Martial King's Retired Life

The Sun Has Set Many Times

The sun had set but Ming Feizhen had yet to come back.

The Qilin Guards and Liu Shan Menʼs members had gotten into another tussle at Liu Shan Menʼs doors again.

The Qilin Guards are sly. They donʼt enter into Liu Shan Menʼs office grounds, nor do they actually destroy Liu Shan Menʼs furniture. They only beat up Liu Shan Menʼs constables whenever they meet one without rhyme or reason.

Every day they bring a squad over. The leader of todayʼs squad was the guy who won three of four bouts, is commonly misrecognised as Dong Po Tavernʼs Liu Zi, the undercover waiter, and got a free promotion due to too many Qilin Guards dying recently, Yi Yixian.

Based on his martial prowess, heʼs not even qualified to be in the Yi rank. At most, heʼs at the Bing rank or Ding rank like wandering warriors. He was just fortunate that his family had money to spare, and ”shared” large amounts of money with people, which allowed him to bypass the regulations and become an Yi rank warrior.

Thatʼs the highest rank heʼll ever reach with his skills.

However, with the recent chain of events that transpired, the Qilin Guards in the Jia rank in the capital had all been killed, forcing Long Zaitian to move Yi rank warriors up to replace the dead ones. But at the same time, he was worried that more would be assassinated if he were to promote those that were truly skilled. So due to the circumstances, Yi Yixian was promoted. And the punk managed to gain the greatest glory in his life like that. Nobody expected that.

Song Ou tried to get back at the Qilin Guards today in Xuan Wu hall to no avail, instead getting himself into an arranged duel with Long Zaitian. That in turn got the Qilin Guards further hyped up, subsequently escalating their bullying towards Liu Shan Men.

Yi Yixian brought over sixty men to lay in ambush on two sides of Liu Shan Menʼs officeʼs dark alleys, waiting for a constable to come out to jump him so that he could report ”mission accomplished”. However, after beating up five just before, not one person stepped out again, leaving them somewhat disappointed.

At the same time, at the door on the other side.

Su Xiao was flustered. Very flustered.

Because of his three wins in the ring today, he attracted the fervent support of countless young girls, ladies, and maids, thereby causing him to get cussed at by every Qilin Guard and member from the emperorʼs entourage when they entered the ring. It wasnʼt too much of a big deal with the emperorʼs entourage since the two offices didnʼt have any animosity between each other, and so they were slightly tolerant.

However, the Qilin Guards went bat-shit crazy. They were so furious they were jumping around like a rabbit that had its tail set on fire. They looked like they just wanted to rush up on stage and skin Su Xiao alive. Another group was shooting strange glances at Su Xiao, as they sinisterly discussed how to kidnap Su Xiao, take him somewhere nobody would know and skin him alive in secret there.

And because somebody took a beating today, Su Xiao was not permitted to leave after returning to the office.

It wasnʼt a huge deal. He was just tired from fighting for an entire day. But as luck may have it, Su Xiao ran out of his favourite Chinese jade honey locust. He couldnʼt wash up without it.

Su Xiao was contemplating whether or not he should go out and fight with the Qilin Guards for a bath. He canʼt win them in a fight, but… when Su Xiaoʼs small white nose felt like it was being violated when he sniffed himself. He couldnʼt wait until tomorrow. The problem was that there was an ambush waiting for him outside.

”If only Tang Ye or Big Brother Ming were here.” Su Xiao sighed and said: ”Tang Ye would definitely be willing to go and get some for me. Mmm… If I gave Big Brother Ming something good to eat, he would do me the favour too.”

Su Xiao saw someone walk past and his eyes lit up.

”Grandpa Huang! Youʼre off work now?”

The old man responsible for cleaning Liu Shan Menʼs office, old Huang turned his head around to look, saw Su Xiao who was all smiles, and he immediately knew he had a favour to ask of him. Donʼt underestimate him for being illiterate. Heʼs been cleaning and tidying Liu Shan Men for his entire life.

Itʼs tough to tell if heʼs a ghost or human, if you know what I mean.

”Do you have a favour to ask of me? I canʼt, I canʼt. Not today. My grandchildren from the village are visiting me tomorrow. I need to hurry home and clean up. I canʼt help you.”

