23: Chapter 23: Providing the Ministry of War with provisions, and bestowing good fortune upon the Ministry of Revenue!

Leaving the Ministry of War... Wang Meng was somewhat puzzled.

"My Lord... those prisoners, it's a waste!"

"Ordinary military households aren't worth that much, let alone prisoner deserters."

"They must be incredibly slack, fragile, and useless!"

"Aren't these scumbags just cannon fodder for the Dao Soldiers?"

"Aren't they just a waste of food?"

Shen Yi stretched and smiled faintly, saying nothing.

Instead, Wang Teng rubbed his chin.

"Boss... you don't understand a thing."

"Lord Shen is clearly giving money to the Ministry of War."

"This move, on one hand, relieves the Ministry of War's pressure of supporting these bandit soldiers, and on the other hand, it legitimately spends the money."

"It leaves the Ministry of War with a huge favor!"

"This way, even if Lord Shen fails to kill any Black Fiend Bandits... this 'Excellent' rating is guaranteed."

"Moreover, now that this path is opened, the relationship with the Ministry of War will be extraordinary in the future."

"If any trouble arises, the Ministry of War certainly won't stand idly by!"

"This is called a debt of gratitude!"

"There's such a saying?" Wang Meng slapped his forehead.

Wang Teng said with disdain.

"You're still far from it..."

Wang Meng's face darkened, his fists clenched, making a creaking sound.

"You little brat, haven't been home in a while... asking for a beating?"

"Uh... Lord Shen is here, you dare to be presumptuous?"

The Ministry of War compound and the Ministry of Revenue compound were not far apart... after walking for about half an incense stick of time, they arrived at the Ministry of Revenue compound.

Shen Yi announced himself and waited in a small guest hall.

After about two incense sticks of time... a rather haggard young man finally entered.

This person was named Yun Sheng... Shen Yi was originally just an Outer Sect Disciple of that great scholar who served as a Gentleman-in-Waiting... and above his status, there were, damn it, Inner Sect Disciples, Closed-Door Disciples, and True Disciples.

The Yun Sheng before him belonged to the Closed-Door Disciples... now he was a Minor Eighth-Rank official, one of the two Assistant Registrars of Taiping County!

And the reason Shen Yi formed a friendship with him was also because of the rate of return.

This person... was a rare scholar from a humble background.

In his early years, he received the cultivation of that great scholar, and only then did he break free from his humble origins!

Seeing Shen Yi, he immediately scolded him severely.

"Shen Yi... how can you be so muddled."

"With those dozens of carriages going in and out of the Ministry of War, aren't you deliberately making things difficult for the lords of the Ministry of Revenue?"

"And now you come to find me... what, you want to drag me into the water too?"

Shen Yi apologized quickly... but his eyes were calm, and he said slowly.

"Senior Brother Yun... the door of the Ministry of Revenue is hard to enter... and gifts are even harder to give."

"They look down on this lingyuan rice!"

"Whether it's hard to enter or not, you shouldn't have chosen the wrong path!"

"The path of a martial artist and the path of governing a region, can they be the same?"

"Those Jiedushi... aren't they all..."

Yun Sheng cursed loudly.

"You said it yourself, those are Jiedushi, high-ranking officials of the Second Rank... you, who aren't even a Minor Ninth-Rank official, want to imitate them?"

"They have countless fierce generals and hundreds of thousands of Dao Soldiers under their command... and you?"

"Do you even have fifty?"

"Stop scolding, stop scolding..."

Yun Sheng snorted coldly, feeling that iron could not be turned into steel.

"Now it's good... according to the operations, this year's 'Excellent' rating was guaranteed."

"You pulled such a stunt, I'm afraid it will drop back to 'Average'."

"Your specialty was originally in people's livelihood, why did you go to the Ministry of War to give gifts?"

"It's truly a huge joke!"

Shen Yi shook his head.

He waved his hand and ordered Wang Meng to bring over a jar!

Yun Sheng flicked his sleeves and said irritably.

"It's broad daylight, I don't want to be dead drunk."

Shen Yi, however, smiled mysteriously.

