Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio
After a number of autumn rains, the picturesquely disordered noble manors in Jingdou had all been lightly soaked.
Fan Xian held his fist next to his lips and coughed. He then pulled his gaze back from the window. He breathed heavily for a moment and then slowly sat on the bed.
The inn had a clear view of the beautiful scenery in the south of the city. Although the mattress on his bed was not thick, it felt very good. He unconsciously slid his palm across the fabric and sighed. Seeing the sight of Jingdou’s familiar streets after the attack at Dong Mountain, Yan Xiaoyi’s chase north, and escaping death countless times, he couldn’t help but feel as if it all were a lifetime ago.
After using the assault rifle to kill Yan Xiaoyi, he recovered from his heavy injuries in the meadow a full two days before he had enough power and energy to head to the little-known path that wound through the mountains.
After suffering through indescribable difficulties and making his way through the little trail Uncle Wu Zhu had told him about, Fan Xian entered Song Kingdom, which was under the protection of Dongyi. In that small vassal state, he didn’t dare act impetuously given his unhealed injuries. He only asked the innkeeper to get him some medicine.
Although his medical skills were not the best in the world, he had spent a lot of time learning about healing knife wounds and curing poisons from Fei Jie. In addition to getting the right medicine for his injuries, he had Tyrannical zhenqi in his body as a foundation. Tianyi Dao’s natural aura also flowed and healed. In this way, his injuries gradually became better.
However, Yan Xiaoyi’s shot was too powerful. Although it didn’t hit his heart, it had shocked his heart meridian. This injury had not yet healed. His heart meridian was damaged, so his coughing could not be suppressed.
Fan Xian was aware of the state of his body. At most, he was at about 60 percent of his peak condition.
Leaving Song Kingdom, he passed through the south of Yanjing. Even though he later rented a carriage to enter Qing Kingdom, he still took a huge detour. By the time Fan Xian had disguised himself as a soybean oil merchant and entered the capital, he was many days behind the messengers. Furthermore, it had been tiring traveling the thousands of li. His gradually healing injuries began to linger.
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All along the way, Fan Xian carefully avoided making contact with subordinates in the Overwatch Council. After entering the Qing Kingdom territory, everything that happened in Jingdou and the initial reactions were all supported by the intelligence reports.
He did not contact subordinates in the Overwatch Council because he was somewhat worried. If the nobles in Jingdou actually put the blame on his shoulders, even if he was the Commissioner of the Overwatch Council, who would be loyal to a traitor that killed the Emperor?
Fan Xian was not willing to test human nature, even if they were subordinates of the Overwatch Council.
In the afternoon, he disguised himself and went out and walked a circle around the streets. Many of the important places were already under the control of the Imperial Army and Jingdou Government. In particular, he could feel the existence of many aces around his home, so he didn’t make contact with the people in the manor.
After carefully avoiding the medicine hall, he entered a hidden treasury in the Third Bureau and took out the medicine he needed. The Third Bureau always needed a large number of medical supplies. Furthermore, most of the members were strange people who only knew to bury their heads in medicine. As the Commissioner of the Overwatch Council, he knew this distribution well. Without anyone knowing, he managed to obtain the medicine and trusted that no one would find any traces.
He also went to the Overwatch Council and Bureau of Military Affairs. The Overwatch Council appeared fine, but he knew the Council was being watched at all times by the internal court. As for the Bureau of Military Affairs, it was also busy. He had a detailed understanding of military processes, so he confirmed that the empress dowager in the Royal Palace still controlled everything. She had wisely chosen, at this dangerous time, to move the border guards and began to put pressure on the surrounding areas.
Returning to the inn, he applied his medicine and soaked his feet in the icy well water. Fan Xian lowered his head and didn’t say a word. He then raised his head and took a towel to randomly wipe at his feet. Lying on his bed, he looked in a daze at the beams above and considered the most important matter. Did the Emperor truly die?
His emotions were complicated. He felt shocked, subdued, disappointed, and strange. If the Emperor was truly dead, what should he do next?
He touched the Emperor’s handwritten letter and royal seal hidden under his clothes. He closed his eyes to rest, gathering energy for his actions at night. However, he could not slip into peace for a long time. The later situation would be dangerous. There were two choices in front of him. Regardless of which choice, they were both a kind of gamble.
If he wanted to stop the Crown Prince taking the throne, he had to think of a way to enter the palace and give the Emperor’s letter and royal seal personally to the empress dowager. However, Fan Xian knew that if the Emperor was truly dead, given the empress dowager’s thinking, she might directly destroy this letter for the stability of Qing Kingdom.
