316-319

Chapter 316: A Garden Tour with Unease (3)

Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio

Hong Zhu did not think that the Commissioner even knew his name. He immediately felt honored and replied cheerfully, "I am. Thank you, Commissioner, for knowing my name."

"Servants close to the Emperor can be dangerous," Fan Xian said. "Since I am the Commissioner of the Overwatch Council, I must be vigilant… besides, there was an assassin among the ranks of the eunuchs in the Taiji Palace not long ago…"

Hong Zhu was startled and did not dare to reply. Fan Xian continued, "Since the Emperor trusts you, then, naturally, I trust you too… ah yes, I heard that Old Dai is currently doing hard labor?"

Hong Zhu glanced at him and tentatively replied, "Yes, he is very miserable."

"Hm." Fan Xian nodded his head. "I'm not bothered with such things as taboo. I've had dealings with Old Dai before—he's not a bad person. I hope you will be able to help him out now and then."

Hong Zhu cheered in his heart. He had been hoping to work his way into the good graces of the official in front of him through Eunuch Dai. With this order, it meant that he had hope. He immediately replied respectfully, "I dare not forget your orders."

Fan Xian gave a slight smiled and said, "Then I'll have to trouble you. If your family ever has trouble in the future, let me know." He didn't have to make himself too clear; the eunuch should know to contact him through Yi Guiping.

…

…

In a huge coincidence, Fan Xian ran into the Great Princess of Northern Qi whom he hasn't seen since September as he returned to Yi Guiping's residence, Shufang Palace. The Great Princess was just returning from visiting the empress dowager and was now living in the palace after her marriage. She was startled to see Fan Xian seated in the wheelchair. However, as this was not the place to talk she only paid her respects and retreated.

Yi Guiping glanced at Fan Xian and commented, "You traveled all the way from Northern Qi together—why are you like strangers?"

Fan Xian was conscious at all times to make extensive allies and plant agents. How could he possibly pass up such an important person as the Great Princess? However, in front of everybody, he needed tp pretend to be less than friendly with her and so he replied, "Our statuses are not the same. Besides… there must be distance between males and females."

Yi Guiping laughed and said, "You, my child, are prettier than all the beauties… I'm not worried that you will bother others. I'm worried they will come bother you."

Fan Xian's heart jumped in surprise and he said, "Aunt, don't say such things." Turning his head, he saw the Third Prince working diligently at his studies and felt a strange anger rising. He shook his head and asked, "The Dowager Empress has allowed this?"

His tone held a sense of disbelief. Yi Guiping watched him and nodded her head.

Smiling she said, "I also only heard the Emperor allowed this today. However…this is a good thing. Why would she be against it?"

Fan Xian smiled self-deprecatingly and thought to himself, This matter is not so simple. After some thought he asked seriously, "I'm going to Jiangnan, and the Third Prince is going with me… you are willing to let him go?"

"Jiangnan has good water, good air, and good people. Why would I not be willing?"

Yi Guiping suddenly beckoned him closer. Fan Xian obeyed and leaned in. When he was only a hands breadth away from her, and could smell her orchid scented breath, it he could hear her lowered voice speaking through clenched teeth, "Take him as far from the palace as possible; take him away for as long as possible."

Fan Xian was slightly surprised. He only now knew Yi Guiping's passive plan. He shook his head and said, "Constant retreat is not a plan… besides, the Jiangnan treasury will not need much work. I am only going to have a look. I can't keep dragging it out."

Yi Guiping thought about this and saw the truth he spoke. She sighed with disappointment, "What you say is true. The Emperor would also not allow you to always be away from Jingdou."

Fan Xian thought for a moment and then said comfortingly, "The Third Prince is still very young, it is too early for you to start worrying… besides, the empress dowager is in the palace looking after her grandsons. They won't dare do anything too outrageous…" He paused for a bit then added, "After all, we are not quite the same as the other palaces. Minister Gang's words still carry some weight, and Father is not retiring any time soon… and there is still me, is there not?"

Hearing these words, Yi Guigping finally relaxed. Given how things were developing, Fan Xian's influence in the palace was growing larger and larger. The court and the palace were often two circles that affected each other. As long as she had someone in court, she and Li Chengping would have an easier life in the palace.

Having spoken to this extent, both parties had already made most things very clear—in the eyes of the happy and straightforward-thinking Yi Guiping, it was best for her child to tie himself as close as possible to the Fan clan.

"Allowing the Third Prince to go to Jiangnan with me… I hope you will give me permission for one thing." Fan Xian glanced at the Third Prince, who was eavesdropping in vain.

"What thing?" Seeing Fan Xian was very serious, Yi Guiping also became nervous.

"I'm not very good at being a teacher. You know of the students I left out in the states, their successes are the results of their many years of hard study on their own." Fan Xian spoke seriously, "I can only treat His Highness like a younger brother… at times I may not be respectful enough."

Hearing the phrase "treat like a younger brother," Yi Guiping's brow cleared and she smiled happily. She could not imagine the misery Fan Sizhe was currently suffering in the north. She nodded eagerly.

Fan Xian stared at her like she was a ghost, thinking, Why does she look like she's won the lottery? Tentatively, he continued, "Perhaps… sometimes… I'll… raise my hand to him."

"Hands, feet, it's all up to you!" Yi Guiping spoke very straightforwardly. She laughed aloud and said, "As long as you don't injure him seriously, you can do what you like."

She immediately let out a long breath and said, "You have no idea how scared I was after that brothel matter a few days ago. I know he is close to the Second Prince usually, but who knew the Second Prince, this… brute, actually encouraged Ping'er to do such things. Ping'er is so young, what does he know? He's only being used as a tool by other people… luckily you quickly took care of this matter. Otherwise, who knows how angry the Emperor would have been?"

Fan Xian smiled to himself and thought, Your son is not a kind one either. Although he's only eight, his mind is full of complicated things. He heard Yi Guiping lower her voice and say, "Teach him to be an honest man… even if he turns into someone useless like King Jing, at least he will have a peaceful life."

Hearing these words, Fan Xian was deeply moved. "Mothers are the best in the world." The lyrics to this song were correct. "A child without a mother was like a single strand of grass." His own life experiences had proved the accuracy of this song.

…

…

There was still some time before dinner and there was still no message from the empress dowager's palace. Fan Xian liked peace and quiet so he stayed at the Shufang Palace and spoke casually with Yi Guiping. They were family so there was far less taboo between them. Furthermore, in this cold Royal Palace, it seemed that only Yi Guiping's residence had some… humanity.

"Greetings to Princess Chen."

Following the crisp greetings of the serving girls, Lin Wan'er walked in rubbing her hands. Today, she wore a layered emerald silk skirt and a crimson, damask, silk coat. Two lines of fox fur embellished the openings of her sleeves; the fluffiness was very cute.

Sitting in the wheelchair, Fan Xian stretched out his hands.

Wan'er went forward and naturally, without thought, placed her hands in his warm grasp.

Fan Xian gently rubbed her cold hands and asked, curiously, "You came like this?" This outfit was green and red, the crimson deep and vivid, the emerald clear and noble. It looked very good on Wan'er. However, it was more appropriate to be dressed more extravagantly when invited to have dinner in the palace.

Lin Wan'er pouted and said, "I waited for you at home for a long time and you didn't come back. Su Wenmao sent someone and only then did I learn that you'd been summoned to the palace. I had just taken Dabao back to the manor when I was stopped by a eunuch… and brought to the palace. I first went to see the empress dowager. Luckily, some of the imperial concubines were there, so I didn't have to visit each palace. I spoke a little with them and then came to see you. I was rushed the entire time. I didn't have time to change."

"Oh right—where is Dabao?" Fan Xian was most concerned about his absent-minded uncle.

"Don't worry, Ruoruo is at home." Lin Wan'er accepted the hot towel the serving girl offered her, wiped her hands carelessly and sat herself down next to Yi Guiping. She tilted her head and smiled, "What are you talking about?"

Yi Guiping didn't rush to answer her. First, she scolded the serving girl for bringing a hot towel for the princess—what if she gets blown by the cold wind later? After this, she smiled and turned her head to relate the Emperor's plans.

Lin Wan'er glanced at Fan Xian in surprise. "It's all decided?"

Fan Xian nodded and shrugged; there was nothing he could do. Burdened by a family, it seemed that there would be interesting times ahead on the Jiangnan trip.

A eunuch came to invite the five people of eminence to have dinner at the Hanguang Palace. Yi Guiping immediately dragged the Third Prince to wash up, as well as to change her own clothing.

Taking this opportunity, Fan Xian lowered his voice and asked, "The matter I asked you to discuss with the empress dowager… how is it going?"

Lin Wan'er looked around. "You want to break the engagement," she replied quietly, "but you didn't discuss this with me earlier… you did this so suddenly, how could the empress dowager agree? Besides, I am, after all, a junior—it is not correct for me to discuss it."

