Chapter 2620 - 110-117

Chapter 110: Talking About the Future in Qingyu Hall

Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio

The siblings, unsettled, only asked for some water before setting off again. They hadn't traveled far when they saw Wang Qinian's carriage coming to pick them up. Seeing Fan Xian's unusual expression, Wang Qinian dared not speak unnecessarily.

"Why would His Majesty show up here?" Fan Ruoruo asked, wiping away sweat with her handkerchief.

Fan Xian smiled uneasily. "This emperor of ours has always lived in secret and ventures out dressed simply. I guessed this a long time ago. How could a man spend year after year in a palace? He must come out sometimes, and it wouldn't be strange for him to come to Liujing River. I did it find it amusing, though, that Sir Gong Dian did not call him 'Master Huang'."

Fan Ruoruo chuckled. "How could everything be like your stories? If what you said was true, you should have started a bookstore from the beginning."

Speaking of bookstores, Fan Xian thought of the tofu stand. He asked with a frown, "Ruoruo, what are you going to do in the future?" Fan Ruoruo's expression turned more serious. In this day and age, once a woman marries, she will dedicate herself to performing wifely duties. Considering Ruoruo's capabilities, she would most likely not want that.

But they couldn't plan too much at the moment, so they had to put the matter aside.

After entering the capital, the carriage galloped straight toward Twenty-eight-Li Hill. Despite its name, it was not a large hill, but a famous place to the south of the capital. According to legend, several centuries ago, before the capital reached its current state of grandeur, this Twenty-eight-Li Hill was the last hill one reached before entering the capital. It was named after its exact distance from the last inn on the road to the capital. Traveling this distance would fatigue the men and horses alike, and to them, this small hill appeared to be taller than the great eastern mountains.

Today, this hill had been encompassed within the city walls and was now a street. But its name remained. Qingyu Hall was located there. The carriage parked far away, and the Fan siblings stepped out, walking along the streets. They saw neat rows of various shops, all constructed with cheap timber imported from Lingnan. They were brushed over with a thin coat of paint and their many spots showed. At a glance, they appeared to look back with countless eyes.

Fan Xian was surprised, "Why use those?" He was familiar with this type of timber in his previous life, where they were commonly used in small eateries. Since they reflected natural wood, they gave off a feeling of simplicity and refreshment.

Wang Qinian shook his head; he was no businessman. Fan Ruoruo explained, "This is Qingyu Hall. Each one of these shops are run by a disciple of a great shopkeeper. There are seventeen shopkeepers and seventeen rooms." Fan Xian counted over twenty of those rooms and asked his sister about this, who answered, "With the passing time, some of the shopkeepers got old, so they are beginning to retire. Others have fallen ill."

They walked towards the front and saw a very beautiful mansion with a huge courtyard. Its roof hung over the walls, and by the look of it the courtyard was probably divided into several sections. Fan Xian's heart stirred as he sensed something familiar. After a brief moment, he remembered that this architecture was the same style as the Taiping Courtyard he saw earlier.

Those shopkeeper's living quarters were strange. The front gate was not labeled "Qingyu Hall". At the same time, a bodyguard had already sent up a notice. Upon seeing the name on that notice, the gatekeeper knew who the guest was, and very respectfully welcomed them in. Because one shopkeeper was currently helping the Fan household with Danbo Bookstore, there was no need for further formalities.

Just before they were about to enter, an official from the Imperial court who was in charge of Qingyu Hall forced his way over and began to do background checks. Wang Qinian stared at him with cold eyes and dispatched a minor subordinate to deal with the official. Wang Qinian then followed Fan Xian into Qingyu Hall.

The one in charge of Qingyu Hall was also from the Overwatch Council, so he realized he just did something quite redundant.

...

...

They entered the hall and were seated and served tea.

Sitting at the main seat was a man in his forties. He had gentle eyes, as if he had learned to become timid after years of pressure. Fan Xian knew, however, that the man was the head shopkeeper of Qingyu Hall, named "Big Ye". Back in the day he was in charge of the most important businesses in the Ye household, despite the boring and worthless image he gave off presently. Fan Xian smiled and said, "I had always thought the head shopkeeper would be advanced in age. Only after this meeting do I see you are still so young."

Ye the head shopkeeper was completely unaware of the reason for Fan Xian's visit. Even though several decades had passed, and the Ye household was no longer a touchy subject, he had been placed under house arrest in the capital for over a decade. So he was less vigorous, his body had shriveled, and his character was not as passionate as it had once been. The shopkeeper answered with an uneasy smile, "I am but an old man. You sure like to joke around, Young Master Fan."

Fan Xian chuckled. "Let's get to the point. I came here today to offer my gratitude. Thanks to the seventh shopkeeper, the bookstore has been flourishing. Secondly, I wanted to see what Qingyu Hall is like."

The head shopkeeper smiled, "Since you spent money to hire one of us, it's only natural that we earn more money for you in return. If we didn't know how to make a business lucrative, we'd have perished in the capital long ago." When he talked about earning money, the head shopkeeper couldn't hide his pride and former glory.

In his mind, Fan Xian praised the shopkeeper. That was how someone taught by his mom should compose themselves. Fan Xian then saluted the shopkeeper, "In truth, I came here today to trouble you specifically regarding something unexpected."

The head shopkeeper was greatly surprised. If it was only for business, one of Fan Xian's status would never visit in person. Could he be planning something? Head Shopkeeper Ye was concerned for the lives of his fellow shopkeepers and their families, so he refused with great difficulty. "The Imperial court has given the order that we cannot leave the capital. We really can't offer much help."

Fan Xian laughed, "I know that. I'm asking you to be someone's teacher. To my knowledge, in these years there are several members of the treasury that were taught here. I work pretty well with your seventh shopkeeper, so I wanted to recommend a student."

"Who, if I may ask?"

Fan Xian smiled without saying a word. Understanding the gesture, the head shopkeeper said, "You've traveled far. How about I let my wife accompany Miss Fan for a stroll in the garden?" He looked at Fan Xian with a smile, "Our yard is nothing extraordinary, but it was designed by the house owner. It is worth a look."

Fan Ruoruo understood as well. She smiled and followed the shopkeeper's wife out to the garden. Wang Qinian and the others were ordered to leave by Fan Xian. Seeing this level of secrecy, the head shopkeeper couldn't help but feel alarmed. Who was it that wanted to come here to study business?

"Fan Sizhe, my younger brother," Fan Xian took a sip of tea, "You must have heard of him."

The head shopkeeper Ye was secretly stunned by what he heard. Though there was no apparent conflict between the two Fan sons, Count Sinan's heritage was at stake. How could a son of that status be willing to learn to do business? Could Fan Xian be taking advantage of this in order to make Fan Sizhe ineligible from receiving an inheritance…? That would be much too absurd; much too improper.

Fan Xian didn't realize the head shopkeeper would be thinking this much into it. "My younger brother takes great joy in doing business, but he has only been keeping up due to his innate abilities and his love for the trade. He really lacks the ability to accomplish anything major. I hope you will be able to bless him with your knowledge."

The head shopkeeper immediately shook his head. As timid as he had become, he didn't want to partake in such matters. "Minister Fan is in charge of land tax. That is the biggest business there is. How could we, the miniscule Qingyu Hall, dare to teach the Younger Master?"

Fan Xian was a bit disappointed, but he didn't fret. With his plan, this teacher would have nowhere to run. He sat quietly and slowly adjusted the zhenqi in his xueshan. He closed his eyes and made sure no one was eavesdropping. Only after all that did he lower his voice and said, "There's another thing. If you're willing to listen, I'm willing to tell you."

Seeing Fan Xian being this secretive made the head shopkeeper laugh. He knew even if he wouldn't listen, Fan Xian would tell him regardless. Just as expected, Fan Xian smiled. "I am the Functionary of Taichang Temple."

The head shopkeeper was a bit confused that Fan Xian said this out of nowhere, but he offered his congratulations anyway, since he knew this Young Master would soon become an esteemed individual. However, Fan Xian followed up with: "I am to marry the daughter of the Ye household." He knew that, despite having been under house arrest in the capital for over ten years, this shopkeeper must have had many channels for receiving secret information in the past.

Just as he thought, the head shopkeeper's expression changed dramatically. He stared straight into Fan Xian's eyes and asked coldly, "What are you trying to say?"

Fan Xian answered nonchalantly, "In two years at the latest, I will be able to take over the palace treasury… but I know I still lack the power. Father's authority is on the national level, but what I need are resources from the palace, so my father can't help me much with that. So, I…" Looking back at the head shopkeeper's eyes, Fan Xian emphasized each one of his words, "…need help. I need… your help."

Chapter 111: Morning Roll Call at Taichang Temple

Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio

There was silence in the hall for a moment. For a long time, neither of the two said a word. Ye the shopkeeper was shocked. The treasury? He had once been personally responsible for it... The Lady had left them everything—how many years had passed in which they were unable to get anywhere near it? But how could the royal court allow people such as them to approach it again?

Seemingly having guessed what he was thinking, Fan Xian smiled. "I have seen the decree summoning you to the capital. It doesn't allow you to invest in commercial activities. But no one said anything about not permitting you to take over the duties of the House of Ye."

For these shopkeepers of Qingyu Hall, it was extremely tempting. Taking over the management of the estates of the princes and controlling all of the copper mines and saltbeds from afar would not be sufficient to display their true talent. And the treasury... As the shopkeepers of Qingyu Hall saw it, it had always been theirs to take care of! It was unbearable watching the Eldest Princess squander everything that the Lady had left them over the years. Every time they thought about it, these specialist "professional managers" were filled with so much hatred it made them gnash their teeth.

