The young eunuch, head bowed, reported, “Young Master Xu first visited Princess Lin’an’s Shaoyin Garden. They conversed behind the rockery for a long while. When they emerged, Princess Lin’an’s eyes were red, as if she had just been crying…”
At this point, Emperor Yuanjing frowned and interrupted, “What were they doing behind the rockery?”
The old eunuch glanced at Emperor Yuanjing’s expression, realizing His Majesty was displeased. The princess and Xu Qi An had gone to the secluded area behind the rockery, and then the princess came out with reddened eyes.
This indeed invited speculation.
“Tell the truth,” the old eunuch glared.
“It… it was because Princess Lin’an came out wielding a knife. As soon as Xu Qi An saw her, he hid behind the rockery. It was this servant who informed Her Highness that Xu Qi An was hiding there,” the young eunuch hurriedly explained, trembling and not daring to conceal anything.
The old eunuch immediately looked at Emperor Yuanjing and, seeing the fierce light in His Majesty’s eyes had receded, he breathed a sigh of relief and said, “Continue.”
“Afterwards, Lord Xu and the Princess entered the hall. This servant was sent away, and His Highness and Lord Xu talked for about half an hour. This servant doesn’t know the content of their conversation.” At this point, the young eunuch finally expressed his grievance:
“This servant wasn’t neglecting his duties, it’s just… it’s just that Lord Xu’s attitude was too forceful.”
After saying this, he cautiously glanced at Emperor Yuanjing from the corner of his eye.
To his disappointment, Emperor Yuanjing showed no expression. The young eunuch had no choice but to continue, “Afterwards, Lord Xu took this servant and Princess Lin’an to view Consort Fu’s remains.”
“During the process, Lord Xu attempted to touch Consort Fu’s body. This servant tried his best to stop him but failed and was kicked by him.”
It’s often said that young devils are hard to deal with. The young eunuch remembered that kick clearly and was waiting for this moment to cast some suspicion on Xu Qi An.
As expected, Emperor Yuanjing frowned slightly.
The old eunuch, who had accompanied him for decades, asked on behalf of his master, “How did he examine the body?”
“He just repeatedly touched it for a long time,” the young eunuch answered.
He didn’t dare exaggerate, because if Emperor Yuanjing became enraged, he would only need to verify with someone or question Xu Qi An, and the lie would immediately be exposed. The young eunuch didn’t dare commit the crime of deceiving the emperor.
The old eunuch asked, “And then?”
“Then… he left,” the young eunuch said. “However, Lord Xu told Princess Lin’an that there was something suspicious about Consort Fu’s death.”
“Something suspicious?” Emperor Yuanjing finally spoke again, sitting up straighter and leaning forward slightly, staring at the young eunuch.
“Lord Xu said that in a normal fall, the face should be facing down, not the back. But Consort Fu died with her back facing down. It’s highly likely that she was pushed down by someone.”
The young eunuch recounted Xu Qi An’s analysis word for word to Emperor Yuanjing.
Pushed down to her death… Emperor Yuanjing narrowed his eyes, his gaze lifting to the ceiling. After pondering for a long while, he said:
“You may leave.”
The young eunuch bowed and retreated.
The old eunuch said with a fawning smile, “This Xu Qi An truly lives up to his reputation. The Three Judicial Offices have been investigating for days without success, but as soon as he arrived, he immediately discovered a clue. The case will surely be solved soon.”
Emperor Yuanjing snorted coldly, “The Three Judicial Offices are not incapable of solving cases; they simply don’t want to. However, Xu Qi An does indeed have some skill.”
He was still satisfied.
After a pause, Emperor Yuanjing said, “Convey my imperial edict. Have the cabinet draft a decree to reinstate the matter of conferring a title on Xu Qi An.”
The old eunuch accepted the order and left the imperial bedchamber. Instead of immediately going to the cabinet, he found the young eunuch who had been supervising Xu Qi An’s investigation and gave him a resounding slap.
“Godfather?” The young eunuch covered his face, feeling wronged.
“What were you thinking at a time like this, still trying to play tricks? Did you think His Majesty couldn’t see through you? Do you know you just had a brush with death?” the old eunuch scolded fiercely:
“His Majesty is already irritated about Consort Fu’s matter, and you chose this moment to play games in front of him. You’re lucky to be alive today.”
“When you were told to supervise Xu Qi An, you should have done just that, without adding your own agenda. The people he interacts with and the things he does in the palace all involve consorts, princesses, and princes. You can’t have even the slightest bias or opinion, otherwise, you’re meddling in imperial family affairs.”
