“This humble official truly doesn’t know. Wan Prefecture is still a several-day journey from the northern border. If the esteemed officials don’t believe me, you’re welcome to travel further north and see for yourselves,” Governor Niu explained repeatedly, almost ready to swear to the heavens.
Governor Niu was a minor figure, and most likely uninformed, so the group didn’t press him further.
After Imperial Censor Liu asked a few more questions about the northern border, the Deputy Minister of the Court of Judicial Review rose with a smile to see them off.
As they watched Governor Niu board his carriage and leave with his officials, the Deputy Minister returned to the relay station. He dismissed the station attendants and looked around at everyone: “Should we continue north, or stay at the station for a few more days?”
Chen, the constable from the Ministry of Justice, said in a low voice, “If we stay at the station, Prince Huai’s people will surely come looking. When that happens, we’ll have no choice but to head north with them.”
“Isn’t that perfect?” Another Imperial Censor surnamed Zhou smiled and said, “We’re operating in the open, while Xu Qi An works in secret. Our task is to attract Prince Huai’s attention.”
The Deputy Minister sighed, “I wonder how the Princess Consort is doing, whether she’s alive or dead.”
Hearing this, Constable Chen and the two Imperial Censors wore cold smiles. The life or death of the Princess Consort and Chu Xiaolong was of no concern to them.
Those treacherous and despicable individuals would be better off dead.
Yang Yan had told them that after defeating the northern experts, Xu Qi An had set off alone to secretly investigate the northern border.
This plan won unanimous approval from the group, and they promised to keep it secret. The officials from the Three Departments were so cooperative for two reasons. Firstly, they had just been saved by Xu Qi An, which changed their attitude towards him from hostility to friendliness.
Secondly, Xu Qi An’s secret investigation meant that the envoy could slack off, and they wouldn’t risk uncovering any evidence that might provoke retaliation from the Garrison North General.
It was a win-win situation.
There was one thing Yang Yan hadn’t told them: his speculation about the Princess Consort’s whereabouts. Yang Yan believed that the Princess Consort had most likely been rescued by Xu Qi An.
He had reached this conclusion after following Xu Qi An’s path of departure, tracing it to the battle scene where he found the unconscious maids.
Apart from the spider silk covering the forest and the maids, there were no other remains at the scene.
Yang Yan woke the maids to inquire about the situation. From their accounts, he learned that Xu Qi An had given chase, and a great battle might have ensued. The reason for the uncertainty was that the maids weren’t clear about what had happened.
They had quickly fallen unconscious.
Yang Yan deduced two possibilities: either Xu Qi An had intercepted the Princess Consort mid-journey and engaged in a pursuit with the northern experts, or Xu Qi An had defeated the northern experts and successfully rescued the Princess Consort.
He leaned towards the first guess because there were no signs of a battle at the scene. Xu Qi An might have used a spell recorded in the Confucian scrolls to successfully rescue the Princess Consort.
“The four northern experts, having penetrated deep into Great Shang territory, wouldn’t dare to be too conspicuous. This gives Xu Qi An many opportunities… He has the Confucian scrolls for protection, and his own Vajra Body Technique has reached small success. He’s not without means of self-preservation. Moreover, this is a perfect chance to temper him, allowing him to touch the threshold of the Transformative Realm and advance to the Fifth Rank.”
That was what Yang Yan had thought at the time.
It would be dangerous, but the path of a warrior was all about breaking through one’s limits and tempering oneself. Yang Yan himself had participated in the Mountain and Sea Campaign when he was still inexperienced.
He had dared to wield a sword and fight on the battlefield, facing life and death, tempering his martial arts.
Xu Qi An should be capable of the same. If he wasn’t, then his death would be no one’s fault but his own.
Additionally, he had secretly arranged for ten imperial guards to escort the maids south, back to the capital.
The envoy now had only ninety imperial guards, but the Deputy Minister and others hadn’t noticed. It wasn’t that they weren’t observant enough; they simply never paid attention to the lower-ranking soldiers.
…
On a small mountain path worn by travelers, Xu Qi An strode ahead, his sword wrapped in cloth and slung across his back.
The Princess Consort, her black hair in disarray, leaned on a tree branch and followed slowly behind. After several days, her maid’s outfit had become wrinkled and dirty, and she had begun to smell sour.
At first, she had been very mindful of her hair, combing it neatly every morning when she woke up. Later, she stopped caring, casually tying it up with a wooden hairpin, leaving some strands hanging loosely.
She no longer bore the dignified appearance of a princess consort but rather looked like a destitute woman fleeing from famine.
“Not bad, you’ve been able to keep up for so long. Your stamina has greatly improved these past few days,” Xu Qi An stopped and praised her with a smile.
“I hear water ahead. Let’s push on a bit more and rest there.”
Hearing this, the Princess Consort’s eyes brightened, then dimmed. She didn’t dare to bathe, preferring to endure her sweaty odor each day, constantly scratching here and there.
The Princess Consort had reasons for not bathing. First, she was wary of Xu Qi An peeping or taking advantage of the situation to do something outrageous to her.
Second, as long as she remained smelly, this fellow wouldn’t touch her.
