In the palace late at night, there was a dangerous tranquility.
Hearing what the queen said, the prince almost fell down and sat on the ground, his face was full of shock, and he babbled: "Mother, what nonsense are you talking about?"
The expression on the Queen's face was changing. After an unknown period of silence, she said softly, "Fan Xian, you are the evil offspring of your royal father and the Ye family's demon girl."
The Crown Prince of the Eastern Palace shook his head repeatedly, unable to accept this sudden situation. He shook his head for too long and even became a little dizzy, so he sat back on the bed in a daze, and said, "How is this possible? How is this possible?"
When he thinks that he has a younger brother who has been living among the people since he was a child, the prince feels that life is really amazing, not to mention that this younger brother is often seen in Beijing, and his reputation is even greater than that of the prince himself. I will not be small either.
He subconsciously jumped up, maybe it was self-comforting, maybe it was self-stressing, hehe smirked and said: "It turns out that I still have such a younger brother."
The queen looked at her son as if she was a fool.
The prince's face became hot, and he lowered his voice in embarrassment and shouted: "So what? I have always had a good friendship with him, not to mention that he was born in a bad family, and he can never enter the palace. He does not pose any threat to me."
"Is it a threat to your Highness?"
The queen sneered and said: "Don't forget that the death of his mother is inseparable from your poor mother. Do you think he will just watch you sit on the throne? Even if he has such a measure that he can't take revenge, don't he Are you not afraid that you will deal with him after you ascend the throne?"
"Fan Xian, even if it's for self-protection, it's impossible for you to ascend the throne." The Queen's voice was like a spell urging death in the palace, "So Qianer, you have to be prepared. Of course, you can't wait for such critical news. You can't talk about it everywhere, the most important thing is not to let your brothers in the palace know about Fan Xian's life experience, otherwise, if the boss and the younger brother..."
The crown prince understood what the empress meant, and his voice became a little erratic: "No wonder it has been rumored that Fan Xian is a descendant of the Ye family, but the emperor has never come up with a way to deal with it. It turns out... there is something hidden in it. But the empress, if the emperor still Dote on him as before, and he has the backing of the Fan family and Dean Chen, so it's not easy for children to touch him."
The queen's Danfeng eyes showed a cold taste: "Of course we can't move him now, our strength is too weak, and no one in this palace is willing to help us. So you just pretend to be a snake, but don't believe it, you wild Brother Luzi, what kindness will you have in mind. Go on, from today onwards, you will go on honestly and don’t do anything superfluous... After the Chunwei case, you are right, no power is as good as you The emperor's favor is what matters, as long as the emperor still trusts you, Fan Xian will not dare to do anything. Let's wait until the future... there will always be a solution."
The prince was silent, but he was somewhat disapproving of the queen mother's thoughts in his heart.
…
…
Its daybreak.
People in the porridge shop continued to gossip about the Fan family's Ye family, the Overwatch Council, which monitored the movements of all officials, was on guard, and everyone in the Fan family pretended to be calm while panicking. The emperor had a headache, and so did the queen mother. Fan Shangshu came to the yamen of the Ministry of Households early, his complexion was the same as yesterday, talking and laughing happily, nothing unusual. Chen Pingping did not return to Chen Yuan, but stayed in the Overwatch Council, watching everything that happened in the capital with those somewhat cloudy eyes.
There was the sound of sweeping the floor on the street. Fan Xian was taking the medicine on time according to Mr. Fei's prescription, and he was in a daze with the nameless exercise book in his hand. , especially at the moment when the true qi is completely dissipated and the meridians are riddled with holes, he dare not forcibly mobilize the true qi according to the narration in the second volume.
Regarding the matter of his life experience, Fan Xian's mentality had calmed down. It was going to rain, his mother was unmarried, and had a child out of wedlock. Let her go. Anyway, it was not his turn to be responsible for this matter.
If the fear of the mother in the palace is really so strong that they don't even want to let him, who is traveling through Fukang'an, then why should he bother? It's just a fight. If the emperor's order is imminent, and he instructs the Overwatch Council and the Qinian team to move, and he is completely out of breath, and the matter reaches the most dangerous point, then don't blame yourself for obeying the teacher's wishes and disobeying the mother's wishes, and start spraying mosquitoes with potions , Use poison to break a bloody path! Slashing ants with a big knife, smashing his masters with a heavy blow!
Ye Liuyun was not in the capital, and it was difficult for the army to exert its strength against a very small number of people. He couldn't imagine who could keep such an abnormal combination—at this moment, Fan Xian's heart calmed down instead, and he began to gradually feel a little bit, Back then, the little girl named Ye Qingmei brought the blind uncle and the box with her, making her feel like she was an enemy of the whole world.