Whatever Xu Qi An did, His Majesty would judge for himself. The young eunuch injecting his own agenda was equivalent to meddling in the emperor’s family affairs.
The young eunuch lowered his head, trembling as he said, “This son understands.”
The old eunuch snorted, “Lord Xu sent you away for your own good. If you had heard something you shouldn’t have, the day the case is solved would be the day your head falls.”
The young eunuch was stunned at first, but after a few seconds, he understood. His face suddenly turned pale, and cold sweat broke out on his back.
His resentment towards Xu Qi An for that kick vanished into thin air.
…
At dusk.
Xu Qi An sat on horseback, his beloved mare trotting along with a “clip-clop” sound. He squinted against the orange sunlight, humming cheerfully:
“Walking the path of mankind; Bearing the flag against the wind, Not indulging in vices, being a good official, The people hold you in their hearts…”
The mare clip-clopped into the alley of the Jiaofang Si (Office of Courtesans).
Upon entering the alley, Xu Qi An dismounted, tossing the reins to a blue-robed servant waiting at the entrance, along with a piece of silver.
The gates of Yingmei Xiaoge (Little Pavilion of Shadow Plum) were tightly shut. Were they closed for business?
Xu Qi An glanced at the remaining sunlight in the west, thinking that at this hour, the Jiaofang Si should be open for business.
“Bang bang bang…”
He raised his hand and knocked hard on the gates of Yingmei Xiaoge. Soon, the door opened a crack, and the blue-robed servant inside said:
“Yingmei Xiaoge is not receiving guests today. Please go to another establishment…”
As the gate opened wider, the blue-robed servant saw Xu Qi An and froze, stammering, “You, you are…”
“I’m your mistress’s Lord Xu,” Xu Qi An raised an eyebrow.
“Ghost!” The blue-robed servant screamed and turned to flee, his legs moving rapidly, only to find himself running in place, his collar held firmly by Xu Qi An.
“What are you yelling about? I’m still alive,” Xu Qi An raised his other hand and gave him two loud but painless slaps, asking:
“Isn’t my hand warm?”
Feeling the hot, burning sensation, the blue-robed servant believed that the Xu Qi An before him was indeed alive. He was only puzzled by how his appearance had changed so much and why he was wearing a sable hat.
“You’ve finally returned! Mistress Fuxiang has been crying her eyes out every day, depressed and losing weight,” the blue-robed servant quickly tried to earn favor for his mistress.
Although very curious about the reason for Xu Qi An’s resurrection, he didn’t dare to ask.
“I’ll go inform her immediately that you’ve returned.”
“Just tell her a guest has arrived and ask if she’ll come out to entertain,” Xu Qi An said.
The blue-robed servant hurriedly entered the inner courtyard, standing in the garden outside Fuxiang’s bedroom, and called out, “Mistress, a guest has arrived and is asking if you’ll come out to entertain.”
Fuxiang didn’t respond. From inside the room came the scolding voice of a maid, “The mistress is unwell and won’t be entertaining. Who told you to open the door? Do you want to keep your dog paws?”
Xu Qi An coughed, “So Mistress Fuxiang isn’t entertaining guests? Then I’ll be on my way.”
The room suddenly fell silent, then came Fuxiang’s trembling voice: “Lord Xu?”
His voice had changed greatly, and Fuxiang wasn’t sure at first.
Xu Qi An laughed, “It’s me.”
There was a “crash” from inside the room, as if something had been knocked over, followed by the maid’s startled cry: “Mistress, slow down…”
The next moment, the door flew open, and Fuxiang, wearing a white long dress, her snow-white feet bare, her black hair casually draped, roughly pushed open the door and rushed out.
One person stood under the eaves, the other in the courtyard, the scene seemingly frozen.
Xu Qi An said helplessly, “It’s cold outside. Let’s go back inside.”
Only then did Fuxiang let out a wail, throwing herself into his arms and crying bitterly.
…
“That’s how it happened. Not only did I not die, but I actually benefited from the misfortune, gaining quite a lot,” Xu Qi An sat at the table, drinking the fine wine of the Jiaofang Si, explaining to Fuxiang the ins and outs of his resurrection.
Fuxiang sat on the edge of the bed, her dress slit revealing a long, white-python-like leg. There was a bruise on her lower leg, which a maid was applying ointment to.
This was from running too hastily earlier and bumping into something.
Fuxiang’s current mood was complex, feeling both the joy of regaining something lost and undisguised sadness and heart palpitations, with a constant feeling of emptiness in her heart.
