Joy of Life Recap, Plot, Synopsis
Joy of Life Synopsis
Zhang Qing, a student of literary history at a university, was well versed in classical masterpieces, but his thesis proposition of analyzing ancient literary history with modern concepts was not approved by Professor Ye.
In order to make Professor Ye his graduate advisor, Zhang Qing decided to further elaborate on the point he wanted to make by writing a novel.
In his novel, Fan Xian, a teenager with a mysterious birth, has been living with his grandmother in the small seaside town of Tanzhou since he was a child.
With the sudden visit of a teacher, his seemingly peaceful life began to face a number of crises and trials.
Under the guidance of the mysterious teacher and a blindfolded guardian, Fan Xian became familiar with the medicinal properties of medicine, practiced and refined his martial arts, and then solved many dangerous situations one after another.
Curious about the mystery of his birth, Fan Xian left Tanzhou and went to the capital.
In the capital, Fan Xian experienced the warmth and coldness of the world and kept his insistence on justice and kindness, writing a glorious life legend.
Joy of Life Recap
Episode 1 Recap
University student Zhang Qing wanted to ask Professor Ye to be his advisor, but was met with a merciless refusal. Professor Ye thought his idea of analyzing ancient literary history using modern concepts was utterly absurd, so Zhang Qing had to find another way. He registered for the online science fiction literature competition held by Tencent, wanting to express his ideas through a novel.
The theme was "If Life Could Be Lived Again," exploring the clash between modern thought and ancient systems, guiding readers to cherish the present and live for a better life. Professor Ye was attracted by this novel idea. Zhang Qing was encouraged and said excitedly that he had already written the first few chapters, but was still missing a name.
While pondering intensely, he happened to see an excerpt from the second edition of Dream of the Red Chamber posted next to the bookshelf – the phrase 'liu yu qing' (留余庆) from the 'Twelve Songs of Red Mansions'. A flash of inspiration struck him, and he immediately named the novel "Joy of Life,"(余庆年) then vividly described the world within the book to Professor Ye. If life could be lived again, could you complete this journey without any regrets?
A modern young man suffering from severe myasthenia gravis woke up with his eyes open, only to find himself an infant in a bamboo basket. He retained all his memories from modern society, but was surrounded and pursued by ancient-costumed killers. Amidst his confusion, a brand new world came rushing towards him.
The infant in the bamboo basket was the protagonist of the novel, Fan Xian, and the black-clothed man who carried him to escape death was named Wuzhu, a servant of Fan Xian's deceased mother. Wuzhu carried Fan Xian to escape the pursuit and met up with Chen Pingping, the director of the Southern Qing Investigator's Office, who arrived with the black knights.
Chen Pingping heard the news of Fan Xian's mother's death and felt both grief and pain in his heart. He wanted to take Fan Xian back to the capital, but Wuzhu no longer trusted anyone. Seeing Wuzhu's insistence on taking Fan Xian away, Chen Pingping could only suggest he go to Danzhou and raise Fan Xian with the help of the Old Madam. - Thus, Fan Xian was fostered at his ancestral home in Danzhou.
In the blink of an eye, he had grown into a young boy. There was also a young girl in the manor, the same age as him, who was the legitimate eldest daughter of the Fan family, Fan Ruoruo. The two grew up together from childhood and had a very close relationship. Fan Xian was clever and intelligent from a young age, with red lips and white teeth, looking very sharp and bright.
However, because he was Lord Fan's illegitimate son, the Old Madam was indifferent to him, and Lord Fan completely ignored him, leading to him facing many difficulties openly and secretly. One day, he and Ruoruo returned from playing outside, only to see Steward Zhou strutting and teaching his maid a lesson. Fan Xian spoke up to stop him, but Steward Zhou completely ignored him and even brought up the Old Madam, saying this was his responsibility. Fan Xian was furious.
His eyes darted around, and he ran into the room to get a stool. He then climbed onto the stool and stood there, telling Steward Zhou to come closer. Steward Zhou approached in a daze, but was suddenly slapped hard by Fan Xian. He even lost a tooth, and a bloody red handprint was left on his face. As the difference between master and servant was distinct, Steward Zhou suffered a great loss.
He took the opportunity during dinner to complain to the Old Madam. Consequently, the Old Madam removed the maids from Fan Xian's courtyard and sent Ruoruo back to the capital. That night, it was dark and windy. A masked man in black snuck into Fan Xian's room, only to find Fan Xian, who should have been fast asleep, sitting on the bed, repeatedly saying that he had finally arrived.
The man in black was confused, but Fan Xian said emotionally that his father had finally come to see him. Only then did the man in black realize he had mistaken him. Fan Xian seized the opportunity while he lowered his guard, picked up the ceramic pillow from the bed, and slammed it hard onto the man in black's head.
After hitting him a few times to make sure he was unconscious, he frantically ran to find Wuzhu from the general store next door to clean up. It turned out that Wuzhu had not left after sending him into the Fan manor and had been secretly protecting him as he grew up healthily.
After examining him, Wuzhu coldly told Fan Xian that the person was not dead and was not a bad person, but rather the person in charge of the Third Division of the Kyoto Investigator's Office, one of their own. The next day, Fei Jie brought Lord Fan's letter to inform the Old Madam and formally became Fan Xian's teacher. Fei Jie looked lewd, and his behavior was also very puzzling.
He did not teach Fan Xian how to read or write, nor did he train him in martial arts or fitness. Instead, he took him to learn medicine and the use of poison. The first lesson in studying medicine was taking Fan Xian late at night to a mass grave to dig up graves and dissect bodies.
Any ordinary child would have been scared senseless, but for Fan Xian, who had the soul of a modern adult, this was child's play. Furthermore, the place he had spent the longest in his previous life was the hospital. After dissecting bodies all night, Fan Xian went to Wuzhu to complain and seized the opportunity to inquire about his mother's deeds.
Wuzhu only told him that his master's name was Ye Qingmei and was unwilling to say more about other matters. Seeing this, Fan Xian had no choice but to give up. He then asked about the qi cultivation manual he was practicing. Wuzhu did not know qi cultivation and naturally did not understand the method.
After thinking it over, he took young Fan Xian to a bamboo forest in the suburbs and decided to help Fan Xian train his skills through fighting. Just like that, under the devilish training of his two teachers, Fan Xian grew at an incredible pace. Being poisoned became a common occurrence, and getting beaten was something he got used to. Although Fei Jie's actions were absurd, he was sincerely teaching Fan Xian, while Wuzhu gave him wholehearted protection.
This care filled Fan Xian's mature yet empty heart. Time flew by. Finally, on this day, Fan Xian successfully used a tonic to catch Fei Jie, which meant he had finally completed his apprenticeship. After spending these years together, the relationship between the two was like father and son. For Fan Xian, besides Wuzhu, he now had one more person he could fully trust.
As they parted ways, Fan Xian gave Fei Jie the sheep intestine surgical gloves he had painstakingly developed. Fei Jie also handed him the waist token of the Prosecutor of the Investigator's Office that the director had entrusted to him. Returning to the Fan manor, the Old Madam saw Fan Xian looking downcast and comforted him, saying Fei Jie's departure was a good thing.
As long as he stayed in Danzhou, he would attract the attention of people in the capital. If the red-armored knights appeared on the streets of Danzhou, then true danger would arrive. After hearing this, Fan Xian sat at the main gate every day, waiting for the red-armored knights to appear. Time flowed like water, and the white steed flashed past the gap.
He waited and waited like this, until he grew from a babbling toddler into a refined young man. Finally, one day, a group of people wearing red armor appeared on the street.
Episode 2 Recap
Lord Fan sent the red-armored knights to Danzhou to pick up Fan Xian and take him to the capital, but the Old Madam refused without hesitation. Those people then kept kneeling at the entrance. Seeing this, Fan Xian was very conflicted. He wanted Wuzhu to give him some advice, but Wuzhu said that the Miss had done business in the capital back then. Fan Xian continued to inquire, but he said he couldn't remember.
Fan Xian asked him about the murderer of his mother, and Wuzhu frankly admitted that he wasn't sure either. Whether to go to the capital to risk investigating the truth, or continue living a peaceful life in Danzhou, all of this was for Fan Xian to decide himself. During dinner, Steward Zhou reported to the Old Madam that those red-armored knights had been kneeling there all along and wouldn't even accept the food from the manor.
The Old Madam directly interrupted him and invited Fan Xian to eat, making it clear she didn't want to bother with them. Steward Zhou had no other way. Fan Xian, however, had no mind for such matters. He was staring intently at a plate of bamboo shoots on the dining table.
Just as the Old Madam was about to pick up her chopsticks, he quickly moved the bamboo shoots in front of him and asked Steward Zhou where these bamboo shoots came from. Steward Zhou was very displeased with his impolite behavior and answered reluctantly that Old Ha, who delivered the vegetables, was sick, and these were sent by his nephew. Fan Xian asked while devouring the food, finishing the entire plate of vegetables in a few bites.
Then he quickly excused himself and ran out. As soon as he reached the courtyard, Fan Xian began to vomit, throwing up all the food he had just eaten. It was then that he discovered that many maids and servants in the courtyard were painfully lying on the ground, vomiting and having diarrhea. He quickly fetched milk to induce vomiting in everyone, but he found that the red-armored knights in the courtyard were gone.
Old Ha had delivered vegetables to the manor for many years, and Fan Xian guessed that he must have been coerced this time. The red-armored knights, however, couldn't concern themselves with this. Fan Xian also suggested that if it was a diversion (to lure the tiger away from the mountain), he told them to go back and protect the Old Madam. He alone, with a knife in hand, went to Old Ha's house.
As he entered the courtyard, Fan Xian saw Old Ha tied to a pillar. Just as he was about to approach, he found the courtyard gate closed with a bang. A stern-faced man wearing a black cloak was sizing him up. The person who came was indeed Teng Zijing, a member of the Fourth Division of the Investigator's Office. This time, he had been ordered to come and kill Fan Xian.
As soon as Fan Xian opened his mouth, Teng Zijing waved his hand and flicked his cloak. Inside, dozens of throwing knives were hidden. Fan Xian cursed loudly, stepped forward, and began to fight with him. Teng Zijing struck ruthlessly. Fortunately, Fan Xian had undergone Wuzhu's devilish training these past years, and his movements were also very agile. The two fought for dozens of moves when Fan Xian suddenly clutched his chest and fell to the ground.
It turned out that Teng Zijing had poisoned his dagger. Seeing that he was hit and relaxed, Teng Zijing asked Fan Xian why he didn't let the red-armored knights in just now. Fan Xian didn't answer, but just glanced indifferently at Old Ha beside him. Teng Zijing didn't expect that he would risk his own life for a vegetable delivery man.
Just as he was about to step forward and finish off Fan Xian, he found that he couldn't circulate his inner energy. While the originally weak Fan Xian stood up at this moment. He had been trained by Fei Jie since he was a child, and he didn't know how many poisons he had ingested. Ordinary poisons had no effect on him. And he had also smeared poison on his own dagger.
Under Fan Xian's interrogation, Teng Zijing revealed that he had received a secret order from the Investigator's Office to come and execute a national traitor. Fan Xian was very shocked upon hearing this. He took out the Prosecutor's waist token that Fei Jie had given him and told Teng Zijing that he was just an illegitimate son of the Fan manor, without power or influence, and not a national traitor. This secret order was likely problematic.
Teng Zijing also sensed something was wrong at this point. Fan Xian continued to inquire and found out that it was Steward Zhou who had colluded with Teng Zijing to poison the vegetables. When Fan Xian returned to the manor, he saw Steward Zhou tied up and kneeling in the hall. Steward Zhou's scheme had been exposed, but he still argued self-righteously that everything he did was for the Fan family.
He was sent by Second Madam Liu Ruyu, and his purpose was to prevent Fan Xian from returning to the capital to fight for family property and disrupt the household. The Old Madam nodded upon hearing this. She got up and walked up to Fan Xian, telling him that when he grew up, his heart must be ruthless.
She then had the servants break Steward Zhou's legs and throw him onto a fishing boat, telling him he wouldn't need to come ashore for the rest of his life. Steward Zhou finally understood at this moment that the Old Madam, who had seemingly disliked Fan Xian for so many years, was actually protecting him.
The Old Madam told Fan Xian that it was Liu Ruyu who had sent a letter telling Steward Zhou to cooperate with the Investigator's Office assassin; the intention was to put him to death. Fan Xian, however, had already decided to go to the capital to investigate himself. He had been hiding for so many years, but he still couldn't avoid it, so he might as well face it head-on himself.
If it was truly Liu Ruyu, he would express that he had no intention of fighting for family property. The Old Madam saw that he had made up his mind and learned that he would set off for the capital tomorrow. Her heart felt indescribably complicated. It turned out that assassins had been lurking in the Danzhou manor since his childhood.
Fan Xian was worried about the Old Madam's safety, which was why he had made her seem indifferent towards him. On the other side, Teng Zijing also received an urgent order from the Investigator's Office. The investigation found that someone wanted to use the Investigator's Office to kill Fan Xian. In order to investigate the truth, Teng Zijing asked Fan Xian to pretend to kill him. Before departing, Fan Xian went to say goodbye to Wuzhu.
He told him that he was going to the capital to investigate the truth behind his mother's murder, but he didn't want Wuzhu to keep following him, living for him. Instead, he hoped he could also find something he wanted to do and live his own life. Wuzhu felt this sentence was very familiar. He thought for a long time, remembering that the Miss had also said something similar.
He took out a box and told Fan Xian that this was left by the Miss back then, and the thing he most wanted to do was open it, but he didn't have the key. The box's material was unknown, and Fan Xian couldn't open it despite his best efforts. Therefore, Wuzhu decided to go to the capital to retrieve the key, but he would go ahead first. The two agreed to meet in the capital.
The next day, Fan Xian said goodbye to the Old Madam and set off for the capital with the red-armored knights. On the way, Fan Xian unexpectedly discovered that Teng Zijing had disguised himself as a servant and mixed into the convoy. Teng Zijing also told him that the red-armored knights picking him up to go to the capital was for him to get married. Fan Xian was extremely surprised upon hearing this.
The convoy traveled for several days, and the journey was relatively smooth. One day, Teng Zijing suddenly darted into Fan Xian's carriage. Afterward, a merchant caravan approached from the opposite direction. Teng Zijing told Fan Xian that this merchant caravan was disguised people from the Investigator's Office. Fan Xian unexpectedly found that Fei Jie was also among them. Fan Xian secretly followed them. Fei Jie also saw him, so he secretly found an opportunity to meet with him.
Fei Jie told Fan Xian that this time, he was sending Yan Bingyun to the Northern Qi intelligence station, and all of this, in the final analysis, was for Fan Xian. It turned out that Teng Zijing was a subordinate of Yan Bingyun in the Fourth Division. People from the Fourth Division taking action against their own Prosecutor - this responsibility must be borne by Yan Ruohai. Yan Bingyun was precisely Yan Ruohai's son.
The Director was very angry about Fan Xian's matter, so he removed Yan Bingyun from his position and sent him to Northern Qi to take over the intelligence network. Yan Bingyun secretly sent his subordinates to try and reclaim the Prosecutor's waist token from Fan Xian, but he was blocked by Fei Jie and had no choice but to give up. From then on, the journey was smooth. Soon, Fan Xian and his group arrived at the capital.
Upon reaching the city gate, Wang Qinian, a scribe from the Investigator's Office, suddenly stopped the convoy. He spoke eloquently, praising Fan Xian greatly. He tricked him into spending two taels of silver on a fake map. Fan Xian had to act as the scapegoat to help Teng Zijing enter the capital as quickly as possible. Not long after entering the capital, Teng Zijing said goodbye to Fan Xian.
He also reminded him that Liu Ruyu likely wouldn't let him enter the manor so smoothly. The convoy continued forward. Fan Xian leaned out, staring intently at the bustling street scenes. He still didn't know that inside a civilian house not far away, a group of disheveled women were waiting for him. Waiting only for him to get close, they would swarm him, intending to ruin Fan Xian's reputation with this.
Who would have thought, the carriage suddenly stopped not far from the civilian house. An honest-looking middle-aged man sent the guards away. He himself drove the carriage to send Fan Xian back to the manor, and all the women inside that house had already been captured and executed. Claiming to send Fan Xian back to the manor, the carriage, however, took a detour and stopped in front of a temple.
The coachman left under the pretext of needing to relieve himself. Fan Xian got off the carriage, half-believing, half-doubting, wanting to go into the temple to have a look. But he was stopped by a stern-faced guard. The two exchanged a palm strike.
Just as Fan Xian, not wanting to cause trouble, was about to leave, the guard suddenly opened the door, saying his master allowed him to enter the temple to worship, but only permitted him to enter the side hall.
Episode 3 Recap
The stern-faced guard allowed Fan Xian to enter the temple. Fan Xian worried it was a trap, so he casually asked a few more questions. The guard was very puzzled that he didn't even know why there was a temple. Fan Xian wasn't interested in these myths. After much hesitation, he still walked into the temple. As soon as he entered, Fan Xian saw a group of armed guards standing in the courtyard.
He had no choice but to enter the side hall. He looked around and found there was no ambush, and only then did he breathe a sigh of relief. There were no statues in the side hall, only murals on the wall depicting the temple people capturing a giant beast and transmitting culture. Fan Xian, who was from the modern era, naturally didn't believe in these so-called deities.
He casually picked up a piece of fruit from the offering table and took a bite, muttering that if there truly were deities, he wished they would send an envoy to tell him why he had to go through all this. As he was muttering, the offering table suddenly moved, scaring him so much that he dropped the pear in his hand.
When he hesitantly lifted the tablecloth of the offering table, he saw a beautiful young fairy looking at him in surprise while holding a chicken leg. Their eyes met. Fan Xian felt all the blood in his body rush to his heart, and even his brain's function slowed down. He foolishly asked the girl if she was sent by the deities. The girl was Lin Wan'er, the daughter of Prime Minister Lin Ruofu.
Seeing Fan Xian's appearance was very amusing and not like a bad person, she crawled out from under the table. When Fan Xian saw she wasn't a hallucination, he was so agitated that he actually vomited blood. Lin Wan'er stepped forward with concern to check on him. Fan Xian casually reassured her that he would get used to vomiting after doing it a few times. Lin Wan'er was amused by his playful words.
Just as the atmosphere between the two was getting good, an urgent call from a maid came from the courtyard. Lin Wan'er stuck out her tongue, gave the chicken leg to Fan Xian, and hurried away. As she was leaving, she also gave him the chicken leg she was holding and ran out cheerfully.
Fan Xian was stunned by the smile on Lin Wan'er's face as she looked back, and only then realized he had forgotten to ask for her name. He quickly went out to chase her, but unfortunately, Lin Wan'er had already gotten into a carriage and left. Lin Wan'er had been in poor health since childhood, and her family managed her very strictly. Every time she came out, she would sneak away to play.
She didn't expect to meet Fan Xian this time. The maid understood her feelings but was also worried about her health. Sure enough, Lin Wan'er coughed up blood again when she got excited, but remembering Fan Xian's words from earlier, she couldn't help but laugh again. Emperor Qing returned to the palace after visiting the temple.
After Gong Dian cleared the street with his men, he voluntarily brought up Fan Xian, stating that he believed there must be something strange about Fan Xian being able to pass through the numerous hidden sentinels beside the temple, and volunteered to conduct a thorough investigation of the imperial guards from top to bottom. Emperor Qing, however, said calmly that it was not necessary. Halfway there, a team of imperial guards wearing armor sped towards them.
Gong Dian immediately ordered them to stop. Emperor Qing asked the leader to report. The man did not approach closely but stepped forward two paces and knelt down, reporting that within the city entrance path, there were palace maids attempting to block the way, and they had all been executed. After the imperial guards left, Emperor Qing's carriage stopped by the side of the road.
He had Gong Dian scoop him a bowl of wontons from a streetside wonton stall and asked casually who the young man who had trespassed into the temple was. Gong Dian reported that he was Fan Xian, the illegitimate son of the Vice Minister of Revenue in Danzhou. Only then did he realize that Fan Xian being able to enter the temple was likely Emperor Qing's arrangement.
Emperor Qing then asked Gong Dian why he had let Fan Xian in, and who had arranged for maids to ruin Fan Xian's reputation on the city entrance path. Gong Dian answered one by one with hesitation. Finally, Emperor Qing asked calmly if he liked the painting the Crown Prince had given him very much. Gong Dian was shocked and broke out in a cold sweat. The coachman took Fan Xian to the entrance of the Fan manor.
Fan Xian got off and knocked on the door but received no response. After a while, a maid opened the side door and ushered him in. The maid told him that the master had not yet returned to the manor, and this was all arranged by the Second Madam. Fan Xian did not cause trouble and followed the maid into the manor good-naturedly, but he found that everyone on the way acted with extreme caution.
Upon inquiring, he learned that the Second Madam was taking her afternoon nap. With the Second Madam napping in the back courtyard, no one in the entire manor dared to speak. The extent of her authority in the Fan manor was evident. At this moment, a young man dressed in silk robes ran out chasing the accountant with a stick. Seeing his swaggering appearance, Fan Xian guessed that this person must be the Second Madam's beloved son - Fan Sizhe.
Fan Sizhe saw Fan Xian but did not ask who he was. Instead, he rudely asked if he knew who he was and ordered him to open the box in his hand and let him see it. Fan Xian heard this and didn't get angry; instead, he laughed and told him to try it himself.
On the other side, the Second Madam learned that Fan Xian had entered the manor and specifically instructed her servants to take him to the courtyard to wait until she woke up. Fan Sizhe appeared arrogant and domineering but was actually simple-minded. He fiddled with Fan Xian's box for a long time but couldn't open it.
He angrily told Fan Xian that he was the most important person in the entire Fan manor and that people had to do whatever he told them to. Fan Xian found it amusing to tease him, asking if he told a servant to beat him to death, would the servant listen or not? Fan Sizhe thought about it foolishly for a long time and ended up being confused by him.
Fan Xian followed the maid all the way to the inner courtyard but was told that the Second Madam was napping and that he should just wait there. He knew this was the Second Madam trying to show him who was boss, but he did not object on the surface. Gong Dian brought several pieces of calligraphy and painting to pay respects to the Crown Prince Li Chengqian.
The Crown Prince was very friendly towards Gong Dian, but unexpectedly, Gong Dian tore up the calligraphy and paintings he had brought, which were his most favorite, right in front of him and requested that the Crown Prince take back the paintings he had given him. The Crown Prince's face gradually darkened. Gong Dian felt both heartache and fear.
He reported everything that had happened that day to the Crown Prince, stating that Emperor Qing might be unhappy about his private interactions with him, and also stating that he would no longer have personal preferences from now on. Although the Crown Prince was angry, he could do nothing but take back the calligraphy and paintings. The Second Madam woke up from her nap and inquired about Fan Xian's situation.
Unexpectedly, she learned that Fan Xian had also moved a chair into the courtyard and was sleeping. She angrily went out to wake him up, implicitly accusing Fan Xian of not knowing etiquette. Fan Xian also exchanged polite formalities with her. At this moment, Fan Sizhe, who had figured things out, came looking for Fan Xian with a stick to settle the score. The Second Madam deliberately avoided the scene.
If Fan Xian were to get into a fight with Fan Sizhe, he would fall into her trap. Fan Xian, however, was not surprised or flustered. He even sat down leisurely to watch him make a fuss. Just as Fan Sizhe was about to lose his temper and strike, Fan Ruoruo arrived in time to stop him. Fan Ruoruo was the eldest young lady of the manor and had managed Fan Sizhe since childhood.
Fan Sizhe saw her like a mouse seeing a cat and meekly apologized and admitted his mistake to Fan Xian. The Second Madam hadn't expected that despite all her calculations, her plan would be disrupted by Fan Ruoruo. Looking at her foolish son who only ever asked for money, she felt both angry and anxious. The brother and sister were overjoyed to be reunited. Arriving at Fan Ruoruo's room, Fan Xian saw it piled high with precious treasures.
Fan Ruoruo told him these were all gifts from others, all because of the "Red Mansions" that Fan Xian had once told her about. Fan Xian hadn't expected that the story he told his sister would become so widely known, but he didn't know how to explain, so he just let her misunderstand.
As the brother and sister were catching up, a servant came to report that Master Fan had returned to the manor and wanted Fan Xian to come to the study to see him. Fan Xian packed the chicken leg into a wooden box and asked Fan Ruoruo to keep it for him, then went to the study alone.
Episode 4 Recap
Fan Xian pushed open the study door and stood respectfully in front of his father, Fan Jian, who was handling official business. Fan Jian simply told him to close the door and ignored him afterward. On the other side, the Second Madam instructed the servants to clean up the servants' kitchen for Fan Xian to stay in.
Upon learning that Fan Xian had been in the study for a long time without coming out, she uneasily sent Fan Sizhe to find out what was happening. Unexpectedly, Fan Sizhe took advantage of the maid's inattentiveness and slipped away. As night began to fall, Fan Xian kept standing and watching Fan Jian handle official business until he finally stopped. Only then did he kneel down to greet him.
Fan Jian asked Fan Xian what kind of person he wanted to be. Fan Xian honestly said he didn't have grand ambitions, only hoping for a peaceful life, immense wealth, beautiful wives and concubines, and a dashing demeanor. Fan Jian then asked how he planned to get rich. Fan Xian mentioned the common methods used by transmigrators, such as making glass, soap, and white sugar.
Who knew that these things had already been invented by Ye Qingmei back then, but were only supplied to the nobility and thus didn't spread widely? Fan Xian could only sigh, "Why was my mother born, and then me?" Following this topic, Fan Jian brought up that after Ye Qingmei's death, the businesses under her name were taken over by the imperial family and became part of the imperial treasury.
Since Emperor Qing didn't have time to manage them, they were handed over to Princess Li Yunrui. The princess possessed peerless beauty and a gentle temperament. Although not Emperor Qing's biological sister, she was highly trusted and had not yet married. Fan Xian hadn't expected his seemingly serious father to gossip with him and teased if he had taken a fancy to the princess.
Fan Jian was helpless and told him that the princess and the current prime minister, Lin Ruofu, had an illegitimate daughter named Lin Wan'er. Only a few people knew about this matter, and Lin Wan'er was the woman he was to marry upon his arrival in the capital this time. Emperor Qing had given an oral decree that whoever could marry Lin Wan'er could take over the imperial treasury.
This was also the reason Fan Jian brought Fan Xian back to the capital. This was the best time to reclaim Ye Qingmei's businesses. There were many people who did not want Fan Xian to take over the imperial treasury, and one of them was Princess Li Yunrui. Late at night, Li Yunrui personally entered the palace to request an audience with the Empress Dowager.
Citing Fan Xian's lack of virtue and talent as a reason, she pleaded with the Empress Dowager to prevent Fan Xian from marrying Wan'er. The Empress Dowager, upon hearing her words, gave a look to Eunuch Hong, the head eunuch beside her. Eunuch Hong understood, walked over to Li Yunrui, and suddenly slapped her hard.
The Empress Dowager warned Li Yunrui that only Emperor Qing could make decisions regarding matters of the inner palace, and this slap was a reminder for her to know her place. Fan Xian had thought that if the princess disagreed, the marriage wouldn't happen. However, Fan Jian told him that the princess couldn't decide Lin Wan'er's marriage; only Emperor Qing could. Emperor Qing had four sons.
The eldest prince was in charge of the military outside, and the fourth prince was young. Currently, the ones contending for imperial power were the Crown Prince and the Second Prince. The princess had always supported the Crown Prince's faction. Emperor Qing absolutely could not allow the financial power of the imperial family to be controlled by the Crown Prince, and therefore decided to change the person in charge.
This was likely also the reason for Fan Xian's assassination attempt in Danzhou. Fan Xian thought Fan Jian's words were biased towards Liu Ruyu, so Fan Jian took him to confront Liu Ruyu face-to-face. Fan Jian asked Liu Ruyu if she had instructed Steward Zhou to assassinate Fan Xian.
Liu Ruyu was very shocked upon hearing this and urgently explained to him that doing so would bring her no benefit at all, and would even enrage the master and have her kicked out of the Fan manor. Upon hearing this, Fan Ruoruo felt there was some truth to her words, but Fan Xian felt that a few sentences from her couldn't prove her innocence. During the meal, Liu Ruyu's demeanor suddenly changed, becoming very affectionate towards Fan Xian.
Fan Xian also played along, and they interacted back and forth like a close mother and son. Fan Sizhe was very puzzled by this scene and quietly asked Ruoruo about the situation. When he heard that Fan Jian suspected his mother wanted to kill Fan Xian, the chopsticks in his hand fell in fright. After the princess left the Empress Dowager's palace, Gong Dian came to summon her to see Emperor Qing.
As soon as the princess saw Emperor Qing, she knelt down and proactively admitted that she did not want Wan'er to marry Fan Xian. Emperor Qing accused her of not speaking directly and instead sending people to ruin Fan Xian's reputation. The princess said she didn't know what Emperor Qing was talking about. Emperor Qing then told Gong Dian to investigate the situation.
A moment later, Gong Dian reported back after investigating that the person who went out of the palace for procurement today was Court Lady Han, but she had already committed suicide. Emperor Qing heard this without a ripple of emotion. Instead, he asked the princess to stay and wait for someone together. After a long time, Crown Prince Li Chengqian rushed over anxiously. He immediately admitted that the matter with the court lady was arranged by him.
The princess sat calmly in her chair. Emperor Qing laughed and reprimanded them, saying that the princess hadn't admitted to anything. As the Crown Prince, contending for power was inevitable, but he couldn't lose his bottom line and certainly shouldn't use such vile methods to damage the foundation of the imperial family. After saying this, he threw the list of dismissed officials to him and had the two of them leave together.
After the meal, Ruoruo and Fan Sizhe said their goodbyes. Fan Xian, holding Liu Ruyu affectionately, was also about to leave, but Fan Jian kept Fan Xian back alone. He knew that Fan Xian had secretly hidden Teng Zijing to help him come to the capital and warned him to be cautious in the capital. He also took out a wanted poster from his pocket. Fan Xian opened it and found that it was for capturing Teng Zijing.
Fan Jian told him to be careful of the Crown Prince and stay away from people from the Investigator's Office. He also mentioned that his mother had been killed by others back then, and the reason he was kept in Danzhou was to protect him. As for the marriage with Lin Wan'er, he told him not to worry. Fan Xian felt stifled upon hearing Fan Jian's words, which were all about the imperial treasury.
He directly stated that he was a living person with flesh and blood, and that imperial treasury might be very important to him, but he already had someone he liked and would certainly not trade his life for a business. The princess looked at the list and understood that Emperor Qing had not stopped the Crown Prince from contending for power, but was merely warning them not to cross the bottom line of military power and governance.
She heard that Fan Xian had taken on an alias and written a marvelous book titled "Red Mansions". She planned to make a move from where Fan Xian was most renowned. When Fan Xian returned to his room, he saw a room full of servants cleaning. His kind persuasion was futile, so he pretended to be angry and scared them away. Taking advantage of the dead of night, Teng Zijing sneaked into Fan Xian's room.
Before he could see Fan Xian, he bumped into Fan Sizhe and, in a panic, had to hide under the bed. Fan Sizhe didn't pay much attention and said directly that he shouldn't have treated him that way today, and invited him to eat at a restaurant together tomorrow. Just as Teng Zijing came out, he was caught red-handed by Fan Sizhe again in a surprise return. Fortunately, Fan Xian suddenly appeared and said that he was the guard who protected him on his way to the capital.
Episode 5 Recap
Fan Xian handed the wanted poster to Teng Zijing, not understanding why the Investigator's Office would take in someone like him, who was being hunted. Teng Zijing didn't explain. Instead, he knelt directly and begged him to go to the Investigator's Office to help him retrieve an important secret document, saying he would go through fire and water for him in the future without hesitation.
Fan Xian didn't agree when he heard this and insisted on asking about the contents of the secret document. Teng Zijing had no choice but to tell him everything truthfully about what happened back then. It turned out that in the past, he had helped a couple out of a sense of justice, but was implicated as a result. Not only was he charged with assassinating an imperial official, but his whole family was also affected.
In the end, the Investigator's Office saved him, on the condition that he join them. Teng Zijing sighed that he had once thought about taking revenge on that couple, but couldn't bear to. From then on, he understood the rule of survival in this world. Now, he only hoped that Fan Xian could help him find his family.
Fan Xian listened to his story and felt that since he didn't seek revenge on that couple back then, he still had a trace of kindness in his heart, and decided to help him find his family. On this day, just after Lin Wan'er finished her medicine, she heard her friend Ye Ling'er shouting loudly outside.
When she rushed out to see, it turned out that Ye Ling'er had specially brought a cook from the countryside, who claimed to be able to make vegetables taste like meat, and wanted her to try it. Lin Wan'er, being frail and sickly since birth, although she was the Prime Minister's daughter, couldn't eat much greasy food, nor could she be exposed to wind, and could only stay indoors every day, like a caged bird.
Therefore, she yearned greatly for life outside. As Lin Wan'er's good friend, Ye Ling'er felt very heartbroken about her situation and wanted to help her but was powerless. Upon learning that Lin Wan'er was dissatisfied with the marriage bestowed by Emperor Qing, she pulled Lin Wan'er along to find Fan Xian to break off the engagement. Having met at the temple that one time, Lin Wan'er was also smitten with Fan Xian at first sight.
However, the two did not know each other's identities. With someone already in her heart, Lin Wan'er allowed Ye Ling'er to take her to find Fan Xian, because she firmly believed that the person she would marry in the future must be someone she liked. On the other side, Fan Sizhe and his siblings went to a restaurant for dinner.
Fan Sizhe had arranged a group of people early on to cause trouble for Fan Xian, but they were subdued by Teng Zijing in just a few moves. Failing to cause trouble, Fan Sizhe had no choice but to continue taking the two to the restaurant for dinner. At the entrance of the restaurant, the three ran into a woman carrying a child selling books.
Fan Xian saw that she was selling none other than "Red Mansions", and one volume cost as much as eight taels of silver. He used the excuse that he wanted to buy more and followed the woman to check the situation. Unexpectedly, the bookseller turned out to be an old acquaintance - Wang Qinian, but he had managed to slip away inadvertently.
Ye Ling'er took Lin Wan'er to find Fan Xian to break off the engagement, but unexpectedly, he was not at the manor. Upon learning that he had gone to the restaurant, she parked the carriage outside the Fan manor to wait for him. Fan Xian returned to the restaurant and told Fan Ruoruo that Wang Qinian was selling "Red Mansions". When Fan Sizhe learned that the book was written by Fan Xian, his eyes immediately lit up.
He instantly saw that the book had a vast market and immediately wanted to invite Fan Xian to do this business with him. Fan Xian saw that although he loved money, it wasn't for indulging in pleasures, but rather that he simply enjoyed doing business, and he changed his opinion of him considerably.
While the three were drinking tea and chatting, a group of people suddenly rushed into the street, led by Guo Baokun, the son of the Minister of Rites. Guo Baokun not only had his people drive away the woman selling books but also publicly accused "Red Mansions" of being a vulgar book and threatened to ban it. Upon hearing this, Fan Xian hadn't even reacted much, but Fan Sizhe suddenly rushed downstairs excitedly.
He believed that since so many people read "Red Mansions", there must be a reason for it. Before he could finish speaking, a person squeezed out from the crowd and helped Guo Baokun mock Fan Sizhe. Fan Ruoruo told Fan Xian that this person was He Zongwei, a well-known scholar in the capital. Fan Xian understood that this person's actions were actually intended to show favor to the Crown Prince behind Guo Baokun.
Seeing that Fan Sizhe was being verbally cornered by the two and was about to be beaten, Fan Xian finally stopped being an onlooker. He went downstairs to save Fan Sizhe, used his supreme true energy to send Guo Baokun's servant flying, and in a few words rendered Guo Baokun and He Zongwei speechless. Just then, Li Hongcheng, the heir of Prince Jing, who had been lurking in the shadows, came out.
He praised Fan Xian a couple of times and invited them to attend a poetry gathering at his manor tomorrow. Fan Xian knew this was their purpose and had no choice but to go along with their plan and accept. On the way back, Fan Xian asked Fan Sizhe why he had rushed downstairs just now. Fan Sizhe answered without hesitation that it was because Guo Baokun wanted to cut off his financial path.
Fan Xian saw that this foolish younger brother, though seemingly arrogant and domineering, actually had a good heart, so he agreed to do this business with him. On the way back, Fan Xian planned to secretly go to the Investigator's Office. He asked Fan Ruoruo and Fan Sizhe to cover for him and got out of the carriage. Unexpectedly, the brother and sister were stopped by the long-waiting Ye Ling'er.
Episode 6 Recap
Ye Ling'er stopped Fan Ruoruo, wanting Fan Xian to come out and meet with Lin Wan'er. Ruoruo was anxious internally, but her face remained calm. She tried to refuse, using Fan Xian's poor health as an excuse. Lin Wan'er also came forward at this time to invite Fan Xian out of the carriage.
Fortunately, at this moment, Fan Sizhe had a sudden inspiration and lied that it was inconvenient because he had brought a singing girl in the carriage after drinking. Ye Ling'er was quite angered by Fan Sizhe's rogue appearance, and Lin Wan'er was so angry she almost coughed up blood. Ye Ling'er, worried about Lin Wan'er's health, had to take her away first. Fan Xian was unaware of everything happening on that side.
He leisurely walked into the Investigator's Office holding a sugar-coated hawthorn skewer. Who knew that upon arriving at the Investigator's Office, people were coming and going, but no one paid attention to Fan Xian. He had no choice but to take out his waist token and shout, which attracted a few messengers. After an inspection, one of the messengers took him to look for the document file. What a coincidence, as the two walked along, they encountered Wang Qinian again.
It turned out he was also a scribe at the Investigator's Office. When Wang Qinian learned that he was a director of the Investigator's Office, he suddenly knelt down, wept profusely, recounting his tragic experiences, and stated that his previous actions were all for his seriously ill wife and daughter at home.
Fan Xian saw him crying and was halfway believing him when a guard suddenly pushed the door open and said he had just met his wife, who reminded him to buy some vegetables on the way home tonight. Wang Qinian did not expect his lie to be so easily exposed and could only look awkwardly at Fan Xian, feeling helpless. Fan Xian couldn't help but laugh and cry at the sight.
Seeing Wang Qinian's love for wealth, he found him somewhat kindred spirits with Fan Sizhe and decided not to pursue the matter. He only instructed him not to trade in "Red Mansions" anymore and asked him to help him find the document file that Teng Zijing had requested.
Wang Qinian promised to deliver the document to the Fan manor the next day and also told him that the person who had previously falsely transmitted the order was dead, and that person's name was Xu Yunzhang. After finishing his business, Fan Xian went to see the stone tablet left by his mother. It recorded Ye Qingmei's beautiful aspirations for the world.
She hoped that one day everyone would be equal, free from the oppression of power, and live with dignity. Only after seeing the words she left did Fan Xian understand the reason for Ye Qingmei's death. However, he did not want to inherit her dying wish or her ambition, nor was he willing to fight against the world alone. Instead, he wanted to be an ordinary person.
Eunuch Hou told Emperor Qing about Fan Xian going to the Investigator's Office to retrieve the document file. Emperor Qing already knew that Teng Zijing was not dead; he didn't care about this little deception. Instead, he was more concerned about how many fish Fan Xian, as bait, could catch.
When Prime Minister Lin learned about Fan Xian beating Guo Baokun's servant in the street, he used the opportunity to come and see Emperor Qing, wanting to dissolve Lin Wan'er's engagement. Emperor Qing knew his purpose and deliberately had Eunuch Hou make the brazier in the hall burn brightly. Prime Minister Lin subtly expressed that Lin Wan'er's engagement was decided by Emperor Qing and that he believed Emperor Qing would not be mistaken about the person.
After saying this, he took his leave. On the other side, the Crown Prince told Guo Baokun that this poetry gathering was a good opportunity to frame Fan Xian. Fan Xian was born in the remote Danzhou and had no one to teach him from a young age, so he would certainly not be able to write good poems. As long as his reputation was ruined, Prime Minister Lin would naturally not agree to this marriage.
After Fan Xian returned to the manor, he saw Ruoruo waiting for him inside. He told Ruoruo that the reason he agreed to attend the poetry gathering was because he wanted to find the person he liked. When Ruoruo heard the romantic story between him and the chicken leg girl, she became determined to help her brother find his beloved. Fan Xian also fantasized that it would be great if the chicken leg girl was Lin Wan'er.
Ruoruo, however, thought it was impossible because Lin Wan'er had been sickly since childhood and was forbidden to eat greasy and strong-flavored food. Fan Xian also felt this possibility was very small. Seeing Ruoruo's envious look, he solemnly promised to help her marry the person she liked in the future as well. After chatting for a long time, Ruoruo finally remembered the main business.
She told Fan Xian that Teng Zijing had been detained by their father as soon as he returned to the manor, and Fan Sizhe was also punished by kneeling outside the study door. Because Lord Fan suspected that Fan Sizhe had colluded with the Crown Prince to set a trap to frame Fan Xian. Upon hearing this, Fan Xian immediately went to the study to find his father.
He believed that Fan Sizhe was not such a calculating person and that Fan Jian was too harsh on him and had a prejudice in his heart. Fan Jian admitted that it was because Fan Sizhe was neither scholarly nor skilled in martial arts, and had disappointed him repeatedly. Fan Xian further stated that Fan Sizhe had no bad habits, and his love for accumulating wealth was actually due to his admiration for his father.
Previously at the restaurant, when Fan Sizhe heard Guo Baokun insult Lord Fan, he immediately rushed forward to fight him, which showed his deep respect for his father. His father should not be so unfair to him. These words were all heard by the Second Madam, who was eavesdropping outside the study door. She did not expect Fan Xian would actually speak up for Fan Sizhe. Fan Jian was quite touched by these words.
He went out and told Fan Sizhe to get up. Fan Sizhe was already used to being punished by his father and had no complaints in his heart. Seeing this, Fan Jian offered to grant Fan Sizhe one request. Fan Sizhe was very surprised to hear this, and the Second Madam was feeling very relieved. Who knew that this unlucky child would actually ask his father to play Pai Gow with him? It was truly infuriating and amusing at the same time.
Episode 7 Recap
Fan Xian asked his father to release Teng Zijing. Fan Jian thought that Teng Zijing had a record in the Ministry of Justice and deliberately followed Fan Xian back to the capital, which might suggest ulterior motives. However, Fan Xian insisted that his father release him, because in his heart, he already regarded Teng Zijing as a friend. Seeing his persistence, Fan Jian had to agree.
After Fan Jian left, Liu Ruyu suddenly stepped forward to thank Fan Xian and promised that from today on, as long as Fan Xian no longer caused trouble, she would definitely not trouble him either. As soon as Teng Zijing was released, he asked about the document file. Fan Xian told him that Wang Qinian would deliver it the next day. Teng Zijing was very grateful and offered to kill someone for Fan Xian to repay this favor.
Fan Xian was both annoyed and amused and told him to keep it for later. Fan Jian kept his promise and played Pai Gow with Liu Ruyu and Fan Ruoruo, accompanied by Fan Sizhe. Fan Sizhe was overjoyed and ruthlessly beat the three of them completely. Liu Ruyu was worried to see her son getting carried away, but Fan Jian, contrary to his usual behavior, did not scold Fan Sizhe.
Ruoruo wasn't angry about losing money; instead, she felt that this kind of lively quarreling was what truly made them feel like a family. Not until dusk began to fall, when Fan Sizhe had won all their money, did Fan Jian speak up to end the game. On the other side, Fan Xian asked Teng Zijing about Xu Yunzhang. This person had forged the fake secret order for the assassination in Danzhou.
Teng Zijing did not know much about Xu Yunzhang. Since he was currently feigning death and it was inconvenient for him to show himself, he recommended Fan Xian go to an underground shop specializing in selling information to inquire about it. Teng Zijing custom-made a set of night clothes for Fan Xian. When it was midnight, he came to find Fan Xian, but unexpectedly, Ruoruo was also in Fan Xian's room.
Seeing Ruoruo's eager look, Fan Xian softened and agreed to take her along for the "adventure". Near the underground shop, Teng Zijing stopped Ruoruo and had Fan Xian, who had changed into night clothes, go in alone. Fan Xian entered the door and found it was actually a gambling house, with a large crowd shouting and cheering, very lively. The shopkeeper carefully sized Fan Xian up before letting him in.
Fan Xian told the shopkeeper that he wanted information about Xu Yunzhang's personal connections from the Fourth Department of the Investigator's Office. The shopkeeper, expressionless, told him to wait. Soon, a carrier pigeon flew out. No one knew that this carrier pigeon was not flying anywhere else, but flew all the way into the palace, into the hands of Eunuch Hou, the chief eunuch by Emperor Qing's side.
Emperor Qing remained unperturbed after hearing this matter and directly instructed Eunuch Hou to pass the message to Fan Xian. Teng Zijing examined the secret document and found that Xu Yunzhang had close contacts with the Crown Prince's residence during his lifetime. He couldn't help but wonder if the Crown Prince really wanted to kill Fan Xian. However, Fan Xian felt something was wrong.
Wang Qinian had told him that the case of Xu Yunzhang was personally overseen by the director, so the file should ideally be top secret. Given the power of the Investigator's Office in the capital, for such a top-secret file to be so easily acquired by him, there was likely a trick involved. The three of them quickly returned to the underground shop, but it was already empty.
