Chapter 129: Pei Shaoqing Squeezes County Magistrate Wang Dry and Wins Big Time
Chapter 129: Chapter 129: Pei Shaoqing Squeezes County Magistrate Wang Dry and Wins Big Time
"Squad Leader, it’s just as Li Kui said. The man Pei Shaoqing arrested a few days ago was from the Southern Garrison Command..."
In a room at the Junlai Inn, Shopkeeper Ma was relaying to County Magistrate Wang everything that had just happened at the execution grounds.
"Pei Shaoqing is truly ruthless, killing a man from the Southern Garrison Command just like that." County Magistrate Wang sighed after hearing the report, then made his judgment. "It seems Li Kui genuinely wants to cooperate with our Holy Sect."
The commotion from Gu Mingshan’s arrest had attracted the Profound Sect’s attention. Before they could even investigate, Li Kui, on Pei Shaoqing’s orders, had taken the initiative to deliver the relevant intelligence.
Because he still didn’t fully trust Li Kui, County Magistrate Wang hadn’t planned on making a move based on this matter. Instead, he wanted to use it to test Li Kui’s credibility.
Now, he was completely at ease with Li Kui.
"Next, we will do everything we can to help Li Kui gain Pei Shaoqing’s trust. If he needs money, we’ll give him money. If he needs merits, we’ll create opportunities for him to earn them. We won’t be stingy with anything, including Secret Manuals and Elixirs to increase his power," County Magistrate Wang said decisively.
A worried look appeared on Shopkeeper Ma’s face. He cautiously reminded him, "Squad Leader, the resources from headquarters are used sparingly by our own brothers in the branch. Isn’t it too risky to pour everything into supporting Li Kui? After all, he isn’t one of us yet. What if he has no intention of joining the sect?"
"Old Ma, you may run an inn, but don’t start thinking like a penny-pinching merchant." County Magistrate Wang shook his head and explained patiently, "This is precisely to show him the sincerity and depth of our Holy Sect."
"Otherwise, do you expect to rely on faith alone to attract a well-off Jing’an Guard, who wants for neither food nor clothing, to risk execution and the extermination of his clan to join our rebellion?"
Although Old Wang himself was an idealist.
He was clearly aware that most people in the world were ordinary folk, driven by self-interest.
And someone like Li Kui, willing to risk cooperating with them to avenge a friend, was already a rare and righteous man, making him all the more valuable to recruit.
"What the Squad Leader says is reasonable, but this subordinate still feels it’s unfair to the brothers. To give an outsider something our own people can’t enjoy first," said Old Ma.
Because they were already one of his own, they had no more united front value and no longer needed benefits to be won over.
County Magistrate Wang exhaled. "Li Kui will eventually be one of us, so anything spent on him is spent on ourselves. Go and handle it."
"As you command!" Although Old Ma did not agree with County Magistrate Wang’s reasoning, he would not disobey his orders.
That afternoon, Shopkeeper Ma arranged to meet with Li Kui.
"Li Tique, the intelligence you provided a few days ago greatly pleased the Squad Leader. He admires you very much. To enable you to obtain more secret intelligence, he has decided to increase his investment in you and help you get a promotion."
Li Kui was stunned. "Help me get a promotion?"
"That’s right." Shopkeeper Ma nodded and asked in a calm tone, "How do you think you can get promoted?"
"By pleasing Lord Pei, of course. Just like the newcomer, Wang Peng. There were no vacancies in the Hundred Households, but Lord Pei created one for him," Li Kui replied.
Shopkeeper Ma asked again, "Do you have any ideas on how to do that? For instance, how to please Pei Shaoqing."
"I’ll have to think about it," Li Kui said thoughtfully.
"Go home and take your time thinking." As Shopkeeper Ma finished speaking, he took out a Secret Manual and handed it over. "This Lightweight Skill is also a reward from the Squad Leader. Take it and practice well."
"Please thank the Squad Leader for me." Li Kui’s eyes lit up as he accepted the Secret Manual with both hands, then took his leave.
That night, he secretly visited Pei Shaoqing and reported what Shopkeeper Ma had told him that afternoon.
After listening, Pei Shaoqing gave a mocking smile. "You go back and tell him that I’m extremely greedy. If you want me to promote you, you must give me silver. At least thirty thousand taels."
