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

Chapter 181 So many big shots!

Seeing Leng Liuxi's seemingly malicious smile, Su Mo quickly moved his buttocks to Nangong Sheyue's side!

He would never dare to get involved in the sex trade of brothels and boats!

Not to mention collecting taxes from them!

The Empress frowned slightly, but didn't say anything. She was probably thinking about how to collect taxes from the brothels and boats!
Nangong Sheyue glared at Su Mo with a frustrated expression!
Their butts were almost touching!

Lord Nangong could only move to the side as well, away from Su Mo!
Fortunately, the small boat shuddered slightly and finally came alongside the enormous ship that was the Jade Sound Pavilion.

Then pull out the footboard and place it at the special entrance at the stern of the ship.

The group then boarded the ship via a makeshift platform.

Su Mo saw the magnificent decorations on the ship, with its carved beams and pillars, inlaid with gold and silver, and exquisitely beautiful.

As soon as you board the ship, beautiful courtesans come forward to serve you attentively.

This brings another sigh!
The most extravagant den of debauchery in the Great Wu Dynasty!

They followed Wen Bi and Li You onto the third floor of the ship.

Su Mo was even more shocked.

The flower hall on the third floor faintly exuded magical energy, and soundproof arrays were set up to ensure the privacy of the guests inside!

The passageways and corridors are guarded by many calm and silent martial arts masters!

Su Mo even sensed a powerful aura of a martial arts grandmaster!

The ship actually has a master-level expert in charge!
Just as Su Mo was sighing.

A dozen or so men in brocade robes walked towards them, and one of them suddenly looked at Su Mo in astonishment.

"Su Mo?"

Su Mo is observing the situation on the ship.

He was taken aback when he heard someone call his name.

Looking in the direction of the sound, he exclaimed in surprise, "Lord Wei?"

Who else could it be but Wei Zhengguang, the Vice Commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard!
What shocked Su Mo even more was that Wei Zhengguang, a fourth-rank official, was not the leader of the group!

Leading the way was a gaunt old man dressed in a purple robe with a gloomy expression.

Thin lips, a pair of fierce eagle eyes and a hooked nose make him look exceptionally mean, and he doesn't look like an easy person to get along with!
When Wei Zhengguang suddenly greeted a blond-haired young man, the sinister old man was taken aback.

He glanced at Su Mo and the others.

I recognized Wen Bi and Li You at a glance.

Then he looked at Su Mo, Leng Liuxi, and Nangong Sheyue behind him.

His expression changed slightly.

He naturally knew Nangong Sheyue.

To his shock, Nangong Sheyue, the commander of the Fengming Division, was walking on the right!
Surprisingly, the blond-haired kid who had greeted Wei Zhengguang was in the center.

On the left is a woman in a light green dress, veiled in white gauze!
The old man raised an eyebrow slightly, feeling that the masked woman was somewhat familiar, as if he had seen her somewhere before, but he couldn't quite put his finger on it!
His gaze fell back on Su Mo!

Su Mo was extremely popular in the Embroidered Uniform Guard, and his two restaurants were making a fortune every day, while Zhang Guojiu was defeated and returned empty-handed.

In the old man's study, there was a portrait of Su Mo on file!
He originally thought that Su Mo's backers were Wei Zhengguang and Nangong Sheyue of Fengming Division.

Seeing the three players' movements, I immediately realized something was wrong!

The tiger-patterned clothing that Su Mo was wearing surprised the old man Yin Zhi even more!
Even though he was a third-rank commander, all he was given was a tiger-patterned robe!

The old man subtly shifted his gaze from Su Mo's tiger-patterned clothes.

He then turned to Nangong Sheyue and smiled, "I never expected to see Lord Nangong at the Jade Sound Pavilion!"

The other men behind the old man were secretly startled upon hearing this, and all turned their gazes toward Nangong Sheyue!
Nangong Sheyue glanced expressionlessly at the old man Yinzhi, then said calmly, "If Lord You can come, then so can I!"

The old man turned to look at Wei Zhengguang, who was also somewhat shocked: "Lord Wei, is this the Su Mo, the commander of the Left Guard, whom you mentioned?"

