Joy of Life Chapter 107 165

Chapter 107: Moonlight in the Mountains
Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio
Teng Zijing glanced at Wang Qinian, who always stood quietly behind
Fan Xian. He felt that the air with which he carried himself was not the
same as the bodyguards in the manor, he said in a low voice. Fan Xian
looked him in the eye and explained quietly. “This is Wang Qinian. I now
hold a position within the Overwatch Council – don’t tell anyone.” Teng
Zijing was taken aback. He looked at Fan Xian again with a changed
expression. After all, he never could have imagined that the young
master he had decided to follow would, after only a few months in the
capital, get himself mixed up with that den of vipers.
Fan Xian called over Wang Qinian and introduced him. “This is the
second time we have met. I mentioned Teng Zijing to you before. You
should get to know each other. He saved my life.” Hearing this, patches
of red appeared on Teng Zijing’s dark face, and he waved his hand
dismissively. “Young Master, you speak too kindly. You were the one to
actually save my life that day.”
Wang Qinian cupped his hands in salute and smiled, saying nothing.
Much like Teng Zijing, he was very satisfied with the situation. Not only
had he successfully returned to the Overwatch Council, but even more
crucially, his salary had risen considerably. He had been granted a
personal audience with the Director. He had never received this sort of
treatment in all the years since he had taken up his position. Although
Master Fan was an eighth-level Functionary of Taichang Temple, he
carried the token of a commissioner – apart from the team he was in
command of, only Mu Tie and the jailer knew of this; no one else was
aware. Having this secret authority in his hands made him feel
comfortable.
They ate game meat for dinner. Teng Zijing had said that there was little
good food around the estate, but as the grease swirled in the boiling pot,
the meat, accompanied by some tender green vegetables for soup, was
utterly delicious. Even Fan Sizhe’s appetite was satisfied, and he wolfed
it down as if no one was watching. Fan Xian looked at him with
amusement as he popped a chunk of meat into his mouth. The meat
was extraordinarily tender, but there was a clear layer between the skin
and the tendons that was extremely chewy. Full of praise, he couldn’t
help but ask, “is this muntjac deer or what?”
Teng Zijing’s wife called over from one side. Hearing Fan Xian’s
question, she quickly responded: “It’s moose meat.”
Hearing this, Fan Xian was surprised. He placed his chopsticks in front
of him, seemingly having forgotten about them, and within a moment, he
recalled a memory from many years ago, before he even arrived in
Danzhou. He was lying on his sick bed, thinking constantly about how he
had wanted to eat moose, and the good-looking nurse had poked fun at
his odd desires – in his old life, Fan Shen had never eaten moose, he
only knew that it was a game meat that country people loved to eat. The
memory had seemingly returned afresh. Fan Xian had not thought about
his old life for a long while. But unexpectedly, today’s moose meat had
dredged up long-hidden feelings.
Fan Ruoruo ate small bites as she sat by his side. When she saw the
strange look on her brother’s face, she was worried. “What is it?” she
asked.
Fan Xian immediately snapped out of it. He smiled. “It’s nothing.” He

turned to ask Teng Zijing whether they made dried meat from the game
they caught in the mountains. After Teng Zijing confirmed it, he happily
asked if he could help him get hold of a few pounds of the stuff to bring
back to the capital. Teng Zijing never thought that the food prepared that
day would be so in line with the young master’s tastes. He was also very
happy.
Fan Xian took up his wine goblet and drank a round along with the
others at the table. He smiled. “Master Teng, your wound is still yet to
heal fully; you shouldn’t drink too much.” Sitting to his side, Fan Ruoruo
looked at her brother and smiled. It seemed like she was ashamed of
him. Fan Xian knew that his sister was trying to guess at what he was
thinking. Apart from wanting to eat it himself, he was bringing dried meat
back to the capital mainly because he wanted to give some to the
ravenous Wan’er. Having eaten his dinner, Fan Sizhe – rather oddly –
retired to his room to continue looking at the accounts. Fan Xian truly did
not know what was so enjoyable about accounting, and how this little
tyrant, at 12 or 13 years of age, had suddenly wrested control of temper
and developed an infatuation with dry and boring numbers. “To each his
own,” he sighed, and let him go.
Refusing Teng Zijing’s request to accompany him on his crutches, he led

Fan Ruoruo out of the courtyard and into a furrow of the fields, looking at
the round moon which seemed to float unmoving above a gap in the
distant hills. Above their heads, the trees rustled, though he did not know
what sort of trees they were. It was a beautiful scene.
“I dream of past lives and doubt whether it is a dream; some work

themselves to the bone while some grow rich.” Fan Xian was thinking
about the memory of his past life that had arisen. Finding himself sighing
with regret, he unthinkingly recited two sentences. “Man’s time is finite,
and he is but a passing guest through one hundred generations. Heaven
and earth and all things are as a guest-house, and life is but a long
dream. Sometimes I wonder whether I am still lying in that bed,
dreaming a dream from which I cannot awaken.”
He sighed, knowing that his sister probably could not understand what
he was talking about. However, he had forgotten the transcendent
sentiments hidden within the poet Li Bai’s words, and the power that
they could have on a young woman. Sure enough, Fan Ruoruo’s eyes
sparkled.
Fan Xian immediately realized he had made a mistake. He looked

distressed, and prepared to explain that what he had said was all the
work of the official Li Bai, but he suddenly remembered how Sizhe had
mocked him in broad daylight. He sighed quietly and did away with what
other people might have seen as an affectation, but what he saw as a
natural movement. He also knew that his little sister would not believe
what he was saying. After all, the Overwatch Council had arrested a
number of poets like Xin Qiji, but there was no salt-peddler among them
who could write verse, so he might as well hug Ruoruo tight and look at
the moon with her.
Although Fan Xian had lived in this world for over a decade and a half,
he still retained a unique disposition. This disposition was not in harmony
with this world, but it was of great benefit to him in matters between men
and women and bodily contact. As he hugged his little sister, of course,
he had not a trace of the thoughts that pass between men and women;
his was simply a feeling of pure fraternal love. But as Fan Ruoruo was
held in his embrace, she felt a warmth and a slight bashfulness, and she
naturally forgot what she was going to ask him about.
In the distance, two members of the Overwatch Council stood as straight

as rock drills underneath a tree as they kept their charges safe.
“We must be up early tomorrow, I have matters to take care of in the

capital.” Fan Xian sniffed his little sister’s hair and discovered the faint
scent of orchids. “What did you use?” he asked curiously.
Fan Ruoruo was embarrassed. She didn’t know whether to respond to

her brother. “I washed it with pear blossoms. Does it bother you?”
Girls rarely washed their hair in this world, which didn’t leave a pleasant
smell – and that had been the case when he had slept together with Si
Lili underneath that quilt, when it had been covered up by strong
perfume. Since Fan Xian had come to the capital, he had brazenly
demanded that Fan Ruoruo and Lin Wan’er wash their hair frequently,
and had presented them with the plans for a showerhead he had come
up with in Danzhou. Ruoruo and Wan’er were unable to say no to him,
and so they did so. They never thought the effect would be so distinct;
unexpectedly, it spread widely to other households outside Fan Manor
and the imperial palace. Now, even Lady Liu washed her hair frequently.
“Father should be very pleased,” he said, hinting at something, before

going on to respond to Ruoruo’s words. “It should be quiet in the capital
in the early morning. There’s somewhere I want to go and I want you to
come with me, without anybody else following us.”
Knowing that her brother trusted her, Fan Ruoruo was quite moved.
“Tomorrow we must visit Qingyu Hall,” continued Fan Xian. “Shopkeeper

Ye told me that it has been quiet in the capital as of late, so it is a good
time to take a look.” The shopkeeper at Qingyu Hall enjoyed a well-
deserved reputation. Fan Sizhe had prepared the business accounts,
and with Shopkeeper Ye’s special business maneuvering, business at
Danbo Bookstore had been getting stronger and stronger. Relying on the
family’s own capital, and official backing, it had put all of the nearby
bookstores out of business within two months, and was slowly beginning
to make inroads in the neighboring county.
Fan Ruoruo suddenly recalled a certain matter. “Is that tofu stand open?”
she asked. “The Crown Prince was very happy with the soy milk you
sent him every day. If he runs out one day, won’t he urge you to open
it?”
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Fan Xian smiled. “I will soon become someone who makes 100,000
pieces of silver a day, so why should I bother with tofu?” Of course, this
was a joke. “I will deal with it when I have time,” he continued. “Anyway,
you’ve nothing keeping you right now, you should take care of it
yourself.” As he saw it, there was no reason why the daughter of a great
house should not show her face in public, and it was no use bringing up
the idea of running a tofu stand, but he felt that for Ruoruo to simply read
books and write poetry every day might leave her with little else but book
smarts.
Fan Ruoruo felt a little awkward, but she agreed.
Fan Xian recalled an important matter, and frowned. His hands grasped
his little sister’s shoulders as he spoke sincerely. “Ruoruo, in my eyes
you are only a girl of fifteen and it is too early for you to marry. But the
common practice in the capital is not good. Even a young man like me
has been forced to take a wife. You must take care not to attract too
many wandering eyes, like He Zongwei’s, the guy who comes to the
manor every day. I can chase them off with a broom, but if you are
married off to someone not worthy of you, then what can we do?”
“Since you want to marry,” he said sincerely, “you must take care of
yourself, and marry someone good, someone who you like, and set to it
sooner rather than later, before you are betrothed. There is a lot of
danger in betrothals, and not everyone in this world has the good luck
that Wan’er and I have had. I have faith that you’ll be able to stand up to
whatever Father and your mother demand of you, but if… if it’s a decree
from the palace, then what? We have no choice but to protect our
family’s position.”
Listening to her brother’s words, Fan Ruoruo first felt bashful, and then
laughed at his decision to blow his own trumpet. But when he mentioned
the palace, she felt worried. It wasn’t that she was not aware that at her
age; a girl from the family of an official was likely to be married off… but
after spending every day with her brother, she felt that all the men of this
world would always be rather boring. How could she ever find a
sweetheart of her own?
Chapter 108: Paying Respect Across the River

It was still early the next morning, the sky was not yet lit and the hills
were still bathed in mist. The moon had already moved across to the
other side. The carriages of Fan manor rode towards the capital without
disturbing anyone in the country estate. In the backdoor of the yard,
Teng Zijing, who was on crutches, stood with his wife to see them off.
Beside them was the couple’s young daughter who was rubbing her
eyes as if still asleep.
He had arrived at the capital gates once again. However, this time was
different from the last, for Fan Xian’s carriage was now unmistakably
marked. The guards quickly let the carriages through after a brief
inspection. Looking at the Fan emblem on the carriages, the soldiers on
guard duty dared cause any unnecessary trouble. After all, Jiao Ziheng,
their former boss, lost his job due to the assassination attempt on Fan
Xian.
The carriages had arrived at Fan manor. Yawning, Fan Sizhe got out
and ordered the servants who came to greet him, saying, “There are
some salt-cured foods; unload them and put them away in the back—
and don’t you even think about sneaking a bite or two. Big Brother had it
prepared as a gift!” He then opened his eyes wide and roared, “If, when
my big sister from the Lin household comes over tomorrow to eat the
muntjac but finds it with only three legs, I’ll personally break one of yours
as payback!” The servants had long been used to this young master’s
temper and didn’t make a sound. They obediently began to unload the
goods.
The bodyguards also came over. Wang Qiannian walked to Fan Xian’s
carriage, waiting for him to get out. But the carriage was all quiet. To his
dismay, Wang Qiannian discovered that the carriage was empty; Fan
Xian and Fan Ruoruo were nowhere to be seen. He immediately ran to
Fan Sizhe and asked, “Little Master, may I ask where Sir Fan is?” Fan
Sizhe gave him a look and scolded him, “Look at you, all tense. My
brother and sister got off in the middle of the trip. They don’t want you to
always follow.”
At this point Wang Qiannian was half-scared to death. This Sir Fan was
the sole reason he could return to the Overwatch Council. When Director
Chen Pingping personally greeted him, he was ordered specifically to
ensure Sir Fan’s safety; he was supposed to never let Sir Fan leave his
sight. Wang Qiannian never expected Sir Fan to secretly ditch him.
Looking at his strained expression, Fan Sizhe said, “He said he’d be
back this afternoon; don’t be so worried.” Fan Sizhe didn’t know who
Wang Qiannian was; in the beginning, he thought this Wang Qiannian
was just someone skilled who got assigned to Fan Xian by their father.
Later, though, he sensed something wasn’t quite right, but was too lazy
to dig any deeper.
Wang Qiannian didn’t interact further with this second young master. He
signaled a servant with his eyes, got on a carriage, and headed out.
The cicadas called lazily in the sweltering summer heat. Fan Xian led
Ruoruo on a stroll on the bank of Liujing River (with Liujing meaning
“flowing crystal”). It was good that they got here early, and there were
plenty of shade around to make the heat somewhat tolerable. Fan Xian
had already unbuttoned his shirt down to his chest, showing a large
patch of skin. Ruoruo couldn’t do the same and had to rely on fanning
herself with her handkerchief. With a smile, Fan Xian took the
handkerchief and dipped it in the river before handing it back to her.
“Do you know why this river was called ‘Flowing Crystal’?”
“According to capital records, this name predates the current dynasty.

Supposedly, as the river flowed around the capital towards the Cang
Mountains in the west, the terrain caused the waters to flow extremely
fast. But in some areas, the water is tranquil like the surface of a mirror,
like crystals suspended in time. That is how this river got its name.”
Fan Xian nodded as he thought of this tranquil part of the river.

Occasionally flower boats floated past, reminding him of Si Lili, who was
behind bars; he didn’t know what would ultimately happen to that
woman. Walking a bit further, they could see a house hiding among the
trees on the other side of the river. The house had a simple yet very
elegant courtyard. A few bamboo branches poked past the walls towards
the sky. In this summer heat, they managed to express a sense of
coolness.
“So that’s Taiping Courtyard?” Fan Xian squinted. Fan Ruoruo answered
him, “Yes, I heard back in the day, the owner of Ye household lived
there. The courtyard later became Imperial property once the Ye
household was dissolved. I just never heard Ruojia mention a lady
having lived there before.”
Fan Xian thought about it for a bit and suddenly smiled. So that’s where
his mom once worked, fought, and lived. Seeing her brother’s smile
made Ruoruo happy too. She asked, “You seem happy, what’s on your
mind?” Fan Xian rubbed his slightly damp fingers and shook his head
without saying anything. It was already bold of him to bring his sister
here, even though Ye Household didn’t appear to be that much of a
taboo. But remembering his father and Wu Zhu’s seriousness made him
decide to be careful about it.
He had planned to go there to pay his respects. Now that he knew it was
Imperial property, he gave up on the idea. The fact he still didn’t know
where his mother’s grave was made him very uncomfortable.
Since coming to this world, he had never seen the woman who gave him
his body, but he still acknowledged her as his mother. Perhaps it was
due to him losing his parents early on in his previous life. No matter
when, be it his exile after being reincarnated, or his time in Danzhou, or
his days in the capital, everything seemed to point to the power,
authority, power, and determination that woman once held. Everything
seemed to remind him his mother was that woman, that woman named
Ye Qingmei.
Ye Qingmei, whose eyes saw through this world.
Fan Xian once even wondered if his mother was not dead, but hiding in
some desolate place, observing his life with a caring yet cold smile.
Count Sinan mercilessly terminated this delusion and told him his
mother’s grave was in a very secluded place in the capital. Once the
time was right, Fan Xian would naturally go pay his respects.
Letting out a sigh, Fan Xian knelt down and kowtowed towards the
courtyard across the river. Fan Ruoruo was stunned for a moment, not
knowing what her brother meant. But the smart Ruoruo quickly guessed
something and turned pale with fright. Nevertheless, she braced herself
and knelt down besides Fan Xian.
Because of the trees, there was bound to be people on the other side,
hidden from view. To them, seeing the two kneeling on the ground must
have been an amusing sight.
Fan Xian was a bit surprised and pulled her up. He asked gently, “Why
kneel with me?” Ruoruo forced a smile, “What should I call her?
‘Auntie’?” Fan Xian chuckled, “Ah, I knew you’d guess it. I didn’t plan on
hiding anything from you, but there are things I cannot say to anyone. It’s
extremely frustrating keeping them to myself.” Letting out another sigh,
he said, “No wonder I spent my early years in Danzhou.”
“I only know my mother was from that Ye household. Did you, by any
chance, hear father or Aunt Liu mention anything?” Fan Ruoruo tried to
remember, but shook her head. Fan Xian guessed it was probably due
to some inner working of the Royal Family who disliked any remnants of
the Ye household, resulting in his father always hiding the truth.
However… with the power of the Imperial court, if Count Sinan had a
relationship with the owner of the Ye household, how did he escape
attention? Unless the Overwatch Council hid everything. But regardless
of how much Chen Pingping respected Fan Xian’s mother, not even he
could keep everything a perfect secret.
As various questions formed in his head, Fan Xian became very

agitated. Being motherless aside, he started to question the “other
parts”.
The siblings dared not to get too close to that courtyard. Going through
the woods, they went back to an open road and began walking towards
the capital. They were planning on walking a bit further and hiring two
small carriages. But they quickly discovered a small path to their left.
There were some moss-covered rocks hidden among the grass, quite
cryptic. The path seemed to be rarely used.
Fan Xian, with his excellent eyesight, saw a small wooden bridge that
the end of this path which he believed to lead to Taiping Courtyard.
Sighing to himself on the inside, he forcefully removed his gaze and said
to Fan Ruoruo with a smile, “Your handkerchief has dried. Do you feel
hot?”
An air of coldness seemed to be always hanging between Fan Ruoruo’s

brows, but she did not feel it in front of Fan Xian. Sweat rolled down the
side of her temples before spreading out on her slightly flushed cheeks,
adding even more color to them. Fan Xian stared slightly. She told him in
a soft voice that she was okay and continued walking with her elder
brother.
A short while later, they came upon a teahouse. The entire structure was
made of bamboo, which let the breeze through while blocking out
sunlight, making it extremely cool on the inside. Fan Xian was overjoyed
by the sight of it. Taking his sister’s hand, they talked inside. He shouted,
“Two cups of tea.”
A dense silence answered back. There were only a few people in the
teahouse. A middle-aged man stood furthest back. He slowly made eye
contact with Fan Xian after hearing Fan Xian’s voice. That man had a
pair of deep-set eyes and a nose hooked like a raptor’s beak. While a
dark aura surrounded him, he seemed to be forcibly containing it. The
middle-aged man looked towards Fan Xian with malice like a hawk
locking its sight on a rabbit.
Fan Xian was greatly shocked as he recognized the man. That man was
none other than Sir Gongdian, the leader of the guards, the one with
whom he had traded a palm strike with, resulting in Fan Xian throwing up
blood. Wang Qiannian was kicked out of the Council because he was
trying to capture Fan Xian!
Chapter 109: An Encounter Between Unacquainted Enemies

Gong Dian was the deputy commander of the royal guards. Because of
his duty, he had to work in close proximity to His Majesty at all times. He
was also a disciple of Ye Zhong, the disciple of the Ye household which
was famed for being the number one martial household in Qing. While
being a rare eighth-ranked master, his combat ability far surpassed that
of Chen Jushu, whom Fan Xian had managed to kill. Fan Xian only
managed the feat because Chen Jushu had underestimated him. Had
both of them fought their best, Fan Xian would be most likely have been
vanquished.
Facing Gong Dian, Fan Xian could not come up with any ideas. Win or
lose aside, even if he were to win… would he dare to become the enemy
of the entire Imperial court? A drop of sweat rolled down Fan Xian’s
forehead as he shouted on the inside, “Wu Zhu screwed me over, Wu
Zhu screwed me over.” Had Wu Zhu been the one to knock out the
guards, Fan Xian wouldn’t have been able to enter the temple, and
therefore the events which followed could not have happened. But for
Fan Xian, his current danger also originated from that. Of course, he
wouldn’t really blame Wu Zhu, he was just releasing tension and trying
to calm down.
Gong Dian took a step forward with a smile on this face. His deep, rich
voice resonated, “Young one, ‘tis such a coincidence.”
Fan Xian pulled his still clueless sister behind him and answered with a
smile of his own. “I didn’t think I would encounter Your Highness once
again.” As he said this, his brain was working overdrive. Wan’er had told
him that the esteemed one he met at the temple was His Majesty the
emperor, and Gong Dian, as His Majesty’s guard, was equal to the
emperor’s left and right hands. Since Gong Dian had appeared in this
teahouse, the emperor should also be here.
As he thought about it, Fan Xian stared past Gong Dian’s thin but raised
shoulders. Over by the table sat the middle-aged esteemed one, who
was drinking tea. Deep down, Fan Xian was dumbfounded, but did not
show it on his face. Smiling apologetically, he said, “Your Highness, why
act as if you’ve been searching for this encounter far and wide, only to
find it effortlessly by chance? I did offend Your Highness the other day
outside the temple, but I ended up coughing up blood for several days,
which should have atoned for my crimes.”
Fan Xian deliberately used a novel phrase. But, unexpectedly, Gong

Dian did not react.
“Capture him.” Gong Dian did not want to alarm his master, so he issued
the order in a quiet voice. Three other guards came forward. Seeing
what he was up against, and realizing he was with a young lady, Fan
Xian knew escape would be impossible. With a frown, he rushed forward
and struck first!
Gong Dian, unexpectedly, was happy about this. With a wave of his
hand, he ordered the other guards to stand down. He then spread out
his hands like a hawk cornering a rabbit with its wings. With his burly and
powerful fingers, Gong Dian locked down onto Fan Xian’s maimen.
While Fan Xian didn’t have any extraordinary skill, he did have the
reflexes beaten into him by Wu Zhu. With a peculiar turn of his wrist, he
drew a line over Gong Dian’s maimen with the tip of his finger. With an
eerie aura, Fan Xian locked Gong Dian’s wrists in place.
At the same time, Gong Dian’s iron claws also locked tightly around Fan
Xian’s wrists.
The two were greatly shocked. They had locked together at the first
contact in both encounters. Quite a phenomenon indeed. Gong Dian
then said with extreme self-confidence, “Stand down and submit.” Fan
Xian had never intended to face the leader of the royal guards head-on,
but he did have other intentions. He answered with utmost resiliency,
“Perhaps.” With a muffled grunt, Fan Xian’s xueshan began to heat up
and then erupted. The waves of heat traveled through Fan Xian’s arms
to attack his opponent.
Gong Dian frowned as if detecting the young man’s overpowering

zhenqi. But with his master behind him, he naturally wouldn’t back down
even half a step. With a flash of his eyes, he let out a light shout. The
vigorous zhenqi he had been accumulating for several decades flowed
into his palms.
Their arms had already unlocked; now they touched palms.
There was a dull noise as powerful qi spread through the teahouse. The
esteemed one who was drinking tea gave a frown; he didn’t seem to
have close bodyguards. Fan Ruoruo, who was standing behind Fan
Xian, felt her legs give out and almost collapsed to the ground.
Many rays of white light burst forth. The other guards all drew their
blades and put them against Fan Xian’s neck. At that moment, Fan
Xian’s arms were sore and weak, completely powerless—not that he
was hoping to counterattack anyway. Gong Dian coughed twice and put
his hands behind his back. He looked at Fan Xian with a strange
expression and said in a light voice, “Young man, it’s been several
months. You’ve improved.”
A drop of blood flowed down the corner of Fan Xian’s lips, which
reminded Gong Dian of that person in the secluded room across from
the temple. Gong Dian could feel a chill in his heart; he did not know if
his actions today were appropriate.
This clash was obviously Fan Xian’s loss, but it didn’t look to have been
easy for Gong Dian. Other than the esteemed one, nobody else saw his
hands shaking uncontrollably behind his back. The strange and
overpowering zhenqi which Fan Xian had forced into Gong Dian’s body
had remained in his meridians and was slicing away like tiny knives. It
was only some moments later that Gong Dian regained stillness in his
hands.
“Capable in both civil and martial virtues, such youths seem to be all
over the place these days.” With a faint smile of admiration, the
esteemed one watched Fan Xian, whose expression remain unchanged
despite being surrounded by several blades. Gong Dian knew his master
valued such talents and was afraid the captive would be released, just
like last time. He walked over and quietly explained why Fan Xian
needed to be captured.
The brows of the esteemed one knotted together but quickly released.
His deep pupils seemed to gradually lighten. Looking at Fan Xian, the
esteemed one squinted, “So this is the young man from the other day.”
He then said quietly, “Gong Dian, you said the master you ran into could
hunt you down with ease. Did you tell this to anyone else?” Gong Dian
replied in embarrassment, “I only investigated in secret, but with no
results. As to not reporting it, please… I beg your pardon.”
The esteemed one said coldly, “Granted. But you must never speak of it
ever again, or you and your family will all be executed.” Gong Dian
accepted the pardon with a shudder in his heart. The two had conversed
so quietly that even Fan Xian, with his superhuman hearing, could only
pick out a few words; not enough to get a sense of what was going on.
“Leave us; I have a few things to say to this young man.” The esteemed
one coldly ordered.
Gong Dian was shaken. While his master had all the power in the world,
he was still powerless in combat. Gong Dian dared not let his master be
alone with the youth. As if guessing what his bodyguard was thinking,
the esteemed one reconsidered his order. “Gong Dian stays. The rest of
you leave.”
“Yes sir!” Although they didn’t understand, the other guards dared not
question their master’s orders and quickly left the teahouse. With his
neck liberated, Fan Xian comfortably adjusted his head a few times. At
this time Ruoruo came running over, holding onto his hand. Thinking
back on the clash, she was on the verge of tears.
…
“Officer Fan Xian, what do you have to say about your misconduct?”
“This civil servant knows not his crimes.”
Those two lines which Fan Xian had imagined were not spoken. The
esteemed one only sat by the table and looked at him with curiosity. The
esteemed one’s gaze seemed to be gentler than before, casually yet
carefully scanning Fan Xian’s face, making him slightly uncomfortable.
The esteemed one spoke in a soft voice, “Which family do you belong to,
young one?”
“Your Highness, we are from the Fan household. Yesterday we went to

our country estate to rest, and today we were simply enjoying the sights
and came here. I don’t know why your esteemed servant has to give us
a hard time.” Fan Xian had thought about it and decided “Your Highness”
was an appropriate title. Hearing Fan Xian’s answer, Gong Dian was
bewildered as he realized the person he was trying to capture was Fan
Xian, who had killed an eighth-ranked master. He then thought of Fan
Xian’s father, Count Sinan, who was one of his master’s most trusted
aides, who possessed authority that not even Gong Dian fully
understood. For that reason, Gong Dian thought he knew why his master
ordered him not to disclose the existence of that master. He also gave
an awkward gaze towards Fan Xian in apology.
The esteemed one smiled, “You are the son of Fan Jian?”
Hearing his father’s name being addressed directly allowed Fan Xian to
confirm the identity of the esteemed one. His answer became noticeably
more respectful, “Precisely.”
Fan Xian didn’t expect the esteemed one to be so easy to converse with.
He blanked out for a moment before coming back to his senses. He
apologized profusely.
The esteemed one then said, “You’ve been in the capital for some
months already. How have things been?”
While he didn’t know why the esteemed one was asking about his well-
being, Fan Xian would not let this chance slip by. Remembering the
mess of these past few months, he said in a somewhat complaining
tone, “Living in the capital has been difficult. It pales in comparison to
home.”
“You mean Danzhou.”
“Precisely.”
“You like living in Danzhou?”
“While secluded, Danzhou’s people are simple folk. As long as you don’t
harm others, nobody will harm you, unlike in the capital where things
tend to come to you regardless of whether or not you want them.”
The esteemed one wasn’t expecting the youth to be so direct. He was

just so slightly taken aback. He then said with a smile, “The capital is
prosperous without compare. Its hardships are naturally also peerless.
But under Sir Fan’s protection, as well as taking into consideration your
current achievements in civil and martial matters, I’d imagine you will
have a secure life later on.”
If it weren’t for the purpose of disguise, Fan Xian really wanted to kneel
down and thank the esteemed one for his Imperial compliments. As wild
as Fan Xian had been in the capital, His Majesty was said to have a
mouth of gold and words of jade… However, Fan Xian’s expression
remained unchanged. He answered softly, “I hope so.”
It was getting late, and the esteemed one had many matters to attend to.
Before he left, he squinted again at Fan Xian before giving him a
satisfied smile, “Let us meet again, if fate will allow it.” He then turned
towards Fan Ruoruo and said lightly, “Young girl, I once held you when
you were just a baby. To think you’ve grown up so much in the blink of
an eye… There is a fine marriage waiting for you in the future.”
Fan Ruoruo was slightly startled and didn’t know what to say. Upon
saying this, the esteemed one let out a hearty laugh, as if very glad,
before boarding a carriage and leaving the teahouse. After traveling
some distance, the esteemed one sighed lightly, “Him climbing the walls
every night reminds me ever so vaguely of myself back in the day.”
Back in the teahouse, Fan Ruoruo asked, “Who was that man? He
seemed to be familiar with father.”
Fan Xian finally relaxed and sat down on a stool. Breaking out in sweat,
he said, “That was His Majesty… Dammit, why do they all like coming
out incognito? Don’t they know how scary it is?” With this, Fan Ruoruo
covered her mouth in shock.
At that moment, a clap of thunder echoed through the blue, cloudless

sky, as if wanting to pierce through the bamboo of the teahouse and
blast a certain someone to death for speaking without a filter.
Chapter 110: Talking About the Future in Qingyu Hall

The siblings, unsettled, only asked for some water before setting off
again. They hadn’t traveled far when they saw Wang Qinian’s carriage
coming to pick them up. Seeing Fan Xian’s unusual expression, Wang
Qinian dared not speak unnecessarily.
“Why would His Majesty show up here?” Fan Ruoruo asked, wiping
away sweat with her handkerchief.
Fan Xian smiled uneasily. “This emperor of ours has always lived in
secret and ventures out dressed simply. I guessed this a long time ago.
How could a man spend year after year in a palace? He must come out
sometimes, and it wouldn’t be strange for him to come to Liujing River. I
did it find it amusing, though, that Sir Gong Dian did not call him ‘Master
Huang’.”
Fan Ruoruo chuckled. “How could everything be like your stories? If
what you said was true, you should have started a bookstore from the
beginning.”
Speaking of bookstores, Fan Xian thought of the tofu stand. He asked

with a frown, “Ruoruo, what are you going to do in the future?” Fan
Ruoruo’s expression turned more serious. In this day and age, once a
woman marries, she will dedicate herself to performing wifely duties.
Considering Ruoruo’s capabilities, she would most likely not want that.
But they couldn’t plan too much at the moment, so they had to put the
matter aside.
After entering the capital, the carriage galloped straight toward Twenty-
eight-Li Hill. Despite its name, it was not a large hill, but a famous place
to the south of the capital. According to legend, several centuries ago,
before the capital reached its current state of grandeur, this Twenty-
eight-Li Hill was the last hill one reached before entering the capital. It
was named after its exact distance from the last inn on the road to the
capital. Traveling this distance would fatigue the men and horses alike,
and to them, this small hill appeared to be taller than the great eastern
mountains.
Today, this hill had been encompassed within the city walls and was now
a street. But its name remained. Qingyu Hall was located there. The
carriage parked far away, and the Fan siblings stepped out, walking
along the streets. They saw neat rows of various shops, all constructed
with cheap timber imported from Lingnan. They were brushed over with
a thin coat of paint and their many spots showed. At a glance, they
appeared to look back with countless eyes.
Fan Xian was surprised, “Why use those?” He was familiar with this type
of timber in his previous life, where they were commonly used in small
eateries. Since they reflected natural wood, they gave off a feeling of
simplicity and refreshment.
Wang Qinian shook his head; he was no businessman. Fan Ruoruo

explained, “This is Qingyu Hall. Each one of these shops are run by a
disciple of a great shopkeeper. There are seventeen shopkeepers and
seventeen rooms.” Fan Xian counted over twenty of those rooms and
asked his sister about this, who answered, “With the passing time, some
of the shopkeepers got old, so they are beginning to retire. Others have
fallen ill.”
They walked towards the front and saw a very beautiful mansion with a
huge courtyard. Its roof hung over the walls, and by the look of it the
courtyard was probably divided into several sections. Fan Xian’s heart
stirred as he sensed something familiar. After a brief moment, he
remembered that this architecture was the same style as the Taiping
Courtyard he saw earlier.
Those shopkeeper’s living quarters were strange. The front gate was not
labeled “Qingyu Hall”. At the same time, a bodyguard had already sent
up a notice. Upon seeing the name on that notice, the gatekeeper knew
who the guest was, and very respectfully welcomed them in. Because
one shopkeeper was currently helping the Fan household with Danbo
Bookstore, there was no need for further formalities.
Just before they were about to enter, an official from the Imperial court
who was in charge of Qingyu Hall forced his way over and began to do
background checks. Wang Qinian stared at him with cold eyes and
dispatched a minor subordinate to deal with the official. Wang Qinian
then followed Fan Xian into Qingyu Hall.
The one in charge of Qingyu Hall was also from the Overwatch Council,
so he realized he just did something quite redundant.
They entered the hall and were seated and served tea.
Sitting at the main seat was a man in his forties. He had gentle eyes, as
if he had learned to become timid after years of pressure. Fan Xian
knew, however, that the man was the head shopkeeper of Qingyu Hall,
named “Big Ye”. Back in the day he was in charge of the most important
businesses in the Ye household, despite the boring and worthless image
he gave off presently. Fan Xian smiled and said, “I had always thought
the head shopkeeper would be advanced in age. Only after this meeting
do I see you are still so young.”
Ye the head shopkeeper was completely unaware of the reason for Fan
Xian’s visit. Even though several decades had passed, and the Ye
household was no longer a touchy subject, he had been placed under
house arrest in the capital for over a decade. So he was less vigorous,
his body had shriveled, and his character was not as passionate as it
had once been. The shopkeeper answered with an uneasy smile, “I am
but an old man. You sure like to joke around, Young Master Fan.”
Fan Xian chuckled. “Let’s get to the point. I came here today to offer my
gratitude. Thanks to the seventh shopkeeper, the bookstore has been
flourishing. Secondly, I wanted to see what Qingyu Hall is like.”
The head shopkeeper smiled, “Since you spent money to hire one of us,
it’s only natural that we earn more money for you in return. If we didn’t
know how to make a business lucrative, we’d have perished in the
capital long ago.” When he talked about earning money, the head
shopkeeper couldn’t hide his pride and former glory.
In his mind, Fan Xian praised the shopkeeper. That was how someone
taught by his mom should compose themselves. Fan Xian then saluted
the shopkeeper, “In truth, I came here today to trouble you specifically
regarding something unexpected.”
The head shopkeeper was greatly surprised. If it was only for business,
one of Fan Xian’s status would never visit in person. Could he be
planning something? Head Shopkeeper Ye was concerned for the lives
of his fellow shopkeepers and their families, so he refused with great
difficulty. “The Imperial court has given the order that we cannot leave
the capital. We really can’t offer much help.”
Fan Xian laughed, “I know that. I’m asking you to be someone’s teacher.
To my knowledge, in these years there are several members of the
treasury that were taught here. I work pretty well with your seventh
shopkeeper, so I wanted to recommend a student.”
“Who, if I may ask?”
Fan Xian smiled without saying a word. Understanding the gesture, the
head shopkeeper said, “You’ve traveled far. How about I let my wife
accompany Miss Fan for a stroll in the garden?” He looked at Fan Xian
with a smile, “Our yard is nothing extraordinary, but it was designed by
the house owner. It is worth a look.”
Fan Ruoruo understood as well. She smiled and followed the

shopkeeper’s wife out to the garden. Wang Qinian and the others were
ordered to leave by Fan Xian. Seeing this level of secrecy, the head
shopkeeper couldn’t help but feel alarmed. Who was it that wanted to
come here to study business?
“Fan Sizhe, my younger brother,” Fan Xian took a sip of tea, “You must
have heard of him.”
The head shopkeeper Ye was secretly stunned by what he heard.

Though there was no apparent conflict between the two Fan sons, Count
Sinan’s heritage was at stake. How could a son of that status be willing
to learn to do business? Could Fan Xian be taking advantage of this in
order to make Fan Sizhe ineligible from receiving an inheritance…? That
would be much too absurd; much too improper.
Fan Xian didn’t realize the head shopkeeper would be thinking this much
into it. “My younger brother takes great joy in doing business, but he has
only been keeping up due to his innate abilities and his love for the
trade. He really lacks the ability to accomplish anything major. I hope
you will be able to bless him with your knowledge.”
The head shopkeeper immediately shook his head. As timid as he had

become, he didn’t want to partake in such matters. “Minister Fan is in
charge of land tax. That is the biggest business there is. How could we,
the miniscule Qingyu Hall, dare to teach the Younger Master?”
Fan Xian was a bit disappointed, but he didn’t fret. With his plan, this
teacher would have nowhere to run. He sat quietly and slowly adjusted
the zhenqi in his xueshan. He closed his eyes and made sure no one
was eavesdropping. Only after all that did he lower his voice and said,
“There’s another thing. If you’re willing to listen, I’m willing to tell you.”
Seeing Fan Xian being this secretive made the head shopkeeper laugh.
He knew even if he wouldn’t listen, Fan Xian would tell him regardless.
Just as expected, Fan Xian smiled. “I am the Functionary of Taichang
Temple.”
The head shopkeeper was a bit confused that Fan Xian said this out of
nowhere, but he offered his congratulations anyway, since he knew this
Young Master would soon become an esteemed individual. However,
Fan Xian followed up with: “I am to marry the daughter of the Ye
household.” He knew that, despite having been under house arrest in the
capital for over ten years, this shopkeeper must have had many
channels for receiving secret information in the past.
Just as he thought, the head shopkeeper’s expression changed

dramatically. He stared straight into Fan Xian’s eyes and asked coldly,
“What are you trying to say?”
Fan Xian answered nonchalantly, “In two years at the latest, I will be
able to take over the palace treasury… but I know I still lack the power.
Father’s authority is on the national level, but what I need are resources
from the palace, so my father can’t help me much with that. So, I…”
Looking back at the head shopkeeper’s eyes, Fan Xian emphasized
each one of his words, “…need help. I need… your help.”
Chapter 111: Morning Roll Call at Taichang Temple

There was silence in the hall for a moment. For a long time, neither of
the two said a word. Ye the shopkeeper was shocked. The treasury? He
had once been personally responsible for it… The Lady had left them
everything—how many years had passed in which they were unable to
get anywhere near it? But how could the royal court allow people such
as them to approach it again?
Seemingly having guessed what he was thinking, Fan Xian smiled. “I
have seen the decree summoning you to the capital. It doesn’t allow you
to invest in commercial activities. But no one said anything about not
permitting you to take over the duties of the House of Ye.”
For these shopkeepers of Qingyu Hall, it was extremely tempting. Taking

over the management of the estates of the princes and controlling all of
the copper mines and saltbeds from afar would not be sufficient to
display their true talent. And the treasury… As the shopkeepers of
Qingyu Hall saw it, it had always been theirs to take care of! It was
unbearable watching the Eldest Princess squander everything that the
Lady had left them over the years. Every time they thought about it,
these specialist “professional managers” were filled with so much hatred
it made them gnash their teeth.
The invitation that Master Fan had issued represented the view of Fan
Manor, and Fan Manor had a special relationship with His Majesty…
Could it be that His Majesty had come round to the idea?
Fan Xian stood up and smiled. “It was just a proposal. There is still
plenty of time. You may think it over as you wish, Big Ye.”
Having said his piece, there was nothing more to discuss. Having waited
for Fan Ruoruo to return from her boring stroll, the delegation from Fan
Manor took their leave. Big Ye the head shopkeeper respectfully saw
them off. As he watched them climb aboard their carriage, he wiped the
cold sweat from his brow.
Fan Xian’s head suddenly poked out from inside the carriage. His
handsome face was as brilliant as sunshine. “Big Ye!” he yelled in a loud
voice. “If you come round to the idea, invite us over for a chat. I shall
bring some of the dried meats that my younger brother brought as a
gesture of goodwill.”Big Ye heard his shouting. He had assumed that
Master Fan would bring up the delicate matter of managing property in
front of everyone, and he was filled with a sudden fright. After he heard
what Fan actually said, he felt at ease. He knew that Fan Xian was
reminding him that if he wanted to accept his conditions, he would also
have to act as the younger Fan brother’s teacher in return.
But there were a few things that Big Ye did not understand, like why he
had to pay respect to his teacher with dried meats. He frowned, and then
thought about how many years prior, either the ninth Ye or the twenty-
third Ye had brought dried meat… Now, why had ninth Ye or twenty-third
Ye brought dried meat? He clapped his hand to his head and returned to
Qingyu Hall, saddened that his powers of memory had seemingly faded.
Returning to the manor in a carriage, Fan Xian felt rather tired. He was
not the sort of person who liked plotting, but for the sake of himself, the
Fan family, and a great many other people, there were some things that
he had to do. In his plan, the property of the Ye family had to be slowly
transferred to the second brother. After all, he had a talent for business,
though it wasn’t as good as that brat’s. As for the rest… he had to wait
and see.
At that moment, he finally understood what Master Fei had said to him in
Danzhou.
“Your family’s affairs are far more complicated than you could even
imagine. It involves not only your own life, but the lives of a great many
others, so you must take great caution. As you grow up over the years,
you must learn to protect yourself. It is the only way that you will have
the power to protect others in the future.”
“In the future… who will I have to protect?” Fan Xian had asked, filled
with doubts.
Fei Jie had laughed, and tapped his nose. “People like myself. Those
who have strong attachments to you.”
So there were things that Fan Xian had to do, so that he could finally
protect… people like Ruoruo and Wan’er; people in the Fan family who
already had strong attachments to him. At the same time, he wanted to
make life a little easier for the old ladies of Qingyu Hall. Of course, at
that moment, he still did not imagine that there would come a day where
those old freaks Fei Jie and Chen Pingping would also require his
protection.
For the young master Fan to visit Qingyu Hall was a matter of great
importance, at least in the eyes of the great many people carrying the Ye
family name. Business was at an end, after all. Although these
shopkeepers had earned a great amount of money for the estates of the
princes, they were still considered unworthy of appearing in public. So
when Big Ye told the others the purpose of master Fan’s visit—someone
with even the slightest status had personally come to visit Qingyu Hall,
and have secret discussions in the rear garden—some of those sitting
around the round table were shocked, while others began to reminisce
about their glory days. Some went pale thinking of the ruthless goings-on
inside the palace.
“We need not over-think it. Master Fan has already had the courage to
bring us this proposition, so he will undoubtedly think of a way to
persuade the palace.” Big Ye looked at the other members of the council
and frowned. “To see how everyone feels, the five of us shall vote.
According to the old customs, each man has one vote, and I have two.
Old Six is currently doing business at Fan Manor, so I invite him to
provide us with his opinion.”
The other shopkeepers cast a glance at seventh Ye of Danbo Bookstore.

He lowered his head in thought for a while, then spoke. “The relationship
between master Fan and his younger brother is much better than we
imagined, and master Fan seems to live a simple life, but in truth his
ambitions are lofty. Everyone knows that he has now made a name for
himself in the capital. I see him going about his business every day. It
appears he does not seem to care in the same way about the property of
Count Sinan. And he spends his days in contact with formidable
characters such as Crown Prince Jing.”
Big Ye nodded. “It is early yet, but we must be prepared as soon as

possible.”
Some of the council members held opposing views. “And what of the
risk? We were lucky to save our own lives, and we have lived happily
enough these past few years.”
“There is not that much risk to it. After all, over the past years, I presume
that opinion in the palace has softened toward us. We have never left
the capital, and our lives remain in the hands of the royal court.” Another
man shook his head. “We are merely merchants. We cannot rebel, so
what is there to fear? Alas, how I long to take charge of such matters
again. It excites me to imagine it. We have had so little to boast of for so
many years… and I was the one among us who had the most to boast
about.”
This utterance seemed to have stirred up beautiful memories for

everyone. They all laughed. “The Lady always did say you liked to blow
your own horn,” scolded one of them.
“I am not you,” he said, distressed. “I used to prefer blowing bubbles at

the soapworks.”
Big Ye smiled. He held up his hand to silence their neverending chatter.
“Does anyone have anything to add?” he asked.
The first person who had raised objections stopped laughing. “First I
wish to confirm whether this is authorized by the palace,” he said coolly.
“Then I shall go along with it. Although we all wish to go back to the way
things were for our house, our safety is still our first priority. The Lady
once said that as long as we had our health, then we would be fine.”
Big Ye frowned. “Fan Manor had a great relationship with the Ye family
at that time. Over the years, the Overwatch Council and Count Sinan
have continued to take care of us. I presume that Count Sinan does not
wish to deceive us.”
The cold-faced councillor spoke. “Do not forget; the Li family also had a
great relationship with us at that time. Were we not also deceived by
them?”
Li was the surname of the ruling dynasty. The House of Li was the royal
house. When he said it, the hidden room in the rear garden of Qingyu
Hall went silent, and the faces of the men around the table all took on
uneasy expressions.
Convening the elders of the House of Ye was a risky matter, so Fan Xian
had only made a small step toward it, and had done it under the
pretense of hiring a tutor for Fan Sizhe. It was assumed that not many
people would take note of such a matter. After all, he did not know how
long it would be before he took control of the treasury. Before taking
control, he had to make sure that he had the power to do so. Before he
could make sure of that, he had to go along with His Majesty’s
commands.
His Majesty’s conditions for taking control of the royal purse were simple
—whoever married Lin Wan’er would take control of the treasury. He did
not know why the Emperor loved his fiancée so dearly, but as he had
chosen to accept the marriage, he had naturally also chosen to accept
the struggle that came before the marriage.
First, he had another struggle to face.
Functionary of Taichang Temple was a ceremonial post, similar to an

honorary title, in order to bestow a more elegant official title upon the
future son-in-law of the Emperor. It was only an eighth-rank minor
position, but it was prestigious enough. At first, the custom in the
Kingdom of Qing was to confer upon them a sixth-rank position as a
chamberlain at the Academy of Combined Learning, but they later
discovered that many sons-in-law of the Emperor could not take on the
burden of composing poetry, so the custom was changed and they were
granted the position of a functionary. In the previous dynasty,
functionaries had been called “functionary-sergeants”. When it came to
being in charge of a temple, the imperial household presumed that sons-
in-law of the Emperor would always be unable to compose poetry, and it
would be fine if they could simply hum a few bars of a tune, so the rule
was thusly set.
Although it was a ceremonial post, it was still necessary to report to

Taichang Temple. So, early one morning, a grumpy Fan Xian climbed
into the family carriage and hurried to the entrace to Taichang Temple. A
fourth-level official of Taichang Temple was already standing there to
greet him. This show of extravagance made Fan Xian feel overwhelmed
by favor from his superior. He hurriedly dismounted the carriage to
affectionately greet the official. After exchanging pleasantries with the
officials of Taichang Temple, he finally entered the office, and sat in a
small room, listening to the officials explain his duties to him.
The official who had greeted him had been hand-picked by the Prime
Minister, so his warmth toward Fan Xian was understandable. But this
official, and a number of other bureaucrats in the royal court, still could
not understand something—in marrying the illegitimate daughter of the
Prime Minister to the illegitimate son of the Fan family, why was
everything being done according to palace customs?
Perhaps His Majesty was too fond of the Lin and Fan families, but in the
eyes of many officials, the Emperor had acted far too willfully, and those
who knew of Miss Lin’s true identity would say nothing of the matter—
even at pain of death.
Fan Xian had originally presumed that he was tone-deaf and would
inevitably commit some kind of faux pas. He had never imagined that
when he sat idly about one morning, his belly full of warm tea, he would
discover that his colleagues were much the same as him, clasping a
couple of newspapers issued from the palace. Feeling somewhat
bloated from all the tea he had drunk, he sighed, and learned that the
others also took a newspaper with them to visit the latrines.
The newspapers were full of gossip, talking about how Chen Pingping
had returned to the capital. The palace editors did not dare say a word
about the story of the Director and his first love. Hiking up his pants as
he left the latrine, he unthinkingly stuffed the newspaper in his
underwear, and suddenly realized something that made him burst into
laughter. This was a habit of stealing newspapers that he’d gotten into
as he’d grown up in Danzhou. The money that he had stashed away
relied on this method of raking in cash.
He was returning to drink more tea when he suddenly heard joyous

shouting from inside the room. “Victory! Victory! May Heaven preserve
the great Kingdom of Qing!”
His heart skipped a beat. He realized that in the struggle between the
imperial household and the Kingdom of Northern Qi, with the imperial
household’s victory in the small skirmishes occuring throughout some of
the vassal kingdoms, it was possible that some land had come under the
scope of the Qing Kingdom’s power.
Chapter 112: Reaping the Whirlwind

Within the room, bureaucrats huddled together looking over imperial

bulletins, on which were clearly written an account of what had
happened in the north. Regardless of whether it was a result of their
timeliness or the abundance of the information they contained, they
always attracted many more readers than the palace newspapers. What
was more, they contained news of national victories. Fan Xian forced a
smile as he fished the wrinkled newspaper from his breast pocket,
mumbling an apology to old Pan Ling, the official calligraphy master of
the secretariat. He sat back down at the table and began to sip some
more tea.
The people around him excitedly discussed military affairs. None of them
took notice of Fan Xian’s calm silence. Instead, the head official smiled
at him, and suggested that he should come outside with him for a
moment. Somewhat apprehensively, Fan Xian left the room, and came
to a secluded place. Deep within the courtyard, there stood a stone table
with two stone chairs. The official indicated to him that he should sit.
“Everyone is rather joyous,” he asked with a smile, “and yet you remain
unmoved, sir. Why?”
The official’s name was Ren Shao’an. He had once been a distinguished
man of letters, and had later become a nobleman, rising steadily to a
position within Taichang Temple. His circumstances were not unlike
those that Fan Xian found himself facing at that moment. Fan Xian was
unsure whether Master Ren was offended by something, and so he
sighed, unsure how to respond. “It was only natural that the imperial
household should be victorious in such a matter,” he replied with a weak
smile, “so this is no great surprise.”
“Why is it only natural?” asked the official Ren, curious.
Fan Xian had no unique insight into the military affairs of the kingdom.
He had no choice but to try to dodge the topic. “His Majesty is wise, the
officers and soldiers are obedient, and Northern Qi lacks confidence, so
it is only natural that we were victorious.”
Master Ren looked at him and smiled. “It has only just occurred to me
that this battle between the two nations is inextricably linked to the
assassination attempt on your good self, Master Fan.”
Fan Xian was taken aback. It had only just occurred to him as well. One
of the excuses for this military expedition was an attempt by Northern Qi
to infiltrate the Kingdom of Qing and assassinate the son of a major
minister. He could only think of all the dead bodies that must be piled up
along the rivers of the northern border. In every region, wives would be
waiting for their husbands in empty bedchambers. For some reason, it
made Fan Xian’s heart ache. He sighed. “A sage has no choice but to
take up the weapon of the soldier.” He knew that although the Kingdom
of Qing had known peace for many years, beneath the surface, its
martial spirit had never receded. So every day, he made sure to hide it,
but he gave no thought to the idle chatter between himself and Master
Ren, so he had spoken freely.
Master Ren seemed to admire his words. He nodded. “Although that

may be the case, we have gained much in this instance. There have
been many years of peace in the Kingdom of Qing, and we deserve it.”
Fan Xian was not an inflexible pacifist; he smiled in acknowledgement of

the fact. “Although our victory in war belongs to the officers and soldiers
and His Majesty,” continued Master Ren, “this has been planned in
secret by the royal court for many months. It must have been a
thoroughly exhausting effort.”
Fan Xian immediately understood another meaning behind Ren’s words.

He realized that Master Ren was suggesting that the bureaucratic
system of the royal court had considerable power over military affairs.
After all, Fan Xian had lived two lives; he knew that waging war relied on
logistics. “Much credit must also go to the court ministers,” he said with
sincerity.
Master Ren smiled. “The Prime Minister will soon be your father-in-law,”
he continued. “When you have time, you should go and pay your
respects to him. It is only proper.”
“You’re right. Thank you for reminding me, good sir.” Cold sweat trickled
down Fan Xian’s back. He wanted to marry Wan’er as soon as possible,
but he had still yet to pay his respects to his own future father-in-law.
This was indeed inexcusable. But… this was supposed to be a fair and
aboveboard relationship between the Lin and Fan families. Why did
Master Ren have to talk to him in secret?
Just as expected, Master Ren spoke. “I hope that you will visit the Prime
Minister’s manor. You would not want to alarm too many people.”
Fan Xian fearfully accepted the order.
In the royal court the next day, in thoroughly flattering language, the
military received commendations. The Overwatch Council also received
praise for their capabilities in information-gathering. But, in a move which
many did not expect, Fan Jian, Count Sinan, Minister for the Treasury,
stepped forward to suggest that this victory was all down to the careful
planning of the Prime Minister. He had put the affairs of the nation ahead
of the affairs of his own family, controlling logistics to provide ample
rations and fodder for the army, and had truly provided a great service to
the nation. There was a hubbub among the gathered ministers, who
could not understand why a political opponent would be so kind, but
when they recalled the approaching marriage, they suddenly realized
why.
Even more unexpectedly, the Prime Minister’s long-time ally, Guo You,
Director of the Board of Rites, raised an objection. And most
unexpectedly of all… Chen Pingping appeared in the royal court, and
when the Emperor asked him about the matter, he sat in his wheelchair
and replied simply: “This was all the Prime Minister’s work.”
With this, the political opponents who had been using Wu Bo’an and
collaboration with Northern Qi as a pretext to attack the Prime Minister
had seemingly quieted down. With the Emperor’s consolation, Lin Ruofu
could stand firm again. A rumor circulated throughout the palace that
due to the upcoming marriage with the Fan family, the Prime Minister
had turned to the Second Prince. The Second Prince, who originally had
no support within the royal court, had suddenly become a powerful
figure.
But no one knew that behind all this was an idle chat between Master
Ren of Taichang Temple, soured by the loss of his hopes, and Fan Xian,
the eighth-level Functionary of Taichang Temple.
Having made a good impression on his father-in-law, Fan Xian finally felt
a bit more at ease. Although he was still greatly worried that the Prime
Minister would discover that his second son had been killed by someone
under Fan Xian’s command, he did not avoid him as he had been doing
over the past two months.
His duties at Taichang Temple did not require him to attend every day;
he simply had to attend for roll call every ten days. One afternoon, Fan
Xian came to the palace by carriage.
Now the whole capital knew that he would be marrying the young lady of
the palace, and in addition, Fan Manor had spent a great amount of
money, so the imperial bodyguards turned a blind eye. Fan Xian and his
sister strolled inside, with no intention to see the flowers of the garden.
They only intended to go along the cobblestone path straight into the
small pavilion. Fan Ruoruo was rather surprised. “Brother, you seem
very familiar with this path.”
Fan Xian smiled. “I have a good memory, did you not know?” Secretly,
he smiled to himself. Over the past weeks, there had been a few
evenings where he had snuck through the garden; it would have been
difficult for him not to become familiar with it.
Unfortunately, according to custom, this future son-in-law of the Emperor
still could not see Lin Wan’er, so he sat downstairs drinking tea while
Ruoruo went up to see her. He was not worried. When night fell, he
could see his fiancée, so he was happy to hold off for now. After a while,
two people came back downstairs. When he saw the young woman
behind Ruoruo, Fan Xian’s eyes sparkled. She had beautiful eyes and
fine eyebrows. But she did not seem coarse, and instead was rather
spirited. It was Ye Ling’er, only daughter of the captain of the garrison,
Ye Zhong.
She thought it rather odd to see a strange man waiting downstairs. Fan
Xian stood up to greet her, smiled, and cupped his hands in greeting.
“Miss Ye, it has been a long time.”
As he spoke, Fan Xian realized that something was amiss. When he had
seen Ye Ling’er, he had been in disguise. He was pretending to be a
doctor. Although today he had come to visit without any disguise, as
soon as he said that it had been a long time since their last meeting, he
feared that Ye Ling’er’s suspicions would be raised.
Unexpectedly, Ye Ling’er regarded him meekly and curtsied. “It is good

to see you, master Fan.”
Seeing that she knew who he was, and that she was not surprised by
what he had said, Fan Xian knew that Wan’er had told her of his secret
meetings with her. He smiled. “Wan’er is lucky to have your company. It
must be terribly boring on her sickbed. I wanted to thank you.”
“You are too kind, master Fan,” said Ye Ling’er coldly.
Fan Xian saw that this girl did not seem to like him at all, but that she
was not angry either; he could only imagine that this was thanks to his
own handsome face. He could make all the women of the land feel a
fondness toward him. So he smiled and saluted her again, and then
turned to Ruoruo. “So, how are things?”
Fan Ruoruo smiled. “You are worried. Miss Lin said…”
Fan Xian suddenly waved his hand and smiled. “Let us go home to
discuss family matters.”
Hearing this, Ye Ling’er was suddenly angered. Fan Xian was such a
narrow-minded sort, she thought. His meaning was clear—did he really
mean to say that matters between the Lin and Fan families were not to
be discussed around someone of the Ye family? Her anger spilled over.
“Master Fan, you must not bully people through your words and deeds.”
Fan Xian was surprised. He wondered why she had said that. He had no
mind to deal with Miss Ye’s temper and her unfathomable anger. Taking
his sister’s hand, he led her outside.
As they walked out of the pavilion, Ye Ling’er and the servant girls also
came out. When she saw Fan Xian pulling Fan Ruoruo along by the
hand, she smiled coldly.
Fan Xian did not understand, and continued to lead Ruoruo by her
slightly-cold hand as they waited for the carriage. Ruoruo’s face changed
to an awkward expression. In truth, a close brother-sister relationship
such as theirs was rare in this world, and Fan Xian had not taken much
notice of it. Looking at her face, Fan Xian finally realized something. How
could that girl try to intertwine herself with them? He and Ruoruo were
close, so he suddenly became angry, and he turned around and frowned
at Ye Ling’er. “Miss Ye, have you no one in your household to teach you
anything? Is that why you wander around the capital and Dingzhou?”
Ye Ling’er had not expected that her absent-minded smile would result
in such an attack. “Why are you criticizing my upbringing?”
“Who said that?” Fan Xian smiled gently. “No one around here said that.”
Seeing his shameless behavior, Ye Ling’er became even angrier. “So

you don’t wander around the capital either? You want to get married, but
you don’t have the morals for it, and yet you have visited Taichang
Temple a number of times. Don’t tell me there is no one in your
household to teach you either?”
Some cracks of anger began to appear in Fan Xian’s gentle

temperament, but he doubled down on it. He knew that if he got angry,
she would get even angrier, and so he spoke even more gently. “I have
come to ask after my fiancée, as is acceptable and proper. You are a
good friend of my Wan’er and you visit her often, and I have thanked you
for it. I only hope that you will take note of my words, and do not attempt
to meddle in the relationship of our households.”
Ye Ling’er pursed her lips as she heard such provocation. “I do not know
what Wan’er could possibly see in a playboy like you,” she scowled.
Fan Xian sighed. “How am I a playboy?”
“You are neither a scholar nor a soldier,” she spat. “And so you are just
that; a playboy.”
Fan Xian smiled, somewhat embarrassed. “I hate to boast, but I am

known throughout the capital to be a fine scholar and a soldier. I have
composed seven-step poems, and I have killed men in seven steps.
Excessive praise will make me complacent. Young miss, your words
today have made this clear to me, and I must express my gratitude.”
Seeing his pretentious act, Ye Ling’er considered his reputation, and she
stomped her foot angrily, unsure of what to say. She bit her bright-red
lips, and reached for the dagger on her waist. After a moment of thought,
she drew it, and threw it at the ground in front of Fan Xian with a clatter.
Chapter 113: The Glorious Tradition of Cheap Shots

With this clamor, it became all quiet in front of the palace side yard.
While Qing had experienced a long period of peace—excluding the
sparse skirmishes on the northern front—it had only been established a
few decades ago, so the civilians more or less had some fight in them.
For Ye Ling’er, having received a martial education, it was nothing out of
the ordinary to carry around a small curved blade. What was out of the
ordinary, however, was the fact she threw it on the ground just in front of
Fan Xian.
Fan Xian raised his eyebrows as he realized he was being challenged to

a duel. It was similar to the custom of noblemen from Europe in his
previous life, where they threw gloves in each other’s faces. Fan Xian
scratched his cheek and chuckled to himself—if throwing stuff at faces
remained unchanged in Qing, then probably no one would refuse a duel.
Everyone’s eyes were on Fan Xian. Ruoruo nervously pulled on his

sleeve. Despite Ye Ling’er’s delicate build and slim waist, she was a
proper seventh-ranked martial artist whom no one in the capital dared to
bother. Now that she had issued the challenge, Fan Xian, as a man,
shouldn’t turn her down, lest he be forever shamed in the capital.
Seeing the heated standoff, the gatekeepers pretended that they didn’t
hear a thing. At the same time, none of them were oblivious enough to
go find the ruling Lady in the other yard— “your dearest girl friend is
about to fight your future husband”—who would be that stupid?
“I always hear people praise you for exceling in both ‘civil and martial’
affairs. I’m no match for you in poetry, but I want to confirm for Wan’er if
you have what it takes to protect her.” Strangely, since throwing down
that knife, Ling’er’s personality changed; she calmed down, and her
eyes, which were as beautiful as fine jade, became filled with
confidence. What kind of great power was hidden within that seemingly
frail body, ready to be unleashed upon Fan Xian?
Fan Xian was surprised as he realized this girl was a strong one who
kept her abilities hidden. However, he smiled and waved his hand, and
said what no one expected to hear:
“I refuse.”
Refusing a duel? That alone was rare enough, but Fan Xian was backing
down from a woman; could he ever raise his head again in the capital?
None of the spectators could figure out what prompted Fan Xian to make
such a bewildering decision.
Fan Xian explained humbly, “While Miss Ye dislikes me, you’re still a
dear friend of Wan’er’s. How could I lash out at you?” Before the crowd
could cheer at such an excellent answer, he added with a smile,
“Besides, unless the situation is dire, I do not wish to hit a woman.”
His carriage had arrived a long time ago, but it remained unable to
approach due to the current incident. Not even Wang Qinian dared to
intervene.
After explaining himself, Fan Xian took his sister’s hand and turned to
leave.
A clear voice erupted in rage! In a flash of shadow, Ye Ling’er charged

up behind Fan Xian and jabbed at him! She was considerate enough to
adhere to the courtesy of a duel and gave him a warning beforehand.
Feeling the forceful wind pressure behind him, Fan Xian put some
strength into his right hand and led his sister to the side. He then turned.
He saw Ling’er’s fist coming straight at his face!
That fist was small and graceful, with white skin that had some veins
showing through vaguely. washer fingernails were painted pink.
To observe so many details in such a short instant only proved two

things. One, Fan Xian was a man of considerate carnal desire. And two,
while Ye Ling’er’s punch was fast, it wouldn’t hold a candle to that
wooden stick on the cliffs above Danzhou.
With a tap of his foot, Fan Xian leaned toward his left with unnatural
quickness. Ye Ling’er’s fist, full of lethal intent, went past his cheek and
missed completely.
The buzz of the wind made Fan Xian’s hair rise. Meanwhile, Fan Xian
had already withdrawn his right hand and, in a flash, flicked Ye Ling’er’s
maimen!
Not even Gong Dian could avoid this trick when caught off guard, so
there was no way Ye Ling’er could. She grunted lightly and opened her
fist right next to Fan Xian’s cheek. But Fan Xian had no time to be
pleased. He squinted and took three steps back in an odd manner. He
then clapped in the air three times.
Clap! Clap! Clap! Three claps rang out next to him!

As it turned out, as soon as she opened her hand, Ye Ling’er spread her
fingers like the branches of a peach tree and aimed them at Fan Xian’s
temples. Fan Xian dodged the initial attack with pure instinct, blocking
the three blasts of qi with his hands.
“Ye style sanshou!” The crowd gasped. They knew Grandmaster Ye

Liuyun was her granduncle, but they didn’t know she had inherited any
skills from him.
Before the gasps died down, Fan Xian closed in with a perfectly calm
expression and landed a solid punch into Ye Ling’er’s still-opened hand.
There was a dull thud. Peach branches or not, Ye Ling’er’s sanshou had
been breached by Fan Xian’s overpowering zhenqi! She drifted over a
meter backwards, holding her wrist in pain while staring at Fan Xian in
shock. She could never have imagined his zhenqi would be so powerful.
After contact, it traveled up her own meridians to attack her. The pain
made her release her sanshou.
“You are no match for me.” Fan Xian provoked her.
Ye Ling’er clenched her teeth and charged at him again, even fiercer
than before. She chopped down with her hand, her fingers lined up into a
blade which pierced the wind. As a young woman, her zhenqi was
already inferior to an adult man, which was why Ye Liuyun taught her to
use a slashing motion when fighting opponents with stronger zhenqi.
Fan Xian was secretly startled, but managed to make use of panicked
footwork developed on the Danzhou cliffs to escape Ye Ling’er’s strikes
by the skin of his teeth.
As the wind pressure from Ye Ling’er’s strikes picked up, the spectators
felt a chill.
Countless blades of qi danced around Fan Xian, who vaguely sensed

danger. With a restrained grunt, he filled his entire body with zhenqi and
stomped his foot down hard, forcibly stopping himself from retreating any
further. He then channeled strength into his waist and threw himself
forward, as if he had been punched from behind. He had changed from a
retreating posture to an advancing one. It was completely unexpected!
The winds disappeared, and so did Fan Xian.
The next moment made everyone drop their jaws.
Fan Xian was right up between Ye Linger’s arms, his hands firmly
grasping her armpits. Ye Linger’s terrifying hands stopped just short
above Fan Xian’s shoulders—more accurately, right before her hands
came down, Fan Xian struck her in a weak spot by practically hugging
her.
What Fan Xian had done might have looked improper, but among the
wildly dancing blades of qi, this was the only way to get close enough to
her. Fan Xian’s eyesight and speed had reached such terrifying levels;
Wu Zhu had taught him well.
Having first been charged by Fan Xian, who looked like a vengeful spirit,
and then having been embraced by him, Ye Ling’er was greatly shaken.
But she did not panic. She pushed down with both arms, raising herself
into the air!
Without warning, she kicked down towards Fan Xian’s tibia. If it

connected, Fan Xian would be sure to fall on top of her from the pain,
but she didn’t care that much at the moment.
Right before the kick landed, Fan Xian let go, and she fell.
Such was how the human body moves. If you chop down with your
hands while kicking up at the same time, it would be extremely
unpleasant. Fan Xian was aiming for this moment and stabbed out with
his own punch!
Other than the incident on Niulan Street, this was the third punch he had
thrown since arriving in the capital. Each one prior had broken
someone’s nose; today was no exception.
There was a light crack and a splash of blood; the way it trailed in the air
somehow gave off a romantic feeling.
Ye Ling’er immediately knelt down and clutched her nose. There was
blood between her fingers. After a moment, she began wailing. Fan Xian
was uneasy; she wanted a fight, he obliged, and now she cries?
The maidservants of Ye manor rushed forward, but didn’t get in the way.
It looked like this young miss often challenged people to duels. Fan Xian
did not feel guilty in the slightest—just because he disliked hitting women
didn’t mean he wanted to get hit by one. When his mother first came to
the capital, she had beaten Ye Ling’er’s father—Sir Ye Zhong, the
current Commander of Defense—into a sorry pulp. Uncle Wu Zhu had
fought a grand battle against Ye Liuyun under the city walls, forcing the
grandmaster to shut himself in for many months, renouncing the sword
for sanshou.
Fan Xian punching Ye Ling’er was him carrying on this glorious tradition,
in a way.
Chapter 114: Coffin-Breaker Technique and Little Tricks

It was only natural for Fan Xian to allow both fighters to go home and lick
their wounds, but he had absolutely not expected Fan Ruoruo to be
glaring at him. It seemed that his little sister did not like how hard he had
fought. He smiled bitterly and shook his head, and watched his little
sister pull out a handkerchief to wipe Ye Ling’er’s bloody nose.
“Ye Ling’er has such a pretty nose. It’s such a shame that it makes her
look like a snot-nosed child at the moment.”
“Ye Zhong’s family is surnamed Ye, and my mother was also surnamed
Ye. Perhaps that is why they always disliked each other, and now Ye
Ling’er and I also dislike each other. It seems like a family tradition.”
In truth, Fan Xian was an unflappable sort of person, but the whole
scene had made him feel very awkward. For a while it would have been
inconvenient to leave, so he had to think of something trivial to hide his
own mood.
After some time, a sobbing Ye Ling’er finally calmed down, comforted by

Fan Ruoruo. When she looked at Fan Xian again, there was hatred in
her eyes, but also a sense of reverence. She was, after all, a daughter of
the Ye family. Her skill was not as great as the others, and she could not
extricate herself from them. She struggled to salute Fan Xian and admit
her defeat.
Seeing how open-hearted his opponent was made Fan Xian feel
somewhat embarrassed. He cleared his throat. “What technique were
you using?” he asked without thinking.
“Coffin-Breaker Technique,” Ye Ling’er sniffed and responded defiantly.