"Senior Brother... don't you want to take a look?"

Yun Sheng frowned and said suspiciously.

"What is it... so mysterious?"

As the jar was opened, a fish tail with golden lines splashed the water.

Water splashed onto Yun Sheng's face, but instead of being angry, Yun Sheng showed great ecstasy.

"This is... this is... Golden Carp Qi?"

"This is a First-Grade superior, a Qingyuan Carp that is transforming into a Koi?"

"Where did it come from?"

"diluojiang!"

"That's right... it's diluojiang! It must be diluojiang!"

"This thing... is an auspicious omen!"

Shen Yi naturally knew how to adapt his words to the listener.

He said with a smile.

"Senior Brother... the struggles of the big shots in the imperial court, why let them fall on our small border county."

"Don't you think so?"

"In the eyes of the lords of the Ministry of Revenue... even one hundred carriages of lingyuan rice are not as good as these few golden carps, right?"

"The Ministry of War is stingy, looking at what's right in front of them... but I know that the lords of the Ministry of Revenue are not short of money."

"What they lack is this reputation..."

"Heaven sends an auspicious omen, benefiting the three rivers."

"This title isn't big... but it's not small either."

Yun Sheng suddenly looked up, staring fixedly at Shen Yi.

After a long time, he sighed and said.

"Only you would have such guts."

"When Master didn't take you as a Disciple... it really was..."

Shen Yi shook his head.

"Not enough fate..."

"Where did you see this thing...?"

Shen Yi smiled mysteriously.

"It was Senior Brother and the lords of the Ministry of Revenue who saw it... what does it have to do with me?"

"As an insignificant immortal official, am I worthy of seeing such an auspicious omen?"

"It all depends on the credit of the lords of the Ministry of Revenue..."

Yun Sheng opened his mouth but didn't speak.

He got up and patted Shen Yi on the shoulder.

"Enough said... wait for my news!"

After speaking, Yun Sheng grabbed the jar and ran out.

He was a Minor Eighth-Rank official with Official Aura, so his strength was naturally extraordinary.

He walked as fast as flying...

And this wait lasted until dusk...

Yun Sheng seemed to have shed all his fatigue.

He came forward... and laughed.

Shen Yi quickly got up to salute... but Yun Sheng waved his hand.

"Alright, you've waited a long time."

"I'll tell you directly."

"The lords of the Ministry of Revenue said... don't do it again."

"For this evaluation, they will discretionarily give you an 'Excellent' rating."

"Of course, it still depends on how you perform your duties."

"Thank you, Senior Brother!"

Shen Yi showed great ecstasy.

Yun Sheng laughed dumbly.

"I should be the one thanking you... the old registrar is about to be promoted, and I was worrying about it. Now it's good... there should be a twenty percent higher chance."

"I originally wanted to host, but the consequences caused by the diluojiang are a bit serious... so I won't keep you."

"Next time you come, I'll have your sister-in-law prepare wine and meat, and we brothers will have a good drink."

"I hope by then, you will already be a Ninth-Rank immortal official!"

"Thank you, Brother Yun!"

"Alright... go!"

After leaving, they packed up all the items.

150 death row prisoners, two land deeds, the Spiritual Qi formation would naturally be set up by people from the Four Seas Chamber of Commerce... plus armor and weapons.

They came with fruitful results... but when they left.

Hmm... not much left.

The sale of lingyuan rice for 5,000 exchanged for 200 death row prisoners.

The land deeds for 7,000 plus the Spiritual Qi formation for 5,000, plus 1,000 for the wooden oxen and flowing horses, that was 13,000.

Plus miscellaneous items, armor, explosive arrows, heavy crossbow arrows, etc.

About 15,000 or more...

In hand, besides this transaction, there was what was left from last time, about...

Remaining: 3,300 or more.

Going back.

This money... really doesn't last long.

Shen Yi looked distressed... but he led his people away with great ambition.

In his heart, he was looking forward to the performance review in more than a month!

"Oh right, what gift should I bring back for Miss Pei this time?"

"Hmm? How about a necklace."