Nightwatcher

# 243. Wei Yuan's Astonishment

From ancient times, the people have had a natural reverence for officials. Looking at the imposing government constabulary, the sword-bearing guards, and the serious-looking Nightwatchers coming and going, Auntie and Xu Lingyue felt a bit intimidated.

It was Auntie’s first time visiting the constabulary, and she was very nervous. She held Xu Lingyin tightly in her arms, rubbing her vigorously to ease her tension.

The little girl’s face changed into various shapes under Auntie’s hands.

Xu Lingyue quietly moved closer to Xu Qi'an.

"Ningyan…"

A somewhat familiar Bronze Gong came over to greet them, his gaze lingering on Auntie and Xu Lingyue, clearly drawn by their beauty.

"This is my sister," Xu Qi'an nodded, introducing Xu Lingyue.

The Bronze Gong immediately smiled in acknowledgment, then looked at Auntie, “Is this your older sister?”

Auntie was momentarily stunned, then her face lit up, her eyes curving into crescent moons.

Xu Qi'an rolled his eyes, "Have you ever seen a 36-year-old older sister?"

“Xu Ningyan!” Auntie said, trembling with anger.

Her age had been revealed! Auntie took a deep breath, telling herself not to get angry… she had to maintain her composure in front of others and resist the urge to claw her nephew’s face.

The Bronze Gong took a few more reluctant glances at Auntie and Xu Lingyue before walking away.

Xu Qi'an led the three female family members to Chunfeng Hall. Along the way, they encountered many colleagues who warmly greeted Xu Qi'an, with several mistaking Auntie for Xu Qi'an’s older sister.

A roundabout compliment about her youth and beauty.

Reaching the side hall of the Chunfeng Hall, he ordered the clerks to serve tea and water, which immediately calmed Auntie’s nerves. She laughed and said, "Every Nightwatcher in the office is handsome and speaks so nicely."

*Auntie, that sounds a bit odd…* Xu Qi'an thought to himself, "I’m going to go wait at the entrance to the constabulary for a moment."

He waited at the entrance for a quarter of an hour before three prefecture office bailiffs and the Zhao couple arrived.

“Sir, the suspects are here,” the young bailiff said respectfully, cupping his hands.

“Hmm!”

Xu Qi'an nodded, took the rope, and said, "Wait here, I’ll take the suspects to the dungeon and return the rope later."

The Zhao couple was scared out of their wits. In the capital, who didn’t know the reputation of the Nightwatchers? More so, everyone knew that the Nightwatchers' dungeon was a place of no return.

Even if one managed to come out, they would be scarred for life, spending the rest of their days in pain.

This was all Nangong Qianrou’s doing. He single-handedly created the notorious reputation of the Nightwatchers’ dungeon.

Zhao Shen’s wife collapsed on the ground, crying and shouting, “I won’t go into the Nightwatchers’ constabulary. Just kill me, kill me.”

This woman was clearly used to throwing tantrums at home. Her nature was hard to change. Even in the Nightwatchers’ office, she remained as unreasonable and defiant as ever.

Xu Qi'an’s gaze sharpened as he snatched the scabbard from a guard and gave her a hard smack.

Thud… the woman spat out three big teeth, her mouth full of blood. She covered her face, seemingly stunned by the blow.

“If you want to die, it’s not difficult. I’ll fulfill your wish later,” Xu Qi'an sneered. “When you were bullying others, did you ever think you’d end up like this?”

With that, he yanked the rope and dragged the couple into the office.

The three bailiffs remained where they were. One of them suddenly said, "Doesn’t that sir look familiar?"

“… Sir Xu? Before constable Lyu was promoted, I worked with her and had seen Sir Xu once. He’s changed a lot. I almost didn’t recognise him."

“I’ve seen him too. No wonder he looked familiar. Wasn’t he supposed to be dead? Back then, Constable Lyu was in a terrible mood, always lashing out.”

………..

Along the way, the Bronze Gongs watched and joked, "What kind of suspects is Sir Xu escorting? They’re crying their eyes out."

Xu Qi'an replied, "Two bullies who abused their power. Today, they’ll taste the consequences of their actions."

