72.Grassroots Officials of the Han Dynasty

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After a day's journey, by the afternoon, both men and horses were somewhat exhausted.

Zhang Zhao sent someone ahead to scout the path. After a while, the scout returned with news that there was a relay station three miles ahead where they could rest. This news lifted the spirits of Fei Qian and his companions, and they quickened their pace.

Relay stations in ancient times served multiple functions: transmitting messages, hosting officials, and maintaining official roads. They were small grassroots management centers.

Typically, relay stations had areas for rest and lodging, catering to traveling officials or couriers who needed to change horses. Normally, these stations were guarded by soldiers to maintain order, making them safer than the wilderness, as thieves and robbers would not dare to approach.

However, when Fei Qian and his group arrived at the relay station, Zhang Zhao went ahead to negotiate but soon returned disgruntled, saying, "This turns out to be a private relay station!"

Private relay stations were privately owned but registered with the government, serving as a supplement to official ones.

During the Qin Dynasty, the transmission of military intelligence was highly prioritized. By the Han Dynasty, the system was reformed from foot messengers to horseback couriers, with stations set up every thirty miles, expanding the transmission range from 25 kilometers in the late Warring States period to 150 kilometers.

Later, to meet the needs of state management, relay stations were further transformed to include the reception of officials and special envoys. Some large stations near Luoyang even hosted foreign dignitaries.

However, due to limited national resources and frequent disasters during the Eastern Han Dynasty, the government allowed local wealthy and reputable individuals to establish and manage private relay stations to ensure their operation.

The station Fei Qian encountered was one such private relay station.

At official stations, officials like Zhang Zhao on official business could eat and rest for free. However, private stations operated on a self-sustaining basis, so unless it was a major official or significant expense that could be reimbursed by the government, minor officials like Zhang Zhao had to pay out of pocket.

Coming from the poor region of Bingzhou, Zhang Zhao was accustomed to frugality and was naturally displeased at having to pay for what was usually free.

Fei Qian smiled and said, "No matter, the sun is about to set, and it's too late to reach the next station. Let's rest here." He then instructed Uncle Fu to pay for everyone.

Although Fei Qian didn't have much money, thanks to Cui Hou, he had some silver beans and gold leaves prepared for the journey. Cui Hou, being a businessman, had thoughtfully provided these small denominations, which were more practical than heavy copper coins or large amounts of gold and silver.

With money, things went smoothly. The stationmaster, noticing that Fei Qian was the one paying, came forward to greet him.

In the Han Dynasty, stationmasters were minor officials, managing a dozen or so people. For example, Liu Bang, the founding emperor of the Han Dynasty, had once been a stationmaster when the system was less developed, with stations set up every five miles for posts and every ten miles for pavilions. Now, with stations every thirty miles, the stationmaster's position was somewhat higher.

Before Fei Qian could converse with the stationmaster, some soldiers with Zhang Zhao started causing a commotion.

After Uncle Fu paid, the soldiers expected a hearty meal but were served only millet and wheat porridge. When they asked for more, they were told they had to pay extra.

Unwilling to accept this, especially after seeing Uncle Fu give three silver beans—enough for a decent feast in Luoyang—they accused the station of cheating and started making a scene.

The stationmaster protested, banging the porridge pots and claiming the grains were carefully selected and refined, with one bushel of coarse millet yielding only six pecks of refined millet.

Fei Qian found it amusing, likening it to a "big shrimp incident" in the Three Kingdoms period. While the stationmaster was correct that refined grains were more expensive, the price was still inflated, especially after the autumn harvest when grain prices were at their lowest.

Seeing no need to argue over a few pots of porridge, Fei Qian said, "If that's the case, let's just pay for two more pots."

He then asked the soldiers if two more pots would suffice. They eagerly agreed, with some saying one would be enough. Fei Qian smiled and said, "No problem, you've been working hard, eat more to keep your strength up."

However, he didn't want the stationmaster to think they were easy to cheat, so he asked for a detailed breakdown of all expenses.

The stationmaster, a seasoned operator, listed a slew of charges: dinner, next morning's breakfast, water and fodder for the horses, extra feed at night, lodging, and even a fee for station soldiers to guard their belongings overnight.

Fei Qian, after some mental calculations, had Uncle Fu bring paper and brush, listing each expense and totaling it to 2,736 coins. He then said to the stationmaster, "According to your rates, the total is 2,736 coins. We gave you three silver beans, which at the current official rate of 950 coins per tael, means you owe us 114 coins in change."

The stationmaster, taken aback, hurriedly recalculated and, after much sweating, admitted, "The young master's calculation is correct..."

Fei Qian chuckled, "In that case, keep the change for now. If we're satisfied tomorrow, we might leave it as a tip."

The stationmaster, wiping his sweat, bowed and said, "Rest assured, young master, you will be satisfied..." He then turned to a lazy-looking servant and barked, "You lazy oaf, go boil some water for our distinguished guests to wash up and relax..."

*****

A/N: Due to the distant era of the Han Dynasty, the exact exchange rate of silver to coins is unclear. Here, we use a general rate of 1:1000, with a 5% fee for silver exchange, hence 1:950.