“Are you toying with me?”
“Ice” slowly crept up Chen Guifei’s face. Her expression, her eyes, her tone were all ice-cold.
“You see,” Xu Qi An shrugged, sneering, “No matter how sweet the words of someone making empty promises, as soon as there’s a need for real sacrifice, they immediately turn hostile.”
Good thing you didn’t agree, otherwise I’d rather break Lin’an’s heart than not bring you down.
Chen Guifei picked up her teacup and took a sip. When she put it down, her expression had returned to normal. “My biggest weakness is Lang’er. As long as she’s gone, there will be no evidence left.”
“And the high tower of Fengqi Palace is about to collapse. As they say, a good bird chooses a tree to nest in. Lord Xu is a smart man, you know how to choose.”
Xu Qi An nodded in agreement: “The Crown Prince is still the Crown Prince, and the Empress is about to be replaced. Madam has promised to marry Lin’an to me… So I choose Duke Wei.”
Chen Guifei’s expression froze, her hand gripping the teacup tightened slightly. It took her a while to resist the urge to throw the scalding tea in this boy’s face or smash the cup.
“So, Lord Xu is prepared to take Lang’er away from Jingxiu Palace, intending to destroy me?”
Chen Guifei’s beautiful eyes stared intently at Xu Qi An. The atmosphere in the room dropped to freezing point, an invisible killing intent enveloping Xu Qi An.
Xu Qi An, at the Spirit Refinement realm, couldn’t catch the image of the enemy’s move, but the instinct of a seventh-rank warrior was sending him a signal: Danger!
If I insist on taking Lang’er away, it would mean mutual destruction with Chen Guifei. In that case, she would certainly be driven to desperate measures, no longer caring that this is the inner palace, and attack me. My life couldn’t be guaranteed. Although I have Monk Shenshu, he’s my last trump card… Xu Qi An sneered, straightening his back, his eyes filled with disdain:
“When I, Xu Qi An, faced tens of thousands of rebel troops that day, I fought alone, killing thousands of enemies, standing undefeated even in death. Does Madam think I would fear mere threats?”
“I do not fear death, so how can death be used to frighten me?”
I do not fear death, so how can death be used to frighten me… There was obvious surprise in Chen Guifei’s eyes. She nodded slowly, “Well said. Lord Xu is indeed a hero. To fall into your hands…”
The noble consort tightened her grip on the teacup, as if about to smash it as a signal.
Suddenly, Xu Qi An said loudly: “But I have sincere feelings for Lin’an and don’t want to see her hurt. I can pretend today’s events never happened.”
Even if I want to expose the noble consort, I still need to be able to leave Jingxiu Palace alive… Xu Qi An thought regretfully.
Chen Guifei stared at him for a moment, put down her teacup, and nodded with satisfaction: “You’re not lying. It seems you truly have sincere feelings for Lin’an. In that case, why is Lord Xu unwilling to join my side?”
Do you take me for a fool? If I join you, I’m as good as dead. In the capital, the only one I can rely on is Duke Wei. Princess Huaiqing can only be counted as half. As for Lin’an, she’s a princess without power or influence, she can’t protect me at all.
“Madam, nurturing talent isn’t about empty promises, but about concrete actions. I serve Duke Wei loyally because he treats me with sincerity, and I trust him.”
After saying this, Xu Qi An turned sideways, glancing at the young eunuch outside the courtyard, and said, “This humble official is helpless against Madam, but I reckon Madam can’t do anything to me either.”
Once the idea of mutual destruction was gone, Chen Guifei couldn’t possibly trouble him anymore.
Although the young eunuch was just a lackey, he was now Emperor Yuanjing’s eyes, serving as surveillance. Everything that happened here would be reported to Emperor Yuanjing without missing a word.
Unless Chen Guifei killed him outright, any scheme or frame-up would be useless. The young eunuch could testify for Xu Qi An.
