Why come to Jiaozhou, why deal with the Jiaozhou Navy? In fact, the origin of all this was that small island in the East Sea, that island that was blood-washed.

The pirates on the island were the Ming family's private army. While the imperial court was rigorously investigating, they were all silenced. Fortunately, an agent of the Overwatch Council survived with great difficulty and reported the scene of the bloodbath that night.

It was the Jiaozhou Navy, it could only be the Jiaozhou Navy. In the months that followed, the Overwatch Council increased its investigation into Jiaozhou. Although to this day, it still hasn't been able to grasp concrete and presentable evidence, informed people in the upper echelons of the imperial court all surmised that the Jiaozhou Navy was the hand behind the Ming family in the north, the hand of the Junshan Society, the hand raised by the Eldest Princess.

No matter how forbearing Emperor Qing was, he could not tolerate such a thing happening. So he secretly informed Fan Xian, ordering him to handle the matter with full authority. As for how to handle it, no specific plan was given.

So Fan Xian had a headache. He had no evidence in his hand, and he had to bring the Jiaozhou Navy back under the control of the imperial court. What should he do? The navy was not the Ming family, not the Cui family, nor the Second Prince... The other party was a real powerful military force. If not handled properly, it would cause an uproar and lead to war. No matter whether the imperial court could suppress it in the end, he would get into great trouble.

He also knew that the Jiaozhou Navy must be playing an extremely important role in the Ming family's smuggling business, especially the route to Dongyi City. Without the escort of the Jiaozhou Navy, it would not have been so smooth for more than ten years.

The role that the Jiaozhou Navy played in the maritime smuggling routes was just like the role that Fan Xian's Overwatch Council and Wei Hua's Northern Qi Embroidered Uniform Guard played in the mainland smuggling routes.

It was just that on that island, the navy killed too many people...

…

…

Hou Jichang had already gone to the birthday banquet, leaving only Fan Xian, disguised, in the entire small courtyard. Hou Jichang was ordered to investigate the smuggling of the Jiaozhou Navy, but unfortunately, he had made no progress. He had to do many things in secret, so it was naturally inconvenient to invite too many servants, so the small courtyard was quiet.

Without lights, Fan Xian calmly thought in the darkness, sorting out his plans one by one. Thinking about it, he couldn't help but smile wryly. What he was about to do would definitely be naive politically and barbaric in style, but... His Majesty the Emperor allowed him to handle this matter with full authority, which showed how much the Emperor cared. He was forced to Jiaozhou, what could he do?

If he conducted investigations and separate inquiries through normal channels... the navy generals were not fools, they would naturally not admit to such a crime that would lead to the confiscation of their families and the extermination of their clans, and once the military and the Overwatch Council confronted each other, the army would easily slide towards an explosive direction. Once there was a mutiny, tens of thousands of navy officers and soldiers would surround Jiaozhou City, how could Fan Xian and his men survive?

So he had to take a risk.

It just so happened that today was the birthday of the Navy Admiral, Chang Kun, and all the senior navy generals were gathered in Jiaozhou City, far away from the soldiers under their control. Although the Jiaozhou Navy still had tens of thousands of people, there were only a few remaining officers guarding the city. Once the fighting started, it would be inconvenient to contact the inside and outside of the city, and the navy's reaction would be a few beats slower.

And Fan Xian could take this opportunity to wipe out a group of generals at the birthday banquet. His appetite had always been so big, but even Hou Jichang was curious, where did Fan Xian get his confidence?

He was only one person.

——————————————————————

Navy Admiral Chang Kun looked at the full house of guests with a smiling face, but this smile carried a bit of reserve and two bits of arrogance. He smiled because he was in a good mood today. He had lived for more than forty years, smoothly and smoothly, in a high position. The officials and wealthy merchants inside and outside the city all rushed to flatter him, and even the big figures in Jiangnan sent gifts one after another. This pride, how could he not express it with a smile?

The reason why he couldn't laugh to his heart's content was due to his status. As the highest military officer in Jiaozhou, the nominal and actual local emperor, his words and deeds affected hundreds of thousands of people, so he had to be cautious and put on a solemn appearance.

Could he collect another hundreds of thousands of taels of silver from this banquet? The admiral was calculating in his heart, raising his glass to invite everyone to drink. The dignitaries below all stood up, raised their glasses to greet him, and praised him endlessly.

Chang Kun glanced at the corner seat on his right hand side, looking at the official with an indifferent expression, and felt extremely unhappy in his heart. That official had been in Jiaozhou for some days, but not only had he not come to pay his respects, but he hadn't even made a nominal visit!

But Chang Kun still tolerated it, and even invited the other party to today's birthday banquet. All this was only because he was very afraid of the official's background.