Fan Xian sighed, "If Ruoruo doesn't want to, what can I do as an older brother? You're right, I did tell you a bit late. I wanted to use the Baoyue Brothel matter, while Hong Cheng is out of favor with the palace, to sort this matter out. Who ever thought it would be this complicated?"

"You can't just break a royally appointed wedding on a whim." Wan'er frowned. "You spoil Ruoruo too much."

"I have only this one baby sister," Fan Xian chuckled, "who else would I spoil if not her?"

"I think Father needs to come in." Wan'er kept her eye on the back of the room to make sure no one was listening in, and quietly said, "Have Father talk directly with the Emperor. We don't carry enough weight."

Worried, Fan Xian replied, "Even though our two families have argued, Father still likes Hong Chen a lot. Even though Hong Chen frequents brothels every day, he still doesn't think it matters. He always says that he watched him grow up and our families are close, that we can't sever the two families' connections just because of the Second Prince."

Lin Wan'er gave a tittering laugh. "In his time, father was the most famous person on the Liujing River. Of course he doesn't think this is a big deal." Having said this, she felt that it was not appropriate for a daughter-in-law to mock her father-in-law; she chuckled to hide her words.

Fan Xian was feeling anxious about Ruoruo's problem and did not laugh at the joke. Hopelessness was written all over his face. Recently, Ruoruo had made a bit of a name for herself in the Royal Hospital. Hopefully Haitang would be able to deal with it well, and at least drag out the wedding for a while.

"Why did Uncle summon you to the palace?" Lin Wan'er asked what she was most curious about. "I'm afraid it's probably more than just the issue with the Third Prince."

Fan Xian gazed at his wife quietly. Suddenly he stretched out a hand to gently stroke her jaw. He smiled and didn't say anything. Could he tell her that? Your dearest uncle wants your dearest husband to use all his power to sink your own mother into poverty?

Fortunately, at this moment, Yi Guiping and others were ready to go.

The cotton curtain was lifted and the room was suddenly flooded with light. Fan Xian turned around to see Yi Guiping and the Great Princess of Northern Qi walk out arm in arm. The two women had made themselves up with great care and skill, and beauty glowed from their faces. Their brows were like art, dignified and noble. He couldn't help but praise them in his heart. It was as if they were glowing.

The Great Princess gave him a slight smile, but walked out of the palace shoulder to shoulder with Wan'er, whom she knew from before.

The Winter Solstice was a celebration as important as New Years. On this day, the Qing Kingdom rested. The court stopped, the army rested, the borders closed, and the merchants took a break. This was not limited to Jingdou—it involved the distant Northern Qi as well. On this day, everyone enjoyed their happy lives.

It was the custom of the Qing Kingdom to eat lamb on the Winter Solstice. Up and down the streets of Jingdou, whether in spacious or cramped kitchens, warm scents floated around the pots before finding the only way out was through the gaps between the windows. In these warm scents there was the spice of peppers, the smell of mutton, the strange smells of medicinal herbs, and the sweetness of daikons. The scents all mixed and were perfect beyond compare, floating through countless courtyards and streets and forcing all who smelled them to covet them.

In the Hanguang Palace, behind the last few teapots, Fan Xian stared with a pair of sleepy eyes at the ear-shaped mutton at the tips of his chopsticks and at the mushrooms and vegetables floating in his white soup. He could not stop a sigh—truly, the mutton in the palace was not the same as that outside. The cooking was far more delicate, but it did lack a feeling of warmth.

Without tofu and daikon, how could he eat this mutton? The biggest problem was that the mutton was already warm. What was the point if he couldn't burn his lips until they were numb?

So he forced himself to finish the soup in the bowl and picked up some of the sauce-covered rice. He chewed very carefully and slowly, dragging out this boring "family feast." His eyes focused on his nose, his nose focused on his lips, and his lips wrapped around the tips of his chopsticks: he was intensely focused. The rest of his attention did not slip out of the feast; he sat and quietly listened to the conversations of the royalty, but did not add anything. He was as lonely as the orphaned wheelchair behind him.

Hanguang Palace was one of the empress dowager's palaces. It was one of the most expansive structures in the Royal Palace. Although it was very plain compared to the wastrel's palace in Shangjing, in Northern Qi, it was still very opulent. The candle light lit the interior as bright as day and sent the decorations around the room sparkling.

The various royal persons all ate quietly. No one dared to meet the gaze of the old woman sitting at the very top, or that of the Emperor and Empress beside her. Today was the Winter Solstice and everyone had arrived, including the family of King Jing, and the Second Prince who was under house-arrest. When the Second Prince and Hong Chen entered and saw Fan Xian, they were only slightly surprised, and did not rush up like shrews screaming for blood.

Fan Xian used the rest of his attention to glance up at the old woman sitting on the dais. This was his first time seeing the empress dowager. Her hard heart and methods from her early years could still be seen in the wrinkles between her brows. The tiger was old and sick, but her might remained. With her sitting on top, even the usually rowdy King Jing was a lot more quiet today.

Although he was not familiar with the person, he was familiar with this palace. He had snuck into the palace before by using incense to put everyone to sleep and had stolen some things. Remembering this, he drew back his gaze and ate some of the sauce-covered rice. From the dais there came the sound of an elderly person's weak cough.

Fan Xian lowered his head once more and said nothing. In his glance just then, he saw the droop to the old woman's face and knew that she did not have many years left.

"Young lady Chen, come sit next to me." The empress dowager looked at her granddaughter sitting at the far end of the feast, then looked at Fan Xian, who was hidden in the shadows. "Come here," she called.

Wan'er rose gently and smiled as she walked over. She leaned close to the empress dowager's ear and whispered something and then glanced at Fan Xian who was eating his rice with a forlorn expression. She was probably telling a joke to make the old woman laugh. As expected, the empress dowager laughed and jokingly scolded, "It seems that you feed him well in the Fan Manor—he doesn't even have an appetite for palace food."

Although her voice was low, the words were clearly heard by all, and everyone knew she was talking about Fan Xian.

Fan Xian thought quickly and the trace of a smile floated on his lips. He thought, Wan'er is indeed well-loved in the palace—it seems that is true. As long as the empress dowager and the Emperor like her, her position in the palace is naturally outstanding.

But he still felt a nervous. Today was his first time seeing the empress dowager. The occasional glances the old woman sent his way made him feel slightly fearful. Logically, grandmothers shouldn't even use this gaze on their wildest grandsons—that gaze was very complicated. It was one part happiness, two parts pride, three parts doubt, and the last four parts were warnings and coldness!

When the empress dowager began speaking, everyone stopped eating to hear what the old woman had to say at the Winter Solstice family feast.

"Today, most of us have gathered together… I was not well last year, and so we did not have a gathering. Today, I am also happy to see what the prince consort looks like."

Although the empress dowager said she was happy, her face was completely expressionless. She turned to the Emperor and said "It is just your sister that is in Xinyang; that cannot go on. All these daughters and son-in-laws are in Jingdou, yet she remains so far from the palace. I don't like it."

Fan Xian gave a cold laugh in his heart, and knew they had finally arrived at the main topic. The empress dowager's meaning was clear: if a prince consort like him could take part in a royal feast, why could the Eldest Princess not?

Something deep flashed through the Emperor's eyes and he replied, "It is cold now, and travel is not easy. When spring arrives, I will have Yunrui return."

Hearing these words, the empress dowager nodded with satisfaction. Fan Xian noticed that the sleeve of the Second Prince across from him was shaking unnaturally. Fan Xian thought that this brother, who has been so tormented by him, was overly excited that someone who could rescue him was about to arrive in the capital.

However… why did the Crown Prince appear so strange?

…

…

Fan Xian did not care about what was said after. Royal feasts were truly boring. He only revealed small self-deprecating smiles whenever the empress dowager occasionally brought him up and purposely let a trace of coldness into her voice.

He had once heard that when he was injured, the empress dowager had prayed for him and he also received a pearl from her as a gift. He had thought the old woman was kind hearted and felt that his hard heart was slightly moved. Unexpectedly, seeing today's scenario, it was clear he had just been making wild guesses. Ah well, then let us compare whose heart is harder. Royalty are naturally born with cold hearts, but I'm a twice born creature and my heart is not that soft either. At least, it is three-folds harder than this mutton in cold soup.

Since rulers were not acting like rulers and ministers were not acting like ministers; since fathers were not acting like fathers and sons were not acting like sons; since grandparents were not acting like grandparents and grandchildren were not acting like grandchildren: why should he care about the thread of familial blood between them?

Although he was a "poet" guilty of plagiarism, Fan Xian truly was someone who loved literature. He could not put aside the threads of pride in him. In this desolate Hanguang Palace, he actually stood straight and stiffened his back. Although he smiled slightly, his replies were not designed to appease the empress dowager. Furthermore, he would not thrust out his face to imitate being a junior for the old woman to be joyful of her grandsons. For a moment, the conversations in the Hanguang Palace appeared to be awkward and cold.