Upon reaching the Nightwatchers' exclusive dungeon, "Clang…" the door opened, and the dark, damp air rushed out.

Zhao Shen’s face turned pale, his eyes filled with despair and terror. This was the moment he regretted the most in his life.

He never expected a small matter to lead to such a disaster.

The woman finally broke down, crying, "I pawned the bracelet. I’ll pay you back, just don’t put me in the dungeon…"

Zhao Shen widened his eyes, looking at his wife. He finally understood the reason for the mysterious man’s anger. It turned out his son had been bullying the man’s sister repeatedly.

It turned out the bracelet theft was real, and his wife knew everything.

It’s over. Caught by the Nightwatchers, even officials with rank would be scared, let alone him. Would his uncle dare to offend the Nightwatchers for his sake?

He regretted not clarifying the matter first, not handling it properly, and relying on his uncle’s power to bully some commoners and low-ranking officials.

Zhao Shen burst into tears, muttering, "It’s over, it’s over…"

Suddenly, he flew into a rage, kicking his wife to the ground and cursing, “It’s all your fault, it’s all your fault…”

He kicked and cursed, wishing he could divorce her, provided he could get out alive.

The woman wailed loudly.

Xu Qi'an summoned the jailor to imprison the couple, then called for the warden and instructed, "For the couple that was just locked up, show them some colour, but keep to the limits."

"About those limits... do you want them to stay alive or just keep their legs?" the warden asked, feeling troubled.

"... Just keep them alive, but make sure they get a beating every day. Be careful not to break any limbs; I still have use for them. Understand?"

With this, the jailor understood Xu Qi'an only wanted to give them a hard time, and make their stay in prison an unpleasant affair.

*That's all? This is the Nightwatchers' prison, after all,* the jailor thought. Such a minor matter wouldn't usually warrant imprisonment here.

"This is called ‘reform through labour’. As a Nightwatcher, it's my duty to safeguard the capital and serve the Emperor's trust by educating the ignorant."

"You are wise, sir."

After leaving the dungeon, Xu Qi'an spent time chatting with his Auntie and sister in Chunfeng Hall until a black-clad clerk reported that an official claiming to be a Director from the Department of Personnel requested an audience.

This was within Xu Qi'an's expectations. The concept of family lineage in this world was much stronger than in his past life. In the past, if a nephew encountered such troubles, it was uncertain how much an uncle would help.

After all, Xu Qi'an was no ordinary Nightwatcher; he was one holding a gold token.

"Bring him to Chunfeng Hall," Xu Qi'an instructed. He then left the side room and entered Li Yuchun's "office," sitting in his chair.

*I should be a Silver Gong soon. With ten Bronze Gong spots available, who should I recruit? One for my Second Uncle, one for Auntie, one for Erlang, one for Lingyue, and oh, Lingyin needs one too. Haha, the whole family can get paid for doing nothing,* he mused to himself.

The doorway darkened as a clerk led in an official with a goatee, who was over fifty, dressed in a blue official robe with a silver pheasant embroidered on the chest, and a grey streak in his hair beneath the official hat.

As he stepped into Chunfeng Hall, the usually stern and silent elder official broke into a spring-like smile.

"Sir Xu, I've heard of your great name for a long time. Ah, my humble position has never afforded me the chance to meet you. I've heard you're a frequent guest of the Imperial Study."

Xu Qi'an responded indifferently, "If you wanted to see me, you could have just visited the Jiaofangsi."

Director Zhao was taken aback.

Xu Qi'an laughed heartily, "Lord Zhao, you're easier to tease than the girls at the Jiaofangsi... haha, please sit. Someone, serve tea."

Director Zhao's remarks, seemingly complimentary, actually suggested that Xu Qi'an was troublesome and made many enemies.

Xu Qi'an, on the other hand, compared him to a courtesan.

After this verbal skirmish without any real blows, the clerk served hot tea, and Lord Zhao, after a sip, got straight to the point:

"Sir Xu, may I ask what crime my unworthy nephew has committed?"

"The matter is quite serious!" Xu Qi'an replied with a troubled expression, as if concerned for Director Zhao, “He directed his son to commit acts of extortion and robbery, and after the incident, he gathered servants to plot harm against me and my family.

