Chapter 62: A Dream in the Garden (Center)

At the beginning of a light snowfall, the cold air in the palace was pent up, and this Heavenly Might was really hard to resist. But Fan Xian was sitting in his wheelchair, very warm, and the high-collared cloak he wore on his body blocked the wind and shielded him from the snow, and even warmed him up a bit. For the emperor’s questioning, he had long been mentally prepared, and never expected his family to smuggle Fan Si Zhe out of the capital, and would hide it from how many people going.

“I just received the letter the day before yesterday, and have already settled down in Shangjing.”

Fan Xian intentionally or unintentionally glanced at the little eunuch behind him, and at this time the emperor was walking ahead with great pleasure, so he didn’t notice the eye contact between the two behind him.

The little eunuch was Hong Zhu, who looked at the smiling eyes of Fan Tianshi, but somehow felt a chill in his heart, and felt a sense of fear–Hong Zhu knew that this Lord Tianshi was warning himself that certain words must not be passed on to other people’s ears–This little eunuch had recently been following Fan Xian, and had been following him for a long time, but he had not been able to see the emperor. This little eunuch had been following his majesty recently, and deeply understood the silent attitude of accompanying the king, so he hurriedly lowered his head, not daring to meet Fan Xian’s gaze.

In his heart, Hong Zhu also wanted to climb the mountain that was Fan Xian, so how could he dare to go around preaching things that were unfavorable to the Fan family.

“Just say it out?” The emperor walked towards that side of the lake on one side, and said faintly, “I had thought that although many things are known to the world, some superficial work should always be done.”

Fan Xian lowered his head and turned his neck, letting his cheeks rub against the soft fur on his collar, “Your Majesty has asked, and I do not dare to make half a false statement.”

The emperor suddenly stopped dead in his tracks, and the little eunuch hurriedly pulled Fan Xian’s wheelchair, not daring to sit side by side with the emperor. Fan Xian didn’t sit still and frowned.

“You don’t tell lies to me …… and you dare to blatantly lie to the world?” The emperor looked back at Fan Xian with a smile, the few wrinkles at the corners of his eyes had a point of questioning on top of a slight spit of laughter.

Fan Xian raised his head, somewhat impolitely looking squarely into the emperor’s eyes, “There are many foolish people in the world …… I’m only loyal to His Majesty, and not to those people.”

“But someone once said ……” the emperor’s eyes were suddenly a bit strange, “The people are the most important, the gods of earth and grain are second, and the king is the lightest.”

“Nonsense, I wonder who is so bold.” Fan Xian frowned slightly, of course he knew who would be so bold, the original was Tail, the plagiarizer was mom.

“The Ministry of Justice is still looking for your brother today.” The emperor laughed twice and turned back to continue walking forward, saying, “Are you not afraid that I will punish you?”

Hong Zhu pushed his wheelchair to follow him, and Fan Xian heard the squeaking of the wheels and had a bit of a headache, shaking his head and saying, “Your majesty is so holy and wise that he will surely be able to sympathize with my hardships.”

“Bitterness?” The emperor sneered, “I’m afraid that it’s only now that Lao Er feels that he can’t talk about his bitterness, right?”

“Ah …… I am guilty.”

Fan Xian knew that he should be playing slightly horrified at this point, like those courtiers close to the emperor in the Qing Palace theater. But he knew full well that getting the second prince off his horse was originally the emperor’s own intention, and that he was nothing more than a knife. And in the emperor’s mind, he was not a simple courtier, after all, that relationship was at work.

So he did not have a trace of fear, nor a trace of nervousness, so that no matter how much he played the acting skills, ultimately still on the surface, slightly too pompous, I’m guilty of the three words dragged a little too long, the sense of drama is too strong.

The emperor lowered his voice and scolded, “You’re doing a play, but you don’t know how to be more serious!”

Fan Xian responded with a bitter face, “I am aware of my sins.”

