Nightwatcher

# 393. The Abandoned Princess Consort

Xu Qi’an took out the prepared secret letter and placed it on the table.

Susu eagerly unfolded it and read it several times over. The shimmer of tears in her eyes seemed to deepen, yet they would not fall.

Tears were a strong expression of emotion, but they were not real.

How could a ghost cry? She could not even weep for her family.

“H-how did my father end up making so many enemies? This… this doesn’t make sense,” Susu lamented.

“The Su family’s case is no ordinary matter,” Li Miaozhen patted the paper doll maid on the shoulder, offering comfort. “One of our goals in coming to the capital is to investigate your family’s case. Don’t worry, I will get to the bottom of what happened back then.”

Xu Qi’an cupped his hands. “Then I’ll trouble Lady Flying Swallow. I’ll be waiting for good news.”

Li Miaozhen immediately turned her head, her fair face tinged with irritation, and glared at him fiercely.

She had only said that to encourage Susu—how could something like this be left entirely to her? Xu Qi’an was obviously the one who had to take the lead.

This man just couldn’t stand seeing her take the spotlight.

“…Then I’ll trouble Silver… no, Young Master Xu,” Li Miaozhen pouted.

“I already agreed, but…” Xu Qi’an showed a troubled expression and said, “I initially thought it was a minor case that I could handle easily. But I never expected it to run so deep. Besides, I’m no longer a Silver Gong. Investigating the case is difficult at every turn. I fear…”

Susu’s face changed slightly. “You want to back out?”

Xu Qi’an shook his head and said in a serious tone, “No. I just need an extension.”

Zhong Li and Li Miaozhen did not immediately understand, but Susu did. She lowered her head shyly and asked in a soft voice, “H-how long?”

Xu Qi’an kept up the suspense. “We’ll talk about it later.”

He hadn’t expected Susu to actually agree. He had just been joking to tease the beautiful ghost.

…

As they were speaking, a voice came from the courtyard—Old Zhang, the doorman, called out in a slightly panicked tone, “Dalang, Dalang, the authorities are here…”

Li Miaozhen’s eyebrows furrowed as she grabbed the flying sword on the table and strode toward the door.

Xu Qi’an followed her outside and was met with the sight of a group of men forcefully entering the residence.

Leading them was a middle-aged man clad in the armour of an Imperial Guard commander, followed by more than a dozen heavily armed soldiers.

Among them were also several Nightwatchers—Silver Gong Li Yuchun and Bronze Gongs Song Tingfeng and Zhu Guangxiao.

The initially imposing Imperial Guard commander swept his sharp gaze over the inner courtyard, his expression subtly softening when he saw Chu Caiwei from the Sitianjian, Zhong Li, as well as Li Miaozhen and Chu Yuanzhen from the Human and Heaven Sects.

Xu Qi’an exchanged brief glances with Li Yuchun and the others before shifting his gaze away without much interaction.

The Imperial Guard commander rested a hand on the hilt of his blade and said in a loud voice, “Xu Qi’an, by order of His Majesty, I am here to question you regarding the abduction of the princess consort. Please cooperate.”

*Emperor Yuanjing is really concerned about the princess consort. Even in such a sensitive time, he still sent people to investigate me. That alone proves how much he values her…*

*I must handle this carefully. Otherwise, I might disrupt the current peace. If Emperor Yuanjing finds out I’ve ‘hidden’ the princess consort, he definitely won’t let me off…*

Xu Qi’an gave a silent nod and said calmly, “What does the general wish to ask?”

The Imperial Guard commander said in a deep voice, “Please summon everyone in the residence. Also, this is not the place for such a discussion. Let us talk inside.”

Xu Qi’an immediately instructed Old Zhang to gather all the household servants, then led the Imperial Guard commander, Li Yuchun, Song Tingfeng, and Zhu Guangxiao into the main hall.

Since all the servants had been summoned to the courtyard, no one was present to serve tea.

Xu Qi’an sat at the head of the hall, staring impassively at the Imperial Guard commander.

