Xu Qi An slowly nodded, accepting Wei Yuan’s explanation that he was referring to Emperor Yuan Jing, not the Northern King.
Based on the facts he had deduced, even if the Northern King’s massacre of the city wasn’t directly ordered by Emperor Yuan Jing, it must have been a conspiracy between the two brothers. Perhaps the idea of slaughtering Chu Province’s capital even originated from Emperor Yuan Jing himself.
Was Emperor Yuan Jing doing all this just to help the Northern King advance to the second rank? Even if he trusted the Northern King implicitly and hoped for his promotion, at most he would have tacitly approved of the city’s massacre. That would be more in line with Emperor Yuan Jing’s cunning and depths, more befitting his imperial machinations… Xu Qi An frowned and asked:
“I see… Does His Majesty have any other motives?”
Wei Yuan fell silent for a moment, then said: “Next question.”
In that instant, though he wasn’t sure if he saw correctly, Xu Qi An noticed Wei Qing Yi falter slightly.
Does Emperor Yuan Jing have other motives? And the Duke knows but doesn’t want to tell me… Xu Qi An, well-versed in microexpressions and psychology, kept his composure and said:
“Was the intelligence from Cai Er, the undercover agent in Sanhuang County, false?”
He had gone back to look for Cai Er, but the madam said she had been redeemed by a man the day after Xu Qi An left.
“It was just an excuse to send you away. Chu Province’s capital was too dangerous; going there would have been like a lamb entering a tiger’s den,” Wei Yuan said, still holding his teacup without drinking. “I’m guessing your next question is whether I leaked information about Chu Province’s capital to the barbarians?”
Xu Qi An nodded.
A mocking smile tugged at Wei Yuan’s lips as he said:
“His Majesty had already secretly requested the Pacifying Sword be taken out of the Eternal Mountain and River Temple and rushed to Chu Province. The brothers not only wanted to massacre the city to refine pills, but if the location was leaked in the end, they also planned to kill two birds with one stone by slaying Ji Li Zhi Gu and Zhu Jiu.
“They would then conveniently pin the blame for the massacre on the barbarians and demon clans. After all, the common people of Great Feng would readily accept this explanation. Rumors of barbarians raiding the borders, stealing food, and abducting people have never ceased in hundreds of years.
“For the sake of accumulating enough life essence to then seize his consort’s spiritual essence and advance in rank, the Northern King was willing to slaughter the people of Chu Province’s capital. Since that’s the case, we might as well let them fight among themselves.
“If either Ji Li Zhi Gu or Zhu Jiu falls, the pressure on the northern border will be reduced, and the common people can live in peace for many years. If the Northern King perishes, that would be the greatest punishment for him. And I would seize the opportunity to take control of the northern troops, laying the foundation for attacking the Northeastern Shaman Cult after the autumn harvest.”
No matter who dies, it’s a cause for celebration when dogs bite each other… Xu Qi An looked at him and said softly:
“But if that mysterious expert hadn’t appeared, the outcome of this incident would have been the Northern King advancing to the second rank and becoming a hero of Great Feng. Lord Wei, could you accept such an outcome?”
“The Northern King couldn’t have advanced to the second rank because you intercepted his consort ahead of time,” Wei Yuan blew on his tea again without drinking.
“You… you already knew?” Xu Qi An’s face stiffened as he laughed dryly. “How did you find out?”
Wei Yuan put down his teacup and said irritably: “I used my brain to figure it out. We’ll discuss this matter later.”
After a pause, he continued the previous topic: “If the Northern King had emerged victorious and consumed the blood pill, reaching the peak of the third rank, that would have been fine. When we attack the Shaman Cult, we’d have him lead the charge.
“Heh, with the Shaman Cult launching a massive invasion of the border, the court urgently needs high-ranking martial artists to command the army. And with the high-ranking leader in the north having perished, the Northern King would have no more excuses to stay out of it.
“What happened in the northern border was ultimately thousands of miles away, beyond control. But once in the army, on the battlefield, wouldn’t it be simple to punish the Northern King? The Shaman Cult is a fierce tiger, far more useful than Ji Li Zhi Gu and Zhu Jiu.”
