At Haoqi Tower.
South Palace Qianrou and Zhang Kaitai returned to the government office and immediately went to Haoqi Tower. With South Palace Qianrou, Wei Yuan’s adopted son, leading the way, they didn’t need to be announced and could go straight up to see Wei Yuan.
Wei Yuan stood before a hanging map, hands behind his back, eyes narrowed, silent. He had maintained this posture for half an hour.
It was an overhead view of the entire Northeast region, marking the headquarters of the Witch God Cult and the positions of various northeastern countries. Such maps lacked precision and only provided a general overview, thus weren’t considered precious.
More accurate maps were confidential items that countries would fight tooth and nail to seize or protect.
Footsteps sounded from behind, followed by the voices of South Palace Qianrou and Zhang Kaitai:
“Adoptive Father.”
“Duke Wei.”
Without turning, Wei Yuan said in a deep voice, “Xu Qi An’s remains have been floating in the canal for over ten days. They shouldn’t be left there any longer… Let his relatives bury him soon.”
Listening carefully, one could hear a trace of grief in his low voice.
South Palace Qianrou understood clearly why his adoptive father wouldn’t look at Xu Qi An’s body. As a ruler and strategist, his heart should be hard and cold. Only those without emotion could be invincible.
Wei Yuan should be such an invincible person, unmoved by emotions.
The night watchmen in the office, and even the outside world, hoped Wei Yuan would be such a person.
“Adoptive Father…” South Palace Qianrou cleared his throat and said, “Xu Qi An… isn’t dead.”
Wei Yuan turned abruptly, his blue robe billowing with the motion.
At that moment, the Grand Eunuch’s expression was complex, his gaze equally so – surprise, confusion, joy, hope… South Palace Qianrou had never seen such complex emotions on his adoptive father’s face.
But in an instant, the Grand Eunuch regained his composure and calmly sat down by the table, asking in a somewhat stern tone:
“What happened?”
South Palace Qianrou then relayed Xu Qi An’s explanation.
After listening quietly, Wei Yuan immediately said, “Have him come see me at once.”
South Palace Qianrou nodded, then looked at the large overhead map of the Northeast, “About the spy matter…”
With Xu Qi An’s return from the dead, should they still attack the Witch God Cult?
“We’ll attack the Witch God Cult after the autumn harvest. The plan remains unchanged,” Wei Yuan’s expression was cold, his tone filled with strong confidence.
South Palace Qianrou and Zhang Kaitai took their leave. The former planned to visit the Xu residence again, but just as they left the office, they encountered Xu Qi An arriving on horseback.
“You’re quite perceptive,” South Palace Qianrou clicked his tongue, “One might think Adoptive Father had taken in another adopted son.”
Xu Qi An retorted, clicking his tongue, “Quite the old Yin-Yang person, aren’t you?”
South Palace Qianrou flew into a rage, mistakenly thinking Xu Qi An was mocking his androgynous appearance. His willow-like eyebrows stood on end: “How did you not die in Yunzhou?”
As soon as the words left his mouth, Xu Qi An’s mind captured an image: South Palace Qianrou raising his right hand, swinging his arm to deliver a slap…
Xu Qi An had a sudden inspiration. He lowered his waist, ducked his head, narrowly avoiding South Palace Qianrou’s slap, and darted into the office.
“I won’t stoop to your level. I’m going to see Duke Wei.”
Showing off a bit of skill in front of a Fourth-Rank Golden Gong was already pushing it. If he didn’t leave now, he’d be pummeled into the ground.
South Palace Qianrou stared blankly at his retreating figure, then looked down at his own hand… He dodged it?
Those at the Spirit Refining Realm were extremely sensitive to danger, easily detecting hostility and ambushes in their surroundings. Even blindfolded, they could fight in the midst of chaotic battles. When martial artists reached the Spirit Refining Realm, their individual combat prowess reached a minor peak.
However, with South Palace Qianrou’s Fourth-Rank cultivation, even though he held back, it should have been easy to land a slap on a Spirit Refining Realm martial artist before they could sense the danger and evade.
“How is this possible…” South Palace Qianrou’s willow-like eyebrows furrowed slightly.
