Nightwatcher

# 290. Is This a Relative’s Child?

Chu Caiwei received the summons and immediately left the palace, riding with a guard to Lingbao Temple. They passed through gardens and ancestral halls dedicated to the Human Sect patriarchs, arriving at a secluded courtyard deep within the temple.

"Miss Caiwei, please enter," said the eunuch in a python-robe standing at the gate, gesturing with a smile.

Chu Caiwei nodded, stepping lightly into the courtyard, her skirt gently swaying as she entered the quiet room. Inside, Emperor Yuanjing and Luo Yuheng were seated across from each other at a tea table, with a Taoist text and a small incense burner emitting delicate wisps of smoke.

Caiwei glanced around, disappointed to find no snacks on the table. She withdrew her gaze and greeted them with a bow: "Greetings, Your Majesty, greetings, National Teacher."

Emperor Yuanjing studied the young disciple of the Sitianjian, noting her bright almond-shaped eyes, round and sweet face—an open and cheerful girl who could easily lift one's spirits.

"Jianzheng sent you to see us. What is the matter?"

"It’s like this—yesterday, Third Senior Brother Yang Qianhuan experienced a Qi deviation during his cultivation. Second Senior Brother is not in the capital, and both Senior Brother Song and I are not skilled in combat..."

Before she could finish, Emperor Yuanjing interrupted her with a frown, "What? Yang Qianhuan suffered from Qi deviation during cultivation?"

The old emperor’s expression darkened, as if disaster had struck one after another. Luo Yuheng raised an eyebrow, her delicate gaze resting on Chu Caiwei, sensing that something was off.

Unperturbed, Caiwei continued, "So, Teacher Jianzheng asked me to come and borrow someone from Your Majesty to represent the Sitianjian in the duel against the monks from the Western Regions."

*Borrow someone?*

The shrewd emperor did not immediately agree but pondered for a moment, unable to come up with a suitable candidate. He then asked, "Who does the Jianzheng want?"

"A Nightwatcher, Silver Gong Xu Qi’an," Chu Caiwei replied crisply.

The room fell into silence.

After a long pause, Emperor Yuanjing, somewhat incredulous, asked, "Xu Qi’an, Silver Gong Xu Qi’an?"

"Yes, the one who’s good at solving cases and who died once on his return from Yunzhou," Chu Caiwei said brightly.

Waving his hand, Emperor Yuanjing sighed, "Of course we know who he is. What we meant is, why Xu Qi’an?"

The Jianzheng’s female disciple seemed a bit too simple-minded, requiring everything to be spelled out. Chu Caiwei innocently shook her head, "I don’t know."

The emperor let out a breath and dismissed her. "We understand. You may leave."

"Okay." Chu Caiwei left briskly, planning to visit Princess Huaiqing’s Dexin Courtyard for some tea and snacks, eager to share her recent experience.

After she left, Emperor Yuanjing sat silently for a long time, holding his teacup. In a heavy tone, he asked, "National Teacher, what do you think?"

"Xu Qi’an is indeed talented, but as a mere martial artist, he stands no chance in a duel of magical arts against the monks of the Buddhist sect," Luo Yuheng’s voice was calm, her features delicate and flawless, as if carved from jade.

"However, the Disc of Heavenly Secrets is Jianzheng’s personal magical artefact, which he would never casually lend. There may be some other reason at play."

Emperor Yuanjing sighed. "Whatever, as he wishes. We can never see through that old man. We have other matters to attend to, we’ll return to the palace."

Of all the people in the Great Feng, Emperor Yuanjing had the most distaste for the Jianzheng. His status was such that he could look down upon all civil and military officials, and even someone as esteemed as Luo Yuheng addressed him as an equal.

But the Jianzheng? He was the one man the emperor truly had to look up to, someone he could never fathom.

For an emperor who wielded ultimate power, this was a bitter pill to swallow.

As he boarded his sedan, Emperor Yuanjing ordered, "Summon Xu Qi’an to the palace."

...

"His Majesty wishes to see me?"

Xu Qi’an was outside the Stargazing Tower, watching the spectacle of Arhat Du’e and his monks.

"Yes, a palace guard is waiting for you at the constabulary. You should hurry, Sir Xu," urged the Bronze Gong who brought the message.

*If I’m late, I wont have any annual salary left...* Without another word, Xu Qi’an mounted his little mare and hastily rode back to the constabulary.