This was why Xu Qi An had insisted on keeping the young eunuch around.
Chen Guifei gave him a deep look, her beautiful eyes slightly closed, “I’m tired. You may leave… The gates of Jingxiu Palace will always be open for you.”
“This humble official takes his leave.”
Xu Qi An bowed and retreated from the room.
The young eunuch in the courtyard saw him come out and immediately approached, asking, “Lord Xu, what did Noble Consort Chen say to you?”
“Don’t ask. Ask, and your head won’t be safe,” Xu Qi An said irritably.
The young eunuch’s face changed slightly.
Walking to the outer courtyard, Lin’an was sitting in a pavilion, one hand propping up her chin, the other playing with a teacup, looking bored.
Two palace maids stood by her side.
Seeing Xu Qi An, her round face bloomed into a smile, her eyes curved, her peach blossom eyes became lively. She waved and said in a coquettish voice:
“Dog servant, come here quickly.”
The way she said “dog servant” had no force at all, it sounded like she was just being coy, very sweet.
Xu Qi An took a deep breath, suppressing his turbulent emotions, and smiled as if nothing had happened: “Your Highness, this humble official has come out.”
Lin’an immediately asked, “What did Mother say to you?”
“Madam said that Your Highness is almost of age to be married. She asked if this humble official had any suitable candidates, to recommend a few talented young men. She wants to help Your Highness find a future husband.”
Lin’an was stunned for a moment, a blush quietly creeping up her cheeks. She asked suspiciously, “Mother would discuss these things with you?”
…Eh, why aren’t you falling for it? When did you become so smart? I was planning to recommend myself next. Xu Qi An could only say helplessly:
“This humble official was joking.”
Lin’an’s willow eyebrows stood up: “Dog servant, you dare to tease me.”
She glared at him with her hands on her hips.
“This humble official is still a child, I don’t understand what teasing means.”
Lin’an made a “pah” sound, but then found Xu Qi An’s words very interesting and started giggling like a little hen.
Her smile was both innocent and charming, like a beautiful scenery.
Xu Qi An smiled along, but sighed inwardly.
Earlier, his plan was to pretend not to know, leave Jingxiu Palace first, then tell Duke Wei about his discoveries, letting Duke Wei quickly arrest Lang’er and catch Chen Guifei off guard.
But because of Lin’an, he hesitated a bit, although after calming down, he would still expose Chen Guifei without hesitation.
Unexpectedly, Chen Guifei was also of high caliber. It could be predicted that as soon as he left, Lang’er would pass away due to illness. In this way, Chen Guifei would have no more weaknesses.
“Chen Guifei is indeed a qualified imperial consort… I don’t know if it’s a blessing or a curse for a girl as naive as Lin’an to grow up within the palace walls.”
Thinking back to Chen Guifei’s actions just now, she was indeed quick-witted, summoning him over to probe without hesitation. And she really did discover something.
The subsequent frank conversation, seemingly heartfelt, was actually fearless, because she knew that as long as she dealt with Lang’er, she would have no weaknesses, and Xu Qi An couldn’t possibly take Lang’er away unless he didn’t want to live.
Since it had already been discovered, might as well be straightforward and say it out loud, which could even gain my trust… Then throw out the beautiful daughter as bait. If I were a lascivious man, I might have taken the bait then and there…
With Monk Shenshu protecting me, I might not die on the spot, but I would have exposed myself. That dog Emperor Yuanjing would definitely seal me in Sangbo. The outcome wouldn’t have changed, it would still be mutual destruction.
After leaving Jingxiu Palace, Xu Qi An declined Lin’an’s invitation to play Five-in-a-Row, saying he had important matters to attend to.
“Little eunuch, I’ve finished the palace business. Later, when you report to His Majesty, there are some things you can say and some you can’t. Let me give you a few pointers,” Xu Qi An said solemnly.
Hearing this, the young eunuch adopted a serious attitude, “Please speak, Lord Xu.”
