Face to Face

Face to Face. Thanks to "Sixteen Months" for the Alliance Leader reward!

Looking at that vast wall of silver, even the most worldly-wise person would have been stunned for quite a while.

Including Zhen Changzhi's son, Zhen Xiaohao. He had never known anything about this. Before, he had only known that he was a useless second-generation official, and had even complained that his father did not know how to adapt. Other officials with lower positions than his father could let their children live in luxury and extravagance, while he alone had to scrimp and save at every turn, even attending the same academy as commoners.

Never in his wildest dreams had he expected his father to be far more ruthless than those officials.

Only...

Why didn't you tell me sooner?

The good news: he had discovered he was a rich second-generation heir.

The bad news: he was about to stop being one.

There was no need to say it—the hidden silver would definitely be transported back to the National Treasury, and his family would not get to spend a single coin. If only his dead father had not hidden it so deeply, he could at least have lived a few more years as a young master. Instead, he had suffered poverty alongside his father all these years, and now that his father was dead, he had to bear such an enormous stain. From now on, he could never enter the Imperial Court and make a career for himself...

As these thoughts surged into his mind, Zhen Xiaohao looked at his father's corpse behind the silver wall. A trace of resentment unconsciously rose in his eyes, replacing his original grief.

Not a single tael of silver spent all these years.

Hiding, hiding, hiding.

What were you hiding it for, my grandmother?

Of course, no one cared about his feelings.

Beside the silver wall sat a Jet-Black Box. Its surface was covered in intricate array patterns, and it looked like a ritual-refined magical artifact as well—not something that could be easily opened.

Ling Yuanbao picked up the box and tried the bronze key. Sure enough, it opened the lock.

Click.

When the box opened, there was only a yellowed booklet inside. She picked it up and flipped through it. From the writing, it seemed to be an account book. She did not examine it closely, instead locking the box again and carrying it in her hand.

"This is important evidence. I'll take it back to the Ministry of Justice for investigation," she said to Hu Tiehan. Then she looked at Liang Yue. "Thanks to you, today's discovery was extremely important."

"It was also to clear our own suspicions," Liang Yue said. "I hope the Ministry of Justice can solve the case soon and restore my brother and me to innocence."

"We'll do our best." Ling Yuanbao nodded heavily.

When she looked at Liang Yue, there was gratitude in her gaze alongside admiration.

The amount of illicit silver seized this time was probably more than the Ministry of Justice had confiscated in the past year combined, not to mention that account book which clearly concealed secrets. Even if the case remained unsolved, such an achievement was enough to make her hold her head high.

And all of it was thanks to this Subordinate Guard before her.

After thinking briefly, she said something else to Liang Yue. "Would you like to work for the Ministry of Justice? With your intelligence and talent, I can guarantee that you'll become a full-fledged constable within a year. Becoming a chief constable in the future should not be difficult either."

"Huh?"

Ling Yuanbao's words left everyone from the Imperial Capital Guard and the Ministry of Justice standing there dumbfounded.

The relationships between the Imperial Court's various offices could be good or bad. Poaching people was not really uncommon.

When they spotted talent they liked in another office, they would use every sort of method to win that person over for their own use. The methods of recruitment came in all shapes and sizes.

Openly or secretly, directly or subtly—perhaps offering high office and generous pay, perhaps tempting them with fine wine and beautiful women.

But there had absolutely never been anyone like Ling Yuanbao...

Sis, you're poaching him right to our faces?

Liang Yue looked at Old Hu, whose face had instantly turned the color of eggplant, and could not help finding it absurd. Who discussed changing jobs right in front of the other side's superior? How was that any different from committing adultery in front of the husband?

Naturally, this was not a moment when Old Hu could say anything.

"Ahem." Liang Yue cleared his throat and quickly replied, "Thank you for thinking highly of me, Constable Ling, but my suspicions have not yet been completely cleared, so it would not be appropriate for me to join the Ministry of Justice. Besides, I have familiar brothers in the Imperial Capital Guard, superiors who value me, and a fairly comfortable life here. For now, I won't consider going elsewhere."

"What a pity. For someone as talented as you, being a subordinate guard here is truly a waste," Ling Yuanbao said with a sigh, seemingly unaware that anything was wrong.

"That need not concern you, Constable Ling." Hu Tiehan pulled Liang Yue over in one swift motion, as though defending his territory. "Little Liang becoming an Official Guard is already set in stone."

Ling Yuanbao was feeling somewhat disappointed when a head suddenly popped out from beside her.

Chen Ju wore a fawning smile. "Constable Ling, I'm willing to go to the Ministry of Justice. As long as I can serve under you, forget being a constable—even being a spirit hound would do."

"Scram." Ling Yuanbao did not even blink.

"Hey."

The Ministry of Justice's people headed back with their carts, while the Imperial Capital Guard's people also withdrew to their post. As the two groups parted, Ling Yuanbao still called out to Liang Yue, "I'll wrap up the case as quickly as possible. If you want a better future then, come find me at the Ministry of Justice anytime. I'm very sincere."

