Chapter Five: The Measure of Rank

The next day dawn had not yet broken when the main gate of the Southern Imperial Guard camp slowly swung open.

A column of guards marched out to relieve the watch. The Great Qian Imperial Guard was divided into two branches: the Southern Guard was chiefly responsible for protecting the palace city, while the Northern Guard chiefly watched over the imperial capital. The two units each held to their own duties, while also checking one another.

Liang Jin belonged to the Southern Guard. Fully armed and armored, he followed the column into the palace to replace the night shift.

Once inside, the day’s guard assignments were parceled out in layers. Liang Jin’s superior, the tent leader Wu Huan, received the orders and then gathered his men to assign them:

"The orders from above are in. Today we’re still guarding the old place, the Southern Fragrance Hall!"

"Li Er and Wang Mao, you two take the hall doors."

"Old Zhang, Little Zhao, you two watch the back gate."

"The remaining three will patrol as usual with me and the deputy tent leader."

"As for Liang Jin, go back to your own post. Keep watch at the road junction by the watchtower."

The guards around him looked at Liang Jin with a hint of pity.

For so many years, Liang Jin had always been stationed in the most remote corner, never once changing.

The reason was nothing more than his refusal to bribe his superiors.

The posts for guard duty and patrol within the imperial palace were all matters of rank and favor. The closer a position was to the emperor, the more valuable it was. Perhaps by sheer chance one might catch the emperor’s eye and soar to great heights.

Next came the places near the imperial consorts. The inner palace was forbidden ground, and imperial guards could not enter it, but whenever the consorts came and went, one might still be able to do a small favor and receive generous rewards in return.

Then there were the routes used by princes and ministers when they entered the palace to attend the emperor, especially the palace gates, where one could often become a familiar face before the great officials.

If one wanted those good posts for guard duty and patrol, one had to satisfy one’s superior. Of course, not everyone was ambitious. Even so, many soldiers were willing to spend money just to secure a post that at least spared them the scorching sun and pounding rain.

Liang Jin had always refused to bribe his superior, and so the post he was given was, if not the worst, then one of the worst.

Standing guard there for a lifetime, even with the utmost diligence, there would be little chance of rising.

Thus every post had its price. Superiors openly took bribes, and yet everyone had grown used to it.

The Imperial Guard had already rotted to this extent; the whole dynasty could be seen in miniature.

"We obey!"

After receiving their assignments, the men went off to relieve their stations.

Liang Jin also turned and left.

Wu Huan stared at Liang Jin’s retreating figure and spat on the ground.

"Doesn’t know the rules, doesn’t know how to behave. Let’s see how I deal with you later."

After changing posts, Liang Jin resumed his watch.

Others despised this post.

He, however, would have coveted it.

When Liang Jin controlled his doppelganger, there were times he would lose himself for a moment. And because this place was quiet and deserted, no one would notice him.

Outwardly he stood at attention, but his mind was already fixed on the doppelganger far away.

"The power of a religious movement really is formidable. No wonder the Yellow Turban Rebellion could sweep across the land in the late Han."

Liang Jin was very pleased with the progress in Giant Ox Township.

One day.

In just a single day yesterday, his doppelganger had already become the true master of Lu Family Manor in every meaningful sense.

His words were now even more effective than those of the manor lord, Lu Tianxing.

Rumors had already spread to neighboring villages, and many people had come to Lu Family Manor, begging to be admitted into the Great Peace Way.

Once word spread farther, even more people would come, drawn by its reputation.

By then, the people and resources his doppelganger could command would reach a terrifying scale.

The world was already on the brink of chaos. These things were the capital he would rely on to make his living in the future. If one day the age of disorder truly descended, Liang Jin would not be like a solitary skiff in a storm, helplessly beaten by the waves.

"Next, it is time to divide ranks within the Great Peace Way."

"The more loyal a person is, the faster his illness will be cured."

"Those who linger in sickness are the ones whose hearts are not sincere."

"Only when people are divided into higher and lower can there be cohesion."

After a night of testing, Liang Jin’s doppelganger had reached a result.

Whenever he drew a complete talisman and turned it into talisman water, anyone who drank it would have their epidemic sickness vanish at once, and even old chronic ailments could be cured along with it.

