The deck fell into an eerie silence.
The officials and guards from the three departments were stunned into silence, not daring to provoke Xu Qi An. Especially the chief constable from the Ministry of Justice, who had just said Xu Qi An’s attempt to be a dictator was wishful thinking.
Now, he felt his face burning, suddenly understanding the anger and helplessness of the Minister of Justice. He hated this young man to the bone but could do nothing about him.
Of course, the one who lost the most face was Chu Xianglong. As the deputy general of the Northern Border Prince, he wielded real power at the border, and even in the capital, he didn’t need to defer to anyone.
Even among the court officials, he wasn’t intimidated, because the one who could decide his life, death, and future was the Northern Border Prince. No matter how powerful the officials were, they couldn’t touch him.
Gradually, he developed an arrogant and showy personality, until this moment when he suffered a heavy setback at Xu Qi An’s hands.
Chu Xianglong kept reminding himself to prioritize the bigger picture while trying to calm his inner frustration and anger. But he couldn’t bear to stay on the deck. He gave Xu Qi An a deep look and left without a word.
He felt that everyone’s gaze on him was mocking, and he didn’t want to stay a moment longer.
On the deck and in the cabin, gazes turned toward Xu Qi An, silently changing from scrutiny and amusement to awe.
The rank of silver badge constable wasn’t much, and there were plenty of officials in the investigation team with higher positions. But the power Xu Qi An wielded and the imperial mission he carried made him a worthy chief official.
If anyone dared to be outwardly compliant but inwardly resistant or tried to suppress him with their official rank, Chu Xianglong’s humiliation today would serve as their example.
The Princess Consort, blocked by the group of young maids, couldn’t see the expressions of those on deck, but hearing was enough.
His behavior might seem domineering and strong at first glance, giving an impression of youthful impulsiveness, but there was finesse in his roughness. He had anticipated that the Imperial Guards would rally around him… No, that’s not right. I was misled by appearances. The reason he could subdue Chu Xianglong was that he was doing something he could be proud of, so he could act with righteousness. As they say, those who follow the right path gain many supporters, while those who stray from it find few allies… The Princess Consort had to admit, this was a man of great courage and personal charisma, just too lecherous.
With Chu Xianglong’s submission and departure, this storm came to an end.
Constable Xu comforted the Imperial Guards and walked towards the cabin. The maids blocking the entrance scattered, looking at him with some fear.
As he brushed past the older maid, Xu Qi An threw her a flirtatious wink. She immediately showed a look of disgust, turning away disdainfully.
Indeed, he’s a lecher… the Princess Consort mused inwardly.
Her current appearance was indeed far from beautiful, and her features were ordinary. Yet even so, the lecherous Xu Qi An still tried to flirt.
Entering the cabin and going up to the second floor, Xu Qi An knocked on Yang Yan’s door.
“Come in!” Yang Yan, who had disdained to participate in the conflict from beginning to end, said coolly.
Xu Qi An pushed the door open and saw Yang Yan sitting cross-legged on the bed, with a pair of boots neatly arranged beside it.
Yang Yan was meticulous in everything he did, but it was different from Spring Brother’s obsessive-compulsive disorder.
Xu Qi An closed the door, casually walked to the table, poured himself a cup of water, drank it in one gulp, and said in a low voice, “What’s the deal with those women?”
“Chu Xianglong is escorting the Princess Consort to the Northern Border. To avoid attracting attention, they’ve joined the investigation team. His Majesty and Lord Wei have discussed this, but it’s only a verbal order, with no written document as proof,” Yang Yan said.
So it is the Princess Consort… Xu Qi An frowned slightly. His guess wasn’t wrong; the women Chu Xianglong was escorting included the Northern Border Prince’s consort. That’s why he had only intimidated Chu Xianglong, not truly expelled him.
“Why all this secrecy to escort the Princess Consort to the Northern Border?” Xu Qi An questioned.
Yang Yan shook his head.
There must be something fishy about this… Xu Qi An lowered his voice and said, “Boss, tell me more about this Princess Consort. She seems very mysterious.”
