What's wrong with me, a powerful minister, supporting a few female officials?

Chapter 142 The Amazing Rewards of the Historian's Mission

Upon seeing Leng Xixi's words, Su Mo couldn't help but become suspicious.

What is a nominal position? What does "take it or leave it" mean?

Are civil servants allowed to skip work?

The clerk is in charge of prisons.

If the county clerks don't go to work and skip their shifts every day, wouldn't the entire Tianchang County be in complete chaos?

Is Tianchang County even more outrageous than Changping County?

The county magistrate held absolute power.

Are the county magistrate, registrar, and clerk all clay bodhisattvas?

Su Mo squinted and continued reading.

"...It's a nominal position; take it or leave it."

"But I can tell you clearly, Su Lang, the positions of Captain of the Phoenix Cry Division and Captain of the Embroidered Uniform Guard are already your limit."

"If you want to continue to rise in rank, you can only become a court official!"

Su Mo's face instantly turned as black as the bottom of a pot.

I have a million curses to say in my heart!

Cutting off someone's wealth is like killing one's parents.

To block someone's path to officialdom means killing their grandparents, wives, concubines, and children as well!
He forced himself to suppress his boundless rage and continued reading.

"The imperial court has decided to designate Tianchang County as a pilot area to relax regulations on merchants."

"Your Majesty, I request that the magistrate of Tianchang County be in charge of this matter, with the registrar assisting him. He shall take office within the month."

"And I grant you the right to submit secret reports."

"Regulations related to this matter may be handled expediently; no matter how small, all matters may be reported directly to His Majesty!"

Su Mo gasped!
The right to submit secret reports?

Should we take the easy way out?

Isn't this tantamount to acting first and reporting later?

Don't assume that all members of the Embroidered Uniform Guard can deliver secret memorials to the Emperor.

With hundreds of thousands of Imperial Guards, if every one of them could submit secret reports, how could the Empress possibly keep track of them all!
Only those with the rank of 100, 1000, or 1000 have this power! If people knew that I had the power to submit secret reports, it would absolutely scare them to death!

Leng Xixi really went to great lengths to get herself appointed as the magistrate of Tianchang County!

Su Mo already knew that this was the trouble she had brought upon herself!

You shouldn't have talked nonsense in the first place!
The boomerang pierced his own body.

He continued to look down.

"The three copper coins bestowed by Your Majesty are my own gift."

"If the regulations for merchants are relaxed, and one receives 10,000 taels of silver, Mr. Su may make one request of me. The same applies if one receives 50,000 or 100,000 taels of silver. In addition, one will be promoted one rank!"

"I'm sure you already know of my abilities. This is a rare opportunity, so please cherish it!"

"Furthermore, Xue Shan will serve as the magistrate of Tianchang County, while the positions of county assistant and registrar will remain vacant for the rest of the year."

……

After reading the letter, Su Mo was completely dumbfounded.

The positions of County Assistant and Registrar are vacant for the year.

In other words, he, as the registrar, was the second most powerful official in Tianchang County?

In addition, there's his relationship with Xue Shan...

What the hell!
Tianchang County has the final say!
Those three copper coins really were three life-saving hairs!
However, there are prerequisites.

They needed to earn 10,000, 50,000, or 100,000 taels of silver from the merchants.

Moreover, you can even get a promotion!
Su Mo swallowed hard.

Leng Xixi is indeed incredibly powerful, wielding such a significant influence over the Sage that he can directly interfere in such taboo matters as the promotion of court officials.

Xue Shan was transferred to the position of magistrate of Tianchang County, thus being promoted two ranks!

Normally speaking, no matter how great Xue Shan's merits are, being promoted to the position of a sixth-rank transport judge in Yong'an Prefecture, or even a sub-prefect in another prefecture, would already be quite remarkable!
Now he is directly appointed as the sixth-rank county magistrate of the county seat!

Su Mo had no doubt about Leng Xixi's abilities!

A close advisor and member of the imperial family who can influence the Empress's will!
These three requirements are extremely valuable!

