482-485
Chapter 482: As Parents
Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio
Wan'er took the bowl and left the room. Fan Xian looked at Sisi lying in the bed and gently said, "Rest well."
Usually, Sisi slept in a bedroom in the back of the Fan manor. However, the doctor had discovered her condition, so Lady Liu made the decision to clear out a few comfortable rooms and had her move in.
Fan Xian twisted his head to look at the decorations in the room and felt a quiet gratitude toward Lady Liu. He looked again at Sisi's pale face and felt a sense of apology. In a light voice, he said, "It's my wrong to have been the last person to know."
As the head of the family, Fan Xian should be showing a gentle and joyful side, and saying things that would assure the pregnant woman and put her at ease. However, after saying a few words, he became stuck and just looked dumbly at Sisi's face, unable to speak for a moment.
After a moment of silence, Sisi bit her lip and said with slightly red-rimmed eyes, "Young master, I can see you're not happy."
"How can I not be happy?" Fan Xian jumped in fright and forced a smile. "Mostly because it's too sudden. I wasn't prepared at all."
He picked up the girl's hand and squeezed it warmly. He smiled slightly and said, "In my heart, you are still that girl who stood by my side stirring the ink and adding incense. It always feels like not much time has passed and we haven't left Danzhou for very long. Yet, you're about to become the mother of our child."
"We've already left Danzhou three years now, my muddle-headed young master."
Sisi's tears turned into laughter. Half leaning on the bed, she gazed at him warmly. Regardless of whether they were traveling and living together in Jiangnan or after she formally crossed the threshold in Danzhou, she still habitually called Fan Xian "young master" and did not change it.
"I probably won't be prepared even when I'm an old man." Fan Xian tenderly patted her hand. "Being a father is indeed rather terrifying."
"You can do anything…besides, having children is women's business."
"I can do anything? Having children is women's business, but teaching children is men's business. Raising a child is much more difficult than writing poetry and killing people."
Fan Xian smiled self-mockingly and stretched a hand under the blanket to carefully stroke Sisi's slightly protruding abdomen. He couldn't help blaming himself. "Earlier, father said it's already been four months. Why didn't you tell me? Even if you're shy, you have to at least tell the Mistress."
Sisi felt the palm of his hand moving over her abdomen, and her face blushed slightly red. She pulled the blanket up to her chin and said in a slightly scared voice, "I was afraid…I was afraid it was fake."
"There is no real and fake when having a child." Fan Xian closed his eyes and felt the movement beneath his palms. Some complicated emotions grew in his heart. There was some joy and some terror. With a slight ache, he thought, It was his child in there?
He was truly unable to accept, for a moment, the reality that he was going to be a father. The terror completely surpassed the joy. Fortunately, at this time, his state of mind was clear, so he didn't show this in front of Sisi. Otherwise, as a first-time mother, Sisi would certainly hate him.
Fan Xian scratched his head in some irritation and said, "What should I do now?"
Sisi couldn't help but splutter with laughter. "Young master, of course, you do what you need to do. Eat when you need to eat and sleep when you need to sleep. You can't guard me every day just because I'm with child."
Fan Xian suddenly stretched out his hand and turned over Sisi's wrist. He placed his fingers on top, closed his eyes, and tilted his head slightly to listen closely to her pulse.
At this moment, Wan'er happened to walk in. Seeing that her husband was checking Sisi's pulse, she opened her eyes wide and asked curiously, "Is it a boy or a girl?"
Fan Xian slowly moved his finger away and laughed. "It's not that easy to tell, do you think my finger is an ultrasound scanner?"
"Must grasp [JW1] ?" Hearing this new vocabulary, Wan'er and Sisi furrowed their brows at the same time in confusion.
Fan Xian coughed and reminded Sisi of the daily things she should be careful of, particularly to not catch a cold. Then, he walked outside the door and called the Teng wife over and carefully gave her some instructions. For servants and such, she should find healthy ones. As for food, it should not be just fish and meats, so Fan Xian picked out a few healthy dishes.
"Does the estate have goat's milk?"
The Teng wife nodded excitedly. Sisi was pregnant with the first grandchild of the Fan family, so the servants couldn't help but be excited.
Receiving an affirmative response, Fan Xian said, "A bowl a day. It must be heated to a rolling boil."
Inside the room, Sisi was nestled against Wan'er side and said unhappily, "I don't like drinking goat's milk."
Lin Wan'er thought for a bit. When she was ill with the lung disease, she had also been forced by Fan Xian each day to drink goat's milk. That kind of rank odor was difficult to endure. She couldn't help but laugh and said, in the direction of the door, "Perhaps goat's milk is some kind of magical medicine?"
Fan Xian turned back and smiled, "Although it's not a magical pill, it is a very good thing. However, the odor is a bit strong. Sisi, you have to endure it and persist in drinking it."
Lin Wan'er suddenly thought of the idea Siqi had before and happily said, "Have Siqi do this. I don't know if she put in almonds or jasmine tea, but the light bitterness actually completely hides the odor."
Hearing that Siqi was going to serve her food, Sisi, who was leaning on the bed, felt uneasy. Originally, she had been a serving girl of the same rank as Siqi. Now that she was with child, her treatment had suddenly been elevated a great deal. She truly could not bear this burden and was terrified that everyone in the manor would gossip about her. She involuntarily wanted to open her mouth to reject it.
Fan Xian waved his hand and said, "There is not as much illusory etiquette in the back of the manor. While you were a serving girl, didn't I still massage your back? Just let Siqi work a bit harder. However, I'm just not sure if this method will work."
Sisi's face flushed as she saw Siqi's pleased face suddenly appear outside the door. The girl smiled and said, "Of course, this method works as long as you filter the tea leaves out with a cloth. Back then, I made the Miss's goat's milk every day."
Wan'er smiled and glanced at her. "Look at how pleased you are."
Sisi persisted in calling Fan Xian "young master" while Siqi persisted in calling Wan'er "Miss." The master and mistress in his family, in addition to these two girls, did indeed use strange titles. Probably only Fan Xian, who had experience in a previous life, would be so blasé about such matters. Fortunately, these three women were all able to keep up with him. This was a great blessing.
"During the day, you need to get lots of sun. Don't believe the nonsense the midwives say. If you don't get air, you'll suffocate in the room." Fan Xian suddenly thought of something and spoke very seriously to the Teng wife and Wan'er. He knew that if Lady Liu suddenly took it upon herself to supervise, only these two people could speak on Sisi's behalf.
"Ptooey. Ptooey…" The Teng wife quickly spat twice and said. "Today is a happy day. How could you say that word?"
Fan Xian couldn't be bothered to acknowledge her and said, minding his own business, "There has to be enough fruits and vegetables, these cannot be lacking." Turning his head back, he said to Sisi, "When you don't want to eat, you still have to eat…have some small snacks. Have the girls do it."
"Enough, enough." The Teng wife had thick skin and took it on herself to block Fan Xian's mouth. "After all, this is the first one. There will be plenty more children and grandchildren in the future. If you are always this chatty, you're going to be the death of us servants."
Fan Xian said a few more comforting words to Sisi and told her a few jokes to have her relax. He then took Wan'er's little hand and left the room. The two of them wandered aimlessly in the back garden. Along the way, they saw some capable servants rushing toward them. Seeing them, they quickly bowed respectfully, but their expression's revealed a glimmer of awkwardness.
"What are they all doing?" Fan Xian furrowed his brows.
Wan'er smiled and said, "These people are going to offer congratulations to Sisi, so, of course, they would feel a bit awkward seeing me."
"What is there to be awkward about?" Fan Xian wasn't stupid to this extent, but he was worried that Wan'er truly had a knot in her heart and purposely asked.
Wan'er glared at him and leaned her head against his shoulder. In a quiet voice, she said, "What do you think?"
Fan Xian patted her chubby cheeks and smiled slightly. "So are you truly happy or pretending to be happy?"
The calm of a mistress appeared on her still childish face. She repeated the same words. "What do you think?"
"Am I truly nervous?" Fan Xian led Wan'er by the hand to sit down on a stone bench by the rock garden and held her in his lap. This place was quiet and very few servants passed by. Although Wan'er was slightly embarrassed, she let him do what he wanted.
"Be careful, it's cold."
Wan'er reproached and then suddenly thought of what he asked. After thinking for a while, she raised her head and gazed at him with those watery eyes. A moment later, she said, seriously, "That is what I wanted to ask you. Why don't you look that happy? Furthermore, you seem a bit tense and afraid. What are you worried about? Are you truly worried about how I feel? You should know I'm not like that."
Fan Xian shook his head. Smiling, he tightened his hold on her and said, after a moment's consideration, "I also don't know. Perhaps I just wasn't mentally prepared to be a father."
"What preparations are needed?" Wan'er was long used to her husband thinking very differently than other men in this world and asked curiously.
"For example…can I create a good environment for the next generation to grow up in?"
Wan'er smiled slightly and said, "Don't think about anything too far ahead for now. What I am very curious about is whether it's a boy or a girl in Sisi's belly."
"Didn't I say earlier…"
"Yes, you are unable to calculate the odds."
"The phrase 'calculate the odds' is used very cleverly."
"Then do you want a boy or a girl?"
