Chapter 51 – Road Spring and Autumn on the Hongmen Banquet (final)

In this world, no official is not greedy, just look at the greed big and small, the dynasty is full of moths, just look at the body of the worm is fat or thin, not so, the court of the State of Qing why will be hard to protrude a monstrous court called the Supervisory Yuan Division?

But as Fan Xian in a place to rectify the wind found that, the Supervisory Yuan is also composed of people, where there are people, there is the officialdom, the Supervisory Yuan want to be so cold and harsh down, basically impossible.

Moreover, the Supervisory Yuan is not a fairy, above the third grade, it can’t control, the emperor doesn’t give a decree, the military things it can’t control. Even if Chen Pingping and Fan Xian add up, the Supervisory Yuan is not likely to change the status quo too much, in the final analysis, the Supervisory Yuan is not to check the corrupt officials, just according to the emperor’s intention from time to time to clear the rule of the officials, to calm down the people’s grievances, and to free up some space, to maintain the reign of a little bit.

If you really want to check to go, Chen Pingping garden beauty, Fan Xian in the library of the oil and water, have to spit out how long …… not to mention that sitting in the palace of the nine to five.

Not to say that the emperor does not need to be greedy, he is the world’s most greedy, greedy the whole world, the Supervisory Yuan can how to tick?

But because everyone is greedy, so when the Supervisory Yuan because of Fan Xian’s madness and want to do something, is seems so water into the flow, quite natural. On this dark night, the whole of the Procuratorate went out, swooping down to the mansions in the corners of the alleys, and arrested many lower-level officials who had close ties with the Second Prince and Xinyang.

The third grade and above is naturally a can’t be moved, but these lower officials is the court really need to rely on the dry ministers. Tonight, the people in the Moon Building had already known about the previous actions of the Supervisory Yuan, and had received Fan Xian’s personal admission, and could not help but display a shocked expression on their faces.

Qu Xiangdong, the Deputy Minister of the Privy Council, fell silent, looked deeply at Fan Xian, and said nothing more. Although tonight’s news was unclear, it was clear that the first target of the Supervisory Court was still Xinyang and the Second Prince’s line, and was not too deeply involved with the military.

Although he didn’t understand why Fan Xian would suddenly resort to such equivocal tactics, the power of the Supervisory Yuan’s actions and Fan Xian’s ruthlessness had already made him feel a hint of fear.

The beauty in the building was in his arms, but outside the building he was killing and capturing people, so there was that snow, and how could it hide all the smell of blood.

Not all of them fell into silence because of this sudden news, when those five officials who reported the news carefully exited after the screen, the grand prince sank his face, looked at Fan Xian and asked, “Why?”

The conflict between the Supervisory Authority and Xinyang’s lineage had a long history, beginning with the Inner Treasury dispute six years ago, buried in the second prince’s desire to assassinate Fan Xian on Oxen Street by way of a banquet, and the story of that fall led by the Moon Embracing House, where the crowd was seated.

In that fall, Fan Xian seized the Moon House, killed Xie Bi’an, shamed the Kyoto government, ruined the reputation of the Second Prince and King Jing’s son Li Hongcheng, and made the Cui family in the north a rebel.

In the year after the fall, Fan Xian went down to Jiangnan, suppressed the Ming family, collected the internal treasury, and killed Chang Kun in Jiaozhou.

In everyone’s opinion, Fan Xian’s retaliation against the Second Prince and the Xinyang line had been severe enough to salvage enough benefits, and it made no sense to strike again so forcefully on this night.

After Fan Xian was silent for a little while, he calmly said, ”Why? Because this official has been ordered to purge the officials.”

The table was silent, the Crown Prince sitting high above did not bother to look at Fan Xian, but instead looked at the Second Prince’s face with a few rather elusive looks. The eldest prince shook his head and sighed, “The capital has been peaceful for no more than two days, why can’t you all stop for a while?”

Fan Xian knew that what the Grand Prince said was true, the current commander of the forbidden army had been friends with the Second Prince since childhood, but because of Cai Ren Ning and Wan Er, he was now on his own side, and being in the middle of it was naturally a bit hard to avoid. Hearing this, he couldn’t help but sigh: ”Peace? I did not return to the capital for a year, it seems that Kyoto is peaceful for a whole year. Could it be that I am really a calamity …… No wonder that in the valley outside of Kyoto, no one is willing to let me be more peaceful.”

