Fan Wu Jiu lowered his head slowly after hearing He Zongwei's chilly words. There was no obvious reaction. After a long silence, he whispered, "Before reporting to His Majesty, you should try to investigate more thoroughly, sir."

"Of course. Alright, it's late. Go and rest." He Zongwei said casually, waving his hand as he picked up the files on the table again.

Fan Wu Jiu glanced at He Zongwei, a glimmer of dimness flashing in his eyes. He bowed and took his leave. As he walked out of the study, He Zongwei immediately put down the files in his hand, silently watching the door, lost in thought.

He Zongwei was initially quite wary of the fact that the eight retainers of the Second Prince would come to him. After all, quite a few people in the capital knew Fan Wu Jiu's identity. If this were to be discovered in the future and spread to the palace, who knew what His Majesty the Emperor would think.

The Second Prince was a member of the conspiracy rebellion. It was indeed risky for He Zongwei to take in his former subordinate.

However, he quickly made a decision. After all, Fan Wu Jiu had his own abilities. The Eight Great Generals, whose reputation was secretly spread in the Jianghu of the capital, might seem vulnerable in front of the Overwatch Council, but they were actually quite formidable figures. The Second Prince had been operating in the court for so long, and the confidants he kept by his side were naturally the most outstanding.

Besides Fan Wu Jiu's own abilities, He Zongwei had two other important reasons for taking him in. First, this person shared his goal, which was to deal with Fan Xian. Second, this person also controlled some of the resources left behind by the Second Prince.

The Second Prince had failed and died three years ago, and his power in the court had long been swept away by the Emperor and Fan Xian. However, there were still some officials hidden in the lower levels of the court, waiting for an opportunity, whether it was to avenge their master or to find a new master and see the light of day again.

He Zongwei needed these people, and these people also needed Academician He in the court. However, He Zongwei could not personally step forward to win over these forces. It had to be done through Fan Wu Jiu, so that he could appear innocent in front of His Majesty.

Ultimately, He Zongwei was walking on a lonely tightrope, with endless abysses on both sides, extremely dangerous.

Not long after Fan Wu Jiu left the study, the He clan cousin who had left earlier quietly returned. The two exchanged glances and saw the expression in each other's eyes. He Zongwei smiled warmly and said, "Go and investigate the whereabouts of Wang Qi Nian and Gao Da. Don't use those people left behind by the Second Prince."

The man bowed respectfully and replied, "I understand. After you and Mr. Fan spoke, I understood."

He Zongwei nodded approvingly and said, "There are some things that are not convenient for Mr. Fan to know."

There were many things that were not convenient for Fan Wu Jiu to know. Previously, Fan Wu Jiu and He Zongwei discussed that to bring down Fan Xian, they had to start with the possibly living Wang Qi Nian and Gao Da. However, with He Zongwei and the power left behind by the Second Prince, it was impossible to break through the layers of black fog of the Overwatch Council and find real clues. Therefore, Fan Wu Jiu suggested that He Zongwei should directly meet with the Emperor, risking His Majesty's suspicion, and mobilize the Imperial Household Department.

But the problem was that He Zongwei had a force under his command, a force that His Majesty had bestowed upon him, a force that no one knew about.

His Majesty the Emperor trusted Chen Ping Ping immensely and doted on Fan Xian, but the power of the Overwatch Council was too great. If it was only restrained from the outside, an emperor would definitely not be at ease. Therefore, the Internal Affairs Department had been established, and the palace must have planted many confidants within the Overwatch Council.

Regarding this kind of thing, Chen Ping Ping and Fan Xian must have been well aware of it, but there was no need to make things clear with the Emperor. They were just secretly guarding against it.

Since the Censorate was going to compete with the Overwatch Council, the nails that the Imperial Household Department, or rather the Internal Affairs Department, had planted in the Overwatch Council had slowly been transferred from Eunuch Yao to He Zongwei's hands three years later. This force, darker than the night, was now under the control of He Zongwei's clan cousin.

After pondering for a moment, He Zongwei said, "Investigate from the periphery. If the Overwatch Council is still related to Wang Qi Nian, there must be traces, but don't let these people know what they are investigating."

"What if His Majesty finds out that you are investigating something and asks about it?"

"His Majesty won't care about these small matters." He Zongwei lowered his head slightly and said, "After the investigation is completed, report to His Majesty and ask for His Majesty's decision."

Of course, if He Zongwei grasped this important matter that could potentially stir up the relationship between His Majesty and Fan Xian, he would definitely not quietly report to His Majesty in secret, giving His Majesty and Fan Xian a chance to negotiate privately. Instead, he would try every means to make this matter a big deal.