The invitation that Master Fan had issued represented the view of Fan Manor, and Fan Manor had a special relationship with His Majesty... Could it be that His Majesty had come round to the idea?

Fan Xian stood up and smiled. "It was just a proposal. There is still plenty of time. You may think it over as you wish, Big Ye."

Having said his piece, there was nothing more to discuss. Having waited for Fan Ruoruo to return from her boring stroll, the delegation from Fan Manor took their leave. Big Ye the head shopkeeper respectfully saw them off. As he watched them climb aboard their carriage, he wiped the cold sweat from his brow.

Fan Xian's head suddenly poked out from inside the carriage. His handsome face was as brilliant as sunshine. "Big Ye!" he yelled in a loud voice. "If you come round to the idea, invite us over for a chat. I shall bring some of the dried meats that my younger brother brought as a gesture of goodwill."Big Ye heard his shouting. He had assumed that Master Fan would bring up the delicate matter of managing property in front of everyone, and he was filled with a sudden fright. After he heard what Fan actually said, he felt at ease. He knew that Fan Xian was reminding him that if he wanted to accept his conditions, he would also have to act as the younger Fan brother's teacher in return.

But there were a few things that Big Ye did not understand, like why he had to pay respect to his teacher with dried meats. He frowned, and then thought about how many years prior, either the ninth Ye or the twenty-third Ye had brought dried meat... Now, why had ninth Ye or twenty-third Ye brought dried meat? He clapped his hand to his head and returned to Qingyu Hall, saddened that his powers of memory had seemingly faded.

Returning to the manor in a carriage, Fan Xian felt rather tired. He was not the sort of person who liked plotting, but for the sake of himself, the Fan family, and a great many other people, there were some things that he had to do. In his plan, the property of the Ye family had to be slowly transferred to the second brother. After all, he had a talent for business, though it wasn't as good as that brat's. As for the rest... he had to wait and see.

At that moment, he finally understood what Master Fei had said to him in Danzhou.

"Your family's affairs are far more complicated than you could even imagine. It involves not only your own life, but the lives of a great many others, so you must take great caution. As you grow up over the years, you must learn to protect yourself. It is the only way that you will have the power to protect others in the future."

"In the future... who will I have to protect?" Fan Xian had asked, filled with doubts.

Fei Jie had laughed, and tapped his nose. "People like myself. Those who have strong attachments to you."

So there were things that Fan Xian had to do, so that he could finally protect... people like Ruoruo and Wan'er; people in the Fan family who already had strong attachments to him. At the same time, he wanted to make life a little easier for the old ladies of Qingyu Hall. Of course, at that moment, he still did not imagine that there would come a day where those old freaks Fei Jie and Chen Pingping would also require his protection.

For the young master Fan to visit Qingyu Hall was a matter of great importance, at least in the eyes of the great many people carrying the Ye family name. Business was at an end, after all. Although these shopkeepers had earned a great amount of money for the estates of the princes, they were still considered unworthy of appearing in public. So when Big Ye told the others the purpose of master Fan's visit—someone with even the slightest status had personally come to visit Qingyu Hall, and have secret discussions in the rear garden—some of those sitting around the round table were shocked, while others began to reminisce about their glory days. Some went pale thinking of the ruthless goings-on inside the palace.

"We need not over-think it. Master Fan has already had the courage to bring us this proposition, so he will undoubtedly think of a way to persuade the palace." Big Ye looked at the other members of the council and frowned. "To see how everyone feels, the five of us shall vote. According to the old customs, each man has one vote, and I have two. Old Six is currently doing business at Fan Manor, so I invite him to provide us with his opinion."

The other shopkeepers cast a glance at seventh Ye of Danbo Bookstore. He lowered his head in thought for a while, then spoke. "The relationship between master Fan and his younger brother is much better than we imagined, and master Fan seems to live a simple life, but in truth his ambitions are lofty. Everyone knows that he has now made a name for himself in the capital. I see him going about his business every day. It appears he does not seem to care in the same way about the property of Count Sinan. And he spends his days in contact with formidable characters such as Crown Prince Jing."

Big Ye nodded. "It is early yet, but we must be prepared as soon as possible."

Some of the council members held opposing views. "And what of the risk? We were lucky to save our own lives, and we have lived happily enough these past few years."

"There is not that much risk to it. After all, over the past years, I presume that opinion in the palace has softened toward us. We have never left the capital, and our lives remain in the hands of the royal court." Another man shook his head. "We are merely merchants. We cannot rebel, so what is there to fear? Alas, how I long to take charge of such matters again. It excites me to imagine it. We have had so little to boast of for so many years... and I was the one among us who had the most to boast about."

This utterance seemed to have stirred up beautiful memories for everyone. They all laughed. "The Lady always did say you liked to blow your own horn," scolded one of them.

"I am not you," he said, distressed. "I used to prefer blowing bubbles at the soapworks."

Big Ye smiled. He held up his hand to silence their neverending chatter. "Does anyone have anything to add?" he asked.

The first person who had raised objections stopped laughing. "First I wish to confirm whether this is authorized by the palace," he said coolly. "Then I shall go along with it. Although we all wish to go back to the way things were for our house, our safety is still our first priority. The Lady once said that as long as we had our health, then we would be fine."

Big Ye frowned. "Fan Manor had a great relationship with the Ye family at that time. Over the years, the Overwatch Council and Count Sinan have continued to take care of us. I presume that Count Sinan does not wish to deceive us."

The cold-faced councillor spoke. "Do not forget; the Li family also had a great relationship with us at that time. Were we not also deceived by them?"

Li was the surname of the ruling dynasty. The House of Li was the royal house. When he said it, the hidden room in the rear garden of Qingyu Hall went silent, and the faces of the men around the table all took on uneasy expressions.

Convening the elders of the House of Ye was a risky matter, so Fan Xian had only made a small step toward it, and had done it under the pretense of hiring a tutor for Fan Sizhe. It was assumed that not many people would take note of such a matter. After all, he did not know how long it would be before he took control of the treasury. Before taking control, he had to make sure that he had the power to do so. Before he could make sure of that, he had to go along with His Majesty's commands.

His Majesty's conditions for taking control of the royal purse were simple—whoever married Lin Wan'er would take control of the treasury. He did not know why the Emperor loved his fiancée so dearly, but as he had chosen to accept the marriage, he had naturally also chosen to accept the struggle that came before the marriage.

First, he had another struggle to face.

Functionary of Taichang Temple was a ceremonial post, similar to an honorary title, in order to bestow a more elegant official title upon the future son-in-law of the Emperor. It was only an eighth-rank minor position, but it was prestigious enough. At first, the custom in the Kingdom of Qing was to confer upon them a sixth-rank position as a chamberlain at the Academy of Combined Learning, but they later discovered that many sons-in-law of the Emperor could not take on the burden of composing poetry, so the custom was changed and they were granted the position of a functionary. In the previous dynasty, functionaries had been called "functionary-sergeants". When it came to being in charge of a temple, the imperial household presumed that sons-in-law of the Emperor would always be unable to compose poetry, and it would be fine if they could simply hum a few bars of a tune, so the rule was thusly set.

Although it was a ceremonial post, it was still necessary to report to Taichang Temple. So, early one morning, a grumpy Fan Xian climbed into the family carriage and hurried to the entrace to Taichang Temple. A fourth-level official of Taichang Temple was already standing there to greet him. This show of extravagance made Fan Xian feel overwhelmed by favor from his superior. He hurriedly dismounted the carriage to affectionately greet the official. After exchanging pleasantries with the officials of Taichang Temple, he finally entered the office, and sat in a small room, listening to the officials explain his duties to him.

The official who had greeted him had been hand-picked by the Prime Minister, so his warmth toward Fan Xian was understandable. But this official, and a number of other bureaucrats in the royal court, still could not understand something—in marrying the illegitimate daughter of the Prime Minister to the illegitimate son of the Fan family, why was everything being done according to palace customs?

Perhaps His Majesty was too fond of the Lin and Fan families, but in the eyes of many officials, the Emperor had acted far too willfully, and those who knew of Miss Lin's true identity would say nothing of the matter—even at pain of death.

Fan Xian had originally presumed that he was tone-deaf and would inevitably commit some kind of faux pas. He had never imagined that when he sat idly about one morning, his belly full of warm tea, he would discover that his colleagues were much the same as him, clasping a couple of newspapers issued from the palace. Feeling somewhat bloated from all the tea he had drunk, he sighed, and learned that the others also took a newspaper with them to visit the latrines.

The newspapers were full of gossip, talking about how Chen Pingping had returned to the capital. The palace editors did not dare say a word about the story of the Director and his first love. Hiking up his pants as he left the latrine, he unthinkingly stuffed the newspaper in his underwear, and suddenly realized something that made him burst into laughter. This was a habit of stealing newspapers that he'd gotten into as he'd grown up in Danzhou. The money that he had stashed away relied on this method of raking in cash.

He was returning to drink more tea when he suddenly heard joyous shouting from inside the room. "Victory! Victory! May Heaven preserve the great Kingdom of Qing!"

His heart skipped a beat. He realized that in the struggle between the imperial household and the Kingdom of Northern Qi, with the imperial household's victory in the small skirmishes occuring throughout some of the vassal kingdoms, it was possible that some land had come under the scope of the Qing Kingdom's power.