Leaking information to the demon and barbarian clans, letting them fight the Northern King to the death, was not only using a tiger to devour a wolf but also letting the wolf pack tear apart the tiger. If the demon and barbarian clans were defeated, they would send the newly strengthened Northern King to deal with the Shaman Cult’s invasion, then wait for an opportunity to use the same trick again.
If the Northern King was defeated, it would both punish the criminal who massacred the city and allow Wei Yuan to leave the court and regain control of the army. After all, given the ferocity of the northern barbarians, who would be most suitable to guard the north without the Northern King?
The answer was self-evident.
… Xu Qi An swallowed quietly and shook his head: “But the Northern King is in collusion with the Shaman Cult.”
Wei Yuan smiled gently: “If our interests aligned, I could collude with the Shaman Cult too. But when interests conflict, even the closest allies will turn on each other. So, the Northern King doesn’t necessarily have to die in Chu Province.
“Xu Qi An, remember this: a good strategist needs to be patient. The courage of a common man may feel good for a moment, but it will make you lose more in the long run.”
But Lord Wei, I am just a warrior. I don’t believe in gods or worship Buddha, I don’t bow to kings or revere heaven and earth. In a fit of rage, I dare to turn the world upside down. This is what it means to be a true warrior.
This is what you once told me…
Wei Yuan excelled at strategy, preferring to hide behind the scenes to orchestrate events and advance slowly. Most of the time, looking only at the results, he could tolerate losses and sacrifices in the process.
Xu Qi An knew he couldn’t do that. He was idealistic, focusing more on the process than the outcome when dealing with people and matters.
For instance, when the silver gong surnamed Zhu had defiled a 13-year-old girl, if Xu Qi An had chosen to be patient, by now he could have made the Zhu father and son pay dearly.
But his choice at the time was to severely wound the silver gong Zhu with one slash, resulting in a sentence of waist-chopping for himself.
This was what Wei Yuan meant by being patient – impulsive bravery would only make you lose more.
However, the price of patience was that an innocent girl was violated by a beast, violated in front of a group of men. Her fate would be either hanging herself or jumping into a well.
What meaning would revenge after the fact have?
The girl would still be dead.
What Xu Qi An wanted at that time was not revenge after the fact, but for that girl to be safe and sound.
With one slash of his sword, his mind was clear, and his conscience clear.
“Lord Wei and I are ultimately different…” He sighed inwardly and asked: “How did you know the Princess Consort wouldn’t see the Northern King?”
A strong sense of doubt welled up inside him, suspecting that it was Wei Yuan who had betrayed the Princess Consort.
Wei Yuan spoke slowly: “I sent back to the Huai Prince’s mansion those maids that Yang Yan had the Imperial Guard return. Given Yang Yan’s personality, if these maids weren’t problematic, he would have sent them directly back to the Huai Prince’s mansion, not to me. Conversely, it means these maids were problematic.
“After inquiring about the situation, I knew the Princess Consort must have been rescued by you. Yang Yan had the same suspicion, which is why he sent the people to the Nightwatchmen’s office first. Apart from Yang Yan, no one else had seen the scene, so your ‘suspicion’ was very light, and ordinary people wouldn’t suspect you.
“But given our Emperor’s suspicious nature, if there was even the slightest possibility, he wouldn’t let it go. He might send people to investigate at that time. However, he doesn’t have the mood or energy to deal with the Princess Consort’s matter right now.”
No wonder Yang Yan told me to consult Lord Wei more often before leaving Chu Province… Xu Qi An breathed a sigh of relief. Having a group of divine teammates was truly a blessing.
At this moment, Wei Yuan narrowed his eyes and put on a serious expression, saying:
“Before the delegation set out, His Majesty unnecessarily informed me that the Princess Consort would be accompanying them. He was warning me not to make any small moves. I didn’t expect the Princess Consort’s whereabouts would still be leaked.”
Xu Qi An’s heart stirred: “Lord Wei, regarding this matter, I need to report the details.”
Wei Yuan’s deep, weathered eyes brightened slightly, and he sat up straighter, saying: “Let’s hear it.”
“There’s a group of sorcerers secretly supporting the barbarians. When I went to kill… when I rushed over that day, I found a sorcerer mingling with the barbarian experts.”
Wei Yuan pondered: “The one behind the scenes in the tax silver case?”
