Chapter 5: Young Ying
Chapter 5: Young Ying
Chen Mu hurriedly left the prison.
He didn't want to linger at the City Guard Headquarters; the atmosphere there was rather oppressive.
As Chen Mu circled back to the front courtyard and approached the towering City Guard Tower, he caught a glimpse out of the corner of his eye of a figure standing on the fourth-floor balcony, wearing a white Flying Fish Robe.
Despite the distance, he could tell it was a woman, and she seemed quite young and beautiful, living up to the rumored 'Sink Fish, Fall Goose' description, which was no exaggeration.
"Is that the Southern District Prefect?" Chen Mu wondered, glancing at her briefly before quickly averting his gaze.
Among the four districts, only the Southern District Prefect was a woman, but no one dared underestimate her because of that. While a Senior Patrol Officer might get promoted through connections, and a District Prefect might be a mediocre leader, a true Prefect, overseeing the Southern City Guard Headquarters, must have the backing of a powerful force and their own formidable abilities.
Chen Mu's thoughts turned to the rumored 'Inner Arts', a practice distinct from external martial skills like sword and blade techniques.
As far as he knew, the Inner Arts did exist, but their cultivation was far more challenging and demanding than external skills. Even a simple medicinal powder could cost dozens of silver taels, making the practice of Inner Arts an expensive endeavor, limiting its spread.
However, true power came from mastering the Inner Arts. With prolonged Inner Breath and enduring Stamina, practitioners could, according to legends, fight off hundreds, even thousands of enemies!
"This Prefect must be a formidable Inner Arts practitioner. Too bad I can't get my hands on the cultivation methods." Chen Mu shook his head.
He wasn't interested in the Prefect's beauty; his focus was on the cultivation methods. He wondered if the system would allow him to forcefully level up his Inner Arts practice with Experience.
His thoughts wandered, but Chen Mu quickly composed himself. He knew he shouldn't get ahead of himself. First, he needed to master the Gale Swordsmanship to perfection, then find a way to advance further. Only with improved strength and status could he consider pursuing the Inner Arts.
Chen Mu soon left the City Guard Headquarters.
Standing on the balcony of the City Guard Tower, Prefect Xu Yuanyu, her eyes filled with concern, surveyed the entire City Guard. Her gaze passed over Chen Mu's departing figure without pause, much like the countless Patrol Officers who rushed by daily, failing to capture her attention.
...
Chen Mu quickened his pace, hurrying home.
The City Guard Headquarters was quite a distance from his home, and night was approaching. Once darkness fell, even wearing the Patrol Officer uniform wouldn't guarantee his safety. He might stumble into trouble, and the next day, he could end up as an unnoticed corpse in a ditch.
Chen Mu picked up his pace, and by the time he arrived home, the sky was still bright. Chen Hong had been waiting anxiously.
Seeing Chen Mu return, she rushed to greet him.
"Third Aunt."
Chen Mu nodded at Chen Hong, saying, "The Warden received the silver. He said he won't cause too much trouble for Brother Zhang in the next month or two, but after that, we'll need another plan."
Chen Hong finally breathed a sigh of relief at Chen Mu's words. She had been trying to find a way to help Zhang Hai, but had hit walls everywhere. Now, with the Warden's assurance, Zhang Hai's life was temporarily safe, but after a month or two, they'd have to take it one step at a time.
Chen Mu helped Chen Hong sit down.
"Third Aunt, don't worry too much. Things will work out in time. Perhaps a solution will present itself soon."
If Zhang Hai's trouble had come a bit later, and he had become a Senior Patrol Officer, he would have had some influence. At his age, if he could cultivate a 'Blade Aura', he might even catch the eye of a Prefect.
Then, they could truly pull Zhang Hai out of prison. But perhaps this was his destined tribulation, and for now, Chen Mu didn't want to get too involved, not wanting to disrupt his well-thought-out plans.
Chen Hong sat, taking a moment to calm herself.
After learning that Zhang Hai was safe for now, she relaxed.
"Yes, we'll have to take it one step at a time."
Chen Hong sighed, saying, "I spoiled him when he was young... Little Mu, it's getting late. Why don't you and Yue'er come to our place for a quick meal?"
Chen Mu saw the glimmer of hope in Chen Yue's eyes, but he shook his head. "No, it's too late. If we eat now, it'll be night by the time we finish, and we'll have to stay at your place. It's too much trouble."
Chen Hong waved her hands. "It's no trouble at all. It's perfect that you're going to our place... Hmm..."
As she spoke, Chen Hong paused, as if remembering something. After a moment's hesitation, she continued, "Little Mu, do you remember Young Ying? She's the daughter of Zhang Hai's fourth uncle, and she visited your home once."
Chen Mu's memory was a bit fuzzy.
This memory was from before he came to this world, but he retained all his previous memories, albeit a bit hazy.
Hearing Chen Hong mention her, he searched his mind and found an image of a little girl.
"I have a vague memory. What about her?" Chen Mu asked.
Chen Hong thought for a moment before saying, "Young Ying's father passed away last year, and she's living with me now. She's of age, and you're still unmarried. I was thinking of arranging a marriage between you two. What do you think?"
Chen Yue listened from the side, blinking.
Chen Mu wanted to refuse, but after searching his memories, he recalled that Young Ying was a cute little girl. He thought for a moment and said, "I don't plan to marry for a few years, and I haven't seen her in a long time. I don't know what she's like now."
Chen Hong smiled, saying, "She's a grown woman now, not much younger than Yue'er. Well, it's good that you're not going today. I haven't discussed this with Young Ying yet. I'll talk to her when I get back."
