"Greetings, Commissioner." The one who interrupted Fan Xian's thoughts was the Qing envoy stationed in Northern Qi, Master Lin Wen.
Fan Xian looked away from the mottled walls. "In this country, it would be better to call me Envoy Fan."
Lin Wen was slightly taken aback. He had always been far away in a foreign country, so he did not know the details of what had happened in the capital. But he knew that Commissioner Fan was a popular figure in the court. He had not expected his first greeting to be rebuffed. Looking at Fan Xian's expression, Lin Wen could not help but think that this young official was relying on his father's influence and was pompous. He could not help but worry.
Lin Jing smiled. "Master Fan, what you mean is, since we are here to declare our friendship, we should not use the identity of the Overwatch Council, lest the other party be unhappy."
Lin Wen finally understood. He smiled. "As you wish, Master Fan."
Fan Xian turned his head to look at the official stationed in Northern Qi. His face was upright, but he looked somewhat familiar. He could not help but feel puzzled. Standing to the side, Lin Jing explained, "Lord Lin Wen is this one's cousin."
Fan Xian was enlightened. "So that's how it is. Father and son go to war, and brothers fight tigers. With you two here, I believe this mission will go smoothly."
...
...
A Northern Qi official walked over, and the three of them stopped talking. They turned to study the marks on the walls of Shangjing and the routes the ants had taken. It was not until the official walked behind them that Lin Wen suddenly noticed him. "Brother Wei Hua, you came today?" he asked with surprise.
Fan Xian turned and looked at the official named Wei Hua. He smiled. It was not convenient for him to say anything.
Wei Hua cupped his hands in greeting. He seemed to be quite familiar with Lin Wen. "If it were not for receiving your envoy, I'm afraid I would still be enjoying myself in Lixiang Courtyard."
Fan Xian was delighted. It seemed that this person was just like Li Hongcheng. They both had the same taste.
Lin Wen hurriedly introduced him to Fan Xian. "This is Master Wei Hua, the junior minister of Honglu Temple." He then introduced Wei Hua. "And this is..."
Unexpectedly, Wei Hua waved his hand with a faint smile. "Master Fan is famous throughout the world. There is no need for Brother Lin to introduce him."
Fan Xian was slightly taken aback. He cupped his hands. "I do not deserve this title."
"Master Fan is too modest." Wei Hua's features could be considered delicate, but there was a sense of unruliness in his eyes. He didn't look like an official, but more like an arrogant scholar. "A dignified immortal of poetry, unexpectedly became the Commissioner of the Overwatch Council. Next year, I'm afraid he'll be in charge of the palace treasury of the southern court. Before he left for the diplomatic mission, he exposed the scandal of the spring examination, and the heads of 17 officials fell to the ground. But Master Fan, you've transferred to Northern Qi."
He laughed and said, "I wonder what the Emperor of your country is thinking? For someone as important as Sir Fan, it is only natural that he should be kept in the capital. How could he be sent to suffer in the Kingdom of Qi? What if … we meet with a cold on the way? What should we do? "
Fan Xian heard the faint threat in his words but did not care. He smiled and said, "How could I be so weak?"
Wei Hua noticed that this talented young official seemed to be very interested in Shangjing's walls. He couldn't help but proudly say, "This city has been built for three hundred years, and has never been attacked by an enemy. Does Master Fan think it is very grand? How does it compare to the capital of Qing? "
Fan Xian smiled and said, "Of course it is grand, but it seems a bit old. It seems that your country needs to find a time to repair it."
As the two men spoke, they secretly mocked each other. Everyone was silent. After a while, Wei Hua said quietly, "Master Fan, you have come from afar. Naturally, I must play host. After the official business is done, I hope you will do me the honor."
Fan Xian looked at him and wondered why there was always a hint of enmity in his words, but this enmity did not reach the level of hatred. He couldn't help but be curious. He had never met this person before, so how had he offended him?
Lin Wen laughed and said, "Let Envoy Fan know that this Master Wei Hua is the eldest son of the Marquis of Chang Ninghou, who went on a diplomatic mission to the southern court last year. Envoy Fan had a drinking contest in the palace last year, and the Marquis was unable to hold on and passed out. After returning home, he never forgot about it, saying that the southern court had produced a powerful young man. Not only was he good at poetry, but his capacity for liquor was also astonishing. Master Wei Hua often listened, and naturally wanted to compete with you. "
"So that's how it is." Fan Xian laughed bitterly and looked at Master Wei Hua again. Sure enough, he saw some similarities between him and Chang Ninghou. Last year, he had been the deputy to receive the Northern Qi diplomatic mission, and had come into contact with Chang Ninghou quite a bit. Later, during the palace banquet, they had a good drinking contest, and could be considered half a drinking buddy. He couldn't help but clasp his hands together and say, "Brother Wei, if you want to avenge your father, you'll have to wait a few days. Otherwise, if I get drunk and become muddle-headed, it won't be easy to explain to His Majesty."
Everyone laughed and left the matter for another day.
— — — —
Shangjing, Northern Qi, was indeed bustling. Although the streets were not wide, there were restaurants and restaurants along the way, with green tiles and pale walls and tall trees. The scenery was beautiful, and the people on the streets smiled warmly, full of confidence and pride. It did not look like a defeated country at all.
