The wind came from the North, but the people in the wind were heading north. The carriage circled around Xiao Mountain and quietly brushed past the empty space between Yanjing and Cangzhou. Just as it was about to reach the North Sea, it began to snow again at the end of February.
This place was cold and different from the surrounding wilderness. The carriage was covered in a thin layer of snow. It was like black bread covered in crumbs as it slowly moved along the road in the wilderness.
Wang Qinian, who was driving the carriage, wore a raincoat that barely blocked the snow. However, his eyelashes and the beard above his lips were still frozen by the snow. He looked wretched. However, his eyes, which usually appeared muddy and lifeless, appeared clear and sharp in the wind and snow. They slowly swept past the two sides of the road, not letting go of any suspicious movements.
Wang Qinian was already very old, but such a heavy snowstorm still did not make him show any signs of fatigue. This old man was as thin as a monkey, but his muscles were like a kind of bone. He was full of strength and spirit. Such a long and difficult journey did not make him feel the slightest bit uncomfortable. It was only thanks to this powerful figure of one of the two wings of the Overwatch Council that he was able to continuously disguise himself along the way, make connections, and forge documents to break through the Qing court's countless inspection lines and successfully bring the carriage to a place not far from the border.
Back then, he had been a great bandit who moved freely in the north of the land. Using him to make a living was very suitable. After the carriage passed through a col and crossed a small bridge over a snowy stream, Wang Qinian finally let out a breath. He knew that the carriage had already crossed the border and entered Northern Qi territory. There was no longer anything that could endanger the life of the man in the carriage. Immediately after, a bitter smile rose to the corners of Wang Qinian's lips. He really didn't know what day it was and how the situation had developed to this state. They were all Qing people, yet they had to step into enemy territory to feel truly safe.
Feeling the carriage beneath him shake, Fan Xian slowly woke up in the carriage. His years of professional life allowed him to clearly sense that the road the carriage rolled over was different from the road he had been fleeing on these days. Although there was no zhenqi in his body, the subtle feeling of his 36,000 pores and skin had not disappeared.
He adjusted the thick sheepskin draped over his body and coughed lightly twice. He lifted a corner of the window and looked out of the carriage. He saw that the carriage was traveling on a somewhat familiar wooden bridge. Across the bridge was a similar scenery, but the aura was definitely not the same. It was winter. No matter how familiar the scenery was, it would still be different. However, Fan Xian was still able to accurately tell from the direction of the stream and the small hills on either side that the carriage was passing through Wuduhe.
Back then, he had traveled to Northern Qi as a young immortal poet. Along the way, Xiao En had come to this place. It was also here that he had seen the begonia for the first time. How could he forget?
Fan Xian's face was very pale, without a trace of blood. Even his thin lips appeared dim. The injuries in his body still showed no signs of improving. The meridians that had been shattered by the Emperor's finger were still riddled with holes. Without zhenqi to protect his body, the days of running and tiredness, as well as the harsh cold outside the carriage, had finally made him fall ill again.
The thick sheepskin wrapped around his body. Only his head was exposed. There was a small heater in the carriage, but it seemed to have no heat at all. Fan Xian narrowed his eyes and gazed in a daze at the Northern Qi land on the other side of the bridge. He gently exhaled a breath of hot air and sank into deep thought.
In his direct confrontation with the Emperor, Fan Xian had already unleashed the peak of his strength he could reach in his life. However, he had still been destroyed by one finger. The meridians in his body had been shattered too badly. The natural zhenqi of Tianyi Dao contained in his minor circulation had been forced to scatter among his internal organs and was unable to condense. The only thing that seemed to be of some use was the mysterious little book Ku He had left him. However, the yuanqi between heaven and earth was too thin. If it continued to repair like this, it would take many years.
After Wuduhe, not far away was the Northern Sea. The meridians in his body were all shattered. Fan Xian naturally thought of the begonia. Back then, the meridians in his body had all been shattered. He had completely relied on Haitang's careful care and treatment in Jiangnan. This time, his injuries were even more serious. He didn't know if Haitang had escaped from Jingdou or not.
