Joy of Life

Absurd people speak absurd words and do absurd things. On Jan. 7 in the 11th year of the Qing calendar, Fan Xian ordered his subordinates to kill officials in the street and openly killed a scholar of the Hall of Governmental Affairs at the feet of the Royal Palace. He had truly done some absurd things that had never happened in the Qing Kingdom before. Now, he was speaking with assurance and composure about acting on orders and purging for the Emperor. It was as if these words could explain his actions. It was truly extremely absurd.

Even though it was so absurd, a glimmer of a thoughtful cynicism unexpectedly pulled up at the corners of the Emperor’s lips. He did not grow angry. “When did I give you this order?”

“Being considerate of the Emperor’s heart is something I should do as an official,” Fan Xian calmly replied.

With the New Year just being celebrated and the relaxed defenses around Jingdou, along with taking advantage of the Palace’s underestimation of his influence on the old members of the Overwatch Council and ability to summon them, Fan Xian was able to proceed ferociously and kill all of the key members of He Zongwei’s faction. The most important reason for this plan being able to succeed was that Fan Xian had taken action too quickly. It could even be considered abrupt. No one in the Palace or the court had any foreshadowing.

Like a clap of thunder from silence that made everyone under heaven cover their ears in fright, this was Fan Xian’s intention. He had to think of a way out after failure. He had to act first and kill all those officials who watched him closely like hunting dogs. If he killed them thoroughly enough, even if he did fail in the future, perhaps the lives of the officials and subordinates he wanted to protect would be easier.

The surprise thunder had sounded, but it could not sound on forever. In just a moment, the court would immediately react. Once the Qing Kingdom’s powerful national machinery began to move, and the powerful military forces entered Jingdou, Fan Xian’s strength could only be crushed like a dead branch, particularly inside Jingdou.

Presumably, the Jingdou Garrison was already working with the 13 city guards to clean out the nest. The imperial soldiers guarding the Palace strictly would not interfere, but that was sufficient. The subordinates loyal to Fan Xian were slipping into the shadows. For Fan Xian, this was nowhere near enough. To seek as large a chance of survival as he could for those loyal to him under the strict Qing laws and the Emperor’s anger was the reason for him saying these absurd things to the Emperor.

“Scholar He keeps two vicious dogs in front of his manor and has a reputation for being honest. However, two brothers of his tribe also had the reputation of being vicious dogs. They have never hesitated in forcefully seizing land and women.” The corners of Fan Xian’s lips curved up slightly. “Although there were no cases of buying officials and accepting bribes, in these three years, the inside of Scholar He’s rundown manor saw the addition of dozens of scrolls of famous art from the Wei Dynasty.

“Wu Fanjiu was an old subordinate of Chengze back in the day and was one of the Eight Generals. Although he has since escaped the manor, he also participated in the plot. Three years after the Jingdou rebellion, this man did not return to the court to hand himself in. Instead, he hid his identity and devoted himself to Scholar He’s manor. One could guess what he was planning without asking. However, He Zongwei knew this person’s identity but concealed it secretly. Who knows for what purpose?”

Fan Xian spoke slowly and calmly. The Overwatch Council had long investigated He Zongwei. Because of the Emperor’s dignity, these things they had worked hard to discover could not be exposed to the world. Naturally, Fan Xian would not hold anything back now, particularly as he knew for sure that the Emperor in front of him knew these things perhaps even better than him.

“Months ago, Fan Wujiu was mysteriously met with an assassination and almost died.” Fan Xian suddenly smiled looking at the Emperor’s profile. The silencing of Fan Wujiu had been ordered by the Emperor. “Fortunately, one of my people just happened to be passing by and rescued him. In the end, we managed to obtain a confession. This confession should have been sent to the Overwatch Council by now.”

Back when He Zongwei and the widow of Sir Peng were being pursued by the Prime Minister’s manor, the Second Prince and Li Hongcheng just happened to pass by. That person from He Zongwei’s manor was attacked, and the Shadow just happened to pass by. Matters in life were always like this.

