Chapter 504

Xu Qi'an?!

This name reverberated in the minds of the officials, causing their expressions to change as they recalled many bad memories.

Blocking the Meridian Gate to provoke the masses; blocking the Meridian Gate to kill the High Duke; beheading the former Emperor …

Watching him jumping up and down, flaunting his prowess, there was nothing they could do.

In the past, it was Wei Yuan who sheltered him that allowed him to be so arrogant and domineering. Later, when Wei Yuan died, many in the imperial court were waiting for the Yuanjing Emperor to settle the score with this person.

Waiting for his entire family to be executed.

The officials looked at each other and whispered to each other. Some of them shook their heads, indicating that they did not receive the relevant information.

Xu Xinnian stood at the end of the line. The most he heard were, "Didn't he leave the capital?", "When did he come back?", "Why did this damned dog come back now?", and so on.

The faces of the Dali Monastery Abbot and the other party leaders darkened.

Zhang Xingying turned to look at Liu Hong in shock. The former members of the Wei Faction were the same.

Xu Qi'an was back?

They did not receive any news at all.

That fellow had returned to the capital. It was good that he was back … At this moment, the former members of the Wei Faction felt extremely at ease.

The Yongxing Emperor smirked. He signaled the eunuchs to remain silent with his eyes, deliberately not interrupting the officials' clamor.

"A bunch of old foxes, the one who will take care of you is here …" The Yongxing Emperor felt refreshed. He felt that the gloom of the past few days had all been swept away.

After the clamor in the hall subsided, the Yongxing Emperor slowly opened his mouth.

"As far as I know, Xu Yinluo has long left the capital to travel the pugilistic world. Why is he back? "

Liu Hong said loudly.

"Xu Yinluo traveled the pugilistic world and saw the hardships of the common people. He felt pity for them. Every time he recalled the teachings of Duke Wei, he could not help but shed tears, so he stopped traveling.

"He wanted to replace Duke Wei as the night watchman and return peace to the imperial court."

The faces of the officials and officials changed drastically as they shouted.

"Your Majesty, no!"

"Xu Qi'an is just a Warrior. How can he be the night watchman?"

"This child is arrogant and unruly. Back when he was working in the yamen, he dared to break into the palace. If he becomes the night watchman, there will be no peace in the court."

More than half of the officials in the hall objected. it was much worse than forcing them to donate.

Among the officials, almost all of them voted against it.

From this, it could be seen how unpopular the martial artist surnamed Xu was.

Of course, there were also those who agreed with him, such as the former members of the Wei faction and a portion of the Royal Faction.

The latter's feelings were much more complicated. Xu Qi 'an was Wei Yuan's confidant and undoubtedly belonged to the Wei Faction. If it was in the past, the Royal Faction would risk their lives to stop Xu Qi' an from becoming the night watchman.

But now …

Everyone knew that Xu Erlang was Grand Secretary Wang's future son-in-law.

With this relationship, this arrogant and despotic martial artist could become an ally.

"Xu Qi 'an, that son of a b * tch, is back …" The Minister of the Ministry of Justice had mixed feelings.

It could be said that he had both love and hate for the martial man surnamed Xu. He loved him because he was extremely valuable, and he hated him because this dog had written poems to scold him, and in the past, he had repeatedly ruined his plans.

He was an old enemy.

But he had to admit that he was the only one who could control the officials.

"Smack!"

The eunuch lashed his whip against the shiny floor, making a crisp sound.

The Yongxing Emperor looked at the officials and said.

"The night watchman is responsible for protecting the Palace and the Royal Family. I have the final say on who will lead the night watchman.

"Since when is it your turn to meddle in my affairs?"

He had just finished speaking when he saw Duke Dingguo step out from the ranks of nobles and said in a deep voice:

"Your Majesty, please reconsider."

Duke Dingguo was in his fifties. He wore a crown with eight beams and a red silk robe. He had a jade belt around his waist and a four-colored embroidered ribbon.

Even though he was in his fifties, his eyes were bright and full of vigor. It was obvious that he had a good cultivation.

Duke Dingguo's voice was full of energy.

"Your Majesty, how can you appoint a regicide to be the night watchman?"

Seeing that someone had touched on this taboo topic, the officials in the hall were quiet.

Duke Dingguo continued.

"The father is the son. The former Emperor was Your Majesty's father after all. Your Majesty appointed Xu Qi'an to be the night watchman. A hundred years later, it will be bad for Your Majesty's reputation.

"There will be criticism from all levels of the court."

