Fan Xian had ordered the First Bureau to arrest Dai Zhen precisely because he had the head eunuch behind him.
The officials in the capital discovered that even Eunuch Dai had succumbed, and they were naturally intimidated by the determination of the First Bureau and Fan Xian's methods. The First Bureau's work was carried out in the capital in an orderly and secretive manner. In accordance with the rules of previous years, they broke down doors in the dark and quietly escorted the officials back to the Council.
The sudden purge brought a chill to the capital. The officials in the capital thought that this great scholar was going to stir up a storm in the capital, just like the case in the spring. But gradually people discovered that this was not the case. The officials investigated in this storm were all of relatively low rank. There were no important figures in the various factions, and there were no major cases that involved a lot of people.
The elders of the court and the subordinates of the various princes, for Fan Xian's sake, and having learned from Eunuch Dai's mistakes, did not react violently. As time passed, they discovered that this storm did not touch on the important parts of the bureaucracy, and that there were only a few minor incidents. The officials, who had been a little nervous, relaxed. They guessed that Fan Xian was just a new official, and was using these three fires to establish his authority.
Although the fire was not large, there were still people who were worried about being caught up in it. So in the past few days, Lady Liu had become the busiest person in Fan Manor. Her pair of hands, which usually liked to hand out banknotes without the slightest bit of emotion, now began to collect the banknotes with great compassion. Naturally, these banknotes were all transferred to Fan Xian. Fan Xian distributed most of them to the bureau and sent the rest to Yan Manor.
From ancient times until now, from Fan Shen's world to Fan Xian's world, money had always been the ultimate tool to win over people's hearts and pacify them.
So the employees of the First Bureau of the Overwatch Council were much more motivated, and the officials who had succeeded in intimate contact with the wife of the minister also felt a lot more at ease — those who gave money, those who received it, they all comforted themselves.
— — —
The affairs were already on the right track, so Fan Xian did not go to Xinfeng Restaurant today. Instead, he sat in his study and flipped through the files in his hands. The files had been compiled by Mu Tie. Although the writing was not exquisite, it was clear.
After paying a large fine, Eunuch Dai's nephew was lucky enough to return unscathed from the Overwatch Council. Taking advantage of a loophole in Qing law, he was not moved to the Ministry of Justice or the Supreme Court. However, he could no longer be a minor official in the Produce Inspection Bureau. The other small cases were handled more gently.
Logically speaking, since the Overwatch Council was investigating the Produce Inspection Bureau case, Dai Zhen would not only lose his official position, but he would also lose his head. But Fan Xian somewhat appreciated Eunuch Dai's knowledge and tactfulness. He had saved him some trouble in the future, and Ye Ling 'er had silently entered the palace to speak up for him. She had also passed on Concubine Shu's plea for leniency — this was a favor he had to sell.
Shi Chanli looked at his young "teacher" across the desk, and felt a little uneasy. After the spring examinations, his three good friends, Hou Jichang, Yang Wanli, and Cheng Xilin, had been sent out to become officials. According to the letters, they were doing well in various counties and provinces. Prime Minister Lin had been in the court for many years, so naturally he had connections all over the counties and provinces. These people all had their eyes on Fan Xian, and as for Fan Xian's three "prized students", they naturally had to be taken care of.
Of the four, only Shi Chanli did not have a name on the list, so he could not immediately embark on an official career. Before Fan Xian left for Northern Qi, he left a letter for Shi Chanli to wait for his return. Unexpectedly, after Fan Xian returned, he immediately took over the affairs of the First Bureau of the Overwatch Council. Shi Chanli was not sure what he could do to help his teacher. His friend had already become a ruler of a region, while he himself could only sit in his study and transcribe files. Even though he was an easygoing person, he could not help but feel sad.
Fan Xian raised his head and glanced at him. With a smile, he said, "Do you think it's too stuffy?"
Shi Chanli smiled bitterly. "Teacher, you are a few years younger than me, and yet you can be so calm in the midst of complicated documents. It seems that I also need to sharpen my temperament."
