Xu Qi'an awakened (extra-long chapter)

During the year of the Capital Evaluation, the Nightwatchers Zhu Chengzhu, known as the Silver Gong, attempted to defile an innocent girl and was severely injured by the Copper Gong Xu Qi'an. Due to the severity of his injuries, his cultivation was partially destroyed.

Xu Qi'an was imprisoned by Wei Yuan in the Nightwatchers's jail and sentenced to be cut in half at the waist in seven days.

Just then, the Sangbo case broke out. At Wei Yuan's suggestion, Huaiqing recommended Xu Qi'an to Emperor Yuanjing as the presiding official, and Emperor Yuanjing allowed him to redeem himself through meritorious service.

After the Sangbo case was over, Xu Qi'an was easily exonerated. Zhu Chengzhu's father, Jinluo Zhu Yang, was resentful and joined the Qi faction, betraying the Nightwatchers.

This act of revenge ended when Xu Qi'an, the chosen one, inadvertently stumbled upon the conspiracy between Qi Dang and the sorcerers of the Witch God Cult.

After the incident, Zhu Yang was dismissed from his post and expelled from the Nightwatchers's office. Originally, according to Wei Yuan's plan, Zhu Yang should not have been alive to this day.

However, Emperor Yuanjing forcibly protected her, giving her a sinecure in the Ministry of War, a position she holds to this day.

Yuan Xiong stepped off the carriage onto a wooden bench, glanced up at the plaque above the Zhu residence, and was filled with emotion. "His Majesty's plans are truly far-reaching."

Upon arriving at the gate of the Zhu residence, Yuan Xiong introduced himself and watched the gatekeeper enter the mansion.

A moment later, Zhu Yang, a burly man with a restrained aura, personally came out to greet them. His hearty smile concealed surprise as he said:

"The presence of Censor-in-Chief Yuan at my humble abode is an honor to our place."

Yuan Xiong smiled and nodded, "I apologize for disturbing you, Lord Zhu."

His gaze turned towards the interior of the mansion.

Zhu Yang immediately said, "Please come in quickly."

The two entered the reception room, and Zhu Yang ordered a servant to bring out the finest tea. After taking a sip, Yuan Xiong asked:

How is your son's health?

The first thing they talked about was this. The experienced Zhu Yang seemed to understand, and shook his head helplessly.

"My son was severely injured by that brat surnamed Xu that day, suffering damage to his heart and lungs. After recovering from the injuries, he was left with a chronic illness, which severed his path in Martial Dao."

Zhu Chengzhu was just entering the Qi Refining Realm at the time, and his cultivation level was not high. It was already a great blessing that he survived.

Such a severe injury will definitely leave lasting health problems. The higher one's cultivation level, the stronger one's vitality. If it were Zhu Yang himself, that injury would have healed in less than three days.

"His arrogance won't last long."

Yuan Xiong chuckled and cut to the chase, "Lord Zhu must have heard about Wei Yuan's death at the headquarters of the Witch God Sect."

A flash of pleasure and hatred crossed Zhu Yang's eyes as he sneered, "Good riddance! This is what they call karma, retribution is inevitable."

Zhu Chengzhu was his most talented son, and he had hoped that this son would inherit his mantle and become the next Golden Rooster, so he devoted himself to cultivating him. At the age of twenty-three, he had already reached the Qi Refining Qi Refining Realm, and his future was bright.

Everything was ruined by Xu Qi'an.

Zhu Yang was promoted by Wei Yuan. He was appreciated by Wei Yuan during the Battle of Shanhai Pass and then rose step by step to the fourth rank, becoming a Golden Gong. Wei Yuan had been very kind to him, but it was precisely because of this that he hated Wei Yuan even more.

After serving him faithfully for so many years, he's not even as valuable as a mere gong?

So what if he defiled the family member of a convicted official? It's a trivial matter. Yet Wei Yuan's heart is biased towards an outsider, disregarding years of friendship.

Upon hearing that Wei Yuan had died in battle at Jingshan City, Zhu Yang laughed wildly and got drunk with his son, Zhu Chengzhu.

"Wei Yuan's retribution has come, Nightwatchers's retribution is about to arrive as well."

Yuan Xiong pinched the tea lid and tapped the rim of the cup. "Lord Zhu, it's time for you to turn things around."

Zhu Yang squinted, staring intently at Yuan Xiong: "Lord Censor Yuan, what do you mean by that?"

Yuan Xiong looked at him with a smile, "His Majesty has appointed me to succeed Wei Yuan as head of the Nightwatchers's Office, and to also purge corruption within the Nightwatchers's Office. As everyone knows, the Nightwatchers's Office is Wei Yuan's personal fiefdom; he has held it firmly in his hands for twenty years, and outsiders can't even let a fly in."

Zhu Yang nodded slowly.

Yuan Xiong said helplessly, "Although I want to clean up the atmosphere, a general without troops under his command can't do anything. I have to keep some and arrest others, and that's where Lord Zhu's help comes in."

Zhu Yang, feigning difficulty, said helplessly, "Wei Yuan dismissed me from my post and expelled me from the Nightwatchers's office, but this is a personal matter between Wei Yuan and me. It has nothing to do with the brothers in the office. Lord Yuan, you've put me in a very difficult position."

