Chapter 229: Government Salaries Are Distributed, and the Wish-Power Beads Are Seized

Winter evenings always get dark earlier than usual.

When Shen Qing arrived at his home's courtyard, two red lanterns had been hung at the door, exuding a sense of joy.

He drove his horse to the door of his house. Shen Xiaoshan, who was at home, heard the sound of horse hooves and opened the door and led the horse for Shen Qing.

"Brother, are you practicing so late again today?"

Shen Qing turned over and dismounted and said, "Well, I had some insights outside, and I accidentally wasted a little time. Are Tian Xiaohu and the others back?"

"I'm back. It's cold now, and it's approaching the New Year's Eve, so there's not much business in the restaurant. We'll follow your wishes and prepare to close down."

"Nacheng, after working so hard for so long, I have to take a break at the end of the year."

Shen Qing handed the reins to Shen Xiaoshan and strode in.

The room was very popular.

The eldest sister Shen Fang, uncle and aunt, and Tian Xiaohu were all in the yard, leaning against the spring flowers under the faint snow light.

There was a sense of joy inside and outside the house.

When everyone in the yard saw Shen Qing coming back, they all shouted: "My boss is back. Chef Xiao, you can bring your hot dishes."

"Okay."

Shen Qing smiled sarcastically and strode into the main room.

When he saw his uncle, aunt, eldest sister and others, they were no longer wearing silk clothes. They were all wearing brand-new cotton clothes, and their faces were glowing red.

After a while, plates of big fish and meat began to arrive on the table.

It is hard to imagine that in the same winter a year ago, the same group of people were still worrying about their livelihoods, and he was even worried about a few arrows.

A year later, life has changed dramatically.

Sure enough, there were murders and arson, but no corpses were found in the construction of bridges and roads.

Those who are ruthless will not have bad luck.

After casually eating some dinner, Shen Qing rested on time as usual.

He got up early the next morning, dressed neatly, and hurried towards the Weiwu Si Yamen Office.

When he thought about the annual salary being paid out today, he couldn't help but subconsciously speed up his pace.

For these government officials, this day is the happiest day.

Not for anything else, because the annual wish beads will be distributed on this day.

A single Wish Power Bead is worth thousands of elixirs to increase one's cultivation. It is a treasure that no martial artist can have too much of.

Even if it is not used, it can be sold secretly on the black market for a few hundred taels at least, which is a windfall.

Not to mention there are other silver elixirs.

The secret behind the collection of military aircraft by the Ji family court was far beyond their imagination.

When Shen Qing arrived at the Weiwu Si Yamen office early in the morning, the police officers, who rarely gathered together on weekdays, arrived earlier than him.

The yard was chattering and seemed very lively.

"Lord Chaosi, here."

When Shen Qing heard the shouting, he turned around and saw that Ji Youwu and others had already taken a seat for him.

He walked over and sat down without ceremony.

"It hasn't started yet?" Shen Qing asked casually.

Ji Youwu smiled and replied: "No, one group hasn't been handed out yet. It won't be our turn until the previous groups have been handed out."

Shen Qing nodded and waited patiently.

At the same time, in the back hall, Zhao Guanglu, a clerk in the Military and Horse Division's Li's Room, escorted his salary to the Weiwu Division Office and counted it in front of the Chief Commissioner Zheng Yuanqiu.

"This is this year's salary. Mr. Zheng will take a look and see if there is anything wrong with it. If there is no problem, please ask Mr. Zheng to sign it and let the people below distribute it. I will go back to resume my duties."

"Thank you, Mr. Zhao. Let me take a good look at it." Zheng Yuanqiu, the commander of the Military and Horse Division, took the account and said.

"Sir, take your time, don't be in a hurry."

Zheng Yuanqiu, the general manager, flipped through the pages, looking at the list and corresponding amounts, silently calculating in his mind how much he should take.

When he saw that Liu Sangui and other dead officers were also on the list, he subconsciously glanced at Zhao Guanglu.

The latter winked at him and said with a smile: "We are doing the accounting according to the accounts of the past year. There will be no mistakes. Everything is business as usual."

When it came to the last word "as usual", Zhao Guanglu deliberately emphasized his pronunciation.

Zheng Yuanqiu smiled and nodded, noncommittal.

Continue turning for a while.

Zheng Yuanqiu suddenly stopped moving his hands and said, "Li Zhao, did you do something wrong?"

"What's wrong?" Zhao Guanglu stepped forward to take a closer look.

"I remember that this police officer has only been here for half a year, so why is he giving out a year's salary? The wishing beads shouldn't be given out either. Don't you think so?"

Zhao Guanglu took a closer look and saw Zheng Yuanqiu pointing to the name of 'Shen Qing' and saying with a serious face.

"That's not right. If it has been less than a year, then it will be counted as one year..." Zhao Guanglu said halfway when he suddenly realized: "Look at my memory, I forgot to change it."

He took out a writing brush from his sleeve, used it with force, flicked his wrist, and added the word "half" under the name "Shen Qing" in the account book, and added the word "none" in the column of wishing beads.

After he finished writing, Zheng Yuanqiu opened his mouth and blew, and the wet traces on the account book dried up instantly, making them the same as the original handwriting on the account book.

After doing this, the two looked at each other and smiled, understanding each other tacitly.

Zhao Guanglu couldn't help but sympathize with the police officer named "Shen Qing".

If I remember correctly, this person should be a foreigner from Taiping County, and he took office with a piece of appointment document in his hands.

Regardless of life experience and cultivation, they are all ordinary.

He has been cooperating with Zheng Yuanqiu for a long time. He knows that Zheng Yuanqiu is greedy and lustful. Every year, the salary of the Weiwusi Yamen has to pass through him. It has long been a routine.

It can only be said that this "Shen Qing" is unlucky and a bit unlucky.

After checking the account book to make sure there is no problem, he said happily: "I have checked it, there is no problem."

After that, he took out his signature and stamped it.

"Okay, I'll take my leave after the handover."

"Thank you for your trip, Zhao Li. I'll have my men send a spring gift to your house later."

"You're too polite, Mr. Chief. Goodbye."

"Take care."

After Zhao Guanglu left, Zheng Yuanqiu called the chief servant, the clerk in the yamen, and pointed to two boxes and ordered, "Keep these, take these out and send them out, remember to ask them to sign and seal."

"Yes, sir."

...

"Here we come, here we come, it's started."

In the Weiwu Division courtyard, the clerk carrying a box into the courtyard caused a commotion.

After the chief servant put down the box, the clerk shouted, "Group 1, Dong Jing."

Dong Jing, whose name was called, stepped forward and received his salary.

When he touched the white and smooth wish-power bead, he couldn't help but be happy and accepted it silently.

"Group 1, Liao Congbing..."

The names were called out one by one. Some people were happy to receive the salary, while others, knowing the hidden rules, cursed silently in their hearts.

Soon, it was Group 4's turn.

"Group 4, Shen Qing."

Shen Qing was delighted and went forward to receive it, but he only received three bottles of Qi and Blood Pills and five taels of silver, not even the Gathering Spirit Pill.

His face sank, and he couldn't help asking, "Where is my wish beads?"

"I don't know, next one."

Shen Qing's eyes flashed, and he glanced at the people behind him and found that some of the officers and servants who knew the inside story showed a gloating expression at this time.

He knew that his wish beads were embezzled by Zheng Yuanqiu, and he was furious in an instant.

Are you treating me as a soft persimmon?

In this case, don't blame me for flipping the table first.

Shen Qing quietly put away the salary, and walked towards the back hall of the Weiwusi Yamen with a gloomy face.

That was where Zheng Yuanqiu worked.