That night, Shazhou City was quiet with a hint of tension. The usually bustling night street became extraordinarily quiet today. Everyone knew what happened, but everyone didn't know...what happened.
On the street past the east end of the gambling house, there are some of the cleanest and most comfortable inns in this big state. Usually, rich families who come from south to north like to rent out their buildings here.
Fan Xian, who came to Shazhou today, is a naked second-generation ancestor, but he has not been contaminated with too many second-generation ancestors' habits. Although his life is not simple, it is still simple, so it only covers the topmost quiet layer.
Xia Qifei stood obediently in a corner of the room. In front of Fan Xian, he carefully put the waist badge into his arms, signed his name on the document, pressed his bright red handprint, and respectfully Handed over a kraft paper bag.
Fan Xian glanced at the document, nodded, and said with a smile, "Lord Xia, we are a family now."
Xia Qifei cried bitterly in his heart, once this document was signed, he naturally became a family with the young official opposite, but there were also various people in the family, the other was a young master, but he was as if sold into slavery.
However, he knew that in this life, he might not have the ability and opportunity to vent the anger in his heart. He can afford to let go of the evil spirit in his heart. Now that he has chosen this path, he will really go on. With the whole front of his clothes, he stepped forward, bowed down very neatly, and said: "Xiaguan Xia...Ming Qingcheng, I pay my respects to your lord."
After finishing speaking, the man did not bow down, his hands were already supporting his body very steadily. Fan Xian looked at him and said, "No matter what Master Xia thinks of me, since we are in the courtyard, although you and I are officials of the imperial court, we are brothers who must treat each other with sincerity. The requirements are not strict."
Xia Qifei was slightly taken aback.
Fan Xian continued: "Master Xia must be like other people in the world, always have one or another prejudice against the Overwatch Council, but he doesn't know much about our internal relationship."
After a pause, he said with a smile: "To put it bluntly, we are like a pack of wolves raised by the imperial court, but there are too many ligers and tigers outside. If we want to survive, we must do things for the imperial court and the people. Li, don’t care about those swear words, but the key lies in our internal unity, a wolf pack can have a wolf, but there will be absolutely no internal rivalry.”
Xia Qifei frowned and replied, "This subordinate understands."
"You don't understand." Fan Xian said very directly: "I know these words are very boring and empty rhetoric, but take your time. You will always experience this kind of feeling in the future affairs of the hospital... Well, I Knowing you, after all, you are a generation of heroes, and I must have felt a little uncomfortable when I deliberately suppressed you in the sub-helm."
Xia Qifei's heart trembled. Fan Xian's complexion softened, and he said with a smile: "Back then you were a commoner and I was an official, so there is a natural difference... Now your status is different."
Xia Qifei didn't know how to answer the words, so he was afraid and speechless.
"The people are so stupid." Fan Xian frowned and said, "So you can use them and take care of them, but...you can't trust them, and you can't let them have some kind of wrong judgment and try to climb on you. As an official of the Overwatch Council, although he supervises officials from the standpoint of the emperor and the people, he can only trust the emperor and the people... The Overwatch Council only needs to maintain enough authority and pressure."
"Of course, these are just my personal feelings." Fan Xian gently rolled up his sleeves, "It may not be correct."
The people of the country are forgetful, Fan Xian felt a little cold after that rainy night, and the longer he stayed in the capital, the colder his heart became, and he had already regarded Uncle Wuzhu's words as a wise way of life - no one in the world can believe that People who can't be trusted, besides individual people, also include the common people of the Qing Kingdom who are living in trouble, naturally, including the Emperor, but at any time, Fan Xian will not announce this idea to the public. in the mouth.
At this time, in the room, apart from Fan Xia, there was only Su Wenmao from Qi Nian's team.
Fan Xian pointed to Su Wenmao and said, "Master Su, I was the one who was transferred to my side. I don't think you have the desire to work by my side, but if you want to go to Beijing in the future, it's not impossible."
Xia Qifei thought to himself that being a local rich man in the south of the Yangtze River would be much happier than going to Beijing, but he said sincerely: "It all depends on the adults' promotion."
