469-472

Chapter 469: Those Stupid Matters…In The Palace

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

In Shufang Palace, Yi Guipin smiled happily as she watched the two people by the desk. Fan Xian was watching Li Chengping copying out a book. No one in the Palace cared about the contents of the book. What was important was the watching and the student-teacher relationship between Fan Xian and Li Chengping.

Yi Guipin was not a manipulative and calculating noble. On the contrary, in this sinister Royal Palace, she had maintained the openness of her maiden days. Since she was pure and true, she received the favor of the Emperor and had the Third Prince.

Given the Qing Emperor's complete disinterest in the matters between men and women, after the empress had the Crown Prince, it seemed that he had not planned to have further children. Thus, it was clear how much Yi Guipin's personality appealed to the Emperor.

The other people in the Palace were the same. They always felt that Guipin, born of the Liu family, was very spirited, charming, and lively from morning to night. Seeing her made people feel comfortable. Like Lady Ning in the other garden, they were both unconventional in the Royal Palace. Only, her type of unconventional was more likable.

Thus, even though the empress dowager was not very close to the Third Prince because of the power of the Fan family and the Liu family, she didn't have anything bad to say about Yi Guipin. Everyone knew that Yi Guipin was lenient in front of the Emperor and treated everyone very generously. She never had any thought of harming others. This was the result of staying silent for a dozen years in the Palace.

However, just because she was unwilling to be calculating and had no intentions to hurt people did not mean that Yi Guipin did not have her own agenda and plans. Otherwise, back then, she wouldn't have used the opportunity of Fan Xian saving the Third Prince to have the Third Prince saluting him as his teacher. Furthermore, she would not have opened up all the resources in Shufang Palace to Fan Xian.

She understood the importance of Fan Xian to Shufang Palace. When there was no one around, she would purposely try to bring him closer. The royal family had always kept a close eye on the royal relatives. However, Fan Xian's complicated identity spanned across the three areas of a royal relative, official, and the royal family. Thus, the people in the Palace couldn't comment much on the interaction between Shufang Palace and Fan Xian.

The more secure Fan Xian was in the court, the more secure Shufang Palace's position was in the Emperor's heart.

However, when she occasionally thought about Fan Xian's power and royal favor, Yi Guipin would also feel astonishment in her heart. The Emperor showed a bit too much favor toward this illegitimate child.

Because Fan Xian was greatly favored, Yi Guipin had been cautious of various dangers, but these feelings of cautious could not be spoken aloud. She remained silent and maintained her candid charm. It was not until Fan Xian returned to his ancestors that she truly confirmed Fan Xian's intentions and felt a boundless gratitude surge up from the depths of her heart.

Thus, seeing the sight of Fan Xian and her son sitting side by side at the table made her incomparably happy.

…

…

"I heard you ran into someone earlier in the long corridor behind the palace."

Yi Guipin's personal serving girl, Xing'er, had heard a rumor within the Palace and had hurried to come tell her mistress. Yi Guipin's heart jumped slightly. She quietly called Fan Xian into a side room and asked him very seriously with wide eyes.

Fan Xian rubbed his slightly sore finger and smiled. "That servant, Hong Zhu, is becoming more and more impetuous. He saw me and didn't even bow. When he walks, his head is up so high he uses his nostrils to watch the path. I disciplined him for the Emperor."

Using his nostrils to watch the path was a very mischievous adjective. Yi Guipin couldn't resist laughing out loud. However, she immediately restrained her laugh and quietly said, "Eunuch Hong junior is very popular in the Palace right now and the head eunuch of the Eastern Palace. Furthermore, the Emperor seems to favor him and is preparing to allow him back into the royal study."

She glanced at Fan Xian. Everyone in the Palace had, through their own ways, found out everything about Hong Zhu's career advancement. They all knew that Hong Zhu was serving in the royal study and, just as he was about to climb higher, a secret memorial from Fan Xian made him lose his position. So, he was moved to the Eastern Palace.

Yi Guipin knew that Fan Xian and Hong Zhu did not get along. Now that Hong Zhu had climbed up again in the Eastern Palace and the Emperor seemed to have feelings of regret for his past decision, she had to remind Fan Xian a little. For a powerful eunuch like him, although Fan Xian didn't fear him, as an outside official, he had to take guard against the eunuchs in the Palace stirring up malicious winds.

Fan Xian shook his head and smiled coldly. "It will not be easy for a servant like this who connived with his elder brother to forcefully take over the common people's fields to return to the royal study."

She considered this for a while and quietly said, "Why bother about a servant? If he really does go back to the royal study and there is deep hatred between the two of you, it may be inconvenient. Besides, rumors are going around in the Palace that this Eunuch Hong junior is somehow related to Eunuch Hong. After all, your identity is that of a court official."

The eunuchs in Qing Kingdom had never had any status. Ever since the inception of the country, there had been strict prohibitions against eunuchs interfering in politics. Petty offenders were exiled from the Palace, while severe offenders were beaten to death on the spot. However, in the dozens of years since the inception of the country, there were always one or two exceptions. Eunuch Hong who was always resting outside Hanguang Palace, was one of those special figures.

No one knew how long this old eunuch had been in the Palace. He was deeply trusted by the empress dowager and the Emperor. Furthermore, he was a very mysterious and powerful figure. If Hong Zhu really was connected to old Eunuch Hong somehow, then even Fan Xian might need to fear him a little. However, Fan Xian knew of the reason for his and couldn't resist smiling. Yet, he could not tell Yi Guipin. He could only smile and say, "Aunt, you don't need to worry. I know my limits."

Seeing that he didn't care, Yi Guipin couldn't resist persuading him a bit more. When that had no effect, she angrily entered her bedroom, too lazy to further talk reason with this stubborn child.

Fan Xian moved closer to the Third Prince's table again and said a few words. He then left Shufang Palace under the Third Prince's reluctant gaze.

…

…

Wan'er was staying the night in the empress dowager's Hanguang Palace. No one knew how many days she would be staying. The Fan couple entered the Palace together, but only one was leaving. He walked alone under the long and heavy shadow of Shenwu Gate and looked at his blurry shadow behind him, feeling very unhappy in his heart. On one hand, he felt that Wan'er was indeed very loved in the royal family. But, on the other hand, he was silently cursing that the old woman only thought about the relationship between grandparent and grandchild and did not think of the fact that the couple had also not seen each other in a long time.

He walked out of the Palace in a bad mood and saw that the Great Prince was waiting for him with a not-quite-there smile. He couldn't help but say, without good humor, "Ever since the inception of the country, the Commander of the Imperial Army also protects the officials. Not many of them wait outside the gates to the Royal Palace like you every day. This isn't a time of war, and this is a time of peace. Who are you waiting to laugh at waiting like this outside the Palace gate?"

The Great Prince restrained his smile and huffed coldly, "What is there to laugh at about you? Do you think it's shameful that Chen'er isn't back home with you? Don't forget, that sister of mine has grown up in the Palace since she was a child. You seem to have forgotten this long ago."

After Fan Xian returned to the capital, he had seen the Great Prince two or three times. However, they were always outsiders present, so they could not speak privately. Furthermore, under Chen Pingping and Lady Ning's amiable attentions, these two brothers had already formed an alliance that did not need to be spoken of. However, the Great Prince was, after all, in a different position. He was the eldest brother of all the princes and did not want to see the Crown Prince and the Second Prince be in low spirits because of Fan Xian's machinations, so there was still some distance between the two of them.

"I can't speak much with you today. I'm in a rush to go home to get things done." Fan Xian looked at the Great Prince's expression and knew that this brave general of the army and a virgin in politics was preparing to say something to him so he repeatedly waved his hand.

The Great Prince reprimanded in a heavy voice, "I hadn't planned on disciplining you because of Chen'er's matter. However, just how are you going to deal with your woman in the North?"

Only now did Fan Xian know that his family business had come forward again. He couldn't help laughing bitterly. "I say, Your Highness, this is my family matter. Since Chen'er has married me, there is no need for you to concern yourself with this."

At the beginning, he was slightly jealous of the Great Prince and Wan'er's intimacy. Now, he took the opportunity and coldly struck back.

The Great Prince was enraged but forced down his anger and said, "Who can be bothered to manage you? It is just that wangfei said that after the New Year, you still haven't come to visit my manor and asked me to come ask you whether or not you were still planning on coming."

Wangfei was the Great Princess from Northern Qi that Fan Xian had personally escorted South. Fan Xian rubbed his head and said, "Naturally, I'll be visiting your manor, probably the day after tomorrow."

