The sky was dark. All of Jingdou was enveloped in a gloomy and somber atmosphere. The refreshing autumn air had disappeared. The cold rain that had continued for three or four days not only washed away the dust in the roof tiles of the private residences but also washed the stone pavement clean. At the same time, it also brought the first chill of autumn in the fifth year of the Qing calendar.
Fan Xian rubbed his hands together and sat on the second floor of Xinfeng Restaurant. His gaze pierced through the layers of rain outside the window and looked at a yamen across the street. A little further in that direction was the yamen of the Supreme Court. Comparing the two yamens, the First Bureau appeared much quieter. However, the expressions of the Overwatch Council officials who went in and out were steady. They were no longer the same as before.
The rectification had been going on for a few days. Of course, Fan Xian did not think that just shouting a few slogans and reiterating the rules would be enough to bring back the minds of all the officials. So, the secret self-examination and investigation had continued. After ruthlessly removing some people from their positions, and at the same time, even more ruthlessly sending some officials to the Seventh Bureau for trial, the atmosphere in the First Bureau finally changed. The yamen, which was as precise as a machine, finally began to operate effectively.
Fan Xian was not used to sitting in the First Bureau, so he refused Mu Tie's offer of a room. Instead, he booked a quiet room facing the street on the second floor of the famous Xinfeng Restaurant. Every day, he would sit there and eat some snacks to kill time. At the same time, he could ensure that if something happened in the First Bureau, he would be able to react immediately.
There was a steamer on the table in front of him. In the steamer about the size of two palms, there was a single steamed bun. From this, one could tell that this steamed bun had a thin skin and a large stuffing. It was indeed not small, and the white surface was filled with a delicious oil that was about to overflow, making one feel a little envious just by looking at it. He blew gently on the bun and used his chopsticks to unfold the longan, revealing the freshly oiled broth inside.
Fan Xian took a tube of wheat straw and tilted his head. "Do you want some soup?"
"Hot."
Fan Xian smiled and used his chopsticks to open the eyes. He picked out the meat filling that had been soaked in the soup for a long time and had already started to taste. Using a small plate, he placed it into the bowl of the person beside him and coaxed, "Da Bao is the best. This soup is hot, but the meat is not. However, you still need to blow on it a bit."
Da Bao was very obedient. Puffing his cheeks, he blew at the meat in the bowl with all his might — tiger! Tiger! Tiger!
Ever since his father-in-law had resigned and returned home, the Lin manor had become deserted. When Fan Xian was in Northern Qi, Da Bao spent most of his time in the manor. After he came back, he didn't see Dabao for a few days. He couldn't help but feel suspicious. After asking Wan 'er, he found out that she thought he had just returned, so she sent Dabao back to the Lin Mansion. Fan Xian was not happy to hear this. Although others would not dare to make things difficult for Lin Manor for his sake, the servants in Lin Manor were the most cunning characters. Right now, Lin Manor was only looked after by Wan'er's distant relatives. How could he be at ease?
Unfortunately, after he took over the First Bureau, he had been busy for many days and did not have time to deal with this matter. Taking advantage of today's rain and there was nothing to do in the capital, he called Deng Zi Yue to bring Dabao out from the Lin mansion and sit with him in Xinfeng Restaurant to taste the restaurant's most famous jietang buns. After a while, they would return to the mansion.
"Stop boasting. You can eat now." Fan Xian chuckled and looked at his brother-in-law.
For some reason, Dabao, who had the intelligence of a child, was especially obedient to Fan Xian's words. He quickly lowered his head and swallowed the meat in one gulp. Seeing how anxious he was, Fan Xian didn't know if he tasted it or not.
Seeing this scene, Fan Xian couldn't help but think of Zhu Bajie eating ginseng fruit. He couldn't help but laugh.
Deng Zi Yue sat at another table. Seeing this scene, he couldn't help but feel a little strange. The Qinian Unit that followed Fan Xian had a total of 30 people. They were divided into four squads to protect him. After Deng Zi Yue took over Wang Qinian's position, he followed Fan Xian closely. So, he knew what Fan Xian had been doing these past few days. He thought to himself that the commissioner he followed was really an enigmatic person. After rectifying the atmosphere of the First Bureau, he didn't give any specific instructions for a long time. Instead, he just stayed in Xinfeng Restaurant every day to eat good food and listen to folk songs. For someone of Fan Xian's status to be so attentive to his retarded brother-in-law, Deng Zi Yue was a little surprised and a little impressed.
The sound of footsteps came from downstairs. Deng Zi Yue immediately woke up from his idle thoughts. His hand tightly gripped the podao at his waist. His eyes were like an eagle's, staring at the stairs.
The person who had come was Mu Tie. These days, he had been in charge of corrective work in the First Bureau. He had to examine the subordinates who were suspicious, and at the same time, he had to maintain everyone's morale. He also had to deal with the task that Fan Xian had secretly given him. He was so busy that he didn't even have time to stroll around the building. His eyes were sunken, and there was an unhealthy gloominess on his dark face.
