Under One Person: Starting from the Inheritance of Gods

Chapter 412 Conferred the Title of Marquis of Champion, A Murderous Scheme at the Victory Banquet
Fan Xian has returned to Kyoto.

With the victory of this war between the two countries.

Meanwhile, undercurrents are swirling in Kyoto. Not long ago, the world advancement of the Juntian Realm led to a large number of martial artists advancing in rank.

According to information already gathered by various forces, many martial artists at the ninth rank have broken through to the Grandmaster realm.

The Southern Qing Dynasty includes Ye Zhong of the Ye family, Qin Ye of the Qin family, and others, while the Northern Qi Dynasty includes figures such as Shang Shanhu, Haitang Duoduo, and Lang Tao, as well as Yun Zhilan from the Si Gu Jianmen.

For a time, Grandmasters were no longer as common as before.

However, Hong Sixiang, due to his physical disability and lack of proper training, remained stuck at the ninth rank and failed to break through his original realm.

Yan Xiaoyi was killed by Fan Xian because of Princess Li Yunrui's transfer to the border. Fan Xian had already reported this to the emperor.

Li Yunrui harbored deep resentment over this; she was just a hair's breadth away from having a Grandmaster under her command!
The news of Fan Xian's breakthrough to Grandmaster level naturally did not escape Emperor Qing's notice. After all, Fan Xian broke through in front of everyone, and his status as a Grandmaster made Li Yunrui and others think twice before seeking revenge.

Meanwhile, Emperor Qing grew increasingly thoughtful, comparing the number of Grandmasters in Southern Qing and Northern Qi while secretly marking the factions that possessed Grandmasters.

I have no idea what they're planning.

It's nothing more than imperial tactics like winning over, controlling, weighing options, and setting traps.

Of course, Emperor Qing also noticed some of the changes in the world. Not to mention anything far away, just a hundred miles from the sea in Danzhou, a city wall that seemed to have no end suddenly rose up.

Northern Qi was also very anxious and hastily negotiated peace to end the war. They continued to send troops north, and such large-scale actions could not be hidden from the spies of the Surveillance Bureau in Northern Qi.

This left Emperor Qing somewhat bewildered.

During the time Fan Xian returned to the capital from the frontier, he continuously dispatched the Surveillance Bureau and his own spies to investigate and find the reason.

After that brief meeting in the Heavenly Dao Space, Chen Pingping naturally knew what was going on, but how could he possibly tell Emperor Qing?

On the surface, he still pretended to be loyal and devoted.

Didn't Emperor Qing order the Surveillance Bureau to investigate?
Okay, then I'll report the facts based on the information I've gathered. There's nothing to hide anyway.

Overall, only Emperor Qing was kept in the dark and unaware of the truth.

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

The spring sunshine shines on the city walls of Nanqing capital, gilding the bluish-gray bricks with a layer of gold.

Banners fluttered atop the city gate, and a large flag embroidered with the character "庆" (celebration) rustled in the breeze. Inside and outside the city gate, crowds thronged, with people lining both sides of the road, eagerly awaiting the arrival of the new city.

"I'm coming!"

A cheer suddenly erupted from the crowd.

On the distant horizon, a cavalry force slowly appeared. The general in the lead was clad in silver armor and rode a magnificent white horse. He was none other than Fan Xian, the Director of the Surveillance Bureau of Southern Qing and the Poet Immortal of Southern Qing, who was also the vanguard of the Northern Expeditionary Army.

Behind him stood the orderly ranks of the Southern Qing cavalry, their armor gleaming coldly in the sunlight.

Although the soldiers looked weathered, they were all in high spirits and stood up straight. In the middle of the column, several prison carts stood out, holding several important generals of the Northern Qi.

"Young Master Fan is mighty!"

Cheers surged like a tidal wave, with everyone from scholars and poets to ordinary people joining in. Many young and beautiful women also exchanged flirtatious glances and tossed sachets and hairpins, making it even more lively than a scholar's parade through the streets.

