Li Zhigao having Chai Jian leave the city immediately was key to delaying the exposure of the garrison military headquarters’ secret for a few more days, but seeing Chai Jian’s thick brows slightly furrowed, Han Qian guessed Chai Jian should be troubled about how to mobilize manpower.
Without alerting anyone, or rather without Shen Yang’s permission, even at Taowu Market, Chai Jian couldn’t directly requisition soldiers from the garrison military headquarters. And at this time, the elite forces of the guard battalion would necessarily need to monitor the movements around the mansion, so obviously there was no way to deploy the guard battalion’s forces out of the city.
Han Qian suspected that Li Zhigao and Chai Jian had already secretly transferred into the city the personnel planned for incorporation into the Right Division of the Secret Bureau. But they hadn’t expected such a commotion today. To avoid attracting the attention of Bureau of Operations secret agents, in the midst of their flurried response, they had very likely already dispersed these personnel.
Chai Jian needed to leave the city now to ambush and kill the secret agents Zhao Mingting had sent to the outskirts of the garrison military headquarters, but he had no men at hand.
“If Lord Chai is short of manpower, Fan Dahei and Zhao Wuji can accompany Lord Chai out of the city. The Military Affairs Office of the Left Division has assembled seventy or eighty men at the villa on Autumn Lake Mountain!” Han Qian said.
“Good.” Chai Jian nodded. He immediately had Zhao Wuji and Fan Dahei follow him out through the rear courtyard archery grounds.
The Left Division of the Secret Bureau indeed had seventy or eighty capable men at the villa on Autumn Lake Mountain who could be used in an emergency.
In any case, if suspicious persons dared infiltrate, they would be treated directly as enemy spies, executed without leaving anyone alive, with all evidence destroyed. There was no need to worry that the newly recruited personnel of the Left Division of the Secret Bureau wouldn’t follow orders or become suspicious.
After Chai Jian hurriedly left with Fan Dahei and Zhao Wuji, Han Qian said to Li Zhigao:
“Today I was fortunate to be present. Otherwise, if Miss Yao and Chun Shisanniang had been targeted by Zhao Mingting and Wang Wenqian, the consequences would have been unthinkable. However, even having escaped by luck, the Vice Commander dispatching guards to forcibly enter the rouge shop to cover our withdrawal, and Zhao Mingting’s side seizing the rouge shop’s workers for interrogation—both will inevitably reveal some clues. The evening banquet is about to begin. The Vice Commander cannot linger here too long. Miss Yao, Chun Shisanniang—you should stay here first. Have Zhao Ting’er record everything about who you encountered and what you said after entering the rouge shop. After the Vice Commander gets through today’s evening banquet, he can come back and go through it all together to see what might expose flaws!”
Although Yao Xishui and Chun Shisanniang’s fame in Jinling was great, there were almost no female relatives throughout the city who recognized them. And the rouge shop’s workers and managers didn’t have the qualifications to spend lavishly at venues like Evening Red Building, so they were very fortunate not to have been directly recognized.
However, when Yao Xishui and Chun Shisanniang went to Ningxiang Building today intending to acquire this rouge shop, their words would inevitably leave some traces.
The Ningxiang Building’s manager and workers might not be aware of this, but if they were seized by Zhao Mingting for interrogation, Han Qian couldn’t guarantee that Zhao Mingting definitely wouldn’t detect some problem—and this matter could very likely affect the established plan for the Left Division to use the rouge shop for infiltration.
Han Qian having Zhao Ting’er help Yao Xishui and Chun Shisanniang record all their words and actions after entering the rouge shop today was to conduct a risk assessment, then see whether it was necessary to implement certain remedial measures.
No matter how good Yao Xishui’s mental state was, she was somewhat shaken at this moment. Seeing Han Qian’s directing at this moment, she didn’t feel resentful, but instead tried hard to recall whether she had left any words in the rouge shop that could be connected to Evening Red Building. At the same time, she couldn’t help thinking about Han Qian’s makeup artistry that made him appear like two different people.
