Chapter 47: Laughing Brothers in Front of the Mooncatcher’s Building
Fan Xian stared blankly at Guangxin Palace, at the pillars below the palace, and thought to himself, wondering if the hole above that pillar had been filled in with lime.
Back then, when he first explored the palace at night, he was stabbed by the courtesan through the pillars of this palace.
The tip of the sword passed through the thick wooden pillar and nearly pierced into his waist bone.
Until today, Fan Xian seems to be able to feel the killing intent of that sword, although that courtesan was killed by him on the spot, and it was also on that night that he overheard the collusion between the eldest princess and the royal family of Northern Qi, the truth of the betrayal of Yan Bingyun, and blocked Yan Xiaoyi’s arrow that was like an arrow shot from the sky!
This day the snow stopped, the palace blowing cold wind, but more cold than the previous few days, Fan Xian shivered, shook his head mockingly, and Eunuch Yao left the place, toward the Queen Prince of the East Palace.
Although the eldest princess is his mother-in-law, after all is to see, but for that seductive near demon, cold and ruthless woman, or keep some distance is good, see each other can be delayed one day is one day.
Over the years, in the emperor’s secret arrangements, in Chen Pingping and the cooperation of all parties, Fan Xian gradually accepted the power of the Princess, the two sides have long been unable to coexist, there will be a day of fighting. The power of the Princess is not as good as it was then, but Fan Xian is still afraid of, not only because she is Wan Er’s mother, but also because of that strange feeling in his heart.
In his previous life, I heard a song by Miss He, what what gave him …… Fan Xian also felt the same way, the Princess gave him the inner treasury, gave him her daughter, gave him her concubine, gave him Cui’s family, Ming’s family will be given to him, look like there are a lot of things to be handed over to him, if he is the Princess, it is estimated that he will also be biting his lips and not If I were the Princess, I would bite my lip and not say anything, and burn this bad son-in-law to death with fire in my eyes. (Thanks to a certain book lover, I forgot your ID, sorry.)
There’s also the Junshan Society, and those restless people in the military. Although the Rapunzel was not a fire-breathing dinosaur, and on the contrary was born quite tantalizingly, Fan Xian was still a little afraid of the madness between her people’s warmth and charm.
It felt awkward to stay with such a thirty-something year old mother-in-law who was known as the world’s most beautiful woman, so since the beginning, Fan Xian had only seen one side of his greatest enemy in this life.
This matter was interesting in itself.
Eunuch Yao glanced at the silent Fan Xian, didn’t say anything, and followed with small steps. When he arrived at the East Palace in a short while, coincidentally, the Empress happened to be chatting with the Princess in the Guangxin Palace at this time of the year, and only His Highness the Crown Prince was reading under the guidance of the Crown Prince.
Seeing Fan Xian entered the palace, the crown prince greeted him with a smile and said: “How is the injury? I wanted to go to the palace to see you, but I thought that I would disturb your rest, so I broke the idea.”
Fan Xian saluted and greeted him according to his kung fu, before straightening up and smiling, “My body is already strong, so I’ll be fine in two days, and since I received the decree to enter the palace today, I’ve come to see His Royal Highness so that you won’t be worried.”
“When will sister Chen return?”
“Tomorrow.”
The Crown Prince laughed, “While she’s away, you do have to catch some fun.”
The two people laughed and sat down, talked a little about the scenery and beauty of Jiangnan, but did not have a word to pull towards the unhappy place. In fact, the thing to a few years ago backward, the Prince of Fan Xian is really good, although is listening to the Xinqi thing of advice, in line with the idea of pulling together in favor of Fan Xian, but in the Fan Xian first into the capital of the season, the two get along with the really not bad.
But no one thought that things would develop into such an odd pattern later on.
Fan Xian was actually a prince!
And there were historical issues that had not been resolved.
So naturally, Fan Xian jumped out, the crown prince became the other side of the people, both sides know very well, because of that historical legacy, the two sides can no longer join hands, not to avoid each other’s hearts some sighs of relief, just this nearly two years of time, Fan Xian’s main is the second prince of a faction, and did not carry out an all-round attack on the crown prince’s faction, so on the surface of the two people can maintain the feeling of happiness at this time.
Even if the two had already torn their faces apart, in the palace, they still had to be happy.
Eunuch Yao watched this scene indifferently from the side, his heart so impressed with the city of the royal family’s sons and daughters.