As the sky darkened, Chen Hong stood up to take her leave, while Chen Mu pulled Chen Yue aside and escorted her to the door.
Once Chen Hong's figure disappeared from view, Chen Yue tilted her head and glanced at Chen Mu, saying, "Brother, it's time you found a wife."
Chen Mu closed the door and patted her head gently.
"There's no rush."
In truth, the current situation was not ideal for such matters. He wanted to wait until he had mastered his blade skills and secured a position as a senior patrol officer. By then, even if he had high standards, he could take his time in choosing a partner. However, on second thought, with status and influence, there would be more people seeking favor. So, checking out a potential match now wouldn't hurt.
Chen Yue whispered, "Once you have a wife, will you still want me around?"
Chen Mu chuckled at her words, "How could I not want you, Yue'er? You're the most important."
After soothing the little girl, Chen Mu headed to the firewood room to continue his blade practice.
...
The sky grew dim.
Chen Hong quickened her pace and soon arrived at a spacious alley, entering a courtyard.
The courtyard wasn't particularly large, just a single-entrance compound with a circle of three rows of houses surrounding the main gate. Each row had four rooms, making a total of twelve rooms. Although it looked a bit old, it was still relatively clean.
Those who lived in such courtyards were usually not from influential or powerful families. They were slightly better off than the poor, and typically housed four to five family members.
As soon as Chen Hong entered the courtyard, a rather greasy middle-aged man approached her with a worried expression.
"How is it?"
He was Zhang Hai's father and was known as 'Zhang the Butcher' in the market. He relied on his skill in slaughtering pigs, butchering, and cutting meat, ensuring he never went hungry. However, with Zhang Hai's current predicament, he was at a complete loss.
After all, he was just a butcher, and at most, he delivered meat to some 'masters.' He knew a few people from the lower rungs of society, but when it came to matters of the City Guard or the prison, he was clueless. Even if he knew some gang members, they wouldn't have the power to get someone out of prison.
As for the truly influential masters, he didn't have the standing to ask for their help.
Chen Hong sighed and followed Zhang the Butcher into the house, where she explained the situation.
Upon hearing this, Zhang the Butcher first breathed a sigh of relief, then sighed again, "Sigh, your nephew has been a patrol officer for so many years, and he really doesn't know any influential people. If he could find someone to speak on his behalf..."
"Your brother was still around, I told you not to let your nephew become a patrol officer. In this world, without money or influence, being a patrol officer won't earn you any silver, and you can't rise in rank. It's better to join a gang and take a chance at making a name for yourself."
Chen Hong wiped her tears, "Being a patrol officer is still a stable job. As long as he's safe and sound, that's enough. Besides, without Xiao Mu, even with silver, we couldn't bribe the warden."
Zhang the Butcher shook his head, "Forget it, let's not talk about it. Go call Young Ying for dinner."
Before Chen Hong could leave, a girl of about sixteen or seventeen walked in. She had a spirited look, with a tear-shaped mole under her eye. As soon as she entered, she asked, "Aunt, you're back. How's Hai Gege?"
Chen Hong explained Zhang Hai's situation once more.
Zhang Youying listened, sitting beside her. "At least he's safe for now."
In her heart, she had more to say, but she held back—saying Zhang Hai's time in prison might be a good thing, as it could help him lose weight. Such insensitive words couldn't be spoken aloud.
She secretly agreed that Zhang Hai's lack of education and his idle ways would lead to trouble. She had tried to advise him once, but he didn't listen, so she let it go. She never expected things to turn out so suddenly.
Fortunately, neither she nor her family were implicated.
Chen Hong sighed, feeling sad for Zhang Hai. She waited until Zhang Youying served the meal before snapping out of her thoughts. Then, remembering something, she asked Zhang Youying, "Youying, it's been years since you saw Xiao Mu, right?"
Zhang Youying thought for a moment, recalling a boy's image from her memories. It was Chen Mu from their childhood, and although she hadn't seen him since, she could imagine what he might look like now. He probably looked better than Zhang Hai, but he didn't seem very smart. She remembered asking him about chicken and duck numbers, and he couldn't answer at all.
Chen Hong's mention of Chen Mu made Zhang Youying think of her plan.
So, she remained silent, waiting for Chen Hong to continue.
Sure enough, Chen Hong spoke, "Xiao Mu is a good kid, even though his family is a bit poor. Since he's a patrol officer, he has a stable job. And you're at the right age..."
"Aunt, I'm not ready to marry yet."
Zhang Youying's face flushed slightly. "Plus, I know some writing and calculations. I think the best path for me is to manage accounts. Xiao Mu is a patrol officer, so he probably doesn't need an accountant, right?"
Although she rarely left home, she understood the ways of the world. For patrol officers from humble backgrounds, having influence was crucial. They could use silver to build connections and slowly climb the ranks, or they could train martial arts in the inner city. But without any of that, there was little chance for advancement, and their salary was barely enough to get by.
With her skills in writing and calculations, and her beauty, even if she didn't marry into a powerful family, she could at least marry a tavern shopkeeper or a pawnshop owner. She could write and calculate, and that would be enough... It was best to avoid such close familial ties.
"This..."
Chen Hong felt embarrassed upon hearing this.
Zhang the Butcher shook his head, "Young Ying is quite skilled in writing and calculations. She's never made a mistake in calculating my meat sales. What could she do if she married your nephew? Don't worry about such things. I'll help look for a suitable match. We can't let her settle for less."
Zhang Youying obediently lowered her head and stayed silent.
Seeing this, Chen Hong could only sigh helplessly. For now, she had no choice but to let it go.
(End of Chapter)
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