Joy of Life

The original prefect of the Capital government, Mei Zhili, was a student of Liu Shi’s father. He always watched over the Fan manor. He was quite helpful with the Guo Baokun case. And when the a.s.sa.s.sination was attempted on Niulan Road, Mei Zhili, as a government prefect, was punished. Although he was allowed to maintain his job, his pay was suspended for a year and he was heavily investigated. No one would have expected that in the following year, the case of the spring exam would unfurl. After all this trouble, Mei Zhili was then removed from his position and sent out of the capital to return to his hometown.

On certain occasions, the Fan manor and Mei Zhili would exchange letters. Fan Xian had learnt that Mei Zhili was somewhat relieved to be free of the corrupt and evil Capital government.

Inside the court, there were many disheveled, visibly impoverished persons. They were on their knees before the court, crying loudly. These people were family members of the murdered prost.i.tutes of the Bao Yue brothel. In tears, they were cursing the Fan family out loud and praying to G.o.d for justice and for punishment to be handed down to them.

The current prefect of the Capital government, Tian Jingmu, showed a face of supreme righteousness. The corners of his lips twitched and the frame of his eyes were wet. It seemed as if he was extremely touched by the families who were on the ground, pleading and saying their bit. He immediately told the Yamen servants to bring forth the suspects who perpetrated the crimes, from the Bao Yue brothel. He said they would do an investigation of the scene now. With stern sincerity, he pledged to the people that he would aid them. He told them he would call for someone to visit the Fan manor and drag the wretched Fan Sizhe here. No word was spoken of Yuan Meng and her people.

Fan Xian was still concealed within the crowd, coldly watching. He could see Tian Jingmu, the prefect’s eyes harbor a glint of fear. Fan Xian thought that he must have been aware that the three men who were involved were dead.

In regards to the cursing and tear-drenched plights of sorrow from the impoverished family members, Fan Xian thought nothing of them. After the Bao Yue brothel murdered a few prost.i.tutes, he and his brother were only told off. The gravity of the situation was not properly acknowledged. Right now, he could only wonder whether the people on their knees were sincere or if it was a scene that had been set up by the second prince. The Overwatch Council’s investigation had yet to yield results, but he could not stand here and do nothing.

The capital government’s trial was fairly boring. This scene had probably been watched countless times over the last thousand years. Although these civilians were enjoying the show, Fan Xian’s mind had already wandered off. The reason why he came here today was because he had the sneaking suspicion that something big was to occur soon.

The reason why his father-in-law, the generation’s evil prime minister Lin Ruofuo, was forced to quit his job was primarily because his ascent to fame was too quick. This was caused by the Emperor. Under the surface, however, you could see that the true reason was because of Wu Boan, who died beneath the grape shelf and because Shandong Road’s Peng Tingsheng conceived the idea to tarnish and bring ruin to the Wu family’s reputation through the death of Wu Boan’s son. Wu Boan’s widow then went to the capital and raise a complaint with the Emperor. An a.s.sa.s.sination was attempted on her way there by people from the prime minister’s manor. Fortunately, she was saved by the second prince and Li Hongcheng. Today, was the second prince going to raise awareness to this?

In regards to his father-in-law’s retirement, Fan Xian did not plan to retaliate over it, but he remembered the methods the second prince had used. Normally, a professional conspiracist would never repeat their methods, and so Fan Xian saw right through the second prince. Although he enjoyed sitting on a chair, trying to feign the appearance of someone who was wholly unpredictable, it only took Fan Xian a few days to notice his immature and twisted side.

Aside from the scary power of the Overwatch Council, the reason why Fan Xian had a greater advantage over the second prince was because, although he was younger than the second prince in this life, the true years of experience he had was greater.

Not long after, the capital government’s Yamen servants had brought back the so-called manager of the Bao Yue brothel, Si Qing’er. There were others who remained at the brothel to investigate and discover what they could around the Skinny Lake. They had yet to find the bodies, and the lack of witnesses made a possible discovery of them increasingly difficult.

