Chapter 128 – Cloth Clothes and a Single Sword Toward the Son of Heaven (II)

A ridiculous man spits out ridiculous words and does ridiculous things. Qingli eleven years on the seventh day of the first month, Fan Xian instructed his subordinates to kill ministers in the street, at the foot of the Imperial City, killing under the door of the University of Letters, really did a piece of the Qing dynasty of a hundred years of absurdity, but at the moment it is eloquent, saying that acted on imperial orders to clear the side of the king, like to think that this set of words, can really explain what he did today, can be said to be ridiculous to the extreme.

However, even so ridiculous, unexpectedly, His Majesty the emperor’s lips just flooded a few silk quite elusive sneer smile, did not get angry, asked: “When I have given you the decree?”

“The upper body of the king’s heart is what we subjects should do.” Fan Xian calmly responded.

Today, taking advantage of the fact that the New Year’s festival had just passed, the opportunity to loosen the guards in all parts of Kyoto, and taking advantage of the fact that the palace had underestimated his influence and ability to summon his old subordinates of the Supervisory Yuan, he had been able to make such a furious advance, killing all of the core personnel of the He faction of officials in Kyoto.

The main reason for achieving this strategic goal was that Fan Xian’s move was too sudden, even sudden, so sudden that no one had the slightest prejudgement, whether in the palace or in the courtroom.

In the silent thunder, shocked the world all the people are afraid to cover their ears, this is Fan Xian’s idea, he must consider the way out after the defeat, he wants to be the first step to kill those like hounds staring at their own side of the officials not to let go!

If he kills them thoroughly enough, if he really loses, the officials he wants to protect will probably have a much better time.

The thunder rang out, yet there was no possibility of it ringing all the way, it was only a matter of an instant, the court would immediately react, once the powerful state apparatus of Qing was in full swing, and the strong military forces were inserted into Kyoto, the power of the Fan system would only be decimated and generally extinguished, especially in Kyoto.

I think at this time the Kyoto guard division has already begun to unite with the thirteen city gate divisions to start the purging operation, the forbidden army will not intervene by strictly guarding the palace defense, but that side alone is already enough. Loyal to Fan Xian’s subordinates have begun to sneak into the dark, but for Fan Xian, this is far from enough. Under the harsh Qing laws and His Majesty’s wrath, he was seeking a door as wide as possible for those loyal to him, and that was the root of the absurdity of what he was saying to His Majesty.

“He Da Daoshi’s residence has two ferocious dogs and is quite known for its cleanliness, yet his two clan brothers are also quite known as ferocious dogs in the He Clan’s ancestral county, and have not been courteous with their fields, properties, and beauties that should be commandeered.”

Fan Xian said with a slight curl of his lips, “As for the matter of selling officials and taking bribes, although there is no such thing, but in the past three years, in the seemingly dilapidated mansion of Dr. He, there were dozens of more rolls of famous paintings during the years of the former Wei Dynasty.”

“Fan Wusu is the old subordinate of Chengze back then, as one of the eight generals, although he had detached himself from the royal family, he was also involved in the matter of the rebellion. Three years ago, after the rebellion in Kyoto, this person did not turn himself in to the court, but incognito put into He Da Daoshi’s residence, why he plotted, do not ask and know. And University Scholar He knew the identity of this person, but secretly took the dirt, not knowing what his intentions were.”

Fan Xian spoke slowly and calmly. For this person, He Zongwei, the Supervisory Academy had long been investigating, only in the way of the Holy Face, these hard investigated things, always unable to bare in broad daylight, today Fan Xian naturally would not be jealous of anything, especially since he simply knew in his heart that these things, this His Majesty the Emperor in front of him was very clear, even more so than he was.

“Months ago, Fan Wusu was strangely assassinated and nearly died.” Fan Xian suddenly smiled, looking at the side of His Majesty’s face, because the matter of Fan Wusu being silenced was originally something that His Majesty had ordered to be done, “Fortunately, someone under my command happened to be passing by, and saved him, and eventually recorded a confession, which should have already been sent to the Supervisory Court by this time.”

Back then, when He Zongwei and that Lord Peng’s widow were being pursued by the Sangfu, the second prince and son Li Hongcheng happened to pass by, and now that person from He Zongwei’s mansion was killed, the shadows happened to pass by as well, things in the world of man are always like this.

