Chapter 269: A Saint?
Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio
Returning to the residence, Ye Ling'er and Princess Rou Jia went back as well. Fan Xian returned to his own room and requested that Si Qi brew him some tea. The maid was very much like Si Si, for in the autumn, she frequently complained. Now, alone with his wife, Fan Xian asked, "Has there been any movement in the palace lately?"
Lin Wan'er sat next to the window, illuminated in the pane-borne light, continuing to stitch. As she heard him talk, she felt odd. She raised her head to speak. "What's going on?"
The sun was setting and the light of dusk did not provide the brightness best suited for her stitching. As Fan Xian watched her eyes tighten, he walked forward and rubbed the space between her eyebrows, saying, "The light is no good here. Why do you continue with your stitchwork?"
Wan'er's face was a little pale, which was most likely due to her lack of rest the previous night. She laughed and looked down, attempting to conceal the item she had been stitching. She told Fan Xian, "I will let you see it once I am done."
Fan Xian looked upon his wife's weakened face and her long lashes. Doing so, he could not help but feel sorry. Ever since he had left the capital, in the spring, the care and attention he had given to wife had lessened and waned. That was not to suggest his love for her had receded, however. Fan Xian had yet to take a second wife, and due to the trouble and political intrigue he could never seem to take a break from, the ability to spend time with his family had suffered.
Lin Wan'er recalled what Fan Xian had asked, and so she responded, "The palace has been quiet. There has been nothing of too great a concern; why do you ask?"
With a wry smile, Fan Xian said, "Your cruel uncle has put me in control of the First Bureau. My placement there has offended a great deal of officers. The masters of many of the officers reside in the palace, so it is only natural for me to be concerned."
Lin Wan'er's identity was quite unique. The Empress Dowager took great interest in her well-being, and the Emperor made sure to look over her when he could. The position and regard she held in the palace was higher than Fan Xian assumed. The Emperor did not bear a daughter and it was because of this that the Qing Kingdom did not have a true princess. But despite this, she was almost treated as one.
She thought about it and smiled. She reaffirmed Fan Xian by saying, "Do not bring your own mind unease. The Emperor is fond of you. Even the ladies of the palace only have kind words when they speak of you."
Fan Xian smiled and said, "The Emperor? I have only seen him a few times; what makes you believe that he is indeed fond of me? If you told me that the Emperor liked you, then I would have no trouble believing it; I feel that the extent of his warmth toward me merely extends to a cordial knowing, and acknowledgment of my marriage to you."
Lin Wan'er's eyes gleamed with the spark of love, and she quietly spoke to Fan Xian. "You are always like this…" After a brief pause, she continued to say, "Lady Shu frequently compliments you these days. And Lady yi… you know, we are relatives. She has many nice things to say about you, also. It is just the Empress who is as quiet as usual. As for his other wives, they do not even have the privilege to speak, so there is nothing I can tell you about their thoughts or feelings."
Fan Xian believed his wife. He knew that even if he were to assume total control of the Overwatch Council in the future, the palace was one place that he could not direct. But Wan'er had unknowingly proven to him to be his most reliable spy and fly-on-the-wall there. The reason Imperial Consort Shu spoke kindly of him was because Fan Xian had done her a favor, but still… words were cheap.
"What did Lady Ning say?" Fan Xian asked with a stroke of curiosity. "When I fought for passage with the crown prince; the news about that should have reached the palace by now."
Lin Wan'er brought her hand to cover her mouth and laughed. She told him, "Auntie Ning would not care. She always liked me the most, saying that you and the crown prince were little more than two idiots throwing a fit at each other. She said she would happily have you both lashed fifty times!"
Fan Xian feigned a fright and said, "Oh, no! The punishment of the palace is far too cruel, you'll have to do your best to appease their wrath and tell them how great I am!"
Lin Wan'er could not be bothered to join in with his gag, and so she said, "You have always enjoyed offending others. You cannot always ask me to clean up after you." She took the cloth that she had been stitching and, with a laugh, told Fan Xian, "Do you have any more to ask of me? If not, then you can leave. You should not interrupt me while I am busy in the middle of something."
Fan Xian pulled back the hand he had extended in preparation of grabbing hers and said, "I have no idea what you are doing that is so important." Getting ready to leave, he then recalled one other name he had forgotten to inquire about. He asked, "Did you see the Empress Dowager?"
Lin Wan'er's hand stopped, and she raised her head. The light of her eyes had dimmed somewhat, and she mournfully said, "I saw her, but she did not say anything."
The Empress Dowager had forever lived in the palace. She was actually the real leader of the palace. That which was strangest was the fact that on each occasion Fan Xian had entered the palace, he had not yet been given the opportunity to meet her. When Fan Xian entered the palace alongside Lin Wan'er the previous time, the Empress Dowager had a message sent, saying she was too sick and could not see them. But it seemed that whenever Wan'er entered the palace alone, the Empress Dowager was always happy and willing to see her. The Empress Dowager would hug her and tell her how much she adored her. It was fairly obvious by this point that the Empress Dowager was simply avoiding Fan Xian, and this brought Wan'er a heavy heart and muddled thoughts.
Fan Xian coldly laughed inside. He knew what the Empress Dowager was guessing, but he wasn't afraid of this.
Lin Wan'er looked him in the eyes and sighed. She said, "Linger told me today about the last time she entered the palace. My love, I know that your work has proven strenuous, but you are yet to discover who you are. To me, it seems as if you are using her, but you are merely too afraid to owe her a favor. What you told me last night was scary. The second prince may look like a nice person on the surface, but he is as stubborn as a mule on the inside. If you have to investigate him, I can only suspect that something will go wrong in your doubts of him."
Fan Xian looked at his wife, who was visibly worried, and smiled to reaffirm her. He told Wan'er, "I did not expect that you were the one who gave the second prince his nickname of 'the stone', when you were young."
"He may seem fairly lax, but it is little more than a facade; never would he divert from his own route or concede a matter at the behest of others." Wan'er spoke these words with a look of anguish.
Fan Xian believed that for being in a relationship, honesty was paramount. After his rebirth, if he could not trust or place faith in the person he was to sleep with each night, it would be the recipe for an unhappy existence. This was why he did not hide the fact that he was investigating the second prince. Taking further note of Wan'er's growing apprehension, he approached to comfort her. He told her, "I am just trying to help the second prince. To see what has occurred now, the officers are confused; they don't understand why the Emperor wants to keep the crown prince. If no one were to stay the prince's ascent now, then it would only become more of a challenge to come back down."
Wan'er smiled. Without wanting to continue the conversation, she said, "I fear that I truly do not know how your heart works. You perceive things differently from others, and in more complex ways. Your mind is… crooked."
"My mind is crooked?" Fan Xian almost spoke out loud, but he knew the reality of it was that he was good at acting. He knew however, that the only thing he could truly rely on was his gentle veneer and sub-surface cruelty. With a prolonged stare toward his wife, he said, "Yet I am nothing compared to you, the master strategist, for you are fairy who escaped the scheming halls of the palace."
Wan'er was laughing, and in response, she said, "Do you truly believe that life in the palace was that difficult?"
Fan Xian laughed as well, and he replied, "A monk once said that if this world was a brothel, then that palace was veiled in a darkness where no human could stay."
Wan'er heard these words and froze, her heart feeling slight offense at the jest. She looked down toward the ground. Fan Xian only now just recalled that his wife was born and raised in the palace, so to say something like this was quite callous. He laughed and apologized, which quickly brought the two back to their earlier disposition of happiness. After a moment of silence elapsed between them, Wan'er began to feel emotionally touched. Although her mother was the eldest princess, how many women in this world, following their marriage, could still be treated with great respect from their husband? She had never heard of any other man apologizing to his wife before.
Wan'er softly said, "The palace is not as you surmise. My uncle, the Emperor, is a very wise man, and he is not addicted to chasing women. A few of the princes in the palace tread in his footsteps, also. The methods of rule that you spoke of in your novel were something no one would dare to use here. The Empress Dowager is always watching, and if something set its sights on the ruin of this kingdom, she would not dare allow it.
After Fan Xian heard this, his heart jumped, and he was then brought solace.
