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

  The carriages sporting obvious Overwatch Council insignia made their way smoothly through Jingdou’s west gate. At Xinjiekou, the carriages split up. The two carriages in the lead slipped unremarkably into the flow of the Jingdou streets, turning southwest. In a moment, it had left behind the liveliness and entered the noble and quiet east side of town. 

  In the distance, one could see Fan manor, but the carriage did not stop. Instead, it turned north. The closer it came to the Royal Palace, the quieter it became. Driving by the governmental buildings and King Jing’s manor, which had its doors closed for a long time, they arrived on the street of Prince Heqing’s manor. 

  They were still some distance from the front door. Fan Xian could faintly hear clamorous noises at the door. It seemed something lively was happening. He rubbed his itchy nose and thought he had guessed right again. The young lady of the Wang family had indeed come angrily to Prince Heqing’s manor. 

  Concerning the Emperor’s thoughts, Fan Xian had guessed something of it after seeing the young lady of the Wang family impersonating Ye Ling’er outside the city gate. Since the Great Prince was being forced to take on a Secondary fei in preparation of the wangfei being deposed, then this Secondary fei must not be of lowly birth. Only then would she be able to become the future wangfei. Furthermore, this young lady was Wang Zhikun’s favorite daughter. When the Great Prince led the army North, he would have his father-in-law leading the Yangjing camp in support. On the battlefield, if there were barriers between the main and deputy general, it would have great benefits for the larger picture. 

  As for whether the Emperor would worry that the Great Prince and Wang Zhikun controlled too many soldiers between them after the young lady of the Wang family became the Heqing wangfei, that would be a problem for the future. With the lesson of the Second Prince before him, Fan Xian did not think the Emperor would allow his son to have many opportunities to think of wild things. 

  When the daughter of an important military official married a prince, the prince would quietly be on his guard. Otherwise, no one knew if he would end up like Li Chengze, completely sold out. 

  Fan Xian couldn’t resist laughing. ……

  The Emperor’s plans were very far-seeing. If the Great Prince led an army to attack Northern Qi, the Great wangfei’s Northern Qi Princess identity would be a difficult obstacle to get around. Fan Xian had a powerful sense of antagonism toward this plan. Putting aside the Northern Qi Princess’s relationship to him and the vile actions of the young lady of the Wang family outside the city gate, Fan Xia had already developed the deepest doubts toward the Emperor’s sense of taste. 

  When choosing a daughter-in-law for oneself, one had to choose a good one. With a woman like this, if she truly entered the manor, it would probably cause the entire family to have no peace. Fan Xian immediately countered his unspoken criticism of the Emperor. The Emperor had never cared much about women. Marriage was just a negotiation. As for whether this woman’s personality was good or if she would bring any benefits for his son, they were not things he cared about at all. 

  As for the fact that the entire manor may become upset at the young lady of the Wang family entering it, this might be exactly the effect the Emperor wanted to see. 

  The Great Prince’s status was noble, so Prince Heqing’s manor took up half of the street. The eastern part of the city was quiet. No one dared to laugh at the Great Prince in such an important location. Although there were loud arguments outside the Prince’s manor, other than the Overwatch Council’s two carriages, there was no one else watching. 

  “Sir, it seems inconvenient for us to go over right now. Should we go home first?” Although Fan Xian had gone as an imperial envoy to Xiliang, he had been carrying out a secret edict. So, he did not have to enter the Palace to debrief the moment he returned to the capital. Mu Feng’er watched as the front doors of Prince Heqing’s manor became a market square. He thought the Prince must be embarrassed. If the Commissioner went to visit now, it might be inconvenient. 

  Mu Feng’er was still not as good at guessing Fan Xian’s thoughts as Wang Qinian. Fan Xian had come to Prince Heqing’s manor just so that he could watch this show. He listened intently in the carriage and understood why there was such a disturbance. The young lady of the Wang family’s voice was so loud it was difficult not to hear. 

  It turned out that although the Emperor’s edict for the Great Prince to take on a Secondary fei had not been made public, he had already done some things secretly. Those who should know of this news already knew. The Great Prince and Wang Zhikun knew even more than others. 

  The new Commander of the Jingdou Garrison, Shi Fei, had personally invited the Great Prince to a banquet and orchestrated a “coincidental meeting” between the Great Prince and young lady of the Wang family. Unexpectedly, the Great Prince was a straightforward man. Upon seeing the young lady, it was as if he saw a ghost. He escaped in a panic, not giving her any chance to speak. The young lady had lived all her life in Yanjing. As the daughter of the Governor, she had never endured such humiliation. After thinking about how she would have to be a pitiful Secondary fei after entering the manor, she felt an anger suffocating her heart. 

