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“It is an honor to meet you, Commissioner Fan.” Fan Xian’s contemplative silence was broken by Lin Wen, the Qing diplomat to Northern Qi.

Fan Xian withdrew his gaze from the mottled city walls. “In this country, it’s best to call me Envoy Fan.”

Lin Wen was slightly surprised. He had been stationed for a long time in a faraway foreign country, so he wasn’t sure of the particulars of what went on in the capital, but he knew that this Commissioner Fan was a favorite of the palace. He hadn’t expected his first greeting to be rebuffed like that. Looking at the young man’s face, he couldn’t help but presume he was coasting on favors from his father and the Emperor. He felt some concern at his arrogance.

Lin Jing, the vice-envoy with the diplomatic mission, smiled. “Master Fan meant that as this is a peaceful visit, it is best not to mention his position in the Overwatch Council, so as not to upset our counterparts.”

Finally understanding, Lin Wen smiled. “As Master Fan commands.”

Fan Xian turned his head to look at the resident official. He looked an upright sort, but there was something familiar about him that made him feel vaguely distrustful. Lin Jing laughed. “Master Lin Wen is an older cousin on my father’s side.”

Fan Xian laughed at his realization. “Is that so? It appears officialdom is your family trade. With the two of you on our side, I’m sure things will go fine.”

The three men managed to quiet down just in time as a Northern Qi official walked past them. They changed their conversation topic to the marks and ant trails along the city wall until the official had passed. Lin Wen seemed to have a sudden realization. “Has Brother Wei Hua come with you today?”

Fan Xian turned around, looking at the Northern Qi official whose name was Wei Hua. He smiled, finding it inconvenient to say anything.

Wei Hua cupped his hands in salute. He seemed to be quite familiar with Lin Wen, and scolded him jokingly. “If it weren’t for having to receive your diplomatic mission, I’d probably be enjoying myself at the Lixiang Courtyard right now instead.”

Fan Xian was amused. This fellow reminded him of Li Hongcheng. Both had the gift of gab.

Lin Wen hurriedly introduced him to Fan Xian. “This is Wei Hua, vice-minister of the Office of the Grand Herald of Northern Qi.” Then he turned to Wei Hua to make the same introduction. “This is...”

Unexpectedly, Wei Hua gave a strange smile and waved his hand dismissively. “Master Fan is famous throughout the land, Brother Lin. There’s no need to introduce him.”

Fan Xian, somewhat taken aback, cupped his hands in salute. “You are too kind, sir.”

“And you are too modest, Master Fan.” Wei Hua had delicate features, but there was a hint of wildness in his eyes. He seemed more like a madman than a bureaucrat. “A magnificent immortal of poetry and a commissioner of the Overwatch Council to boot. Perhaps next year you will take over the palace treasury of Qing. Before you set out on your diplomatic mission, you uncovered a scandal in the imperial exams, and 17 officials lost their jobs. And now... you are here in Northern Qi.”

He laughed. “I’m not sure as to what the Emperor of Qing was thinking. Someone as important as Master Fan should really be kept in the capital. Why put him through the torment of coming all the way to Qi? ...Suppose you were to catch a chill on your journey – then what would be done?”

Fan Xian could hear the faint hint of menace in his words, but paid no attention to it. He smiled. “You really think I’m that fragile?”

Wei Hua noticed that this famous young official seemed to have taken an interest in Shangjing’s city walls, and he could not help but feel some pride. “This city was built 300 years ago, and it has never once been taken by invaders. Isn’t that just incredible, Master Fan? I don’t know if you have anything like them in the capital in Qing.”

Fan Xian smiled. “Incredible indeed. But they seem rather old. I imagine they could use some repairs.”

The two traded hidden barbs in their words while the others remained silent. After a while, Wei Hua spoke calmly. “Master Fan, you have come far. Allow me the honor of playing host once your official business has concluded.”

Fan Xian looked at him. There was a faint hostility hidden behind this man’s words, and yet it had not reached the stage of outright hatred. Why? He couldn’t help but feel curious. He had never met this man before; what could he have done to offend him so?

At that moment, by their side, Lin Wen laughed. “I must tell you, Envoy Fan, Master Wei Hua is the son of Marquis Ning, who was part of the delegation who visited Qing last year. Envoy Fan was drinking with the Marquis at a banquet last year and the old man could not hold his liquor. After he came back, he told us all about the formidable young man who had appeared in the south. He said that not only were you a fine poet, you were also an accomplished drinker. Master Wei Hua has heard a lot about you, and naturally he wants to put you to the test.”

“I see.” Fan Xian forced a smile and looked at Master Wei once more. He could indeed see some resemblance between him and Marquis Ning. Last year, he had been vice-envoy receiving the Northern Qi diplomatic mission, and had had some dealings with Marquis Ning. Later on in the banquet hall, he had drunk quite a lot, and the Marquis had attempted to join him. He couldn’t help but mumble and cup his hands in salute. “Brother Wei, should you wish to avenge your father, then I’m afraid you may have to wait a few days. Otherwise my drinking might affect matters between our two nations, and that would not be an easy thing to explain to His Majesty.”

They all laughed, and the matter was postponed to a later date.

Shangjing was a bustling city, and though its streets were not wide, the roadsides were lined with taverns and eateries. The walls were lined with light-green tiles which set off with the tall trees. It was a beautiful scene, and the people strolling along the street wore gentle smiles on their faces, filled with confidence and pride. This did not seem like a defeated nation at all.

