Nightwatcher

# 362. The Culprit

The other party’s powerful grip made the black-clad spy instantly aware of the vast disparity in their strengths. As a seasoned intelligence operative, he wasn’t one to lose his composure or rationale in the face of crisis.

On the contrary, years of training had honed his ability to remain calm and collected at such moments.

“Sir Xu, there’s no need for this. You’re investigating the ‘Blood Runs Three Thousand Miles’ case and are understandably cautious about offending His Highness, King Huai. I understand. But I urge you to think carefully before acting rashly. Let me clarify a few things for you.

“First, the fact that the Princess Consort wasn’t abducted by the barbarian clans cannot remain hidden. Heh, while I can’t divulge the reasons, believe me when I say that if the Princess Consort had truly fallen into their hands, His Highness would inevitably find out.

“But as it stands, you’ve rescued her. When the timeline is examined, your separation from the envoy and the Princess Consort’s abduction will align. That alone will suffice. King Huai doesn’t need evidence to act against someone; he only needs to perceive them as an enemy.”

*The Zhenbei King is even more domineering than I imagined…* Xu Qi’an’s face remained impassive as he continued to listen.

“Second, rescuing the Princess Consort is a significant merit. His Highness has commanded troops for many years and values above all the words ‘clear rewards and punishments’. If you align yourself with King Huai, Silver Gong Xu, your prospects will be boundless. Wei Yuan can only promote your position, but King Huai, brother to the Emperor, can elevate your title of nobility.

“Third, a case is just a case. Failing to solve one won’t tarnish your reputation for cracking numerous others. Your future is what truly matters. Why jeopardise it over an irrelevant investigation?”

The Princess Consort quietly stepped back, her gaze fixed entirely on Xu Qi’an rather than the black-clad spy.

*Although he’s a lecher, his conduct has been generally upright. He’s not the type to betray others for personal gain…* She held this belief but couldn’t help feeling a pang of anxiety.

After all, Xu Qi’an now faced the pressure of offending a king and the lure of political advancement.

*Bureaucratic pragmatism is universal, no matter the world...* Xu Qi’an nodded slowly.

“What you’re saying makes sense. I’m almost convinced. You’re right—the Princess Consort is the Zhenbei King’s rightful wife. There’s no need for me to make an enemy of a king over this.”

The black-clad spy’s masked face broke into a smile. He was gambling—gambling that Xu Qi’an wouldn’t dare cross King Huai, gambling that Xu Qi’an valued his future more.

One path led to ruin; the other, to prosperity. The choice was obvious.

Whether or not King Huai would actually fulfill the promises didn’t matter. For now, escaping this predicament was the priority. Once they returned to the military camp, Xu Qi’an would be as helpless as fish on a chopping block.

As for the Qi-watching technique? The spy wasn’t concerned. He had spoken nothing but the truth—King Huai did indeed value fairness in rewards and punishments.

Watching the spy visibly relax, Xu Qi’an spoke in a heavy tone, “Answer one question for me, and I’ll let you go. What exactly happened with ‘Blood Runs Three Thousand Miles’?”

The spy’s heart sank. He snapped, “Xu Qi’an, if you insist on pursuing this, only destruction awaits you. King Huai could crush you like an ant.

“Not just you—your family and loved ones would all be implicated. If you don’t want them to accompany you to the grave, you’d best release me now.”

Xu Qi’an remained silent, his expression unreadable.

The spy sneered. “Kill me, and it’s merely to silence me. What’s the point? As if you can summon my soul. Have a bit of common sense, think about it, what I said still stands.”

As an intelligence operative, he knew how to get into people’s hearts, and was deft with words. Combining threats with temptation, using his future as a lure, and his family as blackmail.

“You’re right,” Xu Qi’an interrupted with a grin.

The spy froze, a foreboding dread washing over him. “W-what?”

“You’re right—I can summon your soul.”

With that, Xu Qi’an tightened his grip.

The spy struggled violently, his threats growing desperate, “Xu Qi’an, I’m King Huai’s agent! Killing me means making an enemy of him!

