That damn deserting brat!
He knew full well the background of these men. They had committed crimes, killed people, and deserted. Only by currying favor with high-ranking officials in the capital had they managed to evade punishment and return.
They were brave, no doubt, but they were not the kind of soldiers he liked. Just look at them – how dare they defy him? What gave them the nerve? Nothing but their connections with those in power!
So what if they had connections? They were just a few lowly soldiers! If he could find even the slightest excuse, he could have them beaten with dozens of military staff strikes. Even if it didn’t kill them, it would leave them disabled – and no one would be able to pin any blame on him.
But he couldn’t do it. That damn brat had brought up the Inspector’s name. If he punished them now for insubordination, word might get back to the Inspector, and he himself could easily end up accused of the same crime.
“Xu Maoxiu,” he called out slowly.
“Yes, sir,” Xu MaoXiu replied.
The Commander gritted his teeth slowly.
“…I will look into this matter myself,” he said with a dark expression.
As he watched Xu Maoxiu and the others withdraw, and took in the astonished looks of the bystanders, the Commander flung his sleeve in fury.
Just you wait and see!
As they walked out of the official hall, Xu Maoxiu and the others felt refreshed and invigorated. They had vented their anger, and even the beating they received now seemed inconsequential – it was truly satisfying.
“What’s there to be happy about when you’ve offended someone?”
Zhou Liu-lang’s voice came from behind.
Xu Maoxiu turned and bowed in greeting.
“It’s always difficult to have things both ways in this world,” he said. “Besides, offending someone who already holds ill will toward us can hardly be considered true offense.”
Zhou Liu-lang chuckled dismissively and let out a scoff.
They really had learned enough arrogance from that girl. He couldn’t be bothered to engage with them any longer and strode away.
“Sir,” Xu Maoxiu called out to stop him.
Zhou Liu-lang paused and turned back.
“Thank you for your concern, sir,” Xu Maoxiu said, cupping his hands in salute with a smile.
Zhou Liu-lang’s expression stiffened. He let out a dismissive snort, turned away, and strode off.
Xu Sigen only learned about the incident after seeing Xu Maoxiu and the others. He was shocked, anxious, and deeply worried.
“What were you thinking?” he exclaimed. “Our brothers finally got a second chance – are we really going to rebel and flee for our lives again?”
“Fourth Brother, what’s there to fear? What you said earlier was absolutely right! Bullying you means disrespecting the Inspector himself!” Xu Bangchui laughed heartily. Though his face was still bruised, and laughing made him wince in pain, he looked utterly ridiculous.
Liu Kui snorted nearby.
“So what?” he said. “Using the Inspector to pressure the Commander is nothing to boast about. In the army, commanding officers are like heaven – dealing with a few soldiers like you is all too easy. Do you think just because you got lucky this time by invoking the Inspector, the Commander will be afraid of you? How laughable. He’ll only be more determined to crush you. Even if he can’t kill you outright, a few military staff strikes could leave you half-dead – and who would dare say a word? By the time anyone speaks up, it’ll already be too late…”
His own family, the Lius, had served in the military for generations, yet even he had to keep his head down in the ranks. Despite his caution, he had still made mistakes, been sidelined, and was eventually sent from the northwest to the capital to be put out to pasture like useless baggage. Where did these men – with no family influence or clan backing – get such confidence?
Or perhaps it was just foolishness…
Liu Kui’s words only deepened Xu Sigen’s anxiety and concern. Xu Bangchui snorted.
“None of your damn business,” he retorted, glaring.
“Because of you, I got dragged into this too!” Liu Kui shot back, also glaring as he pointed to the injuries on his face.
Xu Bangchui let out a cackling laugh.
“All that big talk, and you still ended up beaten like this,” he said.
“It’s because I was weighed down by you useless lot!” Liu Kui shouted.
As the two of them bickered, Xu Sigen’s expression remained grim.
“What are we going to do?” he said. “Now that the Commander has his eyes on us, it’ll be all too easy for him to find fault with everything we do. When someone’s determined to punish you, they’ll always find an excuse.”
“Don’t worry. We’ll be fine,” Xu Maoxiu said.
“How can you be so sure?” Xu Sigen asked, his face creased with concern.
“Because of you,” Xu Maoxiu replied with a smile.