Fan Xian shook his head: "Don't tell lies, but the hospital can indeed help you with many things, so don't blame me, it's just mutual use." He added: "Master Su, you are admitted to the hospital today As a witness, you will contact Mr. Su for the relevant contact methods and uploading matters in the future, and the two of you will talk about it together later."
He said to Su Wenmao again: "The manual and the regulations, you should let Master Xia be familiar with them as soon as possible."
Su Wenmao saluted in a low voice, and the two knew that Fan Tisi had finished his confession, so they saluted again and left the room.
As soon as the two left the room, the third prince's small body floated out of the inner suite like a ghost, walked to Fan Xian's side, and asked softly, "Teacher, is this how the Overwatch Council accepts people? "
"This is a special matter." Fan Xian asked the third prince to sit down very politely: "What your Highness heard earlier is not common in the courtyard. The Overwatch Council first needs to investigate for a long time. Generally speaking, we They are all used to selecting people from the armies of various states. This is the habit formed by His Majesty organizing the Supervisory Institute before the first Northern Expedition. Of course, later on, he also began to pay special attention to the talents who were not selected in the spring every year. All outstanding talents, after the imperial examinations are hopeless, are the targets of the Overwatch Council's efforts to recruit... However, the court is most taboo about recruiting people who already have considerable influence, or who have a background behind them."
The third prince frowned and said: "This Xia Qifei is the owner of the Jiangnan water village."
"So it's a special case." Fan Xian explained patiently: "Generally speaking, a person like Xia Qifei can at most be allowed to perform peripheral activities in the academy, but it's rare for him to be the supervisor this time. of."
"Why is it a special matter?" The third prince was particularly interested in and eager to learn about these matters.
Fan Xian did not reprimand him this time for not being too respectful of the prince and paying too much attention to details, and said in a harmonious voice: "Because your Majesty ordered his ministers to clean up the internal treasury in Jiangnan this time, and will face a group of wealthy businessmen and celebrities in Jiangnan, so the Overwatch Council needs to be in Jiangnan to clean up the internal treasury. Find someone locally, and someone who can absolutely control it."
"Why?" The third prince seemed very puzzled. Although he was already ruthless at such a young age, as a prince, he had never encountered any setbacks at all except because Baoyuelou took a ruthless trick from Fan Xian, so he couldn't imagine it at all. To the complexity and difficulty of Jiangnan government affairs.
Fan Xian glanced at him and looked at the child's serious eyes. He couldn't help feeling a little funny, but he also deeply admired that concubine Yigui who was deep in the palace. How could such a naive lady raise such a concubine? A tough-tempered, studious, and powerful little prince? I'm afraid that relative and empress is not so simple.
"Jiangnan has been run by Xinyang for too long." Fan Xian did not shy away from mentioning the eldest princess in front of him, "For more than ten years, this place has been monolithic, even though some people are enemies of Cui Xia's family, but in every respect There are always countless ties of interests, and no one wants to see too many changes in the current structure, and the losses caused by the changes are something these people don't want to see."
"We came all the way from Kyoto. For them, it is a powerful variable. When external forces attack the body, even if there is a gap inside the iron plate, it will temporarily merge into one body to resist foreign enemies... So we need someone who is already in The sand in the iron plate makes the sand bigger and bigger, and finally it gradually cracks the iron plate, making it difficult to return to its original appearance.”
The third prince frowned and said: "A grain of sand may not have this ability. If we help him, what is the difference between us and ourselves?"
"The key is that it's not convenient for us to come forward." Fan Xian also had a headache, and sighed, "Your Highness, you don't know how the concept of region is deeply rooted in this country. I can ask Xiao Shi to open the Baoyuelou semicolon. Let Danbo Bookstore open all over Suzhou, but if it really touches the fundamental interests of Jiangnan people, I'm afraid it will provoke a mob to attack them."
"Crowd up? Who will there be?"
"The Ming family, the largest rich merchant in the south of the Yangtze River, I killed several young masters, and the salt merchants who have a deep hatred for me, and those officials at all levels who have been fed by the eldest princess, beat me from the second grade of Jiangnan Road. That veteran pawn who started from Admiral Ling and went to Suzhou City to guard the city gate."
Fan Xian smiled and wriggled his fingers as if playing a game: "The shopkeepers at all levels in the inner library, the girls who sell laughter on the street, and the old men who sell art in front of the temple, but any Jiangnan people will not like us to point fingers."