“Are you an idiot? No, an idiot is still smarter than you! You won’t take the high road, you-”

A crisp snap echoed. The spy’s words were cut short.

“Noisy fucker,” Xu Qi’an muttered, tossing the lifeless body aside.

The Princess Consort inwardly cheered at the sight, her heart finally settling as she exhaled a breath of relief. Looking at Xu Qi’an again, her admiration was unmistakable.

Unconsciously, her perception of Xu Qi’an had grown increasingly vivid and layered. Her trust in him had deepened in subtle ways, even if she wasn’t immediately aware of it.

Just as she opened her mouth to say, “Let’s make a run for it,” she saw Xu Qi’an pull out a book, tear off a page, and ignite it with his qi.

A sudden chill swept through the air, accompanied by ghostly wails. The once-warm sunlight seemed to lose its warmth.

Before her disbelieving eyes, spectral figures coalesced, floating eerily before Xu Qi’an.

*G-g-ghosts…* The Princess Consort’s eyes widened as her jaw slackened, utterly stunned.

Never in her life had she encountered anything supernatural. Now, confronted with true ghosts, her mind blanked, leaving her paralysed.

Xu Qi’an, oblivious to her terror, focused on the task at hand. There was no time to comfort the First Beauty of the Great Feng.

He had more pressing matters to address.

Among the summoned souls were not only the three barbarian warriors and the black-clad spy but also soldiers who had met tragic ends.

The new souls appeared disoriented, their gazes vacant.

Xu Qi’an turned his attention to the black-clad spy’s spirit, pausing briefly before asking, “What is the case with ‘Blood Runs Three Thousand Miles’?”

The spy’s expression froze. His voice, hollow and mechanical, answered, “His Highness, King Huai, requires a vast amount of vital essence to ascend to the pinnacle of the second rank.”

The words exploded like thunder in Xu Qi’an and the Princess Consort’s ears.

*The Blood Runs Three Thousand Miles tragedy was orchestrated by the Zhenbei King...* At that moment, Xu Qi’an’s mind buzzed as if struck by a thunderous blow.

*I already suspected this. If the massacre were the work of the barbarian clans, how could leaders like Tangshan-Jun not know about it? How could they remain uninvolved?*

*But Chu Xianglong’s ignorance led me to overlook this detail, convincing myself that there were still hidden truths behind the case… No, the real reason is that I didn’t want to believe it.*

*I didn’t want to believe that a king who had guarded the border for over a decade—a member of the Great Feng royal family—could massacre the people who revered and loved him for his selfish ambition to ascend to Rank two.*

“Unforgivable…” Xu Qi’an murmured, his lips trembling.

He would rather the barbarian clans be the perpetrators. If they were enemies, their paths were destined to cross in blood. Today they might slaughter the people of Great Feng, but tomorrow, he could lead an army to annihilate their tribes.

But he could not accept that the Zhenbei King, a king of the Great Feng, wielded the butcher’s knife against his own subjects. His reasoning? To bolster his vitality for a breakthrough.

*A beast!*

*It… it was King Huai who did this…* The Consort covered her mouth, tears streaming uncontrollably.

After a long silence, Xu Qi’an’s hoarse voice asked, “Where did the massacre happen?”

The black-robed spy’s dazed expression persisted as he replied, “I don’t know.”

*Don’t know… This answer caught Xu Qi’an off guard. Shouldn’t it be Xikou County?* That place has already been sealed off.

Moreover, it defied logic that even a trusted spy of the Zhenbei King would remain ignorant of this matter.

“Who does know?” Xu Qi’an pressed, his suspicions mounting.

“The Commander of Chuzhou, Que Yongxiu, and the “Heaven”-ranked spies,” the soul answered mechanically.

*Commander Que Yongxiu?*

Xu Qi’an recalled the man’s background: Commander of Chuzhou and titled “National Protector” Duke. The title was hereditary, originating from the first Duke, who had been a sworn brother of Emperor Wuzong—the prince who had colluded with the Buddhist sect to overthrow the first Jianzheng five centuries ago.