The words “I’m guilty, I know I’m guilty” were repeated over and over again. Fortunately, the three of them had already gone up to the wooden bridge in the lake, temporarily stopping the conversation. Although Kyoto has been quite cold, but the weather of the first snow, the lake certainly did not reach the bleak degree of ice, but also in the bridge under the green, chilly swinging. Although the wooden bridge is repaired flat and firm, but the wheelchair is pressed on it, there is always some unsteady feeling, Fan Xian grasped the handle of the wheelchair with both hands, his eyes staring at the gaps between the wooden bridge, thinking that if the little eunuch behind him suddenly turns into a killer at this time, he will be miserable.

Pavilion in front of the eunuchs who came beforehand to clean up the layout of the palace maiden a distant salute, then dispersed without a trace, do not dare to follow the side.

The emperor sat on a cushioned stone bench, with his eyes signaling Fan Xian to get a cup of hot tea to drink, but he used two fingers to pick the pine nuts to slowly peeled. The little eunuch Hong Zhu knowingly retreated to the side of the pavilion, on the one hand, looking out, on the other hand, always ready for what the masters in the pavilion commanded.

“How is it?” The emperor asked.

Fan Xian seemed to be scalded by the tea in his cup, frowning tightly as he immediately responded, “Does Your Majesty mean the minister’s injuries, or ……”

“The latter.”

Fan Xian responded very directly, “Already prepared to do it, the courtyard order has already been sent out, this matter has not passed through the courtyard, it shouldn’t attract too much attention.”

The emperor nodded.

Fan Xian continued to explain the details, “The goods that are still in the territory should all be able to be intercepted, just …… afraid that the people of Northern Qi will know the news and also make a large amount of money from it, after all, the Cui family has also hoarded a lot of goods in the north …… “In these words he hid very important information, killed him will not say to the emperor, this is his plan to share the spoils with the Emperor of Northern Qi.

“There are a total of three routes towards the north, currently four places have already begun to control, the manpower of the courtyard on that side of the inner treasury, due to the fact that they have spent too much time with the people on that side, so they are not very comfortable, and they are not used for the time being.”

He frowned, will Yan Bingyun proposed plan, exhaustive and incomparable said out, just not finished, the emperor is already waved his hand, said, “I …… don’t want details, as long as the result.”

Fan Xian said after a slight pause, “Please rest assured, Your Majesty, at the latest a year, should be able to return to the inner treasury most of the input.”

The emperor shook his head indifferently, “It is impossible for the inner treasury to return to its prime back then……. I think you understand the reasons for this.”

Fan Xian lowered his head.

The emperor asked, “I’ve come to ask you, why are you certain that I will support you in laying your hands on Lao Er and the eldest princess?”

“Because …… the court needs silver.”

After a long time of silence, the emperor hmmmed from his nose and said, “The court wants to do something, to expand the border …… it needs silver, and Yun Rui these years will be too powerful to pull out of the inner treasury, I can not look down, so I will be subordinate to you to take over this plate of mess. You did not let me disappointed, first of all is to have this courage to take over, and secondly is to start hard enough, will not be afraid because of the identity of the other party …… this is where I take you.”

“Thank you, Your Majesty, for your appreciation.” Fan Xian could only thank the grace, because the language involves the eldest princess, that is after all his own mother-in-law, of course, he can’t comment on it.

The emperor took a pinecone and put it on his lips, slowly chewing on the flavor. Outside the pavilion, the wind stopped and the snow disappeared, and there was a slight chill in the quiet.

“Ye Chong returned to Cangzhou. I let the Prince of Harmony be the commander of the forbidden army, I heard that there is some discussion in the capital. Have you heard anything?” The emperor seemed to ask casually.

Fan Xian smiled bitterly and responded, “Discussions are naturally unavoidable, after all, it seems to be out of line with the old rules.”

“Your opinion?”

Fan Xian was creeped out, thinking how it was his turn to give his opinion on such things, and hurriedly said, “Your Holiness is far-sighted and quiet, I wouldn’t dare to speak out of turn.”

“Speak, I forgive you.” The Emperor hadn’t been looking at Fan Xian’s clear face, only betting his eyes on the winter-warping cold trees in the palace garden.