Fan Xian had a vague feeling that ever since he arrived in the capital, the Crown Prince's subordinates picked fights, the Jing Prince's heir invited him to a poetry gathering, and the truth of the assassination became clear; everything came one after another, as if a big hand behind the scenes was controlling everything, pushing him into the spotlight. Little did he know, all of this was a test from Emperor Qing.
Soon, it was the day of the poetry gathering hosted by the Jing Prince's heir. The Jing Prince's heir personally waited at the entrance for Fan Ruoruo and her brother. Regardless of the heir's schemes, Fan Xian deliberately changed into the clothes he wore when he met the chicken leg girl, determined to find his dream lover.
Guo Baokun saw him arriving late and deliberately provoked him, proposing a poetry competition and boasting that he would compose a poem every ten steps, wanting to humiliate Fan Xian publicly. He Zongwei was also fanning the flames from the side, acting very arrogant. Fan Xian originally did not want to stand out, but being forced, he refused their proposal of composing a poem every ten steps and instead suggested he would compose only one.
If they could surpass him, he would never write poetry again in his life. Guo Baokun and the other thought he could only compose one poem and readily agreed. Fan Xian might not understand poetry and literature, but his body housed a soul from modern times; casually "copying" one would be a masterpiece that would be famous for thousands of years.
Fan Xian's eyes darted around, and he picked up the brush to write a famous work by Du Fu, "Ascending Heights". With the touch of the Sage of Poetry, let alone the likes of Guo Baokun, all the literati in the capital couldn't hold a candle to it. After finishing the poem, Fan Xian used the excuse of a stomach ache and went to the backyard.
As he leisurely walked out of the latrine, he suddenly felt a chill down his spine. A streak of sword light fiercely stabbed towards him. Fan Xian rolled over and parried a move with the man. Just as the two were about to fight again, a man's voice suddenly came from a pavilion not far away, interrupting the fight. Fan Xian looked in the direction of the voice and saw a young man in green standing with his arms crossed.
His attire was low-key yet luxurious, but his eyes were filled with fierce malice. The Second Prince, Li Chengzhe, had been waiting for him here for a long time. Li Chengzhe stated directly that Fan Xian was at odds with the Crown Prince, so he planned to kill Fan Xian and use his body to reconcile the two brothers. As soon as he finished speaking, the sword of the attendant Xie Bi'an beside him was already at Fan Xian's neck.
However, Fan Xian was not afraid at all and even picked up a bunch of grapes from the table and started eating them. Let alone killing a hundred Fan Xians wouldn't make the brothers vying for the throne reconcile; even if the Second Prince wanted to kill him, he wouldn't do it here, using such a reckless method.
On the other side , Eunuch Hou received the news and hurriedly relayed Fan Xian's masterpiece and the news of the Second Prince's private meeting with Fan Xian in the backyard to Emperor Qing. Emperor Qing learned that the Crown Prince was with the Eldest Princess, so he instructed Eunuch Hou to pass this news to him as well. When the Crown Prince learned of this matter, he knew that his plan to suppress Fan Xian through the poetry gathering had failed, and his face couldn't help but darken.
Episode 8 Recap
The Second Prince told Fan Xian that the Crown Prince would know about their meeting sooner or later, trying to win Fan Xian over with his words. However, Fan Xian suddenly asked him if he knew a girl who liked eating chicken legs and if he believed in love at first sight. The Second Prince was confused. Then, Fan Xian told him the story of himself and the chicken leg girl in detail.
The Second Prince was forced to listen to a love story. Just as he was puzzled, Fan Xian said solemnly that he liked the chicken leg girl and wanted to marry her. Since he was determined to break off the engagement, he would naturally not accept the Internal Treasury. After sending the Second Prince away, Fan Xian wandered around the backyard. As he passed the kitchen, a girl happened to rush out.
He looked back and saw that it was her, the one he had been searching for, holding a chicken leg and looking innocent. Their eyes met, and they were speechless for a moment. Hearing the commotion of the kitchen servants, Fan Xian grabbed Lin Wan'er and hid her in a utility room in the kitchen. Fan Xian mistakenly thought Lin Wan'er was a maid in the manor. Lin Wan'er did not deny it and asked him why he was here.
Fan Xian's mind raced, and he lied that he was a pitiful book boy who was often bullied but still upheld justice. As for the untalented, immoral master, it was Guo Baokun, the son of the Minister of Personnel, who was competing with Fan Xian in poetry in the front yard. Hearing this, Lin Wan'er pretended to be curious and asked him to take her to the front yard to peek at Fan Xian.
Fan Xian was eager to show himself in front of the girl he liked, so he naturally didn't refuse. He took Lin Wan'er's hand and led her to a hidden spot in the front hall, pointing at Teng Zijing and telling her that was Fan Xian. He didn't know at this time how much this well-intentioned lie would hinder their future. Lin Wan'er met "Fan Xian", then left again in a hurry.
She didn't want her beloved to know about her engagement, so she decided to go to the Fan residence directly after the poetry gathering to ask Fan Xian to break off the engagement. Wang Qinian came to the Fan residence as promised to deliver the files to Fan Xian. Thinking it was troublesome to go through the main entrance, he secretly climbed over the wall into Fan Xian's room and handed him Teng Zijing's files.
Fan Xian opened the files and immediately saw the news that Teng Zijing's wife and children had been exterminated by Guo Baokun. Seeing his solemn expression, Teng Zijing snatched the files and his eyes widened with fury when he saw the news of his wife and children's deaths. Fan Xian was afraid that he would act impulsively, but Teng Zijing couldn't hear anything anymore. He deliberately broke off ties with Fan Xian in public, determined to avenge his family alone.
Lin Wan'er arrived at the entrance of the Fan residence in a sedan, and happened to run into Teng Zijing walking out with an angry face. She stopped Teng Zijing, wanting to talk about the engagement, but Teng Zijing ignored her and turned away. Fan Xian knew that Teng Zijing would definitely take action tonight. He asked Fan Ruoruo to help find out where Guo Baokun could be found.
Ever since Fan Ruoruo learned that Guo Baokun was at odds with her brother, she had been secretly investigating. Guo Baokun was naturally amorous and often frequented the brothels and pleasure boats along the Liujing River. After Fan Xian found out, he asked Ruoruo to have someone pass a message to Li Hongcheng, the heir of Prince Jing, inviting him to visit the Liujing River tonight to have fun, drink, and talk.
On the other side, Lin Wan'er failed to break off the engagement and had to ask her good friend Ye Ling'er to help her visit Fan Xian. Ye Ling'er was confused when she was asked to help visit a book boy named Guo Baokun. She wanted to ask more, but Lin Wan'er refused to say. She had no choice but to reluctantly agree.
Ruoruo, disguised as a man, brought Fan Xian to the most famous brothel on the Liujing River, Drunken Immortal Pavilion. She also told him that Guo Baokun's family was very strict, and he would definitely return home before midnight. Seeing her eager to go in with him, Fan Xian quickly stopped her and persuaded her to go back. Fan Xian entered the Drunken Immortal Pavilion, where Li Hongcheng was already waiting.
As soon as they met, Li Hongcheng told him that he had sent his poem to Si Lili's houseboat, the newly promoted courtesan, and then took him on a tour. The Drunken Immortal Pavilion was not an ordinary brothel. The girls were mostly beautiful, but they also had their own strengths. It was the favorite place for the famous families in the capital because no matter what their hobbies were, they could find someone who understood them here.
As the two were talking, a girl suddenly came in and shouted that Si Lili's houseboat had moved. In an instant, everyone in the brothel ran outside. Li Hongcheng also pulled Fan Xian to the bridge. The night was dark, and the fireworks in the sky were brilliant. The brothel was brightly lit, and the girls on the shore were noisy. In the lake, a painted boat broke through the water.
Li Hongcheng teased that this was the first time Si Lili's houseboat had moved. She had never kept a guest before and was still a virgin, so Fan Xian was probably destined to linger and forget to return tonight. Fan Xian had never seen such a scene before, and he couldn't help but feel a little nervous.
After much anticipation, under the gaze of everyone, a beautiful woman appeared, wearing a gold-threaded dress, a jade hairpin, with picturesque eyebrows and a graceful figure. When she appeared, everyone was amazed. Si Lili walked through the crowd all the way to Fan Xian and took the initiative to invite him to cruise the lake together. Arriving at the houseboat, the two raised their glasses and drank together. Si Lili smiled like a flower.
Just after drinking a cup, she suddenly blacked out and fainted. Fan Xian was not here to have fun. He put Si Lili on the bed, took off her coat, messed up her makeup, and then left quietly. He didn't know that this scene was all seen by Li Hongcheng, who had been staring at him. On the other side, Teng Zijing finally waited for Guo Baokun to come out.
He was about to step forward, but was suddenly stopped by Fan Xian. Fan Xian believed that Guo Baokun did not need to kill Teng Zijing's wife and children, so he advised him to postpone his action. Then, he seized the opportunity to knock out Guo Baokun's sedan bearers, put him in a sack, and beat him severely, forcing him to ask why he killed people.
Guo Baokun was beaten into a daze, but he did not admit that he had done this. It was not until he was knocked unconscious that Teng Zijing came out. Fan Xian believed that Guo Baokun should not have spoken, and that the documents of the Investigator's Office were probably problematic. The two decided to go to Wang Qinian to find out. Who knew that before the two reached Wang Qinian's doorstep, Fan Xian found someone following them.
Sure enough, the person following them was Wang Qinian. Wang Qinian was very surprised to see Teng Zijing. He then told the two that his wife and son were actually fine. It turned out that Wang Qinian was worried that after Fan Xian killed Teng Zijing, he would not let go of his family, so he falsified the documents. Now, Teng Zijing's wife and children were living in a residence outside the city.
Teng Zijing came to the door of the courtyard with Wang Qinian, but suddenly did not dare to enter. It was not until he opened the door, saw his wife crying, and saw his son sleeping on the bed, who had grown a lot, that he felt he was finally alive.
Episode 9 Recap
Fan Xian didn't expect that the seemingly cunning Wang Qinian had such a warm heart. He and Teng Zijing were merely acquaintances, yet he was willing to deceive superiors and subordinates alike after his death to help protect his family. Just as Fan Xian was feeling emotional, Wang Qinian pulled out a land deed from his怀中 (Huái zhōng), smilingly asked him to reimburse him, making Fan Xian feel both annoyed and amused.
After some jesting, Wang Qinian said solemnly that Guo Baokun was part of the Crown Prince's faction, and his father held a high and influential position. He didn't understand why Fan Xian not only beat him but also deliberately revealed his identity. This matter might not end well. Upon hearing this, Teng Zijing immediately said he would take responsibility for the matter himself. Fan Xian quickly stopped him.
He told the two of them that he did this specifically to blow the matter up, and then break off the engagement to find his chicken leg girl. After handling the matters, Fan Xian returned to the brothel, only to find that the mark on the door had been moved. After entering, Si Lili still looked unconscious. Fan Xian noticed that although her posture hadn't changed, the knotted hair he had deliberately placed on her shoulder was gone.
He then reached out to check her pulse. Seeing that she had been exposed by him, Si Lili simply stopped pretending. Fan Xian knew that Si Lili's identity was not simple, but it wasn't important to him. Moreover, his departure late at night needed to be kept secret, so the two reached an agreement to not investigate each other further. As expected, early the next morning, Guo Baokun harshly accused Fan Xian.
The Prefect immediately sent subordinates to the Fan residence to arrest Fan Xian. The Second Concubine saw this group of brawny bailiffs and showed no fear, merely stating lightly that Fan Xian was not in the residence. Who knew, as soon as she finished speaking, Fan Xian suddenly walked out. The bailiffs immediately wanted to arrest him. Then, another person suddenly rushed out from behind, none other than the handsome and dashing little tyrant of the Fan residence, Fan Sizhe.
He was seen holding a large broom, unceremoniously ready to sweep the bailiffs out. The Second Concubine said righteously, only if Guo Baokun appeared in court would their young master Fan Xian attend to confront him in court. Guo Baokun's father, Guo Youzhi, the Minister of Rites, saw his son beaten beyond recognition, and his heart was filled with extreme hatred for Fan Xian.
He Zongwei proactively volunteered to be the lawyer, carrying Guo Baokun, determined to confront Fan Xian in court, solidify his crime, and ensure his downfall. Seeing that the matter was truly escalating, the Second Concubine was anxious and wanted Fan Xian to return to Danzhou first to avoid the limelight. However, Fan Xian was already prepared and confidently went to court. On the other side, the Eldest Princess persuaded the Crown Prince to go to the Capital Prefecture.
This way, the Guo family would see the Crown Prince's importance, and once Fan Xian's crime was confirmed, Emperor Qing could also cancel Lin Wan'er's marriage. The Crown Prince thought what she said was reasonable and agreed. Guo Baokun was carried to the Capital Prefecture. He Zongwei confronted Fan Xian in court. Fan Xian, however, said that he was at the Drunken Immortal Pavilion last night and had Si Lili as a witness, completely clearing himself of the matter.
Mei Zhili believed that what Fan Xian said was reasonable and that he had a witness. He was about to release him without charge when the Crown Prince suddenly entered the court. Li Chengqian learned of the case's progress and believed that Si Lili's identity was humble and her words were not credible. Under his coercion, Mei Zhili had no choice but to order the bailiffs to apply torture.
Fan Xian could not bear to see a woman suffer for him. Just as he was about to intervene, the Second Prince Li Chengzhe also suddenly arrived. Si Lili took the opportunity to softly stop Fan Xian. She said she would rather endure torture to prove her innocence. The Crown Prince had another plan since the first one failed.
He sent people to arrest Teng Zijing, planning to torture him to extract a confession and frame Fan Xian with the crime of deceiving the emperor. Just as the situation was about to spiral out of control, Eunuch Hou suddenly arrived. He told everyone that Teng Zijing faking his death was Emperor Qing's arrangement and instructed the royal children not to participate in the interrogation.
Episode 10 Recap
Eunuch Hou summoned Mei Zhili to the palace for an audience, and the people handling the case all left, so this matter naturally came to nothing. After the case ended, just as Crown Prince Li Chengqian was about to leave, Fan Xian suddenly stepped forward and publicly asked Li Chengqian if he knew about the assassination attempt on him in Danzhou. Hearing this, Li Chengqian snorted coldly and did not answer.
The Second Prince didn't expect that he would dare to directly question the Crown Prince. Fan Xian watched the two princes leave one after the other. Seeing the matter was concluded, he helped Si Lili up and wanted to escort her back to her residence, but Si Lili refused, merely saying, "See you later at Drunken Immortal Pavilion."
Regardless of how frustrated Guo Baokun was, what was fortunate was that from today onwards, Teng Zijing could finally appear openly in front of everyone. Ye Ling'er, entrusted by Lin Wan'er, went to investigate the news about Guo Baokun's attendant, but unexpectedly learned that Guo Baokun was beaten by Fan Xian, and that he didn't have any attendant with him. More importantly, Fan Xian actually stayed at the Drunken Immortal Pavilion again for one night.
She was truly angry and resentful towards Fan Xian. Fan Xian entrusted Fan Sizhe to return to the residence and report the news. When going to Teng Zijing's house, on the way, he saw a child swinging on a swing, happily eating a sugar-coated hawthorn skewer. He came last night and wasn't very familiar with the route, so he went up to ask the child for directions, and unexpectedly discovered that the tanghulu the child was eating was actually poisoned.
It wasn't until he snatched it and took a bite that he realized it was only a mild laxative. The child didn't expect the tanghulu to be snatched and was crying and making a fuss. Fan Xian couldn't explain it to him, so he had no choice but to compensate him.
After finding Teng Zijing's residence, Fan Xian advised him to cherish the present, spend more time with his wife and child, and leave the troublesome place that is the capital. Teng Zijing was somewhat moved, but for some reason didn't immediately agree. He introduced Fan Xian to his wife and child. Unexpectedly, as soon as the child saw Fan Xian, he complained resentfully that this strange uncle snatched his tanghulu.
Fan Xian saw the astonished looks on Teng Zijing and his wife's faces and could only give an awkward smile. Mei Zhili went to the palace with Eunuch Hou to see Emperor Qing. At first, he was still worried and fearful in his heart, but unexpectedly, Emperor Qing was very gentle, sent someone to bestow him honey water, and brought up some past matters.
When the two first met, Emperor Qing was still a potential emperor, and Mei Zhili was also just a nominal official. It was Emperor Qing who insisted on promoting and entrusting him with important responsibilities, and it could be considered a good story of emperor and minister. Mei Zhili was just about to relax, but Emperor Qing's face suddenly changed. Someone submitted a report, stating that judging Fan Xian was Mei Zhili's responsibility.
Emperor Qing also understood that it was difficult for him in front of the Crown Prince, but what he truly couldn't tolerate was that he privately sent supervising officials to help the Crown Prince's faction capture Teng Zijing. As an emperor, what is most intolerable is a subordinate serving two masters. Unfaithful once, unused for a lifetime.
Mei Zhili saw that the matter had been exposed and immediately knelt down trembling and asked Emperor Qing to punish him according to national law. Emperor Qing said, however, if he punished this old minister according to national law, wouldn't people say he was heartless and unrighteous? Mei Zhili had no retreat and could only say that upon returning to his residence, he would accidentally fall into a well, and pleaded with His Majesty to spare his wife and children.
Seeing Mei Zhili about to despair, Emperor Qing smiled instead. He comforted Mei Zhili, saying that seeing as he was an old minister, he would let him retire and return to his hometown and live a peaceful life. Mei Zhili, having escaped death, felt the emperor's grace and couldn't help but shed tears of gratitude. The unfathomable and mysterious nature of an emperor's thoughts was perfectly displayed at this moment.
What Mei Zhili didn't know was that shortly after he left, Emperor Qing had Eunuch Hou instruct the Investigator's Office to monitor him and sent people to ambush and kill him on his way back home. Fan Jian didn't understand why Fan Xian would publicly question the Crown Prince, and why he would cause such a stir throughout the city. Fan Xian didn't lie either, directly stating that his purpose was to break off the engagement.
On the other side, Teng Zijing, thinking about Fan Xian's care for him over these past few days, seeing that he was about to leave tomorrow, his heart had no joy whatsoever. Teng Zijing's wife understood him, so she proactively suggested that Teng Zijing go meet Fan Xian. No matter what decision he made, she and their son would support him.
Ye Ling'er told Lin Wan'er that Guo Baokun had never had an attendant with him, and also spoke about Fan Xian beating Guo Baokun and the matter of staying overnight at the Drunken Immortal Pavilion, vowing to definitely help her cancel this marriage.
The Eldest Princess learned that Lin Wan'er had previously gone to find Fan Xian to break off the engagement, so she sent someone to reassure Lin Wan'er, saying she would definitely help her break off the marriage, and also said she would definitely let her marry someone she liked. Lin Wan'er was joyful in her heart and carelessly revealed the matter of the attendant. After the Eldest Princess knew, she immediately sent people to investigate this matter.
Teng Zijing came to see Fan Xian in the middle of the night, deliberately brought up the matter of Fan Xian snatching his son's tanghulu during the day, stating that since Fan Xian was so foolish, he was worried, and decided to stay and be his guard, and also made some random requests.
Fan Xian knew in his heart that the incident during the day must have severely offended the Crown Prince, and he didn't expect Teng Zijing would disregard his wife and child for him, so his heart couldn't help but feel a bit warm.
After the Empress Dowager learned about Fan Xian's matter, she sent someone to convey a message to Emperor Qing, asking him to reconsider the marriage between Lin Wan'er and Fan Xian, after all, it was a royal marriage alliance.
Eunuch Hou saw that although the Second Prince went to court today, it was probably deliberate, it was precisely to make the Crown Prince think that Fan Xian had defected to him, so that in the chaos, the Crown Prince would make mistakes, allowing him to reap the benefits. Emperor Qing sighed that neither of his two sons was easily dealt with; he might as well let them continue their schemes. He wanted to see the outcome.
Early in the morning, the Eldest Princess sent someone to tell Li Chengqian that yesterday, Mei Zhili retired and returned to his hometown but was ambushed and killed on the way, and even guessed this was Emperor Qing's arrangement. She also said that now Fan Xian had joined the Second Prince's faction, and in time, he would surely become a major threat to the Crown Prince.
Although Li Chengqian felt heartache, he saw that Fan Xian probably hadn't truly defected to the Second Prince. More importantly, his imperial father transferred Fan Xian here, probably using him as bait. If he were to strike at him again, it must be a fatal blow, and he couldn't rely on official power. This matter still needed to be discussed in the long term.
Early in the morning, Fan Jian found Fan Xian to tell him that the marriage would not change. Fan Xian didn't understand how, with his reputation like this, His Majesty would still want to marry his niece to him. In a fit of anger, he called Fan Ruoruo and Fan Sizhe, and directly rushed towards Prince Jing's mansion, intending to get married as soon as he found the person, so as to completely extinguish Emperor Qing's idea.
Prince Jing's heir didn't expect Fan Xian to visit mainly to see his female relatives, and all of his female relatives at that. While feeling both amused and annoyed, he nonetheless indulged him. However, Fan Xian looked through all the maids in Prince Jing's mansion, but still didn't find his chicken leg girl.
Episode 11 Recap
Fan Xian and the two others slinked out of Prince Jing's mansion. Fan Xian still didn't give up. After all, the root of this marriage was still with Lin Wan'er. He had Ruoruo take him to the royal villa, using the excuse of seeing her illness, wanting to break off the engagement in person. The news quickly reached the Eldest Princess. She knew that Fan Xian was in disguise looking for Wan'er to break off the engagement.
Besides, he was also Fei Jie's disciple, and a poison user was also a healer, so she agreed to let the two meet. While Teng Zijing and Fan Sizhe were waiting outside the mansion, the carriage of the Lin family's second son passed by. Lin Gong was a little surprised to see Fan Sizhe, but became furious upon seeing Teng Zijing. It turned out that he also mistook Teng Zijing for Fan Xian.
Lin Wan'er was the illegitimate daughter of Prime Minister Lin Ruofu. The Prime Minister also had two sons, the younger son Lin Gong doted on his younger sister the most. Since Fan Xian arrived in the capital, he had been constantly causing trouble, and his reputation was extremely poor. If it weren't for the strict discipline of the Lin family, perhaps Lin Gong would have already come to the Fan mansion to kill him.
Lin Gong entered the mansion, holding grudges and venting his anger on Ruoruo again. Seeing Fan Xian was so young, he didn't believe he had the ability to treat Wan'er, so he was about to drive the two away. Fan Xian didn't explain either, just pretended to size up Lin Gong. He even felt his face. Lin Gong saw he was so rude and immediately ordered someone to drive him away.
Fan Xian didn't argue either, and even counted out loud. Just as he counted to three, a strange thing happened. Lin Gong, who had been lively just moments before, suddenly clutched his chest and fell to the ground. Fan Xian shouted that if Lin Gong wasn't treated in time, he would be finished, then he took a pill from his medicine box and handed it to Lin Gong. Strangely enough, after Lin Gong took it, he immediately improved.
After this commotion, Lin Gong was deeply convinced of Fan Xian's medical skills. He immediately sent someone to take him to take Lin Wan'er's pulse. The group arrived in the inner chamber. Since Lin Wan'er had not yet married, Lin Gong had her lie in bed and set up thick curtains, only allowing Fan Xian to take her pulse by the bed.
Fan Xian originally wanted to deliberately offend Lin Wan'er in front of others, so that Lin Wan'er would thoroughly detest him. Just as he was about to act, Lin Wan'er suddenly spoke a sentence. This voice made Fan Xian's whole body tremble. He deliberately said that to treat Lin Wan'er's illness, one more medicinal ingredient was needed: a greasy chicken leg from under the incense table in the side hall of the Qing Temple.
Lin Wan'er immediately withdrew her hand upon hearing this. Then, half-believing and half-doubting, she lifted the curtain. After many twists and turns, the two finally met again. Teng Zijing was bored waiting in the carriage outside the mansion. He didn't understand why Fan Xian had to make such a fuss for a girl to this extent, saying it would be more pleasant to count money than to spend time on this. Teng Zijing could only say he was still young.
Fan Sizhe retorted that he wasn't young either. Just then, a beautiful young woman in red stopped her horse at the entrance of the royal residence. He went forward, wanting to get acquainted. This woman was Ye Ling'er. She was fiery by nature and advocated force. Seeing Fan Sizhe's frivolous look, anger welled up within her. She viciously kicked him over. Fan Xian knew Lin Wan'er suffered from consumption and felt extremely pained in his heart.
Lin Gong also said that because of this illness, Lin Wan'er had abstained from meat and strong-flavored foods since childhood, having a bland diet. Fan Xian immediately retorted that Lin Wan'er was precisely weak and needed meat and strong flavors to replenish energy. He also emphasized the need to open windows often for fresh air, but to close them at night to guard against others coming at night.
Lin Wan'er immediately understood that this was an implicit hint that he would come through the window tonight. Fan Xian wrote a prescription for Lin Wan'er and mentioned some precautions. When leaving, Lin Gong told Ruoruo that he owed her for this favor. But the marriage between Lin Wan'er and Fan Xian absolutely could not happen, because Wan'er already had someone in her heart, and that person was Guo Baokun.
Fan Xian found it unbelievable that Lin Wan'er liked Guo Baokun. He felt uneasy all the way. Fan Sizhe was also very surprised to hear that the chicken leg girl was Lin Wan'er. Knowing that the one who kicked him was Ye Ling'er, he could only accept his fate. Ye Ling'er was the only daughter of Ye Zhong, the Capital Guard. Ye Liuyun, one of the Four Grandmasters, was her grand-uncle.
She had practiced martial arts since childhood and loved to fight, making her famous in the capital. Since receiving the hint, Lin Wan'er had been feeling a mix of hope and fear, looking at the window intentionally and unintentionally. Ye Ling'er thought she was still worried about the marriage and proactively offered to stay with her tonight, and go to the Fan mansion tomorrow morning to challenge Fan Xian and give him a good beating.
In the middle of the night, Ye Ling'er stayed with Wan'er. She urged Wan'er to take a bath and went to bed by herself. Just then, Fan Xian jumped in through the window. In his hand, he was holding the carefully prepared 'love' chicken leg. When he happily lifted the bed curtain, to his surprise, it wasn't Lin Wan'er inside; Ye Ling'er was startled when she saw him. She quickly recovered and immediately started fighting fiercely, while constantly shouting "Thief!"
. Fan Xian originally didn't want to bother with her, until the chicken leg was kicked to the ground. He couldn't bear it anymore and also became serious. Lin Wan'er heard the commotion in the room after finishing her bath and quickly ran back. Seeing the two glaring at each other, she didn't know what to say for a moment. Only then did Ye Ling'er realize that the two might really have arranged to meet.
She felt relieved, marveling at her best friend's touching 'worldly love', while pulling Fan Xian and recalling the moves they just exchanged. Fan Xian could only respond perfunctorily. After a while, the girl realized something wasn't right and automatically retreated to stand guard for the two of them. Fan Xian finally got some alone time with Wan'er. He poured out his longing for her since their first meeting, which had haunted his dreams and lingered in his thoughts.
Wan'er seemed very moved, but suddenly took out a dagger. She questioned if this was a tactic developed from years of being a playboy, and that he wasn't Guo Baokun's attendant at all. Only then did Fan Xian realize that Lin Wan'er had looked for Guo Baokun for his sake. No matter how stern Wan'er was, Fan Xian saw that she actually still cared about him in her heart.
Seeing him approaching step by step, Wan'er, in desperation, pointed the dagger at herself, threatening him to leave immediately. Fan Xian was afraid she might accidentally hurt herself, so he reluctantly prepared to leave. But as he was about to leave, Wan'er called out to him again, asking who he really was. Fan Xian finally had the chance to tell her that he was Fan Xian.
To his surprise, upon hearing this, Wan'er thought he was playing a trick on her. Fan Xian argued repeatedly, and even pulled in Ruoruo as proof. Only then did Lin Wan'er become half-believing and half-doubting. To verify, she took out paper and ink and asked Fan Xian to write the poem he wrote that day at the poetry gathering again. Fan Xian could only comply.
Seeing the identical handwriting, Wan'er finally concluded that he was indeed Fan Xian, the Fan Xian she was engaged to. Just as the two were copying the poem, the maid who heard the noise outside insisted on entering the room to check. Ye Ling'er's attempt to stop her was unsuccessful. Fortunately, by the time the maid rushed into the room, Fan Xian had already left, and Wan'er was lying in bed, fast asleep.
Episode 12 Recap
After the maid left, Ye Ling'er quietly asked the feigning sleep Lin Wan'er where Fan Xian was. Just then, Fan Xian, who had been holding his breath and hiding under the quilt, finally poked his head out. Lin Wan'er awkwardly explained this was an emergency measure. Ye Ling'er held the chicken leg, not daring to look around randomly, and quickly left to continue keeping watch outside. Fan Xian played rogue on the bed and refused to get up.
Lin Wan'er was both shy and annoyed. Fan Xian only got up and sat on the edge of the bed when he saw she was anxious, sighing that his luck was truly too good. Accidentally meeting a girl he liked, who turned out to be his fiancée, this was a destined fate from heaven. Lin Wan'er sourly questioned his relationship with Si Lili.
Fan Xian quickly explained that he was innocent regarding her, saying all the trouble he caused before was for breaking off the engagement. He even thought that if His Majesty didn't agree, he would elope with her. Now that he knew she was that person, things were easy. Hearing his words, Lin Wan'er's heart was filled with joy, but she regretted that she suffered from consumption and was not that little maid who could go far away with him.
Fan Xian comforted Lin Wan'er, saying that as long as she took care, consumption could also be cured, and he would definitely cure her. The misunderstanding was resolved, but Fan Xian was still reluctant to leave. He sat by the bed and told Lin Wan'er stories to coax her to sleep. However, when modern love stories were viewed in ancient times, although Lin Wan'er envied them, she couldn't understand them.
Seeing Fan Xian's anxious look, Lin Wan'er told him to just tell her stories from Red Mansions in the future. After Fan Xian saw her slowly fall asleep, he quietly left. Both of them forgot that Ye Ling'er was still outside the door. The poor girl foolishly stood guard in the cold wind all night. Early the next morning, Lin Wan'er woke up refreshed. She saw the note Fan Xian left on the desk.
It read "Holding your hand, growing old together with you". She only felt the joy in her heart about to overflow. She unconsciously walked to the window and opened it, as if she could see Fan Xian this way. Ye Ling'er came to remind her to be careful of catching a cold from the wind. But before Wan'er had done anything, she sneezed several times. Seeing this, Lin Wan'er quickly asked Late Autumn to make her the Cold Spirit Powder.
Ye Ling'er didn't take this slight cold to heart. Since Lin Wan'er had someone she liked, she planned to go to the Fan mansion after breakfast to challenge Fan Xian, determined to beat him until he broke off the engagement himself. Lin Wan'er quickly stopped her and told her that Fan Xian was the person she liked. Although Ye Ling'er didn't understand the twists and turns involved, she still couldn't feel at ease in her heart.
She decided to go find Si Lili to find out what the relationship between the two was. The Eldest Princess summoned Lin Wan'er into the palace and happily told her good news: the engagement between Lin Wan'er and Fan Xian should be dissolved soon. Hearing this, Lin Wan'er was not happy but worried instead. She murmured, "Isn't this an imperial decree?" The Eldest Princess didn't notice her unease and explained that this was not a clear imperial decree after all.
Moreover, somehow the Second Prince also heard about this matter and was trying to help her break off the engagement. Coupled with her own wishes, it was highly likely to succeed. Seeing that the situation was not good, Lin Wan'er then stammered, "Actually, there's no need to be so rushed." The astute Eldest Princess immediately understood her hidden meaning. She didn't show anger on her face and only asked her what she was really thinking.
Wan'er explained that her previous eagerness to break off the engagement was due to a misunderstanding. The Eldest Princess pressed her on how the misunderstanding was resolved, asking if she had met Fan Xian. Lin Wan'er quickly shook her head. The Eldest Princess was reluctant to force her daughter and could only say, "Since you don't want to, then the matter of breaking off the engagement will not be rushed for now. We'll see later."
Fan Xian was busy in the kitchen early in the morning and made a sandwich breakfast in a good mood. Even though Teng Zijing was expressionless, it didn't dampen his good mood at all. Prince Jing's Heir came to find Fan Xian on behalf of the Second Prince, arranging to meet him tomorrow at Zui Xian Ju.
On the other side, Ye Ling'er approached Si Lili's pleasure boat by boat, but unexpectedly found the maid on the boat lying on the ground. When she approached to check, she found she was dead. She walked further into the boat and unexpectedly saw Si Lili talking with two women in white clothes and handing a token to one of them. She eavesdropped outside the room but accidentally sneezed because of her cold.
Seeing that the people inside were alarmed, she ran away but was still stabbed. Fortunately, she jumped into the water in time and escaped. Fan Xian carefully brewed a good medicine to clear the lungs and stop coughing for Wan'er. He also specially made a sachet extracted from over eighty kinds of flowers and leaves. But to Teng Zijing's nose, it smelled like five-spice duck. Fan Xian ignored this person who didn't understand romance.
Wearing night clothes, he skillfully climbed through the window into Wan'er's room. Lin Wan'er knew he was coming and had already sent everyone else away. It was just that she was a well-bred young lady after all, and she still felt that Fan Xian's behavior of climbing walls late at night was very abrupt. Fan Xian took out the medicine he had brewed himself, explaining that he wasn't being disrespectful but wanted to treat her illness.
Unexpectedly, Lin Wan'er suddenly fell asleep after drinking the medicine. Her face was flushed red and she was disoriented. Fan Xian quickly carried her back to bed to rest. Fan Xian sat by the bed watching Wan'er sleep and told her the secret he had always hidden in his heart. Actually, he usually joked around, but his heart was especially lonely. It wasn't until he met Wan'er that he felt this world became meaningful.
On the way back, Fan Xian ran alone on the empty street like a child, finally finding the direction of home. The next day, Fan Xian prepared to go to the Second Prince's appointment. Ruoruo was worried about him and wanted to go with him. She knew the Second Prince wanted to win her brother over.
Fan Xian understood that matters like princes contending for the throne could easily bring disaster upon the whole family, and he just wanted to stay away from it. Ruoruo, however, felt that after the last courtroom trial, the Crown Prince had remained hidden and inactive, which was worrying. Fan Xian comforted her, saying the Crown Prince couldn't just chop him down in the street. After saying that, he and Teng Zijing drove to Zui Xian Ju.
What he didn't know was that in a hidden house in the capital, two women released Cheng Jushu, an eighth-rank expert from Northern Qi, who had been locked in a box. It was precisely their intention to catch him off guard and take his life.
Episode 13 Recap
The Second Prince, Li Chengzhe, arrived at Zui Xian Ju early to wait for Fan Xian. Si Lili was brewing tea for him nearby, but as he drank, the cup inexplicably cracked. His heart sank, believing this was likely an ominous sign. Fan Xian and Teng Zijing chatted on their way. Teng Zijing told Fan Xian that his son had called out to him last night, so he was in an exceptionally good mood today.
Fan Xian told Teng Zijing that after marrying Lin Wan'er, he planned to return to Danzhou to live a peaceful life and invited Teng Zijing to come back with him so they could be neighbors. Teng Zijing laughed and said that as long as the money and land were sufficient, he didn't care where he went. Their carriage traveled all the way to Niulan Street, the same place where Fan Xian had beaten Guo Baokun last time.
Teng Zijing suddenly remembered that Fan Xian still owed him a cow. Fan Xian grumbled impatiently, saying he would buy it for him when they reached Danzhou. Teng Zijing sighed, saying he was fortunate to have met Fan Xian, which allowed him to let go of the resentment in his heart and find his wife and children again. He didn't know how to thank Fan Xian.
As they were talking, two women in white suddenly shot arrows at them with bows. Teng Zijing dodged skillfully and quickly dealt with one using hidden weapons. Fan Xian also cooperated with him to take care of the remaining one. Just as they relaxed, the carriage reached a corner, and the horse's leg triggered a mechanism, activating crossbows, instantly shooting and killing the horse.
Then, Cheng Jushu pulled Fan Xian through the wall and dragged him into a courtyard, throwing him heavily onto the ground. Teng Zijing recognized Cheng Jushu. He stepped forward to fight him, but Cheng Jushu's actions were erratic yet his strength was immense. Teng Zijing, who specialized in hidden weapons, was no match for him. After several rounds of fighting, the furniture in the room was shattered.
A candle on the table fell to the ground, quickly setting the entire room on fire. Seeing that the situation was bad, Fan Xian and Teng Zijing barely managed to knock down Cheng Jushu by working together. However, Cheng Jushu was an eighth-rank expert; he couldn't be defeated so easily. Teng Zijing was already severely wounded and couldn't stand up. In despair, Fan Xian wanted Teng Zijing to leave first, but Teng Zijing refused.
He rushed forward and used his life to block Cheng Jushu for Fan Xian. Watching Teng Zijing being beaten to death right before his eyes, Fan Xian was filled with rage and hatred. The Overlord's True Qi within him surged. With a forceful strike, he actually embedded Cheng Jushu two inches into the ground and then violently struck his head. Cheng Jushu was finally defeated, but Fan Xian was not much better off. He fainted, unable to catch his breath.
After an unknown amount of time, Fan Xian was groggily woken by Wang Qinian. His first action was to look for Teng Zijing, but Wang Qinian sadly told him that Teng Zijing could no longer be woken up. Learning that Teng Zijing didn't even have time to leave a last word, Fan Xian was filled with sorrow and hatred. He picked up the dagger on the ground, intending to kill Cheng Jushu for revenge.
Wang Qinian, however, stopped him, saying that only if Cheng Jushu was alive could they find the mastermind behind the attack. Fan Xian had no choice but to ask Wang Qinian to send Teng Zijing back to the Fan mansion. He would personally go to the Investigator's Office tomorrow to inquire about the results. After saying that, he limped back. He walked step by step through the streets covered in blood.
Ruoruo, hearing that something had happened to Fan Xian, quickly rushed over. Fan Xian had completely calmed down. He asked Ruoruo to help him inform the Second Prince that he would likely miss the appointment today and told her that he had decided not to return to Danzhou anymore. When the Second Prince learned that Fan Xian had been assassinated, he couldn't help but worry. Although this matter was not his doing, on the surface, he was the most suspicious.
After returning to the mansion, Fan Xian sat alone in his room without saying a word. Fan Sizhe kept peeking outside the room. Seeing that he had reset his own arm and hadn't lost control of his emotions, he thought everything should be fine. However, Liu Ruyu knew that Fan Xian was just suppressing his emotions. She told Fan Sizhe to quickly find Fan Jian to comfort him. Fan Xian ate as if nothing had happened.
Fan Jian came and told him that Cheng Jushu had been taken to the Investigator's Office and that Ruoruo had been waiting outside the Investigator's Office for the result. He then asked him who he thought was behind it. Although Fan Xian said the Second Prince was the most suspicious, he had already determined in his heart that it was the Crown Prince.
Fan Jian could only remind him that this matter was of great importance and cautioned him not to act rashly. Fan Xian did not reply. Lin Wan'er, upon hearing about the events of the day, had been waiting for Fan Xian. When Fan Xian saw her, he finally released his suppressed emotions.
He cursed Teng Zijing for being a fool, saying that he had promised to live only for his family and leave first when encountering danger, so why didn't he follow through? Lin Wan'er listened as he told her the story of him and Teng Zijing. She comforted Fan Xian, saying that Teng Zijing was willing to give his life to save him because he had long considered him family.
In this world, if there is no one you are willing to die for, life is truly meaningless. Although he died, he died without regret. Emperor Qing summoned the Crown Prince and the Second Prince and questioned them about who was behind today's incident. Both denied it. The Crown Prince pushed the responsibility onto Northern Qi, but the Second Prince disagreed, believing that Fan Xian only had grudges with the Crown Prince in the capital.
Emperor Qing did not want to listen to them bickering. After saying a few brief words, he dismissed them. At this moment, Eunuch Hou brought a secret report from the Investigator's Office. Emperor Qing was surprised that the Investigator's Office wanted Cheng Jushu and immediately ordered him to inform Fan Xian of this news. Fan Xian stayed overnight with Lin Wan'er, and Lin Wan'er stayed with him the whole time.
Until early morning, just as Fan Xian was preparing to leave, Fan Ruoruo arrived at the Lin mansion early and told Fan Xian that the Investigator's Office was going to release Cheng Jushu. After hearing this, Fan Xian immediately went to Wang Qinian to inquire. Wang Qinian told him that the Director was not in the capital, and all matters of the Investigator's Office were currently being handled by Zhu Ge, the Head of the First Bureau.
Fan Xian asked him to take him to see Zhu Ge. Along the way, Wang Qinian kept telling Fan Xian that Zhu Ge had followed the Director for many years, held a high position, and had a strict personality, warning him to speak and act cautiously. Fan Xian didn't listen to a word of it. Upon meeting Zhu Ge, he immediately questioned him about the reason for releasing Cheng Jushu.
Zhu Ge initially did not want to deal with him, but seeing him take out his Commander's Token and question him repeatedly, he took out an urgent report from the Ministry of War and told him that the Northern border armies were already in emergency deployment, and a national war was on the verge of breaking out.
The plan for this war against Northern Qi had been long in the making, but the timing of the war had to be controlled by their side. If Cheng Jushu were killed at this time, it would likely provoke Northern Qi's dissatisfaction and give them a pretext. If Northern Qi were to advance because of this, it would likely disrupt the nation's important affairs.
Moreover, Cheng Jushu had old ties with a Northern Qi general and was willing to provide detailed military intelligence from Northern Qi if spared. Fan Xian became increasingly angry as he listened. Could it be that a human life could only be exchanged for a transaction? Zhu Ge blurted out that the person who died was merely a guard. Fan Xian was both anxious and angry.
The inscription on the stone tablet outside the Investigator's Office stated that life is born equal. A guard is also a person, with a wife and children. Zhu Ge had no time to listen to this and directly stated that a decision had been made on this matter and even issued an order that even if Fan Xian used his Commander's Token, Cheng Jushu was absolutely not to be handed over.
Fan Xian was so angry that tears welled up in his eyes. He questioned whether Zhu Ge could live with himself acting in this manner. After saying that, he left the Investigator's Office in indignation. Prince Jing's Heir came to apologize to Fan Xian on behalf of the Second Prince, stating that the assassination absolutely had nothing to do with the Second Prince.
Fan Xian asked him to help him get Cheng Jushu out so he could kill him to avenge Teng Zijing, but Prince Jing's Heir helplessly stated that the Investigator's Office was an independent entity, and by Emperor Qing's decree, no member of the royal family could interfere; even the Crown Prince had no right to question its affairs. He suggested that Fan Xian spend more money to compensate Teng Zijing's wife and children.
Fan Xian retorted by asking him how much money he would pay to save his own family's life. Prince Jing's Heir was momentarily speechless. Knowing that no one in the capital dared to defy the Investigator's Office, Fan Xian took out money and asked Wang Qinian to help him investigate the exact time Cheng Jushu would leave. After returning to the mansion, Fan Xian placed Teng Zijing's coffin in the courtyard and waited for Wang Qinian's news.
Soon, Wang Qinian came to inform him that in half an hour, Cheng Jushu would be sent out from the North Gate and leave the capital by water. He suggested that Fan Xian ambush him in a small woods outside the city. However, Fan Xian went directly to the North Gate. He wanted to take revenge in broad daylight and see if justice still existed in this world.
Episode 14 Recap
Fan Xian stopped Cheng Jushu, loudly declared his crimes in front of all the citizens, stated that someone wanted to make a deal with him but he wouldn't, and since the overall situation prevented others from killing him, he would do it himself. Cheng Jushu actually burst into laughter upon hearing this. He forcefully pushed away the two Investigator's Office envoys escorting him, then rushed forward and began fighting with Fan Xian.
Fan Xian took out Teng Zijing's dagger that he had prepared. Remembering what Teng Zijing had told him, he struck fiercely and without mercy. Zhu Ge anticipated that Fan Xian would not let go easily, so he had the experts from the First Bureau lie in ambush in the small woods to react, but he didn't expect Fan Xian to make his move in the street. He immediately went there himself to stop him.
After a round of fighting, Cheng Jushu, severely wounded, was no match for him and was spitting blood. Just then, Teng Zijing's son appeared from somewhere. He saw Cheng Jushu and greeted him very naturally, not afraid of him like everyone else. Cheng Jushu actually smiled when he saw him. He wiped the blood from his hands, gently touched the child's head, and then abruptly charged towards Fan Xian.
Fan Xian was still worried that Cheng Jushu would harm the child. Seeing this, he immediately stepped forward and forcefully thrust the dagger into Cheng Jushu's body, not forgetting to tell the child to turn his head away. Before Cheng Jushu died, Fan Xian asked him why he didn't take the child hostage.
Cheng Jushu weakly said that since he was born, his appearance was ugly, and those who saw him felt fear or disgust, either begging him to kill someone or staying far away. Only this child had offered him fruit. Hearing Cheng Jushu's words, the child innocently said that the big guy ate pears as fast as a child. Fan Xian couldn't describe the feeling in his heart. Just then, Zhu Ge arrived.
