On the twenty-eighth day of the twelfth lunar month, Changrenhou Mansion was already decorated with lanterns and colorful decorations.
In two days, it will not only be New Year's Eve, but also Mrs. Fan's birthday.
This is of course quite a coincidence.
Mrs. Fan was born on the eve of the Lunar New Year. When fortune-telling was done that year, it was said to be a good omen, and the fortune teller concluded that Mrs. Fan would live a wealthy life.
The fortune teller's divination is obviously correct.
The old lady was born into an aristocratic family, and the Fan family she married into was one of the three aristocratic families in Xiling. Not only was her husband granted the title of marquis by the court, but after her husband passed away, her son Fan Ziqi also successfully inherited the title of marquis.
Fan Ziqi was extremely filial and obedient to her old mother. People have to admit that Mrs. Fan has indeed been blessed throughout her life.
After the beginning of the new year, the Fan family will move into the customs. The Fan family has not concealed this matter. Of course, the major families know about it, and the traders and footmen have also heard about it.
So this year is the last New Year that the Fan family spends in Xiling, and it is also the last birthday of Mrs. Fan in Fan County.
And this year happens to be Mrs. Fan’s 80th birthday.
In this way, Fan Ziqi had to organize a lively birthday party for his old mother.
The Fan family is about to move into the customs. Many aristocratic families in Fan County also sent people to send gifts. However, the Fan family only wrote down the list of guests who gave gifts and refused to accept the gifts. They also repeatedly explained to each family that birthdays and New Year's Eve this year would not be the same.
On one day, the Fan family will never delay other families from celebrating New Year's Eve because of the old lady's birthday.
Therefore, the Fan family is not prepared to receive too many guests except for inviting a very small number of relatives and friends.
Although the families were surprised, they also understood Fan Ziqi's worries.
Not long ago, General Su Changyu came to Fan County to reorganize the army. Chang Renhou held a banquet and invited the prestigious gentry of Fan County to come and accompany him. At that time, all the famous people in Fan County were invited by Fan Ziqi
By inviting him here, he was able to give the general Zhonglang some face, and the general Zhonglang represented General Black Feather, so Fan Ziqi made the banquet grand and lively because of General Black Feather's face.
Who would have thought that an assassin would appear during a good reception banquet, and at this moment it was the Chief Fan Heliu.
Although Fan Ziqi was not seriously injured, the incident cast a shadow over the Fan family.
Since that day, the Hou Mansion has never held a banquet. Except for a very few wealthy family heads who were close to Fan Ziqi, Fan Ziqi did not even receive other guests.
Everyone knows that Fan Ziqi must be worried that something unexpected will happen again at the birthday banquet. In this case, the number of people attending the banquet will naturally be smaller and smaller.
Although not too many guests will be invited to the birthday banquet, Mrs. Fan’s birthday will naturally still be lively, so Fan Ziqi sent someone to invite a large opera troupe early in the morning to set up a stage to sing on the birthday. In addition,
A lion dance team has also been specially arranged to make the lion dance more festive.
At dusk that day, a carriage stopped in front of the Hou Mansion. Four guards wearing Liuyun uniforms, belts and black cloaks rode in front of and behind the carriage to protect them. The sabers on their waists were in jet-black scabbards.
After receiving the report, Chang Ren Hou Fan Ziqi almost jogged to the front door of the mansion and welcomed the distinguished guests into the elegant hall.
The unexpected distinguished guest was naturally Pei Shiqing from the North Courtyard.
"Your Excellency, I really didn't expect you to come here in person." Fan Ziqi was quite excited: "My mother
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If you knew it, you would be extremely happy."
Pei Shiqing smiled and said: "Master Hou is too polite. If I don't come to congratulate the old lady on her birthday, it would be unreasonable." He picked up the teacup, looked around, and sighed: "Master Hou, they say you live a normal life.
The reputation for frugality is indeed well-deserved. The furnishings in Marquis Yuwen's Mansion are much more luxurious than those here."
"Sir, Fan County is sparsely populated and has always been a bitter and cold place." Fan Ziqi sighed: "The life of the common people is not easy, how can I be extravagant and indulgent? Moreover, I have developed the habit of diligence and thrift since I was a child. This is also the reason why the Fan family
I dare not forget my family style."
"That's right." Pei Shiqing said with a smile: "By the way, it's the old lady's birthday, so I've prepared some small gifts, please accept it, Lord Marquis!" He winked at the guard beside him, and the guard came forward with a box. Fan Ziqi stood up and held it in his own hands.
He took it and said repeatedly: "Your Excellency, you are too polite. It is already an honor to the Fan family that you can come, so why bother spending so much money?"
Pei Shiqing said: "Master Hou, it's fine if it's someone else. You are one of your own. There are things you can't say to others, but I won't say them to you. To tell the truth, this birthday gift is a white jade brave. It's of good quality and should have some...
Expensive. I eat food from the palace, and Her Royal Highness the Princess is very strict with her. We just live on a small salary, and we are no better than other officials in making some money. If it were just me, I wouldn't be able to save it in ten years.
I’ll buy this white jade Pixiu with my money.”
"Oh?" Fan Ziqi was startled.
"The Marquis must have heard that the Yuwen family will donate all their belongings to the imperial court." Pei Shiqing said: "The antique calligraphy, gold, silver and jewelry from Yuwen Marquis's residence have been sent to the warehouse. This is a treasure I boldly selected from them.
"
Fan Ziqi's expression changed slightly and he said hurriedly: "Your Excellency, since it is a treasure presented to the imperial court by the Yuwen family, I absolutely cannot accept this gift."
