HLnovel Chapter 957 Su Xiran tries to please
Chapter 957 Su Xiran tries to please
Besides, is treating the emperor such a simple matter? They're all risking their lives.
Seeing that Fang Yin remained silent for a long time, the Minister couldn't help but clear his throat.
"During His Majesty's illness, many princes have gone to attend to him, but the Crown Prince has been busy with official duties."
Having been reminded to this extent, is there anything Fang Yin still doesn't understand?
Recently, there has been an undercurrent in the court that the Crown Prince's failure to attend to the ailing Emperor is considered unfilial.
But they didn't make a scene now; they wanted to let things settle first and wait until the emperor recovered before impeaching him.
No matter how much the emperor dotes on the crown prince, feelings can't withstand the test of time. What if he becomes disappointed in the crown prince?
Even if it doesn't achieve that effect, planting a seed in the emperor's heart is just as good.
When the nail strikes, the Crown Prince will definitely suffer.
Even the Crown Prince's own men were secretly eager to persuade him to fulfill his filial duties.
No matter the time, it is a major taboo for a prince to be accused of being unfilial.
However, the Crown Prince has remained silent.
Fang Yin gave the Minister of War a deep look. He didn't know if this official was the Crown Prince's man or simply wanted the Crown Prince to intervene for the sake of the court situation.
He hesitated for a moment, then said, "I can only do my best."
Everyone knows the relationship between Fang Yin and the Crown Prince; they are truly close.
Otherwise, the Minister of War wouldn't have placed his hopes on him.
The Minister of War patted him on the shoulder with satisfaction.
"General Fang has been fighting hard this year and has not yet returned to his hometown to pay respects to his ancestors. It is only natural for him to go back before the end of the year."
Fang Yin: ...
These old men are as shrewd as foxes.
Both sides reached a consensus, and Fang Yin went to the East Palace after court.
It was easy to see the Crown Prince, as the Emperor was ill and most of the memorials were sent to the Eastern Palace.
Qingyan was indeed quite busy managing state affairs.
"sit."
Qingyan lifted his eyelids and glanced at him.
Fang Yin didn't move, bowing as he carefully considered his words.
So many people tried to persuade the Crown Prince, but it was no use. He was just a military officer, and his eloquence was no match for theirs.
Fang Yin was prepared to get straight to the point. After all, he had only agreed to give the Minister a try, without saying that success was guaranteed.
Unexpectedly, just as he was about to speak, Qingyan said, "I will be going to the Taiji Palace tonight."
Fang Yin's words were stuck in his throat.
But he didn't feel much joy; instead, his eyes held a scrutinizing look.
"Your Highness did this on purpose?"
He deliberately waited for him to arrive and readily agreed, so that outsiders would know that Fang Yin and the entire Fang family were all on the Crown Prince's side.
Is it a deliberate attempt to show that the other family values it?
Qingyan put down his pen, closed the folded document, and then looked up at him.
"Yes."
He didn't intend to hide it. Originally, he planned to visit his father tomorrow, as there were some things his father needed to think about.
He needs his father's support to do what he wants in the future.
But Fang Yin arrived, deliberately a day early.
“Since Zhizhi saved me, the Fang family is already standing behind me. No matter what General Fang thinks, it is already so.”
"It's just that General Fang is unwilling to get close to me, so I have no choice but to take the initiative to protect him."
“The Fang family has no roots in the capital, but I can be their protector.”
"The Chen Zijun case has caused heavy losses to aristocratic families, and it is inevitable that some people will harbor resentment and target the General's Mansion. I need to deter them."
Qingyan's tone was forceful, leaving no room for refusal.
Fang Yin felt awkward listening to this, but she sighed deeply in her heart, knowing that Qing Yan's words made perfect sense.
Just because he said he wasn't one of the Crown Prince's men doesn't mean people would believe him.
If his cooperation with the Crown Prince on several occasions only made people think that he was close to the Crown Prince.
By pulling the prince back from the brink of death, Zhizhi was essentially announcing to the world that they had a very close relationship with him.
I'm afraid that's also what the emperor thought.
Fang Yin remained silent for a moment, then knelt down on both knees: "Thank you for your kindness, Your Highness."
Yes, I must thank you.
The crown prince is the emperor. Which minister would not take the initiative to approach him and show his talents if he wanted to catch the emperor's eye?
Now, Fang Yin's situation has reversed; he has been placed under the Crown Prince's protection.
This is the Emperor's grace.
This kneeling gesture also signifies surrender.
After recognizing the situation, Fang Yin no longer felt awkward. It was no longer possible to stay out of the court's infighting and just focus on doing his job.
The tree wants to be calm and the wind does not stop.
Since it's impossible, a choice must be made.
Compared to the other princes, Fang Yin, whether out of personal motives or objective reasons, naturally wanted to support the Crown Prince.
Qingyan came out from behind the desk, went down the steps, and personally helped him.
"General Fang is a pillar of the nation. It is my great fortune to have General Fang."
At that moment, Fang Yin saw ambition beneath Qing Yan's calm exterior.
