Chapter 59: No ambiguity between ruler and subject

Ye Ling’er gave an ah, directly covering her lips, unable to speak in surprise, although in the days after Fan Xian entered the capital, she had been hanging out at Fan’s residence every day, playing mahjong on Cangshan Mountain, and had some understanding of this young master’s heart and mind, but how could she not have thought that at this moment nowadays, Fan Xian would be so courageous in choosing to return to the clan.

The Second Prince glanced at her and said with a bitter smile, “I’m wondering if Fan Xian has gone mad.”

“Why do you say that?” Ye Ling’er’s jade-like eyes flashed with a hint of doubt, since Fan Xian dared to go to the ancestor sacrifice, it must be something that both the Empress Dowager and His Majesty had tacitly approved of, so why did her husband still think that Fan Xian was going crazy.

The second prince shook his head and said, “For Fan Xian today, there are only four paths to take in itself, and his choice to return to the clan today directly blocks two of them.”

Ye Ling’er didn’t open her mouth to continue asking, listening quietly.

The second prince said quietly after pondering for a little while, “He has too much power at hand today, and has offended too many people, and the power of the lone minister has become …… For him, in the future in the Kingdom of Qing, he will either have to snatch that chair with the rest of us, or he will have to help the oldest one come to power, and he will be hidden behind the scenes, as a A regent prince, only these two paths can guarantee his family peace and not be cut down, but now that he has returned to the Fan Clan, he has naturally cut off the possibility of succeeding to the throne, and if he wants to regent as a son of the royal family, it is also impossible.”

Ye Ling’er frowned and said, “Even if he doesn’t recognize his ancestor and return to his clan, but with his birth, not to mention the possibility of His Majesty allowing him to succeed the throne, at least the entire royal family and the scholars in the court will not agree, this first item, in itself, is not a possibility.”

“What is possible?” The second prince said, “As long as he doesn’t return to the Fan clan, there is the possibility of him being readmitted to the palace, and with the power he has at hand, who dares to say that there is no possibility of him wanting to fight for this world?”

“And the second item?”

“A regent prince, may be able to keep the nobles in the palace and the royal military outside the palace silent, as long as he is surnamed Li …… But a powerful minister surnamed Fan, to hold the son of heaven hostage, this is …… impossible. ”

The second prince said calmly: “So Fan Xian returned to the clan today, directly break these two roads mentioned earlier, I do not understand what he is actually thinking.”

“What are the other two paths?” Ye Ling’er looked at the inexplicable look on the king’s face and suddenly felt a chill surge through her heart as she asked with concern.

The second prince paused for a moment before saying, “In the future, after Father’s hundred years, no matter who ascends to the throne, I’m only afraid that there will be a great purge of Fan Xian and the Fan Clan, and if there isn’t a purge, no one is sure that they will be able to completely control the general situation.”

This was exactly what the Second Prince had said to Fan Xian in the Moon Embracing Building, but he had always assumed that Fan Xian would gradually integrate himself towards the Imperial Clan, striving for an explicit position, whether it was a feasible path for Fan Xian to go and grab the Dragon Chair himself, or to help Lao San.

With Fan Xian’s strength today, and the old men he was linked to influencing before and after him, no newly crowned emperor would be able to feel comfortable watching him live.

“So many years from now, Fan Xian will only have two paths to take.” The Second Prince frowned, puzzled, “Or else his hands will be tied and his entire family will be copied and beheaded, just like the Ye family back then.”

He paused and said with some fatigue, “Or …… it is a rebellion with the power in his hands, rebelling against the country.”

He laughed to himself, “Of course, the power in his hands is all paper, and can’t set off much of a storm, Father is a prudent man, and without an army in Fan Xian’s hands, he can never truly achieve a climate.”

Ye Ling’er was startled, savoring the words he said, realizing that if the situation in the future really developed like this, that master-sama of her own really couldn’t have a good ending.