*What kind of attitude is this? How arrogant…* The Imperial Guard commander gave him a glance and then stiffened his expression, saying, “His Majesty has already heard the delegation’s report regarding the abduction. However, there are still some missing details. Please tell us everything truthfully, Young Master Xu.”

Seeing Xu Qi’an nod, the Imperial Guard commander continued, “According to the maidservants who returned to King Huai’s residence, after the princess consort was taken, you pursued the four chieftains of the barbarians. Is this true?”

Xu Qi’an answered honestly, “Yes.”

The Imperial Guard commander pressed, “And then?”

“Then they escaped, of course. Does the general believe that I, a mere Rank Six martial artist, could fight against four Rank Four experts? Even with a Confucian magic tome, it wouldn’t be possible, right?” Xu Qi’an replied with a rhetorical question.

The Imperial Guard commander did not argue, implicitly acknowledging his words, though he still held some doubts. Squinting slightly, he asked, “If you knew you weren’t their match, why did you pursue them?”

Xu Qi’an remained composed. “At the time, I was unaware that another Rank Four expert was lying in wait. I pursued them simply to fulfil my duty as a loyal subject, hoping for an opportunity to rescue the princess consort. When I saw that it was impossible, I naturally withdrew.”

*Fulfilling the duty of a loyal subject? In this entire court, you’re the last person qualified to say that…*

The Imperial Guard commander was silent for a few seconds before suddenly giving him a meaningful smile.

“No one ever told you that the princess consort was still alive, did they? According to the maidservants, at the time, the ‘princess consort’ had already been killed by the serpent yao Hongling. So how did you know she was still alive?”

When Xu Qi’an arrived, the fake princess consort was already dead.

The delegation reported that the princess consort had been abducted and was missing because they had not witnessed this scene.

But Xu Qi’an had. According to what he saw, the princess consort should have been dead.

And yet, he showed no surprise at all upon hearing that she was alive. What did that mean?

Faced with the Imperial Guard commander’s question, Xu Qi’an also smiled knowingly.

“No one ever told you that I didn’t know she was a fake, did they?”

The Imperial Guard commander frowned.

Xu Qi’an smiled confidently. “At the time, Que Yongxiu abandoned the delegation and fled alone. Not only was he carrying the ‘princess consort,’ but he also had his guards carry the maidservants as well.

“Heh, Que Yongxiu isn’t exactly a saint. If I couldn’t see through the real princess consort hiding among the maids, wouldn’t my reputation as the greatest detective of the Great Feng be utterly undeserved?”

The Imperial Guard commander was stunned.

He had no way to refute Xu Qi’an’s reasoning. In fact, it even seemed completely logical.

If the fake princess consort had managed to deceive Xu Qi’an, then he wouldn’t be the legendary detective he was known to be.

At that moment, a soldier stepped to the doorway and said respectfully, “Commander, the search is complete.”

The Imperial Guard commander immediately stood up and said, “Farewell.”

Without even sparing Li Yuchun and the others a glance, he led his men away.

In the hall, only the four former colleagues remained. In the past, their bond had been strong, but now, silence filled the space between them.

After a long pause, Li Yuchun stood up.

Xu Qi’an quickly followed suit.

Brother Chun stepped forward, examined him briefly, then reached out to smooth out a wrinkle on his chest. In a calm voice, he said, “Wrinkled clothes make you look unpresentable. Small details like these—remember to handle them yourself.”

Then, in a quiet voice, he added, “You did well. I’m proud of you.”

“Boss…” Xu Qi’an’s eyes burned with emotion.

Li Yuchun waved a hand dismissively and looked at Song Tingfeng and Zhu Guangxiao.

“Ningyan, leave the capital as soon as you can.”

Song Tingfeng embraced him and whispered, “His Majesty won’t let you go.”

Zhu Guangxiao muttered, “Once you leave, don’t come back. The three of us may never meet again… But that’s better than being dead.”

Xu Qi’an grinned. “I’m not leaving just yet. If you have time, let’s visit the Goulan—my treat.”

As he walked them to the door, he suddenly saw Zhong Li sneaking along the wall, glancing around cautiously as if watching out for potential danger.

