Death benefits (End of volume)

Wei Yuan remained a powerful figure in officialdom for decades, and he was able to keenly discern even the slightest shift in the atmosphere.

Although Emperor Yuanjing only glanced at him when he entered, and although the other officials had already turned their attention away, Wei Yuan knew that this small court assembly was mostly related to him.

The spring sacrifice had just ended, and the results of the Capital Evaluation would be released in a few days. During this time, the Ministry of Personnel of various prefectures sent out lists of candidates for evaluation, all waiting for Emperor Yuanjing to make his final decision.

Meanwhile, the results of the investigation in the capital were gradually taking shape under the supervision of the Minister of Personnel.

The officials in the hall and Emperor Yuanjing were well aware of the bloodshed and turmoil that led to the formation of this inspection list. They would certainly not overturn it at this moment.

Since it's not related to the Capital Evaluation, what other important matter could involve him?

Wei Yuan's mind raced, and two words flashed through his mind—Yunzhou!

The urgent intelligence came from Yunzhou. It seems that Yunzhou has really rebelled. With Jiang Luzhong and Yang Yan's abilities, and with Zhang Xingying's previous efforts and preparations, Yunzhou won't fall into chaos. Wei Yuan pondered.

After another quarter of an hour, the ministers who were eligible to attend the small court assembly arrived one after another.

Emperor Yuanjing looked down at the assembled officials and said, "This morning, an urgent dispatch arrived from Yunzhou. The Yunzhou case has been resolved. The one who colluded with the Witch God Cult, supported mountain bandits, and supplied military provisions is Song Changfu, the Provincial Governor of Yunzhou."

As if a bomb had been dropped, the courtiers erupted in uproar, their faces paling with shock. Then came uncontrollable murmurs and angry rebukes.

However, some people were not surprised, such as Wang Dang.

Urgent documents had to first pass through the Cabinet, and then be forwarded to the Office of Communications, which was in charge of issuing imperial orders and conveying information to the people.

It was an office specifically responsible for verifying official documents for the emperor, reporting to officials and common people on matters such as petitions, appeals, military intelligence, and natural disasters.

The cabinet was the territory of the chief minister, and of course the cabinet had no right to open urgent documents privately. However, after the emperor read them, the first thing to do was to inform the cabinet of the contents of the documents and then hold a meeting.

Therefore, the Wang faction received firsthand information.

"Quiet!"

The chief attendant beside Emperor Yuanjing shouted several times before the courtiers finally quieted down.

"Listen to this, my lords," Emperor Yuanjing said.

The white-haired, dragon-robed grand eunuch glanced at the eunuch in the corner and nodded slightly.

The eunuch stepped forward, unfolded the document in his hand, and read aloud:

Your subject, Zhang Xingying, respectfully bows to Your Majesty:

The Yunzhou case concluded on January 24th, with the traitors Song Changfu, Yang You, Chen Ming, and 34 others all executed.

A string of names, all of them officials of rank.

"Now that Yunzhou has been returned to its jurisdiction, the major case has been concluded. This is due to the merits of the court's education and the merits of His Majesty's great virtue and divine wisdom."

"Jin Luo Jiang Lüzhong, along the way, protected his ministers with utmost care and diligence."

"Jin Luo Yang Yan, risking his life countless times, led his troops to fiercely attack the rebels, and made great contributions in suppressing the rebellion, preventing the rebels from burning, killing, looting, and ravaging the people of Yunzhou. His merits are truly great."

"Zhao Bin, Tangshan Fox, and Li Yun, the three men, died at the hands of the Dream Witch of the Witch God Cult while protecting me. They died without regret, and their loyalty and courage are deeply mourned by me."

"Song Tingfeng and Zhu Guangxiao, the gong players, made numerous contributions during the investigation, helping Xu Qi'an find evidence. To protect the evidence, they were willing to sacrifice themselves, resulting in severe Qi and Blood. During the suppression of the rebels, they led from the front, fearless of death, and their patriotism was truly moving."

