Nightwatcher

# 255. Frank Admissions

At that moment, Xu Qi’an couldn't conceal the shock and surprise on his face.

What the Qi-watching technique showed him made him instantly alert, and countless thoughts collided in his mind, sparking all kinds of realisations.

Two possibilities came to mind quickly: First, Lang'er might genuinely not like green bean cakes, and her previous display of liking them was merely to curry favour with Consort Chen.

Second, she was lying, and the Qi-watching technique hadn't detected it, which meant she was wearing an artefact that could shield against it.

The first possibility couldn’t be confirmed right away.

The second possibility, however, sent chills down Xu Qi’an's spine and made his adrenaline surge.

How could a palace maid from Jingxiu Palace possess an artefact that could block the Qi-watching technique?

Why would she wear such an artefact?

Unless she needed it to cover her tracks for something she had done recently. Unless she knew she would be questioned.

What had she done recently?

She had been to the imperial pharmacy!

As for the possibility that the person standing in front of him wasn’t Lang'er, but rather an imposter in disguise… Xu Qi’an considered it unlikely. A human skin mask wouldn’t have escaped his scrutiny.

If it were a high-level expert using advanced transformation techniques, it would be even more impossible. This was the imperial palace—no high-level expert could sneak in here undetected.

"Sir Xu?"

Lang'er frowned, narrowing her eyes as she scrutinized Xu Qi’an, who had lost control of his expression.

*I can't jump to conclusions. Maybe she really just doesn’t like green bean cakes and unintentionally spoke the truth*, Xu Qi’an thought, trying to maintain composure. Instead of calming his emotions, he allowed his face to show some frustration. He glared at Lang'er and said in a somewhat indignant tone:

"Lang'er, even though you serve by Consort Chen's side, your attitude is rather disrespectful. I’ve shed blood for the court and earned merit through my accomplishments, and yet you treat me with such disdain. Do you have something against me?"

Lang'er glanced at him, then responded coolly, "Sir Xu, you're overthinking. I have no ill feelings towards you."

After a pause, she curtseyed slightly. "I must return to serve the consort."

With that, she stepped out of the threshold and left.

Watching her retreating figure, Xu Qi’an’s heart sank to the bottom.

Just now, the Qi-watching technique still showed that Lang’er hadn’t lied.

His last question had been both an attempt to cover his own lapse and a trap, hoping Lang'er would slip up.

Xu Qi’an could confirm that Lang'er was impatient with the questioning and had little regard for him. She clearly wanted to get rid of him as soon as possible.

Under normal circumstances, when faced with a question like "Do you hate me?" most people would, out of politeness, deny it, which would constitute a lie.

But according to the Qi-watching feedback, Lang'er’s emotions remained calm, and no lie was detected.

This almost certainly confirmed that Lang'er was carrying an artefact that blocked the Qi-watching technique, which indirectly validated her guilt and intent to evade interrogation.

At this point, a terrifying truth began to unfold in Xu Qi’an's mind.

*She was the mastermind!*

*Consort Chen?!*

In an instant, countless details and clues floated to the surface of Xu Qi’an’s thoughts, information rushing like boiling water.

*I didn't see this coming... I need to leave here quickly and report my findings to Duke Wei and Princess Huaiqing...* Xu Qi’an didn’t want to stay in Jingxiu Palace a moment longer.

The feeling was akin to entering a desolate mountain inn in the dead of night, only to discover it was a haunted house. The innkeeper was a terrifying ghoul, with rotting flesh and maggots crawling all over. The food on the table was nothing but worms, faeces, rotten meat, and human heads.

Xu Qi’an was the hapless person who had accidentally uncovered the secrets of this ghost house, and now, all he wanted was to act as if nothing had happened and escape before the ghoul realized he had found out.

"I’m done here. Little Eunuch. Let’s head back."

Xu Qi’an took a deep breath, masking his unease with calmness as he suggested they leave.

"Yes, sir!" The little eunuch, unaware of anything amiss, replied lightly and followed Xu Qi’an as they crossed the threshold.

Wait!

