Xu Qi An reluctantly went to meet her. Before he could get close, Aunt approached him first, grabbing his arm and urgently saying:
“How can Er Lang go to the battlefield? He’s never even killed a chicken. He’s just a weak scholar without the strength to tie up a chicken. The Emperor sending him to the battlefield is practically sending him to his death.”
As she spoke, she began to cry softly.
Xu Lingyue was also in the hall at this time, standing to the side. Her delicate and ethereal face showed a slight frown of concern for Er Lang’s safety.
“Mother, I’m a Seventh-Rank Benevolent One. Seventh-Rank. Father is only Seventh-Rank too,” Xu Ciju protested, unwilling to accept.
“What use is that? Your father already told me, a Seventh-Rank scholar is still too weak to tie up a chicken, and can’t even beat a Ninth-Rank warrior,” Aunt said angrily.
Xu Er Lang was immediately at a loss for words.
Xu Qi An patted the back of Aunt’s hand to comfort her, then said, “It’s not like there’s no solution. Worst case, he can resign from his official post.”
“Resign!” Aunt wiped her tears.
To women like Aunt, war was a disaster as great as the sky falling. As a mother, she would rather her son give up his career prospects than go to the battlefield.
“Impossible!”
Xu Xinnian firmly interrupted. As a scholar from the academy, how could he retreat out of fear of going to war?
Aunt sat in a chair, tearfully saying, “You came from my womb, don’t I know what you’re capable of? If you had even half your big brother’s abilities, I wouldn’t bother worrying. But you’re just a useless scholar. You’re good at writing essays, but where did you get the skill to fight with knives?
“You’re the only heir of the second branch. If anything happens to you, I, I won’t be able to live on…”
Xu Lingyue consoled her mother with a worried expression.
“Mother, I’ve studied military strategy. The battlefield is my domain, the place where I practice. Now I finally have this opportunity,” he explained, softening his tone.
“Are you stupid?”
Aunt shrieked, “That dog emperor wants you dead! He has a grudge against Ning Yan and would be happy to see our whole family die. And you’re still foolishly offering yourself up?”
She cried, and in her agitation, her face contorted in a rare display of anguish.
Seeing this scene, Xu Qi An suddenly froze. Aunt understood very clearly the precarious situation of the Xu family. She knew that her nephew had offended the Emperor and the whole family was being watched, living in a crisis where they might not see tomorrow.
But she had never expressed worry about this, nor had she ever blamed her “meddlesome” nephew. It wasn’t because she was stupid, but because she treated this nephew she had raised as family, as a son.
Some people might not seem to care about you on the surface, but in their hearts, they truly love you.
Xu Qi An silently left the inner hall, had a servant bring his mare, and galloped towards the Night Watchmen’s office.
…
On the seventh floor of Haoqi Tower.
In the tea room, Xu Qi An frowned and said, “Lord Wei, that dog Emperor Yuan Jing indeed hasn’t given up on persecuting me. Seeing that my reputation is soaring and I have the support of Principal Zhao, you, and the Supervising Censor, he’s temporarily unwilling to move against me directly, so he’s turned his attention to Ciju.”
Why hadn’t Xu Qi An left the capital and instead dared to investigate Emperor Yuan Jing privately? It was because he had these three powerful figures backing him.
Moreover, he had been relatively low-key and hadn’t provoked Emperor Yuan Jing to his face.
But he knew that Emperor Yuan Jing would settle accounts with him sooner or later. This emperor was skilled in political maneuvering and had plenty of patience to wait, as evidenced by this move.
Xu Qi An himself wasn’t afraid of Emperor Yuan Jing, but he was quite worried about his second uncle and cousin. It would be too easy for Emperor Yuan Jing to frame them.
Wei Yuan smiled and asked, “What do you have in mind?”
Xu Qi An probed, “Can Lord Wei block this?”
Wei Yuan shook his head, “It’s not easy to refuse when His Majesty has personally appointed him.”
