The wheels of the four-wheeled carriage rolled over the freshly grown grass on the official road, and when they touched the cracks in the road, they made a rattling sound, which echoed with the sound of the reeds between the hubs, as cheerful as singing.
The road out of Neiku is full of happy scenes, the little birds are flying quickly in the woods beside the paddy fields in the distance, the green seedlings show a slender and shy figure, and the weeds by the paddy fields look at them with disdain, There is an endless stream of convoys on the road, and cargo ships on the river, transporting the production of the inner warehouse out through various channels, and selling it to people all over the world, it is a lively scene.
A convoy was cleared by officers and soldiers, and easily passed the innermost inspection line. Originally, the trucks on the official road did not dare to compete with this convoy, so they subconsciously stopped, but someone in the team of carriages looked at it twice. At first glance, it seemed that because of the large volume of shipments in the inner warehouse today and the busy traffic, he ordered his pedestrian convoy to stop on a grassy field by the side of the road, and unexpectedly let the trucks go first.
In the penultimate carriage of the convoy, there were pitiful officials from the Internal Treasury Transshipment Department who had just been removed from Wusha yesterday, except for their official uniforms. After Fan Tisi took office, his life must be difficult, but he really didn't expect that Fan Xian would be so disrespectful to the officials and the mother-in-law, and simply arrested them in the extreme, and in the name... it was actually a labor movement. The matter... Of course these officials knew at this time that they had fallen into Fan Xian's trap, and they were terrified.
However, Fan Xian did not start the trial right away. These officials had relatives and friends, and they knew in prison last night. This news made these officials feel a little better. As long as they don't face the tiger stool and pepper water from the Overwatch Council, how can this case be settled so easily? Even if the Overwatch Council has the treasonous confessions of the treasurers, but as long as he refuses to admit it after arriving in Suzhou, Master Xue Qingxue will always give the eldest princess some face. I can't take care of myself, and I probably won't pay attention to myself and others.
"Why do you want Xue Qing to interrogate?" Haitang leaned halfway against the window, frowning slightly.
Fan Xian lowered his head and said, "I'm not suitable for this."
Haitang hummed lightly, but didn't say anything more. Since the day of the labor movement, the atmosphere between the two has become a little weird. The mutual trust in the past seems to have weakened a little, and they treated each other politely, but a little more unfamiliar. Haitang thought about it afterwards and understood why. She knew that Fan Xian was a little embarrassed when she proposed to travel that day, but in the next few days, seeing Fan Xian always being so deliberately calm, she couldn't take the initiative to explain it. After all, no matter what Said that Haitang, as a saint of the Northern Qi Dynasty, has such a detached status, and Fan Xian's pride also touched her pride.
So the two people are currently maintaining this awkward exchange.
"I want to confirm again, has the money arrived?" Fan Xian asked with a frown.
There was a faint smile on Haitang's face, as if mocking Fan Xian's worry about gain and loss, and said softly, "I told you last time in Suzhou, why worry so much, could it be that you can't trust me now?"
Fan Xian suddenly felt that the atmosphere in the carriage was a bit oppressive, so he whispered a few words to Sisi next to him, then opened the curtain and got out of the carriage. Sisi tilted her head slightly and looked at Haitang curiously. She wondered how this well-known girl's family had offended the young master—she could see clearly these days that although the young master had no personal interests with this Haitang girl, But at first, he acted like a close friend who has been with him for many years, but these days it is a bit strange.
Begonia was a little puzzled by Sisi's look, and suddenly smiled and said, "What are you looking at?"
Sisi said angrily, "If you want to see me, if you don't, I will see you?"
Haitang smiled and shook her head, and habitually pushed her hands to her waist... but found that she was empty, these days she had been wearing a maid's clothes, instead of the usual flower cloth, and she didn't have those two clothes in front of her. big pockets.
She looked at Sisi and teased, "I'm looking at you because I want to see what kind of woman Fan Xian likes."
This is the truth, Haitang, this girl has always been a little puzzled, obviously her friend Si Lili is the most beautiful woman in the world, why Fan Xian can keep calm in front of Lili, deliberately keep a distance, even in the After that night of insanity, he didn't have any concern for Lili. He had been in the south of the Yangtze River for dozens of days, and Fan Xian hadn't asked himself a single question, such as how Lili was doing recently.
No matter how unfeeling a person is, he would never be so indifferent to a peerless beauty who had a one-night relationship with him, so Haitang even began to wonder if Fan Xian had some hidden disease, like His Majesty. …
But Fan Xian accepted Sisi into the room. Haitang has been traveling all the way, of course she knows that Sisi is Fan Xian's roommate, so it's a bit strange, but after watching these days, she didn't see Sisi. Thinking about what is so strange, his appearance is only dignified and delicate, far less soft and plump than Si Lili.