“What makes me even more curious is, He Da Daoshi isn’t too young, and on the contrary, he has never taken a wife, and doesn’t even have a concubine or a big maid, yet he lives with his own widowed aunt in ……”

Just as Fan Xian was spouting off and elaborating on Grandmaster He’s sins with gusto, the emperor finally opened his mouth indifferently, “That’s enough, Lord He is dedicated to the country, even though he once offended you, he ultimately died at your hands, why bother planting a dead man with these obscenities again.”

“Your Majesty is right.”

“You should know very well that I am well aware of these things.”

“Yes, Your Majesty. However, the people of the world do not know that His Majesty’s single-mindedly favored scholar He is even such a person.”

Fan Xian had already converged the smile on his face, calmly and without taking a step back, blocked back and said, “I have already sent people to copy He’s residence, and a whole list of bills directory of incriminating evidence, and after transcribing the record was sent to the Supervisory Academy, and I’m sure that before too long, Dean Yan will surely send it to the palace himself. As for the original copy has been sent to the Tanya Bookstore and the West Mountain Bookstore or perhaps somewhere else, and then in a few days, the whole world will see this extra.”

“To do these things, how can it be accomplished without the eight divisions of the Supervisory Yuan? Are you threatening me? To let the people of the world see me as a joke?” The emperor smiled with the corners of his mouth slightly curled.

“I don’t dare, I just ask Your Majesty to think twice, today’s matter will certainly shock the world, no matter whether the historian can hold his back or not, yet there are still wild stories to benefit from, it will always be remembered on the pages of the book and remain in the history.”

Fan Xian slightly bowed his head and calmly said, “Your Majesty is a bright ruler, whether I am the former President of the Supervisory Academy who is heartless, or if Sgt. He deserves to die, it will not look good to write it down on paper, but if Your Majesty’s holy eyes are like a torch, I think it will be a different argument.”

“It sounds like a feasible method, yet if it’s really like this, wouldn’t it be a case of the court being ungrateful?” His Majesty the Emperor, not knowing if he was truly moved by Fan Xian’s words, looked at this son with indifference and sarcasm.

“But all subjects are ultimately nothing more than His Majesty’s lackeys, and a lackey’s death is his death, but to die with His Majesty’s grace and authority intact is also considered his honor.” Fan Xian’s words were so mean, but he didn’t know if he was satirizing himself as well as the officials in the court, the already dead He Da Daoshi, or …… the cold monarch in front of him who always never forgot the word warm and benevolent.

“The court acts with its own law, even if He Zongwei is guilty of that take, since it should be taken by a certain division to ask for a prison, a good interrogation, clear and righteous punishment, how can it be rough and arbitrary killing?” His Majesty the Emperor did not know if he did not hear the irony in Fan Xian’s words, and said indifferently.

“Rang. Therefore, the official who struck out today out of righteous indignation is guilty, however, after all, it is the upper body of heaven, and the crime can be pardoned. As for me, the heartless thug, naturally, there is no pardon.” Fan Xian smiled faintly and said, “Taking one of my lives in exchange for the world’s debate to calm down, I’m sure no one will feel that He Zongwei has suffered a loss.”

His Majesty the Emperor listened to this seemingly gentle, but actually cold and harsh words, but did not move, said, “However, I …… am ultimately ashamed of the heart of He Daoshi.”

“The dead are gone.” Fan Xian spat out four words in a nonchalant manner.

Unexpectedly, the emperor’s face suddenly gave birth to a touch of frustration and gloom, quietly looked at him, said after a long time, “If it is true that the dead are gone, how will you enter the palace today?”

Fan Xian was silent, around this topic, between His Majesty and him, there has long been no need to discuss it again, the last time he entered the palace about the difference in the name between his father and His Majesty, he had already depicted this bifurcation, and today, Fan Xian’s determination to enter the palace, it was more so that his intention was explained clearly.

Only about today’s Kyoto storm these words, Fan Xian finally is to say clearly, because the court exactly how to characterize today’s killings, even just a little change in the wind direction, will give those loyal to their subordinates will bring the degree of completely different blow. A word from the Son of Heaven is as heavy as the heavens.

