Only with Zhou Wenbin's explanation did Li Qingshan learn that his position as district magistrate had not been easy. In order to obtain a sufficient 'support rate' so that the people of Jiaping city would remember him as a just and upright man, he had to reduce taxes and levies, establish irrigation works, and set up a large number of public facilities. He also had to pay a high salary and maintain his integrity. He had to support his group of advisors to handle government affairs for him, so he often struggled to make ends meet. "… …"
Zhou Wen Bin spread his hands and smiled bitterly. "It's a pity that I don't get a single copper coin as an official, and I have to think of ways to raise money."
Li Qingshan found it a bit funny. In this era, although the "gap between the rich and the poor" was incomparably large, it wasn't a bad thing for the common people.
In the Great Xia Dynasty, from top to bottom, no matter what rank of official, no one had a salary, but they didn't have to pay taxes either. Even when gold and silver mines were discovered, it was all handled by the local officials.
This was impossible in any of the dynasties that Li Qingshan knew of, but it was the truth. From the start, the focus of cultivators was different from that of ordinary people. If Zhou Wen Bin wanted to, he could squeeze out tens of millions of silver from Jiaping in a year, but it was meaningless.
There was only one kind of mine that belonged to the state, and that was spirit stone mines. Officials of Zhou Wenbin and Zhuo Zhibo's level also received spirit stones as their salaries.
Li Qingshan took out the hundreds of thousands of silver from the brothel keeper and gave it to Zhou Wen Bin.
Zhou Wen Bin said, "Why don't you ask me how many Qi Gathering pills I can get?"
Li Qingshan said, "I've never been stingy. Of course, I also hope that people will be more generous to me."
Zhou Wen Bin took out a small porcelain bottle with twelve Qi Gathering pills and gave it to Li Qingshan. "This is the first time, so I'll give you a discount. If you have more silver, you can come find me. But it'll be a hundred thousand for one pill."
Li Qingshan said, "Very fair." Thinking about how a small Qi Gathering pill was worth ten thousand, he couldn't help but sigh. But in the jianghu, there were many people who would be willing to spend a hundred thousand silver for one Qi Gathering pill.
Li Qingshan then passed the account book he got from the brothel keeper to Zhou Wen Bin. "I wonder if there's any evidence of Lou Lou's crime on it. (《》 7 * "
Li Qingshan didn't want his behavior to arouse suspicion, so he didn't take it out immediately. However, he thought that there were still quite a number of women locked up in the underground palace. He had to think of a way to get Zhou Wenbin to investigate the underground palace and rescue those women openly. Otherwise, if he left them alone, wouldn't they starve to death inside?
Zhou Wenbin didn't even look at it. He clapped his hands, and immediately a servant came up with the account book to show it to the advisors who were proficient in this field.
Before long, a person who seemed like an advisor arrived. He glanced at Li Qingshan in surprise at first. The Hawkwolf Guard was impressive, but regular Black Wolf guards had no right to stand on equal footing with his master. Afterwards, he bowed towards Li Qingshan slightly before reporting to Zhou Wen Bin, "Sir, there are quite a few problems up there …"
Li Qingshan gazed at the pond and considered how he should speak. Only when Zhou Wen Bin and the advisor finished talking did he say, "Sir, can this be used as evidence for moving the building?"
Zhou Wen Bin said, "Do you really think you can move the building with a single account book? You're underestimating the strength of the school. The people I sent to Fish 'er Gully have already returned. Qingxiu's family are all dead. They've dealt with it very cleanly. "
Li Qingshan said furiously, "Those animals! Sir, you're an official, so why are you still afraid of these sects? "
Zhou Wenbin said, "I'm not afraid, but helpless. These cultivation sects all have their own foundations and legacies. Some of the larger sects have existed for even longer than the Great Xia empire. When the founding emperor was still alive, all he could do was placate them, promising not to harm their interests and to coexist peacefully with them. Afterwards, he established the Hundred Schools of Thought and raised geniuses to contend against them.
In short, they wouldn't go out of their way to provoke Zhou Wenbin, and Zhou Wenbin didn't want to provoke them either. He had come here to cultivate, not to actually become an upright official and plead for the people. However, no one could criticize him any further than that.
Li Qingshan thought, Fortunately, I went to crush Zhao Liangqing, or I really wouldn't be able to complete this through legal channels!
"That's why you need to be wary of the plots of the school. Sometimes, they might be even more terrifying than Zhuo Zhibo. Zhuo Zhibo is a member of the Hawkwolf Guard, so he has some qualms about your background, but they don't have that many qualms at all. Most of the losses of the Hawkwolf Guard come from conflicts with these sects, and then they'll be finished off silently. Even if it's a hawk commander like Zhuo Zhibo or a district magistrate like me, there have been people who have died mysteriously. ("") "
Li Qingshan was not too surprised. He had personally witnessed this happen a long time ago. Despite Gu Yanying's identity, she still failed to kill the White Lotus Mother. Although she managed to force her into hiding, she had lost quite a few subordinates in the process.
The White Wolf guards under her command were all powerful cultivators who had undergone the first heavenly tribulation at the very least, reaching Foundation Establishment. In Jiaping city or even the Clear River prefecture, they were figures who could do whatever they wanted. The Soaring Dragon Elder of the Sword Collection palace did not fear the authority of the Hawkwolf Guard at all. He was bold enough to kill the Dark Queen's beloved pet right before her, even engaging in battle with her, and that was with the Hawk God standing behind Gu Yanying. The strength of these cultivator sects was evident at a glance.
