Chapter 45: I promised the Sergeant I would bring you to the Tang family to apologize

What is a true court lapdog?

The actual duty of the Martial Guard Office was not to apprehend bandits or pacify the regions.

That was the responsibility of the Patrol Guards and the Garrison Forces.

The Zao-yi Guards (Black-Clad Guards) were more of a continuation of the Black Ice Platform's authority and responsibilities: monitoring the provinces, strangling rebels, and executing traitors.

The Zao-yi Guards should actually be called the Zao-yi Inner Guards; their lineage could be traced back to the Imperial City's Yulin Imperial Guards.

The Black Ice Platform and the Martial Guard Office were, in truth, another blade in the hands of the Great Qin Emperor.

A blade hidden beneath the table, yet incredibly sharp.

It was just that, at some unknown point, this blade had grown dull.

"The last time the Martial Guard Office conducted a house seizure and clan extermination in Luyang Prefecture was ten years ago," Zhang Yuan said, a hint of nostalgia in his expression and a softness in his voice. "I remember clearly the look on my father's face when he returned, covered in blood and brimming with excitement."

"After that incident, for at least three months, the mere name of the Zao-yi Guards was enough to stop a child from crying at night."

A heavy silence fell over the main hall.

Qian Mu and He Jin were both personal participants in the events Zhang Yuan described from ten years ago.

Back then, Qian Mu was merely a seventh-rank Zao-yi Guard.

Back then, He Jin was not yet a Recording Adjutant.

In those days, that was the most magnificent era of the Luyang Prefecture Martial Guard Office.

Even though the Martial Guard Office had expanded nearly tenfold by now, it could not match the prestige of those years.

Nowadays, any official in the city wanted to boss around a Martial Guard.

Zhang Yuan himself had once received a mission from the Martial Guard Office to escort a certain official's female relative on a spring outing.

From another perspective, there was some truth to the commoners calling the current Zao-yi Guards "running dogs."

After a long silence, He Jin slammed his fist onto the long table before him, his face turning solemn.

"Zhang Yuan, take Chen Wu with you to the Tang family estate."

"I will go see the Prefect."

"Qian Mu, tell the Martial Guard Office to stand by, and take my official token to mobilize the City Patrol Guards."

"Court lapdogs? They have no idea what the officials looked like when they were trembling in fear while the Black Ice Platform held command of the Martial Guards!"

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In front of the Prefectural Jail.

Dressed in black, Zhang Yuan held a baton in one hand, his expression calm.

Chen Wu, his face clouded with gloom, reached out to have two bailiffs remove the iron shackles from his hands, then stretched his wrists.

"Brother Chen, we had no choice. Sorry you had to suffer," one of the bailiffs said with a smile, looking at Chen Wu. "We're all on the same side. If the Tang family hadn't been so relentless, we wouldn't have had to ask Brother Chen to endure this hardship tonight."

Standing to the side, a large man in a constable's uniform frowned and snorted, "What kind of business are you two conducting?"

"If Brother Erhe hadn't come looking for me, I wouldn't have known you'd brought little Brother Chen here."

"Don't worry, Chen Wu. I'll punish them in a moment. I'll treat you and Brother Erhe to drinks another day."

Zhang Yuan waved his hand with a smile, then cupped his hands in greeting. "Don't take it to heart, Brother Zheng. It's just these youngsters being reckless. I've troubled you this time; the drinks should be on me."

After speaking, he bowed to the two bailiffs, smiled, and grabbed Chen Wu by the sleeve to lead him out of the jail.

Watching Zhang Yuan and Chen Wu walk out, the constable let out a sigh of relief.

"Chief, I've always heard of the legendary 'Righteous Zhang Erhe,' and seeing him today, his reputation certainly comes in handy. The Magistrate even came to the jail this morning and promised the Tang family that he would keep this kid Chen Wu locked up and not release him."

"I must say, this Zhang Erhe really has a reputation; he's quite pleasant to talk to."

The two bailiffs spoke as they clattered the iron shackles away.

"His reputation comes in handy?" The constable let out a strange, mocking smile. "Pleasant to talk to?"

"The Luyang Prefecture Office keeps a register of military merits and the execution records collected from every county."

"The number of people Zhang Erhe has killed could rival the total number of executions in half of Luyang Prefecture over five years."

