The official said coldly, "We've always known that Zui Xian Ju (醉仙居) was your secret base, but it wasn't very useful, so we just kept an eye on it. Who knew you'd be so audacious as to do something like that? And after doing it, you still wanted to run? Things aren't that simple in this world."

After being captured at the border, Si Li Li (司理理) and her group realized that their every move had been under the surveillance of the Overwatch Council (监察院). A chill ran down their spines, and they felt a deep fear for the Qing (庆) Emperor's intelligence agency.

Seeing the official about to leave on horseback, Si Li Li suddenly shouted hoarsely, "You'd better kill me now! Otherwise, that high-ranking official in your court will definitely come to save me later!"

The official frowned at her, then suddenly said, "It's more likely that that official will send someone to kill you." As soon as he finished speaking, on the hillside ahead of the prison cart, the roadblockers appeared as expected. But no one had expected that they would resemble the bandits from the northern border of Qing, bordering various small countries. Although there were only a few dozen of them, with their sabers drawn and shining, facing the dozen or so Overwatch Council guards, it was clear to everyone who would win this encounter.

Although the bandits were few in number, they dared to appear only five hundred li away from the capital, and the state troops guarding the capital were completely unaware. If this became known to the world, it would cause an uproar throughout the court and the public. Si Li Li's face had turned pale. Although she wasn't particularly clever, she knew that if she fell into their hands, she would definitely be silenced.

The official also seemed surprised that the high-ranking court official was connected to the bandits howling along the border. He looked somewhat nervous, approached the prison cart, and said, "Si Li Li, it seems we're both going to die here. Since we're at this point, why don't you tell me which high-ranking official in the court is colluding with Northern Qi (北齐)? If some of my subordinates can escape, they can report it to the court and avenge us both."

Si Li Li's long eyelashes drooped. Thinking that she was about to die here, tears welled up in her eyes. Just as she was about to speak, she suddenly thought of something suspicious, raised her head, and said coldly, "You're trying to trick me again, my lord."

The official seemed not to have expected that Si Li Li would see through his trick and frowned almost imperceptibly.

Si Li Li said sadly, "You should know what kind of business I'm in. I've learned to read faces since I was a child. Your voice trembled slightly earlier, but the hand gripping the prison cart was steady and relaxed, clearly indicating that you're not too worried. It seems you expected this ambush all along."

"Indeed." The official then realized that this beautiful woman had the potential to be an informant and said with a slight smile, "If we couldn't even guess something like this, then the Overwatch Council wouldn't be the Overwatch Council."

During their conversation, dozens of horses had already charged down from the small slope, and a silent killing aura soared into the sky. This kind of formation clearly wasn't something that bandits should possess.

Around the prison cart, the Overwatch Council guards had formed a semi-circular defensive circle, but because their numbers were too small, it looked sparse and pitiful. But for some reason, facing the fierce charge, their faces were solemn, as if they had already disregarded life and death.

"Hold...!" The leading official clenched his right fist, staring coldly at the approaching cavalry. The tone of his shout was a level tone (阴平声), and if Fan Xian (范闲) were here, he would definitely be reminded of the English word "hold" that he often heard in movies in his previous life.

The cavalry disguised as bandits got closer and closer. The leading official suddenly took a step back, straightened his right arm, and shouted, "Ready!" At this moment, the dozen or so Overwatch Council soldiers, who had originally formed a semi-circular defensive formation, suddenly changed their formation into a sharp wedge. Even more terrifying was that they took out crossbows from who knows where, held them up level, and aimed at the cavalry in front!

The distance between the two sides was too close. An unusual glint flashed in the eyes of the cavalry leader. He pulled on the reins and accelerated, turning a corner, and went around the front of the cavalry. To be able to suddenly accelerate and forcibly turn while moving at such high speed showed that his horsemanship was extremely skilled.

"Fire!" Just as the cavalry leader pulled his horse's head, the Overwatch Council official in the lead gave the order softly.

A volley of crossbow bolts shot out. Although they weren't dense, the force of the triggers made the arrows fly extremely quickly, emitting a hissing sound in the air that sounded very terrifying. Several muffled groans rose. The riders at the very front were hit by the crossbow bolts and fell heavily to the ground. The riders behind were originally prepared to take advantage of the situation and charge forward, but they didn't expect that the Overwatch Council was actually using repeating crossbows!

This kind of repeating crossbow was a weapon that had only appeared in the world twenty years ago. The magazine could hold eight crossbow bolts, making it the most terrifying enemy of light cavalry. When the cavalry saw this formation and the crossbow bolts coming at them, they panicked and split into two teams that bypassed the prison cart, preparing to swallow it from the sides.

Perhaps the effect would have been better if they had charged directly. However, there were no "ifs" in this world. As they bypassed, several more riders were shot and fell, and even more terrifyingly, they discovered that there was an ambush on the hillside behind the prison cart!

...

...

As soon as they saw the attire of the ambushing troops, the cavalry disguised as bandits immediately lost their will to fight. No longer caring about returning to kill the woman in the prison cart, they scattered and fled.

Ambushing in the rear was a group of cavalry clad in black armor, the same team that Fan Xian had seen when he opened his eyes in this world. They were the personal cavalry that the Qing Emperor had specially authorized for the Overwatch Council’s Director Chen Pingping (陈萍萍) when he left the capital to handle Council affairs – the Black Knights!

