# 300. To Attend a Gathering
Entering the study and closing the door, Xu Xinnian stared at his older brother with an odd expression.
*His expression’s strange, but not anxious, it’s not an urgent matter…* Detective Xu made a quick judgment, sat by the round table, poured himself a glass of water to quench the thirst caused by too much MSG, and casually chuckled:
"Erlang, men shouldn't be hesitant. Just say what’s on your mind."
Xu Erlang walked to the desk, picked up an invitation, and with a light tap, sent it landing accurately in front of Xu Qi’an.
Xu Qi’an unfolded the invitation, quickly scanned it, and understood why his brother had such a strange expression.
The content of the invitation was for Xu Erlang to attend a literary gathering, with an interesting footnote: Bring your sister along.
The inviter was none other than Wang Zhenwen, the current Prime Minister.
“You are the Spring Exam huiyuan. It’s perfectly reasonable for you to be invited to such a gathering,” Xu Qi’an analysed.
Xu Xinnian had two younger sisters, but this sort of event wasn’t for children. Surely a grand family like the Wang family wouldn’t be unaware of basic etiquette?
As for women attending such gatherings, although the patriarchal society and the traditional virtues of women were still upheld in the Great Feng, the existence of cultivation meant that women could also be outstanding figures.
Thus, while women’s status was still beneath men’s, it wasn’t so low. Women didn’t need to bind their feet or wear veils outside, and they could go out whenever they pleased.
For instance, Auntie and Lingyue would often take some guards and go out shopping for jewellry every few days.
It wasn’t unusual for female guests to attend such literary gatherings.
“Foolish!”
Xu Xinnian sneered. “The court is like a battlefield. While there may be many ignorant fools in high positions, the officials of the central government are not among them. Wang Zhenwen is the cream of the crop. His every move, every word, and every expression is worth deep reflection. If we fail to consider them carefully, we might not even know how we end up dead.
"Big Brother is Wei Yuan’s man. Wang Zhenwen and Wei Yuan are like two fierce tigers at odds in the court, incompatible as water and fire. If he invites me to his residence, it’s definitely not as simple as it seems on the surface."
Xu Erlang paced around the room as he thought out loud, “I, Xu Xinnian, am the huiyuan of the Spring Imperial Exam, with boundless potential. The Prime Minister is wary of me and seeks to eliminate me before I grow strong...
“No, even if I were to achieve the highest honours, it would be easy for Wang Zhenwen to deal with me. The disparity in our positions is vast. If he wanted to, he wouldn’t need schemes or tricks.
“So, could it really just be an ordinary literary gathering? If I think that, I’d be underestimating my opponent and oversimplifying Wang Zhenwen…”
Feeling frustrated, Xu Erlang looked to his elder brother, frowning, “Big Brother, say something.”
*I think your imagination is running wild...* Xu Qi’an frowned and said, “Here’s what you can do: ask your fellow candidates if they’ve received invitations too.
“If they have, then it’s just a regular literary gathering. But if you’re the only one invited, as a student of Cloud Deer Academy, then there’s definitely something fishy going on.”
“I’ve thought of that already, but there’s no time.” Xu Erlang pointed to the invitation, “Look at the time, Big Brother. The gathering is tomorrow morning. I don’t have enough time to verify… oh, I understand now,”
“Understand what?” asked Xu Dalang.
“The Prime Minister is giving me no time to react. If I don’t go, he’ll spread rumors that I’m arrogant and aloof, ruining my reputation. If I go, there must be some scheme waiting for me at the gathering.” Xu Erlang gasped:
“Ginger is spicier when it’s aged.”
Hearing this, Xu Qi’an grew more alert, thinking that after their family had finally produced a scholarly talent, Wang Zhenwen was already out to get them.
But something didn’t feel right. He frowned and said, “You mentioned earlier that if the Prime Minister wanted to deal with you, he wouldn’t need to resort to schemes. Even if you became a top scholar, you’re just in the starter town, he’s already got a level 100 account.”
Xu Xinnian was confused, “What do you mean by ‘starter town’ and ‘level 100 account’?”
“If you don’t go, rumors of your arrogance will spread, but if you go, there may be a trap... It’s your decision, Erlang.” Xu Qi’an patted him on the shoulder in reassurance.
“When did you become as dimwitted as Lingyin, Big Brother?”
Xu Erlang wasn’t pleased, “I’ve said so much, and you still don’t understand? I want you to come with me.”
“No, you can’t bring me along. You’re my brother, but in the officialdom, we don’t walk the same path. Erlang, remember this:”
Xu Qi’an’s expression turned serious, as he solemnly said:
“You walk your own road, in your own direction. Don’t have *anything* to do with me.”