His words were very tactful. What he meant was that he appointed an enemy who killed his father to be a high-ranking official. It would be bad for his reputation. In the future, it would be recorded in the history books and he would be criticized and criticized by the later generations.

What the Yongxing Emperor cared about most was his reputation.

"Your Majesty, Duke Dingguo's words are reasonable. Please reconsider."

"This matter, alas, is not appropriate, Your Majesty."

The officials echoed.

Just as everyone was talking excitedly, Yongxing Emperor said faintly, "Brother Yongxing,

"Xu Yinluo entered the palace early this morning. Come, invite him to the hall."

The protests suddenly stopped. The hall was so quiet that a pin drop could be heard.

Why didn't you say so earlier that you invited him into the palace … The officials looked at the Yongxing Emperor in a daze. The expression on their faces seemed to say:

Are you playing with us?

No one said anything.

Duke Dingguo froze there, unable to advance or retreat.

Xu Xinnian, who was at the door of the hall, covered his mouth with his hand to prevent himself from laughing.

The officials objected fiercely and clamored for regicide. As soon as they heard that their eldest brother had entered the palace, they immediately stopped talking.

It was like cursing through the wall. You didn't expect the other party to bring a ladder and climb over the wall. Half of you were scared on the spot.

In the suffocating silence, the officials in the hall heard footsteps crossing the high threshold.

They all looked sideways and saw a gorgeous green robe striding over. His temperament was calm and his eyes were gentle. In a trance, everyone almost thought that the Great Green Robe of the past had come back to life.

In the silence, the footsteps echoed at a steady pace. He walked to the front of the throne and to the side of Duke Dingguo.

Thud!

Xu Qi 'an stopped and turned his head to look at Duke Dingguo.

"I've heard of the execution of a thief, but not the regicide.

"What do you think, Duke Dingguo?"

Duke Dingguo's face was burning. He was embarrassed and humiliated. He forced himself to say:

"Xu Qi'an, you …"

Before he could finish, his knees suddenly weakened and he knelt on the ground.

Xu Qi'an sneered: "Ordinary people are not worthy to speak to me."

He waved his hand and sent Duke Dingguo flying. He fainted on the spot.

A dignified Duke was actually humiliated like this in the hall … There were members of the imperial family who couldn't take it anymore and shouted:

"Xu Qi'an, how can you commit murder in the Throne Room!"

This angry shout was extremely loud. The officials outside the hall heard it clearly. They all raised their heads and looked into the hall.

"Xu Qi'an actually dared to make a move in the Throne Room?"

"Ridiculous. The Throne Room is the place where His Majesty and the officials discuss matters. It's the core of the dynasty. Xu Yinluo is too inconsiderate."

"This idiot is getting more and more daring. Who can control him in the future?"

The officials outside the hall began to murmur. Some of the officials who admired Xu Qi'an also felt that Xu Yinluo was too impulsive and disgraceful.

At this moment, they heard Xu Yinluo's wild laughter from inside the hall.

"That day, I broke into the Throne Room with a knife and killed Yuan Jing. Why didn't you blame me for committing murder in front of the hall?

"Yuan Jing colluded with the Witchcraft Cult and attempted to overthrow the foundation left by our ancestors. I killed him, but in your eyes, I'm the one who killed the regicide?

"I killed the allied forces of Yan and Kang at Jade Sun Pass and killed the fatuous ruler Yuan Jing at the outskirts of the capital to protect the country of Daibun from being invaded by the Witchcraft Cult. Did I do all this just to let you useless people suck the blood of the people?

"A mere High Duke dares to talk about me in the hall. Why don't you think about who contributed to him being able to stand in the hall and flaunt his power?"

The hall was dead silent.

The officials on both sides of the Alchemy Emperor and in the square looked at each other.

Someone muttered, "What's the big deal about beating up a High Duke? He even killed two at the market."

"That's right. Xu Yinluo has contributed greatly to the country. He's not inferior to Duke Wei in the past. How can he be slandered by a High Duke?"

"Now that the refugees are rioting everywhere, the world is no longer peaceful. The country can only be stable with a Third Grade Warrior. His Majesty and the officials should know what to choose if they're still rational. "

The officials who admired Xu Qi'an spoke one after another, while the officials who were dissatisfied with him remained silent.

Inside the hall, Xu Qi'an stood with his hands behind his back. His sharp eyes swept across the officials, nobles, and members of the royal family. He sneered.

"I risked my life to protect the country of Daibun, not to support a bunch of useless people like you.

