The sky above Kyoto today was sometimes overcast, sometimes clear, never quite revealing a true smile or a sorrowful face, much like Fan Ruoruo’s face at that moment. The young lady’s complexion shifted between green and white. The faint blush that had graced her cheeks, accompanied by a light sheen of perspiration, had vanished upon hearing those words, replaced by a theatrical display of the myriad emotions a citizen of Great Qing should express in such a situation.

Though it was a warm spring day, Fan Ruoruo’s body felt as if it were being tortured in an ice cellar. After what seemed an age, she spoke in a trembling voice, barely audible, “I don't know.”

It was the most useless answer, and also the most natural. Fan Xian felt as though he were falling into a black hole from which there was no escape. Even if he were to pull his sister in with him, it would only add another pitiful soul to be torn to shreds, offering no help to the situation.

Fan Xian's heart softened. He gently stroked the top of her head and said kindly, "Don't be scared silly. There’s nowhere else to turn, so I’m telling you."

After a long while, Fan Ruoruo looked at her brother with timid eyes and asked in a voice as soft as a mosquito's buzz, "Is it true?"

Fan Xian remained silent for a long time, his gaze fixed on the serene little courtyard across the river, thinking about the bloody disaster that had befallen it two decades ago, thinking that perhaps, back then, this place was a living hell, where countless members of the Old Ye family had perished. And the woman, so remarkably talented and beautiful, had been at the weakest stage of her life.

Because she had given birth to him.

Moreover, all the people she could rely on had left her side for various important reasons, leaving her completely isolated and helpless. This was a sudden attack from the closest source behind her, a fierce and decisive killing intent. She must have left this world feeling extremely unwilling and alone.

Impregnation? Fan Xian refused to believe it. He knew women too well, even if that woman was his own mother, the unparalleled Ye Qingmei. Fan Xian still wouldn't believe it. How could she have enticed a man into her bed if she had no feelings for him? Other women might compromise with men they didn't love because of societal or familial pressures, but did Ye Qingmei need to?

Fan Xian stared blankly at the opposite bank, a cold smile playing on his lips. That man was truly cold-blooded.

……

……

A faint trembling voice pulled Fan Xian back from the cruel images of the past. Fan Ruoruo leaned closer to her brother as if chilled, the damp handkerchief in her hand already fallen to the grass. She clutched Fan Xian’s sleeve tightly, looking up at him as she said, "...I… used to… have a brother."

A chill suddenly ran through Fan Xian's heart. He knew what his sister was talking about. He had known since he was a child that there should have been an elder son in the Sinan Duke’s residence. That elder son should have been about his age, the child of his father and his first wife, but he had died young due to a frail constitution.

Now, his sister suddenly mentioned that brother who had long vanished from people's memories. Fan Xian vaguely seemed to grasp something, and his face changed instantly.

Chen Pingping had reminded Fan Xian more than once to be good to Fan Jian, because the Fan family had paid a great price for his survival. What exactly had the Fan family paid? Was it possible that he had survived the attack on the Taiping Courtyard all those years ago, and managed to hold on until Uncle Wu Zhu returned, because someone had taken his place to face death amidst the fierce assault from the Empress Dowager, the Qin family, and the Empress's clan?

Fan Xian's face grew pale. He thought silently to himself, if that was how things had transpired, and they had initially deceived the Empress Dowager, why hadn't the palace suspected anything when the Sinan Duke raised a bastard son in Danzhou? Could it be that the Emperor had suppressed the situation upon his return to the capital, sealing off the news?

His head throbbed slightly. Some details remained unclear, but the terrifying possibility was becoming clearer in his mind. He thought numbly that when he first opened his eyes in this world, seeing his own infant hands like white lotus flowers, before those blood-stained hands of his, a newborn infant had died in his place.

His own infant hands, like white lotus flowers, were not only smeared with the blood of those Wu Zhu had killed, but also with the blood of the real eldest son of the Fan family!

Fan Xian's body trembled slightly. Fan Ruoruo clearly sensed her brother's abnormality and said sadly in a low voice, "I don't know how my elder brother died. I only vaguely heard the old maids in the residence crying about it later. I suspected something, but I didn't know what was wrong."

