# 256. Xu Qi'an: I've Contributed Again
"Are you mocking us?"
"Ice" slowly crept onto Noble Consort Chen's face—her expression, her gaze, and her tone of voice all turned cold.
"Would you look at that," Xu Qi'an shrugged and sneered, "No matter how sweetly someone paints a picture, the moment real payment is required, they immediately turn hostile."
*Good thing you didn't agree—otherwise, I'd rather see Lin'an heartbroken than let you win.*
Noble Consort Chen took a sip of tea, and when she set the cup down, her face had returned to its usual calm. “Our greatest flaw is Lang'er. As long as she is no more, there will be no evidence left to prove anything.
"And with the blink of an eye, Fengqi Palace is about to collapse. As they say, a wise bird chooses a good tree to nest in. Sir Xu is a clever man; surely you know the right choice."
Xu Qi'an nodded in agreement, "The Crown Prince remains the Crown Prince, and the Empress is about to be deposed. You, Madam, have promised to marry Lin'an to me... so, I choose Duke Wei."
Noble Consort Chen's expression stiffened, and her grip on the teacup tightened. It took a long time before she resisted the urge to either splash the hot tea in his face or smash the cup.
"So, Sir Xu intends to take Lang'er away from Jingxiu Palace and bring us down?"
Noble Consort Chen's beautiful eyes locked onto Xu Qi'an. The atmosphere in the room dropped to freezing, and a deadly pressure enveloped him.
Though Xu Qi'an, at his Refining Spirit level, couldn't detect the exact moment of danger, the instincts of a seventh-rank martial artist screamed: Danger!
*If I insist on taking Lang'er, it's be a mutual destruction—Noble Consort Chen will have no choice but to throw caution to the wind. She won't care that this is the harem and will strike at me. My life wouldn't be guaranteed... Though I still have Master Shenshu as a last resort..*. Xu Qi'an smirked, straightening his posture with a look of disdain.
"I, Xu Qi'an, once faced thousands of rebels alone, cut down thousands of enemies, and remained standing even in death. Does Madam think a mere threat would scare me?
"A servant fears not death. How could one intimidate me with it?"
*A servant fears not death. How could one intimidate me with it...* Noble Consort Chen's eyes showed surprise. She nodded slowly. "Well said. Sir Xu is truly a hero. To fall at your hands..."
The consort tightened her grip on the cup, as if ready to smash it as a signal.
Suddenly, Xu Qi'an said loudly, "But my heart is sincere towards Lin'an. I do not wish to see her heartbroken. I can pretend today's events never happened."
*Even if I plan to expose the consort, I must first make sure I walk out of Jingxiu Palace alive…* Xu Qi'an thought with regret.
Noble Consort Chen studied him for a moment, then set down her teacup, nodding with satisfaction. "You're not lying. It seems you truly care for Lin'an. If that's the case, why not join us?"
*Do you take me for a fool? If I join you, I'm as good as dead. In the capital, the only person I can rely on is Duke Wei. Even Princess Huaiqing can only be trusted halfway. As for Lin'an, she's just a powerless princess—there's no way she could protect me.*
"Madam, one does not win loyalty with empty promises but through tangible actions. I serve Duke Wei because he treats me with sincerity. I trust him."
With that, Xu Qi'an turned slightly, casting a glance at the eunuch waiting outside the courtyard. "It's not that I am helpless against Madam, but I don't think Madam can do much to me either."
Once the mutual destruction scenario was off the table, Noble Consort Chen wouldn't dare push him further.
Though the eunuch was just a lackey, he was currently Emperor Yuanjing's eyes, serving as surveillance. Everything that happened here would be reported to the emperor without fail.
Unless Noble Consort Chen killed him outright, any plot or scheme against Xu Qi'an would be useless—the eunuch could testify on his behalf.
That was precisely why Xu Qi'an had insisted the eunuch stay.
Noble Consort Chen took a long, deep look at him, her beautiful eyes narrowing. "We are tired. You may leave... The doors of Jingxiu Palace will always be open for you."
"Your servant takes his leave."
Xu Qi'an cupped his hands and bowed before exiting the room.
As he stepped into the courtyard, the eunuch hurried over. "Sir Xu, what did the Noble Consort say to you?"
"don't ask. If you do, you'll lose your head," Xu Qi'an replied irritably.
The eunuch's face turned pale.
In the outer courtyard, Lin'an sat in a pavilion, resting her chin in her hand while idly toying with a teacup. Two palace maids stood by her side.
Upon seeing Xu Qi'an, her round face lit up with a radiant smile. Her almond-shaped eyes curved into crescent moons as she waved and called out in a sweet voice, "Running Dog, come here!"
There was no authority behind her words—she sounded more like she was pouting.
Xu Qi'an took a deep breath, suppressing the surge of emotions, and forced a smile as he said casually, "Your Highness, I'm back."
Lin'an immediately asked, "What did my mother say to you?"
"Her Highness mentioned that you're nearing the age to be married and asked if I knew of any suitable young talents to recommend. She said she would help find a match for you."