"So you sold your brother off so decisively back then?" Yuan Xiong took a sip of tea and said with a smile:

"There's another matter I've come to see Lord Zhu about. Back then, you and your son were persecuted by Wei Yuan and had to leave the Nightwatchers's office. Now that Wei Yuan is dead, the injustices that need to be redressed can be redressed, and the cases that need to be overturned should naturally be overturned as well."

"I intend to petition His Majesty to reinstate you to your former position. I also hope that Lord Zhu can assist me in managing the Nightwatchers's office effectively."

Zhu Yang finally smiled, "Whom does Lord Yuan want to keep, and who does he want to arrest?"

Yuan Xiong said leisurely, "They are naturally people rife with corruption. I believe those people are all Wei Yuan's confidants."

The two looked at each other and smiled.

The Nightwatchers's office.

The men with gongs who had patrolled the streets returned to the government office in twos and threes.

Song Tingfeng and Zhu Guangxiao were among them; they had been summoned back by the clerks of the government office.

The reason is currently unknown; the clerk only said that Zhao Jinluo summoned all the Nightwatchers were out and about back to the yamen.

Why did Zhao Jinluo summon us back?

"It must be something urgent, something urgent."

"These are truly turbulent times."

The gong players conversed in hushed tones, saying little.

Wei Yuan's death was an unbearable blow to the Nightwatchers, as if they had lost their pillar of support overnight.

As a result, the atmosphere in the government office has been extremely heavy for days.

Although that man never leaves the Haoqi Tower, as long as he is still there, the sky above the night Nightwatchers's head will never fall.

Now at the Spirit Refining Realm, Song Tingfeng took a sip of tea and inexplicably recalled the days when Xu Ningyan was still around.

Back then, he, Zhu Guangxiao, and Xu Ningyan stroll around the streets during the day, and take advantage of their lunch break to go to brothels to listen to music. Although their wallets were empty and they were listless during that time, they were truly happy.

To paraphrase Xu Ningyan, "If you're not romantic in your youth, you'll only have regrets in your old age."

This guy is clearly a crude and uncouth martial artist, yet he always manages to spout a few words that, while their meaning is unclear, sound incredibly impressive.

Song Tingfeng still hadn't fully grasped the meaning of his previous question, "Will it work or not?" So, when he went to the brothel to help the poor women from impoverished families, he asked them:

Will it work or not?

The girls always say, "Okay, okay."

But when he pulled up his pants and refused to give them money, the girls couldn't take it anymore.

How Xu Yinluo managed to get free sex from Fuxiang for over half a year using just these five words remains a mystery in the Nightwatchers's office.

Now, even the Fuxiang maiden has passed away.

In just one year, everything has changed.

Perhaps not all the Nightwatchers had returned yet, and Song Tingfeng and Zhu Guangxiao sat in Chunfeng Hall for half an hour.

Song Tingfeng is now at the Spirit Refining Realm, making him a rare young talent in the Nightwatchers's Office. Although he is far less impressive than Xu Qi'an, the office planned to cultivate Song Tingfeng while Wei Yuan was still around.

Wei Yuan would do his best to cultivate every night Nightwatchers who was exceptionally talented and had no major misdeeds; this had always been his principle.

However, Song Tingfeng lacked both seniority and merit, so he remained in a lowly position as a gong (a type of official).

"Guangxiao, the only thing we can look forward to in the second half of the year is your wedding," Song Tingfeng said with emotion.

I thought that life would become more stable after the year of the Capital Evaluation, but who would have thought that the Capital Evaluation was just the beginning? Too many things happened this year. The Yunzhou case at the beginning of the year, the Huaiwang massacre case in the middle of the year, and this turmoil after the autumn harvest.

Song Tingfeng looked through the open gate at the withered yellow leaves in the courtyard and murmured:

"These are turbulent times, truly turbulent times. Guangxiao, we brothers will get through this."

Zhu Guangxiao, who had become increasingly taciturn, hummed in response.

Just then, the sound of drums came from the training ground.

"Zhao Jinluo is calling us."

The two immediately left Chunfeng Hall and, together with Li Yuchun, joined a group of Nightwatchers from the yamen to gather at the martial arts training ground.

When Song Tingfeng arrived at the training ground, he was surprised to find that there were more Nightwatchers gathered there than he had expected; even those who were on leave had been summoned.

What happened? He glanced at Zhu Guangxiao and Li Yuchun beside him, both of whom shared the same question.

The three from Chunfeng Hall silently joined the ranks and waited for nearly half an hour when they suddenly heard hurried and orderly footsteps approaching.

Turning their heads at the sound, they saw a large group of Imperial Guards in gleaming armor, at least five hundred in number.

Imperial Guards? Song Tingfeng frowned slightly.

The Imperial Guards surged in and surrounded the Nightwatchers, but made no further move.

Just as the Nightwatchers were puzzled, they saw several people walking slowly in the distance.

In the center was a rather dignified middle-aged man dressed in a scarlet robe. To his left was the expressionless Zhao Jinluo, and to his right was Zhu Yang, with Zhu Chengzhu beside him.

Not to mention Li Yuchun, Song Tingfeng, and Zhu Guangxiao, even the other Nightwatchers's expressions changed when they saw this father and son.

As they drew near, Yuan Xiong put his hands behind his back and approached the Nightwatchers.

Zhao Jinluo glanced at his subordinates and said in a clear, expressionless voice:

"By order of His Majesty, effective today, Censor-in-Chief Duke Wei will succeed Duke Wei in his post and take charge of the Nightwatchers's Office. You shall quickly pay your respects to Duke Yuan."