“Me?” Xu Sigen looked puzzled.
Xu Maoxiu stood up and pointed toward the horses in the distance.
“I believe everything you’ve done will be noticed,” he said. “People will see it – it’s a significant achievement.”
“I don’t really consider this much of an achievement,” Xu Sigen said. “Honestly, it’s no wonder they’re upset. Before this existed, our brave men still fought enemies and earned merits just fine. Back in the day, the Swift Cavalry General dominated the northwest unmatched – who could rival him? But now, with this thing around, it feels like their contributions are being erased. It’s only natural they’d resent it.”
“Their merits and your contributions aren’t mutually exclusive,” Xu Maoxiu replied. “It’s just a misunderstanding. I believe, given time, everyone will come to understand.”
He paused and smiled gently.
“If you don’t trust yourself, or even my words, surely you trust our sister, don’t you?”
Xu Sigen finally smiled, but before he could respond, a sudden commotion broke out outside as a crowd of people noisily poured in.
“Xu Sigen! Xu Sigen!”
The voices shouted in a chaotic uproar.
“Could they be coming to cause trouble already?” Liu Kui exclaimed, wide-eyed.
Before his words had even fully settled, the crowd parted, and the Commander – who had been scowling darkly just moments earlier – strode forward, his face now beaming with joy as he held up a scroll.
“Xu Sigen, quick, quick! You’ve received an imperial reward!” he announced loudly.
The entire Group Pasturage Office was thrown into an uproar.
“Hurry, come see! A horse tender has been recommended for an official post!”
It wasn’t entirely unheard of for horse tenders to become officials – the military had Group Pasturage Office, which naturally came with official positions. But those who held such posts weren’t the ones actually tending to the horses; that work was left to clerks, soldiers, or laborers.
Scholars earned official positions through imperial examinations, while those who didn’t study had to rely on meritorious service to be recommended for appointment. It was common for brave soldiers to earn recognition by killing enemies in battle, but for a horse tender to gain merit simply by raising horses – that was something no one had ever heard of before.
The crowd surged forward, packing the small official hall of the Group Pasturage Office until it was completely jammed.
“Third Class… Supervisor… of Horses…”
Xu Bangchui held the official notice aloft, reading it aloud with great effort. Unfortunately, he stumbled over many of the characters he didn’t recognize, leaving everyone in the room utterly confused.
One of the brothers snatched the document from him and handed it to Xu Maoxiu.
“Get out of the way, you’re just causing trouble. Let Third Brother read it,” he said.
Xu Maoxiu took it with a smile.
“Third Class Borrowed Official, appointed to manage military horse affairs along the route,” he read clearly.
“Manager!” Xu Bangchui shouted. “Doesn’t that make him the same as that Zhou kid?”
Xu Maoxiu shook his head with a laugh.
“It’s not the same at all,” he explained. “Sigen’s appointment is only a Minor Ninth Rank official position.”
Now Xu Bangchui understood.
“Minor Ninth Rank – that’s still an official post!” he exclaimed, pointing at the Commander standing nearby. “That’s even higher than the Commander’s Palace Guard rank!”
The Commander’s face flushed bright red at being called out so publicly. Yet, unlike his earlier fury – when he had been ready to beat these men to death – his reaction was entirely different now. He let out a dry chuckle. Though the laugh was somewhat forced, it was genuine all the same.
No one understood better than he how rare it was to earn an official rank. Nearing forty, he had spent a lifetime climbing from a regular military post to reach his current position. And now, this young man, barely twenty, had suddenly been granted a Ninth Rank official status – it was no less than soaring to the heavens in a single step.
Clearly, the backing behind him wasn’t just ordinary – it was formidable.
Resenting those with powerful connections was never wise. After all, only a fool would harm others without benefiting themselves.
“Manager Xu, your official robes are already on their way and will arrive shortly,” he said with a smile. “Shall we find a separate office for you, or would you prefer to refurbish this hall for your use?”
Xu Sigen remained in a daze, as if the bustling excitement around him had nothing to do with him.
“My brother is so overjoyed he’s gone speechless,” Xu Maoxiu said with a laugh, addressing the Commander politely.
The Commander, who had been so arrogant toward Xu Maoxiu earlier, now showed no trace of pride. Instead, he seemed relieved that Xu Maoxiu had given him a way to save face.
