Chapter 6: Second Uncle was Confused

Chapter 6: Second Uncle was Confused

“Hey!” The young lady was named Cai Wei, blinking her beautiful eyes. “How could salt become silver?”

She finished speaking, then hesitated, pulled out a sugar cane and handed it to Xu Qi'An. “Here, you can eat this.”

‘Is she bribing me…’

The other two investigators had been gone. Xu Qi'An retracted his gaze, pondered slightly and replied, “this humble one had found the method of turning salt into silver in an ancient tome about alchemy.”

‘It is titled ‘Advanced Chemistry’, as for the author… Uhm, National Printing Press?’ Xu Qi'An said, “the tome was already destroyed. But, this humble one still remembers the contents.”

The young lady’s breathing had quickened. ‘Quick, tell me quickly.”

Xu Qi'An sighed, “This humble one’s life is in peril, there is no mood for me to teach anything.”

The young lady rolled her eyes and spoke exasperatedly, “You are actually cunning. We, the Astronomy Directorate can’t interfere with government actions. It is his majesty’s decision on deciding your fate. You negotiating with me has no meaning.”

“You guys could just take me in and be done with it. With the great director’s standing within the imperial court, there should be no problem requesting someone that was indirectly involved in the crime.” Xu Qi'An explained.

He had to find a way to safeguard himself, just in case that the tax silver was not recovered in the end.

The young lady’s eyes twinkled, as she judged him. “You are already a martial artist, why would you want to be a practitioner of the arts?”

Cultivation took time. Most cultivators had laid foundations on their respective systems since they were young. Now that he wanted to transition into a practitioner, it was way too late.

“It doesn’t matter if I could gain any benefits, it is mainly the fact that I deeply admired the great director’s charming demeanor.” Xu Qi'An spoke in reverence, his expression indicated that he was serious.

“Then you should tell me the contents of the ancient tome first,” she replied. Her eyes were bright and clear. Her large, hazel irises and jet-black pupils were clearly distinctive in comparison.

“The contents are quite ominous. I’m afraid you can’t understand if I were to tell you verbally. It must be taught to you from the surface until the very specifics for you to truly grasp the knowledge.” Xu Qi'An leveraged.

Cai Wei rolled her eyes in defiance. “Looking at all nine states in the empire, our Astronomy Directorate is the greatest organization when it comes to alchemical training.”

“Hydrogen, Helium, Lithium, Beryllium, Boron, Carbon, Nitrogen, Oxygen, Fluorine, Neon, Sodium, Magnesium, Aluminum, Silicon, Phosphorus…” Xu Qi'An recited in a flurry.

(T/N: Yes, the author actually wrote all that.)

“? ? ?”

‘What the heck was he saying?’ The young lady was confused, her brows furrowed. “You are fooling with me. We only take virgins as apprentices for the Astronomy Directorate.”

She snatched the sugar cane held by Xu Qi'An.

Her skirt fluttered, as she left with light footsteps.

‘I am a virgin too…’ Xu Qi'An gaped his mouth, then realized. What she meant was that their organization only recruited apprentices when they were still children.

‘Damn, this way won’t work.’

…

Two days had passed in an instant. Xu Qi'An had spent the past two days in the cells while living in a perpetual state of despair.

He feared that the tax silver was not recovered within the allocated time. Even if he was exiled before the case was solved, he would not be able to change his fate regardless.

Moreover, if Magistrate Chen was actually a dishonorable worm who had claimed the accomplishments as his own, he would still lose.

But there was nothing he could do otherwise. He had done everything he could. Afterall, as a lowly prisoner, there was little he could do.

Xu Qi'An once again felt the horrible aspects of living in a feudal society.

“Let the heavens decide my fate…” Xu Qi'An moan in agony.

Clang!

The metal door at the end of the hallway had opened. A prison guard walked in with a torch, and pulled out a key to open the cell. “Xu Qi'An, you are free to go!”

Xu Qi'An was ecstatic, curling his hands into fists. “The tax silver was recovered?”

