"I don't like trouble. I'll avoid it if I can." Fang Zilan watched a figure get off the carriage and be welcomed into Zuiyue Tower by Fang Lihui. It must be Yin Quanzhang.
"Speaking of which..." Fang Zilan asked casually, "Do you know Yin Quanzhang?"
"Your question came later than I expected." Li Shengxuan curled his lips, and Fang Zilan shrugged indifferently, "You may not have met all the adults in the various states. Most of them recognize people based on their political achievements, so I asked I don’t expect an answer. In that case, sooner or later, what does it matter?”
"It's related." Li Shengxuan's smile became even brighter, "I have not only met Yin Quanzhang, but also dealt with him."
"What did you say?" Fang Zilan, who was leaning on the railing, suddenly sat up straight, "Then why did you..."
Li Shengxuan put his arms around Fang Zilan's shoulders in a comforting manner, "The matter is now over, there is no room for maneuver. As long as Yin Quanzhang has never seen me before the end of the Spring Festival, it will be fine."
Fang Zilan was stunned and heard Fang Chongzheng say: "Master Fang, does he know who initiated this case in the north?"
"Lu Zhizhang." Fang Zilan answered without hesitation, and Fang Chongzheng said seductively: "Master Fang, have you ever thought about what role the Northern Wang family and the Huangfu family played in this case?"
"To add fuel to the flames." Fang Zilan's voice became a little darker, and Fang Chongzheng asked: "For what reason?"
"I don't know." Fang Zilan's voice became lower and lower, showing a clear lack of confidence, "I thought that if the Wang family harmed anyone, they would definitely not harm anyone in the army."
"You only think that you think long-term enough?" Fang Chongzheng taught earnestly: "A life spans decades, a family lasts hundreds of years, and a dynasty lasts only a thousand years. What the Wang family looks at is not Wang Quanzhi's temporary ups and downs. It is not the honor and disgrace of Wang Quanrui alone, but the rise and fall of the Wang family for hundreds of years. Do you think the Wang family will allow military generals to override civilian officials?"
Fang Chongzheng's words were like a beam of light, making Fang Zilan suddenly enlightened.
She stayed in seclusion for those few days, thinking hard and not understanding why the Wang family would become Lu Zhizhang's accomplice. The civil and military divisions in the north are clearly divided, and the Wang family has no reason to harm people in the army.
She didn't understand until she heard Fang Chongzheng's words. Most of the people in the army, such as Lieutenant General Li and Lieutenant General Qin, were promoted by her during her tenure. After she left, I am afraid that the Huangfu family also worked hard, and the back and forth turned into a secret rivalry between military officers and civilian officials.
After a while, Fang Zilan sighed softly and said: "No. What Master Fang taught me is that I didn't think well."
"Not thinking carefully." Fang Chongzheng repeated the word in a deep voice, his voice a little colder, "To this day, after traveling this far, Mr. Fang only feels that he is not thinking carefully?"
Hearing this, Fang Zilan felt frightened, as if a child who had done something wrong had been caught by his parents. But she still said calmly: "What do you want to tell me, Mr. Fang?"
Fang Chongzheng asked instead, "I dare to ask Mr. Fang. In your heart, do you think your responsibility will always be greater than the sky?"
Fang Zilan was stunned for a moment, and then said quietly: "Yes." Her voice was a little hoarse, revealing an indescribable heaviness, but she was extremely determined.
"Then do you know that this responsibility should belong to the emperor in the Qiankun Palace?" Fang Chongzheng said with a little solemnity in his tone, "You believe that the responsibility is eternal, but the Gongqing family believes that the power and interests are greater than the sky. Yours They cannot hold on to the threshold of their noble families, they cannot afford an inch of land to seal their households and grant them towns, and they cannot support the pillars of their grand palaces.”
Fang Zilan listened quietly, but she felt an unknown fire in her chest getting stronger and stronger.
She couldn't help but retort: "Master Fang lives high in the temple, and the way of being an official is beyond my comparison. But even so, I dare not agree with Master Fang's words."
She cleared her throat with a light cough and continued: "You should seek your own government in your position. The affairs of the world are not the emperor's business alone. If not, what is the use of hundreds of officials? What is the use of a family of public ministers? In a high position, Instead of taking the world as one's responsibility, one should take the world as one's body. If you stumble to this point, you will end up with nothing."
Fang Chongzheng was silent, but a familiar figure flashed in his heart.
When you were young, who didn’t worry about the world with passion and devoted yourself to life and death? But as time passes and the world changes, who will stick to the same situation?
After all, they are a family.
"Master Fang is young, so he must feel that what he has done is righteous and understandable." Fang Chongzheng spoke slowly, "But looking back many years later, it is just a temporary act of heroism. You are willing to die for the sake of the people in the North, but you Who can stand up and protect them after death? Life spans for decades, and the time is long, and the time is long, and it is not a decision made at a young age."
Fang Zilan suddenly chuckled, her voice full of sadness, "Master Fang is used to protecting himself, so why should he care about me, a young and frivolous junior who doesn't know the heights of heaven and earth? Although life is not a matter of seizing the day, there are always some things that need to be done by someone. I am a person who never looks back until death leads to death, so I am afraid that I will defeat Mr. Fang’s good intentions.”
"Master Fang, do you think there is anything in this world that you cannot do without?" Fang Chongzheng's tone became colder, and Fang Zilan's voice weakened, "There is nothing that cannot be done by anyone. It's just..."
She suddenly stopped talking and said after a while: "There are many things in this world that no one wants to do. I don't want these things to be looked at coldly and remain silent." As soon as she finished speaking, she felt funny.
Fang Chongzheng is right, she is indeed a strong hero.
But who can be the savior? She's not that arrogant yet.
Fang Chongzheng clenched his hands in his sleeves into fists, and the past reappeared like a revolving lantern.
He was powerless then, and he is helpless now.
He had been lonely because the Fang family could only protect themselves wisely, and he had also envied the determination to sacrifice his life to be the one who would forever strengthen the mountains and rivers. He was even more unwilling to accept that the Fang family was not strong enough to protect everyone in his family, country, and world.
Later, as he grew older, the hills and valleys in his chest were gradually polished into a smooth road. He thought that the loneliness, envy and unwillingness of his youth had disappeared over time.
However, until this moment, he suddenly realized that after so many years, no matter how calm he was, there was still a trace of regret that he couldn't suppress.
At the end, his expression was as indifferent as usual, and he said in a cold voice: "Since ancient times, no powerful general has died well. I hope Lord Fang will take care of himself."
A word as light as a feather, but an unspeakable warning, made Fang Zilan feel shaken.
No one ends well? How could she not know. But even if there is no way ahead, she will overcome all difficulties and dangers to find a way for herself.
If she were asked to retreat, she would not be willing to do so.
(End of chapter)
