Nightwatcher

# 237. Seeing the Crown Prince

The little eunuch kept his head down and said, "Young Master Xu first went to Princess Lin'an's Shaoyin Courtyard. They talked for a long time behind the rock garden, and when they came out, Princess Lin'an's eyes were red, as if she had just cried..."

At this, Emperor Yuanjing frowned and interrupted, "What were they doing behind the rock garden?"

The Grand Eunuch glanced at Emperor Yuanjing's expression and realised that the Emperor was displeased. The princess and Xu Qi'an had gone to the secluded area behind the rock garden, and then the princess emerged with reddened eyes.

This was indeed suggestive.

"Speak truthfully," the Grand Eunuch glared.

"It was... because Princess Lin'an came out with a sword. As soon as Bronze Gong Xu saw her, he hid behind the rock garden. It was this servant who told Her Highness where Bronze Gong Xu was hiding," the little eunuch hurriedly explained, trembling and not daring to withhold anything.

The Grand Eunuch immediately looked at Emperor Yuanjing, seeing that the anger in his eyes had subsided. The Grand Eunuch breathed a sigh of relief and said, "Continue."

"Afterward, Sir Xu and the Princess went into the hall, and I was sent out. They spoke inside the hall for about half an hour. I don’t know what they talked about," the little eunuch said, finally expressing his own grievances: "It's not that I neglected my duties, it's just... Sir Xu was too forceful."

To his disappointment, Emperor Yuanjing showed no expression. The little eunuch had no choice but to continue, "After that, Sir Xu took me and Princess Lin'an to see Consort Fu's body.

"During the process, Sir Xu wanted to touch the consort's body, and I tried my best to stop him, but I failed. I even got kicked by him."

As expected, the little eunuch clearly remembered that kick and was just waiting for this moment to give Xu Qi'an some trouble.

Sure enough, Emperor Yuanjing frowned.

The Grand Eunuch, who had been by the Emperor’s side for decades, spoke on his behalf: "How did he examine her?"

"He just kept feeling around for a long time," the little eunuch answered.

He didn't dare exaggerate because if the Emperor became enraged, all it would take was someone to verify the details or question Xu Qi'an, and the lie would be exposed. The crime of deceiving the Emperor was not one the little eunuch dared to commit.

The Grand Eunuch asked, "And then?"

"Then... he left," the little eunuch said. "But Sir Xu did say that there’s something suspicious about Consort Fu's death."

"Suspicious?" Emperor Yuanjing finally spoke again, straightening up slightly and leaning forward, staring at the little eunuch.

"Sir Xu said that a normal suicide by jumping would have the person landing face-down, not on their back. But Consort Fu was indeed found lying on her back. It’s very likely that she was pushed."

The little eunuch faithfully repeated Xu Qi'an's analysis to Emperor Yuanjing.

*Pushed to her death...* Emperor Yuanjing squinted, gazing up at the ceiling as he pondered for a long time before saying, "You may go."

The little eunuch bowed and left.

The Grand Eunuch smiled obsequiously and said, "This Xu Qi'an truly lives up to his reputation. The three departments investigated for several days with no progress, but as soon as he took over, he immediately found a clue. The case might be solved soon."

Emperor Yuanjing snorted coldly, "It's not that the Three Departments don't know how to handle a case; they just don't want to. However, Xu Qi'an does have some ability."

He was satisfied, nonetheless.

After a pause, Emperor Yuanjing said, "Issue our decree. Have the Cabinet draft an edict to resume the process of ennobling Xu Qi'an."

The Grand Eunuch received the order and exited the bedchamber. Instead of going directly to the Cabinet, he first found the little eunuch who had been supervising Xu Qi'an's investigation and slapped him hard across the face.

"Godfather?"

The little eunuch covered his face, feeling aggrieved.

"At a time like this, you're still playing tricks on me? Do you think His Majesty didn't see through it? Do you realise you just walked through the gates of death?" The Grand Eunuch scolded harshly, "The matter of Consort Fu is something His Majesty is already troubled by. You dare to play games in front of him now? The only reason you're not dead is because you're lucky.

"When I tell you to supervise Xu Qi'an, you do so properly. Don't add any of your own thoughts or biases. The people he interacts with and the things he does in the inner palace involve consorts, princesses, and princes. You cannot afford to let your personal views or feelings affect your duties, or you’ll be meddling in the affairs of the royal family."

