Under One Person: Starting from the Inheritance of Gods

Chapter 391 Conspiracy, Two Old Foxes!
Shortly after Fan Xian left the palace, Chen Pingping entered the palace.

Chen Pingping already knew about the relevant information and intelligence on his way back. Contrary to his expectations, many unexpected events had occurred in Kyoto during this period, which Chen Pingping was unaware of.

It is unknown what Chen Pingping and Emperor Qing discussed.

After a long while, Chen Pingping emerged from the Hall of State Affairs with a gloomy expression. His shadow then took over and pushed him out of the palace.

"Make arrangements, we'll go to Zuixianju tonight!"

Shadow stopped abruptly, his gaze involuntarily shifting towards Chen Pingping's lower body, and said in a strange tone, "To Zuixianju, a brothel?"

Chen Pingping said calmly, "The newly emerged Grandmaster of Poetry is at Zuixianju, and since his appearance, the capital has been filled with the sound of thunder."

"There's another point: the appearance of the four Grandmasters is more or less related to the temple, and the weapon that can emit a thunderous sound also came from the temple."

"So...you suspect that the immortal poet is a person from the temple?" The shadow's tone seemed quite interested in him.

"The Oversight Council isn't lacking in intelligent people, but they still haven't found the 'murderer.' Are they really incompetent? No, they're just waiting for me to come back."

"They don't have the guts to confront a Grandmaster, nor do they want to break ties with a true Grandmaster and bring a great enemy upon our Qing Kingdom. At the very least, they don't want the dispute to be caused by the Supervisory Council. Therefore, they are naturally more cautious in their actions."

"I'm afraid His Majesty is aware of this as well!"

Shadow nodded thoughtfully: "So, His Majesty wants you to see him?"

"Qing Kingdom needs someone of great importance to go there."

Chen Pingping let out a long sigh, her eyes as deep and unfathomable as a still pool. Then she closed her eyes slightly, her withered fingers tapping lightly on the armrests of her wheelchair, producing a dull sound.

A shadow hung between his brows, like years of accumulated wind and snow.

"Let's go," Chen Pingping said in a low voice, her voice hoarse and weary, like the rustling of withered leaves.

Unlike Chen Pingping, Yingzi was actually excited when she heard that she would be meeting the Immortal of Poetry that night.

It's not that he's obsessed with martial arts.

Shadow was originally the younger brother of Grandmaster Si Gu Jian. He was from Dongyi Kingdom and the son of the city lord of Dongyi. In his early years, he was indignant because his brother massacred his entire family, so he worked hard to learn martial arts.

Later, he sought refuge with Chen Pingping, and from then on, he wore a mask, covering his entire body completely. He became the head of the Sixth Bureau of the Supervisory Council and lived in the Qing Kingdom in anonymity.

His wish is to one day surpass Si Gu Jian and then take revenge on him.

Therefore, only by fighting against a Grandmaster can he know the gap between himself and a Grandmaster.

The moonlight was cool as water, and the night was as dark as ink.

The Crystal River shimmered under the moonlight, truly resembling flowing silver crystals.

The painted boats on the Liujing River were brightly lit, and the sounds of silk and bamboo instruments could be faintly heard. Zuixianju stood by the water, and its three-story pavilion looked particularly cold and desolate under the moonlight.

Shadow pushed Chen Pingping's wheelchair and slowly brought it to a stop in front of Zuixianju.

The elderly man in the wheelchair was wrapped in a black cloak, seemingly blending into the night. He looked up at the only window on the third floor with a light on, and a glint of something unfathomable flashed in his eyes.

"Is that the one?" Chen Pingping's voice was low and hoarse.

Shadow nodded: "The scouts reported that, in addition to staying on Si Lili's pleasure boat, that poet has also booked the entire third floor, and no one dares to say anything."

Chen Pingping tapped his thin fingers lightly twice on the armrest of his wheelchair. Shadow understood and pushed him into Zuixianju.

Chen Pingping made no attempt to conceal his presence, after all, he had come here on "the Emperor's orders"!
The posture should be natural and fully executed.

On the surface, it appears to be a statement that the Qing Kingdom wants to win over this Grandmaster.

The previously noisy guests in the lobby fell silent upon seeing the iconic wheelchair, before erupting into even more heated discussions, all of them keeping their voices down.

"It's Director Chen of the Oversight Council!"

"Why would a high-ranking official from the Overwatch Council come to a place like this?"

"Shh, keep your voice down, are you out of your mind?"

Shadow ignored the discussions and pushed Chen Pingping straight up to the third floor.

At the top of the stairs stood a man and a woman dressed in strange clothes, one in black and one in white. They did not stop the two people, but simply bowed slightly and made a "please" gesture.

The carved wooden door at the end of the third-floor corridor was ajar, and candlelight could be faintly seen coming from inside. Just as Shadow was about to knock on the door, Chen Pingping raised his hand to stop him.

"I'll go in myself." Chen Pingping's voice was calm and undisturbed. "You wait outside."

The shadow mask furrowed slightly, but he still nodded and stepped aside.

