Status

Fatty meat definitely can't be avoided.

If you can't get rich by getting promoted, then what's the point of the promotion!

Everyone in the yamen knew that the east and west markets were extremely lucrative. Just the East Market alone, Luo Lie would skim at least a hundred taels of silver from it every year.

Of course, the money wasn't easy to get, and Luo Lie wasn't easy to deal with either.

He had money, power, and connections, and was highly respected among the yamen runners, with dozens of ruthless individuals under his command.

Such a local tyrant was very difficult to handle.

The nephew and uncle discussed it further, but in the end, they didn't have many options. They could only deal with whatever came their way.

At the very least, they would secure an unassailable position.

So what if they couldn't outdo Luo Lie? They could just switch jobs!

After their discussion, Chen Gan said, "You are already a regular yamen runner."

"According to the rules, one regular, three assistants, and nine auxiliaries!"

He paused, looking at Su Mo with a serious expression. "Do you have any candidates for assistant or auxiliary roles?"

Su Mo gave a wry smile. "Where would I find candidates!"

"Or, should my uncle transfer to my side?"

Chen Gan glared with his triangular eyes. "Stupid!"

"If my uncle transfers over, wouldn't that be a waste of an assistant position?"

"Besides, this is your future team. My uncle won't interfere!"

He then changed the subject. "However, my uncle still has something to tell you."

"The miscellaneous laborers are the foundation of the regular runners, and they are extremely important."

"You must choose those who dare to fight and kill, can get things done, and are ruthless!"

"Kind-hearted people cannot be miscellaneous laborers!"

Su Mo nodded seriously. "Your nephew understands!"

The yamen runners had such a bad reputation, yet the highest leader, the County Magistrate, was highly respected and deeply loved by the people.

It was simply because the dirty and tiring work, along with all the scolding, was borne by the three shifts of yamen runners.

It was the same principle.

The assistant and auxiliary runners were there to take the blame for the regular runners.

Good people couldn't do this job; assistant and auxiliary runners were always chosen from among local ruffians.

Su Mo said dejectedly, "I really don't have any suitable candidates on hand."

"I can't possibly go looking in the markets myself, can I? That would be too undignified!"

Chen Gan chuckled. "Are you worried that a regular runner can't recruit miscellaneous laborers?"

"Within three days, you'll be overwhelmed with choices!"

"Those guys have noses sharper than rats. They might even show up at your doorstep tonight!"

Local ruffians, even the lowest strata of society, couldn't compare.

Once they put on the yamen's tiger skin, it was like a rocket launch. Who wouldn't be intimidated?

The positions of assistant and auxiliary runners were limited. Often, a single vacancy would cause local ruffians to fight tooth and nail for it!

To the point of literally fighting to the death.

Brawls were a common sight!

He paused, Chen Gan pondered for a moment, then said formally, "Having said that, you are capable, so you need to pay attention to your reputation!"

"Let the subordinates handle those dirty jobs. It's best not to get involved yourself!"

Other yamen subordinate clerks had no room for advancement, so they naturally didn't need to care about their reputation.

On the contrary, the worse the reputation of the yamen runners, the better, as it would instill fear in the unruly populace!

But Su Mo had the Imperial Guard behind him, and was rumored to be cultivating immortality.

In the future, he might be able to leap into the dragon's gate and become a high-ranking martial official.

His reputation would be very important.

Many officials were rotten to the core, yet outwardly sought a good reputation for their governance.

County officials and prefectural officials were particularly fond of face-saving projects like building bridges and paving roads, which was precisely the reason!

Zhong Sanyuan also knew how to conduct himself. He understood that Su Mo needed time to recruit his team, and the matters in the East Market couldn't be handed over in a day or two.

He immediately granted Su Mo three days of leave.

Su Mo originally wanted to go to Eagle Ravine Dock first to pick up his third aunt and the others.

Chen Gan waved his hand and said that Chen Bao had informants in the county town and knew about the matter here. He would send the person back himself, so there was no need to make a special trip.

Su Mo returned to his residence and couldn't help but open his mission panel.

[Mission: The Lost Golden Lock, Completed!]

