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

Chapter 164 The Commander is Shocked! Su Mo Has Finally Made His Move!

Su Mo stared intently at the red falcon soaring away, and couldn't help but gasp in shock!
This tiny blood eagle was brimming with magical power, its profound aura surpassing even that of cultivators at the Body Observation Realm!

It's probably on par with the Locust King we saw in the Dragon Gate Cave!
Because of the restaurant's share of the money, Nangong Sheyue actually dispatched the most urgent Blood Eagle messenger, sending it directly to the Emperor's ears!

In Su Mo's opinion, it was really outrageous. Although the two restaurants could make money, it was not enough to cause trouble for the Empress!
Does the Empress have so much free time to concern herself with such trivial matters?

That was a supreme monarch who was extremely busy with state affairs and military and national matters!
Su Mo had no idea just how poor the Empress was!
Secretly allocating funds to the Fengming Division and the Gufeng Mountain Artisan Battalion to manufacture the Divine Arm Bow and the Eight-Ox Crossbow, they almost exhausted the entire imperial treasury!
The treasury is so poor it could starve rats!

There's no money left to reward the palace maids and eunuchs!

What significance do these two restaurants, which rake in money every day, hold in the Empress's heart!
In fact, not only did the Empress highly value Baiyujing and Yanyulou.

Even the Ministry of Revenue has its eyes on these two restaurants!
The Empress was poor, and so was the Ministry of Revenue!

The commercial tax is one-thirtieth of the total tax. It may not seem like much, but the amount is substantial, and this commercial tax is levied based on turnover!
Su Mo is very honest and didn't falsify the accounts!
With a turnover of nearly 20,000 taels of silver, the commercial tax paid this month amounted to 600 taels!

When Liu Siyun went to the Xuanke Department to file her taxes, the officials there thought she had gone mad and wanted to kick her out.

When they saw the large box of silver that Liu Siyun had brought.

The entire Ministry of Education was alarmed!
This is the largest commercial tax ever received by the Xuanke Division since the founding of the Great Wu Kingdom!
There were even rumors in the imperial court that, in order to save expenses, tax bureaus that did not pay more than 1000 shi of rice per day would be abolished!

The commercial tax collected in Baiyujing and Yanyulou in one month is equivalent to the annual tax revenue of most prefectures and counties!

When Liu Siyun left, the ninth-rank ambassador of the Xuanke Department personally and warmly saw her off from the Xuanke Department office, and then immediately notified the Ministry of Revenue!

Baiyujing and Yanyulou have become key targets of the Ministry of Revenue!
……

Nangong Sheyue released the blood eagle, then sat motionless with a gloomy face!
Wen Yannian and Feng Mu's expressions were no better.

His cold, venomous gaze swept over Huang Youde from time to time, as if he were studying which part of his body to begin the torture!
In fact, if it weren't for the fear of Zhang Guojiu...

The two of them immediately tortured Huang Youde to show him how terrible the consequences of touching the Embroidered Uniform Guard's money bag were!

No matter how bold Huang Youde was, he was still just a mere merchant.

Being stared at intently by Su Mo and the others, including two probationary commanders of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, he immediately felt his scalp tingle and broke out in a cold sweat!
The way things unfolded was completely beyond his expectations.

In the past, there were restaurants that challenged Tianyilou, but as long as they played the trump card of Zhang Guojiu, they were absolutely invincible!

Who knew we'd run into each other in Baiyujing?

Zhang Guojiu, that's the emperor's own uncle!
These four guys are not afraid of Zhang Guojiu at all, it's simply unbelievable!
They're not afraid, so Huang Youde is!

If the other party is too powerful and Zhang Guojiu no longer protects him, this small merchant might be crushed to pieces!
Although Huang Youde had no idea what the hawk released by Nangong Sheyue was all about.

But I guessed that they had gone to call for reinforcements!
The reinforcements who could arm-wrestle with Zhang Guojiu were no ordinary people!
He's probably a high-ranking cabinet official, or a hereditary duke!

He took a deep breath and, forcing himself to remain calm, cupped his hands in a gesture of respect towards Nangong Sheyue: "It seems that none of you are willing to do this business!"

"In that case, I'll take my leave!"

Before he could finish speaking, he got up and left in a hurry.

Nangong Sheyue suddenly said coldly, "Did I say you could leave?"

Huang Youde's expression changed slightly. He turned to look at Nangong Sheyue, but his steps did not falter at all: "I am just a legitimate businessman. Do you intend to arrest me, sir?"

They were about to leave the living room.

Nangong Sheyue's face darkened, and she was about to raise her hand.

