Nightwatcher

# 297X. Luo Yuheng's Surprise

At the top of Stargazing Tower, the Jianzheng had unknowingly left the Bagua Platform and was now sharply watching the carving knife in Xu Qi’an's hand.

"Have you chosen him too?" At that moment, the man who had presided over the capital for five hundred years, a figure regarded as a "god" by the people of the Great Feng, murmured to himself.

"Hahaha…"

Emperor Yuanjing laughed heartily, hands clasped behind his back as he stood on the Great Feng's tallest tower, listening to the joyous cheers of the people. This was the Great Feng’s victory, and his victory as well.

The Buddhist Sect, this time, was beneath his feet.

"What a fine 'I will not kneel,'" Emperor Yuanjing remarked. "How many years has it been since such an outstanding young hero has emerged in the capital?"

"Ahhhhh…"

Biaobiao let out an ear-piercing scream, stomping her feet in excitement. "He won, Huaiqing! Running Dog won! He's my servant, he's my servant!"

She was a woman of extraordinary beauty and pride. Even a zhuangyuan was merely acceptable in her eyes. Among the countless talented individuals in the capital, the only one who had ever truly earned her admiration was Wei Yuan.

Dean Zhao Shou was a respectable junior but did not inspire her reverence.

At this moment, Huaiqing recalled the many accomplishments of Xu Qi’an—how he had emerged during the tax silver case, secretly scheming to trap the Ministry of Revenue’s vice minister’s son Zhou Li, completely eradicating any hidden consequences.

Then he had joined the Nightwatchers, cutting down a Silver Gong, being imprisoned, and rising to the challenge to investigate the Sangpo case... He almost single-handedly completed the investigation in Yunzhou, then returned to the capital, where he was tasked with the Consort Fu case.

Throughout this time, he had produced one literary masterpiece after another, greatly inspiring the scholars of the Great Feng.

And now, acting on behalf of the Sitianjian in a contest against the Buddhist Sect, he had twice drawn his blade, restoring the capital’s people’s confidence with his courage.

In a debate, he had freed an old monk from his obsessions under the Bodhi Tree, causing an esteemed Second-Rank Arhat to achieve enlightenment and comprehend Mahayana Buddhism.

Then, a streak of clear light had descended from the heavens, and with one strike, he had shattered the Buddha manifestation and destroyed the Arhat's precious artefact.

Princess Huaiqing had never seen such an extraordinary man before, never.

The women cheered, the civil and military officials laughed… and amidst the thunderous celebrations, Xu Pingzhi collapsed into a chair as if all the strength had been drained from him.

Just a little bit more, and the son he had raised might have been stolen by the Buddhists.

As the capital’s citizens roared with excitement, amidst the fervent shouts of victory, Xu Qi’an, the hero of the hour, went unnoticed. Xu Erlang quietly walked over and carried his older brother on his back.

*In the end, I’m the one to bear it all…* Xu Erlang thought.

Carrying Xu Qi’an, he walked toward the Nightwatchers, his eyes catching sight of the carving knife tightly held in Xu Qi’an's hand.

*What is this? It seems to be a carving knife?*

Judging by its appearance, it looked like an ancient scholar's "pen." Back then, when paper had not yet been invented, scholars carved their wisdom into bamboo slips with knives.

*Where did this carving knife come from...? I'll just swipe it later when no one's paying attention!* Xu Erlang’s eyes gleamed; the temptation of such an ancient artefact was hard for a scholar to resist.

Arhat Du'e stood dazed, not grieving over the destruction of his golden alms bowl but deeply regretting that such a naturally gifted disciple of Buddhism had not found his way to the fold.

"Senior Uncle…"

Monk Jingchen gazed at Xu Erlang’s retreating figure, at the unconscious Xu Qi’an on his back, and said solemnly, "Master Xu is a heavenly talent bestowed upon us by the heavens, the founder of Mahayana Buddhism. Senior Uncle, you must take him back to the Western Regions."

Arhat Du'e pondered for a long time before heaving a deep sigh. "It’s alright. The time is not right."

Monk Jingchen, unwilling to accept this, and as if having a sudden sword, turned to glance at the Stargazing Tower but ultimately remained silent.