“I concede, but that is only because I am inexperienced. It has nothing to
do with the martial skills of the House of Ye.”
At that moment, Fan Xian realized that there was something rather cute
about her. He laughed. “Coffin-Breaker is a fine name. It seems to be a
concise version of Liuyun’s own sanshou. For a young woman such as
you to achieve such a standard of martial arts must not have been easy.”
A group of people came along carrying a sedan chair. There were

people at the front, and there must have been people at the rear, so Ye
Ling’er covered her bloody nose. She cleared her throat. “What was the
move that you used?” she asked.
The entire Ye family were martial arts-obsessed, and Ye Ling’er was in

no hurry to return, but she was anxious to know the sly trick that her
opponent had employed. The people of Qing were warriors, but there
had never been someone like Fan Xian, who only had to rely on his
zhenqi, speed, and judgment to come out on top. He used his
knowledge of the human body to attack his enemies in positions they
weren’t expecting, and thus bit by bit he achieved victory—this was a
technique that Ye Ling’er had never seen before; but her uncle had.
Fan Xian was surprised. He wasn’t sure that his fighting tricks could be
considered moves. “Those were just a couple of tricks I picked up,” he
answered with some trepidation. “You should really see to your wounds,
Miss Ye.”
These tricks were the killing techniques that Wu Zhu had taught him, and
what Fei Jie had taught him about the human body. On top of that he
included the knowledge he had put to the test for the first time at Niulan
Street, and synthesized them together into a technique. Fan Xian had
called them little tricks, and indeed they were just that.
Later, Fan Xian’s tricks would be famous throughout the capital, and
become a necessary part of study for anyone wishing to take a martial
path; but at the time, Fan Xian could never have imagined it. Nor could
he have imagined that there would such names as “the fist of Danzhou”,
or “Sinan sixth palm strike”.
But today, his little tricks had beaten the Coffin-Breaker Technique.
This sort of “swapping pointers on martial arts” was mostly done within
the walls of one’s manor, but it was nothing new, so no bad blood arose
between the Fan and Ye families as a result. The defeated Ye Ling’er
left resentfully, but before she did, she presented the curved knife that
she kept around her waist to Fan Xian, saying that it was a talisman of
good luck in tournaments.
Sitting in the carriage, Fan Xian smiled bitterly as he held the talisman in
his hand. He worried that getting into a fight with a young lady for no
good reason could have offended the Ye family. Fan Ruoruo seemed to
have guessed what he was thinking. She smiled. “It doesn’t matter. The
children of the Ye family are fighters, everyone knows that. If they
weren’t, they would not have produced a grandmaster. Master Ye Zhong
is an upstanding fellow; he will not be angered by this little incident.”
Fan Xian sighed. “That’s not the only reason why I’m worried, but I think
it’s silly.”
Fan Ruoruo laughed. “I think people would be more surprised by the fact
that you refused her duel at first.”
“Surprised? Am I worried that the people of the capital will think I’m a
weakling? You said before, she is only a seventh-level master, and I’m
some weird scholar who even managed to kill an eighth-level master.
Even if I didn’t fight her, do you think the people of the capital really
would have thought that I was afraid of her?” Fan Xian smiled. “Even
though they say that swords are more powerful than words, if words are
enough for me to belittle and attack my opponent, then why should I pick
up a sword?”
Having said this, he clapped a hand to his head. “Whatever,” he said,

annoyed. “The fight is over, there’s no use talking about it anymore.”
Fan Ruoruo giggled.
“Why doesn’t Miss Ye think much of me?” asked Fan Xian, curious.
“I don’t know.” Fan Ruoruo thought for a moment. “Perhaps first of all it’s
because you are betrothed to Lin Wan’er. It must be difficult for her. After
that, although it’s not an issue, we did trick her once, and it’s thanks to
her help that you were finally able to meet Wan’er, so she must feel
rather angry about that.”
Fan Xian smiled bitterly. “I know there are no secrets between

girlfriends.”
“The main thing is that you were a student of Master Fei,” continued Fan
Ruoruo. “That was the name you dropped last time. Now it seems that
many people know of the relationship between our family and the
Overwatch Council. That could be what let the cat out of the bag.”
Fan Xian’s heart skipped a beat. Could he have been the one who let
people draw conclusions from such matters? He thought about it again.
The business with the Ye family was years ago, and over the past few
months, from what he had seen, it seemed that the people had already
forgotten about the events of years before.
At that moment, Fan Ruoruo handed him a sheet of paper. He took it

and looked over it carefully, then crumpled it up into a ball and threw it
out of the carriage window. On the paper were words that Wan’er had
written. Today, his main reason for visiting the pavilion was to discuss
matters with his fiancée. He wanted to visit his father-in-law and pay his
respects as soon as possible, and bring up some business. Although Lin
Wan’er did not lived with her father, they were still father and daughter
after all, and she would know much more than he did as an outsider.
As the next day dawned, black clouds approached the city, slightly
dimming the blazing sun, and making the capital feel even more like a
steamer basket.
Fan Xian wiped away his sweat and crouched by the side of the road on
Jiazhu Way, picking carefully from a vendor’s wares. Jiazhu Way was a
center for selling antiques and curios in the capital. Anyone who had an
interest in such things would flock there whenever the weather was
good. Fan Xian had studied the mannerisms of connoisseurs, and
crouched with one foot on the side of the road, and one foot on the
leather floor covering of the vendor’s stall. His fingers moved across the
stall for a long time, but with no ultimate conclusion. The vendor began
to feel nervous.
He saw how finely dressed this nobleman was, and so he said very little,
eventually having no choice but to take the plunge with a smile. “Sir,
what is it that you’re really looking for?”
“A snuff bottle.” Fan Xian couldn’t help but start to talk. Wan’er had once
told him that the Prime Minister had long been a lover of snuff bottles, so
he hoped that he would be able to find a good one that day. He had not
expected to be suddenly dazzled, nor had he seen anything that caught
his eye. “I see. You have come to the right place.” The vendor’s eyes
shone as he spoke. “I have blue and white porcelain, jadeite, amber; any
kind you might like. The jadeite is especially fine. The best. Have a look.”
He picked up a small snuff bottle, which was a sleek green color with
streaks of yellow. “Did you look? The yellow and green one. I dare not
say how old it is, but it is of a truly fine quality.”
“Do you have emerald?” Only the most expensive would do, thought Fan
Xian. “Emerald is far too noble,” said the vendor uneasily. “Only the
palace would use it for snuff bottles. Although there is not great demand
for it now, it would be very difficult to find an emerald snuff bottle on
Jiazhu Way.”
The vendor was a good man, and pointed the way of a large emporium
out to Fan Xian . He said that if he was looking for an emerald snuff
bottle, that would be the only place that would have it.
Fan Xian thanked him, and gave him some silver in exchange for some
porcelain fragments that may or may not have been fake before standing
up and leaving. Wang Qinian was standing to one side watching, and a
slight smile floated across his face. It seemed that his master treated the
common people with great tenderness, and more importantly, with
caution.
As they entered the emporium, a cool breeze wafted directly into their
faces. They stared at a fan that rocked back and forth incessantly, and
Fan Xian exclaimed in delight. He was suddenly unconcerned about
asking for a snuff bottle. He grabbed the owner and asked him who had
sold them the fan. It was a new product that had come out last year, and
the owner was friendly with the merchant, so he placed it in the vestibule
as a sort of advertisement.
After asking what the merchant’s address was, Fan Xian began to ask
about his snuff bottle. The store owner looked Fan Xian up and down,
ascertaining Fan Xian’s wealth from the clothes he was wearing.
Entering a back room, he cautiously produced a box, placed it on the
table, and opened it. The box was lined with red brocade, the soft
material holding snuff bottles of all kinds to prevent them from breaking.
The store owner decided to get straight to the point. “Do you want a
good one, or the best one?”
Fan Xian appreciated his directness, and smiled. “The best, of course.”
Hearing this, the owner closed the box, and fumbling around his waist,
took out a light green jadeite snuff bottle. It was a sleek green color, with
not a single imperfection to be seen. It was truly made of high-class
material. Inside was a depiction of a fisherman sitting on a cold river
bank. Not only was it a high-quality object, but the brushwork was also
extremely fine; it was clearly the work of an exceptional craftsman.
“Give me a price.” Fan Xian took it and held it in his hand, feeling its
wonderful smoothness in his palm. It tickled, and it was smooth and
glossy.
“Two thousand taels of silver,” said the store owner, his face betraying
no expression. He seemed thoroughly bored of having people come buy
things, and appeared somewhat standoffish. Fan Xian was interested. It
was a fine item indeed, but the owner seemed to be acting otherwise.
He thought for a moment. The money he had saved in Danzhou, and

that which his sister had given him, had all gone to their little brother to
open the bookstore. Business at Danbo Bookstore was flourishing, but
the money had not come back to him yet. So of the two thousand taels
of silver he had had Teng Zijing transfer, minus the four hundred taels
that he had used at the pleasure boat party, he had around thirteen
hundred taels of silver left over after recent spending. He frowned. “Eight
hundred taels.”
Chapter 115: Give Mountains, Give Rivers, Give Snuff Bottles

Fan Xian did not know how to bargain. But in his previous life, a young
beautiful nurse once told him, when girls shop for clothes, they always
started at one-third the original price. Fan Xian was not a girl, however,
and therefore asked for two-fifths.
Unfortunately for him, the shop owner gave him a glare and closed the
box and prepared to take put it back inside the shop, as if annoyed by
Fan Xian’s inability to see value. Fan Xian wanted to quickly call him
back to renegotiate the price, when unexpectedly, Wang Qiannian, who
had been standing right by in silence the entire time, signaled Fan Xian
with his eyes. Confused, Fan Xian followed him out.
“It’s only worth four hundred taels.”
With respect, Wang Qiannian said to Fan Xian, “Your Highness, allow
me to go ask.” He then entered the shop, which lacked a signboard.
After a while, Wang Qiannian came out, this time with a very green snuff
bottle. He took the bills of money worth four hundred taels from Fan Xian
and gave them to the shop owner, whose face was of a very unhealthy
color.
Once in the carriage, Fan Xian said, “We shouldn’t abuse our over the
people.” Touching the snuff bottle in his pocket, he let out a chuckle. “But
bullying such dishonest businessmen once in a while isn’t bad.”
Wang Qiannan smiled, the wrinkles around his eyes blossoming like a
chrysanthemum—the man was over forty years old, after all. He
explained, “He wasn’t exactly dishonest. The snuff bottle is worth a bit
over three hundred at most. We gave him four hundred, that’s not really
bullying.”
“Oh?” Fan Xian looked at Wang Qiannian in surprise. “You can see the
value in these antiques, Sir Wang. You really must know a lot about this
line of business to be able to have such an eye for the pricing.
Wang Qiannian laughed, “Your Highness, did you forget what I did for a
living before joining the Council?”
Realizing, Fan Xian laughed too.
“So you picked it up from your time as a lone thief.”
Wang Qiannian answered, “When I was smuggling stolen goods back

and forth, I didn’t dare ask for assistance, so I had to develop a good eye
for these things..” With an antique expert like him, no wonder Fan Xian
was able to obtain the snuff bottle at that price.
When they returned to Fan Manor, Wang Qiannian’s men dispersed,

leaving Fan Xian in the hands of his own protection force. It was at that
time that the line-pulled screen fan Fan Xian had ordered previously
arrived as well. As the servants hurried to take in the order, the
accountant said to Fan Xian, with a pained expression, “These are nice,
but it’s too expensive. Young Master, you bought five of them, and that’s
difficult to explain to My Lady.”
Lady Liu happened to walk in and heard the accountant. She looked at
Fan Xian and nodded, “Record the purchase.”
Fan Xian gave a faint smile and greeted his aunt. The relationship
between the two of them was quite awkward at the moment; it couldn’t
be called close, but there wasn’t enough of a grudge to make them full-
fledged enemies.
Fan Xian was troubled by something. “Aunt, I bought them to cool the
house. They would be amazing in the main hall. How come no one else
uses them?”
Lady Liu smiled and shook her head. “You’ll understand soon enough.
Who could afford them at that price? Summer is only so long, it wouldn’t
be much more expensive if you dug an icehouse.”
Fan Xian was sharp and understood immediately. “This is… the
treasury’s business?” Lady Liu nodded. Fan Xian sighed and exclaimed,
“How could it possibly be this expensive?” At this level of craftsmanship,
anyone can learn how to make them. How come there’s no one else
selling them?”
Lady Liu chuckled, “While no one has said anything about it, everyone
knows that the emperor sponsors the inner treasury. Would anyone dare
to copy it? With just a single word, the Overwatch Council could frame
you with anything and have you imprisoned or exiled.”
Fan Xian shook his head in displeasure. Lady Liu asked out of curiosity,
“Why buy five at once?” Fan Xian explained in a gentle manner, “One for
the flower hall, one in you and Father’s bedroom. As for the other three:
one for King Jing, one for the prime minister… and the last one for the
duke.”
In Lady Liu’s family, her mother’s side was one of the great clans in the
capital. Three generations ago, there had been a duke. Whenever the
word “duke” was mentioned in the Fan household, it was in reference to
Grand Duke Liu Heng.
Lady Liu was slightly taken aback, not expecting the youth to be so
considerate. It was even more surprising that he had made the first
move to offer a benevolent gesture. She didn’t know how to respond and
only gave an unfocused smiled before taking her leave.
In fact, it was by chance that Fan Xian thought to improve the

relationship between Lady Liu and the Liu household; if he wanted Fan
Sizhe to stand firmly by his side, there was sure to be some family
quarrel that he would want to avoid, and Lady Liu might… once again do
something that would prevent the two sides from coming to terms.
Such small gestures couldn’t achieve that in one go, so he had to take it
one step at a time. Fan Xian was sure Lady Liu’s heart was in three
pieces, with one piece belonging to Count Sinan, and one with Fan
Sizhe. As long as he could maximize the benefits between the two, she
would not complain too much. As for the assassination attempt when he
was twelve years old…
Fan Xian forced down his emotions with a frown and convinced himself
that his true enemies were the empress and the eldest princess.
In the manor of the prime minister, Lin Ruofu gently held a snuff bottle.
He said lightly, “Seems to be made of high-quality emerald. The cap is
intricately fitted. While the inside of it is painted, the artwork is excellent,
if not a bit excessive.” Yuan Hongdao listened and knew what the prime
minister meant. “The groom has come to visit his future father-in-law
while bearing gifts; that’s how it should be.”
Lin Ruofu smiled and stood up. He unraveled the scroll on the table,
revealing a painting. That painting, too, depicted an old fisherman fishing
by a river that disappeared into the horizon. The rest of the painting
depicted a snowy scene. Next to the painting was a poem.
“Over one thousand mountains, there are no birds in flight; on a myriad

of paths, there are no footprints in sight.” Reading the poem, Lin Ruofu
exclaimed, “The painting is ordinary, and the calligraphy isn’t anything
extraordinary, but the poem itself is very nice. I’ve heard of Fan Xian’s
reputation when it comes to poetry, and I can now see it’s well deserved.
But do you still think this is what a groom like him should be doing, with a
poem like this?”
Yuan Hongdao smiled uneasily and thought about how strange this Fan
Xian was. Lin Ruofu had recently lost his eldest son; he hadn’t yet
returned to his old self, and for some reason, Fan Xian decided to give
him such a depressing painting and poem. Yuan Hongdao fell silent for a
moment before something caught his eye. “Your Highness, look here.”
He pointed at something on the painting.
Right between the mountains, some fine ink lines were forking out,
barely visible, like new grass blades wanting to rise up underneath the
snow with the coming of spring.
“This is…?”
“A touch of green in the chilling river and snowy cliff.” Yuan Hongdao
explained while smiling.
In response to the barely visible shoots of grass, Lin Ruofu’s

expressions gradually softened. “Looks like you’ve taken a liking to this
Fan Xian also.”
Yuan Hongdao didn’t refute it, and laughed. “He has an excellent
background, excellent education, and an excellent nature.”
“Sounds like he’s the perfect person to you?” Lin Ruofu smiled before
continuing, “If Chen’er can live a good life after being married to him, all
is well.” He suddenly lowered his voice, “but regarding that incident, can
you really confirm it.”
Yuan Hongdao replied seriously, “The incident beneath the Cang

Mountains has been confirmed. Fei Jian is currently negotiating in
Dongyi City.”
“Ah.” Lin Ruofu half-closed his eyes. “I thought as much. I actually don’t
care about Fan Xian’s background and education, only his nature and
methods. It would be the best if he has a good nature but merciless
methods of action. This way, once I die, the Lin household and my only
son and daughter will be protected.”
After Lin Gong’s death, the prime minister was truly disheartened. His
eldest son was mentally challenged, while he hadn’t seen his daughter
for years. On top of that, he still thought of the officials and relatives who
relied on him. Who Lin Wan’er was to be married to was the decision of
utmost importance.
“How are things going outside?” Lin Ruofu asked gently.
“Very good, better than we imagined, Your Highness.”
“Why is the sky blue?”
“Because the sea is blue.”
“Why is the sea blue?”
“Because once light enters the water, it becomes blue… uh, don’t listen
to me, I’ve not studied that topic and was sprouting nonsense.”
“Why is the pond clear and not blue?”
“Because the water is too shallow?”
“Ah?”
“Eh?” In the garden, Lin Wan’er’s big brother sat on a rattan chair, his
chubby frame seemed to take up all the space the chair had to offer. He
asked Fan Xian with curiosity, his gaze showing a child-like innocence,
although occasionally they would appear sluggish.
Fan Xian knew the eldest son of the prime minister was not healthy, but
he hadn’t expected him to be mentally challenged. For reasons unknown
to Fan Xian, the prime minister still hadn’t come to greet him. Hanging
around the back garden, he ran across his elder brother-in-law, and
could only chat along. Fan Xian secretly laughed to himself, wondering if
this chubby, mentally-challenged child would get angry and beat him.
“What’s your name?” Fan Xian asked his brother-in-law with a smile.
After chatting for a while, Fan Xian discovered him to only be slow to
react to things, like a small child. His silliness was a bit cute, cuter than
the accountant Fan Sizhe at least.
Fan Xian’s brother-in-law twisted his lips, his fat cheeks making his face
appear even rounder. “My name is Big Bao; my little brother is Little Bao.
Little Bao hasn’t been home in a long time.”
Fan Xian was shaken upon hearing this. He thought of the late Lin Gong.
The next instant, he had no idea what to say to his brother-in-law in front
of him.
Chapter 116: Summer Vacation

Were he a normal adult, chatting with someone with the mental

capacities of a young child, perhaps he would become easily bored, but
Fan Xian was not that sort of person. Fan Xian had spent the last years
of his previous life confined to his sickbed, unable to move, and in this
life, when he was practicing strange and powerful arts, he would often
find himself slipping into a vegetative state, and so he had great
patience. Even more than that, he felt pity for his brother-in-law, Dabao,
and his learning difficulties, so he could control his temper with a smile
and chatted happily with Dabao.
As Fan Xian saw it, the plump fellow who moved around slowly was
more loveable than the other people of the capital, and more trustworthy.
“Big brother, why am I so fat while you are so thin?” Dabao frowned,
seemingly perplexed by this problem.
Fan Xian forced a smile. “First of all, you are my big brother. I’m going to
be your little sister’s husband. Second, I’m not thin at all, it’s just that
you’re a little bit chubby.”
Dabao shook his head and yawned, took a cake from a nearby table,
and stuffed it in his mouth, chewing it thoroughly as he spoke. “I’m not
fat; I just like to eat.”
Seeing that the Prime Minister was not yet onboard with his idea, Fan
Xian turned his gaze and whispered into his brother-in-law’s ear.
“Dabao, when shall I take you out to play?”
“What… what are we going to play?” Dabao spoke happily. “I want to

play polo.”
“Huh?” Fan Xian had something of a headache. He realized he’d really

created work for himself. He’d thought he’d take his brother-in-law on a
summer vacation, and he’d used this as a pretext to allow Wan’er to
come out of her strictly-guarded pavilion. How was he to know that his
tubby brother-in-law would want to play polo? He quickly changed tack.
“Dabao, do you want to hear a story?”
Dabao’s nostrils flared as he breathed in. “Yay! I love stories,” he said

excitedly.
And so, in the garden of the Prime Minister, Fan Xian began to tell a
story in a calm and relaxed voice. The story was about a beautiful girl
named Snow White, seven dwarves, and their happy life in the forest.
One day, Snow White picked up a mushroom…
——————
“It’s somewhat surprising.” Prime Minister Lin Ruofu gazed out of a far
window and smiled. “Do you think he’s faking it?”
Yuan Hongdao shook his head. “It doesn’t look like it. Master Fan has a
sincere smile on his face. That can only come from his heart.”
“Hm.” Lin Ruofu sighed. “Ask him to come inside.”
Fan Xian entered the Prime Minister’s residence and immediately felt
somewhat nervous. When he entered the Prime Minister’s private study,
it would be the first time that he saw his future father-in-law’s face. He
could not stop the little finger of his right hand from trembling. After all,
he was inextricably linked to the death of the Prime Minister’s only
legitimate son. But his face remained respectful and unusually calm. “I
have come to pay my respects to you, Uncle Lin.”
He had given a lot of thought to how to address him. Calling him “Mister
Prime Minister” was inappropriate, and calling him “Old Master” was
inelegant. Calling him “uncle” could help to bring the Fan and Lin families
closer together. It also subtly hinted at the closeness that the wedding
could bring.
Lin Ruofu looked at Fan Xian’s calm face and felt quite satisfied with his
behavior. After a moment of consideration, he spoke. “I presume you
understand why I have invited you here today, Master Fan.”
Fan Xian quickly responded with a smile. “I am happy to simply have

been invited, Uncle.”
Lin Ruofu nodded. “Fan Xian… do you have any thoughts on this
marriage?”
Fan Xian did indeed have thoughts about the marriage. He was
extremely happy about it, and he could not prevent a blush from forming
on his cheeks. Seeing his face, Lin Ruofu felt much more at ease. He
smiled. “You are no doubt aware that after Gong’er’s passing, I have but
one son and one daughter. Chen’er is to be married to you, and you
must treat her well.”
Fan Xian lowered his head and quietly responded yes, without mumbling
in the slightest.
“All those of an older generation must one day pass away.” Lin Ruofu
suddenly spoke clearly. “If I may be so bold, when that day comes, I ask
that you take care of my son. Are you able to take on that
responsibility?”
After a moment of thought, Fan Xian stood up, clasped his hands, and
bowed. “Of course.”
“Someday, we shall be considered one family, and so there are some

things you must understand.” Lin Ruofu looked into the young man’s
eyes. It seemed that he wanted to look deep into his heart. He spoke
slowly and carefully. “Although I have had little contact with Wan’er, she
is still my daughter. Her surname is Lin, and so you must take the House
of Lin into consideration. Once the marriage is concluded, then I believe
that Count Sinan also understands that our two families will be linked in
common prosperity. I hope that in the future, whether or not you are in a
position of power, you will remember your status, and that you will
henceforth protect the interests of not only the Fan family, but the Lin
family as well.”
His words were frank, but only in this way could the Prime Minister at
last show his approval of the marriage. Happiness welled up in Fan
Xian’s heart. Although his marriage to Wan’er was by order of the
palace, receiving his father-in-law’s approval naturally felt much more
appropriate.
But when he thought of the second meaning behind those words, Fan
Xian could not help but feel a headache coming on. His father-in-law had
clearly abandoned the Crown Prince, but he didn’t know whether he was
preparing to support the Second Prince. Everyone knew that the Fan
family and King Jing had assisted the Second Prince, but Fan Xian also
knew that his father’s feelings on the matter were complicated.
Meanwhile, after the successful conclusion of the visit to the Prime
Minister’s manor, Lin Wan’er finally spied an opening to approach the
palace, paying filial respects to the Empress Dowager for most of the
day. She wasn’t sure how she had persuaded him, but her usually stony-
faced uncle, the Emperor, issued a decree, allowing her to leave the
palace grounds and walk freely.
Under Fan Xian’s careful medical attention, Lin Wan’er’s health had
improved greatly. She was able to leave the house and walk around.
Although her illness had not disappeared completely, she no longer had
to hide herself away indoors, and so when Fan Xian heard that the
palace had lifted their prohibition, he was filled with happiness at the
unexpected good news. Early the next morning, he travelled by carriage
to the pavilion in the palace to make sure everything was prepared.
After waiting for some time, there was a bustling from inside the pavilion.
First, a number of bodyguards came out, followed by ladies-in-waiting,
and a couple of pretty-looking servant girls clearing a path. Finally, Lin
Wan’er leisurely strolled out, assisted by four servant girls.
Lin Wan’er wore a beautiful white skirt and a conical hat made from
Longxi bamboo. The hat was very light, and underneath it hung a thin
layer of gauze which kept out the sunlight and hid her beautiful face. All
one could see was a faint smile on her lips.
Fan Xian came forward to greet her, but the old ladies-in-waiting were
nervous at the sight of this future groom, and blocked his path, fixing him
with glares as fierce as lightning.
Fan Xian was angry. He didn’t understand why they had to meddle in his
love life. He thought about slipping them laxatives again and letting them
spend a good long while on the commode.
Lin Wan’er looked at him apologetically, her hand tightly gripping the
servant girl next to her. The girl almost cried out in pain, wondering what
she had done to offend, but she understood her mistress’s meaning, and
quickly hurried forward to speak with Fan Xian. “Master Fan, you must
travel separately. We will see you again in the summer estate west of
the city.”
The summer estate was a royal summer garden, about twenty miles
west of the capital. Were it not for Lin Wan’er’s outing today, Fan Xian
would not have been allowed to enter and enjoy it.
Fan Xian scoffed, but he knew that before they were married, it would
have brought her great shame for them to travel in the same carriage, as
well as drive the old ladies-in-waiting absolutely mad. He said nothing
more, but shot a glance at Ruoruo who stood by his side. Ruoruo
understood his meaning, and smiled. She walked up to her future sister-
in-law’s side and gently took her hand. She said a few words, then
followed the procession leaving the pavilion, climbing into the palace
carriage.
“Brother, being the Emperor’s son-in-law… it must be so annoying.” Fan

Sizhe stood by Fan Xian’s side and looked at him with great sympathy.
“Autumn is coming,” sighed Fan Xian. “It’s fine letting our sister go with
Wan’er. Those damned ladies-in-waiting can’t really think that lilies [1]
will bloom in that carriage.”
“What are lilies?”
“A holy plant.”
The two sides set off early, just as day was dawning, but by the time
they had reached the summer estate, the sun had fully risen, its warmth
shining down on the earth in a warm embrace.
Fortunately, such things had been taken into consideration in the

construction of the estate, which was built in such a way to keep out the
heat of the sun. The villa was built by the side of the woods, next to the
mountains, overlooking a lake and shielded from the sun and facing the
wind. The surface of the lake was tranquil, but the cool wind blew gently
through, bringing dry air from between the trees and fanning everyone
with a cool breeze.
Fan Xian stood on the grass by the lake, looking over the scene in front
of him as he was filled with awe. The Emperor’s rural retreat was truly
unique, and life here was grander than that of any of his subjects.
When he entered the estate, he wondered whether Ruoruo had
managed to pull some strings. The bodyguards had been persuaded to
corral all of the old ladies-in-waiting into a pavilion to spend the time
drinking tea and playing card games. Only a young man was left by the
side of the lake, with the bodyguards sitting or standing far away, with
servant girls only occasionally coming out to wander and chatter
incessantly. The quietness of the lake had subsided somewhat, but with
no onlookers to disturb his happiness, Fan Xian felt very comfortable.
Moving further away from the others, he gritted his teeth and made a
face to drive away a servant girl; Fan Xian could finally be alone with
Wan’er.
“It wasn’t easy,” sighed Fan Xian, his right hand moving through the
grass like a snake, before pouncing on Wan’er’s soft hand as quick as
lightning. His face remained calm as he looked out over the lake. “It
really wasn’t easy to meet with milady.”
Her hand in his, Lin Wan’er suddenly blushed and lowered her head
shyly. She did not move her hand away, but scolded him in a low voice.
“I don’t know why you’re calling me ‘milady’ so formally, when you were
happy to climb that wall so shamelessly.”
[1] ‘Lilies’ is Chinese netizen slang for lesbian sex.
Chapter 117: A Waft of Cumin by the Lakeside

Fan Xian chuckled mischievously, not refuting anything as he stroked his

fiancée’s hand in his own. Although he had lived two lives as a virgin, he
was of a generation influenced by Japanese porn actor Taka Kato, and
Lin Wan’er would no doubt find his tricks hard to resist. The young lady
began to feel nervous, and shifted uneasily where she sat . Fan Xian
summoned up the nerve to ask. “Or you could lay in my arms?”
“My big brother is really smart.” Fan Sizhe sat in the carriage, not willing
to get out. He hated how many mosquitoes there were in the grass. He
sighed in admiration as he watched the couple at the side of the lake
from a distance. “He has only just met my future sister-in-law, and now
they’re sitting down together. Maybe in a little while, they’ll consummate
the marriage ahead of schedule?”
Fan Ruoruo giggled. Although she knew about his brother’s secret visits
to Wan’er’s bedchamber, she didn’t know quite how often he had visited
her, so as she looked upon the scene, she also felt some measure of
surprise and awe.
“Go help unload things.” Ruoruo cuffed Fan Sizhe around the ear and
laughed. “I don’t want to get the guards to do it.”
Fan Sizhe stared at her. “Then what are those people here for?”
Fan Ruoruo smiled. “They’re servant girls, but they’re not as strong as
you.”
For some reason, as soon as he saw Fan Ruoruo’s delicate smile, Fan
Sizhe felt an inexplicable fear. He obediently climbed down from the
carriage and began helping the dainty servant girls unload. It was no
wonder that Fan Ruoruo wanted him to help. Fan Xian had brought quite
a number of things on this vacation. It took Fan Sizhe and the servant
girls quite a long time to unload them all.
Fan Sizhe wiped the sweat from his brow, and yelled across the lake.
“Big brother! The things are all unloaded. Which ones are yours?”
Sitting by the lakeside, Fan Xian heard his yell and clapped his hand to
his head as he realized what was going on. Embarrassed, he apologized
to Wan’er, stood up, and brushed the bits of grass from his buttocks. He
walked to the carriage and began to give orders to organize things.
After he had settled in the capital, his grandmother had sent along all the
things he had left in Danzhou, so they had all come into use that day.
There were three handmade tents, a metal barbecue rack, some large-
eyed metal mesh netting, and bags and pots of pepper, cumin, salt and
so on. There were some bamboo rods, eggs, fish, radishes, a big block
of tofu, and a bag of charcoal; in short, everything one needed for a
barbecue.
The servant girls pointed at a pile of rags with curiosity. “What’s this?”
“Tents,” explained Fan Xian kindly.
The servant girls were intrigued. “Is this what the military uses?”
Fan Xian smiled. “In the evening, we can watch the stars by the
lakeside.” Seeing his kindly and handsome smile and the gentleness in
his eyes, the servant girls were no longer inquisitive; they bashfully
turned their faces away and left.
After starting a fire with some of the charcoal, someone came over to
take over duties. Fan Xian moved a lump of stone over by the metal
mesh, carefully smeared it with soy paste and other ingredients, and
speared some fish onto a bamboo skewer. A faint sweet scent arose
with the charcoal fire. He sniffed and looked over at Wan’er, who sat
alone on the far side of the lake. He smiled gently and made sure not to
make the flavor too strong as he cooked three skewers of fish. Giving a
skewer to his brother and his sister, he walked over to the lakeside and
sat down by Lin Wan’er.
“Take this,” he said with a warm smile.
Lin Wan’er looked at him with suspicion. Was his skill that great? Taking
it, she carefully bit off a piece and chewed it slowly. Gradually, her eyes
lit up, and she looked at Fan Xian and laughed, but stopped short of
praising him. She began gobble it down, but the fish was too hot. She
begrudgingly spat it out, extending her scalded tongue and fanning her
mouth with her hand, panting.
It was very cute. Truly adorable… Loveable.
Fan Xian looked at her plump lips, and for some reason, he remembered
the chicken leg, when they had first run into each other at the Temple of
Qing. “Chen’er,” he teased her, “I’ve brought you no end of chicken legs
over the past few days. How can you still be hungry?”
Lin Wan’er slapped his face, furious. “If I knew you could cook this well, I
wouldn’t have eaten your cold chicken legs.”
Fan Xian laughed, almost tumbling backwards. His fiancée definitely had
some spirit in her. Sometimes, she was timid, lowering her head and not
daring to speak; at other times, she had a temper, her illness-weakened
body suddenly like that of a tiger cub. In a word, she was cute; indeed,
she was very kawaii.
Lin Wan’er gazed into the distance and saw that the barbecue stall had
become busier than the lakeside; Fan Sizhe had already eaten his fish,
and had set about ordering the servant girls to roast some corncobs.
Only Ruoruo was eating gracefully, eating as she strolled around the
side of the forest. It wasn’t clear whether she was looking at the scenery
or thinking about something.
Her gaze fell upon the pile of things that had been unloaded from the
carriage. Lin Wan’er increasingly felt that there was something rather
queer about her fiancé. “In the past few years, we usually ate at the villa,
and I’ve never seen the servant girls so happy… I’ve never seen so
many strange things as the ones you’ve brought today.”
Fan Xian smiled as he explained. “Although they’re servant girls, they

are servant girls who have spent their days with you in luxury. How many
of them have ever really cooked food? The food from this barbecue
might not necessarily taste better, but the feeling of doing something by
yourself is different, and your taste buds react in a different way too.”
“Taste buds?” Lin Wan’er was a little confused, and she stared at Fan
Xian with wide eyes.
“Our tongues have these little things on them that help us taste flavors.”
Fan Xian knew this was a difficult thing to explain clearly. After all, the
naked eye wasn’t as good as a microscope. “That’s why the back of the
tongue tastes bitterness, and the front of the tongue tastes sweetness,”
he explained.
Lin Wan’er laughed. “It’s clear that you were Master Fei’s student,
seeing how you have knowledge of such things.”
When he heard her mention Fei Jie, Fan Xian felt uneasy. He had a
good teacher-student relationship with him, and he had been in the
capital for a number of months now. Even Chen Pingping had returned
to the city; why wasn’t Fei Jie willing to come back? It didn’t seem right.
He put the matter out of his mind, and caught Wan’er’s admiring gaze.
Fan Xian set up a small barbecue just for the two of them, picked up a
few ingredients, and they cooked and ate some food. Of course, most of
the cooking was done by Fan Xian, and most of the eating was done by
Lin Wan’er.
Caught in the aroma, fiancé and fiancée relished eating the charcoal-
grilled food .
“Hm, I’ve never seen these seasonings before.” Lin Wan’er extended the
tip of her tender tongue and licked a sesame seed from the corner of her
mouth. She sighed contentedly. “It smells wonderful.”
“You’re joking. We have plenty of sesame seeds, and this cumin wasn’t
easy to find.” Fan Xian wondered if any of the things he’d brought to the
holiday villa would have been available if he did not have a good
relationship with the shopkeepers at Qingyu Hall. “If you like, you can eat
it every day after we’re married.”
Lin Wan’er’s face changed quickly – of course, it hadn’t changed into a

hostile expression, but she had gotten into the habit of bashfully lowering
her head when she heard the word “marriage”. But today the situation
felt inappropriate. There was some grease on her lips, and a little on her
nose. How could she look at this young boy when she looked like she’d
been pilfering food from her family’s kitchen?
Fan Xian laughed when he looked at her face. She wasn’t an especially
beautiful girl, but for some reason, in his eyes, he felt like he could find
nothing wrong with her, like there was nothing about her appearance
that wasn’t adorable. Seeing him laugh at her, Lin Wan’er seemed like
she was about to angrily pounce at him. Fan Xian quickly spread his
arms wide to feed this tiger.
Meanwhile, far away on the other side of the lake, a large tree that had
grown out of the waters just happened to obstruct the servant girls’ view.
Fan Xian thought that he could take her into his arms out in the open,
but to his surprise Wan’er looked embarrassed, and forcibly stopped
herself from falling into Fan Xian’s embrace.
Fan Xian couldn’t help but shake his head. He took a handkerchief and
wetted it with some lake water, and then returned to sit next to Lin
Wan’er. He stared at her face, and carefully dabbed at the ash stains on
her nose and her chin.
The two were very close to each other, and feeling his husbandly
tenderness and his concentrated gaze, Lin Wan’er began to feel
nervous, and tightly grasped the hem of her skirt. Fan Xian noticed that
she was nervous and was momentarily at a loss. He paused with the
moist handkerchief on her cheek, and their gazes met. It was as if their
breaths were interweaved together, their chests moving up and down at
the same speed, gradually quickening.
But their thoughts were not the same as their actions. Fan Xian said
nothing, and lowered his head… to kiss her on the brow.
Lin Wan’er was startled and embarrassed, but faintly disappointed. But
she was unable to cover up her faint disappointment, as Fan Xian’s lips
had stopped the mouth she was preparing to rebuke him with – wet, soft,
fragrant and sweet.
“Aiya!” Fan Xian found that she had bitten his bottom lip. He quickly
stood up to move his lips away from the scene of the crime.
He stared at her, but found that Wan’er had a smile on her face. Her
smile was like spring sunshine, and on the lake that they sat by, the
ripples flowed gently along the mirror-like surface, moving them deeply.
It was adorable how she seemed to be trying not to smile, showing front
teeth as white as pearls… and it was adorable how she bit her bottom
lip.
Fan Xian was moved, and summoning his remaining courage, he drew
his fiancée into an embrace, not allowing her to escape, his fingers softly
stroking her cheek. “My little tiger,” he said softly, “watch out, or I shall
devour you.”
Lin Wan’er’s body went rigid in his embrace, her eyes like lakes in
spring, still bewildered and flattered. She bit her bottom lip and looked at
him. “I don’t feel well,” she said, “could you go?”
Chapter 118: A Tale of Quarreling Fairies

Letting go…why should he have had to? But seeing the young bride
savoring her happiness, Fan Xian could not be like Liuxia Hui [1] and
ignore the fire that burned within him. If he were to let go, he’d never
forgive himself. There was no need to decline to devour what was
offered to him.
So, the two of them came together as one.
Despite the trees providing shelter, the lake mountains held many sights,
and the sight of this couple being intimate would eventually be seen by
the maidservants. Those maidservants were smart and took the hint;
each one of them looked away, some flipped the slices of meat, some
pretended to check the miss’s makeup box, while some didn’t know what
to do and can only pretend to have sprained their ankles.
Fan Sizhe was chewing happily and didn’t notice the “quarreling fairies”.
Ruoruo was currently taking a stroll by the woods; she didn’t to seem to
pay attention to what was going on over there. The maidservants did not
clear their throats nonstop to try to stop this improper behavior because
Fan Xian had been preparing them for this in the past few days.
If it’s about national matters, then you must bribe the leading
government figures. If it’s about household affairs, you must bribe the
maidservants. Fan Xian knew that well and had been generously
rewarding them thanks to his status as a functionary and the fact his
bookstore kept on churning out money. The maidservants were all
delighted and were won over to their future master’s side.
Neither one of the couple knew how much had passed before they
parted from one another. Both panting, their hair slightly messy, looking
a bit pathetic. Rather than being intimate, it looked more like they had a
fight.
Lin Wan’er combed her hair with her hand and took a glance at the
maidservants in the distance who didn’t seem to notice. Still, she was
quite upset and glared angrily at Fan Xian. To do this in broad daylight,
this was too ridiculous. But the sweet fragrance lingering on her lips
made her heart flutter like crazy.
“What are you afraid of? I never saw you this uncomfortable all those
nights.” Fan Xian teased her. With “tricky fingers”, he gently flicked her
earlobe.
Wan’er could only sigh lightly. She raised her small fist and hammered
down on Fan Xian’s chest.
“The husband is being murdered.” This was a joke told too many times
by Fan Xian and his friends in his previous life. But to his fiancée, it was
quite new.
Wan’er bit him on the wrist. Fan Xian forcibly stopped himself from
shouting out. He forced a smile and said, “The fairies aren’t fighting,
what’s gotten into you?”
“Fighting fairies” came from the seventy-third chapter of Dream of the

Red Chamber. In it, the guileless Sister Sha picked up a sachet in the
Grand View Garden. On the sachet was an embroidery depicting a man
and a woman embracing in the nude. Sister Sha did not realize it was a
pornographic scene and thought they were fairies fighting. She gave the
sachet to Lady Xing and a fable was born.
No one here should know this story. However, recently, Lin Wan’er
learned her own future husband opened up a bookstore with Story of the
Stone as its bestseller. She made Fan Xian “copy” down the later few
chapters. Hearing “fighting fairies” made her blush. “Who do you think I
am?”
Fan Xian snickered, “A good person, of course. Those before us once
said, the fairies fought a fight of perfection. Besides, what we did was
fairies quarreling.”
“Bah! To hell with your nonsense. ‘Those before us’? Please don’t use
their name for this.” Lin Wan’er laughed. “Also, what is the difference
between quarreling and fighting fairies?”
“You see, in a fight, you use your entire body. In a quarrel, of course…
you only use your mouth.”
“Drop dead.”
“It’d be a privilege if it were by your hand.”
—————-
When taking refuge from the heat in a summer estate, it was easy for a
couple in love to pass time. In the blink of an eye, it was noon. Somehow
Ruoruo was able to get the ladies at the front of the state to remember
they had things to do, and they came to Fan Xian with all smiles; it
looked like they received a lot of benefits from the Fan family.
But Fan Xian still didn’t like the sight of them, because, with their arrival,
his time with Wan’er was over. He sat up and distanced himself from
Wan’er.
Fan Xian’s roasted fish wasn’t enough to be called proper lunch. So, the
lot made their way to the mountain estate and chose an elegant
courtyard to have lunch. As the servants went to prepare food, the sound
of horse carriages could be heard over the sound of chatting. Fan Xian
and Lin Wan’er stood up at the same time, as if knowing who it was.
Upon seeing they both stood up, they looked at each other in surprise.
Fan Xian and Lin Wan’er had each invited a guest without informing the
other. Upon seeing the occupants, both of them were surprised. Wan’er
felt some nervousness and hurt on top of her surprise, while Fan Xian
felt some nervousness… and a headache.
Lin Wan’er had invited Ye Ling’er. Wan’er knew about the fight the other
day, so she invited Ling’er here today to get the two to know each other
better. Fan Xian knew Wan’er’s intention and welcomed Ling’er with a
smile. He put his hands together and greeted her, “Nice to see you, Miss
Ye.”
While her nose was still hurting, Ye Ling’er was not awkward in the
slightest. She greeted back, “Good to see you too, Master Fan. I was
greatly impressed with your skills.”
Fan Xian chuckled, although inside he felt somewhat strange. Were they
filming a historical film?
Fan Sizhe saw the scene and said to Ruoruo quietly, “Sis, I understand.
Our future sister-in-law wants to play the peacemaker.” Fan Ruoruo
replied in agreement and was about to greet Wan’er when Fan Sizhe’s
next sentence made her stop. Fan Sizhe had said in a perverted voice,
“Looks like our sister-in-law wants her own younger sister.”
Fan Ruoruo spat and knocked Fan Sizhe on the head. She scolded in a
low voice, “Never mind older brother’s wishes, even if he wants her, with
Ling’er’s status, there’s no way it would be so trivial.” In her heart,
Ruoruo didn’t care who Fan Xian married, as long as she was to his
likings. On that, Fan Xian shared the same logic.
A fat man came out of the other carriage. Led by a nanny, he looked
around in bewilderment. Fan Xian gave Ruoruo a look, signaling her to
take Ye Ling’er to rest. With one hand, he gently pulled on Wan’er’s
sleeve.
Looking at the fat man, Lin Wan’er covered her mouth with her hand, but
her exclamation could still be faintly heard. She looked back at Fan Xian
with eyes full of gratitude.
“Go.” Fan Xian encouraged her with a gentle smile and the two made
their way towards the carriage. Upon seeing Fan Xian, the fatty’s
bewilderment immediately turned into an expression of joy. He took a
few steps and grabbed Fan Xian’s hand and shouted, “Little Xianxian,
it’s you.”
“Dabao, didn’t we agree not to call me that?” Fan Xian smiled uneasily.
Lin Wan’er was a bit saddened by how her own brother had seemingly
forgotten who she was. But after hearing what he called Fan Xian, she
couldn’t help but laugh. “Little Xianxian?”
Fan Xian could only nod.
“Thank you,” Lin Wan’er looked at Fan Xian in gratitude, “You know it’s
inconvenient for me to see him.”
“Yes.” Fan Xian smiled. He turned around and patted Dabao on the
shoulder. “There’s no polo today, Dabao, but we can do other fun
things.”
Under the hills, passing through a hall, they could see a green lake
under the mountains in the distance. Dabao sniffled and shook his head.
“Little Xianxian, the water is green, not blue.”
Fan Xian sighed, “Because the water isn’t deep enough.”
“Then let’s see how deep it is.”
Fan Xian had originally planned to bring Dabao here because, first, he
didn’t want his older brother-in-law to be bored at home, and second, he
could leave him with Fan Sizhe, since they were both little kids. But
somehow, Fan Sizhe had an intuition about matters like this and stayed
far away as soon as he saw Dabao. Being taken by the hand, Fan Xian
was led down the hill by Dabao. It looked like this lunch was a failure.
As they were about to walk out, Dabao suddenly turned his head around,
looking seriously at Lin Wan’er, “Little sister, why don’t you follow us?”
Lin Wan’er was shocked at first, then she felt something pulling at her
heart. Her mentally challenged older brother had remembered his own
sister, whom he had only seen a few times. She quickly agreed and took
Dabao’s other hand.
It was evening, and the sound of people playing mahjong could be heard
in the distance. The guards were drinking together; their duties had been
light, everything was peaceful, and so their defenses were all lowered.
The maidservants were tired and went to sleep after drinking some
yellow wine. As for those being served, they had retired to bed early.
Occasionally, the chorus of frogs came, and a fish could be heard
breaking through the surface of the lake. Otherwise, everything was
quiet in the royal summer estate.
Beside the lake, a tent was hiding in the woods under the faint
moonlight, facing the night wind blowing across the lake. It was during
this time of the night that the couple in the tent were whispering.
[1] Liuxia Hui was an official in ancient China known to be so noble that
he was able to hold a later on his lap without even the slightest hint of
ignobility.
Chapter 119: Finding a Plum Branch in Summer [1]

“You’re so eager to be out with me; aren’t you worried that the servant
girl might find us?”
“She’s a very deep sleeper nowadays. I didn’t even use sleeping gas. I
reckon she won’t wake up.”
“But, but… there’s always a chance.”
“We’re watching the stars. Just watching the stars, that’s all.”
“You think they’ll believe you?”
“So what are you planning to do, Wan’er?” Fan Xian snickered as he
looked at her face. The moonlight shining on the tent was not particularly
bright, so her face was shrouded in darkness. It was particularly
beautiful.
Lin Wan’er wrinkled her pretty little nose and gave an exaggerated sigh.
“If you were such a pervert that you kidnapped someone in the night,
what could I do?”
Fan Xian also sighed. “I’m worried about being so sneaky all the time. If,
after we’re married, we go into the bedroom and I can never come out,
then what would we do?”
Lin Wan’er tutted, worried that his thoughts really had become
lecherous. After all, it was the dead of night, the two of them were alone,
and if he really wanted to… she would be powerless to resist.
Fan Xian did not know what she was thinking. If he had known that Lin
Wan’er was thinking about how she was powerless to resist him, he
would have already thrown himself at her. It wasn’t a case of it being
impossible, simply that he chose not to do it. As Fan Xian saw it, as soon
as a woman thought she was powerless to resist, she was already
preparing not to resist.
The two lay on the soft mat, covered by the mosquito net, looking up
through the canopy through which they could see the night sky. The
moon was dim that night, and so the stars were particularly bright,
looking down on all the lovers of the world from the dark curtain of night.
Lin Wan’er lay on Fan Xian’s chest, and he inhaled her faint scent. Her
soft back and buttocks were on his chest and stomach, and with the light
summer clothes that the pair were wearing, it was as if no cloth
separated the two at all. Any man who did not have a reaction to this,
whether he was 16 or 60 years old, had already degenerated to a phase
worse than a beast, so Fan Xian nervously drew his arms in tighter to
bring the two of them even closer, not leaving even a hair’s breadth
between them. He felt a bewildering happiness in his chest with each
slight touch.
Fan Xian began to perform his magic trick, his right hand leading
Wan’er’s hand. In an instant, his hand was under the thin garment
covering her chest, holding the softness inside.
The tent was completely silent; even the ripples on the water had ceased
to make a sound.
A good while later, a bashful sound came from inside the tent, as well as
the voice of an enchanted young man. “There are always some things
that you cannot believe even when you see them with your own eyes.
Truly they are difficult to grasp… very difficult to grasp.”
Lin Wan’er’s ears went red, she moaned, and turned away to free herself
from Fan Xian’s clutches. But she could not. She felt that her body had
been weakened even further by his enticing. In a moment of
desperation, she coughed, and attempted to stiffen in response to the
oncoming feeling of weakness. Just as expected, Fan Xian was
surprised, and presumed she had caught cold. He hurriedly recited a
sutra in an attempt to suppress his desire.
He adjusted her clothing and covered her with a blanket. Lin Wan’er
remained shyly clothed, secretly feeling somewhat amused and touched.
Worried that he might try again, she turned her eyes to him. “Today…
those new things that you made, if you sold them, maybe you’d sell a lot
of them?” She was talking about the barbecue ingredients and the tent
that they were both in.
Fan Xian felt that his desires were being somewhat thwarted. He sucked
in air through his teeth. “You are a majestic princess. What do you care
about money? Come on; kiss me again.”
Lin Wan’er blushed in panic again. “You opened a bookshop, and you
sell tofu, everyone thinks you’re fond of doing business.”
Fan Xian didn’t really care for making tofu; he much preferred eating it.
He forced a smile. “I have to make sure that I can make my own money,
and that’s how I can do it. In the future, the Emperor will put me in
charge of the royal estate, and that’s when I can finally relax.” After he
had come to the capital, he had put all his effort into doing business.
That was why he had made connections at Qingyu Hall.
Their passions had at last cooled, and they hugged as they watched the
stars and whispered sweet nothings. For some reason, they began to
talk about Fan Xian’s visit to see the Prime Minister, his future father-in-
law.
“How is my father’s health?” asked Lin Wan’er, concerned. She rarely

saw her father, but she still worried about him greatly. Seeing her
mentally-challenged brother that day had made her think of her second
brother Lin Gong’s untimely death, and her father’s lonely hardships.
She feared he was greatly hurt, but she was unable to help him even
though she was his daughter. It was unacceptable to her.
Fan Xian knew what she was thinking, and comforted her. “He is fine.
Once we are married, we’ll show him our devotion to him, and things will
be better than they are now… and he really does give his consent for our
marriage…”
The pair got quieter and quieter until they were inaudible, vanishing into
the silence of the night by the lake. Any arguing about what happened
that night would have to wait until the next day.
The next day dawned, and the pair naturally could not stay in the tent,
otherwise the guards and the servant girls would know that their mistress
had spent the night in a loving embrace with her future husband, and
such a thing would cause a great scandal in the capital within the month.
Fan Xian and Lin Wan’er opened their eyes in their own bedchambers,
rubbed them, turned over, smiled, pondered on the night that had
passed, and feebly stretched out their bodies.
Everyone arose from their beds and ate at separate tables, the servant
girls busying themselves incessantly. Lin Wan’er sat at the round table,
gently feeding Dabao some thin congee with vegetables, not even
shooting a glance at Fan Xian. On the other side, Fan Xian giggled as he
blew the steam off his younger sister’s bowl, the two seemingly sharing a
moment of sibling closeness.
Fan Xian and Lin Wan’er did not look at each other, but the mood that
the two of them were in seemed to resonate, making the whole hall
begin to feel somewhat happier. Sensitive Ye Ling’er and clever Fan
Ruoruo shared a suspicious glance with each other, and looked away
with quiet, mutual understanding.
It was still early, and after they had eaten breakfast, Fan Xian got ready
to go into the woods to find a secluded place to exercise, keeping up the
training he needed to do every day. To his surprise, Ye Ling’er strolled
up to him looking resolute, clasped her hands in salute, and asked for
his guidance.
After Ye Ling’er had returned to her manor and told her father of what
had happened that day in the palace grounds, Ye Zhong had thought
carefully for a while, then expressed admiration for Fan Xian, saying that
the way that Fan Xian had avoided those assassins and disemboweled
Cheng Jushu was quite out of the ordinary. Hearing her father’s words,
Ye Ling’er finally felt some acceptance of Fan Xian, but she hung onto
the martial concepts of the Ye family, and wanted to find an opportunity
to ask Fan Xian for his guidance.
This attempt to seek guidance really proved that Ye Ling’er had not been
convinced.
Fan Xian rarely trained with other people. At the beginning, in Danzhou,
he had simply been a pitiful figure, beaten senseless by Wu Zhu. And so
he could help but feel surprisingly happy about being qualified to give
guidance to a seventh-level master like Ye Ling’er. It wasn’t really
guidance in a true sense; Wu Zhu had not been a great teacher, and so
he was not a great teacher either. He simply spoke of how one should
extend one’s fist and how one should conserve one’s strength; he was
starting from the obvious, and had no way to consummate such things
into a complete theory.
His so-called little tricks had become a set of techniques to kill people,
but it was not easy to teach them to others, especially to a pretty young
girl with eyes like green jade. And Fan Xian was not being entirely
sincere, so Ye Ling’er could not study the essence of Wu Zhu’s killing
techniques, but she did make some progress.
Fan Xian smiled. Now he could finally see Ye Liuyun’s sanshou clearly
and in its entirety. It turned out that a simple pair of hands could turn out
to be a serious attack style. Even if it was Ye Ling’er who was
performing it, it had a power that could smash the wind and kill gods. If
Ye Zhong or Ye Liuyun had performed it personally, it was possible that
the Coffin Breaker Technique was powerful enough to smash
gravestones, and their sanshou could make the opponent’s body as stiff
as a board, unable to dodge them!
With a heavy blow, Fan Xian was convinced of the flexibility of Ye

Ling’er’s body. He smiled at the thin-waisted young girl, and saw
something unusual about her gaze. Ye Ling’er took no notice of his
gaze, otherwise it might suddenly provoke her wrath. Yet she was
deeply shocked by how Fan Xian perfectly matched her in movement
and power.
In short, it was a meeting of equals.
Sometime later, a cry of pain came from the woods. Fan Xian came out
rubbing at his wrist, and then Ye Ling’er came out holding her bloody
nose, finally completely sincere.
In truth, for the people of this world, everyday life was like a current
account. One could only make one step after another, repeating every
day. It was hard to avoid being bored. But power and riches could
occasionally bring about some new figures on the ledger. Fan Xian had
sent Dabao and Fan Sizhe off to the mountains to ride horses and shoot
arrows. They had guards protecting them and servant girls attending
them, and so there was nothing to worry about.
At that moment in the villa, there was only one man left, as well as the
three girls – Wan’er, Ruoruo, and Ye Ling’er.
Sitting in the hall, sipping tea and listening to music and watching good-
looking young girls singing in low voices, Fan Xian smiled. Power was
truly a good thing. If a lord wanted to hear music, then he could call for
people from the capital to come and sing. The girl was a genuine singer,
and thanks to her fine voice she strolled leisurely between the houses of
the princes and the nobility, as well as the noble and virtuous.
At that moment, Fan Xian finally realized how it felt to be a man of the
Kingdom of Qing. He had to strive for power and riches for himself and
for those around him if he wanted to make sure his life remained happy,
peaceful, and not reduced to the level of frontier horse thieves and
coolies who worked in the brick kilns. Or perhaps there were some
things that were worth giving up.
He was a selfish person, and he often reminded himself of that fact. In

front of the mountain hall, the singing girl Sang Wen’s voice was crisp
and clear, and it mixed with the wind and penetrated through the hall,
reverberating throughout the rafters.
“The villages live through the winter, frost from the north and south of the
creek settles on my boots, and trees cover the isolated peak. From
whence comes the fragrance in these cold winds? I suddenly come
across silk sleeves and petticoats. I sober up, trembling, awoken from
my dream, the sound of the flute is melancholy, the spring is long gone,
the moonlight faint and yellow.”
[1] The chapter title comes from the song Sang Wen sings, a Yuan
dynasty tune named “Seeking Plum Blossoms, to the tune of
‘Immortals’”.
Chapter 120: The Crown Prince Rides

“A fine tune, and fine words too.” Fan Ruoruo smiled and sighed. “Miss
Sang is truly an extraordinary songstress.”
Having received praise from the well-regarded young lady of the Fan
family, Sang Wen was truly pleased. She blushed and bowed.
“A winter scene and a chilly spring make a mild summer seem that much
fresher,” said Lin Wan’er, also nodding her head in praise.
Fan Xian had spent all 16 years of his new life in the Kingdom of Qing,
but he still did not care much for music. Often, he found himself
remembering the songs of Aska Yang, a famous singer from his
previous life. He thought of Aska Yang, and then he thought of He
Zongwei, who often came calling to Fan Manor to pay his respects. He
frowned. For some reason, he couldn’t stand him.
But the line in Sang Wen’s song – “I suddenly come across robes and
silk shirts” – suddenly evoked some unexpected feelings from inside
him. Robes and light silk sleeves, with white silk underclothes as simple
and neat as white plum blossoms. And in front of the incense burner of
the Temple of Qing, the first time that he had met Wan’er, wasn’t she
wearing white clothes, clothes like white plum blossoms?
But those white plum blossoms had carried the scent of chicken legs.
Fan Xian unthinkingly gazed at Lin Wan’er, and found that she was also
looking at him. Their eyes met. Fan Xian smiled, and Lin Wan’er
blushed.
Ye Ling’er now recognized Fan Xian’s skills, but when she looked at the
scene in front of her, she still felt some uneasiness in her hear about it.
She cleared her throat. “I don’t care much for music.”
Fan Xian laughed. “It seems you’re as unrefined as I am, Miss Ye.” It
was a throwaway remark, but it brought Ye Ling’er closer to him, and the
two other girls couldn’t help but laugh. Even Sang Wen, who had been in
something of a daze, had to cover her beautiful mouth.
At that moment, there was only one young man in the villa, with his sister
and Wan’er sitting by his side and Ye Ling’er sitting by Wan’er’s. There
was a delicate feminine aroma that made Fan Xian feel good. He sighed.
Life was not in vain. This trip was not in vain. As long as Princess Roujia
wasn’t here, it was fine. Fan Xian had a worrisome thought – young
women were the most beautiful things in this world, but if young women
were looking at you like they wanted to marry you in ten years’ time, it
wasn’t right.
At that moment, Sang Wen suddenly summoned the courage to curtsy,

and spoke quietly to Fan Xian. “If I may be so bold, it would please me
greatly if Master Fan would say a few words.” The performers of the
capital were extravagant types, and had a fanatical hierarchy. At the top
were those who were heard by princes and dukes, the finest singers with
the best skills in singing and poetry.
Sang Wen was paid attention to by nobles and the young lady of the Fan
family. Naturally, she was a first-class singer and had fine songs and
poems on her mind day and night. Today, she had coincidentally met
with the famous poet Master Fan, and she could not help but be aloof,
and regardless of the great difference in their status, she bravely made
her bold demand. Fan Xian was taken aback.
Lin Wan’er and Fan Ruoruo giggled and urged him to write. Even Ye
Ling’er gazed at him with curiosity, wanting to see what sort of verse he
would write.
Fan Xian was thoroughly vexed and had no choice but to go into the
house. Spreading out paper and grinding an ink stick, Fan Ruoruo had
sat quietly down at the writing desk, picked up a writing brush and
waited. It turned out that Fan Xian was taking the role of an assistant,
and the three girls who followed them in and beheld the scene could not
help but laugh.
“My sister writes very well,” explained Fan Xian awkwardly. Although he
had diligently practiced writing characters when he was in Danzhou, his
handwriting was nowhere near as elegant as his sister’s, so he thought it
best to let her do it.
A little while later, Fan Ruoruo wrote out the words that Fan Xian
dictated in small, graceful handwriting. When Sang Wen heard it, her
eyes lit up, and was overjoyed when she nervously took the paper and
read it carefully. She bowed deeply to Fan Xian. “Master Fan, you have
my deepest thanks for composing this poem. Words cannot express my
gratitude enough.”
Lin Wan’er and Fan Ruoruo both nodded, agreeing that the poem was
worthy of gratitude. Sang Wen seemed to be arranging the poem to
music so that she could sing it all across the capital. Perhaps it would be
sung for many years. Fan Xian had copied out a fine verse written by
Tang Xianzu: “Already, bright purple and passion pink bloom in
profusion. Yet on crumbling walls, such splendor is abandoned. But in
this glorious season, where are sounds of joy in the garden? Mornings
take wing, evenings unfold, and beyond the green arbor, rosy clouds
soar. In windy strands of rain, gilded pleasure boats nod in misty waves.
Maidens shielded by brocaded screens are blinded to such glorious
scenes.”
He saw the girls’ infatuated expressions, sighed, and shook his head.
The Peony Pavilion was such a beautiful work, and taking this section
from it without context, even though it was beautiful, made it lose some
of its soul. But now he was busy with roll call at the temple, business,
courting, and even a vacation all packed into two days. He had no time
to do anything properly. It seemed that issuing labor in this advanced
culture was very difficult indeed.
“How sad.” Ye Ling’er, who had kept silent, was somewhat sluggish in
her reaction, only now passing a judgement full of feeling, grief and
sorrow.
Suddenly Fan Ruoruo’s face changed. She recalled the line about the
glorious season; it had already appeared in Story of the Stone, in a
drinking game played by Lin Daiyu. If Sang Wen were to sing this poem,
would people not immediately realize that Story of the Stone had been
written by her brother? But it seemed to her that Fan Xian had forgotten
about it. She thought about her brother gaining even more fame, and
couldn’t help but smile, deciding not to bring it up.
The outing ended well, and everyone had gotten what they wanted. Ye
Ling’er had learned a few “little tricks”, Sang Wen had received a poem
from Fan Xian, Fan Sizhe had gotten a bellyful of roasted fish, Dabao
had finally brought a horse to the Prime Minister’s manor, Fan Ruoruo
had gotten two days of beautiful scenery and peaceful surroundings, Lin
Wan’er had gotten a chance to get closer to her brother, and Fan Xian
had gotten the most, but he could not say what.
If it had ended this way, everyone would have been happy. But after Fan
Xian heard Wang Qinian’s report, he frowned. He had not expected
things to be quite so fortuitous.
The Crown Prince was coming!
“Retreat!”
Hearing that the Crown Prince was coming to the villa that day, Fan Xian
said nothing. He ordered Wang Qinian to get a team of his people ready
to go back to the capital.
He was joking, surely – if the illustrious heir-apparent wanted to spend

the summer here, how could he dare struggle for control with him? What
was more, the Fan family had been taken into the Second Prince’s
faction, and the Prime Minister had broken ties with the prince’s palace.
The Overwatch Council clung to the Emperor, and although Fan Xian
had some power behind him, he was the biggest target of the Crown
Prince’s hatred. If the two sides were to meet face to face, even given
that Fan Xian was with the “false princess” as well as the two young
women of the Ye and Fan families, the Crown Prince would truly wish to
humiliate him, and he would have no way to find someone to come up
with judgments about things.
The Emperor had said in the Green Bamboo Tearoom on Liujing River
that Fan Xian should have been able to live comfortably in the capital.
But the Crown Prince was not happy with Fan Xian living comfortably. If
father and son had a difference of opinion, Fan Xian could not be held
responsible, and believed that the Emperor would intervene on his son’s
behalf against the insignificant son of a minister.
It was for that reason that he wanted to make a clean getaway and not
give the Crown Prince an opportunity to meet and humiliate him. At the
same time, he also wanted to avoid giving himself the opportunity to beat
up the Crown Prince after being unable to bear being humiliated by him
and committing a crime that went against the will of Heaven.
He had come confident and at ease, but he was fleeing alarmed and
anxious; Fan Xian felt rather upset. Lin Wan’er also frowned and felt
uneasy; her brother Chengqian was no tiger; how could her future
husband be so afraid? Ye Ling’er once more felt a measure of contempt
for Fan Xian for being afraid of the powerful – what was so bad about the
Crown Prince? When she was small, the Emperor had sent him to the
Ye family to train in combat – and she’d gone through the same training.
Fan Xian after all was only an eighth-level functionary, the insignificant
illegitimate son of Count Sinan. How could he be as used to the sight of
the most important person in the world with these two girls who had
known him since their childhoods? And his thoughts were more mature
than those of girls with him, so he knew that this matter was somewhat
sensitive.
Because he had gotten things arranged quickly, Fan Xian’s retinue was
already on the road when the Crown Prince’s retinue arrived at the
summer estate, and the two sides just brushed past each other.
At that moment, there was a sound of gongs and drums, like someone
was about to start singing on a stage. The Crown Prince’s retinue
stopped, and the palace bodyguards also stopped Fan Xian. Fan Xian
parted the curtain and looked out, his face expressionless. He saw the
only heir to the throne upon the bright yellow carriage – soon to be the
most powerful 18-year-old in all the land, and he dispiritedly said
something to the carriages behind him.
Crown Prince Li Chengqian had a face that looked eminently handsome,

but there was something off about his complexion – it was somewhat
pale, and the corners of his mouth were slightly darkened. When he
came that day to spend summer at the summer estate, he had not
imaged that he would suddenly meet his sister Wan’er and the young
lady of the Ye family on the road. He had grown up with them both, so
he stopped to exchange pleasantries.
He knew that Wan’er had spent the previous night in the summer estate.
Li Chengqian seemed pained as he spoke. “Do you not care for your
health? The imperial physicians say you are too ill to endure the cold
weather.”
Ye Ling’er, by her side, laughed. “Miss Lin is not worried. We have an

imperial physician with us.” Lin Wan’er frowned at Ye Ling’er, though
smiling as she explained, “It’s been summer for awhile now; where is the
cold weather?”
But he did not change the subject. The Crown Prince was rather curious
about what Ye Ling’er’s was saying, and he asked careful questions,
finally realizing that sitting inside the carriage was Wan’er’s future
husband. He was shocked. “Is that the Beast of Fan Manor? He has
garnered quite a name for himself recently. Let me take a look at him.”
“Let it pass. Your Majesty must not intimidate him,” said Lin Wan’er, a
little uneasily.
The Crown Prince frowned. “The Emperor’s family has some poor
relatives. After you are married, he will be my brother-in-law. What’s the
harm in me meeting him? Besides, the Emperor will summon him to the
palace so he can pay his respects to the Empress and Empress
Dowager.” He paused. “And the royal court has a duty they wish to give
him as soon as possible. Don’t tell me he is hiding away from people?”
The words were very serious, and there was a silence across both
retinues.
“I pay my respects to Your Highness.” A voice broke the silence. No one

knew when Fan Xian had come up to the Crown Prince’s carriage. He
was beaming as he bowed.
Chapter 121: Unlucky Despite the Promotion

Prince Li Chengqian had a weakened constitution and was susceptible

to illness. That much Fan Xian knew beforehand. After having saluted
the prince, Fan Xian somewhat bashfully looked up and smiled at him.
Despite the prince’s status, Fan Xian wasn’t overly nervous. After all, he
had drunk tea with the emperor.
Originally, he hadn’t wanted to meet the prince, but the blabbermouth Ye

Ling’er foiled his plan.
When Fan Xian looked at the prince, the prince was looking back at him.
To the prince, Fan Xian was already unusual for having shaken up the
whole capital in these few months. Furthermore, his younger sister
Wan’er was appointed by Lord Father to marry Fan Xian. As the prince,
Li Chengqian understood the intentions behind this marriage very well.
If his aunt, the second princess, were to lose the right to the palace
treasury and an enemy took over, all that debt would be exposed. That
was what the prince was most worried about. Luckily, the palace
treasury would not be switching owners for another two years, so it
wasn’t of the utmost urgency. But the Fan household was getting along
very well with King Jing, and King Jing’s crown prince Li Hongcheng
was… rather close with the second brother. The prince frowned slightly
and stared at his junior who was stepping off the carriage, forgetting
what to say for a moment.
The aides in the western palace were also divided over whether to use
force against the Fan household, or to pull it to their side. If it were a
regular household, the prince would not care. But the Fan household
was different. The grandmother of this young man in front of him was
Lord Father’s wet nurse. With that kind of relationship, the prince
couldn’t really do anything to Fan Xian.
“You… You are Fan Xian?” The prince finally came back to himself and
asked with a smile.
“I am, Your Highness, and I have met you before.” Fan Xian, with utmost
respect, saluted the prince again. “I did not know your carriage was here,
so I did not get out of mine. I beg your pardon.”
“Oh.” Seeing that Fan Xian’s face was extremely honest, the prince’s
initial malice lessened. In an instant, the prince decided to observe for a
while. “Ignorance isn’t a sin. My sister, Wan’er, is always sickly, so you
must take care of her. Don’t be like those other young men in the capital
who only seek temporary pleasures.”
“I would not to go against your wishes.” Fan Xian realized the prince
wouldn’t be dealing with him today and calmed himself.
“But don’t be overly uptight. After the marriage, you are a relative of
royalty and will be walking in and out of the palace often. You should
relax your demeanor a bit.” The prince lectured.
Fan Xian smiled and answered “Yes, Your Highness.” The prince’s next
sentence shocked him.
“The diplomatic groups from Dongyi City and North Qi are entering the
capital soon. Because the Niulan Street incident revolves around you,
the Imperial court has named you assistant deputy for the time being. I
thought I’d let you know in advance so you can get ready. When the time
comes, don’t panic.” The prince said without much emotion.
Unknowingly, he had just done Fan Xian a favor.
Fan Xian was taken aback. He said, “As the functionary of Taichang
Temple, I fear it would be improper to be involved with national matters.”
The prince snorted coldly. “If you don’t earn yourself some merit, do you
think there’d be any place for you in the court?”
Fan Xian could tell the prince was a bit angry, so he quickly agreed.
After thanking the prince, he moved to the side to make way.
The prince waved his whip, which was made from black silk and gold
thread, and nodded in satisfaction. He turned around to speak to Lin
Wan’er, “You should come to the palace more often. Aunt misses you
very much.” He paused and then continued, “Aunt often suffered from…
headaches.” There was nothing unusual in the prince’s voice, his
expression was as gentle as usual. Fan Xian, however, scanned the
prince’s face and picked up some unrest in his weak gaze.
Ling Wan’er only smiled, and didn’t say anything.
“The prince is setting off.” With a shout, the prince’s fleet of carriages
began moving slowly towards the summer estate in the mountains. Fan
Xian dared not to move until all the carriages disappeared from view.
Sighing gently, he stretched his slightly stiff waist and smiled bitterly.
“Being a civil servant is hard.”
“You dare to be disloyal?” Ye Ling’er asked mockingly, seizing on the

opportunity.
“Ling’er, don’t say such nonsense!” Such was how the food chain
operated. Sizhe was afraid of Ruoruo, Ye Ling’er was afraid of the tiger
cub. Lin Wan’er got angry, and Ye Ling’er hopped back on to the
carriage.
Lin Wan’er walked toward Fan Xian. Seeing him still staring at the
direction the prince had gone, she couldn’t help but sigh. “I know your
worries. None of my three brothers are easy to get along with. I say it’s
best if you don’t rely on anyone in particular.”
Fan Xian had always acknowledged Lin Wan’er’s political wisdom, which
she forged from her days spent deep in the palace. He nodded very
seriously. Suddenly, he remembered something. “What about the
youngest prince? Is he a difficult one too?”
“Wenyun is only eight. What does he know?” Lin Wan’er consoled Fan
Xian. “You’re the emperor’s son-in-law. Adding in all the formalities,
there had been such precedent. I don’t think the eastern palace is really
trying to pull you in, so relax.”
Fan Xian laughed; he thought he was relaxed enough. Faking a sigh, he

asked, “How can I not be nervous seeing Qing’s future ruler?” In his
previous life, the highest-ranking person Fan Xian had ever met was
merely his school principle. But strangely, since being reborn—perhaps
due to being reborn into a high-ranking family—Fan Xian no longer felt
nervous around these big shots. He could stay composed, even in front
of the emperor.
Lin Wan’er couldn’t hold back her laughter. She pulled on the corner of
Fan Xian’s shirt. “Didn’t you hear what the prince said? Before our
marriage, you can enter the palace to greet all the Ladies. If that ‘Ancient
One’ is in a good mood, it won’t be impossible that he’ll want to see you.
After going through ten sections of the palace or so, you’ll turn numb,
even if you are anxious.”
“Ancient One?” Fan Xian realized Wan’er was talking about the empress
dowager who resided in the depths of the palace. For some reason, he
shuddered.
“Time to go. What are you still standing around for? The prince is long
gone.” Fan Sizhe finally lost his patience and complained. Dabao in the
middle carriage heard voices outside, so he raised his voice too.
Fan Xian laughed and, with a whip of his sleeves, put everything behind
him.
—-
Since Fan Xian was fortunate enough to be given another life, then he
had to live it to the fullest. Beautiful women, money, power; he mustn’t
run low on those. But he had been in murky waters since coming to the
capital. He couldn’t help but be vexed.
Currently, his bookstore was doing very well, and the later chapters of
Story of the Stone were in preparation to be printed. Fan Xian could see
the money pouring in. Once he took command of the palace treasury, he
was ready to leave the bookstore to Qingyu Hall and Fan Sizhe. As for
the matters in the Imperial Court, there were his father, Chen Pingping,
and the rest of his mother’s comrades. As for hidden dangers, there was
Wu Zhu. Even if Wu Zhu decides to not show up, as he did during the
incident on Niulan Street, Fan Xian believed he had the ability to protect
himself.
Suddenly, Fan Xian felt he had the potential to become a millionaire.
All that was still a figment of his imagination. Those around him and
himself all knew that. Calmly looking at the dirt road outside his carriage,
Fan Xian snapped his fingers. “That’s too much to be a coincidence.
There are thirteen royal estates in the capital, two temporary palaces,
and a hunting ground. All of them can be accessed by the prince. Why
did he choose today to go to the summer estate? The summer palace is
far from the capital and quiet, so we picked it beforehand.”
Once they were back on the road, Fan Xian and Wang Qinian shared a
carriage and therefore their conversation was rather direct. Wang Qinian
also frowned. “If someone deliberately made the prince go in order to
place us in conflict with him, such an arrangement would be too
complicated, and it wouldn’t guarantee good results.”
Fan Xian shook his head and said with a faintly cold gaze, “As long as
someone is beside the prince, then it wouldn’t be difficult to manipulate
the prince’s travel destinations. Besides, my reputation in the capital is
inseparable from ‘arrogant’, so I’m guessing whoever set us up was not
expecting the prince to not get angry at me for trying to take his silver.”
“It’s just that I don’t know the way the palace does things. Take the
prince’s trip outside the capital for example, how long does it take for
preparations? We came to the estate yesterday. Had the prince set his
eyes here a few days ago, then this really is a coincidence, not a
deliberate ploy.”
Fan Xian shook his head again. “We asked earlier. For the prince to go
out, as long as he stays within 14 kilometers of the capital, all he needs
to do is to report to the palace. To get ready, it should take about a day.
Seeing when we met, I estimate the prince left this morning.”
Wang Qinian looked at Fan Xian with worry. He asked in a low voice,
“What good can whoever planned this gain?”
Fan Xian smiled. “Plenty. If the prince really shamed me here, then I
suppose my family could only hold up red flags and expose ourselves.”
“Could it be the second prince?” Wang Qinian tried to confirm his

suspicion.
Fan Xian gave it some thought. Despite all the coincidences, and the
second prince calling repeatedly, he and the second prince never met.
Fan Xian really didn’t know what kind of character this second prince
was, but he thought he probably wasn’t the kind of person who decides
everything through force. Fan Xian said lightly, “Who knows? Everyone
is sharp in the palace. Who am I to give a damn?”
Fan Xian wasn’t lying when he said he wouldn’t give a damn. But he still
made Wang Qinian get out of the carriage to check if they were being
followed. He believed in Wang Qinian’s abilities. If someone was spying
on them, then whoever it was must be captured. If no one was spying on
them, it was enough for the encounter to be a coincidence and prove
that he was simply too cautious.
With a bitter smile, Fan Xian leaned back against the soft cushion,
hoping he really was being paranoid.
Chapter 122: The Box, the Poison Needle, and the Killer
In the capital, by the side of Shenzheng Way, there stood a house.

Wang Qinian had bought the house with 120 taels of silver, and having
gone through a few formalities, he was confident that no one could ever
find out who its true owner was. Fan Xian frowned as he looked at the
two burly men completely tied up in the corner. Their mouths were
stuffed with smelly cleaning rags, and their faces were red, with tears
rolling down from the corners in their eyes. They could not say anything,
and naturally, they were unable to bite down on their tongues to kill
themselves.
“Where did they catch them?” asked Fan Xian softly.
The people standing behind Wang Qinian bowed in response. “Three-

and-a-half kilometers outside the city, Master Wang discovered their
tracks. They tried to argue with us after we blocked their path, but we
investigated, and they confessed to their deeds. After you left the capital
yesterday, these two followed you. We don’t know how it was done, but
someone informed them, and we don’t know what connection they have
to the prince’s palace. This chance meeting was suddenly arranged.”
Fan Xian frowned. He hadn’t ever guessed that such a clue to a plot
would appear. It appeared that it was not down to his own brilliance, but
to his enemies’ stupidity. The capital was a dark place, and everyone
had a forked black tail hanging from their buttocks. He also understood
that what his subordinate had called investigation undoubtedly involved
the use of torture. But since they had confessed, whatever method they
used was unimportant.
“Is the person who interrogated them here?” Fan Xian lowered his voice
as he asked Wang Qinian. Wang Qinian shook his head. “The less the
subordinates know the better, so they have been waiting for their master
to carry out the interrogation personally.
Fan Xian nodded. He was pleased with his prudence, but he found
himself caught up in his own thoughts. He looked at the two burly men in
the corner, and easily observed a number of things from looking in their
eyes. They had a look of unswerving determination, but they had not
been trained in how to survive under torture. First of all, they could not
have been men from the Overwatch Council. Second of all, they could
not have been men from the palace. A quick examination showed that
they were not eunuchs.
So it was most likely that they were the private forces of the Second
Prince. Of course, the Prince at the foot of the mountains was also
unable to escape suspicion. At that moment, Fan Xian suddenly recalled
something his father Count Sinian had said. When you do not know who
your enemy is, you should not be reckless to make an enemy of people
– but what should you do when you do know who your enemy is? If he
were to discover whether this was the work of the Second Prince, could
he really raid the prince’s mansion? Fan Xian laughed bitterly. He knew
that there were a few things that he could not easily get to the bottom of.
“No use asking.” Fan Xian wiped his brow. It was rather stuffy. “Kill
them.”
“Yes sir.” The subordinates were Overwatch Council thugs, so they were
not the least bit surprised by this bloody order. They quietly moved
forward, pulled out knives for their belts, and plunged them into the
stomachs of the men. There was a spluttering sound, and the two burly
men flailed their feet recklessly for a moment before their eyes glazed
over.
“Bury them well,” Fan Xian ordered, with a measure of unaffected grief.
“Yes sir,” replied the subordinates.
Leaving the house, they went through the small alleyways of the capital
before the two men reached a main street. Wang Qinian walked
alongside him, keeping the respectful silence of a subordinate. Fan Xian
suddenly spoke. “When will the emissaries from Northern Qi and Dongyi
arrive? We should have information on this.”
“After they’ve crossed our border,” replied Wang Qinian, “all local
authorities will be provided assistance in receiving them. With luck, they
should arrive at the beginning of next month.”
Fan Xian nodded. “Help me find out who is among them. And
furthermore…” he began to mumble to himself. “If it is not considered
against the rules, could we trouble the manor to do some digging around
among the Northern Qi spies? It would be best to investigate what the
baseline for punishment of diplomatic missions is in Northern Qi.”
Wang Qinian had heard what the Crown Prince had said before, so he
knew that Master Fan wanted to take up a post as a vice envoy. “Yan
Ruohai’s son Yan Bingyun has already been hiding in Northern Qi for
four years, and there have been some results. I imagine it will have
some benefits.”
“I want as little talk about this as possible after it has happened,” Fan
Xian reminded him. “Otherwise, if Northern Qi were to find out, I fear that
Master Yan’s son will be in danger.”
Wang Qinian smiled. “Master, you are a commissioner, you know the
scope of authority regarding this matter.”
Fan Xian also smiled. “Taking responsibility for this sort of thing, the less
I know the better.”
Wang Qinian looked at his master’s delicate face and warm smile and
thought back to the killing that had happened in the courtyard before. He
could not help but feel a little strange. “Since it would be better not to
know,” he asked quietly, “then why must we investigate? It seems that
there was no need for those two men to die.”
“Although it is better not to know than to know, we still must investigate,
and those two still had to die,” replied Fan Xian quietly. “Because I must
let other people know that I know that they do not want me to know
things, those two lives serve as a warning, warning them not to try to
manipulate me again. It seems that the incident at Niulan Street did not
convince the powers on high to exercise some restraint. The death of my
brother-in-law at the foot of the Cang Mountains was the work of Sigu
Sword; perhaps they feel I am deceiving them?”
Although the series of “knows” was something of a tongue-twister

meaning-wise, the slightly confused Wang Qinian slowly understood his
meaning and nodded. Fan Xian’s suddenly smiled. “Don’t worry about
whether I’ve never seen blood and dead people. You don’t know how I
grew up.”
The following few days were peaceful. The death of those two nameless
burly fellows seemed to have been of little importance. But Fan Xian had
guessed that the incident would already have started to show its effects.
He made occasional visits to Taichang Temple for roll call; occasional
visits to Danbo Bookstore to pick up cash; occasional visits to the tofu
stand to help out; occasional visits to the Prime Minister’s mansion to get
in his future father-in-law’s good graces; occasional visits to the royal
palace to woo his lady; occasional stops home to tell stories to his little
sister so she could copy them as books. That was Fan Xian’s entire life
for those few days.
That night, after he had washed himself and was preparing for bed, he
caught sight of a black leather box out of the corner of his eye. He did
not know what was inside the box, so naturally he was somewhat
curious. But it had been in the same place for a long while, and there
had been no sign of the key, so now he was somewhat apathetic about
it. Of course, if he knew that Chen Pingping was greatly interested in the
box, he would certainly have re-evaluated the box’s worth, and would not
have thrown it idly in the corner of his room; instead he would have kept
it in the hole under his bed, hidden under three layers of iron.
Where was the key? It was as if he heard the voice of Heaven asking
him a most important question from deep inside his heart. A cold voice
rang in Fan Xian’s ears.
“The key is in the palace.”
Suddenly, without a sound, a black rod came from nowhere and struck
Fan Xian firmly in the spine. There was a thud, and Fan Xian was too
late to dodge as he was knocked to the ground. A wave of raw pain
coursed down his spine, and he coughed, blowing away some of the
dust on the floor in front of him.
“You’ve gotten soft.” There was no emotion in Wu Zhu’s voice, but he

clearly held some sort of negative attitude toward Fan Xian’s behavior.
“Uncle?” Fan Xian had gotten used to this sort of life when he was little,
and with some difficulty he rose, circulating the zhenqi in his body to
soothe the pain in his spine as he looked at the dark corner. “Uncle,” he
said in a low voice, unable to stop himself, “I haven’t seen you these
past few days. I truly feared you were dead.”
Wu Zhu showed a slight passion that did not fit his words. Coldly, he
took half a step back, and saw through Fan Xian’s lie. “I know that you
were not worried about me.”
Fan Xian laughed, somewhat embarrassed. It was true, he wasn’t

worried; that weirdo Wu Zhu was a master assassin. He wouldn’t get into
trouble no matter where he went. But Fan Xian had not seen him in a
long time. He had been thinking of him, and he was curious as to where
he had been the past few days. Perhaps Wu Zhu had been by his side
the whole time, and he didn’t know it?
“The key is in the palace,” Wu Zhu continued.
The second time he said it, Fan Xian had a sudden realization. He
frowned. “So you were looking for the key all that time.”
“This belongs to the Lady. I should not have listened to Chen Pingping
and left the key in the capital.” Wu Zhu’s tone remained indifferent,
unlike any normal person. “I spent a few days in the palace, and I have
found three locations where it could be.”
“It’s too risky!” Fan Xian howled in a low voice, feeling a slight anger well
up deep within his heart. Although Wu Zhu had grandmaster-level
strength, the Royal Palace would be more than a match for him. Not only
were the guards all experts, but as Fei Jie had pointed out, the most
secretive of the four grandmasters was hidden somewhere within the
palace. Wu Zhu had risked spending a number of days inside the
palace; if he had been discovered, that secretive grandmaster would
have naturally engaged him, as well as five hundred knife-wielding
guards. Even if Wu Zhu were possessed of truly miraculous skill, there
would be no way he’d get out of there alive.
Seeming not to have noticed Fan Xian’s anger, Wu Zhu continued to

speak in a cold voice. “Do you want the key?”
Fan Xian went quiet. He realized why Wu Zhu had come there today. He
was a man who lurked in the shadows. If it wasn’t a matter he needed to
share with him, Fan Xian doubted that he would ever see him; he would
simply remain in the shadows to protect him. And Wu Zhu had come to
talk about the key not because he wanted Fan Xian’s opinion, but
because he needed him to be part of it.
But… if Wu Zhu was trying to get hold of something this difficult, then
how could Fan Xian even help at all? “What do you need me to do?” Fan
Xian asked as he pondered.
“Those three locations in the palace are not easy to enter,” said Wu Zhu
without a hint of emotion.
Fan Xian was curious, and asked Wu Zhu where these locations were.
“Xingqing Palace, Hanguang Hall, and Guangxin Palace.”
Fan Xian was taken aback, and laughed bitterly. These were the most
tightly-guarded locations in the palace grounds, the living quarters of the
Emperor, the Empress Dowager, and the Eldest Princess. Not only were
they the most difficult-to-enter locations in the palace grounds, they were
practically the most difficult-to-enter locations in all the world.
“I want you to think of a way to get the eunuch named Hong Sixiang
outside the palace for a time.”
Fan Xian frowned. “Eunuch Hong? He is the leader of the palace

eunuchs, he has served three different emperors, and I heard that he
has been in the palace since the founding of the nation. His powers are
deep, but if you’re going to the palace to steal the key, then why do you
need me to trick him into leaving the palace? What’s the link between
those two things?” He suddenly understood something, and lifted his
head in surprise to look at the black cloth that surrounded Wu Zhu’s
face. He spoke with a trembling voice. “Are you telling me that Eunuch
Hong is the one they talk about, the most secretive grandmaster?”
Fei Jie had said that of the four grandmasters, one was Sigu Sword in
Dongyi, one was Ku He in Northern Qi, and one was Ye Liuyun, with his
Liuyun sanshou, in the Kingdom of Qing; there was one other who was
also a man of the Kingdom of Qing, but no one knew who he was. Even
the Overwatch Council, with all of their power, was only able to ascertain
that whoever this person was, they were hiding within the royal palace of
the Kingdom of Qing.
Wu Zhu shook his head. “I don’t know. I have never fought him. But I
know that within the palace right now, the one who would discover me
the easiest would be the Eunuch Hong Sixiang.”
Fan Xian nodded. In his heart, he was still full of respect for Wu Zhu. Old
Eunuch Hong had to be the unmeasurably powerful person hidden in the
palace. If even Wu Zhu were scared of the consequences, perhaps
Eunuch Hong’s identity as a grandmaster was already on the verge of
being revealed.
In his cold nature, he had even attacked Ye Liuyun, but had failed to kill
him. Naturally he could not fear any grandmaster from that day on, but
that last time it was in order to hide his connection with Fan Xian. This
time it was in order to steal the key, so the style would be somewhat
different.
Fan Xian pondered over the latest plans, and considered the coming
emissaries from Northern Qi and Dongyi; he could not think of a way to
build a relationship with the head of the court eunuchs deep within the
palace. It was not convenient to ask for his father to step in – he would
have to explain a number of things that he did not wish to explain.
Suddenly his eyes lit up. “Wan’er should have a clear understanding of
things inside the palace. She has grown up inside the palace for her
entire life and only moved out at the beginning of this year. I’ll go by her
way tomorrow.”
Wu Zhu “looked” at him, not making a comment, before he spoke coldly.

