The official wiped away the wine on his face and looked stupidly at the General. He didn't know why the General was angry. Was it because he had embarrassed the General's manor on the street earlier, so the General was using this method of spraying strong wine in his face to express his strong disdain for him?
General Li Hongcheng didn't even glance at this trusted aide. He looked stupidly at Fan Xian disguised as a merchant in the hall. He opened his mouth and used his index finger to point downward. He tapped quickly but didn't say anything.
Fan Xian glanced at him, narrowed his eyes, and shook his head imperceptibly.
Li Hongcheng quickly suppressed the shock in his heart. He coughed and cleared his throat. Glancing at his subordinates around him, he said, "All of you, go down and organize the files. In a moment, the governor's manor will come to snatch people. Stop them with all your might."
"Yes." The soldiers who had escorted the spy into the manor accepted the order and left. However, the official and a few of the General's trusted aides and secretaries did not leave.
"General, we're not interrogating him?" The official wiped the wine off his face and looked at his superior with confusion.
Li Hongcheng flew into a rage and said, "Interrogating my ass! We can't beat him, how can we interrogate him? "
Can't beat him? Could it be that the words of the spy had really convinced the Great General? The official looked at Li Hongcheng like an idiot and couldn't react for a moment. He felt that life seemed to be too absurd.
After the manor had quieted down, Fan Xian opened his mouth and asked with a smile, "These four people haven't left. It looks like they are your trusted aides?"
Li Hongcheng had long jumped up from the hall. As he walked down, he muttered, "Nonsense, if they aren't trustworthy people, they wouldn't dare stay here."
"That's good." Fan Xian didn't seem to use much strength, but the ox tendon ropes binding his arms snapped inch by inch and fell to the ground.
The four trusted aides of the General's manor stared with wide eyes, not daring to believe their own eyes. They wondered what kind of ace this person was. They had a deeper understanding of the absurdity of life. This was an ox tendon rope specially made by the military. It was enough to tie up a ninth-level ace. How could this person so easily break free? They had no idea that the Tyrannical zhenqi in Fan Xian's body had already reached its peak. Coupled with the special nature of this zhenqi, once it was fully unleashed, it could be said to be invincible.
The four of them watched as Fan Xian escaped. Unconsciously, they wanted to pull out their weapons and attack. Fortunately, they were not truly idiots. They could already see that the situation on the field was a bit strange. They hesitantly looked at each other and felt weak in their legs.
Fan Xian touched his bound wrists and looked at Li Hongcheng in front of him. "Your subordinates are really ruthless."
"Nonsense! Li Hongcheng punched him on the shoulder and said, "Why are you here, you little brat? He almost caused a big mess. "
Fan Xian felt the pain and said, "I was hit by your people, don't hammer me."
Li Hongcheng heard it clearly. This bastard was using the opportunity to snitch on him. As a general, he knew the way the people under him did things. He also knew that someone of Fan Xian's status would not retaliate over such a small matter. He chuckled and didn't reply. He wanted to muddle his way through.
"Sir?" The officer finally found it difficult to bear the absurdity of his life and couldn't resist opening his mouth to ask.
…
…
Fan Xian turned around and pointed at the still sleeping deputy official on the chair. "This person knows my identity. Don't let him out for now. We'll talk about it after the matter is finished."
Li Hongcheng nodded and hugged his shoulder. Smiling widely, he said, "News from the capital says it will be at least 10 days before you arrive. Coming so early, is there something good? I am now the local tyrant of Dingzhou. If there's anything good, you can give me a share. "
Fan Xian furrowed his brows and glanced at him. He felt more and more strange in his heart. Why was this noble heir now like a ruffian? Particularly with the sour smell on his body … he shivered and broke away from the other person's warm embrace. "There's nothing good, but there's a pile of bad things. In any case, I can't tell you. There are just some things I need your help with."
When these two superiors talked about serious matters, they forgot these subordinates to the side. The four trusted aides of the General's manor had already faintly heard the origins of these so-called spies. They couldn't help but look at each other. They then looked at the people tied up like dumplings with green and red patches on their faces. Involuntarily, their hearts began to pound. They thought to themselves that if they really beat up the court spies, given the legendary ruthless and protective temper of the Overwatch Council's old ancestor and little ancestor, what would they do?
