Fan Xian sat in the carriage, contemplating the news that Teng Zijing had reported at the palace gates, feeling a sense of urgency. Had he known earlier that his sister had returned to Kyoto ahead of schedule, he wouldn't have concerned himself with the prince's concubine or the silent thunder in the imperial study; he would have rushed straight to Danbo Bookstore.

Three months ago, he had received a letter from Ruo Ruo, sent from Northern Qi, informing him that she could finally leave Qingshan and return home. Naturally, Fan Xian was overjoyed. Following his sister's instructions, he had Wan'er select a prime location for a clinic in Kyoto.

Unexpectedly, Wan'er's search led her to a spot across from Danbo Bookstore, not far from the Imperial Academy. Fan Xian thought this was a good arrangement, as the three siblings would be neighbors on the same street. However, he hadn't anticipated Ruo Ruo's earlier-than-expected return. According to Teng Zijing, the girl had only briefly stopped at the mansion before eagerly heading to the clinic's location.

For the past two years, Fan Ruo Ruo, as a closed-door disciple of Master Ku He, had been in charge of various affairs on Qingshan. As a native of Southern Qing and Fan Xian's sister, she faced some hardships despite the tacit approval of the Northern Qi royal family and the support of her senior brother, Lang Tao.

Besides managing the mountain gate, Fan Ruo Ruo often descended the mountain to treat the impoverished people of Northern Qi. She charged low fees, possessed exceptional medical skills, and had a considerable reputation. Before long, the entire Northern Qi knew that a compassionate and benevolent female physician had emerged from the Heavenly One Taoist sect.

This talented woman from Kyoto, after receiving extensive teachings from her brother, had finally found her life's purpose. Once she did, she became extremely dedicated. Otherwise, she wouldn't have returned to Kyoto and immediately gone to oversee the clinic's progress instead of staying home.

Fan Xian rubbed his temples with curiosity, wondering if his sister had become Hua Tuo or Feng Hua. He knew that this was a matter that once greatly concerned him.

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Today, Dongchuan Road was bustling with activity, unusually crowded. Although it wasn't a festival, countless people had flocked to watch. Those unaware of the situation might have thought a troupe of performers was putting on a show. Dongchuan Road was close to the Imperial Academy, and most of the onlookers were young students from the academy. They stood on tiptoe, craning their necks to catch a glimpse of the famous Miss Fan from Kyoto.

New talents emerged with each generation. Over the past four or five years, He Zongwei, a talented man from Kyoto, had become a high-ranking official in the court and was enjoying a period of great success. Hou Jichang, on the other hand, was far away in Jiao Prefecture and nearly forgotten. As for the most well-known young ladies in Kyoto, Ye Ling'er had retreated to Qingzhou, and Lin Wan'er had married and become a wife, no longer a topic for gossip. Now, the hottest topics in the gossip circles were the Wang family's daughter's wildness, the He family's daughter's timidity, and the arrogance of several imperial relatives at the Imperial Academy.

To quote a line Fan Xian once plagiarized: "Truly, each generation is worse than the last."

But Fan Ruo Ruo was an exception. She had been famous in Kyoto for her poetic talent, later gaining the favor of the Imperial Medical Academy and becoming a disciple of Ku He. She earned an excellent reputation in Northern Qi. How could the people of her hometown forget her? Today, at midday, when she first appeared at the clinic, she was recognized by a teacher from the Imperial Academy. The news spread like wildfire, becoming the most sensational news in Kyoto.

Fan Xian lifted the curtain of the carriage window, frowning, and looked with annoyance at the young scholars blocking the entrances to his bookstore and the clinic that hadn't yet hung its signboard. He thought these people were too reckless, and his expression turned displeased.

Seeing his expression, Mu Feng'er whispered coldly, "This subordinate will immediately drive these people away."

Fan Xian remained noncommittal. Teng Zijing said softly, "I will clear the area." Only then did Fan Xian nod.

He had worked hard over the years to maintain his reputation as a man of integrity among the scholars, successfully washing away much of the darkness associated with the Overwatch Council. How could he allow Mu Feng'er to ruin it? He didn't know what Teng Zijing said after getting out of the carriage, but the pedestrians and scholars blocking Dongchuan Road immediately dispersed, leaving a large open space at the street entrance. However, as the scholars passed the black carriage, they respectfully bowed to the carriage before quietly retreating.

