297-299
Chapter 297: Prostitutes, Pedestrians and a Downpour Assassination
Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio
The shopkeepers in Qingyu Hall were always assisting the palace treasury, and they also lent aid to other manors in their business dealings. That being said, it had been many years since they had last shown their faces. But this Lady Si Qing'er, if she could have come as far as she did, starting out as a lowly prostitute and becoming a pimp, she was clearly a woman who was willing to learn, a woman who was inherently motivated and was someone with a high interest in the managing of a business establishment. She knew about the old men from Qingyu Hall, and as long as they were businessmen, she showed them great respect and admiration that stemmed from her bones. It was a reflection of the respect scholars of this world had for Zhuang Mohan.
So when Si Qing'er saw the third shopkeeper approach, and she immediately shelved her thoughts of cheating with the ledger. She patted herself down and began her feminine stride to meet the coming person, taking a deep, low bow as came before him.
Judging from his looks, the third Ye shopkeeper was around 50 years old, his beard taking on the color white. Seeing Si Qing'er's pretty face, he nodded in his approval of the gesture.
Shi Chanli was standing nearby, wondering why Fan Xian had sent this horny old man here.
The third Ye complimented her by saying, "This lady must be the manager of this establishment. Looking at where the house is situated, and at lighting and decor of the interior, I must say I like it; in fact, I greatly admire it. If the lady is willing to remain in the house, there is no need for my presence here; I will return to Fan Xian, for my talents won't surpass hers."
Si Qing'er's face was now one of surprise, and she said, "You compliment the wrong person. Everything you see in this place is of the Big Owner's design; it has nothing to do with me."
The third Ye shopkeeper displayed a look of disappointment as he mournfully told her, "Then the owner of this place truly was a genius of business. How could he have possibly offended Fan…?" Even though he was old, he wasn't stupid, and already he realized he had said too much. With an abrupt end to his dialogue, he caught the stare that Shi Chanli was giving him. If he didn't know any better, he would have thought he was seeing a monster before his eyes. He shook his head, but in a bid to seem natural, he slowly warped it into an act of looking around and admiring the room.
The manner in which they conducted their business could be seen in the finest of details. To Qingyu Hall, whose shopkeepers had been running merchant establishments for 20 years, the Bao Yue house was a shady business. But despite that, the brothel looked bright and clean, and there was a pond in back and a lovely patio. The workers and waiters were well-trained and polite, and the same could be said for the women whose services were being offered. They weren't trashy street walkers; they were women who cleaned up well, dressed elegantly, and possessed virtue and manners. This is what the customers sought, and the hostess that maintained these standards must have been someone with a tremendous amount of talent.
The old shopkeeper continued admiring the place, and Shi Chanli could do nothing but shake his head and think to himself, The second master of the Fan family is no average noble kid. It is a wonderful thing for the Fan brothers not to be the run-of-the-mill sort.
There had been no word from the palace, so Si Qing'er did not dare do anything with the shares of the third prince. But the repossession posse had already arrived, and she had no choice but to bring out the ledger for their inspection. Although it was common for merchants of the Qing Kingdom to own two ledgers, one that was legit and one that was illegitimate, before the third Ye's shopkeeper, Si Qing'er did not dare play tricks. Not long after, the Bao Yue house's funds were all calculated and deemed clean. The 30 percent of shares was also attached the figure of a measly 1,000 coins, so they took a hold of the shares and corresponding figure and sent it to the third prince. Now all they had to do was await a response. For all intents and purposes, the entirety of the Bao Yue house would now belong to Shi Chanli.
After doing all this, Si Qing'er was happily thinking that the manager of the Bao Yue house would now become the property of the third Ye shopkeeper from Qingyu Hall. What she did not expect, was the old man to suddenly turn around, return to his carriage and drive off. She was suddenly frightened.
What shocked her the most was that there was going to be a new manager for the Bao Yue house, and the person who was to take up the job was someone with a familiar face - and one who had just walked through the door.
"Sang Wen!?" Si Qing'er was petrified for a moment before snapping out of This Sang Wen was bailed out of the Bao Yue house by Fan Xian, and there hadn't been any news of her since. But now there she was, back for revenge.
Shi Chanli took note of her expression and commented, "Very good. This Lady Sang will be the manager of the Bao Yue house from henceforth."
Si Qing'er grudgingly bowed before Sang Wen. Not long after the Bao Yue house was established, Sang Wen had become a famous and prominent figure. It was because of this, and the fact that was cold and unyielding and as such, Si Qing'er always picked on her. But to now see her become manager of the Bao Yue house, she knew for sure that she would not have much luck and with a forced, painful swallow of her pride, she hastily made for her room so she could begin packing her bags.
Sang Wen was actually quite nervous. Mister Fan had performed an incredible service for her, and with the opportunity to manage the Bao Yue house, she knew she could not let him down. With great worry, she was determined to run the building flawlessly. Another bit of apprehension clouded her judgment, and that involved the possibility of it being third prince's toes she may be stepping on. Seeing Si Qing'er back out, however, brought her mind some element of ease.
Shi Chanli, watching Si Qing'er hasten for the door, called out, "Oh, Lady Qing'er, you cannot leave!"
Si Qing'er laughed maniacally and said, "I did not sign a single contract with the Bao Yue house, so please, do tell me under what power can I be apprehended and be made to stay within these walls?"
Shi Chanli looked troubled. He unfastened his collar and explained, "I have never run a brothel before; and Lady Sang is just a singer. If you leave, then I'm not sure the Bao Yue house can retain its current status and earn the money it always has…"
Si Qing'er thought that she was needed, and with a snide and boisterous expression, responded. "If…"
She wasn't even given the time to begin her sentence as Shi Chanli cut her off, saying, "Mister Fan said if you haven't been given the permission to do so, you are not allowed to leave."
Si Qing'er sighed, realizing that she wasn't actually needed. They just wanted her trapped. She was just a woman, and despite having a minor relation with the third prince, it was the commissioner of the Overwatch Council that had demanded her to stay. Even she would not dare defy his order. In this world, there wouldn't be a single officer willing to help a former prostitute, especially one who had been in conflict with the commissioner. Even the princes didn't help her, as there would be no benefit involved for them. If Commissioner Fan wanted to ruin the life of someone like her, to do so would be easier than stepping on an ant.
"What are you keeping me here for?" she asked, visibly confused.
Shi Chanli told her, "Mister Fan… I mean…. I am preparing to implement a few minor changes to the Bao Yue house. For this, I believe Lady Qing'er will have a use at some point. Perhaps every brothel in the Qing Kingdom is going to need these changes."
Si Qing'er was shocked. The Bao Yue house's business was doing great, and the thought occurred to her that the new big owner was planning on establishing more branches of the Bao Yue house across the kingdom. While it would make for a fine suggestion, the Bao Yue house was still fairly minor and not a big part of the prostitution trade in the Qing Kingdom. And in regards to any possible changes, the brothel business had been static for quite some time. Unless the big change was about the big boss ran business, was Fan Xian aiming for sainthood, throttling the industry and attempting to stop prostitutes from selling their bodies?
The problem was, if the prostitutes weren't selling their bodies, and if the pimps weren't drawing in customers, could such an establishment still be deemed a brothel?
Shi Chanli couldn't guess what Si Qing'er was thinking about, and he was merely planning to do as his teacher told him. He listed them off, "First, the ladies' contracts are going to be flexible going forward. Also, the duration of the contracts is five years, and following that, they are free to do as they please. Secondly, there must be a doctor on station at the Bao Yue house at all times so they can tend to the women whenever they are sick. With quicker recovery, the women can go back to accepting more customers whenever they are better. And as for the third change…"
He did not get to finish his sentence before Si Qing'er cut him off with a look of confusion. She asked, "Is it necessary to make the contract flexible?"
Shi Chanli explained by saying, "Mister Fan…*cough* wrong again… I think that adhering to this manner of business for five straight years would be enough. You must always provide people with hope for the future. If they believe that their entire life is on a leash, handled by someone else, then the average prostitute would be less inclined to perform their services to the best of their abilities. With a brighter outlook comes greater happiness, and with greater happiness comes a better experience for the customer ."
Si Qing'er mockingly retorted, "Five years is your deal? After this, will those poor girls be unable to do the business anymore? After that, who is going to scrub away their notoriety as a prostitute and elevate their social rank?"
In the Qing Kingdom, performers and prostitutes were different. In the social stratification of the kingdom, once someone's social status hit rock bottom, a position which frequently included prostitutes, one could never recover. The only way to elevate your status was to be bought by someone of a higher status, or have a decree referencing you from the Royal Court. From what he had just said, prostitutes would have to quit the Bao Yue house after five years and remain like so in seedier environments, just to make a living. As for her question, she received no response. It was something that had crossed Shi Chanli's mind in his discussions with his teacher, but Fan Xian had told him it was something he would sort out.
Si Qing'er continued her mocking, by saying, "and the doctor part of your reformation is ridiculous. The ladies in the house are cheap and of little concern to others; no doctor would be willing to come here. It is already hard enough to find a doctor as an ordinary person, what doctor would be willing to stay here, day in, day out? Do you think any doctor could handle such shame?
Sang Wen, who had remained quiet the entire time, smiled and said, "Mister Fan said there are many doctors in the Third Bureau of the Overwatch Council. It would be no problem for them to bring a doctor here."