The third prince was slightly stunned, and said viciously: "Attack as soon as you attack, is it... teacher still afraid that they will fail?"
"I'm not afraid, but I'm afraid." Fan Xian said with a smile, "But what did you say? The law does not blame the public... It really messed up the south of the Yangtze River. These people from all walks of life, there are many ways to make the people complain, and the people live in dire straits... If When that day comes, you said that the court in Kyoto will be discussing whether to chop off tens of thousands of heads to embolden me, or to pick off my black yarn to appease the hearts of the people in the south of the Yangtze River?"
The third prince froze, thinking that with his father's temper, I'm afraid you, Fan Xian, would definitely not suffer any hardships, but he would also transfer you back to Beijing. Thinking that being the dignified... the teacher of the Third Prince would be so aggrieved, the Third Prince felt very depressed.
Fan Xian seemed to guess what he was thinking, he laughed and said, "Of course, the matter is not so troublesome, His Highness also knows that the Overwatch Council is not a vegetarian, and His Majesty can't just be gentle, I just estimated this situation to be more difficult " His smile gradually faded, and he said calmly, "If you really want to kill people and gain power, I don't mind bearing this bad name."
The third prince shook his head, thinking that he had killed too many people, and the matter would not end well. If the Metropolitan Procuratorate in the capital made trouble again, could it be possible that the royal father could really kill Yu Shidu? The father is an emperor who wants to leave his name in the history.
... How about letting Xia Qifei, who was subdued just now, kill him! His eyes lit up, but he didn't dare to tell the teacher what he had had a brainstorm. He didn't know that his teacher, who was gentle on the surface but cruel in reality, was making such low-level arrangements.
"Ahem." He coughed twice, and said, "What about the navy? The defense of the navy actually colluded with the leader of the water bandit... How will the Overwatch Council investigate this matter?"
Fan Xian looked down at the brown paper bag, and said casually, "There's no need to investigate this matter."
To his surprise, the third prince frowned, and said viciously: "How can we not investigate? The army is the most important weapon of the country, and the navy in the Shahu area is our dynasty's heavyweight, and it is directly named Jiangnan Navy." , even here is a problem, if the investigation is not carried out, how will the court deal with it? Our Qing Kingdom is known as the most powerful country in the world, how will we be safe?"
Fan Xian glanced at the third prince unexpectedly. From these naive and even unclear words, he could tell that the child really cared about this matter. Young master, you really have that ambition... He couldn't help laughing, and handed the brown paper bag in his hand to the third prince.
"The navy's problem is not too big. Of course, that garrison will naturally be unlucky. I think the admiral of the navy will always give me an explanation after this incident." He said softly: "On the river, there are also A test. The military discipline of the navy is still good."
The third prince refused to answer the words, and just looked down at the contents of the kraft paper bag, but the more he looked at it, the more frightened he became. It was all the secret communication between Jiangnan Water Village and officials from various places in the past few years. The accounts are clear, and the receipts are above Although it is impossible to sign the names of those officials, it is really necessary to investigate. I'm afraid that several officials can be found out.
Fan Xian said: "This is... the so-called certificate of nomination. Xia Qifei handed over these things to me, which is equivalent to handing over those officials and his own head to me. Only when the two sides hand over the truth can everyone feel at ease."
The third prince suddenly raised his head, and said in disbelief: "Xia Qifei will always be a hidden pile?"
"Your Highness understands very quickly, really smart." Fan Xian praised, "We can arrest these officials whenever we want, we only need to see when they are arrested. If they are still ignorant of current affairs and want to stand on the opposite side of the court, then naturally To be arrested. As for Xia Qifei, he is still the master of his Jiangnan water village, and he still makes friends with the navy and officials from all over the place, so very good."
From Fan Xian's point of view, the so-called opposing side of the imperial court was naturally Xinyang's side.
The third prince looked at Fan Xian and said excitedly, "Teacher is a good plan."
Fan Xian stroked his hair, laughed at himself and said, "What kind of bullshit is this good strategy? Everyone can think of it, but no one has as many resources as the Overwatch Council. If they can't find out Xia Qifei's details, they can't control it." He... naturally can't use his hands and feet."