When Miss Haitang said "the woman Fan Xian likes", Sisi's face turned red suddenly, and she responded in a voice as big as a mosquito: "Master...how can you like me."
Haitang smiled wryly and shook her head: "If I don't like you, how could I accept you into the house? Although Fan Xian is a cold-blooded and heartless person, I don't believe he would act like this."
Sisi suddenly raised her face, showing a look of pride and confidence: "The girl made a mistake, the young master is the most affectionate person in the world."
"Love?" Haitang Pin smacked the two words, remembering that Sisi seemed to be someone who grew up serving Fan Xian, she frowned for a moment, wondering in her heart, like Fan Xian, who is cold-blooded, ruthless, and calculating The young powerful official who enjoys others' pleasure is really... a person with a lot of love
She sighed, since there were no big pockets on her clothes, she could only sleeve her hands with some regret, and asked, "Miss Sisi, why did you stare at me earlier?"
In fact, Sisi felt a little resentful towards the Haitang girl who was always inseparable from the young master a few days ago. After all, the other party was not the young mistress, but also a hostile Northern Qi. But after getting in touch with Haitang more, like many people who have been in contact with Haitang, Sisi also easily fell in love with this girl who speaks softly, acts brightly, and has a straightforward personality without being rude. Haitang is a noble person. Although his face looks dull and he doesn't talk much, he treats people with great sincerity. No matter what his status is, he will treat people equally, and he will treat people with respect and equality from the bottom of his heart—for example, he is still a big maid now. The thought of identity - just this point, has already surpassed the world.
At this time, hearing Miss Haitang's question, Sisi couldn't help but covered her lips and smiled, and said: "Just like the girl thinks, I also want to see what the young master likes like."
…
…
The carriage fell silent, Haitang opened her big bright eyes and looked at Sisi like a cute little animal. After a while, he put his hands in his sleeves, shrugged his shoulders, and said, "Will the barbarians not kill people?"
Xihu and Beiman have killed countless Zhongyuan people for hundreds of years, and their vicious reputation has spread all over the world. Sisi replied firmly: "Impossible!"
Haitang blinked slowly, smiled and said, "It's the same reason."
※※※
The breeze brushed against Fan Xian's face, telling him that it is spring now. He closed his eyes, facing the wind blowing towards his face, sniffing the breath of life in the wind, very comfortable. The green leaves of the forest on the other side of the paddy field in front of him were rustling by the wind, and suddenly his eyelids moved slightly, and he heard the rustling sound coming from behind.
It's not the wind blowing the forest, it's not sweeping the street, it's not throwing dice, it's not the tip of the pencil writing, it's not the spring silkworm eating the mulberry leaves.
It was she who was walking, the village girl was walking.
Without opening his eyes, Fan Xian said slowly, "Why is it impossible?"
"Huh?" Haitang walked up to him calmly, and expressed her doubts with one word, which was very similar to that blind man who expressed doubts to Chen Pingping many years ago.
The corners of Fan Xian's lips curled up slightly, and he said, "Why do you think it's impossible for me to like you? According to the news in the courtyard, the Queen Mother of Northern Qi has already started to worry about your marriage."
Haitang put her hands in her sleeves, stood beside him and looked at the cattle in the paddy field in front of him, smiled slightly, knowing that he had heard all the conversations between herself and Sisi in the carriage, and said, "It seems that you really He's recovering well."
Fan Xian opened his eyes, staring at a bird that landed on the back of a farm ox, and asked with a smile, "What I'm asking is...why it's impossible for me to like you."
Haitang turned her head to look at him, and found that he was asking this question very seriously, so she couldn't help but respond: "I always like such flamboyant talk, but I can't really take advantage of it."
Fan Xian was silent, thinking of the conversation with Qiye yesterday, after his rebirth, there were many things he could only do but not say, but with Haitang... it seemed that he could only talk and not do? He couldn't help laughing, and said, "I'm just curious why you are so sure."
Haitang smiled and said: "In Shangjing, you once said that all men, or male animals, think with their lower body... But I thought to myself, I don't have that kind of appearance to arouse your thoughts, after all, my identity It's different, you are afraid, and you can't get any benefits, how can you like me?"
Haitang is the saint of the Northern Qi Dynasty, and Fan Xian is the powerful minister of the Southern Qing Dynasty. The two can get along as friends, but if they really want to make a couple, the Queen Mother of the Northern Qi Dynasty and the Emperor of Nanqing will definitely not allow this to happen. On the contrary, for the two Personal planning can cause some damage. But Fan Xian didn't think about these things, and said sarcastically, "Like this kind of thing, it has nothing to do with profit. I found that it's only been half a year, and your temperament has changed too much from before."
Fan Xian seemed to have said this to Haitang when he was in Hangzhou.
