The oil lamp in the study flickered. The room suddenly brightened and dimmed. Fan Xian watched the yellow light change on the face of the general in front of him. He narrowed his eyes and didn't speak for a moment. According to the customs of the Qing Kingdom, an oil lamp flashed. At this moment, Fan Xian could not be certain of this.
"Tell me where you came from. Tell me what you think."
Fan Xian slowly sucked in a breath and did his best to make the expression on his face softer.
"I am Xu Maocai." The general smiled slightly and began to speak of his identity, as well as his relationship with Fan Xian.
Fan Xian nodded. Such an ordinary name that could not be more ordinary was indeed a necessary condition for hiding one's identity. However, he didn't know how the other party had escaped the purge back then. He also didn't understand why the other party had chosen to reveal it to him at this time.
"Young master, I am not a member of the Fan manor or the Overwatch Council," Xu Maocai calmly said. "I am a member of the Ye family. More accurately, I am a member of the Young Lady."
"You are an old member of the Quanzhou Navy?"
After confirming his judgement, Fan Xian's brows did not relax.
"Precisely," Xu Maocai replied. Xu Maocai replied, "Twenty years ago, I was a sailor on the Quanzhou Navy's boat. After the Quanzhou Navy was disbanded, it became the present three big navies. I … came to Jiaozhou and has remained in the military until now."
Fan Xian knew this part of history. This part of his ties to the Ye family was a story that could never be forgotten. Back then, during the Jingdou incident, his mother had been ambushed in Taiping Courtyard. Uncle Wu Zhu only had time to carry him away. Perhaps it was because of him that Uncle Wu Zhu did not use his own strength to challenge this country.
However, things had still happened. The power of the old Ye family in Jingdou had been uprooted in one day. The problem was that the Ye family's roots were not limited to Jingdou. They had their own businesses in various provinces and roads. This kind of tentacles had already extended to every corner of the Qing Kingdom. In every corner, the military was no exception.
When His Majesty returned to the court with Fan Jian, and when Chen Pingping returned to the capital, the situation was already set. So, other than revenge, the biggest problem before the emperor and his officials was how to deal with the enormous property and influence left behind by the Ye family.
Just as history had happened and as Fan Xian knew, the three large workshops of the Ye family were taken over by the court and became the palace treasury that affected the economic lifeline of the Qing Kingdom. The shopkeepers of the Ye family were placed under house arrest by the court. On the other hand, the Ye Family was charged with treason.
Four years after the Jingdou Incident, the Emperor led Chen Pingping and Fan Jian in a bloody counterattack and revenge. They directly killed one-third of the nobles in Jingdou and even completely slaughtered the empress' originally powerful clan. However, they still could not change some things.
For example, the crime of the Ye Family and the punishment of the Ye Family. This matter certainly had something to do with the old man deep in the Palace and involved the peace of the world.
Ye Qingmei's death was strange and unjust. In order to prevent the Ye family's power from counterattacking, the Qing court had to carry out a purge of the Ye family and carry out a screening of the succession. For the stability of the Qing Kingdom, this was the only choice. Looking at the developments later, even Chen Pingping and Fan Jian tacitly agreed to this.
Thus, the Qingyu Hall shopkeeper Duo Ye was able to struggle at death's door in Jingdou until many years later, when he was taken out of Jingdou by the grown-up Fan Xian. The power the Ye family had left in the court and military was mercilessly swept clean, leaving nothing behind.
Back then, the Quanzhou Navy had been the most infiltrated by the Ye family because it was responsible for the production and protection of the palace treasury. From a certain perspective, it was equivalent to Ye Qingmei's private navy. Thus, in the purge afterward, the Quanzhou Navy became the first target. It was mercilessly divided into three parts by the court. After secret suppression and purges, it became the present three great navies of the Qing Kingdom.
Each time he thought of the events of the past, the evil fire that had long been suppressed in the depths of Fan Xian's heart began to rise. He understood that since Ye Qingmei was already dead, for the peace and stability of the world, those old people would certainly make such a choice. If he was the Emperor, presumably, he would not be soft-hearted. However, he would still feel uncomfortable and unhappy in his heart.
Seeing that Fan Xian's mind had begun to wander, the old Quanzhou Navy man called Xu Maocai coughed gently.
Fan Xian came back to his senses and looked at General Xu with a complicated expression. Many questions surged in his heart. How did such an old man of the Ye family survive the purge of the navy? How did he manage to hide his identity until today? Naturally, the power of the Ye family had not all died. However, the vast majority of people had long been like the treasurers of the palace treasury. They had forgotten their past identities and, after revealing themselves, became a member of the court.
Xu Maocai was clearly not like this.
Fan Xian straightforwardly expressed his questions.
