Qin Heng was a clever man; otherwise, no matter how prominent his family's old man was in the military, he wouldn't have been able to enter the Hall of Political Affairs at the young age of thirty. So, he stood up calmly, cupped his hands to the First Prince and Fan Xian, and said, "A man has three urgent needs. Please, continue your conversation." Without waiting for a reply, he strode away with remarkably steady steps, revealing not a trace of unease. Like a gust of wind, he swept past the corner of the hall and, guided by a servant of the Chen Garden, headed straight for the latrine.

Fan Xian couldn't help but laugh, remembering when he made a scene at the Ministry of Justice, and the Deputy Minister of the Court of Judicial Review, representing the military, came to find trouble with him. In the end, seeing the conflict escalate, he also escaped using the same excuse. It seemed the Qin family had mastered this tactic to perfection.

The atmosphere in the hall was somewhat heavy. Eventually, the First Prince broke the silence, saying leisurely, "Qin Heng and I have both been tempered by war. We soldiers are straightforward, so I'll speak plainly. I don't like seeing soldiers shedding blood and sweat on the battlefield while the dignitaries in the capital are attacking each other, causing unrest in the country. When factional disputes arise, no matter who wins or loses, the court will always suffer some loss of talent."

Fan Xian adjusted his collar and sat for a few breaths, as if contemplating something. Then, he slowly opened his mouth, a hint of coldness creeping into his tone, "What His Highness the Prince… means, this humble official understands. But the cause of this matter, I believe you are also aware. Soldiers risk their lives for the court on the battlefield, but… aren't the officials of my Overwatch Council doing the same? I think the dangers faced by the spies of the Council in foreign lands are no less than those faced by the soldiers of the Western Expeditionary Army. I am a member of the Overwatch Council. Although I can't be considered straightforward, I'm not someone who naturally enjoys playing tricks. I would be happier to serve the court in the north… but if someone provokes me, even if that force comes from within the court, I will not show mercy."

The First Prince was silent, then suddenly raised his head, preparing to say something.

Fan Xian waved his hand and said, "It's just a dispute over interests. It has nothing to do with such a big matter as national stability. I am a Department Director of the Overwatch Council. If I can't even protect my own interests, how can I prove that I have the ability to protect the interests of the court? To protect His Majesty's interests?" He then sneered, "Your Highness, don't say such things as whoever wins or loses. If the other party is currently aggressive and I am being beaten without any ability to fight back, would… you be willing to be a mediator for me?"

The First Prince frowned. His already dark face appeared even more somber. "Fan Xian, you must be clear about your own position. You are a subject. When doing things… you must have a sense of propriety."

These words were actually very ordinary. In the eyes of the princes, Fan Xian's actions were already a bit excessive, and the courage he had shown as a subject in this matter was a bit too bold. The First Prince thought that reminding him of this would be a sign of goodwill, but he never imagined that Fan Xian, because of his background, found such words particularly jarring.

"I am a subject," Fan Xian stared into the First Prince's eyes, "but in my eyes, the distinction between ruler and subject only lies in… the ruler is the Emperor, and the Crown Prince is the future Emperor… Aside from these two, I think all of us, including you, are subjects, with no essential difference."

The First Prince looked at Fan Xian with some surprise, seemingly unable to believe that he would dare to say such a thing. He narrowed his eyes, a cold glint flashing and disappearing, "For the sake of Chen'er, I must remind you one more time: delving too deeply into the affairs of the imperial family will not be a good thing for your Fan family in the future."

Fan Xian smiled and said, "There are no family affairs for the Emperor. Has Your Highness not understood this principle yet?" The First Prince was choked by the five words "There are no family affairs for the Emperor," and angrily slapped the armrest of his chair.

Fan Xian narrowed his eyes and said softly, "The furniture in Director Chen's house are all antiques. Your Highness, please be gentle."

The First Prince was stunned. After a moment of silence, he shook his head and said, "Fan Xian, perhaps I truly underestimated you."

