The Qing Kingdom governed the world with filial piety. When the wise and brilliant Emperor moved a large amount of silver from the national treasury to build a mausoleum for the dead empress dowager, the scholars Shu and Hu only expressed their worry on the surface. Fan Xian could not be bothered to pay attention to this matter.
Sun Jingxiu was celebrating his mother's birthday, so it was much more important than his own. It was because of this matter that he had the courage to invite Fan Xian. When Sir Fan junior actually held Princess Chen's hand and stepped through the front door of the manor, Sun Jingxiu still found it difficult to suppress his excitement.
His life these few months had been precarious. It seemed that in an instant, all of the officials and yamens had begun to watch him. It made him feel like there was a thorn in his back and he could not rest easy. After thinking it over, he still thought it was Fan Xian. However, the Sun manor and the Fan family did not actually have a deep connection, so he didn't know if it would work or not.
It worked. Although Sun Jingxiu's lips tasted bitter and gloomy, and he felt a great deal of guilt toward his daughter, he looked at Fan Xian's handsome face and still bowed respectfully. He then welcomed the pair into the manor.
The manor had long been properly arranged. All of the female guests were in the back garden. The people sitting in the front yard were all the main officials of the Jingdou government. The three halls, the front and back, that had been specially left open for the officials of the court, were currently empty and eye-piercing.
Fan Xian followed Sun Jingxiu inside. Looking at the long, empty tables, he couldn't resist smiling. Lin Wan 'er quietly said something by his ear. Accompanied by the nannies and carefully served by the women of the Sun manor, she walked toward the back garden.
Turning to the west wing, Fan Xian followed Sun Jingxiu into the study. He already knew that King Jing and Duke Liu had already arrived. The two noble elders were currently chatting with Sir Sun's mother. At their age and seniority, they didn't pay much attention to etiquette.
The study was very quiet. Fan Xian looked at Sun Jingxiu and said with a smile, "Sir Sun, you are truly not a smart person."
Before the banquet began, Sun Jingxiu was afraid of neglecting Sir Fan junior, so he personally accompanied him into the study. The servants had not yet brought the tea, but Fan Xian had already said these words calmly and directly. Sun Jingxiu's heart involuntarily jumped. For a moment, he didn't know what to say.
"I'm curious." Fan Xian looked at him and said in an even voice, "In the past, you never used these methods to figure out the Emperor's heart. Why are you doing the opposite this year? Why do you want to borrow my power to see what's happening in officialdom? I am surprised that you are not a person who cares about power and wealth. "
Sun Jingxiu was silent for a moment. He then raised his hands in respect and said, "Jingxiu thinks that I have been rather particular in being the Jingdou magistrate. Please take pity on me."
Fan Xian gently knocked on the table as if he was thinking about the propriety of the situation. He had not expected Sun Jingxiu to make such a direct request. However, he also liked direct negotiations. A moment later, he nodded slightly and said, "I'll speak for you in the Palace."
"What about Lord He?" Sun Jingxiu was overjoyed, but he still maintained a calm expression as he asked in a trembling voice.
Fan Xian lowered his eyelids slightly and said, "He is the Imperial Censor of the Left. I can't control him."
Sun Jingxiu was slightly shocked.
Fan Xian raised his head and said with a slight smile, "However, he is only an advisor of the Hall of Governmental Affairs. If Hu the Scholar doesn't nod his head, what can he do to you, the Jingdou magistrate?"
The conversation in the study ended very quickly. Fan Xian did not have Sun Jingxiu spit out any mushy words in front of him. They both knew that since Fan Xian was willing to help Sun Jingxiu with such a large favor, Sun Jingxiu could only sell his life to Fan Xian. The Jingdou magistrate was not an idle position. When Sun Jingxiu glanced toward the officialdom, he could only see the back of Fan Xian's head. He had no other choice.
Just as Fan Xian and Sun Jingxiu were chatting, the stewards and servants of the Sun manor stared dumbfoundedly at the endless stream of official sedan chairs coming in from outside the manor. They looked at the famous people in court coming with smiles and warmth to offer birthday wishes. They couldn't help but wonder where these people had run off to earlier.
A servant went into the study to notify him. Sun Jingxiu couldn't help smiling bitterly. He knew that the reason these people's attitudes had changed so quickly was all because Sir Fan junior had personally come. Furthermore, he had asked King Jing and Duke Liu to be the axes.
Fan Xian saw the bitterness in his heart and said with a smile, "The matters of officialdom are just this shameless. You've endured in the Jingdou government for so long. You should get used to it. Otherwise, how many more years can you endure if you're always sulking?"
Sun Jingxiu nodded his head in acknowledgment.
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There were only three tables set up in the main hall. The women were all arranged thoughtfully in the back garden. Fan Xian only followed Wan'er to chat with old Sun matriarch for a bit before retreating.