Yang Yan frowned slightly. This question was a bit difficult for him. After all, for a martial arts fanatic who saw the world’s warmth not as a man’s longed-for abyss but as the path of martial arts, gossip held no meaning.
“I don’t know much, only that after the Shanhai Pass battle years ago, the Princess Consort was bestowed to Prince Huai by His Majesty. For the twenty years since she hasn’t left the capital.”
I already know all this. I even remember that poem describing the Princess Consort… Xu Qi An was extremely disappointed that he couldn’t get any gossip.
“You’ve offended Chu Xianglong this time. When you reach the Northern Border, you’re bound to face difficulties, but you’ve also successfully established your authority. No one will dare to challenge you for the rest of this journey,” Yang Yan continued. “The people from the three departments can’t be trusted. They’re not enthusiastic about the case.”
They’ll investigate when there’s no danger, but once they encounter danger, they’ll certainly become cowardly and shrink back. After all, failing to complete a task only results in punishment, which is better than losing one’s life… Xu Qi An nodded:
“I understand. It’s human nature.”
Yang Yan didn’t offer any advice, just nodded and looked at Xu Qi An. “Is there anything else? If not, please leave. Don’t disturb my cultivation.”
Boss, you’re no fun at all. You’re just like the programmers from my previous life. If a woman took off her pants in front of them, they’d just shout: “404!”
Xu Qi An left the room, half joking and half complaining.
…
That evening, after dinner, under the night sky, Xu Qi An, Chen Xiao, and a group of Imperial Guards sat on the deck, chatting and boasting.
Xu Qi An told them about the tax silver case, the Sangbo case, the Princess Pingyang case, and others he had solved. The Imperial Guards listened with genuine admiration, considering Xu Qi An almost godlike.
As Imperial Guards of the capital, they had heard of these cases before but knew nothing of the details. Now they finally learned how Constable Xu had solved these cases.
For instance, in the tax silver case, when Xu Ning Yan was still just a runner in Changle County, trapped in a difficult situation, he calmly asked the prefect: “Do you want to solve the case?”
The prefect answered: “Yes.”
Xu Ning Yan said coolly: “Bring me the files.”
So the case files were brought, and with just a glance, he cracked the tax silver case that had baffled the Night Watchmen and the prefectural government.
Another example was the complex Sangbo case, destined to go down in history. The constables from the Ministry of Justice and the prefectural government were at a loss, completely confused. Xu, the bronze badge constable at the time, holding the imperial gold token, said to the good-for-nothings from the Ministry of Justice and the prefectural government:
“The cases the Ministry of Justice can’t handle, I, Xu Qi An, will handle. The things the Ministry of Justice doesn’t dare to do, I, Xu Qi An, will do.”
The useless officials from the Ministry of Justice lowered their heads in shame.
Constable Xu is amazing… The Imperial Guards admired and revered him even more.
“These are nothing. The proudest achievement of my life is the Yunzhou case,” Xu Qi An said, holding a wine jug and sweeping his gaze over the lean faces around him, speaking proudly. “That day, when the rebels in Yunzhou attacked the Provincial Administration Commission, the life of the governor and his colleagues hung by a thread.
“At that time, I alone, with just a sword, stood before eight thousand rebel troops. Not one of them could get past me. I fought for a full hour, broke dozens of swords, my body riddled with arrows, but not one of them could get through.”
“Eight thousand?” Centurion Chen Xiao was stunned, scratching his head. “How come I heard it was ten thousand rebels?”
“I heard it was fifteen thousand.”
“No, no, no, I heard from brothers in the Imperial Guard that it was a full twenty thousand rebels.”
The soldiers began to argue.
… This, this is too much exaggeration. I’m embarrassed. Xu Qi An coughed, drawing everyone’s attention, and said:
“No, no, those are all rumors. Take the number I’ve given as accurate. There were only eight thousand rebels.”
Eight thousand was the number Xu Qi An thought was reasonable; over ten thousand would be too exaggerated. Sometimes he was bewildered, wondering how many rebels he had killed.
