Why did Fan Xian have to act? Of course, it was to think of a way to calm the navy generals. They were all born to kill. Once their faces were torn, they wouldn't care if you were a prince or not. As for little Xianxian's acting … cough, cough … he has always been an idol. Besides, most of the audience are rough people. I'm also a rough person.)
…
…
Objections were ineffective. The admiral had been assassinated. This was a major event. Additionally, when the black-clothed assassin had escaped, the navy archers had indeed acted strangely. As the Commissioner of the Overwatch Council, Fan Xian was the highest-ranking and most noble person present. Coincidentally, he was in charge of the follow-up matters and used this excuse to forcefully suppress Dang Xiaobo's opinion. Although the Jiaozhou Navy felt fear in their hearts, there was nothing they could do.
In a short while, the 300 provincial soldiers directly under Jiaozhou Zhizhou Wu Gefei aggressively surrounded the admiral's manor. The navy soldiers and archers originally stationed on the outskirts looked at each other. In the end, after receiving Deputy General Dang's gaze, they gave up their weapons and were temporarily guarded in the large garden behind the admiral's manor.
At this time, the Jiaozhou city gates were also closed. Another 200 provincial soldiers began to chase the black-clothed assassin through the city. Earlier, the generals and officials had all seen the battle between Sir Fan junior and the assassin. They thought that if even Commissioner Fan could not keep the assassin here, what use was there in sending out these provincial soldiers with ordinary martial strength?
Dang Xiaobo glanced at his disarmed subordinates in the garden and then at the provincial soldiers stationed outside the garden with excited expressions on their faces. An invisible coldness flashed through his eyes. The admiral's death was too strange. Sir Fan junior's arrival was too strange. Furthermore, once the Overwatch Council arrived, the assassination occurred. The other party used this matter to forcefully disarm the navy's trusted soldiers and moved the provincial soldiers to surround the admiral's manor. All of these signs showed that the matter was not so simple.
Only now did Fan Xian let out a breath. As long as he trapped these important navy generals in the city, he had already achieved his first goal.
This was a proper decapitation plan. First, they would kill Chang Kun, who was the most shrewd and had the highest official position in the Jiaozhou Navy. Then, they would lock the heads of the navy in the admiral's manor. Even if the tens of thousands of Jiaozhou Navy soldiers were a giant dragon, at this moment, the dragon was without a leader. Even if there was a mutiny, the damage would be minimized.
For the sake of this goal, Fan Xian had expended a great deal of energy. Yan Bingyun was far away in Jingdou and had no way to help design the details of this matter, so all the procedures were arranged by Fan Xian himself. Because of the relationship between the Jiaozhou Navy and the Junshang Conference, Fan Xian was cautious. He didn't want to beat the grass and startle the snake. Additionally, because he was not confident in the plan he had constructed, he did not bring the people of the Qinian Unit. They were all his trusted aides. If something went wrong, they had to be buried with the Jiaozhou Navy. Fan Xian could not bear to do so. He had only come with the Shadow alone to cooperate with the Jiaozhou operation. If they truly could not handle the 10,000 people, he and the Shadow had enough power to lead the 400 Black Knights far away.
In order to ensure the suddenness of the operation, he had purposely spent many days in Wuzhou. Furthermore, he used the excuse of going to Danzhou to visit relatives to hide his true whereabouts.
What he wanted was suddenness. Otherwise, if the people from the Eldest Princess' side also came, although he was pretending to be a prince and the Commissioner of the Overwatch Council, he would not be able to clean out the Jiaozhou Navy.
Yes, it was cleaning.
There was no other way. Investigating the case according to normal methods, even with the help of the Overwatch Council, Fan Xian would not be able to find anything to use against the shrewd and ruthless Chang Kun. Once martial power truly clashed and triggered a mutiny, Fan Xian asked himself that the Black Knights at his side would not be able to block the attack of 10,000 soldiers head on. Although the Overwatch Council still had people hidden in Jiaozhou other than the eight people behind him, unless it was a critical moment, Fan Xian did not want to use them.