Fan Xian, seeing this woman who was on her knees on the blue stone floor, wondered how she would react to the entire situation. He wondered if she would be intimidated by Fan Xian into honesty, or whether or not she would lose composure, believing the entire situation to be unfair. And in regards to the bodies buried beneath the Bao Yue brothel, the Overwatch Council were co-operating with Si Chanli a while ago to dig up the bones one dark night and provide them a fairer burial out in the countryside. They wanted to wait until the case was over before finding a way to contact the relatives of the deceased and tell them of where they could be found.

Si Qing’er simply bit her lips without speaking a word in court, and whenever the judge asked something, she replied with single, short sentences, ones that were preceded by lengthy pauses. In her heart, it seemed as if she knew everything. Before she came here, Mister Shi had told her everything she could and could not say.

Fortunately, the owner did not ask for much anymore, and he had not once asked her to do something wretched, neither was she told to hide anything about the second master of the Fan family. So, she spoke everything without hesitation, foregoing the need for an interrogation by the government. She told the court who the first owner was and what they had done, and did so clearly. But in regards to the homicides, she said that they were auth.o.r.ed by Yuan Meng, who was currently in hiding due to the APB issued by the Ministry of Punishment. She also said that the owner was aware of all of this, but had played no part in these murders.

The capital government’s prefect was satisfied by the smooth, unreluctant responses that the woman had given on her knees. But after a while of hearing her talk, it seemed as if she was trying to help clear the muddied name of the second master, at least somewhat. But the second prince had said to the prefect earlier that the homicides could not be a.s.sociated with Yuan Meng. Thinking of this, his face darkened and he threw a stick on the floor, saying "this woman is evil. Beat her up!"

At his command, the Capital government’s Yamen servants picked up searing iron rods and began torturing Si Qing’er. Si Qinger bit

her teeth to resist the pain, knowing that someone from the Fan family would be watching. She had already received no aid from the third prince, so she knew that she would have to accept what was happening and later lean on the Fan family.

She held her pain in without saying a word; she did, however, scream and babble in anguish. You could see through the pain what she was feeling, and a raging fire of hatred burned within her eyes. An aura of spite then permeated the atmosphere around the Yamen. This awful sight made those who were watching feel sorry for her.

Fan Xian was watching this unfold from the outside, and he was surprised by the amount of anger he could see in her eyes.

After the torture, Si Qing’er continued to repeat the same things she said before. When the prefect was going to issue another command for further torture, the servant who went in search of Fan Sizhe returned, dusty and with a disheartened look on his face.

A group of people went to the Fan manor to capture Fan Sizhe. They used their authority to demand entrance, and when they were inside, had free reign to scavenge and search for the person they sought. Unfortunately for them, Fan Sizhe had reached the border of Cangzhou by now. He was most likely inside the carriage, hugging Yan’er and professing how difficult it was for him to leave his homeland. There was no possible way for the government officers to find him. When they were in the Fan manor, however, even before they were given the opportunity to ask a single question, Liu Shi appeared before them, leading a group of servants armed with brooms and household tools to kick them out.

Though hearing of the subordinates’ humiliation, the prefect of the capital government did not look mad at all. He was secretly happy, actually. He raised his voice and yelled, "How would these dignitaries be as reckless as to hide wanted fugitives!?" In his mind, he thought to create a decree and bring it before the Emperor the next day. He relished the thought of how the Fan family would respond to this.

Fan Xian was coldly watching, but he was in no particular rush, for he trusted Liu Shi with guarding of the manor. He knew that this woman’s methods would not be careless. Yan Bingyun’s conspiracy was trusted as well. Back in the day, he had played the whole of the Northern Qi Kingdom’s like a fiddle, and this was just a single crime he was dealing with.

As expected, the people outside watching the show split in half upon the arrival of important figures. The person leading was partnered with Fan Xian the first time he came to the capital government. He was the Fan manor’s entertainer, and once-leader of the capital government, Mister Zheng.

Mister Zheng was famous, so there was no need for him to kneel before the prefect; he merely bowed, and then said, "What you are saying is ridiculous. Everyone in the capital knows that the Fan family has always been clean and upstanding. They wouldn’t be harboring fugitives. And in regards to what crimes the second master has admitted to, you have to investigate them carefully. They won’t deny their occurrence."

