Chapter 39. First Escort (1)

I returned to my daily routine, a peaceful one free from the tedious paperwork.

The routine was, as always, a continuous series of training sessions, especially since the regular escort missions had not yet resumed. The guards were all gathered in the training ground, sweating profusely as they practiced their sword skills.

Suddenly, Chief Jiang appeared in the training ground and said,

"Pay attention for a moment."

Not knowing what was happening, we quickly lined up, and Chief Jiang relayed a few instructions.

"Regular escort missions are scheduled to resume next week. The junior guards I call out will be joining this mission, so take note."

The regular escort missions, which had been halted due to the bandits of Wujiang Mountain, were to resume. Several guards, including Guo Dushan, were called out to participate in the regular escort missions.

Most of those called were skilled guards. It was somewhat unexpected that I was included.

'I haven’t even reported any improvement in my inner strength yet.'

I didn’t feel any significant improvement in my inner strength, but it seemed they considered me capable. It was a good thing. Guo Dushan patted my shoulder with a smile.

"You’re included this time. That’s great."

"Is that so?"

"Of course it is."

Looking around, the guards who weren’t called were frowning and looking dejected. Guo Dushan whispered to me,

"The seniors say that after a few regular escort missions, you can quickly be promoted to a mid-level guard."

"Ah, I see."

"And most importantly, it’s been a while since we’ve gone to another county."

Thinking about it, that was indeed a good point. Maoyang County was so rural that it often felt suffocating.

While we were whispering, Chief Jiang continued his announcements.

"Also, we plan to hold a porter recruitment test tomorrow. Make sure to take out the boxes and rice sacks you’ll need for the test and gather them over there. Don’t forget the carrying poles."

The guards grumbled upon hearing this, as the weight of the boxes and rice sacks was no small matter.

Speaking of the porter recruitment test, it brought back memories.

I had taken this test before becoming a guard, and it was incredibly tough. It was so intense that it felt more like a strongman competition than a test for porters.

You had to carry a rice sack weighing dozens of kilograms on a carrying pole and walk around the training ground. Then, you had to load and unload items from a cart, and the boxes were also very heavy. The first time I saw it, I thought my knees would buckle.

After Chief Jiang finished his announcements and returned to his office, Guo Dushan said to me,

"Great. This time, I need to buy a good sword."

He pointed to the standard-issue sword. While it wasn’t bad, it didn’t seem to satisfy Guo Dushan’s discerning eye.

"I have this one."

I tapped the sword at my waist. The sword left behind by Bai Shengyi was truly excellent. When I took a blow from Duan Yingqian’s sword on my back, I expected it to break or at least chip, but it remained intact.

When Guo Dushan saw the sword, I drew it out, and he whistled in admiration.

"This is quite good. It must have cost a lot, right?"

"It was free."

"You’re lucky. Let me see. Hmm... It’s made of high-quality iron. I’d say it’s worth at least a hundred silver taels if you were to buy it."

A hundred silver taels!

So it was such a high-quality item? Suddenly, the sword seemed more like money to me.

"I should sell it right away. Would you like to buy it, Brother Guo?"

"But it’s been used quite roughly. You might not get the full value. Maybe around twenty silver taels at most."

"Twenty silver taels! What do you mean by ‘used roughly’?"

"Look, there’s a scratch here."

Guo Dushan pointed to a small scratch. It was from blocking Duan Yingqian’s sword.

It was barely visible, and I had to look closely to find it.

"This is just a minor scratch, not a significant one. It doesn’t affect its practical use."

"It’s not just a scratch. It looks like it was made while blocking a sword. If you’re unlucky, the sword could break suddenly. That’s why the second-hand value is low."

Guo Dushan and I argued for a while about the second-hand value of my sword. It felt like he was trying to sell someone else’s sword. I decided not to sell it, and Guo Dushan grumbled,

"I don’t buy famous swords because it’s a waste if they break."

"But you don’t have the money to buy one, do you?"

"You said it was free."

"You have the standard-issue sword."

We bickered for a bit and then got back to work. As we were moving the extremely heavy boxes for the porter recruitment test, I suddenly thought of someone.

Yang Zhenpo, who had left with his shoulders slumped not long ago.

'Porter...'

Thinking back to when he asked me to give his disciples some work, I felt a bit conflicted.

'Hmm...'

It was a serious issue to consider. Of course, it wasn’t just about pity.

Yang Zhenpo’s employment problem became something I needed to think about because I was planning to make a serious effort to become a branch manager.

If I was going to this world, I should do my best, and this was a good opportunity.

The alumni association was also pushing for it, and Bai Linghua mentioned in passing during an overtime chat that they planned to set up a few more branches in the next few years. It was a perfect opportunity to aim for a branch manager position.

Of course, there was the option of working hard in Maoyang County to become a branch manager, but considering Chief Jiang’s dedication to morning runs, it would be impossible for me to become the branch manager of Maoyang County within the next 20 years.

Therefore, becoming the manager of a new branch was the fastest and best way to become a branch manager.

'To do that, not only do I need martial arts skills and achievements, but most importantly, I need connections.'

Martial arts skills and achievements are obvious, but connections are important because when setting up a new branch, I would need people to come with me. This way, the branch could function properly from the start. These aspects would also be evaluated when considering a promotion to branch manager.