It seemed these people knew the identity of the person in the carriage and dared not be negligent. Especially since the scholars already regarded Fan Xian as an idol, and Fan Xian also held a professorship at the Imperial Academy, they wouldn't dare linger. The fact that scholars were willing to bow and scrape before him proved that Fan Xian was more than just a powerful noble.

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Dongchuan Road quieted down. Fan Xian alighted from the carriage, suppressing the excitement in his heart, and walked smilingly into the clinic across from the bookstore. Without even checking how Wan'er had arranged the place, his gaze immediately swept inside. He didn't see Ruo Ruo's face, but rather a thin brocade jacket and a slightly slender waist.

Fan Ruo Ruo hadn't noticed the changes outside the clinic at all. She had already recovered from her initial daze and was squatting in the back room, sorting the medicinal herbs. She had also brought back some rare Southern Qing herbs from Qingshan in Northern Qi and was now considering how to store them.

Hearing the footsteps behind her, Fan Ruo Ruo didn't get up, saying directly, "We are not open yet. Unless it's an emergency, please come back in a couple of days."

Hearing this voice, Fan Xian was delighted. The compassionate heart of a physician within the words made him smile with satisfaction. He said behind her, "If someone is truly sick, how could they wait for you to return to treat them? Is my medical skill that lacking?"

Hearing this familiar yet somewhat unfamiliar voice, Fan Ruo Ruo's body trembled slightly, but she quickly regained her composure. She stood up, tidied her clothes with her back to Fan Xian, slowly turned her head, and bowed gracefully, saying, "Brother has arrived."

Although she deliberately suppressed her emotions, the arch of her eyebrows, the pupils in her eyes, and the curve of her lips all revealed her inner joy.

Seeing the look of joy on his sister Ruo Ruo's face, Fan Xian's heart ached inexplicably, for no reason. He stared blankly at his sister, at this familiar face he hadn't seen in years, at the familiar coldness between her brows, which had melted into the gentle sunshine of spring before him. He sighed softly.

Then he took a step forward and gently stroked his sister's head.

Ruo Ruo lowered her head slightly and tilted to the side habitually.

Just like the spring of the fourth year of the Qingli era, when Fan Xian first came to Kyoto and entered the Sinan Duke's mansion, the long-separated siblings only needed a few words, a small gesture, to dispel the slight unfamiliarity caused by time and return to the situation many years ago between the active monkey and the frail little monkey, returning to those pieces of words from all over the world conveyed by geese.

Fan Xian found a box to sit on, looked at his still busy sister, and said, "Why did you arrive so early?"

"Didn't brother also return early?" Fan Ruo Ruo responded with a smile, raised her arm and smoothed the sweat-dampened hair at her temples: "There were no delays on the road, so I arrived a few days early."

"After traveling thousands of miles south, you didn't even think about resting at home for a few days. Your sister-in-law will naturally arrange the affairs of this clinic, you just need to see patients and don't worry about it."

Fan Xian glanced at her disapprovingly, and found that although his sister was still so thin, she looked much better in spirit. And perhaps because she often practiced medicine in the remote countryside these past two years, her complexion was also a little darker, and even the layer of ice and snow that was often seen between her eyebrows was gradually disappearing.

Although there were frequent letters, it was never as comprehensive as taking care of her personally. Fan Xian felt a little self-blame in his heart. He had arranged the elopement and leaving the country, looking at his sister, he sighed, wondering if she had been doing well in the past two years.

"The maids in the mansion have changed several times, I don't recognize any of them, there's no one to talk to, I sat in the flower hall stupidly for a while, and then I thought I'd come to the bookstore to have a look, but I didn't expect my sister-in-law to pick a place right across from the clinic." Fan Ruo Ruo naturally pulled her brother up, lest he ruin the box she used to put medicine in, and said, "How can this medicine be used for people if your butt sits on it?"

"Who am I? I'm a poetry immortal, if it gets out, I'm afraid others will specifically choose this box of medicine to buy." Fan Xian told an extremely cold joke, and then said in surprise: "Where's your sister-in-law? Where's Sisi?"

