All Heavens and Worlds Starting from the Night Watchman

Chapter 13: The Initial Power of the Grand River Sword Intent

The next day. Xu Qi’an went to the county office to resume his duties as a constable. Upon his arrival, he heard about a new case.

Head Constable Wang was under significant pressure from his superiors — they demanded a swift conclusion to the case, yet no progress had been made.

When Wang and his team saw Xu Qi’an, they were visibly surprised, and soon they began to discuss the matter.

Xu Qi’an also saw Constable Wang’s silver; initially, Wang did not think highly of Xu Qi’an. He merely recounted the details of the case and handed the dossier to Xu Qi’an. Unexpectedly, Xu Qi’an commented, ‘An old cow grazing on young grass.’

Everyone was speechless. After reviewing the dossier, Xu Qi’an deduced the likely scenario: The renowned local landlord, Zhang Yourui, had taken a concubine twenty years younger than himself. However, one fateful night, Zhang Yourui was mysteriously murdered.

There were no signs of trampled grass or unusual footprints at the scene. The victim had suffered blunt force trauma and lay flat on his back. Strangely, the fatal wound was on the back of his head, within the courtyard of the concubine. At that time, the concubine claimed she saw someone scaling the wall to escape, yet the wall bore no traces.

Xu Qi’an quickly speculated that Zhang Yourui’s son, Zhang Xian, might have had an illicit affair with the concubine. Upon being discovered, they feared exposure, leading to Zhang Yourui’s murder.

When the case went to trial, Zhang Xian’s uncle — a court official — arrogantly dismissed everyone’s opinions. Given the higher authorities’ urge to close the case, it became evident that Zhang Xian’s uncle was not a person of integrity.

Through careful observation, Xu Qi’an noticed the concubine’s anxiety. He applied psychological pressure, and the concubine, unable to bear it, confessed the entire truth.

Ultimately, the concubine remained imprisoned, while Zhang Xian was soon released. This outcome left many outraged, but the county magistrate was powerless. In the end, the case documentation was delivered to the Haoran Tower, absolving them of further responsibility.

Haoran Tower belonged to the Nightwatchers, known for their integrity. Li Yuchun, a figure of uprightness, handled such cases impartially, unaffected by any official pressure.

While Xu Qi’an assisted in the county office, Lin Qiye stayed at home, focused on writing. He was confident in his familiarity with the story of The Legend of the Condor Heroes. After a morning’s work, he had only reached the part where Guo Jing had grown up.

When Xu Qi’an returned and saw the manuscript, he jested, ‘Lin Qiye, I don’t think writing The Legend of the Condor Heroes is practical. Why not write scripts for short plays instead? They might sell better.’

‘Just think about it. Short plays are fast-paced and seemingly mindless, yet irresistibly captivating. If they aren’t quick and straightforward, no one will bother watching.’

Lin Qiye considered this perspective. While The Legend of the Condor Heroes was indeed compelling, the protagonist’s late appearance could test readers’ patience.

‘Xu Ningyan, your idea has merit. However, I think we should test the waters first.’

‘Why not open a bookshop? Web novels might be lengthy, but we could extract their essence, just like the appealing simplicity of short plays. If it succeeds, it could be lucrative.’

‘If that doesn’t work, we could try writing Confucian-themed web novels. Scholars would surely buy them. Imagine including poetic verses and cultivation levels — how would the scholars of Great Feng react?’

Hearing this, Xu Qi’an was instantly intrigued. ‘Brilliant! If we merge this world’s culture with Confucian cultivation, they might treat your work as genuine cultivation methods. Imagine the sales!’

Xu Qi’an, knowing his own limitations, relied on Lin Qiye’s exceptional memory. If they could adapt Confucian-themed web novels from their past world, the impact could be tremendous — far more significant than writing Dream of the Red Chamber.

For this world, Confucian cultivation literature could be seen as a treasure, possibly even regarded as a cultivation manual if someone managed to apply its teachings.

Discussing the bookshop idea further, they considered Lin Qiye writing Dream of the Red Chamber while Xu Qi’an handled the business.

‘Let’s calculate. A volume could sell for eight taels of silver, with printing and royalties costing three qian and two fen. That’s a profit of seven taels, six qian, and eight fen per book.’

‘If we sell a hundred volumes a day, that’s 764 taels of silver daily. If we publish every fifteen days, that’s 11,520 taels a month. After expenses, we’d still make 8,064 taels per cycle. If you write twelve volumes, that’s 96,768 taels!’

‘Lin Qiye, we’re about to strike gold!’

Filled with excitement, they immediately began preparations to find a suitable location for their bookshop.

On their way, they stopped by a sweetwater shop to recharge.

‘Boss, two pots of sweetwater, please.’

‘Coming right up.’

However, the shopkeeper’s trembling hands and fearful eyes caught their attention. A group of burly men occupied the shop, untouched by their drinks — clearly not here for refreshments.

With a metallic clang, a dagger fell from one man’s sleeve. Xu Qi’an glanced at Lin Qiye. ‘This could be a second-class merit. Are you scared?’

Lin Qiye smirked. ‘Xu Ningyan, do I seem like someone who fears trouble?’

Xu Qi’an stepped towards the man who dropped the dagger, only for a brute to grab his arm. ‘Kid, take your sweetwater and get lost.’

Xu Qi’an sneered, ‘Suspicious indeed. Xu Qi’an of Chang’an County — conducting a lawful inspection. Possession of illegal weapons — thirty strokes!’

‘Oh, really?’ The man grinned viciously. ‘Close the door!’

In an instant, the shop’s doors shut, and the atmosphere turned hostile. Xu Qi’an remained unfazed.

‘Inciting a brawl — fifty strokes!’ he declared.

‘Courting death!’ the man snarled, raising his hand. But Xu Qi’an’s slap met his face first.

‘Attempting to break out a prisoner? Then it’s execution!’ Xu Qi’an retorted, his resolve unwavering.

As chaos erupted, Lin Qiye’s expression turned cold. ‘Underestimating us will cost you dearly. Grand River Sword Intent!’