Chapter 95

Standing behind them was a middle-aged man wearing a black robe with a straight blade hanging at his waist.

The middle-aged man was about 1.7 meters tall, had a short beard, wore a martial cap, and had a pair of narrow eyes, looking as if they were squinting, with a smile on his face.

"This must be Patrol Officer Duan. I have long admired your name."

"I am Liu He, the Thief-Catcher of Jinyang County. Today, I have come under the orders of the County Magistrate to see Patrol Officer Duan."

Duan Yu sized up the Thief-Catcher Liu He before him.

A county official, the County Magistrate, is the highest, generally with a rank of 600 shi, followed by the County Assistant, then the County Commandant.

Below the county officials are the Merit Officer, Thief-Catcher, Township Assistant, Registrar, and other assistants.

"Thief-Catcher Liu." Duan Yu returned the greeting, addressing him by his official title.

While Duan Yu was sizing up Liu He,

Liu He was also sizing up Duan Yu.

"Tsk tsk, it is truly not easy for Jinyang to produce a brave man like Patrol Officer Duan."

"With your ability to hunt tigers in the mountains, Patrol Officer Duan, you will surely be promoted in the future. By then, perhaps we will be working under the same county government."

"At that time, I will have to ask Patrol Officer Duan to take care of me."

Duan Yu didn't take it seriously, just smiled slightly.

Afterward, he reached out and led everyone to sit in a temporary pavilion built not far away.

"My home is currently under construction, and the rooms are messy, so I won't invite Thief-Catcher Liu inside. Please forgive me for having you sit here."

"Shitou, go tell your sister-in-law to serve tea."

Duan Yu called out to Shitou behind him.

"Understood, Big Brother Duan." Shitou replied and ran toward the house.

After everyone sat down, Duan Yu brought the conversation to the main point.

"I don't know why Thief-Catcher Liu has come this time?" Duan Yu looked at Liu He and said, "The elders said it was a good thing?"

Liu He nodded with a smile and said, "It really is a good thing."

"The County Magistrate has long heard of Patrol Officer Duan's name for bravery."

"It's just that he hasn't had the opportunity to meet you."

"But now the opportunity has come."

Hm?

Listening to Liu He's words, it seemed like he wanted him to go to Jinyang?

Sure enough, it was just as he had guessed.

"It is like this: a group of bandits has recently appeared near Jinyang, repeatedly robbing passing merchants, and dozens of people have already died."

"The County Magistrate has sent troops to encircle and suppress them many times, but they have never found the location of that group of bandits."

"But just a day ago, another group of leather merchants was robbed, and fortunately, one person escaped."

"This person reported the hiding place of the bandits to the County Magistrate."

"Only then did the County Magistrate intend to send troops to wipe them out in one fell swoop."

Liu He talked for a long time, but Duan Yu didn't hear where the so-called "good thing" was.

Perhaps seeing Duan Yu's impatience, Liu He laughed out loud: "Look at me, I was just talking and forgot the key point."

"Now it is the time for spring plowing, and the county is short of corvée labor and soldiers, but the opportunity must not be missed."

"Therefore, the County Magistrate has decided to mobilize the Patrol Officers and Pavilion Chiefs from nearby villages to lead the village youths to Jinyang."

"And then together, we will encircle and suppress this group of bandits."

"And so, the County Magistrate has been thinking of Patrol Officer Duan's bravery, so you were the first one he thought of."

Duan Yu: "..."

Good heavens, this is the so-called "good thing"?

Suppressing bandits?

Risking one's life—can this really be considered a good thing?

Duan Yu looked at the three elders, thinking to himself that they were really good at finding trouble for him.

However...

Since this matter had fallen upon him, and it was the County Magistrate who spoke, it was not easy for him to refuse.

"Patrol Officer Duan." Liu He said with a smile, "This is a good thing."

"With Patrol Officer Duan's bravery, suppressing some bandits will naturally be a piece of cake."

"And once this matter is completed well and merit is established, there will surely be rewards."

The three elders also hurriedly echoed: "That's right, Ziyi, this is a rare opportunity."

"The County Magistrate personally appointed you; this is a great honor."

Honor?

Duan Yu twitched the corner of his mouth.

If he were truly a person of this era, an ordinary villager, then perhaps it would be an honor.

But he wasn't.

But even so, he still had to go.

At worst, he would just go along with it and slack off.

He didn't want any promotion.

As a Patrol Officer, where could he be promoted to?

At most, he would be a minor official doing odd jobs in the county, not even counting as a real official.

Just as Duan Yu was nodding and agreeing with a smile, Diao Chan also walked out from the house with tea.

"This must be Patrol Officer Duan's wife, Diao Chan." Liu He raised an eyebrow and said, "She is truly beautiful enough to topple cities."

Duan Yu, who had just picked up the tea bowl, instantly looked up, his gaze piercing like a thorn toward Liu He.

"How does Thief-Catcher Liu know my wife's name?" Duan Yu suddenly asked.

"Ah?"

Liu He, whose gaze was fixed on Diao Chan, was stunned for a moment, then turned his gaze to Duan Yu.

He also looked at the three elders beside him.

"Ah... ha, naturally it was when the three elders reported to the County Magistrate last time that I heard it, haha."

Liu He picked up the tea bowl in front of him, took a sip, and nodded hurriedly: "Hm, good tea, this tea is not bad, not bad."

Duan Yu withdrew his gaze, looking at his nose, his nose at his mouth, and his mouth at his heart, then smiled slightly: "Drink tea, drink tea."

Evening.

Loud slogans rang out in the front courtyard.

"One!"

"Two!"

"Three, four!"

"One, two, three, four!"

Gao Shun, wearing armor, was holding red and yellow command flags in his hands, directing the forty youths in the courtyard.

The forty youths were led by Tie Shitou, Wang Hunu, Chen Qing'an, and Liu Bai Tu as the four team leaders.

They were performing a goose-step march.

Everyone was holding a sword and shield, with the sword in the left hand and the shield in the right.

The first step was to raise the shield forward, the second step was to swing the sword forward, then two steps of rapid marching while swinging the sword and raising the shield, repeating over and over again.

Duan Yu stood to the side and watched.

After this period of recuperation, Gao Shun's body had clearly improved.

His physique had become even more burly, and that dead-man face had become increasingly serious.

At this moment, Gao Shun was training the village youths. ===== CHAPTER 97 =====