  Knowing the Palace’s imperial edict for her to marry the Great Prince, what was the point of being angry at her? The young lady could not understand it no matter how much she thought about it. As a worshipper of the previous pride of Jingdou, Ye Ling’er, she greatly admired the Prince, who had once led troops in battle on the Western frontier for many years. Now, no one whether she had been provoked by her serving girls or if it had been her own idea to try and split hairs. Regardless, she had completely disregarded etiquette and rode into the capital to the Prince’s manor. 

  After learning about this matter, Shi Fei wasn’t careless and quickly sent people chasing after her. After chasing her to Prince Heqing’s manor, no one was able to deal with her. No one could drag her back. 

  The excuse the young lady used was also laughable. She said that she had come to Prince Heqing’s manor to greet the wangfei. Fan Xian had to admit that while this excuse was absurd and laughable, the communication between the noble women in Jingdou was quite common. 

  Even Fan Xian had not thought the wangfei would be just as straightforward as her man. The front door was tightly closed. All guests were refused. There wasn’t even an excuse of the family not being at home. They directly said that the manor was busy and they were not taking guests. 

  The young lady felt humiliated. She thought to herself that she had already willingly lowered her status and came to visit her, the outsider woman, yet she was using her status to close the door in her face. Thus, she had begun to make a scene outside of the manor. This girl had Ye Ling’er’s straightforward nature but did not have any of Ye Ling’er’s sense of propriety. She fussed and raged. It truly gave one a horrendous headache. 

  Her family’s attendants and guards looked with horror at the scene. Looking at Prince Heqing’s tightly closed front door, they felt angry and helpless. They thought to themselves, This is Prince Heqing’s manor. Even if the young lady could do as she wished in Yanjing, how could she act so thoughtlessly in Jingdou? If she truly angered the Prince, who knows what he will do? 

  Fan Xian looked with irritation and disgust at the scene in the distance. He was thinking that if the Palace and Shi Fei truly had the intention to do so, how could they not stop a pampered and reckless girl from acting so rudely? He was afraid that the scene was purposely created by someone with an agenda to make the Great Prince unhappy and create a fuss the entire city would know about. In the end, the Emperor would speak to tidy up this matter and have the Great Prince suffer in silence. 

  When the time came, the Emperor could quietly say, The young lady has strong feelings for you and has already chased you to your door, are you not going to take responsibility? Or, The people of Jingdou all know of this matter. As the eldest son of the royal family, how can you not think about the face of the royal family? I give you half a month to conclude this matter. Take that woman into your home. I won’t blame you. 

  These were all dastardly ideas that could not be seen by others. Yet, it was precisely these tricks that Fan Xian was the most familiar with. He furrowed his brows. The Great Prince had always treated him generously. He would deal with this difficult matter, or, at least, this dastardly matter currently happening. He gave an order to Mu Feng’er. “Go knock on the door.” ……

  The two black carriages drove toward the Prince’s manor. The wheels squeaked like they were providing an inharmonious accompaniment for the young lady’s endless and merciless forceful voice outside the manor’s front door. 

  There were about 30 people gathered around the front door to the manor. They were all family soldiers the Wang family had brought from Yanjing, including the housekeeper and servants the Jingdou Garrison had transferred to the young lady of the Wang family. One of the housekeepers had a sorrowful face and was begging the young lady to leave the old master some face and stop making a scene. If their family became a joke in Jingdou, how could the Wang family stay there? 

  When the two carriages drew closer to the front doors, the housekeeper quickly shut his mouth. In any case, the young lady of his family was not willing to listen to his words. 

  The family soldiers and servants were looking at the two black carriages with wariness. They were concerned that since this young lady was throwing a tantrum, if it was seen by others and the news got out, it would probably not be good. 

  The young lady stood with one of her feet on the stone lion and pointed at the manor’s doors, still giving off the energy of Zhou Xinshi facing the ocean. She continued to curse endlessly. 

  Fan Xian’s voice came out of the carriage, “Whose family does this girl belong to? Throwing a tantrum on the street, does she have no manners?” 

  These words sounded old and decrepit. They were full of contrived melodrama and had taken Fan Xian a long time to think of while sitting in the carriage. 