If only one copper coin could help Lord Qianhu climb a step further and become a Qianhu in the core five institutes.

Even the chief official of the Southern Garrison Command, or the assistant commander of the Guard Command, or even the chief criminal officer of the Northern Garrison Command...

As long as the commander of a thousand households is promoted.

What difference does it make whether I become a centurion of the Embroidered Uniform Guard or not?
The three prerequisites don't seem too difficult.

He had made so many boastful remarks in front of Leng Xixi and Gao Lengqian, the commander of Fengming Division.

Can't you produce something real to prove that what you say is true?

As long as the Empress believes that her boast is highly feasible, she will find it difficult to die in the future, making it even more useful than a get-out-of-jail-free card!

Ok……

Leng Xixi also said that it didn't matter whether she went to Tianchang County for duty or not.

Tianchang County is not far from the Gufengshan Craftsmen's Camp.

Give Xue Shan a hint and let him get on with his work.

Those who are capable should do more work.

Su Mo always thought that her father-in-law was quite capable.

For someone obsessed with officialdom, having nothing to do is truly torturous. Making him do more work is Su Mo's way of being good to his father-in-law!
Since I can't get promoted in the Embroidered Uniform Guard or the Phoenix Cry Division anyway, it won't hurt to become a clerk.

Tell the truth.

Su Mo was also a little curious.

All those grand principles and so-called ways of governing a country that they spout are just the words of keyboard warriors.

Su Mo also wanted to know if keyboard warriors who were well-versed in both ancient and modern times could really defeat the ancients!

Let's test it out in Tianchang County.

Keep the letter safe.

It was already late afternoon, and Jiang Lan had finished preparing the meal.

Just as Su Mo picked up her chopsticks, the doorman came to report.

A man from Changping County came to see Lord Su, and presented him with a letter written in beautiful handwriting.

Su Mo recognized the handwriting as Xue Yishu's, but the signature was Chen Qian.

I opened the letter and took a look.

Su Mo was so excited that he slapped his thigh!
My third uncle is indeed reliable!
They delivered over ten kilograms of MSG, along with three large truckloads of various seafood.

In addition, a thousand taels of silver can solve the immediate problem!
The restaurant's grand opening is in full swing, and everyone is here!

Don't be fooled by the small amount of MSG.

Even a tiny bit can greatly enhance the flavor of a dish, enough to last for a long time.

When used on a signature dish, who can rival it?
The capital city is far from the coastline, and the various dried goods and pickled fish sent by my third uncle were definitely luxuries for the nobles and powerful in the capital!

You'll definitely make a fortune.

Su Mo immediately instructed the gatekeeper to invite the visitor into the house!

Niu Er and Chen Hu looked at the grand five-courtyard mansion with awe!
Lord Su is indeed Lord Su!

No matter where you are, you'll do well!

Having only been in the capital for two months, he has already acquired such a large mansion covering several acres!

Such a residence would cost several hundred taels of silver even in Changping County.

In the capital, wouldn't it cost several thousand taels of silver?
At first, the two couldn't believe it.

Only after respectfully inquiring with the young gatekeeper was it confirmed that the residence was indeed registered under Lord Su's name.

I was absolutely shocked.

Just as the two were in shock.

A horse-drawn carriage and a dozen or so cavalrymen came roaring in.

A young man in fine clothes with a composed demeanor stepped out of the car, glanced at Chen Hu, Niu Er and his group, then said a few words to the doorman, who then led him into the house.

Chen Hu glanced furtively at the menacing cavalry, swallowed hard, and couldn't help but ask in a low voice, "Brother, who are they?"

The doorman was originally from Youyu Hall. Knowing that Lord Su was from Changping County, he naturally dared not neglect the person from Changping County.

He said with a hint of pride, "They are guards from the Ning Duke's Mansion, and they are very capable."

Upon hearing this, Chen Hu and Niu Er's eyes widened instantly, and they exclaimed in disbelief, "What? The Ningguo Duke's Mansion?!" Of course, Chen Hu and Niu Er knew what a duke, marquis, earl, viscount, and baron were.

