Eternal Immortal Dynasty: Starting as a Petty Official

Chapter 198 Red Background and Black Flag, the County Magistrate is Dissatisfied (Seeking Monthly Tickets)

Upon hearing this, Zhao Zheng and the other military officers naturally remained silent.

After all, Zhao Xian's words were not false; they were simply the truth.

Including auxiliary soldiers and cavalry, Zhao Xian had as many as 300 soldiers under his command, as well as nearly 100 warhorses and livestock. He needed as much as 8 shi of millet every day.

Two hundred and forty shi of millet a month—the millet provided by the county is far from enough!

What's more, the bulk of it is the soldiers' monthly salary!

Mounts and livestock don't need a monthly stipend, but they still need to eat some chicken eggs and spirit rice from time to time for nourishment; otherwise, they will be too thin and weak to support long journeys.

In this way, the cost of a warhorse, excluding fodder and millet, is enough to be equivalent to the monthly salary of a squad leader.

Such a huge expense, let alone 30,000 talismans, even if another 30,000 talismans were allocated, it wouldn't be enough!

In addition, there were rewards for the soldiers, and his own and Zhao Hong's cultivation, etc.

Now, all the money and provisions in the camp are under Liu Sheng's control.

To help Liu Sheng better manage his money and grain, Zhao Xian specially sent Zhao Hong to the Daqingshan market to buy Liu Sheng a mid-grade storage bag.

Zhao Xian himself didn't even get to use it!

According to Liu Sheng's estimate, if the county government stops allocating money and grain, the money and grain accumulated in the camp will only be enough for the soldiers for three months!

Zhao Xian was truly worried!

Seeing that Zhao Xian did not hide his predicament, the wealthy families and prominent households of Nankou Township on the lower right exchanged glances without making a sound.

They were naturally aware of Zhao Xian's background: he came from a small, rural family with little wealth.

If it weren't for the help of a benefactor, I'd probably be struggling to make a living somewhere else!

Although we have elite troops and strong generals at our disposal, we have no way to make money. It's just a case of putting on a brave face when we're not!

"The military commander has stationed his troops here to protect the safety of our Nankou Township," the leading middle-aged scholar pondered for a moment, then stroked his beard and smiled, "We, the people of Nankou, naturally must also do our part!"

At this point, the middle-aged scholar paused, glanced at the prominent families and wealthy households behind him, and continued with a smile, "If we scrimp and save, we can still manage to scrape together 20,000 talismans each month!"

"I wish to offer this to the military commander as a small reward!"

"What is your opinion, sir?"

After saying that, everyone raised their heads to look at Zhao Xian, who was in the main seat.

At this moment, Zhao Xian was also secretly pondering. Twenty thousand talisman coins was neither a lot nor a little.

To train a squad of soldiers, the monthly salary alone would require 16,000 coins. Adding in food, clothing, and other expenses, 20,000 coins would barely be enough for a squad of soldiers.

However, I can't ask for too much. After all, these big families and wealthy households are deeply intertwined and may even have connections with the county!

Meanwhile, the people of Nankou Township below, seeing Zhao Xian's solemn expression, also felt their hearts sink.

Could it be that this military commander truly intends to uphold justice?

Upon realizing this, Zhao Xian immediately showed a troubled expression. He looked at the middle-aged scholar and said with a wry smile, "Zhao Xian thanks everyone for their kindness, but this matter is truly difficult to handle!"

It's difficult to handle, not impossible; it just means the price offered is unsatisfactory!

Thinking this, the middle-aged scholar exchanged glances with the others again, then took a deep breath and looked at Zhao Xian, saying in a solemn voice, "Please speak frankly, General!"

Zhao Xian did not answer, but instead looked down at Liu Sheng. Liu Sheng understood what was going on.

"Gentlemen, our setting up checkpoints on this vital north-south route is not our own doing, but rather an order from the county magistrate!"

"The county magistrate's decree must not be changed without authorization!"

"Lord, this~" As soon as Liu Sheng said this, a wealthy man below looked anxious.

"Let Mr. Liu continue!" Jiang Zhuo, the village head of Nankou Township, immediately raised his hand, signaling the wealthy man not to be impatient.

"However, Nankou Township is a vital passage between the north and south, and adding checkpoints will only make the official road more congested!" Changing his tone, Liu Sheng picked up a small red flag with black characters from beside him. "This flag was made by us. With this flag, the officers on duty at checkpoints will allow you to pass!"

Everyone looked over and saw the character "Zhao" embroidered on the flag.

"Then how did we obtain this flag?"

The middle-aged scholar was well aware of this, and immediately looked at Liu Sheng opposite him, asking with a smile.

