Nightwatcher

# 422. Xu Qi'an: Erlang, Big Brother will teach you how to raise fish

*Father’s initial decision to attack the Church of the Warlock God stemmed from Xu Qi’an’s death in Yunzhou.*

Nangong Qianrou suspected that his adoptive father’s feelings at the time were a mix of grief over the loss of a trusted aide and a need to suppress the Church of the Warlock God’s rapid rise.

Later, after Xu Qi’an returned to the capital alive and the Church of the Warlock God remained quiet, there was no longer a need for large-scale action. A simple act of suppression would have sufficed.

But from Father’s tone, this was going to be a full-scale total war.

“Father, isn’t this… a bit too aggressive?” Nangong Qianrou spoke bluntly.

In the Great Feng’s current weakened state, a large-scale, years-long national war would be an unbearable burden.

“Yang Yan has sent an urgent report from the north. The Church of the Warlock God is attacking the northern Yao and barbarians. Zhujiu can no longer hold the line alone and has retreated from its original territory, rallying the Yao and barbarian tribes to withdraw toward the northwest.”

Wei Yuan studied the terrain map, his tone calm: “King Huai’s plan may have failed, but the Church of the Warlock God’s goal was still achieved. If either Zhujiu or Jili Zhigu dies in battle, the northern Yao and barbarians will be thrown into unprecedented weakness.

Nangong Qianrou’s eyes widened in sudden realisation. “That’s why you’re ignoring the court’s affairs—because His Majesty is highly likely to send you to the northern border?”

At the same time, he speculated that His Majesty’s suppression of the Prime Minister at this time might seem reckless, but it was actually an act of balance.

Without Wei Yuan in the court, wouldn’t the Prime Minister’s faction dominate everything?

“Even if father’s focus isn’t on court politics for now, there’s still plenty of time before autumn. Why not take advantage of the Prime Minister’s current crisis to seize some benefits and strengthen your position for the coming campaign?” Nangong Qianrou voiced his thoughts.

Wei Yuan smiled. “Do you think it’s better if the Prime Minister’s faction falls, or if it stands?”

Nangong Qianrou answered without hesitation, “It’s better if it falls.”

Wei Yuan nodded. “Yes, it’s better if it falls—but it’s also fine if it doesn’t. If not for the coming war, I’d push him down myself. If Wang Zhenwen falls, I’ll have at least five years of freedom to act. His Majesty can’t build up a new faction to oppose me overnight.

“But in the current situation, there are advantages to the Prime Minister’s faction staying intact. Wang Zhenwen and I have fought for so many years—we understand each other. A familiar opponent at court is better than an unfamiliar one.”

Just then, a clerk arrived and respectfully reported, “Duke Wei, Grand Secretary Qian Qingshu of Wuying Hall requests an audience.”

*Qian Qingshu was Wang Zhenwen’s close confidant…* Nangong Qianrou glanced at Wei Yuan.

Wei Yuan waved his hand. “Denied. Send him away.”

The clerk bowed. “Understood.”

“Father?” Nangong Qianrou thought: *Has father ultimately decided to watch from the sidelines*

“If I make a move, it’ll spoil the fun.”

Wei Yuan smiled. “This favour needs to be left for the right person.”

Nangong Qianrou didn’t understand, but he didn’t ask. After so many years together, he was used to his adoptive father’s way of speaking.

“You may leave now,” Wei Yuan said suddenly.

Once Nangong Qianrou left, Wei Yuan took out several envelopes, picked up a brush, and began to write.

…

In the imperial palace complex, Jingxiu Palace.

The Crown Prince sat eating chilled plums, with a basin of ice at his feet. A palace maid fanned him with a large fan, but his expression was anything but relaxed.

“I advised the Prime Minister not to clash with Father, and not to align himself with Wei Yuan—but he wouldn’t listen. Now look at him. Father is determined to punish him.”

The Crown Prince had little personal connection with the Prime Minister, but many members of the Prime Minister’s faction were loyal to the Crown Prince.

