Ink panel: Hunting the sun and surveying the sky from the bow.

Chapter 229: Government Salaries Disbursed, Wish Pearls Seized
Winter evenings always get dark earlier than usual.

When Shen Qing arrived at the courtyard of his home, two red lanterns had already 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 took the initiative to open the door and lead the horse for Shen Qing.

"Brother, you practice so late again today?"

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

"We're back. It's cold now and it's almost the end of the year, so there's not much business in the restaurant. We're going to close it as you wish."

"That's fine. We've been busy for so long. We need to take a break after a year."

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

The room was full of people.

Eldest sister Shen Fang, uncle and aunt, and Tian Xiaohu were all in the yard, looking at the spring flowers in the faint light of the snow.

The house was filled with a festive atmosphere inside and out.

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

"okay."

Shen Qing smiled and strode into the main house.

He saw that his uncle, aunt, eldest sister and others were no longer wearing traditional Chinese clothes. Instead, they were wearing brand new cotton-padded clothes, and their faces were flushed.

After a while, plates of delicious fish and meat were brought to 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 more worried about just a few arrows.

And a year later, life has changed dramatically.

As expected, killing people and setting fires will leave you with golden waists, while building bridges and roads will leave you with no corpses.

People who are cruel and ruthless will never have bad luck.

After having a quick dinner, Shen Qing went to bed on time as usual.

The next morning, he got up early, dressed neatly, and hurried towards the Weiwusi office.

Thinking about the annual salary being paid today, he couldn't help but subconsciously quicken his pace.

For the officials in the government office, this day is the happiest day.

For no other reason than that the wish beads that are made once a year will be distributed on this day.

A single wish bead can help improve one's cultivation by equivalent to hundreds of elixirs, and it is a treasure that no martial artist would think too much of.

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

Not to mention the other silver elixirs.

The strength of the Ji family court after it took control of the military power far exceeded their imagination.

When Shen Qing arrived at the Weiwusi office early in the morning, the officers and runners, who rarely gathered together on normal days, arrived earlier than him.

The yard was filled with chirping sounds, and it seemed very lively.

"Sir, here."

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

He walked over and sat down without any courtesy.

"Hasn't started yet?" Shen Qing asked casually.

Ji Youwu replied with a smile: "No, the first group hasn't been issued yet. It will be our turn after the first few groups have been issued."

Shen Qing hummed and nodded, waiting patiently.

At the same time in the back hall, Zhao Guanglu, a minor clerk from the Military Affairs Department's clerk room, brought the salary to the Weiwu Division's office and counted it in front of the chief officer Zheng Yuanqiu.

"This is this year's salary. Sir Zheng, please take a look and see if there is any problem. If there is no problem, please sign it and let the people below distribute it. Then I will go back and report."

"Thank you, Mr. Zhao. Let me take a good look at it." Zheng Yuanqiu, the general of the Military Department, took over the accounts and spoke.

"My Lord, please take your time. There is no rush."

Chief Zheng Yuanqiu flipped through the pages one by one, looking at the names 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 remains the same."

When he said the last two words "as usual", Zhao Guanglu deliberately emphasized the pronunciation. Zheng Yuanqiu smiled and nodded, without commenting.

Continue flipping for a while.

Zheng Yuanqiu suddenly stopped what he was doing and said, "Zhao Li, are you doing this wrong?"

"What's wrong?" Zhao Guanglu walked forward curiously and took a closer look.

"I remember that this official has only been here for half a year, so why is he paying me a year's salary? I shouldn't be paying him the wish-power beads either. Don't you think so?"

Zhao Guanglu looked carefully and saw Zheng Yuanqiu pointing at a name called "Shen Qing" and speaking seriously.

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

He took out a brush from his sleeve, exerted his strength, and with a flick of his wrist, he added a "half" under the name of 'Shen Qing' in the account book, and added a "none" in the column of wish beads.

After he finished writing, Zheng Yuanqiu blew on it, and the wet marks on the account book dried up instantly, becoming exactly the same as the original handwriting in the account book.

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

Zhao Guanglu couldn't help but feel sympathy for the police officer named "Shen Qing".

If I remember correctly, this person should be a foreigner from Taiping County, who took office with a piece of appointment document.

Both his background and cultivation were ordinary.

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

All I can say is that Shen Qing is unlucky and a bit unlucky.

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

After saying that, he took out his seal and stamped it.

"Okay, now that the handover is complete, I'll take my leave."

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

"You are too polite, sir. Good-bye."

"Walk slowly without sending."

After Zhao Guanglu left, Zheng Yuanqiu called his long-serving attendant, the clerk in the government office, and pointed to two boxes and ordered, "Keep these, and take these out to distribute. Remember to have them sign and seal."

"Yes, my lord."

……

"Here it comes, here it comes, it's started."

In the Weiwu Division courtyard, the clerk was seen carrying a box into the yard, causing a commotion.

After the long-servant put down the box, the errand boy called out, "Group One, Dong Jing."

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

When he touched the white and smooth wish-power bead, his face lit up with joy and he accepted it silently.

"A group of runners, Liao Congbing..."

The names were called out one by one. Some of those who received the salary were happy, while others, who knew the unspoken rules, cursed silently in their hearts.

Soon, it was group four's turn.

"Team Four, 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, without even the Spirit Gathering Pills.

His face darkened, and he couldn't help but ask, "Where is my wish bead?"

"I don't know, next one."

Shen Qing's eyes gleamed, and he glanced at the people behind him, and found that some officials and servants who knew the inside story were gloating.

How could he not know that his wish-power bead had been embezzled by Zheng Yuanqiu, and he instantly became furious.

You think I'm a weakling, don't you?

In that case, don't blame me for turning the table first.

Shen Qing quietly put away the salaries and walked towards the back hall of the Weiwusi office with a gloomy face.

That is where Zheng Yuanqiu's office is located.

(End of this chapter)