บท 259: The Ninth Month

The First Baron, second-rank.

Fan Xian had been calculating the importance and presence that the position of baron would grant him. As he mulled it over, the alarming thought that others may criticize his all-too-sudden rise amongst the ranks of the city broached his mind. Perhaps needlessly, this made Fan Xian cautious and wary of the prospect. His time as ambassador to the northern Qi Kingdom was nothing entirely perilous, but it still accounted for tiresome work. In the early spring, there had been an assemblage with the Emperor. With little regard for the reputation of the sufferers of his transgression, the Emperor had Prime Minister Lin and Assistant-Minister Fan forcibly removed from their positions and exiled from the capital. The aftermath of these events resulted in Fan Jian becoming Minister of Revenue. Perhaps, then, if Fan Xian was to become a baron, others would presume it was reimbursement for Fan Manor.