Duke, the pinnacle of imperial nobility!
He reached the pinnacle of his official career!

Chen Hu swallowed repeatedly, his voice stammering, "Then...then the man who just subdued me?"

The gatekeeper lowered his voice: "The eldest son of the Duke of Ningguo's mansion is here to see Lord Su!"

Chen Hu and Niu Er were completely speechless!

The eldest son of the Duke of Ning has come to see Lord Su?
Shouldn't it be Lord Su going to the Duke's mansion to request an audience?
That's the eldest son of the Duke!
Chen Hu and Niu Er assumed that since the eldest son of the Duke's mansion had come to pay his respects to Lord Su, the Duke would surely be entertaining the most elite nobles of the empire and would not have time to see them.

Unexpectedly, a burly man came out shortly afterward, and his attitude was quite friendly: "Are you two Brother Chen and Brother Niu?"

"Lord Su wants you to go there immediately!"

Chen Hu Niu Er was dumbfounded.

Confused, he followed Jiang Laoshi into the mansion.

Soon, in the main hall of the mansion, they met Su Mo, whom they hadn't seen for a long time.

The two quickly stepped forward to pay their respects to Su Mo.

Su Mo nodded: "Get up. Let's talk while sitting."

He instructed Jiang Lan to serve tea to the two of them.

Then he asked, "What is the current situation in Changping County?"

Although Chen Qian had already asked Xue Yishu to write a letter on his behalf, the letter was limited in length and could only give a general overview. He would only feel at ease if he personally inquired with the two of them.

Chen Hu and Niu Er recounted the entire situation in Changping County to Su Mo.

It's roughly the same as what Chen Qian said, only more detailed.

Businesses in Changping County are developing even more smoothly than Su Mo had anticipated.

Last month, the Su family's income exceeded three thousand taels of silver.

However, after spending several hundred taels on purchasing seafood and MSG, as well as the expenses of expanding the salt route in Tieshan County, the cash amount was not much, only one thousand taels of silver were sent.

Liu Siyun's abilities also exceeded Su Mo's expectations.

They managed Changping County very well.

However, according to Chen Hu, Dayou Grain Store has a new manager, and Liu Siyun is no longer the manager of Dayou Grain Store.

In addition, people from Yong'an Prefecture came looking for Liu Siyun twice, and left in a huff.

Su Mo couldn't help but frown.

It must be the Fu family causing trouble.

Liu Siyun is not only a gifted talker, but also a rare business talent. Su Mo will definitely not let her leave.

It's time to resolve Liu Siyun's identity issue so that she can work for me with peace of mind.

Half of the revenue from the East and West markets must be handed over to the Fengming Division.

Last month, the two markets brought in 1,600 taels of silver, which still constituted the majority of the Su family's income.

Fengming Division cannot simply collect money without putting in any effort.

Su Mo pondered for a moment, then gave Niu Er and Chen Hu ten taels of silver each, and instructed Jiang Laoshi to settle them in and take them out to see the world of Shenjing tomorrow.

Then, he picked up a pen and wrote a letter in his unique dog-paw script.

He instructed Jiang Lan to take the letter and eight hundred taels of silver to the Fengming Division Captain of Liushui River... who was the young woman Yin Rou, whose buttocks swayed as she walked.

After finishing his business, Su Mo straightened his robes and went to the side hall to meet Zhang Xuzu.

"Brother Zhang, I'm sorry to have kept you waiting."

"Someone from the village has come and has some questions to ask."

Zhang Xuzu smiled and said, "It's alright."

He then pointed to two craftsmen standing respectfully with their hands at their sides: "They are both servants of the Duke's household, and they are quick-witted. Are they of any use?"

Su Mo smiled and said, "There shouldn't be much of a problem."

Making soap using traditional methods is very simple.

It's nothing more than a saponification reaction.