Lin'an blinked, and a faint blush crept across her cheeks. Suspicious, she asked, "Would my mother really say that to you?"
*...Eh, why aren't you falling into my trap? When did you get so clever? I was planning to recommend myself next…* Xu Qi'an had no choice but to say, "I was just joking."
Lin'an's eyebrows shot up. "Running Dog, how dare you tease us!"
She placed her hands on her hips and glared at him.
"I'm still a child, Your Highness—I don't even know what teasing means."
Lin'an pouted and playfully tutted, but then found Xu Qi'an's words amusing, laughing with a tinkling sound like a little hen clucking.
Her laughter was both innocent and alluring, as if she herself was a beautiful scene.
Xu Qi'an laughed along with her, but deep down, he sighed.
Earlier, he had planned to feign ignorance, leave Jingxiu Palace first, and then report his findings to Duke Wei, who could swiftly arrest Lang'er, catching Noble Consort Chen off guard.
But due to Lin'an, he hesitated. Although he remained clear-headed in the end and would still expose Noble Consort Chen, his moment of hesitation had been costly.
*Noble Consort Chen is skilled. As soon as I leave, Lang'er will "fall ill" and die, leaving her with no flaws. This way, Noble Consort Chen will have no more weaknesses to exploit.*
"Noble Consort Chen is indeed a competent royal consort... But Lin'an, this silly girl—growing up within these palace walls, I can't tell if it's a blessing or a curse."
Reflecting on Noble Consort Chen's earlier moves, Xu Qi'an had to admit her sharpness. First, she called him to test the waters. Sure enough, she sensed something amiss.
Then she laid everything out in a seemingly open-hearted manner, but in truth, she was unafraid because she knew that once Lang'er was dealt with, Xu Qi'an would have no leverage. Moreover, Xu Qi'an wouldn't be able to take Lang'er with him unless he wanted to die.
Once she realized the threat, she decided to be straightforward, gaining his trust in the process. Then, she dangled the carrot—her beautiful daughter—as bait. *Had I been the lecherous type, I might have fallen right into her trap...*
*I have Master Shenshu to protect me, so I may not die on the spot. However, it would expose me, and that dog Emperor Yuanjing would undoubtedly seal me under Sangpo lake. In the end, the result remains the same—mutual destruction.*
After leaving Jingxiu Palace, Xu Qi'an excused himself from Biaobiao's invitation to play Five-in-a-row, claiming he had urgent business to attend to.
"Little Eunuch, my work in the palace is complete. When you report to His Majesty later, there are some things you should say, and some things you should not. Let me advise you." Xu Qi'an spoke solemnly.
The eunuch straightened his posture at the seriousness in Xu Qi'an's tone. "Sir, please go ahead."
“Regarding Jingxiu Palace, you must report everything to His Majesty, word for word. Tell him this: After questioning the maid, Langer, Sir Xu looked extremely upset, as if he did not wish to linger in the palace any longer, not even to drink tea.
"Yet before Sir Xu could leave, Consort Chen suddenly called him back and invited him to the rear courtyard. The Consort dismissed everyone and had a private conversation with Sir Xu in the room. Though I could see them, I couldn't hear what they discussed."
After Xu Qi'an finished, he took out a five-tael silver note, along with another five taels he extorted from the palace gatekeeper eunuch, making a total of ten taels, and handed them to the eunuch without any fuss.
The eunuch, while accepting the money, protested, "Sir, I cannot accept this," even as he pocketed it.
After carefully reflecting on Xu Qi'an's instructions and finding no issues, he nodded. "Your servant will follow your orders to the letter."
With that settled, Xu Qi'an left the palace and quickly rode back to the Nightwatchers Constabulary on the horse Princess Huaiqing had lent him.
After being announced by the guards, he ascended to the seventh floor of the Tower of Noble Spirit and entered the tearoom.
Wei Yuan was not in the tearoom but on the balcony connected to it. Sitting in a large chair with his hair down, a black-robed officer was combing his hair.
Wei Yuan gestured for Xu Qi'an to come over. "Come, comb my hair."
The black-robed officer tactfully handed the comb to Xu Qi'an and left the room.
"Why is Duke Wei having his hair combed at a time like this?" Xu Qi'an asked as he ran the comb through Wei Yuan's hair, finding it surprisingly smooth and free of tangles.
"In Buddhism, hair symbolizes worldly troubles," Wei Yuan said, his eyes half-closed as he basked in the warm sunlight. "Combing through it wipes away past troubles, leaving them behind."
*What does that mean?*
*Wei Yuan seems a little off today. What did he mean by "leaving the past behind"?*
"Combing seems pointless. How about I massage your head instead?" Xu Qi'an offered.
Wei Yuan chuckled. "Go ahead, try."
Xu Qi'an pocketed the comb and began gently massaging Wei Yuan’s head, focusing on the pressure points.
Wei Yuan’s breathing gradually slowed. The warm sunlight bathed them both, and the serene atmosphere made Xu Qi'an feel as if he had returned to the mortal world, far from the palace intrigues.
