"What to do?" The exotic color in Fei Jie's eyes grew even more intense, his messy hair burning like flames. "Only a fool would know what to do. But Dean, I must remind you, even if you hide yourself deeper, you've already implicated so many people. If something happens in the future, His Majesty will always suspect you."

Chen Pingping gently patted his frozen-wood-like knees, raised two fingers, and slightly bent one. "The situation you describe is... His Majesty wins. Only then would he suspect me. I've never denied this, because the truth is, although I control ninety-nine percent of the secrets in this world, there's still one percent I can't touch."

"Such as the Emperor's heart."

"So I'll choose to sever. Only then can I convince, only then can that child still live happily afterward."

Severance is done with blood and fire, with the most genuine aura of death. Fei Jie, being one of the old guard and holding a high position in the Overwatch Council, was undoubtedly the person in this world who understood Chen Pingping's true thoughts most clearly. Although Fei Jie was still puzzled about the Dean's ultimate goal, he immediately understood the meaning of the word "severance."

In later years, the assassination in the valley would be like a layer of paper, or a piece of cloth, a black cloth? Concealing Chen Pingping's heart, shielding a certain young man from the scorching gaze of suspicion from the Dragon Throne.

"What if His Majesty loses?" This was Fei Jie's biggest worry. After all, His Majesty was Fan Xian's father. If he won, at least Fan Xian, who currently appeared utterly loyal, wouldn't have too many problems. But if the Eldest Princess were to gain control of the realm, Fan Xian would find it difficult to die a decent death.

"Don't underestimate that child, Fan Xian." Chen Pingping bent back the last finger, clenching his not-so-large right hand into a hard fist. "Fan Xian is like this fist. He has power, and all five fingers are tucked into his palm, like so many foreshadowings. I'm not entirely sure what's on his mind, but I can vaguely guess."

"Fingers exposed are easily chopped off; clenched in a fist are much safer, ready to lash out and give someone a knuckle sandwich." Chen Pingping cackled. "If us old timers don't die, how could that crazy girl, the Eldest Princess, easily control the realm? Fan Xian sending his brothers and sisters to Northern Qi, secretly doing so many things with the North, why is that? Isn't he preparing for all this? He can fool others with his intentions, but can he fool me?"

This was true. Fan Xian's covert transfer of power to the North relied on the resources of the Overwatch Council. As the founder of the Overwatch Council, how could Chen Pingping not guess?

Chen Pingping lowered his head slightly, pulling the woolen blanket on his knees higher, and said, "That guy actually thinks farther ahead than anyone in the court, and his backup plans are more solid than anyone else's. I'd bet that even if he can't stay in Southern Qing anymore, this world will still change because of him. The foundation in Northern Qi is still there; think about it yourself."

Fei Jie opened his mouth wide, unable to speak for a long time. After a long while, he sighed softly, "That's treason."

Chen Pingping scoffed, "When the nation is no longer a nation, what treason is there? Besides, for that child, this nation really has nothing to cling to."

Fei Jie understood the Dean's feelings but still couldn't help shaking his head. "Has Fan Xian already grasped the secrets of the Internal Treasury?"

"I don't know." Chen Pingping lowered his head and said, "But after staying in Jiangnan for a year, if that kid doesn't find a way to get his hands on the manufacturing processes within the Internal Treasury, I simply won't believe it."

If Fan Xian were present at that moment, he would undoubtedly be filled with admiration for the old cripple. His thoughts were completely guessed by the other party.

"If there's a real chaos in the future, and Fan Xian directly surrenders to Northern Qi," Chen Pingping sighed, "even if our Da Qing Dynasty is extremely displeased, could the Eldest Princess and the Ye-Qin families really wipe out Northern Qi? With one side weakening and the other strengthening, the fortune of the nation will shift, and the trends of the world may be reversed."

Fei Jie shook his head. "It's just the Internal Treasury; even if Fan Xian has the ability to master half of the processes, it will only allow the Northern Qi court to earn more money. It won't change anything fundamentally."

"Change nothing?" Chen Pingping scoffed. "There's nothing more important in this world than money. Miss said that back in the day... but Miss wasn't as greedy and ruthless as Fan Xian."

"Would Fan Xian really do that?" Fei Jie sighed. "But he is, after all, a person of Da Qing. To help an enemy nation... I don't quite believe it."

He continued, "Wouldn't it be better for him to stand by His Majesty's side and manage the court well for him? To go to a foreign land as a guest minister, even if Northern Qi values him, he'd just be a pampered official without personal freedom. What good would that do?"

