Joy of Life: I'm really not a saint

Unexpectedly, Li Chengzong shook his head and said, "Brother, why do you have to pretend that you don't know? The truth about Fan Xian's life experience has already spread throughout the city!"

"I just found out about the banquet he was holding in his mansion before." Li Chengze smiled bitterly.

Li Chengzong nodded, his tone somewhat serious: "This matter is very strange, and it spread too quickly. The people who distributed these letters disappeared without a trace afterwards. It is obvious that they came prepared."

He played with the porcelain cup in his hand and continued, "I can't stay here for too long, so let me make it short! This time, I am following my father's order to dispatch troops to Jiangnan to escort Fan Xian back to the capital. At the same time, we are also to guard against the Black Cavalry of the Supervisory Council. You should understand what I mean!"

This is what keeps you from crossing the line!

"I don't know if this is what our father meant, or what you meant?" Li Chengze said in a relaxed tone, not caring at all.

"This is my own idea! I guess it's also my father's idea!"

The eldest prince raised his eyebrows and his tone gradually became louder: "Before, it was you who was arguing with the crown prince, and now there is another Fan Xian. Li Xian. Whether it is for the overall situation of Qing Kingdom or the case of deficit in the Ministry of Revenue that was just closed not long ago, please do not act rashly during this period of time!"

Li Chengze smiled and looked at his brother, sipped the tea in his cup and said, "Brother, you shouldn't say this to me. It would be more appropriate to say it to the crown prince, right?"

"Although we have rarely interacted with each other, I know you very well! You can still persuade him at this moment, as for the crown prince?" Li Chengzong did not say the next words. He just sighed and said, "I have the blood of the Dongyi people. The throne is absolutely impossible for me. After I got out of this quagmire, I have some different views."

"I'm not afraid of you laughing at me when I first returned to Beijing. I didn't think much of Fan Xian (I'll just call him Fan Xian)! When I was still fighting the barbarians in the west, I heard that a poet had emerged in Beijing. But I'm a rough man who only knew how to fight, not how to play with romance. I also didn't know how these could help the common people of the world."

Li Chengzong changed his tone and said, "It's just that too many things have happened since I returned to Beijing. Not to mention that I had a completely different opinion of Fan Xian during the battle at Xuankong Mountain, but after seeing what Fan Xian did in the Supervisory Council, I realized that he was a man who was ruthless but gentle, talented but also had wild ideas!"

"I wonder what my royal brother wants to say?" Li Chengze had already lost all expression on his face. He silently put down the teacup in his hand and asked in a deep voice.

"I want you to put away those inappropriate thoughts! Who can inherit the throne is decided by our father. If he doesn't give it to us, we can't snatch it!"

As if he felt his words were somewhat empty, the eldest prince added: "Let's not talk about the title of Crown Prince for now. Fan Xian now controls the Overwatch Council and the Imperial Treasury. You cannot contend with him!"

That’s not necessarily the case!

Li Chengze’s biggest trump cards now are the eldest princess and the Ye family!

It's not that there aren't people who know that the princess is on his side, but few people believe that the princess will do her best to help him! After all, a crazy woman is always unexpected, betrayal and sitting on the fence is the norm!

As for the Ye family, Ye Wan is now half disabled and Ye Liuyun can only sit in a wheelchair.

And the only Ye Ling'er is also wholeheartedly loyal to him. If the Ye family wants to continue its glory, then they can only put the weight on themselves!

The prince would never believe in marrying his daughter to the Ye family!

So, destiny is in my hands!

Chapter 235 A dragon gives birth to nine sons.

"Your Majesty is right." Li Chengze gently agreed with the eldest prince's words.

Li Chengzong relaxed a little after hearing this, and a smile appeared on his face. "I have seen a lot on the battlefield, and as I grow older I gradually believe in a lot of things. Now Fan Xian is fully grown, and after the battle of Xuankong Mountain he has won the favor of the emperor. His power will not be taken back in a short time."