Fan Xian asked in slight surprise, "What do you mean by that?"

"My ambition lies on horseback, and if the military is to launch beautiful attacks across the grand stage of the world, we need a stable rear," the First Prince said, narrowing his eyes, "So many people, including me, believe that the court needs to be calm. Over the years, I have been far away in the west, but I know that although there is some unrest in the court, it has always been kept within a certain range… until you came to the capital."

Fan Xian shook his head and smiled, not knowing how to respond.

"Your appearance was too sudden, and your rise was too sudden," the First Prince looked at him and said, "So sudden that most people in the court were not prepared, and you already possess the ability to break the balance."

Finally, the First Prince stated the main point of today's meeting: "There are many people… who hope that you can maintain the balance in the capital, rather than sweeping away everything with a sudden and forceful advance."

Fan Xian fell silent, knowing that these words not only represented his attitude but also the attitude of most people in the military.

From Danzhou to the capital, in less than two years, he had already taken control of the Overwatch Council and achieved literary fame. Leaving aside the question of whether he would take over the Internal Treasury next year, just his current strength in both civil and military affairs already gave him the ability to influence events in the officialdom. And this war with the Second Prince's faction, with the current tendency towards victory, had fully demonstrated his strength. Asking whether a young minister possessed the ability to easily strike at a prince would always make other forces in the officialdom feel a trace of horror.

The military's message to him to be lenient with the Second Prince was not a threat, nor was it a defense of the imperial family's dignity, but a test to see whether he, the future head of the Overwatch Council, was a person with enough rationality and sincerity to maintain the balance of Qing Yu Nian. After all, the military and the Overwatch Council had always had a good relationship, and it could even be said that the number of Qing Yu Nian soldiers who survived on the front lines was directly related to the wisdom and temperament of the leader of the Overwatch Council.

"Have you ever thought about why I wanted to fight this battle?" Fan Xian no longer addressed him as "Your Highness" and did not take his reminder to heart, but instead asked with a smile.

The First Prince frowned slightly. He had not thought deeply about this question. Now, being asked by Fan Xian, he realized that the Overwatch Council had never interfered in the struggles between princes. Thinking of various possibilities, he suddenly raised his head and looked at Fan Xian with some surprise.

Fan Xian paused slightly, seemingly not expecting the First Prince to be so ignorant of the intrigues of the power arena, but he still wore a smile on his face, "I just wanted to vent some anger and at the same time make some people wake up."

After an extremely long silence, the First Prince suddenly raised his eyebrows, as if he had understood something. He laughed heartily, then said calmly, "My second brother is actually a clever man. To suffer such a great loss at your hands this time should make him more vigilant… perhaps, there will be some unexpected results."

Since they were both clever men, Fan Xian immediately grasped the hidden meaning in these words. After thinking for a moment, he said softly, "Perhaps… this humble official's intentions coincide somewhat with Your Highness's. However, whether or not the Second Prince can obtain that kind of benefit will depend on how you persuade him."

The First Prince looked at him with great interest, seemingly acknowledging this point but also unable to believe it. He asked doubtfully, "This prince just doesn't understand why you are so concerned about this matter."

Fan Xian thought to himself, 'After all, they are brothers. I managed to be reborn once, am I really going to watch a Xuanwu Gate Incident play out?' But this reason could not be spoken aloud, so he brushed it off with a laugh. Moreover, he was still wary of the First Prince. Although the court generally recognized that this prince had the broadest mind and only loved martial arts, never coveting the throne… he was still that thieving Emperor's son. Who knew what he was really thinking?

"If you can be lenient, then be lenient," the First Prince gave Fan Xian a meaningful look. Given his status, it was already quite difficult for him to speak on behalf of the Second Prince in such a way.

Fan Xian nodded with a smile. He knew very well that he could not possibly drive the Second Prince to his death, so he naturally didn't care about giving him this favor. This decision had nothing to do with the First Prince's or the military's attitude. It was purely because that Emperor in the palace… was watching him.