“I’m finding your sour smell more and more unbearable…” This had become Xu Qi An’s frequent refrain over the past few days.
Soon, they saw a slender waterfall on the left cliff face. Where there’s a waterfall, there’s bound to be a pool.
Sure enough, as they approached, they found a small pool at the base of the waterfall, with water flowing out to form a small stream.
“I’m finding your sour smell more and more unbearable. Don’t you want to take a bath?” Xu Qi An suggested.
“No,” she flatly refused.
“Dirty woman,” Xu Qi An spat.
You’re the dirty one, hmph… The Princess Consort’s lips curled into a smile, feeling quite pleased with herself.
“If you won’t bathe, I will.”
Xu Qi An took off his outer garment, revealing his strong upper body. His muscles were well-proportioned, perfectly embodying masculine beauty.
The Princess Consort rolled her eyes and turned her head away.
She heard a splash and looked back to confirm that Xu Qi An had jumped into the pool. She sat down on a rock by the stream and slowly removed her dirty embroidered shoes.
A pair of delicate little feet emerged. She cradled her feet, looking at them. The soles were bright red, with several blisters.
The Princess Consort pouted, almost on the verge of tears.
Although that lecherous Xu Qi An, seduced by her beauty, had been quite tender and considerate, not rushing their journey.
However, trekking through mountains and rivers on foot for five days was an incredibly arduous journey for a pampered princess consort.
To put it in simple terms: I’m enduring treatment unbecoming of my beauty and status.
The Princess Consort dipped her small white feet into the stream, then washed her dirty embroidered shoes clean and laid them out on a rock. The mid-spring sun was just right, but it might not be enough to dry her shoes completely.
Here, the Princess Consort had another little scheme. If her shoes were wet, she could use this as an excuse to rest a while longer.
If that fellow didn’t agree, she could order him to dry her shoes for her.
It was a win-win situation.
The cool stream of water soaked her ankles. She enjoyed it with half-closed eyes for a long while, then moved her full, round bottom off the rock. Standing in the stream, she lifted her skirt and tied it tightly at her knees.
Women of this era certainly didn’t neglect their defenses under their skirts. There were three layers: undergarments, regular silk pants, and a skirt.
The Princess Consort bent down to scoop up a handful of water and washed her face.
Comfortable… She squinted her crescent moon-like eyes, showing an expression of enjoyment.
At this moment, she saw that Xu Qi An had somehow already come ashore upstream. He was standing with his back to her, facing the pool, one hand on his hip, the other hovering between his legs, holding onto something.
A shimmering stream of water arced gracefully into the pool.
“Xu Qi An!!” the Princess Consort screamed in dismay.
…
Bang!
On the mountain path, Xu Qi An, walking in front, was hit on the back of the head with a stone. The Silver Constable, with his unparalleled physical defense, paid no attention and continued walking forward.
Bang! Another stone hit the back of his head.
“Hey, are you ever going to stop?” Xu Qi An turned his head, glaring at the woman who had been tirelessly throwing stones at him for an hour.
Doesn’t her arm get tired?
The Princess Consort hid the stone behind her back, clasping her hands and turning her head away, pretending to admire the scenery.
Xu Qi An glared at her a few times. The Princess Consort was sensible enough to know that she was in a weak position within the group and never openly argued with him. But as soon as Xu Qi An turned his head…
Bang!
Another stone came flying.
…I’ve never seen such a petty woman. Let’s see how long you can keep throwing. You’re the one who’ll get tired! Xu Qi An grumbled inwardly.
Her strength was limited, and the stones didn’t have much force behind them. Combined with Xu Qi An’s incredible defense, these harmless attacks could be ignored. He just found them annoying.
…
After staying in Wan Prefecture for three days, the relay station welcomed a military unit. It wasn’t large, only two hundred men. But the leading general held a high rank – a Colonel of the Strike Brigade under the Garrison North General, a fourth-rank official.
Colonel Li was from Chu Prefecture. He had the typical features of a northerner: strong, with rugged facial features. He wore armor with a dull luster, covered in sword marks.
This was proof of his extensive battlefield experience.
He led his troops into the relay station, his sharp gaze sweeping over Yang Yan and the officials from the Three Departments who had come downstairs upon hearing the commotion. He questioned sternly, “Where’s the Princess Consort? Where’s Deputy General Chu?”
Behind him, two rows of soldiers stood with serious expressions, their eyes fixed intently on the envoy officials.
The Deputy Minister of the Court of Judicial Review felt immense pressure. Facing the aggressive stares of these military brutes, he steeled himself and stepped forward, asking, “Who are you?”
“Li Yuanhua, Colonel of the Strike Brigade from Chu Prefecture,” Colonel Li scrutinized the Deputy Minister. “And who might you be?”
“This official is the Deputy Minister of the Court of Judicial Review.”
Colonel Li nodded, then asked again, “Where is the Princess Consort?”
Earlier that day, he had suddenly received orders from Prince Huai’s spy to go to Wan Prefecture and inquire about the Princess Consort’s situation from the envoy. Li Yuanhua had only then learned that the Princess Consort had left the capital heading north, and assumed Prince Huai’s spy wanted him to escort her.
