A carriage rolled over the bluestone road at Xinjiekou, making a creaking sound. It was a deep winter, and the roads were covered with ice, so the four-wheeled carriage did not dare to go too fast. The coachman Su Wenmao was carefully waving his whip, and the six swordsmen of the Overwatch Council, who were wearing boots, followed the carriage and walked along. Looking around vigilantly, the members of the Qi Nian team were scattered, disguised as ordinary people in cotton jackets, and hid among the crowd of onlookers on the street.
On the carriage is the emblem of the Fan family, where the squares and circles intersect, with gold and black borders. Fan Xian and Gundam sat in the carriage, and two Tiger Guards sat opposite them. Fan Xian looked calm and said, "The battle is too big and too conspicuous."
Gao Da picked up the corner of the thick curtain of the car window, glanced at the street, and said calmly: "The assassins suddenly came in the mountains, who knows whether the capital is safe or not, His Majesty is very angry at this matter, and strictly ordered his subordinates to ensure that Your safety, my lord."
His eyes swept across the street, there were not many pedestrians on the street, but the people in the houses and shops had already spotted the carriage of the Fan family and guessed who was sitting in the carriage, and they all cast strange glances into the carriage. . Rumors have been circulating for many days. The news that Fan Xian is His Majesty's illegitimate son has been deeply rooted in the hearts of the people of the world. Looking at the direction of the carriage, the people in the capital knew that Mr. Fan was going to enter the palace, so they couldn't help but start to speculate, wondering if the capital today would give people another more shocking news.
The palace seems far and very close.
The carriage stopped when it reached the outer edge of the square in front of the palace. After the incident of the Hanging Temple, the security of the imperial guards was obviously much stricter. Fan Xian got out of the carriage, took the cloak handed over by Su Wenmao and put it on, and took a crutch under his arm. Gundam knew that Fan Xian's trauma had long since healed, so he looked at him in surprise.
Fan Xian ignored his gaze and led the crowd towards the cool and majestic red-yellow palace city.
Before reaching the gate of the palace, the guards of the imperial guards had already formed a small group to continue, silently but thoughtfully protecting him from the wind, and welcoming him into the gate of the palace. This kind of treatment has always been enjoyed only by those old and weak veterans and ministers, and even the princes definitely cannot receive such kind treatment. Fan Xian couldn't help frowning, feeling a little confused.
He didn't know that the eldest prince had secretly warned his subordinates. Although the First Prince didn't explain anything, those indifferent statements were enough to let all the generals of the Forbidden Army know that the rumors didn't hurt Fan Xian's status, and the relationship between Fan Tisi and His Highness had already returned to good.
Today, the one who was in charge of escorting at the gate of the palace was Eunuch Hou whom Fan Xian had met for the first time in the palace. The two had already become very familiar with each other. Eunuch Hou flattered his face and said: "Master Fan..., thanks to my servant, I got up early today. I never expected you to come so early."
Fan Xian cursed a few words with a smile, and asked with a hint of doubt: "Last month, you said you went to the Xiguan Bureau. The few times you entered the palace, it was Lao Yao who responded. Why are you coming out today?" Eunuch Hou has already been promoted. For Xi's official bureau order, it is really important to be in charge of the use of medicine and death in the palace, and it is the celebrity in the palace. Logically speaking, it would never be his turn to meet Fan Xian outside the palace.
Eunuch Hou laughed and said, "Old Yao has gone out of the palace to do some business. Your Majesty asked the servant to come here today to take over the job."
Fan Xian nodded and followed him into the palace. Walking through the Daping palace garden all the way, talking one after another, Fan Xian finally sighed after a long while, and said quietly: "These days, I'm used to seeing other people's gazes, but you're still kind enough, old lord, wait for me. As usual."
Eunuch Hou shuddered slightly, then felt warm in his heart, and said flatteringly: "Look at what you said, Young Master Fan will only have a chance to become more successful in the future, so of course the younger one should be taken care of carefully."