The Nightwatchers stirred, some looking at each other in bewilderment, others whispering amongst themselves.

"Bullshit, what right does he have to be in charge of the Nightwatchers?" muttered one of the silver gong players.

"He's just a sycophant, a petty opportunist. Does he even deserve to be in charge of the Nightwatchers?"

"Even if someone were to succeed Duke Wei, it would be Lord Liu Hong, the Left Censor-in-Chief."

Yuan Xiong narrowed his eyes, remaining expressionless.

Zhao Jinluo glanced at his newly appointed superior, his heart sinking. He shouted, "Shut up, all of you! Do you want to rebel?"

He was furious that his subordinates didn't know how to read the room. A new broom sweeps clean, and the most difficult ones are the ones who defy control. Besides, Yuan Xiong was there to "investigate a case."

Zhao Jinluo was also one of Wei Yuan's confidants; all of them were Wei Yuan's confidants, including Zhu Yang.

The reason he was able to rest easy and avoid being implicated was largely due to his cultivation level as a fourth-rank martial artist.

In the Great Feng, and even in any power in the Nine Provinces, fourth-rank officials are considered mid-to-high-level figures. Especially martial artists, who are strong in attack, high in defense, and have great destructive power. As long as they do not commit unforgivable crimes, the imperial court usually adopts a policy of appeasement towards fourth-rank martial artists.

Yuan Xiong needed a sufficient number of fourth-rank officials to bolster his image, so he offered them amnesty.

In Zhao Jinluo's view, since the imperial decree could not be disobeyed, what else could he do but go with the flow? It was better for him to stay here than to hand over the entire Nightwatchers's office to Zhu Yang.

Zhu Yang returned to the Nightwatchers's den with a heart full of revenge, unlike him.

Now that Duke Wei has sacrificed his life, recognizing reality is the key. The Nightwatchers was the culmination of Duke Wei's life's work; at least he can still keep watch for Duke Wei.

Yuan Xiong ignored the Nightwatchers's criticism and said loudly:

"At noon today, a woman named Li from the road beat a drum in front of the Meridian Gate to file a complaint, accusing Wei Yuan of excessive greed, framing innocent people, extorting money from the Nightwatchers, and defiling her daughter-in-law."

"His Majesty was furious and specially ordered me to Nightwatchers's Office to eradicate Evil Qi and punish those who abuse their power for personal gain."

Angri curses and shouts erupted instantly.

The Nightwatchers didn't know who Lu Li was, but that didn't stop them from spewing profanities.

Was Duke Wei excessively greedy for wealth?

Throughout the entire government office, everyone knew that Duke Wei was the most honest and upright official. How dare a common woman accuse Duke Wei of embezzling money and persecuting her family? Did she even consider whether she was worthy of the accusation?

Even if Duke Wei truly wanted to amass wealth, would he resort to extorting money from the common people like an ordinary clerk?

The officials with copper and silver gongs weren't stupid; they immediately realized that someone was trying to frame Duke Wei. And that person was most likely Yuan Xiong, the Right Vice Censor-in-Chief, standing right in front of them.

He was Duke Wei's political enemy.

"It's noisy!"

Yuan Xiong said calmly.

Just as Zhao Jinluo was about to reprimand him, Zhu Yang stepped forward first, unleashing the aura of a fourth-rank master. Instantly, the night Nightwatchers present lost their footing and turned pale.

The commotion immediately subsided.

Yuan Xiong nodded in satisfaction and announced loudly, "I have received a secret report and will not tolerate those who embezzle and pervert the law. Now, those whose names are called, please step forward."

Zhang Dongliang.

No one responded.

Zhang Dongliang!

Before anyone responded, the Nightwatchers was silently rebelling.

Yuan Xiong stopped talking and glanced lightly at Zhu Yang beside him.

The latter understood immediately, his gaze already fixed on a silver gong player in the crowd. He opened his arms, palm facing the player, and suddenly grabbed him.

A burly, square-faced man was forced to "squeeze" out of the crowd. He stood on his feet, his toes leaving two marks as he struggled desperately, but could only watch helplessly as he was pulled out.

Yuan Xiong said with a smile, "I am acting under imperial orders. Disobeying orders is tantamount to defying the imperial decree, a capital offense!"

Fearing that Zhu Yang would strike first again, Zhao Jinluo hurriedly grabbed Zhang Dongliang, clasped his hands in a fist and said, "Sir, this brute had no intention of offending us. Please show mercy."

Zhang Dongliang's face turned purplish-red, veins bulging in his neck, and he let out a deep, low growl:

"I'm not convinced, Zhao Jinluo. There's no need to beg him. If Lord Duke Wei were still alive, would Yuan Xiong dare to step into the yamen? Are the other Jinluos still alive? And Zhu Yanggang has just returned? My only regret is that I didn't follow my leader into battle that day. It's fortunate that he died alongside Duke Wei in Jingshan City; it's better than me dying at the hands of my own people."

Yuan Xiong said calmly, "Lord Zhu, the Nightwatchers hold official positions; their lives and deaths are decided by His Majesty."

Zhu Yang nodded and said, "Understood."

With a sudden burst of energy, he pulled Zhang Dongliang over and punched the silver-clad man in the chest. Thud! Zhang Dongliang's clothes instantly ripped open on the back.

