In the dark passage, outside the fence, the big brother in the Nightwatcher's uniform stood there, squinting at him.

Xu Xinnian's eyes lit up, and he stood up from the straw mat, the shackles clinking as he moved, making a "clattering" sound.

"How did you get in? Did Minister Sun let you in?" Xu Xinnian was both surprised and delighted.

Seeing this, Xu Qi'an withdrew his gaze and breathed a sigh of relief, "It seems to be just a superficial injury."

Then, he glanced at the jailer and said coldly, "Step back."

The jailer left tactfully.

Xu Xinnian spat and said, "These bastards, the whipping must have been painful."

Is Er Lang coming to me to complain? Xu Qi'an nodded, "Don't worry, big brother will find a way to get you out."

But before he could finish speaking, Xu Xinnian waved his hand to interrupt him and emphasized, "Big brother, you may not be very clear about this matter. It's not about cheating in the imperial examination, but a conflict between the National Academy and the Yunlu Academy."

No, I know it very well. Xu Qi'an thought to himself.

But Xu Xinnian didn't give him a chance to speak, and continued to talk incessantly, speaking with full confidence, clearly only suffering from superficial injuries.

"In fact, I had a hunch in prison that it wouldn't be so easy for the scholars of the Yunlu Academy to achieve high honors in the imperial examination. But I'm not afraid. For the academy to return to the court and expand its influence, it needs someone to lead the way and pave the way for future generations." Xu Xinnian said in a deep voice.

"And I am the one who will pave the way."

Er Lang, people don't admire the first person to pave the way, they admire the person who expands the path. Xu Qi'an responded with an "Hmm."

"Continue."

"In fact, I have already figured out a solution in prison. After all, the political maneuvering in the court is what I am most familiar with at home." Xu Xinnian proudly raised his chin and continued, "The scholars of the academy cannot interfere in court affairs with their white robes. But Wei Yuan can. You go and ask Wei Yuan. I'm not asking him to help me clear my name immediately, that would be too difficult and would definitely cause a lot of trouble, because that would be equivalent to declaring war on the other civil officials."

"My request is to remove the official title, but retain the power of the imperial examination. Or, after I am detained in the palace examination, I will take the imperial examination again in three years."

"The civil officials from the National Academy are mainly aiming to suppress the Yunlu Academy, not me."

After speaking, seeing his big brother lost in thought, Xu Xinnian sighed and said, "Yes, these things are indeed a bit difficult for big brother to understand. You just need to do as I say."

"Even though I am in prison, I can still make strategic plans."

Er Lang, you think you're on the eighteenth floor, but you're actually on the surface of the earth. Xu Qi'an coughed and said, "Big brother has a different opinion."

Xu Xinnian was taken aback and nodded modestly, "Go ahead."

At that moment, Xu Qi'an explained Wei Yuan's "killing three birds with one stone" strategy to Xu Xinnian, and the cell fell into a long silence.

"So it turns out that there is such a complex network behind this case. Am I... am I finished?" Xu Xinnian looked devastated.

Whether it was because there was no hope of escape, or because his analysis was too shallow, it didn't match his self-proclaimed status as a king.

"Don't worry, big brother will try his best to get you out." Xu Qi'an comforted him.

This is the Ministry of Punishments' dungeon, not a place to say too much.

Xu Xinnian gave a bitter smile.

..............

After bidding farewell to Xu Xinnian, Xu Qi'an left the Ministry of Punishments and planned to go home to comfort his sister and aunt. It had been half a day, and he had been running around outside. The two women at home must have been worried and frightened until now.

From a distance, he heard his aunt crying in the hall, "Why hasn't Da Lang come back yet? Er Lang has been imprisoned in the Ministry of Punishments, who knows how much suffering he will endure. At least give us some news..."

Xu Lingyue comforted her, "Aunt, big brother is definitely working hard to build relationships. Don't worry, when the evening shift is over, big brother will come back and tell you."

"How long do we have to wait? Every moment that passes is torture for me." His aunt sobbed.

"Didn't you hear what your father said? Da Lang went to the Ministry of Punishments to ask for help, but not only did he not see Er Lang, he was also humiliated." Then came the sigh from Xu Pingzhi.

