Yan Bingyun, who had always maintained an inhuman calmness, was indeed an excellent spy. But the fury he had exploded in that instant was proof of his power and control as the head of the Qing Kingdom's spies in Northern Qi. Faced with the flames of anger shooting out of the prisoner's eyes, even Fan Xian unconsciously wanted to dodge.
Yan Bingyun's lips trembled. In a low voice, he spoke quickly, like an exploding firecracker. He moved closer to Fan Xian's ear. "Is Xiao En still under control?"
Fan Xian shook his head. "After Wuduhe, he was handed over to the Brocade Guard of Northern Qi. I suppose he has already entered the capital."
"Is there any way to kill him?"
"No."
"Did you get the secret out of his mouth?"
Fan Xian shivered. He pulled away from Yan Bingyun and looked at him calmly. "You know the secret he's talking about?"
Yan Bingyun looked at the young commissioner in front of him, and a strange smile appeared on his lips. "I've been in Northern Qi for four years. Naturally, I know that the Northern Qi royal family has always been obsessed with Xiao En. Although I don't know the specifics of that secret... for the Northern Qi royal family to place such importance on it, it can't be simple."
After a pause, Yan Bingyun suddenly said, "Do you know who Xiao En is?"
Fan Xian nodded and smiled. "I believe I know more than anyone else."
Yan Bingyun quickly cursed. "Since you know, how could you allow such a thing to happen?"
Fan Xian looked at him calmly. "The intentions of His Majesty and the Director are clear. Xiao En is old, and you are still young. So in this deal, we have the advantage."
Yan Bingyun once again fell silent. He had not expected that because of him, the Qing royal court would be willing to use Xiao En in exchange. But this reality made the commander of the northern spies feel a sense of defeat. Being captured alive by the Brocade Guard of Northern Qi was already a humiliation, and now the royal court had to pay such a heavy price. Without a doubt, it was even more humiliating.
He was very disappointed. His body, shrouded in his white robe, seemed to shrink.
Fan Xian looked at him calmly. "You are a smart man. Since this matter has already been decided, you must return to the south safely. That way, we won't lose too much."
Yan Bingyun was cold and speechless. He knew that this Commissioner of the Overwatch Council, who had appeared out of nowhere, had said the most correct thing to say.
"Three days later, I will wait for you at the mission."
Fan Xian smiled and walked out side by side with Wang Qinian. Accompanied by Wei Hua and the vice provost, they boarded the carriage and returned to the diplomatic mission.
After returning to the diplomatic mission, the people of the Kingdom of Qing gathered together to sort out the events of the past few days. Then they dispersed, leaving only Fan Xian and Wang Qinian. Fan Xian rested his chin on his hand and sank into deep thought.
Wang Qinian asked carefully, "Master Fan, what are you thinking about?"
"Why did Miss Shen appear there?" Fan Xian yawned and continued, "This could be Northern Qi trying to mess with our minds, or at least weaken the trust the court has in Yan Bingyun."
"How could that be?" Wang Qinian was puzzled. "The Imperial Court is naturally aware of Lord Yan's methods."
"Things can always get complicated," Fan Xian said expressionlessly. "If someone with ulterior motives wants to do something, this could be a loophole … and there's something else I don't understand. Old Wang, tell me, why is it that when we went to see Lord Yan, he was clearly able to return home, but I didn't see a trace of happiness on his face?"
"Because the price the court paid to have him return home was too high." Wang Qinian had been in the Overwatch Council for a long time, and he was more familiar with the eccentric officials of the Council than Fan Xian. He said respectfully, "If Lord Yan knew that the court would use Xiao En in exchange for him, perhaps he would have chosen to commit suicide when he was first arrested, instead of waiting until now."
Fan Xian seemed to find it difficult to understand the state of mind of these Overwatch Council officials. He frowned and said, "Could it be … an outstanding Overwatch Council official … really …" He deliberated for a long time before carefully asking, "really is willing to sacrifice himself for the country?"
"Yes." Wang Qinian stole a glance at Fan Xian, and found that his face was only a little confused. He then respectfully said, "I admire Lord Yan very much. But as an official of the Overwatch Council, or perhaps as a secret agent of the court, when you first entered the Council, you should have been prepared to sacrifice yourself for the country. The secret agents of the Council only believe in one thing: for this goal, any method, any sacrifice is permitted."
"What goal?"
"Everything for the Kingdom of Qing." Wang Qinian's face showed a somewhat fanatical expression.
…
…
Fan Xian's finger unconsciously wrote something on the table. He had seen Yan Bingyun for the first time today, and found that he had been sitting in that chair the entire time, and his sitting posture was a little strange, like a javelin. Other than his buttocks, there was no other part of him that was touching the chair. It wasn't until he left that Fan Xian realized that Yan Bingyun's feet were chained to the chair. There could only be one explanation for Yan Bingyun's sitting posture.
There was no part of Yan Bingyun's body that was unharmed. It was all rotten flesh, which was why he had chosen this posture.
"Everything for the Kingdom of Qing?" Fan Xian's frown deepened. "So they're all a bunch of idealists."
