Wei Yuan's shock

Since ancient times, people have had an innate awe of officials. Looking at the imposing government office, the guards with swords, and the serious-faced Nightwatchers coming and going, Aunt and Xu Lingyue felt somewhat afraid.

It was the aunt's first time visiting the yamen, and she was very nervous, so she hugged Xu Lingyin tightly and rubbed her to calm her down.

The little boy's face changed into various shapes in his aunt's hands.

Xu Lingyue silently approached Xu Qi'an.

"Ningyan."

A somewhat unfamiliar gong player came over to greet them, his gaze lingering on his aunt and Xu Lingyue, clearly attracted by their beauty.

"This is my sister." Xu Qi'an nodded and introduced Xu Lingyue to him.

The man with the gong immediately smiled and gestured, then looked at his aunt. "Is this my sister?"

My aunt was taken aback at first, then her face lit up with a smile, her eyes crinkling into crescent moons.

Xu Qi'an rolled his eyes. "Have you ever seen a 36-year-old woman?"

"Xu Ningyan!" The aunt trembled with anger.

Her age was revealed? The aunt took a deep breath, thinking, "Don't be angry, don't be angry." She had to maintain her image in front of outsiders; she couldn't just pounce on her nephew and scratch his face.

Tongluo glanced at his aunt and Xu Lingyue a few more times before reluctantly walking away.

Xu Qi'an led the three women toward Chunfeng Hall. Along the way, they encountered many familiar colleagues who greeted Xu Qi'an warmly. Several people mistook the aunt for Xu Qi'an's older sister.

It was a veiled compliment to her youth and beauty.

Upon arriving at the side hall of Chunfeng Hall, after instructing the clerk to serve tea and water, the aunt's tense mood vanished, and she smiled, saying:

"Every night Nightwatchers in the yamen is handsome and speaks very pleasantly."

"Auntie, what you're saying sounds strange," Xu Qi'an said. "I'll go wait at the yamen gate."

He waited for a quarter of an hour at the entrance of the yamen, where three constables from the prefectural government arrived, along with Zhao Shen and his wife.

"Sir, the prisoner has been brought here." The young constable clasped his hands in a respectful gesture.

"Um!"

Xu Qi'an nodded, took the rope, and said, "You wait here. I'll take the prisoner to jail and then come out to return the rope."

Mr. and Mrs. Zhao were terrified. Everyone in the capital knew the reputation of the Nightwatchers, and they also knew that the Nightwatchers's prison was a place where no one could get out.

Even if you manage to get out, you'll be badly injured and spend the rest of your life in pain.

It's all Nangong Qianrou's fault; he single-handedly created the infamous reputation of the Nightwatchers's Dungeon.

Zhao Shen's wife plopped down on the ground, crying and throwing a tantrum, "I won't go to the Nightwatchers's office! Kill me! Kill me!"

This woman was clearly used to throwing tantrums at home; old habits die hard. Even after coming to the Nightwatchers's office, she remained as shrewish and shameless as ever.

Xu Qi'an's eyes flashed with anger, and he snatched the guard's sword sheath and slapped him across the face.

Pfft. The woman spat out three large teeth, her mouth full of blood. She covered her face, seemingly stunned by the blow.

"Want to die? That's easy. I'll grant your wish in a moment." Xu Qi'an sneered, "Why didn't you think of this when you were bullying me?"

Having said that, he suddenly yanked the rope and dragged the couple into the yamen (government office).

The three constables remained where they were, when one of them suddenly said, "That gentleman, doesn't he look familiar?"

"Lord Xu? I served under Constable Lü before she was promoted to Chief Constable, and I saw you once. You've changed so much, I hardly recognized you."

"I've seen him before. No wonder he looked so familiar. Wasn't he dead? Around that time, Officer Lü was in a terrible mood and would lose his temper at the drop of a hat."

Along the way, they frequently attracted the attention of Tong Gong, who jokingly asked, "What kind of prisoner is Lord Xu escorting, all crying and sobbing?"

Xu Qi'an responded, "Those two bullies who rely on their master's power, let them taste the harsh realities of society today."

Upon arriving at the Nightwatchers's private dungeon, the prison door swung open with a clang, releasing a wave of dark, damp air.

Zhao Shen's face was deathly pale, his eyes filled with despair and terror; this was the most regrettable moment of his life.

I never imagined that what was originally a small matter would lead to such a disaster.

