Lin Wan'er and Fan Ruoruo watched the scene unfold before them, utterly stunned. Although both women knew that Fan Xian had once killed an eighth-rank expert on Niulan Street, the thrilling scene of him plunging straight down from the cliff was entirely different from their preconceived notions of martial arts.

Accuracy, composure, and power – these were the impressions that scene left on them.

Even Fan Ruoruo, who always trusted her brother the most and was usually much calmer than Lin Wan'er, couldn't help but exclaim softly, "Brother, how did you do that?"

Fan Xian rose from the meadow, shook his head as he looked at the two young women, and gently patted them on the head, saying, "Just daily practice." He thought to himself, if they had ever seen Wu Zhu diving off the cliff outside Danzhou, they would definitely dismiss this small scene as insignificant.

He then frowned and said, "Why did you two come out so early in the morning? There are wild animals in these mountains."

Fan Ruoruo glanced at Lin Wan'er and smiled slightly, "Sister-in-law often wakes up and can't find you, so she dragged me out to look for you, curious about what you look like when you practice every day."

Fan Xian looked at his wife's cheeks, which were flushed red from the cold, and reached out to rub her slightly chilly nose. Lin Wan'er felt a little uncomfortable with him being so intimate in front of her sister, and shyly avoided his touch. Her mind was still immersed in the scene she had just witnessed, realizing that her husband was such a formidable expert.

Seeming to guess what she was thinking, Fan Xian smiled and shook his head, saying, "Don't think of me as too amazing. Someone once said, I'm above fourth-grade, but not yet sixth-grade."

Lin Wan'er looked at him in disbelief, saying, "I grew up in the palace and have seen many seventh and eighth-rank experts. Husband, you are much more powerful than them."

"Really?" Fan Xian smiled, not taking it to heart, but instead said with a slight headache, "Although Teacher Fei Jie's medicine is very effective, the wind in the mountains is strong in the morning. What if you catch a cold by running out like this?" As he spoke, he tightened the fur scarf around her neck, and said with concern, "I've been used to practicing every day since I was young. It was my fault for not telling you before. Don't ever come out again."

Fan Ruoruo was happy to see her brother and sister-in-law's affectionate relationship, watching with a smile and not saying a word. Unexpectedly, Fan Xian turned to her and said coldly, "Ruoruo, and you too."

Seeing her brother angry, she felt a pang of anxiety and her eyes welled up with tears. She responded softly, "Sister is wrong, I will definitely..." She was about to say that she would definitely take good care of her sister-in-law, and Lin Wan'er was also about to quickly explain that she was the one who dragged her out.

Fan Xian, however, rubbed her ears, which were icy from the cold, and said gently, "Your sister-in-law's health is not good. Do you think your health is any better? If you catch a cold, how will you get married in the future?"

Only then did the two young women realize that he was angry about something else. Thinking about how this young man cared for his wife and was considerate of his sister, Lin Wan'er and Fan Ruoruo both felt a sense of happiness for no reason.

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Fan Xian was actually the happiest person. The days in the Cang Mountains passed by, and it seemed that he had forgotten everything in Kyoto. Count Sinan would send someone to deliver a secret letter to him from time to time, and Wang Qinian would also report the happenings in Kyoto to him through Fan Xian's own channels.

Kyoto was calm, and the only major development was that Yan Xiaoyi, the Grand Commander of the Palace Guard who had once shot an arrow at him, had been transferred to the north to serve as the Grand Commandant of the Xubei Divine Strategy Army. Although it was just a lateral move, transferring him from the Imperial Guards to the north was undoubtedly a reminder from His Majesty to Yan Xiaoyi.

The peace agreement between Qing and Northern Qi had officially taken effect last month, so the Xubei Divine Strategy Army was no longer needed. Although he was the Grand Commandant of the Northern Garrison Army, Yan Xiaoyi could not play any role in the current situation, and he was probably feeling extremely frustrated.

Fan Xian frowned slightly as he looked at Wang Qinian's letter. Everyone knew that Yan Xiaoyi's sudden rise to prominence relied on his formidable ninth-rank upper-level martial strength, and on Princess Royal's unreserved assistance. If the Emperor in the depths of the palace wanted to eliminate Princess Royal, he would definitely keep Yan Xiaoyi in Kyoto so that the Supervisory Council could monitor him closely. At the very least, he could have Yan Xiaoyi transferred to the Privy Council, promote his rank, and change him to a clerical position. There was no reason to transfer him to the north to personally command the army.

