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 407: The Same Sky
Chapter 407: The Same Sky
Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio
The big tree in the Shazhou side garden was very unfortunate. It had been used by Fan Xian, who was wielding the Emperor's sword, to let out his princely anger and had lost countless layers of bark. The young imperial envoy was indeed very angry, but it was also impossible for him to show an angry face in front of his wife. He also couldn't immediately charge to Shangjing in Northern Qi to curse his own sister's teacher, so he had to find some way to let out his anger.
Fan Xian was not one of those boring bosses that liked to hit and criticize his subordinates to relieve his stress. Coincidently, in his previous life, when he was lying in bed reading "The Reader," he had once read a heart-wrenching story and had cried buckets. In this life, he learned from the male protagonist in that story.
The love-struck male protagonist was often mistreated by his wife and had endured it for countless years. Always, in the middle of the night, he would slip out and smash trees beside the river, seeking from it some balance in his heart.
Fan Xian did not smash trees. He used proper Sigu Sword technique to carve at the trees. As he carved, he gritted his teeth tightly.
Once the trees had become old in one night, had their clothing completely shredded, and showed their petty and naked figures, Fan Xian and his group sat in the carriage and left, returning to the Peng manor beside West Lake.
…
…
There were a number of people waiting beside West Lake for the imperial envoy and Princess. Although it was not convenient for the Suzhou's two inspector generals to come personally, the Hangzhou Zhizhou that Fan Xian secretly approved of was not modest at all. He had closed off one-third of the long bank beside the West Lake for the convenience of the Fan family carriage entering. He also led a host of subordinates in, terrified that the two important figures felt any displeasure.
As for this fawning, Fan Xian very comfortable accepted it. After all, Wan'er's body was not well and indeed did need quiet. After everyone had gathered in the manor, Sisi and the Teng family wife helped Wan'er to go rest. Fan Xian took a moment to go see the Hangzhou Zhizhou and said a few warm words. However, the next day, he had Tiger Guard Gao Da block all of the officials' wives outside the back garden.
Mistress Fan was not seeing guests.
…
…
Wan'er gazed pitifully at Fan Xian, her brows had long knit together like weak willow leaves in the wind. Her eyes were full of tears and complaints, "Good husband, have mercy on me."
Fan Xian smiled. "Be good, drink the medicine, otherwise there will be spanking."
Wan'er had no choice; she could only bitterly drink the medicine. She couldn't resist sighing in her heart, thinking, Why was she so stupid? She had told Fan Xian all of the reasons but given his personality, of course, he would not allow her to do this. If she had known earlier, she might as well have not come to Jiangnan and secretly stopped taking the medicine in Jingdou.
Suddenly, she thought shyly, if she hadn't come down to Jiangnan, even if she did stop taking the medicine and removed the foreign matter from her body but…without him, how could she have a child?
Fan Xian was using a handkerchief and helping her wipe away the remnants of the medicine at the corners of her mouth. He suddenly saw the blush on his wife's cheeks and felt slightly startled. Not knowing what she was thinking in that little head of hers, he curiously teased, "Wife, why are you so embarrassed?"
Wan'er rolled her eyes at him and said huffily, "Not telling you."
She quickly changed the topic of conversation. She had come down to Jiangnan this time for two reasons, one was that it was already agreed upon last year. The second was an urgent matter that she needed to discuss with Fan Xian, and she would not feel at ease to have servants send this message.
Fan Xian saw her become serious. His brows tightened slightly. He leaned closer to hear his wife speaking quietly into his ear. His mood became more and more serious, but his face did not change at all. It was still very calm. He comforted and explained, "I wondered what the matter was for you to rush like this to Jiangnan…the elders in the Palace love to gossip about others, they don't understand much."
During their days in Jingdou, this young couple had a good tacit understanding of each other. They had once made clear—now that Wan'er was his wife, his woman—in such a complicated relationship, Fan Xian felt tenderness toward her and did not wish for her to be overly involved in sinister matters. Even if in Wan'er could help him greatly, for example, their pillow talk on the day the Great Prince had visited the Fan manor.
