(My condition isn't great; the charger keeps tripping the breaker at home... I'm frustrated, sorry.)

...

...

The banquet proceeded rather smoothly, at least on the surface, especially after Fan Sizhe, with a forced smile, received the pair of jade lions from the Marquis of Chang'an.

However, Fan Sizhe, as the host, habitually glanced towards the entrance of Baoyue Tower's main hall. He had booked the entire Baoyue Tower today, so there were no other guests. Wei Hua, sitting beside him, frowned slightly, wondering who else was coming. Why hadn't he received any word beforehand?

Judging from Fan Sizhe's expression, the impending guest must be of high status; otherwise, he wouldn't have such suppressed anticipation and nervousness. But if the guest was so important, why had they started the banquet before their arrival?

Wei Hua unconsciously shook his head, a hint of self-deprecating and bitter smile playing on his lips. He understood that the Fan brothers couldn't be judged by common standards. He was currently the Commander of the Jinyiwei (Imperial Bodyguard) in Northern Qi, having taken over Shen Zhong's old position. Most of Northern Qi's intelligence agencies were under his control, and the young Northern Qi emperor's trust in him was considerable, his power immense. Yet, when facing the Fan brothers from the South, Wei Hua still felt a vague sense of unease.

Fan Xian was in charge of the Supervisory Council, making him Wei Hua's legitimate "colleague." However, Wei Hua knew that he hadn't been in the field as long as Fan Xian, and the Jinyiwei in the North didn't have as much power as the Supervisory Council in the South. So, if the two were to clash across the border, he wouldn't stand a chance against the other.

As for Fan Sizhe, Wei Hua looked at the slightly chubby young man hosting the guests beside him and frowned slightly. He admitted that he had misjudged this character two years ago. He had initially thought that Fan Xian was merely using his power to send his younger brother to Northern Qi to escape trouble. He never expected that, after more than a year, Fan Sizhe would be operating behind the scenes, firmly controlling the old Cui family's network, and his clandestine business was booming.

It was far beyond the commercial acumen and capabilities one would expect from a young man.

Wei Hua patted his forehead, smiled, and drank a toast with Fan Sizhe, exchanging a few jokes. Fan Sizhe's purpose for hosting this banquet was clear: Southern goods coming to the North needed someone to handle them. It wasn't possible for a Southern Qing person to openly sell them in Northern Qi. In previous years, the Wei family, especially the Marquis of Changning, had been in charge. Now, Fan Sizhe was becoming increasingly daring and felt that the Marquis of Changning's family was too slow in moving the goods, so he had brought the Marquis of Chang'an into the mix as well.

Wei Hua wasn't against this arrangement, not because the Marquis of Chang'an was his uncle, but because he understood that the Wei family was just a puppet on the emperor's stage. The bulk of the profits flowed through this business into the emperor's personal treasury and the national treasury.

Moreover, no matter how much Fan Sizhe stirred things up, he was still within the borders of Northern Qi, and Wei Hua had enough power to monitor him. If things went awry, the Jinyiwei could easily seize Fan Sizhe's business.

However, Wei Hua wouldn't dare to do such a thing unless it was the very last resort, not even requesting permission. Because Northern Qi needed the goods that Fan Xian was extracting from the Southern Qing treasury, Wei Hua feared Fan Xian's ruthless tactics, Wei Hua feared Fan Xian's unreasonableness.

The curtain of Baoyue Tower fluttered slightly, and two young women entered side by side. Wei Hua's hand, holding the wine cup, trembled, nearly spilling the wine.

He recognized both of those young women, and this was precisely one of the reasons why Wei Hua was so deeply afraid of Fan Xian.

Haitang and Fan Ruoruo.

Wei Hua stood up to greet them, turned back to pretend to scold Fan Sizhe a few times, and invited the two distinguished direct disciples of Tianyidao (Heavenly Unity School) to sit at the head of the table.

The atmosphere became somewhat awkward for a moment.

Because everyone in Northern Qi knew that the Empress Dowager intended for Haitang to marry Wei Hua, but Haitang had a somewhat ambiguous relationship with Fan Xian.

Wei Hua smiled wryly and said to Haitang, "Fan Er Shao (Second Young Master Fan) is hosting a banquet, and you just come like this, truly not giving me any face."

Haitang smiled, accepted the jade lions handed over by Fan Sizhe, and played with them, saying, "You just like to talk."

Wei Hua laughed and said nothing more. He had known for a long time that he couldn't touch this woman. After the Empress Dowager had that intention, he immediately went to the palace to decline, but it didn't have any effect. The Empress Dowager's love for her descendants was always so unreasonable.

