Joy of Life

In the Palace, the Emperor once said that he wanted to use Yan Xiaoyi, dared to use Yan Xiaoyi. At that moment, Fan Xian wished desperately that he could extend a microphone forward to ask him, just how are you feeling? Just how is he feeling? When looking at one’s heart, be careful it doesn’t send one into paroxysms.

Up to now, Fan Xian only had a glimmer of affection for the Emperor. Logically speaking, he didn’t have worry so much about the existence of Qing Kingdom and the life and death of the Emperor. For his and his family’s future, he had to bend to the task and spare no effort. He had no choice in this.

The carriage drove out of the south gate. The four wheels each bumped over the hard threshold, jolting awake Fan Xian who had been in a daze. Lifting the carriage’s curtain, he walked out. As he yawned, he looked toward the official road going south.

It was now already the afternoon, and there were not many people entering the city. The gate guards responsible for the city gates and the Jingdou garrison soldiers responsible for the defense of the city were all lazily carrying out their daily duties. Suddenly seeing a black carriage under the protection of a dozen Overwatch Council members approaching the city gate, everyone’s hearts jumped.

Then, seeing the young yawning official beside the carriage, everyone immediately guesses his identity. The leading general of the south city gate guards received the message and quickly ran out, bringing a long bench and offering hot tea to Fan Xian.

Without restraint, Fan Xian held the tea bowl and guzzled down a few big mouthfuls.

Before long, a group of carriages appeared at the end of the official road. It followed the copse of wild trees along the horizon and gradually came closer. In just a while, it had come to the city gate.

Fan Xian went forward in welcome.

The group of carriages stopped. Gao Da and six other Tiger guards stepped down from the carriage along with all the swordsmen of the Sixth Bureau. With a swish, they all half knelt on the ground and greeted him.

Fan Xian waved his hands and had them get up. Naturally, he also had to say a few warm and praising words. However, his steps didn’t stop, and he directly climbed into the middle carriage.

Lifting the curtain, he saw Wan’er holding a blue cloth bag and dozing. Her long eyelashes were lying peacefully on her white skin. Her fringe hung serenely from her forehead, hiding her tired appearance.

Fan Xian didn’t want to wake her, so he just sat beside her and took the blue cloth bag in her arms. At the same time, he glanced across with confusion.

Sisi, who was sitting across from him, blinked and said in a quiet voice, “Stayed up too late last night. She’s wasn’t very energetic today.”

Fan Xian smiled and didn’t say anything. He indicated for the group to enter the city. He only reminded Gao Da and them in a quiet voice to be careful when crossing the threshold into the city to no jolt awake the one in the carriage.

...

...

The carriage passed through almost half of the streets and alleys in Jingdou before coming to the quiet Chang Street in the south of the city and stopping outside the main door to the Fan manor.

The carriage stopped, and Wan’er woke in a daze. Unconsciously, she hugged the not-rugged but unusually strong arm and rubbed against it. She felt that a long lost warmth had returned to her side. She burrowed into that warm embrace.

She immediately woke up.

The girl jumped in fright and leapt up before realizing that beside her was the already asleep Fan Xian, then she relaxed. Looking at the familiar face she had not seen in a long time, she couldn’t resist smiling innocently and sticking out her tongue.

Bang, bang, bang, bang...

A row of very enthusiastic firecrackers rang out and startled Fan Xian from his dreams. He grumbled angrily and stretched his arms only to embrace nothing but air. Opening his eyes in confusion, he found his wife was huddled in a corner watching him.

Earlier, Wan’er watched Fan Xian in a daze and only realized, a moment later, that Sisi was sitting across from him. She found that Fan Xian had been startled awake by the firecrackers. For a moment, she felt very awkward, and her face flushed red.

Fan Xian gazed at his wife and smiled. With the blue cloth bag in one hand, he led her down from the carriage. He didn’t say anything specific, rather, he said resentfully, “Which manor is getting married? Why is there such a ruckus?”

Wan’er covered her mouth and smiled, pointing toward the Fan manor door. “I also thought it was strange. It’s our home that is lighting the firecrackers. I wonder what joyful news there is.”

Sisi also came down with her bag. Looking at the people coming and going outside the main door of Fan manor, the red lanterns high above, and the lively scene with the firecrackers, she also jumped in surprise. With a cry, she said in a high voice, “Young Master, Mistress, is this to welcome us back from Jiangnan?”

...

...

Fan Xian looked at this scene with curiosity and couldn’t resist grabbing onto the freeloader Zheng Tuo, who had come out to welcome him, and asked, “Sir Zheng, what is this for?”

