Chen Chun kept his head down and said nothing. Blood dripped from his chin onto the floor, yet he seemed unable to feel pain.
The Prefecture Clerk stood beside him. Seeing him like this, he kicked Chen Chun in the back. "Shameless bastard. You even appealed to the higher-ups. What good did you think that would do?"
The blow sent Chen Chun sprawling. "I risked my life breaking through Ding County's layers of blockades," he said in pain. "I nearly died several times. I earned this!"
"You handed your own Merits to the Lin Family, hoping to climb higher through their daughter. You're a parasite in the Evil Extermination Division!"
"I refuse to accept this!"
Zhou Mo's gaze gradually turned cold as his fingers circled the wine flask. "For his years of service as an Undercover Agent, throw him out of the Evil Extermination Division and send him to work at the Yamen. If there's a next time, execute him."
The Prefecture Clerk nodded at once.
Chen Chun was still cursing, his words growing more heated.
When he heard that he was being sent to work at the Yamen, he struggled even harder.
The Prefecture Clerk stuffed a rag into Chen Chun's mouth, called over two colleagues, and had them take him outside.
Only when the noise had faded did the Prefecture Clerk wipe the cold sweat from his forehead.
Zhou Mo cast his subordinate a sidelong glance. "Did I do the right thing?"
The Prefecture Clerk hurriedly clasped his fists. "This humble subordinate believes you did, my lord."
Zhou Mo sneered. "I gave away my own Merits and put promotion out of reach to bring someone from the Lin Family under my command. Cause and effect."
"He has no one behind him. That's his misfortune, not my concern."
The Prefecture Clerk lowered his head in agreement, though inwardly he had plenty to say.
Promotion?
Every subordinate knew Zhou Mo was never going to be promoted.
He had been a Bronze Captain for years, but the Merits he needed were still a hundred and eight thousand li away.
He had simply done the Lin Family a favor while he was at it.
And he had covered his tracks so thoroughly that not a drop could leak through.
Even if the higher-ups found out, what could they do?
Would they dismiss a Bronze Captain who had killed plenty of Demons for the sake of an Undercover Agent who had not even reached the Body Infusion Realm?
Some Undercover Agents would lose heart over it, but word of this would never get out.
The matter involved far too much. The Prefecture Clerk knew how low his rank was and dared not say another word.
"I've heard Chen Chun has ties to Qin An," the Prefecture Clerk added after some thought.
"He's only a newly appointed Bronze Captain," Zhou Mo said flatly. "He has no backing, no strength, and not a single subordinate. What do those ties matter?"
"Besides, even if he finds out, he won't stand up for Chen Chun. By both sentiment and reason, I'm in the right."
"Pay him no mind."
The Prefecture Clerk knew he spoke the truth.
Why would a Bronze Captain offend another Bronze Captain for an Undercover Agent?
Soon, the room fell quiet.
Zhou Mo sipped his tea and considered which pleasure house to visit next.
The next day.
Qin An left early and walked along Ling Prefecture Street.
Ling Prefecture was prosperous. Ding County could not catch up even on horseback.
The bustle around him on this one street alone rivaled that of all Ding County.
After asking for directions, Qin An followed the street to a Medical Hall.
A signboard above it bore three characters: "East Glow Hall."
Dozens of patients inside formed a long line.
The Reversing Gang Qi instructions said to condense Qi into needles, then insert them into major acupoints throughout the body as a Physician would.
Qin An intended to unlock the Physician profession. Perhaps its talents would help him comprehend Reversing Gang Qi.
As he entered East Glow Hall, a strong medicinal smell met him.
That was normal for a Medical Hall, but the long line made him frown.
Seeing a patient took time. A few dozen might not sound like many, but if each took as long as an incense stick burned, the day would soon be gone.
Qin An felt he might have come a little too early.
As he thought this, the people ahead of him stepped aside of their own accord.
Qin An raised an eyebrow. The patients were looking at him with uncertain, startled eyes.
A moment's thought told him why.
He had come wearing his black uniform, with a Bronze Token and the Black Blade at his waist. His identity was plain to see.
Common people had feared officials since ancient times.
After a moment's consideration, Qin An walked forward.
He would not take much time. He only needed to learn the basics of the Physician profession, then he could return and raise its proficiency.
At the table ahead sat not an old man, but a young man in plain clothes.
The young man was taking a patient's pulse. Sensing something unusual, he looked up to find Qin An approaching.
"I have something to discuss."
Qin An kept it brief. "I won't take much of anyone's time. Could you make an exception?"
The people around them looked stunned.
These black-clad officials usually wore expressions that warned strangers to stay away. Why was this one so polite?
The young man in plain clothes paused, then called to an assistant nearby. "Keep things in order here. My lord, please come with me."
Qin An nodded and followed him into the Inner Courtyard.
The Inner Courtyard was spacious. Medicinal Herbs lay spread across racks half a person's height.
"My name is Cheng Sufeng. May I ask your name, my lord, and what brings you here?" The young man in plain clothes bowed slightly.
"I have some money and would like to study medicine," Qin An said. "Nothing advanced. I only need to learn the basics."
Cheng Sufeng considered this. "Why do you wish to study medicine, my lord?"
Qin An raised an eyebrow. "I like it."
Cheng Sufeng: "..."
"If that won't work, I'll go elsewhere," Qin An continued.
He did not want to waste time. Either it was possible or it was not.
The Evil Extermination Division was busy, and a new assignment could come at any time. Before that happened, he wanted to develop his Physician skills and give himself another way to stay alive.
After thinking for a moment, Cheng Sufeng went into a room. "Please wait a moment, my lord."
Before long, he came back out with a book and offered it to Qin An.
"If you want to learn the basics, you need only memorize this book."
Qin An took it.
A line of small characters on the cover read Herbal Medicine Primer.
"I only need to memorize it?" Qin An asked with a frown.
He had learned something about traditional Chinese medicine in his previous life. Memorizing books was its most basic step.
But Cheng Sufeng said memorizing one book was enough to begin. That seemed rather careless.
Cheng Sufeng smiled. "Memorizing it will give you a general understanding, enough to get started. After that, you'll need to identify the various herbs yourself and learn many other things. That gets complicated."
Qin An did not know much about it. Perhaps Physicians in Great Qian practiced differently from those in his previous life.
He had crossed into another world, after all. He saw no reason to dwell on its method of learning the basics. That would only make things harder for himself.
"How much?" Qin An asked.
Cheng Sufeng waved a hand. "It's only a few sheets of paper."
Qin An took some silver from his purse, placed it in Cheng Sufeng's hand, and turned to leave. "Take it."
Cheng Sufeng paused, then watched Qin An walk away, a hint of interest in his eyes.
Just then, footsteps sounded in the courtyard.
A middle-aged man entered the Inner Courtyard, Killing Intent radiating from him.
As soon as he came in, the man presented a black uniform to Cheng Sufeng. "My lord, it's been washed clean."
A silver badge on the uniform gleamed coldly.
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