The Empress Dowager was unreasonable, and Fan Xian was unreasonable, but Wei Hua didn't have the guts—this matter would offend Fan Xian too much. Besides, marrying a top-tier expert of the ninth rank, how could he maintain his authority as a husband? Moreover, while this Haitang girl had a brilliant mind, her looks were really quite ordinary...

However, last year, Wei Hua's younger sister followed Lang Tao to Jiangnan, and when passing through Wuzhou, she had a dispute with Fan Xian. Wei Hua knew Fan Xian's petty nature and knew he would definitely hold a grudge, so he had to write many letters saying good things to appease Fan Xian.

As his thoughts wandered through the years, Wei Hua couldn't help but sigh with a lost expression. Fan Xian, ah, Fan Xian, you are really not giving me any face, suppressing me in everything. We are supposed to be colleagues, why are we fighting each other so fiercely? Why isn't my position as commander of the Jinyiwei as smooth as Fan Xian's position as a Director of the Supervisory Council?

...

...

Since Haitang and Fan Ruoruo entered Baoyue Tower, the banquet in the hall had become much quieter. The seasoned elders of the Wei family put on the airs of elders, chatting with the two young women, but thinking in their hearts, "We wanted to take more benefits for His Majesty in this negotiation, but with these two here... especially Haitang, whose side is she really on?" So they slowed down their offensive against Fan Sizhe.

Fan Sizhe remained calm, smiling and talking, and in the casual conversation, he explained the profit sharing and handover details for the coming year clearly. He had invited Haitang and his sister here today to add a bargaining chip for himself, at least to disrupt the minds of the Northern Qi people.

Nominally, it was a negotiation between him and the Wei family, but in reality, it was a collaboration between Fan Xian and the Northern Qi Emperor. Although not everyone at the table was aware of this, the Marquis of Changning and his son, who led the Wei family, were clear about it.

After three rounds of wine and the completion of the discussions, everyone dispersed happily, but Wei Hua's expression was not very cheerful. It was clear that in this new round of profit-sharing agreements, Fan Sizhe had still taken the lion's share.

As night deepened, Haitang held the warm jade lion and gave Fan Sizhe a meaningful glance before leaving, leaving Baoyue Tower to the two siblings.

...

...

"I don't like Haitang." In a room of Baoyue Tower's Jing capital branch, Fan Sizhe said with a frown.

"You're getting more and more old-fashioned," Fan Ruoruo said with a smile, habitually patting her younger brother's head. "What's wrong with Shijie (Senior Martial Sister)? Are you still holding a grudge about her using you as a donkey?"

Fan Sizhe shook his head and said, "That was Gege (Older Brother)'s idea, to make me suffer, I understand."

Fan Ruoruo looked at her brother with some surprise, tilting her head and saying, "You really are getting old-fashioned, not like a child at all."

Fan Sizhe smiled self-deprecatingly and said, "In a place like this, there's no one you can trust, so there's no way not to be careful... Right, Jie (Older Sister), you said old-fashioned..." His spirits suddenly lifted, and he asked, "Does that mean I'm becoming more like Ge (Older Brother)?"

Fan Sizhe asked excitedly, because in his mind, his older brother Fan Xian was his life idol, and the closer he could get to his brother's image, the more proud he would naturally be.

Fan Ruoruo covered her mouth and laughed, saying, "It's becoming more like Father, Father beat you so much back then, it seems to have had some effect after all."

She paused and said again, "You said you don't like Haitang Shijie (Senior Martial Sister), why exactly?"

Fan Sizhe looked into his sister's eyes quietly, without speaking for a long time.

Fan Ruoruo also looked at him calmly.

"Jie (Older Sister), you should understand," Fan Sizhe said seriously, "We already have Saozi (Sister-in-law)."

Fan Ruoruo's brow also furrowed, and she sighed, "That's right."

Fan Sizhe frowned, thought for a while, and said softly, "Actually, Gege (Older Brother) doesn't even know, Saozi (Sister-in-law) has written me many letters over the past year."

Fan Ruoruo was slightly startled and asked, "What did Saozi (Sister-in-law) say in the letters?"

"What could she say? Just asking about how things are at home, how Father is, how Mother is." Fan Sizhe sighed, "Your younger brother is alone in a foreign country, Saozi (Sister-in-law) must be worried. To be honest, if I'm ever unclear about something this year, I don't want to bother Gege (Older Brother) by writing to him, Saozi (Sister-in-law) has always helped me come up with ideas."

