Status

Fat meat definitely had to be eaten.

If a promotion didn't bring wealth, what was the point of getting promoted?

Everyone in the yamen knew that both the Eastern and Western Markets were loaded with grease money. Luo Lie alone skimmed at least a hundred taels of silver from the Eastern Market every year.

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

He had money, power, and connections, commanded great prestige among the runners, and had dozens of vicious characters under him.

A local tyrant like that was extremely difficult to handle.

The uncle and nephew discussed it again, but in the end, they had few options. They could only meet soldiers with soldiers and ward off water with earth.

At least they would remain in an undefeated position.

So what if they couldn't outcompete Luo Lie? At worst, they would change jobs!

After they finished discussing it, Chen Gan said, "You're already a Regular Servant."

"According to the rules, one Regular Servant, three Assistant Servants, and nine Fast Hands!"

After pausing, he looked at Su Mo, his expression turning serious. "Do you have candidates for Assistant Servants and Fast Hands?"

Su Mo smiled bitterly. "Where would I get candidates?"

"How about you transfer over to my side, Uncle?"

Chen Gan glared at him with his triangular eyes. "Idiot!"

"If I transferred over, wouldn't that waste an Assistant Servant position?"

"Besides, this will be your future team. I won't meddle in it!"

He then changed the subject. "Still, your uncle has to give you a word of advice."

"Miscellaneous servants are the foundation of Regular Servants, and they're extremely important."

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

"Kindhearted people can't do this job!"

Su Mo nodded solemnly. "Your nephew understands!"

The runners' reputation was so bad, yet their highest leader, the county magistrate, enjoyed tremendous prestige and was deeply loved by the people.

It was simply that the dirty work, tiring work, and abuse were all borne by the three squads of runners.

The same principle applied here.

Assistant Servants and Fast Hands existed to take the blame for Regular Servants.

Good people couldn't do this sort of thing. Assistant Servants and Fast Hands had always been chosen from among local ruffians and hoodlums.

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

"I can't exactly go searching through the wards myself, can I? Wouldn't that be beneath me?"

Chen Gan laughed. "A Regular Servant is actually worried about not being able to recruit miscellaneous servants?"

"Within three days, you'll be spoiled for choice!"

"Those fellows have noses sharper than rats. They might even sniff out your residence tonight!"

Ruffians and hoodlums couldn't even be counted among the lowest of the three teachings and nine streams.

But once they put on the yamen's tiger skin, it was like turning an old musket into a cannon. Who wouldn't fear them?

Assistant Servant and Fast Hand positions were limited. Often, a single vacancy was enough to make ruffians and hoodlums fight over it tooth and nail!

And he meant the kind of fight that actually drew blood.

All-out brawls were a common sight!

After a pause, Chen Gan pondered for a moment before speaking seriously again. "That may be so, but you're capable. You need to pay attention to your reputation!"

"If those filthy matters can be left to your men, let them handle them. It's best if you don't get your own hands dirty!"

The Subordinate Clerks in other yamens had no room for advancement, so naturally they didn't need to worry about their reputations.

Runners, on the other hand, benefited from having as foul a reputation as possible. That was the only way to make troublesome commoners afraid!

But Su Mo had the Imperial Guard behind him, and he was even suspected of cultivating immortality.

In the future, he might well leap over the dragon gate and become a ranked military officer.

His reputation was therefore very important.

Many officials were rotten to the core, yet openly pursued a good official reputation.

County magistrates and prefectural officials were especially enthusiastic about face-saving projects such as building bridges and paving roads. That was precisely why!

Zhong Sanyuan also knew how to conduct himself. He knew Su Mo needed time to recruit his team, and that the affairs at the Eastern Market couldn't be handed over immediately.

He therefore approved three days of leave for Su Mo.

Su Mo had originally planned to go to Eagle Ravine Dock first and bring his Third Aunt and the others back.

Chen Gan waved his hand and said that Chen Bao had informants in the county seat and knew what had happened. He would naturally send them back, so there was no need to make a special trip.

After returning to his residence, Su Mo couldn't resist opening the mission panel.

[Mission: The Lost Golden Lock, completed!]

[Reward: Favorability +10%!]

