Nangong Qianrou took the papers and quickly scanned them. They recorded the analysis of the case by officials from the Ministry of Justice and the local government.
There wasn’t much value in it, so he skimmed through it quickly until his gaze suddenly focused.
His expression became serious as he read carefully.
The gunpowder used to destroy the Yongzhen Shanhe Temple came from the saltpeter mine in Dahuang Mountain… The Banner Officer had been silenced, and the Jinwu Guard was secretly communicating with demon clans… The whole outline of the Sang Bo case suddenly became clear.
Nangong Qianrou couldn’t hide his surprise. He hadn’t paid much attention to this case but had maintained some interest. Regarding Xu Qi An, the lead investigator, he had adopted an attitude of neither interfering nor helping.
Based on his experience as a Golden Gong of the Nangong family, he had judged that it would take at least three to five days to uncover any clues in this matter.
He never expected that in just one day, there would be such results.
“He’s good material for investigating cases,” he said, narrowing his peach blossom eyes, finally showing some approval for Xu Qi An.
“Good material for investigating cases?” Yang Yan’s voice came from outside the carriage, sounding very interested. He asked further, “Are you referring to Xu Qi An?”
Golden Gong Yang valued Xu Qi An highly, believing he was a young man worth cultivating.
Nangong Qianrou snorted, “You’re lucky to have picked up such a good seedling.”
Yang Yan let out a satisfied “heh” and focused on driving the carriage.
Upon arriving at the Constabulary, and returning to Haoqi Tower, Wei Yuan said, “Have Xu Qi An come see me.”
…
At this time, Xu Qi An was hiding in the archives, researching. As Number One had said, there indeed was an incident of the Martial Emperor usurping the throne five hundred years ago.
Apart from this, the records of the royal family from five hundred years ago, except for the founding emperor of Da Feng, were all very vague about other members. They had probably been destroyed, leaving only names.
But one thing was certain: what was sealed in Sang Bo was not that unfortunate emperor who had his throne usurped by his cousin.
Because that emperor had offspring at the age of fourteen.
As is well known, cultivators before the Qi Condensation realm are like hungry eels without abalone… well, not that they don’t have abalone, but that the time hasn’t come yet.
“Search for me, any expert of the third rank or above from five hundred years ago, don’t miss any,” Xu Qi An settled for the next best thing, investigating the experts from the former royal forces five hundred years ago.
“Yes!”
Seven or eight clerks accepted the order.
At the table by the window, a girl in a long goose-yellow dress was propping up her cheek with one hand while continuously stuffing fried fish balls into her mouth with the other. Her legs swung under the table, occasionally revealing white embroidered boots.
“Miss Caiwei, I suddenly remembered something,” Xu Qi An casually reached for a fried fish ball but was quickly swatted away by the egg-faced beauty.
Xu Qi An coughed once, “Are the fried fish balls delicious?”
“They’re delicious,” Chu Caiwei nodded her little head.
“I want to eat too, but not this,” Xu Qi An said.
“Then what do you want to eat?” Chu Caiwei asked.
“I want to gaze at you foolishly,” Xu Qi An gave a warm smile.
Chu Caiwei’s cheeks reddened for a moment, then her willow eyebrows furrowed. She wanted to scold him as a flirt but felt that these words sounded ambiguous, yet different from the vulgar words of a flirt.
For a moment, she didn’t know whether to get angry or not. If she didn’t get angry, where would her dignity as a young unmarried lady be?
Xu Qi An cleverly changed the subject, saying, “There’s something I’d like to ask Miss Caiwei about.”
Chu Caiwei swallowed the fish ball in her mouth, her rosy little mouth glistening with oil, pink and tempting. She put on a stern face, “What is it?”
“What methods can be used to shield against the Astronomical Bureau’s Qi-observing technique?” Xu Qi An asked.
“High-ranking experts can all conceal their own Qi, but this is relative. I’m a seventh-rank geomancer, so the high-ranking martial artist who could evade my Qi-observing technique would have to be at least fifth-rank. Even sixth rank wouldn’t be enough,” Chu Caiwei said proudly.
I’m eighth-rank Qi Condensation, so to evade my Qi-observing technique, Captain Zhou would have to be in the Bronze Skin Iron Bone realm, which he isn’t… Xu Qi An nodded and continued to ask:
“Besides that?”
“Then it would be magical artifacts,” Chu Caiwei was someone who liked to teach, and without Xu Qi An asking, she started chirping away:
“Magical artifacts in the world are divided into two types: First, the tools crafted by our Astronomical Bureau’s formation masters by inscribing formations. Second, items that have gained supernatural properties through coincidence.
