There are still 80 votes from the top three … Everyone, good luck. I also do my best. It seems to be reaching the climax. I am a bit panicked.
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Fan Xian was not running. He was running away. In any case, he was walking away from Jiangnan, Jingdou, and the heart of the political storm in the Qing Kingdom. He knew that no matter how the situation in Jingdou developed, the Emperor had already made up his mind. No one could stop the matter of deposing the heir.
Since it was so, any further action he took would be superfluous. Furthermore, he was worried that when the Emperor prayed to heaven, he would drag him back to Jingdou and place him in front of him as a human shield. The Crown Prince had been deposed. There would certainly be a lot of turbulence in the court. No matter how Fan Xian calculated, the Emperor would certainly have him carry out a clash with those turbulence and re-stabilize the balance of the court.
During this period of time, his mood had always been low. Just as mentioned earlier, questions concerning life always floated back and forth in his mind. He did not have the energy to pay attention to these things. He knew that at a time like this, the further he ran, the smarter he was.
Furthermore, each time he thought of the Qing Emperor making such a decision in that beautiful and lonely Qing Temple, Fan Xian felt strange and uncomfortable in his heart. That temple was where he and Lin Wan'er had first met. It was where he and his wife had pledged their love. Now, it had become a place to fight for power. It was very annoying.
Thus, he chose to stay far away.
When Yan Xiaoyi led tens of thousands of elite soldiers straight toward the North Camp to carry out a night attack, Fan Xian also boarded a large ship on a slightly stuffy night and headed straight from Hangzhou to the sea. He planned to circle around the rising and falling coastline of the Qing Kingdom's east and carry out a peaceful journey.
This time, he left before the Emperor's edict arrived. He also didn't inform Xue Qing and carried it out in secret. Fan Xian did not want to participate in this matter again, so he ran with great determination. If the Qing Emperor found out that the edict he had summoned for him could not be delivered, he might be angry, but he could not blame him.
He was the imperial envoy of Jiangnan Road and needed to sit in the yamen. The only place he needed to sit in the yamen was in the palace treasury. His trip in disguise this time was in the name of inspecting the palace treasury's eastern road. However, his destination was Danzhou.
He had two goals in returning to Danzhou. One was to see his grandmother. The housekeeper in the Danzhou manor had sent a letter saying that his grandmother's health had not been well recently. This made him very worried. Secondly, he wanted to ask for her opinion on the complicated situation in the Qing Kingdom and the world. Ever since he was a child, he had grown up beside his grandmother in Danzhou and received her teachings. Whenever the tense became chaotic and uncontrollable, he would always unconsciously ask for her guidance.
Perhaps his grandmother could not help him much, but at least she could calm his heart.
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…
The ship left the harbor and advanced with all its might towards the rising sun in the east. Fan Xian only had time to admire the majestic scenery before returning to the cabin. He sat next to the large chest of silver, tilted his head, and began to count.
He was counting the Cangzhou victory report in the Council report. No matter how Fan Xian counted, he did not feel that there was anything wrong with the victory. It was just that the timing of the battle or local battles was a bit strange. He furrowed his brows. These days, he had already begun to make arrangements. Once the situation in the Qing Kingdom was settled, how he should handle it, whether or not he should give up the Overwatch Council, and how the Emperor would arrange for him. But as he thought about it carefully, he always felt that he was thinking too early.
When the cunning rabbit died, even if the dog didn't enter the pot, there wouldn't be much meat to eat. The problem now was that not only was the cunning rabbit not dead, it had also been overly well-behaved.
Accurately speaking, as long as the Eldest Princess, Li Yunrui, did not die, Fan Xian did not think this matter would come to a complete end.
After a few more days, the matter of deposing the heir in Jingdou should have reached its final stages. Fan Xian was alone on the ocean and did not know the progress of the matter. Because he didn't want to accept an imperial edict, he even had the ship temporarily cut off contact with the Overwatch Council's intelligence system. Like a black, anti-radar aircraft, he floated alone on the ocean.
The ship arrived in a small city on Jiangbei Road. The civilian ship he was on was modified from the Overwatch Council's military ship. Normal people would not be able to see anything wrong with it. He had thought that on the way back to Danzhou, he would not attract any attention.
Unexpectedly, the officials in that small town respectfully delivered generous gifts, and without requesting to meet them, they withdrew on their own accord.
Fan Xian was a bit confused. He wondered how this minor official had guessed he was on the ship.
Wang Qinian smiled and said, "You are too imposing."
This flattery was too poor, so Fan Xian expressed his dissatisfaction. He turned his gaze to the other man with the surname Wang.
