Zhan Doudou climbed up from the couch. Si Lili helped him put on a gray-black cloak. Walking to the door of the Palace, he looked at the snowflakes drifting down outside. The highest ruler of Northern Qi sank into deep thought.
Northern Qi inherited the Wei Kingdom and liked black, green, and other solemn colors. This thousand-year-old Palace built against the mountain was like this. The clothing he wore today was basically these two colors. His bare feet were wrapped in warm velvet shoes. He didn't know if they were warm.
Snowflakes drifted past his slightly narrowed eyes and landed on the quiet ground. This Palace was deep in the Royal Palace and not far from the empress dowager's palace. It was also not far from the little pavilion behind the mountain. It was very quiet. Without the Emperor's permission, no random person was allowed to come close. There were very few eunuchs and serving girls serving to the left and right of this Palace. They were all old servants that the empress dowager had brought up, so there was no need to worry about Northern Qi's greatest secret being leaked.
Even in such a safe situation, the Northern Qi Emperor still held her hands behind her back and stared calmly into the snow. There was not a glimmer of weakness. Perhaps for her, dressing as a man had long been something that she did not need to put her heart into or hide. Rather, she had long seen herself as a man, an Emperor. This kind of aura had long seeped into her flesh and blood and could not be separated.
"After Chen Pingping's death, there are only three people left in this world who have the right to place their pieces." A complicated expression reappeared on her face. The weather was slightly cold, and her cheeks were slightly red. However, there was no flirtatious feeling. On the contrary, there was a sense of killing. "I had not thought that Chen Pingping would play such a game in the end …"
The Northern Qi Emperor's brows furrowed. She let out a breath of cold air and said, "Only now do I understand why the Imperial Advisor cared so much about Chen Pingping's life before he died. He had long seen that if he wanted to force Fan Xian and his cheap father to turn against each other, only Chen Pingping would make the final choice. "
"I don't understand why Chen Pingping would do this. What kind of hatred could make him do this?" She laughed coldly. "Presumably, it has something to do with that woman from back then."
Si Lili slowly walked to her side and glanced at her worriedly. She handed over the small heater in her hand and quietly asked, "Does Fan Xian's list of three people also include him?"
She was the granddaughter of the previous King of the Qing Kingdom. Presently, she was the only favored Imperial Consort Li in the Northern Qi Royal Palace. Her relationship with the Northern Qi Emperor was closer than many people had guessed. They were partners, companions who had grown up together, and people they confided in. Earlier, the Qi Emperor had said that after Chen Pingping's death, there were only three people who had the right to place their pieces. and Ping.
"Fan … Fan …" The Northern Qi Emperor gently stroked the slightly hot stove and sighed. "He has a good mother and is hard on himself to have the power he has today. Don't underestimate his power. There are good things hidden in Dongyi."
"I" He "… I" The Qi gently, the Qi, the Li, the Fan, the Emperor, "He," the Qi, the Qi, "The Fan, the, the, the Fan," Dynasty, Fan, Li, and Long, I, the, the, a, Fan, the Yun, he, a, a, Fan, a, Fan, Yi, the Fan, The Northern Qi Emperor faintly said. "Just this alone proves that the power in Fan Xian's hands makes even the Qing Emperor afraid."
"It's so cold. Don't stand at the door to the Palace." Si Lili carefully looked at the Emperor's expression. From the corner of her eyes, she imperceptibly brushed across his abdomen wrapped in a large cloak.
The Emperor was an intelligent and sensitive person. He immediately sensed her gaze. A glimmer of disgust immediately rose to his face. His cheeks tightened slightly. It was as if he was tightly gritting his teeth and suppressing his anger.
Seeing the Emperor's expression, Si Lili snorted and couldn't resist laughing out loud. "I wonder what Sir Fan junior would think if he knew of Your Majesty's current situation."
