What's wrong with me, a powerful minister, supporting a few female officials?

Chapter 79 Marrying a Hundred-Household Officer
What followed were the scarred-faced officer's men.

As expected of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, they even bribe openly and honestly, much bolder than that old Commander Yan.

They sent Su Mo a pure gold Buddha statue directly.

It looks small and exquisite, something you could hold in the palm of your hand, but it weighs a whopping twenty taels!

Chen Qian remained silent.

This is like worshipping one's own nephew as a Buddha!

Pray to Guanyin for a child, pray to the God of Wealth for money, pray to Buddha for an official position!

He had previously said that Su Mo's promotion to Red-Clad Captain required him to bribe all his superiors.

The next second, he was slapped in the face!
The probationary centurion of the Embroidered Uniform Guard actually gave gifts to his nephew.

Chen Qian, who came from a minor official background, was only interested in flattery, using others' power to his advantage, and the ways of subordinates to overthrow superiors.

As a result, his nephew had become a "superior" in his eyes who needed to be flattered, used, and leveraged!
How could he possibly guide Su Mo on his experience in navigating the officialdom?

Chen Qian felt a mix of emotions!

The two hundred households sent bribes worth four hundred taels of silver.

Su Mo remembered the guy surnamed Chu who didn't come.

In a great mood, I walked back to the yard.

The two mountain dogs barked fiercely.

While Chen, the female knight-errant, was on duty at the yamen, the magistrate's daughter was arrested and taken back.

These two are starving because no one's feeding them.

Su Mo had previously bought a few carp and kept them in a water tank. He simply grabbed one that weighed about a pound and tossed it to the puppy!
"White Tiger! Pills!"

"Dinner's ready!"

"Grow up quickly, so you can bite people later!"

When Chen Qian saw Su Mo catch a live fish and feed it to the dog, his old face, still in shock, suddenly darkened, and he was about to reprimand Su Mo.

Then his body suddenly stiffened, and his face changed drastically.

"what!"

"Are the centurions finished?"

Chen Qian, no longer caring about scolding Su Mo for wasting meat, said in a trembling voice, "You!"

He took several deep breaths, finally calming down a bit, and hurriedly lowered his voice, saying, "Have you lost your mind?!"

"How dare they name these two wretched dogs 'Hundred-Household Commanders'! They're finished!"

He was filled with shock and anger, and his voice became sharp: "Change the name right now!"

"No!"

"Kill and bury them immediately, and absolutely do not let anyone know, or disaster will surely follow!"

That commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard was a ruthless killer, and he was my nephew's greatest connection and backer.

Su Mo actually named his dog "Baihu Yaowan" (meaning "Hundred Households Are Doomed")!
If the centurion hears this, what will happen!

This nephew seems to have become much more intelligent lately, understanding things very quickly, but who knew he would be so arrogant and stupid? It's infuriating!

Su Mo smiled and said, "Third Uncle, don't panic."

He pointed to the mountain dog: "This is a white tiger."

"These are pills."

"It's not that the centurion is doomed."

Seeing that his uncle still looked terrified, he added, "The centurion also knows about it!"

"I didn't even ask my nephew to rename the two dogs."

Chen Qian...

After a long silence, he suddenly blurted out, "Mo'er, tell me the truth!"

"Are you really your mother's biological child?"

Su Mo felt confused and blinked at her uncle, "Third Uncle, what do you mean by this?"

"Whether I'm my mother's biological son or not, my third uncle knows better than I do, right?"

How could he possibly know if he was his biological son!

Chen Qian ignored him, frowned, and muttered to himself, "Something's not right!"

"They're cut from the same mold, so they must be blood relatives!"

As he spoke, he looked up at Su Mo suspiciously: "You're not the son of that centurion!"

"Could it be...could it be that the female commander...has fallen for you?"

"Correct!"

"That must be it!"

The old clerk's face suddenly turned ugly.

After hesitating for a long time, he finally gritted his teeth and said in a deep voice, "Mo'er, remember this: no matter what means you have to use, find a way to marry that centurion!"

"Yi Yao... will be your concubine!"

