Fan Xian's original title was a first-rank baron, second-level, while a duke was superior. In between, there was still the rank of marquis. Given his present age, directly becoming a duke was truly a rare honor. Even he couldn't react for a moment.
By the time the crowd reacted, they understood why. On one hand, the court wanted to reward him for his service in Jiangnan. On the other hand, everyone knew that the most important reason was that the Emperor wanted to compensate his illegitimate son.
The Great Prince and Second Prince had long been made princes. Fan Xian was only the Duke of Danbo. What did that count for? Thinking of this, the officials who had planned to stand out and fiercely oppose this reward all fell silent. This was a family matter of the royal family, not a national matter of the court. It was not their place to speak out.
After Fan Xian's joy, he immediately calmed down. For most of the people in this hall, a duke was indeed a shiny golden word. For him, the power in his hands had long exceeded this boundary. Furthermore, the Emperor had not given him a greeting and had the Imperial Censorate squeeze into the Overwatch Council's sphere of influence. This was the problem that Fan Xian truly cared about and feared.
Thus, he would rather throw away his previous description and pester endlessly than let the Emperor easily stuff sand in.
Furthermore, he faintly knew that the position of duke was the final destination he could reach in the Qing Kingdom. Presently, the Duke of Danbo was a third-level duke. There were still two more levels he could climb. After that, it looked like he would have to retire at such a young age.
Thinking of this, he couldn't help but feel a bit perplexed and feel that it was absurd. He couldn't resist standing in the hall and laughing involuntarily.
Everyone's attention was focused on the youngest duke since the founding of the Qing Kingdom. Looking at his hateful smile, the emotions in their hearts were complicated. They felt that this laughter was incomparably ear-piercing.
…
The court conference lasted until after lunch before it ended. This was because the official court discussions with the governors of the three Roads had been delayed until later. The Emperor cut the Gordian knot with a sharp knife. The Emperor decided most of the matters alone and dismissed the officials.
The officials had long been hungry. They all passed through the palace doors and returned to their manors. However, there were still some people who could not leave. The officials of the Hall of Governmental Affairs, the governors of the three Roads who had not returned to the capital in a long time, and the various ministers carefully followed the Emperor to the royal study.
Fan Xian followed at the back with a helpless expression.
Just like a year ago when he returned to the Qing Kingdom from Northern Qi, there was still a seat left for Fan Xian in the royal study. Last time, it was because of Zhuang Mohan's carriage of books. This time, it was because of the countless snowflake silver the palace treasury had sent over.
Fan Xian sat on the round embroidered stool, feeling a little uneasy. The voices in the royal study discussing national affairs did not interest him. Government affairs had never been his strong suit, and he could not come up with any ideas. In the end, he could only play the role of picking up what was missing and making up for what was lacking.
It was clear that the Emperor was aware of his abilities. He also did not want Fan Xian to express too many opinions on national affairs, so he did not mention his name today.
However, he, the newly promoted duke, still had a place to sit. Beside the Emperor's soft couch, the Crown Prince and the other princes still had to stand obediently and listen and learn like students. Fan Xian felt good. He thought he could be considered the teacher of his royal brothers.
The Emperor and various figures discussed the snow disaster in the South, the situation in the North, and the auspicious signs in the garden. Then, they began to put out the food.
Fan Xian had been busy all night. The lamb slices and tofu pudding had long been digested. Hearing the food being put out, he couldn't help but feel his spirits rise. A sense of happiness rose in his heart like a walk-on finally having a boxed meal. Accepting the food box the eunuch handed over, he ate without speaking and swept away everything.
…
…
The main matters had already been decided at the court conference. There was nothing new in the meeting in the royal study. It was just that when Xue Qing occasionally brought up the Hangzhou Conference's excellent performance in the disaster relief matter in Jiangnan, the ministers in Jingdou expressed a glimmer of surprise. They had heard of the Hangzhou Conference, but they had not thought that the Hangzhou Conference would have such great wealth and power to be able to do so many things outside of the government's disaster relief.
The Emperor had Fan Xian rise to explain. Listening to Fan Xian's explanation, only then did Shu Wu and the others understand that behind the Hangzhou Conference were the ladies in the Royal Palace. In name, the leader was the empress dowager. No wonder the Hangzhou Conference had such power. However, everyone knew that the Palace was only using the name of caring for the people. The one who truly did things and paid the silver was probably still Fan Xian.