  When these words came out, the faces of the people around the manor changed greatly. These words seemed normal, but they were unusually vicious. They immediately took the young lady’s present actions and linked them to family teachings. It appeared they he was criticizing this young lady, but he was actually attacking those behind her. 

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  A family soldier stared at these two carriages. Forcing down his anger, he said, “May I ask who has arrived?” 

  Other than the young lady, there were no idiots in the Wang or Shi family. Since the newcomer said such big words in front of Prince Heqing’s manor, they had a background. This family soldiers had already found the purposely displayed mark on the carriage and knew that the other person was an official of the Overwatch Council. 

  Of the entire Qing court, there were not many who did not give face to the Yanjing faction. The officials of the Overwatch Council had this confidence because they had a protective old senior. Although the old man in the wheelchair was gradually retreating, following immediately after him was a young brat who was even more protective. Furthermore, this young man did things even more ruthlessly. Plus, his background was even more unfathomable. He entered the capital less than five years ago and had already killed a number of ministers. Even people such as the Crown Prince and Eldest Princess had fallen to his hands. 

  With such a person protecting them, it was understandable that officials of the Overwatch Council would speak so arrogantly. Before this family soldiers had returned to the capital, he had received the Governor’s secret orders. He was to endure silently in Jingdou and be particularly careful to not offend the Overwatch Council. Hearing the person in the car mocking the teaching of the Wang family, the family soldier was still able to suppress his anger and maintain a calm questioning. 

  The person in the carriage did not immediately reply to his answer. A subordinate lifted the curtain. Fan Xian walked down from the carriage and through the crowd. He approached Prince Heqing’s tightly closed front doors. He turned his head to glance at the woman standing on the stone lion. 

  Although the young lady of the Wang family acted rashly and spoke in a forceful tone, she was still humiliated and yelling with endless rage at the manor’s front doors until she was watched for a long time by the young Overwatch Council official. 

  She glared viciously at Fan Xian and cursed, “What are you looking at? Close your dog eyes!” 

  As she said these words, the entire scene fell silent. The Overwatch Council subordinates behind Fan Xian stared coldly at the young lady standing on the stone lion. Mu Feng’er’s face twisted like he could go up at any moment and beat up the young lady. 

  The family soldier and housekeeper noticed the situation was not right and quickly came forward to stand between Fan Xian and their young lady. The housekeeper lowered his head and repeatedly apologized. The expression of the family soldier was also very uncomfortable. 

  Fan Xian looked at the scene and felt more certain in his guess that the young lady’s troublemaking was provoked by someone else. The housekeeper of the Wang family probably didn’t even know the reason. Only with such a composed subordinate would Wang Zhikun feel comfortable in having his pampered daughter return to the capital. How could they allow this young girl to charge to Prince Heqing’s manor? 

  Fan Xian looked at the housekeeper and asked, “Which family do you all belong to?” 

  The housekeeper saw that his attitude was not common. Although he didn’t know what level official he was, officials of the Overwatch Council often had noble titles other than their court positions. Not daring to neglect him, he said, “I am the housekeeper of the Wang family. We have just returned from Yanjing. The young lady has lived for a long time in Yanjing and does not understand the customs of Jingdou. If she has offended you, please forgive her.” 

  Young Lady Wang listened to the two of them talking and pulled back her foot from the stone lion. With a scolding voice, she said, “What is this? Is there need to talk to him so gently?” 

  The old housekeeper’s mouth tasted bitter. The old master had ordered them to act meekly in Jingdou. No one knew what kind of mindless illness the young lady had caught to shake off her family’s objections and charge to the prince’s manor. She had even called the young official a “thing.” Jingdou was not Yanjing. The water here was too deep. Any person on the street could have a terrifying history. 

  “Yanjing?” Fan Xian said with slight surprise. “The family of Governor Wang?” 

  Young Lady Wang stared at Fan Xian and said, “You know my family? And, who are you?” 

  Fan Xian didn’t even glance at her. To the housekeeper and family soldier, he gently said, “Quickly have your lady leave. The Palace hasn’t made an edict yet, and she’s here making a scene. If this gets out, how will she face people?” 

  The housekeeper and the soldier repeatedly agreed. However, they looked at each other and didn’t go help the young lady. They had already tried a few times earlier with no effect. Fan Xian only now realized that the old housekeeper had a few whip marks on his face. Although the strikes had not been deep, they were gradually seeping blood. 