It was rare to hear him utter a swear word, but the third prince laughed and said, "Teacher, a generation of poets, turns out to be able to swear."
Fan Xian laughed even louder: "What nonsense poetry fairy... Poet fairy is also going to the latrine, Mr. Zhuang married two concubines, how can there be such a person in this world who is made of crystal from the inside to the outside?" ? Even if there is, I am afraid that everyone around me will be frozen to death."
The third prince giggled, and suddenly asked anxiously: "Could it be that... Father Emperor also... can swear?"
Fan Xian was startled, seeing that the child was so angry that he was forcing himself to lie, he really wanted to swear, and laughed and scolded: "Go back and ask your concubine."
After talking and laughing for a while, the atmosphere became much more relaxed. The third prince suddenly thought about what Xia Qifei said before, and he became very excited, and asked, "Teacher, I heard from the thief leader that there will be a meeting by the West Lake in a few days to taste Jiangnan. A hero's martial arts cultivation base is a rare event... let's... let's go and see it too?"
"Vulgar, really vulgar." Fan Xian said with a smile: "It's just ordinary people fighting, and His Highness is a dignified prince, why bother to join in the fun?"
"Jianghu." The third prince frowned and said, "Students are really curious." His eyes lit up and he said, "Teacher is a rare ninth-rank master in the world. When the time comes, don't you pretend to be the leader of the alliance?" A wonderful thing? In the future, it will be written into a storybook and spread throughout the world... "
"It's getting more and more vulgar." Fan Xian said with a smile: "If you really want to do this, I don't know how it will be spread in the capital. Just refer to my materials in more than a dozen chapters, which is more than enough. In the end, your majesty wants to criticize me as a young Meng Lang. ... Besides, with you by my side, how can I go to a dangerous place in person.” He finally said: “Of course, the Overwatch Council will definitely send people to look at it. I am going to let Su Wenmao go."
Only then did the third prince realize that Fan Xian had planned a long time ago, so he was a little disappointed and sighed. No matter how persevering and ruthless this prince is, he is still just a child. When he thinks of not being able to join in the fun and watch the legendary martial arts conference, he will feel uncomfortable after all.
"It's late at night, Your Highness, please go to rest first." Fan Xian stood up to see off the guests.
When the third prince was sent to the door, the third prince suddenly stopped, and instead of pushing open the door, he turned around, tilted his face, looked Fan Xian up and down with great interest, and then said, "Teacher, why is it that father The emperor wants to arrange for me to follow you and come to the south of the Yangtze River together?"
Fan Xian was startled, then smiled after a while and said, "What you think in your heart, Your Highness, may be the good intentions of His Majesty's arrangement."
His words can be feared, and his heart can be punished.
The immature face of the third prince suddenly became serious. After thinking for a long time, he nodded slowly, and then asked: "Dare to ask the teacher, where is the second cousin now? I haven't seen you for a long time, and the students are really worried."
Fan Xian knew that he was asking Fan Sizhe. Looking at the face of the third prince, he found that the second boss of the brothel seemed to be very sincere in his concern for the big boss. Know?" The third prince is not the emperor, so he doesn't need to say too much.
The third prince glanced at him angrily, and asked the last question: "There is a question I have always wanted to ask the teacher."
"Please speak, Your Highness."
"Hmm... on the Hanging Temple, why did you come to save me?" The third prince looked forward to him with a hint of expectation, not knowing what kind of answer he wanted to know.
Without even thinking about it, Fan Xian smiled directly and said, "Because Your Highness is in danger at that time, I will naturally save you."
The third prince obviously didn't want this perfunctory answer, so he continued to ask: "At that time... father is more dangerous."
Fan Xian replied even better: "I'm closer to His Highness."
The third prince was annoyed, pushed open the wooden door angrily, and walked out, thinking that this fellow is really a hard-hearted man who refuses to explain anything, and likes to play tricks!
Li Chengping, who grew up in the Emperor's House, lived cautiously under the instruction of his mother since he was a child. He made friends with the second prince, but he often went to the East Palace to play. Extremely large, mature far beyond age - this kind of temperament is forced out, look at the Hanging Temple, everyone is only worried about the safety of the emperor, but they don't care about the life and death of the third prince, the prince is... so unbearable ! It is not a lie to know that Tianjia is ruthless.