“I just need you to get Hong Sixiang outside the palace for a while. As for
how you do it, that is your business.”
Fan Xian shrugged. “Uncle, you always give me the hardest tasks.”
It was a joke, and having not spoken to Wu Zhu for some time, it
seemed that he had forgotten that Wu Zhu did not have much of a sense
of humor. “So, I will attack Hong Sixiang,” replied Wu Zhu sincerely, “and
whether or not I succeed in killing him, it is likely that I will be able to
delay him for six hours. You will enter the palace and find the key.”
It was as if a burning hot meteorite had fallen from the sky directly onto
Fan Xian’s foot. He moved quickly to speak, extremely gently and
respectfully. “It is just stealing something. Don’t take the risk of
challenging Hong Sixiang. I will try to contact him.”
After Wu Zhu left, Fan Xian finally realized that he had no way to find
him. If he did manage to arrange everything, then how would he tell Wu
Zhu? He laid back down on his bed. When he looked at the box again,
something was different. If the key had to be hidden in a secret place
within the palace, whatever was inside the box had to be something
extremely important or extremely terrifying.
Something like a map of the border defenses, a list of high-ranking spies

from the Overwatch Council his mother had singlehandedly established,
or… a map to the Ye family treasure?
Fan Xian found himself unable to sleep. He stood up, and moved the
box under his bed with his foot. It seemed to him that it would be safer
this way.
His face serene, Fan Xian came to Ruoruo’s bedchamber and asked if
she could find him a needle and thread to sew some a seam in some
clothing. She obliged. She took out a few small needles from a box and
gave them to him, feeling rather curious about it. She looked him in the
eye. “This is for embroidery. Have you torn your clothing, brother? It’d be
best if you gave it to a servant-girl to take care of.”
Fan Xian laughed. “It’s a bit more complicated than clothing.” He thought
for a moment. “Don’t let anyone know that you’ve given me these three
needles.”
Fan Ruoruo nodded, confused.
The wedding was approaching, and Fan Manor had begun to prepare for
it. There were a number of odd things about Fan Xian and Lin Wan’er’s
marriage, so all customs were revised. At the very least, they were not
the same as other pairings of princess and Emperor’s-son-in-law, where
the royal family arranged a mansion for the Emperor’s son-in-law; after
all, Lin Wan’er’s status as princess had always only ever been in effect
within the palace. If it had been done within the capital, there may have
been some gossip.
The newlyweds’ residence was near Count Sinan’s manor. It was just
some empty land that Count Sinan had been preparing since the
beginning of the year, and so they had already erected a sumptuous
mansion. The rear gardens of the two compounds were connected by a
door, so the two manors were linked as one. But the compound in which
Fan Xian would live after he was married faced out onto a different
street.
Over those few days, the manor was quiet. The workers had already
downed tools; the trees and the rock gardens had also been taken care
of a long time ago, and had grown out in the open. Because there was
no one there in such a large mansion, the silence was deafening, and no
one wanted to stay in it for long.
A black shadow floated across. It was Fan Xian, quietly making his way
through the courtyard, holding a chunk of tofu in his right hand, and
clasping three needles between the four fingers of his left hand. He
found a secluded area, and carefully placed the tofu chunk among the
branches of the willow tree. He had improved the tofu, making it
extremely soft, so when he placed it in the swaying spot, it seemed like it
could fall out at any moment.
Fan Xian closed his eyes, and slowly summoned the powerful zhenqi out
of his dantian point, routing it through the crown of his head and into the
xueshan point at the back of his waist. He formed one large and one
small channel for the zhenqi, allowing his whole being to sink into
silence, without a single errant thought.
The sound of the wind arose, and his whole being became part of the
wind, blowing between the willow branches, softly touching it, his feet
valiantly preventing him from leaning forward. There was a sudden
noise. Relying on his control of his body, he leapt back.
It was like a crafty fish teasing the dumbfounded angler’s hook.
Some time later, he walked slowly forward with his hands behind his
back, squinting as he looked at the block of tofu in the branches of the
willow tree. Three needles stuck out of the tofu, trembling slightly. In a
flash, he quickly thrust the needles into the tofu, cutting it into three
cubes. According to Fan Xian’s understanding of the human body, if this
trick were used to kill someone, it would most likely be extremely
effective. Satisfied, he retrieved the pins.
After Niulan Street, he had been searching for ways to best arm himself.
Wu Zhu’s weapon was a cudgel; whether it was a wooden staff or a
simple rock drill, in Wu Zhu’s hands it was a deadly weapon. This was
the state of things, and Fan Xian was clearly aware that when it came to
himself, an easily-handled weapon could save his life many times over.
In truth, he very much liked the slender dagger he kept in his boot.
Whether it was in Danzhou or on Niulan Street, the precious and sharp
dagger had already helped him out twice. But in certain palace, it was
not possible to have a dagger to hand – such as the palace.
And Fan Xian knew, since the key was inside the palace, it was possible
that in the end he would have to make like the heroes of the wuxia
novels of his previous life and rush in headfirst. Wu Zhu’s rod and his
words from the day before had irritated him, and he set himself to it with
renewed fervor. He looked at how the dawn’s light glinted off the needles
between his fingers, and he couldn’t help but frown as he wondered –
what sort of poison would be most appropriate to smear them with?
After setting his goal, he did everything with much more enthusiasm. So
on one pitch-black night, Fan Xian excitedly stole into Lin Wan’er’s
bedchamber. Wan’er could not help but feel happily surprised. After all, it
had not been that long since their vacation. After a moment of affection,
Fan Xian casually brought up matters in the palace.
Lin Wan’er had grown up in the palace. She was quite familiar with the
people inside the palace, and was not curious as to why her fiancée had
taken a sudden interest. She assumed that he was worried about the
custom of entering the palace to pay his respects, so she consoled him.
“The Empress has always been very nice to me. And the Emperor is not
fond of femininity, so he isn’t like that Emperor of Northern Qi who died a
while ago, where his six palaces were all filled with beautiful women.
Apart from the Empress, there is the prince’s birth mother, Ning the
Talented, and the Second Prince’s birth mother, Concubine Shu. There
is the third son’s mother, Yi Guipin, and some other concubines who you
won’t need to pay respects to.”[1]
Fan Xian imagined that the concubines naturally would not want to
offend her birth mother, the Eldest Princess, who was doted on by the
Empress Dowager and controlled the royal purse. He shifted in the bed
to make his embrace of Wan’er more comfortable. “Why is the prince’s
birth mother only ‘Talented’?”
“Ning the scholar is from Dongyi. The Emperor brought her back from his
first military expedition to the north. I’ve heard that His Majesty was
wounded on the battlefield, and Ning the scholar tended to him night and
day, so His Majesty freed her from her bondage as a slave and brought
her to the palace, and she gave birth to the prince. But she is not from
the Kingdom of Qing, and although she saved the Emperor’s life, and
gave birth to his eldest son, there was still no way for her to win the favor
of the Empress Dowager, so naturally she could not become Empress.
And she was an imperial consort, but ten years ago it seemed like
something happened in the palace, and His Majesty was very angry, and
stripped her of her position, so she dropped to the rank of “Talented”.
Fan Xian was slightly surprised. The struggle in the palace was just as
complicated as he had imagined. Lin Wan’er sighed and continued.
“Fortunately, the great prince is now in the west excelling in military
pursuits, so Ning the Talented can keep finally her position. She seems
to understand a great many things, and is now content in the palace. In
truth, I used to run over to her palace to play, but for those two years I
didn’t so much.”
Fan Xian asked about some of the other inner secrets of the palace, and
Lin Wan’er was happy to hell him in full detail. Finally, Fan Xian got to
the crux of his questioning. “I’ve heard that the head eunuch, Eunuch
Hong, is extremely powerful within the palace,” he said casually.
“That’s right.” Lin Wan’er was not a little tiger that night, but a small kitten
in his arms. He gently caressed her face. “Eunuch Hong has been in the
palace since the founding of the nation, when he was a manservant.
When the first Emperor was on the throne, he trusted Eunuch Hong
immensely. Now he is still in a fifth-level position as head of the palace
eunuchs, but his responsibilities are not as great now that he is older.
Basically, he is being kept in the palace by the Empress Dowager.”
“Kept in the palace by the Empress Dowager?” Fan Xian had a sudden
recollection of the history of his old world.
“What?” Lin Wan’er asked curiously, blinking.
Fan Xian took hold of her nose and smiled. “Nothing. So if I want to have
a good relationship with the palace, I’ll have to be on good terms with
Eunuch Hong.”
“There’s no point,” explained Lin Wan’er. “The old eunuch just strolls
around the palace, he’s not in charge of anything.”
Fan Xian could not say a word of his plans to the girl in his arms, so he
just smiled. “When should I announce that I am coming to visit the
palace?”
Lin Wan’er was both bashful and teasing. “In a few days, I suppose.
Why? Are you nervous?”
“Of course I’m nervous. I’m taking such a wonderful princess away from
them, who wouldn’t be nervous?”
Silence gradually fell on the upstairs room of the pavilion in the palace
grounds. As he watched his fiancée drift off to sleep in his arms, Fan
Xian sighed. Whatever else came up in his life, he hoped that he could
deal with it well enough.
The next day, he went to Taichang Temple for the morning roll call, and
Ren the official quietly took him to one side and spoke to him quietly. “Do
you know what this is about?”
Fan Xian looked at the 34-year-old man, who seemed to have aged
handsomely, and played dumb. “What is it?”
Ren sighed. “Honglu Temple sent out a letter today, asking you to
transfer there.” Honglu Temple was especially in charge of receiving
foreign guests, and handling matters between countries. Fan Xian was
surprised, and realized that the matter that the Crown Prince had spoken
of had started. He clasped his hands in salute. “Master Ren, why do they
want me to transfer there? I have hardly been at Taichang Temple for
more than a few weeks.”
Master Ren frowned. “Master Fan, do you not have a relationship with
the prince’s estate?”
Fan Xian knew that he was asking about his father, and he shook his
head. “You know that my father always had very little contact with the
palace, and even less with the ministers with the cabinet.”
“That is so.” Ren nodded his head. Count Sinan was famously stubborn.
He had made use of his special relationship with the Emperor as they
had grown up together. Even the Prime Minister did not understand how
he had always remained neural toward the various princes. He thought
for a moment. “I have heard that it was a suggestion of the prince’s
estate to allow you to participate in these negotiations.”
Fan Xian did not know how to respond. He could only continue to feign
confusion. “What negotiations?
“Emissaries from Northern Qi have come to discuss the aftermath of the

war among the vassal states along the northern border, things such as
deliberating boundaries, compensation for losses, and so on. And
emissaries from Dongyi have come to discuss the matter of the murder
of the Prime Minister’s second son at the foot of the Cang Mountains. I
have heard that they have brought a lot of silver and beautiful women
with them. These so-called negotiations are really the royal court
haggling prices with these two parties.”
Ren the official, surnamed Ren, given name Shao’an, was a disciple of
the Prime Minister, so he naturally treated Fan Xian as someone on his
own side. “If matters are dealt with well,” he carefully warned him, “it will
be nothing more than gilding the lily. In any case, the officers and
soldiers have followed their orders, and have already attacked those
territories. But if they are not dealt with well, and they do not bring the
Emperor the benefits that he was expecting, then they would be
extremely inappropriate. And as for Dongyi, in the matter of the second
son’s death, if you are too soft, then it will not be received well by the
Prime Minister. But since the royal court has permitted Dongyi to send
emissaries, it shows that the royal court does not wish to pursue this
matter too diligently, and would simply like to get something out of it…
after all, Sigu Sword is still in the city of Dongyi.”
Fan Xian frowned. These matters were complicated indeed. Ren carried
on, speaking with sympathy. “Your status is unique. You and the Prime
Minister will soon be father and son-in-law. If you follow the will of the
Emperor, you will lose the favor of your father-in-law. So this is a very
difficult situation, and you must tread carefully.”
Fan Xian was taken aback as he pondered the critical components of

this matter. He clasped his hands in a grateful gesture. “When I entered
the bureaucracy, I did not know that things would be so profound… this
matter is so complicated, and I am only an eighth-level functionary. Even
if Honglu Temple requests that I transfer there, I fear that my lowly words
will carry little weight, so it is best that I remain honest and say nothing.”
Ren the official shook his head and sighed. “You will be a vice envoy,
and you will find yourself blown by winds in all directions, with a great
many eyes on you.”
“Why would people be looking at me?” thought Fan Xian. He smiled.

“You have put a great amount of thought into this. Everything should be
fine.”
Ren had indeed put a lot of thought in this. Although he did not know
why the prince’s palace had appointed him as a vice envoy, it was either
a case of favoritism, or that they wanted to see him follow his father-in-
law’s will and lose the favor of the Emperor. In short, Fan Xian had
already sufficiently prepared his skills, and did not feel any dread about
it. In the afternoon, an official palanquin was dispatched to transport him.
It travelled along the bluestone road, and in no time at all the palanquin
had reached Honglu Temple.
Honglu Temple was equivalent to a diplomatic mission, and officials of

Honglu Temple were equivalent to ministers of foreign affairs. In his
previous life, fan Xian believed very much in a certain phrase: “A weak
state has no diplomacy”. The Kingdom of Qing was the strongest in all
the land, and Honglu Temple had become a government office of high
status and of ill-gotten gains. Thick cypress trees were all around, and
the warm summer heat did not seep into the offices. Fan Xian sat quietly
in seating area of the silent hall, listening to the conversations of the
superiors above him.
The conversation he heard was the Honglu Temple official Xin Qiwu –
the Northern Qi and Dongyi emissaries had come to officially present
their diplomatic credentials. The frank and established official of the
Kingdom of Qing did not feel that this was a desperately serious matter,
so the master official of Honglu Temple was still at home asleep. The
people who took care of such matters were just fourth-level officials.
“Master Fan, the royal court has seen fit to appoint you as a vice envoy;
firstly on account of your good reputation, secondly on account of your
connection to matters regarding Northern Qi. But you are not
experienced in such matters, so do not worry, you will learn in due
course.” Xin Qiwu knew that the handsome young man beneath him had
a strong and solid background, so he was courteous in his speech.
“That is so. Master Fan is well-known throughout the capital. It is truly a

waste of his talent to take notice of Honglu Temple and these foreign
nationals.” A number of officials looked at Fan Xian and attempted to
flatter him, not showing their true intentions. At the same time they
feared that this nobleman’s son’s contributions could be jumping the
gun. They could not prevent their awkward expressions.
[1] “Talented” was a ranking for concubines in the Tang dynasty – it was
the fifth rank out of nine.
Chapter 123: The Emissaries from Northern Qi

Fan Xian did not dare be arrogant. He quickly stood up and clasped his
hands in salute to the people around him, greeting the other diplomats of
the Kingdom of Qing with a warm smile. “Sirs,” he said earnestly, “I have
not spent long at Taichang Temple, and I know little of the customs of
the royal court. The palace has assigned me as a vice envoy, and I
presume that they wish for the deceitful Kingdom of Northern Qi to see
that they cannot attempt to murder the people of the Kingdom of Qing as
they please. They wish for me to serve as a reminder; they do not
necessarily want me to actually be part of our negotiations.” He laughed
and continued. “I have no knowledge of matters of diplomacy, and I do
not wish to tread on anyone’s toes. I humbly request your guidance.”
After all, he had not been an official for very long; such a speech could
not avoid inspiring some enmity and being seen as somewhat reckless.
But instead, it made the officials of Honglu Temple feel more
comfortable. At first, when they found out that the son of Minister Fan
would be taking part in the negotiation process, these bureaucrats who
bragged of their foreign policy credentials as diplomats of the Kingdom
of Qing felt rather uneasy. They felt like a murder of crows interrupted by
a vulture trying to steal their carrion.
When Fan Xian had shown to them that he did not intend to compete
with them, all of Honglu Temple felt much happier. Xin Qiwu nodded his
head in slight admiration. Of course, everyone knew that if they were to
succeed in demanding large sums of silver as tribute, deciding reward
based on merit, this son of an influential official, here to serve as
decoration, would also get his share.
After the meeting was finished, Xin Qiwu led him to a room that had
been prepared for him, and pointed out a large cupboard that had
already been filled with documents. “All the relevant material is in here.
The key point of these negotiations is that Northern Qi wishes to send us
silver in exchange that we return territory that we are currently
occupying. Dongyi has no demands; they simply wish to settle matters
regarding the two assassinations. The first of which is the incident on
Niulan Street involving you; the two female assassins have already
confirmed that they are disciples of Sigu Sword. The second is the
incident in the villa at the foot of the Cang Mountains. However…”
He glanced at Fan Xian and spent a moment of consideration before

continuing. “You are also aware that this is a very complicated affair, so
the royal court cannot provide too-conclusive proof of this matter.”
Fan Xian nodded. The air of empty platitudes was beginning to make his
head hurt. Would he really have to deal with such things over the next
few weeks? Seemingly reading his mind, Xin Qiwu smiled. “If you would
prefer not to work office hours, you may also take them home. Only the
documents with the red top-secret label may not be taken out of the
office.”
Fan Xian was happily surprised. Although he knew that Xin Qiwu did not
wish for him not to be there, he was grateful. “In truth, I was very
confused coming here today. If you do not mind me being lazy, sir, I
would prefer to sleep at home every day.”
Fan Xian reckoned it was extremely rare in the Kingdom of Qing for an
insignificant eighth-level functionary to make such a joke with a fourth-
level official of Honglu Temple. Xin Qiwu was rather surprised by Fan
Xian’s words, but soon after he burst into laughter, and suddenly spoke
to Fan Xian in a low voice. “Master Fan, the prince’s estate has high
expectations of you.”
Fan Xian smiled. He knew Xin Qiwu’s status, and did not dare to be
ambiguous. “Be assured, sir,” he replied quickly, “I understand. My father
has often lectured us. If one is to be an official, one must strictly follow
the ways of an official.”
On hearing his response, Xin Qiwu, trusted aide to the Crown Prince,
nodded in satisfaction. “Count Sinan has dedicated himself
wholeheartedly in service to the Kingdom of Qing. I have always admired
him.”
After chatting for a little bit longer, Xin Qiwu left the room. Fan Xian
watched his shadow as he left and slowly narrowed his eyes. His father
Fan Jian had once said, as long as the Crown Prince held his position,
then the Fan family would be loyal to the Crown Prince, but even he
didn’t believe those words. Fan Xian could not simply believe Xin Qiwu,
being the Crown Prince’s man that he was.
Assigning Fan Xian to the position of vice envoy in these negotiations

was a careful test by the prince’s estate to see whether the Fan family
was capable of following the Crown Prince’s orders even slightly.
Over the next weeks, Fan Xian did as he said he would, and shut himself
in the room to sleep. Of course, for him, sleeping was also an
unavoidable way for him to train. Regarding official affairs, after he took
some documents home, he handed them to Wang Qinian to allow him to
formulate an appropriate plan of action for the negotiations.
In truth, Fan Xian’s intentions were clear; Wang Qinian could report to
the old cripple at the Overwatch Council in secret. In this way, this
complicated yet dull task was given to Wang Qinian and Chen Pingping.
Whether it was for the sake of his mother or his father, they dealt with it
appropriately, ensuring that he did not lose face at the imperial court or
among the ordinary people.
He had no qualms about exploiting every resource he had to the utmost.
And indeed, a few days later, Wang Qinian, looking haggard, came to a
small cabin where they had agreed to meet, and handed him a thick
folder. Fan Xian’s mouth opened curiously, and his eyes could not help
but light up. He saw that the folder was divided into two sections. One
section was internal reference material that only high-ranking officials of
Honglu Temple were allowed to read, and the other section was a draft
dossier for negotiations with Northern Qi.
The materials included a thorough analysis of the internal situation in

Northern Qi: the power struggle between the young Emperor and the
Empress dowager, grandmaster Ku He being a pacifist, and other such
information. The documents also reported that the Marquis Ning,
younger brother of the Empress Dowager, was under attack by the
bureaucracy of Northern Qi for losing the war, and so the young
Emperor did not care how much money he had to pay in compensation,
or how much land he had to relinquish, as long as he could go along with
popular grievances and use this opportunity as a pretext to reduce the
considerable power of the Empress Dowager’s faction. And because the
Empress Dowager was anxious to settle unrest, and attempts to rectify
politics in the royal court had been in vain, instructions were given to be
patient and accommodating in the negotiations.
Of course these things, hidden in the dark, went unseen by the

diplomats of the Kingdom of Qing. It was only thanks to the tremendous
secret powers of the Overwatch Council and their network of spies
throughout the Kingdom of Northern Qi, who ferreted out various trivial
matters and assembled them into an analysis so that they could finally
come to this definite conclusion.
“Incredible.” Fan Xian sighed. “Having these reports on hand, the

officials of Honglu Temple would be absolutely delighted.” He paused for
a moment. “How reliable are these reports?”
Wang Qinian’s eyes drooped. It seemed that he had not slept in the past
few days. “They are extremely reliable. Liu Bingyun has made a
breakthrough in Northern Qi. He has installed an entire information
network and cross-referenced everything. There should not be any
issues.”
Fan Xian could not help but feel respect for Yan Bingyun, the young son
of an official. For the good of the nation, he was content to hide in the
shadows like a rat, and to do so for several years as the son of a high
official of the royal court was no easy feat indeed. He did not know that
the reason that Yan Bingyun lived his miserable existence in Northern Qi
was entirely a result of the unsuccessful attempt on Fan Xian’s life when
he was 12 years old. If Fan Xian had known that this was the case, it
was impossible to say whether he would have felt guilty or burst into
laughter.
“Wang Qinian, I did not expect you to be so proficient in intelligence

analysis and tracking.” Fan Xian was fully aware of where the dossier
had come from, but he did not broach the subject.
Wang Qinian wasn’t sure how to respond. He simply replied with a timid
salute, not daring to take the credit for himself.
“So, tomorrow I will go to Honglu Temple and meet with my superiors.”

Fan Xian saw Wang Qinian’s nervous silence. “Is there anything else?”
“Sir,” began Wang Qinian uncomfortably, “you cannot give this

information to Honglu Temple.”
“Why?”
“Because… it involves top-secret information of the highest level.

Nobody in Honglu Temple—not even the top officials—has the
qualifications to handle it.”
Fan Xian clapped his hand to his head and laughed bitterly. “So what do
you propose I do? I might as well let the Council give it to Honglu
Temple directly, through the proper channels.”
Wang Qinian sighed. “If the director hadn’t wholeheartedly believed that
it was a surprise that you were involved in these negotiations, paving the
way for your future career,” he thought, “there is no way that he would
have ordered all six bureaus to work through the night to produce this
dossier.” The dossier looked thoroughly ordinary, but in fact it was a
conclusion of the meticulous, specialized analyses of dozens of
intelligence reports. If he were to just casually hand it over to Honglu
Temple, the Director might well be angry enough to leap out of his
wheelchair.
It was the end of the summer. The lotus petals had fallen, but the heat
remained. The pedestrians and the black dogs on the streets of the
capital had all been weakened and dispirited by the weather. The eighth
of August was a very auspicious day. The diplomatic missions from
Northern Qi and from Dongyi both arrived at the same time at an official
relay station in the northwest of the capital. The Emperor of Qing
decreed that the two diplomatic missions were permitted to lodge in a
temporary residence owned by His Majesty. Officials from all three
parties argued for a number of days, before at last drawn up a schedule
and plans for their entrance into the city.
The common people of the capital were roused in spirit, feeling like
abrupt autumn rains had appeared in their dull day-to-day lives. As they
saw it, the emissaries from the two nations had not come to negotiate,
but had come to hand over documents of surrender.
As a vice envoy involved in negotiations, Fan Xian naturally was part of

the welcoming committee for the emissaries. He watched the officials
from both nations from the western gate of the capital, and arranged for
them to stay at the relay station. The delegation from Northern Qi was
clearly not happy. After all, in the military campaign in the vassal states,
they were losers, and many of their officers and soldiers had been
captured. Most importantly, a large amount of territory had been
captured.
“Good sir, who are you?” The highest-ranking official among the
Northern Qi delegation was Marquis Ning, younger brother of the
Empress Dowager of Northern Qi. He looked down haughtily at this
handsome young son of an official, and felt thoroughly angry. It was
clear that the Kingdom of Qing did not view him as important enough to
dispatch an envoy of equal importance to greet him, and had instead
sent a junior official from Honglu Temple. Sending such a young man to
act as a vice envoy was undoubtedly a show of contempt.
“I am Fan Xian. It is my pleasure to welcome you, your grace.”
Fan Xian had a clear smile on his face as he regarded these guests from
enemy nations. He thought of the report from the Overwatch Council.
This old man was simply decoration. Behind him, sitting inside a sedan
chair, was Zhuang Mohan, who had been quickly arranged by the palace
to stay within the palace grounds; he was the true leader of their party.
Chapter 124: Unartistic Negotiation

Compared to the eager inhabitants in the capital, Fan Xian wasn’t as

excited. He was carefully writing on a strip of paper in his bookroom. He
was writing in the tone of a young man with a privileged upbringing in the
capital, rewriting the reports Council and adding a l a bit of bookishness
to their them so that the officials at Honglu Temple wouldn’t be shocked
upon hearing him and suspect another terrifying organization had
stepped forward other than His Majesty’s Overwatch Council, an
organization that worked for the functionary.
Fan Ruoruo was not in the mood either as she copied in small script and
stuck the paper strips together. She asked, “Brother, this is really
strange. Where did you get these reports? Why don’t you use them as
they are; why make such absurd excuses?”
Fan Xian rarely hid things from his younger sister; not even Lin Wan’er
had this privilege. He said with a troubled expression, “I was being lazy
in the beginning, so I wanted to borrow their power. But who knew I’d dig
up such a scary case. The origin of these reports cannot be exposed, so
I can’t give them directly to Honglu Temple.”
“Who’s the ambassador from Northern Qi this time?” Fan Ruoruo was
glad that her elder brother could finally properly engage in government
affairs. While Fan Xian had been educating her, she was merely a little
girl growing up in the confinement of the yard. She always thought that,
since Fan Xian was a man, making tofu could only be a hobby; he
couldn’t keep on doing it.
“No one from the emperor’s faction or from the empress’s faction, and
definitely not the prince’s faction; just some pushover faction,” Fan Xian
answered as he cleaned up the documents on the table. “He’s the
younger brother of the Northern Qi empress. His name is Chang
Dinghou, a supposed genius. But the most conspicuous one wasn’t him,
but his teacher. A great scholar of Northern Qi, named Zhuang Mohan.
All the scholars in the world worship him. Who knows what price
Northern Qi had to pay to have him show up. Even His Majesty might
take that into consideration. I’m afraid the usual demand for money and
land would be taken back a bit this time.”
“Zhang Mohan?” Fan Ruoruo perked up at hearing the name, her

expression appearing to glow.
This was the first time Fan Xian saw something akin to fanaticism in his
sister, who had always been a reserved girl. Other than her own brother,
she didn’t hold much admiration for other scholars; seeing her this way
made Fan Xian felt just a tad jealous. He said, “Good thing the report
was clear. This Zhang Mohan is seventy, or else I better be careful.”
Fan Ruoruo felt a bit ashamed and said, “You’re my brother; do try to be
more proper.”
Fan Xian laughed, “You liking that old geezer is what I’d call improper.”
Seeing Fan Ruoruo get slightly angry, he quickly waved his hand. “But
seriously, the stuff at the farm estate the other day, do you have any
ideas about that?”
Days passed, the siblings were here worrying about the marriage of that
little girl. Despite worrying for a while, no potential suitors came to view,
so they gave up. Incidentally, Fan Xian remembered something else.
“The last time when we went to Liujing River, didn’t His Majesty say
something?”
“What did he say?” Fan Ruoruo had a rare expression of confusion on
her face . It looked like both of them were overly shocked back then and
couldn’t remember everything.
Fan Xian closed his eyes and thought back. With a slap on the table, he
said with all colors drained from his face, “His Majesty said he would
arrange marriage for you!”
“What?!” Fan Ruoruo was very frightened by what she heard.
What were children from official households afraid of? Marriage. In

fortunate cases, like Lin Wan’er being married to Fan Xian, everything
was well. But it would be unfortunate for someone to marry a tigress.
The most terrifying would be a marriage arrangement from the palace.
Such an arrangement would be too mighty to decline. Even if you were
to get married to a rich playboy, you would have no way to refuse.
Years ago, many officials had hoped to bring their daughters into the
palace in the hope of receiving His Majesty’s favor. But the emperor did
not indulge himself in women, so the method became a dead end. Even
the crown and second princes dared not have too many concubines,
despite the second prince being notoriously lecherous in the capital, and
even in the East Palace, there were only three concubines.
Fan Ruoruo seemed to have remembered it also. With tears in her eyes
and a shaky voice, she asked, “What should I do?”
Fan Xian, with his sharp mind, quickly determined the possible
households. He squinted and said, “Eldest prince, second prince, Crown
Prince Jing. With the status of the Fan household, His Majesty would
only choose from those three. If it’s the household of one of the high-
ranking officials, then there is nothing to be afraid of. If you don’t agree, I
have ways to annul the marriage.”
Of course Fan Xian had ways. After all, he had the support of father,
Cheng Pingping, and the prime minister. Because of those three, even
the prince in the East Palace was trying to test to influence him. If the
other two princes and Crown Prince Jing don’t get involved, Fan Xian
was confident that he could ruin any marriage his sister didn’t agree with.
But the most likely candidates were the three most esteemed ones. Fan
Xian calmed himself, but suddenly cried out, “So that’s why Li
Hongcheng goes to brothels every day and doesn’t marry; he was
waiting for this moment!”
Seeing his sister lose her nerve, Fan Xian consoled her with a smile.
“The eldest prince spends his years fighting in the western front, and his
martial abilities are exceptional. While we’ve never met the second
prince, I heard he too was an impressive character. As for Crown Prince
Jing, we know him well. He may be a bit of a playboy, but he’s overall a
good person. If it really is Li Hongcheng, with me by your side, he
wouldn’t take in a single concubine, let alone visit a brothel.”
It would have been better if he didn’t console her. Now that he did, Fan
Ruoruo found it more and more likely, as if it were to happen at any time.
She said with great sadness, “Brother, I don’t want to marry any of
them.”
Fan Xian sighed; he didn’t want to continue this growing pain. He tried to
lift the mood. “What’s so bad about this? When I see you in the future, I’ll
have to call you ‘Princess’. If the second prince becomes emperor, with
your mother-in-law controlling the world… wouldn’t she be my mom?”
His joke was extremely unfunny, so Ruoruo did not break out from her
sadness. The bookroom sank into awkward silence. Within it, the
siblings were thinking. While Ruoruo was filled with despair, Fan Xian
steeled himself. If something were to happen in the future, he must be
prepared in some way.
—-
The location for negotiations wasn’t so spacious; it was set in the biggest
room in Honglu Temple. There weren’t any long tables between the
officials of Northern Qi and Qing. Rather, they seemed to be chatting
over tea, sitting in their own chairs. Fan Xian sat in a most inconspicuous
spot and eyed the scene. He remembered a word from his previous life:
tea party.
Because the investigations hadn’t reached the final stages, and because
he himself insisted on being there, the officials in Honglu Temple
couldn’t do anything to Fan Xian.
Between the exchange of seemingly gentle words, knives were hidden. It

wasn’t too long before the officials of the two nations began to get
worked up; some of the more impatient ones were about to leave their
chairs.
“Huh! Who won this war? You Northern Qi, or us?” One sixth-ranked
official from Honglu Temple finally had enough of the other side’s
insolence and stood up.
“There are many dangers in war. Our ruler, out of care for our people,
intentionally called for a truce. Who knows which side is the winner.” The
ambassador from Northern Qi didn’t exactly have a thick skin, but he
was certainly not here to initiate the first wave of provocation. Seeing the
guy stroking his small beard in a matter-of-fact manner, even the
normally calm Fan Xian wanted to walk up and beat him.
The shaoqing from Honglu Temple only smiled, but Fan Xian noticed it
was an insidious one, based off Qing’s twenty years of victories. The
Qing official said, “In that case, my esteemed guests, please return.
Between our two nations, let us fight one more time to determine the
winner. Negotiations can wait.”
What’s this? This was a bare-naked threat; a bare-naked state of

terrorism and bared-naked method of a ruffian.
Fan Xian didn’t show any surprise, but deep down, he was greatly
impressed, “Good on him for having the guts to say it.”
As expected, this caused Northern Qi to start hurling various offensive

things at Qing, irreparably damaging the relation between the two
nations. Unexpectedly, the shaoqing said coldly, “When has this thing
called ‘friendship’ ever existed between our two nations?”
“This is pretty much how Wei Xiaobao would have negotiated.” Fan Xian
thought. A proper shaoqing of Honglu Temple was acting shamelessly in
such an exchange between two nations. Had it not been for Qing’s
might, such a scene would never occur.
Negotiations in Honglu Temple had always been properly matched.

Various characters took their turns, and one thick-skinned official
registrar stood up. “Your Highnesses, please don’t forget your position.
Please don’t wound the relationship between our two nations out of
impulse.”
Both sides withdrew, and the tea party was over. The various officials
had already showed what they were made of. As for the actual
negotiation, that was left to the underlings and lower-ranked officials to
work on.
With the negotiation at a stalemate, no progress could be made. And as

for that great Zhuang Mohan, he had rarely been seen since he went to
the palace and had a talk with the empress. This baffled Fan Xian, was
that old man here on vacation?
Chapter 125: Old and Vicious Shaoqing Xin

Two days later, in Honglu Temple…
“The captives, that’s the first thing we need to take care of.” The
rashness displayed by Xin Qiwu during the negotiations between the two
countries had already disappeared. The shaoqing said emotionlessly,
“Per His Majesty’s orders, we must retrieve our captured soldiers at all
cost. The rest are minor things. Why don’t we concede on this point?”
Below, another official answered him, “The men from Northern Qi and its
tribute nations that we’ve captured number over twenty-four hundred in
total, while about a thousand of our men are being held captive. Going
with His Majesty’s order, we can get all our soldiers back, even if we
trade two soldiers for one.
“Right.” Xin Qiwu nodded; he was satisfied with his subordinate’s rate of
work. He then said, “As for the issue of redrawing the boarders, His
Majesty was clear on that as well. We must not give up even an inch of
the territories we’ve gained in battle. If Northern Qi want land, they must
trade the plains of Qianlonggang.”
Qianlonggang was situated to the northwest of Qing and was the only
enclave connected to Qing. If Qing could take it back, then security
would be ensured.
The lower-ranking officials recorded their superior. Someone said in

irritation,, “But Northern Qi won’t budge on the matter at the moment,
almost as if they would fight to the death over it. They are willing to pay
in money and horses, just not that piece of land.
The main registrar from the negotiations was obviously an impulsive

one. He slapped the table and exclaimed, “We already have control over
it! What would they have us do?! Give it back?!”
Xin Qiwu nodded. “While Sir Xiao is a bit direct, that’s about the gist of
it.” He scanned his subordinates with a cold gaze and heavily put down
the teacup in his hand. He said, “My fellow officials, do not forget: these
lands were obtained by our brave soldiers through sword and spear,
through blood and flesh. What those soldiers paid for with their lives we
cannot give it back. As for ourselves? We’re only talkers, so we cannot
give up on the authority of Qing. We must struggle and bargain with the
other side with however miniscule amount of silver we have to offer.”
The person who spoke before continued, “Your Highness is absolutely

right, but according to the secret reports by the Northern Qi envoys who
went to the capital, the Northern Qi empress is beginning to reconcile
with our emperor due to failures in the war. The empress’s own younger
brother had already been condemned and sent back. If we demand too
much right now, relations with them may split again in the future; another
war may break out, something His Majesty would not want. Everyone
knows, if Northern Qi really is that united, it’ll be like a centipede with a
nasty bite.”
“It’s been too long since Northern Qi sent envoys to the capital. That
report may not necessarily be useful.” Xin Qiwu had a headache. While
they had the advantage of home soil and being the winders, the other
side was in their own capital. Taking advantage of the information
network, which was not yet exterminated by the Imperial court, they
could obtain firsthand intel regarding Qing’s reactions. On the other
hand, for Qing to obtain info regarding Northern Qi was very difficult.
Someone came forward with an idea, “Why don’t we ask His Majesty to
lend us the help of the Overwatch Council? Those from Northern Qi are
tougher than what we have in the other organizations.”
The various officials brightened up as they agreed. Even though they

were all afraid of the Overwatch Council, they had no objections if it was
to unleash this rabid dog upon an enemy. Unexpectedly, however, Xin
Qiwu yelled out, “You think the main registry and I haven’t thought of
that?! The emperor wouldn’t allow it, so what can I do? You want me to
cry about it in His Majesty’s sleeping quarters?”
The officials saw truth in that and calmed down. Deep inside, however,
they all agreed, “If it’s to obtain intel on Northern Qi, why not cry to him?”
The hall became quiet. Although the people of Qing all believed their
nation to be one of the strongest, their emperor was still without a
successor to the throne. Therefore, they couldn’t help but live in the
shadow of the great Northern Wei. Northern Wei, despite losing half its
territory to Northern Qi, was still a terrifying force to be reckoned with
should another war break out. Without any strong sources of persuasion,
the negotiation seemed to be stuck in a quagmire.
“I will go to the palace again tonight and seek His Majesty’s opinion,” Xin
Qiwu said with a frown. He glanced down at Fan Xian, who had been
sitting quietly. Despite being a deputy, Fan Xian certainly did not appear
to be one. For the past few days, regardless of negotiations,, he always
sat smiling, never saying a single word; no one knew what he was
thinking. Xin Qiwu, under the orders of the prince, asked for Fan Xian in
hopes of allowing him to establish some political authority. The brat had
been obedient in not taking the spotlight so far, but sitting speechless
was far from proper.
Xin Qiwu thought for a moment before asking gently, “Sir Fan, what are
your thoughts on the matter?”
Fan Xian slightly tightened his fists in his sleeves, but his face remained
calm. He replied, “I believe Northern Qi is merely bluffing. Suppose they
really do have the strength to keep on fighting, they wouldn’t be in a
hurry to send their envoys.”
The other officials all heard of this Sir Fan and his achievements in
poetry and fighting. Furthermore, they had all admired the way Fan Xian
seemingly stayed put for the past few days. Therefore, they were eager
to hear what he was about to say. Unsurprisingly, they were
disappointed after hearing Fan Xian tell them such generic things.
Regardless, they couldn’t do anything on the surface but agree.
However, Xin Qiwu believed Fan Xian was merely trying to appease
everyone and be done with it. “You are absolutely right. But the
intentions of the nations has been mixed. It’s like each nation is its own
entity, and occasionally emotions will get the better of reason. Deputy
Fan, do you have any evidence?” Xin Qiwu believed Fan Xian had
something which would surely impress the officials at Honglu Temple.
Fan Xian secretly admired Xin Qiwu for saying “each nation is its own
entity.” He thought about it for a moment before saying, “The key is
Zhuang Mohan. We here all know what kind of reputation he has. If
Northern Qi didn’t really want to negotiate, they wouldn’t pay the hefty
price of including Zhuang Mohan in their envoy.”
The officials at Honglu Temple were all from learned backgrounds, so of

course they all knew who Zhuang Mohan was. After hearing Fan Xian’s
reasoning, they all realized that really was the case. But that wasn’t
persuasive enough.
Xin Qiwu frowned. “If only we know the reason for him being here.
Perhaps that would help.”
The case files from the Overwatch Council were clear on that. Zhuang
Mohan came as part of the envoy because, first of all, the emperor and
empress of Northern Qi wanted to lower themselves, and secondly, this
Zhuang Mohan held a reputation as being a saint of sorts and wanted to
mend the relationship between the nations, and third, because of as-yet-
to-be-revealed personal reasons that Zhuang Mohan’s hadn’t revealed.
While Fan Xian looked down on the demeanor of this “saint,” he didn’t
underestimate him. However, he couldn’t just explain these reasons to
the officials either. He said quietly, “Perhaps there would be some clue if
we could see him.”
The official registrar shook his head, “As per custom, , normally you
could only see someone like him during a royal banquet. If we were to
request an audience, there would be nothing we could do should we be
turned down.” Suddenly, his eyes brightened. “However, since Deputy
Fan’s fame in poetry has already spread everywhere, you could arrange
a poetry gathering. I don’t believe Zhuang Mohan would refuse.”
That startled Fan Xian. He had only plagiarized three poems, two of
which were composed by Ruoruo; how can that spread “everywhere”?
Fortunately, Xin Qiwu helped him out, “This Zhuang Mohan has always
been known to be prideful; he was praised by poetry and essay and
song, truly a prodigy. He wouldn’t lower his pride just to see Deputy Fan.
In my opinion, Northern Qi invited him for the royal banquet, where his
reputation would be useful in persuading His Majesty.”
That made sense to the officials.
After the meeting had been dismissed, Fan Xian took some time to show
Sir Xin the files he and Ruoruo had “organized”. Flipping through the
papers, Xin Qiwu’s eyes brightened, as he wasn’t expecting Fan Xian to
write such things. While the files contained certain absurdities, they more
or less made sense in pointing out the current political situation in
Northern Qi.
“Very good!” Xin Qiwu exclaimed. “With this, we could negotiate with
more backbone. It’s just that… Deputy Fan, why tell me all this in
private?”
Seeing his superior’s suspicion, Fan Xian smiled, “Some of the content
is too preposterous. They are only what I think, so I dared not to share it
in public. It would be more appropriate for only Your Highness to
consider.”
Unable to contain himself, Xin Qiwu began reading through the files
while still standing in the hallway. Gradually, his brows knotted together.
After a long time, he sighed, “Mister Fan, there are many things in here
that not even the Imperial court knows.”
Fan Xian felt a chill; he wasn’t able to fool Xin Qiwu in the end. But what
he had been through over the past decade—from Danzhou to the capital
—steeled his demeanor. His smile remained unchanged, “I would not
say anything unnecessary.”
To feign understanding of something as unpredictable, such was the

way of the civil official. As expected, Xin Qiwu did not question any
further. Rather, he smiled warmly, “If the negotiation is a success, I shall
personally write a recommendation to His Majesty to guarantee you a
grand merit.”
Fan Xian excused himself with a grin.
After Fan Xian had gone out of sight, the color on Xin Qiwu’s face
changed in a flash. He was close to the prince, and was therefore aware
that Count Sinan held a portion of His Majesty’s personal sovereignty,
but this power has never showed itself in Qing’s political stage, unless…
Fan Jian used it now because of Fan Xian? Ultimately, Xin Qiwu did not
connect Fan Xian with the Overwatch Council. It was, after all, His
Majesty’s personal organization, which not even the princes could
interfere with, never mind the illegitimate son of a civil official.
Sitting in his sedan chair, Xin Qiwu propped up his chin, deep in thought.
After the sedan chair had come to a stop, he stared at the tall, red
palace walls and thought, “The prince was correct regarding the Fan
household. We could only try to win them over, not try to beat them.”
Chapter 126: Sincerity in the East Palace

There had been two factions in the East Palace: The one opposing Xin
Qiwu believed that since Count Sinan was in good relations with King
Jing and connected to the prime minister’s family through Fan Xian’s
marriage, Prince Jing must be close to the second prince. As for the
prime minister gradually distancing himself from the East Palace, it must
mean that the Fan household was with the second prince’s faction. Xin
Shaoqing adamantly rejected the idea. To him, Fan Jian was not the
type of official who could be swayed so easily by King Jing and the prime
minister.
Deep inside the palace, Xin Qiwu prostrated in front of the book chamber
with his butt in the air. Good thing his robe was long enough so that he
didn’t look too ridiculous.
“You may rise.” The emperor’s voice rang out from behind the curtain.
Xin Qiwu stood up, his arms by his side. He didn’t dare move. He had
been here a few times, but he still couldn’t shake this feeling of pressure.
He was sweating, either from the remaining summer heat or his own
nervousness. Regardless, he didn’t dare wipe away his sweat.
Behind the curtain came the sound of paper being put away. After a long
period of silence, the emperor said, “There is logic and evidence, very
good. Since those guys in the north wouldn’t settle down, this is very
good; you’ll have to speak loudly for me.”
Xin Qiwu replied in a bright voice, “Yes, Your Majesty!”
The emperor’s voice suddenly had an odd tone to it. “You made Minister
Fan’s son your deputy?”
Xin Qiwu wasn’t expecting the emperor to be so interested in Deputy

Fan, and sweated a bit more. He answered respectfully, “Indeed.”
The emperor seemed to be intrigued, “Oh, I had already appointed him

the Functionary of Taichang Temple. Why did you move him to Honglu
Temple?”
While the emperor was speaking in a gentle tone, Xin Qiwu was so
nervous he could faint. Not daring to hide anything, he answered
truthfully, “I had recently come to the East Palace to study per Your
Majesty’s orders. During that time, I talked with the prince regarding the
envoy from Northern Qi. Since Fan Xian was involved with, and because
of his reputation in the capital, I thought it would be best to have a
scholar on our side as well. As Your Majesty knows, there’s a certain
Zhuang Mohan in Northern Qi’s envoy.”
“Hm.” The emperor really admired this official’s frankness . He was

never afraid of people conspiring in the Imperial court, but those factions
needed be made public. “You weren’t wrong to do so. I leave all the
authority over the matter to you today. Even if it’s the prince, you do not
have to ask for permission.”
“Yes.” The link between Xin Qiwu and the prince was never hidden from
the emperor. After all, he was assigned specifically as a servant in the
East Palace.
The emperor flipped through the files again. He seemed to frown slightly.
“How did Fan Xian do?”
Xin Qiwu didn’t dare steal Fan Xian’s merit and answered honestly, “The
files Your Majesty is reading right now was analyzed by Deputy Fan.”
“Analyzed?” For some reason, the emperor’s tone became slightly

angry. “This is getting more and more absurd!”
Xin Qiwu was terrified; he didn’t know why His Majesty became angry.
But fortunately, it didn’t appear to be related to negotiations. After Xin
Qiwu withdrew from the book chamber, the emperor parted the curtain
and walked out. There was a bitter smile that went along with the hint of
anger on his intimidating face, as if to say, “It can’t be helped”. He
ordered a servant, “Summon Chen Pingping to the palace.”
This owner of Qing, a middle-aged man who held the most authority in
the world, walked out of the book chamber. Standing in the hallway, he
gazed up at the moon. He smiled and said to himself, “A sharp tool
which could benefit the nation, instead of using it to help Honglu Temple,
you used it as the stepping stool for a child. Chen Pingping, if I still don’t
tap you once or twice, you’re really going to give my Council to that child
as a plaything.”
Just what caliber of a person was the emperor? From Fan Xian’s files,
he managed to immediately pick up the presence of the Overwatch
Council. But his expression was no longer angry. Rather, he found it
somewhat funny. Xin Qiwu seemed to be letting the prince win over the
Fan household. The prince finally displayed some political wisdom, and
His Majesty was a bit happy .
An intense quarrel was developing in the East Palace between

Shaoqiang Xin Qiwu and Guo Baokun. The topic, of course, concerned
the low-ranking Fan Xian. One could tell how intense the quarrel was
from the look on their faces.
Xin Qiwu gave Guo Baokun a condescending look and said, “As a civil
servant, I must obey His Majesty’s wishes and aid the prince in his
accomplishments. So for the time being, I need to find a few talented
individuals. Functionary Fan Xian is famous in the capital and has a fine
demeanor, and the Fan household is no stranger to the palace. The
prince should accept such a distinguished individual instead of refusing
over a certain someone’s tantrum.”
Guo Baokun laughed coldly, “You think I only remember that one time?
Don’t forget the relationship between the Fan manor and King Jing’s
manor. Fan Xian will soon become the son-in-law of the prime minister.
Are you that unclear as to which side the prime minister leans?”
Xin Qiwu straightened out his neck and said, “I have no idea. I only know
that there is only one emperor and one prince in Qing. Any thoughts of
splitting into factions would be extremely stupid.”
Xin Qiwu was not unskilled, and naturally, he knew the second prince
was on the rise. But in terms of strategy, he still didn’t view the second
prince as a threat to the East Palace. Otherwise, it would be opening a
door full of danger. As long as the prince acts properly and sticks to
principles, there would be no enemies.
The prince who was sitting up high sighed. While lecherous and
cowardly, he was by no means stupid. Deep down, he understood that,
in the big picture, Xin Qiwu was correct. However, in term of politics, this
was a life-and-death struggle. Even if he were to be careful, no one
could guarantee that his two brothers wouldn’t plot anything.
“It hasn’t gotten to that point,” the prince said, massaging the sides of his
head. He then continued, albeit somewhat annoyed, “The palace is still
ruled by one individual. Those ready to serve the Imperial court should
have the same intention. As for my royal brothers, don’t say any
senseless things.”
Such was the helpless situation in the palace. Even though they were
impeding each other as much as they could, they couldn’t say anything
on the surface.
“And Fan Xian?” Guo Baokun wasn’t willing to give up.
Xin Qiwu snorted, “Sir Guo, I believe you have been misjudging one
thing.”
“What is it?” The prince asked.
“Many officials, including you, grouped Fan household into the second
prince’s faction merely because of their relationship to King Jing. Is there
any evidence to prove that? This time, orders came down from the East
Palace to give Fan Xian a chance to really prove himself. If what you say
is true, then Fan Xian would not accept in the first place.” Xin Qiwu
continued coldly, “Most importantly, Fan Xian is soon to become the
prime minister’s son-in-law. If your judgement is merely based on that,
then you are being ridiculous.”
“How would that be ridiculous?” Guo Baokun revealed a hint of venom in

his eyes. “Both official and secret reports showed that the prime minister
is splitting from the eldest princess. He is trying to remove the influences
from the palace.”
“As the prime minister, of course he shouldn’t be influenced by forces in

the palace.” This wasn’t appropriate for Xin Qiwu to say, and he realized
that and apologized to the prince. The prince shook his head, signaling
Xin Qiwu to continue.
“That is precisely the issue. Everyone knows the prime minister is
splitting from the eldest princess… what does that have to do with the
East Palace? Would that mean the prime minister is no longer loyal to
His Majesty?”
The prince frowned, “However… recently, my aunt has been angry with
the prime minister.”
“Your Majesty, forgive my insolence… you must not change your view
towards the prime minister just because of the eldest princess’s mood.”
The prince only frowned harder. “But…” He stopped. Taking the chance,
Guo Baokun said coldly, “But if the prime minister is still the same, then
why did he stop visiting the East Palace after court meetings?”
Xin Qiwu grinned with extreme self-confidence and replied, “I didn’t deny
anything having to do with that.” Turning to the prince, he said, “Your
Majesty, that is only an arrangement; it is still far from an actual
competition of power. The real smart ones would follow the emperor
closely to ensure their families’ survival. The same applies to the prime
minister. While he appears to be swaying between you and the second
prince, he still has to obey His Majesty’s wishes. If we want the prime
minister on our side…” Xin Qi Wu inhaled deeply, “Fan Xian is the key.
The prime minister doesn’t have an actual son anymore; if Fan Xian
proves to be the future of Lin Manor, and if we can win Fan Xian over,
then the prime minister will surely change sides.”
Guo Baokun warned, “Don’t forget the relationship between Prince Jing
and Fan Xian.”
“And don’t you forget whose subordinate was exposed by the

investigation,” said Xin Qiwu coldly To have set up an encounter
between Fan Xian and the prince, he was certainly hoping the prince
would recall the grudge from all those days ago and humiliate Fan Xian.
Good thing His Majesty was wise and would not fall for such petty trick.”
The prince smiled warmly.

“Why would he use such methods if the Fan household belonged to
these factions?” Xin Qiwu then said, “I believe that, with Fan household’s
power, whatever’s happening behind that incident will surely come to
light. If it was really ‘that person,’ I’m afraid Fan Xian would hold a
grudge, so for now, there is no need to worry where the Fan household
stands.”
The prince was somewhat moved. He said lightly, “If the Fan household
is still being fooled, there is no harm in telling them.”
“Winning over Fan Xian equals winning over both Fan and Lin Manors.
Those are two great powers in the capital. Many years from now on, I
believe the inner treasury will be run by that youngster.” Xin Qiwu said
quietly to the prince, “An eighth-ranked official like him could do more for
the people than merely write a few poems.”
Chapter 127: There Isn’t a Single Trustworthy Person in the World

The prince calculated, obviously moved. After quite a while, he made his
decision. “Very well. I’m going to give Fan Xian a chance. I hope he
wouldn’t disappoint us.”
With this decision, Guo Baokun fell silent, while Xin Qiwu became
excited. The prince felt he was being wise and generous. However, none
of the three knew that the empress and the eldest princess tried to have
Fan Xian killed. The real forces behind the East Palace had already
clashed twice with the real forces behind Fan Xian; once in Danzhou,
once on Niulan Street and beneath the Cang Mountains.
Even more unknown to them was that several years later, things would
develop into unprecedented absurdity. The palace at night was always
more secluded and darker than other places. It hid all truths and all who
passed by. It also hid whatever the future held.
—-
Backed by the Overwatch Council’s reports, the negotiations over the

next few days changed drastically. Northern Qi still tried to play their
sticky tactics, dragging things on day after day in hopes of decreasing
Qing’s patience. They weren’t expecting this shaoqing of Honglu Temple
to unleash such intensity. During the next two days of deliberation, it was
as if Xin Qiwu had turned into a mountain-splitting axe, chopping down
the other party!
After three meetings, the problems regarding captives, tributes, and

names were all solved. All that was left was also the most difficult—the
issue regarding redrawing the borders.
As a deputy, Fan Xian had always overlooked this process.

Nevertheless, he was very impressed by Xin Qiwu’s ability to converse.
Fan Xian really didn’t expect anyone so close to the prince to be so
ferocious. Not everyone in the East Palace deserved to be hit like Guo
Baokun. Xin Qiwu, during his conversations and observations, felt
surprised by Fan Xian’s patience, which far surpassed that of his peers.
The shaoqing felt he couldn’t see through Fan Xian’s character.
Overall, the negotiations went smoothly. Other than help from the
Overwatch Council, Fan Xian didn’t put in too much effort, and therefore
didn’t get his part of the merit. He was satisfied with his current life.
The bookstore was taken care off by the shopkeeper from Qingyu Hall,
and Fan Sizhe often interacted with the accountant. Fan Xian didn’t have
to worry about any of that. As for his marriage in two months, the
nannies of the Lin and Fan Manors would be busy taking care of that.
Even Lady Liu liked the idea of Fan Xian being the emperor’s fake son-
in-law and was ready to be a stepmother. She knew that, once Fan Xian
married the emperor’s adopted daughter, he wouldn’t threaten Fan
Sizhe’s position in the household.
On top of all that, there was also Lin Wan’er’s status. Those old maidens
often came to Fan Manor to speak of various things; once every few
days, some would come to deliver some lady’s wishes, making Count
Sinan quite irritated. As for Fan Xian, who didn’t know the formalities of
the palace, he tried to get away from them as best as he could. Lin
Wan’er and Ruoruo suffered as a result of having to clean up after him.
The second prince came twice on behalf of Prince Jing, who wanted to
meet with Fan Xian, but Fan Xian was still hung up on when he
happened to run into the eldest prince. Hoping for things to calm down a
bit, Fan Xian kept pushing the meeting back until the end of the month.
After all, the East Palace seemed to have changed its view on him. Not
that he dared to refuse the invitation from one of the princes; rather, he
dared not play around while still serving the country.
During those days, Fan Xian was only slightly worried about that Zhuang
Mohan, who hadn’t shown himself since, this in addition to the disciple of
Sigu Sword from Dongyi. Respectively, they were at the top in civil and
martial virtues, so why was the capital this quiet? Zhuang Mohan had
been invited by the empress to stay in the palace for studies, which the
head disciple of Sigu Sword stayed with Dongyi’s envoy.
The one who got most of Fan Xian’s attention was Yun Zhilan. Zhuang
Mohan had done nothing to Fan Xian, but Yun Zhilan was after Fan
Xian’s life. However, since Yun Zhilan was far away outside the capital,
Fan Xian believed himself to be relatively safe. After all, Yun Zhilan
wouldn’t be so stupid as to challenge him alone. The thing most
prominent on his mind was the matter regarding a certain key.
He stared blankly at a black chest at night. The lock appeared to be

made of brass. However, as much as he tried, he couldn’t leave a single
scratch on it with his think dagger, so the material must have been
something unique. There appeared to be some other mechanism behind
the keyhole, but without the key, Fan Xian had no idea what that
mechanism even looked like.
Fan Xian had tried various means to get acquainted with the old eunuch
Hong from the palace. However, he discovered something: While he had
made a name for himself in the capital, he was still far from reaching the
top. Both the eldest and second princes were trying to win him over for
the sake of Fan and Lin manors; he himself wasn’t worth the hassle. The
palace itself didn’t need to see civil servants, so he couldn’t even go
there.
Besides, it was inconvenient for Wan’er to enter the palace, so there

wasn’t anyone who could help Fan Xian. It would be extremely difficult
for him to even get to know Hong Siyang, never mind getting him out of
the palace like Wu Zhu said.
When the second prince visited on behalf of Prince Jing, he once asked
through other people if he could get to know Hong Gonggong that way,
but Li Hongcheng kept shaking his head. That old dog only lay around in
the empress’s palace; he would never venture out.
“It looks like we must change our plan.” With a smack, Fan Xian kicked
the chest back where it was. He looked at Wu Zhu who was standing in
the corner, as though falling asleep, and said, “I have no way of making
Hong Gonggong come outside the palace.”
Wu Zhu slowly raised his head, “I can lure him out, or, you can try to find
the key in the palace.”
Fan Xian was greatly frightened. He was only above a fourth-rank, not
yet a sixth-rank in martial arts. For him to sneak around the palace would
mean certain death. But he squinted and thought the plan as being the
most feasible at the moment. After all, while Wu Zhu said his “potential”
was Level 3, he managed to kill Cheng Jiushu, meaning that Wu Zhu
overestimated his assessment and thus underestimated Fan Xian’s
ability to use zhenqi. Of course, Fan Xian couldn’t say that out loud.
“If it really is that risky, why must I find this key?” This question had been
on Fan Xian’s mind for a long time. “If it’s just to satisfy curiosity, such
risks aren’t worth it.”
“Don’t you want to know what the Lady left you?”
“I do.” Fan Xian sat with his head hung low. “But I believe that my mother
wants me to live happily and safely. If something she left me were to put
me in danger, perhaps, she would not want that.”
Wu Zhu also hung his head low. The black blindfold seemed to blend
into the night. While he wasn’t “looking” at Fan Xian, Fan Xian could still
feel a chill.
“You are satisfied with your current life.”
Wu Zhu’s voice was without emotions; he rarely used such rhetorical

questions. Rather, he was stating a fact. Startled, Fan Xian thought
back, especially on the summer days. He seemed to have been
genuinely enjoying the riches and authority and stability of the life of a
rich son.
“But you can’t control your life.” Wu Zhu continued coldly. “All that’s in
front of you is planned by Cheng Pingping and Fei Jian.”
Fan Xian felt a chill in his heart as he understood what Wu Zhu meant.
Despite living a second life and seeing the highs and lows of the world,
Fan Xian was still having a hard time believing what Wu Zhu said. He
lowered his voice and asked, “I can’t trust even them?”
Wu Zhu’s voice only got colder. “Trust no one; that’s the way I do
things.”
“That would make life difficult.” Fan Xian closed his eyes, as if trying to
imitate a life in eternal darkness.
“What would you do after they die?” Wu Zhu rarely asked questions, but
now that he did, he attacked Fan Xian’s weakness.
Fan Xian frowned, “I understand.”
Wu Zhu didn’t care for his declaration and continued to speak in his
expressionless voice, “What protects you isn’t some secret plot, not
authority, not anything. Only power can protect you; you must remember
that.”
Fan Xian stood up from beside his bed and respectfully saluted this
servant, this teacher, this elder brother.
“I don’t know what the Lady left you in that chest, but I do know that you
must obtain the power to protect yourself, the power to make your
enemies quake. Determination is a form of power itself, which is why I
want to you find that key.”
“Yes. I’ll do it.”
When Fan Xian raised his head, Wu Zhu had once again disappeared
into the darkness. In over ten years, other than the time he remembered
back on Fan Xian’s mother, Wu Zhu rarely spoke this much.
Fan Xian realized what Wu Zhu meant. The prosperity of the capital eats
away at the body and soul; it really created a hint of weakness in his
calm and strength which he had polished from a young age. This was a
warning, warning him not to rely on his family’s authority and his
mother’s legacy. Even though he had been recently training hard with his
zhenqi, trying to become familiar with the three poison needles on his
body, it was as Wu Zhu said—his heart was no longer as resilient as
when he was in Danzhou.
Only his own powers could protect everyone around him. A child without
a mother is like a lone shoot of grass. However, even a long shoot of
grass would need to grow out of the crack in the rock without caring for
sunshine or rain. He would have to thrust his root deeper and make his
stem sturdier. That’s what Fan Xian would have to do.
Chapter 128: That Chilly Royal Palace

The eastern skies were already dyed red. From behind the still-sleeping
clouds, the sun slowly crept up, casting its light upon the biggest building
complex in the capital. The palace walls, which were even redder than
the dusk, observed the crowd in the public square silently and
terrifyingly. Fan Xian was among that crowd. He gazed up at the walls
and gazed down at the gates, which reminded him of the mouth of a
monster. He couldn’t help but feel a bit nervous.
Like every other person in this world, Fan Xian viewed His Majesty with
absolute awe. But awe did not equal complete obedience, neither did it
represent a total lack of rebelliousness. On that, Fan Xian was different
from others. The palace gatekeeper nodded a bit pridefully after
checking everyone, and only then was Fan Xian allowed to walk in.
Today was full of formalities. The order came yesterday from the palace
summoning the eighth-ranked functionary. Fan Xian was busy all night
and was able to determine how many people would be present.
Naturally, Fan Jian would not be there. There was a lack of women at
Fan Manor, so the distant relatives in the capital from the great Fan clan
all volunteered to accompany Fan Xian.
Fan Xian had never seen such a scene before, so Fan Jian denied the
relatives their wishes. It was ultimately decided that the one to follow Fan
Xian into the palace would be Lady Liu, Fan Ruoruo, and two old
nannies. Those two nannies were from Fan Xian’s grandmother’s time in
Danzhou. They knew well all the palace rules. The fact that Lady Liu
agreed to come seemed to have been unexpected for Fan Xian.
However, she had been keeping in touch with a few esteemed ones from
the palace since she was young, so she was more than just a guest.
With her by his side, Fan Xian’s trip to the palace would likely be much
smoother.
Light yet chaotic footsteps echoed through the tunnel. It was a long
tunnel; even the sun at dusk could only illuminate half its length while the
other half stayed exceptionally dark. A gust of cold wind blew in, forcing
the people to close their eyes. It was merely September, but this wind
gave them a taste of late autumn.
Fan Xian inconspicuously touched his belt and felt the few pills, which
were smaller than soybeans. Feeling assured, he knew the security
would be extremely tight, which was why before leaving the manor he
hid his crossbow and dagger in his room. But what Wu Zhu told him had
been carved into his memory. Even if the palace was the safest place in
the world, Fan Xian still made sure he had some means to protect his
own life.
Humans are strange animals. And when together, they form a strange
herd. Walking beneath the quiet palace walls, their steps began to
synchronize, rising at the same time, and falling at the same time. The
young eunuch leading the way was no exception. The rhythm was like
someone plucking a ukulele.
Fan Xian suddenly felt quite unpleasant and forced himself to break free
from the synchronized footsteps. He pulled his sister’s sleeve and said
quietly, “I’m a bit nervous.”
Fan Ruoruo smiled, trying to offer some encouragement. But that young
eunuch turned around, displeased, and frowned at them. Lady Liu said
gently, “The palace isn’t like other places. Watch what you say.”
The eunuch wasn’t all that good-looking, and his frown only made him
look worse. Hearing Lady Liu, he momentarily became full of himself.
Where is this place? This is the royal palace, of course. Fan Xian forced
a smile. Unexpectedly, Lady Liu continued, “But you don’t need to be so
nervous. I’ve been visiting this palace since I was little. Back then it was
Eunuch Hong who led the way. Now that job is left to such youngsters.
Oh, how time flies.”
Hearing this, the young eunuch dared not act self-important anymore.
He turned and quickened his pace. He thought he was only leading
some commoners, not regular visitors.
The palace was massive. After exiting the tunnel, a large square greeted
them. The morning sun was directly above Taijin Palace. Its yellow roof
tiles glistened, and the roof was supported by great pillars. Its long stone
steps resembled a white path leading to the Milky Way. The whole scene
invoked extreme solemnness.
Fan Xian squinted at the buildings in front of him. Suddenly, he started to

wonder if he had arrived in the Forbidden City. Perhaps because of that
absurd thought, his nervousness died down ever so slightly. Afterwards,
Fan Xian finally returned to his normal demeanor; the same he assumed
when he first entered Fan Manor. With a bright smile, he looked around
at the various palace girls and eunuchs. He occasionally looked up at
the roof of some unknown building, wondering who lived there.
The young eunuch leading the way saw it all and shook his head. Lady
Liu smiled faintly, as if it couldn’t be helped. This young master was the
fearless type after all.
The reason for today’s visit was simple: a talented young man of such
reputation was about to marry Chen’er. The ladies of the palace wanted
to see what he looked like.
While the reason was simple, the process was beyond complex. The
party from Fan Manor got up early to clean and dress themselves. Then
they got to the palace just as the palace gates opened. After that, they
waited in a room in the corner, waiting to be summoned by one of the
ladies. They could wait, but those ladies from the palace weren’t the type
of people who would do the same.
And so, Fan Xian sat in the room by the corner, drinking high-class tea
from the palace. Because he woke up so early, he felt drowsy. Lady Liu
looked at him, and then stood up with a smile on her face. She said to
the eunuch who had been leading the way, “Eunuch Hou, it’s been some
time.” As she said it, she handed him a silver tael.
Watching this secretly, Fan Xian smiled. Such a method was sure to be
the result of his father’s influence; paving one’s way with money.
That Eunuch Hou, however, made an uneasy expression. He said

politely, “Madam Fan, you might as well slap me in the face. You grew
up together with those masters in the palace. How can someone like me
receive charity from you?” Lady Liu couldn’t help but laugh, “It’s merely a
gift. What are you afraid of?”
Eunuch Hou chuckled, showing his wrinkles. He said quietly, “Those

masters knew you are coming today, so they never had the intention to
make you wait. Rest assured. It’s only still too early. They’re most likely
getting washed up now. Please, have a seat.”
Fan Xian’s ears twitched as he heard the words “Madam Fan”. It looked
like the palace found out about the matter Lady Liu becoming Count
Sinan’s proper wife. Upon hearing that those in the palace were still
getting ready for the morning, he smiled bitterly. He thought they were
much too early.
It was wise of Count Sinan to let Lady Liu accompany Fan Xian. Long
before the morning court began, the three members of the Fan family
already entered the back palace. The two nannies waited outside. At
least they had fine tea and water. They were used to these kinds of
palace customs, so they knew how to stay occupied.
…
They first visited Yi Guipin. She was the birth mother of the current third
prince, and she was a talented woman, which was how she came to
receive the title of Guipin. Fan Xian was very well-behaved. He saluted
her. He heard a gentle voice: “You may rise.”
This Yi Guipin possessed a plain demeanor, but there was something

more, something different from Fan Xian’s expectations of her being
graceful beyond words. Even more unexpectedly, Lady Liu began to tear
up as she looked at Yi Guipin. After exchanging greetings, they both cast
away formalities and held hands together without saying anything. Fan
Xian looked at his sister confusedly, but Ruoruo’s expression was calm
and unsurprised.
Only after listening to them talk for a bit did Fan Xian learn that this Yi
Guipin was Lady Liu’s younger cousin!
Fan Xian was greatly shaken as he now realized how deep the Liu
bloodline flowed. It was fortunate that he decided to try to appease her
after coming to the capital, and that she had been rather kind to him.
Had there been any serious conflict, who knows which side would end
up dead!
“You never visit me.” Yi Guipin wiped away her tears. “It’s been four
years; how could you leave me alone in the palace? Last time I went
through all that trouble to get permission for you to come in, and you
refused. I was so depressed.”
A look of sadness flashed across Lady Liu’s face. She stayed silent for a
while before saying quietly, “It’s my fault. It’s all my fault.”
She wasn’t looking at Fan Xian at all, but Fan Xian noticed her slightly
thin shoulders. Upon hearing “four years”, he quickly thought back to the
assassination attempt in Danzhou. According to what his father said,
Lady Liu was only a scapegoat. The real culprits were the two women
considered to be the “noblest” in the palace. Lady Liu hadn’t been to the
palace for four years. Could it be because of them?
“I’ll visit often from now on.” Lady Liu smiled warmly as she held Yi
Guipin’s hand. “I came today, didn’t I?”
Yi Guipin laughed and said lightly, “If it weren’t for your household’s
young master marrying the dearest girl in the palace, how could I
possibly hope to see you?” She then turned towards Fan Xian and asked
gently, “So, you are Fan Xian?”
Fan Xian quickly stood up and gave his friendliest smile. He greeted her,
saying, “Aunt Liu, I have come to pay my respects.”
That sentence was very inappropriate! The eunuchs and palace girls
were all stunned. Even Lady Liu was taken aback, thinking “I’m not your
mother.” But Fan Xian continued to shamelessly build up this
relationship, which happened to suit the tastes of Yi Guipin, who was
tired of the formalities in the palace. Yi Guipin looked at Fan Xian with a
bright smile. “I knew you were such a good child.”
Chapter 129: The Imperial Concubines

There were many things in this world that made no sense, but to be
considered a good son after simply saying a few words struck the soon-
to-be 17-year-old Fan Xian as particularly nonsensical. The royal palace
was indeed greatly different compared to other places. The judgments of
the lofty nobility always seemed very random, and relied on their own
particular preferences.
Although Fan Xian was not aware of the family relation between Lady
Liu and Yi Guipin, it did not stop him from realizing from Lin Wan’er’s
words that Yi Guipin was a most favored concubine. Otherwise, she
could not have given birth to this eight-year-old prince, raised under the
Emperor’s instructions to cultivate himself mentally and spiritually and to
avoid all things effeminate.
Chatting idly in the palace, Yi Guipin seemed to genuinely like Fan Xian,
and she looked more and more pleased. Fan Xian was aware of the
need to be tactful, and he told a few jokes that he remembered from his
previous life, in response to which the palace hall suddenly erupted with
the sound of laughter that tinkled like silver bells. Fan Xian discovered
that the concubine Yi Guipin had a thoroughly open and candid
temperament. He did not know how she could keep this kind of
disposition within a palace where she could not show her face, and he
felt a measure of surprise and appreciation for this.
After they had exchanged a few pleasantries, the sun had already risen.
“And the Third Prince?” asked Lady Liu with a smile. Yi Guipin sighed.
“That child is still utterly afraid of strangers. As soon as he awakes he
withdraws to the back of the palace hall and refuses to come out. He can
only be convinced to show his face when it’s time to eat.” Lady Liu tutted
and laughed. “Of course, the Third Prince is still shy with us.”
Despite the differences in their status, Lady Liu and Yi Guipin had a
sisterly relationship, so their speech did not seem particularly formal. Yi
Guipin extended a slender forefinger. The fingernail, painted a beautiful
red color, was pointed at Fan Xian. “Isn’t this one from your family shy
too?”
At that moment, a bashful smile crept across Fan Xian’s face as he

responded to Guipin’s words.
“Very well. Sister, will you and Ruoruo keep me company?” Yi Guipin
was seemingly aware that Lady Liu did not wish to see the Empress and
the Eldest Princess, and decided to ask her to stay a while as a guest.
“Those ones in the palace would be happy if I simply had Xing’er lead
Fan Xian inside.”
Lady Liu’s brow creased slightly, and she spoke with respect. “That will
not be possible. Today we received an imperial command to enter the
palace. I fear visiting concubine Guipin first will no doubt provoke the ire
of the other consorts, so I must enter the place. To not visit the others
would be disrespectful, I fear.” Hearing this, Yi Guipin sniffed and
cleared her throat. “I can see that you do not wish to go. The summons
was for Fan Xian. Stay here and chat with me, I shall make sure that no
one in the palace makes any thoughtless remarks.”
Yi Guipin was a cheerful woman with a touch of naiveté. But in her anger
she appeared very imposing, and so the entire palace would quiet down.
Fan Xian cleared his throat. “Aunt… mistress, I am happy to go by
myself. Stay with your cousin and talk a while.”
Hearing him say this, Lady Liu agreed, and the palace girl named Xing’er
escorted him out of the hall. Reminding him of some matters that he
should take note of, and not seeming to notice that Fan Xian was giving
her the cold shoulder, she spoke with a voice like a mosquito.
“Everything in the palace has been put in order. Someone will be there
to greet you at each palace, so you don’t need to worry too much.”
Fan Xian felt a shiver, and as he responded, he turned around to see

that his little sister had followed him out and was looking at him with an
encouraging expression. For some reason, he felt warmer. He smiled.
“The mother-in-law meeting the son-in-law. The more people see of me,
the more they like me, to say nothing of my own handsomeness. It
cannot be very difficult to handle a few complaining women in the
palace.”
Once the Emperor’s potential son-in-law had left Yi Guipin’s room, Lady
Liu had said a few words of warning to Fan Ruoruo, and then gone into
an inner room with Guipin. Yi Guipin looked her faintly in the eye. “Four
years ago I urged you not to listen to advice from the palaces. Now, Fan
Xian still lives, but you put a chill in Count Sinan’s heart. You are truly
intelligent. Why did you get involved in such a mess?” Lady Liu was at a
loss for words, and said nothing for a long while. Her expression
gradually showed more and more hidden bitterness as she spoke softly.
“You are aware, as mothers, must we not think of our children? The
Third Prince is young, and you can still stay out of it. In a few years,
perhaps you will understand why I made the mistake that I did then.”
Xing’er was a fair-faced young girl, probably around 13 or 14 years old.