Although his aunt was petty and still thought of herself as a little cutie at her age, she didn't insult her second uncle for being incompetent at this time, which was probably the reason why her second uncle doted on her so much... Xu Qi'an suddenly noticed this detail that he hadn't paid attention to before.

"Cough!"

As Xu Qi'an entered the inner courtyard, he coughed, attracting the attention of his family.

Xu Lingyue, who had been calm just now, suddenly filled her eyes with tears, looking at Xu Qi'an with speechless emotion.

Seeing this, Xu Qi'an had to comfort her first, patting her fragrant shoulder, "Don't worry."

Xu Lingyue softly called out, "Big brother..."

Then her voice was drowned out by his aunt's high-pitched voice. She looked at Xu Qi'an with bright eyes, grabbed his sleeve, and looked at him expectantly and nervously. She cried, "Ning Yan, how is Er Lang? You have to find a way to save him. Only you can save him at home."

Xu Pingzhi sighed.

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"I saw Er Lang, he's fine, he hasn't been hurt." Xu Qi'an patted his aunt's small hand, then patted his sister's hand, comforting them.

His aunt didn't believe it, her bright eyes staring at her nephew, sniffing, "Da Lang, you must not lie to me."

Xu Qi'an ignored his aunt and looked at his second uncle, whispering, "I used some unconventional methods, I kidnapped Minister Sun's legitimate son."

Xu Pingzhi's face changed drastically, "Ning Yan, you've crossed the line."

"Don't worry, he has no evidence. And I didn't ask him to help Er Lang clear his name, that would be too difficult and would easily lead to things getting out of control. I just asked him not to use corporal punishment. For Minister Sun, this is a small matter that can be done. And compared to a complete disaster, he cares more about his legitimate son's life."Although it was a breach of the rules, if the scale is well grasped, the impact of the matter can be minimized.

Moreover, Minister Sun really has no evidence, and the person wasn't caught by Xu Qi'an. The Bureau of Heavenly Masters' divination technique is not to be feared.

In the case of Princess Pingyang, Prince Yu has no evidence, and his daughter disappeared for no reason. He doesn't even know who the enemy is.

Of course, after the incident, the Liang family paid a heavy price.

As long as the effect is good, even the rules written in the Great Feng's laws can be broken. Not to mention the unspoken rules!

With this in mind, Xu Qi'an looked at Lina and Xu Lingyin, who were sitting nonchalantly eating pastries, and said, "Today, you two should not go out. Lina, the safety of the women in the mansion during the day depends on you."

"Okay!" Lina readily agreed.

Although this little troublemaker isn't very smart, she can fight... Xu Qi'an is quite reassured by her.

As for being isolated in the officialdom, not to mention whether Minister Sun will spread this matter, even if it is spread, he is not afraid. As Wei Yuan's confidant, he has too many enemies.

Afraid of being isolated?

Xu Qi'an is not a scholar aiming for an official career; he is a Nightwatcher, and the two are different in nature. The former needs reputation and official recognition.

But the Nightwatcher does not.

As long as Wei Yuan is there, he is there; if Wei Yuan falls, he falls.

Xu Pingzhi opened his mouth but did not express his opinion. He felt both melancholic and gratified in his heart. He was gratified that his nephew had grown up and was no longer the kid who let him pat his head as he pleased.

Melancholic because he could no longer pat the kid's head.

Auntie was overjoyed and held Xu Qi'an's hand without letting go. "Eldest nephew, you are the most promising one in the family. Auntie's hard work in raising you has not been in vain."

No, Auntie, won't you feel guilty saying that? Xu Qi'an asked in confusion.

Xu Lingyue whispered, "Then, what should we do next?"

Auntie's joy suddenly froze on her face, and she suddenly remembered that there was still something to be done.

"I will figure it out," Xu Qi'an said in a deep voice.

Wei Yuan taught him the second step, which he had not thought about yet, but he had a vague idea in his mind.