Fan Xian was not too worried about the Shadow's safety because he understood what was most similar to him. As long as they plunged into the sea of people, no matter what identity they used, they would be able to live well and safely. Furthermore, they would live well. However, Haitang and Thirteenth Wang were different. Although the two of them were the top young warriors in the world, in the end, they had not specially studied these survival skills.
Fan Xian did not know much news from Jingdou. When he was hiding in the fake mountain in the Yan manor, old Sir Yan Ruohai would give him daily updates on the current situation in Jingdou. He knew that the Emperor had already woken up. After leaving the capital, he and Wang Qinian only moved forward in silence. They took the initiative to cut off all contact with the old subordinates of the Overwatch Council and the various powers under Fan Xian's control.
It was for safety. It was also part of the agreement Fan Xian and the Emperor had reached. Fan Xian knew that as long as he did not die, the Emperor would not act against those people. It would not be appropriate for him to take the initiative to contact them.
The chilly wind poured in from outside the window. Fan Xian's narrowed eyes narrowed even more. He had not thought that the weather at the end of February would still be so cold. He couldn't help but worry about the trip to the Temple in a few days. Given his weak body, how could he stand against the bone-chilling cold?
Fan Xian pulled all of his hands and feet into the thick sheepskin. Tiredly and haggard, he leaned against the window and allowed the snowflakes to hit his face. Calmly, he looked at the winter woods on the other side of the bridge. He thought of the flower girl holding a flower basket standing quietly like this in the woods that year. If she was by his side at this moment, perhaps the trip to the Temple would be much easier.
"Heaven follows one's wishes." These four words seemed to describe Fan Xian's current situation. Fan Xian looked at the figure that had suddenly appeared in the winter woods and the flowers that appeared in the expanse of white. He couldn't help but wonder if his eyes were playing tricks on him.
"Time to take your medicine." The carriage passed the wooden bridge and came to a steady stop. Wang Qinian rubbed his hands together and crawled into the carriage. He scooped a bowl of medicinal soup that had been kept warm on the stove and brought it in front of Fan Xian. Earlier, he had heard Fan Xian cough and felt worried.
Fan Xian extended his hand out from the sheepskin and pointed with a smile at the winter woods in the distance outside the window. "The medicine is there."
…
…
What surprised Fan Xian was that Thirteenth Wang was also waiting for him at Wuduhe with Haitang. In contrast to when he tried to assassinate the Emperor in front of Taiji Palace, Thirteenth Wang's silent and determined figure flashed out from behind Haitang and calmly watched the approaching carriage.
The curtain of the carriage lifted and snowflakes flew in. Fan Xian looked at these two sworn friends and forced the corners of his lips to twitch. It was as if he wanted to smile but couldn't. In the end, he only sighed and said, "I didn't think you would run faster than me."
"We left the capital later than you did." Haitang patted the ice off her thick jacket and sat by Fan Xian's side. Perhaps she was thinking of their encounter in Jingdou last month. The smile of reunion on the girl's face gradually faded. Calmly, she said, "I heard that later, because you escaped Jingdou first, the Qing court's search weakened. Only then did we have a chance."
Fan Xian nodded. He coughed and then said, "As long as you're alive, it's good. There's no need for words of thanks between us. The Jingdou incident originally had something to do with your two strange teachers. If there is to be thanks, in the end, you should be thanking me."
Haitang sighed and looked at his pale face in a daze. Shaking her head with a smile, she said, "I had thought that after this battle, you would mature a bit. I didn't expect you to still like to joke."
"Mature? The first 20 years of my life have long matured. With great difficulty, I've regained some of my youth. How could I abandon it? " Fan Xian replied with a smile and turned to Thirteenth Wang. After a moment of silence, he asked, "How are your injuries?"
From the moment Thirteenth Wang entered Fan Xian's sight, Fan Xian had acutely sensed that there was something wrong with Thirteenth Wang's body. The right arm that the Emperor had killed seemed to be unable to recover.
For a swordsman who was sincere and devoted to the sword to have his hand half-crippled was, without question, a fatal blow. However, Thirteenth Wang's expression did not change at all. In a quiet voice, he replied, "Your old man's zhenqi is too tyrannical. The meridians and muscles in my right arm have all been twisted to mush. There is no way to heal it."
"I tried on the road, but the effect was only so-so." Haitang Duoduo glanced at Thirteenth Wang worriedly. Along the way, the two Great Grandmaster's favorite disciples had broken through together and were already familiar with each other.