Fan Xian chuckled. If Hou Jichang were here, he would certainly stand up and reply. If it was Yang Wanli, perhaps he would have already been unable to suppress his curiosity and begun to question why Fan Xian had released a felon. Only Shi Chanli was not impatient, nor did he have a dull tongue. It seemed that Fan Xian's decision to keep him by his side had not been a mistake.
"Don't call me teacher." He said. "I'd rather you call me sir. It's not that it's too official, but it feels a little absurd."
Shi Chanli was stunned. In fact, it was very common for examinees to be younger than the examiners. He did not feel that there was anything wrong with it.
Fan Xian handed over the files on the table. "What do you think?" he asked.
Shi Chanli did not know whether or not Fan Xian was testing him, but he had memorized these documents in the past two days. He shook his head and said sincerely, "I really do not understand, teacher … what you mean by this. If you really wanted to fight a tiger, you wouldn't have to keep an eye on these mice. "
Fan Xian smiled. "I just wanted to find something for the cats of the First Bureau to do. Familiarize themselves with it, so that when we do something big in the future, they won't be so flustered."
Shi Chanli pretended not to hear the word "big" and sincerely asked for guidance. "Sir, as an official in the court, I naturally have to share His Majesty's worries and work for the court. But looking at your actions these past few days, although you have caught the small and the big, you have still offended some people."
"Offending people is a characteristic of the Overwatch Council." Fan Xian explained. "You also know that the Overwatch Council is His Majesty's private organization. It is not a true public tool, but His Majesty's private tool. We only have one person we are loyal to, so whether it is from the perspective of the palace or the Overwatch Council, we must play the role of offending people. And the First Bureau is deep in the capital. Being hindered by the prosperity of the capital, it has completely lost His Majesty's original intention. It is not valiant enough, not sinister enough. His Majesty put me in charge of the First Bureau because he wants the First Bureau to return to its original role of offending people. "
Shi Chanli could no longer pretend. His teacher had already explained everything to him. He could only answer honestly. "His Majesty wants you … to be a lonely official."
Fan Xian nodded. "I am not biased. His Majesty wants me to be a second Chen Pingping, but …" His tone changed, and he said with a hint of mockery, "I went to visit the Director's manor. The manor is extravagant and luxurious, but that loneliness is carved into the bones. I do not like it."
Shi Chanli immediately understood what he meant. He said worriedly, "But if you feign civility, His Majesty's eyes are like torches. He can see clearly. I am afraid it will not be good for your future."
Fan Xian smiled and did not say anything. He thought that under normal circumstances, the Emperor would not have thoughts more poisonous than a tiger's.
Shi Chanli understood that he had said too much, so he changed the subject. "The First Bureau is investigating now. Although they have reverted to their tradition of arresting people at night, the First Bureau has refused to cover up the news. If anyone asks, they will tell them the truth. I do not agree."
Fan Xian asked with interest, "Why?"
Shi Chanli thought for a moment and said, "The Overwatch Council is His Majesty's secret organization. The reason it can intimidate the officials, other than the special privileges established by Qing law, is because of its sense of mystery and darkness. People are ignorant. The more they don't understand something, the more afraid they are. Now that you have purposely put the First Bureau's actions on the table, I am afraid it will weaken this feeling and cause the people of the court to look down on the Overwatch Council."
Fan Xian admitted that what Shi Chanli said made sense, but he still said, "I know you do not agree with some of the clauses in the new regulations of the First Bureau, such as releasing information. I also admit that if the Overwatch Council continues to maintain the image of a man-eating demon in the dark, it will be very convenient for us to do things."
Shi Chanli was surprised that his teacher would agree with him. He wondered if Fan Xian did not want the people of the world to see him as a monster? Did he want to change their image?
What Fan Xian said next immediately overthrew his imagination. "I do not care what the people of the world think of the Overwatch Council … but you must understand that I am only in charge of the First Bureau, not the entire Council. The First Bureau is located in the capital. Other than the secret agents in the manors of the nobles, there is no way to hide anything. The officials of the capital are as numerous as the swimming carp, and there are countless connections between them … since there is no way to maintain the mystery of the First Bureau, then I might as well do it openly. Perhaps it will be more of a deterrent. "
He then said seriously, "However, I only want the results of the investigation to be presented in the light. I don't expect the process to be the same. I can accept any dark means used in the middle … You should know that I don't want to be a saint."
