Nightwatcher

# 258. Bring Honour to the Family

“Today, Sir Xu had a list of individuals to inquire about who had entered and exited the Imperial Pharmacy…”

The little eunuch narrated smoothly, going through the list step by step. Emperor Yuanjing remained silent, his gaze distant, making it hard to tell whether he was listening intently or his thoughts had wandered elsewhere.

“The last person on the list was the head palace maid from Jingxiu Palace, by Consort Chen’s side. Sir Xu attempted to question her but was refused entry.”

At this point, Emperor Yuanjing's previously frozen eyes flickered slightly, as if his attention was drawn back.

“Sir Xu, with no other options, then went to Shaoyin Palace and sought the help of Princess Lin’an…”

The little eunuch recalled Sir Xu’s instructions and continued naturally, “After questioning Consort Chen's maid, Lang’er, Sir Xu's expression darkened, and he seemed eager to leave, not even staying for tea before quickly departing with your servant…”

“But before he could leave Jingxiu Palace, Lang’er returned and said that Consort Chen invited Sir Xu to speak with her, to thank him for solving the case of Consort Fu. Sir Xu was initially reluctant, but Lang’er would not let him leave.”

The little eunuch paused briefly, then continued, “After that, Consort Chen dismissed everyone, and I, too, was not allowed inside and had to wait in the courtyard…”

Emperor Yuanjing’s eyes regained their sharpness as he interrupted the eunuch, staring at him thoughtfully for a few seconds before slowly asking, “Dismissed everyone?”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

“What did they talk about in the courtyard?”

The little eunuch replied, “I was too far away to hear clearly. All I could do was watch from a distance as Sir Xu and Consort Chen spoke inside.”

Emperor Yuanjing placed a hand to his lips, deep in thought, and suddenly said, “You mentioned earlier that Sir Xu’s expression turned grim after questioning Lang’er?”

Before the little eunuch could respond, the elderly eunuch’s face darkened as he scolded, “You blithering idiot! Did you not listen to your teachings?”

When reporting, never insert personal judgments, and don’t try to mislead the Emperor. Your job is to be impartial and objective.

Emperor Yuanjing raised a hand, signalling the elderly eunuch to stop his reprimand.

Encouraged by this, the little eunuch continued, “It was indeed grim.”

Emperor Yuanjing nodded, pondering for a moment before asking, “Sir Xu wanted to leave, but Lang’er stopped him?”

“…Yes, your Majesty.”

Sensing a shift in the Emperor’s attitude, the little eunuch cautiously added, “Sir Xu said he was carrying out his duty, and there was no need for Consort Chen to thank him. Lang’er replied that if Sir Xu didn’t meet with the Consort, he wouldn’t be able to leave Jingxiu Palace.”

Hearing this, Emperor Yuanjing’s eyes gleamed brightly. This time, he remained silent for a long while. The atmosphere in the chamber became eerily quiet, as the two eunuchs, one old and one young, held their breaths, afraid of disturbing the Emperor’s deep and unfathomable thoughts.

At last, Emperor Yuanjing slowly asked, “How was Sir Xu’s demeanor when he left?”

The little eunuch remembered Sir Xu’s instructions but feigned hesitation, as if recalling, before finally saying, “Sir Xu left the palace looking very troubled.”

To bolster his story, he added, “Usually, Sir Xu would chat a bit with me, full of cheer, but today he said not a word.”

Emperor Yuanjing waved his hand.

“You are dismissed,” the elderly eunuch immediately commanded.

After the little eunuch left, Emperor Yuanjing sat in silence for a long time before finally speaking, “Go and summon Lang’er from Jingxiu Palace.”

The elderly eunuch acknowledged the order and slowly withdrew from the bedchamber.

...

The elderly eunuch, accompanied by a squad of guards, walked through the palace walls, bathed in the waning light of the setting sun, arriving at Jingxiu Palace.

A eunuch stationed at the entrance recognized the elderly eunuch from a distance and hurried over, saying, “Please wait, I will inform Consort Chen…”

“We’re in a hurry.” The elderly eunuch slapped him aside and led the guards into the courtyard. As they approached the inner chambers, they could hear sobbing coming from inside.

Standing in the courtyard, the elderly eunuch called out loudly, “Consort Chen, this old servant requests an audience.”

