Synopsis and Starting Chapter Chapter 2: Story Time
Chapter 3: The Nameless Yellow Book
Chapter 4: Practice And Study
Chapter 5: The Nocturnal Visitor
Chapter 6: The Pillow
Chapter 7: The Guest
Chapter 8: The Cemetery
Chapter 9: Age Is Just A Number
Chapter 10: No Shame In Asking
Chapter 11: The Fifth Grandmaster?
Chapter 12: Overpowering Qi
Chapter 13: The Crude, Simple Explanation
Chapter 14: The Sea Salt Merchant
Chapter 15: Farewell For Now, Fei Jie
Chapter 16: A Letter From The Capital
Chapter 17: I Offer This Kitchen Knife To You
Chapter 18: Blood And Tears
Chapter 19: A Matter Of Dignity
Chapter 20: Standing At The Top
Chapter 21: Pain
Chapter 22: “The Poets”
Chapter 23: Maokouzi
Chapter 24: Assassin
Chapter 25: Tofu Like Jade
Chapter 26: The Old Man In The Blanket
Chapter 27: The Overwatch Council
Chapter 28: Nighttime Reading With A Beautiful Girl
Chapter 29: The Book Thief
Chapter 30: The Past
Chapter 31: The Singing Visitor
Chapter 32: Tipping The Boat
Chapter 33: Idle Years
Chapter 34: Zhu The Cool
Chapter 35: Memories Of A Rainy Night
Chapter 36: The Spring Of The 4Th Year
Chapter 37: To The Capital?
Chapter 38: Last Night
Chapter 39: Leaving Danzhou Harbor
Chapter 40: Approaching The Capital
Chapter 41: Entering Fan Manor
Chapter 42: Lady Liu
Chapter 43: Ruoruo’S Lessons
Chapter 44: Father And Son
Chapter 45: Palace Intrigues
Chapter 46: Old Friends In A Distant City
Chapter 47: The Treasured Red Book
Chapter 48: Street Literature
Chapter 49: In The Restaurant
Chapter 50: What Is Strength?
Chapter 51: Crown Prince Jing
Chapter 52: In The Carriage
Chapter 53: Alone
Chapter 54: Inside The Overwatch Council
Chapter 55: Candied Berries And The Temple Of Qing
Chapter 56: The Nobleman
Chapter 57: The Fluttering Heart
Chapter 58: It Was Her
Chapter 59: The Young Accountant
Chapter 60: A Brother-Sister Chat
Chapter 61: The Proposal
Chapter 62: Early Summer
Chapter 63: Simple Reasons
Chapter 64: Poetry
Chapter 65: The Prince’S Mansion
Chapter 66: Meeting Guo Baokun Again
Chapter 67: By The Lakeside
Chapter 68: The First Blow
Chapter 69: The Poetry Battle
Chapter 70: King Jing’S Declaration
Chapter 71: Si Lili
Chapter 72: Like An Orchid
Chapter 73: The Bag Of Pain
Chapter 74: The Lawsuit
Chapter 75: Courthouse Farce
Chapter 76: Dispute
Chapter 77: In The Palace
Chapter 78: The Slap
Chapter 79: The Wise Empress Dowager
Chapter 80: Searching For His Fiancée
Chapter 81: Entering The Hall
Chapter 82: Enter The Chamber
Chapter 83: Through The Window
Chapter 84: Time-Crossed Lovers
Chapter 85: Clan School
Chapter 86: Shopkeeper Ye Of Qingyu Hall
Chapter 87: Pillow Talk
Chapter 88: Can The Ant Climb The Tree?
Chapter 89: The Case Of The Young Killer On Niulan Street
Chapter 90: Investigation
Chapter 91: Fan Xian On The Move
Chapter 92: Wang Qinian’S Life
Chapter 93: Talking About The Capital Outside Cangzhou City
Chapter 94: The Functionary Wins The Queen Of Flowers
Chapter 95: Not Letting Flirting Interfere With Selling Books
Chapter 96: Danbo Bookstore
Chapter 97: The Official’S Suicide
Chapter 98: Torturing A Frail Woman In The Celestial Prison
Chapter 99: Sweet Words
Chapter 100: The Vineyard Collapses
Chapter 101: No Title
Chapter 102: Deception Before Emperor
Chapter 103: Breakthrough In The Puzzle
Chapter 104: That Woman
Chapter 105: The Arrival Of Summer
Chapter 106: The Country Estate
Chapter 107: Moonlight In The Mountains
Chapter 108: Paying Respect Across The River
Chapter 109: An Encounter Between Unacquainted Enemies
Chapter 110: Talking About The Future In Qingyu Hall
Chapter 111: Morning Roll Call At Taichang Temple
Chapter 112: Reaping The Whirlwind
Chapter 113: The Glorious Tradition Of Cheap Shots
Chapter 114: Coffin-Breaker Technique And Little Tricks
Chapter 115: Give Mountains, Give Rivers, Give Snuff Bottles
Chapter 116: Summer Vacation
Chapter 117: A Waft Of Cumin By The Lakeside
Chapter 118: A Tale Of Quarreling Fairies
Chapter 119: Finding A Plum Branch In Summer [1]
Chapter 120: The Crown Prince Rides
Chapter 121: Unlucky Despite The Promotion
Chapter 122: The Box, The Poison Needle, And The Killer
Chapter 123: The Emissaries From Northern Qi
Chapter 124: Unartistic Negotiation
Chapter 125: Old And Vicious Shaoqing Xin
Chapter 126: Sincerity In The East Palace
Chapter 127: There Isn’T A Single Trustworthy Person In The World
Chapter 128: That Chilly Royal Palace
Chapter 129: The Imperial Concubines
Chapter 130: My Hand Running Through Your Black Hair
Chapter 131: The Rush Back To The Manor
Chapter 132: Startling News Of Lord Yan In The North
Chapter 133: Agreement Beneath The Sewage
Chapter 134: Evening Feast
Chapter 135: Luminaries Of The Ages
Chapter 136: Intentions Of Entering The Palace While Drunk
Chapter 137: Eunuch Hong
Chapter 138: There Is A Key In Everyone’S Heart
Chapter 139: Guangxin Palace
Chapter 140: Who Is The Assassin?
Chapter 141: Secrets Of The Box (Part 1)
Chapter 142: Secrets Of The Box (2)
Chapter 143: Clarity After Autumn Rain
Chapter 144: Leaflets Like Snow
Chapter 145: Doing The Math
Chapter 146: Poetry Anthologies And Speeches
Chapter 147: The Grand Wedding (I)
Chapter 148: The Grand Wedding (Ii)
Chapter 149: Gifts (Part 1)
Chapter 150: Gifts (Part 2)
Chapter 151: Chapter 45
Chapter 152: Chapter 46
Chapter 153: Chapter 47
Chapter 154: Chapter 48-49
Chapter 155: Court Discussions (Part 1)
Chapter 156: Court Discussions (Part 2)
Chapter 157: Chapter 3
Chapter 158: Back To The Capital
Chapter 159: The Second Prince
Chapter 160: The Riverside Makes One Weary
Chapter 161: Examination
Chapter 162: Being An Examiner Is Really An Interesting Job
Chapter 163: Spring Wind And Rain Enters The Imperial Exams [1]
Chapter 164: You’Re Confused, I’M Confused… Everybody’S Confused [1]
Chapter 165: A Clap Of Thunder
Chapter 166: Cheating At The Exam Hall
Chapter 167: A Visitor In The Rain (Part 1)
Chapter 168: A Visitor In The Rain (Part 2)
Chapter 169: A Brilliant Day
Chapter 170: A Royal Proclamation
Chapter 171: The Powerful Minister Takes To The Road
Chapter 172: The Counterattack Of The Capital Officials
Chapter 173: Debate
Chapter 174: Chaos In The Ministry Of Justice
Chapter 175: Commissioner! Commissioner!
