Chapter 3

The towering Changling Mountains stretch for hundreds of miles across the Xiling region. Although the winter in Xiling is long, by February, the snow on the mountains had already melted, and the snowmelt flowed down the ridges into the rivers below. One of these tributaries meanders through Gui City, located less than thirty miles from the eastern end of the mountain range, becoming the city's most precious water source. Watermark GG Test Watermark GG Test

As the sun set, the afterglow of the sunset shone on the roof of the Gui City prison, but it could not penetrate the roof to bring any sunlight into the cells.

The prison is located in the northwest corner of Gui City, sparsely populated, but with strict security. It is divided into three sections: Jia, Yi, and Bing. The Jia section has the fewest prisoners but the most comfortable conditions. Each prisoner has an individual cell, and they are guaranteed three full meals a day.

A handsome young man was walking out of the Jia section, humming a tune. He was about fifteen or sixteen years old, with clear eyes and a refined appearance. He wore a light blue prison guard uniform and had a wineskin hanging from his waist, his face beaming with a smile.

"Hey, Qin Xiao, how did it go today?" The middle-aged guard at the gate greeted him with a smile as soon as he saw the young man.

"Not too bad. A tough customer came in, but no one who enters the Jia section leaves without bleeding." Qin Xiao's eyes curved into crescents as he reached out and handed a piece of silver to the middle-aged guard. "Good brother, you're a man of honor. We share in good times and bad."

"Ha ha ha, I won't be polite. But you, with your natural cheerfulness, can brighten anyone's day, even without any earnings." The middle-aged guard laughed and put the silver into his pocket.

Qin Xiao laughed and said, "Crying is living, laughing is living. Naturally, it's better to live with a smile."

Qin Xiao provided special services in the Jia section. The prisoners here were either serving long sentences or awaiting execution, and they all wanted to be as comfortable as possible in their final days or long-term confinement. Qin Xiao called them "cell lords" and provided precise services, fulfilling their every need and making them as comfortable as possible, though his fees were not cheap.

For those who couldn't afford it, Qin Xiao didn't mistreat them; he just ensured they had enough to eat and stay warm.

The labor fees he collected were shared among the guards in the Jia section, so despite his short tenure, Qin Xiao had good relations with everyone. They were willing to share any new information with him.

The middle-aged guard looked around and then leaned in close to Qin Xiao's ear, whispering, "You should go home early. Something big has happened at the yamen."

Qin Xiao was taken aback and asked softly, "What happened?"

"I heard that Head Constable Meng was arrested by the Zhen family. Everyone is trying to figure out what to do," the middle-aged guard whispered, sighing. "But this time, the enemy is the Zhen Marquis's residence. That's not someone we can afford to offend. Pretend you don't know and go home quickly. Don't get involved in this mess...!"

Head Constable Meng in trouble?

Qin Xiao's head buzzed. Without waiting for the middle-aged guard to finish, he dashed toward the front of the yamen.

A few years ago, there was an epidemic in Zhen County, and many people died. Qin Xiao had been infected and nearly died on the street. Fortunately, Head Constable Meng found him and saved his life. Later, Meng helped him find a job as a laborer at the yamen, allowing him to survive in Gui City.

Qin Xiao was quick-witted and diligent, and Captain Han noticed his efforts, transferring him to the prison as a guard. Qin Xiao thrived in the Jia section, providing precise services and earning substantial income. Now, he was in charge of the Jia section, essentially the head of the Jia section guards.

(To be continued, please turn the page.)

Qin Xiao never said "thank you" for Head Constable Meng's life-saving act or Captain Han's care. He felt that sometimes words were too light and didn't need to be spoken.

When he heard that Head Constable Meng was in trouble, he naturally couldn't stand by. It didn't matter if the enemy was the Zhen Marquis's residence; even if it were the Son of Heaven, Qin Xiao would not be afraid.

When Qin Xiao reached the front of the yamen, about twenty people had already gathered in the courtyard. Qin Xiao frowned; there were only about forty constables in Gui City, and now half of them were here.

The constables were whispering among themselves when a cough sounded, and a burly constable raised his hand. "Quiet down, everyone. No more noise." He scanned the crowd and said, "You all know that last night, Head Constable Meng was on patrol and kicked a dog to death. It turned out that the dog belonged to the Zhen Marquis's residence."

Qin Xiao had already heard about this.

Head Constable Meng, a mounted constable, was on routine patrol last night. When he passed by Zheng Butcher's shop, he saw a vicious dog attacking Zheng Butcher. To save him, Meng kicked the dog in the waist. Dogs have hard heads but soft waists, and the kick was powerful, hitting the dog's vital spot and killing it.