But speaking of this, Wan'er could not pretend that nothing was happening beside her. She also could not hide her eyes and pretend not to see her husband and her not-very-close mother draw their swords and ready their bows.
A girl's heart can be difficult to guess, but in this matter, she wanted to find a way to protect Fan Xian but not so that the two sides sunk into a situation that could not be salvaged. However, it was very difficult for Fan Xian to understand it, and it was the same for Wan'er.
She could only ask around carefully for information and help Fan Xian analyze the mysteries of those women's politics. She used her special identity and privilege of being able to enter and exit the Palace without obstruction to help Fan Xian far away in Jiangnan contact various people in the Palace, to remove what resistance she could.
Fan Xian knew about these things and that he could not stop her, so he could only let her be. Furthermore more, sometimes, he indeed needed Wan'er to act as a lubricant in between, just like that trip into the Palace after the spring examination incidence.
…
…
Because of Fan Xian's opposition, Wan'er's capabilities were not fully used. Her natural feels on politics and the matters in the Palace were suppressed, but this did not mean she did not understand these things. After she heard of that story in the Palace, she came to Jiangnan without hesitation.
Unlike what everyone had thought, the Mistress of the Fan manor had not come to Jiangnan to see that Northern Qi Sage girl called Duoduo. She had to remind Fan Xian of some things in person.
"The elders in the Palace…can have a large influence." Wan'er gazed at Fan Xian worriedly and gently said. "The empress dowager is the empress' aunt, their connection cannot be separated…the empress has arranged for someone to enter the Palace to read to the empress dowager the "Story of the Stone." Don't be careless about the danger hidden in this."
Fan Xian became silent and threads of anger surged through his heart. In the beginning, in Danzhou when he began to copy the "Story of the Stone," it was only to find a game for himself and Sisi, to find some joy for Ruoruo, and at the same time, fulfill his literary intentions. He had not thought too much of it. Although he knew that Lao Cao's words were indeed somewhat taboo during his time, thinking that this was a completely different country, a completely different world, how could it be taboo? So, he had been careless.
No one expected for his birth and his future to have had such large changes. Each word and line of "A Dream of Red Mansions"…seemed to be expressing his dissatisfaction and secret resentment, particularly that speech regarding Lady Qiao.
Anyone could have written this book, just not him. Now, everyone in the world believed that he had written this book.
The resentment in the novel seemed to be recounting his refusal to accept and his indignation at what happened to the Ye family back then. The empress had arranged for someone to enter the Palace to read the book to the old empress dowager. Given the empress dowager's sensitivity and suspicious mind, would she not think that he had disloyal thoughts?
In matters of the royal family, what was important was the heart. If the heart was suspicious, then the person was suspicious. If the heart was to be punished, then the person was to be punished.
Fan Xian thought about this quietly for a bit and found that this indeed was a problem he would have to face soon. If the empress dowager truly thought he felt dissatisfaction in his heart and wanted to redress the incidence of that year, then the old woman's temporary silence might not exist much longer. Qing Kingdom ruled through filial piety. If the empress dowager said anything, the Emperor would have to take some action.
However, it wasn't a big problem. Fan Xian had been in Jiangnan for many days, and his power had reached another level. These small waves did not scare him. He gently patted his wife's hand and said warmly, "Don't worry, even if that old woman is suspicious of me…so what? I haven't done anything. She can't just ask the Emperor to remove my post."
Wan'er laughed bitterly and couldn't help but shake her head. She used a finger to gently stroke the center of his brows and huffed, "That is my grandmother as well as your grandmother…how can you just call her old woman."
Fan Xian chuckled and said, "Speaking of which, when I saw you at the Qing Temple back then, I would never have guessed that you were actually my cousin."
"Hmm…I wonder who kept it from me this long," Lin Wan'er muttered with pouted lips.
Without waiting for Fan Xian to comfort her, Wan'er continued seriously, "Even if this matter is no trouble right now, but what about the matter of the Ming family? The waves of this case you started in Jiangnan has long reached Jingdou. Now, Song Shiren is truly famous. Since he dared to say that the heir does not have a natural right to inherit…this touched on a lot of people's bottom lines. Although Song Shiren is helping Xia Qifei fight this case, everyone in the capital knows that you are their supporter in the background, and they can't help but ask in their hearts…what exactly is our Sir Fan junior thinking?"
