Nightwatcher-Chapter 421: Dark Currents Afoot

# 421. Dark Currents Afoot

*The biggest problem with the records is that your handwriting is too bloody cursive…* After asking, Xu Qi’an inwardly complained.

Xu Erlang took a sip of tea to moisten his throat and explained, "The Recorders are usually chosen from the top-ranked scholars in the imperial exam and are the Emperor’s closest aides, the most prestigious of the prestigious.

"The imperial exam is held every three years, so Recorders are replaced every three years at most, some don’t even last a year. While reviewing these records at the Hanlin Academy, I discovered something very strange."

He deliberately left a pause, but seeing his brother’s sidelong glare, he quickly coughed and abandoned the idea of building suspense, saying:

"The records from the 10th and 11th years of Yuanjing don’t have the Recorder’s name. That’s highly unusual."

Xu Qi’an pondered for a moment and asked, "Could it have been a clerical error, forgetting to sign the name?"

Xu Erlang shook his head. "Recorders belong to the Hanlin Academy. Our job is compiling books and historical records, how could we make such an error? You underestimate the Hanlin Academy too much, big brother.

"Besides, the names of every Recorder are listed for all other years, it’s only missing for the 10th and 11th years. That’s far too strange. I suspect it was the same person serving as Recorder for both years."

*The records from 10th and 11th Yuanjing lack a signature, and the identity of the Recorder is unknown… If this isn’t a clerical error, why erase the name?*

*If the records were altered, the logical action would be to modify the content, not erase the Recorder’s name.*

Xu Qi’an’s thoughts raced as he analysed, "Could it be that the records were problematic, and the version you transcribed was the revised one? If the Recorder knew something because of what they recorded and was silenced, that would explain why the name was erased."

Xu Erlang shook his head. "No, even if they were silenced, why erase the name? The real problem is with the records themselves, not the Recorder’s signature. Altering the records would have been enough."

"You’re right," Xu Qi’an nodded. The primary issue was the records, if the content was corrected, it wouldn’t matter if the Recorder was dismissed or silenced.

"In that case, the problem lies with the Recorder themselves," Xu Qi’an concluded.

"Is this Recorder connected to Emperor Yuanjing’s secrets?" Xu Erlang lowered his voice. Though it was late at night, his eyes shone brightly with excitement.

"I don’t know if they were connected, but this reminds me of something…"

Xu Qi’an rubbed his forehead. He hadn’t expected to stumble upon another matter linked to Arcanists.

*If the problem lies with the Recorder themselves, and their name vanished on its own, that’s suspiciously similar to Susu’s father’s case. It’s the same pattern as an Arcanist’s manipulation of Heaven’s secrets.*

*Su Hang’s case bore the traces of an Arcanist’s interference, and now this Recorder’s name had also been erased… There must be a connection.*

*Something significant must have happened at court back then, something earth-shattering.*

*Why do I feel like I’m overlooking something? Ah, right, when I left Jianzhou, I asked the High Court assistant minister and Constable Chen of the Ministry of Law to investigate Su Hang’s case files…*

Xu Qi’an’s expression shifted. If not for Erlang’s records prompting him to reconsider, he would have completely forgotten about Su Hang’s case files.

Given his Rank Five Transforming Force cultivation, his memory shouldn’t be this poor.

_I need to start keeping a diary again, otherwise, I’ll forget hard-earned clues without realising it,_ Xu Qi’an thought.

"How should we investigate this Recorder? What’s the quickest and most effective method?" Xu Qi’an asked.

"Naturally, you’d ask senior officials in the bureaucracy," Xu Erlang replied without hesitation.

*If Heaven’s secrets are blocked, no one will remember…* Xu Qi’an shook his head. "Is there a better way?"

"Check the Ministry of Personnel’s records. The Ministry’s archives hold files on all officials since the founding of the dynasty, 600 years of records on capital officials." Xu Erlang said.

Then immediately shook his head. "But those files are confidential. Given your current status, the Ministry of Personnel wouldn’t, and couldn’t, grant you access."

Unless we’ll have no more relation with each other.

If Emperor Yuanjing found out, being dismissed and told to fuck off would be the kindest outcome, more likely, they’d fabricate charges and imprison him.

"The Minister of Personnel belongs to the Wang Clique, right? Your future father-in-law could help me out," Xu Qi’an teased.

"Don’t spout nonsense, big brother. Miss Wang and I are platonic friends. Besides, even if I were close with her, Prime Minister Wang has never acknowledged me, he doesn’t even know I exist."

Xu Erlang waved him off, rejecting the idea outright.

"What use are you," Xu Qi’an criticised his younger brother.

"If you’d just seduced Miss Wang earlier and made her yours, none of this would be a problem. I’d be able to access the archives tomorrow. Erlang, you’ve got to learn from your big brother. If it were me, Miss Wang would’ve long since been an experienced lady of the house."