From the golden gong to the bronze gong, Governor Zhang meticulously described each achievement, writing in great detail and with great care.

Wei Yuan listened in silence. Even after hearing that three silver gongs had died in the line of duty, this powerful minister, who was usually stoic, remained expressionless and showed no emotion.

"Xu Qi'an, the author of 'The Gong,' uncovered an iron ore smuggling case during his southward journey, as previously mentioned and will not be repeated here. However, in the Yunzhou case, Xu Qi'an almost single-handedly cracked various clues and found evidence of the crime. It was also he who discovered Song Changfu's conspiracy, which led to a reversal in the case and ensured that the envoy did not wrongly accuse a loyal official."

"After the plot was exposed, Song Changfu, in desperation, summoned the rebel army, closed the city gates, and surrounded and killed me at the Provincial Administration Office. When I was in dire straits, Xu Qi'an fought to the death with hundreds of rebels, killing more than two hundred enemies, before finally dying from exhaustion."

"Your humble servant humbly requests a posthumous title and honorary rank."

"Your Majesty, I am currently in Yunzhou and hope to have an audience with you as soon as possible. Zhang Xingying bows deeply."

After reading it aloud, the eunuch gathered up the long memorial and withdrew.

Emperor Yuanjing glanced at the ministers who were making a ruckus and whispering among themselves, and finally his gaze settled on Wei Yuan.

This legendary eunuch, hailed as the greatest general in the Great Feng for five hundred years; this Left Commander of the Five Armies who won the Battle of Shanhai Pass and subdued neighboring countries; this infamous eunuch Nightwatchers, monitored all officials, and whose reputation was ruined.

At this very moment, he was actually daydreaming during the court meeting.

"What do you, my esteemed ministers, think of Zhang Xingying's report?" Emperor Yuanjing asked. "Wei Yuan, Wei Yuan, Wei Yuan."

He shouted three times, each time louder than the last.

Wei Yuan shuddered, seemingly startled. He then reacted and let out a soft "Ah?"

Emperor Yuanjing raised an eyebrow. "Minister Wei seems to be in low spirits. Zhang Xingying nipped the Yunzhou rebellion in the bud, which is also your achievement. Is Minister Wei perhaps unhappy?"

Wei Yuan did not answer.

The Left Supervising Secretary of the Ministry of Ministry of Rites jumped out and rebuked, "Wei Yuan, His Majesty is asking you a question!"

Wei Yuan remained silent.

"Enough!" Emperor Yuanjing was in a good mood. He waved his hand and discussed the memorials with his ministers, rewarding the Nightwatchers for their contributions.

When it came to Xu Qi'an, there was a disagreement regarding the posthumous title. A small number of ministers agreed to grant him the title, while the majority disagreed.

There's nothing wrong with it. Nobility titles are not official positions; they are "rewards" for those who have made contributions and are a means for the court to win people's hearts.

Xu Qi'an's case falls under the category of being posthumously granted a title, which is merely an honor bestowed after his death.

However, Xu Qi'an was Wei Yuan's confidant, and it was in the instinct of civil officials to argue with Wei Yuan. Secondly, Xu Qi'an had made too many enemies, from the tax silver case to the Sangbo case, and from the Pingyang Princess case to the Yunzhou case.

Because of him, the Ministry of Revenue of the Wang faction fell from power; the Liang faction was abolished; the Ministry of Rites of the Wang faction fell from power; and the Minister of Ministry of Works of the Qi faction was executed along with his entire family.

The number of people who hate him is countless, and even posthumous honors are not given to him.

Among them, the Minister of the Court of Judicial Review and the Vice Minister of the Ministry of Rites, both members of the Qi faction, were the most impassioned, speaking eloquently and pointing out the drawbacks, which can be summarized in one sentence:

Xu Qi'an is not worthy.