The capital government’s prefect, Tian Jingmu, knew that the famous entertainer in front of him was also a famous writer in the capital. And the lawyer beside him was Song Shiren, and he was renowned shyster. The fact that the Fan family had brought forth a strong cast such as this made it clear that they were not willing to take this lying down and they were determined to clear their name. The prefect’s face darkened once more and spoke, "If you are not in cahoots with the Fan family, then why don’t you bring forth the criminal we seek?"

In this cold autumn weather, Song Shiren fluttered his fan and mockingly responded, "Capturing suspects is a task for the capital government. Since when has this duty been pushed onto others?"

Tian Jingmu coldly laughed and said, "Your second master committed a crime; it is only natural that you bring him forth. If you choose not to hand him over to us, then that means you are aiding and abetting a criminal. The Qing Kingdom’s law has this in writing, plain to see. So why don’t you shut your mouth, Song Shiren?"

Song Shiren paid no heed to what he said. He smiled and replied, "the Qing Kingdom’s law does say it clearly that it is the family of the criminal in question that has to hand him over. But the second master of the Fan family was already reported missing eight days ago; where can we expect to find him?"

Tian Jingmu was furious and laughed maniacally. He spoke aloud, "Hahaha! This is a ridiculous excuse!"

Song Shiren bore a bitter face, and responded, "I do hope that the Master Prefect is aware of this. It is no excuse. A few days ago, the Fan manor already reported that the second master committed many bad deeds, but it would appear you have ignored that fact. They also said that the second master fled. Please ask the Yamen servants to quickly go after him."

He waved his fan, saying with pain, "Despite their desire to do so, Minister Fan and Fan Xian haven’t severed their ties to the second master yet. So, tell me, why would they hide him?"

Tian Jingmu pounded the wooden table and madly yelled, "When did the Fan family come here to report this!? And when did they report Fan Sizhe was missing?! How can I not have been made aware of this?! You should quit trying to fool me and think long and hard about how you plan to get out of this."

"Is there not a report? Please, go take a look at the reports made on that day. You will see them there." Song Shiren clasped his hands together and bowed.

Tian Jingmu’s heart shivered in shock. He remembered that he had not told his servants to check the reports on that day. He thought of an excuse to pause the trial, and he and his master quickly fled to the study room. They looked into the reports that had been made in the past few days. He found a report from the Fan manor about the second master’s quick departure. The prefect was so mad he almost fainted.

This had never happened before! How could there be one overlooked yet vital report be there?

The capital government’s Yamen security was tight. Even if the Overwatch Council had planted the report there, it would have been nearly impossible for them to do this without alerting someone. How was Fan manor capable of doing something like this? How could they secretly plant this report there? Tian Jingmu’s face looked awful, thinking of a snitch that may reside in the capital government. Unfortunately, there was nothing he could do about it right now. Was it the vice-prefect, or was it those who filed and organized the doc.u.ments?

When Tian Jingmu returned to the courtroom, that look of righteousness on his face was no more. Despite what he had loudly yelled, the reports had indeed been made. When he was looking them over earlier, the vice-prefect and doc.u.ment organizers were beside him. He

He thought of destroying the doc.u.ment, but there was no way he could have done so without anyone noticing.

Even though Fan Sizhe was undoubtedly guilty, the Fan manor had received points for coming forth with the crimes and not obscuring anything. In regards to the second master’s escape, this was not something they had to hide, either. If this was to continue, it would be impossible to tarnish the reputation of the Fan family. At worst, it would only be the Emperor issuing the declaration that they themselves committed a crime by not punishing their own. They could be stripped of their n.o.bility and lose their income. No matter what was to happen, it was impossible for the second prince’s desires to be fulfilled.

The capital government’s prefect had a headache, but he did not want to lose. He darkened his face and battled with the strong team of lawyers that stood in support of the Fan family.

The Capital government temporarily suspended the court proceedings. Fan Xian understood that what needed to be done was almost done. Fan Sizhe was to become a proper fugitive; a criminal who ran off to escape the law. While it was a dismal thought, Fan Xian’s resolve was to wait until some time in the future, when his power had increased even further, to find a way to allow him to come home. That way, the Fan manor could be free of this.