Fan Xian gently held his sister's hand, remaining silent. He knew that Ruoruo's birth mother had fallen ill and died not long after giving birth to Ruoruo, and that his father had only then brought Lady Liu into the household.

What could have burdened a vice-minister's wife to the point of constant anxiety? Was it because her own son had died when he shouldn't have?

Fan Ruoruo continued quietly, "The old maids said that Mother and Aunt Ye seemed to know each other too."

Fan Xian was gradually understanding the deeper meaning of Chen Pingping's words, but he still couldn't understand why Chen Pingping had remained so wary of his father all those years, even if he knew that his father had paid such a great price for him.

The relationship between Sinan Duke Fan Jian and Ye Qingmei was not the youthful infatuation that Fan Xian had imagined in his youth. Perhaps there was more of a brother-sister-like trust between the two, much like Fan Xian and Fan Ruoruo today.

It was normal for the Sinan Duke's wife to go to the Taiping Courtyard to help after Ye Qingmei had just given birth to a son. As for what happened later, it was perhaps as Fan Xian suspected.

It was like a plot from a novel? Reality was always stranger than fiction. Or rather, reality should be stranger than fiction.

Fan Xian held his sister's hand tightly, a myriad of complex emotions swirling within him. The face of his grandmother, who had always loved him dearly, appeared before his eyes, as did his father's stern and upright face, which seemed to never show anger or joy, but simply moved silently through the officialdom.

His heart suddenly ached. He felt that he truly owed the Fan family too much. His heart suddenly turned cold. Too many people had died back then, too much blood had been shed.

Fan Xian stood up, looked coldly at the Taiping Courtyard across the river, and suddenly said, "Don't tell anyone about what we talked about today."

Although he knew that his sister would definitely not spread this earth-shattering secret, Fan Xian couldn't help but remind her. Then, he said in a low voice, "I need to ask Father about this in person."

"Is Brother going back to Danzhou?" Fan Ruoruo stood up as well, looking at him in surprise.

Fan Xian shook his head and said, "Father is not in Danzhou now."

It was known throughout the world that Fan Jian, the former Minister of Revenue who had retired, was living in Danzhou. But Fan Xian was unusually certain that his father was not in Danzhou, because only he knew that his father was in a place to the northeast, helping him with something important. He had to ask his father in person, because he believed that his father also had the right to speak on this matter.

Fan Ruoruo refrained from asking any questions, simply staring at her brother's gloomy face, her heart aching slightly. She knew how much turmoil these things Fan Xian had spoken of today would cause in the future. Today's Fan Xian was not only the second most powerful man in the world, but he also possessed too much power. If he were to really fall out with His Majesty the Emperor and seek revenge for his mother, a great battle between the ruler and his subject would drag the entire world into it.

"Accompany me to another place," Fan Xian said, walking towards the path deep in the bamboo forest. Fan Ruoruo hummed in agreement and followed him with small steps.

……

……

Three black carriages left the bamboo forest near Taiping Courtyard and arrived at another gloomy and eerie location in the outskirts of Kyoto. The coolness of this place was different from that of Taiping Courtyard, carrying a frightening aura – because it was a graveyard.

Taiping Courtyard had once buried many people, and this place also buried many people. Fan Xian had left the former place and come to the latter, followed by officials of the Overwatch Council who felt a sense of awe, but did not know what was wrong.

Beneath these green mountains, the feng shui was excellent. Buried here were the tombs of nameless soldiers who had died in Qing Kingdom’s battles to the south and north. And among them, the newest and largest cemetery was built three years ago. During the Kyoto rebellion, the Imperial Guards suffered heavy casualties, and the Overwatch Council also paid a terrible price. In particular, the ambush on Qin Heng’s vanguard at Zhengyang Gate, and the Black Knights’ courageous pursuit in front of the square, added more than a thousand graves to this new cemetery.

The traditional April Festival had just passed, and there were still many traces of offerings left in the cemetery. The scent of incense and unburned paper money drifted among the quiet graves with the mountain breeze.

Fan Xian led his subordinates and sister into the cemetery, bowing deeply towards it. Buried here were his subordinates, people who had died because of his decisions.

