Chapter 98: Three Years as a Clean Magistrate, 100,000 Silver Coins

Chen Mo held two large hammers, each weighing a hundred pounds.

This is the trophy captured in Xingluo Mountain before. This is a good weapon.

My adoptive father was good at swordsmanship and had top-grade weapons, so naturally he disdained the use of these two big hammers.

So Chen Mo asked for them and prepared them for his own use. Before undergoing his last transformation, he was quite comfortable with these two hammers.

However, after the transformation, the two hammers were a little light, but they were enough.

As for the long spear he originally used, it is now even lighter and tighter in his hand.

So he put away the spear first and used these two sledgehammers instead.

The most important thing is that these two hammers are cheap. Although they are relatively well-made, they have no technical content. They are just forged from ordinary fine steel.

He is going to explore the mirage next. Even if this weapon is lost in the mirage, Chen Mo won't feel bad.

But the spear mixed with iron bars is different. The iron bars cannot be refined by ordinary warriors, but are refined by Qi Refiners from refined steel.

A small piece weighs a hundred or ten kilograms. When mixed into a weapon, it can make the weapon both flexible and sharp.

If you want to use iron bars to refine weapons, the cost is high, and there is no way to convert it into silver.

At least they have to bring out Mirage or Blood Essence Stone before those Qi Refiners are willing to help refine the iron tendons.

And you have to find another blacksmith who is strong enough, preferably with a certain level of martial arts, to make this iron bar into a weapon.

It can be said that if you want to refine such a weapon in your hand, it will cost a lot of money.

Chen Mo did have the idea of ​​refining it, but he didn't have enough money.

If he wants to shoot a steel gun, it must not weigh only one or two hundred kilograms. It must be made at least four hundred kilograms.

In this way, even if it is reincarnated again, the weapon itself is enough to be used.

According to what he knew about the market in Xiaqi Valley, at least four blood stones were needed to build such a weapon.

Three pieces are used to purchase materials, and one piece is used as a reward for the craftsman who made the weapons.

Chen Mo doesn't have that much on hand now. If he wants to build it, he has to save a while.

Of course, everything starts with improving one's own strength, and the creation of weapons is not very urgent.

Even if it is built, Chen Mo has no intention of taking this weapon into the mirage.

If you go to Mirage on weekdays, you can just use a blunt instrument such as a hammer.

First of all, there are all kinds of strange monsters in the mirage, and there may be creatures like strange deer that can assimilate their own weapons.

Even if weapons made from ordinary fine steel are expensive, they only cost money, so you won’t feel bad if you lose them.

The cost of weapons made of various special materials was too high. If something went wrong, he would be really distressed.

Second, through his several encounters with mirage monsters, he found that these monsters were not easy to kill with sharp weapons.

The heads were cut off and the bodies were quartered by five horses, but they were still alive, and their bodies would still squirm, trying to piece them together again.

It is a better choice to smash it directly into pulp with a hammer.

After carefully placing the two sledgehammers in the courtyard, Chen Mo went to move other heavy objects on the carriage.

It's okay to talk about other things, the armor bow, it can't be moved down by ordinary handlebars.

To get everything back, especially the two big hammers.

Chen Mo not only drove the car himself, but also hired a big truck to deliver all the things.

"Sir, how can I let you do this rough work? We can do it." He Luoyun gasped and hurried over, and the few followers who followed him looked at him.

He quickly helped Chen Mo unload everything from the carriage, and took out the money to help settle the cost of hiring the carriage.

"Go in and talk." Chen Mo smiled at He Luoyun.

In fact, he is quite satisfied with this person. First of all, the other person is doing his duty and he doesn't need to worry too much.

Secondly, he was asked to help collect evidence that Liu Mingqiao was corrupt and perverting the law, which he also helped do.

These two points alone are enough to prove that this person is available.

In other words, in the eyes of others, he is already a member of his own faction.

"Alas!" He Luoyun nodded repeatedly, a joyful look flashing across his face.

He really didn't expect that not long after Liu Mingqiao disappeared, the government would no longer pursue the matter, and within three or two months, Chen Mo would be appointed as the new director of salt transportation.

Zhou Cheng's collusion with Du Tiandao was not something that a small person like him could learn at will.

At least he had to wait for a while, and only after Zhou Cheng was executed by the Nine Tribes could he know the news.

But no matter what, He Luoyun knew that he made the right choice to help Chen Mo.

This is an opportunity. As long as you can seize it, your business can increase four or five times at least.

"I won't be here during this period. I hope nothing happens to Niuji?"

Chen Mo pushed the door open and walked into the room to sit down, but when he saw a layer of dust on the chair, he stood and asked.

"My lord, I wish Niuji will be quite stable for the rest of the month. It's just that something happened within the jurisdiction of the Salt Transportation Department."

He Luoyun looked respectful and replied in a deep voice.

Without waiting for Chen Mo's prompting, he continued to tell the story.

