Chapter 28 (1/2)

To Smite the Insignificant Bug (2)

“Hold on!” Nobleman Zhou shouted before the jailers could uncuff Xu Qian. He glared at the green-robed official.

His eyes narrowed as he said, “This man assaulted and nearly killed me. I am the victim here and this is none of your business.”

The official before him was a fifth-ranked official—an insignificant nuisance compared to his father. However, his father had no jurisdiction over the Ministry of Justice.

Nobleman Zhou tempered his language in hopes that the official would think twice about interfering with the affairs of an assistant minister’s son.

It was unwise to make unnecessary enemies within the courts.

Unimpressed by the young nobleman’s outburst, the green-robed official sneered. “I advise Nobleman Zhou to repeat those words to the Minister of Justice.”

Nobleman Zhou frowned. He exchanged looks with Elder Chen and the old man said, “Minister Sun is on good terms with your father…”

The unspoken meaning was the minister would overlook trivial matters, and this was no longer trivial.

Irritated by the turn of events, Nobleman Zhou followed them out of jail. If the situation was salvaged, he would get his hands on Xu Qian again and make sure the man suffered.

Xu Qian was released from captivity. The sunlight blinded him as his pupils constricted to accommodate the brightness.

He was escorted by the green-robed official to the main courtyard. There was a crowd gathered there—officials dressed in different colored uniforms, a dozen of white robes, and two sprightly Confucian elders. Xu Qian also noticed two carriages with their odd-looking horses dead on the ground.

The scene surprised Nobleman Zhou as well. ‘What happened?’

The clanking sounds of manacles stopped. Xu Qian turned around and said to the young nobleman, “Be glad that you were interrupted. Let me reintroduce myself, I’m the newest disciple of the Principal Imperial Astronomer.”

Elder Chen’s eyes widened.

A range of expressions flashed across Nobleman Zhou’s face.

‘No way. There’s no way he’s the disciple of the Principal Imperial Astronomers.’

However, the white robes congregating in the courtyard supported Xu Qian’s statement. Nobleman Zhou and Elder Chen stayed calm.

Xu Qian ignored his captors and took a few steps forward. After a quick scan of the crowd, he did not find Lady Caiwei among the people.

‘Where’s the pretty girl with the oval-shaped face? Constable Wang delivered the blue book but I don’t see Lady Caiwei. The alchemists of the Imperial Astronomers read the book and rushed to my rescue? Is she preoccupied with something else?’

Xu Qian took a deep breath and folded his hands together. The manacles clanked loudly together as he greeted, “Good to see my brothers.”

Song Qing was surprised. He met Xu Qian’s eyes and asked, “Did you write the book?”

‘I don’t like his eyes.’ Xu Qian nodded. “This is not the place to talk about it. Once we leave the Ministry of Justice, Ningyan will tell you everything you want to know.”

Witnessing the exchange between Xu Qian and the Imperial Astronomers, Nobleman Zhou approached Minister Sun for clarification. He refused to believe the man was truly a disciple of the Imperial Astronomers.

“Minister Sun, the Imperial Astronomers…”

Minister Sun glanced at the young nobleman. “They came for a prisoner.”

Nobleman Zhou swayed.

The gaunt-faced old man’s breathing picked up.

Was the man truly the disciple of the Principal Imperial Astronomer? Impossible, if that was true, the missing tax silvers case would not have seen the Xu family thrown into jail.

The tax silvers!

Perhaps Xu Qian was made a disciple after he solved the case.

The man had successfully produced the fake silver without ever having an alchemy mentor. His talents must have caught the Principal Imperial Astronomer’s attention and made him an exception.

Otherwise, why would the white robes come for him?

At that moment, the old man noticed the two silent Confucian scholars and the odd-looking horses on the ground.

He focused his gaze and recognized them as the elders of the White Deer Academy.

The old man swallowed his saliva. “Minister, the two Confucian elders…”

Minister Sun’s expression betrayed nothing. “They came for the same prisoner.”