Chapter 112: Reaping the Whirlwind

Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio

Within the room, bureaucrats huddled together looking over imperial bulletins, on which were clearly written an account of what had happened in the north. Regardless of whether it was a result of their timeliness or the abundance of the information they contained, they always attracted many more readers than the palace newspapers. What was more, they contained news of national victories. Fan Xian forced a smile as he fished the wrinkled newspaper from his breast pocket, mumbling an apology to old Pan Ling, the official calligraphy master of the secretariat. He sat back down at the table and began to sip some more tea.

The people around him excitedly discussed military affairs. None of them took notice of Fan Xian's calm silence. Instead, the head official smiled at him, and suggested that he should come outside with him for a moment. Somewhat apprehensively, Fan Xian left the room, and came to a secluded place. Deep within the courtyard, there stood a stone table with two stone chairs. The official indicated to him that he should sit. "Everyone is rather joyous," he asked with a smile, "and yet you remain unmoved, sir. Why?"

The official's name was Ren Shao'an. He had once been a distinguished man of letters, and had later become a nobleman, rising steadily to a position within Taichang Temple. His circumstances were not unlike those that Fan Xian found himself facing at that moment. Fan Xian was unsure whether Master Ren was offended by something, and so he sighed, unsure how to respond. "It was only natural that the imperial household should be victorious in such a matter," he replied with a weak smile, "so this is no great surprise."

"Why is it only natural?" asked the official Ren, curious.

Fan Xian had no unique insight into the military affairs of the kingdom. He had no choice but to try to dodge the topic. "His Majesty is wise, the officers and soldiers are obedient, and Northern Qi lacks confidence, so it is only natural that we were victorious."

Master Ren looked at him and smiled. "It has only just occurred to me that this battle between the two nations is inextricably linked to the assassination attempt on your good self, Master Fan."

Fan Xian was taken aback. It had only just occurred to him as well. One of the excuses for this military expedition was an attempt by Northern Qi to infiltrate the Kingdom of Qing and assassinate the son of a major minister. He could only think of all the dead bodies that must be piled up along the rivers of the northern border. In every region, wives would be waiting for their husbands in empty bedchambers. For some reason, it made Fan Xian's heart ache. He sighed. "A sage has no choice but to take up the weapon of the soldier." He knew that although the Kingdom of Qing had known peace for many years, beneath the surface, its martial spirit had never receded. So every day, he made sure to hide it, but he gave no thought to the idle chatter between himself and Master Ren, so he had spoken freely.

Master Ren seemed to admire his words. He nodded. "Although that may be the case, we have gained much in this instance. There have been many years of peace in the Kingdom of Qing, and we deserve it."

Fan Xian was not an inflexible pacifist; he smiled in acknowledgement of the fact. "Although our victory in war belongs to the officers and soldiers and His Majesty," continued Master Ren, "this has been planned in secret by the royal court for many months. It must have been a thoroughly exhausting effort."

Fan Xian immediately understood another meaning behind Ren's words. He realized that Master Ren was suggesting that the bureaucratic system of the royal court had considerable power over military affairs. After all, Fan Xian had lived two lives; he knew that waging war relied on logistics. "Much credit must also go to the court ministers," he said with sincerity.

Master Ren smiled. "The Prime Minister will soon be your father-in-law," he continued. "When you have time, you should go and pay your respects to him. It is only proper."

"You're right. Thank you for reminding me, good sir." Cold sweat trickled down Fan Xian's back. He wanted to marry Wan'er as soon as possible, but he had still yet to pay his respects to his own future father-in-law. This was indeed inexcusable. But... this was supposed to be a fair and aboveboard relationship between the Lin and Fan families. Why did Master Ren have to talk to him in secret?

Just as expected, Master Ren spoke. "I hope that you will visit the Prime Minister's manor. You would not want to alarm too many people."

Fan Xian fearfully accepted the order.

In the royal court the next day, in thoroughly flattering language, the military received commendations. The Overwatch Council also received praise for their capabilities in information-gathering. But, in a move which many did not expect, Fan Jian, Count Sinan, Minister for the Treasury, stepped forward to suggest that this victory was all down to the careful planning of the Prime Minister. He had put the affairs of the nation ahead of the affairs of his own family, controlling logistics to provide ample rations and fodder for the army, and had truly provided a great service to the nation. There was a hubbub among the gathered ministers, who could not understand why a political opponent would be so kind, but when they recalled the approaching marriage, they suddenly realized why.

Even more unexpectedly, the Prime Minister's long-time ally, Guo You, Director of the Board of Rites, raised an objection. And most unexpectedly of all... Chen Pingping appeared in the royal court, and when the Emperor asked him about the matter, he sat in his wheelchair and replied simply: "This was all the Prime Minister's work."

With this, the political opponents who had been using Wu Bo'an and collaboration with Northern Qi as a pretext to attack the Prime Minister had seemingly quieted down. With the Emperor's consolation, Lin Ruofu could stand firm again. A rumor circulated throughout the palace that due to the upcoming marriage with the Fan family, the Prime Minister had turned to the Second Prince. The Second Prince, who originally had no support within the royal court, had suddenly become a powerful figure.

But no one knew that behind all this was an idle chat between Master Ren of Taichang Temple, soured by the loss of his hopes, and Fan Xian, the eighth-level Functionary of Taichang Temple.

Having made a good impression on his father-in-law, Fan Xian finally felt a bit more at ease. Although he was still greatly worried that the Prime Minister would discover that his second son had been killed by someone under Fan Xian's command, he did not avoid him as he had been doing over the past two months.

His duties at Taichang Temple did not require him to attend every day; he simply had to attend for roll call every ten days. One afternoon, Fan Xian came to the palace by carriage.

Now the whole capital knew that he would be marrying the young lady of the palace, and in addition, Fan Manor had spent a great amount of money, so the imperial bodyguards turned a blind eye. Fan Xian and his sister strolled inside, with no intention to see the flowers of the garden. They only intended to go along the cobblestone path straight into the small pavilion. Fan Ruoruo was rather surprised. "Brother, you seem very familiar with this path."

Fan Xian smiled. "I have a good memory, did you not know?" Secretly, he smiled to himself. Over the past weeks, there had been a few evenings where he had snuck through the garden; it would have been difficult for him not to become familiar with it.

Unfortunately, according to custom, this future son-in-law of the Emperor still could not see Lin Wan'er, so he sat downstairs drinking tea while Ruoruo went up to see her. He was not worried. When night fell, he could see his fiancée, so he was happy to hold off for now. After a while, two people came back downstairs. When he saw the young woman behind Ruoruo, Fan Xian's eyes sparkled. She had beautiful eyes and fine eyebrows. But she did not seem coarse, and instead was rather spirited. It was Ye Ling'er, only daughter of the captain of the garrison, Ye Zhong.

She thought it rather odd to see a strange man waiting downstairs. Fan Xian stood up to greet her, smiled, and cupped his hands in greeting. "Miss Ye, it has been a long time."

As he spoke, Fan Xian realized that something was amiss. When he had seen Ye Ling'er, he had been in disguise. He was pretending to be a doctor. Although today he had come to visit without any disguise, as soon as he said that it had been a long time since their last meeting, he feared that Ye Ling'er's suspicions would be raised.

Unexpectedly, Ye Ling'er regarded him meekly and curtsied. "It is good to see you, master Fan."

Seeing that she knew who he was, and that she was not surprised by what he had said, Fan Xian knew that Wan'er had told her of his secret meetings with her. He smiled. "Wan'er is lucky to have your company. It must be terribly boring on her sickbed. I wanted to thank you."

"You are too kind, master Fan," said Ye Ling'er coldly.

Fan Xian saw that this girl did not seem to like him at all, but that she was not angry either; he could only imagine that this was thanks to his own handsome face. He could make all the women of the land feel a fondness toward him. So he smiled and saluted her again, and then turned to Ruoruo. "So, how are things?"

Fan Ruoruo smiled. "You are worried. Miss Lin said..."

Fan Xian suddenly waved his hand and smiled. "Let us go home to discuss family matters."

Hearing this, Ye Ling'er was suddenly angered. Fan Xian was such a narrow-minded sort, she thought. His meaning was clear—did he really mean to say that matters between the Lin and Fan families were not to be discussed around someone of the Ye family? Her anger spilled over. "Master Fan, you must not bully people through your words and deeds."

Fan Xian was surprised. He wondered why she had said that. He had no mind to deal with Miss Ye's temper and her unfathomable anger. Taking his sister's hand, he led her outside.

As they walked out of the pavilion, Ye Ling'er and the servant girls also came out. When she saw Fan Xian pulling Fan Ruoruo along by the hand, she smiled coldly.

Fan Xian did not understand, and continued to lead Ruoruo by her slightly-cold hand as they waited for the carriage. Ruoruo's face changed to an awkward expression. In truth, a close brother-sister relationship such as theirs was rare in this world, and Fan Xian had not taken much notice of it. Looking at her face, Fan Xian finally realized something. How could that girl try to intertwine herself with them? He and Ruoruo were close, so he suddenly became angry, and he turned around and frowned at Ye Ling'er. "Miss Ye, have you no one in your household to teach you anything? Is that why you wander around the capital and Dingzhou?"

Ye Ling'er had not expected that her absent-minded smile would result in such an attack. "Why are you criticizing my upbringing?"

"Who said that?" Fan Xian smiled gently. "No one around here said that."

Seeing his shameless behavior, Ye Ling'er became even angrier. "So you don't wander around the capital either? You want to get married, but you don't have the morals for it, and yet you have visited Taichang Temple a number of times. Don't tell me there is no one in your household to teach you either?"