He immediately ordered his men to apprehend Fan Xian. Fan Xian did not resist, but sternly told the child not to look back and to quickly go home. Upon returning to the Investigator's Office, Zhu Ge sternly questioned Fan Xian on why he disobeyed orders from above. He not only confiscated his Commander's Token but also ordered him to be imprisoned in the dungeon.
When the news reached the palace, Eunuch Hou worriedly said that with this happening in broad daylight, the news would likely not be suppressed. Emperor Qing, however, did not get angry; instead, he smiled and praised Fan Xian, saying that this was a move made after assessing the situation, and the kill was excellent. He ordered Eunuch Hou to immediately draft an imperial decree to save Fan Xian.
Zhu Ge was about to personally escort Fan Xian to the dungeon, but he was stopped by a group of people from the Third Bureau. Fan Xian was Fei Jie's disciple, and the Third Bureau was personally brought up by Fei Jie. In a way, Fan Xian was their junior fellow disciple. The person in charge pleaded with Zhu Ge, believing that even if he made many mistakes, he shouldn't be put in the dungeon.
Zhu Ge didn't want to waste words with these 'poison masters'. He sternly declared that anyone obstructing would be charged with treason. Unexpectedly, everyone from the Third Bureau laughed upon hearing this. Zhu Ge, unable to bear it any longer, placed the sword in his hand against Fan Xian's neck, telling them to move aside. Seeing that the situation was dire, Fan Xian promptly stopped these kind senior fellow disciples, stating that he could handle this small matter himself.
Zhu Ge told Fan Xian that Fei Jie was not in the capital, and the people from the Third Bureau were like dragons without a head, unable to achieve anything. Fan Xian had disrupted his plan to attack Qi, and no one could save him today. As soon as he finished speaking, Wang Qinian appeared from somewhere and brazenly blocked Zhu Ge and his group.
Zhu Ge was about to get angry, but Wang Qinian took out the Investigator's Office information about Cheng Jushu, stating that Fan Xian was not only blameless but also meritorious, because Cheng Jushu had no Northern Qi general he was friendly with at all, and this deal was likely an attempt to send false intelligence. He implored Zhu Ge to be lenient.
Unexpectedly, Zhu Ge coldly said that he had already thoroughly investigated Cheng Jushu's background, and it was precisely to use his own scheme against him. Fan Xian killing Cheng Jushu had disrupted his plan. The more Zhu Ge thought about it, the angrier he got. He directly told Fan Xian that since the Director was not in the capital, no one could save him. But no sooner had he finished speaking than someone called out to him again.
Zhu Ge turned back and found that the person was none other than Yan Ruohai, Head of the Fourth Bureau. Yan Bingyun had been demoted to Northern Qi because of Fan Xian, with his life uncertain. Zhu Ge didn't understand why Yan Ruohai would still save Fan Xian. Yan Ruohai said expressionlessly that he was just here to deliver a message, and then produced Emperor Qing's secret decree.
Zhu Ge had no choice but to let Fan Xian go and return his Commander's Token to him. After Fan Xian left, Yan Ruohai told Zhu Ge that it was precisely because Fan Xian publicly killed Cheng Jushu, a Northern Qi expert, which was also considered a popular tale in the streets. Now that war was imminent, Emperor Qing was protecting not Fan Xian, but the citizens' proud spirit and indomitable fighting will.
On the other side, Si Lili set the pleasure boat on fire, then rode out of the city with over a dozen similarly dressed people on horseback, leaving the capital separately. After leaving the Investigator's Office, Fan Xian gave Wang Qinian money and asked him to continue helping investigate the mastermind behind the assassination, and then used a carriage to take Teng Zijing's body home.
Teng Zijing's son was very happy to see Fan Xian and asked Fan Xian why he was fighting with the big guy in the box. Fan Xian did not answer, but only asked him where he had seen him. The child told him it was in the courtyard next to the stable on Dashu Street. The child pulled Fan Xian to find his mother. Teng Zijing's wife had sat by the oil lamp all night, with a faint premonition.
After sending the child away, although it was difficult to speak, Fan Xian still told Teng Zijing's wife that he had been assassinated on the streets of the capital and Teng Zijing had died saving him. He knelt down and begged her for forgiveness. Teng Zijing's wife vomited blood in grief after hearing this. She told Fan Xian that Teng Zijing had told her that staying was not for repaying kindness, but because he considered Fan Xian a kindred spirit.
This path was his own choice, and as his wife, she could not interfere, but she could not forgive him. Therefore, she asked Fan Xian to visit less in the future because she didn't want her son to be harmed because of this. Fan Xian felt guilty and could only leave with tears in his eyes. After returning, Fan Xian asked Wang Qinian to find a few people in the capital to secretly protect Teng Zijing's wife and son.
Wang Qinian told Fan Xian that he had secretly looked at a confidential report from the First Bureau and found that the two female assassins were disciples and grand-disciples of the Grandmaster Sigujian from Dongyi City, and the crossbows they used were military weapons. The Four Great Grandmasters were all extraordinary individuals. Even if they wanted to kill him, they wouldn't do it so stealthily. There must be someone else behind this.
To further pursue the clues, Fan Xian brought Wang Qinian to the courtyard on Dashu Street and unexpectedly found a dropped token. Wang Qinian felt that the symbol on the token looked familiar, but that confidential report was in Zhu Ge's hands. Wang Qinian volunteered to investigate, as he was already familiar with this kind of matter.
Late at night, Wang Qinian snuck into the First Bureau to search for the confidential document and indeed found the same symbol as on the token. However, when he came out, he saw Zhu Ge waiting for him with a group of people from the First Bureau. Fortunately, Wang Qinian's Qinggong was excellent, and seeing the situation was bad, he immediately slipped away.
On the other side, Fan Xian went to the home of the Brigadier General who had lost military weapons to investigate, but unexpectedly found that everyone in the Brigadier General's entire household had hanged themselves.
Episode 15 Recap
Wang Qinian arrived at the Brigadier General's mansion to meet Fan Xian. Learning that the entire household had been wiped out, he somewhat regretted not telling them about the matter sooner, thinking perhaps this disaster could have been avoided. Fan Xian, however, felt that the other party's purpose in doing this was to threaten him and make him stop.
Wang Qinian sighed, saying the murderer must hold a high and powerful position to wipe out the Brigadier General's household so quickly. He had already found out that the token was for a Northern Qi spy line, and Cheng Jushu was likely a Northern Qi spy. Fan Xian said sarcastically that he was truly honored to have unknown big figures team up with Northern Qi to kill him.
Even so, he would investigate thoroughly and not let Teng Zijing die in vain. Setting aside these superficial details, and returning directly to the assassination itself, Fan Xian suspected that Si Lili from the Drunken Immortal Inn had leaked his whereabouts. Thinking back now, this girl did not seem like an ordinary courtesan at all. The two came to the Drunken Immortal Inn but found the main gate closed.
Upon inquiring, they learned that Si Lili's pleasure boat had been burned down this afternoon, the authorities were currently investigating, and Si Lili was said to have left the capital. Fan Xian felt somewhat disheartened after learning that Si Lili's whereabouts were unknown.
Wang Qinian told Fan Xian not to worry, saying that in the Investigator's Office, there were two great tracking experts: one named Zong Zhui, who always followed the Director and was currently not in the capital, and the other was him. Fan Xian didn't understand why Wang Qinian, with this skill, was just a small clerk. Wang Qinian, however, thought being a clerk was the safest.
Now that he had been dismissed from the Investigator's Office, he still had to support his family, so he hoped to help under Fan Xian. Wang Qinian felt he could track down Si Lili, but leaving the capital on this journey would likely encounter many dangers, even risking his life. He hoped Fan Xian would consider carefully. Fan Xian naturally felt it was his duty and could not refuse.
Having made the decision, Wang Qinian suggested he go home to get his things first. When he arrived at his doorstep, he didn't go in but cautiously checked if his wife was asleep. Fan Xian found his furtive appearance amusing, never expecting Wang Qinian to be so afraid of his wife. As expected, not long after Wang Qinian went in, the sounds of a woman scolding and a man begging for mercy came from inside.
After a while, Wang Qinian sheepishly came out with a box on his back, and a fresh handprint on his face. Seeing Wang Qinian's resigned expression, and noting that there was still time, Fan Xian decided to go and say goodbye to Lin Wan'er first. The night was deep. Fan Xian, as usual, climbed through the window and slipped into Lin Wan'er's room, only to see that Lin Wan'er was not asleep but sitting at her table lost in thought.
Lin Wan'er had heard about the day's events and was somewhat worried. She felt relieved only after learning that he was seeking revenge for Teng Zijing. Fan Xian told her that Si Lili was involved in the assassination and had now escaped. He was going to pursue and bring her back, and he told her not to worry about him. When leaving, Fan Xian wanted to give Lin Wan'er a hug.
Lin Wan'er did not move, but when he turned to leave, Lin Wan'er couldn't help but rush up and embrace Fan Xian, telling him that she would worry about him every day and that if he didn't want her to be troubled, he should come back soon. At dawn, Wang Qinian and Fan Xian planned to leave the city.
Unexpectedly, Zhu Ge brought his subordinates and waited at the city gate to stop them, declaring that he would arrest Wang Qinian. Fortunately, at this moment, Fan Jian arrived in time to plead for Fan Xian, and only then did Zhu Ge flick his sleeves and leave. Learning that Fan Xian was leaving the city to pursue Si Lili, Fan Jian was worried but didn't say much, only telling him to be careful.
Emperor Qing heard about this matter and summoned Fan Jian to the palace, blaming him for exceeding his authority. Fan Jian, however, wasn't worried at all. He had followed Emperor Qing for many years and, being in charge of the Ministry of Revenue's finances, naturally had Emperor Qing's deep trust. Fan Jian knew that Emperor Qing wanted to entrust the Imperial Treasury to Fan Xian but was worried if he had the capability.
Emperor Qing not stopping Fan Xian from seeking revenge, and even helping him, was to see if he could maintain a clear head while in a fit of rage, and if he possessed keen analytical and problem-solving abilities. Emperor Qing smiled without speaking. Fan Jian bet that Fan Xian would definitely catch Si Lili. Fan Xian and Wang Qinian inquired and learned that Si Lili had been heading north, but the exact route was unknown. Wang Qinian was prepared.
He took out a slingshot, chose the right moment, and shot down a carrier pigeon from the Investigator's Office, which contained information about Si Lili. Fan Xian worried that doing this would arouse the Investigator's Office's suspicion. Wang Qinian told him not to worry, saying he used to raise pigeons and had investigated, so he knew that a certain loss of carrier pigeons on the road was normal.
Subsequently, Wang Qinian took out his homemade map and analyzed that Si Lili would definitely pass through a town on her way back to Northern Qi. On the other side, Zhu Ge made the same arrangement. He ordered secret agents from various routes to lie in ambush in the small town, ready to apprehend Si Lili as soon as she showed up.
Wang Qinian optimistically believed that as long as they intercepted the people escorting Si Lili back to the city, then Fan Xian could take out his Commander's Token and interrogate Si Lili alone, and no one would dare to stop him. After listening to Wang Qinian, Fan Xian consistently felt something was off.
He carefully pondered Si Lili's actions and finally concluded that her setting fire to the pleasure boat and having similarly dressed people scatter to attract attention was not ultimately aimed at escaping by creating chaos, but rather at drawing the tiger away from the mountain. She had not fled north at all. Thinking of this, Fan Xian asked Wang Qinian if there were other ways to get to Northern Qi if not heading north.
After pondering, Wang Qinian suggested that there was indeed such a route, heading east to a coastal city and then returning to Northern Qi by water. Si Lili was indeed taking this route. After waiting for the arranged people and horses to leave the capital, she used the excuse of leaving the city to see a doctor and got past the guards.
After that, she rode east at full speed until she passed an inn, where she finally stopped to catch her breath and prepare to rest. Unexpectedly, shortly after she checked in, Fan Xian and Wang Qinian also tracked her to this inn. Fan Xian wanted to continue on, but Wang Qinian, relying on his experience, stopped him. When trying to catch someone, resting is often more important than rushing the journey.
Si Lili heard Fan Xian's voice from inside her room and quickly hid behind the door. Wang Qinian, however, didn't notice and simply asked the waiter to open a superior room for them to rest. Si Lili originally wanted to seize the opportunity to leave, but then hesitated. When she saw the waiter bringing food to the two, she suddenly waved and called out to the waiter. Wang Qinian and Fan Xian rested in their room.
After receiving the food, Wang Qinian was still talking non-stop about how Si Lili, traveling alone, surely couldn't go fast. Just as he was about to pick up his chopsticks, Fan Xian instantly saw that the food was poisoned. Fan Xian went out and called the waiter who delivered the food. The waiter lied, claiming the food came from the kitchen and no one had touched it.
Fan Xian then pulled him into the room, pointed at Wang Qinian on the floor, bleeding from his seven orifices, and threatened to report him to the authorities. In a panic, the waiter finally confessed that the girl from the room across the hall had touched the food just now.
Episode 16 Recap
The waiter, in a panic, told Fan Xian that the girl staying across the hall just now, under the pretense of checking the inn's food, had looked at these dishes. Hearing this, Wang Qinian, who was lying on the ground pretending to be dead, scrambled up with a roll and rushed to the room across the hall, but he was still a step late. The room was empty.
Wang Qinian smelled the lingering scent of Chen Guang incense, which was commonly used at the Drunken Immortal Inn, and determined that the person just now must have been Si Lili. After the two inquired about Si Lili's whereabouts from the inn waiter, they sped quickly in the direction of Pi Jia Qiu. As they chased through a bamboo grove, Wang Qinian found fresh horse manure on the ground.
After identifying it, he confirmed that the horse had eaten the same horse feed as at the inn just now. Seeing Si Lili was just ahead, Fan Xian, however, always felt that everything was too smooth. Si Lili knew he was skilled in poisons, yet she only used ordinary poison, and then told the innkeeper her destination, as if deliberately waiting for them to catch up.
But given the urgency of the situation, he couldn't worry about too much; he just had to wait until he caught up with Si Lili. Wang Qinian judged based on the fatigue level of Si Lili's horse that they would definitely catch up to her early the next morning. In fact, not long after, they found Si Lili in a pavilion by the roadside. She was sitting there leisurely with just her and her horse, waiting for them to approach.
As soon as Fan Xian saw Si Lili, he questioned if she was a Northern Qi spy. Si Lili nodded but did not admit that the Niu Lan Street assassination was orchestrated by her. Fan Xian knew this matter was not as simple as it appeared. He wanted to bring Si Lili back to the capital for interrogation, but Si Lili remained calm and asked them in return if they knew why she had poisoned them and led them here.
A thought suddenly struck Fan Xian, recalling the innkeeper mentioning that bandits were rampant near Pi Jia Qiu. As soon as he finished speaking, dozens of bandits who had been ambushed there surrounded the two. Only then did Fan Xian understand that these bandits were also Northern Qi spies. Si Lili smiled proudly at the two, flipped onto her horse, and continued to leave. But she hadn't gone far when she heard the roar of hooves getting closer and closer.
Nearly a hundred elite cavalrymen in black armor gradually forced her back towards Fan Xian. Wang Qinian recognized that this group was the Director's most elite force – the black knights. Wang Qinian guessed that since the black knights had arrived, the Director shouldn't be far away. Fan Xian was just about to meet this legendary figure when the Head of the Sixth Office, Shadow, who led the group, told the two that the Director had not come.
Instead, he was instructed to pass a message to Fan Xian: let him do as he pleased, and even if the sky fell, he would prop it back up. When Fan Xian needed him the most, he would appear by his side. Wang Qinian quietly told Fan Xian that this Lord Shadow was the Investigator's Office's publicly recognized most fearsome assassin. He followed the Director year-round, but no one had ever seen his face or knew his name.
Looking at Si Lili, who was surrounded, Fan Xian couldn't help but sigh with emotion: with a thousand cavalry sweeping across, all schemes become a joke. This was true power. Wang Qinian worried that someone might come to silence them on the way back to the capital and suggested Fan Xian act discreetly. Fan Xian, however, did the opposite.
He took a piece of cloth, openly wrote "Escorting Northern Qi spy Si Lili back to the capital" on it, and when they reached the city, he told everyone he met. Soon, this news reached the Second Prince and the Princess. The Princess was playing chess with the Crown Prince when she heard the news. Her brows furrowed, and she half-seriously suggested killing Fan Xian before he entered the capital, so his marriage contract with Wan'er would be void.
Fortunately, the Crown Prince was worried that this would arouse Emperor Qing's suspicion, so she lightly brushed it off, saying it was just a joke. On the way back, people constantly tried to take Si Lili from Fan Xian. Fan Xian told Si Lili that no matter which side she fell into, she would suffer severe torture, and only by cooperating with him could she preserve her life.
Si Lili was meticulous in her thoughts, and this secret was now her last lifeline. Naturally, she was unwilling to easily reveal it, and Fan Xian was helpless. After finally making it back to Kyoto, just as they reached the city gate, several parties, including the Ministry of Justice, had already gathered there waiting for him. Fan Xian took out his Commander's Token, but the person in charge asked him for the document authorizing the arrest.
Fan Xian was in a difficult situation, but fortunately, Yan Ruohai arrived with His Majesty's official document and successfully rescued him. Fan Xian thought Yan Ruohai would let him be the main interrogator for Si Lili's case, but Yan Ruohai told him that now that they were in Kyoto, the matter should be handled by the Investigator's Office, and as a party involved, he should avoid suspicion.
Although Fan Xian was reluctant, he could only hand Si Lili over to him. When Fan Ruoruo heard the news that Fan Xian had successfully captured Si Lili and returned to the capital, she was more worried than happy. After much thought, she took the initiative to go to the Eastern Palace to request a meeting with the Crown Prince.
She told the Crown Prince that she was willing to help him monitor Fan Xian and seek a slim chance of survival for the Fan Mansion in the future. The Crown Prince was half-doubting of her offer but did not refuse. After parting ways with Wang Qinian, Fan Xian felt sad and went to the Royal Villa to see Lin Wan'er, hoping to talk with her and calm himself down.
Lin Wan'er knew he would not be willing to give up, so she suggested he find Ye Ling'er, because she had gone to the Drunken Immortal Inn looking for Si Lili, but two days later, news spread that she had fallen into the water and been rescued, possibly because she had seen something. While the two were talking, the Second Young Master Lin Gong suddenly rushed in. He impolitely drew his sword and slashed at Fan Xian.
Fan Xian did not want to fight him, so he faked a few moves and then slipped away. After leaving the Royal Villa, Fan Xian came to find Ye Ling'er and asked her the reason for falling into the water a few days ago. Hearing this, Ye Ling'er's already pale face turned even paler. After much thought, she actually begged Fan Xian not to press her further, because she could not risk her entire Ye family. Fan Xian did not want to make things difficult for her, only secretly guessing that the status of the person behind it must be quite high.
Episode 17 Recap
Si Lili was taken away by the Investigator's Office, Ye Ling'er refused to tell the truth, the clues were exhausted, the road ahead was blocked. To avenge Teng Zijing, Fan Xian had only one path left. In the afternoon, Fan Xian was leisurely eating in the courtyard. Not long after, Wang Qinian climbed over the wall carrying a large box. It was the same wine jar, the familiar face-plant.
Wang Qinian got up holding his old waist and muttered, complaining why Fan Xian didn't move the wine jar. Fan Xian laughed, saying he always sneaked in like this, and if he moved the wine jar, how would he know he had arrived. The two bantered for a few moments. Fan Xian handed him the promised silver note and said that the tasks concerning 'niu', 'di', and 'zhu' had already been assigned. Wang Qinian was very satisfied.
Fan Xian then asked a couple of casual questions about his wife and child. While asking, Fan Xian suddenly blurted out where Si Lili was being held, and Wang Qinian answered truthfully without hesitation. Immediately, Fan Xian asked Wang Qinian to draw a map of the Investigator's Office's entrances and exits, as well as the guard situation. Wang Qinian knew he was going to take a great risk, but he did it anyway.
Just then, Fan Ruoruo came to find Fan Xian and told him about her visit to the Eastern Palace today. Ruoruo had always suspected that the Crown Prince wanted to kill Fan Xian. Her visit revealed that the Crown Prince was not as the outside world claimed, being inferior to the Second Prince and weak in character, but rather a person who was good at hiding and had a deep scheming mind.
It is worth mentioning that although she could not tell if the Crown Prince intended to kill Fan Xian, she discovered a secret. There were many paintings of ladies in the Crown Prince's study, each lifelike but without facial features. It was likely because he was deeply in love and did not want others to know the identity of the woman. Ruoruo deduced that the person the Crown Prince liked might be Si Lili.
Because of her identity as a Northern Qi spy, he could not be close to her, which was why he attacked Fan Xian, who had spent a night with Si Lili. Fan Xian was speechless after hearing this. If it were true, the plot would be too melodramatic. Wang Qinian finished drawing a rough map of the Investigator's Office dungeon and gave it to Fan Xian. That night, Fan Xian, dressed in a night suit, planned to sneak in.
Unexpectedly, on the way, Wang Qinian suddenly appeared. He knew Fan Xian was determined to go, so he wanted to give Fan Xian his prized possession. Fan Xian refused his kind offer, knowing that if he were caught, he would likely implicate Wang Qinian. He arrived at the entrance of the Investigator's Office and saw the inscription left by Ye Qingmei on the stone tablet. Only then did he understand why Ye Qingmei wanted to change this world.
People are born without noble or humble status, but in this world, status is everything. The Investigator's Office was heavily guarded. Fan Xian followed the map and quickly entered the dungeon during a guard gap. Unbeknownst to him, as soon as he entered, the guards who had just left quickly returned to their original positions, as if the gap was deliberately created for him to enter. The dungeon was empty, with only Si Lili locked alone in an iron cell.
As soon as Fan Xian saw her, he proposed an exchange. Si Lili asked him to turn his head and look first. Fan Xian quickly turned around, only to find that Yan Ruohai was already waiting for him in the cell. Yan Ruohai did not explain, only took out a key and told him he was the chief interrogator.
Sending him away at noon today was also to worry that the person behind it would know he was the chief interrogator and might do something unfavorable to Fan Xian if cornered. Then he left. Seeing this scene, Si Lili did not understand Fan Xian's status, that he was so highly valued by the Investigator's Office. Zhu Ge waited for Yan Ruohai at the entrance of the dungeon. He did not understand why Yan Ruohai was protecting Fan Xian.
Yan Ruohai told him that it was the Director's intention and that he was just following orders. Fan Xian told Si Lili that her life was now in his hands and asked her to tell him the ins and outs of the Niu Lan Street assassination. Only then did Si Lili have no choice but to tell the truth. She was originally from Northern Qi, tasked with lurking, and had the authority to coordinate her colleagues in Kyoto.
Except for orders from the Northern Qi imperial family, she was not subject to any restrictions. Until someone discovered her identity as a spy, and Cheng Jushu, who was lurking outside the capital, was also captured by this person and secretly sent into the capital. Logically, only important figures in Northern Qi had the right to know Cheng Jushu's whereabouts. She guessed that her own identity was also leaked by high-level Northern Qi officials.
Cheng Jushu was unruly and did not yield to coercion, but would act according to a token. That person then came to the Drunken Immortal Inn and forced Si Lili to hand over her spy token. On that day, she did not know that the person they wanted to kill was Fan Xian. After hearing about the Niu Lan Street assassination, she burned her boat and left the capital, but she was still caught back by Fan Xian.
Fan Xian pressed her for the identity of the person behind it, but Si Lili insisted that she would never tell unless he let her leave the city. Si Lili had undergone spy training and was not afraid of torture. Fan Xian knew that the only way to deal with someone like her was psychological attack.
He told Si Lili that he would not torture her, but would dig a sufficiently small secret room in the deepest part of the Investigator's Office dungeon, where she would be locked alone, without light or any sound, only endless darkness and silence. Hearing his words, Si Lili involuntarily became nervous, but stubbornly said she could die. Fan Xian smiled at her words.
He directly threw out a bottle of poison and told her that taking one pill would result in instant death. He could see that Si Lili had no intention of dying; she had even remembered to tidy her hair before going down to the dungeon. How could someone who couldn't let go of her appearance let go of her life? Pushed step by step by him, her psychological defense finally collapsed, and she told him the mastermind through tears.
Wang Qinian was still worried about Fan Xian. He followed close behind to check the situation, but was caught by Zhu Ge and others. Wang Qinian pitifully told them that he had come to get the silver noteed in a document. Zhu Ge was half-believing and sent someone to verify. After the interrogation, Fan Xian took out a piece of paper and gave it to Zhu Ge. On it was a list of Northern Qi spies in Kyoto.
He also told him that he had promised to spare Si Lili's life and not torture her, only imprison her. Zhu Ge questioned his authority. Yan Ruohai interrupted, saying that Fan Xian did have this authority because it was the Director's intention. Fan Xian saw Wang Qinian and did not expect him to be willing to take such a risk for him, sighing that he was a good person.
The next day, Fan Xian had Fan Sizhe clear the way, leading a group of people with drums and gongs to the Royal Villa to request an audience with Lin Wan'er. The Second Young Master was so angry when he heard the news that his face turned green. He ordered his subordinates to strengthen defenses and kill Fan Xian as soon as he entered the courtyard. Wan'er was very anxious seeing her second brother and her beloved at loggerheads.
She secretly sent a maid to warn Fan Xian. At the gate of the Royal Villa, Fan Sizhe's group made a commotion. As expected, a maid opened the door. Fan Xian went in with her. On the way, he met Wan'er's maid. The maid whispered for him to leave quickly, saying the Second Young Master wanted to kill him. As soon as she finished speaking, dozens of waiting guards surrounded them.
Fan Xian was outnumbered and had no choice but to climb over the wall and leave. Only then did Wan'er relax. Lin Gong simply told her not to have any more illusions about Fan Xian, as their father had already decided to cancel the marriage.
Fan Xian came to find Ye Ling'er and told her that he already knew the person who gave the order was Lin Wan'er's second brother, Lin Gong, and that after investigation, Lin Gong was a firm supporter of the Crown Prince. Ye Ling'er saw that he indeed knew and advised him to just drop the matter and not bring disaster upon the entire Fan Mansion for the sake of a mere guard.
Episode 18 Recap
Lin Wan'er did not understand why her second brother wanted to target Fan Xian. Although Fan Xian seemed unconventional, he was sometimes very good at speaking and also reliable in his actions. Lin Gong told her that no matter what kind of person Fan Xian was, it was impossible for them to be together. The reason he did not want her to marry Fan Xian was that he did not want her to be implicated.
Fan Xian told Fan Ruoruo that the person behind the Niu Lan Street assassination was Lin Gong, the Second Young Master of the Prime Minister's residence, and that he had already confirmed this from Ye Ling'er. Fan Ruoruo was puzzled after hearing this. She did not know why he would do this and suspected that he was a supporter of the Crown Prince. Fan Xian still insisted on avenging Teng Zijing.
However, Fan Ruoruo reminded him that Lin Gong and Lin Wan'er were biological siblings. If he killed Lin Gong, then there would be no possibility for him and Lin Wan'er. This was a difficult choice, but it could only be decided by Fan Xian himself. Lin Wan'er told Ye Ling'er about Fan Xian's matter. She always felt that her second brother and Fan Xian were hiding something else from her.
Ye Ling'er knew the truth in her heart but could not tell her, only asking her how she would choose between family affection and love. Lin Wan'er did not know that for so many years, only her second brother Lin Gong had been truly sincere to her, while Fan Xian was the person she was determined to like. If she had to choose one, she could only say that she would stand on the side of justice.
Fan Xian, dressed in a night suit, was preparing to break into the Lin Mansion to assassinate Lin Gong, but unexpectedly, Wu Zhu, who had been missing for a long time, suddenly appeared and stopped him. Wu Zhu coldly told him to go back, because he could see that Fan Xian was already flustered, and going this time would definitely end in failure.
Fan Xian angrily asked Wu Zhu if he also thought that the person who died was just a mere guard, and in his excitement, he actually started fighting with Wu Zhu. Fan Xian was naturally no match for Wu Zhu. He was quickly knocked unconscious by Wu Zhu. When he woke up again, he found himself lying on the bed in the Fan Mansion. He subconsciously wanted to look for Wu Zhu.
Fan Ruoruo, who heard the commotion, told him that she hadn't seen any Wu Zhu, but she had received news that Lin Gong had left the city overnight. Fan Xian went to Ye Ling'er to inquire about Lin Gong's whereabouts. After confirming that he had left Kyoto, he immediately rode his horse to find Wang Qinian, planning to pursue him.
On the other side, Lin Gong took a group of people to a secluded courtyard, preparing to stay and rest for a night before heading south. Just then, Wu Zhu suddenly appeared. Since he had caught up with him, he naturally couldn't leave anymore. Fan Xian and Wang Qinian planned to start tracking from the entrance of the Lin Mansion, but they met the Second Prince on the way.
The Second Prince asked Fan Xian if he was looking for Lin Gong, and told him that Lin Gong had already left Kyoto with experts after meeting with the Crown Prince in the study early this morning. He even planned to let his personal bodyguard Xie Bi'an help Fan Xian, but Fan Xian refused. On the other side, Wu Zhu single-handedly stopped Lin Gong and his group.
Lin Gong initially didn't take him seriously, but soon, he couldn't open his eyes again. While Zhu Ge was handling official business in the Investigator's Office, he received a secret letter and immediately took people out of the city. As expected, they found Lin Gong and his group dead in the Villa. Zhu Ge brought Lin Gong's body back to the Investigator's Office. Lin Gong died from a sword wound.
The only person in Kyoto with such martial arts skills was the Second Prince's bodyguard Xie Bi'an. The two of them planned to report this to His Majesty for his decision. Fan Sizhe came to find Fan Xian to discuss opening a bookstore to sell "Red Mansions". They were just starting to discuss the name when Wu Zhu came to find Fan Xian late at night.
Finding Fan Sizhe in Fan Xian's room, he had no choice but to press Fan Sizhe's acupoint to make him faint. Wu Zhu told him that he had already killed Lin Gong. Anyone who wanted to kill Fan Xian, he would kill them. Upon hearing this news, Fan Xian was not happy but instead became angry. He questioned Wu Zhu about his right to kill Lin Gong, and asked where he was during the Niu Lan Street assassination?
Wu Zhu was rarely speechless and said guiltily that he was not in Kyoto at the time. He promised that such a thing would never happen again. It turned out that Wu Zhu had gone to Jiangnan some time ago to look for the key to the box. He had talked about this box with Miss in Jiangnan back then.
This time, revisiting the old place, he finally remembered that the key to this box was either in the palace or in the Taiping Villa where Miss had lived back then. When leaving, Wu Zhu asked Fan Xian to find the location of the Taiping Villa as soon as possible and told him not to tell Fan Jian his whereabouts. After speaking, he quickly left.
Fan Sizhe woke up early in the morning only to find himself sleeping in Fan Xian's room. Fan Xian deliberately lied to him, saying he hadn't seen him. Fan Sizhe believed him and started talking nonsense, suspecting that the house was haunted. The Second Concubine nearby, seeing how easily he was fooled, felt both annoyed and amused. After eating.
Fan Jian called Fan Xian to the study and informed him about the killing of Lin Gong, saying it was done by someone with superb swordsmanship. He also asked him if Wu Zhu had returned to Kyoto. Fan Xian naturally denied it outright and suggested that he wanted to go to the Taiping Villa to mourn his mother. Fan Jian was quite surprised to hear this but still flatly refused him.
Episode 19 Recap
The Crown Prince and Prime Minister Lin immediately summoned Fan Xian after Lin Gong's death. Just as Fan Xian was in a difficult position, the Imperial Guard arrived at this moment, and Emperor Qing sent an oral decree summoning him to the palace for an audience. The one who led Fan Xian into the palace was Eunuch Hou, who was also the mysterious driver who took Fan Xian to the temple last time.
Fan Xian then realized with a start that entering the temple that day was Emperor Qing's intention. As he walked, Eunuch Hou instructed Fan Xian to be careful with his words and actions in front of Emperor Qing, and especially not to touch the bows and arrows inside the palace, as those were the Emperor's beloved possessions. As they walked, Fan Xian suddenly saw a masked figure in black fly over a high wall.
Fan Xian was greatly surprised that there was an assassin in broad daylight, but Eunuch Hou said there was no need to be surprised. Now that the State of Qing was powerful, Bei Qi and Dongyi City feared Emperor Qing like a tiger, and assassinations had become commonplace. As expected, the assassin was quickly dealt with by Gong Dian. Eunuch Hou told Fan Xian that Gong Dian was the Deputy Commander of the Imperial Guard and served before the Emperor.
Fan Xian immediately realized that Emperor Qing was likely also in the temple that day. Emperor Qing received Fan Xian in the Imperial Study. When he saw Fan Xian arriving, he deliberately hid, observing Fan Xian's words and actions from the shadows. Unexpectedly, after waiting for a while, Fan Xian actually called out to Emperor Qing loudly. Emperor Qing had no choice but to come out. When Eunuch Hou saw Emperor Qing, he immediately reminded Fan Xian to kneel.
But Emperor Qing asked Fan Xian if he wanted to kneel. Fan Xian subconsciously replied that he didn't. Emperor Qing gently allowed him not to kneel, which made Eunuch Hou beside him feel both surprised and nervous. Emperor Qing asked Fan Xian if he had seen the assassin just now. It turned out that this assassin was from Bei Qi. He was discovered by the Investigator's Office on his first day in the capital.
During his time in the capital, he was subtly influenced by six people one after another, strengthening his belief and finally resolving to act today. Most importantly, those six people were actually Qing's secret agents, and instigating him to assassinate was precisely Emperor Qing's directive. The war between the State of Qing and the State of Qi had been planned for a long time and could not be without cause; that assassin was the reason for sending troops.
Although this plan left some obvious traces, it happened to coincide with the Niu Lan Street assassination case. Fan Xian killed Cheng Jushu, interrogated Si Lili at night, and Bei Qi secret agents were lurking in the capital. This was an even better reason to attack Qi. Afterwards, Emperor Qing, on the grounds of executing the assassin and capturing the secret agent alive, specially appointed Fan Xian as Assistant Minister of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices.
Just as Fan Xian was about to thank him for the grace, Emperor Qing suddenly dropped a question, asking if he had killed Lin Gong. Fan Xian immediately denied it, saying he had no reason to kill him. Emperor Qing then said that Lin Gong had planned the Niu Lan Street assassination case. Fan Xian naturally did his best to deny knowing about it.
Emperor Qing didn't care if what he said was true or false, only telling him that the Crown Prince already knew about this matter. Before his voice fell, the sound of the Crown Prince requesting an audience came from outside the door. Fan Xian didn't want to see the Crown Prince, so Eunuch Hou came out and told the Crown Prince that Emperor Qing had something to instruct the Assistant Minister, Fan Xian, and would not grant an audience today.
The Crown Prince snorted coldly after hearing this, bowed deeply towards the study, and left indignantly. Eunuch Hou returned to the study and was startled to see Fan Xian playing with a bow and arrows in the room. Emperor Qing told him that he would have to deal with the Crown Prince himself. Fan Xian took the opportunity to ask if Prime Minister Lin was looking for him also because of this matter.
Emperor Qing said mysteriously that Prime Minister Lin had already agreed to his marriage with Wan'er. As for the specifics, he would know the reason when he arrived at Prime Minister Lin's mansion. Before Fan Xian left, Emperor Qing casually pointed out something to Fan Xian, saying that he appeared sincere and straightforward, but in reality, every move he made was a disguise.
Hearing this, Fan Xian's expression remained calm, but inwardly, he broke out in a cold sweat due to the Emperor's capriciousness. Prime Minister Lin's advisor, Yuan Hongdao, came to the Investigator's Office to find Zhu Ge. The guard checked the interrogation tools he carried with him and became suspicious of him.
Seeing that the guard was unwilling to announce him, Yuan Hongdao casually picked up the needle in his hand and pressed it against the guard's throat, strongly expressing his intention again. On the other side, Ye Ling'er hurried to find Fan Xian and asked if he had killed Lin Gong. Hearing Fan Xian's denial, she finally breathed a sigh of relief.
Fan Xian ordered Wang Qinian to pass a message to Fan Ruoruo, asking her to tell the Crown Prince about his whereabouts. Fan Ruoruo came to the Eastern Palace and told the Crown Prince about Fan Xian's whereabouts. After hearing this, he remained calm and told her that he already knew about this matter, saying that Fan Xian's trip would likely end in misfortune, and Prime Minister Lin was bound to find out the reason for Lin Gong's death.
On the other side, Yuan Hongdao found Si Lili through Zhu Ge. Si Lili denied ever telling Fan Xian about this matter. Yuan Hongdao subjected her to torture to test if she was lying, but Si Lili never changed her statement. Yuan Hongdao interrogated for a while, then Yan Ruohai appeared and invited him out. Fan Xian came to the Lin Mansion alone. The guard opened the door and led him in.
In the courtyard, he happened to meet Prime Minister Lin's eldest son, Lin Dabao. Fan Xian then played a game with Lin Dabao for a while. Prime Minister Lin observed their interaction secretly from the side. To his surprise, Fan Xian was very patient with the mentally challenged Dabao, and the two got along very happily.
Yuan Hongdao told Prime Minister Lin about Si Lili's matter and felt that Fan Xian didn't know Lin Gong was the murderer of Niu Lan Street. After Prime Minister Lin learned this, he asked Yuan Hongdao to go into the palace and inform the Crown Prince of the situation. Dabao brought Fan Xian to the study to meet Prime Minister Lin.
During their conversation, Prime Minister Lin took out Lin Gong's handwriting and told Fan Xian that Dabao had a serious illness when he was a child, and after recovering, he became like this. Although he had grown up, his mind was like that of a child. Among his three children, Dabao was mentally challenged, Lin Wan'er also suffered from consumption, and only the second son, Lin Gong, was relatively healthy.
Now that Lin Gong had been killed, the Lin family's hope was completely gone. Prime Minister Lin even directly told Fan Xian that Lin Gong was the mastermind behind the Niu Lan Street assassination, wanting to test Fan Xian's attitude towards the Lin family. Fan Xian pretended to have just learned about this, not understanding why Lin Gong would want to kill him. Seeing that his reaction didn't seem fake, Prime Minister Lin finally let down his guard.
He now only hoped that Fan Xian and Lin Wan'er would marry as soon as possible, and in the future, the Lin family's assets and connections would also be handed over to him, as long as he protected Lin Wan'er and Dabao. Fan Xian stated that this was not a transaction, because he already had Lin Wan'er in his heart.
Episode 20 Recap
Lin Ruofu burned the characters written by Lin Gong in front of Fan Xian, indicating that he would let go of the past in the future and focus on supporting Fan Xian. He also told him to be careful of the Eastern Palace. Firstly, Fan Xian needed to take the Imperial Treasury away from the Eldest Princess; secondly, his close interactions with the Second Prince would naturally cause misunderstanding from the Crown Prince. The capital is a deep place.
If he doesn't choose a faction to align with, it will inevitably bring disaster upon himself. The best way is to be impartial and avoid meeting with the Crown Prince and the Second Prince as much as possible. Fan Xian was worried that the Crown Prince saw him as a thorn in his side, and that if the Crown Prince ascended the throne in the future, it would bring disaster upon the Lin family.
Now that he was to become the Lin family's son-in-law, he naturally belonged to the Lin family. Lin Ruofu sighed and said that he would try his best to mediate. If the Crown Prince consistently regarded Fan Xian as an enemy, the position of Crown Prince could just as easily be occupied by someone else.
When Fan Xian left, he told Dabao that he would marry Wan'er in the future and would treat him to cakes and take him to see the sea. Dabao was greatly pleased by his coaxing. However, Dabao often mentioned Erbao Lin Gong, which made Fan Xian feel somewhat complicated inside. Fan Xian gently told Dabao that Erbao had gone to a very, very distant place.
Who knew that Dabao immediately realized that Erbao had died, just like the small animals he had raised before. Wan'er had told him that death meant going to a very, very distant place and never returning, but one day he would also go to that place. So, although Dabao missed him, he wasn't sad; he looked forward to the day they would reunite. Yuan Hongdao reported the results of interrogating Si Lili to the Crown Prince.
He didn't understand why Lin Ruofu had decided so quickly to entrust his daughter and the future of the Lin mansion to Fan Xian. Lin Ruofu said calmly that he had previously seen Fan Xian and Dabao together. In fact, Prime Minister Lin knew clearly that even the servants in the mansion always looked at Dabao with mockery and disdain. Most people looked down on him and were impatient to talk to him.
But when Fan Xian was with him, his smile was sincere, and he could see that it came from the heart. At that moment, he decided that if Lin Gong's death had nothing to do with him, the Lin family would choose him as their future support. When Fan Xian left, Dabao was reluctant to part.
He felt that Fan Xian was different from the people Prime Minister Lin had called over before, because those people didn't like playing with him; they only smiled at him when his father was present. But he didn't tell his father about this, because if his father knew, he would scold those people. Fan Xian was attracted by Dabao's innocence and kindness.
In the days since he came to the capital from Danzhou, he had met many people, and he felt that Dabao was more lovable than most of them. Dabao was very happy to hear him praise him and repeatedly urged him to come and play with him often. Fan Xian left the Lin mansion in a happy mood. Not long after, Wang Qinian, covered in sweat, caught up with him.
He quickly told Fan Xian that the Crown Prince had left the Eastern Palace and was going to the Investigator's Office to see Si Lili, or rather, he was going to rescue Si Lili. The Crown Prince told Ruoruo that he would swear as the Crown Prince that if she told the truth of the night interrogation, he would rescue her from the dungeon and ensure her safety. After hearing this, Fan Xian rushed to the Investigator's Office.
He knew clearly in his heart that the only reason Si Lili hadn't told the truth until now was that she knew the Investigator's Office valued Fan Xian. Therefore, as long as she was held in the Investigator's Office, she wouldn't speak. If she knew the Crown Prince would save her, she would definitely tell the truth.
As long as Si Lili told the truth, the Crown Prince, Prime Minister Lin, and even His Majesty would believe that he had killed Lin Gong. The two hurried to the Investigator's Office and found that the Crown Prince had already arrived. They had no choice but to hide in the shadows to observe. Now they could only hope that someone could stop him and prevent him from entering the Investigator's Office, otherwise it would be a dead end.
Fortunately, Emperor Qing had issued an imperial decree that no princes were allowed to interfere with matters of the Investigator's Office. Wang Qinian guessed that the officials inside the office would not let the Crown Prince in. The Crown Prince stopped at the entrance of the Investigator's Office with his elite guards. As expected, Zhu Ge came forward to stop him.
But the Crown Prince was not afraid; he arrogantly told Zhu Ge that he was going to force his way in, unless Zhu Ge dared to lay a hand on him. Zhu Ge naturally wouldn't take action, but Yan Ruohai dared. He threatened that if the Crown Prince continued to trespass, he would have to knock him unconscious.
The Crown Prince seemed to be provoked by him and actually ordered his guards to draw their swords, intending to force their way in. Seeing this scene from the shadows, Fan Xian couldn't help but feel a little disheartened. He hadn't expected the Crown Prince to be so aggressive, and he even considered packing his bags and fleeing the capital. Just then, a familiar rumbling sound came from the street.
Fan Xian quickly went to look and found that it was the black knights escorting the Director back. After Chen Pingping got out of the carriage, Fan Xian saw this prominent figure, second only to one person in the capital, for the first time.
Curious about his legs, Wang Qinian told him that years ago, Chen Pingping had led the black knights on a thousand-mile raid to capture Xiao En, the greatest villain of Bei Qi, but after being injured in that battle, he could no longer walk. Chen Pingping saw the Crown Prince leading the guards and treated him like a child playing house, simply and lightly telling him to go back. How could the Crown Prince tolerate his attitude?
He loudly questioned him, asking since Chen Pingping's power was immense, did he dare to kill the Crown Prince? Chen Pingping calmly said that laying hands on the Crown Prince was not the way of a subject. The Crown Prince then thought Chen Pingping didn't dare stop him. He grabbed a knife and was about to rush inside.
Seeing this situation, Wang Qinian took out a dagger from his waist, aimed it briefly, and suddenly shot it towards the Crown Prince. With a single phrase, "Protect the Crown Prince," Chen Pingping had people forcibly pull the Crown Prince away. After meeting Chen Pingping, Fan Xian finally understood why the black knights had appeared in time that day. Wang Qinian admitted that he had indeed been specially arranged by the Director to be by his side.
Chen Pingping was very close to Fan Xian. He brought up some past events about Ye Qingmei, and his words were full of nostalgia. However, Fan Xian still remained wary of him. Seeing that he didn't trust him, Chen Pingping wasn't angry and also told Fan Xian that he didn't need to worry about Lin Gong's matter anymore; he would personally conclude it.
After Wang Qinian and Fan Xian finished eating, Fan Sizhe came to find Fan Xian after listening to storytelling at a teahouse, intending to discuss opening a shop with him. Before they could talk much, Eunuch Hou arrived with people, ordering Fan Xian to enter the palace. Fan Xian entered the palace and saw Prime Minister Lin. He went in with him to meet Emperor Qing. It turned out that the reason he was called here was for a confrontation.
