"Yes, sir," Chen Pingping answered respectfully.
"Were those two female assassins really Sigu Jian's disciples?"
"Yes."
The Emperor suddenly furrowed his brows and asked, "Would Sigu Jian really not kill the Fan family's son for revenge?"
Chen Pingping answered respectfully, "A grandmaster will always have some airs. He is still training in the Dongyi Sword Pit. As long as Fan Xian does not go to Dongyi, it will be fine. I am also handling this matter."
"I know. We didn't finish talking about it the night before yesterday. We will continue today." The Emperor half-closed his eyes to rest. "It took you so long to return to the capital. Even if you are not afraid of the censors' complaints, I still have to consider the opinions of the people. I know you are throwing a tantrum and are not satisfied with the arrangements you have made for him. "
Chen Pingping gently rubbed the fingernail of his right hand's ring finger. It was unclear whether he was nervous or excited, but his wrinkled face remained calm. "After this matter, I reckon the Prime Minister will bear a grudge. Although he will believe that it was Sigu Jian who did it, he will always believe that his son died because of Lady Fan. This marriage … I think we should forget about it."
The Emperor calmly said, "It doesn't matter. King Jing has already entered the palace. For some reason, he likes that kid very much. Don't be fooled by his indifference. If he really wants to protect someone, no one in the court would dare to touch him. As for Lin Ruofu, he is a smart man. After Lin Gong's death, who should he trust? Twenty years later, he should make a truly smart decision."
"King Jing?" Chen Pingping was a little surprised.
"Of course, he did not recognize him, so I do not know where his affection for that kid came from." The Emperor sighed. "Perhaps it is all fate."
It seemed that these words touched on some old pain. The Emperor and the official fell silent at the same time.
Chen Pingping suddenly said, "I opposed this marriage four years ago. Today, I still oppose this marriage."
The Emperor opened his eyes and looked at him. "You are younger than me, but you have worked hard all these years and have aged a lot. In the future, you should worry less about these things. The matters of these little fellows are not qualified for you to worry about them. "
Chen Pingping smiled. "When this is over, I will retire."
"What is it?"
"Your Majesty, about that child."
The Emperor's tone became indifferent. "In order to leave his mother's things to him, I went through many twists and turns. I pretended to feel sorry for Chen 'er, made her a princess, and used this property as her dowry. Then, I asked the Empress Dowager to appoint a marriage. Only then did I give him these things. I have put in a lot of effort, could it be that you are still dissatisfied? "
"I wouldn't dare." Chen Pingping knew that in order for Fan Xian to be able to regain control of the Ye family, the Emperor had used many methods. He said seriously, "However, I have always wondered how the Overwatch Council would be dealt with if one day I passed away. If the Council was handed over to an outsider, it would be a very dangerous matter."
Unlike the succession of imperial power, the Overwatch Council was a somewhat abnormal existence. It was completely dependent on the Emperor's unparalleled trust in Chen Pingping and Chen Pingping's unparalleled loyalty to the Emperor. If Chen Pingping died, no matter who took over the Overwatch Council, it could have an unimaginably terrifying effect on the Qing court. If it was handed over to an official, there could be a powerful official who could threaten the royal family. If it was handed over to a prince, there could be an overly powerful prince who could affect the succession of the throne.
The Emperor closed his eyes again, as if thinking about something. "You think I should hand the Council over to him?"
"Correct. Since that child is not an outsider, he will not threaten the palace. But his background means that he cannot participate in the struggle of the Emperor's family, so he can maintain a neutral position, "Chen Pingping replied slowly.
The Emperor seemed to be moved. "Let me think about it. Take good care of your body. You still have ten or twenty years to live. There is no need to rush this matter."
"Yes." Chen Pingping saw that today's goal had been achieved. He respectfully bowed and retreated. A palace maid saw him from afar and came to help him walk out of the palace.
The Emperor stood up and closed his eyes for a long time. Suddenly, he opened his eyes and watched the wheelchair walk out of the palace. He had never doubted Chen Pingping's loyalty to him, but he had always wondered why this old dog was so obsessed with that woman. He was willing to do anything to fight for all the power he could get for that child. Thinking of that child, a trace of gentleness suddenly flashed across the face of this world's ruler. He thought to himself, I haven't seen him since coming to the capital.
— — —
The palace maid pushed the wheelchair into the inner palace. A guard took it and slowly pushed it into the outer palace. When it reached the palace gates, people from the Overwatch Council took it and helped old Sir Chen into the carriage. The carriage moved forward on Zhuque Avenue, rolling over the stone pavement and making a rhythmic sound. It had been a long time, but they still hadn't left the inner city.
