Joy of Life: The melon-eating prince sees through Fan Xian's fake death

Chapter 48: Censor Lai, You and I Are Destined to Never Be Friends
It's almost time for court.

Li Chengze was still at home, walking around barefoot, anxiously, feeling restless:
"It's already this late, and Fan Wujiu hasn't brought the person back yet?"

meet as planned.

Fan Wujiu should have brought Fan Sizhe back to him yesterday, which was the deadline, and "made him surrender himself to the authorities." In this way, Li Chengze would have solid evidence to accuse the Fan family of running a brothel in the Baoyue Tower incident.

By the way.

It could not only destroy the reputation of Fan Xian of the Fan family, but also make the rumor spread by His Royal Highness the Crown Prince out of thin air, turning white into black, so as to make all the ministers and officials believe that the two of them were in collusion and that the investigation of corruption was just a factional dispute with his Second Prince.

No need to sweat the small stuff.

Kill two birds with one stone. No, three birds with one stone!

Li Chengze's plan was flawless. It can be said that everything was ready, except for Lao Fan.
But what about people?
Xie Bian came over with a sword in hand and saluted hastily:

"Your Highness, there is no trace of Fan Wujiu within a hundred miles outside the city."

Li Chengze's face froze.

Waiting for him to say the following sentence:

“It’s like the world has disappeared.”

Li Chengze threw the container containing the grapes to the ground and said angrily:

"Fan Wujiu has repeatedly failed to do his job properly. When he comes back, I will definitely punish him severely!"

Xie Bian lowered his head and said, "I'm afraid he encountered some difficulties while carrying out his mission. After all, Fan Sizhe is Fan Xian's brother, and Fan Xian is the director of the Supervisory Council. It must not be easy to snatch someone from the Supervisory Council."

"It's not easy for me!" Li Chengze snorted coldly: "I have confirmed the schedules of the masters in the Supervisory Council in advance. Logically, no ninth-rank or above director would be available, and there is no need to protect a nameless Fan Sizhe. He, Fan Xian, is a supervisor, not a dean!"

Xie Bian was silent, fearing that the other one of the Black and White Impermanence would have to pay the price this time.

Li Chengze pondered: "Could it be that some other forces are interfering?"

"Xie Bian, continue to find clues about Fan Wujiu for me."

"Yes."

······
It's time to go to court.

Li Chengqian put on a golden four-clawed dragon robe. This majestic color made the ministers around him bow respectfully when they saw him, demonstrating the power behind him. It was just that the clothes and accessories were a bit heavy and bulky.

This requires Qingzhu and Jiang Ziyan's help to put it on.

"His Royal Highness."

After Fan Xian and Li Chengqian discussed the countermeasures for today's court session, they did not come together. Instead, they walked one after the other after leaving the Yannian Palace. In the eyes of his colleagues, the meaning of being tied together was not so strong: "Are you really ready?"

Li Chengqian shook his head: "No."

Fan Xian was stunned: "Then you asked me not to pretend to be sick and go to court? No wonder I didn't even see a single person!"

Li Chengqian chuckled: "Just kidding."

As the two of them were laughing, Lai Mingcheng, the Left Censor-in-Chief of the Censorate, came up with two other officials from the Censorate behind him. Censor Lai and the other two bowed to Li Chengqian first:

"His Royal Highness."

Li Chengqian and Fan Xian resumed the etiquette of monarch and subject. The former showed respect to the wise and humbled himself, raised his hand and asked the old gentleman Lai Mingcheng to stand up straight: "Censor Lai, please speak."

Censor Lai clasped his fists and looked at the Crown Prince respectfully first. When he looked at Fan Xian, he was angry: "Master Fan, I know you are the Director of the Supervisory Council. You should also know your responsibilities. How can you let your family run a private brothel?"

"I will definitely criticize you in class later!"

The two people from the Censorate took a look at the Crown Prince's face and found nothing unusual before saying:

"Besides, it's fine that you, Fan Xian, neglected your duties and spoiled your family, but a few days ago you also persuaded His Royal Highness the Crown Prince to go to the brothel and indulge in sensual pleasures. We have already investigated the matter thoroughly. His Royal Highness the Crown Prince was too polite and friendly to you, which gave you the opportunity to mislead His Royal Highness."

