Chapter 181 Dining out
Si Lili didn't move, but the eight sedan bearers had no intention of surrendering. They pulled Si Lili up and protected her as they ran towards the intersection.
Wang Qinian sneered.
"Where are you running to, really?"
After saying that, he stood up and waved his hand heroically.
"Surround them all and kill them!"
As soon as he finished speaking, a large number of people from the Supervisory Council holding swords appeared at the intersection, blocked the entire intersection, and gradually advanced inward.
The eight sedan bearers protected Si Lili and they could only retreat. It was not that some of them knew how to perform Qinggong, but Si Lili didn't, and there were two people guarding on the wall.
The nine people soon met up with the driver at the corner and were unable to move.
The driver was also helpless. The alley was narrow and it was difficult to turn around. He originally wanted to wait for Si Lili to leave so he could follow her out from this intersection.
As a result, when he heard the noise over there, he immediately wanted to command the carriage to retreat. It did retreat, but at a very slow speed, and was surrounded as soon as it reached the intersection.
Ten people are considered complete.
Si Lili stood in the crowd and looked at Fan Xian.
"You knew I was in the car and let me go on purpose, just for now?"
Fan Xian laughed.
"Yes."
Si Lili was very depressed and her face looked a little pale.
"The person next to you clearly checked it and said there was no problem. How can you be sure that I was in the car?"
Fan Xian laughed.
"It's already this late. What's the point of you worrying about this? If you really want to know, I can tell you, but you have to wait until later when I can talk to you alone."
Upon hearing this, Si Lili's face turned even paler and she kept silent. There was only bitterness in her heart. Yes, she was about to be caught, and there was no point in worrying about how she was caught.
The people from the Supervisory Council surrounded a few people and were slow to take action. Just when Fan Xian felt strange, a group of people quietly made way for them, and Zhu Ge and Yan Ruohai slowly walked in from outside.
Yan Ruohai followed over on the pretext of having nothing to do and wanting to watch the fun.
Fan Xian saw that the two men did not move and were still squatting, while Wang Qinian quickly stood up and bowed to them.
The two of them reached the front, Yan Ruohai glanced at Si Lili and asked Zhu Ge.
"Is this the courtesan Si Lili from Zuixianju?"
Zhuge glanced at him, hummed, and looked at Si Lili.
"Your plan of getting away was brilliant. It even fooled me."
Si Lili said expressionlessly.
"What's the use? I'm still blocked here by you guys."
Zhuge said.
"It's good for you to know. Do you think there is any need for you guys to resist right now? I don't care. If you think it's necessary, then I don't mind killing a few more."
Si Lili glanced at her companions and saw determination in their eyes. She shook her head at them and said to Zhuge.
"There's really no need for that. We just surrender."
Juger nodded.
"You are very wise."
After saying that, he tilted his head slightly and gave the order.
"Take them all back!"
……
When Si Lili was about to be escorted away, she suddenly looked up and glared at Fan Xian hatefully.
"Fan Xian, I will remember you!"
After saying this, he was taken away.
Fan Xian didn't take it seriously, but Wang Qinian, who was standing beside him, nudged him with his shoulder and repeated it with a wink.
"My Lord, she said she remembered you."
Fan Xian was speechless when he saw his expression, and said unhappily.
"I'm not deaf!"
Wang Qinian chuckled and said.
"Your Excellency is blessed with great fortune, and you are also very lucky with beautiful women. This Si Lili is so beautiful, hehehe."
"..."
"Look at you, you bastard!"
Fan Xian punched him directly on the shoulder, almost knocking him down.
"Stop talking to me about this nonsense!"
After Wang Qinian steadied himself, he covered his shoulder with his hands, laughed, and closed his mouth.
Most of the people from the Supervisory Council had left the dark alley, leaving only Zhu Ge and Yan Ruohai.
Fan Xian stood up and jumped off the wall, followed closely by Wang Qinian.
He first bowed to Yan Ruohai.
"Lord Yan!"
Yan Ruohai glanced at him indifferently and just hummed.
Fan Xian didn't take it seriously. When he looked at Zhu Ge, his greeting was much more perfunctory.
"Master Zhu."
Zhuge saw it but didn't say much, and his attitude was much better than the first time they met.
"You two did a great job this time."
Fan Xian was a little surprised, as the sun had risen from the west. However, now was not the time to dwell on this matter. The right thing to do was to take the opportunity to make a request.
"Master Zhu, I want to interrogate Si Lili in person!"
Before Zhu Ge could speak, Yan Ruohai spoke first.
"The secret spy is monitoring me everywhere. Why are you asking him?"
Fan Xian was stunned for a moment.
"But isn't this a case of one place?"
Words are like the road of the sea.
"The case belongs to one department, but if it involves secret agents, it will be under my jurisdiction. Is that a problem?"
Fan Xian glanced at Zhu Ge, who glanced at Yan Ruohai and nodded helplessly.
"Indeed."
Fan Xian said "oh" and looked at Yan Ruohai.
"Then Lord Yan, can I preside over Si Lili's case?"
Yan Ruohai rejected it directly.
"No."
"..."
Fan Xian was a little confused. "No, Lord Yan, did I hear you correctly? No? If I remember correctly, you just said in front of everyone yesterday that you would give me the right to interrogate you."
Yan Ruohai didn't even blink.
