In a quiet little courtyard, a quiet person, and a quiet chest, there was a similar amount of pain. Minister Fan carried a glimmer of pity and warmth as he looked at his son, who had his head lowered and was speechless. After a moment of silence, he quietly asked, "Let's not talk about Chen Pingping. I only want to ask you. From the moment you decided to personally step into Ten Family Village, presumably you already knew about the matter from many years ago. Regarding that matter, how are you going to deal with it?"
Fan Xian did not reply. Instead, he asked, "When did you think of it?"
"Probably after the Jingdou rebellion," Fan Jian's expression was calm. Fan Jian's expression was calm as he said in a gentle voice, "Even if I wanted to, I didn't want to think about it in that direction. In the end, the Emperor is the Emperor, and I am his official. "
"I started thinking in that direction a long time ago," Fan Xian said bitterly. "At that time, I had already guessed my past, but I didn't have a shred of good feelings toward the Emperor. So, when I thought in that direction, I could accept it emotionally. But … "
He let out a slow breath and said in a slightly raspy voice, "Later, the Emperor treated me better and better. I was less and less willing to think in that direction, even though I knew long ago that other than him, no one in this world could banish Ye Qingmei from this world."
"But, I didn't want to think in that direction." Fan Xian's brows were furrowed tightly. "For the first time, I felt confused. In the past, I had once told you that I would not allow anyone to control me. My will was strong enough and would never be disturbed by external things. However, on this matter, I was truly beginning to feel confused. "
He raised his head and glanced at his father helplessly. "If you were in my position, what would you do?"
Concerning this question, Fan Xian had actually thought about it clearly on the banks of the Liujing River in Jingdou by the side of the grave. However, Fan Jian should have the power and right to speak on this matter. Thus, Fan Xian had come to Ten Family Village, to Qing Kingdom's Fish Intestine, and quietly listened to his father's instructions.
Fan Jian was silent for a long time. He then looked at him and asked, "You have to ask your heart how you really think of the Emperor."
"That depends on how he thinks of me." Fan Xian followed these words very quickly. Presumably, he had asked himself countless times over the countless nights.
"What does he think of you?" Fan Jian warmly smiled and said, "You don't have to worry about my attitude. After all, he and I grew up together. Although I feel disappointed and resentful towards him, to be honest, I can't bring myself to hate him too much."
Fan Xian smiled helplessly and then sank into deep thought. Concerning this matter, he had thought about it many, many times. Before the Jingdou rebellion, the Emperor probably felt 30% guilty toward Fan Xian, 30% valued him, and 40% used him. After so many people had died in the Palace, the Emperor's personality had clearly changed a great deal.
Starting from the spring when he entered the capital in the fourth year of the Qing calendar, Fan Xian had to admit that perhaps the Emperor was a harsh and merciless person. However, when it came to how he treated him, there was indeed an anomaly. Even if he had been used in the past, it was an acceptable use. If the Emperor still had a sliver of true affection for the people of this world, then that sliver would fall on Fan Xian's head.
The Emperor treated Fan Xian better than the Crown Prince and the Second Prince, much less that pitiful woman who had given up her youth and reputation for the Emperor.
Quietly listening to Fan Xian's words, Fan Jian gently stroked the beard on his chin and sighed. "It is easy to change mountains and rivers, but it is difficult to change a person's nature. Even though the Emperor's personality has become much warmer, in the end, he is still a ruler who thinks of the world as his own. Speaking of which, how you treat the Emperor depends on how the Emperor treats you. However, how the Emperor treats you depends on how you treat him. "
He looked at his young son and said with slight worry, "The Emperor treats you differently because ever since you entered the capital, you have always displayed unwavering loyalty. This is also something I admire about you. You are young, yet you know how to guess what you have guessed and cover up all the conflicts in your heart. You even hid it from the Emperor's eyes. However, once the Emperor becomes interested, you are not a simple official. Once he truly begins to doubt your loyalty, there will be a fundamental change in his attitude toward you."
"The Emperor is heartless," Fan Jian reminded him. "Particularly when the power in your hands is so great that it can even faintly threaten the stability of the Qing Kingdom's dragon throne. If he discovers that there is something strange in your heart, he will certainly mobilize the absolute power in his hands to kill you."