After a gentle conversation ended, Fan Xian got up to take his leave and whispered into the Crown Prince’s ear, “Your Highness, you must come at night.”
The crown prince laughed, “Speaking of your building, I’ve never really been there …….”
This has been increasingly marginalized legitimate Prince sighed: “You also know, in the past few years this palace cultivation, rarely go to play outside the palace …… then say that this big name outside the hold the moon building it, first is the second brother, later is you, have a way, I can not have nothing to do.”
Fan Xian is not clear whether there is any hidden meaning in this statement, but also too lazy to guess, laughed twice, respectfully performed a salute will exit the East Palace.
Outside the palace, he was not surprised to see a familiar face.
That face full of pimples eunuch, now the East Palace eunuch chief Hong Zhu.
Hong Zhu hurriedly sidled to the side to greet him.
Fan Xian’s expression was cold, he gave a hmmm and walked forward, but in his heart, he had some odd feeling, looking at Hong Zhu’s expression, it seemed that he had something he wanted to say to himself, there was some fear between this young eunuch’s eyebrows, but he didn’t know what he was afraid of.
Just in the palace, Fan Xian will not pay attention to Hong Zhu, but also pretending to look down on the other side of the appearance, this buried in the palace of the chess piece, can not just easily use up.
Next went to shu guifei and ningcairen palace, to the second prince’s birth mother shu guifei brought a list of books, are in the south of jiangnan tianyi pavilion shadow out of the ancient book collection. Shu Guifei obviously some surprise, did not expect Fan Xian and their own son fight to the death, but also so small intention to serve their own, some touched by the intention.
On the other hand, in Ning Cairen’s palace, Fan Xian was given a good lecture.
This is the birth of Dongyi City’s bold woman, or after knowing Fan Xian’s life for the first time to see him, looking at Fan Xian’s eyebrows and eyes look, Ning Cai Ren could not restrain herself from remembering that year saved himself and the child in the womb of that Ye family lady …… will be angry at Fan Xian does not take their own lives seriously, the training of the Fan Xian nodded again and again.
After telling some more stories about that year, Cai Ren Ning’s eyes softened and gentle, looking at Fan Xian as if he were her own son, gently rubbing his head, and instructing him to bring County Princess Chen into the palace to see himself from time to time when he had time.
Fan Xian one by one should be down, out of the palace, occasionally turn around, but found Ning talent seems to be wiping the corner of the eyes of the wet, the heart also can not help but wet up, can not say the sadness inexplicable.
This is the year’s people, the year’s things ah.
Busy, walking, Fan Xian is also a little bored, this is like before the wedding for the first time into the palace to see the ladies in general, walking in the palace, say the same thing, do the same thing, repeated in succession is really very depleting each other’s mind.
The good thing is that the last to come to Shufang Palace can be easier.
Yao eunuchs to drive away, Fan Xian like a paralyzed dog leaned back in the chair, squinting to measure busy to his own tea courtesan, this courtesan eyebrows smooth, head has been lowered, extremely disciplined, Fan Xian can not help but heart a move, when she received the tea in the white wrists pinched a hand.
The courtesan glared at Fan Xian.
Fan Xian laughed out loud and said, “Wake up, the first time I saw you, you were only thirteen, and this has grown up with a bigger temper.”
Yi Gui Concubine, who was reclining on the couch, watched Fan Xian fooling around with the child and couldn’t help but speak up, “Go mess around outside yourself, don’t mess around with me here in the palace.”
Miss Wakeful was the little girl who led Fan Xian around the palace to pay her respects, and when she was told by the two masters, her face immediately turned red and she ran into the back with small steps.
Fan Xian drank a mouthful of tea, moistened his throat, and said seriously, “Auntie, I’m going out of the palace soon, so I won’t talk to you much longer.”
“Leaving the palace?” Yi Gui Concubine was slightly stunned and immediately understood what was going on, a hint of worry welling up between her brows as she said, “What exactly do you want to do at night?”
Fan Xian was also stunned and asked, “You know about this?”
Yi Gui Concubine covered her mouth and laughed, “Little Lord Fan is hosting a banquet tonight, and inviting those big shots …… This has long been spreading, the most sensational news in the capital, and although I live in the palace, there’s no way I don’t know about it.”
Fan Xian laughed bitterly and said, “But a day’s time, how come the commotion is so big? It’s just that I haven’t been back to the capital for over a year, so it’s inevitable that I have to please please please.”