Chapter 176: The First Visit To The Manor
Chapter 177: The Real Overwatch Council
Chapter 178: A Shadow In The Mortal World
Chapter 179: Small Flower
Chapter 180: Chilling Equipment
Chapter 181: Blasphemy
Chapter 182: Night
Chapter 183: Xiao En Leaves Prison
Chapter 184: Outside The Capital
Chapter 185: An Artless Poisoning
Chapter 186: Romance In The Carriage
Chapter 187: Operation White Sleeve
Chapter 188: Learning From Xiao En
Chapter 189: Silent Killings In The Capital
Chapter 190: A Blade In An Oil-Paper Umbrella
Chapter 191: White Birds On The Lake, People On His Mind
Chapter 192: Si Lili’S Secret
Chapter 193: Eldest Princess’S Vision
Chapter 194: Uncaged
Chapter 195: Open The Door; Release The Dogs
Chapter 196: You Die, I Live
Chapter 197: Startling Developments In The Meadow
Chapter 198: Haitang Duoduo
Chapter 199: Shamelessness Against Virtue
Chapter 200: Untitled
Chapter 201: Haitang’S Lust
Chapter 202: Prelude To Psychological Warfare
Chapter 203: In A Word, Heart
Chapter 204: Wuduhe
Chapter 205: By The Roadside
Chapter 206: Arriving In Shangjing
Chapter 207: Thick Night On Mottled City Walls
Chapter 208: The Envoy Enters The Palace
Chapter 209: Chatting With The Emperor
Chapter 210: There Are A Lot Of Talented People Named Fan
Chapter 211: A Country Girl Indeed!
Chapter 212: To And Fro
Chapter 213: The Fighting Envoy
Chapter 214: Tan Wu Is Not A Literary Man
Chapter 215: The Old Shop On Xiushui Street
Chapter 216: Developments In The Imperial Business
Chapter 217: Chang Ninghou’S Mansion
Chapter 218: Do You Want To Get Rich?
Chapter 219: What’S It Got To Do With Minister Fan?
Chapter 220: Seeing Yan Bingyun For The First Time
Chapter 221: Ripping The White Robe
Chapter 222: The Idealists
Chapter 223: Meeting Shen Zhong In The Rain
Chapter 224: Young Yan Is Freed
Chapter 225: Things Aren’T As You Imagined
Chapter 226: The Plot
Chapter 227: A Real Man Loves His Children
Chapter 228: Killing In The Alley
Chapter 229: Shangjing’S Secret Agents
Chapter 230: Happy News
Chapter 231: Ruoruo Is Getting Married!
Chapter 232: The More The Merrier
Chapter 233: Overlooking The Prison Break
Chapter 234: Ambush
Chapter 235: Failure
Chapter 236: Fan Xian Follows
Chapter 237: Damp Firewood And Cheap Shots
Chapter 238: Fan Xian Jumps Off The Cliff
Chapter 239: Traveler Of This World
Chapter 240: The Temple Of Eternal Night
Chapter 241: The Little Girl Escapes The Temple
Chapter 242: Today’S Chapter Is Untitled
Chapter 243: Close Your Eyes And Be At Peace
Chapter 244: Why Have You Gone So Pale Once Again?
Chapter 245: Why Are You Coming, Xianxian?
Chapter 246: Get Thee To A Nunnery
Chapter 247: Farming, Drinking, Chatting, And Deciding The Future
Chapter 248: This World, This Woman!
Chapter 249: Fighting And Play-Fighting In The Palace Contest
Chapter 250: Look Up, Look Down And Then Laugh
Chapter 251: Even The Emperor Gossips
Chapter 252: Carry On The Torch
Chapter 253: The Long Pavilion, The Ancient Road, Tossing The Handkerchief
Chapter 254: Autumn Harvest
Chapter 255: Fighting For Passage
Chapter 256: Family Business
Chapter 257: In A Hurry
Chapter 258: Absurdities In The Rear House
Chapter 259: The Ninth Month
Chapter 260: Sky Above The Carriage, Bean Sprouts In The Palace
Chapter 261: Leaving The Palace To Be Lords
Chapter 262: The Lone Bureau
Chapter 263: A Youngster In The Bureau
Chapter 264: Rectification!
Chapter 265: Xinfeng Restaurant
Chapter 266: She Showed Self-Respect, You Became A Pervert
Chapter 267: Eunuch Dai’S Wise Decision
Chapter 268: Interlude Of Black And White
Chapter 269: A Saint?
Chapter 270: The Memorial In The Palace Storm
Chapter 271: An Zhi
Chapter 272: Confrontation In Front Of The Palace
Chapter 273: Courtroom Debate
Chapter 274: The Lashings
Chapter 275: The Bright Fist In The Dark
Chapter 276: The Youths Inside And Outside The Palace
Chapter 277: King Jing’S Birthday Feast
Chapter 278: Is It Worth Studying Abroad?
Chapter 279: Do You Want A Newly Embroidered Handkerchief?
Chapter 280: Bao Yue House
Chapter 281: Sang Wen
Chapter 282: Fan Strikes
Chapter 283: Ruthless Fighting
Chapter 284: Blocking The Street
Chapter 285: The Mantis Blocks The Road
Chapter 286: There Is Concern
Chapter 287: Heroes Start Young
Chapter 288: Follow Me Home
Chapter 289: Shutting Down
Chapter 290: Brother
Chapter 291: Family Discipline
Chapter 292: The Old Fan And The Young Fan
Chapter 293: Exile
Chapter 294: Drawn Together
Chapter 295: The Night Outside The Capital
Chapter 296: Repossession
Chapter 297: Prostitutes, Pedestrians And A Downpour Assassination
Chapter 298: The Greetings Outside The Capital Government Office
Chapter 299: There Is Nothing Wrong With Watching Leaves Fall
Chapter 300: Medicine
Chapter 301: There Is A Swing On This Side Of The Wall, And There Is A Street On The Other
Chapter 302: Chen'S Garden Has Guests
Chapter 303: Autumn Woods, Secrets, And Consequences
Chapter 304: Chrysanthemum, Ancient Swords And Alcohol
Chapter 305: Chrysanthemum, Ancient Swords And Alcohol (2)
Chapter 306: Dagger, Seeing The Dagger Again
Chapter 307: The Injured In The Palace
Chapter 308: The Candlelight Surgery
Chapter 309: The Patient In The Plum Garden
Chapter 310: A Bolt From The Blue
Chapter 311: The Eldest Prince Has Come To Visit
Chapter 312: Reward And Conversation
Chapter 313: Love Letter
Chapter 314: A Garden Tour With Unease (1)
Chapter 315: A Garden Tour With Unease(2)
Chapter 316: A Garden Tour With Unease (3)
Chapter 317: The Snow Of Shangjing City
Chapter 318: Great Grandmasters, Black Market, Riddles
Chapter 319: Who Could Kill Commissioner Fan?