Si Qing'er had a wry smile on her face, and in her heart she thought, The Third Bureau of the Overwatch Council is of the poisonous Yamen that everyone fears. Are they planning to change their ways so that they can become doctors? She was of the mind that Mister Fan was someone who liked to fantasize a great deal about things. Tauntingly, she said, "So what? Even if there are doctors, and the girls are clean, who can promise that the customers who come here are free of sexual diseases?"
Shi Chanli was starting to get a headache a symptom of her continued annoyance. He said, "I don't have a solution for that." It wasn't that there was no solution, it was because Fan Xian's suggestion of a mass-produced product such as a condo,\ was quite possibly the hardest thing to sell.
"You should hear what else I have to say first." He coughed twice and continued saying, "From now on, there is no more forced buying and selling. If this ever happens again, I am coming straight for you."
He stared into Si Qing'er's eyes until she averted her gaze and looked down towards the ground.
"Also, no more undergage prostitutes."
"We should establish finer cuts of pay to take from the girls, a cut that is gauged by their appearance and skill."
"The ladies should also be given three days off a month, so they may do as they please."
…
…
Big Boss Shi kept on talking, giving no one's ears a single moment of reprieve. It wasn't only Si Qing'er who looked to be suffering, but Sang Wen as well; as he droned on and on, she began to feel dizzy. After a long, long while, there came a point where Si Qing'er could no longer stand it, and so she coldly spoke out, "The way you keep going on like this—have I mistaken this brothel for a charity place?"
Shi Chanli looked at her and said, "Fan Xian told me that you are the one who was raised by Yuan Meng. We should take care of you as well. But seeing that you were born poor,and have worked hard to elevate your status, we have kindly decided to give you an opportunity for redemption. There is no need for you to concern yourself with whether the Bao Yue house is a brothel or a charity place; all you need to do is perform your duties diligently and follow Sang Wen's lead. If this whole plan does truly work and we can create a franchise for the Bao Yue house that expands across the world, there may very well be half a million brothel ladies working in your favor. That would account for your redemption, and that would most certainly make your life worth sparing."
It wasn't until now that Shi Chanli avoided speaking Fan Xian's name.
Si Qing'er did not say anything, and to guess what she was thinking would have been an impossible task, but there was one thing for certain - she looked afraid.
Shi Chanli actually possessed a great amount of fear in his heart also. Even though the Bao Yue house already had Sang Wen, who was now secretly enrolled within the First Bureau of the Overwatch Council to oversee the management of the brothel, Shi Chanli himself was only a scholar; a student of Fan Xian. He was afraid that after today, he could no longer be an officer and would instead have to stay in the brothel, becoming a pitiable owner who spent his days barking orders at women, telling them to satisfy the demands of horny customers.
He looked at Sang Wen and discovered that the female singer, who may have looked weak, was of a calm disposition. She didn't seem to be troubled by the proceedings in the least.
An autumn rain had soaked the few days following this encounter, and it turned the weather from cool and dry, to wet and cold.
The Bao Yue house had now been taken over by Fan Xian completely. The second prince was brought discomfort, and was overwhelmed by an ominous feeling; for this, he began arranging something. For Fan Xian, however, he had enjoyed the past few days for the respite and relaxation they had provided him. He had not visited the First Bureau's office for a few days and he hadn't gorged on those buns from the Xin Feng restaurant. Instead, he had spent his time in the Imperial College, bringing a bunch of young teachers with him to aid in the sorting of the books he had brought with him from the Northern Qi Kingdom.
The wind blew strong and the raindrops that clung to their drunken clouds finally let go, bringing with them a downpour. It wasn't a worrying amount, but its persistence over the past few days had become annoying. If you took the road to the north from the Danbo bookstore, you would arrive at the Imperial College, and the entire area belonged to it. The Yamen that had been built during the founding times of the Qing Kingdom had already been torn down.
Fan Xian was holding a black umbrella and walked between the students who accompanied him to the Imperial College. He nodded to each student that politely waved at him. Although his identity had changed in recent times, the Emperor had not taken away the five ranks of his career. The Emperor had even told him that, if he ever had the time, he should return to the Imperial College so that he could receive more lessons.
Although Fan Xian was not fond of being a teacher, he hadn't come for lessons; it was his career's prestige that allowed him to visit the Imperial College and read its trove of books. It was a getaway for him, a chance to be momentarily free of the
day-to-day bustle.
The first day he came to the Imperial College was a delightful surprise for the students there, for it had been over a year since his last visit. When the students thought of how the young officer was from the Overwatch Council, however, they were a little frightened. It was why their initial friendliness towards him had waned somewhat. That being said, it didn't take longer than two hours for them to find out that Fan Xian was as cheery and nice as ever, and their fears were lessened, the cordiality between them both was restored.
He entered the study room that the Imperial College had prepared for him and put away his umbrella. He turned to look back at the dreary skies and couldn't help but frown.
There were a few Imperial College teachers already in the room sorting and organizing the books that Zhuang Mohan had left them. The books there were of great significance to the Qing Kingdom and the Emperor treated the matter with profound concern. It was for this reason that the Imperial College did not to delay these proceedings, and so they worked their hardest to copy the books and maintain the original source material with the finest of care.
They saw Fan Xian walk inside, and so they stood up and bowed.
Fan Xian smiled and bowed in return to the people that he had seen working diligently. It was quite the strain to perform these tasks alone, and so he had called upon these people to work together and get it done. The results had so far been quite successful, for they all got along well and made great strides in the progress of their assigned task.
The black, soaking umbrella was left in the corner, and a puddle of water formed on the ground. Slowly, it coursed its way to the fire in the stove. All of a sudden, Fan Xian felt humid and uncomfortable. He loosened his collar and spoke, "It's too humid, and not cold enough for this. I know we have to trudge through, but is there any way to shut the stove off?"
One officer responded by saying, "We need a certain temperature to storage books. If it's too cold, then there's no way of preserving the parchment."
Fan Xian knew this, saying, "It is not winter yet. It should be okay to keep these books in the room as they are; humidity should be your greatest concern right now."
Everyone agreed and got back to work. The Imperial College carried the traits of the Qing Kingdom, performing their appointed tasks with quiet diligence for work of a higher quality. Quite a big difference existed between the Qing Kingdom and Northern Qi Kingdom in this regard. Fan Xian sat down at his table to begin working, but before he could start, someone requested a meeting with him
…
…
"Why have you returned to the Imperial College?" Fan Xian was surprised, seeing the Big Scholar Shu Wu sitting in a chair. Fan Xian bowed before him.
His father in law, the prime minister, had stepped down from his position, and after the Board of Rites' minister was hanged, the officers in court were in disarray. Many of them chose to follow Fan Xian, whereas others decided to follow the eastern palace. But the second prince, whose popularity was not as strong last year, received the most followers - this was due to the amount of years he had spent in court.
Scholar Shu was a famous individual, and he had been a student of Zhuang Mo Han. He was so prestigious that no other could ever hope to replace him and replicate his qualities. He did his exams in the northern Wei Kingdom, but he had become a Qing Kingdom officer. Because of this, problems frequently arose. In the fifth year of the Qing Calendar, he had accidentally received the greatest benefit that came about from the turmoil. Although his career in the Imperial College was made void, he was able to assume Scholar Tongwen Ge's position after he was fired, following the spring exam incident.
Scholar Tongwen Ge was clean and rich, and after the prime minister was fired, there had yet to be a new one. So he joined the business of politics and entered the Qing Kingdom's court. The authority of his position was very close to that of a prime minister. Even though Fan Xian was powerful, compared to him, he was little more than an average, run-of-the-mill officer.
Of course, Scholar Shu Wu was not so stupid as to treat or regard Fan Xian in the same manner. If he was, he wouldn't have come calling for Fan Xian today.
"So, you can come back to the Imperial College, but I cannot?" Shu Wu was joking with Fan Xian, whose age was the same as his own son. "Outside it is cold and it is raini. You young ones know how to make the most of your life, by coming here to the college. What? You aren't keen on the Overwatch Council's missions, that might keep you in the rain?"
Outside, it was indeed raining and cold. Fan Xian did not know whether this Scholar Shu Wu was joking or not, and so he did not answer; merely smiling.
After Shi Chanli claimed the Bao Yue house, Yan Bingyun had put into motion his plan. First, he used the Overwatch Council's power to force the Ministry of Punishment to bypass the capital government and issue an APB right away, for the apprehension of Yuan Meng.
But this Yuan Meng had proven herself effective at hiding. Under the protection crown of the crown prince Hongcheng, no one knew of where she might be found. As troublesome as this may have sounded, Fan Xian was in no particular rush, because the issuing of an APB was the beginning of the process that would establish something else soon after. The longer it took to capture Yuan Meng, the better. In Yan Bingyun, he had long deliberated and meticulously laid out the proceedings for every stage of this scheme. His allowance to do so was only if he could ensure that the end result that Fan Xian sought could be achieved.
Over the past two days, certain rumors circulated within the capital, saying that the Ministry of Punishment's 13th Yamen captured the brothel manager Yuan Meng, who was actually a mistress of the King Jing's crown prince Hongcheng.
Rumors spread like wildfire, but it was true that Yuan Meng and Li Hongcheng were having an affair, and as such, it became a hot topic within the capital. Li Hongcheng's reputation was like the rotting of roadkill on a hot summer day; something that was beginning to get stinkier with each passing moment.
