Number One's identity

Dragon Vein Feng Shui Map?

How could such a book exist in the study of Lin'an? No, how could Lin'an possibly read such a book?

Xu Qi'an's pupils seemed to freeze. The dragon vein geomancy map, especially the two words "dragon vein," made him extremely sensitive.

As a seasoned expert in criminal investigation theory, trained by his father, this book alone instantly brought to mind many things for him.

The first thought that comes to mind is that the number one member of the Earth Book chat group holds a high position in the imperial court. He/She recently announced that he/she would take over Hengyuan's case, which is related to the dragon vein.

This high position doesn't necessarily refer to an official post; a princess also holds a high position.

A few seconds later, the second thought that surfaced was: No, Lin'an doesn't have that kind of brain.

In the Earth Book chat group, although Number One liked to peek at the screen and was taciturn, he occasionally participated in the discussion and showed great wisdom, no less than Chu Yuanzhen.

How could Lin'an, one of the three fools of the fishpond, possibly possess such wisdom?

Moreover, if she really is number one, given my doting affection for her and my lack of vigilance, she would most likely be able to determine that I am number three. In that case, how could I possibly openly display the "Dragon Vein Geomantic Map" on my desk?

A few seconds later, a third thought surfaced: Was she using this method to hint at her identity?!

A variety of thoughts exploded in his mind. Xu Qi'an felt as if he had been struck by lightning, and his feelings were complicated. On the one hand, he was constantly reasoning and guessing, and on the other hand, he could not accept that Lin'an was number one.

While Xu Qi'an was brainstorming, Lin'an skipped happily to the desk, her little hands patting the surface to show her impatience, and she urged him with a grin:

"Where's the cursive script? Quickly show it to me, and I'll teach you how to read cursive script."

Xu Qi'an stared at her intently for a few seconds, then smiled calmly and said, "Wait a moment, I need to go to the restroom first."

Without waiting for Lin'an's response, he left the study on his own, walked a short distance, found a palace maid, and asked, "Where is the latrine in this mansion?"

He actually knew about Lin'an Prefecture. He had visited all the places except for the boudoirs of the women in Lin'an and the rooms of the palace maids and eunuchs.

But Xu Qi'an knows doesn't mean Li Yuchun knows.

The palace maid led him to the latrine and pointed to a small courtyard. "Lord Li, the latrine is over there."

"The latrine in the princess's residence is bigger than the courtyard of an ordinary person's house," Xu Qi'an exclaimed with a look of "amazement."

"This Li Yinluo is so vulgar," the little palace maid thought to herself, forcing a smile.

Upon entering the outhouse, Xu Qi'an took out the "Confucian School Magic Book," tore off a page on the Qi-Watching Technique, flicked his wrist to ignite it, and two beams of clear light shot out from his eyes before dissipating.

After Qingguang had completely calmed down, he left the latrine and returned to his study in Lin'an.

Xu Qi'an glanced around calmly and noticed that the "Dragon Vein Geomancy Map" on the desk had been put away. He casually asked, "Oh, Your Highness, where's that book?"

Lin'an casually replied, "I've already put it away."

Xu Qi'an smoothly continued the conversation, looking at him with newfound interest. "Why has Your Highness become interested in books on feng shui?"

Lin'an straightened her slender, graceful waist, put on a serious face, and said, "I only read storybooks in my spare time. I prefer to delve into obscure knowledge. For example, um, feng shui."

She was lying. Xu Qi'an keenly discerned Lin'an's lie.

But he remained troubled because he couldn't discern whether she was lying about "my love of learning" or "my motives for consulting feng shui were different."

Maybe we should just forget about it?

Should we suppress this matter for now and wait for further observation to determine her identity?

Once you have a suspect, it becomes much easier to launch an investigation.

That thought shattered the next second.

In his life, Lin'an was of paramount importance. Most importantly, this girl was one of the few people he could trust without reservation.

She might be a little foolish, a little naive, and not have enough power to do much for him.

But it is precisely because of the existence of such people that Xu Qi'an found a home in this unfamiliar world and a haven for his soul.

Lin'an, like his family, served as a kind of spiritual salvation for him.

Therefore, he did not intend to investigate Lin'an secretly, but chose to be straightforward with her.

Xu Qi'an stared into the other's dark, bright, almond-shaped eyes and casually said, "I recently heard about a treasure called the 'Earth Book,' a Law Treasure of the Earth Sect. Has Your Highness heard of it?"

Lin'an tilted his head and shook it in confusion.

"Never heard of it?" Xu Qi'an pressed again, as if it were very important.

"No," Lin'an replied.

The moment she spoke, the Qi-Watching Technique reacted in sync, confirming that she wasn't lying.

She wasn't lying. She wasn't number one. She was still that silly Lin'an. That's great! Xu Qi'an felt relieved and inexplicably had a sense of ease and joy.

Immediately, a new doubt arose in his mind.

Lin'an is not number one, and based on his understanding of her, she is clearly not a book lover. So why would she choose a book like "Dragon Vein Geomancy Map" that he is so sensitive about at this critical juncture?

