In this era, the method of producing seedless loquats could certainly be considered a secret technique. However, for Xu Qi An, who had diligently studied middle school biology, this was merely a basic operation. He even knew that poor plants, in their desire to reproduce, had no choice but to enlist the help of bees, those “next-door neighbors,” for pollination.
The atmosphere suddenly became tense. Xu Qi An’s words had caught the officials off guard, leaving them in disbelief. It’s worth noting that when they first learned about the method of removing loquat seeds, they had been thoroughly impressed.
Little did they expect that a mere Constable would so easily reveal the secret.
Li Miaochen widened her beautiful eyes, reassessing the young Constable. She realized she might have misjudged him. This Constable might be a lecher who had exhausted himself with wine and women, but he was certainly not a good-for-nothing. He had some skills.
…Being arranged at the main table by Provincial Governor Zhang, it seemed he did have some ability. Li Miaochen set aside her contempt, only to realize she had still underestimated him.
The other Silver and Bronze Constables were arranged at other tables, so why was this young man seated next to the Provincial Governor?
This couldn’t be explained by simply having “some ability,” could it? Were the other Silver and Bronze Constables not talented?
“Heh, lifting a rock only to drop it on one’s own feet,” Li Miaochen smirked with schadenfreude. She was pleased to see Administrative Commissioner Song put in an awkward position.
Even with Administrative Commissioner Song’s refined official demeanor, the shame in his heart continued to surge. Earlier, he had spoken with flowery words about the blessings of the White Emperor and the influence of incense, only to have it bluntly exposed in front of everyone, including the Provincial Governor.
“Ning Yan, Administrative Commissioner Song would naturally explain such trivial matters to me. Why did you have to speak out of turn?” Provincial Governor Zhang reprimanded.
While he appeared to be scolding Xu Qi An, he was subtly mocking Administrative Commissioner Song.
“…May I ask this gentleman’s full name?” Having regained his composure thanks to the Provincial Governor’s interruption, Administrative Commissioner Song inquired with an unchanged expression.
“This humble official’s surname is Xu, given name Qi’an, courtesy name Ning Yan,” Xu Qi An replied.
“This young man is quite talented,” Provincial Governor Zhang stroked his beard, smiling as he praised Xu Qi An.
Sure enough, the officials who had averted their gazes now refocused on him, pondering his identity and his position within the Provincial Governor’s entourage.
“So his name is Xu Qi An… Hmm, that name sounds familiar,” Li Miaochen thought for a moment, then recalled who Xu Qi An was. She remembered that Number Three had mentioned him before and spoke highly of him.
So it’s him… To be held in such high regard by Number Three, he must indeed be extraordinary.
Administrative Commissioner Song forcibly diffused the awkward situation, casually introducing the local customs of Yun Province, avoiding any mention of the loquats, proving that he was still quite bothered by the incident.
When Provincial Governor Zhang became slightly tipsy, the banquet dispersed. There was no excessive drinking or ill-advised suggestions to visit the courtesans, which would have certainly pleased Song Tingfeng.
At banquets of this caliber, there wouldn’t be such decadent behavior. It was like the court officials who rarely visited brothels.
When one reaches a certain position, their status compels them to maintain their image. Even if you’re a great embezzler, your outward appearance must still be righteous and upright.
Take Xu Qi An for example. He could freely enjoy favors now because he was young and of low status.
But when he one day attains a high position and great power, he’ll have to pay…
Leaving the mansion, Provincial Governor Zhang and the officials bid farewell outside. Then he boarded his carriage and departed.
After the carriage had traveled some distance, he lifted the window curtain and commended, “Ning Yan, well done.”
Xu Qi An knew he was referring to the seedless loquat matter and replied, “It was a small matter.”
Provincial Governor Zhang clicked his tongue twice, his tone becoming increasingly casual as they conversed, without any official airs, “To think you’re even proficient in agricultural matters?”
