With strange expressions on their faces, the officials walked past Fan Xian and exited Taiji Palace. At this moment, Fan Xian felt a little uneasy. He knew what the situation of the conversation in front of the Emperor would be. Even if he was the Commissioner of the Overwatch Council, he would probably stand out. In the end, his experience and age were too young. But since things had come to this, he could only accept it calmly. With a trace of caution, he followed behind the old officials and followed the eunuch to the back of the palace.
After a few turns and two turns, they didn't walk very far. They came to a side hall. The ceiling was blocked, so the space didn't seem very spacious. To the left was a large row of wooden shelves that were as tall as a person. The shelves were all filled with books. Fan Xian secretly looked around at the decorations. He knew that this was probably the legendary royal study. A smile appeared at the corner of his lips. He was probably thinking of the braid plays he had often seen in his previous life.
At this time, the Emperor had already taken off his dragon robe with the help of the eunuchs. He had changed into a sky-blue casual shirt with a jade belt tied around his waist. He looked quite casual. The Emperor reclined on the low couch and reached out to place a teacup on the table. He casually waved his hand, and the eunuchs hurriedly brought seven round chairs with embroidered surfaces into the room. The seven old officials bowed to express their thanks and naturally took their seats.
The Crown Prince and the Great Prince stood next to the low couch that the Emperor was sitting on. Although there were no seats, one could tell from the expressions on their faces that this had always been the rule.
However, there had always been seven chairs in advance. Today, there was an additional young official. The eunuchs of the royal study had probably never seen Fan Xian before, so they were in a bit of a dilemma. They didn't know if he was just a low-ranking official who had been sent in for questioning or some other noble figure.
Everyone was sitting, and Fan Xian was standing alone. This immediately made him stand out. His father, Minister Fan, was looking at his nose and did not even glance at him. Fan Xian couldn't help but laugh self-mockingly. He moved his already inconspicuous position further back.
His small action was noticed by the Crown Prince. The Crown Prince smiled slightly at him. Fan Xian only dared to return the gesture with his gaze. Inadvertently, he saw the Great Prince give a small yawn behind the Emperor. He had probably just returned to the capital yesterday and had drunk a lot of wine. He was probably very tired today.
Other than the day when they first met in the teahouse by the Liujing River, today was the closest Fan Xian had ever been to the Emperor. He was so close that he could almost touch the Emperor. He couldn't help but raise his head slightly and quickly sweep his eyes over the Emperor, but he didn't dare to stare at him. After all, the other party was the Emperor. Although there was an official called Mu Tianyan in the Qing Dynasty, no one dared to wantonly appreciate him as if he was a beauty.
But it was this quick glance that allowed Fan Xian to clearly see the other's face. He was almost stunned by the look in her eyes!
The Emperor glanced at him and did not mind his direct stare. Fan Xian's expression showed that he was lucky, but there was no fear in his heart. After a while, the Second Prince, who was studying with the Little Prince in Xingqing Palace, was also invited over by a eunuch. When he entered the royal study, he was still holding the Little Prince's hand. Seeing the harmonious scene between the two brothers, the Emperor nodded slightly, seemingly satisfied. The Crown Prince had a smile on his face, but who knew how many profanities he was cursing in his heart.
...
...
"Bring Fan Xian a seat." After the four princes all stood next to the low couch, the Emperor seemed to notice that Fan Xian was still standing, and casually ordered him.
Fan Xian was slightly surprised. "I wouldn't dare." Given his rank, entering the royal study was already an exception. These four princes were still standing, so how could he dare to sit? When the six old officials heard the Emperor give this young man a seat, they also felt an itch under their buttocks. They moved, twisted, and coughed. It was clear that they were somewhat dissatisfied. They had been in the court for at least 20 years before they finally had a seat in front of the Emperor. Fan Xian, this child of the Fan family, had just entered the royal study and already had a seat!
The Crown Prince looked at the officials and respectfully said to the Emperor, "Father, Fan Xian is young, and his body is not as strong as the old officials. Look at how frightened he is. It is better for him to stand."
These words were spoken very calmly, and whether it was the old officials or Fan Xian, they all felt grateful.
At this time, the Great Prince spoke again and said, "I remember back then when you had us listen to the officials discuss the state, we had to stand because we were going to assist the Crown Prince in ruling the country and bringing peace to the world. Since it was a lesson, then the students had to act like students …" He did not finish, but the meaning was already clear. Fan Xian was young and had just entered officialdom. What achievements did he have? What ability did he have for us princes to treat him like a teacher?