Xu Qi An sighed heavily, “I originally thought of enlisting along with Er Lang to protect him secretly, but I realized that if I left the capital too, my family would be in real danger. So I had to come and ask for Lord Wei’s help.
“Lord Wei, you’re the commander-in-chief for this expedition. Please look after Er Lang for me.”
The Supervising Censor and Zhao Shou would protect him, but would these two powerful figures act as his bodyguards and protect his family?
Xu Qi An wasn’t confident about that. Only with Wei Yuan did he have confidence.
The Supervising Censor and Zhao Shou saw him as a chess piece, so they only recognized him, not his family. Wei Yuan treated him as a confidant, an important person, so Wei Yuan would consider his family members.
Wei Yuan drank his tea and smiled, “I’ll arrange for Xu Xinnian to go to the north. Jiang Luzhong and Yang Yan have the best relationship with you. Also, Chu Yuanzhen will go north as well.”
Xu Qi An was suddenly delighted, “So you’ve already arranged everything? You had Chu Yuanzhen enlist to protect Er Lang?”
Dad!
Wei Yuan sneered, “That’s just a side benefit. Chu Yuanzhen is exceptionally talented; it would be a waste for him to remain a wanderer in the jianghu. He’s still a scholar who cares about the world, just dissatisfied with His Majesty’s pursuit of cultivation, which is why he resigned and went into seclusion.
“As long as he still has the heart, he won’t refuse me. Such good talent shouldn’t go to waste.”
Chu Yuanzhen is quite the tool as well… Xu Qi An thought to himself.
Wei Yuan then asked, “Is there anything else you want to tell me?”
He seemed somewhat expectant.
Xu Qi An chuckled twice, stood up, and bowed respectfully, “I wish Lord Wei a triumphant return.”
Wei Yuan smiled noncommittally, seeming a bit disappointed.
“Xu Qi An!”
But as he was leaving, Wei Yuan’s voice suddenly came from behind, “The world of the Nine States is more complex than you imagine. Go on, walk your path.”
Xu Qi An waited for a moment, but no explanation from Wei Yuan came. He looked back at him, “Alright!”
After leaving Haoqi Tower, Xu Qi An took out the Book of Earth fragment and sent a private chat request to Chu Yuanzhen.
[Three: Brother Chu, I just received news from the Ministry of War that, like you, I must also join the military expedition.]
[Four: Did Wei Yuan find you too? Is your cousin going as well?]
Chu Yuanzhen was very shocked and worried about Heng Yuan. If Xu Qi An wasn’t in the capital to oversee things, could the three people “One, Two, and Five” successfully rescue Heng Yuan on their own?
[Three: Unlike you, I was personally appointed by Emperor Yuan Jing.]
Xu Qi An didn’t curse Emperor Yuan Jing’s malice, because Chu Yuanzhen would surely understand. He was such an intelligent person.
[Four: No worries, I’ll look after you.]
This was exactly what he was waiting for! Xu Qi An immediately sent a message: [I’ll temporarily give the Book of Earth fragment to my big brother. Well, that’s it, for now, I have other matters to attend to.]
Not giving Chu Yuanzhen a chance to ask questions, he quickly ended the private chat.
Sigh, one should still be honest. Don’t brag too much online, or you might accidentally find yourself in a situation you can’t get out of… Xu Qi An sincerely reflected.
…
Meanwhile, at the Xu residence.
After receiving news from home, Xu Pingzhi immediately rushed back. Now he sat in a chair with a dark expression, not saying a word.
“My lord, please talk some sense into this unfilial son. Quickly have him resign from his post,” Aunt cried and fussed.
“His Majesty is using an open stratagem,” Xu Pingzhi sighed.
Either leave the Hanlin Academy or go to war. The former would ruin his prospects, the latter was a matter of life and death.