Big Brother is watching you.

……

……

Fan Xian gave the military enough face, so the First Prince couldn't say anything more. After all, he knew that his second brother was not someone to be trifled with. At the end of the day, the Fan family had paid a great price for this matter. If they didn't get any benefits in return, they would definitely not give up. But with the matter concluded, the two people, who were not familiar with each other, sat in the hall of the Chen Garden, unable to find a topic to talk about. The scene seemed somewhat deserted and awkward.

Qin Heng was taking an exceptionally long time in the restroom. The two sat on their chairs, sipping tea with some boredom. Suddenly, Fan Xian opened his mouth and said, "How is the Grand Princess doing recently? This humble official has been busy with official duties and has not had the chance to visit. Please convey my regards to her, Your Highness."

In the officialdom, the topic of conversation was a very important thing. Fan Xian's choice of this topic naturally had his own intentions. Sure enough, the First Prince said seriously, "Lord Fan escorted her all the way south. This prince would like to thank you for that."

This was Fan Xian's skill, choosing an appropriate topic that could effectively shorten the distance between them and also allow the other party to owe him a favor. He smiled, humbly made a few self-deprecating remarks, and then began to chat with the First Prince about the customs and scenery of Northern Qi.

The marriage between the First Prince and the Grand Princess of Northern Qi was also set for next spring. Now, the Grand Princess was basically living in the palace and had met the First Prince a few times. According to rumors in the capital, this couple, who were united in a political marriage, seemed to be quite satisfied with each other. Fan Xian was the chief envoy last time, so according to the traditional view of the people of Qing, he was considered the First Prince's matchmaker.

After a brief conversation, Fan Xian finally had some change in his impression of the First Prince. It was rare for a prince to possess such a straightforward and direct temperament. Perhaps because his birth mother was not of noble origin, and was only a female prisoner from Dongyi City, the First Prince did not have the air of power and wealth that the Second and Third Princes and the Crown Prince possessed. Instead, he was much more straightforward, and his words were powerful and resounding, without much emphasis on the art of concealment.

No wonder his wife had the best relationship with this prince. Fan Xian thought, wearing a smile on his face as he conversed with the other party, listening to him become very excited when talking about military matters. He could only sigh in his heart. He was well aware that he had no talent in military affairs. Compared with the other party, who had been leading troops for several years, it was better to remain silent.

"Has Lord Fan met Shang Shanhu?" A look of leisurely longing suddenly appeared on the First Prince's face, with a slight hint of admiration.

Fan Xian was slightly stunned and said, "I seemed to have seen him from afar in the palace of Shangjing, but I didn't leave much of an impression."

The First Prince slapped his thigh, looked at him resentfully, and said, "You don't know people! You don't know people! How could you miss such a great opportunity to make friends?" His words were full of regret.

"Oh?" Fan Xian raised an eyebrow and asked curiously, "Why does Your Highness value Shang Shanhu so much?"

"A generation of hero," the First Prince gave a four-character evaluation very directly. He narrowed his eyes and said in a cold voice, "Independently supporting the three-thousand-mile-long defense line in the north of Northern Qi, defending against the barbarians from the south for more than ten years, and also creating strange tactics, directly attacking the snow region for thousands of miles, beheading thousands of Northern Barbarians… Lord Fan may not know this, but although the Hu people and the Barbarians are extremely fierce, the Western Hu are much weaker than the Northern Barbarians. During these years in the west, dealing with the Hu people, I increasingly feel that Shang Shanhu is able to support it for so many years when the Northern Qi court is so unstable. It's really… quite terrifying."

"It's a pity that Shang Shanhu has been transferred back to Shangjing… Perhaps there will be a chance to meet Your Highness on the battlefield in the future," Fan Xian said with a smile.