Her small face swelled slightly red as she said, “You’re forgetting one possibility, if it’s really the case that Third Royal Highness will inherit the great treasure in the future, with his teacher-student friendship with Fan Xian, it doesn’t necessarily mean that he’ll let things happen to the point of no return.”

The Second Prince laughed, “This is something I’ve said to Fan Xian as well, Third Brother is still young, but I’ve watched him grow up, this kid, where is he a saving grace, what’s more, in what kind of position, one has to consider what level of affairs, there are times when it’s not something that you or I can do without if we don’t want to.”

He said calmly, “And don’t forget, His Highness the Crown Prince is the true successor, many people seem to have forgotten about this matter consciously or unconsciously due to his calmness, but I believe that Fan Xian will not forget.”

“Most importantly,” the Second Prince slowly lowered his head, “no matter who succeeds to the throne, will that Father Emperor of ours, before he leaves this world, watch as Fan Xian continues to gather the strength of a large group of old monsters, thus causing infinite trouble for his successor? This kingdom is Father’s kingdom, and he won’t let it get too messy, even if he dies.”

To talk about the life and death of the saint, regardless of whether the second prince was a son or a minister, he had already committed a major taboo, Ye Ling’er bit her lip and didn’t answer, turning to ask, “But this isn’t the kind of life that Fan Xian wants to live, it’s something that those elders in the imperial court have arranged for, so if you’re Fan Xian, what can you do about it?”

The Second Prince was stunned, and after a moment said in a self-deprecating manner, “I don’t know what I would have done, it’s probably pretty much the same as what he’s going through now. It’s just that in the battle for the world, if you don’t advance, you’ll die, and since he gave up the first two paths with his own hands, he should have retreated more thoroughly. If I put in his position, this time, I should go into the palace to resign, whether it is the Supervisory Yuan or the inner treasury, he always have to put one out …… and then …… purely from the reason, he should show some peace and quiet, and then secretly lean toward my side. ”

Ye Ling’er looked at him.

The second prince said seriously, “This is the most sensible choice, I think his own heart also understands that I, dare to accept him, and aunt, after all, is his mother in law, there is Chen’er this layer of relationship in, do not see can not be as far as possible to release the former suspicion.”

Ye Ling’er shook her head and sighed, she knew that her own family, those far away in Dingzhou’s army, has long been because of this marriage, has become a weight in the battle to seize the throne, if Fan Xian added over, naturally …… but she did not want to pay attention to these things, and suddenly felt a bit of a headache, and sadly frowned tightly.

The second prince stood up, looking out the window at the faint light of day, out of breath, said, “Fan Xian if he does not shift, in the future, only to walk into a dead end, if he has the courage to shift, or at the moment will eat a great loss, but in the future can be a greater benefit and a more stable peace for him and the Fan, it all depends on how he thinks.”

He finally lowered his head somewhat helplessly, “But …… in these two years it has long been proven that Fan Xian he is a madman who doesn’t act according to common sense, so I don’t have that luxury.”

In the eyes of the vast majority of people in Qing, underneath Fan Xian’s gentle and relatable appearance, he had indeed gradually revealed a few hints of madness and harshness, not talking about the night battle in Kyoto where he killed and captured people, but the matter of returning to the clan that had shocked Kyoto.

At the cold of the fifth night, Fan’s ancestor sacrifice began.

By midday, the news had already reached all the major residences, and for a time, there was no telling how many people were speculating on the subsequent changes in the state of affairs, on the rise and fall of Fan Xian’s prying eyes and desires for future power in the dynasty.

Just like the second prince, no one could figure out why Fan Xian was doing this. Although in the past, he had only carried the identity of the emperor’s illegitimate son, and had not seen a single hope of being able to enter the palace, the identity of a bastard was still an identity, and as long as he was not welded to death, anything was possible, not to mention the fact that this identity was sure to play a great role in the future.

A long time ago, Chen Pingping had thought that once the empress dowager was gone, it was not impossible for Fan Xian to be re-included in the ranks of the imperial sons.