Although the Minister of the Court of Judicial Review was a member of Qi's faction, he colluded with the Minister of Ministry of Works, who was associated with the Witchcraft Cult. There was no evidence to suggest that the Minister of the Court of Judicial Review was also involved with the Witchcraft Cult, thus allowing him to remain uninvolved.

So-called political parties are merely political allies, not relatives or family members.

The Vice Minister of Ministry of Rites was a member of the Wang faction, and his superior had been brought down by Xu Qi'an in the Sangbo case. What's most hateful is that the newly appointed Ministry of Rites was a man of Wei Yuan.

The attitude of the courtiers made Emperor Yuanjing hesitate. From his perspective, the death of the gong-wielding official he always disliked was certainly not enough to excite and delight the emperor, but to be honest, it was quite comforting.

It's like chasing away buzzing flies.

However, Emperor Yuanjing agreed to grant him a noble title, because Xu Qi'an had indeed made great contributions, and bestowing a title would demonstrate his clear distinction between rewards and punishments.

Emperor Yuanjing was most lenient towards the dead.

However, if most of his ministers disagreed, Emperor Yuanjing would not insist on his own opinion.

Just as Emperor Yuanjing was about to end the discussion and reject Zhang Xingying's suggestion, he suddenly saw Wei Yuan step forward.

The chief eunuch walked straight to the Vice Minister of Ministry of Rites, raised his hand, and slapped it open.

The resounding slap echoed throughout the imperial study, instantly drowning out the arguing of the court officials, drawing astonished gazes.

"Smack!"

The Minister of the Court of Judicial Review was also slapped, staggered and fell, his hair ornament fell off, and his hair was disheveled.

"Whoosh"

The surprised gazes turned into a clamor, and the imperial study erupted into chaos.

Throughout the history of the Great Feng Dynasty, there have been numerous instances of hot-tempered ministers engaging in physical fights in the imperial court. This was especially true in the Imperial Study.

But the fact that the assailant was Wei Yuan makes it seem absurd and bizarre.

In the eyes of the court officials, Wei Yuan, as a eunuch, held high positions in the Nightwatchers's Office and the Censorate, and was labeled as insidious, cunning, ruthless, shrewd, and scheming.

But I was definitely not "impulsive and reckless," so easily given ammunition; I would have been played to death long ago.

What conspiracy does Wei Yuan have this time? Is it intentional?

Amidst the fluctuating thoughts of the court officials, the professional critics and censors didn't need to think so much. Several "Left Censors" from the Six Ministries rushed out in a panic, shouting:

"Your Majesty, Wei Yuan has assaulted someone in court, showing utter disrespect for Your Majesty and the law. We beg Your Majesty to issue an edict to execute this scoundrel."

The censor doesn't need to think so much; just seize the opportunity and attack them relentlessly.

Immediately, many ministers seconded the motion.

Wei Yuan ignored the accusations of the officials, bowed, and said in a deep voice, "Your Majesty, the matter of the Qi faction is not yet over. Although the Minister of Ministry of Works has been dealt with, his associates are still lurking in the court. In the Sangbo case, the Ministry of Rites colluded with the Demon Race, and his associates are still alive."

"Given the upcoming Capital Evaluation, I propose that we postpone the investigations until the truth is revealed before making a decision."

What does that mean?

The officials were shocked and looked at Wei Yuan in disbelief. The implication in his words was clear: he wanted to delay the Capital Evaluation. Was he planning to cause trouble?!

Since the beginning of the year, the officialdom in Beijing has been exhausted by the tense atmosphere of lying low and cautiously observing, as well as the infighting and fear among everyone from the middle to the end of the year.

Even the most cunning schemers wanted to end the Capital Evaluation as soon as possible so that the people could recuperate.

Wei Yuan, that scoundrel, actually intends to prolong the struggle?

He... he's gone mad?

Even the Grand Secretary Wang Zhenwen couldn't help but turn his head and scrutinize Wei Yuan in astonishment. Wei Qingyi remained expressionless, not much different from usual.

As a long-time adversary, Chief Minister Wang found himself unable to fathom Wei Yuan's intentions at this moment.