"That bastard is ruthless and powerful, but in his bones, he is a rotten scholar." The Northern Qi Emperor was merciless as he harshly criticized the man in the South. With a cold smile, he said, "How naive, childish, and muddle-headed the things he has done these few months! The situation has already developed to this point, yet he still hopes to resolve the problem within the Qing Kingdom. He still wants fewer people to die so that this matter can come to an end. In the end, he has underestimated the Qing Emperor. Even if his old Emperor is not a Great Grandmaster, how can his little tricks shake his position? "
"He wants fewer people to die so that he can change the dynasty? This is truly preposterous to the extreme. " The Northern Qi Emperor's eyes narrowed slightly. He did not listen to Si Lili's words. Leaving the Palace door where the wind and snow had just begun to rise, he coldly said, "If I don't help him this time, Dongyi and the Yanjing Camp will face off. Regardless of who wins or loses, I want to see how he will continue to pretend to be a wealthy and idle person in Jingdou."
"Does Your Majesty truly only want to help him defend Dongyi?" Si Lili's eyes shifted slightly as she asked quietly.
The Northern Qi Emperor's body froze slightly. It was as if he had not expected Si Lili to see through his other plans at a glance. After a moment of silence, he said, "I am the Master of Northern Qi. How can I harm my Qi army because of a man? Helping him is actually helping myself. If the Qing Kingdom does not fall into chaos, the pressure on the Qi Kingdom will be too great. Besides, the Qing Emperor has always had thoughts of invading the North. Now that General Shang Shanhu is guarding the South, he will first test the waters and then control the center. With preparations, it will always be easier in the future. "
"I'm just a bit worried about Shang Shanhu," Si Lili replied with lowered brows. These words were not something a concubine in the back palace could say. However, as Noble Consort Li, many times, she was more or less like the Northern Qi Emperor's strategist.
"The foreign enemy is powerful. Even if Shang Shanhu holds a grudge against me for working together with Fan Xian to kill Xiao En …" The Northern Qi Emperor furrowed his brows slightly. "As long as the Qing Kingdom does not give up on invading the North, General Shang Shanhu will not forget the world because of a personal grudge. I am like this, and so is General Shang Shanhu."
"However, Sir Fan junior is already in a difficult situation in the South. Once the people of the Qing court see that General Shang Shanhu has sent out troops this time and the connection to Dongyi …" A glimmer of worry flashed between Si Lili's brows. She involuntarily began to worry for Fan Xian. Of the three women in Shangjing who had connections to Fan Xian, Haitang Duoduo was far away on the grasslands. The Emperor in the Palace was scheming and cold and emotionless. He probably didn't care much about Fan Xian's life or death. However, Si Lili couldn't help but worry about the man who was sometimes warm and sometimes cold.
"I have never worried that the southerners would see the true purpose of the South trip this time. This cannot be hidden for long. At least, those who know the true state of the Qing court and Dongyi will certainly be able to guess," the Northern Qi Emperor said coldly. "Yanjing's Wang Zhikun will certainly be the first to guess. What is there to be afraid of guessing? Even if it gets out, there is no need to be afraid. Colluding with the Qi Kingdom is a crime that even Fan Xian cannot bear. "
Hearing this, Si Lili couldn't help but sigh faintly. "So, Your Majesty has never given up on forcing him to come to Shangjing. However, if it really reaches that step, will he be able to come back alive?"
The wind and snow chilled people and made their faces flush red. The Northern Qi Emperor looked at the wind and snow calmly and slowly said, "If he is alive but refuses to come, for me and for you, what difference is there from him being dead?"
"Duoduo shouldn't know of this matter." Si Lili raised her head and looked at her.
"Aunt disciple is on the grasslands, and the people in Xiliang Road have all died. It is not convenient to contact her." The Northern Qi Emperor lowered his head and looked at the tips of his feet. He was silent for a long time. His right hand suddenly rose and trembled slightly. It was as if he wanted to touch his abdomen. However, he didn't do this action for a long time.
His fingertips curled up slightly. Finally, a glimmer of a feminine expression appeared.
"Your Majesty, the military report has arrived. The officials are waiting in the Closed Pavilion." Outside the Palace, an old eunuch urgently reported in a raspy voice. The South was currently at war with the Qing people. The military situation was tense. No one dared to make a mistake. For the first time, the Northern Qi people discovered that their army had finally bravely launched the first attack. Their mood was much different than before.
Hearing these words, the Northern Qi Emperor abruptly raised his head. The glimmer of gentleness in his eyes had long turned into a cold calm. Si Lili quickly tied a gold and jade belt around the waist of her large, black robe. She walked toward the outside of the Palace. Her footsteps were steady, and she displayed the bearing of an Emperor. Leaving the depths of the Palace, Sir Lang Tiao and Friar He were already waiting quietly outside.