"Why are you reading such a lousy book?" Xu Qi'an asked.

"Didn't I tell you? I've always been reading and doing research." Biao Biao slapped the table with her small hand, her brows furrowing slightly, seemingly quite displeased with Xu Qi'an's suspicions.

She lied. Xu Qi'an couldn't help but want to cover his face.

A woman whose heart is fluttering with love will always present her perfect side to the man she likes, even if it's a lie!

Considering Lin'an's reputation, Xu Qi'an suppressed his curiosity. He had other ways to verify this, so there was no need to rush. He placed a stack of papers on the table and said:

"Your Highness, please read it to me."

"Wasn't I going to teach you to read cursive script?" Lin'an blinked.

"Take it slow, take it one step at a time," he said casually.

"Oh!"

Lin'an held the paper, which was neither thick nor thin, and upon closer inspection, immediately exclaimed in surprise, "This is the late emperor's daily records? Why are you copying the late emperor's daily records?"

"Not only have I copied your grandfather's daily records, I'm also investigating your father," Xu Qi'an said mysteriously.

"I'm investigating some secrets of the Prince of Huai. Although he's dead, he still has secrets. Well, I don't know the specifics yet, so I can't explain them to you in detail. Your Highness, this is a secret between us; please don't reveal it to anyone."

His explanation was meaningful. A girl like Lin'an, if you don't tell her, she will be unhappy. Revealing part of it appropriately and emphasizing that it is a secret between the two of you will make her very happy.

However, she couldn't reveal too much. Although she was a royal princess and had some shrewdness, she was still too naive in front of the seasoned veterans in the palace, so she couldn't say that she was investigating Emperor Yuanjing.

Lin'an's stupidity wasn't due to low intelligence, but rather to being too naive and innocent. He was well protected in every way, which resulted in him only developing a little bit of cunning, placing him within the realm of normal people.

As expected, Lin'an smiled and said with feigned modesty, "Alright, I'll reluctantly keep your secret."

For the next hour, Lin'an read aloud the contents of the late emperor's daily records, while Xu Qi'an sat beside her listening attentively. He poured her water twice during this time, each time earning a sweet smile from her.

Xu Qi'an got his wish and heard the discussion between the leaders of the Human Sect, the Earth Sect, and the late emperor.

The late emperor once again inquired of the head of the Earth Sect about the possibility of an emperor cultivating the Dao.

The leader of the Earth Sect gave the same answer as the leader of the Human Sect: "Longevity is possible, but immortality is not."

Here, "longevity" refers to extending one's lifespan. The latter part, "eternal life," refers to immortality.

After a long discussion about the way to maintain health, the late emperor asked the head of the Earth Sect, "I have heard that the Daoist Master transforms into the Three Pure Ones from one Qi. Is this three beings one person, or three beings three people?"

The head of the Earth Sect replied, "It can be three people, three people, or one person and three people."

"Isn't this too difficult to pronounce?"

Xu Qi'an frowned and raised his hand to interrupt Lin An: "Let me think about it."

Does "three individuals, one person" mean that the three individuals who emerged from the split are actually the same person?

"Three people" means that they could also be three independent individuals?

What does "one person and three things" mean? Is it different from, or opposite to, "three things and one person"?

"You can continue," he said.

Lin'an nodded and continued reciting. To Xu Qi'an's disappointment, there was no further record of the three individuals involved.

It's unclear whether the head of the local Daoist sect failed to explain, or whether the imperial scribes were simply too lazy to record it. After all, the imperial scribes couldn't possibly record every single word the emperor uttered; if they did, every scribe would have a problem with tendonitis.

He thought to himself, "What am I complaining about?"

"Ah, so that's why the late emperor said the Prince of Huai was a pillar of the nation."

Suddenly, Biao Biao said with delight.

She happened to be reciting a story from the past: when Emperor Yuanjing was young and Prince Huai was a teenager, they went hunting and encountered a ferocious bear. At that time, all the guards around them were seriously injured. In the critical moment, Prince Huai tore the bear apart with his bare hands.

Upon hearing this, the late emperor praised the Prince of Huai as a future pillar of the nation.

"As a martial artist, what's so special about tearing apart a bear?" Xu Qi'an thought disdainfully.

Biao Biao continued, "But Father and the others are really bold. Normally, you can't go deep into the Southern Garden; you can only enter during the autumn hunt. That's because then there are imperial guards protecting you, so you're not afraid of wild beasts."

In the last third of the late emperor's life, nothing major happened. As a Buddhist-like emperor, he was neither diligent nor lazy in his political affairs, but in his personal life, he often held imperial concubine selections to expand his harem.

Of course, this is not a problem. After all, in this era, every man has the same thoughts as Lao Ji.

However, even in his later years, he did not change this habit, so in the latter half of the late emperor's daily records, a kind of pill called Longyang Pill often appears.

The "Longyang" mentioned here is not Longyang in the conventional sense. "Long" represents the true emperor, and "yang" represents masculinity and vitality.

