Our family has been rebelling for generations, and you've become the top scholar in the imperia

"I...I said, brother, I can't eat anymore, I really can't eat anymore!"

Inside the courtyard.

As Liu Tu walked in carrying a full bucket of manure.

The nauseating smell immediately caused Zhao Banxia and everyone else's expressions to change drastically.

Thick!

Immediately, a man kneeling at the very edge raised his hands and shouted at the top of his lungs:

"I'll talk, I'll talk, please spare my life, I'll talk..."

"My monthly wages are three taels of silver, and the rest has to be given to Constable Zhao for fifty taels. Actually, we don't earn much silver. My elder brother only earns about five taels a month at most."

"Yeah?"

With a playful expression on his face, Qin Feng quietly asked Zhao Banxia.

It's so dark.

The entire job of scavenging latrines in the capital city involved about twenty men, each paid two taels of silver. All told, they only managed to pay out less than sixty taels. After paying fifty taels to the head constable, they were left with five taels of silver.

You've only earned a little over a hundred taels of silver?

Anyone who has ever been to school would realize that this is impossible if they thought about it for a moment.

"Yes, sir. It's true. Scavenging is hard work. I'm doing it so that my brothers can make a living. I beg you to give me a way to make a living. I... I'm willing to work a little more each month and give you five taels, no, ten taels of silver."

Zhao, the blind man, remained expressionless and knelt on the ground, pleading pitifully.

Overwhelmed with emotion, she wiped away her tears with her sleeve.

"First, force-feed him half a bowl of rice. He won't utter a single truth. We'll stop when he's willing to tell the truth!"

Qin Feng smiled and shook his head.

His acting skills are quite good, but unfortunately he lacks education and doesn't even understand basic arithmetic.

"Open your mouth, and go get a funnel for filling with vinegar!"

Liu Tu and Niu Wu stepped forward, one of them pinching the mouth and inserting a funnel, while the other scooped out a full basin.

They were about to carry it in and pour it in.

"stop!"

Just then.

The courtyard gate was kicked open, and a constable with a full beard, followed by many people, walked in with a gloomy expression.

"Li Lang, we've kept to ourselves, and you've only been absent from duty for a few days. What are you trying to do? Don't you know who Zhao Banxia works for?"

After Officer Zhao walked in.

He glanced at the people inside and completely ignored Qin Feng.

Pointing at Li Lang, he questioned him sternly.

Who else but Li Lang has the ability to arrest people in Xifang?

Fangzheng?

In the past, the neighborhood officials always looked to Li Lang for his opinion.

"Zhao Yong, this is Lord Qin, the head of the Western Ward."

Li Lang took a deep breath and blinked hard at Zhao Yong.

Still can't see the situation clearly?

There were so many people standing in the courtyard, but Qin Fang was sitting. Was the head constable of the Jingzhao Prefecture really that observant?

He saw Li Lang winking at him.

Zhao Yong seemed to realize what was happening and glanced around the courtyard again.

The gaze finally fell on the person in the middle chair.

"Lord Bomasa."

Seeing Li Lang's pleading look, Qin Feng nodded silently.

"You come here right now, what are you yelling about? You almost died..."

He dragged Zhao Yong aside.

Li Lang explained the situation very quickly.

They learned that the person sitting in the chair was this year's top scholar, who had been ordered by the emperor to govern the western district.

Zhao Yong broke out in a cold sweat, soaking his clothes.

She rushed to Qin Feng and knelt down without hesitation.

"Snapped!"

He slapped himself hard across the face.

"Your Excellency, I... I am not familiar with Zhao Banxia. He is in charge of cleaning latrines in the capital, and he does pay me thirty taels of silver a month, so..."

"Don't rush!"

Qin Feng interrupted the other party.

His gaze fell on Zhao Banxia, ​​whose face was filled with embarrassment.

"Isn't it fifty taels?"

"What fifty taels? I am absolutely not lying. This person gives me thirty taels of silver at the beginning of each month."