"One flag, one thousand talismans per month!"

"It's calculated on a monthly basis, with interest paid monthly?!"

Upon hearing this, a wealthy man exclaimed in surprise!

"This fellow looks quite kind, with a square face, big ears, red lips, and white teeth. How could he harbor such a vicious heart!"

The others also glared angrily at Liu Sheng.

"Those who need it, just buy it!"

Liu Sheng remained unperturbed by the angry glares from the group and continued speaking with a smile.

"Then I wonder how many people this flag can be used for?" The middle-aged scholar nodded slightly, then looked at Liu Sheng and asked solemnly, "If hundreds of people use one flag to pass through the checkpoint, how should it be handled?"

"Twenty people! The rest will each have to pay an additional one hundred talismans!" Liu Sheng replied with a smile.

"It's actually quite suitable!" Jiang Zhuo suddenly chimed in.

Seeing that their leader had accepted the decision, the others naturally had no choice but to accept it as well.

Twenty people—not a lot, but not a little either; that's about the size of a small caravan!

As for the large caravans of dozens or even hundreds of people, I'm afraid even this military commander wouldn't dare to intercept them on his own!

After all, behind such a caravan must be at least a Foundation Establishment clan.

Before long, everyone had bought flags, some with one flag and others with five or six.

After all, the prominent families and wealthy households who came this time were merely representatives.

This sale immediately brought Liu Sheng 18,000 coins into his account.

Moreover, he would receive at least 18,000 talismans every month from now on.

Caravans from outside Nankou Township who wanted to travel along this official road also had to pay for their tickets!

As for the caravans of the powerful families in the county, we'll talk about that later!

After all, with the county magistrate backing Zhao Xian, Zhao Xian couldn't act recklessly, and naturally, those merchant caravans couldn't force their way through the checkpoints. The sun rose high on the branches, but there was no enthusiasm for it.

A biting wind howled, and the soldiers guarding the checkpoint stood facing the wind, spears in hand.

Behind several soldiers, a lively and bustling noise could be heard coming from a low wooden house.

Two shirtless men, amidst the cheers of numerous soldiers, clashed violently together and began to wrestle.

The clatter of hooves and the clear ringing of bells signaled the approaching group of figures on the distant official road.

Upon seeing this, the sergeant on duty immediately turned and walked towards the wooden house.

"A caravan has arrived, numbering several dozen people!"

The sergeant walked through the noisy crowd to the depths of the wooden house and respectfully reported to a military officer in iron armor.

"Oh?" The officer smiled slightly, then immediately stood up. "Let's go! Let's go take a look!"

The armor plates rustled as the officer, sword in hand, strode towards the door.

"Stop fooling around! Put on your armor!"

Upon hearing this, the soldiers who were watching immediately scattered, quickly tidied themselves up, and followed the officer out of the room.

Before long, the caravan slowly approached.

"Halt!"

The sergeant on duty, holding a long rifle, approached and shouted sternly.

The cavalrymen leading the way were quite surprised to see this.

When did a checkpoint appear here?

The leading cavalryman looked around and saw that the pass was fully equipped with deer fences and barricades, with wooden palisades and barracks on the left and right, making it a heavily guarded area.

Looking at the soldiers behind the checkpoint, they were well-equipped, and the leader was in full iron armor. These were definitely not ordinary mountain bandits!

Upon realizing this, the leading cavalryman immediately gave an order to the cavalrymen behind him, then dismounted, a smile on his face, and walked forward.

The cavalrymen behind them also turned their horses around and galloped toward the center of the column.

"My lord, we have just returned from purchasing goods in Xiao County, but we did not know when a checkpoint was set up here?" The leading cavalryman stepped forward and bowed.

"So you've come from Xiao County?" Upon hearing this, the squad leader's face lit up with delight. "We were checking merchant caravans from Xiao County!"

"The leader is a merchant caravan from Xiao County!"

Then, the sergeant cautiously took a few steps back, then turned around and shouted.

Upon hearing this, the armored officer led his men over in large strides.

At that moment, two figures strode quickly into the caravan.

As the two parties approached, they began to sized each other up.

Seeing that the soldiers opposite were quite skilled, the caravan manager in his brocade robe showed a hint of surprise in his eyes.

The county soldiers of Rongtai County are not this elite!

"Zhu Zhen of the Zhu family of Dangshan greets Your Majesty!"

Suppressing his surprise, the caravan manager smiled and stepped forward to bow.

"We are soldiers under the command of the Rongtai County Military Commissioner, ordered by the County Magistrate to set up a checkpoint here to strictly inspect passing caravans and pedestrians!"