Su Mo's forehead creased with annoyance.

"Third Uncle, you're overthinking it!"

"The relationship between my nephew and her is not what you think!"

Chen Qian sneered: "Why don't you think the same way as your uncle?"

"You two are not related by blood. Apart from romantic love, what use do you have for her that makes her so tolerant of you?"

"If the centurion is going to be finished, I think it's you who's going to be finished!"

He chuckled: "That's even better!"

"With her support, how can we not soar to great heights in the future!"

Su Mo didn't know how to explain her relationship with Lin Moyin.

There's definitely something to it.

But love... seems to be a little bit there too?

After all, the favorability rating is already 38%!
The two have already been completely honest with each other, so how could we possibly let her marry someone else?

Even if I agree, my brother won't!
but……

What about Xue Shan?

They've already received the engagement tokens. If they come to break off the engagement, where will the Xue family put their face?
They'll absolutely become enemies!

They even offended Wang Xiuzhi to the point of death!

If the engagement is not called off, Xue Yishu will definitely not be able to become the legal wife.

Would the legitimate daughter of a seventh-rank official in the imperial court become someone's concubine?
Su Mo suddenly felt a headache coming on.

But I'll worry about it later.

It would be best to talk to my uncle first and clarify things with my cousin!
For his own sake, the third uncle mortgaged his house and was willing to let his daughter become a concubine.

If I reveal my true feelings when my cousin reaches marriageable age, it will not only delay her marriage but also hurt my uncle's feelings!
Instead of doing that, it's better to state your position sooner rather than later!

He said in a deep voice, "Third Uncle, I'm afraid my nephew can't marry my cousin Yiyao."

Upon hearing this, Chen Qian's eyes twitched, and after a long pause, he managed to squeeze out two words through clenched teeth: "Why?"

Su Mo was going all out.

“Yi Yao is beautiful, and my nephew actually likes her too.”

"But my father said before he died that one should not marry someone of blood."

"Your nephew cannot go against your father's last wishes!"

He breathed a sigh of relief and immediately added, "But Third Uncle, don't worry!"

"My nephew promises to find Yiyao a good husband and will never let my cousin suffer!"

Explaining the dangers of consanguineous marriage to people of this generation is definitely not going to work.

Moreover, the main problem is that Su Mo can't get over her psychological barrier!
Don't assume that if the protagonist of a time-travel novel gets the ancients to conduct a real investigation, they will understand the harm and change their minds!
It's just the author being arrogant!
The fundamental reason why people in ancient times married close relatives was to strengthen the bond between the two families through marriage.

As for the possibility of offspring being born with deformities?

That's not even a question!
Why not just have more children?

These days, even royal children might not survive, let alone those from ordinary families.

It's just like giving birth to a stillborn baby!

Also, what's this about women being at their best childbearing age after twenty?
It's even more nonsense!

Do you really think that the ancients and the government were completely brainless?
The average lifespan of people in ancient times was only thirty or forty years.

If you get married at twenty and haven't had any children yet, you might die from a minor illness.

Just like Widow Qin's short-lived husband!

Su Mo knew these reasons were insufficient to persuade his third uncle, so he could only bring up his deceased father!
Faced with the concept of filial piety, even the uncle would be helpless.

To everyone's surprise, Chen Qian's expression suddenly turned strange after hearing Su Mo's words.

She said softly, "Mo'er, aren't you surprised that your third uncle, with his pointed face and monkey-like features, could have given birth to such a beautiful daughter?"

Su Mo...

Is it fair to say that my third uncle had self-awareness, or that he didn't?
Chen Qian smiled wryly: "Yi Yao was brought here by your third aunt, and she has no blood relation to me whatsoever!"

"Only you have the blood of the Chen family in your veins!"

"If the line ends with you, then the Su and Chen families will truly be cut off, their ancestral rites extinguished!"

He took a deep breath: "As your uncle, I don't care whether you give Yiyao a formal title or not!"

"We absolutely have to have a son with her, and then have him adopted into her uncle's family!"

"Otherwise, how will your third uncle face our ancestors a hundred years from now!"

