Today Xu Qiu truly realized the saying "Although the officials are small, the harm they cause is extremely great."

Officials are simply a cancer of society, and their shadow can be seen in the decline of every dynasty.

Huang San is a living example.

He was full of fawning towards Xu Qiu, but when he saw a small bun vendor, he opened their steamer with his head held high, grabbed a hot bun and started to eat it, just like a landlord.

Then use the handle of the sword to constantly turn the buns over and over, or even crush them, to check the filling inside.

He said in a bad tone: "Old man Qian, game costs extra money. You hide game in your buns. Are you trying to evade taxes?"

"Master, this is just a meat bun. Where does the game come from?"

Old man Qian, who sells buns, said with a bitter look on his face.

I don’t know where to put my hands.

Huang San didn't even give him a chance to explain, "Don't make me say it again, or your bun shop will be gone soon."

"But I have already paid once yesterday, sir, this is a small business, there is no profit..."

Old man Qian from the bun shop said in a pleading tone.

Unfortunately, Huang San still turned a deaf ear and even made a gesture of drawing his sword.

At this moment, passers-by coming and going gradually gathered around.

They have long been accustomed to bullies and corrupt officials.

They all persuaded the old man selling buns, "Old man Qian, you should give him the money, otherwise it will be difficult for you to even survive."

"Yes, if the people don't fight against the officials, you can't win."

"The bun shop is your lifeblood. If the bun shop is gone, you won't be able to survive."

These people kept persuading.

Old man Qian, who was selling buns, had a bitter look on his face, like a dumb person who had eaten bitter melon and could not express his grievances.

He could only take out a few sweat-stained copper coins from his trouser pockets with trembling hands, "Sir, this is the money I earned today. I hope you will show some mercy."

"Tsk... so little." Huang San grabbed it and looked disdainful for a long time.

Then he enthusiastically handed the copper coin to Xu Qiu and said in a flattering manner:

"Sir, this is our daily job. Checking the goods is just an excuse to make some money... Although most people in Beihe Street are poor, we have a large population. As long as everyone takes a cut, it will still be quite profitable."

As the saying goes, a pile of sand makes a tower. Every small vendor with a few copper coins can still earn one or two taels of silver a day.

You can earn thirty taels a month.

For the inspector, this is a really lucrative job.

However, there is five times less oil and water on Beihe Street than in other neighborhoods.

After all, what Chengwei Jianxiu wants is to make back his investment within half a year, which means making 500 taels of silver in half a year.

The price of a ninth-rank official post in the capital is five hundred taels of silver. If you can't get it back, you won't be able to make a profit.

At this moment, the people around saw Huang San's flattering look.

Only then did they realize, "It turns out that the new official has three major things to do when he takes office."

"No wonder they collected it yesterday and came to collect it again today. It turns out they are honoring the new official."

"Alas, we don't have that much money to pay."

The voices of the people around were rising one after another, full of complaints.

Even the porters who were carrying the goods couldn't help shaking their heads at the scene before them.

These high-ranking officials have never cared about the lives of the lower-class people.

But just then.

After receiving the copper coins, Xu Qiu suddenly walked up to the old man selling buns, put a few copper coins in his hand, and took out a tael of silver, saying, "These are his apologies for breaking your buns. There is no game in your buns, and you don't need to pay. We are not tax collectors."

Old man Qian, who sells buns, looks at the heavy silver in his hand.

The whole person was stunned.

He asked in great confusion: "Sir, this, this, this... this is not possible. This bun is not worth much money. Just give me the copper coins."

"Just take it, old man. Life here is not easy."

Xu Qiu didn't care about the money.

He is not short of money at all.

He can receive a monthly allowance of 100 taels of silver from the Qin Mansion every month. Recently, the empress also rewarded him with 1,000 taels of gold, which is equivalent to 10,000 taels of silver, plus the monthly salary of 15 taels of silver for a ninth-rank inspector of the capital.

Even if he is lying down now, his monthly income is quite considerable, which is almost more than an ordinary person can earn in his entire life.

Upon hearing this, old man Qian, who was selling buns, was so moved that he burst into tears.

The old face gradually turned red.

He knelt on the ground, his body shaking uncontrollably, and he said with tears in his eyes: "Sir, you are a kind person! Honourable Lord! In the future, if you want to eat any buns, I will make them for you, free of charge..."

When Xu Qiu saw this scene, he gently raised his hand and helped the old man up.

At this moment, Huang San, who had been standing next to him, didn't understand at all.

So he is a villain?

Huang San couldn't help but stepped forward and asked, "Sir, what are you doing? Taxation is a rule. If you don't collect it, how will the people below survive? How can you make money, sir?"

These petty officials are not as arrogant as the officials.

He is not someone who pleads for others.

After all, petty officials also have to survive. The monthly salary of the capital's inspector is 15 taels of silver, but these yamen runners only make 800 wen a month, and even the foreman yamen runners only make 1 or 200 wen. Occasionally, their superiors will deduct money from their salaries, and it is common for them to withhold several months' salary, or even pay them at half their salary.

Minor officials also need to eat, so if they don’t make money, they will not be able to survive.

Do you think evil officials are formed naturally?

No! Most of the petty officials were forced to do their jobs. They did the most work but received the least salary, and even their monthly salary was eaten up by their superiors.

Officials don’t care about their life or death, they only care about their own interests.

In order to make a living, most petty officials have to turn themselves into bad people. After all, kindness cannot be eaten.

Just when Huang San was questioning.

Xu Qiu took out some silver and gave two taels of silver to each yamen runner.

There were exactly seven yamen runners in this garrison, and Xu Qiu's salary was just enough for each runner to get two taels of silver.

Huang San looked at the two taels of silver in his hand in confusion.

But then he heard Xu Qiu's voice coming from afar, "Follow me, you can get two taels of silver every month, but my rule is that you can't take money you shouldn't take. If I find out anyone is exploiting the people again, don't blame me for being rude!"

Xu Qiu said with an unquestionable tone.

After all, he had received red education in his previous life, so he could not do such a thing as exploiting the people.

Likewise, he did not want to cause hardship to the lower-class people because of his position as an official.

Cultivating immortals also emphasizes cause and effect, and merit is also one of the strengths of an immortal cultivator.

Although Xu Qiu did not want to gain any merit, he also did not want to commit any sin, which would cause demonic obstacles in his heart and would be detrimental to his cultivation.

Huang San still felt confused.

At this time, Zhou Liang whispered beside him: "Master Xu is the son-in-law of the Qin family, and he is also the imperial inspector appointed by the emperor. He is not short of money."

Huang San suddenly realized, "No wonder the adults are so generous!"

He admired Xu Qiu from the bottom of his heart. There were almost no officials who could give them money.

But Xu Qiu was an exception. He directly distributed his salary to the yamen runners under him.

Two taels of silver is their two months' salary!

(End of this chapter)