I run a casino in the immortal realm.

Tang Ning accompanied Zheng Yifei on a long tour of the yamen.

The mountain of files in the archives, the gleaming standard-issue magical artifacts in the armory, and the eerie array fluctuations in the dungeon all demonstrate the formidable strength of this violent organization.

Finally, Tang Ning led Zheng Yifei to a small, independent courtyard house at the very back of the yamen.

"My lord, this is the residence of the previous inspectors. I ordered it to be thoroughly cleaned yesterday, and all the bedding and furniture inside have been replaced with new ones."

In addition, I have selected four quick and efficient maids from the slave market to be in charge of your daily life.

Tang Ning pointed to the courtyard gate and said.

Zheng Yifei pushed open the door and went inside. The courtyard was not large, but it was decorated very elegantly. Several osmanthus trees were planted in the courtyard, emitting a faint fragrance.

Four young maids dressed in matching blue cloth skirts stood trembling under the eaves. When they saw Zheng Yifei enter, they immediately knelt down and kowtowed to greet him.

"Deputy Inspector Tang, you've put a lot of thought into this place. I'm very satisfied with this yard."

Zheng Yifei nodded, then pointed to a row of side rooms on the east side of the courtyard: "Who lives over there?"

Tang Ning followed Zheng Yifei's finger and replied, "Sir, that is the residence of Clerk Xu Qian. Clerk Xu has been working in our patrol office for ten years, serving under five different patrol inspectors. He handles all the paperwork, case files, and coordination with various counties in the yamen."

"If you are new here and encounter any unfamiliar places, you can always ask him for help."

As they were talking, a middle-aged scholar wearing a gray long gown, with a somewhat thin figure and a three-pronged beard, came out of the east wing.

He was still holding a bamboo scroll in his hand. When he saw Zheng Yifei and Tang Ning, he immediately quickened his pace and stepped forward, bowing and saying, "Your subordinate Xu Qian greets Your Excellency the Inspector."

Zheng Yifei sized up Xu Qian in front of him. This person's cultivation level was not high, only at the mid-stage of the Golden Core realm. In a place like Yuanyang Prefecture, the Golden Core realm was only considered a mid-to-lower level cultivator.

But his eyes were clear and calm, and he exuded a smooth and capable air, as if he had been through many years of experience in officialdom.

"Master Xu, you may dispense with the formalities."

Zheng Yifei smiled and said, "I had long heard that the patrol office had a strategist who was like a pillar of strength. After meeting him today, I can see that he is indeed extraordinary. I will have to rely on strategist Xu to take care of the trivial matters in the office in the future."

"You flatter me, sir. I was just doing my job."

Xu Qian answered neither humbly nor arrogantly.

After a brief exchange of pleasantries, Zheng Yifei told Tang Ning to go ahead with her official duties, while he sat down at the stone table in the courtyard, leaving Xu Qian behind.

"Master Xu, please have a seat."

Zheng Yifei pointed to the stone bench opposite.

After Xu Qian thanked him, he only sat on one side of his buttocks, maintaining the respect due to a subordinate.

Zheng Yifei didn't put on any airs of an official. He chatted with Xu Qian like old friends, talking about the daily operations of the patrol office, the distribution of personnel in various counties, and the lucrative business at the river and land ports around the prefectural city.

Xu Qian, a seasoned veteran who had worked here for ten years, was well-versed in these matters.

Whether it's personnel allocation or the complex interplay of various forces, he can handle everything clearly and effortlessly. He can even subtly point out which constable has a secret relationship with which gang.

The more Zheng Yifei listened, the more he felt that this person was a talent.

What a large government office needs most is a "chief steward" who can manage daily affairs in an orderly manner and is also well-versed in human relationships.

With Xu Qian around, the inspector can save 90% of his energy and focus on his own work.

After chatting for about half an hour, Zheng Yifei changed the subject, took out a gold note with a face value of ten thousand gold coins from his sleeve, and gently pushed it in front of Xu Qian.

Xu Qian paused, a hint of doubt flashing in his eyes, and did not reach out to take it: "Sir, what is this...?"

"Master Xu, today is my first day in office, so I must show my appreciation."

Zheng Yifei said with a smile, "Take this money, go to the best restaurant in the city, book a few tables of good food, and buy some good wine. Tonight, let the brothers who stayed in the yamen have an extra meal and have some fun."

The rest can be considered as my invitation to Master Xu for tea.

Ten thousand gold coins is equivalent to several years' salary for an ordinary constable.

Xu Qian looked at the gold notes on the table, secretly surprised.

