Niao Ni
Chapter 578: The Catcher in the Rye
"The moment you entered the residence, I took the poison," the Second Prince said, squatting on the chair, head hanging low. "I know you're Fei Jie's student, but the poison has already reached my heart. You can't save me... I don't want you to save me. You may be formidable, but you can't stop me from dying."
Fan Xian understood that if someone was determined to die, there was no way to save them. He calmly looked at the Second Prince, his heart empty, devoid of any thought. But he still wasn't going to stand idly by, not because he had any brotherly affection for the Second Prince, but because he couldn't let the Second Prince die in front of him.
"Don't worry. I already wrote my will. The palace won't blame you. No one will think you poisoned me," the Second Prince said, head lowered, his blood-stained hand fumbling in his robes for a letter, which he gently placed on the table.
Fan Xian was slightly chilled, realizing the Second Prince had anticipated even his concerns, showing a ruthless resolve that mirrored what Ling'er had said. The Second Prince had truly cut off any hope of survival.
The Second Prince raised his head, looking at Fan Xian with an envious gaze, and spat out another mouthful of black blood. He haphazardly wiped his lips with his sleeve, and with two slender fingers, carefully broke off the grape cluster that was stained with poisoned blood, leaving a small, clean portion, which he put back into his mouth.
He chewed the sweet, juicy grapes to a pulp. The Second Prince spat out the grape seeds, still tinged with black blood, onto the ground.
After finishing the grapes, he wiped his hands on his robes, sighed, and looked at Fan Xian, who had remained silent and still. He said softly, "I don't want to continue living as a joke."
Fan Xian nodded, indicating that he understood.
"Actually, you're a joke too," the Second Prince said, his face gradually turning ashen. His gaze was somewhat unfocused, as if he was remembering something. "There are many people in Kyoto who want to kill you. Yes, I was the first to make a move. But do you think Chengqian has much kindness towards you? When the Qin family failed to kill you in the valley, he was so angry that he paced around the Eastern Palace all night... But why?"
He stared into Fan Xian's eyes. "Why... is your attitude towards Chengqian completely different from your attitude towards me?"
Fan Xian himself couldn't understand this point. The Second Prince was about to die, and his words were blunt, piercing Fan Xian's heart. Why had he always been so tolerant and gentle towards the Crown Prince, but so relentlessly fought against the Second Prince, sparing no effort?
The Second Prince's eyelids drooped weakly, his voice extremely low. "You don't like me. You never liked me from the beginning. Of course, I don't like you either... We're too alike. It's just that I never had your good fortune. No one would allow another version of themselves to exist. They would instinctively try to eliminate the other first."
His gaze was icy and helpless. "If you're the Jia Gongzi of the Rongguo Mansion, then I can only be the Zhen Baoyu of Jinling City, forever doomed to a few cameo appearances in the book... But I'm real, I'm the real one!"
As he spoke, the Second Prince coughed up blood, which smeared all over his front, making him look extremely miserable.
Fan Xian looked at the scene before him, his body stiff, unable to react in any way. The Second Prince raised his head one last time, glaring at Fan Xian's face, and said with some difficulty, "I always thought Chengqian was the most cowardly of all the brothers. But only now, as I'm about to die, do I realize that I'm also very cowardly. I would rather die, leaving Ling'er and Mother in disgrace, than face..."
"After I die, take care of Ling'er for me... As for Mother, her best outcome is probably to be thrown into the Cold Palace. Please help me take care of her."
The Second Prince's chest heaved violently, as if something was about to burst out. He stared at Fan Xian's eyes, forcing himself to finish these words without giving Fan Xian any chance to speak, then opened his mouth and vomited a large pool of black blood. He never breathed again.
Even in death, the Second Prince remained squatting on the chair, his left hand resting on his knee, his handsome face bearing an ashen tinge. A moment later, his body fell off the chair with a thud, but his eyes remained wide open, refusing to close.
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Fan Xian stared blankly at the Second Prince's corpse, suddenly feeling how cold the early autumn night was.
He shivered, his mood extremely complicated, unsure of what to say about the body before him. Perhaps silence was the best response? The Second Prince, the true prince, was dead. How should he, with his false soul in this body, continue?
His face was somewhat unpleasant, not because the Second Prince had committed suicide in front of him, nor because of the Second Prince's piercing words before death, but because the Second Prince had entrusted him with taking care of Ling'er and Concubine Shu before he died.
Didn't even give him a chance to refuse? Fan Xian thought to himself, his expression desolate. When the Eldest Princess died, she entrusted Wan'er to him. The Crown Prince, knowing he would die, entrusted the families of those rebel generals and ministers to him...
Why? Didn't they know that he was their mortal enemy? Wasn't their death caused by him? Why did they throw so many burdens on him before they died? Did they want to crush him? Were they betting that he would help them?