Fan Xian's eyebrows raised and he said, 'What can I be thinking about?"
Lin Wan'er gazed at him. "On the surface, it looks like you want to help Xia Qifei take back Ming family's property…will the empress dowager not be suspicious of you? Furthermore, there is still the trouble of the "Story of the Stone" earlier…combine the two together, and everyone will think that you want to take back the palace treasury."
"But to whom does the palace treasury belong to?"
"Who is the heir in our Palace?"
Lin Wan'er sighed. "The things you have done after coming to Jiangnan is truly putting yourself opposite the Crown Prince and even opposite the empress dowager."
Fan Xian was silent for a while, then decided to say his true thoughts. "You're right…but in reality, I am purposely creating this atmosphere to make the people in the Palace think I have disloyal intentions."
Lin Wan'er's parted her lips slightly in shock. She felt that such premature action did not seem like his personality.
"You came a few days late so you don't know that the Emperor had sent a eunuch to announce an edict." Fan Xian smiled slightly. "In a few days, the capital will know my stance that I am standing on the side of the Third Prince."
Lin Wan'er felt slightly confused and nervous. In a quiet voice, she said, "You want the Third Prince to join in the competition…but he is only a child."
"This child is remarkable." Fan Xian lowered his head and smiled slightly. "His abilities are not bad, furthermore, I am very confident in my ability to judge people and am also very confident in my ability as a teacher. No student of mine will be mediocre."
"But…you still haven't explained why you are creating the current atmosphere." Lin Wan'er furrowed her brows. If this situation is allowed to develop like this, the two dies would gradually lose any chance of reconciliation and it would force…she suddenly raised her head and stared in shock at Fan Xian. In a startled voice, she said, "You…are preparing to move against them?"
…
…
The bedroom became silent for a while. Fan Xian slowly nodded his head and said, in a quiet voice, "A lot of people ignored the empress and the Crown Prince, but they and I know very clearly that between our two sides, only one side can survive…right now, taking advantage of the fact that the Emperor still cares about me and values me, I am the hidden disaster."
Lin Wan'er's expression gradually became helplessly and dimmed. Although she knew that in battles amongst the royal family there was never room for any sentimentality, she still felt a chill when she thought of the fact that between her dearest husband and her elder brother, the Crown Prince, one of them had to die. Fan Xian's eyes were colder than his wife's thoughts, slowly and coldly, he said, "I don't want to kill, but they already killed people decades ago and now, it is impossible that they will let me go. Since it is so, I will finish this matter."
Lin Wan'er was silent for a long time then opened her mouth and said, "Then…what about her?"
The "her" was naturally the biggest problem lying between Fan Xian and his wife, that Eldest Princess who refused to be content with her lot.
Fan Xian's eyelids drooped slightly and he gently held Wan'er in his embrace. Warmly, he said, "The Emperor's thoughts are too deep. I won't try to understand them. Your mother's thoughts are also too big, and it's not for me to understand them…this is a battle between her and the Emperor. I only need to play a supporting role…I can't promise anything else, but I can promise you that I will not personally do anything to her."
Was this promise trustworthy?
"My uncle, the Emperor, has always treated me tenderly…" Lin Wan'er was like an injured little cat lying in Fan Xian's embrace. She spoke weakly, but her eyes gradually showed a misty color. If the Eldest Princess truly had the daring to do that thing then afterward, even though by means of Fan Xian's power and identity, Lin Wan'er would not be implicated, but…her identity in the royal family would become awkward and dangerous.
Fan Xian was silent. He knew that Wan'er sigh was the truth. After they were married, as they walked in the Palace, only then did he clearly feel that the Emperor was indeed very tender toward Wan'er. Her position in the Palace was indeed much higher than that of a usual princess. Thinking of this, he couldn't help sighing. The Emperor had married his favorite niece to his illegitimate child, was this also a compensation for him?
