The Great Martial Saint!

After successfully practicing Iron Shirt and gaining another point of experience, Chen Ping'an initially wanted to press on and continue training. 

However, his body was telling him that he couldn't keep going. 

He had a day off tomorrow before returning to duty, where he would need to expend a lot of energy and effort. After some thought, Chen Ping'an decided to call it a day and continue tomorrow. 

After tidying up the undergarments he used for training, Chen Ping'an quickly washed up and prepared to go to bed. 

Chen Er'ya had already finished washing and was waiting for him in bed. 

In ordinary households, space was limited, and there weren't many formalities between siblings. Since childhood, Chen Ping'an and Chen Er'ya had shared the same bed. 

Of course, they each had their own bedding. 

"Brother, have you finished practicing martial arts?" 

Chen Er'ya asked excitedly. 

"Yes," Chen Ping'an replied as he climbed into his own bedding, which Chen Er'ya had prepared earlier. 

"Little one, tomorrow I'll be back on duty. When you're home alone for lunch, don't just make do with whatever's available. Remember to eat well. There are still some eggs left from today, so feel free to eat them tomorrow. And the leftover beef—don't save any for me, eat it all." 

Knowing Chen Er'ya's personality well, Chen Ping'an reminded her. 

"We have to repay the debt in ten days. You're the only one earning money to support the family, and the pressure is already huge. If I really eat as much as you're saying, how will we get by?" 

The debt of fourteen taels of silver, including interest, due to Little Tiger in ten days had become a heavy burden on Chen Er'ya's mind. 

"Little one, don't worry about it. Our family can handle this. I already have a plan for the money," Chen Ping'an reassured her. 

Under the moonlight, Chen Er'ya looked at Chen Ping'an with disbelief. 

"Really, I'm not lying to you! How could I joke about something like this?" 

Chen Ping'an half-lay on the bed and reached out to pat Chen Er'ya's head. 

In fact, he did have some ideas about how to gather the remaining silver. However, implementing those ideas would involve some risks. 

There were still ten days left, so there was no rush. He would focus on making some progress with Iron Shirt first! 

"Really?" 

"Really!" 

"I knew you'd figure it out." 

Chen Er'ya beamed with joy. 

"Mm, that's right. Tomorrow, don't skimp on money. Go buy some pork leg, and then..." 

Chen Ping'an rambled on. 

After chatting for a while, Chen Er'ya eventually grew tired and gradually fell asleep. 

Under the moonlight, Chen Er'ya's face looked peaceful and serene, her breathing steady and rhythmic. It was as if she were sleeping in the embrace of a mother. This sense of security, this feeling of home, was the comfort of having someone always by her side, facing the world's troubles together. 

The latch on the door had been broken during the day. When he went on duty tomorrow, he should also see if he could find a suitable replacement. Using a stick of firewood as a temporary fix was too flimsy. 

Hmm... Old Uncle Pan in the alley still owed their family half a tael of silver. It had been a while, so he should find time to collect that debt. 

Now that he had started martial arts training, the household expenses would be higher than before. 

Also, Little Tiger had agreed today to extend the debt repayment deadline to ten days. But he couldn't rule out the possibility of Little Tiger changing his mind. The chance might be small, but it was still worth preparing for. 

And earlier today, he had deliberately shown some hesitation in front of Little Tiger. Unlike the usual gang members, Little Tiger might look rough and tough, but he was actually quite sharp. Otherwise, he wouldn't have been favored by Old Tiger as his successor. 

He could show some courage, but not too much. That hint of hesitation should be just right. Too little would make him seem too calculating, and too much would make him appear weak and easily bullied. 

Under the moonlight, lying on the bed, Chen Ping'an carefully calculated his next steps. 

Early the next morning, Chen Ping'an drank a bowl of porridge and then headed to the Nanquan Lane Garrison to report for duty. Although he was an unregistered constable, he still had to follow the same rules as the official constables. In fact, some rules were even more strictly enforced for unregistered constables like him. 

When Chen Ping'an arrived at the Nanquan Lane Garrison, many constables were already there. The way they stood in groups was quite obvious—some in twos and threes, others in fives and sixes. At a glance, it was clear they belonged to different factions. 

However, this had little to do with Chen Ping'an. His relationships at the Nanquan Lane Garrison were neither good nor bad. No one went out of their way to befriend him, but no one deliberately caused trouble for him either. 

After greeting a few acquaintances, Chen Ping'an found a corner and stood there quietly, waiting. 

"Ping'an, you're later than usual today. You're usually here before me." 

A thin, wiry young man who looked quite shrewd walked over to Chen Ping'an. 

"Houzi. I stayed up late last night and slept in a bit this morning." 

Seeing the newcomer, Chen Ping'an smiled. 

The young man was named Hou Fugui, nicknamed Houzi. He was one of the few people Chen Ping'an got along with at the Nanquan Lane Garrison. 

Like Chen Ping'an, Hou Fugui was also an unregistered constable at the Nanquan Lane Garrison. His family ran a blacksmithing business, and his father was a burly, strong man. It was a mystery how he ended up so skinny. 

The two chatted for a bit, and then another person walked in from outside the garrison. After looking around, he spotted the two standing in the corner. 

"Dashan, over here!" 

Houzi called out to the newcomer. 

"Ping'an, Houzi." 

The man called Dashan walked over, greeting them with a smile. 

Dashan had rough features, dark skin, and a sturdy build. He looked like someone with considerable strength. 

"Morning, Dashan." 

Chen Ping'an greeted him with a smile. 

"Morning, Ping'an." 

Dashan responded with a grin. 

Unlike Houzi, Dashan's family were ordinary farmers outside the city. A few years ago, he had accidentally helped the garrison solve a case, and thanks to his strength, he had somehow become an unregistered constable. 

Although he wasn't officially registered, for Dashan's family, this was a great honor. After generations of farming, Dashan had managed to break free from that life. 

Speaking of Dashan's strength, it was no ordinary strength. 

Once, Chen Ping'an had seen him effortlessly lift a millstone-sized rock over his head. 

As time passed, more constables began to arrive through the garrison's main gate. 

Most of those who arrived late were official constables. 

When the next person walked in, the previously noisy Nanquan Lane Garrison immediately fell silent. 

"Constable Zheng is here." 

Houzi whispered and then fell silent, standing straight like everyone else, staring at the newcomer.