The war against Northern Qi lasted for several months and has now finally ended in a great victory for Southern Qing.

Fan Xian, mounted on his horse, had a calm expression, but also a hint of complexity and weariness. He gently raised his hand to greet the people, a gesture that drew an even more enthusiastic cheer.

The procession slowly passed through the city gate, and Fan Xian looked up at the gate above.

Months ago, when he left Kyoto, he also left through this gate, carrying the infamy of being despised by civil and military officials, as well as the title of "Poet Immortal," both dignified and disheveled.

The procession continued onward, passing through bustling streets and heading towards the palace.

The closer they got to the capital, the more officials and nobles lined the roads. Fan Xian saw many familiar faces: officials from the Six Ministries, representatives from various families, and even a few members of the imperial family.

"elder brother!"

"Fan Xian, Fan Xian!"

Suddenly, two voices came from the crowd. Fan Xian turned his head and saw Fan Ruoruo and Fan Sizhe waving at him frantically, with his father Fan Jian standing beside them.

Fan Jian, with a serious expression, gave Fan Xian a barely perceptible nod.

Fan Xian felt a warmth in his heart and was about to respond when he saw the commander of the Imperial Guards riding up ahead.

"Lord Fan, His Majesty has ordered me to come and guide you. Please follow me."

Fan Xian nodded, let out a long breath, then spurred his horse forward and followed the man.

In the square in front of the palace, civil and military officials were already lined up and waiting.

At the very front, Emperor Qing, dressed in a dragon robe, sat upright on his imperial carriage, with Crown Prince Li Chengqian, Second Prince Li Chengze, and Princess Li Yunrui standing to his side, each with a different expression.

Fan Xian dismounted and strode forward. When he was ten paces away from Emperor Qing, he cupped his hands in greeting and said, "Your subject Fan Xian greets Your Majesty. Thanks to Your Majesty's great fortune, I have returned victorious. I am here to report back. Please forgive me for not being able to perform the full ceremony due to my armor!"

His voice was clear and powerful, echoing in the square.

This time, he still did not kneel.

Or rather, the spine has actually straightened up a bit!

Emperor Qing was not annoyed by this. He slowly got up, stepped down from the imperial carriage, personally helped Fan Xian up, and patted him on the shoulder, saying, "Rise, my dear minister. You have made unparalleled contributions in this Northern Expedition, and I am very pleased."

Upon closer inspection, Fan Xian noticed that Emperor Qing looked older than before, with deeper wrinkles around his eyes, but his eyes remained sharp as an eagle's and even more profound.

"I dare not claim credit; it is all thanks to Your Majesty's wise decisions and the soldiers' bravery," Fan Xian replied casually.

Emperor Qing laughed heartily and patted Fan Xian on the shoulder: "You're too modest! Someone, announce the imperial decree!"

Eunuch Hou immediately stepped forward, unfurled the imperial edict, and loudly proclaimed: "By the grace of Heaven, the Emperor decrees: Fan Xian, the Supervisor of the Censorate, has rendered meritorious service in the Northern Expedition, and his bravery surpasses that of the three armies… He is hereby promoted to the rank of Marquis of Champion, and granted ten thousand taels of gold and a thousand acres of land…"

After the imperial edict was read, a chorus of exclamations arose in the square. A marquis who was not yet twenty years old and whose name was "champion" was truly rare in the history of Nanqing.

However, considering his status as a Grandmaster, he felt relieved and even somewhat accommodating. After all, a Grandmaster is transcendent and cannot be won over by a mere title.

Fan Xian bowed again to express his gratitude, but out of the corner of his eye he noticed that Crown Prince Li Chengqian's smile was somewhat stiff.

Although the Crown Prince quickly adjusted his expression and stepped forward to offer his warm congratulations, Fan Xian did not miss the momentary awkwardness he showed.

