"That’s a given. Master Li, as soon as I spotted that bandit chief in the county seat, I dusted him with 'Three-Day Unfading Powder.' Know what that is? This stuff is the renowned tracking dust from the county's 'Caiyao Hall' (Herb Gathering Hall). Just a tiny bit of this,"

Constable Li gestured with his pinky, continuing with palpable pride, "and within three days, no matter where that bandit chief flees, I, Master Li, can drag him out. But this powder isn't something just anyone can get. If I weren't related to the great philanthropist Master Li of Caiyao Hall, I never would have acquired it."

"Master Li is related to the great philanthropist Master Li of Caiyao Hall?"

The other constables all looked astonished, letting out a chorus of startled gasps.

Although they had heard this story from Constable Li hundreds of times already and were utterly nauseated by it, they knew their leader loved boasting about this connection, so each time they feigned awe and amazement to curry favor with him.

For that matter, Caiyao Hall was indeed quite prestigious in Zhuqi County. Its main business was herb gathering, possessing thousands of acres of fertile land, dozens of storefronts, and employing over a thousand retainers and apprentices. It was a massive, powerful entity, the foremost wealthy household in Zhuqi County.

Rumor had it that the head of Caiyao Hall, the great philanthropist Master Li, was once a desperate fugitive in the martial world whose vicious reputation permeated Zhuqi County. Later, he retired from violence, joined the famous Medicine King Gang in Pingzhou, became the head of Caiyao Hall—a subsidiary branch—supplying medicinal herbs to the Medicine King Gang. He even managed to earn the title 'Great Philanthropist Li' in the martial world and now stood as the richest and most powerful man in Zhuqi County, wielding immense influence, on par with the County Magistrate himself.

However, the common folk of Zhuqi County who knew Master Li's true background would secretly curse him as a monstrous villain who wouldn't leave even the skin and bones after devouring a man. In the entire county, he was the most reviled, even more wicked than the County Magistrate who furiously extorted the populace.

All the constables knew this, but dared not speak it aloud, only daring to mutter their disdain silently when no one else was around.

Caiyao Hall's powerful status in Zhuqi County was far beyond comparison for them, the poor county constables who ran themselves ragged chasing bandits. Don't even mention the Hall Master, Great Philanthropist Li; even a moderately high-ranking foreman could boss them around imperiously.

A young constable noticed that Constable Li’s wine bowl was empty. He quickly picked up the large wine jar from the table and refilled it, bringing the wine precisely to the brim—not a drop more, not a drop less. His pouring skill was incredibly practiced.

He tried to flatter him, saying, "Master Li, I heard something yesterday. Caiyao Hall seems to be publicly recruiting a batch of herb-gathering apprentices under the age of twelve in the county seat these next few days. Could you possibly put in a good word so my nephew can learn a trade? I swear I will never forget your kindness in my lifetime."

The other constables also paused with their wine bowls, listening intently. Didn't every one of them have a son or nephew? If they could secure a stable livelihood for their kin at Caiyao Hall, the foremost powerful household in Zhuqi County, it would offer them hope for a comfortable future.

Even Ye Qin, hiding in the shadows to one side of the awning, started when he heard the constable mention that Caiyao Hall in Zhuqi County was openly recruiting herb-gathering apprentices under twelve. His heart gave a sudden thump; he vaguely sensed this might be an opportunity.

Ye Qin immediately ignored the danger, poking half his head out of the clump of wild grass to listen closely to the constables, trying to figure out the details.

Constable Li was taking a large bite of beef bone when he heard this, and the bone paused at his mouth as he showed a troubled expression. "Well, it’s true that Caiyao Hall is openly recruiting herb-gathering apprentices. That part is correct. However, being an apprentice there is absolutely no good job!"

Saying this, he seemed to recall something and stopped speaking.

Constable Li always liked bragging to the other constables about his kinship with Great Philanthropist Li, but whenever the topic turned to Caiyao Hall's affairs, he would often fall silent, apparently cautious about something.

The constables grew anxious. After all this, why stop now? It wouldn't matter if he kept silent normally, but now that Caiyao Hall was recruiting young apprentices—this kind of good fortune didn't come around every day.

They offered him more meat and wine, taking turns trying to please him, "Master Li, you are Great Philanthropist Li’s relative, and you know Caiyao Hall best among us all. Please tell your brothers a bit about Caiyao Hall; how can one get in?"

As bowls of wine and plates of meat were served, Constable Li couldn't resist their urging:

"Very well, since we are brothers, Master Li will teach you all something useful today, lest you suffer losses later and blame me for not warning you beforehand. Caiyao Hall has two auxiliary halls: the Inner Hall and the Outer Hall. The Outer Hall specializes in training gatherers who go to the most perilous places—deep mountains, old forests, dangerous peaks, and ravines—to pick wild herbs. The Inner Hall is responsible for sorting herbs, quality appraisal, drying, cutting, processing, manning the storefronts, and transporting medicine; they usually stay in the county seat.

If you have connections or money, and can grease a palm to get into the Inner Hall, that's truly comfortable. You sit there and enjoy wealth, far better off than us constables who work ourselves to death licking blood off the blade.

But if you enter the Outer Hall—tsk, tsk—I cannot say exactly what it’s like in there. Don't say Master Li didn't warn you: for those gathering herbs on the mountains, it’s considered good if one or two out of ten survive. It’s even more miserable than our lives as constables.

Caiyao Hall is a branch of the Medicine King Gang, the fifth largest martial arts society in Pingzhou. The Gang's rules are strict, and much inside information is not easily revealed to outsiders. If brothers have nephews or sons considering joining Caiyao Hall, use your connections to get them into the Inner Hall—never the Outer Hall. If you don't know the details and rashly join the Outer Hall, you are courting death."

The constables were secretly delighted; knowing the inner workings made things manageable.

As for pulling strings, didn't they have a perfect connection right in front of them? The rest was a matter of silver. Using Constable Li’s connections would certainly cost a considerable amount of money. This aspect was somewhat tricky, as these low-ranking errand-running constables didn't usually skim off much illicit gain. The constables who had some money began to ponder their options. Those with no silver simply abandoned the idea of getting their nephews into Caiyao Hall.