Fan Jian sighed. He knew that the young man in front of him was just like his mother. Neither could be persuaded. His eyes softened, and he said softly, "This marriage between the two families is not the true driving force behind it, nor is it the Prime Minister's manor. Because there are many things involved, the matter is a bit complicated. Since you want to see the girl, then find a way to do it yourself. I can't do it myself."
Fan Xian bowed. "As long as Father agrees, I will find a way to see her." He thought of what he had heard earlier, and felt a little puzzled. "What if the Prime Minister refuses to agree to the marriage?"
Count Sinan laughed coldly. "As I said, there is a great power behind this, and he has no choice but to agree. Don't forget, the young lady of the Lin family has not returned to the Lin family. She is still His Majesty's adopted daughter, a princess of the palace."
In April and May weather, Fan Xian felt as if someone had poured a bucket of ice water over him from head to toe. It was cold. It was only now that he realized that his marriage was not as simple as it seemed because it involved the Emperor's decision on who would be in charge of the large estate. The real decision maker behind the scenes was actually some powerful figure hidden in the depths of the palace.
But he didn't know if it was the Empress Dowager or the Emperor.
"Why does the Prime Minister oppose it?" he asked, frowning.
Count Sinan took a sip of tea and frowned. It seemed that the tea was a little bitter. He stuck the tip of his tongue between his teeth and said indistinctly, "Didn't I say it last time?"
Fan Xian smiled and pointed out his father's faulty wording. "Last time, you said that the Prime Minister was afraid that His Majesty would suspect that there was something hidden behind his marriage with the Fan family. But in fact, since the marriage was approved by the palace, what does he have to fear?"
Fan Jian was speechless for a moment. It took him a while to recover. He smiled and put his teacup on the table. "Fine, I'll tell you the truth. It's the Eldest Princess who doesn't want her daughter to marry you."
Fan Xian was startled. What was this? After all this fuss, the other party's parents didn't want to marry her. What was he doing? It would be better for him to wash his hands clean and go beg the noble family's young lady in white. That was what he thought, but he knew he could not say it out loud. His father was still able to persuade some important person in the palace to force the marriage even though the Eldest Princess and the Prime Minister were against it. One could imagine how much hidden power the Fan family had used in the process.
"Why isn't the Eldest Princess willing?" He asked curiously, thinking to himself, "That Miss Lin's background is not much different from mine. Confucius and a little stud, we're both illegitimate children. What's the point of putting on airs?"
"This is an anomaly. His Majesty loves that princess very much, even more than the princess. Once, when I was drunk, I unintentionally mentioned that if the princess were to get married, the eldest princess should hand over her power to the princess's future husband, lest the royal bloodline would suffer in the future. "Count Sinan gently stroked his four-inch beard, seemingly in a good mood.
Fan Xian spread his hands and sighed. "So that's how it is. It seems that the Eldest Princess is also someone who loves power. Back then, I don't know why she didn't marry the Prime Minister and raise children and grandchildren. Wouldn't that have been much happier? "
Count Sinan laughed coldly. "In the end, it's love that hurts. If the princess had married Lin Ruofu, he would have been noble, but he would not have been able to display his knowledge. How could he have become the head of all the officials like he is now, with his limitless glory? "
Fan Xian frowned. Only now did he remember that the Emperor's son-in-law could not enter the court as an official. He only had a title in name.
"If you were to marry that Miss Lin, even though she is only a princess in the palace and not in the imperial register, I'm afraid there would be some problems with your career." Count Sinan saw him frown and thought that this was what he was worried about, so he simply said it out loud.
Fan Xian stood up and smiled. "We'll talk about it later."
"That's true. After the imperial examinations next year, you'll have to start studying."
Fan Xian wondered if he really would have to participate in the imperial examinations and compete with those Fan Jins. He smiled wryly and did not reply.
Then Count Sinan told him that the next day, Prince Jing's monthly poetry conference would be held again, and that Fan Xian should prepare. When Fan Xian heard this, it was not as frightening as telling him to write eight essays. But when he thought of the possibility of being forced to fabricate a few salt smugglers, Old Xin, Old Su, Old Li, and Old Du, Fan Xian felt a headache coming on.
Fan Xian looked at him and smiled. "I know you have a talent for poetry. In some situations, you don't need to hide your talent too much. Even though there are people in the palace who will help with this marriage, if you can gain some reputation in the capital's literary circles, the Eldest Princess might be more willing to marry off her daughter."
Fan Xian smiled bitterly. He knew that the old man in front of him had secretly read the letters he had written to his sister. Naturally, he could not hide the fact that he had written "Dream of the Red Chamber" from him. But seeing that his father had endured until now, he couldn't help but admire his shrewd and ruthless character.
— — —
There were no Sundays in this era. Even if you worked, there was no God who would take a knife to chop you. Similarly, there were no Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, or even Fridays in this era. In short, there was no clear distinction between working days and rest days.
Shops were open every day, and government affairs were handled every day. It was said that even the Emperor could not stop for a single day to pass through memorials. But for the children of the wealthy families that could be found everywhere in the capital, the only thing they could do every day was play.
After the war sixteen years ago, the Northern Wei Kingdom was divided and weak. The western barbarians fled far away, leaving only a thousand wild horses grazing in the Yin Mountains. With one command from the Emperor, the Great Prince led a hundred thousand soldiers to the western frontier. This was also a form of play.
In the Kingdom of Qing, martial arts flourished. But after the Emperor grew tired of fighting, he suddenly became fond of poetry. Whatever the Emperor liked, the Emperor followed suit. Most of the children of the other wealthy families did not have anything to do, nor did they have the right to lead troops for play. Fortunately, they all had to prepare for the imperial examinations, so they could play with elegance. They played to a different level from the common people. They had to read books, understand books, read poems, and write poems.
So now, the most popular thing in the capital was not the duels between martial arts masters, but the so-called poetry conferences.
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