Head Constable Yang

System, you really are fucking something. You went and saddled me with two hundred and fifty-a number fit for an idiot. Tang Wen stared up at the sky, utterly speechless.

His Popularity index had already reached 608 people. Another 250 would put him above eight hundred, seemingly not far from his goal of breaking a thousand.

But there was practically nobody else left on Su Mei Island. To bring in more people, he would have to get them from elsewhere, which made things much harder.

As he landed, Tang Wen suddenly froze, remembering an issue he had previously overlooked.

There was a huge discrepancy between the flow of time in Yunhai City and here.

On this trip, for instance, he had spent nearly a month in Yunhai City.

Yet when he returned, he discovered that only one day had passed in the Chu Kingdom. The ratio between time in Yunhai City and here seemed to be roughly thirty to one.

That meant he would have plenty of time to get things done whenever he traveled back to the modern world.

As soon as he landed, Tang Wen summoned Zhan Dongwen and selected a group of people to assemble the prefabricated buildings first.

These prefabricated buildings were very convenient, with everything secured by tightening screws.

All they needed was a screwdriver, a wrench, and a hammer.

Moreover, the buildings Tang Wen had brought back were luxury models made with extra-thick, reinforced, oversized alloy sandwich panels that provided excellent thermal insulation.

Tang Wen taught Zhan Dongwen and the others hands-on. The work was simple and easy to learn.

"Master, this house is truly amazing," Zhan Dongwen said in awe after they finished assembling Tang Wen's "villa."

"Those Western Lands devils have far better brains than we do. These inventions are only the tip of the iceberg. They have plenty of other marvelous things, so learn not to be surprised by anything unusual from now on," Tang Wen said with a smile.

"Master, I'm already about to die of amazement," Li Si said, laughing.

"That's right, Master. Even the great clans of mechanical arts probably couldn't surpass you. I used to think you were a disciple taken in by the Gongsun Lineage," Ge Ziyun said.

"The Gongsun Lineage are the grand masters of mechanical arts. It's a pity I haven't had a chance to meet them. Otherwise, I really would like to ask them for some pointers," Tang Wen said.

"The Gongsun Family and the Tushu clan are famous throughout our Great Chu. Every one of their people walks around with their nostrils pointed at the sky. Even when Great Chu's Ten Great Sects come seeking instruction, they barely give them the time of day. How could people like us ever get close to them?" Zhao Du said.

"Our master is no slouch, either. Perhaps they'll be coming to our door asking for help someday," Zhan Dongwen said confidently.

"By the way, have you found any clues about the people who attacked us last time?" Tang Wen asked.

"Those people were strange. It was as though they suddenly appeared out of nowhere. We haven't found a single clue." Zhao Du shook his head.

"They were pirates. Once they finished, they sailed away. How could we find any clues? That's why we'll have to strengthen our defenses," Zhan Dongwen said.

"Dongwen, defense alone isn't enough. We have to take the initiative and strike.

"Otherwise, there's no guarding against everything. We can't keep sitting back and taking a beating.

"When would it ever end?" Tang Wen snorted.

"Of course. Once we establish our Personal Guard Army and have enough men, we won't have to fear them.

"Right now, we're still short-handed, so we can only concentrate our forces around Crouching Dragon Lake.

"We still haven't even figured out what the rest of the island is like. Our next step will be to search the entire island," Zhan Dongwen said.

A day later, with dozens of people working together, several large prefabricated buildings stood completed. Tang Wen then organized people to move his belongings inside.

These buildings were for Tang Wen and his mother, with another reserved for office work and meetings, and one specifically for receiving guests.

"It's so beautiful!" Zhan Junru exclaimed in wonder as she rushed into her little room.

"Master really is clever, managing to get his hands on things like these." Gu Hanyan looked at her own little room and nodded.

"Sister, look! There's even a privy in our rooms. Won't it stink?" Zhan Junru asked, pointing at the portable modular bathroom.

That prefabricated building contained three rooms, one large and two small.

Tang Wen's room measured seventeen or eighteen square meters, while the two women's rooms were ten square meters each. There was also a luxurious bathroom.

"Why would it stink? This is called a flush toilet. After you finish, press here to flush it, and that's all." Tang Wen led the two women into the bathroom and demonstrated how the flush toilet worked.

"Why don't you two try it?"

"Amazing! It's truly amazing! It doesn't stink. It really doesn't stink at all!" Zhan Junru cried after trying it.

"Mm, it's not bad," Gu Hanyan said with a nod.

"Master, is that section behind the transparent partition the bathing room? Why isn't there a wooden tub inside?" Zhan Junru asked, pointing at the bathroom's wet and dry sections separated by frosted glass.

"Junru, look. Isn't that white porcelain basin a bathtub?" Gu Hanyan said, pointing at the massage tub, which could accommodate three people at once.

