The Great Prince had been fighting outside for many years. Although the western barbarians were no longer as fierce and barbaric as they had been in the past, the battlefield was, after all, filled with wind and snow. Knives were stained with blood. After a few years, this prince was very different from his brothers in the capital. He had fewer empty words and more ruthless military temperament.
On this return to the capital, as the Great Prince was the leader, he could bring 200 to 500 personal guards with him. But in the end, he only chose 200 of them. Presumably, he did not want the officials in the capital and the palace to worry too much. But these personal guards were all valiant people. At this time, they were fighting with the diplomatic mission and could not suppress their murderous aura. These 200 personal guards rode on horses with arrogant and disdainful expressions. People who came from the battlefields would always find these civil officials displeasing to the eye. But these hundreds of eyes looked toward the carriage. They knew the identity of the person in the carriage and did not dare to say anything.
The person in the carriage was the future imperial concubine. No matter how straightforward these vicious people from the Western Army were, they would not be stupid enough to offend their future mistress for the sake of fighting for passage.
The Director of the Board of Rites came out ten li from outside the city. At this time, of all the officials present, he was the most senior and had the highest rank. In the midst of the awkward silence, he uncomfortably stood up and prepared to smooth things over. He said a few words, but in the midst of the neighing of the horses, not many people heard him clearly.
A series of neighs suddenly rang out. The cavalry of the Western Army's Personal Camp parted like flowing water. The dozens of steeds were controlled with extreme precision, creating a large space on the not-so-wide official road. Amidst the clattering of hooves, a general clad in profound armor came forward on horseback.
Fan Xian was standing beside the Great Princess' carriage. His brows furrowed slightly, and he was about to move out of the way. Unexpectedly, the horses of the Great Prince's bodyguards took advantage of the opening of the path and charged straight over. These soldiers had been outside for many years and did not know what kind of person Fan Xian was. Earlier, they had seen this handsome young man speak, and they were already full of anger. Now, they wanted to frighten him to the ground and humiliate him. Thus, the large horses in front of them brushed past Fan Xian's body. It looked extremely dangerous.
Fan Xian wore a smile on his face. He bowed slightly to the general on the horse, completely ignoring the jumping, neighing, and provoking steeds beside him. "Your subject Fan Xian greets Your Highness."
The one galloping over was the Great Prince of Qing Kingdom. His eyes were bright and spirited, and there was a natural murderous intent in them. His brows were straight, his nose was straight, and his cheekbones were slightly high, but they did not appear ugly. On the contrary, there was a hint of valiance about him. The Great Prince sat on his horse, his entire body reflecting light in his armor. He looked like a god, and no one dared to look directly at him.
Thus, Fan Xian did not look directly at her. He only smiled shyly and slightly lowered his head in greeting.
It seemed that the Great Prince had not thought that the civil official in front of him, who appeared somewhat reserved and lowly, was the most popular person in the capital, Fan Xian. He couldn't help being slightly startled and suddenly said, "This Jun? Why is he smiling like a woman? "
The Great Prince's temperament was straightforward, and he was just not in the mood to speak. However, his personal guards at his side heard it and thought that their master was purposely humiliating this civil official who dared to compete with them for the road. So they all began to laugh. Their laughter rose to the sky on the outskirts of Jingdou. There was an indescribable feeling of disdain. The Great Prince was slightly startled, but he was too lazy to care. A trace of a smile rose to the corners of his lips.
And those proud horses were getting closer and closer to Fan Xian. He could already hear the sound of the steeds' nostrils flaring. A few long horse faces closed in on him. It was the Great Prince's personal guards who wanted to use their horses to force the diplomatic group off the road.
Fan Xian frowned slightly. He had not expected that the Great Prince would not give face to his future wife, and it seemed that he would not give face to his distant brother-in-law. Seeing the horse faces getting closer and closer, the excitement in the eyes of the huge horses gradually grew. He knew that these warhorses were not easy to control and were bloodthirsty. He couldn't help but sigh in his heart and prepare to temporarily retreat. In any case, he had already achieved his goal of making enemies with the Great Prince. There was no need to truly turn against him. Fan Xian had never had much to do with the military, and this was one of his biggest weaknesses. If the old generals of the Bureau of Military Affairs thought that he was purposely trying to make the Western Army lose face, he was afraid that in the future, he would not have an easy time in court.
That was what he thought, but he forgot that his subordinates did not think the same way. Seeing that the commissioner was in danger, the Overwatch Council officials and swordsmen hidden in the diplomatic group all revealed themselves. Like a dozen wisps of smoke, they wandered out, either standing on the carriages or finding high ground on the side of the road. They all raised the crossbows in their hands and aimed them at the approaching horses.
