One trip in and out, five muffled sounds echoed in the quiet second floor, and then Mu Peng finally went completely stiff, unable to move any longer. What seemed like a few simple exchanges was actually a contest of courage and poisoning skills between Fan Xian and his opponent. Mu Peng lost the initiative, but regained priority like a ghost. If Fan Xian had shown any fear of that puff of powder, he might have lost the great opportunity to control his opponent.

Especially the poisonous smoke released from the small porcelain bottle. Fan Xian actually wrapped it up with a piece of cloth. This was not only a means of poisoning, but also contained extremely brilliant zhenqi manipulation skills, as well as the small tricks of each of his fingertips.

Mu Peng, stiff all over, faced the scattered packages on the bed, and the layer of cyan cloth beside the bed that had changed color. He was greatly frightened, wondering who could possibly be so skilled in the art of poisoning, able to subdue him in an instant.

Fan Xian took off the hat full of medicinal powder, carefully gathered it together with the discolored cloth, took out a fire starter and lit it. The toxins melted when exposed to fire, losing their effectiveness. After confirming it was safe, he took off the gloves he was wearing, grabbed Mu Peng's collar, and dragged him to another room.

He took out a detoxification pill from his arms and swallowed it, but still felt a burning sensation in his throat, thinking how fortunate he was to have prepared sufficiently, otherwise, if that puff of powder had gotten directly on his face, he didn't know what the consequences would have been. Thinking of this, he couldn't help feeling a little awe-stricken. After looking at Mu Peng, who was unable to move, he thought for a while, forcibly pried open his lips, crushed a pill and fed it to him.

"In medical skills, I am not as good as you, but in poisoning, you are not as good as me... Senior Brother Mu Peng, you've been in Nan Qing for two years, it's time to talk about your purpose."

Fan Xian coughed twice, and sat opposite Mu Peng. This sentence was not to show off, but to state a fact, just like what he said to Zhuang Mo Han at the poetry gathering in Ye Dian many years ago. Now that Fei Jie was far away overseas, Xiao En had died long ago, and that great master of poison in Dongyi City had disappeared without a trace, when it came to poisoning and detoxifying, no one could really rival him.

Mu Peng was stiff and unable to move, but he could clearly feel drops of poison flowing towards his heart along the acupuncture point that had been pricked with a needle behind his neck. He didn't know what kind of poison it was, it was so powerful, but he knew that since the other party had fed him a detoxification pill, then he was prepared to force something out of him, and wouldn't let him die for the time being.

And just after Fan Xian spoke, he immediately recognized the other party's identity. Besides his little sister's brother, who else in this world would dare to boast in front of a medical expert like himself.

Mu Peng could speak at this time, looked at Fan Xian, with a trace of helplessness and sadness in his eyes, and said: "Lord Fan, I am just a doctor, why resort to such force?"

"You are not a beauty, what would I use force for?" Fan Xian shook his head: "I just want to know, as Ku He's second disciple, why have you been hiding in Nan Qing for the past two years."

Mu Peng smiled and said: "The reason? You should be very clear, isn't President Chen's health getting better and better?"

Fan Xian's brows furrowed tightly, and said: "This is exactly what I don't understand, the better the old President lives, the harder it will be for you Bei Qi people, right?"

He suddenly raised his head, quietly looked into Mu Peng's eyes, and said: "Is this Ku He's dying wish?"

Mu Peng used silence to represent his acknowledgement.

Fan Xian took a deep breath, and said: "You should know what the Seventh Bureau of the Surveillance Department does."

The Seventh Bureau of the Surveillance Department is responsible for the punishment and imprisonment, the most terrifying torture methods in the world, all in that prison. Mu Peng listened, but was unmoved, and said lightly: "Lord Fan, is this the way you Nan Qing treat guests? My junior sister is learning in Qingshan, I, Mu Peng, have taught her everything I know, without reservation, even after the Da Dong Mountain incident, the late master also handed over the entire Qingshan to the junior sister, the imperial court has not changed its attitude."

He looked at Fan Xian, and said amusedly: "Just because I am conditioning President Chen's body, I deserve to die? There is no reason to say such a thing."

Fan Xian fell silent, knowing that what Mu Peng said was very correct. During the past two years, the other party had been hiding in Nan Qing, and after investigation by the Surveillance Department, he really hadn't done anything, he had just been wholeheartedly conditioning President Chen's body.

But the problem is that this matter itself is very strange. Grandmaster Ku He's dying wish was, first, to let Haitang gather the Hu tribes on the grasslands, and with the support of Bei Qi, become the greatest foreign trouble for Qing Kingdom, and the second was Mu Peng's southward journey. Could it be that letting Chen Pingping continue to live well is of great benefit to Bei Qi?

