(Made it into the top three of the old book charts, thank you everyone, come on, let's have some more monthly tickets, thank you, thank you.)

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Fan Xian sat on the couch, gently holding his grandmother's hand, noticing the wrinkles on her hand were becoming deeper and deeper, giving him a palpitation, the feeling of flesh and bone separating. After taking her pulse, he found that his grandmother only had an occasional cold, and her body didn't have any serious problems. However...after all, she was old, her oil was almost exhausted, her lamp about to die out, and he didn't know how many years she could last.

Thinking of this, his mood became low, and coupled with the shock brought by the emperor downstairs, he fell into silence.

After a long silence in the second floor, the Old Lady sighed and said, "What exactly are you worried about?"

"I don't know how to walk the road ahead?" Fan Xian looked at his grandmother's serious face and said with a smile, he knew that hidden beneath his grandmother's serious face was a gentle heart.

"You have been walking very well these past few years." The Old Lady's voice was low, although the people downstairs certainly couldn't hear the conversation between the two. She smiled kindly, rubbed Fan Xian's head, her tone and expression full of pride and satisfaction.

With the status and reputation Fan Xian had achieved in these three years, the Old Lady who had personally taught this grandson naturally had enough reason to be proud.

"He who walks a hundred li is only halfway to ninety." Fan Xian patted his head self-deprecatingly and said, "I'm afraid my head will suddenly fall off halfway."

The Old Lady quietly looked at her grandson, and after a long while, she said gently, "Did His Majesty's arrival in Danzhou give you some ominous ideas?"

Fan Xian lowered his head and thought for a long time, confirming what his emotions were, and then nodded solemnly.

The Old Lady looked into his eyes and said softly, "You are old enough, but there are some things I must remind you of."

"Grandmother, please speak."

"Our Fan family never needs to take sides...and you, even more so, don't need to take sides, because we have always stood in front of His Majesty." The Old Lady said seriously and earnestly, "As long as you guarantee this, then you will never make a mistake."

These words contained countless meanings, but they were all based on the strongest trust in the emperor. Fan Xian looked at his grandmother with some doubt, but didn't dare to ask.

"What has been proven in thirty years doesn't need to be doubted again."

Fan Xian didn't think so. He believed that what history proved would eventually be overturned by the future. After thinking for a while, he said, "But in this situation, it is too risky for His Majesty to leave the capital."

"You are going to advise him later?" The Old Lady looked at her grandson with a smile that wasn't quite a smile.

Fan Xian pondered for a moment and nodded, "It should still be in time to rush back now." In fact, these words were just lip service. He knew that since the Emperor had come to Danzhou at this time, he must have very important ideas in his heart, and he couldn't be rushed back with just a few words. But as a courtier, especially if he wanted to pretend to be a loyal minister and filial son, he had to say some things to his face.

The Old Lady smiled and said, "Then go ahead, otherwise His Majesty will be anxious."

Fan Xian also smiled, but didn't leave immediately. He carefully used the *Tian Yi Dao* (Heaven One Path) *zhenqi* to probe his grandmother's body, checked the old lady's physical condition, left a few prescriptions, and chatted with his grandmother for a while. It wasn't until the old lady began to feel sleepy that he carefully pulled up the thin quilt for her and tiptoed downstairs.

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...

When he went downstairs, the Minister of Rites, the Director of the Imperial Observatory, Eunuch Yao, and those people all looked at Fan Xian with strange eyes. These people didn't expect that Lord Fan's courage would be so great, staying on the second floor for so long, leaving the Emperor waiting to talk to him for half a day.

In this world, Fan Xian was probably the only person who dared to keep the Qing Kingdom emperor waiting for so long. These important people were thinking in their hearts that His Majesty's love for this illegitimate son was indeed to an exaggerated degree.

Fan Xian saluted these people and asked with a smile, "Where is His Majesty?"

The Minister of Rites smiled bitterly and glanced outside with his eyes, showing him the way. Eunuch Yao held back his laughter and led Fan Xian out the door, saying, "He is in the garden looking at the osmanthus blossoms."

Danzhou was most famous for its flower tea. Minister Fan and Fan Xian both liked it, and the old residence would send it to the capital every year, some of which were even offered as tribute to the palace. Although the garden in the old residence was not large, one corner was separated by Fan Xian back then and planted with some osmanthus blossoms, to be used for mixing tea.

Walking outside that corner of the garden, Eunuch Yao hunched his body and stepped back. Fan Xian felt a little strange in his heart. Why wasn't the head eunuch of the Imperial Study serving by His Majesty's side, but instead had run away? Thinking this, his footsteps had already entered the garden, seeing the Emperor under that tree.

And that old guy by the Emperor's side.

