The Overwatch Council handled the matter of searching the building with extreme care. Those arrested were only people related to the Fan and Liu families. The young pups from the Duke's residences were either beaten up and sent home by Fan Xian to recuperate, or they weren't qualified to be involved too deeply, so none of them were arrested.

After arresting the people, Uncle and Nephew Mu didn't report back to Supervisor Fan who stood beside the carriage. They very consciously escorted those young men to the Fan residence. The Overwatch Council people saw that Fan Xian was standing outside the carriage for a long time without going in, and the person in the carriage didn't get out either. They knew that the person in the carriage must be someone of higher status than Fan Xian—Fan Xian himself was a relative of the imperial family, so the person in the carriage must be a member of the imperial family.

There were no results from searching the building. Fan Xian's plan to destroy the account books related to Fan Sizhe and Baoyue House was undoubtedly an impossible task. And since he was forced to maintain a temporary peace with the Second Prince because of this matter, investigating Baoyue House again would be very foolish.

The Overwatch Council people withdrew, and the Kyoto Prefecture people came one after another to maintain order. Everything seemed to return to normal. The Fan and Liu families still held as much as 70% of the shares in Baoyue House, continuing to be the hidden hands behind the notoriously infamous brothel in Kyoto, while Supervisor Fan and the Second Prince were having an intimate conversation.

It seemed that Kyoto would be peaceful.

The Second Prince in the carriage looked at Fan Xian's calm face and couldn't help but feel a trace of admiration and praise in his heart. The matter of Baoyue House was enough to make most people angry, but Fan Xian showed such calmness, and accepted his suggestion of peace without any hesitation. He was truly a strong person who was good at judging the situation and daring to make decisions.

And every time he looked at the familiar smile on Fan Xian's face, he felt a little uneasy and intimate in his heart. He always felt that the other party should be very similar to him, and although the other party was a subject, he still had a strong impulse to have a deep conversation with him!

...

...

"Hongcheng, you go first. I want to have some private words with Lord Fan," the Second Prince said lightly, completely disregarding the eyes of the crowd on the street, and leisurely stepped out of the carriage.

Fan Xian frowned slightly, somewhat surprised by the other party's actions. He had already clearly stated that he wanted to return to the residence and didn't want to have too deep a conversation, but the other party, as a prince, personally got out of the carriage to invite him. Even if he didn't give him face, he wanted to hear what he wanted to say, so he nodded slightly.

Li Hongcheng looked at him with a hint of apology and drove away from this place of trouble, Baoyue House, with the carriage.

The Second Prince's brocade shoes stepped onto the street. He couldn't help but stretch his back. Amidst the whispers of the crowd in the distance, he led Fan Xian into a teahouse. A follower had already cleared the teahouse, leaving only him and Fan Xian sitting opposite each other.

Fan Xian picked up the bowl and took a sip, raising his eyebrows in surprise. He looked up and glanced at the Second Prince.

The Second Prince said with a smile, "I know you like this. Every time you go to Hongcheng's residence, you ask for some *suan jiang zi* to drink." Then he said gently, "I think Brother Fan must hate me very much for the matter of Baoyue House."

Fan Xian curled his lips slightly: "I'm not a saint. Naturally, I have emotions too."

The Second Prince shook his head and said: "I already knew when your second brother and my third brother discussed doing business at the beginning, and I secretly helped some..." He looked at Fan Xian's face, "But don't misunderstand, at that time, everyone in the court and Kyoto thought that your Fan family and I were on good terms, so I naturally couldn't have the idea of threatening you. I just wanted to find some common interests for both parties to make our relationship closer. Who knew that it would become a despicable means now, which is really not what I wanted."

Fan Xian had already judged the other party's thoughts when Baoyue House was built in the spring, so he wasn't surprised. But hearing him admit that the means were despicable, he didn't know how to respond. He said with a slight sneer: "Your Highness really favors your subject..."