Some cracks of anger began to appear in Fan Xian's gentle temperament, but he doubled down on it. He knew that if he got angry, she would get even angrier, and so he spoke even more gently. "I have come to ask after my fiancée, as is acceptable and proper. You are a good friend of my Wan'er and you visit her often, and I have thanked you for it. I only hope that you will take note of my words, and do not attempt to meddle in the relationship of our households."

Ye Ling'er pursed her lips as she heard such provocation. "I do not know what Wan'er could possibly see in a playboy like you," she scowled.

Fan Xian sighed. "How am I a playboy?"

"You are neither a scholar nor a soldier," she spat. "And so you are just that; a playboy."

Fan Xian smiled, somewhat embarrassed. "I hate to boast, but I am known throughout the capital to be a fine scholar and a soldier. I have composed seven-step poems, and I have killed men in seven steps. Excessive praise will make me complacent. Young miss, your words today have made this clear to me, and I must express my gratitude."

Seeing his pretentious act, Ye Ling'er considered his reputation, and she stomped her foot angrily, unsure of what to say. She bit her bright-red lips, and reached for the dagger on her waist. After a moment of thought, she drew it, and threw it at the ground in front of Fan Xian with a clatter.

Chapter 113: The Glorious Tradition of Cheap Shots

Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio

With this clamor, it became all quiet in front of the palace side yard. While Qing had experienced a long period of peace—excluding the sparse skirmishes on the northern front—it had only been established a few decades ago, so the civilians more or less had some fight in them. For Ye Ling'er, having received a martial education, it was nothing out of the ordinary to carry around a small curved blade. What was out of the ordinary, however, was the fact she threw it on the ground just in front of Fan Xian.

Fan Xian raised his eyebrows as he realized he was being challenged to a duel. It was similar to the custom of noblemen from Europe in his previous life, where they threw gloves in each other's faces. Fan Xian scratched his cheek and chuckled to himself—if throwing stuff at faces remained unchanged in Qing, then probably no one would refuse a duel.

Everyone's eyes were on Fan Xian. Ruoruo nervously pulled on his sleeve. Despite Ye Ling'er's delicate build and slim waist, she was a proper seventh-ranked martial artist whom no one in the capital dared to bother. Now that she had issued the challenge, Fan Xian, as a man, shouldn't turn her down, lest he be forever shamed in the capital.

Seeing the heated standoff, the gatekeepers pretended that they didn't hear a thing. At the same time, none of them were oblivious enough to go find the ruling Lady in the other yard— "your dearest girl friend is about to fight your future husband"—who would be that stupid?

...

...

"I always hear people praise you for exceling in both 'civil and martial' affairs. I'm no match for you in poetry, but I want to confirm for Wan'er if you have what it takes to protect her." Strangely, since throwing down that knife, Ling'er's personality changed; she calmed down, and her eyes, which were as beautiful as fine jade, became filled with confidence. What kind of great power was hidden within that seemingly frail body, ready to be unleashed upon Fan Xian?

Fan Xian was surprised as he realized this girl was a strong one who kept her abilities hidden. However, he smiled and waved his hand, and said what no one expected to hear:

"I refuse."

Refusing a duel? That alone was rare enough, but Fan Xian was backing down from a woman; could he ever raise his head again in the capital? None of the spectators could figure out what prompted Fan Xian to make such a bewildering decision.

Fan Xian explained humbly, "While Miss Ye dislikes me, you're still a dear friend of Wan'er's. How could I lash out at you?" Before the crowd could cheer at such an excellent answer, he added with a smile, "Besides, unless the situation is dire, I do not wish to hit a woman."

His carriage had arrived a long time ago, but it remained unable to approach due to the current incident. Not even Wang Qinian dared to intervene.

After explaining himself, Fan Xian took his sister's hand and turned to leave.

A clear voice erupted in rage! In a flash of shadow, Ye Ling'er charged up behind Fan Xian and jabbed at him! She was considerate enough to adhere to the courtesy of a duel and gave him a warning beforehand.

Feeling the forceful wind pressure behind him, Fan Xian put some strength into his right hand and led his sister to the side. He then turned.

He saw Ling'er's fist coming straight at his face!

That fist was small and graceful, with white skin that had some veins showing through vaguely. washer fingernails were painted pink.

To observe so many details in such a short instant only proved two things. One, Fan Xian was a man of considerate carnal desire. And two, while Ye Ling'er's punch was fast, it wouldn't hold a candle to that wooden stick on the cliffs above Danzhou.

With a tap of his foot, Fan Xian leaned toward his left with unnatural quickness. Ye Ling'er's fist, full of lethal intent, went past his cheek and missed completely.

The buzz of the wind made Fan Xian's hair rise. Meanwhile, Fan Xian had already withdrawn his right hand and, in a flash, flicked Ye Ling'er's maimen!

Not even Gong Dian could avoid this trick when caught off guard, so there was no way Ye Ling'er could. She grunted lightly and opened her fist right next to Fan Xian's cheek. But Fan Xian had no time to be pleased. He squinted and took three steps back in an odd manner. He then clapped in the air three times.

Clap! Clap! Clap! Three claps rang out next to him!

As it turned out, as soon as she opened her hand, Ye Ling'er spread her fingers like the branches of a peach tree and aimed them at Fan Xian's temples. Fan Xian dodged the initial attack with pure instinct, blocking the three blasts of qi with his hands.

"Ye style sanshou!" The crowd gasped. They knew Grandmaster Ye Liuyun was her granduncle, but they didn't know she had inherited any skills from him.

Before the gasps died down, Fan Xian closed in with a perfectly calm expression and landed a solid punch into Ye Ling'er's still-opened hand.

There was a dull thud. Peach branches or not, Ye Ling'er's sanshou had been breached by Fan Xian's overpowering zhenqi! She drifted over a meter backwards, holding her wrist in pain while staring at Fan Xian in shock. She could never have imagined his zhenqi would be so powerful. After contact, it traveled up her own meridians to attack her. The pain made her release her sanshou.

"You are no match for me." Fan Xian provoked her.

Ye Ling'er clenched her teeth and charged at him again, even fiercer than before. She chopped down with her hand, her fingers lined up into a blade which pierced the wind. As a young woman, her zhenqi was already inferior to an adult man, which was why Ye Liuyun taught her to use a slashing motion when fighting opponents with stronger zhenqi.

Fan Xian was secretly startled, but managed to make use of panicked footwork developed on the Danzhou cliffs to escape Ye Ling'er's strikes by the skin of his teeth.

As the wind pressure from Ye Ling'er's strikes picked up, the spectators felt a chill.

Countless blades of qi danced around Fan Xian, who vaguely sensed danger. With a restrained grunt, he filled his entire body with zhenqi and stomped his foot down hard, forcibly stopping himself from retreating any further. He then channeled strength into his waist and threw himself forward, as if he had been punched from behind. He had changed from a retreating posture to an advancing one. It was completely unexpected!

The winds disappeared, and so did Fan Xian.

...

...

The next moment made everyone drop their jaws.

Fan Xian was right up between Ye Linger's arms, his hands firmly grasping her armpits. Ye Linger's terrifying hands stopped just short above Fan Xian's shoulders—more accurately, right before her hands came down, Fan Xian struck her in a weak spot by practically hugging her.

What Fan Xian had done might have looked improper, but among the wildly dancing blades of qi, this was the only way to get close enough to her. Fan Xian's eyesight and speed had reached such terrifying levels; Wu Zhu had taught him well.

Having first been charged by Fan Xian, who looked like a vengeful spirit, and then having been embraced by him, Ye Ling'er was greatly shaken. But she did not panic. She pushed down with both arms, raising herself into the air!

Without warning, she kicked down towards Fan Xian's tibia. If it connected, Fan Xian would be sure to fall on top of her from the pain, but she didn't care that much at the moment.

Right before the kick landed, Fan Xian let go, and she fell.

Such was how the human body moves. If you chop down with your hands while kicking up at the same time, it would be extremely unpleasant. Fan Xian was aiming for this moment and stabbed out with his own punch!

Other than the incident on Niulan Street, this was the third punch he had thrown since arriving in the capital. Each one prior had broken someone's nose; today was no exception.

There was a light crack and a splash of blood; the way it trailed in the air somehow gave off a romantic feeling.

...

...

Ye Ling'er immediately knelt down and clutched her nose. There was blood between her fingers. After a moment, she began wailing. Fan Xian was uneasy; she wanted a fight, he obliged, and now she cries?

The maidservants of Ye manor rushed forward, but didn't get in the way. It looked like this young miss often challenged people to duels. Fan Xian did not feel guilty in the slightest—just because he disliked hitting women didn't mean he wanted to get hit by one. When his mother first came to the capital, she had beaten Ye Ling'er's father—Sir Ye Zhong, the current Commander of Defense—into a sorry pulp. Uncle Wu Zhu had fought a grand battle against Ye Liuyun under the city walls, forcing the grandmaster to shut himself in for many months, renouncing the sword for sanshou.

Fan Xian punching Ye Ling'er was him carrying on this glorious tradition, in a way.

Chapter 114: Coffin-Breaker Technique and Little Tricks

Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio

It was only natural for Fan Xian to allow both fighters to go home and lick their wounds, but he had absolutely not expected Fan Ruoruo to be glaring at him. It seemed that his little sister did not like how hard he had fought. He smiled bitterly and shook his head, and watched his little sister pull out a handkerchief to wipe Ye Ling'er's bloody nose.