Everyone heard the sound of a sternum cracking.

Zhang Dongliang slowly collapsed to the ground, barely clinging to life.

A new broom sweeps clean, and the first one was thrown at this poor wretch.

"Clang!"

The sound of swords being drawn rang out; a silver-clad man had drawn his sword.

Clang clang clang!

The surrounding imperial guards drew their swords, ready to suppress the Nightwatchers at any moment.

Zhu Yang narrowed his eyes, stepped forward, and used his status as a fourth-rank martial artist to intimidate the Nightwatchers.

"Stop it, all of you!"

Zhao Jinluo roared, "Are you trying to rebel? Don't you want your brains?"

Zhao Jinluo.

"Boss."

The Nightwatchers reacted strongly.

"Can't you see? He's purging us. Whether we're guilty or not, we won't have a good ending."

"Zhao Jinluo, Duke Wei is gone. You're the only one in the yamen who can stand up for the brothers. You can't be Yuan Xiong's dog."

"Boss, can you bear to watch our brothers be framed?"

At least you can live. Zhao Jinluo's forehead veins bulged as he said, word by word, "Put--the-knife--away--right--"

The Nightwatchers were disheartened, feeling anger, resentment, and sorrow, yet they still refused to sheathe their swords.

Seeing this, Yuan Xiong smiled and said, "Your families are all in the capital, aren't they?"

To kill someone is to destroy their spirit!

The requirements for being Nightwatchers were that one's ancestors for at least three generations must have been from the capital and that one's family background must be impeccable.

Why? It's to prevent these martial artists from breaking the law by force.

With Duke Wei dead in battle, and the rest of the Jinluo either killed in action or never returned, they had no one to back them up, even if they wanted to resist.

"If Xu Ningyan were still here," someone murmured.

The night Nightwatchers were momentarily stunned, and couldn't help but think of their colleague who had slashed off his waist token with a knife and never held office again.

Yes, if Xu Ningyan were still alive, given the kindness Duke Wei had shown him and his unyielding and intolerant nature, would Zhu Yang and Yuan Xiong still dare to be so arrogant?

Yuan Xiong and the others heard it, but neither responded nor bothered to respond.

Zhu Chengzhu's expression visibly contorted.

Xu Qi'an, that humble gong from back then was the culprit who ruined his future.

He hated this man to the core, but in just one year, everything had changed, and that lowly gong-wielder had become a figure of great importance that he could never reach.

Even if Xu Qi'an offended His Majesty, it was still not something he could interfere with or retaliate against.

Thus, this flame of revenge burned in his heart, yet he could find no outlet, scorching his soul day by day and causing a slight distortion in his mind.

"Li Yuchun!"

"Chu Honghe!"

"Minshan!"

"Tang Youde!"

"."

One by one, the silver gongs stepped forward, were disarmed, and had their arms twisted behind their backs by the Imperial Guards, their hands bound. In the blink of an eye, almost half of the silver gongs present were gone.

Those silver-gonged figures were either expressionless, sneer, or spitting. Yet none of them showed fear or begged for mercy.

The list does not include the gong. As the lowest- Nightwatchers, the gong is usually not qualified to take sides.

Of course, that doesn't mean Yuan Xiong won't deal with them.

The spirited Right Vice Censor-in-Chief declared in a loud voice, "The Nightwatchers's Office has suffered a great upheaval, and many positions are vacant. I have taken over the office at this critical moment, and I happen to be short of people under my command. I need to promote loyal and virtuous men."

"Before dawn tomorrow, if any of you writes a letter reporting a colleague who has embezzled, accepted bribes, or extorted money from the people, I will promote him."

Malicious intent.

The night Nightwatchers present remained expressionless and did not respond.

Yuan Xiong, however, knew that the seeds of suspicion and ambition had already been sown among this group of people.

For these bronze gongs, promotion is extremely difficult, requiring both corresponding cultivation level and sufficient merit. Therefore, some bronze gongs who have already reached the Spirit Refining Realm have been unable to be promoted for a long time.

Anyone with ambition and drive wouldn't want a promotion.

The current turmoil within the Nightwatchers's office presents an excellent opportunity for ambitious individuals eager for advancement.

Yuan Xiong stopped looking at the dejected Nightwatchers and turned to Zhu Yang and Zhao Jinluo, saying with a smile, "You two Jinluo, come with me to the Haoqi Tower for a look around."

He desperately wanted to get there and take Wei Yuan's place.

Zhao Jinluo nodded, glanced at the group of night Nightwatchers, and said, "Disperse."

Zhu Guangxiao heard Song Tingfeng muttering in his ear, "Lower your head, quickly lower your head, get out of here."

Zhu Guangxiao, feeling dejected, paused for a moment, then instinctively did as his colleagues instructed and walked out of the training ground.

He hadn't walked more than a few steps when he heard a voice say, "Stop!"

Everyone stopped and looked over, their hearts pounding with fear.

The one who spoke up to stop it was Zhu Chengzhu, the former silver gong player; almost all the Nightwatchers present knew him.

Ignoring the others, Zhu Chengzhu pointed at Song Tingfeng and Zhu Guangxiao, grinning, and said, "You two, come out here."

Song Tingfeng's heart sank. He forced himself to step forward and said, "Zhu Yinluo, congratulations on your reinstatement. What brings you here, Zhu Yinluo?"

He has always been a smooth talker, and he doesn't even flinch when it comes to flattery.

