Transfer Order Mission

Ever since he had lost the ability to practice the Martial Way, Young Master Tao had cared most about how far Zhang Yuan could go in both martial arts and officialdom.

Perhaps Zhang Yuan had become the vessel for his hopes in Martial Way Cultivation.

When the carriage returned to the city, Zhang Yuan quietly got out, wandered through the market streets for a few rounds, then stepped into a shop called Wang Family Woodworks.

"Zhang Yuan?"

"You haven't come by my place in quite a while."

As Zhang Yuan entered the shop, the forty-year-old man seated behind the counter stood up, delight on his face.

Tall and lean, with thick brows and large eyes, dressed in a blue cloth robe, he looked exactly like the ordinary proprietor of an ordinary shop.

Who would have thought that the chief officer of the Great Qin Luyang Prefecture Black Ice Platform, a sixth-rank martial official, was actually huddled away as a shopkeeper in a tiny store?

Luyang Prefecture was a mid-level prefecture. The Prefect, the Sacrificial Scholar of the prefectural academy, and even the commander of the garrison outside the city were only Subordinate Fifth Rank.

The Principal Sixth Rank chief officer of the Black Ice Platform was already among the ten highest-ranking officials in the entire prefectural city. Moreover, due to his special identity, he held supervisory authority over prefectural yamen officials, making him all the more feared and respected.

"Shopkeeper Wang, business has been bleak lately, huh? No one wants this big nanmu cabinet?"

"Didn't you say last time that you wanted to turn it into a coffin?"

Zhang Yuan looked around, reaching out to pat the wooden furnishings set in the hall.

Wang Qinian really had been a carpenter by trade. Wang Family Woodworks had been a business meant to fool the eye, yet he had turned it into a genuine career.

Among the city's woodwork shops, his business was the best.

"Turn this thing into a coffin? Not just anyone can sleep in it. Coffin boards—"

Wang Qinian came over with his hands tucked beneath his arms, casually answering him. But halfway through, his eyes lit up.

"Coffin, coffin—promotion and fortune. You kid never comes unless there's something up. What good news have you brought?"

Seeing that there was no one inside or outside the shop, Wang Qinian gave a soft cough.

At once, a young man dressed as a shop clerk emerged from the rear courtyard. He gave Zhang Yuan a slight bow, then went to stand beside the shop entrance.

Wang Qinian gestured for Zhang Yuan to head into the rear courtyard.

When they reached the rear courtyard, seven or eight young men stood up.

All of them were agile and sturdy, clearly men with Martial Cultivation.

"Commander."

"Greetings, sir."

Several of them clearly recognized Zhang Yuan and hurriedly bowed with clasped fists.

Zhang Yuan nodded in greeting, then followed Wang Qinian straight through the rear courtyard and into another yard piled high with lumber.

Only after passing through that yard did they reach a quiet little courtyard.

They had already crossed two streets and alleys.

"Tell me. Did you find any clues in a case?"

Once inside the small courtyard, Wang Qinian turned to look at Zhang Yuan.

Zhang Yuan nodded and recounted everything that had happened when he attended Old Master Zheng's funeral today.

Then he explained the information and ideas he and Young Master Tao had deduced.

"Yesterday, Master Tao sent Tao Hong to say that we needed to find a way to transfer Black Tiger's identity. Now we have our chance." Delight shone in Wang Qinian's eyes as he clapped his hands. "I was still thinking about where to find a Xiantian Realm expert to take your place."

With his hands behind his back, he smiled faintly and paced around the courtyard.

"Jiulin County has always suffered badly from bandits and underworld scum. If we can sweep them clean this time, that would be a good thing too."

"And this pulley matter—I've received orders on it as well. It is top secret. We must uncover the identity of whoever is probing into it."

Stopping in his tracks, Wang Qinian looked at Zhang Yuan. "Give me a few days. I'll find out who stands behind the Kong Family."

"Gathering the Black Cavalry will take time too, and once they reach Luyang Prefecture, you'll need time to drill them."

Rubbing his hands together, Wang Qinian grinned.

"Damn it, this time I'm leading the Black Cavalry into a charge no matter what."

"Oh, right. It's fine if I'm not at the very front when the war cavalry charges into formation, isn't it...?"

If Wang Qinian wanted to rise any further, he needed enough merit.

Toward Zhang Yuan, who could bring him merit, he was exceptionally courteous.

Besides, he knew even better that Zhang Yuan was a Xiantian Realm powerhouse.

Great Qin revered martial strength. The strong were honored wherever they went, and a Xiantian Realm expert deserved respect anywhere.

