Tiger Skin

He walked out of the Imperial Guard Office.

Su Mo's expression suddenly turned gloomy.

"Why you, Lin Moyin!"

"Do you take me for an idiot? Haven't I watched spy movies?"

"What kind of Imperial Guard secret agent is this? You're clearly treating me as bait!"

Su Mo knitted his brows. "Could she suspect that I'm a member of the Heavenly Mother Cult?"

A secret agent—just as the name implied—was a spy.

How could a spy not have a superior contact?

He was only the lowest-ranking Strongman.

Surely Lin Moyin, a Principal Sixth Rank hundred-household commander, wouldn't contact him directly, would she?

Besides, according to what Gao Xin had said earlier, the Imperial Guard had its own rules of operation and laws.

Lin Moyin hadn't even told him anything!

Fucking hell!

There was a ninety percent chance she suspected him of being a member of the Heavenly Mother Cult.

No wonder she had suddenly asked him whether he belonged to the Heavenly Mother Cult!

Or perhaps she was using him as bait, a chess piece, to lure the Heavenly Mother Cult's people into showing themselves!

The more Su Mo thought about it, the gloomier he became!

He couldn't help cursing under his breath again.

This world was truly hard to survive in. There were pitfalls everywhere.

He still had to rise through the ranks, cultivate immortality, and preferably make a fortune along the way!

Of course!

She was using him, but wasn't he also using her to rise through the ranks and make a fortune?

People with value were generally not abandoned easily.

She wanted him to serve as bait.

He would cooperate with her and take the opportunity to build up some goodwill.

After all, his nickname was Su Lengzi.

It was perfectly reasonable for an idiot to make mistakes, right?

One day, when he was riding on top of her head, she would understand how formidable he was!

Su Mo was highly conscious of his role as a chess piece. He simply took his saber in hand and swaggered toward his home!

The Imperial Guard's tiger skin was truly useful.

If changing clothes weren't inconvenient right now,

he would definitely put on the new outfit and see how it looked!

After passing through the Eastern Market, everyone fled to the side in alarm.

Su Mo finally felt the imposing air of an official. Completely unaware that he had become a plague god in the eyes of others, he returned to Ping'an Ward with a smug air.

He increasingly felt that this world was just like an online game.

Equipping high-grade new gear multiplied both attack power and intimidation!

He swaggered back to Jiazi Lane in Ping'an Ward.

From far away, he saw someone waiting outside—the white laborer under his third uncle, Scar Meng.

He hadn't expected him to come too.

When he saw Su Mo return, Scar Meng hurried over. As he reached for the brocade robe and straight saber in Su Mo's hands, he ingratiatingly said, "Officer Su, you're ba—"

As he spoke, his voice suddenly stopped, as though someone had seized him by the throat.

His eyes shifted toward the brocade robe and straight saber in Su Mo's hands. He swallowed several times, yet still couldn't utter a single word!

Su Mo smiled. "Brother Meng, you came too?"

As he spoke, he raised the things in his hands. "It's better if I carry them myself. These things aren't suitable for others to handle!"

Scar Meng finally recovered and swallowed repeatedly. "O... Officer Su, this is..."

Su Mo smiled. "I just went to the office and collected them."

"Don't tell everyone about it!"

Scar Meng nodded repeatedly on instinct. "Rest assured!"

"This humble one absolutely won't spread it around!"

Su Mo asked again, "A lot of people have come to the residence, right?"

"Has Mr. Dong left?"

Scar Meng hurriedly replied, "Mr. Dong is still here!"

"Other than the yamen runners on duty, basically all the Fast Squad constables have come!"

"There are also some Assistant Servants and white laborers familiar with Elder Brother Chen."

"People from Chen family village have come too."

"They came to escort Sister-in-law and the others back."

Su Mo was somewhat surprised.

He hadn't expected Chen Bao to act so quickly.

He had thought his third aunt, Qin Bi'er, and the others wouldn't be able to return until tomorrow.

Salt smugglers really did have extremely well-informed channels.

And they were truly bold!

With the Fast Squad constables gathered and Dong Yangrong present, he still dared to come over.

Was he really not afraid of the constables arresting the salt smugglers and claiming the credit?

Scar Meng obsequiously led Su Mo back to the residence.

The moment he entered, Su Mo smelled a thick aroma of meat.

Three or four tables had been set up in the small courtyard. No one knew where the tables had been borrowed from.

A large iron pot had been set up to the side, filled with a whole pot of stewing meat. A white laborer had volunteered to play the cook and was bustling about beside it.

Twenty or thirty Assistant Servants sat around together.

Some were playing finger-guessing games, some were boasting—what a lively scene!

The people from Chen family village were indeed among them. Chen Bao was drinking with several Assistant Servants until their faces were flushed red.

However, only tea, wine, preserved fruits, and other snacks had been served on the tables. The feast had not yet begun.

They were clearly waiting for Su Mo, the guest of honor, to return.