The Emperor smiled and said, "The one who has truly worked hard is not Fan Xian. It is my Chen girl."
The officials chuckled and said a few words of flattery. They even loudly praised the nobles in the Palace, especially the Emperor. The Emperor looked at Fan Xian's slightly absent-minded face and furrowed his brows slightly.
The Great Prince watched this scene from the side and said, "The princess is returning to the capital today."
The Emperor made an "oh" sound. When he looked at Fan Xian again, his gaze softened. He smiled but didn't say anything. He also didn't have Fan Xian return to the Palace early. He only immediately ended the meeting in the royal study and asked Fan Xian, who wanted to return the most, to stay.
The calming incense slowly floated in the royal study. Its color was not as milky as the white smoke. Its fragrance was very light.
Only the Emperor and Fan Xian were left in the royal study. Fan Xian felt slightly uncomfortable because he didn't know what the Emperor was about to say.
The Emperor drank a mouthful of bird's nest and raised his head to glance at Fan Xian, indicating for him to want another mouthful. Fan Xian quickly shook his head.
"One cannot express one's will without tranquility. One cannot reach far." The Emperor put down the bowl and slowly said, "Do not be troubled or worried, do not lose one's way … this was the explanation you gave to everyone when you opened that bookstore in Jingdou two years ago."
Fan Xian nodded. The name of the Danbo Bookstore came from this. However, Ruoruo's sister knew his intentions and was different from others. She gave the explanation of "drifting in Danzhou." Thinking of this, he suddenly missed that silly girl. He didn't know if she was having a good time in the North.
"I like these two sentences of yours very much. You should know what it means for you to be the Duke of Danbo." The Emperor calmly looked at his most accomplished illegitimate child.
Fan Xian lowered his head and thought for a moment. He then said seriously, "Express one's will and worry less."
"Correct," the Emperor calmly said. "You need to know what you should do, but think less about what you can do."
A pure official? A lone official? In reality, the meaning was very simple. As an official of the Emperor, one should not be troubled or worried.
Fan Xian didn't know what he was thinking. The smile on his face appeared very sincere and relaxed. He opened his mouth and said, "I understand."
For a ruler and official to respond, the one who said he understood should be the Emperor. However, Fan Xian had said it so clearly, yet it did not seem strange. The Emperor also did not show any displeasure. Serving to the side, Eunuch Yao's face was calm. During these two years, he had grown used to the Emperor's treatment of Fan Xian being different.
The Emperor waved his hand. Eunuch Yao bowed and left the royal study.
After a moment of silence, the Emperor coldly said, "As for the matter of the Imperial Censor entering the Overwatch Council, you will understand in the future. I know your heart is good. However, the matters of court cannot be changed by the hearts of people. "
Fan Xian knew that there were not many people here, so he couldn't make a scene or act spoiled or forcefully resist. He could only remain silent.
The Emperor then slowly said, "It's still the same words. I know your heart. That is why I am very happy about what happened last night. However, I never thought you would be so forceful. It was a bit unexpected."
Fan Xian's throat was a bit dry. After thinking for a moment, he replied solemnly, "The river has not burst its banks. I will first lead the water away to prevent the people from suffering."
The Emperor looked at Fan Xian's face and didn't say anything. After a long time, he nodded his head in relief. "However, have you thought about it? You have sucked out all the water, but there will be flowing water in the future. Who knows whether or not the water will once again overflow the banks? Thus, I thought that I would have to keep watching until the day the mountains collapse and the earth cave in. Only then would I know whether or not the water in the river will flow downstream or … shamelessly break through my great banks. Child, you pretend to be fierce on the surface, but there is always a soft spot in your heart. "
The Emperor's face became cold. He continued, "In my life, I only desire two things. The world and the inheritance. If I don't see their hearts clearly, how can I let go and conquer the world? Don't move anymore and watch with me. "
Fan Xian was silent and vigilant, not daring to reply. The Emperor's first words were full of warning. The Duke of Danbo could forever only be a duke. Yet, he wanted him to keep watching with him and also wanted him to maintain his calm and not attack the Second Prince and Crown Prince's faction. This was another promise of a lifetime of glory and supreme trust.
