I promised the military clerk I'd bring you to the Tang Family to apologize

What were the court's true hounds?

The Martial Guard Bureau's true duty had never been to hunt bandits and pacify the region.

That was the duty of the patrol guards and garrison troops.

The Black Robe Guards more closely carried on the authority and responsibilities of the Black Ice Platform: monitoring local regions, crushing rebels, and executing treacherous ministers.

The Black Robe Guards should truly have been called the Black Robe Inner Guards, their lineage traceable all the way back to the Imperial City Feather Guard.

The Black Ice Platform and the Martial Guard Bureau were, in truth, another blade in the hands of Great Qin's emperors.

A blade hidden beneath the tabletop, yet incomparably sharp.

It was only unknown when that blade had grown dull.

"The last time the Martial Guard Bureau confiscated estates and exterminated clans in Luyang Prefecture City was ten years ago." Zhang Yuan's expression Revealed a hint of remembrance, and his voice carried a touch of softness. "I clearly remember my father returning drenched in blood, his face full of excitement."

"After that, for at least Three months, the name Black Robe Guard could stop children from crying at night."

The great hall fell utterly silent.

The events Zhang Yuan spoke of from ten years ago had been personally witnessed by both Qian Mu and He Jin.

Back then, Qian Mu had only been a seventh-rank Black Robe Guard.

Back then, He Jin had not yet become a Registrar Military Officer.

That had been the Luyang Prefecture Martial Guard Yamen's most magnificent era.

Even though the Martial Guard Bureau had now expanded nearly tenfold, its might still could not compare to what it had been then.

These days, any official in the city wanted to order the Martial Guards around.

Zhang Yuan himself had received assignments from the Martial Guard Bureau to escort the family members of certain officials on spring outings.

From another perspective, there was some truth to the common people calling today's Black Robe Guards lackeys.

After a long while, He Jin raised his fist and smashed it onto the long table In front of him, a grave expression appearing on his face.

"Zhang Yuan, take Chen Wu with you to the Tang Family."

"I'll go see the Prefect."

"Qian Mu, have the Martial Guard Bureau stand by. Then take my command letter and mobilize the City Patrol Guards."

"Court hounds? They have no idea what it was like when the Black Ice Platform commanded the Martial Guards and sent every official trembling in fear!"

Outside the prefectural yamen prison.

Zhang Yuan, dressed in black robes, held a sentry staff in one hand, his expression calm.

Chen Wu, his face dark and gloomy, held out his hands as two yamen runners removed his iron shackles, then flexed his wrists a few times.

"Brother Chen, we had no choice. You've suffered—don't blame us."

"We're all our own people. If the Tang Family hadn't refused to let it go, we wouldn't have invited Brother Chen here to suffer through the night."

The two yamen runners spoke in low voices with smiles on their faces.

A Big man standing nearby in a constable's uniform kept a stern face. With a snort, he said, "What kind of work is this you've done?"

"If Er He hadn't come looking for me, I wouldn't even have known you'd dragged Little Brother Chen in here."

"Chen Wu, Don't worry. I'll punish them later. Another day, I'll treat you and Er He to drinks."

Zhang Yuan waved his hand with a smile, then cupped his hands. "Elder brother Zheng, don't take it to heart. These youngsters just don't know any better. We've troubled you this time. As for drinks, it should be my treat."

After speaking, he cupped his hands toward the two yamen runners as well, then smiled and Pulled Chen Wu by the clothes, leading him out of the prison.

Watching Zhang Yuan and Chen Wu leave the prison, the constable let out a breath.

"Chief, we've always heard of the name of Righteous and Loyal Second Master Zhang. Seeing it today, it really worked. This morning, the magistrate came to the prison and promised the Tang Family that Chen Wu this Kid would definitely be locked up and not released."

"Sure enough, this Zhang Erhe's reputation really does reach far and wide. He speaks quite pleasantly, too."

The two yamen runners clanked as they gathered up the iron shackles, talking as they did.

"His name worked?" A strange smile Revealed a hint of itself on the constable's face. "He speaks pleasantly?"

"The Luyang Prefecture yamen has registers of Military Merit, along with execution records compiled from every county."

"The number of people Zhang Erhe has killed could account for more than half of the Luyang Prefecture yamen's total over five years."

