Hearing His Majesty's words, the expression on Ye Wan's face did not change, but the slightly lowered head just happened to cover up the strange color in his pupils.
This formidable figure who rose suddenly in the Qing Kingdom, had a falling out with his biological father when he was a boy, and went to Nanzhao from Dingzhou. If it wasn't for the secret care of the man on the dragon chair from the Imperial Palace in Kyoto, if it wasn't for these oppressive years of training Without a steady will, how could it be possible to suppress it all the time, but in the end there was a violent eruption.
It was this kind of experience that gave Ye Wan a very strong self-control ability. Earlier, His Majesty the Emperor pointed out that he was not Uesugi Tiger's opponent, and Ye Wan just showed a trace of unwillingness on his face. This resentment was actually revealed on purpose.
It is not an unacceptable comment to be inferior to a generation of famous general Uesugi Tiger, but after all, he is a new generation leader of the military that His Majesty the Emperor values very much. I'm afraid it's not a good deal.
However, upon hearing the name Fan Xian, the strange color in Ye Wan's eyes came from the heart. Not only because His Majesty pointed out earlier that part of his great achievements on the Xihu Grassland was due to Fan Xian's secret help, but also because Ye Wan was shocked to find out that His Majesty's previous words had taken Fan Xian's attention to heart. The life and death of this person has been elevated to the status of His Majesty's life and death.
What kind of person Fan Xian is, the whole world knows. Although Ye Wan is often on the front line of Nanzhao, basically not involved in the affairs of the capital, the relationship between Ye Mansion and Fan Xian is also very complicated. How could he not secretly understand the young man who successfully changed his sister's personality? The powerful minister, the big man who lit up the sky of Qing Kingdom like fireworks in just a few short years.
Ye Wan has suppressed for many years, watched the world from the sidelines for many years, with self-confidence in his chest, never thought that he would be inferior to those rising figures in the world, but His Majesty has always placed him quietly in other counties, so he lacks A stage, right now this stage has appeared under his feet, after the victory in Qingzhou and the subsequent bloody pursuit, he has begun to bloom dazzling brilliance, but every time he thinks of the name Fan Xian, he always feels a little weird.
Not jealousy, not envy, but faint coldness. Ye Wan had watched the capital coldly for several years, and always felt that he couldn't see through Fan Xian. After careful consideration, he had some admiration, some fear, some sympathy, some disdain, it was extremely complicated.
Even so, Ye Wan still didn't think Fan Xian was a big shot who could shake the world, because he believed that as a courtier and a citizen, no one, including himself, could reach this level. After the four great masters dispersed, the whole Apart from the two monarchs of the north and the south, there shouldn't be anyone in the world who can stand in that position.
"Do you think I raised him too high?" His Majesty lowered his head slightly, gently stroking the white cat in his arms, and clearly grasped the emotion in the young courtier's heart, "Young man People, it’s okay to be proud, but sometimes you have the courage to admit that you are not as good as someone, and this is the real pride.”
Ye Wan accepted the teaching awe-inspiringly, and saluted His Majesty sincerely in the increasingly drowsy twilight of the palace.
His Majesty the Emperor narrowed his eyes slightly, and the wrinkles at the corners of his eyes were under the dim light, adding a hint of vicissitudes, and said slowly: "There are many people in this world who can escape my control, but those who can stand still and calmly compete with me There are very few people. If you are safe with this person, you are naturally not as clear as I am."
This is true, but somewhat vague. At the beginning of the winter, the capital changed dramatically. Fan Xian committed crimes in the capital. He killed all He faction officials within a day, which shocked the temple and the whole world.
But what puzzled all the ministers and made all the gossip about teahouses lose their direction was the fact that the court of the Qing Dynasty did spend a lot of energy in hunting down Fan Xian and the assassins who entered the palace, but they never spread the word about Fan Xian. The power to do it!
The former officials of the Overwatch Council who were obviously involved in the case of Mihe and the killing of officials in the capital were dismissed in large numbers without trial, and the fan faction forces in the south of the Yangtze River did not receive the blow from the imperial palace. His Majesty the Emperor, who had always been stern and resolute in his life, seemed to have lost the emperor's heart he had always maintained when facing Fan Xian, and appeared too gentle and lenient, even to the point of confusion.
No one dares to criticize His Majesty, but many people are doubting His Majesty. Why did His Majesty keep his hands and show mercy to Fan Xian, who was insane and rebellious against the party? Could it be that there is really some ulterior background to this matter
After Ye Wan came back from the hard work on the grassland, he was also shocked when he learned of the follow-up events after the turmoil in Kyoto, and he didn't know why.
The reason for this is that all the important officials did not know that His Majesty and Fan Xian talked in the palace all night on that snowy night. The promise of the war between the two of them, if the imperial court really cleans up the Fan party, what will happen to the Qing Dynasty is probably the biggest turmoil since the founding of the country.
It has to be said that in the handling of this matter, His Majesty the Emperor lost a bit of the courage to rush forward, and was a little more worried. It also has to be said that only Fan Xian could understand His Majesty's will for generations so well, and was able to firmly grasp the lifeblood of the Qing Kingdom, forcing the Emperor to make such a gesture.