"Today, whether you agree or not, I will be in charge of the Yamen of Night Watchers. Those who are stubborn, don't blame me for being impolite. "

The officials in the hall were livid. They gritted their teeth, but there was nothing they could do.

A man's reputation was like a tree's shadow. This man had killed a High Duke and the Emperor. When he went crazy, he wouldn't even recognize his own family.

It was wishful thinking to expect the rules of the bureaucracy and the laws of Daibun to restrain him.

If this man was in charge of the Yamen of Night Watchers, the entire bureaucracy would be at his mercy. Thinking of this, many people in the hall had thoughts of resigning.

There was no point in staying in such a bureaucracy. It was a terrifying thing for someone who didn't follow the rules to control the bureaucracy.

Xu Qi 'an changed the topic and said,

"If you are willing to assist His Majesty with all your heart and work hard for the people, I will not make things difficult for you. On the contrary, what happened to High Duke Cao and the High Duke will be your tomorrow. "

The hall was silent. No one retorted, no one responded.

The silence was also a form of attitude.

Xun Gui and the High Dukes were unwilling, but maybe Xu Qi'an's last words had some effect. Their emotions were still stable for the time being.

In Daibun, other than the Supervisor, only Xu Qi'an could subdue hundreds of officials alone. Seeing this, the Yongxing Emperor smiled and tried to warm things up.

"With Official Xu in charge of the Yamen of Night Watchers, I can rest assured. I will have to trouble Official Xu to assist me in the future.

"Let's end the court."

He stood up with a smile and left the Throne Room with his personal eunuch.

After the court meeting ended, the civil and military officials walked silently on the square. Liu Hong and Wang Shoufu stood on the Pill Emperor's throne room and looked down. The officials were all dejected, as if they had lost a battle.

Xu Qi 'an walked out of the hall and nodded to the two of them.

Wang Shoufu also nodded and asked, "How's the collection of Dragon Breath?"

Xu Qi'an sighed. "There's still a long way to go."

After a moment of silence, Wang Shoufu bowed deeply and turned to leave.

"Official Liu, shall we find a place to drink?"

Xu Qi'an said with a smile, "I happen to have something to ask Official Liu."

Liu Hong also smiled and refused Xu Qi'an's proposal.

"Let's not drink. If I'm impeached, I'll lose a month's salary.

"Let's go to the Yamen of Night Watchers and have a chat with tea instead of wine."

…

In the tea room on the seventh floor of the Haoqi Building.

Xu Qi'an sat behind the desk, toasted Zhang Xingying and Liu Hong, and teased,

"Congratulations on your promotion, Official Zhang. Tonight, we'll go to the brothel to listen to music. You'll treat us."

Liu Hong joked, "With Xu Yinluo's identity, of course he would choose to drink in the Musical House. How could he go to the brothel?"

Xu Qi'an shook his head. "Before Fuxiang died, I promised her that I would never go to the Musical House again."

Liu Hong and Zhang Xingying looked at each other and sighed.

They were not sighing about the poor life of Fuxiang's beauty. They were sighing about the vicissitudes of life.

Zhang Xingying was especially touched. Back then, he went to Cloud State to investigate a case as the governor.

At that time, Xu Qi'an was just a small gong at the peak of the Qi Refining Realm, on the way to the God Refining Realm.

In the short span of a year, Duke Wei was dead, Emperor Yuan Jing was dead, and the little gong from back then had already transcended mortality and entered sainthood, becoming a true big shot.

"I have something to trouble you, Official Liu."

Xu Qi'an put down the teacup and said solemnly,

"You know I'm collecting Dragon Breath. They are scattered all over the Central Plains. To collect them in a short time is like looking for a needle in a haystack. Originally, it was the most efficient and energy-saving to ask the government.

"But now the disasters are serious everywhere. I'm afraid it's difficult for the government to do a good job in collecting intelligence, and it's easy for hostile forces to take advantage of us. I need a more covert and effective intelligence organization to help. "

Liu Hong understood. "You want the spy of the night watchman?"

Seeing Xu Qi'an nod, Liu Hong shook his head with a solemn expression.

"I didn't inherit the spy of the night watchman."

Xu Qi'an was stunned. "What?"

Liu Hong explained.

"After I took over the office of the night watchman, I went to the archives to look for the files that recorded the layout of the spies, but I found that they were long gone.

"The official in charge of guarding the desk told me that the Duke of Wei had already taken it away before he left for the war."

Xu Qi'an frowned. "Duke Wei took the files of the spies?"