The National Protector Duke lineage, one of the few enduring noble families among the old aristocracy, was closely tied to the royal family, boasting marriages with two princesses and four county lords over its history.

*Que Yongxiu and the Zhenbei King colluded to orchestrate the massacre… I must gather evidence and report this. I refuse to believe Emperor Yuanjing can shield them. Even if he tries, Duke Wei and the court officials won’t allow it.*

The court, the capital’s officials—be they virtuous or corrupt—formed a force even the emperor could not ignore.

Such a horrific crime could not be swept under the rug.

Xu Qi’an suppressed the urge to rush back to the capital with the souls as evidence. It wasn’t enough. A spy’s confession alone could not topple the Zhenbei King and the National Protector Duke.

He turned to the three barbarian warriors and asked, “Why did you ambush the Zhenbei King’s spy?”

The barbarian from the Qingyan Tribe answered, “To find the massacre site and report it to the chief.”

The second added, “The chief seeks to ascend to Rank two as well.”

The third concluded, “Recently, we’ve been hunting each other’s spies, and many of our tribe have fallen.”

“Why do you seek the massacre site?” Xu Qi’an probed, his gaze flickering toward the black-robed spy’s lingering soul.

Here lay the key.

The massacre site was essential evidence for solving the case. Without identifying the victims, the investigation would stall.

Yet the Zhenbei King’s spy claimed ignorance, while the barbarian clans actively searched for it. This indicated the massacre wasn’t complete—or rather, the Zhenbei King hadn’t yet achieved his goal.

“To seize the life essence,” the first barbarian replied.

Xu Qi’an questioned the other two, receiving the same answer.

The clues pointed to the barbarian clans’ strategy: to disrupt the Zhenbei King’s plans by targeting two objectives—the Consort and the gathered life essence.

Their ongoing search suggested the massacre had not yet ended. Or to put it another way, the Zhenbei King’s great task was not yet complete, else the Qingyan tribe spies would have long retreated.

*No wonder the barbarian clans didn’t send their elites after the Consort. They’ve infiltrated Chuzhou to locate the massacre site instead. Meanwhile, the Zhenbei King’s spies are preoccupied covering up the massacre and fending off the barbarians’ pursuit.*

Xu Qi’an asked one final question, “Do only the Qingyan Tribe know of this?”

“Yes,” the barbarian replied.

*This doesn’t add up… How did their chief learn of this?*

After a pause, Xu Qi’an asked, “Have you seen arcanists in your tribe?”

“Yes,” the barbarian confirmed blankly.

*Heh, so the Qingyan Tribe knows the inside story, all revealed by a group of mysterious arcanists.*

From this, Xu Qi’an deduced two things: First, the arcanists were supporting the Qingyan chief in his bid to usurp the Zhenbei King’s plans. Second, these arcanists aimed to weaken the Great Feng by bolstering the barbarian clans and infiltrating the imperial court.

Xu Qi’an stopped questioning. “Squat down and cover your eyes.”

The Consort promptly obeyed, crouching and shielding her face.

Xu Qi’an retrieved his jade mirror, absorbing the corpses and souls of the spy and the barbarians. He then turned to her and said, “Let’s go!”

He knelt, facing away. “Climb on.”

This time, she hesitated only briefly before wrapping her arms around his neck. Strangely, she no longer felt off-put this close contact.

How strange.

Turning her head, she glimpsed the dissipating spirits. A pang of sorrow pierced her heart.

“He doesn’t deserve the title of Zhenbei King,” she murmured.

“Shut up and hold tight,”

“Mm,” she complied, tightening her grip.

With a ground-shaking leap, Xu Qi’an vanished into the wilderness.

…

Noon, a hundred li west from Sanhuang County.

The consort sat by a brook, eating a chicken leg in a less-than-ladylike manner. As she ate, she glanced at Xu Qi’an, who was staring blankly into space. Her usual haughtiness gave way to rare gentleness in her tone:

“What do you plan to do next?”