  He turned his head and saw that the unruly young lady was holding a horsewhip in her left hand. His expression involuntarily darkened. Such a loyal housekeeper should be treasured. Yet, she had used a whip to beat him. His impression of this woman worsened extremely. 

  Coincidentally, it was at this moment that the young lady noticed that Fan Xian had not paid attention to her question and stuck her nose in the air. Her anger came from more than one source. Being kept outside Prince Heqing’s front door for half a day had caused her to lose face. Now, an unnamed young official gave her attitude. How could she endure further? Her anger burst forth and tears swam in her eyes. She swung her left hand and struck down with her whip. 

  The horsewhip came whistling down and almost touched Fan Xian’s nose. He only looked at the girl and thought mockingly to himself that in his reborn life, all the women he had met had their own charms. In Danzhou, he couldn’t find an evil tyrant even if he wanted to find one. Who would have thought that he would finally meet a frail fish eyeball now? 

  With a few puffs, a number of cold winds flashed by. The horsewhip in the young lady’s hands broke into four pieces in front of Fan Xian and fell to the ground. 

  How could the swordsmen of the Sixth Bureau allow an unruly woman to hurt their Commissioner? With a flash of cold light, six or seven metal drills surrounded the young woman. 

  The housekeeper and family soldier had not thought that this young Overwatch Council official would have so many aces at his side. Their hearts jumped. They worried about the young lady’s safety. They lined up neatly in front of her. If it had been any other day, they probably would have guessed Fan Xian’s true identity. However, everyone in Jingdou knew that the little master of the Overwatch Council was on his way back from inspecting Xiliang Road on the Emperor’s behalf. Thus, they did not think it was him. 

  The two sides had their swords drawn and crossbows wound. They could start fighting outside the manor at any moment. Although the Overwatch Council’s swordsmen were terrifying, the family soldiers that Yanjing Wang Zhikun had sent to protect his daughter were also no layabouts. Most miraculously, Prince Heqing’s front gates were still tightly closed. 

  Fan Xian did not get angry. On the contrary, he smiled sweetly and looked at the young lady of the Wang family. “You can continue to curse and scold. I won’t stop you. However, in the future, I will have to go ask Wang Zhikun how an odd one like you is raised. Tomorrow I’ll have to go talk to Shi Fei. As your uncle, if he doesn’t have time to discipline you, does he need me to do it?” 

  The scene exploded into noise. In the Qing court, there were only, at most, three young people who called Governor Wang and Commander Shi by their names. Other than the two princes, there was only that young man. The housekeeper and family soldier met each other’s gaze. They saw the shock and regret in each other’s hearts. Their mouths began to tremble. 

  It was the young lady who was an idiot. Hearing the other person calling her father’s name, she said angrily, “Who are you? How dare you criticize my father and say you will discipline me!” 

  Fan Xian glanced at her and said with a cold smile, “I can even subdue the wild horse that is Ye Ling’er, much less a lame donkey like you.” 

  Having said this, he paid no more attention to the terrified figures of the Wang and Shi families. Walking up the steps, he hammered on Prince Heqing’s front door and angrily said, “Have you watched enough? Open the door for me!” 

  No matter how stupid the young lady was, she finally realized the identity of the other person. Her mind became a mess. Tears poured out of her eyes, but these tears fell rather mysteriously. 

  The front doors of the manor were finally pulled open a crack, but no one showed their face. It looked like the manor was only preparing to let Fan Xian in and was still on guard against the young lady, a person at the level of a savage beast. 

  Fan Xian suddenly turned his head and asked as he looked at the young lady, “You like the Great Prince?” 

  No matter how liberated the Qing customs were, asking such private questions in front of so many officials and servants was inappropriate. The housekeeper and family soldier gritted their teeth. Disregarding Fan Xian’s identity, they prepared to speak out and scold him. Unexpectedly, the young lady gritted her teeth and said in a loud voice, “I do like him, what about it?” 

  “Nothing about it. I just wanted to tell you that if I say this thing isn’t going to happen, then it won’t happen. Even if it was going to happen, it isn’t……” He paused then mockingly said, “After cursing for half a day, do you want to come in for some tea?” 

  The young lady stood frozen in her spot. She had unconsciously decided to escape back to Uncle Shi’s home. She felt that the young noble in front of her was strange. It made her feel inexplicably afraid. After a moment, she composed herself. Throwing down the broken shard of her whip, she stopped the housekeeper’s obstructions and followed behind Fan Xian into the manor she had thought about for a long time. However, her way of entering this time was rather special. 