…
On his way, Xu Qi An received countless astonished looks. Whether night watchmen or clerks, everyone stared at him in disbelief.
The news of Bronze Gong Xu Qi An’s heroic death had spread throughout the entire office. These past few days, everyone’s topic of conversation, if written in modern-day headlines, would be:
#Shocking! Bronze Gong Xu Qi An Returns, Even Duke Wei Is Stunned#
#What Did the Promising Bronze Gong Do in Yunzhou That Ruined His Life?#
But now, seeing Xu Qi An, who had been dead for half a month, appear in the office alive and well, even enthusiastically waving and greeting everyone, the night watchmen’s minds were full of question marks.
“Even in broad daylight, can ghosts enter our office? They say people become handsome after death, but this is ridiculous!”
“What should we do? This is Xu Ning Yan’s ghost, we can’t just attack him, right? It would be terrible if his soul scatters.”
“Are you blind? Do ghosts have shadows? It must be Xu Ning Yan’s twin brother. How could Xu Ning Yan be this handsome?”
Amidst a flurry of discussions, Xu Qi An arrived at Haoqi Tower. The guards stared at him in disbelief.
“I request an audience with Duke Wei. Go and report quickly.”
The guard went up the tower, looking back repeatedly. A moment later, he came down, “Duke Wei requests your presence… Lord Xu, aren’t you, aren’t you…”
Xu Qi An touched his face and replied in a mellow voice, “I am Xu Qi An’s twin brother, here on Duke Wei’s orders to take over my brother’s duties.”
“I see. May I ask your full name, Lord Xu?”
“Xu Qian.”
The guard thought to himself, why does it sound like a woman’s name?
Outwardly respectful, he said, “Please enter.”
Entering Haoqi Tower and ascending to the seventh-floor tea room, Xu Qi An saw Wei Yuan, whom he hadn’t seen in over a month. He still wore his splendid blue robe, his temples graying, with faint crow’s feet at the corners of his eyes. Elegant and handsome, he was a mature, attractive man with both admirable qualities and appearance.
With my current looks, when I’m older, I’ll definitely be no worse than Wei Yuan… Xu Qi An cupped his fists and said loudly, “This humble official pays respects to Duke Wei.”
Wei Yuan seemed a bit dazed and said gently, “Please, sit.”
Unprecedentedly, Wei Yuan personally poured him a cup of hot tea and said slowly, “Tell me all about the Yunzhou affair.”
It was a long story. Xu Qi An told Wei Yuan everything that happened in Yunzhou in great detail, including the identities of Li Miaozhen No. 2 and the Holy Maiden of the Heavenly Sect.
Except for the crucial matter of Monk Shenshu, he held nothing back on other matters.
Mainly because Wei Yuan was too clever; concealing too much would be noticed. Moreover, the Grand Eunuch truly valued and nurtured him, so Xu Qi An reciprocated with trust in Wei Yuan.
Sure enough, Wei Yuan took a sip of tea and said, “Yang Qianhua has been following you all along.”
Xu Qi An was stunned at first, somewhat surprised. He wasn’t a fool and quickly understood something, asking, “Why would Senior Brother Yang follow me?”
“He wouldn’t follow you without reason. From what I know of him, apart from liking to do some peculiar things, he doesn’t care much for other matters,” Wei Yuan smiled enigmatically. “But what if it were the Supervisor’s intention?”
The Supervisor knows my secret… If it was his instruction, it would make sense.
Xu Qi An discreetly observed Wei Yuan. Would the incredibly shrewd Wei Yuan have also noticed something amiss?
Wei Yuan didn’t dwell on this topic and continued, “As for that Third-Rank Ritualist, let’s assume he’s Third-Rank for now. I don’t believe he’s Sun Xuanji from the Imperial Astronomical Bureau.
“However, this matter does remind me of some other things.”
Xu Qi An’s spirits lifted: “Please enlighten me, Duke Wei.”
Still, Duke Wei is reliable. Elder Jin Lian, that old fox, always speaks with hidden meanings. But Wei Yuan has almost no reservations with me.
“You’re familiar with Chu Caiwei from the Imperial Astronomical Bureau, and also with Song Qin. Do you know their respective identities?”
