Late at night, the palace was dangerously peaceful.
Hearing the empress's words, the Crown Prince almost fell to the ground. His face was full of shock. He stuttered, "Mother, what nonsense are you talking about?"
The empress's expression kept changing. After a long silence, she said quietly, "Fan Xian is the bastard child of your father and the Ye family's witch."
The Crown Prince shook his head, unable to accept this sudden situation. He shook his head for so long that he felt dizzy. Only then did he sit back down on the bed and mumble, "How is this possible? How is this possible? "
Thinking that he had a younger brother who had been wandering among the people since he was young, the Crown Prince felt that life was truly wonderful. Furthermore, this younger brother was often seen in the capital. His reputation was even greater than his own, and the power in his hands seemed to be no less than his own.
He unconsciously jumped up. Perhaps to comfort himself, or perhaps to relieve his stress, he laughed foolishly. "So I have a younger brother like this."
The empress looked at her son as if she were looking at an idiot.
The Crown Prince's face heated up. Embarrassed, he lowered his voice and roared, "So what? My relationship with him has always been good. Furthermore, his background is not proper, and he can never enter the palace. He is no threat to me. "
"No threat to you, Your Highness?"
The empress laughed coldly. "Don't forget, his mother's death is inextricably linked to your poor mother. Do you think he will just watch you sit on the throne? Even if he is magnanimous enough not to seek revenge, is he not afraid that you will deal with him after you take the throne? "
"Fan Xian, even if it is to protect himself, he will not let you take the throne." The empress' voice was like a curse in the palace. "So, Gan 'er, you must be prepared. Of course, you cannot spread such critical information. The most important thing is that you cannot let your brothers in the palace know of Fan Xian's past. Otherwise, if Eldest Brother and Second Brother … "
The Crown Prince understood what his mother meant. His voice became a bit erratic. "No wonder the rumors outside say that Fan Xian is a descendant of the Ye family, but father has never come up with a way to punish him. So … there is more to it than meets the eye. But mother, if father continues to favor him as he has in the past, and he has the support of the Fan family and Director Chen, it will not be easy for me to touch him."
The Empress' phoenix eyes were cold. "Of course, we can't touch him now. Our power is too weak. No one in the palace is willing to help us. So, you can pretend to be courteous. But don't believe that your wild brother will have any good intentions towards you. Endure. From today onwards, you will obediently endure. Don't do anything unnecessary. After the spring examination, you were right. No power is as important as your father's love. As long as the Emperor still trusts you, Fan Xian won't dare to do anything. As long as we endure until the future … there will be a way. "
The Crown Prince was speechless, but he didn't agree with his mother's thoughts.
…
…
The sky brightened.
In the porridge shop, the people gossiping about the Fan manor and the Ye family continued. The First Bureau of the Overwatch Council, which monitored the movements of the officials, was on guard. Everyone in the Fan manor pretended to be calm amidst their fear. The Emperor had a headache, and so did the empress dowager. Minister Fan arrived early at the Ministry of Revenue yamen. His expression was the same as yesterday, and he talked cheerfully and wittily. There was nothing strange. Chen Pingping did not return to Chen Garden. He stayed in the Overwatch Council and watched everything that happened in Jingdou with his slightly muddy eyes.
The sound of sweeping came from the street. Fan Xian had followed Sir Fei's prescription and was taking his medicine on time. In his hands, he held the nameless martial secret in a daze. He had long finished practicing the first volume, but he still hadn't found a way to practice the second volume. Particularly now that his zhenqi had completely dissipated and his meridians were riddled with holes, he didn't dare to follow the description of the second volume to forcefully move his zhenqi.
As for the matter of his past, Fan Xian's state of mind had already calmed down. The sky was going to rain. His mother was not married and had a child out of wedlock. Let her be. In any case, this matter was not his responsibility.
