Chapter 27: Pleading for Mercy

At the city gatehouse, the young tax collector saw Li Po once again.

The tax collector felt it had been quite a long time since he last saw this rather peculiar young man. Li Po, for his part, noticed that the tax collector had changed significantly in just a few days. The official had now fully occupied the gatehouse; previously, there had been a corporal stationed there as well, but now the tax official was alone. Li Po later learned that the official had simply driven the new corporal away to the arrow tower.

As things stood, the tax collector was the sole master of the city gate.

When Li Po arrived, the tax official was sitting in the gatehouse, enjoying a self-poured drink in a leisurely manner. The wine had clearly been upgraded, and the side dishes were no longer as meager as before. All in all, the changes were quite substantial. However, the official’s attitude toward Li Po remained cold and indifferent. Li Po remained as he always was, wearing a fawning smile and keeping his body slightly hunched in a display of subservience, though he was inwardly grumbling: *This gatehouse is hardly some paradise on earth, so why is this fellow so reluctant to leave?*

"What is it this time?" the tax collector asked dismissively while sipping his wine. The single sentence made Li Po feel somewhat awkward.

After carefully weighing his words, Li Po spoke cautiously: "A murder case occurred at the human market. You must have heard about it, right?"

The tax collector immediately furrowed his brow. How could he not have heard of a bloodbath involving seventeen lives, especially one that took place so close to the city gate? Not only had he heard of it, but he also knew that while the case had been closed with suspicious speed, the people and affairs it implicated went far beyond what anyone imagined. He even knew that the prefect had scolded all the high-ranking officials of the commandery office until they were speechless. Had this case occurred earlier, it likely would have spiraled into a city-wide search across Mayi, causing many people to suffer, rather than being suppressed with such swift, decisive ruthlessness.

However, although the case was significant and occurred at the northern human market, it had little to do with him as a gate tax collector. Furthermore, it gave him a secret sense of satisfaction that the official who had taken the surname Li was currently away on a pleasure trip; when he returned, the sight of the chaos and the mess he would have to deal with would be enough to keep him busy for quite some time. Naturally, he would not explain any of this to a drifter.

"What does this matter to you? Do you happen to know who the culprits are?"

Li Po thought to himself, *Not only do I know who they are, but if you push me far enough, I could finish you off, you dog.*

Aloud, he replied with a fawning laugh, "How would a lowly person like me know the whereabouts of such brave men? I... I came to see you to ask for a favor. I was hoping to find a place to stay in the human market..."

"You know how it is. I am a refugee here, and my life is precarious. I only wish to find a place in Mayi City that can shelter me and my younger brother so we can survive."

"There are many empty houses in the human market now. It pains me to see them sitting idle... heh, but I wouldn't dare occupy one without permission..."

It is inherently awkward to ask for a favor from someone with whom you have no real connection. As for offering a bribe, Li Po felt it better left unsaid, as, judging by the tax collector's bearing, he had nothing of value to offer that would pique the man's interest. In truth, Li Po had thought about this for a long time. Finding work in the human market was not too difficult, but finding a place to sleep was another matter; the thatched hut in the refugee camp was no place for a human to live. He had considered his options, and he knew that if he wanted to claim a house in the market, he had to go through this man; help from the likes of Yuchi or Corporal Liu would be useless here.

The tax collector couldn't help but chuckle. He glanced at Li Po, not thinking too deeply about it, merely finding it strange that someone who seemed so sharp would be so oblivious to his own station. In his eyes, this was a trivial matter; having the commandery office remove a seal and letting a few people move in was easily done. But then again, did Li Po really think he was worth doing this for?

On second thought, he calmed down. When a man is backed into a corner, he will treat anyone he meets like a savior. That was exactly what Li Po was doing—he was taking a shot in the dark. Whether the official agreed or not, he had to try.

The tax collector showed a hint of disdain, and Li Po knew immediately that this man was likely unreliable. However, the tax collector sipped his wine and nodded. "This is a simple matter. But you, too, must do something for me."

Li Po blinked, but without hesitation, he bowed. "You are saving my brother's life and mine; I would go through fire and water for you without a second thought."

The tax collector frowned slightly. The lack of proper etiquette in the gesture made him uncomfortable. Even minor officials in the commandery would kowtow in gratitude after receiving a favor from him, yet this boy before him never seemed to bend his knees... Moreover, his way of speaking made him suspicious of Li Po's background once again.

Ultimately, he waved his hand dismissively. "Go. Once you have picked a place, come and tell me. Hmph, I won't have you going through fire and water. In a couple of days, I will send someone to find you."

With nothing more to say, Li Po left the gatehouse, feeling satisfied. As for what he would have to do for the man, Li Po didn't care much. Having already carried the weight of nineteen lives on his soul since arriving in Mayi, what task could be more difficult than killing? As long as he and his brother were safe, he didn't care about anything else.

That night, Li Po returned to the gatehouse and left shortly after, looking pleased. After noon the next day, he visited the gatehouse once more.

And so, on the morning of the third day, Li Po took Li Chun and two other refugees, and, with an air of complete confidence, walked into the human market.

The four of them, disheveled and dressed in rags, were quite a spectacle as they walked down the street. In the past, someone would have certainly approached them with malicious intent, likely kicking and dragging them to some stall to be sold. After all, what were such people if not "human sheep" waiting to be taken? But now, as the storm had only just passed, no one dared to do so. A few idlers standing by the roadside watched them pass, unwilling to force a transaction.

Thus, they wandered through the market undisturbed, finally coming to a stop in front of the large house where the murders had occurred. To the shock of the onlookers, the boy in the lead reached up, tore off the government seal in one swift motion, pushed open the heavy doors as if he were entering his own home, and led the others inside.