It took a couple of minutes before Yang Qing finally managed to reign his thoughts and mind from the brink of collapse. Seeing all those zeros in the discretionary funds section sent his unprepared heart into a frenzy.
Ever since Yang Qing broke through and gained the peerless jade body, he has never perspired, but right now his palms were sweaty and if it wasn't for the self-clean feature of his robe along with its internal regulation mechanism, he would have been completely drenched.
He still couldn't believe the Order was just going to hand out 40 million high-grade spirit stones, to spend however he wanted.
Yang Qing in his stupor didn't hear Shi Tian's explanation of what the funds were for. Yang Qing's brain automatically filled it in with what suited him best.
"With such funds, why is Zhang Qingge always broke?" wondered Yang Qing as he gave the numbers a once over with a broad grin and saliva almost dripping out.
Zhang Qingge seemed to have the same woes as him every time they meant. Other than Kang Huilang who never seemed to have any spirit stones on him, and Yang Qing who had fines and a bottomless mouth to feed, in the celestial nesting weaver, Zhang Qingge was another person within their group who had money troubles. Though hers were not extreme as Yang Qing's and Kang Huilang's. She always had barely enough to get by and the reason for that was she racked up high fines even more than Yang Qing due to her violent shy side.
Yang Qing even wondered at times why she chose to be a judge when she struggled so much in dealing with people. But with 40 million high-grade spirit stones, she shouldn't have been living like a pauper like them.
Yang Qing's mind got pulled back by Shi Tian's call.
"Sorry about that, I was overwhelmed by the weight of my duties," said Yang Qing as he scratched the back of his head in embarrassment.
Although Shi Tian suspected the veracity of Yang Qing's statement, especially after seeing the greedy grin he still had on, he decided to continue on with the explanation.
"As is was saying, you will receive 40,000,000 high-grade spirit stones as your discretionary funds. You will use it as payment for the commissions undertaken for your cases by external parties.
Some of the commissions will be issued by the Mission's hall department of the judicial committee for the cases that they will be assigned to your docket, while others you can issue them yourself as you see fit.
As you very well know, in the completion of a commission, the party or persons who have completed said mission may ask for something else other than spirit stones. In the event that they ask for a treasure or artifact of equivalent value, the amount required to get that treasure will be deducted from your discretionary fund by the external logistics department.
If they decide it's training they want, the same amount will still be deducted from your discretionary fund either by the institute or any other department that offers the services that the party wants.
I think that is all," said Shi Tian.
"Oh, I almost forgot, sorry, there were some amendments made to the disbursement of the discretionary funds," said Shi Tian
"What amendments?" Yang Qing warily asked with dread sinking into his heart.
"I did say 40,000,000 high-grade spirit stones will be given to you annually, well that is essentially true but there's a tweak now. Before, you used to receive that exact sum every year regardless of whether you finished the amount in the previous year, however, there's a change now..."
"I knew it," thought Yang Qing as his face darkened in woeful fear of Shi Tian's next words.
"Every year, the amount you will be given will depend on the balance you have from the previous year. If by the end of the year, you have a reserve of 10,000,000 high-grade spirit stones, then the next year the Order will disburse 30,000,000, to make up the difference..."
"Then I just need to make sure I use up the whole amount. No way I'm letting them save up," Yang Qing smugly thought with a vindictive glare flashing deep within the recess of his eyes.
However, that plan was put on a damper by Shi Tian's next words.
"The lower the amount you spend in a year, the higher your limits get, but this is based on the prerequisite that by spending low, you have in no way compromised your abilities to meet your set targets and maintain quality towards the completion of your cases.
In addition, because we are dealing with large sums here, an auditor will be attached to you. At the end year, they will send a detailed report to both the administration and the internal logistics department.
While the Order won't care about a few discrepancies here and there of a few hundred to a thousand high-grade spirit stones, they will show concern if that discrepancy reaches 100,000.
If misappropriation is found in your spending to an amount that exceeds that number you will face a 10% penalty charge. The 10% is charged on the amount given within that year. If you receive 40,000,000 then you will pay 4,000,000 in fines.
But I know Judge Yang Qing has nothing to worry about, as a judge of the Order, you are the picture of integrity and above-reproach character," said Shi Tian.
"Is he mocking me?" thought Yang Qing as he struggled to restrain the twitches on his face.
He finally understood why Zhang Qingge was always broke just like them despite having access to 40,000,000 high-grade spirit stones every year.
That revelation left Yang Qing in a sour mood, cursing the Order's 'threats' towards maintaining integrity.
Where was the trust between Employer and employee? Was nothing sacred anymore?
Yang Qing grumbled a few more times before he focused on the positives. His salary increase was significant, to the point he was mildly surprised at the Order's generosity.
As a superior core court judge, he received a monthly income of 5,000 high-grade spirit stones as opposed to what he was getting now which was 20,000 high-grade spirit stones. His income had shot by 4 times and that was even without taking the bonuses into account.
When it came to pills and potions, as a superior core court judge he received an amount that was worth 100,000 high-grade spirit stones in value while right now the amount he would be receiving was equivalent to 500,000 high-grade spirit stones.
The allotted herbs and treasures also had a significant increase from 100 monarch-grade herbs and treasures to 2,000.
All in all, things were looking good, however, the 40,000,000 high-grade spirit stones had ruined the exhilaration he should have felt. Now all he could think about were the potential fines.