Chapter 45: So That’s How It Is

The next day, Mei Qing arrived at the Guard’s Office early. The gatekeeper had already received word and told him directly to wait in the clerks’ room. Mei Qing was sitting idly when suddenly footsteps approached from outside, and two men entered one after another.

“Brother, you’re new here, aren’t you?” The first man, upon seeing Mei Qing, was momentarily startled, then his face lit up with sudden realization as he loudly asked.

Mei Qing took in the two men, both dressed in golden flying fish uniforms. The one in front was a burly figure, his official cap tilted sideways, sporting two thin mustaches and narrow eyes. He carried a dark-colored Yixing clay teapot, and as he spoke, he occasionally brought the spout to his mouth, smacking his lips as he sipped.

“Hey kid, our Brother Zhao Zhao is asking you something—why the silence? You’re not deaf, are you?” Before Mei Qing could speak, the second man, a thin fellow, shouted.

“Oh, forget it, Xiao Jiu,” Zhao, the experienced officer, waved a hand dismissively. “This brother must be new here too; it’s only natural he wouldn’t know me yet.”

Xiao Jiu hurried out and soon returned carrying a kettle. He deftly opened the lid of Zhao’s teapot and added hot water, saying, “You know, among our Inner Unit brothers, who doesn’t know how generous and protective you are, Brother Zhao? I, Xiao Jiu, admire people like you the most. Even our Southern Security Bureau’s Director Yu is your own brother-in-law. Another person might act all high and mighty, but you, Brother Zhao, are always so approachable.”

Turning to Mei Qing, he added sharply, “Pay attention, don’t just stand there like a fool. Oh, and what’s your name anyway? Brother Zhao’s been asking you for ages.”

Mei Qing smiled and replied, “My name is Mei Qing. I’m new here and not yet familiar with the customs. I hope you two will be kind enough to guide me.”

Zhao waved a hand again. “Well, well, anyone who makes it into the Inner Unit must have some sense. But I haven’t heard my brother-in-law mention any big-name newcomers lately. So, brother, you must have some skills to get in here. This Inner Unit is full of capable people, and without some backing, you won’t get far. No worries, though. Stick with me, and I’ll make sure you’re treated fairly. So, tell me, what are you good at?”

Mei Qing found Zhao’s overbearing manner amusing but politely replied, “I don’t have much skill, I suppose, but I do know the ‘Great Ming Code’ rather well.”

Actually, Mei Qing was being modest. He could recite the entire legal code from memory if needed.

The two men stared at him in disbelief for a moment, then burst into laughter. Zhao’s already loud voice boomed even louder, and Xiao Jiu joined in with shrill giggles, even more enthusiastic than Zhao.

Mei Qing arrived early at the guardhouse the next day. The gatekeeper, already informed, directed him to wait in the duty room. As Mei Qing sat idly, he suddenly heard footsteps outside, and two men walked in one after the other.

“Brother, are you new here?” The first man, upon seeing Mei Qing, paused momentarily before his face lit up with realization. He spoke in a loud voice.

Mei Qing observed the two men, both clad in golden flying fish uniforms. The one in front was burly, his official hat tilted to one side, sporting a pair of thin eyes and a small mustache. He held a deep-colored purple clay teapot, occasionally sipping from its spout with a loud slurp.

“Hey kid, Brother Zhao is asking you a question. Why aren’t you answering? Are you deaf?” Before Mei Qing could respond, the skinny man behind shouted.

“Alright, Xiao Jiu, this brother is probably new here. It’s understandable if he doesn’t recognize me,” Zhao said, shaking his head and taking a few more sips from his teapot.

Xiao Jiu quickly ran out and returned with a kettle, skillfully refilling Zhao’s teapot. “Cough, everyone in our inner group knows Brother Zhao is the most righteous and always has our backs. I, Xiao Jiu, admire people like you the most. Even Commander You of the Southern Inspection Bureau, who’s your brother-in-law, wouldn’t be as approachable as you are, Brother Zhao.”

He then turned and glared at Mei Qing. “Learn a thing or two, don’t just stand there dumbly. By the way, what’s your name? Brother Zhao has been asking you for a while now, why aren’t you speaking?”

Mei Qing smiled. “I’m Mei Qing, new here and unfamiliar with the rules. I hope you both can guide me.”

“Enough, enough,” Zhao waved his hand. “If you’ve made it into the inner group, you must know a thing or two. But I haven’t heard from my brother-in-law about any big-shot newcomers recently. Judging by your demeanor, you must have some skills to be here. Our inner group is full of talented individuals; without some backing, it’s hard to survive. No worries, stick with me, and you’ll be fine. So, what can you do?”