If Wang Zhenwen fell, those people would be implicated too, which would weaken the Crown Prince’s influence at court.

Concubine Chen and Lin’an, listening nearby, both looked worried. Since the year of the official evaluation, the Crown Prince’s position had been unstable, wavering constantly.

Concubine Chen frowned. “What’s Wei Yuan’s stance?”

The Crown Prince replied in a low voice, “Grand Secretary Qian Qingshu of Wuying Hall went to see Wei Yuan this morning, but he was turned away.”

Concubine Chen’s face darkened. “Wei Yuan and the Prime Minister are political enemies—he’s probably waiting to strike while the Prime Minister is down.”

The Crown Prince turned to his sister and said, “Lin’an, isn’t Xu Qi’an close to you? He’s someone Wei Yuan relies on. Why not try to approach him through Xu Qi’an?”

Lin’an sat on a soft couch, wearing a richly decorated red gown and a golden hairpiece. Her round, delicate face was framed by graceful lines, and her peach blossom eyes shimmered with a captivating charm.

When silent, she resembled a flawless jade statue.

“He hasn’t come to see me in a long time…”

Lin’an’s expression dimmed, and she spoke softly.

It had been more than half a month since the Chuzhou massacre case, yet Xu Ningyan hadn’t visited her once. Lin’an had said nothing, but deep down, she suspected that Xu Ningyan now hated the royal family because of that incident.

And by extension, he hated her too, so he was deliberately keeping his distance.

Thinking about their once joyful time together made Lin’an’s heart ache.

“That’s easy to solve. Just have someone send a letter to Xu Manor, asking him to meet you. If he agrees, it means he still cares about you,” the Crown Prince suggested with a smile.

Concubine Chen added, “Be discreet about it. Have one of the servants from Lin’an Manor deliver the letter—don’t use the palace guards. Make sure your royal father doesn’t catch wind of any contact between you and Xu Qi’an.”

Lin’an nodded vigorously, her expression both nervous and hopeful. “I’ll arrange it right away.”

…

At noon, Yuan Xiong, the Left Censor-in-Chief, and Qin Yuandao, the Vice Minister of War, entered a restaurant in the inner city.

They were accompanied by several officials from the same faction.

The lunch break lasted two hours. The canteens at the capital’s constabulary were notoriously bad—not exactly thin gruel, but lavish meals were but a mere fantasy.

Low-ranking officials ate at the canteens, while high-ranking officials frequented the restaurants of the inner cities.

Yuan Xiong raised his teacup and smiled. “Congratulations to Vice Minister Qin on the prospect of joining the cabinet.”

Qin Yuandao raised his cup in return. “May Lord Yuan soon monopolise the Censorate. When the time comes, don’t forget to look after us.”

The Censorate held great power, with the authority to oversee and investigate officials. Yuan Xiong had long sought to take full control of the Censorate and drive out Wei Yuan’s supporters.

Qin Yuandao, having lost hope of becoming Minister of War, was looking for another path into the cabinet.

The two had jointly orchestrated the cheating scandal in the imperial examination, which had ultimately failed. This time, however, the situation was different. Back then, the Emperor had remained a bystander, but now he was offering full support from behind the scenes.

“Even if Wang Zhenwen isn’t completely toppled this time, he’ll suffer a severe blow. He’s controlled the cabinet for years. Previously, the Emperor needed him to keep Wei Yuan in check. But now, with the Emperor intending to send Wei Yuan to Chuzhou as the regional commander, Wang Zhenwen will have to make way.”

“I also heard that Qian Qingshu visited Wei Yuan this morning and was turned away.”

“If not for that bastard Xu last time, we’d have secured those positions already,” Qin Yuandao said through gritted teeth.

An official raised his cup and laughed. “No need to dwell on it, Vice Minister Qin. That Xu Qi’an won’t last long, he’s offended the Emperor and will face punishment sooner or later. First, we take down the big one, then clean up the small one. He’s as good as dead.”