"The dog was attacking someone, and Head Constable Meng kicked it to save the victim. That was only natural. But since it was the Zhen Marquis's dog, we advised Meng to apologize to avoid a bigger conflict," the burly constable said solemnly. "After lunch, Meng went to the Zhen Marquis's residence to apologize. Normally, it shouldn't take long to apologize, but it's already dark, and Meng hasn't come out. This... this doesn't look good."

This was said by Captain Lu Hong, the foot constable. His words made many people's faces change.

"Captain Lu, the Zhen Marquis's residence is like the gates of hell. Meng hasn't come out all afternoon. It's probably not good," someone worriedly said.

Another added, "Two months ago, the Zhen family's young master was riding a horse in the street. Chen the blacksmith couldn't avoid him and was hit. He went to the Zhen Marquis's residence to apologize and was thrown out after a whole day, covered in injuries, with both legs broken. He can't get up for the rest of his life."

Qin Xiao also frowned.

He knew exactly what the Zhen Marquis's residence was like.

Xiling has three counties, and Zhen County, where Gui City is located, is named after the Zhen family. The Marquis of Changxin is the head of the Zhen family and, in fact, the ruler of the entire Gui City. Living in Gui City means living under the rule of the Zhen family. The only exception might be the constables of the Captain's residence, who are directly under the imperial court.

But even a few years ago, the constables in Gui City were little more than servants of the Zhen family, always deferring to the Zhen Marquis's residence. It wasn't until Captain Han took office and took charge of the constables that the situation changed.

However, this made the Captain's residence a thorn in the side of the Zhen Marquis's residence. In the eyes of the Zhen family, having an uncontrolled yamen under their nose was very uncomfortable.

The atmosphere in the courtyard was unusually oppressive. After a moment, someone said, "Head Constable Meng is an imperial official. Can the Zhen Marquis's residence really... really dare to harm him?"

"The Zhen family is a marquis," someone immediately replied. "In Zhen County, what can't they do?"

Lu Hong looked up at the night sky, frowning. "Captain Han hasn't returned from his trip out of the city. If we wait, Meng...!" He hesitated and then said, "Should we go to the Zhen Marquis's residence to ask what's going on?"

Someone immediately responded, "Captain, the Zhen Marquis's residence is not a place we can just enter."

"Should we just wait here?" Lu Hong clenched his fists. "Head Constable Meng has always been good to us."

"Captain, if it were anyone else causing trouble for Meng, we would have taken action, but this time, Meng offended the Zhen Marquis's residence," someone said with a bitter smile. "We are just small constables, and most of our families are here. If we go to the Zhen Marquis's residence and the Zhen family retaliates, who can escape? Captain Lu, your wife and children are in the city. If you offend them, what will happen?"

This remark made many people nod involuntarily, and even Lu Hong showed hesitation.

Even the county magistrate would be respectful to the Zhen family. If they went to the Zhen Marquis's residence for Meng and angered the Zhen family, it would be a big problem.

Suddenly, someone shouted, "Captain Han is back, Captain Han is back."

Hearing that Captain Han had returned, the constables relaxed. The crowd parted to make way for a tall, slender man in a green robe who walked through and approached Lu Hong. He asked directly, "What happened to Meng Zimo?"

"Captain, Head Constable Meng went to the Zhen Marquis's residence after lunch and hasn't come out yet. It's probably a big problem," Lu Hong replied immediately. "We are discussing how to save him."

Captain Han, the man in the green robe, said sternly, "Don't act rashly. I'll go to the Zhen Marquis's residence and find out what's going on."

"Sir, are you going alone?" Lu Hong asked anxiously. "That's not a good idea. The Zhen Marquis's residence is not a safe place, and... and they have always had a grudge against you. If you go now, it might...!"

"Can they eat me?" Captain Han laughed coldly, looked around, and asked, "If anything happens, I'll send someone back to report. Who will go with me?"

The constables looked at each other, and their eyes darted around. They immediately lowered their heads, and Lu Hong's lips moved but no sound came out.

In the large courtyard, with dozens of constables, no one dared to speak. No one knew what would happen if they entered the Zhen Marquis's residence, and even if they could leave, they would be seen as a threat by the Zhen family, making life in Gui City difficult for them. No one wanted to offend the Zhen Marquis's residence.

"Sir, I'll go!" A clear voice rang out, and Qin Xiao, who had been silent, stood up from the crowd.

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