After meeting the palace guard there, Xu Qi’an silently followed him into the palace, through the Eastern Gate, to the Imperial Study.

Six thick red pillars supported the lofty ceiling of the study, with a large yellow silk-covered desk at the centre. The room was empty.

Xu Qi’an waited quietly for a quarter of an hour before Emperor Yuanjing finally arrived, dressed in a Taoist robe with his hair tied up in a Taoist pin. Instead of sitting on his dragon throne, he stood before Xu Qi’an, scrutinising him with narrowed eyes.

*...That gaze—there’s something strange about it, as if he were sizing me up like a potential son-in-law, part apprehensive, part unfriendly!*

"Have you heard about the duel between Jianzheng and Du’e?" Emperor Yuanjing asked the small Silver Gong before him.

"Yes, Your Majesty. I just read it on the Imperial Bulletin," Xu Qi’an replied respectfully.

"A duel can be either literary or martial. Du’e and the Jianzheng are both peerless masters and will not fight personally. Such matters are typically left to their disciples."

*That makes sense. The big shots sit back and direct, while their disciples do the fighting. But what does this have to do with me?* Xu Qi’an wondered.

The emperor’s next words struck like a thunderbolt. "The Jianzheng requested you to represent him in the duel."

"...?"

Xu Qi’an’s head snapped up, staring at Emperor Yuanjing in stunned disbelief.

The emperor locked eyes with him. "What do you think?"

*Jianzheng, you old bastard! You know that the divine monk Shenshu resides within me, yet you’re sending me straight into the Buddhist bald-headed lair...* Xu Qi’an immediately said, "Your Majesty, I am unworthy, lacking the strength and wisdom required for such a task. I fear I cannot fulfill this duty. Please, allow me to decline."

The emperor snorted. "Since the Jianzheng has made his decision, he won’t change his mind. We did not summon you here to listen to excuses. We summoned you to tell you that this duel is a matter of great importance to the empire’s honour. You must win, no matter what."

*How am I supposed to win?* Xu Qi’an thought bitterly, his face expressionless as he saluted and replied, "Your servant will obey his command."

…

Lingbao Temple.

Not long after Emperor Yuanjing left, a woman dressed in layers of intricate white robes, wearing exquisite jewellery and with her face veiled, entered the Lingbao Temple under the protection of a squad of guards.

Without needing an announcement, she headed straight into the depths of the temple and sat down in a pavilion.

Next to the pavilion, atop the pond, sat National Teacher Luo Yuheng, her legs crossed in mid-air, her beauty unmatched.

The veiled woman picked up a small stone and playfully threw it at Luo Yuheng. When the stone approached within three feet of her, a shield of Qi bounced it back, hitting the veiled woman squarely on the forehead.

"Oww!" she yelped, clutching her forehead as she crouched down, annoyed. "So what if you're a Rank Two expert? Does that give you the right to bully people?"

Luo Yuheng opened her eyes, sighed, and said, "Why are you here? Don't disturb my cultivation if there's nothing important."

The veiled woman lifted her skirt and excitedly walked over to the edge of the pond. "The Buddhist Sect is going to duel the Jianzheng. There will be a spectacle tomorrow!"

"Then go watch it."

"Of course I want to watch, but Emperor Yuanjing forbade me from leaving the palace. I'll have to disguise myself and sneak out. But I want a close-up view," she complained.

"You can disguise yourself and have someone take you in," Luo Yuheng suggested with a smile.

"Once I disguise myself, no one will recognise me! How could anyone lead me in?" she grumbled. Annoyed, she switched topics and said, "By the way, that Xu Qi'an is so annoying. I've run into him a few times now. He's just a brazen, shameless scoundrel."

"With your beauty, isn't that only natural?" Luo Yuheng responded.

“See, see! You're not even talking sincerely. You're just saying whatever comes to mind... There's no way I'd ever show my true face. If I did, that lecher would definitely fall in love with me on the spot.

"I disguised myself as a woman with average looks, but one who had an exceptional air and charm..."

Luo Yuheng interrupted, growing impatient. "If you had such exceptional charm, wouldn't it be normal for him to act flippantly?"

She was left speechless for a moment...

"Forget it!" she said, turning away in a huff.

She would never admit that, after disguising herself, she appeared as nothing more than an ordinary woman of modest beauty.

Yet, even when she looked like that, Xu Qi'an still showed interest. That man truly was an undiscriminating, brazen scoundrel.

A lowly man.