Xu Qi’an's body suddenly stiffened. If Consort Chen was behind this, then the empress was destined to pay the price—stripped of her title and banished to the Cold Palace.

Whether or not the crown prince would be deposed was uncertain. Xu Qi’an didn’t care about the crown prince. What he cared about was: What would happen to Lin’an?

She had been so happy today because the case was on the verge of being solved, and the crown prince would soon be exonerated.

*But what would happen next? I might personally send her mother into a bottomless abyss.*

*She’s bound to hate me once she finds out.*

Compared to Huaiqing, Lin’an was the type of girl who couldn’t handle such devastating news. Her mother could end up in the Cold Palace or worse, sentenced to death by white silk or poison.

Leaving aside the emperor’s affection for Consort Chen, in terms of rank alone, a consort was far inferior to an empress. The empress might survive after plotting against a concubine, but what about a consort? Could Consort Chen enjoy such protection?

"Sir Xu, Sir Xu?"

The little eunuch’s voice snapped Xu Qi’an out of his thoughts, but he still couldn’t come up with a solution that would satisfy everyone. Meanwhile, some lingering doubts remained unsolved even after discovering that Consort Chen was behind everything.

"I’ll go back first… I won’t report this to Duke Wei yet. For Lin’an's sake, I need to think this through…"

As they approached the palace gate, the eunuch guarding it shot Xu Qi’an a resentful glance. However, when Xu Qi’an came near, the eunuch immediately straightened up and acted respectfully.

"By the way, you took my silver. Did you pass along my message inside?" Xu Qi’an stopped in front of the gatekeeper eunuch.

"Of course!" The eunuch sighed helplessly. "I passed on your message, but Lang'er said she wouldn't see you. I didn’t want to return the banknote, but I also didn’t know how to explain it to you…"

So, she was prepared for this... Xu Qi’an nodded and was about to leave when Lang'er’s voice called out from behind.

"Sir Xu, wait!"

"Lang'er."

Xu Qi’an's back muscles tensed involuntarily, but he turned around with a calm expression. "What is it?"

The beautiful palace maid stopped in her tracks, offering a faint smile. "The consort wishes to thank you in person for solving Consort Fu’s case and for clearing the crown prince's name. She invites you to come and speak with her."

…Xu Qi’an’s recently relaxed muscles tensed once more. Maybe because he felt like a guilty thief, his scalp began to tingle.

"I have important duties to attend to and can't stay long. Solving Consort Fu's case was just my duty. There’s no need for the consort to thank me." He really didn’t want to meet with Consort Chen now.

"Sir Xu is too modest." Lang'er covered her mouth with a slight smile and added playfully, "The consort said if you don’t see her, she won’t let you take half a step out of Jingxiu Palace."

*…you motherfucker!*

Xu Qi'an's heart suddenly sank. He quietly dispersed his primordial spirit to sense the surroundings, confirming that no "danger signals" were detected. Only then did he breathe a sigh of relief.

*I haven't told anyone about my discovery, and even Lang'er didn't notice anything unusual. There's no way Consort Chen could know that I've seen through her scheme. She probably just wants to thank me and put on a show... After all, this is the imperial palace. Outside, there are the Imperial Guards, and inside, there's Lin'an, along with this little eunuch sent by Emperor Yuanjing to supervise me. Consort Chen wouldn't dare do anything to me here...*

*Besides, my cultivation is at the level where I could take down two Li Yuchuns with one strike. I'm no pushover.*

"Alright, may I trouble Miss Lang'er to lead the way."

Xu Qi'an turned to the little eunuch and said, "You follow as well."

The two of them followed behind Lang'er, dressed in a lotus-pink palace dress, through the corridors of the front courtyard and into the rear.

The main building of Jingxiu Palace was a delicately constructed two-storey pavilion, with layers of black tiles, flying eaves, and intricately carved roof beams. Four corners of the roof were guarded by twelve animal-shaped roof ornaments.

The second floor had a watchtower, ideal for drinking wine and admiring the scenery during the spring blooms or autumn breezes.