A moment of anger?

No, how could Wei Yuan be swayed by emotions? Besides, where would his anger come from?

Emperor Yuanjing stared at Wei Yuan for a moment, then suddenly realized that the gong named Xu Qi'an held an extraordinary place in Wei Yuan's heart.

He gestured for the officials to quiet down before slowly saying, "Xu Qi'an solved such a complex and mysterious case in just ten days; it's truly miraculous."

"The sacrifice of such talented individuals is a loss to our court. Let us proceed as Zhang Xingying has suggested."

"Wei Yuan assaulted a high-ranking official in court, showing utter disregard for the law; he shall be fined one year's salary. As for the Capital Evaluation, it shall be conducted in accordance with ancestral regulations and need not be changed."

The officials were not surprised by Emperor Yuanjing's lenient punishment. Although they were disappointed, they knew that this kind of thing could not bring down the powerful eunuch.

Given Wei Yuan's importance, His Majesty has a very high tolerance for his mistakes. Beating up a court official once or twice and receiving some punishment is already the limit.

To their surprise, Wei Yuan stopped dwelling on the matter of the Capital Evaluation and remained silent about it.

This made the court officials realize that the so-called delay in the Capital Evaluation was just an excuse for Wei Yuan to vent his anger.

Compared to the lenient punishment, the reason for Wei Yuan's loss of composure was what the courtiers were extremely concerned about. So, even the seemingly invincible Wei Yuan had someone who could make him lose his composure?

Subsequently, heated discussions ensued among various parties regarding the posthumous conferment of a noble title upon Xu Qi'an.

After some haggling, Xu Qi'an's title was finalized: Viscount of Changle County.

Viscount!

It cannot be inherited indefinitely.

After the small court assembly ended and the officials dispersed, Wei Yuan walked forward without saying a word. Whether it was intentional or not, he walked very quickly, walking in front of the officials so that no one could see his expression.

"Godfather."

Nangong Qianrou came forward, about to inquire about the content of the small court assembly and the urgent documents delivered by express messenger, but he suddenly froze.

Wei Yuan's expression was blank, yet his sadness was easily read; his eyes, weathered by the passage of time, held a deep desolation.

Without a greeting or even a nod, Wei Yuan walked silently past Nangong Qianrou and continued on his way.

The hem of his green robe swayed gently. His silhouette was desolate and lonely.

Nangong Qianrou was taken aback when she realized something had happened. She glanced at the officials walking behind her, suppressed her urge to probe, and strode after Wei Yuan.

The wheels rumbled on the way back to the Nightwatchers's office. Nangong Qianrou had been holding back all the way, but as they approached the office, she finally spoke up and asked:

"Godfather, what happened?"

Inside the carriage, Wei Yuan's deep, hoarse voice came. "Xu Qi'an has died in the line of duty."

Nangong Qianrou's expression froze.

He turned his head and glanced furtively into the carriage. Even though the door was blocking his view, he unconsciously slowed his movements, afraid of being discovered by Wei Yuan.

Everyone in the Nightwatchers's office knew that Duke Wei valued Xu Qi'an, but only Nangong Qianrou and Yang Yan knew that it was more than just valuing him; their adoptive father held extremely high expectations for Xu Qi'an, like a craftsman discovering a perfect piece of rough jade.

He cherished it so much that he dreamed of carving it into a peerless jade, so that the day it was completed would astound the world.

Although it wasn't explicitly stated, Nangong Qianrou knew in her heart that this expectation and importance placed on her far surpassed that of her adopted son.

Now that Xu Qi'an has died in the line of duty, one can only imagine the feelings of her adoptive father. Nangong Qianrou sighed inwardly.

He thought he would be secretly happy. Xu Qi'an's appearance made him jealous and unbalanced. He had thought countless times that it would have been better if that guy had never appeared.

My godfather still cares about me the most.

