Handing Out Reward Silver

The next day, with no duty at the yamen, Huang Shaojie slept until the sun was high in the sky before getting up.

He first went to the Imperial Guard yamen to sign in and collect his one-year internal energy reward, then returned to the residence.

After eating, he carried a birdcage and took Xiao He out for a stroll. He listened to songs at the pleasure quarter, watched operas at the Pear Garden, and heard storytellers at the teahouse, leisurely spending a day as a pampered young master.

Yet even so, Huang Baiwan was so delighted he could not close his mouth, repeatedly telling his wife that their precious son had finally grown sensible.

After all, the former owner had gone out every day to indulge in wine and women, drinking and gambling. The silver he lost alone amounted to several hundred taels each month.

Now Huang Shaojie merely went out to listen to music and watch operas. He was practically a model young man with five virtues!

The following day.

That morning, he arrived at the Imperial Guard yamen to press his seal and sign in, when the system's prompt sounded in his mind.

Sign-in successful. Received a one-year internal energy reward.

A stream of true qi poured into Huang Shaojie's body.

When he arrived at the Ninth Station, his colleagues gradually arrived as well.

Upon seeing Huang Shaojie, his colleagues all greeted him politely with cupped fists. Even Zhu Shi and the other two Squad Leaders were exceptionally warm toward him.

Although Huang Shaojie had been an Imperial Guard Captain for less than two months, he had recently earned merit again and again, capturing a Japanese pirate spy and apprehending a Flower Picking Thief.

Everyone now knew that this pampered young master, who had entered through the back door, was actually a master who had kept his true abilities well hidden.

There was no need to say it—someone like him had a boundless future in the Imperial Guard.

"Shaojie, I never expected your martial arts to be so good. Yesterday, even Battalion Commander Xiao praised your skills, saying they were no weaker than hers!"

Zhu Shi came over to Huang Shaojie and praised him with a broad smile.

Huang Shaojie politely cupped his fists. "Captain Zhu overpraises me. Being able to capture that Flower Picking Thief was mainly Battalion Commander Xiao's merit."

Just as he spoke, Xiao Qiuyue walked in. Hearing Huang Shaojie's words, a faint smile appeared on her face.

This Huang Shaojie was not only unfathomably skilled in martial arts, but also humble and low-key. He truly was an exceptionally rare talent.

"Greetings, Battalion Commander Xiao."

Seeing Xiao Qiuyue enter, everyone stopped talking and saluted her with cupped fists.

After roll call and a rough assignment of the day's tasks, Xiao Qiuyue looked at Huang Shaojie and said, "Huang Shaojie, come with me to the main hall. Commander Niu wants to see you."

"Yes."

Huang Shaojie cupped his fists in acknowledgment.

"Shaojie, Commander Niu will probably reward you."

Zhu Shi whispered to Huang Shaojie with a smile.

For a dignified Commander to summon a mere Imperial Guard Captain, there was surely good news.

Under the envious gazes of his colleagues, Huang Shaojie followed Xiao Qiuyue to the main hall.

In the main hall, Niu Ren sat in the seat of honor, drinking tea from a Grand Tutor chair.

Huang Shaojie stepped forward, bowed, and saluted. "Imperial Guard Captain Huang Shaojie pays respects to Commander Niu."

"Dispense with the formalities."

Niu Ren set down his teacup and examined this newly recruited junior captain. He was quite a fine-looking young man.

"Huang Shaojie, I heard from Battalion Commander Xiao that the credit for capturing the Flower Picking Thief was mainly yours?"

Huang Shaojie cupped his fists. "Battalion Commander Xiao flatters me. Without her deployment and command, how could this subordinate possibly have captured that Flower Thief?"

Niu Ren smiled faintly. "You are quite humble. Battalion Commander Xiao said your martial arts surpass even hers, and she strongly recommended you to me. Yesterday, I had someone send a letter to the Capital City by fast horse, recommending that the Commander of the Imperial Guard promote you to Squad Leader. At most, the appointment document should arrive within half a month."

Though an Imperial Guard Squad Leader was merely a Subordinate Seventh Rank official, he was still an imperial official and required a formal appointment document.