Su Mo claims his academic qualifications are comparable to those of a Jinshi (a successful candidate in the highest imperial examinations), and he's not exaggerating.

For example, we learned about saponification in junior high school.

Alkaline water can be extracted using plant ash.

The main source of oil is rare.

Zhang Xuzu kept a close eye on Su Mo's actions the whole time, and would occasionally ask him about the underlying principles.

Su Mo poured the undiluted soap into the grid to cool and set.

They had the craftsmen remake it according to the law.

Zhang Xuzu then asked, "Commander Su, is this all?"

Su Mo nodded and smiled, "It should be fine."

"After it cools and dries, it will be the soap that I gave to Brother Zhang for testing earlier."

"By adding different fragrances, soap can become soap with different scents."

Of course, to make the soap of even better quality, it's best to add aromatic oils, but this requires extraction with alcohol, which Su Mo certainly wouldn't teach Zhang Xuzu.

Aromatic oils are hard to come by, but they can be used to make perfumes.

If it were used to make soap, it would be produced in small quantities for use by close family and friends.

Or it could be used to access cold, back doors.

After pausing, Su Mo pointed to the viscous, clear liquid that had just been separated and said casually, "This viscous liquid has a small use for me."

"Brother Zhang, when you make soap, please collect the soap and send it to me."

Zhang Xuzu looked at the clear, viscous liquid with suspicion: "What is this? What is its purpose?"

Su Mo explained, "It's not very useful, it just moisturizes, so it's useful for people with dry skin."

Zhang Xuzu nodded.

The mucus didn't seem to be of much use, so he agreed.

He then frowned and said, "This method actually requires the use of oil. No wonder the official road to Suqi only yields a profit of ten thousand taels a year!"

After he returned, he discussed the matter with Li You and Wen Bi.

Such a small bar of soap could easily fetch thirty or fifty yuan.

If it were soap, priced at one or two taels of silver, many people would still buy it.

Even if you only sell 10,000 yuan a month, you can earn 5,000 to 6,000 yuan.

The only problem is that the cost is unknown.

In Zhang Xuzu's view, cost is not a problem at all; at worst, they can just make small profits and sell more.

The Great Wu Dynasty had tens of millions of people.

Such a business would surely bring in far more than ten thousand taels of silver a year.

Now I understand why Su Mo said he would make a profit of ten thousand taels!
If we need oils, then we can't operate on a low-profit, high-volume model; we have to go for the high-end market!

If the price is too high, 99% of ordinary people in Guizhou will absolutely not be able to afford it.

Su Mo thought for a moment and then suddenly said, "Actually, I have a way to solve the problem of oil supply without being controlled by the court."

Zhang Xuzu took a deep breath, cupped his hands in greeting to Su Mo, and said in a deep voice, "Please enlighten me, Officer Su!"

Su Mo nodded: "As far as I know, there is a fish in the ocean that is extremely large and is named Kun."

"A fully grown Kun weighs over 100,000 jin (50,000 kg), and its flesh contains a huge amount of oil. If you can catch it, you won't have to worry about soap and oil!"

Zhang Xuzu's expression changed slightly, and he said with a wry smile, "I have also heard of this giant Kun in the sea."

He sighed: "However, the sea is dangerous, and countless monsters lurk within it. Even immortals and sorcerers dare not venture into it lightly."

"Especially that giant Kun, with unparalleled strength, is beyond the reach of ordinary people to capture..."

"Furthermore, to sail down that ocean, a giant ship is indispensable!"

"Where did we get such a giant ship?!"

Su Mo smiled and didn't pursue the question any further.

After all, given the limitations of their era, how could they possibly understand the terror of capital?

When the soap comes out, seeing the huge amount of silver, but unable to seize it due to insufficient oil, they will naturally turn their attention to the whale!

Is the ocean too dangerous? Are whales too hard to catch? Is there a lack of large ships?

Faced with a profit of 1,000 percent.

There's nothing in this world that a businessman wouldn't dare to do!

Do you believe I can put together an entire fleet for you?
(End of this chapter)