Da Xuan Martial Saint Chapter 4: Chapter 4: Prison

The sun rose and set as the days blurred together.

Two months passed in the blink of an eye.

Chen Mu maintained his strict regimen, carrying out his routine patrols before returning to his residence to refine his blade technique.

His position as a constable remained vital to his survival. Not only did it provide his sole source of income, but the badge also served as a shield against harassment from street thugs and local gang members. Abandoning his post to focus entirely on Cultivation was simply not a viable option.

One afternoon.

Chen Mu finished his shift and arrived home.

To his surprise, he discovered an unexpected guest accompanying Chen Yue.

"Aunt Third? What brings you here?"

Chen Mu walked forward, noting the distressed expression on the middle-aged woman's face.

His late father had been the eldest of three siblings, followed by a younger brother and a sister—Chen Mu's uncle and Aunt Third. His uncle was a notoriously shiftless man who had often been scolded by his father; he rarely visited, failing to show up even for his brother's funeral.

Aunt Third, Chen Hong, was different. She had always been close to their family, often bringing gifts of rice, flour, and soybeans after his father passed away. Consequently, Chen Mu held a deep respect for her.

Whenever he was out, Chen Hong was the only relative Chen Yue would allow inside.

"Little Mu... I'm at my wit's end; I have no choice but to beg for your help..."

Chen Hong, her complexion pale and her head wrapped in a simple scarf, clutched Chen Mu’s sleeve and broke into tears.

After a careful inquiry, Chen Mu learned that her son—his cousin Zhang Hai—had landed himself in serious trouble. Much like his uncle, Zhang Hai was a lazy loafer who spent his time loitering in the streets. Recently, he had spotted a beautiful woman in a secluded alley and couldn't resist harassing her, which ignited a disaster.

He was first thrashed on the spot, and then the City Defense Division was summoned. They arrested him immediately and threw him behind bars without a second thought.

"Aunt Third, I’ve warned you before that these are chaotic times. Given my cousin's personality, he should have learned some restraint. How could he be so reckless? I fear there is little I can do to assist in this matter."

Chen Mu’s brow furrowed as he listened to Chen Hong’s frantic explanation.

It was clear that Zhang Hai had provoked someone with significant influence, as the City Defense Division had acted with unusual efficiency. Such power suggested a connection to a Head Constable or someone even higher. As a lowly constable who stayed out of trouble, the idea of Chen Mu breaking someone out of prison was nothing short of a fantasy without major backing.

Sobbing, Chen Hong replied, "I know, I know. They say the woman Xiao Hai offended is a concubine from the fourth house of the South Family Young Master. I’ve begged everyone I know, but no one is willing to intercede on our behalf...

I only came to ask if you could speak to the prison staff. Just help him survive this period until the anger dies down and we can find another way."

As she spoke.

With trembling hands, Chen Hong pulled two silver ingots from her clothes, totaling about twenty taels.

Chen Mu was aware that his aunt's family was reasonably comfortable since her husband was a butcher, but twenty taels was a massive sum that likely represented the bulk of their life savings.

Looking at Chen Hong’s tear-streaked face and remembering the food she had shared when he was struggling, Chen Mu sighed and took the silver. "I will try to make inquiries, but I cannot promise any results."

This money wasn't for him. He lacked the personal status to demand favors from the jailers. These twenty taels would have to be passed to the prison head to see if he could be swayed.

The prison head and his guards also fell under the jurisdiction of the City Defense Division, though they operated as a separate unit.

He rarely had dealings with that department.

In this brutal era, those cast into prison rarely emerged unscathed. Explicit execution wasn't even necessary; the guards could simply stop providing food and water, and the prisoners would perish within days. Without a bribe, the guards rarely bothered with basic care.

Chen Hong’s hope that Zhang Hai could simply wait out a few months seemed optimistic, but he didn't have the heart to discourage her, knowing Zhang Hai was her only son.

"Thank you, thank you so much..."

Chen Hong shook with relief, unable to form coherent sentences as she sat weeping.

Chen Mu felt a pang of pity.

If he had already attained the rank of Head Constable, this would be trivial; he could simply demand the details from the prison head. But with his blade technique only at the level of minor achievement, such a promotion was still a distant dream.

This was Zhang Hai's own karma. His inability to control his impulses had finally caught up with him. He was lucky he had only used words; had he laid a hand on her, he would likely be a corpse by now.

"Yue’er, stay with Aunt Third. I need to go out for a while."

Chen Mu gave instructions to Chen Yue and left the house while there was still daylight.

...

The South City District prison was situated at the rear of the City Guard General headquarters.

Chen Mu rarely visited this area. Although he was an officer of the City Defense Division, he served the Ninth District, which was physically and administratively distant from the City Guard General.