He could not help but sigh. "No matter what era it is, strength is everything. Things like status will never be as useful as strength."
Zhou Wenbin said, "You have a mental map of the Green province, right? You might as well take it out and take a look."
Li Qingshan took out the mental map of the Green province and unfurled it.
Zhou Wenbin stroked the map gently. "It really is something good." Countless specks of light lit up on it, like the twinkling stars in the night sky.
"The places that light up on it are marked with the status of the empire. Even fifth layer Qi Practitioners wouldn't be bold enough to kill a first layer Qi Practitioner like you in front of everyone. However, there's no status beyond the specks of light. There's only strength. You have to remember this. As long as they have absolute confidence, there will be people who will attack you for the items in your hundred treasures pouch. Not only will this wolf hide not protect you sometimes, but it'll even attract killing intent more easily. "
Li Qingshan gazed at the mental map of the Green province he had read through many times and gained a brand new understanding. Although the stars were bright and densely packed, they were nowhere close to the vastness and darkness of the night sky. The remote mountains, swamps, and lofty ridges were lawless lands. It was a stage where daemons danced about, a battlefield where cultivators fought and killed each other.
This revelation was even more helpful than giving him a few Qi Gathering pills. It allowed him to gain a brand new understanding of his status and position. However, he did not feel any fear. Instead, he felt enlightened.
Originally, he was still worried about how he could kill Zhuo Zhibo if he wanted to make things difficult for him. Only then would he reduce the suspicion on himself. But now, the land of darkness beyond the light provided him with convenience. He could go on a killing spree and then push the blame onto some powerful cultivator of unknown identity, or some terrifying daemon that passed by.
Zhou Wenbin saw that there was no fear on Li Qingshan's face at all. That was an emotion that all cultivators of orthodox origins would show when they heard something like that for the first time. Even Zhou Wenbin himself was no exception. As a result, he was determined to remain in the light for the rest of his life. He wanted to protect himself and maintain his distance from the world of darkness.
He could not help but admit that this young man was different from regular people. He seemed to have a strong interest in battle, slaughter, and chaos. However, he was not a brainless battle maniac. Instead, he was bold and careful.
Perhaps he was more suited to join a large sect than follow the path of the Hawkwolf Guard or the Hundred Schools of Thought. Basically all large sects liked disciples like him. Whether it was purging demons or purging demons, they all needed people who were skilled in battle.
In the eyes of regular people, cultivators seemed to be otherworldly. They did not have to be contaminated by the smoke, fire, or blood of the world. All they needed to do was meditate and chant scriptures every day, eating wind and drinking dew, and they could extend their lifespans or even achieve immortality.
If they just followed their hearts, who would be willing to take the risk and fight others? Who wouldn't want to walk the path of immortality in peace? They would spend all the time they spent crafting spiritual artifacts and talismans on refining pills and ingesting bait. They would spend all the time they spent learning techniques on cultivation and seeking the way. However, this path was far too difficult and far too crowded.
Everyone needed pills and medicines, but there was a limit to the spiritual herbs. Everyone needed blessed lands, but there was a limit to the number of good dwellings. They could either avoid it and watch as others enjoyed the pills and blessed lands, cultivating extremely quickly, while they could only gradually age and turn into bones in a grave in the end. Or they could fight for victory and defeat.
Not only did they have to contend against the heavens, but they also had to contend against others.
Even if the world was united and everyone lived in harmony. Did the daemons and monsters hidden in the shadows not want to occupy the upper reaches again and rule over the nine provinces? In that lawless wilderness, who knew how many sects had been founded and destroyed. They only followed the most primitive law, survival of the fittest, where the strong were revered.
The Sword Collection palace and the Umbral Yin sect, one wielded swords, while the other controlled ghosts. Perhaps they were not the most skilled sects in cultivation, but they relied on their respective advantages and this law to survive.
Li Qingshan stowed the mental map of the Green province away and said, "Since I've already offended them, there's no harm in offending them a little more. Since I have this identity, it'll be a pity if I don't use it."
Zhou Wenbin knew that Li Qingshan had killed a member of his sect in front of everyone, so there was no chance for him to compromise or reconcile. However, considering how young he was, he still had some lingering resentment, so Zhou Wenbin said, "Alright, I'll give you another dozen or so government guards. Although I can't overturn the account book, I can pressure them a little and make them cough up some money."
At this moment, a caretaker came to report, "Sir, a fatty is requesting an audience at the government office. He says he's the district magistrate of Jiaping city. This is his document."
Zhou Wenbin smiled. "Looks like your old boss has arrived."
Li Qingshan smiled as well. "The security of the city has always been the responsibility of the district magistrate. Isn't it much more suitable for sir Ye to bring people there instead of me?"
Zhou Wenbin waved his hand. "Go tell him that I'm going to begin cultivating. Tell him to come see me tomorrow." Clearly, he did not take a regular person like Ye Dachuan seriously at all. He would just give him an extra stipend out of respect for the prefect.
Li Qingshan arrived at the government office in front and saw Ye Dachuan pointing around with the advisor. "Look, this is a large city. It really is different. Although it's still a little worse than the Clear River prefecture, it's much better than that godforsaken place of Qingyang." The advisor was overjoyed on the side as well. Following this fatty, he finally felt like he had made a name for himself.
"Sir Ye, it's been a while. How have you been?"
Ye Dachuan turned around and saw Li Qingshan in his Black Wolf uniform. Although he knew this was exactly why he had come, he still could not help but become surprised. "Y- you really …"
Li Qingshan smiled. "I have great riches and honour to give you! Do you want it? "
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