(Last day, the situation with monthly tickets is too dangerous. If you still have any monthly tickets, please vote for me, thank you.)

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The forest flowers withered, marking the end of spring’s beauty, summer dreams faded, and autumn winds hurried by. The Qing Yu Nian kingdom ushered in another winter. The temperature seemed to drop in a single day. The Azure Mountains west of the capital began to see snowfall, their peaks gradually turning white. Within Kyoto, two light showers of winter rain added to the chill. People on the streets wrapped themselves in thick cotton robes, rubbing their hands, walking with hurried expressions.

The carriages traveling along Tianhe Avenue scraped against the ground, producing a monotonous and irritating sound. The horses impatiently snorted white vapor, twisting their heads as if wishing for the winter to end sooner. Inside a black carriage, Fan Xian turned up his fur collar, breathed warm air onto his hands, and tightened the fur cloak around himself, muttering a few words. He thought that winter had arrived far too quickly.

He had just left Prince Jing's residence. Prince Jing was ill, gravely so. With Hongcheng not in the capital and Roujia being young, Fan Xian had to play the role of a half-son, serving him medicine, keeping him company, and helping the Prince alleviate his boredom. Given his current status, doing such things was somewhat inappropriate, but Fan Xian knew the relationship between the Jing family and his own. Furthermore, he had always felt a sense of guilt towards Hongcheng, so he put extra effort into it.

He knew why the seemingly aged but actually healthy Prince Jing had suddenly fallen ill—it had nothing to do with winter. It was related to the coldness within the imperial family. The Empress Dowager had died, the Eldest Princess had died, and half of Prince Jing's relatives had perished in this upheaval. The cruel reality had finally broken this flower-loving Prince.

Leaving Prince Jing's residence, Fan Xian did not return directly to his own mansion, nor did he enter the palace. Instead, he went to Baoyue Tower. Today was the day that Shi Chanli and Sang Wen were returning to the capital to report on their duties. He needed to learn the most secret information from these trusted aides about what was happening throughout the kingdom.

However, after staying in the tower for a while, reading through the information gathered by Baoyue Tower’s tentacles that reached across the land, Fan Xian frowned. He sighed, looking at Sang Wen’s gentle face and the stubble on Shi Chanli’s lip.

The intelligence was nothing out of the ordinary, similar to that of the Overwatch Council.

It had been more than three months since the battle of Great Dong Mountain, and the entire world had entered winter. Two months prior, news had emerged from Northern Qi of the death of Grandmaster Ku He. While the passing of a Grandmaster shocked the people of the land, Fan Xian wasn’t very surprised, as it was something His Majesty had already anticipated. He was simply wary of what measures Northern Qi might take in response to Ku He's death.

However, for those two months, Northern Qi had been quiet. Aside from Shang Shanhu constantly resisting Qing Yu Nian’s probing attacks in the south, there hadn't been any major movements. Fan Xian smiled to himself, thinking, "Unless the raid on Xia Mingji’s stronghold in Shangjing is taken into account."

The Northern Qi Emperor had finally taken action against Fan Sizhe. It was said that Fan’s younger brother was living in Shangjing in a state of trepidation. However, Fan Xian had no concerns because he immediately understood what the little Emperor wanted to do and convey from his sister's letters.

What troubled Fan Xian was that Haitang Duoduo, the woman close to him and successor of the Heavenly Way Sect… had suddenly disappeared without a trace. No one knew where she had gone, not even those within the Heavenly Way Sect itself.

He did not know that a famous doctor named Feng Chun had entered Kyoto and was beginning to make a name for himself, gaining the attention of the Imperial Hospital. However, due to his Northern Qi origins, he was still unable to serve within the palace and had been assigned to the residences of various ministers to display Imperial grace.

Fan Xian personally treated Prince Jing’s illness, so Feng Chun had not met Fan Xian. No matter how intelligent Fan Xian was, he could not have guessed that Feng Chun would soon go to Chen Garden and carefully, at all costs, ensure the Dean Chen Pingping’s life.

The few chess moves Ku He had set up before his death were scattered pieces, inherently without any significant effect, merely ensuring that the situation within Southern Qing would proceed step by step along a certain path.

Fan Xian was only concerned about Haitang. He didn't know what Ku He had told her, when he would see her again, or in what capacity he would meet her.

