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

  The Fan Manor was split into the front residence and the back residence, and took up a large plot of land in the south of the city. In between the two residences was a garden with rockery and flowing water. Naturally, the garden was not small either. At the moment it was winter, and the trees and plants had long become frozen. Only some freeze-resistant inch-plants were flowering. Early this morning, there suddenly came the sound of urgent wheezing. 

  “Ha……ha……ha……” 

  Fan Xian, wearing a light outfit, was currently running around the garden wall. His injury had recently healed and he was already out urgently exercising. Inevitably, it was tiring, and his breathing was rough. The two Tiger Guards who were on duty, and a few swordsman of the Sixth Bureau, were vigilantly watching every corner of the garden, ensuring the safety of Commissioner Fan’s morning exercise. 

  In the distance, outside the study, Deng Zi Yue and Gao Da both wore strange expressions as their gaze followed Fan Xian’s movements. They didn’t understand why Fan Xian ran this much every morning, and Fan Xian had never explained himself. Practicing twice a day was a good habit he had gotten into when he was very young. Since he wasn’t currently able to practice his zhenqi, he could only train the muscles of his body harder. Hardworking was secretly one of Fan Xian’s best qualities. 

  None of the servants in the back residence who got up in the morning looked at their running young master. In the past few days, everyone had gotten used to it. They minded their own business; they kneeled in front of the stone steps of the servants’ quarters and brushed their teeth, blew bubbles, and chatted. These were all good things from the palace treasury; only the Fan family would buy such things for their servants to use. It couldn’t be helped that Fan Xian was slightly obsessed with mental cleanliness. 

  After finally finishing ten laps, Fan Xian stood beneath the eaves outside the study, breathing hard, with his hands on his hips and his head down. He looked as tragic as Yao Ming in the fourth quarter. He waved his hands, gesturing for the serving girl holding the copper basin to wait a bit. 

  The girls of the family were still at Cang Mountain, so the front residence had sent another serving girl to him. The serving girl, with her hair brushed into two rings, glanced curiously at the young master with a face full of sweat. She found it very strange; why would someone like the young master do this to himself? She placed the copper basin on the bench and helped Fan Xian put on a coat. She flicked the water in the basin with the tip of her finger to test the water temperature, and lightly reported, “Young master, the water is very hot, as you ordered. If you leave it, it will cool down.” 

  Fan Xian nodded and reached into the basin for the towel, not caring at all that the water was boiling hot. He also didn’t wring the towel much before lowering his body to place the towel on his face, and began to rub vigorously. 

  Water droplets between the towel and his face dripped down, and rung out against the copper. 

  After washing his face, his face was slightly red from the heat, but his spirit seemed much better and his eyes were full of vigor. He threw the towel back into the basin and glanced at the two people beside him. He paused for a moment, then said, “I’m going into the palace today. Zi Yue, go see if the First Bureau has anything that needs to be done from the last few days.” 

  Deng Zi Yue made a sound of acknowledgement and left. Fan Xian took another glance at Gao Da and said, “Wait for me outside for a bit. I have business with you later.” 

  After the upheaval in Jingdou had settled, and knowing that the palace didn’t plan on physically destroying him, Fan Xian was no longer scared of anything. He had summoned four Tiger Guards down from Cang Mountain. 

  Gao Da was not on duty today but had been summoned by Fan Xian—this had made him suspicious. Hearing his words, however, he was slightly comforted and waited outside the study as instructed. 

  Only upon entering the quiet study did the spirit in Fan Xian’s eyes dull a little. Straight away, he sat in a chair and carefully examined the condition of his body. He discovered that there were no major changes after the zhenqi in his body exploded. The Meridians remained peppered with hundreds and thousands of holes, yet the zhenqi that had spread between his entrails was currently behaving itself, and had not damaged the workings of his other internal organs. Under these conditions, he didn’t dare to force his zhenqi back into this Meridians, but if he were to wait for the Meridians to heal on their own, who knew how long that will take? 

  After coming back to the Fan Manor from Cang Mountain, Fan Xian had maintained a deep silence, and did not participate in the discussions and fights in the outside world at all. In the eyes of Chen Pingping, Fan Jian, and Fei Jie, the older generation, the young man had perhaps been scared by the consecutive shocks. Furthermore, those layered political battles were not something Fan Xian could control, so they quietly accepted his low spirits. 