"Also, don't waste time with Xiaoyi." The Emperor stared into his eyes and said, "Xiaoyi has done a great service to the country and is a fierce general in the military. I don't want him to fall in these matters."
Fan Xian froze slightly. He thought to himself that he and Governor Yan had formed an irreconcilable enmity. How could this be resolved? Besides, even if Yan Xiaoyi had done a great service to the country, his relationship with the Eldest Princess was too deep. Was the Emperor not afraid at all? He finally confirmed that the person who had sent Eunuch Hong to break the situation last night was not the empress dowager but the Emperor himself. He grew increasingly confused.
"In the martial conference, what if the Governor challenges me?" He glanced at the Emperor and asked worriedly. The Qing Kingdom revered martial arts. If Yan Xiaoyi challenged Fan Xian in the Palace, the Emperor could not say something like that in front of all the officials that Fan Xian was a prince and could not be harmed.
"Yan Xiaoyi will leave before the martial conference," the Emperor said.
Fan Xian furrowed his brows and said, "But the Governor put his son's death on my account …"
The Emperor glanced at him with a not-quite-there smile and said, "Did you kill him?"
Fan Xian replied sincerely, "This matter indeed has nothing to do with me. I wouldn't dare to secretly kill the son of an official."
The Emperor laughed loudly. "What a good 'wouldn't dare to secretly kill'. Were the killings last night … open killings?"
Fan Xian's face reddened and he said, "The ones who moved last night were all jianghu people. It has nothing to do with the court."
The Emperor was silent for a moment and then said, "The ones who moved in Yuantai Camp were people from Dongyi, so I am curious as to whether or not there would be any problems over there. I want to see if Xiaoyi is a smart person."
Fan Xian's expression was calm, but he was crying bitterly in his heart. Thirteenth Wang, Thirteenth Wang, you've even tricked the Emperor. It was clear that the Emperor had made an incorrect judgment because of this wrong source of information. Yet, Fan Xian could not, no matter what, warn him.
"As for Xiaoyi's problem, I must remind you that the military cannot fall into chaos." The Emperor's gaze became deep and serene. He opened his mouth to sigh and said, "The Hu chieftains in the West are making trouble again."
…
…
The Hu people in the West were making trouble?
Fan Xian raised his head in shock and looked at the Emperor's slightly worried face. For a moment, he was so shocked he didn't know what to say. Twenty years ago, the Emperor had led an army on an expedition to the West and had already killed the people of Xi Hu to the point of desolation. In addition, a few years ago, the Great Prince had led an army to sweep through the West.
Why were the Hu people making trouble again? Furthermore, even if they did, given the strength of the Qing Kingdom's military and the number of generals, the Emperor would not be worried about the instability of military morale because of foreign aggression.
Fan Xian had grown up in the Qing Kingdom. He knew that when the Qing Kingdom was first founded, it had been bullied and humiliated by Xi Hu for a number of years. The Hu people had always been a great threat to the Qing Kingdom. It was only during these 20 years, under the powerful suppression of the Qing Emperor, that they had become disdainful of becoming a topic of conversation among the Qing people.
The Emperor looked at Fan Xian's shocked expression and smiled mockingly. "The Qing Kingdom has suffered disasters year after year. Droughts and floods add to each other, and snowstorms arrive. Coincidentally, Xi Hu has had good weather these two years. The grass grows and the horses are fat. Of course, if that was all, the mere Hu barbarians would not make me so careful. However, did you know that before the Qing Kingdom's snowstorm, the snowy barbarians to the north of Northern Qi also suffered their biggest frost disaster in decades?"
Fan Xian furrowed his brows and suddenly thought of the matter Haitang Duoduo had once worriedly mentioned to him by the lake in Hangzhou half a year ago. Those northern barbarians had indeed suffered from a snowstorm. Countless cattle, sheep, and horses had frozen to death. However, the northern barbarians and Xi Hu were very far apart. What did this have to do with the Qing Kingdom?
The Emperor said, "No wonder the Northern Qi royal family dared to keep Shang Shanhu in Shangjing and not worry about the northern barbarians coming South. Heaven is helping them. Those northern barbarians were frozen to death. Yet, because of Shang Shanhu's many years of power, they did not dare to take the risk of going South. They could only go around the Qilian Mountains in hopes of finding a way to survive. The Hu people live by water and grass. After half a year of migration, the northern barbarians have finally reached the territory of Xi Hu. Although only 40,000 of the 200,000 tribes survived, those who survived in the wind and snow and on the dangerous path are all elites."
