From a tuberculosis patient to a martial arts master

After Zhu Hong withdrew.

Gu Huai'an waved his hand: "Continue calling out the names."

The hunched-over old official, seeing this, coughed lightly and, in the drawn-out tone characteristic of government officials, began to pronounce the names again, word by word.

"Liangqu." — "Here."

"Sun Fu." — "Here."

……

"Daydreamer"

"exist!"

"Report to the registrar," the old clerk said, holding the register after the names had been called out in order.

"Of the 123 officers in the sixth squad, 9 were absent due to leave or other duties, and 114 were present. Both new and old constables have been called to their posts without any delay."

Gu Huai'an nodded slightly, but did not tell them to disperse.

He slowly rose, strode a few steps closer with his hands behind his back, and his eyes, sharp as a hawk's, swept over the crowd: "Punctuality and courtesy are the foundation of trustworthiness. Upright conduct is essential for impartiality." His gaze was solemn, and his words resonated with conviction:

"This is the foundation of a police officer's profession."

"Please remember this, everyone."

Upon hearing this, all the constables replied in unison, "As instructed by the clerk!"

Gu Huai'an's brows relaxed slightly, and he said no more. His tone was cold and crisp: "Let's not waste any more time today. From now on, you will all be bound by the new and old rules of the yamen. No matter who is a senior or junior, you shall all obey them."

New regulations?

Upon hearing those two words, all the constables in the courtyard tensed up, their backs straightening taut.

When new regulations are first established, benefits and risks always go hand in hand. The stricter the rules, the heavier the burden on one's shoulders, but the fame, fortune, and opportunities for advancement hidden beneath these responsibilities always rise accordingly, without exception.

"Over the years, we've lived a life of luxury and ease, which has spoiled us."

Gu Huai'an ignored them, flicking the hem of his robe, and spoke directly: "The building is up, the banquet is held, but they've forgotten the waxing and waning of the moon." He tapped his finger on the stack of documents on the table: "The merit reports from the prefectures and counties are full of whitewashing, the mountain of case files are all embellished with flowery language." His gaze swept over the crowd below, chilling them to the bone.

"I'm tired of seeing it."

"The adults in Kyoto are getting even more tired of it!"

The words fell like a knife, "snap" hanging high above.

Kyoto?

The hairs on the back of the necks of the constables stood on end, and even the usually composed Wang Zhenshan and his team of constables instantly turned ashen.

I understand perfectly.

Jinyang is located in a remote area in the southwest.

In the past, when memorials were sent to the capital of the Great Chu, they would often disappear without a trace. The court only cared about paying the annual tribute and maintaining appearances, and then allowed you to "become your own independent entity" in this corner of the southwest, half-laissez-faire and half-forgotten.

But now...

Kyoto suddenly remembered the land of Kinyo?

And you even gave it a golden word?

This kind of scene suggests that a storm is brewing, and the whole building is in turmoil.

"The imperial edict has been issued."

Just as the breath caught in their throats, Gu Huai'an stood still with his hands in his sleeves, then suddenly spoke: "A high-ranking official from the capital will be coming to Jinyang soon." He looked over the courtyard wall, gazing towards the far north:

"It will take at least a month, or at most half a year."

Perhaps tomorrow.

"Who comes, and how many, is not important. What truly matters is—" His gaze returned, his eyes sharp as knives, sweeping over the crowd below:

"There is more than one adult who came this time."

Gu Huai'an continued speaking, a cold smile playing on his lips: "When this storm blows, if the government office is still as loose and disorganized as before..."

at that time.

"No one should complain when their head falls."

His words carried immense weight, leaving no room for negotiation, pressing down on everyone's hearts.

"Therefore, during this period..." He leaned forward slightly, his refined demeanor vanishing instantly, replaced by a murderous aura of someone who had long held a high position and had the power of life and death: "In Jinyang City, let alone people, even a rat must get back to its cave."

"Whenever trouble arises, it doesn't matter how big or small the matter is."

