Fan Xian nodded and smiled, "I heard that during the rebellion in Shangjing, the Marquis risked his life to leave the palace, carrying the Empress Dowager's personal letter to mobilize Commander Shen's Embroidered Uniform Guard, which turned the tide. Since then, Commander Shen's career has been smooth sailing, and he has always had a very good relationship with the Marquis, so I would like to ask the Marquis to introduce me."

This was the only glorious moment in Marquis Changning's life. He was already drunk, but now his face was flushed, his drunkenness was even stronger, and he looked self-satisfied. But no matter how foolish he was, he could tell that something was strange. He hiccuped and stared at Fan Xian with strange eyes, asking, "Little Lord Fan, you are an envoy, going to see the commander of the Garrison Command... isn't that a bit unconventional?"

Fan Xian said with a distressed expression, "The Marquis also knows that the delegation is in a foreign land, and there are always many inconveniences." He lowered his voice and said, "Actually, to be honest with the Marquis, this junior offended a large number of officials in the capital, and even His Majesty couldn't protect me, so I sought this opportunity to be an envoy and was kicked to Northern Qi."

Marquis Changning nodded repeatedly, hiccuping continuously, feeling a sense of empathy. Last year, Northern Qi was defeated in the war, and the nobles associated with the Empress Dowager were all put on the hot seat. Therefore, Marquis Changan was demoted and returned home, and he, the Empress Dowager's own brother, was kicked to the south to sign that treaty that humiliated the country... The fact that Fan Xian offended a large number of civil officials in Southern Qing was quite shocking. The Southern Dynasty's prime minister was removed, the Minister of Rites was executed, sixteen high officials were beheaded, and the spring examination case caused a great uproar. Even the officials of the Northern Qi court knew about this, so Marquis Changning believed that what Fan Xian said was true.

"But why do you want to see the commander of the Garrison Command?" Marquis Changning was a little embarrassed, and he really didn't know what this young official from Southern Dynasty wanted to do.

"I want to get rich, I wonder if the Marquis wants to?"

Hearing the words "get rich," Marquis Changning immediately became interested.

"Business." Fan Xian filled the Marquis's wine glass. At this time, there was no one else around the table, only the old man and the young man. He lowered his voice to the extreme, "The Marquis should have heard that at the latest the year after next, I will take over the Southern Treasury. And at least 40% of the Treasury's business is sent to the North, so I must have a good relationship with the Garrison Command, otherwise how can I ensure safety along the way?"

Marquis Changning glanced at him, shocked in his heart, and subconsciously shouted, "You want to smuggle!"

Fan Xian put his index finger to his lips, smiled, took a sip of wine, and said, "Marquis, do you think this business is worth doing?"

Marquis Changning had sobered up a lot, half from fright and half from joy. What made Southern Qing so successful in recent years? Wasn't it the business left by the old Ye family? If the interests of the Southern Dynasty could be turned into private interests, what a number would that be?

However, Marquis Changning still couldn't believe it. Did this young Southern Dynasty official really have such great courage! The Marquis thought for a long time, and after thinking about it, if the other party wanted to smuggle, he really had to have a good relationship with the Garrison Command. As for the drawbacks? There were none at all!

Anyway, the other party was greedy for the money in Southern Qing's Internal Treasury, and the Great Qi Dynasty would not lose anything! If smuggling were possible, the prices of those goods would come down in the future, and the palace would save a lot of money. The Empress Dowager and his imperial nephew would probably be happy to laugh awake. Why shouldn't he do this kind of thing that harmed others and benefited himself?

Marquis Changning took a fierce gulp of wine and said, "Okay! I'll arrange for you to meet Old Shen, but..."

"But what?"

"Fan Xian, I must make it clear that I must get the palace's consent for this matter."

"No way!" Fan Xian said decisively, "I've already said enough today. This was originally a business for the three of us to get rich. If the Marquis does this, wouldn't I be tying my head to the Northern Qi Dynasty's belt?"

Marquis Changning knew that what the other party said was reasonable, but he still smiled bitterly and said, "I really don't dare to take on such a big matter myself."

"Then the Marquis can consider it again." Fan Xian said coldly, "But this matter involves my life, so the Marquis must keep his mouth shut."

A trace of viciousness suddenly flashed in Fan Xian's eyes. When this expression fell into Marquis Changning's eyes, the Marquis naturally didn't fear it at all. Instead, he sneered, thinking that this dignified civil official actually wanted to play these dark tricks. How could he be a match for the Garrison Command? At this time, Marquis Changning was perhaps shocked by the huge amount of money brought about by the word "smuggling," forgetting Fan Xian's true identity and resembling the Garrison Command very much.

Fan Xian looked at the other party's expression and knew that the bait he had laid today was almost enough. He chuckled and changed the subject, recounting the conflict at the delegation's gate with the Marquis of Changan's residence, and asked Marquis Changning to help mediate.