The man understood the hidden meaning in the adult's words and did not say much. He directly said, "I will definitely not fail your expectations."

The study returned to silence again. He Zongwei sat behind his desk, unable to help but shake his head. He didn't have a page, but he always had a few advisors. However, those advisors were strictly forbidden from entering the back garden. No one dared to approach this study except for his confidants. He knew that if he could really trust Fan Wu Jiu, then this matter would proceed more easily.

But he couldn't completely trust Fan Wu Jiu, especially since the other party was now appearing before him as a strategist.

He Zongwei always harbored the greatest suspicion towards strategists. Many years ago, he had successfully risen to prominence by bringing down Lin Ruo Fu. But in reality, he knew that the downfall of the former prime minister had nothing to do with him. It was His Majesty's intention, and the person who truly executed it and dealt the most severe blow to the prime minister was precisely Yuan Hong Dao, the seemingly incredibly handsome and unrestrained strategist in the prime minister's residence.

Back then, He Zongwei brought Wu Bo An's wife and lived in this old imperial residence. He had been ordered by the Eldest Princess to contact the internal affairs of the prime minister's residence and had interacted with that Yuan Hong Dao.

He knew how dangerous a knife that strategist named Yuan Hong Dao had stabbed in this matter. The truth that was slowly revealed in the past few years shocked him even more. This Yuan Hong Dao was actually from the Overwatch Council!

The Overwatch Council!

A coldness arose in He Zongwei's heart. He was very afraid of the power of the Overwatch Council. Although he now had some personnel inside the Overwatch Council, the more he knew about the Overwatch Council, the more afraid he became. He was afraid that the gardener in his mansion was a spy from the First Bureau of the Overwatch Council, he was afraid that the fat maid was a killer from the Sixth Bureau, he was afraid that the food he ate every day contained slow-acting poison from the Third Bureau...

He was afraid that even Fan Wu Jiu, the strategist left behind by the Second Prince, might also be from the Overwatch Council, and that in the future, he would stab the most ruthless knife into his body.

He wanted to deal with Fan Xian, so he was even more afraid of Fan Xian dealing with him. For several years, he had been respected by everyone in the court. However, upon returning to his mansion, he was immersed in unhealthy emotions of fear and unease. He always felt that everyone he saw in the mansion might be someone sent by the Overwatch Council.

Therefore, the He mansion did not have many servants. He used very few people. Even if he had to use someone, he would rather go to great lengths to find brothers from his clan in his hometown. Unexpectedly, this had earned him a reputation for being pure and modest.

He Zongwei sometimes even felt that he was about to be driven crazy by this tension, crazy! But he couldn't go crazy. He wanted to achieve final victory. He had already found that faint but dazzling glimmer of dawn on the dark horizon.

He pushed open the door and stood alone in the corridor, his face pale, his mood extremely heavy. Occasionally, when he thought of that woman, a few more traces of pain were added to his eyes.

——————————————————

No one knew what kind of torment Academician He's heart was suffering, and no one thought he was a person on the verge of madness. However, a few days after the Sun family's birthday banquet, the civil and military officials in the court, and even the scholars and commoners who knew some rumors, all knew that Academician He had lost this battle, and he had lost very thoroughly.

His Majesty the Emperor did not issue a decree, but instead allowed He Zongwei to handle the matter of the Magistrate of Kyoto, obviously wanting to use this matter to establish Academician He's authoritative position in the court. But he did not expect that Fan Xian would return from Dongyi City, drink a glass of wine, quarrel in the palace, and take a trip to the Imperial College, and directly slap back the hand that Academician He had extended!

Regarding the damage to Academician He's face and his failure, no one would feel strange. After all, the opponent he was facing this time was not the six ministers of the court, nor was he the previous dignitaries and disciples, but Fan Xian.

Fan Xian didn't act, but as long as he was determined to do something, he could always do it. This had become common knowledge throughout the world.

And it was obvious that His Majesty the Emperor didn't have any good way to deal with this illegitimate child. After all, it was just a mere Magistrate of Kyoto. His Majesty couldn't really fall out with his most beloved illegitimate child.

The old officials sent by the Ministry of Revenue to investigate the accounts left the Kyoto government in a somewhat embarrassed manner. The secret investigations by the Ministry of Personnel and the Ministry of Justice also ended in a lucky manner under the strong pressure from the mountain, while in the Chancellery, Academician Hu did not say anything, but he lightly reminded the ministers in front of He Zongwei. Although this sentence was light, it was quite heavy.

Kyoto was clear and bright.

