"So high-spirited …"
Fan Xian had one foot on the railing of the top floor of the Suzhou branch of Baoyue Brothel. He held a fan in his other hand and fanned himself. The cold rain at the end of spring had stopped. The summer heat had gone and returned. In an instant, the temperature in the air rose.
He narrowed his eyes and looked at the funeral procession passing through the main street. He listened to the babbling of mourning music and couldn't resist smiling. Ming Qingda indeed had a way. On the surface, he appeared mournful, angry, and absolutely irreconcilable with Fan Xian. He had actually allowed the old Ming matriarch's burial ceremony to pass through the city. It was very ostentatious along the way. Along the way, there were citizens who had set up small tables and placed fruits in worship. There were also some beggars who had received benefits who were kowtowing to the slowly moving coffin.
The sound of mourning music was actually sometimes pleasant to listen to, at least in Fan Xian's ears.
He waved his fan and couldn't resist sighing again, "So high-spirited …"
The wind blew through the fan. He couldn't be bothered to fight with Ming Garden over their pride. He did not find it exciting to use a dead person to obstruct his eyes. If they wanted to parade, then go ahead. In any case, it wouldn't do him any real harm.
After sweeping away the Sixth Ming disciple and the old matriarch's trusted aides, Ming Qingda had already gradually and steadily controlled the situation in Ming Garden. It was also under his powerful suppression that the tens of thousands of Ming family members did not let out a final roar of mutual destruction because of the old Ming matriarch's unusual death.
The scholars who had been clamoring in Suzhou a few days ago had been split apart by Fan Xian and then educated with a rod. Without the support of the Ming family, their momentum immediately weakened. Just as Fan Xian had expected, the so-called righteous indignation could not last long.
Of course, Fan Xian knew that if he wanted to suppress the voices of revenge within the Ming family, it would certainly be hard on Ming Qingda. However, this matter had been caused by Ming Qingda. If he didn't want Fan Xian to … fly into a rage, he had to swallow all this hard work, difficulty, and anger.
What truly made Fan Xian happy was that the crows scattered among the crowd a few days ago had already sent back news. He didn't know if it was because of the Ming family's sudden silence that the elders of the Junshang Conference had no time to react. At least in the Jiangnan area, some of the officials of the Junshang Conference had made some rather stupid responses, such as inciting the citizens to cause trouble.
Relying on the Overwatch Council's secret investigation in this matter and the people Ming Qingda had secretly sold to Hua Garden, the Overwatch Council had already set their sights on a manor downstream of the Yangtze River. It was a stronghold the Junshang Conference had set up in Jiangnan.
Perhaps it was just an unremarkable manor and was not very important to the Junshang Conference, but Fan Xian needed to get rid of it to express his stance.
While he was in Jiangnan, your Junshang Conference had better behave for the time being.
If you don't behave, I'll shut you up.
…
…
The Black Knights could not enter Ming Garden because the Emperor did not like to see the Overwatch Council's martial power overly involved in local government affairs. However, for such a mysterious organization as the Junshang Conference that even faintly resisted imperial power, the Qing Emperor probably did not care what methods Fan Xian used.
Governor Xue Qing of Jiangnan Road also did not oppose Fan Xian's plan. After all, there was not enough time to ask Jingdou.
Today was the day the old Ming matriarch was being buried. It was also the day the 500 Black Knights stealthily crossed the Yangtze River to wash a certain place in blood.
The funeral procession had already passed through the long street under the Baoyue Brothel. Fan Xian noticed that a few nobles had already carefully backed out of the procession. These Jiangnan people did not want to offend the Ming family, but they also did not want to give the imperial envoy too much face. Thus, they sent the procession to the city gates and turned back on their own.
"So high-spirited and vigorous …"
With great power in hand, what need was there to fear the hearts of the people? Although Fan Xian did not get carried away, he had begun to feel in the depths of his heart that power was truly like a drug. No wonder Xi Zhe had a saying, Shaolong had paraphrased it, and it was commonly seen on the forums. Absolute so-and-so brought absolute so-and-so.
However, Fan Xian knew that he did not need to be corrupt. He thought without shame that his mental realm was still relatively high, so he couldn't resist sighing for the third time.
In the story, there should be someone asking, "Sir, why …"
It was a pity that Wang Qinian still had another half a year before he could return to the Qing Kingdom. Beside him, Deng Zi Yue deliberated for a long time with a strange expression before choking out, "Sir … seems to be in a good mood."