Zheng Tuo laughed and said, “Young Master, today you were granted the title of Duke of Danbo...this is a joyous matter. Countless officials have come from various departments to offer their congratulations. They are all waiting in the manor for your return. Such an honor, of course, it needs to be celebrated.”

Fan Xian paused and only now remembered that he had already become a duke. He raised his head to look at the red cloth hanging on the sign outside the manor and couldn’t help but laugh bitterly.

Lin Wan’er looked at him in surprise, “You’ve been granted a dukedom?”

Fan Xian nodded.

Hearing these words, Lin Wan’er’s face was filled with joy. Even Sisi couldn’t help but be overjoyed. After all, in this world, such things mattered a great deal. For an official to be granted a dukedom at Fan Xian’s age, put anywhere else, it was still an unusually honorable matter.

As they walked in, all along the way were officials coming forward to offer their congratulations and bow. Fan Xian hurriedly returned these greetings. He had no choice but to have the Teng family’s wife come out and first take Wan’er, Sisi, and the serving girls into the inner manor. The Fan manor servants were even more joyous and incessantly knelt to Fan Xian and kowtowing.

“Here, here.”

All along the way, he gave out tips. Naturally, Fan Xian did not feel heartsore about this. However, he wondered whether it was necessary to be so happy? Even Wan’er and Sisi were so happy. If his sister was home, he wondered whether or not she would be unable to contain her joy.

Finally, everything was dealt with. The guests were sent off, and the Fan family finally gathered in the Flower Hall in the garden. Lady Liu sat beside Fan Jian and joy filled her face. Sisi had just returned to the Fan manor and was given a very glorious task. She began to make arrangements for the feast.

In the past, this task had always been the responsibility of the unofficial Lady Liu. This meant that the Fan manor had already acknowledged Sisi’s position.

Fan Jian said a few words to his wife and daughter-in-law beside him, and said a few more things about Sisi’s matter. In any case, the ceremony had already happened in Danzhou and the elder had already given her consent. As the head of the Fan manor, he would not say anything more.

After the meal was prepared and there weren’t any random lay-abouts in the Flower Hall anymore, Fan Sizhe, who had been shut up in the home, ran out eagerly. He first greeted his sister-in-law and then sat beside Fan Xian, shamelessly trying to curry favor.

Wan’er was surprised, thinking, Wasn’t brother-in-law in Northern Qi? How could he have come home in secret?

Fan Xian opened his mouth and scolded, “It’s just a dukedom, is it really worth you being like this?”

Fan Sizhe pulled back his neck and said, “You don’t value it much...but just how many of these titles are there in the world?”

Fan Xian smiled and said, “There is still no need to come to me for money. Are you lacking in money these days? I think, in another two years, father and I will be asking you for money.”

Fan Sizhe chuckled and said, “Even silver cannot buy your reputation. In the future, you’re going to be a prince. It would be good if you could get me a dukedom.”

Fan Xian started and then remembered. After the Baoyue Brothel case last autumn, the Ministry of Justice put out wanted posters of Fan Sizhe. The dukedom he had received from the dragon chair as a child was removed.

However, Fan Xian still felt strange hearing the word “prince.” He met his father’s eyes. Both knew the judgement in the other’s heart.

Given Fan Xian’s past, becoming a first-rank duke was the end of the line. It was impossible for him to become a prince, unless certain things happened in the future.

The feast immediately became silent. Fan Sizhe also knew that there was a problem with what he said and didn’t speak nonsensically again. Wan’er looked at this scene and smiled lovably. She said to her brother-in-law, “Since you’re back, don’t rush to leave again...after dinner, play a few rounds with mother and father.”

Hearing about mahjong and particularly since it was his sister-in-law’s suggestion, his attention was immediately perked. In the past year in Northern Qi, he had not met a match at the mahjong table. Tonight, he would be able to face off again with the second best player in the world, his sister-in-law.

...

...

Everything was peaceful for the next few days, and there were not many stories to tell. The Second Prince’s faction was terrified, and the Eldest Princess was in her palace thinking about something. Fan Xian only occasionally thought about the Crown Prince’s strange behavior in Baoyue Brothel and was very confused. The Crown Prince, the true inheritor of Qing Kingdom’s dragon chair, chose the best kind of response...but looking at the how the situation was developing, where did his confidence come from?

There was one thing Fan Xian didn’t understand, and Fan Jian also didn’t understand. How could the Crown Prince dare to just watch coldly from the side? Fan Xian had already exposed the relationship between the Second Prince and the Eldest Princess. Unless he had a great supporting power in his hands, but who initially supported him. So, what made the Crown Prince think he could believe the Eldest Princess’ words again?