The Crown Prince and he were both the empress dowager’s grandsons. However, the empress dowager had never liked him. She had even guarded against him because of Ye Qingmei’s past. No one knew how the empress dowager would decide. If she truly decided to continue hiding the truth of the Emperor’s assassination, then Fan Xian and everyone around him would naturally become the first batch of sacrificial pigs and dogs on the Crown Prince’s path to the throne.
There was another choice. Fan Xian could contact all his supporters in Jingdou and completely expose the truth of the assassination at Dong Mountain. Both sides would reveal their armies and have a vicious and open battle. Whoever won would have the right to decide the direction of the history books.
Many people would die in this choice, but it appeared to be safer for Fan Xian himself. However, Fan Xian had no way of contacting his father or Chen Pingping. Rumors said that Director Chen had, because of a cold, taken the wrong medicine a while ago and been poisoned. Since then, he had been bedridden.
Fan Xian didn’t know whether Chen Pingping was faking it or not. The report he had peaked at in the branch had stated clearly that the person who had administered the poison was the master from Dongyi. There were three master poisoners in the world. Xiao En had died, and Sir Fei had left. If the third master had truly done this, then Chen Pingping being poisoned was not something difficult to imagine.
The Royal Palace had still not confirmed that Fan Xian was the true culprit behind the Emperor’s assassination and had not had the court send out wanted notices. They had already secretly considered him the most wanted person. Once Fan Xian revealed himself in Jingdou, a restless and endless pursuit would certainly greet him.
The most disadvantageous news reaching Jingdou for Fan Xian was Yan Xiaoyi’s failure and his survival. Regardless of whether the empress dowager believed Fan Xian, once his survival was known, she would still want to control this grandson. She would decide his life and death with one eye on the future of Qing Kingdom.
Wan’er and Sisi were in the Palace, while his father was under house arrest in the manor.
Lying calmly on the bed, Fan Xian’s brain was spinning rapidly. In the end, he came to a decision. At night, he would not return to Fan manor. Instead, he would directly enter the Palace. Even if he couldn’t persuade the empress dowager, he believed he would still be able to obtain some advantages for himself. After all, in the palace, he had many helpers. Furthermore, many people would stand firmly on his side for the sake of their own interests.
As for Fan manor, the Imperial Army was commanded by the Great Prince. It would be a great threat to his father.
After thinking through all of this, another day had come to an end in Jingdou. The faint colors of dusk seeped through the window and gave the inn room a warm color. Fan Xian suddenly opened his eyes. They were filled with a powerful confidence and determination.
As long as he could wash the crime of treason from himself, he had the Overwatch Council in his hands. Although the Great Prince’s Imperial Army while outside the Palace, he had his father’s governmental powers and the help of Yi Guipin and Lady Ning inside the Palace. He also had Eunuch Hong Zhu, who was following at the empress dowager’s side.
As long as the Ye and Qin families’ armies could not enter the capital, who would be more powerful than him in Jingdou?
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The order has arrived at the Western expedition army camp. The 5,000 soldiers presenting prisoners of war have uprooted their camp and returned west. In about 10 days, they will begin the battle.
Inside the Palace, an old general sat on a soft chair and respectfully spoke to the empress dowager.
The ruler of Nanzhao is still very young. He shouldn’t cause any big trouble. As for the East and North, the Northern expedition army is riding the high of their victory. Governor Yan should be able to subdue Shang Shanhu. The Yanjing Western camp borders on Song Kingdom. They only need three days to enter their territory. Dongyi wouldn’t dare act impetuously.
The empress dowager slowly nodded her head. The news of the Emperor’s death had already spread throughout Jingdou. Although the Palace had managed to subdue it, this information would eventually spread throughout the world. No one knew whether or not the other powers in the world would take this window of opportunity. When the leader of the pack was dead and a new leader had yet to emerge, some might greedily seek out benefits for themselves. Thus, before handling the matter of the country’s throne, the people of Qing Kingdom’s first task was to use their powerful military to subdue some people’s ambitions.
Not enough,
the empress dowager glanced coldly at the old general and said.
Send out my order to have the Bureau of Military Affairs prepare a plan for battle. Within half a month, the armies of three roads must attack outwards with 100 li of land as a limit. I don’t want any more land. But, if there is one li less land, have Ye Zhong, Ye Xiaoyi, and Wang Zhikun cut off their own heads.
Your Highness is wise.
The old Master Qin sighed. As the highest ranking military official, he understood why, at this time, Qing Kingdom had to attack outwards. He still said with worry and doubt,
I’m afraid that the food supplies won’t be able to keep up if we suddenly send out troops.
We’ll fight and then return. Northern Qi and Dongyi are not deserts. Why can’t they be taken by force? It is only half a month of battle. There is no need to consider so much.
The empress dowager said coldly,
At this time, the Qing court cannot fall into chaos. We must kill and take to push other places into chaos.