“So it was eight thousand rebels.”
The Imperial Guards suddenly realized and firmly believed this was the true figure, after all, it came from Constable Xu himself.
As they chatted, the time for their fresh air break came to an end. Xu Qi An clapped his hands and said:
“Tomorrow we’ll reach Jiangzhou. Further north is the border of Chuzhou. We’ll rest for a day at the Jiangzhou post station to replenish supplies. I’ll give everyone half a day off tomorrow.”
Sir Xu is so kind… The soldiers happily returned to the lower deck.
These past few days, not being confined to the lower deck and diligently cleaning the chamber pots had greatly improved their environment. Their complexions had improved significantly.
The deck, bustling just a moment ago, suddenly became quiet. The frosty moonlight shone on the ship, on people’s faces, and on the river’s surface, creating a shimmering, rippling effect.
“Liar!”
Xu Qi An, holding a wine jug, heard someone cursing him nearby.
He grinned shamelessly and said, “You’re just jealous of my excellence. How do you know I’m lying? You weren’t in Yunzhou.”
The older maid retorted sharply, “How do you know I was talking about the Yunzhou case?”
Xu Qi An was momentarily stumped, then said irritably, “Do you have any business here? If not, just scram.”
The older maid angrily replied, “I won’t leave. It’s not your ship.”
Her delicate body couldn’t handle the ship’s rocking. She hadn’t been sleeping or eating well these past few days, developing eye bags, and looking quite haggard. She had formed a habit of coming to the deck for some fresh air before bed.
She happened to see him chatting with a group of soldiers on the deck and could only hide nearby to eavesdrop. Only when the soldiers left did she dare to come out.
Xu Qi An ignored her, and she ignored him. One looked down at the shimmering river surface, while the other gazed up at the bright moon on the horizon.
When the older maid was silent, she had a serene beauty, like a begonia flower blooming alone under the moonlight.
The moonlight shone on her unremarkable face, but her eyes were hidden in the shadows cast by her eyelashes, as deep as the sea and as pure as the darkest onyx.
Xu Qi An took a sip of wine, shifting his scrutinizing gaze away, and said with feeling, “This official is struck by poetic inspiration. I’ll compose a poem. You’re lucky; you can use my poem to show off in the future.”
She sneered, her face full of disdain, but her ears perked up honestly.
Although she wanted to disparage or mock this man who always annoyed her, in terms of poetry, he was recognized as the poetry champion of the Great Shang literati. Speaking rudely would only make her look foolish.
After waiting for a while without hearing him recite, the older maid, eager for a masterpiece, couldn’t help but turn to look. She met a pair of playful eyes.
She angrily turned away again.
Then, she heard his voice, half-sighing, half-reciting: “Today’s people no longer see the moon of ancient times, but today’s moon once shone on the ancients.”
Today’s people no longer see the moon of ancient times, but today’s moon once shone on the ancients… Her eyes gradually widened, her lips murmuring, her amazement evident.
“I finally understand why those scholars in the capital so fervently praise your poetry,” she sighed softly.
They’re not praising me, I don’t produce poetry, I’m just a poetry transporter… Xu Qi An smiled and said:
“You flatter me. Poetic talent is innate. I was born feeling like my brain was filled with timeless masterpieces, ready to be plucked at will.”
This time, the eccentric older maid didn’t criticize or rebut him. She asked eagerly, “What’s next?”
I don’t remember the rest… Xu Qi An spread his hands: “I only composed this one line. There’s nothing after that.”
She gritted her teeth and said, “I finally understand why so many people hate you.”
Another period of silence followed.
The older maid leaned on the railing, gazing at the rippling river surface. This posture inevitably caused her bottom to stick out slightly, the thin spring clothing accentuating the roundness of her buttocks.
“Very big, very round, but can’t tell if it’s a peach or a full moon…” Xu Qi An habitually commented in his mind, then shifted his gaze away.
He couldn’t keep staring; it would make him seem very lecherous.
