Chapter 153 – Withered

Hearing His Majesty the Emperor’s words, the expression on Ye Wan’s face did not change much, while the slightly lowered head aptly concealed the strange color in the pupils of his eyes.

This formidable figure who had risen abruptly in Qing, had turned against his biological father when he was a teenager, and had traveled far from Dingzhou to Nanzhao, and if he had not come from the Imperial Palace in Kyoto, and the secret care of that man on the dragon chair, and if he had not practiced a calm and steady will during these repressive years, how could he have been repressed all this time, and then finally come to a violent outburst.

It is also this experience, so that Ye Wan has a very strong self-control ability, earlier His Majesty pointed out that he is not the opponent of the Uesugi Tiger, Ye Wan face just the right flow of a trace of reluctance. The reluctance, in fact, is deliberately revealed.

Not as good as a generation of famous general Uesugi Tiger, is not any difficult to accept the comment, but he is, after all, His Majesty the Emperor very much valued the new generation of military leaders, if the performance is too wooden, lost the young people should be energetic and winning heart, I’m afraid it is not a good response.

However, when he heard the name Fan Xian, the color in the pupils of Ye Wan’s eyes was completely from the bottom of his heart. It was not only because His Majesty had pointed out that part of his achievements in the grasslands of Xihu was due to Fan Xian’s secret help, but also because Ye Wan was shocked to find that His Majesty’s previous words had raised Fan Xian’s life and death to a position equal to His Majesty’s. What kind of person was Fan Xian?

The whole world knew what kind of person Fan Xian was. Although Ye Wan was always on the front line of Nanzhao and basically did not get involved in the affairs of Kyoto, however, the relationship between the Ye family and Fan Xian was also very complicated, so how could he not secretly understand that young power official who had successfully changed his sister’s character, that big man who had brightened up the dome of the sky of Qing Dynasty like fireworks in the short span of just a few years.

Ye Wan had been suppressed for many years, watching the world from the sidelines for many years, he had his own confidence in his chest, and never thought that he would be inferior to those who rose up in the world, only that his majesty had always placed him quietly in the outer counties, and so he lacked a stage, and now this stage had already appeared under his feet, and after the great victory of Qingzhou and the subsequent bloodshed, he had already begun to blossom into a dazzling splendor. However, whenever he thought of the name Fan Xian, he always felt a little strange.

Not cynicism, not envy, but a vague coldness. Ye Wan cold observation of Kyoto for a number of years, always feel unable to see through Fan Xian this person, under careful consideration, admiration there, fear of the police there, sympathy there, disdain there, unusually complex.

Spare a thought, but Ye Wan still do not think Fan Xian is able to shake the world’s big man, because he thinks that as a courtier’s son and daughter, no matter who, including himself is impossible to reach this kind of realm, after the four great masters dispersed, the whole world in addition to the two monarchs of the north and the south, should not be able to stand on top of that kind of position.

“Do you think that I have raised him a little too high?” His Majesty the Emperor slightly lowered his head, gently flicking the white cat in his arms, clearly grasping that trace of emotion in the young courtier’s heart, “Young man, there’s no harm in being a little proud, but sometimes being brave enough to admit that you’re not as good as someone else is what true pride is all about.”

Ye Wan was awe-inspired, and in the increasingly dim twilight of the deep palace, he made a sincere bow to His Majesty.

His Majesty’s eyes narrowed slightly, the wrinkles at the corners of his eyes added a touch of vicissitude in the dim light, and said slowly, “There are quite a number of people in this world who can break away from my control, but there are very few who can not move and not make a mess, and who can fight against me in a smooth manner. Anzhi this person, you naturally not as I see through.”

This is true, but also some ambiguity. At the beginning of the year winter snow Kyoto dramatic changes, Fan idle in Kyoto wanton murder, kill all the He faction officials in one day, so that the temple world shocked, into the palace assassination, was branded as a rebel ……

The fact that all the ministers were puzzled, and all the teahouse gossip lost its way, was that the court of Qing did spend a great deal of effort in pursuing Fan Xian and the assassin who had entered the palace to carry out the assassination, but had not been able to make a move on Fan Xian’s forces that had been scattered all over the countryside!