Other than the empress dowager, all the imperial concubines and princes in the palaces were very familiar with Fan Xian and knew that this prince consort was not a simple man. Making others laugh was something he was very good at, and so they were confused as to why he didn't use this family feast as an opportunity to leave a good impression on the empress dowager.

The Emperor did not react. He believed that Fan Xian was angry because his mother-in-law was soon going to be returning to the capital, and had simply forgotten himself. The empress dowager assumed that he'd been born proud, and the dislike for him grew in her heart.

Looking at the situation, the empress did not understand what Fan Xian was doing, and misgiving hovered in the corners of her eyes. Under the slightly-angry gaze of the empress dowager, Ning Cairen drank deeply, and Lady Shu pursed her lips. Yi Guiping laughed empty-headedly to make the empress dowager smile and helped divert some of her attention from Fan Xian.

His First Highness was confused, His Second Highness laughed secretly, and His Third Highness watched with admiration. The Crown Prince was not paying attention. Only King Jing guessed something of the truth. He secretly shook his head and thought, Men of words—sure enough they will show a pedantic air.

Sitting next to the empress dowager, Wan'er glanced at Fan Xian with worry.

…

...

In the cold and dark night, snow began to fall again, spilling everywhere one snowflake after another. At the corner door of the Royal Palace, Fan Xian sat in his wheelchair with his head lowered and a blank expression. Lin Wan'er was slightly worried and asked, "Husband, are you alright?"

"I'm fine." Fan Xian continued to bow his head. "I am just imitating Di Feijing."

The Tiger Guards and the Qinian Unit arrived. Husband and wife boarded the carriage and the carriage drove toward the Fan Manor. Inside the carriage, Lin Wan'er asked, curiously, "Who is Di Feijing?"

"A man who spent his life with his head bowed." Fan Xian smiled. "Let's not talk about him. Let's hurry home to eat mutton—Father and the others should still be waiting."

Chapter 317: The Snow of Shangjing City

Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio

In the northeast, about 1,200 miles away from the capital of the Qing Kingdom, was the older, brilliant Shangjing City. The snow fell heavier here, and snowflakes the size of goose feathers darted and drifted to the ground. The streets and alleys of Shangjing looked as if they were covered by a layer of pure white wool. Snow piled up on the roofs of the manors with warm stoves. Black eaves peaked beneath the white snow and the contrast appeared unusually beautiful.

At the city gates, the palace, built against the mountain, could be seen in the distance. The black eaves of the palace roofs were a deeper color than those of the people's private residences. On the mountain, layers of snow-covered trees grew from the snowy rocks, waterfalls gradually weakened to icy creeks, and the stone paths became oblique and isolated. The winter mountain and the Qing Palace seemed to have merged into one entity.

Many things had happened in Northern Qi after summer passed. The most shocking was, naturally, the assassination of the Provost of the Discipline Commission, Shen Zhong. The general who had been patrolling the streets that night, Shang Shanhu, was still under house arrest at his manor, yet the court and palace made their attitude clear.

After Shen Zhong died, countless crimes were pinned against him. His family was destroyed and its members killed. Only the eldest daughter, who had been a familiar sight around Shangjing, had been able to disappear without a trace.

The sudden death of Shen Zhong was a heavy blow for the Brocade Guards. The already somewhat-weak special forces of the Northern Qi had been undermined by the young Emperor. Having lost one of their shrewdest leading figures, they were even weaker. Even the empress dowager spoke in a lower voice.

Within a few months, all of the Brocade Guards were slightly anxious at heart. No one

had stepped forward to take charge of this yamen, and they didn't know how the court was going to deal with this. Fortunately, a few days ago, the court had finally given a clear edict. The young master of Marquis Ning, the Vice Minister of the Honglu Temple, Wei Hua, would take over the position left by Shen Zhong.

According to the rumors in Shangjing, the Dowager Empress had wanted Marquis Ning to take the position of Provost. However, she was blocked by the young Emperor. Since the imperial edict clearly ordered the Marquis' son to take the position, debate on the topic could not be avoided. Who knew if this argumentative mother and son duo had finally come to some kind of understanding and compromise?

Today, the Brocade Guard mustered their spirits and brought out the fierceness and force of their heyday, and began to carry out their new duties.

More than a hundred brown-clothed Brocade Guards surrounded Xiushui Street, letting the snowflakes fall on their bodies.

Xiushui Street was not as ordinary as it appeared. The storefronts on this street had deep backgrounds, particularly the seven stores in the middle. Those were owned by royal merchants of the South Kingdom. The two countries were currently in their honeymoon phase. Logically, the Brocade Guard was reorganizing itself and shouldn't have been causing trouble.

The development of events took everyone by surprise. Along the street, shopkeepers stood outside, rubbing their hands in the cold and nervously watched the Brocade Guards take away the wine seller. This shop owner's surname was Sheng, and his name was Huairen. He was one of the ringleaders of the South Kingdom treasury in Shangjing.

The shopkeeper of the glass store, Shopkeeper Yu, held onto the old wooden door and asked in a shaky voice, "How dare they take him away?"

The shop boy replied quietly, "They say they found a large cache of goods in Jingnan. There were no documents or even tax records. The Brocade Guards followed that clue to Shangjing and dug out this shopkeeper Sheng."

Wind and snow dove toward them, circling their bodies and fluttering away. They were brighter than the glass bottles behind shopkeeper Yu. He watched with worry the departing Brocade Guards. He knew very well about the smuggling from the treasury to the north; this was originally a deal made by the Eldest Princess. Northern Qi had always implicitly allowed it and enjoyed the benefits that lower prices brought. Why did they sudden strike today?

In Shangjing's beautiful Royal Palace, the young Emperor was currently wrapped in warm blankets. In one hand he held a cake which he brought to his mouth, and in the other he held a scroll. He was reading carefully and with great concentration.

The new Provost of the Discipline Commission, Wei Hua, looked at him carefully. He hesitated for half a moment before mustering the courage to break into the Emperor's thoughts. He said quietly, "We caught a few people… however, the Cui clan and Xinyang have given the court a lot of help up to this point. It is not good in terms of face, so following the empress dowager 's orders, those with status were released in the end."

The young emperor did not look at him, but the corners of his brows furrowed in annoyance. "Women," he said, "are soft-hearted. Since we have already turned on them, why should past affections be considered?"

Wei Hua naturally did not dare to join the conversation as the Emperor berated the empress dowager . The Emperor shook his head, and his gaze remained on his book. He continued, "It is not important whether or not we caught them. How much of the… cargo did we capture?"

"A lot." A trace of excitement glinted in Wei Hua's gaze. "Our messages were accurate. The southern barbarians didn't think we would break the old rules. They were caught

off-guard and suffered great losses."

He suddenly thought of something and hesitantly said, "This matter is a bit absurd. Even if Fan Xian had planned to rob the treasury with the Qing Kingdom's Eldest Princess he had no reason to give us such a valuable gift. Given his current power in the Qing Kingdom, he is completely capable of taking all the cargo and not letting any of it come to the north."

The Emperor still didn't look at him. He spoke coldly, "Naturally he had something to ask of me in return for this valuable gift."

"The timing is not a problem. According to messages from the south, Fan Xian acted before we did. The south shouldn't suspect that Your Majesty is working with him to split the spoils. They will only think you took advantage of the situation. Only…"

The Emperor suddenly put down the scroll in his hand heavily. He narrowed his eyes at Wei Hua. The warning in his eyes was very clear. "Only five people in the court know of this matter. I don't want it to leak out because of you."

Wei Hua was terrified. He prostrated himself on the ground and swore an oath before saying, "Rest assured, Your Majesty." Even though he was the son of Marquis Ning, in reality he was closer to the Emperor than that. He knew he was able to take charge of the Brocade Guards this time because the Emperor wanted to give him a chance. It was up to him whether or not he could grasp it.

"Is the diplomatic envoy from the Qing Kingdom still protesting?" the Emperor asked suddenly, with great interest.

Wei Hua nodded and smiled without humor. "Sir Lin cries and yells every day in the Honglu Temple. He demands justice for the Cui clan and says the court did not investigate before acting, and has forcibly seized the Cui's money and goods, an act against the law. He claims it will greatly impact the friendship between the two countries."

The Emperor raged, "Who are the Cui clan? They are the Qing Kingdom's greatest smugglers! I have helped the southern barbarians discipline their citizens, and instead of thanking me, they blame me. Sure enough, these southern barbarians don't know any etiquette."

Wei Hua smiled weakly and thought, You help another country discipline their merchants, but you are unwilling to hand over the money and cargo you captured. How is this logical? After the Cui clan incidence, Lin Wen, as the diplomatic envoy from the Qing Kingdom, did not know the inside story, so of course he was going to fight for his people.