[Reward: Favorability +10%!]

[Reward: Changping County Fast Squad Fast Hand Regular Service (Issued)]

[Reward: Imperial Guard Soldier (Pending Issuance)]

The reward for [Changping County Fast Squad Fast Hand Regular Service] changed to issued.

[Imperial Guard Soldier] remained in pending issuance status.

Su Mo frowned.

No activity for so long?

Do I have to go find Lin Moyin, the mission NPC, myself to claim it?

What excuse can I use to see her?

Others think I'm an Imperial Guard Dark Guard, but Su Mo knows the truth of the matter!

Su Mo did want to see the Female Captain.

Lin Moyin was the only one with a yellow exclamation mark!

Who knows if there are other mission NPCs!

Naturally, he had to keep a close eye on this NPC to "milk" him.

Also, Su Mo wanted to see if the Female Captain had any new quests available!

Unfortunately, an Imperial Guard Centurion, a high-ranking official of the sixth rank, with a special position, was not someone he could just meet whenever he pleased.

Fortunately, the Locust God Temple dry corpse case would definitely have follow-up developments.

He was already a regular member of the Fast Squad, so he would definitely have a chance to see Lin Moyin again. There was no need to rush.

Forget it, he was dead tired.

The world is vast, but eating and sleeping are the most important things!

He would take a nap first!

Unfortunately, Su Mo didn't sleep for long before someone knocked on his door.

When he opened the door, he saw a butler-like old man. He looked somewhat distinguished, but Su Mo had never seen him before.

Two servants carrying baskets followed behind him.

The old man saw Su Mo and immediately smiled, "Are you perhaps Lord Su Ya?"

Su Mo frowned, "I dare not claim to be 'Lord.' I am indeed Su Mo."

"May I ask who you are, old sir?"

The old man quickly explained, "This old servant is Wang Youcai, the steward of the Bai Family, the Ward Chief."

"The Ward Chief heard of the yamen runner Su's promotion to regular service and specially ordered me to deliver a small gift to congratulate you. Please do not reject it, Master Su!"

Su Mo's heart stirred.

Just as my uncle said, those guys have noses sharper than rats!

They got wind of it not long after I became a regular!

The Ward Chief, the head of a ward.

His status was equivalent to a village chief in the countryside outside the city.

He had the obligation to assist with tax collection, corvée labor, and public security. In the eyes of ordinary people, he was quite a significant figure.

The ward chiefs in the city were generally held by gentry and powerful families. They already commanded considerable prestige, and their influence was not much less than that of regular yamen officials.

Take Ping'an Ward for example, with over three hundred households and two thousand people.

If anything happened in the ward without the Ward Chief's cooperation, it would be very difficult to handle.

Thinking of this, Su Mo immediately smiled, "So you are Steward Wang!"

"This junior shamelessly thanks Ward Chief Bai for his kindness!"

"Please convey to Ward Chief Bai that I will visit him to express my gratitude another day."

Wang Youcai quickly said, "This old servant will certainly report back to the family head."

"Master Su's promotion to regular service must mean you have many matters to attend to."

"This old servant shall not disturb you further!"

Afterward, he instructed the two servants to carry the gifts into the residence, bowed, and took his leave!

Opening the gift basket, there was a gift list on top.

Su Mo glanced at it. The gifts weren't exactly precious.

Common items like cured meat, dried fish, preserved fruits, cloth, and tea.

The most practical were the two silver ingots, each weighing five taels!

However, two baskets of gifts, worth twelve to thirteen taels of silver, really wasn't a meager offering!

Su Mo couldn't help but sigh.

No wonder his third uncle dreamed of becoming a regular official, or even a higher-ranking one.

Official wealth, official wealth; become an official and you get rich!

Before, his third uncle, that old subordinate clerk, was feared by the common folk in the neighborhood. Yet, during festivals and holidays, they still had to send gifts to the Bai Family.

Now it was the other way around!

But Su Mo was also a little confused.

Twenty taels of silver could buy a regular official position.

The Bai Family suddenly sent over a dozen taels of silver as congratulatory gifts; it shouldn't be like this!