Fan Xian secretly took a breath of cold air. No wonder Eunuch Yao didn't need to be by the Emperor's side, it turned out that there was another eunuch by his side. He walked forward and saluted the Emperor, while turning sideways and as politely as possible, without being abrupt, said to that eunuch, "Greetings, Eunuch Hong."

In front of the Emperor, showing goodwill to a eunuch was something that absolutely should not happen. But Fan Xian knew that Eunuch Hong was no ordinary person, and the Emperor would give him some respect. He didn't think greeting him would be a problem.

Hong Si Yang smiled slightly, glanced at Fan Xian, didn't say anything, and retreated behind the Emperor.

The Emperor moved his gaze from the osmanthus tree in the garden, clapped his hands, and turned to Fan Xian and said, "I heard that you moved these trees in and planted them?"

Fan Xian responded, "Yes, the old residence's garden isn't very big. There weren't many trees planted inside before, and it looked a little boring, especially in spring and summer. The trees and flowers outside are tall, but it was too quiet inside, so I moved a few trees."

"It seems that you have a few threads of sentimentality." The Emperor smiled and said, "When I lived in this courtyard, there were also trees, but they were all broken by me and those who practiced martial arts."

Fan Xian was secretly amazed. He had lived in this house for sixteen years, but he never knew that the Emperor had once lived here. The Old Lady's mouth was really tight.

He suddenly thought of the past events that his father and Prince Jing had mentioned. Back then, His Majesty had once taken Chen Pingping and his father to Danzhou to play, when His Majesty was just an unknown prince. And it was in Danzhou...they met his mother and Uncle Wu Zhu. Calculating it this way, when the Emperor lived in the old residence, that was...well, the moment the wheels of history began to turn?

Walking in the garden, chatting casually with the Emperor, Fan Xian's mood gradually became a little anxious. He didn't know what opportunity to find to persuade the Emperor to return to the capital as soon as possible, and the expression on his face began to look a little unnatural.

"I am not traveling incognito." As if guessing what Fan Xian was thinking, the Emperor said with a slight mockery, "I announced to the world three days after I left the capital, so don't worry too much."

Fan Xian widened his eyes and asked in surprise, "Your Majesty...everyone knows you've come to Danzhou?"

"Wrong, everyone knows that I am going to offer sacrifices to Heaven." The Emperor glanced at him, put his hands behind his back, and walked out of the garden first.

Fan Xian looked at Eunuch Hong with some doubt, and quickly followed, chasing behind the Emperor and asking, "Your Majesty, why don't I know about this?"

The Emperor didn't stop walking, and said with a cold smile, "The Imperial Envoy was having a good time playing on the sea, so how could you receive the decree I sent to Hangzhou?"

Fan Xian was greatly embarrassed and dared not answer.

The Emperor paused and said with some annoyance, "You are, after all, a dignified Imperial Envoy, how can you leave your post without permission? I have already issued an order to let you join the sacrificial team. After you return to Hangzhou in the future, you should go through these procedures."

Fan Xian was slightly surprised after being greatly embarrassed. It turned out that His Majesty's decree had already been announced to the world, letting himself, the Imperial Envoy, join the sacrificial team. No wonder the officials along the coast guessed the people on the ship. It was just that the Emperor's previous words were obviously protecting himself...alas, it seemed that His Majesty's mood wasn't so bad a few months after the incident in the capital.

Watching the Emperor's footsteps step out of the wooden door of the old residence, the guards hidden in the dark and the officials in the courtyard followed out. For a time, the scene was extremely lively. Fan Xian couldn't bear it anymore, caught up a few steps, lowered his voice and said, "Your Majesty...the situation in the capital is unsettled. Since it's a sacrifice to Heaven, then let me escort Your Majesty back to the capital."

The Emperor stopped, turned his head and looked at him with a smile, and said, "Since it is a sacrifice to Heaven, why should we return to the capital?"

Fan Xian was slightly stunned and replied, "The sacrifice to Heaven is naturally at the Qing Temple."

"There is more than one Qing Temple." The Emperor said lightly, "There is also a temple on Mount Da Dong."

Fan Xian's heart was greatly shaken. He couldn't speak for a long time. The Emperor actually came all the way to Mount Da Dong to offer sacrifices to Heaven! No wonder there were very few scholars and scholars in the entourage, but instead the Minister of Rites, the Grand Minister of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices, and the Director of the Imperial Observatory were following...abolishing the Crown Prince through sacrifice did require these people. But why was this matter not being handled in the capital, but instead running to the coast of the East Sea? Did the Emperor not worry at all...?

"I know what you're worried about." The Emperor's expression was a little gentler, as if he felt that this son was thinking about his safety all the time, which was commendable. After thinking about it, he said with a smile, "Since you can't control your worries, then fine, the safety of this trip is entirely your responsibility."

Fan Xian was even more surprised and smiled bitterly again and again, thinking how he had taken on such a bitter task for himself. But at this time, he couldn't refuse any longer, so he had to thank him and accept.