Haitang was silent for a while, and then slowly said: "Tianyi pays attention to the relationship between heaven and man, the upper part of the world, and the lower part of the people. I thought these things can be done naturally, but in the past six months, I have been entangled in many plans. The central method is very different, so it is unavoidable to be uncomfortable."
Fan Xian nodded slightly, and agreed: "This kind of intrigue is indeed only suitable for people like me. You should still return to a promising career as a village girl." He didn't know what he thought of, and sighed, "Say It turns out that your disharmony is ultimately my problem. If I hadn’t pulled you into the game when I was in Beijing, maybe you are still raising chickens in the garden to play with donkeys.”
He turned to Haitang with a smile and said, "Does it mean that I led you into the magic way?"
"What is the way of the devil?" Haitang replied calmly: "It's just a demon in the heart. If I want something, I will lose something. Although what I want seems grand, I still have something to lose. This is the so-called natural way. "
Fan Xian asked, "Then you still insist?"
"Of course." Haitang said softly, "Anzhi, you said something that really suits my heart."
"What words?"
"In this world, there has never been good war or bad peace." Haitang smiled and said, "So for this goal, I am willing to help you."
Fan Xian fell into silence again, looking at the scene in front of him in a daze, only to see that the bird probably found no parasites to eat on the cattle covered in yellow mud, so it flew away with a whoosh.
"Actually, don't be too inferior." Fan Xian turned his head to look at Haitang, and said very seriously, "I always think you look very dignified."
Haitang was dumb, and replied after a while: "Dare to ask, is this admiration for Duoduo, or is it mocking?"
Fan Xian laughed, shook his head and said, "It's just because of what you said earlier, the reason why I can't like you, I just express my feelings."
Haitang finally couldn't help giving him a blank look, like a little girl, extremely rare.
Fan Xian noticed that the center of his brow was itchy, rubbed it with his fingers, and said, "Don't compare yourself to me. There are not many women in this world who are beautiful compared to me." He said depressedly: "It's not my problem." , it's my parents' problem."
No matter how calm and self-sufficient Haitang is, after all, she is just a girl in her teens. How can a girl's family not pay attention to her appearance? Unless it's a blind person... She was so annoyed by Fan Xian's plainly comforting and secretly teasing words, thinking that this man's mouth was really suspicious, she gritted her teeth and said, "As a high-ranking official, it's better not to talk nonsense. .”
Fan Xian didn't seem to notice the other party's anger, and explained seriously: "It's not nonsense, you said that I can't like you because you are not beautiful enough, but I want to explain to you, in my opinion, you are not beautiful. It's really good...”
Haitang was slightly taken aback. Fan Xian's next sentence came very quickly: "After all, there has been a precedent. My wife, people in Kyoto say that she is just beautiful, but in my opinion, Wan'er is the most beautiful woman in the world..." He shook his head Sighing: "My aesthetics is probably different from most people in this world."
This sentence finally turned Haitang's poison, she snorted, took out her hands from her sleeves, and walked away. With a flick of both sleeves, grass clippings flew around on the grass, the wind moved for no reason, and the momentum was overwhelming, presumably the supreme true energy of the sky was carried in this blow.
Fan Xian stretched out his hands to cover his eyes, he was so embarrassed in the grass clippings, he swayed back and forth, as if he might fall to the ground at any time. However, his incomparably joyful laughter came from the sky full of grass clippings.
…
…
When the wind stopped and the grass fell, Haitang stood aside quietly, with a sneer on her face, she looked at him and laughed and said, "Humiliate me, can you get rid of the anger of the previous two days?"
Fan Xian was slightly taken aback, sighed, and said with a smile, "Duo Duo, are you still angry?" This was the first time he called Duo Duo after the days of Gong Chao.
After being taken aback for a moment, Haitang turned around slowly and walked towards the carriage. At this time, the six swordsmen in the carriage had already got out of the carriage to take care of them, and the Tiger Guards headed by Gundam stared at Haitang vigilantly. After all, Fan Xian's subordinates didn't know what had happened to the wind of grass clippings earlier. What is it, I am afraid that Haitang will make a sudden move.
Fan Xian followed and said with a smile, "Don't be in a hurry to get in the car, walk with me." He waved his hand to let Gundam and the others back away, and said a few more words, and walked side by side along the woodland next to the official road with Begonia go forward.
…
…
The two walked side by side, and there was already a long distance away from the convoy. The spring forest above the head was shining with sunlight, and the slightest fork and fork turned into various beautiful spots, shining on the clothes of the two of them.
"I'm a person who cares about the word trust." Fan Xian said calmly, "Maybe it's because in my life, it's hard to find someone trustworthy, so I'm a little disappointed that you will leave the house that day."
Haitang lowered her head slightly, did not explain anything, but said directly: "Duoduo is also a person who cares about this matter very much. After all, you and I belong to two countries. Without trust, it will be very difficult to accomplish anything."