The two bailiffs felt a chill run down their spines. They turned to look in the direction Zhang Yuan and Chen Wu had departed.

"I really couldn't tell... that the Martial Guard Office had such a ruthless man among them."

"Righteousness, respected by the martial world... that reputation..."

The two murmured to themselves.

"Where does reputation come from for free? It's all carved out through killing," the constable whispered, straightening his clothes. "I'm going to report to the Magistrate."

...

On the bluestone path, Chen Wu walked quickly behind Zhang Yuan with his head bowed.

Zhang Yuan did not speak, so Chen Wu remained silent as well.

After walking for a while, Chen Wu paused.

Ahead, the three large characters "Anle Ward" were carved onto a memorial archway.

"Brother Yuan, this... this is—"

"Anle Ward," Zhang Yuan looked up ahead. "The Tang family of Anle Ward is just ahead."

"Do you think it's that easy to be released?"

"I promised the Sergeant that I would bring you to the Tang family to apologize."

Zhang Yuan's words caused Chen Wu's face to flush red instantly.

Apologize?

Make him apologize to the Tang family?

"They called us Zao-yi Guards lapdogs and running dogs!"

"We fought to the death in Yong'an County! What right do they have to look down on us?"

Chen Wu clenched his fists, growling through gritted teeth.

Zhang Yuan turned around to face him.

"How much strength did you use last night?"

Chen Wu froze, unsure of what Zhang Yuan meant.

He knew Zhang Yuan's cultivation was higher than his own, and he knew Zhang Yuan had carried many burdens over the years.

Chen Wu had always been steady in his conduct; he was usually the one helping his brothers solve problems and never caused trouble himself. He felt he owed Zhang Yuan too much.

In truth, Zhang Yuan was only a year older than him, but all the brothers viewed Zhang Yuan and Master Tao as elders of the family, treating them with utmost respect.

This was because Zhang Yuan had been comrades with their fathers and brothers, and he was doing the things their fathers and brothers had once done for them.

This time, it was simply because he had been drinking, and because the Miss of the Feng family was present, combined with the exhaustion of returning from a bloody battle, his mind had been unsettled. Provoked by that Tang scion, Chen Wu had lost his temper.

But even when he fought, he had held back his strength.

Otherwise, how could a group of people without even a Post-Natal Realm cultivation stand and walk out in front of him, a mid-stage Post-Natal expert with mastered martial arts?

"Do you know where you went wrong?" Zhang Yuan looked at Chen Wu and asked.

"Brother Yuan, I... I—" Chen Wu stammered. "I shouldn't have... I shouldn't..."

Zhang Yuan reached out and patted his shoulder, saying softly, "Now that you have left the academy, Master Tao and I can no longer teach you anything."

"Today, I will teach you one last lesson."

With that, he turned and walked forward.

Chen Wu did not see the suppressed killing intent surging in Zhang Yuan's eyes.

In the eyes of ordinary citizens, the Zao-yi Guards still held some prestige. But in the prefectural city, in the eyes of the great clans, the Martial Guard Office only handled matters of patrol and protection.

The Martial Guard Office had been silent for too long; a mere seventh-rank official could easily boss them around.

Even the bailiffs didn't take the Martial Guard Office seriously, daring to easily arrest a Zao-yi Guard.

Just now, when Zhang Yuan went to release Chen Wu, the eyes of those bailiffs were clearly filled with mockery.

And besides, what was the Tang family? How did they dare to treat a Zao-yi Guard with such contempt?

Could a single word from the Tang family make a Martial Guard, who risked his life for the country, rot in a cell?

The last lesson Zhang Yuan wanted to teach Chen Wu today was to show him that in this world, justice is not something you argue for.

It is something you carve out through killing.

Chen Wu hurried to catch up with Zhang Yuan, but he did not know what to say.

What did he mean by a "last lesson"?

Was he going to teach him the principles of being a man, or how to bow his head and bend his waist?

He knew the world was difficult, and that one had to bow before the great clans. He knew that logic.

He wanted to admit his mistake.

But his heart was filled with indignation.

Looking at Zhang Yuan's back, Chen Wu's eyes reddened.

Was Zhang Yuan trying to make him understand that as commoners, they had no right to contend with the great clans, and should simply accept their fate?