  But Fan Xian knew very well why he appeared very relaxed these days, and allowed those of his father’s generation to plan whatever they wanted. The biggest reason was because of the condition of his body. Uncle Wu Zhu had once said, “There is no one in this world you can truly trust.” And so Fan Xian only believed in himself. In his eyes, no one’s grace, no one’s care and love, were as assuring as his own power. Even if he had the Tiger Guards, the Overwatch Council, and the Qinian Unit beside him, if one day things went wrong, the final thing he could depend on was his own martial skill. 

  The problem was, his zhenqi had completely dissipated. He didn’t have the ability to protect himself at all—although everyone thought his injury was gradually getting better, he understood clearly this was far from the truth. So he had to be silent, like a turtle huddling into his shell. Although the position was ugly, it was very safe. 

  A knock came from outside the study; Fan Xian hmm’ed and the wife of the Teng family pushed opened the door and entered. In her hands was a tray on which there were two bowls of medicine and a few pills, giving off a strong scent of herbs. 

  Fan Xian’s medicine. It was the wife of the Teng family who watched the handling. There were not many people he could trust for something as important as this. 

  The wife of the Teng family placed the tray on the able and hurried to the side to pour a few cups of warm tea. She lined them up like soldiers on the table, worried that there wouldn’t be time to pour water as Fan Xian swallowed the medicine. 

  Fan Xian shook his head and took the medicine bowl in one hand and a handful of pills in another, as if he were eating candy and drinking sugared water. Without a change in expression, he bought the medicine to his mouth. 

  Only, there was too much medicine. Even with the way he was sweeping through the medicine, it still took a while for him to clean the tray of all the medicine. 

  “It must be painful for you.” The wife of the Teng family wore a pitying expression on her face. She smacked her lips as if she were the one who had eaten the medicine. 

  Other than pity, this woman admired the young master greatly. So much medicine in a day—how was this a quality life for someone? The young master’s expression didn’t even change, however, and he appeared to gladly endure the hardship. What was wrong with Sir Fei from the Overwatch Council? It was only a knife wound—did he have to be so nervous, and prescribe himself so much medicine? 

  Fan Xian smiled. “Saves me breakfast money.” 

  Master and servant joked a little, and the wife of the Teng family left the study. However, Fan Xian sat behind his desk and went into a daze. Every day he had one or two jing of medicine, and his teacher’s medicinal skills were beyond even mentioning. The medicine was indeed very effective in strengthening and solidifying his Meridians, but in the end, taking them was not a complete cure. 

  His thoughts arriving here, he couldn’t help but think of Haitang’s letter. Would Ku He really transfer the method of Tianyi Dao to him? 

  He laughed self-deprecatingly. It seemed the other party was going to raise him like a strong tiger. The people of the south kingdom had used this kind of method before. Like the Eldest Princess, like himself, all wished that the tiger in the north would maintain his boldness. This would keep the northern court in a tense and volatile state. 

  The transfer of the method of Tianyi Dao to an outsider was a matter of great importance; Ku He would certainly not dare to be careless. Out of all the disciples of Tianyi Dao, only Haitang had good relations with him. Fan Xian had determined that, in a few days, the person coming south to transfer the method would certainly be Haitang. It was only a guess, but for some reason that Fan Xian couldn’t fathom, he began to anticipate that day. 

  Suddenly his gaze lowered and landed on the cups of tea in front of him. He thought that the light-yellow cups of tea each greatly resembled a one-eyed monster. After a momentary pause, he began to laugh loudly at his own strange ideas. After that, his throat felt uncomfortable, his stomach swelled, and he felt a great need to throw up. 

  He knew it was because he had taken too much medicine, and had taken it too quickly. He picked up a cup of tea and gulped it down. With some fear, he rubbed his chest, and smiled bitterly. He was never going to try and be cool in front of the wife of the Teng family again. 

  For some reason, after all this, he strangely felt better. The past, hate, threats, Emperor, Jiangnan: he tossed everything to the back of his mind. Life was like countless handfuls of pills. You had to take them slowly; they might be bitter, they might get stuck in your throat, but you had to eat them. It was always best to let yourself be a little happy. ……

  Gao Da held his knife behind his back with one hand; he stood with his feet neither too far apart nor too close together, and his manner was imposing. No one could see that the hand holding the knife behind his back was shaking. He watched Fan Xian beam with joy not far from him, and his heart thumped. He wondered to himself why the Commissioner was so happy today. It was completely unlike his previously-depressed state. 

  It was only after Fan Xian had left his study that Gao Da realized why the Commissioner asked him to get up early: he wanted to practice with him. 