Zhu Chengzhu revealed a malicious smile and said loudly:

"Lord Yuan, I want to report these two men for corruption and bribery. I witnessed it myself."

Song Tingfeng turned pale with fright.

Yuan Xiong nodded slightly and said, "Then let's leave it to Nephew Zhu to handle."

He didn't stop and continued walking side by side with the two men.

Zhao Jinluo looked at Zhu Yang and kindly reminded him, "Those two are Xu Qi'an's close friends."

This was both a warning to Zhu Yang and a protection for Zhu Guangxiao and Song Tingfeng.

Before Zhu Yang could speak, Yuan Xiong said calmly, "Wei Yuan is dead. Without that backer, how long do you think Xu Qi'an can keep jumping around?"

Zhu Yang smiled in response.

Zhao Jinluo fell silent.

On the other side, Song Tingfeng bowed and scraped, begging for forgiveness. "Zhu Yinluo, what happened before was my fault. Please forgive me, a nobody like you."

Zhu Chengzhu asked, as if toying with a mouse, "What's wrong with you?"

Song Tingfeng was stunned. Quick-witted as ever, he immediately pounded his chest and stamped his feet in regret, saying, "The biggest mistake I, Song Tingfeng, have ever made in my life was befriending Xu Qi'an. I deeply regret it now."

He had no enmity with Zhu Chengzhu, and the reason he was being harassed was because he hated Zhu Chengzhu as a result.

At this point, all you need to do is show a fence-sitter attitude; the weaker and more easily bullied you are, the easier it will be to quell Zhu Chengzhu's anger. Make him think that he only befriended Xu Qi'an because Xu Qi'an was valued by Wei Yuan, and that he was trying to curry favor with him.

There is no deep affection between the two parties.

As expected, Zhu Chengzhu's face was full of satisfied smiles, but his next words struck Song Tingfeng like a thunderbolt.

"If you don't want to go to jail, then crawl between my legs."

Zhu Chengzhu spread his legs, his smile full of malice, "Crawl over there, and I won't hold your past relationship with Xu Qi'an against you."

The Nightwatchers all turned to look at Song Tingfeng, and under their gazes, his face slowly turned pale.

"Zhu Yinluo, this, this, you really love to joke."

Snap!

Slapped in public.

Song Tingfeng's cheeks quickly became red and swollen.

Zhu Chengzhu said sternly, "Are you joking? Do you think I'm joking with you? I've given you a chance; whether you can seize it is up to you. I'm only giving you three breaths."

Song Tingfeng's body trembled slightly, his fists clenching and unclenching repeatedly.

Under the watchful eyes of everyone, he finally knelt down, braced himself with his hands on the ground, and slowly crawled between Zhu Chengzhu's legs.

Zhu Chengzhu laughed wildly.

He turned to Zhu Guangxiao: "It's your turn. Are you going to jail, or crawl between my legs?"

In that brief moment, his twisted mentality found immense satisfaction.

Zhu Guangxiao's eyes darkened; he would rather die than suffer such humiliation.

"I, I'll come, I'll come in his place."

Song Tingfeng, his face full of flattery, said, "I love crawling between Zhu Yinluo's legs. Did my ancestors' graves emit auspicious smoke today to allow me to enjoy such treatment?"

"You really are a fence-sitter. Is this how you pleased Xu Qi'an back then?" Zhu Chengzhu said humiliatingly.

Yes, yes, yes.

Song Tingfeng nodded hastily and crawled between Zhu Chengzhu's legs again.

"Not bad, you're interesting. This is the first time I've ever seen someone like to crawl between someone's legs."

Zhu Chengzhu slapped Song Tingfeng's face and sneered, "This is the consequence of making bad friends."

He ignored the scoundrel and strode after his father in the direction he had disappeared.

After a while, everyone left the training ground, leaving only Zhu Guangxiao and Song Tingfeng.

"You bastard, bullying others because of your power!"

Song Tingfeng spat, looked at Zhu Guangxiao, and smiled indifferently:

"You brat, spending too much time with Xu Ningyan hasn't taught you any skills, but it's made you even more rotten. You're getting married at the end of the year, and if you get locked up in jail at this crucial moment, you'll be lucky to escape with your life, and you'll probably still be dismissed from your post. How will you get to marry that girl then?"

"In this life, it's not easy to meet a girl you want to marry, a girl who's willing to marry you. That scoundrel Xu Ningyan, Imperial Academy of Music all day, but he still hasn't met a girl like that."

Tears welled up in Zhu Guangxiao's eyes.

Song Tingfeng spat and said irritably:

"What's with the pretense? I'm used to being slick and easygoing. I wouldn't hesitate to crawl under someone's legs or even call them 'Dad.' Look at everyone's faces—'That's exactly what I would do.' If it were you, you'd probably be too ashamed to face anyone."

He waved his hand and said, "You can go now. I'll sit here by myself for a while."

Zhu Guangxiao gave a heavy "hmm" and turned to leave.

There was no one else in the training ground. Song Tingfeng covered his face, his shoulders trembling, and suppressed sobs escaped from between his fingers.

Utter disgrace!

The next day, there will be a court meeting.

Yuan Xiong submitted a memorial impeaching Wei Yuan for ten major crimes, including condoning his subordinates' corruption and extortion of the people; being greedy for merit and making rash advances, which led to the deaths of 80,000 soldiers in foreign lands, etc.