The officer nodded slightly, then spoke in a solemn voice.

"Soldier Cao? Is that Zhao Jun who quelled the bandits?" Zhu Zhen asked with a smile after a moment's thought.

"Exactly!"

The officer nodded in agreement.

Zhu Zhen nodded slightly. He had naturally heard of Zhao Xian. This man was deeply trusted by the county magistrate and had quelled the bandits in Ronghuai County. He was truly a capable and brave warrior!

Even though he was a member of the Zhu clan, he didn't want to have a conflict with such a person!

He had encountered this kind of thing many times while traveling as a merchant, so it was really not a big deal!

"We left Rongtai several months ago for Xiao County, unaware of this checkpoint," Zhu Zhen stepped forward, took out several thumb-sized, glittering spirit stones from his sleeve, and placed them in the officer's hand. "It's freezing cold, brothers, please heat up some wine to warm yourselves up!"

"Thank you for your concern, Steward Zhu!" The officer weighed the spirit stone in his hand, a warm smile on his face, while Zhu Zhen also smiled at just the right moment.

"Unfortunately, the county magistrate's order cannot be disobeyed. Please, Steward Zhu, step aside, and I will lead my men to investigate!"

After saying this, the officer stuffed the spirit stone back into Zhu Zhen's hand, then raised his hand and waved it, and his soldiers formed a line and strode forward.

The spears gleamed, radiating a chilling light. Two squads of soldiers marched in perfect unison, while not far away, a squad of archers had already drawn their bows and aimed their arrows at the caravan!

In an instant, a chilling aura of killing intent permeated the checkpoint.

Seeing that the military officer was so disrespectful, Zhu Zhen's chest heaved rapidly, his face turned ashen, and he was about to explode on the spot.

"Manager Zhu!"

Unexpectedly, the head of the guards behind him stepped forward, tugged at Zhu Zhen's robe, and slightly raised his head towards the distance.

Zhu Zhen looked over and saw that the sharp arrow, gleaming with a cold light, was already pointed at him, and his heart trembled instantly!

At such close range, let alone a Qi Refining Level 6 cultivator, even a Qi Refining Perfection Level cultivator would find it nearly impossible to block more than ten arrows fired simultaneously!

"Your Excellency is a soldier under Lord Zhao's command. You are well aware of the significance of our Zhu clan in Rongtai County!"

"Don't cause trouble for Zhao Jun!"

Zhu Zhen bowed to the officer again, his expression sincere, and spoke in a measured tone.

Upon hearing this, the military officer's expression shifted between anger and uncertainty, and he hesitated.

As the soldiers drew ever closer to the convoy, how could they possibly expose the goods on board so easily?

Zhu Zhen's expression hardened again, and he took out a palm-sized spirit stone from his sleeve and stuffed it into the officer's hand.

"Stop!"

Upon seeing this, the officer immediately raised his head and shouted loudly.

The soldiers who were about to arrive at the convoy also stopped in unison, in perfect unison, without any hesitation!

This scene caused the guards standing on either side of the convoy to change their expressions drastically!

"The Zhu family is a powerful clan in Rongtai. Their mere presence can shake the entire county!" The military officer, holding a mid-grade spirit stone, looked at Zhu Zhen opposite him, his expression softening slightly, and smiled, "How could such a powerful clan possibly collude with the rioters of Huangtiandao!"

Huang Tiandao has officially established his banner in Xiao County, and his influence is so great that even these low-ranking military officers have heard of him!

Upon hearing this, Zhu Zhen gave a wry smile: "We're just trying to make a living; how could we dare to get involved with those rebellious rioters!"

"The clerk has stated beforehand that the toll for each caravan of the Chen, Liu, and Zhu clans is only one thousand coins!"

"Fellow Daoist Zhu, that's too much!"

After saying that, the officer stuffed the mid-grade spirit stone in his hand into Zhu Zhen's hand again.

Zhu Zhen looked at the officer in front of him with considerable surprise, sizing him up before tentatively asking, "May I ask what your name is, Your Majesty?"

"Without rank or grade, he cannot be called a sovereign; he is Zhao Hong of Crouching Tiger Township!"

The young military officer waved his hand repeatedly and responded with a smile.

"So it's Little Zhao!"

Zhu Zhen recognized the person in front of her at this moment. It was none other than Zhao Xian's younger brother, Zhao Hong!

Now that they recognized each other, the two chatted for a while, and Zhu Zhen took the opportunity to put away the mid-grade spirit stones in her hand and put ten low-grade spirit stones into Zhao Hong's hand from her sleeve.

Ten low-grade spirit stones, when exchanged for talisman coins, would amount to at least 1,100 talisman coins, which is more than 10% more than the amount Zhao Hong had asked for.

