Chapter 18: The Counterattack of the Kyoto Officials

One day at the end of February, a rumor suddenly began to circulate in the official circles of Kyoto that the reason why this Chun Exam malpractice case could be solved so quickly and accurately all relied on the Supervisory Yuan’s possession of a list of bribe-paying scholars, and that this list, however, was provided to the Supervisory Yuan by Little Lord Fan, who was known as the Poetry Immortal and who was a senior official in the Imperial Examinations this time around. It is said that Lord Fan Xian was so disgusted by the evils of the imperial examination that he was furious at the world’s hard-working scholars who were unable to have a fair chance of advancement after ten years of hard work, so he defied all the layers of the officialdom and submitted a letter to His Majesty, and he even went so far as to sell his body to a corrupt official in the imperial court in order to obtain that important list.

In short, the rumors were bizarre, and Fan Xian was rumored to be so wise and courageous that the list was said to be the most sinister note in the Qing officialdom, even though it wasn’t considered a secret. This kind of tactic, Fan Xian saw at a glance, must be the eight departments of the Supervisory Yuan those guys to make a mystery.

When this rumor came out, Fan Xian instantly became a rusty nail in the eyes and a thorn in the flesh of all the officials of the Ministry of Rites, but on the other hand, his reputation in the eyes of the people of the capital and the world’s scholars went up one step further, and even though the Taixue side and the Tongwenge side had remained silent, Fan Xian today had just likewise become the spiritual leader of the scholars.

Fan Xian straightened his collar and sleeves, and laughed to himself, “This leader is also too new, isn’t it?” Then he gently patted his sister’s worried face and said, “What are you worried about? Brother is one of the most powerful princelings in the Kingdom of Qing.” His voice was extremely soft, and his wording was extremely odd, but Fan Ruoruo still understood, although she didn’t understand the deeper meaning hidden inside.

Lin Wan Er didn’t hear, even if she heard, she probably wouldn’t understand, anyway, she didn’t worry as much as her sister-in-law, smilingly tying the small accessory of the Empress Mother’s Jade Ruyi to Xianggong’s belt, fake dusting some dust, saying, “Come back earlier.”

It was true, as Sinanbo had said, Fan Xian had indeed done things too immaturely, leaving too much trouble behind. Once the rumor came out, Kyoto was shocked, and all eyes fell on Fan Xian, because the characters behind the officials who collapsed because of the cheating case were afraid of Fan Xian’s background, but they still began to move, and this morning, there were already young royal historians of the Imperial Historian’s Office who wrote a letter to the palace, impeaching that Fan Xian was also suspected of cheating, and even more so, he had immoral behaviors.

Fan Xian went out at this time, is to go to the Ministry of Justice to be tried. Originally, the inspection court had been investigating the fraud case, but the officials who suffered greatly from the fraud case were unwilling to let the inspection court deal with Fan Xian as a tainted witness, so they used the Ministry of Criminal Affairs to investigate the case. The Ministry of Criminal Affairs has always been with the prime minister is not very road, and Fan Jian does not have any friendship.

Walking out of the small courtyard, Si Si half squatted with a salute. With a respectful face, she said, “Young master, good day.”

Fan Xian looked at this big maid who he hadn’t seen much of in recent days and laughed, “When I was a child, I said that the word “good journey” is not very auspicious.”

Si Si pursed her lips and smiled, “Then I wish young master to go and come back early.”

“Cheng, cook a bowl of millet porridge for young master to drink, put in some sweet corn from Tanyuzhou, it’s been a long time since I’ve tasted your handiwork.” Fan Xian suddenly turned his head and asked, “What happened to those things I asked you to copy?”

These days Fan Xian didn’t know how to deal with Si Si, who had grown up with him, and didn’t want her to continue to work as a maid in the Fan Mansion, so he simply arranged for her to go to the study to help him copy books. Si Si seldom talked to the young master these days, so her heart was naturally a bit uneasy, but when she heard the young master ask, she said joyfully, “I’ve almost finished copying.”

“That’s good.” Fan Xian nodded and headed out, smiling at his wife’s sister who was following him, “See, the maid I brought up is different, more calm than you, Ruoruo.”

Fan Ruo Ruo softly worriedly said, “That’s because Si Si doesn’t know how serious this matter is today.”

Indeed it was serious, Fan Xian had offended too many people by uncovering the fraud case. Seeing that the officials in the court went so far as to tear themselves away from the prime minister and Sinanbo, but also wrote a letter to him, and also used the paperwork to demand that he go to the Ministry of Justice, it was clear that this matter was quite serious.

Out of the main gate of the Fan House, always quiet south of the city street, but today it seems very crowded. Ministry of Criminal Affairs to take people’s officials sad face, like a thief hiding behind the stone lions. At the main gate Fan Si Zhe and led a group of guards of the Fan family, holding a long broom will be beaten by the officials, arrogant and incomparable.

And the street also flocked to many heard Fan Xian trial of the scholar people, they already know Fan Xian and the shock of Kyoto officialdom of the relationship between the science field malpractice case, the people’s simple mind will not consider this matter behind the hidden what, only know that the small Fan Lord talent is good, good heart, is a good man, a good man today, but today is going to be on trial, so all for Fan Xian feel wronged.

