The Inner City, the County Magistrate's residence.
County Commandant He Zhang wore a black official robe. His face was tense as he hurried inside.
Entering the main hall, he saw the County Vice-Magistrate standing off to one side with his head bowed. He also saw the county officials standing in two lines, their necks hunched. His unease deepened, and he immediately dropped to his knees in greeting.
"I didn't know the Lord from Prefecture City had arrived. This subordinate failed to welcome you from afar. Please forgive me, my lord."
No one answered him.
He saw only the figure in the middle, standing with his back to him and his hands clasped behind his back.
A moment passed.
"He Zhang, I'll give you one chance to explain yourself. If your answer doesn't satisfy me, you'll go to prison and await your punishment."
Beneath his official hat, He Zhang had already started to sweat.
Though his personal strength was unrivaled throughout the army, at this moment, in the face of power and status, it gave him little confidence.
He knew the man before him came from Prefecture City. Even if he wasn't the new county magistrate, dealing with He Zhang would take no more than a single word.
"The mountain bandits were cunning and vile. They disguised themselves as archers and hid atop the city wall. This subordinate failed in his duty, and Your Excellency is right to punish me. I have no complaints!"
He Zhang knew there was no use trying to shift the blame. Better to show a good attitude and hope for lenient treatment.
"Hmph! A mere band of mountain bandits had you, the dignified County Commandant, dancing in circles. They even caused the former County Magistrate to die in his own residence. The city defenses are a farce, and military discipline is lax. You, the County Commandant, are nothing but a figurehead.
"Tell me, what reason do I have to leave you in this position?"
The new County Magistrate turned and rebuked him furiously. He looked young, no more than twenty, yet seemed born with the bearing of someone in high office. Not a soul in the hall dared even breathe too loudly.
He Zhang's face turned deathly pale.
"Today, I'll strip you of your official hat, dismiss you from your post as County Commandant, and throw you in prison to await your punishment!"
At these words, He Zhang's hopes crumbled. With nowhere left to turn, he hardened his heart, sprang to his feet, and lunged at the noble from Prefecture City before him.
His attack was as swift as lightning. An ordinary person wouldn't even have been able to follow his movements.
"Impudent!" The guard at the side sensed the attack, shifted one step, and kicked out.
Bang!
The next moment, the doors to the hall shattered as He Zhang went tumbling into the courtyard. He was just about to struggle to his feet when the guard, moving like his shadow, leapt into the air and stomped on his chest. He nearly passed out.
The mighty Lord He, the strongest martial artist in the county, now stood no chance against this mere guard from Prefecture City!
If outsiders had witnessed this scene, it would surely have sent shockwaves through the region.
"Take him away!"
The Outer City, a small courtyard.
"Brother Zhao, people are saying all over the streets and alleys that Prefecture City has sent a new County Magistrate." Li Gou'er, ever well-informed, told Zhao An.
"They also say the new magistrate is very young, without even a whisker on his chin. I wonder if he can deal with the bandits up in the mountains."
"If you ask me, it'll be hard!"
"Black Wind Stronghold is so powerful. Who knows, this new County Magistrate might not last long either..."
With the door shut, Li Gou'er let his mouth run wild. He dared say anything.
Just then, someone pounded on the door.
"Who's that? Can't a man have some peace early in the morning?" Li Gou'er was interrupted mid-sentence, so he had to go answer the door.
The moment he saw who was outside, he jolted in fright and clenched his buttocks tight.
A line of constables stood on either side of the entrance. The scene looked as if he'd committed some heinous crime and they'd come to arrest him.
"Could they have heard me running my mouth at home...?"
"County Vice-Magistrate's here. Why aren't you welcoming him?" Zhao Ke at the gate didn't care what Li Gou'er thought. Seeing his legs wobble, he shoved him aside and called out to Zhao An in the courtyard.
"County Vice-Magistrate?" Zhao An was just as surprised that this important visitor had come to his door.
He put down his pen and paper and went outside to see.
A government carriage had stopped by the street, and the constables had already driven away the passersby nearby.
A middle-aged scholar dressed in fine clothes stepped out of the carriage.
Zhao An saw at once that this was the County Vice-Magistrate.
The position was more or less second-in-command in the county. When the County Magistrate was away, he was responsible for overseeing everything.
His status was so exalted that ordinary commoners would be hard-pressed even to catch a glimpse of him.
Zhao An had no idea why such an important person from the county had suddenly come to visit an obscure nobody like him.
When the County Vice-Magistrate drew closer, Zhao An greeted him according to etiquette.
"This isn't the courtroom, so there's no need for such formalities, Hero Zhao." Fan Li helped Zhao An to his feet himself, speaking with a smile.
"Hero?" Zhao An didn't even know when he'd become a hero.
If anyone else had been treated this way by the current County Vice-Magistrate, they would surely have been overwhelmed by the honor.
But Zhao An wasn't a "local" born and bred here, so he didn't think much of it.
He welcomed the County Vice-Magistrate into the courtyard and served him tea.
Fan Li seemed in no hurry to get down to business. His eyes fell on the brush and ink on the stone table, and they lit up as he remarked, "Whose hand wrote these characters?"
"I did," Zhao An replied.
Zhao Ke, who was keeping them company, widened his eyes.
Could that fool Zhao An really write? What utter nonsense.
But he'd already heard that morning that the County Vice-Magistrate was coming in person to meet Zhao An. That alone was strange enough.
"Fine handwriting. I didn't expect you to have such a skillful hand, young friend." Fan Li praised him.
"You're too kind, my lord." Zhao An's calligraphy hadn't originally been very good, but for days now, he'd been using Soul Slaves to practice calligraphy and study.
After he'd absorbed what those Soul Slaves had learned, even though Zhao An's handwriting had once been an eyesore, it was now neat and orderly, with even a trace of a master's style.
Fan Li could tell at a glance that this calligraphy couldn't have been achieved without a decade or more of practice.
"Are you practicing military strategy on this paper? Do you want to take the Martial Examination?" Fan Li glanced over the writing and guessed what Zhao An was aiming for.
"Exactly. Your Excellency has a keen eye. I do intend to pursue an official title this year." Zhao An saw no need to hide it and admitted it frankly.
"Once you earn that title, what then? Do you want to join the army and become a general, or serve as a local official?" Fan Li stepped closer and asked.
"I have no such ambitions. I only want an official title to protect myself from being bullied." Zhao An shook his head.
"I see..." Fan Li stroked his beard and fell silent for a moment before speaking. "I came today for two reasons. First, to reward you for killing bandits. Second, to recruit you as a guest of my household. But from what I see, your ambitions lie elsewhere, and you probably wouldn't be willing to come with me to Prefecture City."
"I'm grateful for your kindness, my lord." Zhao An politely declined. He didn't want to serve anyone.
"What a pity. You're a talented man." Fan Li looked Zhao An up and down, undisguised admiration in his eyes.
But that was simply his nature. Since Zhao An wasn't interested, he wouldn't force him.
"You beheaded Guo Fenglin, the chief flag-bearer of Black Wind Stronghold. That achievement belongs to you, but you have no intention of entering officialdom, so for a moment, I'm not sure what reward to offer." Fan Li said.
"Would you like silver?"
Zhao An's heart stirred. "I'll be so bold as to ask: might I have a chance to visit the Armory and study the martial arts manuals and Military Combat Methods collected there?"
He wasn't someone who wanted nothing. If he had a chance to gain something, he wouldn't pretend to be above it and refuse everything.
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