...

Though the contest between the Buddhist Sect and the Sitianjian had ended, the echoes of this magnificent event continued to reverberate.

In a certain tavern, a middle-aged man in a worn blue robe, carrying an empty wine jar, stepped over the threshold and entered the hall on the first floor, heading straight for the counter.

"Shopkeeper, I heard if you talk about the contest, you can get a free jar of wine?"

The goatee-wearing shopkeeper smiled and nodded. "You can even drink while you talk. Our small shop will also offer a plate of peanuts on the house."

The middle-aged man hesitated for a moment. He had planned to take the wine home, but the shopkeeper was offering so much, so he said, "Alright, I'll drink here. Quickly, bring the peanuts."

The shopkeeper beckoned to a waiter, who promptly brought the man a jar of wine and a plate of peanuts.

The middle-aged man took a sip of wine and popped a couple of peanuts into his mouth before slowly beginning his tale:

"When the Buddhist Arhat tossed the golden bowl to the ground, the wind and clouds shifted, lightning intertwined, and the sky transformed into a Buddhist domain. Within it were trials four: The first was the Eight Sufferings Array, a formidable challenge, said to be used by Buddhist monks to temper their hearts...

“This second trial was called the Vajra Array. Shopkeeper, do you know who the Vajra is?"

The middle-aged man glanced haughtily at the shopkeeper.

"Wasn’t it that young monk from the southern city?" the waiter scoffed.

"Yeah, just a small monk," a nearby patron chimed in.

"You all knew that…?" The middle-aged man was taken aback.

"Didn’t Xu Silver Gong slice him apart with one stroke? What Vajra? Nothing but a paper tiger!" The patron’s expression was filled with the pride of a capital resident.

Just a day earlier, at the mention of Monk Jingsi, they would have gnashed their teeth, furious that "the Great Feng, with its many powerful experts, couldn’t even handle a young monk?"

Helpless rage.

But now, when the little Vajra body monk was mentioned, even the common folk puffed out their chests with pride, sneering, "Nothing special."

This was all thanks to Xu Qi’an, who had painstakingly regained the city's honour and rebuilt their confidence throughout the contest.

The middle-aged man in the blue robe looked at the shopkeeper in astonishment. "You knew about all this, so why set such rules?"

"Different people see things differently. It's about filling in the gaps," the shopkeeper replied with a sly smile. “Today, I stayed at the tavern and missed the battle. It's one of life's great regrets.

"I can only savour it afterward, with a little wine, and turn regret into pleasure."

The blue-robed man nodded and continued, "…After that, Sir Xu walked out, reciting poetry with every step…"

"Wait," the shopkeeper suddenly interrupted. "Was there really a line that went, 'Where the seas end the heavens make shore, I stand atop the warrior’s peak'? Are you sure about that? Several others have recounted this part to me, but none mentioned this line."

The blue-robed man nodded firmly. "There is, there is indeed, I’ve got over a decade of study in me, how could I forget a few lines of poetry?"

"Hmm… that's strange," the shopkeeper frowned.

At that moment, a Jianghu man sitting nearby coughed and said in a low voice, "Shopkeeper, the ones who told you that were all Jianghu heores, right?"

"Is that a problem?" the shopkeeper asked.

"Hey!" The martial artist waved his hand, "It doesn't matter to ordinary folks like you, but for those of us who practice martial arts, who would dare to say such things in public? That's either asking for a fight or a beating."

The shopkeeper suddenly understood. Martial artists were known for being hot-headed and often reacted violently if someone speaks too arrogantly. Even in the highly regulated capital, such incidents happened frequently.

"I've just collected another fine poem—and one of Xu the Poet's works at that! Quick, prepare me some paper and a brush," the shopkeeper excitedly ordered the waiter.

...

The Hanlin Academy.

The Hanlin Academy belonged to the Inner Cabinet, responsible for compiling books, writing histories, drafting imperial edicts, tutoring members of the royal family, and serving as examiners for the imperial examinations.

It was one of the three most prestigious positions in the court, alongside the Censorate and the Six Ministries.

The court’s three most important occupations were: a Censor from the Censorate, a Director from the Six Ministries, and a scholar of the Hanlin Academy.