The woman finally broke down, crying, "I pawned that bracelet! I'll pay you back, I'll pay you back! Please don't lock me in the dungeon!"

Zhao Shen stared wide-eyed at his wife. He finally understood the reason for the mysterious man's anger: his own son had indeed repeatedly bullied someone else's sister.

It turns out the bracelet was indeed stolen; it turns out the wife knew everything.

That's it. The Nightwatchers has something on him. Even officials of rank would be afraid, let alone him. Would my uncle offend the Nightwatchers for his sake?

He couldn't help but feel remorseful. Why didn't he figure things out first? Why didn't he handle this matter properly? Why did he only think that with his uncle's power, what did it matter if he bullied some ordinary people and minor officials?

Zhao Shen burst into tears, muttering, "It's all over, it's all over."

He suddenly flew into a rage, kicked his wife to the ground, and yelled, "It's all your fault! It's all your fault!"

He kicked and cursed, wishing he could divorce his wife, if only he could get back alive.

The woman burst into tears.

Xu Qi'an summoned the jailers and had the two imprisoned. Then he called the jailer and instructed him, "Teach that couple who were just imprisoned a lesson. They should know their limits."

"Are you asking whether to spare my life or my leg?" the jailer asked, perplexed.

"..." Xu Qi'an said irritably, "They're alive, but you'll beat them up every day. Be careful not to break any arms or legs. I need these two, understand?"

Hearing this, the jailer understood that Lord Xu was simply giving the two men a normal lesson, letting them suffer in prison.

"That's it? This is the Nightwatchers's dungeon!" the jailer thought to himself. Such a trivial matter warrants imprisonment in the Nightwatchers's office?

"This is called labor reform. As a Nightwatchers, I guard the safety of the imperial city and am trusted and relied upon by His Majesty. It is my duty to educate and reform the ignorant people."

"My lord is wise."

After being released from prison, he chatted with his aunt and sister at Chunfeng Hall until a black-clad official came to report that an official claiming to be a secretary in the Ministry of Personnel was requesting an audience.

This was within Xu Qi'an's expectations. The clan concept in this world was far stronger than in his previous life. In his previous life, it was hard to say how much help an uncle would have given his nephew in such a situation.

After all, Xu Qi'an is no longer an ordinary Nightwatchers; he is Nightwatchers with a gold medal.

"Bring him to Chunfeng Hall." Xu Qi'an got up, left the side hall, entered Li Yuchun's "office," and sat in his seat.

I should be a silver gong soon. Oh dear, there are ten bronze gong positions available. Who should I recruit? I'll give one to my second uncle, one to my aunt, one to Erlang, one to Lingyue, and oh, one to Lingyin too. Haha, the whole family will be paid without working.

As he was amusing himself, the doorway darkened slightly, and a clerk led in an official with a goatee. The official was over fifty years old, wearing a blue official robe with a silver pheasant pattern on his chest, and his graying sideburns were visible under his official hat.

The moment he stepped into Chunfeng Hall, this usually silent and imposing old man broke into a warm, gentle smile:

"Lord Xu, I've long admired your name! Oh dear, I am of lowly rank and have never had the chance to meet you. I've heard you are a frequent visitor to the Imperial Study."

Xu Qi'an said calmly, "If you want to see me, just go to the Imperial Academy of Music -run entertainment district)."

Zhao Langzhong was taken aback.

Xu Qi'an laughed heartily, "Lord Zhao is even less easily amused than the girls from the Imperial Academy of Music. Haha, please sit down, please sit down, someone bring some tea."

Zhao Langzhong's words were a veiled criticism, implying that Xu Qi'an was a troublemaker who had made countless enemies.

Xu Qi'an likened him to a woman of the night.

After a brief exchange without the clash of swords, the clerk served hot tea. Lord Zhao took a sip and went straight to the point:

"Lord Xu, may I ask what wrong my good-for-nothing nephew has committed?"

"This is a huge problem!"

Xu Qi'an looked worried, as if he was troubled by Zhao Langzhong's situation. He said, "He instructed the children to commit robbery and extortion. After the incident was exposed, he gathered his servants and plotted to harm me and my family."

"Lord Zhao, we are officials in the same court, and we should give each other face, but the law is impartial!"

Despite being a seasoned official, Lord Zhao remained unfazed, even showing a hint of shame. "It's all my fault for failing to restrain him, allowing him to act recklessly."

Lord Zhao took out a silver note from his sleeve, placed it on the table, and sincerely apologized. "Lord Xu, please be lenient."

