In the afternoon, Fan Zehao received an order from Prince Xian to go to Prince Xian's mansion to discuss matters regarding the reception of ministers from the Zongsheng Kingdom.
They lived on the same West Street, not far apart, and it only took a quarter of an hour to get there by fast horse.
Prince Xian's mansion study.
Wearing a dark purple brocade robe and a jade crown, with skin like congealed fat and eyebrows that possessed a feminine softness, he lacked any manly aura, which made Fan Zehao feel quite uncomfortable.
Fan Zehao cupped his hands and said, "This minister greets Prince Xian!"
Huangfu Xian smiled and waved his hand, his face as warm as a spring breeze in March, "Rise, please be seated."
After seeing him sit down, Fan Shurong served two cups of tea.
"Brother, please have some tea!"
Fan Zehao glanced up at him, his stern face expressionless, and said stiffly, "Don't pretend to be related, I don't know you!"
Huangfu Xian watched the two of them with a smile, a glint flashing in his eyes before quickly disappearing. He sat quietly drinking tea, listening to their conversation.
Fan Shurong was not at all angered by his cold words; instead, he chatted with him even more enthusiastically.
"Brother is still so unapproachable. What happened before was a misunderstanding, why dwell on it so much? Moreover, Grandfather often misses you and thinks of you dearly. If you have time, go back and see him. After all, he is your own grandfather and an elder!"
Own grandfather?
Elder?
Fan Zehao's sharp eyes, like those of an eagle, stared at him, and he sneered, "Which grandfather doesn't care if his grandson lives or dies? Which grandfather only knows how to oppress and extort his grandson's food? Which grandfather forces his grandson to leave the clan? And which grandfather wants to dig up his own son's grave?"
He turned to Huangfu Xian, "Prince Xian, tell me, would Your Highness recognize such a person, who always wishes you dead and always wants to seize your property?"
"This... perhaps it's a misunderstanding, or perhaps the elder was incited and acted this way towards you. However, harmony within the family brings prosperity. From my perspective, you should be magnanimous and not let the relationship become so strained!"
A peacemaker, a smiling tiger, skilled at saying pleasant things.
If he were to hit you, would you still smile and offer your face, saying "Hit me well? Hit me a few more times?"
Someone like this, and he was expected to forgive?
"Forgive them? I'd rather die!" Fan Zehao snorted coldly.
The atmosphere in the study immediately became tense.
Huangfu Xian felt his face heat up. Fan Zehao had publicly embarrassed him, speaking so directly without leaving any room for maneuver, which was truly mortifying.
He put down his teacup and waved at Fan Shurong, signaling him to leave. Only then did the two of them begin to discuss the reception of the envoys from the surrendered kingdom.
Most of the time, Prince Xian spoke, and Fan Zehao nodded.
The prince expressed many opinions, his throat becoming dry, yet he couldn't get a complete sentence out of Fan Zehao. He frowned and asked, "Does General have any thoughts on this arrangement of mine?"
Fan Zehao glanced at him, pondered for a moment, and shook his head, "No!"
No?
Yet, he saw General Fan appearing to want to speak but holding back, not looking like he had no opinions.
This made him somewhat displeased, "General Fan was appointed by Father to assist me. Please speak freely, there's no need to be hesitant."
Since the prince had said so, Fan Zehao no longer needed to worry about his feelings and immediately pointed out the inappropriate aspects.
"For a surrendered kingdom, there's no need for the highest level of reception. It's too much honor for Your Highness to greet them outside the city. It would suffice for the Minister of Rites to do the welcoming. Your Highness could simply make an appearance at the welcoming banquet. This would give them face without diminishing our own status!"
His sharp words truly left Prince Xian speechless!
He might have spoken inappropriately, which would be a spectacle for the foreign envoys.
But the Zongsheng Kingdom was coming to surrender, so they were already at a disadvantage. Giving them too much face would indeed feel like diminishing their own status and could create a misleading impression.
However, hearing these words from a farmer made Prince Xian feel awkward, as if he were inferior to him.
He frowned, "It is true that the Zongsheng Kingdom is a surrendered nation, offers tribute, and seeks to be affiliated with our country. However, we are a great nation and must possess the demeanor of a great nation; we cannot stoop to their level."
Fan Zehao lowered his head and glanced at him, silently rolling his eyes. A defeated nation, and they were to be treated like treasures?
Forget it, he was a prince, and Fan Zehao was just a general!
Having proposed his view, he had expected General Fan to offer a different opinion, but in the end, he waited in vain.
So, he proactively asked again, "Does General Fan think what I said is correct?"
"Correct!"
Without question, without hesitation, he replied to Huangfu Xian very decisively.
"You..." The prince lost heart and simply waved his hand, "You may withdraw."
Talking to him could shave ten years off his life. Huangfu Xian decided not to discuss it further with him.
Fan Zehao was obedient and turned to leave.
Fan Shurong, who was waiting outside, entered the study after seeing him leave, "Your Highness!"
"Hmm, he pointed out that this reception is not in accordance with the rules!"
Fan Shurong looked at the papers on the table, a sneer curling his lips, and said, "Fan Zehao is just a brute. Besides a few martial arts skills and hunting, he's completely clueless about other matters. Asking him is like playing a lute to a cow."
"Receiving them with high-level etiquette is to showcase our nation's grandeur and to demonstrate our strength to the Zongsheng Kingdom. I suspect General Fan is intentionally trying to embarrass you in front of the foreign envoys. After all, we are a land of etiquette; doing something petty would imply that Prince Xian lacks the magnanimity of the Crown Prince."
With Fan Shurong's few words, he managed to incite Huangfu Xian into believing that Fan Zehao harbored such intentions.
When they were in the military camp, the Crown Prince had been very close to him, so close that they could share a pair of trousers.
He threw down the silk handkerchief in his hand and snorted, "I will go to the palace now and report the situation to Father, letting Father decide!"
He refused to believe that he, a dignified prince, could be suppressed by a mere brute.
Huangfu Xian hurried into the palace, while Fan Zehao, on the street, encountered a peddler. He thought the toys were good and bought them, having no idea if the children could even play with them.
He tucked the toys under his arm and happily rode home.
Li Chuang saw him return and stepped forward to take the items, tactfully saying, "Xudong drank a bit too much and is currently having a drunken tantrum with sister-in-law..."
He stopped, his eyebrows raised, "Hmm? Having a drunken tantrum with my wife? This kid's skin is getting itchy again."
The steward lowered his eyes. Indeed, his skin was itchy, and he was currently being dealt with by his sister-in-law.
As he stepped into the courtyard, he heard Fan Xudong's howling cries.
On the other side, Zhao Jiaqi was whipping him with ten twisted willow branches, "A grown man, when unhappy, runs off to drink at a brothel? I see you've gotten bold. If I don't beat you, you won't know your place, nor will you know how much money you have!"
Running to a brothel in broad daylight was enough to infuriate her. She dared not use a leather whip, and these willow branches wouldn't break him.
She couldn't vent her anger, and she couldn't bear to think of the more than five hundred taels of silver she had spent.