As Fan Xian walked alongside her in the palace grounds, he found that
she kept her head lowered. He couldn’t help but ask. “Can you see
where you’re going?” Xing’er giggled, revealing her teeth like fragments
of jade. “Master Fan, we do not talk within the palace.” Fan Xian forced a
smile and shook his head. He knew that palace customs were strict, but
he had not imagined that even this young girl would be keeping to them
so strictly.
Fan Xian followed behind Xing’er, looking over the clothes she wore as a
palace maid. His gaze fell upon her still-undeveloped waist, and quickly
moved to the buildings of the palace grounds. There was a smile on his
face, but his mind moved quickly as he tried to commit all of the myriad
paths and views to memory in preparation for the future.
They went through flowers and trees, stepping on stone and grass. The
palace was large, but they would eventually reach their destination;
although there were many halls, not was all of them were so great as to
inspire awe. Looking on the quiet courtyards, Fan Xian sighed deeply,
following Xing’er the palace maid. This was the residence of Concubine
Shu, the mother of the Second Prince. It seemed that she was
particularly fond of peace and quiet, and her courtyard was decorated
simply yet elegantly. Save for a few blossoming trees, there were no
other decorations. The path was covered by bamboo with hanging
screens, which covered everything inside, but the hanging screens could
not hide the smell of burning incense.
“I have come to pay my respects to the imperial consort.”
“Master Fan, please be seated.”
There were no unnecessary pleasantries. Fan Xian and Concubine Shu

sat, separated by a hanging screen; there was no omen to it. Suddenly,
Concubine Shu spoke in a clear voice. “Ten thousand sorrowful autumns
always a guest. Master Fan, in your youth you spent most of your time in
Danzhou. Could it be that you feel that you are merely a guest in the
capital?”
Fan Xian was stunned. He answered firmly, and with this as a starting
point, he sat and pontificated with the imperial consort; they spoke of
countless verses of various scriptures, until they both found their mouths
feeling parched, after which they said nothing, but felt a quiet, mutual
understanding. Fan Xian had some lingering fears. He had not expected
that the Second Prince’s mother would be such an intelligent woman
with such exceedingly ferocious knowledge. He almost found it difficult to
deal with. He could not help but wonder what sort of princely son such a
woman could have raised.
“Do not worry.” Concubine Shu was a gentle sort, and through the
bamboo hanging screen, Fan Xian could see a wooden hairclip on her
head, its simple neatness quite incompatible with the ostentatious
palace. “Wan’er has grown up in the palace. Before His Majesty adopted
her as his daughter, we idle women treated her like she was one of our
own. There is no one in the palace who does not feel a fondness for her.
Seeing as you wish to marry this most precious jewel of the palace, we
cannot help but watch carefully.”
Fan Xian felt a trickle of cold sweat go down his back. Although he
already had an understanding, only today did he really get a feel for his
fiancée’s position within the palace. Concubine Shu was gentle and mild,
and seemed quite satisfied with Fan Xian’s style of conversation. Having
spent the midday with him, she allowed Fan Xian to leave, but before
they separated, she spoke to him quietly. “In the palace we are fond of
reading, and His Majesty has gathered some precious books for me. I
have allowed the people of the palace to choose some of these precious
books to copy. Master Fan, as you are now going to visit the other
concubines, I shall have someone send one to Yi Guipin.”
Fan Xian felt a shiver go down his spine. He knew that this was a
generous gift; he knew that the imperial consort was sending this gift on
behalf of the Second Prince. He did not say anything, and with a deep
respect he departed.
After leaving Concubine Shu’s courtyard, Fan Xian wiped the cold sweat
from his brow. Xing’er, the palace made who acted as his guide, felt
somewhat familiar with him, as she bounced along on tiptoe, she turned
around to look at his face. “Are you not warm today?” she asked with
curiosity.
Fan Xian forced a smile and shook his head. He had assumed that his
visit to the palace today was a matter of etiquette; he had not expected
to find himself even more nervous than if he were taking the imperial
exams. He presumed that the concubines were curious as to who Lin
Wan’er would be marrying, and so would want to look into Fan Xian’s
literary and martial abilities. Carrying on, the two came to the mother of
the Great Prince, Ning the Talented. Fan Xian knew that although her
status was not high, and was only the rank of “talented”, he learned from
Wan’er that this was because she was from Dongyi, and so Fan Xian
took pains to show her the utmost respect.
Ning the Talented was approaching her forties, but she was still very
attractive. Her face had the softness that women from Dongyi had. Over
the past few years, the Great Prince had been fighting the barbarians on
the western border. She had no other children, and inevitably felt
somewhat lonely. Luckily, Lin Wan’er had frequently come to her palace
to play, so her feelings toward Lin Wan’er were not the same as the
other concubines. She regarded Fan Xian with her elegant, almond-
shaped eyes and spoke coldly. “So you’re Fan Xian.” Fan Xian knew that
this woman had saved the Emperor’s life on the battlefield, and had
raised a prince who was a fine warrior. She was indeed a formidable
woman, but he felt no great surprise and replied calmly. “I am indeed,
your grace.”
“Hm.” Ning the Talented looked Fan Xian up and down, and to his
surprise she said very little. “Treat Wan’er well,” she said coldly.
Fan Xian liked this feeling of efficiency. “Do not worry, your grace,” he
responded happily.
“What happened at Niulan Street was odd indeed,” she said, taking
measuring of him. “I cannot believe that you were capable of killing an
eighth-level master,” she harrumphed coldly. “You look so thin and
weak. It does not look as if you had a martial upbringing.” Fan Xian was
taken aback. Could it be that just as he had triumphed as a scholar, he
also had to triumph as a warrior? But she was a forty-year-old woman.
There were differences between masters and servants, and differences
between men and women. She would not go so far as to attempt to
attack him, would she? “But since Ye Ling’er has admitted that she
cannot match you, then I shall reluctantly accept it too. Very well, in that
case, go along to the other palaces. Don’t dawdle.” Having said this,
Ning the Talented said nothing more and ushered him outside.
Fan Xian rubbed the back of his head and stared at the closed wooden
door. His Majesty was truly a fortunate man to be able lie next to such a
colorful set of women. There was the cheerful and naive Yi Gupin, the
gentle and smart Concubine Shu, and then there was the uncivilized
Ning the Talented? But he had known beforehand that Concubine Shu
had been a thoroughly intelligent woman. Perhaps Ning the Talented
was coarse on the outside yet delicate on the inside. And then there was
the enigmatic Empress. For His Majesty to live in harmony for so many
years in the palace with all these women showed that the Emperor of
Qing was a man of quite some skill.
To say the least, Fan Xian pondered whether or not he had such skills.
Chapter 130: My Hand Running Through Your Black Hair

Still making his way through the palace, Fan Xian saw a number of the
other concubines, said a few words to them and received their blessings,
and could not help but feel rather bored. But he did not show it on his
face in the slightest; this was the palace, and who could say which figure
this or that eunuch reported to, or which palace maid, gathering willow
branches, was someone’s trusted confidant? If they had seen the
frustration on his face, they would have relayed it to their masters, and
their masters would whisper it into the Emperor’s ear. And what then?
Even if he had drunk tea and chatted with His Majesty, he could still find
himself in trouble.
But when he thought of the figures he was about to visit, Fan Xian
calmed himself. With some gloom and painstaking effort, he met their
glances with smiles, as though he looked forward to meeting them.
Yaohua Palace was much larger than the other palace courtyards. It
clearly showed the status of the person who lived inside: the Empress of
the Kingdom of Qing, mother of the nation.
Fan Xian had not expected his audience with the Empress to have
concluded so simply.
The Empress had a gentle smile upon her face, and her words put Fan
Xian at ease. Looking on the Empress’s beautiful and noble features,
with her eyes as serene as still ponds, Fan Xian responded with sincere
respect. An absurd feeling welled up in his heart. The elegant and
exquisite bearing of this woman put him at ease with every movement
she made. And yet, four years ago, she had wanted him dead!
He kneeled before her, his forehead touching the floor as he kowtowed.

Fan Xian left Yaohua Palace with an uneasy look on his face; his
meeting with the Empress had begun simply and ended quickly. Since
he could conceal his mood as if there were nothing out of the ordinary
about it at all, the Empress, watching Fan Xian, felt not even the slightest
unease. Fan Xian smiled; the corners of his mouth were slightly open,
but his heart was cold. Perhaps he had overestimated his own
importance; perhaps the attempt on his life four years ago was of little
importance to the nobles of the palace.
He waited at the gate of Guangxin Palace, the court eunuch who had
followed the whole time cautiously and solemnly behind him, not daring
to utter a word. The palace maid Xing’er also stood out. She spoke in a
low voice. “Please enter, Master Fan.”
Fan Xian raised his eyebrows. Was it not against custom for him to enter
unescorted? If the Eldest Princess were to have him murdered, then who
would intercede? Was that not what had happened to Lin Chong?[1] But
he knew that there was nothing to be scared of now; the eunuchs and
palace maids were afraid of the Eldest Princess for no reason, and
nothing more.
The Eldest Princess, Li Yunrui, had a somewhat masculine name. But

she was a weak and delicate person, so it was only a facade. She had
many different positions: true controller of the royal purse, former lover of
the Prime Minister. She was the most capable political advisor of the
Prime Minister, she took precedence over the concubines, and she was
the beloved daughter of the Empress Dowager.
And for Fan Xian, she held two more roles: first, she was his personal
enemy who wanted him dead; second, she was also his future mother-
in-law.
There was a chill through Guangxin Palace. By day, the palace gate
would not be closed. Anyone who stood outside the gate could see the
white plum blossoms planted within, the secluded and heat-loathing
orchids, the yet-to-bloom daisies. Within the palace, one could see a
number of white muslin curtains lightly fluttering; the whole thing had the
purity and softness of some fairytale world. Fan Xian looked coldly upon
it all. It was as if he had been infected by the atmosphere of the palace.
A palace maid in her twenties appeared at the gate and gave a slight
salute to Fan Xian.
Her eyelashes were long, and although her expression was cold, her
words and her movements were still thoroughly polite as she respectfully
welcomed Fan Xian inside the palace.
The white muslin took him somewhat by surprise as he walked through

it. There was even more fine silk in Guangxin Palace than there had
been in the rear garden of Prince Jing’s mansion. There was something
unusual about the decorations that surrounded him. It seemed
inconsistent with the stately atmosphere of the palace; it was more like
this was the bedchamber of a little girl. Behind the layers and layers of
muslin curtains was a low daybed, upon which reclined a woman
wearing a light pink cheongsam skirt, propping her chin up on her arms.
Naturally, her waist showed slightly, and her countenance was
picturesque, yet with a look of tender shyness.
This was the first time that Fan Xian had laid eyes on the Eldest
Princess, his mother-in-law. And just like so many of the other times
when people had first laid eyes on Li Yunrui, the Eldest Princess, he was
stupefied, unsure whether the woman before him was real or whether
she was a character from a painting, or some kind of water nymph.
The Eldest Princess was 30 years old, but she had the air of a shy 16-
year-old maiden. Her countenance, and the long black hair that reached
over her hands on the daybed, was enough to excite the yearnings of all
the men in the world. Fan Xian was stunned. Sixteen years of training
his mentality in Danzhou allowed him to remain calm in the face of this
wondrous meeting, but he still could not deny that his mother-in-law,
although she resembled Wan’er, was much more beautiful than her own
daughter.
Though Fan Xian remained calm, he did not want to call her his mother-
in-law; it seemed calling her this way would not be appropriate for a
woman of her natural beauty. The Eldest Princess fixed Fan Xian with a
look that seemed indecipherable; shyly provoking his affections, her
delicate lips parted as she spoke. “Please take a seat. I have something
of a headache.”
Fan Xian looked around, slightly uncomfortable. The Eldest Princess

was talking nonsense; in the entirety of the expansive Guangxin Palace,
there was not a chair to be seen. In his bewilderment, he heard the
Eldest Princess gently speak again. “Master Fan, I hear that you are an
accomplished physician. Wan’er’s health has improved greatly these
past few days, all thanks to you.”
Fan Xian quickly bowed in response. “Your Highness is mistaken in her

praise. It is the imperial physicians who have seen to her with utmost
care; I have simply suggested a few folk remedies.”
“Oh?” The Eldest Princess extended her slender fingers and rubbed her
temples, which turned red as she brushed them with her fingertips. “Is
there a folk remedy for a migraine? My head has pained me so lately.”
Fan Xian had heard from Wan’er that the Eldest Princess suffered from
chronic headaches; he had also heard the Crown Prince mention it the
last time he was on vacation at the country estate. But Fan Xian also
took note of how the Eldest Princess was referring to him and to herself;
with just these few words, she had seemed particularly affectionate
toward him. Fan Xian smiled. “There are many different kinds of
headache. My master’s lessons were in themselves a kind of headache.”
They were weak words, but amusing; the Eldest Princess smiled a weak
and charming smile. Fan Xian knew that his connection to Fei Jie was no
great secret within the capital, and there was no way he could conceal it
from the Eldest Princess, so he decided it was best to bring it up.
“Is there really no way to treat it?” The Eldest Princess could speak of
nothing else but headaches, and her face was filled with delicate
weakness. “I have been in absolute agony for days.”
Fan Xian lowered his gaze slightly and tried to calm his spirit. “I have
studied a number of forms of massage. Although this would only treat
the symptom and not the cause, it would have a comforting effect.”
The Eldest Princess’s eyes lit up. “Then try it, quickly,” she said gently.
Fan Xian forced a smile. “I… don’t know if that would be appropriate.”
The Eldest Princess stifled a giggle. “Who would have thought that the
renowned and talented Master Fan would be such a stickler for
customs? Leaving aside the expedient treatment of maladies, in a few
days you will be my son. What do you have to worry about?”
Fan Xian watched her maiden-like demeanor, and then remembered her
true age. Such a thing would have brought about some feeling of disgust
in him, but as he looked at her soft and smooth cheeks and her delicate
brow, he found it hard to feel any antipathy. But when he heard the word
“son”, he felt a chill in his veins. His face remained calm as he
responded. “How could I disobey the commands of my elders?”
A eunuch brought a copper basin filled with fresh water. Fan Xian
carefully washed his hands and slowly came to the Eldest Princess’s
side. He sighed deeply and calmed himself, trying not to let his gaze fall
on the slightly exposed pale skin of the nape of her neck beneath the
Eldest Princess’s long black hair. He steadily reached out his hands and
placed them on her head.
His fingers ran through the Eldest Princess’s hair, which ran gently past
his fingertips, tickling them slightly.
Fan Xian thought it best to close his eyes, and imagine that he was just
like Wu Zhu, his eyes covered by a length of black cloth, his fingertips
feeling along the Eldest Princess’s hairline, then moving gently upward,
his thumbs pressing her temples, his forefingers rubbing her brow,
confirming the position of the space between her eyebrows.
He pressed it forcefully. The Eldest Princess was apparently

unprepared, and she groaned softly, unsure whether it was her
headache or the pressure.
Fan Xian remained calm, relying on his knowledge of the acupuncture

points of the human body, slowly and steadily rubbing her head. Every
touch of Li Yunrui’s head with his fingers was steady.
“Hm.” The Eldest Princess frowned, unsure whether she was being rash.
She hadn’t expected this young man’s hands to work so well. His fingers
seemed to bring about a tiny flowing stream, which massaged at the
source of her pain, and with each press of his fingers she loosened more
and more. Her thoughts gradually relaxed, and she grew sleepy.
“Did Fei Jie teach you this too?” Her eyes were half closed, and she
leant on the daybed, her crimson lips parted slightly, speaking without
thinking.
“Master Fei taught me how to manipulate acupuncture points.” Fan

Xian’s fingers were still smoothly and steadily moving across her flesh,
and his voice did not tremble in the slightest. “But I learned this massage
method myself.” A long illness can turn a patient into a doctor, they say,
and in his previous life, as he had lain in his sickbed, he had in the
beginning fostered extravagant hopes of being able to stand up again
one day. So that cute nurse had often helped him massage his feet and
the rest of his body. Eventually he had given up hope, but he still
remembered the methods of massage.
“It’s rather nice,” said the Eldest Princess as her eyes began to close
under the young man’s gentle, relaxing touch.
There was silence in Guangxin Palace. The Eldest Princess’s eyes were
shut, her long eyelashes rested on her fair skin, trembling slightly.
Suddenly, she spoke. “If you are to marry Wan’er, you must forget that
incident four years ago.”
Fan Xian’s fingers stopped moving, pausing on a point below her ears. It
looked nothing out of the ordinary. But it was a potentially fatal
acupuncture point.
Chapter 131: The Rush Back to the Manor

It occurred only for only an instant, but Fan Xian quickly began moving
again with a smile, though his voice sounded a bit surprised. “Four years
ago?”
The eldest princess grinned, her lips forming an aesthetic curve, as if

cursing the young man in secret. She changed the subject, asking,
“When did Fei Jie began teaching you?”
Fan Xian knew she was probing him, his expression unchanged., “When
I was little.” It was a very vague answer, but due to the eldest princess’s
status, she couldn’t pry any deeper. She gave a fake laugh and said, “If
they didn’t know Fei Jie is your teacher, I think many in the palace would
never have realized how close the Fan household was to the Overwatch
Council.”
Fan Xian’s grip began to relax, though he remained cautious with

responses. “I’m not all clear on that either; maybe Father and Mister Fei
knew each other in the past.”
Eldest Princess said softly, “Of course they do. During the first northern
campaign, your father and Fei Jie always followed Lord Brother into his
military tent. It would be strange for them to not know each other. But I
was still young back then, so you wouldn’t know such things.”
“It is as you say.” Fan Xian knew better, so he only smiled and didn’t say
anything. But Eldest Princess seemed to have entered a chatty mood
and asked, “How is your grandmother?”
“She is doing well.”

“Oh, I haven’t seen her in a long time,” the eldest princess continued
softly. “Back when I was little, your grandmother was my favorite.
Whenever Elder Brother tried to bully me, she protected me.”
Fan Xian thought to himself with a smile, “If grandmother knew you’d be
trying to kill me now, she’d probably beat you to death with that stick
back then.”
” I believe Sir Fan has already explained to you in detail what His
Majesty has intended.” The eldest princess spoke on such serious topic
with her sweet tone. The contrast made Fan Xian shudder.
Fan Xian frowned slightly without having the princess notice; he knew
she was referring to the matter regarding the inner treasury. Playing
dumb wouldn’t help him now, so he said, smiling, “I await His Majesty’s
and Your Highness’s arrangements.”
“Oh? I heard you recently opened a bookstore and a tofu store in the
capital.” The eldest princess couldn’t help but gave a beautiful smile.
“Rich sons like you, most of them are useless, only knowing how to talk.
They would never get things done. You can go into business to prepare
for your future running the inner treasury; I admire this about you very
much. Although I must say, the tofu shop just sounds like you’re messing
around.”
Fan Xian could only chuckle; he didn’t know how to respond to this.
“Truthfully, I want to kill you.” The atmosphere had just gotten somewhat
peaceful, but with such words, it immediately turned cold like the
northern front, freezing everything in the palace. Even the white silken
screens which were gently blowing drooped down.
Fan Xian still kept his smile, although he shifted back his feet into a
steady stance from which he could quickly react.
The Overwatch Council already found out the relationship between Wu
Boan and this woman. Since she tried to kill Fan Xian two times already,
a third time wasn’t impossible.
Of course, he came here on Imperial orders. No one should be crazy

enough to do anything to him while in the palace. But ever since entering
the palace of the eldest princess, her looks, along with her demeanor
and her tone, gave Fan Xian chills.
The woman seemed insane!
At that moment, Fan Xian was still massaging the eldest princess’s
head. While she had ordered this, while he was to marry her daughter,
there was still the difference between both men, as well as women the
status between them. What if this woman framed him for a misdemeanor
and had him executed? What could those who had his back do? He
couldn’t even save himself if that happened.
Fan Xian knew very well that in this world, the scariest ones were
children, women, and the insane, because those three groups of people
could not be dealt with using logic and could not be rationally analyzed.
Furthermore, there was the danger of grave consequences. This
extremely beautiful woman right now was all three combined.
While this vicious woman was highly aware, her actions were a bit
childish, and her methods a bit crazy, making her more unique and
terrifying than anyone else.
It was at that moment that a few palace girls walked in, all wearing tight-
fitting, pomegranate-colored uniforms. Which their clothes accentuated
their curves, the tightness also made it easy for them to move. There
was something wrapped around their waists. To Fan Xian, who had
been familiar with assassination techniques for over ten years while in
Danzhou, he was able to recognize the flexible yet sharp belt-swords at
the first glance!
However, his fingers still calmly massaged Eldest Princess just below
her ears. He asked with a smile, “Why does Your Highness wish to kill
me?”
“Many people believed I have the reason to kill you, a good reason at
that.” Eldest Princess’s eyes remained closed, as if she didn’t at all fear
that Fan Xian would suddenly retaliate and kill her under his hands.
Fan Xian only half lowered his head and didn’t respond, as if distracting
himself by focusing on his fingers. Actually, up until now, his eyes too
were shut.
Guangxin Palace was now silent enough that one could hear the ghost
of a cat. The palace girls slowly walked up to the princess. Fan Xian still
kept his eyes closed, only his head leaned just a tad to the right.
“Mister Fan, please clean your hands.” From somewhere, the palace
girls got him a wash basin of warm water and a towel.
Fan Xian opened his eyes and saluted the eldest princess, signaling his
massage was over. He then thanked the palace girls with a smile and
dipped his sore hands in the warm water. After drying them on the towel,
he bowed. “Does Your Highness feel better?”
Eldest Princess Li Yunrui looked at Fan Xian with a forced smile, her
weak gaze held a hint of cowardice. But Fan Xian knew, this woman was
the most terrifying person in the world.
“Much better.” Eldest Princess sat up straight and brushed her fingers
through her hair. Half lowering her head, she said gently, “I never
thought Wan’er’s future husband had such a talent. Honestly, you make
me… unwilling.”
Fan Xian respectfully stood in silence, daring not to utter a single word.
He knew that, facing a woman like her, anything he say would result in
serious complications, therefore it’s better to play the speechless role.
“You may leave, I’m getting bored.” She then continued softly, “Tell
Sister Liu I’m disappointed that she didn’t come to see me today.”
After Fan Xian respectfully made his exit, one of the palace girls who
was closest to the eldest princess came forward and asked, “Princess,
should we end him?”
“It was merely to entertain him, or else this life in the palace would be
way too boring.” the eldest princess stretched with the charm of a cat.
“This young man really surpassed my expectations. He was able to
endure and conceal very well, like he’s thirty or forty years old.”
The eldest princess didn’t really want to kill him today. But seeing Fan
Xian being cautious about every step while not exposing a single weak
point made her ache. After all, she’s the type of woman who viewed
struggles as a game. From what Fan Xian could imagine, plus her status
in the palace, had Fan Xian made a single misstep, she probably really
would have ordered him killed.
The princess took a side glance at the palace door draped by white silk.
She smiled strangely, thinking, “You tilted your head just as you were
preparing to make a move. What did that mean? I am curious, Fan
Xian… how did you grow up? Such a shame.” No one knew what was a
shame. Perhaps this woman felt bad for Fan Xian for postponing the
inevitable?
Fan Xian grew up playing with poison, which was why he thought the
eldest princess was a rare and virulent poison. She had proven to be
with a most difficult opponent for him to deal with. Having come out of
Guangxin Palace, he looked at the sleeping palace girl Xin’er and said
coldly, “It’s time to go back.” Then he made his way back to Guipin Yi’s
palace. Amazingly, he didn’t get lost.
Only now did Xin’er discover this Mister Fan’s back was drenched in
sweat, leaving a dark mark on his light azure shirt. He looked rather
pathetic.
Having left the palace complex and gotten on the carriage, Fan Xian’s
face was a bit pale. He placed his hand on the pills in his belt and
laughed at himself, not knowing whether he was simply being careful or
cowardly. If the eldest princess really wanted him dead, why do it in
Guangxin Palace?
“How did it go?” Fan Ruoruo looked at her brother with concern. There
was no way for her to know how taxing the interaction in Guangxin
Palace had been for Fan Xian. She thought he was simply tired from
visiting the various Ladies.
Fan Xian shook his head with a smile and quickly delivered the Ladies’
greetings to Lady Liu. He then hurriedly asked the carriage to return to
the manor. Both Lady Liu and Ruoruo looked at him in curiosity, unable
to understand why he was in such a hurry.
The carriage arrived at Fan Manor. Fan Xian apologized to Lady Liu first
before taking a hold of Ruoruo’s slightly cold hand and taking off with her
towards the backyard. A short while later, they had sprinted to the book
chamber.
Struggling to catch her breath, Fan Ruoruo managed to ask, “Brother…

what… are you doing?”
Chapter 132: Startling News of Lord Yan in the North

Fan Xian had no time to explain. “I talk; you write,” he ordered with a
smile. There was no time to grind down an ink stick. He picked up a
goose-feather brush, dipped it in ink, and gave it to his sister. He closed
his eyes tight and began to recall all of the complicated and scattered
pathways that he had taken through the imperial palace.
Fan Ruoruo’s face got paler and paler as she wrote. The amount of
effort Fan Xian was expending on recalling his memory also made him
increasingly pale; both brother and sister turned white as a sheet. With
difficulty, Fan Ruoruo traced out the pathways of the imperial palace.
Finally, she couldn’t stop herself from asking in a low voice, “Brother,
you do know that this is conspiracy to treason, don’t you?”
Fan Xian calmed himself and sat down on a chair, saying nothing for a
long time. He had spent most of the day in the palace, swapping
pleasantries with the nobles and committing its twisted pathways to
memory, finally confronting the eldest princess; it had taken its toll on his
mental state, and for a while, he could not rouse himself from his
sluggishness.
He was naturally acquainted with the laws of the Kingdom of Qing, and
he knew that the palace would not allow maps to be made of its
buildings; this was to prevent anyone from attempting to break in in
secret and get up to anything seditious. Fan Xian needed this map
because he had already made a plan: that evening, he would sneak into
the palace and find the key.
He could have taken the route that he took to sneak in and see Lin
Wan’er, but it was too dangerous, and the path that the palace nobles
walked was a different route to the one that Fan Xian had carefully
planned. Even if Wu Zhu had told him how to do it, it would not work – if
he had not personally walked through those hiding places behind the
rocks in the garden and those blind spots among the flowering shrubs,
he could not create the map he had created today, which he was fully
satisfied with.
Fan Xian stood up and took his sister’s drawing from the table. Although
it had been hurried, he found that her penmanship was still meticulous,
and he could not help but pat her on the head happily. “We’re finished
here,” he said. “Let me take you to Yi Shiju for some seafood.”
Fan Ruoruo, angered, snatched the map from his hand. “We’re finished
here? What’s finished!? Do you know how serious this is? This won’t do.
I’m telling father.”
Fan Xian laughed bitterly. The idea of the Emperor’s inviolable

sovereignty really did lodge itself deep in people’s hearts. Of course, he
also understood that his sister was deeply concerned for his safety and
for the future of their family. If anyone had found out about this map they
had secretly made of the palace, it could do great damage to the
relationship between the Fan Manor and the royal family.
“Don’t worry. I’ll take a moment to hide this right away, and then I’ll burn
it. Nobody will know.” Fan Xian smiled as he consoled his sister.
Anxious tears welled in Fan Ruoruo’s eyes. “Brother, why do you want
this map?”
Fan Xian sighed. He lowered his head to look his sister sincerely in the
eye and spoke slowly and carefully. “Because there is something in the
palace that I want.”
“You want to go into the palace to steal…” Fan Ruoruo was so surprised
that she wanted to shriek, but she quickly covered her mouth.
“Right, but it’s not stealing,” he said earnestly, “because it’s something
that belongs to me.”
Fan Ruoruo shook herself from her shock, and quickly returned to her
usual cool-headed intelligence. Judging the truth of the matter, she tried
to stop her voice from shaking. “Is it… something to do with Lady Ye?”
Fan Xian smiled. “I can’t hide it from you.” Those few words were filled
with mutual understanding between brother and sister. “There’s no harm
in telling you what kind of person your brother is,” he continued, smiling.
“Punching a seven-year-old child, kicking a 70-year-old man, standing
on a grave mound and howling, people who refuse to obey me stand up,
and as a result, no one dares to say a thing. Haha.”
Ruoruo smiled, though a little uneasily. There was little that was amusing
about her brother’s joke, and she was still rather nervous. She knew that
Fan Xian looked handsome and gentle but had a heart of ice, and could
not be persuaded of anything. One could only let him do as he pleased
and pray for him.
“In truth, I am quite selfish.” Fan Xian saw the worry lines on her brow,
and suddenly reflected on himself calmly. “Whenever there is something
I am having trouble with by myself, I always want to tell you. It appears
to be trust, but maybe it’s really that I want to find someone to share the
pressure with. But I never thought about it before. For you, the pressure
is overwhelming, but at least I still have you to turn to. But who are you
going to tell? And what? That my mother is Lady Ye? That I’m going to
steal something from the palace.”
Ruoruo looked at him, slightly distressed. “Trust and pressure cancel

each other out. I would still prefer that my brother did not hide things
from me.”
The negotiations were still ongoing, and the work of demarcating the
boundaries was extremely taxing. Originally, supported by Fan Xian’s
analysis, the officials of Honglu Temple had taken a hard line and had
almost pressured the emissaries of Northern Qi into signing their
agreement several times. But for some reason – perhaps something had
happened within the Kingdom of Northern Qi – the emissaries of
Northern Qi had shamelessly, even hysterically, backtracked. It seemed
as if they were waiting for something.
This air of conspiracy was quickly ferreted out by the highly-experienced

official Xin Qiwu of Honglu Temple. That afternoon, after the conclusion
of another round of fruitless talks, he took hold of a teapot, glanced at
Fan Xian, and indicated to him to follow him outside. All along the way,
officials saluted the two of them respectfully. With some difficulty, they
finally came to a quiet place. Xin Qiwu sighed, somewhat tired. “Master
Fan, does something seem strange to you?”
Fan Xian had maintained the proper attitude for these negotiations,
being there to learn and simply act as window dressing. But he had been
involved since the beginning, after all, so something did seem strange
about the behavior of the emissaries from Northern Qi. But if their
counterparts had just gotten ahold of some sort of reliable bargaining
chip, then they should have come out with it rather than dragging their
heels in such an inappropriate fashion. He thought for a moment, and
suddenly frowned. “Perhaps Northern Qi is now thinking of a way to
obtain some bargaining chips in order to make things more convenient at
the negotiating table.”
Xin Qiwu looked at him and nodded. “I thought the same thing. So
tonight, I am going to seek an audience with His Majesty and ask him to
issue a decree ordering the Overwatch Council to assist Honglu Temple
in our work. I won’t rest easy until I can find out what Northern Qi is
really thinking.”
Fan Xian leant on the railing and squinted as he pondered. What was it
that Northern Qi wanted? It didn’t make sense. Suddenly, something
occurred to him, and he thought about the Overwatch Council’s spy
network in Northern Qi. He thought of Yan Bingyun, who had been
hidden away in Northern Qi for four years.
Xin Qiwu was unsure what Fan Xian was thinking. “I’ll go to the palace
this evening,” he said, “but there is little I can get from them openly. Vice
Envoy Fan, this time you can’t avoid doing what you don’t want to.”
Fan Xian forced a smile. Xin Qiwu no doubt thought that his father had
secretly helped him to get ahold of the dossier last time, but heaven
knew that the power that his father secretly exercised on behalf of the
Emperor was something that even he had never been in contact with.
But thinking for a moment, he felt it really was necessary to ask. At least
he could ensure that Yan Bingyun was safe in Northern Qi.
That night, in that hidden courtyard, Fan Xian summoned Wang Qinian
and told him of Xin Qiwu’s worries. The face that Wang Qinian made in
response struck Fan Xian as something of an inauspicious sign.
“The Council has not received a letter by raven for eight days now,” said
Wang Qinian with a worried frown. “This is information that you should
not know at your level.” Fan Xian smiled and shook his head. “But I won’t
ask you how you know about it. I would just like you to remind the
Council to ensure that things are safe in Northern Qi.”
Wang Qinian shook his head. “All connections are singular. If one is
severed, it is hard to restore it. What’s more, Master Yan is head of the
spies in Northern Qi. If anything happened to him, getting in touch with
him again would be a problem..”
“Regardless, I would like you to remind him to stay safe.” There was a
slight coldness in Fan Xian’s eyes. He did not like the prospect of leaving
someone behind for the benefit of the nation, particularly Yan Bingyun,
the son of a high official, hidden away for four years, having sacrificed so
much. Fan Xian now saw himself as part of the Kingdom of the Qing,
and part of the Overwatch Council. He found that he felt an involuntary
admiration for Yan Bingyun, the spy that he had never met.
Fan Xian thought of something else. He looked at Wang Qinian with a

calm gaze. “There is something I must do, but I can’t go through the
Council. I was hoping that you could help me.”
Wang Qinian looked at his superior with some confusion.
“You can’t report this to Director Chen,” Fan Xian said calmly. But Wang
Qinian heard the coldness behind it.
“Yes.” With a word, Wang Qinian knew that he was placing his and his
family’s lives entirely in the hands of this seemingly gentle and yet utterly
ruthless young man. As for the Council – Director Chen had ordered him
to do everything that Master Fan said. He hadn’t said anything else.
That evening, the sad news was confirmed. The overwhelming majority
of the spy network that the Overwatch Council had installed in Northern
Qi had thankfully managed to remain in place. But no one could have
anticipated the spymaster Yan Bingyun would be captured alive by
palace guards in a fabric shop in the capital of Northern Qi!
This sort of thing usually happened when an underling had opened their
mouth and the network had been traced to the top. It was very rare to
see a high-level spy arrested in such a fashion. For such a thing to
happen, there was only one possibility – someone in the high ranks of
the Kingdom of Qing had connections to a foreign country.
Of course, the news that Yan Bingyun had been captured could not be
allowed to spread. Although it would no doubt bring about a great blow
to the prestige of the Kingdom of Qing, it would not be in Northern Qi’s
interest to do so. Northern Qi needed to use this spymaster for their own
benefit, not to merely strike a blow to the enemy’s morale.
As far as the Qing bureaucracy knew, the son of Yan Ruohai, head of
the Fourth Bureau of the Overwatch Council, had died four years ago.
No one knew that he had been dispatched to Northern Qi by the royal
court.
Over the next few days, anyone who knew of the incident didn’t sleep
well at night
In a secret room in Honglu Temple, Xin Qiwu closed his eyes as he

passed the piece of paper to Fan Xian. Fan Xian took it and looked over
it. It was a painting of a thin cloud floating high above an icy plain. One
of the emissaries had secretly slipped it into Xin Qiwu’s hand during the
negotiations that day. The look on his face as he did so had almost
made Xin Qiwu want to take out one of the guard’s swords and plunge it
into him.
It was a painting of ice – bing, and a cloud – yun. It seemed that the
emissaries had already received word, and were preparing to negotiate.
Chapter 133: Agreement Beneath the Sewage

“So we have a mole!”
Fan Xian and Xin Qiwu both said it dramatically at the same time, then
went quiet afterward. Both of them believed that the head of their spies
in Northern Qi was not a man who would give in under torture. Since
they were so easily able to capture Yan Bingyun, and knew his real
name, it was very clear that there was someone hidden in the Qing court
who had an agreement with Northern Qi.
Xin Qiwu shook his head. “Before this incident, even the Crown Prince
and I hadn’t known that Yan Bingyun had gone to Northern Qi. I believe
that there are no more than five people in the court with appropriate
clearance for this information. Even a fool would not believe that one of
them had sold out our country. There must always be a benefit to
someone committing treason, and in truth, His Majesty had trusted these
people with running the country, so what benefit would treason bring?”
Fan Xian and Xin Qiwu looked at each other and saw the anxiety in each
other’s eyes, because they had both simultaneously had the same
terrifying thought. If it wasn’t a mole, then what? If it was a way for major
players in the court to attack the Overwatch Council, then what could be
done about it?
Fan Xian thought back to when Wang Qinian had told him about Yan
Bingyun. There was something strange about it. How did he even know?
Did the Overwatch Council really have complete trust in its own internal
controls? Afterwards, he understood – this was something that Chen
Pingping had relayed to him via Wang Qinian, but he still had some
lingering fears. If he had been responsible for leaking the information, he
would die a thousand deaths.
“Could someone really be so mad that they’d do such a thing? To put the
interests of the entire nation in danger for the sake of a court power
struggle?” Xin Qiwu laughed bitterly and shook his head.
Fan Xian also shook his head, thinking of his own travels in the palace.
He knew deep down that there were indeed many such madmen in the
upper echelons of the kingdom. “If Master Yan has already been
captured,” he asked, composing himself, “then what arrangements has
His Majesty made?”
“Northern Qi still underestimates His Majesty’s resolve.” Xin Qiwu

thought of his mighty sovereign and felt sudden confidence. “He will not
cede even an inch of the territory that has been captured.”
Fan Xian was astonished. “Then what are we to do about Master Yan?”
“Exchange!” There was a sudden ferocity in Xin Qiwu’s face. “An

exchange of prisoners. His Majesty has already set forth a plan. The
previous agreement for prisoner exchange has been completely nullified
and will be redone. Once we have confirmation from Northern Qi that
they have Yan Bingyun, then we can start a new round of negotiations
for exchanging prisoners.”
Fan Xian frowned. “Northern Qi is very satisfied with the big fish they
have caught. I doubt that they will agree.”
Xin Qiwu shivered. “We can send two more people back to Northern Qi
this time. If Northern Qi still does not agree, then when winter begins in
three months’ time, His Majesty will behead one thousand Northern Qi
captives and send their severed heads back to Northern Qi and re-ready
the army.”
“Using power to pressure people might be thought of as a move for

someone with no other choice. I fear that Northern Qi will also be
involved in this life-or-death struggle. Both sides have a total of 3,000
prisoners, and it will be of no use to execute them tit-for-tat.” Fan Xian
softly tapped the desk with his hand, and suddenly a strange idea came
to him. “Who are the two prisoners we are preparing to exchange? Can
we get Northern Qi to agree?”
“One of them is Xiao En, who has been in our custody for 20 years.” Xin
Qiwu looked at him kindly. He knew that this youngster would not know
Xiao En.
“He was the spymaster of the former kingdom of Northern Wei. Before
the Second Northern War, the Director of the Overwatch Council and
Master Fei were leaders of the Black Knights, and they rode five
hundred kilometers to capture Xiao En at his son’s wedding. After we
captured him, the Northern Wei spy network was unable to communicate
with each other. When His Majesty took to the battlefield, he did so with
irresistible force, crushing what was once an enormous empire into the
weak nation it is today. The Overwatch Council was greatly applauded
for its work on this matter, and at the time, we young officials felt that if
Xiao En had not been so bold as to leave the capital city of Shangjing in
Northern Qi to travel so far for his son’s wedding, then the court would
have had no way of capturing him, and the war would not have gone on
as smoothly as it did.”
Hearing what had happened decades ago, Fan Xian sighed and said
nothing, simply listening to Xin Qiwu’s words.
“Of course, Xiao En was indeed brave enough to leave Shangjing,

though Director Chen was braver still, unexpectedly daring to cross four
hundred kilometers into enemy territory. Although he paid the price of
losing both his legs, he still managed to capture Xiao En. Before then,
Xiao En of Northern Wei and Chen Pingping of Southern Qing were
considered the most fearsome shadowy officials in the world. Naturally,
after Xiao En was captured by Director Chen, no one dared to compare
the two men any further.”
Fan Xian thought back as he listened. So that was how the old cripple
had lost his legs. He never would have imagined that Chen Pingping
was once so daring.
“Exchange Xiao En for Yan Bingyun.” He thought for a moment, then

made a judgment based entirely on reason. “It seems that we are quite
fortunate.”
“Last night, a number of high officials also felt that way,” said Xin Qiwu,
smiling. “But His Majesty and Director Chen did not agree. After all, Xiao
En is 70 years old, and having been defeated by Director Chen, there is
no way he can return to his former glory. Master Yan has suffered in
silence, hiding in an enemy country for four years, and his achievements
are yet to reveal themselves. Would they not accept exchanging an old
man for the future of the Kingdom of Qing?”
Fan Xian nodded. “Who else could be added in the event that Northern
Qi didn’t agree?”
“That woman was Northern Qi’s original demand, so His Majesty might
as well allow it.” Xin Qiwu looked at Fan Xian and suddenly laughed. “I
hear that the Emperor of Northern Qi is very fond of that woman. Master
Fan, it appears that you have already cuckolded the young Emperor.”
Fan Xian’s face lit up. “You mean… Si Lili?” he stuttered.
Negotiations were always split into two parts. On the surface, it

appeared that the court councilors of Qing and the emissaries of
Northern Qi were weighing every word on the negotiating table,
attaching particular importance to every phrase and every word, and
only in this way could the royal court save face and avoid ultimately
losing out diplomatically. So every day, there was the endless clamoring
in Honglu Temple, the pounding of tables and stomping of feet; the
negotiations between two countries appeared more like an argument
between two old shrews in a vegetable market.
The other part of the negotiations appeared much more cool-headed.

The officials for these negotiations were not within Honglu Temple, and
neither were they emissaries of Northern Qi, though they were hidden in
secret – it would be accurate to say that they were the ones with real
power.
Yan Ruohai, head of the Fourth Bureau of the Overwatch Council, was
also a highly-regarded official among the many in the capital. He coolly
signed his name to the secret agreement for the transfer of prisoners
without taking a second look.
The agreement contained his son’s name. He could have asked to

resign from these negotiations, but he insisted that he wanted to look.
The unremarkable official from Northern Qi made his mark, smiling as he

looked at Yan Ruohai. “Do not worry, Master Yan; your son is being
treated well in our country.”
“Today I wanted to see just how brilliant our northern colleagues are,”
said Yan Ruohai without emotion. “Able to capture the brat I have taught
since birth. But looking at a moron like yourself, I realize how it all came
about.”
The official was not suddenly angered, but simply retorted coldly, “Be
careful with your words, Master Yan. You know, your son is still in our
custody. If we truly are morons, then what does that say about your son?
Or yourself even?”
Yan Ruohai laughed bitterly, got up, and walked toward the door. “The
issue is that my son was not captured by you.”
He left through the door. Sitting in his wheelchair, Chen Pingping looked
at him and shook his head. “You have been in this position for a long
while, and yet you are unable to cope as you did before.”
“I am more able to cope, but I cannot handle having arrows launched
from behind my back.” From the look of it, Yan Ruohai had great respect
for his superior in his words. Pushing Chen Pingping’s wheelchair, he
unhurriedly wheeled him into a quiet place.
Chen Pingping sat in his wheelchair and extended a finger. “In the court,
there are countless people who want us both dead. This time, we can
exchange Xiao En for Bingyun. Next time, we will not have someone like
Xiao En in our clutches.”
“There will not be a next time,” replied Yan Ruohai. “We need to find that
person,” said Chen Pingping. “This time, the Emperor is on our side,
because he understands. No doubt there is some noble who wishes to
teach us a lesson. But I do not like the feeling of being provoked.”
“Yes, Director.” Yan Ruohai knew that his old superior would find a way
to deal with this situation, so he was not worried. “Although prisoner
exchanges are not necessarily easy, as long as Bingyun does not die,
then it can be considered a learning experience for the young man. It
wouldn’t be such a bad thing.”
“It makes sense, so I have decided to let that young man steel himself. It
must not be too long. A few months ought to do it.”
“A few months? Is this not a matter for the emissaries returning to

Northern Qi?”
“Correct, and we want Bingyun to return in one piece. I hope he can deal
with it.”
“Who?”
“Before going, I will let the eight major bureaus see him.”
Everything was proceeding smoothly. After the Kingdom of Qing had

played their substantial bargaining chip, the two parties secretly drew up
an agreement for the exchange of prisoners. Each was satisfied. Qing
had gained face and territory. Northern Qi had gained face, as well as
Xiao En and the woman that their Emperor was fond of.
Only the Dongyi emissaries were left, whom everyone seemed to have
quickly forgotten about. The Qing court had deliberately frozen them out
so as to extort the maximum amount of money from them for the incident
at the foot of the Cang Mountains. The City of Dongyi was still the
biggest center of commerce in the land. They had been trading with
others across the sea long before the Kingdom of Qing had opened its
ports to the south. Although martially all they had was the fighting
prowess of Sigu Sword, they had inexhaustible financial resources.
Three days later, the Emperor hosted dignitaries from both states at a
banquet in the palace. As vice envoy, Fan Xian naturally attended the
banquet. It was his second time visiting the palace, and it was the night
he intended to put his plan into action.
In his room, he meticulously prepared everything he needed,

occasionally glancing at the black leather box underneath his bed. With
the official matters of the past few days, he looked at everything more
deeply. The Kingdom of Qing seemed great and powerful, and
considered itself to be unexcelled in the world. But the royal court was
limited to the hidden whims of a handful of nobles, and still had its own
murky depths.
The Emperor and the princes were heartless, not necessarily toward
members of the royal family, but particularly toward their subjects. Fan
Xian was fully aware that even if the Emperor knew who it was who
wanted to handle his secret organization, he could not truly deal with it,
because it could be his wife, his little sister, his son, or even his mother.
“Think only of yourself.” After Fan Xian had come to this world, he had
reminded himself of this countless times. The look on his face gradually
turned grim, and having hid his slender dagger, he carefully inserted
three poison-tipped needles into his hair.
Chapter 134: Evening Feast

The festivities were everywhere three days later. The giant red lanterns
were hung up high as valued guests passed underneath them. Hosting
the festivities was Qing, the guests Northern Qi and Dongyi. They
greeted each other with smiles and walked through the tunnel towards
the solemn Imperial palace. Seeing the expressions on all three sides, it
was as if the war and its horrific violence never occurred at all.
The feast was set just outside the palace, in the Hall of Prayer.
The palace girls who came to prepare the plates and liquor were all very
beautiful. Fan Xian, watched them busying about with a smile and raised
eyebrows. The palace girls, noticing that the young and handsome
Mister Fan was watching them, couldn’t help but blush. They too stole
glances at him from time to time.
Crowds of guests gathered, yet it was silent in the hall. On Qing’s side
were many major figures and some nobles Fan Xian had never seen
before. Only Director Chen and the prime minister called in sick. Across
from Qing sat the envoys of Northern Qi and Dongyi City.
Despite his low rank, Fan Xian was still a deputy and was made to sit
with higher-ranked officials much older than him. Naturally, his
placement made him feel uncomfortable. However, the old man sitting
next to him said with a smile, “This feast involves many formalities, but
His Majesty had always been amiable. No need to be so nervous.”
The old man who just spoke was the functionary of the Board of Rites,
Zhang Zigan. Because Fan Xian made an enemy out of the Director of
the Board of Rites, he was secretly suspicious. But after detecting no
malice from the old man’s words, he replied with a smile, “Having come
from a lowly village, I have never seen such grandeur. Should I step out
of turn, please provide me with guidance.”
Zhang Zigan stroked his beard, saying, “It has been said you made
significant contributions in negotiations. For that alone, no one in the
Imperial court should do anything against you, but you should be wary of
those people.”
The two looked over and saw Chang Ninghou of Northern Qi waiting
lazily; the first table was still vacant—it should have reserved for Zhuang
Mohan. And sitting at the head of Dongyi’s table was a middle-aged man
of massive stature. He wore a longsword on his waist. Fan Xian frowned,
“How come he could come to the palace with a sword?”
“He is an exception; His Majesty personally permitted it. Under the Sigu
School, the sword cannot part from its owner.” Zhang Zigan explained as
if talking to a descendant of his own family.
“So he’s the head Sigu disciple Yun Zhilan?” Fan Xian inhaled cold air
and slightly squinted his eyes as he felt a hint of killing intent from the big
swordsman.
In recent days, Qing had neglected Dongyi’s envoy on purpose. It

appeared that this ninth-ranked swordsmaster wasn’t in a good mood.
While he was sitting in the Qing palace, his entire being was cold as ice.
Fan Xian was staring at Yun Zhilan’s blade-like eyebrows.

Coincidentally, at that moment, Yun Zhilan stared back.
Their gazes met like two bolts of lightning, splitting the atmosphere.
A short moment later, Fan Xian gave way and looked down, clearing his
throat. Even Yun Zhilan’s gaze was full of “swords”.
For the moment, everyone in the hall had their eyes on the two. They all
knew that Fan Xian killed two female Sigu disciples on Niulan Street.
The reason Dongyi City sent an envoy was to take care of the matter.
But most people believed that this sword master Yun Zhilan wouldn’t
hesitate to cut Fan Xian down.
It was fortunate for Fan Xian that the prince in the East Palace had made
prior arrangements regarding the case. No one, regardless of factions,
dared gloat at Fan Xian over it. With a foreign enemy in front of them,
everyone from Qing stared viciously at Yun Zhilan. The atmosphere in
the hall turned tense immediately.
Fan Xian was without any expressions. He secretly adjusted his zhenqi,
readying himself for any moment.
At that moment, the sound of instruments could be faintly heard in the
distance. Among the solemn palace music, a eunuch yelled out, “His
Majesty has arrived.” The one holding most authority in the world, the
only master of Qing, His Majesty the emperor walked with the empress
came forward. With bright smiles, they stood next to the dragon throne.
“We wish Your Majesty a very long life.”
The Qing subjects all knelt down, while members of the envoys bowed.
The tense atmosphere had been replaced by somberness.
The emperor sat up high, the empress next to him. The prince too had
his own seat two steps below his parents. For an occasion like this, the
other princes wouldn’t be here. The emperor scanned his subjects and
said, “You may rise.”
They did, and the feast officially began. The envoy from Northern Qi
went up first and sang their praises along with some recitals of the
friendship between the two nations. Dongyi’s Yun Zhilan came up next
and expressionlessly said a few words.
The empress smiled and quietly murmured to His Majesty, “This one
from Dongyi is quite haughty.” This exchange couldn’t not be heard by
anyone else, so it was rather direct.
“He is the head disciple of Sigu Sword. If he couldn’t be haughty, he

probably wouldn’t have to courage to swing his sword either, especially
not here.”
The palace girls served up food, and the various officials began to eat.
None dared to say anything. His Majesty hadn’t spoken yet, so all were
quiet.
Fan Xian uncomfortably lowered his head and inconspicuously observed

the people sitting across from him. The table which was vacant a
moment ago was now occupied by an old man. Despite his age showing
on his face, his eyes were clear, and his wrinkles seemed to be hiding
countless wisdom. The old man wore a cloud-like white robe which hid
his short stature. Without question, that must have been Zhuang Mohan.
Fan Xian hadn’t seen him take a seat. “So,” he reasoned, “he must have
arrived with the emperor. If that was case, then the rumors must be true.
The empress must favor this Zhuang Mohan, who stayed in the palace
the entire time.”
While Fan Xian secretly observed the old man, both the emperor and
empress were observing him. The empress took a small sip of liquor and
said, “That young man is Fan Xian, the future son-in-law.”
His Majesty smiled, “He certainly is handsome, with a quite a reputation

in poetry, not to mention today in court, where two shaoqings
complimented his talents. I am most curious as to why the prince would
go out of his way to establish good relations.”
The empress’s smile was a bit forced, “Perhaps the prince understood
the importance of having good relations? Besides, Fan Xian is soon to
be the prime minister’s son-in-law.”
“Oh, good relations?” His Majesty didn’t quite smile, nor did he look at
the empress. Instead, His Majesty stared at his son sitting below, “Looks
like he finally gets it now.”
While there was just a hint of dissatisfaction, the empress felt His
Majesty was in a good mood today, since he rarely gave such a direct
evaluation of the prince. She said happily, “As he grows up, he’ll come to
realize things.”
The emperor only smiled without saying anything.
Only a short while after the main feast, Fan Xian was drinking nonstop.
Whether it was due to his nervousness or something else, no one knew.
The alcohol served was more or less the same type as yellow wine; it
wasn’t very strong and tasted sweet and sour. Drinking it, Fan Xian
didn’t feel like it was too much. But in the eyes of the various officials
present, Fan Xian was drinking like a wild animal. Even Zhang Zigan had
enough and warned him, “Sir Fan, you mustn’t drink anymore. Should
you misbehave in front of His Majesty, it would be a major crime.”
Hearing he was being called “Sir Fan”, Fan Xian realize he was being
reminded. After all, this was not Liujing River but the most solemn
Imperial palace, and he wasn’t here to drink but to be a civil servant. Fan
Xian smiled on the inside and adjusted his zhenqi, moving all his
drunkenness onto his face. Slight confusion clouded over his eyes. He
lowered his voice and said, “I’m not going to lie to you, sir, I’m actually
this nervous. So it would be better for me to drink some now in order to
relax.”
Seeing Fan Xian’s drunken state, Zhang Zigan could only smile uneasily,
“The prime minister claimed to be sick, and you father also isn’t here,
leaving you under my care. If you really drink yourself into a mess, how
am I supposed to explain?”
In the past few days, the envoy from Northern Qi were quite miserable
under the hands of Honglu Temple. Seeing Fan Xian being drunk, they
looked at each other and decided to take revenge. Those of the envoy
all knew the reason behind Honglu Temple’s viciousness, which was
thanks to Fan Xian’s plotting. While they didn’t know exactly what it was
he plotted, they hated the way Fan Xian stayed silent and only
occasionally showed a plotting expression on his handsome face.
Now that the negotiations were over, regret would accomplish nothing.
Chang Ninghou smiled shadily and stood up. He saluted His Emperor
sitting up high, “Your Majesty, both sides had worked hard over the
negotiations. May I raise a toast to the officials of Honglu Temple as a
sign of friendship?”
While he spoke, the envoy from Dongyi knew what he was plotting. But
they only observed and did not chose to get involved.
Perhaps it was due to them sitting up high, neither the emperor nor the
empress noticed Fan Xian and therefore was unaware of Northern Qi’s
scheme. With a chuckle, His Majesty gave the permission. Even the
prince added in, “Enemies on the court, friends off the court… although,
still enemies at a feast.”
The prince was merely expressing himself; he didn’t know how the
situation would develop. The various officials of Honglu Temple, on the
other hand, became worried. They had already accepted Fan Xian as
one of their own, they did not want Northern Qi to intentionally get him
any drunker. But due to them sitting far away, they had no way of
helping.
With a smile, Fan Xian drank with the various officials of Northern Qi.
Inside, he felt uneasy. Recently, the eldest princess began making a
move on Danbo Bookstore, raising the price of paper in order to lower
the price on books. Such a simple two-step method made Zhang Sizhe
and the shopkeeper quite dispirited. But Fan Xian knew the actual
scheme was yet to come. And what he was about to do today requires
the help of alcohol.
It was difficult to not get drunk, but it was even more difficult to pretend
to be drunk. This was the first strong feeling since the feast began.
Northern Qi’s side was about done. Six of the eight members already
collapsed. Finally, even Chang Ninghou no longer cared for his position
and passed out still hanging onto Fan Xian’s arm.
Up to now, His Majesty had been chatting with the empress and Zhuang
Mohan. He smiled and said to himself, “It’s been a long time since the
palace was this lively.”
Zhuang Mohan had been silent, only giving out the occasional reply
when asked questions. He appeared to have just noticed Fan Xian who
was holding up Northern Qi’s Chang Ninghou. Zhuang Mohan asked,
“That young sir over there, would that be Mister Fan?”
Zhuang Mohan could hardly believe his eyes. This young genius who
became famous for a mere three poems turned out to be a drunkard.
His Majesty also seem to be irritated at the sight. He raised his voice and
yelled out, “Fan Xian.”
Everyone in the palace had been paying attention to what went on
around the dragon throne in case something happened. When His
Majesty spoke, the entire palace went quiet, except for Fan Xian, still
yelling out “Victory! Victory!”
It seemed to be a southern thing to say; this little Sir Fan Xian really
drank too much.
“Fan Xian!” Seeing how sloppy the brat became, the prince also scolded
angrily. After all, Fan Xian being a deputy was the decision made by the
Eastern Palace. It was the only reason why he was allowed to be here.
Fan Xian embarrassing himself today wouldn’t translate well for the
prince.
Having detected the abnormal silence around him, Fan Xian stupidly
stood still and looked around with confused eyes. But his handsome face
still carried a trace of wildness.
“Who’s calling my name?”
The Qing officials around were all well-acquainted with both the Fan and
Lin households. Hearing what Fan Xian just said, they wanted to stuff his
mouth and throw him in a carriage and send him right back to Fan
manor.
To the surprise of everyone, His Majesty, hearing a reply which only

should be heard in a restaurant, wasn’t angry. On the contrary, he
laughed and said, “It was I.”
Hearing the emperor speak was enough to make anyone come to their
senses, regardless of a real or a fake drunk. Fan Xian quickly bowed
and apologized, “I… I deserve ten thousand deaths, I… drank too
much.”
He let go of Chang Ninghou who had been holding onto his arm. The
official from Northern Qi collapsed onto the ground. Seeing his miserable
state, the Qing officials were all quite satisfied and smiled. The only two
people from Northern Qi who were not drunk quickly got Chang Ninghou
back to his seat, while the palace girls came to give him a tonic to clear
intoxication.
His Majesty scolded, “I know you drank too much, or else I would
condemn you for misbehaving in front of the emperor.”
With difficulty, Fan Xian forced himself to stay in a bowing position. He

explained, “Not to excuse myself, but these guests had come from afar.
If I don’t show them a good time, I won’t fulfill my duty as the deputy.”
“Look at that,” His Majesty turned to speak to the empress, “Still claiming
not to excuse himself. It wouldn’t be impossible for him to say I made
him drink.”
The empress knew the emperor held a soft spot for Princess Chen, but
she didn’t know if His Majesty would do the same for Fan Xian out of
association. So she merely smiled, neither speaking for nor against Fan
Xian.
“Fan Xian.” This was the third time the emperor had called out that
name. The various officials all listened closely, noticing something in His
Majesty’s tone. Seemed like the Fan household had some special
connections with the royal family.
His Majesty said blandly, “Your household has some special connections
with me. In my eyes, you’re but a member of a younger generation, not a
civil servant. When I speak, you should keep your sharp mouth shut! Did
you think I didn’t know what was said at the tavern? Young one, do you
really think you could look down on everyone just because your mouth is
sharp?”
It was a lecture on the surface, but there were some hidden

compliments. The officials present weren’t stupid and understood.
And as expected, His Majesty said lightly, “Taking advantage of this

clear night near the end of summer, with both the ruler and his subjects
together, Fan Xian, with your reputation in poetry, compose a poem to
atone for your misbehavior.”
The officials all knew His Majesty was trying to save Fan household’s
dignity and also take the chance to show what kind of person this eighth-
ranked functionary was. However, they feared that Fan Xian would let
this chance go to waste due to his drunkenness.
Fan Xian was in fact a little out of it, but he heard His Majesty’s words
clearly. He saluted and said, “Your Majesty, I can only compose some
inferior sentences, I dare not disgrace myself in front of Mister Zhuang
Mohan.”
As soon as he said that, all eyes were on the old man as they realized
this wasn’t just letting Fan Xian show off; it was also in order to prove to
Northern Qi and Dongyi that Qing also has the talent to rival Zhuang
Mohan!
Fan Xian’s reputation as a poet had echoed throughout the capital for
months. It was only due to his reluctance to compose more did his fame
die down a bit. Hearing Fan Xian bring up Zhuang Mohan, the various
officials believed he and His Majesty had plotted this from the beginning
to deal a blow to Northern Qi.
Actually though, Fan Xian was only guessing; his experience in his
previous life was not enough to see through the emperor’s intentions.
However, based on the literature practices of Qing, Fan Xian believed
His Majesty would not settle for being treated as a barbarian by Northern
Qi.
Since this Zhuang Mohan arrived in the capital, he had been staying in
the palace. Despite the empress and various Ladies admiring him, His
Majesty was bound to feel unpleasant. For some reason, there were no
great scholars in Qing, so a copier like Fan Xian had been pushed onto
the stage.
Fan Xian knew he didn’t guess wrong, for with his sharp eyesight, he
was able to see His Majesty’s gaze, which was deep and full of
admiration.
At the same time, His Majesty was warning Fan Xian, warning him to
come up with a good poem and not to lose Qing’s dignity.
“Then you compose a poem and have Mister Zhuang Mohan judge it. If
it’s not good, then you shall drink as punishment.” The empress smiled.
She knew what the emperor was thinking and helped out Fan Xian.
Now that things had developed to this point, what else could Fan Xian
do? He walked back to his seat, disregarding his drunkenness, and
drank another cup. Tasting the sour wine, he frowned hard.
The Qing officials knew he was performing under pressure, so they

counted silently. After counting to fifteen, Fan Xian’s eyes flashed. With
a bright smile, he went off, “In front of the wine, I sing a song. A lifetime
really is not that long. Life is like the dew before the rising sun. Bygone
days did not bring me much fun. You are the talented ones in your
prime. I think of you all the time. For you, I am willing to bow, quietly
chanting my poem up ‘til now.
My distinguished guests will come for dinner.
I will entertain them with a flute, a drum, and a zither. The bright moon
shines all around. But how and when can I take it down? How joyful we
are to chat and eat during our reunion? I am grateful to you for your help
on several occasions. The moon is so bright with a few stars around.
Some crows and magpies fly southbound. They circle around the same
tree thrice. Which branch do they perch for the night? No mountain is too
steep and tall. No sea is too deep for my cause. Learn from Master Zhou
for valuing all talents. Then people will come to my corner with
enthusiasm.”
Every time Fan Xian come up with a poem, it was as if he was beating
someone up. As soon as the poem came out, all was quiet.
The poem he just recited out belonged to Cao Cao. Fan Xian did some
editing, taking out a few verses, before chucking it out. Coincidentally,
the story of Master Zhou also existed in this world, and winning over
people’s support happened to be in accordance to the emperor’s wishes.
It’s just that Master Zhou actually became an emperor himself.
A long silence later, in the great palace hall, people cheered, “Fantastic
poem!”
The emperor was pleased. He turned to Zhuang Mohan and asked
quietly, “What does Mister Zhuang think of this poem?”
Zhuang Mohan’s expression was indifferent. In his life, he had

experienced such scenario countless times, and judged countless
poems, which was how he came to be respected by all across the land.
Even many of His Majesty’s own subjects read his works. Most
importantly, people looked up to his demeanor, his insight, and of
course, his knowledge.
“It was a good poem.” Zhuang Mohan said quietly, picking up a peanut,
“A good poem indeed. There was some breakage, but its content is its
strength. For poets, the intention comes first, while content is of the most
importance. Fan Xian was able to achieve both. Never had I thought that
Southern Qing could produce such talent.”
Fan Xian smiled, he didn’t feel anything special about this old scholar,
but he didn’t like how Zhuang Mohan had acted. He made a shallow
salute and went back to his seat with staggering steps.
Some officials were still bickering among themselves regarding the

poem. Under normal circumstances, it should have ended here. But
today’s atmosphere was strange. Someone said coldly:
“It was improper for Mister Zhuang to say ‘Southern Qing’. As a great
scholar known throughout the world, you were unable to see Sir Fan’s
abilities. There are many scholars in this country, and Sir Fan is among
the best of the best. Not to mention he was able to compose within
fifteen counts. I really don’t know, in Northern Qi, who can accomplish
the same?”
That was very inappropriate as well as disrespectful, especially at a

national feast. The emperor of Qing did not expect such a literary matter
progress so far. His Majesty frowned, not realizing where such insolence
came from. But whoever it was, they were speaking on Qing’s behalf,
not committing a crime.
Fan Xian stopped in his tracks and saluted Zhuang Mohan for real this
time. Zhuang Mohan coughed twice and was helped up by a young
eunuch. He looked at Fan Xian calmly and said, “Young Fan’s name has
already spread to the Qi capital. I have often read his ‘I have come five
thousand kilometers to visit the sad autumn’.”
Suddenly, Fan Xian noticed a hint of sadness in the old scholar’s gaze,
as well as a determination which seemed to cut off all paths of escape.
Suddenly, Fan Xian was greatly shaken as he felt a danger he hadn’t
detected until now slowly approach. Despite the alcohol, he sharply
turned and found that face which started it all.
Guo Baokun.
Guo Baokun, who suffered a punch from Fan Xian. Guo Baokun, the one
who was close to the prince. Guo Baokun of the palace also received the
right to come to the feast. But it was obvious that the prince had no idea
he would say all that. Both the prince and Fan Xian squinted at Guo
Baokun’s somewhat prideful face, not knowing what he was up to.
Fan Xian felt danger, but he kept smiling.
Again, Zhuang Mohan coughed twice. After saluting the emperor, he

said lightly, “This old man came from the great Qi, but his heart belongs
to the literature of the world. I wish not to damage the friendship between
the two nations, but there are certain things I must say.”
His Majesty gradually calmed down. “Please go ahead.”
As His Majesty spoke, the empress raised her cup. She was about to
say something but stopped herself.
“In a sharp gale from the wide sky, apes are whimpering, birds are flying
homeward over the clear lake and white sand, and leaves are dropping
down like the spray of a waterfall, while I watch the long river always
rolling on. I have come five thousand kilometers to visit the sad autumn.
And with my hundred years of woe, I climb this height alone. Ill fortune
has laid a bitter frost on my temples, heart-ache and weariness are a
thick dust in my wine.” The entire hall was absolutely silent. No one
knew what shocking things this great scholar would say next.
“The first four verses of that poem was superb.”
Chapter 135: Luminaries of the Ages

Hearing the final line, those gathered were puzzled. The poem had
appeared in spring in the capital, and had spread throughout the land.
Apart from the mention of the river that had made the readers
uncomfortable, numerous poets had always assumed that nothing about
this poem could be nitpicked. But the last four lines were the best part,
and they were unsure why Zhuang Mohan felt otherwise.
“The reason the first four lines are the best,” said Zhang Mohan coldly,
“is not because the last four lines are not good, but because… the last
four lines were not written by Master Fan!”
With these words, there was a great hubbub in the hall, which quickly
turned to a deathly silence. No one said a word.
Fan Xian pretended to be stunned, but he understood many things. As

things quietened down, he leant on a table, drunk, looking at Zhuang
Mohan with a smile on his face.
A few months before, Lin Wan’er had said that people in the palace were
saying that his poem had been copied. At the time he had taken no
notice, but he had not expected today’s explosive reaction. Guo Baokun
had brought up this matter. Obviously, it had been incited by some noble
or another.
After he came to the capital, the one thing he had to his name was his
so-called literary reputation. If he had completely destroyed his own
reputation, in this world which prized literature and morality, the only
thing to do was to break off the engagement.
Fan Xian had felt greatly uncomfortable after Zhuang Mohan had read
the first four lines. Seeing that Master Zhuang still did not know that the
river was the Yangtze River, he realized that his greatest fear had still
not come to fruition. If he wanted to testify to his plagiarism, Zhuang
Mohan could only rely on his own scholarship and reputation to pressure
people and nothing more.
But he did not know how the eldest princess had persuaded the greatly
renowned Zhuang Mohan to come from so far away to act so vilely.
Some time passed. His Majesty frowned. Plagiarism was a grave

denunciation, but if Zhuang Mohan had nothing to rely on, why would he
dare to spread such idle gossip within the walls of the royal palace of the
Kingdom of Qing?
“Baseless,” said Zhang Ziqian, the assistant minister of the Ministry of

Rites who had been sitting by Fan Xian’s side. He smiled. “Mr. Zhuang
Mohan is a great master. Many students have read his books of
research on the scriptures. Throughout the land, no one would dare
doubt Mr. Zhuang’s words. But on this matter of plagiarism, perhaps he
has been deceived by some villain.”
He looked at Guo Baokun, the son of his superior. He had absolutely no

fear of revealing who this villain he mentioned was.
Zhuang Mohan raised his head, a complex mood behind his wise eyes.
“The last four lines of this poem were written by my old teacher travelling
through Tingzhou. Because it is a posthumous work, I have had it on my
mind for decades, but I do not know how Master Fan happened to come
upon these lines. Things long-buried may once again see the light, and I
believe this to be true. But Master Fan has built his reputation upon this,
and I cannot let that pass. Scholars must cultivate their hearts and their
virtue, and the poems belong to finishers. I adore the works of talented
people. I am not willing to recklessly expose this matter, my reason for
coming to the Kingdom of Qing was to see how the son of an official
conducts himself. I did not expect that Master Fan would not know how
to repent, instead acting all the more triumphant.”
Fan Xian almost smiled. It was truly shameless, he thought, but the
others around him did not smile at all. The atmosphere in the hall had
become utterly stifling. If this was true, not only would Fan Xian no
longer have face in official literary circles, all of the court of the nation
would lose face.
All of the scholars of the land treasured Zhuang Mohan’s essays on
virtue and behavior; of this there was no doubt. Furthermore, Zhuang
Mohan had said that it was written by his old master; it was tantamount
to using his teacher’s moral standing as proof, and who would dare
doubt that?
The officials considered it confirmed that Fan Xian’s poem was a copy,
and fixed him with grotesque loathing glares. But this matter could not
change the truth: after all, it involved the reputation of the royal court of
the Kingdom of Qing, so His Majesty glared coldly at Shu Wu, Grand
Secretary of the Pavilion of the Imperial Library. After a moment of
awkwardness, Grand Secretary Shu stood up with some difficulty, and
first paid his respects to Zhuang Mohan. “Teacher, it is an honor.”
Grand Secretary Shu had once travelled to Northern Qi to study under

Zhuang Mohan, and so he greeted him according to the etiquette
appropriate to teachers and students. He believed that what Zhuang
Mohan had said was true, that Fan Xian had copied the poem, but under
the Emperor’s strict gaze, he could not help but stand and speak on Fan
Xian’s behalf. “Teacher. Master Fan has always been a talented poet.
The ballad that he performed previously was also particularly fine. If he
has plagiarized, it would be hard for people to believe, and it would
appear that he has no need to do so.”
Zhuang Mohan had already sat down. He cleared his throat and spoke
gently. “Shu Wu, could it be that you suspect that I am using my old
teacher’s name in vain?”
Grand Secretary Shu was dripping with sweat. He did not dare to say a
word, and he could not bear the Emperor’s cold stare. He withdrew with
sincerity. If anyone still had their doubts at this point, it would be akin to
accusing Zhuang Mohan of lacking any sense of shame as a scholar,
and no one dared to assail his reputation.
But the Emperor was no ordinary scholar. He was not Concubine Shu,
nor was he the Empress Dowager. He had never liked this Zhuang
Mohan and so he spoke coldly. “The Kingdom of Qing attaches great
importance to laws and decrees, unlike the frail and weak Kingdom of
Northern Qi. If Mr. Zhuang wishes to accuse someone of a crime, then
he must provide proof.”
All those present could hear the anger in the Emperor’s voice. If Zhuang
Mohan were truly accusing Fan Xian of plagiarism, it was possible that
Fan Xian could never show his face again.
Zhuang Mohan smiled, and had his attendants following behind him take
out a roll of parchment. “This is a letter personally written by my teacher.
If any learned person were to look upon it, they would know how old it
is.” He looked at Fan Xian and spoke with sympathy. “Fan Xian’s poetic
talent is but a pale imitation. Though I do not know the poet’s inner
feelings, how could Fan Xian write the last four lines of this poem
considering the life experiences he has had?”
The hall was silent, save for Zhuang Mohan’s aged but steady voice
reciting the poem. “Ten thousand miles of sorrowful autumn, such cold?
One hundred years of sickness, this was when my teacher climbed to a
great height in his last days. That torrential river water, fills the eyes with
desolation… Master Fan is still young, how can he have known a
hundred years of sickness?”
As Zhuang Mohan continued to speak, everyone was more and more
convinced that this poem could not have been written by a young man.
Zhuang Mohan’s voice resonated for a long while. “Many hairs of frost
refers to gray hair growing everywhere. Master Fan’ has a head of fine
black hair. It would be hard to say that he has anything to worry about.”
“As for ‘frustrated, I stop drinking my murky wine’,” concluded Zhuang

Mohan gently, “regardless of whether Master Fan’s family background is
fine or frustrating, with this line ‘I stop drinking my murky wine’, perhaps
Master Fan does not understand why my teacher said such a thing.” He
looked at Fan Xian, his face suggesting that he did not have the heart to
say it. “In my teacher’s later years, he contracted a lung disease. So he
could not drink wine, and this is why he said that he ‘stopped drinking’.”
Having said this, the officials of the Kingdom of Qing finally lost heart.
They no longer had need of that roll of parchment; with these
unexplainable questions, Fan Xian’s charge of plagiarism was
inescapable.
At that moment, a round of applause suddenly resounded in the

previously-silent hall.
Fan Xian, who had seemed to be bent over the table drunk, suddenly
stood up and smiled at Zhuang Mohan. The applause slowly died down,
and he felt a certain respect. Naturally, no one knew who this Mr.
Zhuang’s teacher was, but his opponent had successfully deduced Du
Fu’s circumstances from the poem. His illness really did correspond with
that of the literary world’s greatest master.
But Fan Xian knew that Zhuang Mohan was trying to entrap him.
Perhaps the roll of parchment had been handled beforehand, and
therefore he could not admire it in the end. A wild impetuousness
appeared on his bright and handsome face, and he laughed drunkenly.
“Mister Zhuang truly places no importance on his teacher’s reputation. I
do not know what could cause him to disregard the luminaries of the
past.”
Those around him assumed that being exposed had caused him to have
a nervous breakdown. They found any more talk increasingly hard to
bear, and frowned deeply. The Empress quietly instructed servants to
fetch the imperial bodyguards, so as to prevent Master Fan from making
a scene. To her surprise, the Emperor waved his hand dismissively,
imploring everyone to listen to what Fan Xian had to say.
Fan Xian staggered forward, a mocking expression in his eyes. “Bring in

the wine!” he yelled loudly.
The palace maids at the back saw his crazed expression and did not
dare to approach. A cabinet minister who felt great indignance toward
Fan Xian brought a wine jar weighing roughly a kilo from the back and
set it down in front of Fan Xian.
“Many thanks!” Fan Xian laughed, breaking the clay seal on a wine cup
and drinking from it like a whale sucking in sea water. In a short while all
the wine in the jar had entered his belly. After a drunken belch, he began
to feel thoroughly tipsy. He had drunken a great amount that day, and
now his hasty drinking had made his face ruddy and his eyes wet and
sparkling. He swayed back and forth.
He staggered toward the head table, moving as if he were doing some

sort of dance. He pointed at Zhuang Mohan’s nose. “Is this great master
really going to carry on talking like this?”
Zhuang Mohan sniffed, and the smell of alcohol assailed his nostrils. He
frowned slightly. “Young sir, it is best if you repent. There is no need to
do yourself such harm.”
Fan Xian looked him in the eye and smiled. “Everything has its cause
and its effects,” he said, his diction unclear. “Mr. Zhuang accuses me of
plagiarizing his old teacher in these four lines. I don’t know why I would
want to copy him? Don’t tell me that using that ballad from before, I
could not win fame in life and in death?”
The words “fame in life and in death” were very fine, and even Zhuang
Mohan felt somewhat moved. He felt an urgency, and compelled by
circumstances, he was harming the good name he had held all his life.
He could not bear to meticulously frame this young man, and he slowly
moved his head away. “Perhaps Master Fan copied that too,” he said
faintly.
“Copied from whom? Could it be that the ballad I wrote was also copied?
Could it be that Mr. Zhuang has studied everything on earth, and knows
every single line of poetry, and is entitled to determine whether I have
plagiarized?”
Seeing Zhuang Mohan’s fingers lightly tapping the scroll of parchment

on the table, Fan Xian laughed bitterly. “Master Zhuang, this scheme
might be enough to fool a child. You say that I have plagiarized your
teacher’s poem, but I am baffled. If that is so, then why has this poem
never been seen in this world before I wrote it?”
Zhuang Mohan seemingly did not wish to debate with him. Fan Xian
spoke softly. “Sir, you say that my hair is not white, and thus I cannot
speak of white temples. I am in good health, and thus this hundred years
of ailments cannot be… but you are unaware, sir, that I have enjoyed
making trouble all my life. I plan to start my life anew. You do not know
my past, and yet you do me such an injustice. How dull.”
He did not know whether he had truly drunk too much, or whether he
was taking a rare opportunity to vent feelings of despair that he had had
for a long time. Fan Xian’s handsome and neat face had suddenly taken
on a deranged expression.
“A poem is one’s inner voice,” said Zhuang Mohan gently, looking at him.
“Fan, my young friend, this is not your past, so how can you have written
such a poem?”
“A poem is literature,” said Fan Xian, eyeing him coldly. “In poetry, talent
is what is paid attention to. Perhaps my poem talks of worries, but who
can say that one cannot turn things that one has not experienced into
poetry?”
His words were extremely arrogant. He compared himself to a great

talent, thereby saying that Zhuang Mohan’s inference from the poem
was untrue!
Hearing this, Zhuang Mohan frowned and he laughed bitterly. “Do you
mean to say that you can write a beautiful poem on something that you
have never encountered personally, any time, any place?” The great
master did not believe it. Even if he were a great poet, there was no way
he could possess such a skill.
Seeing that his opponent had fallen into his plan, Fan Xian smiled. With
no thought to etiquette, he grabbed a wine cup from the table and drank
it in one gulp. He looked at him, calm, his eyes intoxicated but more and
more filled with burning passion. Suddenly, he waved his hand and
called out.
“Bring in the paper!”