"This cannot be done!" The Director of the Board of Rites was shocked. Using force outside the capital? If news of this were to spread, how could the court maintain its reputation? Naturally, he would no longer be the Director of the Board of Rites. Would the Great Prince have any good to do? Even if Fan Xian had the backing of the Overwatch Council, would the Emperor not reward him with a paddle?
Only now did the welcoming officials react. Seeing the cold faces of the Overwatch Council officials, they remembered Fan Xian's frightening identity. One by one, they shouted, "All of you, stop! What nonsense! "
The Great Prince looked at this scene coldly. For some reason, he found this Overwatch Council dog called Fan Xian to be much more pleasing to the eye. In his heart, anyone who dared to face him directly was someone with guts.
At this moment, Fan Xian was secretly complaining. These Overwatch Council officials had been trained well by him along the way. He did not think that at this moment, they would be worried about his safety and not care about the face of the court. They dared to aim their crossbows at the Western Army heading east. It must be known that these soldiers had fought for the country for a long time. If news of this got out, even the old cripple Chen would be upset for a while.
The Great Prince laughed. It seemed that he could see the worry in Fan Xian's heart and was ready to see how he would deal with this matter.
Seeing that someone dared to threaten them, the blood and murderous aura that they had cultivated over the years suddenly surged. They roared in unison, raised their spears and drew their bows, and surrounded the front of the diplomatic group. At the same time, the horses had already surrounded Fan Xian.
Fan Xian raised his hand and bent his middle and ring fingers. Surrounded by the horses, he made a clear gesture.
After the Overwatch Council officials and swordsmen saw this gesture, their faces were expressionless. They put away their crossbows, dismounted from their horses, and returned to their ranks. They did this in unison, without the slightest hesitation.
…
…
The Great Prince rode on his horse. His expression did not change in the exposed half of his face, but in the depths of his heart, he was somewhat shocked. This seemingly weak official in front of him was actually so strict with his subordinates. In such a situation, with one gesture, he could have everyone immediately stop. This kind of discipline was something that even his Western Army probably could not achieve.
The Great Prince knew that in the outskirts of Jingdou, nothing could actually happen. Furthermore, the Crown Prince and the Second Prince were waiting at the city gate. So, he gently lifted the reins of his horse and waved his hand to signal for the soldiers to retreat. A wave of disorderly clattering rang out. The soldiers unwillingly put away their bows and pulled their horses back. Compared to the imposing manner of the Overwatch Council, it was quite a bit lacking. The Great Prince couldn't help but furrow his brows.
At this moment, the horses surrounding Fan Xian were also preparing to pull back. Unexpectedly, they were too close. In addition, the yellow soil on the road was gradually drying. Dust rose up and poured into the nose of a large horse. The horse kicked its hooves and twisted its long neck. Immediately, it made the horses panic at the same time.
Two horses charged toward Fan Xian at the same time.
This was purely an accident. The Great Prince watched from a distance of 30 feet. He couldn't help but feel shocked. If he actually ran over and killed this favorite of his father's, then all of his efforts in the West would probably be for naught. But, he immediately remembered Fan Xian's legendary abilities and couldn't help but feel a glimmer of hope. He thought to himself, Since you are the Commissioner of the Overwatch Council, you can't be run over and killed by a few horses, right?
Hiss! The horses charged forward and immediately buried Fan Xian in the rising dust. Only the aces could faintly see two streaks of light in the dust.
…
…
With two muffled thuds, the dust gradually settled. Fan Xian still maintained that hateful smile. He stood somewhat cautiously in the center of the field. The two startled horses swept past his body and collapsed to the ground. The rider seemed to have fainted, but the two horses were not so lucky. The heads of the horses had already flown far away with two spurts of blood. The bodies of the horses shook the yellow soil on the road.
Behind Fan Xian, two machetemen dressed in brown clothes held tightly to long knives. Their faces were cold, and their eyes were cold. They looked at the Great Prince's personal camp not far away.
Two knives came down together and beheaded two horses. What a fast knife, and what a fast attack!
