HomeGuardians of the DafengChapter 201: Number Four: I Have Deduced Number Three's True Identity

Chapter 201: Number Four: I Have Deduced Number Three’s True Identity

[Two: The Provincial Governor’s team arrived in Yun Province today. I want to know about Jiang Luzhong’s “intent”, his personality, his weaknesses, etc.]

What’s this about… Xu Qi An was startled. Had Number Two made Old Jiang her imaginary enemy? No, a real enemy and she was now gathering information in preparation for battle?

Putting aside his good relationship with Old Jiang, even without that friendship, he couldn’t possibly reveal his weaknesses to her, especially since he was also part of the Provincial Governor’s team.

[Three: I’m sorry, but I can’t disclose any information about the Provincial Governor’s team to you.]

After replying, Xu Qi An’s thoughts wandered, connecting more dots: Number Two collecting information on Jiang Luzhong was clearly preparation for a potential future conflict.

Was this Number Two’s own decision, or did she have Yang Chuannan’s support?

If it was the latter, it meant that once the truth came to light, Yang Chuannan might take extreme measures.

Number Two was momentarily speechless, and the chat group fell into an awkward silence.

In this stiff, uncomfortable atmosphere, Number Four, the former scholar and now swordsman, chimed in:

[Number Two, Yang Chuannan is suspected of colluding with mountain bandits and supplying military resources, which is tantamount to treason. Number Three is a scholar, how could he help you commit such evil? We scholars are clear about right and wrong, minor details, and greater righteousness.]

That’s right, we scholars have such lofty ambitions… Xu Qi An nodded vigorously, deeply agreeing.

[Two: I apologize for being abrupt. I had no intention of harming the Provincial Governor’s team.]

[Three: But when you asked that question, you had already prepared for battle. Hmm, Number Two, I know you have deep prejudices against the court, but you’re acting too emotionally. Whether Yang Chuannan is innocent or not can only be determined after investigation.]

[Five: That’s right, I also think Number Two is too radical. From what I gathered from your earlier conversation, the Provincial Governor’s team just arrived in Yun Province. They haven’t even started investigating, and you’re already thinking about attacking them.]

…Number Five, you’re the least qualified to say this! Everyone thought to themselves.

Number Two didn’t speak again, seemingly angered because all the Tiandi Hui members were criticizing her, and not supporting her. Even Number Three, whom she had always liked, had made his stance clear.

By now, Xu Qi An was almost certain that the military girl was Number Two. He recalled her handsome yet beautiful oval face.

He sighed and typed: [Jiang Luzhong is a fourth-grade Golden Constable, specializing in fist intent. As for his personality, there’s nothing too distinctive, so there are no obvious flaws.]

This information was all superficial, not touching on any secrets.

His personality indeed didn’t have major flaws. Among the Golden Constables Xu Qi An knew, there was the effeminate Nangong Qianrou, the expressionless Yang Yan, the cold and sharp Zhang Kaitai… Compared to them, Jiang Luzhong’s personality was more moderate, without obvious characteristics.

But this also meant he had no significant weaknesses.

[Two: Thank you. Don’t worry, I won’t act rashly, let alone harm the court’s Provincial Governor without reason. Um… I have another question. I want to inquire about someone named Xu Qi An. Number Three, you’ve mentioned him before.]

Are you even inquiring about me? Are you trying to challenge me? Xu Qi An suddenly became alert and didn’t answer immediately.

Just as he was about to refuse, Number One, who had been silently lurking, suddenly appeared: [I can give you all the information about this person, but you need to offer something of equal value in exchange.]

An unexpected backstab…

Wait, did you get my permission to sell my information? Did I agree to this? You’re just openly selling… Xu Qi An’s finger touched the mirror surface, then pulled back.

What should he do? How to stop this?

Would Number One listen if he tried to stop them? Number One liked to lurk and was quite mysterious. Although Xu Qi An had narrowed down a general range, it still included many, many people.

And among these people, there wasn’t a single one he could handle.

Moreover, on what grounds could he stop this? What connection did Xu Qi An’s affairs have with Number Three? Why should Number Three intervene?

Unless he revealed his identity, but… He had praised Bronze Constable Xu Qi An so much before, and now to be blatantly exposed… He would be so embarrassed he’d explode on the spot, unable to face anyone.

After thinking it through, Xu Qi An decided to wait and see, first observing what Number One would say, and then watching Number Two’s attitude.

If Number Two only wanted to do a simple background check, or if Number One only revealed superficial information, then he wouldn’t need to interfere.

[Two: What do you want?]

[One: You can owe me.]

[Two: No problem, please tell me. I’ll judge the value based on the information you reveal.]

[One: This Xu Qi An was originally a constable in the Changle County Yamen near the capital, of low rank and little influence, nothing special. Until three months ago, when his uncle lost tax silver while transporting it and was sentenced to beheading. His Majesty, still angry, implicated Xu’s entire family, sentencing them to exile to the frontier.

[But unexpectedly, three days after the tax silver case occurred, it was solved, and Xu Qi An was released without charge.]

Hearing this, the little barbarian girl from the Southern Frontier, Number Five, couldn’t help but sigh: [What good luck.]

As soon as she said this, she was refuted by Number One: [No, he solved the tax silver case himself, using only the case files while in prison, solving a case that had puzzled the prefectural yamen, the Imperial Astronomical Bureau, and the Constabulary.]

He’s talented… This thought simultaneously appeared in the minds of the Tiandi Hui members.

