Two quarter-hours later, Xu Qi An stepped out of Haoqi Tower. He stood at the base of the tower, closed his eyes to concentrate for a moment, then resolutely departed.
Leaving the government office, he mounted his mare and galloped along the unimaginably wide main road of the inner city towards the Ministry of Justice.
The main road was over a hundred meters wide, leading directly to the imperial palace. It was the route the emperor used when traveling. This width was mainly to prevent assassins from ambushing from the roadside. In case of a sudden arrow attack or assassination attempt, such a spacious road would provide ample buffer time for the imperial guards.
Soon, he arrived at the Ministry of Justice.
Xu Qi An saw his Second Uncle Xu’s figure from afar. He was wearing armor and carrying a weapon, likely having received the news while on patrol and rushing over immediately.
Second Uncle Xu was being blocked by the guards at the main gate of the Ministry of Justice.
The two guards were shouting. One of them forcefully pushed Second Uncle Xu, who dared not retaliate and staggered backward.
“What’s this? A mere Captain of the Imperial Blade Guards dares to force his way into the Ministry of Justice?” one guard cursed, pointing at Xu Ping Zhi’s nose. “If you don’t scram, don’t blame me for getting rough.”
Xu Ping Zhi, at the Qi Refining Realm, endured the humiliation, clenching his fists tightly. He said in a deep voice, “I am Xu Xin Nian’s father. I have the right to visit him in custody.”
The other guard mocked, “Major offenders in the imperial examination cheating case are not allowed visitors. This has always been the rule. You illiterate brute, what would you know?”
Xu Ping Zhi indeed didn’t know. Cases related to cheating in the imperial examinations were too far removed from his experience.
“Then why did you ask me for thirty taels?” Xu Ping Zhi’s eyebrows raised, his anger boiling.
“So what if we’re extorting you? This is the Ministry of Justice. You wouldn’t dare to use force here. Just try it,” the guard sneered.
“Hah… ptui!” The other guard was more direct, spitting towards Xu Ping Zhi.
Xu Ping Zhi hurriedly dodged.
The two guards laughed raucously.
“Huff…” Second Uncle Xu slowly exhaled, glancing at the two columns of soldiers walking out from the ministry. If he dared to cause trouble at the entrance of the Ministry of Justice today, he wouldn’t get away unscathed.
It would be handing them leverage on a silver platter.
“Get lost!” The guard looked down his nose and barked.
Suddenly, the rapid sound of hoofbeats approached. Looking towards the sound, they saw a nimble steed charging towards them, fearlessly rushing at the Ministry of Justice gate.
Heading straight for the two scowling guards.
Bang!
One of the guards couldn’t dodge in time and was struck in the chest by the mare. He was thrown back hard, struggled for a moment, then slowly collapsed to the ground, too injured to rise again.
Someone dared to commit violence at the entrance of the Ministry of Justice?
“Ning Yan,” Xu Ping Zhi said with relief upon seeing his nephew.
“Clang…” The sound of swords being drawn filled the air. The guards inside the ministry, hearing the commotion, rushed out with their weapons, ready to cut to pieces anyone who dared cause trouble at the Ministry of Justice.
But when they saw that the silver-badged constable on horseback was Xu Qi An, they all fell silent.
The lead guard sheathed his sword and cupped his hands, saying in a deep voice, “Lord Xu, this is the Ministry of Justice. You should know that charging into the ministry and injuring guards is punishable by imprisonment or exile at the least, and beheading at worst.”
Xu Qi An ignored him, dismounted, and kicked down the guard who had nimbly avoided the mare’s charge.
“Aiyou…” That guard cried out in pain, rolling on the ground.
Xu Qi An took the saber from his waist and began beating the guard with its scabbard. The dull thuds of the scabbard striking flesh made people’s hearts skip a beat.
The guard cried out repeatedly in agony.
“Lord Xu!”
“Address me as Viscount.”
The guard leader choked, pretending not to hear. He shouted, “Do you think the Ministry of Justice has no experts? Are you not afraid of His Majesty’s punishment or the laws of Great Feng?”
“Go ahead and send whoever you want. If I can’t settle this little matter, I, Xu Qi An, have wasted my time in the capital.” Xu Qi An sneered, continuing to swing the scabbard.