He was completely different from the indifferent, even somewhat world-weary teenager he was a few years ago.
He really is a prince.
In the evening, Qingyan went to the Taiji Hall.
The Crown Prince dined with the Emperor and personally attended to his illness, staying in the Taiji Hall all night.
No one knows what the royal father and son talked about, but the emperor's health improved a lot the next day, and he went to court again.
This left the court officials, who were plotting to sow discord between the emperor and the crown prince, quite helpless.
At the same time, Fang Yin once again caught everyone's attention.
This fellow is indeed one of the Crown Prince's men.
Even Fang Tong had this identity shell, which made his life at the Ministry of Agriculture a little easier.
Despite this, the Fang brothers remained true to themselves, continuing to do what they were supposed to do every day and trying to keep a low profile.
This low-key approach is seen as a sign of confidence by outsiders.
Fang Nanzhi was unaware of the undercurrents swirling within the imperial court.
She and her brother had discussed the deaths of Princess Dongyue and her husband.
Both of them believed that the tragedy stemmed from the fact that forced relationships are never happy.
Men fear marrying the wrong wife, and women fear marrying the wrong man.
Fang Nanzhi sighed heavily, "Brother, you're getting on in years. You need to find a girl who understands you and settle down soon. You can't wait until after the imperial examinations."
"I've heard that there are people who try to find a husband after the list of successful candidates is published. You're quite handsome, what if you get caught?"
Qin Yan looked at the worry in his sister's eyes and was speechless.
"Don't worry, I'll take Uncle Bai Wu and the others to see the results on the day they're released."
He's not afraid of a real fight.
“But if you’re not engaged at your age, you’ll be like a hot commodity, attracting unwanted attention. Brother, you have to take good care of yourself.”
Fang Nanzhi looked very serious.
"The Third Princess is widowed. What if she comes out of the imperial tomb and wants to remarry..."
Qin Yan frowned, feeling nauseous at the thought of the Third Princess's viciousness.
He covered his sister's mouth with his hand: "Children's words are innocent, let the wind blow them away."
Fang Nanzhi blinked innocently.
Her analysis is very logical. Princess Dongyue is so domineering, it's not impossible that the Third Princess might follow suit.
Qin Yan understood what she meant, so he casually picked up a book and tapped it on her head.
"Mr. Deng said your poetry and prose are not up to standard. Come, let me teach you."
Fang Nanzhi's face fell.
The brother and sister were arguing when the steward of the front yard arrived.
It is said that someone asked Fang Nanzhi to provide medical consultations outside the home.
Fang Nanzhi perked up immediately; it was too cold, and the free clinic had already ended.
Aside from Mrs. Yun and Miss An, she has no other patients.
The butler's expression was somewhat complicated: "It's a servant from the Chen family who's come."
Fang Nanzhi asked in confusion, "Which Chen family?"
"The young mistress of the Chen family is Su Xiran," the butler reminded her.
Fang Nanzhi suddenly realized that it was the Chen family that had been badly wronged by Fang Jin.
Now that Fang Jin has ruined his own life, the Chen family has lost everything. I wonder if they will hold a grudge against their daughter-in-law, Su Xiran.
Su Xiran is her blood cousin.
"Ahem, is someone in his family sick?" Fang Nanzhi asked.
"It is indeed the young mistress. She says she has a poor appetite and feels weak," the butler reported truthfully.
Because of the delicate relationship between the Chen family and his own family, he had found out very well.
Seeing the young lady's expression, he hesitated and said, "Miss, the snow on the road has not yet melted, making travel inconvenient. Perhaps..."
Let's refuse.
Don't go to the Chen residence; it will become a trap.
Fang Nanzhi hesitated for a moment, then turned to look at her brother.
Qin Yan knew she wanted to go: "I'll go with you."
The steward had no choice but to prepare the carriages and horses.
The brother and sister went to the Chen residence, not so much to see the doctor, but more to see what Su Xiran was up to.
With so many doctors in the capital, how did they end up finding Fang Nanzhi?
However, they were not adventurous by nature and brought quite a few guards with them.
Upon arriving at the Chen residence, the servants had originally arranged for guards to wait at the entrance.
But Fang Nanzhi insisted on bringing the person in, so the servants went to report to their master.
Not long after, they returned and actually agreed to let the Fang siblings bring people in.
Perhaps it was because they brought too many men, and Qin Yan also came.
They were led to the front hall, but not to the backyard where the woman lived.
Su Xiran was greeted by a tall, gloomy-faced man who personally stood up to greet her.
"Young Master Qin, Miss Fang."
Since the other party was very polite, Fang Nanzhi and her brother also had to feign politeness and greet them.
After taking her seat, Fang Nanzhi placed the medicine box on the table and stared intently at Su Xiran.
As a doctor, she could tell that although Su Xiran looked energetic, her makeup must have concealed the redness in her eyes.
Seeing her like this, Su Xiran smiled slightly and went straight to the point, beginning the consultation.