"Ye Ling'er has such a pretty nose. It's such a shame that it makes her look like a snot-nosed child at the moment."

"Ye Zhong's family is surnamed Ye, and my mother was also surnamed Ye. Perhaps that is why they always disliked each other, and now Ye Ling'er and I also dislike each other. It seems like a family tradition."

In truth, Fan Xian was an unflappable sort of person, but the whole scene had made him feel very awkward. For a while it would have been inconvenient to leave, so he had to think of something trivial to hide his own mood.

After some time, a sobbing Ye Ling'er finally calmed down, comforted by Fan Ruoruo. When she looked at Fan Xian again, there was hatred in her eyes, but also a sense of reverence. She was, after all, a daughter of the Ye family. Her skill was not as great as the others, and she could not extricate herself from them. She struggled to salute Fan Xian and admit her defeat.

Seeing how open-hearted his opponent was made Fan Xian feel somewhat embarrassed. He cleared his throat. "What technique were you using?" he asked without thinking.

"Coffin-Breaker Technique," Ye Ling'er sniffed and responded defiantly. "I concede, but that is only because I am inexperienced. It has nothing to do with the martial skills of the House of Ye."

At that moment, Fan Xian realized that there was something rather cute about her. He laughed. "Coffin-Breaker is a fine name. It seems to be a concise version of Liuyun's own sanshou. For a young woman such as you to achieve such a standard of martial arts must not have been easy."

A group of people came along carrying a sedan chair. There were people at the front, and there must have been people at the rear, so Ye Ling'er covered her bloody nose. She cleared her throat. "What was the move that you used?" she asked.

The entire Ye family were martial arts-obsessed, and Ye Ling'er was in no hurry to return, but she was anxious to know the sly trick that her opponent had employed. The people of Qing were warriors, but there had never been someone like Fan Xian, who only had to rely on his zhenqi, speed, and judgment to come out on top. He used his knowledge of the human body to attack his enemies in positions they weren't expecting, and thus bit by bit he achieved victory—this was a technique that Ye Ling'er had never seen before; but her uncle had.

Fan Xian was surprised. He wasn't sure that his fighting tricks could be considered moves. "Those were just a couple of tricks I picked up," he answered with some trepidation. "You should really see to your wounds, Miss Ye."

These tricks were the killing techniques that Wu Zhu had taught him, and what Fei Jie had taught him about the human body. On top of that he included the knowledge he had put to the test for the first time at Niulan Street, and synthesized them together into a technique. Fan Xian had called them little tricks, and indeed they were just that.

Later, Fan Xian's tricks would be famous throughout the capital, and become a necessary part of study for anyone wishing to take a martial path; but at the time, Fan Xian could never have imagined it. Nor could he have imagined that there would such names as "the fist of Danzhou", or "Sinan sixth palm strike".

But today, his little tricks had beaten the Coffin-Breaker Technique.

This sort of "swapping pointers on martial arts" was mostly done within the walls of one's manor, but it was nothing new, so no bad blood arose between the Fan and Ye families as a result. The defeated Ye Ling'er left resentfully, but before she did, she presented the curved knife that she kept around her waist to Fan Xian, saying that it was a talisman of good luck in tournaments.

Sitting in the carriage, Fan Xian smiled bitterly as he held the talisman in his hand. He worried that getting into a fight with a young lady for no good reason could have offended the Ye family. Fan Ruoruo seemed to have guessed what he was thinking. She smiled. "It doesn't matter. The children of the Ye family are fighters, everyone knows that. If they weren't, they would not have produced a grandmaster. Master Ye Zhong is an upstanding fellow; he will not be angered by this little incident."

Fan Xian sighed. "That's not the only reason why I'm worried, but I think it's silly."

Fan Ruoruo laughed. "I think people would be more surprised by the fact that you refused her duel at first."

"Surprised? Am I worried that the people of the capital will think I'm a weakling? You said before, she is only a seventh-level master, and I'm some weird scholar who even managed to kill an eighth-level master. Even if I didn't fight her, do you think the people of the capital really would have thought that I was afraid of her?" Fan Xian smiled. "Even though they say that swords are more powerful than words, if words are enough for me to belittle and attack my opponent, then why should I pick up a sword?"

Having said this, he clapped a hand to his head. "Whatever," he said, annoyed. "The fight is over, there's no use talking about it anymore."

Fan Ruoruo giggled.

"Why doesn't Miss Ye think much of me?" asked Fan Xian, curious.

"I don't know." Fan Ruoruo thought for a moment. "Perhaps first of all it's because you are betrothed to Lin Wan'er. It must be difficult for her. After that, although it's not an issue, we did trick her once, and it's thanks to her help that you were finally able to meet Wan'er, so she must feel rather angry about that."

Fan Xian smiled bitterly. "I know there are no secrets between girlfriends."

"The main thing is that you were a student of Master Fei," continued Fan Ruoruo. "That was the name you dropped last time. Now it seems that many people know of the relationship between our family and the Overwatch Council. That could be what let the cat out of the bag."

Fan Xian's heart skipped a beat. Could he have been the one who let people draw conclusions from such matters? He thought about it again. The business with the Ye family was years ago, and over the past few months, from what he had seen, it seemed that the people had already forgotten about the events of years before.

At that moment, Fan Ruoruo handed him a sheet of paper. He took it and looked over it carefully, then crumpled it up into a ball and threw it out of the carriage window. On the paper were words that Wan'er had written. Today, his main reason for visiting the pavilion was to discuss matters with his fiancée. He wanted to visit his father-in-law and pay his respects as soon as possible, and bring up some business. Although Lin Wan'er did not lived with her father, they were still father and daughter after all, and she would know much more than he did as an outsider.

As the next day dawned, black clouds approached the city, slightly dimming the blazing sun, and making the capital feel even more like a steamer basket.

Fan Xian wiped away his sweat and crouched by the side of the road on Jiazhu Way, picking carefully from a vendor's wares. Jiazhu Way was a center for selling antiques and curios in the capital. Anyone who had an interest in such things would flock there whenever the weather was good. Fan Xian had studied the mannerisms of connoisseurs, and crouched with one foot on the side of the road, and one foot on the leather floor covering of the vendor's stall. His fingers moved across the stall for a long time, but with no ultimate conclusion. The vendor began to feel nervous.

He saw how finely dressed this nobleman was, and so he said very little, eventually having no choice but to take the plunge with a smile. "Sir, what is it that you're really looking for?"

"A snuff bottle." Fan Xian couldn't help but start to talk. Wan'er had once told him that the Prime Minister had long been a lover of snuff bottles, so he hoped that he would be able to find a good one that day. He had not expected to be suddenly dazzled, nor had he seen anything that caught his eye. "I see. You have come to the right place." The vendor's eyes shone as he spoke. "I have blue and white porcelain, jadeite, amber; any kind you might like. The jadeite is especially fine. The best. Have a look." He picked up a small snuff bottle, which was a sleek green color with streaks of yellow. "Did you look? The yellow and green one. I dare not say how old it is, but it is of a truly fine quality."

"Do you have emerald?" Only the most expensive would do, thought Fan Xian. "Emerald is far too noble," said the vendor uneasily. "Only the palace would use it for snuff bottles. Although there is not great demand for it now, it would be very difficult to find an emerald snuff bottle on Jiazhu Way."

The vendor was a good man, and pointed the way of a large emporium out to Fan Xian . He said that if he was looking for an emerald snuff bottle, that would be the only place that would have it.

Fan Xian thanked him, and gave him some silver in exchange for some porcelain fragments that may or may not have been fake before standing up and leaving. Wang Qinian was standing to one side watching, and a slight smile floated across his face. It seemed that his master treated the common people with great tenderness, and more importantly, with caution.

As they entered the emporium, a cool breeze wafted directly into their faces. They stared at a fan that rocked back and forth incessantly, and Fan Xian exclaimed in delight. He was suddenly unconcerned about asking for a snuff bottle. He grabbed the owner and asked him who had sold them the fan. It was a new product that had come out last year, and the owner was friendly with the merchant, so he placed it in the vestibule as a sort of advertisement.

After asking what the merchant's address was, Fan Xian began to ask about his snuff bottle. The store owner looked Fan Xian up and down, ascertaining Fan Xian's wealth from the clothes he was wearing. Entering a back room, he cautiously produced a box, placed it on the table, and opened it. The box was lined with red brocade, the soft material holding snuff bottles of all kinds to prevent them from breaking. The store owner decided to get straight to the point. "Do you want a good one, or the best one?"

Fan Xian appreciated his directness, and smiled. "The best, of course."

Hearing this, the owner closed the box, and fumbling around his waist, took out a light green jadeite snuff bottle. It was a sleek green color, with not a single imperfection to be seen. It was truly made of high-class material. Inside was a depiction of a fisherman sitting on a cold river bank. Not only was it a high-quality object, but the brushwork was also extremely fine; it was clearly the work of an exceptional craftsman.

"Give me a price." Fan Xian took it and held it in his hand, feeling its wonderful smoothness in his palm. It tickled, and it was smooth and glossy.

"Two thousand taels of silver," said the store owner, his face betraying no expression. He seemed thoroughly bored of having people come buy things, and appeared somewhat standoffish. Fan Xian was interested. It was a fine item indeed, but the owner seemed to be acting otherwise.

