Milky white mist slowly accumulated in the valley, but the morning sun rose slowly from the eastern sea, painstakingly climbing over countless mountains, casting its warmth and light upon the mountain village nestled within the hollow, gradually dissipating the white mist.

In what seemed like an instant, day had broken. In the green valley filled with trees, birds chirped and awoke, dew dripped from the leaves, and the unburdened leaves snapped back with pleasure, as if stretching, filling the entire valley with a feeling of fresh breath.

Fan Xian rubbed his somewhat strained eyes, sat on the edge of the bed for a while before fully waking up. He had talked too long with his father last night and slept too late, to the point of feeling somewhat unaccustomed. Not many people in Shijia Village knew of his arrival, and there were no servants or maids here, so when he pushed open the wooden door, felt the cool mountain breeze on his face, and saw the basin of hot water at his feet, he couldn't help but feel surprised.

Sitting on the threshold, he wrung two towels in the basin of hot water and vigorously scrubbed his face until his cheeks were slightly red. Only then did he feel a sense of satisfaction. He threw the towel back into the basin, carried it into the adjacent courtyard, and motioned for the subordinates who saw him to remain silent.

……

……

Throughout the morning, Fan Xian dedicated himself to serving his father, bringing tea, pouring water, cooking food, and massaging his back. Having lived mostly in Danzhou for twenty years, with many affairs in the capital, and not having seen his father for three years, he knew he hadn't been a very dutiful son. So, appreciating the rare opportunity to be in a foreign valley with no other worries, he earnestly fulfilled his duty as a son.

Lord Shangshu Fan was initially a bit surprised, but once he understood what his son was thinking, he simply smiled and let him be, leisurely enjoying being served by his son.

After casually eating some clear porridge and plain steamed buns, the father and son pushed open the courtyard gate and headed along the wide, straight road of Shijia Village towards the mountains beside the village. At this time, the road was still obscured by a light white mist, making it difficult to see the cracks in the stone slabs underfoot. Fan Xian carefully supported his father, walking along and softly chatting.

The road had three horizontal and one vertical paths, and even in the white mist, it was clear that its design was of a high grade and extremely spacious, completely disproportionate to the height of the mountain village buildings. Fan Xian knew that this was in preparation for future transportation needs.

A peach blossom peeked out from the white mist. Lord Shangshu Fan pointed at it and said something softly, and Fan Xian nodded repeatedly beside him. They then reached a blue stone well, and Lord Shangshu Fan said a few more words, and Fan Xian nodded again.

On their morning walk, Lord Shangshu Fan gently explained to Fan Xian the future use of this workshop, who would be stationed in this house, and how the three major workshops would be relocated if they were to be rebuilt. They talked and walked, and it didn't take long for the father and son to follow the stone path into the green mountains, stopping by a flying rock halfway up the mountain.

The father and son simultaneously turned their heads to look down the mountain, and a beam of golden light pierced through the vastness from the east, sweeping away the white mist in the valley in an instant, revealing its true appearance. Countless houses of various styles were neatly arranged in the valley, following the directions of the straight roads and alleys. Ancient trees occasionally peeked out from between the green walls and black eaves, creating an incredibly refreshing scene. In the distance, faint wisps of smoke could be seen rising, presumably from people getting up early to boil water and cook.

Fan Xian narrowed his eyes and looked at the valley. The densely packed houses gradually accumulated and stretched far between the two mountains, seemingly without end.

Last night, he had only seen the starlight at his feet. Today, seeing its true form, he realized that Shijia Village had already grown into such a magnificent existence. Thinking of the hard work of the past two years and more, and of the people who had worked hard for Shijia Village, a smile gradually spread across his eyebrows, eyes, lips, and teeth as he saw the fruits of their labor.

"To possess a treasure invites trouble." Lord Shangshu Fan, supporting his tired back, chuckled and said, gasping for breath, "Right now, it's just a shell. If you really put all the jewels inside, and the news leaks out, I'm afraid the whole world will come to take a bite of your flesh."

"Not many people have the ability to bite me," Fan Xian replied with a smile.

Lord Shangshu Fan shook his head in disapproval: "Although the valley is easy to defend and difficult to attack, how could the strength of a mere few thousand people withstand the attack of an entire country's army?"

"Last night, Father showed me the map. If His Majesty wants to send troops to attack, Dongyi City and Northern Qi will surely react accordingly."

"Dongyi City will soon belong to Qing..."

"That's only in name. Without ten years of effort, Qing will have a hard time peacefully incorporating Dongyi City into its system."

"What about Dongyi City itself? Or the people of Northern Qi?" Lord Shangshu Fan looked at him with a smile and said, "The allure of the legacy your mother left behind is too great. No one can resist it. This place is close to Northern Qi. How could the people of Northern Qi let it go?"