Li Hongcheng and the second prince were friends, and this was something everyone was aware of. Not long after, there were rumors about the infamous Bao Yue house in the capital, and that its secret owner was in fact the second prince. The Yamen of the Ministry of Punishment was investigating the missing prostitutes, whose association with the nobles and royals were becoming increasingly difficult to disregard.
The rumors spoken sounded real. Like the rumor that Yuan Meng was the most popular prostitute at the Liu Jing River, but except for the crown prince, no one ever saw her accept other customers. There were other rumors too, ones that made mention of the crown prince having a long talk with Fan Xian outside the Bao Yue house. No one knew what they were talking about, but the day after, the Fan family sold their shares to a mystic merchant known only as "Shi".
These rumors were formulated and spread by the Eighth Bureau of the Overwatch Council. In the beginning, Fan Xian was forced to bring attention to the cases of the spring exam, and in the end, he became an idol for the students. Behind the scenes, it was the Eighth Bureau that created this rumor as well. They were experts at enhancing one's image in the public eye, but they were even better at tarnishing one's reputation.
Of course, in the process of creating rumors that the whole population was to be made aware of, everyone had to know that the big owner was the second master of the Fan manor. The Fan family's reputation had indeed been affected by this.
The source of the rumor was from within the Fan family, and the story was told to particularly talkative individuals. The stories included the details of Fan Xian beating his brother, the minister using family discipline, the screaming of relatives and the Fan family's ridding of their association with the brothel. It was shocking to all who heard it in the capital. As time elapsed, however, the rumors faded from commonspeak.
In regards to controlling the rumors, what Fan Xian did was what may be considered a "masterpiece move". Back then, he requested that Wu Zhu Shu write out a few thousand leaflets to kick the eldest princess out of the palace. This time, they were only dealing with an amateurish second prince. So now, they thought that the second prince and the crown prince had nothing to do with Bao Yue, despite them being the ones who were behind it. Fan Xian was painted as the innocent one, and there was no way they could explain all this.
What Yan Bingyun was going to do next was focus on the money being transferred between the second prince and the Cui family. The specific method to do so, wasn't even clear to Fan Xian, but he believed in Yan Bingyun's power and abilities and didn't seek to question or concern himself with that he was going to do.
…
…
Scholar Shu Wu looked at him worriedly and said, "You should know that the capital government has already taken charge of the case involving Bao Yue house. Your little brother's crime is quite grievous. He has several homicides, witness silencing and forced prostitution of women and underage girls on his rap sheet. Today would have been the trial."
Fan Xian had a wry smile and said, "it is unfortunate for our family to know we have birthed such a bad seed."
Shu Wu shook his head and told him, "But the capital government still hasn't searched your manor for his whereabouts. Perhaps they are considering doing something else? Master Fan, these charges are serious and the likelihood of your brother being let free is slim to none. If the capital government really wants to proceed with the trial and alerts the Emperor, it will not end up well."
After this conversation, Fan Xian knew where this scholar stood. He came here to tell Fan Xian the opinion of the officers in court. He was convinced that the Fan family and the second prince could come to a peaceful resolution without the need to fight each other. It wasn't about the reputation of the government. These big scholars thought that if two people were fighting each other, it was inevitable for one person to end up wounded. Fan Xian and the second prince were the young elites of the Qing Kingdom. It would be a great loss if either of them were to be made to suffer and lost their prestige because of the squabbling.
Of course, many people thought that Fan Xian could not compete with the prince. And though he was the Overwatch Council's commissioner, that fact was something he himself understood, and he knew that the big scholar in front of him was suggesting that he made peace with the second prince for his own sake. For this, Fan Xian was touched. With his gentle smile, Fan Xian told him, "I thank you for your reminder. I can only presume that you are indeed acquainted with the second prince."
Shu Wu nodded. Ever since Fan Xian came back from the Northern Qi Kingdom, he had been butting heads with the second prince. The Overwatch Council had also apprehended many people who followed the second prince. If Shu Wu wanted to make peace, then he would have to consult with the second prince first. He didn't expect that upon meeting with the second prince that he was quite nice and had politely requested that he speak to Fan Xian so that they would both be willing to take a step back.
…
…
Hearing what the Shu Wu scholar had to say, Fan Xian coldly laughed in his head. The second prince's nickname was "Stone", for he wasn't an easy person to get along with. They were already deep in conflict, and Fan Xian was forced to send his little brother to a foreign country. There had to be an explanation for Fan Xian's father-in-law being fired due to the conspiracy between the eldest princess and the second prince.
A spy of the First Bureau of the Overwatch Council now approached, bringing with him word that the second prince had already hid the three hitmen of the Bao Yue house who had escaped and brought them back to the capital. They were being prepped for an appearance at court, to testify against Fan Sizhe.
The second prince asked Shu Wu to deliver the message as a way to temporarily soothe Fan Xian, but Fan Xian was not so stupid, or so easy to fool. He politely poured tea for Scholar Shu, saying, "This entire ordeal has nothing to do with the Overwatch Council, and it has nothing to do with me. These past few days, I have remained in the college in the unfortunate event that someone was to misunderstand."
Shu Wu could not help but wear a bitter smile. His face seemed to express grave sorrow, and all he asked was, "Why even bother fighting? Does it truly matter if you win? It does not matter how many times you win, it means nothing when compared to what is truly important: the Emperor's happiness."
Fan Xian's heart jumped, knowing that the words spoken were ones that rang true and made absolute sense. He appreciated what the scholar in front of him had said. Although he was thinking of something else in his heart, he gently said, "If you have already said this, then I have nothing more to say. I only need the capital government to ensure that the reputation of my family is not tarnished, and as for the case with the Ministry of Punishment, that they don't look any deeper."
In Shu Wu, the old scholar's eyes, it was clear that Fan Xian's temperament had soured somewhat. In the field, everyone knew how to hide themselves. Who would say something that was obviously illegal in front of someone who was as high up the ladder as a prime minister? But he also knew that this was simply how Fan Xian was. He was satisfied, and smiled, but did not say anything more. He averted his gaze towards the window to observe the rain that continued to fall.
…
…
Three miles away from the capital's office on Yu Shan road, the rain continued to fall.
The case of the missing prostitute in Bao Yue brothel had already concluded its investigation. Although the bones had not been discovered, the capital government had already apprehended her murderer. If the three perpetrators were arrested, and a confession could be obtained, they could point their fingers at the Fan family and certify that it was the second master that orchestrated these crimes. This would be a tremendous blow to the family's reputation and it would also clear away the dirt that associated the second prince with the Bao Yue brothel.
These three hitmen were pivotal to the development of this case, but the second prince's party still didn't understand why, after the conclusion of the family discipline, Fan Xian would still send these three to the government. Wouldn't he be incriminating the family and bringing it harm?
But it wasn't until the Fan family sold the Bao Yue brothel, began investigating Yuan Meng, and pointed their fingers at Li Hongcheng did the second prince finally understand that Fan Xian was just using those three to comfort him and opt for a peaceful resolution. Because of this, his reaction was a few days slow, but the second prince still believed that Fan Xian had done something most unwise. As long as these three people were in their hands, where could that fat pimple boy run?
Now the second prince was truly angry, thinking that Fan Xian did not know his place. He actually dared to do something to him? Everyone knew that the rumors circulating in the capital were made up and it made Li Hongcheng feel disheartened, as well, with nothing he could do about it. He was physically unable to visit the Fan manor to fight Fan Xian as he might have desired. This was because King Jing had become extremely angry upon hearing of these events, and brought his wrath down on his son, having him lashed and restricted to the Li manor. At the very least, it meant he could avoid the madness engulfing the capital these days.
"Watch them closely. Do not allow anyone to have any contact with them. We can't let them withdraw their confessions now." Fan Wujiu, who was one of the eight personal guardians of the second prince, wore a gloomy visage. He further told the servants of the capital government, "If you fail in this task, be afraid for your life."
Each of the capital government's Yamen servants nodded their heads, each with a nervous look on their face. They were not nervous about failing to accomplish this task; they merely trembled at the sight of the guardians of the second prince. Yu Shan road was only three miles away from the capital. If not for avoiding suspicion, Fan Wujiu would have taken these three hitmen to be locked up in prison himself.
The carriage started moving through the dark autumn rain. Fan Wujiu watched it go from a distance. The carriage was passing through the rain like normal, and there weren't many people occupying the streets. There were only those who held an umbrella, making their way to where they had to get to with hurried paces.
It was in this moment that the rainswept civilians brought their umbrellas down to the ground and unsheathed black weaponry that were concealed within the handles. In a strangely calm manner, they struck their new weapons through the sides of the passing carriage.
Fan Wujiu, who was still watching, was greatly shocked, and so he rushed over there. But over the distance he had to traverse to reach the carriage, and the speed at which the assassins moved, he knew he wouldn't be able to get there in time.
The pikes that they were revealed to be wielding were extremely sharp and they pierced through the side of the carriage as if it were made of tofu, killing the three men inside.
They withdrew their spiked weaponry and returned them to their umbrellas without making any unnecessary movement. They darted into the allies of the street and disappeared.
…
…
Blood trailed out from out of the carriage, and when Fan Wujiu reached it, he did so with a cold face. He pulled back the curtains of the carriage and his face changed. The wounds inflicted were of a clear indication that the people who had committed this atrocity were professionals. They were calm, simple strikes from the outside, and the people within lost their lives.