"Should we … untie these brothers?" The officer couldn't resist asking Li Hongcheng.
Li Hongcheng scolded, "Troublesome little ruffians, hurry up and untie them."
Quickly, these four people released Fan Xian's Overwatch Council subordinates. They then stood to the side, at a loss as to what to do. They smiled apologetically and said apologetic words. The Overwatch Council subordinates did not show any anger. They were used to being spies, so they didn't care about such small problems.
"Seal off the news. Not a single word of it can get out. As for if anyone asks about the spies that were brought into the manor today, say the General's manor is secretly interrogating them. "
No one knew what Fan Xian said to Li Hongcheng. Li Hongcheng turned his head and said a few things in a cold voice. He then gave some orders to ensure that the whereabouts of Fan Xian and his group would not be revealed.
"In three days, choose some prisoners on death row from the prison …" Fan Xian lowered his head and said. "My subordinates will help clean up the people in your manor as to what to do next."
"Naturally, they will do these things. We have to talk first." Li Hongcheng continued to hold Fan Xian's arm like he was afraid he would run. He dragged him toward the back garden.
The remaining officials of the General's manor and the Overwatch Council watched as their immediate superiors left with their arms around each other's shoulders. They couldn't help but stare at each other and sink into silence. They didn't know how to address each other or how to deal with related matters. After a long time, it was still the officer who had brought them into the manor who coughed and looked at Mu Feng 'er. In a gentle voice, he said, "Sir, are you from the Council?"
Mu Feng 'er nodded and did not give this person a pleasant expression.
"Then, that sir earlier was … Sir Fan junior?" The officer lowered his voice and asked with slight fear.
Mu Feng 'er knew of the close relationship between the Commissioner and King Jing's heir and nodded his head seriously. The officer swallowed. Only now did he know what kind of person he had captured. Thinking that the other party was the little ancestor of the Overwatch Council he had been afraid of earlier, his face began to pale, whiter than the flowers on the grasslands.
…
…
The General's manor was originally the manor of the Ye family. Later, Li Hongcheng entered the Western Expedition Army. Given his identity, he had always lived here. Two years ago, during the Jingdou rebellion, half of the Dingzhou army entered the capital to quell the rebellion. Ye Zhong and Gong Dian remained in Jingdou and never returned. Thus, the General's manor became Li Hongcheng's private manor and office.
There were no other people in the manor. Walking all the way to the back garden, they didn't see a single servant. Fan Xian was secretly surprised, but he didn't show it on his face. Sitting on a cold stone bench in the garden, he got used to the cold and harsh atmosphere that was completely different from the gardens of the Central Plain. Only then did he speak carefully and say, "You have to explain clearly to your subordinates that no one can think that I entered Dingzhou today."
"So wordy! You came 10 days early to do business. The problem is, given your current identity, what is there to be afraid of? "Li Hongcheng carried a large pot of wine and poured two bowls, placing them in front of each other.
"I don't want people with ulterior motives to guess that I'm here to see someone because of my early arrival."
Li Hongcheng's hand holding the pot of wine paused for a moment.
Fan Xian looked at him and said, "I won't hide this from you. I buried a spy on the grasslands. Today, I came to see this spy, but …" He emphasized his tone. "Other than you, I don't want anyone else to know about this because the life and death of that spy will affect the lives and deaths of many people in the Qing Kingdom."
Li Hongcheng thought for a moment and then nodded. He then said, "Just as you said earlier, I will take care of it. I will pick some prisoners on the death row to impersonate you. It will not raise any suspicions of people outside."
"There is one more important thing," Fan Xian said. "The Council needs a path to the Xi Hu tribe, and I don't want to be raided by the troops under your command, so I need your cooperation."
Li Hongcheng had already shaken off his earlier surprise and recovered his calm. "What exactly do you want to do? I will only remind you of one thing. Any grain you send to the grasslands could kill a soldier of the Qing Kingdom. "
Without waiting for Fan Xian to open his mouth to explain, Li Hongcheng stared into his eyes and continued, "I don't care what the court thinks. I don't care what schemes Director Chen has. I don't care if you are preparing to raise a spy to cause internal strife among the Hu people. However, I must remind you that the Hu people are a completely different kind of existence. You are not on the border, so you don't know their savagery and fickleness. You have to be careful about nurturing a tiger and inviting disaster."