"Girl," Fan Xian said unhesitatingly.
Lin Wan'er looked at him with doubt and only understood something a moment later. She sighed and said, "No wonder you're not happy after knowing you're going to have a child…presumably, you don't feel like Sisi is a girl anymore."
Fan Xian was confused and asked in a daze, "Why do you think this?"
"Girls are pearls. After they have children and gradually grow old, they become fish eyeballs. But, you…like pearls, even to just look at and not play with." Lin Wan'er smiled. "This is something you've written before, so don't deny it."
Fan Xian smiled self-mockingly. This was Cao Gong's opinion. Although it was somewhat close to what he thought, this was not the real reason he was unable to be happy after learning he had descendants.
"But even if I do change into a fish eyeball, I still want to have children for you." Lin Wan'er gazed at him in a daze and gently bit her lip. She spoke softly but with strength.
Fan Xian smiled and nodded. Suddenly serious, he said, "I know there are some rather strange rules in this world, for example, children by the concubine have to call the wife mother and some are even raised from a young age by the wife with little opportunity to see their true mother's face."
Lin Wan'er looked at him and furrowed her brows slightly. She vaguely guessed what he wanted to say.
"Although all the large families are like this," Fan Xian looked at her very seriously, "we will not be like this."
It was not a request or a suggestion. It was a notification that could not be rejected. They would not be like this.
Fan Xian had not wanted to say such serious things at this time to disturb Wan'er's already difficult to suppress envy, however, after watching "The Big Family" in the sickroom in his previous life, he had truly been scarred by the middle-aged fish eyeball scum that Gao Wa had acted as.
Wan'er nodded. A glimmer of unhappiness flashed through her eyes and she slowly said, "I understand what you mean."
"Don't be hurt." After Fan Xian was silent for a moment, he smiled broadly and said, "You've seen all the changes I've made to that medicine during the half year in Hangzhou. Furthermore, most importantly…tomorrow, Sir Fei is coming. Since he dares to come to see us, he has good things to give us."
The delicate and soft body in his embrace suddenly shook. Lin Wan'er didn't dare meet his eyes and said with happy surprise, "Really?"
Although this news had made Wan'er happy, Fan Xian knew that his forceful words earlier had still hurt her. However, for Sisi and the child in her belly, he had to say these things ahead of time. At this time, he gently let out a sigh. He indeed have some unhappiness in his heart that he needed to let out. Additionally, in his previous life, Sir Jing had once had Xiao Bao use this trick in "The Deer and the Cauldron." It was never fun to deal with women.
As expected, Wan'er saw his heavy expression and immediately waved aside the hidden bitterness in her heart and asked with concern, "What's wrong?"
"As you saw earlier, after learning that Sisi was with child, I was not very happy…instead, I was a bit scared…" Fan Xian lowered his head as if he wanted to find support and comfort for his heart inside his wife's body.
"Actually, there are a few reasons."
The first reason was he was worried that Wan'er would be hurt by this. This reason had already been slightly raised earlier. As for the second reason, it was actually very simple.
"I am someone without a father," Fan Xian smiled slightly and said. "Although I have a father, even two fathers, when I was in Danzhou, I didn't have a single one. Furthermore, the real one seemed to have never been my father."
It was an awkward sentence but Wan'er understood. She glanced around warily to check that these words had not been heard by others.
"Father is very good to me, but you understand, this is a different matter altogether. As for the one in the Palace…after coming to Jingdou from Danzhou, I have come to understand him thoroughly. Even the Crown Prince and the Second prince are herded like donkeys, much less myself the illegitimate child."
"I am someone without a father." Fan Xian repeated with more emphasis. "So, I am very afraid that I don't know how to be a father. Thus, my first reaction was fear and unease."
In his previous life, Fan Xian didn't have parents. He also didn't have parents in this life. What's even more tragic was that in his previous life it was god who was a good-for-nothing, while in this life it was his parents. In the depths of his heart, he felt that his mother had done very poorly in educating her child, which made him very sad.
He was lacking in this area during the development of both of his lives, and it had cast a great shadow over his heart. Perhaps it was difficult to notice usually, but now, the happy news in the Fan manor had called out all the darkness inside of him. Involuntarily, he refused to admit that he was about to become a father.
Lin Wan'er looked at him with tenderness all over her face.
"My mother also didn't love me," Fan Xian said woodenly. "Perhaps you won't believe me, but…she truly didn't love me."
Unable to love or did not love? Everyone in the world thought that Ye Qingmei was Fan Xian's mother. Only he knew that after being reborn into this world, he only had a sense of curiosity and an unnamed emotion toward that distant woman. However, as he gradually grew up, the people around him talked endlessly about the once dazzling woman. The events around him narrated endlessly about that woman's past, and the traces around him reminded Fan Xian endlessly of that woman's existence.
Over time, Fan Xian, who had not received a mother's love in his previous life, finally became used to this and gradually began to accept that his mother was Ye Qingmei and began to miss this name. Perhaps the two souls of the two lonely time-travelers became connected by the strongest of all bonds, that of a mother and her child.
He confirmed this point and had even personally said these words in front of Xiao En in the cave in Xi Mountain in Northern Qi.
However, after reading the letter in the chest and learning about many of the stories in the past, Fan Xian had to tell himself that Ye Qingmei did not love him. He wasn't talking about his soul in a different world, rather, she didn't have much love for her flesh and blood son. He had inherited Ye Qingmei's Overwatch Council, Palace Treasury, the Qingyu Hall, her cold connections, and her close comrades. But, she had not purposely left these to him. Furthermore, even if she had, so what?
"My mother did not love me," Fan Xian calmly said. "Otherwise, she wouldn't have left me behind."
Lin Wan'er wanted to comfort him since he was so despondent, but she didn't know where to start. Having grown up in the Palace from a young age, she was familiar with the dazzling figure of her long-passed mother-in-law.
"It is not just because of this." Fan Xian furrowed his brows in thought. When the chest had been opened, he had been disappointed because the letter had been left for Uncle Wu Zhu and not him. The contents of the letter, in particular, had disappointed him more.
"She referred to me as a rascal son," he smiled slightly and said. "Furthermore, she did not leave a single word for me…she just left."
"This kind of indifference and calm seem cold to the absurd." Fan Xian furrowed his brows and thought of his romantic past and felt that perhaps his birth had been an absurd matter.
He continued to speak. Wan'er felt her heart chill as she listened.
"She didn't tell me how to survive in this dangerous world. She didn't tell me just who was worth trusting. She didn't tell me how to eat or how to treasure my wife."
Fan Xian laughed. "She had a great love for the people of the world, but she had little concern for her own child. Isn't that very abusive? Probably only such a scumbag mother could have had such a scumbag son like me."
Having said this, Fan Xian began to cough gently. Wan'er got down from his lap and thumped steadily on his back.
Fan Xian waved his hand and smiled. "It was a close call. Fortunately, there was father…" he pointed toward the front of the manor, "and grandmother, and those two strange old men. Otherwise, who knows what my life would be like?"
Fan Xian was always a very self-restrained and cautious person. It was rare for him to be as emotional as he was now. Lin Wan'er could find no place to interject. Seeing him gradually leaving behind the hurt, she smiled at him and listened to him monologue his thoughts.
"Listen to me sing," Fan Xian suddenly said very seriously.
Lin Wan'er nodded, a bit curious as to what kind of vulgar song could a man sing?
Fan Xian opened his lips and sang. His voice was clear with a hint of pain. His voice was not very good, but this song was particularly sad and also had a hint of hope. It was like a child waiting eagerly for the return of their mother below the eaves after the rain. It was like a white-clothed child floating around buffeted by the wind and rain below the eaves. It was not powerful, but it was led by that line. It contained unspeakable sorrow, yet it gazed hopefully into the distance.
The song ended.
"What does it mean?"
Fan Xian sang in a language Lin Wan'er had never heard before. The pronunciation of the words were very strange.
"The meaning of the lyrics are very simple, roughly speaking it is…
"Mother, are you well
Yesterday, I was on the branch of a tree
And saw a brightly shining star
The star gazed at me
Like you, mother, very warmly
I said to the star
You have to be able to endure setbacks
After all, you're a boy
If you feel lonely
I will come to talk to you
Perhaps, one day
Then we'll leave it like this, I await your reply
Mother
Yi Xiu
Yi Xiu
"Mother, are you well
Yesterday, the cat in the temple
Was taken away by the villagers nearby
The little kitten cried
And held tightly to the mother cat
I said
Don't cry
You won't be lonely
You're a boy, right?
You will see your mother again
There will be a day, for sure
Then we'll leave it like this, I await your reply
Mother
Yi Xiu
Yi Xiu."
Fan Xian smiled and looked at Wan'er, whose eyes were already rimmed with red, and said, "Does it sound nice?"
Wan'er made a noise of agreement and said, "Is Yi Xiu the child writing the letter? So pitiful."
"Yes, a very clever but pitiful child who could not live with his mother," Fan Xian smiled and said. "Very like me…except, after he writes a letter, he can address it and send it. Where can I send the letters after I write them?"
"What is this song called?"
"Mother."
