After lunch, Chu Xianglong instructed his attendant to brew a cup of tea. Holding the steaming cup, he took a light sip and asked, “How has the Princess Consort been these days?”
“She’s been staying in her room,” the attendant replied.
In that luxurious and spacious chamber resided a puppet Princess Consort. The real one spent her days wandering about, blending in with the ordinary maids. Sometimes she would sneak into the kitchen to steal food or enthusiastically observe the boatmen casting nets to catch fish, standing by and giving misguided directions.
Far from being annoyed, the boatmen developed a great fondness for this plain-looking, older maid. Several of them, having saved up quite a bit and still unmarried, were privately inquiring about the older lady’s situation.
This was the Princess Consort’s charm. Even with an unremarkable appearance, spending time with her could make men fall in love. That’s why Chu Xianglong strictly forbade soldiers from going to the deck and prohibited men from privately interacting with the Princess Consort. But he couldn’t say it outright or show unusual concern for a mere maid.
“We need to head north as quickly as possible. Once we reach Chu Prefecture and join up with the troops sent by the Prince, we’ll be completely safe,” Chu Xianglong exhaled.
Blending in with the investigation team was undoubtedly a wise decision. Before departure, even the chief official Xu Qi An and other high-ranking officials didn’t know the Princess Consort was accompanying them.
Suddenly, he heard the sound of dense footsteps coming from the deck, followed by the boisterous laughter and chatter of men.
The soldiers from the lower decks had all come up… Chu Xianglong’s face darkened, then filled with anger. He had repeatedly warned the rank-and-file soldiers not to go up to the deck.
How dare they treat his words as mere background noise?
Chu Xianglong left his room, walked through the corridor, and came to the deck. He saw groups of soldiers carrying chamber pots, pouring the filth into the river with a splash. As the wind blew, the stench assaulted his nostrils.
Centurion Chen Xiao stood on the deck, shouting, “Remember to clean the chamber pots after emptying them!”
“Yes, sir!” the soldiers responded loudly, their faces bearing smiles.
Chu Xianglong stood with his hands behind his back, his expression grim and serious. He barked, “Who allowed you to come up here?”
The clamor suddenly ceased. The soldiers hurriedly put down the chamber pots, looking at each other in confusion, feeling awkward. They lowered their heads, not daring to speak.
Chu Xianglong scolded, “Do you think there’s safety in numbers? That the law won’t punish you all? You like being on deck, huh? Come on, prepare the military canes for punishment.”
Shortly after, the sound of hurried footsteps approached. Chu Xianglong’s guards came around from the other side of the deck, carrying military canes in their hands.
“General Chu, this, this…” Chen Xiao became anxious. The reason he hadn’t immediately explained that it was Xu Qi An who had allowed this was to avoid appearing as if he was stirring up trouble or inciting conflict between the two important figures.
Xu Qi An had just returned to his room, and he must have heard the commotion outside. If he truly wanted to stand up for the Imperial Guards, he would come out. Otherwise, it would indicate that he didn’t wish to conflict with General Chu, after all, General Chu was the Deputy General of the Northern Border Prince, a powerful figure commanding troops.
“Why is General Chu angry? I was the one who told them to come up and clean the chamber pots,” Finally, the voice the Imperial Guards had been hoping for came from the cabin. Accompanied by light yet forceful footsteps, Xu Qi An, wearing the silver badge of his office, emerged with one hand on his sword.
Chu Xianglong turned around, staring at Xu Qi An with an aggressive tone: “Are you unaware of my orders? If you don’t know, tell them to go back immediately and ensure they never come out again. If you do know, I need an explanation.”
Chen Xiao steeled himself and cupped his fists in salute, “General Chu, it’s like this: several soldiers fell ill, and I was at a loss. I had no choice but to seek help from Sir Xu…”
Either very loyal or very clever… Xu Qi An evaluated inwardly, but outwardly he said, “Who asked you to speak? Get out of the way.”
Chen Xiao lowered his head and fell silent, gratitude flashing in his eyes. Sir Xu was trying to keep him out of this.
After reprimanding the centurion, Xu Qi An fixed his gaze on Chu Xianglong and said in a deep voice:
“General Chu wants an explanation? Why don’t you go down to the lower deck yourself? If you could stay there for a few days, your understanding would be even more profound. I’ve already decided: from now on, the Imperial Guards in the lower deck can freely come and go from Chen Hour’s beginning to its end. From Wu Hour’s beginning to its end, they can freely come and go. From Shen Hour’s beginning to its end, they can freely come and go.”
