Interfering in the Private Salt Trade

Chen Gan's old eyes lit up, and he called out to Scar Meng outside, "Have him wait a moment."

After Scar Meng left, Chen Gan slapped his thigh and grinned slyly, "That Luo Lie, he's actively surrendered and admitted defeat!"

"You've swallowed this piece of fat meat in the East Market!"

"Zhong Sanyuan must be regretting it to his core!"

Su Mo understood this part: "I'm wearing the skin of the Imperial Guard, so he has to acknowledge me whether he wants to or not!"

Chen Gan stroked his beard and chuckled, "You can be taught!"

"However, even though he has no choice but to submit, you can't underestimate him or treat him carelessly!"

"Since a banquet has been prepared, you should go quickly."

At that time, most people ate twice a day, with breakfast being the most important meal.

Luo Lie had sent someone over early in the morning to proactively invite Su Mo to discuss the handover.

The sincerity was absolutely overflowing.

Su Mo smiled, "Mm!"

"I'll just buy the County Magistrate's return gift while I'm at it."

Chen Gan was slightly surprised, "Have you decided?"

Su Mo casually replied, "Does this even need thinking about? The seal and the calligraphy set!"

Chen Gan froze for a moment, "Are you sure you're going to help him?"

He became serious, "This is no joke!"

"Xue Shan is the chief official of a major county. If he were to be promoted further, he wouldn't be transferred to another county; he'd have to go to the prefectural government."

"This is a promotion for a sixth-rank official, and it would require the connections of a Captain to make it happen!"

"Moreover, even if she were willing to help, she'd probably have to expend a lot of favors."

"Do you have a way to convince Captain Lin?"

He still couldn't believe it.

His own nephew, just the day before, had only been a lowly yamen laborer.

Today, he had the ability to influence the promotion and demotion of court officials of the seventh rank, which was simply unbelievable!

Su Mo chuckled, "Third Uncle, you're overthinking it!"

"When did I say I was going to ask that Captain for help?"

This time, it was Chen Gan's turn to be confused, "You're not going to use the Imperial Guard Captain's connections?"

"How are you going to help the County Magistrate get promoted?"

He took a deep breath, shock flashing in his eyes, "Could it be that you have other connections?"

Su Mo looked at his uncle with some strange curiosity.

Why couldn't he understand such a simple logic?

He explained, "Xue Shan has already served in Changping for six years!"

"According to regulations, a county official can serve at most nine years!"

"Changping County is currently well-governed, and with the grand examination approaching, if nothing unexpected happens, Xue Shan should be able to move up."

Chen Gan frowned, "That may be so."

"But this incident with the heretical cult has occurred!"

"If it leads to a major disaster, and Xue Shan luckily survives, he'll definitely lose his official hat, let alone get promoted!"

Su Mo blinked, "Him losing his official hat, what does that have to do with the seal and the calligraphy set?"

"Even if he steps down, can he revoke my position?"

Chen Gan was stunned on the spot, speechless!

This was clearly a risk-free transaction, a guaranteed win!

How had he not thought of this?

Was he still groggy from drinking too much yesterday?

Seeing Chen Gan's bewildered expression, Su Mo secretly felt smug, "Third Uncle, I'm going to meet Luo Lie now!"

It took Chen Gan a while to come to his senses.

He fiercely downed a large bowl of strong tea, finishing it in one gulp.

Hmph!

Although he felt a bit annoyed.

He was also very gratified!

His nephew was born to be a player in the officialdom!

His growth speed is truly astonishing!

In a few more days, I probably won't have anything left to teach him.

Meeting Luo Lie, there wasn't much to say.

It was just Luo Lie alone.

After their meeting and a few pleasantries, he proactively handed a yellowed booklet to Su Mo.

The booklet contained information and precautions regarding the East Market.

It listed over a hundred shops with relatively good profits, such as brothels, gambling dens, and taverns, along with records of their monthly fees.

Su Mo glanced through it briefly.

The income from the shops listed alone amounted to over eighty taels of silver each month!

No wonder Luo Lie looked like he wanted to eat Su Mo alive yesterday.

This was like having a stable job with an annual income of tens of millions in modern times, only to have it snatched away. Who wouldn't be furious?

One thousand taels of silver, its purchasing power might be far greater than tens of millions in modern times!

If nothing else, in Changping City, it would definitely be enough to buy ten or eight courtyards with three entrances!

In modern times, with ten million, you want to buy ten large apartments in a second or third-tier city? What are you dreaming of?