"Brother Fan has rendered a great service this time, which is truly a blessing for our Southern Qing!" The Crown Prince warmly took Fan Xian's hand. "There will be a banquet in the palace tonight, and I must drink a few cups with Brother Fan!"

"Your Highness is too kind. I am unworthy of such praise," Fan Xian replied.

Compared to the Crown Prince's feigned smile, the Second Prince's smile was much more genuine. However, the one who smiles the most genuinely is often the one who stabs the knife the hardest.

Emperor Qing seemed oblivious to the undercurrents between the three and waved for the ceremony to continue.

Next came the ceremony of presenting prisoners of war. The generals of Northern Qi were escorted forward and forced to kneel before Emperor Qing. Then came the rewarding of the three armies, with Emperor Qing personally awarding prizes to the meritorious soldiers.

The entire ceremony lasted for nearly two hours, ending only as the sun began to set.

"Fan Xian, come with me to the Imperial Study for a chat," Emperor Qing instructed before leaving.

Fan Xian felt a chill run down his spine and immediately dared not be negligent.

He followed Emperor Qing through numerous palace gates to the familiar imperial study. The furnishings remained unchanged, even the armor was still in its original place, though now bore more arrow wounds. Emperor Qing turned around and asked, "Fan Xian, I've only bestowed upon you the title of Marquis. Don't you feel wronged?"

Fan Xian's heart tightened, knowing that Emperor Qing was testing his attitude: "I am young and lack virtue, and I rely entirely on Your Majesty's cultivation. Moreover, my father is only the Marquis of Sinan. Both thunder and rain are the Emperor's grace, how could I feel wronged?"

"You do know how to talk."

Emperor Qing walked to his desk and picked up a memorial: "This is a memorial from the Censorate impeaching you, saying that you killed Yan Xiaoyi without authorization, causing my Qing Kingdom to lose a Grandmaster-level warrior..."

Their eyes met, and the air in the imperial study seemed to freeze.

After a long silence, Emperor Qing suddenly laughed: "However, I have suppressed this memorial. Yan Xiaoyi assassinated his own general, and his crime is naturally punishable by death. You not only have no crime in killing him, but you have also rendered meritorious service!"

He threw the memorial into the brazier, saying, "You'd better do well at tonight's victory banquet."

"Yes!"

Fan Xian bowed respectfully, his eyes flickering uncertainly.

-----

When we left the palace, it was already dusk.

Fan Xian refused the sedan chair arranged by the palace and chose to walk back to his residence.

After turning a corner, Fan Xian suddenly stopped: "Come out, you've been following me all this way."

A man in black emerged from the shadows; it was none other than Shadow, the head of the Sixth Division of the Censorate, who had returned from Dongyi City.

"good eyesight."

"What instructions did the Dean give?" Fan Xian asked directly.

Shadow whispered, "The dean said that delay could lead to unforeseen circumstances, so we'll make our move tonight!"

"tonight?!"

Fan Xian looked surprised.

The shadow explained, "If we give that person more time, they might break through to the Celestial Realm, which no one has ever touched before. That would be even more troublesome. So now is the best time to make a move."

"Everything has been arranged!"

Fan Xian nodded, indicating that he understood.

The shadow disappeared silently into the night.

Upon returning to the Fan residence, the gate was already decorated with lanterns and streamers. The steward and servants lined up to greet them, and Fan Jian and Fan Ruoruo also stood at the gate to wait.

"Father, your son has returned." Fan Xian bowed to Fan Jian.

Fan Jian rarely smiled: "It's good that you're back. Let's go inside and talk."

Hot water and clean clothes had already been prepared in the mansion. After bathing and changing, Fan Xian went to the study to have a private talk with his father.

"What was His Majesty's attitude today?" Fan Jian went straight to the point.

Fan Xian briefly recounted the conversation in the Imperial Study, then asked, "The Dean said that everything has been arranged?"

“That’s right. Including you, there are a total of five Grandmasters making a move at the same time. At that time, the Ye family and Prime Minister Lin, together with all the civil and military officials, will force His Majesty to abdicate.”

