Chapter 155 The Drunken Guest Stirs Up Trouble

Chen Mu was at the center of the storm, but his expression remained unchanged; only his fingers gripping the wine cup tightened slightly.

Seeing this, Xu Changze's smile widened.

"Chief Chen, are you satisfied with this reward? If you have any requests, feel free to bring them up, and I will certainly do my utmost to secure them for you."

Chen Mu then stood up and cupped his hands.

"Your Lordship is too kind. I am unworthy of such praise; slaying demons and eliminating monsters is my duty, and I dare not claim credit."

"Eh, Chief Chen, you are too modest."

Xu Changze waved his hand and smiled.

"Merit is merit. I have always been clear in rewarding and punishing. All of you colleagues should take Chief Chen as an example and strive to be at the forefront; I will never be stingy with rewards!"

His impassioned words ignited a fighting spirit in the eyes of many young constables.

Suddenly, a commotion came from the stairs.

A middle-aged man in brocade robes with a protruding belly walked up swaying, followed by two attendants.

This person had a fair complexion and puffy eye bags, clearly the look of someone who indulged in excess.

A quick-witted waiter hurried up to stop him.

"Boss Zhang, the second floor has been booked by Lord Xu today, so I must ask you to..."

"Lord Xu? Perfect, perfect!"

That Boss Zhang pushed the waiter aside, his gaze swept across the hall, and finally, he stared straight at Chen Mu, his eyes lighting up.

"Chief Chen, it really is Chief Chen!"

He walked over to Chen Mu's table in two or three strides, his face already crinkled in an exaggerated smile.

"Chief Chen, I have finally found you. That day at the Peony Pavilion, I was captivated by you at first sight. It is a pity that my financial resources were insufficient, and I failed to win the top spot; it is truly a regret. Later, I heard you were bought by that distinguished guest for six hundred taels... It truly pains me!"

It turned out this person was the wealthy merchant who had competed with Jiang Xiong at the Peony Pavilion that day.

The hall fell silent for a moment, and everyone's eyes gathered.

Some were stunned, some looked on with disdain, but more revealed expressions of understanding.

So, those rumors about the Peony Pavilion were actually true.

Boss Zhang, completely oblivious, continued to rant with spit flying.

"But Chief Chen, rest assured, I am not the type to fuss over such things. Whether it was your first time or not, I don't mind. As long as Chief Chen is willing, the price is negotiable, easily negotiable..."

"Clap!"

Qi Huan slammed the wine cup in his hand heavily onto the table, splashing wine everywhere.

He stood up abruptly, his face livid, his eyes almost spitting fire.

"You are insolent!"

That Boss Zhang was startled and took a half-step back, but his face still held a smile.

"Why the anger, sir? I only admire Chief Chen and wanted to make his acquaintance. As for things between men, as long as it is consensual, what is there that cannot be said?"

"You..."

Qi Huan was trembling with rage, his fists clenched so tightly they cracked.

Liu Ziming also turned pale; he gritted his teeth and forced a smile to smooth things over.

"Boss Zhang, you are joking. Chief Chen is a pillar of the Demon Suppression Division, how could he..."

"Aye, Chief Liu, that is where you are wrong."

Boss Zhang waved his hand, his eyes bleary with drunkenness but his words clear.

"A place like the Peony Pavilion has been visited by countless high-ranking officials and nobles; what is there to avoid? Chief Chen is young and handsome, it is perfectly normal for people to like him. I am sincere, Chief Chen, why don't you consider it?"

"Pfft..."

Someone couldn't help but laugh out loud, and then whispers spread throughout the room.

Previously, Xu Changze had deliberately avoided mentioning the Peony Pavilion affair. Although everyone had their suspicions, they had treated it as just a rumor.

Now that it was laid bare in public and spoken of so explicitly, the nature of the matter was completely different.

"So the rumors were true... I didn't expect Chief Chen to be that kind of person."

"No wonder Lord Xu wanted to request a merit for him; I fear this 'merit' has a rather unique flavor, doesn't it?"

"Tsk tsk, one really cannot judge a book by its cover."

Although the discussions were low, they were exceptionally grating.

