Chapter 62: Zhao Wushang Reported

The drill ground in the backyard was laden with even more weapons, and all of the trees in the entire escort agency had been pruned to the same height and appearance, with each tree resembling a giant sword aimed up at the heavens.

Several people were carrying rags and buckets of water, wiping down even the leaves on the trees one by one to ensure that they were completely spotless.

The tiles on the roof of the escort agency had all been replaced with tiles of gilded gold, giving it an incredibly resplendent appearance.

Rows of elegant and refined young women in white were standing at the main entrance and the entrance to the main hall.

As it turned out, Zhao Wushang had purchased all of the virgin prostitutes from the four largest brothels, ones that were still yet to serve any clients, and they had been made receptionists of the escort agency.

The women from the main church were darting around back and forth throughout the entire escort agency, spraying perfume wherever they went to ensure a pervasive fragrant aroma.

Meanwhile, the Grandmasters from the shops directly under the branch helm were busy cleaning the streets outside.

Fang Che passed by the branch helm during his afternoon patrol, and he was instantly given a massive fright.

He could scarcely believe that this imperial palace was the escort agency that he was going to be visiting as Starlight later that night!

As he was watching, several people rushed out from inside to place bouquets of flowers at regular intervals stretching all the way down to half the length of the entire street, and every single bouquet had a banner that read "Grand Opening of the Unmatched Escort Agency" attached to them.

Fang Che watched for a while longer in an astounded silence, then turned and walked away, scratching his head as he did so.

I didn't give them any money, so they must've paid for all of this on their own! What a bunch of good and thoughtful subordinates!

That night, Head Escort Yin Xiu arrived at his escort agency.

Zhao Wushang and the others had already prepared thirty thousand greeting guards, which were to be distributed all over the city as advertisements for their armed escort service.

Zhao Wushang was busy delegating work for everyone.

"We start handing out these greeting cards to all of the businesses tomorrow morning. We'll split up for better efficiency, and we also need to have more greeting cards printed! The White Cloud Prefecture is an enormous place, so thirty thousand greeting cards is nowhere near enough! Also, some potential major clients need to be invited to our grand opening banquet.

“We need to liven up the atmosphere, so we'll have to hire some opera performance troupes and lion and dragon dancers. When you go out advertising for our escort agency, make sure to remember our motto: 'No job is beyond our means!' We can take on any job, whether it be escorting goods or people, and if anything is damaged on our watch, we'll fully compensate the client for the cost of the damages!

“There's nowhere too far for us to go and no job too difficult for us to complete! Also, we offer superior speed to our competitors! A journey that takes ten days for the average escort agency, we can complete in eight!"

Even though Starlight had already arrived, he chose to remain hidden while Zhao Wushang continued his address.

He was feeling rather embarrassed. His subordinates were doing a much better job running the escort agency than he ever could!

Staring at the luxurious golden throne, Starlight found himself lost in thought.

At this rate, this escort agency is going to become the number one escort agency on the entire continent!

Eventually, he finally decided to show himself, and he gathered everyone for a meeting.

"We pay our respects to Head Escort Yin!"

"Take a seat, everyone," Fang Che said in a benevolent manner. "You've all done a very good job here!"

"Thank you, Head Escort."

"It's a little bit too ostentatious, but overall, it's not bad at all. Who did the planning for all of this?"

"Zheng Yunqi is responsible for planning, while I'm responsible for supervising the execution of his plans," Zhao Wushang replied. "Everyone's feeling very motivated because we feel like we're doing something legitimate and worthwhile."

"From this day forth, Zheng Yunqi will be the first deputy head escort of our Unmatched Escort Agency, while Zhao Wushang will be the second deputy head escort. Whenever I'm away, you two have my full authorization to make decisions without having to consult me."

"Thank you, Head Escort!"

The two newly promoted deputy head escorts were ecstatic, while everyone else looked on in envy.

"Also, try and recruit more people to our escort agency. We're all just a bunch of Lords, so some escort assignments could prove rather risky for us. Ideally, we'd hire a few Warlords, but of course, more Lords will also be welcome. Zhao Wushang, I'm going to assign you the task of collecting maps. Make sure to acquire the most detailed maps possible, then use them to plan out our escort routes."

"Yes, Head Escort."

"Additionally, all of you have to continue working hard in your cultivation. Only by growing stronger can you ensure the safety of our escort agency. I want a minimum of one cultivation rank of advancement every two months from all of you! Anyone who fails to complete that objective will have to cover everyone else's wages, bonuses, and living costs for the next two months, as well as receive twenty lashes from an iron whip!"

