Joy of Life

After Fan Wujiu heard He Zongwei’s icy words, he slowly lowered his head and did not have any obvious reaction. He was silent for a while. He then said in a low voice, “Before you report to the Emperor, you should try and find out more.”

“Naturally. Alright, it’s late. You should go rest,” He Zongwei said casually and waved his hand. He then picked up the file on his table again.

Fan Wujiu glanced at He Zongwei. A darkness flashed through his eyes. He bowed and left. After he walked out of the study, He Zongwei immediately put down the file in his hands and looked silently toward the door, deep in thought.

Initially, he was worried about having one of the Second Prince’s trusted eight generals take his side. After all, many people in Jingdou knew about Fan Wujiu’s identity. If this was discovered and spread into the Palace, who knew what the Emperor would think.

The Second Prince had been a member of the rebellion. For He Zongwei to take in one of his old subordinates was slightly risky.

However, he quickly came to a decision. After all, Fan Wujiu had his own skills. Although the eight generals, whose names silently spread throughout Jingdou and the jianghu, were not much in front of the Overwatch Council, they were incredible figures. The Second Prince had been engaged with the court for a long time, so the trusted aides at his side were all the most talented.

Other than Fan Wujiu’s personal abilities, there were two important reasons He Zongwei had taken him in. First, his goal was the same as his. They both wanted to defeat Fan Xian. Second, he still controlled some of the resources the Second Prince had left behind.

Three years ago, the Second Prince had failed and died. His supporters in the court had long been swept clean by the Emperor and Fan Xian. However, there were still some officials hidden in the lower levels of the court who were secretly biding their time, either for an opportunity to avenge their master or to find a new master and have the chance to see the light again.

He Zongwei needed these people, and they needed Scholar He in the court. However, He Zongwei could not personally recruit these powers and had to go through Fan Wujiu. Thus, he could appear clean in front of the Emperor.

When all was said and done, He Zongwei was walking a lonely steel rope with an endless drop into the abyss on either side. It was dangerous.

Not long after Fan Wujiu left the study, the cousin of the He clan, who had left earlier, returned. The two looked at each other. Each saw the emotion in the other’s eyes. He Zongwei smiled gently and said, “When you’re investigating the whereabouts of Wang Qinian and Gao Da, don’t make use of the people the Second Prince left behind.”

His cousin bowed respectfully and replied, “I understand. When you and Sir Fan Wujiu spoke earlier, I understood.”

He Zongwei nodded his head approvingly and said, “There are some things that are inconvenient for him to know about.”

There were many things that were inconvenient for Fan Wujiu to know about. Earlier, Fan Wujiu and He Zongwei discussed that the best way to topple Fan Xian would be to start from the living people associated with Wang Qinian and Gao Da. Only relying on He Zongwei’s power and the remnants of the Second Prince’s power, it would be impossible for them break through the Overwatch Council’s layers of black fog to find a true clue. Thus, Fan Wujiu suggested that He Zongwei should directly meet with the Emperor and use the Emperor’s suspicions to have the internal court take action.

The problem was that He Zongwei had a branch of power in his hand that the Emperor had granted him, which no one knew about.

The Emperor trusted Chen Pingping absolutely, greatly favored Fan Xian, and the Overwatch Council was truly very powerful. If they were only balanced externally, a ruler would certainly not feel at ease. That is why there was a Ministry of Internal Affairs set up. Furthermore, the Palace planted a number of trusted aides in the Overwatch Council.

Chen Pingping and Fan Xian were probably both very aware of it, but they didn’t bring it to light with the Emperor and guarded against it secretly.

Since the Imperial Censor was to contend against the Overwatch Council, the spies the internal court or the Ministry of Internal Affairs had placed in the past were, three years later, slowly transferred by Eunuch Yao to He Zongwei’s control. This power darker than the night was managed by He Zongwei’s clan brother.

He Zongwei hummed for a moment. He then said, “Have the outer people investigate. If the Overwatch Council still has contact with Wang Qinian, there will certainly be traces. But, don’t let them know exactly what we’re investigating.”

“What if the Emperor finds out that you’re investigating and asks questions?”

“The Emperor won’t concern himself over such minor matters,” He Zongwei said with his head down. “We’ll report to the Emperor after we’ve found some things and have the Emperor decide.”

