Chapter 11: The Duty of the Constable Is to Collect Money

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The early morning sun had barely risen, casting away the chill of night.

Government Office of Daning County.

Chu Ning, holding his identification papers, entered the Government Office and, after waiting for a quarter of an hour, received the introduction document for his constable position from the hands of a clerk.

He then hurried nonstop to another street where the patrol room was located.

In the Liang Dynasty, the local government office and the patrol room were separate entities, unlike the combined duties in the ancient world where constables both ran errands and protected the county magistrate.

In Great Liang, where official posts were allocated based on the level of one's strength, the county magistrate was the most powerful martial artist publicly known in a county and did not require protection.

If someone dared to attack the Government Office, and the county magistrate couldn't subdue them, the arrival of any more constables would mean certain death.

"So you are Chu Ning, the son of arrest officer Chu?"

In the patrol room, an arrest officer who greeted Chu Ning looked him over with a curious gaze and said, "Indeed, a chip off the old block. Perform well. Old Liao, we've got a newcomer here. You show him the ropes."

Soon after, Chu Ning was kitted out in a brand-new uniform and followed Old Liao, the seasoned constable, out on street patrol.

"Chu Ning, right? Got any connections upstairs?" Old Liao asked with a chuckle as they stepped outside.

"My father, Chu Ping, was an arrest officer of Daning County before he passed away."

"You're a slick one, kid. Dead men tell no tales, and it's even more so in our patrol room. But whatever, it doesn't matter if you don't talk about it. Since arrest officer Zhao has assigned me to mentor you, I'll make sure to explain some of our patrol room's rules to you clearly."

The patrol room's rules—he had received a handbook with some regulations written in it while changing into his uniform. Chu Ning, who had lived two lifetimes, knew all too well that any department with the power to enforce the law always had two sets of rules.

"Every year, our patrol room takes on ten new constables. Maybe only two or three manage to stay alive and unmaimed. Those who end up crippled are all headstrong fools. Since arrest officer Zhao asked me to mentor you, it's my job to tell you the rules of being a constable. As long as you abide by the rules, you'll stay in one piece."

"Please enlighten me, Master Liao."

Chu Ning's attitude was sincere as Old Liao began to explain while walking: "What do we constables do?"

"Apprehend bandits, maintain public order?"

"Forget the first part. Our duty is to maintain public order and collect tax silver. Don't get this wrong, or you won't even know how you died."

Another newbie might have been puzzled—doesn't apprehending bandits equate to maintaining public order?

However, Chu Ning almost instantly understood the hidden message in Old Liao's words.

"Maintain order, maintain order. We're dealing with those scoundrel merchants and troublesome civilians who don't know any better."

Chu Ning: "?"

"We're just a bit stronger than the average citizen and have learned a little bit of basic martial skills. Those who can be bandits are ruthless and formidable. They are not the kind of opponents we lowly constables can handle."

"Thank you for the guidance, Master Liao. I will keep it firmly in mind," Chu Ning responded.

"You're young and have studied at school for six months. Don't think about making a name for yourself. Just keep it steady for a decade or two. If you have the chance to break through to martial master and become an arrest officer, you'd be much better off than the rest of us who will remain constables for life."

As Old Liao spoke, Chu Ning listened intently, and soon they arrived at a business street.

The vendors greeted Old Liao warmly upon seeing him.

"The wontons from this place are excellent. Have a taste."

The eager owner of a breakfast stall served Old Liao and Chu Ning wonton noodles. After eating, Old Liao threw down four copper coins on the table and left.

Chu Ning paid attention to the owner's expression, which showed no dissatisfaction or resentment; instead, he smiled as he watched them leave.

"Our constable salaries are not high, but we do well enough when it comes to food and drink. You can freely take from the merchants under your jurisdiction. I'm one of the more reasonable ones. These wonton noodles are five copper coins a bowl, and the cost is two coppers for the owner, so giving four coppers doesn't hurt his business. Naturally, he's happy about it," Old Liao noticed Chu Ning's earlier action and explained.

"Master Liao is indeed conscientious."

Chu Ning's remark was not flattery. In his previous life, how many powerful law enforcement agencies preyed on businesses under them? Let alone giving them cost price, it was considered good if they didn't take things by force and load up their vehicles.

If the so-called egalitarian society of his previous life was like that, it was even less surprising in a feudal state like the Liang Dynasty.

Then Old Liao started collecting "protection" … business taxes from the merchants.

The amount of business tax collected varied from one type of operation to another. Even among businesses of the same type, the tax taken was different based on scale and how well they were doing.

"That butcher's shop we just passed is backed by the Three Bamboo Gang. The Gang Leader and the two Vice Gang Leaders are all martial masters. They are not ones we lowly constables can afford to offend. I take thirty percent from the other merchants, but from that shop, only twenty percent."

"If you take more, the owner will still pay, but be careful. You might find yourself hooded with a sack and beaten to a cripple on the street one day. The higher-ups aren't going to start a war with the gangs over us lowly constables. If you get hurt, you can only blame your luck."

"One-tenth of the tax silver has to be turned over to the patrol room. Anything extra goes into your own pocket. How much you can pocket depends on how lucrative your assigned area is. If you want to make money in a rich area, you've got to grease some palms upstairs. You think I've collected thirty taels of silver so quickly, but I have to turn in fifteen, use another ten for greasing, and what actually ends up with me is only about five taels."