Fan Xian was silent. He knew what his father said was right. The biggest problem he had committed in his planning these few years was that he had never made up his mind. Regardless of whether it was to avenge Ye Qingmei or to wipe away the events of the past and obediently and timidly be a powerful official by the dragon throne, he had to make a decision ahead of time. His mind was so uncertain and indecisive right now. It was truly too embarrassing.
"This is a difficult problem for anyone to solve," Fan Xian said with a bitter smile. He smiled bitterly and thought to himself that in his previous life, such a dramatic conflict and inner struggle could probably only be found in Shakespeare's plays. Who would have thought that the drama of a father killing his mother and the son being caught in the middle would actually fall on him?
Fan Xian looked at him calmly with a strange gaze. A moment later, he said, "Actually, after Chen Pingping confirmed that matter and I guessed it, he and I also considered your problem. However, we truly did not think that it was a problem that was difficult to resolve."
Fan Xian didn't quite understand these words.
Fan Xian looked at him. His gaze grew gentler and gentler. He sighed and said, "An Zhi, you truly are an extraordinary person. I had thought that you had never seen your birth mother and had grown up under the Emperor's protection. The Emperor had treated you very well. Logically speaking, you shouldn't have any deep feelings for Xiao Yezi. Given the affection the Emperor had for you, even if you knew about the tragedy of the past, you probably wouldn't be able to summon up the thought of revenge against the Emperor for your birth mother. "
Fan Xian couldn't resist shaking his head and said, "Sometimes, I really don't understand you."
Fan Xian had never seen Ye Qingmei in his life. He hadn't grown up healthily under her care. The Emperor had treated him well.
"The hatred of killing my mother is absolutely irreconcilable?" Fan Xian said quietly self-mockingly. "Of course, you know that I could not have made a decision because of this reason."
It was because Ye Qingmei's aura in this world made Fan Xian feel so familiar, so close, and so amiable. Perhaps it had nothing to do with the feelings of a mother and son. It was just that two connected souls had suddenly gotten closer and closer in this spacious and bustling other world.
For Fan Xian, Ye Qingmei was someone who had gone before. Someone who had come and then left … another version of himself.
"Not fair."
Fan Xian looked at his father. For some reason, his heart ached. In an indescribable tone, he quietly said, "If we just let it go like this, it would be too unfair to her."
Minister Fan was silent for a long time. He then said, "It is indeed unfair."
…
…
Perhaps it was because of the word "unfair" that the old cripple in the Overwatch Council had endured silently for 20 years and planned for 20 years. Carefully and miraculously, he had followed the general trend of the world and the court. He had spent countless efforts to drive all of the Emperor's people, one by one, to the opposite side of the Emperor.
It was said that if there were dogs in the world, Pingping would chase them. In the end, the old cripple had finally succeeded. Everything that had happened in the seventh year of the Qing calendar had been a point he had calculated and waited for a long time. Under the circumstances at the time, the Qing Emperor faced the greatest danger of his life. The wind had risen on Dong Mountain and gathered clouds.
However, the Emperor had still returned alive from Dong Mountain. The justice Chen Pingping wanted became a flower in the mirror and a shadow in the water. He would not be able to find a second chance.
"I have to make arrangements for Chen Pingping first." Fan Xian had already shaken off his earlier emotions. Looking at his father, he quietly said, "Of the old comrades from back then, some have died, some have rebelled, and some are still struggling. The Director is different from you. He has always been dissatisfied. That is why he has endured in Jingdou these two years."
"Now that you have taken the position of Director, it looks like the Emperor still wants to give us old fellows a way out," Fan Xian said with a warm smile. Fan Jian smiled warmly. "As long as nothing unforeseen happens, His Majesty will probably let that old dog leave the capital. Don't worry."
A faint worry rose in Fan Xian's heart. He didn't know where this worry came from. He just felt that things wouldn't go so smoothly. In his original plan, after Chen Pingping and his father were far away from Jingdou, he would deal with the Emperor alone in Jingdou and use the Dongyi matter to delay the Emperor's steps for two years. He would listen to his words and observe his actions. It could be considered a safe move.