Seeing Zhao’s overbearing attitude, Mei Qing found it amusing but replied, “I’m not particularly skilled, but I’m somewhat familiar with the ‘Great Ming Code.'”

Mei Qing wasn’t one to boast, but when it came to memorizing, he feared no one. Saying he was “somewhat familiar” with the ‘Great Ming Code’ was an understatement; he could probably recite it entirely if he put his mind to it.

To his surprise, both men stared at him in shock before Zhao burst into loud laughter, his voice booming even more. Xiao Jiu joined in, laughing even more vigorously.

“Ah, brother, you’ve got guts. The ‘Great Ming Code’? Haha. If we followed the ‘Great Ming Code,’ we might as well hand everything over to the Shuntian Prefecture and the Supreme Court. What would we, the Imperial Guards, be needed for?” Zhao laughed so hard he started coughing, and Xiao Jiu quickly patted his back.

“Oh?” Mei Qing smiled and asked, “So, how do we, the Imperial Guards, handle cases then?”

“You silly boy, do you know who’s in charge of the inner group?” Zhao’s face turned serious. “It’s our Sixth Master! When it comes to the inner group, we don’t need any justification. Whatever Sixth Master says, we do. If he says arrest, we arrest; if he says kill, we kill!”

“Exactly!” Xiao Jiu bent over, laughing. “I’ve heard that Sixth Master holds Brother Zhao in high regard, always giving you face.”

“Well, that’s true,” Zhao placed his teapot on the table, stroking his smooth chin with his index finger. “But it’s not just about favoritism. Sixth Master is of a high status, but we do share some old ties. Remember this, newcomer: above all, the Emperor is supreme. Below the Emperor is our Commander Lu. When Commander Lu has important matters, he entrusts them to Sixth Master. In the inner group, you only need to know Sixth Master; nothing else matters.”

Xiao Jiu picked up the kettle again, refilling the teapot. “That’s you, Brother Zhao, with the status to say such things. For us brothers, we only need to know you; nothing else matters!”

Zhao’s eyes narrowed into slits as he laughed heartily. “Ah, Xiao Jiu, you always flatter me. We’re all brothers here, no need for such talk! — Oh, Commander Lu!”

Mei Qing turned to see Commander Lu entering. Zhao quickly stepped forward, greeting him. “Commander Lu, you didn’t need to come personally. You could’ve just called for me. Please, come in and have some tea. It’s already autumn, but it’s still so hot!”

“No need,” Commander Lu waved his hand, then smiled at Mei Qing. “Zhao Dayou, meet Mei Qing, the new Mei Qianhu. From now on, he’ll be in charge of your fourth group.”

Zhao’s eyes widened like copper bells. “Ah, ah,” he stammered before exclaiming, “So it’s Mei Qianhu! I knew you weren’t an ordinary man. Commander Lu, rest assured, I’ve never let you down. Whatever Mei Qianhu says, we’ll arrest or kill accordingly. It’ll work, guaranteed!” He clapped his chubby hands loudly against his chest.

“Right, it’ll work!” Xiao Jiu nodded vigorously in agreement.

Commander Lu walked away with a swaying gait, and Zhao, beaming like a flower, approached Mei Qing. “Ah, what was your name again… oh, Mei Qianhu, it’s an honor to meet you…”

Xiao Jiu chimed in, “Exactly! As soon as you walked in, I knew you were no ordinary man. Your presence, your demeanor—even among the nobles of the capital, none can compare to our Mei Qianhu…”

“Brother Zhao, Brother Xiao Jiu, there’s no need for such flattery. I’m new here, young and inexperienced. I’ll rely on your guidance in the future,” Mei Qing said with a smile. Zhao and Xiao Jiu naturally responded with humility, creating a harmonious atmosphere among the three.

“Brother Zhao, I’ve been stationed elsewhere before. Although I’m part of the inner group, I’m not entirely familiar with its intricacies. You’re a veteran here; could you enlighten me?” Mei Qing shifted the topic, addressing Zhao.

Flattered by Mei Qing’s words, Zhao’s round face flushed with pleasure. He grinned broadly and said, “Brother Mei… I mean, Qianhu, there’s no need to be so polite. Although I’m not particularly skilled, I’ve been around here for some years. When it comes to the inner workings of this place, I dare say there’s nothing I don’t know. Our inner group didn’t exist before. It was only after Commander Lu took charge of the Imperial Guards that the inner group was established.”

“Why is that?” Mei Qing asked.

“Hehe, Qianhu Mei, you might not be familiar with Commander Lu. Let me tell you, Commander Lu is a truly great man!” Zhao declared loudly.