You dead people! You died, but you want me, the living, to live in misery?
He lowered his head, numb and trembling slightly. Then he walked to the Second Prince's corpse, glanced at it, picked up the thin will from the table, tucked it into his robe, and walked out of the gloomy room.
He walked to the bedroom in the back garden of the palace. Under the cold light of the green lamp, Ye Ling'er was still sitting blankly, unaware of what had happened behind the garden. Fan Xian sighed inwardly, walked directly behind her, and struck her with his palm, knocking her unconscious without giving her any chance to react.
If he didn't knock her unconscious, she would probably follow the Second Prince's death if she knew about his suicide by poison. Fan Xian could only use this more direct method to delay things.
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Gong Dian came to greet him. Fan Xian lowered his head and thought for a moment, then handed him the will and Ye Ling'er, who he was carrying on his shoulder. He whispered a few words. Gong Dian, taking the unconscious Ye Ling'er, was already greatly shocked. Hearing the news of the Second Prince's death, he frowned deeply.
"The Second Prince wrote a will. His Majesty won't blame you or me," Fan Xian sighed, then said seriously, "Before the Princess wakes up, tie her hands and feet, then tell her the news. If she refuses to eat, force-feed her rice soup... No matter what, make her drink it!"
The last two sentences were roared out through gritted teeth, icily. Gong Dian was stunned, thinking that this was indeed the only way, and didn't notice Lord Danbo's loss of composure. After thinking for a moment, he said helplessly, "But Miss is as fiery as a flame. We can't tie her up for life."
"Fire isn't scary. It comes and goes quickly. It's not as piercing as ice like me and the Second Prince," Fan Xian thought to himself, lowering his voice. "In a few days, when things have calmed down, I'll come to persuade her again."
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After dealing with the affairs in the palace, the night in Kyoto was gradually fading, and it was almost dawn. A hint of fish-belly white was faintly visible in the distant east. However, Fan Xian couldn't rest. He still had too many things to do. He made a trip back to the Fan residence from the palace, then went directly to the Imperial Palace.
Although Shangshu Fan had said that these matters should be handled by the Court of Imperial Sacrifices, which was under the Ministry of Rites, Fan Xian couldn't forget his identity as Regent. He couldn't pretend that these things had never happened. Moreover, he was currently the Vice Minister of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices. Zheng Qing, Ren Shaoan, had followed His Majesty to Dongshan for the sacrificial ceremony, and it was unknown if he would survive.
He stood side by side with the First Prince, looking at the three dark coffins before them. Both brothers were silent.
Just a day ago, they were standing on the Imperial City, worrying about the safety of the palace and the Qing Kingdom. Who would have thought that at this moment, victory or defeat had been decided, and the names of those who would write the history of the world had been changed. Who would have thought that during the crisis in the Imperial City, the black coffins under Fan Xian's feet had begun to hold the bodies of the defeated.
The Eldest Princess and the Second Prince were now lying quietly in the coffins. There was an empty coffin, and it was unknown who would lie in it next.
"It's not in accordance with etiquette," the First Prince said, his expression heavy. He was struggling to suppress his sadness. The Eldest Princess was one thing, but the Second Prince, Li Chengze, had a genuine brotherly relationship with him. Although the two brothers had drifted apart in recent years, the First Prince still felt a sharp pain in his heart as he looked at the scene before him, thinking of the person in the coffin.
Fan Xian nodded wearily and said, "The officials of the Ministry of Rites have all run away. It seems that the six ministries can't be gathered together until His Majesty returns to the capital. There are few people in the Court of Imperial Sacrifices. I'm just temporarily settling them. After all, the Imperial Family's reputation must be maintained. We can't just leave them in the palace."
The First Prince sighed and didn't say anything more. He turned and walked towards the Imperial City. His back looked extremely desolate, contrasting with the Imperial Guards who were escorting the coffins beside him.
Fan Xian quietly watched him, shaking his head. He knew that the First Prince was about to collapse under the repeated pressure and the gradually spreading news of death. Thinking of this, Fan Xian felt a wave of exhaustion coming from the depths of his body. His eyelids were heavy, and he could barely lift them. He frowned, slapped his cheeks, and said to his subordinates, "Back to the residence."
He had returned to the residence four times in one night, but there was never a moment of peace. Fan Xian carefully calculated that he hadn't slept for two days and two nights since he began preparing for the attack on the palace. His injuries had relapsed, and the Ma Huang pills had lost their effect. He didn't dare to take any more. His mental and physical strength had indeed reached their limit.
After returning to the residence, looking at everything in the darkness, Fan Xian didn't go to see Wan'er, who was staying with Liu Shi. He sat silently on the bed for a short while, then kicked the black box under the bed. He didn't even take off his clothes, but spread himself out on the bed.