Fan Xian could feel the affection contained in the other party's warning. He nodded and comfortingly said, "Don't worry, I know what I'm doing."
He raised his wine bowl and drank it all with Li Hongcheng. He then let out a long breath and looked at the other party's bearded face and the wrinkles at the corners of his eyes. For a moment, he didn't know what to say. The two of them sank into silence at the same time. The back garden was completely silent.
King Jing's heir, Li Hongcheng, had joined the army three years ago. During these three years, he had bravely killed the enemy and led the troops in battle. His reputation had long spread back to Jingdou and the Central Plain. The people all praised that after the Great Prince's Western Expedition, the royal family had finally produced another powerful figure who could lead troops into battle. It was because of his military service that this member of the royal family, who once had an unclear relationship with the Second Prince, was able to obtain the Emperor's trust and take over Ye Zhong's position. He began to control the military affairs of the entire Dingzhou Western Camp.
However, it had already been three years. This once dissolute, confident, and handsome heir had been polished into a different appearance by the wind and sand of the frontier fortress. Furthermore, he had not returned to Jingdou in three years.
"Three years. Although the border is tight, looking at how you are in the General's manor, it's not like you don't have time to return to the capital." Fan Xian filled two bowls with strong wine and quietly said, "Why don't you go back?"
Li Hongcheng's hand gripped the edge of the wine bowl. His expression was heavy. After a long time, he slowly said, "Go back to do what?"
Fan Xian knew what he was afraid of and glanced at him with disapproval. "It's all in the past. If the Emperor doubted you, how could he let you control the affairs of Dingzhou?"
"To put it nicely, I am a General, but my control over the army is far lacking compared to the Ye family's," Li Hongcheng said with his head lowered. Li Hongcheng lowered his head and said, "Of course, I also don't want the Western camp to become my family's soldiers. As you can see, I only have four trusted aides in the manor. The officer who brought you into the manor is a member of the Ye family. I can trust him, but I can't trust the officials in Jingdou."
"During these two years, the Emperor has carried out a total of four rotations. One in Yanjing, one in Nanzhao, and the other four Roads have all come to Dingzhou to play …" Li Hongcheng raised his head and stared into Fan Xian's eyes. "Although you have never been in command of an army, you should know that famous generals use experienced soldiers. This iron camp is truly flowing soldiers. If the general doesn't know the soldiers, how can the battle be good?"
"When you return to Jingdou this time, you have to help me with something. Tell the Emperor that the rotation cannot continue," Li Hongcheng said in a heavy tone. "The replenishment of troops has indeed become more than enough because of the rotation, but when it comes to fighting, it is not the case at all. Furthermore, the attacks of the Fourteen Hu Tribes are becoming fiercer and more cunning …"
Fan Xian cut off his words and said, "I know you've sent a document to the Bureau of Military Affairs. I've also seen the secret memorial you sent to the Emperor, but you should know why the Emperor has rotated these two years. Yanjing and Cangzhou are in a stalemate. The Emperor is using the Hu people to sharpen his knives and train his soldiers for the future. It is a very difficult matter for you to make the Emperor stop this move."
"I don't care about the great cause of unifying the world," Li Hongcheng said angrily. Li Hongcheng said angrily, "That's right. If the day of the war comes, I am willing to be the Emperor's vanguard and fight to the death on the battlefield. But right now, we are in such a tight spot. If Xiliang Road is really crippled by the Hu people, how can we unify the world?"
At this moment, there was only Fan Xian and him in the garden, so his words were particularly direct. He criticized the Emperor's national policy as bullsh * t. In any case, he knew Fan Xian's personality and didn't care if he heard it.
