Chapter 373

Gu Xixi, He Jinglan hurriedly helped (someone) up, "What are you doing? Get up quickly!"

Lv Jing, however, insisted on staying still, "If not for the help of several people, I probably couldn't have lived to see this day."

Please, benefactors, accept these three bows from Lv Jing!

Several people exchanged glances, stood straight, and accepted the grand bow of thanks.

Lv Jing's sincerity was genuine; they too should respond earnestly.

Fan Manor.

Upon hearing that the Capital Prefecture had closed the case, the Fan family's expressions all eased.

However, when the servant said that Fan Dongping had been sentenced to immediate execution, the execution was then postponed.

Grand Secretary Fan suddenly gripped the chair's armrest, "Immediate execution and yet not executed?"

"The prefect said, before not executing, did anything special happen? Did you see it?!"

The servant shook his head: "No, I went late and really couldn't squeeze in."

"The front was packed with people; I couldn't see inside at all, only heard these."

Grand Secretary Fan's body swayed, on the verge of collapsing; in that instant he seemed even older.

"Something's off."

"Hurry and prepare the carriage; I must go to the palace at once to see His Majesty!"

The Fan household grew tense; some called for servants, others supported Grand Secretary Fan as they walked out.

Just as they reached the front courtyard, they saw the butler come running over in a panic.

"Grand Secretary, many Golden Warrior Guards have come outside, surrounding our residence so tightly not even wind can get through."

"And also, there are people from the Ministry of Punishments."

"I fear they come with ill intent!"

Grand Secretary Fan's eyes widened, and his whole body went limp.

……

These past few days, the capital's teahouses and taverns have been bustling.

Everyone has endless fresh topics to discuss.

The spring examinations posted results, the Top Scholar paraded the streets, the Capital Prefecture opened a trial for the orphan girl's grievance case, Grand Secretary Fan's home was raided and the whole family imprisoned……

The day after the Capital Prefecture pronounced its verdict, at noon, Fan Dongping was publicly executed.

Another day passed, the emperor issued an edict: the Fan family was to be exterminated to the third degree for treason; other male relatives within the nine clans were exiled to Lingnan, and the women were reduced to commoner status.

Everything happened too quickly.

Once mighty and unshakable, the Fan household collapsed, as if in the blink of an eye.

Someone who went to see Fan Dongping's beheading said, "I remember he was beaten on the board in the hall, shouting loudly, yet at the moment of death he made not a sound—truly a man."

The person beside him gave a meaningless laugh: "What man? I heard he just couldn't call out."

Saying this, he pointed to his own throat.

The surrounding listeners suddenly understood.

There are many ways to prevent a person from making a sound.

As for why he was made unable to speak……

Thinking of Fan Dongping's surname and the Fan family's fate……

The common folk each harbored their own suspicions.

Some of these could be spoken aloud, but many more could only be hinted at obliquely.

They tacitly chatted about it, which actually added to the fun of investigation.

Gu Xixi and He Jinglan stood on the second floor of the sugar‑water shop, listening to the discussion next door.

He Jinglan lifted her hand to pull the window shut, saying, "I never imagined the Fan family harbored such ambition."

"Even being the highest subject isn't enough; they wanted to be the hidden ruler of the world."

Gu Xixi said, "To bring about their ruin, one must first drive them mad."

"That's why we could uproot them so swiftly."

He Jinglan sighed, "Indeed, it's utterly mad."

"They raised the imperial bloodline as a bastard son, making him rely on the Fan family in his heart."

"At the same time, fearing he'd be hard to control, they taught him nothing, leaving him foolish and arrogant."

"Back then, Grand Secretary Fan left this move; perhaps he never imagined it would actually be used."

"In the end the pawn did play its part, but it was used by Mu Nan Zhao, becoming a death‑dealing charm for the entire Fan family."

Grand Secretary Fan had not actually rebelled, at least for now.

But he had secretly sheltered the son of a traitorous prince, plotting to one day help him ascend.

