Chapter 60: Earning Some Blood and Sweat Money, the Messenger from the Capital Has Arrived (Begging for votes at the end of the mont

Early the next morning, after Pei Shaoqing arrived at the Hundred-Household Office, he called Sun Youliang over and handed him another list of materials. "Mingde, you don't need to do anything else these next few days; take your men and collect these items."

He was not using public office for private gain.

Collecting these for alchemy was to effectively control the Yaoguang Saintess; once he controlled the Yaoguang Saintess, he would improve his own strength and be better able to serve the imperial court.

Therefore, when it came down to it, this was actually official business.

"Yes! This subordinate obeys!" Sun Youliang agreed immediately, then reached out to take the material list.

Pei Shaoqing waved his hand. "Go."

"My Lord..." Sun Youliang hesitated, wanting to say more.

Pei Shaoqing frowned. "Speak your mind."

"Yes!" Sun Youliang responded, then pulled several silver notes from his bosom and offered them up. "This is a small token of appreciation from a few of us subordinates; please accept it, My Lord."

It wasn't much, just a mere one thousand taels.

"Why are you suddenly giving me money?" Pei Shaoqing didn't reach out to take them, but asked curiously instead.

Sun Youliang told the truth: "Last night, Song Youcai dragged me to a gambling den to play. We both lost everything, so we simply used the excuse of apprehending wanted criminals to raid the place. According to the rules, we must give you a share, My Lord."

"Did the place pay us their dues?" Pei Shaoqing still didn't take the silver notes, asking with a calm and indifferent air.

Sun Youliang shook his head hurriedly, speaking at a rapid pace: "Rest assured, My Lord, how could I be so ignorant of the rules? This place has never paid us any money."

"Since it was obtained through proper channels, then I shall accept it." Pei Shaoqing nodded slightly, and while taking the silver notes, he gave a word of caution: "But let this be the only time."

After all, the business environment of Tongzhou had to be maintained.

If they went around raiding people at every turn,

who would dare to come and do business in the future?

If no one came to do business, whose money would he collect?

"By the way, send word to the gambling den you raided to come and pay their dues quickly. With the protection of our Jing'an Guard, no one will dare to raid them again." Pei Shaoqing stuffed the silver notes into his bosom and said indifferently.

"Yes, My Lord." Sun Youliang smiled, then sighed with disappointment and said, "It's a pity there wasn't much money in the place at the time. We grabbed a box and took it back, only to open it and find it was full of useless IOUs."

"How could they be useless? With the IOUs in our hands, we can go find the people and collect the debts!" Pei Shaoqing said righteously, broadening his subordinate's horizons.

Sun Youliang stood frozen in place, dumbfounded, then his eyes gradually brightened, his face full of admiration. "My Lord could have simply raided them, yet you didn't. You truly have the heart of a Bodhisattva and unparalleled benevolence. This subordinate is in awe."

It was all because he had read too many books of the sages.

His brain had been polluted by knowledge.

He hadn't even been able to think of such a good idea.

Pei Shaoqing said with a reserved expression: "We are officials, after all. Everything must be done with a justifiable reason. Even if they complain to the prefectural city, we won't fear a lawsuit."

"My Lord's insight is profound!" Sun Youliang was truly worthy of being an educated man; not only did he understand immediately, but he could also draw inferences. "After we collect the debts with the IOUs, we can still go to the gambling den and demand a commission. After all, it was they who issued the loans and caused us trouble. We worked so hard to collect them, we can't have done it for nothing, right?"

"That would be a bit excessive. The money they earn running a gambling den is also hard-earned blood and sweat." The kind-hearted Pei Shaoqing couldn't bear it, and after pondering for a moment, he sighed and said: "Just collect a seventy percent commission from them."

The gambling den earned the blood and sweat money of the gamblers.

And he earned the blood and sweat money of the gambling den.

"My Lord is merciful," Sun Youliang praised.

The two looked at each other and laughed heartily.

"My Lord! My Lord!" Just then, Song Youcai ran in hurriedly, his face red and neck thick as he pointed outside and said: "My Lord! The Messenger has arrived!"

"The Messenger?" Pei Shaoqing was startled at first, then realized it referred to an imperial envoy. Thinking his reward for killing the Kaiyang Saint Son had arrived, he was overjoyed and said: "Quick, prepare the incense table to receive the decree."

"No need for that."

A feminine, delicate voice drifted over.

Pei Shaoqing looked up.

He saw a thin, middle-aged man dressed as a eunuch, his face powdered and painted, walking over slowly. Behind him followed two youths dressed as eunuchs and over a dozen imperial guards.

