Chapter 54: Harboring Ambitions (Please add to favorites and keep reading)

“I will consider it further and make my decision in a few days,” Wei Fei said to Wei Tu after a moment of thought.

Although he had not been able to understand the "heavenly book" titled *The Five Elements Spirit-Nurturing Body* before, he could guess that its value was immense.

Had he not understood Wei Tu's character, he most likely would have hidden the secret manual on his person and searched for a way to decipher it slowly.

Now, with the addition of Kou Liang and Fu Zhizhou, he felt the risks were somewhat uncontrollable.

“This is my second brother's business; I am merely offering a suggestion as your third brother.”

Wei Tu knew how to maintain propriety. Upon hearing this, he nodded in agreement with Wei Fei's decision and did not press the matter.

...

Three days later.

County Magistrate Xu announced that several remnants of the Wuyun Pavilion had been captured in Siyang Town and its surrounding villages, while the remaining members were still fleeing. He called upon the common people to assist the government in apprehending the rebels.

Then, in front of the gathered populace at the threshing floor, he decapitated several Wuyun Pavilion martial instructors.

The onlookers fell silent, while the gentry standing in the crowd trembled slightly.

That evening, the gentry and wealthy households who had previously been "slow-witted" or resistant to law enforcement and searches immediately pushed wheelbarrows to deliver their liquid assets to the Liu Family Fort military camp.

“I shall not monopolize these assets. We officials serve to rise in rank and accumulate wealth. I will take fifty percent, and the rest will be distributed among you according to the rules...”

The wealth accumulated in heaps within the drawing room.

Magistrate Xu summoned all the military officers inside. He scanned the expression on each officer's face, then weighed the jade ruyi in his hand and said with a smile.

Among this group of officers were, naturally, Wei Tu and Wei Fei. The two exchanged a discreet glance and nodded.

Although the money before them was ill-gotten, extorted from the gentry and commoners of Siyang Town by Magistrate Xu, they could not change the overall situation... they might as well take it.

Furthermore, if they claimed to be "pure" military officials and refused the money, they would undoubtedly be viewed as thorns in the side of Magistrate Xu and the other officers.

That would be detrimental to both their prospects and their lives.

Besides, they were minor officials; they had no standing to join the ranks of the "pure" elite.

“Many thanks, Lord Xu.” After a brief pause, the officers showed expressions of joy and bowed to thank Magistrate Xu.

Seeing this, Magistrate Xu nodded with satisfaction. He shifted his gaze toward Wei Tu and another middle-aged officer, saying, “Military Envoy Wei, Military Envoy Chu, you two shall be responsible for the distribution of these assets this time.”

As soon as he finished speaking, Wei Tu and the middle-aged officer cupped their hands in acceptance of the command. They began to determine the distribution based on the officers' ranks and their contributions to the assault on Liu Family Fort.

An hour later, the two had worked together to complete the distribution.

The officers were all satisfied; no one found fault with Wei Tu or Military Envoy Chu regarding the distribution.

As the "Commander-in-Chief," Wei Tu also received over forty taels of silver.

Combined with the spoils seized during the assault on Liu Family Fort, Wei Tu's trip to Siyang Town had yielded a total of over one hundred and thirty taels of silver.

This sum was enough to clear his previous debts and still leave him with a significant surplus.

“We will break camp tomorrow, leave Siyang Town, and return to the county seat,” Magistrate Xu announced to the officers as the meeting adjourned.

However, just as Wei Tu was about to leave the drawing room, Magistrate Xu called out to him, telling him to stay for a moment.

Startled, Wei Tu stood still in the hall.

After the other officers had departed one by one, Magistrate Xu took an ingot of gold from his pile of wealth and pressed it into Wei Tu's hand.

“Military Envoy Wei, you achieved two great feats this time, yet you forgot to include this in your own share. That is not a good habit.”

Magistrate Xu smiled.

“This...” Seeing the gold ingot pressed into his hand, Wei Tu was taken aback.

One tael of gold was equal to ten taels of silver. This ingot was roughly five taels, meaning it was worth about fifty taels of silver.

This was a substantial amount, equivalent to an entire officer's share.

“Many thanks, Lord Xu.” After a moment of internal turmoil, Wei Tu composed himself and bowed to Magistrate Xu.

When he had distributed the wealth, it wasn't that he was unaware of his own merits; rather, he had feared that taking too much would cause friction with Military Envoy Chu, who was of equal rank. Thus, he had taken the same amount as Chu.

“Follow me, and you will not need to be so overly cautious in the military in the future...”

Magistrate Xu walked up to Wei Tu, patted him on the shoulder, and said this with a smile.

Then, before Wei Tu could process the implication of those words, Magistrate Xu waved his hand, signaling him to withdraw.

...

*Does Magistrate Xu harbor ulterior ambitions?*

*Is he bestowing this favor to win me over? Does he want to make me his confidant?*

Walking out of the drawing room, Wei Tu pondered Magistrate Xu's words.

Distributing money among the officers was the custom within the Xiang Army; Magistrate Xu could not keep all the benefits for himself.

If he didn't distribute the money, it would be difficult for him to command the Qingshan County Xiang Army with ease in the future, as the officers would be dissatisfied.

However, the fact that Magistrate Xu had privately handed him money after the others had left changed the meaning entirely.

This was a direct attempt to recruit him as a trusted subordinate.

Buying the loyalty of the troops and courting officers were both major taboos in the military!

The initial distribution of wealth might be overlooked by superiors, especially since the imperial court had not provided much funding for the attack on the Wuyun Pavilion branch...

But with the latter addition, the meaning shifted instantly. Anyone could see that Magistrate Xu's intentions were not simple.

*It has nothing to do with me.*

*Fifty taels of silver is not worth risking my life for.*

Wei Tu touched the gold lump at his waist, intending to take the sugar coating but not the cannonball.

The gold ingot Magistrate Xu had given him was ill-gotten wealth; he took it without any psychological burden.

If he were to truly serve someone, he would serve the Zheng Dynasty and the people of Siyang Town.

What did that have to do with Magistrate Xu?

Furthermore, given his identity and status, fifty taels was far too little to truly buy his loyalty.

...

The next morning.

After counting the soldiers, Magistrate Xu ordered the troops to break camp, leave Siyang Town, and return to the county seat.

As the Xiang Army left Siyang Town and reached the ridge where they had stayed before the battle...

At that moment, Wei Tu heard the sound of gongs and drums echoing from within Siyang Town.

He sighed inwardly and shook his head. Without looking back, he spurred his horse to leave the ridge and follow the main force.

The journey from Siyang Town back to the Qingshan county seat went smoothly, without any incident.

Upon returning to the county seat, Wei Tu went home, removed his fine armor, and after washing up, he took thirty taels of silver and headed to the Huang residence to pay a visit.

“Thirty taels?”

“You gathered it that quickly?” Wei Hong looked at Wei Tu with surprise, appearing somewhat incredulous.

Based on Wei Tu's salary, it would take three or four years of not eating or drinking to save thirty taels of silver.

And how long had it been since she lent him the money?

Not even two years.