Once the conversation was finished, it would be relatively simple, but it was unnecessary to ask Haitang if she wanted to go to the workshop to peep, or if Fan Xian had misunderstood the girl. Now that the trust between the two has been restored to some extent through Fan Xian's sharp mouth, it would be extremely stupid to bring up the past.
The two walked forward side by side, Haitang glanced at him out of the corner of her eye, and frowned, her hands were still in her sleeves, which was not as comfortable as Fan Xian's pockets. Fan Xian explained softly: "I asked Sisi to add two pockets to the official uniform of the Overwatch Council."
Haitang smiled slightly, and sighed with some regret.
In the woodland next to the official road, rustling sounds reappeared. This pair of men and women who have no selfishness, but are extremely demanding of each other's trust, just like half a year ago, in the imperial palace of Shangjing in the Northern Qi Dynasty, on the road by the Yuquan River, so naturally. Dragging his heels, he walked lazily.
The front and back are full of spring scenery, and the forest leaves above the head are green and lovely.
"How do you plan to deal with the Ming family?" Haitang asked softly.
Fan Xian raised his eyebrows slightly, and said, "The inner treasury is open for bidding, and there are a total of sixteen items. In previous years, the Cui Ming family would take up fourteen items. Now that the Cui family has collapsed, there are almost six positions left. We Someone has been arranged to take over, and when Sizhe gathers up the Cui family's remnants in the north in the middle of the year, once the north and the south join forces, the road will be reconnected... As long as your guard commander doesn't mess around, Neiku There will be no problem with the route of goods exported to the north. As for how many private goods can be taken, it depends on how well I can control the internal warehouse. How useful it is."
This was an agreement between him and the little emperor of Northern Qi. Haitang went south, of course, to keep an eye on this matter and that large sum of money.
After a moment of silence, Haitang said: "Even if you can control the entire internal treasury in a short period of time, if you send the amount to the north...according to the agreement, it will be more private goods than the eldest princess sent in previous years. How do you guarantee the amount handed over by the court? I'm worried that you won't be able to explain to Emperor Qing. Before coming this time, His Majesty also asked me to give you a message. If you can't meet the needs of the north this year, you can postpone it for two years until you stand firm. After all, this is a long-term plan.”
Fan Xian was slightly taken aback. He didn't expect the Northern Qi Emperor to be so considerate of himself. He couldn't help laughing, and said, "It depends on the situation. As long as the production capacity of the internal warehouse this year has a significant increase compared with previous years, I will be very happy. The imperial court has explained."
Haitang glanced at him and asked doubtfully, "Where did this increase come from?"
Fan Xian replied calmly: "First, of course, the production of the various workshops in the inner warehouse must increase. After the open source, how to make accounts and smuggle the goods out, of course there are old shopkeepers, Su Wenmao, and those households sent by my father. The old officials of the ministry are playing tricks on the account, and you know that I am the one who monitors the internal treasury. I think it is not too difficult to smooth out the traces. Your Majesty will be very happy if you dug up the wealth and offered it to His Majesty with both hands."
Back to the question that Haitang asked at the beginning, how exactly did she plan to deal with the Ming family. Hearing his tone, Haitang didn't seem to plan to wipe out the Ming family in a short time, so she was a little surprised and asked, "Can you accommodate the Ming family?"
"It has to be tolerated, at least within this year." Fan Xian laughed at himself: "The foundation of the Cui family is too flimsy, and the battle line is too far away, so the Overwatch Council can win the first battle. But the century-old Ming family, long before the inner treasury It is a famous family in the south of the Yangtze River, with a solid foundation. There are tens of thousands of people in the family. I don’t know how many are officials in the court. If you use thunder to deal with it, I am afraid that Jiangnan Road will be in chaos. The most important thing is... "
His face became serious: "The Ming family has benefited a lot from the internal treasury over the years, but of course they can't monopolize such a big business. Of course, there is a shadow of the royal family behind this system, the eldest princess, the prince, The second prince has shares in it, maybe if you don’t believe it, even my Fan family has a place in it, and they send important gifts to the capital every year, all ministries and even the Privy Council have a very good impression of the Ming family, and they You have always kept a low profile, you have also met that young master Ming, he is a very prudent person and does not have a bad reputation among the people... It is really difficult to move them."
Haitang also began to feel that this matter was a bit complicated, but she noticed that although Fan Xian's eyebrows were slightly worried, but still confident, she asked, "What's your hole card?"
"My hole card is the emperor." Fan Xian said seriously: "The Ming family stole the silver from the inner treasury, and gave some of it to the princesses, princes and ministers. Everyone in the world likes the Ming family. But... His Majesty doesn't like it because It was his money that the Ming family stole."