Wan'er was laughing, and she then said, "The Emperor is rather strict when it comes to the establishment of relationships. He treats all of his wives with equal respect, and so there is no cause for resentment or bitter rivalry between them in terms of who garners greater affection. The Empress did not care about any of the issues that transpired in the palace, and so the ladies occupy their time with idle joys like card games. It is good to have competition in games, and that isn't at all different from a traditional family."
Fan Xian was quite shocked. He did not expect life in the palace to be like this behind the scenes. It meant that the books he had read in his past life about emperors, dynasties, and imperial politics were most useless to him here. He quizzically scratched his head and said, "It is no wonder you are so good when it comes to Mahjong. Even Fan Sizhe can only achieve a draw with you."
As soon as he said the word "Mahjong", Wan'er's face lit up like a lamp. The glow of her stare was almost scary to Fan Xian. He stepped closer to take a look and noticed that despite her best attempts to hide her desire, it was too ardent to withhold and suppress. With her being as radiant as she was now, he called her "the master of light".
Wan'er rolled her eyes and looked at her husband, who was not being serious. She said, "I was just bored. I married you and yet you are busy every day. I never get to see you! Still, I am lucky that I can grab my brother-in-law, who is a genius in Mahjong."
She gritted her teeth and rolled up her sleeves. She menacingly rubbed her fists and said, "Actually, where the hell has Fan Sizhe been lately? Every time I want to play Mahjong with him, he is gone! Instead, I end up playing with his mother, which is a tortuous affair! She is always letting me win. Ugh, she's just like my grandma."
Fan Xian simply poked her tall nose and told her, "What kind of thing is that to say?" He continued by jovially saying, "Of course Lady Liu is not like your grandma. And you'd best not get too impetuous in our manor."
Wan'er did not relent, and she rebuked by saying, "Do I look like that sort of person to you?" With a hasty change of subject, she said, "In a few days, we are going to go see the flowers. According to tradition, the nobles from the palace will be going to Xi Mountain. I am not sure how they will be arranging our travel this year, however. We must go there, yes, but we'll have to see how we are to get there. Perhaps in a few days, the palace will send a eunuch over and deliver us a message. Don't let this slip your mind."
"See the flowers?" Fan Xian's eyebrows warped. He knew that the autumn was cool and dry, and that the people of the capital often enjoyed going to the countryside so that they could admire the flowers. He simply did not expect that this was a past-time of the Royal Family as well. Since it was a large gathering of the Li clan, it was inevitable that Fan Xian was to go. Thinking about the events that had occurred recently, were the old men going to observe the flowers with the same rigid austerity as they did Fan Xian?
She did not notice that her husband was silent and in deep contemplation. With a tone of gravity, she told Fan Xian, "I haven't been able to play Mahjong recently, and the flowers have yet to bloom. I'm just so bored. The book that you promised me before we married—when are you going to write it? When are you going to finish it so that I may read it, huh?"
Fan Xian's mind was still clogged with thoughts of business, political intrigue and other such matters. Where was he going to find the time to continue writing Dream of the Red Chamber? With a wry smile, he begged her, "I would say that you should just let me off the hook for that one." He saw Wan'er's eyes twist to give a murderous look, one which called out for the manuscript she so ardently desired. Fan Xian no longer dared to stay within her presence, and so he quickly ran to the door, pushed it open, and ran off.
Fan Xian sprinted away like he was being chased by a ghost. He ran across the wide path that separated the houses until he met a few maids who promptly began laughing at him. Realizing his slightly immature behavior, he coughed and straightened himself up to act with the demeanor of the noble stature he was expected to possess. Like a pencil, he stood up straight. But in less than a second, he reclined his walking pose to that of a slouch. He gritted his teeth and thought to himself, "If I want to live my life happily, why should I care of what others think of me?" Reaffirmed, he made a loud "hum" noise and began singing. With a spring in his step, he danced a jig and kept going until he reached his study.
He had obtained a hefty batch of information from the conversation he had just shared with his wife, even though that wasn't his sole intent of the talk with her. What weighed on his mind the most, though, was Fan Sizhe's behavior. What had he been up to lately? Fan Xian frowned and began to feel the tender pangs of worry. He then turned his mind to think about the Dream of the Red Chamber, and then thought of the northern Qi Kingdom's emperor, who did Fan Xian a favor by keeping the news of the story's authorship a secret. It looked as if it was best to send him a chapter. But still, he thought he could no longer hide the fact that he was indeed the author. He decided not to use the methods that were frequently employed by the Overwatch Council, like sending a secret letter.
He sat there for a bit. The light outside the room had not yet grown too dim. He saw then that Yan Bingyun had arrived. Fan Xian took a look at the document he delivered and couldn't help but rub his temples. Earlier in the day, he looked over the scroll that Mu Tie had delivered, and then he established the main points with Shi Chanli. Later, he visited the "Old Hall" to do business before returning home to comfort his wife. Now, he was to speak with Yan Bingyun. To do so many things in one day, it looked as if the life of a powerful counselor was a difficult and strenuous one.
"The person you wanted me to capture? It is done. I don't know if it will assist your work in any capacity, however." Fan Xian did not look at the scroll, he just casually asked. A while ago, the "beating of rats" incident did not seem to have made much of a difference or affect the field of politics. But actually, Fan Xian was covered by many old leftover cases and carefully got close to the second prince's secret ally. He tried to arrest two officers but Yan Bingyun believed the rank of the officers he wanted was too low. Fan Xian, on the other hand, thought that they were two pivotal characters that could be used to find out whether or not there was a connection between the second prince and the eldest princess.
Yan Bingyun sat on a chair and, with a calm look, pointed out the scrolls in front of Fan Xian. He simply told him, "It is done."
Fan Xian was shocked and blurted out, "That quickly?" Fan Xian could not be bothered reviewing the scrolls and asked him plainly. "What was the conclusion?"
Yan Bingyun spoke coldly. "The amount of contraband they smuggled to the northern Qi Kingdom and Dongyi City from Xinyang was of an incredible amount. On the surface, it did indeed look as if there was a deficit created by the crown prince from the eastern palace, but it was actually a large amount of money. It was sent to the second prince via the Ming family. It was to bribe the officers within the government and buy off the border ministers. So, yes, your judgment was correct. The eldest princess does indeed have the second prince's support."
Fan Xian frowned and said, "The Ming family? The family that is married to the Cui family?"
"Yes."
"This is a huge amount of money we are talking about. How can it get sent to the second prince from the palace treasury?" Fan Xian asked.
"To nobody's surprise, it is not as if they are taking the path through the capital. They went around from Jiangnan. In the middle of their route, they were split up into a few royal merchants. From the lowest to the top, they eventually all gathered up with the prince again." Yan Bingyun then looked directly at Fan Xian and said, "The progress is complicated. I wrote it all down in the scroll; if there is something you do not understand, take a look inside. It is far more difficult for me to tell you."
Fan Xian ignored the tone of Yan Bingyun's voice, which sounded as though he doubted Fan Xian's ability to read. Instead, he descended into deep thought. He felt that his judgment had been correct. After taking a deep breath, he said, "I am going to the palace to meet the Emperor. Are you coming with me?"
Yan Bingyun was surprised, but did not mince his words. He told Fan Xian, "I am not going. Besides, is it really necessary to reveal all of this to the Emperor?"
Hearing this, Fan Xian asked, "The eldest princess and the second prince have been doing all of this secretly, yet we were able to uncover the truth with little to no effort. Do you truly believe that the palace is not aware of these dealings? Do you think it is possible that Chen Pingping didn't know, as well?"
"Even if the palace knows of this, they may not be in possession of the appropriate evidence." Yan Bingyun half-closed his eyes and said, "Please do not forget that the last chief of the First Bureau, Zhu Ge, had always been a man of the eldest princess. For this case, if you do not take total control of the First Bureau, and obtain the full co-operation of each and every department, it may become impossible to find out. The situation we are in right now is this; if this case is made public, the capital may very well descend into chaos."
He said these words calmly, but Fan Xian could hear and feel the coldness that accompanied each syllable. Aside from the resources that the Overwatch Council provided, a big part of this relied on Yan Bingyun's abilities. Quite obviously, Yan Bingyun was not willing to let the case that he had been working so diligently on bring harm and ill repute to the kingdom. Such chaos would be the complete opposite of the peace and prosperity that had graced the kingdom since its founding.
In the end, Yan Bingyun was not entirely loyal to Fan Xian. Instead, he was simply loyal to the Overwatch Council, the Kingdom, and the Emperor.