  Gao Da knew that he was normally no match for Fan Xian, but the man had just been seriously injured—of course he couldn’t agree. However, he was forced to by Fan Xian, and the two of them decided to fight without using zhenqi. This was exactly what Fan Xian wanted. He had not a drop of zhenqi left, so he couldn’t truly fight. 

  The Tiger Guard’s long knife was matched against the black dagger; the one the palace guards had found outside the Hanging Temple in a bush of gold chrysanthemum. The two “aces” did battle with these weapons in the Fan Manor garden, and the clashing was very lively. It caused many servants to gather around and watch the fight, with some of the braver cheering on the young master loudly. 

  Unable to use zhenqi, the battle was all about control over the body and reaction time. Very quickly, Gao Da became disadvantaged. Any move compared to Fan Xian’s reaction and speed seemed to do nothing. The weapons were not imbued with zhenqi, and Gao Da was surprised to discover that Fan Xian was a bit stronger than him. This he could not understand at all. He trained very hard—how could the Commissioner’s skills be above his? 

  As he faced Fan Xian today, not only was he facing a superior, but each time he thought about the rumors surrounding Fan Xian’s past, his strikes became unconsciously laced with fear. After some back and forth, and after they had crossed weapons a few times, his handing holding the long knife had begun to shake. 

  Fan Xian’s finger moved, and the slim black dagger began to spin cleverly in his hand, drawing black circles in the air. It appeared to be very strange, but this was actually just the pencil-spinning skill he had practised before entering the hospital in his previous life. In Gao Da’s eyes, however, this trick was incredible. 

  He watched Gao Da, and shook his head with furrowed brows. “You can see that I have completely recovered. Don’t hold back.” 

  After saying this, the tip of his foot tapped against the slippery winter mud, and his entire body leaned forward as he rushed over. A stern look flashed through Gao Da’s eyes, and finally he used two hands to hold the handle of his long knife. He bent his legs slightly and roared, “Chop!” 

  The long knife chopped straight down, slicing through the morning air in the back residence of the Fan Manor. 

  \r \r \r 

  The knife fell quickly, but Fan Xian struck quicker. After all, he reached Gao Da’s when his knife was still raised above his head. He pushed with his legs, readied his wrists, and like a bird pecking at food, he stabbed down hard with the dagger in his hands! 

  There was a crisp clanging sound and the two separated by a few steps. After shaking a bit, they both stood steady. Fan Xian had the advantage, and he’d prevented Gao Da’s long knife from executing its maximum power. Gao Da, however, had the advantage of the long knife itself. The two were tied. 

  Fan Xian smiled and waved his hands, saying, “Let’s stop here for today. Starting tomorrow, we will fight once a day…… I think this will greatly help the healing process.” 

  After saying this, he coughed and used his sleeve to cover his mouth. He did not panic upon seeing the threads of blood on his sleeve. Although that last strike had not used zhenqi, without the protection of zhenqi around his heart, the excitement of pulsing blood had still caused a little damage. 

  Gao Da did not observe this; he only furrowed his brow and said, “Sir, you shouldn’t use your zhenqi after being injured. However, regular combat instead of practicing your cultivation does not use zhenqi, and it does not seem to have much use. After all, when facing an enemy, and the difference in your power and theirs is too great…… even if you train your body to the extreme, it will not bring many benefits to your realm.” 

  As the leader of the Tiger Guards, and after seeing Fan Xian running routine, he had mistakenly assumed that Fan Xian was going to try a new way of practising: using physical strength to fortify the inner. Maintaining his position as a subordinate, he cautiously expressed opposition to these “crooked ways.” 

  Fan Xian smiled. “I’m only loosening up. Of course I know the person is the foundation—you don’t need to worry.” 

  There was something he didn’t say: in this world, there were people who didn’t know zhenqi, yet had reached the peak of the realm. For example, uncle Wu Zhu. 

  Gao Da had already reported the murder that had happened last night in the little alley. He guessed that Uncle Wu Zhu had killed another assassin from Xinyang, and didn’t care too much. One day he was going to find a secluded residence, have Uncle Wu Zhu make some cold sliced daikon, and have a few cups of wine, indulging with him in the nostalgia of those happy years in Danzhou. 

  By this time, the red sun had risen and the cold of the morning vanished. Serving girls from the front residence had already come to call. Fan Xian entered his room to change and then headed towards the front residence. As he walked, he watched the rising sun and the clear winter scenery in the garden. He felt comfortable and at ease in his heart. He didn’t know that his dearest Uncle Wu Zhu had already gone far away to recover. Whatever dangerous he had faced before, at least, it was all over. ……

  The atmosphere in the Fan Manor at breakfast was a little strange. 