Xu Qi'an glanced at the hundred-yuan note and sighed, "My sister got a little injured."

Lord Zhao then took out another card.

Xu Qi'an sighed, "My aunt got a little injured."

Lord Zhao then took out another card.

Xu Qi'an sighed, "My sister got a little injured."

"Lord Xu's sister has already been injured."

"Oh, I have two younger sisters."

Lord Zhao then took out another card.

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

Lord Zhao's lips twitched, and he took out another hundred taels.

"The lost bracelet was a gift from His Majesty."

Another one.

Now, there were a full six hundred taels on the table. Even Lord Zhao, who had been in officialdom for decades, couldn't help but twitch the corner of his mouth.

Xu Qi'an didn't continue to make things difficult, not because he was content with his current situation, but because Zhao Shen had recently extorted five hundred taels of silver, and now he was giving him a taste of his own medicine. He even managed to get an extra hundred taels.

"I forgive them for this." Xu Qi'an carefully put away the silver notes and tucked them into his pocket.

"Then please release them, Young Master Xu." Lord Zhao breathed a sigh of relief.

"This won't work." Xu Qi'an shook his head.

Lord Zhao's face suddenly darkened.

Xu Qi'an took a sip of tea and smiled, "Debts must be repaid, but interest must be charged, right? This five hundred taels of silver is the interest; you haven't repaid me the principal yet."

Lord Zhao stared sharply at him, and after a moment, took a deep breath. "What does Lord Xu want?"

He was a powerful official in charge of dispatching officials, a power that could determine the fate of local officials in the imperial court.

Aside from the appointments of the three second-rank officials—the Commander-in-Chief, the Provincial Administration Commissioner, and the Provincial Judicial Commissioner—he could not interfere with the transfers and appointments of other local officials, which all had to go through the Ministry of Personnel's Selection Office.

Only Xu Qi'an was someone he could do nothing about.

The Nightwatchers were originally an institution set up to monitor all officials, so their duties were inherently incompatible. Besides, personnel appointments were not under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Personnel. There was another reason: this guy was a tough nut to crack.

With Wei Yuan protecting him, he was repeatedly entrusted by His Majesty to handle cases. Not to mention a mere physician like him, even the officials in the court felt resentful towards this lowly official, but outwardly they were helpless.

"It's nothing serious. Come, Lord Zhao, please sit down." Xu Qi'an gestured for him to sit, then raised his teacup. After Lord Zhao reluctantly took a sip of tea, he asked with a smile:

"I heard that the Office of Personnel Selection is in charge of the allocation of officials?"

Dr. Zhao nodded.

"The imperial examinations will be held in a few days. I have a cousin who is extremely talented and learned. Passing the examinations will be a piece of cake for him," Xu Qi'an said.

"Since that's the case, why should Lord Xu tell me this? You can rest assured." Doctor Zhao understood his meaning.

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

Disciples of the Cloud Deer Academy?

Dr. Zhao frowned deeply.

"Don't worry, I won't make things difficult for Lord Zhao. You just need to keep him in the capital after the imperial examinations, treating him the same as the other successful candidates, and I will be eternally grateful." Xu Qi'an patiently persuaded him.

"Your nephew and niece-in-law will be released in due time; I will not mistreat them. As for the bracelet His Majesty bestowed upon me, I will consider it as if I never had it."

The idea had taken root in Xu Qi'an's mind the moment he heard Mr. Li say that the other party's backer was a senior official in the Ministry of Personnel.

This is a deal. After a long silence, Physician Zhao slowly nodded. "Very well, I hope Lord Xu will keep his promise."

After seeing off Doctor Zhao, Xu Qi'an let out a sigh of relief, thinking to himself, "Erlang, of all my younger siblings, I still dote on you the most."

Then, he turned and went to the Haoqi Tower.

The guards downstairs, upon seeing Xu Qi'an, spoke with a resentful tone and a sarcastic smirk, "Lady Xu Qian, you're here again. I heard your elder brother has come back from the dead?"

Xu Qi'an glanced at him. "Who is Xu Qian? My name is Xu Xinnian. Enough with the nonsense, go and announce my arrival."

The guard scurried upstairs, then returned moments later, saying, "Duke Wei invites you upstairs."

Seventh floor.

Wei Yuan, who was deep in thought before the geomantic map, heard footsteps approaching, but did not turn around, speaking casually:

"Is Zhao, the physician from the Imperial Academy, here to see you?"