Upon entering the inner courtyard, the little eunuch coughed lightly as a signal.

Xu Qi'an understood the gesture and stopped in the courtyard.

Lang'er continued walking into the inner room. Shortly after, Xu Qi'an caught her delicate voice saying, "Madam, Sir Xu has arrived."

Consort Chen responded with a soft "hmm" and said gently, "I have some words for Sir Xu. You all may leave, go to the outer courtyard."

Then came Lin'an's voice, protesting in a playful tone, "Huh? Even I have to leave? I don't want to leave."

"Lin'an, be obedient."

"...Hmph."

*... What does Consort Chen mean by this? Why dismiss everyone? What could she possibly need to say that can't be discussed openly in broad daylight? Xu Qi'an frowned.*

Soon after, Lin'an and two palace maids stepped out of the room. As they passed by Xu Qi'an, Lin'an mischievously stuck out her tongue and whispered, "Remember to report back to us later."

The little eunuch hesitated, unsure of what to do, until Lang'er said, "Madam said everyone must leave. Didn't you hear?"

"Ah." The little eunuch nodded in compliance and turned to follow them.

"Wait," Xu Qi'an called out, admonishing, "You've been assigned to supervise me by His Majesty. You should carry yourself with the dignity of a special envoy—stand up straight."

He then raised his voice, saying, "I am, after all, an outsider. It would not be proper for me to meet with Consort Chen in private. This eunuch is tasked with supervising me under His Majesty's orders."

Though outwardly addressed to Lang'er, these words were meant for Consort Chen inside.

After a brief silence, Consort Chen's voice came from within: "Then let him wait outside."

"Stand back... a little farther," Xu Qi'an waved the eunuch away.

The little eunuch obediently retreated to a distance.

Standing in the courtyard, Xu Qi'an pretended to tidy his appearance, but in reality, he was using the brief moment to weigh the pros and cons, speculating about what might happen next.

*If it's merely to thank me, there's no need to dismiss everyone. In other words, what Consort Chen wants to say to me mustn't be heard by others.*

*By having the eunuch stand farther away, I offer a form of compromise to Consort Chen. From a distance, the eunuch won't hear our conversation, but he will still be able to clearly see all our actions inside the room.*

*This prevents Consort Chen from pretending to be the victim, and framing me for bullying a consort... Even though that would be a rather crude manoeuvre, I can't be too cautious."*

With his thoughts settled, he stepped into the room and saw Noble Consort Chen sitting on a cushioned platform, dressed in a magnificent palace gown.

This was the second time Xu Qi'an had seen Noble Consort Chen. The first time was last year's ancestral worship ceremony, where he had loudly collapsed Yongzhen Shanhe Temple and then pretended to offer his loyalty, getting a close look at the Emperor's women.

Consort Chen had the same face shape as Lin'an—a classic oval face with perfectly proportioned features, including her eyebrows, lips, and nose.

In terms of pure beauty, Consort Chen was slightly inferior to the Empress, but her dignified and gentle demeanor exuded more warmth and approachability than the Empress.

However, the luxurious embroidered gown and her elaborate, expensive headdress diminished some of that approachability.

Of all the women Xu Qi'an had seen, only Lin'an could pull off such extravagant clothing and jewelry. The more lavish the attire, the more her charm shone through.

It’s similar to how some women look better without makeup, but when they overdo it, they appear garish. Lin'an, on the other hand, looked even more captivating the more ornately she was dressed.

In this regard, the mother and daughter were quite different.

"This morning, His Majesty brought up the matter of deposing the Empress in court. Sir Xu must have heard," Consort Chen said, her voice softer and more refined than a young girl's, with the warmth of a mature woman, making one feel as if bathed in a gentle spring breeze.

"Your subordinate is aware," Xu Qi'an nodded tersely.

"Then why has Sir Xu come to Jingxiu Palace?" she asked.

"There are still some doubts in this case."

"Oh?" Consort Chen replied with a faint smile, "What doubts?"

"This... your servant is ignorant, and has no clear leads yet."

