Chapter 449: 449
Chapter 449: My People, Their People
Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio
Wang Qinian pushed the door open a gap and flashed into the room . He was a 40-year-old man as agile as a 14-year-old kid, and his attitude was humble . Only the occasional wandering gaze flashing through his eyes revealed the fear in his heart .
Originally, Fan Xian felt incomparably happy in his heart to see him . Once he remembered that this bastard had actually brought Sizhe back to the South Kingdom without letting him know, without even reporting to him secretly, he also felt a glimmer of anger .
He couldn't be bothered to acknowledge him . Instead, he turned his head and continued to speak to Fan Sizhe with a frown . "Presumably, the news of you being in Shangjing couldn't actually be hidden from anyone . While you were there, you had Wei Hua and the Brocade Guard to protect you . On the contrary, now that you are back, you have to be more careful about your safety . You have to be cautious . Like today, taking your followers onto the street . Although you were disguised, there are many in the capital who are familiar with you, and there are your followers . I know you hired a group of Northern Qi aces, but…"
He was a bit angry at his brother's carelessness . "They're still wearing those curved knives at their waist . Even a blind man could see they are Northern Qi people…I say, as an economic genius, one that even those shopkeepers of the Qingyu Hall approve of, why are you so careless with these details?"
Listening to the side, Wang Qinian wanted to interrupt but didn't dare talk . Fan Sizhe glanced at the old fellow with sympathy and carefully explained, "I'm using the identity of a Northern Qi merchant group…"
Fan Xian didn't pay attention to his explanation and coldly said, "In any case, you acted of your own initiative . That is your problem . "
Fan Sizhe looked at his brother's back . His mind spun and an idea came to him . He chuckled and said, "To speak of…acting of your own initiative, brother, I heard you sustained heavy injuries while in the valley . Presumably, father has certainly not allowed you to go out and wander about…how did you see me on the street?"
Fan Xian stopped and didn't know what to say . He huffed coldly twice and dropped the subject, immediately saying in an even voice, "Never mind that . It's good that you're back . Having not seen you for over a year, I actually kind of missed you . "
Fan Sizhe sighed and sat beside Fan Xian . Hugging his arm, he complained, "For the last half of the year, I've been managing the business . Although it's annoying to have to fight verbally with the Northern Qi people when dividing profits, at least I'm doing what I like…brother, you don't know about those first few months…"
Before the young man's eyes seemed to appear snowy nights, stone mills, donkey, beans…wretched images . In a trembling voice, he said, "Those are not days fit for people…"
Fan Xian's mind suddenly turned . Bending his fingers, he calculated that by this time, Haitang had long returned to Shangjing . He couldn't help smiling and said, "Could it be because she had returned to Shangjing so you anxiously ran away? How are you so cowardly?"
Full of grievance, Fan Sizhe said, "Brother, not every man in this world is as powerful as you to be able to trick any kind of girl…for a mother tiger like Haitang, I don't want to see her again . "
Fan Xian laughed loudly and asked a few more questions about his brother's life in the North . As for business affairs, they had already talked about it countless times in their letters going back and forth, so he couldn't be bothered asking again . Listening to his brother talking about his days in Shangjing and hearing about how he walked in and out of the royal manors in Shangjing at such a young age, he felt somewhat amused .
After hearing that Fan Sizhe was now a regular guest at Marquis Ning's manor and often competed in drinking with Wei Hua's father, Fan Xian couldn't resist laughing again . He thought, The body of that dirty old man probably couldn't bear the repeated killing of the alcohol by the two of them .
Thinking of that dirty old man, his gaze moved to the strangely quiet dirty old man next to him .
Fan Xian's mood was now much better . With a face full of warmth and smiles, he looked at Wang Qinian . Parting his thin lips slightly, he quietly said, "Sir Wang, I trust you've been well since we last met…"
…
…
Everyone who had interacted with Fan Xian knew that when Sir Fan junior's smile was at its warmest, it was when the anger in his heart was at its height . In these moments, no one wanted to anger this good-looking young man .