Upon hearing the news of Xu Qi'an's death, Nangong Qianrou felt no joy whatsoever; instead, she felt lost and empty inside.

Suddenly, the reins slipped from her hand. Nangong Qianrou was startled and realized that the reins in her palm had been crushed into powder by him at some point.

Back at the yamen, Nangong Qianrou followed Wei Yuan into the Haoqi Tower. Upon reaching the seventh floor, Wei Yuan paused at the entrance to the tea room and whispered:

"You can go out first; I want to be alone for a while."

Nangong Qianrou hesitated, bowed, and retreated, but did not leave; instead, she waited outside the tea room.

The tea room was quiet, and the afternoon sun shone brightly on the lookout tower.

Wei Yuan continued to peruse official documents as usual, as if nothing had happened; he remained the same powerful eunuch who never showed his emotions.

As the sun gradually moved westward, the twilight sunlight turned orange-red, making the western clouds appear as if they were on fire.

Wei Yuan didn't turn a single page of the official documents in his hand; he sat there blankly for two and a half hours.

Closing the document, Wei Yuan pinched the bridge of his nose and called out, "Qianrou."

"Godfather." Nangong Qianrou entered upon hearing the voice, her delicate face filled with worry.

"Summon all the officials with gongs and drums in the yamen," Wei Yuan ordered.

Nangong Qianrou retreated, and soon returned with six Golden Gongs.

At this moment, Wei Yuan stood with his hands behind his back in the center of the tea room, silently scrutinizing Jin Luo.

"Duke Wei." The men with golden gongs clasped their hands in greeting.

Wei Yuan nodded slightly and slowly said, "Order all your spies scattered abroad to infiltrate the northeastern countries. Before the beginning of summer, I must obtain the southwestern border defense layout map of the Witch God Sect, at all costs."

Jinluo Zhang Kaitai was taken aback. "Duke Wei."

The other gong players were equally surprised.

Wei Yuan said calmly, "After the autumn harvest, I will attack the Witch God Cult."

Sure enough, the eunuchs carefully observed Wei Yuan and finally noticed the subtle abnormality of this powerful eunuch. In the past, Duke Wei always had a detached and wise demeanor, with a calmness that matched his status and position.

But today's Duke Wei is different from the past; his eyes, filled with the marks of time, now burn with a sharp edge and fighting spirit.

This fighting spirit and determination were only seen during the Battle of Shanhai Pass.

The gong players all bowed their heads and replied formally, "We obey your command."

After the several Golden Gongs took their leave and exited the Haoqi Tower, one of them frowned and said, "The imperial court is unlikely to start a war lightly."

Nangong Qianrou sneered. The imperial court would not easily start a war, but the Witch God Church and the various societies in the Northeast could easily take the bait as long as they sent confidential information through secret channels.

When the borders are invaded, Your Majesty and the officials of the court will not turn a blind eye.

With his adoptive father's methods, whether he can fight the Witch God Cult depends solely on his willingness, not on His Majesty's desire to fight.

Zhang Kaitai looked at Nangong Qianrou, frowned, and asked, "Did something happen in court today? Duke Wei is behaving strangely."

Nangong Qianrou nodded. "This morning, there was an urgent letter delivered by Zhang Xingying from Yunzhou. Just as my godfather predicted, Yunzhou has indeed rebelled."

He paused, glanced at the assembled officials, and said in a deep voice without realizing it, "Xu Qi'an has died in the line of duty."

The group of golden gongs suddenly looked up at Haoqi Tower.

At this moment, Xu Qi'an was still floating on the water.

It wasn't the "Pretentious King" who kidnapped Liang Youping!

An indescribable sense of horror rose in Xu Qi'an's heart, as if he had taken a selfie in an abandoned house, and after developing the photo at home, he found a disheveled female ghost in white standing behind him.

That sense of dread sent chills down your spine and made your scalp tingle.

"You really didn't kidnap Liang Youping?" Xu Qi'an asked for confirmation.

"When have I, Yang Qianhuan, ever told a lie?" the arrogant man said calmly.