Wei Zhengguang immediately smiled and said, "It is indeed Commander Su...!"

Upon hearing this, Su Mo realized the identity of the Yin Zhi Elder.

Among the Embroidered Uniform Guards, there is only one person with a higher rank than Wei Zhengguang and who also shares the surname You: You Li, a third-rank commander and the second most important figure in the Embroidered Uniform Guard system!
He quickly cupped his hands in greeting and said, "This humble servant greets the Assistant Magistrate and the Vice Commissioner!"

Wen Bi and Li You also quickly bowed and greeted the old man and Wei Zhengguang!
They were actually high-ranking members of the Embroidered Uniform Guard.

Stomp your foot and the capital city trembles.

Not to mention they are not to be trifled with, even their fathers would be no match for them!

Wei Zhengguang subconsciously glanced at Su Mo's tiger-patterned clothing again, his expression turning strange.

He cursed inwardly, but had no choice but to bow to Su Mo and say, "I wouldn't dare!"

He himself didn't wear a tiger-skin coat. In formal occasions, he even had to take the initiative to bow to Su Mo, otherwise people would definitely talk about him!
It would have been better if other court officials had been replaced.

If the Imperial Guards, these lackeys, dare to disrespect the tiger-patterned robe bestowed by the Emperor, what does that mean?
Isn't that also disrespectful to the Emperor?
Wei Zhengguang sighed in frustration, glanced at Nangong Sheyue and Leng Liuxi, and finally couldn't hold back any longer: "Commander Su... your tiger uniform..."

Su Mo hurriedly replied, "Your Excellency, I did some work in Tianchang County and was honored by His Majesty's grace in being granted a tiger-patterned robe."

Wei Zhengguang sneered inwardly.

He knew that Su Mo was concurrently serving as the registrar of Tianchang County.

But to think you can get this tiger-patterned robe for such a small achievement is just a pipe dream! The tiger-patterned robe seems far too cheap!
Not to mention that he, as a captain, was exceptionally granted the tiger uniform!
In the vast Great Wu Dynasty, with tens of thousands of officials, only about thirty people were granted the tiger-patterned robe!

Remembering that even Zhang Guojiu had been humiliated by Su Mo, Wei Zhengguang felt that Su Mo was even more unfathomable. Naturally, he didn't dare to give Su Mo a hard time and nodded with a smile, "I see. Then congratulations, Commander Su!"

He paused, then added, "However, it might be somewhat inappropriate for Commander Su to wear a tiger-patterned uniform on such an occasion."

"It would be best to have the Jade Sound Pavilion send over an outer robe for me to wear!"

Su Mo quickly smiled and said, "Thank you for your guidance, Lord Wei! I will certainly keep it in mind!"

The Embroidered Uniform Guard and the Phoenix Cry Division have always been at odds.

After a few perfunctory pleasantries, the two parties parted ways.

Watching Su Mo and the others walk towards the Peony Pavilion, You Li frowned and suddenly asked, "Lord Wei, what is this kid's background? How did he manage to be bestowed with a tiger robe?"

"Even Nangong Sheyue was walking on his right?"

Who is the woman on the left?

(Nangong Sheyue MMP: Even His Majesty is willingly walking to Su Mo's left, what can I do?)

Wei Zhengguang shook his head and smiled bitterly: "Even I can't see through him!"

"But he's very strange!"

He paused, frowned, and said, "I've never seen that woman in green before, but it feels like I've seen her somewhere before! Strange!"

"However, this woman's cultivation in the immortal path must be extremely profound!"

You Li nodded: "Indeed, they should not be underestimated!"

Even he couldn't discern what kind of magic the other party used to conceal their appearance!
Wei Zhengguang then added, "I thought he was just a nobody in the area, so I gave Lin Moyin face and helped him get promoted to captain. I never expected that this kid was so cunning!"

As he spoke, he suddenly leaned close to You Li's ear and whispered, "He's one of us, so you don't need to worry, sir."

"Lu Wenxuan is quite... hehe, the more capable this kid Su is, the better. Maybe that guy will suffer!"

"Perfect timing! That fellow Lu Wenxuan has also come to this Little Orchid Pavilion Poetry Gathering!"