This meant they could be active on the deck for six hours each day.
This would effectively improve air quality and benefit the soldiers’ physical and mental health.
On the deck, the soldiers’ faces lit up with joy, exchanging excited glances. The wind and waves were strong, making the lower deck rock and sway, coupled with the strange odors, making people want to vomit.
Moreover, they had to eat dry rations in such an environment. Physical discomfort was one thing, but the mental torture was even worse.
Chu Xianglong said coolly, “Sir Xu doesn’t understand how to lead troops, so don’t meddle. What kind of hardship is this? On a real battlefield, you’d have to eat mud and lie among corpses to eat.”
As he spoke, he looked at Xu Qi An with a cold smile, not hiding his disdain and contempt.
Xu Qi An countered, “General Chu is a veteran soldier who has seen many battles. I can’t compare to you in leading troops. But if you want to debate logic with me, I can certainly discuss it with you.”
He paused, stepped forward, and stared at Chu Xianglong, asking:
“You said it yourself, this is war. Can peacetime be the same as extraordinary times? Do the soldiers under General Chu always live in outhouses, gnawing on dry rations amidst the stench of excrement?
“These soldiers are all elites. They train hard in normal times and know how to fight in war. But there’s a difference between hard work and torture. You train soldiers for a thousand days to use them for one. If you don’t even know how to take care of your soldiers, how do you lead them? How do you fight wars?
“To put it bluntly, these aren’t your soldiers, so you don’t see them as people.”
Well said!
Chen Xiao cheered inwardly. These past few days, he had watched the soldiers’ spirits wane, and it pained his heart. Because these were the men under his command.
Chu Xianglong didn’t see them as people simply because these soldiers weren’t his, right?
Train soldiers for a thousand days to use them for one. Sir Xu truly deserved to be the poetry champion of Great Shang… Chen Xiao felt a deep admiration. The more he thought about it, the more he felt this saying was a profound truth.
The soldiers kept their heads down, gritting their teeth. Though they didn’t speak, their slightly clenched fists revealed their inner indignation.
They were the lowest-ranking soldiers, indeed without status, but soldiers were people too, with emotions.
Chu Xianglong seemed to be provoked. His expression turned both arrogant and fierce as he stepped forward, bringing his face close to Xu Qi An’s, and demanded harshly:
“Are you trying to teach me how to do things? Who do you think you are?”
“I was wondering, did I give in too easily last time, letting you succeed without effort, causing you to develop a mistaken impression of me?” Xu Qi An stepped back, distancing himself from Chu Xianglong.
This action, in Chu Xianglong’s eyes, naturally looked like cowardice. Indeed, Xu Qi An’s first impression in his mind was: extremely talented, but greedy for power, someone who could be controlled and suppressed with greater authority.
This aligned with the image Xu Qi An had shown in the imperial examination cheating case, easily obtaining the Vajra God Skill, and not even daring to go back on his word afterward, eagerly delivering the Buddha statue.
Many martial artists were willing to be lapdogs, bowing and scraping to high officials despite their great strength, because such people coveted power and status.
“Isn’t that so?” Chu Xianglong sneered.
As soon as he finished speaking, he saw Xu Qi An, who had stepped back, suddenly spin around and unleash a vicious roundhouse kick aimed at his waist.
Without any warning, action followed words immediately.
Chu Xianglong crossed his arms to block, and with a boom, the energy exploded into ripples. He slid backward as if hit by a battering ram, his back slamming hard against the cabin wall.
The sturdy wooden wall cracked with a snap.
A point of golden light appeared between Xu Qi An’s eyebrows, quickly spreading throughout his body, manifesting a brilliant golden form. He spoke word by word: “I have a very bad temper, punk.”
Magistrate Wei had advised him to maintain good relations with the Northern Border Prince’s people to facilitate the investigation and avoid unnecessary obstacles.
But Magistrate Wei certainly didn’t mean for him to bow and scrape, smiling at the Northern Border Prince’s men, turning the other cheek after being slapped.
Because if the case had no leads, he, as the chief official appointed by the court, could return to the capital safely. If he uncovered evidence unfavorable to the Northern Border Prince, even if he and Chu Xianglong were sworn brothers, it would be of no use.
Xu Qi An had long been fed up with Chu Xianglong, who had tried to take advantage of his little brother’s misfortune to steal his Vajra God Skill.
Chu Xianglong, his arms aching and old injuries in his meridians flaring up, stared at Xu Qi An in disbelief.