"Lord Zhao, as colleagues in the court, we should give each other face, but... the law shows no mercy!"

Having navigated the bureaucracy for years, Director Zhao remained composed, even showing a hint of regret: "It's my fault for not keeping him in line, allowing him to act recklessly."

He then pulled out a banknote from his sleeve and placed it on the table, sincerely apologising, "Sir Xu, please be lenient."

Xu Qi'an glanced at it. The amount was a hundred taels. He sighed, "My sister was slightly hurt."

Director Zhao pulled out another note.

Xu Qi'an sighed, "My Auntie was slightly hurt."

Director Zhao pulled out another note.

Xu Qi'an sighed, "My sister was slightly hurt."

"But Sir Xu, your sister was already hurt."

"Oh, I have two sisters."

Director Zhao pulled out another note.

Xu Qi'an sighed, "I was also slightly hurt."

Director Zhao's mouth twitched as he took out another hundred taels.

"The bracelet that was lost was a gift from the Emperor..."

Another note.

Now, five hundred taels lay on the table. Even Director Zhao, with his decades of experience in the officialdom, couldn't help but twitch his mouth.

Xu Qi'an didn't push further, not because he wanted to stop, but because Zhao Shen had earlier extorted five hundred taels. Now, he was merely returning the favor.

"Well, I forgive them," Xu Qi'an carefully collected the banknotes and pocketed them.

"Then... Sir Xu, please release them." Director Zhao breathed a sigh of relief.

"That won't do," Xu Qi'an shook his head.

Director Zhao's face suddenly darkened.

Xu Qi'an took a sip of tea, smiling, "Debts must be repaid, and there's interest too. These five hundred taels are the interest; you haven't paid the principal yet."

Director Zhao stared at him intently, then took a deep breath, "What do you want, Sir Xu?"

He was a powerful Director, in charge of the deployment of officials. This authority was quite significant, determining the fate of government officials across the country.

Apart from the Commanders, the Ministers, and the Censors, the appointment of all other local officials had to pass through the Department of Personnel.

But Xu Qi'an was a unique case.

The Nightwatchers were an institution established to monitor officials, inherently conflicting with his position. Besides, appointments didn't fall under his department. Moreover, this young man was a tough nut to crack.

He had the backing of Wei Yuan and was frequently entrusted by the Emperor with cases. Even the ministers on the court, while secretly spitting at him in their hearts, could do nothing about him.

"It's not a big deal, really. Come, Lord Zhao, have a seat," Xu Qi'an gestured for him to sit and raised his teacup in a toast. When Director Zhao reluctantly sipped his tea, Xu Qi'an asked with a smile:

"I hear the Department of Personnel is in charge of appointing officials?"

Director Zhao nodded.

"In a few days, the Spring Examinations will be held. My cousin, who is exceptionally talented, will undoubtedly pass with flying colours," Xu Qi'an said.

"In that case, what does Sir Xu need from me? You can rest assured," Director Zhao understood his implication.

"Well..." Xu Qi'an chuckled, "He's a disciple of Cloud Deer Academy."

*A Cloud Deer Academy disciple?*

Director Zhao frowned deeply.

"Don't worry, I won't make things difficult for you. Just ensure that after the Spring Examinations, he's retained in the capital and treated the same as other scholars. I'll be immensely grateful," Xu Qi'an coaxed.

"Your nephew and niece-in-law will naturally be released by then. I won't hold it against them, and as for the Emperor's bracelet, let's just say it was lost."

From the moment Li mentioned that the backing was the Director from the Department of Personnel, Xu Qi'an had this plan in mind.

*This was a transaction...* Director Zhao pondered for a long time before slowly nodding, "Alright, I hope Sir Xu keeps his promise."

Seeing Director Zhao off, Xu Qi'an exhaled and thought, *Erlang, of all my siblings, you're the one I dote on the most.*

With that, he headed to the Tower of Noble Spirit.

The guard downstairs, seeing Xu Qi'an, said with a hint of resentment and sarcasm, "Sir Xu Qian, you're here again. I heard your big brother came back from the dead?"

Xu Qi'an glanced at him, "Who is Xu Qian? I'm Xu Xinnian. Stop the nonsense and go report."

