Chapter 14 – Eunuch Dai’s Wise Decision

Fan Xian taught Ye Ling’er some little tricks at the lakeside, in effect stealing the Ye family’s Great Splitting Coffin, in favor of the other party, who had called his master from last year to today, a fact that made him a little amused, a little jubilant, and said, “Where to?”

Ye Ling’er responded, “I’m going to your residence to meet Wan’er.” After saying this, she glanced at Miss Shen beside him, her nose hummed, and she didn’t say anything.

Fan Xian most disliked the extra trace of arrogance that came out of her bones in addition to her spontaneity, the practice of judging others purely by their own rights and wrongs, and silently didn’t pick up the conversation. He put out the master’s spectrum to, Ye Ling’er but extremely eat this set, this year together, she also know Fan Xian is a special care about the details of the person, said with a smile: “Do not be angry, know that you are now the Supervisory Yuan’s red, want to hide the golden house is not to bring to the street.”

Fan Xian laughed and didn’t say anything, at this time, the congestion in front seemed to have eased a bit, and the Ye family’s carriage went ahead of the others, but stopped there again, as if Ye Ling’er had found something lively to watch.

Fan Xian waved his hand, signaling the carriage to go in the opposite direction, and after arriving at the Ye family’s carriage, he came down in his raincoat, and Deng Ziyue and a few members of the Qi Nian team hurriedly followed him.

Ye Ling’er on the carriage saw them wearing the gray and black raincoat, walking in the rain, and realized that Fan Xian was not passing through Dengshikou, but had come to Dengshikou to do business.

Dai Zhen of the Department of Vegetable Inspection at the entrance of the lamp market, his daily work is to wait for his subordinates to bring in vegetables and fruits from outside the city, and then classify them into grades and sell them in the market, while dealing with the daily routine of the inner court and the major royal mansions and public offices, to be precise, he is a chef who plays miscellaneous for the chefs of the nobles’ houses in the Kingdom of Qing – only that this miscellaneous plays a somewhat wider range of things, and a celery is not worth much money, but a hundred of celery is not worth anything, but a hundred of celery is not worth much money. One stalk of celery is not worth any money, but a hundred stalks of celery is worth some money. A chicken is not worth any money, but a hundred chickens are enough to change a good banquet in a stone house.

The Department of Vegetable Inspection is not a government office, no rank, no grade, and even due to the supply of too many places, there is not even a directly in charge of the government office, perhaps because the officials think that sending food to the city of Kyoto can not make a lot of money, so they do not pay much attention. In fact, Fan Xian is clear, this phenomenon arises, and these years, sometimes implemented, sometimes halfway through the new policy can not be dissociated, His Majesty blindly playing, the following institutions are naturally chaotic redundancy is very powerful.

Dai Zhen as the inspection of vegetables Division chief officer, these years, peacefully and steadily earn eggs and vegetables money, he thought only he himself knows these inconspicuous things mixed with how much benefit, often in the middle of the night in the quilt secretly smiling, even his most painful that house concubine, every day urged him to go to his uncle there to seek a serious position, he did not say yes.

Beautiful ah, selling vegetables to their own this, is also considered the first person in the past – Dai Zhen can not help but so in the heart compliments of their own.

But today he can’t be beautiful, also can’t laugh, just in the middle of this autumn rain, the Supervisory Yuan one of the officials directly sealed his small poor Yamen, also blocked the account room of Daitongfang – Daitongfang is full of vegetable vendors, one-third of Kyoto’s daily use of vegetables, it is supplied by this place.

He rushed to the account room with an iron face. Looked at the inside of those wearing black clothes of the severe ghosts, patted two cheeks to make the smile appear more gentle, said: “So it is a place of adults came, is thinking of the depth of autumn, the workshop more rare fruits and vegetables, one day have to go to pay homage to …….”

A place to investigate the case today to beat the head is Mu Feng’er. He knew full well that today’s action was a demonstration that Fan Tisi wanted to make in Kyoto, where would he dare to be half sloppy, looked at Dai Zhen and coldly said, “Lord Dai come with us.”

The officials in one place had already familiarized themselves with sealing the account books, and began to follow the names in the roster, pointing out those in the workshop and escorting them to the carriages outside the workshop.

