Chapter 4 Return to Beijing

The man was proud of the spring breeze, and the horse's hooves were anxious. Fan Xian, who had been raising a whole winter in Cangshan, finally led a family of big and big to kill out of Cangshan. There were six carriages in line, but only some things were brought. This time, he didn't see Guo Baokun's young master who couldn't wait any longer, and there was nothing to worry about. But the early spring wind made the girls full of intoxication.

Fan Xian was in great spirits. Winter in Cangshan was a rare renovation for him after entering Beijing. He had made great progress in both martial arts and spiritual cultivation. At this time, he looked around and saw that the foot of Cangshan was a bit cold, with a little green green, and the faint green branches grew out of the winter trees, as if the sky that returned to Beijing was full of vitality.

The sky was light and a black cloud could be seen in the distance. Strangely, the dark clouds were extremely thin. You could see the gray-blue sky behind and the white clouds above, but it still gave people a very thick, dark and heavy feeling.

With the sound of horse hooves, the carriage turned the mountain bend and left the range of Cangshan Mountain. The sun in the sky suddenly lit up, and the clouds shone brightly, looking very shocking.

Fan Xian withdrew Guan Tian's boring gaze and smiled at his wife, saying, "I've been in the mountains for so long, I'm afraid I'll be so tired, right?"

Lin Wan'er looked at him curiously and said, "What's going on?" Fan Xian was slightly stunned and said, "Although the mountains are good, I can't help but feel a little tired when I see them all white snow trees. Wan'er, you don't miss the prosperous life in Beijing?"

Lin Wan'er smiled slightly, and her fair face showed a faint sense of dullness, and she said, "In the capital, either in the palace or in the other courtyard. My husband knew that I had lived in the prime minister's mansion for a long time, and there was no chance to come out at all. Although life in the mountains was monotonous, it was always more comfortable than those high walls." She looked at her husband's expression of distress, and her heart felt warm, and she laughed: "And you have always been in the mountains."

After saying this, Fan Xian didn't feel anything yet. She got embarrassed herself and turned her face away.

Fan Xian laughed and thought of the matter immediately, and then said gently: "When the Spring Examination is over, I guess the court will send me to Northern Qi."

The carriage became quiet, and only the sound of horse hooves in front and the sound of horses sniffing, and the sound of wheels shaking on the mountain road. After a while, Lin Wan'er smiled and replied, "Don't worry, I'm in Beijing."

Fan Xian thought for a while and said, "I guess I will take Wang Qinian away. If you have any questions, please ask your father for your opinion first. If Teacher Fei Jie is still in Jingzhong, you can also ask him for help. These things will be done through Fujiko Kyo. I have already ordered him. Of course..." He smiled and said, "I guess there is nothing to do."

When he returned to the middle of the capital, the traces of colorful lanterns were still there, and the firecrackers and paper scraps were not swept in the remote alley. Looking at the pedestrians wearing new clothes everywhere and still immersed in the atmosphere of the New Year, Fan Xian couldn't help but regret it. He decided to go to Cangshan again on the fourth day of the New Year, as if he had missed the lively lanterns in the first month.

When the car arrived at Fan's mansion, it was inevitable that the couple, who were half new and old, saluted their parents and met with the people in the clan. Fan Xian discovered that the Fan clan was indeed well-known. Although there were no high-ranking officials in the court, the relatives from the distant hall seemed to be ate a fat salary in the key departments in the court, and they all lived a very comfortable life.

A few days later, he first led Wan'er back to the prime minister's mansion. He paid homage to his father-in-law, said reluctantly to Dabao, and then went to the Jing Palace to pay homage to the familiar prince. Before the formation could stop, the Shaoqing of Taichang Temple Ren Shaoan and the Shaoqing of Honglu Temple Xin Qiyou had two banquets. This was an official who had worked with him, and he could not refuse. Fan Xian had to fight to the death and let the two of them go together.

February was approaching in a flash. At this time, the students from all over the country and counties had already entered Kyoto. Those with wealthy people found inns, and those with no money and no one had to go to the schools outside Kyoto to settle for a while. Even the dormitory of the Imperial College is now open, exclusively for those who really have no place to stay for a while.

The examination was chaired by the Ministry of Rites and was divided into three sessions, which were held on the ninth, twelfth, and fifteenth day of the second lunar month. So when Fan Xian entered the Taixue place, the time was already tight. Fortunately, his fifth-rank Fengzheng was just a false position and was a casual job of the emperor who was happy. The examination was not arranged at all for him. The examination was approaching, so the examination naturally did not require him to teach, so he was leisurely.

But occasionally, there would be students from all over the country who were studying in the Imperial Academy and ran to his room, looking at him with green eyes, like a pack of extremely hungry wolves.