The old officials also stroked their beards and shook their heads. This seat looked normal, but the meaning hidden within it was no small matter. They dared to guarantee that if Fan Xian actually had a seat in the royal study, the news would spread throughout Jingdou in less than three quarters of an hour.
Fan Xian was preparing to go with the flow and thank the Emperor. Unexpectedly, he saw the indifferent gaze the Emperor cast his way. His heart trembled slightly, and he swallowed his words.
...
...
The Emperor glanced at the officials and then at his eldest son, who, although straightforward, had a slightly impatient temperament. He said, "Naturally, Fan Xian does not deserve this seat … but today, he must sit. It is not to reward him, but to reward him for his service."
No one understood what he meant, but since the Emperor had spoken, the royal study was naturally silent. The Emperor gazed at his sons and said in a gentle voice, "If you can also bring back a carriage full of books from Zhuang Mohan's family, I will let you sit as well!"
Everyone was silent. They all knew what this carriage represented. Although they still felt that the Emperor was a bit prejudiced when it came to scholarly fame, they did not know how to argue.
The Emperor knew what everyone was thinking and said coldly, "Don't think that this is only a matter of scholars. What is a scholar? You officials are all scholars. I don't lack martial arts, what I lack is the art of governing the country … It's easy to unify the world, but it's difficult to unify the people's hearts. If I don't work hard on this, I won't be able to do it just by relying on swift swords and swift horses. "
The Great Prince's face clearly showed his disapproval, but his father had not finished speaking, so he did not dare to say anything.
He listened as the Emperor continued unhurriedly, "You can immediately take over the world, but you cannot immediately rule it. The art of literature seems illusory, but it involves the hearts of all the scholars under heaven. Back in the day, I went on three northern expeditions, beating the Wei family into a mess. Who would have thought that the Zhan family would take advantage of the chaos to rise? In just a few years, they gathered a large group of talents, and that is how the court of Northern Qi today came to be. They have stopped our horses from marching north … what do they rely on? They rely on their rightful position in the hearts of all the scholars under heaven! The world is in the right mood? Wasn't this the work of scholars … Shu Wu, Yan Hangshu! You are officials of the Kingdom of Qing, but you took the imperial examinations in Northern Wei. Why is that? "
Shu the Scholar and Minister Yan hurriedly stood up, fearful and uneasy.
The Emperor waved his hand and said, "All the scholars under heaven are like this. I do not blame you, and you do not need to doubt yourselves. I just want to tell you that the world is in the right mood, and the loyalty of the scholars will bring many benefits. Each county will have more talented and virtuous officials, and you will also have an advantage in speech. " He looked at his eldest son and said coldly, "I know what you are thinking, but if when you send out your troops, there will be less resistance, and fewer soldiers under your rule will die, do you not want that?"
The Great Prince was silent.
The Emperor then said coldly, "A carriage of old books can help me attract more scholars to travel the world, and can help me save the lives of countless soldiers. Why can't I give Fan Xian this seat?"
Everyone felt that it was a bit strange. It seemed that the Emperor was deliberately showing his favor to the world, and why did Minister Fan not come out to take the seat on his son's behalf? But the entire Kingdom of Qing was born in the flames of war, and its people had an overwhelming fanaticism and a sense of mission to unify the world. Since the Emperor had linked the books that Fan Xian brought back from this diplomatic mission to the general trend of unifying the world, who dared to say anything more? They all stood up and praised the Emperor's wisdom.
…
…
What direct relationship could a carriage have with the world? Fan Xian thanked the Emperor for the seat. His face was calm, and he sat as steady as a mountain. He laughed bitterly in his heart, not understanding why the Emperor wanted to put him on top of a fire cage to roast.
— — —
The red velvet cloth was pulled back, revealing a large map inside. The map had been rearranged. The yellow territory of the Kingdom of Qing was continuously extending toward the northeast, and other than the wasteland behind her, everything else was hers. The Kingdom of Qing's territory was expanding rapidly. Although Northern Qi still looked like a giant, in front of the wild beast that was the Kingdom of Qing, it was bloated. Although Northern Qi was also a new country, it had not only inherited the vast territory of the Wei Kingdom, but it had also inherited the Wei Kingdom's already rotten bureaucracy and customs.
Fan Xian looked at the map and listened to the incessant sounds of discussion. Standing in the heart of the Kingdom of Qing, it was the first time he felt the Kingdom of Qing's valiant style of doing things and wild ambitions. He couldn't help but sigh in his heart. The court in the north still had power. Looking at the thoughts of Haitang and the Emperor, once the world was in chaos, the people of the world would inevitably suffer, and he didn't know how long it would take to recover.
