Chapter 151: Giving gifts is a science. (Updated)
After this unpleasant meeting, Fan Xian did not show much abnormality.

He didn't intend to settle everything at once.

Whenever I throw out bait, no matter it is water plants or broken shoes, I always hope to catch something.

Perhaps, this meeting seemed secretive, but in fact, it was all in the eyes of the young mother and son in the Northern Qi Palace. Shen Zhong naively thought that he had kept all of this a secret, but he didn't know that it would be difficult not to be noticed just by the long-term extravagant spending of the Marquis of Changning.

Perhaps, the Queen Mother was just watching and waiting.

Li An could not hide today's actions from others, and he would explain everything to the little emperor.

On the other hand, he also demonstrated his power. Whether it was the Supervisory Council in Qing or the soon-to-be-in-charge of the Internal Treasury, he was undoubtedly better than the Cui family in Jiangnan when it came to smuggling. Since the Cui family could be replaced and he was the best solution, the only person who needed to be replaced was Shen Zhong.

The ending was already determined when he brought Cui Ye to the scene!
What really made Fan Xian angry was the behavior of Cui Ye, who was also from Qing.

Smuggling was something that was not allowed to be discussed publicly. In order to suppress his opponent, he actually used himself as a bargaining chip and put a price tag on the things that were negotiated secretly. You know, they were all from Qing. No matter how they fought in the court, once they crossed the border, they all represented Qing. His actions only made outsiders laugh.

It is like a Chinese who started a company and tried every possible means to get investment from a Chinese who was living a good life, even selling all his core patents to suppress his competitors, just for that exclusive right. His company even engaged in illegal transactions.
This approach is very confusing.
But there is no doubt that in essence, this person is no different from a traitor!
The current situation is that the princess has been driven out of Kyoto, away from the core of power. Although she has followers who can control her secretly, it takes time for the information to be fed back, and the control is also discounted. And I will take over the Imperial Merchants of the Inner Treasury. Now that Shen Zhong has offended me, it is possible that a large amount of money will be cut off in Northern Qi. Here I am talking about the obvious.

"Qinian."

"What are your orders, sir?"

Wang Qinian jumped off the carriage and looked at Gaoda, who was traveling with the master, and what he got was a pair of wise eyes. He tried hard to suppress the roll of his eyes and prepared to do the job for the master.

He came out so quickly, something must be wrong.

"Drive back to the delegation first. Yan Bingyun needs to change the medicine today." Fan Xian jumped on the carriage, but did not enter the carriage. Instead, he sat at the shaft and waited for Wang Qinian to get up. "I need to trouble you with something later."

"Are you asking me to do it halfway?"

Wang Qinian also sat on the shaft of the carriage and asked softly.

"Good." As the carriage slowly started moving, Fan Xian took out his short dagger and started playing with it. Without even looking up, he said, "It's still a few days before the Northern Qi Queen Mother's birthday. We still need a gift, right? Think about it. What should we give her?"

Fan Xian did not send the gift as an envoy of the Kingdom of Qing, but wanted to send it as an individual.

I guess ordinary property should not be taken out, unless it can be carried on for a long time like smuggling, otherwise people will not take ordinary property seriously.

Since gifts of money and property are not an option, and I have announced to the public that I will no longer write poetry, it seems that the only thing I can do is give it to people!
Although he had an idea, Fan Xian still wanted to hear Wang Qinian's opinion.

"Master Yidao really asked the right person about this gift-giving!"

Wang Qinian smiled proudly. Although he loved money, he had plenty of experience in giving gifts to women.

He rolled his eyes and replied, "Ever since I went to the palace with its golden and jade tiles and dragon-carved pillars, I knew that it would be useless to give her any pearls or agates, unless the pearls were as big as a bowl! And the queen mother is not a warrior, so her magic weapons and martial arts principles are useless."

"Originally, it would be most appropriate to send you a birthday poem in honor of your literary talent, but now, I'm afraid that it will conflict with Mr. Li's."

Fan Xian was confused by what he heard, and looked a little surprised. He couldn't help but interrupt, "Why are you talking so much? Just tell me your conclusion!"

“Hey! Your Excellency, don’t you understand?” Wang Qinian said with a sly smile, “After all, the Queen Mother of Northern Qi is a woman, a young, beautiful woman who has been widowed for many years! For a woman like her, the most lacking thing is a sense of security!”

Seeing that the words hit the point, Fan Xian nodded slightly and followed Wang Qinian's words and said, "Power!"

"I think you have figured out the key to this! Congratulations, sir! You are very smart!"

Wang Qinian did not take any credit for it and tried his best to pat Fan Xian's horse.

"Okay, okay!" Fan Xian combined the two people's ideas and came up with a solution.

The power of the Queen Mother and her son has reached the pinnacle, and their status can be said to be the most noble, but they still lack a sense of security. If it were an ordinary woman, she would lack a man to rely on, but for them, perhaps it is military power!

There was no other general in Northern Qi who could fight except Uesugi Tora.

But what is Uesugi Tiger's weakness?
Sean!

But now that Sean is in Li Ang's sight, what can he do?

Perhaps, as the eyes and ears of the court, the Jinyiwei, the lackeys and minions, is a worthy gift! Apart from Shen Zhong, whether it is smuggling or other things, it is a win-win result!
"I heard that Shen Zhong has a younger sister who is quite familiar with Yan Bingyun!"

"That's right!" Wang Qinian sorted out the intelligence he had recently received and responded, "When Lord Yan was still trapped in the enemy camp and seriously injured, it was thanks to the care of Miss Shen that he was able to survive until our arrival."

Fan Xian immediately had an idea. He ordered Wang Qinian to spread the news in the city, while he went back to the delegation to meet Yan Bingyun.

"Sir, I'll go do my work first!"

After Wang Qinian finished speaking, he disappeared from the carriage without making any move.

Fan Xian picked up the reins and returned to the inn at a leisurely pace.

He didn't see any officials from the diplomatic mission along the way, but there were still many people who came to challenge him. Fan Xian didn't stop, but walked to the room where Yan Bingyun was and knocked gently on the door.

"Please come in!"

A clear male voice was heard.

Fan Xian pushed the door open upon hearing the sound. Yan Bingyun in the room raised his eyebrows slightly upon seeing Fan Xian coming.

He sat on a chair in the middle hall, silently practicing Qigong to heal his wounds. His movements were very stiff, without any unnecessary movements.

Fan Xian smiled and said, "You and I are not outsiders. Why do you have to endure so much hardship in front of me?"

Yan Bingyun lived up to his name, without a trace of smile on his face. He was very clear about his position, that is, a subordinate. As Fan Xian's subordinate, there was naturally a hierarchy.

He said respectfully, "I am not feeling well right now, and I just want to recover as soon as possible so that I can help you finish the work. As for the slight pain, it's nothing!"

For the Qing people lurking behind enemy lines, the embassy's station was considered the territory of Qing, and it was like home. Therefore, Yan Bingyun had been unusually relaxed these days, but deep down in his heart, he still couldn't accept the court's move to exchange Xiao En for him!
He was touched, and later when he heard that Fan Xian had a secret mission, which was to kill Sean, he began to think about it.

How could such a heavy burden be borne by Fan Xian alone?
(End of this chapter)