“The Supervisor’s personal disciples?” Xu Qi An asked, not entirely certain.
Not all the white-robed members of the Imperial Astronomical Bureau were the Supervisor’s disciples. Just as the great scholars of the Cloud Deer Academy often gave lectures, but their true personal disciples were few.
Song Qin and Chu Caiwei, along with Yang Qianhua, were the Supervisor’s personal disciples.
“Yang Qianhua is the Supervisor’s third disciple, Song Qin is the fourth, and Chu Caiwei is the sixth. The white-robed ritualists call her Little Junior Sister,” Wei Yuan said.
… What’s the issue here? Xu Qi An didn’t understand.
“However, the Supervisor only has five personal disciples in total,” Wei Yuan said slowly.
This… Xu Qi An’s pupils constricted slightly. He finally understood Wei Yuan’s meaning. The Supervisor only had five disciples, yet Chu Caiwei was the sixth disciple. So where was the other one?
Where had that one gone?
Yang Qianhua was the third disciple, Song Qin the fourth, Chu Caiwei the sixth… It was unknown which number Sun Xuanji was.
“Sun Xuanji is the second disciple,” Wei Yuan said.
“Then the first and fifth disciples remain unknown for now,” Xu Qi An said.
For a moment, the two didn’t continue talking, and the tea room fell into a brief silence.
As one cup of tea was finished, Wei Yuan continued, “You’ve awakened at an inopportune time.”
“What do you mean by that, Duke Wei?” Xu Qi An didn’t understand.
“Zhang Xingying has submitted a memorial to the throne, hoping the court would posthumously bestow honors upon you. After discussions with His Majesty and the ministers, they decided to grant you the title of Viscount of Changle County. In a few days, the imperial edict would have been issued.”
Wei Yuan said helplessly, “Now that you’re alive, the cabinet will likely reject the edict, and His Majesty will probably gladly accept that rejection.”
“That’s fine, as long as I don’t miss out on the reward money,” Xu Qi An shrugged indifferently.
Viscount of Changle County should be a viscount title, sounding like a junior nobility rank… no, a son’s nobility rank.
In the future, when meeting officials from Changle County, they’d introduce themselves: “Hello, I’m so-and-so from Changle County.”
And Xu Qi An would say: “I’m the Viscount of Changle County.”
Those unfamiliar might think he was their son.
Wei Yuan glanced at him: “Money is just an external possession. How can it compare to the symbolic meaning of a noble title? Even if you become a Silver Gong with power and influence, your status still won’t be presentable.
“Only a title can truly elevate you from commoner status and make you part of the dynasty’s nobility. If you’re granted a title, the Xu family won’t be ordinary anymore, but aristocratic.
“In the future, when you marry, common girls won’t be qualified to be your wife. Only daughters from prominent families will be suitable matches for you.”
“Can I marry a princess?” Xu Qi An asked softly.
… Wei Yuan nodded: “Theoretically, yes.”
Princesses couldn’t possibly marry commoners. Their future husbands must be nobility. Though a viscount title wasn’t high, it was still a noble rank.
“For some reason, His Majesty doesn’t like you. If he’s unwilling, no one can do anything about it,” Wei Yuan finished, then smiled:
“Fortunately, you’re not entirely useless. There’s still room for maneuvering.”
“Please guide me, Duke Wei.”
“Some days ago, a major incident occurred in the palace. Imperial Concubine Fu died unexpectedly, falling from a tower with disheveled clothes. At the time, only the Crown Prince was in the room, and he was drunk. This case is extremely thorny. It concerns both the royal family’s face and the matter of deposing the Crown Prince. The Three Judicial Offices are unwilling to get involved and will surely investigate halfheartedly.”
… My goodness, the Crown Prince violated the Emperor’s concubine?
Xu Qi An quickly shook his head: “Duke Wei, aren’t you putting me in danger? How can I meddle in royal family scandals?”
“It’s fine,” Wei Yuan waved his hand. “All the civil and military officials already know about this. One more person won’t make a difference. If you can solve it, that’s best. If not, just decline.
“If your abilities fall short, you’ll at most face some punishment. Even if His Majesty doesn’t like you, he can’t just execute a viscount without a major offense. The nobility faction won’t agree.”