The Crown Prince suspected that Fan Xian and the Second Prince were the murderers of Lin Gong. Emperor Qing watched them argue endlessly. He didn't favor either side but asked for the opinion of the victim, Lin Ruofu. Lin Ruofu then placed the blame on Chen Pingping, believing it was the Investigator's Office's negligence. Emperor Qing indeed summoned Chen Pingping. As soon as he entered the palace, Emperor Qing pretended to blame him for incompetence. However, Chen Pingping told him that he had already found the murderer, who was Four Gu Jian from Dongyi City.
Episode 21 Recap
The Crown Prince did not believe that Four Gu Jian was the murderer of Lin Gong, but Chen Pingping swore solemnly that Lin Gong's assassination attempt on Fan Xian in Ox Cart Alley failed, and also implicated two of Four Gu Jian's disciples and grand-disciples. Fan Xian was acting in self-defense, so Four Gu Jian would not blame Fan Xian, but would hold the mastermind accountable.
Coupled with the instigation from Bei Qi, their goal was to disrupt the situation in the capital, such despicable means were truly hateful. Therefore, he suggested that Emperor Qing choose a day to send troops to punish Bei Qi. After listening to Chen Pingping, Emperor Qing felt he should not be so impulsive and should think twice, after all, raising an army is not a simple matter. Lin Ruofu had long understood the purpose of these two's coordinated performance.
With tears streaming down his face, he knelt down and begged Emperor Qing to send troops against Qi to avenge his son Lin Gong. Only then did Emperor Qing go along with the flow and agree. Having achieved his goal, Emperor Qing comforted Prime Minister Lin, urging him to take care of his health and manage the Six Ministries well, as a major war was imminent.
Seeing that the matter was settled, Prime Minister Lin pleaded with Emperor Qing to allow the Investigator's Office to send Lin Gong's body back to his mansion so that he could be buried in peace. Chen Pingping promised to send Lin Gong back later. Using the assassination attempt by Lin Gong as a reason, he suggested that since a rift had occurred between the two families, it would be better to dissolve the marriage between Lin Wan'er and Fan Xian.
Prime Minister Lin believed that the two matters were unrelated, and Emperor Qing also felt that the marriage did not need to be changed, but the wedding ceremony would have to wait until after the war. After the matter concluded, Emperor Qing punished the Crown Prince by confining him to the Eastern Palace for three days for slandering his elder brother. After the matter concluded, Fan Xian and Prime Minister Lin left the palace together.
Prime Minister Lin learned that Fan Xian had indeed met with the Second Prince and Xie Bian, confirming that Lin Gong's death had nothing to do with the Second Prince. Of course, he also did not believe it was the work of Four Gu Jian; this was just a reason for Qing to attack Bei Qi. But now that the matter was settled, although he held a high position, he was insignificant in the face of national interests.
He even began to suspect that Lin Gong's death was an act orchestrated within the palace. Fan Xian looked at the dejected and helpless Prime Minister Lin, feeling incredibly complex emotions. He hated Lin Gong for killing Teng Zijing, but what could killing Lin Gong change? The deceased were gone, and the ones truly suffering were their loved ones, just like Teng's wife and son, and just like Dabao and Prime Minister Lin.
Prime Minister Lin quickly emerged from his sadness. He reminded Fan Xian not to trust Chen Pingping and also planned to transfer him out of the Investigator's Office after he married Lin Wan'er. As he left, Prime Minister Lin told Fan Xian to spend more time with Lin Wan'er when he had the chance.
When leaving the palace, the Eldest Princess sent someone to find Lin Ruofu and comfort him, telling him not to be too sad over Lin Gong's death. Lin Ruofu did not give the Eldest Princess any pleasant expression; he was very clear that she had no feelings for him whatsoever, valuing only the power in his hands. The Eldest Princess was always accustomed to appearing weak. Although she was angry at Lin Ruofu's attitude, she merely endured it.
She once again proposed that she did not wish to marry Lin Wan'er to Fan Xian. Lin Ruofu knew that she was reluctant to let go of the Imperial Treasury's power, but he no longer intended to obstruct the marriage, because he knew that Wan'er truly loved Fan Xian. Wan'er had grown up in the palace since childhood and was frail; he only wished for her to follow her heart and live a peaceful life.
On the way back to his mansion, Fan Xian unexpectedly encountered Lin Wan'er. The two found a secluded corner. Lin Wan'er came straight to the point and asked Fan Xian if Lin Gong had been killed by him. She held the dagger Lin Gong had given her during his lifetime, her eyes filled with tears, and her hands trembling uncontrollably. Only after Fan Xian denied it did she finally breathe a sigh of relief and weep in Fan Xian's embrace.
Fan Xian asked her if she had come to avenge Lin Gong, but Lin Wan'er said that if it truly was Fan Xian who killed her second brother, she would only commit suicide, because she could not face such a cruel reality. This made Fan Xian feel even more guilty.
After finally comforting Lin Wan'er, Fan Xian sent her back to the royal separate residence to rest on her bed and told her that the assassin who killed Lin Gong was Four Gu Jian, and that soon Emperor Qing would send troops to attack Bei Qi, avenging Lin Gong nationwide. Lin Wan'er, however, could not feel happy upon hearing this; she knew that once the flames of war ignited, more innocent lives would be sacrificed.
Meanwhile, Chen Pingping and Fan Jian encountered each other on the street. Chen Pingping stopped Fan Jian and told him that he must call off the marriage with Lin Wan'er. Fan Jian said that this was what Fan Xian wanted, and it would be safer to live as a wealthy man in the future than to be involved in court politics. However, Chen Pingping insisted on handing the Investigator's Office to Fan Xian.
Neither could persuade the other, so they parted unhappily. After parting ways with Wan'er, Fan Xian felt deeply guilty for having deceived her. He went alone to Teng Zijing's tombstone and stood in a daze. Ruoruo followed him. She understood Fan Xian's feelings at that moment but knew even better that telling the truth to Wan'er would do her great harm and no good. Sometimes, a kind deception was for her own benefit.
After listening to Fan Ruoruo, Fan Xian felt a little better. Chen Pingping found Si Lili in the dungeon and told her that the one who assassinated Lin Gong was Four Gu Jian, and that it was orchestrated by Bei Qi. Si Lili did not understand his meaning, but Chen Pingping's reputation in Qi was no less than that of a devil, and she feared him greatly.
Chen Pingping also said that originally, with the two countries going to war, she was supposed to be used as a sacrifice flag, but since Fan Xian had promised to protect her, as long as she kept the secret in the future, he would also spare her life. Late at night, Wu Zhu came to find Fan Xian. Fan Xian told Wu Zhu about the day's events. He didn't understand why Chen Pingping regarded him so highly.
Wu Zhu told him it was because of his mother. When Ye Qingmei was murdered back then, it was also Chen Pingping who shed blood throughout the capital to avenge her.
Episode 22 Recap
Wu Zhu recalled Chen Pingping avenging his mistress by drenching the capital in blood. Under the stimulation to his brain, he remembered that the Taiping separate residence where his mistress used to live was five li east of the city.
Fan Xian was worried that going directly to investigate would be noticed, so he planned to gather a few people to go out of the city under the guise of an outing, and then seize the opportunity to look for the key. The next day, the three siblings of the Fan family set off early. When they reached the city gate, Lin Wan'er's carriage was already waiting for him.
Ye Ling'er was originally sitting with Wan'er, but Fan Xian shamelessly held onto Wan'er and wouldn't let go. She really couldn't bear to watch, so she ran over to Ruoruo's carriage. Seeing Fan Xian make Ye Ling'er leave in a huff, Lin Wan'er felt both sweet and shy with just the two of them left in the small carriage. She quickly changed the subject and asked why they weren't leaving yet.
Fan Xian smiled mysteriously at her and said there was one more person. At that moment, the sound of horses' hooves clattered from outside. Wan'er lifted the carriage curtain and saw that Dabao was sitting inside the carriage. Today was clear and bright, the spring scenery was beautiful, and with friends and loved ones by his side, it was truly a good time for an outing.
As soon as the war started, Yan Ruohai was busy arranging secret reports at the border, making him extremely occupied. The war was progressing very smoothly, causing officials in the Six Ministries to start clamoring, believing they should launch a full-scale attack to capture Bei Qi. Zhu Ge reported to Chen Pingping that many people in the Investigator's Office also held this view.
Chen Pingping didn't care about these things; Emperor Qing had decided on a plan of gradual encroachment, and those who defied the imperial decree had only one outcome in his eyes. Not long after Zhu Ge left, Shadow appeared silently. He told Chen Pingping about Fan Xian's outing to the suburbs of the capital. Chen Pingping frowned and asked why he hadn't gone to protect him.
Shadow coldly replied that he couldn't go because if something happened to Chen Pingping, he wouldn't be able to rush back. Chen Pingping was puzzled. Shadow continued, saying that there were now other hidden voices in the Investigator's Office, and some people had had enough of Chen Pingping's control. He cautioned Chen Pingping, especially to be careful of the people around him.
On the surface, Zhu Ge followed Chen Pingping's orders to investigate and suppress this matter, but in fact, he knew that the person stirring up trouble in the Investigator's Office was Yan Ruohai. After all, they had been colleagues for many years, and he privately advised Yan Ruohai to stop. Yan Ruohai, however, said that his son, Yan Bingyun, was still in Bei Qi, his life hanging in the balance.
Only by quickly destroying Bei Qi could Yan Bingyun return soon. Moreover, he was also acting for the sake of Qing. Zhu Ge was speechless, but a faint worry began to rise in his heart. Fan Xian and his group arrived in the suburbs. Fan Xian and Wan'er sat under a tree, while Dabao and Fan Sizhe played by the river poking at insects.
Ruoruo had wandered off somewhere, Wang Qinian was sleeping soundly in the carriage, and only Ye Ling'er had nothing to do. Feeling extremely bored, she went to find Dabao, wanting to teach him some martial arts moves. Fan Sizhe, however, pulled Dabao aside and whispered that Ye Ling'er was a tigress and told him not to pay attention to her. Unexpectedly, Dabao turned around and told this to Ye Ling'er.
Ye Ling'er was so angry she chased after Fan Sizhe to hit him. The three of them ended up chasing and tumbling around together. Fan Xian hadn't expected these three to be able to play together. Lin Wan'er told him that Dabao still had a child's heart and that his willingness to come out with Fan Xian was a great show of trust in him. Wan'er felt very grateful for Fan Xian's kindness towards Dabao and also felt more guilty.
Last night, Lin Ruofu had come to the royal separate residence late at night and instructed her to find an excuse today to be alone with Fan Xian, preferably away from everyone, and to enter the woods by herself. It turned out that Lin Ruofu had not dismissed his suspicion of Fan Xian.
He held an assumption in his heart: if a master was hidden by Fan Xian's side, even if Fan Xian was in the city, that master could go outside the city to assassinate Lin Gong. Therefore, he wanted to conduct one last test on Fan Xian. He sent all the masters from his mansion outside the city to assassinate Fan Xian.
Once it was confirmed that there really was such a master by Fan Xian's side, he could confirm that it was he who killed Lin Gong. Conversely, if there wasn't, he would fully dedicate himself to nurturing Fan Xian. What Lin Ruofu didn't know was that the news of his late-night meeting with Wan'er had already reached the Crown Prince, who was personally rushing to the suburbs of the capital, also planning for a "suburban excursion".
Dabao and the other two somehow found a fishing net and were having fun catching fish. Fan Xian was watching with great interest when Wan'er suddenly stammered and suggested going for a walk with him to a secluded spot. Fan Xian was puzzled. Just then, Ruoruo returned. She handed Wan'er a flower crown and suggested that Fan Xian also pick some flowers to make a flower crown for Wan'er by hand.
Fan Xian took the opportunity to get up and leave with Ruoruo. In fact, although Ruoruo said she was going to pick flowers, she was actually scouting the way for Fan Xian. Fan Xian originally wanted to go alone, but Ruoruo insisted on accompanying him. Thinking that Uncle Wu Zhu was there, he didn't stop her.
The siblings didn't walk far before they saw a large house nestled among blooming flowers and green trees on the other side of the river. On the other side, Wan'er was anxiously waiting for Fan Xian, Ye Ling'er was dozing off, and only Dabao and Fan Sizhe were playing enthusiastically. At this moment, the Crown Prince suddenly appeared, startling Wan'er. The Crown Prince told everyone not to make a fuss and called Wan'er aside for a private talk.
Wan'er didn't understand what the Crown Prince wanted to tell her. The Crown Prince directly asked her what Lin Ruofu had told her during his late-night visit. He guessed that Lin Ruofu had not completely let go of his suspicion towards Fan Xian, but that Wan'er must be in a difficult position caught in the middle. Wan'er didn't know how to answer. The Crown Prince then said that he knew who killed Lin Gong.
He asked Wan'er to tell Lin Ruofu that the killer was indeed a Grandmaster. As the two were talking, a group of masked men in black suddenly rushed out from the bushes. The leader held a knife against the Crown Prince's neck and said that Fan Xian's end was near. Lin Wan'er quickly explained that this person was not Fan Xian. The Crown Prince was bewildered and asked Wan'er if this was his father's doing.
Hearing this, the leader immediately explained that he and his group had no connection to the Prime Minister's mansion. In their panic, their masks even fell off, making it both infuriating and amusing to watch. Fan Xian observed for a while and found that there was no weeds on the walls of the mansion, indicating that someone regularly maintained it. However, there was no smoke from cooking fires near noon, which proved that no one was living there.
Moreover, the area around the mansion was unusually quiet, without even bird calls, which made him feel a faint sense of unease. As the two were talking, a sharp sword suddenly flew through the air, passing between him and Ruoruo and sticking into a tree. Fan Xian walked closer to examine it, when two more arrows attacked. When he turned around, he saw Ruoruo had fainted on the ground.
Fan Xian was startled, but fortunately, it turned out Wu Zhu had knocked her out. Wu Zhu told Fan Xian that the archer was a Ninth-Rank archer. He decided to hold that person off himself and let Fan Xian take a detour to enter and search for the key in the bedroom opposite the square tower in the lake. He also reminded him to focus on checking the bookshelf and under the bed.
Fan Xian was curious how Wu Zhu would lure the enemy. Wu Zhu turned around, pulled the arrow from the tree with his bare hands, and casually threw it towards the opposite side. Fan Xian watched with his own eyes as the arrow pierced through the courtyard wall, gaining a further understanding of Wu Zhu's superhuman abilities. After a while, the separate residence on the opposite side indeed opened its door.
Several guards walked out, carrying items such as a table, grill, fruits, etc., and placed them one by one on the riverbank. Then, a man walked out carrying a precious bow. This person was none other than Yan Xiaoyi, the Commander of the Imperial Guards. Yan Xiaoyi ate while shouting towards Wu Zhu's direction, asking him to shoot another arrow and try again.
Wu Zhu ignored him, while Fan Xian quietly entered the separate residence from the other side as planned. Soon, he successfully found the bedroom. Just as he was searching on the bed for a few moments, he suddenly discovered that there was someone behind the screen in the room. He drew his dagger and quietly approached, and was startled to find that the person sitting there was Emperor Qing.
Outside, Yan Xiaoyi finished the watermelon and roasted lamb leg like a whirlwind. Seeing that there was still no movement from the opposite side, he prepared to leave. But just as he turned around, Wu Zhu pulled out another arrow from the tree and shot it towards him. Yan Xiaoyi discovered Wu Zhu's location, drew his bow and nocked an arrow, and with repeated shots, he literally shot down the large tree where Wu Zhu was hiding.
However, Wu Zhu had already prepared. He used his staff as a pivot and lay flat on the ground on his back. Seeing no one behind the tree, Yan Xiaoyi quickly led his men back into the courtyard. Emperor Qing snatched the dagger Fan Xian had hidden behind him as soon as they met. Fan Xian nervously made the excuse that he had come to ask for a drink of water.
Emperor Qing didn't expose him, only saying that an old friend of his used to live here and that he would come to visit in his spare time. Fan Xian couldn't help but ask Emperor Qing what kind of person the owner of the house was. Emperor Qing didn't answer, but instead changed the subject. At this moment, Yan Xiaoyi had already rushed back to the separate residence.
He knelt outside the door and loudly reported to Emperor Qing about what had just happened by the river, asking about his safety. Emperor Qing said he was fine, but Yan Xiaoyi heard that something was wrong; there was more than one person in the room. While drawing his bow and nocking an arrow, he also asked Emperor Qing if he wanted to eat. Emperor Qing subconsciously replied that he had already eaten.
Suddenly, he remembered something, quickly rolled over and pushed Fan Xian away, then ran to the door and opened it, telling Yan Xiaoyi that Fan Xian was an attendant official of the Imperial Court and that he was not under threat.
It turned out that Yan Xiaoyi had strength above the Ninth-Rank, only a step away from being a Grandmaster, and a master above the Ninth-Rank could hear the breathing of two people even through a wall, and even distinguish their positions. Afterwards, Emperor Qing instructed Yan Xiaoyi not to stop Fan Xian from leaving later and also told him to transfer a battalion of troops to guard this place after returning to the palace. From then on, no one would be allowed to approach this separate residence.
Episode 23 Recap
Emperor Qing instructed Fan Xian not to come to the Taiping separate residence again in the future. He also told him that his marriage with Wan'er had been settled, and since Wan'er grew up in the palace, he should go to the palace tomorrow to meet the Empress Dowager and the various concubines. Although Fan Xian was reluctant, he could only take his leave.
As he left, Yan Xiaoyi stopped Fan Xian and questioned him about the expert archer on the opposite side of the river just now. Fan Xian pretended not to know and then cited Emperor Qing's verbal decree from just now, leaving boldly. Fan Xian found Ruoruo and saw the large tree on the ground that Yan Xiaoyi had shot down. Wu Zhu was already nowhere to be seen.
Fan Xian told Ruoruo that he hadn't found the key but had met Emperor Qing, who seemed to also know his mother, but was unwilling to say more. As soon as they returned, Wan'er told him that the Crown Prince had been captured by people from the Prime Minister's mansion. Seeing that she could no longer hide it, Wan'er confessed that her father wanted to test if there was a Grandmaster-level expert by Fan Xian's side.
Fan Xian hadn't expected Lin Ruofu to still suspect him. Wan'er quickly explained that the Crown Prince had just said the killer was not Fan Xian. Fan Xian didn't say anything, but Ruoruo was angry. She hadn't expected Wan'er to collude with Lin Ruofu to deceive her brother. Wan'er knew she was wrong, but there was no time to apologize at the moment.
Instead, she told Fan Xian to quickly take Dabao back to the Prime Minister's mansion and relay the Crown Prince's words to Lin Ruofu. On the other side, Lin Ruofu and Yuan Hongdao were playing chess, waiting for news. Soon, a servant came back with the message that the people they sent had returned to the mansion. As it was inconvenient for Lin Ruofu to show himself, he asked Yuan Hongdao to go and find out the situation.
When the killer saw Yuan Hongdao, he proactively reported that "Fan Xian" had been captured and was now being held in the city. Furthermore, "Fan Xian" had seen through them being subordinates of the Prime Minister's mansion and kept insisting on seeing the Prime Minister. Yuan Hongdao hadn't expected him to mess up such a simple task like this. He exasperatedly told him to quickly go and release Fan Xian. Just then, Dabao returned.
He loudly greeted Yuan Hongdao with a bow. Yuan Hongdao responded briefly. Who knew, right after, Fan Xian also came in and even waved to him. Only then did Yuan Hongdao realize that this group of idiots had probably captured the wrong person. As soon as Dabao saw Lin Ruofu, he excitedly told him about the outing.
Lin Ruofu patiently listened to him finish, wiped the sweat from him, and then cajoled Dabao into going to the front courtyard to kowtow to Lin Gong in the mourning hall. Dabao didn't understand what a funeral was but obediently went anyway. After Dabao left, Fan Xian took the initiative to talk about the assassins' test. He stated that he could understand Lin Ruofu and also relayed the Crown Prince's words to him.
Lin Ruofu insisted that only the Four Grandmasters in the world could kill Lin Gong. He had sent people to investigate, and at the time of the incident, Ye Liuyun, Ku He, and Si Gu Jian were not near the capital. Therefore, it was indeed someone from the palace who killed Lin Gong. However, who specifically ordered it could not be confirmed; the Emperor, the Empress Dowager, the Eldest Princess, the Crown Prince, or the Second Prince were all possibilities.
Just then, Yuan Hongdao rushed over and told Lin Ruofu about the assassins mistakenly capturing the Crown Prince. Moreover, for some reason, the Crown Prince insisted on seeing him and Fan Xian. Yuan Hongdao led the two of them to an inconspicuous courtyard. As soon as they met, the Crown Prince played the emotional card by mentioning Lin Gong. Lin Ruofu then asked him how he could be sure that the killer was a Grandmaster, and the Crown Prince explained.
The Investigator's Office had produced two copies of the document regarding the cause of Lin Gong's death; the one sent to the palace had explained things clearly. It was well-known that the Crown Prince was isolated in court, with many followers but not a single important minister from the Six Ministries. Therefore, he was using the matter of avenging Lin Gong to try and ally with Prime Minister Lin.
Lin Ruofu deliberately asked what if the person who ordered the killing was the current Emperor. The Crown Prince, without hesitation, stepped forward and whispered that no matter who it was, he would avenge Lin Gong. Lin Ruofu outwardly agreed and said that this matter should not be documented in any way, only understood between them. The Crown Prince naturally agreed. With the alliance settled, Lin Ruofu was curious why the Crown Prince wanted to see Fan Xian.
The Crown Prince stated frankly that the person Lin Ruofu would support in the future would definitely be Fan Xian, and although he had disagreements with Fan Xian, he believed there was no irreconcilable hatred between them, so why not turn conflict into friendship? The Crown Prince also promised never to compete with Fan Xian for the Imperial Treasury in the future.
After today, with him and Prime Minister Lin supporting Fan Xian, it would surely ensure his rapid ascent to prominence. Fan Xian had not yet answered. Just then, there was a sudden commotion outside the door. Yuan Hongdao went out to check. As soon as he reached the doorway, he found blood splattered on the door. He cautiously opened the door, only to see corpses strewn everywhere outside.
Lin Ruofu thought it was the Crown Prince's guards who had come to rescue him. The Crown Prince quickly shook his head in denial. Fan Xian looked at the scene before him, filled with young and old, and could only sigh. He went out himself to investigate the situation. He went outside the door, casually picked up a long sword, and cautiously looked around.
He hadn't walked far when he suddenly felt the sound of a sharp blade cutting through the air behind him. Fan Xian turned around to counterattack, but the long sword in his hand was cut in half by the opponent's single move. The opponent turned out to be Xie Bi'an. Afterward, the Second Prince appeared unhurriedly. He reminded Fan Xian not to easily believe the Crown Prince's words. Fan Xian stated that he hadn't heard anything.
The Second Prince patted Fan Xian's arm kindly, stepped around the bodies on the ground, and walked into the room. After entering the room, the Second Prince performed a deep bow to the Crown Prince, saying that he had received news and come to rescue him, and that the kidnappers outside had all been killed by Xie Bi'an. The Crown Prince harbored resentment in his heart but still had to thank him outwardly.
Seeing this, Lin Ruofu said he was just passing by and then took his leave, departing with Yuan Hongdao. After Prime Minister Lin left, the Crown Prince finally stopped concealing his feelings. He pulled a long face and sneered at the Second Prince, saying he was keeping a close eye on him. The Second Prince replied calmly that it was his duty, and no matter what happened within the capital, it could not escape his eyes.
On the way back, Fan Xian curiously asked Lin Ruofu if he was really going to ally with the Crown Prince. Lin Ruofu smiled and said it was just a temporary measure. With the court currently in chaos, this was an opportunity to promote Fan Xian during his tenure.
Upon reaching the mansion gate, Yuan Hongdao arrived to report to Lin Ruofu that all the assassins who had kidnapped the Crown Prince had been killed, and their families were still outside the city. Lin Ruofu immediately instructed him not to collect the bodies, so as not to leave any evidence, but to properly settle the families. After Yuan Hongdao left, Lin Ruofu advised Fan Xian that sometimes one must be ruthless; being soft-hearted would harm oneself.
When Fan Xian returned home, his heart remained unsettled. He could see that the Crown Prince was genuinely trying to win him over today, which meant that the person who ordered Lin Gong to assassinate him was not the Crown Prince. Wu Zhu learned that Fan Xian had not found the key and concluded that the key was with the Empress Dowager. However, Grandmaster Hong Sixiang was guarding the Empress Dowager in the palace, making it difficult to act.
Moreover, in the palace, there was not only a Grandmaster but also the Ninth-Rank archer Yan Xiaoyi and the heavily guarded Imperial Army. Wu Zhu told Fan Xian to find an opportunity to investigate the palace. Coincidentally, Fan Xian was going to enter the palace tomorrow anyway. He decided to take Ruoruo with him and have her help him figure out the route. As the two were talking, Wu Zhu suddenly said someone was coming and then disappeared.
By the time Fan Xian reacted, he saw Wan'er pushing the door open and walking in. Lin Wan'er told him that Ruoruo had left the door open for her, and she had come tonight to invite Fan Xian to watch the stars with her. The two sat in the courtyard, looking at the stars in the sky.
Wan'er told Fan Xian that she had lived in the palace since she was little, and her father and mother found it inconvenient to visit. Every night, she would live alone in a very large room. From then on, the only company she had was the starry sky above her. Moreover, her health was sometimes good and sometimes bad, and she often felt that she could die at any moment, so she didn't dare to get close to others.
Therefore, all this time, she often felt lonely. It wasn't until she met Fan Xian that she knew how good it felt to have someone by her side. Wan'er apologized to Fan Xian for not telling him about her father's test, but she didn't know how to make it up to him, so she had secretly run out to watch the stars with him. Fan Xian felt both pity and love for Wan'er in his heart.
He himself felt guilty about the Lin Gong incident. The two promised each other that they would never deceive each other again in the future. After this incident, their relationship became even more harmonious. The next day, during breakfast, Fan Jian arranged for Liu Ruyu to accompany Fan Xian into the palace. Fan Xian specifically asked Ruoruo to go along as well, and Ruoruo naturally agreed.
After the meal, Fan Xian instructed Ruoruo to help him remember the route inside the palace, because he might have to sneak in once. Ruoruo had always been obedient to her brother. Without asking for the reason, she agreed without hesitation. Before entering the palace, Fan Sizhe specifically instructed Fan Xian that once inside, he must remember to ask a consort to write a piece of calligraphy for their bookshop.
The siblings found it both frustrating and amusing that Fan Sizhe was truly obsessed with making money. The person leading them into the palace this time was their old acquaintance Eunuch Hou. Eunuch Hou told them that the Empress Dowager and several consorts wanted to see Fan Xian this time, but they could only visit the Empress Dowager after lunch. Since Liu Ruyu was present, the first stop would naturally be her cousin Consort Yi.
Episode 24 Recap
Liu Ruyu instructed Fan Xian that once inside the imperial palace, he must speak and act cautiously. Fan Xian was curious why they had to see Consort Yi first. Liu Ruyu told him directly that Consort Yi was her cousin and also the birth mother of the Third Prince. According to the custom of Qing Kingdom, the Crown Prince is ranked outside the order of the princes. Although Consort Yi's son was young, he was still considered the Third Prince.
Fan Xian then understood. Liu Ruyu sighed that she hadn't seen Consort Yi for four years. Ever since she entered the imperial palace, their familial bond had mostly been severed because the Liu family had deep roots, and frequent visits to the palace were feared to create suspicion of collusion between inside and outside. When Consort Yi saw Liu Ruyu, she playfully blamed her for not coming to see her. The two sisters seemed to have a very good relationship.
Fan Xian naturally gave face and addressed Consort Yi as Aunt Liu as soon as he opened his mouth. With just a few words, he made Consort Yi beam with joy. Li Yunrui had always sent people to keep an eye on Fan Xian. Knowing that Fan Xian had pleased Consort Yi, she was displeased. Although she wanted to cause trouble for him, she decided against it out of caution.
Consort Yi, rarely seeing a family member, held onto Liu Ruyu and wouldn't let go, asking Fan Xian and Ruoruo to go see Consort Shu. Ruoruo informed Fan Xian that Consort Shu was the birth mother of the Second Prince. Although strict, she was obsessed with reading and cherished talented scholars. When Fan Xian entered Consort Shu's palace, he indeed found bookshelves covering the entire room, filled with books collected from various places.
Consort Shu was holding a book when she met Fan Xian and refused to put it down. She praised Fan Xian's poetry as good and casually asked a few questions about starting a bookshop. Finally, she mentioned that the Second Prince spoke highly of Fan Xian.
Fan Xian politely said that he and the Second Prince could be considered kindred spirits at first meeting, but Consort Shu replied that her son was arrogant and deep-minded and never felt like kindred spirits with anyone at first meeting. Fan Xian felt a bit awkward, not knowing how to respond, so he just chuckled foolishly. Consort Shu didn't care about his feelings and muttered to herself that since he was a junior, she should give him some gifts.
So, she decided to give him two rare ancient books. However, she was worried that she would be reluctant to part with the ones Fan Xian chose, so she said she would pick them out and send them over later. Fan Xian couldn't keep up with her train of thought and hurried to take his leave after she finished speaking. Next, they were to see Talented Lady Ning, the birth mother of the First Prince.
Fan Xian didn't understand why the First Prince, holding military power, didn't participate in the struggle for the throne. Ruoruo sighed that the First Prince wouldn't compete, and couldn't compete, because Talented Lady Ning was an East Islander, who was captured by His Majesty when he was punished back then. At that time, His Majesty was injured, and Talented Lady Ning nursed him day and night, which allowed her to shed her slave status and enter the palace.
Later, she gave birth to the First Prince, but the Empress Dowager disliked her and used an opportunity many years ago to strip her of her consort title and demote her to Talented Lady. After entering the palace, Fan Xian realized that the consorts in the palace were indeed extraordinary. Consort Shu was a bookworm, while this Talented Lady Ning was a martial arts enthusiast.
As soon as they met, she openly sized up Fan Xian and remarked with disdain that he was too fair and not rugged enough. They ran out of things to say after just a few sentences. Eunuch Hou reminded Talented Lady Ning that it was already lunchtime and the Empress Dowager would only receive Fan Xian in the afternoon. Talented Lady Ning suddenly realized that Fan Xian had come to freeload on lunch.
After hearing about Fan Xian's performance along the way, Li Yunrui suddenly found him interesting, so she instructed her attending female officer that she wanted to see him and also told her to call Yan Xiaoyi. After lunch, Eunuch Hou led Fan Xian and his sister to the Empress Dowager's sleeping quarters. However, the Empress Dowager didn't even let them enter the door. She only instructed them to kneel on the corridor and take a distant look.
Although Fan Xian was unwilling, he still knelt as instructed, mumbling that he didn't even kneel before the Emperor, but out of consideration for her old age, he would kneel this once. At this moment, a gloomy-faced old eunuch walked out from inside the door. Eunuch Hou whispered to him that this was Eunuch Hong.
Hong Sixiang walked up to Fan Xian and said coldly, "The Empress Dowager said that you are kneeling here because of the duty between ruler and subject," and reminded him to bow next time he saw Emperor Qing as well. Fan Xian was shocked upon hearing this, not expecting that the Empress Dowager could hear him from so far away, but he immediately realized that it wasn't the Empress Dowager who could hear him, but Hong Sixiang.
Hong Sixiang did not deny it, only warned Fan Xian to be careful with his words and actions in the imperial palace. He also relayed the Empress Dowager's message to Fan Xian, telling him to treat Lin Wan'er well, and if he made her sad, he would probably have to pay with his life. Fan Xian, however, was not afraid of threats.
He said sternly to Hong Sixiang to relay to the Empress Dowager that her words just now would be counterproductive and would instead make people afraid to approach Wan'er. He was good to Wan'er out of his own genuine feelings, not because of what the Empress Dowager said. Hong Sixiang was stunned for a moment, then instructed people to send him out of the palace.
Fan Xian pulled Ruoruo and was about to leave when he suddenly turned around and loudly asked Hong Sixiang if he was one of the Four Grandmasters. Hong Sixiang ignored him and returned to report without stopping. The Empress Dowager saw Fan Xian from afar, and for some reason, she was somewhat displeased, but she had never met Fan Xian before, so she could only attribute it to not having a good impression of him.
Coming out of the Empress Dowager's palace, the constantly worried Eunuch Hou finally breathed a sigh of relief. He congratulated Fan Xian, saying that his marriage to Wan'er was now officially settled. Fan Xian understood the hint, took out a banknote from his sleeve, and slipped it to Eunuch Hou as a congratulatory gift. At this moment, Li Yunrui's female officer stopped the group, saying that Li Yunrui wanted to see Fan Xian, and only him alone.
Fan Xian thought that she was Wan'er's birth mother after all, so he went with her. Fan Xian was taken to Guangxin Palace, which was empty and deserted. Li Yunrui sat alone in the main seat. After Fan Xian paid his respects, Li Yunrui asked him if he knew any folk remedies for headaches since he was Fei Jie's student.
Fan Xian replied that the causes of headaches varied greatly, and he only knew some massage techniques that could provide some relief. Li Yunrui then asked him to come closer and massage her. Fan Xian felt it was a bit inappropriate, but Li Yunrui smiled and said that he was about to become her son-in-law, so there was no need for so much avoidance. Fan Xian stopped overthinking and respectfully complied.
While giving the massage, Fan Xian chatted with Li Yunrui about everyday matters. Li Yunrui initially only asked about the relationship between the Fan family and the Investigator's Office, and then asked about the health of the old lady in Danzhou. Once Fan Xian relaxed, Li Yunrui suddenly brought up the Niulan Street assassination and mentioned Teng Zijing. Fan Xian's voice unconsciously dropped, and he said solemnly that Teng Zijing was not just his guard but also his friend.
Li Yunrui comforted him, saying that parting with the living and saying goodbye to the dead was inevitable. While speaking, she suddenly burst into laughter, saying with a strange tone, "How interesting it is that the one who planned the assassination is now comforting the person who was attacked." Fan Xian was suddenly told this and for a moment didn't know how to react. Li Yunrui continued, saying that although she supported the Crown Prince, she wouldn't tell him everything.
Lin Gong secretly defected to her, and the Crown Prince knew nothing about it. Strictly speaking, Teng Zijing died indirectly at her hands. Li Yunrui smiled and asked Fan Xian, "I heard you always wanted to avenge Teng Zijing. Now that you know the truth, will you still seek revenge? Guangxin Palace is empty now, you can do whatever you want."
Fan Xian looked at Li Yunrui, who was within arm's reach, his mind filled with the tragic image of Teng Zijing dying while protecting him. He knew clearly that Li Yunrui was deliberately tempting him, but he couldn't help feeling impulsive. Fortunately, he calmed down. Fan Xian thanked Li Yunrui, saying that finally, today, he knew who wanted to kill him. Li Yunrui generously admitted that the assassination in Danzhou was also her arrangement.
At first, she was worried about the authority of the Imperial Treasury falling into other hands, but later she found Fan Xian interesting, and to her, killing interesting people was more fun. Fan Xian looked at the woman before him, whose face was beaming with a smile, and felt a chill down his spine. Fortunately, he clearly knew that this was the imperial palace, and if he had made a move just now, it would probably have been his death.
Seeing that her scheme had been exposed, Li Yunrui smiled and called out the female officer and Yan Xiaoyi who were hiding behind her. Fan Xian was not surprised, only telling Li Yunrui that there would be plenty of time in the future and they would see. The war between Qing Kingdom and Northern Qi was very successful.
Northern Qi, under duress, sent an envoy delegation to the capital for peace talks, and the great man of letters Zhuang Mohan also came to the capital. Zhu Ge worried that Zhuang Mohan had a high reputation among scholars and was probably there to influence the advantages and disadvantages of the negotiation. Chen Pingping smiled and said that how to talk was decided by His Majesty, and scholars couldn't influence much.
Zhu Ge worriedly said that in the past few days, there had been undercurrents within the Investigator's Office. He received news that many people were eager to sabotage this negotiation, thereby restarting the war and conquering Northern Qi in one fell swoop. Chen Pingping was still nonchalant. He instructed Zhu Ge to bear more responsibility and that even colleagues within the Investigator's Office, as long as they violated His Majesty's decree, there would be no room for sentiment.
Yan Ruohai and his group received news and met secretly. Yan Ruohai said with killing intent that as long as the Northern Qi delegation died in the capital, the negotiation would naturally not be able to proceed. Someone worried that Northern Qi could send other envoys. Yan Ruohai said coldly, "If Zhuang Mohan is killed, then this matter will be irreversible."
After returning to his residence, Fan Xian told Ruoruo that Li Yunrui was the mastermind behind the Niulan Street assassination and the Danzhou assassination. He recalled Prime Minister Lin's assessment of Li Yunrui and sighed, saying that Li Yunrui was indeed a lunatic, and she was different from others; the more lunatic she was, the more dangerous she was. Fighting Li Yunrui was not something that could be done in a short time.
For Fan Xian, the most important thing at the moment was how to get into the palace to help Wu Zhu find the key. As the two were chatting, Fan Jian sent someone to call Fan Xian to the study. As soon as he entered the door, a man wearing an official's uniform approached with a fawning smile. This person was Xin Qiwu, the Junior Minister of the Court of State Ceremonials.
It turned out that the Northern Qi and East Island delegations had already arrived in the capital. His Majesty had issued a decree appointing Fan Xian as the deputy envoy for receiving the Northern Qi delegation. Xin Qiwu had come to find Fan Xian to discuss the negotiation matters at the Court of State Ceremonials.
Episode 25 Recap
On this day, Fan Xian was planning to go to the Court of State Ceremonials when Shadow came to find him, informing him that someone intended to kill Director Chen and would make their move within half an hour. Most importantly, the Director had no one left by his side.
It turned out that because Zhuang Mohan had come to the capital, everyone knew he was key to resolving the matter, so Chen Pingping had dispatched the First Department to protect Zhuang Mohan. Now, within the Investigator's Office, the First Department had been completely dispatched, the Third Department was not in the capital, and the strong combat forces from other departments had also been separately reassigned by Yan Ruohai.
Even those on duty in the Investigator's Office today were his people. This was because no one had expected that the person he intended to kill was never Zhuang Mohan, but Chen Pingping. When Fan Xian and Wang Qinian rushed to the Investigator's Office, Chen Pingping was still leisurely playing chess. Soon, the rebels within the office surrounded them, and Fan Xian had no choice but to push him and hide in the dungeon.
Chen Pingping had Wang Qinian open the secret door leading to the deepest part of the dungeon. The people held inside were demons who had brought disaster upon the world, but for the current situation, they had no choice but to go in first. Unexpectedly, after entering, it turned out to be a dead end. Furthermore, quite a few people knew about this path.
Seeing that there was no escape route left, Wang Qinian sighed and said that he couldn't die because he hadn't reported to his wife yet. Fan Xian was worried that Si Lili, being locked outside, would be implicated. He had promised Si Lili that he would protect her life, so he unlocked her shackles and brought her in with them.
Just before Fan Xian was about to fight for his life, he heard Chen Pingping say that there was another demon still alive in the dungeon, so he jumped up to the ventilation opening and peeked inside for a while, considering it satisfying his curiosity before death. In the cell was a strange person with disheveled hair, bound all over by dozens of iron chains, looking very frightening.
Chen Pingping told him that this person was Xiao En, and his legs were crippled because of him. Soon, the rebels outside broke through the secret chamber's door. Just then, Shadow, who had been silent all along, suddenly spoke. He told Fan Xian that there was actually another way to survive: kill Chen Pingping and exchange his head for their lives. Fan Xian gave Shadow a strange look and didn't even bother to reply to him.
Instead, he reminded Wang Qinian to prepare to fight with all his might. Seeing him act this way, Shadow suddenly snatched the dagger from Fan Xian's hand and rushed out alone. As the saying goes, two fists are no match for four hands. Could Shadow alone withstand dozens or even hundreds of experts of seventh rank and above?
Fan Xian initially didn't believe it, but the sounds of fighting growing fainter outside made him have no choice but to believe it. At this moment, Chen Pingping spoke, saying that this wasn't his idea. Fan Xian didn't understand what he meant. Chen Pingping, suppressing a smile, explained that Shadow had just wanted to test Fan Xian.
The experts outside were real, and the rebellion was also real, but he wasn't worried at all because Shadow alone could resist a thousand black knights. Chen Pingping then asked Si Lili why she didn't make a move just now when Shadow had gone out and Fan Xian and Wang Qinian were guarding the exit, which was the best time for her to hijack him.
Si Lili honestly shook her head and said that she didn't dare because in Northern Qi, Chen Pingping's name was no different from a ghost or deity. Upon hearing this, Chen Pingping smiled slightly and had Fan Xian push him out. At this moment, Xiao En suddenly spoke. He told Chen Pingping to live well and wait for him to get out. Chen Pingping didn't even give him a look.
He had absolute confidence that with him there, Xiao En would definitely not be able to get out. Returning to the upper level of the dungeon, Si Lili voluntarily walked into her own cage and put on the shackles. She felt it was safest inside. Looking at the bodies lying scattered on the ground, Chen Pingping told Fan Xian that this was his scheme to lure the enemy. He also asked if Fan Xian thought he acted too ruthlessly.
Fan Xian replied calmly, "They intended to kill, so naturally they would also be killed." The three of them exited the dungeon and happened to see Shadow and the members of the First Department led by Zhu Ge confronting each other. When Zhu Ge saw Chen Pingping, he quickly said that when he returned to the office, he saw Shadow massacring his colleagues. Chen Pingping calmly stated that he had arranged it.
Zhu Ge was somewhat surprised but didn't ask further. He only reported to Chen Pingping that Zhuang Mohan was missing. It turned out that after Zhuang Mohan arrived in the capital, he had been staying in the residence arranged for him at the Court of State Ceremonials and had not been seeing anyone. Zhu Ge found this strange, so he sent his subordinates disguised as sweeping attendants, only to discover that Zhuang Mohan was not in the room at all.
Upon hearing this, Chen Pingping ordered Zhu Ge to list the visitors and investigate them one by one. Zhu Ge proposed a thorough investigation of the capital, but Chen Pingping did not agree. Instead, he told him to bring back all the heads of departments who were in the capital, as he had something to say. Seeing that the matter was resolved, Wang Qinian left immediately to report home that he was safe.
Fan Xian also wanted to leave, but Chen Pingping grabbed him and told him to go meet these people. Soon, everyone who was supposed to arrive had arrived.
Chen Pingping introduced them to Fan Xian one by one: Zhu Ge, Head of the First Department; Yan Ruohai, Head of the Fourth Department; the Head of the Second Department had business at the border and had not returned; the Head of the Fifth Department, the black knights, was not in the capital; the Head of the Sixth Department was Shadow; the Head of the Seventh Department was handling matters in Jiangnan; the Head of the Eighth Department was Xuan Jiu, who was responsible for printing books; Fei Jie, Head of the Third Department, was in Northern Qi, and temporarily managing the Third Department in his place was his senior disciple, Senior Brother Leng.
Senior Brother Leng was also a disciple of Elder Fei, making him a fellow student of Fan Xian, so he was particularly friendly towards Fan Xian. However, he had recently developed a new poison and tested a few doses on himself. The poison was effective, but his antidote failed, leading to increased toxicity. He could only lie on a stretcher and exchange pleasantries with Fan Xian. Everyone was present.
Chen Pingping told them that someone had set a trap in the office today to kill him, and Fan Xian had saved him. Therefore, he intended to let Fan Xian take over his position in the future. Zhu Ge was the first to stand up and express his opposition. Chen Pingping smiled and asked him if he was mistaken. He was not there to solicit their opinions but to inform them.
Anyone who was not convinced could come and kill him. After the others dispersed, Yan Ruohai and Zhu Ge left together. Yan Ruohai said nothing in front of Chen Pingping but secretly instigated Zhu Ge to contend for power behind his back. Zhu Ge told him that his opposition was not for the sake of seizing power. He felt he was not capable of sitting in that position, and everything he did was for the sake of Qing Kingdom.
Yan Ruohai said he was also doing the same. Zhu Ge recognized that several of the bodies today had been close to Yan Ruohai recently. He didn't understand what Yan Ruohai was really trying to do. Yan Ruohai stubbornly denied it, only saying that all his decisions were for Qing Kingdom. Fan Xian didn't understand why Chen Pingping wanted to hand over the Investigator's Office to him.
Chen Pingping, however, believed that the Investigator's Office was originally created by Ye Qingmei. He had been guarding it for her, but ultimately, it had to be returned to him. Fan Xian didn't expect him to be so sentimental about the past and could only advise him that what was past was past. Chen Pingping replied calmly, "Although time has passed, my initial intention has not changed." Fan Xian didn't know what to say for a moment.
Chen Pingping also didn't want to talk about these things anymore. Instead, he told Fan Xian to focus on the matters at the Court of State Ceremonials and to come to him if he encountered anything unpleasant; he would resolve it. It was late at night. Fan Xian looked at the palace map that Ruoruo had drawn and thought about his recent experiences, feeling somewhat unsettled.
Today, when Chen Pingping told him that he could come to him for any difficulties, he almost blurted out the name of the Eldest Princess. Wu Zhu heard this and said coldly, "When it comes to killing, I am stronger than him." But the Eldest Princess was, after all, Wan'er's mother. After much thought, Fan Xian decided not to kill her for the time being. Moreover, the Eldest Princess valued power more than life and death.