...

...

The Black Knights silently charged forward, tearing apart the dozens of riders posing as bandits like a pack of wolves tearing apart a flock of sheep, quickly and decisively killing them all.

"Leave some alive! Leave some alive!" Fei Jie (费介), sitting next to the carriage behind the Black Knights, howled anxiously at this scene. "Don't kill them all."

The curtain of the carriage was lifted by a withered hand. The old man in the carriage looked around at the situation and said coldly, "Fei Jie, you're really flustered by concern. These little bastards probably don't even know who their master is. Just leave the leader alive."

Fei Jie cursed, "While you and I were away, Master Fan (范大人) brought little Fan Xian into the capital, almost causing an accident. How can I not be anxious?"

The old man snorted coldly, smoothed the wool blanket on his lap, and rebuked, "I'm returning to my hometown to visit my relatives. You insisted on sneaking out of the capital. Who can you blame?"

Ten years later, Fei Jie still had the same strange appearance, with gray hair and brown eyes. He frowned and said, "Who knows what Master Fan is planning? Master, you need to talk to Earl Sinan (司南伯) after returning to the capital."

This old man was naturally Chen Pingping, who held the dark power of the world in his hands. He looked with a smile at the cavalry leader in the distance, who seemed somewhat lost, and said faintly, "Of course, I understand Fan Jian's (范建) thoughts, but his ideas...are truly nonsense! If you want these things, it's better not to have them..." He repeated, "...better not to have them."

...

...

While the two were talking, the cavalry leader had already fled far away, quickly becoming a small black dot in the distance. This ambush was clearly an Overwatch Council trap, but he couldn't understand why Chen Pingping, who was supposedly visiting his hometown, would appear outside Cangzhou (沧州) City in northern Qing!

When he saw the Black Knights, he knew he had lost. Facing the insidious and ruthless Director Chen, even his true master could only maintain a tolerant attitude, let alone himself. He had taken the lead in escaping the formation earlier, so he was relatively far away from the Black Knights. The Black Knights seemed somewhat tired after a long journey. After chasing for two li, they saw the distance widening and had no choice but to rein in their horses and return to camp.

"Zong Zhui (宗追) went after him, right?" Chen Pingping asked softly to his close attendant.

The attendant bent over and responded.

At that moment, a gray rider galloped out from the forest in the distance, silently following the fleeing leader.

"That's not Zong Zhui," Fei Jie said with a frown.

Chen Pingping stared at the gray figure, and after a long while, he suddenly smiled. "Since he let us see him, he must be one of our own... Able to maintain a level almost identical to Zong Zhui, I remember there was such a person in the Council many years ago."

"Wang Qinian (王启年)?"

"Yes." Chen Pingping smiled. "It seems that the young man we were worried about has finally learned a few things."

————————————————————————————————

After sending Wang Qinian out of the capital, Fan Xian, because he was injured and it was inconvenient for him to show his face, went to the planned book store less often and lived a reclusive life for a while. But now he had already become a famous figure in the capital, especially those two poems that were completely inconsistent with his experience, which made him the subject of controversy. Supporters regarded him as a poetic genius, while opponents regarded him as a representative figure who forced himself to be melancholy when writing new words – but no one knew that even these seven characters were brought into this world by Fan Xian.

There were also rumors of plagiarism circulating in the dark, but "When autumn grieves, ten thousand miles afar I roam" was too dazzling, and no one dared to shamelessly claim that they had written the poem, so this statement had not been brought to the forefront. But Fan Xian knew that there would definitely be such a day, because the father of Guo Baokun (郭保坤), whom he had beaten severely, was the Minister of Rites, and the Guo family associated with literary giants. And Fan Xian had always been willing to infer... the so-called literati with the worst malice.

Because of the coexistence of controversy and praise, some scholars and talents who often participated in the Jing Prince's (靖王府) poetry gatherings would often take the initiative to visit the Fan residence, ostensibly to visit the young master after his ordeal, but in reality, they were secretly submitting their poetry scrolls, hoping to get a word or two of praise from Fan Xian.

Fan Xian always patiently and kindly received them, but he was very stingy with his evaluation of their poems. After all, he had already prepared to leave the "literary world" and learn from Zhang Xianliang (张贤亮) by going into business. Furthermore, he didn't think he had the qualifications. He was only sixteen years old, relying only on the mind of a great sage from his previous life. Did he intend to recruit some secretaries? That would be too absurd!

Compared to his poetic reputation, the thing that made him famous in the capital and truly earned the admiration of most people was the assassination incident on Niulan Street (牛栏街).

Some details of the case that could be known to the people of the world gradually spread from the Overwatch Council – Fan Xian, as the victim, was not only able to save his life in such a dangerous situation, but he also bravely counterattacked and killed the Northern Qi assassin under his palm. Especially since he killed an eighth-rank expert – this fact immediately elevated Fan Xian in the eyes of the scholars of the capital. No one said he was a bare-knuckle boxer from the Fan family anymore. Everyone was discussing the Fan family's young master who could write and fight, and bravely slay Northern Qi assassins.

"He can compose a poem in seven steps, and kill a man in seven steps. That is the Young Master Fan."