Inside a teahouse in the western part of Nan'an County town, a storyteller was narrating the tale of the Eldest Prince's expedition to Cheng State.
The storyteller, Mr. Guo, was over fifty, balding, and short. His head was as round as a carriage wheel, and he sported a shaved hairstyle.
Standing beside him was his apprentice, a chubby young man who was a head taller.
The storyteller's surna was Guo, and his given na was Dao, aning 'knife', but this wasn't his real na. Few who made their living on the streets would use their actual nas.
Mr. Guo used to enjoy telling stories of scandalous affairs among prominent families: which young lady was dallying with which poor scholar, or which wife was secretly rendezvousing with the carpenter next door, Old Wang, and so forth.
However, one night, he was struck heavily on the head by an unknown assailant. He was gravely injured and nearly died. After that, he dared not tell such stories anymore.
As Yan State increasingly waged wars abroad, Mr. Guo began recounting the magnificent war stories beloved by the Yan people. This sparked a revival in his career; several teahouses were eager to hire him, and his prestige soared.
At this mont, the story being told was about the Eldest Prince leading his army into Cheng State. It was a tily topic that attracted a large audience. However, no one truly knew how much of the tale was fact and how much was fiction.
It was known that even the high-ranking officials in the imperial court had to wait a considerable ti for battle reports to arrive, even via the most urgent delivery.
On one hand, the Eldest Prince had only just crossed into Cheng State.
On the other, in Mr. Guo's story, the Eldest Prince had already charged ahead of his n, personally slaying several commanders of the Wild People.
The apprentice standing beside him, simple and honest-looking, was new to the stage. His role was to act as the straight man, not speaking unnecessarily. However, whenever he did speak, it was as if he were asking questions on behalf of the audience.
With this interplay of question and response, the storytelling beca truly brilliant and captivating.
The listeners didn't bother to question the story's authenticity, nor did they ponder how the storyteller could possibly know frontline details sooner than official military dispatches.
The Yan people, after all, had been intoxicated by a string of victories in recent years. As long as their side was winning, any embellishnt was welco; it made them all feel good, didn't it?
Head Constable Yan Xiaoliu of the county governnt office, who had been in his post for less than two months, was also leaning against the teahouse entrance, listening with a smile to Mr. Guo's tale.
When Head Constable Yan first took office, many in the governnt office, noting his youth, whispered that he must be the younger brother of one of the County Magistrate's concubines. They figured he was another good-for-nothing who had gotten his position through connections.
In the county governnt office, the political currents ran deep. Even soone as powerful as the County Magistrate could find himself sidelined if he wasn't careful. Consequently, no one initially took Head Constable Yan too seriously.
But who would have guessed? After only seven days in office, Head Constable Yan had his subordinates completely in hand, establishing himself as the clear leader. He had successfully cultivated relationships with everyone, from the County Magistrate, County Administrator, and Chief Secretary above, down to the bailiffs and clerks of various departnts below.
He was neither arrogant nor supercilious; he was tactful, knew the proper etiquette, and understood when to press an advantage and when to yield, yet he commanded a respect that prevented others from underestimating him. When everyone in the governnt office, from top to bottom, treated you with such courtesy, it was hard for life not to be pleasant.
Nan'an County was located in Tiancheng Prefecture. It wasn't very close to the capital, yet it definitely wasn't remote. While not directly at the Emperor's feet, one could still vaguely sense the aura of the Royal Family's power.
Furthermore, due to the frequent wars His Majesty had initiated over the past two years, criminals were in high demand. Anyone who committed an offense, from hardened bandits to soone who stole a neighbor's egg, was sent to the front lines.
While so might call it harsh punishnt, it was difficult to argue against it. As long as victories were being won on the battlefield, internal contradictions seed minor. Indeed, the state of public security, as a result, felt as refreshingly pleasant as a spring breeze.
Consequently, Head Constable Yan Xiaoliu usually had little to do. As per existing rule, he would collect 'tokens of respect' on the streets and patrol with his n, leading a rather leisurely life.
When the teahouse proprietor saw Head Constable Yan arrive, he imdiately ca over to invite him to a private seat on the second floor. Head Constable Yan, however, declined, stating he was on official business and it wouldn't be proper. He did, however, nonchalantly help himself to a handful of lon seeds from an attendant's pouch, cracking them as he listened.
The proprietor then brought over a small stool with a cup of tea on it, bowing as he said,
"Please, enjoy your tea, sir."
"Heh."
Head Constable Yan was not a stingy man. He took out two small pieces of silver from his pocket—one for the tea, and the other as a tip for Mr. Guo. The silver, still warm from the protection fee he'd just collected from the costics shop, carried the faint scent of rouge and powder.
"You are too generous, sir!"
The proprietor accepted it without demur. In a teahouse, drinking tea and tipping perforrs were considered acts of prestige; refusing a tip would be an affront to the giver's status.
Over by the stage, Mr. Guo, having received the tip, bead. He and his apprentice bowed towards the entrance where Head Constable Yan stood, saying in unison,
"Thank you for your generosity, sir!"
After they expressed their thanks, Mr. Guo turned to his apprentice and asked,
"Now, where were we?"
"We were at the part where the Emperor of Cheng State, on his deathbed, entrusted his heir to the Eldest Prince."
"Exactly! That Emperor of Cheng State, Situ Lei, knowing his end was near, ordered his Pri Minister, Sun Youdao, who was by his side, to go to the army camp and invite our Eldest Prince.
"The Eldest Prince, clad in golden armor with a red cape, entered the Cheng State royal palace, followed by Generals Li Bao and Li Fusheng, and thousands of armored soldiers. Good heavens, had the Situ Family ever witnessed such a formidable army? Had they ever seen such an awe-inspiring imperial prince?
"Those princesses and imperial consorts, upon seeing our Eldest Prince, their mouths watered, and drool practically stread down!"
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