Chapter 17: Zhao Zong
Chapter 17: Zhao Zong
As he entered the bedroom, the room was pitch-black, but fortunately, the clouds had parted, allowing moonlight to filter in, illuminating the room and revealing its contents clearly to Chen Mu.
He saw that both Chen Yue and Wang Ni had been startled awake by the previous commotion, but their reactions were quite different.
Wang Ni appeared visibly shaken, curled up at the foot of the bed, trembling. Although it was hard to see clearly, even in the dim light, one could sense the fear in her eyes.
Despite her terror, she made no sound, as her mouth was tightly covered by another small hand—Chen Yue, leaning against the bed, half-hugging her, was forcefully keeping Wang Ni's mouth shut to prevent any cries.
Upon closer inspection, Chen Yue's body was also trembling slightly, but she clenched her teeth, forcing herself to remain calm. Not only was she silencing Wang Ni, but she was also ensuring her own silence.
These were the lessons Chen Mu had taught her—no matter what happened at night, she must never make a sound. She remembered this well and understood the reason behind it. If something bad were to occur, panicking and screaming would only make matters worse.
She didn't know what was happening outside, but she knew that no matter who it was, if they harmed Chen Mu, she would endure, just like in the stories he had told her. She would do her best to stay alive and, when the time came, she would seek revenge with all her might, making those who hurt her brother pay the price.
"Brother?"
Seeing that the person entering the room was Chen Mu, Chen Yue's chaotic thoughts finally calmed down a little, but she still dared not speak. She merely opened her mouth slightly, forming a wordless shape.
Chen Mu closed the door and nodded gently at her, saying, "It's alright."
Hearing Chen Mu's words, Chen Yue finally breathed a sigh of relief. As she released Wang Ni, she could no longer hold back and rushed over to hug Chen Mu, sobbing uncontrollably.
After all, she was just a fifteen-year-old girl, woken from her sleep in the middle of the night by a robber, and her brother had rushed out with a sword. It was already impressive that she had managed to remain composed until now.
"Alright, alright."
Chen Mu patted Chen Yue's back and laid her on the bed, feeling a sense of relief as he realized his little sister was growing up.
Indeed, she was growing up in every sense of the word.
When he had first arrived in this world, Chen Yue had not been as quick-witted and resilient as she was now. It was his constant teachings and the influence of his ideas from his previous world that had accelerated her mental growth.
The period between twelve and fifteen years old was also the most crucial time for psychological development.
Thankfully, his efforts had not been in vain. Although last night's incident had been frightening, Chen Yue's response was still very gratifying.
Even as she cried, she tried to muffle her sobs, managing to keep them to a whimper. Wang Ni, on the other side, didn't cry out, but she had been more severely frightened and was still in a state of shock, not yet recovered from the scare.
"Don't cry. In a few days, we'll move to a new home."
Chen Mu comforted Chen Yue while contemplating the night's events.
On the surface, it seemed like a pointless disaster, with nothing gained and no chance to search Tang Quan's body. But in reality, there were benefits. Firstly, they had caught the attention of Xu Hongyu, the District Prefect. Furthermore, even though they couldn't examine Tang Quan's body, the reward for his capture, with Xu Hongyu's reputation, couldn't be ignored.
Additionally, with the strength he had displayed earning Xu Hongyu's preliminary approval, he estimated that within this period, Xu Hongyu would promote him to Senior Patrol Officer. With the increase in income, acquiring a Skin Tempering Technique would be effortless, and relocating would be a natural progression.
Both Chen Yue and Wang Ni had been thoroughly frightened.
Chen Mu spent the entire night comforting the two maidservants until they finally fell asleep together. Only then did he retire for the night.
...
The next day, Chen Mu rose early.
When he woke up, he found himself lying in the middle, with Chen Yue on his left, her small hands clinging to him like a koala, and Wang Ni curled up on his right, huddled into a small ball like a chick.
Chen Mu gently moved Chen Yue's hands to the side, then stepped outside. He glanced at the spot not far away where he had fought with Tang Quan the night before. The ground still bore the dried bloodstains from their battle.
"It seems everything is fine," Chen Mu nodded.
Although Xu Hongyu had taken Tang Quan's body, there was no guarantee that there wouldn't be further trouble. He had slept lightly, but the night passed without incident, and no one had come to investigate the area, indicating that the matter had indeed ended with Xu Hongyu.
Both maidservants had been severely frightened the night before, so he didn't wake them. Instead, he went to the barn to start a fire and prepare breakfast. Only after he had finished did he rouse them for the meal. Afterward, he spent some time comforting the two before donning his patrol uniform and heading to the City Guard Headquarters.