“Bring in the ink!”
“Bring in the people!”
The people in the hall were puzzled by his drunken yells, but the
Emperor calmly ordered the palace maids to comply with his demands.
After a moment of preparation, the hall was clear, with just a table, an
ink-stone, and one person, standing alone and arrogant in the middle.
Fan Xian stood somewhat uneasily. With some difficulty, he spoke

courteously to the Emperor. “Your Grace, may I borrow the services of a
palace eunuch to write?”
Although the Emperor did not understand why, he nodded in approval. A

eunuch scribe walked over to the table, set out a sheet of white paper,
and ground down an ink stick. Unexpectedly, Fan Xian resisted his
feelings of drunkenness and shook his head. “One is not enough.”
“Fan Xian, what are you trying to pull?” The Crown Prince, not far from
him, could not stop himself from speaking up. But the Emperor calmly
acknowledged his request. A smile gradually spread across his face. It
seemed that he had guessed what was about to happen.
Fan Xian smiled and looked at Zhuang Mohan. Fighting back his
drunkenness, he spoke with the three eunuch scribes by his side. “I shall
speak, and you shall write. If you write slowly, and cannot copy them, I
cannot say them a second time.”
The three eunuchs were inexplicably nervous. A number of people had

guessed what Fan Xian was preparing to do. How could he get people to
believe that his talent was on a par with a great master? It was not very
late in the evening, and the late summer evening breeze was not even
slightly cool But the atmosphere in the room gradually intensified, like
the sound of a drum on a battlefield.
“Even a prairie fire cannot destroy the grass, it grows again when the
spring breeze blows… the many flowers will gradually grow to dazzle
men’s eyes, sprouting where horses’ hooves have not trod… even
heaven and earth have their endings, the regret of our parting will last
forever and never end.”
With no warning, and no mulling over the issue, Fan Xian had blurted out
a section of work entirely by Bai Juyi in no time at all. And then there
were ten more verses. He stood by the table, looking at the night sky
outside the palace hall, reciting without ceasing this famous poem that
he had strangely committed to memory. The eunuch scribes brandished
their pens and scribbled rapidly, almost unable to keep up with him.
The onlookers were silent, savoring the words.
Facing an unceasing torrent of plots and plans, under enormous

pressure, he had finally exploded. In his madness, he cared only about
reciting this poem he had memorized, completely uncaring whether the
eunuchs had remembered it or whether the observers could understand
him. Profound and eloquent words from his previous life came through
his thin lips, sounding in the palace hall of the Kingdom of Qing.
Zhuang Mohan’s expression gradually changed to one of amazement.
And once the people began to simply enjoy watching the spectacle, he
could not help but mutter to himself that these poems had nothing in
them that anyone had heard before, but they were truly brilliant verses.
Could it be… that they were all written by Master Fan?
“Evening arrives, the sky wanting to snow, no matter what, may we drink
a cup…” this was Bai Juyi’s drinking.
“Do you not see, my lord…” next it was Li Bai’s turn to drink.
“The shadow becomes three persons…” this was Li Bai, still drinking.
“But only the host can get the guest to drink…” still this was Li Bai,
drinking.
“The yesterday that abandoned me cannot be retained; the today that

leaves my heart in disarray causes me great worry…” this was Li Bai,
already drunk.
The people in the hall thought of the gentleman’s previous breach of
etiquette, and gradually sat gathered around Fan Xian. Hearing the
poem he recited, their faces were filled with astonishment and disbelief.
Everyone was listening to the poem. There were quite a number of
geniuses in the world, but since ancient times, there had never been
anything resembling such a scene as this.
They had seen poems being written, but not like this! Writing a poem
was not like selling cabbage at a vegetable market – but countless
verses spilled forth from Fan Xian’s mouth without him even having to
think about it. How could it be different to selling cabbage?
Although there were some odd phrases in the poem, that was because
the people gathered knew nothing of the classics of that world. They
were dumbstruck. These verses… every single one was a masterpiece!
Fan Xian still had yet to finish. The gathered officials looked at Fan Xian,
whose expression was becoming monstrous. They felt like this
handsome young man was not of this world, and was a celestial being
reborn in this life. Filled with shock, the three eunuch scribes who had
leant their labor to the sober-headed Grand Secretary began to engross
themselves in the verses that fell from his mouth and passed on. Young
Master Fan had said that he would not repeat them.
Fan Xian had no idea what he looked like. His eyes remained closed, his
brain turning rapidly, recalling these verses while he thought of his next
move. If he had let the officials know that he currently had the leisure to
think of other things, perhaps they would be even more astonished.
He felt a little bit thirsty, and so he stretched his hand out to the side,
where the Grand Secretary was discreetly holding some wine. He placed
it carefully into his hand, so as not to disturb his concentration.
From the lords of the Book of Songs, to the mute horses of Gong Zishen,
to the bright moonlight of the Tang dynasty, the spring rivers of the Song
dynasty, Du Fu’s greenhouse, Su Dongpo cooking Huangzhou fish, Du
Mu visiting a prostitute, Liu Yong also visiting a prostitute, Yuan Zhen
crossing a vast ocean to live with his mistress, Li Qingzhao with her harp
and her inexplicable thoughts of beautiful times, Ouyang Xiu’s fierce love
for his niece (this was an unresolved miscarriage of justice).
Fan Xian closed his eyes, took a sip of wine, “wrote” a poem, he finished
three cups and had produced three hundred poems!
In the wide hall, countless points of light and shadow seemed to flutter,
gradually congealing into a scene that only he could see behind his
closed eyes. It was the poets of his previous world, old handsome men
and young handsome men, singing effortlessly beneath the bamboo. A
bare stomach on the bed, with the fast winds of the pavilion, the sad
tears shed on the riverside.
This was all from his previous world, all that Fan Xian had from his
previous world, and in its sudden way, it had abruptly descended on the
world of the Kingdom of Qing, assailing men’s hearts. With the help of all
the outstanding poets throughout eternity, Fan Xian struggled against
Zhuang Mohan.
He suddenly opened his eyes. He looked at Zhuang Mohan coldly, like

he was looking at another world from a distance.
“Do you not see, my lord, how the yellow river’s waters wind their way
toward Heaven?” Who could be more unconstrained than Li Bai?
“Waves crash and cleanse heroes of ages past.” Who could be more
bold than Su Dongpo?
“Last night the rains were thin and the winds sudden, although I fell into
a deep sleep my drunkenness had not abated.” Who could be more
graceful than Li Qingzhao?
Who could rival the strength of luminaries of ages past all in one person?
With a loud clatter, Zhuang Mohan’s trembling hand finally lost its grip on
his wine cup, and it fell to the bluestone floor, smashing into countless
pieces.
Silence. A moment of silence.

Some unknowable amount of time later, Fan Xian finally stopped his
mad performance. But the people in the palace hall of the Kingdom of
Qing could not escape from this state of mind. The scholars and the
eunuch scribes were the first to awake from it. They slumped down on
the floor, rubbing their aching hands, staring at Fan Xian as if he were
some kind of supernatural entity.
Fan Xian was drunk. He swayed as he walked toward Zhuang Mohan,

and extended a finger pointing at his nose, wagged it, and after a
drunken belch, he spoke quietly.
“In commentary and interpretation, I am inferior to you. In writing such

things… you are inferior to me.”
The hall was still silent, so though he had said it quietly, everyone heard
it clearly. The officials now believed his words entirely. They prostrated
themselves in admiration of young Master Fan’s poetic talent; regardless
of Zhuang Mohan’s great prestige, when it came to poetry and literature,
every single person who had listened to Fan Xian’s “recitation” of the
300 ancient poems could never believe that anyone could ever match
Fan Xian’s poetic talent.
Now no one wanted to bring up the matter of plagiarism. Everyone

believed what Fan Xian had said, this so-called genius could write
staggeringly incredible poetry about things he had never experienced.
What was that? It was the work of an immortal of poetry! Plagiarism?
What plagiarism?
Since no one believed that Fan Xian’s poetic talent could have been
copied from anyone, it was clear that Zhuang Mohan was lying. As they
looked at Zhuang Mohan, they could not hide their disappointment, their
pity, and their disdain. This great master, who had enjoyed a stellar
reputation all his life, had suddenly found himself lacking in virtue in old
age as he waged war on the young.
Zhuang Mohan looked at Fan Xian as if he were a monster. There was

sadness in his eyes, and inexplicably, he felt a sudden melancholy in the
pit of his stomach. He covered his mouth with his white sleeve as he
spat blood.
His Majesty’s face wore a smile that was not quite a smile as he looked
at Fan Xian. “Why do you not show such talent every day?”
Fan Xian seemed drunk but was not drunk. He met the Emperor’s gaze.
“Poetry and literature are things for cultivating the mind, not a skill for
struggling ferociously.”
The words were a little shameless; had he not seen this evening as a
ferocious struggle? Fan Xian finally could not hide his drunken
discontent. He fell buttocks-first to the ground before the Emperor,
squinting his eyes at Zhuang Mohan’s trembling lips. “I’m tired and I
want to sleep,” he mumbled. “And screw you.”
Finally finishing Li Bai’s final pose, Fan Xian fell into drunken dreams at
the Emperor’s feet.
Chapter 136: Intentions of Entering the Palace While Drunk

That night was destined to be like no ordinary night.
After Fan Xian had given his immortal wild poetic performance, the
master Zhuang Mohan had left saddened. His Majesty clearly wished to
cultivate and educate the son of the Fan family. The Crown Prince’s
position was secure. So much had happened that night, so whether it
was the emissaries from Dongyi, or the other officials, after returning
home, they all discussed with their aides or colleagues what they had
seen. But what had shocked everyone and caused the most discussion
was of course the performance of the eighth-level functionary Fan Xian
in the palace hall that night.
The common consensus that was finally reached was that young Master
Fan was an immortal of poetry.
Any who had doubted whether Fan Xian was the true author of those
verses had their suspicions roundly removed that night. Because after
all, the context of the poems differed, as did their sentiments. If one were
to go back and forth between such discrepantly intense moods all in one
night, then naturally one could fear that such a poet were mad.
But regardless, everyone still believed that Fan Xian was no ordinary
person. It was nonsensical. What ordinary man could spit forth such
amazing poetry as if he were a seller at a vegetable market? Even if he
took no notice of his tiredness, it was truly something to behold.
In short, every work of exquisite poetry – whether beautiful or intense or

melancholy – that existed in a world similar to the one where the
Kingdom of Qing existed had unwillingly or willingly fallen from Fan
Xian’s lips. From that moment on, they had become a part of the spirit of
that world and could not break away from it.
Within those poems were a number of literary allusions that were not
clear, or parts that could not be understood; they were all taken by
people to be a result of Fan Xian’s drunken unintelligibility, and they
prepared for him to explain them further once he had awoken from his
intoxicated stupor. As for whether Fan Xian would – in order to justify his
lies – have to invent a fictional history of China, write the Four Classic
Novels of Chinese literature, or castrate himself to avoid inconvenience,
that was for another time. [1]
In the carriage back to Fan Manor, Fan Xian was still in a deep drunken
sleep. Afterwards, some busybody calculated for him that that night in
the palace, regardless of how many poems he had composed, he had
drunk no less than four and a half kilos of the Emperor’s finest wine. So
while he was composing the poems that would win him the infatuation of
all the scholars in the land, he was utterly blacked out.
He had been lifted from the Emperor’s feet and carried out of the palace
by a eunuch, absolutely stinking of wine, grumbling incoherently, and
thankfully had not fainted while all those presents regarded him as a
supernatural being.
As he got into a carriage from Fan Manor, the palace eunuchs warned
the servants of Fan Manor to look after their master. His brain was the
prized possession of the Kingdom of Qing, the old men joked, they could
not allow him to injure it.
When the carriage arrived at Fan Manor, news had arrived of the young
master’s great triumph at the palace, and the blow he had dealt to
Zhuang Mohan. The whole house shared in his glory. A servant happily
carried him from the carriage on his back, with Lady Liu personally
clearing the way, taking him to his room, and going to the kitchen to cook
some soup to sober him up. Fan Ruoruo worried that the servant girls
were not attentive enough, and carefully wrung out a washcloth to
moisten his dry lips.
Fan Sizhe, woken by the noise, rubbed his sore eyes and looked at his
blackout-drunk brother with a mixture of envy and admiration. Count
Sinan smiled as he wrote in his study. The look of fatherly pride on their
master’s face was clear even to his uncultured servants. He thought
about what he should write in the folding notebook he was going to give
to His Majesty. He figured that His Majesty would not be surprised by the
things that had happened to Fan Xian; after all, he was a child of the
tianmai.
After a burst of excitement that lingered into the night, everyone

gradually dissipated, not daring to disturb Fan Xian’s drunken dreams. At
that moment, his eyes opened quickly. “My belt,” he said to his sister,
standing watch by his bedside. “Light green pill.”
Seeing that he was awake, Ruoruo did not have time to ask. She quickly
retreived the pill from his belt and put it in his mouth.
Fan Xian closed his eyes for a long while and slowly circulated his
zhenqi, finding that the pill really was quite effective in counteracting the
effects of the alcohol. The uneasy feeling had already disappeared from
his belly, and his mind was absolutely sober. Of course, he was not
really drunk. During his earlier “recitation” at the palace, when he had
recited those ancient writers’ works just as they had, that was his own
brilliance.
“I was worried whether someone would come to see me in the middle of

the night. After all, right now I should so drunk that being awake would
be impossible.” As he put on his clothes with his sister’s help, he
frowned while he pondered. His eyes were completely clear, the alcohol
at the palace having taken no effect.
“They probably won’t. I told them that I would look after you myself.” Fan
Ruoruo, knowing what he was about to do, could not help but feel
anxious.
“Lady Liu…” Fan Xian frowned. “Will she come to look after me?”
“I’m here on the lookout. Nobody should be coming.” Fan Ruoruo looked
at him nervously and spoke in a low voice. “But you had best be quick,
brother.”
Fan Xian felt for the dagger hidden in his boot, the three needles in his
hair, and the pills on his waist. Confirming that he was completely
prepared, he nodded his head. “I’ll be as quick as I can.”
He left the back of the manor, going through the residence that was
being prepared for his marriage. He had put on clothes made for moving
around at night, and under the cover of darkness he was very difficult to
see. Only when he moved, his body swiftly travelling through the
darkness, was there the slight sense of the presence of some sort of
demon. Moving through a prepared hole in the wall, there was a carriage
already waiting outside.
A slight frown showed through the black cloth that bordered Fan Xian’s
eyes. Although there was no night curfew in the capital, the streets were
still strictly guarded at night. After the incident at Niulan Street, the city
guards had been considerably whipped into shape, so now he had to
take serious precautions. So he temporarily gave up the idea of taking a
carriage. His body trembling, he routed his zhenqi through his whole
body, quickly accelerating his speed as he disappeared into the
darkness of the capital.
Fan Manor was not far from the palace, and Fan Xian quite quickly
reached the foot of the palace’s western wall. This was a place where
the part-time workers in the palace came into contact with the inner
keep. It was often quite busy, but this late at night, it was silent.
Shielding himself behind shrubbery, he crouched as he leapt towards the
bank of the Yudai River. With his left hand, he felt for the stone railing by
the side of the riverbank, and like a koala, he sidled along it.
There were some bright lights ahead of him, but the river itself appeared
completely dark. Fan Xian did not dare to lose focus. Using the deep
wellspring of zhenqi in his body, he stopped his breathing, and carefully
moved his body along.
Some time later, he had finally bypassed the two arch bridges, and had
come to a secluded grove of trees within the palace. Fan Xian relaxed
slightly, opening his mouth to take hurried breaths. He could feel his
body becoming gradually more excited, as if these dangerous
maneuvers brought him some kind of pleasure.
The wall by the side of the thicket of trees was 16 meters tall and
extremely slippery; there was nowhere one could hold on to. Even the
strongest warriors in the land could not vault it. Of course, to those who
had already approached the rank of grandmaster, whether they could
make use of this wall was a matter of waiting to be tested.
Fan Xian was not one of the four grandmasters, but he had other ways.
The red surface of the wall looked slightly blue in the dark of night. Like a
shadow, he swept from the trees to the wall, finding a dark gap that the
light from the palace lanterns did not touch, and forcibly calming his
mind, he sat cross-legged. He gradually channeled his powerful zhenqi
through his xueshan point, warming it and adjusting the conditions within
his body. Deep in the palace, not far from Hanguang Hall, Hong Sixiang
sat quietly in a room. The Empress Dowager’s health was not good.
Hearing the amusing things that had happened at the palace banquet, of
how Fan Xian had caused Zhuang Mohan to spit blood, the Empress
Dowager could not stop herself from laughing, but she didn’t know why.
It seemed that some of the old men were sorrowful, so they had gone to
bed early.
Hong Sixiang had spent years within the palace. The young eunuchs did
not know how old he really was – seventy? Eighty? His only
responsibility in the place now was to keep the Empress Dowager
company. He had been there since the founding of the Kingdom of Qing.
When he was young, he still liked to leave the palace and wander
around, but as he got older, he found that there was not much difference
between the inside and the outside of the palace after all.
Hong Sixiang took a shelled peanut, put it in his mouth, and chewed it
loudly. Then he took hold of a wine cup and had a long, satisfying sip
from it. The oil lamp on the table gave off a weak light. The old eunuch
thought about young Master Fan’s drunken madness in the palace hall,
and he could not prevent a smile from forming on the corners of his lips.
Even if he was a eunuch, he was still a eunuch of the Kingdom of Qing;
if Northern Qi could be embarrassed, then Eunuch Hong felt that it was
not a bad thing.
In another part of the inner palace, there was a bright candle lit in the
Emperor’s study. It was naturally much brighter than the light in the
eunuchs’ room. The Emperor was an enlightened ruler who loved his
subjects and was politically diligent, and so he would often read long into
the night. The eunuchs had long become accustomed to it, and warmed
up some midnight snacks for him, awaiting his summons at any time.
It was late in the night after the palace banquet, and the Emperor was
still diligent. He sat at a desk, a writing-brush in his hand, its tip freshly
moistened, like a dagger waiting to kill a man in silence. Suddenly, the
tip of his writing-brush halted above the paper in front of him, and his
brow gradually turned to a frown. “Are you tired, Your Majesty?” asked
one of the eunuch scribes by his side. “Perhaps you should rest?”
The Emperor smiled as he rebuked him. “How did your hand not break
copying all those poems in the palace hall this evening?”
The eunuch pursed his lips into a smile. “I would eagerly copy poems
slavishly every day for such a genius of poetry.”
The Emperor laughed and said nothing more. He simply glanced out of
the window now and again, feeling like there was something strange
about the dark night.
The palace was large, in the summer evening it was quiet. The palace
maids closed their eyes, but found it hard to sleep for long. The guards
outside the walls kept careful watch. All was peaceful within the palace.
At the corner, by the side of the rock garden, wearing brand new dark
clothes, Wu Zhu dissolved into the dim light of night. The only part of him
that could have been noticed by anyone, his eyes, was also covered by
a length of black cloth. With the help of some sort of technique, his
whole body had become like the inanimate things around him.
His breathing and heartbeat had slowed significantly, and he moved in

harmony with the gentle night wind surrounding him. Even if someone
had walked past him, they were unlikely to have seen him were they not
looking carefully.
Wu Zhu “looked” at the light coming from the Emperor’s study. He didn’t
know how long he looked. Then he slowly lowered his head, pulled over
his black head covering, and silently headed in a direction away from the
palace. His path remarkably avoided all light. Going with the terrain,
along the grass and the flowers, he left no trace and made no sound.
Like a terrifying demon, he walked casually around the strictly guarded
inner palace.
Chapter 137: Eunuch Hong

The oil lamp in the room suddenly spattered. It was a good omen, but a
frown crawled across Hong Sixiang’s gray eyebrows. He seemed
displeased. His wrinkled right hand firmly gripped the chopsticks he was
using to grasp deep-fried shelled peanuts. With little movement, he
slowly swallowed the peanut mush in his mouth, savoring their taste. He
took another sip from his wine cup, and stood up.
“For many years, no one has wandered within the palace walls.” Eunuch
Hong’s eyes were muddied, and he looked dispassionately out the
window as he spoke in a low voice, his finger softly twitching.
The door was open.
Like two strong arrows, the chopsticks in Eunuch Hong’s hands were
thrown, filled with zhenqi. There were two whooshing noises. In a flash,
the window broke, and they shot directly at the dark corner where Wu
Zhu’s face was!
The chopsticks whooshed as they travelled through the air with shocking
momentum. If anyone had been hit by one of them, it would have been
like being hit with an arrow. For Eunuch Hong’s subtle snap of his fingers
to be so powerful was truly terrifying.
For some reason, Wu Zhu’s reflexes were slower than normal. Unable to
turn in time, the chopstick tore the fabric on his right shoulder.
Whoosh! The chopstick stuck in the muddy ground at an angle, the tail
end quivering slightly.
Outside the pavilion, old Eunuch Hong looked at the visitor wearing gray.
His brow trembled. His opponent’s face was completely covered. There
was no way he could see who it was. “Who are you?” There was a smile
on Eunuch Hong’s face. It seemed like this trespasser was a mere
servant, but it was very clear that he was much more formidable than he
appeared.
The clothes Wu Zhu was wearing that night were completely new, so he
felt somewhat strange. He followed Fan Xian’s plan, raising his head,
seemingly “gazing” at his opponent. “Apologies. I am mistaken,” he
hissed.
“Mistaken? You mean you are lost?” Eunuch Hong laughed. “Good sir,
you would be the first person to have become so lost that you have
wandered into the palace. You have been here once before, five days
ago. I have been waiting for you. I am very curious as to who you are. I
think, save for a few old friends, no one else would be so bold.”
Wu Zhu forcibly added a note of worried urgency to his voice, but he was
no good at hiding his mood, so he appeared somewhat false. “I am a
prisoner of this country. I had no choice but to enter. It is not convenient
for me to salute you showing my true face. I ask that you forgive me,
elder sir.”
Old Eunuch Hong frowned, no longer amused. This person believed he

belonged to the younger generation. This was nothing more than an
apprentice of those old freaks. Looking at his skill, he was at least at the
ninth-level, if he had been able to infiltrate the palace without being
discovered. But his voice was clearly deliberately distorted by the
muscles of his throat, so there was no way he could find out any useful
information from his voice.
“This is the royal palace, my child.” Old Eunuch Hong sighed. “Do you
mean to tell me that you come and go as you please?”
Having said this, he opened his right hand, and his whole body began to
glide along the floor, suddenly arriving in front of Wu Zhu. He moved his
thin and wizened hand toward Wu Zhu’s face.
Wu Zhu’s face, hidden behind the length of black cloth, was without
expression, but he knew that his opponent had misestimated his power.
Now he had the chance to kill him – should he? In the past, this would
not have been a question for Wu Zhu, but tonight, it was.
He thought quickly, and made a decision. Even if he killed him now, he

would probably pay some sort of price. The key thing was that this might
alert the palace guards, which would cause Fan Xian great difficulty in
his ongoing operation.
So he took a step back, bent his knees, and lifted his elbows. Beneath
his elbow was a thoroughly ordinary stainless steel sword. Skillfully
plunging it into old Eunuch Hong in an armlock was the plan. More
important was the intention behind it, which could make the person at its
point suddenly lose all propriety.
But Eunuch Hong was no ordinary person. He laughed darkly and

scolded sharply. “Evading the subject?” There was a hint of
astonishment in his voice, but he was quick to take action. With the
swiftness of a dragon, his left hand flew out of his sleeve and aimed
toward Wu Zhu’s chest. The blow flew with the wind, landing with great
force. This was the greatest technique in the entire world.
Wu Zhu took another step back, straightening his knees and elbows.
He drew the greenish-black blade across his body, as if he were cutting

his own throat, but he just managed to protect his chest, blocking
Eunuch Hong’s wizened palm strike.
“Overly cautious?” Eunuch Hong’s voice sharpened. He retracted his
palm, and from his waist upward, his whole body began to tremble. It
looked very strange. With a groan, the old eunuch changed the zhenqi
he had been cultivating for decades into countless streams of air,
spurting forwards, trying to bind Wu Zhu.
Wu Zhu did not give him the chance, and coolly took two further steps
backward. These two steps seemed simple, but moving so casually, in a
flash – in the face of such a high-level grandmaster – he just managed to
avoid a powerful qi attack. He had clearly been disturbed by Eunuch
Hong’s decades of powerful zhenqi, and seemed in something of a
difficult situation.
Eunuch Hong’s frown deepened. “Do not presume that you may deceive
people by changing the direction of the blade,” he said coldly, looking at
him. “Since I have taken a liking to you, you may stay here in this
forbidden palace.”
Wu Zhu lifted his head slightly to “look” at him. He did not know quite
how he felt. His next step was to cup his hands in salute.
Old Eunuch Hong frowned in astonishment! With a rustling sound, Wu

Zhu turned his body away. As if Eunuch Hong were not there behind
him, he put his sword on his back, and ran toward the direction of the
palace walls, his whole body moving quickly, trampling the grass into
dust.
Placing his blade on his back was a simple move, but it was wonderful
protection.
“Minding the rear?” A sudden gloom appeared in Eunuch Hong’s eyes.

He did not call for the palace guards. He shook his arms, and his whole
body rocketed upward like a weak-chested, wide-winged blackbird.
A moment later, the two men were high up on the palace wall. Eunuch
Hong looked coldly at the man in dark clothing in front of him. He wanted
to see just how he would manage to vault over the wall.
Wu Zhu immediately rushed down to the bottom of the palace wall
without losing speed, his right foot trampling ferociously on the stones at
the bottom of the palace wall. The stones suddenly sank into the mud,
and from this one could see that there was great strength behind these
feet. And the forward-moving quickness of his whole body had been
transformed into an upward force by this shock; his whole body flew
upwards with force, following the palace wall in the gloomy night, floating
upward like some kind of demon.
He had leapt ten meters in a single bound, and his momentum was sure
to dissipate. With a whooshing noise, the ordinary blade in his hand was,
for some reason, suddenly stuck deeply into the palace wall. Using the
strength of the sword, he freed himself, and then like a stone, he
launched off the high wall!
Eunuch Hong groaned, realizing that his opponent had planned all of it.
The zhenqi in his body was swiftly released, and he floated up toward
the palace wall, his posture elegant, all on a wave of zhenqi. Compared
to Wu Zhu’s ruthlessness, it seemed much more confident and at ease.
Leaping ten meters, the sallow old eunuch gently extended a finger,
pressing on the hole Wu Zhu had left with his sword. With another burst
of strength he rose upward, launching off the palace wall like a giant bird
in the night, evading its glossy outer surface and slowly floating
downward.
As he floated downward, his eyes like a hawk, unwaveringly scanning

the night city scene, the incomparably quick forward-moving grey
shadow laughed darkly, quietly floating over the tips of the trees, floating
over houses, and he followed him.
The two top-class warriors pit themselves against each other without
making a single sound, so the palace guards did not notice a thing.
Fan Xian sat in the darkness beneath the palace walls like a rat. He
cocked his head slightly to listen out for a faint sound, stood up, and
softly brushed the grass and dirt from his buttocks. He pressed his
fingers into the glossy surface of the wall.
His body was not as valiant as Wu Zhu, and he did not have the deep
neigong cultivation of old Eunuch Hong. But his zhenqi circulation
technique was different from any warrior in the world. He had even
managed to climb up the moss-covered overhanging cliffs outside
Danzhou, not to mention this palace wall.
This was what Fan Xian relied on most. His whole body like a flightless
bat, he slowly climbed up the palace wall. Although he was slow, he was
steady. There was no way he could fall.
If it had suddenly turned to day, and someone was looking from a

distance, they would find that there was a sudden, ugly, black spot on
the vermilion wall.
Vaulting over the wall, carefully avoiding any possible hidden guards,
Fan Xian’s feet finally stepped safely onto the grass inside the palace.
As he had sat in meditation outside the palace wall, he had gone over
his map of the palace in his mind. Now he stood within the palace,
looking at the enormous complex under the curtain of night, listening to
the faint sound of drums in the distance. He felt slightly nervous, and
somewhat excited.
The map seemed to have formed a clearly visible passage. After

steadying his breath one last time, he merged into the darkness of the
palace. Not only did he not make a sound, but his velocity did not slow
even slightly. Relying entirely on the map in his memory, using the cover
of the shrubbery and rock gardens, he made his way toward his goal.
His method was very similar to Wu Zhu, but also had some subtle
differences. After all, his ability for planning was still not like Wu Zhu’s.
Deep in the night, most of the people within the place were asleep.
Fan Xian hid in the darkness in Hanguang Hall, confirming that there
were no expert guards inside. The real armed guards seemed to all be in
the front hall and the corners. This realization made him frown slightly.
The security of the royal palace was rather weak; it was dangerous
indeed. If Northern Qi were to send expert fighters to infiltrate the place,
what would he do?
To worry about the nation and the people as a thief breaking into the
forbidden palace at night, Fan Xian was remarkable indeed. But he was
perhaps thinking about things too much. He knew that in this world, to be
able to leap over a fifteen meter wall without alerting the guards was a
feat that only a few of the world’s most talented people could
accomplish. If such a grandmaster were to come here, ordinary
bodyguards would seem to be of no use whatsoever.
He had forgotten that he was the only person who had the skills of
Spiderman.
Chapter 138: There Is a Key in Everyone’s Heart

Five days prior, Wu Zhu entered the palace for the last time and
confirmed that the key was hidden somewhere in Hanguang Hall.
Therefore, it was the first location Fan Xian investigated. Perhaps
because of the long period of peace, Hanguang Hall, which was
inhabited by the empress, was quiet and tranquil. The palace girls were
all asleep, and the young eunuchs were starting to get drowsy.
A faint fragrance wafted by. Whether eunuch or palace girl, they all
drifted off into a deep slumber.
In the dim light, Fan Xian walked along the dark corners and entered the
empress’s sleeping quarter. Seeing the extraordinarily elegant bed in the
distance, he frowned slightly. On the bed lay an old lady; could that be
the empress?
There wasn’t much for Fan Xian to exclaim, nor would he humor his own
delusion of doing something which might change history. He walked
forward calmly to the side of the bed. He was not even looking at the
most powerful woman in the world.
Keep calm. That was the most important thing that Wu Zhu and Fei Jie
had taught him.
The imagined hidden guard did not appear. Fan Xian was prepared for
some unseen master lying in wait to protect the royalty.
He didn’t think too much about where in Hanguang Hall tone could hide
valuables. He slid under the empress’s bed without much hesitation. He
closed his eyes and began to touch the wooden floor beneath the bed.
The floorboards were made from high quality timber, but his current
actions were strange.
A short while later, he opened his eyes in the darkness. There was a
glint of absurd joy in his pupils.
Back in Danzhou, he had hidden his nameless skill-book under his bed
boards; in The Deer and the Cauldron, Mao Dongzhu hid forty-two
scriptures under the darkness of her bed. As it turned out, the empress
of Qing followed suit.
The current situation showed the limits of human creativity and

imagination.
Putting just a little force into his dagger, Fan Xian dug the blade in from
the side. The tip made no sound as it pierced the wood. The empress
turned and said something in her sleep, but Fan Xian pretended not to
hear and continued expressionlessly. Soon, the lattice came off,
although he dared not to disturb it with his hand. With his superhuman
night-vision, he was easily able to see it.
There was only a white cloth, a letter, and… a key.
Looking at the shape of the key, Fan Xian frowned slightly, making a
strange expression. Ignoring the white cloth and the letter, he took the
key and slipped out.
Moments later, he appeared again under the palace walls.
He climbed into the carriage. Looking at Wang Qinian, he said lightly, “I

need speed.”
“Yes sir.” Wang Qinian didn’t know the details of the plan. He only knew
that he had to pick up Fan Xian, and then go meet the “other person”.
“I hope nobody knows I’m in this carriage.”

“Sir, rest assured. This carriage was borrowed from the Privy Council.
No one would dare to stop it, so no one will find out.”
“Very good.” Relaxing a little, Fan Xian half-sat down. First, he had
pretended to be a drunken, poetic maniac, and then he was snaking into
the palace at night. Both were severely taxing to his mind.
The carriage stopped somewhere Fan Xian did not recognize. The two
silently got out. Putting on their headcovers again, they walked down to
a chamber underground. Wang Qinian said in a muffled voice, “Sir, this
is the locksmith Suo Jiang.”
Standing in front of them was a small wooden table. On it were many

unrecognizable metal tools gleaming under the light. The owner of the
tools appeared to be an honest, middle-aged man. His face was dark tan
and he had a hearty smile.
Locksmith was a profession, and it was also a title. But this Suo Jian
didn’t just stop there—”Suo Jiang” literally meant “locksmith”. From his
name alone, one could see his level of craftsmanship.
Fan Xian nodded and said to Wang Qinian, “Wait outside.”
And so, Wang Qinian excused himself. He knew that there were things
he would never know, and not knowing would ensure his safety.
“This involves the survival of the nation. By the authority of the

Overwatch Council, I ask you to serve your country.” Fan Xian said
calmly through his headcover.
That gave the locksmith quite a shock. Thinking about the foreign
envoys in the capital, Suo Jian believed he had guessed something and
hurriedly saluted, not knowing what he was about to do.
“You must be quick and precise.” Fan Xian took out the key. “I want an
exact replica.”
The locksmith took the key and examined it closely. “There are no locks
in the world that this key would open.”
“I don’t care. I only want you to make a copy of it. Can you do it or not?”
“It will be very difficult. This key is extremely complex. Even if I make an
exact copy in appearance, I can’t guarantee that it will open the
corresponding lock.”
“Very good. Begin.” Fan Xian was happy at the reply, but his voice was
still calm.
The locksmith began to nervously replicate the key. The sound of metal
scraping could occasionally be heard in the room. Fan Xian was nervous
too as he looked at the door; he didn’t know how long Wu Zhu could
keep Eunuch Hong occupied. Eunuch Hong’s living quarters were too
close to Hanguang Hall. If Eunuch Hong returned, it would be difficult for
Fan Xian to put back the duplicate key.
Finally, sweating, Suo Jiang finished. Comparing the two keys, Fan Xian
discovered the two to be completely identical, replicated down to the last
bit of rust. Finally relaxed, he smiled. “What do you really do for a living?”
Because his face was covered by black cloth, his smile looked odd.
“I… am a thief.” Suo Jiang admitted, sweating profusely. He didn’t know

what fate awaited him now that he had finished this top-secret job.
“So, he’s a thief,” Fan Xian thought. Squinting at the tools and key
pattern on the table, he frowned. He then walked over and crushed the
pattern to bits with a powerful burst of zhenqi.
Even the tools he had left for Wang Qinian were destroyed. Suo Jiang
was sent off to the southern regions in order to keep away from potential
trouble. Only then did Fan Xian put his mind to rest and go back to the
palace.
Entering Hanguang Hall again, the sleep-inducing fragrance had begun

to disperse. The night breeze was still blowing; the palace resonated
with a peaceful atmosphere. Fan Xian slipped under the empress’s bed
like a ghost. He put back the replicate key, and resealed the floor board
with the glue he brought. Finally, he silently slipped out of the palace.
It had been some time since the last drum sounded. Fan Xian knew it
was time for him to leave. At that moment, a small courtyard next to the
palace caught his attention. That courtyard was Guangxin Palace, where
the eldest princess resided.
Fan Xian’s plan and execution of it had been perfect today. If he didn’t
want unnecessary complications, he should leave now and wait for
things to develop. However, for some reason—probably drunk at his
success of having obtained the key—he did the unexpected.
Fan Xian believed that, under the cover of darkness, he could walk
freely, even in the solemn palace. He proceeded down the hallway,
relying completely on the night traveling skills he learned from Wu Zhu
and Fei Jie. With great difficulty, he approached Guangxin Palace, even
brushing shoulders with a yawning palace girl.
The palace was still lit, and there were people inside. Guangxin Palace
was different from other palaces in the complex. It was surrounded by a
wall of its own.
As they say, those who cross rivers aren’t afraid of a dirty moat. But Fan
Xian knew many master martial artists had been killed because of such
assumptions. So, he carefully took a detour to the back and climbed up a
thick pillar.
With his palms adhering to the smooth pillar, Fan Xian felt somewhat
irritated, probably from exerting himself too much today. Climbing the
pillar proved to be difficult, but he managed. Carefully scaling onto the
roof, Fan Xian dared not lift up any roof tiles. Instead, he started looking
for transparent glass tiles.
Normally, one would not find glass tiles on the roof of a palace, but it
possibly because of Fan Xian’s great luck, Eldest Princess happened to
enjoy having sunlight shine from above during the day. Fan Xian
managed to find one such tile. He knelt down, making sure his every
movement was steady and silent.
The room under the glass tile was dimly lit, but Fan Xian was able to see
and hear clearly thanks to his amazing senses. He squinted, and he
knew he had guessed right. His luck was indeed great.
Eldest Princess Li Yunrui sat reclining with a lazy look on her face,
looking exceptionally charming. She only wore a white night gown.
Under the thin fabric, the outline of her body could be seen. There was a
hint of youth in its maturity. If any man were to see this, he would
probably bow down to worship her feet.
As His Majesty’s younger sister, she had no need to use sex appeal to
lure people. Besides, the one sitting in front of her was around seventy
years old. He was the greatest scholar in the world. He was not one who
would be tempted by such things.
Zhuang Mohan coughed twice, “My business here is finished. I hope you
do not mind, Princess.
Eldest Princess played around with her fake scroll, which was made
from gold. Suddenly, she beamed a huge smile and said softly, “Master
Zhuang, I want you to stomp that Fan Xian into the ground so hard he no
longer has the dignity to stay in the capital. Can you do that?”
Chapter 139: Guangxin Palace

Zhuang Mohan smiled, “Today, I fell by his hands. I gambled seventy

years of my reputation and I fully accept my loss. It’s just that I don’t
understand how this young Sir Fan is like an immortal sage when it
comes to poetry. Had you informed me beforehand, naturally I would not
make that gamble.”
Eldest Princess sighed. “Other than the fact that he can compose poetry,
I also didn’t think he could be so maniacal.”
Zhuang Mohan closed his eyes. After a long time, he said slowly, “I only
regret one thing. I had believed myself to be wise for over half of my life.
Now that I’m at the end of it, I was subjected to such disgrace. Had
young Sir Fan not composed three hundred poems in one night, perhaps
everyone in the world would have believed me and thought Fan Xian
was a shameless plagiarizer.”
The old man opened his eyes, his expression returned to its former
calm. He smiled and said, “It’s better this way.”
“Better?” Eldest Princess lightly slid her bare feet along the cushion. She
lightly bit her lip and said, “Master Zhuang, Mother has always admired
your wisdom, which was why you were invited to live in the palace. I
have upheld my end of the deal. What about what you promised me?
Don’t tell me you were hoping for Fan Xian to preserve his reputation
after the negotiations have been signed and your brother would be
welcomed back to Qi?”
Zhuang Mohan said, “A wrong is a wrong. I fell for your schemes

because I cared for my relatives. That brother of mine has spent half of
his life killing. If you wish to revoke, there is nothing I can do besides
pray for him; pray that he won’t suffer too much in the Overwatch
Council prison.”
“I believe that student emperor sold to you by Bing Yun. It’s the only
reason you could bring Xiao En back to Northern Qi. This is not a trade
between you and I, but a trade between your emperor and I. I have
fulfilled my end of the bargain. You did not. If you didn’t pretend to throw
up blood and concede, who knows how things would have developed?
So… Master Zhuang, tell that student emperor that Northern Qi owes us
a favor.”
Zhuang Mohan said, “Young sir Fan has great talents. I believe even you
would have guessed that he is likely to be a Tianmai being. I am curious.
Since there’s a Tianmai being in Qing, why try to get rid of him instead of
protecting him? Furthermore, even if he was framed for plagiarizing, how
would that hurt him?”
Eldest Princess said blandly, “I have never believed in such nonsense as
Tianmai beings. Even if he is one, his abilities are limited to composing
poetry. How is that any useful to the country? As for why I want to get rid
of him, that would be none of your concern.”
As it turned out, Zhuang Mohan risked his reputation, which had been
built up over decades, to try to ruin Fan Xian in front of so many scholars
under Eldest Princess’s wishes. But he didn’t know about the complex
relations in Qing’s political circles, nor was he clear about Fan Xian soon
becoming Eldest Princess’s son-in-law.
But Fan Xian knew why Eldest Princess was after him.
Half-kneeling on the roof, his fingers and gaze turned slightly cold as he
looked at the charming princess, who was barely thirty. Back when Guo
Baokun spoke, Fan Xian knew someone from the palace was conspiring
with Zhuang Mohan to chase him out of the capital.
Now, plagiarizing seemed so minor. Had he not pretended to be mad

and shocked the various officials with his poems, everyone probably
would have believed Zhuang Mohan. While being a plagiarizer wouldn’t
get him any additional punishment, it would likely involve his marriage
with Wan’er, and put him on the empress dowager’s bad side. Eldest
Princess must be more familiar with these matters than Fan Xian was.
What was even more chilling to Fan Xian was that the head spy from
Northern Wei was Zhuang Mohan’s elder brother! In order to persuade
Zhuang Mohan to pressure Fan Xian, Eldest Princess wagered Northern
Qi’s spy leader, Yan Bingyun.
She was too reckless! Even if she was the emperor’s sister, could His
Majesty tolerate such treachery?
The summer breeze blew by, calming Fan Xian slightly. He knew that
even if he heard all these secrets, he couldn’t use them to threaten the
princess. She was the emperor’s sister, and the dearest daughter of the
empress dowager. On those two points alone, she was able to operate
with such lawlessness.
Seeing her beautiful black hair, Fan Xian couldn’t help but feel
disgusted.
This woman was not only crazy; she was twisted too.
Now, Fan Xian seemed to have unraveled the entire plot. Eldest
Princess had made a deal with the emperor of Northern Qi. By selling
out Overwatch Council’s head spy Yan Bingyun, who had been a
sleeper in Northern Qi for over four years, she hoped the other party
would trade Xiao Si and Si Lili. The price Northern Qi had to pay would
be to move Master Zhuang Mohan, who would use his reputation to
crush Fan Xian’s own in the capital. At the same time, this would serve
as a lesson to the rebellious Overwatch Council.
He still didn’t know what other details were involved in the deal. Eldest
Princess should gain more than just this. There had to be a more
terrifying reward.
Did the emperor know what his own sister was plotting?
He touched the key around his waist. With a flash in his eyes, he
determined a counter-method. He adjusted his breathing in the night
breeze and began to leave. It was too risky in the palace; he didn’t know
when his luck would run out.
As soon as he descended the pillar. Two people slowly walked over
carrying lanterns. Fan Xian’s heart went cold. He carefully hid himself in
the pillar’s shadow. As the shadow changed direction under the
approaching light, Fan Xian meticulously shifted his footing in order to
stay in the darkness.
He prayed that this palace girl would be like the one before and not
discover him.
The two palace girls already passed the pillar, and Fan Xian was on the
other side. Suddenly, they stopped. It appeared that one of them ranked
higher than the other, as she was telling the other something. The lower-
ranked girl replied sweetly and left, leaving only the older palace girl.
There was only the pillar between her and Fan Xian.
Suddenly, a cold gleam flashed in Fan Xian’s eyes. He forcibly twisted

his body to the side a few inches. It was this intuition in response to
danger that saved him this time!
Where he originally stood, there was the tip of a sword protruding out of
the wooden pillar!
Because the pillar was too big, the sword didn’t protrude out too much.
At a glance, its tip even looked a bit cute, as if warning Fan Xian it would
bury itself in his vertebrae had he not moved.
Fan Xian coldly moved around the pillar like a pond loach. With extreme
precision, he locked down on to the palace girl’s left forearm. Unlike
normal martial artists, he didn’t care for her drawing her sword.
It was effective. With her surprise attack having failed, she was afraid
this “assassin” would stop her from pulling out her sword, so she
gathered all her zhenqi into her right arm, and her left arm’s defenses
weakened significantly.
With a noise like the ripping of paper, the palace girl pulled out her
sword, ready to shout out!
Twisting his brows into a knot, Fan Xian poured his overpowering zhenqi
into the palace girl’s left arm! This palace girl would rank seventh in
ability, but she had never encountered anyone with such strange zhenqi.
She felt the pain of countless small knives slicing through her meridian
and was forced to swallow her scream. Her throat could only utter out a
weak cry.
Fan Xian recognized her at a glance. This palace girl was the one who
greeted him into Guangxin Palace. She had long eyebrows; quite
unforgettable.
The palace girl’s brows quivered as she worked up her zhenqi for an all-
out clash. But Fan Xian suddenly let go, causing her zhenqi to be
released into the empty air. Due to being let go so suddenly, the girl lost
her balance. The right side of her body was spent.
In that instant, she felt the right side of her neck turn numb. Then
immediately, she felt her whole body stiffen slightly.
Fan Xian frowned, withdrawing his two fingers from the girl’s neck. He
knew the poison needle wasn’t enough to silence her. He followed up
with a palm strike just below the palace girl’s ribcage.
There was a muffled noise as the palace girl’s chest caved in. She fell
over dead, bleeding from her eyes, mouth, ears, and nose.
Chapter 140: Who is the Assassin?

He didn’t know whether the palace maid from before had gone to raise
the alarm, or if the female fighting master who had died by his hand had
been a distraction, but Fan Xian knew that this fight—although he had
not allowed the female master to make a single sound—would have
alerted the real masters of the palace, so he did not bother to deal with
the body. With the tip of his foot on the paving stones, he made his
whole body an arrow, and flew upward toward the palace wall as he had
planned.
The wall was still very high, and Fan Xian was frustrated by his speed.
Once he had climbed the wall with great difficulty, he heard a humming
sound behind his head, as if the space behind him had begun to vibrate.
He turned his head, stunned, then saw a space in a distant corner of the
palace walls where a commander was drawing a bowstring pointed at
him.
An arrow flew through the night like a ravenous ghost, headed straight
for his face!
In one breath, the arrow was on the horizon; one breath later, it was
within range of his vision.
The arrow seemed fierce and confident. Fan Xian howled, the black
cloth surrounding his face ripped to tatters by the sound. The unnamed
and powerful zhenqi that he had quietly cultivated for 16 years wildly and
ruthlessly rushed into his hands at this life-or-death moment.
Filling the air with his fists, he managed to strike the shaft of the arrow!
In an instant, the powerful zhenqi in his fists clashed violently with the
formidable power of the arrow. The arrow shaft broke into dust, and the
dangerous arrowhead glanced Fan Xian’s hair as it whooshed past,
puncturing the distant night sky!
A loud noise reverberated throughout the night sky of the palace,

awaking the sleeping people inside. They were astonished, as if there
had been a thunderclap within the palace walls.
The arrow had been too ferocious; there was no way it could have been
launched by any ordinary person. After he had blocked it with his fists,
Fan Xian’s body had been emptied of zhenqi and sapped of his strength.
He fell down the palace wall. His black clothing fluttered in the night
breeze, and he looked thoroughly miserable.
Palace commander Yan Xiaoyi, in a distant corner of the palace walls,

saw this murderer fall down along the wall and squinted. His face took
on a valiant expression. “He isn’t dead,” he said coldly. “Capture him.”
“Yes sir!” His subordinates followed his order and went.
Below the palace wall, Fan Xian, clad in black, fell powerlessly. He was
about to smash face-first into the ground. He forced his body to twist,
supporting himself on one knee, one foot and one hand, and hit the floor
with a groan. The powerful impact made him spit up blood, moistening
the remaining tatters of the black cloth. Soon after, with a low roar, he
ran into the woods outside of the palace walls. Just one moment before
the guards appeared, he disappeared into the dark city night.
The next day, in an unremarkable room beneath the palace grounds,
Eunuch Hong seemed out of sorts. His eyes half-closed, he sat in his
chair, with two officers also resting with their eyes closed, none of the
men seemingly wishing to speak.
Some time later, vice commander Gong Dian, who had been resting at
home the night before, spoke gently. “His majesty is shocked.”
Yan Xiaoyi, the commander who had launched the arrow at Fan Xian the
night before, slowly opened his eyes. “A lady-in-waiting of the Eldest
Princess was killed last night,” he said coldly. “She is very angry.”
After the two men had spoken, Eunuch Hong finaly opened his eyes.
“Last night I met with a plot to lure me away from the palace,” he said,
his voice sounding aged. “The Empress Dowager is very unhappy.”
“Who was it?” asked Gong Dian. Of course, he knew in his heart that
even if they had lured him away—whoever it was—they would not have
escaped from the gaze of Eunuch Hong, a unique master who had a
tiger’s strength even in sickness.
“I do not know.” Eunuch Hong smiled. “He appeared to only be of an

intermediate ninth-level, but he was extremely familiar with the capital’s
buildings. On such a dark night, I was lured into the city and pursued him
for a long time, but I finally lost track of him. He was… thoroughly
remarkable.”
To make Eunuch Hong say such a thing, that person must have been
remarkable indeed.
Yan Xiaoyi was 35 years old, and at the peak of his strength. He was a
commander of the palace guards, and was responsible for the security of
the entire palace. He looked at Eunuch Hong coldly. “Where did you
follow him to last, Eunuch?”
“An alleyway not far from the Dongyi diplomatic mission.”
“Today’s investigation has brought about a result,” said Gong Dian.
“Eunuch Hong’s chopsticks tore through an assassin’s clothing; after the
Overwatch Council performed a comparison, they determined that it was
Tianxiang satin.”
Yan Xiaoyi closed his eyes to rest. Gong Dian continued to talk. “The
Overwatch Council discovered a little while ago that the Dongyi
emissaries ordered a set of clothing. Rather than using the name of the
diplomatic mission, they found someone else to order it for them.” “What
are you saying, vice commander?” asked Eunuch Hong softly.
Gong Dian smiled. “If you were ordering clothes, why would you do it
under someone else’s name? It’s obvious – because you were worried
that someone might pick up your traces. Looking at the clues, the first
time the assassin came, it must have been someone from the City of
Dongyi. The only follower of Sigu Sword who could have ninth-level
abilities is Yun Zhilan, who has been silent inside the capital over the
past few days.”
Yan Xiaoyi suddenly opened his eyes. “It isn’t Yun Zhilan. If people from
Dongyi had infilitrated the capital, why would he want to buy new
clothes? Yun Zhilan is more the kind of person to beat someone
senseless on the street and steal their clothing.”
Eunuch Hong nodded. “Although that ninth-level hid his sword training,
he was still using Sigu Sword’s technique. So I am interested – if it was
not Yun Zhilan, is it really possible that other people from Dongyi have
come, and would dare to disobey Yun Zhilan’s orders?”
“It’s highly likely that they were shifting the blame onto somebody else.”
Gong Dian frowned as he listened to the two men speak. “It’s too
convenient. So it’s possible that someone was trying to shift the blame
onto Yun Zhilan.”
“Who else in Dongyi could be following the teaching of Sigu Sword?”
“Including Yun Zhilan, there are three ninth-level fighters.”
“So the other two are also under suspicion.”

“Going back to the intruder who was shot down by the commander on
the wall; I heard that the strength of the commander’s arrow shocked the
entire palace. It’s a shame it did not kill him.” By the tone of his voice, it
seemed that Eunuch Hong had no particular fondness for the
commander.
Yan Xiaoyi looked at the eunuch with contempt, but he knew of the deep
and mysterious power that he held in the palace. He harrumphed. “The
second assassin was also a ninth-level fighter. Although he was only at
the lower ninth-level, if I could kill him with one arrow, then why would I
not be a grandmaster?”
“Another ninth-level?” Gong Dian was astonished. He had been stuck

around the upper eighth-level for most of his life, and had found it difficult
to advance any further. Hearing that two ninth-level experts had
infiltrated the palace the night before, he could not help but feel a
number of complex emotions.
“There are only seven ninth-level fighters in all of the Kingdom of Qing,
four of whom are within the capital. How can there be so many ninth-
level experts in the whole world?” Eunuch Hong spoke coldly. Clearly he
did not believe Commander Yan’s judgement, and thought that he was
evading responsibility.
This was what Gong Dian had feared the most. “His Majesty ordered me
to conclude the case within ten days,” he said quickly. “I’ll be transferring
someone from the Overwatch Council soon, and investigating the
situation in all of the palaces. The first thing to clarify is why these people
would take such a great risk to infilitrate the palace.”
Yan Xiaoyi shook his head. “I don’t know why the second person did it,
but the first person definitely has links to Dongyi. So start at the Dongyi
diplomatic mission and see why they really ordered those clothes. It’d be
best if we can clarify the whereabouts of each item of clothing.”
As they were arranging preparations for the investigation, a young

eunuch hurriedly entered the room to announce a decree from the
Emperor. The entire investigation was to be handed over to Ye Zhong,
head of the city garrison; the palace guards were to carry on as before,
and it was not to be made public. After the young eunuch left, the three
men looked at each other.
Yan Xiaoyi slowly closed his eyes. He knew that the Emperor had begun
to distrust one of the three of them. Eunuch Hong clasped his hands
behind his back and walked out, his face peaceful.
Some days later, they had still failed to track down the assassin.
The Emperor’s order had in fact helped Fan Xian, the real intruder, out of
his predicament. There had been no great mistakes in the plan, but
forcing Wu Zhu to wear the brown clothing, although he had thought it to
be clever, had instead revealed something they wished to conceal.
Fan Xian had secretly investigated why Dongyi had bought Tianxiang
satin; it was because the son of the ruler of Dongyi was fond of the
classical style of clothing in the capital, and so they had ordered some.
As for why it had been ordered under a different name, it was for a very
simple reason – Dongyi was an intersection of all the merchants of the
land. If news had broken that the ruler’s son was fond of the fashions of
those Qing barbarians to the south, he would perhaps have been
thorouhgly condemned by some of the more audacious merchants.
Of course, Fan Xian had used several skills. Mainly, he did not believe
that Wu Zhu could have completely imitated the swordplay of Sigu
Sword; if he had known that Wu Zhu was capable of such strange steps,
he would have used it to perfect his plan to frame someone else.
But the conclusion was fine. At least the palace still suspected the other
two ninth-level experts in Dongyi; the Overwatch Council also began to
investigate the whereabouts of the two intruders from that night.
No one could have linked it to Fan Xian, because on the night that the
intruders came to the palace, all of the officials of the capital had seen
him drink countless cups of wine as he composed his poems, making
the master Zhuang Mohan of Northern Qi spit blood and curse that night.
He had been so utterly drunk that he collapsed at the Emperor’s feet.
This was a misconception in human thinking: not only did they presume
that Fan Xian would have been unable to awake after drinking himself
into a stupor; they believed that after having accomplished one shocking
feat, there was no way he could have immediately performed another.
One cannot have a second climax after the first; there must always be a
refractory period.
Chapter 141: Secrets of the Box (Part 1)

Safe and comfortable, Fan Xian lay down on his bed. His face was pale.
He looked like a young man yet to recover from a hangover. Next to his
bed was a copper basin, but it was clean because the vomit had already
been washed out of it.
He had already dismissed Ruoruo from the room; a different servant-girl

was looking after him. Fan Xian’s pale face was not a pretense, and the
vomit was not brought about by drugs – rather, the force of Yan Xiaoyi’s
arrow really had damaged his organs. His chest and stomach felt heavy,
and it would probably be a number of days before he could fully recover.
Thinking of the arrow that had nearly taken his life, Fan Xian still could
not help but feel fear. If he had not had a sudden eruption of zhenqi at
that life-or-death moment that far outstripped his level, it was possible
that he truly could have been killed by that arrow. The arrow still had so
much power from so far away. It was truly hard to imagine. It seemed
that that commander was a ninth-level fighter and that he could well
have risen to the highest rank at any time.
In fact, at the moment that he had smashed the arrow with both hands,
his hands had still moved with quite the same violent speed as the
arrow, so he had only managed to smash its shaft. It was very
dangerous, but it was also extremely fortunate that it had not left any
marks on his hands. If they would be been seen by anyone, he did not
know how he could have explained them away.
He had taken a great risk in going to Guangxin palace. On one hand, he

wanted to see if he could discover anything; on the other hand, he did
not want the people in the palace to think that anything might have
happened to the key in Hanguang hall because Eunuch Hong had been
led outside by Wu Zhu – this was the most important part.
His fingers rested lightly on his waist, slowly stroking that hard object.
His heart was at peace: his luck was good, but would his fortune follow
him forever? He decided that after this, he would no longer hide things in
the secret compartment under his bed, and he would no longer mess
about in the palace.
Over the days in which he pretended to be recovering from his heavy

drinking, news of Fan Xian’s “immortal poetic performance” had spread
throughout the capital. Countless scholars and officials came to pay him
a visit, but Count Sinan coldly blocked their passage, saying that his son
was thoroughly exhausted and needed to rest.
But the visitors of higher and higher ranks began coming. Even some
national figures and high-ranking generals came by. Just as Count Sinan
was beginning to develop a headache, Fan Xian announced a decision
via an intermediary that made the gathering crowds feel great regret and
confusion.
Fan Xian would write poetry no more!
Many people still presumed that this was Fan Xian talking nonsense,
and did not take it seriously. Only those who had some understanding of
Fan Xian’s nature, such as Prince Jing and the officials Ren and Xin,
realized that this might be true. But as everything was still up in the air,
they did not discuss it much.
The summer heat had already gradually dissipated in the capital. A

squall of autumn rain was slowly floating across the city.
In fact, it had only been three days since he had entered the palace, but
Fan Xian felt that those three days had been the slowest three days in
both of his entire lives. The box was under his bed. The key was in his
hand. There was nothing more enticing than this, but Fan Xian had still
beared it for three days, like a child stealing snacks from the kitchen that
his mother had forbidden him to eat, carefully hiding them in his
wardrobe, and knowing that the snacks were in there. Then sleeping
perfectly contented, looking at the wardrobe every day before going to
sleep, but not really wanting to eat, until finally the snacks had gone
rotten.
The box could not rot, but Fan Xian had still decided decided that he
would open it in the evening.
The autumn rains fell softly outside his window, falling on the rear
courtyard of Fan Manor, falling on the plants that were soon to be
covered in autumn frost. Inside, Fan Xian had not lit any lamps. He knew
that his eyes could see clearly enough in the darkness. He put the box
on a table, and steadily inserted the key into the brass keyhole.
There was a clicking sound. The clamp on the front of the box sprang
open and revealed a small black board. On the board were some
strange square boxes. Pressing them softly, they sank down. Each
check had a unique symbol on it; no one in this world could have
recognized what the symbols were. Fan Xian laughed, but his smile was
pained.
With a mixture of clear understanding and guesswork, he was finally

comforted by the confirmation some time later.
He closed his eyes and could not help from laughing. This world was
truly mad. So with his trembling fingers, he lit a clay pipe that Teng Zijing
had given him as a present to pacify his mind.
This was the first time he had smoked in this world, and it tasted very
fine. The white smoke rose in spirals in the dark room. The autumn rains
fell gently on the lonely courtyard.
Fan Xian felt that he would never be alone again.
The people of this world could not have known what these small black
boxes were, nor what the strange symbols on them were. But Fan Xian
knew.
Because when he opened the box, he had revealed… a keyboard. It was
a keyboard that he had been familiar with in his past life. The strange
symbols were in fact the 26 letters of the Roman alphabet, as well as
numbers, and the F5 key with which Fan Xian had been ever so familiar.
Seeing this thing before him, Fan Xian pondered about it for a long time.
He had finally obtained the strongest proof that his birth mother, the
woman known as Ye Qingmei, had come from the same place that he
had. At that time, he did not consider the conversation between Zhuang
Mohan and the Eldest Princess in Guangxin Palace regarding the
Tianmai.
The light of his pipe flickered in the dark room. Fan Xian’s facial
expression had calmed, and his hands ever-so-softly stroked at the
keyboard as he began to guess at what the password might be.
“It’s a name.” Wu Zhu, who had been by his side for who knew how long,
stood in the corner of the room. Though his eyes were covered by a
length of black cloth, his face, facing the box, revealed an emotion that
one might have called sadness. “I remember that it’s a name. The Lady
said that it only had five strokes.”
Fan Xian nodded calmly and began to type. He had not had contact with
one of these things in sixteen years, after all; when he started, it
inevitably felt a little strange. But after a few tries, that familiar feeling
returned to his body, to his hands. His fingers struck the keyboard as if
they were dancing.
But after a number of attempts, he suddenly laughed bitterly and raised

his head. “What name exists that would only require five strokes to be
written?”
As he said this, he realized what the issue was. He took two drags of the
pipe, looked at the box in front of him, shook his head, and sighed.
“Mom, you really are causing trouble. But the question is, did you really
teach Wu Zhu the five-stroke method?” [1]
“Five strokes” did not refer to the strokes of a brush, but to the five-
stroke computer input method.
“kfh.lca.nhd.” Fan Xian typed in the first name – Ye Qingmei. There was
no response. With disbelief, he typed in his own name in five-stroke:
“aib.usi”.
There was still no response from the box. He laughed bitterly. His own
name had only been given to him many years later, how could Ye
Qingmei have known it? Suddenly, he had a thought. With something
that didn’t look quite like a smile on his face, he looked at Wu Zhu in the
corner of the room.
Wu Zhu seemed to have sense that something was odd, and cocked his
head. “What are you doing?”
Fan Xian did not respond, and instead typed Wu Zhu’s name in five-
stroke: “gg.ttgh”.
The box whirred, and then turned on. Fan Xian looked at Wu Zhu again
and laughed. “Uncle, I suspect that you and my mother had some
inappropriate secrets.”
Fan Xian had taken the box from Danzhou to the capital; of course, he
knew its weight, so he was not worried that it was hiding a hydrogen
bomb. But after he had seen the box’s contents clearly, until he had
finally left the room, and somewhat foolishly walked through the rainy
night, he still could not stop himself from shaking his head and
wondering whether his mother really had any creativity to her at all.
The box was divided into three layers. Because it was limited by its
shape, the objects that one could put into every layer had to be long and
narrow. The first layer was divided into three sections of metal tools. In
one section, they were tubular. In another they seemed suited to one’s
grasp. Fan Xian frowned as he looked at these metal implements.
Although he had also come from that world, he still could not figure out
what they were until he placed a finger inside one of the tubular ones.
He lifted it up in front of his eyes to take a proper look, and found that it
had something written on it: “M82A1”.
“Holy crap.” Fan Xian’s fingers trembled slightly. Although he wasn’t a

huge military nut in his previous life, he knew what those letters
represented.
It was a sniper rifle. The world’s best sniper rifle. If coupled with armor-
piercing bullets, it could pierce through a thick wall from a kilometer
away.
Fan Xian picked up the rifle barrel with his right hand. He couldn’t stop
his hand from trembling. He understood deeply what it meant to have a
sniper rifle in his hand in a world that still used swords and arrows.
It meant that from this point on, from a long way away, he could kill
anyone he wanted, and not have to worry about being discovered.
It meant that – whether it was the frightening arrows of that commander,

or Yun Zhilan of the Dongyi diplomatic mission who seemed to have it
out for him – if he so wished, he could kill his opponents many times
over. But he didn’t know whether it would be useful against the
grandmasters.
Somewhat nervously, he gently arranged the three sections of the sniper

rifle on the table. Having put his pipe to one side, he supported himself
on the table with his hands and took a few deep breaths to calm himself.
It seemed that he had all the necessary requirements to become some
sort of demon.
Of course, the prerequisite was that he needed to have bullets.
Fan Xian looked dumbstruck at the second layer. Aside from a letter,
there was nothing else. Not even a handful of bullets, like he had been
expecting.
With no bullets, the sniper rifle was about as strong as an iron poker.
Chapter 142: Secrets of the Box (2)
“Where are the bullets?” Fan Xian was like a young girl who had just
awoken from a wonderful dream to find herself still sleeping on a heap of
firewood in the kitchen. He asked Wu Zhu, slightly angry.
Wu Zhu answered honestly, although his answer was odd to hear in this
world: “What’s a ‘bullet’?”
Fan Xian couldn’t do anything about that, so he described to Wu Zhu the

size and shape of a bullet, and how it was used. He then asked
hopefully, “Uncle, you’ve seen my mother use them, right?”
Wu Zhu shook his head. “Like I said, I’ve forgotten certain things.” Just
as Fan Xian was about to despair, Wu Zhu suddenly said, “But I do
recall the thing you described. Back then I thought they were useless, so
when I took you away, I left them in the cellar of Taiping Courtyard.”
Fan Xian had been trained to have an extremely steady disposition, but
after hearing that, he almost wanted to embrace that lovable blind man
and give him a kiss.
There was a letter in the second compartment of the box. The box had
an extremely tight seal. Fan Xian tapped the letter gently. There wasn’t a
single speck of dust on it.
“For Wu Zhu.”
Fan Xian didn’t know how to feel about the fact this box wasn’t for
himself, but for the person beside him. He forced a smile and handed the
letter to Wu Zhu, seemingly forgetting that he was blind.
Wu Zhu refused and said coldly, “The Lady wrote it for me, so that you
may listen. You can read it directly.”
Fan Xian grinned and ripped open the envelop and started to read it
aloud. After a few rows, he began to lose his seriousness. He had
thought the box contained some godly legacy; how lacking in creativity.
Just when he was starting to dislike his mother’s methods, he came
upon this letter, which made him realize that this woman named Ye
Qingmei really was the type of person who looked down at the world.
Her writing wasn’t the most graceful. It was far inferior to Ruoruo’s, even
somewhat crude. The tone was strange too, not to mention that the
contents were disconnected and seemed to be written at different times.
“Cute little Zhuzhu [1]. Warmest greetings… Sister really likes you, and
wanted to introduce you to a wife many times, but you’re always cold as
ice. I… Well, to put it nicely, I’m very angry. You went to that temple for a
fight. I think you still won’t win, and you are going to run back again like a
beaten dog. So, here I am writing something to make fun of you.”
Reading up to here, Fan Xian glanced at Wu Zhu. A grandmaster-level

martial artist, there wasn’t a dog’s shadow on him. The letter continued:
“As for me? While you were gone, I slipped him an aphrodisiac and now
I’m pregnant with his child. It’s just that I don’t know if I’ll give birth to a
dear daughter or a bastard son. This chest counts as my only legacy in
this world. Old Mao once said that his life actually only influenced the
outer border of Beijing. Remember. I said it too. I came to this world only
to leave behind this chest.”
Reading about the aphrodisiac and “bastard son” almost made Fan Xian
fall out of his stool. It turned out that not only was his background
extraordinary, but it was fateful as well. It was unfortunate that the letter
didn’t specify who his mother used the aphrodisiac on. This remained
the greatest question on Fan Xian’s mind.
The following were the words left behind by Fan Xian’s mother, a woman
named Ye Qingmei who shook the world:
“It’s sad, isn’t it? I’m sure that in this world – besides you – no one else
can open this box. Why was I so kind to teach you the five-stroke
method of typing? It’s not like you’d be able to use it to do anything else.
Cute little Zhuzhu, I really want to hug you to sleep. Come back quickly.
“I’m putting the box back where it was. You should know where. Ha, if
you’ve opened the chest and read this letter, of course you know where
it is. Looks like I’ve said something unnecessary again.
“I’m only curious: will I have a daughter or son? I hope a daughter. If it’s
a son, it will be his father’s turn to have a headache. A man’s ambition is
too great. There’s no telling what he might do.
“Fine, fine. My ambition is great too. I just want this world to become a
more beautiful place. Can a girl’s beautiful dream be called ‘ambition’?
“Why do I feel like writing a will? To hell with this. This is way too
ominous.
“Heh, who knows? Let’s just pretend it’s my will. Remember to not use
that gun anymore. There’s no point in cleaving an ant with a great sword.
After reading this letter, destroy the chest. Don’t let any irrelevant
outsiders know about my glorious life. They don’t deserve to know.
“I came, I saw, I played, I became rich, I killed royalty, I pulled the old
emperor’s beard, I lived gloriously under this world’s sun. The only thing
I’ve yet to do in this world is rule over it. How’s that? My dear daughter,
bastard son, I doubt you will be able to live as I did. It would be good if
you can live a peaceful life.
“Hm… After I die, will I return to that world?
“Dad, Mom, I miss you very much.
“Little Zhuzhu, you don’t understand what I’m saying. You don’t know
where I came from. I’m very lonely. Despite my interactions in this world,
I’m still so lonely.
“I’m very lonely.
“I’m so very lonely.

Having finished reading the letter, Fan Xian was silent for a long time.
Then he asked with a smile, “Mother did not belong to this world, do you
still remember?”
Wu Zhu was slow to respond, “I think I remember a little.”
“Mother said you went to fight someone at the temple. Was it that battle?
Was it how you lost some of your memories?” Fan Xian slowly traced his
hand on the edge of the box.
“Most likely.”
“If you hadn’t lost that part of your memory, you’d be the one opening
this chest now. After you’d opened it, would you have told me
everything?”
“No.”
“Right.” Fan Xian nodded. “I didn’t think so either. Perhaps you would
have found a small, unknown mountain village and raise me there.” He
smiled. “Maybe that life wouldn’t be so bad.”
He then sighed, shaking his head. “It’s too bad that things cannot start
over.”
“Why aren’t you curious about why I was able to open this chest?” Fan
Xian teased Wu Zhu, wanting to see his surprised face when he realized
that his Young Master also came from another world.
“Why should I be?” Wu Zhu was still as calm as ever. Suddenly, he

realized Young Master was just as chatty as the Lady.
Fan Xian felt very stupid. He changed the topic. “Does her death involve
the temple?”
“I do not know.”
Fan Xian was silent for a while. He then checked the rest of the box. The
last compartment was covered by a strip of paper. This last compartment
wasn’t too deep. He removed the strip and was shocked to see what
was on it:
“Hey, if this is Wu Zhu, he’d have destroyed this chest as soon as he

read the letter. You’re still reading this. Fess up. Who are you? How did
you open this chest?”
His mother was a sharp one. Fan Xian blanked for a moment and
actually answered “I’m your son”. Naturally, she wasn’t going to hear
him.
The strip was rather short, without much writing on it. There was one last
warning:
“I suppose it’s either my daughter or my son. Looking at what’s below

requires the cost of one life. Remember this!”
The exclamation mark was much exaggerated with a big circle for the
bottom dot. As per his mother’s final wishes, Fan Xian dared not ignore
her warning. He obediently put the strip of paper back.
“I’m heading out for a walk.” With that, Fan Xian left the room. Lowering
his head, he departed into the rainy night. The chest would be safe with
Wu Zhu, so he wasn’t worried.
Only after Fan Xian’s figure disappeared into the rainy scene did Wu Zhu
walk out of his corner. He sat next to the table, a bit robotically. He
touched the chest and the gun before resting his hand on the letter. His
finger moved back and forth on the envelope, thinking about something.
With the sound of his finger brushing the paper, the light pitter patter of
the rain could be heard outside.
The room was dark. Wu Zhu sat alone by the box. The blindfold on his
face seemed to have softened somewhat as he made a gentle
expression.
Fan Xian walked alone on the street, letting the rain wash over his face
and drench his body. A smile appeared before quickly turning into a
sorrowful expression, and finally into one of calmness. Right now,
complex emotions were brewing inside him, conflicting with each other.
Ye Qingmei. This glorious name only entered his life today, entered his
mind. He was currently realizing many things—where his mother came
from, and the things that she did.
In Danzhou, his grandmother had told him that there used to be two
likely successors to the Qing throne. But both individuals died under
extremely absurd circumstances.
Having read the letter, Fan Xian understood that both successors died
before mother’s sniper rifle.
In other words, today’s royal court was only able to come about and
obtain so much power thanks to his mother. She built Qingyu Hall and
the Overwatch Council to strengthen this nation and provided it with all
of the basic necessities.
It could even be said that there would be no Qing without Ye Qingmei.
Chapter 143: Clarity after Autumn Rain

Fan Xian wandered the streets somewhat absent-mindedly. The rain

drenched his shirt, chilling his body, yet his heart was burning hot. He
was watching the streets of Qing; the carriages that traveled across
them, some rich family’s windows, the kaleidoscopes he often saw, the
slippery soap… He was able to connect all of that in an instant.
It was as if his mother left her mark on all of it! On this street, in that
room, under the heavens; that woman’s presence seemed to be
everywhere.
The last part of that letter read, “I am so very lonely.”
Before today, Fan Xian felt that way too. But not anymore. He began
laughing loudly. His laughter carried far away, waking up the people who
had gone to sleep early on this rainy night.
Someone cursed at him.
He was still smiling.
In life, Ye Qingmei would never act like the little girl she was in that
letter; of that Fan Xian was certain. His mother had a most adamant
heart, which was the only reason she led such a glorious life in a totally
strange world underneath a wholly unfamiliar sun.
This both familiar and unfamiliar Qing Kingdom, you owe Ye Qingmei so
much.
The raindrops battered down on Fan Xian’s face. Like some monster, he
seemingly “merged” with the darkness of the night. Even if that box
wouldn’t provide his life with any significant aid, this sense of no longer
feeling lonely allowed him to walk more and more freely in this world, in
this rainy night.
Fan Xian trekked through the wind and rain alone. Suddenly, he
chuckled. Since he wanted to live fully, why not live with style? Like he
once told his younger sister: when looking back at everything, don’t feel
as though the world “discomfort” was written all over one’s face.
Autumn wind and rain worry people. They worry them to death.
Infiltrating the palace at night couldn’t be simply dismissed. As for the

Commander of Defense Ye Zhong, who had never officially been on the
stage, he received royal orders and began to investigate the matter.
Despite being the Commander of Defense, in recent years he stayed in
Dingzhou to the west. When he finally made it back to the capital, three
days had already passed.
The ones in the palace were well aware why His Majesty would choose
him. Firstly, the Ye household had always been favored by the emperor
for their peerless loyalty. Only Director Chen received more trust from
His Majesty. However, Chen Pingping’s crippled body meant he could
not take charge of the investigation. Secondly, the three individuals at
the top were all suspects.
Ye Zhong also realized how complex this mess was. The head of the
royal guards, Tan Xiaoyi, was uncovered by Eldest Princess years ago.
He supposedly was the strongest martial artist in the palace. Vice
commander Gong Dian was his disciple. And that reserved Eunuch
Hong… Forget it. Not even Ye Zhong wished to deal with it.
Ye Zhong wasn’t suspicious of those three at all. He was only intrigued

—what was the goal of the second person who infiltrated the palace?
Why would they kill one of Eldest Princess’s palace girls?
The investigation was being carried out in the dark. Due to the
Overwatch Council’s spy being discovered in Northern Qi, His Majesty
was enraged, and so having the Council’s help now wouldn’t actually be
all that helpful. It was difficult to make any meaningful progress.
Some days later, after Ye Zhong had already carefully investigated

several palaces, he came to Hanguang Hall. He caught the scent of a
strange incense in the air which reminded him of that old venomous bag
who was in His Majesty’s tent during the northern campaign. Ye Zhong
also remembered that the night the palace was infiltrated, Zhuang
Mohan was also in Guangxin Palace. The information made him think
too much. He felt the whole situation was stranger than strange.
He decided to immediately seek an audience with His Majesty to confess

his incompetency and beg for forgiveness. With a face of shame, he
prostrated himself on the ground.
“Are you unable to do it, or are you afraid to do it?” His Majesty’s face
kept a meaningful smile. The officials close to His Majesty occasionally
wondered if it was some sort of trick. But Ye Zhong knew how much
wisdom this emperor held and answered truthfully, “I am unable to
investigate. I am also afraid to investigate. I really don’t think I can
handle matters involving the royalty.”
“You are a member of the Ye household. Are you not afraid of me

sentencing you for disloyalty, for unwillingness to serve public affairs?”
Ye Zhong dared not rise. “I do not dare to guess Your Majesty’s
intentions. I am stupid, and do not know where to begin my
investigations.”
“There is no longer the need to investigate. I’ll deal with this accordingly.”
His Majesty’s grin held a hint of dark coldness, but Ye Zhong, who was
prostrating on the ground, could not see it.
…
On the other hand, Fan Xian, the real culprit, spent his days hiding in the
manor. After his poetic show the other day, things like drinking tea at
Taichang Temple or observing Honglu Temple became a luxury.
The negotiations were finished. Northern Qi’s envoy already left the
capital. Dongyi’s envoy would be staying around for a bit longer.
After everything had truly died down, Dongyi left behind a large amount
of silver before reluctantly leaving the capital. They didn’t know that it
was purely due to His Majesty’s generosity that they hadn’t all been
imprisoned after the night infiltration of the palace.
Fan Xian had truly become someone who shook the capital through and
through. No longer did people only watch out for the powers standing
behind him, but rather he himself became the center of attention. After
all, he was the only one who made the great Zhuang Mohan throw up
blood, and he had done this at such a young age.
As if planned, both the eldest and second princes multiplied their efforts
in trying to win Fan Xian over to their side. Li Hongcheng often came
over for tea. Xin Shaoqing also came to visit.
But Fan Xian still had a lot of things to do, so he suspended contact with
both of them for the moment. So far, he’d only accomplished two things:
he found the key and he framed that Yun Zhilan from Dongyi. The
pressure from the imperial court and that ninth-ranked master made him
leave the capital without his will to live or a guarantee of his own safety.
Fan Xian had been waiting for a chance after discovering Eldest
Princess’s conspiracy with Northern Qi.
Two days after the Dongyi diplomatic mission left the capital, that chance
arrived.
Fan Xian had no solid proof of Eldest Princess’s treachery, and therefore
he could not tell anyone about it, nor could he use it to take action
against the princess. He always had a complex opinion of the emperor.
Besides, if he told His Majesty, it wouldn’t be entirely impossible that His
Majesty would kill him to preserve the dignity of the royal family.
Had it been a regular citizen of Qing, they would keep a secret like this
deep in their heart, carrying it to the grave.
But Fan Xian was no regular citizen. With two lives’ worth of memories
and knowledge, he knew the importance and the lethality of propaganda.
He also knew that in order to deal with a crazy princess, he should use
even crazier methods.
After the evening feast, the paper industry and related businesses of the
palace treasury had all been monopolized. While nothing had affected
Danbo Bookstore so far, it was only because Eldest Princess couldn’t
mobilize the Eighth Bureau. Fan Xian knew this was the calm before the
storm.
Therefore, before the storm landed, he had to strike first.
That night, Wu Zhu stood in the corner and listened to Fan Xian. Ever
since opening that chest, Wu Zhu had been visiting the Fan manor more
often, as if he was concerned for Fan Xian’s safety. Fan Xian spoke as
he thought: “If it’s to leave behind no trace, then use the gun for
everything.”
Wu Zhu tilted his body, showing that he understood.
Fan Xian continued, “For the past few days, the ones trying to press
down on Danbo Bookstore were those from Xishan Papermill and
Wansong Hall from the palace treasury. With that established, we are
going to take the paper, and use Wansong Hall’s ink. Only… Can
anybody recognize your handwriting?”
Wu Zhu said coldly, “Don’t worry about it.”
Fan Xian knew his almost uselessly absurd plan was bound to work. He
grinned. “Make pamphlets. There’s no need to make them too big.” He
gestured the size with his hands. “It’s more important to make sure
there’s a lot of them. Spread them everywhere, especially in the imperial
college and other academies. The students are all hot-blooded young
men; they’re very easily manipulated. As for the scholars of Wenyuan
Institute, they like to flaunt their characters. I think they’ll get angry after
seeing the pamphlets.”
Wu Zhu asked coldly, “And the contents of these pamphlets?”
Fan Xian raised his eyebrows and sighed to himself, “I’m like an
undercover Communist Party member.”
He started to describe the contents in great detail, paying much attention

on how to make the pamphlets persuasive. They had to contain both
truths and lies, such as how Eldest Princess spoke to Zhuang Mohan,
how much Yan Bingyun suffered undercover in Northern Qi, only to be
abandoned by the palace, how Eldest Princess was harming the nation
for her own benefits, exactly what benefits she gained, how many fake
eunuchs were in the palace, how many old lovers were outside the
palace…
Wu Zhu analyzed everything calmly. “No one would believe the princess
is sacrificing so much just for some monetary gain.”
Fan Xian raised his eyebrows again, “Not many people in this world are
as smart as you. As long as the commoners believe it, all is well. As for
the emperor, this counts as a reminder.”
Wu Zhu said coldly, “The emperor doesn’t need your reminder.”
Chapter 144: Leaflets Like Snow

Fan Xian smiled. If the eldest princess, who was living in the palace, was
in contact with Northern Qi, and the countless informants under the
Emperor’s hand were unaware, it was absolutely inexcusable. “I don’t
understand why he still allows the eldest princess to live in the palace
rather than sending her to another fiefdom.”
“The eldest princess is the Empress Dowager’s most beloved daughter.