A trace of confident light appeared on the First Prince's face, and he said slowly, "If we can recruit this hero to serve our court, it would naturally be of unparalleled benefit… No… If we really meet on the battlefield in the future, although I have always admired his strange and unpredictable military tactics, I will have to use all my knowledge and skill to carefully deal with him."

So-called heroism was like this. Looking at the aura emanating from the First Prince, Fan Xian felt a slight sense of loss in his heart, knowing that what he had learned since childhood had deviated from the direction, and coupled with the influence of his previous life's ideas, he was afraid that it would be extremely difficult to cultivate this kind of heroism forged in the flames of war in this life.

But he also had his own confidence. He smiled slightly and said, "Although I have not studied Shang Shanhu's military tactics, judging from his assassination of Shen Zhong in the rainy night, this person indeed dares to use unexpected tactics, creating thunder in silence, acting unexpectedly, and making decisive killings. He is truly a master."

The First Prince looked at him with a half-smile, somewhat strangely, and said, "The commander of the Northern Qi Zhenfu Department, Shen Zhong? …I'm afraid this matter is inseparable from Department Director Fan, right?"

Shen Zhong's death was the first step in the plan that Fan Xian and Haitang had agreed upon. In fact, some people were also suspecting the role that Qing Yu Nian played in it, but now that the First Prince had pointed it out, Fan Xian still felt a chill in his heart. He smiled and brushed it off, "Your Highness should know that we people do things that can't be seen in the light… not as heroic as Your Highness or General Shang Shanhu, but sometimes, we can also do things for the court."

The First Prince stared into his eyes and suddenly said, "This is why I said earlier that I underestimated you… Although Shang Shanhu is arrogant, he was still manipulated by Department Director Fan like a puppet… Lord Fan's actions are indeed… unfathomable."

The specific details of Shang Shanhu's assassination of Shen Zhong in the rain street were carefully arranged by the Northern Qi Emperor and Haitang, but allowing the world to misunderstand that he had played a more important role in it would raise his terrifying image and the level of others' evaluation of his strength. Of course, Fan Xian would not miss this opportunity. He smiled shamelessly, acknowledging it.

"I heard… Lord Fan is a ninth-rank expert?" The First Prince glanced at Fan Xian, his eyes containing many meanings.

Fan Xian tilted his head slightly and replied with a soft smile, "Your Highness, I have no interest in fighting you… No matter who wins or loses, it would be a loss for the court."

The First Prince didn't expect Fan Xian to be so cunning, immediately understanding his meaning, and then used the same words he had said earlier to mediate to block his mouth. He couldn't help but feel very depressed. He was a person who loved martial arts, and of course, he wanted to compete with Fan Xian, who rarely made a move.

"There are many people who want to teach me a lesson," Fan Xian thought of the pervert Shadow, who he might meet later, and said with a wry smile, "It's not a big deal if there's one more Your Highness. Just give a yawn and let me go."

The First Prince was stunned again. He had always been open and direct and liked to make friends, but after all, he was a prince, and coupled with the bloody aura that had been forged in the military for several years, how many subjects dared to talk to him so freely? But Fan Xian in front of him was not very respectful to him outside the gates of the capital, and today in the Chen Garden, he spoke mostly without regard, laughing and scolding, as if he did not regard him as a prince.

He took a deep breath, feeling that this world was indeed a little different… At least around this young man named Fan Xian, this world was already different.

"Lord Fan's words are interesting. I like chatting with you," the First Prince watched Qin Heng finally return, smiled and stood up, and said, "Since you give me face, then the matter of the dispute on the road outside the capital is written off. But… in the future, if I want to talk to you, you can't… feign illness or take a 'urine' escape."

Fan Xian smiled and bowed, "I wouldn't dare disobey. Your Highness's words are also more interesting than those of the other princes." The others naturally referred to the Emperor's other princes.