Chapter 320: Mountain Living Notes
Chapter 321: The Best Time
Chapter 322: Knowing The Mother Is Better Than Knowing The Father
Chapter 323: The Qing People’S Collective Memory Of The Ye Family
Chapter 324: Even If You Guess The Flower, That Is That
Chapter 325: The Cloth-Clothed Grandmaster Battle
Chapter 326: The Fan Manor’S Changes
Chapter 327: Secret Movements In A Little Tower In The Palace
Chapter 328: All Exists
Chapter 329: Wishing You Meteoric Success
Chapter 330: Disturbance Before Leaving (Part 1)
Chapter 331: Disturbance Before Leaving (2)
Chapter 332: Bandits Came When Anchored At Yingzhou
Chapter 333: The Qing Kingdom’S Largest Bandit Ship
Chapter 334: A Situation
Chapter 335: You’Ve Been Surrounded
Chapter 336: What Should I Use To Worship You?
Chapter 337: Pledging Loyalty And Fan Xian’S Facade And Shadow
Chapter 338: A River Of Silver And Busy Receiving Gifts
Chapter 339: Loushang Tower, People Beyond People
Chapter 340: The Girl Selling Flowers And The Shameless Official
Chapter 341: Coincidental Classmates In Youth
Chapter 342: An Auspicious Sign From The Heavens
Chapter 343: Pick Up The Bowl To Drink Congee, Put Down Chopsticks To Curse
Chapter 344: Dragon Rise[Jw1]
Chapter 345: The Money House And The Brothel
Chapter 346: The Way A Gentleman Obtains Wealth
Chapter 347: Arriving At Shunde
Chapter 348: Very Tyrannical, Unable To Tolerate Trouble
Chapter 349: Palace Treasury Strike
Chapter 350: Why Was The Imperial Envoy Angry?
Chapter 351: Old Shopkeeper
Chapter 352: A Whetstone With An Independent Consciousness
Chapter 353: Some Things Can Be Done But Not Said
Chapter 354: Road Of Spring
Chapter 355: Borrowing Your Hand To Hold The Northern Qi Emperor’S Hand
Chapter 356: The Pebble In The Eye Of The Ming Family
Chapter 357: Choking The Throat Of Life
Chapter 358: Washing The Island
Chapter 359: Mother And Son Of The Ming Family
Chapter 360: A Good Man With His Body In Suzhou And His Heart On All Under Heaven
Chapter 361: The Door Of The Palace Treasury
Chapter 362: The Bandits Of Room B4
Chapter 363: Big Brother, Long Time No See
Chapter 364: A Slight Change
Chapter 365: Raising A Finger
Chapter 366: Heavenly Woman Scattering Flowers
Chapter 367: Heaven Knows Not Because Of The Chime Of Drums
Chapter 368: Pride Was Not As Heavy As Gold
Chapter 369: The Bright Moon Is Not For Those Who Walk The Night
Chapter 370: Xia Mingji
Chapter 371: Torture Chamber And Will
Chapter 372: The Family Property Lawsuit
Chapter 373: The Incomparably Harmonious Piece Of Paper
Chapter 374: Xinfeng Restaurant’S Buns, Prince, And The Lawyer In Court
Chapter 375: The Night Of The Building Opening And Murder
Chapter 376: Killing Yuan Jingmeng To Swap Blood
Chapter 377: Fishing
Chapter 378: Behind The Ming Family’S Tragedy
Chapter 379: Whose Navy?
Chapter 380: Unwilling To Let Go
Chapter 381: The Palace And The Court
Chapter 382: Poaching Talent In Court
Chapter 383: The Matter Of The Ministry Of Revenue (1)
Chapter 384: The Matter Of The Ministry Of Revenue (2)
Chapter 385: The Investigation And The Artist’S Work (1)
Chapter 386: Fan Jian’S Sword
Chapter 387: Picking Up A Giant Snowball
Chapter 388: With Reason And Heavenly Might
Chapter 389: The Capital Deep In Spring
Chapter 390: Spring Union
Chapter 391: Bright And Cheerful Scenery
Chapter 392: Rising Climax
Chapter 393: Who Was Not Surprised?
Chapter 394: Black Mud Beneath The White Frost In The City
Chapter 395: I Watch The People’S Hearts From Above
Chapter 396: You Make Trouble Outside The Garden, I Laugh Inside The Garden
Chapter 397: A Strange Guest To Suzhou
Chapter 398: You Dare To Kill Me?
Chapter 399: One Strike To Topple The Building
Chapter 400: Hua Garden’S Brainstorm
Chapter 401: These Months
Chapter 402: Blankets Protected The Common People Under Heaven
Chapter 403: The Gathering Of Abandoned Children
Chapter 404: The Sword And The Edict
Chapter 405: This Matter Does Not Concern Romance
Chapter 406: Childishness
Chapter 407: The Same Sky
Chapter 408: Wuzhou Uncle
Chapter 409: Negotiations With Wife’S Family
Chapter 410: Father-In-Law Laughing Talks About The Junshang Conference
Chapter 411: Leaving The Mountain
Chapter 412: Entering The City
Chapter 413: Someone Is Having A Feast In Jiaozhou
Chapter 414: Someone Is Doing An Assassination In The Bathroom
Chapter 415: Charging Into The Manor Again
Chapter 416: A Play Inside The Admiral’S Manor
Chapter 417: Announcing Verbal Orders In The Study
Chapter 418: A Night Of Drugging People But Not Killing Them
Chapter 419: Who Is Whose Man?
Chapter 420: I Came From Faraway To Make Our Appointment
Chapter 421: Entering The Sheep Herd
Chapter 422: The Sea Breeze That Brought A Stench Of Blood
Chapter 423: Great Things To Be Done
Chapter 424: Officials Have Heart
Chapter 425: The Son Of Heaven Has A Sickness
Chapter 426: A Letter On The Sea Breeze
Chapter 427: Return Home With Honor (1)
Chapter 428: Return Home With Honor (2)
Chapter 429: Grandson, Sister-In-Law, Husband And Wife, Ah…
Chapter 430: Mercy And Deep Running Still Waters[Jw1] Are A Pair
Chapter 431: There Is No Tofu In Danzhou Today
Chapter 432: Only Talking About Relatives
Chapter 433: The Few Days Before Leaving Danzhou
Chapter 434: Snowy Night Meets Green Banner
Chapter 435: Thirteenth Wang
Chapter 436: There Is Snow In The Valley
Chapter 437: White Snow, Red Woods, Black Hair
Chapter 438: Jingdou, I Trust You Have Been Well Since We Last Met?
Chapter 439: In Front Of The Bureau Of Military Affairs, A Great Head
Chapter 440: From Where Is The Report From?
Chapter 441: The Old Grandfather Who Planted Pak Choi
Chapter 442: Who Can Resist?
Chapter 443: There Are Dogs Under Heaven, Who Will Chase Them Away?