Although he was not a pacifist who bemoaned the state of the universe and pitied the fate of mankind, he had no interest in such things as war.
At this moment, the Emperor was discussing important matters of state with a few officials. Occasionally, he would hear a few words about the defense of the river embankments, as well as the annual income and the tributes of the small vassal states. Fan Xian knew nothing of these matters, and naturally, he would not interrupt. Even if he had thoughts, sitting on the "tiger stool", he would not say a word.
Unintentionally or unintentionally, everyone had forgotten about him in a corner of the Imperial Study. That was why he had the leisure to look at the obviously improved map and stare blankly at it, sighing like a disciple of the Mohist family.
Suddenly, a word jumped into his ears — the palace treasury! He frowned slightly, and his heart gradually grew wary. The Emperor had asked him to stay, and it was not as simple as giving him a stool and giving him face.
…
…
"As you all know, although the palace treasury is called the palace treasury, it is connected to many vital points," the Emperor said hatefully. "These years, the palace treasury has been in an embarrassing situation. In the third year of the new calendar, when the rivers in the south were dredged, and the north was cold, I ordered the palace treasury to transfer silver to the national treasury. Who knew … the Guanghui Treasury could not even produce silver!"
The Guanghui Treasury was one of the ten treasuries of the palace treasury that specialized in storing banknotes, but the gold and silver should be stored in the Undertaking Treasury. The Emperor's anger seemed to have been directed at the wrong person. But no matter what, the Undertaking Treasury and the Guanghui Treasury were jointly managed by the Eldest Princess and the Ministry of Revenue. Although the Ministry of Revenue did not dare say a word in these ten years, the Minister of Revenue, Fan Jian, quickly stood up and apologized.
The Emperor waved his hand and did not even look him in the eye. He continued, "The new policy has come to an end, but I have decided to make an issue of the palace treasury. I do not seek to restore the prosperity of ten years ago, but at least every year, I want to earn some silver for the court."
His voice was not loud, and his tone was not very intense, but the power contained within made everyone afraid to speak. "My royal sister has returned to Xinyang, and there needs to be a high-ranking official to handle this matter. What good candidates do you have in mind? Report them to me."
The officials and princes in the royal study all knew that this was just a formality. The capital had long known that the Emperor's preferred candidate was Fan Xian, who was sitting quietly in the back. And the Emperor had "borrowed a vehicle to show off" and vigorously supported Fan Xian to the throne. It was nothing more than a way to show his stance to the officials, so that they would not sing a different tune when it came to choosing the person in charge of the palace treasury.
But everyone knew that the situation of the palace treasury was not as bad as the Emperor had made it out to be. Every year, the goods that were shipped from Jiangnan to the north earned at least a few million liang of silver for the court. If it were not for the secret business of the palace treasury, the Kingdom of Qing would not have the financial resources to expand everywhere. For a moment, a faint jealousy of the Fan family grew.
But since the Emperor appeared to be so dissatisfied, no matter who took over the palace treasury in the future, they would probably have a headache over the amount of money to hand over every year.
Thinking of this, the officials' jealousy and hatred faded a little. But even so, no one was willing to suggest Fan Xian at this time — this was a matter of face, and also a matter of money. No matter how difficult it was to manage the palace treasury, the person in charge would still reap a lot of profit every year. These officials also received generous rewards from Xinyang every year, so how could they not know?
The officials did not say anything, and Fan Jian, due to his status, could not recommend his own son. For a moment, the royal study fell into an awkward silence. The Emperor did not say anything. He only picked up his teacup and took a small sip. His expression was normal, but no one noticed the coldness in his eyes.
…
…
"I recommend …"
"I recommend …"
Everyone in the royal study was shocked. The silence had been broken by two people at the same time, and the two people who spoke at the same time were the Crown Prince and the Second Prince. This situation was fascinating.
The Emperor nodded slightly and said, "Speak."
The Second Prince glanced at the Crown Prince and smiled slightly apologetically. "Since the Crown Prince has a good candidate, I am all ears."
The Emperor glanced at him and did not say anything.
The Crown Prince saw that the Second Prince was being modest. As the Master of the Eastern Palace and the future Emperor of Qing, he naturally would not pass on this responsibility. He bowed to his father and said, "Father, I recommend Fan Xian."
Everyone in the royal study knew that the Eastern Palace had spared no effort in pulling Fan Xian in. Furthermore, this kind of favor was something they could do at little cost. Unexpectedly, the Emperor did not immediately express his stance. Instead, he asked the Second Prince, "Who are you going to recommend?"