Fan Xian calmed down, he knew that talking to the emperor was a very difficult thing, Wei Xiaobao’s fake nine true one back then was finally caught by Kang Xi in the braid, and what he had done in secret, stealing into the palace, the agreement with Beiqi, and the conversation with Sean …… all of these were hidden from the emperor in front of him, and if the incident happened, who knows what kind of If the incident occurs, who knows what will happen to him?

Just in front of this emperor is really some unfathomable, if Fan Xian is not occupy that natural advantage, certainly is not dare to play with each other. The so-called advantage is that he knows the other party’s real relationship with himself, and the other party doesn’t know that he knows this – so, Fan Xian can pretend to be a courtier and play pure loyalty, and the more apologetic the other party is about himself, the more benefits he can get.

“The Great Hall is unwilling to stay in the capital.” Fan Xian said very directly, “And it’s against the rules for a hallowed prince to be used at a reduced rank. The most crucial thing is that the palace is the heart of the Qing Kingdom, so one has to be cautious.”

This is very direct, even a little over the line, but the emperor did not have any great reaction, just said coldly: “Unwilling? Nine times out of ten, if he doesn’t want to stay in the capital, does he want to see me, his father, alone in Kyoto? Fan Xian, this lobbyist of yours really has no level.”

Fan Xian’s face was embarrassed, knowing that the matter of the Grand Prince visiting himself at the Fan Mansion had not been hidden from the Emperor.

“Don’t mess with the second, if he settles down.” The emperor closed his eyes and tied up the loose ends of the events in Kyoto some time ago.

“Yes.” Fan Xian nodded his head, what was there to make a scene for when all he wanted to achieve had already been achieved?

“This time, you have great merit in the matter of the Hanging Temple.” The emperor suddenly said quietly, “However, as the Supervisory Academy’s chief inspector, you actually allowed the assassins to blend into Kyoto, and before the incident, the second office failed to check some of the winds, which is a dereliction of duty on your part. Two offset, I have to reward you those useless things, you do not have resentment.”

“I don’t dare.” Fan Xian seriously returned, “This is my dereliction of duty …… As for the injury, it is also because I did not learn the art well enough to be injured by that white-clothed swordsman.”

The emperor suddenly interested asked, “That swordsman …… has not been found out who it is, you have fought with him, can you guess something?”

A cold wind suddenly arose outside the pavilion, and Fan Xian’s back instantly went numb, and a drop of sweat actually flowed down from his neck there, trickling down the lining of his underwear. He didn’t know what the emperor’s true purpose was with this question, but felt that if he was not careful, he would have lost his previous battle.

The white-clothed swordsman was a shadow, and no matter what reason Chen Pingping had based on to make this set, he certainly would not tell the emperor the truth before ventilating with himself. But if the Emperor vaguely guessed the matter, how should he himself answer? If one said that one did not know, would it shake the position that one had managed to erect in the emperor’s mind?

After just a moment of shock, Fan Xian covered it up extremely well and said in astonishment, “Didn’t Your Majesty say that the white-clothed swordsman was the younger brother of the Four Gu Swords?”

The emperor laughed coldly and said, “Back then, Dongyi City disputed the city’s great chaos, the Four Gu Swords were ruthless, and killed their own families without knowing how many, and legend has it that a brother escaped …… I am using a guess. On that day above the high building, that brilliant day a sword, if it is not the sword of the four Gu sword, I am afraid that my eyes will be blind.”

Fan Xian heart a little peace of mind, know that he bet on the right, smiled and said, “Unfortunately, if you can hold the real evidence …… in the coming year to take the name of the army against the city of Dongyi, I’m this injury is also worth it.”

This comment scratched the emperor’s itch, this emperor’s favorite is this kind of shameless screwing, laughed: “Four Gu sword was Feijie cured, it has never been an idiot, how can you recognize this account? The first thing is to not recognize that there is still a brother alive in the world, and then it is to send a letter of state to express shock and condolences for the assassination of me, and incredulity at the viciousness of the assassins ……”

The middle-aged man spoke to himself, but found that no one responded to his rare humor, and looked back to find Fan Xian looking at himself very seriously, and the little eunuch outside the pavilion was even half-risen, not daring to make a sound.

Looking at this scene, his heart could not help but sigh, thinking that after so many years, the person …… who dared to be like her without up and down to make trouble with himself was really no longer there.