As usual, the duty roster is reviewed and updated.
The events of last night seemed uneventful. News of the wanted Tang Quan's death hasn't spread, and there's been no discussion about it along the way.
The numerous inspectors still gossip about various personal matters, the widow from West Street, and the top courtesan from the flower house in East Street.
"Chen Er is here," Liu Song and Li Tie said when they saw Chen Mu approaching. They smiled and then called out to Chen Mu to set off.
But Chen Mu shook his head and said, "I have to go to the High Command at noon today, so I won't be joining the patrol today."
Liu Song and Li Tie were a little surprised, but it wasn't unusual for inspectors to go to the High Command. It might be a task to deliver official documents on behalf of the Senior Patrol Officer, so they laughed and joked a few words before the two of them set off.
As the sun rose higher, the inspectors in the courtyard soon dispersed in small groups, leaving only a few, including Chen Mu and Ren Yan, lingering in the courtyard. Ren Yan rarely went on patrols these days, claiming to stay at the City Guard Headquarters to organize documents, but in reality, he had very little to do.
Occasionally, he even practiced swordsmanship in the small courtyard at the back.
Just as Chen Mu was calculating the time and preparing to leave for the High Command, Qin Bei, the Senior Patrol Officer in a blue robe, and Zhao Zong, another Senior Patrol Officer who hadn't visited the City Guard in a long time, arrived side by side.
Zhao Zong used to frequent the City Guard, but as he aged, his visits became less frequent. A few months ago, news of his old injury flaring up spread, and many people realized the reason for his absence.
"Senior Qin, Senior Zhao."
The few inspectors in the courtyard immediately stood up and saluted.
Chen Mu observed Zhao Zong, the old Senior Patrol Officer, and noticed that his complexion had indeed deteriorated significantly compared to before. His hair, which useded to have some black strands, was now completely white, and his face had many more wrinkles.
The man seemed less gloomy and stern than before, and instead, he appeared more amiable and forlorn.
"The wanted notice for the evil bandit Tang Quan can be removed," Qin Bei announced calmly as he walked in with his hands behind his back.
Upon hearing this, Chen Mu's eyes flickered slightly. The news seemed to have spread quickly, probably issued by Xu Hongyu. However, it didn't seem to concern him much, as Qin Bei didn't even glance in his direction. After the announcement, Qin Bei and Zhao Zong walked towards Ren Yan.
"Senior Qin, Old Zhao," Ren Yan addressed the two respectfully.
Although most inspectors in the courtyard believed he would be Zhao Zong's successor, he wasn't yet, so he remained casual and carefree in front of the others. However, he maintained a respectful demeanor towards the two Senior Patrol Officers.
Zhao Zong was pleased with Ren Yan's attitude. He stroked his beard and said, "Good, you've made progress in your Skin Tempering... How far have you gotten?"
Ren Yan smiled and replied with a bow, "I've reached the second rank, Senior Zhao."
Zhao Zong nodded. "Indeed, and your swordsmanship is almost there too. In a year or two, if you perfect your Skin Tempering and reach the third rank in swordsmanship, you'll be set."
In this day and age, it's challenging to achieve mastery in swordsmanship, but reaching perfection in Skin Tempering and the third rank in swordsmanship is equally impressive. It's enough to handle a dozen armed thugs without much trouble, and it's a stable position as a Senior Patrol Officer.
Of course, if one could achieve mastery in swordsmanship, they would be a rare talent. Even with just the Skin Tempering skill, they could match some martial artists who have just entered the Muscle Tempering level, whose skills have reached the third rank.
To put it simply, whether it's Skin Tempering or Muscle Tempering, both require patient and meticulous practice. With sufficient resources, anyone can be trained to that level, including reaching the third rank in swordsmanship. However, achieving the 'Aura' in skills is different. If one can further cultivate the Body Tempering Technique to the Muscle Tempering level, they can match ten martial artists of the same level and easily execute dozens or even hundreds of ordinary bandits. That's enough to qualify as a District Prefect.
"Come, have a drink with me," Zhao Zong invited Ren Yan with a smile.
Ren Yan quickly agreed, "I'd never refuse your invitation, Old Zhao."
Qin Bei also smiled slightly and left with Zhao Zong and Ren Yan, paying no attention to the other inspectors in the courtyard.
As they watched Ren Yan and the two Senior Patrol Officers walk away, the remaining inspectors couldn't help but show a hint of envy in their eyes. Only Chen Mu remained calm throughout. After they disappeared from sight, he checked the time, rose, and left the City Guard Headquarters for the High Command.
(End of Chapter)
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