“Just thinking about Lord Xu’s heroic sacrifice still leaves me feeling empty inside.”
“It’s alright, it’s alright. Soon you’ll feel quite full.”
As the sun completely set, a line of maids brought in a table full of delicacies – things that fly in the sky, swim in the water, and crawl on the ground.
The two sat at the table drinking, their conversation casual and without a specific theme.
“Actually, many scholars in the capital’s literary circles greatly admire Lord Xu. Yesterday, when the maids heard about your heroic sacrifice from the guests at the Jiaofang Si, those scholars were sighing in regret, saying that Heaven taking Xu Ning Yan meant the future of the Great Feng’s poetic world was lost.”
“Speaking of which, when I faced thousands of rebel troops alone that day, fighting to exhaustion, I did indeed compose a ci poem,” Xu Qi An said, holding his wine cup.
Fuxiang’s eyes sparkled brightly, her face blooming with a charming smile, full of expectation: “This humble one would love to hear Lord Xu’s new work.”
It feels somewhat shameful to be a plagiarist… I truly am an upright man… Xu Qi An thought to himself, but when it was time to show off, he didn’t hesitate.
He fell silent for a few seconds, letting his demeanor become calm, and slowly recited:
“Youthful chivalry, uniting heroes of the five capitals. Fearless hearts, hair standing on end, in heated discussion, life and death as one, a promise worth a thousand gold.”
Fuxiang gazed at him in a daze, the watery light in her beautiful eyes both charming and dreamy.
As she savored the poem in her heart, although it was an incomplete ci, she imagined the scene of him facing thousands of rebel troops, facing death without fear.
She became increasingly infatuated with this man, unable to extricate herself.
“Don’t just sit there in a daze. I told you this for a reason,” Xu Qi An tapped his fingers on the table.
“A reason?” Fuxiang came back to her senses, looking at him with a puzzled expression.
“Help me spread it around. The Jiaofang Si is the most suitable place to spread these glorious deeds.”
Governor Zhang had actually failed to include his poem in the official report, which was simply foolish. As a result, the official circles and literary world in the capital still hadn’t had the chance to appreciate his masterpiece.
How anxious they must be.
“…Oh.”
After dinner, the maids prepared hot water, ready to serve Lord Xu as he bathed.
“You may leave,” Xu Qi An dismissed the maid, leaving only Fuxiang in the room.
After Fuxiang, wrapped in a thin gauze, stepped into the bathtub, Xu Qi An pulled off the sable hat on his head.
A completely bald head was revealed.
“Pffft…” Fuxiang couldn’t help but laugh, leaning on the edge of the bathtub, her laughter shaking her like a flower in the wind.
What’s so funny? I may have become bald, but I’ve also become stronger… Xu Qi An glared at her.
His hair would probably take about half a year to grow back.
…
Fuxiang’s chest was not just a chest. When Xu Qi An rested his head on it, it became a brain cushion wave.
If Xu Qi An were to turn over, it would be called a face wash.
After bathing, the two lay in bed, talking. Fuxiang felt a bit stuffy, her breathing labored, and she coquettishly pushed away the bald head on her chest.
“Puff!”
Xu Qi An released a burst of qi, extinguishing the candle.
The next day, after dressing with the help of the courtesan, Xu Qi An bid farewell to the reluctant but dark-eyed Fuxiang.
As the maids of Yingmei Xiaoge watched Xu Qi An’s figure cross the threshold, they began to whisper among themselves:
“Lord Xu is too amazing. I think the bed in the mistress’s room needs to be replaced.”
“Yes, it creaks every time someone sits on it now. It’s almost falling apart. The mistress must have had a hard time.”
“Quickly, boil some water. The mistress wants to bathe. Also, prepare some loquat syrup. The mistress’s voice has become hoarse.”
Leaving Yingmei Xiaoge, the spring chill was biting. The cold wind blowing in his face invigorated Xu Qi An’s spirits as he walked towards the stables.
Suddenly, he felt something hard under his foot. Looking down, he saw it was a small pouch.
After entering the Spirit Refinement realm, had he directly upgraded to picking up pouches? Xu Qi An felt somewhat delighted and naturally bent down to pick it up, intending to put it in his pocket.
Suddenly, he froze.
This pouch was identical to the one hanging at his waist, with fine stitching and an embroidered pine tree. It was sewn stitch by stitch by his little sister Ling Yue.
Second Uncle?