…
…
In his silent bedroom, using the faint daylight spilling in through the window, Fan Xian took out a key and gently opened the outermost layer of the long black chest. He then pressed down a few times with steady fingers. He suddenly began to miss Uncle Wu Zhu.
Slowly, he took out the metal ware on top and thin letter. Fan Xian didn't give it another glance because he was already too familiar with the contents of the letter.
He only trained his gaze on the slip of paper on the third level, the piece of paper that seemed like it could be blown away at any moment. On the paper was Ye Qingmei's straight handwriting.
"Hey! If it's Wu Zhu…tell me honestly, who are you?"
Just like that night in the rain, Fan Xian's lips moved slightly and said, "I am your son."
"How did you open this chest?"
"I guess that if you're not my daughter, you are my son. Look at the stuff below when you've made a life. Remember!"
He opened the third level and took out the object from inside. He looked at the words on it and couldn't help but laugh bitterly. Talking to himself, he said, "It is indeed abortion medicine. I say, mother…can your spoofs be a bit more creative?"
He was silent in the room for a long time and then raised his head. With a confident smile, he said to the chest seriously, "Mother, I've made a life but I won't use this. You're used to treating everything as a joke. You ridiculously left me but I am not the same. I will try my best to live on in this world. As for my son or daughter…please, believe me, I will look after them very well. At least, I will do better than you."
[JW1] The characters here sound the same as the Chinese word for "ultrasound"
Fan Xian is using a modern term that the two women are not familiar with.
Chapter 483: The Third Generation
Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio
It was like the happy news in the Fan manor had grown wings and immediately flew out over the high garden walls of the various noble manors. It flew past the cautious gazes of the waiters in various teahouses and became something everyone knew. This was both the hot topic of conversation amongst the nobility and most cheerful thing after a meal for the common people.
Naturally, this news flew into the palace. It completely ignored the boundaries of the mighty palace walls and entered the ears of the Emperor and empress dowager. According to Eunuch Yao, who had quietly let it slip, in the instant that the Qing Emperor had heard this news, he had stoked his beard and looked very pleased. That night, he made another trip to the little tower. After the empress dowager heard about this news, she had rushed to the back of Hanguang Temple to worship. Her fingers moved endlessly over the prayer beads, and her face was full of smiles.
Speaking of which, it was strange. Including Fan Xian, the Qing Emperor had five royal sons. The Third Prince was still young, so he could be temporarily put aside. The Great Prince wasn't young and had been married for a long time, yet he still did not have issue. It was the same with the Second Prince and Crown Prince. Looking around, the child in Fan Xian's Sisi's belly was actually the first of the third generation of the royal family.
The nobles in the Palace were delighted. However, the empress dowager felt a slight regret. It would be better if the woman with child was Wan'er. Putting aside that she was a princess and Fan Xian's true wife, after all, she was her most favored granddaughter.
Given Fan Xian's current power and position, this joyful news brought countless gifts and well-wishers. In the following days, there was a stream of horses and carriages outside the main door of Fan manor. Endless officials from all places came to visit. Teng Zijing and his wife almost wore their legs out from running back and forth.
Other than some important figures, such as the people from King Jing's manor that Fan Xian came out personally to welcome, all other guests were single-handedly blocked by the Minister of Revenue, Fan Jian.
Fortunately, these guests were just giving generous gifts and didn't disturb them for long. In reality, the people in the court and palace all had their agendas. Although it was big news that Fan Xian was having a child, the person with child was his concubine. If, at this moment, they appeared overly warm, who knew what that princess in the manor would think?
To curry favor with one side but to offend another was not a good deal. Furthermore, these officials didn't know just how happy the Palace was.
…
…
Three days later, the joy in the Palace was demonstrated in front of the officials and people of Qing Kingdom in two ways. First, there were flowered edged newspapers organized by the internal court that used a page printed in red to announce the good news to everyone in the world.
The internal court newspaper always joked about the competition between the officials, the funny things in history, and the story of Chen Pingping's first love. Although it was pointless and unamusing, it was good at attracting the eyes. However, ever since Fan Xian took over the Overwatch Council and rectified the Council to make to more transparent, he had ordered the Eight Bureau to stick up countless notices outside the First Bureau. It transformed the conflicts in officialdom into a detective novel—regardless of his previous life or this one, it was always easy to sell stories about domestic arguments. The internal court's newspaper only had domesticity and little arguments, so all of its popularity was stolen by the notices outside the First Bureau.
Fortunately, Fan Xian was having a child. The Emperor implicitly allowed the internal court's newspaper to make a big deal over this matter. They wrote in a great detail about Fan Xian's story from Danzhou to Jingdou into a lengthy fantastical story. It faintly mentioned the princess, the Northern Qi sage girl, his interactions with that young mother in Fan manor, the night of poetry in front of the palace, the interactions in Jiangnan…
This was a summary of Fan Xian's brief 20 years of life. It was very splendid. After the newspaper came out, it was a sensation. All the young ladies in various manors pleaded with the elders in their family to spend a large amount to purchase a copy to keep in their rooms as a souvenir. At the same time, they prayed that the temple would grant them a man like Sir Fan junior.
The internal court newspaper was finally able to use this opportunity to successfully once again conquer the Jingdou people stopped by the notices outside the First Bureau.
The second demonstration of the Palace's joy were wards.
No one knew whether it was the Emperor's idea or the empress dowager's, but the gifts from the Palace flowed like water into Fan manor. Although the one with child was Sisi, from Fan Jian to Lady Liu, even Lady Fan, who was far away in Northern Qi studying, received generous rewards. Fan Xian's proper wife, Lin Wan'er received the most generous gift of all.
Silk and satin fabrics, gold and jade wares, food and playthings, all were densely laid out in the manor. It drove the Teng wife absent-minded with business. She thought to herself that when the young master had rescued the Emperor, there wasn't even this much reward.
Sisi was granted a gift and given some kind of title. In any case, Fan Xian didn't understand this title. It was the unborn child who got ahead and received a title.
The newspaper and gifts announced the joy of the Palace to every inch of Jingdou. The officials who had given gifts earlier could finally relax.
…
…
It was only Fan Xian who was not very happy. He looked at the list of gifts that Eunuch Yao had brought over and shook his head. A complicated emotion grew in his heart. He said to his father beside him, "What are the people in the Palace thinking? What does me having a child have to do with them?"
"You're speaking from pique," Fan Jian chuckled and said. "I had thought you were more mature now. Who knew you could still speak in a fit of pique. What does it have to do with them? What do you think? This is the first one in the third generation. The empress dowager has been anxious for years. Finally, she can hold her great-grandchild. Since she's happy, naturally, the gifts will surpass the rules."
Fan Xian laughed coldly. "Hold her great-grandchild? Tomorrow, I'll send Sisi back to Danzhou and have the child born and raised in Danzhou. I'll let grandmother play with them."
He was still speaking in anger. Sisi was pregnant. She couldn't travel thousands of li. Fan Jian laughed loudly and couldn't be bothered to scold him. Ever since four days ago, after he had learned the news of Sisi's pregnancy, this usually severe and orthodox Minister of Revenue could no longer hide his true personality. From his face to his bones, pride and happiness shone through.
In this world, there were very few people who could fight with the Emperor for a son and win. Furthermore, this son was about to give him a grandchild. Nothing could stop Fan Jian feeling comforted and strangely pleased.
"Don't forget to go back to the Palace give your thanks tomorrow." Fan Jian drank a mouthful of tea and glanced at his son to discover that his son had clearly not heard his words.
"To speak of it, why does the Crown Prince still not have a main wife?" Fan Xian suddenly thought of something and furrowed his brows. "Even just looking at it in order, presently, the Great Prince and the Second Prince have all married. A year has passed. Is the Palace not anxious about the Crown Prince?"
He naturally and cleverly hid the probing intention of his words. It was clear that Fan Jian, in his happiness, did not notice his son was testing him. He furrowed his brows and said, "Three years ago, the empress dowager was already anxiously planning for the Crown Prince's wife. The empress chose people from various manors in Jingdou and had even reached our manor…"
Fan Xian shivered and thought that if his sister had indeed become the taizifei…that would have been terrible. Not for his sister, but for him. Would he not have had to immediately fall to the Crown Prince's side and properly plan with his brother, the Crown Prince, about fighting for the line of succession?
Fortunately, this did not happen.
Fan Jian continued, "But for some reason, the Crown Prince never agreed…this was a strange matter that year. You know the Crown Prince, when he was younger, was quite preposterous and liked to hang out in education houses and brothels. He is someone greatly interested in the matters between men and women. However, he refused to marry a wife."
Fan Xian thought for a bit then said, "But for the marriage of the Crown Prince, it's not something he can delay just because he doesn't want it."
"This is where the Crown Prince demonstrates his cleverness," Fan Jian smiled and said. "To convince the empress dowager and empress, the Crown Prince put a lot of thought into it. First, he said that the Great Prince and the Second Prince had both not yet married. As Qing Kingdom governed the world through filial piety and was particular about respect between brothers, as the younger brother, how could he marry before his two older brothers? At that time, the Great Prince was still in the West, warring with the Hu people. It was impossible to organize the marriage at that time. Thus, he delayed it until later."
"Although he has sufficient excuses, they are not very persuasive." Fan Xian smiled bitterly. "After all this, it turns out I'm a representative of an early marriage. To be the first to have kids, it could be considered natural."