Liu Hong nodded. "I thought he would entrust the spy of the night watchman to you. Now, it seems that Duke Wei has other plans."

Xu Qi'an tapped the table with his fingers and said slowly, "Who do you think Duke Wei entrusted it to?"

Liu Hong and Zhang Xingying looked at each other and shook their heads.

Xu Qi'an was a little disappointed. He frowned and thought for a long time before he said,

"I'll leave the capital tomorrow. I'll have to trouble Lord Liu to continue taking care of the night watchman office.

"Don't forget to write a memorial to the Yongxing Emperor so that he doesn't have to worry that I, a Warrior, will control the emperor."

Hearing this, Zhang Xingying and Liu Hong shook their heads and laughed.

For now, it was impossible for His Majesty to let Xu Qi'an take charge of the night watchman office.

In the mind of an emperor, the most basic thing was "balance." Xu Qi'an could suppress the civil and military officials, but who could suppress Xu Qi'an?

Yongxing Emperor would never allow such an existence that no one could keep in check to have any real power. Otherwise, he wouldn't even be able to sleep well.

In this matter, Xu Qi'an played the role of a tool.

The main thing was that his current focus was not on the court or the capital.

"If everything goes as expected, there will be a small court meeting before lunch. At that time, the donation can be settled."

"That's a good thing."

Xu Qi'an said.

That was a good thing, so he was willing to be a tool.

After chatting for a while, Xu Qi'an stood up and said goodbye. He walked to the door of the tea room and stopped. He looked back at the tea room that hadn't changed at all.

He suddenly remembered last winter, when he had just joined the night watchman office and had just latched onto Wei Yuan's thigh.

Every time he came here to see Wei Yuan, he would feel very nervous.

"I don't know where the face has gone, but the peach blossoms still smile in the spring breeze … I'll look for Brother Chun, Song Tingfeng, and Zhu Guangxiao for a drink."

…

The court meeting had just ended. The news of Xu Yinluo beating up Duke Dingguo in the throne room and reprimanding the officials spread like wildfire in the capital's officialdom.

It had been more than a month since the execution of the Yuanjing Emperor.

During this time, Xu Yinluo had kept a very low profile and never appeared in public. There were many different opinions about him in the capital.

There were rumors that because Xu Yinluo killed the incapable emperor, he was not accepted by the court and was forced to wander Jianghu.

There were also people who said that he was seriously injured in that earth-shattering battle and was on the verge of death, so he went into seclusion to recuperate.

In fact, even in the officialdom, there were many officials with lower ranks who didn't know about Xu Yinluo's movements.

Now that he had reappeared, he had done something that would shock the entire court.

"Xu Yinluo has finally come out. This official said that he is Daibun's conscience. If the officials don't donate, there will naturally be people who will force them to donate."

"Everywhere is suffering from a severe cold and the common people have no way to live. Xu Yinluo can no longer sit still."

"As long as there is Xu Yinluo, there is still hope for Daibun."

"Xu Yinluo has finally been restored to his official position. This old man is very excited."

Once the news spread, the loyal officials who supported the donation were extremely excited. They no longer had to worry about the attitude of their colleagues and did not need to be afraid of offending the public. They dared to openly express their stand.

Sure enough, before lunch, the cabinet sent out the news that the Emperor had decided to call the officials to donate in three days. No one stopped him.

… …

Jing Xiu Palace.

As it was close to lunch, Imperial Concubine Chen sat in a warm room and frequently looked towards the door.

"Why hasn't the Emperor come yet?"

The charming Imperial Concubine looked at her daughter beside her and said, "I don't know if that Xu Qi 'an will be useful."

Lin An subconsciously said, "Of course it will be useful. Everyone is afraid of him …"

Suddenly, her pretty face stiffened and she pretended to be indifferent. "What does his matter have to do with me? I have already drawn a clear line with him."

Imperial Concubine Chen looked at her for a moment and strangely looked away. She continued to look at the door.

The news of this morning's court meeting had already spread. Naturally, it could not be hidden from Imperial Concubine Chen.

Knowing that Xu Qi 'an came forward to help, Imperial Concubine Chen was surprised and happy. She was very clear that the only person who could help the Yongxing Emperor now was Xu Qi' an.

The reason why he was willing to help was mostly for Lin An … Imperial Concubine Chen withdrew her gaze and turned to look at her daughter. There was a trace of complexity in her eyes.

The figure of the Yongxing Emperor appeared in the courtyard. He strode through the courtyard and entered the room.

Imperial Concubine Chen was already standing at the door waiting for him. The first sentence she said when she saw him was an urgent question.

