Chapter 496: Assigning a Mission
Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations
Poxed Face Wang glanced at the densely packed announcements and immediately felt a headache. He couldn’t comprehend why a recruitment announcement for constables had so many words.
Upon closer inspection, he realized that there were actually two announcements written on the paper. The first announcement outlined the duties of the new governor and had Mr. Chen condense the numerous Imperial Court rules into ten simplified and easily understandable ones. However, this section alone took up half of the paper.
The second announcement detailed the recruitment of twelve constables and the accompanying rules and standards for the recruitment process.
Poxed Face Wang asked, “May I inquire, Governor, should both of these announcements be combined into one?”
Su Bin, appearing easygoing, replied, “If you find it more convenient to merge them into one announcement, go ahead. If you believe it’s better to keep them separate, then write them as such.”
Poxed Face Wang was delighted and responded, “Governor, I believe it’s more suitable to write them as two separate announcements.”
This decision would effectively halve his workload.
Su Bin nodded and said, “Very well, we’ll go with your suggestion.”
Poxed Face Wang was elated once more. It seemed that the new governor understood their reputation as troublesome local bullies and was highly accommodating. The others shared his sentiment and thought that their future days might not be as challenging as they had initially feared. It appeared that they wouldn’t be under the governor’s thumb; in fact, it might be the opposite the governor might have to heed their wishes.
Su Bin then assigned a task to the constables.
“Liu Dazhuang, once Wang Erma completes writing the announcements, you’ll be responsible for posting them on the main streets of the prefecture capital, with the assistance of your fellow constables.”
Liu Dazhuang, the leader of the twelve constables and the pavilion’s head, promptly responded in a loud voice, “Yes, Governor! You can trust me; I’ll ensure the task is completed.”
“Good!” Su Bin expressed satisfaction, stressing, “Both of today’s tasks need to be finished by the end of the day.”
“If you fail to complete your tasks, you will face a penalty of a deduction equivalent to half of your monthly salary.”
This declaration startled the constables, their expressions turning somewhat grim.
It was a rare occurrence for a governor to casually deduct their salaries, as their earnings were already meager.
Nevertheless, the new governor’s assigned tasks were not particularly challenging. Twenty-four notices had to be posted by the twelve constables, averaging just two each. This could be easily accomplished in one day.
Gradually, the constables’ expressions brightened, relieved that the tasks were reasonable.
Su Bin elaborated further, “There will be consequences for uncompleted tasks, but equally, rewards await those who fulfill their duties. Punishment and reward are in balance.”
“To clarify, failing to complete the tasks will result in a half-month’s salary deduction, while success will yield a half-month’s salary as a reward.”
Upon hearing this, the constables were overjoyed. “Is what you’re saying true, Governor?”
Su Bin affirmed, “Absolutely! It depends on whether you have the capability to claim your reward.”
“We promise!”
The constables conveyed their commitment loudly and then collectively looked towards Poxed Face Wang.
The dilemma now was whether Poxed Face Wang could guarantee the swift transcription of the announcements.
Poxed Face Wang inspected the announcement paper given by Su Bin once more. He noted that the first announcement detailing rules and regulations contained more text, demanding a longer time for transcription. In contrast, the second announcement, with fewer words, could be transcribed more quickly.
Poxed Face Wang had an idea and discussed it with Su Bin.
“Governor, I believe that most of the people in the prefectural city are already aware of the rules and regulations issued by the imperial court. Therefore, we can take our time with that announcement. On the other hand, this announcement for recruiting constables is more pressing. Therefore, I suggest we copy the constable recruitment announcement first.. What do you think?”
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