Chen Pingping unconsciously placed her hands on the armrests on both sides of the wheelchair before pushing the wheels on both sides of the wheelchair and slowly entering the room.

The interior was simply yet elegantly furnished. A round mahogany table was placed in the center, with a pot of wine and two wine cups on it. A man in a blue robe stood by the window, his back to the door, gazing at the Crystal River outside.

"Dean Chen, what brings you here so late at night?" The man did not turn around; his voice was clear and melodious, like spring water striking stone.

Chen Pingping stopped at the table, staring intently at the retreating figure: "I have long admired the name of the 'Poet Immortal,' and have come to pay my respects."

The man chuckled softly and finally turned around.

Meng Fan's tone was completely devoid of respect for Emperor Qing, instead being extremely flippant as he said, "After so many days, Emperor Qing finally couldn't hold back any longer. I thought he could wait a few more days."

"I want to know, does he have nightmares every night?" Meng Fan asked, looking quite gossipy.

This attitude reminded Chen Pingping of Ye Qingmei. Back then, Ye Qingmei was also extremely curious, disregarded imperial power, and even pulled the late emperor's beard, searched through the empress dowager's belongings, and had Wu Zhu keep watch.

For some reason, Chen Pingping felt a sense of lightness and joy when she was with Meng Fan, a feeling she hadn't experienced in a long time.

Chen Pingping smiled and said, "Whether His Majesty has nightmares or not is none of my business."

"You really don't know? You are the Dark King of Qing Kingdom!"

Chen Pingping shook his head: "There are too many secrets in this world. Some things should not be known by others. The more you know, the faster you will die."

Meng Fan walked to the table, poured two glasses of wine, took a sip himself, and handed the other to Chen Pingping.

"The wine brewed by my men is called 'Harvest Year,' made from grain grown on the back of Dangkang Mountain. It signifies a bountiful harvest and is believed to have the effect of replenishing what is lacking. Would you like to try some?"

Chen Pingping glanced at the wine; the pale green with hints of yellow was extremely tempting, but he didn't drink it.

As the head of the Overwatch Council, one must never lose vigilance, let alone casually drink someone else's beverage.

"Not drinking? Fine!"

"Now that we've finished our drinks, let's get down to business!"

Chen Pingping cut straight to the point, looking Meng Fan directly into the eyes: "What does the Immortal Poet think about the frequent thunderclaps in the capital city recently?"

"Oh?" Meng Fan picked up his wine glass and took a sip. "Is this what Dean Chen meant?"

Before he finished speaking, a cleverly crafted iron object suddenly appeared out of thin air in his left hand—it was the sniper rifle.

Chen Pingping's pupils contracted slightly, but his expression remained unchanged: "It really is you. Who exactly are you?"

"Shh!"

Meng Fan put his finger to his lips and smiled, "Don't you already have a guess about where I come from?"

So, it really is a temple?
Chen Pingping suppressed the trembling in his heart, bowed and said, "Then may I ask what brings you to Qing Kingdom? It cannot be merely to frighten His Majesty, can it?" Meng Fan poured himself another cup of wine and said, "I came here only to investigate, or more precisely, to investigate a person."

"Who?"

"Fan Xian!"

Chen Pingping's pupils contracted sharply. He gripped the armrests of the wheelchair again, leaned forward with tense body, and asked in a deep voice, "What business do you have with Fan Xian?"

"Don't be so nervous!"

"I sought out Fan Xian simply because I admire him to some extent. However, he is still too inexperienced and unable to shoulder heavy responsibilities. He is far from meeting the goals I set for him."

Chen Pingping seemed intrigued: "Oh, I wonder what the target is?"

"The throne!" Meng Fan said directly.

"Cough cough!"

A flicker of panic and surprise crossed Chen Pingping's eyes, but she covered her expression with a cough. "You must be joking, right?"

"Fan Xian is a descendant of the Fan family and has absolutely no connection to the throne!"

This is very different from Chen Pingping's initial plan, or rather, Chen Pingping never thought of supporting Fan Xian to that position.

He wanted Fan Xian to inherit the Supervisory Council, while Fan Jian wanted Fan Xian to inherit the Imperial Treasury. Neither of them ever dared to dream of coveting the throne.

But the moment the person in front of him made the suggestion, he was moved.

"really?"

Meng Fan looked at him with a half-smile, his imposing aura suddenly rising, and even Chen Pingping felt a chill run down his spine from his indifferent gaze.

Then, Meng Fan smiled gently, and the tense atmosphere from before disappeared.

"I have no ill intentions towards Fan Xian. Whether you believe it or not, he is, for the time being, a humane administrator and guardian that I think highly of."

"Emperor Qing killed Ye Qingmei without authorization, and I used this as an excuse to come and hold him accountable. As a result, the throne is now vacant, and I hope that the one who sits on this throne will be an obedient emperor who is willing to inherit Ye Qingmei's ideals and goals and strive for them."

Meng Fan also specifically mentioned: "It's just like the inscription on the stone tablet in front of your Inspectorate."

"And as Ye Qingmei's former sister, Dean Chen would surely be willing to support Fan Xian, wouldn't she?"

