Chapter 100: The More Silent You Are, the Happier You Are

The banquet went quite smoothly, at least on the surface, especially after Fan Si Zhe received the pair of jade lions from Marquis Chang’an with a smile on his face.

It was just that Fan Si Zhe, as the host, always had the habit of glancing outside the hall of the Moon Embracing House. Today, the Moon Embracing House had been chartered by him, and there were no remaining guests. Wei Hua, who was sitting beside him, frowned slightly, thinking to himself who else was going to come? Why did he not receive any news beforehand?

Looking at Fan Si Zhe’s expression, one can imagine that the guests who are coming soon will not be of low status, otherwise he would not have suppressed expectations and nervousness, but if the guests are not of low status, why did he not wait for the guests to arrive, and then already opened the banquet?

Wei Hua subconsciously shook his head, the corner of his lips floated up a hint of self-deprecation and bitter smile, he understood in his heart, for the two brothers of the Fan family, neither of them could be judged by common sense. He is now the commander of the Northern Qi Brocade Guards Zhenfu Division, succeeding Shen Chong’s position in the year, most of the special services of Northern Qi are under his control, the trust of the young Emperor of Northern Qi can not be said to be not thick, his power can not be said to be not big, but once on the south of the Fan brothers, Wei Hua is still some hidden nervousness.

Fan Xian is in charge of the Supervisory Yuan, and Wei Hua is a legitimate “peers”, but Wei Hua is clear that he is not as good as Fan Xian in this line of study for a long time, the North Dynasty’s Brocade Guards also do not have the South Dynasty’s Supervisory Yuan that much power, so really want to two people across the border will be spelled out, their own is not enough to pinch the other side.

As for Fan Si Zhe, Wei Hua looked at the slightly chubby teenager who was entertaining the guests beside him and frowned slightly. For this character, he admitted that two years ago, he did look away, thought Fan Xian with the help of the hands of the authority, sent his brother to the North Qi to escape, did not think that more than a year’s time past, Fan Si Zhe hidden behind the scenes, is the old Cui family line to hold firmly and solid, dark bottom of the business is also doing the wind and water.

Completely not the business sensitivity and ability that a teenage boy should have.

Wei Hua slapped his forehead and smiled as he drank a cup with Fan Si Zhe and told a few jokes. The purpose of Fan Si Zhe’s treat today is very clear, the south of the private goods to the north of the road always need someone to take over, it is impossible to let a South Qing people in the north of Qi openly sell, in previous years were taken over by the Wei family, especially Changning Marquis, now Fan Si Zhe’s more and more bold, naturally some feel that Changning Marquis a family to spit goods too slow, which is why Changan Marquis is also tied into it.

Wei Hua did not resent this arrangement. Not because the Marquis of Chang’an is his own uncle, but he knows clearly that the Wei family is just a puppet that His Majesty the Emperor puts in front of the stage, and the big head of profit is constantly filled into His Majesty’s inner coffers and treasury through this business.

Moreover, if Fan Sichert is able to make a fuss, he is after all in the land of Northern Qi, Wei Hua has enough ability to monitor him. Once things are not harmonious, Jin Yi Wei can easily salvage the merchants under Fan Si Zhe clean.

But the situation is not until the last step, Wei Hua is absolutely not dare to do this kind of thing, not even dare to ask for a decree. Because the North Qi needs Fan Xian to spit out the goods from the South Qing inner treasury, Wei Hua is afraid of Fan Xian’s vicious means, afraid of Fan Xian’s unreasonable.

The curtains of the Moon Embracing Tower moved slightly, and two girls joined hands and entered. Wei Hua’s hand shook as he held his wine cup, nearly spilling it.

Those two girls were both known to him, which was one of the reasons why Wei Hua had always been deeply afraid of Fan Xian.

Haitang and Fan Ruoruo.

Wei Hua stood up to greet them, turned back and feinted at Fan Si Zhe for a few moments, and invited the two honorable first disciples of the Heavenly Dao to sit at the upper seat.

The scene was a bit awkward for a while.

Because everyone in Beiqi knew that the Empress Dowager meant for Haitang to marry Wei Hua, but Haitang had some unclear relationship with Fan Xian.

Wei Hua let out a bitter smile and said to Haitang, “Fan Ershao invited me, and you came like this, but you really don’t give me face.”

Haitang laughed, took the jade lioness handed over by Fan Si Zhe and played with it, saying, “You people just like to talk.”

Wei Hua laughed and said nothing more. From a long time ago, he was clear that this woman was not something he could touch. When the Empress Dowager had that intention, he went to the palace at the first time to politely refuse, but it just didn’t do much good, the Empress Dowager’s love for her own offspring was always that unreasonable.