In this world, the only person who can force Emperor Qing to put down the butcher knife is Fan Xian.
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"Fan Xian is not dead, I feel uneasy." His Majesty's finger combing the white cat's fur suddenly froze slightly, his eyes slowly closed, and he said to Ye Wan beside him.
Ye Wan felt a chill in his heart and bowed his head in silence.
"How is your Liuyun Sanshou practice?" the emperor asked indifferently. Ye Wan's heart moved slightly, wondering why His Majesty suddenly changed the subject and began to test his own cultivation. After pondering for a while, Cheng Cheng replied: "Beginner's approach."
"Your father practiced the coffin splitting to the extreme twenty years ago, but he couldn't go any further. Although Fan Xian worked hard, but after learning the coffin splitting from your sister, it is obvious that there is no way to make any progress. .Uncle Liuyun is a master of art, and it cannot be lost. Since you have entered the door, I feel at ease."
His Majesty still had his eyes closed, and said, "That's the case. After all, you are no match for Fan Xian. If you meet him in the future, take three steps back."
Ye Wan's heart was shaken again. Although he was indeed unwilling to be judged inferior to Fan Xian by His Majesty, Ye Wan had already guessed too much from His Majesty's previous words "Fan Xian is not dead, but the Sacred Heart is restless". His Majesty the God, would not hesitate to trap and kill people at the cost of national affairs and war, I am afraid that he is really not as good as him.
But after that, a fierce and stubborn emotion arose spontaneously in Ye Wan's heart. The face of the most brilliant young general of the Qing army remained unchanged, but there was a faint desire in his heart to be able to confront Fan Xian head-on in the future. World War I.
The night gradually eroded the twilight, surrounded many palaces, and included the two monarchs and ministers in front of the Tai Chi Hall. His Majesty the Emperor slowly opened his eyes, and the light in his eyes seemed to illuminate the palace clearly in an instant.
Eunuch Yao came to the side of His Majesty's soft couch at this time, holding a wooden tray in his hand, with yellow silk on the bottom of the tray, and two letters-like things on it.
Ye Wan was slightly surprised, not knowing what this meant, and subconsciously glanced at His Majesty.
"One is the essence of the exercises I practiced, and the other is the secret decree I left for you." His Majesty the Emperor looked straight ahead and said casually: "Within one year, if I die, the secret decree can be opened. If I am not dead, Then I burned the secret decree. As for the essence of the cultivation technique, if you can make some progress, it can be regarded as some compensation from me to your old Ye family."
Ye Wan didn't understand the meaning of compensation, but he understood the four words of the essence of the exercises. Even the ruthless general who has experienced many hardships and killed people on the grassland without blinking an eye, he couldn't help being moved at this moment, his body trembled slightly, and without thinking Kneeling in front of His Majesty, he kowtowed heavily.
Ye Wan did not pretend to decline, because he knew that His Majesty wrote the experience of the great master in this letter, which is undoubtedly a priceless treasure to him. His Majesty's move naturally hoped that the Ye family would be in his own hands. In his hands, he can still be absolutely loyal to the royal family. This kind of trust made Ye Wan feel that every inch of skin on his body began to tremble.
"I have appointed you Taiping's Martial Arts Grand Tutor a few days ago. If that's the case, you should go to Shufang Palace more often." His Majesty the Emperor didn't seem to care at all. It seems that he is not worried about Ye Wan's loyalty to the royal family.
Ye Wan's mental shock from what he saw today was too great, his face turned slightly pale, but it didn't affect his thinking and judgment. From His Majesty's words, he immediately understood the meaning. Now that the blood of the royal family is withered, the eldest prince has not rebelled, and the solitary army is far away in Dongyi City to contend with the imperial court. The second prince and the crown prince have long since died tragically. It seems that she is about to give birth, but the only one who is really regarded as the crown prince by the court officials is the third prince Li Chengping.
His Majesty has not been in good health since he was injured at the beginning of the year. Although his recovery is much faster than ordinary people, he always seems tired easily, and he is much less concerned with the affairs of the court than in previous years. Fortunately, Hu Dashi and Pan There is no problem with the Ling University Master who presides over the Zhongxia Zhongshu. Only three months ago, the third prince, who had been under house arrest for half a year, was suddenly ordered by His Majesty to listen to lectures in the imperial study. In this month, the third prince even began to inspect the memorials on behalf of His Majesty. Waiting for the direction of the wind, the entire Nanqing court guessed His Majesty's intentions.
His Majesty the Emperor granted Ye Wan the title of Grand Master of Martial Arts, and today he secretly granted a secret decree, sent him secret formulas, and ordered him to get close to the three princes, etc., without asking. Shocked, Ye Wan was very grateful, prostrated himself on the ground, and kowtowed again.
"Go. Remember what I said today." His Majesty the Emperor looked at the darkening corner of the palace, narrowed his eyes slightly, and said slowly: "Especially that sentence. Among my sons, An Zhi The most ruthless, if he really survived, you must take three steps back in front of him."