Fan Xian couldn't figure out this question, so he privately took action against Mu Peng alone.

"You are preparing to leave."

"Since my junior sister is back, what else can I do but leave?" Mu Peng said: "It's just that I left a little late, and was caught by you."

"I noticed your existence a few months ago, but you rarely went down Qingshan in previous years, so I couldn't confirm your identity, Ruo Ruo was just helping me confirm it." Fan Xian lowered his head and said: "For Ruo Ruo's sake, I will not kill you for the time being, but before I figure out what you Tianyi Tao are thinking, I will not let you leave Nan Qing."

Mu Peng's face changed drastically, knowing that he would be imprisoned in the Surveillance Department, but he didn't know how long he would be imprisoned for, would it be as long as Xiao En?

……

……

"So that doctor was Ku He's second disciple. Ku He was a brilliant genius throughout his life, and whatever he dabbled in, he was the best in the world. No wonder this doctor's level is extremely high."

Chen Pingping in the wheelchair smiled, bent his index finger and tapped it, letting the old servant behind him push him towards the depths of Chen Garden. Fan Xian silently followed behind the wheelchair, listening to the creaking sound, and the babbling sound of the women singing in the distance. It was already night, and the singing started again in the quiet Chen Garden, making people feel a little flustered.

"I don't care how you deal with it, he's just a doctor, why did you have to make a special trip." Chen Pingping tapped lightly on the armrest of the wheelchair, this was his habitual movement for many years, his fingertips tapped down, making an empty sound, and said in a sharp, hoarse voice: "Anyway, he hasn't fed me any poison in the past two years."

Fan Xian lowered his head and stood under the tree next to the wheelchair, shook his head, and didn't believe Chen Pingping's words at all. With Chen Pingping's ability to recognize people, how could he not have seen Mu Peng's problem? He thought for a while and then said: "I just don't understand, what was Ku He's purpose in ordering Mu Peng to go south before his death."

In the past two years, Mu Peng was not only extremely attentive to Chen Pingping's body, but also secretly organized a large batch of medicinal materials that were extremely rare even in the Qing Kingdom's imperial palace, and coupled with his miraculous hands that could bring back spring, he successfully prevented Chen Pingping's aging and old injuries, allowing this old man to live a healthier life.

Chen Pingping turned the wheelchair, facing Fan Xian, waved his hand to signal the old servant to leave, then propped his chin on the wheelchair, and fell into silence. The lights of the Chen Garden houses shone from behind him, Fan Xian couldn't see his old face clearly, he could only see an ink-like silhouette.

"Ku He is a very remarkable person. If what you said is true, Haitang's background and the layout of the Western Hu all originated from his final strategy, then Mu Peng's southward journey to save my life is naturally also a part of his plan."

Fan Xian came for the second time, naturally forcing the old comrade to listen to a half-day report on the affairs of the hospital. Chen Pingping said helplessly: "This old bald man, he died and he's still worrying about so many things."

"Actually, you should be very clear about the reason why Ku He risked his life to save me." Chen Pingping scratched his itchy back and said: "The Western Hu are a foreign threat to my Great Qing, and if I live, I will inevitably become an internal worry for Great Qing."

Although the old man did not directly state his judgment, Fan Xian felt a chill in his heart, stood stiffly for a moment, then stepped forward, stood behind Chen Pingping, gently pulled down that old hand, and started scratching his itch for him, and said softly: "You haven't done anything in the past two years, how much affection does His Majesty have for you, the most important thing is that so many traitors have emerged in the court, in order to take care of the dignity of the royal family and the glory of your lifelong relationship between monarch and subject, he cannot possibly have any intentions against you."

Fan Xian understood the Emperor of Qing Kingdom, so this inference should not have any problems. Emperor Qing and Chen Pingping were lifelong monarch and subject, their relationship was extremely special, they had known each other for more than thirty years, and had never had any suspicion or doubt, they had done so many great things in this world, it could truly be said to be an exception in the court.

If it was said that Chen Pingping had any disloyal intentions towards Emperor Qing, no one would believe it, if it was said that Emperor Qing was wary of Chen Pingping's power, no one would believe it either. His Majesty the Emperor wanted to set an example for the officials of the world, wanted to leave an image of himself as a benevolent ruler in history books, if he couldn't even tolerate Chen Pingping, this kind of loyal black dog, what would he use to convince future generations?

"The problem is that no matter what kind of relationship, it will always fade gradually." Chen Pingping felt Fan Xian's hand moving on his back, sighed comfortably, "Relationship is like my poor back, over time, it gets old, it's easy to become dry and itchy, without new merits to moisturize it, everyone wants to scratch it."

Fan Xian's hand paused, shook his head and said: "His Majesty treats you differently from ordinary officials."