If the palace's fear of his mother was so strong that they wouldn't even allow him, the transmigrator Fu Kangan, to stay, then why should he care? At the worst, it would just be a battle. If, when the Emperor's orders came, he could not command the Overwatch Council and Qinian Unit, and he had no more zhenqi, and things had reached the most dangerous stage, then don't blame him for listening to his teacher's wishes and going against his mother's wishes. He began to spray poison on mosquitoes and use poison to open up a bloody path. He used a large knife to chop ants and a heavy sniper rifle to take down a few Grandmasters.
Ye Liuyun was not in the capital, and it was difficult for the army to exert its strength against a small number of people. He couldn't imagine who could keep such a strange combination. At this moment, Fan Xian's heart actually calmed down. He gradually began to feel a little bit of the atmosphere of that little girl called Ye Qingmei, who had brought the blind uncle and that box, against the entire world.
He was a little nervous and a little excited.
Of course, it would be best if it didn't develop to this stage. After all, he still had to consider the interests of the Fan manor, the safety of his father, sister, and wife, as well as the life and death of many people who were on good terms with him. When the map was drawn, the dagger was revealed. It was only the last move. To be able to maintain the current stability was Fan Xian's most urgent need.
There were still many things he hadn't done, and those things had to rely on his current power and position.
For the next two days, no one came to visit the Fan manor. Even the people who were closest to the Fan family wouldn't choose to come at such a time when the wind and waves were at its peak. What was strange was that King Jing didn't come either. According to the secret report from the Qinian Unit, the gardener prince, for some unknown reason, threw away his hoe and bucket of manure. He only leaned against the railing in his manor and drank. Old tears streamed down his face as if he was feeling something.
The officials who were on good terms with Fan Xian, including Xin Qiwu, Ren Shao 'an, and the other junior ministers, were all watching carefully. They were waiting to see how the court would react to this rumor.
No one dared to make any statements at this time.
In the palace.
Lady Ning was wearing a well-fitting dress. Under the warm winter sun, she was walking in circles around the withered tree. This was a habit she had developed for many years. This female prisoner of Dongyi in the past was now a noble in the Palace. She was never idle.
After walking around for a long time, the Great Prince, who was standing quietly to the side, finally couldn't take it anymore. He sighed and said, "Mother, what exactly is the matter?"
The princes had their own manors outside the palace. Furthermore, the Great Prince had become the first prince among the princes because of his achievements on the Western Expedition. Naturally, he could no longer live in the palace. There were many rules in the royal family. Even if he wanted to enter the palace to visit his mother, the rules in between were a bit complicated. Lady Ning had used some tricks and jumped over many obstacles to directly summon her own son into the palace. However, she had been walking around the tree in a daze the entire time.
The Great Prince knew that his mother must have something important to tell him. Otherwise, she wouldn't have broken the rules in such an eye-catching manner. However, he wondered if it had something to do with the most recent rumor.
"Have you heard? About Fan Xian's past. " Lady Ning finally stopped. She pulled out a plain handkerchief from her wrist and carelessly wiped the sweat from her forehead. Her expression was solemn.
The Great Prince thought to himself that it was indeed this matter. He respectfully handed a cup of warm tea to her hand and nodded his head in response. "I know about this matter. However, it happened suddenly and there is no proof. Looking at the intentions of father, empress dowager, and grandmother, they would definitely not believe these lowly people's rumors. I also don't believe it."
Lady Ning looked at her son and smiled coldly. "You don't believe it? I think everyone in the world is starting to believe it! " She suddenly slapped the stone table angrily and said in a hateful voice, "I don't know what's going on with the Director this time to suppress this rumor. Does he not know that this will instead make others believe it? What is Fan Xian supposed to do? "
"Fan Xian?" She suddenly became distracted. A moment later, she sighed clearly. "So … she has a son. So it is Fan Xian."
Of course, the Great Prince knew who his mother was talking about. It was the mistress of the Ye family, who had once shone brightly in the Qing Kingdom and ended tragically. He guessed his mother's meaning and probingly said, "What do you mean?"