"The same logic, but as it involves the domestic matters of the royal family, it had to come from a persuasive person's mouth." Fan Jian smiled. "The Crown Prince convinced the then-grand tutor to the Crown Prince, Shu the Scholar, who has a very stubborn personality and deeply believed that the Crown Prince's words were reasonable. Not only did he write to the Emperor to put the Crown Prince's marriage temporarily on hold, he even wrote to the Northern kingdom to ask Master Zhuang to speak."
Fan Xian laughed. "So even Sir Zhuang Mohan has done such things before."
Fan Jian suddenly saw a sign of tiredness between his son's brows and sighed. "Have you not slept well these days? Go and rest."
Fan Xian smiled awkwardly and retreated from the study.
He had indeed not rested well these few days. Since Sisi was pregnant, he had to be by her side constantly and be more soothing and caring. Additionally, although Wan'er didn't show anything on the surface and was still happily managing Sisi's days, everyone knew that her emotions must be very unhappy. Fan Xian's heart hurt for her, so he also had to take out time to keep her company and comfort her. Having to look after both sides, he didn't have much time to rest.
In the corridor in front of the study, he stretched and yawned. He shook his head in irritation and suddenly thought of the life logic he had once thought of in the garden of his own manor a long time ago.
Men, it was always a stupid idea to get married too early.
…
…
However, the Crown Prince's refusal to marry early was probably because of a very stupid idea. Fan Xian yawned and sighed in his heart. Who would have thought that the Crown Prince was a romantic? It was truly an ill-fated relationship!
Suddenly, he saw Lady Liu walking in with a warm smile accompanied by an old man. Fan Xian's wide open mouth couldn't close for a moment. He jumped up and yelled loudly, "You're finally here!"
The newcomer was not a guest, he was Teacher Fei Jie that Fan Xian greatly respected, trusted, and liked. It was the first meeting between the teacher and student in almost a year. There was a great deal of tension hidden between the elder and the youth as if they would throw out a poison at any moment for the other to try.
Lady Liu was a clever woman. Although she didn't know the reason, she could tell this wasn't a place to linger. She casually said a few words and left. Even Minister Fan was not informed of the important information of Fei Jie's arrival.
"Sir." Fan Xian looked at the strange color in Fei Jie's eyes with a not-quite-there smile. "You've been hiding from me for a while, why are you here today?"
Fei Jie glanced at him without good humor and shook his head. "Don't be too expectant. I've tried many times with the medicine and prescription you sent over. If you want there to be no problems at all, it is very difficult."
Fan Xian shook his head in vexation. He had thought that since Fei Jie was willing to come to the manor, he must have solved the problem. He didn't expect to hear such an imperfect answer.
In reality, he had never cared about whether or not Wan'er could have a child. He didn't even care about whether or not he had descendants. In Danzhou, on the precipice, when he told Uncle Wu Zhu that one of his three main goals was to crazily have kids was nothing but a mischievous joke. However, Wan'er wouldn't think like this. She really wanted a child, so Fan Xian was forced into nervousness.
The teacher and student sat in a quiet corner in the garden at the back of the manor. A servant came to bring tea and then left.
"For cousins to marry, will it have any effect on the later generation?" After Fan Xian was silent for a while, he asked a question he hadn't asked in a long time.
Fei Jie glanced at him and said in a raspy voice, "Do you think your luck would be that bad?"
Fan Xian smiled and thought to himself, That's right! It's only a matter of probability and he was, without question, the luckiest person in this world.
"Will it…be difficult to have a child?" Fan Xian suddenly furrowed his brows and asked.
"Who said that?" Fei Jie understood he was talking about blood. "A hundred years ago, the Emperor of Wei Kingdom raped his own daughter for a dozen years and had seven kids in a row."
"Of course, of the seven, there were very few normal ones." Fei Jie shrugged.
"Chaos…the royal family is indeed the most chaotic place in the world." Fan Xian sighed with feeling.
Fei Jie furrowed his brows. He wasn't sure whether or not his student's words were pointed in any way. However, that matter's involvement was too broad. In order to protect Fan Xian, neither he nor Chen Pingping would say anything to Fan Xian before the matter.
"What are you here to teach me today?" Fan Xian asked sincerely.
Fei Jie thought for a bit then said, "The Director guessed that your home would be uneasy, so asked me to come put you at ease."
"At ease."
"Yes, give me another half year and I might be able to solve the problem you two are worrying over," Fei Jie smiled slightly and said. "And, I must remind you of something. Your leaving date is almost here. Don't use Sisi's pregnancy as an excuse to not go to Jiangnan."
Looking at the attitude of the Palace, Fan Xian might be kept back in Jingdou because of this matter. This was what Chen Pingping and Fei Jie were truly worried about.
Fan Xian nodded after thinking about it for a while. He faintly felt that the Chen Pingping and Sir Fei did not want him to stay in Jingdou for too long. It looked like they had already sensed that something big might happen in Jingdou.
He finally couldn't resist anymore. Fei Jie was his childhood teacher. In his eyes, he was the least likely person in the world to hurt him. After hesitating for a moment, he asked, "Is something going to happen in the Palace?"
Fei Jie smiled and said, "What could happen?" A glimmer of worry flashed through his eyes, but he managed to hide it from Fan Xian.
He looked at Fan Xian's face, which was as clear as it had been a dozen years ago, and involuntarily remembered the time when he had taken Fan Xian to dig up graves to split open their stomachs and take out their intestines. His heart darkened slightly, and he laughed gently. "When you're by yourself in the future, you have to be careful. Don't be like when you were a kid, always been tricked by others."
Fan Xian paused. A strange feeling surged in his heart. He hurriedly asked, "Sir, what do you mean?"
Fei Jie scratched his head and didn't care that his dandruff was flying everywhere. "I don't mean anything by it. As you know, I spend a great deal of time wandering in the mountains and am rarely by your side…yes, I never explained the Iced Smoke medicine to you. That was my fault."
Fan Xian was very moved and quickly said, "What are you saying, without you, the two of us would have died many times over."
Fei Jie smiled and didn't say anything more.
…
…
The next day, Fan Xian went into the Palace to give his thanks. Although Fan Xian was unwillingly, he still pushed a sincere and thankful smile on to his face and walked all over the Palace. Particularly in front of the empress dowager and the Emperor, he held up his thankful heart and smeared a layer of a first-time father's confusion and excitement over it. He gave a masterful performance.
As he walked, the snow had already disappeared amongst the palaces. It was quiet and elegant. Fan Xian sat in the Eastern Palace and looked at the Crown Prince in front of him, chatting casually. He looked at the Crown Prince of the Eastern Palace in his light-yellow clothes and sincere face. As he thought of what would happen soon in the future, for some reason, he actually felt a bit apologetic about it.
The Crown Prince was urging for him and his aunt, which was Fan Xian's mother-in-law, to ease up on their relationship. It could be seen that the Crown Prince was speaking from his heart. However, Fan Xian didn't know whether he was considering the problem from Fan Xian's side or the Eldest Princess'.
"Never mind the things in the past. Just like what I said to you in Baoyue Brothel, why should we let the elder's problems affect our present?"
The Crown Prince spoke calmly and patted Fan Xian's shoulder.
Chapter 484: Attitude Determines Everything
Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio
The talent of an actor was directly proportional to the size of the lie, which was directly proportional to the magnitude of the benefit. This was something Fan Xian deeply believed in. In court, each of them probed for the ownership of that chair. This was the greatest interest in the world. Even if the Crown Prince told him a huge lie, it wouldn't be strange.
The problem was that Fan Xian had no way of knowing how much truth or lie was in the Crown Prince's words. If he was in the Crown Prince's position, would he make such a promise? What about what happened in the past?
Given the Crown Prince's innate position and the empress dowager's favoritism, as well as his secret connection to the Eldest Princess, if he also obtained the support of Fan Xian with the Overwatch Council and palace treasury, no one would be able to obstruct his future ascension to the throne. If he could find a way to gain Fan Xian's support, the Crown Prince might be able to make a sufficient sacrifice.
Given Fan Xian's life experience and knowledge, he didn't think such an exchange could happen. Unless the Crown Prince truly became someone without a father or mother, or if he really did become such a person, how could Fan Xian sit equally with him?
He and the Crown Prince chatted warmly. Occasionally, he would think of when he first arrived in Jingdou and the kind attitude with which this Crown Prince of the Eastern Palace had treated him. This made the cloud of complicated emotions in his heart even thicker.
"Is Sister Wan'er well?"
After walking in the Royal Palace for this long, it just happened that it was the Crown Prince who was the first to directly ask about Wan'er.
Fan Xian smiled. His mind was a bit distracted. He answered the Crown Prince haltingly, but his eyes were on the other person's face, looking at him intently. Gradually, he noticed details he didn't usually see.
The Crown Prince was very lonely and pitiful.
…
…
The sun was already setting as he walked out of the Eastern Palace. The light dusky red light shone on the red palace walls and gradually spread out, making the cold-resistant short trees around him and the buildings of the Palace covered with a red color, an unlucky red color.
