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 575 - An Angry Grape
Chapter 575: An Angry Grape
Translator:
Nyoi-Bo Studio
Editor:
Nyoi-Bo Studio
“Why?”
Faced with his son’s shocked inquiry, Minister Fan did not continue this topic. He smiled and changed the subject, saying, “Is the situation alright in the Palace?”
Fan Xian replied, “The Great Prince is keeping watch with injuries, the empress dowager is very ill, and Li Chengqian has already been shut in the Eastern Palace. There shouldn’t be a problem.”
“Good.” Fan Jian nodded. His eyes gradually revealed a glimmer of gentleness as he sighed in admiration”. You’ve only been back in the capital seven or eight days. I have to say, to be able to hold down Jingdou for the Emperor in such circumstances, you have improved beyond my expectations. You’ve done very well.”
Although he had received praise from his father, Fan Xian did not feel any joy in his heart. Smiling bitterly, he said, “The Great Prince and I fought desperately in Jingdou, but who would have thought that the Emperor had already calculated for everything. If the Dingzhou army had not defected in the end, it would have been impossible to hold the Royal Palace…”
Without waiting for him to finish, Fan Jian waved his hand and stopped him “The Emperor thinks far into the future, and his holy heart ranges far. It is not something that we, as officials, can arrogantly guess at.” The tone of these words revealed a trace of unnaturalness. He continued to speak and sighed, “As for the Ye family, it was truly out of everyone’s expectations. Who would have thought that after years of pressure, they were the Emperor’s hidden pawns?”
He looked at Fan Xian and revealed a slight cultured smile. “From this, it seems that your judgment concerning the attack in the valley a year and a half ago was right, and I was wrong.”
Fan Xian was silent. After the attack in the valley last year, he and his father had once analyzed the problem of the city guarding crossbows. After the matter, they knew it was the old Qin family’s action, but they had once wondered if the Emperor would take out his anger on Ye Zhong. From this, they began to talk about the distribution of various military powers in the Qing Kingdom. Abruptly, they realized that during these 20 years, other than Ye Zhong, who had always been the Commander of the Jingdou Garrison, the responsibility of being both the Commander of the Imperial Army and Commander of the Internal Guards ha only ever fallen to Gong Dian.
At that time, Fan Xian suspected that point. Since the Emperor had shown such trust in the Ye family, why would he force the Ye family to join hands with the Second Prince and lean toward the Eldest Princess? However, Fan Jian had given him the reason he believed. Fan Xian had thought it reasonable, so he had let go of this suspicion.
Unexpectedly, the truth of this suspicion, the truth behind the Emperor’s silent tolerance of many suspicious and weak points, was finally revealed in the chaos in Jingdou.
The Emperor had woven a huge maze. Not only had it confused the Eldest Princess and everyone in the world, it had even thoroughly fooled Fan Jian, a trusted confidant with whom he had grown up.
Speaking of the attack in the valley, the sight of the white snow that day, red blood, heads in front of the Bureau of Military Affairs, as well as his arrogance, all rose involuntarily before his eyes. He couldn’t help but laugh bitterly. He thought about how childish and laughable his arrogance that day was in front of the Emperor and Eldest Princess.
His heart moved. He opened his mouth to ask, “Father, I’ve always had a question. Why did Qin Ye betray the Emperor?”
This was not just his question. This was many people’s question. However, the battle for imperial power, for control of the world, made everyone assume that the Qin family’s betrayal was like every internal conflict in the history books. It was inevitable and right.
Fan Xian had heard the Eldest Princess’s words before her death. A poisonous flower bloomed in his heart. He began to pay particular attention to this question. Although the Qin family had a 10 percent share in the Ming family and secretly commanded the Jiaozhou Navy to massacre the island, for an elder of the military, just for the sake of his face, it would be enough for the Emperor to pass over these matters lightly. But, only as long as he remained absolutely loyal to the Emperor.
What kind of creature was the Emperor? If he had ever suspected Qin Ye’s loyalty, how could he allow him to stay in the position as Minister of the Bureau of Military Affairs for so many years? These years, the old Qin master had constantly said he was sick and didn’t come into court, yet the position of Minister had never been made empty.
He spoke about this confusion out loud. Fan Jian didn’t think before saying coldly and directly, “Also on the day of the attack in the valley, I had once said the empress’s father’s head had been chopped off by me. Who knows if those heads that should have been taken off were completely done so.”
Fan Xian’s heart trembled. He understood what his father meant. The Qin family stood on the Eldest Princess’s side in the rebellion. Perhaps they were also involved in his mother’s strange death 20 years ago.