Fan Xian smiled, helped his father sit on a blue stone on the mountainside, and after pondering for a moment, said, "I have a way to restrain that little emperor of Northern Qi. Even if she is blinded by diamonds, I have a way to make her give up the idea."

"You think that the emergence of a second Internal Treasury in the world is something that the ruler of a country can simply say no to?" Lord Shangshu Fan sized up his son with an interesting look. "Although I don't know where your confidence in the emperor of Northern Qi comes from, if this matter really leaks out, the officials of Northern Qi will definitely drool. Even if that little emperor doesn't want to offend you, how can he stop the will of the entire nation?"

Fan Xian stood beside his father, withdrew his gaze from looking down, and said with a bitter smile, "Then what can I do? This is a hot potato to begin with. Leaving aside His Majesty's side for now, even in many years to come, if I want to protect this place, I need to be strong enough myself."

"Good, let's do as you say and not consider His Majesty for now." Lord Shangshu Fan laughed because both he and his son knew that the greatest danger to Shijia Village came from the emperor in the capital. "Let's talk about these three countries in the world. You need to maneuver among them. How much power do you actually have now to protect this place?"

"I have the most ninth-rank experts in the world under my command." Fan Xian was silent for a moment and then said seriously, "More than His Majesty has."

"Are you sure Si Gu Jian will give those people to you?" Lord Shangshu Fan said, "Even if he gives them to you, how will you control those people in Jianlu after he dies?"

"That depends on how Si Gu Jian handles it," Fan Xian replied. "As for the question of whether he will give them to me or not, I don't think he needs to consider it. This matter is of the greatest benefit to Dongyi City."

"Speaking of benefits, I'm really a little worried about the people of Qing." Fan Jian suddenly became gloomy.

"This is just a supplement, a backup, a threat." Fan Xian pursed his lips and said softly, "If it can be avoided, that would be the best outcome."

The white mist in the valley had long since dissipated. At this time, forced by the gradually warming temperature of the ground, it invisibly floated upwards, but when it encountered the cool mountain breeze coming through the hollow in the mountainside, it gradually seeped out white haze again.

The Fan father and son were sitting among the white clouds, on a blue stone, with mist flowing around them and their clothes fluttering lightly, looking like two immortals. Not far away on the road into the mountains, a farmer was chopping firewood, forcefully suppressing the curiosity in his heart, not casting his gaze towards the two figures in the clouds. Further away, there were some hidden lookouts. These people were the protective force of Shijia Village, secretly protecting the buildings and the people here.

The presence of these people naturally couldn't be hidden from Fan Xian, and probably not from Lord Shangshu Fan either, but they didn't want to alarm too many people, so they just silently watched the clouds rise and fall around them.

After being silent for a long time, Lord Shangshu Fan suddenly said calmly, "A person who can fundamentally change a world, I have never seen it in the history books of the past thousand years."

Fan Xian didn't reply, knowing what his father was talking about.

"Your mother was naturally talented, with the appearance of a celestial being and the talent of a celestial being. She may have wanted to change this world with her own strength, but in the end, she still failed." Lord Shangshu Fan's expression was cold and wooden, but within this coldness and woodiness, there was an indescribable sigh.

He raised his arm, his sleeves waving in the faint mist, pointed to the buildings in the valley, and said emotionally, "Many years ago, in that barren land in northern Fujian, I was just like today, watching the boundless beauty, born from barrenness. Your mother's mind always had so many wonderful ideas, which not only captivated the world but also seemed to subdue the limitations that the heavens gave us... How could people not be moved?"

Fan Xian was slightly moved by what he heard.

"If your mother hadn't died back then, the Internal Treasury would definitely not be what it is now. According to her idea, the Ye family's business would always have to be spread all over the world." Fan Jian sighed. "I originally didn't agree with you starting this Shijia Village, but thinking of your mother's wishes back then, I just let you go."

"In those years, no, in these years, I have been thinking about a question. That is, where exactly did your mother come from? What did she want to do when she came to this world? And... why did she leave?"

Fan Xian sat down, leaning tightly against his father, and remained silent.

Lord Shangshu Fan's thin face looked particularly calm in the mountain breeze: "We old guys have all experienced things from many years ago. We can guess that your mother came from that illusory Divine Temple, and Wu Zhu was her protector... But the Divine Temple has always not interfered in worldly affairs, so why would there be such a dreamlike story?"

Fan Xian hugged his knees with both hands, gently pressed his face against his knees, and looked sideways at his father, who had fallen into a daze. He knew that his father was a famous playboy in the capital back then, and his poetry, prose, calligraphy, and painting were all the best of his time. It was only later that his partners began to plot for the world that he gave up those spiritual things and devoted himself to the boring but important affairs of accounts and the like.

