OBS Chapter 958 Purpose
Chapter 958 Purpose
Fang Nanzhi's face turned cold.
This wasn't the first time they had met, and it wasn't the first time Su Xiran had tried to win them over.
But in the past, Su Xiran always had an arrogant and condescending attitude.
Only today do I appear to be at peace.
The reason for this is not that Su Xiran is sentimental, but that her father and her second uncle have different statuses now.
Fang Nanzhi understood this perfectly well and was unwilling to engage in pretense with her.
Su Xiran's smile was somewhat forced; she felt inwardly that the woman was ungrateful, but she didn't show it.
"Zhizhi..."
“Madam Su, please have some self-respect. My sister has no cousins,” Qin Yan said, his gaze somewhat cold.
Su Xiran glanced at him once before looking away.
"Miss Fang, for reasons we all know, we haven't spent much time together and don't have much of a bond, which is understandable."
"But now that my father is gone and my mother and the others have left, the only people in the capital who are connected to me by blood are..."
"bump!"
Before she could finish speaking, Fang Nanzhi slammed down her teacup and stood up.
"Since the consultation has already been completed, my brother and I will not disturb you any longer. The consultation fee can be sent directly to the General's Mansion."
Fang Nanzhi didn't want to listen to her nonsense. Fang Jin was willing to listen to this nonsense and be fooled with a purpose, but she had no interest in Su Xiran's background or value.
Why should we stay and listen to her disgusting words?
Seeing that the brother and sister were really not giving her any face and were about to leave, Su Xiran couldn't keep up her composure.
Even Chen Haokun spoke up.
"Please stay."
"Actually, I invited you two here today because I have a favor to ask of you."
He had overlooked the fact that Fang Nanzhi was the only person he had initially invited.
In Chen Haokun's view, Fang Nanzhi was just a young girl, and it might be more convenient for them to do what they wanted through Qin Yan.
Su Xiran, being both flexible and adaptable, stood up and personally bowed to Fang Nanzhi.
"Miss Fang, I misspoke. Please forgive me."
Finally, she stopped referring to him as family and glanced back at her brother.
The brother and sister then sat down again.
However, I don't have time to follow them around in circles.
Qin Yan asked directly, "I wonder what Lord Chen is referring to? I am merely a student at the Imperial Academy, and my sister is just a doctor who treats patients; I'm afraid we cannot be of any help to you, sir."
Chen Haokun has been serving in the government for several years, so he should be addressed as Lord Chen to show respect.
However, emphasizing the form of address here is more of a question.
What is it that high-ranking officials of the imperial court cannot do, and you are asking them to do it?
"Calling me Lord Chen is too formal. I'm a few years older than you, so why don't you call me your elder brother?"
Chen Haokun subtly established a connection.
Qin Yan didn't even lift his eyelids, remaining silent.
After a long silence, an awkward atmosphere spread, and Chen Haokun felt a bit annoyed.
He knew Qin Yan well; he said Qin Yan was a brilliant student, very famous at the Imperial Academy, and had a bright future.
But no matter what, Qin Yan is just a student now. What gives him the right to be so arrogant in front of him?
Su Xiran bit her lip, breaking the deadlock.
"The tea has gone cold, let's bring some fresh tea."
A maid responded and busied herself changing the tea, which livened up the atmosphere a bit.
Chen Haokun cleared his throat as if he had never said anything before.
"I wonder if Young Master Qin enjoys tea? This tea is a special supply from Mianzhou Prefecture. If Young Master Qin likes it, you can take some with you later."
Fang Nanzhi frowned as she listened. Just now she was the main person in the conversation, so why is she looking for her brother now?
Does Chen Haokun look down on her?
"I've heard that Young Master Qin enjoys visiting the library and especially loves reading rare books. You haven't been in the capital long, so there are some things you might not know. The library has very few rare books, and they're all copies. My Chen family, on the other hand, has quite a collection."
"Among them are three unique copies, which are not available on the market."
Perhaps having prepared himself mentally, Chen Haokun, knowing Qin Yan's "coldness," began to serve the main course.
"What does Lord Chen mean?" Qin Yan finally answered.
A glint of light flashed in Chen Haokun's eyes.
"I wonder if Young Master Qin knows of Chen Yong?"
"Chen Yong? He was extremely skilled in mapping and drawing in previous dynasties? It is said that the maps of this dynasty were drawn by this gentleman and are still in use today."
Qin Yan had heard of it, and he still held those talented predecessors in high esteem.
Chen Haokun said with a hint of pride, "That's right, it is my grandfather."
"The only copy left in the family is about how to draw maps, as well as some terrain records that my grandfather had seen."
The Chen family couldn't produce a map; once it was successfully drawn, it belonged to the imperial court.
The Chen family would not dare to keep it to themselves, but the method of drawing and surveying in this rare book is extremely valuable.