—————————————————————————————

The First Prince did not say goodbye to Chen Pingping. He knew that this eccentric Director did not care about these formalities, so he and Qin Heng left the Chen Garden. Before leaving the garden, Qin Heng whispered a few words to Fan Xian, setting the time for him to visit the Qin mansion another day.

After getting into the carriage, driving out of the most heavily guarded mountain road outside the Chen Garden, and passing through the Fan manor guards and the members of the Overwatch Council's Qinian team who were squatting in the grass like bandits, the First Prince finally lowered the blue curtain of the carriage and said coldly, "Fan Xian is indeed extraordinary."

Qin Heng said with a smile, "According to my father's meaning, the stronger Fan Xian is, the better… Otherwise, if the Overwatch Council is really managed by a good-for-nothing in the future, those old men in the Privy Council would probably be pissed off… Our brothers in the military wouldn't have a good time either."

The First Prince nodded, then suddenly sighed and said, "After being away from the capital for several years, I'm really a little unaccustomed to it after returning. I don't even have anyone to talk to easily." Most of his guards had been dismissed, and the Western Expeditionary Army's formation had also been broken up. The Ministry of War had transferred soldiers to the west to guard the border. He was now in the capital, and his situation was somewhat similar to that of the hero in the north, Shang Shanhu, but after all, he was a prince, so his treatment and status were naturally much stronger than Shang Shanhu.

"How was your chat with Department Director Fan?"

"Not bad," the First Prince said, "Your father should be able to rest assured. Even if Director Chen retires, I believe that with Fan Xian's abilities, the Overwatch Council can still maintain its current efficiency and strongly support the work of the military."

Qin Heng shook his head, "I believe this too, but in my opinion, this little Lord Fan is perhaps even better…"

"Little Lord Fan is meticulous, has extensive foreign relations, and has reached the ninth-rank super-strong realm in martial arts. He also controls the affairs of the Overwatch Council with unparalleled skill… And don't forget his identity as a poet. A literary leader who can receive a collection of books from Zhuang Inkstone, but will become the Director of the Overwatch Council in the future… Such a person" he had an incredulous expression, "has never appeared before. I think he will go even further than Director Chen Pingping in the future."

The First Prince sighed and said, "Don't forget, he will also take over the Internal Treasury next year… But to be placed on the cusp of public opinion, facing the attention of the world and the cold arrows in the dark, I don't know what Father is thinking."

Mentioning His Majesty, Qin Heng naturally couldn't answer. The First Prince smiled and looked at him, and continued, "But Fan Xian is still young after all, and compared to Director, he has a fatal weakness, and he is probably very clear about it himself, so he used the Second Prince's matter to show his power and shock the world, protecting his weakness first."

"What weakness?" Qin Heng asked curiously.

"His mind is bound," the First Prince narrowed his eyes and said seriously, "Uncle is different. Uncle has no children, no parents, no relatives, and no true friends. Although there are many beautiful women in the garden, there is not a single woman he truly loves. He is truly an isolated tree… The enemies can't find Uncle's weakness at all, so how can they defeat him? Fan Xian is different. He has a wife, a younger sister, family, and friends… These are all his weaknesses."

Qin Heng thought about it, and it was indeed the case. No one in the entire Qing Yu Nian knew who Chen Pingping truly cared about in his life… other than His Majesty.

"Without relatives, friends, or love, this kind of life… must not be very good," Qin Heng was not an old man after all, and he felt a little sad when he thought of this.

"Director is not easy," the First Prince said with a look of respect, "Fan Xian is still far from reaching this state."

……

……

In Chen Garden, the sound of singing mixed with silk and bamboo, like weak clouds, floated softly and smoothly in the air. A dozen beauties in gorgeous clothes were singing and dancing lightly on the platform in the lake. Chen Pingping, sitting in a wheelchair, accompanied by Wan'er and Ruoruo, watched this scene with a look of enjoyment. Sang Wen was holding a harp, playing music for the dancers.