Fan Xian looked at him and said, "Do you know what will happen if you keep this a secret?"
Yan Bingyun shook his head and replied, "All I know is that if these issues were to come to light, your wife would be the one thrust into the worst situation and possibly suffer the most."
Many nobles knew that Fan Xian's wife was a daughter of the princess, but it wasn't a subject of much talk. If Fan Xian really wanted to bring this up, there was no doubt that the Emperor would be forced to make a difficult decision. Whatever that was to be, it would put Wan'er in an awkward and extremely difficult situation.
What Fan Xian did after he came back to the capital was soothe the fighting that had transpired within the palace by trying to make up for the exile of the eldest princess. What Fan Xian wanted was to force the Emperor, who had another plan, to strip the eldest princess of her powers in the shortest time.
"I respect my wife." Fan Xian looked at Yan Bingyun coldly. "But I am not going to slow myself down due to the awkward position she may find herself in."
Yan Bingyun slowly raised his head. His eyes expressed a look of confusion. He said, "This is what I don't understand about you. Sir, what do you want?"
"There are two different things that I desire." Fan Xian stood up and walked toward the window. He observed the setting sun and noticed that in the corner of the courtyard, there was a woman raking the lifeless leaves that had departed their trees. Fan Xian continued his speech by saying, "The first thing is simple. The government has a lack of money, and the river in the south has been in disrepair for years. This year, the embankment broke down and it hundreds of thousands of deaths. I may not have witnessed the event myself, but just the mere thought of it makes me sad, my friend.
"Where are we going to get the money to save these people? This is a problem that has plagued my father's mind, also. The financial situation of the country is different from other countries throughout history. Over the years, the wealth of the kingdom has been poured into the military. The source of where the money comes from is odd, too. Much of the entire country's annual income comes from the palace treasury. But the palace treasury holds the Emperor's own personal wealth. You and I both know that those funds were left behind by Lady Ye; that means they rely on that business to generate an infinite amount of money to support the kingdom."
Fan Xian turned around, looked back toward Yan Bingyun, and said, "And the eldest princess? She loves nothing more than power. All these years, the wealth of the palace treasury has been taken and used to buy-out countless officers for a trade of allegiance, all to boost her support… Excuse me, I misspoke. Let me say it a little more plainly and succinctly; she is taking the Emperor's money and using it to steal his own people. All this money has been spent on buying the feeble support of officers and now, when the kingdom is in dire need of such money, there is none left to be used."
"Money is just money; the problem is how it is used. You do not know how much I would rather this money go toward helping victims of the flood, rather than allowing all the money to crumple in the officers' rotten hands."
"So, am I in a rush to investigate the second prince and the Cui family? Yes. Why? To prevent the eldest princess and second prince, who constantly wears the facade of an honorary scholar, to throw away all of the kingdom's money." Fan Xian looked down toward the ground and lamentably told Yan Bingyun, "Of course, if I do reveal this, it is highly unlikely that Emperor would not be willing to punish his own sister. But just like last time, when she was exiled, the Emperor kept on trying to delay the matter. He would rather check out the palace treasury and instead tell off the second prince. And I? He will probably believe me to be nosy and become angry at me. With wrath, he'll have me forcefully evicted from the Overwatch Council and dragged away to the ends of the earth."
He reached out and stretched. His face was now wearing a naïve and innocent smile. He said, "This is the only way. I just hope the Emperor will at least allow me to return to Danzhou."
Yan Bingyun's head was slanted, his face petrified. It was as if he had no idea who the man ranting before him was. He said, "But you are going to take over the palace treasury next year. Begin your investigation at that time; wouldn't that be the correct course of action to take? It would look much better."
Fan Xian laughed, continuing to talk like a wholly different person. "But our kingdom no longer has surplus supplies. If I can put an end to the squandering of the palace treasury's funds but a single day earlier, then the poor civilians of the south can receive many more bowls of porridge to eat. Everything else can wait, but to miss a meal is to starve."
Yan Bingyun stared at Fan Xian without blinking. It seemed as if he wanted to know if the person in front of him was an insidious officer or a genuinely kind, earnest, self-sacrificing saint; one who feared no evil.
Chapter 270: The Memorial in the Palace Storm
Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio
"Do not believe me to be a sage." Fan Xian shook his head and continued, "After all, I am only concerned with myself. Next year, will I be in charge of the palace treasury? It will end Xinyang's revenue. What will she do then to support the prince? Could she allow this to happen? The palace treasury's books make it seem like it is doing well, but a look behind the curtain reveals a different story. Do I have to take it, only to end up hairless and gray with the amounting stress of being in such a position?"
"I am not willing to clean up after her."
"The palace treasury is a mountain of gold, sinking into a wallow of filth. The eldest princess has the Empress Dowager to take care of her, but what about me? I am just an outsider officer, and I am to be put in charge of the palace treasury? This is not meant to be. This is to make me suffer." With visible distress, Fan Xian further spoke: "But I do wonder; is the Emperor looking to make me a scapegoat for the eldest princess? In the future, if they look at the palace treasury and find out something is amiss, nothing I say will ever avert the blame. I will never be able to placate with such a miserable fate."
If Chen Pingping or Fan Jian heard him talk as he did, with the fiery expression he wrought, they would sing praise for him; a young man with such talented acting skills was a rarity. An outsider officer? As if!
Yan Bingyun did not know the ultimate secret behind Fan Xian's facade, as he watched him make a scene, all riled up. In his heart, though, he was beginning to admire him all the more. He had previously assumed Fan Xian to be an annoying, brattish and entitled punk - but seeing Fan Xian act in such a manner changed his mind completely, so that he saw him now as a man of honor, dignity and of a desire to do good; by himself and others. With perked eyebrows, Yan Bingyun said, "Then why did you not assert your position and outright decline to take over the palace treasury? You knew of the dangers beforehand."
Fan Xian, in a self-deprecating manner, laughed and said, "Perhaps you will not believe me, but I really sought to serve. I wanted to serve the people; the government; the kingdom!"
Yan Bingyun maintained a face of cold stone, but the warmth of his heart was continuously stoked by Fan Xian's words. He stood up and bowed with great respect. With a noticeably calmer voice, Yan Bingyun began talking from the position of a subordinate and gave Fan Xian suggestions. "Any change of leadership of the palace treasury is uneconomical. It would be foolish"
Fan Xian quietly looked at him.
It seemed as if Yan Bingyun did not notice the stare of aggression he had actually given him. He proceeded to say, "Ever since this matter was brought to light, look at what you have been able to accomplish in the past few days. Perhaps now you will have the courage to ask Shi Chanli to write a document and eloquently post it upon the Supreme Court's board, to let the world know how the eldest princess and the corrupt officers within the government have taken advantage of their positions to rob the palace treasury."
With a self-deprecating laugh and smiling once more, Fan Xian did think of doing that, anyway. There was no question of his courage, and he most certainly had support; not from the emperor, but most certainly from his uncle.
"...That would be no use." Yan Bingyun said, and then continued: "It would yield nothing of service to the victims of the disaster. The amount of money given out by the palace treasury is vast; to recollect it all within a month would be an impossible task. And I hardly believe the Emperor would be willing to offend most of his officers. If there were a considerable amount of officers suddenly fired or demoted, there would be issues running the government. The disaster relief efforts cannot afford to be delayed, either."
Fan Xian was in deep thought, and then asked, "What do you suggest, then?"
"We can temporarily attempt to slow the palace treasury's bleeding of money. Then, the minister, who has been in charge for as long as he has, will figure it out. It will most likely not affect the relief efforts." And then Yan Bingyun quietly continued by saying, "The matters you arranged in the northern Qi Kingdom will take a while more to be prepared. Wait until after the winter and cooperate with Wang Qinian upon both sides. Firstly, take out the Cui family to severe their money ties, and then take the opportunity of being the new man in charge of the palace treasury to examine the old documents and their fraudulent calculations."
"This is a safe play," Fan Xian said, to which Yan Bingyun frowned. "I am only worried about the time Wang Qinian will spend in Shangjing. It may not be sufficient, if he is to assert a modicum of influence on Qi's power and weed out the Cui family."
Yan Bingyun froze for a moment and said, "I can help."