She is his sister, and he does not need to fear anything.”
“How do you suppose the Emperor will react to this?” Fan Xian had great
trust in Wu Zhu’s powers of analysis.
“The Overwatch Council would be immediately dispatched, eliminating

the influence that you have singlehandedly built up, greatly rewarding
the eldest princess in order to prove the unity of the royal family. After
matters have quieted, they would find an opportune moment to allow the
eldest princess to return to the fiefdom of Xinyang.” Wu Zhu spoke
coldly. “When rewarding the eldest princess, they should be able to
conveniently reward the Princess Chen, simultaneously raising your
status.”
Fan Xian laughed bitterly, knowing the facts of his response, but
listening to them as if they were a corny joke.
“Why does the Emperor not use this simple method to force the eldest
princess out of the palace? As you say, he already knew that the eldest
princess was colluding with Northern Qi.”
“First, this method is very unusual. Second, he doesn’t need to force his
sister to leave the palace. He prefers to let those in hiding reveal
themselves, and then destroy the network. He is very accustomed to
such an approach.”
Fan Xian could tell that Wu Zhu sincerely believed in the power of the
Emperor. His frown grew deeper. Although the Emperor’s family were
heartless scoundrels, when comparing the two, it was clear that the
Emperor, who he had met twice, was kinder than the eldest princess, so
Fan Xian had unthinkingly begun to worry about the treason that could
occur after some years’ time.
“So what we are doing is tantamount to pacifying the situation in the
palace? The eldest princess will likely still have companions in the
palace.”
“I will check,” said Wu Zhu coldly.
Fan Xian thought for a moment, deciding on a plan of action. He laughed

bitterly. “I have to think of a way to get the eldest princess far away from
the royal court for a time. Otherwise His Majesty will have no way to
smash the network of his enemies. I’ll become a ghost among the
enemy’s ranks. His Majesty is courageous to wait, and is strong in
waiting for the enemy to make the first move; we can’t.”
If a power willing to collaborate with a foreign country plunged into

madness to deal with Fan Xian, Fan Xian could only flee behind Wu Zhu.
Although Fan Xian had wished to travel the world, this wasn’t how he
had wanted to do it.
“I will go.”
“Go.” Fan Xian waved his right arm, feeling as if he had the imposing
manner of a youthful student leader.
He had watched a number of movies about the war against Japan in his
previous life. He felt that in the darkness at that moment, the Kingdom of
Qing felt much like the city of Beijing, then called Beiping, when it was
occupied by the Japanese army. He and Wu Zhu were those students
who had dared to resist the invaders, carefully distributing leaflets at
night, calling on the people of the Kingdom of Qing to rise up against
their shameless oppressors.
He smiled as he lay back down on the bed. The box was stashed
beneath the bed, and he was not worried in the slightest. After Wu Zhu
had lost his memories, he had been the only one in the world who could
open the box.
After he had fallen asleep, he had a wonderful dream where snow fell on
the capital in early autumn. The eldest princess shyly stepped into a
carriage, resentfully turning her head to look at the imperial palace, then
leaving her world behind.
In September in the capital, a great snow truly did fall. Heaven and earth
were elegantly covered like a field of flowers across every part of the
city, particularly near the Imperial College and the Pavilion of the
Imperial Library, which were covered. As dawn gently broke, scholars
and commoners alike picked up the strange papers, and were greatly
shocked when reading them.
This was the first time that a war of pamphlets had arisen in the land of
the Kingdom of Qing.
However, Fan Xian had overestimated the passion of the people of Qing,
and understimated the control of the Overatch Council and the six
ministries. Within four hours, the leaflets that had covered the entire
capital found their way to the square office on Tianhe Avenue.
No one dared hold onto a leaflet for themselves. Although the

commoners rarely had any contact with the Overwatch Council, they
were all terrified of its vicious reputation, and no one wanted to gamble
their lives or those of their families.
The Imperial College reacted with lightning speed, asking for a decree to
be made the same day, and beginning the autumn term exams ahead of
schedule.
All kinds of measures were taken in the space of half a day, one after
another, until the situation was finally under control. But rumor does not
need wings to fly, nor air to breathe. Throughout the streets and
alleyways of the capital, when people saw each other, the glances they
gave no longer suggested the usual greeting of “Have you eaten,” and
instead asked, “Have you seen it?”
The eldest princess’s reputation within the capital had never been great.
After all, she was in her thirties and never married, which was quite
unusual.
So although the common people did not necessarily completely believe
the accusations in the leaflet that she had collaborated with a foreign
power, they still believed that they were not entirely without cause. The
logic of the old women in the streets was even simpler: an unmarried
woman of her age was not to be trusted.
The first time that the palace confronted this situation, they were
inevitably nervous. Although the Overwatch Council took capable
measures, the palace was still anxious and uneasy. Palace maids and
eunuchs trodded lightly. They heard that the Emperor had flown into a
rage in his study and that the Empress Dowager had gone into Guangxin
Palace, where the eldest princess had cried for a long time after being
slapped in the face.
In the rooms of the Overwatch Council, there was a deep and awkward
silence. The heads of the eight bureaus all looked at their leader, Chen
Pingping, as he sat in his wheelchair, pulling at his beard, looking at the
leaflet, and chuckling strangely.
Master Chen could laugh, but his subordinates did not dare to. Everyone
knew what was written upon the leaflet.
“Tell me, what truth is there to what is on this paper?” Chen Pingping
finally suppressed the happiness in his heart and looked at his
subordinates.
The head of the eighth bureau naturally bore the brunt of it. All the
literary products in the capital were a responsibility of his and of the
relevant officials in the Ministry of Education. The events that had
transpired in the capital that day had frightened him, and so he was
unable to respond to the Director’s question. “The paper came from the
Xishan paper store, which is the responsibility of the royal purse,” he
reported hurriedly. “The ink is from Wansong Hall; that family has no
powerful backers.”
Chen Pingping looked at him and frowned. “I asked whether there was
any truth to it,” he reprimanded, “not who wrote it.”
The head of the eighth bureau wiped the sweat from his brow. “Slander
of the princess, lies about national affairs, and inciting quarrels,” he
replied carefully. “Of course there is no truth to it.”
Chen Pingping smiled, but his smile was cold. The window was still
covered by a length of black cloth, so the area where his wheelchair was
appeared somewhat chilly. “Is it all false?”
The leaflet spoke of secret agreements between the eldest princess and
Northern Qi, and how she had given the Qing spymaster Yan Bingyun to
Northern Qi on a silver platter. Yan Ruohai, head of the fourth bureau,
frowned. “The matter with Yan Bingyun was definitely a result of a leak
from someone inside the court, and that someone was of high-rank. But
if it were the eldest princess, I can’t understand what benefit she would
get out of it.”
“This leaflet says that over the past few nights, Zhuang Mohan has
secretly met with the eldest princess in Guangxin Palace,” said Chen
Pingping, feigning disinterest.
Yan Ruohai shook his head. “Master Zhuang was invited to stay at the
palace by the Empress Dowager; we cannot take this as proof.”
Chen Pingping looked at him with admiration. “Bingyun has been taken
prisoner in the north, but you still continue to analyze matters
dispassionately. Commendable.” He suddenly lowered his voice. “But…
we should not neglect our suspicions. Do not forget that we are loyal to
His Majesty and to the royal family, but we did not vow loyalty to any
single other person within the royal household.”
He looked calmly at the person sitting at the back. That person was the
head of the first bureau of the Overwatch Council, Zhu Ge. He was
especially responsible for monitoring officials within the palace, and was
the bureau head with the greatest power within the Overwatch Council.
Zhu Ge nodded and frowned. “People who are aware of the matter
involving Yan Bingyun include both myself and Section Chief Yan. There
are five people total. If the eldest princess is connected to this matter,
then how did she get hold of the information?”
Chen Pingping was still looking at him calmly. The other seven officials
in the room began to feel a strange atmosphere building up around
them.
After a long moment of silence, Zhu Ge was still calm. He occasionally

frowned, seemingly pondering whether the leaflet was true, and if so,
where the eldest princess had gotten hold of the information. But the
eight section chiefs sitting next to him could clearly see the sweat
pouring down his temples.
Chen Pingping continued to gaze calmly at him.
Zhu Ge frowned, then suddenly spoke. “Sir, why do you suspect me?”
Waiting for him to open his mouth, Chen Pingping slowly closed his eyes
and spoke quietly. “Because you’re stupid.”
“Why not Yan Ruohai? There’s no shortage of people selling out their
children in exchange for glory.” From the moment that Zhu Ge had
learned of Yan Bingyun’s capture, he knew something was going to
happen to him. He laughed bitterly and looked at Yan Ruohai.
“You are a section chief, and Fei Jie is old. If I were to step down, then
you would be the one in charge of this organization.” Chen Pingping
closed his eyes and spoke calmly. “Unfortunately, you knew that I had
other arrangements, so you were unhappy. The other side would allow
you to one day take control of the Overwatch Council… His Majesty has
been interested in this matter for some time, but I never thought that the
snowflakes of paper that fell this morning would bring everything out into
the open much earlier than planned.”Chen Pingping spoke gently. “So
we must deal with it earlier than planned.”
“Thank you for your assistance, sir.” Zhu Ge knew that if His Majesty
dealt with the matter personally, he would be greeted with a tragic result.
He cleared his throat and took a deep and difficult breath.
Chapter 145: Doing the Math

Chen Pingping looked at him without even a trace of pity. “You have
followed me for 20 years. Before you die, I shall give you the chance to
say your last words.”
The head of the First Bureau’s face went pale before returning to a
tranquil smile. He looked at the master who had promoted him from a
common functionary to the third-highest man in the Council, and spoke
with sincerity. “Don’t believe women. They’re all mad. They’re not suited
to politics.”
Having said this, he patted the top of his head. With a clunk, his body
immediately crumpled, and he slumped over on the wooden desk, no
longer breathing.
His words were sincere. Even if the eldest princess and Zhuang Mohan’s
nightly conversations had not been deliberately listened in on by Fan
Xian, one could tell from Chen Pingping’s expression that the eldest
princess had been the under the Council’s observation. From the
moment that the eldest princess had made the insane decision to sell
out Yan Bingyun, Zhu Ge’s days as head of the First Bureau were
numbered.
His corpse was dragged away. Of course, there would be a follow-up

operation in accordance with relevant regulations. Chen Pingping looked
at the paper before him and shook his head. “Continuing the analysis,
who would be mad enough to bring everything out into the open like
this?”
He was capable of being impervious to desires and passions, but when

the seven other bureau heads saw the man they had worked with for
decades come to such a tragic end, they could not help but feel
somewhat emotional. A moment later, they recovered and responded.
“The diplomatic mission from Dongyi finally left the day before
yesterday,” said one of them. “I see today’s incident as being connected
to the City of Dongyi in some way.”
“Very good. The investigation at the palace found that the assassins who
entered the palace on the night His Majesty entertained emissaries from
both countries at a banquet were definitely connected to Dongyi in some
way.”
“And on that night, an assassin was discovered in Guangxin Palace.

They killed one of the eldest princess’s maids. I reckon that at that time,
they also overheard the conversation between the eldest princess and
Zhuang Mohan.”
“The reason Dongyi is spreading rumors, is because, first of all, they

hope to provoke chaos within the royal court. After all, there hasn’t been
an effective agreement between the two countries as there was with
Northern Qi, so Dongyi fears that the palace will dispatch troops.”
“And once this matter is uncovered, His Majesty will be shocked, and
might tear up the agreement with Northern Qi, reigniting war between
the two nations. Dongyi has always fallen between the cracks, and
presumably would be happy to see such a situation.”
“Whether you look at it in terms of motive or as a final result, Dongyi is

the most likely perpetrator, and the one who would stand to gain most
from this matter.”
“The only problem is, the paper was only taken from the Xishan paper
store last night. If Dongyi can write this many copies in one night–and we
are monitoring most of their people hidden within the capital–we need to
know about those who are not under our control. There shouldn’t be too
many of them.” Yan Ruohai continued his analysis. “To do all of this in
one night would require at least 40 trained men.”
Hearing his subordinates’ meticulous analysis, Chen Pingping smiled.

He said nothing. The room went quiet.
After a while, a voice suddenly spoke. “So what about the prisoner swap
agreement?”
“Continue with it,” said Chen Pingping calmly.

“Master, you lost both your legs to capture Xiao En. Returning him purely
as a result of the eldest princess’s betrayal is a decision that we, as your
subordinates, are uncomfortable following.
“Uncomfortable? How would you suggest we recover Yan Bingyun?”

Chen Pingping laughed grimly. “Someone must be exchanged. We can
deliver Xiao En into the hands of Northern Qi alive, but we can only allow
him to see the sky above Shangjing, the capital of Northern Qi.”
The bureau chiefs knew that the Director had already made his decision.
They nodded humbly. They didn’t want to give Xiao En to Northern Qi,
no matter what. The old man was the former spymaster of Northern Wei.
Who knew how many Qing spies he had killed. And even today, his
scheming mind could pose a great threat to the Kingdom of Qing. If the
person captured by Northern Qi had not been the son of Yan Ruohai of
the Fourth Bureau, these unfeeling spymasters of Qing would
undoubtedly have followed their Director’s order and urged the Emperor
to sacrifice the unfortunate captive’s life for the sake of the nation.
Yan Ruohai also knew this, and so he was deeply grateful to the
Director. Suddenly, he spoke. “What of the eldest princess?”
“We are loyal to His Majesty, and His Majesty has not said anything; we
won’t act on what we don’t know. Chen Pingping had made his final
judgment.
“Shall we capture the emissaries from Northern Qi and bring them

back?”
“What would bringing them back do? Concede that the royal court has
lost face? I’ll leave this matter in the hands of the Eighth Bureau. Say
some remaining elements of the former nation of Yue to the south who
are still unwilling to concede defeat are spreading rumors within the
capital and have already been captured entirely. We will take a couple of
prisoners to the market and execute them. Before we do, make sure the
common people of the city are there to witness the spectacle.” Chen
Pingping spoke coldly.
The gathered chiefs departed, following their orders to counteract the
rumors and arrest people. Only Yan Ruohai was left behind. He looked
at the Director and spoke calmly. “There is no poison in the world that
would allow Xiao En to survive the journey only to die before the lords of
Northern Qi.”
“What is your point?” asked Chen Pingping.
Yan Ruohai frowned. “I know my son. He would not agree with His
Majesty’s methods. I think he would happily trade his life for Xiao En.”
Chen Pingping looked at him coldly. “You should avoid arousing

suspicion in this matter. Do not get involved, and do not discuss it. As for
how it is done, that is my business. You are correct, there is no poison
that could miraculously bring about such a situation. Even if Master Fei
were here in the capital, he could not achieve it. But Xiao En must die,
and Yan Bingyun must return.”
He smiled. “Do not forget, it was I who sent your son to the north four
and a half years ago.”
Yan Ruohai was about to say something, but Chen Pingping stopped
him with a wave of his hand. “I was going to wait for Bingyun’s return
before I promoted you to Zhu Ge’s place. Zhu Ge could have lived a few
days longer, but with these leaflets flying all over the capital, and the city
in uproar, I want to make it clear to you.”
Chen Pingping sighed. “Something that was hidden in the shadows has
suddenly become known by everyone in the capital. Such a
preposterous yet effective method will probably also force His Majesty to
make things clear to the officials who are aware of this matter.”
Chen Pingping cleared his throat. “You should know, there is now a
commissioner within the council, and as I told you once before, I am
preparing to send him to Northern Qi.”
Yan Ruohai frowned. “It is very dangerous.” He understood that the
Director wanted to give this commissioner the task of killing Xiao En.
“One cannot make a sword without striking the iron.” Chen Pingping’s
eyes seemed somewhat tired. “If he is successful, I hope that one day,
you can help him run the Council properly.”
Yan Ruohai finally understood. He was secretly rather surprised, but he

did not dare say anything. Crouched in front of Chen Pingping’s
wheelchair, he nodded sincerely.
“So who did it?” Chen Pingping pushed his wheelchair to the window, his
sallow fingers lifting up a corner of the black cloth, furtively peeking his
head out to look, like a child. The days of uninterrupted autumn rain had
already finished the day before yesterday, and it was a bright, sunny day
outside. There was a golden glint on the imperial palace in the distance.
He leant on one side of his wheelchair, using the light that peeked
through the black cloth to look at the paper in his hand. He could not
help but shake his head. “Regardless of whether or not she collaborated
with Northern Qi, was there really any need to say that she kept three
thousand gigolos inside the palace for promiscuity?” This issue
regarding the reputation of the royal family was rather inconvenient to
bring up in their previous discussions. Chen Pingping looked at the
lettering on the leaflet, as straight and neat as matchsticks, and laughed.
“It really is causing trouble. Shameful… but, the penmanship really does
look like it was written by that idiot from the city of Dongyi.”
“Dongyi, Dongyi… is it really you?” As he muttered to himself, a smile

floated across his face. “Sigu Sword was an idiot, but he wasn’t mad. In
dealing with that madwoman the eldest princess, this method could
actually be quite effective. If you smash porcelain to pieces, no one can
tell the pieces apart. But if you break His Majesty’s rules, His Majesty
may not be happy.
Whether it was the calculating Chen Pingping, or the secretive and

crazed eldest princess, neither could have imagined that such a great
matter was caused by the work of just two people, a master and his
servant.
Fan Xian watched the aftermath of the affair calmly, even was even
detached. His dictation of erotic literature was seemingly something that
this nation could not bear. No matter how the Emperor genuinely felt
deep down, he did not care what damage he might have done to the
eldest princess’s true power. But what he had wanted to happen had
finally come to pass.
The eldest princess had left the palace in absolute silence, returning to
her fiefdom of Xinyang. As for the conflicts and struggles that this affair
had brought about within the palace, Fan Xian was unconcerned.
Just as Wu Zhu had calculated, His Majesty had bestowed titles without
restraint. At the same time, Fan Xian had benefited. Although on the
surface it had nothing to do with him, it seemed that His Majesty was
praising him for his services to the ruling dynasty.
By imperial decree, Fan Xian immediately changed from an eighth level

academic to a fifth-level administrator of the Imperial College.
In the reception pavilion, Fan Xian held the imperial decree in his hands,
racking his brains. “What does an academic of the Imperial College do?”
he asked his father.
“Teaches the students of the Imperial College.” Count Sinan also felt that
this decree was excessively unfathomable. He shook his head. “You
don’t have an official certificate of examination; how can you be an
academic of the Imperial College?”
“Does that mean I don’t have to take the imperial examinations next
year?”
“That’s right.” Count Sinan seemed unhappy. He spoke

unenthusiastically. “Not taking the imperial examinations is not the right
way. Right now, it may seem extremely convenient, but in the future, it
will be a hindrance to your official career.” But he thought it over. Did the
demand not mean peace for the whole of Fan Manor that this handsome
young man could comfortably live out his days?
That was his thinking. Otherwise he would not have named the child
“Xian”, meaning “leisure”, or his courtesy name “Anzhi”, which meant
“peaceful”.
Once he heard that he would not have to sit the imperial exams, Fan
Xian was overjoyed, and with a huge grin on his face he returned to the
study. Fan Sizhe was already waiting there, grinding an inkstick while he
looked at him.
“What are you doing?”
“Making an inscription.”
“For what?”
“The Banxianzhai Poetry Anthology.”
Chapter 146: Poetry Anthologies and Speeches

“What’s a Banxianzhai?”
“That’s what this study is. Father said that he’ll leave this study to you;
you can discuss if after you’re married. I already got Qiye the
shopkeeper to go to Laohengju and order a stone tablet for the
inscription. The name is going to be Banxianzhai.”
Fan Xian felt something wasn’t right. “So what’s the Banxianzhai Poetry
Anthology?” he felt compelled to ask.
“Huh? It’s the poems you recited in the palace hall the other day. It’s
already been compiled into a collection by the Imperial College. His
Majesty is making preparations for it to be printed under the name of the
Imperial Library. I was the one who asked father to get it done.”
After the Xishan Paper Store had been robbed, the imperial merchants
had been removed from their posts and investigated. They were still yet
to return to their former power, and furthermore, the inner treasury had
been warned by the palace not to target the Danbo Bookstore again.
Danbo Bookstore was slowly regaining its momentum. Naturally, wanting
to prepare for its great expansion, Qiye the shopkeeper and Sizhe had
fixed their sights on this poetry anthology mandated by the Emperor.
Part of the money was taken by the palace, and the palace gave
permission for private individuals to sell it after it was printed; this was
the source of the money.
Who were the poems written by? Fan Xian. Who was Fan Xian? The
behind-the-scenes proprietor of the Danbo Bookstore. This
moneymaking business, whether it was Qiye the shopkeeper of Qingyu
Hall, or Fan Sizhe standing behind the shopkeeper with an evil laugh,
could not be allowed to benefit the royal court. Fan Sizhe had been
thoroughly annoyed by his brother’s unwillingness to come up with the
next ten chapters of Story of the Stone. Now that he had come up with
this poetry anthology, he was willing to let that slide.
Fan Xian wrote his signature below the words “Banxianzhai Poetry
Anthology” on the paper, laughing bitterly to himself. That evening, in
order to provide cover for his whereabouts later that night, he had
feigned drunkenness in the hall. As a result, he had fallen into a wild
state, not holding his tongue for a moment. Within these poems were
countless unexplained references to the classics; if he wanted to explain
these references, he would have to write countless history books and
stories.
Could you write the Four Classic Novels? A New Account of the Tales of
the World? The Analects of Confucius? The Book of Songs? Don’t think
that that’s too quaint. Could you compose A Mirror for the Wise Ruler out
of thin air? Or Sima Qian’s Records of the Grand Historian? Nobody
would have the faintest idea of how to write them all.
Thinking of such a volume of work made Fan Xian quiver with fear. If it
really were to extend that far, perhaps Danbo Bookstore would really
become a disseminator of all of the culture of his previous world, as had
been his dream in Danzhou long ago. “The Imperial Library’s
proofreading won’t do,” he said. “You must get it back. I need to re-edit it
all. I was so drunk that day. Who knows what nonsense I might have
been talking.”
He laid down his plan. If he could deceive them, then he would, but it
really wouldn’t do. He could reluctantly make a loss, using drunkenness
as an excuse to totally delete it all. Anyway, people often suffered from
amnesia after a night of heavy drinking.
“This is out of print.” Fan Sizhe shook his head. “As I see it, wait five
years. You say you won’t write any more poems. If you come out of
retirement in the poetry world, I reckon it’ll make quite a bit of money.”
Fan Xian laughed and shook his head. His gaze suddenly fell on a sheet
of pink paper from the bookstore. “What is that?” He asked curiously.
“A list of gifts,” replied Fan Sizhe.
Fan Xian was slightly surprised, and finally thought of his own upcoming
wedding. But so much had happened recently, not to mention the fact
that his frame of mind had changed slightly from what it was that first
time at the Temple of Qing. He could no longer get along with her
mother. The current Emperor still could still keep a handle on things.
Once the Emperor no longer wanted to control keep things under
control, the eldest princess would definitely kill him.
Or he would definitely kill her.
He had been looking forward to his marriage for a long time, but Fan
Xian could not feel a little restless and aggrieved.
Over the next few days, the Danbo Bookstore brought out the
Banxianzhai Poetry Anthology. This time, Danbo Bookstore had the
printing rights, and Fan Xian had personally made bold and sweeping
changes to the text. He felt somewhat more at ease. To his surprise, the
bookstore held a ceremony, using Fan Xian’s name to invite people such
as Crown Prince Jing and Xin Qiwu of Honglu Temple.
Fan Xian was rather shocked, and was only willing to allow his talented
sister Fan Ruoruo to show her face in public and act as his
spokesperson. As the bustling sale began, he used the excuse that he
wanted to maintain an air of poetic mystery, and hid in the pavilion at the
palace to flirt with Lin Wan’er.
An eighth-level functionary had composed one-hundred poems on the
spot, shocking the master Zhuang Mohan so badly that he had spat
blood and fled: this story had already spread throughout the Kingdom of
Qing. Although some of the poems had already spread among the
masses, this self-edited version of the poetry anthology was naturally an
uncommon thing. Sure enough, as the poetry anthology spread outside
of the capital, Fan Xian’s reputation grew and grew.
By the pavilion, autumn winds blew in the night. Fan Xian looked kindly
at his fiancée and smiled. “The method you mentioned wouldn’t be of
any use.”
Lin Wan’er looked miserable, and pouted her lips adorably. “I haven’t
been outside for days.”
In truth, the young woman also knew of the business that had gone on in
the capital over the past few days. Although she had grown up inside the
palace, the concubines all had her in the palm of their hands. A part of it
was due to her own sickness and gentleness, and she could not harm
them. Another was because His Majesty seemed to love her so dearly.
Naturally, she had not read the “essay” on the eldest princess, but she
had gradually heard some of the rumors. After, but before the eldest
princess had left the capital for Xinyang, she had come to the pavilion,
and mother and daughter had sat facing each other, somewhat like
strangers; it was then that the eldest princess got in her carriage and left
the capital.
Although Lin Wan’er didn’t know how Fan Xian was connected her
mother’s departure, being the sensitive person she was, she still felt that
Fan Xian’s mood was not as relaxed and carefree as it had been in the
past, so she suggested that they find a day to go out again and
appreciate the autumn scenery. The red leaves of Xishan, the mountains
to the west of the capital, were well known.
But hearing the word ‘Xishan’ reminded Fan Xian of the paper workshop
than had monopolized all the paper in the capital. He thought of the
eldest princess seemingly observing him from the behind the paper
workshop with seeming malice and timidity
Fan Xian knew that the eldest princess’s departure from the capital was
a result of the Emperor’s power. His own “speech paper” had only given
the Emperor a reason to convince himself and the Empress Dowager,
nothing more.
To explain things, all levels of Qing society had named the leaflets that
covered the capital like snow that day “speech-papers” at that time,
because they thought it was a method that the common people used to
get their grievances addressed after they exhausted all other options.
Over those days, there was a sudden vogue for such “speech-papers”,
which had worried the Overwatch Council. Once someone had been
arrested, they discovered that it had originally been a forced laborer at a
copper mine, who had come to Taiyuan Road to present a grievance to
the Emperor, but had been unable to enter the palace, and so had learnt
to do it this way.
The Overwatch Council followed the thread, and finally discovered that
the ones supplying these struggling types with paper had been the
Xishan Paper Workshop!
But the people helping the laborers to write their complaints could not be
found out. They could only track down the flexible and sleek handwriting
to a fortune teller who had been outside the Temple of Qing. But when
the Overwatch Council came to search the Temple of Qing, they
discovered that there were no fortune tellers there – save for the temple
attendants who had never left the temple once in all their lives.
The business with the copper mine was naturally given to a bureau to
sort out, and they quickly discovered a group of officials from Taiyuan
Road and arrested them as they made their way back to the capital. A
month later, they were beheaded. The royal court could not bear this
movement of speech-paper-writing, and reinforced the supervision of
paper. But Director Chen of the Overwatch Council had not punished the
copper mine laborers, and in the eyes of the bureaucracy, he seemed to
have gone soft.
He came to his senses, looking at the worried Wan’er, came up to her,
smiling, and softly caressed her smooth chin. “What are you thinking
about?” he asked gently. “The eldest princess has returned to Xinyang.
When we have the chance after we’re married, naturally, we should visit
her.”
This, naturally, was a lie; Fan Xian hoped that he never had to go to
Xinyang in his life, and hoped that the eldest princess would die there.
Of course, he also knew that he had not truly dealt a shocking blow to
the power of the eldest princess and her mysterious partner. The
Emperor enjoyed playing cat and mouse – with his enemies; the eldest
princess would return one day.
Lin Wan’er smiled reluctantly. “We’ll see. Yesterday I entered the palace.
You know that with the recent events in the capital, the concubines are
still well, but the Empress Dowager does not seem comfortable. His
Majesty has also not been as friendly to me as he was before.”
Fan Xian sighed. The Emperor was worried about who the prince that
her mother had been colluding with was. How could he have been as he
was in the past?
The two exchanged some more idle chat before they suddenly heard
what sounded like a lady-in-waiting making her way up the stairs. In a
conditioned reflex, Fan Xian leapt up and climbed out onto the edge of
the window, preparing to jump off. Lin Wan’er giggled. “That’s still a habit
of yours?”
Fan Xian smiled, somewhat embarrassed. Looking at Wan’er’s pale

face, he could feel his heart soften. He went up to her and hugged her
tight. “Don’t tire yourself out before the wedding,” he said quietly. “And
when it comes to your illness, don’t be afraid. Leave it all to me. I’ll be
here for you.”
The green branches outside the window had kept their lively colors in the
stubborn autumn winds, trying to prove that despite their bleak
surroundings, that they were still beautiful.
At a bend in the staircase, the servant girl Siqi watched the mistress and
her young man, and couldn’t help but stick her tongue out. She knew
that the young man of the Fan family was a gifted scholar, but he was
still shameless.
The wedding was at hand, and all of Fan Manor was in motion. The
eldest princess was not in the capital, so the work of making
arrangements was down to Concubine Shu in secret. Apart from feeling
a sense of glory, all of Fan Manor felt cautious. There was a fear that
some detail had been missed somewhere, that rules had not been
meticulously abided by.
But rules are difficult things. Lin Wan’er’s status as a princess was only
in effect inside the palace. Outside the world of the palace, her status
was that of Prime Minister Lin’s illegitimate child, only forced to be
acknowledged by him at the start of the year. So it could not be
ascertained whether this marriage ultimately still used the ceremonial
protocols reserved for princesses, or normal marriage standards for the
children of cabinet minister.
Lady Liu entered the palace again, finally receiving clear instructions
from the Empress Dowager. Although the Empress Dowager did not like
the Lin family’s participation in her precious little granddaughter’s
marriage, she had to agree to it. At the same time, she also announced
that the wedding would not be performed in accordance with protocols
for the marriage of a princess.
Although those old ladies with inside knowledge within the upper
echelons of the Fan clan were slightly disappointed, when they thought
of the marriage to the family of the Prime Minister, they felt it was a thing
of great renown, so they eagerly prepared for it.
But no one imagined that the sight of Fan Xian’s marriage to Lin Wan’er
would be thought far more deserving of remembrance than the marriage
of a princess and the Emperor’s son-in-law for many years to come.
Chapter 147: The Grand Wedding (I)

Autumn in the capital was different from anywhere else. Young girls
gathered the red leaves found on the mountains to the west and sold
them in the streets like flowers. The white grasses of the great lake to
the east were gathered and woven into bundles—they were given to rich
families to ward off evil. Slightly chilly autumn winds weaved through the
capital streets, blowing through the forests, brushing past the smooth
cheeks of traveling ladies, dispersing the steam rising from food stalls,
as if trying to blow away a whole year’s worth of bad luck and shady
occurrences.
Among the streets of the capital, Tianhe Avenue was the cleanest and
the most peaceful and beautiful. Various government buildings lined both
sides. Today was the first day of the month, so the various officials got a
rarely earned break of ten days. But they dared to not relax completely.
Today was the day Fan Xian—the eldest son of Fan manor—got
married. No matter the rank or post, all the officials were going.
This great wedding was a major sensation in the capital. The Fan clan
was famous enough already. Due to Count Sinan’s relationship with the
royal family, in recent years they experienced a long period of prosperity,
and the current functionary was sick in bed. In about a couple years’
time, Fan Xian would take that position.
As for the groom Fan Xian, he had only recently become an even more
sensational character. Not mentioning the Niulan Street incident half a
year ago, it was only last month that he went into a drunken poetic
frenzy in the palace. That incident made him the topic of every single
household. Ever since that day, Fan Xian hid himself in his home,
making the people wonder exactly what the newly appointed scholar
looked like.
The bride was equally impressive. While she was only adopted into the
Lin family at the beginning of the year, she was still the daughter of the
prime minister. As the head of all civil officials who governed the nation,
his daughter being married was a major event. Despite certain events in
the imperial court that made the prime minister’s position less than
stable, there was no political danger with this wedding, and so various
officials were happy to attend.
Both the bride and groom were illegitimate children, but everyone in the
capital seemed to have forgotten about it now.
As for the high-ranking officials who knew this couple’s real

backgrounds, they secretly raised the standards for the wedding gifts.
They took their seats early in Fan manor, curious as to what sort of
developments would there be today.
Five old nannies were dressing Fan Xian up as if he were a wooden

dummy, making him vow that if he had to go through this torture again in
the future, he would turn down all weddings, or even swear to never get
married again. Rather than being chained down by weddings, he’s rather
settle for hook-ups.
Normally, according to Qing traditions, weddings were held at dusk. But

Fan Xian got dragged out of bed before the sun even came out. Bathing
and brushing his teeth were simple matters, but immediately afterwards,
one of the nannies began to dissolve some rouge in warm water. Greatly
frightened, Fan Xian asked the nannie what she was doing. Only now
did he realize that, as the groom, he needed to wear make-up!
Obviously, such things were more than what Fan Xian could endure, so
he adamantly refused. Not even Fan Jian was able to persuade him after
over half an hour. Although he was victorious, Fan Xian did lose much
time, which was the reason why five nannies were helping him dress.
The clothing he had gotten used to long ago became unbearable today.
Under the straight red robe were three layers of garments. On the
outside, the robe was decorated by various jewelry, ribbons, and tassels;
it was so colorful it made the eyes water.
After putting on the headdress, Fan Xian tied up the jade tablet. His
silver shoes chaffed his feet, while his gold collar dug into his neck. Like
an idiot, he was pushed to the front hall by the nannies.
Both Fan Ruoruo and Fan Sizhe were also dressed festively, Ruoruo
especially so. Her pink top contrasted spiritedly against her calm face.
The siblings tried to hide their laughter when they saw their elder
brother. Fan Sizhe mocked, “Where did this flower dumpling come
from?”
Fan Xian took two steps forward angrily, however, all the decorations he
wore chimed out. Laughing at himself, he said, “Flower dumpling? I’m a
wind chime spewing out colors.”
For this living, walking wind chime, having to walk the streets was the
most painful thing to do. Fortunately, Fan Xian would be riding in a
sedan chair rather than on a horse. Otherwise, he’d dash back to
Danzhou out of shame. Finally, the wedding parade arrived at Fan
Manor. Lin Wan’er moved back to Lin household ten days ago. A
wedding parade outside the palace wouldn’t be appropriate for the entire
capital to see.
Sitting in the sedan chair, the sound of firecrackers made him blank out
slightly. As he smelled the smoke, the scent somehow reminded him of
something from far past. He shook his head and pulled himself back
together. He forced a very stiff smile and set off.
By rule, Fan Xian cannot enter the bride’s room, while the prime minister
cannot enter Fan manor. Among the ruckus of firecrackers and
instruments, the gates of Lin manor slowly opened. The one who came
out to greet them was Yuan Hongdao. A red flower adorned his hat,
giving him quite the look.
“Young Master Fan.” Yuan Hongdao greeted with a smile.
Fan Xian smiled uneasily, feeling a worrisome twinge in his stomach, but
he forced himself to keep a bright expression. He greeted back “Mister
Yuan.” The two had seen each other in the prime minister’s building.
Knowing who each other were, the two of them weren’t exactly
strangers.
Of the specialist veterans in the capital, about half of them were

accepted by Fan Xian. As soon as the front door to Lin manor was open,
those old ladies opened their mouths and began to spew out good
wishes. The sheer amount of words stunned Yuan Hongdao. Soon the
crowd gathered at the entrance.
Then, they witnessed a truly strong stopping power.
So, where did the other half go? Taken by Lin manor, of course. Soon
spit began to fly through the air as the chatter went on. While celebratory
on the surface, they were full of hidden disdain. They didn’t sound like
they were celebrating the marriage between the prime minister’s
daughter and Count Sinan’s son, instead they sounded like they were
putting up with a pair of rich commoners from the countryside.
Fan Xian couldn’t help but smile bitterly; he understood this was merely
a custom. Before marriage, the bride’s side must start a quarrel.
Supposedly, this would use up all the quarrel the newly-wed would face
in the future.
Fan Xian was forced to stood there listening. As time passed, he was
getting nauseous. Finally, he noticed the noise died down a bit.
Overjoyed, he opened his eyes and shouted, “Done?”
An awkward silence later, someone quietly told him, “Young Master Fan,
it’s still too early.”
Someone from Lin manor added with a chuckle, “Looks like the groom is
getting impatient. Well, can’t blame him, since our Lady…” He then
proceeded to throw out a ton of compliments regarding Lin Wan’er.
More time passed, Yuan Hongdao noticed Fan Xian was turning pale.
He lowered his voice and said, “Please endure it a bit longer. The capital
isn’t like Danzhou. There really are a lot more customs here.”
Fan Xian forced a happy expression, “I’m not impatient at all.” Inside, he
said to himself, “I waited thirty years already, this is nothing.” After a
short while, this evil ceremony finally ended. After some cheering, the
gates to Lin manor opened a second time. The daughter of Lin
Household finally walked out, led by two nannies.
Fan Xian’s eyes brightened. Lin’er was dressed in an all-red robe with
wide sleeves. Alongside her beauty was the atmosphere of peerless
festivity. However, the red veil covered the decorated headdress and her
unforgettable face.
The crowd gathered to spectate, starting an uproar before Fan Xian

could do anything. The crowd shouted for Fan Xian to lift the veil to let
them see if the bride was pretty.
Had they carried out such unruliness on a regular day, they’d be

fortunate to receive a crippling beatdown at the hands of Wan’er’s family;
they’d even be imprisoned for life by the Overwatch Council.
But today was a day of grand celebration, and all were to be joyful. So
neither households wished to disrupt this atmosphere. Fan Xian was still
displeased and gave those people a look. The subordinates understood
what Fan Xian meant. A few yelps came out of the crowd, it sounded like
the rowdiest ones in there got kicked.
After another series of ceremonies, Lin Wan’er, dressed in all red, got
onto the wedding sedan chair.
During the entire procedure, Fan Xian wasn’t able to talk to her once, or
make eye contact, or even get a fingertip on her.
Back at Fan manor, all the guests were there. The music made
everything exceptionally lively.
The bride was invited to the room first, while the groom welcomed the
guests in the front hall. As he greeted acquaintances and strangers alike
with a smile, Fan Xian quietly asked someone next to him, “When do I
get to exchange vows?”
“It’s still too early for that, Young Master. You must first sit together, eat
together with the same utensils, and…”
Fan Xian didn’t hear the rest. Forcing down his urge to curse out, he
consoled himself to be patient. As he said earlier, he waited thirty years
already, why be impatient now?
Chapter 148: The Grand Wedding (II)

Whatever was said, Fan Xian couldn’t remember, but he did remember
drinking a lot. He also remembered being asked by the many officials
present to write a couple of poems to commemorate the event, some of
which held genuinely good intentions, while others were simply being
greedy. Regardless of how much he drank, Fan Xian adhered to his vow
of withdrawing from the world of poetry—he forced a smile and declined.
During the feast, the guests from Jing Palace finally arrived, and all of
the officials stood to greet them.
King Jing had always liked the brat Fan Xian. Seeing his flamboyant
outfit today, he said, “What kind of outfit is that?”
Fan Xian knew King Jing’s temperament. He smiled and said, “May I ask
how Your Highness dressed on the day of your wedding?”
Crown Prince Jing lowered his voice and said, “Probably worse than
you.”
King Jing cursed out, “When I married, you didn’t even exist. What the
hell do you know?”
Seeing King Jing and the crown prince quarreling, the other officials
dared not interfere. Instead, they all stood to the side trying to hide their
laughter. But the host, Count Sinan, couldn’t afford such leisure. He went
to council them. “Your Highness, that really was unnecessary.” Despite
being a count, the two households had had good relations for over ten
years, which was why he was able to converse so casually with King
Jing.
King Jing waved his hand and stopped minding everyone else as he
followed Fan Jian inside. Halfway there, he stopped and turned around.
He said to Fan Xian, seriously this time, “Not bad.”
Fan Xian was surprised and hurriedly thanked him for the compliment.
King Jing continued to speak with a frown, “I was originally planning to
wait two years or so and have Rou Jia married to you. Who would have
thought that older sister of mine would make the first move?” He seemed
to feel truly regretful as he shook his head and walked inside.
Who was this older sister? Of course, it was Fan Xian’s new mother-in-
law, the eldest princess. Fortunately, King Jing lowered his voice when
he said it, so no one else heard this. Fan Xian thought how scary it
would be if he married Rou Jia before changing the subject—his mother-
in-law looked so much younger than King Jing, which was very
intriguing.
As he became lost in thought, Li Hongcheng patted him on the shoulder,

“Between the two of us, my household is supposed to arrive earlier. But
you should know, with occasions like this, it’s not convenient for us to do
so.”
Fan Xian understood. Despite the two of them being on friendly terms, Li
Hongcheng was still King Jing’s crown prince. It would be against the
norms for him to come help out the son of a civil servant. As Fan Xian
smiled and was about to say something, Li Hongcheng continued in a
light voice, “Rou Jia couldn’t be here today. She asked me to let you
know.”
Fan Xian raised an eyebrow. Rou Jia was his and Ruoruo’s friend. Why
didn’t she come on his wedding day?
Seeing his expression, Li Hongcheng explained with an uneasy smile,

“My younger sister is currently wiping away her tears back at the manor.
What Lord Father said was true; if it wasn’t for your fiancée’s
background, he really would have asked the empress dowager to wed
Rou Jia to you.”
Fan Xian was shocked at first, but then he felt a bit bitter. He realized
that he really didn’t know what to say, so he decided to stay silent for the
moment.
The time had finally arrived for the couple to exchange vows to Heaven
and Earth. Fan Xian and Lin Wan’er each held onto one end of the red
silk sash, staring at each other affectionately. Delicately, they said their
vows. This made Fan Ruoruo cry and Fan Sizhe cringe.
When saluting the parents, Count Sinan Fan Jian sat while gently
stroking his beard. Lady Liu sat somewhat awkwardly in the seat of the
mother. The people watching were all wondering: since when did Lady
Liu establish herself as the head wife?
The spectators didn’t know it was the result of Fan Xian’s plans for the
past month. Fan Xian was not the type to love his enemies, but he was
also not the type to hold a grudge. He was still cautious of Lady Liu. But
seeing how she was truly loyal and dedicated to his father, establishing
her position as the head wife would stabilize her influence as well as
calm her down a bit.
Of course, should Lady Liu act against him in anyway, Fan Xian now
could protect himself and hurt the enemy. It’s just that Fan Xian didn’t
want that to happen; if he was correct, Lady Liu had suffered much in
her life, not to mention that Fan Sizhe was between them too. Up until
last night – until empress dowager herself gave permission – Count
Sinan had always been silent about changing Lady Liu’s place in the
household.
After having endured for ten years, Lady Liu was finally sitting as the
head wife of the household. Not used to the position, she touched the
hand rests of her seat. A bit unsettled, she received the tea that was
offered to her and took a noncommittal sip. She began to stare uneasily
at Fan Xian.
Fan Xian didn’t look back at her, however. He was offering tea to his
father with a smile.
With great difficulty, a faint smile appeared on the corner of Lady Liu’s
lips.
The outsiders who were watching couldn’t help but feel confused. After
all, they didn’t know what happened, so who could blame them? But
those from Lady Liu’s mother’s side couldn’t help but sigh over the
scene.
At this moment, some ruckus sounded outside the manor. Fan Xian rose
while Wan’er was helped up by a nanny. The family looked outside in
unison.
“An Imperial decree has arrived for the Fan clan.”
Eunuch Hou, who was familiar with the Fan household, came in with a
bright smile to deliver the Imperial decree. Despite today being a day of
celebration, both Fan Jian and Fan Xian guessed there had been some
arrangements in the palace, and thus weren’t surprised.
But the civil officials in the courtyard were. As Eunuch Hou announced
the decree, the officials found the award being bestowed to be atypical.
The amount of golden silk far surpassed what was normal; there were
also some tribute items. Regardless of how they looked at it, this was not
the gift to bestow upon a marriage between the children of civil servants.
Rather, it was more suited to be given to a ruler or a royal relative.
Even considering that this involved the prime minister and Count Sinan,
the royal family shouldn’t be giving this much attention.
As he listened to the Imperial decree, Fan Xian said quietly to his wife,
whose face was hidden under the red veil, “Hear that? That’s all thanks
to you.”
Under her veil, Lin Wan’er was greatly embarrassed.
…
After Eunuch Hou left, and as the various officials were just about to take
a breath of relief, another voice outside announced, “Fan and Lin, a
match made in Heaven, Imperial Consort Shu brings gifts.”
Surprised, Fan Xian and Wan’er saluted again. Imperial Consort Shu
had given them the original copies of that rare set of books. Lady Shu
was the mother of the second prince. As it turned out, she too had
connections with Fan manor. The officials were awed.
A short while after that, a voice rang out once again, “Fan and Lin, a
match made in Heaven, Ning the Talented also brings gifts.” While the
status of this talented woman wasn’t all that high, her only son was the
eldest prince. She always had a retinue of troops with her, as the
emperor valued her highly.
Ning’s gift was a sword, which suited her Dongyi background. The
newly-wed couple had no choice but to receive it with a salute. Fan Xian
said quietly to his wife, “See? Now it’s the Ladies’ turn to award us. This
sword must be for you. If something ever goes against your wishes, you
can use it to slay me.”
Again, Lin Wan’er became extremely embarrassed. In front of this

crowd, it was impossible for her to give her husband a smack.
Since both Imperial Consort Shu and Ning the Talented had given gifts,
the other Ladies were no exception, only the less prominent ones sent
their gifts together. Only Lady Ning was different, as she was part of Liu
family. Furthermore, last night, she received word that Lady Liu had
finally been promoted to head wife. She was overjoyed, so she decided
to go all out; the gift list alone was about two feet thick, to the shock of
the watching officials.
After the Ladies, it was time for the empress dowager’s gift. As the
mother figure to the nation, her gift was bound to be extraordinary: it was
a delicate and translucent jade ruyi scepter of indescribable value.
The wedding was an eye-opening event for those civil officials. Since
Qing’s founding day, they had never seen so many esteemed ones from
the palace be so involved in the marriage between the children of
officials.
It goes without saying that the high-ranking officials who knew Wan’er’s
background realized what was happening. Lin Wan’er was not only
Eldest Princess’s illegitimate daughter. Most importantly, she was
beloved by both the emperor and empress dowager. Growing up in the
palace, it was no wonder that her relationship with those esteemed ones
was so atypical.
Gradually everything began to calm down as the officials slowly learned

what was happening. As they became more collected, their views toward
the bride changed.
Finally, the biggest bombshell dropped. His Majesty’s own calligraphy

was carried into Fan Manor by a group of eunuchs, as though it were
some invaluable treasure. Everyone in the courtyard knelt.
“By this Heavenly edict, His Majesty hereby decrees: the unison
between Fan and Lin, a match made in Heaven, His Majesty has written
words of blessing.”
Carefully, Fan Jian and Fan Xian received it and displayed it to the
crowd. On the white paper were the words “May you share a hundred
years in happiness together”.
On the surface, the meaning was simple, but His Majesty had never
been known for interfering with the private affairs of his subjects. There
must be some complex, deeper meaning behind this. The crowd in the
courtyard started guessing. It looked like Fan Xian had stumbled upon
great fortune by marrying Lin Wan’er.
In a room deep in the palace, the emperor of Qing was looking at a

painting with a smile. The painting was a portrait of a woman in a yellow
shirt.
The emperor had given his dearest Wan’er to Fan Xian. His Majesty
thought the woman in the painting would like the girl too. So much had
happened in Fan manor today. The onlookers all believed it was due to
His Majesty pampering Wan’er. Even the Ladies didn’t stray too far from
that belief. But the truth was that His Majesty felt regretful that Fan Xian
could not get married as a prince.
Gazing at the woman in the painting, the emperor smiled. “You used to
enjoy such lively events. I hope he does too.”
Chapter 149: Gifts (Part 1)

Young women who had read a great number of romance novels would
be greatly enamored with such a wedding scene. Fan Xian was, to put it
simply, not a fan. He was of a strong enough will not to be moved by the
palace’s bestowals. What was more, he felt deep down, as did the
guests attending this ritual, that these rewards were naturally all being
bestowed upon “Princess Chen”, Lin Wan’er.
Fan Xian’s main concern was that his knees and lower back couldn’t
take all the kneeling required every time someone from the palace came
to present them with a gift. It made him think of Wu Zhu’s quarterstaff.
In a burst of joyous sounds of rituals and music, the marriage between

Fan and Lin families was finally complete. The bride and groom were
sent into their bridal chamber, and the guests began to leave. Strangely
that day, save for Prince Jing, all alone, no one drank to excess.
Count Sinan, Fan Jian, watched as the newly married couple were
escorted into their bridal chamber, and a gentle smile formed on his
face. The thing that he had worried about the most today had not
occurred. It seemed that the Crown Prince and the Second Prince also
knew that on the day of his son’s wedding, coming to attend the ritual
without careful consideration of status could cause alarm in the palace
and conflict with Fan Xian.
But the Crown Prince and the Second Prince had still sent people to
deliver heavy gifts.
Evening came, and the newlyweds, assisted by serving-girls, arrived at

their new home. The place was illuminated by red lanterns, with
auspicious symbols plastered everywhere, all in a festive brilliant red
color.
When he arrived, Fan Xian was finally able to relax. Some of the
serving-girls were his own, some hand been sent by the estate of Prince
Jing, and some were the older ones who had followed Lin Wan’er from
the palace, still somewhat fearful of this young master.
He entered the room, stretched out his entire body, and with a beaming
smile, asked the gathered servants to leave. The servants, gathered
outside the door, bowed to the newlywed couple. Wan’er quickly handed
her lady-in-waiting Si Qi a small sum of money in appreciation of the
work she had done in the wedding.
“Si Qi, you must be tired too. Please, go to bed,” said Fan Xian, smiling,
his brows forming a Y shape.
Si Qi looked somewhat awkwardly at her mistress, thinking about the

traditional exchange of cups of wine between bride and groom that was
yet to occur. At that moment, she caught sight of the hand on Lin
Wan’er’s knee, and waved imperceptibly, seemingly in a hurry to depart.
The servant girls hid their laughter and quickly left the bridal chamber,
closing the wooden door.
Only Fan Xian and Wan’er were left.
“Come out. You don’t want me to beat you.” To Lin Wan’er’s surprise,
Fan Xian spoke coldly. Sure enough, Fan Sizhe’s fat figure wriggled out
from underneath the bed and fled the room, his head lowered.
Fan Xian frowned. “I wouldn’t mind if the chamber pot by the bed had
choked him to death.”
Lin Wan’er giggled, her head covered in a red veil. “The chamber pot
has never been used.” Fan Xian thought she was right: the top of the
chamber pot was still lined with gold lacquer, the inside filled with
aromatic herbs.
Looking around, he saw no one else, just the silent flickering of the red
candles. He chuckled and walked towards her, taking hold of her slightly
cold hands from inside her sleeves.
He suddenly thought of Wu Zhu. If that grandmaster had hidden in the

corner as he always liked to, and once the newlyweds were doing the
things that newlyweds do on the bed, and he had seen that shadow in
the corner, it would probably scare him out of his wits. He cleared his
throat quickly. “Uncle, are you there?” he said quietly.
Uncle was not there.
Lin Wan’er, her hand in his, was imagining with some shame the things
that were about to happen. Hearing him suddenly call out “uncle”, she
couldn’t help but be perplexed. “Huh?”
“It’s nothing.” Fan Xian smiled. “When things have settled down, I’ll show
you.”
“Oh.” Lin Wan’er was confused and had no idea what he was talking
about.
“My bride.” Fan Xian had not used the traditional rod to lift the red veil
over Wan’er’s head, but had instead softly lifted it with it grasped
between his fingers. He watched the red cloth slowly lift to expose the
young woman’s head, lowered and bashful, with a soft chin like white
jade, and above that a pair of soft lips, a tiny, pointed nose, and a
nervously closed pair of eyes with a set of gently trembling eyelashes.
The red lanterns gradually darkened, and Fan Xian sat slightly nervously
on the bed, the thumb of his right hand gently caressing his bride’s
smooth cheek.
“Ahem.”
From outside the room came the ill-timed sound of coughing, then the
sound of a sword being unsheathed by one of Fan Xian’s bodyguards.
There was a groan, and finally, an alarmed cry from Wang Qinian!
Fan Xian frowned, bursting out of the door. His long red gown floated
behind him like a beautiful red cloud in the night.
He could not see who this visitor was. His wrist trembled and he took a
staggering step, avoiding the persons hands clapping his shoulders.
Spontaneously, he took out his needles, jabbing them into his
opponent’s shoulders. The needle-tip was coated with a powerful poison,
and it was unlikely that the opponent would be able to move a single
step.
At that moment, his vision was finally clear. The handful of bodyguards
standing before the stone steps had already collapsed, unconscious,
and Wang Qinian stared in fear behind him.
Fan Xian was greatly shocked. Who in this world could still move after
being affected by his own poison? He felt a movement in the air behind
him, and turning his palms to weapons, he slashed at the air.
As he tried to slash at the person’s face, Fan Xian let out a pained moan
and crouched to the floor clutching his stomach.
The first reason for this was because he had failed to slash the person;
the other reason was because he had been hit by poison.
He saw the person’s disheveled hair and weathered face. They were
very old, but he could not make out who it was. A pair of dark, cold eyes,
mottled with a dark brown color. They looked terrifying.
“Teacher?” cried Fan Xian in surprise. There was a sharp pain in his
stomach that he could not dare to ignore. He hurriedly fetched an
antidote tablet from his belt and put it in his mouth, unsure as to whether
it would work.
Then he hurriedly moved forward to salute, embrace, and curse Fei Jie,
who had appeared suddenly today after ten years’ absence.
“You haven’t changed much.” Fei Jie sat in the study, drinking tea,
appreciating the servant girls massaging his legs, and looking at Fan
Xian who stood next to him. “I thought that after ten years I’d hardly
recognize you. I didn’t expect you to grow to be so handsome.”
Fan Xian sighed, but did not dare sit. “Teacher,” he said, “could you
not… even if it’s just one time, please don’t sneak into my room in the
middle of the night. It’s easy to make a mistake. Even though there is a
soft pillow in my room, if I’d just taken out a knife, then what would you
do? You’re clearly the weakest one of the eight bureaus when it comes
to martial arts, but you’re fond of playing some kind of hero who sneaks
around at night. It’s very dangerous.”
In truth, Fan Xian had imagined his reunion with his teacher countless
times. Perhaps they would cry on each other’s’ shoulders; perhaps they
would pour each other poisoned tea to test each other’s skills. But he
had not imagined him showing up to disrupt his wedding night.
All the thoughts he had had of him since they had parted quickly turned
to unsatisfied anger. Today had played havoc on him. Fan Xian had
always comforted himself – he had lived for thirty years, so what did he
had to worry about? But he was soon to be successfully accomplished,
and had been disturbed by this old poisoner. He could not help worrying,
wondering – he could have come at any time; did it have to be tonight?
Fei Jie took no notice of him. “I have just returned from Dongyi,” he said.
“I heard that you were getting married, so I travelled for days. I’ve finally
made it back here.”
Fan Xian was filled with emotions. He quickly bent over to bow in
respect. It was this man’s efforts that were to thank for the fact that he
had managed to live so long in this world.
Fei Jie handed him a small box. A faint fragrance wafted from inside it.
Fan Xian was curious. “What is it?”
“A wedding gift for my student. Take a look.”

Fan Xian knew that his teacher’s gifts were unlike any other. He opened
the box and looked. Inside were a number of pills about the size of a
fingertip. He was moved, and scraping some of it off with a fingernail, he
transferred it to his lips to test it.
Watching his movements, Fei Jie smiled. That pretty young boy had
become a handsome young man, and he felt relieved, especially upon
seeing that he had maintained the professional habits that he had once
taught him.
“Tortoiseshell, made with vinegar.” Fan Xian knitted his brow as he

analyzed the pills. “Foxglove, donkey hide glue, beeswax… but there’s
another ingredient I can’t figure out.”
“Iced smoke.” The corners of Fei Jie’s lips raised. He seemed pleased.
“Iced smoke?” Fan Xian had already guessed at the uses of this pill.
When he thought of his teacher’s startling methods, he could not help
but feel confidence in him, and he asked with pleasant surprise.
“Correct. It is an ingredient from overseas. I tasked the merchants of

Dongyi with finding it for me four years ago, and this year they finally
found it, so I spent a number of days there waiting for a boat.” Fei Jie
waved his hand, signaling to the servant girl attending him that she
should leave.
Four years ago was when the marriage between the Fan and Lin
families had first been discussed in the palace. So from that moment, Fei
Jie had started his search for a cure for Lin Wan’er’s tuberculosis, so
that his student could marry a healthy bride. When he realized this, Fan
Xian could not help but feel greatly moved.
“There was something else in Dongyi.”
Fan Xian understood.
“I sold cures to Sigu Sword. In return, they promised not to make a move
against you.”
Fan Xian sat down next to his teacher, with no complaints at all about
the fact that he had cut short his wedding night. “Master,” he said,
greatly moved, “for your medicines, you have my deepest gratitude.
Thank you so much.”
“This is the first time I have made such a medicine, but it has been
tested, and it is effective.” Fei Jie smiled. There was a flash in his
mottled brown eyes. “But it has some side effects that you must be fully
aware of.”
“Teacher, please, tell me.” Seeing Fei Jie’s caution, Fan Xian’s face also
turned prudent.
Chapter 150: Gifts (Part 2)

“After taking the medicine, you cannot have sex for a month.” Fei Jie
smiled. He still hadn’t mentioned any of the real side effects.
“You’re really cruel.” Fan Xian glared at his teacher, wishing he could
bite him.
“So I’ll give it to her tomorrow,” said Fan Xian anxiously.
Fei Jie almost spat out his tea. He pointed at Fan Xian’s nose. “You’re
truly stubborn. You’ve been to the pleasure houses of the capital
countless times; don’t tell me you’re worried about tonight?”
Fan Xian chuckled. “Because I know you’re playing with me, teacher.”
Fei Jie could do nothing to this handsome youngster. Ten years ago, he
was no match, and ten years on, he was still no match. He stood up,
seething. “Could it be that I was destined to owe you from a previous
life? You are capable of guessing everything.”
Fan Xian quickly stood up alongside him to console him. “Because you
care about me, teacher.”
Fei Jie suddenly looked him in the eye, and was silent for a long time.
Because this study had only just been put into use, the smell of wood
still hung in the room. The whole atmosphere was slightly odd.
“You have been in the capital for so long,” Fei Jie said quietly after a
long while, “and you have visited the Overwatch Council. I presumed you
already knew these things.”
“I know some of it.” Fan Xian smiled innocently. “For example, I have
learnt about my mother, but I still don’t know about my father.”
He looked Fei Jie in the eye. Fei Jie, a shrewd and ruthless poisoner,
also felt some pressure. He smiled and changed the subject quite
ingeniously, turning the questioning onto Fan Xian. “I presume you were
aware that your mother founded both the House of Ye and the
Overwatch Council. Count Sinan and the Director both wanted you to
take over. But Count Sinan wanted you to take over the businesses of
the royal purse, and the Director seemingly wanted you to take over the
Overwatch Council.”
Fan Xian shook his head. “Teacher. When you gave me that token long
ago, it turned out to be the token of a commissioner. After I understood
what that token represented, I knew what could happen in the future.
What’s your point?”
“My point is not the same as the Director’s.” Fei Jie seemed somewhat
crestfallen. “The Overwatch Council is too close to the Emperor, and can
very easily be dragged into terrible political power struggles. Though the
royal purse is something of a hot potato, it is still easier to control than
the Overwatch Council.”
Fan Xian nodded, secretly laughing bitterly to himself. It seemed to him

that he had already been dragged into the power struggles of the palace
long ago. He had even been involved in the eldest princess’s exile from
the capital. He thought for a moment, then smiled. “There is no need to
waste your effort, Teacher. You must be exhausted from the journey.
Rest in the manor. As for future matters, whether or not I want to receive
my mother’s property, I fear that even if Director Chen and… my father
wish to give it to me, there are still many people who would oppose such
a thing.”
Fei Jie nodded. “Things are complicated,” he said seriously, “and as I

see it, the Prime Minister cannot remain at the royal court much longer.”
Fan Xian frowned. His father-in-law had managed to remove himself

from the incident with Wu Bo’an long ago – what else was likely to
happen?
Fei Jie did not explain, and instead simply asked his question quietly. “Is
Master Wu in the capital?”
“After I came to the capital,” said Fan Xian without a moment’s

hesitation, “he left. It seems that he went to the Southern Sea to find Ye
Liuyun. I’m not sure what he’s doing.”
Fei Jie shook his head and suddenly looked Fan Xian in the eye. “I hear
that you have written a number of poems in the capital,” he said with a
chiding frown, “and gained some renown?”
Fan Xian smiled, somewhat embarrassed. “You know, Teacher, I have

enjoyed writing since I was young.”
Fei Jie sighed. “It appears that the old salt seller Xin is also your
excuse.”
Fan Xian chuckled.
Fei Jie could not help but shake his head as he looked at him. “Your
mother was quite a talent herself, but she looked down on such
triteness. After you entered the capital, you practiced such skills. If your
mother could see, you she’d be livid.”
Fan Xian shrugged. He reckoned his mother must have been a

formidable scientist in the previous world, so naturally she wouldn’t
agree with his path.
Fei Jie refused his student’s offer of hospitality; naturally, he had a
house in the capital. As he prepared to leave, Fan Xian finally could not
stop himself from asking.
“Teacher. Were you and Chen Pingping and Wu Zhu followers of my

mother?”
“That’s right.”
“Did you once find medicines for my mother?”
“What medicines?”
“Hm…” Fan Xian had no choice but to shake his head. “Aphrodisiacs or
knockout drops?”
Fei Jie had seemingly thought of something, and there was a strange
look on his face. He laughed darkly. “Now that you are married, do you
need such things?”
The next morning, the birds chirped incessantly on their branches. Even
the leaves, gradually turning yellow, seemed soaked in happiness,
turning soft. The morning sun shone at an angle into the courtyard, filling
it with a faint and plentiful warm light. The grasses in the courtyard, tilting
slightly over the stone footpath, were covered in a slight dew. All looked
peaceful and quiet.
With a creak, Fan Xian pushed open the door and stretched out his
body. There was a tired look on his face, but his eyes were still
incomporably bright and clear. He yawned, smiled, and waved behind
him. “Hurry up; you can see the season best in the morning. Chen’er,
how can you dawdle in bed?”
Lin Wan’er’s bashful and nervous answer came from inside the room.
“I’ve never seen you so shameless. Close the door, quick.”
Fan Xian laughed. “It’s early in the morning, yesterday was the wedding.
The servants are all tired. Perhaps we are the first in the household to
wake up.”
As he said it, he heard the sound of movement throughout the courtyard,
with men and women all coming out to greet him. “Good morning,
Master.”
Fan Xian was startled, and suddenly went back inside, closing the door.
After a moment, a servant girl came in to help the newlyweds get

washed and dressed before leaving the room. Fan Xian carefully took
Lin Wan’er’s hand. He looked at his wife’s annoyed but beautiful face
and smiled. “Last night I was with my teacher for a while, so time was
short. This evening I shall return to make up for it.”
Lin Wan’er had grown up in the palace, so she chose her words
carefully. Now she had married a man who seemed to enjoy talking
complete nonsense. “It’s not proper,” she said bashfully.
Fan Xian led her by her slightly-cold hand and smiled. “After the
lakeside, we started to look at the scriptures a bit differently.”
“There you go again.”
“From today, you can call me ‘husband’.”
“Yes, husband.” The way Lin Wan’er answered bashfully could really
make one feel love for her.
When Fan Xian heard the word “husband”, he thought of mahjong, of all
the fortune and misfortune he’d had in his life, of the madness of last
night, of the beauty of his wedding night, of the eldest princess exiled to
her fiefdom by the Emperor; he couldn’t help but smile. “I seem to have a
few more tiles than most.” [1]
Now, since he’d come to the capital, he’d finally found happiness. He
couldn’t help but sing to himself. “One night in the capital left me with so
many feelings.”
He held Lin Wan’er in his arms, who looked at him with innocent eyes,
not understanding a word.
Over in Fan Manor proper, there was quite some commotion. The
servants were divided into two rows to greet the newlyweds, all knowing
that this lady of the house was quite a woman. At last night’s wedding,
the gifts from the palace had shaken all of the Fan clansmen.
Having drunk their wedding tea, Count Sinan amiably asked them to
come forth and asked Wan’er about the health of Prime Minister Lin,
then let them carry on comfortably. Seeing this new husband and wife,
Count Sinan felt content, and Fan Ruoruo, standing to the side, was also
delighted for her brother.
The two returned to the courtyard, then heard a commotion outside. A

servant opened the door to find the the people who lived in the Fan Clan
estate on the outskirts of the capital had come bearing gifts. It was not
required for these people to see Fan Xian and Lin Wan’er in person, but
then Teng Zijing and his wife had appeared, and Fan Xian was rather
astonished.
“Is your leg better?” Fan Xian sat on a chair, looking carefully at Teng
Zijing’s leg.
Teng Zijing laughed. “It’s been better for ages. I just have a little trouble
getting out of bed.”
Fan Xian smiled. “The venison I sent you was all thanks to Teng Zijing,”
he said to Lin Wan’er who was next to him.
Lin Wan’er smiled and nodded slightly. In one night, she had gone from
a maiden to a prudent wife. Changes in one’s life can be sudden.
Having said a few words, Teng Zijing’s and his wife were led out to
where they were staying. After they had left, Teng Zijing’s wife spoke
with quiet curiosity. “That young woman is so noble, but her posture
seems rather weak. I worry she won’t be a good fit for the young
master.”
Teng Zijing was startled, and chided her. “The young lady is truly noble.
Think about who might be listening before you open that mouth.” Teng
Zijing’s wife was still a young woman in some ways. She laughed,
noncommital. “It just looked to me like the bride wasn’t as attractive and
intelligent as the groom. It’s funny.”
Teng Zijing laughed too. “In the capital, finding a young bride more
intelligent than the young master might be a hard task.”
Meanwhile, the gift from Fan Xian’s grandmother in Danzhou, delayed

on the road for a number of days, had finally arrived at Fan Manor.
Count Sinan naturally came out to receive it, and let people know about
the young people. Fan Xian was very happy. He led Wan’er by the hand
outside the compound, talking as they walked. “My grandma loves me a
lot, but I don’t know what she might have sent us.”
As they came to the gate, Fan Xian was taken aback. He could never
have imagined that the gift his grandmother would send him would be a
person.
Sisi looked happily at the young master she had served for many years,
and paid them both her respects. “Young master, young mistress, it is an
honor to see you.”
Chapter 151: Chapter 45

Fan Xian never imagiend that his grandmother could have sent Sisi all
the way from Danzhou to the capital. He was happy to see the young
woman he had spent so many peaceful years with. But he was also
somewhat pained and unsure of what to do. His grandmother’s thinking
was clear: get him to take Sisi into their house. And looking at Sisi, he
reckoned that she would not choose any other solution.
“Come in and rest.” Fan Xian did his utmost to seem gentle.
But Sisi still felt that the young master before her seemed to have
become something of a stranger. After all, Fan Xian had been through
too many trials and struggles within the capital; other than his steady
temperament, there was something else about his manner that she
couldn’t put a finger on.
Seeing Sisi’s slightly uneasy face, Fan Xian laughed. “This girl, what is
she thinking? Once we’ve eaten and drunk our fill, I’ll show you around
the capital.”
“I have come to serve you, master,” said Sisi, seemingly aggrieved. “Not
for you to serve me, sir.”
Such frankness – this really was the woman he had grown up with.
Direct in her words and actions, nothing like the servant girls of Fan
Manor in the capital, who did not dare to show even the slightest
emotion before him, let alone refute any of his ideas.
Fan Xian walked forward and gently patted her slightly gaunt cheek,
smiling. “Very well, I shall let you serve. Even if you’re just making
copies of books and grinding down inksticks, you had best wash first.
Being all sweaty, reading books at night with the incense burning, you’ll
add a vinegar smell to the air.”
The Kingdom of Qing did not have the story of Fang Xuanling’s mistress
drinking vinegar to demonstrate her convictions, so no one thought of
this comment as clever. Fan Xian could not help but regret that he was
casting pearls before swine.[1]
Sisi, slightly embarrassed, saluted once more, and was led off by a
servant girl to wash. The servant girls had quickly noticed that this
woman was not the same as them, and so they were especially
courteous.
“Who is that woman Sisi?”
Devoid of the jealousy that Fan Xian had been expecting, Lin Wan’er’s
face was full of curiosity. She smiled. “I heard you say a while back that
there was a servant-girl in Danzhou who was even more hardworking
than Si Qi. Today I finally meet her.”
The Kingdom of Qing was, after all, part of a world that regarded men as
superior to women. Although Lin Wan’er was a princess, she seemed
not to have much in the way of opinions and sensitivities. Besides, even
if Fan Xian were to take a concubine, what would the illustrious princess
have to be jealous of? Fan Xian laughed. It was lucky that this business
had nothing to do with him. Otherwise he risked provoking the
dissatisfaction of his little tiger. Did he want his arms ripped off?
“Marriage is the tomb of love,” said Fan Xian casually. “So we must keep
moving, lest we become zombies.”
Lin Wan’er looked anxious, her mouth sunken. “I can’t stand the cold,”
she said miserably.
“The snow of the Cang Mountains is great. Autumn and winter there are
wonderful.” Fan Xian smiled at his wife. Like some kind of travel agent,
he tried to entice her. “The medicine my teacher gave you is extremely
effective, and the imperial physicians were surprised after taking your
pulse. But places high above sea level will be very good for your health.”
Lin Wan’er cocked her head and leaned against his chest, rubbing
against it. “I still don’t understand what ‘sea-level’ means,” she said
softly.
“It’s how high a place is above the sea.” Fan Xian felt that his
explanation was somewhat awkward.
“I still don’t understand,” said Lin Wan’er, pained. “If I don’t want to go, is
that ok? I’m afraid of climbing mountains, and of the cold.”
“Look how round your face has become now,” he said, somewhat
annoyed. “A bit more movement won’t be bad for you at all.”
Lin Wan’er struggled out of his embrace, angered. “Last night, you said
you liked me a little bit plump!”
Fan Xian narrowly avoided bursting into laughter, but managed to keep a
straight face. “With the lights out, of course it’s fine to be a little plump…
but in the light of day… it’s still better to be thin.”
Lin Wan’er gave an angry harrumph, and walked briskly out into the
corridor. Fan Xian quickly followed after, but didn’t look at her face. He
just walked forward a few steps. “I love your body, don’t you know that?”
he said quietly.
In the palace in autumn, it was still as if the summer wind blew through
it. Lin Wan’er’s face was hot, and in a moment her face reddened. She
stepped forward, grabbed Fan Xian’s hand, and lowered her head.
“There are so many people attending to us, and you still have no
shame.”
The two were now in the palace, followed by a thrall of ladies-in-waiting

and palace eunuchs, who all kept their heads lowered and stayed at a
distance from Fan Xian and Lin Wan’er. It seemed that they had not
heard what the two were talking about.
Fan Xian was still facing forward. He smiled. “Dear, you must learn from
your husband how to do many surprising things without a change in your
demeanor.”
There was a subtext to his words that Wan’er did not understand. This
was the first time the pair had entered the palace since their wedding.
The palace concubines had come to see Lin Wan’er and clutched her to
their breasts, crying out and giving them gifts. Fan Xian was not going to
refuse, but seeing how the concubines loved Lin Wan’er so dearly, he
could not help but feel scared. His wife’s parents’ home was the palace;
if one day they were to have a falling out, he might meet a tragic end.
The Emperor had four sons – one Crown Prince and three princes – in
one sense, this was proof that he was no womanizer.
Another fortunate thing was that none of the concubines of the palace
had given birth to a princess. So Lin Wan’er, who had grown up in the
palace, was naturally beloved by all the concubines.
Lin Wan’er had become accustomed to the palace. Naturally, she had
none of Fan Xian’s cautious nervousness when he first entered the
palace, but instead, she felt like she was playing around in one’s own
rear garden. Fan Xian was influenced by this, and as the Eldest Princess
who he avoided most had already returned to her fiefdom in Xinyang, he
was able to relax, and followed her all around the palace. Fan Xian had
brought up the matter of the vacation to the Cang Mountains to the
Empress when he had met with her, and received her approval.
But Wan’er still feared the cold. However, Fan Xian had his heart set on
it, especially as next year, the prisoner exchange between the Kingdom
of Qing and Northern Qi was set to officially begin.
The Overwatch Council had informed him through Wang Qinian, and it
seemed that he was somewhat implicated in the matter, so he needed to
be somewhere calm to sort out a few things and prepare.
But, unfortunately, on this visit to the palace, they had not seen Wan’er’s
uncle, the Emperor. Lin Wan’er was somewhat disappointed. Fan Xian’s
calm face hid other emotions.
A fleet of carriages rumbled out of Fan Manor. Today, Prime Minister Lin
had come to send off his beloved daughter, so the scene seemed
increasingly grand. The passers-by on the street gesticulated as they
watched the procession. After all, a few days earlier the wedding
between the Fan and Lin families was held, and the wedding scene had
surprised half of the capital. They had not expected that a few days later,
the “immortal poet” son of the Fan family would be causing a stir yet
again.
“Why would you leave the capital after you got married?” asked an old
man in the crowd, frowning with his hands behind his back. “Young
people these days, they have their family’s money behind them, and all
they know is leisure. I heard that Master Fan is now an academician of
the Imperial College. Why is he going to the Cang Mountains?”
“Look, don’t you understand?” a young man next to him mocked. “Master
Fan calls this a honeymoon. He’s picked some place quiet to go.”
“What’s a honeymoon?” asked a spirited older lady.
“It means that life is sweet as honey,” said another person who clearly
had some distant relationship to the Fan family. “I don’t know. It’s a word
that Master Fan invented.”
The older lady was annoyed. “Such an odd word. What’s the point of it?
Whether the moon is honeyed or not, since they’re staying someplace
quiet for several days, I’m sure they’ll have a peaceful, happy, plump
baby.”
Sitting to his left in the carriage on its way out of the capital, Lin Wan’er
was wrapped inside her fur coat like a kitten. She looked at Fan Xian
with a smile on her face. Her eyes shined like spring water. To her left
was the gentle and respectful Fan Ruoruo, peeling an orange, carefully
scraping the white pith from the fruit, and placing the segments between
Fan Xian’s lips.
Fan Xian had his eyes half-closed, but when he caught a glimpse of Lin
Wan’er’s expression, he couldn’t help but frown. “It is now autumn. How
can you be so afraid of the cold?”
Lin Wan’er laughed, climbed up next to him and opened her mouth,
which made Fan Xian’s heart flutter. But instead he heard her say to
Ruoruo: “Dear sister, please hand me an orange.”
Fan Ruoruo smiled. “Sister-in-law, you cannot eat oranges in your

condition. It will cause heat.”[2]
Lin Wan’er looked miserable. “Bother.”
Fan Xian really did not understand how his wife and his sister addressed
each other. “One calls the other ‘sister’, the other ‘sister-in-law’. What
sort of way is that to address one another?”
Lin Wan’er stuck out her tongue. “I had gotten used to calling her ‘sister’
before.” Fan Ruoruo also couldn’t help but laugh and pointed her finger
at her brother’s nose. “Before you were married, brother, you told me to
call her ‘sister-in-law’, so I also got used to calling her that.”
Fan Xian could only shake his head. The coach warmed up, and was
heading up the mountain roads out of the capital, so they were getting
sleepy. Lin Wan’er gradually leaned on Fan Xian’s shoulder. Ruoruo
also rested her head against the carriage siding.
The carriage suddenly rocked, waking up Wan’er, who was leaning on
Fan Xian’s shoulder. She rubbed her eyes. “Are we there yet?”
“That quickly?” Fan Xian laughed and shook his head. “The cottage in
the Cang Mountains is nothing like the pavilion in the palace, but it’s on
the mountainside. It will take at least three days’ travel from the capital.”
“We left the capital so quickly after the wedding,” said Lin Wan’er calmly.
“Other than to help me recover, what was the reason for this?”
Fan Xian knew he could not hide this from her, and he hadn’t prepared
to, so he smiled. “Those two half-brothers of yours send people to our
manor every day. I’m afraid of them. So of course I’m going to hide.
Standing in line at this moment – no matter which side I stood on –
would be a silly thing to do.”