Fan Xian's hands were behind his back. His expression was calm. He was lost in thought, and his thoughts were focused on the Crown Prince. Just like his feeling in that instant earlier, thinking about it carefully now, Fan Xian realized that, including him, of the five princes, the one who was the most pitiful was actually the Crown Prince. He was only a little older than him. Before he was born, the Ye family had collapsed, but what about the Crown Prince? Four years after the Ye family was destroyed, in the night that Jingdou ran red with blood, the Crown Prince's maternal family were completely wiped out. His grandfather had died at his own father's hand. He had lost more family than even himself. From then onward, the Crown Prince had lived alone in the Palace and in a state of constant tension and unease. His only supporters were the empress dowager and empress who loved him.
No, the empress didn't count. Just as his father said, the reason the Emperor didn't depose of the empress and didn't change the heir was because the empress was very stupid and her relatives had already been wiped out. This was a situation the Emperor needed.
The only person the Crown Prince could rely on was the empress dowager. However, because of the environment in the palace and empress' strong recollections of the past, it caused the Crown Prince's mediocre and timid personality. He didn't have friends. It was impossible for him to have friends, so he could only stay silent.
The Emperor did not wish for his heir to stay silent like this forever, so he had picked out the Second Prince in an attempt to sharpen the knife that was the Crown Prince. In the end, he also picked out Fan Xian to bring down the Second Prince and continue testing the Crown Prince.
This was a an abnormal life, and it produced a number of psychological problems.
Silence, ah, silence. If one didn't explode in silence, one would be perverted by it. It seemed like the Crown Prince had chosen the latter. However, there was no part of him that was originally overly terrifying.
Fan Xian approached the foot of the palace walls and turned his head to look at the fire-like brilliance the majestic Taiji Palace emitted in the light of dusk. He narrowed his eyes slightly and sighed. When did he ever want to stand in opposition to you?
Between the Crown Prince and Second Prince, Fan Xian actually leaned more toward the Crown Prince because he knew the mercilessness beneath the Second Prince's warm appearance.
Furthermore, he could try to bring the Second Prince down and save the other person's life, but he could not use the same trick on the Crown Prince because the Crown Prince's position was too special. He would either ascend through the clouds or bleed out and die.
The Second Prince had to do something to inherit the imperial seat, so he gave Fan Xian too many opportunities. It was the exact opposite for the Crown Prince. He didn't need to do anything and could not do anything. Only then would he naturally inherit the throne. Once the Crown Prince understood this, he would behave as he had this year with unusual cleverness and calmness, watching everything with cold eyes.
However, calm did not symbolize generosity. If Fan Xian was truly fooled by this illusion and allowed his heart to soften, once the other person ascended to the throne, what would welcome Fan Xian? It would certainly be the empress' manic quest for revenge and the Eldest Princess' merciless purge.
At that time, would the Crown Prince still treasure his life?
However, the Second Prince had not retreated from Fan Xian's attacks, and the Crown Prince had also charged in. He gently squeezed his fists to make his heart cold and unhesitating. He thought to himself, It is not easy for anyone to survive in this world, so don't blame me.
He glanced back one last time at the seemingly on fire Royal Palace in the dusk and tilted his head slightly. The origin of all of this was actually the middle-aged man sitting on the dragon chair.
Fan Xian suddenly felt a glimmer of elation. He wanted to see what the middle-aged man looked like when he flew into a rage of humiliation. He wanted to break the Emperor's calm disguise and hurt his heart.
When it was all said and done, everyone was cruel.
…
…
The sky was bright with few clouds. Although spring had not yet arrived, the sky had already cleared. On the two sides of the official road outside the Jingdou city gates, winter trees reached into the air with scraggly branches and scared those far away from home.
A group of black carriages filed out from inside the city gates and lined up on the side of the road. At the same time, they waited for the large group of people ahead to disperse.
A young man lifted the curtain and came out. Standing under the shade erected in front of the carriage, he looked in that direction. He furrowed his brows slightly and muttered to himself, "What is it now?"
The young man was Fan Xian, and the time of year was already entering February. He could no longer find any more reasons to stay in Jingdou. In these circumstances, he knew that it was better for him to be as far away from Jingdou as possible. Only then would he not be dragged under in the aftermath of the event. However, Sisi's pregnancy was something that gave him a headache. The manor discussed this thoroughly and decided to have Wan'er stay in Jingdou to look after her and have him return to Jiangnan alone.
This was the day he left Jingdou. Having learned from his previous experience, he didn't tell many people. Even the young scholars in the Imperial College didn't hear about it. The leaving this time appeared to be relatively quiet and a bit lonelier.
Fan Xian looked at the Qing soldiers ahead who were gathering into groups and furrowed his brows slightly.
In a short while, a few riders detached from the more emotional military send off. These riders headed directly back and rode toward Fan Xian's group of carriages with the clip-clop of horse hooves. Fan Xian smiled slightly and dismounted the carriage to wait.
The lead rider was a military official wearing a cotton coat and light armor. He looked very heroic. Behind him were a few of his deputies.
The military official rode to a stop in front of Fan Xian, slapped his whip, and dismounted. His movements were smooth and agile. It was only after he took off his helmet and revealed the handsome and gentle face did one realize that this was actually King Jing's heir, Li Hongcheng.
"Who would have thought that we would be leaving the capital at the same time?" Li Hongcheng patted Fan Xian heavily on the shoulder and smiled.
Fan Xian shook his head and sighed. "You were fine staying in Jingdou. Why enter the military? For men in this world, of course, we have to work for merit, but it doesn't necessarily have to be on the battlefield. If the master hadn't told me, I wouldn't even know you had such plans."
Qing Kingdom had conquered their lands on horseback, and the people's customs were simple and valiant. Even members of the royal family learned horse riding and martial arts from a young age. From the previous generation, they were used to joining the army and going on expeditions. In this generation, the Great Prince was a model figure. Starting from the position of a minor military officer, he had climbed his way up the position of an important general.
Li Hongcheng was silent for a moment and then said, "As you know, if I stay in Jingdou, father will continue to shut me up in the manor. There is little difference between that and sitting in prison. I would rather go West and fight with the strange Hu people than suffer such treatment."
Fan Xian was silent for a long time. He then raised his head and slowly said, "You have to be careful, otherwise I'll feel apologetic."
"If I can make you feel guilty, this expedition will have been worth it." Li Hongcheng was slightly startled and laughed. "During a lifetime, one always has to find a few goals. My entry into the Western expedition troops this time is also to fulfill a childhood dream."
Fan Xian said, "I had no idea you had such dreams. I had always thought that your dreams were on the pleasure boats…"
The two of them laughed. Aware that there were still a number of other people around them, it was not convenient to talk more deeply. Li Hongcheng led his horse by the reins and walked shoulder to shoulder with Fan Xian. They came to a slope below the official roads. Here, the branches of the leafless trees grew denser and split the dim sunlight from the sky into pieces of severe cold.
Silence. No one could hear the conversation between them.
Li Hongcheng was silent for a moment. A relaxed smile gradually rose to his face. He said without restraint, "The events of these two years have made me understand…in Jingdou, I cannot beat you and neither can the Second Prince…this is good. I'll leave Jingdou for you to play in, and I'll go West."
Fan Xian forced a smile and didn't know what to say. A moment later, he sincerely said, "Your path to Xi Lake is far and dangerous. You have to be careful…although gaining merit in the military is a direct path, it is very dangerous. Although the Great Prince now holds great military power in his hands, you know how hard it was for the first few years in the West."
Li Hongcheng nodded his head thoughtfully and said, "Since I have joined the military, I have prepared myself. Father is also clear about my thoughts, otherwise, he wouldn't have given his consent."
The so-called thought was that he had truly decided he was going to leave the sickening and dangerous competition in Jingdou. However, Fan Xian remembered that the head of the Western expedition this time was still the Ye family, the Second Prince's father-in-law's family, and couldn't help feeling a bit strange. He looked at Li Hongcheng's face and resisted again and again. In the end, he couldn't resist. He opened his mouth and said, "Ye Zhong…is the Second Prince's father-in-law. Since you've decided to not participate in the matters in the capital…"
He hadn't even finished his reminder when Li Hongcheng had already waved his hand to stop his words. He calmly said, "Relax. I will do what I promised you. I am not a stupid person…however…" he smiled. "You seem a bit overly clever. Thus, it is very difficult for people like me to find an opportunity to show our abilities. Particularly in the past two years, you used father to keep me in place. If I don't lower my head to you, I would probably still be under house arrest."
Fan Xian laughed bitterly. "It's not me using King Jing to suppress you, it's King Jing using me to suppress you. You have to be clear on this point."
"It's all the same." Li Hongcheng sighed. "In any case, father and you both think the same. Since it is so, why should I struggle forcefully? It will be good to go West this time. Presumably the blood and fire on the battlefield will be more direct."
He suddenly fell silent. Looking into Fan Xian's eyes he said, sincerely, "I've always been close to the Second Prince…there is something I must beg of you."
"Beg" seemed too heavy of a word. Fan Xian immediately guessed what he wanted to say and got in first by furrowing his brows and saying, "I am just an official. There are things that I cannot be the master of. Furthermore, who can be sure of all the victories and losses? There is no need to speak of such things before they happen."