He slowly turned around and looked coldly at the navy generals behind him, whose faces were ashen or angry. He laughed coldly, thinking, Since the Emperor wanted him to stabilize Jiangnan and gather the navy, then most of these unfamiliar faces … naturally, most of them had to die.
However, he knew that the Jiaozhou Navy could not be completely controlled by Chang Kun alone. There were certainly soldiers loyal to the court. In the spring, the Jiaozhou Navy going to the little island in the East Sea to kill people to silence them was close to treason. Chang Kun would certainly only dare to use his own troops. Tonight, he wanted to see clearly which of the navy generals standing in front of him were loyal and which were traitors.
As for the person called Dang Xiaobo … Fan Xian warmly said, "Deputy General Dang, how do you think this matter should be handled?"
Dang Xiaobo was panicking in his heart. He was calculating whether or not the trusted aide he had sent into the city had managed to escape before the city gates closed. Suddenly hearing this warm question, his heart trembled. Sorrowfully, he replied, "The admiral has unfortunately been killed. It is all up to Sir Fan junior. This matter is very important. I think that we should immediately use an urgent mail route to report this matter to Jingdou."
He said that Fan Xian would make the decision, but he kept saying that he would report to Jingdou. As long as the news of the death of the Jiaozhou Navy admiral spread out immediately, Fan Xian, being in Jiaozhou, would inevitably be suspected of being a crook. When he did things, he would be much more careful. Fan Xian understood the meaning behind his words and couldn't help but nod his head in approval. He thought to himself that if he had known that the Jiaozhou Navy had such a talent, he would have taken him in for his own use and not sent Jichang to take such a risk.
However, Chang Kun was already dead. This case had to be investigated. Fan Xian knew that Dang Xiaobo was someone he had to get rid of immediately. He made up his mind not to let this person leave his side. Lightly, he said, "This matter is very important. Of course, it has to be immediately reported to the Emperor, but …"
His tone changed and attracted the attention of everyone in the garden.
"The admiral has unfortunately been killed by a scoundrel," Fan Xian narrowed his eyes and said with incomparable coldness. "Once this news gets out, I'm afraid it will shock the court and create a very bad influence among the people. Putting aside the dignity of the court, just for the peace of the country and to prevent those sinister bandits from the outside world from using this matter to cause trouble, this news has to be suppressed. The Jiaozhou Navy and the Overwatch Council will both send a secret memorial to Jingdou at the same time to explain the whole story of tonight clearly to the court."
He stared coldly at everyone. "Within three days, if I find out that the people of Jiaozhou know the specifics of tonight's situation and there are any bad rumors, don't blame me for not showing mercy."
The generals thought about it and felt that such a way of handling things was indeed reasonable. They all nodded their heads. Only Dang Xiaobo complained bitterly in his heart and repeatedly signaled with his eyes toward admiral Chang's trusted aides. If they truly handled things as Fan Xian did, the outside world would have no idea what had happened in the admiral's manor. The information inside and outside would be cut off. Looking at the attitude of the Jiaozhou local government, the navy generals would truly become turtles in a jar with nowhere to stick their mouths out and nowhere to escape.
Without giving Dang Xiaobo too much time to think, Fan Xian coldly said, "Everyone, for something like this to happen tonight … it is …" There was no unreasonable sorrow between his brows. On the contrary, it was self-deprecating helplessness. "None of us will be able to escape responsibility. I'll have to trouble everyone to stay in this garden for a few days. We'll talk after the matter has been investigated."
With this order, it was the same as putting the navy generals under house arrest.
Immediately after, it was time to make arrangements for admiral Chang Kun's funeral. Fan Xian no longer interfered. He stood to the side and watched the navy generals sorrowfully do their work. However, he would not allow Dang Xiaobo to leave his sight. As for the matter of purchasing, it could be temporarily delayed. Looking at this scene with cold eyes and Chang Kun's body that had already been lifted onto the bed, Fan Xian couldn't help but feel a bit absent-minded. This old general was also an old person from the Northern expedition. From the sorrow in the generals' hearts, it could be seen that Chang Kun's prestige in the military was very high. Furthermore, the East Sea washing of the little island with blood also showed how sinister and merciless he was.
He had died just like this.