  After all, the people in the front residence did not serve Fan Xian every day. The handsome serving girls usually enjoyed sneaking glances at the young master’s beauty. The young maser was used to being stared at, and didn’t care. 

  Today, however, there were not many serving girls who dared to look at Fan Xian as he entered. They only stood silently by the table, serving. Occasionally, they braved a glance and revealed that there was fear in their eyes. 

  Imperial power was like the sky in that people existed beneath it. People could gaze up at both imperial power and the sky in wonder and fear. This attitude was deeply ingrained in the hearts of every citizen. 

  Now that it was rumored Fan Xian was the illegitimate child of the Emperor and Lady Ye, the gaze with which people looked at Fan Xian was no longer the same. Blood of the royal family…… he was no longer just the approachable, loveable, and admirable young master. He was no longer just a powerful official, talented in both the civil and martial arts. Now he was a child of the Emperor. 

  With this rumor, the master of Fan Manor, the Minister of Revenue, Fan Jian, could not help but feel a little awkward. So, no matter how curious the servants of Fan Manor were, they could not reveal so at the table—unless they didn’t want to live. They could only whisper in the depths of the night in their rooms, under warm blankets. 

  Fan Xian could sense irregularity, but the clear smile on his face did not waver. He walked straight to the side of the table and properly, respectfully greeted his seated father with a morning salute. 

  Fan Jian had his eyes half closed, resting, and he very naturally nodded his head. The expression of Lady Liu, who was sitting next to Fan Jian, was very strange. She forced it back, but her smile was slightly unnatural. 

  The Liu family had a deep background, so of course they knew the verity of the rumors. She had been shocked beyond words the past few days, particularly when she remembered that she had once thought about poisoning the young man in front of her—this had made her even more terrified. Thinking of Fan Xian’s true identity, she didn’t think it was appropriate for her to accept this salute, but she was worried of angering the master if she stood and avoided it. 

  Seeming to sense her discomfort, a light mocking smile rose to the corner of Fan Jian’s mouth. He slowly opened his eyes and, watching his son in front of him, said, “You’re going into the palace today. Watch your behavior.” 

  Fan Xian smiled. “It’s not my first visit there; there is nothing to watch. It’ll just be the same as always.” 

  It’ll just be the same as always. The meaning of this comment was both simple and complex. Lady Liu’s heart stuttered as she listened from the side. As she turned this over in her head, both father and son were smiling at each other. They understood one another clearly. One was old and comforting; the other held him in great esteem: harmony. ……

  As they were eating, they suddenly heard faint voices from the east main gate of the garden. Fan Jian stopped his chopsticks and furrowed his brows. “Who is making all that noise?” Fan Xian handed a towel over to Lady Liu so she could wipe the porridge that had dropped onto his father’s beard for him. He knew that since his father had left his life on the Liujing River behind, he had been walking the correct path. At the moment, seeing his father’s slightly-angry, beard stained appearance, he couldn’t resist smiling. “What could possibly happen? Just eat in peace.” 

  A servant urgently ran to the door of the residence and said something; a serving girl then entered the hall and repeated it. Fan An Zhi was stunned after hearing it, and didn’t urge his father to eat in peace anymore. He stopped his chopsticks and stared, dazed, at the door to the room. He didn’t know what he could say in the moments to come. 

  Mistress Lin Wan’er, and Lady Fan Ruoruo, had lead the two older girls, Sisi and Siqi, as well as a horde of servants, down Cang Mountain. They had returned to Jingdou in carriages. They were at the manor door! 

  Fan Xian watched his father in shock. “Father,” he said, “weren’t we hiding the news from those on the mountain?” 

  For Wan’er, Ruoruo, and the whole group to arrive early in the morning in Jingdou, they must have traveled through the night. They had moved in such a rush that the Tiger Guards and officials of the Overwatch Council on the mountain hadn’t had the chance to send a letter to him. 

  They were here because the girls had finally heard of the rumors going around Jingdou. With this big a matter, they were worried about Fan Xian and had, naturally, rushed here. 

  Fan Jian recovered his usual color a few minutes after learning his daughter-in-law had arrived. He took the towel from Lady Liu’s hand and wiped a few times, before lowering his head to have more porridge. Leisurely he said, “How many days could we possibly hide this?” 