Fan Xian coughed and calmly said, "Let me take a look." After saying this, two of his fingers were already on Thirteenth Wang's pulse. Immediately after, one of his hands moved up like a dragon's claw. He carefully squeezed Thirteenth Wang's weak right arm. The expression on his face grew heavier and heavier.
Thirteenth Wang was silent for a moment and then said, "I've been injured many times in my life. It's not a big deal."
Fan Xian shook his head and said, "Buy some top-quality gold needles in Shangjing. Let me try …" Following this, he turned around and used his fist to cover his mouth. After coughing forcefully, he panted and said, "At this point, what is there to hide between us? Teach him the method of Tianyi Dao. "
Haitang was silent for a moment and then nodded her head. The zhenqi of Tianyi Dao had a strange effect on repairing meridians. Although it was a secret of Qing Mountain that was not passed on, Haitang had secretly taught it to Fan Xian. Using it to save Thirteenth Wang's swordsmanship was doable.
Thirteenth Wang abruptly raised his head. He heard some good information from Fan Xian's words. Even though he was a brave man who cared little for external things, he couldn't help but furrow his brows. "Can this injury be cured?"
"Not necessarily, but we still have to try." Fan Xian closed his eyes tiredly. "At least eating shouldn't be a problem. However, if you want to return to your original realm, I'm afraid it won't be possible. I advise you to start training your left hand again right now. Your left hand is good. Back in the day, there was someone called Jing Wuming who was famous for his left hand. Of course, he hid his right hand even deeper. If you can train both hands, that would be impressive."
There was a moment of silence in the carriage. Thirteenth Wang suddenly smiled calmly and said, "Then, I'll train my left hand first. Later, when I have time, I'll train my right hand."
Haitang Duoduo looked calmly at Fan Xian, who had his eyes closed and face pale. Countless strange emotions rose in her heart. These years, she and Fan Xian had not seen much and parted often. However, the two of them never needed many words to know each other's intentions. At this moment, Haitang Duoduo suddenly realized that she could not see through Fan Xian.
During the battle in the Royal Palace in Jingdou, Haitang Duoduo had clearly and shockingly discovered that Fan Xian had already faintly surpassed the upper ninth-level realm that people knew of. He firmly suppressed her and Thirteenth Wang. Just by looking at how he could exchange a few blows with the Qing Emperor and injure him, one could see how terrifying Fan Xian's present strength had reached.
"Have you already understood something?" Haitang asked a question that had no head or tail.
Fan Xian immediately understood. He opened his eyes and shook his head. Smiling slightly, he said, "If I truly understood, I wouldn't have lost so badly in the Royal Palace."
With these words, the three young people in the carriage sank into silence at the same time. Their thoughts seemed to return to that snowstorm in the Royal Palace. These three were the most powerful and promising young aces in the world, as well as the best assassin in the world. When faced with that bright yellow figure, they still appeared minuscule.
Thinking of the Qing Emperor's expression that day, although the people in the carriage had successfully injured him, they still felt a glimmer of difficulty in resisting.
"There is no true god in the world. The Emperor's injuries are worse than yours and mine." Fan Xian's light words broke the suffocating atmosphere in the carriage. "If I wasn't crippled, Thirteenth Wang wasn't crippled, and you hadn't spat up three buckets of blood, the best choice right now would be to charge back into Jingdou."
Haitang smiled slightly. She thought that only Fan Xian could think of such a daring plan. Her thoughts moved slightly. Calmly, she looked at his pale face and asked, "How are your injuries?"
"Worse than Thirteenth Wang. There's basically no chance of recovery," Fan Xian calmly described his injuries. Fan Xian calmly described his injuries and said, "However, I don't care about these things. Since I can't beat the Emperor by fighting, it's like a child who can't beat someone in a fight. It's better to go find a bigger relative. This is the eternal and unchanging method."
For now, Haitang didn't understand the meaning of Fan Xian's words. The tiredness in her clear eyes faded slightly. Calmly, she asked, "The lightning in the square in front of the Palace … Do you know what it was?"
