News of what happened at the Ministry of Justice quickly spread throughout the capital. The expected counterattack of the Overwatch Council, the Prime Minister, and Minister Fan against the Ministry of Justice and the Imperial Censorate did not begin immediately. This was beyond the expectations of all the officials.
During the Palace Examination, the Emperor of Qing finally made his stance clear. The people Fan Xian had taken a liking to were all chosen into the second rank. As for the zhuangyuan, bangyan, and tanhua, they were, not surprisingly, given to some long-established scholars. Furthermore, Fan Xian knew that the names of these three had appeared on those slips of paper. When he had pasted their names, he had tampered with them.
His Majesty's stance on the exam hall fraud case was even more obvious in the specific circumstances of the court examination. During the banquet, the officials were surprised to see Fan Xian, a fifth-level scholar of the Imperial College, sitting uneasily in the front row, to the right of the Crown Prince and the Second Prince. He smiled shyly, as if he had not drunk today, so he was not as wild as he had been the night he had spat out 300 poems. He was not used to the feeling of being watched by so many people.
After Fan Xian had caused trouble at the Ministry of Justice, the officials in the capital had long known his true identity. They also knew that the Overwatch Council had used Fan Xian as a pretext to make a fuss. They had used Fan Xian's privilege as the Commissioner of the Overwatch Council to strip the faces of the Minister of Justice, Han Zhiwei, and the Imperial Censorate, Guo Zheng. It was also rumored that there had been a disturbance in the palace that night.
The Commissioner of the Overwatch Council was a very sinister position. The officials still found it difficult to connect Fan Xian, who controlled countless secret agents and secretly controlled the lives of officials. But no matter what, when the officials looked at Fan Xian now, they no longer saw him as a civil official, a son of a powerful family with a powerful background. For the first time, they truly felt Fan Xian's power.
After the Palace Examination, the cheating case in the spring examinations was still under the jurisdiction of the Overwatch Council. Slowly but surely, it was being investigated. Commissioner Fan, on the other hand, had quieted down. Those who knew the inside story guessed that Fan Xian was preparing for his diplomatic mission in a few days.
...
...
On the third of the third month, the court examination ended, the banquet ended, and the flower arrangement ended. Yang Wanli, Hou Jichang, Cheng Jialin, and Shi Chanli, these four scholars who had suddenly been blessed by the heavens, finally found an opportunity to sit uneasily in a carriage and arrive at the gate of Fan Manor on the southern street of the city.
Yang Wanli raised his head to look at the lavish facade of Fan Manor. He glanced nervously at the ferocious stone lion crouching by the door and mumbled, "I'm a little nervous."
Hou Jichang was the calmest of the four, but this was the first time he had come to such a luxurious manor, so he was a bit nervous. He forced a smile and said, "I've seen Sir Fan junior before. Not only is he young and promising, his way of talking is also very interesting. He's not like the other officials in the court, who are hateful. What are you nervous about?"
Cheng Jialin stood to the side and didn't know what to say. A few days ago, the Ministry of Justice and the Overwatch Council had caused a ruckus. Logically speaking, the four of them had already been put under Fan Xian's tutelage. The Palace examination had passed. No matter what, they should come to the manor to pay their respects. Going back to that day at Tongfu Tavern, the four scholars had suddenly discovered that the most terrifying Overwatch Council in the Kingdom of Qing had fought with the bailiffs of the 13 yamens for their sake. They had almost been scared to death.
Shi Chanli's temperament was the most gentle and carefree. This time, he hadn't passed, so he was much more relaxed than his three friends. He pointed at them and laughed. "I can see that you are all quite nervous, but it's probably not because you're visiting your teachers. It's because you've discovered that Sir Fan junior has suddenly become the Commissioner of the Overwatch Council. Brother Zhu, am I right? "
Yang Wanli looked at the stone lion again and smiled bitterly. "No one would have guessed that in less than two days, the immortal poet Fan Xian would suddenly become one of the most powerful officials in the Overwatch Council. It's not like you don't know how frightening the Overwatch Council is. The officials in the court have always been wary of it. Sir Fan junior joining the Overwatch Council has not been a good thing. "
"That's just the prejudice of ignorant people." Shi Chanli smiled and said, "That day in Tongfu Inn, you also said that the Overwatch Council is very beneficial in supervising the governance of officials." He turned to the somewhat disapproving Hou Jichang. "After Minister Guo went to prison, you also raised your cup for the Overwatch Council. What's wrong? Now that you've discovered that your teacher is a high-ranking official of the Overwatch Council, you're acting like ordinary people and wanting to keep a respectful distance? "
Yang Wanli sighed. "The whole world knows that Sir Fan junior was the main contributor to the scandal of the spring examination. It was only later that we realized that he had been working for the Overwatch Council all along. Sir Fan junior's actions have not only shaped the futures of the three of us; more importantly, it has created a slightly fairer path for the scholars of the world. Everyone is grateful. Even after knowing that he is the Commissioner of the Overwatch Council, no scholar dares to show him the slightest disrespect. As for you and me, there's no need to say more. Even if Sir Fan junior stays in the Overwatch Council in the future, we still have to follow him. Brother Shi, you don't need to say more. I've already made up my mind. "
Hou Jichang smiled. "That's right. It's just a pity that, according to the rules of the court, any leader of the special agents of the Overwatch Council can no longer enter the cabinet. It's a pity for Sir Fan junior's talent. "
At this moment, Cheng Jialin had a chance to interject. "Sir Fan junior still has that identity. His official career has never been able to flourish. I hear that next year he will be in charge of the royal merchant's palace treasury, so it's not a pity that he can enter the Overwatch Council."