Obviously in Kyoto, involved in the case of killing officials of the old Supervisory Yuan, the trial has not been tried, just a large number of dismissal, and the south of the Fan system of forces, but also did not usher in the Palace of the East Mountain pressure of the blow. His Majesty, who had always been tough and resolute in his life, seemed to have lost the heart of the Emperor that he had always maintained when facing Fan Xian, and appeared to be too gentle and lenient, even to the point of being a bit confused.

No one dared to criticize His Majesty, but many people were doubting Him. For the heartless Fan Xian’s rebels, why did His Majesty show mercy at every turn? Could there really be some ulterior motives in this matter?

After Ye Wan came back from the grasslands, he learned about the aftermath of Kyoto’s turmoil, and was also shocked and unsure.

The reason for this is because all the important ministers do not know, that one snowy night, his majesty and Fan Xian talked for a whole night in the palace, his majesty did not not want to clear the Fan party, but his heart was touched, and he had to keep the promise of the war of the two with Fan Xian, if the imperial court really cleanses the Fan party, the Qing country is about to usher in, is only afraid of the biggest unrest since the founding of the country.

It must be said, in the handling of this matter, His Majesty the Emperor has less of a trace of the courage of that year’s wildly rapid advancement, and more than a few points of worry and softness. It also had to be said that only Fan Xian could understand His Majesty’s heart for a thousand years so well, and could hold onto the lifeblood of Qing, forcing the Emperor to make such a gesture.

In this world, the only person who could force Emperor Qing to put down the butcher’s knife in his hand was Fan Xian.

“If Fan Xian doesn’t die, my heart is restless.” His Majesty the Emperor’s fingertips that were combing the white cat’s fur suddenly froze slightly, his eyes slowly closing as he said to Ye Wan beside him.

Ye Wan’s heart chilled and he bowed his head.

“How well have you practiced your Flowing Cloud Dispersing Hands?” The emperor indifferently opened his mouth and asked. Ye Wan’s heart moved slightly, not understanding why His Majesty suddenly changed the topic and began to test his own cultivation. After a slight contemplation, he answered sincerely and steadily, “I’m just starting out.”

“Your father practiced the Great Splitting Coffin to the extreme twenty years ago, but was unable to go any further. Although Fan Xian’s diligence is exceptional, after learning the Great Splitting Coffin from your sister, it’s clear that there’s no way to make further progress either. Uncle Liuyun Shiyi’s mastery of the art can’t be lost, and since you’ve entered the door, my heart is very much at peace.”

His Majesty still had his eyes closed and said, “That is the case, you are not Fan Xian’s opponent after all, if you encounter him in the future, take three steps back first.”

Ye Wan’s heart shook again, although he was really not willing to be criticized by His Majesty as not as good as Fan Xian, but from His Majesty’s words “Fan Xian is not dead, the holy heart is not at ease”, Ye Wan had guessed too much content, able to let His Majesty, who was as powerful as a god, also spared no effort to use the state affairs and war as the cost of the character of the booby-trapped kill, I am afraid that he is still really unable to compare.

But then, a fierce and stubborn emotion, in the heart of Ye Wan, this Qing army young generation of the most glorious hair of the famous generals face unchanged, but the heart is vaguely some desire in the future to be able to fight with Fan Xian head on.

The night gradually eroded the twilight, surrounded the heavy palace, will be in front of the taiji hall of the ruler and the ministers of the two encompassed into. His Majesty slowly opened his eyes, and the light in his eyes seemed to be illuminating the palace in an instant.

Yao eunuch came to the side of his majesty’s soft couch at this moment, holding a wooden plate, the plate with yellow damask bottom, on top of it are two letters like things.

Ye Wan was slightly surprised, not knowing what this meant, and subconsciously glanced toward His Majesty.

“One letter is the essence of the gongfu that I cultivate, and one is a secret decree that I left for you.” His Majesty the Emperor said casually with his eyes leveled in front of him, “Within a year, if I die, the secret decree can be opened, and if I do not die, the secret decree will be burned. As for that gongfu essence, if you can make some progress, it will be considered as some compensation from me to your old Ye family.”