"Indeed, it's different, and I absolutely appreciate His Majesty's kindness in this regard." Chen Pingping said slowly: "But I am also different from ordinary officials. You had suspicions about what happened two years ago, and I also listened to your opinion and didn't continue, but... His Majesty also had some suspicions about what happened two years ago, and he will always feel uncomfortable in his heart."

Fan Xian was silent. After the rebellion in Kyoto two years ago, he was greatly puzzled by the role Chen Pingping's Surveillance Department played in this matter. Yan Bingyun also secretly told him about those problems afterward.

Although on the surface Chen Pingping was attached to His Majesty the Emperor's earth-shattering plan, and was playing tricks, Fan Xian knew that the situation at that time was really a bit delicate. Whether it was Ye Liuyun's sudden betrayal, or the Emperor suddenly becoming a Grandmaster, as long as either of these two conditions were not met, Chen Pingping might have taken actions that shocked the entire world.

"In the Da Dong Mountain incident, I once had some expectations, and made some moves. Although I hid these moves extremely well, and concealed them extremely deeply, the Eldest Princess vaguely saw them, so during the entire Kyoto rebellion, she never paid attention to me, because she knew that our big goals at that time were very close. Ku He also saw a little bit of it afterward, so before his death, he let Mu Peng come to save my life and extend my life."

What kind of moves? Although Fan Xian knew it in his heart, he was still shocked when he heard Chen Pingping admit it himself today, his mouth was dry, and he couldn't say a word.

"I didn't expect His Majesty to be able to walk down from Da Dong Mountain alive." Chen Pingping lowered his head and said: "That day when I received His Majesty's message in Weizhou, I felt a little emotional, why is it so difficult for a person to die? The Dong Mountain plan that His Majesty planned only showed me half of its side face, not only did he count several Grandmasters into the plan, but he even almost let me fall into the plan as well."

"Of course, I didn't jump down in a hurry like the Eldest Princess." Chen Pingping coughed twice and said: "Perhaps from the beginning, I didn't think His Majesty would die so easily."

Fan Xian said in a hoarse voice: "Since you didn't jump, and there is no evidence, His Majesty certainly won't suspect you."

"What kind of person is His Majesty? The fact that he didn't investigate me doesn't mean that he didn't suspect me. It's just because he believes in our relationship between monarch and subject, and he can't figure out why I would have those intentions." Chen Pingping said with a smile: "But the most important thing is that he knows that I don't have many years to live, in order to fulfill the relationship between me and him as monarch and subject, in order to repay the kindness of saving his life at the risk of my own life back then, he is giving me a chance to die a natural death."

"If I die of old age, die of illness, whether he suspects me or I suspect him, it will become an old matter under the yellow earth. After I die, I will enjoy great honor, His Majesty will grieve for a few days, relax his mind, and everything will go with the wind, isn't that the best ending?"

Chen Pingping said seriously: "It must be admitted that this is His Majesty's kindness to me, this is the best ending he has chosen for me. So two years ago, when you told me to let go, I let go and waited for the day I died of old age."

"But the problem now is..." Chen Pingping's smile had two more traces of absurdity, "Unexpectedly, to both His Majesty and me, my broken body has actually lived to this day, and if there are no accidents, it seems that I can live for a few more years... The longer I live, the more uncomfortable His Majesty will feel in his heart, and one day, he will come and ask me some stories face to face, and wasn't Ku He waiting for this to happen before his death?"

Having said that, Fan Xian was speechless. If His Majesty the Emperor really noticed and believed in Chen Pingping's disloyal intentions, it would inevitably be a great upheaval in the Qing Kingdom's court, and if he was caught between the two, of course he couldn't stand by and watch Chen Pingping die. Internal strife in Qing was bound to occur. Ku He's vision before his death was so far-reaching and vicious, accurately grasping the only crack in Qing Kingdom's future among the complicated affairs of the world, it was really powerful.

He knew that Chen Pingping was right. The Emperor had given Chen Pingping enough grace. If Chen Pingping died a natural death, His Majesty would not have any sense of guilt, and would naturally no longer care about the Dong Mountain incident, and the intentions that Chen Pingping had once harbored could truly be said to be a happy ending for everyone.

However, Chen Pingping had survived healthily. Fan Xian or the Emperor could not possibly persuade the Director of the Surveillance Department, who had devoted his life to the Qing Kingdom's court, to die sooner, die, if you die, Qing Kingdom will be at peace...

"It seems that I am a person who should have died long ago." Chen Pingping pursed his dry lips and said faintly: "It was only when death was imminent that I discovered that I was still afraid of death."

Chen Pingping, the founder of the Surveillance Department, whom countless people feared, would actually admit that he was afraid of death. If outsiders heard this, they would probably be greatly surprised. But Fan Xian just listened quietly. He was a person who had died once, so of course he knew what an unbearable process it was to quietly await the arrival of death.

