If I Can't Be a Silver Badge Constable, I Can Be the Man Behind One

That afternoon, Lin Liben boarded the carriage with Shen Ruyu, looking full and satisfied from food and drink.

"I will truthfully report Cloud Mountain County's situation to the Prefect. I hope you will also take the previous events as a warning and refrain from causing such a great commotion again."

As the carriage left the county seat, the county magistrate looked at everyone. "You all heard what Lord Lin said just now. Over the next few days, not only the constables, but also the yamen runners guarding the gates, standing watch, and watching the cells are to visit the villages and see whether any demons are still lurking."

"If any are found, I will personally take action and slay them!"

Zhou Yafeng turned and returned to the rear office. Zheng Fengyun beckoned Cui Lang over and brought him to the county commandant's office.

"Cui Lang, what did Shen Ruyu say when she went to the storeroom with you?"

Cui Lang looked utterly bewildered. "She did not say much. She only instructed me to handle the scene properly, then asked whether any of the six demons had been slain by my subordinates. I said we had worked together to kill one."

Zheng Fengyun stared at Cui Lang. "That was all? Nothing else?"

"Oh, I remember, there was one more thing." Cui Lang looked at Zheng Fengyun expectantly. "Lady Shen said that the county chief constable is generally appointed from the county's recommendations, but the position cannot remain vacant for more than a month."

"Lord Zheng, could I advance a few Blood Pills and first attempt to break through to the Essence Gathering Realm? Whatever needs doing in the future, leave it to me. I will certainly see it done."

Zheng Fengyun glared at Cui Lang. He had thought it was something important. So Cui Lang was merely worried that the chief constable position would fall into someone else's hands.

He treated the position of a ninth-rank chief constable like some priceless treasure. As expected, he had never seen the world.

Why had he not taken the opportunity to probe whether Shen Ruyu suspected anything?

"There is no rush for that. What was the outcome when you went to meet them yesterday?"

Zheng Fengyun already knew the outcome. Everyone had found Cui Lang's performance satisfactory, but before Cui Lang, he still had to put on an act of knowing nothing.

"Lord Zheng, those demons are all willing to continue providing Blood Pills. But considering that the prefectural yamen might investigate, I told them not to show themselves lately, much less harm anyone. They must not bring trouble upon us."

"The two officials from the prefectural yamen have left. Shall I notify them again tonight and have them speed up the refining of Blood Pills?"

"Oh, and the cat demon from Song Family Village handed over all of this month's Blood Pills in advance. Please inspect them, Lord Zheng."

Zheng Fengyun opened the bottle Cui Lang handed him and swept his gaze over it. He nodded in satisfaction. "You did well. They should indeed lie low for a few days."

"Although the prefectural yamen's people have already left after this investigation, we still cannot let down our guard. Notify them to refine Blood Pills in a few days. At that time, we can send them the death-row prisoners from the jail."

"They have all handed over their Blood Pills. I will give you two more. That will be enough for you to break through to the Essence Gathering Realm."

Zheng Fengyun waved Cui Lang out, then looked again at the Blood Pills in the bottle. There were still fewer than ten.

He could only wait. Once this month's payments came in, he would find a way to keep a few extra for himself. Then he could say that he had advanced Cui Lang a few more to help him break through.

Once he succeeded in breaking through, even if others learned that Zheng Fengyun had taken extra this month, what could they say?

With greater strength, he would be entitled to a larger share.

Cui Lang was smarter than he had imagined. Not only had he successfully persuaded the demons to continue cooperating with them, he had also known to make them keep a low profile for several days.

When facing the prefectural yamen's investigation this time, he had not spoken carelessly either. Otherwise, they would have had no choice but to go all out and kill Shen Ruyu.

Killing Shen Ruyu would be troublesome, but it was still better than having their dealings exposed.

Early the next morning, Cui Lang arrived at the constables' office and announced to everyone, "The county magistrate has ordered us to inspect the villages. Divide into your usual patrol groups, each take responsibility for one village, and return before nightfall to report."

"If anyone is negligent this time and lets demons escape, the county magistrate will punish them severely!"

After everyone else set off, Zhao Changshan stood there alone. Who was he supposed to pair with?

"Old Zhao, go fetch two horses. You're coming with me to inspect Song Family Village."

On the road, Zhao Changshan could not help asking, "Chief Constable Cui, I heard Azure Cloud Prefecture's Chief Constable Shen came yesterday. Did you see her?"

Cui Lang turned to glance at Zhao Changshan. "You know Chief Constable Shen?"

"Chief Constable Shen came to Cloud Mountain County once three years ago. I was fortunate enough to catch a distant glimpse of her." Zhao Changshan's face was full of longing. "That valiant and gallant bearing—no one who saw it could ever forget it."

"I heard that when Chief Constable Shen first came to Azure Cloud Prefecture as a silver badge constable, many people refused to accept it. Later, she casually snapped off a length of bamboo and challenged more than ten people in a row, defeating every one of them with ease."

"Only then did everyone learn that Chief Constable Shen came from the Shen Family of the provincial city. The Shen Family was an old and established martial arts clan in the provincial city."

"Some also said that Chief Constable Shen came to Azure Cloud Prefecture to become a silver badge constable because she did not wish to marry. She has never shown mercy when facing demons, either."

"Some people once tried to court Chief Constable Shen, but how could any of them be worthy of her? Chief Constable Shen later said it herself: anyone who wished to become her husband had to be at least stronger than her in martial arts and no more than three years older than she was."

"With Chief Constable Shen's strength, there are people stronger than her, but they are all in their forties or fifties. She seems to be only twenty-four this year. It seems Azure Cloud Prefecture has no one who meets her requirements."

Cui Lang asked curiously, "What realm is Chief Constable Shen in?"

Zhao Changshan looked wistful. "It is said that when she came to serve as a constable three years ago, she was already at the peak of the Core Embrace Realm, and she had mastered many martial techniques. She must be even stronger now."

"If you ask me, if Chief Constable Shen does not leave Azure Cloud Prefecture, I fear she will never find her ideal husband."

Cui Lang raised an eyebrow. That might not necessarily be true.

At twenty-four, she had already reached the peak of the Core Embrace Realm. Her talent was truly peerless.

This also showed just how unfathomable the foundations of martial arts clans were.

Their realms did not seem all that far apart, but for ordinary martial artists, breaking through even a minor realm would likely take one or two years. Take Zheng Fengyun, for instance—he was nearly forty and only at the peak of the Essence Gathering Realm.

And while advancing one's realm, one also had to practice martial techniques. That made it even harder.

Fortunately, he had the mysterious little pot. A month ago, he had only been at the middle stage of the Essence Refining Realm. Now, he was already at the middle stage of the Essence Gathering Realm. With his body-tempering cultivation method, his true combat strength was no weaker than that of someone at the peak of the Essence Gathering Realm.

As long as there were enough demons, he was confident that his strength would catch up to Shen Ruyu's in a short time.

What man would not like a young, beautiful, wealthy woman?

Judging from Zhao Changshan's words, Shen Ruyu truly seemed unrelated to Zheng Fengyun and the others.

Given Shen Ruyu's family background, she had no need whatsoever to collude with demons. The Blood Pills Zheng Fengyun considered precious and hard to come by would not even catch Shen Ruyu's eye.

That was rare good news. Good officials still existed.

He would not trouble Shen Ruyu with Cloud Mountain County's affairs. He would soon resolve them completely himself.

He could not become a silver badge constable anytime soon, but he could become the man behind one.