Two days later, the carriages had slowly made their way up the
mountainside.
The Cang Mountains were unmatched in their majestic brilliance.

Centuries before, an emperor had ordered thousands of slaves to dig out
a path through the mountains through which carriages could ride, in
order to make summer vacations to the mountains more convenient. In
fact, not long after wasting tremendous amounts of manpower and
resources in the creation of this road, that emperor died while lying with
a concubine, and thus he never got to use it.
In the intervening years, the world had seen countless rises, falls, and
scatterings. But gradually, this great mountain, close to the capital, had
become a garden for the officials and nobility. The previous dynasty had
set down many laws, and had instituted a thick atmosphere of nobility to
the Cang Mountains that even the cold alpine winds could not blow
away.
From then on in the Cang Mountains, it was forbidden to hunt, burn trees
to open up land for agriculture, or any of the other things that the
common people did. It became simply a vacation spot for the rich. Save
for a handful of temples for the ascetics and a few hermits, everywhere
else in the Cang Mountains had been bestowed by the palace upon its
courtiers, so that they might build villas to temporarily avoid the
bitterness of court politics.
The Fan clan villa was on the mountainside, and had been bestowed
upon them by the previous emperor half a year before his death. It was
surrounded by peace and quiet on all sides. In front of the villa flowed a
small brook, and red autumnal leaves drifted down from the summit,
floating along its clear waters. By the side of the brook were a patch of
yellow flowers. The pavilion stood solitary and quiet. Its silence in the
cold autumn sunset, with the occasional shadow of wild geese flying
across the heavens, was unspeakably peaceful.
After Fan Xian and his entourage arrived, things soon became livelier.
People who had arrived in advance were putting things in order at the
villa. Because they did not know how long the young master and
mistress and the young lady were going to stay, Fan Manor had
prepared plenty of dried game. They had even transferred three singing
girls to the mountains, who sang squeakily every day. Perhaps they
were trying to scare away the squirrels who had attempted to get
through the winter by feeding on their food stores.
“It is truly a wonderful place.” Sending a servant off to get a room ready,
Fan Xian strolled down to a stone platform in front of the villa. Seeing the
clouds and mist float by not far below his feet, and the clear green
forests in the distance on the bare mountainside, he couldn’t help but
sigh.
Lin Wan’er leant on him gently and smiled. “It really is incredible. When I
was small I spent a little time in the Cang Mountains, but it wasn’t nearly
as beautiful and secluded as your family’s villa.”
“It’s our house,” Fan Xian corrected her. He then lovingly made sure her
coat was done up; the mountains were cold indeed, and he worried for
her poor health, and that she might catch cold.
Lin Wan’er giggled. “I see, my dear.”

The young couple spent the next days in peace and quiet on the
mountain. It was as if they had never known such tranquil happiness. It
was a beautiful kind of life that Fan Xian had been separated from for
many days, so he seemed to enjoy it to the utmost. If he wasn’t taking
Wan’er out for walks on the slippery mountain roads, he was standing
behind his sister, watching her delicate penmanship. She committed
everything about the unimaginably beautiful mountain scene onto paper.
This, at last, was true married life for Fan Xian and Lin Wan’er after their
wedding. Over the days, the newlywed couple had gone from love at first
sight, to the excitement of meeting separated by a wall, to deeply
worried longing, and finally to being able to peacefully enjoy their love
together. Their passion was in its final stage, becoming a delicate and
enduring fragrance.
Early one morning, Lin Wan’er lazily opened her eyes and unthinkingly
moved her arm over, only to find that no one was there. Under their
warm and comfortable blanket, she was unsure where her husband had
gone.
Lin Wan’er was not startled at all. Ever since they had gone to their
bridal chamber, she had known that Fan Xian awoke extremely early
every day. She didn’t know where he went. Then, before she awoke, he
would quietly return to their room.
She had been curious, but when they were staying at Fan Manor, it was
inconvenient to do anything about it. Now that they were in the Cang
Mountains, with no elders or annoying old wet-nurses about, Lin Wan’er
looked around, rose from her bed, and put on her thick cloak and soft
shoes. Like a thief, she sneaked out of the door.
She was greeted by a rush of morning mountain wind, so cold it made

her shiver. She did not dare tarry, and smiling, she silently walked to the
room at the end of the corridor and knocked twice on the door. A
sleeping and bleary-eyed Fan Ruoruo heard the noise, and quickly got
up to open the door. She had a thin garment draped over her. She
rubbed her hands together against the cold. “Wan’er,” she said wearily,
“it’s early, isn’t it?”
After Lin Wan’er had arrived at the Cang Mountains, some of the
rowdiness that she had always hidden behind her shy and loveable
exterior had finally shown itself. She stuck out her tongue and hugged
Ruoruo around the waist, then pulled her back to her warm blanket and
sighed comfortably.
Fan Ruoruo was not used to sleeping in a bed with other people, so she
felt a little strange. Her sister-in-law had turned out to be quite
affectionate after all. She hugged Ruoruo, bringing her face close. “Do
you know what your brother does early in the mornings?” she asked
softly.
Fan Ruoruo felt her sister-in-law’s cold hands on her waist, and
wondered if her brother’s heart would ache to see them both this way.
She quickly caught her cold hands to warm them and spoke brusquely.
“You’re his wife. Why are you asking me?”
Lin Wan’er laughed. “Your brother is so secretive. Leaving that aside,

every evening, when we talk and play chess in the room, where does he
go off to? Aren’t you curious?”
Hearing her sister-in-law speak this way, the naturally calm Ruoruo also
could not help but feel somewhat puzzled. Every morning her brother
went out to practice his skills; that she knew. But the past few evenings,
her brother had been disappearing for a short while, and she really
wasn’t sure what he was up to.
“In the mornings he practices his skills, in the evenings… I’m not sure.
Ask him.”
Lin Wan’er was curious. “Practice his skills? What skills? Can we
watch?”
“You are really curious about this.”

“Of course.” Lin Wan’er’s eyes lit up. They looked like the waters of the
lake on the summer estate. “It’s only normal for a wife to feel curious
about what her husband is doing.”
Fan Ruoruo realized that this princess sister-in-law really did not have
many of the habits of the palace. In some respects, she felt like Wan’er
could cause more trouble than she could. She couldn’t help but laugh.
“On such a cold day, if I were married, I would prefer to stay in bed. If
you rush out and my brother sees you and scolds you, then I won’t be
able to help you.”
Lin Wan’er still did not know what Fan Xian looked like when he was
angry, but knowing her husband’s temperament, she was wary.
Suddenly, she laughed. “If you were married? It’s autumn, but it appears
that our young lady has spring fever.”
Whether it was due to the warmth of the two of them under the blanket,
or embarrassment, Fan Ruoruo’s face went read. “You are incorrigible,”
she said in a reprimanding tone. She extended her fingers to tickle Lin
Wan’er, and Lin Wan’er responded with a yelp and threw a hand at her.
The two young women tussled in bed, their youthful girlishness filling the
air.
Fan Ruoruo was no match for the new bride’s tricks, and panting, she
had no choice but to spring up from the bed. She wrapped her sister-in-
law up in layers, made sure that the cold mountain air could not reach
her neck, and then, relieved, she took her by the hand and led her out of
the villa to find her brother.
The sky was warm and bright, and the people in the villa were still going
about their early-morning business. No one noticed the two young ladies
sneaking around like thieves. A large part of the mountainside was the
property of the Fan family, so no one else was there to disturb them. The
two girls trod across the autumn dew, carefully making their way through
a small path in the forest on the mountainside.
“Are you sure it’s here?” Fan Ruoruo frowned. “This mountain is so big,
we’d better not get lost.”
“Don’t worry.” Lin Wan’er laughed. “I have an intuition. It’s like I can
sense where my husband is.”
Fan Ruoruo couldn’t help but think that all they had to go on was this
unreliable intuition, but she noticed that the ground beneath their feet
had been trodden on. The trail was quiet; she presumed that, other than
her brother, no one else would be so keen to travel this far up the
mountain.
Some time later, the two young women gathered some autumn leaves to
wipe the dewdrops off their clothing. They passed through a stretch of
woods and came to the mountain’s edge. Thankfully, Lin Wan’er’s health
had improved greatly after taking Fei Jie’s medicine; otherwise she
would not have been able to keep going on. Seeing her sister-in-law’s
reddened face, Ruoruo lovingly caressed it, and told her that the top
button of her cloak had come undone. The two girls looked out ahead.
When they saw it, they were startled. There was a gradual slope, rarely
seen in the Cang Mountains. On top of it was a still-green meadow
covered in autumn dew, and looking upward, there was a thirty-meter
precipice. The slope was uneven, and among the rocks, yellow bamboo
pointed toward the sky like swords.
On top of the cliff was a person, wearing only an unlined garment. It was
Fan Xian, and by the look of him, he was preparing to jump off!
Seeing this, Lin Wan’er was shocked. She opened her mouth to cry out,
to stop Fan Xian from moving. To her surprise, a soft and cold hand was
clamped over her mouth.
Fan Ruoruo squinted at her brother on top of the precipice and forced
herself to stay calm. “Don’t worry.” She didn’t know whether she had
confidence in her judgment.
Fan Xian had already started his descent. He leapt along the rocks, each
step finding a safe foothold, and as he descended, his speed increased.
He almost collided with the bamboo several times.
But he seemed to have some kind of innate premonition, and was
always able to move just in time, or find a good foothold two steps
ahead, and glided over the bamboo.
He relied on the powerful zhenqi in his body, and for this valiant control,
he relied even more on the influence of Wu Zhu’s instinct.
In a flash, his body was a blur, and he made his way through the rocks
and bamboo forest to come to a steady stop on top of the meadow. Fan
Xian turned his head slightly, and looked at the two girls, flabbergasted.
“How did you get here?”
His breathing was not disordered in the least, and the bamboo on the
slope swayed gently in his wake.

What Lin Wan’er and Ruoruo just saw stunned them speechless.
Although the two of them both knew about Fan Xian slaying an eighth-
ranked master on Niulan Street, watching him rush down from a cliff was
something completely different from their understanding of martial arts.
Precise, composed, powerful—those were the impressions that hit them.
To the elder brother whom she had always admired, Fan Ruoruo yelled
out – despite being much calmer than Lin Wan’er, “Xian, how did you do
that?”
Fan Xian walked over from the grass. Looking at the two girls, he shook
his head while patting theirs. “This is just my daily training.” He believed
that had they witnessed Wu Zhu’s sheer drop from the cliffs of Danzhou,
what he just did would have seemed like nothing.
He then frowned, “What are you doing here so early? There are wild
beasts in these mountains.”
Fan Ruoruo gave Lin Wan’er a look before replying with a smile: “Sister
woke up and you were nowhere to be seen, so she dragged me out to
find you. She’s curious about how you train.”
Fan Xian looked at his wife, whose face had already turned red from the
morning chill. He tapped her on the tip of her nose. Lin Wan’er wasn’t
used to such intimate acts in front of Fan Ruoruo, so she shied away.
Her mind was still immersed in what she just witnessed—who knew her
husband was such an impressive martial artist?
As if seeing right through her, Fan Xian shook his head, “Don’t think too
highly of me. Someone once said that I’m above rank four but not
enough to be rank six.”
Lin Wan’er didn’t really believe that, “I grew up in the palace. I’ve seen
plenty of seventh and eighth ranked martial artists. Dear, you are much
better than them.”
“Really?” Fan Xian grinned, but didn’t take it seriously. He then spoke, a
bit troubled. “While Fei Jie’s medicine is working very well, the wind is
strong in the mountains, especially in the morning. What are we going to
do if you catch a cold?” He tightened Wan’er’s scarf. “I’m used to these
daily training sessions. It’s my fault for not telling you. But you mustn’t
come out like this again.”
Fan Ruoruo was happy for them. She silently watched them with a smile.
However, Fan Xian turned to her and said coldly, “That applies to you
too.”
Seeing her brother upset made Ruoruo sad. She said quietly, “I was
wrong. From now on I definitely…” She was ready to say she would take
good care of Wan’er, while Wan’er was ready to speak on Ruoruo’s
behalf, as she was the one who dragged Ruoruo out.
At this moment, however, Fan Xian touched Ruoruo’s cold ears. He said
gently, “Your sister is ill, but are you that much healthier? If something
were to happen, how would you get married in the future?”
Only now did the two girls realize Fan Xian was upset about the other
marriage. Knowing this young man in front of them cared for his wife and
sister made them feel exceptionally fortunate.
The truly fortunate one was Fan Xian. Spending days in the mountains
almost made him forget about everything in the capital. Every once in a
while, Count Sinan would have someone deliver a private letter. And
Wang Qinian would take the secret path Fan Xian provided and come to
report the events in the capital.
Everything was calm in the capital. The only change that occurred was
that Commander Yan Xiaoyi, who shot Fan Xian with an arrow, was
transferred to the north as a captain. While the transfer itself was nothing
out of the ordinary, it was His Majesty’s warning to Yan Xiaoyi.
The treaty between Qing and Northern Qi went into effect last month, so
there were really no opportunities of action for the military forces
stationed up north. Despite being a captain, Yan Xiaoyi was rendered
ineffective under the current circumstances and could only let his
frustration brew silently.
Fan Xian frowned slightly as he read Wang Qinian’s letter. Everyone

knew Yan Xiaoyi’s sudden rise was due to his ninth-ranked martial
prowess, and also due to Eldest Princess’s help. If the emperor wished
to get rid of Eldest Princess, Yan Xiaoyi would be made to remain in the
palace so that the Overwatch Council could keep an eye on him more
easily. It didn’t make sense for the Bureau of Military Affairs to get
involved and promote Yan Xiaoyi to command an entire army.
Fan Xian lightly tapped the desk and shook his head as he realized what
this was about. It looked like the emperor still had no intention of making
any other moves besides issue a warning for the entire court to see.
Apparently, it would become even safer in the capital. But how could a
man who held sovereignty for over a decade tolerate the other faction
gaining power without any restraint? With His Majesty’s authority, the
Overwatch Council’s talents, and the loyalty of the Commander of
Defense, it would be extremely simple to take out Eldest Princess and
the one prince who had been hiding in the dark.
That was what Fan Xian could not understand; he didn’t know how the
emperor could just watch the other faction without concern, instead of
act first.
Regardless, after ensuring it would be safe in the capital, Fan Xian

started to relax. But at the same time there was a sense of regret. He
had waged that propaganda battle because he was left with no other
choice; he didn’t know what His Majesty was capable of and therefore
dared not wait. In the end, he only helplessly alleviated the standoff.
The struggle between Fan Xian and Eldest Princess shouldn’t have been
so significant. When they traded blows in secret, Fan Xian came out on
top every single time. With Eldest Princess’s temperament, should she
ever get the opportunity to rise up, she would most definitely not forgive
Fan Xian. If His Majesty was willing to play this dangerous game from
beginning to end, how should Fan Xian respond?
Killing Eldest Princess seemed to be the most logical method, but that
would involve many other issues. First of all, could Wu Zhu guarantee to
not leave behind any evidence after killing the princess? Such insolent
provocation against the royal family would likely incur His Majesty’s
wrath. Second of all, Eldest Princess was still the mother of Fan Xian’s
wife. If she were to die by his hands, how would he and Wan’er live
together once she found out? The death of Fan Xian’s second brother-
in-law was already lodged in Fan Xian’s heart like a thorn.
Lastly, and most importantly, neither Fan Xian nor Wu Zhu could
guarantee Eldest Princess’s death. She had already returned to her own
fief. Who knew how many skilled masters were over there? As for the
sniper rifle… Fan Xian dared not use it; he feared it would remind all the
nobles in the capital of the deaths of those two successors years ago
and make them remember the name Ye Qingmei.
Fan Xian peered outside at the early snow on Cang Mountain. Tonight,
sparse snowflakes were already falling, making the mountain estate
gracefully solemn. He sighed and burned the letters from his father and
Wang Qinian before walking out. Since that rainy autumn night, he
vowed to bury the truths involving his mother in his heart, until someday
when he gained true control over everything.
Between the hallways, in the main room, a heater basket was burning,
making the surrounding area as warm as spring. The manor had sent
over three singing girls; Lin Wan’er and Fan Ruoruo asked them to play
cards together. As the game only needed four people at a time, the one
left out was asked to help keep score. Fan Xian walked over smiling.
The three song girls hurriedly stood up to salute him. Even the young
maidservant who was preparing the bed in the inner room came out to
salute the young master.
With a wave of his hand, Fan Xian told them to continue what they were
doing. He then sat between Ruoruo and Wan’er and said, “If Sizhe was
here, he’d have you both crying.”
Lin Wan’er smiled at the remark, “I played him once in the manor. I didn’t
lose much.”
Fan Xian didn’t believe that Fan Sizhe, with his twisted and stubborn
calculation abilities, could not win against Wan’er. Fan Ruoruo confirmed
what she said. “She’s not lying. That night, Sizhe only won two stacks of
coins.”
Fan Xian’s eyes brightened, “I didn’t think Wan’er was so formidable.”
“There wasn’t much to do in the palace. All the Ladies enjoyed playing
cards,” Lin Wan’er said with a grin. “You should know that when those
palace women start calculating, each is shrewder than the one before
them. Naturally, it was the same with playing cards. Having lived in the
palace all those years, of course I’m no pushover.”
With a somewhat apologetic smile, Fan Xian said, “I see, I see.”
The other servants were all drinking and chatting in the side yards.
Stepping over the bits of snow on the stone slabs, Fan Xian walked
outside. The area behind him was dimly lit by candles, and echoed with
the faint noises of Mahjong tiles and the excited voices of the girls.
Suddenly, he remembered how Stephen Chow, playing Tang Bohu,
might have also experienced such a scene in the movie Flirting Scholar.
But Tang Bohu was very miserable, while Fan Xian was very fortunate;
there was a huge difference.
Wan’er and Ruoruo both knew he would venture outside every night. But
after seeing him train this morning, both of them obediently didn’t ask
him about anything and accepted it as a fact.
Bracing the light snow, Fan Xian went up the secret path, straight into
the depths of the bamboo forest. He only stopped when he reached the
bottom of the cliffs next to the plum blossom trees.
This was the most secluded place in Cang Mountain. Very casually, Fan
Xian reached out his hand—Wu Zhu’s hand reached down as if
descending from Heaven—and the two hands grasped together. By
alternating their strength, Fan Xian “floated” up to the peak. Here, he
could see far and wide, while staying relatively safe from view.
Under the moonlight, the snowy Cang Mountains were silently beautiful.
Fan Xian received a black, cold metal object from Wu Zhu. He laid on
the ground, and took aim at the rocks in the snow far in the distance.
Chapter 154: Chapter 48-49

Some time passed before Fan Xian finally got up from the snow. His
movements were sluggish; he appeared to still be recovering from his
emotions from before. This “firestick” had been well-protected. Having
spent many days putting the three parts back together, Fan Xian
discovered all the parts were in excellent condition; even the scope. Only
now did Fan Xian realize how stupid he was for kicking that chest.
Fan Xian knew nothing of military matters; it took him many days just to
get familiar with the weapon. As for actually training to use it, he
discovered that reality was shockingly different from what he had
imagined—when you find sunshine in your dream, you learn that the
dream is fake.
How to judge distance; how to aim; how to ensure everything runs
smoothly; this was all knowledge that nobody in this world knew. Without
a teacher, Fan Xian could only try to find out himself. The further away
he was from his target, the harder it was to hit. As for the effects of the
wind, that was an even more difficult problem.
Fortunately, he had many good points to compensate for such

difficulties. Firstly, he was very calm; almost as calm as Wu Zhu.
Secondly, he was very steady; his overpowering zhenqi enabled his
body to maintain the same posture for long periods of time. Most
importantly, he was patient; he had the patience of a seasoned hunter.
That was due to his encounters in his previous life and the “naps” from
his current life. As long as he had the energy to do so, Fan Xian believed
that he could hide motionless for an entire day.
After getting up from the snow, he felt the cold had turned his body stiff
and numb. By slowly circulating his zhenqi, he recovered his numb limbs
and turned to look at Wu Zhu who had been standing like a flagpole. He
shook his head, “If I’m up against Yan Xiaoyi, I might not be able to
shoot before he kills me with an arrow.”
Wu Zhu said coldly, “You have no need for that.”
Fan Xian didn’t really understand what Wu Zhu meant. Troubled, he sat
down holding the sniper rifle. “I know very well that my true strength is
above rank eight, but below nine. You’ve been keeping the fact from me
because you didn’t want me to get arrogant. But if I have to deal with
some ninth-ranked masters in the future, it would be better for me to
have a weapon no one knows about.”
Wu Zhu said, “By my standards, your rank is still seventh.”
Fan Xian chuckled at himself, “A seventh-rank, killing Cheng Jushu?

Trading palm strikes with Gong Dian?”
Wu Zhu continued, “Gong Dian ranks eighth, Cheng Jushu ranks

seventh at most. Perhaps… while I spent the past dozen years in
Danzhou, the quality of martial arts has gone down across the world.”
Fan Xian frowned and dusted the snow off his hips. Although he didn’t
say anything, Wu Zhu’s words still gave him a strange feeling. As to
what was strange, Fan Xian couldn’t explain. He shook his head, “I must
become strong, or else I can’t protect those around me; Wan’er and the
royal family and Eldest Princess. And Ruoruo? Don’t forget, she is also a
poor child who grew up without a mother.”
Wu Zhu was silent.
Fan Xian smiled. At the moment, the snowy mountain was bathed in the
gentle and clear light of the moon, illuminating his flawless face.
Watching Wu Zhu’s black blindfold, which had gathered a few specks of
snow, Fan Xian suddenly had an idea and did what he never dared to do
growing up.
He took a step forward, carefully reaching out his hand to remove Wu

Zhu’s blindfold. His movement was extremely gentle.
Wu Zhu took a step back, which brought him precisely to the edge of the
cliff without any distance to spare. Fan Xian’s right hand stopped
awkwardly in midair, inches from Wu Zhu’s face.
“Time to return.” Wu Zhu took the sniper rifle from Fan Xian and
disappeared into the darkness.
Staring into the place where Wu Zhu disappeared, a sense of sadness

gushed forth from Fan Xian’s heart. Such a strong and peerless person
who remembered only a fraction of his past; what would he be like in the
future?
The mountains do not care for the passage of time. Every day, Fan Xian
woke up at dawn with great self-discipline to train in martial arts. At night,
he would make some time to train in sneaking about at night with Wu
Zhu. For the rest of the days, he mostly lived a comfortable life with Lin
Wan’er and his younger sister. As the girls gathered in the yard to
compete in poetry, paint, sing, and play cards, days passed.
Ye Ling’er and Rou Jia also dropped by and stayed for a bit. Naturally,
they held a small-scale poetry gathering. Rou Jia seemed to have gotten
over her sadness from Fan Xian’s marriage. With watery, pleading eyes,
she asked to hear Fan compose a few poems. Not fooled in the
slightest, Fan Xian escaped at the first opportunity.
Toward the end of the year, Fan Sizhe finally got away from his
ethnology studies and rode his carriage up the mountains to ask his
sister-in-law to play Mahjong. In his eyes, finding Lin Wan’er at a game
table was like akin to a peerless swordsman finally finding a worthy rival.
Human lives could be lonely like snowflakes.
As the Fan siblings gathered, Fan Xian, being the young master, could
not forget his wife’s older brother. Teng Zijing’s wounds had healed, so
Fan Xian asked him to bring Dabao over. The traveling party was
protected by Wang Qinian’s group, so there probably wouldn’t be any
problems.
One day after lunch, Fan Xian asked servants to prepare a carriage.
Together with Lin Wan’er, they descended down the mountains to
welcome Dabao. A short while later, they saw the traveling party. After
the carriage and carts stopped, Teng Zijing quickly went forward to greet
Fan Xian and the ruling Lady. Lin Wan’er knew this man was Fan Xian’s
first aide when he arrived in the capital, so she was exceeding kind to
reply. But she couldn’t help by be distracted by the carriage.
“Little Xianxian.”
Needless to say, that was Dabao calling Fan Xian. Fan Xian couldn’t
help but smile as he saluted. He then went to greet his chubby brother-
in-law, whom he hadn’t seen in months. Fascinated by the mountain
landscape, Dabao opened his mouth and laughed. “There’s not nearly
as much snow back in the capital.”
Snow fell heavily in the Cang Mountains. Much of it accumulated on the

roads. Looking at the snow on her brother’s hair, Lin Wan’er walked up
and brushed it off. She then put the fox pelt cloak she brought onto him.
“That father of ours, seriously. He knew it’d be cold in the mountains,
why didn’t he prepare more clothes?”
Fan Xian only smiled. The prime minister was a man, and there weren’t
many women in Lin manor. As much as the prime minister treasured
Dabao, he couldn’t cover every aspect. Fan Xian then turned to ask
Teng Zijing, “Did anything happen on the way here?”
“No.” Teng Zijing answered, “Although, when entering the mountains, we

ran into another traveling carriage. They saw we came from the prime
minister’s manor and let us pass first.”
Enjoying the snow and avoiding summer heat; these were the favorite
pastimes of the elites in the capital. In some areas leading up to the
mountains, there were even soldiers stationed to guard the passes.
Hearing there were no major incidents, Fan Xian made some more small
talk and prepared to go back.
At that moment, the sound of horses could be heard behind them. A

short while later, a traveling party of carriages came up in an aggressive
manner. They were currently at a fork in the road, so for the moment
everything seemed extremely crowded.
“That’s them.” Teng Zijing said somewhat uneasily, “Young Master, I

spared you some details because I didn’t want you to get angry.”
The leading carriage driver saw the pileup and began swearing. Fan
Xian squinted in that direction and recognized Guo You’s carriage. Fan
Xian smiled, thinking about something.
Eventually the leading carriage driver realized he was shouting at people

from the prime minister’s manor. The standoff suddenly became less
heated.
“Even if you are from the prime minister’s manor, you shouldn’t block the
path. We already made way for you once. Can you hurry up?” A voice
came from the Guo carriage. Fan Xian recognized its owner.
Immediately, a rich son came out of the carriage. He pointed at Teng

Zijing’s party and scolded, “Why are you still in the way? Prime Minister
Lin is still in the capital. What are you lot doing in the Cang Mountains?”
“Guo Baokun?” Fan Xian was overjoyed and waved.
Hearing somebody call out to him in such a friendly manner, Guo

Baokun thought it was someone he was close with. So he turned with a
warm smile. Upon seeing Fan Xian, that smile froze on Guo Baokun’s
face, making him look incredibly awkward. There was some
nervousness and fear in his eyes. “Who is that? That’s Fan Xian…”
During the poetry gathering, at capital court, and in the Imperial palace;
Guo Baokun had alienated Fan Xian numerous times. To Guo Baokun’s
misfortune, Fan Xian was one who stirred up the capital. Every time
there was conflict, Fan Xian would pay it back in full. Now that Fan Xian
had married that girl, the extravagance of their grand wedding made Guo
Baokun accept his bad luck. Until now, all he had hoped for was to never
run into Fan Xian ever again. But who knew fate could be so cruel?
Looking at Guo Baokun, Fan Xian thought, “This fellow’s luck is so bad it
would make both mortals and gods cry. Why must I run into him again?”
Seeing Guo manor’s traveling party descend the mountain like fleeing
rabbits, Fan Xian flexed his wrists. Lin Wan’er walked over and lowered
her voice, “Why do you chase them away for no reason? His rank aside,
he is still a civil servant close to the prince. Not to mention Cang
Mountain is not Fan… ours. If other people find out about this, they
would sure to call us uncivilized.”
“I didn’t chase them away,” Hearing his wife, a mischievous smile

appeared on Fan Xian’s flawless face. “I only said I’d go visit him at
midnight for some tea. I didn’t know they’d run away.”
Fan Xian spoke those words with such gentleness he made Lin Wan’er
laugh. She said, “Oh you, who in the capital doesn’t know it was you who
beat him up? Go visit him at midnight? Of course he’d run away. He
couldn’t match you in fame or prowess. What other choice did he have?”
Fan Xian chuckled. “I, too, feel bad for him.”
Teng Zijing also brought letters. In them, Count Sinan sounded

somewhat worried, as if something had happened at the Imperial court.
But from the contents, it didn’t appear to involve the Eldest Princess, so
what could it be? He then opened Wang Qinian’s letter and put the two
letters together. Everything made sense now.
“Letting business run politics. Now it’s the Council. How long is this going
to continue for?” Looking at the dark, snowy sky outside the window, Fan
Xian shook his head.
He knew that eventually, the duty of going as an envoy to Northern Qi

would fall upon him. His performance at the feast that night was
overboard; escaping to the mountains wouldn’t be enough to calm the
waves.
Reason number two was Chen Pingping, his mother’s former comrade
whom he had never met. Director Chen very much wanted Fan Xian to
take over his position in the Overwatch Council. But Fei Jie had
confirmed that taking over that position would be harder than becoming
prime minister. Fan Xian’s fame and talent weren’t enough to shake the
Council’s thousands of dark agents.
The Overwatch Council was not the regular Sixth Bureau. Those without
competency could only get by momentarily; they could not gain lifetime
control. What the Council itself and the emperor wanted was long-term
stability. That was the reason why Chen Pingping left the duty to Fan
Xian. If Fan Xian could successfully rescue Yan Bingyun, it would earn
Yan Ruohai’s favor. When he returns to the capital, there is bound to be
a promotion. And with Fei Jie and Cheng Pingping’s arrangements, Fan
Xian would at least earn support from more than half of the leaders.
The problem was his father. Fan Jian wanted his son to peacefully take
over the palace treasury and become exceptionally wealthy.
Between the two sides, Fan Xian knew he didn’t have much say on the
matter. Ultimately it depended on what His Majesty thought. Thinking
about this emperor made Fan Xian frown. If he really took over the
Overwatch Council, it would only confirm a certain terrifying thought.
Being the envoy to Northern Qi was a gilded opportunity. But Fan Xian
knew he was only a piece of brass; gilded or not, brass cannot turn into
gold. While he was still unaware of the riskiest part of the Overwatch
Council’s plans, he guessed this envoy wouldn’t be unusual.
Outside the window, snow mixed with the wind. Toward the end of the
long hallway, the faint sound of laughter could be heard. There was also
the red light from candles, providing a warm sight in this snowy night.
Taking the two letters, Fan Xian ripped them to tiny pieces and threw
them out the window where they mixed with the powdered snow, lost
forever. A gust of wind blew in, chilling the room.
The dim candlelight brightened a bit.
“Close the window, it’s freezing in here.” Wan’er had gone to bed early.
She peeked out half her face from under her blankets. With just her eyes
showing, she said to Fan Xian, “Time to sleep. Let them do as they wish.
My older brother is behaving, there’s nothing to worry about.”
Smiling, Fan Xian walked next to the bed and slid his hand under the
blankets as if it were natural. As he gently palmed his wife’s ample
bosom, he began to talk about a completely different topic, “I know
Dabao will behave, but you should know what that younger brother of
mine is like. If I don’t keep an eye on him, one of these days he’ll bring
Dabao into the mountains to hunt bears again.”
Despite being married for some time now, Lin Wan’er was still not used
to her husband’s hand reaching out at her so leisurely. Her face turned
bright red, and her eyes looked like they were about to shed tears. She
caught the hands on her chest, “You’re misbehaving again.”
“My wife is calling me to bed, how should I behave?” Fan Xian chuckled.
With a reverse palm strike, he extinguished the candle, leaving the
couple in the quiet and dark room. After the rustling of clothes, Fan Xian
was only wearing an undershirt. As he got under the blankets, his chilled
body made Lin Wan’er shiver. She said, “You sleep so late every single
night. No one knows what you’re doing at the table.”
“Is that a complaint?” Fan Xian teased his wife, who had yet to turn
sixteen. A girl younger than him, who grew up treasured by her parents,
was now his wife. Every night they indulged in pleasure. Fan Xian had
no idea if she could endure it all. As he thought about it, he began to
fondle Wan’er chest. This sense of fullness behind a slick, thin fabric
was pure bliss.
Lin Wan’er moaned lightly and buried herself in Fan Xian’s embrace.
Fan Xian lowered his head and met her lips with his. The two bodies
slowly entwined, almost burning up, raising the room temperature.
Clouds clear; rain stops; mist dissipates. Flowers blossom and wilt;
there’s a time for everything.
It was still snowing outside the window. But it was warm as spring under
the blankets. Wan’er, embarrassed, meekly buried her face in Fan Xian’s
chest. Fan Xian affectionately looked at his wife and gently stroked her
lips. For some reason, he remembered the chicken drumstick from the
temple.
“Your… Your hands are not clean.” Wan’er turned her head.
Fan Xian smiled warmly. “Unclean? Where? My Wan’er is clean

everywhere.”
Lin Wan’er was afraid her husband would say some even more
embarrassing things, so she changed the topic. “So, are you going to
Northern Qi?”
Fan Xian embraced her tighter and asked her in return, “Will you follow
me for life?”
“Eh?” Wan’er’s expression couldn’t be seen in the dark, but hearing her
husband ask such a question must have made her nervous. In this
world, divorce was unheard of. She asked, “Why do you ask?”
Fan Xian now realized his question was not appropriate, so he

explained, “It just slipped out.” It was something he carried over from his
previous life. Although he exchanged vows with Wan’er, there were still
certain things he wanted to hear from the mouth of a cute girl.
“Slipped out?” Lin Wan’er was suspicious. She asked weakly, “Were you
thinking about Sisi?”
That made Fan Xian remember Sisi whom he had intentionally left at
Fan manor. According to Teng Zijing, she was living quite well. But as for
the mess grandmother made, he had to deal with that eventually.
He consoled Wan’er, “How could I be in the mood to think about that? If

we want to get through the business of life, we must plan far ahead.
Besides, you know your mother doesn’t like me very much.”
It was a new phrase that fell on Wan’er ears, warming her heart.
Satisfied, she said, “I’m married to you, what other choice do I have?”
“Then that’s that.” Fan Xian smiled in the dark, his lips holding a gentle
curve. He said lightly, “Some esteemed ones in the capital are holding a
big Mahjong game. I don’t know if I can join.”
Wan’er smiled, “Fighting dirty, I’m no match for you. Playing table
games, you’re no match for me.” That was the phrase Fan Xian used to
trigger Zhuang Mohan to throw up blood. It had spread far and wide in
the capital.
The snow and wind picked up. Fan Ruoruo could not sleep. She stood
holding an umbrella, staring into the darkness and carefully keeping her
distance from the edge of the pavement. On her face was a smile which
lacked any emotion. Her heart was empty. The brother she admired the
most was already married. Where did her future lead? Brother had said
that she should be like Sizhe. She could find some things, emotions, or
even fine arts to dedicate her life to. But she herself couldn’t find such a
thing.
Snow fell upon her umbrella, and onto her heart.

Wu Zhu, forever wearing his blindfold, silently appeared behind her. His
emotionless voice rang out next to Ruoruo’s ear, “Can you keep a
secret?”
At dawn the next day, after Fan Xian returned from his training, he was
surprised to find Dabao wearing the fox pelt cloak and looking down the
cliffs of the estate. Worried that he’d fall, Fan Xian quickly walked
towards Dabao and asked gently, “Dabao, what are you looking at?”
Dabao innocently grinned. He pointed downward and said, “Little

Xianxian, there, big white bird.”
Far away in the mountains, mist was rising. There, several white cranes,
with black necks and tails, were foraging. Occasionally, they raised their
heads and called out in their crisp voices. Between the calls, they would
spread their wings and dance about. It was a beautiful sight.
Fan Xian was somewhat stunned. In such cold weather, those cranes
remained in the mountains; could there be hot springs somewhere?
Cranes are birds of freedom. They do not enjoy confinement. Watching
the cranes in the distance dancing without restraint made Fan Xian
inhale deeply. It brightened his spirit.
“Dabao, do you like those birds?”
“No.”
Fan Xian was surprised. He asked with a smile, “Why not? Isn’t their
dance pretty?”
Dabao rubbed his lips, “They’re always jumping around. It Make Dabao
restless.”
Fan Xian laughed and slapped his older brother-in-law on the shoulder.
For some reason, this third talk with Dabao was the most relaxed.
Perhaps it was because Dabao really was like a child, so there was
nothing for Fan Xian to watch out for.
While the crane dance was beautiful, watching them was truly tiring.
“Dabao, have you been having fun these past few days?”
Dabao frowned ever so slightly, as if not knowing how to answer the

question. Nevertheless, he tried his best, “Was… Was… good. Play
Mahjong… Little fatty throwing tantrums. Pretty… fun.”
Fan Xian chuckled. He stared at the dense snowy forest below; he

stared at the mist in the distance and the cranes within that mist; he
stayed silent for a long time.
Chapter 155: Court Discussions (Part 1)

During the New Year festival, in accordance with palace customs, each
prince and princess was given a gift by the palace. This year’s gifts were
different from the norm. Firstly, the Crown Prince received the first gift.
This was only natural, but it was much more generous than it had been
in previous years: it was a book from the Emperor’s own collection. The
next was the Second Prince’s gift, which was of a higher level. And the
Great Prince, defending the distant border, received a bow and arrow.
Most importantly, accompanying this imperial bow was an order to return
to the capital at the end of the summer to accept the title of king.
The officials of the capital were confused. They were unsure what His
Majesty was thinking. It appeared that the Crown Prince’s position was
still secure, so why summon the Great Prince back to the capital? This
prince had spent the entire year on the edges of the kingdom leading
troops; although he was not the son of the Emperor’s first wife, he was
still the eldest son. If he were to return to the capital, it was possible that
the situation behind the scenes would not be entirely stable.
Among the imperial gifts was another eye-catching decree. It bestowed a

gift upon Fan Xian, fifth-level academician of the Imperial College,
currently hidden away in the Cang Mountains, in accordance with the
customs regarding the son-in-law of the Emperor. The officials all
presumed that this was for the sake of the reputation of the young lady
of the Lin family.
There were plenty of dealings and visits to be made at the end of the
year when the families of the officials and the gentry all sent gifts to one
another. People who had known each other for a long time also visited
each other, and two sets of envoys also made their way to the Cang
Mountains carrying generous presents. The gifts were divided into those
from the Eastern Palace – the palace of the Crown Prince – and those
from the estate of the Second Prince. The target of their gift-giving was
Fan Xian.
Everyone presumed that, if after the metropolitan civil service

examinations, Fan Xian was constrained by his title of “Prince Consort”,
he would find it hard to rise through the ranks of the bureaucracy, and so
His Majesty would order that he be given control over the palace
treasury. So before this occurred, both the Crown Prince and the Second
Prince rushed to redouble their efforts to entice him. But they did so
covertly, believing that no one would discover the envoys they had
dispatched bringing gifts.
“What did Number Two send?”
The Emperor of the Kingdom of Qing leaned upon a soft couch, clad in
black robes, his face tranquil. The handful of wrinkles on his well-kept
face were particularly apparent; his eyes peered calmly at the
snowflakes outside his study, which looked like goose feathers.
Chen Pingping cleared his throat and adjusted the blanket covering his
knees. “It is a poem from the previous dynasty,” he said respectfully.
The Emperor smiled, but there was a hint of mockery in that smile. “It
appears my second son is fond of trite and vulgar literature, but then
again, so is everyone. Fan Xian writes a poem every time he opens his
mouth, and has far exceeded the poets of the previous dynasty. That
was an inconsiderate gift.”
He continued on with his questioning. “What did the Crown Prince

send?”
“A case of green jade Mahjong tiles.” Chen Pingping stroked his smooth
jaw. Following His Majesty’s gaze, he looked out upon the blanket of
snow upon the palace, squinting slightly. “Fan Xian was quite fond of
them.”
“Fan… Xian. It appears that he desires to be an idler, showered with

riches and honor.” His Majesty spoke quietly. “The Crown Prince has
sent a fine gift. I do not know who in the Eastern Palace had the idea to
send it.” [1]
“It was most likely Xin Qiwu,” said Chen Pingping, smiling. “I do not know
what Fan Xian is thinking, but I do know that Princess Chen and the
younger master of the Fan family both love to play mahjong.”
The Emperor’s eyebrow rose slightly. “And how has my dear Chen been
recently?”
Chen Pingping spoke carefully. “Having Fan Xian, who knows her
condition well, taking care of her, she is likely happier than she was in
the palace.”
“No one can truly be happy within the palace.” The Emperor smiled.
“Have you really decided to send Fan Xian to Northern Qi?”
Chen Pingping sat in his wheelchair. His head still uneasily lowered, he
spoke respectfully. “Yes, Your Majesty. As Your Majesty agrees with my
suggestion, I shall make arrangements. If Fan Xian does not take care of
matters for the Overwatch Council, then it will be difficult for him to truly
take control of it in the future, in service of Your Majesty.”
There was a sudden cold silence between the two men. The Emperor
looked coldly at Chen Pingping, and after some time, he spoke quietly.
“Do not forget that he is the lifeblood of the royal family. How can you
take such a risk?”
There was a long silence. Chen Pingping smiled uneasily and defended
his plan. “My lord, the issue is that he can never become the lifeblood of
the royal family. I am your servant, and I plan to ensure that his future is
secure.” He paused a moment before continuing. “If he takes control of
the palace treasury, he will no doubt become the object of the princes’
enticement. I presume, my lord, that you do not wish to see that happen.
Thus it would be better to send him away and allow him to lie low. Hiding
in the Cang Mountains is not possible.”
The Emperor looked coldly at the cripple before him. This was his faithful
dog in the bureaucracy. But how long had it been since he had called
him “my lord”?
“Very well.” The Emperor slowly closed his eyes, and seemingly for a
moment, the snow and wind in the palace disappeared without trace.
Chen Pingping sat calmly in his wheelchair, waiting for a long while for
the Emperor to speak. “But you must be aware that Count Sinan and
Prime Minister Lin will not agree to these arrangements. When they
arrive to discuss courtly matters, I shall no doubt be greatly vexed by
them.”
“Ready the imperial carriage!” The young eunuch’s clear voice
reverberated from the eaves of Xingqing Hall. With a clatter, the imperial
eunuchs and palace maids spilled out from the hall, carrying the
Emperor’s sedan chair, waiting upon His Majesty’s every need, moving
toward the palace hall.
The sedan chair was sealed tight; the wind and the snow that filled the
air could not penetrate it. The Emperor closed his eyes, resting his chin
on his hands, pondering. His palms gently touched the small burning
stove. A moment later, he sighed, opened his eyes, and looked over the
all-too-familiar palace. Weary of the scene, he shook his head gently.
In the main hall, eunuchs holding horsetail whisks came out, loudly
proclaiming “The Emperor approaches!”
The gathered officials, who had already been waiting a long time,
adjusted their garments and kneeled to the floor, calling out “Long Live
His Majesty!” The Emperor glanced at the bureaucrats before
approaching the Dragon Throne and sitting down. “Come forth,” he said.
Hearing his command, the officials stood back up, although some of the
high-ranking officials and nobles, who lived comfortable lives in the
capital, had inevitably put on some weight, and so their movements were
sluggish. It was a comical sight.
“Other matters have been settled. Spring is approaching, and after the
Imperial Examinations, the agreement drafted with the northerners will
go into effect.” The Emperor seemed clearly displeased, and he leaned
on one side of the Dragon Throne. “Ministers, has a suitable envoy been
chosen?”
There had been rumors over the past few months that the Prime
Minister’s new son-in-law, Fan Xian, fifth-level Academician of the
Imperial College, was to be dispatched as envoy to Northern Qi. Prime
Minister Lin Ruofu had always presumed it was officials of the royal court
who opposed him making mischief, so he had long been fully prepared.
Originally, there had been mutual animosity between the Lin and Fan
families at court. One was a steadfast supporter of the Emperor’s
faction, while the other had unclear connections to the Eldest Princess.
After Fan Xian had entered the capital, everything had been acutely
transformed. The Prime Minister had broken his ties with the Eldest
Princess, and Minister Fan had become his relative by marriage.
Assistant Minister Fan Jian of the Ministry of Revenue had stepped back
somewhat. He glanced at the line of people in front of him, and found
that Prime Minister Lin Ruofu was also looking at him. Their gazes met,
and the two men smiled.
“I commend my report unto Your Majesty. I thought that when vice-

minister Xin of Honglu Temple was negotiating previously, all matters
were settled to the great benefit of the nation. He is a fine talent, and if
vice-minister Xin were to be dispatched as envoy, it would be most
suitable.”
The first one to hurriedly reply was a disciple of Prime Minister Lin
Ruofu, Ren Shao’an, a vice-minister official of Taichang Temple.
Because today’s court discussions were on the topic of the return visit,
everyone wanted to hear his opinion, so he and Xin Qiwu, vice-minister
of Honglu Temple, were both in attendance in the palace hall.
Xin Qiwu was somewhat taken aback. How could he have been
recommended? Of course, he understood, the Prime Minister did not
wish for his own son-in-law to be sent to an enemy country hundreds of
miles from his daughter. Although there were no issues of safety, the
road was long and high through the mountains. After the civil service
examinations, Fan Xian would certainly be promoted; if he were
immediately dispatched as envoy afterward, who knew what changes
could occur in the court months later?
In truth, the Crown Prince’s opinion was similar to that of the Prime
Minister’s. Now that there was none of the Eldest Princess’s madness
behind him, the Crown Prince’s understanding of issues had grown. He
presumed that Fan Xian would stay behind in the capital and soon take
control of the palace treasury, and at the same time, he could step up his
efforts to win him over. This was the correct approach, and if he could
use it as a pretext to take hold of Assistant Minister Fan Jian and restore
ties with the Prime Minister, that would be even better. Besides, the
imperial examinations were approaching, and the Eastern Palace still
relied heavily upon Fan Xian.
In light of this, it seemed that no one was going to bring up the matter of
dispatching Fan Xian as envoy to Northern Qi that day in the court. After
all, offending the Fan and Lin families, even if you were a senior figure or
a high official, would arouse the ire of those two men, which could very
well be unbearable.
So the hall was silent for a short while. It seemed that the ministers had
all approved the suggestion of dispatching Xin Qiwu to Northern Qi.
Even Xin Qiwu had begun to prepare for the order to go in place of Fan
Xian.
The Emperor frowned. It seemed he had not expected this would

happen. He set the small furnace in his hand gently upon a small table
by his side, covered in yellow satin.
At that moment, someone emerged from the ranks of the ministers and
spoke quietly and calmly. “I suggest that Fan Xian, academician of the
Imperial College, is dispatched as envoy to Northern Qi.”
The gathered officials had never expected that someone would be willing
to offend the Fan and Lin families. Numerous glances centered on him,
and discovered that the source of these words was Qin Heng, an attaché
of the Bureau of Military Affairs. Qin Heng had a military background,
and so he was not afraid of the glares of the bureaucracy. But the
officials did not understand; even if you were from the Bureau of the
Military Affairs, was there really any need to offend the Prime Minister
and the Fan family?
Hearing this suggestion, Prime Minister Lin Ruofu’s expression did not
change. He was thoroughly calm. Count Sinan could not help but smile.
Hindered by their connection to Fan Xian, the two old foxes naturally
found it unsuitable to speak, but officials with connections to them spoke
up on their behalf. After a period of discussion in the hall, one official
spoke calmly.
“I do not believe it is appropriate. Young Master Fan is not yet 17, and
has not the slightest experience in official affairs. Sending him as envoy
to Northern Qi as a representative of imperial power to establish
diplomatic connections is a great task. Although Young Master Fan is
greatly talented, he is still inexperienced. I fear that he will find it difficult
to shoulder such a responsibility. By contrast, vice-minister Xin is of
steady bearing and is a thoroughly suitable choice. He should have no
trouble in journeying to Northern Qi.”
Xin Qiwu sighed, knowing that he would have to make a decision. He

stepped forward from the ranks and bowed as he asked for orders. “I
wish to offer my service to the nation.”
Chapter 156: Court Discussions (Part 2)

As he sat high upon his Dragon Throne, watching his ministers’

performance below, an imperceptible smile formed on the Emperor’s
lips. He waved a hand to allow Xin Qiwu to withdraw, and spoke gently.
“Gentlemen, do you all believe that Xin Qiwu is the most suitable man for
the task?”
“Yes, Your Majesty.” The gathered ministers bowed, their words

elongated, using their whole breath to show respect.
Qin Heng, the attaché of the Bureau of Military Affairs who had
suggested Fan Xian as envoy to Northern Qi, looked at the Emperor a
little oddly before quickly returning his gaze. Now that all the ministers
deemed Fan Xian an inappropriate choice for envoy, he reckoned that
His Majesty could change his mind.
“Ministers, I do not agree with your views.”
The hall was suddenly silent. Only the Emperor’s gentle voice
reverberated through the palace. “It is said that one cannot make use of
jade without cutting it. Gentlemen, I preresume you still remember Fan
Xian’s graceful bearing in the hall on that day. Although he is a civilian
official, he also had the bravery to slaughter his would-be assassins at
Niulan Street. How can we allow such brilliance to go to waste in the
quiet corridors of Taichang Temple or the Imperial College?”
Hearing this, the ministers understood that the Emperor had long held
this view. But they did not understand why His Majesty insisted that Fan
Xian go to Northern Qi.
The Emperor looked coldly at the gathered officials and continued. “He is
inexperienced. Thus, we must provide him with experience. Fan Xian will
go. This assignment shall be given to him.”
If the Emperor – the Son of Heaven – said so, then it was so.
The gathered ministers did not dare speak up. Only on the faces of Fan
Jian and Lin Ruofu did some trace of anxiety show. As his father and
father-in-law, they were unable to hide it. This reaction was only natural.
If they were to pretend to be overjoyed and praise the Emperor’s
brilliance, they would simply arouse the scorn of His Majesty and all
those present.
“Fan Jian.” The Emperor looked at the assistant minister of the Ministry
of Revenue and frowned slightly.
“Yes, Your Majesty.” Heaing his name, Fan Jian was somewhat
surprised, and hurriedly stepped forward.
“I wish to give this task to your son,” the Emperor said quietly. “What is
your opinion?”
Fan Jian was quiet for a moment. Suddenly, he smiled. “I do not dare to
have an opinion on the matter.”
“Is it that you do not dare, or that you do not have one?”
“I do not dare.”
“If you dared, what would your opinion be?”
The wind and snow intensified outside, while inside the hall was as warm
as spring. And yet the words between their lord and his minister made it
as cold as it was outside. The officials who were on good terms with Fan
Jian could not help but secretly worry. How could Count Sinan answer
so inappropriately?
A moment later, Fan Jian quietly responded to the Emperor. “I was

separated from my son for 16 years, and we only met months ago. If we
are separated again, I cannot deny that it will be difficult.”
The word “difficult” echoed through the hall. Who knew who might have
heard it?
The Emperor smiled. He knew that Fan Jian’s response was that of his
childhood friend. In truth, he did not understand the real reason why he
was sending Fan Xian to Northern Qi. It seemed… that Chen Pingping
was the only one who understood him.
“But it will only be a few months. Leaving in mid-spring, returning in early

autumn. What about that is difficult?”
The Emperor did not await Fan Jian’s response. Smiling, he waved his
hand, issuing his decree. “The Minister of Revenue is old, and his health
is fading. He has been convalescing for a long time. I hereby decree…
that assistant minister of revenue Fan Jian is to take his place.”
There was no objection from the court. Fan Jian had long hidden the
truth at the Ministry of Revenue, but he had never been promoted.
Embittered officials grumbled to themselves. Assistant Minister Fan had
finally promoted his concubine Lady Liu to the status of wife, and the
Emperor had finally promoted him to Minister. If the assistant minister
had known this long ago, would he not have taken Lady Liu as his wife
much sooner?
Of course, the officials all presumed that this was compensation for the
Emperor’s decision to send Fan Xian to Northern Qi.
Fan Jian knew that nothing more could be done about this matter. His
face calm, he advanced and kowtowed to the Emperor in gratitude. The
Emperor then turned to Lin Ruofu and smiled. “Prime Minister, your
precious daughter is newly married. I am sending Fan Xian as envoy to
Northern Qi. Do you wish to say anything?”
Prime Minister Lin Ruofu forced a smile, stepped forward, and saluted.
The Emperor of the Kingdom of Qing and his Prime Minister appeared to
be on good terms, but in truth, the monarch’s power was imposing and
none would dare provoke him. His previous benevolence toward Fan
Jian was somewhat puzzling. His Majesty had asked for his opinion, and
he did not dare object. He spoke calmly. “Fan Xian should indeed
acquire experience.”
After the cabinet meeting, the Emperor seemed to be in a slightly better

mood as he climbed into his palanquin and made his way back to his
palace. The officials filed out. Outside the high palace walls, they all
congratulated Fan Jian on his appointment as Minister of Revenue.
From now on, he would be in charge of the nation’s financial affairs in
name as well as in practice.
“Master Fan, from now on, our salaries are in your hands,” teased Guo
You, Director of the Board of Rites. “Go easy on us.”
Fan Jian chuckled and shook his head. “Master Guo, you always were a
joker.” Fan Xian had had several run-ins with Guo Baokun, but in the
royal court, there was no ill will between the two men.
As they walked out, Lin Ruofu cleared his throat. As he walked onward,
the officials saluted the Prime Minister. Knowing he would have a few
words to say to the father of his son-in-law, they dispersed. “Master Fan,
why was His Majesty so insistent on sending Fan Xian as envoy to
Northern Qi?” he asked quietly.
As they were now relatives by marriage, the two men naturally had
dispensed with a lot of the formalities. Fan Jian forced a smile. “Sir, I
truly do not know. Perhaps… His Majesty truly does wish to give my son
experience?” Though he said it, in his heart he knew that that damned
cripple was behind it somehow. But thinking about it for a moment, Fan
Xian would only be away from the capital for a short while – away from
the attempts of the Crown Prince and the Second Prince to curry his
favor. Waiting until the Great Prince returned to the capital was perhaps
not a bad choice.
Lin Ruofu seemed to think the same. But his doubts went further. It
seemed that His Majesty was greatly concerned for his own “beloved
son-in-law”. Could it be that this was only for Chen’er’s sake?
The Prime Minister shook his head and smiled at Fan Jian. “Dabao
being in the mountains must be an inconvenience for you, Master Fan.”
“Nonsense,” said Fan Jian, smiling. “We are all family. In a month’s time,
when the spring flowers bloom, the diplomatic mission will depart for
Northern Qi. When that happens I shall allow Wan’er to visit your manor
as often as she pleases.”
“Indeed. Recently, without Dabao in the manor, it has felt rather lonely.”
Lin Ruofu felt somewhat emotional. He sighed. “Master Fan, should you
have some free time, you might as well pay me a visit.”
“How could I dare disobey my Prime Minister’s request?” said Fan Jian,
smiling.
Again in a deserted place, again in two carriages. Again, the two people
who had conspired behind Fan Xian’s back for over a decade still hid
inside their own carriages as they spoke.
“I said I did not wish for him to sever ties with the Overwatch Council!”
Fan Jian, recently promoted to Minister of Revenue, did not sound
pleased in the slightest; his tone was thoroughly cold.
In the carriage opposite, Chen Pingping hissed with quiet laughter.

“Sending him to Northern Qi has nothing to do with my lousy Council.”
Fan Jian could not help but draw open the curtain of his carriage.
“Nothing to do with you? Don’t think I don’t know what you’re thinking.
Xiao En is in your hands now. If you want to kill him, then kill him. Why
bother sending him to gain a reputation? We both know what kind of
person Xiao En is. If you allow him to return to Northern Qi, then killing
him will be that much harder. You know that.”
“I have not forgotten. You hold some of His Majesty’s power in your
hand. I believe some of your people are within the Overwatch Council.”
Chen Pingping still laughed quietly. His laugh seemed somewhat
sinister.
“I fear that His Majesty would not be pleased with our private meetings.
As for Xiao En, it doesn’t matter whether he’s dead or alive. I’ve put him
under pressure for 20 years, and he’s left me nothing. And the young
Emperor of Northern Qi won’t necessarily be as open-minded as our
own liege when it comes to whether he dares to use the head of the spy
network of the former Northern Wei Kingdom. And as for Fan Xian’s
departure, it truly was the Emperor’s will. Master Fan, you know that if
we allow your son to stay in the capital, the Crown Prince and the
Second Prince will try every day to win him over. And that will likely
cause us great trouble in the future.”
Fan Jian was silent for a while. He knew this was a serious issue. He
absolutely could not allow Fan Xian to be caught up in the royal family’s
struggles over their rights of inheritance. He let down the curtain from the
side of the carriage and closed his eyes, leaning on the soft padding. He
was still unable to relax when it came to the child he had watched over
for over a decade and the connections he had built within the Overwatch
Council’s terrifying machinery.
Chen Pingping had seemingly guessed what he was thinking. “Since the
Emperor has agreed to the plan, you can relax.”
No one saw the sneer that curled the corners of Fan Jian’s mouth. “Yan
Bingyun was captured,” he said coldly. “How is your Council coordinating
with him?”
“Naturally, someone will be there to receive him.”
“Don’t send someone mediocre!”
Chen Pingping smiled. “Perhaps you should try harder too. You should
know that Ye Zhong has always suspected that the assassins from
Dongyi who entered the palace and killed the Eldest Princess’s maid
were from the Council. The rumor has also reached Xinyang. So it’s
caused me some trouble.”
Fan Jian’s heart skipped a beat.
In the Cang Mountains, the snow settled thick and deep. White steam
arose from a hidden hot spring in the distance, and red-crowned cranes
moved across the sky in an endless and directionless dance. Fan Xian
pored over a letter that had arrived from his father and Wang Qinian.
Then, crumpling it in his hand, he ripped it into tiny pieces and threw it
out of the window.
Outside, the snowy scene was beautiful. Dabao and Fan Sizhe were
making snowmen. One large and chubby, the other small and plump,
they made constant noise. At times like these, Fan Sizhe could finally act
like a child, and not like some embittered bookkeeper.
Fan Xian smiled. The snow was no doubt difficult to traverse, but Danbo
Bookstore had still dispatched people into the mountains with their
accounts. Seventh Ye the shopkeeper was truly loyal to his duties.
Business at the bookstore was absolutely booming. Thanks to the
publication of the Banxianzhai poetry anthology, several branches of
Danbo had established a firm foothold in the capital, and in the next
county over they had begun to turn a profit.
The next evening, Fan Sizhe sorted out the accounts. Seeing the net
income of 23,000 taels of silver, his eyes reddened, and he urged Fan
Xian to finish the last ten chapters of Story of the Stone. Fan Xian did not
answer him. The poetry had stirred up so much; if anyone knew that
Story of the Stone was also his doing, who knew what chaos might
ensue?
The Eldest Princess had returned to Xinyang, but her influence remained
at the court. The key thing was that he did not know who was on her
side. Was it the Crown Prince, or was it the Second Prince who he had
never once laid eyes on?

Walking out of the book chamber, Fan Xian breathed in the fresh winter
air of Cang Mountain. He stretched lazily and followed the sound of
Mahjong and quickly found his wife playing with some other ladies.
Seeing the jade-green tiles rolling around in those soft, white hands, the
sight struck Fan Xian’s heart.
Then he saw his sister. The second prince had given them a poetry
collection from the previous dynasty, and Fan Ruoruo was immersed in
reading it. This sight also struck Fan Xian’s heart.
Just as he thought, being too famous wasn’t a good thing. Getting fat
isn’t good news for a pig, and getting famous isn’t good news for a
person. Fan Xian smiled bitterly. Since the banquet, both the eldest and
second princess didn’t directly contact him, but vice-minister Xin and Li
Hongcheng frequented Fan Manor. Even after hiding in the mountains,
Fan Xian could not stop them from sending gifts.
On the last day of the lunar year, the group on Cang Mountain went back
to the capital. In those few days, Li Hongcheng caught the news and
begged to come back to Cang Mountain with Fan Xian. While Fan Xian
dared not bring Crown Prince Jing, he was forced to bring along Rou Jia.
Rou Jia was the first one to notice Fan Xian blanking out in his room.
The young girl asked, “Brother Xian, do you want to play cards?”
Being called “Brother Xian” reminded Fan Xian of “Brother Bao” from
Dream of the Red Chamber. He waved his hand and said, “Go ahead. I
shall go for a stroll.”
“Stroll” came out a bit unnaturally. Catching that, Rou Jia made an
adorable pout. Lin Wan’er had to intervene. “My dear, why don’t you
come and play a few rounds?”
“I’m going to pass.” Fan Xian refused even more firmly. As he left the
game table, his foot touched something fluffy. Not knowing what to make
of it, he looked down and discovered a box. Inside the box slept three
plump kittens on top of some straw and shredded rags. With their closed
eyes and wrinkled noses, those kittens were very cute indeed.
Fan Xian gasped. “What are these kittens doing here?”
Lin Wan’er, also seeing the box, picked it up and put it on the game
table. She smiled, “Auntie Teng was worried we would get lonely in the
mountains, so she had someone bring us these three kittens today.”
Fan Xian got closer and saw that there was a yellow kitten, a black one,
and a white one. Aside from their colors, they were identical otherwise.
Fan Xian laughed. “Oh you lot, you don’t even know how to feed
yourselves, much less keep some cats.” He picked up the black one and
held it in his arms. The sensation from this little ball of fur was very
interesting. When he gently petted the kitten on the back of its head, it
opened its eyes and lazily looked at him before falling back to sleep. It
didn’t seem to mind being held.
“Do they have names?”