The guard hurriedly went upstairs and soon returned, saying, "Lord Wei invites you up."

...

Seventh Floor.

Wei Yuan stood before a terrain map, lost in thought. Upon hearing footsteps, he didn’t turn around and casually asked, "Did Director Zhao from the Department of Personnel Selection come to see you?"

*Coming to the Tower of Noble Spirit was indeed the right decision…* Xu Qi'an cupped his hands, "Nothing escapes Lord Wei."

Wei Yuan nodded but still didn’t turn around. "What’s the matter?"

Xu Qi'an briefly described the course of events, "If nothing unexpected happens, my second brother will be exiled to a desolate place. My second uncle only has one son; how can he be treated like this?"

With a slight smile, Wei Yuan asked, "Why not ask me for help?"

Silence was his response, and Wei Yuan did not press him.

After a long pause, Xu Qi'an frankly replied, "I want to leave a path for the Xu family; he shouldn’t be in the same camp as me."

After a pause, he added, "I owe a great debt to Lord Wei, and I will not hesitate to charge forward."

Often, circumstances drive you forward, and by the time you realise it, there’s no turning back.

Of course, Xu Qi'an didn’t regret it; there was always a price to pay for what you gain. He just felt that having an extra path was beneficial for the future.

A lone minister has no good end!

This sentence from the Crown Prince made Xu Qi'an wary.

A smart person didn’t put all their eggs in one basket. Xu Qi'an hoped that among those who could support the Xu family in the future, there would be Xu Xinnian.

Although as a cousin, Xu Xinnian would bear some imprint of him, this could not compare to the relation he had with Wei Yuan.

This little thought was not hidden from Wei Yuan, so the added sentence was to express his stance.

Wei Yuan slowly nodded, "It’s only human nature. By the way, you’ve successfully advanced to the Refining Spirit stage, haven’t you? How strong is your primordial spirit?"

"That’s hard to say…" Xu Qi'an scratched his head.

"You might as well take Li Yuchun as the standard. He’s a veteran at the Refining Spirit stage, still a ways from Bronze Skin and Iron Bones, but his combat strength is solid." Wei Yuan continued staring at the geomantic map.

Xu Qi'an pondered, "I could take on two with a single strike."

Wei Yuan turned around, stunned, "Huh?"

He squinted, staring intently at Xu Qi'an, "What did you say?"

"Lord Wei, after advancing to the Refining Spirit stage, I haven’t had a chance to test my strength. I’m not sure where my primordial spirit strength stands within the Refining Spirit stage." Xu Qi'an modestly said.

"Aren’t you proficient in the Buddhist Lion’s Roar?" Wei Yuan thought for a moment, pointing to the observation deck, "Go out there and give us a shout."

"Lord Wei, the Lion’s Roar doesn’t discriminate between friend and foe," Xu Qi'an hesitated.

The AoE skill doesn’t differentiate between enemies and allies.

"Don’t worry about me," Wei Yuan waved his hand.

"Yes sir." Xu Qi'an crossed the tea room and headed for the observation deck. Bathed in warm sunlight, he gathered his breath in his *dantian*.

In his mind, he visualised a golden lion roaring, accompanied by unique breathing and energy circulation techniques. After a brief pause… he let out a deep roar towards the entire Nightwatcher office below.

"Roar!"

This roar didn’t sound like an animal cry or a human shout; it was more like a clap of thunder exploding in the Nightwatcher office.

The rolling sound waves raged.

Within the Tower of Noble Spirit, the clerks' eyes rolled back, and they experienced temporary deafness and darkness.

Those further away felt an overwhelming fear upon hearing the roar.

Numerous auras surged from various parts of the office. The Gold Gongs within the premises were all alerted. Figures dashed out of rooms, gathered in the courtyard, leapt onto rooftops, or headed towards the Tower of Noble Spirit.

At this moment, the entire office was on alert.

"Lord, Lord Wei… seems like I’ve caused too much commotion."

Wei Yuan realised, gazing at the embarrassed-looking Xu Qi'an.

This is a young lion, sharpening its claws and slowly growing its fangs.

He hadn’t fully matured yet, but one day, his roar will shake all Jiuzhou.