Seeing that he had agreed, the Great Prince nodded and didn't bother him anymore. Fan Xian suddenly thought of a matter and said, "I'll also bring Hongcheng."

The Great Prince was slightly surprised and glanced at him, thinking, Wasn't Hongcheng, that kid, under house arrest because of you?

Fan Xian didn't explain. He only furrowed his brow and said, "That said, do you want the manor in Yangcong Alley or not? She is a proper princess of the Hu tribe, so she can't just be left in that yard to grow mold, right?"

The Great Prince started and couldn't speak for a moment.

After seeing this scene, Fan Xian confirmed it. Back then, when the soldiers of the Western expedition were heading back to the capital, this Great Prince must have spent countless nights with Ma Suosuo, the princess of the Hu tribe. However, he couldn't prod the other party anymore, so he raised his hands in farewell and climbed into the black carriage.

…

…

After returning to Fan manor, he entered the most secretive study in the three corners area. After confirming there were no eyes or ears around, that even the Tiger Guards and servants the Emperor had hidden in the manor were, at this time, far away from the study, only then did Fan Xian spread his legs and lay very comfortably on the low couch. He placed his feet, wearing a pair of lamb wool socks from the palace treasury, toward the main door of the study and allowed the hot air to steam, making his sore feet happy.

The shoes were placed under the low couch.

The slip of paper was already held in his hands.

No one knew of the relationship between himself and Hong Zhu, not even Chen Pingping and his father knew. Even Su Wenmao, who had personally handled the Yingzhou matter did not know he was getting revenge for Hong Zhu. It was impossible for him to guess in that direction. It could be said that Hong Zhu was the deepest agent Fan Xian had in the Royal Palace.

Because of this, the two sides did not brave the danger to set up a normal intelligence system. It was very difficult for Hong Zhu to get any message out of the Palace.

Of course, the normal information from inside the Palace was managed by a few senior eunuchs that Yi Guipin and Fan Xian were familiar with, so he wasn't worried about not knowing things.

Since Hong Zhu had taken the risk to convey a message to him, it was worth treating seriously. Furthermore, the glimmer of fear he had seen in Hong Zhu when he entered the Palace last year made Fan Xian even more curious about the contents of this paper.

Fan Xian looked at the slip of paper and couldn't help narrowing his eyes. When he had reached the end, he couldn't suppress the shock in his heart and sat up from the couch.

When he had first started reading this paper, he had been unconcerned. He had felt that Hong Zhu was taking too much of a risk. After reading it, he finally understood the meaning hidden in Hong Zhu's words. It scared him so much, he couldn't stay lying down.

What was written on the paper was simple. Specific names were replaced. He used a code that he and Hong Zhu had agreed on at the beginning. Fan Xian understood it clearly.

The first part wrote about a strange habit of the Crown Prince's as he went to bed. He liked to lift the serving girls' and concubine's clothes to cover their heads and only reveal their naked lower halves.

The handwriting of the second part was a bit shaky. Evidently, when Hong Zhu wrote it he was afraid.

On it was written that in the year Fan Xian had left Jingdou, the Crown Prince's body had gradually gotten better. The venereal diseases seemed to have also been completely cured. However, his habits before bed still had not changed. Furthermore, a few times when the Crown Prince was drunk, he had faintly heard him call out "aunt" in his moment of ecstasy.

Aunt? Aunt!

If it was just these two pieces of information, Fan Xian could only confirm through this intelligence report that the Crown Prince had endless fantasies about the Eldest Princess' beautiful appearance and perfect figure. Although it was slightly perverted, for Fan Xian, who had experienced the baptism of juicy gossip in his previous life, it really wasn't much.

What really made Fan Xian jump up from the couch in surprise was the third piece of information Hong Zhu had written. There was only one line.

He said, in these few months, the Crown Prince had rarely gotten close to the serving girls in the palace and his concubines, and his mood was very good.

…

…

The last line that, perhaps others would see as meaningless, gave Fan Xian quite a shock. Although what was on the paper was writing about a tabooed subject, for those with heart, they could tell who it was talking about. Hong Zhu must have seen something or heard something but did not dare write it on the paper.

Aunt? Fan Xian walked in anxious circles in the study. His lips were slightly dry. Finally, he stopped in front of the low couch. Rubbing his hand, he turned the paper into dust. His expression was very strange. After a long time, he finally cursed in a low voice, "Do you think you are f*cking Yang Guo?"

Fan Xian was stunned, completely stunned. Sir Jing and Sir Chongma had once told him that the two filthiest places in the world were the Royal Palace and a brothel. The history in his previous life had once used the words filthy, absurd, and repulsive to prepare his heart a little, but to truly know what went on in the Palace, as the owner of the largest brothel in Qing Kingdom, he still couldn't help but be astonished and shocked.

He walked to the table at the side and picked up a cup of cold tea to drink. It quenched the feelings of shock and absurdity in his heart and calmed it with difficulty. He finally understood where Hong Zhu's terror had come from. The first reaction of any person who knew of this intolerable incestuous story should be fear that someone would kill them to keep them silent.

At the same time, he knew why the Crown Prince had been so calm recently and appeared to be so prepared. It turned out that he had the confidence to make the Eldest Princess abandon the Second Prince and turn her support to him.

But, what if the Eldest Princess was just playing with the Crown Prince's feelings?

Fan Xian suddenly thought of this and then immediately shook his head again, giving himself a gentle slap on the face. For such a major thing, what was he thinking about? Was he going to worry about the Second Prince? He had to gain the most he could from this information.

However, he couldn't stop those images in Guangxin Palace rising in his mind and gave an involuntary shudder.

He did indeed feel rather uncomfortable. For one, he mysteriously felt that it was not worth it for the Eldest Princess. How could the most beautiful woman in Qing Kingdom, whose magnificence had not declined at all, use her body as a weapon? Even though there had always been rumors in the streets that the Eldest Princess kept a number of handsome male companions, Fan Xian subconsciously didn't believe this.

The second reason he was uncomfortable was because, when all was said and done, the Eldest Princess was his mother-in-law. For that little bastard Crown Prince to be involved with his mother-in-law, what about his father-in-law in Wuzhou and the hat he would wear? And, himself…what the f*ck was he?

Fan Xian stood by the table and clenched his fist slightly. There was a completely unreasonable rage in his heart. This was clearly information that he could use to make a huge fuss with and directly bring down the Crown Prince completely. However, it could not make him happy. He kept feeling he had been greatly taken advantage of by the Crown Prince.

At the same time, he was angry about Hong Zhu's boldness. He didn't know whether or not if a corner of the paper he had stepped on had been seen by the kneeling young eunuchs. If this matter got out, it would be very difficult for Fan Xian to save him.

He sat in silence by the table for a long time before finally shaking off the absurd feeling of defeat and anger. He took two deep breaths and decided that he had to use this absolutely shocking information in the best way he could.

Only…

If he couldn't meet with Hong Zhu to talk in person and act from within the Royal Palace, it would be impossible to maximize the effect of this matter. He could hardly have the Eighth Bureau of the Overwatch Council go out again to spread rumors in the marketplace.

The Eldest Princess doing the dirty with the Crown Prince? Fan Xian did not want to brave the dangers of the Emperor and dowager empress investigating the Overwatch Council in rage and shameful anger to throw out this rumor. He had to make the Emperor or the empress dowager find out about this scandal in the Palace personally.

He made up his mind to come up with a good plan. At the same time, he had to discuss all the details with Hong Zhu that needed to be carried out before he left the capital.

Speaking of such things as plans and plots, Fan Xian, who specialized in attacks and little tricks, did not have much confidence. He immediately thought of his most capable aide and young man with floaty white robes. He immediately walked out of the study and headed straight to the carriage through the back garden. He didn't hear the sounds coming from the front of the manor for the announcement of an imperial edict.

…

…

The carriage drove to the Overwatch Council's grey-black building. Fan Xian hurriedly jumped down from the carriage. His leather boots landed in the snow piled on both sides of Tianhe Avenue with a crunch.

As he walked in, all along the way there were Overwatch Council officials who ran into him, greeted him with surprise, and made way. These officials looked at the Commissioner's sinister expression and hurried steps and wondered to themselves which major figure in the capital was going down next.

