After traveling through time, I rely on force to survive

Zhou Yimo and Xie Xuan'an agreed to charge Liu Yuanwai with murdering an imperial official and report the case to Kyoto.

The account books used as evidence involve too many people and therefore do not need to be reported.

With internal and external troubles now, it’s not excessive to keep the iron ore as a private treasure, right?

Thinking that Mr. Liu had been a bully for many years, he must have countless private assets. Xie Xuanan happily instructed Yunying:

"Go to the Yuntai County government office immediately and bring my official seal and other items. Bring some more soldiers with you. We are going to raid Mr. Liu's house!"

Poor Yunying, had just rushed to Qiu Shui Town from the Southern Protectorate, and was then sent to Lihua Village. Now he resigned himself to his fate and rushed to Yuntai County.

Yunying: After you have raided Mr. Liu's house, could you consider allocating some money privately to give me some benefits, such as buying me a horse?

Xie Xuan'an: You are Mu Yunjing's subordinate, go ask him for it.

Xie Xuan'an, who had used other people's men throughout the process and felt no pressure in his heart, was now waiting with Zhou Yimo for Yun Ying to return to Qiu Shui Town as soon as possible.

Li Qingqing led a group of shadow guards and no one knew where they were going.

Yunying's lightness skills were indeed reliable, and he proved with facts that he could run faster than a horse.

Not only did they bring the soldiers who were responsible for confiscating property, they also brought the men that Xie Xuan'an had left in Yuntai County, as well as the files.

"Are these four boxes full of files?"

Xie Xuan'an looked at the four large carved boxes in front of him and couldn't help but take a breath.

Good job, that’s more than the account books he has in three years of business.

"These are the files from the past four years in Yuntai County." Master Qiu, who had come all the way from Yuntai County, hurriedly explained:

"During his tenure, the previous county magistrate was completely ineffective and unconcerned with official duties. He was solely focused on colluding with bullies like Mr. Liu, which resulted in a pile of files.

Since that county magistrate was transferred, the next magistrate has come and gone, leaving Yuntai County without a magistrate to handle affairs, and so these files have piled up.”

After listening to Master Qiu's explanation, Xie Xuan'an couldn't help but say, "Then there's no need to move everything here?"

If we were a step later, Mr. Liu's house would have been ransacked.

"Sir, you previously sent someone to tell me that you had found an acting county magistrate in Qiushui Town. Now that I've heard that Mr. Liu has been executed, I suspect you and the acting county magistrate will be staying in Qiushui Town for a long time, so I took the initiative to bring the files here."

Master Qiu answered cautiously.

"Master Qiu, you are very much in my heart!" Xie Xuan'an heard this and immediately turned his gaze to Zhou Yimo, smiling broadly:

"Brother Zhou, I feel dizzy when I see these files. I think it's because Mr. Liu murdered me. I'll leave this matter to you."

Zhou Yimo: Thank you, young master. I am still studying and I have to take exams. I don’t have a diploma yet!

Xie Xuan'an: Brother Zhou, as far as I know, extensive reading of files is of great benefit for imperial examinations.

Zhou Yimo: This... is actually true. Okay! Starting tomorrow, get up an hour earlier every day to review the files!

Xie Xuan'an immediately ordered, "Master Qiu, please draft a notice and post it immediately, stating that the county magistrate was murdered by Mr. Liu and is still recuperating. This order orders the county magistrate Zhou to take full charge of all affairs in Yuntai County."

"Yes, sir, I will do it right away." Master Qiu received the task but was in no hurry to leave.

"What else?" Xie Xuan'an asked.

"That's right," Master Qiu hesitated for a moment and finally said,

"Before I come here, the officials in the yamen want me to ask if, after confiscating Mr. Liu's property, they can consider allocating some of the funds privately to pay their monthly salaries?"

"Oh, how much do you owe?"

"The total amount owed is 26,712 taels of silver."

"So many?" Xie Xuan'an was surprised.

He is superficial. What great words did he say at the beginning?

"At most, we can get money from other places and invest it in Yuntai County." Look at these words, how heroic they were when they were said, and how helpless they are now.

Xie Xuan'an was in deep thought. He was reluctant to use his own private property to make up for the shortfall, so he had to start a business in partnership with Li Qingqing.

And Master Qiu was still chattering:

"Most of the more than one hundred people in the government office have been owed their monthly salaries for nearly four years. To make a living, they have no choice but to work part-time while holding down official positions."

Master Qiu stole a glance at Xie Xuanan, and seeing that his expression didn't change much, he continued boldly:

"These officials usually work diligently and wholeheartedly for the county government. Now they are facing difficulties. It is really not easy. If their monthly salary can be solved, their loyalty to the county government will surely be even higher."

"Master Qiu, from now on, please go directly to County Magistrate Zhou for matters within the county. I am still recuperating." Xie Xuan'an pointed at Zhou Yimo and signaled Master Qiu.

Master Qiu and Zhou Yimo stared at each other.

Master Qiu: County Magistrate of the Zhou Dynasty, I've said so much, you won't refuse, right? You definitely won't refuse, right?

Master Qiu's gaze was so fiery that Zhou Yimo could only helplessly say, "Master Qiu, please rest assured the officers. We will resolve the issue of their unpaid salaries as soon as possible."

"Thank you, County Magistrate Zhou." Master Qiu was delighted and couldn't help but say one more sentence:

"Zhou Dai County Magistrate, could you allocate some of Mr. Liu's private property to repair our county government office? It's really run down now. Every time it rains, water drips inside."

Building a county government office would cost at least a few hundred taels, and at most tens of thousands of taels. Zhou Yimo was about to say "not possible for now", but Master Qiu had already rejected the proposal.

"No, no, this must be postponed."

Master Qiu pondered for a moment, then shook his head and said, "Almost six months have passed this year, and our Yuntai County hasn't even settled on the year-end taxes..."

The county government not only has no money, but also owes foreign debts. How can it enrich the region? How can it develop the county town?

Zhou Yimo: I feel so tired. Suddenly, I don’t want to fulfill my father’s last wish anymore.

Xie Xuan'an: Brother Zhou, cheer up. Even if you don't care about Father Zhou, you have to consider me, your dear brother.

Zhou Yimo was helpless. "Master Qiu, we still don't know how much private property Mr. Liu has. Why don't we just owe him the monthly salary and settle it first—"

"Oh, it suddenly occurred to me that posting the notice is a serious matter and must be done immediately! I'll take my leave first." When Master Qiu saw that the situation was not good, he turned around and walked away quickly.

If he didn't leave now, he was afraid that he would even lose his monthly salary.

Master Qiu left, and Yunying came in with good news.

"Good news, good news. The assets of Young Master Xie, Young Master Zhou, and Mr. Liu have all been cleared up."

"How many are there?" Zhou Yimo and Xie Xuan'an asked in unison, eagerly waiting.

"One thousand four hundred and fifty-three ounces of silver, one brothel, two gambling houses, three houses, ten shops, and two hundred and fifty acres of good farmland."

"How much?! Speak slowly! How much did you say just now?" Xie Xuan'an stood up suddenly and asked.

"One thousand four hundred and fifty-three taels of silver..." Yun Ying repeated.

Xie Xuanan: ...

Zhou Yimo: ...

"Yunying, quickly catch up with Master Qiu. The notice needs to be revised. Change 'still recuperating' to 'in imminent danger'."