Fan Wujiu could not help but gasp at the sight, and panicked at the thought of the second prince. It was already difficult enough to assassinate three people in the carriage as quickly and cleanly as they did, but the scarier part was that they knew when and where their carriage would be coming through. He imagined that there had to be many spies of the Overwatch Council embedded within the second prince's party. How else could they have obtained the precise details of when and where to attack?
This assassination was devised cleverly and carried out perfectly. The way it unfolded was all too natural, as if watching someone eat a meal; it was not at all frightening.
Only the elites like Fan Wujiu could comprehend the eerie chill that enveloped this quiet assassination.
He did not have to think about who had committed this act; he already knew who did.
Aside from the assassins of the Sixth Bureau, those who always dwelled in the dark, who else could have executed this so effectively? His face grew pale at the thought. He was imagining that if those few assassins also planned to take him out, could he survive this?
It seemed as if the second prince's party had underestimated Fan Xian's power. It was because the young ones of the Qing Kingdom did not truly know how scary and dangerous the Overwatch Council was.
Fan Wujiu was trembling, and he clenched the dagger hidden in his sleeves. This was the first time in his life that he thought of leaving the second prince's side - in fear for his own life.
…
…
"Your chess skills are quite impressive. When I play chess, I am not inclined to eat all the pawns." Fan Xian looked embarrassed when he said this.
Now, he was playing chess with Shu Wu in the Imperial College. Today's court ended early, and the disaster relief for the south was almost brought to an end, so Scholar Shu now had the time to spare for two rounds of chess. He found out that Fan Xian, who was an intellectual scholar, was somehow quite terrible at chess. His face warped and began thinking that even though he was winning, winning this way was no fun.
Shu Wu sighed and said, "Fan Xian, I see you do everything so intelligently, but why are you so bad at chess?"
Both of them then began talking about the events at court this day. Because Fan Jing never discussed court matters at home, and the Overwatch Council never investigated the arguments Fan Xian had at court, Fan Xian was eager to hear of what Shu Wu had to say. He was interested in the major events of court that his lower rank prohibited him from learning about. He also sensed something. Yan Xiaoyi was viceroy in the north, but he kept asking for money. In the south, there were minor wars unfolding, and because of this, the Qing Kingdom was in need of something funding.
Fan Xian's heart went calm. So long as the Emperor needed money, the palace treasury would truly end up in his care next year, and while the eldest princess's people were excellent at the formulation of conspiracies, they were not very good when it came to making money through business ventures.
The rain began to recede. Fan Xian did not have what it took to convince the old man to have dinner with him, and he politely sent the scholar out. He turned around and went back to the room, thinking to read through the legendary books that had been given to him by Zhuang Mohan. Even after the teachers had all left, he remained where he was. He did not turn a page, but sat there engrossed in thought.
He knew of what had happened in the capital today, but did not bring himself to think of it. The three men were pretty much dead already, but the families of the dead prostitutes went to the capital and testified against the Fan family.
Of course, Fan Xian wouldn't dream of murdering those innocents. But the three dead men he had assassinated had been hidden by the second prince, and their removal from his hands would not be something the second prince would make public. Although Fan Xian was not inherently good, he did not think of murdering the testifying women.
He actually knew that no matter what identity he was to be portrayed as, he was the commissioner of the Overwatch Council. He had the resources and authority that greatly exceeded that of the second prince. If there weren't any further hindrances in his fight with him, Fan Xian believed his victory was assured.
It was just that the people did not know this. The only thing that made Fan Xian care was the attitude of the Emperor in the palace. If the Emperor believed that their game was of no great concern, then he could play along. Fan Xian truly understood the Emperor's line of thinking, but the second prince was just a whetstone to train the crown prince. He was also being used to train Fan Xian, the commissioner of the Overwatch Council. It looked as if the method and ideas Fan Xian had employed so far were a good choice.
Of course, if Fan Xian's methods were too harsh, the problem could still be solved by the palace. He was not worried that the Emperor would do anything of grave concern towards him, for his involvement in all this. In a self-deprecating manner, he said to himself, We are all bastards.
The rain had now come to an end in the capital. He quietly avoided the gaze of all and exited the Imperial College. He went into a clothing store and removed his coat, revealing the work uniform he was wearing beneath. He then received an ordinary coat from a lowly shopkeeper. He wore it, pulled up the hood to conceal his face and then returned to the street.
…
…
The rain stopped. The clouds in the sky were thawed by the sun's reappearance, becoming thin and plain. They separated from each other, splitting up into numerous whiffs in the sky, each drifting in different directions. Seeing the return of a blue sky was like a victory.
The sunlight shone outside the capital's Yamen, and a few shafts of light pierced the entry. It illuminated the big plate in the center of the room that had the words "fair and square" engraved upon it.
There were many people who wanted to watch the action of the proceedings, and so they had all gathered outside the capital government building. They were for the prefect to arrive and become the judge of the Bao Yue brothel, which had become a popular topic in the city. This case was a vast one: it had homicides; it involved prostitutes which made people think of naughty deeds; and it all took place in a brothel. It tingled the curiosity of all the civilians, and that's why there was such a great interest in its resolution. After dinner, if there were people who weren't aware of what had been going on, they wouldn't dare join in the chat. And as for the carriage drivers, if they did not know much about this case, they would feel embarrassed when accepting passengers.
Fan Xian was disguised as a nobody, and he cloaked himself deep in the crowd that had gathered. He looked into the Yamen and began feeling strange. The capital government was an important Yamen, and there had been a lot of changes in the government over the past two years - but these changes were all associated with him. He was only afraid that if he failed today, this capital prefect would have to end up resigning and relinquishing his position.
Chapter 298: The Greetings Outside the Capital Government Office
Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio
The original prefect of the Capital government, Mei Zhili, was a student of Liu Shi's father. He always watched over the Fan manor. He was quite helpful with the Guo Baokun case. And when the assassination was attempted on Niulan Road, Mei Zhili, as a government prefect, was punished. Although he was allowed to maintain his job, his pay was suspended for a year and he was heavily investigated. No one would have expected that in the following year, the case of the spring exam would unfurl. After all this trouble, Mei Zhili was then removed from his position and sent out of the capital to return to his hometown.
On certain occasions, the Fan manor and Mei Zhili would exchange letters. Fan Xian had learnt that Mei Zhili was somewhat relieved to be free of the corrupt and evil Capital government.
Inside the court, there were many disheveled, visibly impoverished persons. They were on their knees before the court, crying loudly. These people were family members of the murdered prostitutes of the Bao Yue brothel. In tears, they were cursing the Fan family out loud and praying to God for justice and for punishment to be handed down to them.
The current prefect of the Capital government, Tian Jingmu, showed a face of supreme righteousness. The corners of his lips twitched and the frame of his eyes were wet. It seemed as if he was extremely touched by the families who were on the ground, pleading and saying their bit. He immediately told the Yamen servants to bring forth the suspects who perpetrated the crimes, from the Bao Yue brothel. He said they would do an investigation of the scene now. With stern sincerity, he pledged to the people that he would aid them. He told them he would call for someone to visit the Fan manor and drag the wretched Fan Sizhe here. No word was spoken of Yuan Meng and her people.
Fan Xian was still concealed within the crowd, coldly watching. He could see Tian Jingmu, the prefect's eyes harbor a glint of fear. Fan Xian thought that he must have been aware that the three men who were involved were dead.
In regards to the cursing and tear-drenched plights of sorrow from the impoverished family members, Fan Xian thought nothing of them. After the Bao Yue brothel murdered a few prostitutes, he and his brother were only told off. The gravity of the situation was not properly acknowledged. Right now, he could only wonder whether the people on their knees were sincere or if it was a scene that had been set up by the second prince. The Overwatch Council's investigation had yet to yield results, but he could not stand here and do nothing.
The capital government's trial was fairly boring. This scene had probably been watched countless times over the last thousand years. Although these civilians were enjoying the show, Fan Xian's mind had already wandered off. The reason why he came here today was because he had the sneaking suspicion that something big was to occur soon.
The reason why his father-in-law, the generation's evil prime minister Lin Ruofuo, was forced to quit his job was primarily because his ascent to fame was too quick. This was caused by the Emperor. Under the surface, however, you could see that the true reason was because of Wu Boan, who died beneath the grape shelf and because Shandong Road's Peng Tingsheng conceived the idea to tarnish and bring ruin to the Wu family's reputation through the death of Wu Boan's son. Wu Boan's widow then went to the capital and raise a complaint with the Emperor. An assassination was attempted on her way there by people from the prime minister's manor. Fortunately, she was saved by the second prince and Li Hongcheng. Today, was the second prince going to raise awareness to this?
In regards to his father-in-law's retirement, Fan Xian did not plan to retaliate over it, but he remembered the methods the second prince had used. Normally, a professional conspiracist would never repeat their methods, and so Fan Xian saw right through the second prince. Although he enjoyed sitting on a chair, trying to feign the appearance of someone who was wholly unpredictable, it only took Fan Xian a few days to notice his immature and twisted side.
Aside from the scary power of the Overwatch Council, the reason why Fan Xian had a greater advantage over the second prince was because, although he was younger than the second prince in this life, the true years of experience he had was greater.