"Come to the pier to see me later." The Emperor knew what Fan Xian was going to do next. After saying a word, he walked out of the mansion gate with Eunuch Hong and got into the carriage. Eunuch Yao and a group of attendants and ministers also followed out.

Fan Xian stood at the mansion gate, looking at the slightly changing light around the streets, knowing that the Tiger Guards and the Sword Holders of the Supervisory Council who were escorting the carriage had already followed. He was slightly relieved. He beckoned, and Wang Qinian ran over from across the street, looking at Fan Xian with a face full of astonishment and said, "Sir, the one who went earlier was..."

Fan Xian nodded.

Wang Qinian swallowed hard, lowered his voice and said, "How did this master run here?"

Fan Xian's face sank slightly, and he murmured, "No one knows why, but I only know that if something happens to him, I'm finished."

If the Emperor suffered an accident during the sacrifice, Fan Xian, as the Director of the Supervisory Council, and now taking on the important task of bodyguarding, would naturally die a very ugly death. At least those people in the capital would definitely put this blame on Fan Xian's head, while they themselves would sit on that chair with a smile.

Fan Xian clenched his fists and said with a bitter self-deprecating smile, "I don't want to be Si Gu Jian...Pass down the council's order, all the personnel stationed in Shandong Road in the council are to be mobilized, and all of them are to be awakened. Anyone who approaches within fifty *li* of Mount Da Dong is to be reported immediately."

Wang Qinian acknowledged the order.

Fan Xian added, "Send an order to Jiangbei, to let Jing Ge lead five hundred Black Riders to rush to Mount Dongshan overnight, deploy along the northwest line, cooperate with the local state army, and must ensure that there are no problems...If there are any changes, kill without mercy."

Wang Qinian looked up at his lord. The northwest of Dongshan Road pointed directly to Yanjing Cangzhou, which was where Grand General Yan Xiaoyi's military camp was located. However, the two places were far apart, and even if Yan Xiaoyi really had the courage to rebel and assassinate the Emperor, he wouldn't be able to transfer troops so far without alarming the imperial court.

"Caution is always the best policy." Fan Xian lowered his head and said, his heart was extremely annoyed. The Emperor's playing this trick didn't know how many people he would scare.

Wang Qinian took the order and left. At this time, a man in cloth clothes walked to Fan Xian's side and bowed and saluted, "By His Majesty's decree, please give your orders, sir."

Fan Xian looked at this person and said gently, "Vice Commander, you are more familiar with His Majesty's personal defense. If there is anything inappropriate, the two of us can discuss it."

The security of the Qing Kingdom's Imperial Palace was the responsibility of the Imperial Guards and the inner palace guards. In those years, the two systems were basically the same team. A few years ago, the Commander of the inner palace guards was Yan Xiaoyi, and the Vice Commander was Gong Dian, commanding the Imperial Guards and the palace guards.

And after Fan Xian's night visit to the Imperial Palace in the fifth year of Qingli, the security arrangements of the Imperial Palace underwent a major change. Yan Xiaoyi was transferred to the Grand General of the Northern Expedition, and the Imperial Guards and palace guards were also divided into two parts. Now the Eldest Prince was in charge of the Imperial Guards, and the palace guards were in the hands of Eunuch Yao.

The person speaking to Fan Xian at this time was the Eldest Prince's deputy, the Imperial Guard Vice Commander. Fan Xian naturally had to be polite when speaking to him, but without any small talk, he asked directly, "How many Imperial Guards have come?"

"Two thousand." The Imperial Guard Vice Commander respectfully replied, "They are all outside Danzhou City awaiting orders."

Fan Xian nodded, thinking that with two thousand Imperial Guards, plus those as numerous as a forest experts by the Emperor's side, security issues should be guaranteed.

He turned his head and glanced at the small two-story building in the old residence, slightly lost in thought. He thought that the first time he left Danzhou, his grandmother had told him to be ruthless, and he also thought that his grandmother had once said that his mother had died tragically because she was too gentle.

In that instant, Fan Xian thought of the words that his grandmother had said to him when he was young, those vague truths. Suddenly, his heart moved - but he immediately suppressed it, sighed and shook his head.

Eunuch Hong by His Majesty's side was unfathomable, Uncle Wu Zhu was not by his side, neither were Shadow and Haitang. His own strength, plus Wang Shisanlang, was not strong enough, and he was far away in Danzhou, unable to remotely control the movements in the capital. The most important thing was...Fan Xian had to admit that until today, the Emperor was still quite good to him.

He smiled self-deprecatingly, and waved this fantasy out of his mind.

The Imperial Guard Vice Commander did not know what outrageous things he was thinking in his heart, and thought that Lord Fan was worried about His Majesty's safety, so he could not help but said a few words of persuasion, patting his chest to express his confidence.