"Plus, he was able to survive such a serious injury inside the palace. I can't think of anything else that could stump him."

What the eldest prince didn't say was that he himself was now involved in the fight for the throne.

Li Chengze fell silent. He was thinking about the reason why the eldest prince came to his palace before going to Jiangnan. The eldest prince had the blood of the Dongyi people. Since he was a child, he deliberately stayed away from Kyoto and the palace, and even farther away from the throne. But now he was transferred back to Kyoto by His Majesty in advance and became the commander of the imperial guards to protect the safety of the palace.

This is a temptation and also a warning!

The eldest prince, who was trapped in the quagmire against his will, would naturally not have no reaction. He must have come here this time to show goodwill to himself and to form an alliance.

He wants to resist!

"Speaking of this, I haven't yet congratulated my royal brother on taking on the position of commander-in-chief of the Imperial Guards." Seeing that the atmosphere between the two had become a little more harmonious, Li Chengze immediately spoke out tentatively.

"I was originally the General of the Western Expedition, but now I've been demoted by two ranks. Why should I be happy?"

"That's not right!" Li Chengze smiled and shook his head, correcting him: "Although I have been demoted two levels, I have entered the central government after all, guarding my father and keeping him in the emperor's heart. How can this be compared to a general position on the border?"

"Humph!"

Li Chengzong just snorted coldly without further explanation.

Emperor Qing's intention of transferring him back to Kyoto to guard against the Ye family was very obvious. But now that everything was done, it was impossible to transfer him back.

If a war were to break out with Northern Qi later, he would be in an awkward situation where he would be in a dilemma of whether to go or not!

If he went, the princess who was far away in Xinyang would be very happy, and Emperor Qing would be very unhappy, and vice versa! If you think about these things carefully, it is not difficult to analyze these details. This brother of mine is asking questions knowing the answer!

As sons of Emperor Qing, they know their father too well!

The eldest prince himself had been in the west for more than ten years and had fought countless battles with the Hu people. However, seeing the current trend, Qing Kingdom actually had the intention of forming an alliance with the Western Hu. He didn't know what the battles he had fought before were worth. Was it considered a benefit to the people?

I hope the subsequent battle with Northern Qi will also have its significance!

"I won't take action against Fan Xian for the time being, but the Crown Prince and the Princess..." Li Chengze understood what the eldest prince meant, but for the sake of their ambitions and ideals, the two were destined to part ways at the last moment.

"They certainly don't need you to worry about them."

The eldest prince stood up, smoothed the armor on his body and said, "Now that I have finished my business here, I will go to Jiangnan. I will trouble my brother to send the eldest princess back to my palace later."

"It's natural!"

Li Chengze also stood up to see him off.

When the eldest prince walked to the entrance of the hall, he stopped abruptly and said, "Don't trust the Ye family too much!"

After that, he strode away.

The second prince was left standing there, frowning and thinking.

······

The eldest prince came to the second prince's mansion openly today. In addition to warning the second prince not to act rashly, he did it more for the Supervisory Council to see. He was conveying a message to the Supervisory Council and expressing his own attitude.

The attempt to show goodwill to the Second Prince was fake. When Ye Ling'er was talking with the Second Prince, she did not choose to stay where she was, which made the First Prince more certain that the Ye family would not help the Second Prince!

Considering what my father did to the Ye family during the incident at Hanging Mountain, it is very likely that the Ye family will choose Fan Xian in the end!

Before, they were planning to stick together for warmth, or to put it bluntly, to seek shelter from Fan Xian, but after Fan Xian's identity was exposed, it would directly turn into full support!

Remember that a lean camel is bigger than a horse!

As for her mother, Ning Cairen, who had received great kindness from Fan Xian's mother, Ye Qingmei, she had always been biased towards Fan Xian. At the beginning, she just tried her best to protect Fan Xian, but Fan Xian grew very fast and didn't need her protection at all, which made people not see the relationship between the two clearly.

Things are different now. He is his brother and has the status of a prince.