Xu Maocai explained even more straightforwardly, "I entered the navy too late. The young lady had originally arranged for me to train on the sea for two years before entering the Overwatch Council to help the Director. However, as you know, some things happened later, so I didn't have the opportunity to connect with Director Chen. Coincidentally, or perhaps fortunately, I have survived until today."
"You mean that if Chen Pingping knew you were a member of the Ye family, he would not have allowed you to stay in the military," Fan Xian said coldly.
Xu Maocai thought for a moment and slowly replied, "I don't know, but my luck is good enough, so I won't gamble."
"What about my father?"
Xu Maocai knew that this young man was certainly not talking about the man on the dragon chair but the Minister of Revenue, Sir Fan Jian. He thought for a moment and then said, "The matter back then was too strange. I … didn't dare to believe anyone."
No one dared to believe it. Although his tone was still calm, Fan Xian could hear a glimmer of coldness and disappointment in his voice. After the Jingdou incident, no one in the court cried out for the old Ye family. Furthermore, the situation at the time was indeed too strange. As a spy of the Ye family, Xu Maocai always wondered just what role Chen Pingping and Fan Jian played in that matter.
Fan Xian's expression still did not change. On the contrary, he smiled slightly and said, "Presumably you know my relationship with the old Ye family. However, I don't understand it very well. What is the point of you telling me these things at this time?"
This was a test. From the beginning of the conversation until now, Fan Xian had not shown anything that could be used against him.
Xu Maocai raised his head in confusion and looked at Fan Xian like he was looking at a stranger. He had completely forgotten that before today, he and Fan Xian were strangers.
"Young master, you are the young mistress's only flesh and blood," Xu Maocai said in a heavy voice. "The young mistress's family business must be inherited by you, and the young mistress's vengeance … as her son, it will naturally fall on your shoulders. Maocai is not talented, but he is willing to be a dog or a horse."
Fan Xian was silent for a moment and then slowly said, "Based on what I know, the nobles who participated in the matter back then had already been killed 13 years ago. The Emperor was wise and only allowed these shameless bandits to live another four years. Vengeance? Who should I go to for vengeance? "
It was clear that Xu Maocai had been hiding in the Jiaozhou Navy all these years and was not clear on the movements of the upper echelons of the court. Strangely, in this general's heart, he always had a strong intuition that the Ye family's enemies were certainly not all dead. Furthermore, it was impossible for them to all die so easily.
Thus, he said with slight worry, "This is a problem that the young master needs to think about."
Fan Xian admired the person in front of him. Since this person had not revealed anything in the eyes of the court and had already become an important general in the Jiaozhou Navy, then he could spend his days blissfully like this and throw the Ye family and the young mistress to the back of his mind. He could enjoy the high position and nobility and not have to think about such terrifying things as vengeance against the court.
Furthermore, according to his words, he had not been in the Ye family for long. He was just a young man in his early twenties.
…
…
Fan Xian remained unmoved. He smiled slightly and said, "Why should I think?"
"You are a descendant of the Ye family." Xu Maocai's breathing sped up slightly as if he was slightly disappointed.
Fan Xian shook his head and said, "General, I respect your conduct, but you seem to have forgotten one thing. I am not only my mother's son, I am also a person with a father."
Xu Maocai abruptly raised his head and stared coldly at Fan Xian's face. A moment later, disappointment, shock, understanding, abandonment, and many other complicated emotions surged onto his face. He smiled bitterly and said, "That's right, after all, you are also a prince."
According to common sense, Fan Xian was a descendant of the Ye family, but, more importantly, he was the Emperor's illegitimate child. Furthermore, Ye Qingmei had died early. How could a child who had been secretly watched over by the royal family have much affection for a mother he had never met? If the target of vengeance for the Ye family was the court … would this prince be willing to rebel against his own family?
This society was still a purely patriarchal society.
Although Xu Maocai was disappointed, he was not very surprised. He only pulled a bitter smile to the corners of his lips. He thought to himself that he had endured for so many years. After suddenly seeing the young mistress's flesh and blood, he could not resist it in the end. However, he didn't know if what was waiting for him would be silencing him.
Unexpectedly, Fan Xian only asked warmly, "Since you can understand what I said earlier, then please tell me, why did you dare to come find me tonight?"
Xu Maocai didn't understand why he would ask this. After a moment of silence, he said, "Ever since the news spread, I have been secretly paying attention to news of you and watching your actions … I also tried to find out what you have been doing these few years after you left Danzhou. Regardless of whether it was controlling the Overwatch Council or taking over the palace treasury … I always felt that your style and methods of doing things, as well as the heart hidden behind it … were very similar to the young mistress's. That is why I chose to see you. "
The so-called news referred to the mystery of Fan Xian's past that shocked the world last year.
