Nightwatcher

# 264. Two Brothers Two Talents

"Is Fuxiang your lover at the Jiaofangsi?" Zhongli asked.

Xu Qi'an was taken aback, "How did you know?"

Zhongli nodded slightly, lowered her head a bit, and walked leisurely. "If she wasn't someone important to you, why would you invite me to treat her illness? You're a man of great fortune; you wouldn't be like those other men who become slaves under their oiran’s skirt."

*Fifth Senior Sister, you’ve got a knack for being a detective…* Xu Qi'an let out an "mm" and said, “Well, Fuxiang is sort of like my confidante. When I was younger, I was talented, with an excellent memory, a natural-born scholar.

“But my second uncle planned my life early on, causing the Great Feng to miss out on a literary giant… When I was fourteen, I attended a literary gathering organised by students of the Imperial College with my cousin. It was snowing and raining that day… You know what a literary gathering is, right? It's a scholarly meeting where Jiaofangsi girls are invited to play music, and Fuxiang was among them.

"I made a stunning debut at the gathering, and everyone praised my poetry. Fuxiang, too, was captivated by me. Since then, we've exchanged letters, engaging in a purely platonic romance. Platonic, meaning spiritual love, with absolutely no vulgar physical relationship…"

Zhongli interrupted coldly, "Why are you telling me all this?"

"Promise me, don't tell Caiwei."

Zhongli turned her head to glance at him briefly, then turned back and continued walking. As they neared Reflecting Plum Pavilion, she said, "I know the Qi-watching technique."

"……"

Before they even reached the pavilion, Xu Qi'an could already hear the sounds of flutes and strings.

*Huh, why is Reflecting Plum Pavilion hosting a gathering so early today?* He walked with Zhongli to the courtyard gate and found the two black-painted doors tightly shut, with the music coming from inside.

_Bang bang bang_... Xu Qi'an knocked on the door.

"The pavilion is booked for a private event," a voice from inside responded.

"It's me," Xu Qi'an said.

The gate opened, and a young servant in a azure robe greeted him with joy, "Young Master Xu, you're finally here! There's quite an extraordinary guest inside tonight."

Hearing this, Xu Qi'an frowned. "An extraordinary guest?"

To him, anyone below the rank of three wasn't "extraordinary."

Officials of that stature rarely visited the Jiaofangsi.

The servant chuckled mysteriously, “As soon as he arrived, he came straight to Reflecting Plum Pavilion and asked to witness our lady's skill on the qin. Initially, she wasn't planning to accompany him, but after a long private discussion with the madam, she reluctantly agreed.

"Even more surprising, twelve Oirans from the Jiaofangsi came uninvited to accompany him."

Xu Qi'an was astonished. Not even an old fox like Prime Minister Wang would have this kind of treatment. Then again, the old man probably didn't have the time or energy for such pleasures anymore.

*Interesting, seems like there's still someone of this calibre in the capital. No way, Jiaofangsi is my turf. I have to meet this guy.*

With that thought, Xu Qi'an calmly nodded, "Take me to see him."

…

Inside the banquet hall where the guest was being entertained, Fuxiang sat in the centre, her head slightly bowed as she played the qin. She looked both elegant and enchanting, exuding a kind of beauty that transcended her role as an Oiran, more akin to a noble lady from a great family.

The guests were seated in rows, each with an oiran beside them, except for the man in the azure robe with a streak of white hair at his forehead. He sat alone, calm and unperturbed.

After finishing her piece, Fuxiang rose gracefully and bowed, "I’ve embarrassed myself."

"Lady Fuxiang is far too modest. Among the Jiaofangsi, none can rival your skill on the qin," said a man with a goatee and casual attire, smiling.

"Come, join us, we've been waiting for you," added a rotund man beside him.

The guests started to coax and cheer.

One of them even made a teasing remark, "Since that poem praising plum blossoms, Lady Fuxiang no longer accompanies guests, but since Brother Chu is here, things may change. Lady Fuxiang, don't keep him waiting."

Fuxiang's gaze swept across the guests. Each of them held significant status—either officials with real power in the Six Ministries or respected scholars in the Hanlin Academy and the Censorate.

And as for the man in the azure robe, he was not just any man. He was the *zhuangyuan* from the 27th year of Yuanjing, now hailed as the capital's number one swordsman.

He embodied the romantic fantasy of the Jiaofangsi women, being both a literary genius and a renowned swordsman. When word of his visit to the Jiaofangsi spread, twelve Oirans had come voluntarily to accompany him.

