Hong Zhu had not thought that even the commissioner would know his name. His face immediately felt a bit of glory. He laughed and replied, "Yes, it must be difficult for the commissioner to know my name."
"His Majesty's close attendant is a vital point." Fan Xian said, "I am the Commissioner of the Overwatch Council. Of course, I have to be careful … furthermore, a few days ago, an assassin appeared among the young eunuchs in Taiji Palace …"
Hong Zhu was startled and didn't dare reply. Fan Xian warmly said, "Since the Emperor trusts you, then I trust you as well … right, I heard that Old Dai is currently doing hard labor?"
Hong Zhu glanced at him and said probingly, "Yes, it's quite tragic."
"Yes." Fan Xian nodded. "I'm not afraid of any taboos. I've had dealings with Old Dai before, and he's a good person. Please help me take care of him in the palace."
Hong Zhu was overjoyed. A month ago, he had been counting on being able to use Eunuch Dai to make connections with this young official. Since the other party had said so, then there was hope. He quickly and respectfully replied, "How could I not follow your orders?"
Fan Xian smiled slightly and said, "Sorry to trouble you. If there are any difficulties in the family in the future, just let me know." He didn't need to say it too clearly. The other party should know to contact him through Yi Guipin.
…
…
When he returned to the Shufang Palace where Yi Guipin lived, it was a great coincidence that the Great Princess of Northern Qi, who had not had the opportunity to see him since September, had also returned from the empress dowager's palace. Before the Great Princess's marriage, she had been arranged to live in this palace. She looked at Fan Xian in the wheelchair and was slightly surprised. However, it was not convenient for the two of them to say anything, so they bowed slightly and retreated to the back.
Yi Guipin glanced at Fan Xian. "You came all the way back from the north. Why do you feel so unfamiliar?"
Fan Xian did not forget to gather allies and plant spies. How could he let go of someone as important as the Great Princess? However, in front of everyone, he had to pretend to be unfamiliar with her. He replied, "Our identities are different. Besides … men and women are different."
Yi Gui Pin teased, "Child, you're even more handsome than a great beauty … I'm not afraid of you harming others, but I'm afraid that others will provoke you."
Fan Xian jumped in fright and said, "Aunt, don't talk nonsense." Turning his head, he saw that the Third Prince was still calmly copying books and pretending to be obedient. For some reason, he felt angry. Shaking his head, he asked, "Did the Empress Dowager really allow this?"
There was a tone of disbelief in his voice. Yi Guipin looked at him and nodded. Smiling, she said, "I only heard the Emperor's permission today. However … this is a good matter. Why would the Great Ancestor object?"
Fan Xian smiled self-mockingly, thinking that the matter was not so simple. He thought for a while and then said seriously, "If I go to Jiangnan, would you be willing to let Little San follow me?"
"The people of Jiangnan are good, and the scenery is good. What is there to be reluctant about?"
Yi Guipin suddenly beckoned him closer. Fan Xian followed her words and moved closer. He was only a foot away from her, as if he wanted to smell the orchid scent this noblewoman exhaled. Only then did he hear her lower her voice and say through gritted teeth, "Take him as far away from the Palace as possible. It's best if you can drag it out for as many years as you can."
Fan Xian was slightly startled. Only now did he know that Yi Guipin had such a negative plan. He shook his head and said, "Blindly backing down is not a good thing … besides, the Jiangnan palace treasury doesn't need much effort. I'm just going to take a look. I can't always drag it out."
Yi Guipin thought for a bit and found that this was indeed the case. She sighed with disappointment. "These words are true. The Emperor will not allow it. You're not always in Jingdou."
Fan Xian thought for a bit and comfortingly said, "After all, Third Son is still young. It's not worth worrying so early … besides, the empress dowager is in the Palace watching over these grandsons. They wouldn't dare to do anything too out of line …" He paused and then said, "After all, we're not the same as those other palaces. Shangshu Alley still has some strength to speak, and father won't retreat for a while. At the very least, there's still me, right?"
With these words, Yi Guipin finally relaxed. Given the current trend of development, Fan Xian's influence in court would only grow. The court and the Palace were often two independent circles influenced by the two ministers. As long as there were people in court, she and Li Chengping, mother and son, would have a much easier time in the Palace.
