Joy of Life

After the Jingdou Rebellion, King Jing had been increasingly silent. Other than weeping before the memorial during the empress dowager’s national mourning, he had not entered the Royal Palace again. The flower farmer had also not appeared in front of the officials again. The manor became the quietest place in Jingdou. The front doors only opened for a few people, which included Fan Xian.

Fan Xian tilted his head and placed his finger on King Jing’s wrist. He furrowed his brows slightly and released his fingers a moment later. After thinking a bit, he said, “You’ve long recovered from the chill two years ago, but there is still something not quite right about this pulse. I can’t tell what it is exactly.”

King Jing glared at him and said, “Bullsh*t, there’s nothing wrong. What could you have learned from Fei Jie? Go away! There is a famous Qing Mountain doctor right here. What are you doing in the way?”

The famous Qing Mountain doctor was Fan Ruoruo. After she entered the manor, she had been unusually quiet. She was not sure how to face King Jing. Hearing these words and receiving a smiling glance from Wan’er, she knew she couldn’t hide from it. She went forward and greeted him. She then began to seriously take his pulse.

Fan Xian stood to the side and resisted smiling. Under the care of himself and the Imperial Academy of Medicine, there was nothing wrong with King Jing’s body. He had just put on a show with King Jing to help Ruoruo relax.

When King Jing looked at Fan Ruoruo’s soothing and comforting appearance, it was as if he could see Li Hongcheng and the woman in front of him getting married. He smiled strangely. How could Fan Ruoruo feel relaxed? Fortunately, once Fan Ruoruo saw the King as a patient, her behavior became natural. A moment later, she furrowed her brows and said, “What is wrong? The King’s body is very good.”

“I look old, but my body is pretty good. In this way, Hongcheng is like me.”

King Jing narrowed his eyes and looked at the girl in front of him. “Ruoruo, you’re not young anymore. If it had been any other family, you would have been married off a long time ago. It is only because of your brother making trouble and sending you away.”

King Jing glared at Fan Xian then said warmly to Ruoruo, “You must think about it.”

Fan Ruoruo’s face immediately turned white. She turned her head to look at her brother, but she didn’t know where her shameless brother had run off to leaving her alone.

…

…

In another place in the manor, Lin Wan’er sat next to Fan Xian and said in a small voice, “Watch and see if she won’t rip off your skin after we get home.”

Fan Xian shrugged uncaringly. “My sister never raises her voice to me, unlike you.”

Lin Wan’er had already had a son. Her greatest wish had been fulfilled. Additionally, she was busy every day dealing with the affairs of the Fan clan and the Hangzhou Conference. She was always busy. However, she was gradually developing a dignified and honorable appearance. Her body was also growing more well-rounded.

However, this princess could never be dignified by Fan Xian’s side. Hearing these words, she gritted her teeth in anger and pinched his side. “You only know to prick me with words.”

“It is better to be adaptable. You are still a girl, why pretend to be a housewife?” Fan Xian laughed loudly. “I think your previous cut-throat appearance was pretty good.”

This was an old matter of a child jumping over a wall and entering a bedroom. Hearing him speak of it, Lin Wan’er became embarrassed and forgot what she was going to say. It was Fan Xian who deliberated for a moment then said quietly by her ear, “I’ve been to Dingzhou to see Hongcheng. I’ve also sent people to keep an eye on him these two years. Although he was once a playboy, he is no longer like that. Do you there is any possibility with him and Ruoruo?”

Lin Wan’er glanced at him and thought that, in this world, only people like her husband would think in such a strange way. Ruoruo was already at an age. Now he was getting anxious? What was he doing before?

“Didn’t you say that if your sister is unwilling, you would rather she not get married?” She opened her eyes wide and asked. “Did you have a change of mind? No wonder you left her with the King.”

Fan Xian replied, “Of course she won’t marry if she doesn’t want to. The problem is, where on earth does one find a better man than Hongcheng?”

Hearing these words, Lin Wan’er felt anxious on behalf of Ruoruo and began to furrow her brows in thought. She was trying to think if there was another good family in Jingdou. After thinking for a while and considering Ruoruo’s standards, she could not find a single family.

This husband and wife were unspeakably noble. They were also very clever when it came to dealing with business affairs. In some areas, they were simple-minded. It was no wonder that when they met for the first time in the Qing Temple, it had been like a turtle seeing a green bean. They had seen eye to eye. After thinking for a while, Lin Wan’er gave up first. “If she doesn’t marry, then she doesn’t marry. Can the manor not support a single girl?”

Hearing these words, Fan Xian was delighted. He thought Wan’er had indeed changed a great deal under his influence. She was about to shake off the evil feudalistic thinking.