From within Consort Chen's chambers, a palace maid with slightly red eyes stepped out and softly said, “The Consort invites you in.”

Following the maid, the elderly eunuch entered and found Consort Chen sitting in a large chair, clutching a silk handkerchief, occasionally dabbing at her eyes, her face filled with sorrow.

“What has happened, Madam?” the elderly eunuch asked, surprised.

“A servant girl by my side suddenly fell ill and passed away. The imperial physician couldn't save her,” Consort Chen replied sorrowfully.

“This…” The elderly eunuch tried to comfort her, “Madam must not be too saddened. What was the name of this maid?”

“Lang’er.”

“!!!” The elderly eunuch’s expression froze.

“And what brings you to Jingxiu Palace, Grand Eunuch?” Consort Chen asked softly.

With a forced smile, the elderly eunuch replied, “His Majesty sent me to offer his condolences to the Madam, knowing that you’ve been on edge lately.”

Turning her head away, Consort Chen said with a hint of grievance, “His Majesty cannot even come to see his concubine himself?”

The elderly eunuch chuckled awkwardly, avoiding any comment on the Consort’s complaint.

After a few more idle exchanges, he casually asked, “Wasn’t Lang’er still quite young?”

Though Lang’er was an old servant of Jingxiu Palace, it had been many years since Emperor Yuanjing had favoured any of the consorts, so the elderly eunuch had little impression of this maid who had passed so suddenly.

“A pitiful child,” Consort Chen said, her expression full of sorrow.

Taking his cue, the elderly eunuch offered, “May we take a look?”

As the manager of palace affairs, the elderly eunuch had authority over all eunuchs and maids within the palace, though this role was largely symbolic due to his duties as the Emperor’s closest attendant.

Bidding farewell to Consort Chen, he was led by a palace maid to the south wing, where Lang’er’s body lay. She appeared pale and lifeless on the bed.

“Did the imperial physician examine her?”

“Yes, Grand Eunuch, the physician said it was a brain ailment, beyond any cure.”

The elderly eunuch stared at Lang’er’s body for a long while before giving his orders. “Let us have the body.”

He instructed the guards to carry away Lang’er’s corpse and hurried back to report to the Emperor.

Upon returning to Emperor Yuanjing’s chambers, the old emperor was still seated behind his desk, covered in golden silk, his face expressionless as he stared at the entrance.

When the elderly eunuch crossed the threshold, the Emperor didn’t even react.

“Your Majesty, Lang’er is dead…” the elderly eunuch reported softly.

After what seemed an eternity, Emperor Yuanjing finally responded with a simple, “Hmm.” The emperor, who had reigned supreme for nearly half a century, displayed neither joy nor sorrow.

…

The next day, Emperor Yuanjing convened the court assembly once again. As the dim light of dawn spread, all civil and military officials entered the Meridian Gate in an orderly manner. Some remained in the square outside the Jinluan Hall, while others stood on the marble steps just outside.

Only a select few entered the hall itself—those referred to by storytellers as: "the noble lords atop the temple."

Once the officials had gathered, Emperor Yuanjing appeared from behind the hall, a quarter of an hour later than the start of court, and took his seat on the dragon throne.

After the usual exchanges between the emperor and his ministers, the Minister of Justice stepped forward and announced loudly, “Your Majesty, the Three Judicial Offices have completed their investigation, and it has been confirmed that the Empress was indeed the mastermind behind the plot against Consort Fu.

"The Shangguan family is unworthy of their position. The Empress conspired to harm a consort and framed the Crown Prince. We urge Your Majesty to punish her severely."

The Minister of the High Court immediately stepped forward in support.

Inside the hall, the civil officials, military officers, and certain noble families all voiced their agreement, their combined voices forming a unified chorus.

This signalled that they had already reached a consensus the day before. Deposing an empress is far less significant than deposing a crown prince, which concerns the foundation of the nation. Deposing the empress, however, is a personal matter of the emperor. As long as there is valid reasoning—proving that the Empress has indeed committed a serious offense and that it isn’t just a case of the emperor tiring of her—the ministers have no reason or need to oppose it.

The only thing at stake with deposing the Empress is the status of the Fourth Prince, as he is Emperor Yuanjing's only legitimate son. Many have placed their hopes on him.