A great man? Mei Qing almost stumbled. The head of the Imperial Guards, that skinny, unimpressive figure, didn’t seem like a good person at all. He must be a thick-skinned, black-hearted, and capricious individual! Not to mention how he had snatched Bi Zhen away and sealed Mei Qing’s cultivation without any justification. How could such a person be called a great man?

“Qianhu Mei, you might find it strange. Our Imperial Guards’ reputation, well, even we know it’s not exactly stellar. But Commander Lu is different from his predecessors. His actions have earned him nothing but praise from the entire court. Take, for example, Zhang Yong from the inner court. He was once favored by the late Emperor. When the current Emperor ascended the throne and purged the corrupt, many eunuchs were either executed or exiled. But Zhang Yong, who was actually a decent person, was spared. In anyone else’s hands, he would’ve been dealt with harshly. But Commander Lu insisted on a thorough investigation and personally pleaded for Zhang Yong’s life before the Emperor. This act of benevolence spread throughout the court, and everyone praised Commander Lu’s virtue,” Zhao recounted with admiration.

Mei Qing naturally disagreed with Zhao’s assessment but chose not to argue. Instead, he asked, “Even if Commander Lu is a great man, what does that have to do with the establishment of the inner group?”

Zhao’s expression turned serious. “You see, that’s where you’re missing the point. What’s the difference between a good man and a bad man? The key is that a good man acts with integrity and follows the rules. But that can sometimes be restrictive and limit one’s effectiveness. Commander Lu is a good man, and the Imperial Guards have adopted a more rule-abiding approach. However, this can make certain tasks difficult. That’s why Sixth Master, entrusted by Commander Lu, established the inner group.”

Mei Qing suddenly understood. Commander Lu was the epitome of someone who wanted to have his cake and eat it too—appearing virtuous on the surface while secretly running a group to handle unsavory tasks.

“Earlier, I heard Commander Lu mention that we’re part of the fourth group. How are these groups divided?” Mei Qing inquired.

“Our inner group is divided into four subgroups. The first group is responsible for intelligence gathering. Unlike the experience department, they handle major operations, focusing on uncovering the wealth, assets, and foundations of corrupt officials and wealthy merchants…”

“Wait, why do we need to investigate merchants? Officials are one thing, but why merchants?” Mei Qing sensed something amiss and interrupted Zhao.

“Of course, we need to investigate them. Otherwise, when we arrest someone and demand fines from their families, how can we set the price without knowing their financial status?” Zhao explained matter-of-factly. “Just the other day, Commander Lu remarked: ‘Information is wealth!'”

“Oh?” Mei Qing asked with a smile. “So, how do we conduct our operations then?”

“You really are a naive kid,” Zhao said, his face suddenly serious. “Don’t you know who leads the Inner Unit? It’s our Sixth Master! We don’t need any other justification—we do whatever the Sixth Master says. If he says arrest, we arrest; if he says kill, we kill!”

“Exactly!” Xiao Jiu chimed in, grinning. “I’ve heard the Sixth Master holds Brother Zhao in especially high regard. He always shows him some respect.”

“Now, now,” Zhao said, placing his teapot on the table and stroking his smooth chin. “It’s not that he holds me in high regard—he’s just a man of great status. We just happen to have some old ties. Newcomer, you should remember this: the highest authority is the Emperor, of course. Below him is our Commander Lu. He handles all major matters through the Sixth Master. So, in the Inner Unit, you just need to know the Sixth Master. Everything else doesn’t matter!”

“Exactly, Brother Zhao,” Xiao Jiu said, adding more water to the kettle. “Only someone of your stature can say that. We lesser brothers just know that you’re the one to follow—nothing else matters!”

Zhao’s narrow eyes narrowed even further into slits as he laughed heartily. “Ah, Xiao Jiu, you always know how to flatter your older brothers. We’re all family here—no need for such formalities!—Oh, Director Lu!”

Mei Qing turned around to see Director Lu entering. Zhao hurriedly stepped forward. “Director, why did you come in person? You could have just sent someone to call me. Come in and have some tea. Look at how hot it still is, even though autumn has already begun!”

“No need,” Director Lu waved him off, then turned to Mei Qing with a smile. “Zhao Dayou, meet the new arrival, Mei Qing, the new Thousand Household. From now on, you Group Four will report to Director Mei.”

Zhao’s eyes widened like copper bells, and he stammered for a moment before loudly exclaiming, “Ah, yes, yes! Director Mei, I could tell right away you were no ordinary person. Look at how approachable you are… Director, please rest assured. Old Zhao has never let you down before. Whatever Director Mei says, we’ll arrest whoever he says to arrest and kill whoever he says to kill. You can count on us!” As he spoke, he slapped his plump hand against his chest, making loud slapping sounds.