The emperor s heart was a little gloomy, slowly opened his mouth and asked, “Fan Xian …… that day upstairs, why did you save Ping Er first?”

Fan Xian sat in his wheelchair and asked for forgiveness. Silence for a long time before responding, “At that time, if the minister to the side of His Majesty, can only block the front of the sword, can not care about the knife behind …… the Third Highness but dangerous.”

“Oh?” The emperor smiled to himself and said, “Could it be that my life is not as valuable as Ping’s?”

Fan Xian smiled bitterly to himself and pleaded again, “I deserve to die, the situation was tense at the time and I didn’t react for a moment.”

“By the time you rushed to me …… the first opportunity was lost, are you not afraid to die?”

Fan Xian thought for a moment before finally uttering a treacherous sentence. He looked at his majesty’s calm eyes and said bitterly, “At that time, I thought, with this little life, if I can block that sword, naturally excellent, if I can’t …… hehehe …… can go with your majesty to another world to see the scenery, this is also considered a great honor. , this is also considered a great honor.”

The emperor was slightly stunned, and then he laughed out loud, his laughter shook the sky and spread to the extreme distance outside the pavilion. The eunuchs and palace maidens waiting for orders by the corners of the garden in the palace heard his majesty’s rare happy laughter, and could not help but look at each other in disbelief, not knowing what jokes Fan Tisi told today, but actually amused his majesty so happily.

The emperor stopped laughing, at this time the more look at Fan Xian brow between the wipe familiar look, the more old comfort, slowed down the voice said: “this go to Jiangnan, you pay more attention to yourself, don’t what things are rushing in front of the …… I heard that you in the north of the child is also so rowdy, hall ministers, also don’t know to cherish the body to save their lives. ”

Fan Xian slightly embarrassed, know that his majesty said this is reasonable, the minister of the country, how many will be like his own old days like habitually out of the dangerous front move? It’s just that in his own bones, he likes to walk alone, and in the end, he still doesn’t have much trust in anyone else – however, there are still a few months left before the trip to Jiangnan, so the emperor’s parting words seem to have been spoken a bit too soon.

“Your Majesty.” Fan Xian thought of a pile of important things, and said with some uneasiness, “What …… was said earlier at Yi Gui Concubine’s place was a naughty joke?”

The emperor glared both eyes and said coldly, “The king has no jokes.”

Fan Xian was terrified, “I’m not very old, my virtue is not important, how can I be a teacher for the emperor?”

The emperor laughed, looked at him and said, “I heard …… that when you were in the capital of Northern Qi, that little emperor was very respectful of you …… As for virtue and prestige, even Zhuang Mo Han praised the person, why can’t he be a teacher? Beiqi Fu is only Zhuang Mo Han’s juniors …… If not looking at your age is too small, I will directly declare you into the palace lectures, and who dares to have two words to say?”

“But ……” Fan Xian some regret their own vanity flourish caused out of the heck of literary fame, bitter should say: “But I will be to the Jiangnan line tomorrow spring, misuse of the three imperial son’s studies is not good.”

The emperor waved his hand, “Take Ping’er with you, I have already spoken with the Empress Dowager.”

Fan Xian’s mouth opened wide and he didn’t say anything for half a day.

“Do well.” The emperor said with a calm expression, “After the Jiangnan matter is over, put in two more years in the capital, and I’ll let you join the Zhongshu Sect.”

He stared into Fan Xian’s eyes and said in a soft tone, “I, for one, value you.”

After a brief silence, Fan Xian nodded without pretense, and knowing that the conversation was over, he prepared to resign and go home. Unexpectedly,…… the emperor waved his hand again and said faintly, “Today is the beginning of winter, and there is a banquet in the palace. You’ll have your meal in the palace……. I’ve already had someone go to your house to pick up Wan’er.”

Fan Xian was again shocked in his heart, not knowing what this meant, or if it meant nothing at all.

“The empress dowager wants to see you.” The emperor said, coughing twice more to cover it up, “The old man wants to see what Wan’er’s husband was actually born like.”

The emperor left in the imperial carriage. The pavilion cleared out, leaving only Fan Xian and the little eunuch who had specialized in pushing the wheelchair today.

