After finishing his bun, Liu Qi’an asked Zhu Guangxiao and Song Tingfeng to notify the other team members to gather in the front courtyard.
Liu Qi’an’s current team consisted of: Jin Yu Hall, Zhen Xie Hall, Chun Feng Hall, Chu Caiwei from the Bureau of Astronomy, and six constables from the magistrate’s office.
A total of 24 people.
The two Silver Gong officers, Min Shan and Yang Feng were responsible for verifying the gunpowder production and usage records from the Ministry of Works, a tedious and time-consuming task.
Liu Qi’an was convinced that the gunpowder didn’t come from the Ministry of Works, but out of caution, he didn’t stop investigating the ministry.
Today, as they were leaving the capital, knowing that so many factions were involved in the Sang Bo case, Liu Qi’an followed his instincts and decided to bring as many people as possible.
He first went to the Imperial City, while the others were stopped outside. The only one who could accompany him was the glutton Chu Caiwei.
This young lady was a frequent visitor to the Imperial City, coming and going as she pleased, with a rather exceptional status.
“Did the Elder Princess bestow a jade pendant on you?” Liu Qi’an asked.
Chu Caiwei nodded.
“I have one too,” Liu Qi’an said, proudly showing off the waist jade given to him by Princess Lin’an.
“It looks familiar… Oh! Is it from Princess Lin’an?” Chu Caiwei exclaimed.
“I’m now Princess Lin’an’s man. She appreciates me. Seeing that the Elder Princess didn’t give me a jade pendant, she quickly gave me one to show that she values me more than the Elder Princess and is more worthy of my allegiance,” Liu Qi’an explained the events of yesterday to the big-eyed girl.
“She’s foolish,” Chu Caiwei giggled, mocking Lin’an.
Brother, don’t laugh at your sister. Where do you get the confidence to mock Biao Biao… Liu Qi’an agreed, “Indeed, not every woman is as clever as Miss Caiwei.”
Chu Caiwei’s goose-egg face beamed with an even sweeter smile.
Soon, they arrived at the Huai Prince’s Mansion. Zhen Bei Wang’s title was Prince Huai, and he was Emperor Yuan Jing’s younger brother, hence the name Huai Prince’s Mansion.
Two white marble lions stood at the front gate, the main door was twenty feet tall, with golden door nails arranged in an orderly fashion. The door rings with the Jiao Tu (mythical creature) design was larger than those of ordinary noble mansions.
Apart from describing it as high-end, grand, and classy, Liu Qi’an couldn’t think of any other words.
A row of armed guards stood at the gate, their expressions solemn.
“This official is Liu Qi’an, the lead investigator appointed by His Majesty for the Sang Bo case. I have matters to discuss with the Princess Consort. Go and announce my arrival immediately,” Liu Qi’an flashed his golden tablet.
One of the guards glanced at Liu Qi’an and said in a deep voice, “The Princess Consort is not seeing anyone. Please leave.”
Liu Qi’an raised an eyebrow, about to rebuke him, when he heard the guard add with a cold laugh, “This is also His Majesty’s order. Even if the Elder Princess wants to see the Princess Consort, it depends on our Princess Consort’s mood.
“Get lost quickly, don’t mistake a chicken feather for an imperial edict.”
Liu Qi’an let out an enlightened “Oh,” and smiled, “So the golden tablet bestowed by His Majesty is a chicken feather… This person has insulted His Majesty, committing the crime of great disrespect.”
He placed his hand on the hilt of his sword at his waist, grinning menacingly, “This official is now arresting a criminal. Whoever dares to obstruct, will be killed without mercy!”
Clang!
The black gold long sword was unsheathed by half an inch, releasing a fluctuation of energy.
The guard who had mocked Liu Qi’an realized he had misspoken and his face turned slightly pale.
The head guard glared at his subordinate who had spoken out of turn, then walked towards Liu Qi’an. As he walked, his armor plates clinked.
“Sir, the Princess Consort is not in the mansion,” he said.
“Where did she go?” Liu Qi’an asked, looking down from his horse.
“I’m just a gatekeeper, how would I know the Princess Consort’s whereabouts? But she’s not in the mansion. She left the city early this morning, just half an hour before you arrived,” the head guard explained politely.
Liu Qi’an nodded slightly and said firmly, “This official is now arresting a criminal. If you don’t want to be charged with harboring a colleague, help me apprehend this person.”
He pointed at the guard who had mocked him earlier.
“Sir!” The head guard became anxious. He was furious inside but didn’t dare to show anger. He said sincerely, “The Princess Consort isn’t in the mansion.”
As guards of a royal prince’s mansion, they could usually disregard ordinary nobles who came.
But the man before them held a golden tablet and had caught his subordinate’s mistake. The head guard could only try to keep the peace.
Only then did Liu Qi’an believe him. He turned his horse around and left with Chu Caiwei.
“This Princess Consort of ours is quite interesting. Even the Elder Princess can’t see her,” Liu Qi’an said with a smile, probing.
Chu Caiwei, true to expectations, didn’t notice Liu Qi’an’s probing and answered honestly, “The Princess Consort has a very special status.”