Xu Erlang snorted and shot back, "Aside from sleeping with the oiran of the Jiaofangsi, have you ever bedded a proper lady?"

Xu Qi’an’s expression froze.

Big brother mocked little brother, little brother retaliated, a draw.

After a long silence, the brothers acted as though nothing had happened and resumed their discussion.

Xu Qi’an considered, "I have to find a way into the Ministry of Personnel. This is important. Erlang, help me investigate the previous emperor’s records."

The emperors’ records were key to compiling official history, and the Hanlin Academy was in charge of this. Xu Erlang would have no trouble accessing them.

Xu Erlang didn’t ask why, he simply nodded.

*How to get into the Ministry of Personnel? Not even Duke Wei could manage that, unless there was a valid reason. Without justification, even Duke Wei lacked the authority to open the Ministry’s records… and I don’t have any connections there. Um, well, almost none, but I’ve already let that one’s nephew go, there’s nothing left to use as leverage.*

Xu Qi’an rubbed his brow, frowning deeply.

"By the way, Cijiu, have you ever heard of Xuzhou?"

Xu Qi’an steadied himself and changed the subject, not forgetting the line about the first Jianzheng. He wanted to see if his knowledgeable younger brother had any leads.

Xu Erlang frowned and thought for a while, then shook his head. "Never heard of it. I’ll help you look into it when I have time. Prefecture names change over dynasties.

"Also, local names for provinces differ. For instance, Jianzhou’s other name is Wuzhou, that’s because the Wulin Alliance’s dominance in Jianzhou overshadows the local authorities. It started as a nickname but eventually became common usage.

"Major provinces are easy to track, but smaller ones are more scattered and harder to trace."

_Jianzhou’s other name is Wuzhou… Could Xuzhou also be an alternate name for another region?_ Xu Qi’an pondered and said, "Thank you, Erlang."

…

The next day, Xu Erlang rode to the Hanlin Academy. Strictly speaking, Hanlin Bachelor was not an official position but a period of study and work experience.

After becoming a Hanlin Bachelor, Xu Erlang had to continue his studies under the guidance of the Hanlin Academy scholars. During this time, he would participate in compiling books, assisting scholars in annotating texts, drafting imperial edicts, and explaining the classics to the emperor and the imperial princes and princesses.

Because of Xu Qi’an, Xu Erlang’s career prospects were significantly damaged. Drafting edicts and explaining the classics to the emperor were no longer within his reach.

Also because of Xu Qi’an, he was thriving in the Hanlin Academy and was treated with respect.

The officials of the Hanlin Academy were the most refined of the refined and held themselves in high esteem. They greatly admired Xu Qi’an’s actions, which led them to treat Xu Erlang with courtesy.

After listening to the lecture by Hanlin Academy’s Grand Scholar Ma Xiuwen, Xu Xinnian entered the archives and began reviewing the previous emperor’s daily records.

The emperor's daily records were not classified information but rather a type of documentation that anyone in the Hanlin Academy could consult, as they were meant to be included in the official historical records.

And historical records were meant to be read.

Compared to Emperor Yuanjing, whose reign was destined to be remembered for more failures than successes and would undoubtedly be highly controversial, the previous emperor’s life was uneventful. He was neither incompetent nor particularly capable. During his 49-year reign, he launched only two foreign wars.

Those wars were forced upon him by the northern and southern barbarians, leaving him with no choice but to retaliate.

As he flipped through the records, Xu Erlang came across a conversation that took place in the 28th year of Zhengyuan. The participants were the previous emperor and the previous Daoist Leader of the Human Sect.

The previous emperor said, “Since ancient times, those who have received the Mandate of Heaven have never been able to endure. Can the Daoist method of immortality resolve this ultimate limit?”

The Daoist Leader of the Human Sect replied, “Immortality is possible. Endurance is not.”

The previous emperor then asked, “I have heard that the Daoist Venerable split his qi into the Three Pure Ones, from which the three sects originated. Are they one person or three?”

The conversation ended there.

“Huh, why does it stop here?” Xu Erlang muttered and continued flipping through the pages.

It was said that two hundred years ago, when Confucianism was at its peak, the emperor was not allowed to read the daily records, let alone modify them. Only after the establishment of the Imperial College and the withdrawal of Cloud Deer Academy scholars from the court did imperial power surpass all else.

From then on, the emperor gained the authority to read and amend the daily records.

Of course, scholars from the Imperial College were not entirely without integrity. They would argue with the emperor on matters of principle and retain some degree of truth in the records.

Xu Erlang didn’t dwell on this detail and continued reading, taking notes as he went.

Unknowingly, it was time for lunch.

Xu Erlang left the archives and went to the dining hall. While eating, he overheard several Five Classics Scholars talking as they ate.

“The court was truly lively today.”

“Left Censor-in-Chief Yuan Xiong impeached Prime Minister Wang for accepting bribes. Assistant Minister of War Qin Yuandao impeached Prime Minister Wang for embezzling military funds. Several Censors from the Six Ministries also submitted memorials of impeachment—it’s as if they coordinated it.”