The room fell silent as Consort Chen stared at Xu Qi'an for a long time, her smile gradually fading. After a pause, her face became cold as frost, and she said, word by word:

"You are lying!"

Those three words struck Xu Qi'an's heart like a heavy hammer and exploded like thunder in his ears.

*How does she know I’m lying?* His eyes instinctively flashed with cold light, and his breath quickened. But in the next moment, he reined in all his emotions, feigning confusion as he asked:

"Madam, what do you mean by that?"

"You can use the Qi-watching technique to observe others, but others can also use it to observe you."

Consort Chen calmly sipped her tea before continuing, "We invited you here today merely to probe, but your lie has left us with no choice but to abandon any lingering hope. Sir Xu is sharp-minded, and to you, even the most intricate case is just a trivial game."

*Consort Chen... is an Arcanist?! That's impossible.*

*Why is she confessing this to me? Isn’t she afraid I’ll report it to Emperor Yuanjing?*

*What is her true intention in summoning me here?*

A flood of thoughts crossed Xu Qi'an's mind, but they all culminated in a sigh: "Madam, why? I can pretend to know nothing."

Then, mentally, he added: *And later, I’ll inform Duke Wei and Princess Huaiqing to deal with you...*

At this point, the two of them had essentially laid their cards on the table.

Consort Chen’s forthrightness surprised Xu Qi'an. He knew this could only spell trouble.

"When did you figure it out? Just now?" Consort Chen asked casually while sipping her tea.

"Yes, your subordinate noticed Lang'er’s disguise."

"But you were already suspicious before that, weren't you? Tell me." Consort Chen smiled slightly.

Xu Qi'an pondered for a moment before replying, "As I reviewed the details of the Consort Fu case, certain doubts arose. Why would Madam, for no reason, place the Baichun wine, gifted by the Empress, on the table? This is, after all, the inner palace. Why would you serve such a tonic to make the Crown Prince tipsy, without fear that he might act inappropriately? It doesn’t align with Madam's cautious nature."

Back when Princess Huaiqing recounted the Empress’s fall from grace, she had mentioned how Consort Chen was meticulous and protective of the Crown Prince’s position, but also narrow-minded and overly cautious. This had sparked Xu Qi'an's initial doubts.

He continued, “Although the Empress could have bribed Huang Xiaorou to set a trap for the Crown Prince, how could she guarantee that the Crown Prince would go to Qingfeng Hall? But you, as the Crown Prince's biological mother, know him best. You knew he still had feelings for Consort Fu, so you sent Huang Xiaorou halfway through to wait for an opportunity... this reasoning makes much more sense.

“After that, from the discovery of Huang Xiaorou's body to the clues your subordinate found pointing to the Empress, the signs of manipulation were too obvious. If Huang Xiaorou had just disappeared, it wouldn't have been enough to frame the Empress.

"At that time, I still thought the Empress was the prime suspect. What puzzled me was why you would send someone to tear up the account books from the Imperial Pharmacy, which should have been the most incriminating evidence against the Empress. Instead of helping, it revealed your involvement."

The Consort shook her head. “It wasn't redundant. That evidence was deliberately left behind. If the official in charge of the investigation hadn't been you, it would have been one of the most useful pieces of evidence against the Empress.

“But your miraculous survival caught us completely off guard. If both Huang Xiaorou's body and the pharmacy's records had been discovered together, the signs of manipulation would have been too obvious. We feared you might notice something and report it directly to His Majesty, so we had someone destroy the books.

“That's why you had doubts but didn't outright accuse the Empress of being wrongly framed. If His Majesty had known in advance, my tearful plea yesterday wouldn't have been as effective.

"Then, by learning about the investigation's progress through Lin'an, I applied pressure on His Majesty while sending assassins after you. As long as you died and the Empress confessed, everything would have been seamless."

Xu Qi'an nodded slowly. This morning, he still thought the Empress was the most likely to have ordered the assassination and was determined to divorce Huaiqing. It wasn't until Wei Yuan told him about the Empress's confession that he realized something else was at play.