At this time, Marquis Changning's mind was filled with arranging for Fan Xian to meet Commander Shen and thinking about how to enter the palace to persuade the Empress Dowager to do this business that had hundreds of benefits and no harm. Hearing these words, he naturally agreed without hesitation and cursed, "My brother can't do serious things, he only knows how to cause trouble. Don't worry, I'll take care of this."

————————————————————————

After a satisfying meal but not quite full, and with feelings not yet deeply expressed, Envoy Fan bid farewell to the Marquis's residence and got into the carriage, preparing to return to the delegation. Just then, he suddenly heard a burst of rapid hoofbeats ahead, stopping next to the carriage.

Fan Xian lifted the curtain to look and found that it was indeed the eldest son of Marquis Changning's family, Vice Minister Wei Hua of the Honglu Temple, who had rushed back. He couldn't help but reveal a trace of a smile - it seemed that the four goals he wanted to achieve by giving gifts to Marquis Changning's residence today could all be achieved.

"Lord Fan, what exactly do you want to do?" Wei Hua gritted his teeth, lowered his voice, and said to Fan Xian by the carriage window.

Fan Xian hiccuped, and the sour smell made Wei Hua quickly cover his nose. He smiled and waved his hand in front of his lips to disperse the air, explaining, "I and your father are old drinking buddies. Now that I've come to Shangjing, of course I have to visit."

Wei Hua was both angry and annoyed, saying, "You are an envoy of a country, and your words and actions attract attention. If you really want to visit relatives and friends, you must do so after the state affairs are over, arranged by my Honglu Temple, or through the Ministry of Rites to ask for permission from the palace. Your sudden visit, if it falls into the eyes of the court officials, how will my father explain to the palace tomorrow?"

Fan Xian said amusedly, "The Marquis is a carefree person, he doesn't care about this. Lord Shaoqing's style is far inferior to your father's."

Wei Hua forcibly suppressed the anger in his chest and said with forced tolerance, "My father likes wine, everyone knows that... Lord Fan, what exactly do you want to do?"

The drunkenness in Fan Xian's eyes completely disappeared, and he looked at Wei Hua with unparalleled calmness. The indifference in his eyes made Wei Hua feel a little uncomfortable. He only heard him say softly, "What do I want to do? I want to introduce a business to your father."

Wei Hua didn't know what he meant, but he intuitively felt that this matter must be extremely dangerous. He grabbed the carriage window of the delegation, frowned, and said, "Lord Fan, please speak frankly."

"I was looking for you today, but you were hiding." Fan Xian looked at him with a non-smiling expression, "I wanted to find the Vice Commissioner of Pacification, but he wasn't in the Ministry of Rites. I would like to ask, who should I be looking for?"

Wei Hua replied somewhat awkwardly, "Aren't all matters being handled through negotiations between your country's envoys and the Ministry of Rites?"

"Border demarcation is being handled, and prisoner exchange is also being handled." Fan Xian looked into his eyes and said coldly, "But you, as the Vice Minister of the Honglu Temple, should be very clear about what I want to handle. Don't think about dragging it out any longer. I must see the person within tomorrow."

Wei Hua said stubbornly, "The procedures are complicated. How can that lord be seen whenever one wants to see him?"

"Okay, then I'll continue to see your father tomorrow." Fan Xian laughed in anger, "Drinking wine, chatting, and discussing business again, this kind of envoy life can be considered happy."

As soon as he finished speaking, the carriage moved, and under the protection of the Northern Qi army, it drove happily towards the residence.

Wei Hua threw the whip to the servant angrily and walked all the way to the mansion, asking when Fan Xian had come today and what he had done. When he heard that Commander Wei had accompanied him all the way, he felt a little relieved. It seemed that the emperor's ministers would have a hard time using this matter to attack him.

Entering the flower hall, seeing Marquis Changning still drinking wine with relish, Wei Hua's anger surged, but he suppressed his emotions and gave a respectful salute.

Seeing his most promising son return, Marquis Changning laughed unclearly, "Come, come, come, we have a guest at home today, it's that Fan Xian I often mention. Hey, this kid even got two jars of the treasured liquor from that shop on Xiushui Street."

Wei Hua finally couldn't bear it anymore and sighed, advising, "Father, the other party is, after all, an envoy from an enemy country. Now, there are countless people in the court watching our Changning and Changan families. Can you..."

Before he could finish speaking, Marquis Changning had already howled, "What's wrong? I'm the Empress Dowager's own brother, can't I have a guest at home?"

"That's not an ordinary guest, that's Qing's envoy!" Wei Hua's voice also grew louder, "Precisely because our family is different from others, even for the sake of our aunt's reputation, you shouldn't have let Fan Xian enter this door today."

For some reason, when Wei Hua became fierce, Marquis Changning softened. Holding the wine glass, his face was full of misery, and his tone was even tearful, "What reputation? Your father has had no reputation since your aunt entered the palace that day! What kind of person am I? I am a student of Zhuang Mohan! But in the eyes of others, what am I? Look at how many years I've been in the capital, and which minister in the court is willing to come and see me? The ones who come to visit me are those shameless people, and I'm disgusted by them."