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On the pier of Danzhou, the onlookers had long been driven away and could not be seen. The fishing boats that came and went had also returned to their respective ports long ago. The entire city seemed to be extremely repressed and awed because of the arrival of the middle-aged man in a light yellow robe on the pier.

Only the floating clouds in the sky, the bubbles in the sea, and the seagulls flying between the sky and the water seemed unable to feel this pressure, and were still floating, floating, and flying freely.

The birds were foraging for food at sea, making sharp calls, awakening His Majesty the Emperor, who was meditating on the pier.

He beckoned behind him and said, "Come to my side."

Fan Xian, who had been looking at the Emperor's figure from under the wooden pier, heard these words, jumped onto the wooden planks, walked to the Emperor's side, slightly behind a position, facing forward, looking at the endless sea.

"Take another step forward." The Emperor carried his hands, not turning his head back.

Fan Xian was stunned, obeyed the order and took another step forward, standing side by side with the Emperor.

The sea breeze blew, causing the strands of hair on the Emperor's cheeks to fall back, but there was no tenderness, but instead, there was a feeling of firmness that was breathtaking. Under his feet, the waves were hitting the reefs under the wooden planks, turning into a snowflake, two snowflakes, countless snowflakes.

"Stick out your chest." The Emperor looked at the end of the sea, and said to Fan Xian beside him, "I don't like you acting like a coward."

Fan Xian smiled slightly, understanding His Majesty's mood at this time, obeyed and relaxed naturally, stood side by side with him, and did not speak.

"The last time I came to Danzhou, I wasn't even the Crown Prince." The Emperor said slowly, "That day, Chen Pingping stood behind me like Hong Si Yang, and your father...Fan Jian stood side by side with me like you are now, bathing in the exceptionally clear sea breeze of Danzhou."

"Since becoming the Crown Prince, Fan Jian has never dared to stand side by side with me again."

Fan Xian turned his head slightly and saw a hint of self-deprecation flashing across the corner of His Majesty's lips.

The Emperor said with a slight mockery, "After I sat on that chair, fighting in the north and south, not to mention standing, there was no one who dared to speak to me with a straight body."

Fan Xian sighed appropriately.

"That day, the three of us came to Danzhou to relax. At that time, Kyoto was in chaos, and the two princes were secretly fighting each other for the throne. The late Emperor was just an insignificant Prince Cheng." The Emperor said indifferently, "We juniors couldn't intervene, so we had to stay as far away from the place of right and wrong as possible."

He turned his head and looked at Fan Xian, and said, "Actually, it's similar to what you are thinking now, but you are much stronger than I was back then."

Fan Xian said with a smile, "The key is the heart...not strong enough. Some things, I always don't know how to face."

"I didn't expect you to have some pity for Chengqian." The Emperor turned his head back and said coldly, "But this is very good...That day, the three of us were on this pier, looking at this sea, but we didn't have any pity for anyone. What we were thinking about was how to protect ourselves, how to survive...I often think that looking at the sea that day was perhaps just hoping that a god would suddenly appear on the sea."

Fan Xian was silent, knowing what the Emperor would say next.

"There was nothing on the sea, just like today." The Emperor said slowly, a smile appearing on his lips again, "But when we turned our heads, we found that there was a woman on the pier, and her very strange servant."

Fan Xian said leisurely, "Actually, I have always been wondering how you met my mother."

The Emperor's body shook slightly, shocked by Fan Xian's divine sound of "your son", and realized that this kid had actually said it subconsciously. He couldn't help but reveal a very gratified smile on his lips.

However, he did not continue this topic, but said, "I said to you earlier that no one dared to stand side by side with me...but only your mother dared...Whether as the Crown Prince or the Emperor, your mother dared to stand side by side with me, look at the sea, blow the sea breeze, and didn't treat me as any special person at all...Even, sometimes she would despise me unceremoniously."

The Emperor laughed self-deprecatingly, "After she died, there was no one like this in the world anymore...I don't expect you to inherit a few points from her, but I just think you shouldn't be too cowardly, wasting my and your mother's prestige in vain."

Fan Xian thought with a bitter smile, it's because you're reminiscing about the past that you're allowing me to stand for a while. As for prestige...let's forget about it, my life is important.

"Your Majesty, let's go back to the capital." Fan Xian finally said what he wanted to say, with a worried look on his face, "Being away from the capital for too long is always..."

Seeing him hesitating, the Emperor said coldly, "Say everything you want to say. You just want to say that you are afraid that someone will have bad intentions while I am away from the capital."

The Emperor looked at the sea, calm to the point of indifference, and said softly, "I am offering sacrifices to the sea this time, and openly abolishing the Crown Prince, is to see who has the courage and boldness, and to see whose world the Qing Kingdom is today."