The two yamen runners felt a chill run down their backs and turned to Looked towards the direction Zhang Yuan and Chen Wu had left.

"You really can't tell that there's such a ruthless man in the Martial Guard Bureau."

"Righteous and Loyal, revered by the martial world—that reputation..."

The two muttered quietly.

"Where in this world does a reputation come for free? Wasn't it all killed out?" the constable murmured. He straightened his clothes. "I'm going to report back to the magistrate."

On the bluestone road, Chen Wu kept his head lowered as he hurried along behind Zhang Yuan.

Zhang Yuan said nothing, and Chen Wu likewise remained silent with his head bowed.

After walking for a while, Chen Wu's steps faltered.

Ahead, the three words Anle District were carved upon an archway.

"Brother Yuan, th-this place is—"

"Anle District." Zhang Yuan raised his head and looked ahead. "The Tang Family of Anle District is up ahead."

"Did you think getting you released would be that easy?"

"I promised the military clerk I'd bring you to the Tang Family to apologize."

Zhang Yuan's words instantly made Chen Wu's face flush crimson.

Apologize?

Make him apologize to the Tang Family?

"They called us Black Robe Guards court hounds, lackeys!"

"We fought to the death in Yong'an County. What gives them the right to look down on us?"

Chen Wu clenched his fists and Growled through gritted teeth.

Zhang Yuan turned around and looked at Chen Wu.

"How much strength did you use last night?"

Chen Wu was stunned for a moment, unable to understand what Zhang Yuan meant.

He knew Zhang Yuan's cultivation was higher than his, and he knew even more that Zhang Yuan had borne much over the years.

Chen Wu had always acted steadily. He was usually the one who helped his brothers settle their troubles and had never caused problems himself, because he felt he owed Zhang Yuan far too much.

In truth, Zhang Yuan was only one year older than him. Yet all of these brothers regarded Zhang Yuan and Master Tao as elders in the Family's, respecting them as such.

Because Zhang Yuan had been a Comrade-in-arms of their fathers and elder brothers, and had done for them what their fathers and brothers had done.

This time, he had truly only acted because he had been drinking. With Miss Feng present, coupled with his return from a bloody battle and his unsettled mind, he had been provoked by those Tang Family Disciples and then made his move.

But even in that fight, he had held back.

Otherwise, how could a group of fellows not even in the Houtian Realm have walked out standing before a Houtian Mid-stage fighter like him, whose fist techniques and martial skills had reached mastery?

"Do you know where you were wrong?" Zhang Yuan glanced at Chen Wu and asked.

"Brother Yuan, I... I..." Chen Wu opened his mouth. "I shouldn't have... shouldn't have..."

Zhang Yuan reached out and patted his shoulder, saying softly, "Now that you've left the academy, Master Tao and I have nothing more we can teach you."

"Today, I'll teach you one final lesson."

With that, he turned and walked forward.

Chen Wu did not see the suppressed killing intent surging in Zhang Yuan's eyes.

To ordinary commoners, the Black Robe Guards still carried some measure of authority. But in the eyes of the great clans within the prefectural city, the Martial Guard Bureau merely handled guard duty and patrols.

The Martial Guard Bureau had remained silent for too long. A mere seventh-rank official could easily order it about.

Even those yamen runners did not take the Martial Guard Bureau seriously; they had dared to seize Black Robe Guards so casually.

When Zhang Yuan had gone to bring Chen Wu out just now, mockery had clearly filled those yamen runners' eyes.

And what was the Tang Family? How dared they fail to put Black Robe Guards in their eyes?

One word from the Tang Family, and Martial Guards who had risked their lives for the country could rot in prison?

The final lesson he would teach Chen Wu today was to let him see that reason was not argued out in this world.

It was killed out.

Chen Wu quickly caught up with Zhang Yuan, yet did not know what to say.

What did he mean by one final lesson?

Was he going to teach him the ways of life, teach him how to bend his waist and lower his head?

He knew all too well that the world was harsh, that one had to bow one's head before great clans and aristocratic families.

He wanted to admit his mistake too.

But grievance choked his heart.

Looking at Zhang Yuan ahead of him, Chen Wu's eyes reddened.

Zhang Yuan wanted him to understand that common folk like them had no right at all to contend with great clans, that they should simply accept their fate—was that it?