When they saw Su Mo appear,

the previously clamorous courtyard instantly fell silent.

Although Chen Bao had drunk quite a bit, he was perfectly clear-headed. He was just about to take the initiative to greet Su Mo and show that he had an extraordinary relationship with him.

But in the next second, his reaction was exactly the same as Scar Meng's!

The brocade robe and straight saber more than three feet long were far too eye-catching. It was difficult even to pretend not to see them!

Everyone's eyes swept toward the brocade robe and straight saber in unison!

Then came a steady chorus of inhaled breaths!

Cold sweat even broke out across Chen Bao's forehead.

He had originally thought that Su Mo merely had some connection to the Imperial Guard!

But it turned out that Su Mo was an Imperial Guard officer himself!

Fuck! He had actually struck an Imperial Guard officer with a whip!

And if his daughter became Su Mo's concubine?

The salt smuggler couldn't help imagining all sorts of things!

Fortunately, he had been farsighted!

He had brought over the Yang Tian Jue!

Bringing it over in advance, before knowing that Su Mo was an Imperial Guard officer, and going back to get it after finding out—those would certainly have had completely different effects!

Su Mo saw that everyone had entered a petrified state.

He secretly wondered whether he had overdone the performance a little.

But this was good too.

It fit the image of someone who had just entered society: vigorous, hot-blooded, and a little green around the ears.

If he put on the Imperial Guard's tiger skin without showing it off, and instead displayed a gloomy, seasoned attitude, what would Lin Moyin think?

He had to protect his persona properly.

At a critical moment, this persona might even save his life!

With that thought, Su Mo gave a hearty laugh. "I didn't expect so many brothers from the yamen to come and support this youngster. I truly feel honored!"

His gaze turned toward Chen Bao. "Uncle Chen, you came too?"

Chen Bao hurriedly nodded. "I happened to run into them, so I came over to join the fun!"

"Officer Su... surely you don't mind my presence?"

Su Mo laughed. "How could I?"

"I'm delighted to have you here!"

"I'll have to trouble Uncle Chen to help entertain the brothers from the yamen. I need to go inside and put a few things down!"

At these words, Chen Bao looked as if he had been injected with three pounds of chicken blood.

His already-red face grew even redder.

He thumped his chest loudly. "Don't worry, Officer Su! Your old uncle will certainly entertain them properly! I'll make sure every brother here drinks until he can't leave sober!"

The other Assistant Servants and white laborers chimed in one after another!

Inside the main hall,

there was only a single table.

Naturally, the wine here was better than that outside.

After all, anyone who could take a seat in the main hall was no ordinary person.

Dong Yangrong, Captain Zhong, Luo Lie, Lu Shan—who among them wasn't a renowned figure in Changping County?

The other few accompanying guests were also veteran constables with deep roots in the yamen.

Any one of them could make a crying child fall silent just by showing up!

When they saw Su Mo enter,

the first thing everyone noticed was the blue brocade robe and straight saber. Each revealed an unusual expression.

Their reactions were still somewhat better than those of the Assistant Servants and white laborers outside.

After all, they had all seen the world!

Su Mo turned his head and looked around but didn't see his third aunt, Qin Bi'er, or the others.

Clearly, the women were in the inner hall.

Chen Gan forced his gaze away from the brocade robe and straight saber. "Mo'er, you're back!"

After a pause, he finally regained some semblance of normality. "Hurry and put those things away!"

"Mr. Dong, Captain Zhong, and the others have all been waiting for you!"

Dong Yangrong smiled. "The guest of honor hadn't returned, so naturally we couldn't begin the feast."

"Is everything taken care of, Little Brother Su?"

Su Mo casually placed the brocade robe and straight saber to the side. "It was actually nothing important."

"Uncle, you're something else!"

"How could you have Mr. Dong sitting in a secondary seat? Hurry and invite Mr. Dong to move to the chief seat!"

Dong Yangrong waved his hand. "That won't do!"

"As a scholar, if I usurp the host's place and show no regard for etiquette, wouldn't I become a laughingstock?"

He straightened his face. "The chief seat must go to Little Brother Su. Otherwise, it would mean you intend to drive this uninvited guest away."

Zhong Sanyuan beside him hurriedly agreed with a laugh. "Brother Su, don't stand on ceremony with Mr. Dong!"

"Hurry and take your seat. Everyone's been waiting for you."

"I've had a bellyful of wine. If I don't find something to fill my stomach soon, I'll end up sleeping here until dead drunk tonight!"

Su Mo laughed heartily. "It's all because this youngster had too many matters to attend to!"

"I'll punish myself with a bowl first!"

"Later, I'll make sure you and Captain Zhong eat to your hearts' content!"

With that,

he boldly picked up the wine jar and poured himself a full bowl.

Although the wine was of a higher grade than that outside, at most it was only around seven or eight percent alcohol—barely stronger than beer.

It was just one bowl. What was there to worry about?

Su Mo, transformed into a wine god, drained it in a single gulp.