I’m here. Xu Jingming looked at the huge B South Principales Office.
The B South Principales Office had 1,000 Blood Rain Guards and 5,000 auxiliary guards! It could accommodate thousands of employees, so it naturally occupied a large area. The buildings were mainly black in color, and one couldn’t help but feel apprehensive.
The Blood Rain Guard is the strongest army that holds the fort in the capital after all. It oversees all officials and keeps all factions in check. Xu Jingming sighed with emotion. The Blood Rain Guard has a lot of power despite its low-ranking position.
This was also the reason why he chose this path. Only with great authority could he obtain 10,000 gold faster.
But even as a Blood Rain Guard, 10,000 gold… is still an astronomical figure, Xu Jingming thought to himself.
“Please halt.” The entrance to the Principales Office was heavily guarded. The guards spoke gently when they saw the uniform Xu Jingming wore under his cyan clothes.
Xu Jingming took out his identity token and flashed it.
“Captain!” A Blood Rain Guard—who was resting in the distance—had sharp eyes. He shot a glance and rushed over with incomparable enthusiasm. “Zhang Ke, deputy captain of Bravo Platoon of B South Principales’ 700th Company. Greetings, Captain.”
“Zhang Ke?” Xu Jingming looked at the man in front of him.
Zhang Ke immediately berated the guard beside him. “Open your eyes wide. Look clearly—this is the newly appointed Lord Jing!”
“Lord Jing.” The guards became more respectful.
“These are all auxiliary guards who guard the door,” Zhang Ke immediately explained. “Captain, let’s greet the Principales before greeting the Centurion.”
“Okay.” Xu Jingming nodded.
…
The B South Principales Office’s highest leader was Li Qing; he looked like a pale-faced scholar. It was said that he had been a Blood Rain Guard Principales since the former emperor’s reign! Now that a new emperor had ascended the throne, Li Qing remained in his position.
Xu Jingming first met Li Qing and exchanged a few words before he was asked to leave. He then met his direct superior, Centurion Zhao Defang.
“I just arrived in the capital, so I’m a little tight on cash. Please don’t take offense, Your Excellency.” Xu Jingming placed a silver ingot on Zhao Defang’s table.
Zhao Defang glanced at the ten taels of silver in front of him and said calmly with a frown, “Since you’re short on money, there’s no need to be so polite. Take the silver back.”
Xu Jingming looked a little embarrassed.
“Take it back!” Zhao Defang said coldly.
“Yes, yes.” Xu Jingming put away the ten taels of silver. “I’ll hold a banquet at Fragrance Restaurant tonight to entertain my colleagues. If you have the time…”
“You may leave.” Zhao Defang berated Xu Jingming before he could finish.
“Yes, sir!” Xu Jingming could only leave.
Zhao Defang’s face was pale, and he had a long beard. His expression darkened as he watched Xu Jingming leave. This newcomer sure doesn’t know the ways! Ten taels of silver? Does he think I’m a beggar?
In the corridor outside.
Xu Jingming and Zhang Ke walked side by side.
“What? Captain, you only gave ten taels of silver?” Zhang Ke widened his eyes in disbelief.
“I’m poor; there’s nothing I can do.” Xu Jingming shook his head.
“You should’ve said so earlier. We could’ve pooled our resources in the platoon,” Zhang Ke said anxiously. “I told you that Zhao Defang is very greedy. You have to fork out at least 50 taels for your first visit! It’s best if it’s 100 taels—only then will he be satisfied.”
“I can’t satisfy him,” Xu Jingming said casually.
When Zhang Ke heard that and heard Xu Jingming’s tone, he immediately had a guess. This new captain became a captain the moment he arrived and is so negligent toward the centurion… It looks like he has a backer and isn’t afraid of the centurion.
Xu Jingming naturally wasn’t afraid!
Backing him was Fei Qing! The highest leader of the Blood Rain Guard’s South Wing was Wang Jiuyan! Xu Jingming was aware of the relationship between Fei Qing and Wang Jiuyan.
Moreover… Fei Qing had personally promised that as long as he made a contribution, he would be promoted to centurion! With Fei Qing’s status, there was no need to doubt his credibility.
Would Xu Jingming need to curry favor with a mere centurion?
Give you 50 taels of silver? Hope you have the appetite to take it! My salary is only 50 taels a month. Xu Jingming couldn’t bear to give it to him. He also didn’t want to embarrass himself, so he only offered ten taels of silver.
Since Zhao Defang didn’t want it, he naturally put it away obediently.
…
“Everyone, I’ll be hosting a banquet at Fragrance Restaurant tonight. You have to be there.” Xu Jingming warmly invited the captains in the Principales Office.
“Definitely, definitely.”
“When the time comes, there needs to be enough good wine.”
The Blood Rain Guard captains in the Principales Office accepted his invitiation, and Xu Jingming quickly left.
“This Captain Jing has quite the background to be a captain the moment he joins the Blood Rain Guard.”
“Obviously. We slowly rose up the ranks to captain from being an ordinary Blood Rain Guard.”
“I heard that Centurion Zhao isn’t in a good mood! He specially came to the Principales Office today to wait for Captain Jing to offer him some gifts, but it’s obvious that Centurion Zhao isn’t happy.” As the captains chatted, all the information proved one thing—Captain Jing had a huge backer! He wasn’t afraid of Centurion Zhao!
******
In the morning, the second floor of the restaurant was booked.
“Our Bravo Platoon has two deputy captains and 30 ordinary Blood Rain Guards. They are all here today,” Zhang Ke said enthusiastically.
“Captain, this is a gift from us brothers to you.” The other deputy captain, Qian Yan, was a plump man. He handed over a banknote.
Xu Jingming took a look—it was 50 taels of silver! Furthermore, it didn’t require a passcode. There were indeed some banknotes that didn’t require one, and anyone who obtained such banknotes could exchange them! They could be used as cash.
But for the sake of safety, large denominations were typically written with a passcode.
“Captain, this is a token of appreciation from the auxiliary guards.” Zhang Ke took out a banknote worth 50 taels of silver. “Bravo Platoon is in charge of more than 100 auxiliary guards. The auxiliary guards need to patrol the area, so they have responsibilities. Therefore, they asked me to pass it on to you.”