  Seeing his son’s panicked expression, Fan Jian smiled slightly and said, “You young people have things to talk about. Go to the back residence. In a while have the little kitchen make you something new. Coming down from somewhere cold like the mountain, have them make something hot.” 

  Fan Xian knew his father was releasing him. He quickly acknowledged it and went out of the hall to welcome them. ……

  There was absolute silence in the back residence. Fan Xian sat with Wan’er and Ruoruo in the room; they were like three mud Buddha. They weren’t sure who should speak, since this matter was rather complicated. If they were to let Fan Xian explain he might write them a novel. If he let the girls ask questions, they might become even more confused; they didn’t know what was what with each rumor. Also, if they probed, would that make Fan Xian unhappy? 

  After a moment, Wan’er finally bit her plump bottom lip. “Have the rumors died down in Jingdou?” she asked. 

  “No.” Hearing his wife ask, he actually relaxed and let out a big breath. He smiled and replied, “Things like rumors, they won’t die down so quickly…… You two, how big a matter is this? Was it necessary to rush down the mountain and travel by night? What if you had crashed? Then what would I do?” 

  As he scolded his wife and sister, full of rhyme and reason, he forgot how he had also rushed down the mountain, like a dog who had lost his family. He also forgot how he had been mocked by the two elders, Fan Jian and Chen Pingping. 

  “I have to enter the palace in a bit.” Fan Xian thought for a moment. He watched as his sister started to say something and then stopped, and he watched his wife’s helpless face. He smiled slightly. “Whatever the matter is, we can talk tonight…… but I’ll say something now. I, Fan Xian, am still Fan Xian. I can make this promise.” ……

  As Fan Xian went out and prepared to enter the palace, Sisi, with a tired face, slid in front of him. Sisi had grown up with Fan Xian; their strong bond went without saying. Most importantly, she had been taught by Fan Xian to be fearless, and did not hold much regard for the idea of seniors and juniors. 

  Lin Wan’er and Ruoruo both had things they couldn’t ask, but this girl was very straightforward. She led Fan Xian secretively by his sleeves to a quiet part of the garden and asked, “Young master, I heard Lady Ye say that your…… mother was the mistress of the Ye family?” 

  Fan Xian chuckled and patted her head. “You are still very straightforward.” And then he lowered his voice and replied secretively, “Yes.” 

  Sisi’s mouth dropped open but she immediately started laughing. This girl was actually a few years older than Fan Xian, yet she still had a gentle and foolish nature. She also had a never-satisfied heart for gossip, and continued asking, “Then…… are you really…… the Emperor’s son?”


  Chapter 327: Secret Movements In A Little Tower In The Palace 

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

  The carriage creaked as it rolled over the limestone of the new street. In the depths of winter, there was ice on the roads. Even four-wheeled carriages did not dare go too quickly. The coachman, Su Wenmao, carefully and lightly waved his whip. All around them, swordsmen of the Sixth Bureau of the Overwatch Council walked beside the carriage in boots. They vigilantly observed all sides. The Qinian unit walked separate and dressed like the commoners, scattered around the surrounding crowd. 

  On the carriage was the crest of the Fan family. A square and a circle crossed each other, and it was gold with a black border. In the carriage were Fan Xian and Gao Da, as well as two Tiger Guards who sat across from them. Fan Xian’s expression was peaceful as he said, “The formation is too big, too ostentatious.” 

  Gao Da lifted a corner of the heavy curtains and glanced out at the street, and spoke evenly. “Assassins suddenly turned up in the mountain, so who knows if the capital is safe? The Emperor was very angry about that, and ordered me to guarantee your safety.” 

  His gaze swept across the street. There were not many people walking about. Everyone in their manors and shops, however, knew it was the Fan family carriage, and could guess who was in the carriage. They all gazed towards it strangely. 

  The rumors had been going around, and the idea that Fan Xian was the Emperor’s illegitimate child had firmly planted itself in the hearts of the people. Seeing the direction the carriage was traveling in, the people of Jingdou all knew that Sir Fan junior was going to the palace. They all started guessing, wondering if, today, Jingdou would provide for them any more pieces of astonishing news. 

  The palace seemed very far that ride, though it was actually very close. 

  The carriage stopped as it reached the outskirts of the square outside of the palace. After the Hanging Temple incident, the defenses of the imperial guards had become much stricter. Fan Xian dismounted from the carriage and accepted the cloak Su Wenmao handed him as well as the crutch, which he put under his arm. Gao Da knew that Fan Xian’s external wounds had already healed, and couldn’t help but give him a strange look. 

