The only thing that made Fan Xian unhappy was that, for the sake of the people he looked after, it seemed that he could only retreat but not hide. Even his idea to cross the sea to seek out the true land of the West could not be realized within a short amount of time.

After all, if he left this land, who knew how much chaos there would be? This wasn’t narcissism or arrogance. It was the remnants of those who came before and the encounters of today that created such a dazzling but helpless situation.

During the years he lived in West Lake, the only interlude was probably Fan Wujiu’s assassination attempt. This last remaining person of the Second Prince’s Eight Generals had silently endured for many years to get revenge for the Second Prince and his colleagues. He had even thrown in his lot with He Zongwei. Unexpectedly, he had been caught by Fan Xian. The Overwatch Council did not kill him. Instead, they exiled him as per Fan Xian’s instructions. Unexpectedly, he found another opportunity on the banks of West Lake to attempt an assassination.

Of course, Fan Xian did not die, but he also didn’t kill the other person. Perhaps it was because he felt that life was too boring or because he respected the stubbornness that he did not do something, even though one knew it was not doable.

There were singing girls who had just begun to dance. Beautiful voices echoed in Fan garden. All of Fan Xian’s family sat around the courtyard eating fruits and nuts, chatting, watching the dancing, and listening to the singing. The older of the singing girls from Chen Garden were allowed to choose from the subordinates of the Council who had left to get married to. The few that were left in Fan Garden had just reached 16. They were very young and inexperienced but willing to stay by West Lake to play.

Looking at the young dancing girls, Fan Xian could not help but sigh in admiration at the old cripple’s keen gaze. When Chen Pingping left the capital, these girls were probably only 10 years old. How could Chen Pingping see that they were destined to be beauties?

The person singing was Sang Wen’s younger sister. This girl who had been singing for Chen Pingping for a long time seemed to not be in a good mood. She would only stay in Fan Garden and occasionally compose some beautiful songs.

“A spring day in the fourth year of the Qing calendar, Teng Zijing sat in the street and drew a few circles without speaking. His heart was sorrowful. He wondered how the young man in the Duke’s manor could be so beautiful?”

With the start of the song, Sisi, who was sitting by Fan Xian’s side, sprayed out a mouthful of tea. Lin Wan’er also couldn’t resist laughing and hammering on Fan Xian’s shoulder thinking that in this garden, only he could write such absurd lyrics.

Teng Zijing and his family sitting by the front gates looked at each other. In particular, the graying Teng Zijing could not resist stroking his cane and thinking that the young master was too mean. When he had gone to Danzhou to pick him up? How could he have not been scared and on edge? Who would have known that the beautiful young boy would become like this?

Fan Xian slanted his gaze and evaluated Teng Zijing’s embarrassed expression. Feeling his mood improve greatly, joy grew out of his pride. Quietly, he thought to himself, You bastard, refuse to improve and absolutely refused to be an official, only willing to stay in the manor. Otherwise, if you went and became a provincial official and I had the county province changed to Baling, would it not be the production of a great work?

The Sang girl seemed to not sense anything and continued to sing properly with the utmost seriousness. It was as if she wanted to sing some person’s funny life from beginning to end using a sorrowful tone.

...

...

It was almost late spring. On the precipice outside Danzhou, Fan Xian held Shuning’s soft hand and stood at the edge of the precipice, looking at the familiar ocean.

Shuning looked at her slightly worried father and asked in a clear and young voice, “Father, you didn’t seem to like Aunt Sang’s song. Should I sing one for you?”

“Sure, how about ‘Over the Rainbow’. I’ve taught it to you before.”

Awkwardly, Shuning said, “But foreign languages are hard to learn. Uncle looked for a long time in Dongyi and still hasn’t found a teacher.”

Fan Xian smiled and said, “Then we won’t sing it.”

He looked at his daughter by his side. For some reason, he suddenly remembered that kid in Danzhou many years ago and the Emperor’s words before he died. He was silent and somewhat missed his sister, whose whereabouts he didn’t know of.

...

...

“Don’t always follow me.” The icy-faced young lady of the Fan family was dressed as a doctor with a medicinal chest on her back as she walked through a remote mountain side. She looked at Li Hongcheng behind her, looking like a tramp, and coldly said, “Rou Jia has already had her second child. As the uncle, are you not going back? Besides, it’s not like you don’t know what King Jing is thinking.”

Li Hongcheng took the straw hat from his head and fanned himself. Looking at Fan Ruoruo by the tree, he smiled roguishly and said, “If father wants children, he can go have them himself. I don’t have time for that.”

