Chapter 4 Returning to Xu Mansion, where did the money go?

The inner hall of the county government.

"Sir, do you really want to do this?"

Chief Clerk Zhou Ze looked reluctant and a little bit pained, "Xu Youan has no political achievements, how much money will it cost to commend him..."

"Idiot, when will you be able to see further?"

Wu Wenjing cursed with disdain, "How much does it cost to bribe people? Xu Youan has helped you and me to make money over the years, and how much has he embezzled? How can the two be compared?"

"…What do you mean, sir?"

Zhou Ze reacted quickly and was immediately frightened.

"Oh, Xu Chong is quite famous among those unruly people, and he is also studying in the official school. Under normal circumstances, you and I really can't do anything to him."

Wu Wenjing stroked his long beard, and the corners of his mouth curved up: "But it's different when you enter the government office."

"Aren't you curious about how much Xu Youan has embezzled?"

"I promise that this time you and I will each get half..."

…

Daqing’s household registration system is extremely strict. For the lowest level of craftsman registration, not only can descendants not leave the system, but even the amount of property a person can own has a clear upper limit.

However, the situation is much better for people like Xu Chong, as their civilian status does not affect their personal life and development. There are only restrictions on travel, residence, marriage and funerals.

One of them is that the mourning period should not exceed one month.

Once the appointment document comes down and the civilian status is upgraded to official status, restrictions will be greatly reduced and all kinds of ceremony can be elaborate.

But Xu Chong didn't care about this.

With the help of the villagers and Liu Er and Zhao Liu, the four charred bodies were buried.

Even the coffins and tombstones were collected by each household.

By the time I finished all this, it was already noon.

"For what happened today, I cannot repay you generously. The money..."

Xu Chong saluted solemnly.

"Hey, don't say such strange things."

"Don't take it to heart, Mr. Xu. Let's go."

"I have to hurry back to cook for the baby. Mr. Xu, please come back."

“…”

Dozens of people scattered in an instant.

Xu Chong looked helpless.

He is now the only heir to the Third Master's fortune, with plenty of money to squander, and he really doesn't want to owe anyone a favor over such a small matter.

But I didn't expect that everyone ran away before I could finish my words.

"Brother Xu, don't worry about it."

Zhang Shunyi patted Xu Chong on the shoulder and said meaningfully: "We all believe that you will be a good official."

"What? Good officer?!"

Xu Chong's jaw almost dropped to the ground.

That kind of official rhetoric is just for listening, will anyone believe it?

Well, it seems that there is...

Xu Chong realized that he was a living Buddha.

For the common people, since they say they want to be a good official, they will definitely be a good official...

"Also, Brother Xu, you acted so realistically that even I couldn't react. I thought you were really crazy."

Zhang Shunyi continued to speak, with a look of shame on his face: "If I ruin your plan, how will I be able to face myself in the future..."

"Okay, okay, stop talking about this."

Xu Chong's heart twitched when he heard this, and he couldn't help but interrupt Zhang Shunyi.

"Uh... I understand. The appointment documents haven't come down yet, so it's not appropriate to make it too public."

Zhang Shunyi gave Xu Chong a look that said, "I understand you." "Brother Xu must have a lot to say to your father. I will take my leave now."

Do you have something to say to Master San?

It's all buried in the ground, what else can I say...

Xu Chong curled the corners of his mouth as he watched Zhang Shunyi's departing back, then began to concentrate and check the panel.

The message had changed as early as when I left the county government office, returning to 'Spiritual Energy Concentration Does Not Meet Standard' and has remained so until now.

From this we can see that there was nothing special about the four bodies.

By the process of elimination, the only problem now is the county government itself.

"It seems that I have to take this position..."

Xu Chong muttered to himself.

If you think about it this way, there are gains and losses.

He boasted in Haikou that he would be a good official, but was able to enter the county government office to look for spiritual energy.

Overall, it's still a small profit.

Thinking of this, Xu Chong felt much more comfortable and turned around to follow the route he remembered.

Xu Mansion in the east of the city.

A house with three courtyards was built on an area with five courtyards.

"This sin... with my meager income, I'm afraid I won't be able to pay it off in my lifetime, right?"

Xu Chong was amazed.

Butler Lao Li had been waiting since early morning. When he saw Xu Chong, he immediately nodded and bowed to greet him.

As a servant, he did not dare to be disrespectful to Xu Chong even when the Xu father and son were fighting the worst, let alone now.

The news that Xu Chong was about to take over as Dianshi had already spread throughout Canglong.

"Master, please come in."

Old Li leaned forward and led Xu Chong in while telling lies: "The master has suddenly encountered a disaster, young master, you must cheer up. All the personnel affairs in the mansion are waiting for you to take charge."

"What are you hosting? Let them do what they should do."

Xu Chong remained calm.

The original person had lived in the Xu Mansion for a long time and was very familiar with the management situation of the Xu Mansion.

To put it simply, these servants have an ordinary employment relationship with the Xu family.

Mr. Xu Sanye was very cautious. He would not let these people do anything bad. Moreover, these people were all honest and would not dare to do anything bad.

"Uh... Master, the others are easy to deal with, but what about the two maids of the master?"

Old Li asked somewhat embarrassedly.

"That's a problem ."

Xu Chong frowned.

He was at the age of full vigor and vitality, and had physical needs, but he was not hungry enough to get involved with the Third Master's woman.

"How about this."

After thinking for a while, Xu Chong said, "Ask them if they are willing to stay and do odd jobs. If not, give them some money to send them off. Hmm...how much money ?"

"Three hundred and twenty-two ounces of silver."

"Um?"

Xu Chong suddenly stopped and looked at Lao Li deeply: "Only three hundred and twenty-two taels? Lao Li, you are a bit overdoing it."

"It's unfair, Master!"

Old Li knelt down with a thud and howled at the top of his voice: "God and heaven are my conscience. I have worked in your mansion for sixteen years, and the silver in my account has never exceeded five hundred taels!"

Never more than five hundred taels?

Xu Chong frowned, instinctively feeling that something was wrong.

Just now he was just trying to trick Old Li and didn't really suspect him.

But according to his analysis of the Third Master, it would be reasonable for there to be tens of thousands of taels in the account, so why is there only this little?

The rent from those shops alone is nearly three hundred taels a month, not to mention the profits from other businesses.

Where did all that money go?

"Get up. As long as you haven't done it, I won't wrongly accuse you."

Xu Chong waved his hand and said, "Go sort out the account books of these years and send them to the study."

"Yes, yes, I will go right away."

Old Li hurriedly got up and retreated with his body hunched.

Xu Chong walked straight through the hall and courtyard and came to the door of Xu Youan's study.

In the original body's memory, this study can be said to be the most mysterious place in the entire Xu Mansion.

Because no one except Xu Youan himself was allowed to enter.

When the original body was still young, he once stole a key and tried to sneak in, but was hung up and beaten.

Any place that can make Xu Youan so nervous must either contain a large amount of money or evidence of money-making.

No matter which one it is, it will be of great help to one's future career as an official.