The official, interrupting their comedy act, said with a wry smile, "This can't be said preemptively. The Guo family's complaint clearly states that it was precisely because of that incident that Young Master Fan held a grudge and ambushed him on the street late at night."

Madam Liu asked Fan Xian, "What was the final result at the restaurant?"

"I broke the nose of one of his family's guards," Fan Xian said, sounding remorseful.

"Are you alright?"

"How could anything happen to me? Everyone at the restaurant saw it. I'm not one to suffer a loss."

Madam Liu sighed, then turned to the officer, saying, "Listen to him. Naturally, it's the one who suffers the loss who holds a grudge. Our young master got a great advantage. Why would he hold a grudge?"

The officer was only used to hearing lawyers argue in court. He had never seen someone preemptively defend themselves before even getting to court. He was dumbfounded and didn't know what to say. Madam Liu effortlessly extended a finger, and a silver note appeared in the officer's hand. His eyes lit up when he saw it.

Madam Liu regained the self-possession and nobility befitting a lady, saying calmly, "We will go to the yamen. We want to see what tricks the Guo family is playing. But not right now. Go back and tell Lord Mei that whenever that Young Master Guo appears in court, our people will be there to confront him."

One of the officers thought this wasn't right. Where was the logic in arresting someone and then taking a handful of silver back instead? Just as he was about to speak, the head officer stopped him, responded with an affirmative, and quickly left the Fan residence.

The Fan residence finally returned to tranquility. Besides Madam Liu and Fan Xian, there was no one else in the flower hall. Fan Xian smiled at Madam Liu, thinking how much better it would be if she weren't his enemy. He admired her methods, and although the Fan family was large and powerful, the Guo family's sudden attack had been handled clearly and smoothly by Madam Liu, even with his father absent. Winning on the surface was a small matter, but the important thing was that she had bought a lot of time to deal with the situation.

As expected, Madam Liu took a sip of tea and asked calmly, "What exactly were you trying to achieve with this?"

Fan Xian smiled and said, "Father has always hoped that I could quickly become famous in Kyoto. I thought about it, and writing poetry and prose isn't very interesting. If I could have a lawsuit with the family of the current Minister, I would definitely become famous much faster." This was naturally a joke.

"You can fight if you want, but you have to make your identity known, as if you're afraid of not having enough trouble," Madam Liu said, with a hint of anger in her voice.

Fan Xian replied respectfully, "I just wanted to vent some anger. If the person being beaten doesn't know it's me who's beating them, how can I vent that anger?"

Madam Liu glanced at him and felt that this handsome young man was much more accomplished than her own son. Although on the surface, he seemed to be doing some domineering things, his composure and steadiness indicated that he knew what he was doing. She couldn't help but sigh, feeling somewhat disappointed.

Fan Xian didn't know what she was thinking. He smiled and asked curiously, "Madam, why did you help me earlier?"

Madam Liu slowly raised her head. There were already some fine lines at the corners of her eyes. She seemed a little surprised that the young man was speaking so directly. After thinking for a moment, she replied softly, "Although my surname is Liu, I am a member of the Fan family."

Fan Xian stared into her eyes, knowing that this woman's words couldn't be fully believed, but also couldn't be completely dismissed. He didn't know how to respond.

The flower hall was so quiet that you could hear a pin drop.

……

……

"Lord Mei is a protégé of your father. I've already sent someone to get a letter. Your father should have already received the news, so I believe nothing will happen, at most they will be compensated with some silver," Madam Liu said, closing her eyes as if she was a little tired. "This afternoon, have the steward accompany you to the Kyoto government office. Teng Zijing followed you last night, so he shouldn't follow you to the yamen today, so as not to be too conspicuous."

Fan Xian looked curiously at Madam Liu's still beautiful face. He really couldn't understand why a woman with such a background and ability would willingly marry his father as a concubine.

After noon, the Fan residence had prepared everything properly. All the necessary people had been seen to, and all the necessary channels had been informed in advance. They also sent servants to inquire and found out that Guo Baokun had been carried to the court on a stretcher. Only then did Madam Liu methodically arrange a carriage, send some manpower, and escort Fan Xian to the government office like a triumphant general.

Sitting in the carriage, Fan Xian wasn't very concerned about this trip to court. He hit Guo Baokun because he really wanted to vent his anger. The first time he noticed the way Guo Baokun looked at Ruo Ruo, he wanted to hit him. Being verbally insulted by him at the Jing Wang Manor poetry gathering only increased his determination to act. However, having caused such a commotion so soon after arriving in Kyoto, although he had left some leeway, he was still afraid that it would be difficult to control the situation later.