Then, she locked eyes with Li Yuchun.

Xu Qi’an clearly saw the goosebumps rise on Brother Chun’s nape. Then, as if encountering something terrifying, he instinctively jumped back and kicked out at the same time.

Bang!

Zhong Li was sent flying, rolling away into the distance.

Li Yuchun opened his mouth, but in the end, he said nothing. He didn’t dare to look at Zhong Li and covered his face as he left.

Xu Qi’an rushed over and helped Senior Sister Zhong up. With a tearful voice, she asked, aggrieved, “Why did he hit me…?”

“……”

Xu Qi’an also opened his mouth but didn’t know how to respond for a moment. He stroked her head sympathetically and said, “He’s got mental issues. If you see him again, just avoid him.”

…

The commander of the Imperial Guards left Xu Manor with his subordinates. After riding for a short distance, he slowed down and asked, “What is the situation at the Xu residence?”

A subordinate replied, “There have been no new servants entering the household recently, nor any signs of disguise or impersonation. We verified everyone’s identity, and we can cross-check them later with the household records of the county constabulary and the Changle County Office.

“Additionally, we conducted a brief search of the Xu residence and found no unknown women.”

*It seems he really has nothing to do with the princess consort…* The Imperial Guard commander nodded and instructed,

“For the time being, assign someone to keep an eye on the Xu residence. Pay attention to everyone coming and going. If any new servants enter, report immediately.”

The subordinate nodded in agreement before asking, “Should we also have someone keep an eye on Xu Qi’an?”

The Imperial Guard commander scoffed, “And how exactly do you plan to keep an eye on a sixth rank martial artist?”

“……”

Upon returning to the palace, the commander reported everything truthfully. Emperor Yuanjing did not respond—neither ordering a continued investigation nor declaring the matter closed.

…

The afternoon sunlight carried a slight heat, and the green leaves shimmered with iridescent hues under the bright rays.

Auntie decided to make sour plum soup for everyone, earning unanimous praise from Xu Lingyin, Lina, and Chu Caiwei.

Xu Qi’an pushed open the door to Erlang’s study. Xu Erlang was playing a game of Go with Chu Yuanxian, drinking wine and chatting as they played.

_Tap tap…_ Freeloader Xu tapped the table twice, drawing the two men’s attention. He pondered for a moment before saying,

“Erlang, I remember there’s an official position responsible for recording every word and action within the imperial court—no matter how big or small.”

Chu Yuanxian chuckled. “That would be the imperial diarist.”

Xu Qi’an immediately nodded. “Yes, yes, imperial diarist! They’re a part of the Hanlin Academy, right?”

Xu Erlang lifted his chin slightly and nodded. “The Hanlin Academy is responsible for compiling historical records, and the imperial diary serves as an important reference for this work. Naturally, our Hanlin Academy assigns someone of high status to serve as imperial diarist.”

Xu Qi’an pressed further, “Can you access those records?”

Xu Erlang hesitated briefly before nodding. “It’s difficult, but possible.”

Xu Qi’an lowered his voice. “I want all the imperial diaries since Emperor Yuanjing ascended the throne.”

Xu Erlang rejected him outright, “Ridiculous. The imperial diaries cannot be taken out, and besides, it’s impossible to copy them openly.”

Xu Qi’an shook his head. “I’m not asking anyone to copy them, nor am I asking you to take them out. Just memorise them with that sharp mind of yours and recite them to me. An eighth rank self-cultivator should already have photographic memory, right?”

Xu Erlang’s face turned pale. “That would still be exhausting. The imperial diaries are extensive…”

Xu Qi’an patted his little brother’s shoulder. “Aren’t you flirting with the Wang family’s young lady? In a few days, I’ll teach you a peerless technique—‘Edo’s Forty-Eight Hands.’”

…

The next day, Xu Qi’an rode his beloved little mare to a restaurant. After securing a private room and ordering food and drinks, he waited.

In less than fifteen minutes, Chief Constable Chen of the Ministry of Law and the Deputy Justice of the High Court arrived, one after the other.