At first, the guard could still dodge or block with his arms, but after more than a dozen strikes, his eyes began to roll back, and he was on the verge of passing out.
The guard leader gritted his teeth, the veins on the back of his sword-gripping hand bulging, but he didn’t dare to truly fight the insolent silver-badged constable.
The scene of the recent magical battle was still fresh in his mind. Xu Qi An’s momentum hadn’t dissipated yet, and at this critical moment, ordinary people wouldn’t dare to clash with him head-on.
Most crucially, this man had an imperial token of pardon. Even if he were to go on a killing spree at the entrance of the Ministry of Justice, the worst outcome would be dismissal from office, with his life intact.
Seeing that the guard still had a breath left, Xu Qi An stopped and hung his saber back on his waist. He said coolly, “Thirty taels of silver. Consider it the fee for the two of you to see a physician and buy medicine.”
Having vented his anger, he stared at the guard leader and said, “Go in and announce my arrival. I want to see Xu Xin Nian.”
Hearing this, the guard leader neither refused nor agreed. He gestured for his subordinates to carry the two injured men into the ministry for treatment, gave Xu Qi An a long look, and then retreated into the ministry.
Shortly after, the guard leader returned and said, “Minister Sun requests your presence.”
Xu Qi An tied his horse’s reins to the stone lion at the entrance and turned back to call, “Second Uncle, let’s go in together.”
Xu Ping Zhi followed silently. The two entered the ministry, passing through the front courtyard and corridors. Second Uncle Xu opened his mouth, wanting to say something, but chose to remain silent.
The guard led the uncle and nephew into a side hall. Seated in the main seat was Minister Sun, wearing a crimson robe, his face serious, waiting expressionlessly.
“Greetings, Minister Sun,” Xu Qi An cupped his hands.
Minister Sun stared straight ahead, as if Xu Qi An wasn’t there, and said flatly, “You’re missing two words.”
After staring at Minister Sun for a few seconds, Xu Qi An bent his spine and, in the tone of a subordinate addressing a superior, cupped his hands and said, “This humble official greets Minister Sun. This humble official wishes to see Xu Xin Nian.”
Seeing this scene, Xu Ping Zhi’s eyes suddenly stung a little.
Minister Sun revealed a satisfied smile and said, “Cheating in the imperial examinations is a serious crime, but family visits are a normal human sentiment.”
Suddenly, he changed his tone: “Not allowed.”
… Xu Ping Zhi gritted his teeth.
Having said this, Minister Sun no longer looked at the uncle and nephew pair, instead picking up his teacup. In official circles, when the host lifts his teacup midway through speaking but doesn’t drink, it means he’s dismissing his guests.
“We won’t disturb Minister Sun any further,” Xu Qi An turned to leave.
Watching the backs of the uncle and nephew, Minister Sun said coldly, “There are some rattan canes in the courtyard. I hear Lord Xu has cultivated the Buddhist Golden Body. Are you interested in trying them out?”
Xu Qi An left without looking back.
As they walked out of the Ministry of Justice, Xu Ping Zhi cursed, “That son of a bitch minister, wanting you to carry rattan canes and beg for forgiveness. I’d rather draw my sword and hack him down than agree to that.”
“How did Second Uncle get here so quickly?” Xu Qi An asked.
“It’s you who came too late. After receiving the news, I immediately went home to comfort your aunt and Ling Yue, but it was completely useless…” Second Uncle Xu said, troubled:
“They just kept crying and crying. Sigh, Ning Yan, what should we do about this?”
Although Xu Ping Zhi was a rough warrior, he knew about the “feud” between the Imperial College and the Cloud Deer Academy. On the way here, he had tried to analyze the situation and felt that the Second Young Master’s imprisonment was very likely related to this matter.
“This matter is very complicated. Second Uncle, you should go back first. I have other business to attend to.”
Xu Qi An didn’t want to waste time. He mounted his mare and galloped away down the street.
In his mind, Wei Yuan’s words echoed:
The first step is to prevent the Ministry of Justice from extracting a false confession. The Prefect Chen of the prefecture office is a slippery official who tries to please everyone. Once this matter is confirmed, he will likely be unwilling to offend Minister Sun.
“Minister Sun hates me to the bone, and the imperial examination cheating case has given him an opportunity for revenge. This might be his doing. At the very least, he’s a participant. Expecting him to treat Second Brother kindly is almost impossible.”