The husband and wife sat in the corner of the hall and chatted happily to each other. In another room, Sisi and a few old nannies were holding the children and speaking with Princess Rou Jia. She curiously and carefully held the baby. Looking at the baby’s cute appearance, she couldn’t help but laugh. The tinkling bell-like laugh rang out through the hall. The sight was joyful, natural, and intimate.

Disrupted by the laugh, Fan Xian raised his head from beside Wan’er’s ear and looked at Rou Jia, who was wearing a red pomegranate dress, and narrowed his eyes. It was vulgar outfit. On the little princess’s body, contrasted with her clever nature, it added an extra element of light and beauty.

The little princess was no longer little. The 12-year-old Rou Jia, who had shyly and lightly called out “Brother Xian,” had become a big girl. Her nature was still as clever as before, and her status was noble. She served the King, respected his wives, and treated the servants with kindness. Thus, her reputation in Jingdou was good. Countless distinguished and prominent families were staring impatiently at the King’s manor, waiting for the word.

Rou Jia was 17. Her marriage should have been decided long ago. The Emperor felt pity for the King being alone in the manor and had delayed the matter by two years. But, it could not be delayed forever. King Jing had one son and one daughter. Hongcheng was almost 30. He still refused to marry and had escaped to Dingzhou. The daughter had to marry someone.

According to what Fan Xian heard, the Palace would appoint a wedding to Rou Jia later in the year. According to Lao Dai, there were already many nobles and officials who were silently going through a trial of strength. They all had their eyes on this wedding.

Although taking a princess home would have many inconveniences and influence one’s future career, Rou Jia’s reputation in the capital was too good. No one cared about this. As for career, Sir Fan junior had also married a princess. His power was unmatched.

Everyone was thinking the same and desperately tried to use the concubines in the Palace as a connection. There were some sharp-eyed and cunning people who remembered Fan Xian’s relationship the King Jing’s manor, as well as the weight of his words when speaking to the imperial concubines. They toughed it out and went to beg Fan Xian.

Thinking of it, Fan Xian couldn’t help but smile uncomfortably. He watched in a daze as Rou Jia held the child. In the blink of an eye, Rou Jia was about to get married. It had already been five years since he entered the capital. This change always caught one off guard. He wondered which family would be so lucky as to marry such a gentle and beautiful princess.

Rou Jia carefully held the little boy and moved close to Sisi. She wanted the see the difference between Fan Xiaohua and Fan Liang’s cheeks.

Perhaps it was because holding the child made her think of her own marriage, but the expression in her eyes became uneasy and frustrated. Although Sisi had already been a mother for two years and often followed Wan’er in dealing with the affairs of the manor, her cheeky behavior, which had been influenced by Fan Xian, had not changed. She boldly moved next to Rou Jia’s ear and said some things.

Sisi spoke quietly, but Princess Rou Jia’s eyes became brighter and brighter. She repeatedly nodded her head.

“Who knows what horrible idea she has now.” Lin Wan’er reminded Fan Xian.

Fan Xian’s heat was also thumping. He then watched as Princess Rou Jia handed the child to the old nanny, tidied her dress, and slowly walked over.

Rou Jia bowed to him deeply. Half crouching on the ground, she said in a quiet voice, “Brother Xian.”

It had been five years. Each time the blushing, shy, and gentle little princess had said the words “Brother Xian,” Fan Xian had felt uncomfortable all over and wished nothing more than to run away. He quickly helped her up with a serious expression and said, “Sister Rou Jia, what is this for?”

The little princess refused to rise. She said with a rare stubbornness, “Brother Xian must allow me one thing, otherwise I will not rise.”

“You have to speak first to see if I can do it.” Fan Xian looked at Sisi, who was pretending to have done nothing. His heart thumped. He felt that this was matter would certainly be troublesome.

Rou Jia blushed slightly and said in a mosquito-like voice, “Later in the year, the Palace will appoint a wedding. I hope you will decide it.”

Fan Xian was shocked. How could he decide such a matter? Seeming to guess what he was thinking, Princess Rou Jia said, “You are an official of the Taichang Temple, why can you not decide?”

Fan Xian’s mouth tasted bitter. He thought that the position of official of the Taichang Temple was not a job for a human. Regardless of whether it was the Great Prince taking a Secondary fei or the Princess getting married, why did he have to strain his brain?

Thinking of this, he felt a great anger toward the bastard Ren Shao’an. He had been his good friend and was the most capable support among the three temples. The Grandmaster battle two years ago on Dong Mountain broke his nerve. In less than half a year, Ren Shao’an had found a post in a different place and ran away. The affairs of an official of the Taichang Temple were automatically handed to Fan Xian.

Fan Xian was silent for a moment. He then said awkwardly, “You are a Princess. The Palace will decide your wedding. How can I interfere?”

