Chen Tie was greatly surprised to hear this. "Can noble families or sects control cities?"
Xu Da nodded. "That's right. The Qin Clan, Great Liang's imperial family, was already a powerful noble family before the dynasty was founded. Every powerful noble family or sect controls a certain territory. In troubled times, powerful families and sects will use every means to seize territory, until it comes down to who can take the realm."
"Martial strength reigns supreme in this world. A thousand years ago, the Qin Clan won dominion over the realm and established the Great Liang Dynasty, but even they couldn't sweep away all the noble families and sects. Now the Qin Clan is far weaker than before. With troubled times approaching, the families and sects have begun another round of maneuvering."
Only then did Chen Tie realize just how limited his understanding of this world was. At the same time, his thirst for strength grew.
Looks like I need to improve my strength as quickly as possible. In troubled times, human lives are worth less than dogs.
After finishing a day's martial practice, Chen Tie took his little sister by the hand and headed home.
As they passed a Peace Pharmacy, they found it particularly noisy outside.
"Shoo, shoo! You have no money, yet you want to buy New Qi and Blood Pills on credit? Get lost!"
"Shopkeeper, have a heart! I'm only a few days away from Skin Refining. Let me have a few more Qi and Blood Pills on credit. Once I break through, I'll pay you back with interest!"
A man in coarse hemp clothing, his eyes bloodshot, begged the brocade-clad shopkeeper desperately, with a trace of madness.
"Oh, so you're about to break through to Skin Refining!" A flicker of appreciation crossed the shopkeeper's eyes, as though he were admiring an object.
"I can't give you pills on credit anymore, but you can sell yourself to me. I'll show you a way forward!"
The moment the hemp-clad man heard he could get pills, he grew agitated. "I'll sign! I'll sell myself to you! Just give me the pills!"
"Good, good, good. Come with me!" Looking pleased with himself, the shopkeeper led the hemp-clad man into the back room with practiced ease.
Chen Tie withdrew his gaze without showing anything, already on utmost alert.
These New Qi and Blood Pills have side effects. They seem addictive. I absolutely can't take other people's pills carelessly!
Chen Tie silently reminded himself.
As they passed a shop selling everyday goods, a thought stirred in Chen Tie's mind, and he led his sister inside.
After buying a few daily necessities, Chen Tie noticed a carrier on the shelf that could wrap a child up and carry them on one's back.
Chen Tie picked it up to examine it, then lifted Chen Xi and strapped her securely in place. He now stood 1.8 meters tall, just right for her to hang securely against his chest.
"This carrier is pretty good. I'll buy one!"
"Certainly, sir."
Chen Xi pouted. "Big brother, I'm six. I don't need you to carry me in this when we go out."
"Maybe it'll come in handy someday."
"Tch. Then I'll arrange a marriage for you. I think Auntie Huang next door has a fifteen-year-old daughter. She's just right."
Chen Tie smiled.
The city had grown considerably more chaotic too. Perhaps one day he really would have to grab his sister and run.
Early the next morning, Chen Tie rose and practiced martial arts alone in the courtyard.
It was a rest day, and he did not plan to go to the martial hall.
I need to find another part-time job!
The poor studied letters while the rich practiced martial arts. To break through quickly, food and pills were indispensable. As the saying went, three parts training, seven parts eating.
Without enough nourishment, even the most desperate training merely overdraws one's body.
But part-time jobs were no longer easy to find. People were stirring up trouble in the city, and under pressure from the noble families in the inner city, most of the better part-time jobs in the outer city had gone to their disciples.
The only part-time job left now is patrol guard.
Duchang City was now a jumble of fish and dragons. Maintaining order in the city required additional manpower.
But the city defense troops clearly would not do this work, so they simply put up a little silver to recruit martial artists to patrol.
Chen Tie left home and headed north, arriving at a rather imposing courtyard residence.
He knocked on the door, and an old man in blue robes immediately came out.