“At that time, I went with the Emperor to Xi Hu for war, Chen Pingping had been moved to the Yanjing area of deal with the emergency situation in the North, and Ye Zhong had gone with the backup troops to be stationed in Dingzhou to hold the fort for the Emperor…” Fan Jian’s eyelids drooped slightly. “However, at the time, Qin Ye, following old court precedent and in his position as Minister of the Bureau of Military Affairs, controlled the headquarters of military power in Jingdou. If it was said that he participated in the rebellion in Jingdou, no one would think it was strange.”
If the old Qin Master had been one of the original culprits responsible for killing Ye Qingmei, then the night that ran red with blood four years later, when the empress’s entire clan was slaughtered and the nobles of Jingdou purged, why was the Qin family not involved in that? If the Emperor, Chen Pingping, and his father joined hands to avenge his mother, how could they let the old Qin master go?
Meeting Fan Xian’s questioning gaze, Fan Jian slowly said, “The problem was that there was never any evidence that clearly said the Qin family had participated. Just like the empress dowager, at most, it was a crime of tolerance.”
Fan Xian furrowed his brows slightly. Chen Pingping had once said this him too. Concerning his mother’s death, the empress dowager was probably not a main culprit and was only guilty of tolerance. Examining this matter critically with his father, Fan Xian suddenly realized that Director Chen probably thought differently and had endless suspicions about the role the Qin family had once played.
The person who could best prove Chen Pingping’s thoughts about the Qin family was the Deputy Commander of the Black Knights, Jing Ge. Such a dangerous figure who wished to wipe out the entire Qin family, yet Chen Pingping still quietly brought him in under his own wing. Why did he do that? Was it for when he fell out with the Qin family in the future?
A chill grew from the bottom of Fan Xian’s heart. If the Qin family had, as Chen Pingping though, participated in the killing of Ye Qingmei, how could he live until now? Thinking of this, a streak of coldness began to surge out of the depths of his body, seeping out of countless pores in his body, making the entire study as cold as winter.
He had once guessed countless times and come close to the truth, but he didn’t dare ask. He didn’t even dare ask Chen Pingping. Furthermore, Chen Pingping had distanced himself with endless coldness and did not give him any chance to open his mouth.
There had always been a knot in Fan Xian’s heart. He had always quietly turned his attention toward Northern Qi, feeling a natural fear toward the Qing Kingdom. However, it seemed that this knot was going to untangle and reveal the inky truth inside. Thus, he fell silent. Smiling slightly at his father, he said, “If the Qin family actually participated in the matter, it could be said that they had received their retribution today.”
He worried that this father would follow this line of thought and think of the things he secretly feared earlier. He rushed to open his mouth and say, “The Emperor is returning to the capital in the next few days. Earlier, the court had been preparing his funeral matters. I don’t know how they are going to turn around so quickly.”
Fan Xian smiled. “The Ministry of Rites will take of such things. What needs is there for you to be concerned?”
Fan Xian shrugged and didn’t say anything more. Minister Fan also fell into silence, revealing a glimmer of confusion on his face. The atmosphere in the study became strange.
Presumably, all the nobles and officials in Jingdou who had survived were silent in their residences. No one had thought the Emperor would be able to come down from Dong Mountain alive. In their shock, they also thought of the Ye family’s defeated move, as well as a number of waterproof plans in the rebellion. All of the officials’ respect and fear of the Emperor had been raised to a level that had never been reached before.
Fan Xian looked at his silent father and rose to say a few more words. He then turned and left.
Leaving the study, he walked toward the back garden bordering the street to see Wan’er. Along the way, the evening breeze was as cold as water as it washed over his face. Unexpectedly, a wave of joy came over him. He took a deep breath, preserving the injury in his body, and thought blankly about Chen Pingping’s letting go of the attack in the valley. Because of this severance, it was no wonder that the old cripple was the most incredible man in the world. He had long seen everything clearly, yet he carefully hid the truth from him and did those things alone. He even used this severance to maintain his own peace after the event.
Fan Xian had been learning from Chen Pingping. Now, he could only be silent. His father was going to quit his post and return home. What point was there in having his guesses sink him once again into the dangers in Jingdou and be unable to extricate himself? For the sake of each other’s safety, both had to sever. Only this was truly love, like how Chen Pingping loved him.
Fan Xian very much wanted to see Chen Pingping.
At this moment, Chen Pingping was traveling around Jingdou happily. Occasionally, he gave an order to have the Overwatch Council cooperate with the Emperor’s actions. Even if he had to return to Jingdou before the Emperor arrived, it would not happen tonight.