Rou Jia raised her face. Her eyes were rimmed with red as she said, “You did something for Sister Ruoruo’s wedding, why not for me? Can Brother Xian watch me marry into a bad family?”

It was another cry of “Brother Xian” and more hidden bitterness in her eyes. Fan Xian knew exactly what the little princess was thinking. He secretly cried out in bitterness.

The two of them were paternal cousins. It was only after Rou Jia had grown up that she had gradually severed this idea. But, a young girl’s first love was not so easily wiped away. Even if Rou Jia had no intentions toward Fan Xian, she still considered him a reliable brother, one that was even closer than Hongcheng.

Fan Xian was helpless. Looking at the tears that seemed about to fall from Rou Jia’s eyes, the cute image of a little girl below the grapevines seemed to rise in front of his eyes again. His heart softened. He truly could not allow the Palace to give her away randomly. With a burst of heroic spirit, he said, “Alright, alright. Let me handle this. I’ll pick out every age-appropriate young man in the capital and, from behind a curtain, let you choose yourself!”

“The Palace can choose a fei, I can choose you a prince consort.”

Hearing these words, the entire room was surprised, thinking that it was very bad form. However, Rou Jia transformed sorrow into joy and smiled happily, bowing again and again to Fan Xian. She carefully went and stood by his side. She picked up a corner of his sleeve as if afraid he would go back on his word and run away any moment. Happily, she said, “Thank you, Brother Xian.”

Lin Wan’er covered her mouth as she smiled. She thought Sisi’s idea had indeed been good. Her husband could not stand for it. Only such a shameless person as him would be able to think of the shocking idea of choosing a prince consort from behind a curtain.

Lin Da Bao, who had gone with the servants to raid King Jing’s vegetable patch, walked in from outside. He was covered in mud. His hands were all black. Lin Wan’er took one look and quickly went forward, tenderly calling people to bring water to wash his hands.

No one knew Da Bao would stare fixedly at Fan Xian and Rou Jia, who was holding onto his sleeve, and wonder to himself why this little sister was stealing his spot. Becoming a bit upset, he pulled Wan’er’s hand and walked to Fan Xian’s side. Picking up his other sleeve, he glared at Rou Jia and mumbled, “Xiao Xianxian, I’m hungry. I want to eat buns.”

Everyone laughed. Only Fan Xian’s expression was full of helplessness.

…

…

Princess Rou Jia had grown up with Fan Ruoruo, so they were very good friends. It was Ruoruo’s first time back to Jingdou. The two girls had many things to talk about. By night time, they had still not finished. King Jing waved his hand and allowed the princess to go with the Fan family’s carriage. She could return after living a week at the Fan manor.

Two days later, Fan Xian took his sister out of the city again. This time, they were going to Chen Garden outside Jingdou. The road was long and difficult to traverse. Additionally, there were even more beautiful women there with bared breasts and stomachs in the newly re-built Chen Garden. Each time Wan’er and Sisi went, they got a headache. This time, they refused to go. Princess Rou Jia was afraid of Director Chen and also refused to go.

Fan Xian and his sister went alone. Chen Pingping was an elder. His previous comradeship with Fan Jian meant that it was inexcusable for Fan Ruoruo not to visit after returning to the capital.

Upon entering Chen Garden, the view was just as before, or perhaps it was even more beautiful than before. The fire the Qin family had lit during the rebellion had no impact other than giving Chen Pingping more excuses to ask for silver from the palace treasury. The green rockery was still there. The outer woods filled with traps were still just as sinister. The women in the garden were just as beautiful. The person singing was still Sang Wen’s younger sister.

After entering the garden, they exchanged a few words. Fan Xian had wanted to carefully tell Chen Pingping about the Emperor’s arrangements in Xiliang, as well as the Council’s problem in handling it. Unexpectedly, the old cripple sitting in the wheelchair waved his hand and directly stopped him from speaking.

After Fan Jian had retired and returned to Danzhou, Chen Pingping had completely let go of the Overwatch Council’s authority. He didn’t even want to hear about it. Fan Xian was perhaps able to guess at the hidden meaning, but he was still not used to it.

From the moment he opened his eyes in this life, the first people he had seen were Uncle Wu Zhu and the old man in the wheelchair. From Danzhou to after he entered the capital, he had grown under this old man’s careful protection and cruel training. Chen Pingping’s orders had run through his life. Like the trees in the back garden in Danzhou, they shielded him from the wind and blocked him from the rain.

He was used to Chen Pingping standing behind him, helping him resolve his greatest annoyances. Once Chen Pingping fell into silence, he sank into slight unease.