“No. Let’s go with Little Yellow, Little Black, and Little White for now.”
“Oh, I like the sound of Little White.”
After dinner, Fan Xian sat in the main seat. Sizhe sat next to him. The
brothers received the reports from the capital. Towards the end of the
year, the Fan clan owned suburbs in the capital, as well as the Danzhou
estate and some other pieces of land. They all had to report their taxes.
Lady Liu at Fan Manor in the capital always took care of these primary
matters. Now that she had become the head wife, it was even more
appropriate for her to take care of these matters. But this year, after
having done so, she picked the biggest couple of expenditures and
asked Mister Cui to write a letter reporting them to Young Master Fan.
Fan Xian could understand Lady Liu’s intentions, so he didn’t

immediately react. Rather, he was even more attentive of the reports.
Occasionally he would interject to ask some questions.
The third housekeeper finished his report obediently. Fan Xian closed
his eyes and thought for a while. He then opened them and looked at
Sizhe. “Do you think there will be any issues?”
Fan Sizhe scratched his left cheek, where there were three moles. He
shook his head. “No problems, big bro. But mother always took care of
those expenditures. Why is she having us look over it this year?”
Fan Xian gave a faint grin. Fan Sizhe was talented in some areas – to
the point of being a little tyrant even – but in other areas he was like a
blank sheet of paper.
The third housekeeper then respectfully said, “The yearly goods should
have arrived in the capital before the coming year, but because of heavy
snow to the east and north, they arrived some days late. Other than the
fruits and grains from last time, the letters included the various meats,
wild game, and floral tea sent from Danzhou. The Lady had prepared to
send three more cartloads, enough to last all of you until spring.”
“There’s no need for that much, we could just settle for the new and
interesting stuff. One cartload would be plenty.” Fan Xian then added,
“Grandmother’s floral tea – remember to bring a lot of that.” He had often
spoke to Wan’er and Ruoruo about his life in Danzhou, mentioning that
fragrant tea countless times.
The housekeeper smiled. “The tea already arrived today. The latter two
loads are food and some small goods. Those are for in case you two
young masters wish to stay until spring.”
Fan Xian heard it clearly and inwardly complimented Lady Liu for her
flawless caretaking. He asked the housekeeper to take a rest and
receive his payment.
Spring arrived. As a fifth-ranked scholar, Fan Xian had to return to the

capital to assume his position; he couldn’t hide in the mountains forever.
And after the examinations in the fourth month, an envoy would be
required for the negotiations between two nations; a secret trade of
captives must take place as well. Everything seemed to be happening all
at once.
If Fan Xian were to have a say in the matter, he would have exchanged
the captives last year. The soldiers and generals aside, Fan Xian was
most worried about that Yan Bingyun, whom he never met but admired
in secret. Being the head spy of Qing, who knew how much he suffered
whilst imprisoned by an enemy nation for over half a year?
Fan Xian was willing to serve this nation, but not the Imperial court.
At night, after he finished his regular training, he dragged his fatigued

body back to the mountain estate. His night clothes were dirty from snow
and mud, so he put those in a bag he had prepared. He then tossed the
bag aside.
While training, he had lain in the snow, alone. Under the pale moonlight,
he aimed at his targets. His eyesight froze into a straight line as he
stared at the rocks in the distance, black rocks protruding from the snow
which had remained still for millennia. Other times, he would take aim at
the rabbits dashing rapidly through the snow. All of this chipped away at
his stamina. Not to mention that a few days ago, Wu Zhu gave “that” to
him and disappeared. In the past few training sessions, there was no
one to talk to; no one to oversee him. This feeling of loneliness reminded
him of his past life.
It was all silent in the mountain estate. Only the main bedroom remained
lit; that was Wan’er awaiting his return. Smiling, Fan Xian walked
towards the light. It had been sunny for a while during the day, melting
the snow on the stone platform. Fan Xian walked around the puddles
which reflected the moonlight. He leapt over the rails. Suddenly,
something alerted him and he stopped abruptly.
Presently, he stood at the other end of the hallway, right outside

Ruoruo’s room. His ears perked up and he frowned. He sharpened his
gaze. He turned and pressed his palm against the door and released just
a small amount of his zhenqi. The wooden door was forced open from
the shock, and Fan Xian drifted inside like the night breeze.
On the bed, the blankets were in a mess. Ruoruo was nowhere to be

seen.
Calmly, Fan Xian reached under the blankets and discovered that, other
than the spot near the bed warmer, the rest had all already gone cold.
Ruoruo had been gone for a long time. His heart was slightly shaken –
could this be the work of some unknown enemy? He steadied himself
and turned around, his hand brandishing his thin dagger. He was ready
for a night raid.
“Xian!”
Outside the doorway, Fan Ruoruo was holding a lantern. Seeing her
brother standing by her bed wielding a blade, she called out to him in
surprise. Fan Xian, seeing her safe and sound, felt his entire body and
nerves relax. He closed his eyes and took a few deep breaths. Moments
later, he asked, “Where did you go? Are you alright?”
Ruoruo had covered herself with a silver-colored blanket, but under that
she was only wearing her sleepwear. She looked at Fan Xian, as if not
realizing what he meant. After a while she forced a smile, “You’re
scaring me, asking that while holding a dagger.”
Fan Xian smiled in apology and put back the dagger. He walked toward
her and held her shoulders, “You’re the scary one. I was walking outside
and it was abnormally quiet, I couldn’t even hear you breathe. You had
me worried to death.”
“You sure can talk. You are the one running around outside in the dead
of the night, and you’re saying I was the one who scared you?”
“Where did you go exactly?” Fan Xian asked. Fan Ruoruo blushed and
lowered her head, “Sometimes it’s best if you don’t ask for details.”
Only now did Fan Xian realize. “There’s a toilet inside. The mountain
winds are harsh at night. Don’t catch a cold.”
“I know.” Ruoruo smiled shyly and pushed him out the door, “Wan’er is
still waiting for you.”
Outside, Fan Xian gently rubbed his cold fingers. Judging from the
temperature of her bed, she had been gone for a while; definitely not to
the bathroom. She must have gone somewhere right after he left the
mountain estate.
Thinking about that, Fan Xian couldn’t help but treat this as a great
mystery. But he forced back his desire to find out. Everyone keeps
secrets, and it’s important to respect their right to do so—Fan Xian had
taught Ruoruo that back in the capital. Now, as her elder brother, he
must lead by example.
Chapter 158: Back to the Capital

The spring winds brought people joy and urged on the horses. Fan Xian,
who had been resting on Cang Mountain for an entire winter, finally
decided to leave with his family. Altogether, they packed into six
carriages, and that was only for a portion of the luggage. When
descending the mountains, the likes of Guo Baokun were nowhere to be
seen, and there were no other unpleasant happenings. All of the female
family members seemed to be drunk on spring breeze.
Fan Xian was in excellent spirits. To him, this “hibernation” in Cang

Mountain was a much-needed adjustment; he made much
improvements in both martial and spiritual aspects. Gazing far ahead, he
could see the foot of Cang Mountain was already turning green, and the
sky seemed to be full of signs of life.
The sky was currently clear, but there were some dark clouds in the
distance. Strangely, behind them, blue sky and white clouds could still
be seen, giving viewers a sense of a heavy dark layer.
With the clopping of horse hooves, the carriages meandered down the
mountain path. Having gone around the shaded side, the group was
suddenly showered by intense sunlight. Piercing through the clouds, it
was almost intimidating.
Turning his eyes back down to the earth, Fan Xian smiled to his wife.
“Staying in the mountains for so long, you must be pent up.”
Lin Wan’er asked, “Pent up about what?” Fan Xian wasn’t quite
expecting that. “While the mountain is good, the sights are only snow
and trees. Eventually you get tired of seeing them. Wan’er, do you miss
the bustling life back in the capital?”
Lin Wan’er smiled meaningfully. “In the capital, it’s either the palace or
one of the various courtyards. Besides, you know I didn’t live too long in
the prime minister’s manor. I never had many chances to go outside.
While the life in the mountains is a bit dull, it’s more comfortable than the
sight of those palace walls.” Knowing her husband cared for her very
much, Wan’er felt a sense of warmth in her heart. She giggled, “Also
because the mountains had you.”
Before Fan Xian could react, Wan’er became shy and turned her face
away.
Fan Xian laughed and thought to talk about something else. “After the
spring examinations are over, I guess the Imperial court will send me on
a diplomatic mission to Northern Qi.”
It became quiet in the carriage. Only the sound of horses and the wheels
could be heard coming in from outside. After a while, Lin Wan’er said,
“Don’t worry, I will be in the capital.”
Fan Xian thought for a moment and said, “I think I’m bringing Wang
Qinian. If anything comes up, first ask father for advice. If Fei Jie is still in
the capital, you can also go to him for help. I already conveyed
everything to Teng Zijing. Of course…” He smiled. “Nothing should
happen.”
Once they returned to the capital, they discovered the remnants of the
colored lanterns and the paper scraps from firecrackers. In the streets,
people walked around in new clothing, intoxicated by the festive
atmosphere. Fan Xian regretted going to the mountains and missing out
on the lively festival.
Arriving at the Fan manor, there was more ruckus as they had to unload
everything. The couple saluted their parents and met up with relatives.
Fan Xian discovered that the Fan clan was exactly as they say. While no
relatives held a high position in the Imperial court, they all seem to have
a place in the various government buildings and led very comfortable
lives.
Days later, Fan Xian first led Wan’er back to her manor and greeted his
father-in-law and bid farewell to Dabao. Then he went to visit King Jing.
With no time to rest, he was treated twice by vice-minister Ren Shao’an
of Honglu Temple and vice-minister Xin Qiwu of Taichang Temple; as
the two were officials who had been through much with Fan Xian, he
could not refuse them.
Soon, it was the second month of the lunar year. The various aspiring
students already entered the capital. Those with money stayed at inns.
Some lived with relatives. Those without money made do in the
bookstores in the suburbs of the capital. Eventually the dormitories of the
Imperial college opened to accommodate those students without a place
to live.
The examination was held by the Board of Rites, and students were to
take it on one of the three days of the second month: the ninth, twelfth,
or the fifteenth day. When Fan Xian got there, the time was already
close. But fortunately, his position didn’t hold much substance; it was
something His Majesty came up with. The Imperial college never had
any intention to assign him anything anyway so naturally he had no need
to go to lectures; it was a quiet life.
Occasionally the other students would come to his room and look at him
with greedy eyes, resembling a pack of hungry wolves.
With a sharp noise, Fan Xian opened the fan in his hand and started
stirring up the still-cold spring air. The students took the hint and backed
off. Fan Xian smiled at them,. “Everyone, I am still young, I wouldn’t take
on a responsibility as important as teaching. Should you continue to
bring this up, you will embarrass me.”
The students took note of Fan Xian’s interesting way of speech. For
someone of his reputation, a fifth-ranked official at the age of seventeen,
Fan Xian wasn’t the type to look down on those below him. That took
away some layers of intimidation. Someone joked, “Sir Fan, you were
the one who mentioned style at Yishi Inn, and now you are here waving
a fan.”
Fan Xian laughed, “So what? I simply enjoy messing around. You
shouldn’t hold what I say against me.”
All the examiners and related personnel had been chosen. Fan Xian’s
age and rank alone were enough to be somewhat intimidating, but he
was still far from matching those important roles. Nevertheless, his fame
as a poet had spread far and wide. Even though he swore to never
compose poetry again, few took him seriously. The students always
wanted to bait something out of him. Should they really obtain
something, it would be an unexpected reward for them.
The “Banxianzhai Poetry Collection” was already a national bestseller,
which was why all the students from outside the capital were all curious
about this young man. Some were more straightforward than others, and
managed to find the location of Fan manor. But upon arriving at the gate,
staring at the stone lions, even they couldn’t gather the courage to knock
when they saw what kind of household Fan Xian came from.
Only a few days into his stay at the Imperial College, Fan Xian followed
the Fourth Bureau to check up on the various students who had come to
the capital to take the examination. He discovered much suffering
among the poorer students. Despite the Imperial court ordering all the
books stores and local temples to accommodate them, life could still be
difficult for some. Some of them didn’t even have enough money to buy
food.
Remembering Wu Zhu’s story back in Danzhou, Fan Xian was slightly

shaken. He took some silver out of the book department’s budget and
asked the shopkeepers at Qingyu Hall to make those poor students’
lives more comfortable. While not an earth-shattering act of kindness,
Fan Xian still wouldn’t let those students know he was their benefactor.
Upon returning home, Fan Xian complained about this situation to his
father, who had been promoted to Director of the Board of Rites.
Fan Jian was a tad surprised that his son cared for such matters. Other
than feeling glad, he was more assured regarding Fan Xian’s safety and
future.
On the seventh day of the second month, two days before the
examination, Fan Xian felt bored and snuck out from the Imperial
College. He really couldn’t put up with those students who weren’t
diligent yet still brought him poems. Some of those students were old
enough to be his father, which made things quite awkward.
Outside the city walls, Fan Xian watched the clear water in the moat and
began to relax. In fact, until recently, not very many people in the capital
knew what he looked like, so it was very liberating for him to walk in the
streets, especially under the red walls of the palace. He eyed those walls
and the intimidating guards standing on them, “So what? I snuck in
once.”
The tower in the far corner belonged to the Imperial troops; it was where
Yan Xiaoyi launched his arrow from.
Fan Xian withdrew his gaze and shook his head. Yan Xiaoyi had been
relocated to the north as a general. If he were to go to Northern Qi, he
would have to pass through Yan Xiaoyi’s domain. Naturally, Fan Xian did
not want to expose himself as the assassin on that night.
He arrived at Tianhe Avenue, not too far from the palace. The flowing
waters to the side were still warm, while the golden characters on the
building gate shined. Fan Xian pretended not to notice and passed by.
“Say, Sir Fan, to think it would be so hard for me to see you. You sure
have become a celebrity in the capital.”
Fan Xian turned around with an embarrassed smile. Crown Prince Jing
sat on top of his horse, smiling at Fan Xian. Fan Xian saluted him. “It is
an honor to see you, Prince. I only wanted some peace and quiet. It was
sheer coincidence which brought me to you.”
“Not coincidence.” Li Hongcheng waved his horsewhip, “I chased you all

the way from the Imperial College.”
Fan Xian was a bit startled, but immediately regained his composure,
“What is the matter, Prince?”
The prince smiled, “Today, someone wishes to invite you out for a feast.”
“Who?” Fan Xian asked bluntly. Something seemed wrong.
“The Second Prince.” Li Hongcheng replied.
Fan Xian shook his head in frustration. This second prince, who had
never made contact before, now made his move. There was no way Fan
Xian could get out of this one.
hapter 159: The Second Prince
It was a secret banquet located on a pleasure boat upon the Liujing

River, just as before. The outside of the pleasure boat looked
exceptionally elegant, but without the gaudy romance-novel feel there
had been on the other side of the river. At that moment there were
neither clouds nor rain over the river. The scene was bathed in a
majestic pale red light, and under the light winds, the waves softly
lapped the riverbanks as if the river were breathing. Compared to the
other side, where one could hear faint sounds, this pleasure boat,
arranged by the Second Prince, seemed a much more serene and
worldly place.
Fan Xian and Li Hongcheng, Crown Prince Jing, chatted and laughed as
they walked to the riverbank. With their bodyguards leading their horses,
the two men helped each other onto the boat. There was a smile on his
face, but deep in his heart, he sighed. This prince seemed to be a
thoroughly elegant man, but he did not know why he was not content to
act as prince in peace. Why did he feel the need to provoke such affairs
within the Kingdom of Qing?
On the slightly wet boards of the boat, Fan Xian’s feet were just about to
step onto the side of the ship when he suddenly heard the sound of a
string being plucked. He did not feel somber at all. He instead felt pure-
hearted and cordial as the song arose. “Leaving the clear water and
green hills, I came to a cottage with a bamboo fence. The wild flowers
bloom on the edges of the road. Wine is brewed in vessels in the village,
and I drink to complete intoxication. Even though drunk, the mountain
children do not mock us, chrysanthemums stuck randomly in my white
hair.”
A smile curled the corners of Fan Xian’s lips, and he entered alongside
Li Hongcheng. As he listened to the song, he felt more and more curious
as to what kind of person this Second Prince was.
The beaded screen parted, Fan Xian saw only a young man wearing a
blue-green jacket, sitting in an odd fashion upon a chair. His head was
slightly tilted to one side, and his eyes were lightly closed, with a look of
satisfaction on his face as he listened to the song of the woman singing
in the corner.
Without having to ask, he knew that this young man was the Second
Prince of the Kingdom of Qing, son of the Emperor and Imperial Consort
Shu.
The Second Prince was sitting in an odd position indeed. He was in a

half-squat on top of the chair, looking a lot like a peasant resting in his
field. His blue-green jacket covered his legs, but more oddly, looking at
his drunken expression and elegant facial features, one suddenly felt a
feeling of refined tranquility, as if he had long tired of the comings and
goings of this world, and was reflecting purely on the song.
Fan Xian’s first thought on seeing the Second Prince was: “This man
gives me a familiar feeling.” His second thought was: “This man is
exhausted, and so is his spirit.” His third thought was: “This man’s
thoughts are deep.” He had his belief in his ability to look a man in the
eye, but it was still an awkward scene. Out of the corner of his eye, he
saw that Li Hongcheng had long since quietly taken a seat, and Fan
Xian was standing in the middle of the room, looking at the Second
Prince, unsure of how to address him.
The Second Prince seemed to only care about listening to the music,
and had completely forgotten about his own guests. Of course,
considering his status, it was only natural that he would make Fan Xian
wait.
The tune finally came to an end, and the songstress carried her guqin in
her arms, bowed sincerely to the three men in the room, and quietly
withdrew to the rear chamber.
And the Second Prince, squatting on his chair, still seemed to be lost in
the music. He remained there for a long time. His eyes were still closed.
His right hand, hanging in the air, slowly moved to the side to feel a plate
of grapes left upon a small table; pinching the grape stalk between his
fingers, he took a bunch. Suspending them in mid-air like a child, he
raised his head, parted his lips and teeth, and unhurriedly bit at a very
green grape. He chewed for a moment, and then swallowed. His throat
trembled pleasurably as he swallowed; it seemed that he even found
eating a grape to be a thoroughly satisfying experience.
Fan Xian was neither nervous nor angry. He watched the Second Prince
with a smile on his face. His eyes were calm, but he did not let the
Second Prince get away with any petty tricks. He tried to figure out from
looking at him what kind of person this Second Prince was.
A long while later, the Second Prince sighed, slowly placing the grapes
back onto the plate before he finally opened his eyes. He seemed to
have only just discovered that the guests he had invited had arrived on
the boat. There was the unavoidable flash of a smile in his eyes, and his
lips curled into a slightly-embarrassed grin.
Fan Xian’s heart skipped a beat. That familiar feeling was getting more
and more intense.
The Second Prince calmly regarded Fan Xian, who stood before him,
before he suddenly spoke. “Since you’ve arrived, why don’t you take a
seat?”
Crown Prince Li Hongcheng sat to one side, smiling as he sipped his

tea, saying nothing to help Fan Xian. With a gentle smile, Fan Xian
bowed and cupped his hands in salute to the Second Prince. “Since
Your Highness is seated, I did not dare take a seat without making my
salutations.”
The Second Prince smiled as he looked at Fan Xian. “I have never

welcomed you; you need not salute me.”
Fan Xian laughed. “Your Highness need not welcome your servant; your
servant must salute Your Highness.”
The Second Prince smiled and shook his head, wiping his grape-juice-
stained hand willfully on his blue-green jacket. “It is only you and I and
my brother Hongcheng upon this boat. Furthermore, you are my younger
sister’s husband; there is no need for such talk of servants and
Highnesses.”
Fan Xian chuckled, cupped his hands in salute, and did not say anything
more, going back to sit down next to Crown Prince Li Hongcheng. Since
the Second Prince was fond of trifling with scholars’ feelings – even
though he wasn’t very good at it – taking a seat would be fine.
In truth, the first few words the two of them exchanged had no
particularly deep meaning to them, but Fan Xian felt it was still quite
marvelous. Because the Second Prince spoke particularly slowly, and
the rhythm of his speech every time he opened his mouth was half the
speed of the average person’s, any conversation with him would arouse
sudden feelings in the listener. And what Fan Xian found even more
interesting was that the longer he looked at the Second Prince, the more
familiar he felt. But he didn’t know where this feeling of familiarity came
from. He was certain that it was not because of his relationsihp with
Wan’er.
“This boat was built with my own money. What do you think?” The
Second Prince seemed to have some fervant desire to know how Fan
Xian felt about the boat. Fan Xian forced a smile, only now sizing up the
decorations on the boat. He found that whether it was structure, or the
green flowerpots in the corners, or the art and calligraphy hanging on the
slanting walls, this pleasure boat did not seem like a pleasure boat at all,
but more like a library. He couldn’t help but shake his head and laugh.
“Your Majesty, this pleasure boat is thoroughly peaceful. I don’t know if
‘pleasure’ is the right word for it.”
The Second Prince smiled gently, and raised his head to look him in the
eye. “Silence is good.”
Fan Xian suddenly felt that this conversation was slightly boring and
arduous. He was about to fix Li Hongcheng with a look that suggested
he was asking for help when Crown Prince Jing spoke just in time.
“I say, can the two of you not speak so wearily?” Li Hongcheng laughed
as he changed the subject.
The Second Prince chuckled. “Do you see?” he said to Fan Xian. “Do
not presume that the sons of the royal family are boring people. In any
case, you and Wan’er are already married. We are family. We should
see each other more often from now on.”
Li Hongcheng interjected: “Even if it were in a princely palace, you are

the Second Prince. Meetings would likely be dangerous.”
The three of them all knew that some months back, Fan Xian had been
attacked on Niulan Street by assassins from Northern Qi on his way to
attend dinner with the Second Prince. The three men looked at each
other, thinking of all the things that had happened over the past few
months. They could not help but become aware of an indescribable
feeling, and at once, all three began to laugh.
After their laughter had subsided, the lid had probably been taken off
that incident. Fan Xian laughed bitterly. “Your Highness,” he said to the
Second Prince, “though you did not set up a Feast at Hongmen, it is
quite terrifying when going to dinner means facing such danger.” [1]
The Second Prince and Li Hongcheng were somewhat stumped by the

words “Feast at Hongmen”, but they did not show it on their faces.
Naturally, they had never heard the tale, but hindered by their status as
nobles, they did not wish to ask about it. The Second Prince smiled. “Do
not call me ‘Your Highness’. Just like Wan’er, you may call me ‘second
brother’.”
Fan Xian’s face did not change, but he felt somewhat vexed. Getting too
familiar… seemed like it would have its problems. Seemingly having
guessed that he was worried about something, the Second Prince
dangled his hands in front of his knees, and smiled, still half-squatting.
“There’s no need to be too cautious about everything. Wan’er was the
baby of the palace. Remember, now you have one more older brother,
still on the western border playing with his cavalry. I am still hidden away
inside the Imperial Academy, editing books. As for the Crown Prince, the
third brother, it’s only right you be closest to him. How can you be so
distressed about having a few extra relatives?”
Fan Xian laughed. These royal relatives, of course, were a great source
of troubles. “It is my great fortune,” he said. “But not calling you ‘Your
Highness’ feels rather improper to me.”
The Second Prince laughed bitterly. “Ask Wan’er what she calls me
when you get back home.”
Their pleasantries finished, the feast began. On the table were some
fresh seasonal vegetables and elaborate appetizers. Fan Xian ate
happily. He had long had a plan drawn up, so after they had gotten to
know each other, he was able to relax a little. At the table, the three
chatted about the comings and goings of various people within the
capital, and of the works of luminaries of the past; it was a pleasant
conversation. Sure enough, the Second Prince was greatly influenced by
Imperial Concubine Shu. In matters of literary research, he and Fan Xian
echoed each other to a large extent. Sitting to the side, Li Hongcheng
made a few choice interjections, but they could not avoid bringing up the
topic of Count Sinan’s glorious success that year. Although there were
some inappropriate topics of conversation between the Second Prince
and Fan Xian, the atmosphere remained convivial. Fan Xian
nevertheless tried to avoid the topic and save face, speaking of stories
from Danzhou and things he had learned by the wayside.
When the banquet had concluded, having each gotten something out of
it, the Second Prince and Fan Xian parted happily.
The Second Prince did not see him off. All this time, still squatting on his
chair, he seemed to have kept this position without moving. His shadow,
still watching Fan Xian and Li Hongcheng, disappeared in the boat
doorway. Finally, he sighed gently.
“Your Highness,” asked one of his followers respectfully, “what are your
thoughts on young Master Fan?”
The Second Prince smiled. “My sister’s husband is too cautious. He has
not a drop of the arrogance and violence of young men raised in the
Kingdom of Qing. In truth, I am skeptical that the young master Fan, who
gave such a raucous poetry recital in the palace hall, was the same one
that I met today.”
Having said this, he lowered his head, as was his habit, and his finger
stretched out to the side to feel for a bunch of grapes. Seeing this, his
follower knew that His Majesty was thinking on most important matters of
state, and did not dare disturb him. He hurriedly and silently departed.
Some time later, the Second Prince slowly raised his head. There was
confusion in his eyes. In truth, he had not been considering grand
matters of state at all. He had been thinking about Fan Xian’s phrase
“Feast at Hongyan”. As a child, he had read the classics together with
his mother, but he still could not remember any story about a “Feast at
Hongyan”.
“My sister’s husband is a learned man indeed. It seems I must go back

to my books.”
With his white teeth, the Second Prince chewed at the green grape he
held in his mouth. The juice was sour and sweet.
Chapter 160: The Riverside Makes One Weary

Fan Xian rode on his horse. His buttocks felt a bit uncomfortable. He
couldn’t shake the sense of familiarity as he thought about this Second
Prince. He understood very well he should not talk too much during this
first meeting. Matters regarding the palace treasury shouldn’t be brought
up either. This was simply a casual meeting.
Brushing aside a willow branch that was in the way, he asked Li

Hongcheng, “The Second Prince just wanted to see me?”
Li Hongcheng answered, “He’s one of your admirers, and it just so

happens you married Princess Chen. So, as your brother-in-law, he
wanted to see what this ‘Poetry Sage’ was like.”
That caught Fan Xian off guard. Wondering if that was all, he shook his
head. Moments later, he suddenly sighed, “Why does Second Prince
look so familiar to me?”
Li Hongcheng had known Fan Xian for many months; he knew Fan Xian
had a gentle demeanor, but that he was also resolute on the inside.
Other than the occasional bouts of insanity, he put in effort to keep
himself composed. Seeing him being caught off guard like this, Li
Hongcheng said, “You shouldn’t have met him.”
Fan Xian could only smile and shake his head. While the Second Prince
was handsome, he was no Sister Lin, and Fan Xian was not interested in
the same sex. As to why he couldn’t forget the Second Prince, Fan Xian
smiled shyly.
Li Hongcheng was staring at him the whole time. After staring for a
while, he said, “I know why you find Second Prince familiar.”
Fan Xian opened his eyes wide. “Why?”
Li Hongcheng pretended to be disgusted. “Because, sometimes, you

both make that shy and effeminate smile.”
Fan Xian was startled and immediately stopped grinning. “Like I was
doing just now?”
Looking at Fan Xian’s flawless face, Li Hongcheng suddenly felt a chill,

“Your demeanors are similar too; truly effeminate.”
“Nonsense.” Fan Xian didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. But suddenly,
he had a change in thought. Perhaps… Second Prince and he were
really alike in those regards. He shook his head and got rid of the
question lingering in his heart. He made the same smile again to disgust
Crown Prince Jing once more before waving his horsewhip and galloping
back to the capital.
On the way back, he took the path along the river. The spring wind
caressed his face, and willow branches were also coming at him. Fan
Xian was too lazy to duck, so he moved his zhenqi to his face and
literally shocked the incoming branches away. He felt lively on top of his
horse.
Having distanced himself from Crown Prince Jing and his guards, Fan
Xian’s horse began to tire. So he slowed down and gazed across the
water. He found himself having arrived at where pleasure boats
gathered. Far in the distance, there was one that was gathering dust.
Compared to the other boats teeming with guests, that one looked
exceptionally desolate.
Fan Xian squinted as he guessed which boat that one was. That boat
once had the most popular girl in the capital. To think it had fallen to
such a state, Fan Xian couldn’t help but remember Si Lili who was still
imprisoned. After the spring examination, Qing would release her to
Northern Qi. Coincidentally, since he would be the envoy this time, he
didn’t know what their next meeting would be like.
In the prison, he had utilized drugs, words, and psychological warfare in

order to wring out an answer from that girl, and discovered that the one
behind his assassination attempt was Wu Bo’an. At the time, he vowed
to let her go without the intention of keeping his word, but now things
had become much more complicated.
He smiled gently, in the way Li Hongcheng described. He thought he

should follow through with his promise.
The sound of hurried hooves came up behind him. Li Hongcheng had

also shook his guards and followed ahead. The two riders stopped at the
same spot and both stared across the water. Occasionally they took a
glance at that one desolate spot on the water.
Moments later, Li Hongcheng said gently, “The night you beat up Guo
Baokun, you drank with me over there.”
Fan Xian smiled. “We also spent a night there.”
“What’s this?” Li Hongcheng gave Fan Xian a look. “Feeling pity? Your
status is different from mine. Never mind Si Lili in prison; even the other
girls out there right now – if you go out every single night, the palace
would probably send out some guards right away to give you a beating.”
Fan Xian smiled sheepishly, “How could I think about that? I just felt
something watching that one boat.”
“Wu Bo’an is not with your father-in-law.” Li Hongcheng thought Fan
Xian didn’t know that, so he quietly reminded him.”
“I know. He’s with Eldest Princess. But since she’s not in the capital, I’m
not going to bother thinking about all of that.”
“Don’t forget that Eldest Princess is on very good terms with Empress
Dowager – to the point of being adored. Also… in recent years, Eldest
Princess has trusted her very much.” Li Hongcheng looked at Fan Xian
silently, as if wanting him to take a hint.
Fan Xian smiled, “Whatever’s on your mind, just say it. Second Prince
and I met for the first time. Naturally there would be something that
shouldn’t be said. The reason I left the guards was to speak to you in
private.”
The two horses proceeded slowly, their heads occasionally touched in a

display of affection. Li Hongcheng, parting a willow branch away from his
face, said lightly, “After you return from Northern Qi, you will probably be
put in charge of the palace treasury. Both the East Palace and Second
Prince need you. I believe you know that.”
Fan Xian smiled without saying a word and listened.
“The only reason those in the East Palace are being friendly with you
now is because of Eldest Princess’s absence. While I don’t know why
she despises you so, I do know that a thousand of you isn’t worth a
single sentence from her. You shouldn’t trust those in the East Palace.”
Li Hongcheng said very seriously, “You and I are friends. I want to
remind you, if there comes a day you fall – whether or not it’s from public
or private matters – I hope you will fall to our side.”
He pointed at a single hill on the other side of the river. It was divided in
two by a forest, looking like the Chinese character for two.
“What a coincidence.” Fan Xian followed Li Hongcheng’s finger and
looked. “Waiting in line is stupid enough already, Hongcheng. I advise
you not to wait in line too early.”
“it’s not a coincidence. That’s Second Prince’s estate.” Li Hongcheng

smiled, “My father said similar things. But there are always things one
must do.”
Fan Xian shook his head in disagreement. “After seeing Second Prince
today, I have this strange feeling. How come he wouldn’t settle for a safe
position as the brother of the emperor, like how King Jing did?”
Upon hearing Fan Xian mention King Jing, Li Hongcheng’s gaze turned
to ice, and his usual smile disappeared. “There are no private matters in
the royal family. Many things can’t be avoided even if one wants to. Do
you remember how the previous emperor, my grandfather, attained the
throne? The two other successors to the throne were assassinated on
the same day. The capital was such a bloody place back then – can you
even imagine? If you were to go back to the past, would you ask the two
why they wouldn’t back down?”
Fan Xian felt a chill in his heart and forced a smile. “Back then, the
nation had just been founded. It was unlike the current period of peace.
If Second Prince is willing to give up, I don’t think anything would happen
in East Palace. King Jing spends his days planting flowers; isn’t he quite
happy? I can see that Second Prince enjoys studying. Why can’t he
follow your father’s example?”
“You’ve seen His Majesty, and also Eldest Princess. My Lord Father
ranks second, but he’s already an old man.” Li Hongcheng gave a fake
smile. “Would giving up really bring a happy ending? My Lord Father
always seems to have some regret. Although I don’t know why, it must
be due to all of the rotten things going on in the royal family.”
In fact, Crown Prince Jing was wrong about why King Jing took up
planting flowers.
Fan Xian frowned. “But you shouldn’t follow Second Prince so closely.
No matter how you look at it, he’s the least likely one.” Fan Xian was
now close enough to Li Hongcheng to be able to speak so frankly.
Li Hongcheng blanked out a bit, then his usual smile returned to him as
he knew Fan Xian was treating him as a true friend. Moved, he said,
“When our parents place dessert in front of their children, we must first
express that we want to have it. That way, when our parents allocate
food later, they’ll think of us first.”
Fan Xian smiled, “So Second Prince had been showing he wants to eat.”
“Correct.” Li Hongcheng looked away from Fan Xian. He looked toward

Cang Mountain in the far distance. “The previous emperor was fortunate
to have only two sons. The current emperor is fortunate too, with only
three sons. But… who knows what trouble the Eldest Prince will cause
when he comes back? That’s why Second Prince must make the first
move, show his intentions, and obtain all the power he can.”
“I still don’t understand why you chose him.”
“It’s simple.” Li Hongcheng smiled at Fan Xian’s question. “I don’t dislike

him.”
Fan Xian raised an eyebrow. He couldn’t fully believe what he heard. He

emotionlessly stared at Crown Prince Jing, who was smiling warmly. Fan
Xian did not seek to be free from worldly affairs. He knew there were
many things he could not avoid, which was why he never had the
intention to in the first place.
Living as a man, “live freely” was his motto—of course, that process
would most likely involve more things.
Before they entered the city, Li Hongcheng asked Fan Xian to go to

certain restaurant. Naturally, Fan Xian was too lazy to oblige and bid him
farewell. Before that, the prince said to him, “Second Prince had asked
to see you first because, after the examination, you won’t be able to
escape this favor.”
Fan Xian was slightly shocked as he picked up on the hidden meaning
behind Li Hongcheng’s words. While he didn’t have enough merits to
even grade the exams, he would still be hanging around the Imperial
College and the Board of Rites.
Chapter 161: Examination

At night, Fan Xian returned to his own place. He chatted to Wan’er about
meeting the Second Prince the day before greeting an unexpected guest
—vice-minister Xin Qiwu, the Crown Prince’s aide from the eastern
palace.
Having been given a seat and some tea, Fan Xian stared at the names
on the strip of paper. He knew what Crown Prince was up to, but he
didn’t know the reason for this visit.
“Why are you showing this to me?” Fan Xian asked while shaking his
head, “Vice-minister, I’m afraid I do not have the authority to interfere
with the examination in any way.”
Many months ago, during the process of negotiating with Northern Qi,
the two of them were head and assistant deputies. They had cooperated
quite well with one another, and there were no character conflicts.
Furthermore, a few days ago, they drank together. So it was no wonder
that they had become more familiar with each other today. Xin Qiwu took
a sip of tea and explained, “You should know what those names mean.”
Of course Fan Xian knew. The examination began in two days. At this
crucial time, the various government organizations were all secretly in
touch with each other; their back doors were almost broken. Supposedly
Guo You of the Board of Rites became annoyed by it, but he was afraid
to provoke too many nobles, so he asked for Imperial permission to wait
it out in the palace. The examiners practically turned the Imperial
College into their own residence, and they dared not to leave.
But, just based on the current authority of the eastern palace, Crown
Prince should have access to plenty of ways if he wanted to pick out
some talented people from this examination. Everyone knew that Guo
You was a firm supporter of the eastern palace, so it should be simple to
deliver word to him. Why, then, was Fan Xian involved?
As if detecting Fan Xian’s suspicion, Xin Qiwu shook his head. “Young
Sir Fan, you are admired by all, but you don’t seem to understand the
various customs of the capital very well. The current rules regarding
examinations were passed down from the previous dynasty. There
weren’t many changes. In order to prevent cheating, all the submitted
exams are to be copied. That way the graders could not associate the
exam with an individual by their handwriting. The most important part is
sealing an examinee’s name on the exam to discourage fraud.”
Xin Qiwu continued, “Those six names on the paper – I’ve seen them all
in person.” He smiled, “They are all very talented.”
Fan Xian always thought of himself as a composed person. But after Xin
Qiwu left, he sat quietly in the study looking at the strip of paper. He
could feel anger faintly brewing. Just two days before the exam, he
found out that, along with the director, head examiner, and other officials
involved, his own position was a complicated but important one.
Xin Qiwu had told him that the Imperial court had ordered him to be the
proctor for this year’s exam. It was a rather strange position which took
full charge of the exam. The proctor held substantial authority. Most
importantly, at night, before the officials of the Board of Rites and
teachers from the Imperial College copied down the exams, and before
the exams were changed for the next day, Fan Xian would be in charge
of sealing all the examinees’ names.
For those who wanted to play some tricks while taking this exam, the
first thing they would have to take care of would be the sealing of the
name. Even if one were to bribe some official from the Board of Rites
beforehand, the official couldn’t do much if the name seal wasn’t
tampered with.
Over the years, cheating had already become a skilled trade among the
various officials of Qing. Each of them contributed the best they could to
provide some assumptions for reference. As for the famous Fan Xian
miraculously taking the position of mediator, no one was sure what this
little Poetry Sage would do.
That was why Crown Prince sent Xin Qiwu directly to Fan Manor. He
didn’t think Fan Xian would betray him; he believed that the eastern
palace had rewarded him enough, and now it was time for Fan Xian to
show his appreciation.
Fan Xian looked at the paper strip again. With a grin, he ripped it to
pieces. He then walked slowly back to his bedroom. He was a bit
thankful toward Second Prince. Had Second Prince been planning the
same thing, Fan Xian would be caught in the middle and it would be a
difficult situation.
But he was still underestimating the complexity of it all.
Lin Wan’er sat beside the table, looking at him with a smile. She then
gently knocked on the table. The sheets of white paper next to her finger
gave off a chill. Fan Xian sighed and slapped his forehead. “Don’t tell me
names are written on there.”
Li Wan’er chuckled. She stood up and walked over to him, holding onto
his arm. She said, “You are smart indeed.”
Fan Xian smiled uneasily, “I thought I’d live a life of leisure just before
setting off for Northern Qi. Who knew…?” He finally couldn’t hold back
anymore. “Who appointed me to this position?”
“My father, and yours.” Lin Wan’er looked at him painfully, “While not a
head examiner, it’s still a crucial position. Based on how it’s always
been, the students that pass this year’s exam and become officials have
to call you ‘teacher’ when they see you.”
Fan Xian was still not pleased. “Don’t you think our fathers are being too
enthusiastic? I’m only seventeen. Do I have to be saluted by a bunch of
pedantic scholars?”
Li Wan’er giggled. “With your current fame in the capital, there were
even people who wanted you to oversee the exam. Your age was the
only thing that made the palace reject the idea. You were close to
becoming the youngest overseer in centuries.”
Fan Xian said, “That’s not a good thing. I regret getting drunk at the
banquet.” As hindsight always comes afterwards, Fan Xian received the
papers from his wife and discovered that he was familiar with the names.
All of them were famous students in the capital, some of which he had
met in person. They were truly talented. Only after seeing this did Fan
Xian settle down a bit.
“Since I’m the proctor, how could they still so brazenly come to the
manor?” Fan Xian sighed. “The papers are evidence of their fraud. With
this on my hand, they’re being way too bold.”
“Old customs.” Lin Wan’er had resided in the palace for many years, so
naturally she knew about such things. She explained, “Your position is
an important one, yes, but due to its low rank, it wasn’t treated too
seriously. On the contrary, if someone from the palace really wanted to
cultivate some close aides, the proctors could only pretend nothing
happened. But this year, with you taking the position, people are wary of
your methods. Bbut they aren’t familiar with your disposition. That’s why
they thought to visit you to show their manners and respect. Of course,
those that couldn’t get a hold of you would adhere to the old ways; they
wouldn’t dare to bother you.”
“In that case, I just have to follow the old customs?” Fan Xian frowned
slightly; he really wasn’t expecting Qing’s political circles to be so
corrupt. As he thought about those poor students living in the libraries in
the suburbs, he became unsettled.
“You do what you want.” Lin Wan’er was no ordinary person. She said
lightly, “Even if none of them wanted to curry favor with you, who would
dare rile you?”
Fan Xian smiled bitterly. “You’re a princess. Naturally you’re not afraid of
anyone,” he thought to himself. “While my background isn’t insignificant,
your prince brother wants to use this chance to see my attitude.” He
asked, “Who sent these papers?” There were only three papers; not as
many as he thought.
Lin Wan’er was a bit embarrassed. “In truth, I started all this.”
Fan Xian was surprised, “How so?”
“I went to the palace today to visit Ning the Talented. You know I always
played with her when I was little. That’s one paper.” She frowned, “As for
the other two, one was sent by Mister Yuan on father’s orders, and the
other was sent by Sir Qin from the Bureau of Military Affairs.”
Fan Xian shook his head. Ning the Talented represented the Great
Prince who was still stationed far west. And since the prime minister
made him a proctor, making use of one’s son-in-law seemed natural. As
for Sir Qin of the Bureau of Military Affairs, while Fan Xian had never met
him, he knew Sir Qin was a senior official who commanded much
authority when it came to the military. That raised a question: instead of
educating some fine generals, what was he doing interfering with civil
officials?
“Never mind those trivial matters. Since the whole country is a crow,
there’s no need for me to pretend to be a crane,” Fan Xian said
emotionlessly as he shredded all the papers. He gently embraced his
wife and walked toward the front of the manor.
It was the ninth day of the second month; the first day of the grand
examination. All scholars had to show what they learned in the past ten
years to the Imperial court. And this examination was the standard for
whether or not their knowledge was deemed useful. Like a school of fish,
the scholars excitedly walked towards the second bureau of the Board of
Rites where the exam was taking place. They looked like they were
squeezing into a tiny fish trap.
The previous night, Fan Xian had already met up with the other officials
who were in charge of the examination. They somewhat nervously
arranged the procedure and assumed their positions the next day.
An official’s chair was placed by the front gate. Next to it were the
various officials from the capital’s office and Overwatch Council. Fan
Xian sat firmly on that chair, coldly eyeing the students passing by.
The students that walked by, regardless of age, all saluted Fan Xian.
Those that knew him saluted out of respect for his name; those that
didn’t know him saluted out of respect for his position. The officials next
to Fan Xian had already spread out a cotton curtain and were preparing
to carry out body searches to look for prohibited items.
Fan Xian took a sip of tea. He shook his head as he looked at those
students who led difficult lives carrying around blankets, rations, and
chamber pots like they were some laborers from a village. Suddenly, he
saw one student who just got checked and was about to enter the
examination area. Fan Xian rolled his eyes and shouted, “Wait!”
Chapter 162: Being an Examiner is Really an Interesting Job

There was a silence outside the courtyard, and countless nervous

glances turned to young Master Fan, unsure what this student’s problem
was. Fan Xian looked at the student carrying his crumpled bedclothes.
“Have you checked?” he suddenly asked.
The functionary from the Ministry of Rites and the official from the
Overwatch Council both gave their reports at the same time: “We’ve
checked; there’s nothing out of the ordinary.”
The student raised his head and puffed out his chest as he looked at
Fan Xian. His face was calm, with not a trace of nerves. Fan Xian
frowned slightly. “Have you taken his clothes off and checked?”
“Yes, sir.” The official to his side looked at the doorway, increasingly
filling up with people, and could not help but feel slightly nervous. In a
little while, the order would come from the palace. If things remained at
this speed, the exam candidates would have difficulty getting in.
At that moment, Fan Xian suddenly stood up from the seat of the
imperial tutor, walked over to the calm-faced student, looked him up and
down, and laughed. He moved in close to his ear, saying, “There’s a
problem with your clothes.”
He spoke very quietly so that only student could hear. It was a chilly
early February, but the student had sweat on his brow! The student’s
name was Yang Wanli, and he had absolutely no idea how young
Master Fan, poetic wunderkind, had discovered his secret. Under Fan
Xian’s calm gaze, he couldn’t help but feel his was beginning to crack.
Fan Xian suddenly smiled. “Go in. If I expose you, you’ll have spent ten
years in vain. But remember, don’t let me find out you’ve been using
your clothes over these two days in the exam hall.”
Yang Wanli was pleasantly surprised, but he couldn’t stop his lingering
fear. “Thank you for your help, Master,” he said sullenly. He feared that
the young intermediary, his eyes like a hawk, could go back on his
promise. He took up his ragged bedclothing, and covering up his face,
rushed into the exam hall. He was determined that over these two days,
he would not open up his clothing to look at the inside layer.
Soon after, Fan Xian cautioned a number of poor students who tried in
vain to smuggle in crib sheets. Gradually, the functionaries gathered
around him understood what was going on. Although they were very
surprised by his sharp eyes and judgment, they had a faint worry that
there would not be enough time.
Fan Xian seemed to have some feelings about his first time acting as an
official. He smiled – as he carefully scrutinized the entrants, he made
sure not to let a single one slip by. He confiscated many pairs of shoes,
caps, and wads of paper hidden behind writing brushes, which began to
form a small mountain by the entrance. By now, the students lined up
finally realized that this year’s intermediary was strict, and nothing like
the poetic immortal they had imagined. He would not understand their
attempts at cheating, and so they quickly retreated, throwing all of the
things they carried on them into a ditch behind the exam hall.
That day, the person taking the lead for the Overwatch Council was
someone who Fan Xian knew – Mu Tie, who was currently temporary
head of the First Bureau. Hearing his subordinate’s report, he quickly
came by. Seeing Fan Xian, he spoke uneasily. “Master, time is getting
on; you must be quicker.”
When the functionaries from the Ministry of Rites and the Overwatch
Council saw his deference to Fan Xian, they couldn’t help but feel
shocked. They wondered how someone from the Overwatch Council
could be so polite to a junior official; then they considered Fan Xian’s
family background – a Prime Minister, a government minister, and a
princess – and so they didn’t dare speak out of turn, instead simply and
quietly listening to Fan Xian’s reply.
Fan Xian fished out the pocket watch from the ship, looked at it, and
found that time was indeed getting on. He shook his head, stopped his
interesting little game, and stood up. “I, the official Fan Xian, presume
that all of you have heard,” he announced to the hundreds of waiting
students. “As everyone has seen, in order to avoid any further delays to
the timing of the exam, we will not be performing any more body
searches today.”
The entrants were overjoyed.
Fan Xian smiled as he looked around. “Throw all of the things you are
carrying into this bamboo basket, and there will be no punishment. If you
are discovered over these two days of exams, I shall have you taken
away and thrown in front of the royal palace, where all will know what
your education is really worth.”
The entrants were shocked. Finally, they understood that a ruthless spirit
hid behind the smile of this poetic genius, Master Fan. So they all
entered, walking in a well-behaved line. As for the students who still
wished to risk it, that was a matter for another time. With this allowance,
things sped up, and a little while later, the entrance to the exam hall
quickly returned to peace and quiet, with only a number of stinky shoes
on the floor and countless scraps of paper and some distraught-looking
faces. The official from the Ministry of Rites hurriedly got the staff to
clear things up in order to greet the order from the palace to begin the
examinations and sort out the burning of incense. Things got awfully
busy.
Everyone was bustling about and thinking about how Master Fan was
certainly different from the other officials of the Kingdom of Qing. If he
didn’t allow people to bring things in, then fine. But what had happened
today, where he searched for them, then still allowed students to enter
the exams? If it had been carried out by another examiner, then perhaps
the imperial censor would have been angered. But everyone knew that
as Fan Xian had dared to do it, he didn’t fear such things.
Fan Xian sat in the seat of the imperial tutor and smiled as he looked at
the busy scene, chatting with Mu Tie Mu. Mu Tie had assumed that his
promotion had been thanks to Fan Xian, so he was particularly friendly
toward him. “Thank you for your hard work, Master Fan. Once the
imperial order arrives and the exams are declared to have started, then
you may return home to rest. The business of watching over the exams
naturally is the work of subordinates.”
Fan Xian looked at him and smiled. “As you are here, wait a moment
and take a stroll around the exam hall. We cannot have a moment’s
rest.”
“Sir, it is your first time taking on this task, so perhaps you are unaware
that once they have entered the exam hall, there is no need to worry too
much.” Mu Tie laughed as he spoke, presuming that the young noble
was unclear on the unwritten rules of the imperial exams.
Fan Xian suddenly spoke in a quiet voice. “This journey to Northern Qi –

Master Mu, are you going?”
Mu Tie was taken aback. He had not prepared his thoughts on the
matter, and unthinkingly responded, “The Council is still arranging
things, but it should be a matter for the Fourth Bureau, so I cannot
intervene.” He suddenly looked elsewhere, thinking about how young
Master Fan wrote poetry but did not love it; instead he seemed prefer
business. Presuming he had figured something out, he smiled. “Master
Fan, are you preparing goods to take over the northern border? I can
help you arrange that.”
Fan Xian chucked. “It’s no big deal. I was just asking.” A subordinate
came by to serve them tea, and Fan Xian offered Mu Tie a cup. “Master
Fan, you seem to be in a good mood today,” said Mu Tie curiously.
The corners of Fan Xian’s mouth curled, and an indescribable

expression flashed in his eyes; it was like a smile, but not a smile. It was
unclear what he was thinking, and some time later, he finally spoke
quietly. “In truth, I always presumed that reading without having to take
an exam was one of life’s greatest pleasures. After I came to the capital,
the thing I feared most was the imperial exams. To my surprise, a year
later, I have become the intermediary; I can read books without having to
take the exam, and I can relax while watching my peers go through
gruelling exams. This really is life’s greatest pleasure.”
The imperial edict arrived, the fireworks were launched, the incense
table was removed, the doors to the hall were closed, and the curtains
were opened on the first imperial exams of the year in the Kingdom of
Qing. Hearing the heavy doors of the hall close behind him made Fan
Xian suddenly recall the gaokao exams of his previous life. He had never
taken them. At the time, he presumed that it was the biggest regret of his
life. Now, in this world, he had no need to take part in the imperial
exams. Although he was relieved, he still felt some slight regret. [1]
“Master, I have come to pay my respects.” The cold early spring wind
filled the room upon their entry. Fan Xian bowed toward Guo Youzhi,
head of the Ministry of Rites, who sat in the middle of the hall. “The door
of the exam hall has closed, and may not be opened again without your
order. Scholars from all the counties and prefectures of the kingdom
have their examination papers in hand and have begun to compose their
essays. Master Mu of the Overwatch Council and an official from the
Ministry of Rites are in charge of ensuring candidates have access to
food and drink; all should be taken care of.”
Guo Youzhi looked at the handsome young face of this fifth-level official
and could not help but feel a frown forming. Soon after, he smiled.
“Young Master Fan, thank you for your hard work.” He called to the
examiners. “According to the old customs, you are to go and inspect in a
little while.”
The two examiners had recently graduated from imperial exams. One
was a scholar of the Imperial College, the other was an academic of the
Tongwen Pavilion. They had both been selected by the Emperor himself.
Hearing Minister Guo’s orders, they nodded. “Yes, Master.”
Guo You turned to Fan Xian. “Young Master Fan, your task is to keep
order in the exam hall and help them supervise; patrol the exam hall
every now and then and look for any sign of movement at the corner
gate. Be ready to accept an imperial decree at any time.”
Following Minister Guo’s words, all kinds of officials within the exam hall
returned to their duties. A solemn and nervous atmosphere quietly filled
every corner of the exam hall. Everyone knew that after his various
northern campaigns, the current Emperor had shifted the center of his
rule onto the bureaucracy. So every year, each set of exams seemed
particularly important. A few years ago, there had even been a
precedent of a high-ranking official making undercover inspections, so
no one dared be careless.
And this time, as far as those diligent students were concerned, this was
an even more crucial juncture in life. If they could get through it
smoothly, then it was their path to prosperity. If they couldn’t, then they
could only return home to the countryside in sadness to prepare for the
next year’s exams. The back-and-forth whittled away the youths of
countless people, and there were some proud and stubborn ones who, if
they failed the exams, lingered around the capital, not willing to return to
the countryside. Some of them fell into decay, some loitered, and some
disappeared without a trace.
This was a ceremony of the nation; this was a place of life and death for
scholars.
Fan Xian stood on the stone platform, closed his eyes, and listened to
the sound of scribbling coming from all corners. He thought of the Crown
Prince’s scrap of paper, and a strange smile floated across his face.
Chapter 163: Spring Wind and Rain Enters the Imperial Exams [1]
The sun slowly rose, lessening the chill in the air of the exam hall. The
nervous students finally had a chance to warm themselves. They rubbed
their hands endlessly to make sure that their handwriting on the page did
not appear too stiff; penmanship was one grading criterion for the
examination paper, so although the exam had already started a while
ago, many of them were still only making mental notes and weren’t in a
hurry to start putting pen to paper. It seemed that many of the scholars in
the exam hall had experienced suffering of their own.
Fan Xian strolled through the exam hall with a smile on his face, his feet
not making a sound so as not to disturb the candidates’ thoughts.
Strangely, what they usually feared most when writing their essays was
an examiner passing behind them or looking their examination papers up
and down. But when these students discovered that the one who had
stopped to observe them was the brilliant and distinguished Master Fan
at the entrance to the exam, they could not help but feel their self-
confidence increase ever so slightly.
Fan Xian did not seem like the other two examiners, who supervised
them with solemn faces; instead, a faint smile hung on his face, and so
every student who dared to lift their head to look at Fan Xian felt that the
smile on young Master Fan’s face encouraging them.
Having patrolled every part of the exam hall, Fan Xian returned to the
corner gate where Mu Tie was waiting for him with some well-steeped
tea. He watched him take his seat, then laughed and spoke in a low
voice. “This is rather boring. Master Fan, it’s fitting that you’ve chosen to
rest here. You have a connection to the outside world from here near the
corner gate, so it’s not so difficult.”
Fan Xian smiled. If he were really to return to the main hall and sit down
with Minister Guo, perhaps the minister would not be pleased. Fan Xian
wouldn’t feel comfortable either. Sipping his tea, he recalled something
odd. The Crown Prince had given him a list of six names, but He
Zongwei’s name was not among them. After he had entered the capital,
he had learned that He Zongwei was a student of the Grand Secretariat
and that he was secretly an official in the Eastern Palace. Logically, he
should now be sitting in the civil service exam.
He temporarily put the issue aside, casting his gaze over the countless
separate little heavy doors, and then to the innermost part of the exam
hall. He though up a slightly absurd notion; if he had not used his
drunken stupor to frenziedly recite Li Bai and create the poetry
anthology, then he would not be sitting here watching over the testers.
Life really wasn’t a level playing field.
If those students who were scribbling away knew the results of these
grand examinations would be sorted through by the major players in the
royal court and in the palace like watermelons, how would they feel?
Time seemed to go so very slowly. Fan Xian was already close to falling
asleep in his chair at the corner gate before he discovered that the sun
had risen in the sky. The relevant government offices had sent men with
lunches, and someone was there to greet them at the corner gate. After
they had carefully inspected the tableware and found that nothing was
amiss, they delivered six boxes of food to the central hall.
Fan Xian went into the central hall to eat lunch with the other masters
and listen to them describe their mornings. They had reprimanded a
cheating student in the southeast corner. The supervisor shook his head
and sighed. “I have seen cheating students, but I have never seen a
student cheat so blatantly like that. To go so far as to overtly copy from
an entire book of essays hidden underneath the writing desk, presuming
that the curtains around them mean that no one will discover them. They
had no idea that the officials around them have sharp eyes.”
Guo You, Director-General of the civil service exam and Director of the
Board of Rites, suddenly frowned. “How did they bring the book in?”
Fan Xian knew that this was his mistake. He smiled. “The security
checks were going too slowly, and the official from the Overwatch
Council was pressing us for time, so I was slightly worried. I feared
breaching the time limits set by His Majesty, so I made a careless
mistake. I ask your forgiveness, sir.” He was asking for forgiveness, but
was also foisting half the blame onto the Overwatch Council. It was very
slippery slope.
Guo You looked at him and harrumphed, but did not give him any
trouble. After all, this was something that was inevitable in every
generation of imperial exams. He could not attack Fan Xian for it. He
simply spoke quietly. “This is young Master Fan’s first experience with
this. He is inexperienced. You should all be helping him out.”
Fan Xian smiled and cupped his hands in salute to the other officers
around him, particularly to his superior at the Imperial College. “Principal,
please forgive my ignorance. I ask for your guidance.”
The principal, Secretary Shu of the Imperial College, was the one who
had been glared at by His Majesty that night in the palace hall,. He was
a student of Zhuang Mohan, but had always worked for the glory of the
people of the Kingdom of Qing, so he did not remember the incident
where Fan Xian had made Zhuang Mohan spit blood with any malice.
Instead, he chuckled and pointed at Fan Xian. “Dear academic, if you
are ignorant, then who in the Kingdom of Qing could dare call
themselves knowledgeable?”
The other administrators and supervisors also laughed and poked fun at
Fan Xian. “The greatest scholar in the illustrious Kingdom of Qing. If you
weren’t an astonishing scholar, young master Fan, you should now be in
the hall writing at astonishing speed, gnawing at dry bread in hunger,
rather than sit here with us eating lunch.”
Even Guo You could not help but laugh at this. Fan Xian himself did not
have an ounce of self-confidence in his own scholarly talent. But it
seemed that no matter whether it was in the bureaucracy, or the entire
nation, everyone else had far more confidence in Fan Xian than he did.
The students in the exam hall were still nervously scribbling away. The
daylight began to fade, and Fan Xian strolled around the hall a few
times, looking at everyone’s test papers. He saw that a few of them were
truly talented, and could not help but stop and look. Although in Danzhou
he had read the scriptures of this world, he had not thought that he
would be taking the official exams to enter a career, so when it came to
composing such essays, he feared he would be worse off than most. But
after all, he had lived in two worlds; it was somewhat of an exaggeration
to say he read extensively, but he had a particular way of looking at
things.
He secretly memorized the names of those people, then strolled to the

corner gate and faked a yawn. Cocking his head, he found that Mu Tie
was almost asleep as he leaned to one side on the chair. He couldn’t
help but laugh. This Mu Tie was a clever person, and extremely capable.
Otherwise, Chen Pingping would not have made him head of the First
Bureau. But his integrity was somewhat lacking. Perhaps he had only
just learned how to flatter. Every time he saw Fan Xian he would be
greatly respectful, and for some reason this made Fan Xian feel
somewhat uncomfortable.
“Master, the corner gate must not be opened.” Seeing the intermediary
Fan Xian walk to the side of the corner gate, there was an uncomfortable
look on the Overwatch Council officials’ face. He blocked the way. “Other
than for deliveries of food and water, the corner gate must remain
closed.”
“I am aware of that rule,” Fan Xian laughed. “I just wanted to have a look
around, and see if there’s anything fun.”
His talk seemed somewhat odd and not in accordance with decorum. In
the Emperor’s civil service exams of this mighty nation, Fan Xian was an
examiner, and yet he wanted to look for amusement in the exam hall.
But what was strange was that this official, hearing his words, also
smiled in response. “There’s a lot of fun to be had in the exam hall.
Come around later.”
Fan Xian was quiet as he looked at the official’s ordinary-looking face.

Suddenly he spoke. “Is it you I should be looking for?”
“Correct, Commander.” The official lowered his head.
Fan Xian looked him in the eyes. He knew that this official was not of
high status within the Overwatch Council, but he certainly was placed
here as Chen Pingping’s trusted aide. He couldn’t help but smile. “Did
Master Chen specify a time?”
“After the civil service exams, within three days,” replied the official
quietly.
“Very well, I still have something that requires your help. I need to check
the background of a few people.” Fan Xian told the official the names of
the people he had memorized. “Don’t look into their family background,
just their conduct.”
“Understood,” said the official quietly. “Commander, if you could show

me your token?”
Fan Xian took out the Overwatch Council commander’s token from his
waist, the one that had helped him countless times. The official took a
look at it. “Have you memorized them?” Fan Xian asked gently.
“I have,” replied the official, “but I will have to report this to the director.”
“I understand.” Fan Xian smiled warmly. “Before the exam papers are
sealed, I want your report back.”
“Yes sir.”
“Do I need to know your name?”
“No need,” said the official quietly. “I am but a lowly official of the
Council. I dare not waste your faculties remembering my name.”
The Crown Prince wanted to arrange for his backers of many years to be
within the court. Perhaps the Great Prince was the same. As for his
father-in-law and the Bureau of Military Affairs, it was the typical path of
the corrupt official. Thinking about this, Fan Xian couldn’t help but laugh
bitterly. His own father-in-law was still not willing to make things easier
for him.
But he understood that this was the normal state of affairs of the
bureaucracy, and what he was about to do was rather unusual.
Fan Xian sighed slightly. In a few years, when he was older, should he
also arrange for his own backers to enter the seeming playground of the
bureaucracy? But at the moment, he had no way to do such a thing. The
most important thing was to coordinate with the Overwatch Council and
make sure that the civil service exams were dealt with properly. He didn’t
want to give himself too much trouble.
After his “speech-paper” had successfully ousted the eldest princess

from the palace, he had wanted to make sure everything was a bit more
stable. If it wasn’t for the powerful tricks of the Eastern Palace trying to
pull him closer, perhaps he still could manage it. And he considered his
own plans to be low-risk. Whether it was his own overt power, the
grandmaster who stood behind him in the shadows, or the terrifying
Council, they were all powers that most people were yet to understand.
He believed that as long as he did not interfere with the most basic
interests of the royal family of the Kingdom of Qing, then in this
seemingly formidable but actually mutually restrictive bureaucracy, he
had great prospects for the future.
After his rebirth, he had lived for a good while, and he could not back
down too much. Otherwise, would he not have wasted the efforts of the
many interesting helpers his mother had left behind for him? Why
couldn’t he do the same things that the princes and the high officials did?
Not only did he want to do them, he wanted to do them beautifully.
“At heart, I really am shameless.” Fan Xian looked at the hall full of
suffering students, and a smile arose on his face. “If a monk paws at the
nun, then why can’t I? Not only do I want to paw at the nun, I want to
make sure that the monk can’t.” [2]
Chapter 164: You’re Confused, I’m Confused… Everybody’s Confused

[1]
“Troublemaker!”
Chen Pingping mumbled the insult, and the heads of the Overwatch
Council felt a slight twinge of fear seeing the Director’s anger. Chen
Pingping pulled down the blanket over his knees and coughed. His
messy white hair was not all that appealing to look at. “The Council
regulations are extremely clear. We do not stick our noses in palace
affairs, except on the Emperor’s orders.”
Fourth Bureau head Yan Ruohai forced a smile and shook his head.
“Unfortunately, it really can’t be helped. Before, we were checking for
cheating in the imperial exams. But this sort of thing happens in the
highest echelons, and we don’t have enough people in those positions.
It’s hard to find the thread. Now that we have these names, we can
follow the thread, and it shouldn’t be difficult to find the official behind
this. I just did not expect it to lead us to the Eastern Palace.”
Internal discussions in the Overwatch Council had always been

extremely bold and full of biting criticism. Except for their unparalleled
loyalty to His Majesty, these secret police chiefs did not care in the
slightest about the people around them.
Chen Pingping pushed his wheelchair over to the window, his white hair
standing out against the black curtain, appearing especially clear as he
said, “This commissioner’s order is truly something. Last night His
Majesty finally decided to look into this year’s exam hall scandal. He has
sent quite a gift.”
Yan Ruohai was also thoroughly curious about this commissioner, whom
he had never laid eyes on. He was not sure how he had gotten hold of
this list of names. “We should look into it as soon as possible,” he said
quietly.
“Mm.” Chen Pingping waved a hand, dismissing the gathered

subordinates and sending them back to making arrangements for the big
operation that was to happen in a few days’ time. But Yan Ruohai stayed
behind, and some time later, he spoke coldly. “There are plenty of
people who know this commissioner’s identity, so there is no way to
keep this a secret. His Majesty wishes to ensure that the Crown Prince
can save face, so we cannot move against the person in the Eastern
Palace.”
“And the Prime Minister?” Yan Ruohai had a sudden thought. Guessing
at the commissioner’s identity, he couldn’t help but feel rather shocked.
Chen Pingping narrowed his eyes. “So you know who it is. Of course, we
cannot move against his father-in-law no matter what, as you well know.”
“The truth is that we can’t move against any of these people.” Yan
Ruohai laughed bitterly. “Apart from the Crown Prince, one is a noble of
the palace, one is the Prime Minister, and one is a senior figure in the
Bureau of Military Affairs. The Council has always had a good
relationship with the military. We can’t sever it for the sake of such small
matters.”
“Mm.” Chen Pingping let out a grunt. “We must move on these three
threads. But we cannot follow them to their source, or there will be
repercussions throughout all levels of society. Even His Majesty would
be unable to escape it. These people are officials. Perhaps they have
guessed that the Emperor does not have complete control over his
officials as a result of the exam hall scandal and have become much
more brazen recently.”
He suddenly laughed, but there was a coldness in his smile. “But they
didn’t expect that someone might be even more brazen then they are.
Someone has sold them out.”
Yan Ruohai frowned. “Commissioner Fan has acted inappropriately

here. When there are so many nobles transgressing like this, where
does it end?”
“This is what he is doing by giving me this.” It wasn’t clear whether Chen

Pingping’s expression was one of fury or madness, but he was clearly
not in a good mood. “He knows that the old man can’t allow him to be at
the heart of the struggle, and so that is why he gave me this list of
names. He is telling me that he does not wish to be led around by the
nose, and he wants me to help deal with this!”
Yan Ruohai did not dare say anything, but he felt rather alarmed. What
really was the relationship between Director Chen and Count Sinan’s
eldest son? Why Would he all of a sudden act like this? And looking at
his master’s face, it looked as if he was really going to go along with
Fan’s plan.
Chen Pingping calmed himself down, then suddenly burst out laughing,
though the laughter was barbed and ugly-sounding. “Interesting. Truly,
truly interesting.”
“What benefit does it bring Commissioner Fan to act like this?” asked
Yan Ruohai, curious.
“There are always a few strange people in this world who do not act in
their own self-interest.” Chen Pingping seemed to have recalled
something, and a rarely seen look of reverence appeared on his face. It
was a look that Yan Ruohai had never seen on Chen Pingping’s face,
not even when he had met with the Emperor.
“Sir, if I may ask, how high up does this exam scandal go?”
Chen Pingping lifted his head slightly. “His Majesty feels that the Guo
family has been in charge of the Board of Rites long enough.”
“Understood.”
“Currently there is no one at the First Bureau. Mu Tie is not clever

enough, so I will put you in charge.”
“Yes, sir.”
The civil exams had reached the third round. Fan Xian dabbed at the
corner of his eyes with a warm wet cloth, and found that the past few
days had really left him feeling fatigued. The sleep in his eyes had
increased, and he couldn’t help but laugh bitterly as he stood up and
stretched. He took a scrutinizing look at the students who were bent over
asleep at their desks. If he had found it this hard just to be their
examiner, he felt even more pity for the students.
This was the last day of the civil service exams. Fan Xian had already
spent several days inside the exam hall located in the second office of
the Ministry of Rites. Although they had frequently sent food and other
revitalizing things from home, his body and mind were both extremely
fatigued. He yawned and walked up to where Yang Wanli was to take a
close look. Over the next few days, he discovered that this Yang Wanli
was a very committed student. The things that he had wedged into his
clothes had not moved an inch. He couldn’t help but feel pleased.
What particularly surprised him was that Yang Wanli seemed to have a
truly talented mind. Though his commentary were not completely without
reproach, and his opinions did not fall on any overtly political line, they
were conscientious, unadorned, and were very much in line with Fan
Xian’s own temperament. The nameless official from the Overwatch
Council returned with his report. Yang Wanli was from a poor family. As
a child, he had studied at a clan school in Quanzhou. His performance in
the provincial exams had been excellent, and Fan Xian had uncovered
his cheating, so he was inevitably more careful.
Yang Wanli had now finished the final exam question, and with tiredness
across his face, he was checking to make sure he had not made any
slip-ups. Out of the corner of his eyes, he caught a glimpse of young
Master Fan once more coming toward him, and he couldn’t help but feel
nervous.
Although he was in the exam hall, Fan Xian obviously could not talk to
any of the students. But having gone through days of torment, Yang
Wanli’s state of mind was somewhat distracted. Boldly, he took hold of
his lapels, staring miserably at Fan Xian. It seemed that he was asking
the young examiner a question: How had Fan Xian discovered the things
he was hiding earlier in the exam hall?
Fan Xian couldn’t restrain his smile. Was this how he made the most of
his scholarly talent? It was inappropriate to speak with him; he only used
the forefinger of his right hand to gently point at Yang Wanli’s
bedclothes.
Yang Wanli was confused and looked down. All he could see were the
bedclothes lumped together behind him that looked like a big black
jujube. Then he looked at the long satin gown he was wearing, which,
while unwashed for several days, still projected an air of nobility. His
heart skipped a beat as he realized how he had slipped up. How could
an exam candidate wearing such a freshly washed silk gown carry such
a dirty pile of bedclothes into the exam hall?
He couldn’t help but laugh at his foolishness.
Fan Xian smiled. He had made his decision. With his hands behind his
back, he strolled away.
It was night time, and the students were gradually making their way out
of the exam hall at the Ministry of Rites. After several grueling days, they
were on the verge of fainting, yawning incessantly, their bodies stinking,
and their faces heavy with a dazed expression. There were still a few
students left over who wrote slowly, bent over their desks chewing on
their writing brushes. Some others had fallen asleep in the lamplight; it
was still not yet time, so none of the examiners had come to deal with
them.
Suddenly, there was the sound of a gong in Tongtuo Alley by the side of
the Ministry of Rites. It sounded crisp and clear, and was seemingly
meant to awaken all of the nighttime city.
“Your time is up; students, please put down your writing brushes.”
Shouting loudly, the officials of the Ministry of Rites began to clear the
hall, clearing out those students who had still yet to put down their
writing brushes. There was one candidate in his forties, his hair already
white, who had yet to finish the questions. He howled in despair as he
refused to leave his writing desk, until eventually he was pitifully dragged
out by some officers of the Overwatch Council.
They could still hear his sobbing some time later. It was not easy to
listen to as it echoed all around outside the exam hall of the Ministry of
Rites.
Fan Xian sighed. He had no sympathy. This world and that world were
the same; whether you were able and suitable to do something
depended entirely on your own effort, and nothing more. It was not that
he was heartless, but as he saw it, their tests were finished, and his
test… well, that had only just begun.
On the night that the civil service exams concluded, the scrolls had to be
sealed; this was Fan Xian’s job. The chief examiner, two examiners and
two supervisors were all high-ranking court officials, and they did not
dare leave. They all waited as Fan Xian led people in sealing the
examinees’ names on their examination papers and making copies of
the answers. Then they could seal the papers and signed them.
The candles shone bright and clear on the busy scene within the second
office of the Ministry of Rites. Outside, dozens of functionaries separated
the exam papers and arranged them. In another room, Fan Xian rubbed
his temples as he watched the officials from the Ministry of Rites seal the
names on the papers.
Before all the test papers had been sealed, they had to be sent over to
Fan Xian. Fan Xian did not dare show the slightest neglect, and he
carefully pored over the names on each test paper, affixing
corresponding names to the four sheets of paper. Some time later, he
had gone through dozens of test papers, inconspicuously placing them
on his right hand side.
By his side, the two officials from the Ministry of Rites lowered their
heads and looked at each other. They knew that these dozen or so
papers had been called for specifically by higher-ups in the palace and
the royal court.
Having finished this, Fan Xian beckoned them over and indicated that
they were to begin sealing them. The two officials from the Ministry of
Rites did not dare miss a thing, and they quickly began covering over the
names and birthplaces of candidates on the sheets with paper.
Fan Xian also didn’t arouse suspicion, looking carefully to the side,
eventually discovering how these officials of the Kingdom of Qing carried
out such matters. It turned out that as they sealed the test papers he had
gone through, the slips of paper they were using when pasting names
were slightly shorter than the paper they used on the other exam sheets
for the pasted names of the average sentence.
Watching the officials from the Ministry of Rites solemnly paste short
slips of paper onto the exam papers he had gone through, Fan Xian
couldn’t stop himself from smiling. If Guo You knew that not these
papers were from candidates hand-picked by the palace – that some of
them were talented students that he had chosen personally, such as that
foolish Yang Wanli – how angry would old Guo be?
But he did not know that if his little trick fell into the hands of the
Overwatch Council, Minister Guo would perhaps not even have the
chance to get angry.
Chapter 165: A Clap of Thunder

As the strips of paper being pasted onto the exams only differed very
slightly in length, one would not notice anything unusual at just a glance.
But if you were one of the officials making copies, who knew what was
going on, you would be able to notice the difference. After Fan Xian saw
that Yang Wanli’s scroll had been affixed with a short strip of paper, he
inexplicably felt quite pleased. He shook his head and laughed and
couldn’t help but say something. “Even if they’ve been chosen, when
they’re being copied out, how do you make the seal?”
The official next to him laughed a little uneasily. He knew that this new
guy didn’t have a good understanding of the customs, and responded
carefully. “Young Master Fan, when copying, as long as the characters
have been written with skill, then the examiner marking the papers will
understand.”
Fan Xian had a sudden realization. “That way even if the marker doesn’t
know who it is, they know it is the correct person,” he exclaimed in
admiration.
“Yes, master,” replied the official from the Ministry of Rites politely, all
the while silently cursing this talented youngster in his head who still did
not know the customs of the bureaucracy.
At the same time, Fan Xian silently cursed these people’s stupidity. If it
weren’t for the unbridled arrogance of the officials of the Kingdom of
Qing, this custom – full of loopholes – would not have continued for so
many years, and he couldn’t exploit the loopholes himself to allow the
true scholars to do something.
Of course, he understood, the reason that the whole bureaucratic

system had tacitly agreed on this method was because whether or not
they were political enemies, they had all tacitly agreed to this method of
sorting. Save for madmen, no one in the system dared to rock the boat.
In truth, the Eastern Palace and the major players, even including the
Prime Minister, had other methods of arranging such things. But they all
happened to have found him by chance. One reason was because the
proctor was in charge of sealing names; it was an important step in the
cycle. Another reason was that other than Prime Minister Lin, they all
wanted to see what Fan Xian’s approach would be.
Fan Xian’s approach was very simple: screw that. After all, no one could
turn from an easygoing disposition to violent resentment like Fan Xian.
After all, no one had as good a father as Fan Xian did, or a mother like
Princess Iron Fan.
After a busy night, the civil service exams that decided the lives of
countless scholars finally came to an end. Many officials gathered in the
main hall, rubbing their tired eyes, listening to the exam director and
Minister of the Board of Rites Guo You’s admonishment of his
subordinates.
After a raft of arguments lacking new ideas and lies about collecting
material for the nation, Guo You, somewhat fatigued, waved a hand and
allowed the subordinate bureaucrats to depart. Afterward, he looked
kindly at Fan Xian. “Thank you for troubling yourself with this these past
few days, young Master Fan.”
“It was no trouble at all, sir,” said Fan Xian with a vigorous smile.
“Besides, I am still young.”
Guo You smiled. “Everyone has gone to some trouble.” At that moment,
the high-level officials in the hall all understood the inside story of this
year’s exams, and the ones who had benefited from it had not only been
Guo You and the two head examiners. Even Fan Xian was unaware that
over the past few days, the sum of silver that he deserved had been sent
to Fan Manor. The sum was even more formidable than half a year’s
profit from the Danbo Bookstore.
Over the several days of the examination, the whole exam hall had been
filled with the unpleasant odor of urine and sweat. Fan Xian, standing on
the stone platform, held his nose and looked at the dark exam hall. A
satisfied smile floated across his face. He had come to this world many
years ago now. He knew that he wanted to live, but he did not know how
he should live; until he had made the firm resolution to do this sort of
thing. He had discovered that simply being a generally good person was
quite satisfying.
Of course, being a good person does not mean being unwilling to offend
anyone.
Officials from the three departments had gathered up the exam papers.
Under the command of a palace eunuch, and the protection of the
palace guards, the Overwatch Council and the Bureau of Military Affairs,
a team of people made their way through the slowly fading night toward
the Imperial College. Within a few days, those exam papers, copied out
with their names sealed, were fully evaluated. Thus the list of third-rank
candidates who had passed was drawn up. The highest-level candidates
were looked over by the Emperor, and it was decided who would be
given the ranks of Zhuangyuan, Bangyan, and Tanhua – highest,
second-highest, and third-highest scorers respectively.
Leaving the stinky exam hall, Fan Xian found that a carriage from Fan
Manor was waiting for him at the corner gate. After he boarded the
carriage, he took the towel that Teng Zijing handed him and wiped his
face. “What does father think about my approach?” he asked, somewhat
tired.
“He has said nothing.” Teng Zijing moved his injured leg and responded
quietly. “But your father seems somewhat displeased. I’ve always felt
that you should inform the Prime Minister of your actions, young master.
And this matter implicates a wide range of people. If you truly provoke
the wrath of the people, I fear that the Prime Minister and your father will
find it difficult to protect you.”
Fan Xian smiled and said nothing. The Overwatch Council was still
behind him, and crucially, Chen Pingping was communicating with him
through Wang Qinian. His Majesty was planning to clean up governance
this year, and he was just seizing the opportunity. He reckoned Chen
Pingping would scold him for causing trouble, but he would finally have a
pretext to act in secret.
Fan Xian had just provided the Overwatch Council with justification,
which they would bring before the Emperor, who would make a decision.
As for the Crown Prince and Ning the Talented, Fan Xian had also made
arrangements. Before the names were sealed, whether they were asked
for by the Eastern Palace or by the Great Prince, Fan Xian had chosen
the names of some of the talented scholar and hidden them – somewhat
to protect them, and also to give his counterpart an explanation.
When the matter came out, Fan Xian wanted to give people the feeling
that he had done it not as a result of any bias for one side or another of
court politics, but purely as a scholar. Out of a stubborn desire, he had
made a “noble” and insane decision.
Over the next few days, all was quiet in the capital. As Fan Xian’s
exposé began to complement the hidden strength of the Overwatch
Council, at least before the list of third-rank candidates was published,
the unsurprising information made its way through the bureaucracy.
Finally, the third-rank candidates were chosen, and the names that Fan
Xian had hidden in there had not been weeded out. Clearly some of
Chen Pingping’s spies were inside the Imperial College and the Ministry
of Rites, and were helping Fan Xian in secret.
Guo You and his high-ranking officials had perhaps made sure cheating
was too easy to accomplish in the exam hall over the past few years.
And behind him, he had the Eastern Palace as a supporter, so to not
have seen such clear problems, they were clearly not paying enough
attention.
On the 22nd of February, the trees gradually began to blossom, with little
birds perching on the branches in pairs. It was a fine and happy spring
day. In a tavern in the capital, not far to the west of the Imperial College,
the flustered scholars gathered together awaiting the news. There were
no snacks or drinks on the table, because these students did not have
the heart to eat a thing, focusing only on the important news that was to
come.
“Not a chance,” said a student from Shandong Road with a bitter laugh
as he shook his head. “I don’t think I stand a chance this time.”
“Jialin, brother, why do you say such a thing?” The student sitting by his
side was ashen-faced – it was Yang Wanli, the one who Fan Xian had
looked in the eye in the exam hall.
He came from Quanzhou, and made his living by the sea; he was very
different from those other scholars who had come from wealthy
backgrounds and spent their lives in libraries. You could tell from looking
at him that he was of a thoroughly easygoing disposition. He grabbed a
pair of chopsticks from the table and began snacking on some pickled
peanuts, chewing as he spoke with his mouth full. “Jialin, you’re one of
the most well-known people on Shandong Road. You can write a
marvelous policy essay, and everyone will shower you with praise for
days afterwards. Me, I’m no good at it. I’ve not got the skill in writing.
Although self-confidence is enough to govern a province, there’s no way
my name will be on that list.”
Cheng Jialin was from Shandong Road. This was his third time taking
the exam. He laughed bitterly and kept his voice low. “Do we really not
understand these things? So many people take these exams each time.
The major players at the court pick a couple, the palace picks a couple,
and the Imperial Palace picks some. People like us from the provinces –
maybe we’ve got some renown from taking the provincial exams, but
what good does that do in the capital? Even if the royal court wanted to
find a few more talented people to fill the gap, there’s plenty of scholars
in the capital. Why would they pick us?”
The other scholar at the table had a lean face. It seemed that he was not
happy; perhaps he had drunk too much and had pent-up frustrations. He
laughed coldly. “Jialin, you’re right. As I see it, it’s best you don’t take it
again, so as not to spend all your money on travel. Goddamn civil
service exams. It’s only for the high officials and the palace to pick their
pet poodles!”
Cheng Jialin’s face darkened with slight fear. “Jichang, keep your voice
down. If the Overwatch Council is listening, never mind our careers, it’ll
be our lives we’ll have to worry about.”
Hou Jichang was an oddity, someone who did not want to walk the road
of an influential official. Although he had some renown in the capital, and
was once equally famous as He Zongwei, his sharp tongue and his
temper left him somewhat lonely. Hearing his friend’s anxious words, he
couldn’t help but laugh. “The Overwatch Council might be fearsome, but
why would they bother to spy on people as worthless as us? If they’re so
great, why don’t they stop the cheating in the exam hall?”
Yang Wanli shook his head. “Although nobody thinks well of the
Overwatch Council, when it comes to supervising governance, they are
quite good at it.”
Hou Jichang waved his finger. “Is anyone in the entire bureaucracy clean
and honest? If we’re placing our hopes in the Overwatch Council, it’s like
asking a tiger to give you its hide.” [1]
“The officials are also chosen from the scholars,” retorted Yang Wanli.
“They can’t all be bad, I think…” he muttered for a moment, trying to
think of a single clean person in the entire bureaucracy of the capital.
Finally, his eyes lit up. “I think the academician Fan Xian of the Imperial
Academy is a fine official.”
The two others beside him both knew that he had been called up by Fan
Xian for smuggling things into the exam hall, and they couldn’t help but
laugh. “So he lets you finish the exam and that makes him a good
official? Being a good official seems pretty simple.”
The three men chatted and laughed, and as the alcohol slowly went to
their heads, they couldn’t stop themselves from quietly bemoaning the
abuses of the royal court. They wondered whether the Overwatch
Council was really going to investigate the scandal properly – if so,
maybe things would get better in the exam hall.
Suddenly, there was commotion within the tavern. The three of them
stood up and heard a scholar frantically shouting outside. “There’s been
a scandal in the exam hall, and the Director of the Board of Rites, Guo
You, is going to prison!”
A roar! The spring thunder rumbled above the capital, and fresh spring
rain fell upon the students in the tavern.

Joy of Life Chapter 107 165

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Joy of Life Chapter 107 165

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Chapter 107: Moonlight in the Mountains

Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio

Fan Xian immediately snapped out of it. He smiled. “It’s nothing.” He

Refusing Teng Zijing’s request to accompany him on his crutches, he led

“I dream of past lives and doubt whether it is a dream; some work

Fan Xian immediately realized he had made a mistake. He looked

In the distance, two members of the Overwatch Council stood as straight

“We must be up early tomorrow, I have matters to take care of in the

Fan Ruoruo was embarrassed. She didn’t know whether to respond to

“Father should be very pleased,” he said, hinting at something, before

“Tomorrow we must visit Qingyu Hall,” continued Fan Xian. “Shopkeeper

Fan Ruoruo felt a little awkward, but she agreed.

Chapter 108: Paying Respect Across the River

“According to capital records, this name predates the current dynasty.

Fan Xian nodded as he thought of this tranquil part of the river.

Ye Qingmei, whose eyes saw through this world.

As various questions formed in his head, Fan Xian became very

An air of coldness seemed to be always hanging between Fan Ruoruo’s

Chapter 109: An Encounter Between Unacquainted Enemies

Fan Xian deliberately used a novel phrase. But, unexpectedly, Gong

Gong Dian frowned as if detecting the young man’s overpowering

Their arms had already unlocked; now they touched palms.

“This civil servant knows not his crimes.”

“Your Highness, we are from the Fan household. Yesterday we went to

“You mean Danzhou.”

“You like living in Danzhou?”

The esteemed one wasn’t expecting the youth to be so direct. He was

At that moment, a clap of thunder echoed through the blue, cloudless

Chapter 110: Talking About the Future in Qingyu Hall

Speaking of bookstores, Fan Xian thought of the tofu stand. He asked

Wang Qinian shook his head; he was no businessman. Fan Ruoruo

“Who, if I may ask?”

Fan Ruoruo understood as well. She smiled and followed the

The head shopkeeper Ye was secretly stunned by what he heard.

The head shopkeeper immediately shook his head. As timid as he had

Just as he thought, the head shopkeeper’s expression changed

Chapter 111: Morning Roll Call at Taichang Temple

For these shopkeepers of Qingyu Hall, it was extremely tempting. Taking

The other shopkeepers cast a glance at seventh Ye of Danbo Bookstore.

Big Ye nodded. “It is early yet, but we must be prepared as soon as

This utterance seemed to have stirred up beautiful memories for

“I am not you,” he said, distressed. “I used to prefer blowing bubbles at

First, he had another struggle to face.

Functionary of Taichang Temple was a ceremonial post, similar to an

Although it was a ceremonial post, it was still necessary to report to

He was returning to drink more tea when he suddenly heard joyous

Chapter 112: Reaping the Whirlwind

Within the room, bureaucrats huddled together looking over imperial

“Why is it only natural?” asked the official Ren, curious.

Master Ren seemed to admire his words. He nodded. “Although that

Fan Xian was not an inflexible pacifist; he smiled in acknowledgement of

Fan Xian immediately understood another meaning behind Ren’s words.

Fan Xian fearfully accepted the order.

Unexpectedly, Ye Ling’er regarded him meekly and curtsied. “It is good

“You are too kind, master Fan,” said Ye Ling’er coldly.

Fan Ruoruo smiled. “You are worried. Miss Lin said…”

Seeing his shameless behavior, Ye Ling’er became even angrier. “So

Some cracks of anger began to appear in Fan Xian’s gentle

Fan Xian sighed. “How am I a playboy?”

Fan Xian smiled, somewhat embarrassed. “I hate to boast, but I am

Chapter 113: The Glorious Tradition of Cheap Shots

Fan Xian raised his eyebrows as he realized he was being challenged to

Everyone’s eyes were on Fan Xian. Ruoruo nervously pulled on his

A clear voice erupted in rage! In a flash of shadow, Ye Ling’er charged