In Suzhou, Fan Xian had been looking forward to the Wuzhou trip, because he knew that the old Prime Minister, though seemingly vanished from the world this past year, had only been acting in that manner to avoid the Emperor's suspicion, deliberately putting on a show.

Of course, when pretense becomes prolonged, it often seeps into one's very bones. Fan Xian admired his father-in-law's boldness in knowing when to give up and when to gain.

Since the imperial court was no place for him to stay long, he left without hesitation, not haggling over conditions. By leaving Fan Xian as a loose end in the capital, he gave the Emperor sufficient face, and the court would naturally grant the glorious retiring former Prime Minister a measure of respect.

This political wisdom made Fan Xian trust his father-in-law's judgment. So, after listening to these words today, although he felt a chill and a slight excitement, he mostly fell into contemplation, preparing to face the approaching storm.

The storm was difficult to quell. Although he himself had a hand in stirring up waves, it seemed Fan Xian had underestimated the matter's impact.

He understood the Eldest Princess's intentions but failed to immediately grasp the Emperor's thoughts. However, Fan Xian had his own advantages after all.

For him, the person who knew the most secrets in this world was the old cripple, Chen Pingping. His father knew another part of the secrets, and his father-in-law knew yet another.

These three men were the Emperor of Qing's most capable subordinates during the five years after the Qingli New Policies, the three pillars of the Qing Dynasty. Fan Xian remembered clearly that before he came to the capital from Danzhou, his father and Chen Pingping were like strangers, barely speaking to each other. Prime Minister Lin and Chen Pingping were even the biggest rivals in the court.

Accurately speaking, there was no possibility for this triangle to communicate with each other.

But all of this became history with Fan Xian's arrival in the capital and his marriage to Wan'er. At that time, besides the Emperor of Qing, there was Fan Xian, a fortunate man who could gather the resources of these three old men and share information from three sides.

For Fan Xian, he could now see more clearly than even these three elders. But this kind of luck, or rather, strength, seemed unsuitable for a subject to possess, so one of the three corners had to step down.

Prime Minister Lin Ruofu became the first sacrifice because he was not a childhood friend of the Emperor.

Occasionally, Fan Xian asked himself and realized that his rise to power had indeed caused great damage to the Lin family. Of course, the Emperor would not stop there, which is why there was an investigation into the Ministry of Revenue at the imperial court in the late spring.

Fan Xian woke from his contemplation and couldn't help but shake his head. There were so many problems in the imperial court, yet the Emperor rushed to kill the dog... but the prey hadn't been taken down yet... What was going on? Where did the Emperor's confidence come from?

"I won't ask about the Jiangnan matter," Lin Ruofu interrupted his thoughts and said slowly, "I believe in your ability. Although, on the surface, your trip to Jiangnan seems frivolous, I'm sure you have a backup plan... But you have to return to the capital for your annual report during the New Year. You should prepare well, especially since you don't know when those people will strike."

Fan Xian thought for a moment and couldn't help but smile, saying, "Don't worry, nothing will happen."

Lin Ruofu couldn't help but smile as well, looking at his son-in-law with admiration, at the calmness and confidence on the young man's face. He asked curiously, "The Emperor's confidence is proven by past history... but where does your headless, tailless confidence come from?"

Fan Xian thought for a while and replied with a smile, "I believe my luck is the best in the world."

Lin Ruofu was speechless, shaking his head helplessly. After a long while, he said softly, "What do you think of Yuan Hongdao?"

Fan Xian was slightly stunned. He knew Yuan Hongdao, who was a guest of the Prime Minister's residence in the past and a friend of Lin Ruofu's for decades. But it seemed that after Lin's downfall, this Yuan Hongdao had played some very disgraceful role. Now, this person had become Xinyang's first strategist, undoubtedly gaining his glory by betraying a friend.

Fan Xian didn't understand why his father-in-law would suddenly mention this person. He frowned, thinking that his father-in-law didn't seem to have tried to kill this person for revenge, which made him feel even stranger.

"Yuan Hongdao is a very capable person, and also a very unrestrained person," Lin Ruofu said with a smile, "I still don't understand why he betrayed me."

"Isn't he the Eldest Princess's man?"

"Yun Rui... does she have that ability?" Lin Ruofu sighed, "I'm not very clear either. It's been over a year since the incident, and my hatred for Hongdao has gradually faded, so I'm always a little confused about the real background of the matter."

"Ask him for me," Lin Ruofu said with a hint of coldness, "...why."

Fan Xian nodded solemnly, thinking that this greeting would be delivered with either a sword or a crossbow.

Lin Ruofu looked at his expression, shook his head, and said, "If the capital really falls into chaos in the future, perhaps he can help you."

Fan Xian was slightly taken aback, not understanding the meaning of these words.

Lin Ruofu fell into contemplation, also pondering this question.

The old cripple in the garden outside the capital was probably gloating.

———————————————————————

Fan Xian and his party stayed in Wuzhou for several days. Whenever he had free time, he would go to the study to ask his father-in-law for advice, partly to learn about the old events of the past and partly to learn from the other party's political skills. Although he had lived two lives, with innate advantages and rich life experience, he naturally wouldn't let go of the opportunity to learn from a famous cunning Prime Minister by his side.

When he was on a mission to Northern Qi in the past, Fan Xian had also learned from Master Xiao En in the carriage. This was Fan Xian's greatest advantage. He could guarantee meditation and hard practice every morning and evening, and he would seize every opportunity to learn the skills to save his life. This perseverance and determination were actually inconsistent with the laziness he showed.