"Don't worry, it's all the elders' business," he smiled slightly and said. "Let them make a fuss."
Although his words were light, the contents were not. In the next year, if Qing Kingdom's dragon chair did not have a change of owner then there would be a bloodbath amongst the royal family. What would happen to Fan Xian and Wan'er, this young couple? If it was the former, Fan Xian believed that his whole family would be buried along with the Emperor. If it was the latter, how could Wan'er face it?
Fan Xian suddenly felt that forcing the other party to act ahead of time seemed to be a pointless thing, except, in order to protect himself and those around him, he had to do this.
"The old cripple should also be thinking like this, right? Hopefully, he will have some better ideas."
Fan Xian gently patted Wan'er's back. Looking out the window at the peaceful lake, at the green mountains, and the fishing boat at the willow branches, his thoughts floated to the far away Jingdou.
…
…
In the cold Palace in Jingdou, the servant girls and eunuchs walked silently. Occasionally, a young servant would let out a few laughs and quickly be harshly scolded by the elderly nannies. The rich spring had come to an end, and the beginnings of summer had arrived. The trees in the Palace were at their most luxurious, however, the people in the Palace still did not have a thread of relaxed freedom.
Guangxin Palace was once the Eldest Princess' residential palace. After the news of the Eldest Princess secretly communicating with Northern Qi and selling out a high-level Overwatch Council employee was exposed to the entire city via letters by Uncle Wuzhu, the supposedly most beautiful woman in the Qing Kingdom quietly retreated from the Jingdou political scene and went to the cold Li Palace.
Although she could still faintly influence the situation in the palace from the Li Palace in Xinyang, it was not as convenient as being in Jingdou. Thus, in the sixth year of the Qing calendar, she finally persuaded the empress dowager and moved back to Jingdou. The letter that had created such a stir had long disappeared into people's memories.
However, not long after she returned to Jingdou, the power of the Junshang Conference in Jiangnan revealed her, angrily, in front of her elder brother, the Emperor. Thus, the Emperor ordered to once again move into the Palace, nominally to gather the family, but in reality, it was close-distance surveillance.
However, after all, the Eldest Princess had operated in the Palace for a long time, she was also the empress dowager's favorite girl, and her relationship with the empress had always been very close, so still no one could stop her entering and leaving the Royal Palace. The tricks she had done in secret had also been successfully kept a secret from many people.
To make the Emperor feel at ease, she could not leave the Palace too much or be in too close contact with the officials below. So, her most common activity was talking with the empress dowager in the Palace and studying flower, bird, insect, or wood-patterned embroidery with the empress.
What she was embroidering was probably not cloth.
…
…
The situation in Jiangnan had settled. Regardless of whether or not the Eldest Princess Li Yunrui accepted it, admitted it, or felt bad about it. Ultimately, the Jiangnan she had operated for over 10 years had already been completely taken over by that "accomplished" son-in-law of hers.
The old Ming matriarch was dead, Great Master San Shi was dead, and the Ming family were keeping quiet out of fear. Under the combined suppression of Fan Xian and Xue Qing, the Jiangnan officialdom did not have much backlash. The trusted aides she had installed into the three large workshops in the palace treasury transport company had all been pulled out by Fan Xian. Although the letters from those officials were still respectful, under Fan Xian tyranny, they had no way to move.
The people's rage that had been stirred up with difficulty had, for some unknown reason, dispersed silently. Thus, the bloodletters from the people that had been delivered from so far away and the old scholars making a case in front of the Emperor became unrooted trees and could not be even a glimmer of a threat to the court.
"Fined their salary?" The Eldest Princess Li Yunrui narrowed her eyes, a glimmer of ridicule flashed through her beautiful almond-shaped eyes. "Do you think the Fan family has a need for this little bit of silver?"
Sitting beside her was the dignified and richly dressed empress. The empress smiled slightly and said, "The Emperor loves the Fan family dearly. The investigation into the Ministry of Revenue a few days ago, wasn't it also hastily wrapped up?"