"Are you here to apply as a patrol guard?"
The old man opened the gate and casually pointed deeper into the courtyard.
"Young man, go straight inside. A patrol squad leader will see you."
"Thank you, sir." Chen Tie cupped his hands in thanks.
He walked all the way to the end of the courtyard, where there was a half-open wooden door. Just as he approached, a voice came from within.
"Come in."
Chen Tie pushed open the wooden door. Inside was a small room, where a somewhat weary middle-aged man reclined in a chair. Only when he saw someone enter did he sit up.
"You want to be a patrol guard?"
"Yes."
"The pay is ten taels of silver and one treasure fish per month. Are you willing?"
"Yes."
No sooner had Chen Tie spoken than the middle-aged man tossed him a token.
Chen Tie caught it. The front read "Patrol," while the back bore the number sixty-five.
The middle-aged man lay back again. "Just go find that old fellow."
Chen Tie left the room and found the blue-robed old man at the gate. Upon seeing the token, the old man immediately issued him a blue patrol robe, an identification tag, and a standard-issue long saber.
"You start patrolling today. Two to a team, in the eastern part of the city. The midnight watch is yours. Another team takes over for the following watch."
"Thank you, sir." Chen Tie cupped his hands.
During the midnight watch, the streets were already deserted. Two figures carrying lanterns and long sabers patrolled the streets in the east of the city.
Chen Tie had never learned saber techniques, but having a weapon in hand was better than having none.
His partner was named He Liang and was thirty years old.
"Brother Chen, you're new here, so let me tell you what to watch out for. There are two things."
"Please go ahead, Brother He."
"First, we can intervene in petty theft, rape, and looting."
Chen Tie nodded slightly at this. He was just about to praise the man's chivalrous spirit when He Liang continued.
"Because there aren't many people doing those things, and they aren't strong. Skin Refining martial artists like us can handle them easily, and there are rewards too."
"You're absolutely right, Brother He."
He Liang nodded in satisfaction. "Second, don't interfere when there are lots of people."
"What do you mean?"
He Liang looked around and continued, "If a whole group comes out in pitch darkness like this, they definitely aren't doing anything good, and they're generally pretty strong. If we run into them and take a detour, we can both go about our business in peace. If we insist on getting close, it's a road straight to death."
"Why risk your life for ten taels a month?"
Hearing this, Chen Tie exclaimed, "You really play it safe, brother!"
The two chatted on and off, and soon reached the docks in the east of the city.
In the darkness, a small cargo boat slowly drew up to shore. Three black-clad figures immediately carried two large crates onto a cart waiting at the dock, making several trips back and forth.
Clearly, all three had considerable martial cultivation. They soon finished unloading and loading the cargo.
At the sight, He Liang immediately stopped and stood sideways.
Chen Tie was puzzled, but followed his example anyway.
As the horse-drawn cart passed them, Chen Tie suddenly heard clear clinks as two objects fell from it.
After the cart passed, He Liang raised his lantern and bent down to look. He picked up twenty taels of silver from the ground and tossed ten to Chen Tie.
"That's a Peace Pharmacy cart. It's carrying Qi and Blood Pills."
"We get ten taels of silver just for turning a blind eye."
Chen Tie nodded slightly at this and silently memorized the route the cart had taken.
The two continued their patrol. As they passed a residential neighborhood, a mass of white figures suddenly rushed out of the street ahead.
"Unborn Eternal Mother, beneath the Vacuum Homeland, those who believe in Wusheng shall gain eternal life..."
He Liang immediately ducked into a nearby alley, and Chen Tie followed close behind.
Before long, a group of Unborn Sect followers passed by them, chanting their slogans under their breath like vengeful ghosts roaming the night.
He Liang spat. "These Unborn Sect followers are ghostly things. Make sure you hide whenever you see them."
"If you don't run, they'll circle around you. All that Unborn doctrine makes my head feel like it's going to explode. They won't leave unless you hand over silver."