Eunuch Yao went to Fan Manor first today, but found n.o.body there, wondering where this commissioner could go with such wounds still on him. Even the minister had no idea, and he couldn"t find that special Mrs. Fan either, leaving him n.o.body to ask. 

Eunuch Yao felt quite anxious, as His Majesty was still waiting in the palace. Learning that Mrs. Fan had gone back to Lin Manor, he rushed there with the royal guards. On the way there, they occasionally came across a carriage, but would have nearly missed it were it not for a sharp-eyed guard who recognized one entourage of Fan Xian.

Seeing Eunuch Yao breathing heavily, Fan Xian sighed, "Why summon me now while I am on my way to pick up Mrs. Fan?"

Eunuch Yao was astonished at his indifference, since he never knew anybody who didn"t respond seriously and actively to a summons from His Majesty. In view of the long-established good relationship with the Fan Manor, instead of scolding, Eunuch Yao only urged him: "His majesty had given the decree long ago. I fear he would be quite unhappy if you were late meeting him."

"Of course we will go," said Fan Xian unpleasantly. Unwilling to see the old eunuch stand in the cold snow, Fan Xian asked Eunuch Yao to sit in the carriage with him, heading towards the palace, and additionally arranged someone to notify his wife about this.

"Be honest, Yao. What happened?" Leaning backwards with his eyes partly closed, Fan Xian asked without even turning his head to the eunuch, since he knew these eunuchs had gotton enough from the Fan Manor.

Actually, Eunuch Yao dared not accept any more bounties from the Fan Manor now, and smiling obsequiously, he answered, "Well…how could a mere servant like me know? You just go and see."

"You cunning old man," said Fan Xian, shaking his head as he pretended to be angry. He paused before saying, "Give me something."

Eunuch Yao p.r.i.c.ked up his ears, looked around to make sure there was n.o.body else near them, and finally said in a low voice: "What? My master? I"ll tell you anything I can."

"What happened to the eunuchs in Xuankong Temple? " Fan Xian asked with a frown.

Eunuch Yao was startled for a bit, then put his palm flat in front of his throat and made a cutting motion.

No reaction was seen on Fan Xian"s face, but n.o.body could tell what was on his mind. He knew that this was unavoidable. An a.s.sa.s.sin was mixed in with eunuchs, and there was no way for anyone in their presence to get away; there might even be more people who would die.

"What about Dai?"

"Still alive," Eunuch Yao sighed, "He is old, His Majesty trusts him. But he has been implicated and can no longer stay in Taiji Palace...Two months ago, he confronted the Court of Censors for his nephew"s bad conduct, having felt quite embarra.s.sed in front of the people, and ultimately, His Majesty recommissioned him for n.o.ble Consort Shu"s sake."

Eunuch Yao glanced at Fan Xian. But Fan didn"t show any sign of expression. Eunuch Yao had no idea how many bounties were involved between Fan Xian and Eunuch Dai.

"Who would"ve thought that there"d be an a.s.sa.s.sination...I think Dai had nothing at all but bad luck in the world. He is now stripped of all his positions, even getting the cane and being banished to the treasury. Just thinking of how an old man like him does all the hard work on such a cold day..." The old eunuch wiped his tears with his sleeve. Eunuch Yao and Eunuch Dai came into the palace in the same year, and though there were some conflict between them in daily life, having seen the other fallen, Eunuch Yao couldn"t help but grieve for his fellow colleague.

"Poor old Dai...Let"s wait till His Majesty calms down. It would be lucky for him to stay alive." Shaking his head, Fan Xian asked again, "Then who is on duty in the Taiji Palace?"

"Hong Zhu." Noticing Fan Xian"s confusion, Eunuch Yao explained in a low voice, "A young eunuch, who started to run between the Taiji Palace and the gate this year, His Majesty likes him for his agility."

"Even the delivery of imperial decrees?" Fan Xian asked curiously.

Eunuch Yao shook his head, saying, "How could he have the qualification to do this?"

The carriage was ordered to stop by Eunuch Yao as soon as it pa.s.sed Xinjiekou. Deng Ziyue was a bit unhappy about this, since the square in front of palace was quite broad, and it wasn"t right for the wounded Commissioner Fan to pa.s.s through this broad area in a wheelchair on such a snowy winter"s day. 