What a relaxed and carefree life of a prince, but the two young men of the Qing Yu Nian military in the carriage leaving the garden felt very sympathetic to Chen Pingping's life.

Fan Xian walked over from the other side. Chen Pingping clapped his hands gently, and the singing and dancing stopped immediately. Another beauty carefully led a few female guests to the back to rest. Wan'er knew that Fan Xian must have something to say to Director Chen at this time, so she went with that beauty, but before leaving, she looked at Fan Xian, wanting to ask him how his conversation with the First Prince went.

Fan Xian smiled and nodded, reassuring his wife, and then walked behind Chen Pingping, very consciously putting his hands on the back of the wheelchair, and asked, "Where to?"

Chen Pingping raised his thin hand and pointed to the forest on the east side of the garden.

Fan Xian silently pushed the wheelchair over there. The old and the young did not speak. It was still early, but the autumn sun was still cold, shining down from the upper left of the forest, dragging the shadows of the wheelchair and people long. The round wheels of the wheelchair creaked as they rolled over the shadows.

"He called you Uncle," Fan Xian pushed the wheelchair and walked slowly through the sparse leafless autumn forest, laughing and said, "Aren't you afraid that the Censorate will impeach you? That's a big crime."

"Are you afraid that the Censorate will impeach you? It won't cost you two layers of skin. If I kept all the memorials impeaching me, I'm afraid His Majesty's study would be full," Chen Pingping said expressionlessly, "His Majesty approved him calling me Uncle. No one can say anything."

"His Majesty approved it?" Fan Xian was a little surprised.

Chen Pingping turned his head and glanced at him, and said lightly, "Consort Ning was a female prisoner from Dongyi in those years. During that Northern Expedition, His Majesty almost lost his life in the mountains and rivers of the north. It was all thanks to Consort Ning's careful service along the way that he survived. Only then did the First Prince come into being."

Fan Xian had heard this story. He knew that Emperor was in a desperate situation at the time, and it was this thin old man in the wheelchair that he was pushing who led the Black Knights and snatched him back from the north. Associating this, he understood a little and said, "You and Consort Ning have a good relationship?"

"Escaping back all the way, the situation was relatively miserable at the time. The impression left in my mind was relatively deep, so the relationship naturally became closer," Chen Pingping still said expressionlessly, "At that time, the situation would not allow carrying prisoners to escape. When Consort Ning was beheaded, I said a word, perhaps remembering this point, she has always been relatively respectful to me."

Fan Xian was amused, "So you are Consort Ning's savior."

Chen Pingping closed his eyes and said faintly, "His Majesty was injured at the time, and his body was as hard as a piece of wood. He couldn't move at all. Those things like wiping his body and excreting… always needed a careful woman to do."

"Later, I heard that Consort Ning's entry into the palace also caused a storm… At that time, His Majesty had not yet married, but he wanted to take a female prisoner from Dongyi into the palace, and the Empress Dowager was very unhappy," Fan Xian asked, "Did you help her too?"

Chen Pingping laughed, the wrinkles on his face forming steamed bun wrappers, "When I spoke at that time, I didn't have as much power as I do today… It was Miss who spoke, and Consort Ning was able to enter the palace."

Fan Xian sighed and said, "So everything… my old mom liked to interfere with."

"She likes to meddle in other people's business," Chen Pingping said, then suddenly paused, "But… this is not a meddlesome matter, she always had to speak up before His Majesty would be determined to marry, right?"

Fan Xian made a face behind him and said, "I still don't listen to the love stories of the older generation."

"It's good to listen," Chen Pingping said with a sinister smile, "At least you know now that in the palace, you still have someone you can trust."

"Consort Ning?" Fan Xian shook his head, "A small favor many years ago, I don't think the effect can continue to this day."

Chen Pingping said, "Dongyi women are very straightforward and have clear grievances… And she also contributed greatly to revenge for Miss thirteen years ago… That's why she offended the Empress Dowager and was demoted back to a consort, and has not been able to be reinstated to this day."

