New Appointment

The sun had just passed its zenith.

But the sky was gradually darkening, and before anyone knew it, dark clouds covered the sky, and a drizzle began to fall.

The number of pedestrians on the road immediately decreased a lot. By the time Chen Mu arrived at the City Guard, the square outside was already a chaotic scene of stalls being packed up. His Yamen Runner uniform was also quite wet.

The drizzle sprinkled on the walls of the City Guard, slowly dripping down along some long-neglected cracks.

Despite the rain, Chen Mu's mood was clearer than ever. The dense dark clouds had no effect on him. As soon as he entered the City Guard, he saw a crowd of people bustling about.

The chaotic crowd numbered about one or two hundred. It seemed that all three shifts of Yamen Runners from the Nine Stripes Ward City Guard had arrived. They were all crowded under the eaves and in the doorways, sheltering from the rain.

"Chen Er!"

Liu Song and Li Tie were also mixed in the crowd. Li Tie had sharp eyes and saw Chen Mu entering through the main gate at a glance. He immediately shouted at Chen Mu and waved his hand: "Over here!"

Chen Mu had originally planned to go directly to Min Baoyi, but seeing the gathering of all three shifts of the City Guard, he vaguely understood something. So he walked inside, passing by Liu Song, Li Tie, and the others.

"Why are you so late?"

Liu Song gave him a slightly reproachful look.

He and Li Tie had been called back while on patrol. Although they didn't know what it was about, such a gathering of three shifts was rare, usually only happening for important events. It would be terrible to be singled out for unexcused absence.

They had been waiting for Chen Mu for a long time and were a little worried. Fortunately, Chen Mu arrived in time, before the Yamen Runner Captains. It wouldn't have looked good if they had waited until the Yamen Runner Captains had all arrived.

"Something held me up."

Chen Mu knew that Liu Song and Li Tie's concern was well-intentioned, so he smiled at them, but didn't stop. Instead, he continued to walk inside, along the somewhat crowded doorway.

"Huh? Where are you going?"

Liu Song immediately showed a strange expression.

But the crowd nearby was dense and noisy, and he didn't hear Chen Mu's response. He only saw Chen Mu's back disappearing into the crowded Yamen Runners, gone without a trace.

Liu Song turned his head and exchanged a glance with Li Tie, then shrugged. Anyway, it was good that Chen Mu had arrived at the City Guard in time, so he wouldn't be caught out by the Yamen Runner Captains. Nothing else mattered.

Chen Mu didn't return.

After nearly half an hour, Liu Song and Li Tie still hadn't seen Chen Mu return. They were both wondering what Chen Mu was doing, but with so many people, they couldn't go looking for him. Besides, they had been waiting here for so long after the three shifts of Yamen Runners were summoned, and they didn't know what it was about.

After waiting a little longer, a sound came from the doorway at the main gate of the City Guard.

"Lord Qin!"

"Lord Zhao!"

The crowded people cleared a path from the doorway, revealing three figures walking in from outside.

Leading the way was Yamen Runner Captain Qin Bei and Zhao Zong, stroking his beard. Beside them was Ren Yan. All three of them had a slightly tipsy look, as if they had just finished drinking and had rushed over after receiving the notification.

Qin Bei's cheeks were slightly flushed from the alcohol. He glanced at the crowded City Guard with a strange look. The Yamen Director summoning three shifts of Yamen Runners must be a major event, but he, the Yamen Runner Captain, didn't know about it beforehand. Although he had been drinking with Zhao Zong and Ren Yan, he should have been told in advance what it was about. But the person who informed him only told him to return as soon as possible.

"Brother Qin, this..."

Ren Yan also looked at Qin Bei hesitantly.

His address for Qin Bei had changed from 'Captain Qin' to 'Brother Qin'. Clearly, the relationship had grown closer after the drinking session.

Qin Bei stroked his chin and said, "Either something urgent happened, or it's about Old Zhao and you... but it seems a bit too early. No need to rush, I'll go inside and ask."