He had served five inspectors, some aloof, some greedy, and some decisive, but he had never met one like the newly arrived Lord Zheng, who was so generous and unpretentious in throwing money around.

"On behalf of my brothers in the yamen, I thank you for your generous reward, sir!"

Xu Qian did not refuse again, and put the gold notes into his sleeves with both hands. He knew that this was a way for the new official to win people's hearts.

That evening, the canteen of the patrol office was filled with the aroma of meat and the stench of alcohol.

Hundreds of constables and clerks who remained sat together, eating meat and drinking wine in large bowls, creating an extremely lively atmosphere.

Everyone praised the newcomer, Lord Zheng, for his righteousness and generosity.

In the main hall of the backyard, Zheng Yifei had set up a table for himself. Accompanying him were only Deputy Inspector Tang Ning, his advisor Xu Qian, and the two regular constables who remained at headquarters.

After several rounds of drinks and several dishes, Zheng Yifei raised his wine cup, looked at Tang Ning, whose face was slightly flushed, and the two constables, and said with a smile, "Deputy Inspector Tang, Constables, I am new here and know nothing about the situation in Yuanyang Prefecture."

As the saying goes, a new broom sweeps clean, but in my case, there are no such three fires.

Upon hearing this, Tang Ning and the two constables paused slightly, their hands holding wine glasses, and they pricked up their ears.

Zheng Yifei tilted his head back and drank the wine in his cup in one gulp. He continued, "The way the yamen operated before is how it operates now. Everyone will have their duties and their due wages, and you will not lose a single penny. You will do your jobs as before."

As long as you don't cause any major trouble that embarrasses me, I will absolutely not interfere with your path to wealth.

In short, let's all keep things peaceful and harmonious, and just wear our official robes properly.

Upon hearing this blunt and almost blatant statement, Tang Ning and the two constables exchanged a glance, their tense nerves instantly relaxing.

What they fear most are those headstrong, impetuous bosses who are eager to make a name for themselves.

Such people often disrupt the existing balance of interests, leading everyone to fight to the death against forces that cannot be trifled with.

Now that Zheng Yifei has clearly stated that he shouldn't follow the rules, seize power, or block their path to wealth, he's practically the perfect boss they've always dreamed of.

"Your Excellency is wise! We will certainly do our utmost to assist you in protecting the territory and ensuring the safety of the people!"

Tang Ning took the lead in standing up and respectfully toasted Zheng Yifei.

A welcoming banquet was held, and both hosts and guests enjoyed themselves immensely.

As night deepened and the banquet ended, Zheng Yifei sat in the armchair in his study in the backyard. A maid had just brought him a cup of herbal tea to help him sober up.

There was a soft knock on the door.

"Enter."

Zheng Yifei put down his teacup.

The door was pushed open, and the clerk, Xu Qian, walked in.

At this moment, Xu Qian's face no longer showed the affected tipsiness he had displayed at the banquet; his eyes were clear, and his expression was unusually solemn.

He walked to the desk, but instead of sitting down, he bowed deeply. "My lord," he said, "there are some things I cannot say at the dinner table. Now that it is late and all is quiet, I wonder if you would be willing to listen to a few words from my heart?"

Zheng Yifei narrowed his eyes slightly as he looked at Xu Qian.

The offer of 10,000 gold coins, coupled with his statement at the dinner table, finally convinced this seasoned veteran of five dynasties to reveal some of his true secrets.

"Master Xu, there are no outsiders here, please speak freely. I am all ears."

Xu Qian thanked him and sat down. He didn't speak immediately but remained silent for a moment, seemingly organizing his thoughts.

Then, he raised his head, looked directly into Zheng Yifei's eyes, and said in a low voice, "The magistrate said at the dinner table today that he would not make a big show of things when he took office, which reassured Deputy Inspector Tang and the others."

But does Your Excellency know that this inspector's position, seemingly glamorous, is actually like sitting on a volcano's crater?

"Oh? What do you mean?"

Xu Qian took a deep breath and slowly revealed a chilling secret: "Does Your Excellency know what became of the five previous inspectors of this patrol office before you?"

Zheng Yifei shook his head.

"Of the five inspectors, four died violent deaths. The official cause of death was claimed to be either dying in the line of duty or going astray in cultivation, but in reality, they were all assassinated."

Only one official, who had been in office for less than three months, sensed the danger, feigned illness to resign, and fled back to his hometown overnight, thus saving his life.

Zheng Yifei paused slightly, his hand holding the teacup still, and raised an eyebrow: "Four people assassinated? In this important city, someone actually dares to assassinate imperial officials one after another?"