A little nervous, a little excited.
Of course, it is best not to develop to this stage. After all, I have to consider the interests of the Fan family, the safety of my father, sister and wife, and the lives and deaths of many people I have good friends with. The last move, to maintain the current stability, is what Fan Xian most urgently needs.
Because he still has a lot of things to do, and those things must rely on the current power and status.
No one came to visit Fan's residence for two consecutive days, and even the people closest to Fan's family would not choose to come to inquire about news at such a turbulent time. What is very strange is that King Jing did not come either. According to the news secretly reported by the Qi Nian team, the flower farmer prince lost his flower hoe and dung bucket for some reason. Tears vertically and horizontally, seem to feel something.
Those officials who had a good relationship with Fan Xian, including Xin Qiwu, Ren Shaoan and the Shaoqing Faction, were watching carefully, waiting for the imperial court's reaction to the rumors.
No one dared to make any statement at this time.
※※※
in the palace.
Ning Cairen was wearing a well-fitting clothes, and was circling the dry tree under the warm winter sun. This was her habit for many years. This Dongyi female captive back then, and now a nobleman in the palace, Always be busy.
I don't know how long it took, but the eldest prince who was standing quietly by the side finally couldn't bear it anymore, and sighed: "Mother, what's the matter?"
The prince has his own mansion outside the palace, not to mention that the eldest prince has become the first prince among the princes because of his achievements in the Western Expedition, so naturally he can no longer live in the palace. There are many rules in the royal family, even if he wants to enter the palace to meet his mother, the rules in the middle are a bit complicated. Today Ning Cairen used some tricks, jumped over many obstacles, and directly called his own son into the palace, but he kept walking around the tree in a daze.
The eldest prince knew that his mother must have something important to tell him, otherwise he would not have broken the rules so conspicuously, but...he thought in his heart, could it be related to the most vicious rumor recently
"Have you heard? Fan Xian's life experience." Ning Cairen finally stopped, took out a Supa from his wrist and wiped the sweat from his forehead indiscriminately, with a serious expression on his face.
The eldest prince thought that this was indeed the case, and respectfully handed a cup of warm tea to her hand, nodded and said: "My child knows about this, but it happened suddenly and there is no real evidence. It means that I will never believe the rumors of these villains. The child does not believe it either."
Ning Cairen looked at her son, and said with a sneer, "Don't believe it? I think the world is beginning to believe it!" She suddenly slapped the stone table angrily, and said in a hateful voice: "Master Dean, I don't know if this time What's going on, that you will vigorously suppress this rumor, don't you know that this will make others believe it? What will Fan Xian do?"
"Fan Xian?" She was distracted suddenly, and after a while she sighed clearly: "So...she has a son, so it's Fan Xian."
Of course, the First Prince knew who his mother was talking about, and it was naturally the mistress of the Ye family who shone brightly in the Qing Kingdom and ended in dismal end. He guessed what his mother meant, and tentatively said, "What do you mean?"
Ning Cairen raised his eyebrows, not angry, and said awe-inspiringly: "We Dongyi people are the most particular about distinguishing between grievances and grievances! Fan Xian's life experience has been exposed, no matter whether His Majesty still remembers the achievements of the Ye family or not, the one in the East Palace ... He must not be tolerated, just listen to me!"
In front of outsiders, the Eldest Prince is a famous general who is brave and good at fighting, he is a strong hero, but in front of Ning Cairen, he is like an extremely obedient kitten. Subconsciously, he puts his feet together and stands on his mother's body like a soldier. Before, he said in a deep voice, "Mother, please teach me."
"If there is any disagreement..." Ning Cairen showed a hint of fierceness between his brows, "No matter what method you use, no matter what, you must save Fan Xian's life!"
The eldest prince agreed without even thinking about it. He has never disobeyed his mother's wishes, but he still has some doubts in his heart. He knows that his mother played a certain role in the bloody night in the capital. He just He didn't understand why his mother would defend Fan Xian so much, that she could use her soldiers when her life was at stake... This was no different from rebellion.
"Without Dean Chen's help, I would have never been able to follow His Majesty back from the mountains and rivers in the north." Ning Cairen said indifferently, "You know about this, but even if I returned to the capital alive, What greeted me was still just a hanging order in the palace... I was a female prisoner of Dongyi, and no one knew that I was pregnant with you at that time. If the girl from the Ye family hadn't spoken, you and I would have been two lovers now. soul."
Ning Cairen took a deep breath and said, "Fan Xian's mother saved the lives of both you and my mother and son. When she had an accident, you were young and I didn't have any power at all...but it's different now. Since you have If you have some strength, you must save Fan Xian's life."