If He Zongwei held an important matter in his hands that could provoke the relationship between the Emperor and Fan Xian, he would not report it quietly and secretly to the Emperor and give him and Fan Xian the chance to discuss it in private. Instead, he would do his best blow the matter up.

His cousin understood the meaning hidden in his words and didn’t say more. Straightforwardly, he said, “I won’t disappoint you.”

The study once again recovered its silence. He Zongwei sat behind the table and couldn’t help but shake his head. He didn’t have a pageboy but always had a few advisory figures. However, those advisors were strictly forbidden from entering the back garden. Other than his confidants, no one came near the study.

He knew that if he could truly trust Fan Wujiu, then this matter would proceed much more easily. However, he was unable to completely trust Fan Wujiu, particularly as he appeared as a strategist in front of him.

When it came to strategists, He Zongwei had always held a great suspicion. Many years ago, he made his mark by successfully toppling Lin Ruofu. However, he knew that the fall of the previous Prime Minister had little to do with him. It was the Emperor’s desire. The person who had truly executed it and struck the Prime Minister the hardest blow was the strategist in his manor that appeared boundlessly honest and at ease, Yuan Hongdao.

Back then, He Zongwei had brought Wu Bo’an’s wife and lived in the old manor. Following the Eldest Princess’s order, he made contact with the Prime Minister’s manor and had interacted with Yuan Hongdao.

He knew what a treacherous attack strategist Yuan Hongdao had committed. The slowly exposed truth a few years ago had astounded him. Yuan Hongdao had been part of the Overwatch Council.

There was an icy chill in He Zongwei’s heart. He was scared of the Overwatch Council’s power. Although he controlled some people within the Council, the more he learned about the Council, the more scared he felt. He was scared that the gardener in his manor was a spy from the First Bureau. He was afraid that the chubby serving maid was a killer of the Sixth Bureau. He was afraid that the food he ate every day contained a slow working poison from the Third Bureau.

He was scared. He wondered if even Fan Wujiu, who the Second Prince behind, was a man of the Overwatch Council. Would he stab a knife ruthlessly toward his body in the future?

He wanted to defeat Fan Xian, which was why he was more terrified that Fan Xian would defeat him. It had already been many years. He was well-respected in court. After he returned to the manor, he was submerged in an uneasy and unhealthy mood. He always felt that every person he saw in the manor could be someone the Overwatch Council sent.

Thus, there were not many servants and serving girls in the He manor. He used very few people. If he had no choice but to use someone, he would rather go through the effort of seeking out a clan brother from his hometown. Unexpectedly, this seized for him the reputation of being honest and modest.

Sometimes, He Zongwei felt that he was going to be driven to madness by this tension. But, he could not go mad. He had to obtain the final victory. He was already at the edge of darkness and had found that hidden but eye-piercing sliver of dawn.

He pushed open the door and stood alone in the corridor. His face was slightly pale, and his heart was unusually heavy. Occasionally, he thought of that woman and traces of pain would appear in his eyes.

No one knew what torment Scholar He’s heart went through. No one knew that he was a man close to madness. A few days after the banquet at the Sun manor, all the civil and martial officials in court, and even some scholars and commoners who heard some things, all knew that Scholar He had thoroughly lost this battle.

The Emperor had not issued an official edict but had allowed He Zongwei to deal with the matter of the Jingdou government as he willed. The Emperor was clearly using this matter to establish Scholar He’s power and position in court. Unexpectedly, Fan Xian returned from Dongyi, drank some wine, went to the Palace, had an argument, and made a visit to the Imperial Academy. He had directly smacked back the hand Scholar He had stretched out.

No one found Scholar He’s loss of face and failure strange. After all, the opponent he faced was not an official of the six ministries and not the nobles he had faced before. It was Fan Xian.

If Fan Xian did not act, it would have been fine. However, once he decided to do something, he would always achieve it. This had already become a widely understood fact.

It was clear that the Emperor did not have any good ideas when it came to dealing with his illegitimate child. After all, if it was just a mere Jingdou magistrate, the Emperor would not actually turn against his favorite child.

The old official sent to check the accounts by the Ministry of Revenue left the Jingdou government miserably. Under the immense pressure from the top, the secret investigation by the Ministry of Appointments and the Ministry of Justice, fortunately, came to a stop. From the Hall of Departmental Affairs, although Hu the Scholar did not give word, he had quietly given a reminder to various officials in front of He Zongwei. Although this reminder was light, it was also weighted.