“How much longer are you going to follow me for?” Fan Ruoruo gritted her teeth and looked angrily at him.

“I’ve already followed you for five years, what’s another five?” King Jing’s heir, Li Hongcheng said with a smile as he led a thin horse, which was even more tired than he was, away.

Fan Ruoruo did not say anything and lowered the silk curtain on her straw hat as she headed toward the village in the mountain where white smoke was rising. She thought occasionally to herself that she had grown used to his bastard following her, so he could continue following her.

...

...

Fan Xian’s hand held Shuning. His finger touched a row of warm beads. Lowering his head to look, only then did he discover that it was the string of red jewels Haitang had given his daughter many years ago. Seeing the object reminded him of the person. Fan Xian involuntarily paused for a moment.

“When will Aunt Duoduo come to see me again?” Fan Shuning asked thoughtfully. Clearly, she possessed thinking more mature than her age. Seeing her father’s mood, she immediately guessed what he was thinking. In any case, neither of her mothers were there, so no one would care.

Fan Xian smiled and said, “When she’s tired of the grasslands, she’ll come to see you.”

Haitang had returned to the grasslands. No one knew when she would return. What about the Northern Qi Emperor and Si Lili? And that little girl in the Palace called Hong Doufan? He heard that next year, Hong Doufan would be formally granted the title of Princess. However, the Northern Qi Emperor had still not had a son, so there was talk in court. He wondered how the female Emperor was going to deal with it.

Surely she wouldn’t come to him again to borrow his seed? Fan Xian certainly would not object to such a sacrifice. Thinking of the scene in the Sword Hut and in the carriage, his gaze softened. “Shuning, do you want to go to Shangjing? Then, we’ll go to the grasslands. Once you’re older, we’ll go out to see.”

“OK!” Shuning cried out excitedly.

Fan Xian’s gaze landed on the surface of the ocean beneath the precipice. Suddenly, he saw a boat heading into the port. On the deck in front, he could faintly see a person holding a green banner. He stood amidst the ferocious wind, very much at ease.

Thirteenth Wang had arrived. Fan Xian’s body froze slightly. His eyes grew moist as a boundless sense of gratitude grew in his heart. Since Thirteenth Wang had returned from the North, Uncle Wu Zhu, who had been recovering on Dong Mountain, should also be back any day. Fan Xian had truly missed that piece of black cloth.

In order to hide his tears in front of his daughter, Fan Xian turned his body and looked at Danzhou on the other side of the ocean. He looked at the homes inside and thought of the time he had spent here as well as his life after he left and involuntarily fell silent.

He saw many things in Danzhou in the distance. Dong’er was no longer selling tofu, but Da Bao was sitting outside their home and using his eyes to admire the women. That junk shop was still closed. There were no clothes hanging out to dry on the platform that was slightly exposed to the salty sea wind, and there was no one yelling about the rain because it was indeed not raining.

Many people had left, but still many people stayed. Many things had changed, but there were many things that had not changed.

Fan Xian sat down and held his daughter in his arms, rocking gently. Shuning narrowed her eyes and looked at the bubbles and gradually approaching boat. Suddenly, she asked, “Father, what kind of person was grandmother?”

Fan Xian paused slightly and didn’t understand the question for a while. In his mind, Ye Qingmei was still a clever and beautiful young woman who had walked out of a fairyland. She was that yellow robe in the picture. He had not realized that the young woman, Ye Qingmei, had become, at this moment, the grandmother his daughter spoke of.

“She was an immortal who sneaked into the mortal world to play,” Fan Xian said teasingly to his daughter. “After she was done playing, she went back. It was impossible to find her in the mortal world ever again.”

Fan Shuning giggled and said, “You’re lying, father. Other people say you are an immortal poet. If grandmother returned to the sky, why don’t you go back?”

Fan Xian scratched his head and suddenly thought of the name the Emperor had given him many years ago. With a smile, he said, “Perhaps it’s because she and I have very different thoughts. I am just a useless common person. Regardless of what foreign land I go to, it doesn’t make much difference.”

The sea breeze drifted over his face and wiped away the slightly embarrassed smile he was going to give. After a moment of silence, he quietly said, “My life is probably... Since I have come, I will stay [JW1].”

Father and daughter looked at each other with a smile and faced toward the ocean. Spring had come, and the flowers were in bloom.

[JW1] An Zhi is both Fan Xian’s other name and means “to stay.” Hence, he thinks of the name the Emperor gave him earlier.