“How special?”
“It’s a secret,” Chu Caiwei smiled, showing her teeth. “You shouldn’t pry into these matters. It’s not good for you.”
Then she put on a serious face and warned, “Don’t try to bribe me with food.”
“Why not?”
“Because I’m afraid I won’t be able to resist…” she said pitifully.
…
Today’s tasks were three-fold. The investigation into County Magistrate Zhao’s death had already yielded relatively accurate results last night. Of the two remaining tasks, meeting the Princess Consort hadn’t been accomplished.
Liu Qi’an felt very frustrated about this inauspicious start!
He was a person who approached work with rigor and seriousness. His bad mood was not because he was attracted to the Princess Consort’s beauty and wanted to catch a glimpse of her.
The Princess Consort was special? This specialness wasn’t about her looks but referred to something else. If she was so special, why did Emperor Yuan Jing give such a beautiful woman to Zhen Bei Wang back then… Or was it precisely because of this specialness that the Emperor gifted the beauty?
Liu Qi’an pondered for a moment before pushing thoughts of the Princess Consort to the back of his mind.
The case was already difficult enough to handle. He couldn’t waste brain cells on these trivial matters.
…
In the western suburbs of Da Feng, there was a White Phoenix Mountain. It took just over half an hour to reach it from the West City Gate.
The name of White Phoenix Mountain came from a species of white wild birds that nested there. Their tail feathers were very long, resembling those of a phoenix, hence the name.
However, now the white phoenixes on the mountain were almost extinct. Ironically, it was the fault of the Bureau of Astronomy.
In a certain year and month, a physician from the Bureau of Astronomy went to White Phoenix Mountain to gather herbs. He casually caught a few white phoenixes and brought them home for research. He discovered that the meat of the white phoenix could enhance male potency…
As they arrived at the foot of White Phoenix Mountain, the knowledgeable Lu Qing smiled and told this story.
Song Tingfeng’s heart stirred, and he hesitantly spoke up, “Chief, I have a friend who’s not in good health. I want to catch a few white phoenixes for him.”
Silver Gong Min Shan glared at him and said, “What time do you think it is? Are you still thinking about the hunting game? The important matter is urgent. If we delay the case, who will be responsible?”
Li Yuchun frowned but didn’t answer.
Liu Qi’an smiled and said, “The main reason for coming to White Phoenix Mountain this time is to learn about an old incident. It’s not very urgent, so Tingfeng, remember to go quickly and come back quickly.”
When Min Shan heard this, he shamelessly said, “Magistrate Liu, why don’t you let me accompany Constable Song? It’s good to have someone watching out for him.”
Even catching a bird needs someone to watch out? Liu Qi’an glanced at him, “You also have a friend?”
Min Shan felt all the men staring at him with a strange look.
Silver Gong Min was a bit anxious and finally blurted out, “It’s not about enhancing potency or not, I mainly want to taste what a nearly extinct bird tastes like.”
Everyone burst into laughter. Liu Qi’an laughed and then put on a serious face, saying, “I was just joking earlier. The background of the Sang Bo case is very complex. In the capital, I don’t care where you go, but once we’re out of the capital, don’t leave the team.”
The winding mountain stairs extended into the deep forest. At the foot of the mountain stood a huge archway with the plaque “Qinglong Temple” hanging on it.
Qinglong Temple wasn’t exactly crowded with worshippers, but it wasn’t desolate either. Occasionally, one could see nearby villagers going up the mountain in groups to burn incense.
A luxurious carriage was parked by the archway, guarded by more than a dozen armored soldiers.
This carriage looked very familiar to Liu Qi’an. Made of Nanmu wood with gold thread, the body was inlaid with jade pieces and gold foil at the detailed parts. It was the same carriage he had encountered when he went to the Courtesan Quarter.
The owner of the carriage had once asked Liu Qi’an to play touhu, exchanging four hundred taels of gold for a bodhi hand string.
“Oh right, Daoist Jin Lian once said that the lady in the carriage would have some connection with me… Who could it be? Nanmu wood is exclusively used by the royal family. The Elder Princess and Second Princess’s carriages aren’t like this. Could it be some princess from the imperial clan? Or perhaps, one of the emperor’s consorts?”
“No, no, no, it definitely can’t be a consort. Don’t scare yourself.”
Even if it were a consort, it would have to be a beautiful mature woman like Aunt… he added in his heart.
Tying the horses to the wooden stakes by the archway, leaving one constable from the magistrate’s office and one Bronze Gong to watch the horses, Liu Qi’an led the night watchmen up the mountain.
After a few steps, Liu Qi’an’s foot softened as he stepped on a fragrance pouch.
Today I’m not picking up silver coins, but fragrance pouches instead.
He naturally bent down to pick it up, holding it in his palm to examine it. The fragrance pouch was embroidered with intricate cloud patterns, finely crafted, and made of expensive materials, certainly not something an ordinary wealthy young lady could afford.
One side of the fragrance pouch was embroidered with a golden “Nan” character, and the other side with a “Zhi” character. The golden tassels were tied into beautiful knots.