Ye Wan didn’t understand what compensation meant, but he understood the four words of the essence of the gongfu, and even though he was a weather-beaten, ruthless general who had killed without blinking an eye on the grasslands, he couldn’t help but be horribly moved at the moment, his body trembled slightly, and without thinking, he knelt down in front of his majesty’s body and kowtowed heavily.

Ye Wan did not make any false excuses, because he knew that His Majesty had written the Great Master’s experience inside this letter, which was undoubtedly a priceless treasure for himself, and His Majesty’s move was naturally in the hope that the Ye Family, in his own hands, would still be able to remain absolutely loyal to the royal family. This kind of trust made Ye Wan feel every inch of his body start to tremble.

“I have already appointed you as Chengping’s Martial Arts Master some days ago, as such, you should walk around Shufang Palace more often.” His Majesty the Emperor didn’t seem to care at all, he had thrown the essence of the Hegemonic Martial Arts Technique to one of his courtiers very casually earlier, and it seemed that he wasn’t worried about Ye Wan’s loyalty to the royal family either.

The mental shock Ye Wan had suffered from what he had seen today was simply too great, his face was a little slightly white, however, it did not affect his thinking judgment, and from His Majesty’s words, he immediately heard the meaning. Now the royal bloodline withered, the big prince is not rebel actually rebel, the lone army far away in the city of east barbarians and the imperial court, the second prince and the crown prince has long since died tragically, after Fan Xian rebel unknown, don’t know dead, now although the palace that Mei Fei seems to be about to give birth to, but really by the court ministers as the royal crown prince of the only that the third prince Li Chengping.

His Majesty since the beginning of the year after the injury, the body has not been well, although the recovery is far faster than normal, but always easy to look tired, for the things in the court than in previous years to manage a lot less, well in the University of Hu and Pan Ling University presided over the door under the book, there is no problem. Just before March, was under house arrest in the palace for half a year of the third prince, suddenly was ordered by his majesty in the imperial study to listen to lectures, this month, the third prince even began to be ordered on behalf of his majesty to check the zhangzhang. Waiting for the wind direction, let the whole South Qing court guessed his majesty’s heart.

His Majesty the Emperor appointed Ye Wan as the martial arts master, and today, he also secretly authorized secret orders, secretly sent the skills, and also ordered him to be more close to the third prince, and so on the meaning of the meaning of the meaning of the meaning of the meaning of the meaning of the meaning of the meaning of the meaning of the meaning of the meaning, no questions asked. Ye Wan shocked, greatly grateful, prostrate on the ground, once again kowtow.

“Go. Remember what I said today.” His Majesty the Emperor looked at the increasingly darkened eaves of the palace, his eyes narrowed slightly as he slowly said, “Especially that one sentence. Among these several sons of mine, it is An Zhi who is the most ruthless, if he really survives, in front of him, you must take three steps back first.”

Ye Wan frowned slightly, suddenly out of nowhere a trace of anger welled up, this anger was not because His Majesty told him to take three steps back if he saw Fan Xian, but rather he felt that this person, Fan Xian, was really treasonous, greatly disloyal, greatly unfilial, really not a human subject, not a son, not a thing!

But he didn’t say anything, after solemnly bowing again, he walked down the long corridor towards the outside of the palace. Walking along the way, Ye Wan’s shoulders felt heavier and heavier, and his mood also became heavier and heavier. On one hand, it was because he knew that His Majesty had entrusted himself with an extremely heavy burden, and on the other hand, it was because he suddenly smelled an extremely ominous odor from His Majesty’s conversation today, an old man’s odor.

Ye Wan’s heart trembled slightly, an unstoppable sadness pressed down on his heavy back as he walked in the palace. Without His Majesty, there would be no Ye Wan today, this next generation master of the Ye family has never wavered in his loyalty to the Li Clan, yet at this moment, he felt as if His Majesty was entrusting him with an orphan earlier. Why is that? Why is this?

