Nightwatcher

# 87. I Just Want to be a Quiet Pretty Boy

The Silver Gong who had inexplicably come forward to take Xu Qi'an was named Tao Man. He didn't have much of a relationship with Li Yuchun. However, since they both worked in the same office, they crossed paths regularly and could be said to be familiar with each other.

Of course Li Yuchun refused him, *Are you joking, Do you think I'll agree to you robbing me of a talent?*

But Tao Man didn't think much of Li Yuchun's attitude. He simply called someone in to inform them, turning around to take Xu Qi'an away.

Bang!

Li Yuchun waved his sleeves, causing the door of the Spring Breeze Hall to close.

"What is your intention, Master Li?" Silver Gong Tao asked, surprised by his reaction.

"What is your intention then, Master Tao?" Li Yuchun got up expressionlessly, and pointed to a corner of the wall, where he signalled Xu Qi'an to move.

After waiting for his subordinate to comply with him, he looked at Silver Gong Tao, and continued, "We are not under the same Gold Gong, there is no such rule for transfers."

For those under the same Gold Gong, the transfer of personnel didn't even need to be filed at the Archives, and it could be done with a simple question.

However, to transfer personnel between two Gold Gongs, required a lot of procedures.

Li Yuchun and Tao Man's bosses weren't the same gold gong. So, the Bronze Gongs under them couldn't be transferred casually.

"It’s like this," Tao Man tapped his forehead, and pointed at Xu Qi'an at the corner.

“Master Jiang asked me to come over and take him. He's taken a fancy to the kid. Huh, I don't know why he became so lucky... Why are you standing there, gawking and poking at the corners? Come over here, you'll be my subordinate from now on.

"Its your blessing for Gold Gong Jiang to take fancy of you."

*Why does this sound so weird... Is Master Jiang going to carry me over the door in a eight man sedan chair? I don't even know him...* Xu Qi'an lampooned in his heart, and inquiringly gazed at Li Yuchun.

Li Yuchun said, "Then you could go to Master Jiang and say that I didn't agree."

"What?" Tao Man suspected that his ears weren't working. How dare this Li Yuchun refuse Master Jiang? Did he drink fake wine today, so his brain wasn't performing well?

"I'm not so free to talk nonsense with you. Master Jiang is still waiting. I have to bring him with me now. If you have any opinion on this, you can find Master Jiang by yourself."

"The one surnamed Tao, you try to take one of my people, if I let you over this threshold today, I'll not be called Li Yuchun."

"Li, you're really crazy today, do you know what you said just now?"

The quarrel between the two silver gongs alarmed the bronze gongs and petty officials in the side halls. Song Tingfeng, Zhu Guangxiao, and the bronze gongs brought by Tao Man were squatting in the yard cracking beans and listening to the swearing inside.

"Hey, What's the background of that colleague of yours?" A bronze gong patted Song Tingfeng's thigh with a scabbard.

Song Tingfeng said, "He doesn't have any background."

"Why would Gold Gong Jiang ask for him by name otherwise?" The bronze gongs didn't believe that such a person had an extraordinary talent.

Song Tingfeng thought for a while, and gave a reasonable explanation, "He doesn't need money to sleep with girls in Jiaofang Si."

Nobody believed it at first, so they turned their heads towards Zhu Guangxiao, who nodded.

They believed it now.

"Why doesn't he need money?" The bronze gongs were taken aback, and humbly asked for advice. Getting things for free had been a constant source of happiness for humanity since ancient times.

"I can't say it, I promised to keep it secret for him." Song Tingfeng shook his head, paused, and added, "He gave us a tael of silver as hush money."

"One tael of silver, right. Take it."

Song Tingfeng took it, received it into his arms, and shook his head again, "One tael is not enough. You have to add some more."

He was given another tael.

"Say it." The bronze Gongs looked at him expectantly.

"Because we invited him." Song Tingfeng laughed.

"Beat him up."

Song Tingfeng was beaten to the ground by several bronze gongs, and the silver was also snatched back.

Regarding his Yang Ling persona, Xu Qi'an had invited his two colleagues to a meal at Guiyuelou as a hush fee.

In fact, for Song Tingfeng and Zhu Guangxiao, him sleeping with Fuxiang was an enviable matter that made their eyes go red. As for his talent in poetry, what kind of shit is poetry?

A vulgar martial artist doesn't care of the quality of your poems.

...

Sitting in he hall, Jiang Lyuzhong checked Xu Qi'an's file, and found that he turned out to be the small bailiff from the Changle county office who performed outstandingly in the Tax Silver Case.

*I am responsible for investigating Earl Pingyuan's murder. Although Duke Wei resisted the pressure from the court for me, I can't slack off because of this. That would just make Duke Wei look down on me and cause him to question my ability.* Jiang Lyuzhong subconsciously tapped his fingers on the table while contemplating.

