Zhao An was highly satisfied; the project, personally directed by the County Magistrate, was indeed progressing with astonishing speed. From the education department to the household registration and personnel offices, the forged personnel files and academic credentials sailed through as if all the lights had turned green. Not a single department scrutinized them, and none raised the slightest objection.
Had he known it was this easy, Zhao An wouldn't have needed to risk discovery by forging documents in the first place. Yet, without a fake diploma, he could never have secured a position at the Tax Bureau—and without getting through the door, he would have had no opportunity to prove his worth. Whether this was a blessing or a curse was difficult to say. Although the County Magistrate’s special authorization for the forgery was largely to protect his own official hat, it was also true that he genuinely cherished Zhao An’s talent, a favor Zhao An had to acknowledge. The County Magistrate was truly deserving of the title "a second parent." Truly, Master Ji was the mentor who discovered his talent, and Magistrate Ding was the parent who nurtured it.
Zhao An felt confident about his future. What had once been his greatest concern had, through the Magistrate's maneuvering, ceased to be a problem for him and had instead become a major issue for the Magistrate himself. If things went south, while Zhao An would certainly be doomed, Magistrate Ding would fare no better. As the old s…
Chapter 46