That brings us to this point.

Zhao Yong turned around and, upon seeing Zhao Banxia's expression, immediately understood what was going on.

"Oh dear, you may be blind in the eyes, but you're not blind in the mind at all. You've embezzled twenty taels of silver in just one month."

"In that case, we'll hand the person over to Constable Zhao."

Zhao Yong stood up.

He went up and kicked Zhao Banxia to the ground, then grabbed a wooden stick from behind the door and started whipping him hard.

If it weren't for him, would the other person have been able to get a job shoveling latrines?

He never imagined that he could earn so much money by shoveling latrines for a month. Now it seems he probably earns more than that.

"Spare me! Stop hitting me, Lord Warden! I was wrong, please spare me!"

"Ahhhhh!"

"Uncle Zhao, we're relatives! Please stop hitting me! I was really wrong, I'll tell the truth, I'll tell the truth!"

Zhao Yong stopped and dragged the man to Qin Feng's feet.

"My lord, this man has no household registration in the capital, so even if we kill him, no one will know."

"Spare me!"

Zhao Banxia felt like the sky had fallen.

The head of Xifang was clearly no ordinary person; otherwise, Officer Zhao wouldn't have knelt down and kowtowed directly.

Even when facing the Prefect of Jingzhao Prefecture, in front of everyone, he wouldn't be this afraid.

"How much money do you actually earn in a month?"

Qin Feng was very curious about this question.

The job of scavenging latrines had two advantages: it was a way to earn money, and it allowed free access to many homes, including officials' residences.

This is a great opportunity to gather information and scout out locations.

"Besides the silver I receive, the silver I hand over to Constable Zhao adds up to more than 200 taels every month."

"How much? I'll beat you to death!"

It wasn't just Zhao Yong who was angry.

The many men kneeling in the courtyard who were cleaning out night soil were now enraged.

More than 200 taels a month.

They only gave each person two taels of silver, and even that was often delayed, with the excuse that business was bad.

It turned out that Zhao Banxia had secretly embezzled all the silver.

"You only earned this little?"

on the chair.

Qin Feng touched his chin with one hand, his brows furrowing slightly.

The amount is incorrect.

The entire job of scavenging latrines in the capital city only yielded a little over three hundred taels of silver a month, including expenses.

"You're not lying?"

"Sir, I wouldn't dare lie even if I had a hundred lives. It really is that much silver a month. Over the years, I've saved up a total of 6000 taels of silver. I'm absolutely not lying."

Zhao Banxia knelt on the ground, kowtowing repeatedly.

He even revealed how much silver he had hidden at home.

As long as I can save my life.

Money can be earned again, but if you lose your life, you lose everything.

"Um!"

Qin Feng pursed his lips. He could tell that Zhao Banxia was indeed not lying.

Then it can only be a management issue.

These businesses often had exclusive monopolies, with multiple households involved. For example, an official's residence might have several outhouses.

How could I possibly earn so little money in a month?

"You few, come in with me."

Qin Feng stood up.

He glanced at Officer Li, Officer Zhao, and the half-blind Zhao, then turned and went inside.

The three exchanged a glance, gritted their teeth, and followed him inside.

"We're about to take over the job of scavenging latrines. Are you interested?"

As soon as I came in.

Qin Feng then got straight to the point and asked.

"Thump!"

Zhao Banxia knelt down again, nodding hurriedly.

"I am willing!"

"Where are you two?"

Qin Feng then looked at the two constables from the Jingzhao Prefecture.

No amount of maneuvering will win people over; only when interests are aligned can the relationship last.

As the saying goes, it's easier to appease the King of Hell than to deal with his underlings.

In some situations, the head constables of the Jingzhao Prefecture could be far more useful than the officials.

"After this workshop takes over the job of cleaning latrines, the three of you will each receive a minimum of one hundred taels of silver per month."

The three of them looked up at the same time, their faces filled with shock.

Steal...steal the young?