Decades ago, the continent was turbulent, with Xiao En in the north and Chen Pingping in the south, the two heroes were known as equals. But even these two most powerful figures in the dark world still seemed so weak when facing death.

When Xiao En died, Fan Xian was there to see him off. At this time, he looked at the thin old man in the wheelchair, thinking sadly, no matter how the situation develops in the future, he only hoped that when Chen Pingping was on his deathbed, he could be by the side of this lonely old man without children to see him off.

"His Majesty will not be as lonely and tyrannical as Ku He wished." Fan Xian suddenly figured out one thing, smiled and said: "His Majesty's temperament has changed a lot, even if he once suspected you, but the past two years have proved that you have no intentions, he won't do anything."

Chen Pingping also smiled, patted Fan Xian's hand on his shoulder, and said: "His Majesty has been benevolent and righteous to me, I have nothing to worry about, so what if I can live for a few more years? I can't possibly live past His Majesty."

Having heard these words, Fan Xian's mood finally relaxed a little. Suddenly, his heart moved, and he picked a small yellow flower that was stubbornly blooming in the winter wind from the darkness at his feet, and carefully pressed it into Chen Pingping's white hair at his temples.

Chen Pingping chuckled.

Fan Xian bid farewell and left. Until the end of the conversation, Chen Pingping did not say why he had disloyal intentions towards His Majesty, and Fan Xian did not ask, because he knew the reason for all of this, but he didn't know what he should do after everything was clear.

The old servant came out and pushed Chen Pingping around the garden. After a long time, Chen Pingping suddenly sighed faintly and said: "Ku He lived too long and knew too many things, so he made this plan. Fortunately, as Fan Xian said, His Majesty should suppress his temper and wait for me to die of old age, but..." He frowned and said: "Tell me, when Fan Xian holds my body and cries bitterly, will he blame me for deceiving him and using him?"

From any point of view, His Majesty the Emperor would maintain sufficient patience for Chen Pingping's death. Fan Xian thought this way, as he walked towards Chen Garden in the night's cold wind. Having solved a big problem in his heart, he felt that his whole body had become lighter.

Just at this moment, the singing of the Chen Garden singers came out from the night wind, extraordinarily desolate, yet continuously rising and not falling, extremely stubborn and persistent, just like the small yellow flower that Fan Xian had picked before, and also like the old man living in this garden.

——————————————————————

In the biting cold wind, Fan Xian couldn't help stomping his feet. In the weather of November, the sun could not possibly come out at this hour, and the taste of severe cold seeped into him through the leather boots under his feet, making his feet feel a little numb.

Fan Xian couldn't understand why the time for the morning court could not be moved back a little because the sun came out late in winter. However, this was a millennium-old ritual system inherited from the Great Wei, even if he now had immense power, he could not change all of this. He looked at the darkness around him, and the red lanterns that were sometimes bright and sometimes hidden, thinking that it really had the feeling of a ghost movie.

Today was the day of the Grand Court Assembly. According to the imperial court's practice, the civil and military officials climbed out of their warm beds in the middle of the night and came to guard in front of the palace gate. There were many people staging a ghost movie with Fan Xian. Grand Academician Hu was also stomping his feet beside him at this time, completely without the dignified appearance of the number one civil official in the court.

"His Majesty has graciously allowed you to enter the palace by sedan chair, why bother standing here with me?" Fan Xian hugged the warm stove, exhaling white gas, and said to Grand Academician Hu in a low voice. Now that Old Academician Shu Wu had completed his mission of passing on his knowledge and honorably retired, Grand Academician Hu was naturally the leader of the Secretariat, and although the Grand Academician was in good health, His Majesty thought that he was getting old, so he allowed him to enter the palace by sedan chair.

Grand Academician Hu gave him a meaningful look, smiled and said: "You are standing here, no one dares to come up and talk to you, don't you welcome me?"

Fan Xian was stunned, then smiled bitterly. The literary official forces of his father-in-law in Wuzhou had been scattered by the emperor, and the Surveillance Department had been cracking down on corruption in recent years. Although the officials in the court respected and feared him, and respectfully greeted him when they saw him, few dared to stand by his side.

Just as he was thinking this, a red lantern floated out of the darkness. Censor-in-chief of the Censorate, Acting Secretary of the Secretariat He Zongwei, led by a servant, came to the two of them, lowered his body and saluted with a calm expression. The red light illuminated the face of this young minister, revealing a bit of sincerity and harmony.

However, Fan Xian's eyes narrowed.

……

……

(In one afternoon, everyone has thrown out so many votes, I am deeply grateful. Please continue to support, let's sprint together, ask for monthly tickets again, let's pull away a little further, further...)