Xu Pingzhi had experienced the Battle of Shanhai Pass and knew that his survival was purely luck. The northern campaign would certainly not be as dangerous and intense as the Battle of Shanhai Pass.
However, Xu Er Lang wasn’t a warrior and lacked survival skills on the battlefield.
Xu Xinnian sat to the side, silent. He had already been beaten by his big brother; there was no need to be beaten by his father as well.
The family was in a state of gloom and despair.
Aunt sobbed continuously, while Xu Lingyue softly comforted her.
“I saw Big Brother go out earlier. He must have thought of a solution. Mother, don’t worry for now. Let’s wait for Big Brother to return,” Xu Lingyue said gently.
“We can only wait for news from Dalang,” Aunt wiped her tears, frequently looking towards the hall entrance, anxiously saying, “But what can Dalang do? He’s no longer an official and has offended the Emperor.”
Xu Pingzhi’s face remained dark, saying nothing.
At this moment, they heard Xu Lingyin’s clear, childish voice from outside: “Big Bro~~”
The family turned their heads abruptly, looking towards the hall entrance. Sure enough, they saw Xu Qi An striding back, kicking away his little sister who came to greet him.
Xu Lingyin flew into Lina’s arms nearby. She giggled happily, expressing that the feeling of soaring through the clouds was very interesting.
Xu Qi An had used a gentle force; in the past, the siblings always played like this.
“Dalang!”
“Big Brother!”
The four family members in the hall stood up simultaneously, looking at Xu Qi An.
Aunt urgently asked, “Dalang, have you thought of a way to keep Er Lang from going to war?”
Xu Qi An shook his head slightly, “His Majesty has personally appointed him. How can we refuse?”
Seeing the disappointment on Aunt’s beautiful face and the sudden dimming of Second Uncle’s expression, he continued calmly:
“However, Lord Wei has promised me he will look after Er Lang. Moreover, Chu Yuanzhen, a nominal disciple of the Human Sect, will also join the military expedition. He has an excellent relationship with me and Er Lang, and has promised to protect Er Lang well.”
“My lord?”
Aunt cast a questioning glance at her husband.
Second Uncle smiled, “With Lord Wei’s care, Er Lang will be safe and sound. Moreover, Chu Yuanzhen is comparable to a Fourth-Rank expert and can fly with a sword. Even if they encounter danger, he can protect Er Lang very well.”
Hearing this, and seeing her husband speak so confidently, Aunt felt much more at ease.
She sniffled and said, “It’s all thanks to Dalang.”
…
Whenever there’s a war, besides deploying troops and generals, and requisitioning provisions and other necessary affairs, the corresponding rituals cannot be neglected.
The court would have the Astronomical Bureau choose an auspicious day, and then perform sacrifices to Heaven, Earth, and the Ancestors, known as the Three Sacrifices.
The Three Sacrifices were conducted with strict standards, held on different auspicious days, led by the Emperor with all civil and military officials participating.
The soldiers and generals who were to join the military expedition would also perform ancestor worship on this day.
When sons and grandsons go to the battlefield, ancestor worship is indispensable.
The Xu family’s ancestral grave was located in an auspicious spot outside the capital, chosen with the help of a ritualist from the Astronomical Bureau. Of course, almost all wealthy families in the capital would consult ritualists for feng shui.
Everyone’s ancestral grave was a feng shui treasure spot…
Xu Xinnian and Xu Qi An, the two brothers, were now the golden phoenixes of the Xu clan, core figures.
For such a significant event as Hanlin Academy’s Xu Er Lang going to war, almost the entire clan had gathered, including two white-haired clan elders.
One elder was still quite robust, tall, and thin, though his white hair was somewhat sparse.
The other’s mind was no longer very clear, his gaze a bit dull, but his white hair was thick and abundant.
After concluding the ancestral worship ceremony, the white-haired elder sighed:
“Back then, nobody believed what the Astronomical Bureau’s ritualist said. The capital was only so big, how could there be so many auspicious feng shui spots? It was just for good luck. But now it seems this truly is an auspicious location. Otherwise, we wouldn’t have produced two outstanding talents in succession.”