Today, on the mountainside next to Shijia Village, Fan Jian, who had retired from the position of Minister of Revenue of Qing three years ago, finally returned to his youthful literary self, but the youth was already nearing old age.

"If it was really His Majesty who weaved the grand net back then, then why was Wu Zhu transferred away?" Lord Shangshu Fan's voice suddenly became sharp, and he stared at Fan Xian and said, "In this world, there is only one threat that can transfer Wu Zhu away from your mother."

Fan Xian murmured, "The Divine Temple."

"That's right. If it wasn't for someone from the Divine Temple descending to the world back then, Wu Zhu would definitely not have left the capital to intercept that person." Lord Shangshu Fan narrowed his eyes and said, "If all of this was in His Majesty's plan, how could he have known that someone from the Divine Temple would come at that time? How could he have contacted the illusory Divine Temple?"

"You suspect that His Majesty cooperated with the Divine Temple back then?" Fan Xian sat up straight, took his hands off his calves, and looked at his father.

Lord Shangshu Fan lowered his eyes slightly and said, "These years, Chen Pingping and I have been guessing and guessing, and the reason why we haven't taken any action is because we still have awe and fear in our hearts towards the Divine Temple. If His Majesty is really the person designated by the Divine Temple, what can we do?"

"If Wu Zhu hadn't lost his memory, he should have known the secrets of the Divine Temple." He looked at Fan Xian gently and said, "If you really want to break with His Majesty in the future, you must find out about this matter. We are all mortals. We are not your mother. Mortals cannot fight against the Divine Temple."

Fan Xian's expression was calm, and even after hearing about the Divine Temple, he still didn't have a trace of fear in his heart. He said, "Uncle Wu Zhu has already left."

"Where did he go?"

"He went home... well, he should be going to the Divine Temple to take a look." The corners of Fan Xian's lips curled up slightly. "He said before he left that there weren't many people in the temple, so Father, don't worry too much... If the Divine Temple really doesn't interfere in worldly affairs, then it won't have any impact on me."

"How many years has Wu Zhu been gone?"

"Almost three years."

"Three years and he hasn't come back yet." Lord Shangshu Fan slowly closed his eyes. "I'm afraid there's something wrong."

Fan Xian didn't respond. He was naturally extremely worried about Uncle Wu Zhu in his heart, but he had never thought of using worldly affairs to stop Uncle Wu Zhu from finding his own journey. Moreover, from the beginning, he knew that the Divine Temple hidden in the ice and snow must have played some role in that story many years ago. Listening to his father's analysis today, he was even more certain of this point.

"You should understand now why Chen Pingping insisted on you sending Xiao En back to Northern Qi."

"Yes, only Xiao En, Ku He, and Uncle Wu Zhu know where the Divine Temple is in this world. Ku He naturally won't say, and Uncle Wu Zhu hasn't remembered it yet, so only Xiao En knows." Fan Xian replied, "Old Dean wants me to know the secrets of the Divine Temple."

As soon as these words came out, Fan Xian's eyelashes suddenly fluttered, and many past events were strung together in his mind. He even clearly remembered the conversation between himself and the old man in the wheelchair by the water pool of the Overwatch Council, next to the fish that were sinking to the bottom of the sand.

……

……

Chen Pingping waved his hand and frowned, saying, "You have to learn to broaden your horizons in the future, and don't always stare at one Department or one Division, a mere official, a mere capital. You have to learn to stand in a higher position..."

Fan Xian replied, "Does that mean I have to put my eyes on the whole world?"

Chen Pingping smiled and said, "Maybe it should be even higher."

……

……

Where should the highest eyes in the world be placed? Naturally, it should be high above the clouds, deep in the ice and cold of the Divine Temple. Fan Xian was slightly moved, and only then did he understand that Chen Pingping had guessed long ago that the Divine Temple was standing behind His Majesty, so he would let himself send Xiao En back to Northern Qi, reminding himself that His Majesty was not just... a person.

"It's good that you understand. His Majesty is already incredibly powerful, but there is still a Divine Temple standing behind him." Lord Shangshu Fan still kept his eyes closed, and said faintly, "So I can't even raise the slightest thought of resisting him, but since you dare to, you must dig from the root."

Fan Xian didn't pick up on this sentence. Actually, Uncle Wu Zhu's return home was originally a hidden move in his plan. To deal with the Divine Temple, it must be a non-human like a Grandmaster or above who can do it. Uncle Wu Zhu returned to the Divine Temple, while Fan Xian stayed in this world to continue honing himself.

"Although Wu Zhu thinks there are no people in the temple," Lord Shangshu Fan frowned, "but who knows? According to you, he has already been gone for more than two years, but he hasn't had any news back. What if something happens to him there?"