Those who did not voice their support belonged to the Fourth Prince's clique.

Before Emperor Yuanjing could respond, Wei Yuan stepped forward, and the hall fell silent immediately.

"Your Majesty, there are deeper layers to the plot against Consort Fu. The Empress is not the mastermind. The true culprit is Huang Xiaorou, who murdered Consort Fu and tricked the Crown Prince into the Qingfeng Hall, staging this entire case."

No sooner had Wei Yuan finished speaking than a chief supervising secretary, a professional court critic, leaped forward to refute:

"Nonsense! How could a mere palace maid pull off such a massive conspiracy? And why would Huang Xiaorou frame the Crown Prince? Wei Yuan, do you take His Majesty and the dignitaries of this court for fools?"

As an afterthought, he added, "I urge Your Majesty to execute this scoundrel."

Other ministers joined in, denouncing Wei Yuan, and the hall descended into chaos.

The elderly eunuch cracked his whip, and a sharp "snap" echoed through the hall, silencing the uproar. "Silence!" he ordered.

The Minister of Justice and the Minister of the High Court sneered at Wei Yuan. The other officials also cast glances his way—some mocking, some scornful, and some expressing confusion or helplessness. The latter came from those in the Fourth Prince's clique.

Unperturbed by the criticisms or the Censor's insults, Wei Yuan continued, "Yesterday, the bronze gong leading the investigation into Consort Fu's case, Xu Qi'an, discovered that Huang Xiaorou had been pregnant before…"

Before he could finish, an uproar erupted once again in the hall.

A palace maid, Huang Xiaorou, had been pregnant?!

In the palace, the only men capable of impregnating a woman, aside from the emperor, were the guards. But that was highly unlikely, as only the most loyal and rigorously selected guards were assigned to the palace, often in groups that supervised one another. The idea of a guard secretly engaging in an affair with a palace maid was out of the question.

This left only one possibility…

Suddenly, the dignitaries began casting sidelong glances at Emperor Yuanjing, their expressions subtly shifting with meaning.

Emperor Yuanjing's stern face twitched slightly. He glared icily at Wei Yuan, who had deliberately paused mid-sentence, and said in a deep voice:

"Wei Yuan, continue!"

Wei Yuan spoke slowly, "After further investigation, it was discovered that the one who forced Huang Xiaorou into pregnancy was none other than the Imperial Uncle, Shangguan Ming…"

Wei Yuan proceeded to tell the court a carefully crafted story:

Palace maid Huang Xiaorou was violated by the Imperial Uncle, resulting in an unwanted pregnancy. After secretly undergoing an abortion, she harbored a deep grudge and silently waited for years before plotting her revenge. Using her position as a maid close to Consort Fu, she tampered with the railings of the observation tower. When the time was right, she tricked the Crown Prince into Qingfeng Hall, setting in motion one of the most shocking conspiracies the harem had seen in over a decade.

Upon learning of the plot against Consort Fu and realizing that Huang Xiaorou was involved, the Imperial Uncle, fearing his vile actions would be exposed, sought refuge with the Empress. Only then did the Empress learn of the heinous acts her brother had committed. Out of familial love, she tearfully took responsibility for his crimes.

Finally, Wei Yuan summarized the case: "This is how the events unfolded. The Imperial Uncle has already confessed. Your Majesty may interrogate him at any time."

"Nonsense!" The Minister of the High Court snorted coldly, bowing to the emperor. "Your Majesty, according to what I know, Huang Xiaorou was murdered. If she were truly the mastermind, then where is the murderer?"

The ministers echoed his sentiments.

Without a change in his expression, Wei Yuan calmly explained, "Huang Xiaorou had accomplices who helped her carry out the plot, framing the Crown Prince and indirectly implicating the Empress."

Hearing this, many ministers were struck with a sudden realization, and they began to piece together their own theories.

Had it not been for the revelation about the Imperial Uncle's abuse of Huang Xiaorou, everyone would have assumed that the Empress had confessed because the evidence was irrefutable.

But now, with the Imperial Uncle's confession, the case had taken a sharp turn.

Whether the Empress was truly innocent or not remained to be seen, but with the Imperial Uncle's admission of guilt, there was now room for maneuvering.

The Fourth Prince’s clique, which had been disheartened moments before, seized the opportunity and began speaking out in support of Wei Yuan, denouncing the Imperial Uncle.