Auntie, feeling suddenly low, took Xu Lingyin out, and poked her forehead with her jade-like fingers, angrily saying, "You only know how to eat. What's the use of giving birth to you? It's better to give birth to a rat."

"Mother, I'm hungry," Xu Lingyin said with a pout.

"When was your stomach ever full?" Auntie was exasperated. "Your older brother is in great danger, and you're still here eating. You heartless thing."

Xu Lingyin looked at Xu Qi'an and said, "The big pot is fine, but Mother doesn't want to give me food, then hides it and eats it alone."

Auntie's body swayed with anger.

Xu Qi'an, Xu Lingyue, and Xu Pingzhi felt a little embarrassed.

Lina poked her eating companion's waist and said softly, "You still have an older brother."

Xu Lingyin thought about it and realized that she did indeed have an older brother. She suddenly burst into tears and the pastry in her mouth fell out. She picked up the pastry that had fallen on her clothes and legs, stuffing it back into her mouth, crying, "Did my second brother also die? I don't want my second brother to die, waaah..."

At that moment, Old Zhang from the gatehouse came in and said, "There's a girl outside who wants to see Miss Lingyue."

The whole family looked at Xu Lingyue.

She frowned, "Which girl is it, and what does she want with me?"

Old Zhang shook his head.

"Please let her in," Xu Lingyue said.

In a moment, Old Zhang led in a charming girl in a pink jacket. She had a maid's hairstyle but was dressed in better fabric than an ordinary rich girl.

"Is it you?" Xu Lingyue recognized her, looking surprised.

"I'm called Lan'er. Miss, I came to visit Miss Lingyue today. I wonder if Miss Lingyue is free today?" The charming maid named Lan'er bowed.

"This is the daughter of Prime Minister Wang, Miss Wang Simu's maid," Xu Lingyue explained.

She believed that with her older brother's wisdom, he would be able to detect the underlying meaning.

The daughter of Prime Minister Wang's maid? Why did she send someone to the mansion? To mock and ridicule? Because of the influence of Second Brother, Xu Qi'an also felt that Wang Simu was gloating and adding insult to injury.

He was suddenly a little annoyed.

A mere woman is so arrogant... I, Xu Qi'an, a firm advocate of gender equality in the new era, will not be lenient... Xu Qi'an coldly snorted in his heart.

"I have something to attend to today. I will visit another day," Xu Lingyue said calmly, her gaze suddenly sharp. "Please tell Miss Wang that I quite like her, and I will definitely have a conversation with her."

But in the next moment, the sharpness in her eyes softened, and she became a weak and helpless little sister, tearfully saying, "Big brother, if you have something to do, go ahead. I'll leave Second Brother's matter to you."

Xu Qi'an was about to nod when Lan'er, the maid, showed a nervous look and asked, "What happened to Xu Huanyuan?"

The siblings ignored her, and Auntie suddenly spoke up:

"Your young lady is Prime Minister Wang's daughter? That's great. My Second Brother has been falsely accused of cheating in the imperial examination by some damn thief, and he's been imprisoned in the Ministry of Justice's prison.

"Miss, can you please ask your young lady to help my Second Brother."

Xu Qi'an and Xu Lingyue looked at Auntie with stiff expressions.

Does this woman have no brains at all?

In a desperate situation, you can't turn to the enemy, and you still want to make things worse for him? Xu Qi'an said with a dark face, "Miss Lan'er, you may leave."

Miss Lan'er was full of doubt and left anxiously.

...

Wang Simu sat in the spacious carriage, occasionally lifting the curtain to look outside, and then paying attention to the teapot at the bottom of the orange charcoal fire.

Fully reflecting Wang Simu's inner anxiety.

More than half an hour had passed, and that dead girl Lan'er hadn't returned yet. The person waiting was the most uncomfortable.If Miss Xu's family refused her visit, it would most likely represent the stance of the Xu family, and by extension, Xu Xinnian's stance as well.

Should I continue to call on them? Or should I retreat knowing the difficulty?

The latter option was hard for her to swallow, but as for the former... after all, she was an unmarried lady, the daughter of the Prime Minister, concerned about face and reputation; it was embarrassing to continue making calls.