He guessed it was an emergency, and they didn't have time to tell him the specific reason. He could just ask the Yamen Director inside.

Zhao Zong also nodded slightly beside him, saying, "Little Ren, you stay here for now."

With that.

The two of them walked towards the main hall of the City Guard together.

All the Yamen Runners along the way stepped aside and respectfully saluted.

At the same time, they looked at Ren Yan, who was following behind Qin Bei and Zhao Zong, with envious eyes. Currently, Ren Yan was the only one in the City Guard who had such a close relationship with the two Yamen Runner Captains.

Qin Bei and Zhao Zong walked all the way to the outside of the main hall. Just as they were about to enter, they saw someone walking out towards them.

Hmm?

Qin Bei was slightly stunned, recognizing the person as one of the Yamen Runners under his jurisdiction.

"Chen Mu?"

Not knowing how Chen Mu came out from the inner hall, a hint of doubt flashed in Qin Bei's eyes. He called out to stop him, intending to inquire about it first.

At this time, the noisy surroundings quieted down a lot with the arrival of Qin Bei and Zhao Zong. Now, the gazes of many Yamen Runners turned towards this side, including Liu Song and Li Tie, who also saw Chen Mu coming out of the main hall, feeling somewhat puzzled.

However.

Just as Qin Bei was about to question Chen Mu.

Three more people walked out from the inner hall, wearing blue Yamen Runner uniforms, who were the other three Yamen Runner Captains of the Nine Stripes Ward City Guard. Two of them were Wang Gong and Zhong Chang, who had previously traveled with Min Baoyi.

"Old Zhao, Old Qin, you're both here."

Wang Gong saw Qin Bei and Zhao Zong walking over and greeted them with a smile.

Zhong Chang also said with a chuckle, "Where did you go drinking? Why didn't you invite your old brother?"

Qin Bei was slightly stunned.

The gathering of three teams probably meant something big, but Wang Gong and Zhong Chang's attitudes didn't seem like a big deal. They even had time to greet him and joke around, so he felt a bit strange. He couldn't bother with Chen Mu at the moment, so he looked at Wang Gong, cupped his hands, and said, "We were delayed on the road and arrived a bit late. I wonder what the Yamen Director has gathered us for..."

"You'll find out soon enough."

Wang Gong said with a smile, but didn't explain.

Now, not only did Qin Bei frown slightly, feeling puzzled, but even Zhao Zong beside him felt strange. He pondered for a moment and was about to go in and ask when he saw a figure walking out of the inner hall with steady steps.

The person was wearing a dark green Yamen Runner uniform, with a burly figure and a dignified gaze, who was none other than Yamen Director Min Baoyi.

"Yamen Director."

Including Qin Bei, Zhao Zong, Wang Gong, and the other Yamen Runner Captains bowed slightly to Min Baoyi and saluted.

And the large group of Yamen Runners below the steps and under the corridor of the rear gatehouse all knelt down on one knee in unison, greeting him.

Chen Mu stood beside Qin Bei and Zhao Zong, also cupping his hands towards Min Baoyi, but the title that came out of his mouth made Qin Bei, Zhao Zong, and some of the nearby Yamen Runners stumble.

"Brother Min."

The moment this title was uttered, Qin Bei's gaze almost instantly shifted from Min Baoyi to Chen Mu, his eyes widening slightly, revealing a look of astonishment.

Min... Old Brother?

How dare he address Min Baoyi like that? Even he, a Yamen Runner Captain, wouldn't presume to be so familiar!

It wasn't just Qin Bei; apart from a few like Wang Gong and Zhong Chang, Zhao Zong also stared blankly at Chen Mu. The Yamen Runners kneeling on one knee closest to him nearly dropped their jaws in shock.

Then.

Something even more astonishing happened. Min Baoyi, far from being angry at being addressed in such a way, nodded at Chen Mu with a smile. He then swept his gaze across the entire scene and said in a deep voice.