“Drink, drink.”

They drank and laughed loudly.

…

“Dalang, someone’s sent you a letter.”

In the front hall, the gatekeeper Old Zhang presented a sealed letter.

Xu Qi’an, who was in the middle of using Xu Lingyin as a shuttlecock, set down his little sister and took the letter, asking, “Who sent it?”

Old Zhang shook his head. “He’s waiting outside but didn’t say who sent it. He said he’s waiting for a reply.”

“Big Brother, keep playing!”

Xu Lingyin had experienced the thrill of flight and was no longer satisfied with being an ordinary child stuck on the ground.

She wrapped herself around Xu Qi’an’s leg like an octopus and wouldn’t let go.

Xu Qi’an tried to shake her off but failed. This silly child’s strength was growing alarming.

“Taiping!”

He called out.

A sharp sound rang out, and the Taiping Sabre flew out of the room, still in its scabbard, and hovered before Xu Qi’an.

Xu Lingyin was stunned, her little face lifted in awe.

Xu Qi’an picked her up and let her straddle the sword like a witch on a broomstick. Then, with a smack on her little backside, he said loudly:

“Go, Magical Girl Little Pea!”

The Taiping Sabre carried her out of the hall. Xu Lingyin’s carefree laughter echoed through the air.

Xu Qi’an unfolded the letter and read it. It was from Lin’an, detailing recent court struggles and subtly asking if he could sound out Wei Yuan’s intentions.

*This wasn’t Lin’an’s style—likely the work of Consort Chen or the Crown Prince… Wei Yuan had mentioned that many within the Wang Clique were also supporters of the Crown Prince. Come to think of it, ever since I executed the two Dukes, I haven’t visited Lin’an.*

*Ah, there had just been too many matters to deal with, one after another, I’ve neglected her…*

Lin’an was different from Huaiqing. Huaiqing didn’t need coaxing, but Lin’an was the type of girl who longed for company.

“Tell him to inform his mistress that I understand.”

Xu Qi’an sent Old Zhang away and sat down at the round table, recalling what Wei Yuan had said that morning:

_I won’t get involved in this matter._

Yesterday, Xu Erlang had spoken to him about the court situation after returning from his duties. Xu Qi’an had kept it in mind and gone to the Nightwatcher’s Office this morning to sound out Wei Yuan’s thoughts—only to discover that this was no ordinary political struggle.

Emperor Yuanjing intended to move against Prime Minister Wang.

_This is actually an opportunity for me. While Xu Erlang and Miss Wang have been exchanging glances, he’s not yet on Wang Zhenwen’s radar. Plus, as a student of Cloud Deer Academy and because of me, his advancement in the officialdom will be difficult unless he joins the Wang clique._

_But Wang Zhenwen comes from the Imperial Academy and naturally resists Cloud Deer Academy students. Now, isn’t this the perfect opportunity? I hold evidence of corruption and misconduct involving many officials and Duke Cao. These political bargaining chips were originally meant to be split between Wei Yuan and Xu Erlang._

_Now they’re suddenly useful. And if I can win Wang Zhenwen’s favour, it’ll greatly help my investigation into Emperor Yuanjing. I already revealed Duke Cao’s letter to Wei Yuan, and he said he wouldn’t interfere—that was already a clear signal. Wei Yuan has been unusually detached from court affairs lately… what is he planning?_

Xu Erlang returned home from court with a downcast expression. Just as he crossed the front courtyard, he saw Little Pea riding the sword, circling and laughing like a pig in the yard.

His mother and Xu Lingyue watched nervously from below, occasionally crying out: “Careful, careful!”

Auntie stood in the yard with her hands on her hips, shouting toward the hall:

“Xu Qi’an, get that damn sword down right now! If Lingyin falls and gets hurt, see how I’ll deal with you!”

Xu Lingyue asked in surprise, “Mum, why can the sword fly?”

“Who knows? It’s probably some Yao magic your brother used,” Auntie replied.