"Coming to Haoqi Tower was definitely the right decision," Xu Qi'an said, clasping his hands in a fist salute. "Nothing can be hidden from Duke Wei."

Wei Yuan nodded, still not turning around. "What is it?"

Xu Qi'an then recounted the general course of events, saying, "If nothing unexpected happens, my Erlang will definitely be exiled to a remote and impoverished place. My second uncle only has one son; how could he do that?"

With a half-smile, Wei Yuan asked, "Why don't you ask me for help?"

He was met with silence, and Wei Yuan did not urge him.

After hesitating for a long time, Xu Qi'an answered frankly, "I want to leave a way out for the Xu Household. He shouldn't be on the same side as me."

He paused, then added, "This humble servant has received great favor from Duke Wei, and it is my duty to charge into battle."

Often, things push you forward, and once you've gone all the way, you realize there's no turning back.

Of course, Xu Qi'an didn't regret it. There's always a price to pay for what you gain. He just felt that having another path would be beneficial for the future.

Loyal ministers never have a good end!

The Crown Prince's words made Xu Qi'an secretly wary.

A wise person doesn't put all their eggs in one basket. Xu Qi'an hopes that Xu Xinnian will be one of the people who can support the Xu Household in the Xu Xinnian.

Although as his cousin, Xu Xinnian would inevitably bear his mark to some extent, it was different from Wei Yuan's mark.

This little thought couldn't escape Wei Yuan's notice, so Xu Qi'an's subsequent addition was an expression of his own stance.

Wei Yuan nodded slowly. "That's only natural. By the way, you've successfully advanced to the Refining Spirit Refining Realm, right? How's your Primordial Spirit's strength?"

"That's hard to say," Xu Qi'an said, scratching his head.

"Let's take Li Yuchun as the standard. He is a senior Spirit Refining Realm. Although he is still some distance from having copper skin and iron bones, his combat strength is not bad." Wei Yuan continued to stare at the geomantic map.

Xu Qi'an pondered for a moment and said, "Then I can cut down two with one strike."

Wei Yuan turned around in surprise. "Huh?"

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

"Duke Wei, since entering the Refining Spirit Refining Realm, I have not fought anyone and am unsure of the strength of my Primordial Spirit within the Spirit Refining Realm," Xu Qi'an said modestly.

"Don't you know the Buddhist School Lion's Roar?" Wei Yuan thought for a moment, then pointed to the watchtower, "Go outside and roar."

"Duke Wei, the Lion's Roar doesn't distinguish between friend and foe." Xu Qi'an dared not.

AoE skills don't discriminate between enemies and allies.

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

"Yes." Xu Qi'an walked past the tea room and toward the lookout tower, facing the warm sunlight, and focused his energy in his Dantian.

In his mind, he visualized a golden lion roaring, and with his unique breathing and energy techniques, he paused for a few seconds before letting out a deep roar down at the entire government office below.

"Roar!"

This roar was neither like a beast's howl nor a human shout; it was more like a thunderclap exploding in the Nightwatchers's office.

Rolling sound waves raged.

The officials inside the Haoqi Tower suddenly rolled their eyes back, experienced temporary deafness, and were plunged into complete darkness.

Hearing the roar from a distance, an overwhelming sense of fear welled up inside me.

Countless streams of energy surged from all parts of the government office, alarming the officials in charge. Figures rushed out of the buildings, some gathering in the courtyard, some leaping onto the roof, and some heading towards the Haoqi Tower.

At this moment, the entire government office was alarmed.

"Duke Wei, it seems things have gotten too out of hand."

Wei Yuan suddenly realized, staring at Xu Qi'an, whose face was embarrassed.

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

He has not yet fully matured, but one day, his roar will shake the entire land.

P. S.: Haha, you can complain about the previous chapter, but there's no need to argue. I stayed up until 3 a. m., and my brain was foggy, so the quality was bound to be affected. A book with millions of words will always have some flaws, and I can't make every chapter perfect, so please forgive me.

I know many readers are waiting, and seeing that some readers have exams tomorrow actually makes me quite anxious. I'm thinking of finishing this quickly so I can give everyone an update. Those of you who have exams, go to sleep!

I got up at 7 a. m. this morning and only slept for four hours. Despite being exhausted, I still managed to write another chapter. Um, everyone, please don't stay up late to wait. I'll also try my best not to stay up late to finish, as it affects the quality.