Niao Ni
Chapter 223 A Rainy Night Meeting with Shen Zhong
Wang Qinian, clad in black, held the umbrella over Fan Xian, while seven Tiger Guards stood silently on either side of him, long sabers strapped to their backs.
Fan Xian wore a dark, light cloak over a plain, light-colored long robe. Hidden beneath the robes was the night traveling outfit he had prepared before leaving the capital. This somber, yet lethal attire, combined with his dashing, spirited face, made him look incredibly sharp.
"Lord Fan, this way please." The Embroidered Uniform Guard leading the way gestured expressionlessly, guiding them into a courtyard. The courtyard was tucked away in a side alley. Fan Xian tilted his head slightly, faintly hearing the lively sounds coming from ahead. He smiled and asked, "It seems to be the backyard of a brothel."
The Embroidered Uniform Guard's expression stiffened momentarily before he replied with a smile, "Lord Commissioner's hearing is extraordinary. This place is the backyard of Pan Shan Woods. Lord Shen has always favored entertaining distinguished guests here."
Fan Xian knew of Pan Shan Woods, rumored to be the highest-class pleasure quarter in Northern Qi. The first founding emperor of Northern Qi had been a regular there. He nodded with a slight smile, walking along the flagstone path, through the accumulating puddles. Bamboo shadows were layered throughout the courtyard, along with carefully arranged artificial rockeries. Embroidered Uniform Guard scouts were visible everywhere, clearly acting as guards, making no attempt to conceal themselves.
Wang Qinian held the umbrella as the seven Tiger Guards followed silently, Fan Xian leading the way, heading confidently and impassively deeper into the small courtyard.
Along the way, the Embroidered Uniform Guards couldn't help but feel surprised at the sight of this group from the enemy state to the south, marveling at their courage, and the youthfulness of the leading figure.
…
…
With a *shua* sound, Wang Qinian closed the umbrella, silently stepping back behind Fan Xian. Fan Xian stood with his hands clasped behind his back, squinting as he surveyed the courtyard. The building here was quite large, with a large round table placed in the center, leaving plenty of space around it. Various decorations were exquisitely arranged. The round table was wide enough to seat fifteen or sixteen people, but at the moment, only two people were seated.
One of them was dressed like a typical wealthy merchant, wearing a silk cap and a jade thumb ring on his finger. When he saw Fan Xian enter, a cold glint, quite unusual for him, began to gleam in his ordinary eyes. He stared directly at Fan Xian's face, and after a long moment, finally spoke:
"Commissioner Fan? I've heard so much about you. Seeing you today, you are indeed extraordinary."
Fan Xian did not immediately respond to this polite greeting, but instead, pondered the fact that the Northern Qi Embroidered Uniform Guards had all addressed him by his official title of Commissioner. It seemed that this conversation would be between the Supervisory Council and the Embroidered Uniform Guard, rather than a diplomatic negotiation between the courts. He raised his right hand, deftly unfastening the neck ties of his cloak, which then slid down his back.
Wang Qinian was already behind him to catch it.
Fan Xian sat down on the other side of the large round table, looking at the wealthy merchant across from him. He noticed that the man's eyebrows were extremely thick, as if they had been painted on. He couldn't help but smile and say, "Lord Shen frowns coldly at the world, why are you so courteous to me?"
So this was Shen Zhong, the Commander of the Northern Qi Embroidered Uniform Guard's Pacification Bureau. Shen Zhong controlled countless Embroidered Uniform Guards in the north, and was truly a remarkable figure. It was unexpected that he would appear as such an ordinary wealthy merchant. If the Supervisory Council's files on this man had not been so detailed, Fan Xian would definitely not have been able to recognize his identity.
"It's not courtesy." Commander Shen sighed, looking at Fan Xian's handsome face, and couldn't help but shake his head. "Lord Fan is famous throughout the land for his poetry, which I, a crude fellow, greatly admire. I never expected that two months ago, I would suddenly receive news that Fan Xian, the poet immortal, had become a Commissioner in the Southern Qing Supervisory Council... This... This official really doesn't understand. What is Old Mister Chen thinking? How can someone like Lord Fan live like us, rats in the gutters?"
Fan Xian chuckled and replied, "Lord Shen is too modest. A thousand *li* journey to become an official is only for wealth. No matter what one does, the first is to benefit the imperial court, and the second... is nothing more than seeking a place to settle down for oneself."
These words were rather blunt. Shen Zhong sighed inwardly, and couldn't help but look down on this Southern Qing counterpart he was meeting for the first time. After all, he was still young, and somewhat rash in his speech and actions. He really didn't know what Chen Pingping was thinking, nor did he understand why the terrifying emperor of the South would agree to such a seemingly absurd personnel arrangement by the Supervisory Council.
In fact, as the Commander of the Northern Qi Embroidered Uniform Guard's Pacification Bureau, Shen Zhong had always had a sense of envy for his Southern counterparts, and even more so, a respect mixed with fear for the cripple in the wheelchair. He never understood how his Southern counterparts could gain the complete trust of the Southern Qing emperor, unlike himself, who trembled as he stood in the imperial court, never knowing when he would be discarded like a pair of worn-out shoes by those in the palace.