Fan Xian gazed in the direction the emperor had left, a flash of cold self-deprecation in his eyes. Today, he was called to the palace, although the incident was sudden, but he still had some small expectations, perhaps that middle-aged man will let himself go to see the painting? Maybe that middle-aged man will say something to himself?

I didn’t expect that in the end is still this kind of benevolent ruler loyal ministers play right, his heart some hidden disappointment. The emperor’s family is inherently ruthless, this point of course he is clear, and he has never regarded that middle-aged man as his father …… The so-called disappointment, in fact, is only for that woman called Ye Qingmei disappointment.

Looking at the emperor’s attitude towards himself, it is clear that he is a person with thin feelings, at least …… for his mother, there is no gratitude and enough nostalgia as it should be. In other words, even if the emperor is already incredibly trusting of himself today, even if he has treated himself as his closest vassal, he is still just a vassal.

If he really one day revealed his identity, no longer a “loyal minister” who has the honor of protecting the emperor, but the belonging of that chair …… Fan Xian smiled coldly in his heart, for when the emperor, he did not have a trace of interest, when the Supervisory Yuan, but he was raised on the interest of the little one. He has no interest in being the emperor, but he is interested in being the supervisory office’s director. But when not is their own problem, the middle-aged man let himself not stand in the sequence of arrangement, this is the moral problem.

The problem is a moral issue! …… I don’t care to say you!

Cursing the emperor’s mother to vent finished, Fan Xian took a deep breath, knowing that his depression is also really unreasonable. Because Ning Cailian is the cause of the Eastern barbarian female captive, the eldest prince is automatically deprived of the right to succeed the throne by many people from the heart, let alone such a role as his own that can not see the light of day. Besides, the mother’s strange death, there must be some tail did not get clean, so that the emperor as late as today do not dare to recognize themselves.

Let Fan Xian some puzzling is: obviously from the day he guessed his own identity, will break this idea, why today but suddenly so calculated up?

There was a soft ticking sound, a drop of snow dripping down from the eaves of the pavilion, softly striking the stone steps. The sound woke Fan Xian up, and he raised his eyes to look at the early winter scenery outside the pavilion, sighed, and thought to himself, perhaps it is the environment in this palace that is too depressing, and that is what makes him think about all those boring things that he didn’t have to think about.

“Tis …… adult …… evening meal is still some time, his majesty has handed over, you can feel free to stroll …… around.” The little eunuch Hong Zhu said with a low brow, but the words were shivering.

Being able to stroll around the harem at will? He was not recuperating from his injuries in the Plum Garden, so it was better to commit fewer taboos. Fan Xian shook his head, “Just take a look in this pavilion.” He noticed the little eunuch’s voice and narrowed his eyes, sweeping them over the little eunuch like two small knives, a gaze that made the little eunuch a little nervous.

“Leng?”

“Yes.”

“Sweating?”

“…… Yes.”

Fan Xian’s lips curled slightly and smiled, “Don’t be afraid, since His Majesty is relieved to let you listen here, he naturally trusts you.”

That being said, the conversation between the Emperor and Fan Xian in the pavilion today appeared to be commonplace, but the hidden information inside was very “rich”. Hongzhu today for the first time to know, the Supervisory Yuan and the second prince of the fight, the internal library of things, the original is the emperor acquiescence, Fan Tisi intelligent, secretly in line with the sacred heart of the move! And it seems that Fan Tisi is going to have some big moves soon.

If these things spread out of the palace, I’m afraid that it will cause an uproar.

“Nun is not afraid.” Hong Zhu responded pitifully.

Fan Xian looked at the little eunuch’s pitted face and suddenly asked curiously, “Eunuchs also have acne?”

“Pimples?” Hong Zhu was slightly stunned, then realized what it meant and responded with some annoyance, “I’m not sure.”

Outside the pavilion was quiet, in the distance there were palace maidens walking around, the surrounding cold lake was awe-inspiring, and there was a wind coming from the lake, entering the pavilion and winding around his body, slightly leveling the agitation in his heart. Fan Xian smiled, “You …… are Hong Zhu?”