The Second Prince smiled shyly and said, "I am also going to recommend … Fan Xian, Sir Fan."
The royal study was still quiet, but the Emperor swept a meaningful glance over Fan Xian. Fan Xian's expression did not change. He prepared to rise and respond. Unexpectedly, the Emperor did not give him the opportunity. He lightly said, "Since you two brothers think Fan Xian can do it, then it is him. After autumn, we will draft an edict. There is no need to send it to the various provinces."
With this, the topic was settled. Although this was something that had been decided in the Palace when Fan Xian and Lin Wan'er married last year, it had been brought up in the royal study and recorded. Naturally, it could not be changed. Thinking of the Fan family's father controlling the national treasury and son controlling the palace treasury, everyone felt a strange feeling in their hearts. This kind of royal favor, this kind of honor, there was no other family in the capital. Looking at the Crown Prince and the Second Prince fighting to hand over to Fan Xian, they knew that the status of the Fan family in the years to come would probably only rise and not fall. It was like adding oil to a raging fire!
Fan Jian and Fan Xian, father and son, quickly rose to give their thanks and repeatedly expressed their fear.
The Emperor did not pay them much attention. Instead, he smiled and asked, "Since it has been decided, then I have come to ask you two. Why do you both favor Fan Xian?"
The Crown Prince thought for a moment and then smiled. "I only have a rough idea. Minister Fan has managed the finances of the country and has been very effective. Since Fan Xian is his son, I think he should have some talent in this area."
The Second Prince also smiled and said, "I also think so. Besides, the palace treasury involves many gold, silver, and silver objects. It needs a clean and honest official to manage it. I will say something rashly. Nowadays, in the officialdom, corruption is the norm. Although there are famous clean and honest officials in each province, most of them are in the local areas. Sir Fan junior is brimming with talent. Everyone knows he is a man of literature and nobility. I think it is appropriate for him to manage the palace treasury."
"Oh?" The Emperor's expression did not change. He asked, "That makes sense. Is there any other reason?"
The Crown Prince and the Second Prince looked at each other, feeling a little confused. Could it be that the Emperor was using this opportunity to test them? The arrow was nocked on the bowstring, and it had to be fired. The Crown Prince could only brace himself and say, "Second Brother is right. Furthermore, the supervision of the palace treasury has always been the responsibility of the Overwatch Council. Since Sir Fan is the Commissioner of the Overwatch Council, I think it will be much more convenient for the two departments to work together."
The little prince, who had come in with the Second Prince, had been standing for a long time. His feet were a little sore. Perhaps he did not understand what the white-bearded officials were saying to his father, so he could not help but feel a little tired. In his daze, he felt a little strange. He laughed and said in a childish voice, "Brother Crown Prince, according to what you say, Fan Xian is supervising himself?"
He was a child, so he could speak a little more freely. Others would only think that he was speaking childishly. But it seemed like he was speaking carelessly, but it pointed out the Crown Prince's mistake. Although the officials did not dare to speak, the Crown Prince's face was slightly sullen.
Fortunately, the Second Prince was also distressed. "Father, I really cannot think of anything."
The Emperor did not rebuke the Crown Prince. He only said lightly, "You cannot think of anything? Then why did you want to protect him earlier? "
The people in the royal study saw the Emperor's hesitation. He clearly had his heart set on Fan Xian, but he still wanted to make trouble for his two sons. They felt that the Emperor's heart was hard to predict, so they could only keep their mouths shut for fear of causing trouble.
As the person involved, Fan Xian felt that the "tiger stool" under his buttocks was not only pricking, but also burning his buttocks. At this moment, the Second Prince spoke with a trace of unease. "Actually... there is another reason... because I... have a good personal relationship with Sir Fan."
...
...
The Emperor looked at his second son calmly. After a moment, he suddenly laughed. His laughter seemed very comfortable. "There are thousands of reasons, but this one is enough... what is this palace treasury? It is the treasury of the royal family. Since Fan Xian is in charge of the palace treasury, he naturally needs to be close enough to the royal family. Since Fan Xian has worked at Taichang Temple, this closeness is enough. "
Of course it was enough. No matter what, Fan Xian was a princess' consort. No matter what, the Crown Prince and the Second Prince often called him brother-in-law. The Crown Prince listened to this and couldn't help but sigh. He thought that the Second Prince was indeed amazing. He had actually guessed the answer that the Emperor wanted. Why was he a bit slower?