“You must tell the Emperor everything about Jingxiu Palace. You should say it like this: After questioning Lang’er, the palace maid of Jingxiu Palace, Lord Xu’s face looked extremely unpleasant, as if he didn’t want to stay any longer, he didn’t even drink the tea.”
“But before Lord Xu left Jingxiu Palace, he was suddenly detained by Noble Consort Chen and invited to the back courtyard… Noble Consort Chen dismissed everyone and talked with Lord Xu in the room for quite a while. This servant was left in the courtyard and couldn’t enter, although I could see the two of them in the room, I couldn’t hear what they were saying.”
“After the conversation, Lord Xu left the palace looking very preoccupied.”
After finishing his instructions, Xu Qi An took out a five-tael silver note from his pocket, along with the five taels he had extorted from the eunuch guarding Jingxiu Palace, totaling ten taels. He handed it to the young eunuch without any fuss.
The young eunuch opened his arms while waving his hands: “Lord Xu, I can’t accept this.”
After pocketing the money, he carefully recalled Xu Qi An’s words, feeling there wasn’t much of an issue, and then nodded: “Alright, this servant will do exactly as you say.”
Xu Qi An immediately left the palace, taking the fine horse Princess Huaiqing had lent him from the Imperial Guards, and galloped back to the Night Watchmen’s Office.
After being announced by the guards, he entered Haoqi Tower and came to the tea room on the seventh floor for receiving guests.
Duke Wei wasn’t in the tea room, but on the connected observation deck. He was sitting in a large chair with his hair loose, while a black-robed clerk was holding a comb, combing his hair.
Duke Wei waved his hand, “Come here, comb my hair for me.”
The black-robed clerk tactfully handed the comb to Xu Qi An and left the tea room.
“Why is Duke Wei combing his hair at this time?”
Xu Qi An held the comb, running it from top to bottom without encountering any knots, thinking to himself how flowing the hair was.
“In Buddhism, hair symbolizes the threads of worry,” Duke Wei basked in the sunlight, eyes narrowed, his voice gentle:
“Combing the hair once can erase all past troubles.”
What does he mean?
Duke Wei seems a bit strange today. What does he mean by erasing all past troubles?
“Combing hair isn’t very interesting. Let this humble official give Duke Wei a head massage instead,” Xu Qi An said.
Duke Wei smiled: “Give it a try!”
Xu Qi An put the comb in his pocket, spread his five fingers, and pressed them against Duke Wei’s head, gently massaging the acupoints.
Duke Wei’s breathing gradually slowed. Warm sunlight fell on both of them. From this high vantage point, the scenery was beautiful. Xu Qi An squinted as he looked into the distance, feeling as if he had returned to the world of mortals, far from the scheming of the palace.
“Not bad,” Duke Wei smiled.
Of course, this is the divine skill of barbershops. Next time I’ll make you a hair-washing chair… Xu Qi An coughed and said, “This humble official has something to report.”
“Speak.”
“This humble official has discovered who is behind all this.”
Duke Wei opened his eyes but didn’t speak for a long time.
“It’s Noble Consort Chen!” Xu Qi An said in a low voice. “When I went to investigate at Jingxiu Palace today, I found that her palace maid Lang’er was the one who tore up the Imperial Pharmacy’s account book…”
He then told Duke Wei everything about his discoveries and Chen Guifei’s attempt to recruit him.
Duke Wei patted his hand, signaling him to stop, then got up and walked to the edge of the observation deck. He pressed both hands on the railing, looking into the distance, “Who do you think is the force behind Chen Guifei?”
How would I know… Xu Qi An shook his head: “It might be related to the Court of Astronomy.”
This was his deduction based on the existence of the art of aura reading.
“It’s not the Court of Astronomy,” Duke Wei shook his head, his tone certain.
Not the Court of Astronomy… It took Xu Qi An a few seconds to react, then he said in astonishment: “Duke Wei, did you know it was Chen Guifei plotting against the Empress and you?”
