Green Ox Town had no county magistrate's office, so the Martial Suppression Bureau's Hundred Households Office served as the guardian of the villages surrounding the town.
By the time Fu Shaoping arrived, the gates of the Hundred Households Office were already open.
Martial Guards in flying-fish robes, with martial sabers at their waists, arrived for duty in twos and threes.
The Hundred Households Office had several hundred Martial Suppression Guards alone and covered an enormous area. Fu Shaoping had no idea where to report. He showed his identity token to the gate attendant, slipped him a dozen or so copper coins, and explained why he had come. Only then did the attendant's icy expression thaw. He led Fu Shaoping through three courtyard gates and a maze of turns to a side hall.
Inside the hall.
A fair-skinned, plump middle-aged man, Ye Xiaoqi, sat behind a desk.
Fu Shaoping glanced at his Flying Fish Uniform. Its flying fish was embroidered in copper thread, marking his rank as a junior banner officer. Fu Shaoping hurriedly bowed and said:
"Sir, I am Fu Shaoping, son of Fu Changsheng of Wutong Alley. I have come today to inherit my late father's position as a Martial Guard."
Ye Xiaoqi told Fu Shaoping to raise his head, studied him for a moment, and nodded.
"You do look quite alike."
With that.
He beckoned behind him.
The Martial Suppression Guards standing respectfully behind and beside him immediately understood. One entered the Archive Pavilion and soon returned with a thick volume of records, opening it to page 107.
The page contained Fu Changsheng's personal record.
Another left the side hall. About half the time it took to drink a cup of tea later, he ran back, slightly out of breath, and reported quietly to Ye Xiaoqi:
"Sir, this man is indeed Fu Shaoping, son of Fu Changsheng."
Ye Xiaoqi nodded slightly.
He drew a round, ink-black stone from his sleeve, set it on the desk, and told Fu Shaoping:
"Place your hand on the Origin-Testing Stone and circulate your cultivation art."
This tested whether he had truly entered the Body Tempering Realm and was the final hurdle to becoming a Martial Guard.
Fu Shaoping felt somewhat nervous. He silently counted to three, then, once he had calmed himself, immediately circulated the Mysterious Tortoise Qi-Nourishing Art. The Origin-Testing Stone beneath his right hand glowed with a hazy white light.
"First level of the Body Tempering Realm. Just barely qualifies."
Ye Xiaoqi asked no further questions and promptly registered Fu Shaoping's details.
The Martial Guard on the left handed Fu Shaoping a brand-new flying-fish robe. The flying fish on it, however, was embroidered only in silk thread, not iron, copper, or gold.
Another Martial Guard handed Fu Shaoping an identity token. He did not know what material it was made from, but it felt warm and smooth. A large character for "martial" was engraved on the front, with "Green Ox Town" below it. On the back was a large "Fu," with the number 666 beneath it.
Fu Shaoping rubbed his thumb over the number several times.
This had been his father's Martial Guard number. Now he had truly followed in his father's footsteps.
Seeing that Fu Shaoping had remained neither arrogant nor impatient throughout, displaying far more composure than his age suggested, Ye Xiaoqi's smile grew warmer.
"New Martial Suppression Guards need not carry out monthly assignments during their first month. You only have to help out in the six halls of the Hundred Households Office. Your Martial Suppression Saber will also be issued after one month."
Here was his chance.
Fu Shaoping's heart leaped with joy.
Sure enough, he had remembered correctly. New Martial Suppression Guards had a one-month probationary period.
If he used some of his father's death compensation to grease Ye Xiaoqi's palm, securing a position administering punishment in the prison should not be difficult.
"Furthermore."
"Since your father died in the line of duty, you are entitled to ten Low-Grade Essence Stones in compensation. Take these as well and keep them safe."
There was a reason the compensation had taken so long to be issued.
It was nothing more than this.
They feared that the widow and her fatherless son would be unable to hold on to it.
Of course, the Martial Suppression Bureau would only hold it for them for three years.
Fu Shaoping bowed toward the capital and accepted the white box patterned with leaves in both hands. He took two Origin Stones from it and discreetly offered them to Ye Xiaoqi.
"Officer Ye, I would like to spend the coming month administering punishment in the prison, to see some blood and strengthen my nerve. Could you perhaps make the arrangements?"
The prison was a filthy place where the sun never shone.
Its jailers and runners also occupied the lowest rung of the Hundred Households Office.
Water flowed downhill, while people strove to climb higher.
This was the first time Ye Xiaoqi had encountered someone volunteering to go there. Especially at Fu Shaoping's hot-blooded age, who did not set their sights high and far?
Ye Xiaoqi could not help regarding Fu Shaoping more highly.
It seemed that reaching the Body Tempering Realm at fifteen without a teacher's guidance was not merely a matter of talent. The boy was willing to endure hardship and possessed great determination.
"Take these two Origin Stones back. Your father paid for them with his life. If I accepted them, wouldn't I be betraying my conscience? As for administering punishment in the prison, I'll speak to Old Zhan. Just report there tomorrow morning."
"Thank you for granting my request, sir!"
Fu Shaoping froze for a moment before taking back the Origin Stones held out to him.
He had never expected Ye Xiaoqi to be so accommodating. Warmth welled up in his heart.
By the time he left the Personnel Hall.
It was already noon.
The Hundred Households Office had a dining hall where meals were free.
Fu Shaoping reached its entrance, then turned away.
Ye Xiaoqi had given him the afternoon off, so he could go home now. A good day like this was rare and deserved a little celebration.
He squeezed his money pouch, then went to the River Delicacies Restaurant and bought a beggar's chicken and a steamed fish to take away. Carrying the food box, he headed to the stall area on West Street and spotted Zhou Pan'er's tofu stall from afar.
Only three pieces remained from the ten trays of tofu.
There was still just under half a bucket of tofu pudding.
Uncle Qiu, a regular customer, was eating tofu pudding at the stall. Turning to see Fu Shaoping approaching in a Flying Fish Uniform, he blinked, then immediately straightened up stiffly.
"Congratulations, young Shaoping-congratulations on becoming a Martial Guard, sir!"
With the three-year deadline approaching in the blink of an eye, all the neighbors had thought he would never have a chance.
None of them had ever imagined.
That this young casual laborer would truly leap through the dragon gate.
Uncle Qiu abandoned even his remaining half bowl of tofu pudding.
Poorfolk Alley had produced a Martial Guard! Such joyous news had not come their way in ten years. He had to spread word of this momentous event far and wide.
From now on, Poorfolk Alley had someone in high places too. Let those thugs and hooligans try demanding protection money at every turn now!
Uncle Qiu hurriedly bowed, then slipped away as though his soles were greased.
Zhou Pan'er, who had worried all morning, breathed a small sigh of relief when she saw Fu Shaoping in his Flying Fish Uniform. Looking more closely, she found that he carried himself with even greater composure. Simply standing there, he gave her a sense of reassurance. From now on, she could run her stall in peace.
"Pan'er, I bought some food at the River Delicacies Restaurant. Let's close early today and celebrate."
Fu Shaoping lifted the food box in his hand.
Zhou Pan'er smiled and nodded. When she saw Fu Shaoping roll up his sleeves to help pack up the stall, she quickly stopped him.
"Let me do it. Don't get your Flying Fish Uniform dirty."
"If it gets dirty, I'll just wash it."
With his usual practiced movements, Fu Shaoping loaded the table and stools onto the handcart, and the two of them pushed it toward Wutong Alley.
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