…
…
Not long after, the capital government's Yamen servants had brought back the so-called manager of the Bao Yue brothel, Si Qing'er. There were others who remained at the brothel to investigate and discover what they could around the Skinny Lake. They had yet to find the bodies, and the lack of witnesses made a possible discovery of them increasingly difficult.
Fan Xian, seeing this woman who was on her knees on the blue stone floor, wondered how she would react to the entire situation. He wondered if she would be intimidated by Fan Xian into honesty, or whether or not she would lose composure, believing the entire situation to be unfair. And in regards to the bodies buried beneath the Bao Yue brothel, the Overwatch Council were co-operating with Si Chanli a while ago to dig up the bones one dark night and provide them a fairer burial out in the countryside. They wanted to wait until the case was over before finding a way to contact the relatives of the deceased and tell them of where they could be found.
Si Qing'er simply bit her lips without speaking a word in court, and whenever the judge asked something, she replied with single, short sentences, ones that were preceded by lengthy pauses. In her heart, it seemed as if she knew everything. Before she came here, Mister Shi had told her everything she could and could not say.
Fortunately, the owner did not ask for much anymore, and he had not once asked her to do something wretched, neither was she told to hide anything about the second master of the Fan family. So, she spoke everything without hesitation, foregoing the need for an interrogation by the government. She told the court who the first owner was and what they had done, and did so clearly. But in regards to the homicides, she said that they were authored by Yuan Meng, who was currently in hiding due to the APB issued by the Ministry of Punishment. She also said that the owner was aware of all of this, but had played no part in these murders.
The capital government's prefect was satisfied by the smooth, unreluctant responses that the woman had given on her knees. But after a while of hearing her talk, it seemed as if she was trying to help clear the muddied name of the second master, at least somewhat. But the second prince had said to the prefect earlier that the homicides could not be associated with Yuan Meng. Thinking of this, his face darkened and he threw a stick on the floor, saying "this woman is evil. Beat her up!"
At his command, the Capital government's Yamen servants picked up searing iron rods and began torturing Si Qing'er. Si Qinger bit her teeth to resist the pain, knowing that someone from the Fan family would be watching. She had already received no aid from the third prince, so she knew that she would have to accept what was happening and later lean on the Fan family.
She held her pain in without saying a word; she did, however, scream and babble in anguish. You could see through the pain what she was feeling, and a raging fire of hatred burned within her eyes. An aura of spite then permeated the atmosphere around the Yamen. This awful sight made those who were watching feel sorry for her.
Fan Xian was watching this unfold from the outside, and he was surprised by the amount of anger he could see in her eyes.
After the torture, Si Qing'er continued to repeat the same things she said before. When the prefect was going to issue another command for further torture, the servant who went in search of Fan Sizhe returned, dusty and with a disheartened look on his face.
A group of people went to the Fan manor to capture Fan Sizhe. They used their authority to demand entrance, and when they were inside, had free reign to scavenge and search for the person they sought. Unfortunately for them, Fan Sizhe had reached the border of Cangzhou by now. He was most likely inside the carriage, hugging Yan'er and professing how difficult it was for him to leave his homeland. There was no possible way for the government officers to find him. When they were in the Fan manor, however, even before they were given the opportunity to ask a single question, Liu Shi appeared before them, leading a group of servants armed with brooms and household tools to kick them out.
Though hearing of the subordinates' humiliation, the prefect of the capital government did not look mad at all. He was secretly happy, actually. He raised his voice and yelled, "How would these dignitaries be as reckless as to hide wanted fugitives!?" In his mind, he thought to create a decree and bring it before the Emperor the next day. He relished the thought of how the Fan family would respond to this.
Fan Xian was coldly watching, but he was in no particular rush, for he trusted Liu Shi with guarding of the manor. He knew that this woman's methods would not be careless. Yan Bingyun's conspiracy was trusted as well. Back in the day, he had played the whole of the Northern Qi Kingdom's like a fiddle, and this was just a single crime he was dealing with.
As expected, the people outside watching the show split in half upon the arrival of important figures. The person leading was partnered with Fan Xian the first time he came to the capital government. He was the Fan manor's entertainer, and once-leader of the capital government, Mister Zheng.
Mister Zheng was famous, so there was no need for him to kneel before the prefect; he merely bowed, and then said, "What you are saying is ridiculous. Everyone in the capital knows that the Fan family has always been clean and upstanding. They wouldn't be harboring fugitives. And in regards to what crimes the second master has admitted to, you have to investigate them carefully. They won't deny their occurrence."
The capital government's prefect, Tian Jingmu, knew that the famous entertainer in front of him was also a famous writer in the capital. And the lawyer beside him was Song Shiren, and he was renowned shyster. The fact that the Fan family had brought forth a strong cast such as this made it clear that they were not willing to take this lying down and they were determined to clear their name. The prefect's face darkened once more and spoke, "If you are not in cahoots with the Fan family, then why don't you bring forth the criminal we seek?"
In this cold autumn weather, Song Shiren fluttered his fan and mockingly responded, "Capturing suspects is a task for the capital government. Since when has this duty been pushed onto others?"
Tian Jingmu coldly laughed and said, "Your second master committed a crime; it is only natural that you bring him forth. If you choose not to hand him over to us, then that means you are aiding and abetting a criminal. The Qing Kingdom's law has this in writing, plain to see. So why don't you shut your mouth, Song Shiren?"
Song Shiren paid no heed to what he said. He smiled and replied, "the Qing Kingdom's law does say it clearly that it is the family of the criminal in question that has to hand him over. But the second master of the Fan family was already reported missing eight days ago; where can we expect to find him?"
Tian Jingmu was furious and laughed maniacally. He spoke aloud, "Hahaha! This is a ridiculous excuse!"
Song Shiren bore a bitter face, and responded, "I do hope that the Master Prefect is aware of this. It is no excuse. A few days ago, the Fan manor already reported that the second master committed many bad deeds, but it would appear you have ignored that fact. They also said that the second master fled. Please ask the Yamen servants to quickly go after him."
He waved his fan, saying with pain, "Despite their desire to do so, Minister Fan and Fan Xian haven't severed their ties to the second master yet. So, tell me, why would they hide him?"
Tian Jingmu pounded the wooden table and madly yelled, "When did the Fan family come here to report this!? And when did they report Fan Sizhe was missing?! How can I not have been made aware of this?! You should quit trying to fool me and think long and hard about how you plan to get out of this."
"Is there not a report? Please, go take a look at the reports made on that day. You will see them there." Song Shiren clasped his hands together and bowed.
Tian Jingmu's heart shivered in shock. He remembered that he had not told his servants to check the reports on that day. He thought of an excuse to pause the trial, and he and his master quickly fled to the study room. They looked into the reports that had been made in the past few days. He found a report from the Fan manor about the second master's quick departure. The prefect was so mad he almost fainted.
This had never happened before! How could there be one overlooked yet vital report be there?
The capital government's Yamen security was tight. Even if the Overwatch Council had planted the report there, it would have been nearly impossible for them to do this without alerting someone. How was Fan manor capable of doing something like this? How could they secretly plant this report there? Tian Jingmu's face looked awful, thinking of a snitch that may reside in the capital government. Unfortunately, there was nothing he could do about it right now. Was it the vice-prefect, or was it those who filed and organized the documents?
When Tian Jingmu returned to the courtroom, that look of righteousness on his face was no more. Despite what he had loudly yelled, the reports had indeed been made. When he was looking them over earlier, the vice-prefect and document organizers were beside him. He thought of destroying the document, but there was no way he could have done so without anyone noticing.
Even though Fan Sizhe was undoubtedly guilty, the Fan manor had received points for coming forth with the crimes and not obscuring anything. In regards to the second master's escape, this was not something they had to hide, either. If this was to continue, it would be impossible to tarnish the reputation of the Fan family. At worst, it would only be the Emperor issuing the declaration that they themselves committed a crime by not punishing their own. They could be stripped of their nobility and lose their income. No matter what was to happen, it was impossible for the second prince's desires to be fulfilled.
The capital government's prefect had a headache, but he did not want to lose. He darkened his face and battled with the strong team of lawyers that stood in support of the Fan family.
…
…
The Capital government temporarily suspended the court proceedings. Fan Xian understood that what needed to be done was almost done. Fan Sizhe was to become a proper fugitive; a criminal who ran off to escape the law. While it was a dismal thought, Fan Xian's resolve was to wait until some time in the future, when his power had increased even further, to find a way to allow him to come home. That way, the Fan manor could be free of this.
In regards to the so-called owner of the Bao Yue brothel, Si Chanli, he had accepted ownership of the establishment after the case began. No matter how unreasonable the capital government could be, there was no way they could arrest him.
Fan Xian couldn't help but laugh. He was discussing the case with a big man who had also come here to watch. He saw the victim's families were being lead by the Yamen servants to the back of the Yamen for some rest. He opened his lips and bid farewell to the big man. His eyes looked to the corner's edge of the rain canopy he stood beneath, and saw a curious fellow there who looked to be a study man.
The prostitutes' families looked dismayed as they came into the street. As they went, and had just about disappeared from everyone's vision, down the alley five big men with masks came out. They wielded straight swords and approached the families and swung their weaponry at them. Cruelly, they attempted to butcher the families of the victims.
This horrific sight incited terrified screams and panic from those who were on the street. The crowd that had gathered to watch the court proceedings broke up with ghastly wails, with people fleeing in all manners of directions to get away.
