“This kid…”

“Good skills… but his eyes aren’t sharp enough…”

Henry Blake was caught by someone reaching for his knife from behind. His sword-like brows shot up, but the moment he saw who it was, his anger froze. He quickly sheathed his blade and cupped his fists in salute:

“Sir, it’s a misunderstanding. Please forgive me.”

The quick apology wasn’t because the person behind him was so formidable, but because he was dressed in a dark blue robe, wore a gauze cap, and had an iron feather at his waist—the signature gear of a Black Yamen constable.

Unlike ordinary constables, the Black Yamen dealt exclusively with people of the martial world. They had the authority to arrest and interrogate without prior approval, and if necessary, could execute first and report later. No one in the martial world dared take them lightly.

The constable behind him looked to be just over thirty, slightly plump, and bearded.

Having just brushed past death, the constable wiped the sweat from his forehead. Outmatched and in the wrong, he saw Henry Blake’s courtesy and returned the gesture:

“Good skills, I misjudged you earlier. I am the Black Yamen’s Chief Banner Officer, David Harris. Young man, that’s a fine blade you have there. Looks like it’s seen its share of blood. Your skills are worthy of it.”

Facing the constable’s suspicion, Henry Blake replied calmly:

“I am Henry Blake, from Liangzhou. My family runs an escort agency. The blade was left to me by my father. Traveling far and wide, it’s only natural to have a few scrapes.”

As he spoke, he took out the ‘talisman badge’ issued by his hometown’s yamen, which clearly listed his ‘place of origin, occupation, and age’, and bore the official seal.

David Harris took the badge and examined it, confirming it wasn’t a fake. His expression softened noticeably:

“Didn’t expect a backwater like Liangzhou to produce such a promising young man. No wonder they say the deep mountains raise fine birds…”

“Chirp~”

The bird perched on Henry Blake’s shoulder brightened its eyes.

Only now did David Harris notice the bird squatting on Henry Blake’s shoulder, and he paused in surprise:

“Oh! That’s a clever bird. It’s common to see people in the martial world with hawks, dogs, or parrots, but bringing… what exactly is this thing?”

“A bird from beyond the frontier, you could call it a hawk… hmm, a fat-headed hawk.”

“If you hadn’t said so, I’d have thought it was a fat chicken with no neck. Doesn’t look like it can fly very high…”

“Chirp!”

Henry Blake held down the ruffled bird. As they chatted, he and David Harris walked toward a teahouse by the street:

“Sir, is there something you need from me?”

“Brother Blake, as an escort chief, are you here to recruit guards, or to make a living?”

“To make a living. Lord Harris, are you perhaps trying to recruit me into the Black Yamen?”

David Harris shook his head. “Being a constable is a lowly job. It looks glamorous, but once you take off the uniform, everyone wants to beat you up. You’re young and skilled—if you joined the Black Yamen, it’d only hold you back. I asked you here to point you toward a path to wealth.”

“Oh?”

Henry Blake found David Harris’s frankness likable and smiled:

“I’d like to hear more.”

David Harris cupped his fists and gestured toward the imperial city at the edge of view:

“The current Emperor intends to find a husband for Prince Jing. I must say, you’re quite the handsome young man…”

?

Henry Blake’s smile froze.

He knew a bit about court affairs. The reigning ‘Empress’ was said to be strong-willed and harsh. She was originally just the regent, but after saving the crumbling dynasty, she simply deposed her brother and took the throne herself. Not only did she become Emperor, she even broke precedent by making her own sister a prince.

When it came to men associated with the Empress or the female prince, the first thing Henry Blake thought of was ‘male consort’. He was confident in his looks for that line of work, but had zero interest:

“Thank you for your guidance, Lord Harris, but I already have a wife. I would never abandon my wife of humble origins…”

“Prince Jing values martial prowess. If she really takes a liking to your looks and skills, would she care if there’s an extra pair of chopsticks at home? Your loyalty to your wife might make Prince Jing appreciate you even more.”

“?”

Henry Blake knew that being a male consort could mean being passed around by the Empress, the female prince, or even the Empress Dowager.

But bringing your wife along to be a male consort? That was a first.

“From the way you speak, Lord Harris, do you know Prince Jing personally?”

A hint of pride flashed in David Harris’s eyes as he gestured toward the distant Black Yamen:

“Prince Jing is the Emperor’s right hand. The Black Yamen isn’t under the Six Ministries; it’s Prince Jing’s personal guard. Even our monthly salaries come from her residence. Of course I know her. But let’s not talk about her status—just her martial skills. Prince Jing’s master is the ‘Imperial Teacher’, Samuel Reed. You look like a promising martial artist. If you win Prince Jing’s favor, I could recommend you. In martial arts, that would be a shortcut to the top. Are you sure you don’t want to try for a smooth life?”

Henry Blake had long heard of ‘Samuel Reed’, the Shishu of Jade Void Mountain, junior sister to Lü Taiqing, one of the ‘Two Sages’, and herself ranked sixth in the world—one of the strongest women alive.

Henry Blake did admire martial world legends and wanted to enter the palace to dig up the “Minglong Map”, but he wasn’t desperate enough to ‘sell his looks’ to achieve his goals.

“I’m just a wanderer, a nobody. I don’t have such good fortune…”

“Sigh, I just thought you had a real shot, so I told you. With a bit of luck, you could save yourself sixty years of struggle…”

…

Henry Blake and the constable chatted in the teahouse, while from the top of Mingyu Tower in the distance, this spot was clearly visible.

The Black Yamen had existed since the founding of the dynasty, serving as the Emperor’s personal guard. After the Empress took the throne, it was assigned to Prince Jing. Because ‘Green Bandits’ had repeatedly tried to assassinate the prince, the yamen’s headquarters was moved outside Prince Jing’s residence.

Mingyu Tower was built in the rear garden of Prince Jing’s mansion. With its five stories, it already surpassed the height of the palace walls—a serious breach of protocol. That’s why the locals called this whole district Mingyu Tower.