The courtyard was quiet, and the winter sun shone lightly and lightly, shining on this alternative royal mother and son who were straightforward, innocent, and willing to love each other.
"If the father can't tolerate Fan Xian." The eldest prince said softly, "Although I am in charge of the imperial army, I'm afraid it won't be of much use... At worst, I will pay the other party's life back."
"It's not so scary. You are going to be married soon. How can I have the heart to let you take risks." Ning Cairen stared into his eyes and said, "You don't need to think about His Majesty's attitude, just stare at the East Palace."
The eldest prince seemed to be moved, and immediately thought of a certain problem. Although he is a person with a clear heart, he is not a fool. After a long while, he was shocked and said: "If it is only a descendant of the Ye family, the father will definitely not leave Fan. I'm free, but looking at the movements of the past few days... there is only one possibility!"
Ning Cai said with a half smile but not a smile: "Finally guessed it? Mother thought the same way, so that His Majesty would not pursue the so-called treason back then, and even the ancestors of the Queen Mother remained silent. There is only one explanation. Fan Xian not only Not only the son of the girl from the Ye family, but also... his own son. In other words, Fan Xian is a prince that the world has never known, and he is your brother."
The eldest prince's complexion became a little ugly, his fists were clenched, and it was difficult to accept this fact. After a long while, he hesitated and said: "Could it be...Fan Xian is really the son of the emperor? What about Fan Shangshu?... If these are true, why? Royal father wanted to send Fan Xian to Danzhou?"
Ning Cairen sneered: "Back then? Who can fully understand what happened back then. Don't forget Fan Xian's mother, but those two most powerful women in the palace hated to the bone."
The eldest prince blinked his eyes, and couldn't believe that he heard this sentence from his mother. After thinking for a long time in his heart, he said, "If my mother can guess Fan Xian's real life experience, I think it may be early in the palace." It's already spread."
"If you guess it, guess it." Ning Cairen dusted off the dust on his body, and said heroically: "Maybe this is what the dean wants to see, maybe it is his old man who is acting on behalf of the emperor for all these things. Share your worries and solve your problems, after all, His Majesty probably doesn't know how to arrange for his son."
※※※
How did the emperor deal with Fan Xian? This is the most concerned issue of the officials and people in Kyoto these days. If the rumors are true, Fan Xian can only be imprisoned. If the rumors are false, the palace should also use some method, such as rewards, such as verbal comfort, to eliminate the influence.
The rumors became more and more bizarre, and the reaction of the Overwatch Council and the quietness of the Fan residence seemed to confirm the rumor that Fan Xian was the orphan of the mistress of the Ye family back then. The problem is: the palace has never sent anyone to arrest him!
This is where things get pretty interesting.
His Majesty remained silent, and the palace remained silent. When people were confused, they began to speculate. The officials of the court originally kept a smart calm, and even the censors of the Metropolitan Procuratorate only carefully wrote a few memorials, telling the rumors in Beijing and China, but His Majesty stayed and did not announce it, and the officials were helpless.
This kind of speculation finally reached its peak after a bold and low-IQ official jumped out and caused a storm in the court.
The official's surname is Mao and his name is Yueliang. He is in charge of reviewing memorials, refuting and correcting those who make inappropriate statements. This confused official has a rough and straightforward nature, yearning for the perfect rule of the sage, and would never see anything that would damage the court's face. After the rumors about Fan Xian's life experience spread in the capital, Mao Yueliang completely ignored the silence of his colleagues in the extreme stupidity, and spoke directly in front of the court, asking His Majesty to reprimand these false rumors and return Fan Tisi My lord has a clean reputation.
Above the court hall, the emperor just said indifferently: "The pure will be clear, and the turbid will be turbid. Foolish people are good deeds. Why should all the ministers mix in it? It's a loss of dignity."
Who knows that Mao Yueliang is not relentless, and insists that the rumors are detrimental to Fan Tisi's official reputation. If the rumors are false, the court should refute them in writing. , The crime of privately entering the court, the Fan family colluded with thieves, and committed crimes of misconduct.
Even if these rumors are absurd and unbelievable, at least His Majesty should let the two Lords Fan defend themselves for the sake of the court's face, and Lord Fan is no longer suitable to continue to serve as the Chief Secretary of the Overwatch Council. As for the inner treasury...
Before the bastard's words were finished, His Majesty left his seat angrily, and ordered the guards to throw Mao Yueliang out, and beat him with twenty court sticks. If the Queen Mother hadn't interceded in the end, I'm afraid this guy is extremely stupid Among the six subjects given to him, he was going to be beaten to death by His Majesty!
No one knew that the Sixth Division had a background in Xinyang behind the incident, and no one knew that His Majesty's last anger came from the Queen Mother who came forward to protect him.
