The Promotion That Came with the Name

Chapter 17: The Promotion That Came with the Name

The night passed without incident, and before long, dawn arrived the next day.

As usual, Bai Yan ate a sesame flatbread and leisurely headed to the Pacification Bureau to check in.

The only difference from usual was that the weapon hanging from his waist was no longer the standard Spring Embroidered Saber. Instead, it had been replaced by the Snow Drinking Saber, whose edge was restrained and concealed.

Although the Flying Fish Robe and Spring Embroidered Saber were standard equipment for the Imperial Guard, the Pacification Bureau had no hard-and-fast rule forcing its officers to wear or carry them.

The Flying Fish Robe was more a symbol of status. Except when traveling for major cases, whether one wore it in daily life was entirely up to the individual,

The same went for the Spring Embroidered Saber. After all, everyone cultivated different martial arts. Some excelled in fist techniques, some were skilled with palms, and others specialized in swordsmanship. They could hardly force everyone to use weapons that did not suit them and needlessly reduce their combat strength.

Thus, within the Pacification Bureau, eight or nine out of ten Imperial Guard officers above the rank of Captain did not use the Spring Embroidered Saber.

After entering the Pacification Bureau, Bai Yan discovered that more people were looking at him than usual.

As he walked along, every Imperial Guard he encountered below the rank of Captain would smile and greet him, their expressions carrying a hint of ingratiation and respect.

Bai Yan understood at once. The news that he had captured the Flower Thief had clearly spread.

Just as Bai Yan entered the Captain's office, Zhao Guangli approached him with a spring in his step, threw an arm around his shoulder, and laughed heartily.

"Bai Yan, you did great, boy! This time, you've done your father and your Uncle Zhao proud!"

"The Flower Thief case had troubled the Ministry of Justice for more than half a month. So many people were helpless against them, but you took action and uprooted them completely, capturing two of them in one go!"

"You truly remained silent until you made your move, then shocked the world!"

If Bai Yan's breakthrough into the Connate Realm at such a young age had been his first appearance within the Pacification Bureau, then solving the Flower Thief case had made his reputation soar in earnest.

After all, this case had attracted far too much attention. Even the emperor had been alarmed.

Solving it meant that not only the Pacification Bureau but also other organizations, such as Six Doors and the Eastern Depot, would learn that someone like Bai Yan had emerged within the Imperial Guard.

Bai Yan smiled modestly.

"The task actually wasn't that difficult. The Pacification Bureau is full of experts. There are plenty of them who could have captured the Flower Thief."

"It was all thanks to the Thousand-Captain's favor that he entrusted this task to me."

When many hands lifted a sedan chair, even the Imperial Guard was ultimately part of the bureaucracy. One had to pay attention to the art of speech—not appear arrogant while still leaving the superior ample dignity.

Zhao Guangli smiled upon hearing this.

"The Thousand-Captain's favor is one thing, but your own ability is the key."

"You don't know how many people were privately waiting to see you make a fool of yourself this time, thinking a greenhorn like you couldn't shoulder such a responsibility."

"Now that the news has spread, those people must be dumbfounded."

"This is great. Let's see who still dares look down on you just because you're young!"

Whenever he thought of those people's faces, haughty before and obsequious afterward, Zhao Guangli felt an unspoken thrill.

Bai Yan smiled and shook his head.

He genuinely had no interest in quarreling over such things.

The Imperial Guard was a place where strength spoke above all else. As long as he was strong enough, he would sooner or later suppress every dissenting voice.

If this opportunity had not come, another would have.

With confidence born of true ability, one's back straightened naturally. Rising to prominence was merely a matter of time.

By noon, Bai Yan had just finished his meal when he received a summons from Thousand-Captain Zheng Haihan.

"Your subordinate Bai Yan pays his respects to the Thousand-Captain."

Inside the Thousand-Captain's main hall, Bai Yan clasped his fists in salute.

"You may dispense with formalities."

Zheng Haihan sat behind his desk, his gaze settling on Bai Yan as his tone carried a hint of approval.

"You handled this matter well."

"His Majesty ordered the Flower Thief captured within three days, yet you completed the task in a single day. Truly swift and decisive."

"After the case was reported, His Majesty was delighted. He specifically issued an imperial decree promoting you to Captain."

"From this day onward, you are a Captain of the Northern Commandery Investigation Bureau."

"Bring it in."

At Zheng Haihan's command, an Imperial Guard soldier immediately entered from outside, holding a red-lacquered tray in both hands.