Fan Xian didn't say anything, just laughed. In fact, he really felt something in his heart. After everyone knew his relationship with the royal family, his expression would be a little unnatural. On the contrary, the eunuchs in the palace didn't seem to have much reaction.
He didn't know that the eunuchs in the Qing Palace had always maintained a balance among the princes, and they didn't dare to vote for their masters indiscriminately. They were no better than ministers. So on the contrary, they were respectful and distant towards the prince, and served the emperor every day. Except for the prince, they were not too afraid of the other three princes.
Whether Fan Xian is the prince is not important to the eunuchs, but his own official position is the reason for the eunuchs to curry favor.
…
…
Passing through several familiar palaces along the way, and finally arriving in front of the imperial study, Eunuch Hou said cautiously outside the door, turned around, gave Fan Xian a wink, and stepped aside.
After the door opened, Fan Xian walked in on crutches. Standing in front of the tall bookcase, facing the emperor who was reading the memorial on the soft couch, he pretended to put the crutch aside unnaturally, and saluted the emperor.
Without raising his head, the emperor hummed, and said, "Find a place to sit by yourself, and we'll talk about it after I finish reading this."
How can I find a seat by myself in the Imperial Study Room? Hong Zhu, who was guarding the side with a whisk in his hand, was extremely clever. He heard what His Majesty meant, and hurried to the back to move an embroidered pier out, and placed it beside Fan Xian. Fan Xian smiled gratefully at the little eunuch, sat down, but thought in his heart, why is this kid's pimples still so vigorous
The emperor lowered his head, as if he didn't see this scene, but a smile flashed in his eyes as he watched the memorial.
The imperial study was quiet, no one dared to speak, and the eunuchs inside and outside the door did not dare to make a sound. This is not the first time Fan Xian has been alone with the emperor, but after the rumor spread, the two of them were alone in a room like this. He was always feeling a little nervous for no reason, and his chest was itchy, and he couldn't help coughing. Twice, the coughing sound echoed in the imperial study room, it was so clear that it surprised him.
The emperor looked up at him, said nothing, and continued to review the memorial.
Fan Xian quickly sat up straight on the stool, and began to observe the emperor's daily work quietly. He knew that not many people had the opportunity to see the scene in front of him. The time was too long, which made him a little distracted, and he began to subconsciously observe the emperor's appearance. Although the emperor lowered his head slightly at this time, Fan Xian still found a few familiar shadows on his clear face. For me, it is a place similar to myself.
This is probably the so-called blood relationship.
The emperor spent a long time reviewing the memorials, and there were a lot of notebooks on the desk. His eyebrows are sometimes furrowed angrily, sometimes stretched happily, sometimes silent and sad, and sometimes emotional. Qing Kingdom has a vast territory, with seven routes and twenty-six counties, and countless prefectures and counties. It is really difficult to rule the world with Kyoto as the pivot. Memorials are as numerous as snowflakes. If it is an emperor who pursues the rule of the arch, he may delegate power to the cabinet and go to the mountains and rivers by himself every day. And the current emperor of Qing Kingdom is obviously not willing to be a fatuous lord, and he doesn't let go of the power of the empire, so he didn't hesitate to drive Prime Minister Lin Ruofu out of the court, and only set up a letter under his door...
"This is simply masochistic." Fan Xian looked at the scene in front of him, and a sneer flashed in his heart. It really wasn't an interesting thing to be an emperor. In comparison, planting flowers like King Jing seemed like a good choice.
The sun gradually moved to the mid-heaven, and after the sun shone through the layers of cold clouds, it was so cold that it lost all heat, and the people in the palace seemed to have forgotten the time. At this moment, the emperor finally finished the imperial criticism in the morning, closed the last memorial, closed his eyes and rested his mind slowly, and finally stretched himself.
The eunuchs filed in, towels, Qingxin tea, snacks, and incense, and began to use them on the emperor's body and stomach. Fan Xian noticed that the towel didn't emit any cold air this winter, so he frowned and asked, "Your Majesty...is this cold?"
The emperor hummed, took the towel and wiped his face vigorously, and said vaguely: "It's cold to the bone, it can refresh your mind."