His confusion would have to remain because he still had to return back to Jiangnan in the spring. After the New Year celebrations, he still had to visit Chen Garden. King Jing’s manor, and the Great Prince’s manor. In the first few days of the New Year, Fan Xian didn’t go the Overwatch Council and also didn’t enter the Palace. He only stayed put in the Fan manor, showing filial piety toward the father he hadn’t seen in a year and disciplining his brother, who had long been in the North.

The atmosphere of family reunion was very good. They were only missing Ruoruo and the elder in Danzhou. At one point, Fan Xian privately spoke to his father about how grandmother had never seen Sizhe and should they find a time for Sizhe to go back to Danzhou?

Fan Jian thought about it, and it was indeed the case. He had Fan Xian arrange it.

Just as everything was developing in a peaceful way, on the 28th, an uninvited guest came to Fan manor.

This guest was a Northern Qi diplomatic envoy stationed in the South Kingdom. His identity was a bit sensitive. He had come especially to the Fan manor after reporting in at Honglu Temple.

The whole Fan manor found this strange, but they could only open the main doors in welcome. The diplomatic envoy was very respectful to Fan Xian and conveyed the Northern Qi court’s greetings to Fan Xian. He spoke of the attack in the valley and how the people of Northern Qi had great sympathy for him and felt a deep injustice.

After putting down a mound of gifts, the diplomatic envoy left the manor leaving only Fan Jian and Fan Xian staring dumbly at each other.

...

...

That night, someone came from the South Kingdom’s Honglu Temple and a eunuch came from the inner court to explain to Fan Xian why a Northern Qi diplomat would visit him at his home.

As it turns out...the news of Fan Xian being attacked had already traveled to Northern Qi. For some reason, the little Emperor in Northern Qi had personally written a secret letter and asked someone to convey it to the Qing Emperor. He expressed his concern about Fan Xian being attacked and, furthermore, expressed criticisms for the Qing court not being careful about Fan Xian’s personal safety.

Hearing these words, he sucked in a breath of cold air as he faced the eunuch and the official from the Honglu Temple. He opened his mouth to curse, “Making such a ruckus, this has...nothing to do with him!”

The Honglu Temple official and eunuch looked at each other awkwardly and carefully comforted, “We all understand what intentions the Northern Qi people have. There is no need for you to be so angry. Such dirty tricks, what use could it be?”

The eunuch smiled wickedly and said, “If they want to give gifts, you can just accept them.”

After seeing these two away from the manor, Fan Xian rushed to the study and asked his father, “What exactly to the Northern Qi people want to do? Is it their place to express their concern?”

Fan Jian forced a smile. “There is something I’ve forgotten to tell you, and the Emperor seemed to also have forgotten this matter. When you first a diplomat to the Northern Qi, didn’t you once promise their Emperor in the Royal Palace in Shangjing that when you had time, you would go teach a class at their Imperial College?”

Fan Xian thought seriously. It seemed like there was had been said, but he hadn’t agreed, right?

Fan Jian sighed again, “During the time you were in Jiangnan, Northern Qi had sent a message to the Honglu Temple saying they wanted to engage you as an honored guest lecturer at Shangjing’s Imperial College. The Emperor had just thought the little Emperor was bored and did not think much of it. Who would have expected that Northern Qi had been waiting here. Since you are currently an honored guest lecturer in Shangjing’s Imperial College and was met with an assassination attempt in the South Kingdom, it seems to make sense that they would express their concern and anger.”

Fan Xian said, with bitter anger, “To trick me now, what benefit does it bring them?

Fan Jian raised his head and glanced at his son. He shook his head and said, “Although it is a very crude method and anyone with a brain would not believe this kind of provocation, your collusion in Jiangnan with Northern Qi could not be hidden forever. Under accumulated defamation, who knows whether or not the Emperor would doubt you in the future? They only have to send some gifts, bring a few messages, and lose some face, and they are able to put a thorn in your throat. This kind of deal is very worth it.”

Fan Xian furrowed his brows and felt a great anger. “The attack in the valley...the little Emperor in Northern Qi has deliberately complicated the issue. It looks like the court will not continue to investigate.”

Fan Jian glanced at him and smiled bitterly, “The Emperor never wanted to investigate, and now he has such a brilliant excuse. How could he let it go to waste?”

Fan Xian also smiled bitterly. A moment later, he said seriously to his father, “Father, on the 1st, I want to enter the ancestral temple.”

Fan Jian was not surprised. Ever since the Emperor formally conferred the title of Duke of Danbo onto Fan Xian, he had understood what the Emperor was thinking. He only calmly said, “I have to enter the Palace to clarify this matter.”