Ye Wan frowned slightly, and suddenly a trace of anger welled up out of nowhere. This anger was not because His Majesty told him to take three steps back when he saw Fan Xian, but because he felt that Fan Xian was really rebellious and disloyal. To be very unfilial is not to be a minister of a man, not a thing!
But he didn't say anything, and after bowing solemnly again, he walked along the long corridor towards the outside of the palace. Walking all the way, Ye Wan's shoulders felt heavier and heavier, and his heart became heavier and heavier. On the one hand, it was because he knew that His Majesty had entrusted him with an extremely heavy burden, and on the other hand, he suddenly smelled an extremely ominous smell, an old man's smell, from His Majesty's conversation today.
Ye Wan's heart trembled slightly, and an uncontrollable sadness weighed down his heavy back as he walked in the palace. Without His Majesty, there would be no Ye Wan today. The loyalty of the next generation master of the Ye family to the Li family has never wavered. However, at this moment, he felt that His Majesty seemed to be asking for help. why is that? why is that
Although His Majesty is old and tired, he is still so powerful. Why did you say such a thing and make such an arrangement? If His Majesty really went, and the third prince ascended the throne, with the relationship between Shufang Palace and Fan Mansion, wouldn't the Daqing court in the future become the world of that treacherous official and traitor like Fan Xian
Ye Wan felt a chill running down his back straight into his brain, he didn't dare to make any guesses, raised his head, and walked out of the palace indifferently.
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There was no light in front of the Taiji Hall, and it was still dark. His Majesty the Emperor did not look at Ye Wan's slightly sad background, but just stared at the darkness in front of him indifferently, as if he wanted to find his own firelight from the darkness.
After being silent for a long time, His Majesty the Emperor suddenly said: "I have given birth to so many sons in my life, but I never thought that I would be forced into such a mess by An Zhi in the end."
"I didn't expect him to come back alive from the temple." A cold light flashed in the corner of His Majesty's eyes, and he said after a pause, "However, I am my son after all, and there is no son in this world better than my son." reason?"
Eunuch Yao, who was accompanying him, was in a cold sweat. How could he dare to answer His Majesty's soliloquies
The emperor suddenly sighed desolately, looked at the extremely tall imperial city wall in front of him in the dark night, and at the not-so-bright lights of the Forbidden Army above the city wall, narrowed his eyes slightly, not knowing what he was thinking.
Since the last assassination in the palace, His Majesty the Emperor has never left the palace again. In the eyes of many ministers, this is His Majesty's habit, and some people think that maybe His Majesty is not yet fully healthy, so he recuperates in the palace. However, only he himself knew that the reason why he didn't leave the palace was because... he didn't dare to leave the palace.
On that day, thunder rang in the imperial city, and the black box, floating in the world and always outside the control of Emperor Qing, dealt the most severe blow to this mighty human king. Although the blow was not fatal, it was a successful one. It shattered the king's self-confidence.
There are really things in the world that can easily kill him. The emperor has always been afraid of that box, but now he knows that the box is outside the palace. Although it is not in Fan Xian's hands, it is also in the hands of his enemies. How can he leave the palace
His Majesty the Emperor didn't know when the box would make another sound, but he already knew that Fan Xian had returned alive. Fan Xian has already returned, where is fifth child
His Majesty the Emperor lowered his eyes slightly. By staying in a lonely palace, the will can be spread throughout the world. However, this high imperial city and long palace walls are like a wall, imprisoning him in this deep palace.
"I will not die in peace, my heart will not rest in peace." His Majesty the Emperor said coldly with a stern look on his thin cheeks, but the old and haggard wrinkles were not smoothed away by this stern expression, just like a dead tree Like the bark of the tree, it seems so irreversible and shocking.
This is the second time His Majesty the Emperor said these four words today. Between him and Fan Xian, there are too many complicated past events involved, enmity and grievances in this life, and differences in ideas, it's up to you to live and die. Even so, Emperor Qing admired his most accomplished son very much, but the more he admired, the angrier he became. In his entire life, he never wanted to die alone like this night.
Perhaps only when he found out that Chen Pingping had betrayed him, and had secretly betrayed him for many years, would he be as angry as he is now.
Emperor Qing had his own kingly way in his heart, and he rarely felt happy or angry, but once he fell into mortal feelings, he was actually just a mortal. He looked at the deep night palace with a complicated expression, thinking about the box that disappeared, and Fan Xian and Lao Wu who were rushing to the capital at this moment. Instead, his mood returned from the previous anger to absolute calm.
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At this moment, hurried footsteps came from the long corridor behind the soft couch. Eunuch Yao looked back angrily, but saw Eunuch Hong Zhu who had already returned to His Majesty's side of the imperial study, holding a lantern. , walked over with a happy face.
I don't know if it was because the night was too dark, but the pimples on Hong Zhu's face became less obvious. He knelt down beside His Majesty the Emperor, and said joyfully in a trembling voice, "Long Live Lord is overjoyed."