“I heard you’re going to the Northern Border to investigate the Blood Massacre case?” she suddenly asked.
“Mm,” Xu Qi An nodded, concise in his response.
“What kind of case is it?” she asked again.
“It’s not clear yet, but I suspect it involves barbarians invading the border, engaging in widespread burning, killing, and looting, massacring for a thousand li, while the Northern Border Prince remained in his city,” Xu Qi An offered his guess.
“Oh!” She nodded and said, “If that’s the case, aren’t you afraid of offending the Northern Border Prince?”
“Of course I’m afraid,” Xu Qi An said helplessly. “If the case hadn’t fallen to me, I would have turned a blind eye and minded my own business. But it just happened to land on me.
“I figure it might be the will of heaven. Since it’s heaven’s will, I should go and see.”
She didn’t speak, squinting her eyes, enjoying the cool breeze from the river.
Xu Qi An’s eyes darted, and he smiled, “Last year when I took a boat to Yunzhou, I encountered some strange things on the way.”
She immediately became interested, tilting her head slightly.
“During the journey, a soldier came to the deck at night, leaning on the railing just like you, staring at the water surface, and then, and then…”
Xu Qi An stared at the river’s surface, showing a terrified expression.
She also nervously stared at the river surface, fully concentrated.
“Then a water ghost jumped out of the river!” Xu Qi An said in a deep voice.
“Non-nonsense…” The older maid’s face paled, showing some fear, but she forced herself to say, “You’re just trying to scare me.”
Splash!
Suddenly, there was a sound from the water’s surface, splashing water.
She let out a scream, scared into sitting on the ground, hugging her head and trembling.
“Hahaha!” Xu Qi An burst into laughter, pointing at the older maid’s disheveled state, mocking, “Just a wine jug scared you like this.”
The older maid silently stood up, her face as cold as frost, and left without a word.
Is she angry? Xu Qi An watched her retreating figure and called out, “Hey, hey, hey, come back and chat a bit more, little auntie.”
…
At dawn, the official ship slowly docked at the pier of Huangyou County. As one of the few counties in Jiangzhou with a pier, Huangyou County’s economy was developing quite well.
This place was known for producing a golden, translucent jade, with a color resembling butter, hence named Butter Jade.
The official ship would dock at the pier for a day. Xu Qi An sent people ashore to prepare supplies and divided the Imperial Guards into two groups: one to guard the ship, and the other to enter the city. They would switch after half a day.
“Taking advantage of the free time, after lunch, I’ll go into the city to find some brothels and take the Night Watchmen colleagues to have some fun. As for Yang Yan, let him stay and guard the ship…”
In the morning light, as Xu Qi An was thinking this, he suddenly heard vomiting sounds from a corner of the deck.
Turning his head, he saw the round buttocks, unsure if they were peaches or full moons. The older maid was leaning over the ship’s rail, continuously vomiting.
“Little auntie, are you pregnant?” Xu Qi An teased while taking out a handkerchief and offering it to her.
She ignored him, taking out her handkerchief to wipe her mouth. Her face was haggard, her eyes bloodshot, looking as if she hadn’t slept all night.
“I noticed you weren’t looking well yesterday. What’s wrong?” Xu Qi An asked.
The little auntie glared at him and went back to her cabin, swaying her hips.
She had been so scared last night that she couldn’t sleep, always feeling like terrifying eyes were staring at her from beyond the fluttering bed curtains, or wondering if a hand might reach out from under the bed, or if there might be a head hanging outside the paper-covered window…
Wrapped in her bedding, covering her head, she was afraid to sleep, occasionally peeking out to observe the room.
Not sleeping all night, coupled with the ship’s rocking, the accumulated fatigue of recent days suddenly erupted, causing headaches and vomiting, making her feel uncomfortable.
It’s all this boy’s fault.
If you don’t want to talk to me, that’s fine. I’m not afraid you’ll interfere with my plans to visit brothels and listen to music… Xu Qi An muttered, calling his friends to disembark.