Li Hongcheng shook his head calmly. "You won't let me talk first because you're worried you won't be able to promise me anything. What you said about victory and loss being uncertain is true. No matter how you look at it, it's impossible for you to defeat them within a few short years. For some reason, I just think you will be victorious in the end."
"You flatter me." Fan Xian forced a smile.
"Don't forget, he is your brother after all…your true brother," Li Hongcheng looked into his eyes and said. "If such a day really came, I hope you will be able to give him a way out."
"You overestimate me too much." Fan Xian turned his body slightly and looked to the side of Jingdou. He calmly said, "He is a prince. No matter how powerful we are as officials, it is impossible for us to determine his life and death. Furthermore, you ask me to give him a way out. If one day, the Second Prince captured me, would he give me a way out?"
His tone gradually became cold. "I have given the Second Prince enough time to consider. You know that in the past year or so why I've shaved off his wings, but he won't do it. His heart is too big, so big that he can't control it. Since it is so, if I continue to overly restrain myself, then I'm courting death."
Li Hongcheng slowly lowered his head and said, "When he was 10, he was forced into the competition for the line of succession. After all these years, it has become his immutable life goal. Even if there is just him left, he still won't give up."
"That is exactly right." Fan Xian's face gradually became cold. He raised his right arm and pointed in the direction he was facing. "If you walk a dozen li this way, there is the Fan family's country estate. Do you know what is over there?"
Li Hongcheng glanced at him.
"Four people are buried there," Fan Xian lowered his arm and said. "Four of the Fan family's guards are buried there. They were the four guards who followed me everywhere after I entered the capital. They were killed on Niulan Street."
He continued, "The attack on Niulan Street was the Eldest Princess' idea, and it was arranged by the Second Prince. Although you were being used by someone, you also cannot deny that, no matter how you look at it, you were an accomplice. It was from that day on that I swore that if there was anyone else who wanted to kill me in Jingdou, I would not show any mercy to them."
"In these three years, too many people have already died. I've lost many people on my side and many people have died on his side too. Our hatred has long become the fresh blood in the mud, impossible to wash clean. Since the Second Prince thinks he can continue to wait with the Ye family's help, then I will wait with him."
Fan Xian turned his head to look at Li Hongcheng and slowly said, "Since the Second Prince refuses to back out, then this matter has already become one of life and death. You want me to show him mercy, but have you thought that this would be the same as harming my own life? Have you thought that making such a request of me is very unfair?"
Very unfair… Li Hongcheng laughed self-mockingly and then sighed again. "I just hope this matter can be peacefully concluded."
"It will depend on the Crown Prince and the Second Prince's intentions!" Fan Xian said a line very similar to what the Emperor said. "I am just a knife in the Emperor's hand. If you want things to conclude peacefully, we'll have to see how these two behave in front of the Emperor."
He paused and suddenly felt that in this moment of separation, speaking so merciless toward Hongcheng was a bit too harsh. He couldn't but help shake his head and soften his tone. "By going West and not stopping between the Second Prince and myself is a very wise decision. Standing where I am, I have to thank you."
"What is there to thank?" Li Hongcheng laughed bitterly. "Are you thanking me for running away so that you won't feel reluctance when you swing your knife in the future?"
Both of them smiled.
Seeing Li Hongcheng's hand holding the reins, Fan Xian's heart jumped. He said for the third time, "The going West will be difficult. You have to be careful."
Li Hongcheng was silent for a long time and then nodded gently. He vaulted onto his horse and turned back to gaze Fan Xian for a moment. He quietly said, "If I die in the West, remember to quickly tell Ruoruo of my death. Once I'm dead, she won't need to hide in the North anymore. After all, it is a foreign land. It is incomparable to home."
Fan Xian knew that he had guessed at his sister's true reason for studying abroad and couldn't help a feeling of shame welling in his heart. He raised his hands in a salute and forced himself to scold, "Come back alive."
Li Hongcheng laughed loudly and cracked his whip in the air. His horse charged up the slope. Leading the other three riders, he rode directly West along the official road, sending up plumes of dust.
Fan Xian watched this sight with narrowed eyes and secretly prayed for Hongcheng's safety.
…
…
At dusk, the Overwatch Council carriages heading to Jiangnan once again passed through the little valley where the attack happened. As they drove along, they could still see the marks left by the battle on the mountain rocks. Fan Xian licked his slightly dry lips as a powerful murderous intent welled in his heart. His trip to Jiangnan this time was to wrap things up. After he had settled everything, he would think of a way to chop off the head of the cabbage planting old man in the Qin family.
Ever since Qin Heng had been transferred to be a Deputy at the Bureau of Military Affairs and lost his position in the Jingdou garrison, the old Qin master still, as usual, did not attend court. Fan Xian had not gone to the Qin family this year to wish them a happy New Year, he only sent a generous gift. It was likely that the other party didn't know that Fan Xian had already guessed the true identity of the culprit behind the attack in the valley.
At this moment, Fan Xian was calculating what plans the Emperor had. Using the attack in the valley, a few important positions in court had been replaced by new people. He had successfully carried out his plan to replace the old with the new. However, the Qin and Ye families' were still very powerful in the military. The Emperor was certainly not pleased with this situation.
What exactly will the Emperor do then? Fan Xian often asked himself this. If he sat on that dragon chair, the transfer and purge in the military would be done more decisively rather than the small scale it was happening on right now, which continued to give the elders in the military sufficient opportunities to move.
Perhaps the sudden advance in Xi Lake had completely wrecked all of the Emperor's plans, or perhaps the Northern Qi Emperor's clever use of Shang Shanhu forced the Emperor to unwillingly temporarily pay attention to Yan Xiaoyi.
Of Qing Kingdom's seven roads of elite soldiers, four had yet to come. The core generals that the Great Prince had nurtured during the Western expedition had not had a battlefield to demonstrate their ability. Did they need to take the Qin, Ye, and Yan three factions so seriously?
Fan Xian shook his head and faintly guessed at some of the possibilities, such as showing weakness or luring them in like a prostitute. However, this kind of plan was too absurd and careless. Even someone as presumptuous as Fan Xian wouldn't believe that the Emperor did not care about the existence of Qing Kingdom and make such a plan.
The group of carriages drove through the valley and went forward a few more li. They then met up with the 500 Black Knights. Wearing the silver mask, Jing Ge came forward to greet Fan Xian. He then silently retreated back among the Black Knights. With 500 Black Knights scouting around, no faction was able to threaten Fan Xian's safety within the Qing Kingdom outback.
Fan Xian's heart suddenly jumped. He furrowed his brows slightly and then gently clapped his hands.
The carriage moved slightly. A normal official of the Overwatch Council lifted the curtain and walked in. Fan Xian glanced at him and said, with admiration, "No wonder you are the best assassin in the world, your skill with disguises is indeed much better than mine."
The Shadow didn't smile and said in a dead voice, "What orders do you have?"
"Go back to the capital." Fan Xian stared into his eyes and used a tone of voice that allowed no questions. "Immediately return to the Director side. From now onward, don't leave his side at all. You must ensure his safety."
The Shadow furrowed his forehead. He had personally been sent by Chen Pingping to Fan Xian's side, unexpectedly. Now, Fan Xian was suddenly asking him to return to Chen Pingping's side. Fan Xian didn't explain anything and directly said, "You know my strength. He is a cripple as you know, so go."
The Shadow thought for a bit and nodded. In a moment, he had left the main group of carriages. He dissolved into a streak of black shadow and quickly flew through the valley toward Jingdou.
After Fan Xian confirmed that the Shadow had returned to Chen Pingping's side, his tightly strung heart finally relaxed. For some reason, he felt uneasy about leaving the capital. If it were just the matter of the Crown Prince, it would be a threat to the old cripple's safety. However, Fan Xian felt that something major and beyond his imagination would happen in Jingdou.
Once the major event happened, the people in the Palace would know of the hidden power at his father's side. Furthermore, his father had always hidden it well so that if there was any movement in Jingdou, he would not be a leading target.
Chen Pingping was not the same. If something major happened, the first thing those people would do would be to gather all their forces and exhaust all their means to kill him, the Emperor's most reliable old dog.
This was a true logic proved in the decades of unrest in the mainland. If one wanted to kill the Qing Emperor, they had to first kill Chen Pingping.
Although Fan Xian knew how powerful and shrewd the old Director was and how terrifyingly powerful the guards outside Chen Garden were, without the Shadow at his side, Fan Xian was still uneasy.
…
…
The carriage went south past the hills beside Wei River, past the mountains in Jiangbei, across the Great River, and through the newly built riverbanks to arrive near Yingzhou. One branch of the river transport yamen was set there.
That night, Fan Xian didn't summon his student Yang Wanli to visit him. For one, he wanted to personally see how Wanli was doing. Second, he urgently needed to check the council reports that came from Jingdou these few days and the news the Jiangnan water bandits had sent over.
Fan Xian sat by the table and read the files by the faint lantern light. He couldn't resist laughing self-mockingly. Perhaps he had stayed for too long in dangerous areas as to become slightly over-sensitive. Given the Qing Emperor's supreme prestige among the people and military, and the steady loyalty in the Qing court system, who in this world would rebel?