Lady Ning's eyebrows furrowed. Without anger, she gave off an imposing aura. She sternly said, "We Dongyi people pay particular attention to distinguishing between gratitude and grudges! Fan Xian's past has been exposed. Regardless of whether or not the Emperor remembers the Ye family's contributions, the person in the Eastern Palace … will certainly not tolerate him. Listen carefully! "
In front of outsiders, the Great Prince was a valiant and skilled general and a strong and brave man. In front of Lady Ning, he was like an obedient kitten. Unconsciously, he brought his feet together and stood like a little soldier in front of his mother. In a low voice, he said, "Mother, please instruct me."
"If things don't go well …" A glimmer of valiance appeared between Lady Ning's brows. "No matter what method you use, no matter what, you must protect Fan Xian's life!"
The Great Prince didn't even think before agreeing. He had never disobeyed his mother's wishes. However, he still had some doubts in his heart. He knew that his mother had played some kind of role in the blood-soaked night in Jingdou. He just didn't understand why his mother would protect Fan Xian so much. She even ordered him to use the soldiers under his command if he was in danger. This was no different from rebellion.
"If Director Chen hadn't saved my life, it would have been impossible for me to follow the Emperor back from the mountains and rivers in the north," Lady Ning said coldly. Lady Ning spoke coldly of the events of the past. "You know about this matter, but even if I returned to the capital alive, what welcomed me was still only an order from the Palace … I was a Dongyi prisoner of war. At the time, no one knew that I was pregnant with you. If it hadn't been for Lady Ye's words, you and I would have long become two wandering souls. "
Lady Ning took a deep breath and said, "Fan Xian's mother saved both our lives. Back then, when something happened to her, you were still young. I had no power at all. Now, it is different. Since you have some power in your hands, you must protect Fan Xian's life."
The courtyard was silent. The winter sun shone down sparsely and faintly, shining on this sincere, pure, and unconventional royal mother and son.
"If father cannot tolerate Fan Xian," the Great Prince said quietly. "Although I control the Imperial Army, I'm afraid I won't be of much use. That's fine. If worst comes to worst, I'll return his life."
"It's not that scary. You're about to get married. How could I bear to let you take such a risk?" Lady Ning stared into his eyes and said, "You don't have to consider the Emperor's attitude. Just keep an eye on the Eastern Palace."
The Great Prince's heart seemed to move. He immediately thought of a problem. Although he was a straightforward person, he was not stupid. A moment later, he said in shock, "If it was only a descendant of the Ye family, father would certainly not be willing to keep Fan Xian. Looking at the movements these few days, there is only one possibility."
Lady Ning gave a not-quite-there smile and said, "You finally guessed it? I also think so. For the Emperor to not pursue the so-called rebellion and for even the empress dowager to remain silent, there is only one explanation. Fan Xian is not only the son of Lady Ye, he is also his own son. In other words, Fan Xian is a prince that no one knows is your brother. "
The Great Prince's expression became somewhat ugly. His fists were tightly clenched. He found it difficult to accept this reality. A moment later, he said hesitantly, "Is Fan Xian really father's son? What about Minister Fan? If all of this is true, why did father send Fan Xian to Danzhou back then? "
Lady Ning smiled coldly and said, "Back then? Who can be completely clear about what happened back then? Don't forget that Fan Xian's mother was hated to the bone by the two most powerful women in the Palace. "
The Great Prince blinked. He didn't dare to believe he had heard these words from his mother's mouth. He thought about it for a long time and said, "If even mother could guess Fan Xian's true identity, I think it would have long spread outside the Palace."
"If he guessed it, then he guessed it." Lady Ning brushed the dust off her body and said heroically, "Perhaps this is what the Director wanted to see. Perhaps all of this happened because he was sharing the Emperor's worries and difficulties. After all, the Emperor probably doesn't know what to do with his son."