From the new emperor's standpoint, that intention alone merits death, an unpardonable sin.

This presented the perfect opportunity to pull out that thorn in his eye.

Gu Xixi said, "At last this matter is settled."

"The new magistrate of Nan Yi Xian has taken office; Lv Jing has returned home and reclaimed her family's Cha Yuan, so she can now live in peace."

He Jinglan nodded, "She should already be home by now."

"Tomorrow's flower‑viewing banquet, the day after the shop opens—unfortunately those dates were set long ago, so we can't wait to invite her."

Nan Yi Xian has too many matters awaiting Lv Jing.

Her father's corpse has been found; all that remains is for the filial daughter to return home to properly bury him and lay him to rest.

With the great enemy vanquished, we must hold rites to console the spirits of the two elders in heaven.

Then they also have to cooperate with the new County Office for registration and verification, and reclaim the property.

These cannot be delayed.

He Jinghui said that the newly appointed magistrate of Nan Yi Xian is honest and diligent in handling affairs, and will be a good official.

So after Fan Dongping is executed and the Fan family falls, Gu Xixi immediately arranges for Lv Jing to return home.

This time there's no need to worry about her safety.

I just don't know when we'll meet again after this parting.

That night, at the Regent Prince's Manor.

He Jinghui had just finished reporting on the progress of the locust eradication efforts in various places.

The facts show that Gu Xixi is still too modest.

Using the medicine she prepared, the number of locusts hatched is thirty percent less than originally expected.

The Ministry of Revenue has urged localities to release chickens, ducks, geese, and frogs, and initial results are already visible.

At this pace, as long as no one sabotages the effort midway, we will surely eradicate the locust plague before the Start of Summer.

He Jinghui leaned back comfortably in his chair and sighed, 'This time we really owe it to Boss Gu.'

'All my running around these past days hasn't been in vain.'

'I consider this a debt I owe her; if she ever needs anything, I will certainly repay her.'

Mu Nan Zhao said lightly, 'No need to paint pies in front of me.'

He Jinghui glared and said, 'I was just speaking offhand; if it's something important, I will definitely say it to Boss Gu's face.'

Tomorrow at the morning court, the Ministry of Revenue will submit a memorial to report on the locust eradication progress.

So after He Jinghui just returned to the capital in the evening, dusty and weary, he went straight to the Regent Prince's Manor.

He only wanted to give Mu Nan Zhao a heads‑up in advance.

If those senior officials who oppose the locust eradication cause trouble again tomorrow morning, how should we block their ill intentions altogether?

An hour later.

He Jinghui filled his stomach in the prince's study, then finished writing the memorial to be presented tomorrow.

He felt satisfied and relieved, as if a weight had been lifted, and said, 'At last I can catch my breath.'

'After tomorrow's morning court, I'll go home and sleep to my heart's content.'

Mu Nan Zhao glanced sideways and said, 'Isn't tomorrow the flower‑viewing banquet at the He Manor?'

He Jinghui started and said, 'I've been so busy lately I've forgotten all about it.'

'You, the instigator, had better compensate me more later!'

He laughed, 'The flower‑viewing banquet…'

'Flower viewing? Hmm…'

He Jinghui frowned, feeling as if he had forgotten something, but couldn't recall what.

'Flowers…'

He suddenly stared blankly, stiffly turned to Mu Nan Zhao, and exclaimed, 'Apricot blossoms! How could I have forgotten the apricot blossoms!'

Mu Nan Zhao replied offhand, 'What apricot blossoms?'

He Jinghui lunged forward and shouted, 'Apricot blossoms! Jiang Mingyuan gave his top scholar's hairpin flower to Gu Xixi!'

Mu Nan Zhao's brush slipped from his hand onto the paper, spreading a large blot of ink.

He stared at He Jinghui, furious yet still managing a smile.

'All the apricot blossoms in the capital have withered, and only now do you remember?'

He Jinghui felt guilty and asked, 'You don't know?'

Mu Nan Zhao's smile deepened, and he said, 'Should I be expected to know?'