The autumn rain was still falling, and Dai Zhen’s heart grew colder and colder as he compensated with a smile and said, “Where would I dare to call myself any kind of lord, could it be that Lord Mu has misunderstood something.” He habitually stuffed a silver ticket into Mu Feng’er’s sleeve.

Mu Feng’er glanced at him, in her heart she pitied the other party, could it be that the other party hadn’t even heard of the matter of Fan Tisi being in charge of a place? Beside him, there were two indifferent officials of the Supervisory Yuan who came forward and unceremoniously kicked Dai Zhen in the knee, kicking him to the ground, taking out the secret rope from the back of his waist, and tying a knot on his hands that was extremely difficult to untie, the action was exceptionally clean and sharp, and it was thought that a place did not do this kind of thing less often back in the day.

Dai Zhen fell to the ground, his heart was in turmoil, his wrists were in severe pain, he was ashamed and angry, he finally couldn’t help but open his mouth and cursed, “What are you doing!”

Mu Feng’er touched the means in his arms, thought about it, but still didn’t take it out, and said, “I’m ordered to work on a case, please cooperate with Lord Dai.”

Dai Zhen panicked, his eyes rolled back in his head and he shouted, “Help! The Procuratorate is plotting to kill people with money!”

When the Supervisory Yuan a small team rushed into the Department of Vegetable Inspection with torrential rain, love to watch the Qing people have long been surrounded, just fear of the Supervisory Yuan that smear of rich black, the people do not dare to get too close, this time looking at the usually high and mighty Dai adults were captured in such a lousy way, the heart is also from the jittery, and those who Dai Zhen secretly raised a hit man, but through this shouting up, blocked the Supervisory Yuan the way of the crowd.

Dai Zhen hands were tied, but the heart is extremely fast, know that the Supervisory Yuan shot, always have no reason to stop, desperately howling: “Supervisory Yuan seeks to kill!” In fact, he also panicked in his heart, a time can not think of what to do at every turn, had to grab the four words of murder for money blindly shouting, hoping that the uncle in the palace can receive the news as soon as possible, in the Supervisory Yuan will be put into that terrible prison before, find ways to fish themselves out.

Looking at the people who had been stirred up to gather around, Mu Feng’er frowned and took out the paperwork from her bosom, reading Dai Zhen’s crimes out to the people.

Most of the hard laborers in Kyoto are convinced that the officials, the heart is actually believed, after all, everyone knows that Dai Zhen unclean hands and feet, but the people surrounded up, retreat is not easy, a place to come today less people, but also to take the account books and related witnesses, can not help but look a little difficult.

Watching this scene, Mu Feng Er heart angry, but far away glimpsed outside the crowd of onlookers, two carriages next to, there are a few unfamiliar Supervisory Yuan colleagues are wearing raincoats arching Fan Tisi, in the rain indifference to watch this side, his heart a burst of panic, drank: “Go!”

Dai Zhen’s hands were bound, but he knew that the hell that was the Supervisory Yuan was really not a place where officials could go, and with his face reddened and his voice muffled from crying and howling, he sat desperately on the ground like a child and refused to go down the steps.

And those of his inner circle also rose up and surrounded, although they did not dare to take action against the people of the Supervisory Yuan, but they forcefully prevented Mu Feng’er from arresting people to return to the team.

In the heavy rain, Fan Xian coldly watched the scene not far from the stone steps up and down, and in his heart, he made a comment to Mu Feng’er that he couldn’t be reused, but then he heard Ye Ling’er’s curious voice coming from behind him in the carriage: “Master, what the Supervisory Yuan is doing right now is also really a bit absurd, in broad daylight, with that little official pulling and tugging, what is the behavior, so that the people can see, and the court’s face goes to where to put it? If the people see this, the court will lose face.”

The rain hit the brim of Fan Xian’s head, knocking the edges down even further and covering half of his face.

“If the officials themselves don’t want face, the court doesn’t have to give them face.” He calmly said, “Ling’er, don’t look at this official’s smallness, he can gouge down more than five thousand taels of silver from the palace’s usage in a year, and as for the favors he has gained from Chase Square over the years, they are even more countless.”

Ye Ling’er rested half of her body on the window of the car, the rain dampened the hair on her forehead, and her clear eyes were full of interest. She went to Fan Mansion today to play around, but she didn’t expect to meet Fan Xian on the road, and even followed him to see this lively scene, and only then did she realize that such a small official could also covet so much silver.