Having spoken to this point, everyone had already made their point very clear. In the eyes of Yi Guipin, who still retained a bit of likable straightforwardness, for the sake of her child, the tighter she was tied to the Fan family, the better.
"Have Third Son come with me to Jiangnan, but there is one thing you have to promise me." Fan Xian glanced at the Third Prince, who was eavesdropping but couldn't hear anything.
"What is it?" Seeing the seriousness in his words, Yi Guipin also became nervous.
"I don't really know how to be a teacher. As you know, those students that are sent out to the provinces are their good fortune after 10 years of hard work," Fan Xian said seriously. "I can only teach Your Highness like a little brother … it's hard to avoid being disrespectful."
Hearing the words "teach like a little brother," Yi Guipin beamed with joy. She had no idea of Fan Sizhe's wretched state in the North and nodded repeatedly.
Fan Xian looked at her like he was looking at a fairy, wondering why she was so happy like she had won the lottery. Probingly, he said, "Maybe … sometimes … I will … fight."
"You can do whatever you want with your feet!" Yi Guipin said straightforwardly and said with a smile, "As long as nothing bad happens to me, I'll let you do whatever you want."
She then sighed and said, "You don't know, the incident at that brothel a few days ago gave me a big fright. Normally, I only knew that he was on good terms with the Second Prince. Who would have thought that the Second Prince, that bastard, would actually urge Ping 'er to do that? Ping' er is so young, what does he know? In the end, he was still used as a knife by others … fortunately, you quickly suppressed this matter. Otherwise, who knows how angry the Emperor would be. "
Fan Xian smiled silently, thinking that this son of yours was not a kind person. Although he was only eight, the things in his mind were complicated. He then heard Yi Guipin say in a low voice, "Teach him to be more obedient … even if he becomes the useless King Jing … at least he can have a lifetime of peace."
Fan Xian listened to these words and couldn't help feeling a bit emotional. In this world, only a mother was good. This line was indeed not wrong. A child without a mother was like a blade of grass. His own life experience also proved the truth of this line.
…
…
It was still early before dinner time, and there was still no news from the empress dowager's Palace. Fan Xian was happy to have the peace and quiet. He stayed in Shufang Palace and chatted idly with Yi Guipin. The two of them were relatives, so there were fewer taboos. Furthermore, in the entire chilly Royal Palace, it seemed that only Yi Guipin's Palace still had some … human touch.
"Servant greets Princess Chen."
Following the crisp greetings of the serving girls in the outer room, Lin Wan 'er rubbed her two small hands and walked in. Today, she was wearing a jade-colored layered dress and a large red silk jacket. On the cuffs of her sleeves, there were two strands of fox fur. It was furry and cute.
Fan Xian sat in the wheelchair and stretched out his hands.
Wan 'er moved forward and placed her hand in his warm palm. Her movements were very natural.
Fan Xian gently rubbed the girl's slightly cold hands and asked curiously, "You came just like that?" The colors were similar to red and green. However, the red was a bit more vivid, and the jadeite exuded nobility. It was much more pleasing to the eye when worn on Wan 'er's body. However, entering the Palace to eat, one should always dress more gorgeously.
Lin Wan 'er pouted and said, "I waited for you at home for a long time, but no one came. Later, Su Wenmao called someone over to say something. Only then did I know you had been summoned into the Palace. I brought Da Bao back to the manor. Just as we reached the door, we were stopped by a eunuch. We were dragged into the Palace to see the empress dowager and empress first. Fortunately, the other ladies were all serving in the empress dowager's Palace, so we didn't have to go to each Palace to pay our respects. We were in a hurry along the way and didn't have time to change. "
"Right, where's Da Bao?" Fan Xian was most concerned about his silly brother-in-law.
"Don't worry, Ruoruo is at home." Lin Wan 'er accepted the hot towel the serving girl handed over and carelessly wiped her face. She sat down beside Yi Guipin and tilted her head with a smile. "What are you talking about?"