There was also something else that alarmed the entire Qing Yu Nian court. Northern Qi did not keep Ku He’s death a secret but held a grand ceremony, with hundreds of thousands of officials and commoners from various regions and counties going to mourn. The Northern Qi court did not seem to have fallen into a state of anxiety due to Ku He’s death.

And that one in Dongyi City… Si Gu Jian, who, according to Emperor Qing's calculations, should have already died, was still stubbornly clinging to life. This Sword Saint's body was indeed as resilient as a cockroach. Although his breath was weak and his life hung by a thread, he stubbornly held onto that thread, unwilling to let go.

The dying Si Gu Jian was hidden in the Sword Hut. Although the Sword Saint had become a cripple, his reputation remained, giving the entire Dongyi City a sense of stability. However… problems had also begun to emerge within Dongyi City. The conflict between the City Lord’s Mansion and the Sword Hut after Si Gu Jian’s death might soon surface.

For Emperor Qing, Si Gu Jian’s life or death was no longer the problem. The real issue was who would control Dongyi City after his death.

Fan Xian thought to himself. Dongyi City was different from the two great powers of Northern Qi and Southern Qing. It was isolated by the sea and surrounded by vassal states. If Si Gu Jian were to die, a ferocious beast would immediately turn into tender meat to be carved up. Neither the little Emperor of Northern Qi nor his own father, the Emperor, would let go of this piece of meat. He just didn’t know who His Majesty would send to grab it.

He raised his head, glanced at Shi Chanli and Sang Wen, and spoke briefly with Shi Chanli about the situation of the Jiangnan Neiku. Although Su Wenmao kept sending secret reports, Fan Xian still trusted Shi Chanli’s intuitive impressions more.

The production of the Neiku remained highly efficient. Under Fan Xian’s strong support, the old managers of the Seven Leaves Shop gradually raised the level of the three major workshops to that of the old Ye family. Fan Xian felt relieved. He had two knives in his hands: the Overwatch Council and the Neiku. Whether it was from His Majesty’s trust or for his own power, he had to firmly grasp them and do well.

Of the four disciples of the Fan family, only Shi Chanli had remained by Fan Xian’s side. The other three, Hou Jichang, Yang Wanli, and Cheng Jialin, were now striving upwards in their respective positions. With Fan Xian’s protection and financial support, coupled with their own abilities, it wouldn’t be long before they became key figures in the Qing Yu Nian court.

"There are many vacancies in the court now. His Majesty has selected many young people. At this time, age and seniority are not very important," Fan Xian said, smiling gently at Shi Chanli. "Later, write a letter to the three of them and tell them to be prepared. It is estimated that the court will summon them to Beijing in the spring to report on their duties."

In his arrangement, Yang Wanli should work in the Ministry of Works. Hou Jichang had handled the Jiaozhou affair with a firm stance and was deeply appreciated by His Majesty. He should be promoted two levels directly to become the governor of Jiaozhou. As for Cheng Jialin, this kid had a smooth path ahead and was estimated to become the prefect of Suzhou, making him the most successful of the three.

Shi Chanli’s mouth hung slightly open, never having expected that the four poor scholars from back then would, in just a few years, each have such achievements. He knew he couldn’t catch up even if he whipped the horse.

Fan Xian knew what he was thinking and said with a smile, "What's wrong?"

"Their qualifications are too shallow to be convincing, especially since everyone in the court knows that they are your students… I'm afraid it will cause controversy," Shi Chanli said seriously.

Fan Xian slightly raised his eyelids and said mockingly, "Several hundred officials have died. Someone has to fill those positions. Where are so many qualified candidates? Don't talk about shallow qualifications. He Zongwei was as famous as Hou Jichang back then, and he entered the court after Jichang. Now he is already qualified to attend discussions in the Imperial Study… Is his seniority deep enough?"

He Zongwei was a name that Fan Xian remembered very well. He had met this young scholar, who seemed quite honest, in the restaurant at Yishiju. And it was this scholar who caused a lot of trouble in Kyoto later on, such as forcing his father-in-law to resign in disgrace.

This person was originally on good terms with Guo Baokun, the son of Minister of Rites Guo Youzhi, and was a loyal member of the Crown Prince’s faction. Later, he somehow entered the Censorate as a censor and began to advise the Second Prince. Later still, he turned to the Crown Prince. After turning twice, people finally saw that he was… a member of the Eldest Princess's faction, simply doing what she wanted.