And Fan Xian’s stunt today, finally branding his name with the Fan Clan and cutting off the possibility of being surnamed Li, seemed a bit foolish or impulsive in the eyes of the vast majority of people.

Even in the heavy deep palace, this news also stunned the hearts of many of the nobles.

Noble Consort Shu was transcribing the Tianyi Pavilion’s good books that Fan Xian had sent over in small, elegant characters, and shook her head in some bewilderment as she listened to the palace maid’s report.

Talent Ning was spinning around a tree in her small courtyard practicing her sword, and when she heard the news, her face glowed and she praised Fan Xian for having a backbone.

In the Shufang Palace, Yi Gui Concubine was watching the Third Prince practicing his calligraphy, and as she listened to Qing’er’s whispered words, she smiled slightly and said nothing, only looking at her own son with a complicated look in her eyes.

After a long time, she pulled her son behind the curtain, and spoke softly to him about the biggest piece of news in Kyoto today, speaking with extreme seriousness and earnestness. The third prince was creeped out, his young age but immediately understood many things, Mr. Returning to the clan, in fact a large part of it was for himself.

Yi Gui Concubine finally said seriously, “Ping’er, you have to firmly remember that Mr. Fan did everything for you, if you dare to do those things in the future, mother cannot spare you.”

The Third Prince lowered his head and said nothing.

Guangxin palace, has been secluded in this, not very convenient to go out of the palace of the eldest princess Li Yunrui was the first to learn the news, this beautiful woman in a little stunned after, then smiled, the so-called a smile a hundred winks, this is so, actually will be inside and outside of the palace those white mantle Qingguang, paper flowers and jade trees of the light of all the pressure down.

The palace maid carefully asked: “Why is the princess so happy?”

The eldest princess slowly converge to smile, said gently to the extreme: “this palace suddenly think, my son-in-law is really a personable child, know the limits, know how to get in and out, said only met with him once, it is really a pity …… tomorrow to arrange for him and wan’er to enter the palace, this palace want to see these two years do not see, small fan idle is how to grow up so rapidly.”

The palace maid was stunned, thinking that this move by Lord Little Fan was obviously more than impulsive and not enough consideration of the benefits and benefits, could it be that the Eldest Princess was happy because of this? However, looking at the Princess’ face, it was clear that she did appreciate Lord Fan’s move.

Containing light hall, the empress dowager is picking at the rosary beads read something, Hong old eunuch rickety body serving at the side, after a long time, the empress dowager sighed, said: “that child is also considered to understand the big body, not easy.”

Elder Eunuch Hong hissed slightly and said, “Little Lord Fan is good.”

In the small, secluded building at the back of the palace, His Majesty the Emperor of the Kingdom of Qing was dressed in yellow robes, with his hands in the negative, looking at the painting of the yellow-shirted woman slightly out of focus, and after a long time said softly, “Our son is indeed more like you some, very proud, it is not that I do not want him to come back, it is just that he does not want to come back to the …… family name Fan It is also good, when you and Yide once known as brother and sister, even with the mother’s surname.”

A cold winter breeze through the building, lifting the painting slightly fluttering, the painting of the yellow-shirted woman’s clear face slightly twisted, it is like the corners of the lips flooded with a hint of a mocking smile, seems to be ridiculing the emperor to say the words, only to be afraid that even he himself do not believe.

On the afternoon of the first day of the Lunar New Year, Fan Xian sat in the carriage traveling to King Jing’s residence. This had been an old rule between the Fan family and the Jing Wang family for many years, that after the New Year, the two families would always choose a day to get together and have a lively time. Fan Xian had been away from Tanyuzhou for three years, and had long since grown accustomed to the oddly close relationship between his own family and the Jing Wang family.

Although Hongcheng was miserably grounded for a year, which was a good move made by Fan Xian, Fan Xian was also clear that this was actually a ruthless decision by Prince Jing to prevent his own royal family from being dragged into the matter of seizing the throne, and that the two families had not been affected emotionally by the wars between their children and nephews.

The carriage was slightly upside down, Wan Er was out of her mind looking at Fan Xian, and did not speak for a long time.