…

…

All was quiet in Jingdou.

The Qingming festival during April had long gone by. Spring light was shining charmingly. In civilian clothing, Fan Xian sat on a horse heading east, talking and laughing with the officials at his side seeing him off.

He struck another blow against He Zongwei and gained the upper hand again during an argument with the Emperor. He had at least protected his power. It would not be weakened too severely for a short while. Fan Xian’s mood was good. Even though he was about to embark on another long journey and would have to endure in the Sword Hut in Dongyi with the stench of medicinal herbs, he was still feeling good.

After he finished exchanging pleasantries with the officials seeing him off and accepted a large basket of bullsh*t, as well as some cold and sour words said in secret about He Zongwei, Fan Xian’s expression didn’t change as he left the leaving pavilion, dismounted his horse, and ducked inside his own black carriage.

It was calm all around, but there was another person in the carriage. Yan Bingyun looked at him and suddenly said, “There are already the beginnings of turmoil in Dongyi. Are you sure you don’t want me to go to suppress it?”

“This time, I will bring the Black Knights into the city,” Fan Xian said, with faint worry surging between his brows. “The old Director will be going back to his hometown soon. You need to stay here to keep an eye on things for me. If you leave with me, who will run things in the Overwatch Council in Jingdou?”

Very acutely, Yan Bingyun saw the worry in his heart and was confused, but he didn’t dare ask directly. Instead, he said, “This time, He Zongwei lost a great deal of face. Presumably, the Imperial Censor will be quiet for a while.”

“Don’t underestimate him,” Fan Xian said. “Although these officials talked negatively about him in front of us today, in a different situation, which one of them would speak up in front of He Zongwei? The position of an official is a word from the Emperor. As long as his royal favor remains, he will not fall.”

“Furthermore, he is a tough one,” Fan Xian said and suddenly smiled slightly. “I had always thought He Zongwei’s playing field was too small. Unexpectedly, he did something that surprised me.”

Yan Bingyun did not smile. Calmly, he said, “I’ve discovered that Fan Wujiu is in the He manor. If you really want to defeat He Zongwei, you just have to tell the Emperor.”

Fan Xian was silent for a moment. He then shook his head. “Fan Wujiu’s decision surprised me. Back then, he fled Jingdou and was clearly a timid and death-fearing man. Unexpectedly, after the Second Prince’s death, he had the courage to return to Jingdou and carry out a so-called revenge plot.”

He raised his hand to rub between his brows. Raising his face and sighing with admiration, he said, “Although he clearly knows that this is not viable, Fan Wujiu’s actions have the style of antiquity. I like it very much.”

Yan Bingyun furrowed his brows and said, “I don’t believe you like He Zongwei, and I also don’t believe that you are letting him go because of something like antiquity.”

“Now, I need to deal with a major matter. Before the Director returns to his hometown, you and I are not going to do anything, in case it causes something to change,” Fan Xian said seriously.

Yan Bingyun’s heart jumped slightly. Not many things could shock him, but he sensed a trace of danger in Fan Xian’s words.

“Nothing should go wrong,” Fan Xian said quietly, “but nothing more can go wrong. There can’t be any major disturbances in court. We cannot rush anything.”

“He Zongwei is rushing to do something,” Yan Bingyun said coldly as he handed a piece of paper to him. “Although I haven’t found out what it is yet, there have been some hidden currents in the Council recently. However, I don’t know the reason.”

Fan Xian sank into thought. He was not an immortal, and the Overwatch Council was not omnipotent. Perhaps because of some emotional reasons, Fan Xian had not been willing to think about how Lao Wang, who used to be the closest to him, was doing these years in a distant place. For a time, he had not thought about it. As for Gao Da, Fan Xian had thought he died long ago.

“With just Fan Wujiu, it is enough to bring He Zongwei down. We essentially have a powerful weapon in our hands,” Fan Xian said. “If He Zongwei makes any major moves, you can toss Fan Wujiu out. There is no need for an official who takes in the old subordinates of a rebellious prince to continue staying in court.”

Yan Bingyun was silent for a moment. He then said, “Sir He made a fatal mistake.”

Fan Xian said, “That is because he thinks he understands the Emperor and the power of the Overwatch Council. In reality, he doesn’t understand anything.”