He was clearly exhausted, but he couldn't fall asleep. He opened his bright eyes, looking at the dark ceiling.
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He didn't sleep for long before he woke up. After all, Kyoto was still in chaos. As the Regent, he couldn't allow himself too much time to rest, be sad, or be lost. After getting up, he ate something hastily, used a hot towel to scald his face, and forced himself to regain some energy.
As he went out, he subconsciously glanced at the bed. The deadly box, the box that had been in the dust for years, was lying quietly under the bed, just like the Eldest Princess and the Second Prince were lying quietly in the coffins. No one would disturb them anymore. Whether it was the box or the people, perhaps only by becoming inconspicuous and placed in an inconspicuous place could they find true peace.
As he left the residence, he subconsciously glanced at the residence. He hadn't seen Wan'er since returning from the Taiping Courtyard. He wondered how his wife was feeling now. Thinking of this, a trace of sadness appeared on his face.
As he entered the palace, he subconsciously glanced at the palace gate. The vermilion palace gate was covered with traces of fire and smoke. Some cracks caused by weapons gaped open, revealing the wood chips inside. The copper nails that had been knocked off had long been cleaned up, leaving countless ugly scars on the gate.
In that moment, Fan Xian confirmed something—this palace, this city, this country was ultimately the place where he had lived for twenty years. He had developed a deep affection for it. Even if this palace was so cold, even if this city had disappointed so many people, even if this country had made so many mistakes, it was still his country.
He had always regarded himself as a Qing citizen. Before many things were clarified and understood, he didn't mind doing his best to maintain the peace of the people in this country while enjoying his own good life, just as he had been doing all these years.
So many people had died. He had to live well, unless... some people didn't want him to live.
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Please ask Scholars Hu and Shu to return to their residences for a rest. These two ministers had been drafting imperial edicts in the Imperial Study for an entire night. The more urgent memorials from various parts of the Qing Kingdom had finally been sorted out, but the two Grand Academicians were not made of iron after all. They had been repeatedly frightened and hadn't slept, so they were extremely tired, even more so than Fan Xian.
Fan Xian sat in the empty Imperial Study, unable to help shaking his head. In the past, when the Emperor was around, this Imperial Study was just as quiet, but it was always filled with a different kind of feeling. Was it majesty? Or something else? In any case, it was completely different from what he was feeling now.
He didn't know how the Emperor had survived and come down from Da Dong Mountain, but he knew that his performance would definitely satisfy His Majesty. It seemed that the position of powerful minister was secure. However... as soon as he thought of the unification war that would begin in two or three years, Fan Xian felt a bitter taste in his mouth.
So-called gentlemen don't deceive themselves in a dark room, but Fan Xian wasn't a gentleman. At this moment, he was sitting alone in the Imperial Study, looking at the memorials piled up like mountains on the low platform, looking at the soft couch, thinking that the Emperor had been manipulating the entire Qing Kingdom's politics from there. His heart skipped a beat.
He stood up, quietly looking at that place, tilting his head slightly, wondering what it would feel like if he sat there. But then he shook his head, his thin lips curving into a self-deprecating smile.
After being Regent for a day and a night, he had almost been exhausted into a panting dog in summer. Looking at the disheveled appearance of the two Grand Academicians, Hu and Shu, being supported by the eunuchs, Fan Xian confirmed that the job of Emperor was definitely more arduous than the Yellow Emperor having sex with countless women every day.
As the old saying goes, there are only three kinds of people in the world: men, women, and emperors. Anyone who can be a true monarch is... not human.
"Please bring the Third Prince over."
Fan Xian said with a smile to the little eunuch outside the Imperial Study. Then he thought of Hong Zhu and some of the others who had participated in the rebellion who were still imprisoned in the Cold Palace. He wondered how His Majesty would deal with this matter after he returned. However, to outsiders, Hong Zhu had basically done nothing, so he should be fine.
Not long after, the Third Prince, Li Chengping, who had gradually grown into a young man, arrived outside the Imperial Study accompanied by an old nanny and several eunuchs. Fan Xian glanced at the old nanny and waved for them to retreat. He took the Third Prince's hand and led him to the desk where the memorials were kept.
Li Chengping's hand was a little cold. The way he looked at Fan Xian was also a little different from when they were in Jiangnan. He seemed somewhat respectful.
Fan Xian had already noticed this scene out of the corner of his eye, and he didn't care much about it. Respect and awe, but not more of a feeling of alienation. He knew that his performance over the past day and night had left too deep an impression on this Imperial brother. He was afraid that he would never be able to get rid of this trace.
This was a matter of education. No one in the world understood it except Fan Xian. To train a prince who dared to open brothels and kill people at the age of nine into a benevolent monarch, simple moral preaching was not enough to accomplish the task. He had to make Little San'er understand that many things in the world could be achieved by using more honest and upright means.
