Chapter 113: Money Is Not Everything

“It is my honor that you have come; there is no cause for difficulty. Ordinarily, the Capital Garrison should be under my command, yet as you well know, the garrison is mired in chaos—fractured and divided, each faction wielding power for itself. I do not expect them to regard me as their commander, nor will I hold resentment for their neglect. As long as my brothers recognize my merit and grant me the chance to lead them, I will treat all soldiers with impartiality.”

He stepped forward and patted Deputy General Yao on the shoulder. “Brother Yao, there are few I truly admire, and you are among them. With your own strength, you have led your men in the Capital Garrison with careful strategy, never causing trouble for others. Today, your arrival brings me great joy. Have the brothers not yet eaten their evening meal? Go quickly to the cookhouse and gather their food. Were any of our men hurt in the earlier confusion? Here, we have a skilled physician from Qihuang Street and ample medicinal supplies—let me see to their care.”

After these words, Deputy General Yao’s face flushed slightly, his smile growing more sincere. He no longer hesitated and expressed his gratitude to General Chu, “Thank you, General Chu, for your regard. From now on, we are your soldiers, and we will never be a burden to you.”

Turning to the soldiers behind him, he commanded, “Brothers, General Chu has accepted our proposal. Remember well: we are his men, and must never do anything to disgrace him. The general says we should eat quickly and go to the doctor if we have wounds. He will take care of us.”

At these words, the men cheered, “Thank you, General Chu! Your righteousness is boundless!”

With five hundred men enlisted under General Chu’s banner, the weight pressing on Shen Zhao’s heart eased considerably. Watching the enthusiasm with which they welcomed the new arrivals, her gaze grew firmer.

The beginning was always promising. As long as each step moved toward the direction she desired, one day she would stand unshakable, guarding all those she wished to protect.

After sharing the evening meal with the men, Shen Zhao returned to her tent. Upon entering, a figure suddenly appeared before her.

She was startled—this man was both unfamiliar and yet somehow familiar. Could this be Chu Yi, the agent she had sent out?

When Chu Yi left, he wore a neat black robe; now, though still clad in black, the garment hung in tatters. His face was bruised, mottled with blue and purple blotches, especially around his eyes—one swollen to the size of a steamed bun, barely open.

Had she not instructed him to go to the Minister of Revenue’s residence to seek Du Qi’an? How had he ended up beaten so badly?

Could Chu Yi be all show and no substance? Appearing mysterious and formidable, yet actually a weakling?

That could not be. An undercover agent close to Chu Mu would never be so useless.

Shen Zhao’s gaze, however, made Chu Yi feel deeply wronged. What was that look on the general’s face? He had been beaten to this state, yet the general looked at him with such scrutiny, as if silently declaring him a failure.

“Master, your subordinate has fulfilled the mission and delivered your secret letter to the Minister. This is what he entrusted me to return to you.” Chu Yi extended a small wooden box, held tightly against his chest, with both hands. He was a man of use—the task the general assigned was accomplished.

Though the process was unpleasant, he had not disgraced his reputation.

Shen Zhao took the box awkwardly. She understood that look in the agent’s eyes—ah, had her suspicion shown too plainly just now? It was embarrassing to be seen through.

“What happened to these wounds on your body?”

Upon hearing this, Chu Yi’s eyes filled with resentment. “They were inflicted by the Minister’s house’s death squad. I did not expect the Minister of Revenue to harbor such assassins, and each of them struck mercilessly, attacking as if determined to kill me.

I barely escaped with my life this time. At the brink of death, it was the Minister who saved me; otherwise, I would not be standing before you now.”

Though Shen Zhao had not witnessed it herself, she could sense the grave danger involved.

Her interest in Du Qi’an deepened—he actually brought a death squad to the capital to serve. The Du family must be up to no good.

It was fortunate that Du Kang had sold himself to the old matron; otherwise, she might not have been able to keep Du Kang or control Du Qi’an.

“You have endured much. Rest well; your salary this month will be doubled.” Shen Zhao looked at Chu Yi’s pitiful state. She did not know how harshly Chu Mu usually treated his agents.

Giving money was always right—who did not love silver?

Chu Yi’s eyes widened. His master actually spoke kindly to him, caring about his well-being and urging him to rest.

Though he had been severely injured before, his master had never shown such concern.

His heart warmed, and his injuries no longer seemed to ache. His eyes sparkled as he looked at Shen Zhao.

He was the first agent his master had ever shown such care to; none of the others had this honor. This injury was well worth it.

Moreover, his master was going to increase his pay. The master was poor—so poor that the salaries for these agents were scant.

So paltry that every time the lady of the house raised the staff’s wages, the agents longed for a raise as well.

But the master was not the lady, and had no silver to spare.

He was truly moved. The master must have scrimped and saved to afford this pay raise for him this month.

“Thank you, Master.”

Seeing Chu Yi so touched, Shen Zhao decided to care more for these agents in the future—to not let Chu Mu treat them so harshly.

She had merely spoken a word of concern, merely given him a month’s raise.

Yet look—he was so moved he could almost weep.

“Dismiss yourself and rest.” She took a silver ingot from her waist and added, “Go find a doctor and have your wounds properly treated.”

Though there was a physician in the camp, she did not intend to let Chu Mu’s agents appear openly among the troops.

An agent who freely appeared before others is no true agent.

Watching Chu Yi depart, clutching the silver ingot reverently as if it were a sacred offering, Shen Zhao resolved to treat these agents well.

Raise their salaries often, and let them feel grateful every day.

Now the tent was empty except for Shen Zhao herself.

She opened the wooden box from Du Qi’an. Inside lay an envelope, beneath which was a stack of silver notes.

She set the letter aside and withdrew the silver notes. The top note was a 5,000 tael denomination, followed by notes of 1,000 and 100 taels.

She counted: ten notes of 5,000 each, totaling 50,000 taels; thirty of 1,000 each, totaling 30,000 taels; two hundred of 100 each, totaling 20,000 taels.

Altogether, one hundred thousand taels.

She did not have that much silver on hand, and the camp urgently needed funds. She would have to instruct Chu Yi to request more money from Du Qi’an.

Shen Zhao pocketed the silver notes and opened the letter from Du Qi’an.

Even more terse than Chu Mu—simple and concise.

It said: still owed nine hundred thousand taels.

Gazing at those words, she realized how quickly money vanished.

Now she not only had to win over the Capital Garrison to build her own power, but most importantly, she needed funds to sustain her men.