At this time, Mu Feng’er and his party finally worked very hard to kill out from the Vegetable Inspection Department and came in front of Fan Xian. And Dai Zhen was dragged by them, hard in the rain, so miserable.

Those fighters also surrounded them, but they seemed to see the power and authority that these two carriages represented, and didn’t dare to make a move, while those Kyoto people, looking at the costumes on Fan Xian and Deng Ziyue, seemed to be able to feel that chill emanating from the bodies of these people in rain coats, and subconsciously retreated a bit farther away.

Dai Zhen is really a spirited little official, the body of the official uniform has long been stained by the sewage through, hair also scattered in the face of the slightly round, looks lousy, but still scolded fiercely: “you these inspectorate, eat us, drink us, not enough? …… again want to catch this official back to torture to force silver!”

When the people around him heard him speak like this, they couldn’t help but see a look of sudden realization on their faces.

Fan Xian slightly lowered his eyes and looked at the official in front of him who fell in the rain and kept stomping his legs, like a pig struggling for death, and did not rush to seal his mouth, because the Supervisory Yuan in the hearts of the world’s scholars and citizens, has long been the image of that dark and incomparable, even if Dai Zhen scolded a few more times, it could not affect the overall situation. And today is just playing a kitten, the key point is, he wants to see his subordinates, the ability to do things actually how.

Looking at Mu Feng’er in front of him with a guilty face and a hint of annoyance, Fan Xian shook his head and asked, ”Why didn’t you choose to go to his home in the middle of the night to take someone? Even though it’s raining today, you know that there are a lot of people in the Chase Place, so it’s easy to make a mess.”

Mu Feng’er was stunned, thinking that in the new rules of the regulations, you wrote clearly that in the future to handle cases, try to take the road in the open, that’s why I chose to take someone in the Yamen, want to do it beautifully, and ringing a name – if in the past, the Supervisory Yuan really want to take which official, of course, is the middle of the night, go to his home to catch it and then go! –How did this become his fault again?

Fan Xian didn’t wait for him to defend himself, and added: “Even if you want to come in the daytime, you can seal up the account room and leave right away……. With your means, can’t you make Dai Zhen return to the hospital quietly? What is the use of keeping those means of yours? You think you’re the official of the Da Lisi? Do I still have to hire a scholar to follow you and preach the holy religion?”

Listening to these harsh words, Mu Feng’er screamed bitterly. On the one hand, the backer behind Dai Zhen was indeed hard enough, and he was afraid that there would be consequences if he messed up his means; on the other hand, he was also worried that the Lord of the Tishek was a great talent, and he was afraid that he wouldn’t be able to look at them doing those sinister jobs.

…… Hearing Fan Xian’s sarcasm, he only reacted to, although Lord Tiji topped the name of a Poetry Immortal, it seems not to resist those unseemly means in the Supervisory Yuan, and even seems to be more enthusiastic than himself.

At this time, Dai Zhen is still lying in the rain howling, by the mud and water eyes to see Mu Feng’er is reporting to whom, know that it is the Supervisory Yuan’s adults, can not help but a little afraid. He didn’t recognize Fan Xian, but he recognized Ye Ling’er in the carriage behind him – Ye Ling’er was the only daughter of a Kyoto guard, and had enjoyed riding horses in the streets of Kyoto since she was a child, so there weren’t many old Kyoto people who didn’t know her.

Dai Zhen immediately cried out to the woman in the carriage, “Miss Ye do it for my humble servant ah ……”

Ye Ling’er glanced at Fan Xian’s calm and somewhat strange face, where she dared to say anything and abruptly put her head back.

Dai Zhen knew that today was over, and finally used his scattergun and cursed in a loud voice, “Do you know who my uncle is? Dare to arrest me! My uncle is …… woo!”

Getting a wink from Fan Xian, Deng Ziyue knew that his lordship didn’t want to hear Eunuch Dai’s name, and crossed his arms and slapped Dai Zhen’s mouth!

Only then did Mu Feng’er understand, somewhat ashamedly took out a small wooden stick with ropes attached to both ends from his bosom, and extremely rudely pinned it into Dai Zhen’s mouth, the material of the wooden stick was extremely hard, and it rawly propped up the corners of Dai Zhen’s mouth, and two channels of blood flowed down, and the words naturally couldn’t be said anymore.

