Chapter 61: New Residence
Chapter 61: New Residence
"Since there's nothing amiss, the rest of you can disperse."
Chen Mu surveyed the crowd, and seeing no one speaking, he calmly spoke and then strolled back to the City Guard General Office.
The senior patrol officers and patrol officers glanced at each other and followed Chen Mu, leaving only the Zheng family and the Sandflow Gang's hundreds of members still gathered on the street, momentarily unsure of what to do, each looking to their respective leaders.
The Sandflow Gang's leader narrowed his eyes, staring at the City Guard General Office for a moment before turning to Zheng Hong and bowing slightly, "Elder Zheng, I have other matters to attend to, so I'll take my leave. I'll invite you for a drink another day."
With that, he turned and left.
As soon as he left, most of the hundreds of people on the street followed, mainly the Sandflow Gang members, leaving only Zheng Hong with several dozen guards and servants.
He had come at Zheng Hong's invitation, supposedly to watch a good show and support the Zheng family, preventing any conflict between the City Guard and the Zheng family. However, the show never materialized, and instead, he witnessed the young Patrol Commander's true capabilities. Now, he had no interest in lingering.
Zheng Hong stared at the City Guard General Office, his face alternating between gloom and cheerfulness, before waving his sleeve.
"Let's go."
His guards followed him.
Just then, among the scattered members of the Bandit Gang who had been watching from the outskirts, someone holding a smoking pipe chuckled and said, "Elder Zheng, you better be careful."
The Bandit Gang and the Zheng family were not allies, and they had not come to show support. They had come purely to witness the new Patrol Commander's abilities.
"Hmph!"
Zheng Hong glared at the Bandit Gang and coldly snorted, brushing off his sleeves as he left.
Today's attempt to cause trouble for Chen Mu had no effect, and it was clear that they had directly confronted the new Patrol Commander. However, he didn't fear them. If it had been Xu Hongyu, he might have shown some respect, but a mere Willow Grove Patrol Commander with a few hundred men was no threat.
...
In the Main Hall.
After the recent commotion, the atmosphere had noticeably changed.
Aside from Shang Qinglai, who had left with the prisoner, the other six senior patrol officers had varying thoughts. Some believed that Chen Mu's first day had brought trouble from the Zheng family and the Sandflow Gang, and they anticipated ongoing problems, fearing future threats from these two groups.
Others felt that Chen Mu's calm demeanor, despite his youth, demonstrated the aura of a capable Patrol Commander. Following him might not be a bad idea.
The subsequent reports became simpler.
Chen Mu didn't ask the senior patrol officers to do anything. After listening to some reports, he dismissed everyone, leaving only himself and his trusted followers from Nine Streets.
"The Zheng family and the Sandflow Gang are indeed too arrogant," Li Tie said quietly.
Liu Song was pouring tea for Chen Mu when he heard Li Tie's words and immediately glared at him, signaling him to be quiet.
Chen Mu had risen swiftly from a patrol officer to the Patrol Commander, and his influence had grown significantly in just one year, a stark contrast to his past. Liu Song no longer dared to speak casually in Chen Mu's presence.
Chen Mu sipped his tea and said, "It's not that these two families are particularly bold. Some people are just using them to test me, the new Patrol Commander."
The Zheng family and the Sandflow Gang might seem to dominate Willow Grove, but they were not a significant force. Chen Mu had never considered them a threat.
...
Upon hearing Chen Mu's words, Liu Song and Li Tie exchanged glances, both hesitant to speak.
As Chen Mu's trusted followers, they could talk about the Zheng family and the Sandflow Gang, but when it came to the inner city's power struggles, it was not their place to comment.
Chen Mu contemplated, staring at his teacup.
In the past, he might have ignored such a situation, but he was no longer a mere patrol officer. On his first day, they had tried to surprise him, so how could he not return the favor?
The conflicts above were not his immediate concern, but the Zheng family and the Sandflow Gang were local powers in Willow Grove, and regardless of any higher instructions, they were still under the jurisdiction of the City Guard General Office. Even if they were acting on orders, they should still consider the consequences.