"Do you know who will be representing the Sitianjian in the duel against the Buddhist Sect tomorrow?" Luo Yuheng suddenly asked.

The veiled woman perked up her ears.

"Xu Qi'an," Luo Yuheng answered directly.

"Huh?"

The veiled woman immediately turned around, her eyes wide open. "Him? He's representing the Sitianjian?"

Luo Yuheng nodded.

The veiled woman was suddenly outraged, sitting down with her hands on her hips. "Does the Great Feng have no one else? How could they let a mere stinky boy represent the Sitianjian in a duel?"

After fuming for a while, she calmed down when she saw that Luo Yuheng had resumed her meditation. She sat there quietly, her eyes shifting as if deep in thought.

…

At the Tower of Noble Spirit, Xu Qi'an sipped tea and recounted the information he had gathered from the palace to Wei Yuan. Wei Yuan, indifferent, said, "Just do your best."

"I'm definitely going to be punished by the Emperor if I lose," Xu Qi'an said, full of worry.

Wei Yuan chuckled, "Don't worry. Tomorrow's duel may not be as difficult as you think."

Xu Qi'an's eyes lit up. "Duke Wei, do you know something?"

Wei Yuan glanced at him. "Use your brain!"

The grand eunuch interjected, "What's the wager for this duel?"

"The Diamond Sutra and the Disc of Heavenly Secrets."

"The Disc of Heavenly Secrets is the Jianzheng's personal artifact, unique in this world. If the duel is lost, you may be punished, but Jianzheng will lose a priceless treasure. Do you think he'd ask the Emperor for you if he wasn't confident?"

*Am I really that amazing? How come I didn't know this about myself...?* Xu Qi'an thought.

That evening, Xu Qi'an shared with his family that he would be representing the Sitianjian in the duel with the Buddhist Sect. He added, "If you want to watch the excitement, you can take my badge and go to the Nightwatchers’ area."

Xu Pingzhi frowned. "Is it dangerous?"

"It's just a duel. It should... probably be fine," Xu Qi'an said uncertainly, still unclear on the exact details of the duel.

"Oh, can we really watch?" Auntie, always carefree, said excitedly.

"I want to go! I want to go!" Xu Lingyin raised her hand eagerly, between bites of food.

"You want to watch the excitement?" Xu Qi'an was surprised. His dim-witted sister rarely spoke while eating.

"Where there’s excitement, there must be good food," Xu Lingyin declared with certainty, a life philosophy she had developed over her six short years.

"Why did the Jianzheng choose Big Brother?" asked Xu Xinnian, the family's only scholar and the resident voice of reason.

Xu Qi'an could only shrug helplessly. "Who knows what the Jianzheng is thinking? Do you know? Because I sure don't."

Xu Xinnian shook his head, indicating that even he, sharp as he was, couldn't guess Jianzheng's intentions.

After dinner, Xu Qi'an practiced his breathing techniques, preparing himself to reach an optimal state for tomorrow's battle. Once he felt ready, he stopped meditating, eager to enjoy a good night's sleep and recharge for the duel.

*It seems like not going to the Jiaofangsi these last few days was the right choice. A man has to know when to conserve his strength.*

Just as he closed his eyes and was about to fall asleep, he felt a familiar jolt in his heart.

With a sigh, he took out his fragment of the Earth Book, lit a candle, and checked the messages.

【FOUR: Tomorrow is the duel between Jianzheng and Du’e. I heard a surprising piece of news from the National Teacher.】

【What news?】

The other members of the Heaven and Earth Society all chimed in.

Only Xu Qi'an's expression changed dramatically. *Shut the fuck up! Shut up!*

Using his finger as a pen, Chu Yuanxian wrote: 【It turns out that the Sitianjian has chosen Silver Gong Xu Qi'an to face Du’e.】

After sending the message, Chu Yuanxian expected the other members to be shocked and offer their thoughts. Instead, there was no reaction at all.

"...?"

Chu Yuanxian frowned. Did they already know?

【TWO: What’s going on with Four? Deliberately keeping us in suspense?】

【SIX: Four isn't that type of person. Maybe something came up unexpectedly.】

*Four got caught up in something... Haha, thank the heavens! He didn’t expose my situation. Otherwise, if Two found out I wasn’t dead, she would’ve revealed my identity to the whole group on the spot...* Xu Qi'an sighed in relief.