Chapter 444: When One Is In A Temple, One Has No Choice
Chapter 445: Old Wheelchair, New Wheelchair
Chapter 446: Three People, Three Thoughts
Chapter 447: Person In Picture, Sound Outside Picture
Chapter 448: Big Brother, Don’T Scold Second Brother
Chapter 449: My People, Their People
Chapter 450: There Is Snow Outside The Building And Thoughts To The North
Chapter 451: Washing Your Hands To Make Soup
Chapter 452: Intentions As Before
Chapter 453: Remembering The Past In The Royal Study
Chapter 454: Brothers Smile In Front Of Baoyue Brothel
Chapter 455: Discussing History At The Feast At Hongmen [Jw1] (1)
Chapter 456: Discussing History At The Feast At Hongmen (2)
Chapter 457: Discussing History At The Feast At Hongmen (3)
Chapter 458: Discussing History At The Feast At Hongmen (4)
Chapter 459: Fog
Chapter 460: The Snowflakes And Bean Curds Before The Dawn
Chapter 461: The Great Court Conference
Chapter 462: Duke Of Danbo
Chapter 463: There Are Enemies Under Heaven
Chapter 464: Not Your Goddamn Business
Chapter 465: Returning To The Ancestors
Chapter 466: No Ambiguity Between Ruler And Official
Chapter 467: Remember The Past, When You Were Young
Chapter 468: The Small One Is In The Shoe
Chapter 469: Those Stupid Matters…In The Palace
Chapter 470: Seeing The Eldest Princess Again
Chapter 471: Loneliness In The Palace At Night
Chapter 472: Oh, Tears
Chapter 473: Where Are The Roots Of The Straw?
Chapter 474: Everything Has Order
Chapter 475: Unexpected But Attained
Chapter 476: Breaking The Ice Like Jade
Chapter 477: The Unconventional In The Royal Family
Chapter 478: The Fragrance Could Not Endure
Chapter 479: I Know What You Did Last Summer
Chapter 480: Eunuchs Can Also Change The World
Chapter 481: The Origins Of Fan San Bao
Chapter 482: As Parents
Chapter 483: The Third Generation
Chapter 484: Attitude Determines Everything
Chapter 485: Zhaoshang Money House
Chapter 486: The Death Of A Palace Serving Girl
Chapter 487: Who Could Obstruct A Large Escorted Stone-Carrying Carriage?
Chapter 488: This Is A Conspiracy
Chapter 489: The Major Figures
Chapter 490: Laughter In The Ming Garden
Chapter 491: Mountain Wolf Amongst The Descendants (1)
Chapter 492: Mountain Wolf Amongst Descendants (2)
Chapter 493 - The Three Nights In The Palace
Chapter 494 - Half An Hour
Chapter 495 - Blood And Yellow Earth In The Royal Palace
Chapter 496 - Thunderstorm (1)
Chapter 497 - Thunderstorm (2)
Chapter 498 - I [Jw1]
Chapter 499 - Imprison
Chapter 500 - Flow
Chapter 501 - Sigh
Chapter 502 - Pit
Chapter 503 - A New Generation Of Strange Little Creatures
Chapter 504: The Young Lady Of The Fan Manor In The Forest And Letters
Chapter 505 - If You Support Me
Chapter 506 - When All Was Done
Chapter 507 - The More Silence, The More Joy
Chapter 508 - Tea, Liquor, Paper, Big Picture
Chapter 509 - Absurd Words
Chapter 510 - Miserable Tears
Chapter 511 - A Lowly Monarch (1)
Chapter 512 - A Lowly Monarch (2)
Chapter 513 - The Monarch Arrives In The East Sea
Chapter 514 - Waves Growing From The Precipice
Chapter 515 - White Clouds Rise From Tall Mountains
Chapter 516 - People In The Temple
Chapter 517 - Words From The Heart
Chapter 518
Chapter 519 - Longbows Seal The Mountain At Night
Chapter 520 - Covering The Moon
Chapter 521 - Seeking Shelter In The Raging Sea
Chapter 522 - The Heart On The Ship
Chapter 523 - Chase (1)
Chapter 524 - Chase (2)
Chapter 525 - Chase (3)
Chapter 526 - A Breathtaking Shot
Chapter 527 - The Sad Little Arrow
Chapter 528 - The Great Grandmaster
Chapter 529 - The Mortal World
Chapter 530 - Meeting At Dong Mountain
Chapter 531 - A Great Journey
Chapter 532 - The Song Of Jingdou’S Cicadas
Chapter 533
Chapter 534 - The Beginnings Of Autumn
Chapter 535 - Please Lend Sir Your Moral Character
Chapter 536 - The Sound Of Sorrow
Chapter 537 - He Has Actually Always Been Here
Chapter 538 - Secret Meeting In Yangcong Alley
Chapter 539 - Who Could Live A Simple Life?
Chapter 540 - A Child Jumped Over The Wall
Chapter 541 - Whose Manor Is It?
Chapter 542 - The Sword Is Never Shown When Killing
Chapter 543 - Drawing The Dagger In His Shoe For The First Time
Chapter 544 - That Night
Chapter 545
Chapter 546 - Courage Because Of Determination
Chapter 547 - Sounds Of Killing Inside And Outside The Royal Palace
Chapter 548 - Counting Arrows
Chapter 549 - Affectionate Eunuch, Merciless Arrow
Chapter 550 - Vicious (1)
Chapter 551 - Vicious (2)
Chapter 552
Chapter 553 - Giving Him A Taste Of His Own Medicine
Chapter 554 - The Attack In Front Of Zhengyang Gate
Chapter 555 - Glory
Chapter 556 - Stealing The Banner, Stealing Power, Stealing Heart
Chapter 557 - Placing Three Idols On The Palace Walls
Chapter 558 - No Peace While Sitting In The City
Chapter 559 - Who Formed The Monarch’S Heart In A Sea Of Fire?
Chapter 560 - Using The Black Knights As A Prologue
Chapter 561 - Jing Ge Assassinates Qin
Chapter 562 - Killing Qin
Chapter 563 - The Spy Of An Instant
Chapter 564 - Dingzhou Army’S Order
Chapter 565 - Taiping Courtyard
Chapter 566
Chapter 567
Chapter 568 - The Way Of The Emperor
Chapter 569
Chapter 570 - The Consequences Of Dong Mountain
Chapter 571
Chapter 572 - Blue And White Words
Chapter 573 - A Dignified Life And Death
Chapter 574 - An Old Ginger Gradually Fading
Chapter 575 - An Angry Grape
Chapter 576 - The Watcher In The Maize
Chapter 577 - The Second Half Of The Scroll Of The Father And Son
Chapter 578 - Hearing The Bell Clearly
Chapter 579 - A Hundred Years Of Solitude
Chapter 580 - You Are The Apple Of My Eye
Chapter 581 - In And Out, Gradually Gentling
Chapter 582 - The Emperor’S Intentions
Chapter 583 - Sending Off A Comrade
Chapter 584 - Can’T Be Covered By Qing Mountain
Chapter 585 - Our Unsatisfactory Winter
Chapter 586 - Court Case In Passing Time
Chapter 587 - Hu Ge In Dingzhou
Chapter 588 - The General’S Manor
Chapter 589 - Strong Liquor And Warm Intestines
Chapter 590 - Broken Knife
Chapter 591 - An Old Friend In The Frontier City
Chapter 592 - The Young Man From The King’S Camp
Chapter 593 - Chief
Chapter 594 - Two Years
Chapter 595 - The Haitang Flower By The Lakeside
Chapter 596 - Three Days
Chapter 597 - After The Battle Of The Hearts
Chapter 598 - Autumn Grasslands, Rising Sun, Black Knights
Chapter 599 - Return
Chapter 600 - Outside The Window
Chapter 601 - See Through All The Scenery
Chapter 602 - The Gazes On The City Gate Watch The Return To The Capital
Chapter 603 - Old Events By The City Gate But Not The People Of Old
Chapter 604 - Young Lady Of The Wang Family
Chapter 605 - To Accept Or Not Accept, This Is Not A Question
Chapter 606 - Schemes
Chapter 607 - The Thunder Of Heaven And Fan Xian’S Lost Tablet
Chapter 608 - The Same Moonligh
Chapter 609 - What Are The Intentions Of The Doctor?