Seeing the worry between Fan Xian's brows, Minister Fan furrowed his brows and asked, "Is there any new movement in Jingdou?"
"It is still the same as in the past year. The Imperial Censorate checks and balances the Overwatch Council, and He Zongwei is doing very well." Fan Xian shook his head. "Recently, other than Sun Jingxiu's side, nothing major has happened in the capital."
Minister Fan's expression froze slightly. He asked about the matter of the Jingdou government a while ago. After thinking silently for a long time, he suddenly opened his mouth and said, "This matter is strange."
Fan Xian was slightly surprised and looked at his father. He didn't know where to start. The internal strife in the officialdom in Jingdou was clearly on a completely different level compared to the major matter the father and son had discussed earlier. Yet, his father took it so seriously.
"From the Imperial Censorate to the Hall of Governmental Affairs and then you taking over the Overwatch Council," Fan Xian said in a cold voice. Fan Jian said in a cold voice, "This is something we have discussed before. The Emperor has arranged for the Qing Kingdom behind him. At the moment, Dongyi is still negotiating. The matter of the Northern expedition has not even begun to be prepared. The Emperor's arrangement this time is clearly too rushed."
"He wants to help He Zongwei into power to check and balance you, causing these things …" Fan Xian shook his head and sighed. "Too rushed, too rushed."
Fan Xian understood his father's words and also sank into deep thought. It was indeed so. During these two years, the Emperor seemed to have been too anxious to make future arrangements for the Qing court. His speed had been a bit too rushed.
A gust of mountain wind blew in through the open glass window, bringing with it a chill. The light in the study flickered for a while, illuminating the father and son's expressions.
After a moment of oppressive silence, Fan Xian lowered his voice and said, "Is there something wrong with the Emperor's body?"
Fan Xian thought for a long time and then shook his head. "You have more people in the Palace than I do, even more than Chen Pingping. If you haven't received any news, then it cannot be confirmed."
"But, if the Emperor truly has a problem with his body, he would certainly hide it," Fan Xian said with a heavy expression.
"If he is sick, he has to go to the Imperial Academy of Medicine for treatment," Fan Xian looked at him and said. "As long as there is a record in the Imperial Academy of Medicine, presumably you have the ability to see it."
"No." Fan Xian shook his head. "These two years, I have been paying close attention to this area, but there has been no news in the Palace."
"If there is something wrong with the Emperor's body and he has not summoned the imperial doctors to treat it, then there is only one reason." Fan Xian sat up straight and slowly said, "The problem with the Emperor's body is something he knows very well. It is impossible for the imperial doctors to cure it."
Fan Xian's heart jumped and he unconsciously said, "Is there still a problem with the Tyrannical zhenqi that has reached the realm of the Way of the Emperor?"
Fan Xian smiled and shook his head. "Logically speaking, at the realm of a Great Grandmaster, normal poisons should not be able to enter the heart meridians. What problem could there be? Never mind, this is just a wild guess from you and me without any reason. You can't take this matter seriously. "
Fan Xian also smiled and said, "That is true. However, I am very interested in how the Emperor crossed that barrier and practiced the Way of the King scroll. It is a pity that the Emperor always said that I would not be able to use that method, so I have never had a clue."
"Where are you going next?" Fan Xian suddenly asked.
"To Dongyi." Fan Xian was startled. He didn't know why his father would suddenly ask this.
"Concerning the matter of the Nameless Martial Secret, I can't give any opinion. Since you are going to Dongyi, there should be someone you can ask about whether or not the Emperor has a problem with his cultivation. " Fan Xian looked at him calmly and said, "Sigu Jian is about to die. Before he dies, if you can make some progress, you will be able to protect yourself in the future."
Fan Xian laughed bitterly. It was difficult to improve one step further. Although Sigu Jian had already taught him everything he knew in Dongyi, what could he do? However, he knew his father was right. Concerning the secret of the Nameless Martial Secret and how the Emperor was able to break through the final restrictions of the Tyrannical scroll on the human body, Sigu Jian was, without question, his last teacher.
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