Shi Chanli nodded, feeling very comforted. It seemed that his teacher was indeed someone who dared to expose the corruption of the bureaucracy, but was temporarily holding back.
Fan Xian looked at him, not knowing what Shi Chanli thought of him. He said, "From today onwards, for every case investigated by the First Bureau, after the case has been closed and sent to the Supreme Court or the Ministry of Justice, you must write a report detailing the cause of the case and so on. Then you must make an announcement. I have already chosen a place to put up the announcement. It will be on the wall between the First Bureau and the Supreme Court."
Shi Chanli was dumbfounded. "This … this … this is against the rules. It is not the Ministry of Justice that issues the wanted posters, nor is it the court that issues the list. The Overwatch Council … also has to make an announcement?"
Fan Xian said unhappily, "Not the Overwatch Council, but the First Bureau! Didn't I say earlier that it had to be more open? Are you going to make me write a novel and sell it everywhere? "
Shi Chanli immediately replied with joy, "That would be best. It can solve the confusion of the people, and it can also slightly maintain the feeling that the First Bureau is not close to strangers … and you have opened a bookstore, so it is most convenient."
Fan Xian exhaled in anger and stood up to leave. Shi Chanli carefully followed behind him. Finally, he couldn't help but ask, "Teacher, does this mean that I will start working in the Overwatch Council?"
Fan Xian sighed. He knew that the scholars of the world did not want to enter the sinister and shameless secret service. He patted Shi Chanli on the shoulder and said, "You are my private secretary. I will speak to my father and temporarily hang you in the Ministry of Revenue. We will discuss this another day. Don't worry, no one will point at your back and call you a dog of the Overwatch Council."
— — —
Walking through the astonishingly large garden in the back of Fan Manor, Fan Xian frowned. "Using dark methods to achieve a bright result?" He didn't think of himself as a saint who would let himself be wronged. Although he was very willing to do things for the people of the Kingdom of Qing, such as slightly curbing the corrupt atmosphere in the officialdom, and at least ensuring that the dam in the south would not collapse so quickly, the rectification of the First Bureau was more out of his own selfishness.
Although he had the title of immortal poet, and now he had the secret praise of a new generation of literary leaders, when he clashed with the dark filth that had accumulated in the Overwatch Council for 20 years, his reputation would always be somewhat damaged. So he wanted to make the First Bureau brighter, because a good reputation would help him greatly in the future.
Thinking of the words about darkness and light, he couldn't help but think of when he was chatting with Haitang in Northern Qi. She said, "The dark night gave me black eyes … but I will use them to roll my eyes at the world." He couldn't help but worry about the situation in the north. He didn't know if Haitang would be able to properly arrange the matter he had entrusted to her. Uncle Wu Zhu was still playing missing, and there was no news of Ku He returning to Shangjing.
Far away in the garden, a few girls were chatting. It was a sunny day, and the grasshoppers were hopping around in the grass after autumn. The cicadas in the trees took advantage of the last moments of their lives to call out with all their might, drowning out the voices of the girls. Da Bao was catching ants by the courtyard wall. Fan Sizhe was not at school, but he was not at home either.
Fan Xian squinted and saw that Ye Ling 'er had come again today. He couldn't help but secretly groan. That girl thought she had done Fan Xian a great favor, and these days she had been coming to the manor to play. When he saw that the shy Princess Rou Jia sitting next to Ye Ling 'er, he felt even more bitter. A 12-year-old girl had become a 13-year-old … but she was still a girl, and Fan Xian didn't want to be stared at with adoration.
Recently, he had refused Li Hongcheng's invitations to dinner many times. Before Yan Bingyun's investigation was complete, he had to hide. And today, he had to hide from Rou Jia, the little girl who had secretly expressed her love for him. Circulating the zhenqi in his body, Sir Fan's body lightened. He demonstrated the lightness he had learned from the shadows of the staff. He flew over the yellow grass and quietly leaped out of the manor.