The surrounding clan members laughed.
At this moment, the elderly, confused elder trembled as he searched through the crowd, mumbling, “Where’s Dalang? Where’s Dalang? Where’s our Xu family’s literary star?”
Xu Pingzhi pulled Xu Er Lang closer and smiled, “Uncle, our Xu family’s literary star is Er Lang. Dalang is our martial star.”
The elder’s cloudy eyes stared at Er Lang for a while, shaking his head continuously, “No, no, you’re not Dalang.”
“Of course, he’s not Dalang. We just said he’s Er Lang, our Xu family’s literary star,” a clan member explained loudly from the side.
The elder ignored this, continuing to search the crowd, “Dalang, where’s Dalang?”
Xu Qi An had to walk over, smiling, “Grandfather, I’m Dalang.”
The elder squinted, carefully examining him, and finally smiled, “It’s Dalang, it’s Dalang, our Xu family’s literary star.”
The elder’s son explained awkwardly from the side, “We always used to tell Father about Dalang’s achievements. He’s heard so much that he only remembers Dalang now.”
…
In the Imperial Garden of the Palace.
Wei Yuan sat in a pavilion, rolling a black go piece between his fingers, playing chess with Emperor Yuan Jing.
After beating the old emperor several games, Wei Yuan said calmly, “I heard the Empress has been unwell recently?”
Emperor Yuan Jing glanced at him, expressionless, and said, “It’s autumn now, perhaps she caught a chill. I’ve been busy with state affairs and have neglected the Empress. Wei Qing, please visit the Empress on my behalf.”
Wei Yuan rose, bowed, and withdrew.
The path to Phoenix Perch Palace was one he had walked countless times, but this time he walked especially slowly. Even though the person he cared about most was at the end of this path, he feared walking too fast, fearing that if he wasn’t careful, he’d finish this journey too soon.
Inside Phoenix Perch Palace, the incomparably beautiful Empress stood in the hall, one hand holding her sleeve, the other burning incense.
“Why have you come?”
She asked, pleasantly surprised to see Wei Yuan enter the hall.
“I’m about to go on a campaign, so I came to see you,” Wei Yuan smiled gently.
The Empress led him to a seat, instructing palace maids to serve tea and pastries. The two sat in the room, time passing silently. They didn’t speak much, but there was an indescribable harmony between them.
After finishing a cup of tea, Wei Yuan sighed, “The palace always keeps pastries you’ve made?”
The Empress smiled softly, “I didn’t know when you’d come, but I knew you liked the pastries I make best. So every afternoon, I make some.”
Wei Yuan nodded, “That’s very thoughtful.”
The Empress glanced at the plate; only two pastries had been eaten. She said softly:
“In the past, Ah Ming always competed with you for the pastries I made, and you never let him win. In the Shangguan family, you seemed more like the legitimate son than he did, because you were my father’s most valued student and the son of his life-saving benefactor…”
“Enough!”
Wei Yuan calmly interrupted, saying in a low voice, “My grievances with the Shangguan family were settled when Shangguan Ming died. I came here just to tell you…”
He gazed at the Empress’s beautiful face, as stunning as in years past, and said, “I’ve guarded you for half a lifetime. Now, I’m going to do what I want to do.”
After speaking, Wei Yuan stood up, bowed, and walked towards the hall exit.
“You’ve guarded me for half a lifetime, yet never knew what I wanted.”
The Empress’s cry came from behind.
Wei Yuan’s steps faltered slightly, but he resolutely left.
A wind from somewhere stirred within the palace walls, lifting his blue robe and ruffling his graying temples.
Outside Phoenix Perch Palace was a long path, lined on both sides by tall red walls. He walked on in silence, finally completing this path, and with it, half of his life’s journey.
