chapter 13 – i’ve come from afar for an appointment

The oil lamp in the study jumped a flower, and the room suddenly brightened and darkened. Fan Xian watched the change in the yellow glow on the general’s face in front of him, narrowing his eyes and not speaking again for a long time. The oil lamp bursting into flower should be a happy event according to the common customs of the Qing State, but Fan Xian was not able to confirm this at this time.

“Tell us where you came from, tell us what you think.”

Fan Xian took a slow breath and tried to soften his facial expression a bit.

“My name is Xu Maocai.” The general smiled slightly and began to tell about his identity and his relationship with Fan Xian.

Fan Xian nodded his head, such an ordinary name that couldn’t be any more ordinary was indeed a must for hiding one’s identity, he just didn’t know how the other party escaped from the purge back then, and even more so, he didn’t understand why the other party chose to pick on himself at this point in time.

“Young master, I’m not someone from the Fan House, nor am I someone from the Supervisory Court.” Xu Mocai said calmly, “I am a member of the Ye family, or more accurately, I am a member of the young lady.”

“You’re an old man from the Quanzhou Naval Division?”

After confirming his judgment, Fan Xian’s brows did not stretch.

“Precisely.” Xu Maocai responded, “Twenty years ago, I was a sailor on a boat in the Quanzhou sailor division, and after the Quanzhou sailor division was abolished, it became the three major sailor divisions of today, and I …… came to Jiaozhou, and have stayed in the military until now.”

Fan Xian knew this part of the historical story, this part of the story that was tied to the Ye family and would never linger. Back then, when the Kyoto Incident happened, the Mother Lord suffered a surprise attack in the Taiping Farewell House, and Uncle Wuzhu only had time to carry away one of himself, and perhaps it was because of himself that Uncle Wuzhu didn’t challenge this kingdom with the power of a single man ……

But things happened after all, and the power of the old Ye family in Kyoto was uprooted within a day. The problem was that the Ye family’s roots weren’t just limited to Kyoto, but they had their own industries in every county and every road, and even the tentacles had spread to every aspect of the Kingdom of Qing, every corner of the country, and the military was no exception.

When His Majesty the Emperor returned to the court with Fan Jian, and when Chen Pingping rushed back to the capital, the situation had been finalized, so outside of vengeance, the biggest problem in front of the ruler and the ministers was how to deal with the huge industry and influence left behind by the Ye family.

As it happened in history, as Fan Xian knew, the Ye family’s three major workshops were returned to the imperial court, becoming the internal treasury that now influences the economic lifelines of Qing, while those Ye family treasurers were put under house arrest by the imperial court, and the Ye family, on the other hand, was put on the charge of plotting against the emperor.

Four years after the Kyoto Incident, the Emperor brought Chen Pingping and Fan Jian to carry out a bloody counterattack and revenge, directly killing one third of the nobles in Kyoto, and even slaughtering the Empress’s originally extremely powerful clan cleanly, but it still couldn’t change certain things.

For example, the Ye family’s crime, and the issue of disposing of the Ye family. Because of this matter, it was definitely related to that old man in the deep palace, and it involved the peace of the world.

Ye Qingmei died a strange and unjust death. In order to prevent a backlash from the Ye family’s forces, the court of the State of Qing must cleanse the Ye family and carry out a screened succession. For the sake of the stability of Qing, this was the only option, and from the later developments, it seemed that both Chen Pingping and Fan Jian had acquiesced to this.

So Qing Yu Tang’s boss, so many leaves, could languish in Kyoto until many years later, when he was taken out of Kyoto by the grown-up Fan Xian to let off steam. And the Ye family left behind in the court and the military forces, but was mercilessly swept away, without leaving the slightest.

And the year’s Quanzhou sailor, because to be responsible for the inner library of the production of escort work, so by the Ye family penetration of the most powerful, in a sense, such as Ye Qingmei’s private navy, so in the aftermath of the cleansing, Quanzhou sailor also became the first punch of the place, was mercilessly cut into three parts of the imperial court, in the dark after the suppression and cleansing, will become the three major water divisions of the country of Qing nowadays.

Every time he thought about what happened back then, the evil fire that had been suppressed in the deepest recesses of Fan Xian s heart began to rise, and he understood that since Ye Qingmei was already dead, for the sake of peace and stability in the world, those old men were bound to make such a choice, and if he was the emperor, he would not have been soft …… just that, there would still be something in his heart that would be uncomfortable , unpleasant.

Noticing that Fan Xian was starting to wander off, that old man called Xu Mocai from the Quanzhou Maritime Division coughed softly twice.