"It's quite strange," Chen Pingping said with a smile. "Although I've never explicitly told him anything, and I believe Fan Jian won't say anything either, Fan Xian seems to harbor a deeply hidden resentment towards His Majesty... This child is capable of restraint, so much so that I've only recently noticed this. Since there's a resentment, it's no wonder he's been looking for a way out... The same with Fan Ruoruo, the same with Fan Sizhe. If Vice Minister Fan really resigns before the new year, I think Fan Xian will arrange for him to return to Danzhou to retire."

"Danzhou is a good place. It only takes a few days to get to Dongyi City by boat, and Da Qing's navy can't stop it... It's even closer from Dongyi City to Northern Qi."

Fei Jie shook his head. "You're thinking too much. No matter how clever Fan Xian is, he's just a young man who hasn't even turned twenty yet. How could he calculate things so far into the future? Besides, as I said before, Northern Qi is, after all, a foreign land. What assurance does he have that he can gain the trust of the Northern Qi royal family? Having his own father as emperor is not good enough... he has to go and be someone else's minister."

"These are just my guesses." Chen Pingping blinked his tired eyes and said, "Who knows how things will develop in the future? But regarding whether Northern Qi will accept Southern Qing's fugitive officials, I think Fan Xian should have a good idea. At least in the next two years, he doesn't need to think about this issue... Don't forget that village girl named Haitang. Fan Xian spent so much effort, deceiving such an unremarkable woman. I don't believe that kid doesn't have any ulterior motives."

Would Fan Xian, recuperating in Kyoto, feel wronged?

"As for the Northern Qi royal family..." Chen Pingping frowned and said, "That Empress Dowager is almost out of control. Ku He hasn't said anything, and the most capable of her own family's younger generation have sided with the Little Emperor. In another two years, the Northern Qi Little Emperor will have great power, and... for some reason, that Little Emperor really trusts Fan Xian, leaving so much money to him without any oversight... I can't figure it out, I can't figure it out."

Rarely, there were things in this world that Chen Pingping couldn't figure out.

"Anyway, these are all things that will happen many years from now." Chen Pingping coughed twice, a look of comfort appearing on his face. "Perhaps, no, not perhaps, by that time, I'll already be dead. Why worry so much? I just feel very gratified, gratified that Fan Xian hasn't let down my training."

"In the courtyard, I once said a few words to him, telling him to raise his sights a bit."

"He's done well. Although he often has problems with the details, he's made ample preparations in the planning of the grand scheme." Chen Pingping said with fatherly comfort, "Making a ruckus in Kyoto is just a matter of one country. His mind is now set on the world. In this regard alone, he's naturally a level above Li Yunrui, beginning to approach our great Majesty."

After thinking for a while, Fei Jie said, "Dean, you've confused me again today. I just wanted to ask about the assassination in the valley, but I didn't expect it to lead to talk of the world."

Chen Pingping laughed and said, "I think you'd better go to the Fan residence to check on your disciple's injuries."

Fei Jie shook his head, preparing to leave.

Chen Pingping suddenly said, "Tell him, he can't leave, at least not while I'm still alive."

————————————————————————

Fan Xian wasn't thinking about leaving. Those arrangements were just a last resort in case of emergencies. Qi Ye traveled between the three major workshops in Minbei and Hangzhou, taking great risks to have him quietly transcribe a thick volume of Internal Treasury documents. He wasn't planning to take them to Northern Qi right now.

He wasn't that stupid. Although he didn't know why the Northern Qi Little Emperor admired him so much, he also knew that his roots were in Qing. If he could live so freely in Qing, only a fool would play the game of a thousand-mile strategic transfer.

However, backup plans had to be prepared.

Besides, in this Qing capital, in the countryside, there were still so many enemies and adversaries. How could he be willing to let go without cleaning these guys up, without supporting the Third Prince to the position, without ensuring that Qing remained peaceful and tranquil?

Just like Chen Pingping was unwilling, although Fan Xian, under the old fellow's guidance, had learned to look at the big picture with a global perspective, his heart was actually filled with unwillingness.

Actually, it was easy for Fan Xian to let go. Once Uncle Wu Zhu recovered from his injuries and returned, he and Uncle Wu Zhu could wander off alone, take a boat from Quanzhou to the Western world to see the sights, find those extremely mysterious but also extremely incompetent mages to have minor skirmishes with, and hook up with a few Helens. That would be the ultimate bliss.