Liu Qi’an caught a whiff of a pleasant scent, like perfume, like sandalwood, and also like the unique fragrance of a woman.
“Wait, you people in front…” A crisp voice came from behind the group.
A young woman wearing a light blue jacket caught up with them. Seeing the night watchmen’s official uniforms, she wasn’t afraid. She pointed at the fragrance pouch in Liu Qi’an’s hand and said with relief, “This belongs to our mistress. She dropped it.”
She wore her hair in a maid’s bun, but the fabric of her clothes was even better than that of ordinary wealthy young ladies.
Liu Qi’an instinctively looked towards the luxurious carriage at the foot of the mountain, “Your mistress?”
“Don’t ask too much. Quickly return the fragrance pouch,” the young woman said abruptly.
“What fragrance pouch?” Liu Qi’an put the pouch into his bosom.
“You…” The young woman glared at him fiercely, “Just you wait.”
Lifting her thick skirt, she ran down the stone steps. Liu Qi’an didn’t move, staying in place, watching her approach the carriage and say something by the window.
“Ning Yan, don’t cause trouble. That’s a carriage exclusively used by the royal family,” Li Yuchun frowned.
Liu Qi’an was just following orders to investigate the case. In Brother Chun’s heart, he was still his subordinate. Brother Chun didn’t want Liu Qi’an to cause too much trouble during the investigation. Even if he were to achieve merits despite his crimes in the future, offending people he shouldn’t offend would make his current efforts futile.
…You don’t understand, that woman and I are destined to meet!
Liu Qi’an shook his head without explaining, still focusing on the commotion by the carriage.
The outcome disappointed Liu Qi’an. He vaguely saw the carriage window open a crack, and the person inside seemed to be scrutinizing him.
It was too far away, and he couldn’t see inside the dimly lit carriage.
The window quickly closed, sealing it tightly. A few seconds later, the carriage slowly started moving, gradually disappearing into the distance.
It seems the time for our destined meeting hasn’t arrived yet… Liu Qi’an let out a sigh, “Let’s go meet the abbot of Qinglong Temple.”
…
A group of night watchmen in official uniforms poured into the temple, immediately attracting a manager to receive them.
This manager was a plump monk with a round face, kind eyes, and eyebrows, in his early forties. He put his palms together and said, “This humble monk is the supervisor of Qinglong Temple, my Dharma name is Heng Qing. Please come in, gentlemen.”
He led Liu Qi’an and the others into the temple, enthusiastically introducing the history of Qinglong Temple, claiming it was an orthodox lineage from the West, practicing Mahayana Buddhism, and worshipping the Buddha.
Liu Qi’an’s gaze swept over the magnificent halls, and he waved his hand, “Call your abbot out. This official has questions to ask.”
Qinglong Temple was the only Buddhist temple in the capital region of Da Feng, as this manager said, inheriting Mahayana Buddhism from the West.
Liu Qi’an had done his homework before coming. The abbot of Qinglong Temple was a Fifth-grade Vinaya Master, stronger than any of them in combat.
But Liu Qi’an wasn’t intimidated at all, because the early stages of the Buddhist system weren’t good at fighting, except for the Eighth-grade Warrior Monks.
The Ninth grade in Buddhism was called Shramanera. This level was very interesting; the core secret was to keep precepts. If one didn’t break the precepts for three years, they could advance. It seemed simple at first glance, but it wasn’t.
Buddhist precepts were strict and complex. One might unknowingly break a precept.
The Eighth grade was Warrior Monk, not much different from martial artists, very capable in combat.
The Seventh-grade Dharma Master and Sixth-grade Zen Master that followed weren’t very good at fighting. It wasn’t until the Fifth-grade Vinaya Master that there was a qualitative change.
It’s worth mentioning that when Liu Qi’an was looking through documents in the magistrate’s office archive, he found an interesting point: the next rank after Ninth-grade Shramanera was Dharma Master.
It directly skipped the Eighth-grade Warrior Monk.
The documents didn’t explain why, and with time being tight, Liu Qi’an didn’t bother spending time researching the Buddhist system. He only guessed that there might be two completely different paths in the Buddhist system.
“The abbot is in meditation and cannot be disturbed. Gentlemen, if you have any questions, you can tell me,” Heng Qing led everyone into the tea room and ordered a novice monk to serve tea.
“Does the temple have any magical devices that can block the Bureau of Astronomy’s Qi-observing techniques?” Liu Qi’an sat cross-legged on a cushion and asked directly.
“What do you mean by that, Sir?” Hengqing clasped his hands together and shook his head. “The temple does not possess such a magical artifact.”
“Master, a monk does not speak falsely,” Xu Qi An replied sharply, his gaze piercing.
Hengqing lowered his head, avoiding Xu Qi An’s eyes. “What I say is the absolute truth.”
“Is it that once one surpasses the Nine-Rank Shami Stage, one can lie without restraint?” Xu Qi An smiled, though there was no warmth in his expression.
Hengqing remained silent, his head bowed, indifferent to the cold stares of the night watchmen surrounding them.
Nonviolent resistance? Xu Qi An felt a surge of anger.