The mare ran until it was covered in a fine sweat, panting heavily, and finally stopped at a courtyard in the outer city.
“Daoist Master, Daoist Master, it’s an emergency…”
Xu Qi An pushed open the courtyard gate and rushed straight to the inner room. He saw Daoist Master Jin Lian lying peacefully on the bed, as if asleep.
Gone cat-walking again… Seeing this scene, the corners of Xu Qi An’s mouth twitched involuntarily, despite his urgency.
Having experienced the mare’s love kick last time, and with a favor to ask, Xu Qi An didn’t use physical means to wake Jin Lian. He sat quietly at the table waiting. In less than three minutes, a slender shadow appeared at the door.
“What’s the matter?”
Daoist Master Jin Lian crouched at the threshold, her voice gentle and calm, seemingly accustomed to conversing in this form.
“My cousin Xu Xin Nian has been implicated in an imperial examination cheating case…”
Xu Qi An briefly recounted the events, then said, “Daoist Master, I need your help.”
The orange cat’s amber eyes gazed steadily, vibrating the air as she spoke:
“I don’t know enough about Great Feng’s officialdom to offer effective advice. You shouldn’t have come to me for this matter. Wei Yuan is an expert in political maneuvering. If political maneuvering were ranked, Wei Yuan would be in the second grade.”
Xu Qi An, who had been very anxious, couldn’t help but continue this topic when he heard this. “Only second grade? Then who’s first grade?”
The orange cat chuckled and said, “Naturally, it’s Emperor Yuan Jing. In terms of the art of kingcraft, Emperor Yuan Jing has reached the pinnacle. Both Wei Yuan and Wang Zhen Wen have the potential to reach the first grade in political maneuvering, but their ideologies and political views differ.
“Emperor Yuan Jing deliberately placed these two fierce tigers in the court, truly embodying the strategy of sitting on the mountain to watch the tigers fight.”
That makes sense… Wait a minute, didn’t you just say you didn’t know much about the court situation? Xu Qi An cursed inwardly, but outwardly asked:
“Then does the Daoist Master think there’s an existence that transcends these grades in political maneuvering?”
“Of course there is,” Daoist Master Jin Lian raised her paw and licked it, saying, “The highest realm of political maneuvering is to subdue all with military might, to have one’s words be absolute, with no one daring to defy. Every founding emperor has been like this.”
The Daoist Master seems to be gradually influenced by feline habits… Indeed, for any creature, it’s the body controlling the brain. The hormones secreted by the body determine what you do… When hungry, you eat; when tired, you sleep; when thirsty, you drink; when the treasury is full, you donate to female worshippers. So the question is, does Daoist Master Jin Lian prefer to mount female cats or be mounted by female cats?
At this moment, the orange cat sighed, lowered her paw, and said softly:
“You seem to enjoy lingering on the edge between life and death.”
And repeatedly jumping back and forth? This thought flashed through Xu Qi An’s mind, but he quickly brought the topic back, saying, “Daoist Master, I’d like to ask for your help…”
…
Following the canal outside the capital southward, about ten miles from the city outskirts, there was a lake. Its misty waters stretched far and wide, surrounded by green mountains on both shores. The lake was dotted with lotus flowers, creating an exceptionally beautiful scenery.
By the lakeside, there were farmhouses with rising smoke, teahouses, and restaurants.
Being so close to the capital and easily accessible by boat, every spring countless young gentlemen and wealthy young ladies would come to enjoy boat rides on the lake, making it a lively place.
An exquisitely painted boat was moored at the shore. Wang Si Mu was dressed to the nines today, wearing a fashionable wide-sleeved gauze dress with patterns in the same color as the base, both intricate and elegant yet subtle and reserved.
Her makeup was meticulous, her hair styled in a beautiful bun adorned with gold hairpins and jade ornaments. She was fully prepared as if for a date.
But an hour had passed, and while others had gone around the lake and back, Miss Wang’s boat remained at its original spot. Her mood was far from beautiful.
“Miss, let’s give up and go back,” her maid advised softly. “Mr. Xu won’t be coming.”
“Are you sure the message was delivered?” Wang Si Mu refused to accept this reality, glaring lightly at her maid, trying to shift the blame to Xu Xin Nian.