"It was the chest." The corners of Fan Xian's lips twitched slightly. "It was my chest. Ku He and Sigu Jian have probably mentioned it to you. However, don't look at me like that. I also don't know who has the chest right now. Furthermore, don't think of the chest as too terrifying. If it really was a divine weapon, the Emperor would not only be heavily injured, he would have died a long time ago. "
Haitang was silent for a long time. She then asked, "There's something I don't understand. Since you and the Qing Emperor mutually restrict each other and neither wants the Qing Kingdom to have internal strife, why didn't you choose to escape Jingdou and live in seclusion? Instead, you chose to take action?"
Fan Xian was silent for a long time. The calmness in his eyes grew stronger and stronger. Evenly, he said, "First, I wanted to prove to the Emperor that I had the right to negotiate with him on equal footing. First, I had to have the courage to sit in front of him and talk to him. Second, although leaving Jingdou and living in seclusion was a way, the Emperor would not want me to leave his control. Most importantly, I am not satisfied. "
He closed his eyes and faintly said, "I could choose to be like Ye Liuyun and Sir Fei and go out to sea, no longer caring about the affairs of the world. I don't care how many people die in the endless flames of war on this land. But, I am not satisfied. If no one can stop him, then in history, he will certainly be correct."
This was the principle of the victor being king and the loser being in the wrong. If no one could stop the Qing Emperor, then there would be no trace of Ye Qingmei's aura left in history. Chen Pingping would also be destined to become a criminal, unpardonable, and ultimately be killed by a thousand cuts, a eunuch.
Fan Xian was not satisfied with that wisp of soul from his homeland. The result of his efforts on this land was to become a vast expanse of white. Thus, he had to carry out the bravest attempt.
"I have to try at least once." Fan Xian's eyes narrowed slightly. "Although I lost, at least I have no regrets. When I die in the future, I can always tell myself that I was brave for once in my life."
The medicinal soup on the stove sizzled slightly. A wisp of medicinal fragrance enveloped the carriage. Haitang looked at Fan Xian in a daze and quietly asked, "What are you going to do next?"
In the present situation, Fan Xian had launched a thunderous attack but still failed on the verge of success. The Qing Emperor was heavily injured and lying in the Palace, but in the end, he was not dead. The Qing Kingdom's powerful national strength still existed. No one could face this lion head on. For Fan Xian, if he wanted the Emperor to maintain his sincerity in fulfilling his promise, he could not do anything to anger the Qing court. The path laid out in front of Fan Xian seemed to be hiding in a small mountain village and living out the rest of his life.
"I want to go to the Temple. Are you interested?" Fan Xian sent out a sincere invitation.
Thirteenth Wang's eyes lit up. Haitang Duoduo smiled after a slight surprise and said, "Sir Wang has probably had a hard journey. I'll go drive the carriage."
"You know the way?" Fan Xian smiled and couldn't resist coughing a few more times.
Haitang didn't even turn her head. Smiling, she replied, "Back in Jiangnan, you mentioned it a little. It should be in the north."
…
…
From Wuduhe to the official road, the broad-leaved forest by the side of the road gradually became as thin as needles. Accompanied by the beautiful icicles on the trees by the side of the road, the snow-covered road led all the way to Shangjing, the capital of the Northern Qi Kingdom.
Shangjing's old and worn city walls were also covered in snow. Although the Jiangnan area of the Qing Kingdom was presumably in the warm days of spring buds sprouting, grass growing, and insects chirping, it had snowed continuously in Northern Qi this year. The temperature had been unable to rise. It was still predominantly white.
The bright yellow imperial umbrella was like a strange flower in the snow, blooming on top of the old city walls of Shangjing. Light snow fell on the top of the umbrella without making a sound. The Northern Qi Emperor and his favorite Imperial Concubine Li wore luxurious fur coats and stood under an umbrella in front of countless eunuchs, serving girls, and officials of the Northern Qi court. They quietly watched the road in front of Shangjing.
They didn't have to wait for long before a normal-looking carriage slowly drove over from the southwest intersection. The city gates of Shangjing opened wide. A group of caravans came out to receive them.
The Northern Qi Emperor narrowed his eyes slightly and placed his hands behind his back. His slightly pale face carried an unhealthy flush. He looked at the carriage and couldn't help but gently sigh. This sigh was very suppressed. Other than Si Lili beside him, no one else could hear it.