Chen Pingping was growing older by the day. The lines at the corner of his eyes were growing deeper and deeper. Fortunately, he had not managed Council affairs these two years. He only relaxed in Chen Garden, so his energy was pretty good. He didn’t pay attention to Fan Xian’s silent unease. Instead, he smiled slightly as he chatted leisurely with Fan Ruoruo. Bringing up the Qing Mountain in Northern Qi and speaking of Ku He’s death, he sighed with feeling.

The old cripple was becoming more and more like a common old man in a village and not the ruler of darkness that had controlled the entire world. Even Fan Ruoruo could not adjust to such a change at once.

After leaving Chen Garden, Fan Xian was silent for a long time. In a quiet voice, he asked, “How much longer can he live?”

He had two reasons for bringing Ruoruo. One was to visit. The second was to use his sister’s exquisite and extraordinary medical skills to confirm the end of Chen Pingping’s allocated lifespan. Fan Xian hoped that the old cripple would have a longer and content later years.

“A dozen years ago, the Director suffered a number of heavy injuries. Both his legs had broken long ago. His meridians are not connected, and he was poisoned two years ago. His body is failing, and he is exhausting his qi. He could be in danger at any moment.” Fan Ruoruo’s brows furrowed slightly and was slightly confused. “But, the Imperial Academy of Medicine have looked after him very well these two years. He should be able to hold on for a few more years.”

Fan Xian didn’t make a sound. He took out a few pieces of paper and handed them over. “The Imperial Academy does not seem to have such abilities. To be able to give this prescription and look after the old Director’s body so well, they would have to be even better than Sir Fei Jie.”

Fan Ruoruo accepted the prescription and looked at it closely. Her heart jumped. She couldn’t help but glance at her brother. “This is the prescription for Chen Garden?”

“Is it not very familiar?”

“Their skill in the use of medicine to treat the illness is above mine. It is very accurate without a trace of extra. The style is very familiar.”

Fan Ruoruo bit her lip. She knew why her brother had shown her the prescription. The practice of medicine and dispensing of medical ingredients was like a martial art. Each had their style as to how much of each medicinal ingredient to use, what it targeted, and how it should be administered. As long as one has spent long enough in medicine, one could always sense something. Furthermore, the person who wrote this prescription had a rather substantial connection to Fan Ruoruo.

Fan Xian closed his eyes and said, “The Mu Peng who taught you medical skills on Qing Mountain, has it been two years since he returned to Northern Qi?”

Fan Ruoruo looked at her brother and nodded. She tried to speak but stopped. Fan Xian knew what his sister was worried about. In some ways, Ku He’s disciple Mu Peng was his sister’s teacher in medicine. Of course, his sister did not want her brother to act against him.

“I can’t even thank him enough, so how could I act against him? I just don’t understand. As a Tianyi Dao disciple, why did he come to the Qing Kingdom to so such things?” Fan Xian closed his eyes.

…

…

When investigating a matter, the simplest way was to confront each other and ask face to face, particularly when it involved secrets.

On a cloudy afternoon, by the Lotus Pond Square in the west of Jingdou, a place where all kinds of people mixed and mingled, a black clothed-man wearing a straw hat walked directly up a two-story building. He entered silently. Flipping his palm over, a black dagger silently extended out, coming to rest lightly against a person’s neck.

The decorations in the room were simple. The person was packing a bag near the bed as if preparing for a long journey. He was dressed as a doctor. He suddenly felt a chill that made the hairs on his neck stand up.

He was Mu Peng, Ku He’s second disciple and the most talented doctor in Northern Qi. Two years ago, following the dying wishes of his master, he had entered deep into the South Kingdom and exhausted all his means to get near Chen Pingping. He used his exquisite medical skills to win Chen Pingping’s trust and found an excuse to hide his identity.

Although he was a doctor, there were no common people among Ku He’s disciples. To have someone sneak in silently using the clamoring by Lotus Pond Square as a cover and be able to put a blade to his throat, he knew the assassin behind him had to be the best in the world.

Mu Peng didn’t turn his head and or make any movement. However, a cloud of powder exploded against the black-clothed man’s face. This move was incredibly sinister and a rarely seen ability. The disciples of Tianyi Dao were indeed remarkable.

The powder slid down the straw hat. Fan Xian closed his eyes and didn’t make a sound. He didn’t even breathe because he knew the powder contained a terrifying poison. In a miscalculated move, he didn’t drag the dagger across. Instead, he gently flicked his finger and stabbed a poisonous needle into the back of Mu Peng’s neck.

Mu Peng’s body went numb. Acting before his body froze, he slapped a hand against the little bottle in his bag and shattered it. Poisonous smoke spilled out.

Fan Xian’s hand extended out behind him like lightning. Quickly, he used a green cloth it to envelop the poisonous smoke. Not a single tendril escaped.