“How could we dare not to? It was delivered,” the maid said, feeling wronged.
Wang Si Mu sat in silence for a long while, her bright eyes unable to hide her disappointment. She said softly, “Fine, let’s go back.”
“Alright,” the maid responded cheerfully, taking small steps to leave the cabin and inform the boatmen at the stern to return.
The boatmen pulled up the anchor from the water and worked together to row the oars. The painted boat slowly moved forward, returning to the capital along the canal.
Back at the capital’s dock, Wang Si Mu entered the carriage waiting by the roadside and instructed, “Lan’er, go to the Xu residence right now and say that I want to visit Miss Ling Yue to play.
“I’ll wait here for half an hour before setting out.”
“Miss, why are you doing this?” The maid frowned.
“Even if he has no interest in me, I want to know for certain,” Miss Wang was quite assertive.
…
Xu Xin Nian, the top scholar of the spring imperial examinations, was arrested by the Ministry of Justice on suspicion of cheating and imprisoned.
This case, destined to shock the entire capital, spread from the prefectural office and the Ministry of Justice, then through the Six Ministries, quietly permeating the entire officialdom of the capital.
After a few days of fermentation and spread, it would become known to everyone.
During the noon break, familiar officials and clerks gathered in restaurants and teahouses to discuss the imperial examination cheating case.
“I knew it. How could the court officials allow a student from the Cloud Deer Academy to become the top scholar? This was bound to happen.”
“You only know half the story. This matter is definitely not that simple. That Xu Xin Nian is Xu Qi An’s cousin, and Xu Qi An is the great poet of Great Feng. With works like ‘The Difficulty of the Journey’… I don’t believe there’s no cat in the bag.”
“Nonsense! Is Xu Qi An the only one in this world who can write poetry? Can’t we scholars have moments of inspiration and create masterpieces?”
“Alright, there’s no point arguing about this. Xu Xin Nian is definitely done for this time. Whether he cheated or not, his future is ruined. I remember in the 12th year of Yuan Jing’s reign, there was a cheating case involving three students. The case was investigated for two years, and they were eventually released, but their reputations were ruined and their studies wasted.”
“A similar case happened in the 20th year of Yuan Jing’s reign, but that time the evidence was conclusive. The involved students and the chief examiner were all executed by His Majesty.”
“If this case is proven true, given Xu Xin Nian’s identity as a Cloud Deer Academy student… hmm, no matter how I think about it, there seems to be no way out. Do you think Lord Wei will intervene?”
“It’s very likely. That Xu Qi An is Lord Wei’s confidant, he will surely ask Lord Wei to help.”
“What if Lord Wei chooses to stand by?”
“If Lord Wei doesn’t intervene, who else can save Xu Xin Nian? Are we counting on that brute Xu Qi An? He might be skilled at solving cases and killing enemies, but how could a mere brute understand the intricacies of officialdom?”
Chu Yuan Jin, staying at an old friend’s house, also learned of this matter from his friend who returned from the office during lunchtime.
Number Three has fallen into the imperial examination cheating case… Although Number Three is extremely intelligent, the conflict between Cloud Deer Academy and the Imperial College is an irreversible trend, not something that can be overcome by intelligence alone… The best outcome would be to strip him of his honors. If Number Three can’t become an official, it’s a loss for the court…
“I heard that this matter arose from an impeachment by the newly appointed Right Censor-in-Chief, but I estimate that, well, various factions are either observing or secretly assisting. Xu Xin Nian is in danger,” his friend said.
Chu Yuan Jin sighed and said solemnly, “It was precisely because I was tired of factional struggles that I left the court. Since ancient times, factional struggles have weakened the nation, and emperors cultivating the Dao have damaged the national fortune.”
His friend’s face changed dramatically: “Yuan Jin, be careful with your words.”
“What is there to fear? I’m already a commoner, free and unfettered,” Chu Yuan Jin smiled wryly, then sighed: “I’ve been thinking for a long time, but I can’t find a way to break this deadlock. Unless Wei Yuan enters the fray… given Xu Ning Yan’s potential, Wei Yuan should make a decision.
“However, this might be exactly what that group of people wants to see. Ah, still no way to break the deadlock.”
…
In the Imperial Palace.