"The most annoying part is that Wang Qinian." Wei Hua spoke suddenly; he had a headache. "Sir Lin only makes a ruckus in the Honglu Temple, but Sir Wang comes daily to the Taichang Temple and begs to see Your Majesty. He says the Cui clan are famous merchants in the Qing Kingdom, and as officials of the Qing Kingdom they must protect the interests of the Cui clan."

The Emperor was momentarily surprised by this news before bursting into laughter. Laughing loudly, he said, "Interesting, very interesting. Not only is Fan Xian himself interesting, even his trusted aids act in such a ridiculous manner… clearly it is their own master who wants to kill off the Cui clan, yet with their ruckus, not only have they cleared Fan Xian's name, they have smeared mine in passing."

Wei Hua remained alert of his counterpart in the south. Unable to resist, he asked, "Your Majesty, if… the origins of this matter travel back to the Qing Kingdom and the Qing Emperor learns of Fan Xian's actions, I'm afraid he will be very angry… perhaps Fan Xian will never be able to rise again."

During the talks in the summer between their two countries, Wei Hua learned how cold and ruthless Fan Xian was beneath the warm, elegant, and scholarly exterior. Once he had taken over the position of Provost of the Brocade Guards, he immediately considered Fan Xian as his greatest enemy. He constantly thought about how to bring Fan Xian down. Having now thought of a plan that would make it difficult for him to ever rise again, he couldn't help but celebrate in his heart and looked at the Emperor with a face full of hope. What disappointed him was… the Emperor only shook his head.

"Consider things more long term." The Emperor spoke with a mocking tone. "The cargo of the Cui clan was already within my country—why would I steal their goods? Is it because I need their money? The court has always dealt with the Eldest Princess and both parties have reaped great rewards… do you not know why we worked with Fan Xian this time?"

The Emperor picked up his book from the table and spoke softly as he read, "The treasury of the south court is about to be named 'Fan.' If you are not completely confident in destroying him, then it is best to treat him politely. My people this season are counting on Commissioner Fan… to provide, year after year, cheap goods."

After Wei Hua left, the Emperor's expression immediately relaxed a great deal. He stretched inelegantly and gave a big yawn. At this moment a beautiful woman in an elegant court dress raised the curtain and walked out. Looking in the direction of the departing Provost, she blinked and asked curiously, "What were you talking about? It seemed to be related to Fan Xian."

"Lili, you get so nervous every time you hear the name 'Fan Xian.' Are you not worried I'll be jealous?" The young Emperor pulled her into his embrace. He spoke next to her ear, "Fan Xian has moved against Xinyang in the south. I… just helped him a little."

It was much more than just a little help. The Cui clan's routes in the north had been completely destroyed and the remaining goods and money had both been completely seized by the Brocade Guard. A famous and powerful merchant clan had one hand chopped off, and the other one—which remained inside the Qing Kingdom—would,

sooner or later, be completely severed by the silently terrifying Overwatch Council.

Si Lili giggled and said, "Of course I'm nervous. Sir Fan was our matchmaker."

The young Emperor thought about it and realized she was right. If Fan Xian had not had that "strange ideam" to have grand uncle Ku He accept Lili as a disciple, then it would have been very difficult for her to enter the place given her identity.

"What are you reading?" Si Lili curiously snatched the scroll from the Emperor's hands.

The Emperor panicked and snatched it back, saying, "It the newest chapter of the Story of the Stone, which Fan Xian specially sent to me… there is only one in the world. Don't ruin it."

Si Lili's brows smoothed and she laughed, cuddled at his side asked gently, "How does Fan Xian dare… act against his mother-in-law?"

The Emperor shook his head. "That guy is even braver than I am. The internal workings of the palace in the south are far more complicated than ours, so who knows?"

Northern Qi's most precious river was the Yuquan River, which started on a mountain and ran down; it went around half of the Royal Palace and then bisected the old city in Shangjing. The further upstream you went, the closer it was to the Royal Palace, and the quieter it was.

Today, it snowed hard, and ice debris was hidden near the banks of the river. It was cold beyond comparison. Here, there was a small garden from which you could see the black eaves of the Royal Palace and the winter trees in the mountain. What would be the identity of the person who was able to live here?

At this moment, there was a youth of about 13 or 14 who was doing hard labor in the yard. The youth's face was slightly chubby and he pulled along a millstone. Gritting his teeth, he walked in a circle with the millstone squeaking behind him. His legs shook with the effort. Despite the cold weather, the back of his shirt was soaking wet. He seemed indescribably wretched.

After a few rounds, the youth could take no more and pushed away the handle in his hands. He turned his head and yelled angrily, "There aren't even any beans! Why are you making me push the empty mill? Can you not even afford a donkey?"

The person he was yelling at was, at this moment, relaxed beyond measure under the eaves of the roof, lying on a thickly-padded chaise lounge. Her eyes were bright but not eye-catching. She was currently watching the snow fall past the eaves and seemed to be day-dreaming. Hearing the youth's angry yelling, she yawned and stood up. She stretched and said lazily, "It's snowing today, where am I going to buy beans? As to the donkey… don't I have you now? I sold the donkey the other day. The chickens and ducks in the yard all need warmth in the winter. That's going to cost money."

The two people in this strange scenario were, naturally, Fan Sizhe, who had been exiled to Northern Qi, and, the most famous youth of Northern Qi, Miss Haitang.

Haitang wore a flower-patterned winter coat with both her hands stuck in her pockets. The trace of a smile flashed across her usually expressionless face. Watching Fan Sizhe she said, "A letter from your brother arrived the other day. He says for me to discipline you well."

If she hadn't said anything it would have been fine, but once she did, Fan Sizhe finally went crazy. He had been in Shangjing many days now and he had done nothing except been used for hard labor by this peasant girl. She had even given Yan'er away!

He suddenly remembered that this peasant girl had the high ground, was good at martial arts, and was clever. He had tried to escape multiple times but never succeeded. Life in Shangjing was difficult beyond compare. Thinking of all this, he squatted down angrily and yelled, "Who are you to me? Why do you have the right to discipline me?"

Haitang smiled but did not reply. She just laid down again and closed her eyes slightly; it seemed that she was going to sleep to the accompaniment of the snow and wind.

Fan Sizhe watched her and knew that if he didn't obey, he probably wouldn't have food to eat. He could only take up the handle again. He gritted his teeth and said, "You look like a peasant and you want to marry my brother! Don't expect me to accept you as a sister-in-law in the future!"

Chapter 318: Great Grandmasters, Black Market, Riddles

Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio

The snow was still falling when Fan Sizhe finally finished pushing the millstone around for the 50th time. He was breathing hard, pain was everywhere, and he felt he couldn't possible straighten his back ever again. The sweat on his face evaporated and turned white as it met the cold air; it looked as if his entire body was smoking.

"Wipe it off and then change into dry clothes. Otherwise, you'll freeze." Haitang handed him a stack of neatly folded clothes.

Fan Sizhe shook his head bitterly and walked inside to change. A moment later he

came out and yelled, "There isn't even a place to wash—what do I do about the smell?"

Haitang glanced at him and laughed, "It's the middle of winter, the things your brother made haven't been shipped to Shangjing."

Fan Sizhe couldn't help but shake his head again and. "My brother sent me north… but not for you to torture me."

"Jade cannot be made into anything without being cut and polished," Haitang replied with a placid expression. "I remember one time we were talking in the Royal Palace and Fan Xian said something that I thought made a lot of sense."

"What did he say?" Fan Sizhe asked curiously.

"'When Heaven is about to confer a great responsibility upon a man, Heaven will first test his heart with suffering, his sinews and bones with toil, his body with hunger, and subject him to extreme poverty. Heaven will fill his journey with setbacks and troubles so as to stimulate his alertness, and toughen his nature. This will eventually fill his incompetence and prepare him for the task.'"

Actually, when Fan Xian had recited Mencius' words, he was thinking of the shore of the North Sea, and the reeds in the Haitang Spring. However, Fan Sizhe and Haitang could not know a person's true thoughts. When Fan Sizhe heard this passage, he only felt a gust of cold air on his head and asked in a trembling voice, "There's… not going to be no dinner again, right?"

Haitang smiled slightly and said, "You're not eating here tonight."

As she spoke, a person outside added, very respectfully, "Second Young Master, tonight, I am taking you to dinner."

Fan Sizhe was surprised the person joined the conversation so naturally. He turned around and saw that it was Wang Qinian. Suddenly seeing someone from home made him think of all the hardships he had endured recently, and how he might be able to leave this place. Fan Sizhe became excited and started yelling strangely and rushed to the outside of the fence.

"You're coming back after dinner." Haitang lightly threw out this comment. It flew through the wind and snow and buried itself in Fan Sizhe's ears; it made him shiver and filled him with endless disappointment.

Only when he reached the fence did he turn around and yell cruelly, "I came to Shangjing to make money, not to do hard labor!"