Fan Xian smiled bitterly and said, "What can I do? In terms of military affairs, the Emperor has never allowed me to interfere. It's not like you don't know. "
Li Hongcheng sighed and raised his wine bowl to drink it all in one gulp. Cursing, he said in a low and pained voice, "It is possible to use war to train soldiers. However, 10 batches of new soldiers come, 7 batches go back, and 3 batches die on the grasslands. If we still use the old Dingzhou soldiers or the old subordinates of the Western Expedition Army that the Great Prince brought out, these people wouldn't have to die."
"But …" Fan Xian knew he had to remind Hongcheng of some things to prevent him from unknowingly committing a taboo in the future. "If we only use the Dingzhou army and the old subordinates of the Western Expedition Army, how can we attack Northern Qi and Dongyi? During the Jingdou rebellion two years ago, the Qin family's rebel army was almost completely wiped out. The internal structure of the army suddenly became unstable, and military power dropped rapidly. The Emperor must use Dingzhou to pick up the edge of the Qing army again! There's no need to talk about this anymore. Don't bring this up to the court again. Not only will it have no effect, but it will also make the Emperor unhappy. "
"Of course, the Emperor won't just watch you suffer here alone." A slightly mocking smile rose to the corners of Fan Xian's lips. "Am I not also here?"
Li Hongcheng shook his head and didn't continue to discuss this topic.
Fan Xian looked at him and suddenly said, "How often do you bathe now?"
Li Hongcheng paused. "I don't remember. About half a month to a month?"
Fan Xian sniffled and laughingly scolded, "No wonder you smell so bad."
Li Hongcheng glared at him.
Fan Xian smiled. "Dingzhou has deep wells. There's no shortage of water. Furthermore, you're a general. Can't you even bathe?"
"I'm too lazy." Li Hongcheng smiled and shook his head. "If you were like me and had once spent half a year fighting the Hu people on the grasslands and deserts, you would also be used to days without bathing. Besides, it's all work that involves fighting and carrying sticks. Beside me are a group of rough people. Who would care about this?"
"The subordinates don't care, but do the concubines in the manor not care?" Fan Xian picked up a cucumber and stuffed it into his mouth to chew as he spoke indistinctly.
Li Hongcheng paused. A moment later, he smiled slightly and said, "There are no concubines in the manor. The people of the Ye family have all returned to the capital. I only left behind a few servants."
Fan Xian raised his head in shock, not daring to believe his ears. King Jing's heir, Li Hongcheng, had been famous in Jingdou for his dissolute ways. He secretly helped the Second Prince manage half the brothels and women under heaven. It could truly be said that he had a new person by his bed every night. Now, he was alone in Dingzhou without a single concubine by his side.
Seeming to guess what Fan Xian was thinking, Li Hongcheng used his index finger to gently tap the wine bowl and quietly said, "Ruoruo doesn't like it, so I quit."
Fan Xian was speechless. A moment later, he faintly said, "I've let you down in this matter."
"What have you done to let me down?" Li Hongcheng laughingly scolded.
Fan Xian shook his head and didn't say anything more. He opened his mouth and said, "When I first saw you at Yishi Tavern, you had an assistant at your side. You were free and at ease. I didn't expect you to become like this now."
"There's nothing bad about this appearance." Li Hongcheng thought of the things that had happened around him these five or six years and felt slightly moved. "That day at Yishi Tavern, there was also Guo Baokun, He Zongwei, and their group …"
If Li Hongcheng hadn't brought it up, Fan Xian might have already forgotten who Guo Baokun was.
"You punched Guo Baokun and later broke up his family," Li Hongcheng looked at Fan Xian and said with a not-quite-there smile. Li Hongcheng looked at Fan Xian and said with a not-quite-there smile, "He Zongwei has now become a very popular person in court and the Emperor's favorite official. The affairs of the world are all like this. For me to be able to stay out of it, relatively speaking, is not bad."
Fan Xian smiled and didn't say anything.
"You're ruthless enough. Before you entered the capital, Jingdou had been peaceful for a dozen years," Li Hongcheng continued. "Ever since you entered the capital, people began to die one after another. Presumably, you also did not expect that bastard, He Zongwei, to be able to climb to his current position. The Imperial Censorate has your Overwatch Council by the neck in the capital. He has begun to enter the Hall of Governmental Affairs to discuss matters and has already begun to threaten you … "
It had to be said that Li Hongcheng and Fan Xian's attitude toward Sir He was strangely the same. Solemn. This was because they both held grudges and remembered He Zongwei's desire to eat Fan Ruoruo, the snow swan.