Fan Xian's eyes narrowed slightly. It was as if the image of countless tribes driving weak sheep and horses, rolling up tattered tents, through the wind and snow, along the Qilian Mountains towering into the clouds, desperately searching for a path to the West. Along the way, frozen corpses littered the ground and vultures cried out strangely.
What a magnificent and tragic scene this was, what a great migration this was.
"How could Xi Hu tolerate the northern tribes coming over?" Fan Xian asked worriedly.
The Emperor laughed. There was boundless confidence and pride in his laughter. "Xi Hu has long been crippled by us. How would they dare to eat these foreign snow wolves? Although there are many more people in Xi Hu, after a few major battles, the two sides have still formed an alliance." “
Fan Xian sighed. If the Hu people truly formed an alliance, then the neighboring Qing Kingdom would receive the greatest threat. No wonder the Emperor was so careful when dealing with the military.
Seeing Fan Xian's worry, the Emperor calmly said, "What are you thinking about?"
"I am thinking that this information is probably still top secret. However, a great battle will probably come. I am willing to charge into the front lines." Fan Xian's words were not fake or pretty. He really did want to go to the grasslands and enjoy riding horses. However, it seemed that no one had explained the internal problems of the court.
The Emperor smiled mockingly and said, "Don't think that just because you are a martial ace that you can lead troops into battle for military merit. Once a great battle starts, millions of people will kill each other. Unless you are Uncle Liuyun, you will still have a fate of being cut to pieces."
Fan Xian laughed bitterly.
The Emperor paused slightly and then calmly said, "The Hu barbarians are not to be feared. I have never thought much of them. However, since the Northern Barbarians have moved, the pressure on Northern Qi has immediately lessened. I have no choice but to look toward the North."
Fan Xian immediately understood. The Emperor's gaze indeed moved faster than his. In this world, the only true enemy of the Qing Kingdom was Northern Qi, particularly since the Northern barbarians had left. Northern Qi had nothing to worry about. Who knew if the little Emperor would have other thoughts?
In the end, the Emperor slowly said, "Xiaoyi will return to the North in a few days because the little Emperor in the North has finally convinced the empress dowager to have Shang Shanhu rise again. The main camp is charging toward Yanjing."
Shock flashed through Fan Xian's eyes and he immediately restrained it.
— — —
Outside the Royal Palace, in the black carriage, Fan Xian rubbed the space between his brows. He felt a bit uncomfortable. For one, he was too tired. For another, he had heard too much bad news in the Palace. Just as the Emperor had said, without a few years of rest, Xi Hu would not be able to pose a real threat to the Qing Kingdom. However, in Northern Qi, Shang Shanhu had returned.
Shang Shanhu. Fan Xian's head hurt when he thought of this name. Although he had not seen the assassination on the long street that rainy night, he had always deeply understood the power of that famous general.
Could Yan Xiaoyi go to the North to stop Shang Shanhu? Furthermore, Brother Xiaoyi had recently lost a son. He would probably gradually grow apart from the court. The Emperor was not afraid that Yan Xiaoyi would go crazy and join the enemy.
As for why Fan Xian was so wary of Shang Shanhu's return, the reason was actually very simple. In Shangjing, he had ruthlessly schemed against Shang Shanhu and caused countless of his subordinates to die wretchedly. In the middle of the night, a cry of "Fan Xian, the one who killed me," was probably still echoing in Northern Qi's Shangjing. Furthermore, Shang Shanhu's adoptive father, Sir Xiao En, had been captured and killed by him again and again.
In this matter, Fan Xian was Shang Shanhu's greatest enemy. Shen Zhong was only a minor character. For the sake of revenge, Shang Shanhu had killed Shen Zhong with a spear in that rainy night. If they actually met on the battlefield in the future, how would Shang Shanhu deal with him?
Fan Xian thought sorrowfully in the carriage. There were so many enemies in this world.
…
…
I just couldn't find a way to add quality to the replies in the new book review section. Whoosh. Everyone, forgive my stupidity. Tomorrow is Monday. Everyone has to work and go to school again. I wish you peace. (To be continued, if you want to know what happens next, please log on to WWW. QIDIAN. COM. There are more chapters. Support the author. Support the original reading!)
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