The ancients valued filial piety! But they also said that of the three unfilial acts, the greatest is having no offspring.

If the Chen family line were to end with Chen Qian, and all ancestral offerings were to cease, they would surely feel deeply guilty!

Su Mo thought to herself, "So that's how it is!"

No wonder I've always found it strange that Chen Yiyao's appearance is completely unrelated to my third uncle.

In that case, it wouldn't be a problem to take her as a concubine.

However, even if he doesn't adopt his children into his uncle's name.

Surely the Chen family bloodline wouldn't end with my third uncle?

Don't you also have my eldest uncle and second uncle?

Therefore, Su Mo couldn't help but ask, "Where are my eldest uncle and second uncle?"

Upon hearing this, Chen Qian's face instantly darkened, and he sighed, "I won't hide it from you, Uncle!"

"Your eldest and second uncles did not move away!"

"They've entered the palace!"

As he spoke, his voice was bitter as he added, "Back then, the locust plague caused our family to run out of rice."

"It just so happens that someone from the palace has arrived."

"Eldest brother, second brother, grit your teeth, cut each other's flesh, go find that palace eunuch, and exchange it for three taels of silver!"

Tears welled up in Chen Qian's eyes: "They were both under fifteen at the time!"

"It's been thirty years since I entered the palace, but I've never heard from her again!"

"The palace is an extremely dangerous place. I suppose... I suppose my two elder brothers have been dead for many years, and their remains are nowhere to be found!"

Su Mo silently looked at her uncle.

He was speechless for a long time.

I have gained a deeper understanding of the cruelty of this world once again!
No wonder my third uncle hates people who waste food so much!

Chen Qian composed himself faster than Su Mo.

He said coldly, "Therefore, you must become an official!"

"Only those who become officials can legally marry wives and take concubines!"

"Then, have as many children as you can, so that the family may flourish and prosper!"

"When commoners are of low social standing, a famine or a war can wipe out an entire family!"

"Only by becoming an official can one possess sufficient resources to withstand calamities and risks, ensure the perpetual continuation of one's bloodline, and keep the family line going!"

Su Mo was taken aback: "Only officials can take concubines?"

Chen Qian nodded: "Of course!"

"It's clearly written in the Great Law of Martial Arts!"

"A man who has no children at forty and takes a concubine shall be punished with thirty strokes of the cane, except for those who have obtained official positions!"

Su Mo was even more puzzled: "Then why did my third uncle also make me take Yi Yao as a concubine... and Qin Bi'er?"

Chen Qian sneered disdainfully: "Rules are rigid, but people are flexible!"

"The imperial court hasn't really strictly enforced this law!"

“The local gentry and wealthy families claim to be taking concubines, but they are only taking concubines without official titles, not concubines recognized by the court who have a certain status and position!”

"Concubines are not recognized by the court, and their children have no official status. If they are not liked, they can be expelled from the house at any time!"

"A concubine is different!"

After a pause, Chen Qian continued, "Officials of the seventh rank and below may take one concubine!"

"From the seventh rank upwards, the higher the official's rank, the more wives and concubines they have!"

"A high-ranking official of the first rank in the imperial court can have three wives and four concubines!"

Su Mo has learned something new again!
The Great Wu Dynasty actually had such a rule!

No wonder people say that there are houses of gold and beauties in books.

It turns out it really wasn't a lie!

As long as you study hard, you can become an official.

He had power, he had money, and he had women!
Isn't this forcing people to become officials?
Su Mo and Chen Qian returned to the inner hall, each with their own thoughts.

Su Mo glanced at the silver pouch on the table: "Third Uncle, take this money back."

He looked slightly pleased: "My nephew has managed to save up a little money, enough to cover his expenses."

Xue Shan and the two probationary centurions together gave him a total of five hundred taels of silver!
Chen Qian shook his head: "Take this money! It'll be very useful!"

Su Mo did not hide anything from his uncle: "To be honest, Uncle, my relationship with the centurion is indeed very close."

"Let alone the red-clad captain, even a low-ranking officer of the seventh rank could consider it!"

"Whether you have the money or not, it makes no difference!"

