Chapter 51: New Residence
Chapter 51: Chapter 51: New Residence
"Sergeant Su, I was negligent before. I never imagined the people under my command could be so audacious."
Xu Mingchen bowed to Su Mu. "They not only dared to commit arson and attack an Official, but they also smuggled contraband behind my back."
With that, Xu Mingchen presented a ledger to Su Mu.
"Fortunately, Sergeant Su, you opened my eyes. After I conducted a thorough investigation, I found this record of all the illegal acts committed by the Xu Mansion’s servants over the past three years."
Xu Mingchen placed the ledger down, returned to his spot, and stood with his hands clasped submissively.
"What they did, who was involved, and how much they profited—I’ve clarified everything. Sergeant Su will understand as soon as you look."
Xu Mingchen continued, "Although I was unaware of these matters, it was still a failure of my oversight. As for how the South City Bureau wishes to punish me, I will accept your decision completely."
Having said his piece, he lowered his hands, adopting a posture that showed he was ready to accept whatever Su Mu decided.
Su Mu looked at Xu Mingchen and understood. ’This is another display of the Taiping Bureau’s power.’
’Simply because I might have some connection to the Taiping Bureau, the Wang Family has chosen to sever a limb to survive, tossing out Xu Mingchen as a scapegoat.’
’If it weren’t for the Taiping Bureau, Xu Mingchen would never have come here to turn himself in.’
’A junior squad leader like me doesn’t command this much fear.’
’In fact, if I didn’t actually have that sliver of a connection to the Taiping Bureau, Xu Mingchen’s reaction wouldn’t be to surrender; he’d be hiring more assassins to kill me.’
’Actually, Xu Mingchen already did that.’
’It’s just that the killer he hired happened to owe me his life.’
Su Mu casually flipped through the ledger. It was, indeed, recorded in great detail.
But Xu Mingchen had managed to absolve himself of all blame.
"These animals harmed so many people behind my back. I find it difficult to live with myself. Therefore, I have decided to donate all the Xu Mansion’s assets to the South City Bureau. The bureau can use the silver to compensate the victims."
Xu Mingchen said with a grief-stricken expression, "As for my family, everyone in the Xu Family will leave South City, never to return."
Zheng Wang blinked, his face a mask of disbelief.
He was a bit stunned. ’What in the world is going on?’
’Did Xu Mingchen really have a change of heart?’
’No way. That old bastard is rotten to the core. How could he have a change of heart?’
’But if not, why would he do this?’
Zheng Wang looked from Xu Mingchen to Su Mu.
’That can’t be it, either. Even if Su Mu broke into the Xu Mansion and killed a few people, it shouldn’t have scared them this badly.’
’To put it bluntly, the Xu Family wouldn’t even be this scared if the Sima of the South City Bureau himself had paid a late-night visit.’
’In fact, even Sima Hu Yuxing of the South City Bureau has to show the Xu Family some deference.’
’Su Mu is certainly capable, but his strength is nowhere near enough to frighten the Xu Family to this extent.’
’Unless...’
Zheng Wang’s eyes darted around as a thought struck him. ’Su Mu has powerful backing!’
’That’s it!’
’He’s only seventeen and has already mastered saber intent. How could he not have powerful connections?’
Noticing the change in Zheng Wang’s expression, Su Mu instantly knew what he was thinking.
’Zheng Wang’s imagination is running wild with assumptions.’
"Sergeant Zheng, what do you think?"
Su Mu asked, "According to the South City Bureau’s regulations, how should a matter like this be handled?"
"The perpetrators should be dealt with according to the law. While the Xu Family is guilty of negligent oversight, their willingness to make amends means they can be treated with leniency."
Zheng Wang replied after a moment of thought.
"Then please, Sergeant Zheng, lend me a few of your men to help me bring the suspects to justice."
"I’ll also need a few men to help take inventory of the Xu Mansion’s property."
Su Mu said, cupping his hands.
"Of course!"
Zheng Wang said with a smile. These were all good assignments—they earned both official merit and credit for hard work, and taking inventory of assets came with generous "perks."
Most importantly, it was a chance to get on good terms with a man of great potential like Su Mu, who clearly had powerful connections.
Zheng Wang quickly summoned several capable constables and instructed them to follow Su Mu’s orders.
Su Mu led the men to the Xu Mansion. With Xu Mingchen’s cooperation, they quickly arrested all the culprits and brought them back to the South City Bureau.
As for the Xu Mansion’s property, that would take time to catalogue.
The Xu Family was one of the wealthiest in South City. Their home contained countless valuables, and they owned numerous businesses spread across South City’s various squares.
A full accounting would take at least ten to fifteen days.
After handing everything over, the members of the Xu Mansion fled South City that very night, their destination unknown.
News of what had happened at the Xu Mansion spread like wildfire throughout South City.
This incident caused an even greater stir than Su Mu’s nighttime raid on the mansion.
Many of South City’s influential groups, especially those entrenched in Guangfu Square, had been secretly watching to see how the Xu Family would react.
In their view, since Su Mu had dared to storm the Xu Mansion and publicly humiliate them, the family was bound to retaliate.
But to everyone’s surprise, not only did the Xu Family fail to retaliate, they meekly confessed their guilt and even abandoned the empire they had spent years building to flee the city.
Su Mu, squad leader of the South City Bureau, had won a decisive victory.
In an instant, every power in Guangfu Square went silent, terrified of provoking the new squad leader.
Guangfu Square suddenly became the most orderly district in all of South City.
But that came later.
Back in the present, just as Su Mu had brought the scapegoats offered up by the Xu Mansion back to the South City Bureau, Sima Hu Yuxing summoned him.
"Ah, Constable Xiao Su, it’s like this. I’ve already submitted the application to appoint you as a constable, but as you know, the higher-ups can be slow. I can’t say for sure when it will be approved."
Hu Yuxing said with a smile, "So I’m afraid I’ll have to ask you to remain a squad leader for a while longer."
"You handled the Xu Family matter very well. I’ll be sure to note it in the merit ledger. I recall that your home was burned down by the Xu Mansion’s servants, wasn’t it? Well then, you can have the Xu family’s residence to live in. There’s no need to officially register it."
Hu Yuxing had yet to uncover Su Mu’s background, so he was deliberately delaying his promotion to constable of the South City Bureau. At the same time, he didn’t want to completely alienate Su Mu, so the Xu family’s mansion was his form of compensation.
Su Mu, of course, wasn’t one to refuse a gift that landed on his doorstep.
The Xu Mansion was in a prime location, and a place that large was worth several thousand taels of silver at the very least.
After exchanging a few pleasantries with Hu Yuxing, Su Mu left the South City Bureau and went straight to the Xu Mansion.
The valuables inside the Xu Mansion had already been taken by Xu Mingchen, and the constables from the South City Bureau had cleared out most of what remained during the day.
Su Mu found a relatively clean room and settled in for the time being.
As midnight struck, Su Mu woke up reflexively and called out his system panel.
[Name: Su Mu]
[Status: Constable Leader (Official)]
[Points: 85]
[Cultivation Technique: Golden Scale Skin Tempering Technique (Major Accomplishment)]
[Martial Arts: Submerging Wave Saber Technique (Perfection), Archery (Initiate)]
’A full day’s work to root out the cancer affecting the stability of Guangfu Square. I got max performance credit for today, earning forty Points.’
’Even though I haven’t been made a constable yet, I can still achieve great things as a squad leader.’