First, offer him as a sacrifice to the flag, then bury him on the spot!

"No wonder," Zhu Hong lowered his eyes, his eyelids twitching slightly, "that's why Manager Gu was so dissatisfied with Pei Xiaojia just now."

The Emperor is about to make his inspection tour, and the situation is urgent. What is the most important task?

Undoubtedly:

Preserve the dignity and integrity of the official.

However, Pei Lie's accusation, though seemingly minor, was, in a broader sense, a disgrace to official conduct and an insult to the dignity of the government.

"Of course, the government doesn't lack hungry soldiers."

Seeing that his authority had been intimidating, Gu Huai'an's brows relaxed, and he returned to his nonchalant demeanor: "The government has reached a consensus. From today onwards, all merits and demerits, rewards and punishments will be implemented according to the new regulations. All old debts will be wiped clean, and from now on, only current performance will be considered."

After saying that, he nodded slightly to the side.

The old official beside him immediately understood, stepped forward, unfurled a scroll of silk, and announced in a loud voice: "A new 'Merit Point' system has been established, and the details are as follows."

Firstly:

[Case solved, counted as one to five points depending on the severity of the case.]

This was just an appetizer, mostly everyday trivia, and the constables below didn't even blink.

Second:

[For captured or killed rank-two demonic beasts, their remains will be used as evidence to calculate merit points based on their rank, ranging from ten to one hundred points. If a rare rank-two demonic beast or higher (Refining Muscle Realm) is encountered, merit points will be calculated separately, with no upper limit.]

Slaying demonic beasts?

A first-rank lower level (new martial arts student) has ten merit points.

A flicker of excitement crossed the eyes of the constables; the reward was double what it used to be.

But it only lasted as a fleeting feeling.

Monsters are unlike humans; though they possess limited intelligence and lack strategic thinking, their bodies are naturally strong, with tough skin and hard bones. Their brute strength far surpasses that of ordinary martial artists of the same level. If one encounters a different kind of monster, it is even more ferocious, several times more difficult to kill than ordinary monsters, and extremely dangerous. Even if three or five people team up to fight it together, they may not be able to escape unscathed.

The slightest mistake could cost you your life.

"We must fight for it."

Zhu Hong didn't know what others were thinking, but he could taste a rich and savory flavor in it, and his eyes lit up.

This deal is exactly what I wanted.

Slaying demons earns merit points, and beheading them yields the "Scripture of the Dead"—truly killing two birds with one stone.

Thirdly!

The old official paused, then his voice suddenly rose an octave:

[The suppression of bandits who wreak havoc on the local area will be assessed by the clerk, with a reward ranging from twenty to one hundred points, depending on the extent of their harm. If a key leader is captured or killed, an additional substantial reward will be given.]

Upon reading this, the old official stopped as ordered.

Gu Huai'an, who hadn't spoken until now, took the lead. He didn't rush to speak, but tapped the table lightly with his knuckles, paused briefly, and then slowly said:

"For example, the gang of 'Golden Valley Garden' poisoners."

"this?"

Wei Qingyuan frowned and asked in confusion, "Manager Gu, the Golden Valley Garden is connected to the Taiqing Xuanmen. If we really take action, it might be difficult to explain."

Every veteran official in the government office knows this:

The Golden Valley Garden, perched atop a treacherous pass outside the city, refused to pay taxes or grain, and acted with utter disregard for the government. The local authorities, however, mostly turned a blind eye, tolerating and appeasing them without ever taking any real action. This was because the valley it occupied contained a vein of Yang Yuan Stone, precisely what the Taiqing Xuanmen had specifically requested.

However, mining always requires a large number of people.

Xuanmen is a major sect of immortals, so how could it get involved in this matter? Thus, Jingu Garden naturally became the "hands and feet" entrusted by Xuanmen to handle this matter, supervising all kinds of general affairs such as mining and excavation.

The government office was inevitably hesitant to act rashly.