The seat was silent again, the great men vaguely understood that this was Fan Xian looking for a scene for the valley thing, just …… this scene looking for a little too big, too ridiculous.

“Many things in the world are absurd.” Fan Xian seemed to know what was going on in the hearts of these bigwigs, and said mockingly, “Just like the assassination of the subordinate official in the valley, the court has been investigating it, but just because there was no evidence, it could never come up with a statement.”

He slowly said, “Who will pay attention to my subordinates? As I said earlier, my coachman, when the first crossbow arrow arrived, I wanted to snatch him back to the compartment, but he stood up stiffly and blocked for me …… I often ask myself, if I can’t find any evidence, I can’t do anything for him for a day?”

Jiangnan Governor Xue Qing gave Fan Xian a meaningful look.

The Prince slowly said, “The court naturally wants to investigate.” This was the third time he had said this tonight.

Fan Xian nodded and smiled, “It is this matter that suddenly reminds me of a story I heard a long time ago.”

“Once upon a time, in the forest, there was a little white rabbit, which happily went out early in the morning, and then it met the big gray wolf, who grabbed the little white rabbit and ‘snapped!’ The big bad wolf grabbed the little white rabbit and ‘smacked’ it with two big mouths, and then said, “I told you not to wear a hat!”

The crowd looked at each other in disbelief, not knowing why Fan Xian suddenly told this kind of story that children listen to, only to hear Fan Xian continue, “The next day, the little white rabbit put on his hat and went out again, and while walking he met the big bad wolf again, who grabbed the little white rabbit again – ‘Pah-pah!’ Smoked it two big mouth: I let you wear a hat!”

“The little white rabbit was very depressed, and ran to the tiger to sue the big gray wolf, the tiger listened to the little white rabbit’s bitter complaint, painfully said, you don’t worry about it, I will naturally do justice for you …… Then the tiger came to the big gray wolf and said to him: the old wolf, the little white rabbit came to complain about you this morning, saying that you are doing nothing to find trouble Always bullying it, you see if you can change the reason to beat it, for example, you can say: rabbit, you go to find me a piece of meat ……”

“If it gets a fat one you say you want a skinny one, if it gets a skinny one you say you want a fat one, so won’t you be able to beat it up again? Or you can let it find you a female rabbit, and if it finds a plump one, you can say you like slim ones, and if it finds a slim one, you can say you like plump ones!”

Fan Xian told the story very seriously, but the diction was extremely childish and absurd, but the people in the room showed expressions of deep thought, including the crown prince and Xue Qing, who were all pondering and vaguely understood who the tiger was referring to …… but nobody dared to pronounce it on their expressions.

Fan Xian took a sip of wine and said seriously, “The old wolf was very happy to hear it and even praised the tiger for being smart. But their conversation was heard by the little white rabbit who was hoeing outside the house ……”

“Quite a coincidence? But the story is just no coincidence. Continue …… “Fan Xian said with a sneer, “On the third day, the little white rabbit went out again, and again met the big gray wolf halfway, and the big gray wolf said: rabbit, go find me a piece of meat!”

“The little white rabbit said: do you want fat or thin.”

“The big bad wolf frowned and laughed thinking, luckily there is a second trick: forget it, no meat, go get me a female rabbit.”

“The white rabbit said: do you like plump, or slim?”

Fan Xian frowned and shook his head, “Running into such a cunning rabbit, what do you think of this?”

The people at the table also began to wonder what the big bad wolf would do next. They couldn’t help but be a little curious about what Fan Xian would say next. Fan Xian pursed his slightly dry lips and said with a smile:

“The big bad wolf froze for a moment, ‘snapped’ and smacked the little white rabbit with two big mouths, cursing …… I told you not to wear a hat!”

I told you not to wear a hat!

One of the most irrational, shameless, boring and nonsensical reasons in the world is the most sufficient reason, which is also equivalent to saying that there is no need for a reason, and all that matters is who has a bigger fist.

Fan Xian finally said seriously, “I don’t want to continue to be the white rabbit, I want to be the big bad wolf.”