Old Liao was indeed very thorough, sharing all the unspoken rules of the patrol room with Chu Ning.

"Hey, when will you ever learn? Here you are peddling your goods again."

Upon reaching the other end of the street, Old Liao suddenly drew his sword from his waist, and Chu Ning followed suit.

The two men menacingly encircled a dark-skinned middle-aged vendor.

In front of the merchant were several cages containing pheasants, wild rabbits, and some animals Chu Ning did not recognize.

"Master Liao, please be merciful. My wife has just given birth to a healthy baby boy and needs milk. I was planning to sell some wild game for herbs to brew a lactation-promoting medicine," the vendor pleaded.

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The middle-aged man lifted the hemp sack tied with rope beside him, "Inside this is a silver-back viper snake, Old Liao will take it back to make soup."

Old Liao sheathed his knife and gave Chu Ning a look, and Chu Ning took the hemp sack from him.

"You've got one hour, not a moment longer, or you'll spend three days in the cell with me."

"Don't worry, I know the rules, thank you, Old Liao."

...

An hour later, Chu Ning carried two bags of pastries, a hemp sack, with his pockets stuffed full of sunflower seeds.

"Let's go, I'll take you to listen to a play."

Chu Ning's eyes sparkled with excitement, for this would certainly keep him from feeling sleepy.

Then, he followed Old Liao into the brothel, where they left their things with the doorman for safekeeping,

and afterwards, enjoyed a play for an hour.

"Fool, the girls at the brothel are busy all night and catching up on sleep in the morning; if you want to experience it, wait until tonight."

After leaving the brothel, Old Liao teased Chu Ning, and the two found a restaurant to settle lunch before returning to the brothel in the afternoon to listen to more plays.

As the sun set and the brothel became lively, Old Liao and Chu Ning headed back to the patrol office.

It was time to go back for the shift change.

"Today's your first day on street patrol, you should take these things home."

"Thank you, Master Liao."

Chu Ning didn't stand on ceremony, because he knew that Old Liao, who patrolled the streets every day, surely had no shortage of these things at home.

On the way home, the neighbors looked at Chu Ning in his uniform with a hint of respect.

Constables were small figures in the eyes of the great, but to ordinary people, they were important, representing the government.

"Auntie, I'm back."

"Little Ning is back; the vegetables will be ready soon."

The old auntie's eyes reddened when she saw Chu Ning in uniform: "That's so good; your father also wore that uniform back in the day, so impressive."

Chu Ning didn't bother to explain that the clothing of an arrest officer and a constable were different, merely smiling and saying, "I brought back a snake today, to nourish you. I'll go prepare it."

Setting the pastries on the table, Chu Ning carried the hemp sack to the wellside, then untied the rope that secured it.

As the sack was opened, a triangular snake head shot out from the mouth of the sack, aiming for his arm.

Chu Ning flipped his wrist with precision, grabbing the snake's throat fiercely and swiftly. With a exertion of his fingers, he snapped the snake's neck.

The silver-back viper snake got its name from the silver line on its back; despite being extremely venomous, it was also highly nutritious.

After skinning and deboning, and thoroughly cleaning the snake, Chu Ning carried it to the kitchen.

"This snake makes for a very nourishing broth; your father often brought snakes back for your auntie to prepare. You should go and wash your hands."

Dinner consisted of three dishes and a soup.

Chu Ning tasted the snake soup and found it really savory, but his eyes suddenly lit up the next moment. As the soup went down, he felt warmth in his abdomen.

This was a sensation he'd previously only experienced during breakthrough moments while practicing "Bull Demon Strength."

Could this silver-back viper help me breakthrough to the fourth layer of "Bull Demon Strength"?

Considering this possibility, Chu Ning drank several large bowls in succession. The old aunt watched with a smile; she was too old to drink too much of the snake soup and was happier seeing Chu Ning enjoy it than if she had drunk it herself.

"You silly boy... no one's competing with you; take your time."

In the courtyard.

Chu Ning stood tall like a pine, and soon began to practice the Bull Demon Fist. With each movement, the warm flow from his dantian surged towards his limbs and bones.

As he continued, Chu Ning's movements grew faster, and a slight tremor ran through his body.

The trembling sound grew louder, eventually crackling like firecrackers until his entire body swelled, as if a balloon being steadily inflated.

Pop!

Finally, after a loud noise, Chu Ning's body slowly shrunk back to its original size, but on closer inspection, one could see that his bronze skin had become tighter and smoother.

The mark of the third layer of "Bull Demon Strength" was bone humming and skin trembling, while the fourth layer was characterized by audible skin.

The sound just now had come from his skin.

Chu Ning exhaled a heavy breath of muddy air, walked over to a stone block, and lifted the eight-hundred-pound weight with ease.

"With the fourth layer of 'Bull Demon Strength' and this additional eight hundred pounds of force, I should be able to fight Tang Ruowei."

Chu Ning had a clear assessment of his own strength.

"Even so, one must not be arrogant in battle; it's always good to have multiple contingencies. Tang Ruowei was able to forcibly open her eyes, which means the chili powder was not effective enough; I need to further refine the formula, preparing more trump cards for myself."