'That "Taiping" guy gave me three years, and I've already used about six months. I wonder if that's considered fast.'
Su Mu thought to himself as he looked at the system panel.
The contents of the panel had already changed.
[Name: Su Mu]
[Identity: Constable (Official)]
[Points: 0]
[Martial Arts: Submerging Wave Saber Technique (Perfection), Archery (Beginner)]
The plus sign after Martial Arts had disappeared. When he focused his attention on the Submerging Wave Saber Technique, the system gave no prompt.
This seemed to mean the Submerging Wave Saber Technique was at its peak and could no longer be upgraded with Points.
'This might be my limit, not necessarily the panel's limit,' Su Mu thought.
He wasn't sure if there was a higher realm beyond the Submerging Wave Saber Momentum, but he figured there must be.
The strike that "Taiping" guy had used to slay the demon was definitely countless times stronger than his Submerging Wave Saber Momentum.
How could someone like him, who hadn't even reached the First Stage of Body Tempering, possibly have cultivated his saber technique to its absolute limit?
'Maybe the Submerging Wave Saber Technique is just too low-level, so its power is limited. If I want to improve my saber skills further, I'll need to cultivate a more advanced technique.'
Su Mu mused, 'Or perhaps, I need to start Body Tempering.'
If he wanted to get truly strong, skipping Body Tempering was out of the question.
Without sufficient strength to back it up, even mastering Saber Momentum wouldn't make him a true expert.
'It's not that urgent, though. With my current status, I can't get my hands on a good Body Tempering Technique anyway. I should find that "Taiping" guy first, secure the future he promised me, and then figure out the rest.'
Having made up his mind, Su Mu dismissed the system panel with a thought.
He splashed his face with cold water, washing away the fatigue from a sleepless night.
Su Mu then went to a Pawnshop in the market.
At a Pawnshop, you could not only pawn items but also trade goods, and even gather information.
As long as you paid, they could do anything.
Su Mu chose the most impressive-looking one and walked in.
"Sir, are you here to pawn something, or to shop?"
An attendant greeted him with a grin the moment he stepped into the Pawnshop.
"I'm looking for some information."
Su Mu got straight to the point, placing a two-tael piece of silver on the counter as he spoke.
Seeing the silver, the attendant's smile grew even wider.
"Please, sir, have a seat! Bring some tea!"
At his shout, a young apprentice immediately hurried over and served Su Mu some tea.
"What information would you like to inquire about, sir?" the attendant asked with a beaming smile.
"I'm looking for someone. He's about twenty years old, with thick eyebrows and large eyes..." Su Mu began.
"Sir, with a description like that, I could find several people just by walking down the street. Are there any other distinguishing features? Otherwise, we can't take this job," the attendant said, looking troubled.
"Right, he seemed to be wearing a uniform. The fabric was ink-colored brocade, it looked very expensive, and it had characters embroidered in silver thread on the chest and back," Su Mu added.
The attendant's expression suddenly turned sour.
"The character embroidered on the front is 'Tai'—" Su Mu continued.
"Don't know him. Never heard of him."
The attendant's face changed drastically. Before Su Mu could finish, he snatched the silver from the counter and shoved it back at him. "We're not taking this job. Sir, if you please. Show him out!"
As soon as the words were out, two burly men emerged from the back room and stood silently in front of Su Mu.
From their posture, it was clear that if Su Mu didn't leave, they were going to "show" him out personally.
Su Mu was confused, but he took back the silver and left the Pawnshop.
Although he was a constable of the South City Bureau, these Pawnshops all had powerful backers. There was no need to draw blades over such a small matter.
There was more than one Pawnshop in the South City. If this one wouldn't work, he would just try another.
If this one wouldn't take his money, surely another one would.
But soon, Su Mu realized something was wrong.
He had silver in hand, yet he couldn't buy the information he wanted.
He went to several Pawnshops in a row. At first, they were all very welcoming, but as soon as they heard who Su Mu was looking for, their expressions changed instantly.