Hou Jichang, the Jiaozhou Registrar and Prefectural Judge, was just a small official of the seventh rank.

It was just that Hou Jichang's background was too deep, known to the world. This person was one of the four disciples of the Fan family, and was among the top three in the spring examination last year. Even if Chang Kun was a military officer of the first rank, he still had to give Fan Mansion some face.

What's more, because of the Jiangnan incident, Chang Kun had been vigilant about the Overwatch Council. The fear in the depths of his heart could not be eliminated. He didn't know why Little Fan had arranged for his disciple to come to this remote Jiaozhou – could it be that the Overwatch Council really suspected the Jiaozhou Navy? But the Ming family shouldn't have leaked the news, and the Old Madam was already dead, no one could get the evidence.

At his own birthday banquet, Chang Kun held his wine glass, but his thoughts drifted elsewhere... Not a single living person was left on that island, and the people who took action were all his confidant generals. Those soldiers were locked in their camps every day, there shouldn't be any problems.

Seeing the admiral staring blankly at his wine glass, the guests at the table below looked at each other, wondering what was happening.

Chang Kun woke up from his trance, smiled self-deprecatingly, his wives and children were all in the capital, he didn't know how they were doing. As for the affairs of Jiaozhou, even if the imperial court heard some rumors, what could they do to him? The Overwatch Council had no real evidence and didn't dare to touch him, a big military figure.

After thinking clearly about the causes and consequences, re-judging the situation, and confirming his safety, the big stone that had been pressing on Chang Kun's heart finally lightened a little. He nodded to the people beside him, agreeing to the idea of calling in dancing girls to liven up the atmosphere.

But looking at Hou Jichang, who had a calm expression at the bottom of the table, Chang Kun still felt uncomfortable. He coughed lightly twice, feeling a bit bloated in his abdomen, said a few words to his subordinates, and went to the outhouse behind the courtyard.

—————————————————————

Fan Xian left Hou Jichang's home and walked to the outside of the bustling Admiral's Mansion's back wall, carefully hiding his figure. Just like the very few patrolling soldiers on the high walls of the palace, there was no one watching outside the Admiral's Mansion's two-zhang high back wall.

Taking advantage of the cover of the summer night's layered clouds, Fan Xian lightly exhaled a turbid breath, his body's true energy flowing, his hands steadily attached to the gray-painted wall surface, and with a little force, he confirmed that the thin layer of true energy flowing out of his palms could still exert the effect of the cliff in Danzhou.

After the tyrannical true energy in his body exploded, fortunately Haitang helped him heal his injuries, but he was still a little worried that his best Spider-Man ability would be lost with the subtle changes in the method of operation of the true energy in his body.

Fortunately, it was still there.

Like a ghost, Fan Xian silently climbed over the high wall of the Admiral's Mansion, slipped into the grass in the courtyard, easily knocked down the two guards behind him, and then walked to the outside of the kitchen, took out the special poison injection tool of the Overwatch Council, and with the help of the thin sharp needle attached to the front of the rubber tube, poured the prepared sleeping pills into the sealed wine urn.

There was an opened wine urn next to it. Fan Xian thought for a while, first scooped a mouthful and drank it, feeling that the wine tasted really good. The enjoyment of the Jiaozhou Navy really couldn't be supported by military pay alone.

Before leaving, he threw a pill into it.

…

…

Fan Xian stood in the night, looking at the guards outside that house from a distance, and couldn't help but smile. Chang Kun was indeed afraid of death, and he even had people guarding outside when he went to the outhouse.

He climbed onto the roof from the back, pinching his nose in annoyance, and jumped down. His toes landed on the ground, silently. He looked at the outhouse and found that the Admiral's Mansion's outhouse was also so luxurious. It was actually two rooms inside and out. Unfortunately, there was no toilet in the outer room. Fan Xian unbuttoned his pants and started to urinate.

The sound of dripping water, and then the Navy Admiral who was squatting on the toilet in the compartment was startled.

Chang Kun had his pants half-undone at this time, sitting on a chair. The chair was empty, with a toilet placed underneath. Although his appearance was a bit embarrassing, his eyes already showed a fierceness like an eagle falcon.

There was someone outside!

When he knew that someone could pass through the Admiral's Mansion's layers of defense and come to his side while he was relieving himself, Chang Kun felt a chill in his heart. His first reaction was to shout: "There's an assassin!"

But he was a smart man, so he immediately shut his mouth tightly. If the person was an assassin, he wouldn't deliberately make some noise to startle him, and since that person had the ability to come to his side silently, even if he shouted for guards, he was afraid that he wouldn't be able to stop the assassination.

So he didn't speak, just waited nervously, wanting to know the intention of the master outside.

A very cold voice came from outside the compartment.

