A person sacrifices himself to become a saint in a chaotic world of martial arts.

Cheng Hu and Zhao An quickly followed suit, bowing their heads and not daring to say a word.

Su Bai remained calm and composed, bowing respectfully in return: "Greetings, Boss Chen."

He stood upright and spoke in a steady tone.

"Today I was ordered to collect donations from the Fierce Tiger Gang, and I have successfully completed the mission, collecting the extra 20% as well."

As Su Bai spoke, he took out a heavy, dark blue cloth bag from his bosom, held it with both hands, and slightly opened the bag to reveal the edges of the white silver ingots inside.

The bag was clearly a standard type commonly used in gambling dens, with even a faint tiger head mark visible on it.

Even as the evening light began to dim, the silver ingots still reflected a slightly cold, hard luster.

All eyes in the courtyard were now fixed on the bag of silver.

Many of the constables secretly took a breath, and their eyes changed.

The Tiger Gang's donations were already difficult to collect, let alone an additional 20% levy levied temporarily.

Su Bai actually managed to do it?

Chen Dongquan stared at the money pouch, his pupils contracting slightly, a barely perceptible hint of gloom flashing across his face. He could only manage a dry laugh.

"Officer Su, it's not that I don't trust you. It's just that this amount is not small, and the Fierce Tiger Gang is not a benevolent place... You didn't cover it up yourself, did you? That's not worth it. Although the job is important, rules are rules. Falsely reporting achievements is a big taboo."

These words, though seemingly concerned, are actually a dig at the heart of the matter.

Several constables who were close to Chen Dongquan nodded slightly, revealing their suspicion.

Zheng Shijie's cheeks flushed red with anger, and he couldn't help but want to argue, but Su Bai stopped him with a look.

Su Bai's expression remained unchanged as he looked at Chen Chatou, his voice clear:

"Boss, you're wise. The silver is here; its authenticity can be verified. As for how it was received..." He paused slightly, his gaze sweeping over Cheng Hu and Zhao An.

"Cheng Hu and Zhao An did not go today, so they do not know the specific situation within the Fierce Tiger Gang."

However, Zheng Shijie, who accompanied me, was present throughout the entire event. Inside the gambling den, Chen Hu, the protector of the Fierce Tiger Gang, and dozens of his men could all testify that Chen Hu personally counted and delivered the donated silver, and a written agreement was drawn up stating that payments would be made on schedule thereafter, with no delays whatsoever.

He did not describe the process in detail, but the words "Chen Hu personally inspected and delivered" and "signed a written agreement" are enough to carry weight.

Everyone knows that Chen Hu is the most powerful figure in the Fierce Tiger Gang besides the gang leader and the young gang leader. He has a capricious personality. To get the extra tax money from such a person and even have a written agreement, it is definitely not something that can be done by simply paying out of pocket.

Chen the constable's gaze lingered on Su Bai's calm face for a moment, then fell on the bag of silver.

He glanced one last time at Chen Dongquan, whose face was a mixture of red and blue, and at Cheng and Zhao, whose heads were down and whose foreheads were covered in sweat.

His face was expressionless; he simply stretched out his hand.

Su Bai understood and handed over the money pouch with both hands.

Chen took it, picked it up, and found it to be quite heavy.

He untied the bag, inserted two fingers, picked up a silver ingot, examined its purity against the light, and then gently pinched the edge with his fingernail, leaving a very shallow mark—this was the usual method for inspecting official silver.

Then, he randomly pulled out two receipts with red stamps and fingerprints from the bag and glanced at them.

The courtyard was so quiet that the faint sounds of the distant market could be heard. Everyone watched as Chief Chen inspected the goods.

After a moment, Officer Chen put the silver ingot back into the bag, tied the bag shut, and then folded the receipt and stuffed it back in.

He raised his eyes, looked at Su Bai, nodded slightly, and said in a calm but authoritative tone, "The silver is correct, and the purity is good. The receipt is also genuine. Su Bai, you've done a good job on this mission."

This statement was tantamount to a final decision.

Chen Dongquan's lips twitched, but he didn't say anything more, only his lowered hand clenched slightly.

Cheng Hu and Zhao An were even more ashen-faced, their heads hanging even lower.

Zheng Shijie was so excited that he almost shouted it out again, but he held it back, his chest heaving with excitement.

"I keep my word," Officer Chen said, handing the money bag back to Su Bai in a stern tone. "The extra amount levied this time is all your reward."

His gaze swept across Cheng Hu and Zhao An's bewildered faces like a knife, finally landing on Chen Dongquan, whose expression was shifting. He paused briefly, then abruptly changed the subject.

"As for your claim that Cheng Hu and Zhao An did not collect the donation silver, this matter... I already knew about it."

He put one hand behind his back, his tone softening, carrying a conciliatory quality from above:

"Actually, both of them are unwell and unable to go. Perhaps they haven't known you long enough to explain things clearly, or perhaps you were in a hurry to get things done and there was a misunderstanding. Officer Su, you're a colleague, you won't blame me for this, will you?"

Upon hearing this, the atmosphere in the courtyard, which had just relaxed due to the accuracy of the money, instantly froze again.

The veteran constables exchanged glances, knowing full well that Chief Constable Chen was giving Cheng Hu, Zhao An, and even Chen Dongquan behind him a way out, while also warning Su Bai to "know when to stop."

If it were a newly recruited police officer, faced with such obvious protection and a veiled explanation of "misunderstanding" from the officer, he would most likely give in and let the matter drop.

After all, there's no need to confront your direct superior for the sake of two insignificant colleagues.

However, Su Bai stood straight, meeting Chen Chatou's seemingly calm but pressure-filled gaze without yielding an inch.

He took the money pouch, his fingers tightening, the fabric making a slight rustling sound, the sound clear and steady:

"Officer Chen, regardless of the circumstances, Cheng Hu and Zhao An were ordered to go on a mission, but they did not report their illnesses to me, the commander, in advance, nor did they have any medical officer's credentials. Their failure to appear on duty is dereliction of duty and constitutes a fault."

He paused, his gaze sweeping over the ears that had quietly perked up around him. His voice rose a few decibels, sounding exceptionally clear in the quiet courtyard:

"Our Zhenfu Division operates in accordance with the laws and regulations of the Great Qian Dynasty and the rules of the government. Merit is merit, and demerit is demerit. Merit must be rewarded to encourage future generations; demerit must be punished to maintain discipline. Clear distinction between reward and punishment is the way for the long-term prosperity of the government."

He clasped his hands in a respectful gesture and bowed slightly to Officer Chen, his words unyielding: "I implore Officer Chen to uphold the law and be impartial, clearly distinguishing between rewards and punishments!"

Every word and phrase resonated deeply.

Chen Chatou's facial muscles tensed almost imperceptibly, and a hint of surprise and a deeper displeasure flashed in his slightly narrowed eyes.

He never expected that Su Bai would be so ungrateful, daring to quote scriptures and use grand principles to pressure him in public.

A brief silence fell, and the air seemed to grow heavy.

Chen, the constable, finally spoke again, his voice low and carrying an undeniable air of authority:

"Officer Su...you're right. The yamen has its own laws. I'll investigate this matter thoroughly and then determine the appropriate punishment for Cheng Hu and the other man based on the established rules and regulations. What do you say?"

This is clearly a delay and a perfunctory response. "Study it carefully" and "make your own decision" often mean that nothing will come of it.