The Empress Dowager is not reasonable, Fan Xian is not reasonable, Wei Hua does not have the guts – this thing is too offended Fan Xian, and then marrying a ninth grade on the world’s best masters to go home, how can the husband’s program be invigorated? Besides, although this Haitang girl has an orchid-like quality and a wise heart, her looks are really ordinary. ……

However, last year, Wei Hua’s sister went to Jiangnan with Wolf Peach, passing through Wuzhou, and Fan Xian had a dispute, Wei Hua knows that Fan Xian that kind of petty nature, must be in the grudge, forced to repair the book to say a lot of good words, only to let the Fan Xian eliminated the anger.

Thoughts drifting in these years of years, Wei Hua can not help but lose his temper long pouting and sighing up, Fan Xian ah Fan Xian, your kid is too not give me face, what things are their own pressure a head, this is the same person, each other why too anxious? This is the commander of the Brocade Guards, how is it that he is not as happy as the supervisory office’s director?

Since Haitang and Fan Ruoruo entered the Moon Tower, the banquet in the hall has become much quieter. Wei family those old and spicy elders put up the appearance of elders, and the two girls family each climbed, but in the heart is thinking, this is intended to be in this negotiation, for His Majesty to eat more benefits, these two once to …… especially Haitang girl, her elbow is actually born to which side? So the attack on Fan Si Zhe slowed down.

Fan Si Zhe face calm, smile and say words, in casual conversation, will be the next year’s profit sharing and handover details said a clear, today let Haitang and sister to come here, is in order to give themselves a bargaining chip, at least to mess up the hearts of the people of Northern Qi.

Nominally he and the Wei family negotiations, in fact, Fan Xian and the Emperor of Northern Qi’s collusion, although not all people in the audience know, but the dominant Wei family Changning Marquis father and son is clear.

After three rounds of wine, the discussion was over, and both sides dispersed happily, but Wei Hua’s face was not very happy, obviously, in this new round of agreement to share the spoils, it was still taken by Fan Si Zhe the big head.

As the night deepened, Haitang held the warm jade lioness, looked at Fan Si Zhe twice with a kind of smiling but not smiling look, and then left, leaving this Moon Embracing Building to the two of them, siblings.

“I don’t like begonias.” Inside a room in the Beijing branch of Moon Embracing House, Fan Si Zhe frowned and said.

“You’re becoming more and more old-fashioned now.” Fan Ruo Ruo habitually patted her brother’s head with her hand and said with a smile, “What’s wrong with Senior Sister? You’re not still holding a grudge about her using you as a donkey, are you?”

Fan Si Zhe shook his head and said, “That was brother’s intention to make me suffer, I understand.”

Fan Ruo Ruo looked at her brother with some surprise, inclined her head, and said, “It’s really getting old-fashioned, so unlike a child.”

Fan Si Zhe smiled to himself and said, “In such a place, there is no one who is trustworthy, and there is no way to be more careful if you want to be …… Right sis, you said that the old-fashioned ……” His spirit suddenly Cheer up, asked, “Does it mean that I am getting more and more like brother?”

Fan Si Zhe asked excitedly, because in his mind, his eldest brother Fan Xian was the idol of his life, and if he could get closer to his elder brother’s image, he would naturally be more pleased.

Fan Ruo Ruo covered her lips and laughed, saying, “It’s getting to be more and more like father that is, father beat you so much back then, it seems to have some utility.”

She paused and then said, “You said earlier that you don’t like Senior Sister Haitang, why exactly?”

Fan Si Zhe quietly looked at his sister’s eyes and did not speak for a long time.

Fan Ruo Ruo also looked at him calmly.

“Sister, you should understand.” Fan Si Zhe said seriously, “We already have a sister-in-law.”

Fan Ruo Ruo’s brow also furrowed as she sighed, “Yes.”

Fan Si Zhe frowned and thought for a while and said softly, “In fact, brother doesn’t even know that in this year or so, sister-in-law has written me quite a few letters.”

Fan Ruo Ruo was slightly startled and asked, “What did sister-in-law say in her letters?”

“What can she say? It’s still not about how the family is doing, how father is doing, how mother is doing.” Fan Si Zhe sighed, “This little uncle of mine is alone in a foreign country, so sister-in-law definitely doesn’t feel at ease. To be honest, whenever there was something I couldn’t figure out in this year, I didn’t want to go to the letter to trouble my brother, it was all sister-in-law who helped me out.”