Xu Erlang was an intelligent person after all. After a moment of silence, he replied with a small “hmm.”
Big Brother was actually warning him to avoid any entanglement with Wei Yuan. Should the day come when Wei Yuan falls from power, Big Brother would inevitably be implicated.
But Wei Yuan’s downfall would have nothing to do with Xu Xinnian, whose only connection to this would be as Xu Qi’an’s cousin, not as Wei Yuan’s subordinate.
Xu Xinnian agreed with this reasoning.
In history, even within prestigious families, their members weren’t always united. They often belonged to different factions. This had the benefit of ensuring that even if one wing was clipped, the family wouldn’t be destroyed.
...
The next day, Xu Qi’an rode his beloved mare, clopping through the morning mist as he made his way to the Nightwatchers’ Constabulary.
After roll call, a few familiar colleagues, including Song Tingfeng, gathered around him. They drank tea, snacked on peanuts, and boasted for a while. Soon, they started urging Xu Qi’an to treat them to a trip to the Jiaofangsi.
"Piss off, piss..."
Xu Qi’an spat at them and cursed, “All you think about is going to the Jiaofangsi. Didn’t you watch my duel? What did that old monk beneath the Bodhi tree say? Lust is a bone-scraping knife, to be avoided.
“All you do is visit courtesans. Do you deserve your uniforms? It’s all good you whoring away, don’t drag me into it!”
His colleagues knew his true nature and weren’t the least bit afraid. They retorted, “Who in the Constabulary has been to the Jiaofangsi more than you?”
Xu Qi’an responded confidently, “I never pay for it, so how am I whoring? You all may be my friends, but slander me like this again, and I’ll report you to Duke Wei for defamation.”
“Bah!” they all spat at him.
But deep down, they admired Xu Qi’an. It wasn’t that he didn’t pay for courtesans; it was that the courtesans wanted to pay for him!
“Ningyan, I heard from Old Song that back when you were just a Bronze Gong, you and Miss Fuxiang were already together. Apart from that famous poem, do you have any other secret techniques?” a Bronze Gong eagerly inquired.
The Bronze and Silver Gongs present all perked up at once. Who wouldn’t want to be adored by the top courtesans?
“There’s indeed a trick to it.” Xu Qi’an gave a firm nod.
“What’s the trick?!” The Nightwatchers leaned in, breathless with anticipation.
Just then, a stern voice came from the entrance: “Gathering and chatting during duty hours—do you have any sense of discipline?”
The group turned and saw a Golden Gong standing at the door of the hall, his hawk-like eyes sharp as blades, with faint crow’s feet at the corners. It was Jiang Lyuzhong.
“Gold Gong Jiang…”
Everyone immediately straightened up, dropping their playful postures, and respectfully explained, “Xu Ningyan was teaching us how to sleep with an oiran without paying.”
“?”
Jiang Lyuzhong's sharp gaze swept over the group, then he sneered, "Dreaming your spring and autumn dreams... Alright, continue your chat, but don't linger too long."
With that, he turned and left, exiting the courtyard, and leaned against the wall while activating his fourth-rank martial artist’s hearing ability.
Inside the hall, the others nudged Xu Qi'an. "Ningyan, keep going."
Xu Qi'an coughed. "A bit thirsty."
Song Tingfeng handed him a cup of tea.
After taking a sip to moisten his throat, Xu Qi'an began speaking again, brimming with confidence. "Indeed, Lady Fuxiang fancied me initially because of a poem. But what truly made her unable to leave me wasn't the poem."
"What was it?" the others eagerly asked.
"Do you know what women despise most in men?" Xu Qi'an countered.
The Nightwatchers offered their thoughts, suggesting things like "no money" or "no prospects."
Xu Qi'an shook his head and looked around at his colleagues' faces, before gravely saying, "Deep words without deep connections."
What sort of logic was that? Hearing this, the Nightwatchers fell into contemplation.
"And how does this relate to Lady Fuxiang being unable to leave you?" Zhu Guangxiao frowned.
"When we first met, behind closed doors, she asked me…" Xu Qi'an put down his cup, his expression becoming serious and composed. He pronounced every word slowly and clearly: “‘Are you… able to?’
“In the end, I proved I could. That’s why she can’t leave me.”
In the ensuing silence, Song Tingfeng expressed his skepticism: "I suspect you're lying to us, but we have no evidence."
"That's normal. This isn't something the average person can grasp, especially men lacking the necessary... abilities." Xu Qi'an patted his shoulder and addressed the others, "I've told you the trick; whether you can comprehend it depends on your own insight."
"Deep words without deep connections... are you able to..." Jiang Lyuzhong muttered to himself as he left, finding these two phrases straightforward on the surface but feeling there was a deeper, more elusive meaning behind them.