The Great Prince's eyes narrowed slightly. Looking at the two machetemen behind Fan Xian, he didn't know why, but he felt that their attacks were somewhat familiar. His fingers gently tapped the armor on the outside of his thigh, making a slight clanging sound. Looking at Fan Xian, he said, word by word, "Sir Fan is indeed powerful. I have fought for many years. I did not think that as soon as I returned to the capital, I would have two horses beheaded by you in front of everyone. So, this is how the court welcomes soldiers home. "
Fan Xian sighed and raised his hand to cover his mouth and nose. It was as if the smell of the horse blood was a bit piercing. He explained, "Your Highness, even if you gave me a thousand guts, I would not dare to kill Your Highness's warhorses." Only now did he realize that although this Prince was crude, he was not stupid. Every word was connected to him. Only when he heard the Great Prince refer to himself as "Your Highness" did he remember that when the Great Prince was ordered to return to the east, the Emperor had already made the Great Prince a king. This was the first of all the descendants of the royal family to be made a king.
Thinking of how he had greatly offended him today, Fan Xian couldn't help but furrow his brows.
As the Great Prince's expression gradually grew cold, his personal guard at his side walked forward and said something. Hearing these words, the Great Prince's gaze focused. Looking at the two machetemen behind Fan Xian, he furrowed his brows and said, "So, they are Tiger Guards."
…
…
Gao Da said in a low voice from behind Fan Xian, "The one beside the Great Prince is a Tiger Guard."
Fan Xian raised his eyebrows and asked, "You know him?"
"I do not, but I know," Gao Da replied in a low voice. The horse blood on his long knife was still dripping down. Fan Xian said, "Since you are a Tiger Guard, how can you be so rude to the Great Prince?"
Gao Da said in a low voice, "Young master, the Emperor has decreed that I only need to protect you. As for who the other party is, there is no need to consider."
The two of them spoke very quietly. A strange expression suddenly appeared between Fan Xian's brows. After a moment of silence, he suddenly bowed to the Great Prince's horse and did not say anything more.
At this time, the Great Prince's personal guards had long since carried the two unconscious soldiers back. They were only waiting for the Prince's order to rush over and give the diplomatic mission a good beating. At this moment, the Great Prince sank into silence. Suddenly, the Great Prince rode up to Fan Xian's side. He lowered his body slightly and said in a low voice, "I like your temper, but it is inauspicious for you to kill a horse. After you enter the capital, be careful that I make trouble for you."
Fan Xian looked at this man and sighed. "Great Prince, this really has nothing to do with me. Please understand, Your Highness."
The Great Prince snorted coldly. As a member of the royal family, he naturally knew the authority of the Tiger Guards. He thought that it was the bodyguards his father had arranged for the diplomatic mission and that it had nothing to do with Fan Xian. But deep in his heart, he was still extremely angry.
"It was my idea. If Your Highness is dissatisfied, please do not make things difficult for Sir Fan." After a long period of silence in the carriage, the Princess's voice finally rang out again.
At this time, all the officials surrounded them. Ren Shao 'an held Fan Xian's hand, Xin Qiwu held the Great Prince's leg, and the eunuchs of the palace tightly gripped the reins of the Great Prince's horse. The Minister of Rites blew his beard and stared, scolding the hateful soldiers back. There was also an elder of the Bureau of Military Affairs who acted as a mediator. In short, the Kingdom of Qing was mobilized to surround the Great Prince and Fan Xian, turning hostility into friendship and hostility into peace.
With so many officials surrounding them, the conflict between the diplomatic mission and the Western Army naturally had to end. Otherwise, if an elder were to be injured, it would be equivalent to not giving face to the Royal Court.
What was the Royal Court? It was not the Three Ministries, Six Departments, and Four Temples. It was face, the face of all the officials.
…
…
At this time, it seemed that something had happened in the distance at the city gate. Finally, there was a reaction. A rider arrived in a cloud of dust. After asking around for a long time, they finally understood that the diplomatic mission had arrived early to fight with the Great Prince. Such a big matter was not something the subordinates could handle, so they quickly reported it.
At this time, both sides were fighting. Even if Fan Xian wanted to retreat, the Princess in the carriage and the officials of the diplomatic mission did not want to retreat either. They insisted on entering the city before the Great Prince.
But today, the Great Prince had lost two horses, and had lost a lot of face. If he did not know that the Tiger Guards were his father's trusted aides, and could not be ordered around by an official, he would have given the order to open the way. But at this time, his temper had been roused. How could he let the diplomatic mission enter the city first? What bullsh * t princess! In the future, you will be the one to wash my feet with!
Unable to come to an agreement, the officials of the Royal Court grabbed his leg and stopped his horse. Naturally, the fight could not be fought, and so they could only resort to arguing. Although the soldiers of the Western Army were skilled in battle, when it came to arguing, they were no match for the diplomatic officials of the diplomatic mission who were skilled in the art of sophistry. From the rules of the Royal Court to the friendship between the two countries, from the Emperor's heart to the officials' face, the Great Prince gradually lost the upper hand. He stubbornly blocked the road, refusing to let the diplomatic mission enter.