Yi Gui Concubine said with a straight face, “Although there are some things I would like to say to you, and I must at least thank you for the child for this year of discipline, I know that your evening is important, so you should go first.”
She paused and added, “Have you invited Hong Cheng yet?”
Fan Xian shook his head and said with a smile, “We’ll talk about it some other day when I bring Wan’er up to the Jing Wang Mansion.”
Yi Gui Concubine nodded.
Fan Xian smiled again and said, “I can’t leave at this time, I’m here specifically to pick up Lao San, at this time Master Liu is still teaching him his homework, how can I leave?”
Yi Gui Concubine froze and said worriedly, “Ping’er is going too?”
“Brothers get together, I’m here, what’s there to worry about?” Fan Xian smiled gently, unspeakably confident.
Near the end of the year, the snow suddenly rests, I do not know when it will rise again, Kyoto is a cold, the building next to the street is a red light hanging high, red candles are bright, the warmth of the cage spread around, as if those valuable bamboo charcoal do not want to money in general.
Hold the moon building door hanging three layers of thick leather curtains, occasionally a servant passes by, lifting the curtains, the building’s hot air will puff out, a time, actually let the air on this street than elsewhere to appear to be a little warmer.
No pedestrians pass by on the street, those stationed here in Kyoto government officials and Kyoto garrison soldiers rubbing their frozen hands, looking at the brightly lit building, they dare not say anything, but in their hearts, they are cursing, they have to be guarded outside, but the nobles in the building can bathe in the spring breeze.
The whole world’s restaurants and green houses, probably only hold the moon building will be this luxurious. But in the past, it is not like this, but today is different from the usual.
The Moon Palace is not open today.
Even half of the street was closed up by the Kyoto government and the Kyoto guards, this is the embracing the moon building in advance to the government’s preparations, without a trace of delay will be specially approved down.
The lord of the Kyoto government is not qualified to participate in this party, but he still has to set up all the guards with all his heart and strength. Not only him, the rest of the officials in Kyoto also think the same way, no matter which faction they belong to, today all must serve the Moon Palace.
Because today, all the people in Kyoto who were called masters were coming to Moon Palace.
Fan Xian, the Secretary of the Imperial College, the Junior Secretary of the Imperial Standing Temple, the Head Envoy of the Internal Treasury Department, the Plenipotentiary Minister of the Supervisory Yuan, and the Plenipotentiary Minister of the Pilotage of Jiangnan, is treating the guests today!
Who wouldn’t dare to come to the invitation of Lord Fan, who is more powerful and glamorous and whose official position is almost longer than the family tree? Who would dare not come? Although everyone knows that this Little Lord Fan is a lone minister who dares to offend the courtiers and is willing to offend them, today’s guests are the Crown Prince, three princes, two vice-envoys of the Privy Council, and a few other high-ranking and high-powered figures, and even these people have to give face to Fan Xian, let alone the rest of the guests.
Today’s hold the moon building, the crown of the group, if anyone has the ability to kill all the guests tonight, I’m afraid that the celebration of the state will be a big mess, not to mention the Kyoto government and Kyoto guards attentively, the strictness of the defense, a few can be compared to that heavy deep palace.
A few lifting the top grade sedan chair while the twilight came to hold the moon in front of the building, there are a few big shots by car and arrived, after a few military power figures riding horses and arrived.
No one will bring too many followers to get in the way of Fan Xian’s eyes, several dragon sons and grandsons have only brought two or three tiger guards, these ministers are also assured of their own safety, although recently the valley sniping thing, but everyone knows clearly, this embrace the moon building is the property of the Fan family.
The Grand Prince has arrived, the right and left vice-envoys of the Privy Council have arrived, Xin Qimo has arrived, Ren Shao’an has arrived, and Hugging Moon House is in full operation today, with the girls helping these big shots to rest in the compartments and wait for the banquet to begin.
Fan Xian chatted with all of them and told some naughty jokes, and then led that child beside him to the door, as he had heard the news of His Royal Highness the Crown Prince’s arrival.
Looking at that child honestly letting Fan Xian hold him, the hearts of the two deputy envoys of the Privy Council who were gazing at him as well as the other few ministers on the table were shaken, and the image in front of them was enough to make these bigwigs conjure up many things.
In the old days, there was holding the son of heaven to order the vassals, today, there is little Lord Fan holding that child’s hand, who knows if the future state of Qing, the future world, will be these two people’s?