Upon the tray lay a neatly folded Flying Fish Robe of Captain rank, a brand-new Spring Embroidered Saber, a token engraved with the words "Captain of the Northern Commandery Investigation Bureau," and a silver banknote.

The Flying Fish Robe was made of finer material, its silver-thread embroidery lifelike. Silver filigree was likewise set into the scabbard of the Spring Embroidered Saber, its quality far surpassing that of a Brigade Leader's weapon.

Unfortunately, Bai Yan already had the Snow Drinking Saber, so he likely would have no use for this new Spring Embroidered Saber.

"Captain Bai."

Zheng Haihan looked at him, his tone solemn.

"I hope that from now on, you will serve the Imperial Court loyally. Do not betray His Majesty's and the court's trust. Continue to work as diligently as you have today."

"Yes, I will certainly bear your words in mind!"

Bai Yan clasped his fists in salute.

As for Zheng Haihan's words, Bai Yan merely listened and let them pass.

If loyalty was being discussed, Bai Yan was loyal only to himself.

As a modern youth from another world, his thoughts had long broken free from the shackles of this era. He felt no reverence whatsoever for the emperor he had never even met.

To ask him to fight desperately for someone he had never seen, even offering up his life? However he thought about it, it seemed absurd.

Zheng Haihan looked at Bai Yan and continued.

"In addition to the position of Captain, His Majesty has also specially rewarded you with one thousand taels of silver and a bottle of fifth-grade pills. Later, take this official's approval slip and choose the pills yourself at the Scripture Pavilion."

"Yes, your subordinate takes his leave."

Bai Yan clasped his fists once more, accepted the tray, and turned to leave.

Zheng Haihan watched Bai Yan's departing back, tapping his fingertips lightly against the desk as he muttered to himself.

"I never expected that Bai Lizheng, that mediocre fellow, could father a genius like Bai Yan."

"I never saw him mention that his son possessed such ability before."

He shook his head.

"If it were me, and I had such a son, I would have been boasting about him to everyone I met long ago."

As soon as he finished speaking, a deep voice suddenly came from the shadows behind him.

"I have already investigated Bai Yan's life."

"Before the age of sixteen, he had no interest in martial arts. He spent his days wandering the streets, and his skills were utterly unremarkable. At sixteen, he had not even touched the threshold of a third-rate Martial Artist."

"After turning sixteen, he seemed to become an entirely different person and began cultivating martial arts like a madman, never stopping day or night."

"Yet even so, judging from his performance over the past two years, he should have possessed no more than the strength of a third-rate Martial Artist."

"Now he has suddenly astonished the world—not only breaking through to the Connate Realm but also solving a major case in a single day. It is truly baffling."

Only the speaker's voice could be heard; the person himself remained unseen.

Zheng Haihan pondered for a moment.

"Perhaps he was hiding his strength. After all, his father was an Imperial Guard officer who had made many enemies. When Bai Yan was younger, it would not have been strange for him to possess some instinct for self-preservation."

"If so, then this boy's temperament is far steadier than that of his peers. He is worth cultivating."

"Or perhaps he encountered some fortuitous opportunity, consumed some heavenly treasure, or received Power Infusion and instruction from an expert. Such things are not especially rare."

"He is vague whenever his past comes up. It seems he is concealing some secrets."

The voice from behind the shadows sounded again.

"As long as he can keep them guarded, those secrets are his opportunity."

"If he cannot, they will become a path to his own death."

Zheng Haihan waved his hand dismissively.

"Who among my Imperial Guard can claim to have no secrets at all?"

"As long as he is not an undercover agent of the Demonic Cult, what do a few secrets matter?"

The person in the shadows replied.

"That is nothing to worry about."

"For the Demonic Cult to send a genius who broke through to the Connate Realm at such a young age as an undercover agent would carry too great a risk. If he were exposed, they would lose decades of top-tier combat strength. They would not make such a losing trade."

"Bai Yan's background is fairly clean. Though there are some suspicious points, they are harmless. He is worth cultivating."

Zheng Haihan nodded.

"That is precisely why I entrusted the Flower Thief case to him. He lived up to expectations and seized the opportunity."

"Our Imperial Guard has always judged people by their deeds, not their hearts. As long as he is not a spy of the Demonic Cult, even if he truly has some unspeakable secret, I still dare to make full use of him!"

The person behind him respectfully replied.

"Your Excellency is wise!"