As these thoughts flickered through her mind, she lifted the curtain and to her delight, spotted Lan'er's small carriage.

The carriage slowly came to a halt, and the maid Lan'er agilely jumped down, scurried over, climbed onto the tall carriage, and pushed open the door to enter.

"You dead girl, coming back so late, what time do you think it is?" Wang Simu, frustrated and anxious, scolded.

She took a deep breath and asked, "What did Miss Xu say?"

Lan'er shook her head.

Wang Simu's face immediately fell, and the brightness in her eyes dimmed in an instant.

At that moment, she saw Lan'er swallow nervously, catch her breath, and say, "Miss, there's trouble. Xu Huiyuan has been arrested by the Ministry of Justice for cheating in the imperial examination."

"What?"

Upon hearing this news, Wang Simu's heart was a mix of emotions, with shock and concern rushing to the forefront—concern for Xu Xinnian's future and safety.

Then, to her surprise, a sliver of joy emerged.

So he didn't keep our appointment, not because he had no interest in me, but because he was detained by the Ministry of Justice and couldn't get away.

I misunderstood him.

Immediately, Lan'er relayed everything she had witnessed at the Xu residence to Miss Wang, including Xu Qi'an's icy demeanor and Xu Lingyue's distant attitude.

"Minister Sun of the Ministry of Justice is my father's ally. Do they think this is my father's doing behind the scenes? If it really is my father's covert operation, then, then wouldn't I be..." Wang Simu felt a wave of bitterness in her heart.

Lan'er said indignantly, "Hmph, with such a bad attitude, they still expect you to save Xu Huiyuan. The Xu family really has no shame."

Wang Simu frowned, "Speak properly." After a pause, her expression turned serious, "Was it Xu Qi'an's request?"

No, that's not right. I've only met Xu Huiyuan once and exchanged a few words. Xu Qi'an is a smart man; how could he possibly expect me, the daughter of the Prime Minister, to help?

He couldn't possibly know my feelings, not even my father knows.

The astute Miss Wang immediately sensed something amiss.

Lan'er shook her head: "It was the request of the Xu family's matriarch, the same beautiful woman we saw that day."

The request of Xu's family matriarch...

Wang Simu's expression turned serious again as she actively racked her brain, pondering and analyzing...

She is Xu Huiyuan's mother, facing such a situation, she must have a very poor impression of me, of the Wang family. So why would she ask for my help?

A woman who could raise a daughter with deep schemes, a nephew with unparalleled spirit, and a son with overflowing talent, such a woman is certainly not ordinary.

I need to think carefully, very carefully, I can't be careless...

"Lan'er, that matriarch, did she, did she curse me, or my father? What was her attitude?" Wang Simu asked.

"Of all the family, she had the best attitude, very sincere when she made the request," Lan'er replied.

This... Wang Simu's eyes widened suddenly, and she formed a corresponding guess in her mind.

The first time I invited Xu Huiyuan to a literary meeting in my father's name, there was nothing wrong with that, but then I invited Xu Huiyuan to go boating in a very short time... And such an invitation to go boating, a careless man might not think too much of it, but as a woman, and a very wise one at that, she couldn't possibly be completely unaware.

Even if she wasn't sure of my feelings, she must have had some guesses... So, was this a test and an opportunity?

Her attitude towards me was not one of dislike; she did not despise or resent me just because I was the daughter of the Wang family.

Making this request was a hint to me.

Indeed, the Xu family matriarch is a very wise person... Only she saw through my intentions... Wang Simu clenched her fists, her delicate body trembling slightly.

There was also the excitement of meeting a worthy opponent.

"Lan'er, go to the Imperial City, I need to find my father at the yamen," Wang Simu said, word by word.

...............

PS: This plot is actually very important, serving as one of the foreshadowings for the end of the volume. Hmm, no spoilers.

Today I wrote 13,000 words, perfectly achieving the goal. I'm asking for monthly votes, my friends.

Thanks to the alliance leaders "You Yao Qi Liuli," "L Zi Jie," "Huang Tang 9," "Sleep Well Tonight," and "Nian Qing An Wu Shang."

Thank you, big shots.