In terms of status though, the Hanlin Academy ranked highest, as it also has another name: a nursery for Prime Ministers.

All of the Great Feng’s prime ministers had come from Hanlin Academy. To put it another way, only those from the Academy could enter the Inner Cabinet and become an Academy Chancellor or even take an official role as the Prime Minister.

Only the nobility or the royal family could skip over Hanlin Academy and go immediately into the cabinet, wielding true political power. Regular civil officials however must go through the Hanlin Academy to advance.

At this moment, a palace eunuch from Emperor Yuanjing's palace was scolding the nobles gathered in the main hall of Hanlin Academy.

"This victory in the contest—was it not due to His Majesty's wisdom in choosing capable people? Was it not the court’s merit in nurturing Sir Xu? Look at what you’ve written. You’re all graduates of the first rank, yet you can’t even write a decent historical record."

The eunuch tossed the books onto the ground. "Rewrite them."

The faces of the gathered nobles darkened. They had rushed back to the Hanlin Academy without even stopping to eat, driven by passion, to write down their accounts of the day’s events.

Today’s contest would undoubtedly be recorded in the annals of history and passed down to future generations. But how it was written would be a matter of great importance.

For events that bring glory to the nation, the records would certainly be positive, symbolizing honour and prestige.

Those in power, namely Emperor Yuanjing, naturally wanted to share in that glory.

Of course, other emperors would make similar choices given such opportunities.

A young editor from the Hanlin Academy spoke in a serious tone, "It was the Jianzheng who chose the man, and it was Sir Xu who fought in the contest. What does any of this have to do with His Majesty? As members of the Hanlin Academy, we do not write only for the court but also for future generations."

The eunuch sneered. “It was His Majesty’s favour that allowed you to enter the Hanlin Academy. In time, you’ll enter the Inner Cabinet—your future is bright, like the sun and moon shining down on you.

“But upset His Majesty, and you’ll be sent far away. Then, even starlight will be hard to come by.

“His Majesty's will is clear: keep the length unchanged, detail the contest and His Majesty’s selection process, but as for praising Sir Xu, he is still young. There will be plenty of opportunities for that in the future.

"Do you understand, my lords?"

The young editor grabbed an inkstone and hurled it at the eunuch, hitting him in the chest. Ink spilled, staining the eunuch’s robe.

"How dare you hit us?" the eunuch roared.

"Of course I bloody well dare!" the editor cursed, pointing at him. “When the Western Region’s delegation arrived in the capital, first a Vajra monk set up a ring in the southern city, and then a Silacarya preached in the northern city. After that, the Dharma Aspect descended and questioned the Jianzheng.

“Then, the Sitianjian and the Buddhist sect engaged in a duel. Xu the Poet turned the tide and defeated the Buddhist attack. Without him, the court would have been utterly disgraced. So why shouldn't we praise him? Why reduce the space dedicated to him? He is a young hero. If he were a scholar, I would bow to him as my teacher.

"Now get out! The Hanlin Academy is not a place for a cock-less dog like you to throw your weight around."

"Get out!" The other young nobles grabbed whatever they could—ink, paper, books, inkstones—and hurled them at the eunuch, forcing him to flee the Hanlin Academy in panic.

…

Lingbao Temple.

A woman dressed in a luxurious palace gown, the hem of her dress trailing on the ground, and adorned with precious jewellry, entered the inner courtyard. Her posture was graceful, and her voice gentle as she instructed:

"You two may leave now. I have something to discuss with the National Teacher."

The two maids who accompanied her retreated from the courtyard.

As soon as they were gone, the woman became lively, lifting the hem of her skirt and running into the meditation room, shouting, "National Teacher, why didn’t I see you at today's contest? Did you watch it?"

Inside the quiet room, sitting cross-legged on a cushion, was Luo Yuheng, wearing a black Taoist robe and a lotus crown, her hair neatly combed to reveal a smooth forehead and a face of stunning beauty. She looked at the woman who had burst in unceremoniously and said indifferently:

"Not interested."

"Then you missed a great show!"