— — — —
Because the army had just returned and the borders had just been settled, today's meeting was a bit longer than usual. It was actually past lunchtime. The Emperor looked at the time and ordered the eunuchs to prepare food. He had the officials and princes stay behind to eat together. This was the first time Fan Xian had eaten something made by the royal kitchen. He didn't think there was anything special about it. It was just some vegetables, fish, and chicken. What made him feel even more comfortable was that eating with the Emperor was not as uncomfortable as he had imagined. He didn't have to kowtow again before eating.
The Crown Prince's and the Second Prince's earlier words all fell into his ears. He knew he couldn't hide. When he looked again at the middle-aged man on the dragon couch, he couldn't help but feel a glimmer of wariness and coldness in his heart. The Emperor's favor was based on some absurd fact, but he didn't think that an Emperor would have such a rare thing as family.
Fan Xian was not a person who was easy to control. He could kneel, endure, and listen. However, when something threatened his bottom line, he would smile and touch his left calf. He could not kneel, endure, or listen. He would only say, "Fuck you."
The Crown Prince and the princes obediently waited on the Emperor as he ate. They then went to eat in the side palace. The Emperor was chatting with a few old officials. Naturally, they didn't talk about national affairs at the table. Instead, they talked about whose well water was the best to make tea, which province's watermelons were as big as boulders, and so on. Occasionally, they would mention the world's gossip. Naturally, they couldn't help but mention the death of Zhuang Mohan. Everyone's voices seemed to grow dim. Other than Shu the Scholar and Yan Hangshu, these high-ranking officials of the Qing Kingdom and even the Emperor had memorized Master Zhuang's strategies during their initiation.
In short, this meal was much more relaxing than the family banquets at Fan Manor. Fan Xian was a bit hungry and didn't listen to the conversation. He picked up a long soup bean sprout with his chopsticks and brought it to his mouth. Suddenly, he heard the Emperor point at him and say, "Fan Xian, come here."
Fan Xian put down his chopsticks and reluctantly glanced at the fragrant bean sprouts in soup. A bright smile appeared on his face, and he quickly walked to the side of the Emperor's low couch. Looking at the thin but heroic face, his eyes showed just the right amount of excitement and sadness, and he cupped his hands in salute.
The old officials didn't know why the Emperor had called him over, and they listened with curiosity. The Emperor smiled and looked at him. "Do you still remember that day in the teahouse by the Liujing River? What did I promise you?"
Fan Xian hadn't expected that the Emperor would talk about the coincidental encounter in front of these high officials. He smiled and said, "I didn't know it was you that day, Your Majesty, and I even exchanged a blow with Commander Gong. I offended Your Majesty, and I deserve to die."
The Minister of Appointments, relying on his reputation as a senior statesman of three dynasties, stroked his beard and said, "So Your Majesty and Master Fan met outside the palace."
When the Emperor of the Kingdom of Qing was discussing matters of state, he didn't seem angry, but now he seemed very easygoing. He chuckled and told the officials what had happened that day. Fan Jian thought to himself that this was absurd, and had no choice but to ask His Majesty to forgive his son for his offense. The other elders of the court were muttering to themselves that it was no wonder Fan Xian was so deeply favored by His Majesty. It turned out that he had such a fortuitous encounter, and that his luck was a little too good. They couldn't help but wonder what His Majesty had promised Fan Xian.
"I once said that I would make a good marriage for your sister." The Emperor looked at Fan Xian with a very gentle gaze, with a hint of pride that an emperor shouldn't have. "Now that Miss Fan has been promised to Crown Prince Jing, what do you think of this marriage?"
Fan Xian's heart was filled with bitterness, but his face was full of gratitude. He thanked his father again and again. The old officials next to him, after a moment of surprise, also began to flatter him. They said that the Emperor had met an official by the riverside, and that a marriage had been fated. It was a story that would be passed down through the ages.
His voice was a bit loud, and it reached the ears of the princes who were eating in the next room. The Great Prince frowned, but the Crown Prince smiled, feeling even more confident that his decision to win over the Fan family was a wise one. He looked at his second brother's face, and found that his expression hadn't changed. He was still as calm and unhurried as he had been all these years. He even seemed a bit strange, as he chewed his food slowly and continuously. He couldn't help but curse his hypocrisy in his heart.
Inside and outside the palace where the royal study was, there was laughter and the sound of praising the Emperor. Who knew the troubles and pain in Fan Xian's heart?
...
...
When Fan Xian stepped out of the palace in the afterglow of the sun, he saw the crown prince on horseback at the entrance of the new street. His troubles grew. Crown Prince Jing, Li Hongcheng, came to greet him with a face full of joy. His face showed the joy of meeting again after a long time, and there was no real emotion in his heart.
The sun was setting in the west, and night was coming.
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