Mu Tie took off the rain hat on his head, unbuttoned his raincoat, and threw it in the corner of the room. He carefully took out a cylinder from his bosom. He didn't know what material the cylinder was made of, but it was obviously waterproof, because the paper he pulled out from inside the cylinder was not wet at all.
Fan Xian took it and carefully examined it line by line. His eyebrows gradually furrowed, and his face became gloomy. When he first returned to the capital, he had Deng Zi Yue investigate the officials who were related to the second prince, to see if they had anything to do with the Cui family. Later, he took over the First Bureau, and this task was directly given to Mu Tie. It was a test for him.
There didn't seem to be any strong evidence on the paper, but this was what he had expected. The other party must have done it very cleanly, but it seemed a little too cleanly. Could it be that the Cui family, as big as they were, had not given any tributes to the Minister of Appointments and the Imperial Astronomer all these years? Fan Xian sighed in his heart and asked, "Everything is here?"
Mu Tie nodded.
Fan Xian asked again, "Did the Second Bureau ask anything?"
Mu Tie looked at him and shook his head. "The Second Bureau is very cooperative, and they only think it's an order from the Council. They don't know that it's the Commissioner's will. Please don't worry, I can guarantee that no one knows."
"There's no information from the Second Bureau?" Fan Xian realized that he was still holding the chopsticks in his hand. He knew that he was a little nervous about this matter. He laughed at himself and put the chopsticks on the side of the steamer. His biggest enemy now was the Eldest Princess, who was far away in Xinyang. No one knew when she would return to the capital, so he had to confirm that, after the Crown Prince and the Eldest Princess gradually drifted apart, who the princes in the court were, and who was on the same side as the Eldest Princess!
Mu Tie's tone was still respectful, but with a hint of confidence. "Although the Second Bureau is responsible for intelligence work in the capital, their sources are not as good as the First Bureau's. Please don't worry, Sir."
Fan Xian nodded, indicating that he could leave.
After Mu Tie left, Fan Xian looked at the small, densely packed words on the file and fell into deep thought. It recorded all the people the Cui family had bribed over the years, the time, and the reason. Most of the officials in the capital had connections, but there was no trace of the Second Prince's faction. This gave him a headache. His intuition told him that there was a problem, but he couldn't find anything useful in this complicated information.
In reality, Fan Xian knew very well that his forte lay in assassination, holding power, and creating momentum. In the end, under the gentleness on the surface, he only had the heart of an assassin. He was not an emperor who was good at controlling and manipulating people's hearts. He was also not a strategist who was good at analyzing intelligence and judging strategies. Knowing one's weaknesses and using one's strengths, Fan Xian used people in this way and analyzed himself in this way.
Thinking of that meticulous plan in Shangjing, Northern Qi, he couldn't help but sigh. He began to think of Wang Qinian, who seemed funny, but had actually helped him come up with many ideas. Of course, the true mastermind of that plan was Yan Bingyun. Fan Xian had originally planned to tie him to his belt after he returned to the capital. Who would have thought that the Council would send Yan Bingyun to the Fourth Bureau and leave him in charge of the First Bureau? It was no easy task to squeeze Sir Yan junior's intelligence and strategy from an official point of view.
He glanced at Dabao and found that his brother-in-law was launching a final attack on a bowl of mixed paste noodles. He couldn't help but smile. Picking up the steamed bun skin that had lost its meat filling, he reached into Dabao's bowl and carelessly smeared some meat sauce on it. Then, he quickly stuffed it into his mouth and began to chew in large mouthfuls.
Dabao was stunned. He realized that a hand had brushed past his bowl. It took him a while to react. He slowly raised his head to look at Fan Xian, who was full of pride. He shook his head with some bitterness, then lowered his head to eat the noodles.
— — —
Outside Xinfeng Restaurant, the rain continued to fall. The force of the rain was great. After it hit the ground, it bloomed into countless balls of mist, gradually blurring people's eyes and obscuring the buildings around the street. A chill followed the raindrops and landed in Jingdou. It blew against the group of people in front of Xinfeng Restaurant's door, wanting to burrow into their necks and borrow their warmth.
Fan Xian draped a windbreaker over Dabao's body and carefully fastened the buckle around his neck. Only after confirming that the cold wind wouldn't enter did he relax and pat his shoulder. "Xianxian has to do some things. Dabao can go back to the manor and play with Wan 'er first, okay?"
Dabao was chewing on an apple. He vaguely nodded his head and said, "My sister is too fierce … I … Fan … Fatty will play."
Fan Xian understood what he meant and laughed out loud. He thought to himself, if all the officials, officials, merchants, husbands, prostitutes, and poets all had a simple and peaceful heart like Da Bao, perhaps his own life would be much simpler and more relaxed.
He carefully said a few words to Teng Zi Jing. The Fan manor carriage took the young uncle back to the manor. Deng Zi Yue glanced at Fan Xian and asked in a low voice, "Sir, where are we going at this time?"
"To Yan Manor."
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