Wu County
Although Cui Lin was a member of the influential Cui family of Qinghe Commandery, his extended family was not well-acquainted with him, and only his relative Cui Yan thought him exceptional. In 200, following Cao Cao's conquest of Ji Province, Cui Lin was summoned to be Chief of Wu County (), in present-day Shanxi. He drew such a pitiful salary from this position that he could not even afford a horse and carriage.