Dual Blue Talents

" No one else knows about this, right?"

"Rest assured, sir. I handled it very discreetly. No one else will discover it."

"Good."

With one hand on Si Nan's shoulder, Ye Liuyun spoke in a low voice.

"If anyone else finds out, you know the consequences."

"This subordinate wouldn't dare!"

Si Nan promptly dropped to his knees. For some reason, he felt that Ye Liufeng seemed especially imposing today.

"Get up!"

A little intimidation was enough. After all, he needed someone useful within the Brocade Guard.

He casually pulled a hundred-tael banknote from a stack and handed it over.

"Sir, this is...?"

"Work for me with peace of mind. There'll be no shortage of benefits for you."

First the stick, then the sweet date—he instantly painted him a grand feast.

Before his transmigration, he had worked at a company and suffered plenty under that routine from his bosses. He had learned it just by watching.

The previous Ye Liufeng had not failed to reward his subordinates, but he gave only a few taels at a time. Handing out a hundred taels in one go was truly a first.

After staring blankly for a moment, Si Nan hurriedly accepted it.

"Rest assured, sir. This subordinate will go through fire and water for you, and serve until death."

Such polite words were only worth hearing. Ye Liuyun did not take them too seriously and waved a hand, signaling that he could leave.

"All right, go down first. Come notify me if anything happens."

"Yes, sir!"

After putting away the banknote, Si Nan bowed and backed away. Once outside, he thoughtfully closed the door for Ye Liuyun.

Patting the spot where he had tucked away the money, Si Nan still felt as though it were unreal.

"I always feel like sir is a little different today."

Yet for the moment, Si Nan could not figure out exactly what was wrong. Still, the hundred taels were genuine enough.

It was only the first day, so Ye Liuyun did not run around like some greenhorn, probing into the layout of the Brocade Guard.

Wouldn't that be the same as telling everyone that he was a fake Brocade Guard officer and knew nothing about this place?

Taking advantage of the time, Ye Liuyun began reading the case files on the shelves. The Brocade Guard held considerable power; practically every case in the imperial city fell under their jurisdiction.

At first, he noticed nothing.

But after reading for a while, Ye Liuyun suddenly realized that the case files on these shelves had been sorted—just not according to the severity of the incidents.

"Royalty's children smashing up a tavern?"

"A general's Young Master eating without paying."

"The son of an Assistant Minister of Revenue broke a scholar's leg during an argument at a brothel."

After finishing this stack, Ye Liuyun understood what the classification was for: who could be provoked, and who could not.

There was no need to read the rest. He could guess that most of those involved probably had backing as well.

If not the sons of Royalty, then the descendants of high-ranking court ministers.

As for the files on the other two sides, they concerned ordinary cases, though even those were divided between the wealthy and the poor.

"My brother really had the way of officialdom in the palm of his hand."

Setting down the case file in his hand, Ye Liuyun could not help but laugh.

He had always put on such a dignified act in front of him, as if he were some noble and upright person. Yet behind the scenes, he did these petty, grubby things too.

Still, this gave Ye Liuyun a reminder.

In a place where everyone was rotten, acting too normal would instead make one seem out of place.

The morning passed in the blink of an eye.

The Brocade Guard reported for duty early, but they also finished early. Usually, they could leave by noon.

"Are you going out to patrol the streets, sir?"

The moment Ye Liuyun emerged, Si Nan went up to greet him.

Under normal circumstances, the afternoon was either spent patrolling the streets or arresting people who had committed crimes.

But Ye Liuyun had no interest in either at the moment.

"Later. I'm a little tired today, so I'll head back first."

Si Nan's expression froze, as though he had not expected Ye Liuyun to choose to return directly.

However, he did not dwell on it and instead obediently followed at Ye Liuyun's side.

"Then I'll see you off, sir!"

"Mhm."

Just as they were about to leave, a group of people entered from the front. Their leader was a broad-shouldered, powerfully built man with an upright face.

The instant he saw Ye Liuyun, the man gave a heavy snort.

"Hmph!"

It was obvious that there was bad blood between them.

The disgust was practically written across his face.

Then he led his men directly past Ye Liuyun.

Target: Shi Sheng!
Realm: Second-Rate Martial Artist!
Talent Traits: Thick Skin and Flesh (Blue), Valiant and Martial (Blue),

Thick Skin and Flesh (Blue): Born with thick skin and tough flesh, possessing uniquely blessed advantages when cultivating body-protection techniques.

Valiant and Martial (Blue): Once drawn into a fight to the death, can enhance his own strength by consuming his sanity.

He actually had dual blue talents.

Both talents were combat-related as well. No wonder he looked like someone who could really fight.

But judging by that look in his eyes, did he have a grudge against his brother?

"Please don't take it to heart, sir."

Seeing Ye Liuyun staring at Shi Sheng's departing back, Si Nan immediately spoke from the side.

"Though Shi Sheng is a Banner Commander, he is overly upright and knows no flexibility. He has no backing in the Brocade Guard. If not for the strength of a Second-Rate Martial Artist, along with his accumulated merits, he might not even have been able to remain a Banner Commander!"

Si Nan's tone was full of disdain as he said this.

A Brocade Guard officer like Shi Sheng, who only knew how to stupidly arrest people, was destined to get nowhere.

The position of Banner Commander could be attained through merit, but if he wanted to climb any higher and be promoted to Hundred Household Commander, that would be utterly impossible.

"Is that so? Then why did he look as though he wanted nothing more than to kill me?"

"Uh..." Si Nan gave an awkward smile at that.

"Perhaps you have forgotten, sir. Not long ago, Banner Commander Shi Sheng arrested some people from the Ministry of Personnel. It was you who stepped in and released them."

So that was it. No wonder.

Given Ye Liufeng's personality, once he learned that the arrested people had connections and backing, he would certainly go make himself known.

Moreover, the former Ye Liufeng probably looked down on people like Shi Sheng, who knew no flexibility and only followed the rules. That was how this grudge had been forged.

Having figured it out, Ye Liuyun smiled unconcernedly.

"So it was that matter. If you hadn't mentioned it, I would have nearly forgotten. Shi Sheng really is petty—he still remembers after so long."

"Uh! Yes, yes!"

Si Nan cooperated with an awkward smile.

Yet inwardly, he felt somewhat helpless. It seemed that not much time had passed at all—perhaps only a few days.

And everyone in the Brocade Guard knew that Shi Sheng was famously bitterly opposed to evil. It would be strange if he had forgotten.