“The latter has many varieties. For example, when a thousand-year-old tree is struck by lightning, the remaining lightning-struck wood contains the power of extreme yang.
“Another example is items carried by high-ranking experts for long periods, nurtured by their Qi, gaining certain supernatural properties. However, this type is mostly an extension of that high-ranking expert’s certain ability.”
“Are there any Qi-shielding artifacts in the capital?” Xu Qi An asked directly.
“We have some at the Astronomical Bureau, as for other places…” Chu Caiwei tilted her head, thinking for a while: “I’ll have to go back and ask Senior Brother Song.”
“…Alright, then I’ll leave this matter to you.”
While they were talking, the clerks had already listed out the possible high-ranking martial artists from five hundred years ago.
The list wasn’t long, only about a dozen or so, all suspected to be high-ranking martial artists.
Official records wouldn’t explicitly state someone’s rank, so the clerks deduced the ranks based on the deeds of leaders who were worthy of being recorded in official history five hundred years ago.
For example, the King of the North, who guarded the northern border for decades and experienced hundreds of battles in his lifetime, was undoubtedly a high-ranking expert.
Xu Qi An glanced at it, disappointed to find that the list mostly contained fourth-rank martial artists, with very few third-rank, no second-rank, let alone first-rank.
“To be sealed in Sang Bo, the second rank should be the minimum. Otherwise, the first-rank Astronomical Supervisor alone could easily solve it, there would be no need for sealing. Could my line of thought be wrong? Is it not a person that’s sealed, but an object?”
“Wait… the Astronomical Supervisor?!” Xu Qi An’s heart tightened, his breathing unconsciously quickening for a moment.
He thought of something. The Astronomical Supervisor’s duty was to guard the capital, being Da Feng’s guardian deity. At least, this generation’s Astronomical Supervisor was like this.
So, when the Martial Emperor wanted to usurp the throne back then, he must have had to deal with the Astronomical Supervisor.
A bold guess took shape in Xu Qi An’s mind, making him shudder involuntarily.
“Caiwei, is our master the first-generation Astronomical Supervisor?” Xu Qi An controlled himself, trying not to let his voice tremble.
“No, Master is the second-generation Astronomical Supervisor,” Chu Caiwei’s answer made Xu Qi An feel his blood boiling.
I know who’s sealed under Sang Bo… Xu Qi An swallowed hard: “How did the first-generation Astronomical Supervisor die?”
Chu Caiwei shook her head: “I don’t know about that. Master never talks about Grandmaster’s past.”
It’s the first-generation Astronomical Supervisor, what’s sealed under Sang Bo is the first-generation Astronomical Supervisor!!
Xu Qi An trembled at this guess.
No wonder this secret was only known to Emperor Yuanjing, no wonder the Astronomical Supervisor fell ill, and no wonder the northern demon clans were plotting this drama.
If the first-generation Astronomical Supervisor were to break free, the capital would be in chaos… No, the first-generation Astronomical Supervisor has already broken free.
At this moment, Xu Qi An had the idea of fleeing the capital.
“Run away, quickly run away… take Uncle and Aunt along… If the first-generation Astronomical Supervisor breaks free, it will surely cause a bloodbath. That’s a first-rank expert, the entire capital will become a battlefield…”
Thinking of this, Xu Qi An abandoned the idea of running away.
Emperor Yuanjing let him redeem himself through meritorious service, so Wei Yuan had the responsibility to keep an eye on him, a death row prisoner. If he ran, it would implicate Wei Yuan.
Of course, this wasn’t the main reason.
Xu Qi An could run, but the common people in the capital couldn’t. If a battle between first-rank experts broke out in the capital, how many people would die?
Those are all human lives.
“That old turtle Emperor Yuanjing, he’s safe in the palace, protected by numerous experts, but what about the ordinary people in the city?”
“I can’t intervene in the grudges between first-rank experts… Expose it, expose the matter, naturally, there will be higher-ups to deal with it.”
He immediately made a decision!
When in doubt, find Wei Yuan.
Although reluctant to admit it, Wei Yuan, as a renowned strategist, did indeed give people a sense of security.
If Wei Yuan were a mediocre superior, Xu Qi An would have no choice but to run to the Astronomical Bureau to find the Astronomical Supervisor.
Coincidentally at this moment, a clerk came in. Seeing Xu Qi An, he was overjoyed: “This lowly one has been looking for Lord Xu for a while. Lord Wei is looking for you.”