The days had long passed the Qingming Festival in April, and the spring scenery was bright and beautiful. Fan Xian, dressed in plain clothes, sat on his horse, pointing his willow branch directly to the east, and chatting and laughing with the officials who were seeing him off.

He had beaten He Zongwei again, and he had gained the upper hand in the quarrel with His Majesty the Emperor, at least ensuring that his side's power would not be weakened too much in a short period of time. Fan Xian's mood was indeed good, even though he was about to embark on a journey again, going to the sword hut in Dongyi City, which was full of medicinal smells, to suffer, his mood was still good.

After exchanging pleasantries with the officials who were seeing him off, accepting a large basket of flattery, as well as those cold and sarcastic remarks about He Zongwei in secret, Fan Xian's expression did not change. He left the pavilion, dismounted from his horse, and still hid in his own black carriage.

The surroundings were already quiet, but there was another person in the carriage. Yan Bing Yun looked at him and suddenly said, "There are already signs of turmoil in Dongyi City. Do you really not want me to go and suppress it?"

"This time, I will bring the Black Knights into the city." A faint sorrow welled up between Fan Xian's brows. "And the old Dean will return to his hometown in a few days. You stay here and help me take a look. If even you leave with me, who will make decisions for the Council in Kyoto?"

Yan Bing Yun keenly saw the sorrow in his heart. He was a bit puzzled, but he did not ask directly. Instead, he said, "He Zongwei has lost a lot of face this time. The Censorate will probably be quiet for a long time."

"Don't underestimate him." Fan Xian said, "Although these officials are all saying bad things about him in front of me today, if we change the occasion, who would dare to say anything loudly in front of He Zongwei? The status of officials still depends on a word from His Majesty. As long as His Majesty's favor is still there, he cannot fall."

"And he is a formidable character." Fan Xian suddenly smiled slightly and said, "I used to think that He Zongwei's pattern was too small, but I didn't expect that he would actually do something that surprised me."

Yan Bing Yun didn't smile. He said calmly, "I found out that Fan Wu Jiu is in the He residence. If you really want to deal with He Zongwei, just tell His Majesty."

After a moment of silence, Fan Xian shook his head and said, "Fan Wu Jiu's choice surprised me. Back then, he fled Kyoto. He was clearly a cowardly person who was afraid of death. I didn't expect that after the Second Prince died, he would have the courage to return to Kyoto and carry out the so-called great plan of revenge."

He raised his hand and rubbed his forehead, looking up and sighing in admiration, "Knowing that it is impossible to do, Fan Wu Jiu's actions have a great ancient style. I admire him very much."

Yan Bing Yun frowned and said, "I don't believe that you admire He Zongwei very much, and I don't believe that you will let He Zongwei go because of something like ancient style."

"Now I have to deal with a major event... Before the Dean returns to his hometown, you and I should not do anything to avoid any changes." Fan Xian said extremely seriously.

Yan Bing Yun's heart trembled slightly. There were not many things that could shock him, but from Fan Xian's words, he smelled something very dangerous.

"There shouldn't be any problems." Fan Xian said softly, "But we can't cause any more incidents recently. There can't be any major changes in the court. We shouldn't be in a hurry to do anything."

"He Zongwei is in a hurry to do something." Yan Bing Yun handed a piece of paper to him and said calmly, "Although I haven't found out yet, there are some undercurrents in the Council recently, but I don't know the reason."

Fan Xian fell into contemplation. He was not an immortal, and the Overwatch Council was not omnipotent. Moreover, these years, probably because of some emotional reasons, he was not very willing to think about whether the old man Lao Wang Tou, who was closest to him in those years, was doing well in the distance. For a moment, he did not think about this aspect. As for Gao Da, Fan Xian had long thought that he was dead.

"Just relying on Fan Wu Jiu alone is enough to make He Zongwei step down. We are equal to having a sharp weapon in our hands." Fan Xian said, "If He Zongwei really has any major actions, you directly throw out Fan Wu Jiu. A minister who takes in the former subordinates of a rebellious prince does not need to stay in the court any longer."

After a moment of silence, Yan Bing Yun said, "Lord He has made a fatal mistake."

Fan Xian said, "That's because he thinks he understands His Majesty, understands the abilities of the Overwatch Council, but in reality, he doesn't know anything."

……

……

(I made a mistake yesterday. This kind of mistake is a very bad mistake. It has nothing to do with typos and wrong words. It is purely a problem of not being serious enough. I apologize to everyone again.

ps: I recommend the classic urban ambiguous novel "Super Teacher ii" to everyone. The book number is 1084533. Brother Bing returns, with constant excitement. This is Zhang Jun Bao's new book. I'm sure it will be good. Please support it.)