Qin Yan could feel its heavy weight; it wouldn't be an exaggeration to call it a family heirloom of the Chen family.
"Young Master Qin, would you like to borrow it?"
The bait has been cast.
Fang Nanzhi remained expressionless on the surface, but inwardly she was furious.
She felt that the people in the Chen family were snobbish and opportunistic—no, anyway, it was because the treatment she received was far worse than that of her brother.
Giving her only a broken hairpin, yet bribing her brother with the entire family fortune—that's excessive!
Qin Yan raised an eyebrow: "It's better to be frank than to be humiliated without merit. Lord Chen, you'd better make your point clear."
What exactly is it that you're seeking that would make you go to such lengths?
Chen Haokun smiled and said, "Since that's the case, then I'll be frank."
"I've heard that Young Master Qin and Miss Fang have a close relationship with His Highness the Crown Prince, and that they even introduced Wang Gong to His Highness."
Wang Gong had pledged allegiance to the Crown Prince, but this was a very secretive matter and had never been carried out in a public manner. How did Chen Haokun know about it?
"Lord Chen is in officialdom, and with his proximity to the water and his extensive network of information, it shouldn't be difficult for him to see His Highness."
Qin Yan did not refuse outright.
Chen Haokun gave a wry smile. As a minor official, he was still incompetent. With a father-in-law like Fang Jin, how could a minor official dare to step forward in the court?
Even if he dared, he wouldn't be able to get close enough to be noticed by someone important.
Actually, the Chen family had a powerful backer from the beginning, namely the Second Prince.
But his father made a mistake, thinking that the Third Princess and the Second Prince shared common interests, and was thus taken advantage of by Fang Jin...
Now that the Third Princess has entered the imperial mausoleum, the Second Prince also feels disgusted with the Chen family.
In addition, he had been tricked due to his previous poor performance and had also offended the Prince Ning's mansion...
It's true, you could say that the Chen family's political career has basically come to an end.
His father was even considering resigning from his official post and returning to his hometown.
But once his father passed away, he had little hope left. All he could do was raise his son well and wait for more than ten years until the emperor forgot about them, at which point he might be able to return to officialdom.
But Chen Haokun was unwilling to accept this. He was in the prime of his life, and he had studied hard for so many years. He was unwilling to leave in disgrace without achieving anything.
Lord Chen was also unwilling to give up his son's future, so the Chen family just persevered.
But how long can it last?
When the Second Prince or Prince Ning has time, they'll give them a good kick and they'll be completely finished.
If the Chen family wants to continue to operate in the imperial court, they must seek change.
The change occurred with the crown prince.
They wanted to pledge allegiance to the Crown Prince, so they thought of the Fang family.
"What do you mean by 'well-informed'? I've only had a few drinks with the Wang family." Chen Haokun said with a wry smile.
Qin Yan understood.
He had heard Wang Gong say that ever since he returned to the Imperial Academy, the Wang family had never had a moment's peace.
It's all his cousins and their associates who are targeting him, framing him today and slandering him tomorrow.
This caused Wang Gong to be frequently reprimanded by the people sent by his father.
Wang Gong knew that Wang Rong was behind all these people.
He has already obtained the title of heir apparent, but they still refuse to let him go.
Come to think of it, who would want a potential threat constantly by their side?
Later, Wang Gong pledged allegiance to the Crown Prince and secretly accomplished two things for him, also gaining capable subordinates.
Wang Gong's image has changed in the eyes of his clan. After all, the Crown Prince is now favored and his position is secure, and many people in the clan want to establish a connection with the Crown Prince.
Therefore, Wang Gong's life became much easier, and he was able to retaliate against his clansmen from time to time.
This made Wang Rong restless.
The Wang family members are most aware of the power struggles and infighting within the Wang clan, and it's possible that Chen Haokun learned about it after drinking.
"Young Master Qin doesn't need to do anything; he only needs to introduce himself to His Highness."
Chen Haokun adopted a very humble attitude.
In reality, she was just trying to gain the Crown Prince's favor by using the Fang family's influence.
But is Qin Yan out of his mind? Is it worth it for him to waste his family's and the Crown Prince's favors on just any Tom, Dick, or Harry?
Another point is that he wasn't very familiar with the Crown Prince, not even as familiar as his sister.
"Lord Chen flatters me. I am but a student. Wang Gong is appreciated by His Highness because of his exceptional talent, not because of me."
This is rejection.
Chen Haokun's expression stiffened slightly: "I've heard that Lord Fang has been wanting to acquire some more properties in the capital. My Chen family has some connections..."
After Fang Tong went to Beijing, Fang Yin handed over all his businesses to Qian Fengping to manage.
However, there are really not many.
Qian Fengping's annual dividends from her cake shop, along with the income from selling fruits and vegetables in her village, are quite good.
Money in hand won't magically increase; they want to buy more shops or houses in the capital to rent out, as well as land.
