Transmigrated as a Stepmother: Time to Bring the Family to Prosper!-Chapter 111 - 110: One Hundred Taels Reward Silver

Chapter 111: Chapter 110: One Hundred Taels Reward Silver
Qin Yao had no idea about such a thing; she only knew the first half of the statement, and no one ever told her the second half.
Ordinary folks only remembered the first half: killing bandits is not a crime. They didn’t expect there would be a reward afterward.
Manager Fan sighed when he saw Qin Yao’s ’mistaken billion’ expression,
"Alas, it’s not surprising you didn’t know. The county never publicizes it, and ordinary folks don’t recognize a single character. It’s quite normal to have some discrepancies as they can’t understand the decrees posted at the city gate."
Moreover, whether or not she could receive the reward money depends on the County Magistrate’s understanding of the decree itself, and even if Qin Yao went, she might not be able to get what she should.
Besides, so much time has passed now, and it’s already too late to bring it up.
It was only upon seeing Qin Yao that Manager Fan wanted to inform her of it.
"Besides, you, as a woman, could hardly be a clerk." He chuckled with a light sigh.
Qin Yao smiled, finished her last sip of lamb soup, and remained silent for a long time.
She recalled the few government officers who inquired at the village shrine at the beginning of the year. They looked at her with some astonishment, but not much, and even had a sense of relief.
Thinking back, they must have known about the decree at that time, and upon learning she was a woman, they relaxed.
Because there was no need to arrange for her.
Concerning the reward silver, not only she but even the village chief who went to the county city hadn’t seen even a cent.
Her conversation with Manager Fan gave Qin Yao more insights into this world and strengthened her hope for Liu Ji to attain fame.
Even if it’s just a scholar, next time she kills a bandit leader, the government should tell her that she can get the reward silver.
"Are you leaving tomorrow?" Manager Fan asked with a bit of reluctance.
Qin Yao nodded, "There is farm work to be done at home." Also, there are orders for the waterwheel that haven’t been completed yet.
Manager Fan sighed lightly, "I wished to learn a few kung fu moves from you, and now you’re about to leave."
Qin Yao gave him a small smile, "Visit me at my home when you have time."
"Can I?" Manager Fan asked excitedly.
Qin Yao said yes, and he immediately smiled. "I’m somewhat curious about what your home is like. Last year you hunted a black bear; surely the land at home has increased by several acres? Are you the richest in your village?"
Normally, what Manager Fan said would be true.
Unfortunately, there’s an abnormal disaster at Qin Yao’s home.
She could only say blandly, "Still working on it."
Manager Fan laughed awkwardly and asked her to rest in the guest room and then went back to the counter to busy himself.
Qin Yao requested an ordinary single room, along with food worth five people’s servings, spending one hundred and twenty coins.
A night of good sleep.
Eager in the morning, Qin Yao checked out of the room, bid farewell to Manager Fan, and prepared to return home.
Before leaving, with a tinge of defiance, she oddly went against the crowd and walked to the gate of Kaiyang County’s government office.
The streets were crowded and bustling.
Only here, in a vast empty area, were people sparse, with only a few stopping in front of the notice board at the door.
Unfortunately, not many can read; those who check the notices are scholars, holding their aloofness, unwilling to read aloud unless asked.
Qin Yao originally thought to see what the government office looked like and then leave, but seeing the two scholars before the notice board finish reading and walk away, leaving it empty, driven by curiosity, she walked over to see what content the notices posted by the government said.
Coming closer, what caught her eye first was a reward notice with a portrait drawing, marked with a large "reward" word circled in red ink.
This highlighted reward word made Qin Yao’s heart race faster by two beats.
The notice laid out a lengthy article accusing the bandits of illegal actions and expressing the anger of both the public and the government.
Qin Yao’s mind automatically filtered out the unnecessary words, resulting in a summary—
Recently, bandits have rampantly and arrogantly conducted various activities, cruel to the point beyond even livestock endurance. Therefore, now releasing the reward notice, calling upon this county’s brave warriors to actively engage, cut off bandit leaders and help the government exterminate the bandits, regardless of birth, identity, gender, or age, all shall receive one hundred taels of silver!
"Hiss~" Qin Yao drew a deep breath; the summer morning wind carried a tumultuous heat; inhaling it, her adrenaline surged.
Qin Yao quickly calmed her excitement, confirmed thrice that the notice indeed stated one hundred taels of silver, and immediately walked up to the entrance of the government office to ask the two officials stationed there:
"How do I claim this reward?"
A second’s hesitation would disrespect those one hundred taels!
The two officials clearly didn’t catch what she said or thought they misheard.
After all, the reward notice had been posted there for half a year with no one claiming it. Every time the ink faded, the steward had to rewrite it and post it anew.
Qin Yao asked again: "How do I claim the reward?"
Finally, the two officials gave her a surprised glance, and one pointed at the notice board, with a dissatisfied expression, "Just tear it down!"
Qin Yao understood, turned back, and in the officials’ shocked gaze, tore down the notice entirely, and returned again to the government office front to ask them:
"I tore it down, then what? Just bring the head of this drawn person back, is that enough? Do I need to register first or something? How do I claim the bounty?"
It was her first time claiming a reward in ancient times; this wasn’t the apocalypse where computers automatically registered and tasks completed in the task hall allowed automatic receipt of funds.
Though it’s doing the old line of work, she wasn’t clear about the procedure, with only that one hundred taels in mind, feeling that the fierce-looking bandit leader in the drawing seemed almost charming.
Meanwhile, Qin Yao regretted in her heart, wondering why she didn’t check out the county’s government office sooner.
Had she known earlier, would she have let those bandits live till now?
"I’m asking you; why no answer? Is this reward fake?" Qin Yao waited so long without a response, growing impatient.
Don’t delay her earning money!
It was only then that the two officials confirmed she was serious.
One immediately rushed into the government office, loudly declaring: "Steward! Someone claimed the post!"
The other still a bit in disbelief, asked Qin Yao, pointing at the notice, "You, as a woman, do you understand what’s written on the reward notice?"
"Yes, one hundred taels bounty....no, it’s about killing those bandit leaders and taking their heads. I didn’t misunderstand, did I?" Qin Yao also sought confirmation to ensure she didn’t misunderstand.
The official asked her for her name and where she was from, to which Qin Yao answered one by one, appearing composed and nothing like a madwoman, thus leading her inside.
Qin Yao never imagined her first time entering a government office would be in such a manner.
She didn’t see the County Magistrate, only the Steward and the County Magistrate.
One equivalent to the county secretary, the other managing the public security forces in Kaiyang County like a police chief.
Officials required citizens to kneel, so Qin Yao followed local customs, kneeling lightly on one knee briefly and then explained the matter of her claiming the post simply and rose.
No one thought her claiming the post as a woman was mocking the government; after all, a woman daring to do so was extraordinary in itself.
Upon hearing Qin Yao mention she killed a small bandit leader at the year’s beginning, Lord County Magistrate’s eyes emitted a light of expectation.