… …
In the 10th year of the Qing calendar, Dongyi submitted to the Qing Kingdom in name. The situation of the world was about to undergo an irreversible change. However, a rain in Jingdou at the beginning of autumn pulled the situation back. Regardless of whether or not Fan Xian, who was in the middle of the whirlpool, had such deep and far-sighted plans, at least the present Dongyi was, in reality, under his and the Great Prince's control.
It had to be said that it was only at this moment that Sigu Jian's final order truly displayed its greatest effect. Of the 13 disciples of the Sword Hut, other than Yun Zhilan, who had become the Master of Dongyi, the other 12, as well as the aces of the grandson generation, had all gathered under Fan Xian's command. Additionally, there were the 10,000 elite soldiers led by the Qing Kingdom's Great Prince and the 4,000 Black Knights Chen Pingping had left for Fan Xian. As long as Fan Xian and the Great Prince worked together smoothly, Dongyi would once again become an independent power.
Regardless of how one looked at it, the trust and cooperation between Fan Xian and the Great Prince would not be broken so easily. This had already been well demonstrated during the Jingdou rebellion three years ago.
After Sigu Jian's death, Dongyi maintained its independence. Presumably, this Great Grandmaster's spirit would also be pleased after his death.
Other than Dongyi's own power, the key to achieving the present situation was the Northern Qi military's sudden autumn attack in the 10th year of the Qing calendar. This attack had caused the Northern Qi court to lose a great deal of power and rations. In the end, Shang Shanhu's miraculous hands had only coincidentally obtained a provincial city in the corner. It looked like the Northern Qi people had lost more than they gained.
Immediately after, Northern Qi moved out and made it appear as if they were heading South in full force, forcing the Qing Kingdom to prepare with all its might. A great battle seemed to be about to erupt next spring.
This gave Dongyi and Fan Xian at least half a year of buffer time.
Regardless of how the Northern Qi Emperor, disguised as a man, hid her inner thoughts in front of Si Lili and only put the interests of the Northern Qi court and people at the forefront, she could not convince herself otherwise. Everything she had done was largely because of that man in the Qing Kingdom. He had competed with her for a number of years, cooperated with her for a number of years, and fought for a number of years. In the end, he had become her first and only man.
When the news of the battle in the north reached Jingdou, it was already the beginning of winter. This year, Jingdou's weather was unusual. The autumn rain was even heavier. It was as if all the moisture in the sky had been pushed down. After winter, there were no clouds in the sky. It was bleak and cold, but there was no snow.
Without the Overwatch Council, Baoyue Brothel's intelligence reports were, after all, marginal information. Fan Xian did not know the true inside story of the battle in the North. However, this did not stop him from analyzing it and coming to a conclusion close to the truth. Different from what Zhan Doudou had expected, the eruption of the battle did not make Fan Xian angry. In the end, he was not a true saint. He was just a normal person. He knew that the female Emperor in the North was helping him, so it was difficult for him to be angry. He was just a bit gloomy.
The reason for the gloominess between his brows was complicated. Perhaps it was because he had discovered that he had no way of influencing the thoughts of the Northern Qi royal family. Even if he had their greatest weakness, she was, in the end, an Emperor. She would have her own thoughts. Another reason was the attitude of the Palace after this matter.
Northern Qi invading, then retreating, not withdrawing, and preparing for war. These four consecutive attacks were all to help Dongyi take some of the pressure off. Any major figure with sharp eyes could see this. Thus, some people also understood Fan Xian's role in all of this. Although not many people understood this and it did not affect the discussions among the Qing people, the silence in the Royal Palace still caught Fan Xian by surprise.
The major figures in the Qing Kingdom were shocked by Fan Xian's influence and that he was able to have Northern Qi send out troops to help, such as Duke Liu, who rarely came to the manor a few days ago. That night, Lady Liu's father, Duke Liu, who had been silent in court for many years but still had some power, spoke sincerely and earnestly with Fan Xian for an entire night.