What Xu Qi'an did or didn't do would be judged by the Emperor himself. If the little eunuch added his own spin, it would be akin to interfering in the affairs of the Emperor's household.

The little eunuch bowed his head, trembling, "I understand, Father."

The Grand Eunuch snorted, "Sir Xu kicked you out for your own good. If you had overheard something you shouldn't have, the day the case is solved would be the day you lose your head."

The little eunuch was stunned at first, but after a few seconds, he understood. His face turned pale, and cold sweat broke out on his back.

His grudge against Xu Qi'an for that kick dissipated instantly.

...

Dusk.

Xu Qi'an rode his beloved mare, which trotted along with a rhythmic "da da da." He squinted against the orange sunlight, humming a tune:

“Walk the path of men; carry the flag against the wind. Don’t seek pleasure, don’t be greedy, just be a good official, and the people will remember you…”

His mare trotted into the alley leading to the Jiaofangsi.

Upon reaching the alley's entrance, Xu Qi'an dismounted and tossed the reins to a blue-robed servant standing there, along with a piece of broken silver.

The gate to Reflecting Plum Pavilion was tightly shut, as if it was closed for business.

Xu Qi'an glanced at the fading light in the west and thought to himself, "At this hour, the Jiaofangsi should be open."

"Bang, bang, bang..."

He knocked heavily on the gate of Reflecting Plum Pavilion. After a while, the gate opened slightly, and a blue-robed servant inside said, "Reflecting Plum Pavilion is not receiving guests. Sir, please visit another pavilion..."

When the gate fully opened and the servant saw Xu Qi'an, he froze, stammering, "You... you are..."

"I'm your lady's esteemed guest," Xu Qi'an raised an eyebrow.

"A ghost!"

The servant shrieked and tried to run, his legs moving rapidly but getting nowhere as Xu Qi'an grabbed him by the collar.

"Why are you shouting? I'm still alive," Xu Qi'an said, giving him two light but resounding slaps on the face. "Isn't my hand warm?"

Feeling the hot sting on his face, the servant realised Xu Qi'an was indeed alive, though he was puzzled by the changes in his appearance and the fur hat he was wearing.

"You’ve finally returned! Lady Fuxiang has been washing her face with tears every day, growing thinner and more sorrowful," the servant quickly tried to earn favor for his mistress.

Though curious about Xu Qi'an's apparent resurrection, he didn't dare ask.

"I'll go inform her right away that you’ve returned."

"Just tell her there's a guest and see if she'll come out to accompany me," Xu Qi'an instructed.

The servant quickly went deeper into the courtyard, standing outside Fuxiang's bedroom and calling out, "Lady, a guest has arrived. Will you come out to accompany him?"

There was no response from Fuxiang. Instead, a maid's scolding voice came from inside, "The lady is unwell and won't be accompanying guests. Who told you to open the door? Do you want to lose your hands?"

Xu Qi'an coughed, "So Lady Fuxiang isn't receiving guests? In that case, I'll be on my way."

The room suddenly fell silent, then Fuxiang's trembling voice called out, "Dear Xu?"

His voice had changed significantly, so Fuxiang didn't dare to be sure.

Xu Qi'an chuckled, "It's me."

There was a loud crash inside, as if something had been knocked over, followed by the maid's startled exclamation, "My lady, slow down..."

The next moment, the door flew open. Fuxiang, dressed in a white long dress, her snow-white feet bare, and her jet-black hair cascading loosely, rushed out, shoving the door aside.

One stood under the eaves, the other in the courtyard, the scene momentarily frozen.

Xu Qi'an sighed, "It's cold out here. Let's go inside."

Fuxiang let out a wail and threw herself into his arms, crying bitterly.

…

"So it was just like that, not only did I not die, I had great fortune from the hardship, and benefited quite a lot."

Xu Qi'an sat at the table, drinking the fine wine from the Jiaofangsi as he explained the details of his resurrection to Fuxiang.

Fuxiang, sitting on the edge of the bed, had her skirt slightly parted, revealing a long, pale leg with a bruise on her calf. A maid was carefully applying ointment to the bruise.

She had hurt herself earlier when she ran too quickly.

Fuxiang’s emotions were complicated at the moment, filled with the joy of regaining what was lost, yet unable to conceal her lingering sadness and unease. There was still an emptiness in her heart.