Fan Ruo Ruo gradually digested away the shock in her heart, she also learned about this matter for the first time, savoring for a long time, tasting out many kinds of flavors, and said grimly: “Sister-in-law …… is a very poor person, you also know that the eldest princess is now secluded by his majesty in a separate courtyard, and brother is in Jiangnan. ”

“Brother only knows to kick me to the north.” Fan Si Zhe spoke with dissatisfaction, “Although I know that he is refining me, has he ever thought about how old I am? How can I handle such a big mess? He only knows how to throw his hands in the air, unlike his sister-in-law who thinks as thoroughly as she does.”

Fan Ruoruo frowned and rebuked, “It’s not easy for my brother to be in the south, if it wasn’t for him, how would you be able to stand firm in the north? And where did he lose his hand? Qingyu Hall’s shopkeepers are secretly helping you, the network of the Supervisory Yuan in Northern Qi are also serving you, in order to cultivate you, he has put a lot of effort …… As for the hammering, you are not unaware of what kind of person my brother is, he has grown up in Tanyu State since he was a child, and I don’t know how to work hard to get to today’s position, he believes in this reasoning, that’s how he treats himself, we are his younger siblings, of course he will choose this way as well.”

A series of reprimands exported, Fan Si Zhe as if back to a few years ago in Kyoto, when he was not afraid of the sky, he was afraid of the iron ruler in the hands of his sister, all of a sudden soft, speech blocked for a long time and then murmured: “Anyway …… I do not like Haitang.”

Fan Ruoruo sighed: “How much help did Miss Haitang secretly give her brother, you are not unaware of it.”

“It’s just an exchange of benefits, the people of Northern Qi, in addition to the dead Zhuang Mo Han, how many are saints who are truly unattached to external objects?” Fan Si Zhe sneered, “Nowadays, don’t look at the fact that you have worshipped under Bitter Lotus, and I am the premier big boss, but if my brother is no longer useful to Northern Qi, we are only afraid that we will immediately be stepped on, and at that time, I don’t expect Hai Tang to stand up for us.”

Fan Ruoruo said seriously, “My opinion is the opposite of yours.”

Fan Si Zhe shook his head, and said quietly after a long time, “There is always a first and last for …… anything, right?”

Fan Ruo Ruo pondered for a long time and slowly nodded her head, her heart was also incomparably compassionate towards that honorable and dear sister-in-law who was accustomed to silence and hurt, and acknowledged this view of her brother. Just suddenly, her heart surged a trace of absurd thoughts, if it is said that first come first served …… himself should be the one who first arrived at his brother s side, right? It was just that fate had caught …… her and a trace of bitterness floated up at the corner of her lips, and she immediately suppressed this undeserved emotion, joining her brother in worrying about the fate of her sister-in-law Lin Waner.

“Brother is definitely not the kind of person who is thin-skinned and unfortunate, it’s just that now that sister-in-law is in the middle of the Eldest Princess and brother, she really doesn’t know how to handle herself.”

“Don’t think so much.” Fan Si Zhe shrugged his shoulders, “The key issue now is brother’s situation in the south.”

“I saw that you had a big banquet tonight and thought that you had gotten carried away.”

“With the collapse of the Eldest Princess, I naturally want to utilize this opportunity to earn more money.” Fan Si Zhe said, “It’s just that the dynasty is only dominated by the faction of big brother nowadays, and I always feel that there will be some problems.”

“Thinking perhaps a little too far, the dictatorship is claimed not to be, but standing on the wind.” Fan Ruoruo smiled and said, “Whether it’s a family matter or a state matter, it seems that it’s not something that we who are in a foreign land for a foreigner can worry about.”

Fan Si Zhe was stunned, thinking that with his sister’s usual attitude, she should be very anxious about Fan Xian’s safety and well-being, so how come she was acting so blandly, but he didn’t dare to criticize his family sister, and subconsciously asked, “Whose poem is it?”

“Brother.”

“Isn’t it true that he doesn’t do poetry anymore?”

“It’s that he doesn’t do it in front of outsiders.”

“Well …… we really don’t care?”

“What can we worry about?” Fan Ruo Ruo’s face was calm with a sense of confidence in her elder brother, “He worked so hard to send us to Northern Qi because he doesn’t want us to get involved in these things, if we really want to be good for him, then we must live well here and not let him worry about it.”

“How is living well?”

“Happy as a boss?”

“It’s okay, though it’s a bit of a hassle sometimes.”

“I’m going to the medical center tomorrow, I also feel that this life is very happy …… Brother said that people live in the world, is to find their favorite things to do.”

“Since we have searched for it, we have to continue it well. The safer and happier we live,” Fan Ruoruo made a definitive statement, “the more heart-set brother will be, and the more we will contribute to the family.”