Ming Dynasty: I am truly not the Emperor of Longevity

Although the servants bought this time were not expensive, each cost between six or seven taels and more than ten taels of silver, the total cost of the dozen or so people was less than two hundred taels.

However, the actual annual expenditure to support these servants is over one hundred taels of silver, which is almost as much as their personal value.

When Lu Chen arrived in Biyang County, he exchanged all the cash he had, plus the one hundred taels of gold, for about 1,200 taels of silver.

After redeeming Yunxiang from her servitude, processing her registration through a middleman at the county government office, purchasing a house, hiring a steward, buying servants, and incurring other miscellaneous expenses, only three hundred taels remained.

After I left Biyang County, the expenses for this large family of more than ten people would conservatively be more than two hundred taels a year.

Three hundred taels of silver could only last for a little over a year, let alone buy land or shops.

Only then did Lu Chen realize how much cost was involved behind the glamorous lives of wealthy families in ancient times that he had seen in various movies and TV dramas before his transmigration.

This was merely the expense of an ordinary wealthy family in a county town.

Those high-ranking officials, nobles, and extremely wealthy merchants who own grand mansions and have numerous servants may have annual expenses that are astronomical figures that are unimaginable to ordinary people.

However, the salaries of officials in the Ming Dynasty were pitifully low!

The Single Whip Law reform was not implemented during the Jiajing reign; it was only done after Zhang Juzheng became Grand Secretary during the Wanli reign.

At that time, the main unit of measurement for both officials' salaries and taxes was grain. Even if other goods were actually collected or distributed, their value was still converted into grain.

A seventh-rank official, whether he was the magistrate of a county or a commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, would only receive ninety shi of rice as his annual stipend from the imperial court.

Lu Chen had inquired about grain prices these past few days. Both Xiangyang Prefecture and Nanyang Prefecture had enjoyed relatively good weather this year, with grain prices around seven to eight qian of silver per shi.

In other words, if one relied solely on the government's salary, a seventh-rank county magistrate's annual salary would only be sixty or seventy taels of silver!

This amount of money, if given to an ordinary person, would certainly be enough to ensure that their entire family has enough to eat and wear.

Was the county magistrate an ordinary person?!

That's a county magistrate, and this meager salary is barely enough to feed a beggar!

The annual expenses of the villa that Lu Chen purchased in Biyang County under the identity of "Lin Chaoxi" are more than three times the salary of a county magistrate!

The actual expenses of a county magistrate are much greater than those of an ordinary wealthy man in the county, such as Lin Chaoxi.

In addition to the expenses of the county magistrate himself, his family, and servants, the county magistrate usually also had to pay out of his own pocket to hire staff.

The salary of just one staff member is probably much higher than that of a county magistrate.

No wonder Hai Rui became an almost unique and exemplary case of an incorruptible official during the Jiajing reign!

That's because officials who didn't embezzle simply couldn't survive in the Ming Dynasty!

After more than a hundred years of rule, the Ming Dynasty should have long since established a complete set of precedents for gray income.

By the time of the Jiajing reign, the crime of "corruption" for officials had actually been redefined.

Taking only what you are entitled to and not being greedy is enough to be considered honest and upright.

Nor would any censor or official impeach any official for corruption because of this.

Officials impeached for corruption must have overstepped their bounds and gone too far!

Lu Chen turned to look at Yun Xiang, who was standing beside him, the concubine he had taken in under the identity of "Lin Chaoxi".

No, she is no longer called Yunxiang. She has reverted to her original name, Chen Yunniang, which she used when she was a daughter of an official.

"Yunniang, I will have someone send you the first sum of money within six months to a year, and the amount will be no less than five thousand taels."

Lu Chen gave the instructions softly.

"During this time, you and Steward Tao will travel around Biyang County to see what fields and shops are suitable for purchase."

While I was away from Biyang County, you, a woman, were in charge of the household. There was no doubt that some unscrupulous people might try to take advantage of you.

Whenever you go out, be sure to bring several servants with you; never go out alone.

Once the first payment arrives, begin purchasing the land and shops you've set your sights on—the more the better, don't be afraid to spend the money.

"I am but a humble woman, and I will certainly not slacken in the slightest in fulfilling my duty to you, my lord."

Chen Yunniang gave Lu Chen a deep bow.

"Rest assured, my lord, I will certainly take good care of this business for you."

. . .

the next day.

Nanyang Prefecture, Tongbai County.

After departing from Biyang County yesterday, Lu Chen did not have the driver head west to Tang County, but instead went south to Tongbai County, about forty kilometers away, and found an inn in the county town to stay overnight.

It wasn't until the morning of the next day that they bought a horse in Tongbai County and led it out of the west gate of the county town.

Starting from Tongbai County, Tang County is about 60 to 70 kilometers to the northwest.

The last clue he left behind as a member of the Embroidered Uniform Guard more than ten days ago was in Tang County.

To conceal their whereabouts as much as possible during these days, they could not pass through any checkpoints or show identification to anyone on the route from Tongbai County to Tang County.

Neither the "Wu Chang Pai" nor the "Lin Chao Xi" road pass will work.

Only in this way can the connection between the two identities of "Lu Chen" and "Lin Chaoxi" be truly severed.

You have to detour through all the checkpoints and villages along the way, passing through the nearby mountains and forests.

Moreover, it was impossible to change horses on the road.

It's important to know that while horses can run very fast, their endurance is poor, much worse than that of humans.

Lu Chen had already personally experienced the route from Sheqidian to Tang County.

The horse was exhausted after its first fast run of more than ten kilometers.

It takes at least half an hour of rest, plenty of water, soybeans, and rolling on the ground to stretch before it can barely recover.

The second and third attempts were less stamina-intensive, covered shorter distances, and required longer rest periods.

Even so, this was the best horse that Inspector Zhang had chosen in Wadian Town.

If you really need to travel quickly, you must change horses at the post station.

In the heart of the empire, such as Nanyang Prefecture, there was a government post station every twenty or thirty kilometers along the official roads.

If you ride a horse at full speed, you only need to rest once along the way.

If you control the horse's speed slightly, alternating between trot and slow walk, you can reach the next post station without having to rest in between.

Although it's only a mere 60 or 70 kilometers, it would probably take at least two or even three days if we couldn't change horses and had to bypass all the villages, towns, and checkpoints.

Lu Chen looked back at Tongbai County not far away, then mounted his horse.

When I first transmigrated to this world, I was alone and traveled for three whole days through the desolate mountains of western Hubei.

Back then, we truly had nothing of value and relied entirely on fishing to fill our stomachs.

Now, not only do we have enough dry rations for several days, but we also have horses to get around, so the conditions are much better.

After arriving in Tang County, he was no longer the "Lin Chaoxi" of Biyang County, but a Jinyiwei officer holding the "Wuchang Token"!

I'll just have to make do for the next two or three days and spend the night outdoors.