In regards to the so-called owner of the Bao Yue brothel, Si Chanli, he had accepted ownership of the establishment after the case began. No matter how unreasonable the capital government could be, there was no way they could arrest him.

Fan Xian couldn’t help but laugh. He was discussing the case with a big man who had also come here to watch. He saw the victim’s families were being lead by the Yamen servants to the back of the Yamen for some rest. He opened his lips and bid farewell to the big man. His eyes looked to the corner’s edge of the rain canopy he stood beneath, and saw a curious fellow there who looked to be a study man.

The prost.i.tutes’ families looked dismayed as they came into the street. As they went, and had just about disappeared from everyone’s vision, down the alley five big men with masks came out. They wielded straight swords and approached the families and swung their weaponry at them. Cruelly, they attempted to butcher the families of the victims.

This horrific sight incited terrified screams and panic from those who were on the street. The crowd that had gathered to watch the court proceedings broke up with ghastly wails, with people fleeing in all manners of directions to get away.

Fan Xian was standing beneath a tree, observing the scene. There was no fear in his heart. He thought he had underestimated the second prince’s power, for he was doing something similar to what he had arranged earlier in the day. But the way the second prince had constructed this slaughter was mismanaged and botched as a result. The last time he had successfully framed the prime minister, it was by secretly doing what the Emperor had said to. It was done in secret and not exposed for all to see. Today, with him doing something like this, was the second prince not afraid of the Emperor humiliating him? In particular for doing it so nakedly?

For the lives of the families, Fan Xian shared no concern, and as expected, there was a number of pa.s.sers-by who joined in the fight that had erupted down the street. Leaping into the fray, they quickly grabbed and placed the family members behind their backs for safety and approached their would-be killers.

It was the pa.s.sers-by again; Fan Xian’s favorite pa.s.sers-by.

The pa.s.sers-by were not in possession of armaments. They only held a special spike that was constructed by the Overwatch Council. With little effort, they broke the would-be a.s.sa.s.sins a.s.sault. It was done both quickly and cleanly, simple and powerful. The scene looked to be something that Master Wuzhu would have done.

Fan Xian’s eyebrows raised. This was because he knew this counter was enacted by the Sixth Bureau, and the shadow was a fan of Master Wuzhu.

The a.s.sa.s.sins that had been sent by the second prince were pretty talented, but they were no match for the fighters of the Sixth Bureau. After a short battle, the men were wholly beaten. They attempted to escape, but the pa.s.sers-by were like maggots attached to their bones, prohibiting their flight.

Dong! Dong!

The sounds erupted.

This sudden battle was brought to an end. The masked a.s.sa.s.sins were lying on the floor, and on their bodies were the presence of several wounds oozing blood everywhere. Fan Xian who had been watching the scene in secret nodded. He was satisfied with Yan Bingyun’s arrangements. It did not matter if they were dead or alive, but they could not be allowed to escape under the many watchful eyes that looked their way. He thought that the a.s.sa.s.sins may be bearing the stamp of the Overwatch Council, so that the second prince could frame him for the murders that almost came to pa.s.s. The fight and subsequent result had ended very much how he expected. The masked men were soldiers fostered by the second prince, willing to sacrifice themselves at any given moment. They were accounted for as part-time a.s.sa.s.sins. When they met the professionals of the Sixth Bureau, they did not stand a chance.

But at this moment, everything changed.

The study man who was still stood under the canopy on the corner of the street all of a sudden came out to join the fight. He drew his sword like a professional and the power of the airborne steel was berzerk, and with insane force, the puddles of water raised into the air and took to the form of arrows. They shot forward, riddling one of the family members with holes. He was killed.

This was a display of extreme swordskill, and yet it came from someone who took on the appearance of a weak study man. The swordsmen of the Sixth Bureau, who made themselves look like simple pa.s.sers-by, could not react in time. And they did not dare fight with this man who could manipulate water like so. They turned to dash and use the pikes concealed within their sleeves to slow down the study man’s next move.

Ching! Ching!

The pikes only pierced the study man’s robes, which tore certain parts of his clothes into shreds. It did not stop his sword, however, and all that could be heard next was "poof". The Wuhua longsword struck into another family member’s body.