The Eldest Princess smiled slightly. Her long eyelashes blinked delicately in a way far from in accordance with her age. With a slight smile, she said, "Minister Shang has credit in serving the country. How is he someone women like us can compare to?"
She sighed and said, "When it's all said and done, I don't have a son. I have a daughter that I'm not very close to. What's the point paying attention to all this? I think, when autumn arrives, I will ask mother to allow me to return to Xinyang to live."
The empress' heart thumped, and she secretly cursed this vixen for acting weak. She also realized that the other party was retreating to advance, however, in the current situation, if Li Yunrui actually threw up her hands and stopped, she and the Crown Prince would not be able to stand up against Fan Xian and the Third Prince's might. Of course, the empress was not an idiot. She knew that it was impossible for the Eldest Princess to surrender the power in her hand and leave like this. The other party said this only to gain the upper hand.
The empress' smile carried with it a glimmer of cautiousness that should definitely not have been there. "What are you talking about? Although I am just a stupid woman who knows nothing of the affairs of the country, even I know that you are a pillar of the country and have contributed to the Qing Kingdom in countless ways…if you go to Xinyan, the Emperor would be the first to disagree."
The two women's conversation still could not leave that chair. Only, in this kind of thing, before action was taken, no one dared to say anything too revealing.
The Eldest Princess was silent for a little while, then slowly opened her mouth and said, "Mother is getting old. It is very easy for her to be fooled by others."
The empress nodded her head and smiled slightly, "We'll go slowly."
The two fell into silence and raised their cups to sip the tea. The empress suddenly asked probingly, "I heard…Fan Xian has been doing well in Jiangnan, only recently a master suddenly arrived and destroyed half a building in Suzhou?"
The matter of a sword splitting half a building was not something that could be hidden for too long. It still traveled to Jingdou and into the Palace.
The Eldest Princess knew what the empress wanted to ask, but she refused to tell the truth to the other party. With a slightly prideful smile, she said, "I am not very clear about matters of the jianghu."
If there was a Great Grandmaster standing behind the Eldest Princess, then the empress would have a better idea of the position she should be in for their cooperation. Of course, this was a great boost to the empress' and the Crown Prince's determination.
Seeing that the Eldest Princess was not willing to speak openly, the empress cursed a few times in her heart and then made her farewells.
Looking at the desolate retreating figure of the mother of a nation, a glimmer of pity and disdain flashed through the Eldest Princess' eyes, thinking, Such a lowly role, yet they still want to share in the bounty. She truly did not know where that confidence came from.
It was impossible for the chief strategists of Xinyang, Huang Yi and Yuan Hongdao, to enter the Palace, so at this moment, the trusted aide beside the Eldest Princess was a eunuch. This eunuch stood to the side and quietly said the question in the Eldest Princess' heart, "The empress…does she not know this is…?"
"Asking a tiger of its own skin." The Eldest Princess said the words that her trusted aides could not say. She smiled coldly and said, "Even if I am the tiger, she can only stand on my side. Otherwise, if the Third Prince truly took the throne, at that time if Fan Xian wanted to avenge Ye Qingmei…who would help block?"
She slowly closed her eyes and said, "Her and I have temporarily shelved the problem of whether it should be Chengqian or the Second Prince…because she knows that if this succeeds, she cannot defeat me. She can only beg for survival."
"Over in Jiangnan?"
"There is no need to mind it anymore." The Eldest Princess sighed. "My son-in-law had made preparations before going to Jiangnan. Those bumpkins in Jiangnan are no match for him."
She shook her head. After her mind wandered for a while, she faintly said, "Thinking of it now, I had made a big mistake at the beginning. If there wasn't the Niulan Street incident, it would not be like this between Fan Xian and myself…if he stood on my side, who would stand against us in this world?"
Without waiting for the eunuch to reply, she laughed self-mockingly. "That is to indulge in a fantasy. If there was not this deep and unresolvable hatred between Fan Xian and myself, how could that brother of mine, the Emperor, dare to give him such powerful positions?"
The eunuch listened to the side and did not even dare breathe too loudly.