  The front doors of the manor closed tightly behind the two of them. Regardless of whether it was the subordinates of the Overwatch Council or the housekeeper and family soldiers of the Wang and Shi families, they were all blocked outside the manor. No one knew what plans Fan Xian had for bringing the young lady into the manor. 

  Fan Xian actually thought that it was strange the young lady had looked at him directly and bravely, or brashly, followed him into the manor. More than strangeness, an odd feeling rose from the depths of his heart. He thought that although this woman was crafty and unruly by nature, did not care for the servants at all, and her way of offering her heart was too ugly, at least she had one positive attribute of Ye Ling’er’s. 

  She had a straightforwardness that was different to the usual young ladies in Jingdou. 

  “The edict from the Palace has not come out. Did you think about how your father and Commander Shi would feel about you running here to make a scene?” Fan Xian turned and chased the housekeeper of the manor to the side. Looking at the young lady of the Wang family, he coldly said, “As a child, filial piety is the most important word. Making such a scene, do you know your mistake?” 

  The young lady looked with shock into Fan Xian’s eyes. She knew the identity of the person in front of her. She also knew of his power and abilities. Furthermore, she knew that the young lady of the Ye family, who was her favorite person, was this man’s secret unnamed disciple. She still had not thought that after entering the manor, his first words would be like her father giving her a lesson. Her eyes reddened. She burst into noisy years. Sniffing, she said, “He…… He’s scolding me for being shameless……”


  Chapter 605: To Accept Or Not Accept, This Is Not A Question

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

  Fan Xian lowered his head and moved to stand in front of the young lady. He looked at her closely until the crying girl felt very uncomfortable. He then said, “Do you know how the word ‘shame’ is written?” 

  The young lady stared viciously at Fan Xian as she gritted her teeth. When the prince said she knew no shame, she felt hurt, sad, disappointed, and angry. But, more of what she felt was a wrong grievance. She had come to the manor to seek justice. When Sir Fan junior said she knew no shame, she found it difficult to accept. 

  Fan Xian straightened up and sent a meaningful glance at the servants from the manor, having them retreat further. Only then did he ask the young lady, “Do you think that the ruckus you made today was just?” 

  “I don’t understand why you think I don’t know shame when we’ve only met once at my uncle’s manor!” The young lady bit her lip. Her eyes were very red. She looked like a rabbit ready to jump and bite at any moment. She stared angrily into Fan Xian’s eyes and said, “Last night, I didn’t even breathe too loudly at the banquet or say a single word. Yet, I ended up with the prince’s criticism of not knowing shame. I came here to make a scene to show the prince what true shamelessness looks like.” 

  Fan Xian thought it was a bit strange but couldn’t be bothered to investigate further. He just didn’t want to see a prince being forced by the Palace on one side and an unruly girl on another to the point that he had closed his door and refused to go out. This was the reason he had shown himself and got ready to teach the girl a lesson on behalf of Governor Wang,. However, he was struck by inspiration and thought of another way out that looked pretty good. 

  Stared down by Fan Xian’s calm and silent gaze, the voice of the young lady became lower and lower. Gradually, she could no longer vent her anger. She truly felt that she had seen a ghost. Why was it that once she saw this young noble, her anger immediately disappeared without a trace? How come no matter how much she worked herself up, she was still unable to yell and storm at him? 

  It was still a matter of power. Fan Xian was a high ranking and important official. Within the Qing Kingdom, no one doubted that he was the first person behind the Emperor. In addition, after he was breathtakingly shot two years ago, his personally had shifted again. He had long stood firm in the realm above that of the ninth-level and faintly become a first-rate figure below a Great Grandmaster. 

  With the combination of his power and aura, even if it was Governor Wang in front of him or the once extraordinarily powerful Yan Xiaoyi, Fan Xian would not have any thought of backing down. Even without the chest by his side, he believed he could openly resist Yan Xiaoyi. He could easily resist a pampered girl who only knew how to make an unreasonable scene. 

  He had spent many years steeped in the affairs of the Overwatch Council. No matter how charming and gentle a face, it always took on a trace of coldness. This kind of coldness was actually a terrifying feeling for girls, such as the young lady of the Wang family. 