“What made me more curious was that Scholar He is not young but still has not taken a wife. He doesn’t even have a concubine, yet he lived alone with his aunt…”

Just as Fan Xian continued without stopping and savored his narration of Scholar He’s crimes, the Emperor finally coldly said, “Enough. Sir He was wholeheartedly devoted to the country. Even if he had offended you in the past, in the end, he died to your hands. Why use these dirty words to frame a dead person?”

“Your Majesty is right,” Fan Xian said.

“You should know that I know about these matters,” the Emperor replied.

“Yes, Your Majesty. However, the people under heaven do not know that the Sir He Your Majesty favors is this kind of person.” Fan Xian had already restrained the smile on his face. Calmly and steadily, he pressed forward.

“I have already sent people to raze the He manor. After all lists, names, and crimes have been copied, copies of the records will be sent to the Overwatch Council. Presumably, before too long, Director Yan will personally deliver them to the Palace. As for the originals, they have already been sent to the Danbo Bookstore and Xishang Bookstore, or perhaps another place. In a few more days, everyone under heaven will see this report.”

“If you want to do these things, how could you do it without the eight bureaus? Are you threatening me? Do you want the people of the world to laugh at me?” The corners of the Emperor’s mouth turned up in a smile.

“I dare not. I just want Your Majesty to think carefully. What happened to today is bound to shock the world. Regardless of whether historians could straighten their backs, there is always unofficial histories and the opinions of others. It will eventually be recorded in books and left in the annals of history.”

Fan Xian lowered his head slightly and calmly said, “Your Majesty is a wise Emperor. Regardless of whether it’s I, the Director of the Overwatch Council, who has lost his reason or Scholar He who died innocently, neither looks good when written down. But, if Your Majesty’s imperial gaze is bright, presumably it will be a different discussion.”

“It sounds like a viable method. But, if things went like this, is it not the court that is harsh?” Perhaps the Emperor had truly been moved by what Fan Xian said as he looked coldly and mockingly at his son.

“As long as it is a subject, they are, in the end, your servant. It is nothing if a servant dies. If they can please you after their death, that can be considered an honor.” Fan Xian’s words were very harsh. It was uncertain whether he was mocking himself and the officials of the court, the already dead Scholar He, or this cold Emperor in front of him who never forgot the word “gentle” and “humane.”

“The court has its own laws. Even if He Zongwei has crimes he should be charged with, he should be taken into prison by a department, questioned thoroughly, and then openly punished. How could he be brutally killed?” the Emperor asked, perhaps not hearing the mockery in Fan Xian’s tone.

“Even if the officials who acted out of righteous anger today has committed a crime, it was in consideration of the Emperor. Their crimes could be forgiven. As for me, a man who has lost all reason, naturally, I cannot be forgiven.” Fan Xian smiled bitterly. “Using my life to quiet the discussions of the world, presumably, no one would think that He Zongwei lost out.”

The Emperor’s expression did not change as he listened to these seemingly gentle but actually harsh words. “However, I still feel remorse toward Scholar He.”

“The dead are already dead.” Fan Xian said the words measuredly.

Unexpectedly, a disappointed and gloomy expression suddenly appeared on the Emperor’s face. Quietly, he looked at him and said after a moment, “If the dead truly are already dead, then why would you enter the Palace today?”

Fan Xian was silent. There was nothing to say between him and the Emperor concerning this topic. The last time he had entered the palace, the difference between the titles father and Emperor had already been described. However, Fan Xian’s determined attitude in entering the Palace explained his intentions clearly.

However, Fan Xian had to eventually explain the rumors going around Jingdou. How the court decided the murders, even if there was the slightest change in opinion, would bring an attack of a completely different level down on his loyal subordinates. The Emperor’s word was his bond.

The Xishang and Danbo bookstores were prepared to publish everything to the world. Fan Xian did not want to use just his good name in history to threaten the Emperor because it was completely impossible. He understood too well the Emperor’s severity, heartlessness, and philosophy of putting interest before all else.