The veiled woman sat down by the table and said, "Today’s contest was absolutely thrilling, more exciting than any performance by an opera troupe. Let me tell you about it…"

She began to chatter away, vividly recounting the entire process of the contest to Luo Yuheng.

"You’re saying he broke the Eight Suffering Formation with a single slash?" Luo Yuheng frowned.

"Yes, it was incredible! Why, is something wrong?" the veiled woman asked.

_The Jianzheng helped him, he even helped him move the power of the masses…_ Luo Yuheng pondered for a moment before saying, "Go on."

The veiled woman then told her about Xu Qi'an breaking the Vajra Formation with a single strike. Luo Yuheng didn’t comment, but when she heard about the conversation with the old monk and how Xu Qi'an led the Du'e Arhat to enlightenment, the woman remarked:

"Although I still don’t understand what’s so impressive about Mahayana Buddhism, it sure sounds profound."

_Mahayana Buddhism… Does he really have such comprehension?_ A flicker of surprise passed through Luo Yuheng’s beautiful eyes.

"None of that compares to the most exciting part— the fourth challenge… When the golden Dharma aspect appeared and forced that scoundrel to kneel, that’s when the most interesting scene unfolded…"

The veiled woman's eyes sparkled as she poured herself a large cup of tea and downed it.

Luo Yuheng smiled and said, "Drink slowly. Nanzhi, have you noticed something?"

"What?"

"In the past, whenever you came to my temple, you always complained about being bored and wanting to go out and play. But now, you no longer mention being bored. Not only that, but in everything you talk to me about, you always seem to bring up Xu Qi'an."

The veiled woman was taken aback. She stared at Luo Yuheng for a moment, then collected herself, reverting to her usual reserved and dignified demeanor, with a hint of distance in her tone. "What are you implying?"

Luo Yuheng shook her head with a smile. “I’m just reminding you that you are married. Your husband is Prince Huai, a third-rank martial artist. He guards the borderlands, far from the capital.

"But he has many confidants and spies in the capital. You should avoid too much entanglement with Xu Qi'an, or you’ll only bring harm to him."

The veiled woman snorted disdainfully, her tone proud. "How could I possibly have any entanglement with a scoundrel who frequents the Jiaofangsi? Are you insulting me?"

"That’s fine," Luo Yuheng nodded. "Actually, you don’t need to tell me the rest of the story. I already know what happened next—either the Dharma Body inexplicably shattered, or the Jianzheng intervened."

Just earlier, she had sensed a surge of the power of the masses, which then subsided into calm.

It was either the Jianzheng helping in secret or acting openly.

After all, in the capital, where Emperor Yuanjing’s fortune was lacking, and his cultivation weak, only an Arcanist, a first-rank Arcanist—the Jianzheng—could command the power of the masses.

"It wasn’t that."

The veiled woman shook her head, her tone growing colder.

_This woman is so touchy…_ Luo Yuheng chuckled, holding her teacup. "It wasn’t?"

“A beam of clear light descended from the heavens and shattered both the Dharma Body and the Buddhist domain," the woman said quietly.

"I was nearby at the time and saw it clearly. It was… a carving knife."

_A carving knife?!_

It was as if thunder had exploded in her ears. Luo Yuheng's hand shook, and warm tea splashed from her cup. Her elegant face froze.

_It wasn’t the Jianzheng… The Jianzheng could never wield the Confucian carving knife…_ Luo Yuheng’s voice dropped as she asked, "A carving knife? Where is it now? What happened after that? Tell me everything in detail."

Her tone was filled with urgency and a hint of uncontainable excitement. The veiled woman had never seen Luo Yuheng show such an intense emotional reaction before and asked curiously, "What’s wrong with you?"

"Just tell me!" Luo Yuheng leaned forward, almost shouting.

"...The carving knife shattered the Dharma Body, that’s all."

"Did the carving knife disappear after breaking the Dharma Body, or did it remain on the scene? Did… did Xu Qi'an touch the carving knife?" Luo Yuheng’s eyes burned with intensity, as if this detail was crucial.

"Yeah, he stabbed the Dharma Body in the temple with it," the woman said, raising her right arm and making a stabbing motion.

Luo Yuheng froze, stunned.

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