The most arrogant of the second prince’s eight guardians was Xie Bian. He once said he would end Fan Xian in a single blow, and that he had never missed a target.

Fan Xian had recognized the ident.i.ty of the study man when he was stood under the canopy; it was him. He did not expect him to be so callous and heartless as to go kill innocent people, those who were the family members of murdered women, no less. Things had been settled at court, however; what could their deaths possibly change?

He thought Xie Bian had merely accepted an order to come here and oversee the trial proceedings, and did not expect him to attack

to attack so arrogantly. As such, Fan Xian’s reactions were a little slow.

The moment when Xie Bian drew his sword, he was well aware that the members of the Sixth Bureau were present. This meant that their plan to frame them had failed. Although he was currently in a frenzy, even he wasn’t confident in his ability to kill the a.s.sa.s.sins of the Sixth Bureau, here in the daylight on a public street. Especially since the Sixth Bureau a.s.sa.s.sins were trained to perform their actions in the dark of night.

Still, he wanted to engage and draw his sword because he felt that it was unfair. He saw his men be killed by these pa.s.sers-by, and despite the fear of the family members, the fighters of the Sixth Bureau had not incurred a single injury. This total failure made him angry, and he drew his sword irrationally.

It felt good to kill one of the victims’ family members, and at least it would make the second prince look better in his feud with Fan Xian. Besides, even if just one of those family members were killed, Fan Xian would have a long, hard time explaining how such a thing came to pa.s.s.

In his right hand, which grasped the handle of his blade, he felt a familiar feeling. He knew that the tip of the sword was struck into another stranger’s body again, and that he had taken another innocent soul. He was satisfied, and laughed arrogantly. He pulled his sword back and took sight of the gaping hole it left, and the blood it gushed.

And then… his smile froze.

Xie Bian believed that he would never miss a single strike. Yet it had happened. Although his sword had plunged deep into his target, it had pierced two inches away from where he desired his blade to go. Because of this minor distance, it had resulted in the victim of his sword not dying outright.

He had also missed his second opportunity to strike, also. His target was like a kite, swaying from left to right in his agony. Then, all of a sudden, he flew towards the right.

He did not know what power this was. But whatever it was, it went in violation of the laws of physics; as he flew away in an instant.

Xie Bian subconsciously twisted his wrists and brought his sword up to guard his chest. He turned around and saw Fan Xian, putting down the leg he had just used to kick the innocent person away.

"Fan Xian!"

As an elite swordsman, he could immediately sense his presence. Amidst the continuous screaming of frightened citizens on the street, he gathered and channeled all the power he could into his sword. He lunged forward, towards Fan Xian, without a flicker of moderation.

At this time, those few a.s.sa.s.sins from the Sixth Bureau were now aware of Fan Xian’s presence. They worked together to round up the remainder of the distraught family members and take them to safety.

Fan Xian’s kick from earlier had saved that man’s life, but by prioritising this, it meant that he did not give himself the time to bring out his dagger. All he saw then was a cold light right in front of his face - he felt the chill of his enemy’s sword, and it felt like his eyelashes were trimmed.

When he raised his hand~~~

Pew pew pew!

Three mechanical firings were heard consecutively. Three poisonous bolts were launched against the wind-wake of his enemy’s swirling sword, with Xie Bian’s head as their target.

In this moment, Xie Bian’s sword was brought to face Fan Xian’s head, and the three bolts Fan Xian fired were coursing towards Xie Bian’s face.

Neither cared who of the two was the most shameless. Fan Xian was quiet and he made use of dexterous abilities in body control to twist and bring his fist to Xie Bian’s chest; but this was not without a slight nick on his cheek by the enemy’s sword.

This fist was fueled by powerful zhenqi and when it was launched, it thundered. If it was a direct hit, it would have crushed Xie Bian’s organs into jelly.

Xie Bian desperately fled to the left, prancing away as delicately as a flower. With great difficulty, he managed to avoid being struck by two of the bolts that had him in his sights. He expected that his strike was the one to end Fan Xian’s life, but he hadn’t expected Fan Xian’s risk to twirl and deliver the terrifying fist as he did.