Si Lili was holding a tightly wrapped baby. She lowered her head and adjusted the warm towel on the baby's head. Suddenly hearing the quiet sigh beside her, the expression in her eyes was faint. She raised her head and quietly said, "It's such cold weather. Why don't we have the nannies take Hongdoufan down first?"
Between the 11th and 12th years of the Qing calendar, the Northern Qi court had maintained a rare kind of suppression and endurance toward the unpredictable situation in the South. They had only helped Fan Xian stabilize the situation in Dongyi through Shang Shanhu's mobilization of the army. The Northern Qi court did not take advantage of the Qing Emperor and Fan Xian's falling out to seek even greater benefits. The most important reason was that the Northern Qi Emperor had been seriously ill since last autumn. Even Sir Mu Peng, who had been released by the Qing Kingdom and returned to Shangjing, could not immediately cure him. The Emperor lingered on his sickbed for many months. He rarely even saw his officials, much less had to exert himself to manage state affairs.
State affairs were basically handled by the empress dowager. The Northern Qi Emperor's illness lasted for many months. Fortunately, the matter of the royal bloodline, which worried the Northern Qi people the most, finally came out this year. Imperial Concubine Li, who was greatly favored by the Emperor, was pregnant and had successfully given birth to a princess.
Perhaps because of this good news, the Northern Qi Emperor's illness gradually improved. There was no one in the Northern Qi court and people who was not overjoyed. Although Imperial Concubine Li did not give birth to a Crown Prince, the Emperor was still young. As long as there was a beginning, he could continue to give birth.
This Northern Qi princess had not yet been given a proper name. The Northern Qi Emperor and Imperial Concubine Li had privately given this pink and jade-like child a pet name, Hongdoufan. Although this pet name was truly unpleasant to the ears and greatly damaged the dignity of the royal family, it drew a great deal of discussion from the eunuchs and serving girls in the Palace. In the end, it was still called this.
Hearing Si Lili's words, the Northern Qi Emperor furrowed his brows in annoyance. Turning his head to glance at the daughter in her arms, he said with slight anger, "These little ones are truly troublesome."
Si Lili's expression did not change, but she was smiling happily in her heart. She thought to herself that Hongdoufan in her arms had truly caused great trouble for the Emperor. Fortunately, everything had passed smoothly. Suddenly, she looked resentfully at her abdomen. Her figure appeared bloated. She had played the role of a pregnant woman. However, in the end, there was no seed in her stomach.
She knew very well why the Emperor had braved the cold to carry the Princess to the city walls to see this carriage. After the carriage entered Northern Qi territory, it had made contact with the Northern Qi court. The Northern Qi Emperor and she both knew where the carriage would go next. Furthermore, no one thought they would be able to return. The Emperor probably only wanted the man from the South to be able to see this child with his own eyes before he left.
…
…
On the road not far from the city walls of Shangjing, it was a different scene. The lonely carriage met with the group of merchants coming out of Shangjing. Fan Xian, wrapped in thick fur clothing, walked out of the carriage for a rare moment. He stared in a daze at the young man in front of him. A myriad of emotions rose in his heart. For a moment, the rims of his eyes became slightly wet, but he couldn't say anything.
From the spring of the fourth year of the Qing calendar to now, eight years had passed in a flash. The Fan Sizhe in front of him had changed from the pockmarked and irritating child of the past to the mature and steady young man with the air of a great merchant. At this moment, Fan Xian suddenly had the illusion that he was already old. He walked forward and tightly hugged his brother. He didn't say too much.
The two of them had not spent much time together, but Fan Xian had never stopped reminding and teaching him. Their letters had also never stopped. He knew how hard it was for his brother to fight alone in Northern Qi. As the saying goes, jade cannot be made into anything without being cut. He had to bear it and endure it.
"Brother." Fan Sizhe looked at his brother, whom he had not seen in a long time, and thought of the things that had happened in Jingdou in the South. He then thought of how his brother was about to step onto a path of no return. Involuntarily, sorrow rose from his heart. Crying out loud, he said, "Father and mother are both in Danzhou. Grandmother's health is not good. If you go like this, what will we do?"