However… during the Kyoto rebellion, it was this Left Deputy Censor-in-Chief of the Censorate who led a group of censors in a naked protest, betting that the Crown Prince Li Chengqian wouldn't dare to kill them. He managed to delay the rebels' entry into Kyoto by one night, giving Fan Xian the opportunity to raid the palace, control the central government, and turn the tide of the situation in one fell swoop.

Only then did people truly see that He Zongwei was not anyone’s man; he was simply His Majesty's man, and always had been.

When His Majesty returned to the capital, He Zongwei was rewarded for this great achievement and climbed the ranks like a rocket. Although he only held his original position in the Censorate, he had the right to participate in discussions at the Department of State Affairs. Everyone with eyes could see that this Censor He would likely take over the position of the aging Grand Secretary Shu in the future, his future as bright as flowers.

During the Kyoto unrest, He Zongwei helped Fan Xian a lot. And even now that he held a high position of power, he was still respectful and faultlessly humble whenever he encountered Fan Xian in court or outside.

However, Fan Xian disliked this person. Perhaps it was because he had seen this person's burning ambition for power a long time ago, or perhaps it was because he hated this kind of person who climbed upwards by betraying others. Perhaps it was because he had punched He Zongwei once, and he knew that a person like He Zongwei would definitely hold a grudge.

Fan Xian was naturally not afraid of He Zongwei, but he had to be wary, because this person was now highly appreciated by His Majesty. Petty people were always more frightening than gentlemen.

The discussions about He Zongwei in the officialdom were quite scandalous, and he was given the nickname "slave of three surnames." Everyone felt that this nickname was extremely apt—but very few people knew that this nickname originated from Fan Xian’s study.

Sometimes Fan Xian asked himself, what He Zongwei did was no more shameless than what he himself had done. So why did he loathe him so much?

It was actually very simple. Fan Xian had once seen He Zongwei reveal that kind of fervent, greedy gaze towards Ruoruo. Just for that gaze, he would remember him for life, suppress him for life, and ensure he could never turn over.

"I didn't expect that your sister is now singing songs in Chen Garden," Fan Xian said, looking at Sang Wen with a smile. He liked this woman very much. She was gentle, quiet, and kind. He didn't have any romantic feelings for her; he just felt inexplicably at peace when he was with her.

Just like when he was with Dabao.

As for Sang Wen's sister he was talking about, she was the singing girl he had seen when he went to Chen Garden to meet Chen Pingping. Chen Pingping liked Sang Wen's voice very much, but Sang Wen had to manage Baoyue Tower and expand Fan Xian's grand plan to the entire world, so she couldn't stay in Kyoto for long. Therefore, Chen Pingping, who loved enjoying life, had no choice but to settle for second best and bring Sang Wen's sister from Yan capital to Kyoto.

Sang Wen smiled very gently and said, "It's good as long as Dean likes it."

Fan Xian sighed, but he thought of something else. Because of his appearance, countless people’s lives had been changed. Countless people had gathered around him because of him, even Sang Wen’s sister was no exception. How could he bear to leave quietly when he thought of these people?

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...

However, there were people who were willing to leave. Fan Xian stood in that small courtyard, his face extremely unsightly, the disappointment in his eyes unmasked. The well in the courtyard was still there, the stone table was still there, the cotton curtain was still there, and the cucumber trellis was still there, but the people were gone.

This was Wang Qinian's small courtyard, hidden deep in the western part of the city, inconspicuous. Fan Xian had eaten many meals in this courtyard, teased Old Wang's delicate and shy daughter, played with the gourd on the trellis… But all of this was impossible to return to. Wang Qinian's family had moved away silently, even deceiving the Overwatch Council secret agents that Fan Xian had constantly stationed here to protect the Wang family.

Wang Qinian had this ability; Fan Xian never doubted that. From Chen Pingping, he learned the good news that Wang Qinian was alive, and at the same time, he learned of Wang Qinian's departure. He knew why Chen Pingping had sent Wang Qinian away, because Wang Qinian had escaped from Great Dong Mountain. Whether from the Qing law or the Council's regulations, he only faced death.