  Fan Xian did not acknowledge his gaze, and led the group towards the cold, magnificent, red-yellow wall of the palace. 

  Before they reached the palace door, the imperial guards on duty had already sent a small group to welcome them. Silent but very considerate, they helped protect him from the wind, and led them through the palace entrance. This kind of privilege had always been enjoyed by old and frail ministers. Even royals sons did not receive this kind of treatment. Fan Xian couldn’t help furrowing his brows, and felt confused. 

  He didn’t know that the Great Prince had secretly given orders. Although the Great Prince hadn’t explained anything, the quiet declaration was enough for the generals of the imperial guard to understand. The rumors had not harmed Fan Xian’s position, but had actually helped to mend the rift between the Great Prince and Commissioner Fan. 

  Today, it was Eunuch Hou, the eunuch Fan Xian had met on his first trip into the palace, who was responsible for greeting him at the entrance. The two had long-ago become familiar with each other. Eunuch Hou, with a face full of charm, said, “Fan…… young master. Fortunately, I was up early today. I didn’t think you would be here so early.” 

  Fan Xian jokingly scolded him a little before saying with a thread of hesitation, “You said you went to the Department of Internal Affairs last month. The last few times I came to the palace, it was always Lao Yao handling things. How come it is you today?” Eunuch Hou had been promoted to the head of the Department of Internal Affairs. He managed the use of medicine, and the death and mourning that went on in the palace: a very busy position. He was currently highly favored in the palace. Logically speaking, there was no reason for him to be waiting outside to greet Fan Xian. 

  Eunuch Hou smiled. “Lao Yao went out to carry out some business. The Emperor asked me to take his place for the day.” 

  Fan Xian nodded and followed him. They walked by the Daping Palace gardens and spoke occasionally. After a moment, Fan Xian finally sighed. “I’ve become tired of the looks from people these days,” he slowly said. “You’re terrific. You still treat me the same as always.” 

  Eunuch Hou felt a chill, but immediately his heart warmed and he said pleasantly, “Look at what you’re saying. You’ve only got good days ahead of you. Of course I’m going to serve you well.” 

  Fan Xian didn’t question the lie, and just laughed heartily. Some people’s behavior had become unnatural after discovering his connection with the royal family. He truly felt it was only the eunuchs in the palace that didn’t seem to have much of a reaction. 

  He didn’t know that the eunuchs in the Qing palace had always maintained their balance between the various princes. They didn’t dare to pick a master hastily, as they weren’t valued like officials. Once they picked the wrong master, when the other party took the throne, they could only die. And so they were respectful of the princes, but kept their distance. Furthermore, they usually served the Emperor, and other than the Crown Prince, they weren’t overly-afraid of the over three princes. 

  It was not important to the eunuchs that Fan Xian was not a prince, rather, it was because of his actual position that the eunuchs wanted to please him. ……

  Along their way, they passed a few familiar palaces before finally reaching the royal study. Eunuch Hou carefully announced him outside the door before he turned and gestured to Fan Xian with his eyes, then he retreated to one side. 

  After the door opened, Fan Xian walked in with the help of his crutch. He stood in front of the giant bookcase and faced the Emperor, who was currently sitting on his soft divan, reading memorials. He purposely placed the crutch to the side in an awkward way, and saluted the Emperor formally. 

  The Emperor didn’t raise his head; he hmm’ed and said, “Find a place to sit. Wait until I finish reading these to talk.” 

  How could he find a seat for himself in the royal study? Hong Zhu was very clever. Understanding what the Emperor meant, he quickly went to the back and carried out an embroidered stool, and placed it next to Fan Xian. Fan Xian gave the eunuch a grateful smile and sat down. He silently wondered why this kid’s acne was still growing so vigorously. 

  The Emperor lowered his head and did not appear to see this exchange. But a hint of amusement flashed through the eyes that were reading the memorial. 

  The royal study was absolutely silent. No one dared speak; the eunuchs inside and out didn’t dare make a single sound. 

  This was not the first time Fan Xian had met with the Emperor individually. But, being alone with him after all the rumors, he felt a strange nervousness in his heart. His chest felt itchy and he couldn’t help but cough. The cough immediately echoed in the royal study, strikingly clearly, and it startled him a bit. 

  The Emperor raised his head to glance at him but didn’t say anything before continuing to read the memorial. 