During these days of conversation, Fan Xian focused on studying the key points of the political situation, especially the military, which he was most unfamiliar with, and gained a lot of sensible understanding of the Qin and Ye families, who had been meritorious since the founding of the country. Fan Xian felt increasingly strange. How could a family like the Ye family, which had been loyal for generations, be involved in something unclean with the Eldest Princess?

But this question could only be buried deep in his heart.

As for the Jiangnan matter, although Lin Ruofu didn't want to interfere, he eventually wrote a letter to Xue Qing, the Governor-General of Jiangnan. As for the content of the letter, Fan Xian didn't bother to care. It was another matter whether the Governor-General would give the former Prime Minister face. The key was the analysis of Xue Qing's character by his father-in-law.

Xue Qing was a close minister of the Emperor, eager for merit... and meticulous in his thinking.

This judgment made Fan Xian determined. Such a minister's greatest hope was to become a famous official, so he naturally wouldn't be willing to do dirty things himself. In the future, as long as he could unleash thunderous methods and let Xue Qing stay out of it, but afterwards give him a great achievement, he would naturally cooperate in secret.

The smuggling of the Internal Treasury was still going on, the inspections on the sea route were still continuing, and the exploitation and weakening of the Ming family never stopped. According to news from Suzhou, Ming Qingda was playing both sides, but failed to truly maintain contact with the Taiping Money House, and was forced to increase the share of silver transferred from the Zhaoshang Money House.

Very good.

Fan Xian thought to himself, as long as they passed that critical point, it would be the time for the Ming family to be destroyed.

……

……

Outside Wuzhou City were endless green mountains, which shielded most of the fierce southern sunshine. Coupled with the gentle mountain breeze, slightly dispelling the summer heat, it was really the best place to escape the heat and spend the summer.

Fan Xian and his party also lived comfortably in Wuzhou. When he was away from political affairs, he would go to the surrounding mountains with Wan'er and Da Bao, hunt some prey, find some small streams, roast frogs, and tell Wan'er the story of Linghu Guazi.

There were also times when they spent the night in the mountains. At that time, the stars were twinkling, beautiful beyond compare, the Magpie Bridge was gradually closing, and the Milky Way drifted away with the wind. Fan Xian held his wife in his arms, teasing softly and shouting loudly, watching the stars at night, but not knowing whether the trend of the world was divided or united. He only knew that the time for the Cowherd and the Weaver Girl to meet once a year was approaching.

Away from worldly troubles, so happy.

The two of them tacitly did not mention the Suzhou matter, the Kyoto matter, all other matters, did not mention Haitang, did not mention the Eldest Princess, did not mention the Emperor, but only occasionally talked about their younger sister Ruoruo who was currently studying in Northern Qi, the wild game prepared by Uncle Teng in the Fan family manor outside Kyoto, the fragrant and delicious chicken legs from Dezhou...

All the way west, the two pointed at the mountains and asked about the mountains, went into the water when they encountered it, showed pity for small deer, and fierceness for lone wolves. They walked by the forest and streams, lingering in the clouds by the cliffs. This was a rare moment of silent interaction after marriage, as if everything around them no longer existed, only Fan Xian and Lin Wan'er.

Wrong, there was still Da Bao.

But Da Bao's loveliness lay in the fact that he was often quiet.

Such days could not last forever. If Fan Xian wanted to keep these days, he had to go out again and enter the mortal world again.

……

……

"Da Bao is going with us?" Fan Xian asked curiously, opening his eyes, "Aren't we sending him to your father's side to keep him company?"

Lin Ruofu now lived alone in Wuzhou. Although there were countless members of his clan, there were few truly close people around him. Wan'er would naturally follow Fan Xian now. If Da Bao also went with them, who would accompany the old former Prime Minister?

Without children, it was like having no children under his knees. Fan Xian could understand this loneliness.

"Father insists," Lin Wan'er said softly. After Fan Xian's careful recuperation during these days, coupled with playing in the mountains, Wan'er's body had indeed recovered a lot. A few healthy blushes showed on her slightly moist cheeks, and her eyelashes blinked slightly above her big eyes.

Fan Xian looked at her with a smile, gently holding her hand, and said, "Whatever works."

A few days later, the convoy of all-black carriages left Wuzhou and slowly drove eastward, passing through several small cities and mountains, and arrived at a fork in the road.

Here, they had reached the territory of Dongshan Road. This fork in the road led to two state capitals under the rule of Dongshan Road.

Eastward was Danzhou, and northeastward was Jiaozhou.

"You go to Danzhou and wait for me. I'm going to Jiaozhou to take care of some things," Fan Xian said softly to Wan'er in the carriage, standing on the carriage, "At most, I'll be ten days late."

Wan'er naturally knew what he was going to do in Jiaozhou. She sighed in her heart, but knowing that the imperial decree was upon him, Fan Xian couldn't refuse at all. She could only put on a gentle smile that would reassure each other, stuck out her tongue, and said, "Don't go picking flowers and grass."

Fan Xian smiled embarrassedly and bowed deeply: "Don't worry, my lady, I won't pick them by the roadside anymore."

Da Bao, who was sitting next to Wan'er, had been sitting there with a blank expression. Hearing this, he suddenly interjected and said, "There are flowers... in the garden."

Fan Xian was slightly angry, Wan'er was slightly resentful, and Da Bao didn't know what had happened. The three of them said goodbye temporarily.

……

……

Turning north from the fork for no more than three miles, Fan Xian got out of the carriage, stretched, and asked his subordinates, "Are you ready?"

"Everything is ready, Director."

On the side of the distant mountains and forests, a team of cold and grim black cavalry could be faintly seen waiting there.

……

……

(Can't write more, need to rest.)