’Old Wang, oh, Old Wang, just watch how I bleed you dry.’
"Thirty thousand taels!" Li Kui’s eyes widened, and he stammered, "My... my Lord, that’s no small sum. Can they really come up with that much?"
Thirty thousand taels! Even for a high-paid member of the Jing’an Guard, Li Kui considered it an astronomical figure.
To put it in perspective, his biggest single income this year had been the one hundred taels of silver Pei Shaoqing had rewarded him last time.
"Alas, I don’t blame you for saying that. In fact, I pity you. It is poverty that has limited your imagination," Pei Shaoqing said with a look of pity.
’I, your master, spent ten thousand taels just to buy a courtesan.’
’Is thirty thousand taels for a Jing’an Guard sub-lieutenant expensive?’
’How is that expensive at all? If you think it’s expensive, you should reflect on whether you’ve been working hard enough to get a raise.’
Li Kui’s mouth twitched. He bowed respectfully and said, "Yes, I have made a fool of myself before you, my Lord."
"Off you go," Pei Shaoqing said with a wave of his hand.
But Li Kui didn’t leave, hesitating as if he wanted to say something.
"If you have something to say, say it. I can’t stand men who hem and haw." As a die-hard straight man, Pei Shaoqing raised an eyebrow and snapped.
Li Kui asked tentatively, looking a little nervous and anxious, "My Lord, if the Profound Sect rebels really do put up thirty thousand taels of silver for me, can I really get promoted?"
He quickly lowered his head after speaking, rubbing his hands in embarrassment. If one were to completely ignore his rugged appearance, he looked just like a shy, newly-wedded wife.
"Of course. Thirty thousand taels for a sub-lieutenant, one hundred thousand taels for a Standard-Bearer. As for a Hundred Households Commander... I’ll set the price for that after I get promoted to Households Commander," Pei Shaoqing replied without hesitation.
’He could name any price he wanted anyway.’
’If it sells, he profits. If it doesn’t, so be it.’
’He could make money and promote his own men at the same time.’
’Why not?’
Once he got the thirty thousand taels, he would give three thousand taels to Lu Dingchuan to help transfer someone else to a post in Jin Guan City, creating a vacancy to promote Li Kui.
Li Kui was ecstatic. "Thank you, my Lord!"
"Don’t thank me too early. Hurry up and get them to cough up the silver, or you’ll just be happy for nothing," Pei Shaoqing said with a smile and a wave.
Li Kui replied, "Yes, this subordinate takes his leave."
He then turned and left, his steps light and brisk.
.........
The next day, Li Kui found Shopkeeper Ma. "I beat around the bush a little. To get promoted to sub-lieutenant without enough merit, it will take at least thirty-three thousand taels of silver."
’This thick-browed, big-eyed fellow wasn’t honest either.’
He hadn’t even told Pei Shaoqing about the small bag of gold ingots Shopkeeper Ma had given him as a greeting gift last time.
"Thirty-three thousand taels? Why doesn’t that Pei Shaoqing just go rob someone!" Shopkeeper Ma jumped up in shock.
Li Kui said with a helpless look, "I was shocked by the figure too. But perhaps because Lord Pei has never had to worry about food or clothing and isn’t short on money, his appetite is just a tiny bit bigger. Or... should we just forget it?"
"Don’t be hasty. I need to report this to the Squad Leader," Shopkeeper Ma said, taking a deep breath.
Li Kui nodded. "Alright. If you really can’t come up with it, we’ll think of another way. After all, I’m not cooperating with you to get rich and promoted, but to avenge my old friend. I don’t mind either way."
With that, he clasped his hands in a salute, turned, and left.
’He always pretended to be relaxed when he left.’
’But in reality, he cared a great deal.’
"Squad Leader, Li Kui has reported back. He says we need to give Pei Shaoqing at least thirty-five thousand taels of silver for him to be promoted to sub-lieutenant," Shopkeeper Ma said when he found County Magistrate Wang.
’He looked simple and honest, but he wasn’t honest either.’
Of course, he wasn’t embezzling the silver to line his own pockets, but to provide some benefits for the brothers in the branch.
In his view, it was all the Holy Sect’s silver anyway.
’If they were spending thirty-three thousand taels on an outsider, what’s another two thousand taels for their own brothers? That’s not too much to ask, is it?’