"Every time I think about your death, my heart still feels empty," she murmured.

"Don’t worry, soon it’ll feel very full."

By the time the sun had fully set, a group of maids entered, bringing with them a table full of exquisite dishes—flying creatures, swimming creatures, and crawling creatures alike.

The two of them sat at the table, drinking wine, and their conversation meandered without a fixed topic.

"In fact, many scholars in the capital greatly admire you," Fuxiang said. "Yesterday, a maid overheard from some guests at the Jiaofangsi that when they heard of your death, those scholars were deeply regretful, saying that the fall of Xu Ningyan was the fall of the future of the Great Feng poetry scene."

"Come to think of it, when I was facing thousands of rebels that day, fighting alone until I was exhausted, I did indeed compose a poem," Xu Qi'an said, holding his wine cup.

Fuxiang’s eyes sparkled with delight, and her face lit up with a radiant smile, filled with anticipation. "I would love to hear it," she said eagerly.

*I always get a bit embarrassed plagiarising others… I am one right and proper guy…* Xu Qi’an’s heart said, but when it came time to show off he was going to put on a show.

He paused for a few seconds, adopting a solemn demeanor, and then recited:

“*A young man’s valour, brings heroes from five capitals old!*

“*With loyal heart, with just hand. With words of iron, life or death,*

"*A promise is worth a thousand tons of gold!*"

Fuxiang gazed at him in a daze, her beautiful eyes shimmering with water, both enchanting and dazed.

As she savoured the incomplete poem, images of him standing against thousands of rebels, ready to die, flashed through her mind.

She became even more infatuated with this man, unable to extricate herself.

"Don’t just sit there daydreaming. There’s a reason I shared that with you," Xu Qi'an tapped the table with his finger.

"A reason?" Fuxiang blinked, looking at him in confusion.

"Help me spread the word. The Jiaofangsi is the perfect place to propagate such glorious deeds."

How could Inspector Zhang not have included his poem in the report to the court? It was almost negligent. The entire capital’s officialdom and literary circles must be anxiously waiting to read his masterpiece.

"…Oh."

After dinner, the maids prepared hot water, intending to help Xu Qi'an bathe.

"You may go," Xu Qi'an dismissed the maids, leaving Fuxiang alone in the room with him.

Once Fuxiang had stepped into the bath, draped in a thin veil, Xu Qi'an took off his fur hat.

A completely bald head was revealed.

"Pfft…"

Fuxiang couldn’t help herself and burst into laughter, leaning against the edge of the tub, her laughter causing her body to shake.

*What’s so funny? Even though I’m bald, I’ve also gotten stronger…* Xu Qi'an glared at her.

It would probably take at least half a year for his hair to grow back.

...

Fuxiang's chest wasn’t just a chest; when Xu Qi'an rested his head on it, it became a pillow. And if he turned over, it could be called a face wash.

The two of them lay in bed after the bath, chatting. Fuxiang felt a bit stifled and short of breath, so she pushed away the large, bald head resting on her chest with a pout.

"Puff!"

Xu Qi'an flicked a spark of Qi, extinguishing the candle.

The next day, after being dressed by the Oiran, Xu Qi'an said his farewells to the reluctant but heavily sleep-deprived Fuxiang.

The maids of Reflecting Plum Pavilion watched as Xu Qi'an’s figure disappeared out the courtyard gate, whispering among themselves:

"Master Xu is incredible. I think the bed in Madam’s room needs to be replaced."

"Yes, it creaks with every movement, almost falling apart. Poor Madam."

"Hurry and heat some water; Madam needs a bath. Also, prepare some loquat syrup; her voice is hoarse."

Leaving Reflecting Plum Pavilion, Xu Qi'an was invigorated by the cold spring air that met him. He walked toward the stables.

Suddenly, he stepped on something hard. Looking down, he saw it was a pouch.

*Have I reached the Refining Spirit realm and gained the power to find purses…* Xu Qi'an thought with some delight, naturally bending down to pick it up and planning to pocket it.

He suddenly froze.

This pouch was identical to the one hanging from his waist, with fine stitching and an embroidered pine tree, made by Lingyue, his little sister.

Second Uncle?