The road to the east of the city was very quiet. At this time, the sky was half dark. The carriage turned diagonally and stopped in a secluded place. There, another carriage was already waiting. The officials from the Overwatch Council and the guards next to the carriage didn't seem to be familiar with each other, but they tacitly left the carriage at the same time and scattered around, forming a relatively hidden defensive circle.
The two carriages were very close to each other. At the same time, the people in the carriage opened the side curtain and looked at each other. It was Chen Pingping and Fan Xian's father, Fan Jian, the assistant minister of the Ministry of Rites. Chen Pingping looked at this righteous face and was very angry. "While I was not in the capital, you coaxed His Majesty into finding a good marriage for your son!"
Fan Jian saw that he was angry, but he was neither afraid nor nervous. He smiled and replied, "Four years ago, you ruined my plans. I'm just trying to make things right."
Chen Pingping coldly said, "What's there to be happy about with such a pile of stinking money?"
Fan Jian shook his head. "Money is the most important thing. Don't forget that when the Council was first built, if it weren't for Xian 'er's mother, you would be starving."
"The palace treasury of today is no longer the Ye family of the past. If the Fan family were to take over, I'm afraid they would be badly battered. His Majesty forced the Lin family to acknowledge an illegitimate daughter so that you and the Prime Minister could live in peace. At the same time, it was also for the future. Otherwise, if people found out that a princess was married to a prince, what would they say? "Chen Pingping laughed coldly." Listen to my advice. Annul this marriage. It will be a good thing for both of you. "
"You think I don't know what you're planning?" Fan Jian frowned. "You've always believed that the Eldest Princess had something to do with what happened back then. But after all these years, you still haven't found any evidence."
"That's not the only reason." Chen Pingping's face was cold. "Even if His Majesty feels that he owes him, think about it. If His Majesty really did listen to you and returned the Ye family to him, what would happen to the Council? His Majesty is a great strategist. He would never allow anyone in the world to wield these two national weapons at the same time. Not even him. "
Fan Jian's frown deepened. "If you know all this, then why did you involve my son in this matter? Wouldn't it be better for him to be a rich man?"
"Is it that easy to be a rich man?"
"With you and me in the capital, and the Eldest Princess having been taught a lesson, the next few years should be very peaceful."
Chen Pingping's voice was cold. "Don't forget, your... son was almost killed a month ago."
Fan Jian stared into his eyes. "That was my negligence, but it was also your fault. If you hadn't been so angry and refused to return, then there wouldn't have been so much trouble in the capital."
Chen Pingping calmly said, "If your son had died just like that, would you and I still need to put in so much effort?"
...
...
After a moment of silence, Fan Jian spoke. "In this matter, I have paid a far greater price than you. So if you can't make a choice, I hope you will respect my opinion." Chen Pingping thought for a moment, then agreed with what Fan Jian had said. Fan Jian coldly let down the curtain and gave the order. The two carriages went their separate ways.
Darkness enveloped the Imperial City. In this ink-like background, some people gathered for the sake of benefits, and some gathered for the sake of ideals. Then, they would often separate because of the same two words, waiting for some day or some coincidental reason to come together again. At the foot of the royal city, next to the tall red walls of the palace, a sedan chair walked slowly. Behind it followed a few attendants. The imperial guards at the palace gates saw the sedan chair walk around the palace walls, but no one came forward to question it.
It was the Prime Minister's sedan chair. This was the Prime Minister's habit. Whenever the Kingdom of Qing encountered a problem, he would always have his sedan chair carried around the palace walls. Some people said that he pondered in a strict and quiet environment. Those who despised the Prime Minister believed that this strange habit of his showed some kind of sick fanaticism for power. In the second year of the Qing calendar, there was a flood in the southern river. The Prime Minister sat in his sedan chair and circled the palace walls many times. The next day, he presented a memorial detailing the division of labor and procedures for disaster relief. It was clear and powerful, but the most crucial aspect of money was money. The Ministry of Revenue found it difficult to make ends meet. At this time, the palace treasury received a large sum of money from overseas trade, which provided protection for the Prime Minister's plans. His Majesty was very pleased.
People often said that the Prime Minister was a treacherous man; one could tell just by looking at his manor. The Prime Minister was a capable man; one could tell just by looking at the world. But regardless of whether he was a treacherous man or a capable man, at certain times, he would always return to his most primal role, such as being a father. Today, the Prime Minister's "sedan chair" circled the palace walls. No one dared to disturb him, because everyone knew that his second son had died and he was in a bad mood.
The night gradually deepened. Red candles and lanterns were lit in the palace. A faint yellow light spilled over the high walls, but this side of the palace walls was still pitch-black. The sedan chair slowly walked to a secluded corner of the palace walls. In the distance, a lantern swayed as it approached. As it got closer, it became clear that it was also a sedan chair.
You've already exceeded your reading limit for today. If you want to read more, please log in.
Login
Select text and click 'Report' to let us know about any bad translation.
