Nightwatcher

# 356. Interrogating the Delegation

“This lowly official truly does not know. Wanzhou is still several days away from the northern border. If you sirs do not believe me, you might as well head north and see for yourselves.”

Prefect Niu hastily defended himself, almost swearing an oath to the heavens.

Given Prefect Niu’s insignificance, it was likely he truly knew nothing, so the group did not trouble him further.

After Censor Liu asked a few more questions about the northern frontier, the High Court Deputy Justice stood up with a smile to see the governor off.

Watching Prefect Niu climb into his carriage and leave with the constabulary officers, the Deputy Justice returned to the inn, dismissed the station servants, and looked around at the group. “Should we continue northward, or stay here at the station for a few more days?”

Constable Chen of the Ministry of Law said in a low voice, “If we linger here, King Huai’s people will surely find us. At that point, we’ll have no choice but to head north with them.”

“Isn’t that exactly what we want?” the other censor surnamed Zhou said with a laugh. “We’re operating openly, while Silver Gong Xu acts in the shadows. Drawing King Huai’s attention is precisely our task.”

The Deputy Justice sighed. “I wonder about the princess consort’s condition. Is she alive or dead?”

Hearing this, Constable Chen and the two censors sneered coldly. The life and death of the princess consort and Chu Xianglong mattered not to them.

Those despicable, cunning, lowly men were better off dead.

Yang Yan had informed them that after defeating the northern experts, Xu Qi’an had gone on alone, secretly heading north to investigate the case.

This plan won unanimous approval, and all promised to keep it confidential. The officials of the three ministries cooperated partly out of gratitude for Xu Qi’an saving their lives, which shifted their attitude from hostility to friendliness.

Moreover, Xu Qi’an investigating in secret meant the delegation could slack off and avoid uncovering evidence that might provoke retaliation from the Zhenbei King.

A win-win situation.

There was one thing Yang Yan had not shared: the whereabouts of the princess consort. Based on his investigation, Yang Yan speculated that Xu Qi’an had likely rescued her.

He reached this conclusion after tracking Xu Qi’an’s departure to a battle site, where he found unconscious maidservants. The scene, apart from the maidservants and spider silk in the dense woods, had no other traces.

Yang Yan woke the maids and questioned them. They recounted that Xu Qi’an had arrived and likely engaged in combat—but they were unsure, as they quickly lost consciousness.

Yang Yan deduced two possibilities: either Xu Qi’an had intercepted the princess consort mid-pursuit and engaged the northern experts in a chase, or he had defeated them and successfully rescued her.

He leaned toward the former, as there were no signs of a fight at the scene. Xu Qi’an had likely used Confucian spells recorded in his book to make a swift escape.

*The four northern experts dared not act too brazenly deep within Da Feng territory, giving Xu Qi’an plenty of opportunities... With the Confucian book protecting him and his own Vajra Technique at a minor accomplishment stage, he’s not without means to protect himself. Moreover, this could serve as valuable training, pushing him closer to the Transforming Force threshold and fifth-rank.*

That was Yang Yan’s reasoning.

It would be dangerous, but the martial artist path was one of breaking through limits and honing oneself. Yang Yan himself had fought in the Battle of Shanhai Pass during his youth, wielding his blade on the battlefield, surviving by the slimmest of margins to temper his martial skills.

Xu Qi’an was certainly capable. If he wasn’t, his death would be his own fault.

Additionally, Yang Yan secretly assigned ten imperial guards to escort the maids southward back to the capital.

Now, the delegation had only ninety imperial guards left, but the Deputy Justice and others were oblivious. It wasn’t that they lacked vigilance; they simply never concerned themselves with the lower-ranking soldiers.

...

On a narrow mountain path worn down merely by travelling feet, Xu Qi’an strode at the front, his sabre wrapped in cloth slung over his back.

Behind him, the dishevelled princess consort leaned on a tree branch, trudging slowly. After days of walking, her maid’s attire had become wrinkled and filthy, and an unpleasant odour wafted from her.

At first, she had meticulously arranged her hair every morning, ensuring it was neat and tidy. But over time, she stopped caring, tying it loosely with a wooden hairpin, stray strands falling messily.

There was no trace of her noble bearing; she looked like a destitute woman fleeing disaster.

“Not bad—you’ve managed to keep up for this long. Your stamina has greatly improved over the past few days.”

Ahead, Xu Qi’an halted, smiling as he praised her.

“I hear water up ahead. Push on a bit further, and we’ll rest there.”

The princess consort’s eyes lit up briefly before dimming again. She dared not bathe, preferring to endure her own stench, scratching at itchy spots as needed.

Her refusal to bathe was deliberate. First, it deterred Xu Qi’an from peeking or letting his lust get the better of him. Second, as long as she remained this odorous, he wouldn’t lay a hand on her.