Did he dare to attack?
Did he think that as a mere silver badge constable, he could afford to offend a powerful general who held real authority, the deputy of the Northern Border Prince?
“General!” Chu Xianglong’s guards erupted in anger, surging forward in unison, gripping their military canes and aiming at Xu Qi An.
As soon as Chu Xianglong gave the order, they would subdue this arrogant upstart.
“Sir Xu!” A hundred Imperial Guards simultaneously rushed over, surrounding Xu Qi An, facing off against Chu Xianglong’s guards with grim expressions.
Their stance was very clear. Although the Imperial Guards and Silver badge constables were from different departments and didn’t interfere with each other, Xu Qi An was now the chief official and the highest leader of the investigation team.
Moreover, just for what he had said earlier, he was worth risking their lives for.
“Everyone, stop!”
A shout came from the cabin as several officials who had heard the commotion hurried out.
Two censors from the Censorate, the chief constable from the Ministry of Justice, and the deputy minister from the Court of Judicial Review, followed by their respective guards and constables.
The two censors immediately tried to mediate, saying in rapid succession, “Let’s talk this out calmly. Why must the two of you come to blows?”
The deputy minister of the Court of Judicial Review glanced at the cracked wall and Xu Qi An’s golden form, and said sarcastically:
“Sir Xu, what impressive skills. With this divine ability, I fear no one on this entire ship could be your match.”
“You’ve come at the right time.”
Chu Xianglong glared fiercely at Xu Qi An and recounted what had just happened, then pointed at Xu Qi An and said:
“The soldiers’ issue was just an excuse for him to cause trouble. His real purpose was to retaliate against me. What do you gentlemen think should be done about this matter?”
The deputy minister of the Court of Judicial Review immediately said, “There are women on board, so it’s not appropriate for soldiers to go up to the deck. In my opinion, General Chu’s order is reasonable and proper.”
The chief constable from the Ministry of Justice said coolly, “In my view, Sir Xu should apologize, the Imperial Guards should return to the lower deck and not come out. Let this matter end here. We should be united on this northern journey.”
The two censors from the Censorate agreed.
The thinking of the officials from the three departments was simple. First, they personally disliked Xu Qi An, as this young man had previous conflicts with the Ministry of Justice, the Court of Judicial Review, and the Censorate.
Secondly, on this northern journey, it was necessary to maintain good relations with the Northern Border Prince’s deputy general.
The commotion on the deck startled the Princess Consort, who was drinking tea in her room. She came out at the sound and saw a group of palace maids gathered in the corridor leading to the deck.
“What’s happening?” she frowned, habitually asking.
The maids turned back, glancing at her. Some were displeased with the unfamiliar older maid’s commanding tone. They chattered:
“General Chu and Constable Xu conflict, almost coming to blows.”
“It seems General Chu wouldn’t allow the guards from the lower deck to come up, and Constable Xu disagreed, causing the dispute.”
“Hmph, this Constable Xu is so ungrateful, daring to clash with General Chu. He’s our Prince Huai’s deputy general. Now all the officials are siding with Deputy General Chu, demanding he apologize.”
“Though I admire Constable Xu, he’s in the wrong this time. These common soldiers stink and are an eyesore. We won’t be able to enjoy the breeze on deck anymore.”
The Princess Consort tried to push through the maids, but surprisingly, the girls who usually treated her with utmost respect not only refused to make way but even reasonably pushed her back.
The Princess Consort felt angry, unable to see the scene on deck. Fortunately, the maids quieted down, and she heard Xu Qi An’s cold laugh:
“Apologize? I’m the chief official appointed by His Majesty. On this ship, I’m in charge.”
The deputy minister of the Court of Judicial Review retorted, “You may be the chief official, but you don’t have the final say in the investigation team. Otherwise, what use are we?”
The chief constable from the Ministry of Justice nodded: “His Majesty’s edict states that the three departments and the Night Watchmen are to collaborate on the case. If Sir Xu wants to be a dictator, I’m afraid I can’t agree.”
The two censors from the Censorate agreed with the words of the chief constable and the deputy minister.
Suddenly, all the pressure was on Xu Qi An.
Even if he stubbornly refused to admit fault, being ostracized by his fellow officials in front of everyone would completely undermine his authority… The Princess Consort keenly grasped the officials’ intentions.
She didn’t believe this man, who had been so dominant in magical battles, would yield. But in the current situation, whether he yielded or not was no longer important.