Yi Guipin didn't rush to reply. She first scolded the serving girl a bit. Using a hot towel to let the princess wipe her face on such a cold day, she wasn't afraid that she would be stirred up by the cold wind when she went out later. Only then did she turn her head and smile as she recounted the Emperor's arrangements.
Lin Wan 'er glanced at Fan Xian in astonishment. "It's settled just like that?"
Fan Xian nodded and shrugged his shoulders. There was nothing he could do. Dragging down his family, it looked like his trip to Jiangnan in the future would certainly be very exciting.
A eunuch came to pass on a message inviting the five nobles of Shufang Palace to Hanguang Palace to eat. Yi Guipin quickly pulled the Third Prince's hand to the back room to freshen up. She also had to dress herself well.
Taking advantage of this time, Fan Xian lowered his voice and asked, "The matter I told you to talk about with the empress dowager … how is it going?"
Lin Wan 'er looked around and shook her head. In a quiet voice, she said, "You wanted to break off the engagement, but you didn't discuss this with me earlier … suddenly doing something like this, how could the empress dowager allow it? Besides, I am, after all, a junior. Talking about this matter is not very polite. "
Fan Xian sighed and said, "If Ruoruo doesn't like it, what can I do as her brother? However, I did tell you about this matter a bit late. I wanted to take advantage of the Baoyue Brothel incident. Hongcheng is currently making the Palace unhappy, so I wanted to take advantage of this opportunity to take care of this matter. I didn't think it would be so troublesome. "
"The Emperor has appointed a marriage. How can it be broken off just like that?" Wan 'er furrowed her brows. "You spoil Ruoruo too much."
Fan Xian chuckled and said, "I only have this one sister. If I don't spoil her, who will?"
"I think it's better for you to come into the Palace." Wan 'er stared at the back room and confirmed that no one was listening. Only then did she quietly say, "Let the old master directly tell the Emperor that the two of us are not enough."
Fan Xian said with distress, "Although the two families have fought like this, father really does like Hongcheng. Even when Hongcheng goes to the brothel every day, he doesn't think it's a big deal. He always says he watched him grow up, and the two families are very close. He can't let the second prince cause the two families to separate. "
Lin Wan 'er laughed and said, "You used to be the most famous person in Liujing River. Of course, you don't think this is a big deal." After saying this, she realized that it was inappropriate for a daughter-in-law to tease her father-in-law, so she laughed and covered it up.
Fan Xian was worried about his sister, so he didn't make fun of her. His brows were full of helplessness. These days, Ruoruo had made a name for herself in the Imperial Academy of Medicine. He hoped that Haitang would be able to handle things well, or at least delay the marriage for a while.
"Why did uncle summon you into the Palace?" Lin Wan 'er asked the question she really cared about. "I'm afraid it's not just about the third prince. “
Fan Xian quietly looked at his wife. Suddenly, he reached out his hand and gently stroked her smooth chin. He smiled and didn't say anything. Was she supposed to tell her that her dearest uncle had asked her dearest husband to use all his skills just to make her biological mother … destitute?
Fortunately, Yi Guipin and the others had already dressed up and came out. Fan Xian turned to look and saw Yi Guipin and the Great Princess of Northern Qi walk out hand in hand. The two women, with their jewelry, clothing, and makeup, shone brilliantly. Their features were like a painting, dignified and noble. He couldn't help but praise them in his heart. The so-called splendor of jewels was nothing more than this.
The Great Princess looked at him and smiled. She walked out of the hall, shoulder to shoulder with Wan 'er, whom she already knew.
— — —
The winter solstice was as big as the new year. On this day, everyone in the Qing Kingdom rested. The court stopped, the army rested, the borders closed, and the merchants rested. It wasn't just the capital. Even Northern Qi, far away in the north, was peacefully living a happy life.
According to the customs of the Qing Kingdom, mutton was to be eaten on the winter solstice. In the streets and alleys of the private residences in Jingdou, countless strands of hot fog floated up from the spacious or cramped kitchens. They circled around the various pots three times and then found the only way out, drilling through the cracks between the windows. The hot fog carried the pungent smell of dried chili, the gamey smell of fresh mutton, the strange smell of medicinal herbs, and the sweet smell of carrots. The four scents mingled and were incomparably beautiful. They filled the streets and alleys of countless courtyards, making all who smelled them salivate.
