Promotion and Prosperity

The furnishings in the room were even simpler than those in her little courtyard.

A writing desk, a chair, and a longsword hanging on the wall—there was nothing else.

Xu Changfeng sat behind the desk, holding a scroll in his hands and reading with such absorption that he did not even raise his head.

Following protocol, Jiang Yuechu clasped her fists and bowed.

"This subordinate, Jiang Yuechu, greets Lord Xu."

Xu Changfeng did not respond at once. He simply continued leafing through his book.

Jiang Yuechu remained bent at the waist, utterly still.

She was not in a hurry.

He was trying to put her in her place.

It was an old, common trick in officialdom—nothing more than an attempt to knock some sense into a newcomer and let her know who was in charge.

Sure enough.

Only after roughly the time it took to burn an incense stick did the sound of turning pages cease.

"Raise your head."

Jiang Yuechu obeyed, slowly straightening up and looking over.

Xu Changfeng set down the scroll in his hand. His eyes, clear as an ancient well, rested upon her.

That gaze could not exactly be called scrutiny, nor could it be called curiosity. He was simply looking at her with complete calm.

Yet that very calm gaze made the hairs on Jiang Yuechu's body stand on end.

This man... was powerful.

Even though she had now entered the Bone-Resonance Realm, if she did not employ special means, she likely would not withstand even a single move from him.

"Jiang Yuechu."

Xu Changfeng spoke slowly. "Do you know why I summoned you?"

This was complete fucking nonsense.

But when a superior spoke nonsense, she absolutely could not presume to be clever.

Jiang Yuechu lowered her eyes. "This subordinate does not know."

"Heh."

Xu Changfeng suddenly chuckled. A trace of amusement appeared on his handsome face.

"By rights, my Xuan Camp should not accept women."

"You are the first."

Jiang Yuechu's heart tightened, but her expression remained unchanged.

"Wei He thinks highly of you. Presumably, you possess some exceptional qualities."

"In Jincheng County, you killed a Pig Demon with one punch."

"By the Black River, you slew a water monster with one stroke."

"Both times, your opponents were Bone-Chiming Great Demons. Each strike was cleaner and more decisive than the last."

Xu Changfeng rose to his feet and slowly walked before her.

He stood more than a head taller than Jiang Yuechu, looking down at her from on high.

"I am truly curious. Where did this body of skills come from?"

"..."

Jiang Yuechu sighed inwardly.

Her background was no secret. Wei He might have been too lazy to investigate, but that did not mean others would be as well.

To outsiders, a young lady from the capital suddenly transforming into someone with such abilities was simply a tale from the heavens.

She raised her head and met Xu Changfeng's gaze, neither servile nor overbearing.

"A family inheritance."

"A family inheritance?" Xu Changfeng raised a brow. "As far as I know, your father Jiang Xun came from a civil official background and could not even truss a chicken. Where, then, did this fierce and domineering saber art of yours come from?"

"My mother taught me."

Jiang Yuechu lied without changing expression.

In any case, according to her memories, her cheap mother had died long ago. The dead could not testify.

"Oh?"

The corner of Xu Changfeng's mouth curved into an unfathomable smile. "Then who was your mother's master?"

"This subordinate does not know."

"You do not know?"

"My mother passed away early. There were many things she never told this subordinate."

"..."

Silence once again descended upon the room.

Xu Changfeng merely looked at her without speaking.

The young woman likewise held her head high with stubborn defiance.

After a long while.

Xu Changfeng suddenly turned around and returned behind the desk.

"Forget it."

He sat back down, picked up a document from the table, glanced at it, and casually tossed it over.

"This is your appointment certificate. Eighth-Rank Squad Commander, monthly salary of ten taels, five shi of rice, twenty jin of meat, and an independent courtyard within the city."

Jiang Yuechu caught the document. Seeing the vivid red official seal upon it, the stone hanging over her heart finally dropped to the ground.

Ten taels a month!

It had doubled!

She was getting rich!

She forcibly suppressed the wild joy in her heart and put away the document.

"Thank you, my lord."

"You need not thank me." Xu Changfeng waved a hand, his tone returning to its earlier icy detachment. "This is what you deserve."

"The Demon Suppression Office does not keep idlers, nor does it keep worthless fools."

"Your abilities are worthy of this position."

He paused, as though recalling something, then added another sentence.

"Oh, right. The Longyou Demon Suppression Office is currently short-handed. The men under your command are all newly recruited unruly martial world brats. Whether you can make them submit to you will depend on your own capabilities."

Jiang Yuechu raised a brow.

Unruly brats?

She liked dealing with unruly brats most of all.

They refused to submit?

Then she would beat them until they did.

"This subordinate understands."

"Mhm." Xu Changfeng nodded, seemingly unwilling to say more. "Go. Collect this month's salary from the accounting office, then go find the people in your squad."

"Yes."

Jiang Yuechu bowed, turned, and left the room.

Only after the door had closed again did Xu Changfeng slowly lift his head. Looking at the empty doorway, a strange glimmer flashed through his eyes.

"The Jiang Household..."

He muttered to himself, then shook his head and picked up the scroll once more.

Jiang Yuechu walked out of the courtyard and immediately spotted Liu Chen waiting beneath the corridor.

When he saw her emerge, Liu Chen hurried forward with concern on his face.

"How was it? His lordship did not make things difficult for you, did he?"

Jiang Yuechu shook her head. "It was fine."

"That's good, that's good." Liu Chen breathed a sigh of relief. "Lord Xu is just a little cold by nature. He is still a good person."

Jiang Yuechu neither agreed nor disagreed.

She held up the appointment document in her hand. "Squad Commander Liu, I fear I can no longer call you Squad Commander."

Liu Chen froze, then shook his head with a bitter smile.

"You and I are of the same rank now. From now on, we may address one another by name."

He looked at Jiang Yuechu, his expression complicated.

How many days had it been?

She had already gone from a newcomer to a colleague on equal footing with him.

No.

Perhaps before long, he would have to turn around and call her "my lady."

"Come, I'll take you to the accounting office."

Hearing that, Jiang Yuechu gave him a surprised look.

"How did you know I was going to the accounting office?"

Come to think of it, she had been somewhat puzzled about that.

Logically speaking, the Demon Suppression Office paid salaries on the fifteenth of every month.

Today was only the tenth. As a newly appointed official, surely she could not draw her wages in advance?

"You do not know this."

Seeing her puzzled expression, Liu Chen smiled and explained.

"This is also an Office rule, considered a reward for the brothers. Anyone promoted may go to the accounting office that very day and draw a sum of silver equal to the monthly salary of their new position."

"The Office calls it 'promotion money.' It does not count toward the monthly salary; it is simply a lucky reward for the brothers."

Jiang Yuechu's eyes instantly lit up.

Ho!

There was such a good thing?

Wasn't that just a bonus?

Sure enough, setting everything else aside.

These benefits were absolutely the best among all three hundred and sixty trades of the Great Tang.

Having figured that out, a rare smile appeared on her face. She nodded to Liu Chen.

"So that is how it is. Then I will have to trouble you."

"It is no trouble at all."

The two walked side by side through the corridor.

Perhaps because their official ranks were now equal and the constraints between superior and subordinate had disappeared, Liu Chen became more talkative as well.

"Lord Xu is always like that. Do not take it to heart. He may look cold and indifferent, but he has always been clear in rewards and punishments. So long as you have ability, he is never stingy with rewards."

"As for the squad under your command... I have heard some things about them..."

Liu Chen paused, a strange expression appearing on his face.