But if the talisman he drew was incomplete, the healing effect would be greatly diminished.

With this, Liang Jin could make more people loyal to him unto death.

He would clear away the plague.

He would save the sick.

This was not merely a system requirement.

Though Liang Jin himself was not living well, he could not bear to see human suffering.

He understood only too well how terrifying a plague’s destruction could be in such an age.

Since he had the ability, he would not stand idly by.

But how to save them, and on what terms—those were for Liang Jin alone to decide.

A faint rustling sounded as a little eunuch sweeping snow slowly approached.

It was Zhao Bao.

"Brother Jin, has Little Lotus come today?"

Only after making sure no one was around did Zhao Bao come over to ask.

Liang Jin shook his head.

Zhao Bao looked disappointed, then lowered his voice again.

"Brother Jin, I just heard other guards talking about you."

Liang Jin smiled faintly.

"Were they mocking me for being content to make no progress?"

Zhao Bao had not expected Liang Jin to know. He could not help but feel a quiet ache in his heart; it seemed Liang Jin had long been accustomed to being mocked.

Biting his lip, he drew five taels of silver from his sleeve and pressed it into Liang Jin’s hand.

"Brother Jin, my abilities are limited. Please don’t despise it."

"Take this and show some respect to the tent leader. Maybe you can换 to a better post."

A low-ranking eunuch’s pay was slightly higher than that of a low-ranking imperial guardsman.

But because they had to be castrated, no one felt unfairly treated.

For a little eunuch at the very bottom, Zhao Bao was already doing remarkably well to produce five taels of silver.

Liang Jin knew that each month, when Zhao Bao received his stipend, he had to use half of it to honor his "master."

When a little eunuch first entered the palace, he first had to acknowledge an old eunuch as his master and learn the rules of the inner palace. It was called taking a master, but in truth it meant working like a beast of burden for the old eunuch.

If one were lucky enough to meet a kinder old eunuch, he might receive some guidance. But most old eunuchs had cold hearts; after accepting the monthly tribute, they still beat and cursed the little eunuchs at will.

Zhao Bao had not been fortunate enough to find a good master, and his life was already hard enough. How could Liang Jin take his money?

"Keep it. You need it more than I do."

At a glance, from the bruises that often appeared on Zhao Bao’s body, Liang Jin could tell exactly what sort of man his master was.

At the very least, no one spent their days beating and cursing Liang Jin.

Yet Zhao Bao still insisted.

"If the day comes when Brother Jin rises high and prospers, then your younger brother will have to rely on you for care."

"Brother Jin, don’t refuse."

Zhao Bao had entered the palace because his family had all died and he had no one to depend on.

But after meeting Liang Jin and Su Lian, he had once again felt the warmth of kinship, and came to regard them as family.

That was why he was willing to do all he could to help Liang Jin.

Liang Jin forcibly returned the silver.

"Listen to me, this silver is useless."

"Those who do everything they can to seek advancement are simply people who cannot see through things."

If this were an ordinary army, perhaps one could still rely on military merit to win rank and wealth. But the Imperial Guard was a very special force.

Among the Imperial Guard, nearly all posts of rank had already been taken by the sons of prominent clans and nobles.

It was a matter of trust.

When it came to guarding the emperor’s safety, loyalty came before martial skill. A man who was formidable in battle but disloyal could never be allowed near the emperor.

The emperor trusted most, naturally, those whose interests were bound to his own.

Liang Jin was an orphan with no backing and no attachments. His identity alone meant he would find it nearly impossible ever to rise in the Imperial Guard.

No matter how much silver he spent trying to "advance," it would all be in vain.

Once Liang Jin explained the key point to Zhao Bao in full, Zhao Bao could only let it go.

"Brother Jin, that’s truly a shame. I wasn’t able to help you."

Zhao Bao sighed.

He had never imagined Liang Jin’s prospects were so dim, worse even than his own as a eunuch.

Liang Jin, however, only smiled.

"Speaking of which, I really do have something I need your help with."

Zhao Bao straightened at once.

"Please tell me, Brother Jin!"

Liang Jin took a handwritten copybook from his robes and handed it to Zhao Bao.

"Help me learn this martial art properly."