Fan Shangshu took Liu back to Danzhou to retire, taking away half of the maids and servants in the old house, plus the farm needed manpower, and the maids grew up and had to be married off. In just a few years, the entire Fan Mansion had become a little unfamiliar to Fan Ruo Ruo.

Fan Xian keenly sensed this, thinking that even Siqi, the greedy and sleepy maid, had now officially become the wife of a county magistrate. In a few years, the changes in Kyoto were really too great, and it was important that Ruo Ruo didn't feel unaccustomed to it.

"Sister-in-law and Sisi took Teng's family to the farm." Fan Ruo Ruo looked at him curiously, as if wondering why her brother asked such a silly question, "I only entered the city with Teng Zijing today, of course I didn't meet them."

In general, large families have their own farms, forests and industries outside Kyoto, not to mention the Fan family. Fan Xian often played in these farms in previous years, but he didn't think of it for a while. It was time to prepare for the end of the year in winter, and Wan'er and Sisi, the good helpers who now run the Fan family's business, are really busy.

He rubbed his temples with a headache and said, "It's a big deal that you're back, no matter how busy they are, they should wait in the mansion."

Fan Ruo Ruo glanced at him and said angrily, "You and I came back three days early, who could have that kind of foresight."

Fan Xian patted his butt and stood up, smiling brightly: "At least I can figure out that you should be hungry at this time."

———————I am a casual, learning dividing line, woooo——————

The current Fan Mansion has already been opened up with the two houses in front and back, and the garden has also been changed, and even the people living inside are not the same. Fan Xian is still used to living with Wan'er and Sisi in the new house, and the old house where his father lives is vacant. Servants have already cleaned Ruo Ruo's room as it was originally. Fan Ruo Ruo followed Fan Xian into the door and looked at it, thinking of the ten years she spent in Kyoto, and her eyes turned red.

Fan Xian was the most unable to bear the sight of a woman crying, of course, except for his dead mother-in-law—he quickly coaxed Ruo Ruo to the flower hall, and there was no one in the mansion at this time. The brother and sister sat opposite each other, toasted each other with wine, ate and drank heartily, and talked about their respective lives after they separated, which was also very pleasant. It was just that when talking about the Kyoto rebellion, Ruo Ruo was extremely worried, and when talking about the loneliness on Qingshan and the eyes of the people of Northern Qi, Fan Xian's eyes were a little angry.

"How is my younger brother over there now?" Fan Xian put down his wine glass and asked. Fan Sizhe has been processing the northern industry. Although the two brothers have been corresponding and exchanging information, he still habitually asked. From his sister's words, Fan Xian learned that Si Zhe was also having a hard time in the north. Although the Northern Qi royal family did not do anything on the surface, they also made some inconspicuous stumbling blocks in secret.

Fan Xian pondered for a moment and said, "Jade cannot be made without being cut. The little emperor of Northern Qi will not really turn his face for a while, so let him stay there."

In the past two years, Fan Sizhe has returned to Kyoto twice, and the Spring Festival of the ninth year of Qingli was also spent in Danzhou. However, now the Fan family is forced to be separated from each other, and it is extremely difficult to gather together. Whenever he thinks of this, Fan Xian feels very unhappy.

The problem is that His Majesty cannot allow him to resign at such a tense moment, and his father really shouldn't stay in Kyoto anymore. It's better to stay in Danzhou to take care of his grandmother than to worry about an unfortunate ending.

Fan Ruo Ruo nodded, and she couldn't help but question her brother's words. Whether it was her younger brother or herself, it was under her brother's arrangement that she truly had a life that was completely different from that of ordinary powerful children, the most fulfilling kind.

"Take a rest today, and we'll talk more tomorrow. Old Wang Tou is not here, there are so many things I want to find someone to talk to but I have nowhere to go." Fan Xian mumbled a few words vaguely, venting his rare depression. The most suitable people to chat with in this world, besides Lin Dabao Wang Qinian, are of course Wu Zhu and his sister who has been influenced by him too much.

Fan Xian even dared to say rebellious words to these four people, but the problem was that Dabao was too honest and wouldn't say anything, Wang Qinian ran away, Wu Zhu escaped, his sister was not here... but she finally came back.