As the thought emerged, Xu Qi An saw a young man in scholar’s robes hurriedly running from the direction of the stables. This young man had red lips, white teeth, and star-like eyes, with handsome features, perfectly inheriting his mother’s excellent genes.
This I truly didn’t expect… Xu Qi An thought to himself.
The handsome young man’s gaze had been sweeping the ground, finally landing on Xu Qi An. Then, he was dumbfounded.
Xu Qi An’s mouth twitched, and he raised his hand in greeting: “Morning.”
…Xu Er Lang looked at him, his lips moving slightly: “Morning…”
The brothers stared at each other in silence. After a moment, Xu Qi An took the initiative to break the awkward atmosphere, walking over and returning the pouch to Er Lang:
“Be more careful. It’s fortunate that I was the one who found it.”
Xu Er Lang calmly accepted it, nodding: “Thank you, Big Brother.”
Unable to find a topic of conversation, the brothers walked side by side towards the stables, leading their respective horses, and clip-clopped out of the Jiaofang Si.
At this time, the sky had just brightened, and apart from vendors and peddlers, there were few pedestrians.
“Yesterday, with classmates…”
“Yesterday, with colleagues…”
The brothers spoke in unison.
Xu Qi An looked back at the alley of the Jiaofang Si, glancing sideways at his little brother, and said: “Where are your classmates?”
Xu Xin Nian looked straight ahead, saying coolly: “Where are your colleagues?”
The brothers again ran out of topics.
Xu Qi An remembered when he first returned home after being released from prison, Xu Xin Nian had suffered social death due to “Great Feng’s eternal night” and had pretended to be unconscious out of shame.
Looking at him now, caught red-handed at the Jiaofang Si, yet maintaining his composure.
It’s not just me who’s growing; Er Lang’s face has thickened a lot… Hmm, perhaps he’s died too many times in front of me, and has gotten used to it… Xu Qi An spotted someone selling green tangerines by the roadside and quickly reined in his horse: “Wait a moment.”
Xu Xin Nian also reined in his horse, looking over in confusion.
Xu Qi An bought a jin of green tangerines, calling Xu Er Lang to dismount. While peeling and wiping his clothes, he said:
“The scent of powder from the Jiaofang Si girls is too strong. Use the juice from the green tangerine peel to cover it up. Even the keenest-nosed woman won’t be able to smell it.”
While Er Lang deftly followed suit, he seized the opportunity to activate his venomous tongue attribute, mocking:
“Big Brother’s mind is so quick, it’s a pity you didn’t pursue studies.”
Xu Qi An glanced at him, “Second Uncle taught me this trick.”
Xu Xin Nian acted as if he hadn’t said anything, lowering his head and carefully applying the green tangerine peel juice to his clothes.
After finishing, Xu Qi An handed the tangerines to Xu Xin Nian, saying: “I need to enter the palace to investigate a case. Take these tangerines home.”
Er Lang frowned: “Investigate? What case are you working on now?”
“You’ve heard about Consort Fu’s case, right? The old emperor dumped it on me,” Xu Qi An explained.
“Why are you meddling in this damned case?”
The Yunlu Academy had its own channels of information, and events happening in the capital couldn’t escape the academy’s eyes and ears.
“I couldn’t refuse it.”
Xu Xin Nian sneered: “You could let Father give you a blow to the head, then use recovery as an excuse. The case would naturally be pushed aside. Besides, this case is bound to be difficult to investigate.”
Er Lang is indeed suited for the official path; his level of scheming is up to par… Xu Qi An smiled: “Actually, cases in the palace are the easiest to investigate.”
Because the palace was full of experts, it was Emperor Yuanjing’s stronghold, and those flashy systems couldn’t interfere. Consort Fu’s case was probably the most “normal” case he had handled since coming to this world.
Xu Xin Nian nodded, looking at the green tangerines with disdain: “Green tangerines are sour and astringent. No one at home will eat them.”
“We can’t waste them since we bought them. Give them to Ling Yin to eat.”
“Good idea.”
…
At the Ministry of Justice.
Sitting on horseback in front of the imposing government office, Xu Qi An looked at the three large gilt characters reading “Ministry of Justice.”
The Ministry of Justice was in charge of handling criminal cases, equivalent to the Supreme People’s Court in Xu Qi An’s previous life. Along with the Censorate and the Ministry of Punishments, it was known as one of the Three Judicial Offices.
Usually, for major cases, the emperor would have the Three Judicial Offices work together with the Night Watchmen to investigate. This shows how immensely powerful Wei Yuan was, simultaneously controlling the Night Watchmen’s Office and the Censorate.