A cold glint suddenly flashed in You Li's eyes!
……

The Jade Sound Pavilion, a multi-story building, and the Peony Pavilion, a flower hall on the third floor, have names that sound rather common.

In fact, this is the most upscale flower hall in Yuyin Pavilion, with a pavilion in front and a veranda behind. It can be used for private banquets in the veranda or to enjoy the river scenery from the pavilion.

Those who are not of noble birth, even if they have money, cannot enter this most prestigious flower hall. Of course, the third son of the Duke of Ningguo has an incomparably noble status, ranking first among the sons of noble families in the capital.

Don't underestimate Zhang Xuzu just because he's from the Ning Kingdom; his knowledge of money is nowhere near as good as Su Mo's!
They could even be described as bumpkins!

Even with the two eldest sons of marquises, he couldn't come up with three thousand taels of silver, which shows how dire his situation was.

After obtaining the soap formula, they earned more money in a short period of time than they had earned in several years before. The three of them completely forgot Su Mo's advice to keep a low profile.

They bought up large quantities of fat and fat paste, and the craftsmen and servants worked in shifts day and night to produce it. In just two months, they made a profit of more than 30,000 taels of silver!

Such astonishing profits naturally attracted the attention of many people.

They said it was the sons of local nobles who came to inquire about information.

In fact, they represent not only local noble families, but also powerful and influential families in the capital!

Therefore, the elder brother of the former military governor's office made a special trip to Zhang Xuzu to secretly discuss this matter!

For the Ningguo Duke's mansion, while making money from the soap business was important, expanding their network of contacts was even more crucial!

Zhang Xuzu and his two companions then used the excuse of another major shareholder to invite the sons of noble families who intended to invest to a gathering at Yuyin Pavilion, while at the same time trying to retrieve a portion of Su Mo's shares!
Of course, those qualified to share this lucrative prize could not be ordinary nobles.

Among them, the one that Zhang Xuzu values ​​most.

Han Yu, the second son of the Han family, although his father, the Marquis of Heyuan, did not have the same title as the Duke of Ningguo, had the Rongwang Mansion behind him, and was the cousin of the current emperor!

Cao Feng, the third son of Marquis of Hanping, was a marquis in name only, with his fiefdom of Hanping and a population of several million.

The Cao family was a powerful clan, with many members serving as officials in the capital, and their influence was not to be underestimated.

Seeing that the major shareholder Zhang Xuzu mentioned had not arrived for a long time, Cao Feng, who exuded a fierce and ruthless aura and had a full beard, frowned and snorted: "Brother Zhang, who exactly is this big boss you mentioned? He's got quite the clout! Why hasn't he shown up yet after all this time?"

With a gentle and refined appearance, looking at the very elegant Han Yu, he smiled and said, "I am also a little curious."

"In this soap business, the Duke of Ningguo's mansion, the Marquis of Dingbian, and the Marquis of Anyang each only get half, yet he alone gets the other half?"

He paused slightly: "Brother Zhang, could you please give us a hint so that we can be mentally prepared?"

Zhang Xuzu gave a wry smile: "It's not that I'm unwilling to go into details."

"Lord Su Mo is the Commander-in-Chief of the Embroidered Uniform Guard..."

Upon hearing this, Han Yu was taken aback and looked at Zhang Xuzu suspiciously: "A mere captain of the Embroidered Uniform Guard? Brother Zhang calls him 'sir'?"

The identity of the Jinyiwei captain was indeed hard for Han Yu to believe.

He secretly wondered if Zhang Xuzu was unwilling to give up his share, so he deliberately found such a person to put on an act!

Cao Feng was about to speak when Zhang Xuzu added, "Concurrently serving as the Chief Banner Officer of the Phoenix Cry Division!"

Han Yu, Cao Feng, and three other nobles of considerable status immediately changed their expressions.

In the eyes of ordinary people, the captain of the Embroidered Uniform Guard or the captain of the Phoenix Cry Division is already a very important figure.

But they really don't take them seriously.

However, when both identities fall on the same person, the nature of the situation changes.

This shows that they are well-connected in both the Embroidered Uniform Guard and the Phoenix Cry Division!