*So it was Consort Chen who wanted me dead. Well, there's nothing more to say—I must divorce Lin'an now.*

"I have two more questions, Madam. Can you answer them?" Xu Qi'an asked.

"Go ahead," the Consort replied indifferently.

"The Crown Prince is already the Crown Prince. Why go to such lengths?"

The Consort smiled, but it was a complicated smile, as if she were mocking Xu Qi'an, or perhaps mocking herself.

"The Crown Prince may be the Crown Prince, but as long as he doesn't ascend the throne, there will always be a chance for someone else to take his place. The Empress will always be the Empress, and the Fourth Prince will always be the legitimate son. What if I told you that His Majesty originally intended for the Fourth Prince to be Crown Prince? If His Majesty hadn't realised the Empress never truly loved him, the Fourth Prince would already be the Crown Prince."

Xu Qi'an keenly noticed that when Consort Chen said this, there was both satisfaction and resentment in her eyes.

"But even so, after all these years, the Crown Prince's position has remained unchanged. Aren't you worrying too much?"

"What do you know about court politics?" Consort Chen scoffed. “As long as Wei Yuan is around, the Fourth Prince will always have a better chance than my son. Wei Yuan has always dreamed of controlling the court and wiping out the old ills. To fulfill his ambitions, he would undoubtedly push the Fourth Prince onto the throne.

"I'm just a woman; I can't compete with Wei Yuan. I can only strike through the Empress. The Empress is the mistress of the inner palace, the role model for all women, the highest honor a woman can achieve. As a woman myself, of course, I covet her position."

Xu Qi'an, having some understanding of Wei Yuan's ambitions, believed her words.

"One last question, madam. Who is the person behind you?" Xu Qi'an asked.

Consort Chen was visibly startled. She remained silent for a long time before shaking her head with a smile. “I am growing more and more fond of you. It seems Lin'an has inadvertently discovered a treasure.

"How did you figure out I had someone behind me?"

Xu Qi'an lowered his gaze, contemplating, and then said, “If Madam had known about the Imperial Uncle's actions for a long time, why wait until now to act? And if Madam had only recently learned of what the Imperial Uncle and Huang Xiaorou were up to, who told you? It certainly wouldn't have been Huang Xiaorou. She wouldn't suddenly change her stance after enduring for so many years. There must have been someone acting as a bridge.

"Furthermore, Madam knew I was lying earlier. The Qi-watching technique of the Sitianjian isn't something just anyone can perform. I recently came up with another possibility."

Xu Qi'an lifted his head and gazed at the beautiful face of Consort Chen. "Your target is the Empress, but the person or faction behind you aims for Wei Yuan."

Consort Chen's smile disappeared. She narrowed her eyes and studied Xu Qi'an for a long time before suddenly asking, "What do you think of Lin'an?"

*Very nice…* Xu Qi'an's heart skipped a beat, but he said nothing.

"The Crown Prince once told me that Lin'an has reached the age to marry. I kept an eye out, and soon noticed that ever since she met you, the person she talks about most when visiting Jingxiu Palace is you."

Consort Chen gently urged, “Young girls fall in love easily. I understand this well, having experienced it myself. I heard you will soon be ennobled. Although a viscount isn't a high title, it means you've stepped into the ranks of nobility.

"I can promise you that within three years, your rank will rise. By then, I will marry Lin'an to you."

This was a blatant attempt at recruitment, which also explained why she had been so forthright with him.

Xu Qi'an hesitated.

Sensing this, Consort Chen pressed on, "Even though you know my secret, you cannot accuse me. I could simply say that Lang'er has fallen ill recently and passed away despite the court physicians' efforts. What do you think of that?"

*How could such an innocent and adorable Lin'an have a mother like you? You think I'll be fooled by such empty promises…* Xu Qi'an thought. He replied, "Three years is too long. How do I know Madam won't deceive me?"

Consort Chen frowned, "Two years, then. Ennoblement isn't a small matter. You should understand that."

"That's not what I meant," Xu Qi'an waved his hand, flashing a bashful smile. "I meant, if marriage has to wait three years, can we at least consummate it first?"