Fan Xian would naturally not let him die, and this was a thorn between him and His Majesty. Furthermore, Chen Pingping knew that Wang Qinian knew too many of Fan Xian's secrets. For Fan Xian's safety, he had to let Wang Qinian leave.

For some reason, the departure of such a subordinate made Fan Xian so sad. He held a letter in his hand, which Wang Qinian had passed to him through Chen Pingping. The letter said very little, mainly saying that he had disregarded His Majesty and left the mountain privately, which was a capital crime. However, Fan Xian made him feel very relieved, and he had not committed the major mistake that he was worried about.

Fan Xian's heart was filled with bewilderment. He knew that Wang Qinian had risked going down the mountain at that time to look for him because he was afraid that Fan Xian would think the Emperor was dead and would embark on the path of seizing imperial power. His hand slightly tightened, crumpling the paper into a ball, his face extremely unsightly. No one would tell him jokes anymore; Su Wenmao's level was much worse than Old Wang…

He lowered his head, looking at Old Wang's small courtyard, and for some reason, he thought of that scene many years ago.

At that time, he was still a young man who had just entered Kyoto, and he didn't understand any of the rules. He went blankly to Qing Temple, met his wife, and went foolishly to the Overwatch Council's square building, seeing a lifeless face, pale teeth, and old skin on his cheeks.

That was Wang Qinian.

At that time, Wang Qinian was an official whose spirit had been worn down by clerical work, waiting every day in the Overwatch Council for the day of his retirement. However, he was the first person Fan Xian met, and from then on, his life changed, returning to the tension and fun of his days as a Jiangyang bandit.

Fan Xian's meeting with Wang Qinian was a kind of fate. It was this chance encounter that made Fan Xian trust him so much, and Wang Qinian was extremely loyal to him. He changed Wang Qinian's life. Wang Qinian knew all his secrets, including the box, the key, and his thoughts.

Wang Qinian was not only his subordinate but also his friend, the person he talked to and confided in. This kind of role could not be replaced by anyone.

And it was such a role that, for Fan Xian's own safety and future, had to choose to disappear. Fan Xian's face was a little pale, thinking to himself, "You all leave. Just leave me alone in this place that's not fit for people to stay."

However, after a moment, he understood and bowed to this small courtyard. His secrets were too terrifying, perhaps making Wang Qinian's life extremely difficult and stressful these years. Maybe the other party preferred his previous muddleheaded days, preferring a life without pressure.

He hoped that Wang Qinian's family could be safe in the future.

Fan Xian sighed, walked out of the courtyard, turned back to look at Mu Feng'er, who was silent and looked sad, and frowned, saying, "Why are you looking so gloomy? Your wife has given birth to your second child. Are you still thinking about Old Wang's daughter?"

After Wang Qinian left, Fan Xian inevitably had to have a close follower by his side. The most suitable candidate, Deng Ziyue, was far away in Shangjing, Northern Qi, performing a difficult task. Su Wenmao was in the Neiku and couldn't be moved. Without any other choice, Fan Xian had to promote Mu Tie's nephew.

He had been following him for a month. There was no problem with this kid's loyalty, but he was not as interesting as Wang Qinian… And the more unfamiliarity and inconvenience made Fan Xian understand that Wang Qinian was far more than just a foil. His abilities were actually hidden beneath his smile, which he hadn't noticed much in the past.

At this thought, his mind became even more bland, as tasteless as water.

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...

The awards that had been delayed for two months finally came down. Apart from the civil officials who had filled the vacancies at the beginning of the rebellion, the various troops who had made great contributions in suppressing the rebellion finally received the imperial decree.

Ye Zhong was promoted and generously rewarded, entering the capital to serve as the Right Assistant Military Governor of the Privy Council. However, the position of the Kyoto garrison commander was given to Xiao Jinhua, who was the East Flower Gate commander who finally blocked the Crown Prince’s rebel army in the city.

As for Zhang Deqing, the former commander of the Thirteen City Division, he was executed by dismemberment after being captured, his three generations of relatives killed. This was the heaviest punishment in the entire rebellion. Fan Xian did not confront the Emperor on this issue. Although he knew that Zhang Deqing’s cousins and brothers had nothing to do with it, he was even more aware of the Emperor’s anger towards Zhang Deqing.

His Majesty trusted Zhang Deqing very much, but Zhang Deqing rebelled. Without killing a few more, His Majesty's gloomy emotions could not be vented.