County Magistrate Wang’s eyes went wide with anger, and he nearly burst out cursing, "Why doesn’t that Pei Shaoqing just go rob someone?!"
"I was shocked by the figure too," Shopkeeper Ma said with a helpless look and a sigh. "But on second thought, it’s not surprising. After all, Pei Shaoqing has never been short of silver. He wouldn’t even look at a smaller amount."
County Magistrate Wang fell silent, his expression shifting.
"My Lord, Li Kui also said to just forget it if the branch really can’t produce the money," Shopkeeper Ma said tentatively, carefully observing his expression.
If County Magistrate Wang really gave up...
...that would be exactly what he wanted.
After all, he hadn’t approved of this matter from the beginning.
"No!" County Magistrate Wang rejected the idea at once. He said in a low voice, "At our first meeting, we gave Li Kui a bag of gold ingots as a greeting gift to display the financial power of our Holy Sect. We’ve already made him all these promises. If we can’t even produce a little over thirty thousand taels now, he will certainly look down on the Holy Sect."
"On the contrary, if we spend this money on him, not only will he be amazed and submit to the power of our Holy Sect, but he will also be moved by my great favor. When the time is right to invite him to join, he surely won’t refuse."
He finished with a wave of his hand. "You are dismissed for now. I will consider this matter further."
"This subordinate takes his leave." Shopkeeper Ma tactfully withdrew.
County Magistrate Wang paced back and forth with his hands behind his back, his expression flickering between light and dark, his eyes filled with conflict.
A moment later, he made his decision. He turned, walked behind his desk, sat down, smoothed out a sheet of letter paper, and began to write.
To the esteemed Supreme Squad Leader:
Respectfully reporting. Since last we parted, I have worked day and night for the public good.
Ever mindful of our Holy Sect’s grand cause, this subordinate has never dared to be the least bit negligent. However, I have now encountered a thorny issue of great importance, and so I write this detailed report to humbly request your judgment.
Our branch’s inside man in the Government Office, after long forbearance, has finally found a golden opportunity to be promoted to a key position. However, it requires forty thousand taels of silver to grease the necessary wheels... only then can...
This is a critical juncture where every moment counts. The branch is truly unable to raise such a huge sum on short notice. We are left with no other choice. This subordinate requests that the Supreme Squad Leader...
After writing the date, County Magistrate Wang put down his brush, picked up the letter, and blew on it. Once the ink was dry, he sealed it.
He felt quite guilty for fabricating an extra five thousand taels of silver. It wasn’t that he wanted to embezzle public funds, but rather that he wanted to keep enough silver in reserve so that he wouldn’t have to write to headquarters the next time the branch needed money for an emergency.
If Pei Shaoqing knew that the thirty thousand taels he had asked for had become forty thousand after passing through several hands, he would surely marvel at how simple and honest these people were. After all, if it were him, he probably would have added a zero to the end of thirty thousand.
「Seven days passed in a flash.」
County Magistrate Wang finally received a reply from headquarters. The Supreme Squad Leader had agreed.
Furthermore, he had sent men to escort the silver to Tongzhou.
County Magistrate Wang was overjoyed.
Shopkeeper Ma was a little happy.
Li Kui was ecstatic.
Pei Shaoqing couldn’t contain his joy.
A five-way win.
Don’t ask why there were five wins for four people.
Staring at the gleaming silver before him, Pei Shaoqing sighed with genuine feeling, "These Profound Sect rebels are truly rich. A mere county-level branch can actually produce thirty thousand taels of silver in just a few days."
"Indeed. It’s all the blood, sweat, and tears of the common people they’ve scraped from who knows where. For it to fall into your hands, my Lord, can be considered a good thing." Li Kui had actually learned how to suck up.
Though he was still a bit stiff.
But the progress was visibly obvious.
Pei Shaoqing gave a reserved smile, waved for his servants to move the silver into the treasury, then sat down and spoke gently to Li Kui. "I will set the wheels in motion for your promotion to sub-lieutenant after I return from the Capital City. There’s no great rush, is there?"
"No rush, no rush at all," Li Kui said repeatedly.
In reality, he was dying of anxiety.
At that same moment, Meng Qingyun arrived in the Capital City.