He thought for a moment. The money he had saved in Danzhou, and that which his sister had given him, had all gone to their little brother to open the bookstore. Business at Danbo Bookstore was flourishing, but the money had not come back to him yet. So of the two thousand taels of silver he had had Teng Zijing transfer, minus the four hundred taels that he had used at the pleasure boat party, he had around thirteen hundred taels of silver left over after recent spending. He frowned. "Eight hundred taels."

Chapter 115: Give Mountains, Give Rivers, Give Snuff Bottles

Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio

Fan Xian did not know how to bargain. But in his previous life, a young beautiful nurse once told him, when girls shop for clothes, they always started at one-third the original price. Fan Xian was not a girl, however, and therefore asked for two-fifths.

Unfortunately for him, the shop owner gave him a glare and closed the box and prepared to take put it back inside the shop, as if annoyed by Fan Xian's inability to see value. Fan Xian wanted to quickly call him back to renegotiate the price, when unexpectedly, Wang Qiannian, who had been standing right by in silence the entire time, signaled Fan Xian with his eyes. Confused, Fan Xian followed him out.

"It's only worth four hundred taels."

With respect, Wang Qiannian said to Fan Xian, "Your Highness, allow me to go ask." He then entered the shop, which lacked a signboard. After a while, Wang Qiannian came out, this time with a very green snuff bottle. He took the bills of money worth four hundred taels from Fan Xian and gave them to the shop owner, whose face was of a very unhealthy color.

...

...

Once in the carriage, Fan Xian said, "We shouldn't abuse our over the people." Touching the snuff bottle in his pocket, he let out a chuckle. "But bullying such dishonest businessmen once in a while isn't bad."

Wang Qiannan smiled, the wrinkles around his eyes blossoming like a chrysanthemum—the man was over forty years old, after all. He explained, "He wasn't exactly dishonest. The snuff bottle is worth a bit over three hundred at most. We gave him four hundred, that's not really bullying."

"Oh?" Fan Xian looked at Wang Qiannian in surprise. "You can see the value in these antiques, Sir Wang. You really must know a lot about this line of business to be able to have such an eye for the pricing.

Wang Qiannian laughed, "Your Highness, did you forget what I did for a living before joining the Council?"

Realizing, Fan Xian laughed too.

"So you picked it up from your time as a lone thief."

Wang Qiannian answered, "When I was smuggling stolen goods back and forth, I didn't dare ask for assistance, so I had to develop a good eye for these things.." With an antique expert like him, no wonder Fan Xian was able to obtain the snuff bottle at that price.

When they returned to Fan Manor, Wang Qiannian's men dispersed, leaving Fan Xian in the hands of his own protection force. It was at that time that the line-pulled screen fan Fan Xian had ordered previously arrived as well. As the servants hurried to take in the order, the accountant said to Fan Xian, with a pained expression, "These are nice, but it's too expensive. Young Master, you bought five of them, and that's difficult to explain to My Lady."

Lady Liu happened to walk in and heard the accountant. She looked at Fan Xian and nodded, "Record the purchase."

Fan Xian gave a faint smile and greeted his aunt. The relationship between the two of them was quite awkward at the moment; it couldn't be called close, but there wasn't enough of a grudge to make them full-fledged enemies.

Fan Xian was troubled by something. "Aunt, I bought them to cool the house. They would be amazing in the main hall. How come no one else uses them?"

Lady Liu smiled and shook her head. "You'll understand soon enough. Who could afford them at that price? Summer is only so long, it wouldn't be much more expensive if you dug an icehouse."

Fan Xian was sharp and understood immediately. "This is… the treasury's business?" Lady Liu nodded. Fan Xian sighed and exclaimed, "How could it possibly be this expensive?" At this level of craftsmanship, anyone can learn how to make them. How come there's no one else selling them?"

Lady Liu chuckled, "While no one has said anything about it, everyone knows that the emperor sponsors the inner treasury. Would anyone dare to copy it? With just a single word, the Overwatch Council could frame you with anything and have you imprisoned or exiled."

Fan Xian shook his head in displeasure. Lady Liu asked out of curiosity, "Why buy five at once?" Fan Xian explained in a gentle manner, "One for the flower hall, one in you and Father's bedroom. As for the other three: one for King Jing, one for the prime minister… and the last one for the duke."

In Lady Liu's family, her mother's side was one of the great clans in the capital. Three generations ago, there had been a duke. Whenever the word "duke" was mentioned in the Fan household, it was in reference to Grand Duke Liu Heng.

Lady Liu was slightly taken aback, not expecting the youth to be so considerate. It was even more surprising that he had made the first move to offer a benevolent gesture. She didn't know how to respond and only gave an unfocused smiled before taking her leave.

In fact, it was by chance that Fan Xian thought to improve the relationship between Lady Liu and the Liu household; if he wanted Fan Sizhe to stand firmly by his side, there was sure to be some family quarrel that he would want to avoid, and Lady Liu might… once again do something that would prevent the two sides from coming to terms.

Such small gestures couldn't achieve that in one go, so he had to take it one step at a time. Fan Xian was sure Lady Liu's heart was in three pieces, with one piece belonging to Count Sinan, and one with Fan Sizhe. As long as he could maximize the benefits between the two, she would not complain too much. As for the assassination attempt when he was twelve years old…

Fan Xian forced down his emotions with a frown and convinced himself that his true enemies were the empress and the eldest princess.

In the manor of the prime minister, Lin Ruofu gently held a snuff bottle. He said lightly, "Seems to be made of high-quality emerald. The cap is intricately fitted. While the inside of it is painted, the artwork is excellent, if not a bit excessive." Yuan Hongdao listened and knew what the prime minister meant. "The groom has come to visit his future father-in-law while bearing gifts; that's how it should be."

Lin Ruofu smiled and stood up. He unraveled the scroll on the table, revealing a painting. That painting, too, depicted an old fisherman fishing by a river that disappeared into the horizon. The rest of the painting depicted a snowy scene. Next to the painting was a poem.

"Over one thousand mountains, there are no birds in flight; on a myriad of paths, there are no footprints in sight." Reading the poem, Lin Ruofu exclaimed, "The painting is ordinary, and the calligraphy isn't anything extraordinary, but the poem itself is very nice. I've heard of Fan Xian's reputation when it comes to poetry, and I can now see it's well deserved. But do you still think this is what a groom like him should be doing, with a poem like this?"

Yuan Hongdao smiled uneasily and thought about how strange this Fan Xian was. Lin Ruofu had recently lost his eldest son; he hadn't yet returned to his old self, and for some reason, Fan Xian decided to give him such a depressing painting and poem. Yuan Hongdao fell silent for a moment before something caught his eye. "Your Highness, look here." He pointed at something on the painting.

Right between the mountains, some fine ink lines were forking out, barely visible, like new grass blades wanting to rise up underneath the snow with the coming of spring.

"This is…?"

"A touch of green in the chilling river and snowy cliff." Yuan Hongdao explained while smiling.

In response to the barely visible shoots of grass, Lin Ruofu's expressions gradually softened. "Looks like you've taken a liking to this Fan Xian also."

Yuan Hongdao didn't refute it, and laughed. "He has an excellent background, excellent education, and an excellent nature."

"Sounds like he's the perfect person to you?" Lin Ruofu smiled before continuing, "If Chen'er can live a good life after being married to him, all is well." He suddenly lowered his voice, "but regarding that incident, can you really confirm it."

Yuan Hongdao replied seriously, "The incident beneath the Cang Mountains has been confirmed. Fei Jian is currently negotiating in Dongyi City."

"Ah." Lin Ruofu half-closed his eyes. "I thought as much. I actually don't care about Fan Xian's background and education, only his nature and methods. It would be the best if he has a good nature but merciless methods of action. This way, once I die, the Lin household and my only son and daughter will be protected."

After Lin Gong's death, the prime minister was truly disheartened. His eldest son was mentally challenged, while he hadn't seen his daughter for years. On top of that, he still thought of the officials and relatives who relied on him. Who Lin Wan'er was to be married to was the decision of utmost importance.

"How are things going outside?" Lin Ruofu asked gently.

"Very good, better than we imagined, Your Highness."

"Why is the sky blue?"

"Because the sea is blue."

"Why is the sea blue?"

"Because once light enters the water, it becomes blue… uh, don't listen to me, I've not studied that topic and was sprouting nonsense."

"Why is the pond clear and not blue?"

"Because the water is too shallow?"

"Ah?"

"Eh?" In the garden, Lin Wan'er's big brother sat on a rattan chair, his chubby frame seemed to take up all the space the chair had to offer. He asked Fan Xian with curiosity, his gaze showing a child-like innocence, although occasionally they would appear sluggish.

Fan Xian knew the eldest son of the prime minister was not healthy, but he hadn't expected him to be mentally challenged. For reasons unknown to Fan Xian, the prime minister still hadn't come to greet him. Hanging around the back garden, he ran across his elder brother-in-law, and could only chat along. Fan Xian secretly laughed to himself, wondering if this chubby, mentally-challenged child would get angry and beat him.

"What's your name?" Fan Xian asked his brother-in-law with a smile. After chatting for a while, Fan Xian discovered him to only be slow to react to things, like a small child. His silliness was a bit cute, cuter than the accountant Fan Sizhe at least.

Fan Xian's brother-in-law twisted his lips, his fat cheeks making his face appear even rounder. "My name is Big Bao; my little brother is Little Bao. Little Bao hasn't been home in a long time."

Fan Xian was shaken upon hearing this. He thought of the late Lin Gong. The next instant, he had no idea what to say to his brother-in-law in front of him.