I see. Duke Wei means that if the Emperor revokes the edict granting me a title, I should play dead and not accept future tasks. First, coax Emperor Yuanjing into granting me the title.
Then, use the excuse of insufficient ability to withdraw. At most, I’ll face some punishment but gain a title for free.
Duke Wei is truly… resourceful (an old fox).
“The Crown Prince is Princess Linan’s elder brother,” Xu Qi An suddenly remembered his charming little fish.
The little queen of the nightclub must be heartbroken and helpless now.
“You don’t have any entanglements with Princess Linan, do you?” Wei Yuan narrowed his eyes, scrutinizing him.
“No, no, not at all,” Xu Qi An shook his head repeatedly.
Wei Yuan nodded, relieved.
…
The next day, in the Imperial Study.
“Three days have passed, and your answer to me is just ‘the case is complex with many doubts, requesting a few more days of extension’?” Emperor Yuanjing angrily threw several memorials at the three ministers.
The memorials submitted by the Minister of the Court of Judicature, the Minister of Justice, and Wei Yuan were surprisingly consistent, as if they had copied each other’s homework, and copied the wrong answer at that.
Emperor Yuanjing was so angry he slammed the table.
The Minister of Justice said shamefacedly, “Your Majesty, this case has many doubts and is shrouded in mystery. This humble minister has already done his utmost. Please grant us a few more days.”
The Minister of the Court of Judicature said, “This humble minister’s abilities are insufficient. I request to retire to my hometown.”
“You…” Emperor Yuanjing waved his hand, sweeping all the memorials, brushes, ink, and paper off the table, trembling with rage:
“I should behead you all.”
The three ministers immediately knelt down, crying out, “Our lives are worthless. May Your Majesty take care of your dragon body.”
Is this a rehearsed script?
Emperor Yuanjing was furious.
The ministers on both sides kept their eyes down, and even the Remonstrance Officials who usually liked to argue with Wei Yuan remained silent.
Of course, the case still needed to be handled, but the various factions hadn’t reached a consensus. The Crown Prince’s faction was thinking of how to exonerate the heir apparent.
Other factions were considering which prince would be the future heir if the Crown Prince were to be deposed.
Their thoughts differed, but one point was tacitly agreed upon: to delay the matter for now. Imperial Concubine Fu’s death wasn’t important; what mattered was the struggle for succession that this case would lead to.
It would be a bloodbath no less intense than the Imperial Examination.
The various factions needed time to deliberate, to choose sides, to make arrangements.
In such a situation where the court had a unified purpose, even Emperor Yuanjing could only rage impotently, unless he didn’t want the truth and deposed the Crown Prince on the spot… but that would likely be rejected by the cabinet.
“Your Majesty, please calm down. This humble minister has something to report,” the Prime Minister Wang stepped forward, casually setting aside the Imperial Concubine Fu case for the moment, and said:
“According to this humble minister’s knowledge, Bronze Gong Xu Qi An of the Night Watchmen’s Office did not die in the line of duty. He mysteriously came back to life yesterday. The matter of granting him a title should be withdrawn.”
Whispers arose among the ministers in the Imperial Study.
That Bronze Gong surnamed Xu isn’t dead? The Minister of the Court of Judicature and the Minister of Justice felt conflicted.
Emperor Yuanjing was stunned for a moment, suppressed his anger, and looked at Wei Yuan, saying in a deep voice, “Minister Wei, is what the Prime Minister says true?”
“It is indeed true,” Wei Yuan bowed.
Immediately, a Remonstrance Official stepped forward and loudly said, “Zhang Xingying falsely reported the situation and deceived Your Majesty. Please punish him, Your Majesty.”
Emperor Yuanjing ignored him and continued to look at Wei Yuan, asking, “How did this happen?”
“Xu Qi An did not die. Before engaging in a deadly battle with the rebels, he took a Rebirth Pill from the Imperial Astronomical Bureau. After exhausting his strength, he entered a state of suspended animation and only woke up yesterday. Zhang Xingying mistakenly believed Xu Qi An had died in the line of duty, which is not his fault,” Wei Yuan explained.