… Xu Qi An choked for a moment, sighing inwardly. With Wei Yuan’s intelligence, how could he overlook the mysterious sorcerer who appeared in the tax silver case?
“The former Vice Minister of Revenue, Zhou Xian Ping, is most likely one of that mysterious sorcerer’s men. I once approached the Supervisor about this matter, but the old fox didn’t give me an answer. However, one thing is certain: this mysterious figure still has minions in the court.”
Wei Yuan mentioned this briefly to Xu Qi An, and then the two unconsciously changed the subject, not continuing to explore it.
The shift was natural and instinctive, so much so that even they didn’t realize how unusual it was.
“How do you plan to settle Mu Nan Chi?” Wei Yuan asked in a tone that was half-smiling, half-not.
“What does Lord Wei think?” Xu Qi An humbly sought advice.
Wei Yuan pondered for a moment, then said: “Keep her as a mistress but control yourself. Don’t take her body before reaching the third rank. Otherwise, it would be a waste of heaven’s gift.”
My, Lord Wei, how crude of you, hehe.
“Any other questions?” Wei Yuan looked at him with gentle eyes.
“What’s so special about the Princess Consort? Who is she?”
This question had been bothering him for a long time.
“Go to the Cloud Deer Academy and find a book called ‘Gleanings of the Great Zhou Dynasty’. You’ll understand after reading it.” After saying this, Wei Yuan asked again:
“Any more questions?”
Xu Qi An shook his head.
Wei Yuan nodded slightly, looking at him: “You’ve brought the Northern King’s remains back to the capital. What are your plans for the follow-up?”
Hearing this, Xu Qi An put on a serious expression and said firmly: “To convict the Northern King and bring justice to the people of Chu Province.”
As a former police officer, he valued final judgments the most.
Even though the Northern King was dead, he shouldn’t be allowed to leave behind a good reputation after committing such an inhumane atrocity as massacring a city.
Wei Yuan glanced at him: “You’re not familiar with court affairs. Don’t get involved in this matter.”
Xu Qi An was stunned: “What do you mean by that, Lord Wei?”
Wei Yuan didn’t answer, finally taking a sip of his now-lukewarm tea.
“…”
Xu Qi An stood up, gave a salute, and left Haoqi Tower.
…
Ministry of Justice!
Captain Chen didn’t have time to go home. After leaving the palace, he rushed to the yamen.
He came to the hall with practiced ease and saw Minister Sun bent over his desk handling official business. Captain Chen respectfully said: “Minister, this humble officer has returned to the capital.”
Minister Sun was startled and looked up in surprise: “When did you return to the capital?”
Captain Chen stepped over the threshold into the hall and said in a low voice: “I just returned to the capital and came to see you immediately, Minister.”
It seems the Blood Massacre of Three Thousand Li case hasn’t been solved… Minister Sun made this judgment in his mind, lowering his head to read official documents, and said indifferently: “How is the investigation of this case going?”
His judgment wasn’t based on pure guesswork but on his rich experience in officialdom.
For a major case like the Blood Massacre of Three Thousand Li, if it had been solved, the delegation would certainly have sent a document in advance. In that case, His Majesty would have convened a small court meeting in the Imperial Study in advance to discuss the matter.
But he hadn’t received any news, which meant the case had ended without a result, so no one was paying attention to it.
Captain Chen looked at Minister Sun, who was bent over his work, and said softly: “Chu Province’s capital… is gone…”
Minister Sun made an “mm” sound, not paying much attention. After a few seconds, he slowly raised his head, as if just realizing what had been said, and stared at Captain Chen, enunciating each word:
“What—did—you—say?”
Captain Chen took a deep breath and added: “The Northern King massacred it.”
Minister Sun turned to stone on the spot.
The atmosphere in the hall instantly became tense. In the silent stillness, Minister Sun supported himself on the desk and slowly stood up. His expression was somewhat dazed as he looked at Captain Chen:
“The Northern King, he… where is he?”
Captain Chen said gravely: “The Northern King… has been executed.”
Waves of dizziness came over Minister Sun. His vision darkened, and he sat back down in his chair with a thud.
Captain Chen hurriedly stepped forward and said: “Sir, are you alright?”