“I can’t stand your smell anymore,” was a phrase Xu Qi’an had repeated often over the past few days.

Before long, they reached a slender waterfall cascading down a cliffside. At its base was a small pool, from which a stream flowed outward.

“I really can’t stand your smell anymore. How about a bath?” Xu Qi’an suggested.

“No,” she rejected flatly.

“Filthy woman,” Xu Qi’an spat.

*You’re the filthy one,* she thought smugly, her lips curling into a faint smile.

“Fine, I’ll wash then.”

Xu Qi’an shrugged off his outer garment, revealing a well-proportioned, muscular upper body that epitomised masculine strength.

The princess consort rolled her eyes and turned away.

A splash echoed as he dove into the pool. The princess consort sat on a rock by the stream, slowly removing her dirty embroidered shoes.

Her delicate feet emerged, reddened and blistered.

Her lips quivered as she fought the urge to cry.

Though Xu Qi’an, that lecher, had been captivated by her beauty and shown her some pity, not rushing the journey, the past five days of trekking had been a gruelling ordeal for someone of her pampered status.

To put it simply: she was enduring treatment unbecoming of her beauty and rank.

The princess consort soaked her feet in the cold stream, savouring the relief, before washing her embroidered shoes in the water. She lay them on a stone to dry, though however good the sun was, they would not dry quickly.

This was the princess consort’s little scheme; if her shoes were wet, she could use it as an excuse to rest a while longer. If that kid didn’t agree, then she could order him to dry her shoes for her.

A win-win.

As the icy-cold water rushed by her feet, she half-closed her eyes in contentment, enjoying the feeling. Then, she moved her round and full buttocks off the stone, standing up in the creek, tying her dress at the knees.

Women of this era naturally did not leave everything under their skirts open, her attire was layered: underpants, silk trousers, and finally the dress.

She splashed water onto her face, sighing in contentment.

Then, out of the corner of her eye, she noticed Xu Qi’an by the pool. He had come ashore, standing with his back to her, legs slightly apart, one hand on his hip and the other...

A crystalline arc of water traced through the air, landing in the pool.

“Xu Ningyan!!”

Her screech echoed through the mountains.

…

Bang!

On the mountain path, Xu Qi’an, walking in the lead, was struck on the back of his head by a rock. Known for his unparalleled bodily defence, Silver Gong Xu paid no attention and continued forward.

Bang! Another rock hit the back of his head.

“Hey, are you done yet?” Xu Qi’an turned around, glaring at the woman who had been persistently throwing rocks at him for an entire hour.

*Doesn’t her hand get tired?*

The Princess consort hid the stone in her hand behind her back, clasped her hands together, turned her head, and pretended to admire the scenery.

Xu Qi’an stared at her for a few moments. Knowing her weaker position within the group, the Princess consort wisely avoided direct confrontation with him. But the moment Xu Qi’an turned his head…

Bang!

Another stone came flying.

*… I’ve never seen such a petty woman. Let’s see how long you can keep this up. After all, it’s your arm that’ll get sore!* Xu Qi’an silently complained to himself.

Her strength was limited, and the stones didn’t pack much of a punch. Given Xu Qi’an’s incredible defense, the attacks didn’t hurt—they were just annoying.

…

After staying in Wanzhou for three days, a troop arrived at the post station. The unit wasn’t large, only two hundred men, but the leading general held a high position: a deputy commander of Zhenbei King’s assault battalion, a fourth rank official.

The deputy commander’s surname was Li. A native of Chuzhou, he had the rugged features typical of northerners. He was powerfully built, with coarse facial features. His armor, dark and battle-scarred, bore the marks of countless battles—a testament to his experience on the front lines.

He burst into the relay station with his troops, sharp gaze sweeping over Yang Yan and the three departments’ officials who had come downstairs upon hearing the commotion. In a stern voice, he demanded, “Where is the Princess consort? Where is Deputy General Chu?”

Behind him, two rows of soldiers stood solemnly, their eyes fixed on the officials of the delegation.

The Deputy Justice of the High Court felt immense pressure. Under the oppressive stares of the gruff military men, he braced himself and stepped forward. “Who are you?”

“Li Yuanhua, Deputy Commander of the Assault Battalion, Chuzhou,” the deputy commander replied, scrutinizing the Deputy Justice. “And who are you?”

“This official is the Deputy Justice of the High Court.”

Li Yuanhua nodded before asking again, “Where is the Princess consort?”

Earlier today, he had received a direct order from a spy working for King Huai, instructing him to head to Wanzhou and inquire about the Princess consort. It was only then that Li Yuanhua learned of her journey north from the capital. Assuming the spy intended for him to escort the Princess, he immediately set out with two hundred cavalrymen and the spy, traveling from the nearby Changmen County.