Fan Xian was standing beneath a tree, observing the scene. There was no fear in his heart. He thought he had underestimated the second prince's power, for he was doing something similar to what he had arranged earlier in the day. But the way the second prince had constructed this slaughter was mismanaged and botched as a result. The last time he had successfully framed the prime minister, it was by secretly doing what the Emperor had said to. It was done in secret and not exposed for all to see. Today, with him doing something like this, was the second prince not afraid of the Emperor humiliating him? In particular for doing it so nakedly?
For the lives of the families, Fan Xian shared no concern, and as expected, there was a number of passers-by who joined in the fight that had erupted down the street. Leaping into the fray, they quickly grabbed and placed the family members behind their backs for safety and approached their would-be killers.
It was the passers-by again; Fan Xian's favorite passers-by.
The passers-by were not in possession of armaments. They only held a special spike that was constructed by the Overwatch Council. With little effort, they broke the would-be assassins assault. It was done both quickly and cleanly, simple and powerful. The scene looked to be something that Master Wuzhu would have done.
Fan Xian's eyebrows raised. This was because he knew this counter was enacted by the Sixth Bureau, and the shadow was a fan of Master Wuzhu.
The assassins that had been sent by the second prince were pretty talented, but they were no match for the fighters of the Sixth Bureau. After a short battle, the men were wholly beaten. They attempted to escape, but the passers-by were like maggots attached to their bones, prohibiting their flight.
Dong! Dong!
The sounds erupted.
This sudden battle was brought to an end. The masked assassins were lying on the floor, and on their bodies were the presence of several wounds oozing blood everywhere. Fan Xian who had been watching the scene in secret nodded. He was satisfied with Yan Bingyun's arrangements. It did not matter if they were dead or alive, but they could not be allowed to escape under the many watchful eyes that looked their way. He thought that the assassins may be bearing the stamp of the Overwatch Council, so that the second prince could frame him for the murders that almost came to pass. The fight and subsequent result had ended very much how he expected. The masked men were soldiers fostered by the second prince, willing to sacrifice themselves at any given moment. They were accounted for as part-time assassins. When they met the professionals of the Sixth Bureau, they did not stand a chance.
But at this moment, everything changed.
The study man who was still stood under the canopy on the corner of the street all of a sudden came out to join the fight. He drew his sword like a professional and the power of the airborne steel was berzerk, and with insane force, the puddles of water raised into the air and took to the form of arrows. They shot forward, riddling one of the family members with holes. He was killed.
This was a display of extreme swordskill, and yet it came from someone who took on the appearance of a weak study man. The swordsmen of the Sixth Bureau, who made themselves look like simple passers-by, could not react in time. And they did not dare fight with this man who could manipulate water like so. They turned to dash and use the pikes concealed within their sleeves to slow down the study man's next move.
Ching! Ching!
The pikes only pierced the study man's robes, which tore certain parts of his clothes into shreds. It did not stop his sword, however, and all that could be heard next was "poof". The Wuhua longsword struck into another family member's body.
…
…
The most arrogant of the second prince's eight guardians was Xie Bian. He once said he would end Fan Xian in a single blow, and that he had never missed a target.
Fan Xian had recognized the identity of the study man when he was stood under the canopy; it was him. He did not expect him to be so callous and heartless as to go kill innocent people, those who were the family members of murdered women, no less. Things had been settled at court, however; what could their deaths possibly change?
He thought Xie Bian had merely accepted an order to come here and oversee the trial proceedings, and did not expect him to attack so arrogantly. As such, Fan Xian's reactions were a little slow.
The moment when Xie Bian drew his sword, he was well aware that the members of the Sixth Bureau were present. This meant that their plan to frame them had failed. Although he was currently in a frenzy, even he wasn't confident in his ability to kill the assassins of the Sixth Bureau, here in the daylight on a public street. Especially since the Sixth Bureau assassins were trained to perform their actions in the dark of night.
Still, he wanted to engage and draw his sword because he felt that it was unfair. He saw his men be killed by these passers-by, and despite the fear of the family members, the fighters of the Sixth Bureau had not incurred a single injury. This total failure made him angry, and he drew his sword irrationally.
It felt good to kill one of the victims' family members, and at least it would make the second prince look better in his feud with Fan Xian. Besides, even if just one of those family members were killed, Fan Xian would have a long, hard time explaining how such a thing came to pass.
In his right hand, which grasped the handle of his blade, he felt a familiar feeling. He knew that the tip of the sword was struck into another stranger's body again, and that he had taken another innocent soul. He was satisfied, and laughed arrogantly. He pulled his sword back and took sight of the gaping hole it left, and the blood it gushed.
And then… his smile froze.
Xie Bian believed that he would never miss a single strike. Yet it had happened. Although his sword had plunged deep into his target, it had pierced two inches away from where he desired his blade to go. Because of this minor distance, it had resulted in the victim of his sword not dying outright.
He had also missed his second opportunity to strike, also. His target was like a kite, swaying from left to right in his agony. Then, all of a sudden, he flew towards the right.
He did not know what power this was. But whatever it was, it went in violation of the laws of physics; as he flew away in an instant.
…
…
Xie Bian subconsciously twisted his wrists and brought his sword up to guard his chest. He turned around and saw Fan Xian, putting down the leg he had just used to kick the innocent person away.
"Fan Xian!"
As an elite swordsman, he could immediately sense his presence. Amidst the continuous screaming of frightened citizens on the street, he gathered and channeled all the power he could into his sword. He lunged forward, towards Fan Xian, without a flicker of moderation.
At this time, those few assassins from the Sixth Bureau were now aware of Fan Xian's presence. They worked together to round up the remainder of the distraught family members and take them to safety.
Fan Xian's kick from earlier had saved that man's life, but by prioritising this, it meant that he did not give himself the time to bring out his dagger. All he saw then was a cold light right in front of his face - he felt the chill of his enemy's sword, and it felt like his eyelashes were trimmed.
When he raised his hand~~~
Pew pew pew!
Three mechanical firings were heard consecutively. Three poisonous bolts were launched against the wind-wake of his enemy's swirling sword, with Xie Bian's head as their target.
In this moment, Xie Bian's sword was brought to face Fan Xian's head, and the three bolts Fan Xian fired were coursing towards Xie Bian's face.
Neither cared who of the two was the most shameless. Fan Xian was quiet and he made use of dexterous abilities in body control to twist and bring his fist to Xie Bian's chest; but this was not without a slight nick on his cheek by the enemy's sword.
This fist was fueled by powerful zhenqi and when it was launched, it thundered. If it was a direct hit, it would have crushed Xie Bian's organs into jelly.
Xie Bian desperately fled to the left, prancing away as delicately as a flower. With great difficulty, he managed to avoid being struck by two of the bolts that had him in his sights. He expected that his strike was the one to end Fan Xian's life, but he hadn't expected Fan Xian's risk to twirl and deliver the terrifying fist as he did.
He squealed strangely, then brought up his wrist and quickly shuttled the palm of his hand against Fan Xian's. Snap! Xie Bian's wrist was snapped in an instant.
"Fan Xian!"
Xie Bian was madly screaming his name. It was not in fear of Fan Xian's zhenqi; it was because when his fist connected with his palm, a yellow smoke erupted between them. Xie Bian did not think Fan Xian, who was already at an advantage, would make use of a toxic smoke.
It didn't take long for the toxic smoke to assimilate within his body. Within seconds, his sword strength was wholly exhausted, preventing further action from him. In a rush to defend himself from the powerful fist, he left himself open elsewhere. The one bolt he had not dodged now pierced his shoulder.
He was poisoned again.
…
…
"Fan Xian!"
This was the third time that Xie Bian lost his composure in rage, yelling Fan Xian's name. He now knew that he had underestimated Fan Xian's power. He forced himself to start the zhenqi in his body, so he drew out his sword and lunged towards Fan Xian's throat. It was a nasty and wild move, and his body had been propelled into the air as he did so. He readied himself to launch upwards onto the roof of a building and escape his dastardly evil, uncompromisingly powerful opponent.
But why would Fan Xian let him escape?
A great shadow flickered. Fan Xian was already ahead and he had launched into the air to bring down his fleeing opponent. He lifted his right hand and used it to chop Xie Bian's ankle. This chop utilised much of Fan Xian's Coffin-Breaker technique. Although the attack landed on a non-critical part of his enemy's body, it still dealt considerable damage.
Xie Bian made a grunting sound. He felt his ankle shatter with the blow. There was a pain that was too much to endure, that had now encroached upon half of his body, and it made his escape to the rooftop fail.
Because of this delay, Fan Xian was given another window of opportunity. He was able to make another move. In this short battle, he wasn't even sure of how many times he had struck his opponent. They were now both standing on the damp street, their two figures quickly becoming blurry shadows. One was grey and the other was black as they dove into each other and tangled once again.
Suddenly, many noises were heard. It went like…..
Pa pa pa pa!!!
No one knew how many punches Xie Bian received from Fan Xian in that flurry. Because he had executed his attacks quickly, his zhenqi was not depleted. Xie Bian used the defense skill that he had learnt and practised over the past few decades, and used this experience to block the incoming barrage. His sword was as sharp as the wind, and try as he might, he could still not counter and strike Fan Xian. With his repeated inability to repel his invader, Xie Bian began to feel hopeless.