Afterwards, he couldn't help feeling a little bit chilled, and often recalled the situation when Fan Xian stood in front of him in a heroic manner. The other party saved his life. Comparing the two, the third prince felt that this "big cousin" in name was actually The "brother" in the world is much cuter and more trustworthy than everyone in the world.
Fan Xian stood at the door, watching the third prince follow the tiger guard into his bedroom, then turned around and entered the door with a gentle smile on his face. He and the third prince went south all the way, and the relationship between the two was really delicate, the other was the prince, and he was a courtier, but there was also the relationship between a teacher and a student.
And... everyone knows that they are all cubs born by a father. It's just that both of them are smart people, so no one will take the initiative to mention this matter, even if it's a little probing between each other. After all, there are not many straightforward and outspoken people like Sisi in this world.
…
…
"Master, it's time to sleep."
Fan Xian was in a trance when he was taken aback by his outspoken girl. Looking back, he saw Sisi holding a basin of steaming water and staring at him seriously.
"Don't move around these days."
As Fan Xian spoke, he dipped his feet into the hot water and groaned comfortably. He was exhausted from the journey for several days, and his mind was also a little tired, so he really needed to be scalded.
Sisi was holding a big square handkerchief, sitting on the small stool in front of him, looking at him without blinking.
Fan Xian was a little scared by her, and subconsciously asked, "What's wrong?"
Sisi turned her head to glance at the wooden door, lowered her head and said softly: "Young master...you can check Neiku, just check Neiku, and forget about those things."
She was one of the few people who had been personally confirmed by Fan Xian, so of course she believed in his life experience, and although she was a simple and straightforward girl, she was extremely smart, perhaps because she had been fed a lot of ghost stories by Fan Xian since she was a child, There is a natural sensitivity to certain things. These days, watching the words and deeds between Fan Xian and the third prince, he can vaguely guess whether Fan Xian is making some preparations for the future, but the emperor's family affairs are in the girl's heart. It was still a terrifying and untouchable existence, and she didn't regard Fan Xian as someone from the palace, so she was naturally a little worried.
Fan Xian's feet stopped stirring in the hot water, and he glanced at her in surprise. After a moment of silence, he comforted him and said, "Don't worry, I have my sense of proportion. I can't make this little guy suffer like Sizhe, just I hope that the trip to the south of the Yangtze River can open his eyes, even if a prince is to assist the prince in governing the country in the future, even if he has a broad mind, the world will be easier."
Sisi burst out laughing: "Dare to love my young master... he is still a compassionate figure."
Fan Xian scolded with a smile: "What you said, can't I?"
"It's so similar." Sisi covered her mouth and said with a smile: "So it's a little fake. How did the young master discipline that Master Xia before, but now I forgot."
"The two don't contradict each other." Fan Xian said seriously, "Being kind to someone doesn't necessarily mean you have to rely on him in everything. How do people know how to protect their own interests? We can do this kind of thing."
"Then why do you do it?" Sisi asked curiously. The girl was born in a poor family, and she always expected the young master to say some kind words. This is what is called a woman's mind is hard to guess.
"Where do so many sighs of life come from? Tomorrow I will enter Jiangnan Road, go to sleep, I will pour the water myself." Fan Xian waved his hand with a smile.
Sisi chuckled, but still looked into his eyes. If she was alone in front of Fan Xian, she would always be a little bold that did not match her status as a servant.
Fan Xian was helpless, patted his thigh and said leisurely, "Why do you want to do it? Of course it's not because of compassion... I don't have the kindness of my mother. I just hope that the world will be peaceful. I want to be a rich and idle person, and I also want to ensure that there is a peaceful and prosperous world around me, so that I will retire at the age of 30, young master, so that I can enjoy a happy life... In the end, I am just very selfish, and I am trying to cultivate a person who can make me happy in my old age. environment of."
"Master, what does retirement mean?"
"Retire? Retire at the age of thirty? Although you can't be a prime minister, you must at least become a state prince before you can return to Danzhou, right?" Sisi said in shock, "Now that you are the chief inspector of the Overwatch Council, you will definitely want to go back to Danzhou in the future." Take the seat of Mrs. Chen... then you will no longer be able to enter the imperial court, and you will not be able to personally control the army, at most you will be a second-class marquis at the age of thirty."
