Constable's Regular Meeting Speech, Secretly Pledging a Smooth Ascent

Chief Constable Zhang, whose given name was De, was like a god in this small patch of land known as the Southern District.

His gaze swept across the courtyard. The temporary constables all lowered their heads, not daring to meet his eyes. The official constables, however, straightened their backs even further.

Zhang De walked to the armchair beneath the main house's eaves. Without sitting immediately, he turned to face the crowd. Behind him, two more men walked out side-by-side.

The one on the left was tall and thin, with a pale complexion and a goatee. He walked with a slight sway of his sleeves, possessing a scholarly air. This was Chief Constable Li.

The one on the right was short and stout, with a kind face. When he smiled, his eyes narrowed into slits, making him look like a wealthy merchant. This was Chief Constable Huang.

As the three stood under the eaves, the very air in the courtyard seemed to grow heavier.

Wei Datong, standing beside Ye Qingxuan, lowered his head even further, almost burying it in his chest. He only dared to steal glances from the corners of his eyes.

Zhang De cleared his throat, his voice booming and echoing through the courtyard:

"Fellow colleagues, I have a few words to say at this morning's roll call."

"A few days ago, the Fengtian Division struck like lightning, eradicating the Green Fish Gang that had plagued the southern part of the city for years! In this operation, we beheaded their leader, captured their core members, and confiscated countless ill-gotten silver and goods, thus enhancing the prestige of our Fengtian Division!"

He paused, his tone growing more impassioned: "We receive the Emperor's sustenance and bear the Emperor's burdens. Beneath the surface of Linyuan Prefecture, dark currents surge, gangs run rampant, and evil breeds. Our Fengtian Division is a sharp sword suspended above these murky waters! Our duty is to slay all demons and monsters, and restore a bright and clear world for the people!"

His speech was powerful and resonant. Several young official constables' chests heaved, and excitement flickered across their faces.

"Well said!"

"Destroying the gangs is our duty!"

Under the eaves, several constables echoed his sentiments, and the atmosphere became momentarily charged.

Wei Datong, standing nearby, curled his lip. He nudged Ye Qingxuan with his elbow, his voice extremely low, squeezed through his teeth: "They only talk about power, but they don't hand out rewards. The profits from the Green Fish Gang still ended up in their pockets."

Ye Qingxuan remained silent.

Half of his attention was focused on his body's reaction. After two nights of arduous training, standing in the morning breeze, he felt no chill. Instead, a warmth emanated from him. The bruises from last night's self-inflicted blows itched and tingled beneath his skin, like countless ants crawling and regenerating.

The other half of his attention was fixed on the three armchairs under the eaves.

Chief Constable Zhang spoke with great spirit and eloquence.

Chief Constable Li stroked his beard, nodding slightly, looking as if he held all the wisdom in his hands.

Chief Constable Huang listened with a smile, occasionally picking up his teacup, blowing away the foam, and taking a sip.

The tea was fine Mingqian Longjing. Its fragrance, mixed with steam, drifted far, and Ye Qingxuan could smell it.

As he listened to Chief Constable Zhang's impassioned words, Ye Qingxuan's mind was calculating something else.

His cultivation last night had yielded more merit. His body's recovery speed was even faster than he had anticipated. The beef and ten eggs he had consumed had been almost entirely absorbed by his body.

If... he could have a good meal at noon, perhaps he could train twice that night.

Others undergoing Body Tempering practiced every three days and endured every five, often needing medicinal baths to avoid damaging their foundation. But his Heavenly Machine Codex could transform damage into nothingness.

Twice a night... or even three times?

As long as he could keep up with the food, his progress would be unimaginable to others.

Money.

Ultimately, it all came down to money.

Ye Qingxuan's gaze returned to the three Chief Constables.

They sat there, and hot tea was served. Their words could decide the fate of the Green Fish Gang and the destination of countless stolen silver. Their official uniforms represented power and wealth.

A true man should be like this.

This thought hadn't appeared out of nowhere. It was like a deeply buried seed that, under Duan Tianbao's coercion last night and in this clearly stratified courtyard this morning, finally broke through the soil and saw the light.

Surviving was only the first step.