  When faced with Fan Xian, the young lady became frightened for no reason. She no longer put on her earlier attitude of stepping on the stone lions and cursing out the manor in a loud voice. She gradually lowered her head and looked pitifully at the tightly closed door behind her. She wondered if she had made a great mistake in following him into the manor. 

  It was as if Fan Xian could not see her expression. He opened his mouth of his own accord and began to speak harshly. He spoke of all he had seen and heard by Jingdou’s west gate, her earlier ugly attitude in front of the manor, and the whip marks on the old housekeeper’s face. His words became colder and colder while his tone became more criticizing. It was as if he was going to shame the young lady into the cracks in the stone. 

  The scene was very strange. All of the servants, including the housekeeper of the manor, hid far away. The Prince and wangfei were even more cunning. They hid in the back garden and refused to come out to welcome guests. On the empty ground by the rock garden and within the door, there were Fan Xian and the young lady, who had met each other for the very first time. 

  The two guests were carrying out a re-education of the soul behind the doors of the manor. This affair truly looked absurd. ……

  After viciously scolding the young lady in front of him with the sharpest words, Fan Xian’s mood felt much better. Looking at her lowered head and angry and embarrassed but forcefully silent expression, he also felt a trace of curiosity. This young lady’s unruliness was truly something that made one loathe her. But it seemed that she knew her unruliness was wrong. 

  Fan Xian was surprised. Shortly after, he furrowed his brows and asked, “Do you acknowledge your misbehavior?” 

  The young lady stubbornly refused to answer because Fan Xian’s words had truly been too piercing. In particular, his calm and pedantic tone had made it seem as if he was her elder. A moment later, she said in a loud voice, “You are Sister Ye’s teacher, but you are not mine!” 

  “Speaking of Ye Ling’er, I will remind you of one thing.” Fan Xian’s eyes narrowed. “Although she rode her horse in Jingdou, she has never hurt people and would not use her whip to strike an elder. She was indeed been an unruly girl, but her unruliness was always targeted at someone and not at the poor common people. The people of Jingdou like her and make way for her because her heart is kind not because of her background.” 

  He smiled coldly as he looked at the young lady. “If you want to copy Ye Ling’er, you’ll have to wash yourself clean of all these airs that irritate other people!” 

  “Who did Sister Ye act unruly toward?” The young lady of the Wang family opened her eyes wide and didn’t notice Fan Xian’s last sentence. 

  Fan Xian was incomparably angry, thinking, Other than being unruly to him, who else could it be? He immediately darkened his expression. After being silent for a moment, he said sinisterly, “If you want to marry the prince, it is not an easy matter. If you can’t change all your bad habits, you won’t have a chance.” 

  The young lady was frightened by his expression. She was about to escape out of the manor. After hearing the word ‘marry,, it was as if a fire ignited in her heart. However, she knew her temper was bad. If it could be changed, then the teaching nannies the Palace had sent these days would not have such a headache. It was funny to say, but after Fan Xian’s thorough mockery, this girl actually gained some self-knowledge. 

  “I am willing to change.” Her face was covered in tears. 

  “It is easy to change a kingdom but difficult to shift one’s nature.” Fan Xian stared at her and smiled slightly. “Respect me as your teacher. I will shear off all your spikes.” 

  The young lady felt a chill and a spike of fear but also a trace of anger. She thought to herself, Although you are the Emperor’s illegitimate child, with unmatched power, you are just a 20-year-old youth. How could you have the nerve to be my teacher? 

  She immediately remembered that the person in front of her had been the Third Prince’s and Sister Ye’s teacher. Although young, he had already taken on two students, one of whom was her idol and the other would be the future Emperor of the Qing Kingdom. 

  Fan Xian didn’t give her any time to think. Placing his hands behind him, he walked coldly into the depths of the manor. The young lady gritted her teeth, picked up her skirt, and ran after him. Stopping behind Fan Xian carefully, she finally understood. Maybe Sir Fan junior was willing to take her as a student because he truly wanted to create a chance for her to enter the manor. 

  The Emperor was preparing to have Sir Fan junior convince the Prince to take on a Secondary fei after he returned to the capital. This information had already come out. The young lady knew most of her hope in entering this manor lay on Fan Xian. Hearing now that he was willing to take her on as a student, how could she be unwilling? 

  Fan Xian heard her footsteps. Without turning his head, he said straightforwardly, “If you want to be my student, you must be prepared to be hit by me.” 