At this moment, he saw a message from Daoist Jinlian in the mirror: 【NINE: I've temporarily blocked everyone, including Four.】

*Daoist Jinlian blocked Four?!*

Xu Qi'an was startled and immediately replied: 【Thank you, Daoist.】

【NINE: Welcome.】

*You’re welcome, huh? If Li Miaozhen knew about my revival, when she arrives in the capital she could focus her whole energy on preparing for the battle. And you you shit-stirrer, would be useless.*

【NINE: But a paper cannon cannot produce fire. You're a smart person; you must understand what I mean.】

【THREE: Everything’s under control.】

Xu Qi'an planned to talk to Li Miaozhen in person, to discuss their shared social-death past, hoping she would agree to keep his identity a secret.

*Daoist Jinlian, you think I'm at the second level, but actually, I'm at the fifth.*

【THREE: By the way, Daoist, I seem to have encountered that woman who has a connection to me.】

【NINE: Heh, you two were bound to meet sooner or later. It means your fates are intertwined.】

*Fates intertwined...* Xu Qi'an swallowed nervously, sending a message with a mournful expression: 【Is this fate something serious? She’s old enough to be my aunt.】

*That old woman... she’s only a few years younger than my Auntie, and Auntie is 36 this year.*

【NINE: I don't think I ever mentioned the power of that Bodhi bracelet to you. Well, it can obscure one's fate and change appearances. The Buddhist sect excels at concealing one’s fate.

【I obtained the bracelet during my travels and charity in the Western Regions. I won it from a monk in a debate.】

*I see... If the old lady happens to be a charming mature woman, I guess I could accept that. Plus, from my experience in my previous life, women in their thirties are at their prime... Wait, no! I can’t let my thoughts stray. Why am I already assuming I’m doomed to have some twisted fate with her?*

*This must be Daoist Jinlian’s influence, subtly messing with my thoughts.*

【THREE: Daoist, what do you mean by ‘connection’?】

【NINE: Connections come in many forms. Affection between two people creates a connection. But affection can mean friendship, it can mean camaraderie, or it could be as benefactor and recipient.】

*Whew...* Xu Qi'an breathed a sigh of relief.

Ending the conversation, he wrapped himself in a thin quilt and drifted into sleep.

...

The next morning, Xu Pingzhi, having taken the day off, returned home to take the women of the family out. He personally drove the carriage to take them to the Stargazing Tower to watch the excitement.

Xu Erlang rode a horse alongside the carriage.

Just as they exited the small alley leading from their house and turned onto the main road, a plain-looking woman stepped out from a simple carriage parked by the roadside and raised her hand to stop Xu Pingzhi's vehicle.

Xu Pingzhi frowned and examined the woman. "Who are you?"

"Are you Xu Qi'an’s second uncle?"

"I am."

"Heading to the Stargazing Tower?"

"Yes."

The woman nodded, then, without waiting for an invitation, climbed onto the carriage. "Take me to the Stargazing Tower and tell Xu Qi'an that the matter about picking up my purse is cleared."

Second Uncle originally wanted to throw the woman off the carriage, but after hearing her words, his expression turned somewhat strange.

It sounded like this woman had some entanglement with his nephew?

*With Ningyan’s status and talent, he shouldn’t be mixed up with a woman this much older. I must be overthinking things…*

Xu Pingzhi decided to hold off on asking Ningyan about it until later.

After the old lady climbed into the carriage, she noticed the voluptuous beauty of Auntie and the ethereal elegance of Lingyue, hesitating for a moment. Glancing back at the young man outside, whose handsome appearance was unmatched, she grumbled internally:

*This whole family has good looks.*

Then, she spotted the ordinary-looking Xu Lingyin, sitting on the long bench with her short legs dangling, completely absorbed in gnawing on a piece of dried meat.

Auntie, scrutinising the old lady, gracefully asked, "Which family are you from, madam?"

The old lady smiled warmly, “Just a common household. I wanted to see the excitement at the Sitianjian, but I couldn't get in. I happened to know... Sir Xu’s nephew, so I’m here to tag along."

Auntie nodded. As long as this woman had no ties to her husband, she didn't care.

The two women, close in age, exchanged a few casual words before Auntie realised that, despite calling herself a commoner, this woman’s demeanour was anything but ordinary.

She spoke elegantly, smiled with reserve, and was clearly not someone from a typical household.

*She must be a woman from a notable official’s family, someone acquainted with Ningyan... But where is her husband?*

At this point, the old lady glanced at Xu Lingyin and casually asked, “Is this a relative’s child?”