Just as the thought occurred, Xu Qi'an saw a young man in scholar’s robes rushing from the direction of the stables. The young man was handsome, with bright eyes, white teeth, and well-defined features—clearly inheriting his mother’s excellent genes.

*This I did not expect…* Xu Qi'an mused.

The handsome young man’s eyes searched the ground until they landed on Xu Qi'an. Then, he froze.

Xu Qi'an’s lips twitched into a smile as he raised his hand in greeting. "Good morning."

…Xu Erlang looked at him, his lips moving slightly. "Good… morning…."

The two brothers stood in awkward silence, gazing at each other. After a moment, Xu Qi'an broke the ice, stepping forward to return the pouch to Erlang:

"Be more careful next time. Fortunately I was the one who found it."

Xu Erlang took it calmly, nodding. "Thank you, big brother."

The two brothers found themselves at a loss for words again, so they walked side by side toward the stables, leading their horses out and riding slowly out of the Jiaofangsi.

The sun had just risen, and apart from the vendors and peddlers, there were few people on the streets.

"Yesterday, I was with my classmates…."

"Yesterday, I was with my colleagues…."

The brothers spoke in unison.

Xu Qi'an glanced back at the Jiaofangsi alley, then at his younger brother. "Classmates, huh?"

Xu Xinnian stared straight ahead, his tone indifferent. "Colleagues, huh?"

And just like that, the brothers had nothing to say again.

Xu Qi'an remembered when he had returned home from prison, and Xu Xinnian had socially died because of the "the Great Feng forever will be night that never ends" incident, faking unconsciousness out of shame.

Now, though, even when caught red-handed at the Jiaofangsi, he didn’t bat an eyelid.

*It wasn’t just me who grew; Erlang’s skin has thickened a lot too… Maybe he’s just gotten used to dying in front of me so many times…* Xu Qi'an thought as he saw a vendor selling green oranges by the roadside. He quickly reined in his horse. "Wait a moment."

Xu Xinnian followed suit, reining in his horse and looking over curiously.

Xu Qi'an bought a pound of green oranges and called Xu Erlang off his horse. As they peeled the oranges and rubbed the juice on their clothes, Xu Qi'an explained:

"The Jiaofangsi girls wear too much makeup. Use the juice of the green oranges to mask the scent; even the most sensitive woman won’t be able to detect it."

Xu Erlang, while deftly applying the orange juice to his clothes, took the opportunity to unleash his sharp tongue, saying sarcastically:

"You really missed your calling by not becoming a scholar, big brother."

Xu Qi'an glanced at him. "Second Uncle taught me this trick."

Xu Xinnian acted as though he hadn’t said anything, lowering his head to carefully rub the orange juice into his clothes.

Once finished, Xu Qi'an handed the green oranges to Xu Xinnian. "I’m heading to the palace to investigate a case. You can take these back home."

Xu Erlang frowned. "Investigating a case? What are you getting involved in now?"

"The case of Consort Fu's death. The emperor threw it at me," Xu Qi'an explained.

"Why are you meddling in that nonsense?"

The Cloud Deer Academy had its own information network, and no event in the capital could escape its notice.

"I couldn’t refuse."

Xu Xinnian sneered, "Why not have Father give you a good knock on the head? Then you could use injury as an excuse to get out of it. Besides, this case is bound to be difficult to solve."

*Looks like Erlang is well-suited for a career in officialdom; he’s certainly scheming enough…* Xu Qi'an thought with a smile. "Actually, palace cases are the easiest to solve."

Because the palace was filled with masters, and as the lair of Emperor Yuanjing, those flowery and flashy external systems couldn’t intervene. The case of Consort Fu was probably the most "normal" case he has handled since arriving in this world.

Xu Xinnian nodded, looking disdainfully at the green oranges, “These are sour and bitter, no one at home would eat them.”

"We can't let them go to waste; give them to Lingyin."

"Good idea."

...

The High Court.

At the grand entrance of the High Court, Xu Qi'an sat on horseback and glanced at the three gilded characters "The High Court."

The High Court was responsible for handling criminal cases and trials, equivalent to the Supreme People’s Court in Xu Qi'an's previous life. Along with the Censorate and the Ministry of Law, it was one of the Three Judicial Offices, the three departments.

In major cases, the Emperor would often have the Three Departments jointly investigate alongside the Nightwatchers. This showed just how powerful Wei Yuan, who simultaneously oversaw the Nightwatchers and the Censorate, really was.