The Second Prince wasn't afraid to continue on this topic, and said lightly, "I have always valued you very much. You should be very clear... so I don't understand why you are targeting me after returning to Kyoto."

Fan Xian smiled and said, "Your Highness is a little confused. Fan is just a subject. What good can it do for me to target Your Highness?"

The Second Prince stared into his eyes and said slowly: "I need you to tell me... I know that you can't be willing to be a pawn of the Crown Prince, so I really don't understand."

He didn't expect that this prince would actually ask so frankly and openly. Fan Xian felt a slight surprise, and then a clear smile appeared on his face. He responded softly, "Your Highness really doesn't understand?"

The Second Prince looked into his eyes and shook his head gently.

Fan Xian tilted his head slightly and tapped the table with his knuckles. Suddenly, he said, "Niulan Street."

The Second Prince was silent. After a long while, he said, "This matter is my fault." After saying this, he actually stood up and bowed deeply to Fan Xian!

As the emperor's biological son, he actually bowed and apologized to a subject!

...

...

Fan Xian didn't show the expression that the Second Prince had hoped to see. He sat on the chair like a stubborn rock or cold ice, squinted at him, and said softly, "Your Highness is, after all, Your Highness, and your subject is, after all, your subject. Concerning matters of life and death, Your Highness may think that your personal apology is enough to give me an explanation, and I, as a subject, should be grateful and feel like a national hero?"

The Second Prince took a deep breath and forcibly suppressed the anger that hadn't appeared in his chest for many years. He said coldly: "Then how can Lord Fan repair the relationship between you and me?"

Fan Xian suddenly laughed and said, "Actually, the last round of investigation... you know why. Who made my mother-in-law always dislike this son-in-law of hers, sometimes an assassin, sometimes the Censorate? And I will take over the Internal Treasury next year, so I will inevitably have conflicts with Xinyang. If Your Highness is willing to promise me one thing, I can't guarantee any favoritism, but at least in the future, in Kyoto, I will let the Overwatch Council maintain a relatively fair attitude."

The Second Prince's heart was shocked. The negative emotions that had been lingering in his chest had long since vanished. In the past few months, his people and the ministers in the court had been watched closely by the Overwatch Council. Even the Director of the Imperial Observatory and those people had suffered a great deal, causing the entire Second Prince faction to have a headache. Now that he heard Fan Xian say that he could change the Overwatch Council's attitude, how could he not be moved?

After a slight hesitation, he stretched out his right hand and said very gently: "Supervisor, please speak."

This sentence used the official title.

Fan Xian looked at him, smiled, and said: "If Your Highness can keep a distance from the Eldest Princess, I promise you a lifetime of peace."

The Second Prince was stunned. He never expected that the other party would make such an absurd suggestion and promise himself a lifetime of peace? How arrogant and bold! He finally couldn't help but feel depressed and said in a cold voice: "Is Supervisor Fan playing with me?"

The two young dignitaries, who didn't actually look alike but had extremely similar temperaments and tastes, sat opposite each other, unable to agree with each other.

—————————————————————————————

Fan Xian looked at him and said, "Your Highness has many doubts, and Fan also has many doubts. Is this dragon chair really so good to sit on? Isn't peace a rare blessing? Your Highness has always liked literature, and Noble Consort Shu is also a clear-minded person like snow, so why can't you see through the key to this?"

Even though there was no one in the teahouse at this time, and there was no need to worry about this conversation being overheard by others, the Second Prince's heart still trembled uncontrollably when he suddenly heard Fan Xian say his thoughts so nakedly. There were many things in this world that could only be done but not said, just like no matter how much he wanted to seize the throne, he was still respectful to the Crown Prince. Who knew that the person in front of him would say it so lightly!

Until today, the Second Prince truly knew how bold Fan Xian was! And he became increasingly unclear what he was relying on!