"Yamen Runner Captain Zhao Zong is advanced in years and unable to handle the various affairs of the City Guard. Now, this City Guard has approved, and after review by the Chief Constable, Zhao Zong is permitted to retire. The position of Yamen Runner Captain will not be abolished for the time being, but all affairs under his jurisdiction will be temporarily managed by the newly appointed Yamen Runner Captain Chen Mu."

As soon as these words came out.

The entire place fell silent.

Countless gazes focused on Chen Mu, filled with shock, astonishment, disbelief, and bewilderment!

Especially Liu Song and Li Tie, who were familiar with Chen Mu, their eyes widened, and they were so shocked that they almost dropped their jaws.

At the same time.

At Butcher Zhang's house.

Having finished lunch, Butcher Zhang was now sitting in the courtyard, basking in the sun with a full belly, while Chen Hong was sweeping the yard not far away, but her eyes were still full of worry, and she occasionally looked outside, waiting for Zhang Hai's reply.

Finally, after a while, Zhang Hai's round and chubby figure walked in from outside the door, looking somewhat lost. He almost tripped over the threshold when he entered, staggering a few times and nearly falling flat on his face.

"Careless, what do you look like!"

Butcher Zhang, who was squinting and basking in the sun, looked over at the commotion and scolded.

But Zhang Hai seemed not to hear him, still walking inside in a daze.

"Xiao Hai?"

Chen Hong put down her broom and walked over, asking with concern, "How did it go over there? Did something happen?"

Zhang Hai continued to walk forward in a daze, almost knocking Chen Hong over. He only stopped in a daze after bumping into her.

Looking at Butcher Zhang, who was sitting up and frowning, Chen Hong, who was full of worry, and Zhang Youying, who was washing clothes in the west of the courtyard and curiously pricking up her ears to listen, Zhang Hai's lips moved, but no sound came out.

He seemed not to know where to start, his face still looking as if he were in a dream.

It was not until Butcher Zhang scolded him a few more times that Zhang Hai spoke intermittently, using a tone that he still could not understand, about what he had just seen. Chen Hong was stunned, Butcher Zhang was in a daze, and Zhang Youying in the distance was listening as if to a heavenly book.

This...

What is all this about?

How could the City Guard's Yamen Director stand up for Chen Mu, and even call Chen Mu brother?

Zhang Youying opened her mouth, looking at Zhang Hai in disbelief. If it weren't for Zhang Hai's dazed and lost appearance, her first reaction would probably be that Zhang Hai was talking nonsense and deliberately joking.

But...

Wasn't Chen Mu just a dirt-poor, low-level Yamen Runner?

Not to mention a dignified Yamen Director, even if a Yamen Runner Captain were to become sworn brothers with Chen Mu, that would be quite remarkable, and he wouldn't be so impoverished.

"Brother Hai, did you really see clearly? Was it really the Yamen Director?"

Zhang Youying was still somewhat incredulous.

The flesh on Zhang Hai's face bunched up as he said, "I... I didn't see clearly, but in this world, who would dare to impersonate a Yamen Director..."

Indeed.

In this Nine Stripes Ward, or even the entire South District, who would dare to impersonate a Yamen Director to swindle, that would be like the old man of the south pole hanging himself, tired of living.

Zhang Youying was somewhat at a loss after hearing this.

Just as the courtyard was silent, Butcher Zhang slammed his hand on the railing and said to Zhang Hai with a sullen face, "This is a good thing, why are you wearing a mourning face? Get out of the way!"

After saying that, he turned to look at Chen Hong and said solemnly, "I said long ago that your nephew is a dragon among men, and being an ordinary Yamen Runner is burying his talent. As long as he has a chance, he can rise rapidly. Tomorrow, you take a few catties of pork and a few catties of cartilage, and I will go with you to offer congratulations."

Hearing these words.

Chen Hong gradually woke up from her dream and responded.

Zhang Hai and Zhang Youying next to her still had a blank look on their faces.