"I gave you the right to hear the case in one place. What does it have to do with my cases in four places?"
???
Fan Xian was puzzled.
"This is not a case."
Wang Qinian took the initiative to explain.
"Your Excellency, this is the case. Although it is just one case, it is different when it involves a spy. After all, the spy may be involved in more than just this one case."
"..."
He understood what he heard, but Fan Xian didn't understand.
"Master Yan, although there is a colleague who helped me, but Si Lili said that I was the one who caught him, right? I caught him, so does that mean..."
Yan Ruohai interrupted him directly.
"You have made great contributions in the arrest. You will be rewarded later. The trial has nothing to do with you. You can leave now."
Fan Xian stared at Yan Ruohai.
"The assassination is very likely related to me!"
Words are like the road of the sea.
"Then you must avoid suspicion even more! Go back home."
Fan Xian couldn't think of any more reasons for the moment. He stared at Yan Ruohai coldly for a long time, then turned and left.
Wang Qinian didn't dare to say a word. After greeting Zhu Ge and Yan Ruohai, he hurriedly chased after Fan Xian.
Yan Ruohai stared at Fan Xian's back, and calmly curled the corners of his mouth, but it was only a flash, and when he looked again, he still had a stern face.
Zhuge walked up to him and whispered.
"After all, he has just made a contribution. Even I am embarrassed to give him the cold shoulder. You are being too harsh."
Yan Ruohai's eyelids twitched and he said dryly.
"Rules are rules."
Zhuge rolled his eyes when he heard that.
……
Wang Qinian quickly caught up with Fan Xian and slowed down his pace to walk side by side with him.
"Don't be upset, sir. After all, his son Yan Bingyun went to Northern Qi because of you, so it's normal for him to be a little cold to you."
Fan Xian glanced at him and suddenly asked.
"are you hungry?"
Wang Qinian didn't react for a moment.
"what did you say?"
Fan Xian pointed toward the sky.
"It's already lunch time and we haven't had breakfast yet. Aren't you hungry? Do you want me to treat you to a good meal?"
Wang Qinian looked up at the sky and it was indeed time for dinner. It would be a long time before he thought about eating. As soon as he thought about it, Wang Qinian suddenly felt his stomach rumbling with hunger.
"If your Excellency is treating me, then I would be disrespectful to refuse. What is your Excellency going to treat me to?"
Fan Xian curled the corners of his mouth.
"Don't worry, go pick someone up first."
Wang Qinian was stunned for a moment.
"To pick someone up? Who?"
……
royal palace.
Royal study room.
Emperor Qing asked in surprise.
"Si Lili was captured in Kyoto? Didn't she escape from Kyoto long ago?"
Eunuch Hou smiled.
"Your Majesty, he did escape, but he came back again. This morning, Fan Xian went out of the city to pursue him, and he came back not long after. He is now guarding the north gate of Kyoto, checking people entering the city.
At that time, I was wondering what Fan Xian was doing. Now it seems that he had expected Si Lili to return to Kyoto, so he returned early and waited for the opportunity.
As expected, Si Lili really returned to Kyoto and hid in a vegetable basket. As soon as she entered the city, she was spotted by Fan Xian, who followed her all the way and notified the Supervisory Office. In the end, he successfully captured Si Lili and ten Northern Qi spies in one fell swoop!
"Fan Xian deserves the credit for capturing Si Lili this time. He is worthy of being the one chosen by His Majesty. Fan Xian is extremely intelligent, brave and resourceful. He also makes decisions promptly. He doesn't hesitate at all. His confidence and decisiveness are truly admirable!"
Emperor Qing curled the corners of his mouth and glanced at him after listening.
"Is it as exaggerated as you say?"
Eunuch Hou said honestly.
"I am not exaggerating. Fan Xian is not only a good poet, but also a wise man. I admire him from the bottom of my heart. What I admire even more is your majesty's vision. He chose him right away..."
Emperor Qing interrupted him with a wave of his hand.
"Okay, okay, you haven't finished praising me yet, what next?"
Eunuch Hou said.
"Then Fan Xian, Lord Zhuge Zhu and Lord Yan Ruohai requested to preside over the trial, but Lord Yan sternly refused. Fan Xian was obviously a little unconvinced, but he didn't say much and then left."
Emperor Qing’s eyes flickered.
"He just gave up?"
Eunuch Hou said.
"Fan Xian should be helpless, after all, Lord Yan has refuted all his words with reason and evidence."
Emperor Qing seemed to be thinking about what he said, and suddenly said something after a moment.
"Why do I feel that he won't give up so easily?"
……
Who was Fan Xian going to pick up? Naturally, it was Mei Cheng'an.
In the carriage, Mei Cheng'an looked at the two people on his left and right, feeling speechless.
"No, I'm still wearing my official uniform! How can I go to dinner with you guys?"
Fan Xian laughed.
"What's the big deal? Isn't there a rule that officials can't eat in restaurants in their official uniforms?"
Mei Chengan didn't know whether to laugh or cry.
"There are no rules. I just feel awkward. Besides, after you two are done with your work, don't you need to go home and report that you are safe?"
Wang Qinian said with a smile.
"If I were away from home for several days, I would naturally go home and report my safety as soon as possible. But thanks to Master Xiao Fan, it only took us half a day to capture Si Lili. So there is no need to rush. It won't be too late to report back in the evening!"
……
(End of this chapter)