Rebirth Pill… As soon as Emperor Yuanjing heard this, he felt as if he had swallowed a fly.
Back then, he had asked the Supervisor for this medicine, but the Supervisor refused, saying there was none left.
Yet now, a mere Bronze Gong had managed to consume this miraculous elixir that he had sought but failed to obtain.
“How did he get this medicine?” Emperor Yuanjing’s lips twitched.
“It was given to him by Chu Caiwei from the Imperial Astronomical Bureau,” Wei Yuan replied.
Emperor Yuanjing pondered for a few seconds, then slowly nodded: “Withdraw the matter of granting him a title. Also, summon Bronze Gong Xu Qi An to see me immediately.”
Wei Yuan nodded impassively and bowed, “Yes, Your Majesty.”
…
Xu Qi An received the summons and rushed to the palace on horseback before noon. After being verified by the Imperial Guards, he was allowed to enter the palace.
Inside the city gate, the Grand Eunuch stood with his hands behind his back, having waited for some time, with South Palace Qianrou standing by his side.
Xu Qi An hurried over, calling out, “Duke Wei.”
Wei Yuan nodded: “His Majesty has summoned you regarding the Imperial Concubine Fu case.” He paused, then added meaningfully, “The matter of granting you a title has been withdrawn.”
It really was withdrawn? This news had been out for three days, yet it could still be withdrawn. How unruly… Xu Qi An grumbled inwardly, then said:
“I understand.”
Following Wei Yuan to the Imperial Study, they found Emperor Yuanjing absent. An old eunuch in a python robe said, “His Majesty is at Lingbao Temple, meditating with the Imperial Preceptor. He’ll return in the afternoon. Please wait here.”
This wait lasted for an hour.
…
At Lingbao Temple, having finished meditating, a refreshed Emperor Yuanjing opened his eyes and sighed, “Imperial Preceptor, when will I be able to form my Golden Core?”
Under her Taoist robe, which barely concealed her voluptuous figure, Luo Yuheng, with her devastatingly beautiful face, kept her eyes closed and replied in a melodious, magnetic voice, “When Your Majesty can set aside state affairs and focus on cultivating the Dao, the Golden Core will be within reach.”
Emperor Yuanjing stared at the exquisitely beautiful Taoist priestess before him. Her features were alluring, with a soul-stirring charm, and the red dot between her brows made her look even more like an immortal.
An immortal that could be defiled.
Emperor Yuanjing sighed again. In fact, he only needed to practice dual cultivation to advance further. However, even as the ruler of a nation, he couldn’t force the Head of the Human Sect.
Let alone the fact that she was a Second-Rank expert, even if he could subdue her by force, dual cultivation required the cooperation of both parties’ mind methods and couldn’t be forced.
“When will the Imperial Preceptor reach the First Rank?” Emperor Yuanjing asked.
Luo Yuheng shook her head slightly.
“Sigh, the Supervisor’s thoughts are becoming increasingly unfathomable to me. When I asked him for the Rebirth Pill that day, he didn’t give it to me. Who would have thought that today I’d learn that even a mere Bronze Gong could enjoy this miraculous elixir.”
Luo Yuheng opened her eyes, asking curiously, “A Bronze Gong?”
Emperor Yuanjing waved his hand: “This person is not worth mentioning. I’ll return to the palace first. Tomorrow, I’ll come again to meditate and comprehend the Dao with the Imperial Preceptor.”
He returned to the palace and received news that Xu Qi An was waiting in the Imperial Study. Still, he didn’t go there immediately. After a meticulous bath, he finally arrived, fashionably late.
In the Imperial Study.
Xu Qi An said in a clear voice, “This humble official pays respects to Your Majesty.”
Emperor Yuanjing fixed him with a sharp gaze. Without mentioning the Rebirth Pill or praising this Bronze Gong for his merits in Yunzhou, he said directly:
“Some days ago, Imperial Concubine Fu fell to her death from a tower. There are hidden circumstances behind this case. I give you three days to solve it. Otherwise, you will face severe punishment.”
Xu Qi An immediately bowed, bending at a 90-degree angle and not rising, crying out loudly, “Please, Your Majesty, grant me death!”