This feeling is really good. Fan Xian couldn't suppress the joy in his heart and didn't know how much wine he drank. Naturally, he refused to take the hangover pills. Taking advantage of the alcohol, he actually fell asleep on the table.

Fan Ruo Ruo looked at her brother who was covered in alcohol, shook her head helplessly, ordered the servants to carry him back to his room, and personally covered him with the quilt, tidied up his black hair, and carefully took out a few needles from his hair - just like when Fan Xian was injured before his wedding a few years ago.

Returning to her room, Fan Ruo Ruo looked at the several thin needles in her hand shining with various lights, and couldn't help but smile slightly, thinking that her sister-in-law should also know these poison needles, aren't they afraid of causing problems when they are intimate? Or do they have to clean up every night?

She immediately realized that she shouldn't think about this question, secretly blushing, and quickly put the thin needles into the box - Fan Xian's last life-saving trick was originally made by their brothers and sisters in the backyard, so she naturally knew how to deal with it.

The house is old, the bedding is new, the people are old, and the thoughts are old. Fan Ruo Ruo sat quietly by the table, looking at the courtyard outside through the window, thinking of her brother's happy appearance after drinking earlier, and she was a little dazed. From the conversation, she knew that although her brother had been doing well in Kyoto these past few years, there was always an inexplicable pressure that made it difficult for him to be happy.

She sighed, put on a jacket, walked out of the room, and strolled in the courtyard under the old moonlight. In the room behind her, the remaining candlelight was telling its dreams to the shadow, how bright, and the same moonlight as in previous years, but how could it make her more and more flustered.

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But Fan Ruo Ruo clearly knew that all of this was just a delusion. Not to mention whether her thoughts could be tolerated in this world, the most important thing was that since many years ago, her brother had habitually taken care of her like a child, and in his clear and bright heart, he had never had such thoughts.

She couldn't help but smile wryly and helplessly, thinking that she should hurry up and open the clinic. There are still so many poor people in the world who need her help, why bother thinking about these unspeakable childish affections in this early winter scene.

Once she thought of these things, the moonlight that sprinkled on her delicate face became calm. Several years of life in the north have greatly changed the temperament of this young lady. The calmness no longer has that kind of indifference, but has a bit more of composure.

————————————————

Not to mention what kind of sensation Miss Fan's return to Kyoto caused, the Fan Mansion became much more lively. Lin Wan'er and her party, having received the news, rushed back from the farm. The sisters-in-law reunited and were naturally very affectionate, especially when they saw their niece and nephew, Fan Ruo Ruo was even happier.

This family was harmonious, which was already an anomaly in the big mansions of Kyoto, but this atmosphere could not be maintained for long, because Fan Ruo Ruo was eager to open a clinic, and the palace also asked Fan Xian to take Ruo Ruo to the palace to meet the emperor.

Someone would naturally take care of the clinic's affairs, and it only took a day to meet the emperor. However, the young people of the second generation of the Fan family could no longer relax. Fan Ruo Ruo had been studying art in Qingshan for several years, and it was her first time back to Kyoto, so many elders and relatives had to visit her.

The first stop was undoubtedly the Jingwang Manor, which had a very good relationship with the Fan family.

In the past, this kind of visit was extremely common, but the problem was that Fan Ruo Ruo almost became Jingwang's daughter-in-law, but was later sent to Ku He by Fan Xian. Jingwang has been remembering this matter for the past two years. When he saw Fan Xian, he sighed a lot, and the situation between the two families was a little awkward, so Fan Ruo Ruo felt a little uneasy knowing that she was going to the Wang Manor.

"What's so uneasy about." Fan Xian looked at his sister's expression, thought that Hongcheng had been suffering in Dingzhou, and his heart trembled, wondering if he had done the right thing or the wrong thing back then, and forced a smile: "During the Chinese New Year, Hongcheng will also return to Kyoto, do you plan to avoid him for the rest of your life?"

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(The part about Ruo Ruo's thoughts, the candlelight, and the moonlight being flustered is the lyrics of a song by Xu Jiaying, the name of the song is the same as the moonlight, not the one by Su Rui, you can listen to it.)