Pushing open the door to the secret room, he was not surprised to see a young official wearing plain robes sitting behind the desk next to the black cloth on the window. In the entire Overwatch Council, the only one who didn't like to wear the official robes and also didn't have the right to wear them was the current head of the Fourth Bureau, the full authority representative of the Overwatch Council, Yan Bingyun.

Fan Xian threw the cloak he was wearing on the chair and closed the door properly. He looked at the black cloth on the window and furrowed his brows. He walked over and pulled that piece of black cloth down.

The sunlight and light reflected from the snow outside immediately surged into the dark room and lit it up brightly. The light suddenly strengthened and pierced Yan Bingyun's eyes. He unconsciously raised his hand to block it.

"You're not Director Chen," Fan Xian furrowed his brows and said. "There is no need to always hide yourself in the dark."

Yan Bingyun put his hand down and involuntarily shook his head. This piece of black cloth had already been on the window of this secret room for many years and had become the most unusual part of the Overwatch Council scenery. Who dared to move it? Only the Commissioner would dare to be so inconsiderate of Director Chen's thoughts.

Fan Xian looked at Yan Bingyun's pale face and haggard expression and couldn't help but shake his head. At the moment, Chen Pingping didn't manage the Overwatch Council much, and Fan Xian also couldn't be bothered. All the matters had fallen to just Yan Bingyun. Looking at his appearance, he had probably not slept well in days. A faint apologetic feeling rose from the bottom on Fan Xian's heart.

He walked to the side of the window and gazed at the distant Royal Palace with narrowed eyes. "Why did the Director use a piece of black cloth to cover this?"

Yan Bingyun didn't say anything.

Fan Xian looked at the majestic Royal Palace in the distance and suddenly felt a glimmer of doubt for the reason he had come to see Yan Bingyun. That matter implicated the royal family's dignity and the future of Qing Kingdom. For Sir Yan, he had always put the benefit of the court as the highest priority.

He turned his head and glanced at Yan Bingyun. He truly did not dare take this risk.

Chapter 470: Seeing The Eldest Princess Again

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

Fan Xian was silent for a long time before finally banishing his idea of having Yan Bingyun plan this matter. He had to ensure Hong Zhu's safety, and he knew Yan Bingyun's loyalty to Qing court under his cold exterior. This kind of risk could not be taken lightly.

He looked at Yan Bingyun's not very healthy complexion and furrowed his brows. He turned and placed his finger on Yan Bingyun's wrist and paused.

Yan Bingyun was slightly startled, but his face remained icy and did not have any reaction.

"How is your body bad to such an extent?" Fan Xian furrowed his brows. "I've heard that it's been multiple days since you've gone home?"

Yan Bingyun casually tidied the case files on the table and replied, "There are over 30 officials shut up in prison, and every day there is someone at the Supreme Court crying their grievances. The miscellaneous matters also have to be dealt with properly. With both things, how could I have time to leave this yard?"

Fan Xian noticed the tidiness inside the secret room. Even the case files on the large wooden table had been sorted by type and placed neatly. He couldn't help smiling and said, "This room is even more comfortable than when the Director was here. It looks like you are quite used to this position."

Yan Bingyun felt a bit tired. He stretched out two fingers and rubbed forcefully at the skin between his eyes. It was not until the white skin had turned red that he felt his attention recovering a little.

"Go back." Fan Xian looked at this scene and shook his head.

Yan Bingyun didn't pay any attention to him. He just took out another file and began to read it closely with his head slightly lowered. In a quiet voice, he said, "You wanted to strike at the Second Prince and took down this many people, someone has to deal with it. You and the Director both like to be lazy, but the Overwatch Council cannot depend on a bunch of lazy people to support it."

Fan Xian heard a glimmer of resentment and, on the contrary, smiled.

Yan Bingyun seemed to be very unused to having Fan Xian stare at him working. After a moment, he closed the file and raised his head. "Although the Second prince's power in court has been completely uprooted by you, I still want to remind you of something."

"What is it?"

"You've only taken away a branch from beside the Second Prince," Yan Bingyun said calmly. "Your axe has not yet been able to strike into the thickest tree below him."

Fan Xian knew that Yan Bingyun was talking about the Ye family. The Ye family that herded horses far away in Dingzhou but was able to reach Jingdou in five days. The family that had a Great Grandmaster in it. After the Second Prince and Ye Ling'er married, it was without question that other than the Eldest Princess, the Second Prince had now gained the Ye family a large and sturdy tree to rely on.

The night attack in Jingdou was to remove the Second Prince's core officials in the court and the martial power around him, but it did not cause any loss for the Ye family. As long as the Ye family remained in Dingzhou, the Second Prince did not suffer any true loses.

Fan Xian sighed and felt somewhat helpless. He had originally counted on using the three city-guarding crossbows used during the attack in the valley to also bring down the Ye family. However, no one had expected that the Northern Qi Emperor's secret letter, his greetings from tens of thousands of li away, would force the Qing court to end their investigation. It made it impossible for Fan Xian to frame the Ye family even if he wanted to.

"We'll worry about the Ye family in the future."

Yan Bingyun glanced at him and furrowed his brows. "The Second Prince's foundations are with the Ye family. However, because of this, his current dependency on the Eldest Princess has also lowered…"

This brain that Fan Xian relied on the most let his words trail off. It pierced deeply into Fan Xian's heart. For no reason, his heart suddenly jumped as he thought of the top secret information he had learned today. He began to scent a different atmosphere. No matter whether the Eldest Princess supported the Crown Prince openly in the past or the Second Prince in secret, the purpose of that crazy woman's tricks was to ensure that when one of her two nephews took the throne in the future, they would still be under her control.

The Eldest Princess, Li Yunrui, was a powerful figure with a wide gaze. What she wanted was no small feat. The Second Prince had the Ye family as a support, so his dependency on her decreased. This meant that if the Second Prince took the throne, it would be much more difficult if she wanted to hide behind the scenes and move the controls.

Perhaps…

In a thought, Fan Xian's heart jumped a little. He immediately smiled coldly. "The Crown Prince…doesn't have much more of a future. The Second Prince will eventually be brought down."

Yan Bingyun glanced at him in suspiciously. Although the Overwatch Council never participated in the battle between the princes, this hidden rule had been broken since Fan Xian took over the Overwatch Council. However, how could Fan Xian be certain of where Emperor's favor was? The Crown Prince was a particular favorite of the empress dowager, so why wouldn't there be a chance?

Fan Xian would not explain anything to him. He furrowed his brows and said, "Send a message to Su Wenmao and Xia Qifei and have the two get ready to…draw back the net."

Yan Bingyun stared into Fan Xian's eyes and said, "The matters in Jiangnan are within our control, but if we strike down in one go…there isn't much certainty. After all, the capital is watching…unless some big change suddenly appears in the situation in the capital…"

Fan Xian smiled. He knew that the words he had unthinkingly said made the meticulous Sir Yan guess at something. He explained in an even voice, "It is only to get ready early. Even if nothing changes in Jingdou for a year, the Emperor will not be able to tolerate the Ming family matter for much longer."

It was not until he heard that this was the Emperor's wish did Yan Bingyun feel slightly less suspicious and asked, "How far back do we draw the net?"

Fan Xian was silent for a moment as his mind wandered slightly. The complicated arrangements and danger lurking beneath the nice weather in Jiangnan this year were like pictures that spun in front of his eyes like a carousel of paper horses: the heads of the leaders of the three workshops in the palace treasury, the corpses covering the little island, Ming Qingda fainting in the palace treasury, the lawsuit in the Suzhou government, the old Ming matriarch's unexpected suicide, the Sixth Ming Master going into prison and being killed, the sudden appearance of the Seventh Ming Master…

The Ming family was already a grasshopper held in his hands. To what extent it should be done still needed Fan Xian's nod.

The wealthiest family in the world is not going to be much cleaner than the Royal Palace, Fan Xian thought to himself. To Yan Bingyun, he quietly said, "Draw it back completely. Arrange for the people in the money house to act. Furthermore, a few people can be killed in Ming Garden."

Hearing the words "money house," Yan Bingyun knew that the piece they had hidden for a year was finally going to be moved. That money house that was set up in the name of the Shen family and Dongyi had actually been set up by Yan Bingyun. He knew how to use it to defeat the Ming family. However, he had never figured out where the silver in the money house came from. Looking at Fan Xian, he finally couldn't resist and lowered his voice to say, "I won't pay attention to just where the money in Jiangnan came from, but I ask that you take note, please don't let it be…Northern Qi's."