"Not bad," Wei Yuan said with a smile.
*Of course, this is a massage technique from barbershops back home. I should get you a shampoo chair someday…* Xu Qi'an cleared his throat and said, "Your servant has something to report."
"Go ahead."
"Your servant has discovered the person behind everything."
Wei Yuan opened his eyes but remained silent for a while.
"It’s Consort Chen!" Xu Qi'an said softly. "Today, while investigating Jingxiu Palace, I found out that her maid, Lang’er, was the one who destroyed the Imperial Pharmacy records…"
He then relayed the entire story, including Consort Chen's attempt to recruit him.
Wei Yuan patted his hand, signaling him to stop, then got up and walked to the edge of the observation deck. With both hands resting on the railing, he gazed into the distance. "Who do you think is backing Consort Chen?"
*How would I know…* Xu Qi'an shook his head. "It might be connected to the Sitianjian."
This was his deduction based on the existence of the Qi-watching technique.
"It’s not the Sitianjian," Wei Yuan said with certainty.
*Not the Sitianjian…* It took Xu Qi'an a few seconds to process this before he exclaimed, "Duke Wei, you knew Consort Chen was plotting against the Empress and you?"
"Initially, I didn’t suspect her. But she’s ruthless enough to drag the Crown Prince down with her. After I handed this case over to you, I stopped paying attention to it. It wasn’t until this morning, after hearing the Empress had confessed, and listening to your account, that I realized it was her."
Xu Qi'an stared at Wei Yuan’s back for a long time. He used to think that Wei Yuan and Daoist Jinlian were both crafty schemers, but now he realized that Daoist Jinlian was quite pure-hearted compared to Wei Yuan.
If it’s not the Sitianjian, how could Consort Chen use the Qi-watching technique? Who else besides the Sitianjian can use that?
Suddenly, Xu Qi'an’s mind clicked. "Duke Wei, I just remembered something."
"The third rank Arcanist who appeared in the Yunzhou case?" Wei Yuan asked.
"Duke Wei, your wisdom is unparalleled…" Xu Qi'an was impressed.
"I's looked into that person but found nothing. Do you know what the title of a third grade Arcanist in the Sitianjian is?" Wei Yuan asked.
"Master of Heaven’s Secrets." Xu Qi'an replied, having heard it from the King of Posturing.
“A Master of Heaven’s Secrets can shield their presence from the heavens. They can erase all traces of their existence, making their parents, spouses, and children forget them, and even wiping out all written records about them. This is their ability.
"Moreover, a Master of Heaven’s Secrets can alter others’ memories of them, leaving only a vague impression in their minds that no amount of recall can fully restore."
Wei Yuan gazed into the distance. “During the Sangpo case, you tried to find information about the first Jianzheng, but there was no trace, not even a whisper. Keep in mind, Emperor Wuzong could alter history, but he couldn’t silence the people or suppress folk tales.
"It was Jianzheng who erased all traces of the first Jianzheng. He’s like someone who never existed. Even I sometimes mistakenly think Jianzheng founded the Sitianjian and created the Arcanist system.
"Then, the gaps in history remind me that there was another, the first Jianzheng."
"How can we investigate this?" Xu Qi'an was dumbfounded.
Once again, he realized how terrifying the top-level masters in this world could be.
"To investigate, you’d need Jianzheng’s help," Wei Yuan said.
*That makes sense. Only magic can defeat magic. Duke Wei's thinking is spot-on…* Xu Qi'an nodded inwardly.
"But the Jianzheng refused," Wei Yuan sighed.
*As expected. The Sitianjian holds many secrets, and Jianzheng is like an old man guarding them…* Xu Qi'an pursed his lips and curiously asked, "Duke Wei, do you know what the titles for the first and second ranks of Arcanists are?"
Wei Yuan shook his head. "The Jianzheng and I have always been at odds. The Great Feng is like a chessboard. He plays, and so do I. We often clash due to our differing strategies."
This was the first time Wei Yuan had discussed such "high-level" matters with Xu Qi'an.
Perhaps, in Wei Yuan’s eyes, the Jianzheng was his greatest political rival. Xu Qi'an tentatively asked, "How do you plan to save the Empress?"
“I’ll have to push the Imperial Uncle to take the fall. Whether that works or not remains to be seen. The Emperor enjoys balancing power and will consider deposing the Empress, as that would leave the Crown Prince without an adversary. But recently, the Emperor has been reminded of some unpleasant memories, and he might not be thinking clearly—unless we can make him suspicious of Consort Chen…
"The Empress has too soft a heart. She should have consulted me before making this move." Wei Yuan's voice held a trace of helplessness.
*Is Duke Wei indirectly calling the Empress an unreliable teammate?* Xu Qi'an's eyes lit up. It seemed that his earlier efforts in the palace had not been in vain. He might have even contributed.
"Duke Wei, your subordinate must confess—I took matters into my own hands earlier."
Wei Yuan turned and frowned slightly. "What did you do?"