It was obvious that she truly recognized Liang Yue's capabilities.

But Liang Yue could only give an awkward smile and answer, "All right."

Sis.

I've felt your sincerity.

But your emotional intelligence... I really don't know what to say.

Hu Tiehan did not say a word about it. He only kept a straight face and led his team away at a brisk pace. On one hand, the Ministry of Justice's status truly stood above that of the Imperial Capital Guard, and if the two sides fell out, he would be the one who suffered in the end. On the other hand, although Ling Yuanbao looked like a somewhat dazed young girl, her combat strength was genuinely astonishing.

Battle-hardened as Hu Tiehan was, he did not need to exchange blows with her. From that one kick she had used on the wall, he could tell that the girl could probably take on everyone in an entire guard post by herself without any problem.

Most likely without getting hurt at all.

So even though the other party's brazen act of poaching someone in front of him had not treated him as a person at all, he could only silently repeat "don't get angry" to himself a few times before slinking back to the Fukang Ward post.

Fortunately, Liang Yue had not agreed to go with that girl. That at least preserved what little face Hu Tiehan had left.

After returning to the post, he immediately called out, "Little Liang, come here for a moment."

Liang Yue walked in and asked, "Brother Hu, what's up?"

Only then did Hu Tiehan smile. "You did very well just now. Our Imperial Capital Guard may not have the Ministry of Justice's power and authority, but we have stability. You come from a humble background and your foundation is thin. If you rashly went to the Ministry of Justice, you might not even know how you died after making one mistake. If your abilities become sufficient in the future, then there'll be no need for anyone else to poach you—I'll advise you to seek another path myself."

"I understand, Brother Hu," Liang Yue replied.

Liang Yue had naturally considered what Hu Tiehan said, but his most direct consideration was this: after earning merit this time, he would soon become an Official Guard in the Imperial Capital Guard. If he jumped to the Ministry of Justice now, he would have to wait for another opportunity to become a full-fledged constable. That would be moving downward instead.

Who changed jobs like that?

"Here." Hu Tiehan took two booklets from the drawer beneath his desk and tossed them onto the table.

Liang Yue looked over. They appeared to be two martial arts manuals, one thicker and one thinner.

"Capturing the Nine Yang spies this time was a great merit. There should be no problem with you and Pang Chun becoming Official Guards. The slots will be approved in a month or so, and you only need to pass a combat assessment to be promoted." Hu Tiehan said, "That assessment is usually just a formality. As long as you have cultivation at the peak of the Qi Blood Realm, you can basically pass. But to be safe, I'm giving you two martial arts manuals. Take them back and practice. They are both techniques I've practiced myself, so consider them my personal reward to you."

"Martial arts manuals?" Liang Yue was delighted. "We can cultivate them now?"

They said that in the Qi Blood Realm, one could only train the form and could not attain the spirit. Practicing too many martial arts was not very useful; one set of punches was enough, such as the Imperial Capital Guard's Tiger Might Fist.

Training too many combat techniques at this stage would only divide one's attention and waste energy for nothing.

"In principle, you need to reach the Contemplation Realm before you can comprehend the spiritual essence of martial arts techniques. But the two of you have already reached the peak of the Qi Blood Realm, and your divine palaces are gradually opening. Beginning to comprehend them at this time will actually help you break through. First learn the form, then comprehend the spirit," Hu Tiehan said.

"Thank you, Brother Hu!" Liang Yue said with a smile.

Hu Tiehan continued, "The thicker one is my family's ancestral Hu Family Blade Technique. It has eighteen forms. You may cultivate it yourself, but you absolutely must not pass it on to anyone else."

When he mentioned this inherited technique, his face was filled with pride.

Liang Yue had previously heard people at the post say that a Grandmaster of blade techniques had emerged from the Hu Lineage. He had roamed the northern lands with scarcely an equal. This blade technique was surely extremely precious.

"The thinner one is a relatively common defensive technique called Iron Cotton Armor. I bought it from a shop for eighty taels of silver back then," Hu Tiehan continued. "My Hu Family Blade Technique greatly demands comprehension. It's a little too complicated for Da Chun's brain, so let him practice a simple defensive technique. Taking a few more beatings will still let him pass the assessment."

"Is the Hu Family Blade Technique... difficult to cultivate?" Liang Yue asked.

"Of course. Otherwise, if it had been passed down from our ancestor to this day, why has my family not produced a second Grandmaster Realm expert?" Hu Tiehan said. "My Hu Family Blade Technique has extremely demanding requirements for comprehension!"

"This blade technique has eighteen forms in total. Even now, I have only comprehended the twelfth form. The ancestors of my Lineage before me only ever cultivated up to the seventeenth form. You need not even look at the visualization diagram for the final eighteenth form, lest you lose confidence and your martial heart be obstructed. You only need to comprehend seven or eight forms, and that will be enough for you to run rampant through the Second Realm in the future."

Thanks to "Sixteen Months" for the Alliance Leader reward, thank you, thank you! Many thanks!