  Fan Xian quickly sat up straight on his stool and began to quietly watch the Emperor go about his daily business. He knew that very few people had the opportunity to witness this, but after a while he began to lose focus. He started studying the Emperor’s facial features. Although the Emperor had his head lowered at this moment, Fan Xian was still able to find the shadow of some familiar features on his clear and spirited face. More accurately, they were features similar to his own. 

  This was the so-called connection of blood. 

  The Emperor spent a long time reading the memorials; there were many of them on his desk. His eyebrows sometimes furrowed in anger, and other times relaxed in joy. Sometimes they were sunk in thought, and other times they were elevated and excited. 

  The Qing Kingdom was vast, with seven roads, twenty-six regions, and provinces and counties beyond count. To rule the country from Jingdou was a very difficult task. The official memorials that arrived each day from all over the country were as plentiful as snowflakes. If he were a lazy Emperor, perhaps he would hand the power to the cabinet and spend his days traveling and enjoying himself. But the current emperor of the Qing Kingdom clearly did not want to be a muddle-headed master. He would not let go of any power and had even chased the Prime Minister out of the court, and would only go so far as to personally set up palace secretaries. 

  This is just self torture. Fan Xian quietly watched the scene before him, and cold amusement flashed through his heart. It was no fun being Emperor. In comparison, it seemed a much better choice to be like King Jing, who spent his time planting flowers. 

  The sun gradually shifted to noon. The sunshine poured down through the layers of cloud, but it was cold, as if it had lost all of its warmth. The people in the palace seemed to have forgotten the time. It was at this moment that the Emperor finally finished his annotations for the morning and closed the final memorial. He closed his eyes to rejuvenate himself, and finally stretched. 

  Eunuchs filed in. Towels, mind-clearing tea, pastries, and incense began to be cast onto the Emperor’s body and into his stomach. Fan Xian noticed that the towel did not give off a thread of steam in this cold winter’s day, and furrowed his brow. “Your Majesty…… this is cold?” 

  The Emperor hmm’ed and accepted the towel to rub on his face vigorously. He mumbled indistinctly, “The cold enters the bone and helps wake the spirit.” He glanced at Fan Xian and smiled. “A hot towel is too warm and comfortable. I’m afraid I’ll fall asleep.” 

  \r \r \r 

  Fan Xian smile. “I use hot—the hotter the better.” He suddenly felt like he was choking. He coughed and waved urgently, “Of course, be careful not to get burned.” 

  The Emperor suddenly revealed a deep and meaningful smile. He glanced at him a few times and said, “Not bad, you were fairly calm.” 

  Fan Xian was speechless. 

  The Emperor’s gaze transferred onto the crutch behind Fan Xian and he sighed in his heart. This child is as stubborn-minded as his mother…… he purposely wants me to see him showing off his cleverness. He wants me to scold him and to fortify his intentions. Does he not think I can see through all this? 

  The Emperor began to remember all the good of that person back then, and he realized that Fan Xian did not have any inordinate ambitions. Rather, he seemed like a quiet orphan…… a good son. He rose and walked out of the royal study, indicating to Fan Xian to follow him. Fan Xian quickly went to grab the crutch and the Emperor smiled. “I already know that your injury is pretty much healed. Why pretend to be pitiful in front of me?” 

  Although the lie had been caught, there was no imperial rage. Fan Xian paused at his fortune, as if he didn’t believe the Emperor…… wouldn’t scold him. Shortly after, he laughed and tossed the crutch to one side before following the Emperor out. 

  In the first meeting of the hearts between Fan Xian and his father, Fan Xian had won. ……

  They walked along beneath the long eaves of the palace towards the northwest. As they walked, the palaces gradually became rarer; they left the large palaces like the Hanguang Palace and the Taiji Palace far behind them. The eunuchs and serving girls they saw humbly lowered their heads and gave way. Behind the Emperor and Fan Xian, there was only the eunuch Hong Zhu. As they walked further, even eunuchs and serving girls became rarer to see. The winter garden was unbelievably quiet, and there was still some snow left on the rockeries. The birds had stopped singing a long time ago, and there wasn’t the screeching of bugs. Only a gentle silence. 

  Fan Xian knew where they were going, and was silent. The Emperor’s emotions also seemed a little strange, and he did not say anything. It was not until the Cold Palace had disappeared and the palaces were looking rather broken that the Emperor stopped. 

  In front of them was a quiet little garden. The garden wasn’t large and there was only a two-story wooden tower within. The tower seemed old and broken. It had not been repaired in many years. 

  Fan Xian followed the Emperor as they climbed the stairs. He began to feel nervous and took a deep breath. 