His teacher's task for him was to secretly watch over Xu Qi'an. Although the "Prince of Bitch" didn't know why his teacher would give such an order, he had always been a disciplined disciple.

He's very reliable!

If you promise to take care of Xu Qi'an, you absolutely won't do anything unnecessary.

The Yunzhou case had nothing to do with him; whether it was solved or not was the governor's business. Later, Xu Qi'an walked right into the trap, forcing him to step in to help and thus exposing himself.

Get lost! You just lied to me and said you didn't peek at the letters. If I weren't really in the mood, Xu Qi'an would have slapped that arrogant guy right then and there.

Liang Youping wasn't kidnapped by Yang Qianhuan? If so, the whole case needs to be restarted. Could it be that the mastermind isn't Song Changfu, but someone else, like Yang Chuannan?

The case in Yunzhou originally started when Zhou Min, an undercover agent, discovered that Yang Chuannan had embezzled military supplies and supported bandits. It wasn't until I stumbled upon the fact that Qi's faction was colluding with the Witch God Cult that the governor was sent to Yunzhou to investigate the case.

Could the truth of this case be this:

Yang Chuannan discovered that his scheme had been exposed Nightwatchers the night watchman's spy, so he ordered the dream witch to kill Zhou Min to silence him, decipher the code, and find the evidence. Then he set up this self-inflicted injury ruse, and the turning point was Liang Youping.

He first deliberately had Liang Youping wait for me at the dog meat shop, then used Li Miaozhen to reveal Liang Youping's identity, drawing my attention before having Liang Youping handed over to Governor Zhang. Using this twist, he made us completely believe that Song Changfu was the mastermind, allowing him to escape unscathed.

Liang Youping was indeed shielded from the influence of fate at the time, and the Bureau of Astronomy's Qi-Watching Technique was unable to determine whether he was lying.

Xu Qi'an pondered for a long time and then rejected this conjecture for the following three reasons:

First, there's no need to go to such lengths. Making the case so complicated only exposes more flaws. The simpler the case, the harder it is to solve. As the saying goes, the stranger the weapon, the faster you die. The same principle applies to this case.

As long as Yang Chuannan destroys the evidence, even if everyone believes he did it, Governor Zhang has no evidence and cannot touch a second-rank military commander.

This is the safest approach.

Secondly, the reason why Governor Zhang and others, including Xu Qi'an, believed Liang Youping's words so readily was mainly because they all thought that the person who came to their aid was Yang Qianhuan.

To recap the case, when Liang Youping was sent to the post station, Governor Zhang and others were skeptical of his testimony. At that time, Governor Zhang's response was to first arrest Song Changfu and confront Liang Youping.

As a result, Song Changfu "committed suicide out of fear of punishment," and then the various armies in Yunzhou rebelled. The events unfolded so quickly that there was no time to verify the truth of the case.

It wasn't until Yang Qianhuan appeared that everyone realized that the Warlock was actually Yang Qianhuan, which made perfect sense.

Thus, Liang Youping's "walking into the trap" can be reasonably explained.

Unfortunately, Yang Qianhuan left immediately after helping Jiang Luzhong kill the Dream Witch, making further verification impossible.

Xu Qi'an cited this point as a reason because Yang Chuannan could not possibly know that Yang Qianhuan had come to Yunzhou. Therefore, the mysterious appearance of this Warlock was an inexplicable point of suspicion in the minds of Governor Zhang and others.

Although he could use the subsequent betrayal to eliminate Governor Zhang, if he could eliminate Governor Zhang and his associates anyway, why bother with such elaborate schemes?

On the contrary, the dream witch's explanation makes more sense. The reason for her forbearance was to push Yang Chuannan to take the blame, until the matter was exposed, at which point she had no choice but to implement her final plan—murder to silence him.

Third, if Yang Chuannan were the mastermind, those who betrayed him would have exposed him long ago. Would those traitors in the Yunzhou officialdom not know which boss they were following?