Fan Xian smiled slightly mockingly and said, "The higher He Zongwei climbs, the faster he will fall in the future. I'm not worried about anything."
"Of course, you're not afraid of him." Li Hongcheng smiled. "Although I haven't returned to the capital, I've heard of the nickname 'servant of three surnames'. You must have come up with it."
Fan Xian chuckled, tacitly agreeing to it.
Li Hongcheng pointed at his nose and sighed. "You … still use the same tricks. First, you ruin someone's reputation. Then, using the Emperor's favor, you begin to play unreasonable and sinister tricks. However, let me remind you that He Zongwei is not like me or the Second Prince. He is an official the Emperor has raised. You cannot touch him lightly."
This was indeed a trick that Fan Xian often used. Back then, he had used this trick to push the matter of killing prostitutes and ruining their reputations onto the shoulders of the Second Prince and Li Hongcheng. In the end, he had forced the Second Prince to make a dangerous move. Then, Li Hongcheng had been imprisoned in his manor by King Jing for half a year.
"Correct, there are many officials in the court who are beginning to cling to He Zongwei's leg … servant of three surnames? Actually, the master he has always followed has always been surnamed Li. Furthermore, officials are not afraid of things like reputation, "Fan Xian said mockingly. "However, these officials probably did not think that no matter how the situation in the court develops, He Zongwei will find it difficult to escape death."
"What do you mean?"
Fan Xian didn't hide anything in front of Li Hongcheng. He smiled coldly and said, "The Emperor used the Imperial Censorate to check and balance the Overwatch Council and reduce its power. This was something he told me beforehand. I agree with this rule. The Overwatch Council's dominance is not a good thing for the court or the people. "
"But, the Overwatch Council's vicious reputation is here. The Emperor had to choose an official who dared to oppose me. Thus, he chose He Zongwei because he knew that no matter how things developed in the future, I would not let him go." A cold taste rose to the corners of Fan Xian's lips. "Thus, he could only work hard to climb up. However, no matter how powerful he was and how he developed the Imperial Censorate to the point where it could oppose the Overwatch Council, so what? It was the yamen of the Imperial Censorate that rose up, not him. "
"On the day that the Overwatch Council truly becomes the Censorate, He Zongwei will no longer have any value." Fan Xian shook his head. "The Emperor only has so many sons. Only the Third Prince can inherit the throne. Regardless of what the Third Prince thinks in the future, he will have to consider my attitude before he inherits. He Zongwei has suppressed me for so long. What if he doesn't pay a price?"
"He is grass without roots. He is only grasped in the Emperor's hands. Thus, his life depends on how many years the Emperor can live."
Hearing this, Li Hongcheng felt a chill in his heart.
Fan Xian closed his eyes and said, "Everyone thinks the Emperor is healthy and a Great Grandmaster. No one has thought that the Emperor is now a man in his 50s or 60s."
Li Hongcheng shook his head. "I have to admit, I don't see things as far as you do."
"Naturally. Otherwise, you wouldn't have been locked up in the manor by King Jing for so long." Fan Xian smiled slightly at him.
"Now that I think about it, you saved my life," Li Hongcheng said with his head lowered. "If I had stayed in Jingdou two years ago, I'm afraid I would already be dead."
He raised his head and sighed deeply. "Just like the Second Prince."
…
…
At the mention of the dead, the atmosphere became oppressive again. After a long time, Li Hongcheng forced a smile and said, "Of course, this matter cannot be blamed on you. The words you said to the Second Prince in the tea shop outside Baoyue Brothel that day, he later told me. I know you just wanted to bring the Second Prince down and save his life. However, he is actually as stubborn as you. He doesn't listen to what others say. "
From the beginning, Li Hongcheng had stood behind the Second Prince in the battle for the throne. After Fan Xian took control of the Overwatch Council, his powerful attacks had only beaten Li Hongcheng out of the poisonous waters of Jingdou. He had not beaten the Second Prince out. Fan Xian knew that the reason Hongcheng supported the Second Prince was not just because of future benefits. Rather, it was because they were good friends to begin with.