Su Mo suddenly laughed and said, "Why should such a petty person soil Lord Qianhu's hands? I can take him down myself!"

As he spoke, he raised his hand, and lightning flashed.

A bolt of white lightning shot out and struck Huang Youde!

Huang Youde let out a scream and collapsed to the ground instantly, with wisps of smoke rising from his robes and hair, his body convulsing continuously!

The two burly guards outside the door changed their expressions drastically and shouted in unison, "How dare you lay a hand on the Emperor's brother-in-law's men!"

Both of them were guards of the Imperial Uncle's residence.

He knew that the emperor's brother-in-law valued Manager Huang, who could bring him a lot of wealth, very highly.

If Huang Youde gets into trouble, they'll be in big trouble!

Seeing Huang Youde knocked down by Su Mo's spell, Su Mo was anxious and angry. He suddenly drew his long sword and quickly stood in front of Huang Youde, staring at Su Mo with a fierce look in his eyes!

Wen Yannian and Feng Mu, without prior arrangement, both looked at Su Mo with surprise and doubt.

This young lad, Su Mo, is actually a Taoist sorcerer!

A lightning spell, quite powerful, probably already at the level of the Body Observation Realm!

How could someone so young possess such cultivation?
They originally thought that Su Mo rose to power because of the Thousand-Household Commander, but now they realize that Su Mo is actually quite capable!
In contrast, Nangong Sheyue remained expressionless!
She already knew that Su Mo was cultivating the immortal path and had reached the peak of the Body Observation Realm, which was revealed by the Artisan Camp yesterday.

At the very beginning of the performance review, one is more able to break free from the mind control technique!

The methods are far more sophisticated than they appear on the surface.

It's strange that such a learned and seemingly omniscient person doesn't understand the arts of immortality!
However, Su Mo's mastery of the Five Thunder Technique still slightly surprised Nangong Sheyue.

Without three to five years of hard training, how could one achieve such mastery!
Su Mo coldly looked at the two guards that Huang Youde had brought.

He then said coldly, "You mere guards, how dare you draw your swords against me!"

As he spoke, his tone suddenly turned serious, and he slammed his hand on the table, shouting sharply, "I am the Commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, the Emperor's personal guard!"

"Are you trying to rebel?!"

The two guards' expressions suddenly changed.

After exchanging a glance, they sheathed their swords. The older of them said to Su Mo in a deep voice, "This humble one would not dare!"

"I am a guard of the Imperial Uncle's residence, and I am ordered to protect Manager Huang!"

"I hope you gentlemen will not put me in a difficult position!"

Su Mo was silent for a moment, then uttered three words: "Get out!"

The two guards were immediately taken aback.

To my utter surprise, even after I revealed my identity as a guard of the Imperial Uncle's Mansion, this lowly captain still dared to tell me to get out!

The two were stunned and didn't know what to do for a moment.

Su Mo's eyes narrowed, his killing intent undisguised: "Could it be that you intend to force me to kill someone?"

The two guards hesitated for a moment, then could only say in a deep voice, "Manager Huang is someone the Imperial Uncle ordered us to protect well. We hope you gentlemen will take heed!"

Then, he cautiously retreated and left the reception room!
Upon seeing this, the Imperial Guards and the Captain of the Phoenix Cry Division who had brought back the silver quickly stepped forward, seized the two men, and brought swords to their necks!
In the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, the Blood Eagle swiftly flew back.

Nangong Sheyue raised her delicate hand, and a small blood eagle landed in her palm.

Su Mo's heart skipped a beat, and he stared intently at the Blood Eagle in Nangong Sheyue's hand!
The same applies to Wen Yannian and Feng Mu!

The two were even more nervous than Su Mo.

Zhang Guojiu, the head of the imperial relatives, was arrogant and domineering by nature, and no one in the court or the country dared to defy him.

Not to mention these trial commanders, even the commander himself is the same!
Once something involves the imperial family, it can never be a trivial matter!
The Embroidered Uniform Guard, the Emperor's henchmen, the Emperor's brother-in-law, the Emperor's own brother-in-law!
The closeness or distance is immediately obvious!
Tianyilou has invested in dozens of restaurants and shops, and can send tens of thousands of taels of silver to the Imperial Uncle's Mansion every year!

The Imperial Brother-in-Law's residence even dispatched guards to protect this merchant, demonstrating the importance they placed on Huang Youde!
Once they learned how they had treated Huang Youde, they were not about to let it go.

The only one who could stop Zhang Guojiu was the emperor in the palace!
Nangong Sheyue put the falcon back into his sleeve, his expression solemn.

His cold gaze fell on Wen Yannian and Feng Mu, then he said indifferently, "Take this man away and bring him back to Shangzuo Detention Center. No one is allowed to visit him!"