Fan Xian looked at him, eyebrows still raised. Although he did not show it, his heart was one of secret merriment. He then said, "You are quite infamous in the northern Qi Kingdom; how do you expect to return there?"
Yan Bingyun replied, "I have a number of men here in the capital. They can take care of business without me looking over their shoulders all day."
"I will continue to strive and achieve more authority, and I will use this power to do something that I desire. But if this is to happen, I will need a lot of help." Fan Xian looked him in the eye and with a deepened voice, said, "I want it to be like how we were in Shangjing. Back then, our cooperation was at its finest. And such teamwork will not only apply to then and today, but it will be something that continues into the next spring, too."
Yan Bingyun understood Fan Xian's implication, but he wasn't quiet for long. Instead, he bowed and took leave.
Fan Xian was a pre-eminently talented person within the Overwatch Council, but he wasn't one to let matters drag. For now, Fan Xian had to gain Yan Bingyun's trust, and that might take some time.
As Yan Bingyun was about to exit the study, he turned around to look at Fan Xian with a bewildered look upon his face. He asked, "Commissioner, you have been rich since birth. Why do you care so much for the suffering of the average civilian?"
Fan Xian scratched his head and answered, "Perhaps it is because I had gotten used to doing good deeds in the distant past."
Yan Bingyun can really hold it in. I cannot believe he has yet to ask about Miss Shen.
He looked outside the window and saw the fading sun glaze the shrubs of the yard. His face bore no emotion, beguiling the sighing of his heart. The field of politics was quite scary. Even within his own manor, there was a spy.
Even though Fan Xian had revealed himself as the Commissioner of the Overwatch Council to the Ministry of Justice, the First Bureau had a spy in Fan Xian's manor. Upon discovering this, and the subsequent confrontation, he departed with haste. But Fan Manor's yard had a spy there. If Wu Zhu was not backing Fan Xian, he would never have noticed the innocent gardener was the agent.
As he himself had already said, Fan Xian was not a sage. He was not a good person, and he was not a Lei Feng. His reasons for dealing with the eldest princess and the second prince were quite simple, for it all boiled down to his personal conflict with Xinyang.
And that which instigated this conflict was the palace treasury. Ever since Fan Xian's rebirth, this was his sole purpose, and it was the one thing he would pursue until the end of his days. The palace treasury was the Ye family's legacy, and what resided in there was of paramount importance. If anyone got between him and the security of what resided in there, he would callously kick them away.
How are we supposed to live our lives?
How was Fan Xian supposed to live his life like this? Was he supposed to love himself, his wife, his family, and the people, or was he supposed to love his one true love? This idea was not brought on by cheesy TV shows; it was merely what he thought. His life was a precarious one. To lead an army to war, kill others without remorse and then rule the world? That would be a life, too. Being a cruel and apathetic person was a life, and living on the edge was a life, as well.
Fan Xian was just a male animal that relished in power and pretty women. But through his experiences of rebirth, he knew to make sure of his desires and grab a hold of them as best as he could. It was because of this that he thought it fine to do as he pleased. He thought it was okay to be mean whenever he wished, and soft whenever the time to be arose. To get close with numerous beautiful women was fine, too. To make more money and see more of the world; that was the perfect life, or so he thought.
First, he would have to assure his materialistic desires were satiated before he even thought about improving his mental health. If you want the world to be beautiful, you need to make the people smile. At the beginning of this life, Fan Xian was a sole, pitiable officer; it is of surprise, then, that life was far harder for him.
If he had chosen to remain as another young delinquent of Danzhou, perhaps his life would have been happier. He would have had more freedom, to say the least. He wouldn't have to dote over the wellbeing of others at large, or care at all about the current fiasco with the palace treasury. But in the springtime of the Qing calendar's fourth year, he was overwhelmed with an unnecessary curiosity towards his wife-to-be. Falling in love and then being given a family, every passing day he felt as if he were being dragged deeper and deeper down, forced to give up all aspects of the freedom he had once enjoyed.
That afternoon, the Overwatch Council's Commissioner Fan Xian had a private conversation about the palace treasury, the second prince, and the welfare of the common people with the Overwatch Council's future Fourth Bureau chief Yan Bingyun in Fan Manor. Unknowingly, their talk was being transcribed and transferred to the palace's study and Chen Pingping's table.
Chen Pingping's reaction was quite simple. He issued a warrant that temporarily gave Fan Xian the entirety of his own authority and direct command of the Overwatch Council. That meant that until Chen Pingping rescinded the order himself, Fan Xian was indeed in total control of every facet of the big and scary Overwatch Council.
Inside the study, the supreme Emperor was overviewing the details of their talk and gave a slight nod.
Inside the Emperor's heart, he was truly pleased with Fan Xian's actions and behavior in recent times. If the world thought that the Overwatch Council was like a dog on his leash, then that dog would require the courage to bite people; but there were limitations to who it could go after. So, he allowed Fan Xian to maintain control of this leash and see what he was truly capable of.
Needless to say, however, the Emperor was pleased with the conversation Fan Xian and Yan Bingyun shared. The power and emotion they relayed during their talk was just like that woman, back in the day. The Emperor's skinny face possessed a pleased smile, even though Fan Xian had been so disrespectful to him in the past. Despite all prior transgressions, he knew Fan Xian was loyal to him.
The Emperor gazed at the eunuch in front of him and, with a smile, he asked him, "Hong Siyang, what do you think of Fan Xian?"
Hong Siyang, the eunuch, bowed and his wrinkled face did not move a muscle. But quickly he said, "Too fake."
The Emperor frowned at these words. He did not reply, but his mind pondered whether or not Fan Xian had been indeed putting on a show for him. He had heard that Wu Zhu was always in the south; no one in the capital should have been notified of his arrangements.
"My Lord, how do you plan to resolve this situation?" Hong Siyang asked, referring to the business that involved the second prince and eldest princess.
The Emperor coldly stroked his head and replied, "The show has not yet started. How can I bring to an end before it has begun?"
The Emperor of the Qing Kingdom had also been wracking his mind over the emptiness of the palace treasury. Even though he had always had his suspicions regarding Xinyang, he had never gotten a hold of any evidence to prove his troubled mind correct. And due to his constant worry of the Empress Dowager's health, he always believed in the sanctity of one's loyalty. It would be impossible for him to expose and draw attention to the issue at this time. And it was due in part to the fact that Li Yunrui yielded a greater benefit to the kingdom than he did harm, and that the second prince was his own son.
Until today, he had truly believed in all that Chen Pingping had told him. There were certain areas where the young people performed their tasks too recklessly, but their frivolity showcased their care, passion and outright ability to do what they sought to. This not only applied to Fan Xian, but to the young officer Yan Bingyun as well. The Emperor then thought he had not been paying enough attention in earlier times.
The maid lit the candles and made her exit. Not a sound could be heard in the study room, as the Emperor sat waiting for Fan Xian's documents to arrive. "If Fan Xian truly guessed what I have been thinking about, and if he was willing to do solely what he himself desired and become a lonely officer, later today, he should be able to retrieve the information that he seeks and then deliver it to my desk."
"If Fan Xian truly followed Yan Bingyun's suggestions to slow the proceedings…" the Emperor frowned once more and thought that even if Fan Xian was concerned about the stability of the government, he shouldn't have hid anything from him.
The study's door opened, and a eunuch carrying two boxes walked in. The Emperor was a diligent fellow, and never put off the reading of documents, for he was always willing to do it as soon as they arrived - even if that meant right through the night. It was a common occurrence these days.
The Emperor's face did not change, but his heart was still longing for what he truly wanted delivered. Looking at the stack of documents, he caught a glimpse of what it was that he desired. He smiled.
He opened the secret box that was crafted by the Overwatch Council and began reading the first of secret documents written by Fan Xian.
In his heart, he thought that the contents of these documents could change the destiny of numerous people; but that meant nothing to him. As the Emperor rose to power over the course of his lifetime, he had developed the ability to see through many things. There were many subjects he saw and thought about differently than Fan Xian, as well. He did not care about the misdeeds of his sister, the eldest princess and the second prince, for instance. No one would truly understand the Emperor's ambition and confidence.
In regards to Fan Xian's performance, the Emperor was greatly impressed and thoroughly pleased, for he knew that he was not explicitly supporting the eastern palace's conflict with the second prince.