Qi Huan's face was livid, and he stood up abruptly, but Chen Mu pressed him down, and took the opportunity to stop Liu Ziming with a look, only then raising his eyes to look at Boss Zhang.

This fat man looked drunk, but deep within his eyes was a trace of clarity. He had not stumbled in by accident; the timing, the rhetoric, and the volume were all just right.

It was clearly arranged by Xu Changze in advance.

Chen Mu understood this as clearly as a mirror, and his gaze turned to Xu Changze at the head of the table.

Only then did Xu Changze appear to awaken from a dream, his expression sinking.

"Boss Zhang, Chief Chen is a pillar of my Demon Suppression Division, having repeatedly performed meritorious deeds and protected the people. His personal affairs are not for outsiders to discuss, and certainly should not be recklessly talked about in such a setting. I will consider that you are speaking under the influence of alcohol and will not pursue this matter further."

"Someone, take Boss Zhang back to rest!"

Two constables stepped forward, but Boss Zhang refused to leave and continued to shout.

"Lord Xu, I am serious. Such a wonderful person as Chief Chen, what a pity to leave him in the Demon Suppression Division to fight and kill. It would be better for him to come with me; I will ensure he lives in luxury..."

"Drag him out!"

Xu Changze shouted sternly.

Boss Zhang was dragged stumbling down the stairs by the constables. Before leaving, he turned back to look at Chen Mu, his eyes full of regret.

Only then did Xu Changze turn around to face the crowd.

"Everyone, Boss Zhang lost his propriety after drinking and spoke nonsense; please do not take it to heart."

"What is Chief Chen like as a person? What are his achievements? I know best, and the brothers of the Demon Suppression Division have all seen it with their own eyes."

"Even taking a step back, even if Chief Chen really has some... personal preferences, those are private matters. We who serve as officials should prioritize official duties and the safety of the people. As long as Chief Chen can slay demons and protect the region, why should we be critical of anything else?"

These words were spoken flawlessly.

It ostensibly defended Chen Mu while confirming the rumor of his 'personal preferences.' It demonstrated his own magnanimity as a superior while separating Chen Mu's achievements from his private morality.

You can perform meritorious deeds, but you are a person with special proclivities.

What was even more brilliant was that Xu Changze had also molded himself into a good official who empathized with his subordinates and was not bound by trifles.

Sure enough, someone immediately chimed in.

"Lord Xu is right; it is we who were narrow-minded!"

"That's right, Chief Chen's achievements are solid; personal matters... personal matters are not important."

"Lord Xu is truly broad-minded, able to tolerate what others cannot. Having such a superior is our blessing."

The wind shifted instantly, from disdain for Chen Mu to admiration for Xu Changze.

Xu Changze showed a humble smile on his face and waved his hand.

"You all overpraise me. I just feel that as a superior, one must know how to utilize talent well. Chief Chen has the ability to slay demons, so let him slay demons. If someone is good at accounting, let them manage the accounts. If someone is good at socializing, let them handle the socializing. Utilizing everyone's talents to the fullest is the right way."

After saying this, he looked at Chen Mu.

"Chief Chen, do not take today's matter to heart. Just focus on your official duties, and I will take care of the rest for you."

These words carried great weight. For a moment, the eyes of many constables looking at Xu Changze were filled with gratitude and reverence.

In their view, Xu Changze not only did not discard Chen Mu because of his stain, but instead defended him publicly and praised him highly. How rare was such magnanimity and character?

Chen Mu watched all of this quietly.

He watched how Xu Changze nonchalantly transformed a carefully planned humiliation into a performance to win over people's hearts.

This was not simple humiliation, but a more brilliant political maneuver.

What Xu Changze wanted was likely not just power, but also people's hearts and reputation—that intangible, yet very real, public support.

Old Wang the Lame sat to one side, head bowed the entire time, his body trembling slightly. Every time Xu Changze spoke, the aura of authority on him fluctuated slightly, as if resonating with some invisible force.

"Thank you, My Lord."

Chen Mu finally spoke.

"I will certainly do my utmost and not fail your expectations."

Xu Changze's smile widened further.

"Good, good, good. I just like this composure of yours, Chief Chen, where you remain unswayed by praise or humiliation. Come, everyone, let's continue! Tonight, we won't stop until we're drunk!"