Fan Xian was holding the Third Prince.
It was a bit cold outside the leather curtains of the gate, and the third prince shivered, looking sideways at his teacher, who was two heads taller than himself, a hint of admiration flashing in his eyes, and then he asked for advice, “Sir, you’re still injured, why do you need to come out to welcome me?”
Fan Xian shook his head and gently explained, “The one who is here is His Royal Highness the Crown Prince, the Crown Prince of the country, he has a different status and is your elder brother, so no matter if you are a subject or a brother, you should show some respect.”
A small sedan chair under the protection of a dozen or so guards arrived in front of the Moon Tower, Fan Xian’s sharp eyes saw that there were several tiger guards carrying long swords around, coldly waiting. Today, hold the moon building open banquet, in order to prevent the public discussion too much, let the court embarrassment, so a due guests are withdrawn in the past days of the travel ceremonial, even at this time the arrival of the crown prince is also considered to be a light car simple to follow.
Fortunately, otherwise the street is afraid to be blocked by the big shots of the platoon.
Sedan chair curtain lifted, a light yellow clothing Prince under the sedan chair with a smile, a lift of the eyes to see Fan Xian and the old three are outside the building to meet their own, the Prince’s mood is good, although this is the rightful righteousness, just to Fan Xian nowadays the power of this kind of respect is exactly what the Prince needs.
Fan Xian and the third prince salute first, the prince hastened to help up, not a moment in the building of the people also know that the prince arrived, rushed out to welcome, only the eldest prince seems to have been drinking happy to forget to come out, but the crown prince knows his own brother came from the army, itself is this kind of temperament, but also did not care much.
A group of people gathered in front of the building, is ready to go in to talk, there is a carriage slowly traveling over.
The prince curiously turned around, thinking who actually has a bigger frame than himself, and would arrive later than himself?
The crowd also looked over, only to see a thin middle-aged official come down from the carriage, this official did not wear the dress that indicated his rank, but the crowd immediately recognized it, and could not help but be a little surprised and astonished that this lord would also arrive.
The visitor is not someone else, it is the Jiangnan Road Governor Xue Qing, the world’s seven roads, Xue Qing palms one of them, as a super minister, and hand control of the world’s most affluent line road, the key is that he is his majesty’s inner circle, but also used to do in the pavilion in the emperor’s son’s teacher, so compared to these ministers in the dynasty, the status of the more respected.
Xue Qing looked at the crowd, a slight smile, first to the Prince salute.
The crown prince said that he didn’t dare to do so, and with him as the leader, all the people hurriedly bowed to Xue Qing.
Fan Xian smiled and said, “Lord Xue has returned to the capital to report on his duties, and the late generation has been abrupt, thinking that this year we have been working together in Jiangnan, and have been quite favored by the lord, so I dared to take the liberty of inviting him over.”
The crowd let out a whoop and laughed, saying that little Lord Fan had a big face and actually invited even Governor Xue over, but in their hearts, they were secretly slandering, could it be that Fan Xian wanted to demonstrate to certain forces today because of the valley sniping incident, and that’s why he moved even Xue Qing over.
No wonder these bigwigs thought so in their hearts, because today’s banquet at the Moon Tower was still considered a gathering of the younger generation, and old men like President Chen and Grand Maester Shu would never dare to be alarmed, and even if they wanted to be invited, I’m afraid that His Majesty wouldn’t allow it either.
And people were thinking, Fan Xian invited so many people belonging to different forces to gather at the Moon Embracing Tower, why exactly?
“It’s just to have some wine and gossip, your lords have been busy with their official duties all year, and it’s nearly the end of the year, so it’s always time to take a break.”
Fan Xian explained with a smile as he stood at the entrance of the Moon Embracing Building.
Then he saw a group of people walking over, and at the head of the group was the Second Prince – the one who looked extremely similar to Fan Xian, whose temperament and flavor was like being carved out of a mold, but who had been killed in Kyoto, in the north, and in the south of the Yangtze River with Fan Xian.
Of course, the temporary victor is Fan Xian.
Fan Xian and the Second Prince glanced at each other, with an extremely tacit understanding, regardless of the order of precedence, regardless of seniority, simultaneously arching their hands, slightly bending at the waist, and bowing in a salute.
Then the corners of the two’s lips curled slightly, and a slightly shy smile surfaced at the same time.
The two sighed in their hearts, this smile …… is somewhat long lost.