What a coincidence, I also want to find him… Xu Qi An bid farewell to Chu Caiwei and followed the clerk towards Haoqi Tower.
Entering this highest building of the yamen, coming to the seventh floor, Xu Qi An saw Wei Yuan in his cyan robes, his temples frosted white.
As well as two Golden Gongs.
“The progress on the case is not bad, but unfortunately the leads have been cut off again. The court has already issued a wanted order for Zhou Chixiong, but it’s unrealistic to find him within half a month,” Wei Yuan took a sip of tea and said in a gentle tone:
“What do you plan to do next?”
Xu Qi An stood in front of the desk, thought briefly, and said frankly: “This lowly one suspects that there’s still a hidden hand behind Zhou Chixiong, but there are no clues.”
This case was more complex and troublesome than the tax silver case. Of course, it was also because, in the tax silver case, he wasn’t the lead investigator. He only needed to find loopholes and provide ideas, while other aspects were handled by the Constables and the local government.
Although the leads had been cut off, Xu Qi An already had a general direction for the subsequent investigation: First, start from the aspect of magical artifacts that can shield Qi-observing techniques.
Second, investigate the list of those who have the channels and ability to smuggle gunpowder into Sang Bo.
The second point was bound to be exhausting and might not even yield results.
“Lord Wei…” Xu Qi An probed, “What if after half a month, this lowly one still hasn’t uncovered the truth?”
“By then, I will arrange for you to fake your death and escape. You can go to the jianghu then, as a hidden agent for the Constabulary,” Wei Yuan took a sip of tea and said:
“The yamen’s intelligence network covers all thirteen provinces and various major jianghu forces. It’s impossible to do this without secretly nurturing spies.
“Your personality isn’t suited for the political path. The jianghu is your true domain. If it weren’t for the Sang Bo case, you would have already left the capital under my arrangements.”
Go to the jianghu… Xu Qi An thought in a daze.
“To be a blade in my hand, a blade that can’t see the light of day, do you feel wronged?” Wei Yuan smiled, like a gentle and cheerful teacher:
“Your personality is outwardly gentle but inwardly strong, and a bit extreme. I both admire and dislike this about you.
“I’m well aware of the many shortcomings in the Constabulary, but human nature is just like this, light and darkness intertwined. How many people like Li Yuchun are there? If everyone in the Constabulary were like Li Yuchun, the Constabulary wouldn’t be able to suppress the entire court.”
Xu Qi An frowned slightly: “I understand this principle, so human nature needs constant hammering and frequent deterrence to maintain clean governance. Isn’t Lord Wei being too lenient?”
“It also depends on the timing,” Wei Yuan didn’t get angry, explaining with a pleasant expression: “The corrupt atmosphere among Da Feng’s officials has already formed a declining trend. To change this atmosphere, one must go with the flow and then break it one by one. When there are no more stumbling blocks in front of you, that’s when you can display your ambitions.”
Wei Yuan meant that when he eventually defeats his political enemies and there are no more roadblocks, then he can spare effort to rectify these murky practices… Xu Qi An thought about it and felt it made sense.
“In the official circle, you’re bound by rules and must go with the flow. Otherwise, you’ll only cause trouble time and time again. Or, your edges will be smoothed away, losing the arrogant air of a warrior, which is not worth it either way. But once you enter the jianghu, you’ll have no such worries,” Wei Yuan said earnestly:
“Anyone who offends you obstructs you, or bothers you, just use your blade to cut them down. Act according to your heart, without having to worry about rules and laws. This is what it means to violate prohibitions with strength.
“Many martial artists lose their original intentions in the process, becoming cold-blooded executioners. This is something you need to be aware of.”
Xu Qi An held back for a long time: “This lowly one doesn’t want to go to the jianghu yet. I want to try my best to give it a shot.”
He wasn’t attached to power but to his family. He was attached to his uncle and aunt, his cousin, and his sister.
It was like when you were a corporate slave in your previous life, and your boss said: “I want to send you to expand the market in another province, stationed there for a long time.”
You said: I don’t want to go.
The boss said: No, you do.
Fortunately, Wei Yuan wasn’t that kind of exploitative boss. He didn’t force the issue, smiling indifferently, and said: “If there’s nothing else, you may leave.”
No, I have something… Xu Qi An cupped his fists and said solemnly: “Please ask everyone else to leave, Lord Wei. This lowly one has important matters to report.”
Dismiss us again?!
Nangong Qianrou and Yang Yan looked at Xu Qi An expressionlessly.