Inside Hanguang Palace, behind the table at the very end, Fan Xian stared with a pair of confused eyes. He looked at the mutton that had been cut into the shape of an ear with the tips of his chopsticks. He looked at the mushrooms and rare vegetables floating in the white soup in his bowl. He couldn't help but sigh in his heart. The mutton in the Palace was indeed different from that of the common people. The workmanship was much more exquisite, but it also lacked the warmth of incense.
Without tofu and carrots, how could he eat the mutton? The biggest problem was that the mutton was already warm. He couldn't burn his mouth and lips until they were numb. What would be the point of drinking it?
So, he just barely finished the soup in his bowl and picked up some chopstick sauce to mix with the rice. He chewed slowly and carefully, delaying the time of this boring "family feast." His eyes were focused on his nose, his nose was focused on his lips, and his lips held the tips of his chopsticks. He was incomparably focused, but the corners of his eyes didn't wander. He quietly listened to the conversation of the members of the royal family in the palace and didn't interrupt. He was as lonely as the wheelchair not far behind him.
Hanguang Palace was the empress dowager's palace. It was the grandest building in the rear palace. Although it was much simpler than the wastrel Royal Palace in Shangjing in Northern Qi, it was still magnificent and majestic. The candlelight was like the sun, making the furnishings and objects in the palace shine.
The members of the royal family in the palace ate silently, not daring to look directly at the old woman at the very top, as well as the Emperor and empress beside her. On the Winter Solstice, everyone had arrived, including King Jing's family of three and the Second Prince, who was under house arrest. However, when the Second Prince and Hongcheng saw Fan Xian enter, they were only slightly surprised. They didn't charge forward to kill him like a shrew.
Fan Xian glanced at the old woman at the main table out of the corner of his eye. This was the first time he had seen the empress dowager. From the wrinkles on her face, it was as if he could still smell the old woman's methods and hard heart. Although the tiger was old, its ill might was still there. She sat at the very top. Even the usually impudent King Jing appeared much more well-behaved.
He wasn't familiar with the people, but he was familiar with the palace. When he had played Thief Marshal Ye Liuxiang, he had walked through the palace twice and found the key in the secret compartment under the old woman's bed. Thinking of this matter, he quietly withdrew his gaze and silently ate the rice mixed with sauce.
From above came a few feeble coughs from the old woman. Fan Xian lowered his head and didn't speak. Earlier, he had caught a glimpse of the empress dowager's expression and found that the corners of her lips were beginning to droop. He knew that this old woman didn't have many years left to live.
"Chen girl, come sit beside me." The empress dowager looked at her granddaughter at the furthest table in the distance and then at Fan Xian, whose face was hidden in the shadows. She called out, "Give me a massage."
Wan 'er rose warmly and left her seat. With a smile, she walked over and whispered something into the empress dowager's ear. She then glanced at Fan Xian, who was bitterly eating the rice with soy sauce. She guessed that she was trying to make the old woman happy and tell her a joke. As expected, the empress dowager laughed and laughingly scolded, "Looks like you've fed him well in the Fan manor. He can't even eat in the Palace anymore."
Although her voice was low, it clearly reached everyone's ears. They all knew that she was talking about Fan Xian.
Fan Xian's heart jumped, and a smile bloomed on his lips. It seemed that it wasn't a lie that Wan 'er was the most favored in the Palace. As long as the empress dowager and the Emperor liked her, her position in the Palace would naturally rise.
But he still felt a little nervous. Today was the first time he had seen the empress dowager. The old woman occasionally glanced at him, and it made him shiver. Logically speaking, a grandmother looking at a grandson … shouldn't look at him like that. That look was very complicated. There was a glimmer of gratification, two parts pride, three parts doubt, and the remaining four parts vigilance and coldness!
When the empress dowager spoke, everyone had already stopped eating. They were listening to what the old woman had to say at the Winter Solstice banquet.