“Hah, Prime Minister Wang completely offended His Majesty over the Zhenbei King’s massacre. This is clearly His Majesty targeting Prime Minister Wang, forcing him to retire.”

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“Wei Yuan must be delighted. He and Prime Minister Wang have always been political adversaries.”

“Today is just the beginning. The real blow is still to come. Prime Minister Wang is in trouble this time. Let’s see how he counters it.”

“Unless he can unite the court’s officials, but the Wang Clique isn’t strong enough to dominate the court.”

Xu Erlang frowned, feeling inexplicably irritable.

First, he thought of Wang Simu. Then, he reflected that factional struggles had been fierce during the year of Official Evaluation, and even in the six months since, they had remained intense.

Factional struggle after factional struggle—one after another.

How many people were truly working for the people and the court?

And the one responsible for this state of affairs was none other than that secluded, Dao-obsessed sovereign.

…

The next day, the situation indeed escalated.

Left Censor-in-Chief Yuan Xiong once again submitted a memorial of impeachment against Prime Minister Wang, detailing six major crimes of corruption and listing a total of twelve implicated Wang Clique officials.

Assistant Minister of War Qin Yuandao also continued his impeachment of Prime Minister Wang for embezzling military funds and provided a list of involved parties.

Emperor Yuanjing was “furious” and ordered a thorough investigation.

This political storm erupted suddenly and violently, swift and sharp like a swordsman’s blade.

The Wang Clique was caught completely off guard. The undercurrents in the court surged violently.

Xu Erlang took half a day off and rode to Wang Manor to visit Wang Simu, the eldest daughter of the Wang family.

Wang Manor’s gatekeeper was already familiar with Xu Erlang. After asking him to wait, he dashed into the manor. After a long while, he returned at a run and said:

“Sir Xu, please follow me.”

Xu Erlang was led to the reception hall, where he saw the elegant and gentle Miss Wang.

She was as beautiful and lively as ever, but her brows were tightly furrowed with worry.

After dismissing the servants, Xu Erlang said in a low voice, “I’ve heard about the court events of the past two days. This doesn’t seem like a simple warning. His Majesty is serious this time.”

“Erlang, you are indeed perceptive.” Wang Simu forced a smile and said:

“Father was lost in thought all night in his study yesterday. I knew then that this was serious.”

“Prime Minister Wang is shrewd and experienced. He will surely have a solution,” Xu Erlang comforted her.

Wang Simu gave a bitter smile and shook her head. “This crisis came too suddenly and too fiercely. There’s no time to prepare. A batch of officials were imprisoned today. Tomorrow, it might be my father. His Majesty will not give him time to respond.

“I heard from Father that two days ago, His Majesty summoned Assistant Minister of War Qin Yuandao and Left Censor-in-Chief Yuan Xiong. They came prepared.

“During the Chuzhou massacre case, Father and Wei Yuan united the officials to force His Majesty to issue a self-reproach edict. Now His Majesty is taking revenge.”

Xu Erlang was silent for a moment and said, “Why doesn’t Prime Minister Wang seek an alliance with Duke Wei?”

Wang Simu shook her head. “Duke Wei and my father have opposing political views and have always been at odds. We’d be lucky if he doesn’t take the opportunity to strike at my father.”

Xu Erlang had nothing to say. This wasn’t like the Chuzhou case, where the officials stood united against imperial authority.

For the other officials, including Wei Yuan, the collapse of the Wang Clique was a welcome outcome. It meant more vacant positions and tangible benefits.

Seizing power after the Wang Clique’s downfall would strengthen their influence and give them more leverage to achieve their political goals.

“Unless my father can unite the factions within a short time, he stands no chance of survival. But for the other factions, watching His Majesty crush my father is in their best interest,” Wang Simu sighed and said softly:

“Erlang, what should we do?”

Xu Erlang opened his mouth but had no answer.

…

Tower of Noble Spirit.

Sitting at a tea table, Nangong Qianrou, with his cold and elegant beauty, smiled. “Father, even if the Wang Clique doesn’t collapse this time, they’ll suffer heavy losses. No one will be able to block your path after this.”

“Wang Zhenwen was never my obstacle,” Wei Yuan said, looking down at a topographical map.

“But it’s better this way. With the Wang Clique gone, I’ll have at least five years…”

He suddenly stopped speaking. After a long pause, he sighed lightly and said, “In two months, it will be harvest. My battlefield is no longer in the court. Let them be.”

*Father plans to reclaim military authority…* Nangong Qianrou’s heart stirred.

Suddenly he felt something was wrong. Attacking the Church of the Warlock God after harvest was a thing his adoptive father had planned for a long time, but the meaning hidden within his words were: for the near future, he will not be at court.

Did this mean that battling the Church of the Warlock God would not be a small conflict, and his father planned to fight total war?

Doubt flashed through Nangong Qianrou’s heart.

*Why?*