In De Xin Palace, Huai Qing, wearing a plain palace dress, sat behind her desk and nodded to the captain of the guards in the room: “I understand. You may withdraw.”
After the captain of the guards left, Huai Qing stood up, walked to the window, and frowned in contemplation: “If it were me, how would I break this deadlock?”
After thinking for a long time, she shook her head and sighed.
Then, she suddenly thought, if it were Xu Ning Yan, what would he do?
…
In a restaurant in the inner city, Sun Yao Yue had booked a private room and invited his classmates from the Imperial College for drinks. His main purpose was to share a piece of news that was about to shock the scholarly circles of the capital.
“The top scholar of the spring examinations, Xu Xin Nian, was arrested by men sent by my father this morning. It’s said to be because of examination fraud, bribing the examiners.”
“Is this information reliable?” The students from the Imperial College were shocked.
“Of course it’s reliable. I went to the office to confirm it myself and asked my father. Although he kicked me out of the office, Deputy Minister Zhu has already told me. That Xu Xin Nian is in jail, waiting for interrogation,” Sun Yao Yue said smugly, scanning his friends.
Sun Yao Yue was the only legitimate son of Minister Sun. His academic performance was quite good, better than most pampered sons, but he had one flaw: he especially loved to gossip.
Regarding the Cloud Deer Academy student Xu Xin Nian becoming the top scholar, Sun Yao Yue was both jealous and angry. Now that he was imprisoned for examination fraud, Sun Yao Yue couldn’t be happier.
“That silver-badge constable Xu Qi An is inhuman, relying on the protection of that eunuch Wei, swaggering around the capital, writing poems to insult my father. He really deserves to be cut into a thousand pieces.”
Sun Yao Yue slammed the table violently and laughed wildly: “If we can’t cut him, we’ll cut his cousin. Hahaha, drink up, drink up.”
When the Imperial College students heard this news, they were both surprised and felt vindicated. That’s right, how could they let a student from the Cloud Deer Academy become the top scholar of the spring examinations? Where was the dignity of the Imperial College scholars?
It must be fraud, absolutely fraud. They wouldn’t accept any other explanation.
“Brother Sun, it’s better to share joy than to enjoy it alone. Such a gratifying matter should be spread widely.”
“That makes sense. Let’s do it. Meet at the Imperial Entertainment Bureau tonight.”
After eating and drinking their fill, Sun Yao Yue left the restaurant in a drunken state and entered the carriage waiting outside. With the help of his escort, he climbed into the carriage.
Just as he was about to take a short nap, he saw a slender orange cat crouching on the tiger skin cushion of the soft couch, its amber eyes gazing at him steadily.
Without any sound, the carriage continued moving forward. Suddenly, the window opened, and the orange cat leaped out. With its tail straight up, it trotted away quickly, disappearing into the bustling crowd.
…
Ministry of Justice.
Minister Sun summoned a clerk and asked, “Go to the prison and ask if Xu Xin Nian has confessed yet?”
The clerk accepted the order and left. A few minutes later, he returned to report: “Minister, that Xu Xin Nian is very tough. No matter how we beat him, he won’t confess.”
“Then you’re not beating him hard enough,” Minister Sun snorted coldly and said: “The Ministry of Justice has plenty of cruel torture methods. Let him taste them all one by one. Even a stone will bloom if you hit it enough. Hmm, just leave him with a breath of life.”
“Yes, sir.”
The clerk withdrew. As soon as he left, another person rushed in anxiously. He was dressed like a wealthy man, with graying hair, and even tripped over the threshold as he entered.
“What are you doing here at the office?” Minister Sun frowned and asked.
This person was the steward of the Sun household, an old servant who had been with Minister Sun for decades.
“Master, something terrible has happened…” The old steward said with a long face, his voice trembling: “The young master, he’s… he’s gone missing.”
“What do you mean the young master is missing?”
Minister Sun’s face changed slightly. He stood up and walked over, staring at the old steward, repeating in a deep voice: “What do you mean the young master is missing?!”
“The servants who accompanied the young master out returned to report not long ago. Today, the young master was entertaining his classmates at a restaurant. After drinking, he got into the carriage… and then disappeared. When the carriage returned to the mansion, they found it was empty.”
The old steward scratched his head anxiously, a mix of worry and confusion on his face. He cautiously said, “The household adviser suggested that… that perhaps you’ve offended someone recently, Master?”