He wanted to live with his head held high, to live with dignity.

He wanted Nannan to be well-fed and clothed, to no longer have to curry favor with others, to no longer live in fear.

He didn't want to listen to others speak from up there anymore.

He wanted to sit there and listen.

No, he wanted to stand there and speak to the people below!

Ye Qingxuan's hands, hanging at his sides, quietly clenched and then slowly relaxed.

The speech on the platform continued, from commending the meritorious to reprimanding those who had been negligent on duty, rambling on for the time it took an incense stick to burn.

Most of the temporary constables in the courtyard were already drowsy, but they forced themselves to stay alert, not daring to move.

Xiong Tiezhu stood not far away, like an iron tower, motionless. It was unclear if he was listening or contemplating his boxing techniques.

Finally, Zhang De finished speaking and picked up his teacup to moisten his throat.

An official constable stepped forward, unfurled a roster, and began assigning the day's tasks.

"East city, Tianguan Street, Zhang San, Li Si..."

"West city, Mialiang Alley, Zhao Wu, Wang Mazi..."

Names were called one by one. Temporary constables stepped forward in response, received their waist tokens in pairs, and hurried away.

Ye Qingxuan's heart sank.

He needed money, and he needed a quick way to get it. Patrolling the streets was as dull as dishwater; he wouldn't even scrape up enough to buy lamp oil in a day.

What he needed were jobs with bounties, or assignments that would let him mingle with all sorts of people and gather information.

"Pear Blossom Alley," the constable's voice rang out again, "Ye Qingxuan, Wei Datong, Xiong Tiezhu."

The three of them?

The others remaining in the courtyard looked over.

Patrols were usually done in pairs, so three going together was unusual.

Wei Datong blinked in surprise, then a pleased look spread across his face. He nudged Ye Qingxuan with his elbow, winked, and lowered his voice, "Pear Blossom Alley, now that's a good place. The Fragrant Courtyard there just got a new singer, they say she's quite good…"

Ye Qingxuan ignored his lewd remarks and simply replied, "Here!"

Xiong Tiezhu grunted his assent.

The three stepped forward and stood before the constable.

The constable glanced at them, his gaze lingering for a moment on Xiong Tiezhu's burly frame before sweeping over Ye Qingxuan and Wei Datong. He frowned almost imperceptibly.

"Pear Blossom Alley has been a bit restless lately. Some ruffians, emboldened by their numbers, have been extorting 'protection money' from businesses. The three of you go there, patrol frequently, keep an eye out. If any trouble arises, don't act rashly. Report back first."

The words sounded like advice, but they were actually a warning.

It meant that the three of them, temporary hires, were just there to make up numbers. They shouldn't think they were important enough to get into a fight.

Wei Datong nodded and bowed repeatedly, "Yes, yes, boss, don't worry, we understand."

The constable said no more, tossing three waist tokens to them before turning and heading back into the rear hall.

The assembly was dismissed.

The people in the courtyard dispersed in moments.

Wei Datong, holding his waist token, looked excited. "Let's go, let's go to Pear Blossom Alley! I'm telling you, that place is nothing like our Southern District. It's full of opportunities. And that Sun's Roasted Goose stall at the alley entrance, tsk tsk, you can smell the aroma from half a li away."

Xiong Tiezhu slung his heavy saber over his shoulder and strode ahead.

Ye Qingxuan followed behind, his mind still racing.

Pear Blossom Alley...

He knew that place.

It was one of Linyuan Prefecture City's pleasure districts. While the Southern District was the "den" of the poor, Pear Blossom Alley was the "playground" of the wealthy and idle.

It had restaurants, teahouses, gambling dens, and several brothels. It was crowded, with all sorts of people mixing together.

The ruffians collecting "protection money" indicated that the Fengtian Division was already struggling to maintain order there.

In places like this, where officials, gangs, and local powers were intertwined, the waters were muddier.

And where the waters were muddy, it was easier to fish.

The three of them walked out of the yamen gate. The morning sun was bright, casting a warm glow on them.

Ye Qingxuan took a deep breath of the air, tinged with dust and the smell of cooking fires.

Today, perhaps, was just the beginning.

The beginning of a way for him to turn his strength into silver.