IDWBE -Chapter 195 The Female Constable

Except for those who had been raised to perform monkey shows…

The Baiyun City square had grown even livelier. From morning to night, there were always monkey performances.

Of course, there were also street performers—acrobats, singers, and other entertainers—most of whom had fled from the north.

Baiyun City was far better than they had imagined. Money aside, the main benefit was a stability they had never known before.

Making a living with their skills, no constables or street thugs ever troubled them.

After paying the so-called “garbage cleaning fee,” all the money they earned each day was theirs! This was completely unimaginable in the past!

Here, life was truly peaceful.

Of course, street performers still faced occasional scorn.

But they didn’t mind.

After all, their livelihood depended on pleasing customers. A few insults were nothing.

That didn’t mean they were pushovers.

They knew Baiyun City’s rules better than the locals. Anyone who pushed them too far could pay a single coin to hire a litigation lawyer and file a complaint directly!

Consequently, the number of lawsuits at the Provincial Administration Office kept growing.

Shan Qi alone was exhausted handling everything. Eventually, after informing the prince, he called Shi Quan over.

Shi Quan had served as a prefect in Yongzhou and was far more experienced in litigation than Shan Qi.

Sometimes, for cases Shan Qi didn’t understand, he had to consult Shi Quan.

Now, at the Provincial Administration Office, the two took turns presiding over the hall. From time to time, Xie Zan, Chen Desheng, and others would come to help judge a couple of cases.

Some cases couldn’t be resolved in a day or two, and they couldn’t simply be sent to execution or labor reform.

The old prison under the Commander’s Office could no longer meet the demand, so a new prison was built near the Provincial Administration Office.

Sanhe Prison had now become a place many feared.

Fewer and fewer people lingered outside the office just to watch the proceedings.

Fang Pi accompanied Hong An, standing at the gate of the Provincial Administration Office, peering inside. “Hong An, you really want to become a female constable?”

Hong An nodded. “I’m fifteen. I’ve already told Sister Mingyue I don’t want to study anymore. Reading gives me a headache.”

Fang Pi nodded. “Reading gives me a headache too. Being a female constable must be very impressive.”

He was seventeen now.

Unknowingly, he had been in Sanhe for three years.

While they talked, a girl approached from behind, dressed in sturdy attire, staring at the eight characters on the screen wall inside the courtyard: ‘Confess for leniency, resist for severity.’

“Elder Sister Jiang Zhen!”

Hong An called out joyfully.

The two had been classmates at the girls’ school and weren’t strangers.

“Little Sister Jiang Zhen!”

Fang Pi called after her.

“Fang Pi, you deserve another beating,” Jiang Zhen said, glaring at him.

Fang Pi shrank his neck in fear. This girl hit hard—he didn’t dare provoke her.

Hong An asked, “You’re here to become a female constable too?”

“Isn’t today the official reporting day?”

Jiang Zhen sighed. “I couldn’t stay at home. I went to Li Sanniang’s place, but Father kept causing trouble for her. So I had no choice but to come to the office. I don’t think he’ll dare cause trouble here.”

Hong An asked, “You’re not studying anymore either?”

“Study?”

Jiang Zhen said, “The middle school building isn’t even completed. Even if it were, Father wouldn’t let me attend. He wants me to marry, but I don’t like those disgusting men.”

Hong An said, “It’s getting late. Let’s go inside.”

Jiang Zhen agreed, and the two entered the office, leaving Fang Pi outside.

The constables on duty recognized the two girls and showed them directly to the constable rooms.

After turning left and right and passing three small gates, the courtyard suddenly opened up.

“Brother Wang!”

Hong An greeted Wang Xu, who was holding a stone lock in the courtyard.

Wang Xu nodded toward a room. “The captain’s inside. Go on in yourselves.”

Hong An glanced at the stone lock. “What’s this?”

Before Wang Xu could answer, Jiang Zhen laughed. “Punishment, I suppose. What else?”

“You talk too much, girl…” Wang Xu gritted his teeth. “Just like your father, never spares words.”

Jiang Zhen pouted. “I’m nothing like him!”

She grabbed Hong An’s hand and led her inside.

Chen Xinluo lay back in his chair, rubbing his temples. Hearing footsteps, he sat up.

“Captain Chen…”

“Brother Chen…”

Hong An looked at Jiang Zhen in surprise. Brother? Were they really that close?

“Sit, make yourselves comfortable,” Chen Xinluo said, standing to pour them tea. “It’s hot—drink some tea.”

One was Hong An’s mentor’s favorite disciple; the other, Mingyue’s prized student. He couldn’t afford to offend either.

“Thank you, Brother Chen,” Jiang Zhen said with a smile. “We’ve both come to report. Please take care of us.”

“We’ll look out for each other,” Chen Xinluo said, sitting again with a smile. “There are currently twenty-three female constables. Captain is Cao Xiaohuan. With you two, that makes twenty-five.”

Jiang Zhen asked, “Wu Madam Cao?”

“What Wu Madam Cao?”

Chen Xinluo smiled. “Cao Xiaohuan is divorced from her husband Wu Debang.”

“So it really is her,” Jiang Zhen said.

Back then, Wu Madam Cao of West Street had beaten her husband Wu Debang. Then the Provincial Administration Office handled the divorce lawsuit, causing a stir throughout Baiyun City.

Chen Xinluo nodded. “You two will follow her and obey her instructions. The office is different from home or school—there are rules here, otherwise I can’t protect you.”

Silently, he added: unless your master protects you.

“Yes,” they said in unison.

“Good,” Chen Xinluo said, calling outside, “Wang Xu!”

“Yes, coming!”

With a thud, Wang Xu threw down the stone lock and ran in, wiping sweat. “Captain, you called?”

Chen Xinluo snorted. “Spare him for now. Take them to Captain Cao.”

“Thank you, Captain,” Wang Xu said, raising his hand cheerfully. “Two young ladies, follow me.”

The two followed behind him and, surprisingly, left the Provincial Administration Office.

Jiang Zhen asked, “We won’t stay in the office?”

Wang Xu explained, “By the prince’s order, the prison has separate male and female sections. Men are guarded by male constables, women by female constables. There are too few female constables to do anything else, so you’ll stay at the female prison. It’s just behind the office, but separated by a gate—you have to walk around to get there.”

Jiang Zhen laughed. “Captain Wang, that’s a lot of words for nothing.”

Hong An asked, “So we can only guard the prison and not handle cases outside?”

Wang Xu smiled. “It’s for your protection. Girls shouldn’t be fighting and killing.”

Hong An said slowly, “Brother Wang, I’ve already reached Seventh Rank.”

“That’s the prince’s decision,” Wang Xu said.

Looking at Hong An’s frustrated expression, Wang Xu wanted to laugh heartily. Go to the prince and see if your master would break your legs!