Both were dressed in plain clothes, moving furtively as if afraid of being recognised. They had even done some simple disguising.

“Sir Xu is a taboo figure now. Meeting you privately requires extra caution,” the Deputy Justice of the High Court said with a sly smile, leisurely sipping his drink and eating.

Chief Constable Chen, however, was more serious. He got straight to the point: “What do you need from us?”

Xu Qi’an poured them both wine and smiled.

“I need your help with something. I want to investigate an old case. The person involved was Su Hang, a _jinshi_ of the 29th year of Zhende. In the 14th year of Yuanjing, he was demoted to Governor of Jiangzhou for unknown reasons. The following year, he was executed for bribery and corruption.

“This man was once among the esteemed ministers, a person of considerable status. Both the Ministry of Law and the High Court should have records of his case. I’d like to take a look.”

The Deputy Justice of the High Court frowned slightly. “I’ve never heard of him. Why are you suddenly investigating a case from over twenty years ago?”

Xu Qi’an casually explained, “To be honest, Su Hang’s eldest daughter is my concubine.”

As soon as he said this, he saw both Chief Constable Chen and the Deputy Justice’s expressions change dramatically.

“???”

The Deputy Justice swallowed nervously. “Su Hang died in the 14th year of Yuanjing’s reign, and his eldest daughter is… your concubine?”

Chief Constable Chen remained silent, but the way he looked at Xu Qi’an clearly said: _So this is your taste?_

*Uh… Susu’s actual age could indeed be old enough to be my mother…* Xu Qi’an suddenly realised the misunderstanding but wasn’t too bothered. He smiled and corrected himself,

“Joking, joking. Actually, it’s his eldest daughter’s daughter who is my concubine. Back then, due to an unexpected turn of events, his daughter happened to be away from home, so she escaped the disaster.”

The Deputy Justice nodded. “This is an easy matter. Three days from now, same time, same place. I’ll bring the records for you, but you can’t take them away. Once you’re done reading, I’ll bring them back.”

Chief Constable Chen added, “Same here.”

Xu Qi’an exhaled in relief. “Thank you both.”

As he spoke, he pulled out two silver notes, each worth a hundred taels.

The Deputy Justice didn’t take his, instead laughing at himself, “I just said Minister Zheng rekindled my conscience. Don’t taint me again. A meal and some drinks will be enough as payment.”

Chief Constable Chen said, “Same here.”

*Are you Zhang Yide[^1] or something…* Xu Qi’an muttered internally, but he raised his cup with a smile.

After a satisfying meal, he mounted his little mare, riding toward the broker’s guild in rhythm with her gait.

A great beauty was still waiting for him to make arrangements.

…

After lunch, the princess consort returned to the inn, feeling dejected. She sat in front of the dressing table in silence.

She suspected that she had been abandoned. The Holy Maiden of the Heaven Sect had been gone for four days with no news, and that scoundrel seemed to have completely forgotten about her.

He hadn’t come to see her at all.

She still had money, enough to stay at this inn for another ten days. But without someone to rely on, she no longer felt secure.

Especially today, after breakfast, she had disguised herself as an ordinary woman and wandered around the city alone. She eventually ended up at the opera house.

The opera house was fascinating—lively, full of performances to watch.

She paid five copper coins to see a play about a wealthy young lady who fell in love with a poor scholar. Because their families were mismatched in status, they eloped.

At first, life was sweet. The scholar studied hard for his exams, and the rich young lady learned embroidery and cooking. Life was simple but manageable.

But as time passed, the money she had brought ran out. The scholar only cared about his studies, and their life became unbearably difficult.

In the end, he abandoned her and threw her out.

Alone and destitute, she wandered the streets before finally choosing to throw herself into the river.

By the play’s end, the princess consort was sobbing uncontrollably. She felt just like that poor young lady—deceived by sweet words, lured away from home, only to be heartlessly abandoned.

“That scoundrel Xu Qi’an must have forgotten me, thinking I’m a burden…” she muttered, shedding silent tears in front of the dressing table.

At that moment, a knock sounded at the door.

---

[^1]: Zhang Fei (3 kingdoms)

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