Unfortunately, properties in Beijing are not so easy to buy; some are highly sought after and are sold almost as soon as they go on the market.
They weren't in a hurry; they took their time searching.
Unexpectedly, Chen Haokun even knew this; he really did investigate their family quite a bit.
Displeasure and disgust flashed in Qin Yan's eyes, but he remained composed and polite on the surface.
"Lord Chen, His Highness is not someone who can be manipulated. There are some things you'd better not bring up again."
Chen Haokun was somewhat angry, feeling that he was too greedy and complained that the benefits were not enough.
Otherwise, why would they be willing to help Wang Gong but not him?
Before he could speak, Qin Yan and his sister had already stood up, bid farewell decisively, and turned to leave.
Fang Nanzhi was no longer in a hurry for the consultation fee; if they didn't send it to her, she would send someone to demand it back later.
Hmph, let's see if his family can afford to lose face.
The brother and sister returned home and boarded the carriage.
Fang Nanzhi frowned.
"Is Qingyan so sought after now? So many people want to curry favor with him, they even have to resort to digging holes in his door to do so?"
When she first entered the capital, Qingyan was already the Crown Prince, so she didn't have this feeling.
It seems that those families don't easily provoke the crown prince because they don't want to bother with someone who is about to die.
It's not worth wasting too much energy on the Crown Prince.
Qin Yan nodded: "Because the Crown Prince's prestige is growing stronger, and the Emperor does not suspect the Crown Prince, but only values him."
This is the change brought about by wielding real power.
Fang Nanzhi rested her chin on one hand, deeply moved.
"So even having a great friend has its troubles."
Qin Yan was amused by her.
"Then perhaps you could mention it to the Crown Prince next time you meet?"
"Complain?" Fang Nanzhi's eyes widened. "It can't be that serious. I can handle such a small matter."
Seeing her attitude, Qin Yan didn't press the matter and changed the subject.
"Zhizhi, did you figure anything out about what happened today?"
"Hmm, I can see that. It seems that Su Xiran already knew she was pregnant, and she asked me to come here specifically to make it clear to Chen Haokun."
Anyway, after finding out she was pregnant, Su Xiran's demeanor wasn't strange at all; it was perfectly normal, so normal it was almost smooth, like a pre-rehearsed performance.
Chen Haokun was genuinely pleasantly surprised.
"But aren't they husband and wife? Why is a pregnancy being portrayed as a scheme?"
Isn't pregnancy a good thing? What would happen if I told my husband beforehand?
Qin Yan met his sister's innocent eyes and said carefully, "Husband and wife are the closest of kin, yet also the most distant of strangers."
"Like my father and mother, like my second uncle and aunt, they were very close and understood each other perfectly."
"Princess Dongyue and her husband were only superficially compatible."
"But Su Xiran and her husband are different. They have affection for each other, but such affection cannot overcome their calculations for their own interests."
"For example, if Fang Jin makes such a fuss, the Chen family will take their anger out on Su Xiran, and Chen Haokun will blame his wife for not being from a good enough background, which has caused trouble."
"Su Xiran is pregnant, and she has illegitimate children and concubines between her and her husband. So even though pregnancy is a good thing, she has to find a good time to make it public so that she can seek benefits."
Qin Yan explained it to his sister in great detail.
Fang Nanzhi felt a headache coming on after listening to this.
"No, if they're scheming against each other like this, are they still a family?"
That must be so tiring.
Qin Yan nodded slightly.
"Personal or family interests are always more important than their feelings."
Fang Nanzhi understood.
She lived in a simple environment, but she wasn't stupid. Looking back, she remembered how the Prince's heir showed no mercy to his half-sister in the prefectural city, which showed that the infighting within large families was no less intense than outside.
"So why take concubines? It's the root of family chaos."
she sighed.
Qin Yan did not answer this question.
He just wanted his sister to know that people can be wicked, and he didn't want her to actually experience such dirty things.
"From now on, if anyone asks you to make house calls, you must be careful, understand?"
Fang Nanzhi nodded; she had always been very cautious.
"correct."
She frowned slightly and said unhappily, "I could also tell that Chen Haokun looks down on me."
"No, that's not right either. Anyway, he thinks my brother is more useful than me. Humph, he has no taste. I am Qingyan's best friend. Everyone in the capital knows that."
Fang Nanzhi was very uncomfortable with his differential treatment.
"Yes, it's because he's blindly arrogant. He thinks that talking about interests and external matters is something only men should do."
"Women are soft-hearted and kind, but have a narrow perspective and can only rely on small benefits or emotions. For real matters, they still need to find a man."
“There are many men like this in the world who believe that only men can represent and inherit the family’s honor, and that women are ultimately outsiders.”
“Zhizhi, you must remember that they look down on women because they are stupid, not because of you. You can respond with the same disdain and contempt.”