Everyone understood that he was talking about Fan Xian's identity as "the princess's son-in-law". When they thought about how this extremely young teacher of theirs had so many identities, they all felt it was strange. The four of them discussed in low voices at the gate of Fan Manor for a long time. Finally, they got rid of some of their nervousness and walked toward Fan Manor, handing over the name cards they had prepared.
The gatekeeper of Fan Manor had long since noticed these four people who looked like scholars. He took the name cards with a face full of suspicion and found that they were the four people who had been rumored in the capital for a long time. The servants of Fan Manor all knew that their young master had accepted four new students. So it was these four people in front of them. They respectfully invited them into the gatekeeper's room and served them tea.
The four of them knew that this was the custom of a noble family. Whenever a guest came, they had to first drink tea in the gatekeeper's room. Unexpectedly, after a short while, the gatekeeper reported back with a face full of embarrassment. "The young master has gone out today. He is not in the manor. Would you like to leave a message, or perhaps come back another day?"
The four of them couldn't help but feel a little disappointed. But deep down, they couldn't help but relax. At that moment, an official's sedan chair stopped by the side door. The gatekeeper hurried forward to greet it. A middle-aged official with a solemn expression stepped out of the sedan chair. His eyes were soft and full of spirit. As he walked past the gatekeeper's room, he stopped and looked at the four scholars.
The gatekeeper saw that his master had stopped and was about to introduce him, but his master waved his hand and turned to the four scholars. "Which one of you is Yang Wanli? Who is Shi Chanli? Who is Hou Jichang? Who is Cheng Jialin? "
Hou Jichang was shocked. He thought that this man knew who the four of them were without asking, and he didn't just ask for their names. He didn't leave out any of them. It seemed that he didn't want to give them the impression of favoritism. For such a clear-minded person to know without thinking, he must be Sir Fan junior's father. He quickly bowed. "I am Hou Jichang. Greetings, Minister."
The three scholars beside him came to their senses. Knowing that the man in front of them was Sir Fan junior's father, they hurriedly bowed as well.
Count Sinan smiled and looked at Hou Jichang. "It seems that Fan Xian has a good eye," he said with some approval. "He's not home. If you don't mind him being long-winded, why don't you accompany me into the manor for a chat?"
This was their teacher's father. How should they address him? Although the four scholars were the rising power of the Kingdom of Qing's officialdom, they didn't dare say anything in front of this wily old minister. They obediently followed him into the manor.
— — —
The ugliest building on Tianhe Road was still silent in the spring light. The famous falling flowers and running water on either side of the road had no petals. Because it was still early in the spring, the flowers had not yet fully bloomed. Naturally, they didn't want to throw their clothes into the water.
The common people of the capital still followed the old rules, staying far away from the Overwatch Council. The stone tablet in front of the gate quietly watched them, as if to say, "The Council is here to protect you. Why are you so afraid?" Don't ask why the common people were afraid of the Overwatch Council. Just like Yang Wanli and the other scholars, people's fear of secret agencies was always without reason. It was because there seemed to be no light in the yamen, only secrets and darkness.
In the square-shaped room of the Overwatch Council, the seven leaders were sitting at the long table, holding their breaths and calming their spirits. They knew that today's meeting was special, so their gazes toward the crippled Director at the end of the long table were filled with doubt. After the head of the First Bureau, Zhu Ge, committed suicide in this room, the First Bureau had been without a leader. Mu Tie was only temporarily in charge of his duties in the capital, so today there were only seven people in the eight bureaus.
The door slid open quietly, but the seven most powerful figures in the Kingdom of Qing sensed it. They unconsciously turned their heads to look at the door. Even Chen Pingping, at the end of the table, slowly raised his head, his eyes calm and spirited.
An old man with slightly brown eyes and a head full of messy hair walked in.
Everyone was slightly surprised, but they saw Fei Jie turn around and say quietly, "An ugly daughter-in-law has to see her parents-in-law. Come in. What are you waiting for?"
The young man behind him came out, a little embarrassed. The young man's face was delicate and amiable, and his face was full of a shy smile. He cupped his hands and bowed to the leaders of the Overwatch Council around the table. He said quietly, a little embarrassed, "Good morning, everyone. I am Fan Xian."
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