Chapter 98: Way of Living, First Day

Two days passed in the blink of an eye.

During this period, Lu Yang gradually became accustomed to his new position in the Imperial Prison.

His daily routine was relatively simple.

He would arrive in the morning, meet with the other guards, and follow their arrangements for the day’s duties.

Sometimes, he would accompany them on patrols. At other times, he would help check prison records or observe how the guards handled the transfer of prisoners between different areas.

There wasn’t much else for him to do, after all, he was only an ordinary prison guard.

He wasn’t responsible for managing an entire lane of cells, nor was he expected to make important decisions concerning the prisoners.

Most of the time, he simply followed Zhao Ming around and learned the procedures that governed their daily work.

Naturally, this did not mean that Lu Yang had much to learn.

He had already visited the Imperial Prison for years, and his understanding of its general operations was sufficient for most ordinary tasks.

However, knowing how something worked and actually being responsible for it were two different matters.

Previously, he had been able to observe the Imperial Prison without worrying about its daily operations.

Now, even though his responsibilities were limited, he was expected to perform his duties properly.

If a guard neglected his work, someone else would eventually have to deal with the consequences. Lu Yang did not wish to become that kind of person.

Besides, he had nothing against learning from others.

Even if the tasks themselves were simple, there were always small details that could only be understood through actual experience.

He was willing to take his time. There was no need to rush.

...

"Young Master Lu, we’re going to the western corridor first today."

Zhao Ming stood near the entrance of the guard office, adjusting the belt around his waist.

He was a young man of approximately nineteen years of age.

His cultivation had reached the Third Stage of Body Tempering Realm, making him one of the strongest ordinary guards among the hundreds of guards in the Imperial Prison.

Although he wasn’t particularly talented compared to the disciples and descendants of major cultivation forces, his cultivation was respectable among the people working in the Imperial Prison.

More importantly, he was meticulous in his work.

During the previous two days, Lu Yang had followed him on several patrols and gradually gained a better understanding of his personality.

Zhao Ming rarely overlooked details.

He remembered which prisoners were supposed to be confined in particular cells, noticed when a guard arrived late, and paid attention to the condition of the locks and iron bars.

When something seemed unusual, he would usually investigate before reporting it to his superiors.

He wasn’t the kind of person who blindly followed procedures without understanding their purpose.

This was one reason why he had been entrusted with managing the daily assignments in old Sun’s absence.

Of course, he wasn’t perfect.

Lu Yang had already noticed several small habits that revealed Zhao Ming’s less straightforward side.

The young man was skilled at reading people’s expressions and adjusting his attitude accordingly.

When speaking with Lu Hai, he was particularly respectful, and when dealing with ordinary guards, he could be more casual.

When discussing certain matters with the clerks, he occasionally used a few carefully chosen words to obtain a more favorable arrangement.

None of these things were particularly unusual.

After all, Zhao Ming wasn’t a child raised in a secluded family compound.

He had grown up in the Imperial Capital, where people from different backgrounds competed for opportunities and struggled to maintain their livelihoods.

His family owned a small pharmacy in the capital, and he also had some medical knowledge, occasionally relying on it to help the physician of the Imperial Prison as well.

Someone who lacked strength or influence needed other means to protect himself.

Zhao Ming had clearly learned how to do so.

Lu Yang didn’t dislike him because of it.

Which person in the world was completely honest?

Even those who appeared straightforward often possessed their own thoughts and calculations.

Some were harmless, others were not.

The important thing was knowing where a person’s intentions might lead.

As long as Zhao Ming performed his duties properly and didn’t deliberately create trouble for him, Lu Yang saw no reason to concern himself with his private thoughts.

"Understood, Guard Zhao."

Lu Yang followed him towards the corridor.

Zhao Ming glanced at him and smiled.

"You don’t have to be so formal, we’re colleagues now. Just call me Brother Zhao."

Lu Yang nodded.

"Then I’ll be troubling you, Brother Zhao."

"There’s no need to say that either."

Zhao Ming waved his hand dismissively.

"Besides, there’s nothing particularly difficult about the work here. Once you’ve become familiar with the procedures, you’ll be able to handle most things yourself."

He paused before adding with a somewhat amused expression, "Of course, if something genuinely troublesome happens, don’t try to handle it alone. Report it to the Guard Leader. That’s what we’re paid for."

Lu Yang smiled, "I’ll remember that."

Zhao Ming seemed satisfied.

He had initially been somewhat apprehensive about working with the Prison Warden’s grandson.

After all, Lu Yang’s background was no small matter.