Xu Qi’an looked at her, smiled, and stirred the campfire. “Honestly, the reason I brought you north was to use you as leverage against the Zhenbei King, to make him cautious. My initial intentions weren’t honourable.”

She pressed her lips together, a hint of sadness in her eyes. “I know.”

She wasn’t naive. It wasn’t hard to guess his motives, given his investigation and decision to take her along.

Xu Qi’an raised an eyebrow in surprise. “Oh? You’re not angry? That’s unlike you.”

The consort shook her head, her voice soft. “I was born beautiful. When I was nine, I accompanied my parents to the Jade Buddha Temple to pray. The abbot there saw me and wrote a poem—you’ve probably heard of it.

“From then on, my fame spread far and wide. My parents worked even harder to groom me into a refined and accomplished lady, proficient in the arts of qin, go, calligraphy, and painting.

“At thirteen, my beauty brought increasing pressure on my family. Not only did noble officials line up to propose, but even some distant relatives looked at me strangely.

“My parents and elders protected me well, not out of love, but because they didn’t want any flaws in their precious commodity. Finally, that year, the emperor sent for me to enter the palace.

“My family was overjoyed, moved to tears. After all, the precious item they had cultivated with such care had fetched the highest price.

“In the palace, I only saw the emperor once before being neglected. Later, I learned he was already practicing Daoism and abstaining from women. That was fortunate for me. I lived a life of luxury without having to debase myself for a man.

“After the Battle of Shanhai Pass, I was given to King Huai as his principal wife, spending the next twenty years in his household. I was fully aware of what those two brothers were plotting.

“But what could I do? I was just a weak woman. Even if I weren’t guarded by attendants, even if I managed to run, the moment I left the King’s residence, I’d lose half my life.

“I’ve been a commodity since I was young, passed from one owner to the next. When I lose my value, I’ll be discarded like trash.”

By the fire, she hugged her knees, her voice calm, her face devoid of emotion.

“So if you see me as a bargaining chip, as a commodity, I don’t blame you. Compared to those two brothers, I think you’re a good man.”

*This... This is too tragic...* Xu Qi’an felt a pang of compassion, not for her beauty, but for her plight—a feeling of sympathy akin to what he felt for Zhong Li.

It was pure pity.

He looked at her sceptically. “You’re truly not upset?”

The consort was honest this time, nodding her head. “I am. Just now, when I thought you were going to betray me, I was furious.”

Xu Qi’an laughed. “Women always say one thing and mean another.”

She laughed too, then asked, “What are you going to do about the Zhenbei King? If he’s the culprit, this is far worse than falsifying military reports.

“If you insist on opposing him, it won’t end well for you.”

The mountain wind stirred, making the campfire dance. After a long silence, Xu Qi’an spoke slowly:

“Find the location of ‘Blood runs three thousand miles,’ stop him, punish him. If possible, I’ll kill him.”

The consort gazed at him in a daze.

…

Sanhuang County, Yayin Building.

“Knock, knock...”

Cai'er, lounging on a couch and reading a light book, heard the knock. This was followed by the madam’s cheerful voice:

“Cai'er, Master Zhao is here. Treat him well.”

Cai'er put her book away and replied coquettishly, “Yes, Mama.”

The door opened to reveal a middle-aged man dressed like a wealthy merchant, a lecherous grin on his face.

As he stepped into the room and closed the door, his expression shifted to one of seriousness.

The man looked at Cai'er and nodded. “You’ve informed him of the situation in Xikou County?”

Cai'er bowed respectfully. “Yes, he suspects nothing.”

The man sighed in relief, sat at the table, and poured himself a cup of tea. “With his sharpness, he’ll likely realise something is amiss later, but by then, it’ll be too late.”

Cai'er remained silent.

The man continued, “I’ll head north in a few days. You should leave Sanhuang County soon. If I die on the way, never return.”

After a pause, his tone turned grave. “Azure cloak attendant.”

Cai'er lowered her head. “A hundred deaths, no regrets.”