Minister Sun waved his hand and said in a trembling voice: “Tell… tell me everything. Give me a truthful account.”
Captain Chen immediately told Minister Sun everything he had seen and heard, sparing no detail.
Reporting the situation to their respective superiors and uniting the civil official faction to pressure Emperor Yuan Jing with their collective influence was the strategy the delegation had already formulated.
Half an hour later, just at lunchtime, Minister Sun’s carriage left the Ministry of Justice, hurrying towards the Wang mansion.
At about the same time, the Chief Justice of the Court of Judicial Review’s carriage also left his yamen, heading towards the Wang mansion.
…
Imperial City, Wang Mansion.
The Wang family residence was bestowed by Emperor Yuan Jing, located in the Imperial City with strict security. It was one of the perks of being the Chancellor.
It was now lunchtime. Wang Zhen Wen had returned from the Cabinet for his meal, a journey of only a quarter of an hour.
At the dining table, Wang Zhen Wen’s gaze swept over his wife, two legitimate sons, and daughter-in-law, but didn’t see his legitimate daughter Wang Si Mu. He frowned and asked: “Where’s Mu’er?”
“She left early in the morning, saying she had an appointment with someone to go sightseeing,” the poised and proper Madam Wang responded to her husband.
“Sightseeing?”
Chancellor Wang’s brow furrowed even deeper. He looked at his wife as if seeking confirmation: “Mu’er seems to have been going out frequently these past few days, often having appointments with people?”
For the busy Chancellor to remember such details showed how much he cared about this legitimate daughter.
Madam Wang hesitated for a moment, while the others lowered their heads, concentrating on their food.
Only the relatively simple-minded second young master of the Wang family slurped a mouthful of wine and said with a smile: “Father, little sister has recently become close with the second son of the Xu family, Xu Xin Nian, the top scorer in the spring imperial examination. Don’t you know?”
The family’s expressions suddenly froze, their faces like wooden planks, silently staring at the second young master of the Wang family. Their eyes seemed to be saying: Are you an idiot?
The second young master frowned. Si Mu had reached the age for marriage, and she had taken a liking to a Hanlin Academy scholar, a top-tier noble profession.
If Si Mu and Xu Er Lang were willingly involved, it was what they called a match made in… well, that’s the idea.
When things progressed further, Father would have Xu Er Lang come to propose, and then marry off Si Mu. A perfect marriage would be achieved.
This was how the second young master had gotten married. At first, his wife’s family didn’t agree, thinking he had no official position. The second young master brought his followers and family guards and spent a whole day persuading his wife’s family with reason before finally bringing his wife home.
Now his young wife was so happy, much happier than when she was at her parents’ home.
Chancellor Wang’s expression gradually became grave, but his tone didn’t change. It became even calmer and colder: “Xu Qi An’s cousin?”
Madam Wang carefully observed her husband’s expression, nodded slightly, and explained: “It’s not as exaggerated as what Er Lang says. At most, they have mutual feelings.”
Chancellor Wang nodded, his emotions unreadable.
After lunch, there was usually an hour’s rest time. Chancellor Wang was about to return to his room for a nap when the butler hurriedly approached and stood at the entrance of the inner hall, saying:
“Master, Minister Sun from the Ministry of Justice is here to visit.”
At this time… Chancellor Wang was somewhat surprised and said: “Please show him to my study.”
What surprised Chancellor Wang even more was that after Minister Sun, the Chief Justice of the Court of Judicial Review also came to visit. The Chief Justice was now the leader of the Qi faction.
In addition, several other officials holding important positions, ranging from the fourth to the seventh rank, but all with real power, also arrived.
In the study, after Chancellor Wang instructed the servants to serve tea, he looked around at everyone and said with a smile: “What’s going on today? Did you gentlemen perhaps take the wrong invitation and mistakenly think there’s a celebratory event at my residence?”
Even when he was joking, his expression remained dignified and serious.
“Forget about celebrations, we might need to consider whether to hold a funeral,” Minister Sun sighed deeply:
“Something terrible has happened in Chu Province, Lord Chancellor. We should think about how to handle what comes next.”
Chancellor Wang stared at him, then looked at the others, silently straightening his back, and said in a deep voice: “What has happened?”