This was a joke he had heard in his previous life, but it was a bit heavy to tell tonight. The people on the table should have been laughing, but at this time no one laughed out.

The people sighed in their hearts, the valley sniped Fan Xian, I’m afraid that eternity will not be able to find out, and this night the Supervisory Yuan assassination of the eight generals, in the absence of evidence, Fan Xian does not recognize the situation, will also be eternity will not be able to find out. Things in the world are like this, since the innate hostility of each other can not find sufficient reasons, then why look for reasons? The power field is like a mountain field, the wolf runs by the rabbit, the tiger looks at the side, the natural reason.

Wine banquet to this point, although not broken, these big shots but has long been uninterested in continuing. Kyoto’s officialdom, originally has been unable to calm down, tonight is even more embarrassing, although the Supervisory Yuan is to act on the night, will not alarm too many people in Kyoto, but these big shots still have to rush back to the government office, to deal with the aftermath of the matter, and at the same time for the new situation to meet to make the psychological as well as the official surface preparation.

Fan Xian escorted Xue Qing to the door, and when Xue Qing was leaving, she turned around with a gentle smile and said, “Wolves are pack animals, so don’t make yourself into a lone wolf, that’s always dangerous.”

Fan Xian’s heart warmed slightly as he bowed and thanked him.

Xue Qing was silent for a moment before adding, “Although His Holiness has nodded his head, you still need to pay attention to the proportion. Especially the face of the imperial court, there is always something to be preserved.”

Fan Xian once again responded.

When the carriage and sedan chair of the several big shots slowly left the Moon Embracing Tower, His Royal Highness the Crown Prince also stretched his back and hugged the beauty as he walked down, and there were people serving beside him who had already draped the expensive Chinese fur over his body. The Crown Prince glanced at Fan Xian and laughed, “This is a good show tonight.”

The Crown Prince drove away the woman beside him and the idlers around him, and looked at Fan Xian and said calmly, “That said, a year ago in that fall, when this palace watched you and your second brother act out the first half of that play, it also felt that it looked good …… after careful consideration, but it was this palace and you that did not how.”

Fan Xian slightly aghast, this performance with the usual big difference of the crown prince’s highness these words do not know what is the meaning.

“Between this palace and you, there has never been any problem.” The Crown Prince closed his eyes slightly and said slowly, “If there was a problem, it was a problem from back then and shouldn’t be a problem between you and I. I hope you remember this.”

Fan Xian understood that between him and the Crown Prince, there had in fact been some sort of peace, only across the Empress’s involvement in that matter back then, it became a natural enemy. He didn’t understand what the crown prince was preparing to do by saying this, but Fan Xian believed that it was always unlikely that the crown prince would watch himself kill his old mother in order to gain his support.

So …… just saying it.

Inside the screen did not people go seat empty, the second prince is very strange to stay, he looked at from the downstairs walked up Fan Xian, a slight smile, will his left hand slowly put on top of the case surface, trying to suppress those absurd feelings deep inside his heart, with two fingers flick a southern tribute to the green fruit slowly chewing.

Fan Xian sat down opposite him, picked up the wine pot, and began to pour himself a drink, abruptly finishing ten cups.

The Grand Prince held the wine urn and drank from the side, seemingly wanting to get drunk.

Fan Xian put down the wine cup and clapped his hands, and the third prince walked out from behind the curtain in a disciplined manner, glancing at his elder and second brothers with some difficulty before sitting down next to his teacher.

The eldest prince glanced disapprovingly at Fan Xian, his eyes seeming to say, why involve the little ones in the affairs of adults.

At this time, in the flower hall on the third floor of the Moon Embracing Building, there were three imperial princes, plus Fan Xian alone, and if one didn’t count the crown prince who had left earlier, the bloodline that Emperor Qing had left in this world was considered to be complete.

The previous Hongmen Banquet had turned into a family banquet with an odd atmosphere.

“You’re scared.”

The second prince put down his half-chewed green fruit and stared into Fan Xian’s eyes, saying in a soft voice.

Fan Xian’s hand on his wine cup stiffened, and he slowly responded, “What am I afraid of?”