In the officialdom of Great Feng, there was an unwritten rule: political struggles were political struggles, but they should never involve family members. This wasn’t because of high moral standards, but because if you start it, others can retaliate in kind.
Moreover, doing so would be seen as not understanding the rules and would lead to ostracism from the entire social class.
This unwritten rule held great authority, even acknowledged by the court. It wasn’t explicitly stated because it wasn’t something that could be openly discussed.
But Great Feng had a system where any official, once appointed to a position in the capital, had to bring their parents or wife and children to the capital as well.
What was the significance of this system?
A system paving the way for an unwritten rule – one can see how authoritative this unwritten rule was.
Offended someone… Minister Sun muttered to himself, and naturally, the image of that despicable Xu Qi An appeared in his mind.
“Foolish!”
Minister Sun shouted, his beard and hair bristling with anger. He roared, “Do they think kidnapping my son will make me yield? That young fool is destroying himself.
“If anything happens to my son, you’ll have no place to stand in this entire capital. No, your whole family will die.”
After his outburst, he swept all the memorials off his desk. The teacup shattered with a “bang,” and brushes, ink, paper, and inkstone scattered on the ground.
The old steward was terrified, not daring to make a sound. The master had been an official for many years and had long cultivated a demeanor of composure in the face of favor or disgrace.
This kind of loss of temper had happened only twice before. The first time was because of that extremely insulting poem, and both times were because of this young fool called Xu Qi An.
Suddenly, Minister Sun lifted the hem of his official robe and, with an agility unbecoming of his age, ran wildly out of the room.
“Master, if you have any orders, just let this old servant carry them out…”
The old steward chased after him, shouting loudly.
Minister Sun ignored him and roared, “Come here, come here, quickly go to the prison, don’t use torture, don’t use torture…”
The sky above the Ministry of Justice echoed with Minister Sun’s “Don’t use torture” (in a breaking voice).
…
A quarter of an hour later, Minister Sun, who had initially calmed down, returned to the hall panting. He took the hot tea offered by the old steward and took a big gulp.
“That young fool, daring to threaten me, ignorant, stupid!”
After cursing, Minister Sun changed his tone and instructed the steward: “Go to the Watchmen’s Office immediately and tell that damned dog to come see me.”
Although the other party had broken the rules, Minister Sun couldn’t afford to be tough now. If they could negotiate, that would be best. First, ensure his legitimate son was safe, then settle accounts with that Xu dog afterwards.
The steward nodded in agreement and was about to leave when a guard stepped over the threshold and saluted: “Minister, that Xu Qi An has come again.”
Perfect timing!
Minister Sun’s eyes flashed with light, and he immediately straightened his back: “Let him in.”
Shortly after, the guard led Xu Qi An, wearing his silver-badge constable uniform, into the room. The Xu dog had a smiling expression, strolling in casually, unlike his stern, anger-suppressing demeanor when he sought an audience in the morning.
Minister Sun’s expression now mirrored Xu Qi An’s from earlier.
“Where is my son Sun Yao Yue, Xu Qi An? Release him to return home immediately, and I can pretend this never happened,” Minister Sun said, staring straight ahead as if Xu Qi An wasn’t even there.
“What do you mean? I don’t understand,” Xu Qi An said innocently. After thinking for a moment, his expression suddenly changed dramatically: “How dare you! Minister Sun, not only do you falsely accuse my cousin of cheating in the imperial examinations, but you even try to frame me? I never imagined there could be such a despicable person in this world.”
“You…”
Minister Sun finally moved his gaze, staring intently at Xu Qi An. He didn’t speak but waved for the clerks in the hall to leave. Then, he said word by word:
“I’ll consider your youth and ignorance of the rules and give you a chance. If you still want to stay in the capital’s officialdom, obediently release the person.”
Xu Qi An shook his head: “Minister Sun must be mistaken. I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
After a pause, he suddenly seemed to realize something and said with concern: “From what Minister Sun is saying, has something happened to your son? Was he kidnapped? You should have told me! I’m known for my sense of justice and unparalleled ability to solve cases. Just say the word, Minister Sun, and I guarantee I’ll find him for you within a day.”
Playing dumb with me… Anger rose in Minister Sun’s heart, and he said viciously: “Xu Qi An, don’t forget you have family too.”
