Wuxia: Drinking with Spring Breeze

This is of course a good thing!

When someone has power and territory, there's no need to break the law or take bribes; just a little flexibility in handling affairs could earn them seven or eight large mansions and seventeen or eighteen beautiful ladies within a year, as effortless as playing a game.

As for whether this was a good thing for Yang Ge...

Only Yang Ge himself knew.

Of course, Shen Fa was very eager to find out too!

Three days after Fang Ke sent over the complete roster, he brought other things as well.

This time, he brought quite a few items, carried on his back and in his hands, making a "squeak squeak" noise as he walked.

Huang saw him and almost split his sides with laughter, approaching him with a cheeky grin and airplane-like ears.

But this time, Yang Ge didn't even let him into the house. Sitting in a rocking chair under a grape trellis, he gestured to Fang Ke with his chin, "What is it, open it and let's see!"

Grinning, Fang Ke said, "General, I've come all this way; you can't possibly not offer me a bowl of water, can you?"

Yang Ge, expressionless, his voice growing cold, "Open it!"

Reluctantly, Fang Ke set down the heavy cloth bag he was carrying and carefully placed the box he was carrying on his back onto the ground. He carefully opened it.

A narrow-sleeved official robe embroidered with a black silk base and a copper koi appeared under the sunlight. The koi, jumping out of the waves with wings on its back, looked lifelike, majestic and imposing!

Under the official robe, pressed by a knife sheath and guard, was a copper-patterned ox-tail knife adorned with a large amount of brass decorations on the handle, which was quite different from the standard black sheathed ox-tail knives of ordinary officials. This copper-patterned ox-tail knife was one size larger, and with all the brass decorations, it looked incredibly luxurious and awe-inspiring!

With a sheepish smile, Fang Ke pointed to the official robe and sword as he introduced them to Yang Ge, "General, please look, this is your official robe and matching sword, both engraved with your name and title. If lost, the guards will investigate…"

"Enough with the nonsense!"

Yang Ge's gaze was fixed on the heavy bundle at his feet, and he gestured with his chin again, "Open it!"

"My lord…"

Fang Ke looked around, "Shall we talk inside the house?"

Yang Ge finally frowned, "Do I need to do it myself?"

Fang Ke hurriedly bowed, "I wouldn't dare to trouble my lord to do it."

Unable to argue with Yang Ge, Fang Ke kept glancing at him as he reluctantly, slowly untied the bundle.

In a flash, a gleam of snow-bright silver dazzled Yang Ge's eyes…

The bundle was full of silver ingots!

Each as big as an egg, made of very fine snowflake silver!

Each ingot was ten taels, and in this large bundle, there were at least forty to fifty ingots!

In Wei, the price of silver was stable, one tael of silver equating to about twelve hundred copper coins.

Given that Yang Ge's previous salary at Yuelai Inn as a junior waiter was one hundred and fifty copper coins per month,

This bundle of silver was such that he would have to work for three hundred years at Yuelai Inn without eating or drinking to save up this amount of money!

Yang Ge slowly narrowed his eyes, his expression a mix of a smile as he looked at Fang, "Fang, what does this mean?"

Fang Ke, trying to calm himself, his face full of forced smiles, replied, "This is the first time the guards are giving out a monthly allowance. The brothers are grateful to my lord for saving and recreating their lives; they desperately wanted to show their gratitude, so they pooled together... It's not much; the brothers still felt it was meagre, but I stopped them, so it's just this little, but behind closed doors, we are all one family, my lord mustn't be a stranger to us!"

Experience-wise, he actually wasn't intimidated by Yang Ge, his direct superior.

But how could he not flatter Yang Ge, who was a favorite in the eyes of the thousand households authority? Far be it for ordinary people to even see the archival scrolls of the Northern Pacification Commission outside of the capital.

"Is that so?"

Yang Ge was still smiling, "Is it really the brothers who voluntarily pooled together? Or did you few junior officers take it from the brothers' hands?"

He had seen the salary standards below him: the mounted scouts received a monthly salary of three taels, junior officers six taels, and generals eight taels.

Compared to the salary standards at Yuelai Inn, the pay scale for the Brocade Guards was of course three or four levels higher.

But considering the status of the Brocade Guards and the tasks they handled, such a pay scale was understandable!

After all, whether well done or poorly, it was a job that could possibly get one beheaded...

Upon hearing this, Fang immediately swore an oath, "Your Honor, if I or any of my men ever forcibly take a single copper coin from our brothers, you may chop off my head without hesitation!"