This announcement was met with a chorus of dejected groans, but they fell upon deaf ears, and it was clear that Starlight had no intention of changing his mind.

𝒇𝓻𝓮𝓮𝙬𝙚𝒃𝒏𝓸𝙫𝒆𝙡.𝓬𝓸𝒎

"I'm enforcing this rule for the benefit of all of you! You can't just go back to the main church at the same cultivation base as when you left! You have to have

something

to show for the time that you spent in the White Cloud Prefecture, and you also have to climb higher in the main church! If I ever go to the main church and ask you to do something for me, I don't want you telling me that you can't because you're too incapable!

“Having said that, if you don't have any ambitions and don't want to make anything out of yourselves, then you're also free to stay indefinitely in the escort agency."

After a long silence, Zhao Wushang said in an emotional manner, "I am truly grateful that you're thinking so much for our sake, Head Escort. We'll be sure to work hard, and if we're unable to live up to your expectations, then we'll accept whatever punishment you deem fit! Thank you, Head Escort!"

"What're you thanking me for? Let me make this clear in advance: if anyone is caught breaking the law or shirking their duties, I won't hesitate to beat or even kill you!"

"Yes, Head Escort!"

"Alright, you can all go now. Even though you purchased those neighboring courtyards without consulting me, what's done has already been done, so I'll accept it. Do whatever you want with the extra space. We should have enough land now for everyone for individual rooms for everyone."

"Thank you, Head Escort!"

Everyone erupted into cheers at the prospect of finally getting to escape the nightmare of shared lodging.

A stern look appeared on Fang Che's face as he continued, "Right now, there are both men and women staying on these premises, so make sure to keep yourselves in check! If anyone ends up getting pregnant, I'm not taking responsibility!"

The eight women instantly began blushing furiously as they protested in embarrassment.

***

The next day, Fang Che returned to work, while Zhao Wushang and the others began handing out greeting cards all over the city, reveling in the fact that they now all had legitimate identities and no longer had to cower in hiding.

Fang Che was out on his morning patrol with Tang Zheng when he spotted Zhao Wushang up ahead, carrying a stack of greeting cards.

There was a vibrant and confident smile on his face, and right as he was about to pass Fang Che by, someone in the crowd suddenly yelled, "I recognize him, Administrator Fang! That man is Zhao Wushang from the Church of the Self-Righteous!"

Everyone instantly scattered in fear, while Zhao Wushang turned to Fang Che with a horrified and bewildered expression.

He reflexively tried to run, but Fang Che had already grabbed onto his shoulder with a vice-like grip.

Zhao Wushang felt a sharp jolt of pain and numbness spread through his entire body, leaving him unable to muster up any strength.

He was left completely at Fang Che's mercy, and he scoured his gaze through the crowd with a furious expression, trying to see who it was that had sold him out.

It was definitely someone from the main church!

Zhao Wushang's heart was awash with despair. He had only just secured a legitimate identity for himself, yet he was now going to die.

Fang Che turned his gaze into the crowd while still gripping firmly onto Zhao Wushang's shoulder.

"Who spoke just now? Is this the Zhao Wushang you were referring to?"

No one in the crowd uttered a word, and the reporter was already gone.

Fang Che swiveled Zhao Wushang around to face him, and the latter was deathly pale.

"Are you Zhao Wushang?"

Zhao Wushang nodded in a daze.

"You'll have to come with me," Fang Che said in a cold voice.

Only now did Zhao Wushang finally return to his senses, and he yelled, "I'm being framed! My name is Zhao Wushang, but I'm not from the Church of the Self-Righteous!"

"Your cultivation base is quite high, and someone's just reported you from the crowd. Care to explain yourself?"

"I'm being framed!"

Zhao Wushang was sweating profusely. If he were taken to the Hall of Protectionists again, he didn't know if he would be fortunate enough to survive again.

"Why would someone frame you?"

Fang Che asked as his hawk-like gaze roamed over Zhao Wushang's body, examining his clothes, shoes, accessories, and the sword strapped to his waist, but he didn't seem to have noticed anything amiss.

Zhao Wushang was extremely grateful for Starlight's warning.

If he hadn't given himself a makeover in accordance with Starlight's advice, he wouldn't have been able to pass Fang Che's eye test.