Gradually, the hall was reduced to two voices—the Crown Prince’s faction and the Fourth Prince’s faction—engaged in a war of words. The Crown Prince's supporters were led by the Right Censor-in-Chief of the Censorate, while the Fourth Prince's supporters were composed of various smaller factions.

Among the larger factions, some might have secretly supported the Crown Prince, but they would never come forward openly. The biggest players always remain hidden beneath the surface.

After a fierce exchange, Wei Yuan called out loudly, "I ask Your Majesty to make a decision."

The bickering stopped, and the officials joined in, "We ask Your Majesty to make a decision."

Wei Yuan's memorial had already been submitted to the palace the previous day. Typically, when court matters are discussed, memorials are sent to the palace a day in advance. Emperor Yuanjing had thus already seen the Imperial Uncle's confession.

Today, if Emperor Yuanjing wished to conclude the matter of Consort Fu's case, he could settle it here and now. If not, he could order further investigation.

As the ministers ceased their arguments, Emperor Yuanjing finally spoke, his voice calm and deliberate: "Shangguan Ming has disturbed the harem and is sentenced to immediate execution. The Empress is equally guilty for failing to report the crime, but considering her familial loyalty, she will be confined to reflect on her actions for three months."

The ministers thought this was the end, but Emperor Yuanjing paused and continued, "The Crown Prince is guilty of drunkenly barging into Qingfeng Hall and failing to conduct himself properly. He will be confined to reflect on his actions for six months. Noble Consort Chen encouraged the Crown Prince's drinking, leading to this catastrophe. She shall be demoted and stripped of the ‘Noble’ title."

The hall fell into silence.

The ministers exchanged bewildered glances, unable to understand why the Empress was only confined for three months, while the Crown Prince for six. Moreover, Consort Chen, who seemed to have no direct involvement, was demoted from Noble consort to regular consort, a two-rank drop.[^1]

*Could this case have something to do with Consort Chen…?* The seasoned officials began to ponder.

…

Court was adjourned. Soon after, the elderly eunuch promptly went to Fengqi palace and Jingxiu Palace to deliver the imperial decree.

Upon hearing the news, the Empress collapsed over her desk, weeping bitterly.

As for Noble Consort Chen, she accepted the decree with a stiff face. The moment the elderly eunuch left, she swept everything off the table in a fit of rage, including the decree itself.

The sounds of crashing reverberated through the room as her heaving chest betrayed her fury. Her usually dignified oval face turned livid with anger.

Through gritted teeth, she spat, “Wei Yuan…”

Then, clenching her delicate fist, she spat out each word with utmost venom: “Xu Qi’an!”

By now, she had figured it out. The emperor’s sudden shift in attitude was absolutely related to the events of the previous day.

Yesterday, the elderly eunuch had come by under the guise of offering some consolation. That alone wasn’t unusual. But in light of today’s changes in court, the hidden truth was easy to surmise.

The emperor was suspicious of her...

And the only person she'd ever exposed herself to was Xu Qi’an. It was clear now that this wretched little Bronze Gong had played some underhanded trick behind her back.

All her carefully laid plans had fallen apart because of a mere Bronze Gong.

A few minutes later, the crashing sounds resumed from the room, and the palace maids and attendants outside froze in fear.

...

The day after the conclusion of the Noble Consort Fu case, Xu Qi’an finally recovered his beloved mare.

This was a horse with a troubled destiny. After narrowly escaping death that day, it had run off in panic. As it galloped through the city, it was spotted by the *Yudao* City Guards patrolling the streets.

Seeing the branding on the horse’s flank, the guards immediately recognized it as one of their own and brought it back to their garrison.

Indeed, this mare was a military horse used by the City Guards. Xu Qi’an’s second uncle had obtained it through his connections at a discounted price. After owning it for only a few years, he had passed it on to his nephew.

Through some inquiries, the Nightwatchers were able to trace the horse back to the City Guards, leading to the recovery of Xu Qi’an’s cherished mare.

That morning, Xu Qi’an was sitting with his family, having breakfast in the hall.

Little Pea had the day off from school and was ecstatic, thoroughly enjoying her breakfast.

“You act like you’ve struck gold just because you have one day off,” Auntie remarked disdainfully. “I’ve never seen such a foolish daughter in my life.”