  The young lady flew into a rage. She had lived to this age and no one had ever hit her. Then she thought of her happiness and had no choice but to close her mouth unhappily. 

  “Apologize and make amends to your housekeeper. Go find those who were injured by your horse when you entered the city, pay their doctors’ fees, and apologize.” 

  “Yes, Sir.” 

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  “Don’t let me find out that you have a grudge after making your apologies and then carry out your revenge afterward. In the future, such things will not happen again.” 

  “Yes, Sir.” 

  “Tomorrow, have General Shi send someone to bring you to the Fan manor to receive 10 strikes with the whip. This first matter will then be considered over with.” 

  The young lady of the Wang family stood dumbfounded to the spot. She had thought that by suppressing her anger, agreeing to apologize, making amends to the housekeeper, and going to console those lowly commoners would be giving Sir Fan junior enough face. She never would have thought he was actually going to use a whip to hit her. ……

  “You’re shameless!” In Prince Heqing’s quiet study, the Great Prince pointed at Fan Xian’s nose and scolded in a voice trembling with anger. 

  Across from him, Fan Xian showed no sign of weakness. With a face full of anger, he fanned aside the Great Prince’s finger and scolded, “It is you who is shameless!” 

  The Great Prince calling Fan Xian shameless was about the fact that he had brought the young lady of the Wang family into the manor and had rushed her to wangfei’s living quarters. The Great Prince was also very aware of the conversation between Fan Xian and the young lady as they walked in. Fan Xian had actually taken her as a student and narrowed his connection to the Wang family. This made him angry and confused. 

  These days, the Palace had been quietly urging him to take a Secondary fei and had even chosen the person for him. Although the Great Prince had forcefully resisted a number of times, in the end, no one openly challenged the Emperor’s might. His mood was already situated in an unusually explosive territory. 

  Particularly yesterday, when the new Commander of the Jingdou Garrison, Shi Fei, had invited the Great Prince to a banquet. No matter what, he had to give him this face. Unexpectedly, before they had had three rounds of drinks, Shi Fei had, like a matchmaker, brought out the bashful young lady of the Wang family. The Great Prince immediately understood what was happening. In great anger, he shook his sleeves and left, not leaving any face at all for those of the Yanjing faction. 

  What made the Great Prince the angriest was nothing more than the attitude Fan Xian had shown earlier. He had been very gloomy these days, but he had always thought that once Fan Xian, his shockingly talented brother, returned, he would certainly be able to think of a perfect solution. A solution that would reject the marriage and make the Emperor happier. 

  The beginning of the scene in front of the manor doors had made the Great Prince happy. He thought to himself that such an unruly person as the young lady of the Wang family did indeed need someone as sinister as Fan Xian to deal with. Unexpectedly, Fan Xian’s attitude had changed greatly. Not only did he bring the young lady into the manor, but he had also taken her as a disciple. 

  “How have I been shameless?” The Great Prince roared at Fan Xian. He was cursing Fan Xian for being shamelessness because he had forgotten their brotherly affection and dragged him into the bottomless abyss. 

  “How have you not been shameless?” Fan Xian’s expression was angry. “It’s your own stupid affair. What are you doing dragging me into it? You dare to offend the Emperor and the Yanjing generals, do you want me to also offend them? A mere child…… Given the tricks of you two, you could easily get rid of her whenever you want! Yet, you still trotted out an urgent message to me to have me deal with it. The two of you are forcefully dragging me under the water, is that not shameless?” 

  The Great Prince was speechless and unable to talk. After discussing it with wangfei for a dozen days, they felt that, under the current circumstances, it seemed that only Fan Xian could resolve this problem. There was indeed the thought of dragging him below the water. He coughed and then said remorsefully, “In any case, father was going to have you come to the manor to be a lobbyist. I am first pulling you my side so that arguing will be easier in the future.” 

  “Pshaw! I am not a matchmaker.” Fan Xian cursed without good humor. 

  The Great Prince said with seriousness, “But you are an official of Taichang Temple.” 

  Fan Xian shook his head helplessly. The officials of the Taichang Temple managed the affairs of the royal family. When it came to the marriages of each prince, King, and duke, it was actually up to him to deal with. 

  The two of them fell silent at the same time. After going through the Jingdou rebellion two months ago, this pair of brothers were not like before, relying only on Chen Pingping and Lady Ning’s relationship to stand shoulder to shoulder. They now had a true friendship borne of killing enemies together, a sense of living and dying together. During these two years, their relationship could not have been better. 