Haitang had already returned to the chaise lounge and said expressionlessly, "How easy do you think it is to turn 1000 liang into 10,000 liang? I think Fan Xian has pushed you too hard. Don't forget, your money is with me right now."

Outside the fence, Wang Qinian gave Fan Sizhe a look to remind him that it was best not to anger Miss Duoduo. Even Sir Fan wasn't able to protect himself completely when dealing with her—what chance did he have?

Fan Sizhe sneered angrily and pushed open the gate.

Wang Qinian smiled and saluted Haitang, saying, "Miss Haitang, I'm leaving now."

Haitang gazed at him and suddenly quieted down. Half a moment later she asked, "Sir Wang, are you really in such a rush for him to take charge of the Cui clan?"

Wang Qinian's heart skipped and he could not understand how she could know about Commissioner Fan's plan. He wasn't sure how much implicit understanding there was between Fan Xian and Haitang; he could only smile weakly and reply, "Miss, what are you saying?"

Of course Haitang was very knowledgeable about the plans concerning Fan Sizhe. She smiled slightly and didn't say anything more; she simply advised, "The move has just started, don't be in such a rush."

Wang Qinian had his servants fetch a hat and cloak for Fan Sizhe to wear. It was to partially block the wind and snow and was partially to conceal his appearance. He then saluted Haitang again and readied himself to leave this piece of land next to the Royal Palace.

"Have you read the most recent letter?" Haitang was half sitting in the chair. She smiled a not-smile at the leaving Wang Qinian.

Wang Qinian paused momentarily at her words, before smiling weakly and said, "I have business at hand, forgive me Miss Haitang. Please write a few words for me in your letter, ask that Mr. Commissioner not to bully my daughter."

Haitang chuckled and thought that this Honglu Temple Northern Qi proctor, Sir Wang Qinian, was indeed an interesting person.

The noises outside the yard quieted. Haitang closed her eyes and drifted off to sleep. Today, the snow and wind whirled around each other in Shangjing; each sound pulled at the soul and the cold threatened with every passing howl. The peasant girl slept soundly in this cold and cruel environment; there was even the trace of a smile around the corner of her lips. With her startling cultivation, she did not care about the cold seeping into her body. On the contrary, it was easier for her to be closer with the environment, such as the stunning nature in spring or the cold severity of winter.

Snow drifted down piece by piece, dancing in the sky. Under the eaves, the girl wearing the flowered coat slept comfortably.

After an indeterminable amount of time, Haitang slowed opened her eyes. Her eyes, bright beyond compare, reflected the falling snowflakes and the gathering ice near the eaves. Involuntarily, a thread of joy and satisfaction flashed through them.

"Master, you have come."

The stone path on the banks of the Yuquan River outside of the yard had long been covered in a thick layer of snow. At this moment, a person approached slowly across the snow. The wind and snow seemed to have vanished in an instant and the only sound that could be heard was the person's footsteps.

The person wore no shoes and walked with bare feet on the snow, determined and sincere. In barely a moment, they had reached the front of the yard and extended a hand to lightly push open the gate. They approached the eaves and reached out a hand to gently stroke the delighted Haitang's head. "I'm here to visit you."

One of the Four Great Grandmasters, the one who was viewed by the people as a god—Imperial Advisor Ku He!

If Fan Xian were to see this he would definitely ridicule Ku He's normal appearance. He couldn't compare to Zhu Shuai and wasn't even as exciting as Ye Liuyun. Especially after he took off his hat and revealed his big, bald head. He seemed very far from the image of a supernatural being—he was only a very simple and ordinary old man. Only his pure-white clothing and bare feet announced his identity as an ascetic monk, although he had not practiced asceticism since returning from the temple.

Haitang bowed deeply towards the teacher in utmost respect, and then invited this most extraordinary person into the room. She served him tea and sat next to him on the ground, her face full of naivety like a little girl's. It was only in front of this Great Grandmaster that Haitang submitted so naturally.

Ku He's face was clear, with very thin lips, and extremely deep-set eyes. His gaze was very distant with a trace of tender love as he looked at his last disciple. He smiled slightly and said, "I have come from Xi Mountain."

Haitang's expression changed and she asked in alarm, "Did you find Sir Xiao En's body?"

Ku He slowly put down the tea cup in his hand. With the hint of a smile in his eyes, he said, "I found the bones of my old friend in a cave on a precipice."

"A precipice in Xi Mountain?"

After Ku He had returned from the south, he closed himself off and refused to go out. Some of the people in Northern Qi guessed that this Great Grandmaster had been injured but did not know whom he had fought against in that terrifying final battle in a place no one knew. Some guessed it was Sigu Jian, others guessed Ye Liuyun. Some also guessed it was the Great Grandmaster that the Qing Kingdom had hidden the deepest. No one thought that Ku He and Wu Zhu would both suffer heavy injuries.

After Ku He recovered and rejoined the world, his first priority was to carefully investigate Xiao En's movements after he returned to the country. Although this Great Grandmaster was quietly furious at the disagreements between the Emperor and his mother, Tianyi Dao took orders from the temple and rarely interfered with politics, and so could not say much. However, for this Great Grandmaster, for whom little of the material world mattered, he placed great importance on the life and death of Xiao En.

The precipice of the Xi Mountain had been searched multiple times. They did not find a body anywhere on the mountain and this became the toughest thorn in the side of Northern Qi. If that old man was still alive, then Shang Shanhu, who was under house arrest, could become powerful again.

However, for Haitang, since senior brother disciple Lang Tiao swore that Xiao En could not have survived after being stabbed by a scimitar, she believed him. Great Grandmaster Ku He had also never doubted the judgement of his first disciple.

…

…

Untold amounts of power went into searching the mountain and they left no stone unturned, yet they still did not find a trace of either Xiao En or that mysterious person. Northern Qi could not understand how there could be someone in this world who could scale the smooth as mirror surface of the precipice like a gecko.

Finally, Imperial Advisor Ku He spoke and Northern Qi angrily stopped searching. They didn't expect for this Great Grandmaster to put aside his status and personally search. Who knew how much effort it took for Ku He to finally, in this snow and wind, find Xiao En's body in a cave on the precipice?

Haitang stared at her teacher in surprise and only then noticed tiny wounds on both of his ankles. Concerned, she asked, "How did you get down from the precipice?" She didn't have time to ask about Xiao En, her focus was on Ku He's body. After all, her teacher was getting on in age and had been injured not long ago.

Ku He gently shook his head. He smiled slightly and sighed, "It was a bit difficult going down, but not impossible. It was fine as long as there was a rope. Only, I had not expected for the person Lang Tiao forced down the cliff to… escape so easily."

Haitang lowered her head and said, "Perhaps he was carrying a grappling hook or something similar?"

"There was nowhere to use a grappling hook." Ku He watched her with a smile. "You were so shocked before, so you must remember what the precipice of Xi Mountain looks like."

Haitang sighed, "I really don't understand this matter. The incident happened many months ago—have the goshawks in the mountain not eaten Sir Xiao En's bones?"

Ku He's two white-as-snow eyebrows floated up and he replied warmly, "That cave was very shallow. Logically, predators should have helped Sir Xiao En on his way a long time ago. I didn't expect to find Sir Xiao En's perfectly-preserved body as I came down on the rope. There were some dead birds next to him, but those birds had already become bones. It was only his body that, other than having lost a little water, had not rotted."

Hearing these words, Haitain was momentarily shocked, but in an instant she smiled peacefully and said, "That's a powerful poison."

Ku He nodded his head gently and very casually changed the topic. "Let's talk about the young man Fan Xian. I am very curious about him."

Haitang's heart thumped but her expression did not change at all. With a slight smile she related all that Fan Xian had done in Shangjing and knew that she could no longer hide anything. In a light voice she said, "The night Xiao En left the capital, Fan Xian stayed with the envoy but no one actually saw him. When I went the next day, he was lying on his bed… at the time, Lang Tiao thought the person he saw fall off the cliff with Xiao En was him. Furthermore, he is very skilled at using poison."

On this earth, only two people had been touched by the Temple: Xiao En and Ku He. Now that Xiao En was dead, only Ku He was left. The Emperor had suffered innumerable trials and tribulations to bring Xiao En to Northern Qi only to have Ku He try with all his power to kill him. And now, he knew that Fan Xian was possibly the last person to have seen Xiao En alive. Given how careful Ku He was about the secret of the Temple… Haitang didn't know how much trouble her words brought Fan Xian. She only knew that this kind-looking teacher in front of her was an immensely intelligent man. His topic change earlier was, naturally, to remind her.

Unexpectedly, Ku He did not continue this topic of conversation; instead, he looked at her meaningfully and smiled. He drank another sip of his green tea and said, "Your tea tastes better and better."

"Thank you, teacher," Haitang replied demurely.

Some time went by in silence. Then, Ku He suddenly said very gently, "I think I know who Fan Xian is." This comment seemed to be completely out of the blue, and Haitang did not understand what he meant; she could only stare at her teacher.