"Everyone in my Censorate will report you and make sure you can no longer deceive His Royal Highness the Crown Prince!"

The information received by the Censorate was that the Supervisory Office had withdrawn its defenses that night and let the prince enter the building. They embellished the news, cleared the prince of any ambiguous relationship with the Supervisory Office, and pinned all the blame on Fan Xian.

It not only protects the Crown Prince, saying that he was just misled, but also achieves the purpose of punishing Fan Xian and preventing the Crown Prince from making mistakes. All officials say that the censors in the Censorate are a group of mad dogs, but in fact, they are the best of the best who have stepped onto the road of imperial examinations among thousands of students. They are the real smart people. Different from the cleverness of other officials, this kind of madness is also great wisdom.

Fan Xian was thick-skinned and not afraid of being scolded. He smiled as usual and said, "Then I will wait for good news."

Censor Lai snorted coldly and entered the imperial study with his cursing subordinates.

Li Chengqian asked Fan Xian what he thought of Censor Lai, and he said:

"This old man is quite cute. Maybe we can become friends in the future."

"Absolutely not."

Li Chengqian denied it.

Fan Xian was confused: "Why?"

Li Chengqian walked ahead without looking back: "If you make friends with him, you will harm him."

Fan Xian thought for a moment, then followed.

······
Royal study room.

Li Chengqian came to the line of princes. The eldest prince had been waiting for a long time, but the second prince didn't even look at him.

Like a resentful woman.

Li Chengqian teased, "Second brother is in a bad mood, what's wrong?"

Li Chengze smiled falsely: "What does it have to do with you?"

Li Chengqian turned around and chatted with the eldest prince again: "Brother, who made the second brother angry again?"

The eldest prince shook his head: "I don't know, he is like this when he comes to the imperial study early in the morning. No one bothers him."

Li Chengze rolled his eyes: "Just don't mess with me"

Li Chengqian chuckled: "Second brother, you are joking. I have always been a brotherly friend."

clang~
The bell rings.

The officials were silent.

Inside and outside the Imperial Study, officials were either sitting or standing behind the bookshelves, all in an orderly manner, bowing together and waiting for His Majesty to speak.

After Emperor Qing landed in the Imperial Study, he got straight to the point:
"Lai Mingcheng, what are you going to participate in this time?"

Censor Lai followed the order and left. The Second Prince had high hopes for him, and he did not disappoint Li Chengze:
"Your Majesty, I want to report Fan Jian and Fan Xian. The Fan family has been deeply favored by Your Majesty. The two people in the house are important officials of our Qing Kingdom, but they lack discipline for their family members. Even though Fan Sizhe opened a brothel privately, he has committed abduction of women and has lost all conscience."

Emperor Qing remained calm and said, "Lord Fan, is this true?"

Fan Jian listened to Fan Xian's advice and was ready to face this situation today instead of pretending to be sick to attend court: "I failed to educate my son properly, which led to Sizhe being misled and doing bad things without knowing it. I have punished him severely according to the family rules and ordered him to be driven out of Kyoto to go to a cold and bitter place for training."

It's family law again.

Driven out of Kyoto again.

This move made the other censors in the Censorate unable to sit still. They turned into the top trolls in Qing State, blasting the Fan family and asking His Majesty to impeach them.

Emperor Qing, of course, didn't react: "Lai Mingcheng, continue."

Censor Lai again complains to Fan Xian:
"Fan Xian is the director of the Supervisory Council, but he secretly persuaded the Crown Prince, who is courteous to the wise and humble, to enter the brothel and have fun in the Fan family's property. This spread to the ears of the people and turned into rumors. This act is suspected of misleading the Crown Prince and using him to protect him from the wind and rain! Please demote your Majesty!"

Fan Xian also stood up: "I admit that Fan Sizhe was bewitched into running a brothel. As his elder brother, I didn't think highly of him. But I don't admit the latter part. On that day in Baoyue Tower, His Royal Highness the Crown Prince did not indulge in sensual pleasures, but was assassinated!"

Censor Lai asked back: "Do you have any evidence?"

Fan Xian looked at the prince.

Li Chengqian came out and saluted His Majesty:

"Son, I have evidence!"

(End of this chapter)