Chapter 49: Coercion
Chapter 49: Chapter 49: Coercion
Su Mu did not stay the night in the Inner City.
Despite Wang Guan’s enthusiastic invitation, Su Mu set off to return to the Outer City after a hearty meal.
As for Wang Guan’s other offers of hospitality, Su Mu politely declined them all.
’Before reaching Body Tempering Perfection, it’s best to conserve my qi and blood.’
’Dalliances with women would only slow my Quenching Body progress.’
He refused Wang Guan’s offer to see him off and hurried to the Inner City gate before nightfall.
"No Passage Document! He entered and exited the Inner City without authorization. Take him!"
The guards on duty were a different shift from the ones present when Su Mu had entered. Just as he was lining up to leave, one of them suddenly waved his hand.
RATTLE!
Several longspears were instantly pointed at Su Mu from every direction.
...
Not far from the Inner City gate was a row of duty rooms where the gate guards rested.
Inside one of these rooms, a few men were currently in conversation.
One of them was none other than Sima Hu Yuxing of the South City Bureau.
"Brother Hu, rest assured. He has no Passage Document and no Identity Waist Token. I’ll have no problem detaining him according to regulations."
A man who looked like a commander spoke. "Once I give him a good scare, you can show up and ’rescue’ him. A naive kid like that who’s never seen the world—won’t he be endlessly grateful to you?"
"I originally withheld his Identity Waist Token to teach him some humility. I never expected it would come in handy like this today,"
Hu Yuxing said slowly, stroking his beard. "The problem with young people is that they haven’t taken enough beatings, which is why they harbor so many unrealistic fantasies.
After today, he’ll learn that siding with our Hu Family brings him nothing but benefits."
"Although this Su Mu’s Quenching Body realm is somewhat lacking and not enough to catch the main family’s attention, he has mastered Blade Aura, which is rare in the Outer City. With his help, Brother Hu, I’m sure you’ll be able to reach even greater heights," the commander said with a chuckle.
"If that day comes, I certainly won’t forget the favor you’ve done for me, Brother Feng."
The two men exchanged a look and burst out laughing.
...
Su Mu didn’t resist, allowing the gate guards to lead him into a room with only a small, foot-square window.
’The Inner City is strict on entry but lenient on exit. They usually just check for contraband when you leave, not for your Passage Document again.’
Besides, they hadn’t given him any chance to explain, moving to detain him immediately.
Even Su Mu, as slow as he might be, could tell this was clearly directed at him.
’I just finished dealing with the Wang Family. Who is it this time?’
Su Mu thought with a sense of helplessness. ’When other people reveal their talent, they soar to the heavens. Money and beautiful women flock to them.
So why is it that when I reveal a sliver of my strength, all I attract is trouble?
Can’t you people just try to recruit me the normal way?
If you offered enough wealth and glory, I might actually consider it.’
’If you want to recruit someone, you’re supposed to entice them with benefits. What’s with starting right off with threats?
Are you looking down on me?
I just wanted to get along with you all as a normal person, but all I got in return was the cold shoulder.
Fine, I’m done pretending. I’ll lay my cards on the table.’
Just as Su Mu was lost in thought, the door opened with a CREAK, and a man in a commander’s uniform strode in.
The commander sat down imposingly across from Su Mu, one hand on his knee and the other resting on the hilt of his sword, exuding an intimidating aura.
"Su Mu, do you know the penalty for entering and exiting the Inner City without authorization?"
the commander demanded, staring at Su Mu.
"According to Da Xuan Law, trespassing in the Inner City is punishable by one hundred strokes of the cane and exile for three thousand li."
Su Mu recited without hesitation.
’As a constable, how could I not know the Da Xuan Law?
I’ve actually studied it quite seriously.’
Feng Wandong was speechless.
Su Mu had taken the words right out of his mouth, leaving him momentarily unsure of how to proceed.
An awkward silence hung in the air for several breaths.
Feng Wandong snorted. "To know the law and break it willingly—that makes your crime even worse!