In particular, they all knew that the Embroidered Uniform Guard and the Phoenix Cry Division had always been at odds, and anyone who could straddle both sides was no ordinary person!
Before everyone could recover from their shock...

Zhang Xuzu added casually, "Furthermore, Lord Su is also the registrar of Tianchang County!"

Upon hearing this, Han Yu's expression finally changed, and she exclaimed, "What exactly is going on?"

"Brother Zhang, are you perhaps joking with us?"

"The commander of the Phoenix Cry Division and the commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard can also serve as a registrar?"

Su Mo's name is well-known in the Embroidered Uniform Guard system, but he is not very famous in the noble circles. In fact, no one knows who Su Mo is!
Cao Feng frowned: "How can officials from the Phoenix Cry Division and the Embroidered Uniform Guard serve as court officials?"

"Would the court officials agree to this?"

Zhang Xuzu spread his hands: "That's beyond my understanding, but that's just how it is!"

"Otherwise, even if the recipe was created by Lord Su, why would we agree to give him 50% of the profits!"

As she spoke, the image of the Empress, dressed in a cloak and addressing Su Mo as her husband, naturally appeared in her mind on the day of the ribbon-cutting ceremony!

Han Yu pondered for a moment, then his expression turned serious: "Brother Zhang, tell us honestly, how much of this soap business can you give up?"

Cao Feng also narrowed his eyes, staring intently at Zhang Xuzu.

Zhang Xuzu was about to speak.

Suddenly, there was a knock on the door, and Wen Bi and Li You pushed it open and entered: "Third Brother! Lord Su has arrived!"

The nobles in the hall all turned their gazes toward the entrance.

A tall, slender, and refined young man, with a youthful yet composed and dignified air, slowly walked into the hall.

Following behind was a tall, aloof woman in black with a cold and stern appearance.

There was also a woman in a green dress with a white veil covering her face, exuding a gentle and graceful air.

Zhang Xuzu saw Su Mo appear.

He was startled to find Nangong Sheyue, the commander of the Fengming Division, following behind him.

Unexpectedly, Su Mo actually managed to invite this great figure over!

But how could she be walking behind Su Mo?

Zhang Xuzu stood up, full of doubts, and was about to greet Su Mo and Nangong Sheyue and introduce them to everyone.

The next second, their gazes were fixed on Su Mo's robes, and they stared in astonishment!
Seeing Zhang Xuzu's expression, Cao Feng, Han Yu, and others subconsciously looked at Su Mo.

Then, their eyes narrowed simultaneously!
Su Mo scanned the crowd in the hall.

There are only six people in total.

There were no maids or singers.

He smiled and offered his hands in greeting: "My name is Su Mo. I was late because of other matters. I hope Brother Zhang and everyone else will forgive me!"

Zhang Xuzu took a deep breath and smiled, "Not too late! We just arrived a short while ago!"

Immediately, his gaze fell on Nangong Sheyue: "Zhang Xuzu greets Lord Nangong!"

Nangong Sheyue nodded slightly, glanced at Cao Feng and Han Yu, and said indifferently, "So you are the third son of the Cao family and the second son of the Han family!"

Cao Feng and Han Yu felt a chill run down their spines.

Unexpectedly, they found out who I was instantly.

Han Yu quickly replied, "I am Han Yu. May I ask, sir..."

Nangong Sheyue waved his hand: "I just happened to be meeting with Lord Su. I heard that someone invited Lord Su to Yuyin Pavilion to participate in a poetry gathering, so I came to see what was going on. You don't need to pay any attention to me."

Su Mo smiled and said, "This is Lord Nangong, Commander of the Phoenix Cry Division!"

"This is Lord Leng!"

Upon hearing this, Cao Feng and Han Yu both frowned.

Upon hearing the words "Lord Leng," Zhang Xuzu gasped sharply and instinctively looked towards Leng Liuxi.

Then, I saw the warning in those phoenix eyes.

My back instantly broke out in a cold sweat!

Empress!

His Majesty actually came to the Jade Sound Pavilion with Su Mo?
At this moment.

Zhang Xuzu felt like dying!

(End of this chapter)