*Better ask Duke Wei about this. With his intelligence, he should be able to grasp this small secret instantly.*
...
After dismissing his colleagues, it wasn't long before a clerk arrived. "Silver Gong Xu, Gold Gong Jiang sent me to ask if you still need medicinal ingredients for body tempering."
*Did Old Jiang really come to ask about this earlier? Couldn’t he have just sent word? He’s probably here for the indestructible vajra body but was too embarrassed to bring it up...* Xu Qi'an replied, "No need."
"Understood." The clerk departed.
Before long, the two key phrases "deep words without deep connections" and "are you able to" spread throughout the Nightwatcher Constabulary. It was said that anyone who could grasp the deeper meaning behind these phrases would be able to visit the Jiaofangsi and sleep with an Oiran without paying.
Don’t doubt it—this came from the mouth of Silver Gong Xu himself.
For a time, intense discussions broke out across the various divisions.
At this moment, in Xu Qi'an's hall, the culprit behind all of this was about to be summoned by a guard from Shaoyin Courtyard.
"The Second Princess requests your presence."
"I know. I have some matters to attend to first; I’ll go later," Xu Qi'an said, still seated behind his desk, leafing through dossiers.
The guard cupped his hands and left.
About a quarter-hour later, Xu Qi'an finally set down the dossiers and sighed in relief.
*More and more jianghu folk are flooding into the capital. Once word of the duel spreads, I’m afraid even more martial artists will come to join the fun... While this greatly boosts the capital's economy, incidents of swindling, kidnapping, and even home invasions are occurring with increasing frequency.*
*If this continues, we need to address the issue from two angles...*
Xu Qi'an waved over a clerk and instructed, "Draft a report."
Every Silver Gong's division had at least three clerks serving as secretaries. After all, while Silver Gongs were great at cutting people down, writing was another story... Xu Qi'an was about average in that regard.
Xu Qi'an submitted three proposals to Wei Yuan: first, to draw troops from the thirteen counties under the capital’s administration to maintain law and order in the outer city; second, to petition the Emperor to have the Imperial Guards patrol the inner city; third, during this period, breaking and entering — execution! Robbery and mugging — execution! Provoking trouble and seeking conflict, causing injury or material damage to bystanders — execution!
The first two were preparations for the third. Harsh punishment was needed to maintain order, but it would inevitably push criminals to take desperate actions, which would require substantial manpower and experts to suppress.
This might lead to criminals becoming desperate and committing murder, but if they wanted to quickly restore order, they needed heavy punishment as a deterrent.
After finishing the report, another guard arrived—this time from Dexin Courtyard.
"Princess Huaiqing requests your presence, Sir."
...
Xu Manor.
Xu Erlang, dressed in a refined pale white robe, had his hair tied up with a jade headpiece. Fine jade hung from his waist—his own, his father’s, and his brother’s... In short, he had adorned himself with the most valuable pieces of jade the men in the family owned.
"Father and Big Brother are both martial artists. They don’t even use these. Leaving them lying around is a waste," Xu Erlang had explained to Auntie and Xu Lingyue.
For the literary gathering hosted by Prime Minister Wang, which would surely be filled with the most talented scholars of the time, Xu Erlang felt he needed to look his best.
Auntie looked him over, satisfied, confident that her son would be the most handsome man at the gathering.
"Why are you taking Lingyue with you to the literary gathering?" Auntie asked.
Upon hearing the word "literary gathering," Xu Lingyin perked up.
"The invitation was written that way. Consider it an opportunity for Lingyue to broaden her horizons," Xu Erlang replied.
Auntie grabbed her daughter's hand, excitedly saying, "When you go to the gathering, keep an eye out. If you fancy any young gentleman, be sure to tell me when you return. With our family’s current standing, marrying you into a noble house is well within our reach."
"Mother, what are you talking about? I’m not going," Xu Lingyue said, turning away in displeasure.
Seizing the moment, Xu Lingyin pounced on Xu Erlang. "If Sister isn’t going, I’ll go! Second Brother, take me, take me!"
With that, she clung to Xu Erlang’s leg.
Xu Erlang tried shaking her off, but to no avail. The strength of Little Pea was truly terrifying.
"Alright, but you need to change into a pretty dress, or I won’t take you," Xu Erlang said.
"Okay!" Xu Lingyin nodded happily.
With Auntie’s help, she went to change. A few minutes later, Little Bean had her hair done up like an adult, wearing a dashing suit... but her brother and sister were already gone.
"Waaaaahhhhhhh!"
Her cries echoed through the courtyard like a pig being slaughtered.
...
Basking in the warm spring sunshine, the carriage arrived at Wang manor.
...