The difference was that the Imperial Guard answered directly to the Emperor. Thus, appointments and promotions did not need the Grand Secretariat's approval, but were directly authorized by the Commander of the Imperial Guard.

In truth, it was merely going through the motions.

Niu Ren oversaw the Suzhou Imperial Guard and had the authority to promote or demote any post below Hundred-Household Officer within the Suzhou Imperial Guard. The Commander of the Imperial Guard generally would not interfere unless there were special circumstances.

Since Niu Ren had already sent the paperwork to the Capital City, Huang Shaojie's promotion to Squad Leader was as good as nailed to the board.

"Thank you, Commander Niu, for your support!"

Overjoyed inwardly, Huang Shaojie once again bowed to Niu Ren, who sat in the seat of honor.

Niu Ren lifted his teacup and took a sip before continuing, "Last time, you captured a Japanese pirate spy, and this time, you apprehended a Flower Picking Thief. Rewards shall be given according to merit. You are awarded three hundred taels of fine silver."

With that, he waved a hand. A guard came over carrying a small wooden box and handed it to Huang Shaojie.

"Thank you, Commander!"

Huang Shaojie first bowed in thanks, then accepted the small wooden box containing three hundred taels of fine silver.

Niu Ren then said to Xiao Qiuyue, "Battalion Commander Xiao, your Ninth Station solved the Serial Flower Thief Case this time, which counts as no small merit. You are awarded one hundred taels of silver, and everyone in the Ninth Station is awarded one hundred taels of silver."

Yesterday, after handing that Flower Thief over to the Ministry of Justice, Prefect Liu had sent another hundred taels of gold in thanks, making a total of three hundred taels of gold.

Three hundred taels of gold equaled three thousand taels of silver. Commander Niu pocketed one thousand taels of silver for himself, used five hundred taels to give rewards, and put the remaining fifteen hundred taels into the yamen treasury.

"Thank you, sir."

Xiao Qiuyue accepted another brocade box from the guard, containing two hundred taels of silver.

When they went off duty that afternoon, Xiao Qiuyue gathered everyone and handed out the reward silver.

The three Squad Leaders each received five taels of silver, while the fifty-odd Imperial Guard Captains each received a little over one tael. All the captains beamed with delight.

Their monthly salaries were only three or four taels of silver. Receiving over a tael just for standing night watch for a few nights was already quite good.

"Tonight at the Drunken Immortal Restaurant, this young master is treating!"

Huang Shaojie patted his chest boldly as he spoke to his colleagues.

He had received a reward of three hundred taels of silver, and with his promotion to Squad Leader approaching, his heart was brimming with joy.

Though his father, Huang Baiwan, gave him at least a hundred taels of silver every month as spending money, earning it through his own ability still gave him a greater sense of accomplishment.

"Young Master Huang is treating? Then tonight, we must drink our fill!"

"Brother Huang is truly generous. With so many people eating at the Drunken Immortal Restaurant, it will probably cost over ten taels of silver!"

"He is the son of Squire Huang Baiwan, with wealth beyond measure. Would he care about a mere dozen taels of silver? Besides, Young Master Huang received three hundred taels of reward silver from Commander Niu today."

"I heard Commander Niu intends to promote Young Master Huang to Squad Leader. From now on, we ought to call him Squad Leader Huang."

"Oh? Then tonight, we must drink even more heartily, to celebrate Young Master Huang's promotion in advance!"

"Young Master Huang, how about taking us to the pleasure quarter to hear some songs tonight? I heard Young Master Huang used to be a regular there..."

Everyone laughed and chimed in, stirring up a ruckus.

Huang Shaojie smilingly rebuked that man. "What pleasure quarter? This young master has never gone to such smoky, willow-lined places. Besides, do you expect Battalion Commander Xiao to accompany us to the pleasure quarter?"

With that, Huang Shaojie looked at Xiao Qiuyue and cupped his fists. "Battalion Commander Xiao, would you honor us by joining your subordinates at the Drunken Immortal Restaurant tonight?"

Xiao Qiuyue clasped her hands behind her back and smiled faintly. "If Young Master Huang is treating, this Battalion Commander would be a fool not to eat!"