Although he heard Yan Bingyun guess it correctly in one go, how could Fan Xian admit it? He self-mockingly said, "Don't forget who my mother is. Other than the palace treasury, she has to leave me some spare silver to spend."

Yan Bingyun shook his head and believed Fan Xian's explanation. After all, everyone knew how wealthy the Ye family was back then.

…

…

Sitting on the carriage going home, Fan Xian had a sense of disappointment in his chest. It was not because he had made a pointless trip to the Overwatch Council and had not had Yan Bingyun participate in the Palace matter, it was because he had finally confirmed that for Yan Bingyun and other young, handsome, and accomplished men of his generation, Qing Kingdom, the Emperor's interests, and the glory of unifying the world were the truly paramount priorities.

Yan Bingyun had always put in his best effort for Fan Xian, but that was because everything Fan Xian did protected the interest of Qing Kingdom. However, if, in the future, Fan Xian truly changed into that role, how would he treat the Commissioner he had a deep relationship with?

Fan Xian knew that this was a necessary thing. After all, everyone lived into their own times. He had the experience of his previous life, so he was able to place less value on the differences between the countries under heaven. But, he could not ask the same of others. That request was not reasonable or fair.

Yan Bingyun's role at Fan Xian's side had always been a bit blurry. He was not part of the Qinian Unit but was Fan Xian's confidant. He had participated in most of the missions, particularly the plan in Jiangnan last year, which he had practically made single-handedly. Now that Fan Xian had clearly realized this, he made up his mind that concerning his deal with Northern Qi and the deepest secrets, he wouldn't let Sir Yan touch them, yet.

However, for the Overwatch Council mission this time, the most important and urgent problem hadn't been solved. How could they connect with Hong Zhu? Fan Xian sat in the carriage with his chin in his hands and his brows tightly furrowed.

Unexpectedly, when he returned to the manor, he heard an edict that surprised him greatly. He immediately acutely realized that tonight would be the best opportunity to confirm this matter with Hong Zhu.

The edict had not come from the Emperor but from the long silent empress dowager. Qing Kingdom used filial piety to govern the world, and the Emperor was the model for tens of thousands of people. Although this empress dowager had been silent for a long time, not a single person underestimated the true influence of this old woman.

The empress dowager's edict had come at the moment Fan Xian had left the manor. It was a special edict summoning him into the Palace. Unexpectedly, Fan Xian had secretly snuck out, so the eunuch conveying the edict had to wait the entire time.

…

…

Fan Xian tilted his head slightly to hear Lady Liu's quiet words beside his ear and glanced at the long overwrought Eunuch Yao. He couldn't resist smiling. Originally, given his ability, if he wanted to sneak into the Royal Palace, he would need Uncle Wu Zhu beside him to have the confidence to pull the wool over old Eunuch Hong's eyes and ears. Now, if he stayed in the Palace tonight—if he wanted to meet with Hong Zhu—it would be much simpler.

Furthermore, he was male, so he would certainly not be living in the back of the palace. He could only find a room at the front of the Royal Palace. It would also be convenient to do things.

But, he still didn't know just why the empress dowager was urgently summoning him into the Palace.

…

…

By the time he and Wan'er retreated from Hanguang Palace hand in hand, Fan Xian couldn't help but sigh awkwardly. It was only now that he understood why the old woman had him enter the Palace. It was to force him and Wan'er to go to Guangxin Palace to visit his mother-in-law, the Eldest Princess.

The empress dowager did not wish for her descendants to be in a mess. After Fan Xian had returned to the capital, he had entered the Palace a number of times and had always avoided the Eldest Princess. This reality made the empress dowager unhappy. She decided to use the power in her hands to fix the crack between the juniors. Taking the opportunity of Wan'er being in the Palace, she had summoned Fan Xian.

It was already dusk and getting dim inside the Royal Palace. Wan'er glanced worried at Fan Xian's expression and pouted, "I don't want to go to Guangxin Palace."

Fan Xian forced a smile and comforted, "No matter what, the Eldest Princess is your mother. You'll have to see her at least once." Although he said this, his heart was gradually beating faster.

Lin Wan'er looked at him seriously and said, "I know you also don't want to see mother, so how about we just sneak out of the Palace?"

Fan Xian couldn't resist laughing and said, "Watch the empress dowager kill the two of us for being immature little rascals."

Not far ahead of them, the palace door to Guangxin Palace was already opened a little. A few serving girls were waiting submissively outside. Accurately speaking, Fan Xian and Wan'er should be half masters of Guangxin Palace, but this strange world had long made their connection to this palace cold and odd.

Fan Xian's smiled warmly and glanced at the serving girls. His powers of observation were very strong. In a glance, he could see that these girls were like the ones when he first entered Guangxin Palace, they all had very powerful cultivations.

They entered from a corner of the palace gate and a slight wind greeted them. The wind was extremely cold. Fan Xian thought of the woman in the Palace and couldn't suppress a shiver.

…

…

"Yi Chen, come here, let me look at you."

The Eldest Princess, Li Yunrui, was waiting to welcome them outside the palace. Although she forced her tone to remain calm, Fan Xian could still hear a very faint oddness. He raised his head in slight astonishment and gazed forward only to see the Eldest Princess looking at Wan'er beside him in a daze.

Wan'er bit her full bottom lip. Her hand grasped her husband's hand and refused to let go.

Fan Xian gently patted the back of her hand, giving her enough encouragement.

Wan'er composed herself and walked forward. She bowed to the beautiful woman in court robes on the stone steps and said, in a quiet voice, "Greetings, mother."

Her voice was very low and thin. It was unnatural in an undefined way.

The Eldest Princess stared at her daughter in a daze. Her originally expectant expression abruptly calmed and she faintly said, "Have you been well recently?"

Fan Xian furrowed his brows and coughed a little uneasily. He moved closer to Wan'er side and smiled, "Greetings, mother-in-law."

The Eldest Princess looked at him. A strange smile rose to her beautiful appearance. "You still know to come visit me?"

For some reason, the Eldest Princess appeared a bit cold toward her daughter. However, she talked to Fan Xian very casually. Fortunately, Fan Xian interrupted. It was only after that the atmosphere on the stone steps relaxed a little. The Eldest Princess took Lin Wan'er hand and stood with her shoulder to shoulder on the stone steps. She gave a few orders to the serving girls in the yard and prepared to walk into the palace.

Fan Xian half raised his head and looked at the two women on the stone steps. To his amusement, he found that Wan'er and her mother did not look much alike. It was only because the Eldest Princess' secret to taking care of herself that she looked so young. Thus, when the two of them stood together, they didn't look like mother and daughter. Instead, they looked like two sister flowers.

However, although Wan'er had already married and become a wife, she still couldn't shake off her youth while the Eldest Princess had bloomed long ago and, for year after year, had not withered. She was like a blooming tree peony…eye-catching.

Guangxin Palace had long set up dinner. There were no outsiders, only the Eldest Princess and the two of them. After speaking a little during dinner, Wan'er finally relaxed a little. In addition to the fact they were mother and daughter, her gaze toward the Eldest Princess also softened lightly.

The Eldest Princess seemed to be happy with Wan'er's change. Her voice began to show a true softness. At some point, she actually sighed and faintly said, "In your eyes, I'm afraid I've been a bad mother…"

Lin Wan'er's eyes were rimmed with red and tears were about to fall. Ever since she was young, she had grown up amongst a number of Palaces. Although she was dearly loved by the empress dowager, as a girl, how could she not miss her mother? At this moment, hearing such gentle words at her mother's side, her emotions were very complicated. She didn't know what to say.

Fan Xian sat lower down. Looking at the mother and daughter sitting shoulder to shoulder, he smiled slightly. Of this pair, one was the most beautiful woman in Qing Kingdom and the other was the most beautiful woman in his heart. Looking at them, how could one not enjoy it? However, he had to gloomily admit that his wife was indeed not as pretty as his mother-in-law, particularly today.

Her beautiful appearance, red lips, bright eyes, and done up waterfall of black hair were all as before, yet there was a glimmer of rarely seen true emotion. She was not as lovable and tender as in the legends which, on the contrary, made her extraordinary beauty more moving.

The voices of the two women talking became quieter and quieter, as well as more and more comfortable.

He was not surprised by this scene. He still had belief in people's natures. No matter how crazy the Eldest Princess was, she was still a mother.

In Fan Xian's opinion, this incompetent mother was no different from those stupid middle-school girls who gave birth in bathrooms. After all these years, she should feel some remorse and have woken up to reality.

