Nightwatcher

# 238. The Scene of the Crime

*What the hell do you mean?* Xu Qi'an thought to himself, his expression darkening slightly.

In relationships between men and women, both parties were usually aware of any romantic inclinations, even if they were slow to realise it. Eventually, even the most oblivious would catch on.

Biaobiao was a bit naive when it came to matters of the heart. First, she lacked experience, and second, she instinctively avoided confronting her own feelings.

So, she might not have realised that she had developed feelings for this little Bronze Gong.

But would Xu Qi'an not know?

Impossible!

Whether in his past life or this one, Xu Qi'an had always been a man rich in romantic experiences. The occasional trust and closeness shown by Biaobiao, a young lady in the prime of her youth, were clear signals to him:

This girl likes me.

“What does Your Highness think?” Xu Qi'an asked in return.

“I heard that Father originally intended to grant you the title of Viscount of Changle County, but upon learning of your revival, he cancelled it?” the Crown Prince said.

“His Majesty promised me that if I thoroughly investigate Consort Fu’s case, a title is just around the corner,” Xu Qi'an replied.

The Crown Prince pondered, “A viscount’s position is still somewhat low. If you can clear my name, I can help elevate you further. You must know that in some matters, a viscount isn’t enough.”

Xu Qi'an chuckled, “Your Highness, why not just reward me with a thousand taels of gold? That would be more practical than making empty promises.”

The Crown Prince raised an eyebrow, “You don’t trust me?”

“It’s not that I don’t trust you, Your Highness, but what you can offer me, Duke Wei can also provide. What you cannot offer, Duke Wei can still give me.”

“Xu Qi'an, Wei Yuan is a solitary minister. Look through the history books, which solitary minister ever met a good end?” the Crown Prince said sternly.

Xu Qi'an bowed respectfully and left the room.

……….

The Xu Manor.

“Where’s Big Bwother? Why’s he missing again?” Xu Lingyin asked, her mouth full with a pork bun as she looked around.

“Your big brother isn’t here,” Auntie replied as she put a small cloth bag around her youngest daughter’s neck.

“If Big Bwother isn’t here, I’m not going. I want Big Bwother,” Xu Lingyin said angrily.

“Don’t try to pull that trick on me. You’re just looking for an excuse to skip school,” Auntie said, poking Little Pea’s forehead.

Little pea was shocked. She had thought long and hard about this plan, only for her mother to see through it instantly.

*Mummy’s so smart., so why does Big Bwother always make her so mad?*

“Mummy, how about I stay home and study with Second Brother?” Xu Lingyin said sweetly.

“You’re the ugliest and think the prettiest,” Auntie scolded. “Your second brother is about to take the spring imperial exams. He doesn’t have time to look after a silly child like you.”

“What are the spring imperial exams?”

“They’re the civil service exams.”

“What are the civil service exams?”

“They’re tests.”

“What are tests?”

“Xu Lingyin, are you trying to drive me crazy?” Auntie shouted, exasperated.

At this moment, Xu Erlang walked into the house with a bag of green tangerines. He saw his mother scolding his sister but didn’t pay much attention. He handed the tangerines to his sister, saying, “Lingyin, take these to school to eat.”

Xu Lingyin happily accepted them, but her face scrunched up when she saw they were green tangerines. She frowned and said, “Second Brother, these tangerines don’t taste good.”

Xu Erlang was surprised, “Have you eaten them before?”

Auntie explained, “Your father bought these green tangerines last time.”

Xu Erlang looked deeply at Auntie and said, “Mum…”

Auntie looked at him puzzled, “If you have something to say, just say it. Don’t beat around the bush.”

“It’s not a big deal,” Xu Erlang said casually. “I saw big brother give Dad fifty taels of silver yesterday. You should take it before he squanders it away.”

Auntie’s eyebrows shot up, “That Xu Ningyan, how infuriating.”

In truth, Xu Erlang was lying to Auntie. He said it to ensure his mother would drain their father’s private funds. To appease his wife, his father would grit his teeth and hand over his private savings, leaving him unable to squander money elsewhere.

Then, for a long time, their annoying big brother would be on Auntie’s bad side.

Killing two birds with one stone, perfect!

Satisfied, Xu Erlang went back to his study to continue his reading.

……..

The Imperial Palace.

Holding his token, Xu Qi'an made his way unimpeded into the palace and to Shaoyin Courtyard to meet Biaobiao for the investigation.

Today, Princess Lin’an was wearing a bright red palace dress. The colour was the same as yesterday, but the style was different. She happily skipped over, her oval face beaming with a sweet smile, her peach blossom eyes filled with a radiant charm.

After meeting Lin’an, Xu Qi'an realised that a seductive beauty need not have a sharp, pointed chin. A woman with an oval face can also be alluring and captivating.