This is a rebellion, not a gangster saga.

"The mastermind behind this is undoubtedly Song Changfu, but what about that Warlock appeared out of nowhere?"

"A wild Warlock can cultivate to this level? You must know, the Warlock System has only existed for about six hundred years, unlike martial artists and other systems, which have existed for a long time and have a large number of wild cultivators."

"Even traditional systems like Confucian School maintain strict control over cultivation methods. Only martial artists without fathers (who surpass their rank) can flourish. This is another reason why the major systems look down on martial artists."

"And why is that Warlock of unknown origin helping me? What is his purpose?"

Xu Qi'an suddenly thought of something: could Warlock Warlock in the tax silver case who concocted the counterfeit silver be the same person as the Warlock in the Yunzhou case, or perhaps from the same organization?

If that's the case, then helping me would eliminate those bastards; they almost caused my exile and my second uncle's execution. Xu Qi'an rubbed his temples in exasperation.

The Bureau of Astronomy is not as simple as it seems.

"Ahem." Xu Qi'an coughed lightly. "There's something I need to tell Senior Brother Yang."

"Explain."

Xu Qi'an then told Yang Qianhuan about the existence of the nameless Warlock in detail, and then asked, "Does our Bureau of Astronomy have some secrets hidden?"

"Our Bureau of Astronomy?" Yang Qianhuan asked back, his back to him.

"Anyway, Caiwei is going to marry me sooner or later."

"Heh." Yang Qianhuan scoffed, then said in a serious tone, "The Bureau of Astronomy does indeed have some secrets. For example, my teacher never talks about our grandmaster, but I know in my heart that my teacher once murdered our master."

After killing his master, Xu Qi'an reviewed the previous text and recalled the relevant information about the first supervisor during the investigation of the Sangbo case.

The first Director of the Imperial Academy supported the old imperial family from five hundred years ago. Originally, he was the Prince of Pinghai. After Emperor Wuzong usurped the throne, the Director of the Imperial Academy became the current Director of the Imperial Academy.

Information about the first director of the Imperial Academy has been erased from history.

It was wiped clean, and even a female scholar like Princess Huaiqing, who could study history, couldn't find a single clue. It was only through the indirect means of obtaining information from the Buddhist School missionary work of five hundred years ago.

So the Supervisor really did kill his master. It was just a guess before, but now it's confirmed. Xu Qi'an said, "Senior Brother Yang, do you mean that this Warlock who appeared in Yunzhou is related to the first Supervisor?"

Yang Qianhuan shook his head. "I don't know that. Don't ask so many questions. You don't understand the Warlock System. Even a rare genius like me doesn't know what first-grade and second-grade Warlock are called."

Xu Qi'an is no longer a newbie. Generally speaking, this situation means that knowing the information about first-grade and second-grade magicians allows him to know many secrets of the Warlock System, secrets that cannot be known to outsiders.

"Do you know what rank Warlock is capable of concealing their aura? Senior Brother Yang, can you do that?" Xu Qi'an probed, unwilling to give up.

"That's something I can tell you," Yang Qianhuan said. "Shielding one's destiny is something any normal Warlock can do; it's not difficult. To shield someone else's destiny, one must be at least a sixth-rank cultivator."

"But if what you say is true, that Liang Youping can shield himself from the divination and curses of a fourth-rank dream sorcerer. Only one rank among Warlock can do that. What Liang Youping is shielding is not his fate, but his destiny, the secrets of heaven."

He paused, then said, "A third-rank Warlock, a celestial strategist."

A third-rank?! The Warlock in the Yunzhou case was a third-rank?! Xu Qi'an was stunned, feeling like his brain couldn't process it.

The Yunzhou case has surprisingly implicated a third-rank Warlock!

If that's the case, then Yang Qianhuan, a fourth-grade Formation Master, certainly couldn't do it. Damn it, if I had known this important information earlier, I... I would have pretended not to know anything.