Han Qian went with Li Zhigao and Li Chong to the front courtyard first to attend to guests—Han Qian could hide, but Li Zhigao and Li Chong, as the Third Prince’s eldest and second brothers-in-law, and also the main assistant generals and adjutant officials of the mansion and the Vermillion Sparrow General’s headquarters, couldn’t be absent for too long.
“If Evening Red Building has another mistake like this, I’m afraid they won’t be so lucky again!” Walking in the corridor, Han Qian said in a suppressed voice to Li Zhigao.
Han Qian still couldn’t fathom Evening Red Building’s true foundations, but over these years, apart from the Marquis of Xinchang’s mansion faction, Evening Red Building’s other forces mainly lurked in the shadows. They even had informants within the palace. It could be seen that what Evening Red Building was mainly skilled at was intrigue and conspiracy. But when it came to truly controlling corresponding hard power, they appeared willing but lacking in ability.
Shen Yang being able to preside over the construction of the garrison military headquarters at Taowu Market—aside from Shen Yang being the Chief Clerk, the more important reason was that the Marquis of Xinchang’s mansion and Evening Red Building couldn’t find anyone to replace Shen Yang.
Otherwise, they would absolutely not want enormous prestige to fall upon Shen Yang, who wasn’t one of their own and would very likely firmly stand on the opposing side after their conspiracy was exposed.
Previously, this situation was good for Han Qian, and it highlighted his usefulness. But considering the formidable opponents they faced, such drawbacks were truly too anxiety-inducing.
Han Qian normally had no contact with the Marquis of Xinchang Li Pu, and the black-veiled woman had never even removed her face-covering black veil before him. But among those who already knew the core secrets, Li Zhigao possessed the most commanding presence, so Han Qian only said certain things to Li Zhigao.
Li Zhigao’s brows slightly furrowed. He said in a low voice, “Zhigao copied an ‘Annotated Commentary on Employing Spies’ from His Highness—truly every word is a pearl. After today’s events pass, please help Chai Jian organize the Right Division’s work.”
This era truly has no concept of copyright! Han Qian muttered inwardly.
Of course, Han Qian didn’t really want to dictate and organize any work for Chai Jian. He just thought that whether it was Chai Jian or Yao Xishui, the Right Division they were responsible for should simply be like Evening Red Building in the past—only responsible for cultivating absolutely controllable elite secret agents, conducting deep-level, single-line contact infiltration, bribery, or coercion. Regular intelligence reconnaissance and special operations should all be left to the Left Division.
Not to mention the earlier arrangements by the black-veiled woman and the Marquis of Xinchang’s mansion Li Pu and others—over these years, Evening Red Building had cultivated so many women from red houses who married civil and military officials as concubines. Han Qian believed Li Zhigao also didn’t want the fruits of so many years’ labor destroyed because of operational flaws in the Right Division.
After Han Qian explained his thoughts, Li Zhigao pondered briefly and said, “I have no authority to decide this matter. I will tell Father and Madam…”
Li Chong stood behind them, curled his lips, but didn’t speak.
Han Qian thought inwardly—all matters were decided by the Marquis of Xinchang Li Pu and the black-veiled woman. He didn’t know what the Imperial Consort felt in the palace.
Aside from a few people who could enter the main hall to feast seated on the floor with individual tables alongside the Third Prince Yang Yuanpu, the Marquis of Xinchang Li Pu and others, most guests were seated at eight-person square tables in the courtyard. Today the front courtyard planned to set up sixty tables for the feast. When Han Qian walked to the front courtyard with Li Zhigao and Li Chong, they saw it was already crowded with people.
Li Zhigao and Li Chong had to go to the main hall for socializing—there was still a dining table for Li Zhigao as a banquet companion in the main hall. Han Qian wanted to find some inconspicuous corner to sit down.