Ku He stood slowly and the trace of a mellow smile rose on his face. "Before this young man came to Northern Qi, I left for a while and was injured. I am sure you are very curious as to who in this world is able to injure me."

Imperial Advisor Ku He represented the spirit of Northern Qi and so his injury had long been hidden from public knowledge. Although Haitang knew, she had never heard the details from her teacher. Hearing this now, she suddenly focused her attention.

"It was a blind man." Ku He turned and gazed out at the wind and snow in his disciple's garden. He spoke slowly, "It was a blind man I had met many years ago and have never once forgotten."

Haitang was very shocked. She thought, For someone in this world to be able to hurt teacher is already a very shocking thing, and it wasn't a famous Great Grandmaster, it was a… blind man!

Ku He continued to speak slowly, "What was very strange was that this terrifyingly powerful blind man… had forgotten some things. He had forgotten that many years ago we had once met."

Haitang listened in silence.

"This blind man had already disappeared for many years." A smile once again rose to the surface of Ku He's face. "Unexpectedly, he appeared once again in this world and the first person he sought was me. This caused me to feel a faint pride in my long-empty heart."

Haitang was becoming more and more confused.

"This blind man had once disciplined that idiot Sigu Jian, and had once defeated Ye Liuyun so badly he gave up the sword. He ended a generation of Grandmasters," Ku He sighed. "At the time, I guessed it was him. I just didn't think he would seek me out—this was very different in style to his secretiveness of bygone years."

Haitang suddenly opened her mouth and asked, "Perhaps this blind man is that most mysterious Great Grandmaster?"

Ku He shook his head; the pair of eyes that seem to pierce through everything revealed a trace of confusion. "No, the blind man never needed those empty titles. As for the most mysterious of us four… he is probably still inside the Qing Royal Palace."

Haitang was a little confused. Since no one had seen that mysterious Great

Grandmaster, why was everyone sure he existed and was inside the Qing Royal Palace?

"The reason is very simple," Ku He smiled. "Many years ago, Sigu Jian tried three times to enter the Qing Royal Palace to assassinate the Emperor."

Haitang gave a shocked cry. She only just learned that Dongyi City's Sigu Jian had done something so crazy. However, to act as an assassin at the realm of a Great Grandmaster, the Emperor would be very hard pressed to defend himself even if he were the person with the most power in the world.

Seemingly able to guess what she was thinking, Ku He said quietly, "Everyone who

knew about this thought the same as you: they believed Sigu Jian had a high chance of success… unfortunately, he failed four consecutive times in a month. Although he wasn't injured, he also achieved nothing."

Haitang furrowed her brows and asked, "That blind man… was he not in the Qing Royal Palace at the time?" She continued to believe that the blind man who managed to injure her teacher was most likely that mysterious Great Grandmaster.

Ku He smiled slightly and shook his head. "At that time, the blind man was with the young lady of the Ye clan, repairing the treasury in Jiangnan."

"The young lady of the Ye clan?" Haitang was even more shocked. Although she was currently the most famous person of the younger generation, she knew that everyone in these insider stories her teacher was telling her was someone who was amazing, someone who had changed the shape of this world.

Ku He gently turned the conversation back and turned around to look at Haitang. "Do you understand now?"

Haitang's eyes were wide and bright; she shook her head.

"Who is Fan Xian?" Ku He calmly watched his female disciple.

"Fan Xian is Ye Qingmei's son… the son of the mistress of the Ye clan."

Haitang was stunned and very confused. Fan Xian… was the illegitimate child of the south court's Minister of Revenue—how was he connected to the Ye clan? The Ye clan? The Ye clan that once controlled the world through trade? The Ye clan that set up the Overwatch Council, repaired the treasury, and whose prestige lived on to this very day?

Ku He rubbed his hands, sat down, and sighed, "Xiao En was always locked up by Chen Pingping and so did not know of Lady Ye's identity, but I happened to know. The blind man could only be a servant of Lady Ye. The time they moved me out of Shangjing was, naturally, to make it easier for Fan Xian to act. And so, Fan Xian's identity emerged. He is a descendent of Lady Ye."

Haitang shook her head and dared to share her opinion before her teacher: "Although this reasoning makes sense, it seems a bit too forced. What if that blind… Grandmaster became lonely living in the mountain and came out to challenge you, and had nothing to do with Fan Xian being in the north? Besides, wasn't the Ye clan wiped out all those years ago?"

Before she had finished speaking, Ku He was already smiling. "One thing does not mean anything, but if you think about Fan Xian's current position in the south court, and then think about the strange going-ons in the south court since he came to Danzhou... Once you add all these details together, the truth of the matter becomes clear. Don't bandy about words like 'wiped out.' The Ye clan's old housekeeper is still alive and well. For those in the Qing court who wished to preserve a thread of Lady Ye's bloodline, it would not have been impossible to do."

Haitang laughed worriedly, and was momentarily lost for words. Teacher was right: even if Fan Xian was Minister Fan's illegitimate child, even if he was a poetic genius, and a true master, it would be impossible for him to have attained his current position given his identity. It was even more impossible for him to have the Overwatch Council in his left hand and the treasury in his right. The Overwatch Council and the treasury—weren't these the most powerful things the Ye clan had left behind in this world?

Was it possible that the gentle young man, with whom she frequently exchanged letters with, had such a complicated and wretched past?

"Previously, you repeated a poem Fan Xian recited in the restaurant…" Ku He gently tapped his female disciple who was deep in thought. He smiled slightly and said, "You only discovered through this poem that he was the author of 'Story of the Stone,' but if you think carefully you might discover that Fan Xian used this poem to express other emotions, such as anger and bitterness."

One summer day in the Century Pine Inn in Shangjing, Fan Xian was drinking with Haitang, and had recited a poem in his drunkenness:

"Stay in Qing, stay in Qing, and I will suddenly encounter my savior; fortunate mother, fortunate mother, collect dark deeds. I urge you, spend your life helping the stranded and assisting the poor. Do not love money, and be a ruthless uncle or treacherous brother! All your losses and gains are in the vault of Heaven."

On that winter day, Haitang repeated the poem in her heart and finally experienced the emotions her teacher spoke off. She suddenly raised her head, stunned.

If Fan Xian, currently far away in a hot pool in the Qing mountains, knew that this teacher-student duo had so hastily confirmed the circumstances of his birth from this little poem, he would certainly leap from the hot spring in anger and run naked all the way to Shangjing and scold them harshly. Then he would explain that Lao Cao wrote this and it was a coincidence that it somewhat matched the circumstances of his birth.

Haitang soon recovered her calm and said gently, "This matter could be of great importance or it could not matter." Since she now knew the truth of Fan Xian's birth; she could see he must have many problems with the royal family in the South Kingdom. What to do with this information was something that needed careful consideration.

"The information that Fan Xian is a descendent of the Ye clan… should be told to the world," Great Grandmaster Ku He said very gently.

"The blind man?" Haitang was feeling slightly dazed, and didn't know how to best protect Fan Xian's interests.

Ku He sighed slowly, "Although the blind man… does not seem to recognize me, I think since he purposely acted and left these clues, perhaps… he wanted to use my mouth to share this interesting information with everyone in the world." The Great Grandmaster finally came to a conclusion: "The blind man doesn't want to wait anymore; he wants Fan Xian to move faster."

Chapter 319: Who Could Kill Commissioner Fan?

Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio

The countryside was still after the wind and snow.

The scent of tea lingered in the room and floated through the quiet space. It was after a long pause before Haitang replied in a soft voice, "I understand."

Ku He didn't look at her face. He smiled slightly and said, "Didn't Fan Xian ask you for the Heart of Tianyi Dao? Give it to him."

Give it to him? The simple words stunned Haitang into raising her head. She wasn't sure if her teacher was joking or if he had gone crazy—the incomparable Heart of Tianyi Dao? That was a closely-guarded secretly; were they just going to casually handed it over to a powerful official of the south court?

Ku He smiled slightly and said, "That is something his mother gave me. It is right for me to return it to him… besides, the stronger Fan Xian is, the more of a headache he is for the south court royal family, which is good for Northern Qi. If it will both satisfy my wishes as well as benefit the country, why shouldn't it be done?"

Haitang parted her lips but remained speechless. She understand her teacher's true purpose and felt a chill in her heart.

Although the teacher and student had guessed Fan Xian's connection to the Ye clan, they did not know of Fan Xian's other identity. And so they assumed from their limited information that after Fan Xian's identity was revealed he could only be a fierce tiger within the Qing Kingdom. The Ye clan had, that year long ago, disappeared in an instant. The royal family of the Qing Kingdom must take most of the responsibility. In the eyes of Northern Qi, the stronger Fan Xian was, the more trouble the Qing Kingdom would be in, and the safer their country would be.

"Teacher, if Fan Xian isn't able to shoulder it, then what?"