He was Lady Liu's biological father and could be considered Fan Xian's ancestor. Fan Xian had always been respectful to Duke Lane in the capital. Although this Duke rarely left the manor, at critical moments, he always stood on Fan Xian's side. Although Fan Xian was silent in the face of his lecture, he did not refute it.
As a soldier of the Qing Kingdom, Duke Liu was shocked and fearful of the faint connection between the battle in the North and the Fan manor. However, the matter could not be made clear, so the old man only came to the manor to warn Fan Xian and remind him.
Even someone like Duke Liu, who did not care about worldly affairs, was beginning to fear the role Fan Xian might play. Why was the Palace still so calm? Fan Xian did not believe that the Emperor would be shocked by the strange changes in the North. He also did not believe that even if his powerful Northern Qi aid was exposed in front of the Emperor, the Emperor would feel some fear.
The Emperor needed a battle. How could he be afraid of Northern Qi's invasion? However, this kind of quietness and silence was indeed unusual.
The cold air gradually condensed. Jingdou's first snow finally floated down. The beginning of winter coincided with the winter solstice. Dumplings began to be cooked in large pots in various private residences in Jingdou. The business of slaughtering sheep in various shops was extremely good. The delicious taste of mutton soup seemed to rise from every corner of the streets.
Prince Heqing's manor, which had been silent for a long time, opened its main doors wide. Honored guests had arrived, but it was still unable to be lively. The people who came were always the same. The imperial soldiers responsible for guarding outside Prince Heqing's manor watched the activity in various places with vigilant gazes. The purpose of these imperial soldiers was, to a greater extent, to guard this manor.
The matter of the Great Prince defying the Emperor's will and not returning to the capital had not been made public. Only a few officials in court knew that a prince leading an army outside had disobeyed an edict. This matter was extremely disgraceful. However, for the face of the court and the Li royal family, the court temporarily maintained its silence while the Yanjing camp was unable to enter Dongyi. No one was willing to relax their guard on Prince Heqing's manor.
Fan Xian held Shuning's small hand and walked into Prince Heqing's manor with a face full of smiles. He walked side by side with wangfei toward the pavilion in the middle of the lake. Once Lin Wan 'er entered the manor, she was pulled away by Ye Ling' er. No one knew what this pair of close friends were going to talk about.
"Sir Fan junior truly always has astonishing actions." Prince Heqing's face was without might. She was only tranquil. Presently, she was like a hostage and did not leave the manor for many years. Today was the rare winter solstice, yet, she had invited these young people in the most delicate situations in Jingdou.
Fan Xian, his wife, Ye Ling 'er, Princess Rou Jia, Prince Heqing's wangfei, and Secondary fei Wang Tong' er. This was already most of the people in the Qing royal family. Other than the Third Prince deep in the Palace, the younger generation of the Li royal family had all gathered in the manor. Unfortunately, these young people's situations were not good.
"The Great Princess must be joking," Fan Xian replied evenly. "If we are talking about the matter outside Cangzhou, I think you should know better than me that the young Emperor in the North is not someone I can move."
Wangfei looked at him with a complicated expression and faintly said, "It is precisely because I know my brother's personality that I don't understand how you were able to persuade him to send troops to help you."
"I think there is no need to bring this matter up," Fan Xian replied with a smile. Fan Xian smiled and replied, "At least it is a good thing for the Great Prince far away in Dongyi. However, wangfei, you are alone in Jingdou. If there is anything inconvenient, please tell me."
Wangfei smiled slightly and bowed solemnly. Although the present situation was unpredictable, she knew that she had once made a mistake. She could not make such a mistake again. Her husband and the young man in front of her were already tied together in Dongyi.
"The Yanjing Camp is pointing its sword at Dongyi. I wonder how Wang Tong 'er feels in the manor?" Fan Xian saw that Shuning by his side could not walk anymore. He picked her up and asked wangfei. The little girl did not understand what the elders were talking about. She opened her large eyes curiously and looked back and forth between Fan Xian's and wangfei's faces.
"Although Tong 'er's personality is a bit arrogant, she is, in reality, a naive and unaffected child. She just finds it a bit boring. Sometimes, when I ask her to go to the Ye manor, she is overjoyed. She had thought of going to the Fan manor to have a look. As you know, it is not convenient."