Mu Feng'er and the other subordinates now understood what Director Fan was doing today. They felt a sense of emotion and admiration. The Director was about to take over as the Director of the Overwatch Council, but he had not expected that upon returning to the Council to handle matters, he would first come to the cemetery to pay respects to the dead brothers.

Seeing Director Fan bowing with extreme sincerity and care, dozens of Overwatch Council officials in the Qingshan Cemetery could not help but tear up. They followed behind him and bowed as well, but they had come in a hurry and could not arrange any offerings.

Fan Xian took a deep breath and said, "Sincerity matters, not those other things."

Mu Feng'er responded with a yes.

After a moment of silence, Fan Xian said, "After returning to Kyoto, have Mu Tie investigate how the pensions have been handled over the years, and how the families of the Council officials have been taken care of. Also, prepare a report for me."

"Yes, sir."

Mu Feng'er responded, not feeling too worried. The Overwatch Council’s pension and follow-up matters were all handled by the First Bureau, and his cousin Mu Tie was the head of the First Bureau. Hearing that Director Fan wanted to investigate the accounts, he was not worried at all. Firstly, only the Overwatch Council had the highest amount of consolation money in the entire court. Director Fan took excellent care of his subordinates' families, thanks to the fact that Fan Xian had the Inner Treasury hidden up his sleeve. Secondly, he knew that his uncle would never dare to make a mistake on these matters.

Fan Xian ignored him and walked out of the Qingshan Cemetery with Fan Ruoruo, leaving those loyal subordinates behind. He walked until he reached the mountainside of Qingshan before turning around to look at the dense graves below, sighing, "One general's success is built upon ten thousand bones."

Fan Ruoruo did not understand why her brother had come here after thinking for so long in Taiping Courtyard.

Fan Xian seemed to guess what she was thinking and explained in a low voice, "I want to use these dead people to remind myself that I am no longer just myself. I have to be responsible for many living people and dead people. I must use these graves to remind me to become more sober and more calm."

The brother and sister climbed over the mountainside of Qingshan and turned to the other side. The feng shui on this side was said to be not as good as that on the other side, but it was also full of dense graves, where the ancestors of Kyoto's people were buried. At this time, the air seemed to be filled with the smell of smoke.

There were several large graves on the mountain pass separating the two sides of Qingshan. The style of the graves was ordinary, but they were very large, and there were gardens outside and guards stationed there. When several soldiers saw someone walking in like this, they were about to step forward to scold them, but they were quickly driven away by several swordsmen from the Overwatch Council.

Buried in these graves were the Eldest Princess, the Crown Prince, and the Second Prince. Fan Xian walked past the grave of the Eldest Princess, past the grave of the Crown Prince, his expression unwavering. But to Fan Ruoruo's surprise, he stopped in front of the Second Prince's grave.

The Empress Dowager's mausoleum was far away in the south of Cangshan, eighty miles away from Kyoto. It was said to cover a very large area and was decorated extremely luxuriously, perfectly showing His Majesty the Emperor's filial piety. But Fan Xian had never been there once.

The officials of the Overwatch Council dispersed. The brother and sister stood quietly in front of the Second Prince's grave, not knowing how long they had been looking at it. Fan Xian suddenly said, "Actually, I don't like you very much, because I know that you and I are the same kind of person, just as you said on the night before you died, we don't like each other."

"From the first time I saw you, I saw through that shy smile on your face and knew your hypocrisy." Fan Xian smiled at the tombstone, "Of course, when you saw that shy smile on my face, you also knew my hypocrisy... but you can't prove it. It's just a subconscious guess."

"Because I hide deeper than you, and my smile is more genuine than yours." Fan Xian's voice was not loud, but it sounded particularly firm, "When it comes to acting, no one in this world can compare to me, because I have been acting since the first day I was born."

"A shy smile? To pretend to be a baby, of course you have to learn how babies smile." Fan Xian lowered his head slightly, "This has become my natural nature, I only smile shyly... it's so embarrassing."

He raised his head and said, "Chengze, I will come to see you again when I don't have to smile shyly in the future."

Fan Ruoruo looked at her brother in shock, not knowing why he was talking nonsense in front of the Second Prince's grave. What was this about pretending to be a baby?