The serving girl behind him filled his wine cup. He drank it in one go, feeling the slight burn in his throat. The taste of Wu Liangye was indeed without compare. However, why was it making one feel emotional and disappointed?

His gaze on the Eldest Princess was not strange, but his emotions began to churn. He constantly wondered why such a beautiful woman would take such a path in life.

Chapter 471: Loneliness In The Palace At Night

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

The cold outside Guangxin Palace tried to thread its way inside, attempting to forcefully change the name of Guangxin Palace to a place where Chang E lived. That being the case, there were red candles to the side, fragrant warmth rising in the room, wine warming the bones, and the feeling of spring overflowing in the air. It was nothing but a vain attempt from the beginning.

Fan Xian looked at the Eldest Princess and Wan'er talking and a smile gradually grew on his face. He was no longer as cautious and awkward as when he first entered the Palace.

The Eldest Princess was just as beautiful and alluring as before. Even though Fan Xian clearly knew about the matter Hong Zhu talked about, other than shock, what he felt was a bad mood toward the Crown Prince—at least, right now looking at the most beautiful woman in the world, the young son-in-law couldn't bring himself to feel much annoyance.

Of course, this kind of feeling was already a very strange thing. He gently put down his wine cup and smiled self-mockingly, thinking, The Eldest Princess was also a pitiful person.

Those who were pitiful must also have hateful parts.

The Eldest Princess was the empress dowager's most favored and youngest daughter, and a very powerful support to the Emperor over these 10 years. Particularly for Fan Xian, under this beautiful exterior was hidden a personality like a venomous snake, a liquid that could kill without blood.

When he was 12, Fan Xian had attracted the Eldest Princess' first attempt at assassination. After he entered the capital, the other party was even more involved in dark plots, blood, and fire without any way to extricate herself. However, in these few years, Fan Xian's power had gradually expanded while the Eldest Princess' power had weakened by the day. With this growth and weakening, the Eldest Princess had long admitted that her son-in-law was truly someone worth facing seriously, and…

Fan Xian's two most direct opposing forces in Qing Kingdom were the Crown Prince and the Second Prince, but they were actually nothing more than pawns that the Eldest Princess had tossed out. Fan Xian knew clearly that, from his rebirth to now, his true enemy in this world was this beautiful woman in front of him.

The Eldest Princess was Fan Xian's greatest opponent. Thus, in the past few years, all of the Overwatch Council's intelligence were centered around Xinyang and Guangxin Palace. Fan Xian understood the Eldest Princess, perhaps even more than she understood herself.

This was a question of psychology. He was able to clearly sense the Eldest Princess' complicated thoughts about the woman back then, even to the extent that…for that strange feeling. If it wasn't so, it couldn't explain the strange political situation after the collapse of the Qing Kingdom's own Ye family.

Those who could be hated must have pitiful parts.

However, Fan Xian would not feel a thread of pity for the Eldest Princess. In this regard, he was colder and more emotionless than anyone in the world. Just like what he had said countless times in the past—only after being drunk does one know how strong the feeling was, only after death does one know how precious life was—he was going to live on. Whoever doesn't want him to survive must die before him.

…

…

"How was Jiangnan?"

The Eldest Princess stretched gently and slowly put down her wine cup. It was winter, so although they were surrounded by coal burners in the palace, the temperature couldn't really rise too high. The Eldest Princess was wearing winter palace robes that were very thick and warm, yet even this kind of clothing still could not cover up the curves of her body and constantly present charm.

Wan'er had already fallen asleep. Serving girls came forward carefully from the back of the palace to complete their orders. They then backed out of the palace and closed the palace door. Fan Xian furrowed his brows slightly but did not speak out to stop them. After all, the Eldest Princess was her mother, so he couldn't really say much.

"Jiangnan is very good. The scenery is good, and the people are good," Fan Xian smiled and replied. "If mother has time, mother should visit Hangzhou some time."

Although it was extremely awkward to say "mother," he had no other choice.

"I've been there a few years ago. Now, the scenery is the same, but the people are very different. What need is there to go again?"

The Eldest Princess left dinner. She spoke mockingly as she walked out of the palace. Her words were referring to the palace treasury that had belonged to her which had now been completely taken over by Fan Xian.

Fan Xian did not leave his seat. He paused slightly and said, respectfully, a moment later, "Living in this world, one needs to see the people as well as the scenery. The people were like flowers in water, each year it is different. The scenery in life does not change even after a thousand autumns. A person's life is short, yet they are able to witness the changes in ancient scenery. This is what I think is the most important."

The Eldest Princess paused and turned her head back to look at Fan Xian. She tilted her head slightly. A glimmer of a smile appeared on her face, "Do you want to persuade me of something?"

"I dare not do that," Fan Xian forced a smile and replied.

The Eldest Princess smiled slightly and said, "There are very few things you don't dare to do in this world. However, using words to weaken my resolution will be in vain and truly a very stupid thing to do."

…

…

In front of the empress dowager, Li Yunrui was an obedient, and perhaps even a little stupid, daughter. In front of the Emperor, Li Yunrui was a long mature, and even a little strange, helper. In front of Prime Minister Lin, Li Yunrui was a timid, and even slightly artificial, beautiful woman. In front of the princes, Li Yunrui was a gentle, and even an alluring, woman. In front of her subordinates, Li Yunrui was an extremely charming mistress who could wipe out tens of thousands with a wave of her hand.

It was only right now, in Guangxin Palace, in front of her son-in-law,, Fan Xian that Li Yunrui was nothing. She was only her true and pure self, without using any expressions and charm to hide herself at all. She merely used her true appearance to face Fan Xian.

Perhaps both of them knew that only enemies knew each other the best, so there was no need for pointless subterfuge.

Thus, Fan Xian also didn't smile warmly. He only directly said, "Time is a visitor across hundreds of generations, and all creatures are temporary. I dared not to persuade you in anything. However, I feel that life is bitter and short, but there is always a great amount of happiness to seek…"

Without waiting for him to finish, the Eldest Princess interrupted him and coldly said, "What is an immortal poet? Can it be better than a knife or two? Open your eyes and see clearly who is standing in front of you. Don't always think that a few unbearably rotten poems and showing off a few self-satisfied lines that seem philosophical can resolve all problems."

Although these words were common, the pride and disdain within appeared particularly sharp. At this moment, with no outsiders present, the Eldest Princess revealed her truest face.

"Don't always think that women are creatures ruled by feelings above all," The Eldest Princess said coldly. "In your own writings, you've also said that men are a puddle of mud. Since it is so, don't pretend to be a jewel in front of me."

Fan Xian was speechless and could only force a smile.

The Eldest Princess walked to the side of the palace and lifted the corner of a curtain. Standing on the stone steps, she looked into the darkness around the quiet Royal Palace.

Fan Xian couldn't continue sitting and could only go stand outside as well. He wanted to hear what else his mother-in-law had to say.

"See clearly who is standing in front of you."

The Eldest Princess did not turn around. The frail-looking figure in the cold wind made one feel a sense of fear, and it seemed to contain boundless crazy thoughts.

"I am not like Haitang that stupid girl," she said. "I had thought that the North finally produced a decent girl, but unexpectedly, in the end, she is still a common creature."

Fan Xian was speechless and could only force a smile, thinking, Who could compare to you? In this misogynistic world, it seemed that only the Eldest Princess dared to walk where others didn't and dared to fight with men for superiority.

Fan Xian had a faint understanding. The Eldest Princess did not think of those things as being important, Hmm…yes, it was like this. Even the heavens were going to cry.

He rubbed his head somewhat awkwardly as he faced he. He actually had the feeling of pulling back and didn't know how to react.

"You should know why mother summoned you into the Palace and granted you a feast tonight," the Eldest Princess calmly said. "You and I both know clearly, and there is no need for further discussion, that there is perhaps just a little less concealing. I don't wish to disappoint mother too much."

Fan Xian bowed low and said, sincerely, "I will follow orders carefully."

"Carefully?" The corner of the Eldest Princess' lips twitched up slowly. The red figure faintly seen in the night was particularly alluring. "I have to admit, your power exceeded my initial estimate, and you…are her son, which surprised me even more. No wonder in these two years I couldn't kill you and couldn't move you. The Emperor favors you, and the old men love you. However, it is a great pity…you are still just a stupid man."

Fan Xian smiled and said, "This is because of the secretion of hormones."