Before Xu Qi An could answer, Jiang Luzhong, who was in front, interjected with a smile, “He’s even skilled in alchemy, no worse than the White Robes of the Imperial Astronomical Bureau.”
You’ve stolen my thunder, so what am I supposed to brag about? Xu Qi An corrected, “Wrong, the White Robes of the Imperial Astronomical Bureau should call me half-master.”
The three of them burst into laughter.
Xu Qi An took the opportunity to ask, “Why was Your Excellency so amiable today?”
Provincial Governor Zhang looked back at the now-invisible mansion and said solemnly, “Yun Province should be led by Administrative Commissioner Song, who doesn’t get along with Yang Chuannan.”
Xu Qi An recalled, “They did seem a bit cold… but that Yang Chuannan is cold towards everyone.”
Provincial Governor Zhang sneered, “This indicates that most officials in Yun Province are on Song’s side.”
“Please enlighten me, Your Excellency.”
“Among the Three Offices, the Office of the Commander-in-Chief holds the most power, but it was Administrative Commissioner Song who welcomed me earlier. Although it’s proper for the Administrative Commissioner to take the lead on such occasions, if you think carefully, he first introduced me to the Provincial Surveillance Commissioner, not the Commander-in-Chief. These two are not on good terms.
“During the banquet, I noticed that Yang Chuannan remained silent most of the time, while the Administrative Commissioner acted like the host. Heh, in official circles, this is a very telling detail, not to be overstepped.”
Provincial Governor Zhang smiled, “Ning Yan, learn from this.”
“Why should a mere warrior like me learn such things?” Xu Qi An secretly took note.
“Also, I’ve just realized something,” Provincial Governor Zhang said. “Do you know why Song offered loquats at the banquet?”
To show off, right? Xu Qi An shook his head, “I don’t know.”
“Anyone with curiosity would have asked further. His refusal to answer was a subtle way of putting me in my place,” Provincial Governor Zhang sneered.
“Furthermore, it was a hint. Remove one person, and Yun Province will be at peace. Just like those loquats.”
Who to remove was obvious.
Is it really necessary for you officials… Day in and day out, all you do is scheme and plot… Xu Qi An rubbed his temples, feeling a headache coming on.
Lord Wei was right, I’m not cut out for officialdom. A person’s energy is limited – half for Fu Xiang, half for cultivation.
There’s no energy left to navigate the political arena.
Xu Qi An’s pained expression made Provincial Governor Zhang laugh heartily, instantly balancing his mood.
“Governor, how about we guess another riddle?” Xu Qi An said with an enigmatic smile.
Provincial Governor Zhang instinctively wanted to refuse, but feeling his scholarly pride challenged, he raised an eyebrow, “Go ahead.”
“A woman giving birth, guess four characters,” Xu Qi An said with a grin.
Provincial Governor Zhang’s expression gradually froze, then became confused, then filled with impotent rage… finally, he lowered the carriage curtain.
“Hahaha!” Jiang Luzhong and Xu Qi An laughed in unison.
“Hmph!” came the Governor’s cold snort from inside the carriage.
…
Meanwhile, Commander-in-Chief Yang Chuannan had just entered his carriage and lowered the curtain when it was lifted again. Li Miaochen, with her high ponytail and spirited demeanor, climbed in.
“Entering my carriage in full view of everyone, aren’t you afraid of damaging your reputation?” Yang Chuannan frowned.
“A woman of the jianghu doesn’t care about such things,” Li Miaochen waved her hand dismissively. “I’m here to ask about the situation. That Provincial Governor seemed quite polite. Maybe he’s just going through the motions. Do you want to spend some silver to smooth things over?”
She knew the rules of the Great Sui officialdom – with silver, you’re a friend. Without it, even blood brothers would be impartial.
“Bribing an Imperial Censor? Do you want me to die faster?” Yang Chuannan shook his head and said,
“We might as well consider killing them all in Yun Province.”
Li Miaochen rolled her eyes, “What do you think of this Provincial Governor?”
“Mediocre,” Yang Chuannan evaluated.