— — —
How would the Emperor punish Fan Xian? This was the question that the Jingdou officials and people were most concerned about these days. If the rumors were true, Fan Xian's only way out was to be imprisoned. If the rumors were false, the Palace should have used some method, such as rewards or verbal encouragement, to eliminate the effects.
The more the rumors spread, the stranger they became. The reaction of the Overwatch Council and the silence of the Fan manor all seemed to confirm this rumor. Fan Xian was the orphan of the mistress of the Ye family. The problem was, the Palace still hadn't sent anyone to capture him!
This matter had become quite interesting.
The Emperor maintained his silence, and the Palace maintained its silence. People were confused and began to speculate endlessly. The court officials had originally maintained a clever calm. Even the Imperial Censorate had only carefully submitted a few memorials to the Emperor, describing the rumors in the capital. But the Emperor had not published them, and the officials could do nothing.
This kind of speculation finally reached its peak after a bold but low-intelligence official jumped out and stirred up a storm in the court.
This official's name was Mao Yueliang. He was the Minister of Rites, responsible for reviewing memorials and correcting those who spoke improperly. This muddle-headed official's nature was rough and straightforward, and he yearned for the perfect rule of the saints. He couldn't bear to see anything that would damage the reputation of the court. After the rumors about Fan Xian's past began to circulate in Jingdou, Mao Yueliang foolishly ignored his colleagues' silence and went straight to the court to ask the Emperor to issue an edict to reprimand these false rumors and restore Commissioner Fan's clean reputation.
In the court, the Emperor only said lightly, "The innocent are innocent, and the corrupted are corrupted. It is a good thing for the people. Why should you all get mixed up in it and lose your dignity?"
Who would have thought that Mao Yueliang would not let it go? He insisted that the rumors were damaging to Fan Xian's reputation. If the rumors were false, they should be refuted by the court. If the rumors were true, then according to the laws of the Qing Kingdom, Fan Xian should be prosecuted for the crimes of concealing the truth from the court, entering the court without permission, and colluding with traitors.
Even if these rumors were absurd and untrustworthy, at least for the sake of the court's reputation, the Emperor should let the two Fan brothers defend themselves. Furthermore, Sir Fan junior was no longer suitable to continue holding the position of Commissioner of the Overwatch Council. As for the palace treasury …
Before these muddle-headed words were finished, the Emperor had already left his seat in a rage. He ordered the guards to drag Mao Yueliang out and beat him 20 times. If it were not for the empress dowager's plea, this extremely stupid Minister of Rites would have been beaten to death by the Emperor.
No one knew of the Xinyang background behind this Minister of Rites, and no one knew that the Emperor's final anger came from the empress dowager's appearance to protect him.
For the Emperor, what he was most afraid of was his mother, sister, and sons allying together. In this situation, the ruler of a generation coldly and even forcefully reacted, forcibly preserving Fan Xian's official position and title. This was a kind of stance, the stance of a lion protecting its territory.
But the officials and people of the Qing Kingdom did not know of the problems in the Palace. Once the matter of the beating came out, Jingdou was shocked. Thinking of the last time the Imperial Censorate had impeached Fan Xian, they had also been cruelly beaten. People once again noticed that the supreme imperial favor Fan Xian had received these years could not even compare to that of the princes.
Thinking of the Emperor's vague attitude toward this matter, people began to guess, guess, guess.
The human imagination was sometimes very poor, but sometimes it was incomparably rich. The rumors about Fan Xian's past began to uncontrollably and gradually slide in a direction that some people did not like to see. As for whether or not the shadowy figure of the old man in the wheelchair was behind these guesses, no one knew.
In any case, not long after the first explosive news spread throughout Jingdou, a second explosive news began to spread through the streets and alleys of Jingdou. However, when the common people and officials talked about this news, they seemed even more mysterious, careful, and incomparably excited.
"May I ask if you know? Sir Fan junior is the illegitimate child of the Qing Kingdom's Emperor. "
"Of course, he's completely carved from the same mold."
