Master Tao, Divine Doctor Hu, Righteous and Loyal Zhang Erhe

Five years.

In the blink of an eye, five years had passed since the battle of Fengtian County City. No war had broken out between Qin and Yan during those five years, and the two sides had remained at peace.

No cultivation in a previous life, born in Luzhou.

For the people of Luyang Prefecture, five years free from the suffering of war was already a rare time of peace.

Especially three years ago, when Ouyang Shucai, the Marquis Who Pacified the West of Yan State, designated Fengtian County, occupied by Yan State, as a trading ground between the two nations and withdrew the Yan Army stationed there.

Over the past three years, with relations between the two nations easing, merchant caravans had traveled constantly to and from Fengtian County City. Luyang Prefecture had grown increasingly prosperous as well.

Luyang Prefecture, Martial Guard Bureau.

Several dozen Martial Guards in black robes stood in a bustling line, inching slowly forward.

Today was the day the bureau issued wages.

A Ninth-rank Black Robe Guard received one tael and five qian of silver ingots a month. An Eighth-Rank Black Robe Guard received two taels of silver each month.

As for seventh-rank Martial Guard leaders, their wages were no longer issued by the Martial Guard Bureau.

The Black Robe Guards of Luyang Prefecture fell under the prefectural government's control. Their direct superior was the Luyang Prefecture military clerk, and they belonged to a different hierarchy from the yamen runners of the prefectural government.

In fact, the origins of Great Qin's Black Robe Martial Guards could be traced back tens of thousands of years, to the Great Qin Martial Guard's Black Ice Platform.

It was said that the Black Ice Platform had once been Great Qin's strongest intelligence organization, as well as an assassination and surveillance bureau directly controlled by the emperor.

Great Qin Black Armor slew enemy invaders without and purged treacherous evil within. Wherever the black cavalry went, people trembled at the very rumor of their arrival.

But later, immortals and demons wreaked havoc. The experts of the Black Ice Platform fought desperately against the immortal and demonic forces, while the black cavalry suffered near-total casualties. Their legacy gradually died out, and the Black Ice Platform's power crumbled.

Without its powerful inheritance, ordinary Black Ice Platform Martial Guards lacked sufficient combat strength. They slowly became local garrison soldiers, no longer possessing the invincible Great Qin Black Armor of old.

As the line for wages shuffled onward, several Black Robe Guards who had collected their silver walked out arm in arm, beaming with delight.

At the front was a young man barely past twenty, clutching a money pouch in his hand as he shouted, "Osmanthus Boat! If you don't spend every last coin of my money today, then you're all grandsons!"

The words immediately put eager looks on the other Black Robe Guards' faces.

"Young Master Feng is generous."

"Then I truly won't hold back tonight. Osmanthus wine at the Osmanthus Boat, moonlight soup served by jade hands—I'm only afraid Young Master Feng's wages won't be enough to spend."

Luyang Prefecture was, after all, a border region, and prices were not high. If used frugally, one tael of silver was enough to support a family of four or five for two months.

But if one truly spent without restraint, there were always places that could make silver seem like nothing more than dirt.

The young man everyone called Young Master Feng was named Feng Cheng. He was one of the Black Robe Guards newly recruited by the bureau this year.

With merchant caravans traveling constantly in recent times and Luyang Prefecture growing more prosperous by the day, the city's Martial Guard Bureau had expanded its recruitment several times. The Black Robe Guards had grown from fewer than sixty people five years ago to more than three hundred and twenty today.

The newly recruited Black Robe Guards were all young, and quite a few of them had some backing.

Feng Cheng, for instance, was a descendant of the Feng Family in the city.

The Feng Family was not a great clan in Luyang Prefecture, but it still had a large residence, several shops, and, it was said, even its own merchant caravan.

City clans placed their descendants in the Martial Guard Bureau and the garrison camps outside the city. On the one hand, it gave their younger generation a path to advancement; on the other, it opened another channel through which the family could gain more information from the authorities.

During Feng Cheng's three months in the Martial Guard Bureau, he had spent his wages every month on expenses and cultivating connections.

Not only that, his family had also provided quite a bit of extra silver.

Feng Cheng spent money with a lavish hand, naturally gathering some colleagues around him. His days in the Martial Guard Bureau became increasingly carefree, and much useful information could be sent back to his family.

Just as he was about to leave the bureau, Feng Cheng spotted the sturdy young man at the back of the line. A smile piled across his face as he called out loudly.

"Brother Chen Wu, once you've collected your wages, I'm treating the brothers to drinks. You must come."

The tall young man named Chen Wu stood with his arms crossed, staring ahead without expression. "No time."

Such a blunt reply made Feng Cheng's expression stiffen.

But he seemed accustomed to it. His smile remained as he said, "No matter, no matter. Brother Chen Wu must still be on duty. When you have time next time, this little brother will host—"

Before he could finish, a voice sounded from outside the bureau. "How does Chen Wu have no time?"

The Black Robe Guards lining up in the courtyard all turned around. Excitement appeared on Chen Wu's face as he bowed and clasped his fists. "Brother Yuan."

A thin young man in a washed-out, faded black robe strode in through the gate.