Xu Qi An sighed, his face showing sorrow: “Minister, you seem to misunderstand me. I lost both parents at a young age, and my Second Uncle raised me.
“However, my aunt bullied and insulted me, humiliating me in countless ways. At fifteen, she drove me out of the house and made me live in a dog kennel. Unfortunately, I don’t have a father with an army of 100,000 at his command and a crooked mouth…”
“Xu Qi An!” Minister Sun angrily interrupted, staring at him for a long time before speaking in a low voice:
“What exactly do you want? The imperial examination cheating case is to be investigated by His Majesty’s order, with the Ministry of Justice and the prefectural office in charge of the trial, and the entire court watching. It’s not up to me alone. If you think you can use my son as leverage, I can only fight you to the death. Don’t be naive!”
These days, whoever is more ruthless gains the advantage… The importance of a cousin naturally can’t compare to that of a son. I can be “heartless,” but he can’t… Xu Qi An narrowed his eyes, walked up to Minister Sun, and whispered in his ear:
“I have only one request: while Xu Xin Nian is in prison, no torture is to be used. Don’t try to extract a false confession. If he loses one finger, I’ll cut off one of your son’s fingers. However many wounds appear on his body, I’ll leave that many on your son’s body.
“After the imperial examination cheating case is over, regardless of whether Xu Xin Nian is exonerated or not, I’ll release your son as promised.”
“Xu Qi An…”
Minister Sun was about to rebuke him when Xu Qi An suddenly turned malevolent, his face contorting as he said fiercely: “Call me Lord Viscount.”
… Minister Sun yielded, saying in a deep voice: “Lord Viscount, why should I trust you?”
Xu Qi An slowly walked to the table, picked up a piece of pastry and started eating, saying nonchalantly:
“Does Minister Sun have a choice? Whether you trust me or not, you have to do as I say. Unless you don’t want your legitimate son back. I’m not asking you to help Xu Xin Nian escape punishment, just not to do anything unnecessary. This isn’t difficult.”
He walked up to Minister Sun and wiped his hands on the crimson robe, saying in a deep voice: “As you said, I have family too.”
This move was taught by Wei Yuan, but the method and plan were Xu Qi An’s own ideas. Wei Yuan hadn’t given any suggestions.
Doing nothing and hoping for the opponent’s mercy was just a fool’s dream. The mockery and cold treatment he encountered at the Ministry of Justice this morning was proof enough.
To defeat an enemy, one must grasp their weaknesses.
And for most people, their weakness is their flesh and blood. However, harming family members is taboo, and Xu Qi An had to carefully consider and control the extent of his actions.
Therefore, he didn’t naively think that Sun Yao Yue alone could save Second Brother. He only used Sun Yao Yue to make a deal with Minister Sun, which greatly reduced the difficulty and severity of the situation.
As for Minister Sun not agreeing and insisting on torturing Second Brother, Xu Qi An would keep his word. He might even make Minister Sun bury his son.
So far, everything was within his expectations, thanks to his good grasp of the situation.
Minister Sun exhaled: “I’ll trust you this once. I won’t torture Xu Er Lang, and I hope my son returns home safe and sound. Otherwise, you’ll bear the consequences.”
“Of course,” Xu Qi An snorted.
“But I don’t trust you completely either. I want to see Xu Xin Nian. Arrange it.”
Saying this, he strode towards the door with an air of indifference. Suddenly, he turned back and smiled: “Oh, by the way, ‘Lord Viscount’… not bad.”
Minister Sun’s face darkened, his beard trembling with anger.
…
“Clank clank…”
Amidst the sound of chains sliding, the jailer opened the door leading to the prison. A damp, putrid smell wafted out.
Led by the jailer, Xu Qi An walked through the dim passage and arrived at the cell where Xu Xin Nian was held.
Xu Xin Nian had his eyes closed, leaning against the wall to rest. He was wearing prison clothes, his face pale, with bloodstains scattered on his body.
Seeing his little brother’s miserable state, Xu Qi An’s face suddenly darkened. He had come a step too late; Second Brother had suffered in prison.
He had underestimated Minister Sun’s determination to seek revenge on him quickly.
Xu Qi An called softly, “Er Lang, Er Lang…”
Second Brother was startled, doubting his ears. He opened his eyes in surprise.