Tianliangyuan

Chapter 311 4 Teaching Assistants

Neither Zhou Shiqian nor Xie Lin expected that they would one day be so amazed by a woman's abilities.

This is too outrageous.

After discussing Zhou Shiqian's matter, the next topic was Xie Lin and the Zhou family.

"The clan chief is getting old, and I heard that he intends to pass the position of clan chief to my uncle after the New Year. I wonder if this is true?"

Sherlin nodded quickly: "Grandfather certainly meant it."

Xu Zhaozhao nodded slightly: "That's fine. The reason I invited you here today is that there is something I need you to tell on your behalf when you get back: whether it would be more appropriate for the current clan leader or the next clan leader to take charge of this matter."

"Please enlighten me, Your Highness."

"My title is Anle, but I also have a fief in Lantian County, as you are probably aware of. After next spring, I will undertake a major construction project near Yunqi Manor. At that time, some shops and residences will be built. This is my private property, not Xie family property."

Sherlin quickly replied, "Yes, yes, we all know."

Seeing that he was sensible, Xu Zhaozhao nodded slightly: "Some of them will be sold at that time, and I will also arrange for people to manage some of them. I have not been married into the family for long and I do not know if there are any people in the Xie family who are struggling. If so, I would like to ask the clan leader to select some honest and hardworking people, and I will arrange a job for them that will be enough to support their families. If not, then I will make other arrangements."

Yes, yes, yes!

Xie Lin was afraid that Xu Zhaozhao would make arrangements on her own again, so he hurriedly said, "Princess, don't worry, I will have my grandfather and father discuss and draft a list together. I just don't know how many people the county needs?"

"It doesn't matter how many or how few people there are, a few or even dozens. I only have one condition: they must be honest and upright. If they are lazy and cunning, then don't send them, lest we ruin our harmony."

"No, no, Your Highness, rest assured, I will definitely handle this matter properly."

In the blink of an eye, Sherlin had taken care of it.

Xu Zhaozhao chuckled, "Brother, there's no need to be so formal. Just call me sister-in-law."

Schelling blushed. "How could I dare!"

He was just an ordinary commoner, at most holding the title of a scholar, how could he dare to call a second-rank county princess his younger brother or sister-in-law!

That face must be so big!

"Where does my cousin live now?"

Sherin quickly told them where he lived. His family lived separately, but their houses were built together and next to each other.

"In that case, we don't live too far. I wonder what your plans are for the future, cousin?"

Xie Lin gave a bitter smile: "I'm not good at studying. I can barely pass the imperial examination and get the title of Xiucai. Moreover, my grandfather said that I am dull-witted and too upright, and not suitable for officialdom. Therefore, he has never planned a future for me."

Xu Zhaozhao nodded; this clan chief truly had foresight.

This Sherlin is indeed not suited for officialdom.

Of course, they are even less suited for doing business!

If both of these paths are blocked, then only one path remains.

How is the Xie clan school doing lately?

Xie Lin simply nodded slightly upon hearing this: "The clan school is alright. I'm not afraid of being laughed at by the county magistrate, but I'm currently teaching children at the clan school."

Xu Zhaozhao was naturally aware of this, and mentioned it casually, just to see how her cousin felt.

At present, it seems quite stable.

Even though she knew her future was hopeless, she wasn't too frustrated or overly self-conscious, which is good.

“My cousin is a man of clear mind and discerning eyes. He could be a teacher, with a reputation for integrity, and perhaps in the future he will have students all over the world.”

“The county princess is mocking me. I’m just a teacher in charge of initiating students’ education. Who would remember me? Besides, they’re just some children from the same family. I don’t have any reputation to speak of.”

Xu Zhaozhao smiled at him: "I do have an opportunity to be a teaching assistant for the fourth department, but I don't know if my cousin would be interested?"

"Four-subject teaching assistant" is an official title. Its main function is to assist four doctoral students in teaching four subjects. There are usually twenty such assistants.

Such jobs are generally not too difficult to obtain, especially for wealthy and powerful families.

For someone like Schelling, who had never been involved in the circles of power and wealth, it was a pipe dream.

Schelling was stunned.

Zhou, who was standing to the side, was also dumbfounded.

what's the situation?

Four teaching assistants?

Zhou was unfamiliar with officialdom, and even less aware of what an official position entailed.

It was Zhou Shiqian who reacted quickly, coughing and reminding him, "Brother-in-law, hurry up and thank the county princess."

Xie Lin finally came to his senses and stood up, trembling as he bowed deeply to Xu Zhaozhao.

"Brother, there's no need for that. Please have a seat."

Sherlin's lips moved a few times, but he couldn't figure out what to say.

Zhou still looked confused. It seemed that being a teaching assistant in these four departments was a good job.

Xu Zhaozhao smiled and said, "To be honest, these four assistant instructor positions aren't exactly prestigious, just a rank eight position. However, my cousin is still relatively inexperienced, and he is also quite straightforward. The Imperial Academy is a relatively quiet institution, and most of the students are still quite naive. So, this position is perfect for my cousin to gain some experience first. If he gains the favor of an important person in the future, he can certainly rise through the ranks."

That's actually quite straightforward.

Sherin was not tactful enough, so his elders did not want him to get involved in officialdom, for fear that he would offend people without realizing it and bring trouble to the family.

But as for business, well, Xie Lin is a candidate for the future clan leader, how could he possibly lower himself to do something like that?

That's why he was assigned the role of a teacher at the clan school.

They had a good reputation and could barely make ends meet.

But Xu Zhaozhao didn't think so.

There are plenty of people who are straightforward and honest and can thrive in officialdom!

The key is what position you hold and who you deal with.

To put it bluntly, the elders in Xie Lin's family were a bit timid, and most of the connections in the Duke of Huguo's mansion were among the military officers, so they couldn't really help with the civil service path. Moreover, the clan head probably wouldn't be willing to ask for help, so that's why they made this arrangement.

But things changed after Xu Zhaozhao married into the family.

Xu Zhaozhao certainly didn't make this arrangement for no reason. She's not a saint who gives selflessly without expecting anything in return.

What she's going to do may not be clear now, but there will be good news in the future.

Only then did Zhou realize that her husband was eligible to become an official.

At any time, anyone would think that being an official is the most promising career path, and the status and position are completely different.

Even a man of integrity like Zhou was not immune to the common customs.

"Thank you for your help, County Princess. I will certainly do my best to fulfill my duties."

Xu Zhaozhao laughed again. This Xie Lin was not only straightforward, but also a bit naive.

“Brother, you’re wrong. When you enter the Imperial Academy as an assistant instructor at the four gates, it’s not just about doing chores. You need to learn, listen, and observe more. Here, you’ll be in contact with powerful and influential people. The few students from humble backgrounds who are admitted must either have great talent or have relatives or friends with certain powerful and influential people to be admitted.”

Zhou Shiqian nodded, saying meaningfully, "Brother-in-law, the county princess's arrangements are impeccable!"