Fan Xian came back to his senses and looked at this General Xu with a somewhat complicated expression, many questions welling up in his heart. How did such an old man of the Ye family survive the cleansing of the sailors back then? And how did he hide his identity until today? Ye family forces are naturally not dead, but the vast majority of people have long been like the treasurer in the inner treasury general …… forgetting the identity of the year, after revealing himself, became a member of the court.

Xu Maocai, on the other hand, was clearly not of this kind.

Fan Xian expressed his doubts very directly.

Xu Maocai more directly explained: “I into the sailor too late, Miss was originally arranged for me to exercise in the sea for two years, then into the Supervisory Academy to help the dean of the Lord …… However, as you know, then something happened, so I did not have the opportunity to take up with President Chen, very coincidentally or fortunately …… survived until today.”

“What you mean is that if Chen Pingping knew that you were a member of the Ye family, she wouldn’t have allowed you to stay in the military either.” Fan Xian said indifferently.

Xu Mocai was slightly stunned, and after a few moments of thought, he slowly responded, “I don’t know, but I’ve been lucky enough, so I won’t gamble.”

“What about my father?”

Xu Mocai knew that this young man must not be talking about the man in the dragon chair, but the Minister of the Household, Lord Fan Jian, said after a moment of thought, “The things of that year were too odd, I …… can’t believe anyone.”

Who can not believe, although still smooth tone, but Fan Xian can hear a hint of coldness and disappointment in the other party’s words. After the Kyoto incident, no one in the court cried out for the old Ye family, and the situation at that time was indeed too odd, and Xu Maocai, who was the nail in the coffin of the Ye family, always suspected in his mind what role Chen Pingping and Fan Jian had actually played in that incident.

Fan Xian remained unchanged, instead he smiled slightly and said, “I’m sure you know about my relationship with the old Ye family, but I don’t really understand what the point is for you to come and talk to me about these things at this time.”

This was a test, from the start of the conversation until now, Fan Xian asked himself that he had not shown anything that could be caught in the act.

Xu Maocai raised his head in confusion and looked at Fan Xian as if he were a stranger, but had forgotten that he and Fan Xian had been strangers before today.

“Young Master, you are Miss’s only flesh and blood.” Xu Maocai said in a deep voice, “Miss’s family business must be inherited by you, and Miss’s hatred …… of you as a human son must naturally fall on your shoulders. Maocai is untalented and willing to be a dog and horse.”

Fan Xian slowly said after a little silence, “As far as I know, the princes and nobles who were involved in this matter back then were killed as early as thirteen years ago, and Your Majesty’s brilliance only allowed these shameless bandits to live for four more years. Revenge? Who should I look for to take revenge?”

Obviously, Xu Maocai had been hiding in the Jiaozhou Marine Division all these years, and was not clear about the movements of the upper levels of the imperial court, but wonderfully, in this general’s heart, there was always a very strong intuition that the Ye family’s enemies had definitely not died out, and that it was not possible for them to just simply die out.

So he shook his head slightly and said, “This is something for young master to think about.”

Fan Xian admired this person in front of him, since this person did not have any foot in the eyes of the imperial court, and now he had also become one of the heavy generals of the Jiaozhou Marine Division, then he could be completely happy in this way, leaving the Ye family and the young lady behind, enjoying the high rank and nobility without having to think about retaliation to the imperial court and this kind of very scary thing.

And according to the words of the other party, he did not join the Ye family for a long time back then, and was only a young man in his early twenties.

Fan Xian remained unmoved and said with a smile, “Why should I think?”

“You are a descendant of the Ye family.” Xu Maocai’s breathing became slightly faster, seemingly a little disappointed.

Fan Xian shook his head and said, “General, I respect you as a person, but you seem to have forgotten one thing, I’m not just my mother’s son, I’m also a man with a father.”

Xu Mocai raised his head in a huff, staring coldly at Fan Xian’s face, and after a few moments, many complex emotions of disappointment, shock, understanding, and renunciation surged across his face, and he said with a bitter smile, “That’s right, after all, the young master is also a royal son.”

According to the world’s common theory, Fan Xian was a descendant of the Ye family, but his more important identity was that of the emperor’s illegitimate son, especially since Ye Qingmei had died early, so how could a person who had grown up in the secret custody of the imperial family retain much affection for his mother, whom he had never met? If the object of revenge for the Ye family is the court …… could it be that this prince would be willing to rebel against his own family?

This society, is still a pure patriarchal society.

So Xu Mocai although disappointed, but also not very surprised, just the corner of the lips pulled up a bitter smile, secretly thinking that he endured so many years, today suddenly saw the young lady’s flesh and blood, finally still can not help it, but do not know to meet their own is not immediately coming to the extermination.

