My Promotion Story Through Time Travel

Chapter 200 Reporting to the Ministry of Personnel

Lin Ziping returned to the inn, but Xiao Si had not yet returned.

After saying goodbye to the shopkeeper, I went back to my room to rest. Even dinner was delivered to my room by the waiter.

For the remaining few days, Lin Ziping stayed at the inn and didn't go anywhere. Before he knew it, it was time to check in.

Lin Ziping got up very early that day and went out with the documents in his hand.

The address on the document was the Ministry of Personnel, and the office was located in the inner city.

The last time he went to the city gate of the Li residence, Lin Ziping followed the crowd and moved slowly.

The queue was long, and the wait seemed unusually long.

Have you heard?

While I was feeling utterly bored, a voice suddenly broke into my ear.

This familiar sentence structure perfectly matches the signals of gossip.

Lin Ziping instantly snapped to attention, his ears perking up like radar as he began searching for and receiving signals.

"The eldest daughter of the Li family returned to her parents' home a few days ago."

Following the sound, I found an elderly woman, A, carrying a vegetable basket.

"I saw it, the scene, the return gifts, tsk tsk tsk... What did you buy?" Another older woman, B, casually chimed in, glancing into the basket of the older woman who had spoken in front of her.

"A boat has arrived at the dock on the north side, and the fish it brings are incredibly fresh." Aunt A, carrying a vegetable basket, said proudly, then shook the basket with the fish inside.

The older woman asked enviously, "Are there boats? How come I didn't know?"

"My family told me to go and wait there early this morning," the woman with the vegetable basket said with a smile.

"Really?" Aunt B's voice sounded somewhat disappointed.

After a long pause, he asked again, "Do you know what happened at the Li residence gate on the day Miss Li returned home?"

The old woman A, carrying a basket, said, "It's just some poor young man who's been begging for a free ride, crying and making a scene to see the second young lady of the Li family."

"I heard that the young man is the second young lady's lover," Aunt B said mysteriously.

Aunt A waved her hand and said, "No, it's my fiancé who brought the token. This is news from the Li family."

"Really?" the old woman asked. "Did the second young lady of the Li family say that?"

Aunt A pursed her lips: "I don't know if it was the second young lady who said it, but it came from the Li residence."

"Ah, isn't this second young lady the one from the storybooks who... what was she called... abandoned?" Aunt B scratched her head.

"You started something and then abandoned it." Aunt A chimed in, then said with exasperation, "I told you to study more, but you wouldn't listen. Our master urges us to study every day, and look at you."

The more Lin Ziping listened, the more he felt they were talking about him. Just a few days ago, he went to see Li Qiongying and was stopped at the entrance of the Li residence.

A poor kid trying to freeload?!

It feels like I'm the one who's getting caught up in the drama.

It's true that public opinion can be incredibly powerful. If it weren't for the fact that they were talking about him, Lin Ziping could have imagined a whole story of love and hate between a noble lady and a down-on-his-luck young man.

Rumors are terrifying!

Bringing my thoughts back, time flew by, and it felt like only a short while before it was Lin Ziping's turn.

Following the example of Xiao Si last time, Lin Ziping handed the document to the guard at the city gate.

The guard took the document, read it carefully, and looked Lin Ziping up and down before saying, "Go to the Ministry of Personnel, and turn left at the third street."

Lin Ziping accepted the document, clasped his hands in thanks, and said, "Thank you."

After entering the inner city, I successfully found the Ministry of Personnel by following the directions given by the guard.

Lin Ziping asked for directions and, after turning left and right, stopped in the most secluded courtyard of the Ministry of Personnel.

The gate to the courtyard was very dilapidated, which was completely out of place with the bright and shiny appearance of the Ministry of Personnel.

Grass had even grown inside the floor tiles at the entrance, creating a desolate and dilapidated scene mixed with fallen leaves.

Seeing the scene before him, Lin Ziping fell into deep thought, his steps hesitant and unable to take the first step.

What are you doing standing at the door?

A hoarse voice came from behind.

Lin Ziping turned around and saw a small old man with gray hair and a hunched back.

"Old man... is this where officials report for duty?" Lin Ziping asked, clasping his hands in greeting.

The old man glanced at Lin Ziping sideways: "Where's the document?"

Lin Ziping quickly took out the document from his sleeve and handed it to him with both hands.

The old man opened the document, glanced at it, and said, "Come in with me."

"Yes," Lin Ziping said, clasping his hands in a fist salute.

The old man walked straight past Lin Ziping, pushed open the courtyard gate, and said, "Just call me Lord Qiu."

Seeing his expression, Lin Ziping knew he had come to the right place. Hearing his words, he realized that the old man was the manager of this courtyard.

Lin Ziping pursed his lips and replied "Yes," then cautiously followed him into the courtyard.

A gust of wind blew by, and Lin Ziping smelled a familiar scent.

Lin Ziping frowned. This smelled extremely similar to that of Lin Zhong and Butler Tao.

Was this Lord Qiu also a eunuch?

Lord Qiu walked into a room and sat down directly in a chair.

He opened Lin Ziping's document and said, "Lin Ziping is from Qingyang. He used to work in Fuchun County?"

Lin Ziping clasped his hands and said, "Yes, sir."

"Recommended by Lord Zhou?"

I recalled the signature on the letter of recommendation that Li Qiongying had given me.

There is only the character "Zhou", no given name.

Although I don't know his official position, this person is at least a fifth-rank official and deserves the title "Sir".

Thinking of this, Lin Ziping nodded and replied, "This humble servant was recommended by Lord Zhou."

Lord Qiu folded the documents neatly and said, "You're a bit late. We're still short of guards at the inner city gates and the palace. Where do you want to go?"

Will I still need to be reassigned if I report for duty on time?

We're all just cattle and horses; being a beast of burden in the first ring road should be a little better than being one in the third ring road.

With this in mind, Lin Ziping didn't think about anything else in detail, because he couldn't think of anything else anyway. Just like when he chose a major for the college entrance examination, he mainly relied on blind selection.

He blurted out, "I want to go to the palace."

Perhaps Lin Ziping was too decisive, for Lord Qiu raised his eyelids and glanced at him.

Feeling a sense of awe and uncertainty, Lin Ziping sensed Lord Qiu's gaze and his expression became even more resolute.

Lord Qiu said, "That's good, as it will give us more opportunities to meet the Emperor and other dignitaries."

emperor?

The chances of meeting the emperor in the palace would certainly be greater, but thinking of the numerous assassination attempts against the emperor depicted in movies and TV shows, Lin Ziping hesitated.

Working in the royal palace is a high-risk job.

In this era, there are no social insurances or housing fund, not even commercial insurance, and those who die in the line of duty may not even receive compensation.

To go or not to go, that is the question!

"The palace guards live and eat in the palace. Their monthly salary is five taels, which is two taels higher than that of those outside the city. They also receive four sets of clothes and are allowed to leave the palace for eight days of rest each month..." Lord Qiu said.

What?

Room and board included?!

Weekends off?!

High salary?!

There are even perks?!

Lin Ziping's little brain worked quickly: With that salary and benefits, he absolutely had to go!

High risk, high reward!

Guards are just security personnel.

I've never done this job before, but I've seen it done before!

The emperor and nobles are essentially the homeowners.

This makes the homeowner happy; could they even collect a tip?!

Serving the most distinguished VIP owners of Da Zhou, Lin Ziping seemed to see small sums of money flowing towards him.

"Lord Qiu, when can I...when can I go to the palace?" Lin Ziping asked hurriedly.

Never before have I felt such an urgent urge to throw myself into my work.