A faint light flashed in the Second Prince's eyes. This dim light was touched by Fan Xian's words and ignited his long-standing pain. He stared at Fan Xian's face and said in a low voice, "Everyone knows that the dragon chair is not easy to sit on! But I am in the house of the Son of Heaven, and I can't help myself. This chair, I want to grab it, and if I don't want to grab it... I still have to grab it! If I could choose freely, I would rather go to the Imperial Academy to revise books every day than get involved in this matter!"

Fan Xian narrowed his eyes slightly: "Is someone forcing you to do so?"

Perhaps he was aroused by Fan Xian's boldness, the Second Prince sneered: "Of course someone is forcing me... From the time I was twelve years old, they said that I was virtuous and talented, and it would be a pity to make me a prince in the future. When I was thirteen years old, they made me a king. When I was fourteen years old, they built a house for me outside the palace, ostensibly to drive me out of the palace, but in fact, they gave me the opportunity to freely associate with ministers! When I was fifteen years old, they let me enter the Imperial Study to listen to political affairs... Do you know? Before me, only the Crown Prince ever had such an opportunity!"

The Second Prince's delicate face gradually distorted: "I don't want to fight! But these things come out one by one, what can I do? Does the Eastern Palace think that I have no intention of seizing the throne? The Crown Prince was young at the time, but the way he looked at me was so resentful... We are brothers! When he was only thirteen years old, he already wanted to kill me! Even if I can convince the Crown Prince, what about the Queen? Would she be willing to let me go?"

Fan Xian was silent, listening to the Second Prince going crazy.

"He pushed me to this position..." The Second Prince's eyes were like cold fire sealed in ice, making people shudder, "I want to protect my mother, I want to protect my life... What should I do? Since he wants me to fight, then I will fight for him to see!"

Fan Xian lowered his head slightly, knowing that the only one who had the power to force a prince to embark on the road of seizing the throne was actually the emperor himself. He smiled slightly and said, "But have you ever thought about it, maybe he is just using you as a stone, a whetstone to force the Crown Prince to mature."

"I've known it for a long time." The Second Prince flicked his sleeves coldly, "Since we are both favored sons of heaven, who would be willing to be a whetstone that will inevitably be broken in the future? So I have to fight on. If I really win in the future... being able to see him regret it will make me happier than sitting on that chair."

Fan Xian smiled and said, "Why vent your resentment on this kind of thing? The First Prince has already been made a king, but he seems to be much clearer than the Second Prince... If someone wants to push you into the river to compete in swimming, your best resistance is to die and not go into the river. At worst, you can turn around and have a fight with the person behind you... instead of going into the river to strangle the opponent who is competing with you."

The Second Prince finally calmed down a little and looked at Fan Xian with a shocked expression: "What you said... is close to treason..."

Fan Xian shook his head indifferently: "What Your Highness said today that is rebellious and heretical... is no less than what I said."

The Second Prince's eyebrows suddenly twitched rapidly a few times. He looked at Fan Xian and suddenly said after a long while: "Help me, Fan Xian."

Fan Xian shook his head calmly and even coldly.

"Why?" The Second Prince said in a low voice, "You will always need to choose someone in the future."

Fan Xian didn't answer him. He was just thinking... From a blood relationship, the person in front of him should be his brother, right? He was different from ordinary ministers. He didn't want to make a choice at all, but he was a little shocked by the iron-blooded and ruthless education method of His Majesty Qing, and he gradually became afraid.

Looking at the Second Prince's "sincere" gaze, Fan Xian finally said: "Don't get too close to Xinyang. That woman is an extremely talented madwoman. I don't even know what she is thinking."

The Second Prince regained his composure, smiled slightly, and sat down.

Fan Xian sighed in his heart, knowing that although the other party was moved by his strength, he still trusted the Eldest Princess's strength more. But this was also good. At least in the future, when he dealt with the Second Prince in front of him, his heart would be harder.

"I still don't want to be your enemy," the Second Prince said seriously.

Fan Xian was silent for a moment, then suddenly raised his head and said: "Even if the Baoyue House incident didn't happen, I would have brought you down..."