Fan Xian smiled, “Ask whatever you want to ask.”

“I was thinking that you must have been talked about in Kyoto today.” Lin Wan’er said with a smile, “They’re all calling you a fool.”

Fan Xian laughed even more happily, and suddenly fell silent again, looking into his wife’s eyes after a long time, and said seriously, “I can hide this from the whole world, I won’t hide it from you.”

Lin Wan’er smiled slightly and looked squarely into her husband’s eyes.

Fan Xian said calmly, “Actually, the reason is simple, there are only two. First, I’ve never seen myself as Fan Xian, I was raised by my grandmother from a young age, I won’t accept any other family name and return to my ancestors, I’ve always been willing to, so I’m going to do it.”

Lin Wan’er leaned tenderly against his arm, feeling that his body breath was gentle and pure.

“Secondly, whether it was in Jiangnan where I brightly supported Lao San, or in Kyoto where I made a killing, to the point of recognizing my ancestor today, I am making my will clear.” Fan Xian lowered his head, glanced at Wan’er’s rounded face, and said gently, “Tantalizing to brighten one’s will, and tranquility to achieve greatness, in order to achieve greatness, one must brighten one’s will.”

“Brighten what ambition? Mingzhi to whom?”

Fan Xian fell silent, thinking of that conversation with the emperor in the palace, Tanyu Gong ah Tanyu Gong ……

“I don’t want to be the emperor.” He said calmly, “Of course it’s for His Majesty.”

Lin Wan’er glanced at him worriedly, and although she didn’t say anything, Fan Xian knew that the girl’s family had long since seen the future, the potential for extinction that she herself might face, or even that the Fan House might face.

“Swimming against the current, if you don’t advance, you’ll fall back, and the ship will capsize, I understand this truth.” Fan Xian inclined his head slightly, “It seems that all situations force one to fight, but the Emperor warned me, so I had to not fight.”

He smiled, “Going downstream is more comfortable after all, I don’t have many characters under this sky that I’m afraid of, but I’m still a bit scared of your uncle, that cheap old man of mine.”

Lin Wan Er smiled, but there was still some worry in her smile, “But what about the future?”

“The future?” Fan Xian said, “His Majesty can still live for at least twenty years. I have exchanged the danger of an unknowable future for twenty years of peace, or twenty years of His Majesty’s trust, this deal, is a bargain.”

“And I can’t be ambiguous, I must show my attitude and heart decisively, even if I stand behind Lao San, it won’t be enough to convince many people.”

Fan Xian rubbed his brow and said with some fatigue, “Men and women can engage in ambiguity, but to do so between a ruler and a courtier would be an easy death, I’m sure that His Majesty would like my determination.”

He still has a sentence that he did not say to his wife, the so called ambiguity, is necessarily twofold, the so called determination also works mutually, today recognizes his ancestor, is his expression of abject sincerity to the emperor, but also naturally sees …… clearly that the emperor does not want him to take over this world.

This fact, let Fan Xian some relaxation, and after the relaxation, but more than a trace of deep hidden worry, worry not in the moment, but in the year, as Chen Pingping confirmed that night, Fan Xian also finally confirmed, the son of heaven has a disease, a heart disease.

The carriage stopped at the entrance of King Jing’s mansion, and there were all kinds of subordinates waiting outside the mansion to bring the guests from Fan’s mansion into the mansion.

Fan Xian led Wan’er to follow his father and Liu’s back, and stepped in.

At a glance, the mansion garden scenery remains the same, just the lake side of the white veil but did not hang up, think also, this time is winter how will hang veil cover light, just side head looking at the side of the gentle and incomparable Wan Er, Fan Xian still remembered when the first love of the Chenguang.

A somewhat old rage anger joy all kinds of complex voice rang, Fan Xian from the rare brief good time pulled out.

“You puppy day, you still know to come see me!”

Prince Jing glared angrily at Fan Xian, but a hint of sadness and nostalgia somehow showed in those extremely wide eyes.