"Horror? [JW1] " The Eldest Princess was slightly startled. For the first time, a glimmer of unconvinced doubt appeared in her charming eyes, but she immediately shook off the confusion purposely created and coldly said, "You are just like your mother, always having interesting new words."

Fan Xian's heart jumped and evenly asked, "You met my mother?"

The Eldest Princess was silent for a while and said, "Nonsense! When she entered the capital back then, she lived in King Cheng's manor. How could I have not met her? It was impossible to not see her."

Having said this, the Eldest Princess gently closed her eyes and slowly said, "I liked her greatly. You could even say I was envious of her. Yet, in the end…I couldn't help but look down on her."

Fan Xian furrowed his brows and calmly smiled, "I don't think you have this right."

It was very bold of him to say this, but the Eldest Princess did not get angry at all. She lightly said, "It is so in many people's eyes. Even though I have been helping my brother since my youth and have done so much for Qing Kingdom, as long as I am compared to your mother, no one thinks I am the best one."

"But…" the Eldest Princess coldly said, "I still look down on her."

Without waiting for Fan Xian to speak, she suddenly smiled a bit manically. "Because, in the end…she died."

Fan Xian's heart jumped, wondering whether or not he would be able to confirm the final truth in history. But, the Eldest Princess' following words made him slightly disappointed.

"But I didn't die," the Eldest Princess said very coldly. "Who can predict whether or not I will do better than her in the future?"

She turned back and stared at Fan Xian with her soft like moonlight fog eyes. In a quiet voice, she said, "After all, she did not unite the world. Do you think I can do it?"

Stared down by her gaze, Fan Xian forced himself to maintain his calm and slowly said after a long silence, "When evaluating a person, territory and history books may not be used as a standard."

He suddenly thought of the letter he saw that rainy night and said, in a slight daze, "Just like my mother, although she didn't help the Qing Kingdom unite the world, who knows whether it's because she couldn't do it or she didn't disdain to do it?"

The Eldest Princess was slightly startled. A glimmer of complacency finally appeared in her defenses. With a sliver of indignation, she said, "Are things that cannot be done to be considered in disdain? Like you said earlier, life is only a few dozen years. If one wants to leave a long-lasting mark in people's hearts, if one doesn't depend on history books, what can one depend on?"

"My mother…didn't leave a single word in the history books." Fan Xian looked deeply at the Eldest Princess. "I trust that you understand why. But, her existence in this world cannot be denied because of this. Regardless of whether it is the products of the palace treasury or the Overwatch Council, they are both saying something to the world…there will always eventually be a day when the history books will be forgotten and the people and yellowing paper will be swept into the trash. True changes to this world will remain forever."

After hearing these words, the Eldest Princess was silent for a long time. She then quietly said, "That's also true, I have not produced any true changes in this world." She paused and self-mockingly said, "Other than making the boundaries between the countries in the world change constantly and endlessly expanding the Qing Kingdom's land."

"Even if you win 10,000 li of territory, when you die, you will still only need one dirt mound," Fan Xian said seriously. Although the Eldest Princess had already mercilessly mocked him countless times earlier, he still used these seemingly clichéd lines.

The Eldest Princess was no longer looking at him. Instead, she was looking at the peaceful scenery in the Royal Palace. "Your thinking is very different from most of the men in this world. There are some men that because of their timidity and uselessness would glorify the acceptance of an unpleasant fact, so what if they embrace their fate? People like you have already achieved a significant status and possibility, yet you still do not wish to accomplish goals to leave your name in history. It is truly rare to see…and moreover, it is lacking in daring."

Fan Xian smiled and replied, "Perhaps I know that I do not have this kind of ability. It is rare to see with such great skill and strategy like the Emperor."

Having said this, he glanced carefully at the Eldest Princess.

The Eldest Princess didn't look at him. She was looking around at the Royal Palace as if someone Fan Xian brought up had made her sink into a strange mood.

"I am someone who has a great desire for power." She finally opened her mouth to speak after being silent for a long while. "But, this doesn't mean that I like things such as power. I just need power to accomplish some desires. It is impossible for you people to understand these desires."

Fan Xian lowered his head slightly.

The Eldest Princess suddenly raised her hand and huffed out a few breaths of warm air. Her action was as cute as a young girl's. She smiled slightly and said, "Women can also accomplish things. This is something I have always wanted to prove. Why is it, in this world, it is always the men who use the women? Why can't women use men?"

The most beautiful woman in Qing Kingdom finally said to Fan Xian, "This is something I learned from your mother. And, I have said, I looked down on your mother. It is because, in the end, she…still couldn't avoid the ending of normal women who are used by men."

"You can go. I'm tired."

"There shouldn't be a second time for such a conversation."

Fan Xian lowered his head in a bow. He glanced at the Eldest Princess' profile and figure out of the corner of his eyes and thought about what she had said. He smiled slightly, thinking to himself, This was perhaps the normal state in the ancient battle and difficult to change battle between men and women. Even you are you not reacting after being unwillingly used by men?

The Eldest Princess calmly looked at the retreating figure and hoped that her words could plant a poisonous flower in his heart.

Immediately after, she raised her head and looked at the night sky above the Royal Palace. Her fingers rubbed together slightly as if remembering some song. She furrowed her head and wondered, Which Palace would her brother be spending the night tonight?

…

…

Without pity, stirring up any emotions, or reflection, Fan Xian directly left Guangxin Palace. Under the light of the eunuch's lantern, he headed toward the front of the Royal Palace.

His back was slightly wet but not because he was scared. Rather, it was because of some very complicated emotions. He couldn't help remembering his first scene of his first trip into Guangxin Palace when he had come to give the Eldest Princess a massage. At that time, his fingers stopped at the temples of her beautiful hair, worried at all times that he would be assassinated in the Palace.

Thinking of this now, the Fan Xian back then was very childish in politics.

Fan Xian now knew that politics was a dark, dirty, and bloody thing, and it was the most forbidden taboo in the world to touch. However, ever since his birth, he had been tightly bound to this thing. Therefore, he had to do it more completely than anyone else and hide better than anyone else.

The Eldest Princess had been very calm. But, Fan Xian knew that just like the warmer the slight smile on his face, the thicker the murderous intent in his heart. The calmer the Eldest Princess was, the crazier she was.

All along the way as he walked to the front of the Royal Palace, he looked at the slightly swaying lantern in front of him in the dusk. Fan Xian was calm to the point of being cold as he analyzed everything he had seen and heard tonight. As for the poisonous seed the Eldest Princess wanted to plant, Fan Xian had actually planted it himself long ago. However, he had simply hidden it very well the entire time.

How will the Eldest Princess go crazy? Will it be in the way that his father-in-law in Wuzhou had guessed? Fan Xian still did not understand. Where was he to find this kind of opportunity? He suddenly remembered that through the entire night, the Eldest Princess had not brought up Lin Ruofu, far away in Wuzhou, at all.

Given Fan Xian's understanding of that part of the past, he didn't think the Eldest Princess felt nothing toward Prime Minister Lin. Tonight was indeed very strange. It looked like this woman had truly changed somewhat recently.

"Substitute item?"

Fan Xian furrowed his brows and muttered quietly to himself. He and the Second Prince did look a bit alike. what was strange was that neither of them looked like the Emperor. On the contrary, it was the somewhat weak Crown Prince that looked very similar to the Emperor.

"Sir, what item?" The eunuch leading him on the path asked him in a fawning way.

Fan Xian smiled and said, "Trash item."

There were special places for resting in the Royal Palace, and they were some distance from the inner palace.

A dozen years ago, when the Emperor was busy with state affairs, he would often work through the night. At the time, the Prime Minister and officials also had to wait in the Palace, often with no time to return to their manors. So, the Emperor had given a special edict to make room in an area at the front of the Palace for these officials to rest in.

However, now that Qing Kingdom was in a time of peace and, for now, there were no troubles on the borders, it was no longer as busy as it once was. So, this area had been quiet for a long time. Until Fan Xian moved in.

In very little time, Fan Xian had already left the manor and, using the shadows from the high palace walls, was moving as silently as a ghost. He grabbed a handful of snow below the palace wall and carefully wiped away the faint scent of the sleeping powder on his hand. Increasing his speed, he made his way toward the nine pines.

It was indeed a dangerous thing to move along through the palace at night, but Fan Xian knew if he truly followed common sense, he would move when it was deep in the night and people were quiet. In reality, that was when the security in the Palace was the tightest.

Although it was night time, many people in the Palace had not yet gone to sleep. Thus, it was relatively safe for unexpected night movements.