He squealed strangely, then brought up his wrist and quickly shuttled the palm of his hand against Fan Xian’s. Snap! Xie Bian’s wrist was snapped in an instant.

"Fan Xian!"

Xie Bian was madly screaming his name. It was not in fear of Fan Xian’s zhenqi; it was because when his fist connected with his palm, a yellow smoke erupted between them. Xie Bian did not think Fan Xian, who was already at an advantage, would make use of a toxic smoke.

It didn’t take long for the toxic smoke to a.s.similate within his body. Within seconds, his sword strength was wholly exhausted, preventing further action from him. In a rush to defend himself from the powerful fist, he left himself open elsewhere. The one bolt he had not dodged now pierced his shoulder.

He was poisoned again.

"Fan Xian!"

This was the third time that Xie Bian lost his composure in rage, yelling Fan Xian’s name. He now knew that he had underestimated Fan Xian’s power. He forced himself to start the zhenqi in his body, so he drew out his sword and lunged towards Fan Xian’s throat. It was a nasty and wild move, and his body had been propelled into the air as he did so. He readied himself to launch upwards onto the roof of a building and escape his dastardly evil, uncompromisingly powerful opponent.

But why would Fan Xian let him escape?

A great shadow flickered. Fan Xian was already ahead and he had launched into the air to bring down his fleeing opponent. He lifted his right hand and used it to chop Xie Bian’s ankle. This chop utilised much of Fan Xian’s Coffin-Breaker technique. Although the attack landed on a non-critical part of his enemy’s body, it still dealt considerable damage.

Xie Bian made a grunting sound. He felt his ankle shatter with the blow. There was a pain that was too much to endure, that had now encroached upon half of his body, and it made his escape to the rooftop fail.

Because of this delay, Fan Xian was given another window of opportunity. He was able to make another move. In this short battle, he wasn’t even sure of how many times he had struck his opponent. They were now both standing on the damp street, their two figures quickly becoming blurry shadows. One was grey and the other was black as they dove into each other and tangled once again.

Suddenly, many noises were heard. It went like…..

Pa pa pa pa!!!

No one knew how many punches Xie Bian received from Fan Xian in that flurry. Because he had executed his attacks quickly, his zhenqi was not depleted. Xie Bian used the defense skill that he had learnt and practised over the past few decades, and used this experience to block the incoming barrage. His sword was as sharp as the wind, and try as he might, he couldmight, he could still not counter and strike Fan Xian. With his repeated inability to repel his invader, Xie Bian began to feel hopeless.

The opponent"s moves were too quick.

Xie Bian screamed, and with his wonky wrist, used his sword to create silver rain in order to protect his body. This was the first time Fan Xian had to slow down, and so he took a few steps back.

Ding!

He used his trembling right hand to drop his sword upon the floor. The tip of the sword was brought to a quick rest in a puddle, and the vibrating metal brought ripples and discourse to the water.

Xie Bian looked at Fan Xian’s calm face from afar and felt a tremendous pain welling up inside his body. It was like there were a thousand small knives slicing and dicing up his veins. He knew that the attack from Fan Xian earlier had damaged his inner body, and the effects of the poison he had incurred were finally starting to show. His right leg could barely remain straight. Facing this opponent, who had yet to break a sweat, Xie Bian had now lost all confidence in attacking his opponent.

"Nine…" Xie Bian knew that even if he had underestimated his foe by a great deal, he would have no chance to eliminate Fan Xian. He was seeing Fan Xian in a totally different light right now, and after acknowledging his opponent"s true power, his eyes conveyed a look of fear. Earlier he said the word "nine", and when he spoke, it brought immeasurable pain. Blood even spilled from his mouth.

He looked upon Fan Xian with confusion, recalling how outside the Bao Yue brothel teashop, he proudly said he could take down Fan Xian all by himself.

This statement was founded on his self-confidence and prior outlook of Fan Xian. Although this young man, whose surname was Fan, killed Cheng Jushu on Niulan Road last year, Xie Bian did not believe that a n.o.ble kid could possess a mind dedicated to the learning of combat like so, and master the technique of killing others with such masterful skill. Who would ever expect a young n.o.ble person like this could enter the ninth rank?