*This person is good at handling and analysing cases, Exactly the type of talent I need. Moreover, he has a close relationship with the arcanists in Sitianjian. I may be able to buy magical weapons to arm my subordinates through him."*

Earl Pingyuan's death was fully deserved, but the case still needed to be handled, and would grant credit if handled well. Xu Qi'an was able to solve the Tax Silver case using only the dossier, implying that his ability in this front was outstanding. That was Xu Qi'an's first advantage.

The second advantage was that Sitianjian's White cloaks looked down on martial artists. Except for supplying bronze gongs on a regular basis, they refused to sell any other magic weapons. On that day, when he saw the white cloaked Arcanist being so courteous to Xu Qi'an, and he he learned that Xu Qi'an had deep friendship with sixth rank Masters of Alchemy, he had made up his mind to bring him under his command.

For an excellent magic weapon to be made, In addition to the finishing touch of a Master of Formations, an Master of Alchemy's forging was also indispensable.

At the same time, Silver Gong Tao walked in with large strides. He cupped his hands together, and with a face full of anger, said, "Boss, LI Yuchun drove me out."

"Drove you out?" Jiang Lyuzhong's eagle eyes became sharp instantly, and Tao Man lowered his head slightly, not daring to look at his aura.

"What happened?" Gold Gong Jiang said in a deep tone.

"He just didn't give people and said that you can meet him in person yourself if you want him that much." Tao Man recounted the situation.

He was pissed of by Li Yuchun. If it weren't for the office having rules disallowing private fights except in the arena, Tao Man would have let Li Yuchun meet his fists right there and then.

"Alright, I'll go there in person." Gold Gong Jiang said emotionlessly.

On the other side, Li Yuchun went to Yan Yan's Divine Spear Hall[^1] but couldn't find anyone. So, he went to the side hall and asked a petty official, who said that Gold Gong Yang was having tea with Duke Wei in the Tower of Noble Spirit.

Wei Yuan had two adoptive sons, one was Nangong Qianrou, who was known in the office for looking more moist than a lady. The other was Yang "Doesn't take oil or salt" Yan.

Li Yuchun went to the Tower of Noble Spirit and said that he had something important to report. The guards on duty went upstairs to report as usual. After being summoned, Brother Chun went up to the seventh floor in a single breath.

Upon seeing Yang Yan, who had a posture that seemed to have not changed for millennia, like a man made of stone, Brother Chun sighed with relief, and loudly said," Gold Gong Yang, Your humble subordinate has something to report."

Yang Yan nodded calmly, and looked over calmly, "Say it."

Brother Chun said emotionally Gold Gong Jiang wants to poach someone."

Wei Yuan and Nangong Qianrou looked over.

Yang Yan said, "Poach someone?"

"Yes" Li Yuchun said, "The bronze Gong Xu Qi'an."

Yang Yan raised his thick eyebrows and looked at Wei Yuan, "Father."

Wei Yuan laughed and said, "That's your business."

Yang Yan got up immediately and quickly left the Tower of Noble Spirit.

After cupping his fists towards Wei Yuan and Nangong Qianrou, Li Yuchun turned around to follow him.

"I don't know what got into the one surnamed Jiang's head. He suddenly ordered someone to come to my Spring Breezed Hall to snatch him over today. He was very domineering." Li Yuchun briefly explained what happened.

He added, "Xu Qi'an has Upper Jia qualifications, he can't be given up to others."

Yang Yan still remained silent.

However, he quickened his pace a little. His attitude on the matter was very firm. He had to hold the bronze gong with Upper Jia qualifications in his hands.

Those who dared to rob him would have their heads bashed out.

The two gold gongs bumped to each other in the entrance of Spring breeze hall. Jiang Lyuzhong was taken aback for a moment and squinted his eyes, making the wrinkles in the corner of his eyes even more distinct.

"Gold gong Yang, can you transfer Xu Qi'an over to my command?"

Yang Yan didn't speak, but he shook his head, indicating he didn't want to.

He disagreed... a bronze Gong... Jiang Lyuzhong's eyes flickered slightly, and he expelled his breath while smiling, "If I want him?"

Yang Yang said in a deep voice, "We'll follow the rules."

"OK!"

What rules? Of course it was fighting.

This rule was set by Wei Yuan. Regardless of Gold, Silver or bronze Gong, conflicts should be resolved by fights. But the fights must be done in the martial arts field of the office, and private fights were prohibited.

Rather than scheming in private, it was better for them to put all their cards in the table and fight like real men.

A martial artist should be pure and unrestrained.

Two Gold Gongs are having a battle in the arena for the possession of a coper gong. This news spread like wildfire.

*Hai, What a nuisance. I just wanted to be quiet pretty boy...* Xu Qi'an, upon hearing the news, followed his colleagues to the Martial Arts Arena to watch the fun together.

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[^1]: 神枪 Shenqiang