As the Emperor descended through the mound of documents, his face all of a sudden changed to an expression of disdain.
All the officers from the Imperial Censorate were gathered together and sent to impeach the Overwatch Council's Commissioner and the First Bureau chief, Fan Xian, for his malpractice. Being accused of bribery, he was to be declared an outlaw.
Each document provoked the Emperor's wrath further and further, and he maintained a look of anger.
Chapter 271: An Zhi
Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio
Of the entire capital, the first to know of the Imperial Censorate's mobilization to impeach the popular politician Fan Xian was the man himself. Before the Emperor even received those documents of his, Fan Xian knew he would be riding a riptide.
Mu Tie was sitting graciously, opposite Fan Xian. "It was only last night. The right-hand man of the Imperial Censorate's leader started it. Over there, they had to confirm the correct procedures, so it was only delivered today."
The Overwatch Council's First Bureau was in charge of observing and recording the movement of each officer. The individual censors of the Imperial Censorate jointly composed and signed a letter addressed to the Emperor. The contents of the letter were so grave and of such massive proportion, that if the First Bureau officers were unable to detect and be made wary of its existence and notify Fan Xian right away, the organization would be in need of another good scrubbing. Fan Xian nodded and began flicking a parchment, whilst saying, "Only these crimes?"
Mu Tie noticed that the commissioner didn't seem very much to care about the allegations held against him and he frowned sternly, telling him, "Sir, this cannot be taken lightly…"
Mu Tie then closed his mouth and did not say any more. Fan Xian raised his head to look at him, and with eyes that suggested he was jesting, he replied, "Do you really think I committed these crimes?"
The document created by the censors read clearly, detailing the falsified amounts of money Fan Xian had gained through bribery during his time at the First Bureau for a month. He set free criminals and even allowed and encouraged his men to rampage through the streets. What was written last upon the parchment was how Fan Xian had embarrassed and made a mockery of the government. While there may be slight truth to the latter, the first two accusations were the most grievous of crimes. There were banknotes given to Fan Xian by Lady Liu, banknotes that were traceable, and there were corroborated stories of certain officers being captured by the Overwatch Council and coincidentally being let go.
These crimes could bring down just about any officer or government official.
Fan Xian rubbed the creases of his forehead. After a long and busy day, something as troublesome as this had now happened. Although he did not let it show, this matter concerned him deeply. He then said, "In the Qing Kingdom's Imperial Censorate, their bark is worse than their bite. They are happy to mouth off at others, but they are just as quick to backstab another if it'll help boost them up a few rungs of the societal ladder. Since when are they no longer afraid of those above them? Is it that my power is not grand enough? Do I not possess enough honor for them to respect me?"
Mu Tie heard what he said and wanted to laugh. It was a great strain to prevent doing so, because the Overwatch Council had always looked down on the Imperial Censorate. He also suspected that Fan Xian was waxing rhetorically, believing that Fan Xian knew exactly what had been going on. In the capital these days, everybody knew that Fan Xian was a person of honor and a true noble.
But Fan Xian, for once, did not actually understand the reason why the Imperial Censorate had now garnered the courage to strike out at him. He had actually tried to better himself lately, going about matters a touch more softly. He had never even seen the people who were after him. With Fan Xian's growing connection with the Emperor, were they not afraid to potentially go against his wishes?
Mu Tie watched his face and knew what Fan Xian was thinking. He then explained, "Sir, this is an ordinary tactic of the Imperial Censorate. Forever have they set their sights upon the Overwatch Council. It was the government that gave them this authority, but the Emperor has since suppressed the methods of operation we can use in the Overwatch Council. Therefore, in recent times, the Imperial Censorate has taken a liking to picking on us." Mu Tie frowned and continued, "That being said, even I am surprised to see they have the courage to go against you, especially with such significant allegations."
Fan Xian, in an effort to calm down, reached for his teacup and dabbed his fingers in the tea before painting his forehead with the cool drink.
The Imperial Censorate was a very special department. In the former dynasty, the Imperial Censorate was the most important department when it came to supervision and establishment, to the impeachment and eradication of those who sought to disrupt their say. There were two primary officers, each at the side of the leader. Below them were the vice-ministers, and below that were the average officers. Within the Imperial Censorate were several smaller departments, also, which eased the workload between each other.
There was a book written by Zhuang Mohan called Notes on Officialdom. It told the tale of the Northern Wei Kingdom's Imperial Censorate. The censors' primary task was to impeach those who were found guilty of malpractice and clarify those who may have been wronged. They were the ears of the emperor. If there were any officers that were found out to be corrupt, or in any way working against the government and warping documents in a certain way, the Imperial Censorate would be upon them and they would be stripped of all titles, stature and wealth.
The Qing Kingdom's Imperial Censorate was not half as effective as that of the previous dynasty. They withdrew the officers who would observe and inspect each department and organization that composed the government and their authority for being a certain body or party to represent another in a court was given to the Supreme Court and Ministry of Justice. For the newly established kingdom, the Imperial Censorate had been splintered into numerous smaller departments with limited influence. The power to spy and observe others was taken away and given to Chen Pingping, who established and built the Overwatch Council all by himself. It was because of all these changes that the Imperial Censorate was now a shadow of its former self, a body that policed public morals more than they did officials of the government.
Who was eligible to be a politician? Strictly men. What do men like the most, aside from pretty woman? Power. The Imperial Censorate's hatred toward the Overwatch Council mostly stemmed from this, for it was Chen Pingping and the Overwatch Council that indirectly "stole" their power and influence. It was mostly jealousy and a nostalgia for the honor and glory of their past that fueled the fire of the Imperial Censorate's disdain for the Overwatch Council. And while they knew full well of their new boundaries and limitations, they would still watch who they could and deliver as many petty reports as they were able.
But with the old crippled Chen where he was, poisonous stare and all, nobody dared supersede him. Why the Imperial Censorate, which had been quiet for some time now, would begin acting up all of a sudden was strange, and that is what bothered Fan Xian.
The Overwatch Council was the largest department whose mode of operation involved surveillance. That being said, the Imperial Censorate's influence inside the government had not been wholly lost. There was some truth to the notion that said, "The more people you have, the stronger you are". Even the eldest princess was to be exiled by Fan Xian due to his few-thousand page report of accusations. It was plain to see that words could kill an officer. Most of the officers of the Imperial Censorate hailed from poor families, which was something that the scribes appreciated. Whenever the officers wrote a statement, the scribes were sure to reply to them. Still, it was a sad state of affairs for any officer to be accused and have charges pressed against them; even if they were innocent. If they were proven innocent, their chances of working as a politician again were still rather slim, for their reputation would be tarnished to a near unsalvageable state.
Fan Xian coldly laughed. After much deliberation, he realized where the problem lay. He surmised that someone must have discovered his monitoring and surveillance of Xinyang and the second prince. He still remembered clearly that the Imperial Censorate's leader's ex-right-hand man was now taking orders from the eldest princess. He was responsible for breaking Fan Xian's legs in the Ministry of Justice. But what she did not know was that she was unknowingly allied with a coward. Fan Xian was also investigating a scholar by the name of He Zongwei, someone who was also in the Imperial Censorate.
Not long later, the secret documents that had been sent to the palace received a response. Fan Xian looked at the gold box it was concealed within, and opened it. There was one slip of paper inside, with two words written upon it.
"An Zhi."
Fan Xian's surname was Fan, and his first name was Xian. His courtesy name was An Zhi.
Back in the day, the Emperor himself had given Fan Xian this name. Frowning, he had no idea what the meaning behind this message was. When Fan Xian delivered his secret documents, he knew that the Emperor would seek to delay the resolving of the business concerning the emptying palace treasury. It was just bad timing for these new allegations to arise at the same time, perhaps messing with the Emperor's head.
"Action is needed." Fan Xian shook his head and told Mu Tie, "Investigate the censors who bear these allegations against me, and check if they are truly clean. If they seek to do this to me, I will do the same to them!"
Mu Tie was surprised and said, "Director Chen previously said that in regards to the documents of the Imperial Censorate, ignore them. Treat them with as much concern as you would a dog's barking. The palace does not wish for the Overwatch Council to investigate the Imperial Censorate, in fear of any ugliness that may arise. So, because of this, the Emperor has not given the Overwatch Council the authority to capture a censor of the Imperial Censorate."