"...Ninth rank!" Xie Bian could not cease his coughing. But still, he was able to speak these two words. His right hand"s thumb slightly moved and rubbed the hilt of his sword.

Fan Xian tapped the floor with his toes. His whole body then became like an arrow, flying forward before Xie Bian. There was a shiny black slash. Fan Xian used the dagger, that which he was most proficient with, to sever Xie Bian"s sword in two, to prevent any attempt at suicide. Heartlessly, he punched Xie Bian in his temple and retracted his fist like windswept smoke as if nothing happened.

Xie Bian had fainted and crumbled to the ground into and dirty water of the street. With a splash, his crumpled body hit the deck to reveal a number of severe wounds on his body.

Fan Xian would not allow any loser to say anything or make a pose before death. And by now, the capital government"s Yamen servants wimpishly arrived. The prefect of the capital government had been told of what occurred and with a shock, came running to see that which had transpired. He a.s.sessed the scene and felt a chill grasp his heart. He knew that the entirety of the second prince"s plan had gone awry. Now, he looked upon Fan Xian who was smiling. No one could tell what Tian Jingmu was thinking about at this moment.

"Someone wanted to murder the witnesses. It was by coincidence that I happened to come here, to the capital government and listen-in on my brother"s case. My catching sight of these felons doing this was by happenstance." Fan Xian"s face spoke softly, with no look of distress. His right hand, however, continued to shake. "Luckily, I brought along a few powerful subordinates. It was because of this that their evil plans were not a success."

Xie Bian did not succeed at his suicide attempt. But to Fan Xian, he was able to capture one of the prince"s eight guardians, and he was delightfully surprised at this. The eight guardians of the second prince were not a secret to the capital, and today, many civilians caught sight of Xie Bian a.s.sa.s.sinate the innocent family members. It was a wonderful opportunity to spread greater, more wretched rumors.

Fan Xian almost wanted to say "thank you" to Xie Bian, who was still collapsed on the ground.

The capital government"s Yamen then established a perimeter to safeguard the area. There was nothing left for Fan Xian to do. He did not need to point out Xie Bian"s ident.i.ty, for he would have subordinates able to do this for him.

"I am going to hand this person over to you." Fan Xian was smiling as he looked upon the Capital prefect. "This criminal is pure evil. Please keep him under heavy surveillance."

Fan Xian was not of the mind to bring Xie Bian back to the Overwatch Council. Even if he was to admit that this entire ploy was an idea constructed by the second prince, and this information was to come from the Overwatch Council, the power of these revelations would be considerably weaker.

He then delivered the unconscious Xie Bian to the Capital government. He was actually having another idea. When he was delivered, he was made sure to be alive. If he turned up dead in the future, things would most certainly become interesting.

The capital government"s prefect was a third rank officer. The Overwatch Council could not investigate him without first gaining authority from the Emperor. It was rare to obtain the opportunity to bring a person such as him down, so he did not dare to let this chance slip away.

If he did miss, he was only afraid that Yan Bingyun would say that he was too soft.

The civilians had yet to be brought relief from the horrifying spectacle. There was no doubt that what had occurred outside the Capital government office today would be a hot topic for the capital in the times to come. For the n.o.bles who knew about this and the feud between Fan Xian and the second prince, if the Emperor did not intervene and the palace maintained its silence on the mater, then the scales for determining the victor had now been tipped to one side.

The subordinates who had concealed themselves as simple pa.s.sers-by now protected Fan Xian as he returned to the Fan manor. One of them noticed Fan Xian"s hand was trembling and believed that he had sustained an injury during the battle.

Fan Xian laughed and said, "It is nothing. I was just excited. It has been a few months since I last enjoyed a combat encounter such as that."

These words were honest and true. The fight with Xie Bian did hype and exhilarate Fan Xian. It almost seemed as if he was born to enjoy the task of killing others. He believed that Yan Bingyun was more suitable to be the master of the Overwatch Council, and he himself was more fit to follow.

But the shaking of his right-hand was not solely due to the adrenaline. Fan Xian slightly rubbed his wrists and from his expression that was as bright as the sun, it now became dim.