Xishan Book Workshop and Tanyu Book Bureau had long been ready to issue the world, but Fan Xian really wasn’t trying to threaten the Emperor with the district’s clear name, because that was simply impossible, he was just too familiar with His Majesty’s philosophy of carving harshness and ruthlessness, and putting everything in terms of profit first.

Since He Zongwei is already dead, no matter how much he was valued and appreciated by the emperor in his lifetime, once he becomes a cold corpse, he will be nothing more than a lackey who is no longer useful, and for general officials, Emperor Qing treats them as slaves, which is a cold fact to the bottom of one’s heart.

How to make the death of Dr. He not shake the foundation of the Qing dynasty is the most important thing for His Majesty to consider. Fan Xian is trying to use his own prepared strategy to persuade his majesty to accept, as for the crime of poisoning the ministers can not escape, he also does not want to escape, his today’s bloodshed has touched the bottom line of a feudal dynasty, no matter whether it is in the emperor’s position, or the world of the scholarly officials position, the large state of qingguo, there will not be a place for him Fan Xian.

What’s even more amazing is that, the emperor’s royal family should always pay attention to a warm and benevolent temperament, even if the monarch, who regards all the people as ants, doesn’t care at all about the death of one of his subjects, and there are some harsh thoughts in the bottom of his heart, but then how close his subjects are to him, when he makes a suggestion, he will also be careful to pull out the flag of righteousness to cover it, and he won’t say it like what Fan Xian did today, which is so naked and so underhanded.

Fan Xian had done and said so, and His Majesty had listened to him without thinking that he was being subversive. In the world, probably only between this pair of heavenly fathers and sons would there be such a naked, bloody and shameless dialog.

If someone beside the two of them heard the content of their conversation, in addition to being horrified by the content itself, they would also notice another very serious problem.

In the winter deserted palace, since the conversation so far, Fan Xian did not salute, did not worship, did not kneel, did not call himself a minister, only called me, blandly responded to, dissected the heart to say, so not wanton.

The Emperor condoned Fan Xian’s licentiousness, for there was a faint coolness in the depths of his eyes, and only waved his hand with some disgust. Other people might not be able to understand the meaning of His Majesty’s every action, however, Fan Xian was different, he quickly stood up straight, his face regained its calmness, and his spirit was slightly revitalized, knowing that today’s decision would be slightly biased, although the charge was just a little bit different, but the imperial court’s openly apprehending and secretly cracking down on him was a huge difference in the degree of the difference.

A miserable wind whisked by, two people behind the long grass on the snow was rolled up, have fallen on the two people’s body, adding a few points of cold and harsh. If the dead He Zongwei knew that the emperor whom he served to the death and Fan Xian who killed him, just with some dialog, they would make their own deaths could not die cleanly, I am afraid that the grievances in their hearts would be a few points more than that.

However, this is the feudal dynasty, this is the so-called family world, in the view of this pair of shameless father and son, regardless of the officialdom folk, whether Emperor Qing or Fan Xian’s reputation than He Zongwei, the initial red up the minister to be more powerful, as for the disposal of such, will not let the ministers cold heart, that is the future of the palace specific operation of the problem.

The snow is still so slow and cool down, the emperor slowly turned around, silently looking at and his own about the height of Fan Xian, did not speak for a long time, usually Fan Xian in front of the emperor, always can not help but slightly rickety body or head down, and today Fan Xian straightened his back stand, the emperor realized that his son has long been and his own the same height.

An intimidating coldness and pressure from the man wearing a bright yellow dragon robe emanated from the body, will Fan Xian welded in the snowy meadow above, this aura is not deliberately scattered, but only with the state of mind and emotional changes and movement, incomparable majestic substance through the situation and show, is to affect the surrounding environment.

Fan Xian face unchanged, calmly and seriously breathing the air in the snowflakes, their father and son two talked for so long, are very clear that this moment is going to come eventually, at this time He Zongwei’s things resolved, naturally, it is the turn of the two of them to the matter between the two of them.

“I am curious, you singlely entered the palace to face me, what exactly are your credentials.” The Emperor’s face was calm and very naturally tilted slightly, filled with a wave of sarcasm and disdain.

“There are no credentials at all.” Fan Xian slowly closed his eyes, and after a moment of silence, he took a deep breath and bravely opened his eyes, looking directly at the unfathomable monarch in front of him, and said softly in a tone so bland that it was somewhat numb, “I …… just want to have a fair fight with your majesty.”