Wen Yannian and Feng Mu trembled slightly.

At the same time, he solemnly cupped his hands and replied, "Your humble servant obeys!"

After saying that, Wen Yannian strode forward, picked up Huang Youde, whose life or death was unknown, with one hand, and dragged him away like a dead dog!

As he stepped out of the hall, he gave the guards of the two brothers-in-law's residence a cold look, ordered the strongman to release the two, then bowed to Nangong Sheyue and Su Mo before leaving.

The two guards clenched their teeth, ultimately daring not to say anything more.

After the Embroidered Uniform Guards left.

Nangong Sheyue looked at the two guards expressionlessly: "Get lost!"

The two guards were struck as if by a giant hammer, spitting out mouthfuls of blood at the same time, their faces turning deathly pale.

They looked at Nangong Sheyue in horror, clutched their chests, and staggered away, supporting each other!

Su Mo frowned slightly: "My lord..."

Nangong Sheyue waved his hand.

He ordered the captain of the Fengming Division to move the silver away first.

His gaze returned to Su Mo, and he said calmly, "This matter ends here!"

Su Mo nodded, then hesitated for a moment: "My lord, if you report this matter to the Emperor, wouldn't that...?"

A strange light flashed deep in Nangong Sheyue's eyes, and she actually laughed: "Are you afraid that I will be held accountable by the Emperor?"

Su Mo nodded and honestly said, "This subordinate does indeed have this concern."

"How could such a trivial matter involving two restaurants possibly alarm His Majesty? If His Majesty were to blame you, wouldn't that be a greater loss than a gain?"

Nangong Sheyue smiled: "Otherwise what?"

"Should we give Baiyujing and Yanyulou to Zhang Guojiu?"

Just as Su Mo was about to speak, she suddenly looked up in surprise at the top of Nangong Sheyue's head.

My favorability rating suddenly increased by five points?

It's reached the 20% mark!
My reasonable concern for her had such an amazing effect?

Seeing Su Mo staring at her in astonishment, Nangong Sheyue frowned slightly and said, "Don't worry, Baiyujing and Yanyulou hold a much higher place in the Sage's heart than you imagine!"

"His Majesty will handle the matter of Zhang Guojiu himself!"

He hesitated for a moment, then suddenly whispered, "The Imperial Uncle Zhang has an extremely good relationship with the Empress Dowager!"

"His Majesty ordered the Left Office to arrest the person instead of the Phoenix Cry Division, and also allowed the guards from the Imperial Uncle's Mansion to leave, which has already made his stance clear."

"If they come knocking on your door in the future, do not engage in conflict with them. I will speak with His Majesty on their behalf and will not let you suffer in vain!"

"You will take up your post in Tianchang County tomorrow. I will keep an eye on the restaurant for you!"

Su Mo quickly averted his gaze and nodded solemnly, "Thank you for your care, sir!"

……

The Imperial City, the Hall of State Affairs.

Empress Leng Liuxi reviewed the memorial recently submitted by the Ministry of War.

She then raised her head, removed the gold hairpin from her hair, her pretty face darkened, and she said coldly, "Anbanban, take the hairpin to the Imperial Uncle's residence!"

"Reveal my imperial edict!"

"I am deeply concerned to learn that the Imperial Brother-in-law is facing financial difficulties. This phoenix-headed gold hairpin is to be sold to raise money to supplement the household expenses!"

An Wu immediately stepped forward and respectfully accepted the hairpin with both hands: "This old servant obeys!"

He then left the Rissei-den Hall.

They left the palace.

The palace eunuchs hurriedly knelt and bowed to An Wu, saying, "May Eunuch An be blessed!"

An Wu said calmly, "Get up, all of you!"

"Prepare the sedan chair!"

"Go to Zhang Guojiu's residence!"

After An Wu left, the Empress rubbed her forehead and her gaze fell on the memorial from the Ministry of War.

An urgent report has just been sent back by Zhang Lie, the Duke of Ningguo who is stationed in the northern border!

As expected, the Northern Barbarians have moved south again!

These damned barbarians, once the flat-box carts and divine crossbows are in full force, we'll make them know the consequences of offending the Great Wu!

Just as the Empress was having a headache.

Suddenly, the official in charge of reporting came: "Your Majesty, Lord Nangong, the commander of the Fengming Division, has arrived outside the palace and requests an audience with Your Majesty!"

The Empress took a deep breath: "Send the message!"

……

Here's one chapter, and another one before midnight. Also, the reason it's more expensive is because my chapters are much longer than others, so please don't misunderstand, dear readers!

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(End of this chapter)