Chapter 610 - Singing At Night
Chapter 611 - The Ditch Between Two Departments
Chapter 612 - The East Wind Blows
Chapter 613 - The Show Until Winter
Chapter 614 - I’Ll Go When The Spring Comes
Chapter 615 - The Same Road
Chapter 616 - Cutting Plums At Leisure
Chapter 617 - Shadows Follow By My Side
Chapter 618 - Reunions Can Happen Anywhere In Life
Chapter 619
Chapter 620 - Breaking The Willow, Entering The Hut
Chapter 621 - Guests In The Hut
Chapter 622 - The Secret In The Dusk
Chapter 623 - True Joy In Front Of A Palace
Chapter 624 - Each Emperor Has His Own Officials
Chapter 625 - Brushing Hair
Chapter 626 - The Pit In The Sword Hut
Chapter 627 - Old Man
Chapter 628 - A Large Tree
Chapter 629 - In A Flash
Chapter 630 - If Three Walk Together
Chapter 631 - Drawing Four Swords, Considering A Vacant Heart
Chapter 632 - Only Saints Should Use Them
Chapter 633 - Poisoned
Chapter 634 - We Are All Seas Of Different Colors
Chapter 635 - The Waves Retreating
Chapter 636 - The Waves Retreating
Chapter 637 - Returning To The Capital To Beg For A Position
Chapter 638 - Discussing Marriage, Discussing Merit
Chapter 639 - Taking The Courtyard, Seizing Power
Chapter 640 - Growing Up Overnight
Chapter 641 - Thinking Bitterly By The Courtyard
Chapter 642 - Graves
Chapter 643 - Separate Challenges
Chapter 644 - To Know The Situation From A Cup Of Light Tea
Chapter 645 - Fake Impetuousness During The Banquet
Chapter 646 - The Black Umbrella In The Imperial Academy And The Light On The Nose Bridge明
Chapter 647 - Chaos In Spring Garden
Chapter 648 - An Opening
Chapter 649 - Making A Mistake
Chapter 650 - Fish Guts
Chapter 651 - Farmer, Country Estate, Some Fields
Chapter 652 - Ten Family Village
Chapter 653 - The Way Of Heaven
Chapter 654 - The Starlight Spilling Into The World
Chapter 655 - Willpower Was The Way Of The Emperor
Chapter 656 - Temple, Ant, Notebook
Chapter 657 - Covered In Rain, I Came From The Sea (1)
Chapter 658 - Covered In Rain, I Came From The Sea (2)
Chapter 659 - Covered In Rain, I Came From The Sea (3)
Chapter 660 - One Object In The Air, The Swords In One Hand
Chapter 661 - The Money Markets Of The World Must Be Killed!
Chapter 662 - Opening The Hut
Chapter 663 - One Should Do As One Thinks
Chapter 664 - A Simple Conquering
Chapter 665 - Desire To Quell A Rebellion
Chapter 666 - The Return Road Is Bloody
Chapter 667 - Rising Wind
Chapter 668 - Wife
Chapter 669 - Everyone Came From Jingdou
Chapter 670 - Risking It All
Chapter 671 - A Match Made In Heaven
Chapter 672 - I Want That Old Dog To Live
Chapter 673 - Gentlemen, Friend, Escape
Chapter 674 - The Wheelchair In The Night Wind
Chapter 675 - The Beginning Of A Battle Between Two People
Chapter 676 - A Carriage Enters The City Alone
Chapter 677 - : Decades Of Past Events And Anger
Chapter 678 - So What?
Chapter 679 - Investigating Heaven And Earth Without Retreat
Chapter 680 - Chen Pingping’S Revenge
Chapter 681 - Bamboo Flowering Inside The Royal Study
Chapter 682 - A Finger Pointed To The Overwatch Council’S Subjugation
Chapter 683 - Chaos In Jingdou, Swaying Red Candle
Chapter 684 - Looking And Laughing At Heroes Was Not Common (1)
Chapter 685 - Looking And Laughing At Heroes Was Not Common (2)
Chapter 686 - Looking And Laughing At Heroes Was Not Common (3)
Chapter 687 - Sending Off Chen Pingping In The Rain
Chapter 688 - Untitled Again
Chapter 689 - Unwilling To Wake From A Long Sleep In Fan Manor
Chapter 690 - Snowy Mountain In Dreams, Bloody Water In Basin
Chapter 691 - Washing One’S Hands Of An Official
Chapter 692 - Seven Days
Chapter 693 - The Members Of The Qinian Unit Embark On Their Own Paths
Chapter 694 - Rain At The Qing Temple
Chapter 695 - Name Of The Temple, Shadow Of The Person
Chapter 696 - Prepared
Chapter 697 - The Young Lady Of The Fan Family In The Palace
Chapter 698 - Could There Be Peace When Ruler And Official Meet?
Chapter 699 - Yes, Your Majesty
Chapter 700 - A Small Gift
Chapter 701 - Look, It’S Beautiful Up There
Chapter 702 - Jingdou’S Man Of Leisure
Chapter 703 - Variables In The North
Chapter 704 - Winter Arrives Again
Chapter 705 - A Sorrowful Song Of Defeat In Western Hu
Chapter 706 - Pacifying Xiliang
Chapter 707 - Chaos In Jiangnan
Chapter 708 - Blood In The Capital And Jiangnan
Chapter 709 - Who Is Killing In Jingdou
Chapter 710 - Heartbreak In Front Of The Hall
Chapter 711 - A Commoner Facing The Emperor Alone (1)
Chapter 712 - A Commoner Facing The Emperor Alone (2)
Chapter 713 - A Commoner Facing The Emperor Alone (3)
Chapter 714 - A Commoner Facing The Emperor Alone (4)
Chapter 715 - A Commoner Facing The Emperor Alone (5)
Chapter 716 - There Are Snowy Swords And Frost At Cang Mountain (1)
Chapter 717 - There Are Snowy Swords And Frost At Cang Mountain (2) In The Space Of A Flick Of The Fingers [Jw1]
Chapter 718 - There Are Snowy Swords And Frost At Cang Mountain (3)
Chapter 719 - There Are Snowy Swords And Frost At Cang Mountain (4)
Chapter 720 - Rock Garden
Chapter 721 - One’S Heart Faces The North
Chapter 722 - On A Journey
Chapter 723 - Sudden Chaos In The Snow
Chapter 724 - A Night Of Northern Wind
Chapter 725 - There Once Was A Mountain
Chapter 726 - There Is A Temple In The Mountain
Chapter 727 - Someone In The Temple (1)
Chapter 728: Someone In The Temple (2)
Chapter 729: Someone In The Temple (3)
Chapter 730: That Person Told A Story
Chapter 731: Scene Of Radiation And Legend
Chapter 732: The Loneliness Of One Person
Chapter 733: The Name Of The Most Powerful Person
Chapter 734: No Lake That A Garden Shall Not Reclaim (1)
Chapter 735: No Lake That A Garden Shall Not Reclaim (2)
Chapter 736: Dusk
Chapter 737: Wither
Chapter 738: Noon (1)
Chapter 739: Noon (2)
Chapter 740: Glass Flower
Chapter 741: A Rainy Day In Front Of The Royal Palace
Chapter 742: Walking In Front Of The Palace, Who Will Die?