However, someone came to the Fan manor to look for Fan Xian. The night was already dark. Fan Xian still hadn’t had the time to see his wife. Somewhat impatiently, he was invited out of his manor. Seeing Gong Dian at the door, he sucked in a deep breath and pushed down the irritation in his heart. Bowing, he said, “Sir Gong.”
Earlier, he and his father had been discussing this man in the study. They knew that he was one of the people the Emperor trusted the most, so he spoke measuredly.
In Gong Dian’s opinion, Sir Fan junior was the person closest to the Emperor. Not daring to think too highly of himself, he bowed as a person of lower status and said in a heavy voice, “There is a matter I must trouble you with.”
Fan Xian was one of the Dukes and could accept such a bow. Furthermore, in the days before the Emperor returned to the capital, he was still the regent. However, hearing the word “trouble,” he knew that it would be a big trouble. His head couldn’t help but start hurting.
Too many people had died in the Jingdou. Plus, Fan Xian was not in a very good mood. The battles around Jingdou still raged, but peace was gradually returning within the city. He had to rest and think. He wasn’t happy about being disturbed.
Fan Xian forcefully suppressed the irritation in his heart. Looking at him, he said as evenly as possible, “What is the matter?”
Gong Dian looked at him and seemed to hesitate and feel awkward. Even when he had chopped toward the military elder, the old Master Qin, among tens of thousands of rebel soldiers during the day, he had not looked to be in such a difficult situation.
Fan Xian also didn’t say anything and only looked at him calmly. Perhaps the pressure was too great. Gong Dian swallowed and said, “Please, will you come to the manor with me, I can’t reason with the young mistress…”
Hearing these words, Fan Xian immediately understood what had happened. During the day, he had been busy killing and rescuing people and had completely not thought about this. Now, the night was dark, people were quiet, and the smoke was slowly dispersing. He immediately thought of a major problem the Ye family would run into after having followed the Emperor in achieving a meritorious deed of all ages.
“The Commander has left the capital in pursuit and ordered me to take the young mistress back to the manor. Unexpectedly, the young mistress refuses to comply…” Gong Dian had stood guard by Zhengyang Gate for a long time. At night, he immediately ran into a major problem. He knew that in Jingdou, probably only Fan Xian had the right to handle the matters of the royal family. Thus, he had not worried about Dingzhou’s face and had straightforwardly spoken of the problem.
Fan Xian continued to look quietly at Gong Dian and allowed him to talk. There was no derision or mocking in his eyes, but it made Gong Dian feel an involuntary wave of unease and shame.
Fan Xian took a deep breath and didn’t say anything. Of all the people still alive in this matter, it was probably the worse for Wan’er and her best friend Ye Ling’er. His wife hurt over the death of her mother, while Ye Ling’er’s feelings of grievance and anger would probably not reduce.
When Ye Ling’er had married the Second Prince, it could truly be considered willing and voluntary. No one had guessed that this marriage was just one step in the plan between the Emperor and Ye Zhong. Ye Ling’er couldn’t even be considered a pawn. She had only paid out her emotions and marriage and become a bargaining chip in the Ye family gaining the Eldest Princess’s trust. Now that things had come to a head, only now would she abruptly realize that her father had been trying to defeat her husband.
Of course, her husband was using her to control the Dingzhou army.
Thinking of this, Fan Xian involuntarily thought of the Eldest Princess’s last words before she died. All the men in the world were controlled by the ideals of righteousness such as reputation, power, and the so-called unified world. They really weren’t anything. Perhaps this included him. But, he could not do such a thing. He developed countless feelings of disgust toward Ye Zhong, who had sold his daughter.
Gong Dian seemed to have guessed what he was thinking. His expression was very unnatural.
Fan Xian shook his head and said, “The Second Prince is also shut up in the manor?”
Gong Dian made a noise of acknowledgment.
Fan Xian lowered his head and said, “That’s fine. The Emperor had said on Dong Mountain to not kill if it could be avoided, particularly Chengze.”
Gong Dian raised his head in shock. He knew of the news that the Emperor was alive, but it was the first time he had learned that the Emperor had related such a thing to Fan Xian on Dong Mountain. If the Emperor truly wanted to leave the Second Prince his life, that would be a great stroke of fortune.
Everyone in Dingzhou liked Ling’er very much. When the truth came out today and Ye Ling’er mourned as if her heart had died in the manor, all the soldiers in the Dingzhou army felt incomparable shame and unease. Hearing now that the Second Prince didn’t have to die, and Ye Ling’er didn’t have to be a widow, it was easier to break to her.