Accompanied by Wei Hua, the diplomatic mission made its way toward the west side of the city. Arrangements had been made for the party to stay in property owned by the royal family behind the Office of the Grand Herald. From these arrangements it was clear that the royal family of Northern Qi wished to honor the diplomatic mission appropriately.

As they travelled, Fan Xian chatted with Wei Hua, and found that he knew quite a fair amount about the Qing bureaucracy. Not only could he name a number of influential figures, but from his words, it seemed that he even knew Crown Prince Jing personally. This surprised Fan Xian somewhat. The capitals of both countries were so distant from each other; he didn’t imagine they could get to know each other so well.

From their chat, Fan Xian also gained a vague knowledge of the current political situation in Northern Qi. Of course, before reaching the north, he had pored over countless documents in the Overwatch Council, and knew that things were not as warm and affable in the Northern Qi royal court as Wei Hua suggested.

The Empress Dowager of Northern Qi was only in her late thirties, and was still young. The young Emperor had not been long on the throne, and had no way of assuming complete control of the political situation. The Emperor’s faction and the Empress Dowager’s faction had their own power in court, and were pursuing a silent struggle against each other. Had it not been for Northern Qi’s utter defeat the previous year, which had temporarily suppressed their conflict, perhaps Shangjing would have already erupted into all-out war.

Shang Shanhu was a general of the north, and for this reason, he had been transferred back to Shangjing.

“I’ve heard that Shang Shanhu is quite a hero,” said Fan Xian, feigning ignorance. “When you have time, Brother Wei, you must take me to pay my respects to him.”

Wei Hua was puzzled. “You have an interest in General Shang Shanhu, Master Fan?”

“Though I am not some weak and sickly scholar, I have always admired those heroes who resist the barbarians.” Fan Xian smiled warmly.

There was an odd look on Wei Hua’s face, as if he did not want to speak any more of Shang Shanhu. Seeing the look in his eyes, Fan Xian did not bring it up again, and simply smiled.

The diplomatic mission reached the courtyard where their lodgings were arranged for them. After a flurry of activity, everything was sorted. As a vice-minister of the Office of the Grand Herald, Wei Hua had naturally arranged their evening meals. At the banquet table, he tried to sound out Fan Xian’s ability to handle his liquor, and found that the young official drank wine like it was water. He couldn’t help but feel some apprehension, and immediately reconsidered his idea of avenging his father in drinking.

The dinner guests dispersed, and the only ones left in the courtyard were members of the diplomatic mission. The Northern Qi guards stood respectfully on guard outside the door, leaving the diplomatic mission to their own affairs.

There were five people in the room: Fan Xian, the cousins Lin Wen and Lin Jing, Gao Da, and Wang Qinian.

Fan Xian shut his eyes for a long time, ensuring that no one around them was listening, and then finally spoke, his voice quiet. “We are in the heart of an enemy state. Everything we do must be with the utmost care.”

Lin Wen and Lin Jing kept quiet, nodding slightly. But Lin Wen, seeing that Wang Qinian and Gao Da seemed to be Commissioner Fan’s trusted advisors, and that they perhaps did not understand recent developments in Northern Qi, after muttering to himself, finally spoke. He wanted to explain the latest situation in Shangjing to Fan Xian.

“Shang Shanhu’s position has no real power or responsibilities?” Fan Xian frowned. This wasn’t how he’d thought it to be before. The Overwatch Council had presumed that Northern Qi’s most capable high-ranking military officer, since he had been transferred south from the frozen wastes, had to have been there to cope with Qing’s overbearing military offensive. How could it be a sinecure?

“Supreme General of Huaiyuan sounds nice as a title, but he only commands about a hundred personal soldiers here in Shangjing. Here in Shangjing there is the Shangjing garrison, the three high commanders, the General of Fast Cavalry... Although the Supreme General of Huaiyuan is a venerated position, he hardly commands any troops. Even if Shang Shanhu is lauded as an exceptional hero, all he does is have meetings with the Emperor and embrace his concubines.” There was a hint of mockery in Lin Wen’s voice. “A tiger raised in a cage may be mighty, but all he can do is scare people and nothing more.”

Fan Xian gently drummed on the table, shaking his head in bewilderment. “Just what is going on? Bringing someone like that back to the capital and not letting him out to fight? Just keeping him here instead? Does Northern Qi have money they felt needed spending?”

Lin Wen sighed. “The Emperor and the Empress Dowager are competing against each other. They both want Shang Shanhu’s support, but they both fear that he’ll go over to the other side, so for now they just keep him here. But Shang Shanhu is highly vaunted within the military. Even if he only has a hundred soldiers under his command here, no one would dare look down on him.”

Fan Xian shook his head and sighed. “No wonder there were only a few soldiers at Wuduhe. It struck me as odd, considering how it was so important to help Xiao En escape, that Shang Shanhu would be so neglectful.”

Lin Wen was stunned. He had no idea what had happened to the diplomatic mission on their journey. Lin Jing hurriedly took him to one side and quietly filled him in. He was taken aback, but seeing that Fan Xian seemingly had not come to harm, he relaxed slightly. “What is Shang Shanhu’s connection to Xiao En?”

Fan Xian was quiet for a long while before he finally spoke. “If the Council’s judgment is correct, Shang Shanhu is an orphan who was adopted by Xiao En.”