Most of them politely asked him to leave, refusing his business.
One even thought Su Mu was deliberately there to cause trouble and almost came to blows.
In the end, Yang Jin suddenly appeared, offered a string of apologies, and dragged Su Mu away.
They went all the way to Yang Jin's house. After they sat down, Su Mu finally asked, "Why did you stop me?
I'm just looking for someone. It's not like I wasn't paying.
The Pawnshops are open for business. Is other people's silver money, but mine isn't?"
"Were you doing that on purpose?" Yang Jin asked with a frown.
"On purpose? I don't know what you mean," Su Mu said, completely bewildered.
"Behind those Pawnshops are powers from the Inner City! They're the means by which Inner City officials amass their fortunes!" Yang Jin said.
"What does that have to do with me asking for information?" Su Mu said. "It's not like I wasn't paying. What do their backers have to do with me, a customer?"
"It seems you really don't know."
Yang Jin looked at Su Mu for a long moment. After confirming Su Mu wasn't joking, he shook his head and said, "You went to a Pawnshop to ask about the Taiping Bureau. What's the difference between that and waving a red flag in front of a bull?"
"The Taiping Bureau?"
Su Mu's eyes lit up. "You know who I'm asking about?"
"Brocade and Ink Shirt, embroidered with 'Taiping' on the chest and back," Yang Jin said with a serious expression. "I really don't know if you're one of the Da Xuan People or not, to not even know about the Taiping Bureau!
And you had the nerve to go asking about them so brazenly in a Pawnshop. You should thank your lucky stars you weren't beaten to death on the spot."
"What, you can't ask about the Taiping Bureau?" Su Mu asked, confused.
"It's not that you can't ask about the Taiping Bureau, it's that you asked in the wrong place," Yang Jin said. "According to Da Xuan Law, officials are forbidden from engaging in business. But most officials have their own private ways of amassing wealth, and these Pawnshops in the Outer City are inextricably linked to the officials of the Inner City.
Usually, for this kind of thing, if the people don't report it, the officials don't investigate. The officials all turn a blind eye to each other's dealings, and no one really bothers to enforce the rule.
But the Taiping Bureau is different. If the Taiping Bureau were to get involved, these Pawnshops would become a Life-Ending Talisman for those officials, understand?"
"Understood."
Su Mu nodded, his eyes gleaming. "So, you're saying the Taiping Bureau is an organization dedicated to monitoring all the other officials?"
'Sounds a bit like the Jinyi Guard from a certain dynasty in my past life.'
"Slaying demons and purging evil, by special grant of Imperial Authority, to protect the peace of the realm."
Yang Jin said with a grave expression, "That is the Taiping Bureau.
They slay demons and monsters, and they also execute corrupt officials.
As long as they have evidence, they can execute first and report later. Tell me, wouldn't those officials be terrified?"
'No wonder those Pawnshops were so agitated. The Taiping Bureau could be the death of their backers.'
"Even so, I was just asking around. Their reaction was a bit over the top, don't you think?" Su Mu muttered.
"Why are you asking about people from the Taiping Bureau anyway?" Yang Jin asked, a little curious. "Don't tell me you're also foolishly dreaming of joining the Taiping Bureau?"
"Can't I?" Su Mu retorted.
"It's not that you can't, it's that it's impossible," Yang Jin said. "The threshold for joining the Taiping Bureau is: under twenty years old and at the Fourth Stage of Body Tempering.
Xing Zhao Fu, the Head Constable of the South City Bureau, is considered one of the strongest men in the South City, and he only reached the threshold of the Third Stage of Body Tempering in his forties.
The leader of the Black Dragon Stronghold is also at the Third Stage of Body Tempering, and he can't be younger than thirty.
I remember you're already sixteen, right? You haven't even reached the First Stage of Body Tempering yet. What makes you think you can join the Taiping Bureau?"