"I learned that when your Excellency took office, two private salt dealers who had a good relationship with Liu Mingqiao moved their families and left a lot of money behind before leaving."

As he spoke, He Luoyun took out a stack of banknotes from his arms, and many banknotes with cipher text written on them.

These bank checks are all large deposit checks, and each one has a corresponding cipher text. If you want to take them out, you must not only have the bank notes, but also the cipher text.

"This is the money left by the two private salt dealers. Please take a look at it, sir."

Chen Mo took the silver note, and a quick glance showed that it was worth five or six thousand taels.

It seemed that the two private salt dealers had seen Liu Mingqiao's fate and were worried that when Chen Mo, the new salt transport envoy, arrived, they would be liquidated as his followers.

After all, they were not only closely related to Liu Mingqiao, but more importantly, they were very rich and had no ability to protect their money.

They were worried that Chen Mo would start with them when he took office, so they left first.

However, they were smart enough to leave a large amount of floating wealth before leaving to ensure that Chen Mo would not continue to pursue.

"Then after they left, did anyone take over their business?" Chen Mo casually put the silver note on the table beside him and asked softly.

"My Lord, no one dared to take the initiative to take it before you took office." He Luoyun answered honestly.

Private salt business is a business, but if you don't find a good relationship and do it, I'm afraid the whole family will not know how they died.

So no one dared to take the initiative to take over this business without Chen Mo's nod.

"Can you take over their business?" Chen Mo smiled and looked at He Luoyun.

The other party had helped him before, so he couldn't do it for nothing, and he had to give him some benefits.

"Yes!" He Luoyun waited for Chen Mo to say this, and nodded decisively to agree to it.

"Okay, then you take it. Do a good job, I will have more things for you in the future."

Chen Mo smiled, he really planned to let He Luoyun help him do some things, mainly because he was a good person.

Since there was no problem with him so far, there was no need for him to take the risk to find someone else.

"Thank you, sir!" He Luoyun bowed and took out a stack of silver bills from his arms.

"Sir, please keep these silvers for tea. If you need me in the future, just give me a word, and I will help you even if I have to go through fire and water!"

He Luoyun's tone was a little excited. If Chen Mo wasn't in front of him, he might jump up.

The business of those two big private salt dealers was much bigger than his own. As long as he could take it over safely, he would make a lot of money in the future.

Even if he still has to make arrangements, the money he earns is much more than before.

As long as this business can be stabilized, the money for his son's martial arts training will not be a problem at all, and all kinds of supplementary medicines can be used.

He Luoyun himself knows that if he only practices martial arts without taking supplements, it will be fine when he is young, but he will feel pain all over his body when he is old.

He is like this now. When it is cloudy and rainy, he almost hurts when he moves, and this is when he has only practiced martial arts for a few years.

He must not let his children suffer with him after suffering this sin.

"Then I will take my leave first, and you can rest, sir." He Luoyun bowed and thanked him and left.

Chen Mo looked at the silver bills in his hand. The two private salt dealers left a total of 6,000 taels of silver before leaving, and He Luoyun just brought another 1,000 taels.

It must be said that it is really good to be promoted. With this official promotion, he has received 7,000 taels of silver before doing anything.

I can accept all the seven thousand taels of silver, but if I want to collect more silver next time, I have to take it out to make arrangements.

He Luoyun called someone from somewhere to help, and now he is helping to clean up the yard.

"I just took office, I have to go and see the situation first, you take care of the things at home." Chen Mo walked to Zhao Yu and whispered to her.

Since I took office, I have to hurry up and do something.

I can also take this opportunity to take a look at the situation of the nearby military camps and determine which military camps to go to every month in the future.

"Okay, don't worry, I will take care of everything at home." Zhao Yu nodded.

She understood that Chen Mo was talking about the box containing the treasure bow and armor. Compared with it, it doesn't matter if other things are thrown away.

After leaving his own yard, Chen Mo drove away on horseback and put the horses and carriages in the previous military camp for people to take care of.

He didn't ride a horse himself, and chose to travel alone.

The main thing is that riding a horse is far less fast than his own legs.

The seventh-rank chief of the Salt Transport Department has no subordinates, and even no soldiers.

This position is said to escort official salt to crack down on private salt dealers, but it is more about patrolling in various places to ensure that the salt transport envoys and salt transport chiefs do their job.

Of course, although he has no direct soldiers, he can mobilize all the soldiers in the entire Salt Transport Department at will.

So the empty salary of the salt transport envoys and the income from selling private salt will also be shared with him.

Although the chief of the Salt Transport Department has no direct soldiers, he can recruit officials to do things on his own.

Chen Mo has asked his adoptive father for people, but they have to wait until the rest period before they can arrive one after another.

He did not force people to come. After all, after fighting a battle and surviving, they naturally want to go home to see their relatives and friends.

Chen Mo went around the area under the responsibility of the entire Salt Transport Department and made it clear to everyone that everything followed the previous practice.