Fan Xian thought for a while, and finally said, "Your Majesty, try using a hot towel, it's good for your body."
The emperor was slightly surprised, then smiled and said, "The hot towel is too warm and comfortable, I'm afraid I'll fall asleep."
Fan Xian also laughed: "Use hot ones, the hotter the better." He suddenly almost choked, coughed and waved his hands anxiously and said, "Of course, be careful not to get burned."
The emperor suddenly showed a meaningful smile, looked at him twice and said, "That's right, he's pretty calm."
Fan Xian was speechless.
The emperor's gaze shifted to the crutch behind Fan Xian, and he couldn't help sighing in his heart: "This kid is as stubborn as his mother... I want to let me see that he is being a good boy, and let me reprimand him and strengthen his heart. Do you think I don't understand?"
Thinking in this way, the emperor remembered the kindness of someone back then more and more, and the more he felt that Fan Xian was a good son who didn't have any wrong thoughts, but was a bit lonely.... He got up and walked out of the imperial study, motioning for Fan Xian to follow him. Fan Xian hurried to get a crutch, the emperor laughed and said, "I knew your injury was almost healed, why are you acting pitiful in front of me?"
Although it is broken, it does not have the angry face of the emperor. Fan Xian was stunned for a moment just right, as if he hadn't expected that the emperor... didn't reprimand him, and then he chuckled, threw the crutch aside, and followed the emperor out.
In the first psychological confrontation between Fan Xian and the so-called "Father Emperor", Fan Xian won.
※※※
Walking along the long eaves to the northwest, the palace gradually thinned out along the way, leaving behind the magnificent buildings of Hanguang Palace and Taiji Palace. All the maids and eunuchs I saw along the way bowed their heads in humility to make way. Behind the emperor and Fan Xian was only the little eunuch Hong Zhu. Gradually walking, even the maids and eunuchs seldom appeared, the winter garden was extremely quiet, there was occasional residual snow on the rockery, there was no sound of birds or insects, it was just quiet.
Fan Xian knew in his heart where he was going, so he was naturally silent. The emperor seemed to be in a strange mood, so he didn't say anything. The emperor didn't stop until even the cold palace had disappeared and the palace was in a state of dilapidation. At this time, in front of everyone was a small quiet courtyard. The courtyard was not big, and there were only two floors of wooden buildings inside. The buildings were a bit dilapidated, and they must have not been repaired for many years.
As the emperor walked up the stairs, Fan Xian became nervous and took a deep breath.
The outside of the small building is dilapidated, but the inside of the building is extremely clean, spotless, it should be cleaned by someone all the year round.
After going up to the second floor, in the main hall, the emperor finally sighed, walked out of the building, and looked at the garden opposite the terrace in silence for a long time. The corner of the imperial palace facing the balcony is already the most remote and quiet place in the imperial city. The flowers and plants in the garden are left unattended and grow wildly by themselves, and then they are bullied by the autumn wind, cold dew and snowstorm, and collapse on the ground. Like countless dead bodies, pale yellow and white.
In the distance, the turrets of Huayang Gate can be seen faintly.
Fan Xian stood silently behind the emperor, naturally he couldn't speak, but he had already scanned the hall from the corner of his eye, and he didn't see the portrait he expected.
The little eunuch Hong Zhu seemed to be juggling, he didn't know where to clean up the boiling water from the small building, made tea, put it on the table respectfully, and went downstairs obediently, not daring to wait on him.
…
…
"I asked you to wait in the imperial study earlier." The emperor turned his face to the outside of the railing, holding the railing firmly with both hands, and there was no fluctuation in his tone, "I want to tell you that the king has the way of the king."
Fan Xian remained silent.
"As the king of a country, I... must consider the country and the people of the world." The emperor said leisurely, looking straight into the distance, "Emperor, it is not an easy job... Your mother used to I said, so sometimes I have to give up some things, even some precious things, and put you in Danzhou for sixteen years, so don't blame me."