At a court assembly, in front of all the officials and those outside the palace, Emperor Yuanjing angrily denounced Wei Yuan for ruining the country.

The government and the public were shaken.

The study of Liu Hong, the Left Censor-in-Chief.

Liu Hong angrily smashed an antique vase. This high-ranking official, a Principal Third Rank official with a few strands of silver in his black hair, cursed and roared loudly:

"Shameless scoundrel!"

"I am irreconcilably opposed to Yuan Xiong!"

In the spacious study sat Imperial Censor Zhang Xingying, the Minister of War, and several key members of the former Wei faction.

Everyone was at a loss.

In the imperial court, no one could rival a young and vigorous emperor who held absolute power.

In particular, this emperor had many hunting dogs under his command who were willing to charge into battle for him.

"Things have come to this point, and it's unlikely that we can salvage the situation on our own," sighed one of the core members.

Zhang Xingying's expression was filled with undisguised sorrow as he said:

"Duke Wei served as an official in the court for twenty years, working diligently and conscientiously. Some say he abused his power for personal gain and amassed wealth without restraint. But does anyone know that he lived in the Haoqi Tower for twenty years? This capital city is so prosperous and beautiful, yet there is not a single place that belongs to him."

"Over the years, he has often discussed new policies with us, attempting to reform and save the declining court. He has no children, no relatives, and has devoted all his energy and heart to the court. Without Duke Wei, could His Majesty have cultivated himself so peacefully for the past twenty years?"

Why won't His Majesty even grant him a posthumous title?

A somber and sorrowful atmosphere permeated the study.

The Minister of War took a deep breath and said, "What we need to consider now is to protect ourselves. Once the matter of Duke Wei is settled, it will be time to purge us, the members of the Wei faction. Ha, Qin Yuandao is eyeing my position again."

"As for Duke Wei's case, as long as we don't fall, as long as some of us pull through, there will be a chance to overturn the verdict in the future."

Temporary success or failure proves nothing; as the old saying goes, "A new emperor brings a new court."

Since the Yuan Jing Dynasty cannot be changed, we should wait for a new emperor to ascend the throne. History is full of examples of sons contradicting their fathers.

Many wrongful convictions and miscarriages of justice are only redressed decades later.

"That's the only way." Liu Hong sighed, then added, "However, when the Crown Prince ascends the throne, he may not be willing to overturn the verdict against Duke Wei."

"By the way, where is Xu Qi'an?" the Minister of War suddenly asked.

Zhang Xingying wiped his eyes, his voice low. "I sent someone to check a few days ago. The Xu Residence residence was locked up tight, and everyone was gone. Ningyan has probably already left the capital."

Liu Hong gave a bitter smile, "It's better that he left. If he hadn't left, no one could have protected him. We couldn't have protected him either. Alas, he's probably completely disillusioned with the court."

On this day, the news that Wei Yuan's greed for merit and recklessness had led to the deaths of 80,000 soldiers in the enemy country finally reached the people.

The public reacted extremely strongly to this.

"We told you not to support the barbarians! They prey Great Feng our people and harass our borders. Why did we support them? Now we've angered our ancestors and are being punished. Look what's happened! Eighty thousand soldiers have died. In twenty years, our Great Feng hasn't suffered such a defeat."

"If you ask me, it's all Wei Yuan's fault. If he hadn't been so greedy and reckless, how could we have lost the battle?"

"That damned scoundrel! A eunuch leading troops? This is a joke! His Majesty the Emperor has trusted the wrong person!"

"You scoundrels! How dare you insult Duke Wei like this? Twenty years ago, if it weren't for this eunuch, would you have the peaceful life you have now?" An old man stood up to voice his indignation.

"Old man, haven't you heard? Wei Yuan is a big corrupt official."

"Hmph, who said that?"

"That's what the imperial court said."

"The court still calls the Prince of Huai a hero, the court still says Chuzhou was slaughtered by demons and barbarians, and what happened in the end? I stopped trusting the court a long time ago, I'd rather trust Xu Yinluo."

Silence fell over the crowd.

After the massacre in Chuzhou, the people of the capital, and even the people of Great Feng, inevitably experienced a crisis of trust in the imperial court.

"Well, Xu Yinluo didn't say anything either."

The Imperial Palace.

The old eunuch slowly entered, stopped beside the bed, bowed, and said in a soft voice, "Your Majesty, the Grand Secretary requests an audience."

Emperor Yuanjing closed his eyes and sat in meditation, calmly replying, "I will not see you!"

The old eunuch added in a low voice, "The Grand Secretary is kneeling outside, saying he won't leave unless you see him."

Emperor Yuanjing chuckled but did not respond.

The old eunuch dared not offer any further advice and stood obediently to the side.

Time passed by, and an hour went by in the blink of an eye. The old eunuch glanced at Emperor Yuanjing, who was still meditating, and then left the palace with small steps.

As soon as the person left, Emperor Yuanjing opened his eyes, got up from the futon, and stood in the palace. He squatted down with his palms on the ground.

A few seconds later, Emperor Yuanjing vaguely heard a mournful dragon roar in his ear.

"Not enough, not enough!"

Emperor Yuanjing did not speak, but a voice came from within his body.

"Tomorrow, we can announce the defeat in the war against the Witch God Cult, and that will be enough," Emperor Yuanjing said with a smile.