"I understand." Fan Xian smiled slightly and looked at wangfei. "At the beginning, I had thought that with wangfei in the manor, the young lady of the Wang family would not have any problems."
"This is all because of you. Oh, right, Ma Suosuo still does not have a status. She is getting older …" A glimmer of sadness flashed through wangfei's brows. The Great Prince was far away in Dongyi, far away, fighting against the court as an equal. Her life as a hostage in Jingdou was wretched. Yet, there was still a child-like secondary fei in the manor, as well as a naturally outspoken Hu girl who did not understand the ways of the world. It made it difficult for her.
Fan Xian sighed and said, "How can I care about these things now? Although it was I, the official of Taichang Temple, who made this up, you and I both know that in the end, it was only the Emperor's will."
Having said this, it was pointless to say more. Coincidentally, the two of them had already crossed the wooden bridge over the lake and reached the center of the pavilion. The sides of the pavilion were all glass windows that let in the light but not the wind. There were a few heaters, and the air was like spring, making one feel comfortable. Fan Xian narrowed his eyes slightly and looked at the four girls talking together in the corner of the pavilion. He couldn't help but sigh in his heart.
One winter solstice, Fan Xian was summoned into the Palace as the princess's son-in-law. Under the empress dowager's icy gaze, he ate a meal of mutton soup without much interest. It seemed that it was still that year when the Great Prince opened the manor to entertain guests. It was in this pavilion that, other than the Crown Prince, all of the young people of the Li royal family had come. The Second Prince had also come.
Now, the empress dowager was dead, the Second Prince was dead, the Crown Prince was dead, and those who should have died and those who should not have died were all dead. There was only Fan Xian locked in Jingdou, the Great Prince separated from Dongyi, the Third Prince isolated in the Palace, and these five girls.
All of his descendants were secretly standing on the opposite side of him. Did he really think that he had it easy? Fan Xian couldn't help but think of the Emperor in the Palace. He stood in a daze at the entrance to the pavilion and was silent for a moment.
The hotpot was sent in. Everyone ate the meal in silence, probably thinking of something in their hearts. Fan Xian sat by Rou Jia's side. Like a warm and amiable older brother, he asked about her well-being and helped her boil the mutton in her bowl. Of the girls in the pavilion, Rou Jia was probably the weakest and most pitiful. Although there were rumors in the Palace that Prince Jing would return to his manor in a few days, thinking of a girl who had endured alone in Prince Jing's manor for months, Fan Xian couldn't help but feel pity for her.
Without the servants in the pavilion, everyone spoke more casually. Even Wang Tong 'er, who was cautious and unfamiliar with interest in her eyes, did not feel left out. Fan Xian rose to go to the corner of the pavilion to pick up some charcoal. From the corner of his eye, he saw Ye Ling 'er follow him.
"I know you care for Wang Tong 'er," Fan Xian said quietly as he stood and gazed at her. What would Wang Chan 'er's future end be? Would she become a young widow like Ye Ling' er? No one knew.
Ye Ling 'er sighed. She was long no longer the charming girl who rode through the streets of Jingdou. "Teacher, are you just going to keep messing around with the Emperor like this?"
Fan Xian was silent for a moment. He then said, "You're killing me with your questions. However, I'm afraid the Emperor doesn't even have me in his eyes. In a few days, perhaps there will be news from the west. Help me ask around and see if there are any movements in the Bureau of Military Affairs."
"Father will not let me interfere in matters of politics. I'm not Sun Pin 'er." Ye Ling 'er glared at him. Shortly after, her expression darkened slightly. "I don't know what you're doing. I just want to give you a piece of advice."
…
…
PS: Let's just say a few words. I'm still sick, dizzy, and uncomfortable. However, after finding out that I was third in last year's Monthly Votes Ranking, I naturally became happy. I have to thank everyone, because this is the monthly votes that everyone cast. Thank you so much. Also, I must thank Third Young Master Tang. A long, long time ago, Third Young Master Tang reminded me about the annual rankings. That's why I've been working hard to get votes since July, and thanks to everyone's love and help, I've managed to get into the top three … er, top three, right? If I'm wrong, then I've really dropped a lot.
I heard that third place is the Australian and Singapore duo. I want to ask the editor about this and see if I can get a discount.
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