Xu Lingyue had seen Li Miaozhen flying on her sword before, so this wasn’t shocking. But Xu Erlang froze in place, stunned by the sight.

“A… a peerless divine weapon…” Xu Erlang murmured.

At that moment, Xu Qi’an stepped out of the hall and called, “Taiping, come down.”

The Taiping Sabre lowered itself and hovered in place. Auntie immediately scooped up her daughter and muttered, “What a useless sword.”

But then she saw Xu Erlang approach the sword in quick strides, eyes wide and hands outstretched as though to touch it—yet hesitant, his expression awed.

As a Confucian scholar, he naturally recognised the value of a divine weapon.

Seeing her son’s reaction, Auntie asked suspiciously, “Erlang, what’s so special about this sword?”

Xu Erlang murmured, “It’s a peerless divine weapon, priceless. No, more than priceless.”

*Priceless?* Auntie’s eyes brightened. She examined the Taiping Sabre with renewed interest and probed, “How much silver is that worth?”

“To put it simply, if Big Brother offered it in exchange for a title, he could at least secure an Earl’s rank. A Marquis’s rank wouldn’t be out of reach either.”

A Marquis was second only to a Duke. In the Great Feng, a Duke was effectively the highest title granted to non-royals.

Auntie’s jaw dropped. She stared at the Taiping Sabre as if it were her own child—no, with more adoration than that.

“I want to play again!” Xu Lingyin tried to climb onto the Taiping Sabre.

“Shoo! Little rascal, if you damage it, I’ll beat you to death!” Auntie swatted her away.

Xu Qi’an smiled at the scene and called out, “Erlang, come in. I have something to discuss with you.”

Xu Erlang entered the front hall and sat down at the table. His gaze was quickly drawn to a stack of secret letters on the table—not the ones sent by Lin'an, but those recovered from Duke Cao's private residence.

"I've already heard about what happened to Prime Minister Wang. Erlang, if you had the ability to help him through this crisis, would you lend a hand or stand by and watch?"

Hearing this, Xu Xinnian frowned slightly and said calmly, "I'm worried about Simu, but I don't feel much about Prime Minister Wang's situation. If it weren't for Simu, I'd probably be drinking with my elder brother right now."

_Good son-in-law of the Great Feng…_ Xu Qi’an mocked inwardly and smiled. "But if you could help, I'm sure Prime Minister Wang would be willing to accept you—at the very least, he wouldn’t reject you."

As he spoke, he gestured to the secret letters on the table.

Feeling puzzled, Xu Erlang opened the letters and read through them one by one. His pupils contracted in shock, followed by excitement, his hands trembling slightly.

If these letters fell into the hands of someone capable, they would become a deadly weapon. Who knows how many capital officials would be implicated, causing a massive upheaval in the imperial court.

Of course, there was another possibility—that these letters would all be destroyed because they implicated too many people.

"I can only give you a small portion of these letters. We need to select a few people who would be useful to Prime Minister Wang." Xu Qi’an spread the letters out one by one.

The so-called "useful people" couldn’t be part of the Wang Clique or Yuan Xiong’s faction. The latter had the emperor’s backing, so these letters wouldn’t deal them a fatal blow—at least not under the current circumstances.

Soon, the brothers picked out eight figures—high-ranking and powerful, but not belonging to the other two factions.

"After work, go to the Wang Manor and personally hand these letters to Prime Minister Wang. Remember, meet Miss Wang first and have her make the introduction."

_Big Brother wants me to hint at my relationship with Simu to Prime Minister Wang…_ Xu Xinnian hummed in response. Just as he tucked away the letters, he saw his elder brother roll up his sleeves.

"Big Brother, what are you doing?"

"Beating you up!"

*Bang!*

Xu Erlang's handsome face took a punch, and he screamed as he fell. Xu Qi’an pinned him down and began slapping him left and right.

"Big Brother, not the face…" Xu Erlang screamed.