Overthrowing her and driving her out of the capital would make her suffer more than death. Wu Zhu wouldn't do this matter, so Fan Xian decided to handle it himself. Furthermore, the matter of finding the key needed to be delayed as well. He needed to find a better opportunity. The next day, Fan Xian changed into his official attire and, accompanied by Xin Qiwu, formally began negotiations with the Northern Qi delegation.
Experiencing such a thing for the first time, Fan Xian was inevitably a little nervous. Xin Qiwu comforted him, saying that as long as he was careful with his words during the negotiations and was polite and courteous to show the magnanimity of a great nation, he could leave the rest to him. Unexpectedly, after the negotiation began, Xin Qiwu completely changed his smiling demeanor, becoming both aggressive and rude in his words and actions, leaving Fan Xian dumbfounded.
In the afternoon, Xin Qiwu invited Fan Xian to dine with him. Fan Xian hesitantly asked Xin Qiwu if his actions just now had been too ostentatious. Xin Qiwu righteously claimed that the soldiers on the front lines had risked their lives to win the war, and if they weren't strong, how could they be worthy of these soldiers. Fan Xian couldn't argue with him and could only lower his head and drink tea. In the afternoon, the negotiation continued.
Xin Qiwu insisted that it was impossible to return the occupied territory and that Northern Qi also had to compensate for the military expenses. The Northern Qi delegation naturally refused. Seeing the situation enter a stalemate, someone hurriedly presented a note to the head of the Northern Qi delegation and whispered a few words to him. Upon seeing it, that person immediately broke into a joyful smile.
He told Xin Qiwu that their side's conditions would definitely not be conceded and even handed the note to Xin Qiwu, telling him to take it back and consider it and verify the authenticity of the message. Xin Qiwu took the note and looked at it, immediately saying, "This is bad." On the other side, Emperor Qing also received a secret memorial from Northern Qi.
It turned out that the identity of Yan Bingyun, a Northern Qi spy, had been exposed. He was personally arrested by Shen Zhong, the head of Northern Qi's Embroidered Uniform Guard. Northern Qi was using him as a bargaining chip, demanding not only that Qing Kingdom return the occupied territory and war captives but also that they issue pensions to the deceased Northern Qi soldiers. Most importantly, they wanted to exchange Xiao En and Si Lili for Yan Bingyun.
Xiao En could be said to be Northern Qi's Chen Pingping. He was once as famous as Chen Pingping. At that time, Chen Pingping led the black knights on a thousand-mile raid and captured him at the cost of his legs. However, in this battle, it was also thanks to Yan Bingyun for gathering military intelligence and transmitting secret reports. Furthermore, he was also Yan Ruohai's own son.
Chen Pingping knew that the other conditions were just pretexts; what Northern Qi truly wanted was Xiao En and Si Lili. Upon hearing the news, Yan Ruohai resolutely refused to exchange territory for his son. Chen Pingping, however, said that there was only one person who could make this decision, and that was Emperor Qing.
As expected, Emperor Qing agreed to have the Investigator's Office release the people, but the bottom line was that the captured territory would never be returned. Everything else was open for discussion, and Yan Bingyun must return alive. Upon hearing the imperial decree, Yan Ruohai was moved to tears of gratitude. The following negotiations were even more intense. The delegations from both sides rolled up their sleeves and engaged in a war of words, almost coming to blows.
Only Fan Xian, watching the spectacle from the side, was drowsy and completely at ease. Half a day later, the negotiation concluded. Emperor Qing was quite satisfied with the outcome and decided to hold a night banquet at the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests, celebrating with his ministers and having the Northern Qi and East Island delegations join them. Seeing that the matter had temporarily concluded, Zhu Ge, however, felt something particularly strange.
Ever since Zhuang Mohan disappeared once last time, he had been hiding in his room without coming out. Could it be that he had traveled thousands of miles just to attend a dinner banquet? Chen Pingping said mysteriously, "If anything is to happen at tomorrow night's banquet, it will be known throughout the land in an instant. If Zhuang Mohan has any intentions, it will definitely be tomorrow night.
However, we are completely unaware of his purpose now, so we can only let nature take its course." Afterward, Yan Ruohai also told Chen Pingping that news from Northern Qi indicated that Yan Bingyun was captured because his identity was revealed, meaning someone in the capital had betrayed him. Zhu Ge was greatly shocked. Yan Bingyun's undercover status in Northern Qi was top secret. Besides His Majesty, only people in the Investigator's Office knew about it.
Could it be that someone in the office had betrayed the country? Zhu Ge immediately requested Chen Pingping to thoroughly investigate the matter. Chen Pingping, however, forcefully said, "This matter ends here. There's no need to bring it up again." After the three dispersed, Yan Ruohai walked and said to Zhu Ge with double meaning, "The Investigator's Office has been established for so many years. Time flows, eroding day and night. It's time to replace some old things."
Episode 26 Recap
Negotiations at the Court of State Ceremonials concluded temporarily, and Fan Jian instructed Fan Xian to be more steady at tomorrow's banquet. It was known throughout the land that the literary giants were all in Northern Qi. In earlier years, scholars even prided themselves on passing the imperial examinations in Northern Qi. Although this year was better, when it came to literati, Qing Kingdom was always slightly inferior.
Fan Xian was originally just listening like a story until Fan Jian mentioned that the literary world of Qing Kingdom now placed all its hopes on him. He couldn't help but spit out a mouthful of tea. It turned out that the seven-character poem "Ten Thousand Miles of Melancholy Autumn" that Fan Xian had written a few days ago was praised by Qing Kingdom's literati as the best contemporary seven-character poem.
Many people were privately saying that with such achievements at a young age, Fan Xian might not necessarily lose to Zhuang Mohan in the future. Fan Xian didn't expect that simply copying a poem would lead to such consequences. Fan Jian also knew it was somewhat exaggerated, but Qing Kingdom longed for literary prosperity like a longed-for rainfall, so they had no choice but to treat a dead horse as a living one.
When Fan Xian thought about himself, this dead horse, having to compete with literary giants in front of everyone tomorrow, he couldn't help but feel nervous. Fan Jian comforted him, saying that he just needed to act steadily at that time. Given Zhuang Mohan's status, he naturally wouldn't make things difficult for a junior like him.
Fan Jian would never have imagined that Zhuang Mohan's purpose in coming to the capital this time was to use the opportunity of the night banquet to destroy Fan Xian's reputation. That night, Fan Xian hung a red lantern outside his door and called for Wu Zhu. He decided to sneak into the imperial harem after the banquet to steal the key. However, the Empress Dowager's palace was so large, it might take some effort.
Wu Zhu told him that there was a secret compartment under the Empress Dowager's pillow, beneath the bedboard, where she hid all her important items. Fan Xian was curious how Wu Zhu knew so clearly. Wu Zhu casually said that Ye Qingmei had also searched it before.
Upon hearing that his never-met mother would rummage through the Empress Dowager's secret compartment out of gossip and even have Wu Zhu, a grandmaster, stand guard for her, Fan Xian couldn't help but laugh heartily and became increasingly curious about her. The last problem was, if Fan Xian took the key, the Empress Dowager would definitely discover it. Fan Xian was prepared. He planned to swap it with a fake.
As for how to get the fake, he would have to trouble his capable subordinate Wang Qinian. Fan Xian took out ten taels of snowflake silver, and Wang Qinian's eyes immediately lit up.
He went on to say that he planned to sneak into the imperial harem that night to steal a key, and to prevent the Empress Dowager from finding out, they needed to make a fake overnight and put it back, asking Wang Qinian to help find the best locksmith in the capital. Wang Qinian's face paled in shock, and he didn't even dare to take the silver.
This was a capital crime that could lead to the extermination of his family. He didn't understand why Fan Xian would tell him the plan. Fan Xian smiled and said it was because he needed Wang Qinian to wait for him outside the imperial palace tomorrow. Wang Qinian was a smart person, so he would naturally make a smart choice. Moreover, there was money to be made from this choice.
The night banquet at the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests was originally set up by Emperor Qing for the Court of State Ceremonials and the Ministry of Rites. But for some reason, the Eldest Princess Li Yunrui, the Crown Prince, the Second Prince, and others seemed very interested in it and had dressed elaborately and taken their seats early. As night fell, Wang Qinian drove Fan Xian into the palace for the banquet.
Guards at the palace gate conducted a routine check, reminding them not to bring any sharp objects into the palace. Fan Xian obediently handed over the dagger he carried, the long needle tucked in his hair, and various homemade poisons, causing Xin Qiwu, who was standing by, to widen his eyes in surprise.
As the two walked towards the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests, Fan Xian saw the Eldest Princess sitting to the side at a glance, and for some reason, a bad premonition rose in his heart. Just then, Guo Baokun, whom he hadn't seen for a long time, suddenly rushed up to him, acting like a resentful woman, and even declared that he would personally witness Fan Xian's ruin tonight. Fan Xian's heart skipped a beat.
Guo Youzhi saw his son talking too much, hurried forward to stop him, and asked for Fan Xian's forgiveness. Fan Xian naturally magnanimously said he wouldn not take it to heart. Xin Qiwu pulled Fan Xian to his seat and quietly advised him that since they were both under the Crown Prince, it would be best to reconcile. Fan Xian didn't care, just telling him to look back at Guo Baokun.
Xin Qiwu saw Guo Baokun glaring at Fan Xian with eyes like a black chicken and could only sigh, "Let nature take its course." At today's banquet, Zhuang Mohan from Northern Qi was present, and from Dongyi came Yun Zhilan, the eldest disciple of Sigujian. Yun Zhilan was the only person in the main hall holding a weapon. His eyes and brows were cold, and he looked very arrogant.
While Fan Xian was looking around, a maid came to invite him, saying the Eldest Princess wanted to see him. Fan Xian naturally wouldn't refuse. He came to Li Yunrui's seat. Li Yunrui whispered that she had been waiting for him to come and kill her these past few days, asking why there was no sign of him. Fan Xian bowed and deliberately answered loudly that he would certainly live up to her expectations.
Li Yunrui smiled even more brightly, saying that if he joined her faction, she would allow him to marry Wan'er and hand over the financial power of the royal treasury to him as well. Fan Xian, however, said he only wanted her to get out of the capital. Li Yunrui was again amused by his naive idea. While Fan Xian and Li Yunrui were talking happily, Zhuang Mohan walked in slowly, holding a scroll of calligraphy and painting.
As he passed by Fan Xian, Fan Xian bowed to him, but Zhuang Mohan walked back to his seat as if he hadn't seen him. Although Chen Pingping was in the Investigator's Office, he was constantly concerned about the movements in the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests. Upon learning that Yun Zhilan had entered the hall with a sword, he was somewhat worried about whether there would be anyone to stop him if he attempted an assassination.
Zhu Ge told him that Hong Sixiang was guarding outside the hall and no one could cause any trouble. A moment later, everyone in the hall had arrived, and Emperor Qing also made his appearance as the finale. Everyone stepped forward and knelt, and Fan Xian, to avoid incurring public anger, also knelt. Emperor Qing casually waved his hand, ordering everyone to rise, and the banquet began.
At the banquet, everyone exchanged toasts but maintained their composure, except for Fan Xian, who ate and drank heartily without restraint, causing Emperor Qing to frown. Emperor Qing called him forward and introduced him to Yun Zhilan, saying that Fan Xian was the person who killed his beloved disciple. Yun Zhilan, however, said disdainfully, "It only counts as skill if one can kill me."
Emperor Qing was somewhat displeased and deliberately praised Fan Xian for doing a good job with his tasks, even rewarding him with a drink with himself. After Fan Xian returned to his seat, the Second Prince publicly proposed that Fan Xian, being widely renowned for his talent, could be of great use and suggested that he preside over the imperial examination next year. Emperor Qing, however, believed that although Fan Xian was talented, his qualifications were still shallow.
The Crown Prince, fearing Fan Xian would be pulled away by the Second Prince, also expressed his agreement by attending. Upon hearing this, the ministers discussed amongst themselves. Emperor Qing found it inappropriate to get angry publicly, so he just stated with a somber face that the spring imperial examination was still far away and this matter would be discussed again at that time. Unexpectedly, these words provided Zhuang Mohan with a good opportunity to speak.
He feigned reminding Emperor Qing that the imperial examination was the foundation of the nation and that the selection of the person in charge required caution. Upon hearing this, Li Yunrui jumped out, claiming she wanted to seek justice for Fan Xian, and even said that Zhuang Mohan was afraid that Fan Xian's reputation would grow day by day and surpass his.
Zhuang Mohan, "out of necessity," had no choice but to reveal a shocking fact - that Fan Xian's famous seven-character poem was plagiarized from his teacher's work. Emperor Qing asked Fan Xian if he had any thoughts. Fan Xian didn't take it seriously, only asking if Zhuang Mohan's teacher's surname was Du. When Zhuang Mohan shook his head, Fan Xian's heart immediately settled. The Eldest Princess asked Zhuang Mohan if he had any evidence. At this moment, Zhuang Mohan opened the old scroll of calligraphy and painting he carried with him. Written on it was exactly the poem that Fan Xian had composed.
Episode 27 Recap
Emperor Qing saw the poem on the scroll and immediately his face darkened. Zhuang Mohan claimed that even without looking at the scroll, one could see the clues. The meaning in the last four lines of this poem was desolate and downcast. How could one write such a mood without having experienced great ups and downs in life? Fan Xian, however, paid no attention, only burying his head in drinking. Soon, his eyes became blurred.
Zhuang Mohan continued, saying that Fan Xian was young and renowned, and it was impossible for him to have such a melancholic state of mind. A young man feigning sorrow goes too far and becomes a laughingstock. Seeing that Fan Xian had brought such disgrace upon Qing Kingdom, Emperor Qing's face was so dark it could drip water.
Guo Baokun could no longer suppress the joy in his heart and proactively stepped forward to report that Fan Xian was a fraud seeking fame, having shamed all the scholars of Qing Kingdom. He pleaded with His Majesty to strip him of his official titles, banish him from the capital, and never employ him in this life. Fan Xian was relatively calm. He retorted to Guo Baokun, asking why he was still so overjoyed if he had shamed Qing Kingdom.
When exactly did he know that Zhuang Mohan would debate the truth in the hall? Otherwise, why would he have asserted so confidently the moment he entered the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests today that he would see Fan Xian's ruin? Guo Baokun couldn't justify himself. Guo Youzhi quickly stepped forward to smooth things over for his son, stating that there had always been discord between them, and their dispute was irrelevant to the larger picture.
However, the matter of Fan Xian's plagiarism should be severely punished, otherwise it would be difficult to quell the murmurs of the common people. Things had reached this point, and Fan Xian could no longer avoid it. He picked up his wine cup, walked to the center of the main hall, and admitted that the poem was indeed copied by him, but it was copied from the work of Du Fu, the Sage of Poetry from Shangling.
It had nothing to do with Zhuang Mohan's teacher. Zhuang Mohan said angrily that he had devoted his life to literature and had never heard the name Du Fu. Fan Xian said seriously, there was no Du Fu in historical records because he belonged to a world of unparalleled elegance and dazzling literary talent, a world that could even be called the immortal realm. That was a painting left behind in his dreams, a fragment of his lingering memory.
These truthful words, however, earned him a hall full of laughter. Guo Youzhi immediately reported to Emperor Qing, requesting that Fan Xian be charged with deceiving the monarch. Fan Xian ignored him, turned to Zhuang Mohan, and asked if his teacher had any other unknown poetic works. Zhuang Mohan said there was only one. Fan Xian laughed unrestrainedly, grabbed a wine jar, and asked for paper and brushes. Upon seeing this, Eunuch Hou immediately offered to transcribe for him.
Perhaps Fan Xian was truly drunk. His body drifted through this world, while his soul retained memories from his previous life. There was no one he could tell, no one he could trust. Sometimes, he was even lonelier than the emperor on the throne. In the past, Li Bai composed three thousand poems with a jar of wine; today, Fan Xian drunkenly recited a hundred poems.
The people present became more surprised the more they listened, and more silent the more they listened. It was as if he wanted to recite all the poems in his mind in one go. In the end, it took seven or eight eunuchs wielding brushes just to keep up with his speed. It wasn't until Fan Xian finished reciting that Guo Baokun mumbled drunkenly about the so-called immortal realm in this world.
The Second Prince chimed in, asking him, if there were no immortal realm in the world, where did these poems come from? Guo Baokun blurted out, "Then Fan Xian must have written them himself." After saying this, he felt something was wrong and quickly changed his tune, saying that even if he wrote a thousand or ten thousand poems, it couldn't prove that the seven-character poem wasn't copied.
The Second Prince scoffed, saying, if a person could casually recite famous lines that would be passed down through the ages, why would he need to plagiarize? Fan Xian swayed unsteadily to Zhuang Mohan's seat, pointed at his nose, and laughed, saying that when it came to annotating poetry and prose or being a literary giant, he was inferior to him. But when it came to reciting poetry and being a person, he was inferior to himself.
After saying this, he collapsed to the ground drunk, unconscious. Zhuang Mohan's reputation of over seventy years was ruined in one morning. Feeling both shame and guilt, he vomited blood on the spot and fainted. The night banquet thus turned into a farce. Who knows how many were happy and how many were sad? Wang Qinian carried Fan Xian back to the manor. Fan Xian whispered in his ear that the plan remained unchanged.
Fan Jian and Liu Ruyu heard from Eunuch Hou about how Fan Xian had greatly enhanced the nation's prestige at the night banquet. Fan Jian was filled with pride, and Liu Ruyu busied herself with arranging for Fan Xian to sober up. It was Ruoruo who took the initiative to personally look after Fan Xian and persuaded everyone else to leave. As soon as they left, Fan Xian took out a pill and swallowed it, then he vomited profusely.
Hong Sixiang reported everything that happened in the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests to the Empress Dowager, saying that after today, Fan Xian had truly become the 'Little Immortal Poet Fan', and it was clear that Zhuang Mohan was indeed lying and slandering him. The Empress Dowager sighed that Zhuang Mohan, at his age, had ultimately failed to preserve his reputation in his later years, and ordered Hong Sixiang to leave.
On the other side, Emperor Qing looked at the transcribed poems of Fan Xian and sighed that Qing Kingdom was founded on military might, and in terms of literary achievements, it was far inferior to Qi Kingdom. This had also been the previous emperor's heartache. He couldn't believe that in a single night, they had left Qi Kingdom far behind, as if it were a dream.
After sobering up, Fan Xian entrusted Ruoruo with guarding the room, put on night clothes, and met up with Wu Zhu outside the palace. Fan Xian was worried that Wu Zhu's features were too distinct and told him to make sure not to be recognized. Wu Zhu, however, said that his clothes and sword were stolen from the Dongyi diplomatic mission. Even if they investigated, they wouldn't trace it back to them.
He used to do this kind of thing often when he was with Miss, so he was used to it. According to the plan, Wu Zhu would distract Hong Sixiang for the time it takes an incense stick to burn, and Fan Xian would enter the palace to get the key. Wu Zhu climbed over the wall and snuck into the imperial harem. He was quickly discovered by Hong Sixiang.
Wu Zhu lowered his voice and said he had taken a wrong turn, then ran away. How could Hong Sixiang let him leave so easily? The destructive power of two grandmasters fighting was astonishing. Wu Zhu deliberately used the moves of Sigujian, making Hong Sixiang even more unwilling to let him go. The two leaped and bounded, quickly moving far away.
Fan Xian had been lurking in the shadows, and seeing Wu Zhu leading Hong Sixiang away, he leaped over the wall into the palace. Yan Xiaoyi, who was leading a patrol, heard the movement. He ordered someone to fetch his bow and arrows, leaped onto the rooftop, wanting to locate the source of the sound. Fortunately, Fan Xian was well-prepared. Yan Xiaoyi's hearing and eyesight were extraordinary, but there were many people in the palace.
As long as he didn't jump or run quickly, or climb high, it would be difficult to be discovered. Following the route in his memory, Fan Xian quickly found the Empress Dowager's palace. He added incense to the censer, knocking out the Empress Dowager and the palace maids on night duty. Then, he opened the secret compartment under the bed and successfully stole the key.
After leaving the palace, Fan Xian met up with Wang Qinian and had the previously arranged locksmith duplicate a fake key. However, when returning the fake, Fan Xian saw Li Yunrui's personal maid entering the palace with a mysterious person wearing a cloak and a veiled hat. A thought sparked in his mind, and he followed them all the way. It wasn't until they reached the Eldest Princess's palace that he discovered the person was actually Zhuang Mohan.
It turned out that the Eldest Princess had revealed Yan Bingyun's identity in exchange for Zhuang Mohan ruining Fan Xian's reputation at the night banquet. And Zhuang Mohan, who had spent his entire life upholding his integrity, did this surprisingly to save his biological brother, Xiao En. Now, Zhuang Mohan's goal had been achieved, but the Eldest Princess's plan had completely failed. She was both angry and hateful.
She told Zhuang Mohan to tell the Emperor of Qi Kingdom that he owed her a favor, which would have to be repaid in the future. Zhuang Mohan didn't understand why the Eldest Princess was so determined to kill someone as talented as Fan Xian. The Eldest Princess said viciously that she just wanted to see him cornered and desperate. Fan Xian was startled by this remark.
He turned back and saw the Eldest Princess's personal maid walking along the corridor. In his panic, he accidentally made a noise and was discovered by the maid. The two quickly exchanged blows. Although Fan Xian had the upper hand, this alerted Yan Xiaoyi. He fled with all his might, but was still shot down from the top of the wall by Yan Xiaoyi's arrow. By the time Yan Xiaoyi arrived with the imperial guards, there was no one there.
On the ground, there were only a broken arrowhead and shattered cloth. Yan Xiaoyi was sure his arrow would wound anyone it hit, and immediately ordered the imperial guards to spread out and search carefully.
Episode 28 Recap
Yan Xiaoyi did not catch the assassin, so he went to Guangxin Palace because he was worried about the Eldest Princess's safety. The Eldest Princess knew that her secret conversation with Zhuang Mohan had been overheard, so she simply told Yan Xiaoyi that she had made a deal with Northern Qi using Yan Bingyun, and asked him to personally silence the assassin from last night. Yan Xiaoyi, as the commander of the imperial guards, agreed without hesitation.
It turned out that when Yan Xiaoyi was a child, the small mountain village where he lived suffered a sudden change, and his entire family was wiped out. It was the Eldest Princess who took him away when he was about to starve, leading to his achievements today. Therefore, he swore that even if the whole world were against the Eldest Princess, he would stay by her side.
Yan Xiaoyi told the Eldest Princess that the person's build and height were similar to Fan Xian's. The Eldest Princess was very surprised, but the female official beside her thought that Fan Xian was drunk after the poetry contest in the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests and was carried back to the Fan Manor, so it was absolutely impossible for it to be him.
The Eldest Princess thought about it and still felt uneasy, so she instructed Yan Xiaoyi to go to the Fan Manor personally to investigate. Before dawn, Yan Xiaoyi quickly rode his horse to the Fan Manor. At this time, Liu Ruyu happened to have the kitchen prepare some food to personally deliver to Fan Xian. Fan Ruoruo had guarded the room all night without daring to close her eyes.
Seeing Liu Ruyu coming, she quickly put a pillow into the quilt, then pulled the bed curtains closed, pretending that her brother was still asleep. Liu Ruyu saw that she insisted on guarding him herself and was about to leave when a servant reported that Yan Xiaoyi was requesting to see Fan Xian. Yan Xiaoyi forcefully told Liu Ruyu that he had come to visit Fan Xian on the Eldest Princess's orders, and would leave after explaining a few things.
Liu Ruyu was a little uneasy, but seeing his insistence, she still took him to Fan Xian's room. When the two arrived, Ruoruo had already closed the door and was guarding it outside. She stated that her brother was sleeping and it was inconvenient. Yan Xiaoyi became even more suspicious and insisted on entering. Ruoruo simply blocked the doorway herself. Yan Xiaoyi showed no mercy and directly tried to push her away.
Ruoruo was pushed painfully by his rough hands, but she still held onto the door frame tightly. She had promised her brother that she would guard this room with her life. Yan Xiaoyi's suspicion deepened, and after using his internal energy to probe, he found there were no breathing sounds inside the room. Just as the two were in a standoff, Fan Xian's voice suddenly came from inside the room.
Fan Xian told Ruoruo to open the door and let Yan Xiaoyi in. After entering the room and seeing him, Yan Xiaoyi suggested discussing some matters with Fan Xian alone. Liu Ruyu saw his aggressive manner and was worried he would harm Fan Xian, but Fan Xian didn't take it to heart. He just told the two to pull back the bed curtains and wait outside.
After Liu Ruyu and the others left, Yan Xiaoyi directly stated that there had been an assassin in the palace and demanded to check if Fan Xian had any injuries. Fan Xian knew he had no imperial decree, so he wasn't afraid. He proposed that he could be checked, but they would make a bet. If he had injuries on his body, he would let Yan Xiaoyi take him anywhere to be punished.
If he had no injuries, he must kowtow to Ruoruo and apologize for what just happened. Yan Xiaoyi said coldly that he could do it himself. Fan Xian smugly said that he was now the 'Little Immortal Poet Fan' who had written a hundred poems in one night. If he treated him like this, even if he wasn't afraid, wasn't he afraid of implicating the Eldest Princess? Yan Xiaoyi indeed hesitated upon hearing this.
After much thought, he still agreed to the bet. Fan Xian was waiting for exactly these words. He immediately jumped off the bed, lifted his clothes, and let Yan Xiaoyi see his body clearly, front and back. Yan Xiaoyi saw that Fan Xian's body was indeed unharmed, and his face immediately became awkward. He walked out without a word, went directly to Fan Ruoruo, kowtowed to her in apology, and then left without looking back.
Liu Ruyu and Ruoruo watched, dumbfounded. Fan Xian, however, said that offending his sister was a light offense for which making him kowtow was considered lenient. He excused himself by saying he needed to rest a bit longer and sent the two women away. After returning to the room, Fan Xian quickly closed the door. Wu Zhu was standing behind the door. He reminded Fan Xian not to hold it in.
Hearing this, Fan Xian relaxed his internal energy, and a mouthful of black blood immediately spurted out. Wu Zhu told Fan Xian that what Yan Xiaoyi said was true. He was the only ninth-rank archer in the world, and anyone hit by his arrow would be injured, not even excepting Grandmasters. Fan Xian laughed, saying he was lucky. The arrow happened to hit the key at his waist.
He didn't know what material the key was made of, but it wasn't damaged at all by the arrow. Fan Xian told Wu Zhu what he saw last night. Wu Zhu was concerned about why he hadn't returned the fake key in time, but Fan Xian wasn't worried. What he cared about more now was what was actually in that box. Even Wu Zhu, who was usually expressionless, became a little nervous for once.
The two opened the box with excitement and curiosity, only to find another layer of mechanism inside, which was a modern smart password lock. Fan Xian tried for a long time with no result. Just as he was giving up dejectedly, Wu Zhu did something, and the password actually opened. Fan Xian couldn't help but suspect that there must be some unspeakable secret between Wu Zhu and his mother.
On the other side, Hong Sixiang and Yan Xiaoyi reported the matter of the assassin to Emperor Qing. Hong Sixiang confirmed that the assassin he chased out of the palace used the Sigujian technique. Although his skills were only just entering the ninth rank, he was very elusive, so he couldn't catch him. Upon hearing this, Yan Xiaoyi proposed searching the Dongyi diplomatic mission.
Emperor Qing listened to the two of them talking back and forth and coldly asked Yan Xiaoyi if he had real evidence. Two assassins penetrated deep into the palace yet escaped unharmed. If this matter got out, Qing Kingdom would lose all face. The Emperor's fury made even someone as strong as Hong Sixiang break out in a cold sweat.
Emperor Qing reprimanded the two, telling them it would be better to think about why the assassin wanted to assassinate the Eldest Princess than to waste their time, and then dismissed them. Fan Xian opened the box filled with anticipation, only to see a strange object made of unknown metal inside.
Wu Zhu played with it for a while but was completely confused, but Fan Xian, who came from the modern world, knew clearly that what his mother had left behind was a top-tier killing weapon. In this era, thermal weapons were almost invincible. He carefully put the weapon back and found a letter left for Wu Zhu in a hidden compartment.
Wu Zhu asked Fan Xian to read it to him, as nothing about him was a secret to Fan Xian. The Eldest Princess thought and thought, and although she felt that something was wrong with this matter, she couldn't figure out the reason. She could only ask Yan Xiaoyi to inform Zhuang Mohan to leave the capital as soon as possible, lest hesitation lead to changes.
The Empress Dowager learned from Hong Sixiang that the Eldest Princess Li had been assassinated and thought it was because she had monopolized control of the Inner Court Treasury, making others jealous and want to attack her. Hong Sixiang was worried about the Empress Dowager. The Empress Dowager smiled and told him that she had slept well all night and felt no different.
Wang Qinian, following Fan Xian's instructions, gave the locksmith a large sum of money and sent him away from the capital to lay low temporarily. As he was leaving, Wang Qinian's stingy habit flared up again. He really couldn't bear to give the locksmith the good horse he had bought with his own money. The two struggled for a bit before the locksmith snatched the reins and rode away.
Wang Qinian could only emphasize once again for him absolutely not to tell anyone what happened last night. Wang Qinian sent the locksmith away and turned around, seeing the two people standing behind him. He was so scared he fell to the ground. It turned out that Shadow, pushing Chen Pingping, had appeared behind him at some point. Chen Pingping softly asked him who that person was.
Wang Qinian knelt on the ground, stammering for a long time, biting his teeth and refusing to say. Chen Pingping then asked him if the assassination attempt in the palace last night was related to Fan Xian. Wang Qinian trembled with fear but still insisted he didn't know. Seeing his stubbornness, Chen Pingping ordered Shadow to step forward and give him a good lesson. Fan Xian picked up the letter and glanced at it, then couldn't help but laugh.
The ruthless and cold Grandmaster-level assassin had become 'dear little Zhuzhu' in Ye Qingmei's words, which was truly hilarious. The letter was written by Ye Qingmei during her leisure time when she was pregnant, around the time Wu Zhu left the capital. She treated Wu Zhu like a younger brother, so the letter started with her urging him to smile more and even wanting to introduce a good wife to him through a blind date.
Listening to this familiar tone, Wu Zhu unconsciously revealed a smile. Fan Xian had never seen Wu Zhu like this before. He realized then that perhaps he had never truly understood the person who had been by his side for over a decade. Unfortunately, Wu Zhu couldn't remember anything about what happened back then. Ye Qingmei had always been worried that Wu Zhu was living in this world without curiosity, without desire, and without anything he wanted to do.
That's why she put this letter in the box but didn't let him open it. Because she hoped that one day, Wu Zhu would take the initiative to open the box and read this letter. At the same time, she was also curious about what force would make Wu Zhu open this box on his own initiative? Wu Zhu answered faintly that he just wanted to know what she had left for this world, and if she would mention him.
The latter part of the letter didn't seem like words left for Wu Zhu; it was more like an emotional outlet for Ye Qingmei. She claimed that she came to this world, experienced it, saw it, played in it, became the richest person, pulled the old emperor's beard, and almost unified the world, which was quite a grand life.
She told Wu Zhu that if he saw this letter and she was no longer around, he should destroy this box because she didn't want others to know of her existence, as they were unworthy. She had been to this world, but ultimately, she didn't belong to it. No one ever understood how lonely she was inside. But luckily, even in the loneliest times, she always had Wu Zhu.
After reading the letter, Fan Xian felt a strange sadness in his heart. He asked Wu Zhu if he missed his mother, but Wu Zhu asked him what 'miss' meant.
Fan Xian told Wu Zhu that missing someone means that no matter what you are doing or how many people are around you, a person's image always appears in your heart, you silently repeat their name, you've heard many voices and seen many faces, but the only voice you want to hear is theirs, and the only person you want to see is them. As Wu Zhu listened, a bright smile appeared on his face again.
He told Fan Xian word by word, "Then I miss her." While Fan Xian was tidying up the box, he found another layer underneath. After opening it, there was another secret compartment inside, and in the secret compartment was another letter, but on it was written: "Little Zhuzhu, don't open this letter." Fan Xian was very curious. Wu Zhu nodded, letting him open it.
After unfolding the letter, Fan Xian was astonished to find that it was actually written to him. In the letter, Ye Qingmei told Fan Xian that this world had no time travel, no parallel universes, and it was still Earth. Earth has existed for four billion years, rotating ceaselessly. Throughout this long period, several special eras have appeared: global temperatures dropped significantly, forming large ice sheets in mid-to-high latitude regions.
Water condensed into ice, and atmospheric circulation and ocean currents changed accordingly. In this era, white dominated everything. This was the Great Ice Age, and it would occur periodically. The previous era had ended. They opened the door to the forbidden area, hoping to revive when a new century arrived, just as depicted in science fiction films. Everything was flash-frozen in an instrument. Many years later, the instrument was opened, and the people sleeping inside came out.
She was one such example. When Ye Qingmei woke up, she found that the Ice Age had long passed, the old era had been annihilated, and new humans had appeared. They had gone through tribal periods and slave societies, and now it was a feudal dynasty. Of course, Ye Qingmei was not the only person who woke up from the ice. Many pioneers survived and spread civilization to the new humans. Their legends were also the secrets of the temple.
The more Fan Xian read, the less he understood. If he woke up from being frozen, why did he turn into a child? Fortunately, Ye Qingmei also gave him the answer to this point, stating that he was a special case. He was an experimental subject for an experiment to dataize memory, and the only successful one in the end was Fan Xian.
She knew Fan Xian had many other questions, so she told him that the answers he sought were all in the Taiping Manor. There was a pond in the courtyard there. Ye Qingmei hid a mechanism at the bottom of the pond. After operating it, a hidden door inside the house would open. The secret of the forbidden door, the truth of human extinction, all the answers he wanted were inside.
However, Ye Qingmei suggested that he best not open it. Once he entered that hidden door and learned the truth, he would be destined to return to the place he escaped from, go underground, and face the deepest horror. If he didn't open this hidden door, then all these dangers would have nothing to do with him, and he could enjoy a peaceful and happy life.
In the last sentence, Ye Qingmei told Fan Xian that there was no such thing as true qi in this world. The so-called true qi was actually some remnants left from the previous era. Finally, Ye Qingmei instructed Fan Xian to be good to Wu Zhu. Fan Xian was curious about the secret at the bottom of the pond, but also afraid of the danger. Moreover, he didn't understand why Wu Zhu, whose skills were so good, would need his care.
Episode 29 Recap
Fan Xian didn't expect that his mother, after promising him the truth, would bring more puzzles. After much thought, he decided to put these aside for now. Since he had come to this era, he would live well in it and take care of the people around him. Wu Zhu naturally had no objection, only reminding him to tie up loose ends from when he infiltrated the palace.
Fan Xian was just confidently saying it was impossible to be discovered when the courtyard gate was suddenly knocked. Wang Qinian was outside frantically shouting that something had happened, that he had been discovered. This slap in the face came too quickly, catching him completely off guard. Wang Qinian tearfully said that when he was sending the locksmith out of the city, he was blocked by the Director and Shadow.
The Director immediately asked him if the person who broke into the palace last night was Fan Xian. Wang Qinian bit his teeth and refused to confess, but Shadow handed him a key, the key to the locksmith's house. It turned out that the locksmith was Chen Pingping's man.
This locksmith had been famous in the capital for a long time, yet Wang Qinian had never heard him mention the Director, which showed how many eyes and ears Chen Pingping had hidden in the capital. Fortunately, he was on Fan Xian's side. Chen Pingping told Wang Qinian to inform Fan Xian that no one would know about his intrusion into the imperial palace last night, allowing Fan Xian to do what he wanted with peace of mind.
He would cover for him and fill in the gaps. Although Fan Xian was a little surprised, he insisted on handling the subsequent matters himself first, and would seek his help if needed. The key now was to put the counterfeit back into the Empress Dowager's bedchamber in time, without letting anyone detect his true purpose. So, he needed to find someone who could enter the palace at any time and could be trusted.
This might be difficult for others, but coincidentally, he had such a person: his fiancée, who grew up in the palace and was mutually in love with him. Fan Xian told Lin Wan'er that he needed her to find a way to bring him into the Empress Dowager's bedchamber disguised as an accompanying eunuch. Although Lin Wan'er agreed, she deliberately made things difficult for Fan Xian, telling him to practice eunuch etiquette properly.
Only after Fan Xian was thoroughly exhausted did she smile and let him off. Lin Wan'er asked Fan Xian why he needed to sneak into the palace in disguise. Fan Xian told her directly that he had secretly broken into the palace last night and stolen a key from the Empress Dowager's bedchamber. This item was closely related to his mother, so he had to get it no matter what, and he had to return it today.
Lin Wan'er was startled, not expecting Fan Xian to casually tell her something so important. Fan Xian said seriously that it was because he had promised he would never lie to her. Soon, Lin Wan'er entered the palace with several accompanying eunuchs under the pretense of visiting the Empress Dowager. She saw that there were more guards than usual and casually inquired of the person leading the way.
To her surprise, the palace maid said that there had been a thief in the palace last night and that the flying thief was actually having a private meeting with a maid beside the Eldest Princess. Although Lin Wan'er knew this was unreliable, she still secretly glared at Fan Xian. Lin Wan'er had grown up in the palace, and the Empress Dowager was especially fond of her.
Hearing that she had specially brought homemade pastries and incense to repel insects, the Empress Dowager felt very comforted, saying that no amount of gold or silver could compare to Lin Wan'er's filial piety. Lin Wan'er felt a bit guilty upon hearing this. She quickly changed the subject and asked why Eunuch Hong was not present.
The Empress Dowager told her that there was a thief in the palace last night and she had sent Hong Sixiang to assist Emperor Qing. Fan Xian heard this and knew it was a great opportunity. Lin Wan'er then pulled the Empress Dowager's hand and, acting spoiled, said that the weather was good today and she wanted to take her to the garden to enjoy the flowers, which would also allow the servants to fumigate the palace for insects.
The Empress Dowager naturally agreed. Yan Xiaoyi reported to the Eldest Princess that the Northern Qi diplomatic mission had received the news and planned to leave within days. However, the Eldest Princess remained sullen. She still hadn't figured out why the assassin had entered the palace last night. Yan Xiaoyi informed her that Eunuch Hong had fought with one of the men last night and recognized it as the Sigujian technique. The Eldest Princess immediately seized upon a loophole.
Hong Sixiang encountered the assassin at midnight, while Yan Xiaoyi only discovered the assassin at around 2 AM. If they were truly there to assassinate her, where did the assassin go during that entire hour in between? She concluded that the assassin must have had another purpose.
Just in case, the Eldest Princess asked Yan Xiaoyi to obtain an imperial decree from the Empress Dowager, ordering a check of all areas in the palace, including her own residence, for any abnormalities. While Lin Wan'er kept the old lady happy in the garden, Fan Xian quietly slipped in after the servants finished fumigating the palace and put the key back. Just then, Yan Xiaoyi came to request the imperial decree.
A palace maid told him that the Empress Dowager had gone to the Imperial Garden, but he sensed someone else's breathing in the Empress Dowager's bedchamber. He wanted to go in and investigate but was stopped by the palace maid guarding the door. The palace maid warned him that this was the Empress Dowager's bedchamber, after all. Yan Xiaoyi could only leave reluctantly and went to the Imperial Garden.
The Empress Dowager found the Eldest Princess's request reasonable and readily agreed. At this moment, she suddenly remembered the hidden compartment under her bed and rushed back in a hurry. She left everyone outside and went to the bed alone, opened the hidden compartment, and breathed a sigh of relief when she saw that the key was still completely intact inside. Yan Xiaoyi reported the matter of a hidden expert in the Empress Dowager's palace to the Eldest Princess.
The Eldest Princess thought of an unusual point: Hong Sixiang, a Grandmaster, chased an assassin but lost him. Logically, this was absolutely impossible. She speculated that Hong Sixiang was deliberately led away, and the fact that this assassin could freely move about in the palace and disappear without a trace afterwards meant there was only one explanation: the two assassins were the Empress Dowager's people.
Although Fan Xian's poems written at the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests were astonishing, many of the names, places, and allusions could not be traced. Xuan Jiu, head of the Eighth Bureau of the Investigator's Office, reported this to Chen Pingping. Chen Pingping told him not to investigate further and to print the poems as quickly as possible. Qing Kingdom's literary world had been weak for a long time; it was time for a poetry god to emerge.
Soon, literati on the street were reading Fan Xian's collection of poems, and Fan Xian's fame soared. On this day, Xin Qiwu was bragging to someone on the street about having worked with Fan Xian before, when suddenly, many papers were scattered from the sky. The entire capital street was instantly covered in a flurry of paper snow. The papers were neatly written, denouncing Eldest Princess Li Yunrui for treason and for privately trading with Northern Qi.
The Eldest Princess quickly received the news. She realized that the person behind this wanted to use public opinion to force her to her death. The maid beside her worriedly said that others were not important; the key was how Emperor Qing viewed this matter. Emperor Qing was currently discussing this article with Chen Pingping. Chen Pingping softly said that everyone was now discussing the illicit affair between the Eldest Princess and Zhuang Mohan.
Emperor Qing was angered to laughter, wondering who would believe such absurd talk. However, since the matter was causing such a stir, there had to be an outcome to account for it. Chen Pingping countered by asking if he wanted an outcome or the truth. Emperor Qing did not answer directly and dismissed him. Yan Ruohai received the news and immediately sought out Zhu Ge.
He angrily said that if Yan Bingyun was captured due to intelligence leaks, he would have nothing to say, but if someone within the court truly used a trick, he would never let it go. Zhu Ge asked him why he didn't tell the Director. Yan Ruohai stated directly that he did not trust Chen Pingping; he wanted to promote Fan Xian, and among the younger generation, his son was Fan Xian's biggest rival.
Fan Xian was at home sharing his joy with Wu Zhu. Thanks to Wu Zhu, no one else could have scattered the flyers all over the city so silently. His proudest point, and the cleverest part of this method, was that no one could trace it back to him. He could stay out of it and watch the show with peace of mind. To his surprise, just as he said this, the door knocked again.
This time, it was Chen Pingping. Chen Pingping entered the room and looked around, asking Fan Xian if Wu Zhu was there. Fan Xian evaded the question. Chen Pingping directly handed him a flyer, asserting that this matter was Fan Xian's doing. Fan Xian naturally denied it, but Chen Pingping said the flyer was proof. He had Xuan Jiu investigate. Xuan Jiu determined from the paper's material, processing level, and thickness that it was from the Hexi region.
Such a large quantity of paper sufficient to cover the entire city was only stocked by one place: Fan Xian's Danbo Bookstore. Fan Xian hadn't expected that his seemingly flawless plan had such a major oversight. Chen Pingping teased him, asking if he was short on money, which was why he bought so much cheap stock. Fan Xian said helplessly that it was Fan Sizhe who managed this.
Of the eight bureaus of the Investigator's Office, the one he paid the least attention to was the Eighth Bureau, and he didn't expect to fall so hard this time. Chen Pingping said proudly that the Investigator's Office was built by Ye Qingmei, and he shouldn't underestimate it. Chen Pingping asked Fan Xian if the content on the paper was true or false and why he targeted the Eldest Princess.
Fan Xian said seriously that the illicit affair was false, but betraying Yan Bingyun was true; he had heard it with his own ears. Moreover, the Eldest Princess was the first one who wanted to kill him, so he couldn't just wait to be killed. Chen Pingping believed that inciting public opinion without solid evidence was not enough. Fan Xian agreed; he had planned a second step, intending to make a breakthrough with Guo Youzhi, the Minister of Rites.
According to Guo Baokun, he knew about Zhuang Mohan framing Fan Xian beforehand. For the Eldest Princess to contact Zhuang Mohan, there must be an intermediary within the court. Guo Baokun was not sufficient, so it could only be his father, Guo Youzhi, the Minister of Rites. Zhuang Mohan had disappeared once when he first arrived in the capital.
If he did meet with the Eldest Princess, then one of the people who met Zhuang Mohan must have been a cover-up, and Guo Youzhi happened to be among them. Chen Pingping sent someone to arrest Guo Youzhi's carriage driver, confirming that he had indeed secretly taken Zhuang Mohan away that night, and then someone in the palace had received him. Chen Pingping asked Fan Xian what he ultimately wanted.
Fan Xian firmly stated that he wanted Li Yunrui to get out of the capital. Chen Pingping wrote a memorial about this matter and presented it to Emperor Qing. The Eldest Princess could only admit after seeing the memorial that Guo Youzhi was indeed one of her people, and that she had indeed met with Zhuang Mohan that night. However, she denied betraying Yan Bingyun, claiming she invited him only to discuss ancient texts.
Emperor Qing was skeptical of her explanation and asked Chen Pingping if he had anything else to ask. Chen Pingping smiled and said that discussing ancient texts or not was secondary, but engaging in politics in the palace was forbidden. The Eldest Princess's private recruitment of Guo Youzhi was already a crime of forming factions. At this point, the Eldest Princess could only admit guilt. Emperor Qing did not get angry, only asking her how the matter should be handled.
The Eldest Princess said without hesitation that Guo Youzhi had colluded with the palace and, according to the law, should be handed over to the Ministry of Justice for handle. Emperor Qing pressed her, asking if she wouldn't even protect her own people? The Eldest Princess said coldly that the law was merciless, and Guo Youzhi brought this upon himself. Emperor Qing laughed heartily and sighed that the Eldest Princess was indeed worthy of being a royal descendant.