On the other side, the old eunuch came out of the palace, and at the foot of the high steps, a man in a scarlet robe knelt.

"Your Excellency, why are you doing this? It will be bad for both you and His Majesty's reputation if word gets out."

The old eunuch bowed deeply and earnestly advised, "Go back. I have served His Majesty for most of my life, and I know his temperament well. Even if you kneel here to your death, you will not be able to shake His Majesty's resolve."

The chief minister's face was pale, his eyelids were half open and half closed, and he looked as if he might faint at any moment.

At this age, being able to kneel for an hour can only be described as having amazing willpower.

"I understand, thank you for reminding me, Father-in-law."

The light in Wang's eyes gradually faded. He struggled to get up, but as he moved, he fell sideways.

"Oh dear, please be careful. His Majesty's health is precious. If something happens to you, who will share His Majesty's burdens?"

The old eunuch quickly helped him up.

Wang Zhenwen exhaled, dusted himself off, straightened his clothes, and then bowed deeply towards the Imperial Study.

Then, he did something that left the old eunuch speechless.

Wang Zhenwen removed his official hat and gently placed it on the steps.

His eyes were bright as he stood up.

Wang Zhenwen stood up, no longer looking back, and strode away.

Being free from official duties brings a sense of freedom.

Star-Gazing Tower.

Two carriages slowly approached, both made of sandalwood, edged with jade pieces, and decorated with bright yellow silk.

The carriage stopped in the square Star-Gazing Tower, and two rows of guards on horseback reined in their horses and stopped with the carriage.

The carriage doors opened, and a woman emerged from each compartment. The woman in the plain-colored palace dress was like an iceberg snow lotus, noble and aloof; the woman in the fiery red palace dress wore a small phoenix crown, jade hairpins, and other expensive jewelry.

Like a noble canary.

Her beauty and charm, combined with her perfect carrying off of these luxurious jewelry pieces, made one feel that a woman of her natural beauty and inner allure should be dressed in such a glamorous manner.

Leaving their guards behind, the two princesses entered the Star-Gazing Tower.

Huaiqing, you're here!

Chu Caiwei and the others were in the lobby on the first floor, happily greeting her good friend.

Ignoring all princess decorum, Biao Biao lifted her skirt and ran upstairs.

After running a few steps, he suddenly realized what was happening, turned around and shouted, "Which floor is he on?"

"Seventh floor!"

Chu Caiwei responded with a sweet smile as she spoke to Huaiqing, pulling out some dried meat from her deerskin pouch. "Want some?"

Huaiqing shook his head.

Biao Biao stamped her foot and said, "Lead the way!"

Chu Caiwei led the two princesses to the seventh floor, pushed open the bedroom door, and the room was filled with the smell of medicine. Biao Biao's gaze immediately fell on the man on the bed who was on the verge of death.

Her peach-blossom eyes instantly welled up with tears.

"Why hasn't he woken up yet? Is he still in danger?" Biao Biao choked out.

Huaiqing remained silent and looked at Chu Caiwei.

"I don't know when he'll wake up. When he was brought back, he was truly close to death. No part of his body was intact. While defending the city, he used Confucian School Law Technique and suffered a backlash. In addition, the wound on his waist is also troublesome and has not healed for a long time."

The big-eyed, cute girl looked worried and explained, "The teacher said his ideas were too domineering."

Huaiqing asked, "What is his 'intention'?"

Chu Caiwei shook her head. "The teacher only said that hurting others hurts oneself, and both good and bad perish."

The scene of jade and stone burning together moved Huaiqing slightly.

What was Xu Qi'an's state of State of Mind when he advanced to the fourth rank, leading him to take that step?

Biao Biao was already sitting on the edge of the bed, clutching a handkerchief in her hand, crying her eyes out.

She wanted to call out to Xu Qi'an and shake him awake, but she worried that it wouldn't be good for him, so all she could do was cry.

Sobbing, Biao Biao said, "Even the Emperor won't let him hold an official position, yet he still works so hard. Wei Yuan's lifelong reputation is ruined in an instant. If he wakes up and finds out, how heartbroken he will be."

"How can Father be so heartless? Although I don't like Wei Yuan, I know he has done something extraordinary."

"Wei, Duke Wei."

Biao Biao was crying when she suddenly heard a hoarse voice behind her.

Biao Biao was overjoyed. Huai Qing and Chu Caiwei also stepped forward and approached the bedside. They saw that Xu Qi'an's face was pale and his lips were cracked, but his eyes were already open.

"Oh, you're finally awake."

Chu Caiwei exclaimed happily, "I'll go get you some nourishing pills."

With a beaming smile, she hurriedly ran out of the room.

Xu Qi'an gazed intently at the two princesses' strikingly different faces, paused briefly, and then asked, "Am I at the Bureau of Astronomy?"

Biao Biao nodded quickly. "Yes, yes!"

Her long eyelashes were wet with tears, and two lines of tears hung on her fair cheeks.

Xu Qi'an smiled at her, then breathed a sigh of relief. It seemed that Li Miaozhen had saved him.

"Although I survived, it was still too risky. I must have been hovering between life and death for the past few days," he thought to himself.

Killing Nurhega amidst a vast army is no easy feat. First, he must break through the ranks, and then kill a peak fourth-rank expert with two different systems. This alone is something that no fourth-rank expert with any system could accomplish.

