Chapter 61: Offering A Plan
And this so-called ‘flowing debt’ at the old wellhead is even more common in our Sacred Dynasty.
In the government offices, all levels of institutions from prefecture to county that collect money and grain and taxation all have obvious corrupt practices.
All public funds that should be handed up this month are often delayed by two or three months before being sent to superiors.
During this delay in handing up, local officials can lend the public funds to merchants to earn interest.
Some add one point eight percent （monthly interest of one qian）, some are nine out thirteen return, and so on.
The water station has learned this advanced system to perfection.
As a result, this old wellhead played it wrong, lending tens of thousands of silver taels to a fleet from Nanhai Prefecture, but the waves were towering, the ships destroyed and people dead, so the borrowed silver naturally went down the drain!
The old wellhead is stubborn-mouthed, not saying a word, robbing Peter to pay Paul, resulting in this debt snowballing bigger and bigger, already reaching over a hundred thousand silver taels! And quite a few rare great medicines!
In the end, seeing he really couldn’t hide it anymore, he completely gave up, saying his abilities were insufficient and he could only rely on the organization, rely on the brothers.
So not to mention the nine landlords, even Shopkeeper Li and the others below hate to drink his blood, eat his flesh, and swallow this old rogue alive!
But this person has extremely deep background and solid roots, the higher-ups can’t make an example of him, and instead a lucrative post has already secretly settled on his name.
The landlords still don’t dare offend him, and can only pinch their noses to clean up his mess!
The deep-seated malpractices of the Sacred Dynasty, passed down through twists and turns, can be seen clearly.
Shopkeeper Li saw Chen Shun’an with a thoughtful look on his face, standing motionless in place, so he shook his head and prepared to leave.
Why say these things to Old Chen.
Sigh, probably I’ve been holding it in for too long and want to find someone to talk to.
Shopkeeper Li thought in his heart.
He had just walked two steps when he heard Chen Shun’an suddenly say from behind,
“Shopkeeper Li, lately the heavenly stems are dry, even the city moat has dropped several feet… Why not spread the word that water wells everywhere are short on water, almost seeing the bottom of the wells, especially the fresh water and sweet water wells, affected even more.
At that time, wealthy big households will naturally break down the threshold, rushing to pay, and we hint a bit, letting them spend money in one go to prepay drinking water for the next three months…”
“Of course, the water shortage is definitely a rumor, after we collect the money, we must strike a heavy blow, root out the rumor-mongers confusing the people, calm the people’s worries, and let the common folk all drink water, drink good water.”
Chen Shun’an’s method only pits the rich, and has little impact on ordinary commoners.
After all, how much profit can be squeezed from the poor?
And it’s prepaid, not embezzled, water that should be delivered still gets delivered.
In the end, it’s actually the nine landlords footing the bill.
Living on borrowed time, that’s all.
And prepaying three or four months of drinking water fees should greatly fill this deficit, right?”
Shopkeeper Li is cunning as a fox, with many tricky thoughts, at this moment just slightly mulling it over, his eyes immediately lit up with a sly gleam,
“This method seems workable!”
Not seems, Shopkeeper Li paced in place, the more he thought the more he felt this plan was brilliant!
It’s just, it will make the nine landlords suffer a bit.
But if Zhao Guangxi proposes the plan, and tells this method to the old wellhead.
Then in the end, it will only make the other eight landlords suffer.
“Old Chen, how come I didn’t see before that your brain is so sharp? Could it be that being stimulated by that well water really opened the apertures?!”
Shopkeeper Li nodded in satisfaction.
Moreover, Chen Shun’an has good judgment in handling things, not bypassing him to go straight to the landlords, but letting him present this plan upward.
In the end, he also gets a share of the merit!
“Old Chen, rest assured, if this works out, you won’t miss out on benefits.”
Dropping this line, Shopkeeper Li hurried upstairs, corners of his mouth raised, full of joy.
Chen Shun’an smiled, turned and headed toward Weihang Street.
Some words, if he were still just a third-rate warrior, a decaying old man on the verge of ruin.
Saying them would be pointless, even inviting disaster.
But this time is different from that time, Chen Shun’an already has the capital to stand firm, even to show a bit of his edge.
Let the bullet fly for a while, and see the aftermath.
……
The midnight wind blew away the turbid qi from Chen Shun’an’s body.