Fan Ruoruo gradually digested the shock in her heart. This was also the first time she had learned of this matter. After pondering for a long time, she tasted many kinds of flavors and said sadly, "Sao Sao (Sister-in-law)... is a very pitiful person. You also know that the Princess is currently imprisoned by His Majesty in a separate residence, and Gege (Older Brother) is in Jiangnan."

"Gege (Older Brother) only knows how to kick me to the North," Fan Sizhe said with dissatisfaction, "Although I know he's trying to temper me, has he ever thought about how old I am? Such a big stall, how can I manage it? He only knows how to throw it away, not as thoughtful as Sao Sao (Sister-in-law) thinks."

Fan Ruoruo frowned and rebuked, "It's not easy for Gege (Older Brother) in the South. If he wasn't standing firm, how could you stand firm in the North? How could he have thrown it away? The shopkeepers of Qing Yu Nian (Surplus Years Store) are all secretly helping you, and the Supervisory Council's network in Northern Qi is also serving you. He has put a lot of effort into cultivating you... As for tempering, you're not unaware of what kind of person Gege (Older Brother) is. He grew up alone in Danzhou from a young age, and only after experiencing hardship did he achieve his current status. What he believes in is this principle. He treats himself this way, and of course, he will choose this method for us, his younger siblings."

...

...

After a series of scoldings, Fan Sizhe seemed to have returned to Kyoto a few years ago. At that time, he, who was fearless, was only afraid of the iron ruler in his sister's hand. He immediately softened and stammered after being speechless for a long time, "Anyway... I don't like Haitang."

Fan Ruoruo sighed, "You don't know how much Haitang has secretly helped Gege (Older Brother)."

"It's just an exchange of interests. Apart from the dead Zhuang Mo Han, how many people in Northern Qi are truly saints who are not concerned with external things?" Fan Sizhe sneered, "Don't look at you now that you've entered the Bitter Lotus School, and I'm a top-notch boss, but if Gege (Older Brother) is no longer useful to Northern Qi, we'll probably be trampled underfoot immediately. At that time, I don't expect Haitang to stand up for us."

Fan Ruoruo said seriously, "My opinion is the opposite of yours."

Fan Sizhe shook his head, and after a long time, said faintly, "Everything... should have a first come, first served order, right?"

Fan Ruoruo pondered for a long time and nodded slowly. In her heart, she also felt immense pity for that respectable and kind Sao Sao (Sister-in-law) who was accustomed to silence and hurt, and she agreed with her younger brother's view. However, suddenly, a ridiculous thought arose in her heart. If it was a matter of first come, first served... shouldn't she have been the first person to be by Gege (Older Brother)'s side? But fate had played a trick... A bitter smile appeared on her lips, and she quickly suppressed this inappropriate emotion, and together with her younger brother, she worried about the fate of Saozi (Sister-in-law) Lin Wan'er.

"Gege (Older Brother) is definitely not the kind of ungrateful person, but Saozi (Sister-in-law) is now caught between the Princess and Gege (Older Brother), it's really unknown how to deal with it."

"Don't think so much." Fan Sizhe shrugged, "The key problem now is Gege (Older Brother)'s situation in the South."

"I thought you had become so carried away that you had forgotten yourself since you hosted such a grand banquet tonight."

"Now that the Princess has fallen, I naturally have to take advantage of this opportunity to make more money." Fan Sizhe said, "It's just that now only Da Ge (Big Brother)'s faction is dominant in the court, and I always feel like there will be some problems."

"You may be thinking too far ahead. Dominant isn't quite right, but he's standing in the eye of the storm." Fan Ruoruo said with a smile, "Whether it's family matters or national affairs, it doesn't seem like it's something that we, as strangers in a foreign land, can worry about."

Fan Sizhe was stunned, thinking that with his sister's usual attitude, she should be very anxious about Fan Xian's safety, but how could she appear so indifferent? But he didn't dare to criticize his older sister and subconsciously asked, "Whose poem?"

"Gege (Older Brother)'s."

"He's not writing poems anymore?"

"He doesn't write them in front of outsiders."

"Hmm... we're really not going to care?"

"What can we worry about?" Fan Ruoruo's face was calm and carried a hint of confidence in her older brother. "He worked so hard to send us to Northern Qi, just so he doesn't want us to be involved in these things. If we really want to do something good for him, then we must live well here and not let him worry."

"How is living well?"

"Is being a boss happy?"

"It's okay, although it's sometimes a bit troublesome."

"I'm going to the clinic tomorrow, and I also think this kind of life is very happy... Gege (Older Brother) said that people live in this world to find something they like to do."

"Now that we have found it, we must continue to do well. The safer and happier we live," Fan Ruoruo concluded, "The more at peace Gege (Older Brother) will be, and the more contribution we will make to the family."