"I was wrong from the start." A glimmer of coldness and determination flashed across the Eldest Princess' beautiful face. "No matter how powerful Fan Xian was, he is pulled by strings from within the Palace. Why did I pay attention to this puppet? I should have focused on the person holding the strings."
…
…
Not far from Guangxin Palace, in Hanguang Palace, the empress dowager was half squinting with sleepiness. After all, she was getting old. Her focus was already not what it used to be, and her decisiveness in killing was also not what it used to be.
"Stop, stop." The old woman stopped the reading servant girl with loathing. Looking at the book the servant girl held, she didn't speak for a while.
"It's all a bunch of absurd nonsense, I don't understand how there could be so many in the streets who like to read it." An old nanny beside her said in a pleasing manner.
The empress dowager shook her head and said in a quiet voice a moment later, "Children…it's normal for them not to accept such things."
The old nanny didn't dare to say anything more.
A complicated emotion flashed through the empress dowager's eyes. Of course, she understood the empress' intentions in having her read the "Story of the Stone." Although she was very angry at Fan Xian's resentment, she was more furious about the empress' actions.
No matter what faults Fan Xian's mother had, Fan Xian was a child of the royal family. This is what the empress dowager considered the most important point.
"How long had it been since Chen'er left?" The empress dowager suddenly remembered her favorite granddaughter and asked the people beside her.
"The Princess should have already arrived in Hangzhou now."
"Hmm…I've been to Jiangnan, the scenery there isn't bad, but the women there are too presumptuous." The empress dowager furrowed her brows. "No matter how carefully the Fan family has prepared, it can't compare to the things in the Palace. Have some some things prepared to send to Jiangnan."
The old woman thought for a bit and then said, "Send a letter to ask Chen'er if she's settling well beside the West Lake. If she doesn't like it ,have her move in the temporary imperial residence in the mountain."
The old nanny quickly made a sound of acknowledgement.
…
…
Inside the royal study, the Qing Emperor, who had just concluded the royal discussion, rubbed tiredly between his brows and drank a mouthful of the warm ginseng tea. He looked outside the scenery that never seemed to change and furrowed his brows with some loathing.
"Hong Zhu…" The Emperor called unconsciously. Only after calling did he remember that Hong Zhu had been moved by him to the Eastern Palace for half a year. He couldn't him smiling self-mockingly.
"Your Majesty, do you have orders?" The eunuch beside him asked respectfully.
The Emperor shook his head and lightly coughed a few times. The echo of the cough bounced around the room. He couldn't help being startled, thinking, perhaps he was truly old. Hearing the echo of the coughs, he realized how lonely he was.
"Let's go to the little tower."
He swept up his dragon robe, straightened his chest, and walked out of the door. Behind him, the eunuch rushed to catch up and only managed to hear the Emperor sigh faintly, "When will I have time to visit Danzhou again?"
…
…
The Qing Kingdom this year was much the same as previous years. The Palace was still lonely and dirty. Outside the Palace was still lively, the court still competed, the Six Ministries still fought, and the Overwatch Council was still silent and sinister. Old Director Chen was still in the Chen Garden enjoying the singing and dancing, and Minister Fan was still busy in the Ministry of Revenue.
The people fought for survival. When they had the time, they looked for happy things to comfort their almost numb state of mind.
For example, the East family married a girl, an elderly died in the West family. The south side didn't flood this year, the west side seemed to be at war again. Sir Fan junior hadn't written any poetry. Had the Northern Qi Sage girl met the Mistress of the Fan family yet?
All the way down from Jingdou, in Jizhou where it was about to merge with the Yangtze River, the two sides of the river band was a bustling scene. The people repairing the banks worked hard like ants to move the sand and stones. This year, the Qing Kingdom's luck was pretty good. The spring flood had been much smaller than expected, and the national treasury's ample silver brought the river transport governor's yamen a great deal of confidence. Although each level skimmed some off the top, a lot of pay was still sent down, so the people's motivation to work was also much higher.
Yang Wanli's face was deeply suntanned and wore an outfit of rough cloth. His brows were locked tight as he stood under the bamboo canopy. Although the situation right now was good, the spring floods were the most terrifying thing. He bore a heavy burden having to supervise the distribution of the silver sent over secretly, so there was a great deal of pressure on his mind.