“That’s good, isn’t it? The more incompetent he is, the safer you are,” Li Miaochen smiled.
“Mediocre doesn’t mean ordinary,” Yang Chuannan shook his head. “Those who don’t show their claws and fangs are the most dangerous. He might already be secretly accumulating strength to deal me a fatal blow.”
After a pause, he continued, “That Bronze Constable needs to be watched.”
Li Miaochen, who already knew Xu Qi An was extraordinary, raised an eyebrow, “What did you notice?”
The carriage wheels rumbled along. Yang Chuannan lifted the swaying curtain, glanced at the night outside, and appeared to be in deep thought. “His sword is different from the other Constables’, yet it’s still a sword, not another weapon.
“As far as I know, the Constables’ swords come from the Imperial Astronomical Bureau and are considered semi-magical weapons. There’s only one explanation – this man wears a full magical weapon.”
Li Miaochen nodded, “And those who can use magical weapons are either of unusual status or have special connections with the Imperial Astronomical Bureau.”
“His demeanor is also off. I observed him – although he seems very docile and reserved when not speaking, he doesn’t show much respect to either Provincial Governor Zhang or Administrative Commissioner Song. This could be understood as the arrogance of a martial artist, but to have such arrogance in the Qi Refining realm is truly rare.”
As for Jiang Luzhong, a fourth-grade Golden Constable, there wasn’t much to say. It was enough to be wary of him.
…
Returning to the inn, Xu Qi An, who still had to continue his intense cultivation, wrote down the two sets of codes left by Zhou Min on xuan paper.
In the end, it’s still me shouldering everything alone… This advanced mode of the spirit-refining realm would be popular in my era… Otakus grinding until the end of time, until their hair falls out until their girlfriends are left with psychological trauma… Oh, they don’t have girlfriends, so never mind.
“Old Jiang once said that the path of a warrior is to enhance oneself step by step, eventually becoming a terrifying existence like gods and demons… The Body Tempering and Qi Refining realms are more like the martial arts movies I watched in my previous life, and even then, it’s low-level martial arts… But after the Spirit Refining realm, the level rises dramatically… In the Qi Refining realm, one still needs to eat and sleep, but I suspect that in the Spirit Refining realm, one can go without sleep or rest for long periods… This is already inhuman.”
Xu Qi An’s speculation was reasonable. The Body Tempering realm toughens the body, allowing warriors to engage in high-intensity combat. The Spirit Refining realm refines the primordial spirit, with the method of advancement being intense cultivation and staying up late.
Once successfully advancing to the Spirit Refining realm, both the physical body and primordial spirit can work at high intensity for long periods without rest or sleep.
Including the warrior system, all major cultivation systems progress cyclically, with each level laying the foundation for the next.
For example, in the sorcerer system, the physician level is a preparation for the art of Qi observation, which in turn is the foundation for becoming a feng shui master, and the enhanced version of a feng shui master is an array master.
The logic is strong, giving a sense of non-fantastical, down-to-earth advancement.
His thoughts returned to the case: “The code isn’t from the Constable’s office, it should be Zhou Min’s creation… This is a bit outrageous, who could guess it? The difficulty is like if I left a code: ‘Withered leaves, young tangerines, Risa Tachibana, fallen flowers fill the sky, Airi Suzuki follows.’
“No one in the entire world could match this.
“I’ve been profiling too much today, my brain cells are severely depleted, but I can’t sleep. I’m bored… If Fu Xiang were here, we could engage in some beneficial physical activities… But I might die suddenly on her white, soft belly…”
Just then, he suddenly felt a palpitation, almost dying on the spot.
He quickly took a deep breath, then reached under his pillow for the Book of Earth fragment, full of anger and ready to berate whoever was chatting in the group so late at night. But when he looked closely:
[Two: Number Three, I have some questions for you. You can name a condition in exchange.]
Number Two, is that the military girl? I was just wondering how to probe her… Xu Qi An used his finger as a pen and input the message: [Heh, I’d like to hear your questions first.]