Slightly distracted, Shen Zhong immediately came back to his senses. He knew why the other party, as the chief envoy, had risked asking the Marquis of Changning to arrange a meeting with him. The immense benefits contained within that deal made it impossible for Shen Zhong not to be tempted, and impossible for the palace not to be tempted.
"No one will ever complain about having too much gold and silver." Shen Zhong suddenly said with a smile, "It's just that I can't see what benefits our Pacification Bureau can gain from this matter."
Fan Xian waved his hand, and Wang Qinian and the seven Tiger Guards retreated. Shen Zhong also nodded, and the other bystanders in the hall also withdrew. Fan Xian looked at the person sitting next to Shen Zhong with some surprise. The person was dressed in luxurious clothing, but did not have the imperial bearing that Fan Xian was familiar with. He surmised that the person was not a representative sent by the Northern Qi imperial palace to listen in, so why was he qualified to continue sitting here?
"This is Young Master Cui." Shen Zhong introduced.
Young Master Cui stood up and gave Fan Xian a bow, but his face showed some self-importance. Fan Xian frowned and asked, "A Qing citizen?"
Shen Zhong laughed heartily and said, "I thought the two of you already knew each other. To inform Lord Fan, this Young Master Cui is the second young master of the great Cui clan of Southern Qing. The Cui and Fan clans have always been mentioned together, as both are from noble families."
Fan Xian frowned and said, "Lord Shen, what do you mean by this?"
A hint of ruthlessness flashed in Shen Zhong's eyes, and he said calmly, "Lord Fan, aren't you here to discuss a business deal? Let me tell you, in fact... this business deal, this official has been doing for many years, so I want to know if Lord Fan has more benefits to offer me."
Fan Xian tilted his head slightly, looking at Young Master Cui, trying to discern something from his face. Suddenly, he asked, "Young Master Cui, is this banquet something you wanted to attend, or did your elders want you to come?"
"How could I miss such a grand event?" Young Master Cui did not seem to be afraid of Fan Xian.
In fact, things were already very clear at this point. This Young Master Cui clearly represented the interests of the Cui clan, and behind the Cui clan... was naturally the Eldest Princess far away in Xinyang. Fan Xian had considered that the Eldest Princess could extract a large amount of profit from the Internal Treasury through smuggling, but he had not expected that this Commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard's Pacification Bureau would bring the Eldest Princess's representative to the table!
What angered Fan Xian even more was that this little punk surnamed Cui actually dared to sit at the table and act as a bargaining chip. The Eldest Princess currently needed his help, so it was impossible for her to disrupt his plans. This must be the Young Master Cui acting on his own!
Fan Xian had taken the initiative to contact Shen Zhong, partly to establish a connection, and partly to strike a blow at the Xinyang faction's financial sources. He had not expected the Northern Qi imperial court to play such a trick, turning all the games that should have been secretly negotiated into a public auction.
As if sensing his displeasure, Shen Zhong said with a smile, "Lord Fan, in fact, we might as well be frank about this matter. We are all people who want to get rich. This Young Master Cui's business dealings overlap somewhat with yours. I can't possibly profit from both sides, so I naturally want to hear your opinions."
Fan Xian regained his composure and said to Young Master Cui in a calm voice, "I didn't expect Young Master Cui to have the courage to do such a big deal."
"Where is my courage as great as Lord Fan's?" Young Master Cui replied with a slight smile.
Seeing that the atmosphere was somewhat awkward, Shen Zhong smiled and said, "Young Master Cui is also from a noble family, and his family has several high-ranking officials in the Southern court. He is currently traveling abroad, but one day he will enter the court as an official. You two should get closer."
Hearing this, Fan Xian sneered inwardly and said to Shen Zhong, "Lord Shen, you may have forgotten my identity. What are noble families? They are really not worth my attention."
After saying these words, Fan Xian stood up abruptly, leaving the hall without even saying goodbye. Wang Qinian was already holding an umbrella to meet him, and the seven Tiger Guards held the hilts of their long sabers, escorting their lord towards the courtyard entrance. Their aura was stern and murderous, and none of the Embroidered Uniform Guards dared to stop them.
Only the sound of the carriage could be heard outside the courtyard, as Fan Xian left so unceremoniously.
…
…
Seemingly not expecting Fan Xian to react so strongly, Shen Zhong was stunned in place. He had been immersed in the officialdom for decades and had seen many different kinds of interest negotiations, but he had never encountered such a situation. This young Commissioner surnamed Fan's style of doing things was too unexpected.
His eyes darted around, and he turned his head to say with a gentle smile, "Young Master Cui, this Lord Fan is indeed a man of passion."
Young Master Cui's face alternated between green and red. Fan Xian's words had greatly wounded his self-esteem. What were noble families? Fan Xian actually said they were not worth his attention! He thought resentfully, what is your Fan family? He drank a cup of wine in sullen silence, but felt that something was wrong.
Shen Zhong looked at him without saying a word.
Suddenly, Young Master Cui's hand began to tremble. Only now did he remember Fan Xian's identity as an official from the Supervisory Council, and that he was, after all, the Eldest Princess's son-in-law. He was so frightened that his face turned white, and the way he looked at Shen Zhong became extremely resentful. He cursed, "Lord Shen, did you trick me into coming here because you wanted me to die?"