Although His Majesty was old and tired, he was still as powerful as ever. Why would he say such words and make such arrangements? If His Majesty really went and the Third Prince ascended to the throne, with the relationship between Shufang Palace and the Fan family, would this future Daqing court not become the world of that traitorous son of Fan Xian?

Ye Wan only felt a coldness along the back stabbing straight into the brain, he did not dare to do any more speculative thoughts, raised his head and walked out of the palace indifferently.

There was no light in front of the Taiji Hall, it was still dark, His Majesty did not look at Ye Wan’s slightly sad background, he just indifferently gazed at the darkness in front of him, as if he wanted to find his own firelight from this darkness.

After a long period of silence, His Majesty the Emperor suddenly opened his mouth and said, “In my entire life, I have given birth to so many sons, but I never thought that I would end up being forced into such a sorry state by An Zhi.”

“I didn’t expect that he actually did come back alive from the temple.” A cold light flashed from the corner of His Majesty’s eye, and after a moment’s pause, he said, “However, I am ultimately the old son, and he is the son, how in this world can a son win over the old son?”

Eunuch Yao, who accompanied him, had a cold sweat on his body, where would he dare to pick up on His Majesty’s self-talk like this?

The emperor suddenly sighed somewhat bleakly, looking at the imperial city walls in front of him which appeared extraordinarily tall in the dark night, looking at the forbidden army’s lights on top of the walls which weren’t very bright, his eyes narrowed slightly, not knowing what he was thinking about.

Since the last assassination in the palace, His Majesty the Emperor had never left the palace again. In the eyes of many ministers, this would have been His Majesty’s habit, and there were also those who thought that perhaps it was because His Majesty’s body was not yet fully healthy that he was convalescing in the palace. However, only he himself knows clearly that the reason why he does not go out of the palace is because …… he does not dare to go out of the palace.

The heavenly thunder on the imperial city that day, that black box that floats on earth and always wanders outside of Emperor Qing’s control, gave the strongest blow to this strong earthly monarch, and although this blow was not fatal, it succeeded in shattering the monarch’s self-confidence.

There was really something in the world that could easily kill him, the emperor had always been afraid of the box, and now that he knew that the box was outside the palace, not in Fan Xian’s hands, but in the hands of his own enemies, how could he get out of the palace?

His Majesty didn’t know when the box would rattle again, but he already knew that Fan Xian had returned alive. Fan Xian had returned, where was Old Five?

His Majesty the Emperor lowered his eyes slightly. If he was witheringly guarding the lonely palace, his will could be spread throughout the world, yet this high imperial city with its long palace walls was not like a fence that imprisoned him in this deep palace.

“If An Zhi doesn’t die, my heart can’t be at peace.” On His Majesty the Emperor’s thin cheeks, a hint of sternness slowly floated up and said coldly, yet the old and gaunt wrinkles were not brushed aside by this gloomy look, just like the bark of a withered tree, appearing so irreversible and shocking to the eyes.

This was the second time that His Majesty the Emperor had uttered these four words today. Between him and Fan Xian, there were too many complicated past events, present-day grudges, and philosophical differences involved, and it was a matter of life and death. Even so, Emperor Qing was also extremely appreciative of his most accomplished son, however, the more he appreciated, the angrier he became, and in his life, he had never wanted to die alone as much as he did this night.

Perhaps only when he found out that Chen Pingping betrayed himself, and has been secretly betrayed for many years, will be as angry as today.

Emperor Qing had his own king’s way in his heart, and rarely felt joy or anger, but the moment he fell into mortal love, he was actually nothing more than a mortal. He looked at the deep night palace with a complicated expression, thinking about the missing box, thinking about Fan Xian and Lao Wu who were rushing to Kyoto, but his mood returned to absolute calmness from the previous anger.

Just at this moment, behind the soft couch in the corridor came the sound of rapid footsteps, eunuch yao annoyed to look back, but saw a long time back to the imperial study beside his majesty to do business eunuch hong zhu, is carrying a lantern, full of happy face came over.

I don’t know if it’s because the night is too dark, the pimples on Hong Zhu’s face are not so obvious anymore, he knelt down next to His Majesty the Emperor and said with a trembling voice of joy, “Long live His Majesty’s great joy.”