Fan Xian stood in the doorway and smiled as he looked at the crowd outside the mansion, realizing that most of them were young scholars, and knowing that Chen Pingping’s play on this trick had really worked, he whispered to Fuji Zijing beside him, “Where are those four people from Shi Hanyanli now?”

“According to young master’s order, right now there are adults from the Supervisory Academy secretly protecting them, and Lord Wang Qinian suggested that these four people should be sent to King Jing’s residence, lest those ungrateful officials in the imperial court take advantage of this matter to frame the lord. But my subordinate thought that young master should not want to be associated with Prince Jing in this matter, so he refused.” Tou Zijing whispered back.

Fan Xian glanced at Tou Zi Jing with some surprise, not thinking that he could guess the situation he least wanted to see, if he sent those four scholars to King Jing’s mansion, it might seem safe, but in the eyes of the Eastern Palace, he would no longer be uncovering the case of the cheating out of a pure sense of justice and His Majesty’s decree, but rather he would be trying to stand up for the second prince to strike a blow against the prince, and in that case, he would no longer be able to ease his relationship with the Eastern Palace.

Seeing Fan Xian walk out of his residence, the onlookers burst out in cheers, rushing forward and shouting something, which was only to express their admiration and solidarity with Lord Fan’s iron shoulders.

Fan Xian smiled like a star in his previous life, waved his hand, and said softly to Teng Zijing, “The biggest problem with readers is that they are too simple.”

Teng Zijing smiled and said nothing. Fan Xian suddenly laughed happily, “If there is an opportunity in the future, do you want to go out to the capital and become an official? With the power of your family, there’s still no problem in securing you as a six or seven ranked party parent.”

Fuji Zijing was stunned, thinking that although he had read books, he had always been a guard, how did the young master talk about becoming an official? But immediately thought that the young master might be in need of someone he could trust in the states and counties of Qing, and in a daze, he responded, “I will leave it to the young master to arrange it.”

“My arrangements?” Fan Xian laughed, “It’s a pity that Qing Guo doesn’t have a Baling County.”

Fan Xian’s face was already beautiful, and when he smiled happily at this moment, it was even more sunny, like a spring breeze, making those scholars who had come to show their support feel greatly relieved, as the Poetry Immortal, Fan Xian, should look like this.

He rubbed Fan Si Zhe’s head, shouted at his younger brother to stop fooling around, and then politely greeted the officials of the Ministry of Justice, got into his own carriage, and drove towards the Ministry of Justice.

The crowd gradually dispersed, and the scholars who were rushing to take the exams chased after the Ministry of Justice’s office, and no one noticed the strong guards of the Fan family arching another carriage out of the city’s southern street, heading in the direction of the Imperial City. In the carriage sat Lin Wan’er, who had discussed with Fan Xian in bed last night that she must make a trip to the palace today to explain things to the Eastern Palace and the other palaces and to turn things around.

On the other side of the story, Fan Xian was already single and walked into the lobby of the Ministry of Justice somewhat alone. This lobby is a bit gloomy, the wind whooshing into the filling, early spring weather, even let him feel a bit cold. But he is still slightly smile, to the three sitting in the high place of the three arch a salute, said: “See the three adults.”

The Chun Exam malpractice case was a big deal, and Fan Xian was a key figure in it, so today, in addition to the Minister of Justice, there were also two high ranking officials from the Da Lisi and the Imperial Palace of Justice who came to hear the case. On each side of the hall, there was a row of officials from the Thirteen Yamen of the Ministry of Justice, looking very scary.

Fan Xian frowned, realizing that the other party was slow to reply. After a long time, suddenly hearing a sound of shouting, the Minister of Justice Han Zhiwei coldly asked, “Is the one standing under the hall the fifth rank of the Imperial College Fan Xian?”

Today’s Fan Xian, long ago, is not the newborn calf that first entered Kyoto and smiled in the Kyoto government office, he glanced at this Shangshu, and faintly said, “It is precisely the next official.”

“Today, I summoned you here, mainly to inquire about the matter of the spring exams.”

Fan Xian smiled and blocked the words back, “As far as my humble servant knows, the Chun Exam malpractice case should be handled by the Supervisory Court under orders, I don’t know that the Ministry of Justice is also involved.”

Sitting on the top of the three adults listening to this no etiquette back, greatly annoyed, but know that the person in front of the time when the red, behind a prime minister, a minister, after the malpractice case, even more respected by the scholars, is not good to take him how. The Ministry of Criminal Affairs Han Zhiwei always boasted of clear, most can not see this kind of arrogant look, nose a hum said: “This official is under the order of the case, you do not put off all sorts of excuses.”

Fan Xian shook his head and said, “The next official did not put off, but I do not know the Lord Shangshu called the next official to come, what exactly is the inquiry? If you’re asking about the details of the Chun Exam case, I’m really sorry, but the Supervisory Yuan has long had strict orders that I am not to disclose anything to the public until the case is closed.”

Da Lisi young secretary of gas extreme anti-laughter, said: “Is the court asked you, you also do not answer?”

“The Supervisory Court is a subordinate of the court, and the Ministry of Justice Yamen is a subordinate of the court.” Fan Xian sighed and said, “As the three adults know, this matter involves too much, and I really don’t know how I should handle it, and it’s not written in the Qing law.”