"How is it?"

The Yongxing Emperor knew what she was referring to. He smiled and said, "Three days later, I will personally call the officials to donate. I will also send a bulletin to all the provinces to ask the officials to donate. At the same time, I will call on the gentry to donate money and food."

A big stone in Imperial Concubine Chen's heart was lifted. She showed a bright smile.

"Your Majesty must be hungry. The dishes have been prepared. I will ask the servants to send them now."

Holding the hand of the Yongxing Emperor, she sat down at the table. The beautiful woman's face was full of smiles.

"Your Majesty can finally be at ease for a while. I am also very happy. This matter is all thanks to Xu Qi 'an. Although I don't like him, I still have to accept his kindness. "

Lin An's round and bright oval face showed a sweet smile.

The Yongxing Emperor was in a good mood. He joked,

"I also have to accept Lin An's kindness. Without Lin An, I would be struggling now. I am a useless emperor."

"It has nothing to do with me." Lin An immediately put away his smile and imitated Huaiqing's cold and indifferent demeanor.

The Yongxing Emperor was amused and at a loss. He said, "What's wrong with Your Highness Lin An?"

"Nothing. I just have nothing to do with Xu Yinluo anymore. In the future, don't misunderstand me. Don't think that I have an unclear relationship with him." Lin An maintained a cold expression.

Needless to say, her cold and ruthless attitude immediately turned a charming and affectionate woman into a cold and sexy royal sister.

Imperial Consort Chen saw that her daughter's mood was not right. She quickly said, "Okay, let's eat first."

She secretly decided to ask her quietly after the meal.

… …

De Xin Yuan.

The furnishings were elegant. There were calligraphy and paintings hanging on the wall. There were porcelain and jade plates in the study.

Huaiqing sat behind the desk. After listening to the report of the head guard, she nodded slightly.

"With him coming forward, there will be no problem with the donation."

The head guard's tone was a little excited. "His Majesty handed the night watchman yamen to Xu Yinluo. Your Highness, you don't have to interact with Xu Yinluo. With your friendship with him, the night watchman will be yours sooner or later."

When Huaiqing heard this, she frowned and corrected him coldly.

"Our paths are different, so we can't work together."

After that, she seemed unwilling to say more about him. She opened the book on her left and took out a list. She ordered,

"Send invitations to the officials on the list for me. Do it discreetly."

These were the officials that she had chosen after observing the incident.

… …

Xu Qi 'an, who was supposed to be the focus of everyone, was walking on the official road outside the capital with a little mare.

The mediocre princess was sitting on the back of the horse. Her body swayed gently as the horse walked.

Mu Nanzi, who had been banished to the cold palace for many days, finally saw the light of day.

"It's so uncomfortable. There is something in front of me that makes me uncomfortable … It's the Awe-Inspiring Righteousness."

The little white fox in her arms said softly.

Oh, Shirohime also saw the light of day.

"Nanzhi …"

Mu Nanzi put her palms together. Her tone was emotionless.

"Benefactor Xu, monks don't talk about names. Taoists don't talk about longevity. I have already become a monk. You can't call me by my old name. "

Xu Qi 'an corrected her. "You should call yourself a poor nun."

It's none of your business! Mu Nanzi almost broke down. She took a deep breath and said lightly.

"Benefactor, do as you please."

She had been like this since she came out of the Buddha's Pagoda.

She put her palms together and chanted the name of Buddha to show that she had become a monk. She wanted to cut off all ties with the scumbag who stole her wife's best friend.

"Nanzhi, it's rare to come back to the capital. Let's buy some storybooks. You can read them when you're bored. The ones in the capital are the best. "Xu Qi 'an suggested.

Mu Nanzi chanted the name of Buddha. "I don't have that kind of worldly desire."

She learned fast and changed her way of addressing herself.

"I don't have that kind of worldly desire."

Shirohime echoed.

What sin did I commit? The fish pond exploded. Every fish is in a state of cutting off all ties with me … State Preceptor, don't blame me for ruining you a few days ago. You put on so many shameful postures. It's an eye for an eye … Right, I have to sneak out of the capital before tomorrow. Otherwise, my life will be in danger!

After walking for a while, Qingyun Mountain was in sight.

He came to Yunlu Academy this time to find the dean, Zhao Shou. He wanted to ask Wei Yuan about the truth of sealing the Sorcerer God at the cost of his life.

He also wanted to ask for a few pieces of paper that recorded the Confucian School's "Absolute Command" spell.