The main seat in the middle of the banquet was temporarily empty. Naturally, King Jing unceremoniously sat in the most honorable seat. High Duke Liu, on the other hand, sat diagonally across from him in the number two seat. The two elders had known each other their entire lives. Although they sat a little far from each other, their voices were loud when they spoke. It was as if a casual conversation had turned into an argument.
As usual, King Jing's mouth was full of filthy language. With each sentence, he would bring in a few words. It made the officials at the three tables in the hall uncomfortable. Unfortunately, High Duke Liu was someone who had retired from the army, so he was familiar with this routine.
Sun Jingxiu was entertaining the other officials. Fan Xian sat between King Jing and Duke Liu, smiling, chatting, and eating and drinking with them. He was at ease. King Jing and the Fan manor were old friends, so their friendship did not need to be mentioned. Duke Liu was Lady Liu's biological father. On the surface, he was Fan Xian's maternal grandfather, so Fan Xian was incomparably respectful.
He talked with Duke Liu about the matters in Danzhou. Lady Liu was doing very well. As a maternal grandfather, he was at ease. Additionally, with Fan Xian looking after them, the children and grandchildren in the Duke's Alley all had their own piece of land.
Chatting with King Jing was a bit of a headache. This old man would vaguely bring up matters like the medical shop in just a few sentences. Fan Xian sighed quietly in his heart. He didn't know if there was a possibility between Hongcheng and Ruoruo.
Speaking of Crown Prince Li Hongcheng, after the New Year, as the General of Dingzhou, he could not always stay in Jingdou fighting with the Scholar. He had no choice but to return to the West. However, he left a group of personal guards outside the Danbo medical shop to keep an eye on it day in and day out. The Emperor knew he was messing around and was also very angry, but there was nothing he could do.
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The guests gradually all arrived. Three ministers, two officials, seven or eight vice ministers, and more than half of the important officials in the Qing court had come. Given the Jingdou magistrate's reputation, he could not bring in so many important figures. However, Fan Xian's reputation had this kind of killing power.
As time passed, Fan Xian began to have a headache. These ministers and vice ministers came to greet him. Naturally, he had to rise to greet them and accept their considerate greetings. Seeing that the three tables of people had come down, they were also a bit tired. However, this was not the end. There were still many officials in the outer courtyard who took turns coming in to greet him. They did not want to pass up this rare opportunity to see Sir Fan junior.
After one round, the entire hall floated with the sound of flattery. Fan Xian's expression changed several times as he was flattered by dozens of officials. The feeling of being flattered by dozens of officials was not a good one.
After three rounds of drinking, another official began to mention Fan Xian's extraordinary service in Dongyi. Everyone's gazes looking at him became heated. At this moment, not many people cared about the Scholar He Zongwei. After all, this little duke was the Emperor's own son. Furthermore, he had done so much for the Qing Kingdom these years. He was truly an extremely popular figure. What could the ruling class do? It was not impossible for him to split the land and be made a king.
Fan Xian's head hurt. He wondered if these officials had come to wish the old matriarch of the Sun manor a birthday or had they come specially to flatter him. When all was said and done, he understood. If they had not come specially to flatter him, why would these officials come?
It was clear that King Jing was also very interested in the Dongyi matter. He pulled him to his side and asked in detail about some confidential matters. However, it would take at least half a year to finish negotiating the treaty, so Fan Xian could not say anything. He only picked some unimportant matters and secretly told them to the old gardener.
The low-ranking officials didn't have to care about fawning, but the ministers and vice ministers sitting in the main hall still had to put on a calm expression. They only occasionally swept their gazes over Fan Xian's face.
Fan Xian turned a blind eye to them. He knew these people were waiting for him to explode and then they would see how he would deal with the subsequent matters.
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The sun gradually moved, and the noise of drinking outside also stopped. After drinking a few cups of wine, King Jing and High Duke Liu felt that their heads were a little heavy and their bodies were a little tired. They didn't want to see what was going to happen next, so they found an excuse to leave.
Sun Jingxiu respectfully saw the two nobles out of the main door before returning to the main hall. After thinking for a moment, he ordered the servants to stand guard outside the main hall and pay attention to any activity.
He stepped in and apologized to the officials at the three tables in the hall. He chuckled and chatted idly. After declining for a while, he finally sat back down in the main seat at the head of the table.
The main hall gradually quieted down. Everyone unconsciously stopped and put down their cups. Looking at the various dishes in front of them, they used peaceful smiles on their faces to show their official manner and breadth of mind as they waited for what would happen next.
First, Sun Jingxiu sincerely expressed his thanks and so on. Then, he also closed his mouth and sat by Fan Xian's side. He was very calm.