I sentence you to three hundred strokes of the cane and exile for six thousand li!"
’Exile for six thousand li... With the physique of a Body Tempering Martial Artist, he probably wouldn’t die on the journey.’
’But once he reaches the desolate borderlands with their harsh climate, he’ll be worked to death.’
’Besides, three hundred strokes of the cane is more than enough to kill him.’
’Let’s see you not be scared now.’
Feng Wandong thought smugly to himself.
’Next up, it’s Brother Hu’s turn to make his entrance.’
Feng Wandong could already picture Su Mu scared out of his wits. He was just about to give Hu Yuxing the signal.
But when he looked, he saw Su Mu standing there calmly, his expression unchanged. There wasn’t the slightest hint of fear or panic on his face.
"You’re not afraid of dying?"
Feng Wandong blurted out.
"How could I not be?"
Su Mu said, "But, Commander, what if I didn’t enter and exit the Inner City without authorization? Wouldn’t that mean I don’t have to be punished?"
"That’s right."
Feng Wandong said, "If you can produce a Passage Document, or a constable’s or squad leader’s waist token, I’ll let you go immediately.
Do you have one?"
Su Mu was a squad leader for the South City Bureau, and that very bureau’s Sima, Hu Yuxing, was waiting right outside. There was no way Su Mu could have a Passage Document or his squad leader’s waist token.
Hu Yuxing had given him neither.
Feng Wandong was brimming with confidence.
"Kid, let me teach you something," Feng Wandong said. "Rules are rules. If you want to break them, you need to have the power to do so."
"Unless someone backs you up, there’s no escaping punishment for you today!
But who’s going to do that? It’s not like anyone’s your father. Why would they stick their neck out for you?"
At this point, he was practically spelling it out.
’Why would someone else back me up?
Only if I pledged myself to them would they step forward to protect me.’
’Shouldn’t recruiting talent involve enticements?
Why do you all resort to coercion?’
At the end of the day, these great families had been perched on their high horses for too long. Perhaps they felt that their mere willingness to recruit Su Mu was a gift in itself.
Just as Su Mu was debating whether to fight back or to keep bluffing with borrowed prestige, there was a sudden BANG!
The door was kicked open from the outside.
"Feng Wandong! I’m vouching for him. Is that enough for you?"
a slightly arrogant voice called out.
"Who is it?!"
Feng Wandong’s brow furrowed. He hadn’t expected someone to cause a scene on his turf and immediately turned to look.
What he saw made his frown deepen.
"Eldest Young Master Wang, what has this got to do with you? Is he one of your men?"
Looking past Wang Guan, Feng Wandong saw Hu Yuxing and his subordinates being blocked outside by several burly men, who were clearly Wang Guan’s own retainers.
"Wrong!"
Wang Guan boomed. "He’s my brother! Are you telling me, Feng Wandong, that a brother of I, Wang Guan, can’t enter and leave the Inner City?
If you think I can’t back him up, how about I get my older brother to have a word with you?
And if my brother doesn’t have enough clout for you, then how about I get my father to come down here?"
Feng Wandong’s expression changed.
While Wang Guan might be a spoiled dandy, his older brother was a leading figure among Wuling City’s younger generation.
To say nothing of Wang Guan’s father, the Patriarch of the Wang Family—one of the four great families and one of the most powerful men in all of Wuling City.
Wang Guan shot Su Mu a smug wink, as if to say, ’Don’t worry, brother. I’ll get you out of this.’
"Feng Wandong, is my Wang Family not even allowed to invite a guest into the Inner City? Do you dare to look down on the Wang Family?"
Seeing Feng Wandong remain silent, Wang Guan flew into a rage, rolling up his sleeves and stamping his feet.
Feng Wandong hesitated, glancing at Hu Yuxing, who was still blocked outside.
Hu Yuxing was not from the main branch of the Hu Family, and neither was Feng Wandong. In front of Wang Guan, the status of either of them was simply not enough.
"Release him!"
Feng Wandong finally said with a wave of his hand.