Emperor Yuanjing used him alone to keep the civil and military officials in check.
Similarly, it shows how lucky Xu Qi An was, to have joined the Night Watchmen at the right time and to have gained Wei Yuan’s appreciation. From a constable in Changle County, he had become a figure who could walk sideways in the capital.
“Go quickly and find the Minister of Justice. Tell him to come out and meet this official,” Xu Qi An displayed his gold token, saying to the guard at the office gate:
“If he doesn’t come out, this official will enter the imperial palace and report to His Majesty, saying he’s deliberately obstructing the investigation.”
The guard hurriedly went inside.
A quarter of an hour later, the Minister of Justice, accompanied by two vice ministers and a group of Ministry of Justice officials, came out to welcome him.
“Lord Xu, my apologies for not welcoming you from afar,” the Minister of Justice came out with a broad smile.
Xu Qi An dismounted, enthusiastically greeting him: “Oh my, how could I trouble Minister Pei to come out personally? This humble official is ashamed, truly ashamed.”
Xu Qi An had demanded the Minister of Justice come out to receive him just to embarrass him and diminish his face. For one of the Nine Ministers to personally come out to the office gate to receive a mere bronze gong, it was a great loss of face… They had a history, and how could he not take full advantage of this opportunity to make things difficult?
“It’s only right, only right,” the Minister of Justice led Xu Qi An inside, saying: “Lord Xu has returned at just the right time. Consort Fu’s case is perfect for you. However, this minister must remind Lord Xu that this case is dangerous. Don’t get in too deep.”
This was schadenfreude.
If the Consort Fu case was solved successfully, it would offend the Crown Prince’s faction. If it wasn’t solved, it would offend Emperor Yuanjing.
At least I’ve exchanged it for a viscounty. What’s offending the old emperor compared to that… Xu Qi An said with a smile:
“It’s no matter. Before I get in too deep, I’ll make sure to take those eyesores down with me. After all, with the gold token in hand, the power to execute first and report later shouldn’t go to waste.”
The Minister of Justice narrowed his eyes, “Lord Xu sure knows how to jest.”
“Is Lord Xu’s visit to the Ministry of Justice today for the Crown Prince?”
“Indeed it is.”
…
Xu Qi An met the Crown Prince in the “prison cell.” The so-called cell was actually a clean and tidy room. Though not luxurious, it was well-appointed despite its small size.
The Crown Prince was confined to this room and couldn’t leave until the case was cleared up.
As expected of the Crown Prince, even imprisonment is different from ordinary people… Xu Qi An thought to himself.
After the attending clerk closed the door and left, he cupped his hands and said: “This humble official, Xu Qi An, pays respects to Your Highness the Crown Prince.”
“You’ve come to interrogate me, haven’t you? Father Emperor has put you in charge of this case?” The Crown Prince sat at the table, sizing up Xu Qi An.
“The Three Judicial Offices are all hedging and avoiding involvement in this matter. They could only find a tough nut like me. After all, I’ve already offended enough people,” Xu Qi An shrugged, sat down at the table, and poured himself a cup of water.
All these actions were observed by the Crown Prince.
“Please, Your Highness, describe the events of that day in detail.”
The Crown Prince nodded slightly, took a moment to choose his words, and slowly said: “That day, after finishing lunch at my mother’s residence, while the snow had not yet melted, I was returning to the Eastern Palace with my guards when we encountered one of Consort Fu’s palace maids. The maid said that Consort Fu had invited me for a chat.
“So I followed her to Qingfeng Palace, which is Consort Fu’s residence. After entering Qingfeng Palace, the maid led me up to the tower and asked me to wait in the outer hall, saying Consort Fu was changing clothes.
“I had drunk too much at the time and was very thirsty, so I drank the tea on the table to quench my thirst. Somehow, I dozily fell asleep.
“Then I was awakened by screams, only to find that Consort Fu had fallen to her death, and I had become the prime suspect.”
Xu Qi An, with no expression, asked: “Were there no palace maids in the tower at that time?”
“Not in the outer hall. I don’t know about inside.”
“What about that palace maid?”
“She disappeared.”
Disappeared, huh… A sharp light flashed in Xu Qi An’s eyes as he leaned on the table, staring intently at the Crown Prince: “How does Your Highness know the palace maid disappeared?”
For a moment, the Crown Prince was actually intimidated by this bronze gong’s sharp demeanor.