Soon, the Guo family residence was sealed. Guo Baokun shouted that his father was a second-rank official and still wanted to report the matter to the Emperor. Guo Youzhi saw that the people confiscating the house included not only those from the Ministry of Justice but also the Imperial Guards, and he knew in his heart that this was Emperor Qing's intention.
He was completely disheartened, only worried about Guo Baokun, so he instructed him that after today, he must submit a memorial to sever their father-son relationship. Only this way could he protect himself.
Episode 30 Recap
Guo Baokun knew it was because he had revealed himself at the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests that his father was arrested and imprisoned. He was filled with regret and hatred. Before leaving, Guo Youzhi publicly severed his father-son relationship with Guo Baokun. Guo Baokun watched his father's determined retreating figure, crying uncontrollably. Guo Youzhi had already been imprisoned. Emperor Qing asked the Eldest Princess what she planned to do.
The Eldest Princess reluctantly said she was willing to hand over control of the Ministry of Revenue's finances. Emperor Qing angrily retorted that it wasn't hers to begin with. Chen Pingping saw the two had reached a stalemate and reminded Emperor Qing that treason could not be easily forgiven.
The Eldest Princess remained stubborn, insisting that her meeting with Zhuang Mohan was merely to discuss ancient texts and classics, and the act of treason was absurd, especially since there was no evidence for this matter. Chen Pingping pointed out that Yan Bingyun's undercover mission in Northern Qi was top secret, but shortly after the Eldest Princess met Zhuang Mohan, Yan Bingyun was arrested. This was too much of a coincidence.
The Eldest Princess took the opportunity to say that there was another person who knew about Yan Bingyun's undercover mission in Northern Qi, and that was Fan Xian. Emperor Qing listened silently as the two argued. The Eldest Princess saw Chen Pingping's expression change slightly when Fan Xian was mentioned and smugly stated that Fan Xian had met Yan Bingyun on his way into the capital, so he was also a suspect.
Emperor Qing was somewhat surprised and asked Chen Pingping if this was true. Chen Pingping said he would go back and investigate immediately, but he believed Fan Xian could never betray the country. The Eldest Princess immediately retorted, asking why, if Fan Xian was impossible, she would be possible. Emperor Qing saw that neither could convince the other, so he handed the matter over to Chen Pingping, instructing him to investigate thoroughly and uncover the truth.
Wang Qinian told Fan Xian about this turn of events. Fan Xian admitted that he had met Yan Bingyun when he entered the capital and had also learned about his undercover mission in Northern Qi from Fei Jie. Wang Qinian sighed repeatedly. Now that Fan Xian was also a suspect, it would likely be difficult to convict the Eldest Princess. Just then, there was a commotion outside.
The two went out to see, and it turned out to be Guo Baokun making a scene, demanding to see Fan Xian. Upon meeting, Guo Baokun knelt down and begged Fan Xian to spare his father. Fan Xian felt a pang of emotion seeing him like this, but Guo Youzhi had brought it upon himself; his collusion with the palace was a serious crime.
Furthermore, all of this was the Eldest Princess's act of cutting off her tail like a gecko. He didn't want to get involved and couldn't help much anyway. Guo Baokun had lost his reason by this point. He wanted to continue pestering him, but Fan Xian didn't want to say more to him. Seeing him leave, Guo Baokun's last glimmer of hope vanished, and all his hatred surged into his heart.
He roared that one day, he would personally kill Fan Xian. Fan Xian went to see Chen Pingping. He hadn't expected that Li Yunrui would use him as a shield this time. Given the current situation, even if he had personally overheard Li Yunrui and Zhuang Mohan's secret conversation, without other solid evidence, it seemed difficult to drive her out of the capital this time. To his surprise, Chen Pingping smiled and told him that Li Yunrui had lost.
Actually, even with solid evidence, even if His Majesty knew that Li Yunrui had colluded with Northern Qi and betrayed Yan Bingyun, she would not be driven out of the capital. Because she was, after all, the Eldest Princess. Although not a direct blood relation, she was still of the imperial family. No matter how great the crime, it would only result in a reprimand. Fan Xian scoffed, asking if everything he had done was in vain.
Chen Pingping smugly told him that he had promised to help him drive Li Yunrui out of the capital, and he would definitely keep his promise. Today before the Emperor, he had deliberately led Li Yunrui to say that she knew Fan Xian had met Yan Bingyun on his way into the capital. This was what truly stung Emperor Qing.
The matter of Fan Xian meeting Yan Bingyun upon entering the capital was top secret, known to only a few people in the Investigator's Office. But Li Yunrui had obtained the information, indicating there must be an insider within the Investigator's Office. The Investigator's Office was under the direct jurisdiction of Emperor Qing. Li Yunrui interfering with the Investigator's Office was a test of imperial authority, and this was Emperor Qing's true sore spot. Shadow came to find Yan Ruohai.
After a secret discussion, Yan Ruohai went to find Zhu Ge. He told Zhu Ge that Shadow suspected he was behind the previous assassination attempt on the Director, and fortunately, he pretended not to know and avoided detection. Zhu Ge took the opportunity to question whether he was responsible for this matter. Yan Bingyun implicitly admitted it, because he didn't want the Director to hand over the Investigator's Office to Fan Xian.
Seeing that Zhu Ge had no intention of reporting him, Yan Bingyun asked him to lend him a few men. His own subordinates could no longer be trusted, and he needed to go outside the city to pick someone up. Zhu Ge insisted on knowing clearly who he was going to pick up.
Yan Ruohai told him that he absolutely must avenge his son, so he had sent men to capture a member of the Northern Qi diplomatic mission, someone who could prove the relationship between Zhuang Mohan and Li Yunrui. Zhu Ge's expression changed slightly. He hesitated repeatedly, then agreed to lend him three men. The next day, Yan Ruohai brought Zhu Ge's three subordinates to a bamboo grove in the suburbs of the capital.
As planned, they met with a man who was tightly bound. He sent the contact person away, then told his subordinates to go to the village ahead to find a vegetable cart to take the person back. To his surprise, the three men exchanged glances, and one of them actually stepped forward and killed the human witness with a sword. At the same time, many men in black emerged from around the bamboo grove.
They watched Yan Ruohai with predatory eyes. Yan Ruohai didn't understand at first, but soon, Zhu Ge, who was hidden behind them, also walked out. Zhu Ge lamented that they had been colleagues for so many years, and he hadn't expected it to end up like this. Yan Ruohai, however, said he couldn't kill him. Had he not considered that this might well be the Director's trap? Zhu Ge admitted that he had indeed considered it.
So he had sent out all his informants to keep a close watch on all forces in the capital. Therefore, he confirmed that up to this point, none of the experts from the Investigator's Office within the capital had been mobilized. And Shadow was still outside the Director's door, not having left by an inch. Before leaving the city, he had even deliberately spoken a few words with him, confirming it was Shadow himself.
So he was confident this could not be a trap set by the Director. Yan Ruohai being so calm now was just stalling for time, seeking a change of circumstances. Yan Ruohai didn't deny it, only saying that the change of circumstances might not be within the capital. Zhu Ge confidently told him that the Director's black knights' movements were also under his control.
Out of consideration for their years as colleagues, he asked Yan Ruohai if he had any last wishes. Yan Ruohai didn't understand why Zhu Ge, who was not a direct subordinate of Chen Pingping, would kill him. He had only captured this witness to seek the truth of Li Yunrui's treason, which had nothing to do with him. Before he finished speaking, Yan Ruohai suddenly stopped. He realized Zhu Ge's true purpose: he was protecting Li Yunrui.
Yan Ruohai became even more confused. He didn't understand why Zhu Ge, not for power or personal revenge, would side with the Eldest Princess. Unexpectedly, Zhu Ge said with a solemn expression that he was doing it for Qing Kingdom. Yan Ruohai didn't understand, but Zhu Ge didn't want to say more. Seeing Zhu Ge about to make a move, Yan Ruohai shouted loudly towards the surroundings.
Zhu Ge was completely taken aback; it was Fan Xian pushing Chen Pingping, who had walked out from the dense woods. Yan Ruohai said helplessly, "I told you this was the Director's trap." Zhu Ge still refused to admit defeat, saying that even with the two of them, they were no match for his many subordinates. Upon hearing this, Chen Pingping gave a cold snort.
With a gentle wave of his hand, dozens of arrows suddenly appeared, instantly wiping out Zhu Ge's subordinates. Those who arrived were the black knights. Zhu Ge didn't understand. Since Chen Pingping's return to the capital, the black knights had returned to their barracks and had not been mobilized again. Where did these black knights come from? Chen Pingping laughed, saying he was quite careful; even now, he couldn't confirm who his informants were among the black knights.
But before his return to the capital, when the black knights helped Fan Xian pursue Si Lili, a team of black knights, using the excuse of an official trip to the northern border, quietly infiltrated and lay in wait near the capital, just for today. Zhu Ge hadn't expected the Director to start suspecting him so long ago. Yan Ruohai, however, told him that it was actually even earlier.
After the assassination in Danzhou, Chen Pingping suspected there was an insider in the Investigator's Office. In fact, every section chief had been tested with traps, and after screening, Zhu Ge was finally confirmed to be the most suspicious. Yan Ruohai didn't understand why Zhu Ge had sided with the Eldest Princess. Zhu Ge confessed to Chen Pingping that he had been in the Investigator's Office for many years and was once proud of his position.
But gradually, he began to feel fear and worry. The Investigator's Office was not under the jurisdiction of the Six Ministries and gathered talented individuals. It could be said that most of Qing Kingdom's elites were under the command of the Investigator's Office. But if one day the Investigator's Office were to rebel, no one in the world could stop them.
If an ambitious person were to control the Investigator's Office, shield the Emperor, and manipulate court affairs, the consequences would be unimaginable. Chen Pingping hadn't expected Zhu Ge to betray him because of these unfounded fears. Zhu Ge said with a touch of madness, "The leash of the Investigator's Office, this giant beast, must be held by the imperial family. But if a prince takes power, there will inevitably be turmoil. The Eldest Princess is different.
She is imperial family but not a direct blood relation, and she is a woman. Her life can be decided by a single word from His Majesty. Therefore, having the Investigator's Office in her hands is the way to long-term peace and stability." Fan Xian sneered, saying the Eldest Princess could betray the country for personal gain, and he truly couldn't compare to such a person.
Zhu Ge said guiltily that he genuinely didn't know about this matter, but all he wanted was for the imperial family to control the Investigator's Office. Li Yunrui's character was irrelevant. Seeing that Zhu Ge's obsession was deep, Chen Pingping didn't want to talk further and planned to apprehend him and hand him over to His Majesty for disposition. To avoid implicating the Eldest Princess, Zhu Ge pulled out his personal dagger intending to commit suicide.
Just as he made his move, Hong Sixiang suddenly appeared and snatched his dagger away. Zhu Ge was crestfallen. He knew that with Hong Sixiang there, he couldn't even kill himself. Zhu Ge looked at Chen Pingping pleadingly. Chen Pingping ultimately softened. He told Hong Sixiang that since he had understood the beginning and end of the matter, Zhu Ge's life or death was no longer important.
At his level, being handed over to any party for interrogation would be no different from humiliation. Putting himself in his shoes, he hoped to leave Zhu Ge his last bit of dignity. Hong Sixiang was indeed moved. He handed the dagger back to Zhu Ge with a flick of his wrist. Zhu Ge accepted it with both hands and bowed deeply to Chen Pingping.
Before dying, he advised Chen Pingping, saying that Fan Xian was a man of extraordinary literary talent, intelligent and quick-witted. Whatever he did in the future, he would be a talent capable of helping the world. However, he was uniquely unsuitable to take over the Investigator's Office because he inherently lacked reverence for the imperial family. If he were to take charge of the Investigator's Office, there might be drastic changes. Chen Pingping's heart tightened upon hearing this.
Zhu Ge sighed, saying that he had served Qing Kingdom his whole life without any personal gain. Dying today, though regrettable, he had no regrets. With that, he plunged the dagger into his abdomen and died on the spot. Hong Sixiang saw that the matter was concluded, so he returned to the palace to report back to Emperor Qing. Chen Pingping motioned for the black knights to disperse and had Fan Xian push him over to Zhu Ge's corpse.
He looked at Zhu Ge, whose eyes were still open in death, and slowly reached out his hand, but after trembling for a while, he pulled it back. Fan Xian hadn't intended to force Zhu Ge to his death. Seeing this outcome, he felt uncomfortable. Chen Pingping told him, "In a lifetime, to choose a path, not retreat, not change, and walk it all the way, is a fortunate thing."
On the other side, Li Yunrui was still eagerly waiting for Zhu Ge to succeed. Once she controlled the Investigator's Office, she would become the most powerful woman in Qing Kingdom. However, she didn't wait for Zhu Ge, but instead waited for Yan Xiaoyi. Upon learning that Hong Sixiang had quietly left the palace, Li Yunrui's thoughts raced. She knew that she had probably fallen into Chen Pingping's trap.
After Hong Sixiang returned to the palace, he reported the events that happened in the suburbs of the capital to Emperor Qing, not missing a single word. Emperor Qing asked him what he thought of Zhu Ge's comments about Fan Xian. Hong Sixiang stated that he dared not speak presumptuously about court affairs. Emperor Qing snorted coldly, saying that each of those people claimed loyalty to Qing Kingdom, but they never considered what he wanted them to do.
Hong Sixiang felt there was a deep meaning in his words. Emperor Qing glanced at him and said coldly, "Those who pretend not to understand are the ones who truly understand." After saying that, he ordered him to summon Li Yunrui. Before Hong Sixiang even reached the door, he found that Li Yunrui was already kneeling before the palace hall, so he turned back to report to Emperor Qing.
Emperor Qing didn't speak, and waved his hand, signaling him to withdraw. Li Yunrui remained kneeling for several hours. Emperor Qing neither summoned her in nor told her to leave, and there was no movement in the hall the entire time. Yan Xiaoyi impulsively wanted to go and plead for her, but the maid knew that his going would only add fuel to the fire and would instead harm the Eldest Princess. Yan Xiaoyi felt this made sense.
He sent someone to inform Crown Prince Li Chengqian about the matter. Upon hearing this, Li Chengqian immediately hurried into the palace. After Fan Xian returned home, he was called to the study by Fan Jian. Fan Jian asked him what Lin Wan'er was to him, and whether he wanted to marry her for control of the Ministry of Revenue's finances or for her as a person. Fan Xian replied without hesitation that even if she were a maidservant, he would still only marry her.
Episode 31 Recap
Fan Jian asked Fan Xian if he had genuinely fallen for Lin Wan'er. Fan Xian didn't understand what he meant. Fan Jian told him that the Eldest Princess had been kneeling in front of the Imperial Study for quite some time. Since the outcome was decided, he advised Fan Xian to be more magnanimous and plead for the Eldest Princess, not to push things too far. What's more, she was Lin Wan'er's biological mother after all.
Fan Xian was somewhat moved. He did not refuse and said he needed to think carefully. After Crown Prince Li Chengqian received the news, he hurried to the palace. He questioned Li Yunrui in a low voice, why she had secretly bribed Zhu Ge and contacted Zhuang Mohan without his knowledge. Li Yunrui retorted, saying that if he hadn't been kept in the dark, the two of them would be kneeling here now.
Li Chengqian growled in a low voice, saying that the situation wasn't much better now. He quickly knelt down and loudly requested to see Emperor Qing. Emperor Qing ordered Hong Sixiang to summon the Crown Prince in. The Crown Prince knelt and begged Emperor Qing for mercy to spare Li Yunrui. Emperor Qing, however, said, "Wait a bit longer and see if anyone else comes to plead for her."
The Crown Prince said sadly, "In this situation, no one else will be willing to get involved in this mess." Just as he finished speaking, Fan Xian's voice requesting an audience came from outside. Fan Xian's arrival was somewhat unexpected for Li Yunrui. Just when Emperor Qing also thought Fan Xian had come to plead for Li Yunrui, he stated that he was there to request that Li Yunrui be severely punished. Emperor Qing was quite satisfied upon hearing this.
In his opinion, Fan Xian would have to manage the Royal Treasury and the Investigator's Office in the future, and the path he would take must be that of an isolated minister. Fan Xian frankly admitted that he hadn't thought about it that much. He just felt that Teng Zijing shouldn't have died in vain. Emperor Qing sighed, saying that Fan Xian's decision for the sake of a guard showed he still lacked sufficient tempering.
Fan Xian, however, insisted that no matter what, one must not lose the ability to distinguish right from wrong. Emperor Qing didn't say more. He immediately issued an imperial decree, ordering Li Yunrui to leave the capital and return to her fiefdom in Xinyang. Li Yunrui learned that Fan Xian had not come to plead for her, but to kick her while she was down, and she actually laughed.
Li Chengqian wanted to delay a bit longer and find an opportunity to plead for her. But Li Yunrui knew that once Emperor Qing made a decision, it could no longer be changed. As the two turned and left, Emperor Qing picked up a bow and arrow and shot an arrow at the armor placed in the hall. The sharp arrow went straight through the heart area. Li Yunrui heard the sound and turned back.
In a trance, she saw Emperor Qing holding a bow and arrow pointing at herself. She turned her head back, wanting to smile, but tears fell uncontrollably. Lin Wan'er received the news and rushed to see Li Yunrui. But she found that the maidservants and attendants in the residence were all packing their things and leaving. The palace was chaotic for a moment, then frighteningly silent. Li Yunrui originally didn't want to see her.
But Lin Wan'er's personality was stubborn, and she insisted on waiting in the cold wind, refusing to leave. Finally, Li Yunrui was still worried about her frail health, and had a maidservant bring her in. Mother and daughter sat facing each other, speechless for a moment. Li Yunrui sighed that she was now defeated. She shouldn't have come to see her.
She instructed Wan'er to act as if she didn't know her after tonight and not to come see her off tomorrow. Lin Wan'er remained silent. After Li Yunrui finished speaking, she suddenly asked, "Did you betray Qing Kingdom?" Li Yunrui was stunned for a moment. Lin Wan'er continued, saying that if she had been wrongly accused, she would go see Emperor Qing and plead for her.
Li Yunrui didn't need her to do these things at all, so she simply admitted it. Lin Wan'er then asked if she had harmed Fan Xian. Li Yunrui nodded without hesitation. Lin Wan'er's eyes had turned red without her knowing when. Since she was born, the times her mother, Li Yunrui, had come to see her were few and far between. At that time, she thought that perhaps she had difficulties and things would be better when she grew up.
But later, she was sent out of the inner palace and was seriously ill. Li Yunrui still hadn't come even once. When she was most ill, she once wondered if her mother would come to see her just once before she died, and whether she had ever truly cared about her, this daughter. Lin Wan'er questioned Li Yunrui, saying that for the sake of power, she could unhesitatingly attack Fan Xian, because she had never considered her feelings.
The last sentence completely ignited the anger in Li Yunrui's heart. She told Lin Wan'er that living brings pain and sorrow, but only by living could she experience these things. Therefore, as long as she lived well, she didn't care about anything else. Lin Wan'er's face was unconsciously covered in tears. Li Yunrui continued, saying that what she had done was not just colluding with Northern Qi and betraying Qing Kingdom.
That's why she never visited her, out of fear that one day when things came to light, she would be implicated. Lin Wan'er was shocked and quickly asked what else she had done. Li Yunrui refused to say more. She only instructed Lin Wan'er that after this separation, they should not contact each other again and should live well. Lin Wan'er was unwilling and retorted, "Is it possible that you harmed Fan Xian for my own good?"
Li Yunrui said softly, "If Lin Wan'er hadn't fallen for Fan Xian, I wouldn't necessarily have had to take his life. Because Fan Xian's arrival in the capital was far more than just taking over control of the Royal Treasury's finances. Emperor Qing's intention was for him to take over the Investigator's Office. In the future, he would be a person standing at the cusp of danger.
He could also be seen as a bait in the struggle for imperial power. When the giant beast lunged, he would meet no good end other than being crushed to pieces. That's why Li Yunrui had tried every means to kill him, to prevent Lin Wan'er from ending up on a dead end in the future." Li Yunrui instructed Lin Wan'er to definitely find an excuse to break off contact with Fan Xian.
She would find a way to help her cancel the marriage engagement. Lin Wan'er kept listening. She suddenly asked Li Yunrui if she knew what she liked to eat. Li Yunrui was stunned by the question. Lin Wan'er told her that she liked eating chicken drumsticks; her mother didn't know, but Fan Xian did. She liked the starry sky; her mother didn't know, but Fan Xian did.
He was the person who understood her the most and was most willing to understand her. Even if the path he took in the future was a dead end, she would follow him without hesitation, because she had entrusted her deepest fears and greatest loneliness to him. At the same time, Lin Wan'er realized that the man Li Yunrui had entrusted her life to was not her father. She wanted to know who that person was.
Li Yunrui did not answer. Lin Wan'er could only bow silently and withdraw. Li Yunrui called out loudly behind her, reminding her not to see her off when she left tomorrow. The next day, Li Yunrui left the capital in a carriage. The Crown Prince saw her off outside the city gate, saying that he would definitely visit her if he had time.
Li Yunrui reminded him that if that were the case, the Second Prince would definitely take the opportunity to cause trouble. The Crown Prince sighed upon hearing this. Li Yunrui smiled at him and lowered the carriage curtain. At this moment, Fan Xian, who had been waiting nearby, stepped forward. He stepped forward and bowed to the Eldest Princess, saying he had come to see her off on behalf of Wan'er.
Li Yunrui said to him with a smile, "Fortunately, you didn't plead for me that day, otherwise it would have been difficult to retaliate against you." Fan Xian also smiled and said, "I once said I would make you leave the capital. Now that I have succeeded, I am already very happy." Before leaving, Li Yunrui told Fan Xian that she had also left a gift for him. This sentence sent a chill down Fan Xian's heart.
Fan Xian watched Li Yunrui leave. Wang Qinian, who had been observing the whole time, advised him to be more careful, lest he fall into Li Yunrui's trap. Just as they were talking, Fan Xian suddenly felt a killing intent coming from behind him. He quickly sidestepped to dodge it. Guo Baokun, who had ambushed him from behind, tripped and fell headfirst because he used too much force.
He got up awkwardly, uttered a harsh threat, and fled in a panic. At this moment, Fan Xian saw Lin Wan'er, who had been hiding to the side. He stepped forward and apologized to her. Lin Wan'er didn't blame him. Because she knew very well that her mother had deliberately harmed him, and he was merely protecting himself.
Lin Wan'er told Fan Xian that even if the path he chose was truly a dead end, she would accompany him all the way. What they didn't know was that, at this time, outside the Imperial Study, a large group of ministers were kneeling. They had all submitted memorials accusing Fan Xian of leaking information, which led to Yan Bingyun's capture. But Emperor Qing ordered them to put down their memorials and leave.
A few days later, Lin Ruofu used the matter of regretting a move in chess to teach Fan Xian about how to conduct himself in the world, and reminded him that Emperor Qing would likely summon him soon. At that time, no matter what His Majesty said, he should not agree. Fan Xian felt somewhat awkward. Lin Ruofu told him that the relationship between ruler and minister was not that of master and servant.
It was like two chess players competing. Even if pieces were lost, what should be contested must still be contested. Just as he finished speaking, a servant came to report from outside that an oral decree from the palace ordered Fan Xian to enter the palace for an audience with the Emperor. Lin Ruofu once again instructed Fan Xian, saying that Emperor Qing was skilled at controlling people's hearts. He was currently tempering him.
No matter what he said, he should not agree. After Fan Xian entered the palace, he did not see Emperor Qing. Instead, he saw the Crown Prince and the Second Prince. Not understanding what was going on, he could only sit down to the side as well. Soon, several eunuchs were seen arriving one after another, carrying trays. They filled the table with food and dishes. At this moment, Emperor Qing walked in. He said it was a family banquet and told them to feel at ease. Upon hearing this, Fan Xian stood up, wanting to leave. But Emperor Qing stopped him.
Episode 32 Recap
Emperor Qing ordered the servants to prepare the meal, but feigned feeling unwell and told them to eat by themselves. The three looked at each other for a moment, and only started eating after Emperor Qing urged them repeatedly. The Crown Prince ate very elegantly and properly, while the Second Prince buried his head in the food, eating voraciously like a whirlwind. Emperor Qing watched and commented.
He said the Crown Prince had been stiff since childhood and was still a block of wood, and then pointed at the Second Prince, who was eating heartily, scolding him for having no table manners since childhood and still behaving like that. He gave fifty strokes to each of them (figuratively, referring to his criticism). After commenting, Emperor Qing turned to Fan Xian and asked him who he favored between the two. Fan Xian was stunned.
He honestly replied that no matter how he answered, it would be a capital offense. Emperor Qing, however, said that loyal ministers were not afraid of death, and asked if he was a loyal minister or a treacherous minister. Fan Xian chuckled and said he could be loyal or treacherous, depending entirely on what he needed. Hearing this, Emperor Qing stopped pressing him and turned back to his two sons, asking them to comment on Fan Xian.
The Crown Prince stated that Fan Xian's literary talent was astonishing and he was a vital minister of the state. The Second Prince, however, said that loyal ministers and treacherous ministers were common, but cunning loyal ministers were rare. Both had a high opinion of Fan Xian. Fan Xian quickly bowed and thanked them.
Emperor Qing said that since they had such a high opinion of him, they should protect him more in the future, and no matter who succeeded to the throne, he would be a vital minister in the court. Hearing this, the Crown Prince quickly left his seat and prostrated himself, expressing his apprehension. Although the Second Prince disdained the Crown Prince's actions, he was unwilling to be left behind and knelt to agree.
Emperor Qing warned the two again, saying that many people from the Six Ministries had submitted memorials impeaching Fan Xian in the past few days, whether they were the Crown Prince's students or the Second Prince's followers, and told them to go back and restrain them properly. The Crown Prince and the Second Prince quickly denied having followers or students but expressed willingness to warn and persuade them to prevent rumors from misleading the public further.
Only then did Emperor Qing get to the point, stating that Xiao En would be escorted back to Northern Qi in two days, and to dispel public suspicion, it would be most appropriate for Fan Xian to lead the mission. Remembering Lin Ruofu's repeated instructions before he left, Fan Xian specifically asked if this was an imperial decree.
Emperor Qing stated that it was just a suggestion, but at the same time said that before this, he had visited Minister Lin's mansion, and Fan Xian should listen more to Minister Lin's advice. However, if he didn't want to go, he would have to change his marriage alliance, because there was a lot of opposition in the Six Ministries, and without dispelling these suspicions, he could not take charge of the Royal Treasury.
Hearing this, Fan Xian immediately expressed his willingness to go to Northern Qi. Emperor Qing, instead, told him to think about it more. Fan Xian stated that his mind was made up. Emperor Qing then told him to discuss the itinerary with Chen Pingping and promised that after he returned, he would arrange his marriage with Wan'er. Because of Li Yunrui's affair, Yan Xiao Yi was stripped of his command and demoted to the frontier.
Before heading north, he came to the Xinyang border specifically to bid farewell to Li Yunrui. Li Yunrui felt bad in her heart for implicating Yan Xiao Yi. At this moment, someone on a fast horse brought news from the capital, stating that Fan Xian was to lead an envoy mission to Northern Qi. And the place where Yan Xiao Yi was stationed was also on the way north.
Li Yunrui hinted to Yan Xiao Yi that he should eliminate Fan Xian in that desolate and vast area. After leaving the palace, Fan Xian went directly to the Investigator's Office. He saw Chen Pingping looking sad while facing the flowers and plants that Ye Qingmei had planted years ago. Only after asking did he learn that the esteemed Director of the Investigator's Office was worried that those withered flowers and plants would not survive the winter.
Fan Xian knew that he was missing his extraordinarily talented late mother, and these flowers and plants were his only solace. So he squatted down, pulled up two withered ones to examine, and found they were just lacking potassium. He then offered to take care of these flowers himself and promised to restore them to lush vitality, which made Chen Pingping happy.
Chen Pingping knew that this mission to Northern Qi was both a test from Emperor Qing and an opportunity for Fan Xian. He instructed Fan Xian that no matter what, he must safely bring Yan Bingyun back, and reminded him to be wary of Shen Zhong, the Commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard in Northern Qi. This person was very dangerous.
He had already placed other information on Fan Xian's carriage and told him to read it carefully to understand the political situation in Northern Qi. As for his safety, he had already sent people to protect him secretly. After returning from this trip north, Fan Xian would be able to take over the Royal Treasury and the Investigator's Office.
At that time, he would secretly and silently assist him, and he would become the most important minister in Qing Kingdom, and no one would be able to threaten his safety anymore.
When Fan Xian was to go on the mission to Northern Qi, Senior Brother Leng and the junior brothers from the Third Division prepared a lot of things for Fan Xian, including robes that were fire-resistant and proof against swords and spears, scattered fire-washed cloth that could be used to descend, ropes for escaping, a fan with hidden mechanisms, a jade pendant containing poisoned smoke, the latest researched wrist crossbows, and so on. Fan Xian was dazzled by the sight.
He also asked Senior Brother Leng for some raw materials for making poisons and returned loaded down. On the way back to the mansion, all the people Chen Pingping had sent in plain clothes to protect Fan Xian were silently taken down. His personal bodyguards felt the carriage was too conspicuous, so they had Fan Xian get out and go ahead first, while letting Wang Qinian continue driving the carriage.
Unexpectedly, after not walking far, the last bodyguard by Fan Xian's side also fell down, having been struck. However, Fan Xian was then pleasantly surprised to find that the one who had acted was none other than his teacher, Fei Jie, whom he hadn't seen for many days. It turned out that Fei Jie had just returned to the capital and was unaware of the situation.
Seeing many suspicious people around Fan Xian, he thought they were assassins and took action to deal with them. Fortunately, the poisons he used were not fatal. Fei Jie took Fan Xian and Wang Qinian into the backyard of a rouge shop. In the backyard, a large parasol was propped up, and two lounge chairs were placed beneath it, just like the backyard of the Fan residence in Danzhou years ago. The teacher and student lay down comfortably.
Fan Xian casually asked Fei Jie whose shop this was. Fei Jie said he opened it himself. Fan Xian was very surprised to hear this, but Wang Qinian remarked that women were willing to spend more money on rouge and powder than anything else, exclaiming that Old Fei had good foresight. Fei Jie, however, stated that opening this shop had nothing to do with making money.
It turned out that back then, when Chen Pingping made a long-distance raid to Northern Qi to capture Xiao En, it happened to be Xiao En's son's wedding. Fei Jie planned to poison his daughter-in-law to threaten Xiao En into submission. He put the poison in rouge, but because he didn't understand rouge well, the effect was too poor, giving him away. Ultimately, Xiao En's son and daughter-in-law died on the spot.
Although Chen Pingping captured Xiao En, he was crippled in both legs. He felt extremely guilty about this and opened this shop after returning. Fei Jie knew how formidable Xiao En was and absolutely refused to let Fan Xian go to Northern Qi to take risks. He even planned to take Fan Xian to escape the capital. But when he opened the back door to go prepare, he found Chen Pingping quietly waiting outside.
It turned out that after the people accompanying Fan Xian encountered trouble, someone informed Chen Pingping. Chen Pingping understood Fei Jie and knew what he was thinking, so he came directly to this place. Fei Jie was still a bit surprised that Chen Pingping was able to find this place. Chen Pingping smiled and said that he had always known about this location. Chen Pingping and Fei Jie drove Fan Xian and Wang Qinian out.
The two had a big argument in the backyard, and neither could convince the other. Chen Pingping said that after Fan Xian returned safely, the capital would be entirely in his hands, which would be a splendid future. Fei Jie, however, worried that the tragedy of the past would repeat. He had always regarded Fan Xian as his son and didn't want to have no one to send him off when he was old.
Fan Xian listened from outside as the two argued fiercely. He couldn't bear it anymore, so he pushed the door open and walked in. He told his teacher that Yan Bingyun was demoted to Northern Qi because of him, and he felt guilty, so he had to personally bring him back. Hearing this, Fei Jie had nothing more to say. After returning, Fan Xian arranged to go on an outing with Lin Wan'er in the suburbs.
He told her about his trip to Northern Qi and also explained his reluctance to go, but his unavoidable need to do so because of the marriage engagement. Lin Wan'er listened and said that even without the marriage engagement, she could elope with him, as she had saved some money, enough for a lifetime. Fan Xian was touched and said he would not let her reputation be harmed, so he had to go on this mission.
Although Lin Wan'er was worried, she no longer stopped him, merely repeatedly instructed Fan Xian that he must return alive from this mission to Northern Qi, and that she would be waiting for him here with cherry blossoms. On his way back, Fan Xian encountered the Second Prince, who had set up a pavilion in the street just to see him. The two drank wine and chatted.
The Second Prince stated that after returning from this mission, the spring imperial exams would not be far off, and at that time, he would recommend him again to preside over the exams. Fan Xian asked him why he favored him so much. The Second Prince thought for a moment and said that he found him pleasing to the eye, and even if he eventually sided with the Crown Prince, it wouldn't hinder their friendship.
He told Fan Xian that the commander of Fengming Pass was one of his followers, and he would have him escort him when the time came. However, Fan Xian politely refused. Seeing that Fan Xian was still unwilling to get close to him, the Second Prince lost some interest and got up to leave. Upon hearing the news of Fan Xian's mission to Northern Qi, Fan Jian entered the palace overnight to beg Emperor Qing to retract the order.
Emperor Qing, however, evaded the topic, stating that the Minister of Revenue had taken leave due to illness and returned to his hometown, and that he had already decided to promote Fan Xian to the position of Minister. Fan Jian was extremely anxious and pleaded repeatedly. Emperor Qing, however, stated that there was no room for discussion on either matter. Helpless, Fan Jian could only request that his personal guards escort Fan Xian north. Only then did Emperor Qing agree.
On the day Fan Xian was set to depart, Chen Pingping and Fei Jie both came to send him off. Fei Jie also took out a newly developed medicine and gave it to Fan Xian, saying that although this thing couldn't take a person's life, even a Grandmaster would be dazed for a while after taking it. Fan Xian smiled and accepted it.
Episode 33 Recap
While Fan Xian was saying goodbye to Chen Pingping and Fei Jie, Si Lili was escorted out and put into a carriage. Fan Xian's gaze followed her the entire time. Seeing this, Fei Jie lowered his voice and told him that the young Emperor of Northern Qi had specifically requested Si Lili's return to her country in exchange. Fan Xian found it a bit difficult to understand.
It was understandable that Northern Qi wanted Xiao En back, as his martial prowess was astonishing and he would still be useful in Northern Qi. But Si Lili wasn't particularly capable, so the young Emperor shouldn't be thinking of her like this. He even suspected that Si Lili was the young Emperor's lover, but that didn't make sense either; if that were the case, why would she have been sent to Qing Kingdom and disguised as a courtesan?
Just as Fan Xian was completely confused, Xiao En, bound all over with iron chains, was escorted out by a group of people. Xiao En had been imprisoned in the deepest dungeon and hadn't seen sunlight for many years. As soon as he came out, he greedily breathed in the scent of the sun, remaining still for a long time. An escorting guard behind him grew impatient and stepped forward to hit Xiao En with a stick.
Xiao En turned his head back and asked him sinisterly if he had any family, threatening that he would go find them. Yan Ruohai, who was following behind, warned him not to put on airs in front of these hot-blooded youngsters, lest he wouldn't even know how he died. Xiao En retorted impolitely that if he died, his son wouldn't live either.
After speaking, he turned his head and saw Chen Pingping and Fei Jie nearby, stating that while in prison, he constantly prayed that they would stay alive so he could personally seek revenge against them.
Afterwards, he saw Chen Pingping's insensitive legs and couldn't help but mock him a few times, but was countered by Chen Pingping's sarcasm, which angered him so much he wished he could tear Chen Pingping apart, but being bound by chains, he could only fume in frustration. Chen Pingping unhurriedly taunted Xiao En a few times and introduced Fan Xian to him. Xiao En asked about the relationship between Fan Xian, Chen Pingping, and Fei Jie.
Fan Xian told him without hesitation that Fei Jie was his teacher and Chen Pingping was his elder, and both treated him like family. Xiao En nodded upon hearing this, then used Fan Xian to provoke Chen Pingping, saying that he wouldn't be able to see Fan Xian soon and it would be best to take advantage of this last opportunity to look at him a few more times.
Without waiting for Chen Pingping to reply, Fan Xian quickly spoke up, telling Xiao En to also take a good look at this courtyard, implying he might have to return in the future. Hearing this, Chen Pingping couldn't help but smile inwardly. Xiao En was choked up again, but he didn't pay much attention to the young man in front of him.
Fei Jie originally wanted to accompany Fan Xian for a while, but Chen Pingping said he had something to say to Fan Xian and asked him to leave first. Fei Jie had no choice but to walk away. Seeing Fei Jie walk far away, Chen Pingping softly instructed Fan Xian not to make Fei Jie too tired because he was injured. Fan Xian was greatly surprised upon hearing this and quickly asked for the reason.
Chen Pingping told him that after Fei Jie heard about his mission to Northern Qi, he rode eight hundred li quickly towards the capital, encountering six assassination attempts on the way, yet he didn't stop for a moment and rushed back to the capital in one go. After giving Fan Xian some instructions, Chen Pingping finally told Fan Xian to go to Taiping Courtyard, saying someone was waiting for him there.
Fan Xian went as told and, as expected, saw Emperor Qing at the courtyard. Emperor Qing stated that Si Lili had been administered a poison called Red Sleeves, but she would not die because the ultimate target was not her. Upon hearing this, Fan Xian immediately understood that Emperor Qing wanted to poison the young Emperor of Northern Qi. Emperor Qing then instructed Fan Xian to find an opportunity to kill Xiao En after exchanging for Yan Bingyun.
Hearing this, Fan Xian couldn't help but smile bitterly. Killing Xiao En and the Emperor in the capital of Northern Qi? This mission truly overestimated him. He asked in confusion why this wasn't some unspeakable secret that couldn't be discussed in the palace, but had to be brought up here. Emperor Qing said that in the palace, they were ruler and minister, but here. . . He left the rest unsaid, only telling Fan Xian to come back alive.
Fan Xian immediately seized the opportunity, asking in return if it was fine as long as he came back alive, and whether mission failure didn't matter. Emperor Qing was exasperated, both laughing and crying, and angrily chased him out. After leaving Taiping Courtyard, Fan Xian went directly to the city gate and saw Fei Jie waiting there. Fei Jie had always treated Fan Xian like his own son and deeply cherished him.
This mission was full of dangers, so he naturally had endless things to tell Fan Xian, wishing he could give him everything he knew and everything he could do. After a series of instructions, Fei Jie emphasized again to Fan Xian that upon reaching Northern Qi, he should be particularly wary of Shen Zhong, the Commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, Ku He, the Grandmaster of Northern Qi, Haitang Duoduo, known as the Saintess, and Shangshan Hu.
Among them, Haitang Duoduo is Ku He's disciple, and Shangshan Hu is Xiao En's adopted son; neither should be underestimated. Fan Xian, however, thought that according to his teacher, Ku He had always disapproved of Xiao En's return, so he shouldn't make things too difficult. As for Shangshan Hu, he was Xiao En's adopted son, and this trip was to escort Xiao En back to his country, so he shouldn't target him either.
At parting, Fei Jie somewhat awkwardly told Fan Xian that he had administered the Red Sleeves poison to Si Lili. This poison could only be transmitted during intimate entanglement and kissing. To prevent him from being unable to resist and contracting the poison on the way, he specifically gave him an antidote and wrote the instructions on it. Fan Xian understood his teacher's meaning after quite some time upon hearing this.
He quickly tried to explain himself, but Fei Jie didn't say more to him and turned back towards the city. As he walked, he shouted loudly to Fan Xian, telling him he must come back alive, otherwise he would make everyone in the capital of Northern Qi be buried with him.
After bidding farewell to his teacher, just as Fan Xian was about to depart, he saw his younger siblings Fan Ruoruo and Fan Sizhe also coming to send him off. Fan Sizhe still couldn't part with his business ideas, urging Fan Xian to write a book as soon as he opened his mouth.
Fan Ruoruo, however, had done something to alleviate Fan Xian's worries: she had already arranged with Lin Wan'er to move into the royal courtyard starting immediately, secretly looking after her future sister-in-law for her brother. Fan Xian was overjoyed upon hearing this and instructed Fan Ruoruo to make sure to drive away anyone who tried to court Lin Wan'er. The atmosphere of the conversation among the three siblings was originally very relaxed, but Fan Jian's appearance immediately broke it.
With a worried expression, he gave Fan Xian some instructions, assigned Gao Da, the leader of his personal guards, and his subordinates to Fan Xian, and told him about the discord between the Emperor and the Empress Dowager. Fan Xian thought his father meant for him to size up the situation and mediate between them, but instead, Fan Jian told him to immediately escape if the situation looked bad.
Fan Xian couldn't help but complain inwardly, thinking that with the mission given by Emperor Qing, running away was out of the question. Seeing that it was time to part, Fan Jian couldn't help but shed tears, feeling extremely reluctant in his heart. Fan Sizhe handed him a bowl of farewell wine. Fan Xian took it, drank it in one gulp, and turned to leave.
After walking a few steps, he stopped again, turned back, and bowed deeply to his father, younger brother, and younger sister. Only then did he resolutely stride off, running to catch up with the moving carriage and horses. At this time, within Northern Qi, Shangshan Hu had already received news of Fan Xian's departure with the envoy team.
He knew there were opposing forces in the court, so he couldn't let his adopted father fall into the hands of the imperial family. Therefore, he decided to go to the border between the two countries first, intercept Xiao En, and eliminate the leader of the envoy team at the same time. After the envoy team left the capital, when they reached a dense forest, Fan Xian ordered the carriage to stop for a rest.
He then got out of the carriage and walked into the woods. Seeing this, Wang Qinian thought Fan Xian wanted to escape and quickly followed him, insisting on going with him. Fan Xian couldn't shake him off and had to call Gao Da, telling him to guard the convoy and not let anyone leave. Upon hearing this, Wang Qinian immediately pulled a long face.
He tried to slip past Gao Da but was firmly blocked by him and had to give up. Fan Xian reached the dense forest and met Wu Zhu, who was waiting there as arranged beforehand. Wu Zhu told him that he had explored Taiping Courtyard as he requested. The security there was very tight, but he still managed to get in. He didn't find anything specific, but he always felt something strange.
When he flew up into the air, he instinctively felt that the stone in the center of the pond was the key and that only Fan Xian could understand the mechanism the Young Miss left behind. Although Ye Qingmei had suggested in her letter that Fan Xian not investigate that secret, he really couldn't control his curiosity. He always felt like a little cat was scratching in his heart, and he couldn't rest easy without figuring out that secret.
After hearing Wu Zhu's words, Fan Xian sighed and said he could only wait until he returned from Northern Qi to discuss it. Wu Zhu asked him why he didn't bring the weapons from the box. Fan Xian didn't say much, only telling him to keep an eye on it for him.
Wu Zhu, however, said that he had just heard that Ku He might cause trouble for him, so he would also go to Northern Qi to fight Ku He until he could no longer bother Fan Xian. Fan Xian's eyes widened upon hearing this. One must know that Ku He was a Grandmaster. Wu Zhu's tone was as casual as if he were saying he was going to play house with a child.
He swallowed and specifically reminded Wu Zhu of Ku He's status. But Wu Zhu said that he only fought Grandmasters, and for anyone below the Grandmaster level, he wouldn't lift a finger and would leave them for Fan Xian to handle. Upon hearing this, Fan Xian's reverence for his Uncle Wu Zhu reached a new level.
Wu Zhu finally told Fan Xian that he seemed to vaguely remember the Young Miss traveling with Xiao En once, and she had said that her arrival in this world was related to Xiao En. Fan Xian was greatly surprised upon hearing this, guessing that Xiao En might know the secret of that forbidden door. However, the order he received was to kill him, which put him in a very difficult position.
After Wu Zhu left, Fan Xian returned to the convoy. Gao Da reported to Fan Xian with indignation, saying that Wang Qinian had actually stolen fruit from the envoy team's stores. He claimed this person was sneaky, despicable, and petty, and absolutely should not be kept. Fan Xian was very helpless and quickly placated Gao Da, saying he would handle it himself. After getting into the carriage, Fan Xian was troubled, not knowing how to persuade Wang Qinian.
Unexpectedly, this fellow mysteriously poked his head in and handed him a cloth bag, saying he had secretly taken some fruit chilled with ice for him to satisfy his craving. Fan Xian was both amused and exasperated. Just then, Gao Da lifted the carriage window curtain, secretly signaling Fan Xian to send Wang Qinian away. Fan Xian waved his hand impatiently to dismiss him.
The next day, Gao Da reported to Fan Xian again, claiming he had caught Wang Qinian stealing fruit again. He insisted this person could not be kept and offered to drive him away for him. Fan Xian was helpless and could only lie, claiming that Wang Qinian's behavior was all an act, and he was actually a first-rate brave warrior.
He had wanted to find someone to share a carriage with Xiao En and monitor everything, but no one dared to go; only Wang Qinian volunteered to go. Hearing this, Gao Da's opinion of Wang Qinian immediately changed. He found him privately, expressed his admiration for him, and stated that if anything happened to him, he would definitely avenge him. These words left Wang Qinian completely confused, not knowing what was going on.