The opponent's moves were too quick.
Xie Bian screamed, and with his wonky wrist, used his sword to create silver rain in order to protect his body. This was the first time Fan Xian had to slow down, and so he took a few steps back.
Ding!
He used his trembling right hand to drop his sword upon the floor. The tip of the sword was brought to a quick rest in a puddle, and the vibrating metal brought ripples and discourse to the water.
Xie Bian looked at Fan Xian's calm face from afar and felt a tremendous pain welling up inside his body. It was like there were a thousand small knives slicing and dicing up his veins. He knew that the attack from Fan Xian earlier had damaged his inner body, and the effects of the poison he had incurred were finally starting to show. His right leg could barely remain straight. Facing this opponent, who had yet to break a sweat, Xie Bian had now lost all confidence in attacking his opponent.
"Nine…" Xie Bian knew that even if he had underestimated his foe by a great deal, he would have no chance to eliminate Fan Xian. He was seeing Fan Xian in a totally different light right now, and after acknowledging his opponent's true power, his eyes conveyed a look of fear. Earlier he said the word "nine", and when he spoke, it brought immeasurable pain. Blood even spilled from his mouth.
He looked upon Fan Xian with confusion, recalling how outside the Bao Yue brothel teashop, he proudly said he could take down Fan Xian all by himself.
This statement was founded on his self-confidence and prior outlook of Fan Xian. Although this young man, whose surname was Fan, killed Cheng Jushu on Niulan Road last year, Xie Bian did not believe that a noble kid could possess a mind dedicated to the learning of combat like so, and master the technique of killing others with such masterful skill. Who would ever expect a young noble person like this could enter the ninth rank?
...
...
"...Ninth rank!" Xie Bian could not cease his coughing. But still, he was able to speak these two words. His right hand's thumb slightly moved and rubbed the hilt of his sword.
...
...
Fan Xian tapped the floor with his toes. His whole body then became like an arrow, flying forward before Xie Bian. There was a shiny black slash. Fan Xian used the dagger, that which he was most proficient with, to sever Xie Bian's sword in two, to prevent any attempt at suicide. Heartlessly, he punched Xie Bian in his temple and retracted his fist like windswept smoke as if nothing happened.
Xie Bian had fainted and crumbled to the ground into and dirty water of the street. With a splash, his crumpled body hit the deck to reveal a number of severe wounds on his body.
Fan Xian would not allow any loser to say anything or make a pose before death. And by now, the capital government's Yamen servants wimpishly arrived. The prefect of the capital government had been told of what occurred and with a shock, came running to see that which had transpired. He assessed the scene and felt a chill grasp his heart. He knew that the entirety of the second prince's plan had gone awry. Now, he looked upon Fan Xian who was smiling. No one could tell what Tian Jingmu was thinking about at this moment.
"Someone wanted to murder the witnesses. It was by coincidence that I happened to come here, to the capital government and listen-in on my brother's case. My catching sight of these felons doing this was by happenstance." Fan Xian's face spoke softly, with no look of distress. His right hand, however, continued to shake. "Luckily, I brought along a few powerful subordinates. It was because of this that their evil plans were not a success."
Xie Bian did not succeed at his suicide attempt. But to Fan Xian, he was able to capture one of the prince's eight guardians, and he was delightfully surprised at this. The eight guardians of the second prince were not a secret to the capital, and today, many civilians caught sight of Xie Bian assassinate the innocent family members. It was a wonderful opportunity to spread greater, more wretched rumors.
Fan Xian almost wanted to say "thank you" to Xie Bian, who was still collapsed on the ground.
The capital government's Yamen then established a perimeter to safeguard the area. There was nothing left for Fan Xian to do. He did not need to point out Xie Bian's identity, for he would have subordinates able to do this for him.
"I am going to hand this person over to you." Fan Xian was smiling as he looked upon the Capital prefect. "This criminal is pure evil. Please keep him under heavy surveillance."
Fan Xian was not of the mind to bring Xie Bian back to the Overwatch Council. Even if he was to admit that this entire ploy was an idea constructed by the second prince, and this information was to come from the Overwatch Council, the power of these revelations would be considerably weaker.
He then delivered the unconscious Xie Bian to the Capital government. He was actually having another idea. When he was delivered, he was made sure to be alive. If he turned up dead in the future, things would most certainly become interesting.
The capital government's prefect was a third rank officer. The Overwatch Council could not investigate him without first gaining authority from the Emperor. It was rare to obtain the opportunity to bring a person such as him down, so he did not dare to let this chance slip away.
If he did miss, he was only afraid that Yan Bingyun would say that he was too soft.
...
...
The civilians had yet to be brought relief from the horrifying spectacle. There was no doubt that what had occurred outside the Capital government office today would be a hot topic for the capital in the times to come. For the nobles who knew about this and the feud between Fan Xian and the second prince, if the Emperor did not intervene and the palace maintained its silence on the mater, then the scales for determining the victor had now been tipped to one side.
The subordinates who had concealed themselves as simple passers-by now protected Fan Xian as he returned to the Fan manor. One of them noticed Fan Xian's hand was trembling and believed that he had sustained an injury during the battle.
Fan Xian laughed and said, "It is nothing. I was just excited. It has been a few months since I last enjoyed a combat encounter such as that."
These words were honest and true. The fight with Xie Bian did hype and exhilarate Fan Xian. It almost seemed as if he was born to enjoy the task of killing others. He believed that Yan Bingyun was more suitable to be the master of the Overwatch Council, and he himself was more fit to follow.
But the shaking of his right-hand was not solely due to the adrenaline. Fan Xian slightly rubbed his wrists and from his expression that was as bright as the sun, it now became dim.
Chapter 299: There is Nothing Wrong with Watching Leaves Fall
Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio
These days, the Overwatch Council was under Commissioner Fan's wise lead and Yan Bingyun's command. They worked their hardest to unceremoniously tear the second prince's party to shreds, from the officers in his employ and all aspects of his economic beneficiaries. They took advantage of recent events, such as the Bao Yue brothel incident and the assassination outside of the capital government building. They took the battlegrounds to courts and did all they could to bring down his business, digging deep into the swamp of his soul and conspiring as best they could to make the second prince relent.
The first thing, as everyone expected, was for Xie Bian - one of the eight guardians of the second prince – to die in the capital government prison. This created an excellent portal of opportunity for the Overwatch Council's joint committee to send three decrees to the palace. The capital prefect Tian Jingmu's career was brought to a standstill while he was thoroughly investigated.
The stupid way in which the second prince sought to save himself made the Overwatch Council able to remove the pillars of support he had, one by one. Yan Bingyun had also started to use another method as well to successfully control the cut-off point for Xinyang to support the capital. It forced the Cui family to worry about a big amount of money they would be losing every day, so they had to use the money from Jiangnan to buy off a route to the north that was stopped because of Shenzhong's death. Because of all this, the second prince's income saw a steep decline.
On the other hand, it would be a big disadvantage for the second prince's party. Although there were people who were pretty good at playing mind games in his manor, they were no match to the professionals of the Overwatch Council. Compared to the advocates of the Overwatch Council, the people that the manor sent out to restaurants did not really have the power to bewitch others. Although the Overwatch Council was known to be cruel and their image was quite menacing, the populace stood firmly in Fan Xian's court. They were of the mind that the second master of the Fan family was now little more than a scapegoat for the second prince. This is why they thought that Fan Xian would strike back.
And Hongcheng… that poor crown prince of King Jing; his reputation was now low enough for others to view with disgust. Who told him to have a relationship with Yang Meng? Everyone in the capital knew that in the spring of next year, Li Hongcheng was supposed to marry the lady of the Fan family. But he employed Fan Sizhe, a fourteen year old boy, to open a brothel and make him shoulder the homicides of murdered prostitutes… Who in this world could be so obscene as to use the brother of his brother-in-law in such a manner?
Now, it did not matter if you were in the field of politics or not; you could see that the second prince and his party were being beaten badly. Their morale was at an all-time low, and they lacked the necessary power and cunning to fight back effectively. The only thing they tried to do was make use of the Imperial Censorate, which was something that the eldest princess controlled. But the efforts of those censors were all wasted. Everything that the Overwatch Council did was done under the jurisdiction and realms of authority they had been granted. Try as they did, there was nothing illegal they could find. And in regards to the nighttime assassination of the three witnesses, it was a dead-end case. Even though people could guess that it was most likely done by the Overwatch Council, there was no evidence to prove this assumption.
The Overwatch Council's stance on that assassination was made quite clear, however. Those three people were delivered to the capital government's Yamen by Commissioner Fan's family. If people said there was a problem, the ally of the second prince, prefect Tian Jingmu, is who would look the most suspicious.
As to how everything had turned out so far, Fan Xian was very pleased. It would be impossible for Fan Xian to remove the second prince from the capital entirely, but the damage done to his reputation could not be any worse. If he could weaken the second prince's power and authority to the point where he could not threaten or retaliate, and make him speechless in retribution for the damage he had done to the Fan family, Fan Xian was willing to call it even.
At this time, the scary strength of the Overwatch Council was only glimpsed upon.
