Chapter 52: Ginseng

"Why go to such lengths?"

Lin Dao, coming over to clock in for work, walked out of the sleeping hall and saw Sun Dalang and his siblings coming to plead guilty.

"Young Master~" Sun Rong said with a sob in her voice, recounting the whole matter.

Finally, she pulled her elder brother to bow and plead guilty.

"I already publicly promised this before."

Lin Dao paid it no mind, calling for them to rise. "Dalang merely reiterated it."

"It's no problem."

"But it is indeed necessary to arrange personnel to specifically tally military merit."

"You're young, yet you think a lot." Lin Dao tapped Sun Rong. "Is it because you've read too many books?"

"I knew Young Master is a magnanimous man." Sun Dalang rose joyfully. "Sister, you're overthinking it."

Sun Rong wiped the corner of her eye and gave her elder brother a white-eyed look.

"Go." Lin Dao smiled and called out, "Summon the Jun Zhi Fu and the others to come eat breakfast together."

The so-called Jun Zhi Fu was the military strategist chaplain established by Cao Boss.

Later, to avoid the character "Shi" in Sima Shi's name taboo, it was changed to Jun Zhi Fu.

Jun Zhi refers to staff officers.

Fu means chief, with the sense of being in charge.

Put plainly, it is the chief of staff.

The chief of staff of the Beggar Army appointed by Lin Dao was Wang Meng.

The Wang Meng of history books possessed the talent of a king's assistant.

Though he was of humble birth, he had read military books extensively, excelled in strategy and troop deployment, was versed in both civil and military affairs, and had outstanding administrative ability.

A combination of Xiao He and Han Xin.

Lin Dao dared to use him, entrusting him with great responsibility from the start.

"Young Master~~~"

At the Side Hall of Jiande, Wang Meng and the others summoned came and saluted one by one.

"Sit down and eat." Lin Dao greeted everyone. "Heaven is great, earth is great, eating is greatest."

"Whatever the matter, say it after eating your fill."

Everyone agreed with this.

In the Beggar Army, whether they came early or late, all had known hunger.

They understood best that eating was the greatest meaning in the world.

On everyone's desk was a plate of four white flour steamed buns.

A large bowl of thick rice porridge, a can of luncheon meat, two boiled eggs, and side dishes of fermented black beans, pickled vegetables, and sauces.

White flour and refined rice were symbols of status in this era.

Sun Dalang and the others ate them every day, like poor people suddenly rich, wildly devouring abalone, sea cucumber, shark fin, and bird's nest.

On this point, Lin Dao couldn't be bothered to say more.

He himself had corn porridge and corn cakes.

He didn't eat luncheon meat either, eating fermented black beans and pickled vegetables with his meal.

Only after everyone had eaten and drunk their fill and the plates were cleared did they begin to discuss serious matters.

"Young Master."

Wang Meng took the lead and spoke first. "Last night's battle is over."

"A total of 1,197 true Hu heads were taken."

"The merit register has been completed; regarding the corresponding rewards, I ask the Lord to approve their distribution."

Having accessed the core data of the Beggar Army, Wang Meng was greatly shocked.

Especially the astonishingly high rewards.

In Wang Meng's words, if this method were implemented across the land and every reward could actually be distributed, then within ten years they would have to search mountains and seas to find a trace of the Hu people.

Everyone would go mad seeking Hu captive heads.

He thought the rewards Young Master offered were too high, but he did not raise any objection.

Wang Meng understood that Young Master had already spoken his word; after that, rewards could be increased, but absolutely never decreased.

Otherwise, it would deal a major blow to Young Master's prestige.

His only concern was how long such high rewards could be sustained.

Taking out a ballpoint pen from his pocket, Lin Dao wrote a "approved" character on the register.

"Young Master."

Wang Meng continued, "There are currently too many civilian laborers in the city."

"We should select the strong and able, conscript them into the army, to strengthen our forces."

"Training troops is fine," Lin Dao's eyelid twitched, "but it was said before that only those who take Hu captive heads may become military households."

"That is easily done."

Since Wang Meng had proposed it, he naturally already had a countermeasure: "Treat them as earth soldiers."

"Not entered into the military rolls, but sent to the front in war."

"Those who achieve merit and take heads may become regular soldiers."

Lin Dao nodded repeatedly. "Fine."

Wang Meng's matter was not yet finished.

He took out a booklet and handed it to Lin Dao.

"Lord Lang, I have reviewed the army's receipt and expenditure records."

"This aspect can be described as chaotic, and there are many discrepancies."

Lin Dao, sitting upright without moving, listened with a stern expression. "You mean someone has been tampering with the supplies?"

Jin Lian and Sun Rong, who were in charge of disbursements and receipts on the side, only felt a buzzing sound in their heads.

In their shock, they hurriedly stepped forward and saluted. "Lord Lang, we are wronged."

Wang Meng spoke up at the right moment. "It is not the general ledger, but the detailed accounts."

He gave an example to explain. "The army has a rule: each large pot of egg soup should use five eggs."

"I have specifically inspected them; the egg flowers in some of the large pots of egg soup absolutely number fewer than five."

"There is no error in the general ledger." Wang Meng gave an apologetic smile to Jin Lian and Sun Rong. "The two ladies are not at fault in this regard."

"It must be the handlers who have secretly deducted them."

"Besides that, there are many other matters that are improper."

"For instance, in the clothing factory, the daily loss of scraps is also a bit too much."

He was unclear what use this clothing factory served.

Those clothes looked weird, and he had never seen anyone in the Qihuo Army wear them.

Yet the Lord Lang kept investing large amounts of cloth into it, which truly made people doubtful and confused.

Hearing these things, Lin Dao also shook his head increasingly.

"They have only eaten a few days of full meals."