“I didn’t think of it at first. She’s ruthless, even dragging the Crown Prince into this… After I handed this case to you, I stopped paying attention to it. It wasn’t until this morning when I learned the Empress had confessed, and after hearing your account of the case, that I guessed it was Chen Guifei.”
…Xu Qi An stared at his back for a long time. Previously, he thought Duke Wei and Daoist Jinlian were both old foxes, but now he realized that Daoist Jinlian was quite innocent compared to the depth of Duke Wei.
If it’s not the Court of Astronomy, then how can Chen Guifei use the art of aura reading? Besides the Court of Astronomy, who else knows this technique?
A thought struck Xu Qi An, “Duke Wei, I’ve remembered something.”
“The third-rank practitioner that appeared in the Yunzhou case?” Duke Wei asked in return.
“Duke Wei’s wisdom is unparalleled…” Xu Qi An was impressed.
“I’ve also investigated this person, but couldn’t find anything. Do you know what the third-rank practitioners in the Court of Astronomy are called?” Duke Wei asked.
“Fate Masters,” Xu Qi An had heard it from the Bi Wang.
“Fate Masters can screen celestial mechanisms, erasing their existence and all traces they’ve left behind. Their parents will forget them, their wives and children will forget them, and all written records of them will disappear. This is what a Fate Master is.”
“Moreover, Fate Masters can alter others’ impressions of them, leaving vague memories in their minds that can never be fully recalled.”
Duke Wei looked into the distance: “During the Sangbo case, you once investigated information about the first Supervisor, but there were no records in any historical materials, not even a single word. You should know that although Emperor Wuzong could alter history, he couldn’t stop people from talking, let alone unofficial histories.”
“It was the Supervisor who erased all information about that first Supervisor. It’s as if he never existed. Even I often mistakenly think that the Supervisor is the founder of the Court of Astronomy, the creator of the practitioner system.”
“Then, due to the disconnection caused by the historical gap, I suddenly remember that there was a first Supervisor.”
“How can we investigate this?” Xu Qi An was shocked.
He once again realized how terrifying the top-tier experts in this world were.
“To investigate, we need to rely on the Supervisor,” Duke Wei said.
That makes sense. Only magic can defeat magic. Dad Wei’s thinking isn’t wrong… Xu Qi An nodded inwardly.
“But the Supervisor refused,” Duke Wei sighed.
This was indeed an expected answer. The Court of Astronomy held many secrets, and the Supervisor was like an old man guarding those secrets… Xu Qi An pursed his lips and asked curiously:
“Does Duke Wei know what the first and second-rank practitioners are called?”
Duke Wei shook his head, “The Supervisor and I have never gotten along. The Great Feng is like a chessboard, he’s a player, and so am I. We often clash due to different ways of thinking.”
This was the first time Duke Wei had discussed such “high-level” content with Xu Qi An.
Perhaps in Duke Wei’s heart, the Supervisor was his greatest political enemy? Xu Qi An probed, “How does Duke Wei plan to save the Empress?”
“Push the Imperial Uncle out to take the blame. Whether it will work or not remains to be seen. His Majesty likes to maintain a balance of power. He will also think that if the Empress is deposed, the Crown Prince will have no rivals. However, His Majesty has remembered some unpleasant things and may not have such a calm mind, unless we can make him suspect Chen Guifei…”
“The Empress is still too soft-hearted. When she made this move, she didn’t consult with me in advance,” Duke Wei’s voice was tinged with helplessness.
Duke Wei, your subtext is: Empress, you’re just a liability?
Xu Qi An’s eyes lit up, knowing that his groundwork before leaving the palace hadn’t been in vain. Or perhaps, he might have made an achievement.
“Duke Wei, this humble official is guilty of acting on his own just now.”
Duke Wei turned his head, frowning slightly: “What matter?”