"That damned child!" Fan Xian's heart warmed slightly, but he coughed and scolded with a smile. "You speak as if I am going to die. Father will take care of things in Danzhou. If you have time, you can go back and take a look. Show filial piety on my behalf …" Speaking to this point, he sighed and didn't say anything more. Fan Sizhe actually knew that given the present situation, it was impossible for his brother to return to Danzhou. The Emperor would not allow him to live.
"Have you prepared the things I've asked you to prepare these years?" Fan Xian didn't want his brother to sink into such sorrowful emotions when they met. He forcefully changed the topic and said seriously, "This trip will be dangerous. I don't know what I will face. The things I asked you to prepare are for me to protect my life. You can't be an unscrupulous merchant."
This joke was not funny, so Fan Sizhe couldn't laugh. He made a humming sound of agreement. Those things were all in the merchant group. The group would follow Fan Xian all the way out of the Northern gate, so there was no need to take them out.
The two brothers left the group of carriages and talked carefully for a while. It was about Danzhou, Jingdou, their parents, grandmother, Ruoruo, sister-in-law, and nephew.
Just as they were about to part, the two brothers returned to the side of the carriages. Fan Sizhe thought of something and furrowed his brows slightly. He personally carried out a heavy urn from a carriage and brought it to Fan Xian. Confused, he asked, "This was sent by the Great Prince from Dongyi. He said it was something you repeatedly told me not to forget. What exactly is it? It's so heavy … I didn't dare to open it to see. "
Fan Xian's expression suddenly became serious. Shortly after, he smiled slightly. He knew that given his physical strength, he probably wouldn't be able to carry such a heavy urn. Waving his hand toward the carriage, he said to Thirteenth Wang, who had come down, "Come, since your right arm has some strength, quickly carry your teacher. Your teacher is too heavy. I can't carry him."
With these words, everyone near the carriages froze. As for Fan Sizhe, who was carrying the urn, his expression couldn't help but change. How could he have thought that he was carrying Sigu Jian's ashes? This was the remains of a Great Grandmaster.
Thirteenth Wang's expression also changed. He carefully accepted the urn like it was a treasure. Without another word, he returned to the carriage. Fan Xian looked at this scene and couldn't help but grumble bitterly in his heart. He wondered if he was going to spend every day with a dead person on this journey.
"Why?" Thirteenth Wang suddenly poked his face out from the carriage and asked with furrowed brows.
"Your teacher told me that if I was going to the Temple, I had to carry him with me." Fan Xian shrugged his shoulders helplessly.
…
…
Watching the slowly departing group of carriages and Fan Sizhe kneeling in the snow to send off his brother, Si Lili, on the top of the palace walls, suddenly had a disappointment and sorrow that was difficult to hide in her eyes. She turned her head to look at the Northern Qi Emperor and faintly said, "Why doesn't he want to enter the capital?"
The Northern Qi Emperor's expression was calm. With his hands behind his back, he said after a moment of silence, "Since he has a bet with the Qing Emperor, he has to be willing to lose. If he is not willing to be used by me, how could he enter the city? He had the second brother of the Fan family prepare for a long time for this trip to the Temple. Presumably, he has a plan. You don't have to worry too much. "
"But, why didn't Duoduo come and say a few words to us?"
"Her present identity is Fan Xian's friend. This must be made clear to the entire world." After the Emperor said this, a complicated expression flashed through his eyes. He prepared to turn and leave the top of the city walls. Suddenly, his eyes lit up with a faint satisfaction.
On the departing carriages below the city walls, Fan Xian was waving his hand toward them with a smile on his face. The Northern Qi Emperor smiled slightly and was about to wave his hand in response when he suddenly realized that something was wrong. He forcefully put down his arm and sighed in his heart.
Fan Xian put down his hand and sat back in the carriage. He looked at Thirteenth Wang, who was holding Sigu Jian's ashes without letting go for a moment, and Haitang, who was leaning against the window and looking at the scenery of her old country. In his heart, he said to himself, "Women, brothers, goodbye."
Usually, goodbye meant that they would never meet again. However, Fan Xian did not think so. Everyone in the world who knew of his plan all thought he was a madman and thought it was impossible for him to come out of the Temple alive. However, he did not believe this. If Ye Qingmei could do it, so could he.
…
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