What's wrong with me, a powerful minister, supporting a few female officials?

Chapter 35 Intervening in the Smuggled Salt Trade

Chapter 35 Intervening in the Smuggled Salt Trade
Chen Qian's old eyes lit up, and he said to Meng Bazi outside, "Tell him to wait a moment."

After Meng Scarface left, Chen Qian slapped his thigh and grinned wickedly: "That bastard Luo Lie has taken the initiative to admit defeat!"

"You've swallowed this piece of fat meat, the East Market!"

"Zhong Sanyuan is probably going to regret this to the core!"

Su Mo understood this point: "I'm wearing the skin of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, whether he wants to or not, he has to admit it!"

Chen Qian stroked his beard and laughed, "This child is teachable!"

"However, although we must acknowledge his superiority, we should not underestimate or disrespect him!"

"Now that a banquet has been prepared, you should hurry over there."

People at that time usually ate two meals a day, with breakfast being the most important.

Luo Lie sent someone over early in the morning to host a banquet for Su Mo and discuss the handover.

It's absolutely full of sincerity.

Su Mo smiled and said, "Mm!"

"I might as well buy the magistrate's return gift while I'm at it."

Chen Qian was slightly surprised: "Have you thought it through?"

Su Mo casually replied, "Is there even a need to think about that? Seals and calligraphy scrolls!"

Chen Qian was taken aback: "You've already decided to lend him a hand?"

He became serious: "This is no joke!"

"Xue Shan is the county magistrate. If he were to be transferred to another county, he would have to go to the prefecture."

"This is the promotion of a sixth-rank official; we must utilize the connections of a centurion to make it happen!"

"Moreover, even if she were willing to help, she would probably have to use a lot of personal connections."

"Are you confident you can persuade Commander Lin?"

He still couldn't believe it.

His own nephew was just a lowly clerk in the government office the day before yesterday.

It's unbelievable that someone could have such power today, able to transfer and promote officials of the seventh rank in the imperial court!
Su Mo chuckled: "Third Uncle, you're overthinking it!"

"When did I say I was going to beg that centurion?"

This time it was Chen Qian's turn to be puzzled: "Without using the connections of a centurion in the Embroidered Uniform Guard?"

How will you help the county magistrate get promoted?

He took a deep breath, his eyes widening in shock: "Could it be that you have other connections?"

Su Mo looked at her uncle with some surprise.

How could he not understand such a simple principle?

He explained, "Xue Shan has been serving in Changping for six years!"

"According to convention, a county magistrate's term of office is no more than nine years!"

"Changping County is doing well now, and it's facing a major test. If nothing unexpected happens, Xue Shan should be able to move up a rank."

Chen Qian frowned and said, "That's true."

"But then a cult broke out!"

"If this causes a major mess, even if Xue Shan survives, he will definitely lose his official position, let alone get promoted!"

Su Mo blinked: "What does his loss of his official hat have to do with seals and letters?"

"After I step down, can they still remove me from my post?"

Chen Qian was stunned and speechless for a moment!

This is clearly a risk-free business, a sure win!
Why didn't I think of that?
Did you drink too much yesterday and are still confused?
Seeing Chen Qian's bewildered expression, Su Mo felt secretly pleased: "Uncle, I'm going to go and meet Luo Lie right now!"

It took Chen Qian a while to come to his senses.

He poured himself a large bowl of strong tea and drank it all in one gulp.

snort!
Although I was somewhat annoyed.

However, I am very pleased!

My nephew is a natural-born official!
The rate of growth is truly astonishing!
In a few more days, I'm afraid I won't have anything left to teach him.

……

There wasn't much to say when I met Luo Lie.

It was just Luo Lie.

After exchanging a few polite words, he took the initiative to hand Su Mo a yellowed book.

The booklet contains information and precautions related to Dongshi.

It lists hundreds of relatively lucrative shops, including brothels, gambling dens, and taverns, and also records how much in fees they pay each month.

Su Mo glanced at it briefly.

The income from the shops listed in the catalog alone amounted to more than eighty taels of silver per month!

No wonder Luo Lie looked like he wanted to eat himself alive yesterday.

