Black Gold Empire?

Black Gold Empire?

Perhaps because it was payday, the Patrol Inspectorate—which usually had barely anyone around even at roll call—was now packed to the brim and full of clamor.

Chu Mu stared blankly at the banknotes in his hand, feeling a little dazed.

If he remembered correctly, he had only joined the Patrol Inspectorate four or five days ago.

And his Monthly Salary was only eight silvers.

Calculated out, if wages were being paid, his Monthly Salary should at most be a little over one silver.

Yet now, he was holding more than a dozen banknotes, amounting to over nine silvers! "Haha, gone stupid, have you!"

He Ergou sidled up to the money, threw an arm around Chu Mu's shoulders, and grinned with smug delight all over his face.

Chu Mu looked up and casually shifted away, gazing at He Ergou as if puzzled. "This extra money is..."

He Ergou's big loud mouth immediately started clacking away. "It's the same for everyone. We get double pay. One share is the wages the Imperial Court gives us, and the other is what those above reward us with..."

Chu Mu vaguely understood, but still asked tentatively, "This reward money?"

He Ergou raised his hand and pointed toward the Mine, lowering his voice slightly. "The Mine. Our County's treasure bowl. Every time mine materials are sent to Prefecture City, the County withholds a portion."

"How expensive are mine materials? Just think about it. In that Mine of ours, thousands of Forced Laborers dig day and night. How much money would that be!"

"The Masters above eat the meat, so shouldn't they at least let us drink some soup!"

"Everyone in our County with official status gets double pay..."

Chu Mu swallowed. He realized he had still been far too naive. He had originally thought that vast net of interests was still quite far away from him. Who could have imagined that even a tiny patrol inspector like him was inside the net too...

He actually rather wanted to ask whether among Qinghe County's Masters, there was one called Lei Luo.

This was a pure, unadulterated Black Gold Empire! In the end, Chu Mu still asked, "Being this brazen, aren't they afraid people above will investigate?"

He Ergou curled his lip. "You think the Masters in the Prefecture aren't greedy?"

"Who would turn their back on money!"

"Besides, who would dare investigate?"

Chu Mu did not ask any more. A vast net of interests had linked together every ruling class in Qinghe County, and it would inevitably involve Prefecture City as well.

With such an enormous web of profit, unless there was a thorough top-to-bottom clearing of accounts from below, or unless someone even higher up possessed the determination and authority to kill people like mowing hemp, like Zhu Yuanzhang, then ordinary small squalls and little bouts of trouble could not possibly shake it in the slightest.

At this moment, for some reason, Chu Mu felt a sudden sense of urgency. He wanted to find a history book and take a proper look at what this Great Chu under heaven was really like.

"Now you know the benefits of being in our Patrol Inspectorate, right!"

He Ergou prattled on in his careless, loudmouthed way, then abruptly changed tack, hugging Chu Mu as he laughed. "How about it? Lend me some money. I'll pay you back when wages are issued next month!"

"New guy, don't believe him. When has this bastard ever repaid money he borrowed? It all gets sent onto women's bellies. Sooner or later, he'll die on top of a woman!"

He Ergou instantly flew into a rage, charging over and cursing, "What the hell are you babbling about! Looking for trouble, are you!"

"Oh my, this dog's even grown a temper. What, did I say something wrong?"

"Fuck (a kind of grass)..."

This change was simply too sudden. Chu Mu had not even reacted to the matter of lending money before He Ergou was already grappling with someone.

Only... although He Ergou had made the first move, it seemed... he was the one getting beaten...

Fortunately, there were many patrol inspectors around, and even more squad leaders and the like in a great heap. Very soon, along with a sharp shout, patrol inspectors immediately rushed up to break up the fight.

Then the two of them were bound and dragged away. Beside them was a Hundred Household with a darkened face. It was obvious that next, neither of them would have any good fruit to eat.

"Uh..."

Chu Mu blinked. He suddenly kind of wanted to lend money to He Ergou. It would not matter even if he borrowed it and never paid it back.

This He Ergou really was a little pitiful. Twice he had come to borrow money from him, and each time, before Chu Mu could even find an excuse to refuse—or even get a word out—he had been hauled away.

"Does this count as me taking dirty money too?"

Chu Mu lowered his head and glanced at the banknotes in his hand. Heaven and earth could bear witness: he was an outstanding young man of the new century, and yet after coming to this world for barely a dozen days, he had actually started taking dirty money?

Chu Mu silently put the money into his robe. The already thick stack of banknotes grew a little thicker, just like the increase in skill proficiency on the Light Screen Panel.

Mm... reassuring...

Chu Mu estimated that when he received a sixteen-silver Monthly Salary next month, he would probably feel even more reassured.

"Mu Ge'er!"

He had only taken a few steps when Chu Mu's shoulder was hooked again.

"I'll treat you to Wind and Moon Tower tonight!"

This time, Chu Mu did not shift away. He glanced at the banknotes clutched in Xu Yuan's hand and said with pointed meaning, "You made a fortune, kid?"

"Of course!"

Xu Yuan chuckled, then cautiously looked around before leaning close to Chu Mu's ear. "Mu Ge'er, I made a huge fortune!"

Chu Mu put on a puzzled look. "A huge fortune?"

"At least this much!"

Xu Yuan spread his hand and smugly held up a number.

"Twenty Silver?"

Chu Mu raised an eyebrow, somewhat surprised. The black-market price was Twenty Copper for a jin of iron; Twenty Silver meant one hundred jin of iron. Even a newcomer like Xu Yuan could get Twenty Silver—just how much iron had that gang of theirs stolen?

But when he thought of the scale of the mine, Chu Mu felt relieved again. Several thousand forced laborers worked day and night; the bit of iron they stole, compared to the size of the mine, was probably only one hair from nine oxen.

The real big share had to be with those masters in the county.

Anyone in the county with official status drew double pay. Even the scale of this soup was so large; one could imagine how terrifying the meat of the real main dish would be.

Xu Yuan had thought Chu Mu would ask out of curiosity, but after waiting for a long while without hearing him speak, he could not help asking, "Mu Ge'er, aren't you curious where I made my fortune?"

Chu Mu shook his head. "Keep your own secrets safe. Don't tell me!"

Xu Yuan froze, then grinned. "But I'm telling you, Mu Ge'er, not anyone else!"

Chu Mu waved a hand and changed the subject. "You said just now you'd treat me to dinner at Wind and Moon Tower tonight, right?"

Xu Yuan immediately grew excited. "Mu Ge'er, you have no idea, in Wind and Moon Tower..."

Chu Mu glanced at Xu Yuan's excited look and could not help feeling rather speechless.

Wind and Moon Tower—one could tell its nature just from the name.

A place to eat, drink, and seek pleasure.

If Chu Mu remembered correctly, this kid Xu Yuan probably hadn't even grown all his hair yet, and he had actually run off to a place like that to have fun?

A little pony pulling a big cart? Could he even pull it?

Chu Mu suddenly felt a little curious as well and could not help sizing Xu Yuan up from head to toe.

"Mu Ge'er, what's wrong?"

Chu Mu did not answer. Instead, he asked, "When did you go to Wind and Moon Tower?"

"Last time, when I followed the Thousand Household there!"

Chu Mu's expression turned somewhat strange. "So afterward, you went there by yourself again?"

"Heh heh..."

Xu Yuan was clearly a little embarrassed and only laughed heh-heh.

Chu Mu was even more speechless...