”Wait, grandpa Huang!” Su Xiao grabbed old Huangʼs sleeve, ”Please help me just this once. I need to buy something, but the people outside wonʼt let me out. You are the only one at the office who can come and go freely. Please help me.”

Su Xiao tugged at old Huangʼs sleeve. He was young, and the way he tugged his sleeve was like a grandson begging his grandpa for a favour.

Old Huang softened up: ”What did you want to buy? I wonʼt buy it if I have to travel a long distance.”

”Youʼre the best, gramps!” Su Xiao cheerfully told old Huang the name of the item.

”Huh? Honey locust?” Old Huang stared at him with his eyes wide: ”Thatʼs what you wanted? Jeez, you donʼt need to buy that. I still have a block left over after cleaning the toilets. Take it and use it. You donʼt need to buy it.”

”Itʼs not the same. The one I want has a special fragrance. I canʼt sleep if itʼs another scent. Itʼs also good for your skin.” Su Xiao daggered old Huang disappointedly as if to say ”You donʼt know anything, gramps”.

Old Huang scratched his head: ”You want something good for your skin too? What a fussy lass you are.”

”Iʼm a guy!”

Su Xiao glared at old Huang, and then took out five silver ingots. Old Huangʼs eyes sparkled. That was the equivalent of his entire monthʼs salary. This lass sure spends generously.

”The honey locust costs four ingots, the remaining ingot is for you.”

”Alright, Iʼll make a trip for you.” Old Huang quickly took it and shoved it into his pocket as if he was afraid Su Xiao would change his mind. When he was about to leave, he looked at Su Xiao and repeated, ”Itʼs a promise, the remaining ingot is mine. Donʼt trick me.”

”Iʼm not tricking you. All is well if you bring me what I want. Oh right, I only want the one from Elegant Pear House on the Eastern side of the city, and nowhere else.”

”Hehe, the East side of the city, huh?” Old Huang smiled with his eyes narrows and continued: ”The East of the city is too far, this much is… Youʼre being too harsh with me. It makes you look stingy, no?”

You old geezer, youʼre a thief!

Su Xiao grumbled as he took out some more money.

”Hereʼs another two ingots, the extra is for you.” Su Xiao nodded and cheerfully said: ”Arenʼt you going to see your grandson tomorrow? Buy him something nice to eat and some new clothes.”

”That wonʼt do, that wonʼt do. Itʼll be bad if I spoil them too much.” Old Huang nervously waved his hands, ”If I must buy something, Iʼll buy books. Nothing beats reading more, donʼt you agree? Otherwise, Iʼll save money for them so that they can go and learn martial arts at a martial arts school. Itʼs good to know martial arts in this day and age.”

The cute old geezer cracked Su Xiao up.

”Thatʼs good too. The money is yours. You spend it how you like.”

”My, my, Miss Su, you truly are so nice, unlike that thieving, conniving Ming Feizhen. Heʼs always scamming me for wine when we place dice games.”

”Gramps, Iʼm a guy!” Su Xiao angrily stamped his feeds, then immediately became happy again. He shook his head as he said: ”Big Brother Ming lacks manners. He likes to mess around all day.”

”Thatʼs nothing strange.” Old Huang chuckled and continued, ”You constables usually donʼt think highly of us. Youʼre the only lass that greets me. I may not say it, but Iʼm glad that you greet me. As for your Big Brother Ming, nothing about him resembles a constable. We get along really well. Iʼve been here for a long time, but Iʼve only ever met two people like that.”

Su Xiao blinked his eyes quickly: ”There are two people like that? Whoʼs the other one?”

”The other one? Heh, you wonʼt get to see him.”

After stashing the money away properly, old Huang checked both sides, made sure all was well and then turned around to leave.

When Su Xiao watched his silhouette leave from behind, he suddenly had an uneasy feeling.

”He… wonʼt scam me of my money, will he?” Su Xiao shook his head and resolutely said: ”Grandpa Huang is a good person, he wonʼt scam me!”

At that moment, dark shadows by the wall behind the rear door started to move. Su Xiao was completely oblivious as to what was about to happen.

1 Bonus Son-con Chapter$11 of $60 raised