Chapter 743: The Rainbow In The 12Th Year Of The Qing Calendar (1)
Chapter 744: The Rainbow In The 12Th Year Of The Qing Calendar (2)
Chapter 745: The Rainbow In The 12Th Year Of The Qing Calendar (3)
Chapter 746: Afterward
Categories Genre: Action, Adventure, All, Completed, Fantasy, Harem, Martial Arts, Romance, Xianxia Status: Completed ______
Total Chapters in book: 746
Estimated words: 2481802 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 12409(@200wpm)___ 9927(@250wpm)___ 8273(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 2481802 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 12409(@200wpm)___ 9927(@250wpm)___ 8273(@300wpm)
______
LIST OF LAST 10 CHAPTERS:
Page No. 746 Page No. 745 Page No. 744 Page No. 743 Page No. 742 Page No. 741 Page No. 740 Page No. 739 Page No. 738 Page No. 737 Page No. 736 Chapter 269: A Saint?
Chapter 269: A Saint?
Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio
Returning to the residence, Ye Ling'er and Princess Rou Jia went back as well. Fan Xian returned to his own room and requested that Si Qi brew him some tea. The maid was very much like Si Si, for in the autumn, she frequently complained. Now, alone with his wife, Fan Xian asked, "Has there been any movement in the palace lately?"
Lin Wan’er sat next to the window, illuminated in the pane-borne light, continuing to stitch. As she heard him talk, she felt odd. She raised her head to speak. "What’s going on?"
The sun was setting and the light of dusk did not provide the brightness best suited for her stitching. As Fan Xian watched her eyes tighten, he walked forward and rubbed the space between her eyebrows, saying, "The light is no good here. Why do you continue with your stitchwork?"
Wan’er’s face was a little pale, which was most likely due to her lack of rest the previous night. She laughed and looked down, attempting to conceal the item she had been stitching. She told Fan Xian, "I will let you see it once I am done."
Fan Xian looked upon his wife’s weakened face and her long lashes. Doing so, he could not help but feel sorry. Ever since he had left the capital, in the spring, the care and attention he had given to wife had lessened and waned. That was not to suggest his love for her had receded, however. Fan Xian had yet to take a second wife, and due to the trouble and political intrigue he could never seem to take a break from, the ability to spend time with his family had suffered.
Lin Wan’er recalled what Fan Xian had asked, and so she responded, "The palace has been quiet. There has been nothing of too great a concern; why do you ask?"
With a wry smile, Fan Xian said, "Your cruel uncle has put me in control of the First Bureau. My placement there has offended a great deal of officers. The masters of many of the officers reside in the palace, so it is only natural for me to be concerned."
Lin Wan’er’s identity was quite unique. The Empress Dowager took great interest in her well-being, and the Emperor made sure to look over her when he could. The position and regard she held in the palace was higher than Fan Xian assumed. The Emperor did not bear a daughter and it was because of this that the Qing Kingdom did not have a true princess. But despite this, she was almost treated as one.
She thought about it and smiled. She reaffirmed Fan Xian by saying, "Do not bring your own mind unease. The Emperor is fond of you. Even the ladies of the palace only have kind words when they speak of you."
Fan Xian smiled and said, "The Emperor? I have only seen him a few times; what makes you believe that he is indeed fond of me? If you told me that the Emperor liked you, then I would have no trouble believing it; I feel that the extent of his warmth toward me merely extends to a cordial knowing, and acknowledgment of my marriage to you."
Lin Wan’er’s eyes gleamed with the spark of love, and she quietly spoke to Fan Xian. "You are always like this…" After a brief pause, she continued to say, "Lady Shu frequently compliments you these days. And Lady yi… you know, we are relatives. She has many nice things to say about you, also. It is just the Empress who is as quiet as usual. As for his other wives, they do not even have the privilege to speak, so there is nothing I can tell you about their thoughts or feelings."
Fan Xian believed his wife. He knew that even if he were to assume total control of the Overwatch Council in the future, the palace was one place that he could not direct. But Wan’er had unknowingly proven to him to be his most reliable spy and fly-on-the-wall there. The reason Imperial Consort Shu spoke kindly of him was because Fan Xian had done her a favor, but still… words were cheap.
"What did Lady Ning say?" Fan Xian asked with a stroke of curiosity. "When I fought for passage with the crown prince; the news about that should have reached the palace by now."
Lin Wan’er brought her hand to cover her mouth and laughed. She told him, "Auntie Ning would not care. She always liked me the most, saying that you and the crown prince were little more than two idiots throwing a fit at each other. She said she would happily have you both lashed fifty times!"
Fan Xian feigned a fright and said, "Oh, no! The punishment of the palace is far too cruel, you’ll have to do your best to appease their wrath and tell them how great I am!"
Lin Wan’er could not be bothered to join in with his gag, and so she said, "You have always enjoyed offending others. You cannot always ask me to clean up after you." She took the cloth that she had been stitching and, with a laugh, told Fan Xian, "Do you have any more to ask of me? If not, then you can leave. You should not interrupt me while I am busy in the middle of something."
Fan Xian pulled back the hand he had extended in preparation of grabbing hers and said, "I have no idea what you are doing that is so important." Getting ready to leave, he then recalled one other name he had forgotten to inquire about. He asked, "Did you see the Empress Dowager?"
Lin Wan’er’s hand stopped, and she raised her head. The light of her eyes had dimmed somewhat, and she mournfully said, "I saw her, but she did not say anything."
The Empress Dowager had forever lived in the palace. She was actually the real leader of the palace. That which was strangest was the fact that on each occasion Fan Xian had entered the palace, he had not yet been given the opportunity to meet her. When Fan Xian entered the palace alongside Lin Wan’er the previous time, the Empress Dowager had a message sent, saying she was too sick and could not see them. But it seemed that whenever Wan’er entered the palace alone, the Empress Dowager was always happy and willing to see her. The Empress Dowager would hug her and tell her how much she adored her. It was fairly obvious by this point that the Empress Dowager was simply avoiding Fan Xian, and this brought Wan’er a heavy heart and muddled thoughts.
Fan Xian coldly laughed inside. He knew what the Empress Dowager was guessing, but he wasn’t afraid of this.
Lin Wan’er looked him in the eyes and sighed. She said, "Linger told me today about the last time she entered the palace. My love, I know that your work has proven strenuous, but you are yet to discover who you are. To me, it seems as if you are using her, but you are merely too afraid to owe her a favor. What you told me last night was scary. The second prince may look like a nice person on the surface, but he is as stubborn as a mule on the inside. If you have to investigate him, I can only suspect that something will go wrong in your doubts of him."
Fan Xian looked at his wife, who was visibly worried, and smiled to reaffirm her. He told Wan’er, "I did not expect that you were the one who gave the second prince his nickname of 'the stone', when you were young."
"He may seem fairly lax, but it is little more than a facade; never would he divert from his own route or concede a matter at the behest of others." Wan’er spoke these words with a look of anguish.
Fan Xian believed that for being in a relationship, honesty was paramount. After his rebirth, if he could not trust or place faith in the person he was to sleep with each night, it would be the recipe for an unhappy existence. This was why he did not hide the fact that he was investigating the second prince. Taking further note of Wan’er’s growing apprehension, he approached to comfort her. He told her, "I am just trying to help the second prince. To see what has occurred now, the officers are confused; they don't understand why the Emperor wants to keep the crown prince. If no one were to stay the prince’s ascent now, then it would only become more of a challenge to come back down."