When combined, it's actually the same as Liuwei Dihuang Wan (Six-Ingredient Rehmannia Pill).

When Biao Biao read these contents, her face was inevitably embarrassed. After all, through the late emperor's daily records, she had seen her grandfather's private life. Of course, emperors have no privacy, and they themselves wouldn't care about such privacy.

"This father and son are really something else," Xu Qi'an thought to himself.

One who thinks about ** all day long.

He turned a blind eye to the high-quality mature women in his harem.

After reading through the late emperor's daily records, the investigation of this lead finally came to an end. Xu Qi'an felt a little regretful, as he hadn't obtained any crucial information.

Xu Qi'an carefully put away the late emperor's daily records, then suddenly revealed a confident smile and said:

"Your Highness, the geomantic map of the dragon vein involves feng shui, and this field of knowledge is indeed quite difficult. It requires discussion with others. One person alone cannot research anything. Who does Your Highness usually discuss this with?"

He was certain that Biao Biao was a poor student, so he spoke with great certainty, intending to bluff her.

To save face, Biao Biao pretended to know a lot, so she would definitely answer in a way that went along with his words. A similar experience was when they were in school, the girls liked to talk about male celebrities, and Xu Qi'an didn't pay attention to the entertainment industry, but he really wanted to join in with his female classmates.

So they pretend to know a lot, but in reality they just agree with what the girls say, saying things like, "Yes, yes, I agree with you."

"Yes, yes, it needs to be discussed with others." Biao Biao looked up and said:

"I usually discuss things with Huaiqing."

Huaiqing. Xu Qi'an swayed and almost lost his balance.

He took a deep breath, suppressing all his emotions, and looked at Lin An, asking, "Where did this book come from?"

"Borrowed from the Wenyuan Pavilion."

Xu Qi'an said in a low voice, "Huaiqing asked you to borrow it, didn't he?"

A flicker of panic crossed Biao Biao's affectionate eyes. After a moment's hesitation, she chose to be honest, saying weakly, "You guessed right."

Xu Qi'an plopped down in the chair, his expression blank.

Leaving Lin'an Prefecture, Xu Qi'an's mind was filled with question marks and exclamation points.

Number one is Huaiqing?!

Number one is actually Huaiqing!!!

Based on this judgment, he mentally reviewed the details of the past.

The number one is very mysterious, holding a high position and great power in the court. There aren't many people who agree with this mysterious figure, but there are also quite a few.

If Lin'an fits the bill, Huaiqing will certainly be even more so. Moreover, Huaiqing's intelligence and shrewdness are indeed a good match for Number One.

"In all the major cases of the past, the information displayed by Number One is that he holds a high position and has great authority. I remember that it was Number One who revealed the fact that the Crown Prince drowned in Sangbo five hundred years ago. However, you gentlemen were also able to find corresponding clues. This does not necessarily mean that Number One is Huaiqing."

"Number One usually displays an attitude that strongly supports the imperial court, but he doesn't quite like Number Two, Li Miaozhen, because she uses martial arts to break the law. This also aligns with what you all think, so we can't make a judgment."

"However, assuming that Number One is indeed Huaiqing, then her decision to take charge of investigating Hengyuan's whereabouts makes sense. Although the officials can enter the palace to meet the emperor, they are usually limited to fixed locations and cannot move freely within the palace or even the inner palace. But if it were Huaiqing, she would have virtually unrestricted access to the palace."

"She asked Biao Biao to borrow the dragon vein geomancy map from the Wenyuan Pavilion out of caution, and also because someone as academically challenged as Biao Biao wouldn't arouse suspicion no matter what book she borrowed. But even so, you're using my beloved little mare—no, my beloved Lin'an—as a tool, and I'll still be angry."

Xu Qi'an recalled more details, such as the time he and Lina were bragging in the group chat that they would kidnap the beautiful princess of Great Feng and give her to Lina's brother as his wife.

At the time, Number One's attitude was one of extreme displeasure.

"Besides, if Number One is Huaiqing, then she definitely knew my identity a long time ago. She's so smart, she can't be fooled."

Xu Qi'an, mounted on horseback, had a blank expression again, subtly conveying an attitude that life was meaningless.

Upon returning to the Xu Residence, Auntie, along with her two daughters, Lina, and Li Miaozhen, went out to listen to music.

"Auntie is such a heartless woman. She only worried about Erlang a few days before he went to war, and now she's all happy again, thinking she's some kind of fairy."

Xu Qi'an complained about her, and almost wanted to turn around and go to the brothel to listen to music.

But he was really not in the mood today. He was planning to take a bath, then disguise himself and leave the mansion to "favor" the widow he was keeping outside.

At that moment, a familiar tremor ran through him, and he instinctively reached for the fragment of the Earth Book to examine the message:

[One: We've found a lead on Hengyuan's whereabouts, but I can't continue the investigation alone. I need your help.]

P. S.: By the way, please keep an eye on the activities of the Great Feng Girls' Group.