All of the Ye clan's wealth had been taken by the Qing royal family as their own. Logically, once the news that Fan Xian was a descendent of the Ye clan got out, the Qing royal family would try to kill him as quickly as possible.

However, Ku He shook his head and sighed quietly, "The people who overthrew the Ye clan mostly died a dozen years ago on the night that Jingdou ran red with blood. I really cannot guess how things will develop afterwards. Does the Ye clan still have enemies hiding within the southern Royal Palace? Perhaps that blind man also wants to use this matter to force those people to show themselves."

As Northern Qi's Imperial Advisor, Ku He needed to first consider Northern Qi's interests. The kingdom of the mother and son in the Royal Palace, and even the difficulties Fan Xian would face, were not among his considerations. The old man smiled slightly and said, "With the blind man standing firmly behind him, even if Fan Xian is unable to deal with the oncoming attack, even if he failed and wanted to die, the blind man would not make that easy for him."

Using the Heart of Tianyi Dao would make Fan Xian very powerful—it seemed too risky. Besides, that comment her teacher made revealed a terrifying thing: the Heart of Tianyi Dao was originally given to her teacher by Fan Xian's mother!

"Lady Ye… exactly what kind of person was she?" Haitang was stunned.

Ku He furrowed his brows and thought deeply for a long time before replying softly, "At the beginning, I thought she was a goddess who did not meddle in the world of mortals. Only later did I discover this was not the case."

"Tianmai?"

"Not Tianmai." Ku He continued smiling. "Lady Ye was a mystical woman who far superseded normal geniuses."

…

…

After a long time, Haitang respectfully saw off Imperial Advisor Ku He. Seeing her teacher's bare feet stepping into the snow, the girl asked softly, "Teacher, Sir Xiao En?"

In the snow, Ku He's shadow paused and a moment later a soft voice said, "In the same place as master Zhuang. These two brothers were strangers in life but partners in death. It's not so bad."

Haitang lowered her head to hide her surprise. Up until now, she had not known this.

"These are the matters of the previous generation—you young people have your own world. The Heart… you need to hand it to Fan Xian personally." After Ku He finished this sentence, he stepped into the wind and snow, and disappeared. With the flip of his hat, he hid the old, bald head from view.

…

...

In a valley of Cang Mountain in the Qing Kingdom, fog rose from a patch of white snow. Dozens of beautiful crowned cranes were stretching their wings in dance, flying no more than a dozen feet before floating back down. Scared and cowardly, they stretched out their long feet and tentatively stepped towards snow-covered hot springs beneath the fog.

The temperature of the hot spring was perfect, slightly on the hot side. Fan Xian soaked, half naked, in the hot springs with his eyes closed and his neck stretched out, resting on a hard and wet black rock beside the spring. Most of his body was sunk into the water, and hid skin left out was colored a light red. Although not muscular, his arms gave a feeling of strength as they lay on the rocks.

Two slightly-thin fingers landed firmly on his right wrist. Fei Jie closed his eyes while his eyebrows twitched. His usually disheveled hair, wet from the spring water, lay tamed like never before.

Only after having been summoned to the capital did Fei Jie learn that Fan Xian had taken his whole family into the Cang Mountains for winter, and had hurried over. The teacher and student had spent today soaking in the hot springs surrounded by cedar trees. Such an enjoyment was rather extravagant.

"Your figure is pretty good." Fei Jie slowly opened his eyes and withdrew his fingers, which had been taking Fan Xian's pulse. The ominous brown in his eyes was getting darker and darker. "Usually it is difficult to see under all the clothes."

Fan Xian had also opened his eyes and smiled. "The brothers of the Third Bureau praised my figure a long time ago." He paused and then asked, "Teacher, is there a

way?"

Fei Jie took his towel from his neck and wet it in the hot spring; then he forcefully rubbed the somewhat loose skin on his front and did not say anything for a moment.

Fan Xian sighed. Seeing his teacher's face, he knew that he had no good ideas for the rapidly exploding zhenqi in his body.

"You won't eat the medicine I left for you," Fei Jie said worriedly. "Why are you refusing to accept help? If you take the medicine, at worse you will suffer a great loss of zhenqi, but at least it won't burst out."

Fan Xian shook his head. "For me, what is the difference between a great loss of zhenqi and a complete loss?"

"The difference is immense. At least you will have the strength to protect yourself."

Fan Xian laughed and his delicate face remained full of confidence. "I have many ways to protect myself… you've known that ever since I was little. I was not a barbarian who depended on martial arts to conquer the world. I have always depended on other means to be able to battle Haitang. Even if I lost all my zhenqi, I don't believe that if I ran into trouble I would only be able to wait to die."

Fei Jie stared into his eyes for a while before sighing, "You really are a strange creature. For a fighter, the importance of zhenqi is paramount. Even if you are surrounded by the Tiger Guards, and have the Sixth Bureau watching, you should still show some sentiment and disappointment."

"Those are unnecessary emotions." The teachings he had received from his uncle Wu Zhu when he was young emerged in his mind and he slowly said, "If it can't be cured then I will accept this reality. Sighing won't help the situation at all."

Fan Xian, at the Cang Mountain hot springs, did not know that in the distant north, the enigmatic teacher-student pair had already deduced his identity as though it were child's play. Furthermore, they wanted to use the revealing of this identity to cause turmoil in the Qing court and set him up in opposition to the Qing royal family.

Putting aside whether or not Haitang would delay this matter from happening, the distance between the two countries was very large. No matter how fast rumors could fly, it couldn't have made it into the Qing Kingdom yet. And so his identity as a descendent of the Ye clan was not yet Fan Xian's biggest danger, or most pressing matter. Right now he was focused on recovering the zhenqi in his body, and to cure the punctured walls of his meridians.

"Just look after yourself for now," Fei Jie spoke after a long moment of deep thought. "I will give you a new prescription to take. Also, don't throw away the medicine I left you before—it still has its uses."

Fan Xian was a little surprised. He wondered what the point was in continuing to take the power distribution medicine since his zhenqi had already dissipated. In reality, Fei Jie also didn't know what use it could do—he had just said it without thinking.

Unexpectedly, it became useful to Fan Xian much later.

"I've been at Cang Mountain for a fortnight. I wonder what's happening in Jingdou?" Fan Xian gently slapped the slightly hot water of the springs with a smile. "You have just come from the capital, tell me about it."

"Every day, you receive at least a dozen reports," Fei Jie scolded. "Why are you asking an old man like me?"

Fan Xian chuckled.

Fei Jie spoke coldly, "You used your injury as an excuse to hide here in Cang Mountain while the Bureaus moved against the Cui clan… Jingdou has long sunk into turmoil. The north has captured hundreds of people and seized millions in silver worth of goods. The accusations you pinned to the Cui clan have been made into reality. It seems that a large, dignified family is about to be toppled. You, kid, really struck hard."

"It was all the court's wishes." Fan Xian explained with a smile.

The Overwatch Council's declaration of war on Xinyang was unusually brutal and sudden, and they had struck very hard. Their spies, which were spread out across the country, had long controlled the Cui clan's northern smuggling roads. When Yan Bingyun of the Fourth Bureau suddenly attacked, they did not give Xinyang any time to react before they already had control over much of the goods and silver.

After all, Fan Xian was injured, and everyone in Jingdou knew he was recovering at Cang Mountain. Who would have thought that the ill Commissioner would strike so suddenly and harshly? This plan had been in preparation since the summer and had quietly began after they received the Emperor's implicit consent. Without proper planning, even though Xinyang had power in various states, they had still suffered a great loss.

Most importantly, Fan Xian had hidden his own thoughts deep enough. Clearly, the Eldest Princess had underestimated her own son-in-law.

"You've really offended the Eldest Princess this time," Fei Jie sighed and shook his head. "The Cui clan was one of the Eldest Princess's hands, and you have chopped it off. Are you not afraid that she…?"

Although he didn't finish speaking, Fan Xian understood his teacher's meaning. He thought for a bit and quietly replied, "At the beginning, I also had worries. However, after I battled against His Second Highness, I suddenly discovered that I have nothing to worry about. With the Emperor's implicit consent and with the great power of the Overwatch Council… who could stand against me?"

Fei Jie knew that Fan Xian was not a proud or arrogant person, and so sat quietly to listen to his next words.

"The resources in my hands are too powerful," Fan Xian sighed. "Whether it is the Princes or the Ministers in the court, none can stand against me. The Director once ordered me to aim high. I only understand now that it is not just the direction I want to take, but also a direction where I will develop this kind of confidence… perhaps even pride for my position as the Commissioner of the Overwatch Council.

"The people who can stand against me in the court today… are few," Fan Xian concluded without expression. "The court, at its core, is an organization based on strength. Other than the army, there is not another yamen who is comparable to the Overwatch Council, and the Emperor has always tightly controlled the army. Forcing the Cui clan out of the capital this time is a clear signal. Although the Eldest Princess has her own influence in the army, the Emperor moved Yan Xiaoyi out of Jingdou early in the beginning of spring. What is Xinyang going to use to compete with me?"