In the depths of the night, the sound of night watches came from the streets. Fan Xian had already come out of the inn alone. He wore black night-traveling clothes to hide his appearance.
Since the big picture had yet to move, his little matters had to begin.
In a broken-down temple outside the city, Fan Xian found that green banner and saw Thirteenth Wang below the banner looking in a daze at the statue.
"I am very pleased about the matter with the little arrow brother."
Fan Xian sat opposite him and smiled slightly, "However, I heard you were injured. You seem to have recovered well."
Thirteenth Wang forced a smile and said, "My body may be sturdier than others."
"It's great that it's sturdy because I am immediately going to have you do something," Fan Xian smiled and said. "I will slowly go back to Hangzhou and Suzhou, but you need to go first and meet up with someone. Then, you have to go out on my behalf and help me collect some debt."
"Debt?"
"Yes." Fan Xian sighed. "A large amount of money."
Thirteenth Wang glanced at him. "I can't help you with the Ming family. You know that my brother disciple Yun has been watching there."
"Nonsense. If Yu Zhilan wasn't keeping an eye out, why would I have you go?" Fan Xian smiled. "This is a business matter. I don't want to fight with Dongyi, so it is more appropriate for you to show your face."
Thirteenth Wang forced a laugh and said, "I am just expressing my master's attitude. It doesn't mean that I will represent him to subdue brother disciple Yun."
"I am also not stupid enough to believe that Dongyi would have internal strife." Fan Xian shook his head and looked at the green banner beside him. "However, I am the owner of this account…but it's not convenient for me to show my face, and the same applies to my students and subordinates. I had originally thought to use a random stranger to do this, but I am also afraid that the Ming family might panic and kill the stranger. You are highly skilled, so, naturally, you don't have to be afraid of these vulgar threats on your life."
Thirteenth Wang said, with shock, "Why do you trust me so much? Are you not worried I will steal this account? Are you not worried I will tell everything to the Ming family?"
"You won't be able to steal it. You are just going to imitate a professional manager." Fan Xian didn't care that he couldn't understand these new words. "As for the Ming family, I've already throttled them. I just need you to go and tighten the rope."
Thirteenth Wang sighed sorrowfully and said, "Sir Fan junior, I am not your assassin."
"Attitude." Fan Xian smiled consolingly. "Attitude determines everything. Since your master wants to stay neutral, then he needs to demonstrate his attitude more clearly. Otherwise, after the Ming family falls, I cannot promise whether or not the channel for goods heading East is free flowing."
"If the channel East is not free flowing, those who suffer a loss include your Qing Kingdom." Thirteenth Wang didn't like being threatened by others.
Fan Xian said, seriously, "Qing Kingdom belongs to the Emperor not me, so I don't care about suffering a loss. However, Dongyi is your master's, so he cares about suffering a loss. This is the biggest difference."
Chapter 485: Zhaoshang Money House
Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio
The temperature in Jiangnan was a great deal warmer than in Jingdou. Although it snowed heavily earlier in the year in Suzhou and Hangzhou, the snow clouds in the sky were pulled by the seaside directly into the interior of Qing Kingdom and buried all the farmlands, rivers, and valleys under snow. Once the beginning of the year passed and winter reached its end, the snow in Jiangnan stopped and the sun came out. The snow melted and immediately lost its chill.
The trees outside Suzhou even sprouted new tender growths early.
Ming Qingda, the current master of the Ming family and known as the wealthiest merchant in the world, was sitting inside a little pavilion in the Ming garden. His gaze surpassed the high garden walls and landed among the tender growths in the trees. Although the walls around the garden were very tall and became a tightly defended fortress once the doors were closed, these high walls could not stop his gaze or hide the frail but gradually growing signs of spring.
Although it was winter, he still anticipated the spring.
Ming Qingda let out a breath. A glimmer of radiance appeared on his tired, old face. He thought happily that winter was about to end. The flowers and trees were going to come alive again. The Ming family, this giant Ming family, should also be coming alive again.
Within a year, the Ming family had experienced too much misfortune. The enormous fortune they earned each year in the past from the palace treasury had been cut by half, and their various trade routes were being endlessly harassed by the Overwatch Council. The flow between goods and cash was difficult. There was a gradual sense of impending doom.
Furthermore, the old matriarch, who had been secretly managing the Ming family, had been "forced to death" by the imperial envoy, the Third Ming master had almost been exiled, and there was suddenly an extra Seventh Ming who wanted a piece of the family fortune.
Numerous attacks fell on the Ming family and made it difficult for Ming Qingda to breathe and survive. He knew that the person behind all of these things was the Emperor on the dragon chair. The person carrying out these things was imperial envoy Fan Xian, who appeared warm but had sinister thoughts. Fortunately, in this half a year, Fan Xian had mostly stayed in Hangzhou and played around in Wuzhou and Danzhou. He rarely returned to the Suzhou palace treasury to oversee matters. In particular, during the two months around the end of the year, Fan Xian had left Jiangnan and returned to Jingdou.
After Fan Xian left Jiangnan, the dark cloud over the Ming family also moved away. Although the Jiangnan branch of the Overwatch Council continued to work hard to carry out Fan Xian's orders to put pressure on the Ming family business, the Ming family had deep connections in Jiangnan. There were countless officials who extended a helping hand in secret, so the Ming family business had immediately come alive again and welcomed a rarely seen liveliness.
That was why, earlier, Ming Qingda sighed happily as he looked at the new growth outside the garden walls.
However, his face immediately darkened because he suddenly realized he had let the joy get to his head. Spring was here, trees were sprouting but…the imperial envoy was coming back.
His mood immediately became gloomy. He stood up angrily. He shook his sleeve and walked toward his own courtyard. Ming Garden took up an expansive piece of land. Most of the men lived in the garden. According to tradition, after the old Ming matriarch died, Ming Qingda, the master who truly held the speaking power, should move into the old Matriarch's courtyard that was in the highest position in the garden. However, Ming Qingda resolutely refused to agree to the discussion in the clan. As an excuse, he said he missed his mother and turned the courtyard in a memorial hall.
He knew why he didn't move into that little courtyard. He was afraid that once he woke up in there, he would see a white cloth tied to the beams and a pair of endlessly kicking little feet.
That morning, he had dealt with matters from the trading companies and country estates owned by the clan. Ming Qingda had picked up a boiling hot towel and rubbed it vigorously over his face. He felt a tiredness that seeped out from his bones. This family was too big. There were too many things to worry about. In the past, he could easily handle specific matters as the head of the family because most of the direction and the collusion with the nobles in court were single-handedly dealt with by the old Ming matriarch, so there was no need for him to tire himself over it.
It was not the same now. He had to personally handle the secret communications with Jingdou. What gave him the biggest headache was that the imperial envoy had never stopped his attack on the Ming family. Outside crisis was imminent, and now there were problems within the Ming family. Through the lawsuit, Fan Xian had forcefully stuffed Xia Qifei, the vile spawn, into the family. Furthermore, he had heard that the Third Ming was recently very close to Xia Qifei.
In front of pressure from the court, there wasn't much that Ming Qingda could do. He could only watch as Xia Qifei moved step by step closer to the nucleus of the Ming family. A month ago, on the first day of the year, he had actually watched with his own eyes as Xia Qifei returned to the clan and worshipped the ancestors.
With the internal problems and external crisis, Ming Qingda almost couldn't hang on anymore. But, he had to persist. For the clan, he had to endure until the Eldest Princess succeeded.
He looked at the two people beside him and sighed in his heart. Beside him were a man and a woman. They were the people he now trusted the most. One was his son, Ming Lanshi, the other was once the old matriarch's personal serving girl, his present second concubine.
If it weren't for this serving girl, it would have been impossible for Ming Qingda to completely take over the old Ming matriarch's secrets and become the true master of the Ming family. So, he had given sufficient compensation and love to this woman.
As for Ming Lanshi…Ming Qingda glanced at his son and furrowed his brows. He knew that Ming Lanshi was capable and had good judgement. However, the father and son recently had some major disagreements over the future of the Ming family.
In Ming Lanshi's opinion, since the court was suppressing them so harshly and the palace treasury was firmly controlled by Fan Xian, it was already impossible for the Ming family to obtain a huge profit through the palace treasury like in the past. They should use this opportunity to gradually leave this business and use the Ming family's large amounts of land and various networks to transfer into carrying out commercial trading between Qing Kingdom and Dongyi, no longer operating as the palace treasury's royal merchants. In this way, the court and imperial envoy would be grateful, and they would be able to maintain the Ming family's foundation.
However, Ming Qingda resolutely opposed this suggestion. Even though the Ming family was struggling a great deal right now, he still did not allow the clan to move away from the palace treasury at all and had the intention of developing toward a different direction.
The concubine left the front hall. Ming Qingda looked at his son and furrowed his brows. "Your suggestion last night…it can't be done."
"Why not?" Ming Lanshi asked unhappily. "Who can stand against the court? If we don't pull back now…once Fan Xian returns to Jiangnan again, I'm afraid we won't be able to pull back even if we want to."
"What can Fan Xian do?" Ming Qingda glanced at him. "Can he move troops and have us all killed?"
"Who knows? The imperial envoy is the Emperor's illegitimate child. If he truly acted without regard to the rules, who would he be afraid of?" Ming Lanshi knew that Fan Xian would not do such a thing but couldn't resist saying it.