After Gao Da left, Fan Xian explained the whole situation. Wang Qinian immediately pulled a long face, but since Fan Xian had already said so much, Wang Qinian couldn't refuse to go. Wang Qinian carried a basin of water and had someone open the prison cart where Xiao En was held.
Tremblingly, he climbed in, took out a wooden stick over a foot long with cotton and cloth tied to the end, and said he wanted to wash Xiao En's face. Xiao En grabbed the stick and half-jokingly said he would capture him to threaten Fan Xian.
Wang Qinian was so scared he was almost crying, trembling as he said that from being assigned to serve him, it was clear he was the person with the lowest status, and important figures wouldn't care about his life or death. Xiao En teased Wang Qinian for a while and asked him to give him a massage. Wang Qinian could only step forward carefully to serve him.
When Fan Xian went on the mission, Guo Baokun thought he had found an opportunity for revenge. He heavily bribed the jailer and secretly entered the prison to visit Guo Youzhi, mysteriously telling him that he had found a group of assassins who would target Fan Xian in the wilderness. Guo Youzhi was greatly alarmed upon hearing this and earnestly advised him not to act impulsively.
But Guo Baokun seemed possessed, completely ignoring Guo Youzhi's advice, claiming that he had read many military books in the past few days and discovered he had the potential to become a capable general. Guo Youzhi was so angered by his precious son that he almost fainted. He lowered his voice and shouted at Guo Baokun, wanting to stop his crazy behavior.
But at this moment, the jailer came in to urge him, and Guo Baokun had to leave in a hurry. Guo Youzhi could only secretly pray for heavenly protection. Afterwards, Guo Baokun arrived at the agreed location and used a secret code to find the assassins he had previously arranged. After wandering around, he finally found the leader of that group of assassins—Zhao Da.
Zhao Da claimed that he and his brothers were veterans who had retired from the front lines. In their spare time, they farmed in the village, but they had done plenty of killing and robbing. However, no matter how Guo Baokun looked at him, he felt this fellow wasn't very reliable.
Episode 34 Recap
Haitang Duoduo is Ku He's final disciple, having inherited his master's true teachings and honed her martial arts to an exceptional level, yet she usually presents herself in a mischievous and unrestrained manner. Haitang Duoduo saw Wu Zhu paddling a boat from afar and quickly hid in the woods, watching his every move. Based on his remaining memories, Wu Zhu found Ku He's reclusive location, which was a cliff cave hidden deep within a towering waterfall. The waterfall flowed incessantly.
Ku He had long anticipated Wu Zhu would come looking for him, and he couldn't help but feel apprehensive. They were old adversaries. Wu Zhu knew that Ku He would never let Xiao En return to Northern Qi alive, so he came ahead of time to stop him. Without a word, Haitang Duoduo drew the double axes from her waist and swung them at Wu Zhu. Wu Zhu dodged quickly using his keen hearing. The bamboo raft swayed precariously.
Ku He loudly warned Haitang Duoduo not to act rashly, because she was no match for Wu Zhu at all. Haitang Duoduo didn't listen at all. She leaped onto the bamboo raft, wielding her sharp axes and relentlessly pressuring Wu Zhu. Wu Zhu calmly and effortlessly handled her attacks, quickly neutralizing Haitang Duoduo's offense. Haitang Duoduo was utterly defeated and convinced. Ku He ordered Haitang Duoduo to intercept and kill Xiao En.
Wu Zhu didn't stop her and allowed her to carry out the assassination mission. Haitang Duoduo noticed Wu Zhu's skin was delicate like grease and couldn't help but ask him for the secret to skincare. Wu Zhu was at a loss from her playful words. Wu Zhu leaped up and quickly rushed into the waterfall. He had a life-or-death battle with Ku He. Haitang Duoduo heard the splashing water and quickly stopped to watch.
She couldn't see the battle situation in the cave at all, only the layers of water stirred up by the two people's internal energy from the waterfall. Haitang Duoduo was stunned, eyes wide. Although she knew her master couldn't hear her, she still couldn't help but cheer him on. Wang Qinian managed to appease Xiao En with his smooth tongue. He quickly got down from the iron-chained prison cart to report back to Fan Xian.
Seeing that it was getting late, Fan Xian ordered the envoy team to rest at a nearby inn. Si Lili was escorted down. She walked past Fan Xian, her eyes fixed on him. Wang Qinian read the deep affection for Fan Xian in Si Lili's eyes. Even Gao Da, who had always been unfamiliar with worldly affairs, could tell that Si Lili liked Fan Xian. The two of them teased Fan Xian in unison.
Fan Xian was at a loss for words. He was eager to know the content of the conversation between Xiao En and Wang Qinian. Wang Qinian reported his conversation with Xiao En to Fan Xian truthfully, deliberately making himself seem worthless, fearing that Xiao En might use him to threaten Fan Xian. Fan Xian was greatly alarmed after hearing this, concluding that Xiao En would definitely try to kill Wang Qinian within a day.
Wang Qinian and Gao Da were both bewildered. Meanwhile, Yan Xiaoyi received a secret order and immediately led his team towards Cangzhou to carry out the mission to assassinate Fan Xian without a word. He let his accompanying personnel voluntarily choose whether to go or stay. After careful consideration, they decided to go with Yan Xiaoyi.
That night, Fan Xian went alone to Xiao En's carriage, pricked his arm with a needle to administer poison, and seized the opportunity to take a sharpened bamboo piece that Xiao En had hidden in the iron chains. He revealed in person that Xiao En intended to use this bamboo piece to kill Wang Qinian, which Xiao En readily admitted. Fan Xian acknowledged that Wang Qinian was his capable assistant and warned him not to harm Wang Qinian.
After Fan Xian left, Xiao En used his internal energy to force the toxins out of his body. Fan Xian showed the small bamboo piece to Wang Qinian, who was terrified and shivered.
Fan Xian knew that Xiao En was violent and cruel and had been imprisoned for many years, longing to escape, but he also knew that Fan Xian held the power over his life and death and would never be able to use Wang Qinian to threaten Fan Xian. Wang Qinian suddenly understood. Before going to sleep, Fan Xian finally revealed that they would be heading to Northern Qi from Cangzhou, fearing the news would leak.
Guo Baokun was determined to kill Fan Xian to avenge his father. He heavily bribed Zhao Da, a retired veteran from the outskirts of the capital, and came to visit his father in prison. Guo Youzhi desperately advised him not to put himself in danger, but Guo Baokun was eager for revenge and wouldn't listen.
Early in the morning, Zhao Da brought a few assassins to find Guo Baokun and mysteriously claimed that those people had brought difficult weapons that couldn't enter the city. Guo Baokun impatiently followed him to the city gate and saw that the so-called assassins were just a group of villagers. They had a cart of their homegrown green vegetables and radishes, loudly selling them.
Guo Baokun was instantly disheartened, but Zhao Da confidently stated that those people were all retired veterans and asked them to show their sickles and axes. Guo Baokun inwardly groaned, but couldn't find a more suitable group for the time being, so he had to take them on the road. Fan Xian poisoned Xiao En again with a needle. Xiao En praised him for his extraordinary talent and repeatedly probed him. Fan Xian pretended not to care.
He went directly to Si Lili's carriage. Si Lili saw at a glance that he was very tired and offered to massage him, which Fan Xian didn't refuse. He seized the opportunity to launch a psychological attack on Si Lili. Si Lili admitted that she had been deeply attracted to Fan Xian from the moment she met him, and even though Fan Xian had arrested her, she couldn't bring herself to hate him.
Fan Xian suddenly turned and snatched the hairpin from Si Lili's hand and sharply reprimanded her. Fan Xian had long seen that Si Lili had hidden this hairpin; she neither had the courage to commit suicide nor could she bear to assassinate Fan Xian. Si Lili felt completely seen through by Fan Xian. She cried softly and sadly. Fan Xian encouraged her to vent all the bitterness in her heart.
Si Lili could no longer control herself and burst into tears. Si Lili's hoarse cries carried far. Xiao En couldn't help but look at Fan Xian with admiration. The fact that he could make Si Lili completely let go of her psychological defenses in enemy territory led him to conclude that Fan Xian would surely achieve great things in the future. Si Lili felt much lighter after crying.
She admitted that she was of Qing Kingdom royal blood, named Li Lisi. When Emperor Qing ascended the throne, the royal family rose from a sea of blood, and Si Lili and her people were forced to flee to Northern Qi. Northern Qi threatened her with her only younger brother and sent her to Qing Kingdom as a spy. Fan Xian promised to help her rescue her brother. Si Lili only wanted to know if Fan Xian was getting married.
Fan Xian admitted that he and his fiancée were deeply in love. Si Lili suppressed her reluctance and blessed him. Guo Baokun carefully selected a fine steed, but it was a horse used for official ceremonies and not suitable for long-distance travel. Coupled with the lack of nutritious feed, the horse quickly suffered from diarrhea and collapsed. Guo Baokun had no choice but to travel on foot with Zhao Da and the others.
Having grown up pampered and living in luxury, he couldn't endure such hardship. Zhao Da had to carry him as they walked. Guo Baokun could only grit his teeth and persevere. Fei Jie was worried about Fan Xian and went to Chen Pingping that night to demand an explanation. Chen Pingping could only deflect in every way, and he even ordered Shadow to withdraw all the black knights protecting Fan Xian. Shadow was bewildered, but Chen Pingping offered no explanation.
Fan Xian inquired about his mother from Xiao En and probed him repeatedly. Xiao En claimed to possess a secret and warned him to be wary of Chen Pingping. Fan Xian then discussed with Gao Da, wanting to impersonate Shangshan Hu to abduct Xiao En and force him to reveal the secret he held in his heart.
Episode 35 Recap
Fan Xian led the envoy team in a mighty procession to the border of Qing Kingdom. He and Gao Da put on a show, sending someone to impersonate Shangshan Hu's subordinate to knock out Gao Da and rescue Xiao En. Xiao En galloped away on his horse, brandishing his whip. Fan Xian pretended to lead his troops in hot pursuit. Wang Qinian had already set up an ambush on the road leading to Qi Kingdom.
He used an iron chain to trip Xiao En's horse, causing Xiao En to fall heavily. Xiao En was enraged and pressed forward step by step towards Wang Qinian. Wang Qinian knew he was no match for Xiao En, so he could only dodge left and right with his exceptional agility, seizing the opportunity to leave a mark for Fan Xian on a rock. Wang Qinian lured Xiao En to a steep mountain stream.
Fan Xian descended from above and fought Xiao En. Neither gave way, and they fought fiercely, both ending up injured. Fortunately, Gao Da led his team and arrived in time, surrounding Xiao En. Only then did Xiao En realize he had fallen into Fan Xian's trap. Fan Xian pressed him hard for the secret he held. When Xiao En learned that Fan Xian had grown up in Danzhou since childhood, he said nothing more. He was solely intent on dying.
Before Fan Xian could reply, Haitang Duoduo suddenly drifted out from the jungle. Fan Xian casually threw a knife, but Haitang Duoduo easily dodged it. Gao Da quickly led his men to intercept her, but Haitang Duoduo was already sitting steadily on a rock in front of Fan Xian. Fan Xian thought Haitang Duoduo had come to rescue Xiao En, so he threatened her with Xiao En's life. Haitang Duoduo claimed she had come to kill Xiao En.
Fan Xian quietly reminded Gao Da to keep a close watch on Xiao En. He then proactively challenged Haitang Duoduo to a fight. Haitang Duoduo could only bravely accept the challenge. The two of them flew over roofs and scaled walls among the mountains. They fought intensely, and Fan Xian finally admitted defeat, saying he just wanted to spar with a master.
He pressed hard for the reason Ku He wanted to kill Xiao En, but Haitang Duoduo refused to answer. At this moment, Guo Baokun, along with Zhao Da and others, also arrived. They quietly hid to one side. Yan Xiaoyi was hiding behind a rock, observing Haitang Duoduo and Fan Xian's every move. He drew his bow and shot an arrow at Fan Xian. Haitang Duoduo bravely cut the arrow from Yan Xiaoyi in half.
Fan Xian pulled Haitang Duoduo behind a large rock, deliberately instigating a conflict between Yan Xiaoyi and Haitang Duoduo. Just as Yan Xiaoyi was about to strike again, a troop of cavalry suddenly galloped towards them from afar. He had to temporarily stop. Haitang Duoduo took the opportunity to slip away. Shangshan Hu saw his mentor Xiao En covered in wounds and bruises from torture. He was furious and lifted his spear to stab Fan Xian.
Fan Xian held a short knife and fought against him. After two or three exchanges, Fan Xian gradually began to lose. His short knife was knocked away by Shangshan Hu and happened to land in a rock near Guo Baokun. Guo Baokun quickly pulled out the knife. Just as Shangshan Hu was about to rush forward and kill Fan Xian, Xiao En quickly stopped him, saying he would take Fan Xian back to Qi Kingdom first to ascertain his identity.
Fan Xian could only docilely surrender. Wang Qinian and Gao Da naturally also became captives. Shangshan Hu, in a fit of pique, wanted to kill them both, but Fan Xian desperately stopped him. At this moment, Yan Xiaoyi led cavalry to block their path, threatening to kill Fan Xian. Xiao En resolutely refused. With a command from Yan Xiaoyi, both sides engaged in a chaotic battle. Guo Baokun exhorted Zhao Da with righteousness.
Having fought on battlefields for many years, and seeing the Qi Kingdom soldiers right before them, he led the retired veterans in a fearless charge to kill Shangshan Hu. Yan Xiaoyi seized the opportunity to wound Shangshan Hu with an arrow and killed those old soldiers one by one. Guo Baokun saw Xiao En pulling Fan Xian to hide behind a rock, so he quickly chased after them, wanting to kill Fan Xian with his knife.
Fan Xian aimed a rope at the blade, and the rope was cut, but he snatched the knife back. Yan Xiaoyi prepared to shoot and kill Guo Baokun. Fan Xian kicked Guo Baokun away, and the arrow hit the rock. Yan Xiaoyi took the opportunity to shoot and kill Zhao Da. Guo Baokun loudly declared his identity. Yan Xiaoyi did not want his whereabouts known, so he wanted to kill everyone to silence them.
Guo Baokun was so scared he repeatedly begged for mercy. Fan Xian knew Haitang Duoduo was hiding nearby and shouted loudly for her to come out and help. Haitang Duoduo could only reluctantly show herself. She swung her double axes and knocked Yan Xiaoyi to the ground. Yan Xiaoyi was worried about being recognized and quickly took his men away. Haitang Duoduo declared she would kill Xiao En.
Fan Xian quickly stepped forward to stop her, but he was already exhausted and knew he was no match for Haitang Duoduo. So, he used a 'medicine' on her. Haitang Duoduo thought these petty tricks were useless against a master of Rank Nine or above. Fan Xian claimed he had drugged her. Haitang Duoduo immediately felt her face flush and her heart pound.
She did not want to be humiliated in front of others, so she ran to the river deep in the woods and plunged into the water to try and clear her head. Fan Xian wanted to hide Xiao En, but the envoy team's guards suddenly arrived and took Xiao En back. Wang Qinian lied that Shangshan Hu had come to rescue Xiao En but was beaten back by Fan Xian. The officials from the envoy team believed him.
Fan Xian pressed Xiao En hard for the secret he was hiding. Xiao En instead reminded Fan Xian to find more allies and not to rely solely on Chen Pingping. Fan Xian couldn't help but feel suspicious. He had not seen any sign of the black knights. Wang Qinian explained it was a momentary oversight by Chen Pingping, but Fan Xian did not believe him at all. He sent people to bury the deceased veterans.
Fan Xian negotiated with Guo Baokun, promising to personally ask Emperor Qing to intercede for his father, Guo Youzhi. Guo Baokun had to testify that Yan Xiaoyi had colluded with Northern Qi to assassinate the envoy team. Fan Xian also wanted to form an alliance with Guo Youzhi. Guo Baokun had long seen through the coldness of the world and had no other choice but to agree to Fan Xian's terms.
Si Lili heard that Fan Xian had used 'medicine' on Haitang Duoduo and mocked him coldly. Fan Xian was unable to defend himself. Just as he turned to leave, Yan Xiaoyi suddenly aimed at Fan Xian. Si Lili bravely shielded Fan Xian and took an arrow for him. Seeing this, Yan Xiaoyi had no choice but to whip his horse and flee. Fan Xian carried Si Lili into the carriage, helped her take off her top, and treated her wound.
After Si Lili woke up, she was relentless, bringing up the matter of the 'medicine' again, and Fan Xian tried his best to explain. Wang Qinian called Fan Xian loudly, as Haitang Duoduo was waiting outside for him. Haitang Duoduo took Fan Xian to the river and demanded an antidote from him. Fan Xian repeatedly explained that it wasn't medicine, but a substance that promotes metabolism. Haitang Duoduo didn't understand. Fan Xian explained the effects of the 'medicine' in detail.
Haitang Duoduo, feeling defiant, threatened to kill him. Fan Xian knew she wasn't a bloodthirsty person, otherwise, she would have killed Xiao En herself long ago. He also offered her a fruit. Haitang Duoduo, seeing through him, sat by the river with Fan Xian and ate the fruit together. Gao Da was worried that Fan Xian was in danger, but Wang Qinian concluded that Haitang Duoduo and Fan Xian had turned from enemies into friends.
Episode 36 Recap
Haitang Duoduo asked Fan Xian to help kill Xiao En. Fan Xian flatly refused and instead proposed to join forces with her to help the Empress Dowager seize power from the young emperor of Northern Qi. Haitang Duoduo denied being part of the Empress Dowager's faction. Unexpectedly, Fan Xian had a thorough understanding of Northern Qi's affairs.
He analyzed the complex relationship between the three factions in Northern Qi: the young emperor and the Empress Dowager formed one faction each, and Shangshan Hu also formed his own faction. Fan Xian knew that rescuing Yan Bingyun would be difficult, so he wanted to join forces with Haitang Duoduo.
Haitang Duoduo did not give a direct answer; instead, she reminded him to be careful of Shen Zhong, the Commander of the Jinyiwei who was coming to greet the envoy team. Before leaving, Haitang Duoduo also issued a stern warning, stating that she would not give up on killing Xiao En. Fan Xian returned to the envoy team. Wang Qinian maliciously congratulated him, insisting that Fan Xian had improper thoughts about Haitang Duoduo. Gao Da also joined in the teasing.
Fan Xian was speechless and chased after Wang Qinian in frustration, but Wang Qinian quickly escaped his pursuit. Fan Xian returned to the carriage. Si Lili couldn't wait to know his feelings for Haitang Duoduo. Fan Xian repeatedly explained and asked her why she had shielded him from the arrow. Si Lili lied, claiming it was just an unconscious reaction. Fan Xian gave Si Lili the antidote for Hongxiuzhao, saying that from now on they owed each other nothing.
Fan Xian led the Qing Kingdom envoy team and quickly arrived at the Qi Kingdom border. Fan Xian specifically changed into an official uniform. He came again to ask Xiao En about the secret he was hiding. Xiao En remained silent. Fan Xian was not discouraged and stated that he would ask about this matter again. Immediately after, Fan Xian and Si Lili reluctantly bid farewell. He then went to the city gate.
Wang Qinian shouted loudly towards the city tower, but there was no response. Four old嬷嬷 were ordered by the young emperor to pick up Si Lili. They angrily walked to a carriage and woke up the unconscious Shen Zhong. Shen Zhong, still drowsy, crawled out of the carriage. He quickly put on a smiling face and exchanged a few words with Fan Xian. Fan Xian sent Wang Qinian and Gao Da to handle the handover procedures.
The four old matrons came to pick up Si Lili and found her seriously injured. The old matrons unleashed all her anger on Fan Xian. Fan Xian repeatedly explained, but she was relentless and spoke harshly to Fan Xian. Shen Zhong quickly intervened to mediate and sent the old matrons away with just a few words. Shen Zhong saw Xiao En being brought down.
He first feigned concern and asked about Xiao En's well-being, then suddenly struck Xiao En down when he was not expecting it. He grabbed his collar and dragged him to the front of a cast-iron prisoner cart. Xiao En was completely unable to resist. Beneath him was a long trail of blood. Fan Xian was stunned by the scene before him and also shivered at Shen Zhong's ruthlessness.
After settling Si Lili, the old matrons condemned Shen Zhong for bowing and scraping to the envoy from the enemy country while being tyrannical towards his own people. She threatened to report him to the Empress Dowager. Shen Zhong spoke kindly to the old matrons, then forcefully dragged her into the woods and killed her to silence her.
Shen Zhong wiped the blood from his hands and claimed the old matrons had committed suicide out of shame, urging Fan Xian to quickly go to Shangjing to meet the young emperor. Shen Zhong called Fan Xian aside and listed out all the objectives of his trip, one by one. Fan Xian couldn't help but gasp, secretly vowing to compete with Shen Zhong. At night, Fan Xian, Gao Da, and Wang Qinian were chatting outside the tent.
Suddenly, a masked figure in black broke into the Qi Kingdom camp. She wanted to assassinate Xiao En, but ended up being surrounded by Qi Kingdom soldiers. The figure in black had to temporarily give up. Gao Da was eager to go help, but Fan Xian quickly stopped him. The three of them sat quietly by the campfire, watching the excitement. In fact, Fan Xian had long recognized the masked figure in black as Haitang Duoduo.
She retreated step by step to the Qing Kingdom campsite. Fan Xian explained that there was no one in the main tent, and Haitang Duoduo quickly hid inside. Shen Zhong followed with his troops. Fan Xian pretended to trap the enemy by claiming the assassin was inside the main tent, and deliberately lifted the curtain for him to go in and check. Shen Zhong did not dare to act rashly and sat beside Fan Xian, eating sweet potatoes with him.
He claimed to be part of the Empress Dowager's faction. He said that Shangshan Hu had been transferred back to Shangjing by the emperor, which was actually a disguised demotion stripping him of his military power, and now he only had a hundred personal soldiers left. Northern Qi wanted to exchange for Xiao En because they wanted to know the secret he held. Chen Pingping had also kept Xiao En until today for this reason.
Shen Zhong repeatedly claimed that the number of people in Qi Kingdom who wanted Xiao En dead was no less than in Qing Kingdom. Before leaving, he warned Fan Xian to be sensible. Fan Xian negotiated with Haitang Duoduo, who was hiding in the main tent. He proposed they join forces to cause trouble in the world. Haitang Duoduo did not give a direct answer. Fan Xian borrowed some silver from Wang Qinian.
Wang Qinian made all sorts of excuses to evade him. Fan Xian promised to double the amount upon returning to the capital, only then did Wang Qinian reluctantly take out the silver. Fan Xian gave the silver to Guo Baokun and told him to stay at the Tiaowang Inn in the south of the city. Guo Baokun secretly left the envoy team overnight. Shen Zhong received news early in the morning that Guo Baokun had secretly slipped away.
He waited expectantly to see Fan Xian's next move. Shen Zhong quickly led the way to the outskirts of Shangjing. Shangshan Hu was on horseback, holding a spear, guarding the city gate. Shen Zhong opened the covering of the prisoner cart and casually admitted to having severed Xiao En's tendons. Shangshan Hu was furious, gritting his teeth. Shen Zhong repeatedly emphasized that the Empress Dowager had ordered Xiao En to be placed under the jurisdiction of the Jinyiwei.
Shangshan Hu was about to rush forward to rescue him, but Xiao En shook his head, signaling him. Shangshan Hu had no choice but to swallow his anger and leave. Fan Xian immediately saw that Shen Zhong was deliberately trying to provoke Shangshan Hu. If Shangshan Hu dared to attack the Jinyiwei, he would be committing the crime of rebellion.
Shen Zhong used the excuse that Si Lili had no official status and arranged for her to stay outside the palace. Xiao En was escorted into Shangjing through the west gate. Fan Xian led the Qing Kingdom envoy team into the city. The people of Shangjing lined both sides of the road and threw rotten eggs and vegetable leaves at them. Fan Xian accepted it all calmly and even told Wang Qinian to add extra dishes tonight.
Shen Zhong stood by, gloating, and even advised Fan Xian to hide in the carriage to avoid losing face for Qing Kingdom. However, Fan Xian remained composed and told Gao Da to get the bundle from the back.
Episode 37 Recap
The people of Shangjing hurled insults and humiliation at Fan Xian and the Qing Kingdom envoy team. Fan Xian saw that all of this was Shen Zhong's doing behind the scenes. He had Gao Da retrieve a flag from the baggage cart. He leapt onto the roof of the carriage, unfurled the military flag, and publicly announced that this was the military flag planted by the Qing Kingdom border army on the soil of Northern Qi.
The military flag fluttered in the wind. Fan Xian wanted to bring this military flag into the Northern Qi imperial palace. The people of Shangjing were enraged, and they protested together. Shen Zhong warned Fan Xian not to incite public anger. Fan Xian asked Gao Da for a spear and openly declared war on them. Wang Qinian was worried for Fan Xian. Zhao Zhelin of the Imperial Guards' Tiger Roar Battalion jumped up to fight Fan Xian.
Fan Xian effortlessly knocked him to the ground. Emperor Qing calculated that Fan Xian should have arrived at Shangjing, the capital of Qi Kingdom. He then ordered the million-strong border army to advance thirty li towards the Qi Kingdom border. Chen Pingping saw that Emperor Qing was using this to support Fan Xian. The young emperor of Qi Kingdom learned that Fan Xian was planting a flag and provoking people in the street.
At the same time, he heard that the Qing Kingdom army was bearing down. Before the young emperor could react, the Qi Kingdom officials immediately became flustered. At this moment, another person jumped onto the carriage roof and declared war on Fan Xian. Fan Xian knocked him to the ground with a few punches and kicks. Someone secretly tried to use hidden weapons, but Fan Xian caught him red-handed. He Dao Ren suddenly stopped Fan Xian's carriage.
He was Cheng Jushu's master and a ninth-level expert. He Dao Ren immediately began fighting Fan Xian without saying a word. Neither gave way. Fan Xian did not dare to prolong the fight and used all his vital energy to knock him off the carriage. He Dao Ren was not convinced and threatened to stab Fan Xian to death with a sword. Fan Xian knew he was certainly going to die and couldn't help but feel apprehensive.
Shen Zhong worried that the situation would escalate and be difficult to resolve. He signaled the Jinyiwei, and they swarmed forward and surrounded He Dao Ren. Shen Zhong advised Fan Xian to stop provoking, or the consequences would be unimaginable. Fan Xian quickly went along with the flow, put away the flag, and jumped down. Seeing this, He Dao Ren had no choice but to cease his efforts.
Fan Xian was also injured in the fight with him and coughed up a mouthful of blood on the spot, which scared Wang Qinian. Fan Xian had relied on his domineering vital energy to face Shangshan Hu and Haitang Duoduo along the way, but his subtle control was extremely insufficient.
The reason he stood on the carriage roof to plant the flag and challenge was to avoid the moves and techniques of Northern Qi experts and only compete with them using vital energy. Thanks to Shen Zhong's timely intervention, otherwise, Fan Xian would have been in grave danger. Shen Zhong took Fan Xian, Wang Qinian, and Gao Da to the palace to meet the emperor. The guards stopped Wang Qinian and Gao Da.
Shen Zhong only brought Fan Xian for the audience. Fan Xian presented the national letter to the young emperor. The young emperor glanced through it hastily and then asked Fan Xian which chapter his book had been written to. The civil and military officials discussed among themselves, and Fan Xian was also stunned. The young emperor had no choice but to dismiss the court and keep Fan Xian alone.
The Qi Emperor bowed and apologized to the Empress Dowager, who was governing behind a curtain, claiming that upon seeing the poetry god Fan Xian, he had been overcome with inspiration and lost his manners. The Empress Dowager walked out from behind, with Haitang Duoduo following closely. The young emperor wanted to go out for a walk with Fan Xian and discuss poetry, and the Empress Dowager also wanted to go along. The young emperor politely declined.
The Empress Dowager had Haitang Duoduo accompany them, which was actually to monitor their every move. The young emperor took Fan Xian and Haitang Duoduo to the pavilion in the imperial garden. Inspired, he composed a poem. Fan Xian praised him profusely, flattered him in every possible way, and used the most extravagant compliments. The young emperor was not annoyed; he had long heard from Haitang Duoduo about Fan Xian's various rogue behaviors.
However, Fan Xian flatly denied knowing Haitang Duoduo. The young emperor then pointed out their battle in the stone forest and revealed that Fan Xian wanted to join forces with the Empress Dowager to seize power. Fan Xian was immediately greatly alarmed. He had not expected that Haitang Duoduo, who was outwardly the Empress Dowager's confidante, was actually the young emperor's person. Fan Xian trembled with fear.
Meanwhile, Shen Zhong came to the inner palace to complain to the Empress Dowager, worried that the young emperor and Fan Xian were plotting something. The Empress Dowager sent Haitang Duoduo to stay by their side. Shen Zhong seized the opportunity to boast of his achievements, claiming to have killed the old嬷嬷 bribed by the young emperor. The Empress Dowager praised him highly.
The young emperor urged Fan Xian to quickly update the story of the Red Mansions and also asked for his help to eliminate the powerful minister Shen Zhong, who was loyal to the Empress Dowager. He promised to let him bring back Yan Bingyun soon. Fan Xian did not want to take the risk, lest he be accused of murdering a high-ranking official of another country. The young emperor repeatedly emphasized that Yan Bingyun was being held by Shen Zhong.
However, Fan Xian was not convinced. He felt that Shen Zhong had no reason to detain Yan Bingyun, so he said goodbye to the young emperor and left. Fan Xian went directly to Shen Zhong to ask for the person. However, Shen Zhong used the excuse that the Empress Dowager's birthday was approaching and that he had already obtained Emperor Qing's consent beforehand, asking Fan Xian to stay and celebrate the Empress Dowager's birthday.
Fan Xian proposed taking Yan Bingyun back to the envoy team's residence first. Shen Zhong used the excuse that he still had some things to ask Yan Bingyun. Fan Xian had no choice but to propose meeting him. Shen Zhong readily agreed but then asked him to wait patiently, citing complicated procedures. Fan Xian was so angry his teeth were itching, and he secretly vowed to find Yan Bingyun.
Emperor Qing invited Chen Pingping and Fan Jian to Taiping Villa to fish. Fan Jian was worried about Fan Xian and felt resentful towards Emperor Qing's actions. However, Emperor Qing and Chen Pingping were still chatting and laughing. Emperor Qing clearly knew there were no fish in the lake; he just wanted to reminisce about the past with them.
They both recalled the scene from back then: the three of them sitting here fishing, Ye Qingmei moving among them, her laughter and words still seemingly echoing, but now things were different. Fan Jian had no time to dwell on these past events. He accused Emperor Qing of not having left Fan Xian in Shangjing.
Emperor Qing felt that Fan Xian had had too smooth a journey and wanted him to undergo hardship in Qi Kingdom; otherwise, he would not be able to bear the heavy responsibility of being the foremost powerful minister in Qing Kingdom. Fan Jian also knew Emperor Qing's good intentions, but he just couldn't let it go. Fan Xian returned to the envoy team's residence and saw a group of Northern Qi warriors shouting loudly outside the entrance from a distance.
Their swords and blades were piled up like a mountain. Shen Zhong told Fan Xian gleefully that this was a custom of Northern Qi: they would throw their blades to challenge Fan Xian to a duel. Fan Xian saw that Shen Zhong wanted to wear him down with a relay battle. So Fan Xian had Gao Da fight these warriors. Gao Da was naturally eager to do so. The warriors lined up waiting to spar with Gao Da.
Fan Xian took Wang Qinian to the Tiaowang Inn to find Guo Baokun and sent him to inquire about the address of the Jinyiwei prison. Guo Baokun repeatedly confirmed that Fan Xian would rescue his father from prison after the matter was settled, then rushed out to ask around. Shen Zhong had already arranged people to guard outside the inn. As soon as Guo Baokun appeared, they immediately split up; one person tracked Guo Baokun, and the other returned to report to Shen Zhong.
Episode 38 Recap
Wang Qinian looked down from the window and found many spies around the inn. As soon as Guo Baokun left the inn, he was followed by the spies arranged by Shen Zhong. Wang Qinian quickly reported to Fan Xian, who had unexpectedly deliberately let Guo Baokun out to attract the spies. Guo Baokun walked through the streets and alleys, brazenly asking passersby for the address of the Jinyiwei prison. People avoided him.
Guo Baokun worked for half a day but gained nothing. Hearing the news, Shen Zhong came to the street and provided Guo Baokun with the exact unknown location. Shen Zhong concluded that the Investigator's Office would not send such a useless person to scout for information, so he directly led his men to the Tiaowang Inn to intercept Fan Xian. The rooms in the inn were empty. Shen Zhong ordered his subordinates to search carefully.
He arrogantly thought that Fan Xian would not hide in a closet or under a bed. He accidentally found dust on the table that had been stepped on, and concluded that Fan Xian had escaped by jumping out the window. Shen Zhong quickly dispatched men to pursue in different directions, while Fan Xian and Wang Qinian were hiding under the bed.
In fact, Fan Xian had another important task on this trip to Northern Qi, which was to rebuild the spy network here. However, as he had just arrived and didn't know where to gather the spies lurking in Northern Qi, he publicly planted a flag to provoke, which was to remind those spies. Fan Xian used this place as a lighthouse to draw out He Dao Ren. He secretly gave Fan Xian a note to meet during their match.
He Dao Ren arrived on time at the agreed location to meet Fan Xian and Wang Qinian. He took the initiative to admit that Chen Pingping had arranged for him to help Fan Xian, and he also produced an Investigator's Office token as proof. Fan Xian had Wang Qinian confirm that the token was real and then wanted to return it to He Dao Ren.
He Dao Ren repeatedly stated that he would only help Chen Pingping this once, and from then on, they would owe each other nothing. He Dao Ren promised to help Fan Xian transmit messages and gave him the address of the Southern Qing Inner Vault shops in Shangjing, asking Fan Xian to review the account books from these years, and also explained that the Jinyiwei had always conducted trade with these shops.
Fan Xian inquired of He Dao Ren about where Yan Bingyun was being held, but he knew nothing, only Yan Bingyun's residence before he was captured. Fan Xian sent Wang Qinian to the Inner Vault shops to check the accounts, while he went alone to that residence to look for clues, hoping to find out Yan Bingyun's whereabouts through subtle traces. Fan Xian did not dare to enter rashly to investigate.
He first sat at a tea stall outside the door and chatted with the guests, inquiring about an extremely important clue. Fan Xian pushed open the door and entered the small courtyard. Shen Zhong had already been waiting for a long time. He pushed open all the doors one by one, repeatedly claiming that he had already sent people to burn all the furniture inside, and even the roof tiles and courtyard bricks had been replaced.
Fan Xian knew that Shen Zhong was a meticulous person, so he had to give up. Before leaving, Shen Zhong also warned Fan Xian to give up early and not to act rashly in Shangjing, lest he encounter misfortune. Fan Xian retorted, vowing to investigate to the end, unless he could find a ninth-level expert or higher. Shen Zhong repeatedly mulled over Fan Xian's words. He was terrified after thinking carefully.
He also heard that Wang Qinian had taken the account books of the Inner Vault shops. Shen Zhong reviewed the ninth-level experts and above. Haitang Duoduo and Shangshan Hu would absolutely not serve him. So Shen Zhong went to the Empress Dowager and asked He Dao Ren to keep a close eye on Fan Xian. That night, He Dao Ren reported this matter to Fan Xian.
Unexpectedly, Fan Xian had already anticipated that Shen Zhong would ask He Dao Ren for help. Fan Xian inquired at the tea stall and found out that after Yan Bingyun came to Northern Qi, he befriended many high officials and nobles and spent lavishly. He also became acquainted with a girl. Before Yan Bingyun was captured, that girl notified him in advance to escape, but Yan Bingyun did not leave.
That girl punched and kicked the group of people who came to arrest Yan Bingyun, and they did not dare to fight back. Fan Xian concluded that that girl was related to Shen Zhong. He Dao Ren remembered that Shen Zhong had a sister. Fan Xian decided to personally meet this Miss Shen. However, the Jinyiwei guards were very strict.
So Fan Xian came up with a good idea: he had He Dao Ren suggest to Shen Zhong to withdraw the secret agents around the envoy team's residence, using the excuse that there was a tracking expert from the Investigator's Office in the envoy team. Shen Zhong had his men find out Wang Qinian's background and then agreed to He Dao Ren's suggestion.
Chen Pingping retrieved the information sent back by Yan Bingyun before he was captured from the Investigator's Office and learned that Yan Bingyun had used Shen Zhong's sister as a cover. He wanted to send a message to Fan Xian by carrier pigeon, but it was too late. Emperor Qing also had to give up. He Dao Ren took Fan Xian and Wang Qinian to stake out the building opposite the Shen family residence.
They finally waited until Miss Shen came out with a food box. Fan Xian sent Wang Qinian to follow the carriage. Wang Qinian followed all the way south and found that there were more and more secret agents on the street. He was worried about alerting the enemy, so he had to return to report to Fan Xian.
Fan Xian, He Dao Ren, and Wang Qinian analyzed that Miss Shen had gone to see Yan Bingyun and inferred the approximate area where Yan Bingyun was imprisoned based on the deployment of the secret agents. Fan Xian waited in the building until Miss Shen returned home and found bloodstains on her sleeve. Miss Shen quietly whispered a few words to her maid, and the maid hurried to a nearby pharmacy to buy medicine.
Wang Qinian came to the pharmacy and saw the maid buying medicine for external injuries and cold. Fan Xian therefore concluded that Miss Shen was helping Yan Bingyun treat his injuries and wanted to follow this clue to find him. He Dao Ren heard that Ku He's senior disciple Lang Tao was about to return to Shangjing, and he reminded Fan Xian to be careful. Fan Xian did not want to miss the opportunity.
He asked the maid to tell Miss Shen to stop and wait at the second intersection ahead tomorrow. Miss Shen came out early in the morning with a food box. She arrived at the intersection on time and waited. Seeing that no one was around, Fan Xian jumped onto the carriage, claiming he was there to rescue Yan Bingyun. Miss Shen drew her sword towards him. Fan Xian reasoned with her and appealed to her emotions, and she reluctantly agreed.
Fan Xian used a dagger to threaten Miss Shen and force her to take him to see Yan Bingyun. He Dao Ren reported to Shen Zhong according to Fan Xian's plan, falsely claiming that he was entangled by a masked ninth-level expert, and Fan Xian and Wang Qinian had luckily escaped his surveillance. Shen Zhong suspected that person was Shangshan Hu, but lacked concrete evidence.
Upon learning that his sister had been taken hostage, Shen Zhong immediately led his men to rescue her, leaving He Dao Ren behind to look after the guard post. Fan Xian entered the room and saw Yan Bingyun, but Yan Bingyun suspected that he was a secret agent sent by Shen Zhong, whose purpose was to extract the Southern Qing spy network. Fan Xian revealed his identity as the head of the envoy team and used a long needle to help Yan Bingyun open his shackles.
Episode 39 Recap
Fan Xian repeatedly stressed that he was here to save him, and that he had already sent Wang Qinian to get reinforcements. Yan Bingyun was completely unappreciative and maintained a cold demeanor that pushed people away. Fan Xian didn't understand why Miss Shen would like such an indifferent person. Yan Bingyun repeatedly explained that he was just using Miss Shen, and that he and Shen Zhong were irreconcilable enemies.
Miss Shen was well aware of this, but she just couldn't let go of Yan Bingyun and was even willing to die with her brother. Fan Xian couldn't stand it anymore and urged Yan Bingyun to return to the envoy team's residence first. Shen Zhong brought someone in who had forced their way in. Miss Shen quickly shoved a dagger into Yan Bingyun's hand, telling him to hold her hostage. Shen Zhong was furious at his sister.
Fan Xian presented himself as the head of the envoy team and reminded Shen Zhong not to provoke a war between the two nations. Shen Zhong forced Yan Bingyun to hand over the spy network in Northern Qi and he would let them go, otherwise he would kill Fan Xian and Yan Bingyun with arrows. Yan Bingyun insisted that the ministers and vice-ministers of Northern Qi's six ministries were all spies for the Qing Kingdom. Shen Zhong was enraged.
Just as he was about to order the execution of Fan Xian and Yan Bingyun, a Jinyiwei guard suddenly ran in with a message. Shen Zhong learned that Haitang Duoduo had arrived with people, and he quickly went out to greet her. Haitang Duoduo claimed she was acting on the orders of the young emperor and the empress dowager, forcing Shen Zhong to release the people quickly. He had no choice but to comply.
Haitang Duoduo personally drove the carriage to escort Yan Bingyun and Fan Xian away. Yan Bingyun didn't expect the Saintess of Northern Qi to come forward to save them, which made him even more suspicious of Fan Xian. Before Fan Xian could explain, Wang Qinian got onto the carriage. Yan Bingyun learned that Wang Qinian had gone to Haitang Duoduo for help and concluded that Wang Qinian had also defected to Northern Qi.
Wang Qinian explained that it was because Fan Xian and Haitang Duoduo were mutually fond of each other, and casually mentioned that Fan Xian had drugged Haitang Duoduo. Haitang Duoduo was enraged and knocked Wang Qinian directly to the ground. Haitang Duoduo drove back to the envoy team's residence and saw Gao Da fighting fiercely with Northern Qi warriors. She sent Yan Bingyun in through the back door.
The officials of the envoy team showed great concern for Yan Bingyun, helping him back to his room to rest. Haitang Duoduo relayed the young emperor's order for her to join forces with Fan Xian to kill Shen Zhong, and also reminded Fan Xian to be careful of her senior brother, Lang Tao. Lang Tao was a top-notch level nine expert in Northern Qi.
As soon as he returned to Shangjing, he killed a habitual thief under everyone's nose without anyone noticing. Yan Bingyun learned that he was being exchanged for Xiao En. He was furious and cursed at Fan Xian. Fan Xian repeatedly explained that it was the arrangement of Emperor Qing and Chen Pingping, and his mission was to kill Xiao En. Yan Bingyun, in a fit of pique, wanted to kill Xiao En himself.
Fan Xian quickly stopped him, explaining the stakes and admitting that he was planning to join forces with the young emperor of Northern Qi to get rid of Shen Zhong. Yan Bingyun understood that Fan Xian had used He Dao Ren to deceive Shen Zhong and couldn't help but gasp. He knew that Shen Zhong was insidious, cunning, and suspicious, and that Fan Xian's actions would definitely not escape his notice, and He Dao Ren would be implicated and killed.
Fan Xian had made prior arrangements. He deliberately arranged for Gao Da to spar with the Northern Qi warriors and privately discussed with Shangshan Hu about eliminating Xiao En. Shangshan Hu didn't believe him, so Fan Xian proposed discussing it after rescuing Yan Bingyun. After Yan Bingyun was rescued and returned to the envoy team's residence, Shangshan Hu immediately sent his subordinate Tan Wu to spar.
Gao Da asked him to tell Shangshan Hu to discuss the plan to eliminate Xiao En as soon as possible. Shen Zhong's secret agents were mixed in the crowd and saw everything clearly. As expected by Yan Bingyun, Shen Zhong had long begun to suspect He Dao Ren. He knew that He Dao Ren's martial arts were high and dared not easily arrest him.
Only when he learned that Lang Tao had returned to Shangjing did he dare to confront He Dao Ren, insisting that he was lying and that no masked expert had appeared, and that He Dao Ren had deliberately let Fan Xian go. He Dao Ren vehemently denied it. Lang Tao suddenly appeared and forced He Dao Ren to surrender his weapons. He Dao Ren did not want to be slaughtered and prepared to draw his sword to fight.
A Jinyiwei secret agent returned and reported to Shen Zhong about Shangshan Hu sending someone to meet Fan Xian. Only then did Shen Zhong completely dispel his suspicions about He Dao Ren. In anger, he punished the Jinyiwei guards who were monitoring the envoy team with hard labor. Yan Bingyun understood Fan Xian's meticulous planning and couldn't help but look at him with new eyes. However, Fan Xian had not yet found out where Xiao En was imprisoned.
He decided to use the conflicts among the various powers in Northern Qi to accomplish his mission. Fan Xian came to meet the young emperor of Northern Qi as agreed. Haitang Duoduo was ordered to lead the way for him. The young emperor spoke highly of Fan Xian for rescuing Yan Bingyun.
Fan Xian did not hide anything and revealed his plan to cooperate with Shangshan Hu to raid the prison and rescue Xiao En, hoping to get the young emperor's help. If Shen Zhong tried to obstruct, Fan Xian could use Shangshan Hu to eliminate Shen Zhong. The young emperor knew that Shangshan Hu would undoubtedly die if he killed a high-ranking court official.
Although Northern Qi would suddenly lose two experts, Fan Xian felt that Shangshan Hu had always wavered between the young emperor and the empress dowager and would be a great hidden danger in the future. Even if Shen Zhong was not killed, he could not escape responsibility for the incident of Xiao En's abduction. The young emperor would seize the opportunity to strip him of his power. After careful consideration, the young emperor agreed to his request.
Fan Xian openly went to see Shangshan Hu and discussed the plan to rescue Xiao En and kill Shen Zhong with him. Shangshan Hu felt that he would definitely be a major enemy of the Qi Kingdom in the future, but in order to rescue his adoptive father Xiao En, he had no choice but to cooperate with him.