Wan’er smiled. Without wanting to continue the conversation, she said, "I fear that I truly do not know how your heart works. You perceive things differently from others, and in more complex ways. Your mind is… crooked."
"My mind is crooked?" Fan Xian almost spoke out loud, but he knew the reality of it was that he was good at acting. He knew however, that the only thing he could truly rely on was his gentle veneer and sub-surface cruelty. With a prolonged stare toward his wife, he said, "Yet I am nothing compared to you, the master strategist, for you are fairy who escaped the scheming halls of the palace."
Wan’er was laughing, and in response, she said, "Do you truly believe that life in the palace was that difficult?"
Fan Xian laughed as well, and he replied, "A monk once said that if this world was a brothel, then that palace was veiled in a darkness where no human could stay."
Wan’er heard these words and froze, her heart feeling slight offense at the jest. She looked down toward the ground. Fan Xian only now just recalled that his wife was born and raised in the palace, so to say something like this was quite callous. He laughed and apologized, which quickly brought the two back to their earlier disposition of happiness. After a moment of silence elapsed between them, Wan’er began to feel emotionally touched. Although her mother was the eldest princess, how many women in this world, following their marriage, could still be treated with great respect from their husband? She had never heard of any other man apologizing to his wife before.
Wan’er softly said, "The palace is not as you surmise. My uncle, the Emperor, is a very wise man, and he is not addicted to chasing women. A few of the princes in the palace tread in his footsteps, also. The methods of rule that you spoke of in your novel were something no one would dare to use here. The Empress Dowager is always watching, and if something set its sights on the ruin of this kingdom, she would not dare allow it.
After Fan Xian heard this, his heart jumped, and he was then brought solace.
Wan’er was laughing, and she then said, "The Emperor is rather strict when it comes to the establishment of relationships. He treats all of his wives with equal respect, and so there is no cause for resentment or bitter rivalry between them in terms of who garners greater affection. The Empress did not care about any of the issues that transpired in the palace, and so the ladies occupy their time with idle joys like card games. It is good to have competition in games, and that isn’t at all different from a traditional family."
Fan Xian was quite shocked. He did not expect life in the palace to be like this behind the scenes. It meant that the books he had read in his past life about emperors, dynasties, and imperial politics were most useless to him here. He quizzically scratched his head and said, "It is no wonder you are so good when it comes to Mahjong. Even Fan Sizhe can only achieve a draw with you."
As soon as he said the word "Mahjong", Wan’er’s face lit up like a lamp. The glow of her stare was almost scary to Fan Xian. He stepped closer to take a look and noticed that despite her best attempts to hide her desire, it was too ardent to withhold and suppress. With her being as radiant as she was now, he called her "the master of light".
Wan’er rolled her eyes and looked at her husband, who was not being serious. She said, "I was just bored. I married you and yet you are busy every day. I never get to see you! Still, I am lucky that I can grab my brother-in-law, who is a genius in Mahjong."
She gritted her teeth and rolled up her sleeves. She menacingly rubbed her fists and said, "Actually, where the hell has Fan Sizhe been lately? Every time I want to play Mahjong with him, he is gone! Instead, I end up playing with his mother, which is a tortuous affair! She is always letting me win. Ugh, she’s just like my grandma."
Fan Xian simply poked her tall nose and told her, "What kind of thing is that to say?" He continued by jovially saying, "Of course Lady Liu is not like your grandma. And you'd best not get too impetuous in our manor."
Wan’er did not relent, and she rebuked by saying, "Do I look like that sort of person to you?" With a hasty change of subject, she said, "In a few days, we are going to go see the flowers. According to tradition, the nobles from the palace will be going to Xi Mountain. I am not sure how they will be arranging our travel this year, however. We must go there, yes, but we’ll have to see how we are to get there. Perhaps in a few days, the palace will send a eunuch over and deliver us a message. Don’t let this slip your mind."
"See the flowers?" Fan Xian’s eyebrows warped. He knew that the autumn was cool and dry, and that the people of the capital often enjoyed going to the countryside so that they could admire the flowers. He simply did not expect that this was a past-time of the Royal Family as well. Since it was a large gathering of the Li clan, it was inevitable that Fan Xian was to go. Thinking about the events that had occurred recently, were the old men going to observe the flowers with the same rigid austerity as they did Fan Xian?
She did not notice that her husband was silent and in deep contemplation. With a tone of gravity, she told Fan Xian, "I haven't been able to play Mahjong recently, and the flowers have yet to bloom. I’m just so bored. The book that you promised me before we married—when are you going to write it? When are you going to finish it so that I may read it, huh?"
Fan Xian’s mind was still clogged with thoughts of business, political intrigue and other such matters. Where was he going to find the time to continue writing Dream of the Red Chamber? With a wry smile, he begged her, "I would say that you should just let me off the hook for that one." He saw Wan’er’s eyes twist to give a murderous look, one which called out for the manuscript she so ardently desired. Fan Xian no longer dared to stay within her presence, and so he quickly ran to the door, pushed it open, and ran off.
Fan Xian sprinted away like he was being chased by a ghost. He ran across the wide path that separated the houses until he met a few maids who promptly began laughing at him. Realizing his slightly immature behavior, he coughed and straightened himself up to act with the demeanor of the noble stature he was expected to possess. Like a pencil, he stood up straight. But in less than a second, he reclined his walking pose to that of a slouch. He gritted his teeth and thought to himself, "If I want to live my life happily, why should I care of what others think of me?" Reaffirmed, he made a loud "hum" noise and began singing. With a spring in his step, he danced a jig and kept going until he reached his study.
He had obtained a hefty batch of information from the conversation he had just shared with his wife, even though that wasn't his sole intent of the talk with her. What weighed on his mind the most, though, was Fan Sizhe's behavior. What had he been up to lately? Fan Xian frowned and began to feel the tender pangs of worry. He then turned his mind to think about the Dream of the Red Chamber, and then thought of the northern Qi Kingdom’s emperor, who did Fan Xian a favor by keeping the news of the story's authorship a secret. It looked as if it was best to send him a chapter. But still, he thought he could no longer hide the fact that he was indeed the author. He decided not to use the methods that were frequently employed by the Overwatch Council, like sending a secret letter.
He sat there for a bit. The light outside the room had not yet grown too dim. He saw then that Yan Bingyun had arrived. Fan Xian took a look at the document he delivered and couldn’t help but rub his temples. Earlier in the day, he looked over the scroll that Mu Tie had delivered, and then he established the main points with Shi Chanli. Later, he visited the "Old Hall" to do business before returning home to comfort his wife. Now, he was to speak with Yan Bingyun. To do so many things in one day, it looked as if the life of a powerful counselor was a difficult and strenuous one.
"The person you wanted me to capture? It is done. I don’t know if it will assist your work in any capacity, however." Fan Xian did not look at the scroll, he just casually asked. A while ago, the "beating of rats" incident did not seem to have made much of a difference or affect the field of politics. But actually, Fan Xian was covered by many old leftover cases and carefully got close to the second prince’s secret ally. He tried to arrest two officers but Yan Bingyun believed the rank of the officers he wanted was too low. Fan Xian, on the other hand, thought that they were two pivotal characters that could be used to find out whether or not there was a connection between the second prince and the eldest princess.