Even if he was only twelve years old, his grandfather was one of the four Prison Wardens, while his father was a County Magistrate.

Furthermore, Wen Fanghong, the Prison Supervisor, had a close relationship with Lu Hai.

Offending someone with such connections was hardly a sensible decision.

However, after interacting with Lu Yang for two days, Zhao Ming discovered that the boy was surprisingly easy to get along with.

He was polite without being excessively deferential, asked questions when necessary, and never deliberately made things difficult for the other guards.

At the same time, he didn’t seem to expect special treatment simply because of his background.

That alone made him considerably easier to deal with than some young masters Zhao Ming had encountered.

Of course, Lu Yang’s cultivation talent was another matter.

A twelve year old who had already reached the Fourth Stage of Body Tempering Realm was undoubtedly worth paying attention to.

Even if he was only at the Body Tempering Realm right now, such cultivation at his age was quite respectable in the Imperial Capital.

If he continued progressing this way, he would eventually enter the Spirit Awakening Realm.

By then, his future would be very different.

Zhao Ming understood this.

It was one reason why he treated Lu Yang with particular courtesy.

Nevertheless, there was something else about the boy that he found difficult to explain.

Lu Yang didn’t behave quite like an ordinary twelve year old.

His manner of speaking was mature, his questions were usually well considered, and he rarely became distracted during their patrols.

Sometimes, Zhao Ming even had the strange impression that he was speaking with someone much, much older than him.

However, whenever he looked at Lu Yang’s face, he saw a young boy with a calm expression and a hint of childishness in his features.

Perhaps some children are simply more mature than others.

Giving it a random reason, Zhao Ming eventually stopped thinking about it.

There was no point in overanalyzing such a matter.

The two continued their patrol.

They checked the locks along the western corridor, confirmed that the prisoners were present, and exchanged a few words with the guards stationed nearby.

Nothing unusual happened.

Most prisoners were either resting or passing the time within their cells, idling away.

A few glanced at Lu Yang with curiosity, apparently wondering why such a young guard had suddenly appeared.

However, none of them made any comments.

Lu Yang paid little attention to their gazes.

He was already familiar with the general atmosphere of the Imperial Prison.

There were criminals who complained constantly, prisoners who remained silent for days, and people who tried to obtain favorable treatment by acting pitiful.

Some were genuinely regretful, while others simply regretted being caught. The distinction was not always obvious.

Lu Yang had learned long ago in his first life on earth that a person’s words alone were rarely enough to determine their character.

It was better to observe their actions over time.

That was true of prisoners, and it was also true of the guards who watched them, alongside everyone else.

...

By the afternoon of the second day, Zhao Ming had brought Lu Yang through most of the ordinary detention areas assigned to their group.

They returned to the guard office shortly afterward.

Several guards were gathered inside, discussing the arrangements for the next shift.

The table that had previously been used for gambling the day before was now occupied by a stack of records.

Lu Yang glanced at it briefly before turning his gaze away.

Apparently, the guards had decided that gambling was best postponed until their superior wasn’t around.

He found the thought mildly amusing.

In truth, he didn’t care much about the incident.

The Imperial Prison was a place where people spent long periods performing repetitive duties.

Even cultivators, especially low level cultivators, could become bored when forced to spend their days watching the same corridors and checking the same locks.

As long as their entertainment did not interfere with their responsibilities, it wasn’t necessarily a serious matter.

However, gambling during working hours was different.

If Lu Hai had caught them neglecting their duties because of it, the consequences would have been considerably worse.

The guards understood this as well. They weren’t foolish enough to repeat the same mistake immediately after being warned, at least not while Lu Hai was nearby.

Lu Yang took a seat near the edge of the room and listened to the discussion.

After a while, Zhao Ming approached him.

"Young Master Lu, old Sun should be back today."

Lu Yang looked up curiously, "Is that so?"

"Yes. Someone went to his residence this morning, and his family said he would return before evening."

Zhao Ming paused before continuing.

"When he comes back, you’ll officially be assigned under him. He’ll explain the remaining duties and arrange your schedule."

Lu Yang nodded, "Understood."

He had been expecting this.

The first two days were mainly spent on becoming familiar with the office and accompanying Zhao Ming on patrols.

Once old Sun returned, his work would become more structured.

He would have an assigned schedule, specific responsibilities, and a clearer understanding of what was expected of him.

In fact, Lu Yang was somewhat curious about the old man.

He had heard about old Sun for years, but their interactions were quite limited.

Now that he would be working directly under him, he finally had the opportunity to observe the man more closely.