The chief salt transport envoy, the salt transport envoy, and all kinds of private salt dealers, big and small, also handed him a sum of money according to the rules.

The silver is no longer paid once a month, but collected once a quarter.

Chen Mo came in person this time to show everyone that he has taken office.

With this, someone will deliver the silver to Zhuniuji next time.

After a round, Chen Mo had more than 23,000 taels of silver notes in his hand, all of which were large deposits of 100 taels each.

Even so, it was still a very thick stack in his hand.

It can be seen from this that transporting private salt is really a huge profit among huge profits.

This money does not count the change. Of these silvers, 20% will be given to his adoptive father, who is his immediate superior.

Another 20% will be given to the general envoy of the Dingzhou Patrol Guard, that is, General Zhou Dongzhou.

During the siege of Dutian Daomen, he made contributions and has now been promoted.

Another 20% will be given to the governor of Dingzhou, and the governor of Xingyuan Prefecture will give 10%.

In addition, the garrison and governor of Anyang Prefecture will each give half.

Although 70% of the area under his jurisdiction is in Xingyuan Prefecture, a considerable part is also in Anyang Prefecture, so he has to take care of both the upper and lower levels.

After all the distribution, he can still have more than 4,300 taels left.

Spread out evenly, it is more than 1,400 taels of silver per month, which is only part of his income.

There are also empty salaries that can be eaten, and the private salt dealers he protects will also give him an extra share.

Chen Mo roughly calculated it, and added it all up, he definitely made more than 2,000 taels of silver per month.

No wonder they say that a clean governor for three years can earn 100,000 silver taels.

As a seventh-rank official, he can earn more than 20,000 taels of silver a year.

What's more, the governor is a fifth-rank official, even if he is a clean governor, as long as he is not too clean, 30,000 a year is not enough.

If you are a little greedy, you don't know how much this amount will be.

Chen Mo sealed the banknotes and put them into the envelope with the secret code.

He just waited for his clerks to come, and then he could send them to deliver these things one by one.

The clerks who could do this were all old soldiers under General Sun, and they were all from the same clan as him.

And all of them had wives, children, families and businesses, and they could run away from the monks but not the temples.

Otherwise, it would be hard to guarantee that someone would not be tempted by such a large sum of money.

"Don't be busy, eat first!" Zhao Yu knocked on the door and called softly.

"It will be ready soon." Chen Mo responded, locked the box containing the banknotes with three locks, pushed it under the bed and put it away, and then he got up and walked towards the dining room.

In the dining room, the steaming food was served on the table one after another.

Zhao Yu spent a lot of effort to make this meal. She knew that Chen Mo worked very hard. He had just taken office and had no time to stay at home. He hurried to inspect and worked for several days before he could go home.

She made this meal with her heart, mainly to reward him.

Six cold dishes and cooked food bought, and six hot dishes she made by herself.

There were also four big dishes: braised pork elbow, braised beef, old hen soup in a clay pot, and steamed sea bass.

"I'll do it, you just take a good rest." Seeing Chen Mo walk into the kitchen to help, Zhao Yu hurriedly pushed him away.

When the last dish was served, she sat at the table and smiled comfortably.

"You must be tired." Chen Mo handed over a cup of slightly warm tea.

She took it, drank a few sips, and urged, "Eat quickly, it will get cold if you don't eat it."

Now the weather has entered winter, which is not as good as spring and summer. If the food is cold, it will taste bad.

Chen Mo ate heartily and enjoyed the meal.

The pork elbow was rich in sauce, the pancake rolls were quite good, and the braised beef was soft and tender. The meat and tendons were eaten in just three mouthfuls.

The earthen jar chicken soup was quite delicious.

As for the steamed sea bass, it should be eaten while it is hot so that it will not smell fishy.

When the table was in a mess, the vegetables on the plate had been eaten up.

Zhao Yu made another pot of new tea and poured it for Chen Mo and himself.

After a full meal, neither of them wanted to move much. It would be okay to take a break and clean up the plates and bowls on the table.

"I found out where Ningye Mansion is. It is next to Baoning Mansion, more than 1,700 miles away from us."

Chen Mo spoke slowly. He didn't know where Ningye Mansion was before because he was of low status, but it was different now.

He couldn't get a more detailed map of Dingzhou, but the simplified version was not difficult.

"I have basically finished all the things I have done in my position. I will be relatively idle for the next half month. There is nothing important to do."

Chen Mo said this truthfully. His position is absolutely easy. He only needs to collect and send money.

As for other matters, his subordinates will do it for him, so he doesn't have to do it himself.

If the clerks don't come, he can just sit there.

"If you want to go to Ningye Mansion to find your relatives, I will prepare and send you there."

If she doesn't escort her, she may not even walk half of the way.

"If you don't want to go and are willing to stay at home, I will marry you."

Chen Mo stopped talking after he finished speaking. The nominal relationship between him and Zhao Yu has lasted for almost a year.

Now, no matter what, it is time to make a decision. If you delay it any longer, it will be more difficult to solve.