The people around him cried out in shock, but Fan Xian turned a deaf ear and said to Mu Feng’er: “I don’t care who his uncle is, I only care who your uncle is. Work harder and don’t disgrace Mu Tie.”

Mu Feng’er answered in shame, threw the bloodied Dai Zhen back onto the carriage, turned back and led his subordinates to grab a few thugs hidden among the onlookers, not giving the other side any chance to resist at all, and directly using the clad iron rods that were always available in the courtyard, he ruthlessly slammed them to the ground.

Watching the action, the onlookers of the people are not afraid, screaming and scattering around, but then stopped at the corner of the street, curious to look back.

Only to see that in the midst of a rainstorm, a few inspectorate scouts wearing raincoats were waving their sticks and beating those big men on the ground with grim faces. Perhaps it was the accumulated prestige of the Supervisory Yuan over the years, those big men didn’t dare to fight back.

The scene was somewhat bloody.

Fan Xian looked at the people watching from afar and shook his head imperceptibly. But surprisingly did not go back to his own carriage, but lifted his hat, directly into Ye Ling’er’s carriage.

Ye Ling’er was startled, thinking, “How did a big man like you get into his car?

Fan Xian pretended not to realize this, and looked at Ye Ling’er’s slightly wet hair, froze, and took out a handkerchief from his pocket and handed it to her. Ye Ling’er took it and wiped her wet hair, sniffing the handkerchief for some faint aroma, thinking that it was used by Wan’er, she smiled, and then began to ask what exactly was going on earlier.

Fan Xian let out a bitter smile and told her what Dai Zhen had done. Ye Ling’er curiously said, “How does such a small matter qualify you to personally come and watch.”

Fan Xian sneered and said, “The water in Kyoto is deep, don’t look at that Dai Zhen is just an official who manages to sell vegetables, but he is greedy, the reason why he is so bold is not because he has a good backer. His own uncle is the official Dai eunuch, I personally come to sit in today, I am afraid that the hands of the underlings are too slow to startle the old Dai, I do not go out, a really take this palace people have no way.”

Ye Ling’er opened those bright eyes, “Father once said, the most complicated things in the palace, told us siblings to try not to touch, master your guts are really big.”

“Just a eunuch.” Fan Xian laughed, thinking in his heart that eunuchs originally had no human rights.

Ye Ling’er shook her head disapprovingly and said, “Don’t underestimate these eunuchs in the palace, they have masters as well, and if you lose face with them, you’re also not giving face to those ladies in the palace.”

Fan Xian was slightly stunned, and seemed to have only thought of this problem at this moment, a moment later his face returned to a sunny smile, and said, “Then what are you afraid of? I don’t like Wan Er going to the palace to be a lobbyist, if those ladies look for trouble from me, I’m the fake emperor’s son-in-law, the big deal is just to eat a palace rule board.”

Ye Ling’er slightly inclined her head, looking at this heavenly fearless guy, not knowing what was in her heart.

The car arrived at the gate of Fan House, the two of them got off the car, there was Fuji Zijing waiting outside, Fan Xian instructed him to let his daughter-in-law come to place the Shen family lady to the back street mansion, then led Ye Ling’er towards the mansion, but did not forget to beg the piece of handkerchief in Ye Ling’er’s hand to come back.

The handkerchief was stolen from Haitang, and Fan Xian did not want to give it away.

Dai Gonggong is the red man in Shu Guifei’s palace, and Ye Ling’er will soon become the second imperial consort, which is equivalent to saying that Shu Guifei is Ye Ling’er’s future mother-in-law, and Ye Ling’er will soon be half of Dai Gonggong’s master – Fan Xian had gossiped with Ye Ling’er about some of these things for this relationship, and he was reluctant to send the handkerchief to her, but he still had to use it wherever he could. The handkerchief could not be given to her, but it must be used wherever it can be used.

The rain continued to fall for a day in Kyoto, and finally got smaller in the twilight of the day. Eunuch Dai, who had gotten the news, rushed out of the palace in a rage.