Yan Bingyun sat on a chair and, with a calm look, pointed out the scrolls in front of Fan Xian. He simply told him, "It is done."
Fan Xian was shocked and blurted out, "That quickly?" Fan Xian could not be bothered reviewing the scrolls and asked him plainly. "What was the conclusion?"
Yan Bingyun spoke coldly. "The amount of contraband they smuggled to the northern Qi Kingdom and Dongyi City from Xinyang was of an incredible amount. On the surface, it did indeed look as if there was a deficit created by the crown prince from the eastern palace, but it was actually a large amount of money. It was sent to the second prince via the Ming family. It was to bribe the officers within the government and buy off the border ministers. So, yes, your judgment was correct. The eldest princess does indeed have the second prince’s support."
Fan Xian frowned and said, "The Ming family? The family that is married to the Cui family?"
"Yes."
"This is a huge amount of money we are talking about. How can it get sent to the second prince from the palace treasury?" Fan Xian asked.
"To nobody’s surprise, it is not as if they are taking the path through the capital. They went around from Jiangnan. In the middle of their route, they were split up into a few royal merchants. From the lowest to the top, they eventually all gathered up with the prince again." Yan Bingyun then looked directly at Fan Xian and said, "The progress is complicated. I wrote it all down in the scroll; if there is something you do not understand, take a look inside. It is far more difficult for me to tell you."
Fan Xian ignored the tone of Yan Bingyun’s voice, which sounded as though he doubted Fan Xian's ability to read. Instead, he descended into deep thought. He felt that his judgment had been correct. After taking a deep breath, he said, "I am going to the palace to meet the Emperor. Are you coming with me?"
Yan Bingyun was surprised, but did not mince his words. He told Fan Xian, "I am not going. Besides, is it really necessary to reveal all of this to the Emperor?"
Hearing this, Fan Xian asked, "The eldest princess and the second prince have been doing all of this secretly, yet we were able to uncover the truth with little to no effort. Do you truly believe that the palace is not aware of these dealings? Do you think it is possible that Chen Pingping didn’t know, as well?"
"Even if the palace knows of this, they may not be in possession of the appropriate evidence." Yan Bingyun half-closed his eyes and said, "Please do not forget that the last chief of the First Bureau, Zhu Ge, had always been a man of the eldest princess. For this case, if you do not take total control of the First Bureau, and obtain the full co-operation of each and every department, it may become impossible to find out. The situation we are in right now is this; if this case is made public, the capital may very well descend into chaos."
He said these words calmly, but Fan Xian could hear and feel the coldness that accompanied each syllable. Aside from the resources that the Overwatch Council provided, a big part of this relied on Yan Bingyun’s abilities. Quite obviously, Yan Bingyun was not willing to let the case that he had been working so diligently on bring harm and ill repute to the kingdom. Such chaos would be the complete opposite of the peace and prosperity that had graced the kingdom since its founding.
In the end, Yan Bingyun was not entirely loyal to Fan Xian. Instead, he was simply loyal to the Overwatch Council, the Kingdom, and the Emperor.
Fan Xian looked at him and said, "Do you know what will happen if you keep this a secret?"
Yan Bingyun shook his head and replied, "All I know is that if these issues were to come to light, your wife would be the one thrust into the worst situation and possibly suffer the most."
Many nobles knew that Fan Xian’s wife was a daughter of the princess, but it wasn’t a subject of much talk. If Fan Xian really wanted to bring this up, there was no doubt that the Emperor would be forced to make a difficult decision. Whatever that was to be, it would put Wan’er in an awkward and extremely difficult situation.
What Fan Xian did after he came back to the capital was soothe the fighting that had transpired within the palace by trying to make up for the exile of the eldest princess. What Fan Xian wanted was to force the Emperor, who had another plan, to strip the eldest princess of her powers in the shortest time.
"I respect my wife." Fan Xian looked at Yan Bingyun coldly. "But I am not going to slow myself down due to the awkward position she may find herself in."
Yan Bingyun slowly raised his head. His eyes expressed a look of confusion. He said, "This is what I don’t understand about you. Sir, what do you want?"
"There are two different things that I desire." Fan Xian stood up and walked toward the window. He observed the setting sun and noticed that in the corner of the courtyard, there was a woman raking the lifeless leaves that had departed their trees. Fan Xian continued his speech by saying, "The first thing is simple. The government has a lack of money, and the river in the south has been in disrepair for years. This year, the embankment broke down and it hundreds of thousands of deaths. I may not have witnessed the event myself, but just the mere thought of it makes me sad, my friend.
"Where are we going to get the money to save these people? This is a problem that has plagued my father’s mind, also. The financial situation of the country is different from other countries throughout history. Over the years, the wealth of the kingdom has been poured into the military. The source of where the money comes from is odd, too. Much of the entire country’s annual income comes from the palace treasury. But the palace treasury holds the Emperor’s own personal wealth. You and I both know that those funds were left behind by Lady Ye; that means they rely on that business to generate an infinite amount of money to support the kingdom."
Fan Xian turned around, looked back toward Yan Bingyun, and said, "And the eldest princess? She loves nothing more than power. All these years, the wealth of the palace treasury has been taken and used to buy-out countless officers for a trade of allegiance, all to boost her support… Excuse me, I misspoke. Let me say it a little more plainly and succinctly; she is taking the Emperor’s money and using it to steal his own people. All this money has been spent on buying the feeble support of officers and now, when the kingdom is in dire need of such money, there is none left to be used."
"Money is just money; the problem is how it is used. You do not know how much I would rather this money go toward helping victims of the flood, rather than allowing all the money to crumple in the officers’ rotten hands."
"So, am I in a rush to investigate the second prince and the Cui family? Yes. Why? To prevent the eldest princess and second prince, who constantly wears the facade of an honorary scholar, to throw away all of the kingdom’s money." Fan Xian looked down toward the ground and lamentably told Yan Bingyun, "Of course, if I do reveal this, it is highly unlikely that Emperor would not be willing to punish his own sister. But just like last time, when she was exiled, the Emperor kept on trying to delay the matter. He would rather check out the palace treasury and instead tell off the second prince. And I? He will probably believe me to be nosy and become angry at me. With wrath, he’ll have me forcefully evicted from the Overwatch Council and dragged away to the ends of the earth."
He reached out and stretched. His face was now wearing a naïve and innocent smile. He said, "This is the only way. I just hope the Emperor will at least allow me to return to Danzhou."
Yan Bingyun’s head was slanted, his face petrified. It was as if he had no idea who the man ranting before him was. He said, "But you are going to take over the palace treasury next year. Begin your investigation at that time; wouldn’t that be the correct course of action to take? It would look much better."
Fan Xian laughed, continuing to talk like a wholly different person. "But our kingdom no longer has surplus supplies. If I can put an end to the squandering of the palace treasury’s funds but a single day earlier, then the poor civilians of the south can receive many more bowls of porridge to eat. Everything else can wait, but to miss a meal is to starve."
Yan Bingyun stared at Fan Xian without blinking. It seemed as if he wanted to know if the person in front of him was an insidious officer or a genuinely kind, earnest, self-sacrificing saint; one who feared no evil.
Total Chapters in book: 746
Estimated words: 2481802 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 12409(@200wpm)___ 9927(@250wpm)___ 8273(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 2481802 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 12409(@200wpm)___ 9927(@250wpm)___ 8273(@300wpm)
______