"Second Young Master Pei, let it be known to you: the Emperor has not issued any decree, so you need not trouble yourself."

The thin, middle-aged eunuch said with a smile.

No Imperial Decree?

Could it be a verbal order?

That's not right; with such a great merit, how could there be no Imperial Decree? Pei Shaoqing was puzzled, but asked politely on the surface: "How should I address you, Eunuch?"

"Oh!" The thin, middle-aged eunuch was startled, then giggled while holding a handkerchief with a delicate gesture. "Second Young Master Pei, you truly have a short memory. It hasn't even been half a year since you left the capital, and you've already forgotten this humble servant?"

Before Pei Shaoqing could speak, he added with a sudden realization and a sarcastic tone: "Oh, but then again, you are the Second Young Master of the Weiyuan Marquis household; how could you possibly keep a rootless person like me in your heart?"

Damn, it sounds like I should know this dead eunuch.

And it seems I might have offended the other party as well.

Beyond that, from the other party's attitude, Pei Shaoqing vaguely sensed the Emperor's stance. This time, he feared he hadn't waited for a reward, but had instead waited for trouble.

He froze in place for a moment.

Not knowing the other party's background, and even less the grudge between them and Pei Shaoqing, he didn't dare to speak rashly.

The middle-aged eunuch smiled: "Second Young Master, say something! Are you just going to ignore me now?"

"Eunuch, please come with me." Pei Shaoqing gritted his teeth, stepped forward, grabbed the eunuch's hand, and walked away.

The middle-aged eunuch was stunned for a moment. He could have easily broken free, but he didn't, instead following along half-willingly. "Aiyo, Second Young Master, where are you taking me? Slow down, slow down."

The eunuchs and imperial guards stood where they were, looking at each other in dismay.

"Follow, follow," one eunuch said.

Pei Shaoqing dragged the middle-aged eunuch back home.

"Young Master." Liu Yuheng looked at the eunuch and imperial guards trailing in behind Pei Shaoqing, feeling somewhat bewildered.

"Prepare some wine and food to entertain them." Pei Shaoqing dropped this sentence and continued pulling the middle-aged eunuch inside.

The middle-aged eunuch waved his hand behind his back.

He signaled for the others not to follow.

Meeting Pei Shaoqing again this time, he clearly sensed that the other had changed, and he wanted to see what exactly he was up to.

Pei Shaoqing led the middle-aged eunuch directly into his vault where he kept his money, and after closing the door, he opened one chest after another in the room right before his eyes, instantly revealing boxes full of gold, silver, jewels, and gleaming snowflake silver.

The room was instantly filled with the radiance of pearls and treasures.

The middle-aged eunuch was left staring in a daze.

"Please, feel free to choose, Eunuch. To be honest, I've been causing trouble in the capital, making many enemies, and spending my days drinking and carousing in a stupor; my memory isn't very good. Regardless of how I may have offended you in the past, how about we wipe the slate clean today?" Pei Shaoqing said with a frank expression.

The middle-aged eunuch stiffly turned his head to look at him.

No, this bribery of yours is too direct!

To be honest, on the road to Tongzhou, he had thought of a hundred ways to avenge the humiliation Pei Shaoqing had inflicted upon him back then.

After all, it is common knowledge that eunuchs are petty.

But at this moment, he truly felt the heavy, golden sincerity of Pei Shaoqing's apology, which instantly diluted the surging hatred he held in his heart.

They are rootless people, without descendants or support; these gold and silver treasures are the closest things they have!

Pei Shaoqing called out again, "Eunuch?"

The situation was urgent, and this was the only method he could think of to handle it; after all, even he loved money, so he didn't believe a eunuch could have higher principles and not love money.

Of course, if even this couldn't move the other party.

Then it would mean his grudge with the other party was deep enough to be a life-or-death matter, and he would just have to resort to blades.

"A place really tempers a person; the Second Young Master has truly grown a lot," the middle-aged eunuch said, coming back to his senses and sighing with genuine emotion, his entire face crinkling into an old chrysanthemum with a smile. "The Young Master is of noble status, yet you have taken the initiative to apologize to a castrated man like me. I cannot be unappreciative; let us treat the past as if it never happened."

Eunuchs like them grew up in the palace, worth even less than a chair or a potted flower; had they suffered few insults? One more from Pei Shaoqing didn't count for much.

Besides, the other party had already apologized.

And had brought out so much money as an apology gift.

A person shouldn't give up money just for the sake of dignity.

When you don't even have your manhood, what use is dignity?

Money is what matters!

(End of chapter)