"Please understand," Eunuch Yao said, embarra.s.sed, "that since the event last time, some substantial changes have been made among imperial guards. Now these guards watch everybody closely like wolves. It seems like they are trying to frighten away anyone who sets foot in the palace."

Hearing this, Fan Xian said: "Don"t make Eunuch Yao feel embarra.s.sed; let"s get off."

Deng Ziyue glanced at the gate of the palace, and feeling annoyed, carried Fan Xian onto the wheelchair from the carriage, afterwards immediately opening a black umbrella to protect the commissioner from snow. An officer from the Overwatch Council then pushed the wheelchair. Snow fell onto the umbrella, making small noises.

Eunuch Yao was not lucky enough to enjoy such treatment, and could only cover his head with hands, hurrying to the gate in front with several guards.

Fan Xian crouched down in the cloak to avoid the cold wind blowing head-on, half of his face being covered by a fur collar, still he felt a chill forcing its way inside along the cloak. The sunlight was dim, and the falling snow made a mournful sound.

The imperial guards outside the gate of the palace explained the relevant procedures to Eunuch Yao, and watched in amazement those who were slowly walking in the middle of the square. There were, in wind and snow, a group of officers in casual clothes with no expression on their faces, pushing a wheelchair, and a black umbrella being erected over the wheelchair to block the falling snow, ensuring that not even a flake fell on the person sitting in the wheelchair.

"I don"t remember the Council Director being summoned to come to the palace today, so what"s going on?" The imperial guard captain said in surprise.

"It is Commissioner Fan."

Everybody was shocked. Without hesitation, the captain led several guards to up to the wheelchair to protect the person in it from snow, and accompanied this group to the gate, let them in after simple inspection.

 Amid the northern wind and snow, Deng Ziyue pushed the wheelchair through the side aisle beside the main hall. Along the way, the color of the corner of the palace wall became darker and darker, and finally, they stopped in front of the door at the right side of the palace wall.

There were already a eunuch waiting for them, holding an umbrella in a plain color, and put it over Fan Xian" head as soon as he arrived. Then the young wounded commissioner was greeted into the imperial harem with great care.

Deng Ziyue stood outside the door, watching the commissioner go away in the company of eunuchs. He didn"t show any concern on his face, but n.o.body knew what, if anything, was weighing on his mind. A fragment of snow fell on the corner of his eye.

"Not in the Imperial Library?" Fan Xian frowned, asking Eunuch Yao forgetting about the head-on wind for the moment.

It was said a while ago that His Majesty had lost his temper after having to wait for Fan Xian. Now that Fan Xian was here, those young eunuchs were so excited that they rushed towards the palace as if they were stepping on hot wheels, making the wheelchair squeak as they did. The eunuchs holding the umbrella stumbled along. If not for the smooth surface of the floor in the palace, the mad running might have caused Fan Xian"s wounds to open again.

Eunuch Yao answered, out of breath from running, "To the living quarters."

Fan Xian felt a little surprised, and his face was off color already. Seeing this, Eunuch Yao remembered the young commissioner was still injured. It was because that His Majesty had waited too long, but having the commissioner be injured again would not do him any good, thus he ordered the group to slow down. After scolding others for running, Eunuch Yao turned to Fan Xian obsequiously, "My young master, you didn"t get hurt, did you?"

Fan Xian nodded, saying: "I am not that fragile."

Soon they arrived somewhere in the garden, not where the empress lived, but where Yi Guipin (the mother of the third prince) lived. Eunuch Yao stepped inside first to send a message. After a while somebody came out to greet Fan Xian and accompanied him inside.

His Majesty was sitting on the warm bed in informal dress, talking to Yi Guipin casually, the third prince sitting in a corner quietly, writing something. Seeing people come inside, he stopped talking and turned back to give Fan Xian a look.

"Why are you running around with an injured body instead of staying at home?"

Obviously, there was concern in these scolding words. According to common practice, a courtier should feel grateful, but Fan Xian only thought to himself sarcastically, "If you really mean it, why show me the care 17 years later? If you really worry about me, why summon me in such a hurry?"

