a good report could sometimes be worth more than a mighty army.
To look no further than the recent past, the former Viceroy of Liangjiang, Chen Huizu, had employed a famous Master Wu while serving as Prefect of Chenzhou. This man was solely responsible for drafting memorials to the Emperor on Chen Huizu’s behalf. Every time a memorial was submitted, it left t…
Chapter 35