Fan Xian's eyelids drooped slightly. He slowly put down the chopsticks in his hand. The ivory chopsticks landed on the green porcelain chopsticks pillow and made a light clinking sound.
All of the officials' hearts were struck by this sound.
There was an uncomfortable silence. The entire main hall was quiet. Compared to the liveliness in the courtyard and the music from the back garden, it was extremely quiet.
"I will not say more about Sir Sun's official reputation." Fan Xian raised his head and gently opened his thin lips. "The Emperor also has many words of praise and encouragement in private."
Hearing these words, the officials at the banquet felt it was quite ironic. If the Emperor truly liked this Jingdou magistrate, how could Sir He have let out that rumor? However, the Duke said in private? Ah, who would know what the father and son said in private? Would these people at the banquet dare to ask something in front of the Emperor's face?
"Everyone is an official in the same court. Everyone has times when things aren't going their way. I hope you can help each other out." Fan Xian's words were very lacking. First of all, he brought out Sun Jingxiu's predicament and put him at a disadvantage. Furthermore, he even brought out the words of helping a merchant. His table manners were a bit unsightly.
However, things like standards always depended on the character. Even if the Emperor wrote a limerick about a white dog swollen, the officials would still sing praises without restraint. After Fan Xian said this, all of the officials at the banquet stroked their beards and nodded. They deeply felt that Sir Fan junior's words were simple but not simple. They were very reasonable.
Fan Xian turned his head and looked at the official to his right. "What does Minister Wei think?"
The present Minister of Revenue, Wei Donghang, was a crafty official who had been polished for a long time in the Ministry of Revenue. In the past few years, he had gone to the Fan manor to discuss matters with Minister Fan and had met Fan Xian countless times. For him to be able to take over Fan Jian's position was not only because of his performance in the Ministry of Revenue. More accurately, it was because he had completely fallen to the Emperor's side. He wholeheartedly followed the Emperor's wishes and pulled the Ministry of Revenue out of the swamp of the Fan family's independent kingdom.
Minister Wei knew that his actions these two years had offended Sir Fan junior. However, behind him was the Emperor, so he was not too worried. During these two years, Fan Xian had not expressed any dissatisfaction toward him. It was as if he understood his difficulties. It was because of this that he knew of Fan Xian's arrival when the Sun manor was hosting. After thinking for a long time, he still came.
He had not expected that Sir Fan junior would actually choose to make things difficult for the Jingdou government and pick him first. His heart jumped slightly. He knew that Sir Fan junior did not like him. Otherwise, he would not have picked the Ministry of Revenue to be the first to attack.
A faint coldness surged into his heart. However, Minister Wei had no other choice. After thinking for a moment, he smiled evenly and said, "What the Duke says is reasonable. The Ministry of Revenue acts according to the edict and Qing law. It would not act recklessly."
Everyone at the banquet was a wily old fox who had risen and fallen in officialdom for a long time. They knew why Fan Xian had picked Minister Wei out to ask him alone. However, this matter did not concern them, so they had to let it go. They had not expected that Minister Wei's light words would push Fan Xian back. There was not even a vague promise of goodwill.
The officials admired Minister Wei's courage. They were also worried about what would happen next. They all remained silent. The other two Ministers raised their chopsticks and quietly indicated for the officials beside them to slowly eat.
"I am a very peaceful person." The smile on Fan Xian's face grew brighter and brighter. Staring into Wei Donghang's eyes, he said evenly, "If there is an edict, I will act according to it. If there is no edict, I would like to see what will happen to those lowly people in the end."
The Overwatch Council and the affairs of the court were two different things. They did not interfere with each other. Fan Xian's words had already crossed a taboo. The words "lowly people" had, without a doubt, shaved Minister Wei's face clean off. His expression immediately became icy. Looking at Fan Xian, he said, "What do you mean by this?"
Fan Xian still did not get angry. He only smiled and said, "Nothing. I am just going into the Palace tonight to ask the Emperor what edict he has recently given the Ministry of Revenue for the Ministry of Revenue yamen to not do their proper work and instead wait in the Jingdou government every day."
"I control the Overwatch Council, but I do not dare to privately investigate third-level officials and above." Fan Xian's expression remained warm. "Today is the old matriarch's 70th birthday, so I should not say such cold words that spoil the mood. However, I won't be able to stay in the capital for long. I am about to go to Dongyi. I also thought that the Jingdou government is an important matter, so I was in too much of a rush. Everyone, please don't laugh. "
The officials at the banquet all laughed dryly. No one dared to actually laugh. Sir Fan junior's words had clearly reminded them that he was the Commissioner of the Overwatch Council. In three days, he would officially become the second Director of the Qing Kingdom's Overwatch Council. As for his other identities, there was no need to mention them. Return to Dongyi? This was another reminder to the officials that Fan Xian had enough merit to ask the Emperor for something, even if it was an edict.