Although he didn't know anything about rushing repairs, the drainage divide, and such things, he still lowered his status and personally went to work. After a few continuous days of being exposed to the harsh sun, this disciple of the Fan clan finally washed away the final traces of a scholar and became a true official.
On the river bank, a number of people approached from the distance. They looked like officials from a different place.
From far away, that group of people began to tell at the bamboo canopy.
Yang Wanli lifted the front of his robe and wiped at the sweat on his face, gazing with confusion at that side. Finally, he saw clearly who was approaching and couldn't help stepping out of the canopy in surprised joy.
"Jichang? Jialin? How come you are here?" Yangli welcomed them with emotion and grabbed both of their hands.
The visitors were indeed Hou Jichang and Cheng Jialin of Fan Xian's four disciples. After the spring examinations, these two had been working in the outer provinces. Because of Fan Xian's care, as well as their own abilities, they had risen very quickly. In less than a year, they had already jumped up a few levels and crossed the first difficult threshold of the seventh-level.
However, the place where these were located was very far from Jizhou, so in Yang Wanli's surprise, he also couldn't help feeling it was unexpected.
Hou Jichang did not have the time to answer his question. He only grasped the callused hands and gazed at Yang Wanli's suntanned face. With great emotion, he said, "Master wrote us, he only said you have come to the river transport governor's yamen. I had not thought…it would be so harsh."
To one side, Cheng Jialing also began to sniffle.
Thinking of something, Yang Wanli chucked and then said seriously, "In the past, I only knew how to talk about state affairs, but after having direct contact with the people's matters, only then did I realize how difficult the lives of the people are…teacher had me come to repair the river, it is truly an act of trust and an education…only by personally experiencing this did I know that under teacher's seemingly indifferent expression there is actually a heart that worried for the country and its people."
The three of them became silent. It was Hou Jichang who broke the silence and slowly said, "According to the rumors, teacher was able to dominate that Northern Qi Sage girl because of that sentence he said in Northern Qi's Royal Palace."
Speaking of the Northern Qi Sage girl, Haitang, even though the three of them were Fan Xian's students, they still couldn't help secretly laughing.
Yang Wanli resisted his laughter and asked, "What sentence?"
Hou Jichang turned and gazed at the work on the river bank below his feet, gazed at the roaring Yangtze river not too far away and sighed. "The first concern was the affairs of state, enjoyment of pleasure comes later…I am thinking, perhaps we underestimated teacher at the beginning."
The three of them each though over this sentence in their hearts and a sense of respect was born.
"Teacher…although he has a cheeky appearance, he has a sincere heart." Yang Wanli thought of all he had heard and seen during these few months. He thought of the importance Fan Xian placed on the river transport and the changes that Fan Xian's arrival had brought, and he couldn't help but sigh in admiration.
Beside the bamboo canopy on the river bank, there were other officials from the river transport yamen. Hou Jichang noticed that Yang Wanli always used "teacher," and he couldn't help but lower his voice to remind him, "In front of outsiders, it's better to use 'sir' to prevent the court saying we are forming factions."
"Gentlemen make friends, not factions, but if we truly need to form factions, I am willing to be teacher's lackey." Yang Wanli smiled slightly, using a deep voice different to that in his past. "Everyone knows of the four disciples of the Fan family. As long as we are working for the benefit of the people, why should we care about the rumors?"
Hou Jichang was slightly startled, then laughed in a clear voice, "You're right, it is I who is being too meticulous. Wanli, it seems like you really have grown a lot in this half year. Following beside the teacher is indeed greatly beneficial for cultivating moral character and personality."
Cheng Jialin also said admiringly, "We are officials far away and you are in Jiangnan, who knew that teacher would go the Jiangnan."
Yang Wanli smiled. "I did not stay by the teacher for long, instead that guy Shi Chanli…if you go visit Suzhou, you'll know how much teacher has changed him."
Speaking until now, Yang Wanli only remembered to ask, "Where are you two going?"