"If I don’t hit your face, how will you show your sacrifice? How will you move Miss Wang by making it look like you’ve fallen out with your elder brother to save her father?"

"I-Isn’t that a bit despicable?"

"This isn’t despicable, it’s a tactic. Come on, hold still. Let me give you a few more punches."

…

Jingxiu Palace.

News from Lin'an's estate arrived quickly. There was no reply, only a simple message: _I understand._

The Crown Prince glanced at Lin'an, touched his nose, and sighed, "Looks like we can't count on him. It's understandable though. He's no longer in office, and now that he knows he's angered the Emperor, he’s not bothering to maintain ties with us anymore."

Lin'an’s eyes reddened at his words.

Consort Chen frowned and scolded, "Enough, stop talking. It’s normal if he doesn’t want to help. Even if Wei Yuan relies on him, would that mean the Emperor would listen to him?"

The Crown Prince sighed helplessly. "I know. It’s just that his attitude is upsetting."

Lin'an pursed her lips tightly and said gloomily, "I'm going back to Shaoyin Palace."

…

Wang Manor.

The atmosphere in the inner hall was heavy.

Wang Simu sat beside Lady Wang, speaking softly, trying to ease her mother’s anxiety.

The Wang family's eldest son, who held a position in the Ministry of Revenue, sat silently drinking tea. The second son, who managed the family's business, was pacing anxiously around the hall.

"Big Brother, I heard from a trusted friend that His Majesty intends to completely destroy our Wang family this time?" the second son asked anxiously as he walked.

Lady Wang’s expression darkened further. She looked at her eldest son with a gaze seeking confirmation.

The eldest son set down his teacup and said gravely, "It’s troublesome. Yuan Xiong and Qin Yuandao have submitted a long list of accusations. The most difficult one to deal with is the embezzlement of military funds.

"Do you remember Zhou Xianping, the former Vice Minister of Revenue? He was one of Father’s men, and it’s true he embezzled military funds. But when his house was searched, they only found a few thousand taels of silver. Where did the rest of the money go? Everyone’s saying it ended up with our Wang family."

"Utter nonsense!" The second son gritted his teeth in anger.

The eldest son pinched his brow and sighed tiredly. "In the past, Father was favoured by the Emperor, so such matters wouldn’t have mattered. But during the Chuzhou Massacre, Father offended His Majesty too deeply. That’s the real root of the problem."

Lady Wang's eyes were filled with worry. "What should we do? What should we do…"

Wang Simu quickly comforted her mother, then frowned and said, "You two should stop complaining. If you can't come up with a solution, then stop adding to Mother’s anxiety. What good does that do?"

She then soothed her mother in a soft voice, "Father has served as Prime Minister for over a decade—he’s weathered many storms. He knows what he’s doing. Isn’t he currently discussing this with my uncles in the study?"

The eldest son glanced at his sister and shook his head. True, they had faced crises before—but never one as dangerous as this. Fighting political opponents was one thing; fighting the Emperor was another entirely.

Just then, the steward hurried in, glanced at everyone in the room, and addressed Wang Simu. "Miss, Sir Xu is outside asking to see you."

The second son sneered, "At a time like this, he still has the leisure to court you?"

Lady Wang and the eldest son both frowned.

They were aware that Xu Erlang and Wang Simu were close. Wang Simu had a strong and independent personality, and aside from Wang Zhengwen, no one in the family could control her.

So they had turned a blind eye and let her be.

But now that the Wang family was in crisis, Xu Erlang’s frequent visits were starting to feel inappropriate.

Wang Simu shot a sidelong glance at her second brother, rose gracefully, and said, "Bring him to the outer hall."

She patted her mother’s hand reassuringly and left the room. Passing through the inner courtyard and winding corridors, she arrived at the reception hall, where Xu Erlang was sitting in a chair, covering his face with his sleeve, trying to hide.

"What's wrong, Erlang?" Wang Simu leaned over, trying to get a better look, but Xu Erlang kept dodging her.