This year, at the end of the earth. Gray hairs sprouting at both temples.
…
Lin’an, dressed in a fiery red gown, led two personal palace maids and guards from Shaoyin Palace towards Wenyuan Pavilion.
“Oh? Why has Wei Yuan come to the palace?”
Lin’an spotted a figure in blue robes coming from the direction of the inner palace and muttered curiously.
She had never liked Wei Yuan because the man in blue was a staunch supporter of the Fourth Prince, who was the Crown Prince’s greatest threat.
It wasn’t until she met Xu Qi An that she developed a tiny bit of fondness for Wei Yuan, purely out of affection by association.
After watching Wei Yuan’s figure depart, Lin’an didn’t delay her own business and continued towards Wenyuan Pavilion.
Wenyuan Pavilion consisted of seven pavilions in total, serving as the royal family’s library. It housed a rich collection of books, all-encompassing and diverse.
Lin’an entered the third pavilion precisely, summoning the clerk responsible for managing Wenyuan Pavilion, and said, “This princess wants to see books related to the capital’s dragon veins. Go fetch them.”
As a princess, she didn’t need to search for books herself in the sea of literature; the “local snake” administrator would help.
After obtaining the books recording dragon veins, Lin’an then went to the sixth pavilion, similarly summoning the administrator and instructing, “This princess wants to look up information on the first Marquis of Pingyuan.”
The administrator quickly found the relevant files on the first Marquis of Pingyuan.
This time, Lin’an didn’t borrow the books but opened them for a glance. The first Marquis of Pingyuan was a figure from 170 years ago, originally a northern general who was ennobled for his repeated military achievements.
“The Marquis of Pingyuan’s mansion was bestowed by the Emperor…” Lin’an muttered to herself.
…
Late at night.
In the inner city, in an area near the imperial city.
The Marquis of Pingyuan’s mansion was quiet, with seals pasted on the gate. Since the Marquis of Pingyuan had been exterminated by Heng Hui, this mansion had been reclaimed by the court.
The Marquis of Pingyuan had two illegitimate sons who were out enjoying themselves at the time and thus escaped the calamity. However, illegitimate sons had no right to inherit the title, naturally also having no right to inherit this imperially bestowed mansion.
A dark figure skillfully avoided the night watchmen on the rooftops and the patrolling Imperial Blade Guards, taking advantage of the moment when the night watchmen finished their lookout to quickly scale the wall and sneak into the Marquis of Pingyuan’s mansion.
The figure wore tight-fitting night clothes for easy movement, outlining voluptuous curves with prominent chest and hips.
No man could have such exaggerated pectoral muscles, nor such a slender waist, so this was undoubtedly a female thief.
The Marquis of Pingyuan’s mansion was dead silent.
The dark figure glanced around for a moment, then moved swiftly along the wall. During this process, she took out a hand-drawn dragon vein trend map from her bosom, as well as an Eight Trigrams feng shui plate from the Astronomical Bureau.
Her beautiful eyes narrowed, her gaze sharp as a knife. Using the dim moonlight, she observed the dragon vein trend map while scrutinizing the feng shui plate in her hand.
Bit by bit, she compared and analyzed, finally arriving at her destination—the back garden.
The layout of the back garden in the Marquis of Pingyuan’s mansion was unique, with a sizeable artificial mountain standing upright. Due to neglect, weeds had overgrown, giving it a desolate appearance.
The dark figure lightly leaped, landing on a rock of the artificial mountain. She surveyed the area for nearly a quarter of an hour, then silently floated down to the ground, feeling around several targeted rocks near the artificial mountain.
At the last target, she finally had a discovery. This three-meter-high artificial mountain was hollow; when lightly tapped, it produced an echo.
She walked around the mountain, looking for clues. Suddenly, she pressed a certain spot.
With a “click,” the side of the artificial mountain automatically slid open, revealing a dark, sloping entrance leading downwards.