Cheng Jialin smiled slightly and replied, "For this half year, teacher has been reorganizing the governance in Jiangnan and there had been a lot of empty position, so the Board of Appointments moved me to Suzhou."
Yang Wanli nodded his head happily. He knew that once Cheng Jialin went to Suzhou, he would certainly be of great help to Fan Xian.
"What about you?"
Hou Jichang smiled and said, "I am going to Jiaozhou to take the position of provost."
Yang Wanli was surprised, thinking, this kind of transfer could be considered a banishment. He didn't understand why Fan Xian would make such arrangements.
Hou Jichang also did not explain anything. He only knew that Sir Fan junior must have his reasons for having him go to Jiaozhou. According to what the teacher said in his letter, that kind of sinister future event, of the four of them, indeed only he could barely manage to do it.
…
…
"The first concern is the affairs of state?" Among the Jiangnan waterways on a large ship, Fan Xian was lying on a bamboo chair on the deck watching the multitude of stars in the sky. He couldn't help but sigh. "I came to this life to enjoy it. I am not here to worry about the country and its people."
In a night such as this, the large ship was traveling on the river and had long left Hangzhou.
They passed the heat for a month beside the West Lake. Fan Xian carried out a careful analysis on the medicine Fei Jie left and found, to his anger, that what Ku He said should be true. However, it seemed that Fei Jie was remorseful. He made no reply at all to Fan Xian's letter of invitation, who knew where that old pervert was hiding.
However, Wan'er continued to take the medicine so her body had gradually recovered to how it was initially, and Fan Xian's mood was much better. His hatred toward Northern Qi's Ku He had subsided greatly. As for things like having children, he wasn't in a rush to start with. He was not yet 20, what was the rush?
After everything had been settled in Jiangnan, he would take everyone beside him, board one of the large ships the navy provided, and begin a journey along Jiangnan's waterways.
The destination of the journey was none other than Wuzhou, Jiaozhou, and Danzhou.
At this time, it was deep in the night. Wan'er, the Third Prince, and all those people had long gone to sleep. On the quiet deck, there were only Fan Xian and Da Bao lying shoulder to shoulder. Even the Sixth Bureau swordsmen and the Tiger Guards who usually hid in the shadows had been sent away by Fan Xian.
Fan Xian couldn't sleep, and Da Bao had slept too much on the ship during the day and so could stay up for a bit. The two of them lay shoulder to shoulder, randomly talking as they ate Jiangnan's delicious desserts.
No one understood why Fan Xian would have such a great relationship with his idiotic uncle. Even Fan Xian could not explain why. Perhaps, it was only because when talking with Da Bao he can obtain a relaxation he never had before. There was no need to think of anything, there was no need to fear anything.
Furthermore, he didn't have to talk about politics, the world, right and wrong, black and white, good and evil, other's death or his own, the white jade workshop, or the stinking sewers. They only needed to talk about food and such simple and joyful things. For example, the stars that decorated the night dome above the ship.
The river wind blew warmly. The waves were not happy, and the large ship stopped in the middle of a nameless large lake. The reeds around them were far away, and there were no water birds singing at night annoyingly. It was completely quiet. The stars above were lonely and distant. Fan Xian looked at the stars above and said to Da Bao beside him, "What do you think are the stars in the sky?"
"Sesame." Da Bao used his large fat hands to gesture. "The moon…is a baked sesame cake, the stars…are sesame…Xiao Bao is right."
Xiao Bao was the second Lin young master that had died at Uncle Wuzhu's hands. Fan Xian's heart jumped and shortly after he smiled slightly. Pointing at the stars and moon, he said, "I don't know whether or not it's a bake sesame cake, I only know that this Qing Kingdom's sky also has a moon. It also has those stars, and what's more…it's very strange, the day also only has one sun."
For the sun to come out during the day and for the stars and moon to come out at night, this definitely couldn't be considered strange. Even children understood this common knowledge.
But Da Bao nodded seriously and said, "Xiao Xianxian, I also think it's very strange."
Fan Xian sighed and said, "Yea, it's very strange. I found out when I was just a little kid, this place…is also Earth."
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)
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