He wore the same Black Robe Guard uniform, except he had two additional sabers at his waist and carried a five-foot sentry staff in hand.

Zhang Yuan.

Compared to the time five years ago on the battlefield at Fengtian County City, Zhang Yuan had gained gentleness and lost some of his sharp edge.

His gaze was mild. He no longer looked like the saber-wielding killer wreathed in blood.

"Brother Yuan."

"Brother Yuan!"

The Black Robe Guards queued in the courtyard all turned and clasped their fists toward Zhang Yuan.

With a smile, Zhang Yuan nodded in acknowledgment. He walked up to Chen Wu, reached out and pulled his arm, straightening his bent waist.

"Young Master Feng is treating. Why aren't you going?"

"I'll ask for leave from the academy for you."

After saying that, he turned to Feng Cheng beside him.

"Young Master Feng."

Feng Cheng hurriedly smiled and bent into a bow. "Brother Yuan, just call me Little Cheng."

Zhang Yuan waved a hand, moved closer to Feng Cheng, put an arm around his shoulders, and lowered his voice. "That kid Chen Wu is no longer young, yet he still hasn't married. As his comrade-in-arms, you ought to think of a solution."

"I hear there are some fine girls at the Osmanthus Boat. Help him take a look. If it works out, I'll treat you to drinks."

Though he had lowered his voice, everyone around them could still hear him.

Quite a few people smiled as they looked at Chen Wu, whose face had turned red.

Feng Cheng lifted his brows. Seeing that Zhang Yuan was smiling yet serious, he quickly nodded. "Rest assured, Brother Yuan. I'll definitely help Brother Chen Wu arrange it."

Zhang Yuan smiled and patted his shoulder. As he passed Chen Wu, he said, "Did you hear that? Go."

Chen Wu nodded.

As Zhang Yuan walked forward, the other Black Robe Guards all smilingly gave up their places.

"Brother Yuan, are you back from a mission?"

"Brother Yuan, you go first."

"We haven't seen much of you lately, Brother Yuan. Did you go to the county again?"

Chen Wu, still standing where he was, took a deep breath and looked up at Feng Cheng. "I'll go. Once I collect my wages and change clothes, I'll come over."

Feng Cheng was overjoyed. Repeating, "Good, good," he led several equally young Black Robe Guards outside to wait.

Once outside, a Black Robe Guard who looked not yet twenty said in a low voice, "Young Master Feng, Chen Wu relies on having entered the bureau earlier than us and usually looks down on us. Why do you have to—"

Before he could finish, Feng Cheng glared at him, and he hurriedly swallowed the rest of his words.

"Entered the bureau earlier than us?" Feng Cheng's facial muscles tightened, his voice low. "At twenty, he's already Houtian Mid-stage. Among the younger generation of all Luyang Prefecture, fewer than the fingers on one hand are stronger than him."

"I saw with my own eyes how he wielded a saber and killed men, how he alone drove back a team of mountain bandits."

There was admiration and apprehension in his voice, as though the scene from that day had reappeared before his eyes.

The other Black Robe Guards all widened their eyes as well.

Great Qin revered martial prowess. Martial Way Cultivation was the foundation for securing one's life and livelihood.

That was precisely why they knew what Houtian Mid-stage at twenty meant.

Houtian, Xiantian, Grandmaster—the three realms and nine ranks sounded simple enough, but the Houtian Realm alone blocked countless people.

Among the more than three hundred people in the Martial Guard Bureau, those at Houtian Mid-stage, with the strength of their qi and blood exceeding 800 jin, were likely only eleven or twelve people. All were over thirty, with their paths to further advancement already cut off.

Luyang Prefecture governed nine counties and thirteen towns, yet there were only seven or eight Xiantian Realm experts. They were either commanders in an army, leaders of martial sects, or retained experts of some great clan...

Though Chen Wu usually seemed rather hard to approach in the Martial Guard Bureau, no one could tell he was such a formidable figure.

Houtian Mid-stage at twenty—didn't that mean he had a chance of stepping into the Xiantian Realm?

"So formidable..."

"No wonder Young Master Feng wants to befriend him."

They all nodded. Thinking that Chen Wu would join them today also made them excited.

"Right, Young Master Feng, what is that Brother Yuan's background? Even Chen Wu is so respectful toward him. I've been at the Martial Guard Bureau for half a month and have never seen him."

The two newly recruited Black Robe Guards looked at Zhang Yuan, who had reached the very front of the line in the courtyard, their faces full of confusion.

It was not just Chen Wu who respected him. Even everyone else warmly gave up their places for him.

Feng Cheng shook his head, his expression solemn.

"Five years ago, Chen Wu's father, Chen Youde, died in battle at Fengtian County City. Chen Wu was too young to take over his post. Brother Yuan was the one who arranged for Chen Wu to enter the Martial Guard Bureau."

"In our Martial Guard Bureau, we call him Brother Yuan. Before outsiders—"

Feng Cheng glanced at the newly arrived Black Robe Guards, then turned toward Zhang Yuan, who had walked to the long table in the courtyard. Reverence filled his eyes.

"Master Tao, Divine Doctor Hu, Righteous and Loyal Zhang Erhe."

"Before outsiders, he is Second Master Zhang of Luyang."