Chapter 0007: A Beauty Bestows Gold

Qin Qiong also opened his gift of thanks, but inside was not a gold leaf, but a small bronze mirror

Zhang Xutuo has no possibility of poaching from the walls; moreover, he has now been reassigned as the Prefect of Qijun and is no longer a member of the Twelve Guards. He is currently in charge of the local troops, which are not part of the same system as the guards. It is even more impossible for him to recruit personnel from the Right Wing Guard.

When it comes to the military households, they are entitled to land allocation. The allocated land will be sufficient, with a total of one hundred acres of land. Unlike the common people, who must wait until they reach the age for land distribution and depend on the availability of land in their locality, such as Luo Feng, who is sixteen this year and has begun his service. He should have reached the age for land allocation, but because Zhangqiu is located in the heart of the Central Plains, where land is scarce and the population is dense, although he has turned sixteen and is now considered a young man, the government has no land available to allocate to him.

Well then, let us return to Zhangqiu

Zhang Yichen laughed heartily, "The eighteen blue-faced ghosts all have bounties on their heads. Since you have captured these thieves, you will naturally receive a reward." As he spoke, he turned to Luo Feng and said, "You can take your time to think about the constable's duties and respond later. Regardless of the outcome, the reward for you will not be lessened."

Xiao Qi and Xiao Jiu, along with a few others, were enthusiastically gnawing on steamed buns, resembling a group of starving ghosts reincarnated.

Even the five strong men already in his family, in total, only the father and two elder brothers received land, with each person allotted twenty mu, amounting to a total of sixty mu of land.

Luo Feng, however, widened his eyes and looked at his second cousin Qin Qiong with a hint of envy

A piece of gauze wrapped around it, Luo Feng opened it, and inside were several pieces of gold leaves. It appeared to weigh around two to three taels. During the Sui Dynasty, one tael of gold could be exchanged for approximately five taels of silver or eight guan of money. These few pieces of gold leaves could be worth at least twenty guan, a substantial token of gratitude

Before entering the city, a person got off the carriage, and it was the slender maid

Indeed. Uncle Luo San couldn't help but shake his head and sigh. Everyone knows that being a government soldier is good, but how easy is it to become one? Not only are the requirements high, but one also needs to have money.

It is a pity that you are still a bit too young; otherwise, I could have asked your second brother Qin to help you and secure a position in the garrison for you. Once selected as a garrison soldier, you would have a lifetime of job security, no longer needing to worry about food, as you would be receiving the emperor's provisions.

Fifth brother, what did Zhang Xiaoniang send you? Quickly take a look

Miss Zhang Xiaoniang intended to give herself a few taels of gold, but instead presented Qin Qiong with a bronze mirror, which is quite clear in its meaning. Compared to Er Biao Ge, it is evident that Miss Zhang Xiaoniang has a greater affection for Er Biao Ge.

According to the Equal Land Distribution Law, their family of five able-bodied men would be entitled to one hundred mu of land each, not to mention that at the beginning of the founding of the country, women were also able to receive land allocations.

Luo Feng was still deep in thought, but Xiao Jiu on the side could no longer hold back and asked aloud. A bandit is worth ten guan of money, and everyone had just agreed that the leader of the bandits would be counted as Qin Er Ge. Therefore, each of them could still share two bandit bounties, which amounts to twenty guan of money

What else is there to ask? Just think about it, your whole family is here, but now your father and four brothers have been conscripted for military service, and they probably won't be back for a while. Currently, there isn't a single able-bodied man in your family. How will you plant the fields when spring comes? Your family already has little land, and in the past, you relied on blacksmithing to earn some money for food, but now that your father and brothers are not at home, can you manage to keep that blacksmith's forge going?

When the flames of war rage everywhere, chaos and banditry spread across the land, it is difficult for the soldiers of the Wei government to fulfill their duties, let alone the officials of the yamen.