Fan Xian had waited for this day for a long time, and had made very solid mental preparations, but upon hearing this, he still couldn't stop a chill from running down his neck to the top of his head, trembling, not knowing what to say. After being silent for a long while, he suddenly bit his lower lip and replied in a clear voice: "I... don't know what Your Majesty's words mean."
Fan Xian's reaction seemed to have been expected by the emperor. He laughed at himself, and without turning his head, his tone became softer: "Including your brothers, all people in this world, even if they feel resentment towards me, I'm afraid no one would dare to say it in front of me, to show it... Anzhi, you really have a bit of your mother's legacy."
Fan Xian straightened his neck forcibly, and stubbornly remained silent.
"I don't understand what I mean by this?" The emperor turned around, his pale yellow shirt looked extraordinarily noble by the fence of the winter building, and he said slowly: "What I mean is that you are my... son."
…
…
Fan Xian was silent, and after a long time, he suddenly laughed. He couldn't help but laugh dumbly, and there was an indescribable bitterness and anger in the smile. After a long time, he slowly eased the smile on his face. For a moment, he was a little confused. He had forgotten whether he was performing according to the plan or had completely assumed the role of the emperor's illegitimate son since the moment he entered the palace. , It is difficult to play!
He bowed deeply to the emperor, but still refused to say anything.
The emperor sighed in his heart, completely deceived by Fan Xian's emotions, and said faintly, "I don't want to deny the rumors in the capital, but I will eventually admit it, because you, Anzhi, are...my flesh and blood."
The emperor approached him, seeing the unique resolute and stubborn expression on the face of this beautiful young man in front of him, the pity on his face faded quickly, and he didn't ask Fan Xian to answer anything, but said to himself: "You will be eighteen next month."
Fan Xian raised his head abruptly, hesitated to speak, and said calmly after a while, "I... don't know when I was born."
These words pierced into the emperor's heart, and this generation of emperors who had always been cold-hearted finally felt a little guilty. After a little deliberation, he said slowly: "The eighteenth day of the first lunar month."
Fan Xian was taken aback for a moment, then sighed wryly, "I didn't know I was born at eighteen until I was eighteen."
The emperor smiled gently, and the more he looked at the child in front of him, the more he liked him. He subconsciously said: "In the countryside, I can teach you to be such a sensible child. When I think of coming to Danzhou, Mommy must have worked very hard. Finding one day, I will also Go to Danzhou to see the old man... Anzhi, how is the old man's health recently?"
Fan Xian bowed his head and remained silent for a while, not knowing what he was thinking, and finally spoke: "Grandma is in excellent health, minister... I often correspond with Danzhou."
"Oh." Hearing that he finally stopped claiming to be a courtier, the emperor felt warm in his heart, smiled comfortingly, and began to ask Fan Xian very softly about his childhood life.
The conversation had a reason, and Fan Xian seemed to have adapted to a new "relationship between monarch and minister", and began to talk about his childhood days to the Supreme Being in front of him.
…
…
Please read the following jingle aloud.
Fan Xian is the emperor's son. At first the emperor didn't know that Fan Xian knew that Fan Xian was the emperor's son, but now the emperor knew that Fan Xian guessed that Fan Xian was the emperor's son. At first Fan Xian wanted the emperor not to know that he knew, but now he wants the emperor to guess that he just knew but didn't want to know. So the emperor didn't know Fan Xian, and Fan Xian knew the emperor. The emperor regarded Fan Xian as his son, but Fan Xian did not regard himself as his son.
This is a psychological problem, which is also a psychological problem. From the first step into the palace gate, Fan Xian took advantage of this, retreating step by step, and attacking step by step.
The upstairs finally became quiet. The pair of "father and son" who had their own ghosts sat next to each other, drinking tea and chatting. Although Fan Xian still didn't speak, his face had calmed down, and the conversation with the emperor was no longer just a casual conversation. The match between the emperor and his ministers can be gossip outside the palace, the life in Danzhou these years, the family's short-sightedness and so on.
Thus, the emperor began to be intoxicated by this atmosphere, and this was exactly what Fan Xian needed.