I see, no wonder he could sit next to Provincial Governor Zhang, and no wonder he could instantly reveal the secret of seedless loquats… Even if this guy is a lecher, one can’t deny his strong ability to solve cases… He’s here for Yang Chuannan, he’s here because of the Constabulary spy who died in Yun Province.

Number Two suddenly understood.

[Two: I understand now, thank you for your answer.]

[One: Heh, you think his abilities are limited to just that?]

What does that mean? Does this Bronze Constable named Xu Qi An have other achievements? The Tiandi Hui members perked up, and after a moment, they indeed saw another message from Number One:

[Do you know who the main official from the Constabulary was for the Sangbo case that Number Three kept mentioning recently? It was him.

[Before the Sangbo case, Xu Qi An participated in a raid on a criminal official’s home. Dissatisfied with his superior’s abuse of the official’s family members, he angrily slashed a Silver Constable with his sword, nearly killing him on the spot, and was subsequently imprisoned and sentenced to waist-slicing execution.]

Numbers Four and Five were filled with respect.

Number Two’s eyes lit up slightly, suddenly developing a great liking for this Bronze Constable Xu Qi An, appreciating his character.

The chivalrous Flying Swallow Heroine most admired those jianghu heroes who drew their swords to right wrongs. Although Xu Qi An was a government official, this did not diminish his worth in her eyes.

Number One continued: [Due to his outstanding ability to solve cases, when the Sangbo case occurred, His Majesty ordered him to take on the case, allowing him to atone for his crimes through meritorious service.

[This man is sharp and intelligent. During the investigation, he also solved the case of Princess Pingyang’s disappearance, which you all know about, as Number Three has mentioned before. However, the Sangbo case once reached an impasse, and if it weren’t for Number Two finding the Jinwu Guard Centurion Zhou Chixiong, Xu Qi An would not have escaped the fate of waist-slicing execution.

[In this sense, you owe him a favor.]

Seeing this, Xu Qi An felt compelled to say something: [Yes, but he doesn’t know of your existence, he’s only grateful to me.]

How embarrassing…

Then, Number One went on to describe how Xu Qi An had uncovered the collusion between the Qi faction and the Witch Cult, and their support of the mountain bandits in Yun Province.

So this all started because of him… Number Two felt incredibly conflicted.

Hearing this, she more or less understood the whole story and realized that the Bronze Constable she had seen at the banquet was even more outstanding than she had anticipated.

He was a formidable figure who couldn’t be ignored.

[One: Besides this, Xu Qi An is proficient in alchemy and has close ties with the White Robes of the Imperial Astronomical Bureau. Before he joined the Constabulary, due to revenge from the son of Minister Zhou, he was imprisoned in the Ministry of Justice, but with the help of a White Robe from the Imperial Astronomical Bureau and a great scholar from the Yunlu Academy, he left the Ministry of Justice unharmed.]

Close ties with the White Robes of the Imperial Astronomical Bureau… Number Two recalled Xu Qi An’s unique sword and nodded slightly, her guess confirmed.

[Four: Wait, a great scholar from the Yunlu Academy came to his rescue?]

Number Four’s reaction was too sharp… Xu Qi An swallowed hard, feeling a crisis that he was about to be exposed.

“Number One has investigated me… This is understandable, after all, during my time in the capital, I became quite famous due to the Sangbo case and the tax silver case, becoming a focus of attention in the capital’s official circles… However, Number One’s understanding of me is all from after I joined the Constabulary.”

Thinking of this, Xu Qi An had an idea and probed: [Minister Zhou’s son’s revenge, hmm, if I remember correctly, the mastermind behind the tax silver case was Minister Zhou. But Xu Qi An was incredibly lucky, as Young Master Zhou was dealt with for abducting a concubine’s daughter from the Zhang family.]

The Yunlu Academy, which had planted spies in the Constabulary, would naturally know the truth behind the tax silver case.

What Xu Qi An wanted to probe was whether Number One knew about his framing of Zhou Li.

To his disappointment, Number One didn’t answer, seemingly agreeing with the notion that “Xu Qi An” was very lucky.

[One: There are two reasons why the great scholar from the Yunlu Academy saved him: First, he had written a poem dedicated to the Hermit of Ziyang. Second, his cousin is a student at the Yunlu Academy and has already obtained the rank of Juren.]

Xu Qi An’s cousin is a student at the Yunlu Academy and has obtained the rank of Juren. Xu Qi An had to take on the Sangbo case to atone for his crimes, and during that time, Number Three was very concerned about the Sangbo case… In the end, he even spent several hundred taels of silver to ask Number Two to escort Zhou Chixiong to the capital and hand him over to the Yunlu Academy… What kind of relationship could Number Three have with Xu Qi An… And what relationship with that cousin?

Number Four became excited, feeling he had discovered something crucial. He was thrilled by this discovery and actively engaged his mind, making other connections:

Back when the Sangbo case’s sword qi soared to the sky, Number Three quickly obtained first-hand information… During the ancestral worship, the Constabulary was guarding near Sangbo… The Yunlu Academy wanted to plant a spy in the Constabulary, and if this spy was a family member of an academy student, then trust would be guaranteed…

I understand now, Number Three is that cousin, Xu Qi An’s cousin!

Number Four couldn’t help but want to laugh out loud. If this was the case, when he goes to the capital after spring, he wouldn’t need to search blindly. He could target Number Three specifically.

That cousin!

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