As Fan Xian's trusted aid, Wang Qinian knew his temper very well . So, seeing the smile on Fan Xian's lips, his heart stuttered . He replied with a pained expression, "Sir, have mercy…"
"When did you arrive?" Fan Xian picked up the teacup beside him to have a sip and soothe his throat, however, he found that this cup had the scent of makeup . Only then did he realize that Shi Qing'er had drunk from it . He furrowed his brows slightly and swapped it for his brother's cup . He then thought of another matter . He tilted his head and asked, "Where is your woman?"
The two questions were directed at two people .
Fan Sizhe chuckled and said, "I left her in Shangjing . It's a bit too much to be with her all day . "
Wang Qinian replied honestly, "I really did arrive yesterday . I've already gone to the Council to report to Sir Yan . However, the Council said that after you were injured and not well, and told me not to rush to your manor . "
Fan Xian shot a glare toward his young brother, thinking, This kid was only 16 this year . Why did he talk like a middle-aged married man? However, thinking of the fact that Sizhe had started running a brothel from when he was very young and hated how he was by both man and god before he was deflowered . It was certain that it would be difficult for him to understand what it meant to treasure women in this life .
Following this, he furrowed his brows and asked Wang Qinian, "You should know about the plans for the return this time . "
Wang Qinian bowed his body and chuckled, "I heard that I am to take your place in leading the First Bureau…I am definitely not willing . "
Fan Xian started and scolded, "Even the Director guessed you would say this . That is the most powerful of the eight Bureaus and such a good position . If you don't take it, how can I feel at ease? You've been in Northern Qi for one and a half years . You have both seniority and experience . If you don't step up, I'm afraid others in the Council will begin to have thoughts . "
Wang Qinian considered this for a while then said seriously, "Sir Mu is good in the First Bureau, as for me…" He shook his head and sighed . "I'm an old man with a wife and daughter at home . I had thought I would spend my entire life working in the Council's yamen until I died of old age . I had not thought I would be pulled out by Sir . These few years have been very tense and exciting, but I still feel that it is more comfortable to work beside you . "
"Always beside me…" Fan Xian muttered to himself irresolutely . He also liked having Lao Wang manage the Qinian Unit beside him . For almost the two years, the Qinian Unit had first been handed to Deng Zi Yue and then to Su Wenmao . For the past half a year, Hong Changqing had essentially been responsible for it . These three were all attentive and keen people, and their loyalty to him was without question, but…Fan Xian always felt he wasn't as happy as when he first entered the capital .
He gazed at Wang Qinian and smiled slightly . "It won't always be calm and peaceful . A lot of people died in the valley . "
The room immediately fell silent . After a long time, Wang Qinian said, "It's exactly because of this that I feel that it would be better for me to manage the matters beside you . At least my nose is sharper, and I can run faster . Although the swordsmen of the Sixth Bureau are very skilled, when it comes to preventing trouble before it happens, I have more confidence in myself . "
Fan Xian lowered his head . His spun the little teacup between his fingers as he calculated future plans in this heart . He couldn't help but furrow his brows .
Wang Qinian seemed to be funny, but he did things very carefully . This year he spent in Northern Qi, he didn't make Fan Xian worry and successfully built a good relationship between the Northern Qi royal family and the Brocade Guards' yamen . Furthermore, he also brought back to life the Sixth Bureau's spy network in Northern Qi that had become a stagnant pool after Yan Bingyun accidentally exposed it .
All of the smuggling between the Jiangnan palace treasury and Northern Qi, as well as Fan Xian's thorough knowledge of the going-ons in Northern Qi, were all because of this skinny old man in front of him .
These things proved Wang Qinian's abilities . This quiet, but very capable, Overwatch Council official was a treasure that Fan Xian had picked up after entering the capital . Fan Xian wanted him to take over the First Bureau because he hoped he would be able to secretly spy on the officials in Jingdou for him and so that when a perilous situation arrived in Jingdou, there would be a trusted aide who could control the entire situation .
If he had Wang Qinian stay by his side and take on the role of the leader of the Qinian Unit, in Fan Xian's opinion, it would truly be a waste . However, Wang Qinian was very determined . Fan Xian was caught in a difficult position .
He furrowed his brows and said, "We'll discuss this again…however, in these last days of the year, hand over the Northern affairs to Zi Yue . Be detailed . He doesn't have experience doing things outside the borders, so teach him carefully . "
Wang Qinian knew that the Commissioner had essentially agreed tacitly to his request, so he couldn't resist smiling .
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