The diplomatic mission was received by Wei Hua, and they headed west of the city. They were arranged to stay in the royal courtyard behind Honglu Temple. From this arrangement, it could be seen that the Emperor of Northern Qi was giving the Qing diplomatic mission enough face.
Along the way, Fan Xian chatted with Wei Hua, and found that he was very familiar with the Qing bureaucracy. Not only could he name some of the nobles, but judging by his tone of voice, it seemed that he was acquainted with Crown Prince Jing, Li Hongcheng. This surprised Fan Xian. The capital of the two countries was far from each other, and Fan Xian didn't know how they had met.
During their conversation, Fan Xian had a vague understanding of Northern Qi's current state of affairs. Of course, before he went North, he had already read countless files in the Overwatch Council. He knew that the Northern Qi court was far from as harmonious and brilliant as Wei Hua had described it to be.
The Empress Dowager of Northern Qi was only in her thirties, and was still young. The Emperor had not been in power for long, and could not completely control the court. The Emperor's faction and the Empress's faction each had their own faction in the court, and they were fighting silently. If it weren't for the fact that the two countries had fought last year, and Northern Qi's complete defeat had temporarily suppressed the conflict, Shangjing would probably be in chaos by now.
And Shang Shanhu was originally a great general in the north, and it was for this reason that he had been transferred back to Shangjing.
Fan Xian pretended to ask casually, "I hear that General Shang Shanhu is a great hero. Brother Wei, when are you free to take me to pay him a visit?"
Wei Hua was surprised. "Master Fan, you are interested in General Shang Shanhu?"
"Although I am not a weak scholar, I have always admired heroes who resisted the barbarians." Fan Xian smiled warmly.
Wei Hua's expression changed. It seemed that he did not want to talk about Shang Shanhu. Fan Xian saw his expression and didn't say anything more. He smiled slightly.
When the diplomatic mission arrived at the courtyard, there were people responsible for arranging their accommodations. After a while, everything was finally arranged. As the vice-minister of the Office of the Grand Herald, Wei Hua naturally had to arrange dinner. At the banquet, he tested Fan Xian's tolerance for alcohol, and found that this young official drank wine like it was water. He was a perfect example of the true meaning of the word "drink". He couldn't help but be shocked, and immediately gave up on the idea of drinking to avenge his father.
The banquet dispersed, and the only people left in the courtyard were the diplomatic mission's own people. The guards of Northern Qi were very courteous and only stood guard outside the gate, leaving all matters of the inner courtyard to the diplomatic mission to handle.
There were only five people in the room: Fan Xian, the two brothers Lin Wen and Lin Jing, Gao Da, and Wang Qinian.
Fan Xian closed his eyes for a long time, making sure that no one was eavesdropping. Then he said quietly, "We are in the heart of an enemy country. Be careful what you say and do."
The two brothers, Lin Wen and Lin Jing, were indeed rather quiet. They nodded slightly in agreement, but seeing that Wang Qinian and Gao Da seemed to be Fan Xian's confidants, they probably did not know much about the current situation in Northern Qi. Lin Wen thought for a moment, then slowly opened his mouth to report the recent situation in Shangjing to Fan Xian.
"Shang Shanhu has an idle post?" Fan Xian frowned. This was completely different from what he had expected. The Overwatch Council had originally thought that Northern Qi's most capable general, since he had been transferred south from the snowy wastelands, must have been to deal with Qing's aggressive attacks. How did he become an idle post?
"Great General Huaiyuan. Although his name sounds good, he is in the capital, and he only has a hundred private soldiers. In the capital, there is the Shangjing Garrison, the three commanders, and the general of the cavalry... Great General Huaiyuan has an extra word, and his position is respected, but he has no soldiers in his hands. Even if Shang Shanhu has the bravery of the world, he can only obediently sit on the floor, holding the concubine and sighing. " Lin Wen said with a trace of mockery, "A tiger is raised in a cage. No matter how powerful it is, it can only scare people."
Fan Xian lightly knocked on the table, and shook his head in confusion. "What are they doing? Moving this guy back to the capital, and not letting him go to war, and keeping him like this, does Northern Qi have too much money and nowhere to spend it? "
Lin Wen sighed. "In the struggle between the Emperor and Empress of Northern Qi, everyone wants to win Shang Shanhu's support, but everyone is afraid that Shang Shanhu will completely fall to the other side. So for now, they can only put him aside. But Shang Shanhu's name is here, and his rallying power in the military is too strong. Even if he only has a hundred personal guards in the capital, no one would dare to look down on him. "
Fan Xian shook his head and sighed. "No wonder only a few private soldiers came to Wuduhe. I was wondering. Helping Xiao En escape was such a big thing, and Shang Shanhu would not be so careless."
Lin Wen was startled. He did not know what had happened to the diplomatic mission on the way. Lin Jing quickly explained in a low voice. Lin Wen was shocked. Seeing that Fan Xian did not seem to be injured, he relaxed. "What is the relationship between General Shang Shanhu and Xiao En?"
Fan Xian fell silent. After a while, he said quietly, "If the Council's judgment is correct, Shang Shanhu should be an orphan that Xiao En adopted."
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