Chapter 22 Early Summer

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  He also heard Fan Sichen proudly say: "This is just a small amount of money, after finishing this first draft, my brother will write another 70 or 80 chapters. This can't be sold in large quantities, it needs to be carefully proofread and made into a rare edition, then all privately auctioned off, whoever pays the highest price gets it. Whoever wants to see the ending first, whoever wants to see if Mulan marries Bao Er Ye or not, they have to take out their silver first."

  Fan Xian pinched his ear and scolded: "What's the relationship between Duoduo and Bao Er Ye? You little brat haven't even read a book, yet you want to sell it!"

  Fan Siyan said with a hint of embarrassment: "Yesterday, the one you bought on the street, after returning to the mansion, I asked my sister to take a look, but... only read a few dozen words and felt it was quite dull, so I fell asleep." This young master of the Fan family, who had his eyes fixed on money, really couldn't understand why those women in the capital were like crazy about this insipid thing.

  "Alright, I won't argue with you about this." Fan Xian sighed and said: "It's just that these matters are complicated, you're still a young child, and you need to go to school and study, where will you find the time to do these things? Let's talk about it again in a few years."

  "Years later? The red flowers have all withered." Fan Siyan shrieked in a shrill voice.

  "What else can you do? After all, you are a young master of the Fan family. If you really go into business openly, how can you hide it from Aunt Liu and your father? Be careful they skin you alive."

  Fan Siyan said with unbearable pain: "Yes, so I decided to borrow a shopkeeper from Qingyutang and hide myself behind the scenes."

  Fan Xian was indeed very surprised, the young man in front of him, apart from being arrogant and unreasonable, had a natural talent for business, and had actually thought of hiring professional managers. His mind racing, he inadvertently let slip the three words "Qing Yu Tang".

  Seeing the young man's mind was made up, he sighed and took out the silver notes he had accumulated over the years from his pocket, added to those his sister had respectfully given him, handed them over, and instructed him to take it slow, first discuss with the several clear guests at home, and it's not a big deal to support those people even if they're not needed.

  Fan Siyan smiled and counted the money, finding that this brother was quite wealthy. Adding to her own savings, the initial start-up capital should be about enough.

  Fan Xian no longer spoke of other things, but carefully reminded him: "To walk on the upper class relationship and suppress the lower-class good people, this method, apart from relying on his father's name, you also need to give others some benefits."

  "What are you talking about, brother?" Fan Siyan said viciously: "Bribes will naturally be given. In the future, when you become a high-ranking official, there will come a day when they will spit it back out."

  Fan Xian almost fainted and hastily pushed the door open to leave. He had always thought that silver coins had a unique fragrance, but today he finally knew that the smell of copper was indeed pungent.

  ————————————————————

  It was high noon, the scorching sun was fierce, and the trees on both sides of the road were listless, hanging weakly without giving any comfort or shade to the poor pedestrians.

  Fan Xian slowly sipped the sour plum soup from a bowl by the roadside, knowing that drinking too fast wouldn't quench his thirst and would upset his stomach. He listened to the "tze-tze" noise of cicadas in the nearby trees, feeling puzzled - wasn't it just a few months ago? Spring hadn't even passed yet, so why was summer already arriving prematurely?

  The distant Temple of Heaven appears particularly solemn under the sunlight, drying up some of its original delicate and refreshing atmosphere. The black eaves reflect the sunlight, giving a very sacred feeling to the scene.

  Today's Qingmiao is more lively than yesterday, with people constantly entering to worship and pray for blessings. Fan Xian was somewhat curious as to why it was so deserted when he went there yesterday. He naturally didn't know that the noble who had stolen a half-day of leisure time had already set up guards on both sides of the road, and that he had been able to walk to the entrance with ease and exchange blows with the expert was all thanks to someone's secret indulgence.

  Wu Zhu indeed spoiled him, indulging his drinking and recklessness. Even when he wanted to visit the temple, Wu Zhu could knock out so many guards for such a small matter.

  Fan Xian didn't know that he had actually stirred up a big trouble yesterday, and was leisurely sitting on the long bench drinking sour plum soup, with his legs crossed, waiting for that girl.

  In a room very close to the Qing Temple, sunlight could not penetrate into the house, so it looked somewhat dark and cool. Gong Dian sat coldly on the chair, adjusting his own inner breath, letting himself enter the best state.

  Last night he was on duty, but early this morning he didn't return to the mansion. Instead, he came to Qing Temple again. Because no matter how hard he thought about it, he couldn't shake off the feeling that the young man's appearance yesterday was a bit strange. His subordinates were knocked unconscious by a master-level expert at the same time as the young man entered the temple. What kind of relationship existed between them?

  For some reason, Gong Jian always felt that the young man would come here again today, and maybe even that mysterious master of unknown appearance would also come.

  This is a master's intuition, although it may not be accurate, but it's worth a try. But that damned Hong Taiwei didn't believe in his own judgment, and was only secretly investigating within the Imperial Guard, so he came alone.

  Gong Dian sat quietly in the house, his eyes passing through the narrow slit at the bottom of the window, coldly staring at the entrance of Qing Miao.

  Outside, Fan Xian finally couldn't bear the scorching sun and drank up the soup in his cup. He unbuttoned the two buttons on his collar, stuck out his tongue, and headed towards Qingmiao Temple.

  Fan Xian's footsteps were getting closer and closer to Qingmiao Temple.

  Kyoto seemed to have heard something and slightly furrowed her brow.

  ……

  ……

  Under the scorching sunlight, Fan Xian's feet felt hot on the bluestone pavement, and he seemed to dislike this feeling, so he pulled his feet back.

  Then he fastened the cloth button on his chest, smiled and turned around, went back to the sour plum soup stall and had another bowl. He drank it slowly, then walked away from Qing Temple with a leisurely pace, didn't let out a breath until he got into the waiting carriage at the street corner, and shouted: "Hurry back to the mansion!"

  Tōko looked at him curiously and found that the young master's face was expressionless.

  Fan Xian sat in the carriage, turned his head to lift the rear curtain and looked towards the direction of Qing Temple, furrowed his brow, not knowing why Wu Zhuo had sent a message asking him to leave, nor did he know who was waiting for him there.

  ——————————————————————

  Gong Dian's face was cold and stern as he stared ahead, his ears listening to the footsteps that seemed to be going back. His eyes gleamed with a sharp light, and he prepared to stand up, but unexpectedly felt a chill wind blowing from behind him, and his neck felt icy cool.

  At the end of spring, when the weather was hot and sultry, a drop of cold sweat trickled down from the imperial palace.

  His hands were placed steadily on his knees, with fingernails trimmed appropriately, and that simple yet razor-sharp dagger was placed three inches in front of his hand.

  However, he did not dare to draw his sword.

  Because he could feel the person behind him was stronger and faster than himself.