My daughter expresses her gratitude to both of you for your life-saving assistance. This is a small token of appreciation, and I hope you will accept it

It would be better to become a constable. You know, being a regular constable is not the same as being a subordinate. Although there is no monthly salary or rations, aren't there still plenty of benefits, both overt and covert? The various fees and contributions are something that constables cannot do without. Among the three classes of officers, the best position is in the constabulary. On ordinary days, various tributes and offerings are indispensable. If you take up this position, not only will your entire family be well-fed and well-cared for in the future, but if you serve as a constable in the county, our village of Nanshan will also receive favorable treatment.

My lord, will there be a reward for capturing the blue-faced ghost?

"Xiao Wu, what were you hesitating about just now? The county magistrate personally appointed you as a constable, what a great job that is." Uncle Luo San asked with some urgency.

I was merely passing through Zhangqiu and happened to be hosted by your county office. How could I not offer my assistance when you are in need? However, I must admit that I was of little help.

Zhang Junchen, today I must express my gratitude once again. Zhang Yichen has asked his daughter to come and thank Zhang Xutuo as well

While there are many benefits to being a constable, for such a significant matter, I must first consult with my family

Lai Huer is a general highly trusted by the current emperor, holding the title of Duke of Rongguo. Originally from the Southern Chen, Lai Huer later crossed the river alone to join the Sui Dynasty and enlisted in the army. In just over twenty years, he rose from a low-ranking soldier to the position of Grand General of the Right Yiwai and Duke of Rongguo, a promotion rate much faster than that of Zhang Xutuo

Luo Feng, holding a wooden stick, prodded his tattered bundle as he walked alongside his fellow townsmen, following the large group led by County Magistrate Zhang and County Deputy Zhao. The bandits and corpses had already been taken over by the county officials, and they were quite content with the leisure, even receiving some provisions from County Magistrate Zhang.

Having finished speaking, the maid turned and left

... ...

Upon becoming a garrison soldier, regardless of other matters, it is guaranteed that the garrison soldier will receive a full allocation of 100 acres of land, and this 100 acres is exempt from taxes such as rent and corvée. Whatever is harvested from this land belongs entirely to the soldier. They only need to train during their free time and acquire a set of equipment.

Serving as a garrison soldier is not as easy as it seems. My family's circumstances do not meet the selection criteria for garrison soldiers. Moreover, even if I were eligible, my family does not have the financial means to procure a complete set of garrison soldier equipment

Alas, I cannot help but feel a sense of loss; gold pales in comparison to beauty.

Zhang Xutuo looked at the sky; by this time, it was already getting late, and the sky was dim. It was not very suitable to continue on the journey. Moreover, this place was situated between the two counties of Zhangqiu and Licheng, with Zhangqiu City being somewhat closer.

Luo Feng smiled but said nothing. He felt that there were indeed many benefits to being a constable, yet he still had some hesitation. Firstly, he had not consulted his family and was unsure whether his mother would agree. Secondly, he believed that the campaign against Liao was about to commence, and the chaotic times at the end of the Sui Dynasty were soon to unfold.

Not only will the reward not be diminished, but you have also saved the daughter of this county, and this county will offer an additional generous reward in gratitude

... ...

Ah, it is just a copper mirror," Xiao Jiu said, feeling somewhat disappointed upon seeing that it was not gold.

Upon hearing this news, everyone was so delighted that they nearly jumped up. Twenty guan, if it can truly be obtained, then there will be no need to worry about hunger and cold this winter

She took out two items and presented them respectively to Qin Qiong and Luo Feng

If the county magistrate is not in a hurry to travel, it would be better to return to the county office, so that Zhang can host a banquet to properly entertain and also express gratitude to these valiant citizens.

Zhang Xutuo indeed placed greater importance on Qin Qiong, as Qin Qiong was originally a soldier who had been trained and honed in the military. His previous performance in capturing bandits was commendable. Unfortunately, Qin Qiong was a member of the Right Wing Guard, and upon further inquiry, it was learned that he was also a personal guard of the Right Wing Guard General, Hu Er. This left one with no choice but to shake their head in regret.

Hahaha