Xu Qi'an thought to himself, "Even if you see through a third-rank Warlock's scheme, you can't expose it."

This isn't cowardice; it's an adult's mindset.

We need to give each other face.

"Remember to keep this a secret, don't tell anyone, especially about the teacher killing his teacher." Yang Qianhuan paused, then added:

"It's not that I'm afraid of the teacher, it's that I feel he's getting on in years and shouldn't have his reputation ruined. I have to leave him some dignity."

The more you explain, the more guilty you seem. How could I dare to say anything carelessly? The Supervisor could crush me with a single finger. Xu Qi'an nodded in agreement, saying, "I also think we should give the Supervisor some face."

Yang Qianhuan smiled and said, "You really are an interesting man, just like me."

The Bureau of Astronomy has a short history, and many things are actually easy to find out, unlike the Daoist sage and the Confucian sage, the latter being figures from thousands of years ago, and the former simply detached from historical records.

Xu Qi'an planned to secretly investigate the Bureau of Astronomy after returning to the capital, and also to investigate Su Su's family affairs. It was definitely not because he was lusting after her body; she didn't have one.

"Gurgle, gurgle."

Xu Qi'an was a little hungry, so he immediately got out of the coffin. "I'll go find something to eat."

Yang Qianhuan asked, "Then how do you plan to explain your resurrection?"

Xu Qi'an suddenly froze. Yes, how could he explain the matter of being brought back to life?

The big shots in Beijing aren't easily fooled, and he's no longer the nobody from Changle County he used to be—oh, he's still a nobody this year.

It's that same quick-witted guy from back then.

Xu Qi'an silently lay back down in the coffin. "I won't show myself yet. I'll ask my father's opinion when we get to the capital. Senior Brother Yang, I'll leave the food arrangements to you."

Yang Qianhuan nodded, indicating that there was no problem, and then asked in surprise, "Weren't you orphaned at a young age and raised by your second uncle?"

"Actually, I am Wei Yuan's illegitimate son."

"What?!" Yang Qianhuan exclaimed in shock.

Xu Qi'an is Wei Yuan's illegitimate son. Wei Yuan actually had an illegitimate son?

The inner city, the Xu Residence.

The next morning, Nangong Qianrou, accompanied by two men with gongs, knocked on the gate of the Xu Residence.

The side door was already open, but given his status as a high-ranking official, he naturally had to use the middle door.

Old Zhang, the gatekeeper, opened the middle gate and saw the three Nightwatchers. He quickly bowed and said, "Gentlemen, what brings you here?"

Because Dalang was Nightwatchers, he had some understanding of the ranks and duties of night Nightwatchers.

The female Nightwatchers had a golden gong embroidered on her chest, indicating that she was of higher status than Dalang.

At this moment, just as dawn broke, Nangong Qianrou glanced at Old Zhang, then looked towards the mansion and asked, "Xu Pingzhi, the centurion of the Imperial Saber Guard, in the mansion?"

He was acting on his adoptive father's orders to give Xu Qi'an Song a pension of three hundred taels of silver.

The value of a gong is fixed; rules are rules.

But Nangong Qianrou knew that the benefits the Xu Household would reap in the future would be immeasurable. For example, their official rank as commanders of the Imperial Saber Guard could be promoted further.

The scholar from the Cloud Deer Academy who is about to participate in the imperial examination will not be relegated to a remote county in his future career.

"Yes, yes, Master and Madam are dining in the back hall. Please go to the front hall to eat, sir. I will go and fetch Master."

Old Zhang, the gatekeeper, respectfully led the three Nightwatchers into the front hall and instructed the servants to serve hot tea.

The two gong players expressed their gratitude politely and were very friendly.

Nangong Qianrou did not accept the tea, saying, "No need to waste time, lead me there."

PS: In the previous chapter, I wrote about five coffins, which some readers didn't understand. Let me explain here: There was a mistake in the chapter before that. Five people died, and I forgot about the minor character, Gong. So, in the end, five coffins were sent back.