"What's the reason?"

Fan Jian closed his eyes in anguish and said, "Your mother, your mother's identity as a person of the temple, His Majesty has killed a goddess without authorization, his virtue is unworthy of his position, he hereby issues an edict of self-reproach and abdicates to a worthy successor!"

"Just to be on the safe side, you'd better inform Wuzhu as well."

"Including Uncle Wuzhu, that's six Grandmaster-level combatants. Why go to such lengths to deal with him?" Fan Xian asked, puzzled.

"Never underestimate His Majesty. He is always the one who hides the deepest secrets. He was already a Grandmaster before. With the world's advancement, it's hard to guarantee that he won't break through. It's best to be fully prepared."

Fan Xian nodded, and then followed Fan Jian's advice to inform Wu Zhu.

-----

As night fell, the palace was brightly lit.

The victory banquet was held in the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests, and all the important officials of the court and imperial relatives attended.

When Fan Xian, dressed in a marquis's robes, stepped into the hall, all eyes were on him.

"The champion has arrived!"

The eunuch called out the names in a loud voice, and Fan Xian stepped forward steadily, bowing to Emperor Qing, who sat high on the dragon throne, with a complicated expression.

"Your subject Fan Xian greets Your Majesty!"

Emperor Qing nodded in acknowledgment, and then Fan Xian, guided by his attendants, took his seat.

Inside the main hall, the sounds of string and wind instruments filled the air, and dancers moved gracefully.

Fan Xian picked up his wine cup and took a sip, but his gaze occasionally swept over the people in the hall. The Crown Prince and the Eldest Princess were whispering to each other, the Second Prince was watching the dance alone, Chen Pingping and Lin Ruofu were toasting each other, and Ye Liuyun was resting with his eyes closed.

It was perfectly normal, without the slightest hint of danger!
Like the calm before the storm.

As for Shadow and Ye Zhong, they are working together and are probably already switching and assassinating the palace guards.

Just as Fan Xian was distracted, Princess Li Yunrui suddenly stood up, picked up her wine cup, and walked to Fan Xian. She seemed intimate, but in reality, she was being sarcastic.

"I've long heard of Xian'er's outstanding poetic talent, and now he has made great contributions in battle. He is truly a pillar of our Nanqing."

Li Yunrui smiled, but her eyes flashed with a cold light. "Come, let me toast you."

Fan Xian stood up, took the wine cup, and the faint fragrance of Li Yunrui wafted towards him, but Fan Xian remained unfazed. "Your Highness is too kind. I am unworthy of such praise."

Their eyes met, and Li Yunrui lowered her voice and said, "I have taken note of Yan Xiaoyi's matter."

Fan Xian remained unfazed, tilting his head back to finish the wine in his cup: "I am merely sharing Your Majesty's burdens. If Your Highness has any dissatisfaction, you may speak frankly to Your Majesty."

A fierce glint flashed in Li Yunrui's eyes. Just as he was about to speak again, Emperor Qing suddenly said, "The matter of Yan Xiaoyi has already been settled. There's no need to mention it again!"

Li Yunrui had no choice but to leave, giving Fan Xian a meaningful look before departing.

"Thank you, Your Majesty, for your help!"

Fan Xian looked at Emperor Qing with a complicated expression.

Emperor Qing glanced at Lin Ruofu and then said, "Fan Xian, you're not young anymore. After you return this time, choose a date to marry Lin Wan'er!"

"Prime Minister Lin, what do you think of the son-in-law I've chosen for you?"

Lin Ruofu immediately stood up, picked up his wine cup, and said with a smile, "I am extremely satisfied!"

"Your Majesty has chosen such a fine son-in-law for me. I toast Your Majesty with a cup of wine!"

At the same time, Fan Xian caught a glimpse of Chen Pingping leaning slightly forward in his wheelchair, his thin fingers resting on the armrests.

Ye Liuyun, however, had opened his eyes at some point.

(End of this chapter)