Thirteenth Wang glanced at him and shrugged. "Who knows? It seems to me that you're quite happy to receive the gifts. "
Fan Xian was not happy that he had seen through his vain side. Thirteenth Wang laughed heartily and walked to the side of the ship. Holding the green banner in his hand, it was like a small sail. It appeared very comical.
…
…
The most important thing in officialdom was to exchange information. The officials in the small city knew that the Commissioner of the Overwatch Council was on the ship. Thus, all the officials in the provinces along the coast knew of this news.
From that day on, the ship followed the coastline north. Every time it stopped, local officials would come forward to give gifts. They all seemed to guess that Fan Xian did not want to see them, so they did not ask to meet.
After traveling and stopping for a dozen days, 14 groups of people came on the ship to give gifts and greetings.
Fan Xian sat at the head of the ship and looked at the large piece of green jade that brushed past him. It was the Dong Mountain that had been cut in half by the heavenly sword. He was still lost in thought. How had his movements been completely discovered by others?
In any case, he was getting further and further away from Jingdou and the Emperor. Fan Xian's mood became more and more relaxed. On the contrary, he was slightly intoxicated by the scenery along the way and the scene of the officials waiting on him like grandsons.
In another world within another world, there was once a drunkard named Linghu who had taken a boat on the Yellow River. He had muddleheadedly received countless large gifts, received countless verbal benefits, and suffered physical pain. Presumably, that eldest disciple's vanity had been greatly satisfied. Especially in front of those shameless Junior Brothers and Junior Sisters.
Fan Xian had taken a boat on the East Sea and also muddleheadedly received countless large gifts. Although no one dared to disturb him, his vanity had been satisfied to a certain extent. Particularly when Jingdou was in the midst of a storm, he was able to float on a boat on the sea. The wind of the great path was swift. This kind of feeling was very pleasing.
Even if this kind of pleasure was only temporary.
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…
After the boat passed the isolated seaside and the great Dong Mountain that pierced the sky like a half-jade sword, it made two more turns. When the temple at the top of the mountain could no longer be seen, it was nearing Danzhou Harbor.
This was the second time Fan Xian had taken this sea route. He did not have the same impact as the first time he had on the strange and majestic great Dong Mountain. However, he still felt his heart tremble slightly.
The large boat anchored in Danzhou Harbor. No officials came to welcome them. Fan Xian let out a breath. Taking Gao Da and a few other Tiger Guards and Sixth Bureau swordsmen, he arrived at the door of the old Danzhou manor amidst the burning gazes and endless greetings of the Danzhou people.
Fan Xian smiled slightly and thought, Hadn't he just come back a year ago? Why were these people still so warm and excited? He stretched out his hand and knocked on the familiar wooden door of the old manor.
Just as his finger landed on the door, he furrowed his brows. He could clearly feel countless wary gazes focused on him from all around the manor. However, the owners of these gazes clearly knew how to hide their bodies. For a short time, he did not discover exactly where they were.
The countless auras, bright and dark, were filled with a suffocating pressure. Fan Xian lowered his head slightly and bent his knees slightly. His left hand gripped the trigger of the crossbow in his sleeve. His right hand hung naturally, ready at any moment to grab the slender black dagger in his boot.
At his side, Wang Qinian's expression did not change. He held the Wei Emperor's sword horizontally. The body of the sword was half-exposed and glimmered with a cold light. The hilt was where Fan Xian could most easily reach out and pull it out.
Thirteenth Wang's gaze was lowered as he held the green banner tightly.
The Tiger Guards, led by Gao Da, also sensed the abnormality. Their brows furrowed slightly as their hands gripped the hilts of their long knives.
Only the swordsmen of the Sixth Bureau of the Overwatch Council reacted slightly slower. They had been scattered around the Commissioner the entire time. Suddenly encountering an enemy, they naturally moved their bodies closer to the shops on the side of the street. Using the darkness of the buildings, they were ready at any moment to dive into the darkness and carry out the most direct conflict with the hidden enemies.
…
…
Fan Xian was a person who was very afraid of death. Although he did not bring many people, they were all the most powerful in the world. In the past, he had the Shadow and Haitang as the vanguard. Now, he had Thirteenth Wang as the fierce warrior. Added to himself, the Tiger Guards, and the swordsmen, with such a powerful defensive power, even if a Great Grandmaster came, Fan Xian was confident that he could hold out for a few rounds.
In other words, he had always been ready to receive the assassination of a Great Grandmaster.