He calmed his breath. "Wang Meng, I authorize you to manage military and civil affairs, formulate punishment regulations, and get things under control."

"Military affairs you will manage, civil affairs also by you."

"Small matters you decide on your own; major matters you cannot decide, come find me."

Everyone was shocked.

This person actually received such regard from the Lord Lang?!

He has only served the Lord Lang for a few days, yet actually gained such trust.

Truly inconceivable~

Qin Lang and the others opened their mouths, but in the end, with complex expressions, did not speak.

Their origins were not high; many were even of commoner birth.

If it were high-ranking nobles occupying high positions, at this time they would have raised an uproar.

A mere Wang Meng of humble origin, what virtue and ability do you have!

Is the Nine-Rank Zhongzheng System fake?

Wang Meng, with a solemn expression, rose, stepped forward, and walked to the center of the hall.

Respectfully and reverently toward Lin Dao, he performed the grand ceremony, going through the process.

This is not appointing a general, but appointing a prime minister!

A prime minister appointment grasping both military and civil power in one hand, similar to that of Zhuge Wuhou.

Lin Dao stood up, walked to Wang Meng's side, and helped him up.

From Jin Lian's hand, he took his own ornamental sword.

It was the craft ornamental sword previously ordered online; its appearance and workmanship were extremely exquisite and beautiful, yet it lacked practicality.

Placing the craft ornamental sword in Wang Meng's hand, Lin Dao spoke sincerely: "Please, Sir, lend me a helping hand, drive out the barbarians, and recover the Central Plains."

"Lord Lang's great kindness." Wang Meng, holding the sword with both hands, his face streaked with tears, voice choked: "Meng shall repay with death!"

Wang Meng, possessing the authority to investigate everything, walked through every warehouse in Xiangguo City.

Only now did he learn just how affluent the Qihuo Army was.

Various grains filling multiple warehouses, large batches of white cloth stacked nearly to the point of molding, tens of thousands of exquisitely crafted armor and weapons, over a hundred thousand cans of canned food, and all sorts of strange yet highly useful objects.

Previously hearing rumors that Lin Dao could conjure things out of thin air, Wang Meng only took it as ignorant commoners spreading rumors.

Until he saw the three-wheeled mechanical beasts, the flying sky luan, the life-saving divine medicine, black gunpowder and divine lamps, and various supplies piled like mountains.

Wang Meng believed.

Only an Immortal's methods could obtain so many things.

For Wang Meng, this was simply a god-tier starting hand.

In this life, he had never fought such an affluent war!

Wang Meng, with soaring work enthusiasm, began to earnestly and diligently handle affairs.

And on Lin Dao's side, he was worrying about funds.

The gold in his hand that was easy to sell had already been nearly exhausted.

But the people relying on him for food and survival were increasing.

He must open up new sources of wealth as soon as possible.

Arriving at the warehouse storing precious supplies, Lin Dao's gaze swept one by one over the fine silks, precious furniture, jewelry, books and paintings, and other objects.

Finally, his gaze settled on the medicinal herbs.

Ordinary Chinese medicine is not lacking in the Modern World.

Even with scientific management and cultivation, their efficacy and yield both far surpass the Ancient world.

To sell for money, he had to use precious medicinal herbs.

Among these, lingzhi, dragon saliva incense, Tianshan snow lotus, polygonum multiflorum, musk, ginseng, and the like are all of considerable value.

Moreover, all the medicinal herbs seized here are authentic, natural, wild goods.

Looking at the crates of precious medicinal herbs, Lin Dao tore off a piece of silk lining and wrapped up a cylindrical ginseng root.

Modern World, Hai Gang Cheng.

This city retained much cultural atmosphere.

There were many famous Chinese medicine shops.

Like Zhen Li Ji, Hui Xin Tang, Hua Ji Tang, Bao He Tang, and so on.

After a round of comparison, Lin Dao first went to the Xin Sheng Tang Chinese medicine specialty store in Hai Fu Zhong Xin.

Entering the store, a thick Chinese medicine smell rushed at his face.

A staff member came forward, "Sir, getting a prescription filled?"

Lin Dao shook his head, "Is the Manager in?"

The staff member carefully surveyed Lin Dao.

Clothing and bearing, he didn't look like someone coming to make trouble.

Before long, Lin Dao was in the Ke Shi, meeting the store's Manager.

"This sir, I wonder what brings you to our store?"

Lin Dao didn't waste words either, taking out the silk-wrapped ginseng from his backpack.

When the silk wrapping placed on the tea table was opened, revealing the ginseng inside, the Manager's smile disappeared, his gaze bright and fixed staring at the ginseng.

Able to become Manager, his eye for quality was still there.

"Sir, this is?"

"For sale."

Not long after, a Zhuang Gong doctor came over, holding a magnifying glass carefully examining the ginseng.

Lin Dao wasn't anxious either, sitting on the sofa to the side drinking water and relaxing.

He had confidence, knowing the ginseng he brought could not possibly be fake.

Calling it fake would be excessive; the ginseng he brought was genuine wild Ye Shan Shen.

Able to be sent as Offering to the wartime capital, the quality goes without saying.

Daring to send bad ones, Shi Hu would fly into a rage and often exterminate the whole Tribe.

The Old Doctor with beard and hair all white carefully observed for a long time.

The Manager to the side also saw the way of it.

If it were fake, artificially cultivated.

With the Old Doctor's level, a few glances would distinguish real from fake.

But now he'd looked this long without speaking.

Either the forgery level has broken through the horizon, or it's an extremely rare genuine article.

These days, wanting to find real wild goods, it's too difficult.

When the Old Doctor put down the magnifying glass and straightened up, his expression slightly excited.

"It's wild!"

"Hundred-year grade!"

End of Chapter