Fan Xian stretched lazily in front of the grave. He had long since stood up, but when would the shy smile on his face turn into an impatient and angry expression towards this world?

Fan Ruoruo finally couldn't help but reach out to feel his forehead, wondering if her brother had a fever from the news, but it was cold to the touch.

Fan Xian was startled by her actions, and then he understood what the girl was thinking and laughed out loud.

Hearing Fan Xian's rare hearty laughter, Fan Ruoruo felt relieved and smiled as well, but there was still a haze in her heart. Looking at her brother, she wondered what kind of hardship and struggle was hidden in this laughter.

Fan Xian calmed down and said gently, "I've done everything I wanted to do today, and I've gone crazy. You said there was something going on in Kyoto, what is it?"

After hesitating for a moment, Fan Ruoruo said softly, "Miss Sun came to the residence, and fortunately your wife isn't here... Master Teng is at his wit's end."

"Sun... Sun...? Sun Jingxiu's daughter?" Fan Xian was stunned for a long time, and said, "How could a young lady from a respectable family cause such a commotion?"

This Miss Sun was naturally the fan who had helped Fan Xian greatly during the Kyoto rebellion. But Fan Xian knew this girl's temperament very well, and even if she was obsessed with *The Story of the Stone*, she would not do such a thing that would damage her family's reputation.

"She's here for her father?" Fan Ruoruo looked at him tentatively, and said, "Something seems to have happened to Lord Sun, and he's in a hurry. I think Miss Sun was also forced to come here by her father."

A gust of wind blew through the mountains, causing Fan Xian's clothes to flutter and his brows to furrow. He couldn't help but curse a few times, but his voice was so low that even Fan Ruoruo, who was standing next to him, couldn't hear him clearly.

……

……

(Regarding Fan Xian's shy smile, many people have been very disgusted with it since I first started writing *Qing Yu Nian* last year, and have expressed their incomprehension of my writing in this way in many places. I have never explained it, because this kind of writing is inherently not aesthetically pleasing and has no box office appeal, but I wanted to persist...

The reason I insisted on writing this way at the beginning was based on a very simple reason. Before I wrote *Qing Yu Nian*, I was thinking about what kind of perverted existence would an adult soul become in a baby's body? But I am not writing about perversion, so I have to use some subtle details to remind everyone that the shy smile is a very important part.

How should a twenty-year-old pretend to be an innocent baby who doesn't know anything? How should he giggle? I have observed many children and found that one of the most common smiles is the shy smile.

Fan Xian pretended to smile shyly for a long time, so when he grew up in the world of Qing Kingdom, he would inevitably have this habitual action. This is a very necessary expression modification, a very powerful detail, but unfortunately it has all been understood in other directions.

I really want to shout, I am so serious, I am a pearl, dust, please go away... shrug, but everyone also knows that later, I didn't insist on the shy smile because it was said so badly. I had no choice. I have to eat.

Not being able to insist on my own structural setting and reasoning description is something I am dissatisfied with, but I am very happy to be able to find an opportunity to explain it to everyone.

These two chapters have confirmed Fan Xian's heart, and I will not write this content again in the future, just do it. There are also graves in *Zhu Que Ji*, and there are also graves in *Qing Yu Nian*, because these are all very important things.

I have been writing less recently, there is no way, this chapter was written in advance and sent on time, because I have things to do during the day...

I will not ask everyone to be considerate, because you are too bad, too bad!

Three thousand update tickets were cast for three hundred, six thousand update tickets were cast for more than seven hundred, and twelve thousand update tickets were actually cast for one thousand five!

I counted on my fingers, earning an extra one hundred and fifty a day? Nearly four hundred? More than seven hundred yuan! Then I was furious, students, this is clearly bullying me for only writing five thousand words today!

Of course, I can still write dozens of more words at this time, but... I will not succumb to your sugar-coated bullets! Actually... it's just that I wouldn't feel at ease taking the money for six thousand words. Today, I wrote nine hundred words just for the postscript... muttering to myself.

Speaking of which, seeing everyone having fun, I am also very happy, and I have transformed too many of my recent emotions. Thank you everyone for entertaining with me, thank you everyone for supporting me with so many update tickets.

Uh, why don't the playful guys try voting for my monthly tickets? Maybe my legs will go weak...)