Zhu Zhen's cautious approach is evident from this!

After accepting the spirit stones, Zhao Hong ordered his soldiers to retreat and then ordered the guards to remove the barricades and clear the road.

The convoy slowly drove through the checkpoint, and Zhu Zhen followed.

On the first vehicle, there was also a small flag with red background and black lettering.

"Let's go back and continue training!"

Watching the departing convoy, Zhao Hong led his soldiers back to the wooden house.

It's freezing cold, and I really don't want to be standing here in the cold wind.

"Ah Jun, how are Zhao Xian's soldiers?"

Sitting comfortably in the carriage, Zhu Zhen suddenly lifted the curtain, called to the head of the mounted guards, and asked in a low voice.

"Uncle, you are truly capable!"

The head guard immediately pulled on the reins, and the carriage moved slowly along with it.

"How do they compare to our tribe's soldiers?"

"That's a world of difference, incomparable!"

"After all, the weakest members of our clan's soldiers are all second-rate martial artists!"

"However, if their cultivation resources, armor, and weapons are replenished, and they are rigorously trained, they will certainly be no weaker than our clan's soldiers!"

Changing the subject, the guard leader added another sentence.

"Heh~" Zhu Zhen scoffed, lowering the curtain. "A small, rural clan like ours can't afford to raise an elite army!"

Meanwhile, in a camp several miles away from the checkpoint, the sounds of fierce fighting resounded.

A hundred or so soldiers formed a battle formation, advancing and retreating with precision to the sound of drums and gongs.

Now that the military system is initially established and the units are initially divided into squads, the next step is to learn to recognize flags, distinguish drums and gongs, and know when to advance and retreat!

Among the military treatises left behind by Yun Chong, there are also extensive chapters explaining this principle.

Now that he has plenty of time, Zhao Xian naturally intends to give it a good workout!

As for battle formations, some basic battle formations can be taught to soldiers, but more advanced and sophisticated battle formations can only be learned by true Dao soldiers.

The difference between Taoist soldiers and ordinary soldiers is like heaven and earth!

As noon approached, the military officer led his soldiers away to have their meal.

Zhao Xian also began to eat.

Although he was the commander of a battalion, Zhao Xian's meals were quite simple, consisting of only a dish of fermented soybeans, a bowl of meat soup, and a pot of spirit rice porridge.

After finishing his meal and resting briefly, Zhao Xian summoned his officers of deputy captain rank and above to gather in his military tent.

He personally explained the principles of being a general and leading troops.

Meanwhile, Zhao Zheng, Zhao Cheng, and other military officers under his command listened attentively to the lecture.

Inside the military tent, there was a sand table made by Zhao Xian himself, which could naturally be used to deduce military strategies.

Then came the instruction in martial arts. According to Zhao Xian's regulations, military officers at the deputy captain level and above had to be first-rate martial artists.

But right now, Zhao Zheng, Zhao Zong, Xu Hua, Xu Fu, Zhang Gong, Zhao Jun, and others are still only second-rate martial artists.

Zhao Xian had no choice but to take it seriously and urged them to practice diligently every day.

In the dead of winter, when there is no war, one should diligently cultivate oneself and improve oneself.

With such diligent study and practice, more than a month has passed in the blink of an eye.

This past winter, many refugees from Xiao County fled into Rongtai County.

The arrival of these refugees filled Rongtai County Magistrate Gao Su with both worry and joy.

What worries them is that these refugees, lacking food and clothing, will gather and cause trouble, while what pleases them is the increase in the population under their rule.

As county magistrates, the Yunlan Sect's year-end assessment of magistrates like Gao Su naturally consisted of the cultivation resources they submitted each year and the increase or decrease in the population under their jurisdiction.

Those who achieve the highest rank will be rewarded with great merit, while those who achieve the lowest rank will naturally be dismissed from their positions as county magistrates.

In the past year or two, with Zhao Xian leading his men to patrol the villages, there has been no trace of bandits, and Rongtai can be described as a peaceful and tranquil place.

Gao Su received top marks in both year-end assessments.

This year, Zhao Xian no longer inspects the villages; instead, Xu Dejing leads the inspections. Gao Su is naturally somewhat uneasy about this.

Now, due to the incident in Xiao County, a large number of refugees have poured in, so it seems unlikely that we will be able to get a top rating again this year.

But it's still better than Zhen Que, the magistrate of Ronghuai County next door, who is definitely going to be relegated to the lowest rank!

Just as Rongtai County Magistrate Gao Su was preoccupied with the refugee crisis, he also heard about the discontent of the local powerful clans towards Zhao Xian for setting up checkpoints and conducting strict inspections.