This is like having a secure job with an annual income of over ten million in the future, which was forcibly taken away by someone else. Who wouldn't be furious?

One thousand taels of silver might have a purchasing power far greater than ten million taels in later generations!
Putting everything else aside, within Changping City, it would definitely be possible to buy eight or ten three-courtyard houses!

If you have ten million in the future and want to buy ten large apartments in a second- or third-tier city, what are you thinking?

If it were me, I wouldn't just bring a pig's head to their door; I'd probably come with a knife!
Luo Lie also spoke frankly.

Including other miscellaneous income, he could earn about a hundred taels of silver per month.

Half of it was handed over to Zhong Sanyuan, and two-thirds of it was taken by his seven or eight regular servants.

Those informants, spies, and thugs in the East Market should be given some benefits regularly so they can be ordered around.

Luo Lie pocketed only about ten taels of silver.

of course.

A dozen or so taels of silver is quite a lot.

The county magistrate's annual salary, equivalent to fifty or sixty taels of silver, is less than what a deputy constable earns on the side!
Luo Lie was so cooperative that he practically put his face right up to Su Mo's feet, letting Su Mo trample on him.

Su Mo is young after all, and his skin isn't as thick as that old fox Chen Qian's.

Therefore, he agreed to Luo Lie's small request without much consideration.

Luo Lie wanted the regular player spot that Zhou Laizi had vacated.

Zhou Laizi was won over by Su Mo.

If Su Mo doesn't give the word, who would dare to take the vacant regular duty slot?
He's a ruthless guy who even took down a minor official!
After parting ways with Luo Lie.

Su Mo went to an antique shop called Babaozhai.

I spent several tens of dollars to buy a calligraphy copybook, which the shop owner claimed was from a great calligrapher of the previous dynasty, along with his personal seal.

He was just about to go find Magistrate Xue and try to take advantage of the situation.

Little did they know that just as they left the Eight Treasures Shop, they would run into the female knight Chen Qianyu, who was carrying a child and bumping into people!

When Chen Qianyu saw Su Mo come out of Babaozhai, her eyes widened in surprise as she stared at Su Mo: "Su Mo... what are you doing here?"

Su Mo smiled and said, "Didn't someone come to deliver congratulatory gifts yesterday?"

"So I came to this antique shop to see what would be a suitable return gift."

He glanced down at the small cloth bag Chen Qianyu was carrying and casually asked, "What are you doing here?"

Ms. Chen stammered, unsure of what to say.

Su Mo frowned: "Miss Chen, please speak frankly."

"See if I can help."

He took someone else's cultivation method and even mastered it.

This person wasn't the type to just eat and leave; they genuinely wanted to help.

For once, a look of embarrassment appeared on Ms. Chen's face.

The female knight was indeed a little embarrassed to be discovered to be short of money, but she still gritted her teeth and said, "Father wants to buy some rice and grain to take back."

"Unexpectedly, grain prices suddenly rose significantly, and we ran out of money, so..."

"Then they sent me over to pawn the two gold bracelets."

Su Mo was stunned.

Isn't Chen Bao a salt smuggler?
Selling smuggled salt should be quite profitable, so why would he be short of money and need to pawn his gold bracelet as an emergency?
He certainly didn't believe the claim that there wasn't enough money.

They even brought their gold bracelets with them!
When buying things, one should naturally prepare for a larger expense; Chen Bao, a seasoned veteran, couldn't possibly have overlooked this.

and also.

Grain prices are starting to rise?!
Su Mo thought for a moment and then smiled, "I'll pass on it as a gold bracelet."

"How much silver is still needed?"

"I still have some here, you can take it and buy rice and grain first."

As expected, Miss Chen shook her head: "How can that be!"

He paused, stomped his foot, as if he was going all out!
So what if I lose face!

"The situation in the village has been rather bad lately."

"The bracelet will eventually have to be pawned."

We can't keep asking Su Mo for money every time.

Seeing that Miss Chen was resolute, Su Mo did not insist and nodded: "Alright then."

"I'll go with you. Antique dealers are very cunning. Don't be fooled."

Then, he casually asked, "Where's Uncle Chen?"