Fair battle! A fair fight? The Emperor was actually unable to suppress himself after being slightly stunned and laughed, his laughter was thick and far-reaching, full of absurdity, echoing in this late winter palace, and I don’t know how many hibernating little creatures under the tundra were awakened.

His Majesty the emperor’s eyes slightly narrowed, the corner of his hale eyes flashed out a strange smile, his voice slightly sandy said: “How are you qualified to ask me for any fairness.”

Yes, in front of His Majesty the Emperor, what qualifications did Fan Xian have to demand fairness? His sister was still in the palace, his family was still in the capital, and his subordinates, although they had gotten away with it today, were still just a bunch of ants that couldn’t make waves in the Emperor’s eyes. Precisely because His Majesty is confident and powerful, he doesn’t take today’s turmoil in Kyoto into account, as long as he wants to, he can easily mobilize his army, and with the power of the world in his hands, he can crush Fan Xian to death, unable to move a single inch.

Fair battle four words what arrogance, what bravery …… but what childish. The heavenly palace is not a reckless jianghu, you want to fight, the king does not bother to fight with you, what can you do?

Fan Xian’s expression was unchanged, calmly and resolutely looking back at His Majesty’s gaze, and said word for word: “Qualification lies in strength, and the strength to quickly seek a death, I think I still have.”

As these words left his mouth, the Emperor’s eyes narrowed slightly, and his deep gaze naturally swept over Fan Xian’s shoulder, looking toward the large, rolling cluster of palaces to the southeast. That piece should be lively cold palace today in the snow silence clear incomparable, and there is nothing too sudden sound ringing, and there is nothing strange movement occurs, however, His Majesty the emperor is the heart is slightly moving, know that there is a problem, because Fan Xian today even single into the palace to seek a blue blood painted fast and furious, naturally, has long been prepared to arrange the back way, show qualifications of the chips show.

If the world is a game of chess, the chessboard between this father and son is the seven borders, three forces, countless counties, and the pawns are the hundreds of millions of people, endless wealth, and people’s feelings. What Fan Xian is doing today, besides the word courage, is to take back the chessboard from the world and turn it into the cold soil of the palace where his feet are standing, and to take out the pieces from the chessboard, leaving only himself and Emperor Qing, which is his cruelty and determination, his cruelty to himself, and his determination to His Majesty.

But in order for His Majesty to abandon the chessboard of the world, to ensure the safety of those pieces, Fan Xian must have enough chips to convince the other party, even including the death of He Zongwei, if Fan Xian did not come up with enough damaging evidence, then he was not qualified to say this.

Fan Xian threw out the first chip is a fire, is a fire in winter, this fire at this time is in the palace somewhere quiet but tightly guarded room burning, more than a dozen never care about the world, only responsible for guarding the things in the room of the inner court masters, a little perplexed to look at the fire gradually out of the window, know that their own end.

It didn’t take long for the fire in that room to be extinguished, however, the volumes and books inside had already been burned cleanly, leaving no trace of residue.

The emperor’s eyes looked at the southeast corner of the temple, after a while they saw black smoke rise, then the black smoke dispersed in the snow, disappeared without a trace, his eyes finally gradually became cold and heavy.

“The place where the inner library craft process transcription is stored, even the palace does not have a few people know.” The emperor’s gaze did not fall on Fan Xian’s face, but merely spoke indifferently, “The fact that you were able to find it and were able to burn it with a single fire is really quite a bit surprising to me.”

Fan Xian stood aside and said, “There are only two copies of the inner treasury process in the world, one in northern Fujian and one in the palace, and since I can burn this one in the palace, I can burn the one in northern Fujian …… regardless of whether Su Wenmao is dead or not, I believe that your majesty should understand that I’m in Jiangnan, and I’m in the inner treasury, and I have the strength to do it all. strength.”

After saying these words, Fan Xian looked at His Majesty’s ancient and unperturbed face and sighed in his heart. The inner treasury is the foundation of the kingdom of Qing, but after suddenly hearing that the foundation had been injured, His Majesty was as calm as usual, and this kind of temperament is really transcendent, and is not something that he, a mere mortal, can resist?