"You're holding a birthday banquet, how come you didn't invite me?"

A fierce look flashed across Chang Kun's face, and he immediately said with a smile: "I don't know the name of the brave man, where can I send an invitation?"

The curtain of the compartment was lifted, and Fan Xian pinched his nose with one hand, frowning, looking at the old general's appearance of relieving himself, and said: "You are Chang Kun?"

Chang Kun was very embarrassed and very angry. When had a dignified first-rank official of Qing been asked questions in this situation, especially since the other party's tone of asking questions was so condescending and frivolous.

But he knew that now was not the time to be tough. He could clearly feel the danger of the young man in front of him. He narrowed his eyes and said: "This old man is Chang Kun... This brave man, can you allow me to wash my hands before talking?"

"Want to shout?" Fan Xian said with a smile, "It's useless even if you shout until your throat is broken today."

Chang Kun frowned tightly and asked, "Who are you?"

…

…

"I am Fan Xian." Fan Xian put down the curtain and replied through the curtain.

Chang Kun was shocked, his hands began to tremble... Fan Xian? The dignified Commissioner of the Overwatch Council, how could he suddenly come to Jiaozhou, how could he appear at his birthday banquet, how could he... appear in his own outhouse?

Could it be that the young assassin was really outside? Chang Kun hurriedly dealt with his business, while fastening his belt, while saying: "Who are you?"

Knowing the identity of the person, Chang Kun knew that this matter was troublesome today. He even began to smell the aura of disgrace and ruin. He tried to calm himself down, while delaying, while calculating in his heart.

"Meeting in the outhouse is naturally not very comfortable." Fan Xian said softly outside the curtain, "But in order to hide it from others, we can only do so."

Hide it from others? That naturally had other meanings. Chang Kun felt a little relieved, but he didn't dare to lift the curtain and go out. He took a deep breath and said: "If it is really Commissioner Fan, I wonder what you have come for today?"

"To talk about a deal with you."

"What deal?"

"The deal on the nameless island in the East Sea."

The voice outside the curtain was lightly raised and sinisterly transmitted in. Chang Kun was struck by lightning, his lips were dry, and he couldn't even smell the stench in the room. He breathed rapidly, with only one thought in his mind - the imperial court really knew, the Overwatch Council was coming to deal with him!

…

…

But he was not a fool after all, and heard a bit of meaning in Fan Xian's words. He gritted his teeth and said: "I don't understand what you are saying, sir."

"You collude with the Ming family, secretly allowing pirates to rob the inner treasury merchant ships, and secretly preside over the smuggling route to Dongyi City in the north... What I want to say is this matter."

"Don't slander me." Chang Kun was in the latrine, and his heart was like a stone in the latrine. He shouted sternly, deliberately raising his voice a little, wanting to secretly inform the guards outside.

Fan Xian didn't seem to have noticed his little thoughts, and mocked: "You know whether it is slander or not."

Chang Kun shouted sternly: "Bring the evidence. Your Overwatch Council don't even think about framing me... I am not some kind man or woman, and my Jiaozhou Navy is not some delicate official in the capital. If you want to mess around without real evidence, be careful that you don't end up well."

Although Fan Xian's sinister reputation was well-known, Chang Kun had more than ten thousand iron-blooded men under his command, and he was indeed not very afraid of him.

"Whether I believe in your crimes or not doesn't matter, whether the people and officials of the world believe it or not doesn't matter." Fan Xian's voice outside the curtain carried a trace of coldness, "The key is that His Majesty believes in your crimes, otherwise why would he let me come to Jiaozhou to handle the case."

Chang Kun's heart beat violently, and he was knocked down by Fan Xian's words. As long as His Majesty believed in the problem of the Jiaozhou Navy, then with His Majesty's methods, even if he didn't use the national law to punish him, there were plenty of ways to make him wish he were dead. Chang Kun was also an old general who followed the Qing Emperor on three Northern Expeditions, and the worship and fear of the Qing Emperor in the depths of his heart could never be brushed away.

Fan Xian continued his attack outside the curtain: "In this world, there are not many people who can save you... except for me."

Chang Kun sat back on the chair, narrowing his eyes, his eyes rolled quickly, and after a long time, he sighed and said: "Commissioner Fan... what exactly do you want?"

Chang Kun was the Navy Admiral, a first-rank official. Although Fan Xian's power was unmatched in the world, the Commissioner of the Overwatch Council was an official position without rank, so in the initial latrine conversation, Chang Kun always clung to this point, and refused to lose even the slightest bit of ground in terms of momentum, but at this time, he began to call Fan Xian Commissioner Fan, which meant that his heart was beginning to loosen.

