"Fang Zilan, please listen to my advice." Awan stood in front of Fang Zilan and comforted him: "Now that this matter has not implicated you, why do you need to take it upon yourself? In addition, today is New Year's Eve, which is a time for family reunion. A great day. If you have to attack at this time, you will definitely be resented."
"Miss Awan is right." Vice Admiral Cao nodded in agreement: "Boss, if something really happens in the north, I will go back in person early tomorrow morning. What's more, you know very well how powerful Lord Qi is, boss. Those who can escape the crime of deploying troops privately are not so easily plotted. I know the boss is anxious, but there is no need to rush at this moment."
"Yes. Nowadays, there are still rumors that are just based on rumors and cannot be believed at all. But if we act rashly, it will be easy for people with ulterior motives to seize the opportunity to make a big fuss." A Wan followed what Vice General Cao said, "Also The Fang family has been doing business for so many years, and they haven’t seen any big storms, so why do they still need you to worry about them?”
After a long time, Fang Zilan finally calmed down and sighed, "That's it, I'll go to Fang's house early tomorrow morning."
Seeing that she changed her mind, Awan couldn't help but breathed a sigh of relief and changed the topic, "It's Chinese New Year, let's talk about some happy things. I think my dumplings are almost cooked, but they can't be cooked for too long. I'll go check it out first. look."
After she finished speaking, she went to the kitchen, and Fang Zilan took Vice General Cao with her to see how the banquet was being prepared.
Ever since they learned that something happened in the north, although the three of them could not see anything strange on their faces, they felt uneasy in their hearts.
Awan originally prepared a lot of food, but Fang Zilan and Deputy General Cao didn't have much appetite, so they just moved their chopsticks symbolically. She was also not interested, and after taking only two bites, she dragged them saying that they wanted to watch the New Year together.
Fang Zilan was worried and felt a little absent-minded throughout the night. She kept her eyes open until early morning. As soon as it was dawn, she ordered Deputy General Cao to prepare his horse and went to Fang's house early.
There is only one Fang family in the capital, but there are several Fang mansions.
The residences of the Prime Minister's Fang family and the merchant's Fang family are separated by only a wall, both in the east of the city, but they have lintels on their doors. It sounds like they are still a family, but becoming an official in the imperial court and doing business in the sea are ultimately different paths.
When Fang Zilan passed by Fang's house in the prime minister's mansion on horseback, she couldn't help but stop for a moment.
She could vaguely see the top corner of the innermost attic through the door wall, and she knew it was Baoxiu Pavilion, her former boudoir.
"Boss?" Vice General Cao called her tentatively, but he saw her dismounting and walking on the snow, "Fang Mansion is not far ahead, let's walk over."
She explained, but she didn't know whether to explain it to Vice General Cao or to herself.
"Okay." Vice General Cao reined in his horse and followed Fang Zilan, and the two of them walked towards Fang's Mansion.
The sky was dim and the night watchman on the street had just left. No one was traveling at this time, so it seemed a bit deserted.
The two of them walked to the door of Fang's Mansion and saw that the door of Fang's Mansion was closed, so Vice General Cao went up and knocked on the door.
After the attendant guarding the gate of Fang Mansion opened the door, Fang Zilan directly explained the purpose of his visit, but heard the attendant say: "It is really unlucky for Master Fang to come. My young master went back to his hometown in Jiangnan to celebrate the New Year a few days ago and is not in the capital."
Fang Zilan's expression froze, and she left Fang's house with Deputy General Cao.
After the two returned home, Awan came up and asked, "How about it, what did Fang Lihui say?" After Vice General Cao explained to her, the three of them fell silent.
After a while, Vice General Cao was the first to break the silence, "Boss, what should we do now?"
Fang Zilan didn't answer, just walked back to the inner room.
Vice Admiral Cao looked at Awan and heard her say: "Leave her alone."
Fang Zilan sat at the table and took out the token that symbolized the identity of the Nine Grand Dukes. She rubbed the patterns on it with her fingers. What she recalled in her mind was what Li Shengxuan said to her that day, "I am your confidence. Just move forward.”
But the person who would say such words said something that wronged her after the New Year's social drama.
Feeling wronged?
In fact, she was not aggrieved. On the contrary, she had a desire to go on and make everyone dare not underestimate her.
But now if something goes wrong with everyone in the North, she will feel really wronged.
The iron-blooded men who defended the border and guarded the vast world should not have been involved in the muddy water of the power struggle.
If someone dares to touch everyone in the North in order to get rid of her, no matter who that person is, she will not let him go.
Once the Duke of the Northern Kingdom, he will protect his heart all his life.
From the moment she got to that position, she understood the weight of the word responsibility.
Fang Zilan's expression was as cold as ice, and the cruel killing intent in her eyes was tinged with determination.
She will not stand still if the enemy does not move. When the opponent takes action, she will not sit still and wait for death. She must show her strength.
*
In the first month of the lunar month, there is a rest, the emperor leaves the court, and all the officials are fine.
However, a major case on the second day of the first lunar month was like a thunder in the plains, shocking the government and the public.
The Northern Protector Qi Yuming took bribes, the two lieutenants in the army, Li and Qin, colluded with each other to occupy land and defraud the people, and Zhong Yao, the magistrate of Yanzhou, acted for personal gain...everything is sensational.
Many dirty things happened in the important place in the north, and the whole court was indignant.
At the cusp of this storm, everyone's eyes were unconsciously focused on Fang Zilan. After all, these guilty people are inextricably linked to the former Lord of the North.
However, before Li Shengxuan in the Qiankun Palace could react, the Empress Dowager in the Yuzhang Palace issued an edict, saying that she had received a petition from the people in the north and asked her Majesty to investigate and deal with it quickly.
Although it was a request, the coercion and pressure from inside and outside the imperial edict could not be hidden no matter what.
Li Shengxuan ordered two brothers, Wang Quanzhi and Wang Quanrui, to thoroughly investigate the case in the Northern Territory. However, in just a few days, overwhelming so-called evidence spread from the Northern Territory to the capital. Along with the rumors on the streets, the finger pointed directly at Fang Zilan. The culprit.
A large number of people gathered at the gate of Fang Mansion every day, some throwing stones, some cursing and spitting, and some watching the excitement.
Fang Zilan stayed in seclusion for a few days, and after a few days of peace and quiet, she officially entered the palace on the tenth day of the first lunar month with the official's order.
The news of Fang Zilan's entry into the palace spread throughout the capital, and all the Gongqing family could not restrain their interest in watching the show. They sent people outside the palace early in the morning to wait for the news to come out.
Even the Zhuge family, which had always been calm, quietly sent people to guard it.
At this time in Zhuge's house, Zhuge Yu and his eldest brother Zhuge Ming were playing chess.
Zhuge Ming gently twisted a white stone with his fingers, placed it on the chessboard without hesitation, and said slowly: "Master Fang enters the palace, you can calm down."
"Brother, what you said is strange." Zhuge Yuxin took out a black piece from the chess box, put it in his hand and played with it, "Master Fang, what does it have to do with me when he enters the palace?"