Presumably, even the Emperor, Ye Liuyun, Si Gu Jian, Ku He... the three major forces in the world, wouldn't dare to easily stop him. Even the army wouldn't be able to keep this pair of master and servant in one place.

However, stagnation is often not due to the feet, but due to the emotional ties in the heart. Fan Xian was a man with a wife and concubines, and also had a father, grandmother, siblings, friends, confidants, and subordinates...

A person in Jianghu cannot help but be controlled, but a person in the imperial court, how is it any different?

Therefore, unable to easily withdraw, Fan Xian chose to stay, and forcefully expanded his power, preparing his backup plans, ready to fight those forces who dared to harm him to the death in this treacherous imperial court.

So when he was lying in Qing Shang, listening to his teacher relay Chen Pingping's last words, although he was shocked by the old cripple's discerning eyes, his face was calm, the corners of his lips slightly raised, and he said with a sarcastic tone, "Is the old man's brain muddled? Talking nonsense all the time? Where can I go?"

Fei Jie glanced at his most prized disciple and realized that the kid's words seemed to be from the bottom of his heart. He also felt that Dean Chen seemed to be thinking too complicatedly, treating everyone in the world as old foxes like him – although he was a grandmaster of poison, he was far inferior to Chen Pingping in some aspects, and even inferior to Fan Xian. Therefore, he couldn't see through it. The little fox's smile was actually very sweet.

"Let me see your injuries."

Fan Xian shook his head and smiled. "Teacher, if I can't even heal these small injuries myself, wouldn't that be a complete loss of face for you?"

He suddenly thought of something, took out a kraft paper bag from beside him, and handed it to Fei Jie. Fei Jie took it in his hand and asked, "What is this?"

Fan Xian was silent for a moment before saying, "I tried it in Hangzhou for half a year, and found a few herbs that seem to be able to neutralize the domineering nature of Yiyanbing. See if it can help Wan'er conceive. I don't quite trust myself, so please help me take a look, Teacher."

Fei Jie was silent, thinking that this kid had just escaped death in the valley, and now Kyoto was in a panic. No one knew what the palace and the Overwatch Council would do. Who would have thought that this kid would have the leisure to remember to research medicine for his wife? Fei Jie was of course clear that Lin Wan'er could not conceive after taking Yiyanbing, and had always felt a little embarrassed to see Fan Xian. Today, seeing him bring it up, he couldn't help but feel a little awkward.

Fan Xian smiled gently. "Teacher, don't think too much. I'm grateful that you went through so much to cure Wan'er's tuberculosis. Actually, I don't really care myself, but Wan'er really wants a child, so please trouble you to put in some effort again."

Fei Jie sighed and agreed. He suddenly realized a fact. Today, he was originally preparing to go to Chen Garden to find the Dean to settle accounts and seek justice for Fan Xian, but in the end, he was persuaded by the Dean to come to Fan Xian as a stepping stone. As a result, he didn't say anything in the Fan residence's bedroom, and was instead ordered by Fan Xian to make medicine.

Busy as he was, he hadn't accomplished anything this day. Fei Jie was a little annoyed, staring into Fan Xian's eyes and said, "I'm too lazy to guess what you two, one old and one young, are thinking. It's better if you say what's on your mind to each other's faces."

Fan Xian chuckled and said, "I'll go to Chen Garden tomorrow."

"You're still injured." Fei Jie said with concern, "Besides, after your assassination, His Majesty was furious, but the investigation has not made any progress... There's a lot of discussion in Kyoto, and it's not very peaceful. I don't think it's appropriate for you to leave the residence and leave the capital at this time."

Fan Xian said calmly, "Teacher, don't worry, I will never give anyone a chance to hurt me again."

...

...

The next day, it was still outside Chen Garden. The wooden door slowly opened, and the countless Overwatch Council assassins and various mechanisms lurking outside Chen Garden did not show the slightest bit of vigilance because of the visitor.

Perhaps it was because the young official who came was also sitting in a wheelchair.

Fan Xian sat in the wheelchair, leaning slightly to avoid pulling on the wound on his back, allowing the old servant to push him down the stone steps.

Chen Pingping also sat in a wheelchair, a woolen blanket on his knees.

Fan Xian tilted his head slightly, watching the old cripple with great interest. The old cripple also watched Fan Xian's wheelchair-bound appearance with great interest, and then the two of them laughed at the same time.

...

...

(I wrote too fast yesterday, and had Old Man Qin wearing a cotton blanket, my apologies. I love Chen Pingping, so the recent plot is to serve Pingping.)