Fan Xian couldn't resist laughing at himself. He didn't know if his mother had been as sinister and shameless as he was back then. However, to be able to create such a large family business empty-handed, presumably she had used many powerful methods. Furthermore, the deaths of the two Princes could not escape his mother's involvement. As for the two similar hearts that Xu Maocai had very sensitively discovered?
They were all transmigrators, why did they need to know each other when they met?
Fan Xian smiled warmly. He thought that in this world, if he wanted to find two people whose thoughts could be similar and who could understand each other, it would only be him and Ye Qingmei. This kind of relationship was even more wondrous than a normal mother and son relationship. Perhaps it was less close by blood, but more close in spirit.
Furthermore, it was difficult to weaken.
This was certainly something that the Qing Emperor would not be able to guess. Even Fan Jian and Chen Pingping would not be able to imagine. The entire world would find it inexplicable. As a prince, why would Fan Xian have such deep feelings for his mother, whom he had never seen, to the extent that he would cast far away the so-called familial love in this world and the royal family?
It was precisely because no one could understand Fan Xian's feelings for Ye Qingmei that even the smartest person in this world could not guess Fan Xian's true thoughts. At some important moment in the future, some people would certainly pay a certain price for this.
…
…
"Hong Changqing." Fan Xian did not continue his question with Xu Maocai. Instead, he raised his voice slightly and summoned in an Overwatch Council subordinate.
The person who entered the room was Qing Wa, a survivor of a deserted island and someone who Fan Xian had fortunately taken under his wing. He originally had a surname, but since he was working at Fan Xian's side, Fan Xian had changed his name for the sake of convenience in the future. The reason he was called Hong Changqing was partly because of Fan Xian's memories of heroic figures from his previous life. It was also because Hong Zhu's luck had been excellent after he took on the surname Hong.
"Be more alert," Fan Xian said with his head slightly lowered. "Don't let anyone come within 10 steps of this room."
Hong Changqing accepted the order and left.
Xu Maocai looked at Fan Xian with some surprise.
Fan Xian gazed at him and smiled slightly. "At this time, you can take out your proof to make me believe in the relationship between you and my mother."
Xu Maocai's heart jumped. He immediately understood Fan Xian's meaning. An indescribable excitement welled up in his heart. Licking his slightly dry lips, he carefully took out something from his boot and handed it to Fan Xian.
Since he dared to come and introduce himself to Fan Xian, he had to have evidence to convince Fan Xian of his background.
…
…
Fan Xian held the metal bullet in his hand. For a moment, he was slightly absent-minded. In this world, only he and Uncle Wu Zhu knew about the matter of the chest. This bullet not only explained Xu Maocai's identity, but it also made him sink into a trance. It was as if he had returned to the seaside of Quanzhou many years ago. For some reason, a young man who had just entered the navy had received the appreciation of the master of the Ye family and obtained a treasure.
The Emperor was looking for the chest. Chen Pingping was also looking for the chest, but no one had ever found it.
"How did you get it?" Fan Xian's smile was slightly distant.
Perhaps Xu Maocai was thinking of the past. The rims of his eyes gradually reddened. In a quiet voice, he said, "The Young Mistress was playing with this by the seaside. I saw that it was made very carefully, so I thought it was a pity …"
Twenty years ago, by the seaside of Quanzhou, a woman with an incomparably beautiful face was bored to death. She took out an M82A1 bullet from her clothes and threw it into the sea in an attempt to hit a fish that was gradually sinking because of her beauty.
A young man beside her revealed a look of pity. The woman smiled and casually threw one to him as a toy.
Yes, the scene at the time was like this.
…
…
Fan Xian stood up. His two fingers slowly caressed the metal surface of the bullet, feeling the touch and flow that did not belong to this world. He took a deep breath. In this instant, the rest of the people in the admiral's manor seemed to have disappeared. The Jiaozhou Navy, the Eldest Princess, and the Junshang Conference all receded from his mind like seawater bubbles.
He was only thinking about this bullet. The woman who had played with it like a marble tilted her head slightly and then smiled. He thought to himself that perhaps he had hurried over from so far away for her appointment.
…
…
I'm finally getting the feeling back. At least, it's my own feeling. I like to write it this way. I hope everyone also likes to read it. Today is the first day of the month. I sincerely invite everyone to cast out the monthly votes in your hands. At the same time, I sincerely thank everyone for the monthly votes cast last month. It has allowed me to earn another 3,000 yuan as a bonus. I am very grateful.
The monthly votes are in high demand. (To be continued, if you want to know what happened after, please log on to WWW. CMFU. com. There are more chapters. Support the author. Support the original reading!)
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