…

…

Without being silent for too long, Fan Xian asked softly outside the curtain: "I have always had a huge doubt... Your relationship with the Ye family is not so deep, your relationship with Yan Xiaoyi is not very good, and even in the past history, you have nothing to do with Princess Eldest. Although your position is high and your strength is strong... but in the Junshan Society, you are still just a worker, so I am very curious, who is your real master... who would order you to mobilize the imperial army to help the Ming family and secretly communicate with Dongyi City."

Chang Kun closed his mouth, with a grim look on his face, and refused to answer. What Fan Xian said was indeed what the Jiaozhou Navy had done over the years, but in any case, he would not answer. Once these crimes were confirmed, let alone Fan Xian, even if the Empress Dowager came forward, it would be impossible to save the lives of his entire family.

"I won't tell the above." Fan Xian said with a smile: "In this situation, you can only believe me... I am really just curious, whether you die or not, whether your whole family will be buried with you, will not do me any good."

Chang Kun still couldn't say it, he smiled coldly and gritted his teeth and said: "Am I a fool... Commissioner Fan, what does this have to do with our Jiaozhou Navy? If you have evidence, you can take the Emperor's Sword and capture me on the spot in the camp, and the ten thousand soldiers of the navy won't even dare to fart... but if you don't have evidence, don't block me in this stinking place to chat."

He said grimly: "Little Fan, today is my birthday banquet. If you are willing to give me face, you can have two drinks at the banquet, as for chatting, let's forget about it. Whenever your Overwatch Council gets the evidence, it's not too late to come to me."

Fan Xian sighed outside the curtain.

Chang Kun narrowed his eyes inside the curtain.

Fan Xian sighed and said: "Yes, you are a first-rank official, and even the Overwatch Council cannot ask you questions without a special decree... As for the evidence, you have killed everything cleanly. Even if there are one or two survivors, it is impossible to overthrow you, a military leader... As for the Ming family, the old lady Ming who knew about your relationship with them also died very unfortunately... You are right, it seems that I really don't have any evidence in my hands."

His voice seemed a little distressed: "His Majesty definitely doesn't want you to stay in the Jiaozhou Navy anymore, but the resistance to transferring you is too great... The Overwatch Council has no evidence... Tell me, how can I make you disappear in Jiaozhou?"

Chang Kun was stunned, and suddenly felt an extremely absurd sense of danger. At the same time, he was also shocked, why haven't the guards outside rushed in yet?

Fan Xian finally sighed and said: "Since you are not willing to accept this deal, then I have no choice... I have to choose the most direct and most ridiculous method."

After saying this sentence, Chang Kun's pupils shrank, as if he saw a very strange scene, staring at the curtain in front of him.

The blue cloth curtain was like a flat piece of soil, but suddenly a bamboo shoot grew out of it. The bamboo shoot was not blue but black, arching the blue cloth curtain and approaching his chest.

Chang Kun panicked, was angry, was foolish, but couldn't move. He had to watch this scene, watching the black dagger tip tear through the weak resistance of the blue curtain, and with a hiss, it came to him, and with a puff, it deeply stabbed into his chest!

…

…

In the moment before his death, Chang Kun stared hard with those eyes, and countless questions and confusions flashed in his heart. Why was the true energy in his body suddenly flowing so poorly, why were his limbs numb, why... did the Overwatch Council dare to assassinate him!

He was the Admiral of the Jiaozhou Navy! He was the local emperor of Jiaozhou! He had ten thousand soldiers under his command! His death would cause shock in the world and cause a riot among the soldiers!

He was a dignified first-rank official of the imperial court, how dare the Overwatch Council assassinate him!

In the political arena of the Qing Kingdom, although the Overwatch Council was skilled in assassination, under the strong suppression of the Qing Emperor, it had never dared to use this method on senior officials. Because the Qing Emperor knew that once this precedent was set, the whole country would fall into chaos!

So Chang Kun was still calm in the latrine before, and was not very afraid. He expected that Fan Xian could not kill him so blindly, he didn't dare!

But... Chang Kun lowered his head and looked at the black dagger on his chest, a miserable smile appeared on the corner of his lips.

Fan Xian retracted the dagger, simply wiped the blood stains on the blue curtain, inserted it back into his boot, and shook his head helplessly looking at Admiral Chang Kun, who was covered in blood, sitting on the chair inside the curtain. That's right, even the Qing Emperor wouldn't dare to assassinate a military leader without any evidence, but... he wasn't the emperor, he was in a hurry to go back to Danzhou to see his grandmother, where would he have time to waste in this broken place of Jiaozhou.

…

…

(The illness is gradually getting better, thank you everyone. The Jiaozhou action has just begun, and naturally it is impossible to conquer the world by assassination, but Fan Xian is a bit lazy, haha, I wish you all a happy weekend.)