Novel Bin Chapter 358 “Vigorous New Policies”
Of course, this truth would only be known to Lan Caier and herself. There will not be another third person privy to this secret in the world.
“You can no rest at ease after removing that Wang guy then,” Lan Caier laments her misfortune with that sigh. She missed a very exciting show it seems.
“As if it would be that easy. Dan City’s daily management is so complex, just managing these one hundred men is difficult enough to give me a headache.” Tapping her finger on the table, the girl was pained by the log book in front of her face.
She truly didn’t know how messy the management was prior to her arrival. Take the working hours for example. The alchemists here only work two hours a day, two! This was a far cry compared to the four hours she had to endure in the Royal Hospital, and that was under the premise of the alchemist here being paid double that of those in the capital.
It’s not like these alchemists are braver than the rest that they would slack off so blatantly, but because of how far away they are from the eyes of the Court. As the old saying goes, if a king was too far away then he’s no king. It’s no wonder so many were unhappy with her after she claimed she will kick them out.
Now that’s just one of the issues here in the Alchemist Hall. The waste management of the inventory was also a very concerning factor that must be addressed. There’s no classifications for the items, meaning they cannot track the quality or quantity of said items when asked. When the times dragged on, even the Chief Alchemist would find it difficult to give the exact number, meaning shortages and spoilage was a common occurrence.
“I intend to write a letter to the Royal Hospital and have Alchemist Mei send Deputy Manager Meng over. With that old hag’s style, I’m sure she can put some order into these people.” Ye Ling Yue may be the master of the Ghost Sect, but she had never properly managed an organization in person. The one to do everything had always been Yanche the big hunk.
(Deputy Manager Meng – the old woman who made Ling Yue sort through the seeds before)
“Guess what Ling Yue, I found something interesting on my way back. Remember the Treasure Cave? I happen to come across a branch here in the city.” After Lan Caier finished with her investigation earlier today, the big girl had discovered in one of the more secluded areas were a shop with the same name as that underground auction house.
It’s unavoidable that the big girl would miss her home while living in foreign lands, therefore Lan Caier had went out of her way to mention it to Ling Yue as a topic of novelty.
This was great news indeed. As a newcomer here, Ling Yue desperately wanted to build up her connections here in the city. After all, this wasn’t the capital, she can’t tap into her Ghost Sect for support so she will have to rely on the three He Lao brothers if she can get their support.
With those plans in mind, Ling Yue immediately went to carry out her plan by writing a letter that very same night for the Royal Hospital. By the second day that afternoon, a new notice was now hanging off the Alchemist Hall’s bulletin board.
The notice contained a series of a new initiatives, including increasing the work hours while also reducing the salary in half. That wasn’t all though, there’s more. If an alchemist can produce more than their required quota by the end of the day, any Dan pills of the fifth rank or higher, the person will receive a hefty bonus from the Alchemist Hall. Then by the end of each month, the top three contenders of this roster will get a referral for the Royal Hospital for further study and job opportunities.
This was Ling Yue’s method of changing the ways of these people: first take away the bone, then toss some treats out to make them comply.
Naturally, the reception was going to be mixed on all levels. Some were happy, some were angry, and some were disappointed.
For those who are eager to move up and had no background to help them, this news was like a godsend. In an instant, this group was going at it like fire, working day in and day out to churn out as many pills as they can.
Of course, there’s going to be oppositions no matter what.
“What new Chief Alchemist? That bitch wants to drive us to the hangers with all these new rules and conditions.”
“Isn’t that right? She forced Chief Wang to his death and is now trying to force the style of the capital onto us.”
“They all say a woman is more poisonous than a hornet’s tail, she’s the perfect incarnation of that saying. What increasing our proficiency and wages? More like trying to deprive us of our wages and push us into working more.”
Some of the disgruntled alchemists were complaining on one side.
“You people must not want to live. If Chief Yue catches you lot then we are all finished.” Some of the more cautious ones kindly reminded these people when walking by.
Unnerved by the warning, the disgruntled group carefully eyed their surroundings for signs of said girl – there’s no way these people would underestimate the new chief after that bloody incident. Therefore, when they couldn’t find the female figure anywhere in sight, their hearts were relieved and encouraged them to continue because the only one they didn’t know was a young man with an unfamiliar face nearby.
There’s been a new influx of workers here recently so it came as no surprise there would be someone new among their ranks.
“What are we being afraid of for? Just because she’s from the capital doesn’t mean she can do as she please. Don’t forget, the real person in charge here is General Su.”
“Yes, let’s go look for the general.”
It wasn’t until all of these people were gone from the Alchemist Hall did the newcomer stop looking at the bulletin board and followed suit in leaving. This was no newcomer, it’s Ye Ling Yue in her male disguise as Red Thirteen.
“It seems the real one in charge is that one in the General’s Manor.”
Due to the alchemists here being incapable of self-defence, the protection of the city had always been handed off to the military over the years. As a result, these alchemists had become accustomed to being reliant on the army.
Recalling how lukewarm General Su’s reception was and the way that Wang fella challenged her, it’s not hard to connect the dots and place them together as one pair.
She’s got a hunch, it’s just a matter of time before she clashes with that two-faced General Su. But before then, she must make a personal visit to some old friends first.
According to Lan Caier’s explanation, the Treasure Cave was located not far from the Alchemist Hall, merely at the very end of the same street where it’s less populated. Even so, the prosperity that could be discerned on the streets were somewhat overwhelming even for our girl.
Sure, the local population may only be around fifty thousand strong, but the bustling atmosphere could rival even the biggest city in Da Xia. That’s when an idea hit her. What if she can use this great opportunity and turn the place into her base of operation in the Northwest? As the main artery connecting the Northwest to Da Xia’s main cities, she will have a firm grasp on what’s happening around the kingdom.