She said with a bitter face: "Are you really planning to return to Danzhou at the age of thirty? How can this be done?"
Fan Xian didn't expect that his occasional confidant would make the girl anxious first, and said with a smile, "I don't necessarily want to go back to Danzhou, like Northern Qi, Dongyi, Nanyue, Ximan... and even those from the other side of the sea." The country, we all have to go shopping, this is a worthwhile life. Riding a horse on the grassland, taking a boat on the sea, walking slowly and watching."
"The barbarians in the west want to eat people." Sisi said in horror.
Speaking of barbarians, Fan Xian couldn't help but think of the latest academic newspaper. He shook his head and waved away his thoughts. Looking back, he realized that what he said earlier was just a seemingly beautiful but extremely difficult ideal to achieve. However, in his current life, he Already quite satisfied, except for that big thing.
Sisi was still counting with her fingers at this time: "Then there are still twelve years left, what is the young master going to do?"
"What to do?" Fan Xian said very seriously: "Of course it is to be a capable minister, loyal to His Majesty the imperial court, and supervise the administration of officials, and take down all the lawless officials who are corrupt and accept bribes in the fish and meat village."
Sisi was startled, and after a while she said bitterly: "Young master... is not an upright official."
The people closest to him would not believe what Fan Xian said, Sisi was already quite polite, and did not point out that the young master was a sad and corrupt official—Fan Xian said innocently: "There is no way, who called my old man Dad and my father-in-law are known as the two biggest corrupt officials in the Qing Kingdom, and they have a long history of family education."
Sisi seriously retorted: "But the young master is certainly not a corrupt official."
Fan Xian sighed, stretched out his hands and rubbed his numb face vigorously, and said, "Sometimes I've been pretending for so long, I almost don't know which side of me is the real me... Well, this sentence It's a petty bourgeoisie... don't ask the young master what a petty bourgeoisie is, just like this, go to sleep."
※※※
In the inn, the oil lamp has been extinguished, and the red waves... nothing happened.
Let Sisi go to sleep on her own, Fan Xian got up from the bed, put on a cloak, and did not rush to act, but poured a cup of cold tea into his stomach to dissipate the unconcealable anger, without lighting the lamp, he In the dark night, relying on his own eyesight, he walked to the window.
He opened the window, and the moonlight blew in along with the cold wind. Opposite the inn was the sand lake. It's hard to distinguish the real and fake moon, and the scenery is extremely beautiful.
Looking back from the lake below the inn, Fan Xian naturally turned to the right. Fan Xian looked at the man in black outside the building with his feet hanging in the air, sitting on the sill in the air. , wanting to throw oneself to death is like trying to drown oneself in a washbasin.
"Knowing that there is a woman in my room, can you avoid it a little... Don't say it, this is another accident."
"Accident." The man in black repeated these two words monotonously, and said, "Yun Zhilan is going to Hangzhou, so please inform your lord."
Fan Xian was slightly surprised, but his attention was still on the man in black. He asked curiously, "I have a question. In the past, you followed the old man every day... Don't you ever need to sleep?"
The man in black didn't answer the question.
"Where's your white clothes? Although I don't know if that's your real face...but you were much more handsome then."
The man in black remained silent. Although he was Fan Xian's subordinate, his status and strength prevented him from answering too many boring and childish questions.
"I have the biggest doubt. You are always so mysterious. Even the emperor doesn't know you... Then how do you command the six divisions? You know, you are the real leader of the six divisions, and that man is just an agent. .”
"I have my own way." The matter was related to official business, Qingguo's most powerful assassin leader, student Ying finally spoke.
"Also, can you talk more, I know you admire the elder of my family, but you are different from him, you have to figure out your status as a civil servant... From Kyoto to now, you have only spoken to me three times If you don’t, I’m very upset that there’s a question I’ve always wanted to ask, but I haven’t had a chance to get an answer from you.”
In front of the shadow, Fan Xian looked more and more like a chatterbox.
After hesitating for a while, Shadow said, "Excuse me, my lord."
A smile floated on the corner of Fan Xian's lips, and he said, "The question is, how do you plan to compensate me for stabbing me once?"