But he still wanted to hit him. Hitting someone was a means, but the key was to see what kind of effect hitting someone could achieve. The reasons Fan Xian hit Guo Baokun were based on three things: First, he wanted to take this opportunity to see what kind of power his father actually held in the Kyoto officialdom, so that he could make arrangements for the future. His father always hid these things from him, and he definitely wouldn't get a clear answer if he asked directly. At the same time, he could verify a certain question hidden deep in Fan Xian's heart. Second, he wanted to smear some mud on himself. In any case, appearing in court seemed to confirm Fan Xian's image as an arrogant and unreasonable playboy, which was exactly what Fan Xian wanted, because he was carefully controlling a certain degree of favor from the "Palace". Although he was establishing his image as a talented scholar at his father's request, he was always planning to be notorious and let the "Palace" proactively withdraw from the engagement - all for Chicken Leg Sister.

The third reason was simple: Guo Baokun really deserved a beating.

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Arriving outside the yamen, Fan Xian was startled by the crowd of agitated people outside the red wooden fence. He was extremely puzzled and had to squeeze through with the help of several servants who were clearing the way. Standing on the cool stone slabs of the courtroom, looking at the wall behind the desk with a painting of the red sun rising from the East Sea, and the sinister-looking execution sticks standing around, he secretly exclaimed, "Great!" He thought he had come to the Beijing High People's Court, and this trip was worthwhile.

Looking back, he found that the Kyoto people were even more excited than he was, desperately squeezing forward to get a better position. Some professional bystanders were almost sitting on the red fence.

Fan Xian curiously asked Zheng Tuo, a learned guest from his residence who had been sent by Madam Liu to accompany him. This Mr. Zheng had been a famous criminal clerk in the Jiangnan area many years ago, and seemed to have had a host-guest relationship with the current Kyoto Prefect. Therefore, Madam Liu sent him as the most suitable person.

Zheng Tuo smiled and explained, "People in Kyoto are bold. Don't look at a dilapidated man; he might be a poor relative of a Duke. So, no one is afraid of anyone. Like today... It's rare for a Minister and a Vice Minister to have a lawsuit. No one will want to miss this kind of spectacle."

Fan Xian thought, "Are you guys here to watch a blockbuster?" He shook his head with a headache. Zheng Tuo whispered beside him, "Young Master, although we've already gone over it in the residence, I still have to ask one last time. Did you really do it? Of course, you can't admit it in front of Lord Prefect, but tell me the truth, so I can know what to say later."

Fan Xian said with a sincere face, "Mr. Zheng, I wouldn't dare to hide it from you. I really didn't hit that what's-his-name Young Master Guo." Zheng Tuo looked at the handsome young man's kind and honest face, smiled, and patted him on the shoulder, expressing his approval.

After a while, the long-awaited shout of authority finally rang out. Lord Prefect Mei Zhili, with a dignified posture, came around from the back hall and sat down in a grand manner. After another while, a mummy was also pushed out of the back hall in a wheelchair, followed by a lawyer who was gently shaking a paper fan. When Fan Xian saw the mummy, he couldn't help but smile wryly, thinking, "I didn't hit him that hard. The dignified Minister's residence is actually playing this trick to gain sympathy."

The mummy was naturally Young Master Guo Baokun, who had been beaten black and blue. At this time, he was in pain all over, especially in his nose, which was still extremely painful. The doctor's treatment hadn't helped much. He didn't know that Fan Xian had sent some secret force into that last punch. The true energy in Fan Xian's body was different from the common true energy in the world, it was domineering and fierce, so it wouldn't get better in a short time.

When Guo Baokun saw Fan Xian standing in the court as if nothing had happened, his eyes, exposed outside the gauze, revealed a fierce expression, as if he wanted to devour someone. Fan Xian pretended not to see this and asked Zheng Tuo in a low voice about the lawyer who was waving the fan. Only then did he learn that the other party was Song Shiren, a famous lawyer in Kyoto. His character had always been bad, and he only worked for officials and wealthy families, so he had a title, called "Rich Mouth."

Kyoto Prefect Mei Zhili, sitting high up, slammed the gavel in his hand. With a loud and clear "Pa!", the noisy sounds inside and outside the court suddenly quieted down. Those onlookers lying on the red fence became silent, after all, no one wanted to miss a good show.

"Who is present in court?" Mei Zhili asked slowly. He had already been informed by both sides and knew what to expect, but these superficial formalities naturally still had to be done step by step according to the rules. He cast a majestic glance over the people in the court.

Regardless of who you are, you must listen to me inside this Kyoto government office.