Fan Xian disagreed, saying, "This is no longer just barking; they are about to bite me! Why should I care about saving face for the government? I told you to investigate it, and when you found something, of course I was not going to deal with it. I would have thrown it to the Supreme Court and the Ministry of Justice. If the Emperor was willing to suppress these matters, then what is the point of having the Overwatch Council and the First Bureau?
Mu Tie was happy. The Overwatch Council had been waiting for this day. They were extremely excited to be given the opportunity to monitor and investigate the Imperial Censorate, and uncover any dirt they may have hidden.
The next day, Fan Xian stayed at home playing Mahjong. The sound of rain was quite lovely and he did not give the matters with the censors any heed. Wan'er, however, was quite nervous, for Fan Xian confided in her about these concerns and she cared greatly, for everyone knew how important one's reputation was.
Word of the allegations now held against Fan Xian had spread all around the capital at this point. Palace secretaries had already sent the document detailing the exact crimes he was to be accountable for to Fan Manor. Fan Xian feigned to be oblivious and not aware of the charges. He began acting terrified, but truthfully he slept as well as ever.
On the morning of the third day, Fan Xian departed his manor. In accordance with the law, the accused had to leave all of their possessions at home and head to court to defend themselves. Fan Xian, however, did not adhere to these rules and instead visited the Xinfeng Restaurant to eat more of that that acclaimed bun.
The recent events had already caused a ruckus within the capital, but no one knew in what manner Fan Xian would fight back against these allegations. The Imperial Censorate was visibly prepared, and the threats held against Fan Xian were tremendous. The censors were even keen to investigate every single person who had any affiliation with the First Bureau in the past month.
With Fan Xian not having done anything to fight back so far, everyone was quite surprised at this turn of events. Instead, Fan Xian was just fighting buns.
On the fourth day, the continuous rain had at last come to an end, and so Fan Xian decided to lead his family into the nearby countryside so that they may collect flowers. Using his fingers, he gently touched the freshly-opened petals of daisies.
Normally, a palace secretary would have brought out the Emperor's decree by now, but nothing had come yet. The Emperor was unsure of what to do. Either he could remind Fan Xian not to overstep his boundaries, given his short tenure within the capital and government, or he could warn the Imperial Censorate to cease their incessant intrusions. He was of two minds, and unable to come to a decision. When they were in court, the the Minister of Appointments could not harbor his curiosity any longer and, with great trepidation, asked the Emperor whose side he was on of. To the surprise of many, he did not react as one might expect, and simply gave a faintly audible "Hm".
This awkward situation prolonged for a while later. The officers of the Imperial Censorate were proud and sure of themselves at the court's convening, but they were beginning to show signs of consternation due to the Emperor's lack of concern. They now planned to create another document decrying Fan Xian's deeds and try to get other officers of the government and students from the Imperial College included to join them.
Chapter 272: Confrontation in front of the Palace
Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio
The Qing Kingdom's emperor had been waiting for Fan Xian to come defend himself. He would have ignored the issue and hopefully have the matter fade from the people's memory. Were he not to mention anything further about it, it would be reflective of other emperors from different eras; it was quite effective at making others forget about a certain subject entirely.
The Emperor did not expect Fan Xian to not do anything, however. The man in question had showed no care at all thus far. His attitude was one of innocence. He pretended he did nothing wrong and appeared to merely allow others at the palace to clean up this mess. What he did not know was that Fan Xian harbored unruly thoughts. In his heart, Fan Xian was telling himself, "You are the Emperor. You are supposed to protect me. And now, because of these small matters, I must throw away my reputation? If in the future I really do take action against Xinyang and get rid of the eldest princess, are you just going to throw me to the Empress Dowager so that I may die a slow and torturous death?"
If it was just some regular chancellor having these allegations held against them, they would not have the encouragement or luck Fan Xian had. One could not guess the Emperor's heart. As a chancellor, one would always have to take advantage of the Emperor's favor. If for whatever reason he did not, and he sought that chancellor dead, nothing could be done to avert such a fate.
But Fan Xian himself knew that he was no ordinary chancellor, and even the Emperor did not guess that this he knew. Therefore, this entire ordeal was quite amusing for Fan Xian, and he sought to find out how far the Emperor would bend for him.
It was now seven days since the allegations against Fan Xian became public. Fan Xian was in his carriage outside the palace. Upon getting out, the Qinian Unit encircled Fan Xian and escorted him inside. He was clothed entirely in black, standing upright in pride so that others could see clearly who this person was. His face was expressionless.
The officers that had gathered at the gates of the palace all knew that this person was a popular guy. That is not to mention that this was the person who displayed his bodyguards out in the open. This was Fan Xian.
Today was the day where a court meeting was to be convened. The Emperor had issued a command for Fan Xian to appear and listen. Every officer knew what the subject of their discussion was to be on this day, and they were each excited about it. A few good friends of the Fan family had also come, and Fan Xian spoke with them a while. With the lame excuse of telling him that the weather was cold, they vacated and moved to a more private corner of the palace whenever they did so.
At this time, on both sides of the plaza, there were six officers clad in red uniforms. Fan Xian's men, who were clothed in black, stood in direct opposition of these officers, staring them in the eyes. Fan Xian took no notice.
The officers in red belonged to the Imperial Censorate, who had gone against Fan Xian. He looked at them coldly and with a lowered voice, said, "All of you look like pigs; how can you expect to look like clean officers?"
Deng Ziyue walked beside Fan Xian and said, "The First Bureau has been investigating them the past few days and were unable to find anything. These Imperial Censorate officers all hail from poor families, and one's reputation is what they each value the most. This is why people decide to lean on them. Even if they were to accept a mere gift of biscuits, they would do so with great caution and trepidation. Everything they do is done with the utmost care."
Fan Xian frowned and replied, "If the officers aren't corrupt, then the world is coming to an end!"
Deng Ziyue gave a wry smile and thought that Fan Xian's response was a little ridiculous.
The Imperial Censorate officers looked coldly at Fan Xian without any essence of fear. Fan Xian knew that his opponents weren't afraid of him in the least, and so he thought, "If the officers are no longer corrupt, then what is the point of hiring a Commissioner for the Overwatch Council? They are politicians that fight exclusively with words. It is not as if I could assassinate them and go about my day." No matter what was to happen in the court, the very least that Fan Xian suspected would occur was that he may be exiled back to Danzhou.
Fan Xian understood that the rarest thing one would likely find in this world was a clean officer. He also believed in the First Bureau's ability to investigate. If their search had been thorough, then the men before him truly were clean. Fan Xian also understood that the worst enemy an officer could be confronted with was a collective of truly clean officers. Thinking of this, he began admiring his young and beautiful mother-in-law, for she could actually command these officers to go against him. She really was something.
While Fan Xian was lost in thought, he had no idea that each of the officers were looking at him in return.
What Fan Xian had done this month was hide his true self and mask his own intelligence, and merely pretend to be a corrupt officer that was as sinister as he was manipulative. "They possess enough evidence to charge me, but why has the Emperor not yet done anything?" They were not afraid of the Emperor punishing them for going against his cherished Fan Xian, for they still believed him to be a fair and true lord. But even if this was not to be, the officers were doing their duty and had no fear of death.
But the officers in the Imperial Censorate were said to have had an unfortunate past few days. First, it was because the campaign they had initiated against Fan Xian in the government received very few signees. As polite as others were to their requests, whenever an officer heard the petition that they were to sign was against Fan Xian, few dared to go along with them. Secondly, they requested to the scribes that they produce a few articles attacking Fan Xian, but they refused. Again, this was entirely because the crux of the matter was Fan Xian himself, and they dared not criticize him. It was slightly humorous, for they had publicly criticized many other officers in the past.
And that which made the Imperial Censorate's officers fume was the attitude of the youths at the Imperial College. The officer that went to visit the college to lecture and tell the students about the "bad man Fan Xian" was promptly kicked out. No one was willing to believe what was being said of Fan Xian, who was the scholar of the generation, Zhuang Mohan's soon-to-be successor, son of the Finance Minister, and all-around idol of every young student. That's not to mention he was every young girl's dream man, too. No one believed he was cheap enough to be bribed for such a small amount of coin.
"13,400 tael? That's it?"
The Imperial Censorate had stumbled into their worst streak of luck yet, for nothing they did yielded the results they desired.