Upon hearing this, Chen Qian burst out laughing: "What arrogance! A mere seventh-rank officer!"

"When you go out, don't talk nonsense. Not only will you lose face, but people will also think you're pretentious and ignorant!"

Su Mo was speechless.

I rarely speak the truth, but my uncle doesn't believe me!

Forget it, once the junior officer's token is in hand, my uncle will know whether he was truly ignorant of his own limitations!

Chen Qian's expression turned serious, and he added, "This money isn't for you!"

"It's for Commander Lin!"

He lowered his voice: "Capturing the followers of the Heavenly Mother is indeed a great achievement!"

"But merit is merit, and path is path!"

"Without money to pave the way, even the greatest achievements will be discounted by 70%!"

"A thousand taels of silver is neither a lot nor a little. It's not much in your hands, but it might be a different story in the hands of that female centurion!"

As he spoke, a cold glint flashed in his eyes: "Changping Hundred-Household Office is a high-ranking Hundred-Household Office, a nominal title one level higher!"

"If you're lucky and find the right connections, you might be able to skip the nominal title and go straight to the rank of fifth-grade commander!"

At this point, Chen Qian was trembling with excitement!

My own nephew actually had the chance to become a powerful patron, a fifth-rank commander of the Imperial Guard!

This is something I never dared to dream of before!

It's like their ancestral graves have been burned to a great degree!
Chen Qian took a deep breath and said in a deep voice, "Immediately deliver all this silver, gold Buddha, and house deeds to the centurion!"

Su Mo couldn't help but admire his uncle's experience.

He lowered his voice and said, "Lord Centurion, we do indeed need money to pave the way!"

"However, it requires a staggering three thousand taels of silver!"

Chen Qian gasped.

He then nodded: "That's the right number!"

"That's a fifth-rank commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard!"

He paused, frowned, and asked again, "Judging from what you're saying, does that centurion not have a single ounce of silver in his savings?"

Su Mo nodded: "Lord Centurion is a Taoist sorcerer, and his cultivation is extremely taxing."

"I'll have to figure out a way to get these three thousand taels of silver!"

Chen Qian frowned: "How could you and I possibly raise such a sum of money?"

As soon as he finished speaking, a glint flashed in his eyes, and his voice lowered even further: "Xue Shan is extremely ambitious!"

"He has been operating in Changping County for many years. According to my uncle's judgment, he has amassed at least five thousand taels of silver. If that female centurion manages to confiscate his property..."

Su Mo was speechless. His third uncle was utterly ruthless and had no bottom line!

"That's not necessary!"

"My nephew possesses a secret technique worth over three thousand taels of silver!"

Chen Qian was taken aback and blurted out, "How to stir-fry?"

"Then... I'm afraid it's not worth three thousand!"

Su Mo shook his head and smiled, "No, it's another secret method called distillation!"

Chen Qian stared in disbelief: "Another secret technique?"

"Where did you get so many secret techniques?"

Su Mo explained, "My nephew was still young. One year, during a heavy snowfall, outside the door..."

Chen Qian interrupted him: "There was an old man with a white beard outside the door, collapsed in the snow, and you gave him a steamed bun..."

Su Mo was stunned: "Third Uncle, how did you know!"

Chen Qian rolled his eyes and said irritably, "You already told me about the cooking secret last time!"

Do you think your uncle would believe that?

He paused, then added, "I don't care where you got this method from."

"And what explanation could there be for this distilled spirit, that it's worth three thousand taels of silver?"

He had tasted many kinds of alcohol, but he had never heard of this name before.

He secretly thought that Su Mo must have found the secret recipe for ancient famous wines from who-knows-where.

If one can brew a world-renowned fine wine, it is indeed worth more than three thousand taels of silver!

The problem is, there's not enough time!

You can't just hand over a secret recipe and expect people to believe it's the secret to making famous wine and then do everything they can to help you get that position of commander!

By the time the verification is complete, the daylily will be too cold!

[A long chapter of over four thousand words! Don't say I'm updating too little anymore. It's like this before the book is published; there's nothing I can do about it!]

(End of this chapter)