Shen Zhong learned that Fan Xian had not only met the young emperor but had also publicly gone to see Shangshan Hu. The reason he had been detaining Xiao En was precisely to wait for this day. Shen Zhong immediately sent people to summon He Dao Ren and Lang Tao, intending to eliminate Shangshan Hu when he came to raid the prison.
Episode 40 Recap
Shangshan Hu had long seen through Fan Xian's intention to use him to kill Shen Zhong. He couldn't think of a better plan for a moment, so he decided to go along with it. After first rescuing his adoptive father Xiao En, he planned to take the opportunity to kill Fan Xian, then quickly ride to the border, gather his army, and rebel. Fan Xian immediately reported his plan to Yan Bingyun.
Yan Bingyun repeatedly emphasized that Shen Zhong could not die. He repeatedly checked the ledger Wang Qinian brought back, which was vastly different from the one the Investigator's Office received. A large sum of money was unaccounted for, and this money was sent into Qing Kingdom territory through Shen Zhong's Jinyiwei. Fan Xian never expected that Princess Li Yunrui would be involved in smuggling. This money was enough to assemble a battalion of the highest standard of private soldiers.
Yan Bingyun wanted to find out the truth from Shen Zhong, but Fan Xian absolutely refused. He had put in tremendous effort to plan how to eliminate Shen Zhong, and with success so close the next day, he didn't want his efforts to be in vain. Yan Bingyun reasoned with him using facts, and the two of them argued fiercely when they disagreed. Fan Xian ignored Yan Bingyun's dissuasion and insisted on acting the next day.
Before leaving, he also instructed Wang Qinian to keep a close eye on Yan Bingyun's every move to prevent him from obstructing. Early the next morning, Shangshan Hu brought masked men to the address Fan Xian provided. Shen Zhong had already stationed heavy troops in that large courtyard. Shangshan Hu and his guards used iron chains to sneak into the courtyard from the rooftops. Shen Zhong was overseeing from the mountaintop.
Seeing Shangshan Hu and others had entered the courtyard, he gave the order for a full-scale attack. Both sides engaged in fierce fighting. Tan Wu took the opportunity to rush into the small wooden house and rescue Xiao En. Shangshan Hu rushed over to provide support. Tan Wu carried Xiao En on his back, ready to leave, but they were completely surrounded and couldn't break free for a moment. Shangshan Hu wanted to risk his life to charge out.
Tan Wu and others all knelt down and pleaded with Shangshan Hu to leave quickly and avenge them later. Shangshan Hu had no choice but to retreat under the cover of his brothers. When Shen Zhong learned that Shangshan Hu was surrounded, he personally came to the large courtyard to supervise the battle, only to find that Shangshan Hu was nowhere to be seen.
Tan Wu claimed that he wanted to save Xiao En and that it had nothing to do with Shangshan Hu, but Shen Zhong was relentless, threatening to use Tan Wu's head to implicate Shangshan Hu. Tan Wu and his brothers grabbed several jars of wine, poured them over themselves, and then set their bodies on fire. The scene instantly turned into a sea of fire. The big fire burned the house to ruins.
Tan Wu and the others were charred beyond recognition. Shen Zhong specifically sent people to check the person Tan Wu was carrying. All the characteristics completely matched Xiao En. Shen Zhong determined that Xiao En was undoubtedly dead. He ordered the burial of Tan Wu and the others' bodies, then took his men to search Shangshan Hu's mansion.
The drunk Jinyiwei guard in charge of burial counted the number of bodies and found there was one extra, but he didn't pay attention. Shangshan Hu had used a substitute body to replace Xiao En, which was how he survived. Fan Xian hid to the side and saw Xiao En crawl out from the pile of bodies. He followed closely behind, seeing Xiao En staggering towards the direction of Shangjing.
Fan Xian reminded Xiao En not to enter the city, especially since Shangshan Hu's mansion was already heavily guarded. Xiao En quickly retreated in the opposite direction. Shen Zhong led his men to break into the general's mansion and saw Shangshan Hu calmly reading. Shen Zhong told him about Xiao En being burned to death. Shangshan Hu ignored him. Shen Zhong gloated over Xiao En's death and deliberately used provocation to try and anger Shangshan Hu.
Shangshan Hu suppressed the anger in his heart and did not react. Shen Zhong was very frustrated. He had already prepared to die, wanting to provoke Shangshan Hu into killing him so that Shangshan Hu would also be held responsible, but unexpectedly, he did not fall into his trap. Xiao En encountered He Dao Ren halfway. He Dao Ren tried to deceive him in every possible way. However, Xiao En was severely injured and could only struggle to cope.
Unexpectedly, He Dao Ren pierced his abdomen with a sword. Fan Xian arrived soon after and watched the staggering Xiao En escaping. He pleaded with He Dao Ren to let Xiao En go, but Shen Zhong had sent Lang Tao to lie in wait ahead. Xiao En was certainly going to die this time, and Fan Xian could do nothing. Xiao En, holding his bleeding abdomen, slowly retreated, only to be caught by Lang Tao.
He had no choice but to brace himself for a fight. Fan Xian quickly put on a mask and went to help. Lang Tao raised his hand and brought down his blade, injuring Xiao En. Fan Xian quickly helped Xiao En up and escaped, ending up at the edge of a cliff. Lang Tao closely followed them. Seeing this, He Dao Ren quickly came to help.
On the surface, he was helping Lang Tao, but when Lang Tao was not paying attention, he pushed Fan Xian and Xiao En off the cliff. Lang Tao wanted to go to the bottom of the cliff to look for Fan Xian and Xiao En's bodies, so He Dao Ren had no choice but to accompany him. They took people to search the bottom of the cliff but found nothing.
Fan Xian and Xiao En were caught by branches on the cliff face, which was how they narrowly escaped death. Ying Zi received the last secret report from Fan Xian before he arrived in Shangjing. He quickly reported it to Chen Pingping. Chen Pingping learned that no further news had come back from Fan Xian and told him to keep it a secret from Fei Jie. Fei Jie had long suspected that Chen Pingping was hiding something from him.
He secretly poisoned Ying Zi and searched his chest, finding the secret report. He also curiously removed the mask from Ying Zi's face and discovered it was an acquaintance. Fei Jie angrily went to confront Chen Pingping, condemning him for not bringing the black knights back. Chen Pingping, instead, reminded him not to reveal Ying Zi's identity. Confused, he called out Fan Jian. The two of them took turns accusing Chen Pingping.
Chen Pingping agreed to explain the reason, but couldn't let Fei Jie hear it. Fan Jian helped Chen Pingping leave, leaving behind a harsh warning: if anything truly happened to Fan Xian, he would accompany Fei Jie in causing chaos in the capital. Fei Jie was unrelenting, stating that if something happened to Fan Xian, he would make the whole world pay. Fan Xian took Xiao En to hide in a cave by the cliff.
He wanted to treat Xiao En's injuries, but Xiao En knew that his meridians were severed and there was no hope of recovery. Xiao En couldn't help but laugh up at the sky. Before he died, he wanted to tell Fan Xian the secret he had hidden.
Episode 41 Recap
The more Fan Jian thought about it, the angrier he became. He pushed Chen Pingping to Taiping Villa to confront Emperor Qing, accusing him of removing the black knights and leaving Fan Xian to face Xiao En alone. But Chen Pingping insisted that Xiao En would tell Fan Xian the secret hidden in his heart. Chen Pingping also talked about Xiao En's family background.
Xiao En's son fell in love with a courtesan named Yuxiang and had a son with her, but Xiao En's family rules were very strict and he would never allow a courtesan to ruin the family reputation. After Chen Pingping captured Xiao En, he swore to train Xiao En's grandson to utterly hate Northern Qi, so that he would personally destroy everything Xiao En had.
For years, Chen Pingping often disclosed news of Xiao En's grandson to Xiao En, who believed it to be true. Fan Jian complained that Chen Pingping shouldn't have lied to Xiao En and implicated Fan Xian. If Xiao En wasn't smart enough, Fan Xian would face disaster. Emperor Qing was very annoyed by their bickering and repeatedly tried to stop them, but Fan Jian wouldn't give up.
Chen Pingping admitted that removing the black knights was to make Xiao En believe all his previous lies, and also to make Fan Xian extract the hidden secret from Xiao En. As Chen Pingping expected, Xiao En believed that Fan Xian saved him for that secret. Fan Xian was bewildered. Xiao En had been trapped in Southern Qing for many years, yet the secret he guarded with his life was so easily told to him.
Xiao En first explained that Fan Xian's mother was murdered, and that Fan Xian was not Fan Jian's son. Fan Xian calmly continued to listen. Xiao En even claimed that Fan Xian was his grandson, which greatly surprised Fan Xian. Xiao En recounted his son's story in detail, convinced that Fan Xian was his grandson. Fan Xian knew he wasn't, but he couldn't help but curse him in his heart.
After Chen Pingping captured Xiao En, he also inquired about the courtesan and her grandson. He used this to threaten and test Xiao En, who, fearing his grandson would be silenced, had kept this a secret. Xiao En learned that Fan Xian grew up in Danzhou as an illegitimate child.
Chen Pingping deliberately arranged for him to rise quickly in a short period and intentionally withdrew the black knights at a crucial moment, aiming to make Fan Xian and Xiao En fight each other. Fan Xian felt these were just guesses. Xiao En claimed that based on the details Chen Pingping had revealed over the years, he was certain that Fan Xian was his grandson. He pointed out that Chen Pingping's mission for Fan Xian was to kill him.
Fan Xian wanted convincing evidence, but Xiao En couldn't provide any, because Chen Pingping hadn't given him any evidence. Still, Fan Xian couldn't understand it. Xiao En told Fan Xian the secret hidden in his heart. Twenty years ago, Xiao En became the head of the Imperial Guard through his own abilities, but people still felt he benefited from his older brother, Zhuang Mohan, who achieved success at a young age.
Xiao En was unconvinced, so he took his mother's surname and vowed to achieve great merit. The former emperor of Northern Qi was obsessed with the art of immortality. He used the entire nation's resources to find a clue. He heard that the art of immortality was hidden in a distant temple in the far north. The former emperor sent Xiao En and Ku He to lead a team north, past the Northern Prison Pass. They gradually reached desolate lands.
The further north they went, the colder the weather became. They arrived in a region of perpetual snow. Many people's eyes were blinded by the white snow, and more and more fell behind. Adding the dead and the escaped, the thousand-man team became a hundred-man team. Supplies were lost, food ran out, and horses were eaten. The remaining people, tormented by hunger, turned into beasts, cannibalizing the bodies of those who fell.
In the end, only Xiao En and Ku He remained. Just then, Ku He and Xiao En encountered the wrath of heaven. The heavens brought boundless night. Ku He thought they had angered heaven and prayed devoutly to the heavens. They found bitter green algae under the snow to sustain their lives, and finally, dawn broke. Soon after, Xiao En and Ku He found the legendary temple.
Xiao En clearly remembered that the temple seemed to appear out of thin air. He and Ku He climbed hundreds of steps to the temple's brown main door, but the door was visible yet intangible. When Xiao En reached out to push the door, it moved as if by magic, always staying just slightly out of reach, as if separated by an entire world. He tried many times but couldn't touch it.
Ku He felt his heart wasn't sincere, so he personally reached out to try. The temple then disappeared and immediately reappeared from the sky in its original spot. Just as Ku He and Xiao En were at a loss, the door suddenly opened from the inside. A fairy named Ye Qingmei walked out. Ku He immediately knelt in piety. Ye Qingmei took out a secret manual and gave it to Ku He, telling them they could practice according to it.
After saying these words, Ye Qingmei carried a large box down the mountain, reminding them that there was danger in the temple and to leave quickly. Xiao En went to touch the main door again. As a result, the temple suddenly disappeared and quickly reappeared behind them. Xiao En and Ku He caught up with Ye Qingmei and left together.
As they neared the Northern Prison Pass, Ye Qingmei claimed she was going to help a friend in trouble and told them to go ahead. Ku He obeyed her without question. Ye Qingmei asked them to keep the temple's secret and explained that the temple would change based on people's understanding and cognition, and that something very terrifying was suppressed beneath the temple. If it escaped, the world would be over.
Fan Xian concluded that the friend his mother, Ye Qingmei, spoke of was Wu Zhu. The temple remained a mystery. Xiao En wanted Fan Xian to use this secret as a foundation for survival and even to control Chen Pingping. Ku He worried that Xiao En would use this secret as leverage for a comeback, so he spared no effort to eliminate Xiao En.
Fan Xian also learned from Xiao En that his mother, Ye Qingmei, traveled extensively, accompanied by a blind servant. She had been to Dongyi City, met Si Gujian, and later went to Southern Qing. Ye Liuyun had also interacted with her. For about ten years, Ye Qingmei remained in Southern Qing, establishing businesses and creating many wondrous things, even becoming incredibly wealthy. Xiao En heard that Ye Qingmei eventually married the current Emperor Qing. They did not have a formal marriage, but Ye Qingmei became pregnant with Emperor Qing's child. Fan Xian was utterly stunned.
Episode 42 Recap
From Xiao En's mouth, Fan Xian learned that his mother, Ye Qingmei, and Emperor Qing had a son. He became certain that he was Emperor Qing's son, which is why Fan Jian and Chen Pingping stopped him from going to the capital. He also recalled the numerous ways Emperor Qing had shown him meticulous care. Xiao En saw Fan Xian frowning and thought he couldn't accept being a descendant of the Xiao family for a moment.
Xiao En placed great hope in Fan Xian, repeatedly telling him not to let Ku He know about this, otherwise Ku He would kill Fan Xian to protect the secret. Fan Xian knew Xiao En's life was nearing its end, so he specially took him to the cave entrance. Xiao En gazed at the mountains and flowing water in the distance, feeling he had no regrets about dying.
He asked Fan Xian to inform Zhuang Mohan of his death and instructed Fan Xian not to move his body, as he didn't want to be buried underground again. Xiao En forbade Fan Xian from seeking revenge on Chen Pingping. Fan Xian noted everything down. Seeing Xiao En's sorrowful eyes, he felt a pang in his heart. Fan Xian thanked him for revealing his parentage and clarified that he was not a descendant of the Xiao family, then left decisively.
At the same time, Chen Pingping revealed his long-planned scheme to Fan Jian. He had created a series of incidents, not hesitating to even provoke a war between the two countries, all to make Xiao En completely believe that Fan Xian was a descendant of the Xiao family. Only then would Xiao En reveal the secret of the temple to Fan Xian without reservation.
Fan Jian pressed him repeatedly, and Chen Pingping admitted that Li Yunrui sent people to assassinate Fan Xian, and he merely added fuel to the fire. He had deliberately transferred all the people he had placed in the Investigator's Office in Danzhou, leaving only Teng Zijing, and Teng Zijing was the person chosen by Emperor Qing.
Fan Jian immediately felt a chill and complained that he shouldn't have risked Fan Xian's life, and that everyone had unknowingly become Chen Pingping's pawns. Chen Pingping felt that as long as they controlled the secret of the temple, Southern Qing could stand above the various vassal states and become the center of the world. He repeatedly claimed that everything was for the sake of the Qing Kingdom. Fan Jian was speechless and left in a huff without looking back.
Emperor Qing came out from inside, cursing Fan Jian's stubbornness but also acknowledging his affection for Fan Xian. Emperor Qing repeatedly probed Chen Pingping, pressing him hard to find out if his feelings for Fan Xian surpassed those for a nephew. Chen Pingping broke into a cold sweat and repeatedly pledged his loyalty to Emperor Qing. Emperor Qing used the excuse of needing to return to the palace and left quickly.
He secretly sent Gong Dian to monitor Chen Pingping's every move and made it clear that Gong Dian was the only person he trusted. Gong Dian was flattered and vowed never to let him down. Just as Chen Pingping was about to leave, Fan Jian suddenly stopped him, repeatedly emphasizing that Fan Xian was his son.
Chen Pingping reminded him not to ask too much, but Fan Jian was persistent, making Chen Pingping choose between the Qing Kingdom and Fan Xian. Fan Jian finally asked about the whereabouts of Xiao En's grandson. Chen Pingping admitted that he had raised Xiao En's grandson into a person from the Qing Kingdom who harbored deep hatred for Northern Qi. Fan Jian was disgusted by Chen Pingping's actions. Gong Dian hid to the side and heard their entire conversation.
Gong Dian reported the content of Chen Pingping and Fan Jian's conversation to Emperor Qing. Chen Pingping wanted to build the Qing Kingdom into an invincible strong nation. Emperor Qing was suspicious, so he raised the earth-piercing arrow to test Gong Dian. Gong Dian did not evade, and only then did Emperor Qing dispel his doubts. When Chen Pingping returned to the Investigator's Office, Yan Ruohai could see at a glance that he was utterly exhausted.
As soon as Fan Xian returned to Wangjiang Inn, he couldn't wait to ask Guo Baokun about the enmity between him and Teng Zijing. Guo Baokun repeatedly explained that everything was done by his family's steward without his knowledge, and he only found out afterward that Teng Zijing was sentenced to death for his entire family. Guo Baokun also stated he did not send anyone to harass Teng Zijing's wife and child.
Seeing Guo Baokun's earnest guarantees, Fan Xian believed he was not lying. Fan Xian finally understood that this was all part of Chen Pingping's plan calculated long ago, making him come to the capital at that time and then meet Xiao En. Fan Xian asked Wang Qinian about Yan Bingyun's movements and learned that he had been staying quietly in his room. Fan Xian pushed the door open and went in.
Yan Bingyun was eager to know if Shen Zhong was dead. Fan Xian admitted that he had lied to him before, and the target this time was Shangshuhu; he was just using Shen Zhong to test Yan Bingyun and see if he would report to Shen Zhong. Yan Bingyun felt that only such a Fan Xian was worthy of the position of Commander of the Investigator's Office.
He wanted to find out the whereabouts of the smuggled funds from Shen Zhong's mouth. Fan Xian promised to help him and also asked him about the situation of people his age in the Investigator's Office, suspecting that Xiao En's grandson was in the Investigator's Office. Yan Bingyun explained that there were many people in the Investigator's Office the same age as Fan Xian, and casually mentioned that he was the same age as Fan Xian.
He also said that his mother died when he was born, his father Yan Ruohai was very strict with him, and he was raised by others since he was young. Fan Xian was stunned. He finally understood that this was also a trap set by Chen Pingping long ago. Teng Zijing was Yan Bingyun's subordinate, and Yan Bingyun had to be responsible for Teng Zijing's matter, destined to be sent to Northern Qi.
Chen Pingping exchanged Xiao En for Yan Bingyun. The more Fan Xian thought about it, the more scared he became. Fan Jian, Lin Ruofu, Si Lili, and Xiao En all advised him to stay away from Chen Pingping. Fan Xian couldn't help but laugh uproariously towards the sky. He ridiculed his own foolishness and felt a deep fear towards a person for the first time in his life.
After much deliberation, Fan Xian decided to become the master of the Investigator's Office and uncover the truth behind his mother Ye Qingmei's death. Fan Xian promised to help Yan Bingyun become the director of the First Division. The two of them would join forces to divide power and check Chen Pingping. Yan Bingyun adamantly refused and angrily decided to report to Chen Pingping after returning to the capital.
Just then, Gao Da came in to report that Miss Shen had come to see Yan Bingyun. Yan Bingyun didn't want to meet her, but couldn't resist Fan Xian's persistent persuasion. Yan Bingyun reluctantly went to see Miss Shen. Miss Shen gave him the medicine, but Yan Bingyun was as cold as ice, repeatedly emphasizing that he had never been emotionally involved with her and forcing Miss Shen to poison Shen Zhong's tea.
Miss Shen was in a difficult position and ran away in tears. Fan Xian felt that Yan Bingyun cared for Miss Shen in his heart. Yan Bingyun claimed that the people in the Investigator's Office had no hearts anymore. After Yan Bingyun returned to his room, Fan Xian found Wang Qinian hiding to the side and told Wang Qinian that he wanted to become the master of the Investigator's Office and the foremost official in the Qing Kingdom.
Episode 43 Recap
Fan Xian wanted to rise in status, using this to investigate the truth behind his mother Ye Qingmei's death and the smuggling. Wang Qinian agreed to be his helper, willing to be the ladder for him to climb. Fan Xian treated him as a partner. On her way home, Miss Shen met her brother Shen Zhong. Shen Zhong called her to a secluded spot and severely reprimanded her.
Miss Shen cried, saying that the meeting with Yan Bingyun just now was their last, and they had ended their entanglement. Shen Zhong wanted to find Yan Bingyun to settle the score. Miss Shen desperately tried to stop him, promising to dig Yan Bingyun out of her heart as soon as possible and swearing never to see him again. Shen Zhong felt a pang in his heart.
Shen Zhong angrily led his men to the envoy's residence to confront Yan Bingyun, forbidding him from harassing Miss Shen again. Otherwise, even if it meant losing his official post and rank, he would personally kill Yan Bingyun. Fan Xian proposed that if he revealed the names and evidence of those who embezzled huge sums from the Qing Kingdom's Imperial Treasury shops in Shangjing, he would help him kill Yan Bingyun. Shen Zhong firmly refused, telling him to investigate himself.
Fan Xian threatened to use some means, but Shen Zhong ignored him. Yan Bingyun advised Fan Xian not to expect Shen Zhong to reveal the truth. Fan Xian wanted to try himself. He bought several coffins and funerary items and personally delivered them to Shangshuhu's general's residence. Shen Zhong soon heard about this, not knowing Fan Xian's intentions. When Shangshuhu learned that Fan Xian had sent him coffins, he was furious and wanted to kill Fan Xian.
Fan Xian exposed Shangshuhu's trick of swapping people to rescue Xiao En, and explained that Shen Zhong had sent He Dao Ren and Lang Tao to kill Xiao En. Fan Xian lied, claiming that Xiao En's dying wish was for Shangshuhu not to seek revenge on Shen Zhong. Shangshuhu had already been blinded by hatred and swore to kill Shen Zhong on the street to avenge his adoptive father.
Fan Xian claimed that Shangshuhu's personal guards were all dead, leaving him with no one reliable. Fan Xian promised to help kill Shen Zhong, and the two went to the palace together. Fan Xian went to see the Empress Dowager, lavishly complimenting her. He also presented Shangshuhu as a birthday gift to the Empress Dowager.
Shangshuhu strictly followed Fan Xian's advice, was extremely respectful to the Empress Dowager, expressed his intention to pledge allegiance, and was willing to serve her like a dog or horse. The Empress Dowager didn't believe him at all. Fan Xian exposed the discord between the Empress Dowager and the young Emperor, analyzed the current situation, and explained the pros and cons. But the Empress Dowager worried that Shangshuhu might betray her.
Shangshuhu then took out the list of his confidantes in the army. The Empress Dowager was surprised that Shangshuhu would hand over the foundation he had built commanding troops for many years. Shangshuhu seized the opportunity to mention that Shen Zhong had sent people to kill Xiao En, begging the Empress Dowager to avenge Xiao En. This greatly contradicted Shen Zhong's statement. Fan Xian suggested summoning He Dao Ren and Lang Tao for a confrontation.
The Empress Dowager immediately ordered them to come. Shen Zhong learned that Fan Xian had presented Shangshuhu as a birthday gift to the Empress Dowager. He was terrified and rushed into the palace to see what was happening. At the palace gate, he met He Dao Ren, and they went in to see the Empress Dowager together. Shen Zhong went in to see the Empress Dowager without waiting for an announcement. Fan Xian seized the opportunity to instigate.
Shen Zhong was so scared that he repeatedly begged for mercy. He Dao Ren admitted that he killed Xiao En at Shen Zhong's request. The Empress Dowager not only did not blame Shen Zhong but also expressed understanding of his actions, and even advised Shangshuhu and Shen Zhong to let go of their grudges.
Fan Xian then took out the ledger of the Southern Qing Imperial Treasury's shops in Shangjing, promised to continue the smuggling business with Northern Qi after taking control of the Imperial Treasury's finances, and offered 30% of the profits as a birthday gift to the Empress Dowager. The Empress Dowager was completely unaware of this matter. Fan Xian then exposed Li Yunrui and Shen Zhong's smuggling and fake accounting for huge profits. Shen Zhong admitted this matter without denial.
He confessed that the money had all flowed into the Qing Kingdom, and the Jinyiwei had not profited from it because this smuggling was related to high-level Southern Qing officials, intended to sow discord in Southern Qing and prepare for Northern Qi to overthrow Southern Qing in the future. Fan Xian claimed to be greedy and wanted to continue the smuggling business with Northern Qi. The Empress Dowager gave him full authority to arrange this matter.
Fan Xian seized the opportunity to ask Shen Zhong to name the Southern Qing officials involved in the smuggling. Shen Zhong flatly refused, saying that line was the root cause of future internal conflict in Southern Qing. The Empress Dowager also disagreed. Fan Xian had no choice but to take his leave first.
However, Shen Zhong was relentless, publicly pointing out that with Fan Xian's ability, he would definitely become a pillar minister of Southern Qing in the future, and being granted a noble title and high position was imminent. He would never give up his bright future for small gains. The Empress Dowager also became suspicious.
Fan Xian claimed that he was smitten with Haitang Duoduo at first sight and wanted to build a good relationship with the Empress Dowager to achieve his wish. Both Shen Zhong and the Empress Dowager were stunned. Haitang Duoduo saw Fan Xian off from the palace. Along the way, he kept apologizing to Haitang Duoduo, repeatedly explaining that this was a necessary move to kill Shen Zhong.
He took out the list he had copied and asked Haitang Duoduo to hand it over to the young Emperor. Haitang Duoduo stopped pursuing the matter. Shen Zhong desperately advised the Empress Dowager not to believe Fan Xian's nonsense. The Empress Dowager was very impatient and promised to think about it, telling both of them to leave first. Shen Zhong turned around and left. Shangshuhu performed a kneeling bow to the Empress Dowager.
The Empress Dowager immediately granted him the title of First Rank Military Official and became dissatisfied with Shen Zhong. All of this was within Fan Xian's expectations. Shangshuhu's exceptionally high status in the army, combined with his cautious and low-key demeanor, further highlighted Shen Zhong's arrogance. The Empress Dowager would certainly develop suspicion and wariness towards Shen Zhong. Fan Xian explained the advantages and disadvantages to Haitang Duoduo, promising to help the young Emperor kill Shen Zhong. Haitang Duoduo immediately told the young Emperor everything in detail.
Episode 44 Recap
Haitang Duoduo mistakenly thought Fan Xian had truly fallen for her. She advised him to take more cold baths to stay clear-headed and suppress his nature, so he wouldn't lose control if he spent more time with her. Fan Xian was so angry he was speechless. The young Emperor couldn't help but laugh after hearing Haitang Duoduo's account, finding her as narcissistic as Fan Xian. Fan Xian was furious at Haitang Duoduo's words and complained vehemently to Wang Qinian.
Wang Qinian surprisingly came up with a terrible idea: he should use his charm to make Haitang Duoduo infatuated and unable to let go, and then ignore her. Fan Xian told him to say those words to Lin Wan'er, and Wang Qinian repeatedly begged for mercy. Yan Bingyun couldn't stand it anymore and quickly stopped Fan Xian and Wang Qinian's fooling around.
He threatened to report Fan Xian's private alliance and smuggling with the Northern Qi royal family to Chen Pingping. Fan Xian argued repeatedly, wanting to find out the true identities of the smugglers from Shen Zhong and asking Yan Bingyun to hand over the list of secret agents. Yan Bingyun reluctantly agreed after much consideration, but his activities in Shangjing relied entirely on a oil shop owner for coordination. Fan Xian immediately brought Guo Bokun to that oil shop.
Fan Xian and the oil shop owner exchanged secret signals. The owner immediately closed the shop and took him to the backyard. Fan Xian instructed the owner to spread the conversation between him and the Empress Dowager throughout the streets and alleys. He asked Guo Bokun to go with the owner.
Fan Xian promised to arrange for the owner to return to Southern Qing to reunite with his family after the matter was done, with Guo Bokun taking over the Shangjing intelligence network. The owner had not received such an order, and Guo Bokun was not from the Investigator's Office. Fan Xian took out his Tisi waist token to show him and explained that Guo Bokun was his direct subordinate.
The owner had no choice but to agree to take Guo Bokun to meet the Shangjing secret agents. Fan Xian repeatedly confirmed with Guo Bokun if he was willing to live alone in the capital of Northern Qi from now on. Guo Bokun could only take the risk to save his father, but he was worried that Shen Zhong would obstruct them.
Fan Xian deliberately used him as a shield for Shen Zhong to see, telling him to only be responsible for commercial activities and bribery, and that there would be someone else specifically responsible for gathering information. Guo Bokun worried that the shops would be searched. Fan Xian repeatedly explained that they were trading with the upper levels of Northern Qi; once the chain of interests was established, there would be many beneficiaries.
If anything went wrong, someone would naturally step forward to help resolve it. Paving the way with money could allow them to use their enemies for protection. Guo Bokun finally agreed. The owner activated Southern Qing's intelligence network in Northern Qi, and quickly spread the news that the Empress Dowager and Fan Xian were doing business for profit, and that Shen Zhong was obstructing it, throughout Shangjing.
Shen Zhong saw the Jinyiwei guards gathered together discussing it animatedly and immediately ordered them to do their utmost to block the rumors. Fan Xian often went to see Haitang Duoduo, and the two went grocery shopping together, so the Empress Dowager would believe his feelings for Haitang Duoduo. Haitang Duoduo had long guessed that these rumors were Fan Xian's doing and worried that Shen Zhong would quickly suppress them.
But Fan Xian didn't mind; he had long seen through human nature. Shen Zhong had blocked the Jinyiwei guards' source of wealth, incurring public anger, and the Jinyiwei guards would no longer obey him docilely as before. Just as Fan Xian expected, several days passed, and the rumors not only didn't stop but spread even more fiercely.
The Empress Dowager even transferred the responsibility for her birthday celebration, which had been handled by Shen Zhong every year, to his subordinate, the Deputy Commander. Shen Zhong was angry but dared not speak. He clearly felt the Empress Dowager's coldness. Shen Zhong returned to his garrison dejectedly. His subordinates showed him the new official robe with dragon patterns bestowed by the Empress Dowager, but Shen Zhong was completely uninterested.
Today was the routine meeting day for the various commanders of the garrison, but not a single person came. For the Empress Dowager, dividing power among her officials to create checks and balances was naturally a situation she was happy to see. Shen Zhong feared his good days were over. Haitang Duoduo took Fan Xian back to her home. Her courtyard was planted with many wildflowers and vegetables. Haitang Duoduo claimed they grew from seeds she scattered casually.
Fan Xian was startled because Chen Pingping had said his mother said the same thing during her lifetime. Fan Xian picked up a hoe and turned over the vegetable patch, then chatted with Haitang Duoduo, pouring out his feelings of loneliness and dissatisfaction. Haitang Duoduo thought he was being sentimental. Fan Xian sighed that he had no friends besides his family; Teng Zijing died saving him, and Wang Qinian could be considered his friend.
Fan Xian admitted he was a Southern Qing prince, raised in the Fan family since childhood. Haitang Duoduo thought he was talking nonsense. Fan Xian smiled wryly and said nothing. Haitang Duoduo personally cooked a table of dishes for Fan Xian. Fan Xian and she clinked glasses. Haitang Duoduo explained that this was wine from Qingyu Hall. Fan Xian knew this was the wine his mother, Ye Qingmei, had brewed, and felt an unspeakable bitterness in his heart.
He poured and drank by himself, quickly getting himself drunk, and even composed a poem while fueled by the alcohol. Fan Xian woke up again in a daze and found Si Lili had been by his side the whole time. Si Lili explained that after the Empress Dowager's birthday, she would be entering the palace, and feared they would have no chance to meet again in this life. She mustered her courage to express her feelings for Fan Xian.
Fan Xian was immediately stunned, repeatedly emphasizing that he was determined to be with only Lin Wan'er in this life. Si Lili knew this clearly, but it didn't stop her from liking Fan Xian in her heart. She asked him to tell her stories about him and Lin Wan'er. Fan Xian said only a few words before making an excuse about the rooster crowing at dawn and rushing out.
When Fan Xian went out, he saw Haitang Duoduo leisurely eating melon seeds and realized she had drugged the wine. Haitang Duoduo falsely claimed the wine just had a strong aftereffect. Fan Xian was furious. Today was the Empress Dowager's birthday. Fan Xian brought Wang Qinian and Gao Da early to attend the banquet. The eunuch arranged Wang Qinian and Gao Da in the seats furthest back.
He Dao Ren quietly reminded Wang Qinian that Lang Tao would challenge Fan Xian later. Wang Qinian quickly relayed this news to Fan Xian. Shen Zhong changed into the new official robe with dragon patterns bestowed by the Empress Dowager. As he walked through the main hall, he saw an imperial guard who almost fainted from heatstroke and quickly went forward to support him. Shangshuhu also helped support that person at the same time. The two men's eyes met, filled with hatred.
Episode 45 Recap
Fan Xian saw Lang Tao sitting not far away, poured a cup of wine and gestured towards him. Haitang Duoduo suddenly rushed over, called Fan Xian away, and asked him to chat with Si Lili, even if it was just to leave her with a good memory before she entered the palace. Fan Xian felt that Si Lili was the young Emperor's woman and didn't dare get tangled with her.
Haitang Duoduo bitterly advised Fan Xian, and a sense of loneliness welled up in his heart. The birthday banquet officially began. All the civil and military officials together offered birthday wishes to the Empress Dowager. Fan Xian devoured the delicious food and delicacies. Lang Tao requested permission from the Empress Dowager to have a martial arts match with Fan Xian to liven things up.
Fan Xian was willing to concede defeat, and the young Emperor agreed that he didn't need to compete. Lang Tao was relentless and spoke arrogantly, forcing Fan Xian to admit that martial artists in Southern Qing were weak and bullied the soft while fearing the strong. Forced into a corner, Fan Xian had no choice but to accept the challenge. Haitang Duoduo suddenly stood out and offered to compete with Fan Xian on behalf of Lang Tao.
The Empress Dowager granted her permission on the spot, so Lang Tao had to give up. Fan Xian and Haitang Duoduo each chose a long sword. They struck poses very seriously, but the two of them didn't actually fight. After pretending to exchange a few moves, two strips of red cloth were thrown down from the roof. The two of them each pulled a strip and danced gracefully. They cooperated perfectly, and the Empress Dowager was stunned.
The officials of Great Qi were very displeased and publicly accused them of deceiving the ruler. Fan Xian split the minister's dining table in half with a sword. All the soup and dishes on the table splashed onto the minister, causing everyone to burst into laughter. Fan Xian took the opportunity to concede defeat. The Empress Dowager was very happy.
Wang Qinian, however, quietly reminded Gao Da to tell Lin Wan'er that the match was fought with bloodied faces and neither side giving way. Gao Da greatly admired Wang Qinian and felt that he had become smarter by following Wang Qinian. The Empress Dowager publicly announced that Great Qi would do business with Fan Xian and ordered the Jinyiwei guards to discuss the matter with Southern Qing foreign ministers.
Shen Zhong immediately stood up to oppose, but the Empress Dowager's mind was made up. Shangshuhu seized the opportunity to impeach Shen Zhong for colluding with the Southern Qing Investigator's Office and betraying military intelligence, pointing out that Shen Zhong's sister had an affair with Yan Bingyun and had also secretly informed him. Shen Zhong defended himself in every possible way, denying having told his sister any information.
The Empress Dowager sought the young Emperor's opinion, and the young Emperor let her handle it entirely. The Empress Dowager dismissed Shen Zhong from his official posts and stripped him of his dragon-patterned official robe on the spot. Shen Zhong desperately tried to stop the Empress Dowager from doing business with Fan Xian. In a fit of anger, the Empress Dowager ordered Shen Zhong to be driven out of the main hall.
Feeling indignant, Shen Zhong shouted angrily, claiming everything he did was for Northern Qi. Before leaving, the young Emperor instructed Fan Xian to update the chapters of Red Mansions promptly. Shangshuhu proactively came to see Fan Xian and demanded the remains of his adoptive father, Xiao En. Fan Xian explained that Xiao En's dying wish was not to be buried underground; he wanted to always sit in the sun.
Shangshuhu took the address and threatened that he would definitely go to Southern Qing to take Fan Xian's life after the mourning period ended. Fan Xian sent Gao Da to call for Haitang Duoduo. He entrusted the Shangjing intelligence network to He Dao Ren, instructing him to hide well. Lang Tao reported He Dao Ren's whereabouts to the young Emperor.
The young Emperor had long anticipated that Guo Bokun was just a facade and that He Dao Ren would be the future head of the secret agents in Shangjing. Lang Tao suggested eliminating He Dao Ren. The young Emperor wanted to use He Dao Ren to carry out counterintelligence against Southern Qing, and also noted that Shangshuhu would no longer be heavily relied upon by the Empress Dowager.
Lang Tao worried that Fan Xian would be Great Qi's biggest threat, but the young Emperor believed that Fan Xian's enemies were not Great Qi, but rather the several princes of Southern Qing who were Fan Xian's major trouble. Haitang Duoduo arrived on time to see Fan Xian. Fan Xian wanted to meet Zhuang Mohan before leaving and asked Haitang Duoduo for help, promising that he would not harm Great Qi. Only then did Haitang Duoduo reluctantly agree.
Fan Xian came to Zhuang Mohan's residence. Zhuang Mohan had long wanted to meet Fan Xian, but he had fallen seriously ill after returning from Southern Qing. His servants worried that seeing Fan Xian would excite him and worsen his condition. Unexpectedly, Fan Xian came to see him secretly. Zhuang Mohan was eager to ask him about the allusions in those poems.
Fan Xian claimed they were traces left by a civilization from another era and were not recorded in the historical records of this time. Only then did Zhuang Mohan gradually feel relieved. He apologized for falsely accusing Fan Xian earlier. Fan Xian then told him the news of Xiao En's death.
Zhuang Mohan felt a pang of sadness and advised Fan Xian not to engage in widespread killing like Xiao En, and even more so not to let those quatrains gather dust. Fan Xian agreed to each point. Zhuang Mohan continued annotating Fan Xian's poetry collection on his own, and Fan Xian left with tears in his eyes. Today was the day for the Southern Qing envoy delegation to return home.
Shen Zhong's subordinates were eager to replace him and forced him to leave the garrison. Unexpectedly, Shen Zhong had already assembled a group of assassins to intercept and kill the Southern Qing envoy delegation, making it clear that without the Emperor's decree, they would surely die if the mission failed. Shen Zhong's subordinates called the Jinyiwei guards to stop them, but they did not dare to act. The assassins followed Shen Zhong without hesitation.
Fan Xian led the Southern Qing envoy delegation away from Shangjing. Guo Bokun watched their receding figures, feeling a deep sense of loneliness in his heart. Haitang Duoduo was waiting for Fan Xian in the woods and brought a cart full of things. Fan Xian hurried over to say goodbye to her. Haitang Duoduo then told him the news of Zhuang Mohan's death.
Episode 46 (Ending) Recap
Haitang Duoduo relayed Zhuang Mohan's dying wish, sending all the books he collected throughout his life to Fan Xian, and even personally compiled a catalog of the books. Fan Xian knew that Zhuang Mohan had entrusted him with the legacy of the literary world. Remembering Zhuang Mohan's admonition, he felt very uncomfortable. Fan Xian bowed deeply towards the cart of books. Haitang Duoduo also told Fan Xian that Si Lili was hiding to the side, seeing him off.
Fan Xian looked around, searching in vain. Miss Shen suddenly rushed up, repeatedly claiming that Shen Zhong had brought men to assassinate the envoy delegation. Before she finished speaking, Shen Zhong arrived with assassins. With a command from him, those assassins began a massacre against the envoy delegation. Fan Xian saw many imperial guards appear in the woods. Haitang Duoduo explained that they were sent by the young Emperor to protect Si Lili.
Fan Xian and Haitang Duoduo also joined the chaotic battle. Shen Zhong quickly found Yan Bingyun. Yan Bingyun had not yet recovered from his serious injuries; he was no match for Shen Zhong and was quickly beaten to the ground. Shen Zhong drew his sword and stabbed towards Yan Bingyun. Miss Shen desperately shielded Yan Bingyun. She was stabbed by Shen Zhong and fell into Yan Bingyun's arms on the spot.
Yan Bingyun was heartbroken and swore he would save her. Just as Shen Zhong was about to deliver a fatal blow to Yan Bingyun, Fan Xian and Haitang Duoduo arrived in time to stop him. The three engaged in a fierce battle. Shen Zhong gradually began to lose. The assassins were also subdued by the imperial guards. Shen Zhong knew his situation was hopeless, so he surrendered his weapon.
He quietly told Fan Xian that the wealth from the Inner Treasury smuggling had all flowed into the Ming family, the foremost powerful family in Qing Kingdom, and the masters behind the Ming family were the Second Prince and Li Yunrui. Fan Xian was instantly stunned. He had always thought Li Yunrui was part of the Crown Prince's faction, but unexpectedly, she was in league with the Second Prince. Shen Zhong wanted to exchange this information for his sister's life.
Seeing the imperial guards coming for reinforcement, he made a bold decision. He deliberately stabbed his sister with a sword, so as to clear her of suspicion. Shen Zhong entrusted Fan Xian to take his sister back to the Qing Kingdom. Fan Xian readily agreed. Shen Zhong knelt on both knees to thank him. Fan Xian advised him to leave with the Southern Qing envoy delegation, but Shen Zhong resolutely refused.
Haitang Duoduo ordered Shen Zhong to be arrested and taken back, and told Fan Xian to hide Miss Shen in the carriage and take her away. The imperial guards escorted Shen Zhong back to Shangjing. Shangshuhu blocked their path in the street, declaring that he would kill Shen Zhong to avenge his fallen brothers and his adoptive father, Xiao En.
The imperial guard leader reminded Shangshuhu not to act rashly, as the young Emperor had not yet issued a decree for Shen Zhong's punishment. Shangshuhu paid no heed to this; he rushed forward and killed Shen Zhong on the spot. Fan Xian led the Southern Qing envoy delegation to continue their journey. Miss Shen's injuries gradually improved, but she remained unconscious. Fan Xian told this news to Yan Bingyun, but Yan Bingyun seemed indifferent.
He also advised Fan Xian to be wary of the Second Prince. Fan Xian urged Yan Bingyun to join forces with him and asked Yan Bingyun to seriously consider it along the way. Yan Bingyun said he didn't care about Miss Shen, but images of her deep affection for him kept flashing in his mind. That night, the Southern Qing envoy delegation camped in the wild. Wang Qinian noticed someone watching them, but Fan Xian paid it no mind.
Xie Bi'an suddenly arrived unexpectedly. He brought letters from the Second Prince for Fan Xian and Yan Bingyun, asking them to open them at the same time. Fan Xian sent Xie Bi'an away to rest and dispatched Gao Da to summon Yan Bingyun. Fan Xian and Yan Bingyun opened the letters simultaneously. In the letter, the Second Prince admitted that he was in league with Li Yunrui and that everything done to Fan Xian was his doing.
The Second Prince pleaded with Fan Xian to let bygones be bygones and help him achieve his great ambition, promising to make Fan Xian the foremost important official in Southern Qing after success. Fan Xian discovered that the cunning Second Prince hadn't left his name, and couldn't help but lament his shrewdness. Fan Xian swore he would never compromise with the Second Prince.
In the letter to Yan Bingyun, the Second Prince explained the stakes to him and advised Yan Bingyun to pledge allegiance to him. Xie Bi'an delivered the Second Prince's gifts to Fan Xian overnight: sugar-coated hawthorns, which were Teng Zijing's son's favorite, a letter from Fan Sizhe's Danbo Bookstore, and the medical gloves Fan Xian had given to Fei Jie. Fan Xian knew that the Second Prince was threatening him with these three people and gritted his teeth in anger.
He didn't believe the Second Prince could have captured Fei Jie. Xie Bi'an admitted that the Second Prince had used Fan Xian to coerce Fei Jie into submission. Fan Xian once again experienced the Second Prince's treacherous cunning. He couldn't help but gasp in cold air. He swore he would never compromise. Xie Bi'an claimed that a large number of reinforcements were coming to intercept and kill Fan Xian, urging him to consider carefully.
Yan Bingyun advised Fan Xian to take a step back, but he had already made up his mind. Fan Xian woke up from a nightmare early in the morning. Just as he was about to call Gao Da to hit the road, Xie Bi'an, leading the Second Prince's private soldiers, had already surrounded them, forcing Fan Xian to make a decision quickly. Yan Bingyun and Fan Xian stood back to back, preparing to fight.
Fan Xian righteously stated that Fan Sizhe was the legitimate son of the Fan household. If he died, Fan Jian would not let the matter rest. Fei Jie was the head of the Third Division of the Investigator's Office. If he died, the Investigator's Office would not let the matter rest. Unless Xie Bi'an killed everyone in the envoy delegation, they would all be branded as traitors, bringing disaster upon their families.
Fan Xian finally made it clear that if Teng Zijing's son died, he would make the Second Prince pay with his life. Fan Xian's passionate speech not only intimidated the private soldiers, but also left Xie Bi'an with lingering fear. He was not confident he could take Fan Xian's life. Suddenly, Yan Bingyun stabbed Fan Xian in the back with his long sword. Fan Xian was seriously injured and fell to the ground.