However, he still managed to show his appreciation, though that vanished in a flash, with him afterwards saying calmly, "Your Majesty, the wound is almost healed, so I decided to go out, and actually, I was on my way to pick up Wan"er."

"Wan"er...went back to Lin Manor? Why? No one but that moron is there." His Majesty seemed loath to mention his niece in connection with Lin Manor, and showed certain displeasure.

Yi Guipin peeped at His Majesty and changed the subject with a little giggle, "Fan Xian, aren"t you afraid that Minister Fan would hit you knowing you run around while still injured?"

His Majesty paused and then smiled, "Fan Jian...He would never hit him."

He said it in a joking way, but there was hidden meaning in it. Fan Xian was shocked a little, then smiled without saying a word.

His Majesty glanced at the third prince, who was still writing, and said to Fan Xian, "The several cla.s.sics you have sorted out in the imperial college...that is what Chengping has been learning these days, I asked him to do so, but the grand tutor thinks it is too deep for him, what do you think?... Chengping, go meet the commissioner."

The third prince was named Li Chengping. According to the rules of Qing Kingdom, princes should treat courtiers with great respect, so His Majesty"s command was not astonishing at all. The third prince stopped writing immediately, and walked to the wheelchair modestly, bowing to Fan Xian.

"I can"t accept this. This is too much." But Fan Xian couldn"t avoid due to being of in the wheelchair.

"You are the commissioner of the imperial college now, so it is your job." His Majesty said casually, like he didn"t mean anything at all. However, Yi Guipin knew immediately that His Majesty intended to make Fan Xian teach the third prince. Considering Fan Xian"s civil and martial abilities, as well as his influence in the royal court, Yi Guipin couldn"t help smiling, and found Fan Xian more pleasing.

Sensing her delight, His Majesty teased her, "Look at you, happy as a child."

The reason why Yi Guipin could win His Majesty"s heart was because she never hid her thoughts, at least on the surface. At that moment, upon hearing His Majesty"s teasing, she only giggled as she said, "I thank you so much, Your Majesty, for finding such a good teacher for Chengping."

Hearing these two discussing something involving himself, Fan Xian felt it unfair, wondering why n.o.body asked for his opinion.

The third prince brought his books over. After giving them a rough look-over, Fan Xian raised his head and said: "The cla.s.sics from Master Zhuang are excellent. It makes sense that the grand tutor considers it too deep. However, it does no harm for the third prince to learn about these basic articles."

They had some more casual conversations, during which Fan Xian kept his answers prudent, knowing that His Majesty must have something serious to say, Just as expected, after hot soup, His Majesty said, in a seemingly casual manner,

"It stopped snowing outside...The first snowfall should always be cherished. Fan Xian, come with me to the garden."

"Yes, Your Majesty."

His Majesty stood up, and Yi Guipin put a crane cloak made of red brocade and lined with racc.o.o.n hair on him, smiling.

The snow had stopped completely by the time they left Shufang Palace where Yi Guipin lived. The floor of the palace was wet and clear, but without snow. Only some snow was left on the hollies in the yard. The gray sky, red walls, yellow eaves, snowy branches and blue bricks created a beautiful picture, and the air was extremely clean.

His Majesty walked in front in his cloak, and Fan Xian was pushed by a eunuch, following close behind. Along the way, eunuchs and maids wearing cotton gowns avoided them knowingly, and those they encountered turned to one side without saying a word.

"There is no need to kneel down to me on such a snowy and rainy day." His majesty seemed to have guessed what Fan Xian was thinking, saying softly, "This is the rule I set upon my enthronement. I am tired of all the kneeling...Besides, what if they kneel and rip their clothing? It is still the palace treasury who needs to pay."

Sitting in the wheelchair, Fan Xian released one of the b.u.t.tons on the collar, since it was a bit hot after snow and wind vanished. Listening to His Majesty, Fan Xian knew he would turn the subject to the palace treasury, but was unwilling to take up the subject.

Seemingly unhappy about Fan Xian"s silence, His Majesty asked coldly, "Where is the second son of the Fan Manor?"

By then, they had already reached the most private garden in the palace, in front of which there was a lake, a stone bridge extending across the lake to the pavilion at the center, and there was still unmelted snow left on the pavilion, all of which revealed a chilling atmosphere.