Niao Ni
Chapter 52: On the Carriage
The Jing Wang's heir waved his hand, saying, "Young people, it's always good to have some drive..." His tone suggested he wasn't aware he was only in his early twenties himself.
Thinking of the amiable smile on the young Fan family member's face, the heir's lips curved into an admiring smile. "Moreover, the Fan family is currently planning that marriage. If Fan Xian were too low-key, it wouldn't be appropriate. After today, the people of Kyoto will know that the Fan family has a handsome and refined young master."
Suddenly, he snapped back to reality, slapped his forehead and laughed, "When I asked you to be my advisor, I made it clear that you were only allowed to advise me on matters of romance. My father is a carefree prince who doesn't care about court affairs, so as his son, I must not be unfilial."
"Come, come." He gestured to the people at the table to start drinking.
Everyone at the table responded quickly, but in their hearts, they wondered, if you were truly content to be a carefree heir, why are you so closely associated with the Fan family, and why are you so close to the Second Prince?
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After getting into the carriage, it was quiet the whole way. After a while, Fan Ruoruo suddenly chuckled. Fan Xian asked curiously, "What's so funny?"
Fan Ruoruo breathed slightly, calming down before saying, "I just thought of that sentence you said earlier, it was truly sharp and cutting."
"Which sentence?" Fan Xian felt that he had said too much in the restaurant today, completely violating his principle of being low-key, and felt very uneasy.
"The one about—'They spend their days in leisure, becoming skin and bones, yet they still fan themselves with a fan. Is this what they call refined elegance?'" Fan Ruoruo imitated his tone as she spoke, unable to stop herself from smiling.
Fan Sizhe was also giggling on the side, but noticed that the other two in the carriage weren't paying much attention to him, and felt a little sullen.
Fan Xian smiled wryly, "Refined elegance is a very good thing, but it's not exclusive to scholars. Earlier, when I saw those so-called talents looking up at the sky with their noses in the air, I felt annoyed. They're all well-fed and do nothing but engage in empty talk. If they have the guts, they shouldn't take the imperial examinations, and shouldn't sit with that Guo editor—power and influence, either you overthrow it and trample it underfoot, or posing is really meaningless."
Hearing this, Fan Ruoruo couldn't help but laugh again. Her brother's tone of speaking was unlike anyone else in the world, and perhaps only she could understand the meaning behind it.
"Just now, the Jing Wang's heir was nearby, so you must have been restrained in your words." Fan Ruoruo really wanted to know her brother's true opinion of these scholars.
"Not restrained, just more gentle in tone." Fan Xian said with a slight smile, "I don't object to places like brothels, nor do I think that talents can't go to brothels. But I've always felt that a patron is a patron. If you go to a brothel and still pretend to be a talent, it's like a prostitute setting up a chastity arch, extremely hypocritical."
Fan Ruoruo said with slight embarrassment, "Brother, your words are too crude." In her mind, her brother was the one who truly deserved to be called a talent, wouldn't that mean he was cursing himself as well?
Fan Xian laughed heartily, "There are no outsiders anyway." He suddenly looked at his sister seriously and said, "Girl, remember, don't marry a talent."
Ruoruo finally couldn't maintain her composure any longer and retorted, "What nonsense are you talking about?"
"What is that He Zongwei doing now?"
Fan Sizhe eagerly answered from the side, "A student at the Imperial Academy, of humble origin, but said to be a student of Grand Scholar Zeng Wenxiang of the Jixian Hall. He has always had a small reputation for talent, and has written a few poems and lyrics...Everyone estimates that he will at least be in the third tier in the next imperial examinations."
Fan Xian frowned and said to his sister, "This person seems loyal and honest, but is actually very patient and good at acting. I don't like people with this kind of personality. You should be careful in the future and try not to associate with him."
Fan Ruoruo nodded without hesitation. In her mind, Fan Xian was her brother, her teacher, and the person she could rely on the most.
Fan Xian was thinking about that black-faced scholar named He Zongwei. Since he was already a famous talent in Kyoto, he should have many options if he wanted to rely on a noble family. If it wasn't because of his relationship with his sister, then he wouldn't have needed to jump out earlier—to leave a good impression on himself? He curled his lips and smiled. To be able to discover his identity and his position in Ruoruo's heart in such a short period of time, this so-called talent seemed indeed extraordinary.
Turning his head and seeing Fan Sizhe leaning against the carriage window looking outside, Fan Xian felt a slight chill in his heart and said to Ruoruo, "You and him should go back to the mansion first, I'll wander around Kyoto for a while longer."
Fan Sizhe turned his head back from the carriage window, with a look of confusion on his face.
Fan Xian looked at his face, and thought about how he himself had started facing assassinations at the age of twelve. He also thought about how the other party was actually just a twelve-year-old child, who had been dragged into these very dangerous matters. He couldn't help but sigh and say, "You're still so young... Sigh, I really don't know what to say."
Fan Sizhe hid behind his sister a little fearfully. He had always been bold, but for some reason, he felt a little scared every time he saw the gentle smile on Fan Xian's face, "What are you saying?"
Fan Xian originally thought that the conflict in the restaurant was deliberately provoked by this little fellow, in order to expose a very unfavorable side of himself in front of the Jing Wang's heir. He knew that the Jing Wang's opinion would always play a certain role in the future inheritance of the Fan family's estate—because he had chosen the restaurant, and he had started the trouble. But looking at the confused expression on Fan Sizhe's face, he couldn't help but doubt his judgment. Could it be that everything in the restaurant today was just an accidental incident?
The carriage moved forward slowly. Fan Xian knew that among the six guards who came out with his siblings today, at least two were from Liu Shi's side, so he didn't say anything more.
Fan Ruoruo remained calm, lowering her head and saying nothing, feeling slightly annoyed thinking about the things in the family.
The carriage arrived at the street in front of the Fan residence's entrance. Ruoruo led her brother back to the mansion, while Fan Xian continued his day trip in Kyoto. Fan Ruoruo originally wanted to go with him, but he thought about what he had to do later, so he smiled and refused. He looked at Fan Sizhe a few more times, and reminded him not to talk about *Dream of the Red Chamber*, but he didn't know if the other party would listen to him.
Teng Zijing sat in the carriage, watching his young master. From some point onwards, Teng Zijing had determined that following this sixteen-year-old young master, he would definitely have a very promising future, perhaps because the spring in Danzhou was indeed prone to beautiful imaginations, perhaps because he had been infected by the young man in front of him along the way, perhaps it was because the two had reached some kind of agreement.
Fan Xian thought for a while, propped up his chin and asked, "I asked my father for you, and I estimate that you won't have any chance to stand out in the short term, don't blame me."
Teng Zijing smiled and replied respectfully, "Young Master is not an ordinary person, following Young Master will naturally have benefits."
Fan Xian laughed, "Where am I not ordinary? In the restaurant earlier, I wasn't just spraying nonsense like an ignorant young man."
Teng Zijing pondered the meaning of his words and carefully replied, "Young Master, I understand what you're guessing. I don't think this matter has anything to do with the Little Young Master."
The carriage had already stopped. The gentle breeze from outside entered through the curtain silently, making one feel refreshed. Fan Xian looked at Teng Zijing and said gently, "I also hope this matter has nothing to do with him."