His target was one corner of the Royal Palace, beside the laundry workshop near the nine pines. This area was still within the territory of the royal palace. It was where the laundry workshop was when the Royal Palace was first built. However, as the number of eunuchs in the Palace increased, a number of living quarters were built along the laundry workshop and it gradually became the living quarters of the eunuchs.

There was also a guarded entrance leading to the outside of the Palace by the laundry workshop. Although it was still guarded by imperial guards, it was, after all, where the eunuchs and serving girls lived, so the atmosphere was very chaotic. It was much more loosely guarded than other places. Officials who braved the danger to send gifts to concubines in the Palace also often passed by this place.

Fan Xian and his connection to Shufang Palace went almost completely by this channel.

But, he didn't want to sneak out of the Royal Palace. Rather, he was going to meet someone: Hong Zhu.

…

…

The buildings around the laundry workshop were very messy and without order. Between the high palace walls and the red walls within, there were countless little rooms densely packed into a large area. By the light shining down from the night sky, it appeared inky black and was very much like the poor areas of Jingdou. Compared to the sumptuous and imposing palaces the nobility lived in, it appeared very wretched, but it didn't have the terrible sense of loneliness.

[JW1] The Eldest Princess is repeating part of the sound of "hormone" as it doesn't exist in her time.

Chapter 472: Oh, Tears

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

Qing Kingdom's royal family had always managed the eunuchs strictly. Among the many rules, there was an immovable one that strictly forbade the eunuchs purchasing homes outside the Palace. For one, this was to ensure the privacy and safety of the nobles living inside the Royal Palace and made it more convenient for the imperial guards to control them. For two, it was to prevent the major eunuchs, who had the wealth to purchase homes, from colluding with court officials.

However, the important eunuchs never had a lack of funds at hand. Since they were unable to purchase manors and homes outside, they could only put their efforts into where they lived now. Therefore, around this laundry workshop, which looked like the slums, one could still find a dozen ostentatious mansions.

The powerful eunuchs' single-doored yards stood proudly and quietly within the ruckus around the laundry workshop.

The night was already late as Hong Zhu settled the matters in the Eastern Palace. He knelt in farewell separately to the empress and the Crown Prince then, leading a few trusted young eunuchs, he headed to the laundry workshop.

Not long after leaving the internal palace, his trusted aides brought out a bamboo sedan chair from somewhere and invited him to sit in it.

Within the inner palace, Hong Zhu didn't have the boldness to put on airs. But, after leaving the internal palace, he would not reject these kinds of luxuries. However, sitting in the swaying sedan chair tonight, the color of his face was not very good. The eye-piercing red spots shrunk in the icy cold, and his mood was also rather gloomy.

He forcefully hid the fear and unease in his eyes and talked a bit with the eunuchs beside him as well as scolded them a little, asking them to make sure they serve the two in the Eastern Palace well. The fear in his heart subsided slightly because of his scolding, which made him feel slightly more at ease.

Entering his own little courtyard, he muttered something and then entered his room. He sat down on the woven chair beside the fire. This woven chair was of the same style as the one old Eunuch Hong sunbathed on in Hanguang Palace. He had had it specially made.

Every time a eunuch came into this courtyard to handle some business, they would see this woven chair and think of the connection between young Eunuch Hong and old Eunuch Hong and feel fear and respect in their hearts.

Hong Zhu was very proud of this idea of his. He sat in his woven chair with his left hand wrapped around a hot teapot, which he sipped at slowly, while a 13 or 14-year-old eunuch respectfully knelt on the ground and helped him take off his boots and brought him hot water to soak his feet in.

Feeling the small hands rubbing carefully over his feet in the wooden tub, Hong Zhu felt a very strange feeling. It was somewhat content, somewhat proud, and a bit sad. In the past, his family had been a gentry family and produced a number of successful examination candidates. However, they were ruined by that official, which resulted in his later life becoming like what it was now. If it weren't for that tragedy, given his age, he would probably have passed the spring examinations and began his official career.

Every time he thought of this matter, he couldn't help feeling gloomy, then anger, and then sincere gratitude toward Sir Fan junior outside of the Palace.

Hong Zhu was not one to be ungrateful to a friend. As they say, a gentleman will die for their friend. He had always thought, although he no longer had that thing between his legs, his heart was still that of a gentleman.

His finger slowly rubbed across the rough surface of his yixing clay teapot, but his mind was not on this amazing texture. He thought of the matter he had taken a risk to tell Sir Fan junior. He didn't know what disaster this matter would bring him. He had been frightened for many days. It was not until Sir Fan junior had returned to the capital that he felt slightly more confident. He would just hand this terrifying thing to Sir Fan junior to deal with. Perhaps he could obtain some benefits from within it or it could be considered that he had returned some of his debt. Everything would be fine, as long as it didn't implicate him.

Hong Zhu's finger suddenly shook. He extended his tongue to wet his lips that were dry because of his nervousness. In a dry voice, he said, "You can go. I'm a bit tired. If there isn't any trouble, don't disturb me."

After the 13- or 14-year-old little eunuch with delicate brows took out a dry cloth and helped little Eunuch Hong dry his feet, he chuckled and said, "Sir, do you want me to call Xiu'er to come give you a massage?"

Hearing these words, Hong Zhu started slightly. He immediately thought of the serving girl's soft body and fragrant tongue. A warmth began to flow through his lower abdomen. As it was unable to flow anywhere, his face grew dark. Additionally, he was also afraid that these words would be heard by that person in the room, so he scolded in embarrassment and anger, "Get out! What Xiu'er and Xing'er are you talking about?"

The little eunuch didn't understand why he was angry. With a sorrowful expression, he left the room and carefully closed both the room door and courtyard door then went to his own room to sleep.

…

…

"Xing'er…that is Yi Guipin's personal serving girl, you even dare to think about her?" Fan Xian walked out from inside and laughingly scolded. "Look at the life you're having. It's even more comfortable than mine. You are also gradually becoming more daring."

Hong Zhu wore a pained expression and said, "Don't shame me. I'm really not very brave…" He glanced at Fan Xian probingly and smiled. "Besides, isn't Xing'er one of yours?"

Fan Xian jumped in shock and scolded him in a low voice, "Go die! How are you say such absurd things."

Hong Zhu smiled apologetically and closed his mouth.

This little courtyard was to the southwest of the laundry workshop. The area was relatively peaceful. Earlier, Fan Xian had circulated his zhenqi and listened, so there shouldn't be anyone around listening in. It should be quite safe and convenient to talk. He was afraid that Hong Zhu might be too frightened of that matter, so the first time he spoke, he opened with a mischievous joke.

He sat at the corner of the fire pit. At this angle, the light in the room wouldn't be able to cast his shadow to the outside of the room.

Hong Zhu carefully looked around. Pitching his voice low, he said, "Sir, I knew you were staying in the Palace tonight so I guessed you would come. However…it isn't safe here either. You should leave quickly."

Fan Xian nodded and glanced at him. In a low voice, he asked, "Are you sure?"

The color of Hong Zhu's face changed immediately, and his lips shook for a while. He glanced around fearfully and nodded after a while.

"Keep this matter to yourself, and don't tell anymore." Although Fan Xian knew that Hong Zhu wouldn't be so stupid, he still reminded him worriedly. He furrowed his brows and said, "Even if it burns in your heart, don't say anything. When you're sleeping, it's best if there is no one next to you…not even that Xiu'er."

Hong Zhu shivered and thought, F*ck, isn't this too extreme? Who can control what they say in their dreams?

Actually, at this moment, Fan Xian was also a bit annoyed about how to change this hot potato that was burning his hand to a rock that could hit others. There were just too many things to consider in between. His visit to Hong Zhu tonight was mainly to confirm the matter in person. As for the later plans, he could not act rashly immediately.

After being silent for a while, he said, in a low voice, "No matter what we do, you have to remember one thing. You must first remove yourself from this matter. Don't let anyone notice that you are related to this matter."

"This is the first condition." Fan Xian said seriously. "If there is even a glimmer of possibility that it could implicate you, then we won't act."

Hong Zhu nodded silently. He had long been aware that having passed this information to Sir Fan junior, he would certainly use this importation and be an important part of the other party's plan. From the very beginning, he had given his meager life to Fan Xian. To use his life to return to favor of a dozen lives in his tribe, it was worth it. Hearing Fan Xian being considerate of his safety, he felt very moved.

The candlelight in the room swayed, and the shadows blurred.