'I need to have guards and experienced porters on my side. I also need a scribe for paperwork.'

By the time I become a branch manager, there will likely be a few guards I can ask to join me, but the problem is the porters.

Although guards and porters seem to do similar work, they operate in different circles. It’s like how officers and non-commissioned officers in the military live in different worlds. Guards and porters also tend to stick to their own groups.

Since I was originally a porter, I wasn’t completely distant from them, but after becoming a guard, I became closer to the guards, so now I’m a bit distant from the porters.

'So, pushing the Jiejianmen guys would be perfect...'

The only problem is that getting them to work here is a bit complicated.

First, they are former Jiejianmen members, which could be awkward for Baiyun Escort Agency. Porters aren’t a high-status job, so it’s understandable why Chief Jiang might think it’s unnecessary to hire them. They might not even be allowed to take the porter recruitment test.

'There’s still a way to handle this.'

There was a way to negotiate this, but the real problem was Yang Zhenpo.

'He only has one arm, right?'

Even if he were a one-armed guard, it would be manageable, but a one-armed porter is impractical. Why hire a one-armed porter when a two-armed laborer can be kicked out on the street?

If I only brought his disciples and left Yang Zhenpo out, it would feel awkward and I would need someone to manage and control them.

So, it would be better to bring Yang Zhenpo as the leader and package them as a set to get hired.

'I should go see Yang Zhenpo.'

After some deliberation, I decided to visit Yang Zhenpo and sorted out my thoughts before heading over.

***

When I found Yang Zhenpo after finishing my work, he looked at me with a somewhat stern expression and, as usual, put on a serious front.

"What’s up?"

"Why do you always act so serious? It’s embarrassing for me to see you like this. I just came to talk."

"..."

Upon closer inspection, his face was slightly red. He seemed to be aware that he was putting on too much of a front.

"Listen to me first."

I quickly got to the point. I needed to finish talking to him and meet Chief Jiang before he left for the day, so I didn’t have much time.

"I’m talking about the job at Baiyun Escort Agency."

"You mean your disciples?"

"Yes. Including you, a total of five people. I’m looking for jobs for you."

"Have you changed your mind?"

"Yes. It might be possible if things go well."

Yang Zhenpo nodded with a bright expression.

"Thank you. I won’t forget this kindness."

"But there are conditions."

"Conditions? What are they?"

"You know, hiring you guys isn’t a pleasant thing for Jiejianmen."

They were once disciples of the sect. Even though they were expelled, it wouldn’t feel good for Jiejianmen to hear that they were re-employed by a rival company.

It might seem like a minor issue, but human psychology is complex. If someone I recommended works for my rival, it might make me look like I lack tolerance, which is undesirable.

Yang Zhenpo agreed.

"That’s true."

"Of course, it’s not a pleasant situation for Baiyun Escort Agency either."

"..."

"So, my first condition is that if you’re suddenly fired, you should understand."

"Understood."

This meant that the employment relationship could be affected by the relationship between Jiejianmen and Baiyun Escort Agency. I couldn’t be responsible for that, so I had to make it clear beforehand.

I patted Yang Zhenpo’s shoulder and said,

"I’m just warning you in advance. If it happens, we’ll deal with it when the time comes."

"Understood. We’re not in a position to be picky. We’ll do as you say."

"Good. The second condition is that you must not make enemies with other porters."

"Make enemies?"

"Yes. Don’t act like a leader just because you’ve learned some martial arts."

Although they’ve lost their inner strength, they were once second-rate warriors. In simple terms, they are strong. It’s not easy for such people to get along with other porters.

If they cause problems by trying to be leaders among the porters, I might have to take the blame, so I had to make this clear in advance.

"Understood. I’ll make sure to warn them."

"And since you’ll be the leader of the disciples, you’ll need to work with them."

"Is that okay? My arm is like this."

Yang Zhenpo showed the stump of his amputated arm. It was still not cleanly healed, making it look quite gruesome.

"Can a one-armed person really be a porter?"

"It will be tough, but there’s a way."

I considered only accepting the other four, but I thought it would be difficult to manage them without Yang Zhenpo.

Moreover, if I heard that he had starved to death somewhere, it would leave a bad taste in my mouth.

"Of course, you still need to pass the test."

"Didn’t you say you’d help us pass?"

"Don’t get ahead of yourself. You need to take the test. Of course."

"Hey! If I could pass the test, I wouldn’t have asked you! What kind of smart aleck are you?!"

Yang Zhenpo dropped his serious front and shouted. I remained calm, as I had expected this reaction.

"Originally, you guys couldn’t even take the test. Even if you did, you wouldn’t pass. But I’ll help you take the test and give you a chance to pass."

Yang Zhenpo looked puzzled.

"Are you saying you have the ability to do that?"

"Of course."

I smiled lightly and leaned in to whisper.

"I’ll tell you the test content and the secret to passing. Listen carefully."

"Tell me."

"First, let me explain..."

After about five minutes of explanation, Yang Zhenpo exclaimed in shock.

"Are you crazy?!"

"I’m not crazy. There’s no other way."

"..."

"Of course, I’m not forcing you. If you don’t want to, we can just forget about it."

"Even if I agree, my disciples won’t."

"Bring them here. I’ll talk to them."

I smiled at Yang Zhenpo.