“Follow me, sign the court mandate, and then you can go.” The guard examined him. “Kid, you are lucky.”

“How about my second uncle?” Xu Qi'An asked desperately.

“Don’t be blathering, just follow me.” The prison guard’s temper was fierce. He smacked Xu Qi'An’s bottom with his baton, urging him to leave the cell.

Under the arrangement of a clerk within the county’s office, he signed the court mandate and then retrieved the clothes he wore before he was incarcerated from the prison guards.

A constable escorted him out of the Jing Zhao prefectural office, from the backdoor.

At this moment, the sun had just dawned, the streets were still deserted.

…

Clang!

Xu Ping'Zhi was startled awake by the noise of the cell door opening. He opened his eyes, they were filled with blood vessels.

Xu Ping'Zhi with his unkempt hair shared a similar appearance with Xu Qi'An. On the other hand, both of them looked foreign when compared to Xu Ping'Zhi’s own son, Xu Xing’Nian’s overly handsome features.

In the opposite cell that was separated by the corridor, Li Ru that was dozing off suddenly shook, and then jolted awake. Her face was haggard, her face was filled with the expression of extreme terror.

The husband and wife looked at each other while separated by the corridor. Li Ru spoke sorrowfully, “Husband, I would rather die than to enter the Royal Arts Division.”

She was 35 years old and had aged well, she was a beautiful woman that had great charm. Even if she had been despairing in jail for the past five days with her appearance messed up, it was hard to mask the charm between her brows.

The Royal Arts Division:

It was hell for women.

Xu Ping'Zhi that was tattered with wounds opened his mouth but could not say anything. He then teared up all of the sudden. “Wife, I am sorry. We will enter the afterlife as husband and wife. I will do anything to make it up for you in the next life. I just feel bad for our son and that nephew of mine.”

Five days had already passed. The only thing that awaited him was the executioner’s axe. The women of his family would be sent to the Royal Arts Division. Aside from Li Ru, the Xu Family had two daughters. One was the elder daughter that was 16 years old, the other was the younger daughter that was 5 years old.

Both of them had curled up in the corner of the prison cell, which was also startled awake by now.

The 5-year-old child rubbed her eyes, mumbling for her mother. She knew nothing about the future that she was about to face.

The 16-year-old young lady sat upwards. Her unkempt hair contained a white, sharp oval face within. Her small mouth was thin but reddish, as her eyes were large and spirited. Her nose was not as small as a typical woman, but sharp. Thus, it seemed that her features stood out in shape, and that her appearance was aesthetically pleasing and cute.

As if her beauty was carved out.

She subconsciously huddled towards her mother, the thick eyelashes of hers quivered in fear.

Several prison guards carried blades on their waist, and walked in with confident steps.

Li Ru’s eyes flashed in hopelessness and determination.

Xu Ping'Zhi’s hands gripped onto the prison bars. His knuckles were deathly white while his teeth were gritted hard as steel. After losing the tax silver and failing in his duties, he knew that he deserved death. But he could never die in peace knowing that his wife and daughters were involved in punishment.

Especially her youngest daughter, that was only 5-years-old, that will be sent to the Royal Arts Division. She was destined to a life of darkness and despair.

As a parent, he was not willing.

“Xu Ping'Zhi, follow us. After signing the court mandate, you will be free to go.” The prison guard opened the cell door and did not put shackles on them. He only stood at the side and knocked the prison bars with the end of his blade. Gesturing them to come out on their own.

“I, Xu Ping'Zhi had been loyal to the emperor and country my entire life, my family are all patriots… Eh, what did you say?” Xu Qi'An thought he had become delusional.

‘What the heck?’

“Free to go? You just said we were free to go?” Xu Ping'Zhi was in disbelief for a moment. “What’s going on, are you not taking me to be executed?”

“Don’t know.” The prison guard was exasperated. “This is what the higher-ups had ordered. Go out and ask them yourself if you want.”

Li Ru was anxious as she held both her daughters. The family was silently following the prison guards, walking towards the end of the hallway.