"I've already submitted a report for you, requesting that you be sent to the commandery academy for Martial arts cultivation."

"Once the approval comes through, you'll definitely make a name for yourself in one stroke at the academy."

"My Black Ice Platform has been rather quiet lately. We need someone who can make our reputation resound again."

When he saw Zhang Yuan out, Wang Qinian gave him this low-voiced reminder.

Zhang Yuan rarely had a free afternoon, so he carried his patrol staff to report for duty at the Martial Guard Bureau.

He had never neglected this official post of his.

In private, he had even told Young Master Tao that once he married and had children, he would pass his Martial Guard position down to his son.

But Young Master Tao had said at the time that he simply wanted to marry a wife.

"Brother Yuan!"

Inside the yamen, Feng Cheng, dressed in black robes and standing guard with a goose-feather saber in hand, beamed with delight when he saw Zhang Yuan.

Zhang Yuan walked over and patted Feng Cheng on the shoulder.

"I know about what happened last night. Help bring them together first. If it works out, I'll treat you to drinks."

"You don't need to worry about Chen Wu. I've got him."

His words made Feng Cheng's shoulders tremble with excitement.

"Understood. I understand."

Zhang Yuan nodded and carried his patrol staff into the yamen.

When he reached the main hall, the short-bearded martial officer in black seated at the head had already stood up.

"Erhe, you came at just the right time. Your uncle here was just worrying over this."

His name was Hu Yang. He was one of the eight Black Robe Guard Leaders of the Luyang Prefecture Martial Guard Yamen, and had once been a colleague of Zhang Yuan's father.

When Zhang Yuan inherited his post, Hu Yang had helped him with many matters, guiding him as he familiarized himself with the Martial Guard Bureau.

A Martial Guard Leader was seventh rank, but this seventh rank was different from a seventh-rank military clerk.

Military clerks were officials, while Martial Guard Leaders were clerks.

When a clerk met an official, he stood one rank lower.

For a seventh-rank official, the official career had only begun. For a seventh-rank clerk, it had already reached its end.

Great Qin had sixteen commanderies, each governing nine to twelve prefectures. A Prefect was a Fifth Rank or Subordinate Fifth Rank official. Beneath him were assistant prefects, judicial commissioners, magistrates, military advisers, and other subordinate officials, ranging from Principal Sixth Rank to Subordinate Sixth Rank.

Military clerks were Seventh Rank officials. Under the Recording Secretary, the Directors of Merit, Granaries, Households, Fields, Soldiers, Justice, and Personnel, the officials of the seven departments were all seventh rank.

Only prefectural yamen had such an arrangement. At the next level down, county yamen had only Subordinate Seventh Rank County Lieutenants.

Hu Yang had reached the position of Seventh-Rank Black Robe Guard Leader, which counted as the ceiling for him. At his age, what he wanted most in the yamen was a stable, honorable retirement.

"Bandit suppression is underway on the Guangji River in Yong'an County. Two teams of Black Robe Guards are being drawn from Luyang Prefecture as reinforcements."

Hu Yang shook the slip of paper in his hand and shook his head. "Old Fifth Qi's team and mine have been called up."

"I remember, Uncle Hu, you've recently been busy arranging Third Brother Fengting's wedding, right?" Zhang Yuan took the slip and glanced at it. "I'll lead the men. It isn't far. We'll be back in three to five days."

Like commanderies, Great Qin's prefectures were divided into upper, middle, and lower grades. Upper prefectures had twelve counties, middle prefectures nine, and lower prefectures seven.

Luyang Prefecture was a slightly above-average mid-level prefecture, with nine counties and thirteen towns.

The prefectural yamen normally did not interfere in county yamen affairs. But when troops needed to be mobilized, bandits had to be apprehended, or similar matters arose, it would step in.

A county had only around a hundred soldiers and yamen runners combined. Sometimes, they truly could not suppress the martial world bandits.

"Good, good, good." Hu Yang took out his waist token and placed it in Zhang Yuan's hand.

"Erhe, your uncle only wants to hold his grandchildren in peace now. Once this mission is done, when you return, take over my post."

"You're still young, and you have that kind of reputation in the martial world." Hu Yang glanced outside the main hall and lowered his voice. "I hear the Black Ice Platform intends to reclaim supervisory authority over the Martial Guard Bureau."

"Once the Martial Guard returns to the Black Ice Platform's ranks, a seventh-rank Martial Guard Leader will be equivalent to a seventh-rank martial official. The future will be boundless."