“If you’re not afraid, why did you make such a big move tonight?” The Second Prince smiled faintly and said softly, “Only someone who is fearful in their heart would make such a reckless move as you did tonight, you killed my general and captured my beloved, did it have any effect on this big picture?”

Fan Xian took a deep breath, his face calmed down, and said, “There are no outsiders here, and there’s no harm in being straightforward, your men, they were cleaned out by me today, but …… you have no evidence of it, and just like what I said earlier, I have no evidence of the valley sniping thing, but you still did it. ”

“The matter of the valley sniping, I have no knowledge of it, I was not involved.” The Second Prince stared into Fan Xian’s eyes and said seriously.

Fan Xian shook his head, “What about the matter of Oxford Street? The little white rabbit has been slapped too many times …… I admit that I still don’t know who did what in the valley, but that doesn’t stop me from stepping in.”

He bowed his head and said, “There are enemies on all sides, since I don t know which enemy did it, of course I have to let loose messy arrows, if I occasionally shoot the rightful owner, that’s a bargain for me, and I don’t suffer any loss when I shoot the side, I also take advantage of the situation.”

“Oxford Street ……,” a trace of bitterness flashed through the thin-lipped smile of the second prince, “A few years ago, I think, it was just such a thing, but you’ve kept it in mind to this day.”

Fan Xian raised his head and said calmly, “I am a person who holds grudges very well, and you know very well that this matter, and holding grudges does not have much to do with it, and as long as you don’t stop, I’ll do it as long as I can.”

Without the presence of a minister, without the presence of the Crown Prince, Fan Xian and the Second Prince, a pair of young dignitaries with extremely similar temperaments, said words that also seemed so direct and dry, both being people with delicate minds, knowing that they did not need to cover each other up with too many words.

The second prince looked deeply at the third prince beside Fan Xian, and suddenly opened his mouth and said, “Sometimes, this king will feel that life is not fair …… not to mention those things of the Cui family and Ming family, but only to say that in this palace, my beloved sister married you as a wife, and the two brothers who have been friendly to me since I was a child are now on your side .”

The second prince raised his head, a hint of hidden anger caught in that handsome face, “If it is that this king’s ability is not as good as yours, it is fine, but …… this is only because of some very absurd reasons, some stories of the past life, and it has caused the situation today. If Father Emperor is willing to hand over the Supervisory Academy to me, could it be that this king will do a worse job than you? If Father is willing to hand over the inner treasury to me, wouldn’t this king really be incapable of making the treasury abundant? Repair the dike, you and I will not repair, you and I can only contribute silver …… Anzhi ah Anzhi, do not you think it is very unfair? After all, I’m the proper prince.”

Fan Xian was silent for a long time, knowing that this monstrous power that he has been able to obtain nowadays in this light and strange life in Qing Guo …… is all because of the legacy of that woman back then, and of course, that woman has brought countless troubles and dangers for herself. The second prince said, in fact, is not all unreasonable, if he and his place, they do not see than he did better, the second prince is not no ability, but has not been able to show the ability of the stage.

He slowly said: “world affairs from no if two words.”

“Not bad, so you now have the Supervisory Yuan in your left hand and the Inner Treasury in your right hand …… ” The Second Prince said with a slight sneer, “Such a great power, I think that only back then, Rengtang used to have it… …So, you’re starting to get scared in advance now.”

Fan Xian’s face stiffened once again.

The Second Prince said calmly, “Have you thought about the future? Who exactly are you working hard for today?” He turned his gaze slightly, glanced at the Third Prince, and laughed, “None of the children of my royal family are easy to get along with, and you yourself are one of them, so of course you understand the reasoning behind it.”

The Third Prince lowered his head, not daring to interject at all. Fan Xian knew that the second was not being an alarmist, but that he had his own intentions and plans.

The second prince said lightly, “You are really afraid …… Think about it you are now this lone minister is about to go down the road of the absolute minister, in the future, no matter who ascends to the throne, how can this country of Qing tolerate you? How can the Qing Kingdom tolerate you and how can it tolerate the Supervisory Yuan?”

Fan Xian listened calmly. The second prince continued, “The reason you are afraid is because you are a smart person, you know that although your power today is monstrous, it is just a floating cloud, not even as strong as a thin sheet of paper.”