If Xu Sigen could earn an official rank, it was only a matter of time before the others did too. He could no longer treat them like ordinary soldiers.
Just look at these men – though they once bore the stigma of desertion, their fortunes had reversed completely after their trip to the capital. Returning to the northwest, they fought with unmatched bravery. While other soldiers killed enemies for rewards and a better life, these men didn’t seem to care about money at all. Rumor had it that during the New Year, the funds sent from the capital surpassed even the Inspector’s entire wealth. The messengers had been exceedingly respectful, addressing them repeatedly as “Boss.” With such wealth, why were they still risking their lives so fiercely? It was both astonishing and perplexing. And now this man, who didn’t even fight on the front lines, had earned an official rank simply by developing those seemingly humble horse irons.
The Commander wasn’t well-read, but in that moment, a phrase he’d once come across somewhere floated into his mind:
A needle placed in a bag – its point will always prick through.
Sooner or later, these men were destined for greatness.
“It’s only human, only human,” he said self-deprecatingly. “When I received my first reward, I was so overjoyed I cried.”
Everyone in the room laughed. But before the laughter faded, Xu Sigen – who had been sitting motionless – suddenly let out a loud sob, leaped to his feet, and rushed outside.
The entire crowd was startled.
“See? I told you – he’s crying from happiness,” the Commander boomed with a hearty laugh.
When Xu Maoxiu found him at the horse pen, Xu Sigen was no longer crying. He sat inside the enclosure, carefully examining a horseshoe in his hand.
“…Third Brother,” he said, looking up at the sound of footsteps and breaking into a happy smile when he saw Xu Maoxiu. “Look at this – it’s been made heavier and thicker. With this, we won’t have to worry about winter ice and snow.”
Xu Maoxiu smiled and nodded, taking the horseshoe to examine it before sitting down beside him.
The horse pen reeked of manure and sweat. Horse legs and tails swished restlessly in front of them, yet the two men smiled as contentedly as if they were seated at a grand banquet.
“Are we dreaming right now?” Xu Sigen suddenly asked.
Xu Maoxiu laughed heartily and gave him a light pat.
“Even if it is a dream, so what? As long as it’s a good one,” he replied.
Xu Sigen grinned.
“You’ve earned an official rank – aren’t you happy?” Xu Maoxiu nudged him with his elbow.
“I am,” Xu Sigen nodded, taking a deep breath. “It’ll make things easier for us from now on.”
Hearing this response, Xu Maoxiu burst into laughter again.
In the distance, Xu Bangchui watched with envy.
“Just this morning, I felt sorry for Fourth Brother, thinking he wasn’t as well off as us,” he said. “And now, in the blink of an eye, we’ll have to bow and call him ‘Sir’ when we see him…”
Liu Kui stood there utterly stunned. He raised his hand to his mouth and bit down hard, then let out a sharp yelp.
It hurt!
“These few pieces of scrap iron actually earned him that? They’re worth more than us killing enemies on the battlefield? Is the world going mad?” he muttered under his breath.
Zhou Liu-lang turned around to face his attendant, who had approached him.
“It’s been confirmed – this time, he got lucky,” the attendant said in a low voice. “The Emperor found out and demanded an inquiry. Everyone below scrambled to claim credit for this achievement. Since they couldn’t compete for other merits, they weren’t about to let ‘recognizing talent’ slip away. So, Xu Sigen ended up being recommended by three authorities: the Judicial Officer, the Regional Commander of Wei-zhou, and the Military Inspector. The Imperial Archives reviewed the case, and it passed unanimously without a single objection – smooth sailing all the way. Approval came through faster than anyone has ever seen, with not a hint of dispute.”
What incredibly good fortune.
Zhou Liu-lang let out a faint, disbelieving laugh and shook his head.
Was this also within that girl’s calculations?
He couldn’t help but glance up at the sky.
What was she doing now?
He lowered his gaze and pulled out a string of prayer beads from his robe. The beads were made of fierce-looking material – each one was actually a wolf’s tooth.
The first month of the year was already over. It was too late to send New Year’s gifts now. Besides, she might not even appreciate it.
Zhou Liu-lang clutched the beads for a moment, then slipped them onto his own wrist.