To his surprise, Fan Xian only asked gently, “Since you can understand my earlier passage, then please tell me why you dared to come to me this night?”

Xu Maocai didn’t understand why he would ask this, and after a long moment of silence said, “Ever since the news spread, I’ve been secretly keeping an eye on you, watching what you do …… and trying to find a way to find out what you’ve been doing over the past few years since you left Tanyuzhou. Whether it is to take charge of the Supervisory Yuan or to take over the inner treasury …… I always feel that your style and method of doing things, as well as the heart hidden behind it …… is very similar to Miss. So I …… chose to come to see you.”

The so-called news naturally referred to the mystery of Fan Xian’s birth that had shocked the world last year.

Fan Xian couldn’t help but laugh to himself, I don’t know if his mother was as insidious and shameless as he was back then, but he was able to create a huge family business with his empty hands, and he thought that he didn’t have to use less powerful means, and that the deaths of those two princes could not be dissociated from his mother. As for Xu Mocai extremely sensitive to find …… those two extremely similar hearts?

The same end of the world travelers, meet each other.

Fan Xian smiled gently, thinking that in this world if you want to find two people who can be close to each other in terms of heart and mind and can understand each other, there is only himself and Ye Qingmei, this relationship is even more marvelous than the general relationship between mother and son, perhaps less close in terms of blood, but more close in terms of spirit.

And it was difficult to weaken.

This would surely be a point that the Emperor of Qing could not have guessed, or even Fan Jian and Chen Pingping could not have imagined, something that the entire world would find incomprehensible. As an imperial son, why would Fan Xian have such deep feelings for his mother, whom he had never met, and would even be so deep that he would leave the so-called kinship and royalty in this world far behind.

It was the fact that no one could understand Fan Xian’s feelings for Ye Qingmei that made it impossible for even the smartest person in this world to guess Fan Xian’s true heart, and at some important moment in the future, certain people would surely pay certain prices for it.

“Hong Changqing.” Fan Xian did not continue his problem with Xu Maocai, but instead increased his voice a touch and called in a subordinate of the Supervisory Court.

The one who entered the room was Qing Wa, the character who had survived the deserted island and was fortunate enough to be taken under Fan Xian’s tutelage. He originally had a surname, but now since he was working with Fan Xian, Fan Xian changed his name to him, also for the convenience of future actions. The reason why he was called Hong Changqing was partly derived from Fan Xian’s memories of heroic figures, and partly because that Hong Zhu kid had excellent luck after his surname Hong.

“Be alert.” Fan Xian lowered his head and said, “Don’t let anyone come within ten paces of this room.”

Hong Changqing led the way.

Xu Maocai looked at Fan Xian with some surprise.

Fan Xian looked at him and said with a smile, “At this time, you can show your proof to convince me of the relationship between you and my mother.”

Xu Maocai was stunned and immediately understood Fan Xian’s meaning, an unnamable excitement surged in his heart as he licked his somewhat dry lips and carefully took something out of his boot and handed it to Fan Xian.

Since he dared to come to Fan Xian to declare himself, he must have evidence to convince Fan Xian of his origins.

Fan Xian pinched the metal bullet head, and for a moment he was actually a bit lost in thought. Regarding the matter of that chest, only himself and Uncle Wuzhu knew about it in this world, and this bullet not only explained Xu Maocai’s identity, but also put him into a trance, as if he had returned to the seashore of Quanzhou many years ago, where a young man who had just joined the Water Division had somehow gained the admiration of the master of the Ye family, and was given a treasure.

The emperor was looking for that chest, and Chen Pingping was also looking for that chest, but no one had ever found it.

“How did you get it?” Fan Xian’s smile was a bit detached.

Xu Mocai perhaps recalled the past, his eyes gradually reddened, and he said softly, “Miss threw this for fun on the beach, and I saw that it was finely made, so I thought it was a bit of a pity ……”

Twenty years ago in Quanzhou seaside, a woman with a beautiful and peerless face was bored, took out a M82A1 bullet from her bosom and threw it into the sea, trying to hit a sea fish that gradually sank due to its own beauty.

When a young man beside her looked sad, the woman laughed and casually threw one to him as a toy.

Yes, that was the scene.

Fan Xian stood up, two fingers slowly rubbing the metal surface of the bullet, feeling the touch and flow that did not belong to this world, took a deep breath, in this instant, the rest of the people in the Governor’s Mansion seemed to have disappeared, what the Jiaozhou sailors, what the Princess, what the Junshan Association, all faded in his mind like seawater foam.

He just thought about this bullet, the woman who played with the bullet as a marble back then, slightly inclined his head, and then smiled, thinking that he had come from that far away, perhaps for the purpose of going to her appointment?