Fan Xian sighed in his heart. Thinking now of the Emperor’s instructions on Dong Mountain, only now did he understand that the Emperor had already calculated confidently that he would return to the capital and the Eldest Princess, leading the Crown Prince and the Second Prince, would be sure to fall. That was why he had purposely reminded him to leave the Second Prince his life.
Leaving the Second Prince a life was actually leaving Ye Ling’er a man, leaving the Ye family, this family of great meritorious service, a sliver of face. If the Second Prince abruptly died, what was Ye Ling’er to do? This would be heavily talked about. How would the Ye family live?
…
…
Although the Emperor had calculated this long ago, Fan Xian still went to the manor. Even though there was no love lost between him and the Second Prince, Ye Ling’er had, after all, called him teacher countless times. Furthermore, as the regent, he had to carefully handle the captive princes. If something went wrong at the manor, it would be difficult for him to explain it.
Without raising his head to see the banner up top, he directly entered the Palace accompanied by Gong Dian. There were soldiers keeping watch all around. Even if the Second Prince still had people in his hands, he couldn’t turn into a mosquito and fly out of his cage.
This was Fan Xian’s first time entering the Second Prince’s manor, so it was inevitable that he felt a little strange. He wondered what the brother—whose personality, appearance, and aura were so similar to his own—was thinking about right now.
Gong Dian stayed outside the back courtyard as Fan Xian entered alone. The garden was quiet and secluded, completely unlike the scenery a prince’s manor should have. The light in the room was still on. Although the night was deep, the young Prince and his wangfei were still unable to sleep.
Entering the room, he saw only Ye Ling’er sitting silently by the table with a distressed look on her face. There were still tear tracks at the corner of her eyes. Her usually bright jade eyes had unexplainable and indescribable tiredness and grievance. Most of it was hidden but unexpressed anger.
This wangfei was like an old tiger who could leap forward at any moment and bite someone to death. Putting aside being used by her husband, she had been lied to by her father and thrown out by her clan. How was she to endure this?
A faint sense of pity rose in Fan Xian’s heart. Walking to her side, he said in an even voice, “Gong Dian means well to have you return to the manor. After things have cooled down a bit in a few days, you and Chengze will still be in the same place.”
Ye Ling’er only now realized that it was him who had come in. The mockery in her eyes flared. She wanted to say something mockingly, but her heart was full of grief. She lowered her head and began to cry soundlessly.
Fan Xian had never seen Ye Ling’er subdued and sorrowful. For a time, he didn’t know how to console her.
A moment later, Ye Ling’er raised her head and looked at him spiritlessly. “Why are you not being a regent in the Palace? Why have you come here?”
“To console you,” Fan Xian replied.
Ye Ling’er slowly shook her head.
“Don’t be so stubborn. Even your father can’t do anything about this. When it comes down to it, if the Second Prince had listened to you from the beginning and joined in on this matter, there wouldn’t be this situation today.”
Seeing Ye Ling’er’s bleak appearance, Fan Xian began to feel angry without reason. These few years, his attacks against the Second Prince had hidden an unconscious thought of his, which was to use the Overwatch Council and the Emperor’s favor to cripple the Second Prince’s strength, cutting off his thoughts for the crown. Unexpectedly, the Second Prince’s desire for power was powerful. In addition to the Eldest Princess’s clever manipulation, this plan was completely ineffective.
Ye Ling’er laughed sorrowfully at herself and said quietly, “Teacher, naturally, I don’t blame you for this matter. To end up in such a situation, it is all down to him. During these years, even you couldn’t beat back his desire. How could I, a mere woman, convince him?”
“You don’t need to persuade me to leave the manor. He was involved in a rebellion, who would give him a lifeline?” Ye Ling’er’s expression gradually calmed. “Regardless of what kind of person he is, in the end, we are husband and wife. Since father and the people in my clan have never viewed me as a person, then I may as well go with him and be a couple under the Yellow Springs. Presumably, he would not be able to continue his dreams of being an Emperor in that desolate place.”
Fan Xian’s heart jumped. He could clearly see a desire for death in Ye Ling’er’s calm expression. In a slightly trembling voice, he said, “I will tell you clearly that on Dong Mountain, the Emperor personally instructed me that Chengze will not die.”
Hearing these words, Ye Ling’er abruptly raised her head. A glimmer of hope and unexpected joy appeared in her eyes. It immediately dimmed, confusing Fan Xian.