A bright yellow carriage slowly approached the scene of the accident, amidst the noise of the noisiest market in the Royal Court since the founding of the Kingdom of Qing.
Finally, someone noticed it and quickly stopped talking. By this time, Fan Xian had already retreated to the side of Yan Bingyun's carriage and was saying something. With Yan Bingyun's reminder, he immediately noticed the carriage and rushed forward to greet it. He tidied his official robes and followed the officials beside him in saluting.
"Greetings, Your Highness!"
The Crown Prince had originally been waiting at the city gates to welcome the Great Prince back to the capital, according to the Emperor's imperial edict. He had no idea that there would be such a ruckus, and so he had no choice but to come personally to mediate.
Seeing that the Crown Prince had arrived, the Great Prince did not dare to scold him. He quickly dismounted, put on his armor, and walked in front of the Crown Prince's carriage. He was about to kneel. At this point, the Crown Prince had already gotten off the carriage. He hurriedly stopped him from kneeling down. He continued to say, "Big Brother, you have armor on you. There is no need to bow. Furthermore, you are my elder brother. How can I allow you to bow to me?"
The Great Prince's temperament was quite straightforward. The Crown Prince said he could not bow, so he did not bow. He straightened up and took off his helmet. Although the officials of Taichang Temple and the Board of Rites were muttering to themselves, this was a matter between the two brothers. Since His Majesty did not care about such etiquette, they, as officials, had no right to say anything.
The Crown Prince looked at his elder brother's face and spoke with some emotion. "Big Brother has been fighting for the country for many years. He has been exposed to the elements and has lost weight."
The Great Prince smiled and replied, "What's wrong with that? Riding horses outside is quite comfortable. You also know that I dislike staying in the manor. It's so boring. If it were not for grandmother insisting that I come back, I would have stayed outside for a few more days. "
The Crown Prince scolded, "It is not only grandmother. Father, Empress, Lady Ning, and us brothers all want you to come back earlier."
The Great Prince glanced at Fan Xian and said, "I'm afraid there are some people who don't want me to come back earlier."
The Crown Prince saw that his expression was not happy and asked what had happened. He couldn't help but laugh. This laughter was a bit strange. The officials did not know what the Crown Prince was playing at. They saw the Crown Prince gently wave his hand and have Fan Xian come over. He asked, "Did you fight with the Great Prince? Do you know that this is a serious crime? "
Fan Xian smiled and explained, "I didn't have the courage. It really was the Great Princess of Northern Qi who had traveled a long way and caught a cold on the way. She could not bear to wait outside the city."
The Crown Prince nodded slightly and took his brother's hand to walk to the side of the carriage. Quietly giving his greetings, he then turned and smiled at his brother. "Don't bother with these officials. Besides, you haven't been in the capital these two years, so you don't know what happened. Presumably, you don't know Fan Xian. Come, let me introduce you."
Fan Xian and the Crown Prince had not actually met each other much, but seeing the Crown Prince's warm expression, he knew that the Crown Prince wanted to show his close relationship with him in front of the officials. So he walked forward with a smile and bowed to the Great Prince. "I am Fan Xian of the Imperial College. Greetings, Great Prince."
"You are a fourth-rank official." The Crown Prince scolded him. "How could you have forgotten your position?"
Fan Xian smiled bitterly and shook his head. "On this journey north and south, I was a bit muddle-headed. Please forgive me, Crown Prince."
The Crown Prince quietly said to the Great Prince, "Fan Xian is now helping the Director."
"I know that. The Commissioner of the Overwatch Council. What a powerful official," the Great Prince said with a cold smile.
The Crown Prince smiled and tried to smooth things over. "Never mind. Even if it wasn't for my sake, for Chen 'er's sake, you can't get angry with him. Speaking of which, when you were young, you and Chen' er were very close. In the end, Fan Xian is also our brother-in-law. We are all family. What are you angry about?"
The Great Prince snorted coldly and looked at Fan Xian, who was somewhat reserved. "This is exactly what I am angry about. In the palace, Chen 'er is the apple of everyone's eye, and yet she is married to such a sissy. Just looking at it makes me angry! They haven't even been married for half a year, yet he asked to go on a diplomatic mission and left his new wife in the manor. With such a passion for power and wealth, how could he be a good match for Chen 'er? "
Fan Xian could not help but laugh bitterly. Only now did he realize that he had completely gone in the wrong direction. It turned out that fighting for the right of way was indeed a family matter, but it was not a family matter between the Great Prince and his future wife. It was a family matter between the Great Prince and his brother-in-law.
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.