The First Prince still controlled the Imperial Guards, and all rewards were given to him. However, he had already been granted the title of Prince He, so no more titles could be given. Gong Dian was transferred back to the palace and began to take over the matters of the guards. As for how he would be arranged in the future, the Emperor had a plan in mind, and Fan Xian could guess a little.

There were some minor problems with Fan Xian’s rewards. According to the news from the palace, His Majesty had initially planned to directly grant Fan Xian the title of Prince, but this was frantically blocked by Grand Secretaries Hu and Shu.

Granting a prince title to someone of a different surname had never happened before, so it was no wonder that the ministers were terrified by His Majesty’s initial decree. Although it was well known that Fan Xian was His Majesty’s illegitimate son, he was, after all, surnamed Fan. If he suddenly became a prince, wouldn't Qing Yu Nian be laughed at by the world?

Fan Xian was also greatly startled. Becoming a prince, or even Prince Danbo, what was that all about? Fortunately, the decree was blocked, and he was extremely grateful to the stubborn scholars Hu and Shu.

First-Class Duke Danbo was the highest title for non-royals. As for the land and gold and silver that were awarded, Fan Xian didn't care much about them. He was one of the richest people in the world. Perhaps the Emperor also knew that other rewards wouldn't satisfy Fan Xian, so that was why there had been the absurd suggestion of making him a prince in the first place.

Since he couldn’t be made a prince, the palace unexpectedly issued a decree, bestowing Fan Xian’s daughter, Fan Xiaohua, with the name Fan Shuning and granting her the title of Princess.

Absurd! There were countless absurd things in the world, but none more absurd than this. The daughter of a minister was actually granted the title of Princess, and this daughter was not even born of the legal wife, yet Lin Wan’er's title had to be used to calculate downwards.

Too absurd! No one would have thought that His Majesty the Emperor would have such a stubborn and foolish side. Of course, what Fan Xian found most absurd was the name the Emperor had given the girl—Shuning! Did you think you were playing a Qing Dynasty time-traveling game?

But no matter how absurd this decree was, Fan Xian felt a warmth in his heart, sensing the Emperor’s intentions. The next day, he went to the palace to pay his respects and express his gratitude, also asking whether the name Shuning… could be changed.

Before he could speak, His Majesty the Emperor said with a smile, "Xu Maozai of Jiaozhou, I have dismissed him from his position and allowed him to return to his hometown. He has already returned to Quanzhou."

Hearing this, Fan Xian’s heart shook greatly. His mouth was dry, and he was so shocked that he couldn't say a word, nor did he dare to say anything else. He kowtowed to express his gratitude and silently returned to his residence.

After pondering for a long time in the study, he wondered what His Majesty wanted to do and what he knew. He knew where Xu Maozai had revealed himself. From Dong Mountain to Danzhou, Xu Maozai had helped him resist the Jiaozhou navy and had landed and broken an arrow, clearly indicating that he was his man. However, when the Jiaozhou navy surrounded Dong Mountain at sea, Xu Maozai did not inform the court of any news.

Although His Majesty had taken all of this into account, he cared very much about the hearts of all his ministers. Xu Maozai was clearly loyal to Fan Xian, not to the court. Afterwards, the Emperor only needed to check Xu Maozai’s resume over the years, and he would be able to connect it to the once-famous Quanzhou navy.

If it had been any other time, Xu Maozai would have been unable to escape death. However, fortunately, Fan Xian had been showing unwavering loyalty to the Emperor all these years, including the Great Dong Mountain affair. After countless tests, he had finally gained the Emperor’s absolute trust. Not killing Xu Maozai this time, not saying it explicitly, but only saying that he should return to his hometown, was giving Fan Xian enough face.

Fan Xian felt a little cold in his heart, and he was also unable to figure out the taste in between, falling into confusion once again. The next day, he did not enter the palace to plead guilty, because he was not guilty. It was just that he couldn’t help but think that His Majesty was now much gentler than before. If it had been the Crown Prince or the Second Prince, the outcome of this matter would definitely not have been so easy today.

The more gentle His Majesty was to him, the more uncomfortable Fan Xian felt. In the palace, His Majesty had asked him about the situation of the domineering zhenqi in his body. Knowing that there was no danger of explosion, he remained silent and did not say a word, making Fan Xian unable to understand his true attitude.

