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

Chapter 21 Fatty
After the clerks congratulated Su Mo one after another, they tactfully left space for Chen Qian and Su Mo, the uncle and nephew, to talk.

Chen Qian led Su Mo to a public room.

He then glared fiercely at Su Mo, his expression indescribably complex.

He had been a menial laborer for over ten years without ever being promoted to a regular position, but his nephew, after only three months of menial labor, had already surpassed him!
Chen Qian grew angrier the more he thought about it: "You little brat!"

"If you had this connection, why didn't you tell your uncle sooner! You've really gotten your uncle into trouble this time!"

If he had known earlier that Su Mo had connections with the Embroidered Uniform Guard, he could have planned ahead and even brought down Ma Da Liuzi. Why did he leave such a troublesome person behind?
Su Mo glared back at Chen Qian, annoyed: "I was just about to say, who suddenly knocked me unconscious!"

Chen Qian was instantly speechless!
Su Mo blinked and said, "Now that the matter is resolved, that bastard Ma Da Liuzi won't dare to touch us for a while, so how can you say that he harmed my uncle?"

Chen Qian snorted: "Still talking!"

"Do you know how much money those guys have bet!"

He was so regretful his teeth ached: "Damn it!"

"A full eighteen taels!"

According to the compensation rule of 1 to 10, I would have to pay out 180 taels!

There were others who were optimistic about Ma Daliuzi, but they only contributed five or six taels of silver, which was a drop in the ocean compared to one hundred and eighty taels, and it wouldn't even reach Chen Qian's pocket!
Is it true that you can ask others to help open a trading platform without paying them?
Moreover, it cost him ten taels of silver just to get the clerk, the chief clerk, to say a word!
Su Mo's eyes widened immediately: "Third Uncle, you have so much money?"

"Last time you bought a regular farm, you even made me sell three acres of cultivated land to raise the money!"

Chen Qian glared at him and lowered his voice: "Foolish!"

"Can you just take this money out like that?"

"I was planning to tell you the truth after you and Yiyao got married! This time, I had no choice but to use it to save my life!"

Su Mo thought about it and agreed!
Wealth is not revealed in vain.

If a servant can easily produce several hundred taels of silver, wouldn't he become an easy target for others?
"Third Uncle, tell me honestly, how much is left?"

Chen Qian's toothache worsened: "It's really gone!"

"With a profit of thirty to fifty taels a year, and after bribing superiors and subordinates, how much silver can one possibly save!"

He paused, then said, "However, now that you've become a regular officer, and with the connections in Jin... Chen Bao can take bigger steps, and that money should come back within three to five years!"

"You have to remember to keep in touch whenever you have the chance! Relationships are like that; if you don't keep in touch, they'll slowly drift apart!"

Su Mo couldn't help but ask, "Didn't you say that none of the Embroidered Uniform Guards are good people, and that you can't get involved with them?"

Chen Qian was immediately startled and jumped back: "Don't talk nonsense!"

"Hmph! Everyone says that no clerk is any good!"

Without connections to the Embroidered Uniform Guard, the Embroidered Uniform Guard would certainly not be a good thing.

If there's a connection, that's a different story!

The old clerk was a master of double standards.

After a moment's hesitation, Chen Qian gritted his teeth and said, "When we get back, come to my place and get fifty taels of silver. Use it to make some arrangements over there. We can't be stingy with this money!"

Su Mo was speechless!

They just said they had no money, and now they're asking me to get fifty taels of silver!
That old man never tells the truth.

But it's really good for me too!

He nodded: "Now that I'm a regular player, what's the next step?"

Compared to Chen Qian, Su Mo was definitely clueless about official matters and needed his uncle's guidance.

Chen Qian immediately said, "Go find Constable Zhong to get your identity token and uniform, and then pick up your duties."

He thought for a moment and then said, "He's a very smooth person; he should be able to give you a good job."

Changping County is very large, and there are very few regular soldiers in the three shifts.

Especially the catchers and quick-handlers, who together number only twenty or thirty, are qualified to hire their own handymen.

Therefore, the status of constables was quite high, both in terms of wages and power, they were above those of bailiffs and laborers!
Each constable has their own territory, which is also their biggest source of extra income.

Su Mo has one advantage: she is receptive to advice.

He readily agreed and went to the police station to find Zhong Sanyuan.