  On the second floor, in the main hall, the Emperor finally sighed. He walked outside, and gazed at the garden across from the balcony and sank into a deep silence for a long time. The balcony faced one corner of the palace, and was the quietest, most remote area in the place. No one tended to the garden, and it had grown wild on its own before being destroyed by the autumn wind and snow. The plants had fallen to the ground, looking like the corpses of countless bodies. The yellows and whites were dismal. 

  In the distance, the corner tower of Huayang Gate could faintly be seen. 

  Fan Xian stood silently behind the Emperor. It was naturally not appropriate for him to speak. However, he had already swept the room with his gaze and could not find the painting he had expected. 

  As if he were performing magic, Eunuch Hong somehow produced hot water and prepared some tea, which he respectfully placed on the table before he went downstairs. He didn’t dare to serve on the side here. ……

  “Earlier, when I had you wait in the royal study.” The Emperor faced out towards the railing; his hands gripped the rails with strength, and his voice did not waver at all. “It was because I wanted to tell you: a ruler has his path.” 

  Fan Xian maintained his silence. 

  “As the ruler of a country, I…… have to consider the kingdom. I must consider the people.” The Emperor spoke slowly, his eyes fixed on a distant point. “Being Emperor is not an easy job…… as your mother once said. And so, sometimes I have to sacrifice some things, even some very precious things. Don’t hold it against me, for keeping you in Danzhou for 16 years.” 

  Fan Xian had been waiting for this day for a long time, and had mentally prepared himself well for it. However, upon hearing these words, he couldn’t help a chill running up his neck to the top of his head. Shocked, he didn’t know what to say, and was silent for a while. He suddenly bit his lip and said clearly, “I…… don’t understand what Your Majesty means.” 

  The Emperor seemed to have expected Fan Xian’s response. He smile was self deprecating. He did not turn his head. In an even softer voice, he said, “Including your brothers, in this world of tens of thousands of people, not many would dare express their anger at me in words, actions, or through their expressions…… An Zhi, you indeed have some of your mother’s style.” 

  Fan Xian’s neck was very straight, and he stubbornly refused to speak. 

  “You don’t understand what I mean?” The Emperor turned around. His light yellow coat was even brighter than usual next to the railing. He slowly said, “I mean, you are my…… true born son.” ……

  Fan Xian was silent and suddenly smiled after a long while, then lost his smile, then smiled in a stunned manner. In his expression, there was unspeakable grief and bitterness. After much time, he slowly restrained his mouth. 

  He suddenly felt frustrated. He had forgotten that from the first step he’d taken into the palace, he’d been acting according to plan. Now he had fallen into the role of the illegitimate son of the Emperor, and was finding it difficult to stop acting! 

  He bowed deeply to the Emperor with his hands clasped, but still refused to say anything. 

  The Emperor internally sighed. He had been completely fooled by the emotions Fan Xian had acted out, and slowly said, “I could have chosen to not acknowledge the rumors in Jingdou. I will eventually have to acknowledge them because you, An Zhi, are still my own flesh and blood.” 

  The Emperor walked closer to him and looked at the unique spirit of determination and stubbornness on the beautiful young man’s face. He immediately hid the pitying look on his face. He didn’t demand that Fan Xian make a reply; instead, he said to himself, “You’ll be 18 next month.” 

  Fan Xian suddenly raised his head, but his words halted. After a moment, he faintly said, “I…… don’t know which day I was born on.” 

  These words pierced the Emperor’s heart, and finally made this usually cold-hearted man feel remorse. After some thought, he slowly said, “January 18th.” 

  Fan Xian froze, and then melted to bitterly laugh. He sighed, “I didn’t know my birthday was the 18th until I turned 18.” 

  The Emperor smiled warmly. The more he looked at the child in front of him the more he liked him. Without meaning to, he said, “To think they were able to raise you as such an obedient child in the countryside. I suspect that Aunty worked very hard while you were in Danzhou. One day, I will go to Danzhou to visit her…… An Zhi, how has she been recently?” 

  Fan Xian lowered his head and was silent for a while, thinking about something. He finally opened his mouth, “Grandma is very well. I…… I often write to Danzhou.” 

  “Oh.” The Emperor noticed that he finally stopped referring to himself as a minister. His heart warmed and he smiled comfortingly, and began to ask gently of Fan Xian’s life as a child. 

  Their conversation now had a topic, and Fan Xian seemed to have somewhat become used to their new “relationship between Emperor and minister,” and began to tell the most revered and respected man under heaven about his childhood.