"Lately I haven't been able to eat much, and I'm also very sleepy, but my sleep isn't very restful; I keep waking up in a fright..."
Fang Nanzhi took her pulse, and the pulse was very clear, so she quickly withdrew her hand.
"Congratulations, Madam Su, you are likely pregnant. As for the month, I can't quite tell."
A look of surprise quickly appeared in Su Xiran's eyes, followed by tears.
Chen Haokun was even more excited. He stood up, grabbed his wife's hand, and looked at Fang Nanzhi expectantly.
"Really?"
Fang Nanzhi nodded.
Chen Haokun couldn't help but smile: "Xiran, you..."
He was genuinely happy, even though he already had a son and a daughter, but they were not his legitimate children.
He wanted a legitimate son.
With red eyes, Su Xiran leaned slightly against him: "Husband, we have a child. Will you... will you dislike him?"
She seemed a little nervous, clutching Chen Haokun's clothes tightly.
"What nonsense are you talking about? Of course I love our child." Chen Haokun hugged her even tighter.
Fang Nanzhi and her brother managed to refrain from looking at what they shouldn't see, but they couldn't stop their ears.
From these two sentences, it's clear that there seemed to be some problems in their marital relationship before, and it's unclear whether it was because of Fang Jin...
Chen Haokun and his wife were excited for a while before they calmed down.
"I apologize for my rudeness."
Fang Nanzhi gave a polite yet distant smile.
"It's alright. However, I wasn't finished speaking. Perhaps Madam Su is overthinking things, which is why she's having trouble sleeping. If this continues, it won't be good for the fetus."
"Now that you're pregnant, you shouldn't just smell any sleep-aid sachets. I could prescribe some medicinal cuisine instead."
"However, medicinal diets only treat the symptoms, not the root cause. Madam Su needs to be more cheerful."
Since she's come to see a doctor, Fang Nanzhi should tell her everything. She can't hide her illness just because they don't have a good relationship.
Chen Haokun nodded seriously: "I understand, thank you, Miss Fang."
He didn't call for Dr. Fang, and Fang Nanzhi raised an eyebrow, not in a hurry.
She took out paper and pen from the medicine box and began writing a prescription.
Once it was written, a maidservant took it away.
As for getting medicine, you'll need to go to a pharmacy or the Chen family's storeroom, which will have everything you need.
That's not something Fang Nanzhi needs to worry about.
Su Xiran had already composed herself and gently asked someone to bring the medical fee.
A young maid appeared carrying a tray in both hands, on which lay a crystal-clear white jade hairpin.
It looks very expensive; this is not the amount that should be charged for a consultation.
Fang Nanzhi glanced at it once and then looked away.
She knew the main event was about to begin.
Su Xiran was somewhat surprised. Shouldn't a girl from the countryside be overjoyed to see such ornaments?
Could it be that they lack the perspective to distinguish between good and bad products?
Su Xiran looked down on him in her heart, but her expression was gentle.
"This is a fine white jade hairpin, specially made for you, Zhizhi. Would you like to try it on?"
She smiled warmly: "Zhizhi, speaking of which, aren't we sisters?"
Fang Nanzhi looked at her and thought she looked exactly like a weasel paying respects to a chicken.
Pshaw, no, she's not a prostitute.
She smiled back and said, "This is my second time visiting the Chen residence. The last time I was a guest, it was a welcome banquet prepared by Madam Su."
"It seems like it was a welcome-back party for my uncle," Fang Nanzhi said, a hint of sadness on her face. "Unfortunately, my uncle has passed away."
Not only are they gone, but their own daughter, Su Xiran, didn't even collect their bodies. She also kicked their mother, brother, and grandfather out of the house.
How can someone who doesn't even recognize their own family talk about being sisters? Isn't that ridiculous?
Whether it's genuine or feigned, just look at Fang Jin's fate—a cautionary tale indeed.
A look of sadness appeared on Su Xiran's face.
“It’s my fault. I failed to fulfill my filial duty. After my father passed away, I fell ill and was unaware of what was happening in the household, which allowed the wicked servant to take advantage of the situation.”
Chen Haokun patted her back reassuringly.
"How can you blame yourself? It was those servants who had bad intentions."
As he spoke, he looked at Fang Nanzhi and said, “Miss Fang, please don’t misunderstand. I sent people to look for Madam He afterward, but unfortunately they were determined to return to their hometown. My wife and I could only offer them some money to help them.”
The couple spoke with great conviction.
But Fang Nanzhi and Qin Yan didn't believe a word of it.
Their fathers all went to see He Shi off, saying that He Shi had scolded Su Qingya and Su Xiran a lot for being ungrateful and that she definitely hadn't given them any money.
Furthermore, without the master's permission, which servant would dare to kick someone out of the mansion?
However, since the He family has already left, there are no witnesses, so the Chen family can say whatever they want.
Fang Nanzhi didn't want to stand up for the He family, and didn't want to dwell on this point.
"Madam Su has lived in the capital for a long time and is unaware of the inside story. We have long since severed ties and are no longer on the same family tree."