Fan Changshu must have been quite handsome to have given birth to a daughter as beautiful as Fan Ziruo.
He was a handsome man who was quite famous in the Qi army back then.
However, Meng Qingqian's frequent visits lately have put him under a lot of pressure, making him look haggard, and his hair has mostly turned gray. A middle-aged man nearing fifty looks like he's in his sixties.
If it were just the request to come out of seclusion, Fan Changshu could resist it, but Meng Qingqian's other request put him in an extremely difficult position.
Regarding the matter of bringing Fan Ziruo into the palace to become empress.
Rationally speaking, Fan Changshu no longer wanted to touch imperial power, and even less did he want his beloved daughter, Fan Ziruo, to suffer mistreatment in the palace. However, if Meng Qingqian obtained an imperial decree from the Empress Dowager granting the marriage, then Fan Ziruo's entry into the palace would become a foregone conclusion.
If he agrees to come out of seclusion, he will gain Meng Qingqian's protection and can negotiate to prevent Fan Ziruo from entering the palace, but this would mean sacrificing Chu Fan. If he refuses to come out of seclusion, he can save Chu Fan's life, but he will sacrifice his beloved daughter.
"well."
Fan Changshu stood by the pond in the Fan family garden, sighing deeply.
"What troubles the general? Can Xiaoyue help you relieve your worries?"
Meng Qingqian was still dressed as a man. She walked to Fan Changshu's side with her hands behind her back and looked at the pond with him.
Her bodyguard, Jian Ling, followed not far behind, carrying several novels in one hand and a wooden box containing folded documents in the other. They maintained a distance that was neither too close nor too far.
Upon seeing that it was Meng Qingqian, Fan Changshu quickly cupped his hands in greeting and said, "This humble subject, Fan Changshu, greets Your Highness, the Princess."
Meng Qingqian maintained a smile throughout, "General, please rise. Didn't Xiaoyue say that General doesn't need to make such a grand gesture? We meet often, and it would be too formal for you to do this every time."
Fan Changshu smiled wryly and did not refute.
However, he did not miss any of the proper courtesies he was supposed to show to Meng Qingqian.
...
After slipping out of Sister Du's room, He Yunxiao figured it was about time, so he took the handkerchief he needed for his deal with the antidote girl and went to a secluded hut in the academy's garden.
The small house was empty, but the lights were on as usual.
However, unlike last time, the table in the room was now empty of paper, but instead had an inkstone and a writing brush. Both the inkstone and the writing brush were decorated with imperial gold patterns, making them clearly items from the palace.
He Yunxiao knew that the girl who produced the antidote was Meng Qingqian's trusted subordinate, so it wasn't surprising that she used items from the palace. He didn't think much of it. The ink on the inkstone was still wet, so He Yunxiao guessed that the antidote had left not long ago and went out of the small house to wait for her.
Less than fifteen minutes passed, and there was no sign that the girl who knew medicine was coming back.
He Yunxiao's first reaction was that he had been stood up.
In his past life, being a pigeon fan was a very common thing.
Whether it's writing novels or making videos, it's all too common to be absent for more than three days. Some video creators even write novels on the side, and they simply use that name.
But judging from how much the girl who gave him the antidote valued the handkerchief, He Yunxiao didn't think she would stand him up.
After waiting a while, He Yunxiao, having nothing to do, began to wander around the small house.
As long as you don't go too far, you can hear sounds from near the hut, and even if the antidote girl returns to the hut, you can rush there immediately.
He Yunxiao wandered to a nearby place and vaguely heard voices, which seemed to be the sound of the antidote.
He Yunxiao didn't foolishly take a detour to see it; instead, he used his lightness skill to jump onto a tree and survey the surrounding mountains.
The antidote was indeed found by the pond.
Who else but a beautiful girl would insist on wearing men's clothes?
There's a grumpy old man next to the antidote?
Fan Yu?
That's not right.
Fan Yu is only forty years old, so this old man must be at least sixty, right?
system!
Then He Yunxiao turned his gaze in that direction.
Name: Li Qingmeng
Name: Not recorded
It turns out he was just a nobody who didn't even deserve a name.
It doesn't matter if he's a nobody; he's not the father-in-law you'll be proposing to later.
Since it didn't matter, He Yunxiao didn't intend to put on any gentlemanly act. He didn't plan to win over the antidote girl, so it didn't matter whether her favorability rating rose or fell. That old geezer wasn't important either, and he didn't need to care about his opinion.
He Yunxiao pushed off with his feet, using the branches for leverage, and unleashed his unparalleled lightness skill, flying directly towards the location of the antidote girl like a gliding swift.
"Miss Li!"
He Yunxiao shouted as he flew.
The sudden sound startled Meng Qingqian. Upon seeing He Yunxiao, her first reaction was not to hide, but to quickly say to Fan Changshu, "General, please go first."
Fan Changshu has to leave; if he doesn't, "Meng Qingqian" and "Li Qingmeng" will have to get in touch.
When Fan Changshu saw that He Yunxiao had arrived quickly and heard Princess Xiaoyue tell him to leave first, he naturally assumed that He Yunxiao was an assassin and that the Princess was in danger.
Even though he had retired from the military, Fan Changshu, as a citizen of Qi, naturally couldn't stand idly by and watch Meng Qingqian be murdered. His reluctance to return to service wasn't due to a lack of recognition of Meng Qingqian's abilities; on the contrary, her governing prowess was known throughout the country. Without her, Qi would have been ruled by Han.
Fan Changshu once again displayed his general's demeanor, stepping forward to stand between He Yunxiao and Meng Qingqian, saying, "Your Highness, please go first!"
When Meng Qingqian heard Fan Changshu call her "Your Highness," she immediately panicked. If he called her "Your Highness" a couple more times, she would definitely be exposed!
She quickly said, "Listen to me, you go first!"
Fan Changshu remained unmoved. "Your Highness, please go first. This humble subject will cover your retreat."
Unable to dissuade her, Meng Qingqian couldn't help but push Fan Changshu. But Fan Changshu was determined, so he grabbed Meng Qingqian's arm and tried to throw her out.
He Yunxiao witnessed the entire scene of the two pushing and shoving each other.
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