Zhong Sanyuan was also waiting for Su Mo to come over.

There are many things that are not appropriate to say in public, especially in a courtroom.

Upon seeing Su Mo knock and enter, Zhong Sanyuan immediately put on a smile, nodded to Su Mo, and pointed to the chair beside him: "Please sit down!" Su Mo quickly replied with a smile: "Officer Zhong, please don't stand on ceremony with me!"

"Young man, you've come to get your warrant and uniform from the head constable."

Zhong Sanyuan took out his identity token and official uniform and handed them to Su Mo, then hesitated for a moment: "Ahem!"

"I promised you that you would take the official duty earlier!"

"Unfortunately, Magistrate Ma interfered, and this constable had no choice but to agree to give it to that scoundrel Zhou Meng!"

He paused, then said, "You should know that the relationships within the yamen are very complicated. The position of a regular constable isn't something I, the head constable, can just give to whoever I want. So, the money can only be refunded as much as seventeen taels. Do you understand?"

As a constable, it was quite remarkable that he could explain things so clearly to Su Mo.

In fact, he didn't lie to Su Mo.

Chief Constable Zhong was quite ethical in accepting bribes.

He didn't cheat Su Mo out of a single penny!

Su Mo wasn't one to be easily fooled, and quickly replied with a smile, "Officer Zhong, there's no need for explanation!"

"I understand this principle perfectly well!"

Zhong Sanyuan smiled: "Good that you understand!"

He thought for a moment and then said, "You're in charge of maintaining order in the East Market area from now on!"

Upon hearing this, Su Mo was immediately stunned!
The two cities, Dongcheng and Xicheng, and Changping County are recognized as two huge, lucrative areas!

The West Market was under the jurisdiction of Lü Shan, the deputy head of the constables.

The Eastern Market was overseen by Luo Lie, the deputy head of the fast-track squad.

Zhong Sanyuan put him in charge of the security in Dongshi?

What about Luo Lie?
As the deputy head of the fast squad, Luo Lie is, in some ways, more difficult to deal with than the clerk.

After all, he was a direct superior, and it was impossible to use the power of the clerks to fight against him!
Cutting off someone's livelihood is tantamount to killing their parents!
This old fox clearly wants to use me as a pawn to fight Luo Lie to the death!

Of course, Su Mo understood.

I am not qualified to be a chess player yet.

The infighting among clerks was no different from that in officialdom; it was just as brutal.

You can't be so naive as to think that being kind to everyone every day will get you a promotion!

To continue improving, you must first prove your worth!
Take Luo Lie for example. If he wants to advance further and become the chief constable, he has to bring down Zhong Sanyuan.

Su Mo hesitated for a moment: "Officer Zhong, is it not appropriate for me to be in charge of the East Market?"

"Deputy Constable Luo..."

Zhong Sanyuan waved his hand, interrupting Su Mo: "As for Deputy Constable Luo, I will arrange other tasks for him."

He paused, then added, "Humility is essential for young people, but they also need drive!"

"Don't be afraid of making mistakes, I, the head constable, will take full responsibility!"

Having said that, Su Mo had no reason to hesitate: "Your subordinate will certainly live up to the constable's expectations!"

The choice is between offending the deputy chief constable and offending the chief constable.

Anyone with a normal IQ wouldn't make the wrong choice!

After leaving the chief constable's office, the other constables congratulated Su Mo one after another. Some urged Su Mo to treat them to a meal, while others subtly inquired about the assignment Su Mo had taken on.

Su Mo gave a few casual replies.

After leaving the police station, he went straight to find Chen Qian.

How to be a good pawn definitely requires the advice of that old fox Chen Qian!
Chen Qian was also greatly surprised to hear that Zhong Sanyuan had handed over the security of the East Market to Su Mo!
"Third Uncle, can you handle it?" Su Mo asked.

Chen Qian took a deep breath and said decisively, "Of course we can beat them!"

Without connections with the Embroidered Uniform Guard, Chen Qian certainly wouldn't have much confidence in going against his direct superiors.

Now it's completely different!

His own nephew had already secured an invincible position, and even the county magistrate had to be wary of him. How could he possibly be afraid of a mere deputy constable?

The two uncles and nephews are determined to get their hands on this lucrative piece of meat in the East Market!

(End of this chapter)