Fan Xian called Hong Zhu to his side and quietly said something into his ear. The longer Hong Zhu listened, the brighter his eyes grew. However, that brightness still could not hide his fear and terror, except this fear and terror could not overwhelm the beneficial returns in the future.

Just like court officials, the eunuchs in the Palace had to secretly place their bets with a family, particularly eunuchs like Hong Zhu who had already risen to a certain station.

From over a year ago, because of Fan Xian's actions in secret, Hong Zhu had already, without any other choice, come down on his side, on the side of Shufang Palace.

"Right now, the communication between us is not convenient. We have to find another way." After delegating some matters, he furrowed his brows and said, "We can't go through a middle person. There are also some details I have to go back and think about carefully. Before I return to Jiangnan, we have to meet up again. Which day can you leave the Palace in the first month?"

"The 22nd," Hong Zhu swallowed some saliva and said with his head lowered. "The empress didn't like the colors supplied from Jiangnan last autumn and has ordered a batch to be ordered from Dongyi. This is a profitable deal, and she has awarded it to me. I can go out that day."

Fan Xian nodded and confirmed the time of their next meet up, but a thought flashed through his head. He realized that the empress truly favored Hong Zhi this eunuch a great deal. He looked at the pimple of Hong Zhu's forehead and, unconsciously, his eyes glanced down. He immediately laughed soundlessly at himself. In his heavy and oppressive palace, after seeing so many dirty things, one couldn't help but think the lower-half when any matter arose.

However, this was impossible. The physical inspection for castrated persons was too strict. In Qing Kingdom, it was impossible for a story like Wei Xiaobao's to happen.

Fan Xian didn't dare to stay in Hong Zhu's courtyard. In the end, he carefully gave a few more reminders and then left.

It wasn't until a long time after he left that Hong Zhu finally came back to himself. He looked at the empty corner of the fire pit and looked at the light in the room, feeling confusion in his heart. Neither the room door nor the courtyard door had opened. How had Sir Fan junior left?

"Huh, that's strange."

Hong Zhu slapped his thigh and secretly sighed in admiration. The giant rock that had weighed down on his heart these days seemed to have suddenly lightened, for some reason, a great deal after Fan Xian's visit. Perhaps it was because he had shared this great secret with another person and halved his concerns, or perhaps he felt that a god-like figure like Sir Fan junior would certainly be able to deal with this problem properly.

He had great confidence in Fan Xian and felt that he would finally be able to rest well tonight. He blew out the light with a relaxed expression, took off his clothes, and burrowed under the thick blanket. Although there was not the naked body of young and beautiful Xiu'er under the blanket, young Eunuch Hong still felt very happy.

…

…

However, Fan Xian did not have as much confidence in Hong Zhu.

As for controlling Hong Zhu, Fan Xian used three methods. One, he had helped the other person avenge his family. Two, he had given his elder brother in Jiaozhou countless benefits. But, what truly restrained Hong Zhu was still emotion. In this world, everyone was different. Some people could be bribed with money, while others did not have a shred of resistance in front of beautiful women. Fan Xian had confirmed, Hong Zhu was a very special eunuch. He was sincere and chivalrous. Otherwise, he would not willingly have become one of Fan Xian's agents to repay his gratitude and would not have gained favor from old Eunuch Hong by chance.

A person's personality always changed with their situation. Fan Xian was no longer a suffering child escaping for his life in the mountains, and he was also not a eunuch to be bullied by everyone in the Palace. He was the leading eunuch of the Eastern Palace, greatly favored by the empress, liked by the Emperor, and fawned on by the other eunuchs and serving girls in the Palace. One's status and environment can change one's personality. Vanity could seep into the bones and desire could influence the heart. Who knew whether or not he could resist the allure of bribes in the future and silently tilt toward the other side.

No one knew that Hong Zhu belonged to him, so it would be easy for the other factions to admit him. It if was just for play, of course, Fan Xian would be very happy about this situation. If Hong Zhu truly did something, there was also nothing he could do.

Fortunately, he now had this secret. Fan Xian was grateful for this secret. Regardless of whether or not it would bring him any benefits, at least, with this shared secret, it made it so that it was impossible for Hong Zhu to leave him. At least, before the Eldest Princess and Crown Prince fell from power.

Returning to the residence in the front corner of the Royal Palace, Fan Xian carefully confirmed, in the dark, that the little mechanism he set before he left had not been destroyed. It looked like no one had come to disturb him in this short time. He extended his hand to hook away the strand of black hair. After he entered, he rubbed something on the noses of the soundly sleeping eunuchs.

Then, he sat down on the bed and removed a bottle of alcohol he had swiped along the way. He sprinkled some of it beside the bed. After sitting in a daze for a while, his head fell down to his pillow and he fell asleep.

…

…

Sitting in the carriage, Fan Xian couldn't resist turning his head back to glance at the thick red palace walls. Unconsciously, he wished to be as far away as possible from this Royal Palace. He had entered the Palace countless times, but every time he went, it was like the first time when he had visited the various concubines in their palaces. He could always feel that sense of chill.

Unrelated to the weather, it was just cold…very cold.

He very much hated this feeling in the Palace, and so he hated staying in the Palace for a long time. He had great sympathy for the Emperor, who was always shut up in the Royal Palace. By the same logic, he did not want to become the Emperor. This was not being pretentious, rather, this was the truth.

A post in some forum in his previous life had talked about the inhuman pains of the position of Emperor. Thus, Fan Xian wanted to protect his right to choose whatever career he wanted. This was probably the largest problem between him and Chen Pingping.

With 10,000 strings of cash around his waist, riding down to Jiangnan, the Emperor's sword on his back, and remotely holding the power in this world, perhaps this kind of life wasn't bad.

Of the four Great Grandmasters, it was actually only Ye Liuyun who had the more restful life. However, he still needed the Junshang Conference's money and seamless service.

Fan Xian didn't need that.

Sunk deep into his wonderful imagination, Fan Xian tilted his head to glance at his wife. Lovingly and gently, he stroked the hair on her head and said, "In another few years, there will be peace under heaven."

"A few years?" Wan'er's pulled up the corners of her lips and forced a smile. "Hopefully it is so."

"How was your talk with mother?" Lin Wan'er's eyes were gazing out of the carriage at the sight of Jingdou's streets when she suddenly asked this.

Fan Xian started slightly and warmly said, "We chatted for a little bit but didn't talk about anything substantive. Last night, you looked very tired and went to sleep early, so I couldn't stay either."

"I was pretending to sleep," Lin Wan'er calmly said. "If I didn't sleep, the two of you wouldn't be able to speak conveniently."

Fan Xian was silent for a long time. He only understood now that his wife was giving him and her mother a chance to negotiate, to see whether or not they could reach a compromise. However, both parties had too much blood on their hands. It was difficult to wash them clean and join them together again.

Feeling the silence of her husband beside her, Lin Wan'er suddenly felt a bit unwell and tired. In a quiet voice, she said, "What is there to be done now?"

Fan Xian silently and gently pulled his wife into his arms, unsure of what to say.

Wan'er did not reject his embrace and tilted her head gently to lean against his chest. A flash of apathy and hopelessness flashed across her face and then disappeared. Tears began to slide down like pearls, flowing into a line and wetting Fan Xian's clothes.

It was not that Fan Xian had not thought about the problem of what to do, but the situation had long been set. He could try and break the Second Prince's great ambition, but he had no chance of hoping to convince the Eldest Princess to retreat from the world's stage.

It was a battle of either your death or mine.

While Wan'er, who was outside all of this, was the person to be pitied the most. Fan Xian knew this well, yet he was unable to change it. He held his wife tightly and, for some reason, his heart began to hurt.

A year ago, Wan'er had once reminded him that her mother may once again ally with the Crown Prince.

Remembering this again right now, Fan Xian couldn't help but sigh with admiration at his wife's acute intuition. He knew that it wasn't because Wan'er didn't understand the silent currents in Qing Kingdom's time of peace, rather, she was caught in the middle and could only stay silent.

Silent forever, until she seemed to disappear.

It was because of this that Fan Xian felt guilty and apologetic toward his wife. There was nothing he could say. He could not even give her a promise.

His wife cried silently in his arms.

Fan Xian gently wiped away the tears on her face with his thumb.

Raising his head, he looked out at the view of the street outside his window. He thought to himself that even if a person had two lives, there were still many things they could not change and many desires that could not be fulfilled.

It was so for Ye Qingmei, and it was so for him.