Ye Ling’er shook her head and sighed quietly. “Everyone says that he is outwardly warm, but inside he is indifferent and heartless. Actually, these words are not wrong. Even his mother in the Palace is respectful toward him. In his life, when had he felt true warmth? Not only is he heartless toward others, but he is also very cold and severe to himself.”
“I am his wife. I have to know him a bit better than you outsiders. You have no idea how proud a person he is in his heart and how he holds himself responsible. The complete and utter failure this time is a great blow against him. Even if father leaves him a lifeline, what face would he have to keep living?”
She raised her head and looked at Fan Xian with a helpless and broken-hearted expression. “After returning to the manor, he will not say a single word. I know he is already thinking about death. If, at this time, even I left, then everyone in the world will have abandoned him. He will go very simply.”
Fan Xian took a deep breath and said straightforwardly, “Where is he?”
…
…
Second Prince Lil Chengze was crouched on a chair, holding a bundle of grapes in his hands and bringing them to his mouth. This was a sight Fan Xian had seen countless times. Now, the Second Prince’s hair was disheveled and untied. There was an indiscernible expression on his handsome face. The corners of his lips were slightly upturned as if he was smiling mockingly at something. His entire person appeared to be dejected.
“If you died, who will look after Lady Shu in her old age? What about wangfei?” Fan Xian sat down across from him and said as calmly as possible. He looked flatly at the other person, as if he was looking at another him.
Fan Xian and the Second Prince’s temperaments were very similar. This was something that had long spread in Jingdou. Although the two clearly looked different, when they sat across from each other, it was like looking at oneself through a mirror.
Fan Xian looked at the other person and thought to himself, If my mother was not Ye Qingmei, if mine and the Second Prince’s identity were switched, all I would be able to do would probably be to sit on a chair and eat grapes.
The Second Prince seemed to just realize that Fan Xian had arrived. Smiling slightly, he said, “Can I still survive?”
Unwillingly, Fan Xian repeated the Emperor’s edict.
The Second Prince smiled self-mockingly and said, “Living like a dog, trapped for the rest of my life in the manor. One day in the future, as father nears his death and before a new Emperor rises, the Ye family will also be put to death like a dog, and I will be granted death. Do you think that if I survive, my future like will be like this?”
Fan Xian was silent.
“Since it is so, why should I be a burden on Ling’er or on that shameless father-in-law of mine?” The Second Prince shrugged. “Furthermore, there is no purpose in living like this.”
Fan Xian said, “Looks like your lofty aspirations have already been extinguished.”
The Second Prince suddenly halted the movement of bringing autumn sweet and juicy grapes to his lips. The smile on his face was just as sweet. He looked at Fan Xian and faintly said, “Thinking of it now, the words you said in the teashop in front of Baoyue Brothel were right. These two years, you’ve always wanted to strike down my lofty ambitions. Thinking back over our relations, I have to thank you.”
“Speaking of which, it is quite strange. I had always thought that aunt and father-in-law would help me. Looking around, it is you, my biggest enemy, who once had a glimmer of sincerity for me.”
The Second Prince sighed in admiration. “You are truly an odd one of the Li family. The Mistress of the Ye family was indeed just as uncommon as in the rumors.”
“And me?” the Second Prince continued and began to laughing with tears streaming down his face. “What am I? I thought that my calculations were beyond that of others, that I had countless people standing in support behind me, and that the throne was only just around the corner. How was I to know that father had arranged everything, and I, this clever person, wasn’t even as good as a pawn, not even as good as that coward Chengqian. I can’t do anything. I don’t have any ideas. I am just like a weak child. I only know how to stupidly watch everything happening.”
As the Second Prince raged, his voice grew higher and higher. It was unclear what he was angry about, but it was clear that it wasn’t targeted at Fan Xian. Perhaps he was angry that ever since his youth, his father had put him in the position of a whetstone, forced, step by step, to where he was today. Perhaps he was angry at Ye Zhong’s heartless defection. Perhaps he was angry at himself for being born within the Royal Palace.
Fan Xian was silent. From Wan’er, he knew that this Second Prince, who had she been close to since childhood, had the nickname “Rock. Any simple rock that had been ground by the Emperor with the sword of imperial power for so many years would involuntarily be imbued with some evil tendencies and negative things.
“What am I?” The Second stared at Fan Xian. Pointing at himself, with tears and snot smeared all over his face, he laughed loudly and said, “I am a joke!”
Fan Xian wanted to say that it seemed that everyone in the world was a joke. However, these words didn’t come out. As he watched in shock after the laughing and crying Second Prince said the word “joke,” he spat out a mouthful of black blood right onto the purple grapes.
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)
______