The reason why this operation went well was because Chen Pingping bestowed complete authority of the Overwatch Council to Fan Xian. What was most important to note, however, was that Fan Xian's arrangements and deeds now began their conception when he was still in the north in Shangjing. At the start of autumn, Fan Xian and Yan Bingyun had already done much preparation. They delivered a decree that made mention of the relationship between the second prince and eldest princess. The Emperor ignored it, though. But this time, because of what happened with the Bao Yue brothel, Fan Xian used his anger as fuel for the advancement of his schemes.
He was like a gale force wind striking a thin wisp of cloud. If the Overwatch Council did not win this battle, Fan Xian feared Chen Pingping would leap out of his wheelchair to yell at all the little bastards for tarnishing the reputation of the organization.
…
…
The palace had been strangely quiet recent, the second prince's mother Shu Guifei and the eastern palace's prince included. Even the Empress in the palace and all the nobles around looked as if they were both blind and deaf. They were being extremely cautious, not saying much of anything out of fear. They were all waiting to see what stance the Emperor himself would take regarding this affair.
What was the Emperor doing?
News came from the palace saying that the Emperor had hired a troupe of actors from Jiangnan to visit the palace and enact certain dramas. The capital was in chaos, yet the Emperor had the time to spend the day with the Empress Dowager to watch theatre? Who knew how much money he tipped the actors, but the Emperor had been visibly happy and relaxed.
When he finally took notice of the situation of higher priority, though, he thought little of it. He didn't think the matters were worth getting involved in, and he thought they were the petty issues of youths squabbling in the capital; it was nothing new, he believed. It wasn't as entertaining as the dramas that were played for him, either way.
The people viewed this situation clearly. The officers who had stayed neutral the entire time used their heads and uncovered the truth. The Emperor cared for Fan Xian an incredible amount. After all, who was the opponent of Fan Xian? It was the second prince, his son. The Emperor was willing to sit there and let all this happen due to an unbelievable amount of favoritism.
Those people would not dare to offend the second prince, either. So they had to walk a tightrope so as not to displease either side of the battle. Like a really strong blade of grass that was unwilling to bend to the forces of the wind.
This truth made the second prince exhale countless breaths of cold air, knowing that the power he had built over the many years in the palace was slipping away. And to make matters worse, his father was turning a blind eye. This made him start thinking that Fan Xian had selectively picked a fight with him ever since his return from the north, and was it possibly at the request of others in the palace? But the second prince was an evil person, and he knew the situation was so bad that he had been pushed into a corner and he was unable to step back any further. Although he could let go of his pride as a prince and attempt to parlay and call for peace with Fan Xian, he didn't think he would accept. And the Emperor's lack of care towards the entire affair disintegrated the resolve of the second prince, making him fear the possibility that if he was not able to bring Fan Xian down, then he'd have no choice but to sit there and await his imminent doom. It was exactly as he said in the tea shop.
Under this great pressure, the second prince still managed to strike out again. The Imperial Censorates censors worked to try and impeach Fan Xian once more. And this time, the crime they could use was a real one and the evidence they had to incriminate him was solid. It was related to Fan Sizhe and even the Ministry of Personnel's shangshu Fan Jing. The snow-white decree was being delivered, bypassing the Ministry of Punishment and Supreme Court as it should not have. They asked the Fan's father and son to quit their jobs for the crime they were targeting them for. The situation that was being created was of one of a final spar. Both sides would have to go all-in to decide an outcome where either the second prince won or Fan Xian.
Today, a few dozen officers joined the movement to impeach Fan Xian. It was a greater turnout than last time. They all kneeled in front of the palace gate, but there was no rain on this day. The few dozen blue uniforms stood out far more in the palace alongside the blue stone floor, and it made the officers who were walking towards the gate shake their heads and move away; they did not want to get involved.
By the Qing Kingdom's law, the officers who were being tried for impeachment had to defend themselves. Now, the Fan family's father and son had to go the palace and present a defense before the Emperor and the people present in court. But inside the court, the second prince's party still made up the majority. It would be difficult for the Fan family's father and son to debate.
The Imperial Censorate's censors were all confident, waiting for Fan Jing and Fan Xian to appear. They thought that these biggest, most corrupt officers would surely fall and be struck down by them. This was different from the last time, though, because now they had strong evidence provided by the second prince himself. It was enough to prove that the Fan family and possibly even Liu's family had a connection to the horrible Bao Yue brothel.
The censors remained kneeling, awaiting the arrival of Fan Xian and Fan Jing. Even though the Fan family had sent away Fan Sizhe, sold off the Bao Yue brothel and had the Emperor already absolve them of their crimes, the evidence they now available would mean the Fan family would have to pay a grievous price. And so, they waited for the cocky Overwatch Council commissioner to show up and admit his crimes and lower his head in guilt and shame before them.
It wasn't only the Imperial Censorate's censors who had come to watch this either. A lot of others had shown up. While the Fan manor and Overwatch Council were really popular, how were they going to face this menacing order of impeachment? The officers wanted their level of reputation, but if they were to be pinned-down by the Imperial Censorate, it would be an embarrassing thing indeed. Everyone knew Fan Xian was a person who took reputation seriously, so the officers who had come to watch were quite interested in seeing how Fan Xian would react. Even Shu Wu, the Big Scholar, was present and full of evil thoughts. He could not wait to see Fan Xian's face turn to one of scorn and shame.
…
…
What no one expected, however, was Fan Xian and Minister Fan not showing up at all. This father and son was incredibly deft and tactical, though, and so what they did was use an obscene move. It was called the "sick leave".
Hearing this, the second prince was the first to freeze. He did not expect that the Fan family to be as wily as foxes as they were ferocious as a wolves. He did not expect them to be so shameless as to not show up and grant the second prince a chance of earning back his reputation.
The Great Scholar Shu Wu, who was hiding in the corner drinking tea in the forum like usual, spat out a mouthful when hearing the news. That day, he went to the Imperial College to have a few matches of chess with Fan Xian, he had told him, "Okay". Then, he brought chaos to the capital. And now he said he did not fancy consuming all the pawns. Scholar Shu had been tricked by the polite-on-the-surface, evil-on-the-inside Fan Xian. He was hoping to see payback justly delivered upon him today, but he did not expect for the kid to say he was sick and not even show up; the old scholar was fuming with rage.
The news about them both being sick was delivered to the palace. The Emperor, who was looking at the decree, was shocked as well, though he simply furrowed his eyebrows and did not say anything further.
The ladies in the back of the palace soon learnt about this too. They giggled to themselves about how Fan Xian was a really troublesome person, and how he did not know how to make the Emperor worry about him less. They also questioned why Wan'er took him to be her husband. In the beginning, he looked like a polite and talented person…but now? Now he looked like an obscene man.
The most disappointed people had to be the censors who were kneeling at the gate. If they said they were sick and not coming, it did not matter how strong the atmosphere was, there was no point in them remaining. Their hearts were all swiftly emptied. They each looked towards the ground and mournfully disbanded. Even their uniforms looked to be disappointed, clinging to their bodies with no care for the wind that wished to flag their clothing.
Humans eat grain to grow up; they are not superhuman. No one was immune to sickness, but the Fan's father and son had both become sick at a most opportune time, and the "illness" had brought them down quite quickly. People were actually saying they were bed-ridden, which was a little strange, especially since Fan Xian was Fei Jie's student. Although he was not an official doctor, even the royal doctors in the palace knew of their methods; so how could he get sick all of a sudden?
It wasn't just the officers in the court who did not believe it, but the civilians as well. The ladies in the palace, and even the Emperor on the throne didn't believe it. So, when the court disbanded, guards and royal doctors were led out following Eunuch Hong. He rarely exited the palace, but here he was now, leading all these people to the Fan manor. They were going to deliver the Emperor's regards and observe what sickness they were suffering from.
There were a lot of spies from the palace following this group as well, because everyone just thought they were truly sick. They believed that the Fans would not want to embarass themselves and also offend the Emperor, as it was a crime to lie to him. That would be a really stupid move.
The second prince did not understand the motive for their actions either. He was a prince, and he had grown up in the palace; he knew what Eunuch Hong would do. You could not hide anything from that man, and he would be sure to confirm whether or not the Fans were indeed sick.
…
…
Fan Xian was really sick.
This intel was confirmed by Eunuch Hong. The Emperor did not need to punish them in any capacity, and this news was spread to every corner of the capital. No one doubted whether or not Fan Xian was pretending to be sick anymore. Although Minister Fan had just gotten a cold, Fan Xian truly was bed-ridden, his body being extremely weak.
While the Overwatch Council was having an important fight with the second prince, , Fan Xian had unfortunately and suddenly fallen ill.
This news brought a lot of people emotion. They were thinking about whether or not the situation in the capital would change now because of it. After all, a similar occurrence cropped up in history. Back in the day, the reason why the general of the Northern Wei Kingdom succeeded was because the famous general Zhan Qingfeng had an unfortunate case of diarrhea for three days.
Although it may sound ridiculous, this was a real nugget of historical truth.
…
"Don't worry about anything." Fan Xian furrowed his eyebrows and looked at Mu Tie who was near the bed, appearing restless. He continued, "Just listen to what Yan Bingyun tells you and everything will be fine."
Ever since Fan Xian had returned from the capital government, he had been somewhat sick. Although it wasn't too threatening, the zhenqi inside him had become uncontrollable ever since his battle with Xie Bian. The zhenqi was messed up inside of him, and it had forced him to meditate more often, in order to quell the forces inside him. The pale face and strange pulsing had successfully tricked the smart Eunuch Hong.