“Though this prince is imprisoned, I have ways to inquire about matters outside,” the Crown Prince said coldly and indifferently.
He felt annoyed at having been momentarily intimidated.
Connecting this with the Crown Prince’s calm demeanor when first seeing him, Xu Qi An believed his words.
“Did Your Highness have any interactions with Consort Fu normally?” Xu Qi An asked.
“Of course not.”
The Crown Prince flatly denied it. As the heir to the Eastern Palace, it was impossible and inappropriate to have any private interactions with the emperor’s consorts.
“Then why, when Consort Fu sent someone to invite Your Highness, did you accept without a second thought?” Xu Qi An hit the nail on the head.
“I… I had drunk too much at the time and didn’t think it through,” the Crown Prince’s face became somewhat unnatural.
Bah, wasn’t it just lusting after her body.
In fact, Xu Qi An, as a man, understood the Crown Prince’s psychology very well. Consort Fu was a beautiful woman with both looks and grace. The Crown Prince must have had some inappropriate thoughts about her before.
It just so happened that he had drunk too much that day, and it was wine that boosted yang and nourished the kidneys… People who have experienced drinking to a slight tipsiness know that in that state, one feels very light. Things you wouldn’t dare to think about normally, you now dare to do directly.
Words you wouldn’t dare to say normally slip out as soon as your lips touch.
It just so happened that Consort Fu invited him, or maybe she didn’t even invite him. His mind just moved, and he went…
“It sounds like someone was setting a trap for Your Highness,” Xu Qi An analyzed.
“Naturally, someone is framing me. Lord Xu thinks so too, right?” The Crown Prince let out a sigh of relief.
“No, no, no. We can’t be so subjective in investigating a case. I’m just stating one possibility. There’s another possibility,” Xu Qi An once again leaned on the table, moving closer to the Crown Prince, and said word by word:
“That day, Your Highness had drunk too much and was feeling restless, inevitably thinking of the long-coveted Consort Fu. After all, His Majesty is obsessed with cultivation and doesn’t approach women. Your Highness then acted on lustful thoughts, turned around and went to Qingfeng Palace, intending to violate Consort Fu.
“Unexpectedly, Consort Fu was chaste and unyielding, resisting to the death. In the struggle, you accidentally pushed her off the tower, unintentionally causing her death. Afterward, you secretly had someone dispose of a palace maid to fabricate evidence that you were being framed.”
“Nonsense!”
The Crown Prince stood up, slamming the table in rage: “Xu Qi An, you dare to slander me, you dare to frame me.”
“Your Highness, don’t be hasty. This is just this humble official’s speculation. The truth remains to be verified,” Xu Qi An said with a face full of smiles and flattery.
Tsk, the Crown Prince’s political acumen is still not deep enough. Is he too concerned about his position? How will he be emperor in the future with this level of skill?
The Crown Prince and Princess Lin’an, this pair of siblings, were not exceptionally intelligent people. Xu Qi An increasingly suspected that Emperor Yuanjing’s decision to establish his eldest son born of a concubine as Crown Prince had other intentions.
After the Crown Prince calmed down, Xu Qi An asked again: “Have the diviners from the Imperial Astronomical Bureau come to see Your Highness?”
“This matter involves me, involves Consort Fu, involves the foundation of Great Feng. Do you think Father Emperor would trust the diviners from the Imperial Astronomical Bureau?” The Crown Prince asked with a cold smile.
Xu Qi An nodded. Having mingled in the capital for so long, he could see through some of the intricacies.
Although the Imperial Astronomical Bureau had to rely on the royal family and the dynasty’s fortunes – this could be glimpsed from the fact that Chu Cai Wei’s promotion to the sixth rank required the “approval” of the capital’s citizens – the power of the first-rank Director was too great. Therefore, the Imperial Astronomical Bureau was not purely dependent, but more like in a cooperative relationship with Great Feng.
For a case involving the heir apparent, Emperor Yuanjing might not trust the Imperial Astronomical Bureau. And the Imperial Astronomical Bureau might not be willing to get involved in such a mess.
“This humble official still needs to examine Your Highness’s body. I hope Your Highness will cooperate.”
Xu Qi An grasped the Crown Prince’s hand, examining his wrists, arms, and then his neck… There were no scratch marks or claw marks.
“This humble official will investigate the truth as quickly as possible. If Your Highness is wronged, we will naturally clear your name,” Xu Qi An stood up and cupped his hands.
“Wait!”
The Crown Prince called out to him, saying in a deep voice: “Lord Xu, aren’t you getting too close to Lin’an?”