From Danzhou to Jingdou, adapting to the changing situation and with the influence of Chen Pingping and Fan Jian who were… comrades of his mother, as well as with the implicit consent of the Emperor, the beautiful young man had risen to unbelievable power in just two short years. Even he had never truly experienced his power until he was able to easily banish His Second Highness in Jingdou. Only then did he suddenly realize he seemed to have far underestimated himself.

As long as the Emperor's royal favor did not cease, as long as that old woman in the palace continued to give consideration for his royal blood, as long as Chen Pingping stayed retired at Chen Garden and gave him free reign with the Overwatch Council… Fan Xian would stand firmly at the top of the Qing court, and would not have to worry about anything.

Fei Jie suddenly said, "Yan Xiaoyi is in the north—did he not act this time?"

"The north camp is far away in Cangzhou. There are countless ferocious generals and hundreds of thousands of brave soldiers," Fan Xian mocked, "but they didn't have the time to react. However, some key members of the Cui clan have escaped toward the camp. We weren't able to completely block off the road to Cangzhou."

Fei Jie stared at him and suddenly smiled. "Not bad, not bad indeed."

Fan Xian finally showed some modesty. "I am only the person who made the decision. Things going this smoothly is all thanks to Yan Bingyun."

Fei Jie smiled. "In less than half a year, you have managed to pull Ruohai's precious son into your camp and have him working hard plotting for you. You… have really done well."

Fan Xian was silent and suddenly remembered Lady Shen. At this moment, she was probably in the Cang Mountain manor playing mahjong with Wan'er and others. He wondered if he should invite Mister Yan to the mountain for the winter after the Cui clan matter was concluded.

Thinking of the manors in Cang Mountain, his spirit suddenly lifted, and he made an earnest request to Fei Jie: "Teacher, please carefully consider the matter we discussed yesterday."

Fei Jie's brows furrowed; he coughed a few times and said, "You want a girl who is as beautiful as a freshly-bloomed flower to study medicine with me… isn't that too pitiable? Even if I promise you, Minister Shang would not allow it."

"Leave father to me," Fan Xian said earnestly. "My baby sister truly likes medicine, please consider it."

Fei Jie scolded, "I'm called Fei Jie, not Fei Xin."

Fan Xian laughed. He knew that if his teacher was angry, he had agreed.

After a while, a trace of worry flashed across Fei Jie's brow. He said, "Have you thought about the fact that the Director and I are both getting old? There will be a day when we will not be here."

Fan Xian was silent, and suddenly spoke after a moment, "I think, the Director must have told you that I have guessed my past."

Fei Jie nodded expressionlessly. "At least up until now, the Emperor… has treated you very well."

Fan Xian did not deny this. For the Emperor to be "generous" enough to hand him the Overwatch Council and the treasury, positions of power that were difficult even for Princes to achieve, it would be enough for most people to compensate any issue of name.

However, the problem was that Fan Xian was not originally from this world. What he wanted was actually much simpler, and how he viewed problems was also simpler. These two giant organisations originally belonged to my mother, not to the Qing royal family. You should give them to me. If you don't, then you are being shameless.

Fei Jie did not completely know his innermost thoughts, and so sighed, "The year we were in Danzhou, you said you wanted to be a doctor or a chef. I was actually very happy, but also a little disappointed. There had to be someone who could inherit Lady Ye's family business. Only, now that I see you have inherited everything from her, I feel slightly afraid. I wonder if you will regret this in the future."

Fan Xian understood. His teacher was worried that one day the Emperor might suddenly feel he held too much power and could become a threat to future Emperors. What would happen then? He smiled and comforted Fei Jie, "Don't worry. I think the Emperor will believe in my loyalty for at least a few years."

He touched the scar on his chest. The area of the scar was a little itchy and looked very ferocious today; it had turned red soaking in the hot springs.

"Don't forget, she is the empress dowager's most precious daughter," Fei Jie warned. "Furthermore, she is crazy. She isn't a match for you on the battlefield but she will use some crazy methods, like what happened on Niulan Street."

Fan Xian suddenly sank into a deep silence, and spoke after a moment, "She won't make a move with Wan'er in the other garden. As for within Jingdou… even if she is going to do something crazy, she has to consider the Emperor. If she really wants to get even, her best choice would be to kill me while I am injured as well as not in Jingdou, under the eye of the Emperor."

Fei Jie sighed, "It is good you understand this."

"I am not so easy to kill right now."

There was a tch sound, just like the sound of someone using a knife to slice apart a piece of rice paper.

Over 1,500 feet behind the Cang Mountain hot springs, on the crystalline snow between the cedar trees, a flash of brilliant red liquid suddenly flew outward and landed on the ground. It immediately dyed the snow and sank into the ground beneath it, and the color took a long time to fade away.

An assassin covered his throat and utter a choked sound before falling onto the snow.

The swordsman from the Sixth Bureau of the Overwatch Council slowly pulled back his ice sword and saluted Gao Da, who was over 30 feet away, then disappeared into the snow.

"Number seven." Gao Da's face was serious and he still carried that long knife on his back. He gave an order to his subordinate, "Move it to the back of the mountain and burn it in a while."

Gao Da was deep in thought. Recently, there had been more and more assassins trying to enter Cang Mountain to assassinate Commissioner Fan. He also knew where these assassins were coming from. Xinyang was indeed a little crazy. After the Cui clan was destroyed, they chose the most direct method of revenge… it was unfortunate they had underestimated the strength of the protection around Commissioner Fan.

Seven Tiger Guards had been given to Fan Xian by the Emperor as bodyguards.

In this battle between the assassins and guards, what was truly terrifying were the swordsmen of the Sixth Bureau. These swordsmen were originally assassins, and were the Qing Kingdom's official assassins. As they were in the snowy mountains, they were far more familiar of the surrounding environment than the assassins from Xinfang. They let none escape. After three days, although they had already killed seven assassins, they remained unharmed.

Gao Da looked at the red blood smeared on the snow and sighed. He was one of the palace guards and he learned today that although he and the other Tiger Guards were ideal for killing and intercepting, the people of the Six Bureau of the Overwatch Council were much better at assassinating and protection.

As the leader of the Tiger Guards, he knew that if these Sixth Bureau swordsmen fought against him face to face, no one would be able to defeat him. However, the problem remained that assassins… never fought face to face.

Gao Da silently thought that if the assassin leader of the Sixth Bureau tried to assassinate him, he probably didn't have any chance of surviving.

After Fan Xian was injured, the protection around him had already gone up a few levels. Particularly after Chen Pingping's great display of anger, the Sixth Bureau of the Overwatch Council acted out of shame. Straight away they placed 12 swordsman around Fan Xian's person—this standard of protection had, in the past, only been used by the Emperor when he went traveling. After the Emperor began to often use the Tiger Guards, only the Chen Garden had such tight protection.

After Fan Xian learned about this matter, he didn't make any comment and only ordered much of Qinian's group to leave, and refused to let anyone follow him into the mountain. He only left Deng Zi Yue and Su Wenmao to carry out communications. As to Chen Pingping's "anger," he treated it like a joke. The old cripple had someone stab me and then scolded his subordinates for not protecting me properly, he is truly shameless.

…

…

As Gao Da was quietly admiring the strength of the Overwatch Council, someone was thinking along similar lines. The leader of the assassins that Xinyang had sent to Cang Mountain was currently hiding in the snow in white clothing. He carefully observed everything that was happening on the mountain.

He was a soldier with a death oath to Xinyang; his life had long been given to Her Highness, the Eldest Princess. However, as he looked at the scene before him, he couldn't help feeling a chill in his heart. It had already been three days. Never mind assassinating Fan Xian, the Xinyang assassins hadn't even been able to see Fan Xian's face! The consecutive deaths of his subordinates had forced the leader to consider, for the first time, a temporary retreat.

Even if it were the Emperor's Tiger Guards guarding Fan Xian, he would have the confidence to try it. Xinyang had guessed that Fan Xian's injury was strange, and suspected that it wouldn't heal anytime soon.

The problem was in the Sixth Bureau of the Overwatch Council: the official assassins were too powerful. They seemed to have the innate ability to smell every strange scent on the snow, and could find all the hidden elements of danger. With this group guarding Fan Xian, Xinyang would only be able to kill him by sending a branch of their army up the mountain!

The assassin leader furrowed his brows and decided to slide down the tree, and return to Xinyang to report the details of their failure this time. He was very confident in his martial arts abilities. As long as he made plans dealing specifically with the Sixth Bureau of the Overwatch Council, he was confident that he would be able to kill Fan Xian next time.

His body shifted slightly and a piece of snow entered his neck. At first it was a slight cold, and then an extreme freeze.

A black metal rod accurately pierced his throat all the way through to the thick snow.