It’s a pity that the era limited Lin’an’s potential. Otherwise, with a head of wavy curls, denim shorts, and a halter top, she would undoubtedly be a sultry goddess.

She would fit right in at a nightclub.

Biaobiao skipped over and twirled lightly, her skirt fluttering. She was deliberately showing off her beauty to Xu Qi'an, perhaps without even realising it.

Xu Qi'an wondered, “Why do you always wear red dresses?”

As soon as he spoke, Biaobiao’s face fell.

“Hmph, you running dog, didn’t you say I look especially beautiful in dresses?” Lin’an huffed.

Xu Qi'an suddenly covered his eyes and cried out in pain.

“What’s wrong?” Biaobiao asked with concern.

“Your Highness is just too beautiful, radiant, blinding to my eyes,” Xu Qi'an exclaimed.

Biaobiao’s frown turned into a smile. “Xu Ningyan’s words are so sweet, so interesting.”

“Your Highness, I’m planning to visit Qingfeng Palace today,” Xu Qi'an said.

Lin’an nodded and replied sweetly, “We’re waiting for someone.”

She had a proud look in her eyes, her chin raised, revealing her long, white neck.

Xu Qi'an suddenly felt uneasy. No way, no way, it couldn’t be what I think, could it?

In just a few minutes, Princess Huaiqing arrived, wearing a white palace dress, looking cool and absolutely stunning, her every movement exuding charm.

Xu Qi'an thought to himself, “...”

Princess Lin’an put her hands on her hips, mimicking a proud little hen, and said, “Huaiqing insisted on joining our master and servant pair to see the investigation. I decided to fulfill her wish. Running... Xu Ningyan, what do you think?”

She emphasised the words “master and servant” as if declaring ownership over someone.

Xu Qi'an internally shouted, *I think this is a damned disaster!*

*When did I become your servant...* He smiled and said, “Your servant has no objections to anything.”

Princess Huaiqing’s clear eyes glanced over, and she said lightly, “Then I’ll accept Sir Xu’s kindness.”

*Princess, it’s not what you think. Lin’an and I are clean. I’m still loyal to you.* Xu Qi'an’s mouth twitched.

He hadn’t expected Huaiqing to get involved in Consort Fu’s case, but on second thought, it seemed inevitable.

First, Huaiqing was very interested in investigating and solving cases, but as a noble and distinguished princess, she previously had no reason nor environment to get involved.

During the Sangpo case, Huaiqing often summoned Xu Qi'an to the palace to inquire about the case details and even accompanied him in poring over historical records to find clues.

Now that such a major case had occurred in the palace, it was understandable that Huaiqing was paying attention, and had developed a strong interest.

Previously, the investigation was led by the Three Departments, so Huaiqing couldn't intervene. But now that Xu Qi'an was the chief investigator, Huaiqing naturally came along. Of course, Xu Qi'an suspected that this also involved some mischief by Biaobiao.

For example, running to Huaiqing and boasting: "My Running Dog is back, and the Running Dog listens to me the most..." and so on, showing off in every way possible.

Xu Qi'an, a servant of three surnames, felt very embarrassed. So on the way to the Qingfeng Palace, he quietly followed behind the two princesses, staying silent to reduce his presence.

*Damn, if Biaobiao keeps this up, one day I'll end up splitting because of my two-timing and hurt myself...*

On the way, he asked the on-duty guards to find the little eunuch from the previous day.

The little eunuch's attitude had greatly changed. After greeting Huaiqing and Lin'an with respect, he also bowed to Xu Qi'an: "Sir Xu, I hope you won't hold any grudge for my previous offenses. I deeply appreciate the kindness you showed me yesterday."

Xu Qi'an was taken aback, thinking, *What kindness did I show you? What are you talking about?*

But he didn't show any emotion, simply nodding in acknowledgment.

The group proceeded toward Qingfeng Palace, with the two princesses leading the way. One in white and the other in red, both were exceptionally stunning beauties. Their beauty wasn't just in their looks and aura; their figures were also a crucial part of their charm.

*Lin'an's hips aren't as large as Huaiqing's...*

*Her legs aren't as long as Huaiqing's, and Huaiqing is half a head taller than Lin'an...*

*Ah, Biaobiao, you can't compare with your sister in anything. What a useless girl.*

*Huaiqing indeed lives up to my image of a cold goddess in the workplace, making people feel a strong desire to conquer her, wanting to make her cry...*

For the first time, Xu Qi'an could quietly appreciate the two sisters' beauty. As he admired them, he realised that in terms of fullness of hip shape, Huaiqing seemed to have an edge.

However, the amplitude of her swaying waist and the fluttering of her skirt were more exaggerated in Lin'an. This indicated that Biaobiao was better at swaying her hips than Huaiqing.

Huaiqing had cultivation, and under her loose palace attire, she probably had a slender waist and a sexy toned abdomen. But Biaobiao's serpentine waist seemed boneless, swaying back and forth, back and forth.