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Time was like snow, falling silently, easily covering everything in the world. When Northern Qi, Southern Qing, and Xihu, the entire continent, were covered by snow, firecrackers gradually sounded, and fragrance rose. The Spring Festival had arrived, and the eighth year of the Qingli era had finally arrived.

During the Qing Yu Nian civil strife, whether it was the Empress Dowager who had ruled for several days or His Majesty the Emperor after his return to the capital, they had resolutely launched attacks in all directions with their powerful military force, using this aggressive momentum to intimidate everyone in the world.

And in the west, Li Hongcheng, along with the Western Expeditionary Army, coldly watched the movements of the Hu people in the wind and snow. The strength of the Hu people, after gathering the elite of the Northern Barbarians, was becoming stronger and stronger. It was just that right now, the heavy snow had sealed the plains, and everyone was fighting against the harshness of nature. There was no mood for fighting. It would have to wait until the first spring grass grew and the Hu people’s horses had grown their first layer of fat before those Hu people would once again come to the Western Liang Road of the Qing kingdom to carry out their routine activity that had lasted for hundreds of years.

The month-long ban on entertainment in Kyoto due to the death of the Empress Dowager was finally lifted. Perhaps to show that Qing Yu Nian was still at peace, His Majesty the Emperor issued several imperial decrees in succession. The so-called dances were still danced, horses still ran, firecrackers still sounded, and red lanterns were hung high. Kyoto was ablaze with red.

On the first day of the New Year, ancestral sacrifices were held, but Fan Xian was intentionally or unintentionally invited to the palace by the Emperor for a meal, missing the Fan family’s major event.

After another two days, Fan Xian finally freed himself and took his entire family to a place outside Kyoto. This place was completely different from the festive atmosphere of the Spring Festival, shrouded in an extremely oppressive, sorrowful, and somber atmosphere, because this was a graveyard, a new graveyard.

His Majesty the Emperor did not allow the corpses of those who had participated in the rebellion to be carried away by wild dogs but had concentrated them in one place and had not restricted relatives from coming to worship. This decree moved countless people.

Several large tombs with obviously different styles and specifications stood on the hill. Fan Xian held his daughter, followed by Lin Wan’er and Sisi, standing in front of these tombs, looking back at the rising wisps of green smoke in the graveyard below, silent.

Before coming here, they had already gone to another mausoleum, worshiping the Overwatch Council subordinates and Forbidden Army soldiers who had died in the Kyoto rebellion.

Fan Xian did not go to the Imperial Mausoleum, even though the Empress Dowager was buried there. He came directly here, came to the hill, retracted his gaze from below, and looked silently at these large graves.

The Crown Prince, the Second Prince, the Empress, and the Eldest Princess were all buried here. No matter how benevolent His Majesty became, he would not allow these people to be buried in the imperial mausoleum. However, this place, overlooking the water and mountains, was also a place with excellent feng shui. In addition, it was far away from the green smoke below, so it was still considered quiet.

After placing the purchased paper money and incense, Fan Xian stood in front of these four large tombs and bowed. Then, he knelt with Lin Wan’er in front of the Eldest Princess’s grave, kowtowing twice. He also held Xiaohua to show her to the people in the grave. To ward off evil, he smeared a bit of wine on Xiaohua’s brow, making the little girl cry out.

Fan Xian raised his eyebrows, looking at the blue stone tomb in front of him, thinking, "Mother-in-law, please bless her and don't let Xiaohua become as abnormal as you."

Watching Wan’er still kneeling on the ground, burning paper money, Fan Xian didn’t disturb her but walked to the graves of the Crown Prince Li Chengqian and the Second Prince, looking at these two graves, he couldn’t help but softly say, "Even with a thousand-year iron threshold, in the end, all that's needed is a mound of earth."

There were four large and hard mounds of earth here. Fan Xian stared blankly, his mood very complicated. Only today did he realize that the blood of the Old Li family flowed not only with madness and perversion but also with pride and tenacity.

He looked at the graves of Li Chengqian and the Second Prince, sighing in his heart. The brothers of the Old Li family were truly tough, much stronger than himself. No one knew the terror of death more clearly than Fan Xian. However, these two Li brothers had died so cleanly, so arrogantly, forcefully using this kind of death to shatter His Majesty’s hard shell.