"Today, everyone has arrived … Last year, I was not feeling well, so I didn't have the gathering. Today, seeing the prince consort, I am very happy." The empress dowager said she was happy, but there was no expression on her face. She turned to the Emperor and said, "But it's not good for your sister to stay alone in Xinyang. Her daughter and son-in-law are both in the capital. I don't like her living in the Li Palace all the time."
Fan Xian laughed coldly in his heart. He knew that they had finally reached the main topic. The meaning was clear. If he, the prince consort, could attend the royal banquet, why couldn't the eldest princess?
The Emperor's deep eyes flashed. "The weather is cold, and the roads are not easy to travel. When spring comes, let Yunrui come back."
Hearing these words, the empress dowager nodded her head in satisfaction. Fan Xian noticed that the Second Prince's left sleeve trembled unnaturally. Presumably, this pitiful friend of his, who had been punished by him, knew that reinforcements were about to arrive in the capital, and his heart was unbearably excited.
But … why was the Crown Prince's expression a little strange?
…
…
Fan Xian didn't pay much attention to what the empress dowager said after. The royal banquet was really boring. However, when he heard the empress dowager occasionally mention him, she purposely revealed a trace of coldness, which made the corners of his lips involuntarily reveal a trace of self-mockery.
He had heard that when he was injured, the empress dowager had prayed for him, and that he had received the pearl from the empress dowager. He had thought that the old woman's heart had softened, and that his hard heart had also softened. Unexpectedly, looking at the situation, it was just a blind guess. Forget it, let's see who's heart is harder. You people from the royal family are naturally cold-hearted. I'm a monster who's lived two lives, so my heart won't be soft either. At least it's harder than the mutton in the cold soup.
Since the ruler was not the ruler, the official was not the official, the father was not the son, the ancestor was not the grandson, did he need to be afraid of that groundless blood relationship?
Although he was a "poet" who plagiarized, Fan Xian was, in the end, a literary person. He could not shake off that sour and proud character. In this cold and deserted Hanguang Palace, he straightened his body and back. Although he had a smile on his face, he did not purposely try to curry favor with the empress dowager, nor would he shamelessly pretend to be a junior for the amusement of the old woman's grandchildren. For a moment, the conversation in Hanguang Palace seemed awkward and cold.
Other than the empress dowager, the ladies and princes in the Palace were all familiar with Fan Xian. They knew that this son-in-law was not a simple character. When it came to making people happy, that was the little trick he was best at. Thus, they didn't understand why Fan Xian didn't take advantage of the family banquet to curry favor with the empress dowager.
The Emperor did not think much of it. He thought that Fan Xian was angry at the fact that his mother-in-law was returning to the capital and had lost his composure. The empress dowager thought that this young man was naturally arrogant, and she disliked him even more.
Seeing this, the empress did not understand what Fan Xian wanted to do. A trace of doubt appeared in the corner of her eyes. Under the empress dowager's slightly angry gaze, Lady Ning drank her wine boldly. Concubine Shu took a small sip, and Yi Guipin giggled foolishly to amuse the empress dowager, helping Fan Xian divert a few gazes.
Among the others, the Great Prince was confused, the Second Prince was secretly amused, and the Third Prince was admiring him. The Crown Prince's mind wandered. Only King Jing's guess was a bit closer to the truth. He secretly shook his head, thinking that scholars really did tend to be a bit pedantic.
Wan 'er, leaning against the empress dowager's side, looked at Fan Xian with some worry.
— — —
In the cold night, snowflakes began to fall again. At the corner gate of the Royal Palace, Fan Xian sat in his wheelchair with his head slightly lowered. His expression was calm, as if he had nothing on his mind. Lin Wan 'er was a bit worried. "Husband, are you alright?"
"I'm fine." Fan Xian's head remained firmly lowered. "I was just pretending to be Di Feijing."
The Tiger Guards and the Qinian Unit had arrived. The husband and wife boarded the carriage, which headed for Fan Manor. In the carriage, Lin Wan 'er asked curiously, "Who is Di Feijing?"
"A man who has kept his head lowered all his life." Fan Xian laughed. "Let's not talk about him. Let's go home and eat some mutton. Father and the others should still be waiting."
(To be continued, if you want to know what happened next, please log on to WWW. CMFU. com. More chapters. Support the author. Support the original reading!)
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