She was an inherently charming woman, not deliberately coquettish, but her occasional unconscious movements and the subtle allure of certain parts of her body were much more enticing than those of women who were well-versed in seduction techniques.

For instance, her eyes, full of springtime charm, always carried a hint of languor when looking at others. Or, as in the current moment, her soft, flexible serpentine waist and the swaying allure of her buttocks.

When Xu Qi'an first met her, he thought she perfectly fit the image of a little nightclub queen. It wasn't a rash judgment but one based on his extensive experience.

Soon, the group arrived at Qingfeng Palace.

Qingfeng Palace had been cordoned off by palace guards, with the maids and eunuchs confined to the courtyard.

Neither the influence of Princess Lin'an nor Princess Huaiqing worked here. It was only when Xu Qi'an showed his gold token and revealed his identity that the guards let them in, respectfully guiding them inside.

The so-called Qingfeng Palace was actually a two-tiered palace courtyard. The front courtyard housed low-ranking maids and eunuchs, while the back courtyard was for the close confidants of Consort Fu.

The main hall was a two-story pavilion with flying eaves and interlocking brackets, grand and magnificent.

The guardrail on the viewing platform on the second floor was broken, likely where Consort Fu fell to her death.

Xu Qi'an estimated the height, roughly six to seven meters. From such a height, falling would depend on whether the King of Hell wanted to take you.

If Consort Fu fell with the back of her head hitting the ground, it could be explained as the King of Hell coveting her beauty and summoning her down to accompany him, leaving no one able to save her.

The main hall was also sealed off, with four guards standing at the door to protect the scene.

"Where exactly did Consort Fu fall?" Xu Qi'an asked the head guard.

The head guard pointed to where Lin'an was standing, "Consort Fu fell right there."

Biaobiao, like a nimble, startled rabbit, quickly hopped away.

Xu Qi'an stood at the spot where Consort Fu's body fell, looked up at the pavilion, and then back down, saying, "Has anyone entered the pavilion?"

"The Three Departments' people have been inside."

"Did they take or damage anything?"

"No, your servant was watching closely the entire time. The broken railing was also kept in the storeroom and wasn't taken by the Three Departments."

*Someone supervising... Forbidding the removal of evidence from the scene... Emperor Yuanjing, a master of power manipulation, has completely blocked the possibility of the Crown Prince's Clique cleaning up the mess for the Crown Prince.*

Xu Qi'an said, "Open the door; I need to go up."

Entering the pavilion, he ascended the stairs to the second floor.

Xu Qi'an and Princess Huaiqing scanned every corner of the scene with sharp eyes. Biaobiao glanced at them, then pretended to be "seriously searching."

Their first attention was drawn to the overturned round stool by the table, the cold cup of tea on the table, the dishevelled bed, the torn bed curtain, and the wall painting on the east side...

Xu Qi'an sniffed around, his nose twitching.

"What are you sniffing?" Biaobiao couldn't hold back anymore.

"Don't interrupt; I'm smelling for deoxyribonucleic acid."

"De-what acid?" Biaobiao was confused.

Xu Qi'an didn't respond. In reality, he was just checking for any residual scent in the air, not necessarily “DNA”. Given that so many days had passed, the smell couldn't possibly have remained.

But a proper examination still needed to be conducted.

Xu Qi'an pointed to the bed and asked the head guard, "Was the bed this messy?"

"It was searched by the Three Departments, but it was already in a mess when they first came," the head guard replied.

*It's a pity that I can't test DNA; otherwise, this case would be solved instantly... How I miss the advanced technology from my previous life...* he thought as he went to the viewing platform.

After inspecting the broken guardrail, Xu Qi'an sat cross-legged in the viewing platform, closing his eyes. His powerful mental strength greatly enhanced his profiling ability.

Based on the current details from the scene, he started sketching dynamic images in his mind:

The Crown Prince, drunk, climbed the pavilion. Consort Fu, standing by the table, poured a cup of hot tea to help him sober up. But the Crown Prince didn't touch the teacup; instead, he touched Consort Fu's hand or another part, causing her to panic and knock over the stool.

Then, the Crown Prince, using force, dragged Consort Fu to the bed. During the intense struggle, the bed was thrown into disarray, and a corner of the bed curtain was torn off. Consort Fu somehow broke free from the Crown Prince's grasp and ran towards the viewing platform to call for help, knocking down the wall painting along the way...

Seeing the situation, the Crown Prince, driven by malice, pushed Consort Fu off the viewing platform. He then went to the outer room to sleep, pretending he hadn't done anything.

Xu Qi'an opened his eyes and exhaled.

Huaiqing and Lin'an, who had been watching him closely, immediately asked, "What did you find?"

"The case isn't too difficult, but there are a few points I need to confirm first," Xu Qi'an replied.

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