— — —
The Kingdom of Qing had sent a letter through official channels to the diplomatic mission. Naturally, there were no secrets in the letter, only that the birthday of the Empress Dowager of Northern Qi was approaching, and the court had ordered the diplomatic mission to postpone their return to Qing. After this important matter was completed, they would return.
This wasn't a big deal. The diplomatic exchanges between the two countries, and when it came to something like the Empress Dowager's birthday, they would have to join in the fun. Furthermore, being in Shangjing, Fan Xian still had some matters to attend to, so he was happy to stay a few more days. But thinking of his beautiful wife and weak sister at home, he couldn't help but feel a little worried.
"The Empress Dowager's birthday, and we represent the face of the court. This gift can't be too shabby." Deputy Lin Jing pondered. "Why don't we ask one of our subordinates to go for a stroll on Xiushui Street?"
Hearing the words "Xiushui Street," Fan Xian thought of the letter Boss Sheng had handed him, and shook his head. The waters of Shangjing were deep enough, and the Eldest Princess still wanted to remotely control the internal strife of a foreign country from Xinyang. Fan Xian certainly didn't want to get involved in such muddy waters.
"Then what should we give?" Lin Jing began to have a headache over the problem of giving gifts to the palace banquet.
Fan Xian already had a plan. With a wave of his hand, he said, "When the time comes, I'll write a poem and mount it properly." This sounded arrogant, but his subordinates all nodded their heads. The immortal poet Fan Xian didn't write poetry, and this was something the whole world knew. If Fan Xian made an exception for the Northern Qi Empress Dowager's birthday, it would be a great honor.
But … Fan Xian's calligraphy really wasn't presentable.
Wang Qinian began to come up with a bad idea. "Master Yan's status in Northern Qi is that of the Great Scholar Yun. He is skilled in chess, the zither, calligraphy, and painting. His calligraphy master is Master Pan Ling. Last year in Northern Qi, a Chinese painting could be sold for a thousand liang of silver. Master Fan will write a poem, and Master Yan will write a letter. With two of the most talented young men of the Kingdom of Qing working together, wouldn't the Northern Qi Empress Dowager laugh her head off? "
Lin Jing and Lin Wen knew that Wang Qinian was Fan Xian's confidant, and thought that this was a good idea. Now that they knew who Master Yan was, they felt that it was a little strange, but for a moment they couldn't figure out what was so strange about it.
Fan Xian laughed and scolded him. "Who is Master Yan? I'm afraid the people of Northern Qi want nothing more than to eat his flesh and drink his blood. And you're suggesting that he write a poem for the Empress Dowager as a birthday gift? Aren't you afraid that when the Empress Dowager opens the scroll, she'll die of anger and the palace will become a funeral? "
Wang Qinian was embarrassed. Only now did he realize that his suggestion was indeed absurd. He laughed. "If we can anger the Northern Qi Empress Dowager to death, it'll be a good story for the Council."
Fan Xian didn't pay attention to the middle-aged man's dry joke. He sank into deep thought. It was clear that if Yan Bingyun returned to the Kingdom of Qing safely, with the foundation he had built in Northern Qi over the past four years and a year in prison, Yan Bingyun would immediately rise in the Overwatch Council. His father, Yan Ruohai, was the head of the Fourth Bureau, and the First Bureau's position had always been vacant. Everyone in the Council knew that Director Chen had left the position of head of the First Bureau for the imprisoned Yan Bingyun.
And if nothing unexpected happened, Fan Xian would gradually begin to take over everything in the Overwatch Council — after Chen Pingping died. And Fan Xian knew that that day might be far away, or it might be very, very near.
If Fan Xian wanted to firmly control the Overwatch Council in his hands, then the eight bureaus were people he had to control. This was Fan Xian's greatest weakness. Other than the Third and Eighth Bureaus, he basically had no trusted aides in the Overwatch Council. He had originally thought that on this trip north, he could win Yan Bingyun's friendship, and thus gain the support of the First and Fourth Bureaus. Unexpectedly, upon seeing him for the first time, Fan Xian could clearly sense that Yan Bingyun seemed to have some faint hostility toward him.
Why was this? Fortunately, Yan Bingyun didn't seem to want to hide this hostility, which made Fan Xian feel a little more at ease.
"Master, it's time," Wang Qinian reminded him in a quiet voice.
Fan Xian nodded and stood up to leave the courtyard. Behind him, the two brothers, Lin Jing and Lin Wen, looked at each other, unsure of where the envoy was going today.
Outside the courtyard, Chang Ninghou's family was waiting. Some people in the palace had already spoken, so the imperial guards responsible for the diplomatic mission's protection tacitly agreed to let those in embroidered clothing take over their duties. They guarded the carriage as it drove toward Taiping Alley, the busiest street in Shangjing, Northern Qi. It was drizzling, and in the blink of an eye, the carriage's tracks were swallowed up.
Fan Xian, the Commissioner of the Overwatch Council of the Kingdom of Qing, was going to meet with Shen Zhong of the Provost of the Brocade Guard of the Kingdom of Qi. A meeting between secret agents was always mysterious.
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