"I am very sorry for their departure," Fan Xian said. "But, there are too many things in this world that we cannot completely solve."
"I've always been curious." Li Hongcheng stared into Fan Xian's eyes. "Regardless of whether it is the Second Prince or the Crown Prince, they are both working hard to carry out certain things. It seems that only you, from the beginning, determined that the torment of these princes would end in a painful failure. How did you determine this? Did you, from the beginning, calculate that they had no chance of success? "
"This has to do with my education from a young age," Fan Xian replied seriously. Fan Xian replied seriously, "When I was young, grandmother would hold me and endlessly tell me that the Emperor was like this, the Emperor was like that, the Emperor was undefeatable, and the Emperor was like this … I got used to it, so I accepted it. Furthermore …"
He shook his head. "In the end, reality proved that the Emperor was indeed undefeatable."
Li Hongcheng was silent and speechless. He could only shake his head.
"You should go back to Jingdou. I know you're afraid of being reminded of the past, but it's good to see the Second Prince. He, Chengqian, the empress, and the Eldest Princess are all buried on a beautiful hill. The scenery is not bad." Fan Xian sincerely persuaded this prodigal son who had left home and refused to return. "Besides, the Prince's health is getting worse and worse. As his son, you have to go back and see."
Li Hongcheng did not agree. He only sincerely said, "Father was seriously ill last year. It was all thanks to you taking care of him. Rou Jia's letter said thank you."
"There is no need for thanks between us." Fan Xian looked at him and casually said, "At the end of the year, Ruoruo will be returning to the capital."
Li Hongcheng abruptly raised his head. His eyes lit up.
"Ye Ling 'er came to Dingzhou to relax. How come I don't see her?" Fan Xian did not continue the previous question. Instead, he asked about another person he cared about a lot.
After the Second Prince died, Wan 'er had accompanied Ye Ling' er for a while. In the end, it was not very effective. Later, it was Ye Zhong who asked for an edict to have his daughter sent back to Dingzhou, where she had grown up. Li Hongcheng was in Dingzhou. His friendship with the Second Prince was not shallow. It was indeed appropriate for him to take care of Ye Ling 'er.
Li Hongcheng laughed bitterly and said, "After this wangfei saw the grasslands, her mood improved greatly. However, she is not someone who can stay idle. At this time, she is in Qingzhou."
"Qingzhou?" Fan Xian sucked in a cold breath and said with blame, "That is the farthest city. It could start a war with Xi Hu at any moment!"
"What can I do?" Li Hongcheng glared at him. "There are countless old Ye family generals in the Western camp. Those generals look at Ye Ling 'er like she is a little ancestor. They don't even dare to make a sound. If she wants to go to the frontier to fight, kill, and heal, how can I stop her?"
Fan Xian repeatedly shook his head and scolded, "What nonsense." Immediately after, he suddenly thought of something and said, "Fortunately, I'm about to go to Qingzhou. When I come back, I'll kidnap her and bring her back."
After these words were said, it was Li Hongcheng's turn to suck in a cold breath. He cursed angrily, "You're going to Qingzhou? Do you want something to happen and then the Emperor to slaughter the entire Dingzhou army to accompany you in death? "
…
…
The cover has changed. Everyone, please look. This is the final Qing Yu year cover. Thank you for bringing out the crazy knife again. Also, I'm about to add the introduction. Yes, it's the last volume. I've done everything that needs to be done.
Friends with monthly votes, please help vote. This month, I still need everyone's support. If I don't ask, there won't be any votes. Objective reality … please help me.
PS: I recommend a book, Food and Lust in the Tang Dynasty. The introduction is as follows: A few voluptuous girls, because they were drunk, transmigrated to the Tang Dynasty. They don't understand ancient Chinese and can't read ancient characters. With great difficulty, they start a business and settle down peacefully. Then, they run into Li Er wanting to cause trouble at Xuanwu Gate. Seeing that their dream of food and lust had become a bubble, survival or destruction was the question they needed to consider. Book number, 1049646
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