The Jailer's Reward

All right, here's the requested twentieth chapter:

The title of the twentieth chapter: The Jailer's Reward

"Yi Gun Xu" had become a familiar name among the lower-ranking jailers in Zone D, now that the rat infestation had mostly subsided. It might have sounded a little ridiculous, but the results were real. At least in the area Zhou Kang oversaw, many more prisoners and jailers could sleep soundly at night.

After roll call that day, Zhou Kang didn't hurry to assign tasks. Instead, he called Xu Qian to his Guard Room alone.

The familiar stench of cheap tea leaves and tobacco still hung in the Guard Room. Zhou Kang sat in a rickety wooden chair. Rather than wearing his usual stern expression, he had a faint smile at the corners of his mouth, and his fingers tapped the tabletop at irregular intervals.

"Xu Qian, you handled the rat infestation well," Zhou Kang said bluntly, with a rare gentleness in his voice. "You came up with a folk remedy to drive the rats away, and you were willing to put in the effort to clean up. You saved me a lot of trouble."

Xu Qian hurriedly bowed, putting on just the right look of flattered surprise. "You're too kind, Captain Zhou. It was all part of my job. I was just a blind cat stumbling upon a dead mouse."

"Enough with the empty talk." Zhou Kang laughed and scolded him, then pulled a small cloth pouch from his robe, weighed it in his hand, and tossed it to Xu Qian. "Take it. It's a little reward from the higher-ups. You've earned it."

Xu Qian caught the pouch. It felt heavy in his hand—probably two or three taels of silver. For a low-ranking jailer in the Heavenly Prison, whose monthly pay was only a few hundred copper coins, that was a real windfall!

"This... Captain Zhou, this is too much..." Xu Qian protested, though inwardly he was overjoyed. Finally, I'm seeing some returns! All that rat fumigation and practicing Rat Extermination Swordplay wasn't for nothing!

"Take it when I tell you to!" Zhou Kang glared. "Would I shortchange someone who's done a good job? And on top of that, I'm giving you a day off. You don't have to come to roll call tomorrow. Go get some fresh air, and buy yourself something nice to eat or use."

A day off, too? Xu Qian was genuinely surprised now. He'd been in the Heavenly Prison so long that he'd almost forgotten what the outside world looked like. It was only one day, but it was enough to get a feel for Divine Capital and pick up a few things.

"Thank you, Captain Zhou! Thank you!" This time, Xu Qian's gratitude was much more sincere.

"Mm." Zhou Kang nodded in satisfaction, then added, "You're quick-witted and hardworking, kid. You've got potential. Stick with me, and there'll be plenty of benefits in your future."

"Yes! I'll work hard and follow your lead, Captain Zhou!" Xu Qian immediately pledged his loyalty.

After leaving the Guard Room, with the heavy silver pouch in his pocket and a day off ahead of him, Xu Qian felt his steps grow lighter. The silver was secondary; what mattered was Zhou Kang's attitude. The old jailer had clearly started to see him as someone worth cultivating, one of his own. That kind of connection could sometimes be worth more than silver.

However, Xu Qian didn't let the little reward go to his head. He knew that in a place like the Heavenly Prison, keeping all your gains to yourself was a cardinal sin. Especially for a newcomer like him, with no backing. A sudden reward and a day off could easily make people jealous.

I should share some of this windfall. At the very least, the people who ought to know should see that I, Xu Qian, know how to behave.

The first person he sought out was Zhang Meng, who was huffing and puffing as he swept the corridor.

"Brother Meng, leave that for now. Captain Zhou gave me a reward and a day off. Let's get something nice tonight and have a little feast!" Xu Qian said with a grin, giving the cloth pouch a shake.

Zhang Meng's eyes lit up. He dropped his broom and hurried over. "Really? Captain Zhou's that generous? Heh! You've sure got a knack for this, kid! All right! I'll treat you tonight! I know a place outside that makes the best braised meat!"

"How could I let you pay?" Xu Qian tucked the pouch into his robe. "I got the reward, so I'm treating. And not just the two of us. I was thinking... shouldn't we invite Captain Zhou for a drink, too? Show our gratitude?"

Zhang Meng paused and scratched his head. "Invite Captain Zhou? Would he even come?"

"Whether he comes is up to him. Inviting him is about showing we care," Xu Qian said quietly. "Besides, where would we be now without Captain Zhou's support?"

Zhang Meng didn't quite understand, but Xu Qian's words sounded reasonable, so he nodded firmly. "All right! I'll do what you say!"

So, after their shift ended, Xu Qian first took Zhang Meng to a shop outside. They bought some premium braised meat, other marinated delicacies, and seasonal candied fruit, along with two jin of decent liquor. Then Xu Qian sent Zhang Meng to wait at the dormitory. He took one portion of braised meat—clearly larger and wrapped more carefully than the rest—and a bottle of liquor, and knocked on the door of Zhou Kang's Guard Room again.

"Captain Zhou, I'm grateful for your kindness today and the reward you gave me. Zhang Meng and I bought some food and drink, and we'd like to invite you to join us for a couple of drinks, just to show our appreciation. What do you think?" Xu Qian asked respectfully and sincerely.

Zhou Kang looked at the things in Xu Qian's hands, then at his apparently genuine expression. A flicker of surprise crossed his eyes, quickly replaced by a trace of understated approval.

This kid didn't just know how to get things done; he understood the ways of the world. He'd received a reward and knew to share it, and, more importantly, he knew to show respect to his superior. That was rare. Plenty of hotheaded youngsters got a little credit and started looking down their noses at everyone, or valued money more than their own lives. People like that never got far.