Chapter 116: Summer Vacation

Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio

Were he a normal adult, chatting with someone with the mental capacities of a young child, perhaps he would become easily bored, but Fan Xian was not that sort of person. Fan Xian had spent the last years of his previous life confined to his sickbed, unable to move, and in this life, when he was practicing strange and powerful arts, he would often find himself slipping into a vegetative state, and so he had great patience. Even more than that, he felt pity for his brother-in-law, Dabao, and his learning difficulties, so he could control his temper with a smile and chatted happily with Dabao.

As Fan Xian saw it, the plump fellow who moved around slowly was more loveable than the other people of the capital, and more trustworthy.

"Big brother, why am I so fat while you are so thin?" Dabao frowned, seemingly perplexed by this problem.

Fan Xian forced a smile. "First of all, you are my big brother. I'm going to be your little sister's husband. Second, I'm not thin at all, it's just that you're a little bit chubby."

Dabao shook his head and yawned, took a cake from a nearby table, and stuffed it in his mouth, chewing it thoroughly as he spoke. "I'm not fat; I just like to eat."

Seeing that the Prime Minister was not yet onboard with his idea, Fan Xian turned his gaze and whispered into his brother-in-law's ear. "Dabao, when shall I take you out to play?"

"What... what are we going to play?" Dabao spoke happily. "I want to play polo."

"Huh?" Fan Xian had something of a headache. He realized he'd really created work for himself. He'd thought he'd take his brother-in-law on a summer vacation, and he'd used this as a pretext to allow Wan'er to come out of her strictly-guarded pavilion. How was he to know that his tubby brother-in-law would want to play polo? He quickly changed tack. "Dabao, do you want to hear a story?"

Dabao's nostrils flared as he breathed in. "Yay! I love stories," he said excitedly.

And so, in the garden of the Prime Minister, Fan Xian began to tell a story in a calm and relaxed voice. The story was about a beautiful girl named Snow White, seven dwarves, and their happy life in the forest. One day, Snow White picked up a mushroom...

——————

"It's somewhat surprising." Prime Minister Lin Ruofu gazed out of a far window and smiled. "Do you think he's faking it?"

Yuan Hongdao shook his head. "It doesn't look like it. Master Fan has a sincere smile on his face. That can only come from his heart."

"Hm." Lin Ruofu sighed. "Ask him to come inside."

Fan Xian entered the Prime Minister's residence and immediately felt somewhat nervous. When he entered the Prime Minister's private study, it would be the first time that he saw his future father-in-law's face. He could not stop the little finger of his right hand from trembling. After all, he was inextricably linked to the death of the Prime Minister's only legitimate son. But his face remained respectful and unusually calm. "I have come to pay my respects to you, Uncle Lin."

He had given a lot of thought to how to address him. Calling him "Mister Prime Minister" was inappropriate, and calling him "Old Master" was inelegant. Calling him "uncle" could help to bring the Fan and Lin families closer together. It also subtly hinted at the closeness that the wedding could bring.

Lin Ruofu looked at Fan Xian's calm face and felt quite satisfied with his behavior. After a moment of consideration, he spoke. "I presume you understand why I have invited you here today, Master Fan."

Fan Xian quickly responded with a smile. "I am happy to simply have been invited, Uncle."

Lin Ruofu nodded. "Fan Xian... do you have any thoughts on this marriage?"

Fan Xian did indeed have thoughts about the marriage. He was extremely happy about it, and he could not prevent a blush from forming on his cheeks. Seeing his face, Lin Ruofu felt much more at ease. He smiled. "You are no doubt aware that after Gong'er's passing, I have but one son and one daughter. Chen'er is to be married to you, and you must treat her well."

Fan Xian lowered his head and quietly responded yes, without mumbling in the slightest.

"All those of an older generation must one day pass away." Lin Ruofu suddenly spoke clearly. "If I may be so bold, when that day comes, I ask that you take care of my son. Are you able to take on that responsibility?"

After a moment of thought, Fan Xian stood up, clasped his hands, and bowed. "Of course."

"Someday, we shall be considered one family, and so there are some things you must understand." Lin Ruofu looked into the young man's eyes. It seemed that he wanted to look deep into his heart. He spoke slowly and carefully. "Although I have had little contact with Wan'er, she is still my daughter. Her surname is Lin, and so you must take the House of Lin into consideration. Once the marriage is concluded, then I believe that Count Sinan also understands that our two families will be linked in common prosperity. I hope that in the future, whether or not you are in a position of power, you will remember your status, and that you will henceforth protect the interests of not only the Fan family, but the Lin family as well."

His words were frank, but only in this way could the Prime Minister at last show his approval of the marriage. Happiness welled up in Fan Xian's heart. Although his marriage to Wan'er was by order of the palace, receiving his father-in-law's approval naturally felt much more appropriate.

But when he thought of the second meaning behind those words, Fan Xian could not help but feel a headache coming on. His father-in-law had clearly abandoned the Crown Prince, but he didn't know whether he was preparing to support the Second Prince. Everyone knew that the Fan family and King Jing had assisted the Second Prince, but Fan Xian also knew that his father's feelings on the matter were complicated.

Meanwhile, after the successful conclusion of the visit to the Prime Minister's manor, Lin Wan'er finally spied an opening to approach the palace, paying filial respects to the Empress Dowager for most of the day. She wasn't sure how she had persuaded him, but her usually stony-faced uncle, the Emperor, issued a decree, allowing her to leave the palace grounds and walk freely.

Under Fan Xian's careful medical attention, Lin Wan'er's health had improved greatly. She was able to leave the house and walk around. Although her illness had not disappeared completely, she no longer had to hide herself away indoors, and so when Fan Xian heard that the palace had lifted their prohibition, he was filled with happiness at the unexpected good news. Early the next morning, he travelled by carriage to the pavilion in the palace to make sure everything was prepared.

After waiting for some time, there was a bustling from inside the pavilion. First, a number of bodyguards came out, followed by ladies-in-waiting, and a couple of pretty-looking servant girls clearing a path. Finally, Lin Wan'er leisurely strolled out, assisted by four servant girls.

Lin Wan'er wore a beautiful white skirt and a conical hat made from Longxi bamboo. The hat was very light, and underneath it hung a thin layer of gauze which kept out the sunlight and hid her beautiful face. All one could see was a faint smile on her lips.

Fan Xian came forward to greet her, but the old ladies-in-waiting were nervous at the sight of this future groom, and blocked his path, fixing him with glares as fierce as lightning.

Fan Xian was angry. He didn't understand why they had to meddle in his love life. He thought about slipping them laxatives again and letting them spend a good long while on the commode.

Lin Wan'er looked at him apologetically, her hand tightly gripping the servant girl next to her. The girl almost cried out in pain, wondering what she had done to offend, but she understood her mistress's meaning, and quickly hurried forward to speak with Fan Xian. "Master Fan, you must travel separately. We will see you again in the summer estate west of the city."

The summer estate was a royal summer garden, about twenty miles west of the capital. Were it not for Lin Wan'er's outing today, Fan Xian would not have been allowed to enter and enjoy it.

Fan Xian scoffed, but he knew that before they were married, it would have brought her great shame for them to travel in the same carriage, as well as drive the old ladies-in-waiting absolutely mad. He said nothing more, but shot a glance at Ruoruo who stood by his side. Ruoruo understood his meaning, and smiled. She walked up to her future sister-in-law's side and gently took her hand. She said a few words, then followed the procession leaving the pavilion, climbing into the palace carriage.

"Brother, being the Emperor's son-in-law... it must be so annoying." Fan Sizhe stood by Fan Xian's side and looked at him with great sympathy.

"Autumn is coming," sighed Fan Xian. "It's fine letting our sister go with Wan'er. Those damned ladies-in-waiting can't really think that lilies [1] will bloom in that carriage."

"What are lilies?"

"A holy plant."

The two sides set off early, just as day was dawning, but by the time they had reached the summer estate, the sun had fully risen, its warmth shining down on the earth in a warm embrace.

Fortunately, such things had been taken into consideration in the construction of the estate, which was built in such a way to keep out the heat of the sun. The villa was built by the side of the woods, next to the mountains, overlooking a lake and shielded from the sun and facing the wind. The surface of the lake was tranquil, but the cool wind blew gently through, bringing dry air from between the trees and fanning everyone with a cool breeze.

Fan Xian stood on the grass by the lake, looking over the scene in front of him as he was filled with awe. The Emperor's rural retreat was truly unique, and life here was grander than that of any of his subjects.

When he entered the estate, he wondered whether Ruoruo had managed to pull some strings. The bodyguards had been persuaded to corral all of the old ladies-in-waiting into a pavilion to spend the time drinking tea and playing card games. Only a young man was left by the side of the lake, with the bodyguards sitting or standing far away, with servant girls only occasionally coming out to wander and chatter incessantly. The quietness of the lake had subsided somewhat, but with no onlookers to disturb his happiness, Fan Xian felt very comfortable.

Moving further away from the others, he gritted his teeth and made a face to drive away a servant girl; Fan Xian could finally be alone with Wan'er.

"It wasn't easy," sighed Fan Xian, his right hand moving through the grass like a snake, before pouncing on Wan'er's soft hand as quick as lightning. His face remained calm as he looked out over the lake. "It really wasn't easy to meet with milady."

Her hand in his, Lin Wan'er suddenly blushed and lowered her head shyly. She did not move her hand away, but scolded him in a low voice. "I don't know why you're calling me 'milady' so formally, when you were happy to climb that wall so shamelessly."