…
…
Fan Xian smiled and spat. "Of course I'm in a good mood. This old woman died cleanly. Standing on a tall building and watching others enter the grave, how could I not be happy?"
Deng Zi Yue thought to himself, what was there to be happy about? He couldn't resist opening his mouth to admonish, "Jiangnan people …"
He only said three words before Fan Xian stopped him and smiled coldly. "Don't repeat those words. What people's hearts and public opinion? In a few months, these people will completely forget. What benevolence, what benefits, they can only remember for a few days. In the end, it cannot compare to the fact that there is no oil to cook at home, no rice to cook at home. These things are important. Common people … common people are the most forgetful people in the world. "
His words had a point, and it was pointing to Fan Xian's past, the Ye family that had long been weathered by wind and rain and turned into the palace treasury of the Royal Court.
Back then, compared to the Ming family of today, the Ye family was 10 times more glorious, 10 times more powerful, and 10 times more benevolent toward the people. Heaven changed its face in one day, and the family was broken and people died. The tens of thousands of people under heaven all kept quiet out of fear. Who dared to seek justice for the Ye family?
Deng Zi Yue was startled and silent. He knew he had touched on the Commissioner's years of pain, so he didn't say anything more. He finally understood why the Commissioner would always smile coldly and not care about the people's hearts each time he mentioned them.
"As officials, we are only the Emperor's officials, not the people's officials." Fan Xian's words were the complete opposite of serving the people.
With the situation having reached this point, what was there for Fan Xian to be dissatisfied with? The Ming family was the monkey in the palm of his hand. Jiangnan was certain. Xia Qifei had already sent back news from Jiangbei. A few days ago, he had hooked up with his second brother's side. The storm in the Ministry of Revenue in the capital had settled. There was an urgent need to gather herbs in Hangzhou. The three large workshops in the palace treasury were in full swing. Under the gaze of the Qingyu Hall shopkeeper, they were serious and lively.
As for officialdom, Fan Xian's relationship with Xue Qing was growing closer and closer. In the Palace, the Emperor's trust in him had not decreased. Particularly after the Ming family matter, Fan Xian had damaged his own reputation. Without question, it increased the Emperor's pity for his illegitimate child who was willing to be alone.
Looking left and right, it was all a situation of great victory for him. As for the Junshang Conference … a cold smile flashed across the corner of Fan Xian's lips. He didn't know what the old cripple in Chen Garden outside the capital was thinking. In any case, Fan Xian did not plan on delving too deeply into this matter. The so-called raising a tiger was like this.
To completely wipe out the Junshang Conference, first of all, this was a very difficult task. Even if Fan Xian went wild and risked losing most of the power in his hands, he still might not be able to accomplish this. Just looking at how the incomparably powerful Second priest of the Qing Temple, Great Master San Shi, was only a pawn thrown out by the Junshang Conference, one could imagine how much terrifying power was hidden in this nominally loose organization.
Even if, with the help of his father and the old cripple, the whole family put their lives on the line and successfully overturned the Junshang Conference, Jiangnan would be settled, and the monarch's power was stable. The Emperor would not allow Fan Xian to lead troops into battle. Then, what else could Fan Xian do? At such a young age, would he stay in that dark and gloomy room in the Overwatch Council and retire?
Fan Xian did not want to become a second Chen Pingping, so he would not rush to resolve and extinguish certain conflicts. On the contrary, he hoped that these conflicts would slowly blossom in a situation he could control, like a poisonous flower.
Of course, he did not think that today, in the Bao Yue Brothel, his thoughts and the old cripple's thoughts were actually the same. The old and the young were both working hard in secret for a goal that could not be announced. The only regret was that these two people did not seem to be willing to communicate with each other. Perhaps … they did not want to implicate each other?
Not delving into the Junshang Conference did not mean they wouldn't deal with it. The Junshang Conference had tricked Fan Xian a few times in Jiangnan. He had to settle this debt. At this moment, the Black Knights were advancing silently on the mountain path.
After a few months of planning, the only small hole was the Junshang Conference accountant, Mr. Zhou. This person had not been silenced. Furthermore, under the surveillance of both Ming Qingda and himself, he was still able to escape without a sound. This meant that this person was certainly an important character in the Junshang Conference. Perhaps he knew the true inside story of the Junshang Conference.