"We also have people in the Palace." Ming Qingda furrowed his brows. "The empress dowager, the empress, and the Eldest Princess…could these people really not defeat an illegitimate child of the Emperor?"
"What about our business? If Fan Xian continued to do as he did last year…how much silver will the Ming family have to put in to make up for the losses?" Ming Lanshi asked aggrieved. "In the past, when we did business for the palace treasury, we could earn however we want. For every sale we make now, we lose money on another. When we bid for the lots, we set the price too high. It was impossible to make a profit. Plus, we are harassed daily by the Overwatch Council people. Father, if this continues, we can't support it for long. In another three months, I think the clan will have to start selling land."
"What are you anxious about?" Ming Qingda asked with disapproval. "We have to continue the palace treasury business. This is the Eldest Princess' intentions. If we let go at this time, perhaps Fan Xian would let us go. But, how will we explain it to the Eldest Princess? Without the label of the palace treasury, the Ming family is like a fat piece of meat and could be eaten by someone at any moment."
He didn't notice that he had said this to his son a year ago.
"Then…we could at least send fewer goods to Dongyi and reduce our losses," Ming Lanshi said, probingly.
Ming Qingda shook his head and resolutely said, "No! We can't offend Sigu Jian…we still need Taiping money house's cash."
Speaking of cash, the father and son fell silent at the same time. Under the powerful suppression by the court and Fan Xian, the reason then Ming family was still able to stand tall and keep their large landholdings was completely due to their positive relationship with Dongyi, and the endless supply of cash from the Taiping and Zhaoshang money houses.
"What if…I'm saying, what if, Taiping and Zhaoshang felt that our family couldn't handle it anymore and recalled their silver?"
"Recall their silver? The collateral we put up was land and the trading company." Ming Qingda laughed coldly. "What will the money houses do with these things? Are they going to sell them? They can only continue to support us. Otherwise, all they take back is a bunch of dead things, things that are impossible to make money from."
"What should we do?"
"Endure!" Ming Qingda stood up and slightly tightened his fists. He coughed and resolutely said, "As long as the Taiping money house and the Zhaoshang money house don't have problems, we can endure. Fan Xian won't be able to do anything to me."
"How long will we have to endure?" Having watched the trials the clan had gone through this year, Ming Lanshi was finding it difficult to maintain his spirit.
"Until Fan Xian falls; until the Emperor knows he's wrong." Ming Qingda's eyes were sunken. A glimmer of viciousness shone through his exhaustion. "Even if it's two or three years, we have to endure. We have to wait until there is news from Jingdou."
"There are too many areas in which this family needs money. We'll probably have to continue moving silver from the money houses," Ming Lanshi said worriedly.
"A portion of the clan was forcefully given to Xia Qifei." Ming Qingda closed his eyes and calculated. "Even if the Third and Fourth, who were born of the concubine, had other thoughts, they don't have much in their hands. Most of it is in our hands. As long as we don't over borrow from the money houses, it will be fine."
As a far-thinking businessman, although he didn't think that the Taiping and Zhaoshang money houses would suddenly pull the rug from under their feet, he, who was always cautious, knew to keep the risk as low as possible.
The street in Suzhou that was full of money houses was not very long. The limestone streets appeared particularly quiet. The people who could come there had either reached some level of poverty or some level of wealth.
As the inheritor of the Ming family, Ming Lanshi belonged to the latter. When he quietly came to the green banner of the Zhaoshang money house, he was immediately respectfully welcomed in by the head shopkeeper.
Ever since Fan Xian had come to Jiangnan, the Ming family's outside borrowing had increased, particularly in the case of the palace treasury bidding. The powerful and widespread Taiping money house was not able to provide so much cash on such short notice, so the Ming family had taken a risk and asked for help from Zhaoshang money house.
Unexpectedly, the Zhaoshang money house had worked very hard and delivered. This cooperation left the Ming family with a good impression. After carrying out a detailed background investigation, the Ming family confirmed that the source of the Zhaoshang money house's capital came from the legacy of Shen Zhong, once the commander of the Northern Qi Brocade Guards, as well as a clan in Dongyi, and so the Ming family was assured.
The cooperation between the two grew by the day. They worked closely together. Other than the Taiping money house, the Zhaoshang money house had already become the Ming family's biggest partner. In a year, the Ming family had borrowed over 3 million liang of silver from this money house.
Ming Lanshi was there to borrow money again. The two sides signed the contract and notary documents with great familiarity and completed each other's paperwork.
An awkward expression suddenly appeared on the head shopkeeper's face. He said, "Young master Ming, there is something I'm not sure if I should say."
Ming Lanshi furrowed his brows slightly. His heart jumped. Had the Zhaoshang money house suddenly developed doubts of some kind concerning the Ming family?
As expected, the normal looking head shopkeeper probingly said, "These two months have been good, but I heard…the imperial envoy is about to return to Jiangnan."
Ming Lanshi huffed coldly, thinking, The entire world knew that his family did not get along with Fan Xian. But if the Zhaoshang conference wasn't scared before, why are you scared now?
The head shopkeeper smiled warmly and said, "The Ming family has been in the Jiangnan business world for a hundred years. Our small money house would not dare to suspect anything. However…I wish to remind the young master, there are plenty of money-making businesses in this world, so why fight with the court?"
Ming Lanshi's heart jumped. This perfectly matched his desire to transfer the Ming family onto a different path. However, he was not the head of the Ming family. He suddenly developed a glimmer of suspicion toward the head shopkeeper. In front of this outsider, he wouldn't say anything. He smiled slightly and said, "What business could be more profitable than the palace treasury?"
The head shopkeeper chuckled and didn't say anything more.
…
…
After the Ming family carriage had left the limestone paved street, the head shopkeeper of the Zhaoshang money house bent his body slightly and returned to the strictly guarded treasury. The treasury housed cash and receipts from various sources. It was clear that the head shopkeeper was careful with the Ming family's borrowing slip in his hand. He carefully placed it in a separate wooden compartment and glanced inside.
Inside was a very thick stack of receipts. If Zhaoshang money house forced the Ming family to return the money right now and would not break a deal with the court and pull out from the palace treasury business, they could only sell off their abundant family property to return the money.
Of course, the Zhaoshang money house would not do such a thing.
The head shopkeeper suddenly thought of something and smiled at his assistant by his side. "How much silver has the Sixth Ming master borrowed?"
"It has already surpassed the limit." The assistant spoke respectfully. He was very admiring of the head shopkeeper's methods because he knew that, at this moment, the Zhaoshang money house actually already owned almost half of the Ming family. Although the value of the Ming family property was far more than this, for things such as wealth, once it was reflected on a receipt, at a rather clever moment, it would always shrink a great deal.
"That guest…he brought the seal?"
"Yes."
The head shopkeeper nodded and knew the master was preparing to act. However, wasn't he not in Jiangnan yet?
In a side room in the back of the Zhaoshang money house, the head shopkeeper immediately saw the green banner and respectfully asked, "Sir, what should be done now?"
The moment Thirteenth Wang had entered Suzhou, he had come to Zhaoshang money house. He knew of the partnership between this money house and the Ming family, but he would never have guessed, no, it should be that no one in the world would have guessed, that this money house…was actually Fan Xian's.
His lips tasted slightly bitter. He once again understood why his master took Fan Xian so seriously and why he had sent him to represent part of his attitude. He also knew that the words Fan Xian had said to him in that broken-down temple were not false. The Zhaoshang money house already had enough receipts from the Ming family. In this matter, he was only a debt collector…he couldn't change this.
Even if he informed Dongyi and the Ming family right now, he still could not change the destined reality.
The Ming family was done for. More accurately speaking, before Ming Qingda knelt in front of Fan Xian, before he secretly killed the old Ming matriarch, before he used a mournful attitude to beg for the world's sympathy and delayed Fan Xian's thunderbolt…the Ming family was already done for.
Everything the Ming family had done was extra and a powerless struggle.
The reason Fan Xian had not made a move earlier was because he still had to deal with the pressure from Jingdou. He was taking action now because he knew that the nobility in Jingdou would not have the extra power to help the Ming family.
Thirteenth Wang furrowed his brows and wondered what Fan Xian would do to delay the Eldest Princess' support to the Ming family,
"I don't understand these things." Thirteenth Wang sighed. "When are you going to collect the debt? I'll go with you."
The head shopkeeper smiled. A long time ago, he was a successful official in the Ministry of Revenue. Now, he was a successful high-interest moneylender. For such things as clearing shop, he was very good at it. "The owner still has some things to do in tandem. I'll have to trouble sir to wait a few more days in Suzhou."
Thirteenth Wang thought to himself, Fan Xian wanted to settle the accounts with the Ming family, the receipts alone would not be enough. What other actions did he have?
…
…
Fan Xian's action in Jiangnan had begun early because he needed this time difference. The Jingdou action that would truly cause the Jiangnan action was slowly starting.
One day in February, the owner of the Dongyi cloth store, who was overwrought by the delays, finally received a piece of good news. The banknotes he had given out had worked. Tomorrow, yes, tomorrow, the embroidered cloths…could be delivered into the Palace.