Secondly, Nurhega is also Sorcerer System, possessing many control methods, so his Jade Shattering Version of Heaven and Earth One Slash might not be able to be successfully executed.

Therefore, it needs the protection of Li Miaozhen's Golden Core.

Finally, the way Confucian School Law Technique is used is also a key point. He used the Law Follows Speech to achieve a brief peak state, which is actually ten times stronger than "enhancing the Primordial Spirit".

The cost will be much lower.

He was almost completely destroyed back then, but fortunately, the chosen one was not destined to die, and there happened to be a beautiful female warrior from the Heavenly Sect by his side.

This time, he obviously didn't die on the spot, otherwise he wouldn't have seen Biao Biao and Huai Qing when he opened his eyes, but the midwife and his biological father in his next life.

Before long, Chu Caiwei returned, carrying a wooden tray filled with bottles and jars, her steps light and graceful.

"It's good that you're awake. The fact that you've woken up proves that those two forces that extinguished your life force have completely dissipated. With your current fourth-grade physique, you'll recover in two or three days."

Chu Caiwei seemed very happy. During Xu Ningyan's serious injury and confinement, she lost her appetite for dried fish and was depressed every day. She could only eat two bowls of rice per meal and had become very thin.

Now that Xu Ningyan woken up, she can happily enjoy her food again without worrying about him.

Under Chu Caiwei's guidance, he took a few pills and felt a warm sensation in his abdomen. The blocked Qi was flowing again in his meridians, and his complexion became much rosier.

Furthermore, the feeling of hunger in my stomach also dissipated.

He drank the warm water that Biao Biao handed him, and with her "service," he sat up in bed, leaning against the headboard with a soft pillow behind him.

"I just heard His Highness Lin'an mention Duke Wei."

Lin'an immediately looked at Huaiqing, his face showing hesitation.

Huaiqing hesitated for a moment, then said softly, "His Majesty is unwilling to grant Duke Wei a posthumous title, and even if he does, it will likely be a derogatory one."

Biao Biao, whose heart was set on Xu Qi'an, didn't notice that her older sister Huaiqing addressed their father as "Your Majesty".

A derogatory posthumous title is a posthumous title with a negative connotation.

For officials of this era, a posthumous title was a final assessment of their life's achievements and character.

A posthumous title of evil is tantamount to labeling Wei Yuan's life as that of a "bad person," recording him in history, and leaving him with a lasting infamy.

Huaiqing recounted the events of the past few days to Xu Qi'an in detail.

"I see. Unexpected, yet understandable."

Xu Qi'an said something calmly, and then fell silent.

After a long while, he said, "It's good that Duke Wei died in Jingshan City; it's better than dying at the hands of his own people. But if he hadn't died, those clowns wouldn't have dared to do anything to him."

"Looking back, his life was quite tragic. His ancestral home was Yuzhou, and his Lineage was massacred by the Witch God Cult when he was young. He went to the capital to seek refuge with a family friend, but he fell in love with a girl from that family and tried to elope, but they failed and he was castrated. Watching his beloved girl marry another man, while he still had to stay by her side to protect her, must have been the greatest humiliation for a man."

"He had no children and no relatives in his life, and yet they treat him like this in his final moments. It's wrong."

Xu Qi'an, his eyes red, forced a smile and said, "Huaiqing, please tell Chu Yuanzhen in detail about Zhen De's case and Duke Wei's matter. Ask him if he is willing to return to the capital before tomorrow."

He looked at Lin'an again, took her small hand in his, and squeezed it. "Your Highness, please grind the powder for me."

"Oh!"

Lin An listened in on the whole thing, understanding only vaguely, but one thing was very clear to him: he was very sad.

Xu Qi'an threw off the covers, got up, sat at the table, and picked up his pen to write a letter.

After a while, he finished writing the letter, put it in an envelope, and looked at Chu Caiwei: "Is Miaozhen still at the Star-Gazing Tower?"

Miaozhen frowned slightly, feeling that the address was too intimate and made her uncomfortable.

"Yes, I'll call her for you." Chu Caiwei immediately went out.

Li Miaozhen was meditating in her bedroom when she heard that Xu Qi'an had woken up. Overjoyed, she rushed over.

Pushing open the door, I was greeted by two princesses who were as beautiful as flowers and as lovely as celestial beings.

The heroine Feiyan suppressed her joy, calmly glanced at Xu Qi'an at the table, and nodded, saying, "It's good that you're awake. What did you need me for?"

Xu Qi'an handed her the envelope, his voice slightly hoarse:

"Please deliver this letter to the patriarch of the Martial Alliance. He is located in the back mountain of the Martial Alliance, at the stone gate guarded by the Quanrong."

"When you go, remember to hand it over to him personally. Don't entrust it to anyone else, including the current alliance leader, Cao Qingyang. Remember, you must hand it over to the old alliance leader personally. Just say my name, and Cao Qingyang will take you to see him."

"May I see it?" the Holy Maiden of the Heavenly Sect asked frankly.

What do you think? Xu Qi'an shook his head. "Don't look."

"Oh."

Li Miaozhen nodded and turned to leave the room.

Xu Qi'an then looked at the two princesses, placed his hands on the edge of the table, and stood up rather weakly. "Your Highnesses, please wait a moment while I go see the Supervisor."

P. S.: This chapter definitely has a lot of typos because I'm rushing it. I'll update it first and fix it later. Also, this chapter is 11,000 words, and I still have 4,000 words to write.