“You’ve only had two daughters in your whole life,” Second Uncle chimed in, standing up for his youngest daughter. But not wanting to openly quarrel with Auntie, he muttered his comeback under his breath.

“You dare say that? Lingyin’s foolishness is entirely your doing,” Auntie retorted, sticking to her old complaint that Second Uncle was to blame for Lingyin’s slow development.

“But I just don’t want to study,” Lingyin said pitifully.

“Lingyin, you’re not dumb. Don’t listen to your mother,” Xu Qi’an reassured her, patting her on the head as he recalled a method his teachers had taught him in his previous life.

“When you don’t feel like studying, just imagine you’ve got two little people in your mind...”

“What?! There are people in my head?” Lingyin gasped, covering her head with her pudgy hands.

“...Just imagine,” Xu Qi’an sighed, trying to keep calm. “One little person doesn’t want to study, but the other one should insist, ‘I love studying! I love studying!’ Keep that up, and eventually, you’ll start to enjoy it.”

“Self-suggestion!” Xu Xinnian nodded approvingly. “That’s a good method. I used to do the same when I stayed up late reading. When I got sleepy, I’d convince myself that I wasn’t tired. It worked.”

Auntie’s attitude shifted immediately. With her own son vouching for the method, she now had hope for her daughter’s future. “Lingyin, try it!”

The simple-minded Lingyin tilted her head in deep thought before slowly nodding.

“Well? How did it go?” Auntie eagerly asked, clearly more concerned about her younger daughter.

“One little person says, ‘I don’t want to study, I don’t want to study.’ And the other one says, ‘Okay, okay!’”

Auntie sighed, covering her face in exasperation.

“Maybe studying just isn’t for her, Auntie. There’s no need to force it,” Xu Qi’an consoled.

“The spring exams are the day after tomorrow, right?” Second Uncle suddenly asked.

“Mm!” Xu Xinnian nodded confidently.

Auntie immediately peeled a boiled egg and placed it before her son. “With our Erlang’s knowledge, passing the imperial exams is a certainty. Our family’s moment of glory has finally arrived.”

Though Xu Qi’an had gained the favor of Wei Yuan and even established a connection with the princess, at the end of the day, he was still a martial artist.

In this era, where “all pursuits are inferior to the scholar's path,” the true way to bring honour to one’s family was through academic success.

Even Xu Lingyue, who usually favoured her eldest brother, agreed with their mother’s perspective. She believed that the future of the Xu family rested on her second brother’s performance in the upcoming imperial exams.

“Second Brother, the future of the Xu family’s status as part of the scholar-official class rests on you,” Xu Lingyue said with a smile, offering Xu Xinnian a dish.

Xu Xinnian raised his chin proudly.

Xu Qi’an, however, couldn’t help but feel frustrated inside. _Why is the world so unfair? When will us martial men ever stand tall?_ Everywhere he went, he encountered disdain for martial artists. It made him want to sigh in exasperation.

His thoughts drifted to the conversation he’d had with Wei Yuan the other day. The martial system had been refined and passed down through generations, leading to the current nine ranks. But even now, the system hadn’t reached its peak.

The path to transcending the ranks remained unexplored.

This was why the martial arts system had yet to produce a Martial God.

“It doesn’t make sense,” he pondered. “So many people follow the path of martial cultivation. With such a large pool of talent, there should have been some genius who broke through, someone who became a Martial God after all these generations. Maybe it’s just too early to dwell on this. If I can reach the Fourth Rank in my lifetime, I’ll be more than happy.”

After breakfast, Second Uncle grabbed his helmet and strapped on his sword, ready to head out the door.

“Hold on, Second Uncle, you’re the elder of the family. You must stay home today,” Xu Qi’an called out to him.

Second Uncle looked back, confused. “Is it some kind of holiday today?”

Auntie shook her head.

Xu Lingyue and Xu Xinnian also looked at Xu Qi’an in bewilderment.

Xu Qi’an glanced at Auntie, then lifted his chin proudly. “It’s not a holiday, but it is the day that honour is brought to the Xu family name.”

---

[^1]: The consort rankings are a whole shitshow, even more difficult to translate than the various titles in the imperial Chinese bureaucracy. Please just take as-is.