[1] 'Lilies' is Chinese netizen slang for lesbian sex.

Chapter 117: A Waft of Cumin by the Lakeside

Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio

Fan Xian chuckled mischievously, not refuting anything as he stroked his fiancée's hand in his own. Although he had lived two lives as a virgin, he was of a generation influenced by Japanese porn actor Taka Kato, and Lin Wan'er would no doubt find his tricks hard to resist. The young lady began to feel nervous, and shifted uneasily where she sat . Fan Xian summoned up the nerve to ask. "Or you could lay in my arms?"

"My big brother is really smart." Fan Sizhe sat in the carriage, not willing to get out. He hated how many mosquitoes there were in the grass. He sighed in admiration as he watched the couple at the side of the lake from a distance. "He has only just met my future sister-in-law, and now they're sitting down together. Maybe in a little while, they'll consummate the marriage ahead of schedule?"

Fan Ruoruo giggled. Although she knew about his brother's secret visits to Wan'er's bedchamber, she didn't know quite how often he had visited her, so as she looked upon the scene, she also felt some measure of surprise and awe.

"Go help unload things." Ruoruo cuffed Fan Sizhe around the ear and laughed. "I don't want to get the guards to do it."

Fan Sizhe stared at her. "Then what are those people here for?"

Fan Ruoruo smiled. "They're servant girls, but they're not as strong as you."

For some reason, as soon as he saw Fan Ruoruo's delicate smile, Fan Sizhe felt an inexplicable fear. He obediently climbed down from the carriage and began helping the dainty servant girls unload. It was no wonder that Fan Ruoruo wanted him to help. Fan Xian had brought quite a number of things on this vacation. It took Fan Sizhe and the servant girls quite a long time to unload them all.

Fan Sizhe wiped the sweat from his brow, and yelled across the lake. "Big brother! The things are all unloaded. Which ones are yours?"

Sitting by the lakeside, Fan Xian heard his yell and clapped his hand to his head as he realized what was going on. Embarrassed, he apologized to Wan'er, stood up, and brushed the bits of grass from his buttocks. He walked to the carriage and began to give orders to organize things.

After he had settled in the capital, his grandmother had sent along all the things he had left in Danzhou, so they had all come into use that day. There were three handmade tents, a metal barbecue rack, some large-eyed metal mesh netting, and bags and pots of pepper, cumin, salt and so on. There were some bamboo rods, eggs, fish, radishes, a big block of tofu, and a bag of charcoal; in short, everything one needed for a barbecue.

The servant girls pointed at a pile of rags with curiosity. "What's this?"

"Tents," explained Fan Xian kindly.

The servant girls were intrigued. "Is this what the military uses?"

Fan Xian smiled. "In the evening, we can watch the stars by the lakeside." Seeing his kindly and handsome smile and the gentleness in his eyes, the servant girls were no longer inquisitive; they bashfully turned their faces away and left.

After starting a fire with some of the charcoal, someone came over to take over duties. Fan Xian moved a lump of stone over by the metal mesh, carefully smeared it with soy paste and other ingredients, and speared some fish onto a bamboo skewer. A faint sweet scent arose with the charcoal fire. He sniffed and looked over at Wan'er, who sat alone on the far side of the lake. He smiled gently and made sure not to make the flavor too strong as he cooked three skewers of fish. Giving a skewer to his brother and his sister, he walked over to the lakeside and sat down by Lin Wan'er.

"Take this," he said with a warm smile.

Lin Wan'er looked at him with suspicion. Was his skill that great? Taking it, she carefully bit off a piece and chewed it slowly. Gradually, her eyes lit up, and she looked at Fan Xian and laughed, but stopped short of praising him. She began gobble it down, but the fish was too hot. She begrudgingly spat it out, extending her scalded tongue and fanning her mouth with her hand, panting.

It was very cute. Truly adorable… Loveable.

Fan Xian looked at her plump lips, and for some reason, he remembered the chicken leg, when they had first run into each other at the Temple of Qing. "Chen'er," he teased her, "I've brought you no end of chicken legs over the past few days. How can you still be hungry?"

Lin Wan'er slapped his face, furious. "If I knew you could cook this well, I wouldn't have eaten your cold chicken legs."

Fan Xian laughed, almost tumbling backwards. His fiancée definitely had some spirit in her. Sometimes, she was timid, lowering her head and not daring to speak; at other times, she had a temper, her illness-weakened body suddenly like that of a tiger cub. In a word, she was cute; indeed, she was very kawaii.

Lin Wan'er gazed into the distance and saw that the barbecue stall had become busier than the lakeside; Fan Sizhe had already eaten his fish, and had set about ordering the servant girls to roast some corncobs. Only Ruoruo was eating gracefully, eating as she strolled around the side of the forest. It wasn't clear whether she was looking at the scenery or thinking about something.

Her gaze fell upon the pile of things that had been unloaded from the carriage. Lin Wan'er increasingly felt that there was something rather queer about her fiancé. "In the past few years, we usually ate at the villa, and I've never seen the servant girls so happy... I've never seen so many strange things as the ones you've brought today."

Fan Xian smiled as he explained. "Although they're servant girls, they are servant girls who have spent their days with you in luxury. How many of them have ever really cooked food? The food from this barbecue might not necessarily taste better, but the feeling of doing something by yourself is different, and your taste buds react in a different way too."

"Taste buds?" Lin Wan'er was a little confused, and she stared at Fan Xian with wide eyes.

"Our tongues have these little things on them that help us taste flavors." Fan Xian knew this was a difficult thing to explain clearly. After all, the naked eye wasn't as good as a microscope. "That's why the back of the tongue tastes bitterness, and the front of the tongue tastes sweetness," he explained.

Lin Wan'er laughed. "It's clear that you were Master Fei's student, seeing how you have knowledge of such things."

When he heard her mention Fei Jie, Fan Xian felt uneasy. He had a good teacher-student relationship with him, and he had been in the capital for a number of months now. Even Chen Pingping had returned to the city; why wasn't Fei Jie willing to come back? It didn't seem right. He put the matter out of his mind, and caught Wan'er's admiring gaze. Fan Xian set up a small barbecue just for the two of them, picked up a few ingredients, and they cooked and ate some food. Of course, most of the cooking was done by Fan Xian, and most of the eating was done by Lin Wan'er.

Caught in the aroma, fiancé and fiancée relished eating the charcoal-grilled food .

"Hm, I've never seen these seasonings before." Lin Wan'er extended the tip of her tender tongue and licked a sesame seed from the corner of her mouth. She sighed contentedly. "It smells wonderful."

"You're joking. We have plenty of sesame seeds, and this cumin wasn't easy to find." Fan Xian wondered if any of the things he'd brought to the holiday villa would have been available if he did not have a good relationship with the shopkeepers at Qingyu Hall. "If you like, you can eat it every day after we're married."

Lin Wan'er's face changed quickly - of course, it hadn't changed into a hostile expression, but she had gotten into the habit of bashfully lowering her head when she heard the word "marriage". But today the situation felt inappropriate. There was some grease on her lips, and a little on her nose. How could she look at this young boy when she looked like she'd been pilfering food from her family's kitchen?

Fan Xian laughed when he looked at her face. She wasn't an especially beautiful girl, but for some reason, in his eyes, he felt like he could find nothing wrong with her, like there was nothing about her appearance that wasn't adorable. Seeing him laugh at her, Lin Wan'er seemed like she was about to angrily pounce at him. Fan Xian quickly spread his arms wide to feed this tiger.

Meanwhile, far away on the other side of the lake, a large tree that had grown out of the waters just happened to obstruct the servant girls' view. Fan Xian thought that he could take her into his arms out in the open, but to his surprise Wan'er looked embarrassed, and forcibly stopped herself from falling into Fan Xian's embrace.

Fan Xian couldn't help but shake his head. He took a handkerchief and wetted it with some lake water, and then returned to sit next to Lin Wan'er. He stared at her face, and carefully dabbed at the ash stains on her nose and her chin.

The two were very close to each other, and feeling his husbandly tenderness and his concentrated gaze, Lin Wan'er began to feel nervous, and tightly grasped the hem of her skirt. Fan Xian noticed that she was nervous and was momentarily at a loss. He paused with the moist handkerchief on her cheek, and their gazes met. It was as if their breaths were interweaved together, their chests moving up and down at the same speed, gradually quickening.

But their thoughts were not the same as their actions. Fan Xian said nothing, and lowered his head... to kiss her on the brow.

Lin Wan'er was startled and embarrassed, but faintly disappointed. But she was unable to cover up her faint disappointment, as Fan Xian's lips had stopped the mouth she was preparing to rebuke him with - wet, soft, fragrant and sweet.

"Aiya!" Fan Xian found that she had bitten his bottom lip. He quickly stood up to move his lips away from the scene of the crime.

He stared at her, but found that Wan'er had a smile on her face. Her smile was like spring sunshine, and on the lake that they sat by, the ripples flowed gently along the mirror-like surface, moving them deeply. It was adorable how she seemed to be trying not to smile, showing front teeth as white as pearls... and it was adorable how she bit her bottom lip.

Fan Xian was moved, and summoning his remaining courage, he drew his fiancée into an embrace, not allowing her to escape, his fingers softly stroking her cheek. "My little tiger," he said softly, "watch out, or I shall devour you."

Lin Wan'er's body went rigid in his embrace, her eyes like lakes in spring, still bewildered and flattered. She bit her bottom lip and looked at him. "I don't feel well," she said, "could you go?"