— — —
Arriving at Shenzheng Road in Jingdou, the manor that Wang Qinian had bought for 120 liang of silver, Fan Xian sat in the innermost room and stretched comfortably. This was his most secretive nest. Other than the Qinian Unit and Chen Pingping, not even his family knew that he often conducted official and private business here.
Deng Zi Yue's expression was solemn as he placed the two bamboo tubes on the table and retreated. He knew that he did not have the Commissioner's trust as Wang Qinian did, so he consciously left the room.
The color of the bamboo tubes was very similar. Perhaps they were both produced at the foot of Yan Mountain near Shangjing. The wax used to seal the tubes was also very similar. They were both intact and probably untouched. Only the secret markings on the bamboo joints let the secret agents of the Overwatch Council in charge of transmitting intelligence know that these two extremely secretive letters belonged to two separate routes in the northern system.
Fan Xian picked up the bamboo tube. The first thing he did was to confirm that no one had opened it. Wang Qinian's calligraphy on the wax had the charm of Pan Ling. It was indeed not easy to fake. Only then did he relax and open the bamboo tube, taking out the two letters inside.
One letter was from Si Lili, and the other was from Haitang. To make it easier to communicate with Haitang, Fan Xian had set up a special line of communication for her.
Si Lili did not send any important intelligence. Although she had already followed Fan Xian and Haitang's plan and converted to Tianyi Dao, her efforts to enter the palace had not yet yielded any results. In Shangjing, Shen Zhong's family had been destroyed. Other than dealing a heavy blow to the Empress's power, there was not much of a reaction. Shang Shanhu had also been confined to his home. At the end of the letter, it was said that the Imperial Advisor of Northern Qi, Ku He, had returned to Shangjing and had been in seclusion. Although no one dared to suspect anything, Si Lili was convinced that the peerless master must have been injured.
Fan Xian smiled. In this world, there were only two or three Great Grandmasters who could fight with that man-eating monster, Ku He.
In Haitang's letter, there was not even half a word about that Great Grandmaster. He and Haitang had a mutually beneficial relationship, so naturally, he did not expect her to say anything. He was only concerned about whether or not the auspicious sign had been properly arranged.
After some thought, he began to write back, urging Haitang to fulfill her promise. For Haitang, this was just a matter of convenience, but for Fan Xian, it was of great importance. In his reply to Si Lili, he only copied a small poem from Li Qingzhao as a consolation, and did not say anything else.
In the days that he had been dealing with the First Bureau, Fan Xian had been thinking about the issue of Ruoruo and Li Hongcheng's marriage. This matter had nothing to do with the Crown Prince's character or whether or not there was a conflict of political standpoints between the two. For Fan Xian, the most important thing was one thing.
Did his sister like it?
Ruoruo had already made her stance clear. She didn't like it. Fan Xian, like all older brothers, was confused and angry at girls in their puberty. He thought to himself, Are you not going to marry? But more than that, he wanted to protect her. Since his sister didn't like it, he had to break up the marriage. It was simple.
This was no small matter. In fact, it could be said to be the most troublesome thing Fan Xian had encountered since coming to the capital from Danzhou. The Emperor had appointed a marriage, and the two families were well-matched. There was no reason to obstruct this marriage.
So there were only two ways to proceed. First, keep an eye on the Second Prince and be ready to destroy him at any moment, dragging Li Hongcheng down. When that time came, he could ask to break off the marriage. Second, start with Ruoruo. Give her a benefit that even the Emperor could not ignore, and temporarily keep her away from the capital.
The first method, who knew how much of a ruckus it would cause, and the second method was too vague. Even Fan Xian himself had no confidence in it.
"They say that a general's success is built on the bones of ten thousand people. Do I have to create a marriage to break the bones of ten thousand people?"
He laughed self-deprecatingly. If that didn't work out, he would have to trouble Uncle Wu Zhu to take Ruoruo on a journey to the ends of the earth. Presumably, His Majesty would not actually execute the entire Fan family because of this.
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