He plunged his qi and blood overflowing hands into a bucket of ice water, immediately stirring up a lot of water mist, after a few breaths, only a thin layer of water remained in the bucket.
“《Golden Snake Coiling Silk Hand》 has caught up to the progress of 《Meat Flying Immortal》. It’s really too fast, seems no need to waste time practicing martial arts at the Li Mansion anymore… Wait a few more days, find an excuse and I won’t come.”
After informing Li Shicheng, Chen Shun’an took his leave.
Behind him, faintly came a woman’s anxious voice,
“Yan’er, how is that Chen Shun’an practicing, his hands actually have such power?”
Yi Yan said helplessly,
“Mother, Instructor Chen is after all a second-rate expert, qi and blood surging is very normal. But his cultivation in 《Golden Snake Coiling Silk Hand》 is still not as good as mine, I’ve grasped the opportunity for force throughout the body, about to reach third-rate perfection.”
“Good, good, good! My son really makes me proud, your goal isn’t that Chen Shun’an, but those elder and younger brothers in the Yi Mansion. Don’t stop, why rest again? Keep practicing, Yan’er you must not complain about the hardship! To be prominent in front of others, you must suffer behind their backs!
Right, your identity is different now, don’t associate with those from the orphanage, colored gate, it’s not proper!”
“……Yes, Mother, I know.”
For this woman’s child-rearing methods, Chen Shun’an could only shake his head and sigh, nothing else to do.
Others’ karma cannot be forcibly interfered with.
……
Chen Shun’an left the alley, first returning the water cart to the wellhead.
Then went to the tailor’s shop on the main street to pick up the three cotton robes he had pre-ordered.
Two women’s brocade cotton robes, one large and one small, with lively patterns, not at all lifeless.
And one cotton robe jacket, simple style, gray and white colors, very fitting for Chen Shun’an’s old man identity.
After Chen Shun’an advanced to second-rate martial artist, his treatment and stipend had already been issued.
Dietary supplements and housing allowance naturally go without saying.
Two bolts of silk fabric are top-quality from the south, clear water silk, perfect for making winter robes.
Although it’s still the scorching heat of the sixth month, thrifty families already start stockpiling winter supplies in advance, which is cheaper.
As for five-wheel water, Chen Shun’an had studied it carefully.
To avoid water vapor evaporation, this water is stored in stone bottles the size of snuff bottles, from the outside it looks no different from ordinary well water.
Just clearer, and smelling it has a calming and steadying effect on the mind.
Thinking that this water surprisingly has a slight effect even on first-rate realm cultivation, Chen Shun’an didn’t use it now, but saved it up first.
Afterward, Chen Shun’an went to buy some lychee fruits, copper oil lamp, ox horn comb, rouge and makeup box that Wan Niang usually wouldn’t bear to buy.
Also bought himself a bundle of Guanzhong tobacco, this tobacco is strong but doesn’t harm the lungs, what Instructor Lin and them smoke.
After all, Chen Shun’an is now a second-rate warrior, Master Chen of the grit well, a favorite in front of Landlord Zhao, he can’t be as shabby as before.
Otherwise it would lose the landlords’ face!
Back to the courtyard.
Wan Niang on tiptoes, standing under the eaves.
Holding a long bamboo pole, struggling to reach a slanting roof tile on the rooftop that’s about to fall.
Her floral dotted clothes hugging out the outline of her hips, that extraordinary bosom almost bursting out.
“Let me do it!”
Chen Shun’an saw this, quickly put the things into the house, took the bamboo pole from Wan Niang’s hand.
“Sigh, this tile house is after all several decades old, not only do the roof tiles need renewing every year, but afraid the walls have cracks…”
With a ‘patta’ sound, the roof tile fell into the frame, Chen Shun’an shook his head.
Turning around, he saw Wan Niang standing in the main room.
Wan Niang stared dazedly at the table full of cotton robes, rouge and makeup box, ox horn comb and such, her nose souring and eyes blurring, as if about to cry.
“What’s wrong, Wan Niang? This is the benefits issued from above after my breakthrough to second-rate realm, no stealing or robbing…”
Chen Shun’an saw this and hurried into the main room.
Wan Niang held back her tears, looking at Chen Shun’an, her voice soft and sorrowful,
“Brother, how much hardship have you suffered…”
Others only see Chen Shun’an’s old tree blooming, strength soaring, elated and proud.
But only Wan Niang sees the bitterness Chen Shun’an hides behind the scenes.