"Are you sure the First Prince has no intention of competing for the throne?"

Chen Pingping said indifferently, "He is a clever man, so at a very young age, he chose to escape. You can know a son by his mother, and the prince taught by Consort Ning is much more straightforward than the Second and the Crown Prince."

Fan Xian was silent. After a moment, he suddenly asked, "Does Consort Ning know about me?"

"No," Chen Pingping taught, "You can't play all the cards in your hand at once. You always have to hide a few in your sleeve."

"Does His Majesty… know that I know?"

"No."

"Doesn't that count as deceiving the Emperor?"

"Oh, since His Majesty didn't ask, of course, it's not convenient for us officials to say anything."

The old and the young both laughed, laughing like two foxes.

"Is the Second Prince's matter settled just like that?"

"Did you achieve your goal?"

"A total of seventeen officials were punished. His power in the court has been almost cleared. I don't have the ability to move against people at the level of the Minister of Personnel," Fan Xian counted his fingers, "The Cui family also lost a lot. According to news from the north, their hands and feet have been forced open. It should be much easier to cut off their hands."

"Don't let others notice that your next target is the Cui family," Chen Pingping said coldly, "Tomorrow, His Majesty will make a decision in court. It will be difficult for the Second to turn the situation around."

"Will there be a problem with my family?"

"Do you care about that baronet title?"

"I don't care."

"Then there's no problem. Don't worry, your dad is more cunning than anyone else. How could he let you suffer?" Not knowing what he thought of, Chen Pingping said viciously, "Called you back from Danzhou while I wasn't in the capital… God knows what he's thinking."

"That's my father," Fan Xian reminded Director in some headache.

Chen Pingping patted the armrest of the wheelchair and said mockingly, "I admit that. He's doing a really good job as a father."

Fan Xian was not happy to hear these words and fell silent. Chen Pingping seemed not to have expected that this child would be so respectful to Fan Jian, and smiled with some comfort, and asked, "What are you here for today?"

"I brought my wife and sister to sponge a meal," Fan Xian squeezed out a reluctant smile, "And incidentally let them open their eyes and see the courtyard of beauties raised by you old widower."

He suddenly didn't want to continue joking with the old man and asked with a hint of melancholy, "I have always had a question I wanted to ask you."

"Say."

"Are you… really a loyal subject?" This question seemed a bit childishly naive.

Chen Pingping answered very carefully, and after a long time, he said seriously, "I am loyal to His Majesty, loyal to Qing Yu Nian… and you should now be clear that whatever you do, His Majesty is watching you do it. You can only do what he allows you to do… So, being loyal to His Majesty is actually being loyal to yourself. You must remember this point and always be loyal to His Majesty."

Is this really being loyal to His Majesty or being loyal to himself? Fan Xian didn't want to delve further into this question.

"But you made a move too early this time, a little ahead of His Majesty's plan," Chen Pingping said faintly, closing his eyes, "And you revealed your style of doing things too thoroughly. His Majesty doesn't know that you have guessed your own background, so he will inevitably have doubts about you."

Fan Xian was silent, knowing that this was the biggest trouble brought about by this matter.

"Don't worry, I'll handle it," Chen Pingping said softly.

Fan Xian no longer worried. He pushed the wheelchair and walked out of this beautiful but desolate forest. At this time, the old and the young were walking westward, so they gradually pulled away the shadows behind them, but the wheels of the wheelchair could never tear apart the bond of that shadow.

———————————————————————

The second morning's court meeting was held on time. The Fan family father and son, who had been claiming illness and not attending court for several days, finally stood above the court, preparing to welcome the torrential impeachments and criticisms from the officials in the court. The Censorate's memorial had been submitted for a long time. Minister of Revenue Fan Jian admitted his mistake, saying that he had failed to educate his family properly, which had led to the emergence of an unfilial son like Fan Sizhe. Fan Xian also submitted a memorial to plead guilty, admitting that he had failed to supervise properly in the case of the Baoyue Tower murder.