The Deputy Justice’s smile slowly faded. With a sigh, he replied, “The delegation was ambushed en route, and we were separated from the Princess consort.”

*Ambushed?!*

Commander Li was shocked. Someone dared to ambush the delegation within the borders of Great Feng? What kind of bandits had such audacity, and what was their purpose?

As his mind raced with questions, he turned to look at the spy standing beside him—a woman cloaked in black, wearing a mask that covered the upper half of her face, leaving only a pale chin exposed.

But Li Yuanhua didn’t underestimate her for her appearance. She was a “earth”-rank spy. At this rank, her cultivation would either be at the sixth or fifth rank.

“I have questions for you all, but they must be answered one at a time,” the masked woman said in a low voice, her deep gaze sweeping over the group.

“And who are you?” asked Chief Constable Chen of the Ministry of Law, raising an eyebrow.

The woman let a black-iron token slide from her sleeve and flicked it to the ground at Chief Constable Chen’s feet.

The token bore a single character: “Earth.”

“King Huai’s spy,” Yang Yan finally spoke.

*The Zhenbei King’s spy…* The officials of the three divisions tensed and adjusted their attitudes, now cautious.

The Deputy Justice forced a smile and said, “What do you wish to ask?”

The black-cloaked woman brushed past them and headed upstairs on her own, saying, “Follow me.”

The Deputy Justice and the two censors remained still, while Yang Yan kept a blank expression. Chief Constable Chen furrowed his brow. Cursing inwardly at the cowardice of the civil officials, he steeled himself and followed her upstairs.

The woman randomly chose a room, then took out a triangular talisman from her robes and placed it lightly on the table.

“This will ensure our conversation cannot be overheard,” she said. “I have a few questions for you.”

Chief Constable Chen nodded.

“Who are you?” the woman asked.

“Chief Constable of the Ministry of Law, Chen Liang,” he replied truthfully.

The woman’s masked face revealed no expression as her red lips parted. “Do you know the Princess consort’s true identity?”

Chief Constable Chen froze, frowning. “The Princess consort’s true identity?”

The spy didn’t answer and moved on to her next question. “Describe the ambush.”

Chief Constable Chen recounted the journey of the delegation from the capital, focusing on the details of the ambush.

After listening, the spy fell silent for a long moment before murmuring, “He predicted the ambush at Flowstone Shoals?”

Chief Constable Chen nodded, noting the hint of surprise in her tone. “You may not understand him. This man is meticulous and perceptive, with a keen grasp of the overall situation…”

The woman raised her hand to interrupt him. In a calm tone, she said, “I know him. If Silver Gong Xu, who is famed for solving cases with godlike precision and holding off tens of thousands of rebels single-handedly, were unknown to us, we spies would hardly be qualified for our roles.”

Chief Constable Chen caught the unmistakable note of mockery and disdain in her voice when she mentioned “holding off tens of thousands of rebels single-handedly.”

“I want to know about his recent activities—everything since the Buddhist contest,” she added.

Chief Constable Chen thought for a moment and replied, “That would be the imperial examination fraud case and the Conflict of Heaven and Man. These are the most high-profile events with the greatest impact. As for minor matters, I haven’t paid as much attention.”

The spy nodded, signaling for him to continue.

*Though your bodies and names may perish, the rivers and mountains will endure for eternity… with a Confucian spell book and the unbreakable golden body, defeating the prized disciples of the Heaven and Human sects…* She fell into deep thought, silent for a long time.

The imperial examination fraud case and the Conflict of Heaven and Man had occurred recently, so news had yet to reach the Northern Territories.

“You may leave now. Bring in the Deputy Justice of the High Court,” she said.

Chief Constable Chen nodded and left the room without a word. Minutes later, the Deputy Justice knocked and entered.

The spy repeated her previous questions but added a new one: “Why did you continue north instead of searching for Deputy General Chu and the Princess consort?”

To this, the Deputy Justice sneered. “Why should we linger over those who abandoned us? The mission’s task is to investigate the Blood Runs Three Thousand Miles case, not to escort the Princess consort.”

His meaning was clear: they had done all they could, and if Deputy General Chu was ungrateful, they couldn’t be blamed for being heartless.

The spy made no comment. Her hooded head moved slightly, signaling him to leave.

The Deputy Justice walked to the door, ready to leave, when the woman’s voice suddenly rang out behind him.

“What do you think of Xu Qi’an as a person?”

From behind the mask, her deep and calm eyes fixated on the Deputy Justice’s back.

The Deputy Justice narrowed his eyes but didn’t hesitate. With a cold snort, he replied, “Just a brat.”

The spy inclined her head slightly, retracting her intense gaze.