"Listen to me." Pei Shiqing motioned Fan Ziqi to sit down and said with a smile: "Even if I have the courage, I would not dare to take away the things belonging to the imperial court. Lord Marquis, in fact, when I set off from Kyoto, the princess summoned me.
Tell me, the three major families in Xiling have different situations and cannot be treated equally. The Fan family is different from the other two families. You have sworn allegiance to the imperial court many years ago and cooperated with General Heiyu's deployment plan. Not only did you bring down the other two families,
, and also allowed General Heiyu to return to Xiling smoothly, allowing Xiling to return to the control of the imperial court. Such an achievement is no small feat."
Fan Ziqi immediately said: "When the Wutuo people entered the pass, the Fan family was deceived by the Yuwen family. They failed to help the protective army immediately and failed to be loyal to the court. They have always felt guilty in their hearts. I was able to assist the black-clothed general to return to Xiling.
, I’m very grateful to be able to make up for my mistakes, and I don’t dare to take any credit.”
"That's not what you say." Pei Shiqing smiled and said: "Just a few days ago, after receiving the order from the saint, Yao Duhu personally tried the Zhen family's case. The evidence was conclusive and it was determined that the Zhen family had committed treason. However, the saint Bodhisattva has a soft heart.
, I didn’t want to involve too many people, so I only severely punished the direct descendants of the Zhen family and confiscated their property.”
Fan Ziqi's lips moved slightly and he hesitated to speak, but finally said nothing.
Pei Shiqing waved his hand, so the guards and servants in the elegant hall all retreated. After everyone retreated, Pei Shiqing asked: "What does the Marquis want to say?"
"Your Excellency, the saint should know that those two confidential letters were forged by Bai Jingzhai." Fan Ziqi lowered his voice: "The purpose is to let the Yuwen family have evidence to attack the Zhen family. Now those two confidential letters...
.!”
"If those two secret letters are fake
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, the implications are too wide, even you, Lord Marquis, will be involved in it." Pei Shiqing said calmly: "So the best way is to make those two secret letters true, and the Zhen family will bear the crime, and others will also be involved.
You don’t have to be implicated anymore.”
Fan Ziqi nodded slightly and said, "Your Majesty, with all due respect, was this planned from the beginning?"
"Yes." Pei Shiqing did not deny it: "Master Marquis, there is no one else here, so I will tell you from the bottom of my heart. Since the imperial court wants to attack Xiling, it will not show mercy. Those two secret letters will not only bring down the Yuwen family.
, and directly became the evidence of the Zhen family's surrender to the enemy and treason, killing two birds with one stone. As for the Fan family, Mr. Marquis, you have surrendered to the court early, which can be said to be extremely wise. The saint is very satisfied with the achievements of the Fan family. Her Royal Highness the Princess knows the saint's thoughts well.
, so before I left Beijing, the princess asked me to protect the Fan family."
Fan Ziqi cupped his hands and said: "The saint is wise and your highness is wise. Thank you, Sir!"
"The Yuwen family moved into the Pass. From now on, the Yuwen family cannot be officials." Pei Shiqing said: "So the Yuwen family has become a common people and will never be able to turn over. However, the Fan family and the Yuwen family are different."
Fan Ziqi said: "Sir, after the new year, the Fan family will also move to the pass, and the sage has given the Fan family a fiefdom that can provide them with adequate food and clothing."
"Wrong." Pei Shiqing said with a smile: "It is good for you to move to the pass, but the saint's intention is not only to retain the title of marquis, but also to select outstanding children from your Fan family to serve as officials in the court."
Fan Ziqi was a little surprised: "Sir, is this... seriously?"
"How dare I deceive the Marquis?" Pei Shiqing said with a smile: "The person you want to thank is not anyone else, but the princess. Her Royal Highness the Princess said that the Fan family has made great contributions to the court. If they can do the same as the Yuwen family, give them a piece of
The fiefdom allows you to enter the customs and treat them equally, which is really unfair to you, the Fan family. The princess persuaded the saint to reuse and promote the people of the Fan family. You are loyal and you should be loved by the court."
The corner of Fan Ziqi's mouth trembled and he sighed: "I didn't expect that Her Royal Highness the Princess would still miss the Fan family. The Fan family really has nothing to repay the princess for her kindness."
Pei Shiqing held the tea cup, gently stroked the tea foam with the tea lid, and asked: "Master Marquis, I heard that your Fanjun family donated five hundred thousand taels of silver to General Heiyu, is this happening?"
Fan Ziqi nodded and said: "It is indeed true. The Fanjun family gathered together to discuss. The general returned to Xiling and wanted to recruit troops and buy horses. What he was short of was silver. Together we collected five hundred thousand taels of silver, which can alleviate the burden of the court.
Secondly, it also reduces the general’s burden.”
"Sure enough, he is dedicated to serving the country." Pei Shiqing said with a smile: "But the Marquis has good intentions, I'm afraid he made a big mistake."
Fan Ziqi was startled and said somewhat puzzledly: "Your Majesty, I don't know what mistakes we have made. Please enlighten me!"
"General Heiyu is in charge of Xiling, and the imperial court has given him the power to take charge of all the troops and horses in Xiling." Pei Shiqing said slowly: "But the imperial court has never handed over all the money and food in Xiling to the general. The imperial court's purpose is very clear. Xiling
The Protector Yao Mubai is responsible for the logistics, while the general is responsible for the troops and horses. In other words, every tael of silver needed by the general needs to be transferred from the Protector's Mansion." He put down the teacup, looked at Fan Ziqi and said: "I heard that the Marquis directly
Putting five hundred thousand taels of silver in the hands of Su Changyu may have the opposite effect, not only will General Heiyu be put in a dangerous situation, but the Marquis may also be in trouble."