"It's nothing…"

Xu Erlang replied, "I'm here to deliver something."

He pointed to the tea table. Only then did Wang Simu notice the stack of letters sitting there.

Wang Simu, filled with curiosity, unfolded the letter and glanced at it. Her delicate body trembled, and her beautiful eyes were filled with shock.

"Th-these secret letters… where did Erlang get them from?" She slightly parted her lips, her face losing colour.

"From my big brother." Xu Erlang replied.

*From Xu Qi’an? He’s Wei Yuan’s confidant—how could he possibly help my father…?* Wang Simu’s eyes flashed as she looked at Xu Erlang’s evasive expression.

Her heart sank, and she abruptly grabbed his sleeve.

"Ah…"

Wang Simu cried out in shock.

Xu Erlang's cheeks were swollen, his nose bruised, and his lips split in several places—he looked like he had been severely beaten.

"Did your big brother hit you? B-because of these secret letters?" Wang Simu’s lips trembled.

"I fell over." Xu Erlang denied firmly.

Tears immediately welled up in Wang Simu’s eyes and rolled down like broken pearls.

"H-he actually beat you like this…" Miss Wang was sobbing uncontrollably.

*Big brother’s strategy really works…* Xu Erlang sighed inwardly but explained aloud, "I really fell over."

He wasted no time and said, "These secret letters were given to me by my big brother, but he had conditions. I must speak to the Prime Minister directly."

Wang Simu took out an embroidered handkerchief from her sleeve and carefully wiped away her tears. Her gaze toward Xu Erlang was filled with affection.

She nodded. "I’ll take you there now."

…

In the spacious study, the scent of sandalwood curled through the air. Prime Minister Wang held a teacup, frowning in silence.

Grand Academician Qian Qingshu of Wuying Hall, Grand Academician Chen Qi of Jianji Hall, Minister Sun of the Ministry of Law, and other confidants were gathered together, their expressions heavy.

"Judging from His Majesty’s attitude, it’ll be our turn in a few days, won’t it?" Qian Qingshu said in a low voice.

Grand Academician Chen Qi of Jianji Hall had a fiery temper. He slammed the table and cursed, "The Chuzhou Massacre was the result of King Huai’s madness—how can this be tolerated? At worst, I’ll just resign!"

The Minister of Appointments sneered. "If you resign, wouldn’t that be exactly what Qin wants?"

Prime Minister Wang sat in the main seat, sipping his tea, quietly listening to his colleagues argue. Having weathered the ups and downs of officialdom for half a lifetime, he had never lost his composure.

When the arguing subsided, Prime Minister Wang asked, "What’s Wei Yuan’s stance on this?"

"We were turned away." Qian Qingshu’s face was grim.

"Not surprising." Prime Minister Wang nodded. "His Majesty still needs him. Wei Yuan is far more useful than any of us."

The Minister of Appointments sneered. "Will His Majesty really tolerate him monopolising power?"

Prime Minister Wang took a sip of tea and said calmly, "Many years ago, I already sensed that he had grown weary of political struggles. He wants to regain military authority. If I’m not mistaken, King Huai’s death was partly his doing."

"Minister Sun, you’re in charge of the Ministry of Law. Keep a firm grip on the situation. Don’t let the High Court and the Censorate finalise the charges."

Minister Sun of the Ministry of Law nodded.

"Minister Xu[^1], I know you support the Crown Prince. Take this opportunity to reach out to others in the Crown Prince clique."

The Minister of Appointments nodded.

Prime Minister Wang then swept his gaze across everyone and said calmly, "Resigning isn’t necessarily a bad thing. Think of it as stepping back from a dangerous current—it’s better than meeting a tragic end. Besides, you can always be recalled to service after resigning. A wise man must know when to advance and when to retreat. When it’s time to retreat, you should retreat."

At that moment, a knock came at the door, followed by Wang Simu’s soft and pleasant voice. "Father, your daughter wants to see you."

---

[^1]: Different Xu, tones are different