Everyone present could see that Chief Official Xu was unpopular, with his fellow officials ostracizing and suppressing him.
Once such a fixed impression formed, the chief official’s authority would plummet. No one in the team would truly respect him; even if they showed outward respect, they would inwardly disdain him.
“If Prince Huai were in this situation, what would he do…” the Princess Consort thought.
She didn’t know why, but she always unconsciously compared the young man on deck to Prince Huai.
After comparing, she realized their situations couldn’t be equated. After all, Prince Huai was a prince and a third-rank martial artist, far beyond what the current Xu Ning Yan could compare to.
So, the Princess Consort mused to herself: What will he do?
He shouldn’t yield, right… If he does, I’ll lose respect for him… No, if he yields, I’ll have something to mock him about… As she thought this, she heard Xu Qi An’s shout:
“All officers and soldiers, hear my command! As the chief official, I’m here on imperial orders to investigate in the Northern Border. This matter is of great importance. To prevent leaks and sabotage, I now order the expulsion of all unnecessary personnel, including Chu Xianglong and his deployed men.”
At that moment, only four silver badge constables and eight bronze badge constables drew their weapons in support of Xu Qi An.
The hundred Imperial Guards on deck remained silent, seemingly not daring to get involved.
The scene was silent for a few seconds, then one soldier quietly returned to the lower deck.
Then two, then three… More and more soldiers lowered their heads, left the deck, and returned to the lower deck.
Soon, the deck was empty.
“Tch!”
Chu Xianglong’s contemptuous sneer sounded particularly grating.
The deputy minister of the Court of Judicial Review wore a mocking expression, gloating.
The chief constable from the Ministry of Justice curled his lips slightly, folded his arms, and leaned against the cabin wall, assuming the posture of a spectator.
The two censors from the Censorate shook their heads helplessly.
Suddenly, the chaotic sound of footsteps trampling on stairs came, “thump, thump, thump” in a continuous stream.
The hundred Imperial Guards returned, but unlike before, they had exchanged their chamber pots for standard military sabers.
They had gone back to the lower deck to fetch their weapons.
Chen Xiao, hand on his saber, walked to Xu Qi An’s side and said in a deep voice, “Draw swords!”
“Shing…”
The sound of swords being drawn filled the air as a hundred soldiers unsheathed their blades in unison, pointing them at Chu Xianglong and the others.
“You, you’re rebelling?” The deputy minister’s face changed slightly as he shouted angrily.
Chen Xiao remained silent, licking his lips. His gaze fixed sharply on the deputy minister, then glanced at Xu Qi An, as if ready to step forward and cut down this verbose civil official at Constable Xu’s command.
The deputy minister’s heart chilled, and he instinctively stepped back, no longer daring to speak up.
The chief constable from the Ministry of Justice straightened up from leaning against the wall, his expression changing from mockery to seriousness. He quietly gripped his sword, as if facing a great enemy.
As a martial artist himself, he saw the unwavering resolve in these Imperial Guards’ eyes. When they wielded their steel blades, there would be no hesitation.
Veins throbbed on Chu Xianglong’s forehead in anger. He still couldn’t believe that he, the deputy general of the Northern Border Prince, would face such treatment. These low-ranking soldiers dared to draw swords against him.
“Yang Yan!” Chu Xianglong roared, “Are you Night Watchmen planning to rebel? My accompanying the investigation team was His Majesty’s verbal order.”
“Enough noise!” Yang Yan’s voice came from the cabin, his tone cold: “I know nothing of this matter.”
“You…” Chu Xianglong’s face immediately paled. His expression changed several times as he stared hard at Xu Qi An, gritting his teeth: “What do you want?”
Xu Qi An faced the sunlight, his expression defiant, and said, “Three things. First, my earlier decision stands – the soldiers get three hours of free time daily. Second, remember my position. You have no say in this investigation team.
“Is that clear enough?”
Chu Xianglong, with a grim face, slowly nodded.
Xu Qi An walked over, sword in hand, and sneered, “Third, apologize to me.”
For a moment, Chu Xianglong’s face twisted slightly, veins bulging at his temples, the muscles in his cheeks twitching.
Escorting the Princess Consort is of utmost importance, I can’t act on impulse… Chu Xianglong finally yielded, saying in a low voice, “Sir Xu, please be magnanimous and don’t lower yourself to my level.”
Xu Qi An let out a “Heh”: “Now you understand.”
Behind him, the hundred Imperial Guards grinned, showing simple smiles.