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.
The Empress Dowager in the Yuzhang Palace couldn't help but smile when she heard the news that Fang Zilan came to ask for an audience. "The Ai family also said that she was powerful, but it turned out that she was just a person who could tell the direction of the wind. After the New Year's social drama, I think she knew it. The emperor couldn't protect her, so he came to beg Ai's family, which is interesting."
The people around the Queen Mother were very discerning, and they immediately ordered to go down and bring Fang Zilan in.
When Fang Zilan entered the Yuzhang Palace, he saw the Empress Dowager holding a shelf and sitting high on the main seat.
She saluted in a neither humble nor overbearing manner. After greeting her, she directly explained her purpose of coming without waiting for the Empress Dowager to speak, "I came here today to ask the Empress Dowager to be noble and spare the people in the North."
As soon as she said this, even the Empress Dowager was stunned, "What do you mean, Master Fang? What do the people in the north have to do with the Ai family? You don't go to the emperor to beg the Ai family, but you come to beg the Ai family. Don't you think you are putting the cart before the horse?" ?”
"I heard that the petition from the people in the north was submitted to Your Majesty by the Empress Dowager." Fang Zilan stood upright in the center of the hall, "People in the harem are not allowed to interfere in politics. This move of the Empress Dowager is circuitous and well-intentioned. , isn’t it?”
Such straightforward words made the Empress Dowager unhappy. Who hasn't been respectful and polite to her over the years? This was the first time that he had questioned her like this and made it clear what he was doing behind her back.
Now that the words have come to this point, there is no need for the Empress Dowager to hold on. She snorted coldly and said: "Since Mr. Fang knows clearly in his heart, he should know that there is no chance that the Ai family will let everyone in the north go, so why bother? Was it all in vain?”
"Since the founding of Dajing, the people in the northern border have never made any mistakes against the Jin people to guard the border. Now that the Jin people have been destroyed, as soon as the great trouble in the northern border has been eliminated, everyone has been accused." Fang Zilan paused as he spoke. After a pause, he looked solemn and said, "The cunning rabbit is dead and the lackeys are cooked. Aren't the Queen Mother afraid of chilling the hearts of the soldiers in the four realms with this move?"
"Cold heart?" The Empress Dowager chuckled softly, "If it is said to be heart-warming, it is also the Emperor who makes people feel cold. What does it have to do with the Ai family?"
"That's true." Fang Zilan nodded in agreement, "The person who ultimately gave the order to deal with it was Your Majesty, and it has nothing to do with the Empress Dowager after all."
Hearing this, the Empress Dowager frowned slightly, "Master Fang, what exactly do you want to say?"
"I know why the Empress Dowager is targeting the people in the North. She just wants to drag me into the water and trample me to death." Fang Zilan straightened her sleeves and said lightly, "Let me die, okay. But let the people in the North Death, no."
The Empress Dowager carefully looked at the person in front of her, and saw that she was as tall as a pine tree, never flinching in panic, as if life and death were just a trivial matter, and she was so calm and composed that she did not look like a delicate young girl.
"In this case in the Northern Territory, it is said that Qi Duhu was embezzled and bribed, that the lieutenant-general occupied land and defrauded the people, and that Mr. Zhong was involved in it for favoritism. However, we have been officials in the Northern Territory for so many years, how can the royal family of the Wang family be kept clean? ?" Fang Zilan's expression was indifferent, but with a hint of harsh judgment, "Since we want to investigate, then investigate them all. I will ask your Majesty for an order and invite a minister from outside the north to investigate. Wait for the investigation to be clear. Now, no one who deserves to be punished can escape."
"What did you say?" As if she didn't expect her to say this, the expression of the Empress Dowager changed imperceptibly, "How dare you..."
"Why don't I dare?" Fang Zilan coldly interrupted the Empress Dowager, "I just don't know, who is more innocent, Lord Zhong Qi Duhu and the deputy general of the army, or the Wang family and the royal family?"
The Empress Dowager stood up abruptly and looked down at her condescendingly, "Once the investigation is carried out, not to mention whether the Wang family and the royal family can escape, how can you do better?"
This method of killing one thousand enemies and damaging one's own eight hundred was actually said by such a minister who was fighting for his life on the battlefield. The Empress Dowager found it ridiculous, but she also felt faintly afraid, because she knew that this was not a joke.