The second prince sighed: “Because all the power you have at hand, are father emperor gave you, just need an imperial edict, you can be relegated to the mortal world, never turn over …… Although father emperor favors you, but also is not without precautionary measures against you, this few years any road by you in the intrusion, but absolutely will not allow you to dye finger The army, the deep meaning of which, I think I don’t need to be reminded.”

Finally the second prince summarized, “Precisely because you are afraid, so you have to …… cut your own authority!”

The First Prince took a sip of wine and indifferently watched his two brothers speak like two fighting cocks.

Fan Xian was silent for a long time, not picking up on the second prince’s remark, but only saying softly, “Power is originally a floating cloud. Has there ever been an undefeated general or an undying great clan in this world? Your Highness is a prince, his heart is in the world, but I am only a subject, I want to protect my own and my family’s well being ……”

The second prince cut off his words and said coldly, “This king knows that you, the hallowed poet immortal, have never been proud of your royal bloodline, but instead have deliberately avoided this point. But ask yourself, if it were not for the royal bloodline that you loathe, would you be able to live to this day and still live with such honor?”

Four brothers in one room, two were silent, two confronted each other.

“Let go.” The second prince said sincerely, “Your power is actually all false. If you don’t dare to kill this king, you can only watch as each day passes while you become more dangerous by the day. Since you have already sensed this, why don’t you simply let go a bit more completely? With your reputation in this world, you are Wan’er’s male friend, you are father’s son, and you are the guest of the seat of Northern Qi …… Who will make things difficult for you? Who would dare to take unnecessary risks to make things difficult for you? Ling’er said that you like traveling the world the most, so why are you still stuck in this treacherous Kyoto, unable to extricate yourself?”

Fan Xian’s brows gradually furrowed, his fingertips slowly fiddling with the wine glass as he spoke, “Your Highness, as I said …… earlier, I have the same thoughts as you.”

He raised his head, face face light a zhan, looked at the second prince calmly said, “A year ago in this building outside the tea store had said, you do not let go, I will fight until you let go, and the fact proved, nowadays I, have the strength …… tea store in the eight family will, you can no longer see, this is very sufficient proof.”

Hearing the word tea store, the Second Prince’s face suddenly condensed, thinking of the conversation he had with Fan Xian in the tea store outside the Moon Embracing Building more than a year ago in the fall. At that time, the conversation had taken place between a prince and a courtier, and a year had passed, and Fan Xian’s power had swelled up like a blow-up balloon, and most crucially, the true identities of the two men had gradually leveled out.

“Why did I let go?” The Second Prince said with some nervous self-deprecation.

“Your Highness has been poisoned by the Elder Princess, and I’ve come to cure you.” Fan Xian did not retreat a sentence, said indifferently, “The words at the beginning are still valid, when will your highness keep a distance from the eldest princess and truly let go, this official will authorize you to …… be safe for a lifetime.”

“On what basis are you?” The second prince looked seriously into Fan Xian’s eyes, “Is it just on the basis of the Inspectorate and the silver?”

Fan Xian shook his head and said, “Not based on anything, it’s just that I owe the Imperial Concubine a favor and Wan Er a promise, and tonight’s matter, Your Highness should be clear in your mind, I’m the one to empty Your Highness of your own private power, and beat you out of this pool of rotten water.”

The second prince thought of the huge loss he suffered this night, finally could no longer suppress the miserable coldness in his heart, and said in gloomy anger: “Why me? Father has more than just me as a son, you too!”

“I don’t have an ounce of ambition, I’m just a courtier.” Fan Xian said, “In two more days, Your Highness will know my sincerity. As for the rest of the highnesses, one is my student and I will beat some sense into him, the great hall prefers to drink, and I ignore the crown prince, so I will have to target you …… You’re right, this bloodline is always worthy of respect for a moment or two, so I’ll do everything in my power to stop that horrible thing from happening.”

The second prince’s heart chilled. There was a gap in the screen that wasn’t blocked properly, and the cold winter wind began to slowly waft through the interior of the Moon Embracing Building. Fan Xian concluded, “Please keep one thing in mind, Your Highness, that His Majesty is in the prime of his spring and does not wish to see such a thing happen.”