Since He Zongwei had already died, no matter how he won the Emperor’s consideration and appreciation during his life, he was nothing more than a useless servant. For a normal official, the Emperor saw them all equally as servants. This was a heart-chilling truth.

The matter the Emperor was concerned with the most was how to make it so that Scholar He’s death did not shake the foundations of the Qing court. Fan Xian wanted to use the plan he had prepared to talk the Emperor into accepting. As for killing an official in cold-blood, this was a crime he could not escape and did not want to escape. His determination had already touched the bottom line of a feudalistic kingdom. Regardless of whether he stood on the Emperor’s side or officialdom’s side, there was no place for Fan Xian in the Qing Kingdom. No matter how large it was.

Most strangely, the royal family always cared about having a humane presence. Even a ruler who saw their people as ants, who cared nothing about the lives and deaths of their officials and had severe thoughts in secret, when a close official raised a suggestion, they would still carefully pull out the banner of righteousness to hide behind. They would certainly not act as Fan Xian did and speak so openly.

Yet, Fan Xian had done it in this and said it in this way. The Emperor did not think it was a shame and listened to it casually. In the entire world, such a naked, bloody, and shameless conversation could probably only take place between this royal father and son duo. If there was someone else there who could hear the contents of their conversation, other than shock at the contents themselves, they would also notice another severe problem.

In the cold, desolate palace, Fan Xian had not given a greeting, bowed, knelt, or referred to himself as an official. He only started with the pronoun “I.” He replied indifferently and spoke openly, with little regard for etiquette.

The Emperor tolerated Fan Xian’s presumptuousness because there was a faint glimmer of coldness in the depths of his eyes, so he only waved his hand in annoyance. Perhaps other people could not see the meaning in each of the Emperor’s movements, but Fan Xian was not the same. He quickly straightened his body. His expression became calm again as his spirit steadied. He knew that the judgment of the matter would be slightly different. Although the crime was not too different, there was a great difference between the court openly arresting someone and a secret attack.

A gust of cold wind blew by and whipped up the snow on the long grass behind them. It landed on their bodies, adding an extra sense of coldness and severity. If the dead He Zongwei knew the Emperor, to whom he remained loyal to the death, and Sir Fan junior, who had killed him, had only used a conversation to turn his death into something questionable, the grievance in his heart would rise a few notches.

However, this was a feudalistic kingdom and a so-called royal family. In the eyes of these two shameless father and son, regardless of whether it was in officialdom or among the common people, the Qing Emperor, and Fan Xian’s reputations were both more powerful than that of this rising official. As for how this would be handled and whether it could chill the hearts of the officials, that would be the problem of how the Palace specifically manipulated this.

The snow continued to fall slowly and coldly. The Emperor slowly turned around and silently looked at Fan Xian, who was almost as tall as he was and did not speak for a long time. Usually, when Fan Xian was in front of the Emperor, he would always involuntarily bend his body or lower his head. Now, Fan Xian straightened his back and stood tall. Only now did the Emperor realize that this son of his was almost as tall as him.

A chilling and mighty pressure emanated from the body of the yellow-robed man, rooting Fan Xian to the snow-covered ground. This aura had not been purposely dispersed. Rather, it moved according to changing feelings and emotions. The forceful essence was accidentally revealed and even impacted the surrounding environment.

Fan Xian’s expression did not change. Calmly and intently, he breathed in the snow-filled air. He and his father had talked a long time. They both knew that this moment would eventually come. At this time, He Zongwei’s matter had been resolved. Naturally, it was time for the matter between the two of them.

“I am very curious about what exactly you’re relying on coming alone into the Palace to meet me.” The Emperor’s expression was calm. His face tilted upward very naturally, filled with a sense of mockery and disdain.

“I have nothing to rely on.” Fan Xian slowly closed his eyes. After a moment of silence, he took a deep breath and bravely opened his eyes to look directly at the unfathomable Emperor in front of him. In a voice that was calm to the point of numbness, he said, “I just want to fight fairly with Your Majesty.”