While constables in the Ninth District often slacked off by gambling with dice, the atmosphere at the City Guard General was cold and disciplined.

"Rumor has it that the Chief Constable of South City is a woman of exceptional beauty, though I’ve never laid eyes on her."

Entering the headquarters, Chen Mu glanced toward the central tower. In the two years since arriving in this world, he had barely seen the Ninth District’s Prefecture Chief, let alone the high-ranking Chief Constable.

Within the sprawling complex, officers moved with purpose, heads bowed and faces grim, avoiding any idle chatter.

Chen Mu followed suit, keeping his head down as he navigated toward the prison facilities at the back of the grounds.

The mood shifted once he reached the prison gates.

In a side room, a group of guards was huddled together, occupied by a game of dice.

Unlike the rigid main office, the prison was lax; visitors were a rare occurrence here.

"Brother, you need something?"

One guard looked up, noting Chen Mu's uniform.

Ignoring the gambling, Chen Mu replied, "I am here to see the head guard."

"Oh, Head Wei is inside,"

the guard said, gesturing toward a door.

Chen Mu nodded in thanks, while the guard went straight back to his game without another word.

Following the hallway, Chen Mu entered an orderly room. However, the walls were lined with racks of sharpened torture devices, creating a chilling environment.

Head Guard Wei Nan sat in a chair with his eyes shut, seemingly meditating. He cracked an eye open as Chen Mu entered.

"Officer Wei."

Chen Mu offered a respectful bow.

A head guard held a rank equivalent to a Head Constable, making him Chen Mu's superior.

"Speak."

Wei Nan gave a curt acknowledgment after seeing Chen Mu's attire.

Chen Mu stepped forward, briefly summarizing Zhang Hai's predicament before presenting the twenty taels of silver.

"I see."

Wei Nan took the silver, testing its weight. After a moment of deliberation, he tucked it into his sleeve. "Orders came down from the top to make things difficult for this Zhang Hai. However, since his family is so considerate, I’ll ensure he gets his meals. I can't promise what happens to him a month or two down the line, though."

In these dark times, dangerous criminals were usually dealt with on the spot. The prison was mostly filled with those from families wealthy enough to pay for their continued existence.

As a head guard who didn't patrol the streets, these bribes were Wei Nan's primary source of wealth.

"Your help is greatly appreciated,"

Chen Mu said with a polite smile.

Without this intervention, Zhang Hai would have suffered immensely. A few days of starvation and 'accidental' torture would have likely killed him.

While twenty taels couldn't buy his freedom, it bought him a month of survival. Actually getting him out once the scandal subsided would be a much more expensive challenge for Chen Hong’s family.

"He's in the back. Have Liu Si show you the way."

Wei Nan waved him off, clearly finished with the conversation now that the silver was secured.

Chen Mu bowed and departed. He found Liu Si, who silently led him into the depths of the prison. As they went lower, the air grew thick with a putrid, damp stench that made Chen Mu’s skin crawl.

"There he is."

Liu Si pointed to the fourth cell.

The occupants of the first three cells were skin and bone, looking like walking corpses. They didn't move as the officers passed, their hollow, green-tinted eyes the only sign of life.

In the fourth cell, a plump figure lay curled in filthy straw, his clothes stained with blood.

"Cousin?"

Chen Mu called out quietly.

The figure stirred, blinking in confusion before recognizing Chen Mu. He rasped, "Is... is that you, Chen Mu? Please, get me out of this place..."

"Aunt asked me to give you a message."

Chen Mu remained stoic, delivering Chen Hong’s words before explaining the reality of the situation. "...For the time being, you have to stay here and endure."

Despair washed over Zhang Hai’s face. "You can't leave me here to die! My family sent you so much food, and I never said a word against it! My mother was even looking for a wife for you! You can't do this to me..."

Chen Mu said nothing.

He had never liked Zhang Hai. Even the previous owner of this body had been looked down upon by this cousin. Zhang Hai had always viewed Chen Mu as a failure, destined to die a penniless officer just like his father.

Thinking of Aunt Chen Hong, Chen Mu eventually spoke. "You crossed someone with real power. Neither I nor your parents have the strength to fix this immediately. Just survive this month, and perhaps a chance will emerge."

With that,

Chen Mu turned to leave.

Zhang Hai slumped back into the straw, muttering bitterly, "What was the point of all that rice and flour... what good is having a cousin who’s just a pathetic officer..."

Chen Mu's father had spent his life as an officer and died so poor that Chen Hong had to pay for the funeral. Her own family had long ago told her to cut ties with such 'unlucky' relatives.

Perhaps if they had saved that money instead of giving it to Chen Mu's father, they might have had enough to bribe Zhang Hai's way out today.