"How can a bathtub look like that? There are so many holes in it, too. Won't it leak?" Zhan Junru shook her head.

"Heh, of course not. This is called a massage bathtub. Once it's filled, water jets spray against your body from every direction. It feels very comfortable," Tang Wen said with a smile. He immediately filled it with water and pressed the switch, starting the jets.

At once, the water in the bathtub began to churn.

Of course, the solar panels had not been installed yet, so for now, he could only use an extra-large-capacity storage battery instead.

"Sister, look! It even tickles my hand!" Zhan Junru reached inside, and the water jets tickled her hand, making her cry out.

"Of course it tickles when the water sprays against you." Despite her words, Gu Hanyan also curiously reached into the tub. When the water struck her hand, her pupils twitched.

"How about the three of us have a soak together?" Tang Wen suggested with a smile, giving them a wicked look.

"Shameless!" Both women blushed and left the bathroom.

"Hehehe. Junru's fine, but you? Your master has no interest in you," Tang Wen deliberately called after Gu Hanyan.

"Master, I'll attend you when you bathe from now on." At that, Zhan Junru puffed out her chest, looking rather smug.

After all, Gu Hanyan was old. What could a fifty-year-old crone possibly compete with her over?

"That would be wonderful, of course," Tang Wen said, smiling.

"Master, Head Constable Yang Yun of the Lord of Yanling has arrived with a group of constables. Bu Feng accompanied them here," Zhao Du reported just then.

"Good. Take Head Constable Yang to the reception room." Tang Wen nodded, put on his nobleman's hat, and left his room, only to find Bu Feng already leading more than a dozen constables over.

The constable at their head had thick brows, large eyes, and a keen, piercing gaze.

"Head Constable Yang, this is our Master Tang." Bu Feng hurried forward and pointed to Tang Wen as he introduced him.

"Yang Yun, head constable of the Yanling Prefectural Office, pays his respects to Your Lordship the Baron," Yang Yun said, cupping his hands.

"Greetings, Head Constable Yang. Please come inside." Tang Wen nodded and headed toward the reception room housed in a prefabricated building.

He felt that Yang Yun was rather cocky. Normally, the man should have gone down on one knee upon meeting a nobleman like him.

Instead, he merely cupped his hands, offering the greeting customary among martial artists. It was rather improper.

The reception room was furnished with antique-style wooden sofas and soft cushions.

Tang Wen had spent over a million on a set of rosewood furniture to bring back, its design modeled entirely on Ming and Qing styles.

Zhan Junru and Gu Hanyan brewed tea and brought it over. Yang Yun paused in surprise and gave Gu Hanyan a once-over.

Perhaps he was wondering whether Master Tang had some peculiar tastes. Zhan Junru was quite attractive, but what use did he have for an old, plain-looking woman like Gu Hanyan?

However poorly a nobleman of the Chu Kingdom was doing, his household maids ought to be beautiful. Besides, Yang Yun had spotted dozens of tents as soon as he arrived.

A wire-fenced compound had also been built outside. The wire fencing surrounding it alone was worth a considerable sum.

Furthermore, Yang Yun had noticed quite a few people living here. Along with these impressive residences-the prefabricated buildings-it had given him quite a surprise.

"Excellent tea!" After taking a sip of the premium West Lake Dragon Well, Yang Yun could not help stroking his beard and praising it.

"Heh, if you find it to your liking, Head Constable Yang, take a packet with you when you leave," Tang Wen said with a smile.

"It's a little like Cloud Peak Maojian, yet somehow different. I tried that once at His Excellency the Prefect's residence, but the flavor wasn't the same," Yang Yun said.

"This is West Lake Dragon Well, from the Western Lands," Tang Wen said, smiling.

"From the Western Lands? Then it must be expensive." Yang Yun was surprised again.

"Fairly so. After all, the Western Lands are so far away. Bringing their goods back here isn't easy." Tang Wen nodded.

"Of course, of course. Everything from the Western Lands is expensive," Constable Liu agreed from a lower seat.

"None of us has ever been to the Western Lands or knows where they are. But the court once sent an official there as an envoy.

"After returning, that official said the journey had been terribly difficult. He set out with thirty ships, but only three or four made it back.

"More than half the soldiers escorting him died. Some were killed by pirates.

"Others fell into the sea during storms and drowned, while still others died of illness and so on.

"So the Western curiosities that official brought back were exceedingly precious.

"The royal family took possession of them all. Sometimes, when the king was pleased, he would bestow one or two on commanders who had rendered great service.

"One of Prefect Zhang's ancestors received just such a reward. It became a family heirloom and has been passed down for several generations," Yang Yun said.

"Then it must surely be something remarkable," Tang Wen said with a smile.