  “What do you mean by taking her as a student?” The Great Prince stared into Fan Xian’s eyes. “You know I don’t want to take on some Secondary fei.” 

  “Let’s not talk about this first. Let’s talk about that young lady of the Wang family.” Fan Xian lowered his head and thought for a while. He then said, “Her name is Wang Tong’er. She is the precious daughter of Governor Wang. During last night’s banquet, she had not forgot herself like today. Why did you scold her for not knowing shame?” 

  The Great Prince said, “Although this girl’s temperament is rumored to not be good, I’ve only met her once. As a Prince, how could I make such a presumptuous criticism of the daughter of a general?” 

  Fan Xian smiled self-mockingly and said, “I know you are not such a person to do that. These words were idle gossip that the teaching nannies from the Palace sent to the young lady’s ears through the Wang family’s serving girls. That is why she caused the scene today. It is clear that the Palace wanted her to come and make a scene, one which the entire city knows of and that will make wangfei quietly angry.” 

  He raised his head and looked at the Great Prince. “She is, after all, a daughter of the Wang family. Her identity is precious. As you know, after the Dong Mountain incident, the Qing Kingdom’s attitude toward Northern Qi changed greatly. Everyone’s attitude toward wangfei is not as good as before.” 

  The Great Prince nodded his head silently. These two years, wangfei did not like to leave the manor because she did not want to endure the hostile gazes of the common people. Northern Qi had taken part in the plot to assassinate the Emperor. No one could shake off such a hatred. 

  “If this matter really gets ugly and the Emperor directly orders your wedding, the entire court will probably support it. Wangfei will have to retreat from her position.” 

  “The entire court?” The Great Prince furrowed his brows. “This young lady’s reputation is not very good.” 

  Fan Xian smiled coldly. “Who are you? You are the eldest son of the royal family, the only prince to lead troops against the North. You are the pride of the Qing Kingdom. Never mind the young lady, as long as they can make your wangfei change from a Northern Qi person to a Qing person, even if it’s a female pig, these officials and common people will still carry her into your manor.” 

  The Great Prince’s heart chilled. It was as if he could see a large white sow tied to a pole, covered with red strips of cloth and being carried into the manor amidst ear-piercing fanfare. 

  “I have already thought this through on the road. Regardless of whether it is you or me, neither of us can stop this from happening because we are only two people. How can we oppose an entire court?” Fan Xian smiled self-mockingly. “You want to reject the wedding and make the Emperor happy. This is an impossible situation.” 

  The Great Prince sat down dejectedly. He was completely lacking his heroic spirit when he had led troops to Xi Lake. Muttering to himself, he said, “Am I really going to have to take on a Secondary fei?” 

  “If you don’t make to make a big scene and have the Emperor directly depose of your wangfei because of bullsh*t reasons such as a lack of sons in his anger, then taking on a Secondary fei becomes a necessity. At least, it will stall for some time.” Fan Xian looked at him with pity and thought that the prince that led troops indeed lived a harder life than him. Soothingly, he said, “Look at the officials in the court. All of them have multiple wives and concubines. Even Shu Wu, that old man, has a few young concubines in their 20s in his manor. Wangfei is a reasonable person. She won’t be overly bothered by the matter of a Secondary fei.” 

  “Many wives and concubines? How come I don’t see you taking a few more in?” After the Great Prince said this angrily, he fell silent. He knew that the matter of taking a Secondary fei could not be delayed anymore. He also knew that Fan Xian had purposely not spoken about the fact that the so-called taking on of a Secondary fei was actually for the purpose of later deposing wangfei. 

  Although the Great Prince and wangfei had a political marriage during the honeymoon phase between their two countries, the two of them were harmonious and had great affection for each other. If he truly had to depose of her, he would not be able to accept it no matter what. 

  “Although it is only the first time Wang Tong’er and I have met, we exchanged a few words.” Seeing the change in the Great Prince’s expression, Fan Xian said in an even voice, “If you have to take on a Secondary fei, she is the best choice. Otherwise my attitude would not have changed so drastically.” 

  “Just this……” The Great Prince stood up. In the end, he was of a generous nature and resisted cursing the girl. 

  Fan Xian smiled bitterly and said, “I know that this girl’s nature is truly rather dastardly. If not for the future peace of your home, why would I take her in as a student? Do you think I have nothing better to do? Don’t forget, although there is the character ‘leisure’ in my name, I am very busy.”