"I don't know." A sense of frustration rose in Fan Xian's heart, but there had already been too much frustration in front of the Emperor, so much so that he was almost numb to it, so he didn't care much about it.

"If things go wrong in the future, I will go to the Divine Temple to find him. Even if he is dead, I will dig his body out of the snow." Fan Xian's heart was cold, but there was a heat that could not be extinguished in the coldness. He said firmly and calmly, "This has nothing to do with Qing, it's just my business."

Uncle Wu Zhu was his closest relative, the indispensable part of his life. If something happened to Uncle Wu Zhu, Fan Xian would not be able to live comfortably even if he survived. And what is the point of living if you can't live comfortably?

Lord Shangshu Fan looked at him quietly, knowing that the secrets about the Divine Temple were hidden in the deepest part of this kid's heart. Thinking that he had been hiding it from him all these years, Lord Shangshu Fan was not angry but happy. There were not many young people with such a city in this world, and probably only such young people could survive in the struggle with His Majesty and live better and better.

"If things go wrong?" Although he appreciated it in his heart, Lord Shangshu Fan still sarcastically said, "If that day really comes, do you think His Majesty will still let you live to embark on the road to find the Divine Temple?"

"I don't know." This was the second time Fan Xian said he didn't know. There were not many unfathomable people in this world, but His Majesty the Emperor was obviously one of them. Fan Xian didn't want to completely break with the man on the dragon throne. Firstly, there was some affection, and secondly, Fan Xian knew that the current self was not His Majesty's opponent in any way.

"I don't know." Fan Xian repeated again, "But living, there are always some things that must be done. So what if I fail? Although His Majesty is incomparably powerful, it is not so simple to kill me."

He smiled wryly and said, "Unless he is willing to leave the palace, ignore the government, and chase me all over the world."

Lord Shangshu Fan smiled slightly and said, "This kind of thing is really not in line with his character, but you are his most trusted and most beloved minister. If he finds out that you have really betrayed him, it would not be surprising what kind of things he would do under this emotional agitation."

"Then I can only pray to God for protection." Fan Xian said with a smile, "So it's still the same sentence, before Uncle Wu Zhu comes back, I don't want to turn against His Majesty."

Lord Shangshu Fan also laughed, finally understanding his hesitation these past two years, not only because he was trapped in the uneasiness under that kind of ethical oppression, but also because he was waiting and must buy time.

If the source of His Majesty the Emperor's power and self-confidence lies in the powerful national strength of Qing, the endless money of the Internal Treasury, the scheming art of controlling the world, and his own powerful Grandmaster cultivation.

Then Fan Xian's self-confidence comes from his own part of the Overwatch Council, the information in his mind enough to rebuild an Internal Treasury, the silver notes in his arms enough to rebuild an Internal Treasury, and... that powerful Wu Zhu.

"I hope Ye Liuyun has really gone to sea." Lord Shangshu Fan glanced at Fan Xian with a meaningful look.

Fan Xian was silent for a long time, knowing what his father wanted to remind him. After a while, he said, "I hope so too."

……

……

Fan Xian only stayed in Shijia Village for one day, secretly meeting with the Ye shopkeepers of Qing Yu Tang who had been rescued from the capital. Both sides sighed with emotion. Although these old shopkeepers were already dead people in the records of the Qing court, they still had relatives in the capital and brothers and friends in the three major workshops of Jiangnan. So Fan Xian was originally a little worried that if these old shopkeepers were left in Shijia Village, they would have some other ideas.

But after meeting, he found that these old shopkeepers were extremely enthusiastic about the reconstruction of the Internal Treasury, and even wished to devote all their remaining lives to it.

Of course, for the old shopkeepers of the Ye family, this had nothing to do with some shitty Internal Treasury, and they didn't care to what extent Qing's national strength would be weakened. They just thought that these things originally belonged to our old Ye family, and were taken away by the shameless Qing royal family back then. Now that the young master wants to rebuild the old Ye family, tears began to flow, and old Ma's heart began to jump.

Fan Xian re-examined the process flow charts of the three major workshops with these old shopkeepers, reconfirmed the future possibilities of Shijia Village, and finally completed the purpose of this trip. At dusk that day, he performed a great salute to his father, and then left the big village alone and walked into the deep valley.

When he reached the halfway point of the mountain and looked back, the valley was already dark, and the lights were gradually rising, like stars in the sky. He looked up, and the stars in the sky were dotted, like lights in the world. The starry sky was full of stars, and it was not known whether they fell from the sky or rose from the ground, which was extremely beautiful.

……

……

(After thinking about it all night, I figured it out, and I feel very smooth, and the writing is also very smooth. Then today I saw the news that classmate Xingguang San Li Chuning passed away. I am very angry, I don’t know why, silent.)