He would never get that position in this life, so why not support Fan Xian with all his strength? This could be considered as a kind of resistance from the eldest prince to Emperor Qing, a desperate struggle against his helpless fate!

Given the Second Prince’s suspicious character, his last sentence was the most crucial, and it also determined the Second Prince’s fate!

"do not blame me!"

The eldest prince said silently in his heart: Blame it on your own ambition!

As for the movements of the Overwatch Council, when the eldest prince arrived at the south city gate, he received a report from his adjutant: the Black Cavalry did not go out, only two teams of people left Kyoto.

What the eldest prince didn't know was that in a valley outside the capital, dozens of seventh-rank tiger guards were also heading south of the Yangtze River.

"Get on the horses! March!"

Smoke and dust rose up, and thousands of imperial guards left. As for the eldest prince's former subordinates, they had already been dispersed by Emperor Qing, leaving only a deputy general to follow him.

Eight days later, Fan Xian, who was far away in Jiangnan, learned about all this.

On the second floor of a shop belonging to the inner treasury, Fan Xian was smiling bitterly in silence.

You are so good, Li Ang. You came here secretly before, but now you are completely at odds with me this time?

Fan Xian was a little confused for a moment, but more excited. He understood how terrifying Li Ang was, whether it was his profound master level or his unpredictable divination ability.

"Uncle, it looks like we're going to be busy."

"What are your plans?" Wu Zhu didn't even turn his head, and his voice seemed unchanged.

"I can't really say what I have planned. It's nothing more than dealing with the enemy as they come." Fan Xian understood his current crisis, but he was not panicked. He had a good hand, and with Uncle Wu Zhu by his side, there was nothing to be afraid of.

His identity was exposed too early, and it became difficult for him to do what he wanted next.

The most important thing for this trip to Jiangnan is to check the accounts, get familiar with the operation of the inner treasury and then take over the whole thing. Now that his identity has been exposed, it is still unclear what the palace means, and he is not sure whether the inner treasury will be handed over to him by Emperor Qing. Before the results come out, he will not do useless work.

Fortunately, he had accumulated a large amount of wealth from smuggling with Northern Qi, and had also started his own business in secret. Even if he lost the inner treasury, it should be enough for a short period of time.

"We don't have to think about anything else now. The person who comes to kill me may be on the way."

Wu Zhu finally reacted after hearing this. He answered mechanically, "The people who came this time may be the culprit who killed the young lady. They will not let you live. Be sure to leave someone alive."

"Uncle," Fan Xian said helplessly, "You should say this to yourself. Don't act too quickly. This way you can leave one or two tongues unturned."

Wu Zhu nodded silently.

Fan Xian smiled slightly, wondering how many of his 'brothers' wanted to kill him this time?

Chapter 236 Emperor Qing’s dilemma.

The imperial palace today was different from usual. It was very quiet and deserted. Due to a series of events, no court meeting had been held in Kyoto for several days.

However, the desertedness was just an appearance. From day to night, the door of the imperial study was opened and closed from time to time. Apart from some important ministers in the court who came to discuss matters with Emperor Qing one after another, there were more officials who had little presence in the court and were very low-key.

When everyone left, Emperor Qing was left alone sitting in the dark room.

With the death of Hong Sixiang at the hands of Li An and the chaos in Xuankong Mountain, the eunuch in charge of writing and carrying the seal in front of the emperor has once again become Eunuch Hou.

The candlelight flickered, shining brightly and dimly on Emperor Qing's face.

"bump!"

The table shook violently!

Emperor Qing slapped the wooden table with his palm, making a dull sound, causing Eunuch Hou beside him to lower his head.

"What a great Minister of Revenue Fan Jian, what a great Crown Prince of the Eastern Palace, with all these things happening one after another, do you really think I dare not kill anyone?"

As the information from several officials was summarized, Emperor Qing revealed everything in his mind. He thought about the whole incident again, and there was always a lingering feeling of disharmony and strangeness.