At this time, the wind began blowing a little harsher. It made the officers that were outside the palace shiver in the cold. Their faces changed as they looked into the sky, noticing the presence of rain clouds forming above once more. They each ran under the small eave that extended beyond the palace's door frame. The Royal Guard did not dare jeopardize the health of those old men by letting them get soaked in the rain, and so they did not stop them.
In the autumn, the capital always changed. After the wind, rain would swiftly follow, fluctuating from small raindrops to torrential downpours. The blue-tiled pathways of the palace were now wet, and their color had darkened.
Near the palace gate, there was only a line of Fan Xian's men and a line of the Imperial Censorate's officers standing there. Although they stood in the rain, they had no reaction. Fan Xian squinted and looked toward them, saying, "Officer Lai, you should get out of the rain."
He was talking to the right-hand man of the Imperial Censorate's leader, a third-rank officer, Lai Mingcheng. Officer Lai coldly looked his way and responded, "Mister Fan, do you thinking standing in the rain like this will wash away the crimes you have committed?"
Officer Lai bowed and said, "Today, we will meet before the Emperor, and I will bring you down."
Fan Xian raised his eyebrows, thinking of how foolishly assure he was of his own victory. Although he did not saying anything, he firmly believed Officer Lai would be the one to get knocked off his pedestal. Fan Xian bowed in return and said, "Really? I am not sure if you'll be singing the same tune once they discover you are framing a member of the royal family."
The right-hand man was taken aback with a rage so fierce he could not reply. He clenched his fists and walked toward the gate of the palace. The officers that had followed him kneeled in the rain.
"Ah, the old 'kneeling before the gate' trick again?" Fan Xian viewed these people as equal parts humorous and pathetic. He sighed and said, "The purpose of life is fame. I have no idea why the government keeps you lot fed."
Those few officers who were kneeling looked back with anger in their eyes.
Fan Xian saw this, but he was not concerned. He merely raised the hood of his cloak, smiled and said, "I am black. No matter how I wash it, I will always be black. And you guys are red. If you get washed by the rain, you may end up black, as well."
The uniform that Fan Xian wore was composed of slick, waterproof material. The water droplets that fell upon him bounced off like stars. The black of his outfit, however, was a little unnerving to behold.
The bright red uniforms that the Imperial Consulate's officers had been wearing were now soaked in the rain. The color deepened to appear almost black as he had said.
The officers looked down and saw their clothes, before turning their heads to the sky to feel the rain upon their faces. Stubbornly, they did not say a word.
They were waiting for the other subjects of discussion in the court to be heard first. The Emperor seemed to notice the presence of Lai Mingcheng and the Overwatch's Commissioner Fan Xian and frowned. He ordered a eunuch to command those two to appear before him. He coldly told them, "Before the officers present here, speak."
The right-hand officer tidied his clothing and spoke out loud. "What I have to say is already in the document. It is my desire that the lord evaluate these matters and resolves the issue at the forefront of everyone's mind, clearing the air and restoring order to the people of the capital and the members of the government."
The Emperor looked at Fan Xian and said, "Why did you not submit your defense claim to the palace secretary?"
Fan Xian politely bowed and spoke, "Because I did not write one."
The Emperor became mad with rage and yelled, "How arrogant! The Imperial Censorate's job is to impeach government officials who are deemed corrupt. People like you who are so arrogant and haven't a care for anything are the first I have laid my eyes upon in this court. Do not think that you may ride the good graces of your family's predecessors and that you have done well for the kingdom this year, imagining that I would not punish you."
Fan Xian knew that the Emperor's fury was not derived from Fan Xian's behavior, but of the fact that he had to deal with these matters at all. Fan Xian apologized and said, "I really did not know I had to write one. I acknowledge that I have done wrong."
The Emperor's face was one of serenity once more and he said, "For the sake of your recent entry into the field of politics, your father being busy at work and the old man Chen Pingping's inability to teach you this, I will forgive you this once. Today, the reason I commanded you to arrive here before us was to hear of how you sought to defend yourself before me and all these officers."
Fan Xian's facial expression appeared awkward. After a long delay, he said, "I really haven't a clue on how to debate and defend myself in court."
With a gloomy demeanor, the Emperor told Fan Xian slowly, "So, do you admit your crime?"
Fan Xian looked up with a bitter face and said, "My lord, I do not plead guilty. The reason why I am not defending myself is because the Imperial Censorate's accusations are ridiculous and appear to be pulled from out of thin air. I have no idea what is going on. I have been accused of bribery and yet I don't know who supposedly bribed me. Therefore, I am unsure of where to begin my defense."
Chapter 273: Courtroom Debate
Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio
All of the officers were in shock. No one had expected Fan Xian would sooner select death before a debate. The Minister of Appointments' face went dark, with a look as if he was prepared to say something. When he raised his head, he saw the higher-ranked officers in front of him, he was silenced. He then realized that these matters were not as simple as he believed them to be.
The Bureau of Military Affairs' head diplomat, General Qin's, long, white beard hovered above his face like a cloud in the breeze. His eyes were squinted so much that one might have assumed he was asleep. Yan Hangshu was looking down the aisle and spotted the General's son, Qin Heng. He was silent as well. Where was the courage he had shown in early spring, suggesting that Fan Xian become the ambassador to the northern Qi Kingdom?
The military's silence was understandable, for this was a battle of words and not one of swords. This is despite the fact that they shared a very good, long-standing relationship with the Overwatch Council. There was an officer, referred to as Shu the Scholar, who looked almost afraid; as if he had never seen the Emperor raise his voice before. Such was this scene and its palpable tension, that many of the ministers in court became petrified.
Yan Hangshu was of the mind to yell at Fan Xian, but he ultimately deemed it unnecessary for him to offend the troublesome dog while the eldest princess was away in Xinyang.
Seeing as there weren't any chancellors barking at Fan Xian, the Emperor's temperament was still spoiled. He gazed at Fan Xian and told him, "If you continue to offer no counter-debate, we will listen to what Officer Lai has to say."
Imperial Censor of the Left Lai Ming Cheng was keen to adhere to such an order. He immediately stepped forward and spoke aloud the crimes that were now held against Fan Xian. He over-enunciated almost every word, ensuring everyone present could hear each offence clearly. As he did so, Fan Xian thought to himself, "This guy really is something. How can he willingly place the blame for all these things on me? Those little bastards I already evicted from the First Bureau accepted a few loose-change briberies last month and now I must take the fall?"
An undercurrent of discussion between the people present in the court could be heard. The way that they each looked at both Officer Lai and Fan Xian was almost unnerving. The first crime that the Imperial Censorate accused Fan Xian of was the acceptance of a bribe by Eunuch Dai, who had done so on behalf of his cousin Dai Zhen. Each and every officer there thought it insulting that Officer Lai was willing to bring this matter before everyone in the palace. They also thought that the repercussions of such a crime were wasted on Fan Xian, who had only accepted a measly 1,000 tael. None of the officers in the court would have been willing to accept such a tiny sum.
When the Emperor heard that these matters concerning Fan Xian were involved with the palace, his facial expression remained resolute. The Emperor did, however, call upon Imperial Consort Shu to bring Eunuch Dai to the court from the manor where he currently was.
Every officer believed that the method in which Officer Lai was going about the presentation of his case was a little strange. Everyone knew that the Emperor wasn't one to forgive those involved with bribery, nor would he send them to prison. Therefore, they were each curious as to how today's events were set to unfold. So they bit their lips in silence, perched at the edge of their seats.
Not long later, Eunuch Dai was brought before the court. Without being told, he knew what was occurring. As he stood there, he was both afraid and a little bewildered. In his thoughts, he recollected how he passed on the money to Yi Guipin. She was a cheerful woman, but not one to say much of anything. She was also a distant relative of Fan Xian. "Could she have sold me out? I doubt it. But then, how could these revelations have come to light by the Imperial Censorate?"