However, outside the old Danzhou manor, Fan Xian felt a sense of pressure from the people hidden around him despite the powerful power around him. Furthermore, this pressure came from one person. This proved that the person who came was not a Great Grandmaster. Who else in this world could gather so many aces?
Fan Xian furrowed his brows and suddenly smiled bitterly.
The wooden door of the old Danzhou manor was slowly pulled open. Following a creak, the tense atmosphere immediately disappeared.
A familiar face appeared behind the door, but this face should not have appeared in Danzhou.
"Sir Ren." Fan Xian looked at Taichang Temple official Ren Shao 'an inside the manor and smiled bitterly. "Why are you waiting for me in my home?"
Ren Shao 'an smiled but did not greet him. Instead, he made a gesture of invitation. Fan Xian paused slightly and turned his head to glance at Thirteenth Wang. Thirteenth Wang smiled and stayed outside the manor with the swordsmen of the Sixth Bureau of the Overwatch Council.
Fan Xian led Wang Qinian, Gao Da, and the others toward the old manor. Along the way, they did not find anything strange. However, they could feel that this usually quiet and secluded courtyard was now filled with a sense of tension. No one knew how many aces were hidden behind the trees and behind the walls.
Walking to the door of the back courtyard, Ren Shao 'an stopped his steps. A eunuch welcomed Fan Xian in with a face full of smiles.
The smile on Fan Xian's face grew more bitter. He looked at Eunuch Yao speechlessly for a long time.
Walking to the little building in the back courtyard, a few officials were waiting quietly on the first floor. Seeing Fan Xian enter, they all rose and bowed. Fan Xian returned each of their greetings. He recognized the Minister of the Board of Rites and the Imperial Astronomer.
Eunuch Yao walked him to the first floor. Fan Xian picked up the front of his robe and walked with heavy steps toward the second floor. His grandmother lived on the second floor.
Lifting the beaded curtain outside the second floor, Fan Xian walked steadily in. Looking at his sickly grandmother on the couch, a glimmer of heartache flashed across his face. Looking at the middle-aged man holding his grandmother's hand and talking by the couch, a glimmer of fear flashed through his heart.
He walked to the front of the couch and knelt down obediently. Kowtowing to the two of them, he then forced a smile and said, "Your Majesty, why are you here?"
Fan Xian's heart was filled with shock and helplessness. This time, he had left Hangzhou for Danzhou and taken in the sights along the way. He had thought he would be as free and at ease as his eldest disciple brother, waving his sleeves and throwing the matter of dethroning the heir to the back of his mind. He had not thought that his teacher, Yue Buqun, would be waiting for him here.
… …
"Am I not allowed to come?" The Emperor looked at Fan Xian with a difficult to understand smile on his face. Slowly, he said, "You are an imperial envoy, yet you have come to Danzhou on business. I remember that I only gave you authority over Jiangnan Road. I didn't tell you to manage the matters of Dongshan Road."
Fan Xian said with a pained expression, "It was mainly to check on the palace treasury's East Road. After passing Jiangbei Road, I thought it was not far from Danzhou, so I came to see grandmother. I heard that she was not well. As her grandson …"
Before he finished speaking, the Emperor cut him off angrily, "Filial piety is not something that can be used as an excuse. Run, I want to see where else you can run to!"
Fan Xian was dumbfounded. He thought, You want to dethrone the Crown Prince. I just don't want to participate. There is no need for you to be so angry, right? However, he had boundless confusion and worry in his heart. He was not stupid enough to argue with the Emperor. He smiled and said, "I am an ant in Your Majesty's hand. No matter how I run, I cannot escape the palm of your hand."
This flattery clearly did not change the Emperor's mood. However, the Emperor did not seem to want to pursue this matter. Lightly, he said, "Since you have come to show filial piety, then quickly come up and have a look. If you can't cure it, I will carefully skin you!"
After saying this, the Emperor stood and quietly said by the old woman's ear, "Mother, rest well. I will come see you again tonight."
Then, he walked out of the room on the second floor, leaving behind a confused Fan Xian.
Fan Xian rubbed his legs and stood up. He sat down by his grandmother's side and placed his finger on her pulse. A moment later, his body softened and a streak of cold sweat appeared on his back.
The old woman smiled slightly and said, "You monkey, aren't you afraid of scaring me like this? My body is fine. You should be afraid of something else. "
Fan Xian felt guilty and speechless.
He was indeed afraid of something else. The Emperor had come to Danzhou without anyone knowing. Wasn't Jingdou an empty Palace? At the crucial moment of dethroning the Crown Prince, why did the Emperor dare to leave Jingdou?
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