Fight fairly! Fight fairly? After a slight pause, the Emperor could not hold back his laughter. The laugh was deep, resounding, and filled with a sense of absurdity. It echoed around the Royal Palace that was sunk deep in winter, waking up countless little spirits hibernating beneath the frozen ground.

The Emperor’s eyes narrowed slightly. A strange amusement flashed from the corners of his clear eyes. In a slightly raspy voice, he said, “What right do you have to seek fairness from me?”

It was true. In front of the Emperor, what right did Fan Xian have to seek fairness? His sister was still in the Royal Palace, and his family was still in the capital. Although his subordinates had let loose, in the Emperor’s eyes, they were still a bunch of ants that could not create much disturbance. Precisely because of the Emperor’s powerful confidence, he cared nothing for the disturbances in Jingdou. If he wanted to, he could easily summon the military and, using the absolute authority within his control, pin Fan Xian down firmly so that he could not move at all.

The words “fight fairly” were arrogant, valiant, and childish. The Royal Palace of the imperial family was not like the wild jianghu. If one wanted to fight, but the Emperor did not disdain to fight, what could one do?

Fan Xian’s expression did not change. Calmly and firmly, he returned the Emperor’s gaze and said, word by word, “Right lies in power. I think I still have the power to joyfully ask for death.”

The Emperor’s eyes narrowed slightly following these words. His deep gaze naturally swept southeast pass Fan Xian’s shoulder, toward the endless peaks of the groups of palaces. The winter Palace that should have been filled with noise was incomparably silent. No sudden noises rang out. No unusual movements occurred. However, the Emperor’s heart trembled slightly. He knew something had gone wrong. Since Fan Xian had come alone in the Palace to request his blood be spilled in a just cause for the sake of joyful vengeance, then he had prepared an escape route, a bargaining chip to demonstrate his right.

If the world was a game of chess, the chessboard between the father and son was seven Roads of territory, three factions of power, and countless provinces. The chess pieces were hundreds of millions of people, endless wealth, and the hearts of the people. Fan Xian’s actions, other than valiant and brave, were with the intention of taking back the chessboard from the world and changing it into the frozen earth of the Royal Palace that he stood on to remove those pieces from the board, leaving just him and the Emperor. This was his severe severance. Severe for him, and severance for the Emperor.

In order to have the Emperor abandon the chessboard of the world and ensure the safety of those pieces, Fan Xian had to have enough bargaining power to persuade him, which included He Zongwei’s death. If Fan Xian did not demonstrate sufficient proof of his killing power, then he would have no right to say these words.

The first bargaining chip Fan Xian tossed out was a fire in the midst of winter. At this time, this fire was burning in a secluded but tightly guarded room somewhere in the Royal Palace. A dozen internal court aces, who never concerned themselves with the affairs of the world and were only responsible for guarding the item in that room, watched in a daze as the sparks of fire gradually spewed out of the window. They knew that it was all over for them.

Before long, the fire in the room was extinguished. However, the files and records inside had long been burned away without leaving anything behind.

The Emperor gazed at the palaces in the southeast corner and saw black smoke rising. After a while, the black smoke dispersed among the snow and disappeared without a trace. His gaze finally became cold and heavy.

“Even within this Palace, not many people know where the records of the processes of the palace treasury are kept.” The Emperor’s gaze did not land on Fan Xian’s face. He just coldly said, “I am truly surprised that you were able to find it and burn it all.”

Fan Xian stood to the side and said, “There are only two copies of the palace treasury’s processes of the industrial arts. One copy is in North Min, and the other is inside the Palace. Since I can burn the copy inside the Palace, I can also burn the copy in North Min. Regardless of whether Su Wenmao is dead or not, I trust that Your Majesty understands that, in Jiangnan and in the palace treasury, I have the power to do all this.”

After saying this, Fan Xian looked at the Emperor’s calm expression and sighed in his heart. The palace treasury was the foundation of the Qing Kingdom. It had abruptly been damaged, yet the Emperor remained as calm as ever. Such realm of bearing truly surpassed that of mortal men and entered the realm of saints. How could it be opposed by such a mortal as him?