For the emperor, what he fears the most is that his mother and sister unite with his sons. In this situation, a generation of heroes reacted indifferently and even savagely, forcibly retaining Fan Xian's response. Official position and title, this is a gesture, a gesture of a lion guarding its territory.
But the officials and people of the Qing Kingdom didn't know about the problems in the palace. When the incident of the imperial staff came out, the capital of Kyoto was shocked! Reminiscent of the last time the Metropolitan Procuratorate impeached Fan Xian and was severely beaten by the imperial staff, people noticed again that the supreme family that Fan Xian has obtained in these years is really not even comparable to several princes!
Reminiscent of His Majesty's ambiguous attitude towards this matter, people began to guess, guess, guess.
Human imagination is sometimes extremely poor, and sometimes it is extremely rich. Rumors about Fan Xian's life experience began to slide uncontrollably into the direction that some people least liked to see. As for whether there is the shadowy figure of the old man in a wheelchair behind these speculations, it is not known.
In short, shortly after the first explosive news spread throughout Kyoto, the second explosive news began to circulate in the streets and alleys of Kyoto, but the officials of the common people were more mysterious and cautious when talking about this news. Incomparably more excited.
"Excuse me, do you know? Master Xiao Fan is the illegitimate son of the Emperor of the Daqing Dynasty..."
"That is, it was carved out of the same mold."
"Have you seen His Majesty Longyan?"
"This... guess. But to be honest, Master Xiao Fan is a genius, both civil and military, and his poetic talent is amazing all over the world. His reputation is far and wide. Such a character... only our wise and mighty emperor can be born."
"That's that."
"But... Fan Shangshu is just... this... this."
"Oh, Master Shangshu is pitiful, and I blame Master Fan for not choosing a good name."
※※※
In the Xinyang Li Palace, the eldest princess gently drew willow eyebrows, with a self-deprecating smile on her lips. This wonderful woman who always pretended to be a planner, finally realized that she had made a fatal mistake under these repeated rumors. Her emperor brother must have begun to doubt her thoughts, and that little thing named Fan Xian …
"Mr. Yuan, I didn't listen to your opinion, it was wrong." The eldest princess lightly pursed the paper on her lips, and said flatly.
"Master Xiao Fan's life experience is really unexpected. The first rumor was enough to shock the world. No one thought that there would be a second wave."
Now like Huang Yi, Yuan Hongdao, who has become the chief counselor of Xinyang, said slowly: "At the beginning, I persuaded the princess to be patient for the time being, because I thought the news that Fan Xian was a descendant of the Ye family was a bit strange, but I didn't expect this news. After that, came this shocking guess. The incident happened too suddenly, the peak turned too fast, and we were at a loss when we responded temporarily. It was not a crime of war, but God's will."
Now that the eldest princess has lost the Cui family, her interests have been irreversibly hurt, and she has really begun to feel the ability to find out that good son-in-law. When she is angry, it is difficult to maintain her condescending calmness at the beginning, but the reaction of her subordinates is a bit embarrassing. It was too late, or even useless, so when the first rumor entered her ears, she didn't think about it, and even ignored Yuan Hongdao's strong opposition, and decided to use this matter to pull Fan Xian down.
It's just that it's inconvenient to communicate with Xinyang and Kyoto. She wanted to use the Queen Mother's mouth to get in touch with the seemingly stupid Sixth Division, and first force the emperor to take away Fan Xian's position. She didn't expect to receive a second one right away. information!
Fan Xian is His Majesty's illegitimate son
Others may have to guess this news, but the eldest princess believed it immediately after hearing it, and began to secretly laugh at her own stupidity. The pawn used a trace of the mother's affection for him, but the most failed thing was that it touched His Majesty's inverse scales, and for no reason, Fan Xian regained his footing just so lightly and deftly!
Thinking of this, the self-mockery and regret in his heart bit the heart of the most beautiful woman in the Qing Kingdom like a poisonous snake.
"Ye Qingmei..." Her head started to hurt, and she said to herself like a groan: "In my life, can I never catch up with you, and even your son can defeat me so easily?"
※※※
Kyoto at night.
Wu Zhu, who hadn't appeared for a long time, appeared silently in an alley behind Fan's mansion under the black cloth.
At the end of the alley is a noodle shop covered with oil lamps like beans, huddled in the cold wind, a man in ordinary cloth is sitting on a bench outside the shop.
The man on the stool didn't have a noodle bowl in front of him. His clothes were thin, and he didn't seem to be afraid of the cold. His face was calm to a strange degree, as if he was born with no expression, and his indifferent eyes seemed to be able to see through the world. everything of.