He immediately led two hundred cavalrymen, along with that spy of Prince Huai’s, from nearby Changmen County.
The smile on the Deputy Minister’s face slowly faded as he sighed, “The envoy was ambushed en route, and we were separated from the Princess Consort.”
Ambushed?!
Colonel Li was shocked, his face full of surprise. Within Great Shang’s borders, someone dared to ambush the envoy. What audacious bandits would do such a thing, and for what purpose?
Various doubts flashed through his mind as he turned to look at the black-robed spy beside him.
This spy was wrapped in a black robe, and wearing a mask that covered the upper half of their face, revealing only a fair chin. It was a woman.
But Colonel Li wouldn’t underestimate her because of this. She was an “Earth” level spy, and spies of this rank were either sixth or fifth-rank cultivators.
“I have questions for you, but I must speak to each of you individually,” the female spy said in a deep voice. Beneath her mask, her profound gaze scrutinized everyone.
“Who are you?” Constable Chen from the Ministry of Justice raised an eyebrow.
The female spy slid a dark iron token from her sleeve and tossed it casually. The token embedded itself in the ground near Constable Chen’s feet.
On the token was engraved the character for “Earth.”
“A spy raised by Prince Huai,” Yang Yan finally spoke.
A spy of the Garrison North General… The officials from the Three Departments felt a chill in their hearts and reined in their dissatisfaction.
The Deputy Minister’s face broke into a smile as he asked, “What do you want to know?”
The black-robed female spy brushed past everyone and headed upstairs on her own, saying, “Follow me.”
The Deputy Minister and the two Imperial Censors didn’t move. Yang Yan remained expressionless, while Constable Chen frowned. Inwardly cursing the civil officials for being cowardly, he steeled himself and followed her upstairs.
The black-robed woman casually chose a room and took out a triangular seal from within her robe, gently placing it on the table.
Then she said, “Those outside won’t be able to hear what we say. I have a few questions for you.”
Constable Chen nodded.
“Who are you?” the woman asked.
“Chen Liang, Head Constable of the Ministry of Justice,” Chen Liang answered truthfully.
The woman’s face, hidden behind the mask, showed no expression. Her red lips parted as she asked, “Do you know the Princess Consort’s true identity?”
Constable Chen was taken aback and frowned, asking in return, “The Princess Consort’s true identity?”
The female spy didn’t answer, instead asking her next question: “Tell me about the ambush you encountered.”
Constable Chen then recounted the envoy’s journey after leaving the capital, focusing on describing the ambush.
The female spy listened, then pondered for a long while before saying, “He predicted that the envoy would be ambushed at Liushi Beach?”
Constable Chen nodded, hearing the surprise in her voice. He said, “You might not understand him. This man has a keen and sharp mind, with a clear insight into situations…”
The female spy raised her hand, interrupting him. She said calmly, “I know him. If we didn’t know about the Silver Constable who solves cases like a god and single-handedly held off tens of thousands of rebel troops, we would be incompetent spies.”
Constable Chen could hear the undisguised mockery and sarcasm in her voice when she mentioned “single-handedly held off tens of thousands of rebel troops.”
“I want to know about his recent situation, after the Buddhist confrontation,” she added.
After the Buddhist confrontation… Constable Chen thought for a moment, then said, “Of course, it would be the imperial examination cheating case and the Heaven-Human Dispute. These are the most notable and influential events. As for other minor matters, I don’t pay that much attention to him.”
The female spy nodded, indicating that he could begin.
Your bodies and names will perish together, but the rivers and streams will flow for ten thousand years… Using Confucian spells and the Invincible Golden Body to subdue outstanding disciples of the Heaven and Human sects… She remained silent for a long time.
The imperial examination cheating case and the Heaven-Human Dispute had occurred recently, and news hadn’t had time to reach the northern border yet.
“You may go now. Call in that Deputy Minister of the Court of Judicial Review,” she said.
Constable Chen nodded and silently opened the door to leave. A few minutes later, the Deputy Minister knocked on the door and then entered.
The female spy asked the same questions again, but this time she had an additional query for the Deputy Minister:
“Why did you continue north after the incident, without searching for Chu Xiaolong and the Princess Consort?”
To this, the Deputy Minister coldly smiled and said, “Why should we pine for those who abandoned us? The envoy’s mission is to investigate the ‘Blood Massacre of Three Thousand Li’ case, not to escort the Princess Consort.”
He implied that they had already done their utmost duty. If Chu Xiaolong was ungrateful, they couldn’t be blamed for not reciprocating.
The female spy did not comment. Her hooded head moved slightly, indicating that he could leave.
The Deputy Minister stood up and walked to the door. Just as he was about to open it and leave, the female spy’s voice suddenly came from behind: “What do you think of Xu Qi An as a person?”
Behind her mask, those deep, calm eyes stared unblinkingly at the Deputy Minister’s back.
…The Deputy Minister narrowed his eyes, without a moment’s hesitation, snorted coldly, and said, “Just an inexperienced youngster.”
The female spy nodded slightly, withdrawing her intense gaze.