If it were me, let alone bringing a pig's head to someone's door.

I might even show up with a knife!

Luo Lie also stated frankly.

Coupled with other miscellaneous income, it was about a hundred taels of silver per month.

Half was handed over to Zhong Sanyuan, and two-thirds were distributed among the seven or eight Regular Servants under him.

The informants, eyes, ears, and local ruffians in the East Market needed to be given some benefits to get them to do things.

Luo Lie's personal take was only about ten taels of silver.

Of course.

Ten-odd taels of silver was still a considerable amount.

The County Magistrate's annual salary, converted to silver, was fifty to sixty taels, less than the extra income of a deputy constable!

Luo Lie was so cooperative, it was as if he was placing his face at Su Mo's feet for him to trample on.

Su Mo was, after all, young and not as thick-skinned as that old fox Chen Gan.

Therefore, he agreed to Luo Lie's small request without much consideration.

Luo Lie wanted the Regular Servant position vacated by Leper Zhou.

Leper Zhou was apprehended by Su Mo.

Who would dare to snatch the vacant Regular Servant position if Su Mo didn't give the word?

He was a formidable individual who had even taken down the Magistrate's Clerk!

After parting ways with Luo Lie, Su Mo went to an antique shop called Eight Treasures Pavilion.

He spent a few large coins to buy calligraphy rubbings and a personal seal from the shop owner, who claimed they belonged to a great calligrapher from the previous dynasty.

Just as he was about to find Magistrate Xue to take a shortcut, He coincidentally bumped into the heroine, Chen Qianyu, who was rushing around, as he exited the Eight Treasures Pavilion!

Seeing Su Mo emerge from Eight Treasures Pavilion, Chen Qianyu's eyes widened, and she looked at Su Mo in surprise: "Su Mo... What are you doing here?"

Su Mo smiled: "Didn't someone come to deliver gifts yesterday?"

"So I came to this antique shop to see if there was anything suitable as a return gift."

He glanced down at the small cloth bag Chen Qianyu was carrying and casually asked, "Why are you here too?"

Heroine Chen stammered, unsure how to answer.

Su Mo frowned: "Miss Chen, if you have something to say, just say it."

"See if I can help in any way."

He had taken the Immortal Cultivation Method from her and even managed to cultivate it.

This person wasn't the type to just take and leave without a word; he genuinely wanted to help.

A rare look of shyness appeared on Heroine Chen's face.

It was a bit embarrassing for a heroine to be found lacking funds, but she finally gritted her teeth and said: "Father wants to buy some rice to take back."

"But the grain prices suddenly increased quite a bit, and I didn't have enough money, so..."

"So he asked me to come and pawn two gold bracelets."

Su Mo was stunned.

Wasn't Chen Bao a smuggler?

Smuggling salt should be quite profitable, so why would he be short on cash and need to pawn a gold bracelet for emergencies?

He certainly didn't believe the excuse of lacking money.

He had even brought a gold bracelet specifically for this purpose!

When buying things, one naturally had to prepare more than enough. Chen Bao, being an old hand, couldn't possibly have overlooked this.

And another thing.

The price of grain was starting to rise?!!

Su Mo thought for a moment and smiled, "Forget pawning the gold bracelet."

"How much more silver do you need?"

"I still have some here. Take this and buy the grain first."

Heroine Chen, as expected, shook her head. "How can this be allowed!"

She paused, then stomped her foot, as if she had made up her mind!

So what if it was embarrassing!

"The situation in the village has been a bit difficult lately."

"The bracelet will have to be pawned eventually."

She couldn't always ask Su Mo for money.

Seeing Heroine Chen's firm attitude, Su Mo didn't insist and nodded. "Alright then."

"I'll go with you. Antique dealers are cunning. Don't get cheated."

He then casually asked, "Where's Uncle Chen?"

"How could he let you come alone?"

Heroine Chen glared, raising the sword in her hand. "How dare he!"

"Besides, Father said that no matter how much the other party offers, if it's less than thirty taels of silver, the gold bracelet won't be pawned!"

A heroine was still a heroine, and her true colors quickly showed!

Su Mo chuckled inwardly.

It seemed Chen Bao also knew that his daughter was a bit foolish!

He began to ponder.

More money was definitely better, and it might even save his life at a critical moment.

Chen Bao was a salt smuggler.

Could he produce more crystal salt and have him resell it?

This would not only increase his own income.

It would also be a way to repay Chen Bao's kindness!

It was a shame