Fan Xian shook his head self-deprecatingly. In his previous life, he admired the saying the most. Those who use the pen will never be able to defeat those who use the gun. No matter what scheme or trick, it was not as good as martial power. Of course, this was only possible if one's martial power was strong enough. Schemes and martial power both had their uses.
Shaking off the random thoughts in his mind, he told Jiaozhou Zhizhou Wu Gefei a few things to take note of in a low voice. He then led a few important figures among the navy generals and walked with Wu Gefei toward the conference room at the back of the admiral's manor.
The conference room was actually a study. However, it was very large and the candlesticks were very luxurious.
Fan Xian narrowed his eyes as if he didn't see the furnishings inside. He sat in the main seat and called for everyone to sit. Wu Gefei sat silently by Fan Xian's side. The Jiaozhou Zhizhou had long woken from his earlier shock and Fan Xian's trust. He felt that today's matter was indeed too shocking.
The expressions of the navy generals were complicated. They didn't know what Sir Fan junior was about to say.
"The Emperor has a secret edict … for Sir Chang." Fan Xian sighed and stood up. He took out a letter from his bosom and glanced at it. "However, Sir Chang has suddenly met with misfortune, so this secret edict can only be read by the few of you."
Dang Xiaobo was startled and raised his sleeve to wipe the beads of sweat from his forehead. He didn't know if it was because the weather was too hot or because he was grieving over his superior's death, but his expression was tired. He sincerely said, "Sir, it is not customary."
Fan Xian's gaze swept downward and lightly said, "Shut up, just keep your ears open."
Since it had come to this, there was nothing more to say. Zhizhou Wu Gefei led the way to kneel. Dang Xiaobo gritted his teeth and, at the same time, knelt in front of Fan Xian with the three high-ranking navy generals beside him.
Fan Xian narrowed his eyes and looked at the people kneeling in front of him. He cleared his throat and said, "Relay the Emperor's verbal edict. You have all heard it word for word."
"Yes," the four of them replied in unison.
…
…
"Chang Kun, after not seeing you for two years, there are three things I do not understand and four times I am uneasy. After thinking about it, I have to ask you face to face in order to be at ease. Thus, I have Fan Xian ask you face to face on my behalf. "
Fan Xian lowered his brows as he read. Written on the letter was a verbal message from the Qing Emperor sent directly from the Palace. It was a true verbal edict.
The hearts of the four people kneeling below listening to the verbal edict chilled. They could hear that the Emperor's mood must have been very bad when he said these words. Dang Xiaobo felt the sweat on his back begin to form a small river. He only heard Fan Xian's voice continue to ring out coldly.
"One, I do not understand. Are you short on money? Did I not give you your salary? Or is the manor the capital has given you too small?
"Two, I do not understand. Have you gone senile? During the Northern expedition, you were also a clever person. How can you be so stupid now? "
"Three, I do not understand …"
Fan Xian read to this point and paused slightly. He sighed in his heart. Although the Qing Emperor was not in front of him and Chang Kun, who should have been listening to the verbal edict, had already been killed by him, reading this letter, Fan Xian could still feel a glimmer of the Qing Emperor's anger and powerful disappointment.
The Admiral of the Jiaozhou Navy, Chang Kun, was a close official who had accompanied the Qing Emperor on the Northern expedition. Otherwise, he would not have been able to control such a military power as the Jiaozhou Navy alone. Jiaozhou controlled Dongyi to the north and Jiangnan to the south. How important was it?
Yet, such an official whom the Qing Emperor trusted incomparably had betrayed the Emperor and secretly sent out troops to help the Jiangnan Ming family and massacred countless lives on the little island.
Fan Xian looked at the letter and weakly lowered his eyelids. He thought to himself that the reason the Emperor was sad and disappointed was because of what Director Chen had once said. What the Emperor could not accept the most was for someone he trusted to betray him and deceive him.
Thus, Chang Kun had to die. However, the Emperor was still not satisfied. He wanted to viciously scold Chang Kun before he died. Unfortunately, Fan Xian did not help the Emperor fulfill this wish.
He composed himself and continued to read.