He gently tapped the table twice, shook his head, and understood what was going on. It seemed that the Emperor still had no intention of taking action. This was just a warning to another faction in the court. It seemed that Kyoto would be much safer, but how could a mighty ruler who had been on the throne for more than a decade tolerate the other party's safe rise to power? If the Emperor used his authority and the Supervisory Council's power, and the Ye family of the Kyoto Garrison's loyalty, he could easily eliminate Princess Royal and that hidden prince in one fell swoop.

Fan Xian couldn't understand this point. He didn't know what the Emperor was relying on to be so bold and watch the other party so leisurely, without bothering to strike first.

But now that he was sure that Kyoto was safe, Fan Xian's mood became lighter, but he also felt a little regretful. Launching the leaflet war in Kyoto was a choice he had been forced to make, because he didn't have the Emperor's strength, so he didn't dare to wait. But unfortunately, he had eased the situation.

The dispute between him and Princess Royal over the Imperial Treasury was nothing, but later, in several secret confrontations, Fan Xian had taken advantage. With Princess Royal's nature, if she ever turned the tables, she would definitely not let him go. If His Majesty continued to play this seemingly dangerous game, what should he do?

Killing Princess Royal seemed like a very wise path, but it involved many problems. First, could Wu Zhu guarantee that he could kill her without leaving any traces? This blatant challenge to the imperial dignity was something that His Majesty would probably not tolerate in the slightest. Second, Princess Royal was, after all, his wife's mother. If she really died at his hands, how would he and Lin Wan'er get along in the future when she found out? After all, the death of his brother-in-law was already like a thorn in Fan Xian's heart.

The most crucial point was the last one. Fan Xian and Wu Zhu were not confident that they could kill Princess Royal. She had already returned to her fiefdom of Xinyang, and they didn't know how many experts were there. As for the gun in his hand... Fan Xian didn't dare to use it. He was worried that those nobles in Kyoto would associate it with the deaths of the two princes back then, and thus think of the name Ye Qingmei.

Fan Xian glanced out the window. Early snow in the Cang Mountains, and faint snowflakes were already falling from the sky tonight, dressing up the mountain estate in an exceptionally simple and elegant manner. He sighed, burned his father and Wang Qinian's letters, and then walked out. After that rainy autumn night, he had already made a decision to keep his mother's story buried in his heart until one day, he could truly control the entire situation.

In the hall in the middle of the cloister, a brazier was burning, as warm as spring. Lin Wan'er and Fan Ruoruo, the sisters-in-law, were playing mahjong with the three singing girls sent from the mansion, with one extra person helping to keep score. Fan Xian walked in with a smile. The three girls quickly stood up to greet him, and the little maid who was making the bed in the inner room also quickly came out to greet the young master.

Fan Xian waved his hand, signaling them to continue, and then sat down between Fan Ruoruo and Lin Wan'er, smiling and saying, "If Sizhe comes, I guess you'll all be crying."

Lin Wan'er smiled slightly and said, "I played once at the mansion, and I didn't lose anything."

Fan Xian didn't believe it at all. With Fan Sizhe's abnormal and stubborn calculation skills, he wouldn't be able to beat his beloved wife. Fan Ruoruo smiled and testified, "Sister-in-law didn't lie. Sizhe only won two strings of cash from sister-in-law that night."

Fan Xian's eyes lit up as he looked at Wan'er and said, "I didn't expect Wan'er to be so good."

"There's nothing to do in the palace all day, and those imperial concubines all like to play cards." Lin Wan'er smiled mischievously and said, "You know, the women in the palace are all experts at scheming, so naturally they are the same on the card table. I've lived in the palace for so many years, so of course I have to be a little better."

Fan Xian said with a wry smile, "I see."

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The other servants in the estate were all drinking and chatting in the side courtyard. Fan Xian walked out on the bluestone slabs dotted with snowflakes, behind him was the dim light and the faint sound of mahjong tiles falling, and the exclamations of surprise from the young women. He suddenly thought, there seemed to be a similar scene in Stephen Chow's *Tang Bohu Points Autumn Fragrance*, but Little Tang was miserable, and he was happy. That was the difference.

Wan'er and Ruoruo both knew that he would go out every night, but after seeing him practice that day, they were also very well-behaved and didn't ask again, just accepting the fact.

He went out to meet the light snow, stepped onto the dense path, and went straight into the depths of the bamboo forest. He stopped at the cliff next to the plum blossoms.

This was the most secluded corner on the waist of the Cang Mountains. Fan casually reached out his hand – Wu Zhu's hand seemed to stretch out from the sky, grasped his hand. The two hands intertwined and exerted force, and Fan Xian's body swung onto that solitary peak. The view here was open, but it was not easy for others to see someone here.

The Cang Mountains under the moonlight on a snowy night were very quiet and beautiful. Fan Xian took the cold, dark metallic object handed over by Wu Zhu, lay on the ground, and began to aim at the rocks in the snow.