Chen Pingping raised an eyebrow, seemingly touched by something, and asked, "What is your relationship with her?"

"It doesn't matter!"

"I simply have faith in Fan Xian!"

Chen Pingping pondered the meaning behind Meng Fan's words, but as long as he knew that Meng Fan truly had no intention of harming Fan Xian, that was enough. However, as an old fox, Chen Pingping would only believe three-tenths of what Meng Fan said.

What do you want to do?

"How do we get Fan Xian into that position?"

Meng Fan smiled and whispered to Chen Pingping, "First of all, Fan Xian isn't ready to grow..."

After hearing Meng Fan's plan, Chen Pingping's face showed a thoughtful expression, and she hesitated and said, "Even if you search the whole capital, it's hard to find a master of the ninth rank. Would a ninth-rank master work?"

Meng Fan shook his head, then looked towards the door: "Ordinary ninth-rank officials aren't even worth a handful of Fan Xian's attention. Don't you have someone with you? Let him go!"

"shadow?!"

Chen Pingping lowered his head and pondered for a moment.

At this moment, Meng Fan said, "It is impossible for Princess Li Yunrui to let Fan Xian inherit the power of the Imperial Treasury, and among the people she can command, there must be people from Dongyi City."

"At that time, it would be reasonable to have Shadow impersonate a master from Dongyi City and blend in among them."

"it is good!"

"And the location?"

Meng Fan's lips curled slightly as he asked, "Where do you think Li Yunrui will choose?"

“Niulan Street, with its narrow alleys and towering buildings on both sides, is the perfect place for archers to ambush.”

Chen Pingping and Meng Fan simultaneously exchanged a knowing smile, like two old foxes.

Good news! Fan Xian has reached the ninth rank. In the original novel, Cheng Jushu alone couldn't do anything to him.

Bad news: Meng Fan and Chen Pingping added more ingredients and even sent more shadows.

Fan Xian: So, one injury isn't enough for me, I have to get injured a second time?
Teng Zijing's death can be seen as the first step for Fan Xian to see through the cruelty of this ancient dynasty, and also the starting point for Fan Xian's awakening.

The death of a mere guard perfectly illustrates the insignificance of human life.

Meng Fan didn't want Fan Xian to miss out on this lesson.

After listening to Meng Fan's entire plan, Chen Pingping's gaze was complex, even somewhat strange. He had never imagined that the Ye family had already sided with Fan Xian.

Moreover, the Ye family has two Grandmasters behind them.

However, Chen Pingping was quite shocked when he heard that Emperor Qing was also a Grandmaster, after all, Emperor Qing was really good at hiding his true abilities.

As Meng Fan saw Chen Pingping out of the room, Shadow suddenly drew his sword and pointed it at Meng Fan: "I have long admired the Grandmaster's reputation, and Shadow dares to ask for your guidance."

The atmosphere outside the room instantly became tense.

Chen Pingping frowned: "Shadow!"

Meng Fan waved his hand dismissively: "It's alright, I'll find two people to fight you, Black and White Impermanence!"

The two figures, Black and White Impermanence, appeared in front of the shadow as if they were ghosts, and gestured for the shadow to "please".

Chang Haoling added, "I've long heard that Si Gu Jian's younger brother has exceptional swordsmanship, and today my brother and I are fortunate enough to learn from him."

Upon hearing the words "Si Gu Jian," Shadow's eyes flashed with a cold light, and his short sword, like a venomous snake spitting its tongue, pierced towards Black Impermanence's throat. This sword strike was as fast as lightning, carrying years of pent-up hatred and anger.

However, Chang Haoling simply turned slightly to the side, and with her right index and middle fingers together, lightly flicked the blade. With a crisp "clang," Shadow felt a tremendous force come from the blade, and her entire arm went numb.

Chang Xuanling chuckled lightly, and a white shadow drifted by, instantly standing behind the shadow. The shadow hurriedly turned around and exchanged a palm strike with Bai Wuchang, directly retreating three steps, and a black bruise appeared on its palm that would not dissipate.

"Your sword intent is good, but too hasty. You still have a long way to go before you become a Grandmaster," Meng Fan commented from the side.

The expression on his face beneath the shadow mask changed slightly, revealing a hint of astonishment. He truly hadn't expected that his attack would be so easily neutralized by Meng Fan's men.

Meng Fan smiled slightly: "My two subordinates, although they have not reached the Grandmaster level, can still hold their own against a Grandmaster when they work together."

A hint of surprise flashed in Chen Pingping's eyes. He had originally thought that Black and White Impermanence were just ordinary guards, but he hadn't expected them to possess such strength. It seemed that this Immortal of Poetry had a more profound foundation than he had imagined.

"In that case, I'll come back another day to learn from you." Shadow tactfully sheathed his short sword and retreated behind Chen Pingping.

After all, it's foolish to knowingly invite defeat when you know you can't win.

Moreover, the palm strike that Shadow had just exchanged with Bai Wuchang had already poisoned him, and he felt somewhat weak. Although a ninth-rank martial artist is not afraid of any poison, the poison that Bai Wuchang used was extremely potent.

If we keep fighting, we'll all die here.

(End of this chapter)