"Liu Song, you go and investigate the Zheng family. Li Tie, you can look into the Sandflow Gang." Chen Mu set down his tea cup and spoke casually.
As the Patrol Commander of Wutong Li, he was nominally the official in charge of maintaining law and order in this area. Therefore, when the Zheng family caused trouble for him, they had to go to great lengths to create a spectacle. But in contrast, Chen Mu didn't need to do the same.
Even with Chen Mu's current status, he no longer bothered with deeds like the night-time theft and murder he had committed in the past. As the Patrol Commander of Wutong Li, he was an official responsible for maintaining order in the area, possessing both strength and influence. There was no need for him to be timid or hesitant!
"Yes, sir!" Liu Song and Li Tie responded immediately, their voices filled with a sense of alertness.
Although they had guessed that the Zheng family and the Sandflow Gang were behind this incident, they didn't expect Chen Mu to assign them tasks right away, without even waiting for them to fully understand and control the affairs of the City Guard.
The two men quickly withdrew and left the City Guard office.
Chen Mu slowly walked out of the main hall and headed to the side chamber located next to the main hall. This chamber was essentially a simplified version of the 'Main Tower of the General Office,' with two low tables inside and a window. The innermost part of the chamber also had a small bed for resting.
He approached the window and looked outside. Compared to the Main Tower, the two-story building was indeed much smaller, allowing him to see the entire City Guard office at a glance, but the streets and alleys just beyond were out of sight.
Moments later, Chen Mu changed into a casual blue robe and quietly left the City Guard office.
He wasn't going to secretly investigate the Zheng family or the Sandflow Gang; there was no need for that, and he didn't consider it worth his time. It wasn't something a Patrol Commander should be doing. Instead, he quietly made his way through a few alleys to his new home in Wutong Li.
With his promotion to Patrol Commander of Wutong Li, it was natural that he couldn't continue living in Jiu Tiao Li. Even before his appointment, he had arranged for someone to purchase a new home in Wutong Li.
This new residence had three courtyards, each with its own front, middle, and rear sections. It appeared to be the mansion of a wealthy family, but for a Patrol Commander, it was barely sufficient for maintaining a respectable image.
Even if he lived in a larger 'four-courtyard' mansion or an even more extravagant multi-story compound with gardens, it wouldn't be out of the ordinary for a Patrol Commander. However, Chen Mu didn't plan on staying in Wutong Li for long, so he saw no need to purchase a larger estate.
Although he was the Patrol Commander of Wutong Li, he had no intention of establishing a family legacy there.
"Sir." The old servant who had followed him from the old residence greeted Chen Mu as he entered the courtyard, bowing even lower than before.
The status of a Patrol Commander and a senior patrol officer were vastly different. In the past, when Chen Mu lived in Jiu Tiao Li, he had treated Min Baoyi like a brother, but he wasn't a true Patrol Commander then. The higher the position, the greater the authority.
Even though he was the oldest servant who had followed Chen Mu from the beginning and had moved with him from the old residence, his respect for Chen Mu hadn't diminished in the slightest. In fact, it had grown, and he kept his head bowed even lower as he accompanied Chen Mu.
There were now more servants in the courtyard than just the old servant.
In addition to the old servant, two younger servants had joined, one responsible for cleaning the mansion and the other for running errands outside. Inside, there was also a new young maid, only nine years old, who was under the care of Wang Ni.
Given Chen Mu's current status, it was easy for him to find people to serve him. Many were willing to offer themselves, and some even tried to curry favor by sending people his way.
The young maid was a pitiful sight to Chen Mu, so he bought her on a whim. She was pale and thin, not particularly attractive.
In reality, a poor family that sold their daughter cheaply couldn't possibly raise someone very beautiful. If a girl was even slightly attractive, in this world, she was unlikely to end up as a maid. It was more likely she'd be sold to a wealthy family or end up in the brothel district.
(End of Chapter)
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