Equal-Opportunity Contempt for Everyone

Ye Liuyun was not affected in the slightest.

He ate when it was time to eat, drank when it was time to drink, and answered roll call when it was time to answer roll call.

Sigh!

When would these days of having to work before dawn ever end?

Inside the room, Ye Liuyun let the maid Xing'er dress him. Looking at the pitch-black sky outside, his face was full of melancholy.

"Master need not worry."

Seeing Ye Liuyun sigh, Xing'er, who was hanging his saber at his waist, smiled as brightly as a flower.

"When Master goes to answer roll call today, perhaps there will be a surprise."

Thinking of the news she had heard from Madam Sheng Lanzhi the previous night, the smile on Xing'er's face grew even brighter.

"A surprise? What surprise?"

Hearing that, Ye Liuyun paused, looking over in surprise.

"I'm not telling. Master will know once you get to the Brocade Guard."

"You're playing mysterious with me, are you?"

He flicked Xing'er's forehead with a bent finger, then walked out with a smile, not pressing her further.

He was about to head out anyway, so he would see what sort of surprise it was soon enough.

Xing'er was not annoyed either, still following behind Ye Liuyun with a beaming smile.

Only after breakfast did Ye Liuyun leave the residence alone.

"My lord!"

Si Nan had originally been somewhat flustered. After all, an official one rank higher could crush one below like a mountain; if a Hundred-Household Officer truly wanted to make trouble for a Centurion, it was still very easy.

But when he saw Ye Liuyun approach with an unchanged expression, utterly unconcerned, the worry in Si Nan's heart faded considerably.

Did he not sleep at all last night?

Seeing Si Nan's somewhat weary appearance, Ye Liuyun subconsciously gave him a few extra looks.

This mentality still needed tempering.

"Enough. With me here, the sky won't fall."

If Lu Quan really came looking for trouble, he could simply find an opportunity to kill him.

If that could not be done inside the imperial city, then he could find an opportunity outside it. He refused to believe Lu Quan would never leave the city for his entire life.

Hahaha!

Just then, a familiar burst of laughter rang out.

Turning his head, he saw Shi Sheng and his group approaching as well. Shi Sheng, at their head, must have encountered something good; his smug laughter could be heard from far away.

"Banner Officer Shi seems to be in quite a good mood today!"

Seeing the other party approach, Ye Liuyun casually greeted him.

Sure enough.

The instant Shi Sheng saw Ye Liuyun, his expression changed and his smile vanished at once.

Hmph!

After snorting coldly, he walked past Ye Liuyun.

Although the earlier incident had made Shi Sheng view Ye Liuyun differently, he would still throw him a cold face when it was time to do so.

"Ha!"

Ye Liuyun laughed indifferently, not getting angry.

After spending enough time around him, one would discover that Shi Sheng treated everyone this way.

"Oh, Banner Officer Shi seems to be in a good mood today."

A passing Centurion greeted Shi Sheng in the same manner.

Get lost!

No wonder Shi Sheng had few friends in the Brocade Guard. The main reason was that he believed they were all people who occupied their posts while drawing their pay, and he looked down on every last one of them equally.

After watching Shi Sheng's retreating figure for a moment, Ye Liuyun understood why the man was so happy.

Target: Shi Sheng!

Realm: First-Rate Martial Artist!

Talent Traits: Thick Skin and Flesh (Blue), Valiant and Martial (Blue),

His cultivation had broken through. He had gone from a Second-Rate Martial Artist to a First-Rate Martial Artist—no wonder he was so pleased.

Ye Liuyun did not take Shi Sheng's matter too seriously.

He had originally planned to read through case files for a while longer, then visit the Imperial Prison to see whether he could pick up a few more Talent Traits.

But just then—

"My lord! My lord!"

Si Nan suddenly rushed in, looking flustered.

"What, has someone come looking for trouble?"

Seeing Si Nan in such a hurry, Ye Liuyun could more or less guess what had happened.

"More or less. Hundred-Household Officer Lu Quan has arrived."

What had happened only yesterday had brought him here this morning. His efficiency was quite high.

"Since a Hundred-Household Officer has come calling, invite him in." Ye Liuyun was not alarmed. What was meant to come would come.

Ye Liuyun also wanted to see just how Lu Quan intended to cause trouble for him.

Very soon.

A sturdily built man wearing an official uniform much like Ye Liuyun's entered.

The official uniforms of Brocade Guard Centurions and Hundred-Household Officers were more or less the same. Only the uniforms of Thousand-Household Officers and above differed.

The newcomer was Lu Quan.

Ye Liuyun examined him with the system's ability. He was merely First-Rate; there was no need to panic at all.

Hmph!

Before Ye Liuyun could say anything, the other man immediately launched into an attack.

"So that's how it is. I was wondering where you got the nerve to provoke me. Turns out you've been living off your wife."

Lu Quan had indeed come to make trouble.

But midway there, a Thousand-Household Officer had summoned him and casually explained a few matters. Lu Quan then knew he could not cause trouble for Ye Liuyun, yet he still could not swallow his anger, so every word he spoke was barbed.

If it had been the former Ye Liufeng, he might not have been able to endure such mockery.

After all, he had been proud and arrogant—living off a woman while still wanting to preserve his dignity.

But Ye Liuyun had no such concern.

"Being able to live off a woman is a skill of my own. Why don't I see Hundred-Household Officer Lu doing the same? Don't tell me you know you're too ugly and have no chance?"

"You!"

He had come to mock someone else, so why was he now the one about to explode with rage?

Ye Liuyun cut him off first. "Hundred-Household Officer Lu did not come here merely to say one or two pieces of nonsense, did you?"

If he had come looking for trouble, he should not have merely exchanged a few words. He would probably have attacked directly.

Sure enough.

Hearing Ye Liuyun say that, though Lu Quan's face looked ugly, he did not continue.

Instead, he tossed something toward Ye Liuyun. Furious in his heart, Lu Quan infused the throw with internal force.

He only wanted Ye Liuyun to embarrass himself for an instant.

But—

Bang!

Facing the rapidly flying black shadow, Ye Liuyun merely raised a hand and caught it steadily.

"Your strength!"

That scene left Lu Quan somewhat stunned.

How could the 'Ye Liufeng,' who had originally only been a Third-Rate Martial Artist, possibly catch something thrown by a First-Rate Martial Artist like himself?

"I've been cultivating constantly lately and happened to make a small breakthrough."

In response to Lu Quan's surprise, Ye Liuyun merely answered blandly.

He then looked at the item in his hand. He had initially thought it was a hidden weapon, but it turned out to be a token.

"A Hundred-Household Officer's waist token?"

Ye Liuyun was surprised for a moment. Si Nan, who had been standing obediently to one side, could not help leaning over when he heard that.

A Hundred-Household Officer's waist token?

Was his lord about to be promoted to Hundred-Household Officer?

Gasp! So that was why.

No wonder his lord had acted so unconcerned yesterday. It turned out he had known he was about to be promoted to Hundred-Household Officer.

Fortunately, he had held steady. Sure enough, he had not chosen the wrong person back then.

Si Nan had already automatically filled in the details, deciding that Ye Liuyun had been so unconcerned the previous night because he was about to rise in rank.