"You've seen the Emperor's dragon countenance?"
"This … I guessed. But honestly speaking, Sir Fan junior is a rare talent. He is skilled in both the pen and the sword. His talent in poetry astounds the world. His reputation is known far and wide. Such a person … truly only our wise and divine Emperor could have given birth to him. "
"Of course, of course."
"But … Minister Fan … this … this."
"Ah, Minister Fan is pitiful. It's also Master Fan's fault for not choosing a good name."
… …
In the Li Palace in Xinyang, the Eldest Princess gently drew her willowy eyebrows. There was a glimmer of a self-mocking smile at the corners of her lips. This wondrous woman, who had always considered herself to be flawless, finally knew she had made a fatal mistake after these two consecutive rumors. Her brother the Emperor must have begun to doubt her thoughts. As for that little thing called Fan Xian …
"Sir Yuan, I did not listen to your opinion. It was wrong," the Eldest Princess gently pressed her lips together and said lightly.
"The strangeness of Sir Fan junior's life is truly unexpected. The first rumor was enough to shock the world. No one thought there would be a second wave."
Now, like Huang Yi, Yuan Hongdao had become the chief strategist in Xinyang. He slowly said, "At the beginning, I advised the Princess to temporarily endure because I felt that the news of Fan Xian being a descendant of the Ye family was a bit strange. But I did not expect that this news would be followed by this shocking speculation. Things happened too suddenly, and the situation changed too quickly. We were momentarily at a loss. This is not the fault of war, but the will of heaven. "
Now that the Eldest Princess had lost the Cui family, her interests had suffered irreversible damage. She had truly begun to discover the abilities of her good son-in-law. In her anger, it was difficult for her to maintain her previous arrogant calmness. But her follow-up reaction was a bit too late, and even useless. So when the first rumor entered her ears, she did not think twice, and even disregarded Yuan Hongdao's strong opposition. She decided to use this matter to pull Fan Xian off his horse.
But communication between Xinyang and the capital was inconvenient. She wanted to use the Empress Dowager's mouth and the seemingly stupid Imperial Censor of the Six Departments to force the Emperor to remove Fan Xian from his position. She did not expect to immediately receive the second news!
Fan Xian was the Emperor's illegitimate child?
Perhaps other people would have needed to guess, but the Eldest Princess believed it immediately after hearing it. She began to secretly laugh at her own stupidity. How could she not even understand such a simple matter? She had wasted a pawn in court, used a sliver of her mother's affection for her, and most failed of all, touched the Emperor's reverse scale. For no reason at all, she had allowed Fan Xian to easily regain his footing!
Thinking of this, the self-mockery and regret in her heart were like a poisonous snake gnawing at the heart of the most beautiful woman in the Qing Kingdom.
"Ye Qingmei …" Her head began to hurt. She muttered to herself as if she was moaning, "In this life, will I never be able to match up to you? Even your son can defeat me so easily?"
Night fell in the capital.
Wu Zhu, who had not appeared for a long time, silently appeared in a small alley behind Fan Manor. He was covered with a black cloth.
At the end of the alley was a noodle shop. The oil lamp on the noodle shop was as big as a bean, and it shivered in the cold wind. A man wearing ordinary clothes was sitting on a long bench outside the shop.
The man on the bench did not have a bowl in front of him. His clothes were thin, and he did not seem to be afraid of the cold. His face was strangely calm, as if he was born without any expression. And his pair of cold and emotionless eyes seemed to be able to see through everything in the world.
(Tomorrow's chapter is a bit difficult to write. I need to think about it carefully. PS: Yesterday, I calculated the monthly votes for a long time and found that Qing Yu's year was ranked tenth in the old book. Thinking of the possibility of getting an extra thousand yuan, I am very happy. I am earnestly asking for votes. Please vote for me … but this is all I can do at this speed.
(To be continued, if you want to know what happens next, please log on to WWW. CMFU. com. There are more chapters. Support the author. Support the original reading!)
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