A hint of teasing flashed in the Second Prince's eyes, as if he felt that Fan Xian's arrogance had crossed the boundary.

Fan Xian completely ignored his gaze and said lightly: "Perhaps, this is the only way to let you... and Hongcheng survive."

The Second Prince heard the pity and contempt in the other party's tone and angrily stood up, staring coldly into Fan Xian's eyes.

Fan Xian said with a slight sneer: "Your Highness, never think that you can control everything, including the Baoyue House incident."

The atmosphere in the teahouse dropped sharply. Eight people slowly walked in from outside the shop, eight people wearing the exact same clothes, but it was impossible to tell how old they were.

Every one of them carried a murderous aura deep within their bodies!

Some were like knives, some were like swords, some were like mountain-opening giant axes... going forward without hesitation.

...

...

Fan Xian knew that the Second Prince wouldn't choose to assassinate him in the downtown area. He squinted his eyes, looking at the eight people who had walked into the teahouse from nowhere, and said softly: "Generals Gan, Liu, Xie, and Fan, gentlemen He, Zhang, Xu, and Cao, the legendary Eight Great Generals in the Second Prince's hands, so this is what they look like."

The Second Prince looked at him and said: "Fan Xian, I value you, but that doesn't mean I must need you, so don't be too arrogant."

Fan Xian stood up, smiled and waved his hand, and said, "My Qinian group can't beat these eight people under your command, so I won't call them out to embarrass myself... But I still have to say an honest word, Your Highness, no matter how many death warriors you have, it's completely useless for the general trend. Otherwise, Chen Pingping would have become the emperor long ago."

With a burst of laughter, he left behind the last rebellious and heretical words and left the teahouse in a carefree manner.

When he left the shop, he seemed to casually pass through the eight of the Second Prince's most capable family generals, but he shrugged slightly in front of Generals Gan and Xie, and waved his hand in front of Gentlemen Xu and Cao. A faint aura, together with the murderous aura contained in the eight people's bodies, separated in an instant, and then dissipated upward along the wooden pillars of the teahouse, mixing with the afternoon sun outside the shop, and no trace could be found.

...

...

After Fan Xian left for a moment, the Second Prince supported his chin on the table, frowning slightly. He didn't know why he had suddenly lost his composure in front of Fan Xian today and said many things that had been hidden deep in his heart. He took a deep breath, and a solemn look flashed across his delicate face. He said in a cold voice, "If one day in the future, it is necessary to kill him, how many of you will be needed?"

Xie Bi'an slowly put the sword in its scabbard back into his white sleeves and said woodenly, "One of my subordinates is enough."

Fan Wujiu, with a black face, shook his head slightly and said, "Even if all eight generals come out, they may not be able to keep this young Lord Fan."

The Second Prince was slightly dazed, thinking that even the Eight Great Generals couldn't agree on one thing, this Fan Xian was really an inscrutable character... But he immediately thought that after the Baoyue House incident, the other party would not attack him at least in the short term, so he shook his head and didn't think about it any more.

————————————————————————

Sitting in the carriage, Fan Xian carefully washed away the remaining faint fragrance on his fingers with clean water, somewhat disappointed with this conversation. Although he took a great risk to elicit some of the Second Prince's inner thoughts, there was no useful information. He still didn't understand his and the Eldest Princess's arrangements. It seemed that this Second Prince was indeed a person with a stable mind and a bookish spirit. But he wasn't a confidante, so knowing these things was useless.

The carriage arrived at the Fan residence. He jumped out of the carriage and calmly walked through the side door, ignoring the confused members of the Fan and Liu families on the road. He came directly to the study, pushed open the door with steady hands, and then kicked it out!

A scream was heard in the study! Amidst the terrified eyes of the whole family, Fan Sizhe, who didn't know what had happened at all, was kicked into a ball and slammed heavily on the grand master's chair, smashing the chair into several pieces.