Emperor Yuanjing used only him to balance the civil and military officials.

Likewise, it showed how lucky Xu Qi'an is. He just happened to join the Nightwatchers and just happened to gain Wei Yuan’s favour. From a small fast bailiff in Changle County, he had become a person who could walk sideways in the capital.

"Quickly go find the Chief Justice and have him come out to see me," Xu Qi'an flashed his gold token and said to the bailiff on duty at the entrance.

"If he doesn't come out, I will go to the palace and complain to His Majesty, saying that he is deliberately making things difficult and obstructing the investigation."

The bailiff hurried inside.

A quarter of an hour later, the Chief Justice, accompanied by two vice ministers and several High Court officials, came out to meet him.

"Sir Xu, apologies for not coming out to greet you sooner," the Chief Justice said with a smile.

Xu Qi'an dismounted, warmly stepping forward to meet him, "Ah, how could I trouble Minister Pei to come out personally? I'm ashamed, truly ashamed."

Xu Qi'an had intentionally made the Chief Justice come out to greet him to embarrass him. For one of the nine chief ministers to personally come out to greet a lowly Bronze Gong was a huge loss of face... The two had a history, and he couldn’t miss the opportunity to make things difficult.

"It was necessary, necessary."

The Chief Justice led Xu Qi'an inside, saying, "Sir Xu's return is timely. The case of Consort Fu is yours alone. However, I must warn Sir Xu that this case is dangerous, so be careful not to get too deeply involved."

This was said with a tone of schadenfreude.

The case of Consort Fu—if solved—would offend the Crown Prince’s Clique. If unsolved, it would offend Emperor Yuanjing.

*At least I will get a viscount title out of it, so offending the old emperor is no big deal...* Xu Qi'an replied cheerfully:

“No matter, no matter. Before I get too deeply involved, I’ll make sure to drag down those old bats who get in my way. After all, I have the gold token with the power to execute first and report later; no reason not to use it.”

The Chief Justice squinted, “Sir Xu, you do have a way with words.

"Is Sir Xu here for the Crown Prince?"

"Indeed."

...

Xu Qi'an met the Crown Prince in the "cell", which was actually a clean and tidy room. It wasn’t luxurious, but it had all the necessary furnishings.

The Crown Prince was confined in this room, unable to leave until the case was resolved.

*As expected of the Crown Prince, even prison is different for him...* Xu Qi'an thought to himself.

Once the officer left and closed the door, Xu Qi'an cupped his hands and said, "Your humble servant Xu Qi'an greets Your Highness."

“You're here to interrogate me, right? Father has appointed you to preside over this case?” The Crown Prince sat at the table, scrutinising Xu Qi'an.

"The Three Departments all shirked responsibility and didn’t want to get involved, so they found me, this unkillable rascal. After all, I’ve already offended enough people." Xu Qi'an shrugged, sat down at the table, and poured himself a cup of water.

All these actions were noted by the Crown Prince.

“Please, Your Highness, describe in detail what happened that day.”

The Crown Prince nodded slightly, thought for a moment, and then slowly said, “That day, I had lunch at my mother’s residence. The snow had not yet melted, and I was returning to the Eastern Palace with my guards when I encountered a maid from Consort Fu’s quarters. The maid said that Consort Fu had invited me for a chat.

“So, I followed her to Qingfeng Palace, which is Consort Fu’s residence. Upon entering, the maid led me upstairs, asking me to wait in the outer hall, saying that Consort Fu was changing clothes.

“I had drunk too much wine at that time and was very thirsty, so I drank some tea on the table to quench my thirst. Somehow, I then felt dizzy and fell asleep.

“Later, I was awakened by a scream, only to find that Consort Fu had fallen to her death, and I had become the prime suspect.”

Xu Qi'an asked expressionlessly, "There were no maids in the hall at that time?"

"No, there weren’t in the outer hall. As for inside, I don't know."

"And that maid?"

"She disappeared."

*Disappeared, huh...* Xu Qi'an's eyes flashed with a sharp light. He leaned forward on the table, staring intently at the Crown Prince, "How does Your Highness know the maid disappeared?"

For a moment, the Crown Prince was actually intimidated by the fierce aura of this small Bronze Gong.

“Although I am confined here, I have my ways of gathering information,” the Crown Prince replied coldly, maintaining a stern expression.