While he was in the court, greeting the Emperor, he pleaded the "injustice" that had been done upon him. He fell upon his knees, begging as tears rolled down his cheeks, proclaiming his innocence and how he had not been involved with anything unlawful. He then said, "My lord has always forbidden the workers of the palace from communicating with the officers. Me? I have no courage. I could not even dream of breaking the law or any command issued by the Emperor! Speaking of Mister Fan, I have heard his name before, but…"
Eunuch Dai was a pitiable sight. He now looked up at the Emperor and spoke: "Everyone knows about Fan Xian. He is famous. But speaking of myself, I am a nobody. I am Iittle more than a shadow in the Qing Kingdom. I had heard that Fan Xian visited the northern Qi Kingdom, to represent and bring further honor to our nation. It would be nigh impossible to not hear of this man. But I swear, hearing is all I have done. I never laid eyes upon this man in all my life!"
Imperial Censor of the Left Lai Mingcheng coldly asked, "You really have not seen Fan Xian before?"
Eunuch Dai's knees ached as he knelt upon the floor. He paid no heed to it, though, as he cursed the nosy wretch before him a million times within his heart. Hearing what he asked, the eunuch perked his head and feigned the image of someone who had just remembered something. "Ah, I remember now. It was sometime last year. I think it was when I visited the Fan manor - but I only saw him once. And I was merely delivering a message. I entered and left shortly after. If that counts as seeing him, then yes, I have. But it was only that one time."
Eunuch Dai then began to cry out loud, proclaiming the earnestness of his words from the top of his lungs and amongst the tear-rocked mumbling and sniffles, said, "My lord, I only saw him once. Just once! If I was lying, may I be struck down by lightning and may I be once more reincarnated as a eunuch!"
The Emperor was taken aback. The eunuch's words appeared honest, but he had no idea that the man despised his fate as a eunuch as much as he did. The Emperor was brought to anger and yelled, "What nonsense are you spouting?!"
Officer Lai looked a little worried and to perhaps ease tensions, said, "About the bribery, it's not as if you'd both have to see each other to do it. Eunuch Dai, let me ask you something. Do you have a cousin called Dai Zhen? He is a small-time officer down at the markets, in charge of… the inspection of vegetables. Yes, he is a vegetable inspector."
Eunuch Dai did not deny anything and simply nodded.
Officer Lai continued by saying, "My lord, this Dai Zhen is the…" Officer Lai proceeded by speaking aloud the crime and its details once again. He turned his gaze back over to Fan Xian and with a chilling tone, said, "Let me ask you, Commissioner Fan. Where is Dai Zhen right now?"
Fan Xian thought for a while before answering, "That case is closed. That fellow Dai Zhen, after he was forced to relinquish the money, he was fired. Where he is now, I have no clue."
Officer Lai coldly said, "Objection! That is a lie. You took the money off Eunuch Dai, do not deny it. Dai Zhen had been a proficient inspector of vegetables for six years! Who knows how much he took from the palace? I would wager that you fired him, returned the money that he had stolen and then set him free. Your mode of operation is shrouded in a suffocating miasma of mystery."
Fan Xian looked unnerved, and so he calmly replied, "According to the Overwatch Council's investigation, in six years, Dai Zhen accepted a number of bribes that, when all added up, amounted to the gross total of 472 tael. The third law of the Qing Kingdom specifically states that if the amount of a bribe is below 500 tael, one will only lose one's job, pay a fine in the amount of bribed money, and pay an additional fee for committing the crime in the first place. There was no need for him to be sent to the Ministry of Punishment. Therefore, Dai Zhen was indeed fired, forced to pay 1,000 tael, and subsequently let go. I have no idea why you would think my treatment of the matter was an issue. Where is this suffocating miasma of mystery you speak of, hm?"
The case of Dai Zhen was indeed investigated by the Overwatch Council. Fan Xian spoke the truth, for he had only accepted briberies that amounted to the figure given.
Officer Lai began laughing. "472 tael? Are you trying to fool us all?"
It was a little silly for Officer Lai to say that, but then Fan Xian began laughing, too. He said, "Well, Dai Zhen was known to slip a cucumber or two into his pockets. According to the law, the sum of stolen vegetables should have been added to the tally of his briberies. That was an oversight on my own behalf, so I thank you for the reminder."
Officer Lai did not take kindly to Fan Xian making light of the situation and, with great fury, he shouted, "Ridiculous! In the past six years, Dai Zhen must have accepted a total that exceeded 4,000 tael. The civilians down at the markets are all mad about it. So why, Fan Xian? Why do you protect him? What have you to gain from this treachery?"
The court's audience stayed silent. All that could be heard was the exchange between the commissioner and the Imperial Censor of the Left.
Fan Xian slowly lifted his head and, with frosted eyes, peered right at Officer Lai while taking a step forward.
Officer Lai saw the gravity of his demeanor and took a step back without realizing it.
Without averting his gaze, Fan Xian slowly said, "What do I want? The seething discontent of the populace?"
Fan Xian took a deep breath and continued, "Let me ask you something. You are a censor of the Imperial Censorate, correct? And you are in charge of investigating bribery, yes? If you are saying that Dai Zhen stole that much tael, and that the civilians are all mad about it, in the six years that have elapsed, why have you yet to notify anyone? I haven't seen a single document make mention of Dai Zhen's crimes. Perhaps you are the one who is looking to cover the tracks of others? Come on, tell us. Why didn't you alert the correct personnel and arrange to capture Dai Zhen?"
Fan Xian suddenly exploded with rage, much to the bewilderment of his audience.
Fan Xian would not permit Officer Lai the opportunity to speak, and with a fiery look, he said, "I have been in charge of the First Bureau for less than a month, and we were already made aware that Dai Zhen was accepting bribes. Officer Lai knew that Dai Zhen was accepting bribes and thieving from the helpless populace for over six years and did nothing about it. When the Overwatch Council investigated it, we quickly sorted it out. Case closed. The Imperial Censorate on the other hand, had their head in the sand for six years.
"Six years!? And you have the audacity to tell me that the Overwatch Council is the one that is corrupted?"
Fan Xian bowed before the Emperor on his throne. He then turned around with anger to face Officer Lai once more. He said, "I really want to ask something. What are you trying to pull here?"
After a barrage of questions, Officer Lai remained silent. He was petrified. He acknowledged he had made a mistake in his dialogue earlier, which left a breach in his defense for Fan Xian to latch right onto, so that he could swing the discussion around. If he were to admit that the Imperial Censorate was not aware of the corrupt officer Dai Zhen, it would still put Fan Xian in the right, for there was no way to disgrace his claim that Dai Zhen only stole 400 tael. In his fury earlier, when he told the court that Dai Zhen must have accepted 4,000 tael in total, he walked right into the trap Fan Xian had laid out for him. He fell for it, hook, line and sinker. As the second-in-command for the Imperial Censorate, he could not claim to have known about it for six years without doing anything to resolve the situation. This case was only brought to their attention following the Overwatch Council's investigation, after all. After Fan Xian pointed this out, it sounded as if the Imperial Censorate was desperate in their jealousy of the Overwatch Council, framing them with false allegations.
All the officers in the court stared at Officer Lai with unpleasantness in their eyes. When they turned to look at Fan Xian, it was only with respect and admiration. Of course, these officers knew what was going on, but it was Fan Xian's ability to lay traps for his opponent with no prior planning that astounded them. With this power and wisdom, it drove fear into the hearts of even the oldest, most jaded officers who were there. Fan Xian was unlike any of the other young officers.
In their hearts, they were each and all thinking that this Fan Xian could not only write and fight with superb dexterity, but that he was more than suited to be a politician. They each thought his father, Fan Jian, was extremely lucky to have a son as talented as this.
The Imperial Censor of the Left Lai Ming Cheng's lips were trembling. He fell to his knees and as he gasped for breath. He at last spoke. "I know I have done wrong. Please punish me, My Lord! But Fan Xian broke the law; you cannot simply let him go. Take him to the Supreme Court and you are guaranteed to find something out."
The Emperor had grown annoyed long ago. Seeing Fan Xian's behavior, however, he was almost brought to smile. He spoke, "Okay, okay. I understand. You are the Imperial Censorate's second-in-command; if you were unable to catch on to the treacherous misdeeds of a professional vegetable inspector, that's fine. I won't punish you this time. But if you come into my courtroom with falsified allegations again, using the 'anger of the people' as justification, I'll have you know that I am not like the emperor of northern Qi or Wei. And Qing is a different kind of nation. Do not seek to bolster your reputation again.
Trying to bolster his reputation? Lai Mingcheng was filled with both anger and embarrassment. He felt as if he would rather die than be known for that. He maintained his position on the floor, and kowtowed repeatedly.