From a tuberculosis patient to a martial arts master

Zhu and Hong had already arrived at the corridor and were waiting.

Wang Zhenshan stood against the wall, his fingertips lightly tapping the scabbard at his waist, making a soft tapping sound.

He said calmly, "We'll wait here until the other candidates are decided, then we'll all return to the yamen together."

"Yes."

Zhu Hong stood respectfully to the side, his posture upright and his eyes fixed straight ahead.

Not far away, Shi Dunzi caught sight of him, his eyes lighting up instantly. He immediately came over, his honest voice barely concealing his joy: "Zhu Hong, I knew you'd be chosen!" He smiled.

"Well, now we're really colleagues!"

"Thank you for your kind words." Zhu Hong turned his head to look at him, his previously tense shoulders relaxing slightly, and a faint smile appearing between his brows and eyes:

"Please take good care of me from now on."

"Absolutely!" Stone Drum grinned, revealing two rows of white teeth, and patted his chest with his large, fan-like hand:

"In the future, if anything happens in the government office, I, Shidunzi, will be the first to lend you a hand."

As the two were talking, the selection process under the corridor was coming to an end.

The remaining spots were distributed among the various factions, like splitting a melon into beans. Chi Yejun was taken under Wei Qingyuan's command, which was the most powerful and influential of the six branches of the constables. The last person was a short man led over by Bai Ri Mang, who looked somewhat familiar to Zhu Hong.

It was that man who practiced Iron Palm.

After the constables returned to their posts, the clerk, carrying the registers, quickly walked to the corridor, cleared his throat, and loudly announced:

"The selection for the Sixth Division of the Arresting Team has been finalized!"

As soon as the words were spoken, the group that had been waiting from early morning until the moonlit night saw that the six figures competing had finally been decided.

Instantly boiling over:

"Hey, I knew it!"

From the crowd on the west side of the viewing platform, a man shouted first, his voice booming: "That big guy, Jin Ye really got him!"

"And there's that Zhu Hong," the pockmarked man on the east side pointed into the courtyard:

"He actually got taken under Officer Wang's wing, sigh..." He paused, then suddenly asked, "Do you think Jiang Chengzhi of that martial arts school will be furious if he finds out later?"

"Why do you always bring up things you shouldn't? Anyway..."

Someone squinted their eyes and said with a smile: "I like it, hahaha!"

"Wait a minute, why aren't we talking about that Young Master Chi..." someone else said.

"It's ordained, buddy," the surrounding people rolled their eyes.

"What's there to talk about?"

"..."

Just as the commotion subsided and the afterglow lingered, the official in the crimson robe, who sat as steady as a mountain, slowly rose from the viewing platform.

It was Prefect Shen, Shen Daqing.

As soon as he stood up, the relaxed crowd instinctively fell silent.

Shen Daqing did not speak immediately. He walked towards the vermilion railing with his hands behind his back, his gaze first sweeping over the crowd before settling on the six newly promoted constables.

"You six," the voice, though not loud, boomed like thunder:

"From this moment on, you are constables of Jinyang Prefecture. Whether you are blessed with good fortune or misfortune, whether you have a bright future or end up in prison, it all depends on your every word, action, and every sword you wield."

There was no warmth in his words; instead, they were like cold water poured over one's head.

"Official meals are not so easy to swallow," Shen Daqing continued, his tone calm and even. "Monthly stipends, grain rations, official robes... the government will not shortchange you in any way. But..."

He paused, a hint of fierceness appearing in his eyes:

"The rules of the government are the bottom line; they must never be crossed!"

Please remember:

The head constable is not a bandit.

First: Arrest people, arrest with a warrant.

Lacking even a single official seal constitutes overstepping authority and is considered the same crime as trespassing.

Second: Once a criminal is brought to justice, he or she shall be immediately sent to the yamen for questioning. Anyone who dares to set up a private torture chamber or use a single instrument of torture shall be punished as a private offender.

Third: The purpose of arresting criminals is to apprehend them. Unless they are heinous criminals, knives should not be drawn casually, and killings should not be committed lightly.

"in……"

At this point, his gaze sharpened like a knife, as if trying to pierce into one's heart:

"Especially those who abuse their power and arrest people without warrants, the Jin Yang Prefecture's black jail has several empty cells year-round, perfect for you to experience their cruelty." With that, he flicked his sleeve.

"Did you all hear me correctly?!"

The Black Prison – just mentioning it sends shivers down everyone's spine.

The very word itself is more chilling to those who know of it than any description of torture. It wasn't in the government prison, but rather built underground behind the shrine of the City God's main hall; those imprisoned there never came out alive.

Why exactly?

The dead know.

Upon hearing this, Zhu Hong and the other six responded in unison:

"Listen carefully!"

Their voices were taut and strained. Even Chi Yejun, the young master of Chi, dared not be careless when facing Magistrate Shen.

"very good."

Shen Daqing nodded slightly, the hem of his crimson official robe fluttering gently in the evening breeze. "Today's selection has revealed the winners and losers, and I am by no means one to shirk responsibility." A hint of barely perceptible emotion lingered in his tone.

"The 'Blood and Marrow Strengthening Ointment' specially bestowed by the imperial treasury should be used as a tool for self-improvement."

As soon as he finished speaking, the registrar behind him had already stepped forward with a sandalwood box. The box was carved with lotus scrolls and had a gilded copper clasp in the center, making it clear that the contents inside were extraordinary.

Shen Daqing took the wooden box, lightly tapped the copper clasp with his fingertips, and with a soft "click," the lid opened.

Inside the box:

Six palm-sized gilded tin boxes were neatly stacked, their seams sealed with vermilion wax seals. A faint, rich medicinal fragrance wafted from the boxes, clear yet not bland, revealing at a glance that they were made from top-quality tonic herbs.

The aroma of medicine wafted on the wind, and the noses of the crowd below twitched slightly, their expressions changing instantly.

"Is that the Blood and Marrow Strengthening Paste?"

Someone gasped in a low voice, their eyes fixed on the sandalwood box, filled with envy: "This is the first time I've ever seen anything like it!"

"It can't be wrong!"

A man who regularly delivers goods nearby quickly chimed in: "I saw a gentleman buy one a few years ago at Chenghuang Shopping Mall. It was a gilded tin box like this."

"Yeah?"

A suspicious fool muttered:

"What if it's just a facade, and not the real thing inside?"

"Are you courting death?!" The person next to him immediately elbowed him, scolding, "What kind of status does Magistrate Shen have? What he bestows would be fake! If the magistrate hears this, you're finished!"

"that is."

Everyone chimed in, "How could the Prefect possibly try to fool us with counterfeit goods?"

Seeing this, the man quickly explained.

"I'm just saying it, I can't really take it seriously."

……

At this time.

With a "smack," Shen Daqing raised his hand and slammed the box lid shut, silencing the whispers.

"Captain Liu, you may distribute them as you see fit."

He spoke calmly, and with a slight flick of his wrist, the sandalwood box flew towards Liu Kui below the stage like a feather.

Liu Kui dared not be negligent. He steadied himself and reached forward with his left hand to catch the wooden box.

"alright."

Shen Daqing turned and walked towards the inner side of the viewing platform, his crimson official robe disappearing into the twilight: "The rewards have been given, the rules have been explained; the rest of the journey is up to you." Reaching the steps, he paused slightly, but did not turn back, leaving only a word of expectation:

"Do your job well, and your future will be in your own hands."

"We will remember your teachings, sir," Liu Kui quickly bowed, leading Zhu Hong and the other six men, along with a group of constables, in a chorus of agreement.

"Respectfully seeing off the Prefect!"