He was annoyed at himself for being momentarily daunted.

Judging by the Crown Prince's calm demeanour when he first saw him, Xu Qi'an believed his words.

“Does Consort Fu usually have any interaction with Your Highness?” Xu Qi'an asked.

“Of course not.”

The Crown Prince flatly denied it. As the heir apparent, he couldn't and shouldn't have any private interactions with the Emperor's concubines.

"Then why did you, without a second thought, go to meet Consort Fu when she sent someone to invite you?" Xu Qi'an struck right at the heart of the matter.

"I... had drunk too much at the time and wasn't thinking clearly," the Crown Prince replied, his expression slightly uneasy.

*Pah! He just couldn’t resist her allure.*

As a man, Xu Qi'an understood the Crown Prince's mindset quite well. Consort Fu was a beautiful and elegant woman, and it was likely that the Crown Prince had harboured thoughts about her in the past.

On that day, he had coincidentally drunk a wine that was known to enhance vitality and virility. Anyone who has experienced a slight intoxication knows how it can make a person feel emboldened, daring to do things they normally wouldn't.

Things one wouldn't dare to think about suddenly seem possible; words that would normally remain unspoken slip out without hesitation.

And when Consort Fu extended her invitation—or rather, didn’t even need to—his thoughts led him there...

"It sounds like someone set a trap for Your Highness," Xu Qi'an analysed.

"Naturally, someone is framing me. Sir Xu thinks so too, right?" The Crown Prince sighed in relief.

"No, no, no. Investigations can’t be so subjective. I'm merely presenting one possibility. There's also another possibility," Xu Qi'an said, leaning on the table, inching closer to the Crown Prince, and speaking slowly, word by word:

“That day, after drinking too much, Your Highness found your thoughts wandering and couldn't help but think of Consort Fu, whom you had long coveted. Knowing that His Majesty is engrossed in Daoist practices and disinterested in women, Your Highness's desire flared up, leading you to turn towards Qingfeng Hall with the intention of defiling Consort Fu.

“However, Consort Fu was steadfast and refused to yield, resisting until the end. During the struggle, you accidentally pushed her off the pavilion, causing her to fall to her death. Afterward, you secretly had a maid eliminated to fabricate the story that you were being framed.”

"Nonsense!"

The Crown Prince slammed the table, rising in fury. "Xu Qi'an, how dare you slander me! How dare you falsely accuse me!"

"Please, calm down, Your Highness. This is just a hypothesis from your servant. The truth is yet to be determined," Xu Qi'an responded with a beaming smile, placating the Crown Prince.

*Tsk, the Crown Prince's self-control isn’t deep enough. Is he too concerned about his position? How can he hope to be emperor with such a disposition?*

Neither the Crown Prince nor Princess Lin’an were particularly brilliant. Xu Qi'an grew increasingly suspicious that Emperor Yuanjing had ulterior motives in appointing his eldest son, born of a concubine, as the Crown Prince.

After the Crown Prince calmed down, Xu Qi'an asked, "Have any arcanists from the Sitianjian examined Your Highness?"

"This matter involves me, Consort Fu, and the very foundation of the Great Feng. Do you think Father would trust the arcanists of the Sitianjian?" The Crown Prince retorted with a cold sneer.

Xu Qi'an nodded. After spending so much time in the capital, he could discern some of the underlying dynamics.

Although the Sitianjian was dependent on the royal family and the dynasty's fortune—evident from how Chu Caiwei needed the approval of the people in the capital to advance to the sixth rank—the Jianzheng of the first rank was simply too powerful. Thus, the Sitianjian was not purely subservient, functioning more like a partner with the Feng dynasty.

When it comes to matters involving the heir apparent, Emperor Yuanjing may not fully trust the Sitianjian. Moreover, the Sitianjian might be reluctant to get involved in such a messy situation.

"I still need to examine Your Highness’s body. I hope Your Highness will cooperate."

Xu Qi'an took hold of the Crown Prince’s hand, inspecting his wrist, arm, and then his neck... There were no scratches or claw marks.

"I will uncover the truth as quickly as possible. If Your Highness is innocent, I will naturally restore your name," Xu Qi'an said as he stood and cupped his hands in salute.

"Wait!"

The Crown Prince called out, his voice serious, "Sir Xu, have you become too close with Lin’an?"

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