But as for other crimes, the Fan family would not accept any of them. In any case, the other party had no evidence of the shady affairs of Yin Huai, the governor of Kyoto, and the killings and cover-ups in the rain. Moreover, all the ends were handled extremely cleanly, enough to shut the mouths of the leisurely censors.

On the contrary, compared to the Fan family's accusations against the Second Prince's side, the other party found it a little difficult to deal with. After all, Xie Bian, one of the Eight Great Generals, was the one who killed people outside Kyoto Prefecture, and Xie Bian eventually died violently in prison. One by one, the crimes pointed directly at the Second Prince.

What surprised the officials was that the Second Prince's offensive was not fierce. All the counterattacks were only superficial. After a while, everyone guessed that the two sides must have reached some kind of secret agreement. In other words, the Second Prince had admitted defeat.

The Emperor had been sitting quietly on the dragon chair listening. Only when Fan Xian came out to plead guilty would an elusive expression flash in his eyes.

Before long, after the deliberations of the Hall of Political Affairs and His Majesty's personal review, this matter finally came to a conclusion.

Minister of Revenue Fan Jian had failed to educate his son properly and had allowed him to commit violence. However, in consideration of his many years of hard work and his initial report, he would be punished lightly, his salary would be reduced for three years, his title would be stripped by two ranks, and he would be ordered to stay at home and reflect on his mistakes.

Department Director of the Overwatch Council and Grand Academician of the Imperial College Fan Xian was of bad character and privately mobilized the Council's soldiers. Although he had the merit of repenting for his brother, his crime was difficult to forgive. He was ordered to have his title stripped and his salary reduced and to revise the books donated by Zhuang Mohan within three years without any mistakes.

The Ministry of Justice issued a nationwide wanted warrant for the Fan family's second son, Fan Sizhe, who had fled in fear of punishment.

The governor of Kyoto Prefecture had been arrested and imprisoned. He was removed from his official position and would be tried later.

A certain Duke…

……

……

Finally, there was the decision on the Second Prince: he was of bad character, his title was lowered, he was ordered to close his door and cultivate his morality for six months, and he was not allowed to go out without permission.

The results were finally out. Every word and every sentence above was worth pondering for the officials and the people, but in any case, the Fan family father's punishment of only stripping his title was a bit heavy, but there were no substantial losses. On the contrary, the Second Prince's faction had lost many officials, and he himself would be placed under house arrest for six months. The punishment was severe, and everyone knew that the Fan family had won this battle.

But discerning people listening to the edict personally drafted by His Majesty discovered a very interesting coincidence. Fan Xian and the Second Prince's crimes were both vague, and both used the four words "of bad character." However, as the Department Director of the Overwatch Council, it didn't matter if he was of bad character, but as a prince, being criticized with the four words "of bad character" had a great impact.

The direction of the court changed accordingly. Everyone knew that the Second Prince was no longer as favored by the Emperor as he had been in the past. However, His Majesty did not summon Fan Xian into the palace again alone. People couldn't help but wonder if the two tigers fighting each other would both be injured, and Fan Xian's favor that surpassed that of other courtiers… had also come to an end?

But Fan Xian didn't seem to have any reaction. He stayed in the Imperial College all day with a smile, organizing books with the instructors. He occasionally went to the Overwatch Council to take a look, and also took two days to visit the residence of Old General Qin of the Privy Council, and also took Wan'er and his younger sister into the palace to visit the various imperial consorts. Coincidentally, he met the First Prince in the Fragrant Garden, where the Grand Princess of Northern Qi was temporarily residing. Of course, he did not see His Majesty this time when he entered the palace.

In secret, he was still discussing many things with Xiaoyan, and the arrangements for the northern smuggling route of the Internal Treasury were gradually entering the right track, waiting for the knife to cut off the Cui family's hand and cut off Xinyang's and the Second Prince