“Hus… Husband, they wouldn’t lie to us, right?”

“How would they joke about this.” Xu Ping'Zhi’s body was littered with injuries, he limped as he walked. He was also confused, but filled with joy after surviving the ordeal. He was also somewhat confused about the situation.

Li Ru realized. “It’s Xing’Nian, it must be him gathering favors during the past few days. He gathered some contacts and made the government spare us.”

The more she thought about it the more she believed it to be true. She was emotional. “Husband, don’t forget that Xing’Nian’s mentor was the vice minister of the Department of Justice during the 18^th year of Yuan’Jing.”

‘18^th year of Yuan’Jing… that was over 20 years ago…’ Xu Ping'Zhi felt that it was wrong. But he could not think of another explanation. Since he himself had no influential officials to rely on anyway.

“Perhaps.”

“I already said before that our song is an elite amongst men. Back then I’ve told you to let him learn martial arts but you won’t agree. You just insisted for Xu Qi'An, that rabbit brained kid to do it.”

“Mom. Rabbits are cute, I want to eat rabbits.” The youngest daughter raised her small face and chewed on her tiny finger. Her eyes were filled with gluttony.

“All you think of is to eat…” Li Ru with a violent temper subconsciously scolded her. Looking at the dirty little face of the child, her expression calmed instantly. “Be a good girl. There will be rabbits to eat soon.”

Xu Ping'Zhi cannot be bothered to explain to his wife how her son had no aptitude for martial arts. Since no matter how many times he had mentioned her, his wife would automatically ignore those words.

As a mother, her son will always be the best at everything.

As they reached the place to sign the court mandate to be released from prison, Xu Ping'Zhi received the pen for the office clerk. His fingers trembled lightly. As he signed his name and marked his handprint, he felt like he had ascended in some aspects.

Just like a seedling that was buried deep within earth had broken the crust and seen sunlight.

Suddenly felt that the world was a wonderful place, even though he had not even picked up a single copper coin.

His wife and children did not need to leave their signatures, only handprints would suffice.

Xu Qi'An could not reign in his curiosity, and saluted. “Good sir, I wonder, I wonder why were we pardoned of our crimes.”

Li Ru instantly looked at the clerk.

“The case had been solved, the tax silver was recovered.” The clerk responded.

“The money is found? Haha, good, good! Damned monsters, you’d actually dare to rob our Great Feng’s tax silver.”

Xu Ping'Zhi was quite excited, only to come to realization after—according the Great Feng’s law, even if the tax silver was recovered, he was still considered to have failed in his duties.

Since reclaiming the money was not what he did, he wondered how could the government pardon his death penalty.

Even if they had showed mercy, they would be exiled to the frontier.

“Official Xu, this is your official robe, keep it well.” The clerk returned the seventh-grade official green robes that was taken off his back when he was first imprisoned.

‘My official title was even recovered…’ Xu Ping'Zhi felt that something was wrong, but still took his official robe and asked. “Good sir, could you solve my curiosity?”

With the official robe at hand, he could even add more composure to his tone of voice.

Using common sense, even if his death penalty was pardon, he should not have had his official title and occupation restored.

“Under the Great Feng’s codex, if an elderly member of the family had committed a crime, the younger generation could atone for their crimes by creating accomplishments.” The clerk explained.

“It is indeed Nian’er[1]. Husband, Nian’er helped the government to find the lost tax silver.” Li Ru wept from joy.

“Nian’er…” Xu Ping'Zhi’s eyes were moist. “Such a good son.”

The clerk glanced at the emotional couple. “It was your nephew, Xu Qi'An. He helped the magistrate in solving the case. He just left.”

---

[1] In Chinese culture, adding [‘er (儿)] behind a person’s name usually indicates affection, from an elder person to a younger one, or from romantic couples. Only these 2 groups could be applied. It can’t be used as a nickname.
i.e. Xu Xing’Nian was called Nian’er by his parents. Cai Wei would be called Wei’er. Etc.