Fan Xian opened the folding fan in his hand with a whisper, shook it in the late winter and early spring weather, and then smiled and said, "Everyone, I am still young. If you talk about the word education, you will never afford it. So please don't mention this matter again, so as not to shame my face."

Seeing that he was talking funny, this famous man in the fifth rank of court at the age of 17 was not the same as the powerful and powerful person who looked at people. The sense of separation of these students gradually faded away. Some people plucked up their courage to joke: "Mr. Fan once commented on Yishijue when he first entered Kyoto, but now he has the heart to fan his clothes."

Fan Xian smiled and replied, "What does this mean? It means that I have always liked to make trouble and can't do anything accurately."

The candidates for the joint examination and promotion of this competition in the court have long been decided. With Fan Xian’s age of seventeen, his fifth-rank official position is a bit terrifying, but it is still far from enough to become these top-notch characters. However, his reputation for poetry has been circulated for a long time. Although he once vowed not to write poetry again, few people seemed to take it seriously. Those students always wanted to lure something out of his mouth. Indeed, if they really got Fan Xian’s praise, it would be a surprise.

The "Banxianzhai Poetry Collection" by Danbo Bookstore has been sold all over the country, so the scholars who came from various prefectures and counties were very curious about this young man who was famous in Beijing. The somewhat reckless man actually found the location of Fan's house with his mouth. Only when he looked at the door and the stone lion, he realized that this talented man was not just a beautiful woman in his belly, but a powerful child born in a beautiful woman. The class was very strict. These scholars dared not knock on the door and visit him rashly, so they had to leave in disappointment.

Fan Xian had not been in the Imperial College for several days, and he followed his superiors to check the situation of his son after he entered Beijing. He found that some poor families were indeed very miserable after entering Beijing. Although the imperial court had already made an order to open several large schools in the suburbs of Beijing and some local temples were temporarily provided for accommodation, it was difficult for Kyoto to live, and some people were still short of money and could not even afford the money for food.

Thinking of the story Wu Zhu told in Danzhou, Fan Xian was slightly moved, so he paid some silver from the bookstore's account, and asked the shopkeepers of Qingyutang to handle it on their behalf, and settled the lives of those poor students. Since it was not a meritorious act, he certainly would not let the students know that they were the money he paid, but when he returned home, he complained to his father who was promoted to Minister of Revenue.

Shangshu Fan was a little surprised to find that his son was actually concerned about these things. In addition to a little relief, he felt more at ease with Fan Xian as if he was content with his career.

On the seventh day of the second month, two days before the examination, Fan Xian had half a day of spare time and slipped out of the Imperial Academy. He really couldn't stand the students who didn't read the scriptures seriously but showed them poetry and essays every day. Some of the students were old enough to be their fathers. It was really awkward to say that this was a bit scheming.

Walking outside the imperial city and looking at the clear water in the imperial ditch, Fan Xian felt very relaxed. To be honest, so there are not many people in Beijing who know what he looks like, so it is very comfortable to walk on the street. Especially when walking under the red palace wall, Fan Xian squinted his eyes and looked at the high wall, looking at the Suwu guards in the distance, no matter how calm his temper is, he can't help but feel a little proud - I have sneaked in, how can I tell?

On the corner of the imperial city is the Imperial Guard Corner Tower, which is specifically responsible for viewing from a distance. Yan Xiaoyi shot Fan Xian from there with a shocking arrow and shot him up and down from the palace wall.

Fan Xian took his eyes back from that place and shook his head. Yan Xiaoyi has now been transferred to the Northern Governor. If he wants to go to Northern Qi, he has to pass by his subordinates. I hope he doesn't know that the assassin that night was him.

Soon after surrounding the imperial city, he entered the Tianhe Channel. The water next to the channel was still gentle, and the golden characters in front of the Supervision Office were glowing lightly. Fan Xian seemed to have not seen those words at all, and he passed by with a calm expression, without even glance at the light.

"I said to Lord Fan, it's so difficult for me to meet you now. It seems that you have become a big celebrity in Beijing."

Fan Xian smiled bitterly and turned around, seeing Prince Jing riding on the horse, looking at him with a smile on his face. He bowed and said, "Meet the prince, the official just wanted to be quiet, but he didn't know that he would meet the prince by chance."

"It's not a coincidence." Li Hongcheng waved his whip and smiled, "I have been chasing you all the way from the Taixue."

Fan Xian was slightly shocked, and his clear eyes immediately returned to calmness, and replied: "What's wrong with the prince?"

The prince smiled and said, "I would like to ask for it today."

"Who?" Fan Xian's intuition told him that there were some problems with this banquet today.

"Second Prince." Li Hongcheng said with a smile.
Chapter completed!