[Reward: Changping County Fast Squad Fast Hand Regular Servant (issued)]

[Reward: Imperial Guard Strongman (pending)]

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

[Imperial Guard Strongman] was still marked pending.

Su Mo frowned.

There had been no movement for so long?

Did he have to personally find Lin Moyin, the mission NPC, to claim it?

What excuse could he use to go see her?

Everyone else thought he was an Imperial Guard secret agent, but Su Mo himself knew exactly what was going on!

Su Mo really did want to see the Female Captain.

Lin Moyin was the only person who had appeared with a yellow exclamation mark!

Who knew whether there were any other mission NPCs?

Naturally, he had to keep a close eye on this NPC and milk her for all she was worth.

Besides, Su Mo wanted to see whether the Female Captain had any new missions!

Unfortunately, an Imperial Guard Centurion was a high-ranking official of Principal Sixth Rank, and her position was special. She wasn't someone he could see just because he wanted to.

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

Now that he was a Fast Hand Regular Servant, he would certainly have another chance to see Lin Moyin. There was no need to rush.

Forget it. He was dead tired.

The world was vast, but nothing was more important than eating and sleeping!

He would take an afternoon nap first!

Unfortunately, Su Mo hadn't slept for long before someone knocked on the door.

When he opened it, he saw an old man dressed like a steward. He looked rather imposing, but Su Mo had never seen him before.

Two servants carrying baskets followed behind him.

As soon as the old man saw Su Mo, he smiled. "Might you be Officer Su, Lord Su?"

Su Mo frowned. "I'm hardly worthy of being called 'Lord.' I am indeed Su Mo."

"May I ask who you are, Elder?"

The old man hurriedly explained, "This old man is Wang Youcai, the steward of the Bai Family, whose head is the Ward Chief."

"Our Ward Chief heard that Officer Su had been promoted to Regular Servant, so he specifically ordered this old man to bring a modest congratulatory gift. It's a token of congratulations, and I hope Officer Su won't disdain it!"

Su Mo's heart stirred.

Just as his uncle had said, those fellows' noses really were sharper than rats'!

He had only become a Regular Servant a short while ago, and word had already spread!

A Ward Chief was the head of a ward.

His position was equivalent to that of a village head in the countryside outside the city.

He was obligated to assist with matters such as tax collection, corvée labor, and public order. In the eyes of ordinary commoners, he was already a formidable person.

The Ward Chiefs of the various city wards were basically appointed from among the gentry and powerful clans. They already possessed considerable prestige, and their power was scarcely inferior to that of a yamen Regular Servant.

Take Ping'an Ward, for example. It had more than three hundred households and over two thousand people.

If something happened in the ward, it would be extremely difficult to settle without the Ward Chief's cooperation.

Thinking of this, Su Mo immediately smiled. "So you're Steward Wang!"

"Then I'll shamelessly thank Ward Chief Bai for his kindness!"

"Please report back to Ward Chief Bai that I will visit his residence and offer my thanks another day."

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

"Now that Officer Su has been promoted to Regular Servant, you must have many matters to deal with."

"This old man won't disturb you any further!"

He then had the two servants carry the gift baskets into the residence before bowing and taking his leave!

When Su Mo opened the gift baskets, he found a gift list on top.

Su Mo looked it over. The gifts couldn't be called precious.

Cured meat, dried fish, candied fruit, bolts of cloth, tea leaves, and other ordinary items.

The most practical items were undoubtedly the two five-tael ingots of silver!

However, the two baskets of gifts were worth twelve or thirteen taels of silver. That really couldn't be considered a modest gift!

Su Mo couldn't help sighing.

No wonder his Third Uncle dreamed of becoming a Regular Servant, or even an official.

An official brought wealth—become an official, and wealth would follow!

In the past, as an old Subordinate Clerk, his Third Uncle had been feared by everyone in the ward, yet the commoners still had to send gifts to the Bai Family during festivals.

Now the situation had been reversed!

Still, Su Mo was somewhat puzzled.

A Regular Servant position could be bought for twenty taels of silver.

The Bai Family had suddenly sent over a congratulatory gift worth more than ten taels of silver. That didn't seem right!