The Third Prince needed a role model, so from the journey to Jiangnan, Fan Xian had established himself as the role model in the other party's heart, because he was a poet, he was a strong man, he was a powerful minister, he was the Third Prince's savior, and in the hearts of most of the Qing Kingdom's people, he was... a good person.
Fan Xian hoped that the future Emperor of the Qing Kingdom would also be a good person, like... the Crown Prince?
"Sir... I heard that Father..." Li Chengping looked at Fan Xian somewhat timidly.
Fan Xian smiled and said, "The gods are above. His Majesty is protected by fate. Those petty villains will naturally not be able to harm him."
"Oh." A trace of joy appeared on Li Chengping's face. Although he knew that if his father died, he would become the next Emperor of the Qing Kingdom under the protection of his brother and his teacher, he was still just a teenager, and his heart was not that ruthless.
Fan Xian pretended not to care, but he carefully watched the changes in Li Chengping's pupils, thinking that he was indeed right.
"In the future, His Majesty will probably often let Your Highness come to the Imperial Study to listen in," Fan Xian said, and then paused for a moment before slowly saying, "Your Highness should familiarize yourself with the place first."
The Third Prince had been to the Imperial Study, and he also knew that his Crown Prince brother, Second brother, Eldest brother, and even his teacher, would often listen to his father and the ministers discussing matters in the Imperial Study after the court session. However, after today, the Imperial Study would probably be quite empty.
"There are many things that probably no one dares to say to Your Highness face to face," Fan Xian said calmly after pondering for a moment. "But I must tell you."
The Emperor was about to return, and Fan Xian had to make his own explanation to Little San'er, because he knew that this child's heart was actually extremely delicate. Therefore, he had always addressed him as "Your Highness" before, but now he directly called him "you."
"The Eldest Prince is naturally fond of martial arts, and he will eventually be sent to the border to guard it in the future," Fan Xian said, his expression slightly grave, using his own language to describe His Majesty's future arrangements. "He is naturally upright and will never take the initiative to do anything that would harm brotherly affection. You can rest assured about this and don't be suspicious."
The Third Prince's hand trembled slightly. He looked at his teacher's face, not knowing why he suddenly wanted to say this.
"As for me, I will always leave in the future. The world is so big, I must go to the ends of the earth to see it to have no regrets in this life," Fan Xian smiled slightly. "So you don't suspect me either, even when you grow up... don't suspect me."
The Third Prince opened his mouth wide, feeling a sense of fear for some reason.
"These are not words that a minister should say," Fan Xian said calmly, his smile fading. "But I want to say them to you. In these twenty years of my life, I have grown tired of guessing and testing each other's intentions. Whether you believe this in the future or not, please remember these words."
As he said, these words had already violated the Emperor's taboo, let alone coming from the mouth of a minister. However, Fan Xian said them so calmly, so naturally. Li Chengping stared blankly at his teacher's face, which was originally extremely handsome, but somewhat haggard today. He nodded subconsciously.
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Three days have passed. Kyoto has been pacified. The three riders entered the capital again, announcing the news of His Majesty's return from the sacrificial ceremony to the world. The Kyoto people, who were still in shock, cheered and jumped for joy. Fan Xian, standing on the Imperial City, did not know what they were happy about after suffering so many hardships.
The Emperor's scheduled return to the capital was delayed by three days. During these three days, military intelligence from the Dingzhou Army was continuously sent to the capital through military and Supervision Department channels. Fan Xian had more than his fill of being Regent, and he was wildly stamping His Majesty's Imperial Seal with both hands.
On this day, the news finally came. Fan Xian led the Third Prince, together with the First Prince and the surviving pro-Emperor old ministers, walked through the streets that still showed traces of weapons and warfare, walked out of the Zhengyang Gate, and stopped ten miles outside the city.
Thousands of people knelt densely, and the official road could not accommodate them at all. Many people knelt directly in the wheat fields on both sides of the road. It was not yet autumn harvest. The golden ears of wheat had survived the trampling of warhorses and swayed on both sides in the breeze, carrying the heavy harvest. Countless people's hearts, like ears of wheat, swayed and surged, watching the bright yellow imperial carriage coming from afar.
Fan Xian pulled his gaze back from the wheat field and smiled at the nervous and joyful Third Prince beside him.
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(After soliciting votes yesterday, the monthly votes rushed to second place. As far as I can remember, this seems to be the first time that Qing Yu Nian has reached the position of second place. Although the Second Prince died miserably today, I am still as nervous and happy as the Third Prince... alas, Wang Lao Wu has lived most of his life... thank you, take a bow and leave the stage, wish everyone a happy weekend.)