The back hall of the county government office.

Several high-ranking officials with official seals hanging from their waists sat upright in their seats, their faces showing great respect.

On the main seat, Magistrate Gao Su was still wearing a green robe, with a slight smile on his face.

"What are your thoughts on Zhao Xian's illegal establishment of checkpoints and strict inspections of passing caravans and travelers?"

Looking around at the high-ranking officials in the hall, Gao Su spoke leisurely.

"Zhao Bingcao set up the checkpoint privately, but it was also to strictly prevent Huang Tiandao's rioters from mixing with the refugees and entering Rongtai County!"

"Although his actions were somewhat inappropriate, they were for the safety of Rongtai County!"

Liu Yuan, the clerk, had a close relationship with Zhao Xian, so he naturally spoke up first to defend Zhao Xian.

"However, there are other rumors that Zhao Xian's inspection of caravans and extortion of money were actually acts of seeking personal gain."

Before Liu Yuan could finish speaking, another high-ranking official spoke up to refute him.

"Who said this? Is there any evidence?"

At this moment, the bandit chief Chen Yuancheng also looked at that person and asked indifferently.

"This~"

The clerk gave a sheepish smile and stammered, offering no evidence whatsoever.

There's no evidence for this kind of thing, and nobody dares to leave any.

Several more officials spoke up, some defending Zhao Xian, and others directly attacking him.

After all, not all officials respected Zhao Xian's actions.

Moreover, although Zhao Xian was a military officer, he had never worked a single day in the county government office and was not familiar with any of the county officials.

Apart from Liu Yuan, Chen Yuancheng and others, naturally few people spoke up to defend Zhao Xian.

However, the newly appointed Registrar Yuan Wei spoke up to defend Zhao Xian.

Previously, Yuan Wei was the head of Pinghe Township. When Zhao Xian led his people to quell the demon, he had some interaction with Zhao Xian.

Yuan Wei was promoted to Chief Clerk of Household Affairs by Gao Su for his meritorious service in governing Pinghe Township.

After some debate, the officials fell silent and waited for Magistrate Gao Su's decision.

"Has a successor been chosen for Yuan Jun's resignation as the head of Pinghe Township?"

Suddenly, Gao Su looked down at Liu Yuan, the clerk, and slowly asked.

"The lower-level officials have already drafted three names, but have not yet submitted them to the county magistrate!"

"Who are they?"

"Cao Miao, the village head of Shahe Township; Ren Shuo, the village head of Shangbei Township; and Zhu Shen, the village head of Xixiang Township!"

Upon hearing this, Liu Yuan immediately replied respectfully.

Pinghe Township is a large township in the north of the county, with more than 5,000 households, and the township magistrate has a salary of 100 shi (a unit of grain).

The position of village chief has always been selected from among the village chiefs in the west and north of the county.

The three people recommended by Liu Yuan this time were all from the west and north of the county.

"Cao Miao is too old, and Ren Shuo is too rough in his ways, so let Zhu Shen succeed him!"

After a moment's thought, Gao Su had already decided on the candidate.

"I will issue the appointment shortly!" Liu Yuan replied respectfully once again.

"With Zhu Shen, the magistrate of Xixiang Township, having resigned, the position shall be taken over by Song Ming, a military officer under Zhao Xian!"

Upon hearing this, all the officials in the hall seemed to be deep in thought.

It seems that the county magistrate is also somewhat dissatisfied with Zhao Xian's actions and is preparing to give him a warning.

After all, Song Ming had been following Zhao Xian for two years and was Zhao Xian's capable assistant!

"Song Ming has never served as a village assistant; is it inappropriate to suddenly promote him to the position of village steward?"

After a few moments of deliberation, Liu Yuan cautiously probed the question.

"It's alright!" Gao Su waved his hand, looked around at everyone and smiled, "Song Ming also contributed a lot to the relocation and resettlement of the Chen and Liu clans!"

"I also have some understanding of the daily affairs of the village."

"In that case, I will draft the appointments within the next two days!"

Liu Yuan, the clerk, immediately bowed and responded.

"The population of Xixiang already exceeds four thousand households. The Daoist people who recently migrated to Rongtai County will be escorted to Xixiang by Zhao Xian's troops and properly settled by Song Ming!"

"When the population of Xixiang exceeds five thousand in the future, Song and Ming dynasties can also wear official seals and ribbons!"

A beating followed by a sweet treat—Gao Su is no ordinary ascetic cultivator who is solely focused on cultivation and detached from worldly affairs. He has held the position of magistrate of Rongtai County for twenty years!