"Please forgive me, gentlemen. I am not feeling well today and am unfit to drink," Fuxiang said, smiling demurely before moving to an empty seat.

Several officials frowned, their displeasure evident. Although Fuxiang was famous throughout the capital, her self-regard seemed excessive. They were only asking her to accompany them for drinks, not to do anything untoward.

The azure-robed swordsman, however, laughed it off, showing no sign of being offended.

All the guests were scholars from the 27th year of Yuanjing, and they had good relations with him. Tonight’s gathering at the Jiaofangsi was both a reunion and a chance to witness the famed Fuxiang’s talent.

To Zhuangyuan Chu, her appearance was secondary; it was her reserved demeanour that impressed him.

Mingyan glanced around with a bright smile, warming up the atmosphere, "Ever since Lady Fuxiang got together with Sir Xu, she no longer accompanies guests. She's still waiting for Sir Xu to redeem her, so let's not make things difficult for her, shall we?"

Though all the guests present were powerful officials, in front of a Nightwatcher, they were all like younger brothers. Especially before Xu Qi’an, who had just been granted a noble title — they were like the younger brothers of younger brothers.

As expected, the guests suppressed their displeasure and lowered their heads to drink.

Zhuangyuan Chu raised an eyebrow, "Sir Xu? Which Sir Xu?"

For certain reasons, the name "Xu" struck a chord with him.

He recalled a conversation in the Earth Book chat group when Number Two asked Number One for information on a certain Bronze Gong with the surname Xu. Number One had replied with a description of the man’s greatest flaw: "He's a lecher, involved with many Oiran from the Jiaofangsi…"

Then, connecting this to Number Three, whom he had just met yet pretended not to know him, he realised that this person indeed had a cousin of exceptional poetic talent. His cousin was the one who composed *its subtle fragrance drifts with the rising moon at dusk* and gave Fuxiang her fame.

Mingyan waited for a moment, and seeing no one else speaking, smiled and began to explain, "This Sir Xu is truly an extraordinary figure. He rose to prominence during last October's tax silver case..."

She proceeded to recount Xu Qi’an's various exploits with pride and familiarity.

"When he was in Yunzhou, he stood alone, facing eight thousand enemy troops, fighting alone for an entire hour…"

Though the Oiran had heard this tale several times, they still listened with fascination, their hearts captivated by the romance of the story.

Fuxiang felt a mix of pride and delight as she lifted her chin slightly, her voice soft, "At the moment when dear Master Xu was exhausted, he stood facing thousands of enemies."

Another Oiran, Xiaoya, quickly joined in, her crisp voice reciting, "A young man’s valour, brings heroes from five capitals old! With loyal heart, with just hand. With words of iron, life or death, A promise is worth a thousand tons of gold!"

"What beautiful words!"

Zhuangyuan Chu praised loudly, though a question arose in his mind:

*Didn't Number Two say that the rebels who besieged the Provincial Governor's Office numbered more than four hundred, and Xu Qi’an died after slaying two hundred of them? How had the number suddenly become eight thousand?*

An official remarked, "Indeed, what a fine verse. Such a talent—it's a shame he didn't pursue his studies further. That Xu Pingzhi is truly despicable."

The other guests nodded in agreement, one adding, "What a pity that Xu Qi’an isn't here at the Jiaofangsi today. He should witness the talents of our Zhuangyuan Chu."

Hearing this, Zhuangyuan Chu's mind filled with confusion:

*Hadn't Xu Qi’an died in Yunzhou? After all this time, it was impossible that the capital hadn’t received the news.*

Just then, Fuxiang's delighted voice broke the tension, "Master Xu!"

...

The servant in blue led Xu Qi’an into the courtyard and toward the main hall. As they walked, he said, “Not to stir things up, but the guest inside is even more popular than you.

"I asked the sisters in the courtyard about him. Turns out, he's a legend. He was the top scholar in the imperial exam of Yuanjing 27. Later, for some reason, he resigned and became a wanderer in the Jianghu. Afterward, he made a name for himself, gaining great fame in the capital, and was praised by Duke Wei as the top swordsman in the capital."

Xu Qi’an's steps suddenly halted as he thought, _Fuck, is Number Four in there?_

*What’s going on with these zhuangyuan? Are they all seasoned veterans of the Jiaofangsi?*

*Number Four knows I’m Number Three’s cousin and that I supposedly died in Yunzhou… Now when he sees I’m still alive, he’ll report it back to the Earth Book chat group, and then Li Miaozhen will remember how she had socially died thanks to being "guided" by Number Three…*

Xu Qi’an hadn’t anticipated his social death coming so soon.