Minister Wei's heart jumped. He understood the meaning in these two sentences.
Fan Xian raised a cup of wine and said to the officials at the banquet, "Everyone, let the Jingdou government be quieter."
With these words, everyone knew that Fan Xian had officially stood out. After an awkward silence, people slowly raised the wine cups in front of them. It was uneven, but basically all of the officials raised their cups.
Minister Wei was still staring at the wine cup in front of him in a daze. He was indeed in a difficult position. He knew that Fan Xian was a very vengeful person. Furthermore, he had smiled so warmly earlier. He was probably extremely angry in his heart. Even if he begged for mercy and took a step back, would Fan Xian let him go in the future? Furthermore, he was, after all, a Minister of a court. His position was respectable, and he had the full support of the Emperor and He Zongwei. If he gave in like this, it would be difficult to justify.
Fan Xian didn't look him in the eye. He smiled warmly and said, "Although we are all officials in court, we are all pitiful people. We all want to create a good future for our children, grandchildren, and relatives."
"The Emperor once said that in life, one must have a heart of reverence." He looked at the people at the banquet and warmly said, "As I walk between heaven and earth, I only have a heart of reverence for two things."
The Minister of the Board of Rites furrowed his brows slightly. He had been the first person to raise his cup earlier. He was different from Minister Wei. He had not offended the Fan manor, so he had a chance to make amends. Furthermore, he silently mocked Wei Dongxing for not knowing what kind of person Sir Fan junior was and what tricks he had.
He knew what Minister Wei was thinking. The Overwatch Council could not control officials above the third-level. As long as the Emperor did not speak, it seemed that Sir Fan junior could not threaten him at all. However, he knew that Minister Wei seemed to have forgotten history. When Fan Xian was still a commoner, he had sent the original Minister of the Board of Rites, Guo You, to his death. Later, he had destroyed countless Ministers. This was a ruthless person who dared to force the Crown Prince to his death. Why would you, a mere Minister, clash head-on with him?
Thinking of this, the Minister of the Board of Rites followed Fan Xian's words and asked with a smile, "What is your reverence for?"
"I first salute the Emperor, and second salute my parents." Fan Xian gently spun the little wine cup between his fingers and smiled. "The Emperor speaks well. Without a heart of reverence, one's actions will tend to be impetuous. In the past, my actions have been impetuous. Please, everyone, forgive me."
There was another wave of laughter at the banquet. Everyone heard the meaning of these words clearly. Reverence? The Duke was clearly telling everyone that other than heaven and earth, parents, and the Emperor, in their reverence, they should not forget themselves. Impetuous? This Duke's actions were not only impetuous, they were sinister and ruthless.
It was still that old saying. It was a very low level threat. Because the person making the threat was too powerful, it appeared powerful. In particular, Fan Xian's earlier mention of children and relatives finally reminded some people that even if the Overwatch Council could not touch the Ministers and vice ministers, it was an easy matter to send the rest of the people in their families to hell.
This was a very arrogant, arrogant, and impudent action. However, the Emperor favored and trusted Fan Xian. No one could change this reality. Wei Dongxing's expression gradually darkened. His fingers also began to tremble. He felt that Sir Fan junior was too unreasonable. Did he dare to act against his own family because of his own matters?
Everyone knew that Fan Xian dared. Although Sir Fan junior had the title of an immortal poet, he had always walked the dark and ghostly path and was used to being unreasonable.
In the end, Wei Dongxing slowly raised his wine cup and drained it in one gulp. He didn't know the taste of the wine.
Fan Xian nodded and raised his wine cup again. He said one last thing, "Everyone, eat and drink well."
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He didn't know if the remaining officials, particularly the Minister of Revenue who had been openly threatened and disdained by Fan Xian, were in the mood to eat and drink well. In any case, Fan Xian was in a good mood. He left the Sun manor early and didn't go home with Lin Wan'er. Instead, he sat in the black carriage and headed toward the north of the city.
"To the Imperial College," he ordered Mu Feng'er. "Hu the Scholar is not on duty today. He is giving a lecture in the Imperial College."
Mu Feng'er made a sound of acknowledgement and didn't think about why he was in such a rush to see Hu the Scholar.
Fan Xian rubbed the slightly tightened space between his brows in the carriage. His actions in the Sun manor were not appropriate, but he had to put on such an attitude. Such an attitude would immediately spread throughout Jingdou, so he had to be at the very front to deal with the follow-up matters.
He was going to enter the Palace at night. Before entering the Palace, he had to see Hu the Scholar. If he could convince this leading Scholar, then he would have more confidence in challenging the Emperor.
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