"In addition to those Northern Qi spies, there is another hand driving all this!"

Initially, Emperor Qing's original intention was to use the ministers' instigation to investigate the Ministry of Revenue, and to use countless small matters to lead to the transfer of the Ministry of Revenue in Jingdu to Yinjiangnan. The first was to completely eliminate the trouble and put an end to this matter, and the second was to tactfully "persuade" Fan Jian to abdicate.

After years of being a king and his subjects, they always have to maintain some dignity for each other.

This is also the most upright means. The court needs a new balance and some fresh blood.

Although Emperor Qing knew that the money had been returned to the Ministry of Revenue through various channels, he also knew that everything Fan Jian had done over the years was for the sake of Qing State, and even the biggest incident before was at his instigation.

Although Fan Jian looked helpless, he was actually taking advantage of the situation. Not only did he carry out the plan, but he also went to extremes to see it through to the end in order to help Fan Xian take control of the Jiangnan Treasury.

Today's memorial from the Grand Secretary has already explained a lot.

Although the memorial in his hand was all about the Ministry of Rites, it was full of veiled suggestions and advice, dissuading Emperor Qing from investigating further. The death of a former Minister of Revenue was the best outcome. The court needed stability and peace, and the Ministry of Revenue also needed to function. If His Majesty still wanted to investigate further, then most of the various ministries would have to go to jail for free.

"Your Majesty, calm down."

Eunuch Hou's face still gives people a gentle and approachable feeling, but with the passage of time and the accumulation of things, his face has also revealed many wrinkles and some age spots, just like the empress dowager in the palace.

He shook his head and said softly, "Your Majesty has handled the situation very well. This person will inevitably prepare a way out for himself in times of crisis. These are just some ways to protect himself. It has nothing to do with anything else. Why should Your Majesty be so angry and upset?"

Emperor Qing glanced at Eunuch Hou, who had been with him for many years and was actually younger than him.

He didn't feel angry or offended. The only person who could talk to him in private was the person in front of him.

She is not even considered the queen in the harem.

Emperor Qing was furious, but he also felt a little strange about Fan Jian, and was even more disappointed by his methods and the reactions of the officials of the Ministry of Revenue. Under his rage and the attacks of all the ministers, not a single official of the Ministry of Revenue panicked, which showed his trust in the chief official Fan Jian!

Fan Jian had long known about the large number of people involved in the corruption case, but he had been hiding it until he took action against the Ministry of Revenue, when all this was uncovered.

The officials in the court were in a panic, and even he himself was caught off guard!

"Is he protecting himself? He is attacking my army! He is threatening me!" The emperor looked at the candlelight with empty eyes, as if there was a scene in it that outsiders could not see.

Fan Jian and he grew up together. His quick wit and strategic strategies are all top-notch. Emperor Qing understands that Fan Jian's sharp counterattack is justified, but he never expected that one day, such sharp means would be used on himself!

What made Emperor Qing even more angry was the stupidity of all the civil and military officials in the court!

As the country's money bag, Fan Jian, the steward of Emperor Qing, is so clean, much cleaner than expected. On the contrary, the ministers of the Manchu court, the crown prince of Qing, have gained a lot of benefits from the Ministry of Revenue!

The prince appears to be kind and righteous to the outside world, but in reality he is so stupid. How can he dare to hand over the world to him?

"What Minister Fan has done over the years can be regarded as handling a lot of trouble for Your Majesty. Even though he has so much evidence and secrets in his hands, he has not done anything more. It can be seen that he still values ​​the court and the country, and does not want any chaos to arise in the court."

Eunuch Hou lowered his head and said the last sentence, sighing silently in his heart, which was considered as helping Fan Xian for the last time.

Emperor Qing's expression, which had been somewhat cold, softened a little. He slowly closed his eyes, as if he was thinking about something.

"The Ministry of Revenue's affairs will be closed here on the surface. Secretly, I will order people to seal up all the account books in the palace, and then investigate who has gambled with them!"