Qingfeng clapped his hands and laughed heartily. “Excellent, excellent! Sun Xiangqing, that stubborn fool, is most rigid in his principles. If he writes it, he’ll certainly use the mouths of the two highnesses to condemn Prince Gong so thoroughly that his name will stink for ten thousand years. A fine idea indeed.”
No wonder Scholar Tang and Qingfeng, though martial brothers, could never see eye to eye. Scholar Tang could never come up with such a scheme. Song Chengru was just thinking this when he heard Qingfeng continue, “These matters are urgent, but the northwest warfare is equally urgent. What we’re doing in the capital is certainly important, but if the northwest cannot hold, no matter how much we do, it won’t be of much use.”
He then asked Song Chengru and Zhou Weizhao, “Has it truly reached this point, where not even messenger soldiers can send back news? What are the Imperial Guards at the Shanxi garrison doing?!”
The Imperial Guards at the Shanxi garrison had long been thoroughly tormented by Fazi and his group. When Prince Gong returned to his fief, the first thing he did was deal with Prince Zhennan. After handling Prince Zhennan’s affairs, he turned around and first dismantled the Imperial Guard garrison. The northwest was a place he had managed for so many years—even if Cui Shaoting wanted to send messages back, he had to be able to get through first.
However, sporadic news did come back from neighboring prefectures and counties, though sadly none of it was good news. Information from Zijing Pass, Xuanfu, and Jizhou also flowed back continuously, but it all made people’s hearts uneasy.
Song Chengru was also worried for Cui Shaoting. Originally, he had thought that with Prince Zhennan and Marquis Dingyuan, those two great military commanders, going there would be tremendous assistance. But until now, there had been no movement at all from that side. Instead, news of Marquis Dingyuan’s death in battle had been transmitted back. He now feared that Cui Shaoting couldn’t hold on. And if he couldn’t hold on, no matter how well things were going in the capital right now, it would become dangerous.
“I keep feeling something’s not right.” Qingfeng stroked his beard and finally put down the walnut he’d been eating. His expression was rarely somewhat serious. “Though Grand Commander Cui previously excelled at naval warfare, he is ultimately a famous general, and he’s adapted to the northwest for six or seven years now. All these years, could he really be unclear about the Tartars’ tactics? This doesn’t quite add up.”
Song Chengru had already taken up his brush and was writing rapidly, preparing to submit a secret memorial requesting that Emperor Jianzhang have Prince Gong’s heir and the little prince submit their memorials. Hearing Qingfeng’s words, he narrowed his eyes and very quickly grasped Qingfeng’s meaning. “Sir, you mean that Shaoting has other plans?” As he spoke, he unconsciously looked toward Zhou Weizhao. If Cui Shaoting could still send letters back, then whether for public or private reasons, Zhou Weizhao ought to know, and Song Chuyi had no reason to conceal it.
Zhou Weizhao indeed shook his head. “Uncle hasn’t sent any letters back, but I also think what Qingfeng said makes sense. Uncle is not that kind of incompetent person. When he first arrived in the northwest, he uncovered the matter with the warhorses, which shows he had long understood the northwest situation. I don’t believe he had no precautions against Han Zhengqing’s wolfish ambitions.”
Old Madam Song was also vexed by this matter. She told Song Chuyi about how Yu Shi had recently been tormented by gossip and rumors until she was both anxious and alarmed. In the end, she couldn’t help but sigh. “That’s just how it is for military officers’ families. Back then, your great-grandmother was often worried sick about your great-grandfather. But where in this world are there perfectly complete affairs? One can only accept it. The day before yesterday, the in-law’s wife came by and said the same thing—Yingshu and Shaoting, one civil and one military, both now holding high positions. Since they’ve decided to give it their all, what more is there to say? One can only hope they have a plan in their hearts. I look at that child Shaoting—he doesn’t seem like an impulsive person.”
Song Chuyi still remembered how Cui Shaoting had died in her previous life. Everyone in the Cui family had been schemed against and fallen, but Cui Shaoting alone had never been successfully plotted against from beginning to end. It wasn’t that he was particularly calculating, but that he truly couldn’t be replaced. At that time, Guo Huaiying was still eating dust in Jizhou while he had already made a name for himself in Fujian. Japanese pirates got headaches just hearing his name. Ever since a group of Japanese pirates had attacked Nanjing as if entering an undefended realm, even the court censors who most loved to submit memorials at the slightest breeze stopped their nonsense and even transferred Cui Shaoting to Guangdong to intimidate these pirates.
Unfortunately, after Cui Shaoting fought several victorious battles in Guangdong, he fell ill and never recovered. Otherwise, how could the Cui family have fallen on such hard times? Before Cui Shaoting died, Shen Qingrang still feared him somewhat. After Cui Shaoting died, he never took her seriously again. His true colors were completely exposed. From that point on, except for giving her Luyi to fend for herself, he never looked at her again.
Thinking of these old matters, she pressed her lips together, wrapped her arm around Old Madam Song’s, and rested her head on her shoulder. “I think so too. Uncle will surely triumph victoriously.”
Outside, Song Jue entered. Though he had only heard half the conversation, he knew what they were discussing. Smiling slightly, he paid his respects and sat at Old Madam Song’s lower hand. “Though there’s still no news from Uncle, there is some good news from the northwest that’s been sent back.”
Hearing this, Old Madam Song immediately perked up and urgently pressed him to speak quickly. Song Jue didn’t play coy either. He coughed and said, “Lord Huang Yiqing has retaken Wu’an. The victory report has already been sent back. There’s also the Wu’an County magistrate who colluded with the enemy through internal cooperation—he was publicly beheaded by Huang Yiqing and his head hung at the city gate for public display.”
This truly was unequivocal good news. Old Madam Song’s face showed a smile as she asked him, “Does your grandfather know?”
“Not yet. He’s discussing matters with Qingfeng and His Highness. I thought telling Grandfather a bit later would also do. I wanted to come tell Xiaoyi about something first.”
Song Chuyi then followed him out the door. Looking at the crabapple tree under the corridor that had already sprouted tender buds, she asked him, “Is there news from Fujian?”
She had been keeping this matter in mind all along. Han Zhengqing was too far away for her to reach, so she had to find a way to have someone who could reach him cause him trouble.
Song Jue hummed in acknowledgment. “Guo Yantang personally sent word back, saying that after waiting for Sun Ergou all this time, he finally waited for Sun Ergou to come ashore. Sun Ergou—” He sighed. “Sun Ergou asked him to relay a message to you. He wants to personally kill his enemy.”
Sun Ergou was someone who valued loyalty and righteousness above all. Back then, when Cui Shaoting forced their group to the point of having no options, Sun Ergou had clearly escaped but still risked his life to return and save his brothers. Seeing they still had some humanity left, Cui Shaoting accepted them into his service and spared their lives. Now his sister was dead—it was practically like taking half his life. Ma Wangkun and the others still had wives and children, but Sun Ergou’s wife had long passed away, leaving only a son and daughter. His children and his sister were his life.
She thought for a moment. “Old Kong has already been escorted to the execution ground now. Having him personally kill Old Kong is impossible. I’ll send him a reply. In the future, if he can obtain Han Zhengqing’s head, I’ll give it to him.”
Han Zhengqing carried far more weight than Old Kong. When all was said and done, Old Kong was merely a tool. The truly detestable mastermind behind everything was still Han Zhengqing.