In this regard, he was not as good as them, Fan Xian thought to himself.

Holding Dabao's hand behind him, he walked back to the Eldest Princess's grave, watching Wan’er’s red, teary eyes. Fan Xian was silent for a moment, squatting down with pity, wiping her eyes. Dabao also squatted down in the same way, looking simple-mindedly at this large grave. Although he didn’t know that the most beautiful woman in Qing Yu Nian inside the grave had gradually turned into bones, he still felt a chill.

"Princess Mama… is inside, and won't come out?" Dabao asked curiously.

"Yes," Fan Xian said with a forced smile.

"Little Xianxian, I still think… how could Princess Mama kill Erbao? She is so beautiful." Lin Dabao frowned, asking in a serious, buzzing voice.

Fan Xian’s heart thumped, finding that Wan’er hadn’t heard this sentence, he was slightly relieved. A person named Li Yunrui killed Erbao, these were the words that Fan Xian had been instilling in Dabao. He never expected that even a fool could not be fooled, his heart was a little bitter. However, he couldn’t explain to Dabao that a person’s beauty or lack thereof was often not similar to the things they did, such as your Princess Mama, such as your… Little Xianxian.

At that moment, the First Prince suddenly appeared behind Fan Xian and the others. The Third Prince stepped forward respectfully to bow to Fan Xian, then stood next to Dabao in a friendly manner.

Fan Xian frowned, looking at the First Prince, and said, "Why did you come too?"

After all, the people buried in the four mounds here had too special identities, making paying respect here too sensitive. The First Prince looked at him with a cold face, saying, "The people buried here are also my brothers."

Fan Xian was speechless, worrying slightly, saying, "I'm just… afraid His Majesty won't be happy."

The First Prince suddenly fell silent. After a moment, he softly said, "Father… also came."

Fan Xian was shocked, abruptly rising and turning his head to look towards a certain part of the hill. He only saw the desolate winter forest, with shadowy figures. A middle-aged man wearing bright yellow clothes was looking at the four large graves here. Although there were countless guards in front of and behind him, he looked so lonely.

...

...

That night, Fan Xian held a banquet in his residence. Yesterday, his father had resigned from his position and gone to Danzhou, and Liu Shi naturally went with him. Now, the Fan residence only had Fan Xian’s family, making it especially lonely. The banquet that Fan Xian arranged was hot pot, and he drank Wuliangye produced by the Neiku. The guests he invited were the First Prince and the Third Prince.

When the hot pot was placed in front of him, Fan Xian seemed to understand what he had been missing since Jiangnan, what he was longing for in his heart, which was empty, yet he couldn't grasp the clue.

It was spice. After taking a bite of the hot pot, he was sweating profusely from the spiciness. It was pleasure. He took a sip of the strong alcohol, the pain making his throat dry.

The pot was empty, the wine was finished. The First Prince was drunk at the banquet, not knowing what nonsense he was talking about. The Third Prince was also poured two cups by Fan Xian, and went to the guest room to sleep.

Only Fan Xian was left alone. On this cold winter night, with a bright moon, holding a wine glass in his hand, his eyes hazy, the spiciness was uncomfortable, the pleasure was uncomfortable, as if he was about to shed tears.

A person sat on the roof behind him, looking at the bright moon, listening to Fan Xian's drunken poetry, silent. Even the black cloth covering his eyes seemed to be pondering, "Who am I? Why do I feel something that I have never felt before when I listen to this little song?"

...

...

Fishing Terrace, a decade without, wild gulls guess. White clouds come and go, green mountains remain, with wine, open the heart. Owing Yi Yin and Zhou Gong’s talent for governing the world, violating Liu Ling and Ruan Ji's warning against greedy drinking, still owing Li Bai and Du Fu’s debt of writing poems. Suan Zhai laughs at me, I laugh at Suan Zhai.

Returning late, wild apes wail on the mountains of West Lake. How many charming oddities have there been in twenty years, flowers falling and blooming. Gazing at the platform in the clouds for bestowing generalships. Sleeves hold star patterns for national stability, break the enchanted fortress of smoke and moon. Suan Zhai laughs at me, I laugh at Suan Zhai.

Is the tune *Dian Qian Huan*.

...

...

(Volume Six: *Dian Qian Huan* - End)