He is a popular figure in the palace, because Shu Guifei literary talent, from time to time to help his majesty copy some of the rhetoric, and along with him, this Shu Guifei side of the close service, also has to pass to all the provinces of the imperial decree of the important difference, like Fan Xian for the first time to receive the holy title was ordained by the Taishang Temple, the co-law Lang, pass the decree of the eunuch Dai is the eunuch. When Fan Xian first received his holy post and was appointed as the Conciliator of the Taishang Temple, it was this Eunuch Dai who passed the decree. He passed the decree to the various governments, and naturally took a lot of benefits.

Dai eunuch red face stood in front of the inspection of vegetables division, looking at the mess inside, listening to the sound of those around the ouch screams, angry, pointing at his nephew’s men scolded: “I have long said to you! The other government offices in the capital can not care, but this Supervisory Yuan must be flattered!”

One man covered the swollen half of his face and cried, “Ancestor Grandpa, I don’t send a lot of favors on weekdays, and this day, the Grand Master even handed a silver check, and that one of the officials in that one place also received it, who knows that they’re still copying as they are.”

Eunuch Dai was so angry that he was trembling, scolded with a sharp voice: “Who dares to be so disrespectful! Which little bastard led the team? I’m going to find Mu Tie that black face …… actually dared to touch my Dai family’s Miao Tip Tip Tip Tip Tip Tip Tip Tip Tip Tip Tip Tip Tip Tip Tip Tip Tip!”

He is a eunuch in the palace, the Supervisory Yuan can not control him, but also does have the bottom of saying this. Under the old shame and anger, they sat in a sedan chair to a place to be, although Dai Zhen this nephew is no good, but this year or send a lot of silver to, can not look at him by the Supervisory Yuan in the whole of those penalties half of the life to go – Kyoto, who do not know that the Supervisory Yuan that kind of place, go in even if you can come out alive, I’m afraid that also want to be less a few kinds of Parts!

The sedan chair came to the door of a government office, Dai Gonggong heart but moved suspicion, more a heart, first let their small followers to go in to inquire about it.

Not long ago, the little follower out in his ear whispered a few times. Duke Dai’s face immediately changed, after hovering for a long time, clenched his teeth and said, “Return to the palace.”

Wounded that fighter, looking at the old ancestor’s sedan chair to return to the palace, the heart suddenly panicked, but also do not care about the door in a place, directly shouted: “The old ancestor, you have to do justice for us ah!”

Dai eunuch is really worthy of being born in Jiangsu, Zhejiang and the rest of the frivolous people, the experience of the decree has been practiced on the mouth of the good kung fu, a mouthful of spit on the spit over, impartial just spit in the man’s face, trembling voice cursed: “Our family is justice! Not justice!”

After saying these words, he nestled back into the sedan chair, his heart extremely uneasy. Earlier, the little follower had inquired clearly, and the person who was personally leading the group today was actually Little Lord Fan!

Dai eunuch only remembered at this time, the saint has already assigned a place in the courtyard to the Fan Tisi concurrently in charge of …… just, why did this little Lord Fan look at his own nephew? Eunuch Dai knew that even if his nephew was greedy, he was just an ant compared to the officials in the court.

How could he have thought that Fan Xian just wanted to train his troops and make an open door deal, but he associated himself with him, and when he thought about how powerful the Fan family was now, Eunuch Dai’s heart couldn’t help but chill.

Dai Zhen’s henchman, looking at the sedan chair that went away, wiping the disgusting phlegm off his face, never understood in his heart, Duke Dai is afraid of who?

A few days later, Dai eunuch watched an opportunity to mention the matter in front of Shuji Fei, the extravagant hope that the nephew out, but also want to listen to the wind. Unexpectedly, Shu Guifei actually do not know where already know this matter in advance, his nephew Dai Zhen’s behavior is clear, so not angry, ruthlessly chastise him a pass.

Dai eunuch only then realized that the little Lord Fan has long been through a certain way to cut off their own way, and under the fear, he finally gave up this old face, not humble to run to the palace of Yi Gui concubine to curry favor, which is through the relationship between Liu, quietly to the Fan House to hand over a thin silver check.

On the other hand, Mu Feng’er who is responsible for hearing the case is also scratching his head, he looks at Dai Zhen who has not been transferred to the Heavenly Jail, and his heart bursts with annoyance, it is this spicy goods that made himself lose face in front of Fan Tisi, but Fan Tisi ordered not to use torture on this small character, why is this? He touched in his hand the rich silver allowance that was only issued down in his belt, and could not help but mutter.