"… Your heart, has it been eaten by a dog? If you don't answer well, I will have Fan Xian take your body to feed the wild dogs on the wastelands in the North, the place where you risked your life with me in the past. You know how much the wild dogs there like to bite people's faces. "
Following the Emperor's oral edict that Fan Xian relayed, a cold wind seemed to rise in the study.
Jiaozhou Zhizhou Wu Gefei had not expected the Emperor's oral edict to have such content. He had no idea how Chang Kun had made the Emperor so angry, so he could only open his mouth wide to express his confusion and shock.
The faces of the three high-ranking generals of the Jiaozhou Navy had already become extremely pale. The sweat on Dang Xiaobo's back was still flowing, but it immediately turned into a bone-piercing cold water.
The three generals lowered their heads to the ground and repeatedly kowtowed. They did not dare to open their mouths to ask or explain. Although the oral edict was vicious, it did not mention Chang Kun's specific crimes.
Although the Emperor's anger was only on a piece of paper, it was still not something these navy generals could stand against.
…
…
Fan Xian had already slowly sat back in his chair. He did not call for the four people kneeling on the ground to rise. Indifferently, he said, "Do you all understand? Today, I have come to Jiaozhou to investigate a case. What I am investigating is … Chang Kun's case. However, he died in front of me. It truly surprises me. "
Dang Xiaobo gritted his teeth and straightened his body. Without any fear, he looked straight into Fan Xian's eyes and said, "If I may be so bold, dare I ask what case the Commissioner is investigating by imperial edict? The admiral has performed meritorious deeds for the country and worked hard guarding the borders. I truly do not know what crime he has committed … I'm afraid that Jiaozhou is far away and the Emperor has been deceived by some treacherous person … "
Fan Xian's gaze gradually became icy.
Dang Xiaobo's teeth were about to break from gritting them before he forced himself to finish speaking. "Please, Commissioner, investigate in detail and give justice to my master. Do not chill the hearts of the tens of thousands of soldiers who have worked hard guarding the borders for the court …"
Fan Xian was silent. He only stared coldly into Dang Xiaobo's eyes.
This long period of silence immediately made the atmosphere in the study tense.
"What crime?" Fan Xian's icy voice broke the silence. "Is secretly colluding with Dongyi considered a crime? As a border-guarding navy, secretly directing the smuggling of palace treasury products, is that considered a crime? Colluding with Jiangnan merchants and allowing bandits to cause chaos … is that considered a crime? "
"Secretly moving the navy out of the harbor, landing on the island to kill people, helping the traitors cover up their traces …" Fan Xian's voice gradually became angry. Staring at Dang Xiaobo, he said, "You Jiaozhou Navy are truly daring. If this is not a crime, then what is?"
He abruptly rose and narrowed his eyes at the four people kneeling on the ground. "You tell the court not to chill the hearts of tens of thousands of soldiers, but your actions are even more shameless than those bloodthirsty pirates. Are you not afraid of chilling the court's heart, chilling the people's heart … and chilling the Emperor's heart?"
— — —
As Fan Xian was speaking vehemently, he had actually been paying attention to the three navy generals among the four of them out of the corner of his eyes. Dang Xiaobo still had a loyal and wronged expression on his face. Of the two generals, the gaze of one of them was shrinking while the other carried shock and disbelief. It was as if he had not known about this matter at all.
Fan Xian didn't care whether or not this person's acting skills were first-rate. In any case, there was still time to examine it.
At this moment, Dang Xiaobo said in a loud and pained voice, "If you want to incriminate someone, you can always find a pretext. If the Overwatch Council wants to frame the navy, we cannot accept it wholeheartedly. The admiral's body is not yet cold. Do you have the heart to force us like this? "
Fan Xian smiled coldly and said, "You want proof?"
Dang Xiaobo gritted his teeth and said, "Exactly. Even if I get my head chopped off, it will only be a bowl-sized scar. No matter what, I can't die without knowing why." He said these righteous words, but his heart was incomparably nervous. He incomparably hoped that the troops stationed outside Jiaozhou would receive the news, kill their way into the city, and fish out all the navy generals in the garden.
As for whether or not this counted as rebellion, he couldn't care less.
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