“Exactly, reliable!” Xiao Jiu nodded eagerly beside him.

Director Lu left with a slow, dignified gait, and Zhao, now beaming like a flower, rushed up to Mei Qing. “Ah, yes, yes! Mr. Mei, I’ve long admired you…!”

Xiao Jiu quickly chimed in, “Exactly! The moment you walked in, I could tell Director Mei was no ordinary person. Look at his bearing and demeanor. Even among all the nobles and aristocrats in the capital, none can match Director Mei’s presence…”

“Brother Zhao, Brother Xiao Jiu, let’s not stand on ceremony,” Mei Qing smiled. “I’m new here and young, with little experience. I’ll need your guidance and support in the days to come.”

Zhao and Xiao Jiu naturally protested, saying they were honored, and the three appeared to be getting along famously.

“Brother Zhao,” Mei Qing smoothly changed the subject, “I’ve served elsewhere before, and although I was part of the Inner Unit, I wasn’t very familiar with its inner workings. You’re clearly an old hand here. I’d appreciate it if you could give me some pointers on how things work.”

Praised by Mei Qing, Zhao’s round face was already flushed with pleasure. Hearing Mei Qing’s question, he grinned even wider and said, “Director Mei, why so formal? Old Zhao might not be good at much else, but I’ve been around here for years. There’s not much I don’t know about how things work in this Inner Unit. Originally, there was no Inner Unit. It was only after Director Lu took over the Embroidered Uniform Guard that the Inner Unit was established.”

“Why is that?” Mei Qing asked.

“Hehe, Director Mei might not be very familiar with Director Lu,” Zhao said loudly. “Let me tell you, Director Lu is a truly virtuous man!”

“Good… man?” Mei Qing almost fell over. The head of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, a thin, gaunt figure who clearly didn’t look like a good person—surely a man of treachery and deceit! Not to mention he had taken Bi Zhen away and sealed Mei Qing’s cultivation abilities, acting without regard for right or wrong. How could such a man have a reputation for virtue?

“You might find that strange,” Zhao continued. “Even we know the Embroidered Uniform Guard doesn’t have a great reputation. But Director Lu is truly different from his predecessors. His actions have earned nothing but praise from the entire court. Take Zhang Yong from the Inner Court, for example. He was a eunuch favored by the previous emperor. When the current emperor ascended the throne and began purging corrupt officials, most of the powerful eunuchs were either executed or exiled. But Zhang Yong was actually a decent fellow. Had he fallen into someone else’s hands, they wouldn’t have cared about the details and would have executed him without hesitation. But our Director Lu insisted on thoroughly investigating the case. In the end, he personally pleaded with the Emperor on Zhang Yong’s behalf and spared his life. When this story spread, who in the entire court didn’t praise Director Lu’s benevolence?” Zhao said with emotion.

Mei Qing naturally didn’t agree with Zhao’s assessment, but he didn’t want to argue, so he asked, “Even if Director Lu is a good man, what does that have to do with the establishment of the Inner Unit?”

Zhao’s face turned serious. “Ah, now you’re showing you don’t understand the deeper meaning. What’s the difference between a good man and a bad man? The key is that a good man must act properly and according to rules. But this kind of conduct can be restrictive, making it hard to act freely. Our Director Lu is a good man, and the Embroidered Uniform Guard changed its style accordingly, acting strictly by the rules. But sometimes, this can make things difficult. So, our Sixth Master, under Director Lu’s request, established the Inner Unit.”

Mei Qing suddenly understood. Director Lu was the kind of person who wanted to have his cake and eat it too—publicly maintaining a reputation for virtue while secretly setting up the Inner Unit to handle the dirty work that couldn’t be done openly.

“Just now, I heard Director Lu say that we’re part of Group Four. How is the Inner Unit organized?” Mei Qing asked.

“The Inner Unit is divided into four small groups. Group One is responsible for gathering intelligence. Unlike the Experience Office, we handle major cases. Our main task is to thoroughly investigate corrupt officials and powerful merchants—their family backgrounds, wealth, properties, and business holdings.”

“Wait a minute,” Mei Qing interrupted, sensing something amiss. “I understand dealing with officials, but why do we need to investigate merchants as well?”

“This is naturally necessary,” Zhao replied matter-of-factly. “Otherwise, when we arrest them later, how can we know how much ransom to demand? We need to know their financial situation to set the price properly. Director Lu even said the other day, ‘Information is wealth!'”