However, Haitang still had not returned. A faint worry rose between Fan Xian's brows. Mr. Zhou must be under the protection of a very powerful figure.
He left the railing and sat back down at the table. He ordered Deng Zi Yue, "Contact the governor's manor and send out a wanted poster …"
His voice was very low. "The Ming family has already sent someone to deliver housekeeper Zhou's portrait. Give it to the governor's manor and have both sides investigate together."
Deng Zi Yue shivered. He knew that Sir Zhou did not have any good ideas, so he could only begin to use the power of the government to try and force them in the open. As for that portrait, he knew that it was drawn by the old Ming matriarch's personal serving girl.
Fan Xian sighed and said, "If we can capture that Mr. Zhou alive … don't you think this matter would be a bit too wonderful?"
…
…
"It is indeed a wonderful thought."
The top floor of Baoyue Brothel was empty. Only Fan Xian's table had people sitting at it. At this moment, on the other side of the railing, at that table, two more people suddenly appeared. Furthermore, they followed up Fan Xian's words with extreme coldness.
Countless sounds of metal being unsheathed rang out in the top floor. It was very severe.
With Gao Da in the lead, the seven Tiger Guards gripped their strangely shaped long knives tightly in their hands and formed the shape of a mountain, firmly protecting Fan Xian behind them.
At the same time, a dozen swordsmen of the Sixth Bureau of the Overwatch Council surged out from the side of the building. Their long swords had not been drawn. In their hands, they had already raised crossbows painted black and did not reflect much light. They were extremely sinister and aimed at the two people at the table.
There was originally no one in the building, yet two people had appeared without a sound. Their arrival had not only been hidden from the swordsmen of the Sixth Bureau of the Overwatch Council, but also from the Tiger Guards and Fan Xian, whose internal injuries had long healed. What kind of realm was this?
However, Fan Xian's defensive power reacted quickly. In an instant, he had separated the two people.
A dozen crossbows, in addition to the Seven Tiger Guards who could fight head-on against Haitang Duoduo, and Fan Xian, who had long advanced to the ninth-level, even if the newcomers were Yun Zhilan of Dongyi or Sir Lang Tiao of Northern Qi, everyone had the confidence that they could easily take them down.
However, the two people did not have any strange expressions in the face of such a situation. The smile on one of their faces was still a bit forced. The other figure wearing a straw hat only exuded a coldness from head to toe. It was a coldness that saw everyone as nothing.
The person wearing the straw hat slowly raised his head and revealed a strange face. There was not a trace of expression on his face. However, his eyes looked at the people in the building as coldly as if he was looking at a group of dead people.
"You want Mr. Zhou? This is Mr. Zhou. "
Surrounded by crossbows, the person was as at ease as a spring breeze. A natural domineering aura rose from the air. Separated by everyone, he looked coldly at Fan Xian.
"But, I won't give it to you."
Fan Xian looked at the person through the clothes of the Tiger Guards. His heart jumped. Calmly, he said, "So, it is you who is protecting Mr. Zhou. No wonder Haitang has never succeeded … since you are not willing to give him to me, then why have you come to see me? I don't have the habit of chatting with uninvited guests. "
The person coldly said, "A deal. Pull back the Black Knights, and I will spare your life."
Spare your life? Under such circumstances, he was saying he would spare Fan Xian's life?
Unless he was an idiot, only then would he have such confidence. However, Fan Xian knew that the other person was not an idiot, so he had to have the ability to kill him under such circumstances.
Fan Xian instead smiled and asked, "How is Haitang?"
The person suddenly rolled his eyes strangely. "I rarely kill women."
Fan Xian smiled slightly and said, "That's good … release."
…
…
Very abruptly and without warning, the word "release" was spoken.
The swordsmen of the Sixth Bureau of the Overwatch Council loosened the springs in their hands. The 30 poisoned crossbow bolts split into three batches and shot toward the table like a dense rain of death.
What Mr. Zhou? What Junshang Conference? He didn't have time to worry about it. As long as he could kill the person in front of him, Fan Xian felt that anything was worth it … high-spirited? A bitter smile appeared at the corner of his lips.
(To be continued, if you want to know what happened next, please log on to WWW. CMFU. com. More chapters. Support the author. Support original reading.)
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