"Dear Xu!"

Fuxiang's excited shout sent a chill down Xu Qi’an's spine, realising his social death was coming even sooner than expected.

In the main hall, the guests and oirans all turned their heads, their gazes falling upon him.

*Given the current tense relationship between Number Two and Number Four, they probably wouldn’t engage in conversation too quickly. Better play it safe…* Xu Qi’an swiftly repressed all emotion, donned a smile, and stepped into the hall, bowing courteously.

"Apologies for interrupting, everyone."

The officials greeted him warmly, calling him “Viscount,” and invited him to join them as if they were old acquaintances. The Oiran’s eyes sparkled with delight.

"Dear Xu."

Fuxiang’s smile was radiant as she took his hand, guiding him to a seat and eagerly pouring wine.

As Xu Qi’an sat, he glanced back and noticed Zhong Li was nowhere to be found.

_She’s probably hiding somewhere... Don’t stray too far, or the Jiaofangsi might get burned down by morning…_ With these thoughts in mind, Xu Qi’an turned his gaze toward Number Four, calmly sizing him up.

Number Four was a handsome man with a streak of white hair at his forehead, adding to his charm. He carried himself with a relaxed, unassuming air, showing no sharpness.

Zhuangyuan Chu also sized up Xu Qi’an. His appearance alone made him believe this Nightwatcher must indeed be Number Three’s cousin.

Both brothers were undeniably handsome.

_How is he still alive…_ Zhuangyuan Chu nodded slightly and said, “Chu Yuanzhen, courtesy name Zizhen.”

Xu Qi’an cupped his hands, “Xu Qi’an, courtesy name Ningyan.”

Next came drinking games. The Oiran Xiaoya acted as the game master, leading them in rounds of poetic matching and word games, keeping the atmosphere lively.

The only disappointment was that Xu Qi’an didn't participate, leaving everything to Fuxiang while he simply ate and drank.

Xu Qi’an’s purpose for coming to the Jiaofangsi tonight was to check on Fuxiang. Seeing that she was in good spirits and health, he was reassured that it had merely been a slight cold, and he’d worried for nothing.

"With such a beautiful scene tonight, Sir Xu truly must compose a poem for us," one of the officials urged, trying to coax Xu Qi’an into making a poem.

Xu Qi’an declined, saying his inspiration was dried up.

This left the officials disappointed, and even the oirans expressed regret.

In truth, Xu Qi’an wasn’t unwilling to compose poetry, he simply hadn’t found the appropriate poem to recite.

Today, Wei Yuan had tasked him with mediating the situation between Number Four and Number Two, ensuring their duel would end without a decisive outcome. To accomplish that, he needed to raise his favor with Number Four.

"Brother Chu, I heard from my colleagues in the constabulary that with the upcoming conflict of Heaven and Man, the disciple of the Heaven Sect, Li Miaozhen, will be coming to the capital soon. As a sword cultivator of the Human Sect, I imagine…"

Xu Qi’an trailed off, but the implication was clear.

Zhuangyuan Chu smiled, "I will represent the Human Sect in the contest against the disciple of the Heaven Sect."

He was well aware that Xu Qi’an had become acquainted with Li Miaozhen in Yunzhou and that, being a favored Bronze Gong of Wei Yuan, it wasn’t surprising he knew about these things.

Taking the opportunity, Xu Qi’an’s gaze fell on the long sword leaning against the table, curiosity in his eyes, "May I have the honour of seeing this sword’s brilliance?"

Chu Yuanzhen shook his head, "Since my defeat by Zhang Kaitai, this sword has remained unsheathed."

“Then it’s over; this sword is going to rust away in its scabbard,” Xu Qi’an blurted out.

“What?” Chu Yuanzhen looked confused.

“I mean to ask why you don’t draw your sword.”

Chu Yuanzhen smiled gently, without any arrogance, and explained, "I am nurturing my sword’s energy. When it is drawn again, its brilliance reach ten thousand feet."

Xu Qi’an nodded slowly, suddenly feeling a spark of inspiration. He grasped his wine cup, furrowing his brows as if in deep thought.

“Is something the matter?” Number Four asked.

Xu Qi’an sighed and said, "Earlier, I was uninspired, but after hearing Brother Chu’s words, my mind has suddenly come alive, and I can’t help but compose a poem."

The guests and Oiran’s eyes lit up with excitement, watching eagerly.

Chu Yuanzhen, equally surprised and pleased, straightened his posture, "I await your verse with great anticipation."