At this point, the smile finally faded from Yang Ge's lips. He nodded slightly and whispered softly, "I'll trust you this time, but take this as a warning and not transgress again. Going forward, we are all brothers sharing the same pot, and brothers should not stab each other in the back for such blood-stained money, money that's meant to buy lives."

Fang gave a sheepish smile and waved his hands repeatedly, suggesting that Yang Ge was worrying too much...

Yang Ge couldn't be bothered with him and, waving his hand, said, "I appreciate the brothers' goodwill, but you take this silver back and return it to them, and also give them my thanks!"

From now on, I so not tolerate such actions here. If anyone feels that my presence blocks their financial path, feel free to seek opportunities elsewhere. If discontent, it's also fine to force me out, and I will genuinely thank them!"

"But if anyone neither wishes to leave nor acts deceitfully to embezzle the soldiers' blood money... then they mustn't blame me for not recognizing them anymore!"

Fang's face slightly changed color, but he was also somewhat hesitant, hesitating for a long while before cautiously whispering, "Your Honor, the other high-ranking officials do the same..."

Yang Ge interrupted him, "Does Shen act this way too?"

Fang quickly shook his head, "Commander Shen surely scorn such tainted money!"

Yang Ge pointed upwards, "Then there you have it! If something happens, Shen will handle it!"

Fang was convinced. He turned around, grabbed a large bag of silver, lifted the corner of his garment, and counted out twenty ingots, then resolutely handed the rest of the bag back to Yang Ge.

Yang Ge looked at the significant amount of silver and once again furrowed his brows. "Is the amount correct?"

Fang quickly replied, "This is all yours, Your Honor. If you doubt it, you can check back at the garrison..."

Yang Ge laughed in embarrassment, "Is it you or I who cannot count?"

Upon hearing this, Fang's face also turned bitter. Facing such a naïve superior who didn't understand the unspoken rules, he felt both helpless and worried.

He struggled for a while before whispering, "Your Honor, this disloyal wealth was consolidated by our brothers during cases—an unknown significant share went elsewhere, and we brothers merely consumed the leftovers others disregarded. Without it, the mere pay disbursed by the Ministry of Revenue wouldn't even suffice for repairing armor and feeding horses!"

"Not only you, but everyone who handled it got their share too; the issue is only how much.

"If you don't accept this money, who amongst the lower-ranking brothers would dare? Even if the higher-ups take it, who would feel at ease?"

After hearing his reasoning, Yang Ge reflexively wanted to ask since their squad hadn't started operating, how could there have been any cases?

But before he could speak, he suddenly realized something and asked, "The Xie Family case?"

Fang slightly nodded. "Though it's still pending formal filing with the Three Judicial Offices, the outcome is already set in stone. None of the Xie Family will escape. Your Honor, you can accept this money with peace of mind; there will be absolutely no repercussions!"

Yang wanted to ask, "Does Shen know about this?" but before he could speak, he swallowed his words back down.

This situation where everyone involved tacitly scraped off a layer for themselves and ensured everyone got a share, what could Shen do even if he knew? And how would it matter if he didn't? Could he really block the financial paths of all the Chen Clan?oubtedly knew? Wouldn't blocking the financial paths of all the chen clan be impossible for him?

He remained silent for a long time before finally murmuring, "How much is it?"

Fang, who now breathed a sigh of relief, quickly responded, "Exactly enough to round out your monthly salary to a whole number, three hundred taels!"

'What a way to round it up...'

Yang Ge silently took the bundle, counted out fifteen ingots, and stuffed them into Fang's bosom.

Fang, shocked and about to persuade further, heard Yang Ge say, "This money will be used as our squad's food expenses. Take it back and buy meat, so every meal for our brothers includes meat from now on!"

Fang, wanting to speak but stopping himself, repeatedly struggled with what to say before eventually bowing deeply and saying, "On behalf of the brothers, I thank Your Excellency for your generous and noble gesture!"

Yang Ge waved his hand, "You're welcome; if there's nothing else, you can go back now!"

Fang bowed and was about to leave when he suddenly remembered something and said, "Your Excellency, the historical case files you requested from Commander Shen have been delivered. I have sealed them at my home and assigned someone to guard them, allowing you to review them at any time."

Yang Ge stood and patted his shoulder, "It's good that you're thorough. I'll head home tomorrow!"

Fang muttered to himself, 'Those are files from the archive, how could I not be careful?' and bowed before departing.