“Han Qian, Han Qian! Where did you run off to all day? I went looking for you at noon. Your old family servant said you’d gone out early, but when I ran to the Marquis of Xinchang’s mansion and came here, I didn’t see any trace of you. Where did you run off to enjoy yourself today with your little servant?”
Just as Han Qian was about to slip into the east wing courtyard, he heard Feng Yi loudly calling out behind him. Turning his head, he saw that besides his two “fox-and-dog friends” Feng Yi and Kong Xirong, Feng Yi’s father Feng Wenlan was accompanying Wang Wenqian, Zhao Mingting and others, also walking over from another courtyard.
Wang Wenqian’s daughter Wang Jün hadn’t yet gone to the inner residence to attend the banquet specially set for female relatives. At this moment she still stood beside her father Wang Wenqian. She should also know about that canceled betrothal. Originally still smiling as she listened to her father conversing with Feng Wenlan and others, when she heard Feng Yi call Han Qian’s name, her face became somewhat stiff.
Han Qian also smiled bitterly inwardly. If his betrothal to Wang Jün had been broken off by the Wang family, he could still resent the Wang family for looking down on his “youthful poverty.” But the Wang family had urged the marriage forward, yet it was his father who took the initiative to break the betrothal—this was awkward.
Han Qian’s gaze fell on Wang Jün and lingered for a moment. Seeing Wang Wenqian’s glance over with growing suspicion, he suddenly snapped awake. He thought secretly that at this moment he shouldn’t yet recognize Wang Wenqian and his daughter, and had almost exposed a flaw. He immediately squinted his eyes and looked Wang Jün up and down several times before withdrawing his gaze and bowing to Feng Wenlan: “Greetings, Lord Feng.”
“Mm.” Feng Wenlan only gave a light grunt, with no intention of introducing Wang Wenqian and Zhao Mingting beside him to Han Qian. He even looked at his son Feng Yi with eyes that suddenly turned cold, as if resentful that Feng Yi had greeted Han Qian too warmly earlier.
Han Qian smiled faintly inwardly.
Since his father had created a great disturbance at court remonstrating about driving away the famine refugees, Feng Wenlan—forget about visiting in person—hadn’t even sent family members to offer congratulations during festivals.
Not to mention that five days ago, when the old residence’s evil servant Niu Erdan was shot dead on his orders, now all the officials throughout the city should know about the great joke of internal strife in his old Han family, right?
Having received his father’s warning glance, Feng Yi awkwardly smiled at Han Qian.
Han Qian didn’t mind. He stood to one side, letting Feng Wenlan, Wang Wenqian, Zhao Mingting and others pass first.
He noticed that others looking at him and Wang Jün showed no unusual expression. The betrothal matter should have remained only as a verbal agreement between his father and the former Prince-Consort Ji Xiong, with outsiders still unaware of this matter. He thought this was also good—he could save some face.
Although Wang Wenqian’s psyche was certainly strong, passing by Han Qian with an air of indifference as if he hadn’t thought at all about Han Qian nearly becoming his son-in-law, Wang Jün, as she passed, still couldn’t help turning sideways to glance at Han Qian. But at this moment Han Qian’s eyes were staring directly at her. Her powdered face flushed, and forcing a smile, she curtsied in greeting before chasing after her father with flustered thoughts.
That flustered smile carried an indescribably charming air. Han Qian’s heart stirred slightly. He thought that if his father hadn’t been so upright and taken the initiative to propose breaking the betrothal, if he and Wang Jün had married through this mishap, it might not actually have been a bad thing.
Han Qian thought this matter had passed, but unexpectedly Feng Wenlan and the others suddenly stopped their steps ahead, each bowing like wheat stalks blown by the wind. Looking over, he saw that Yang En had appeared at some point, walking shoulder to shoulder with Shen Yang toward this courtyard.
Feng Wenlan held the position of Vice Minister of the Ministry of Finance. In terms of rank, he was far above Yang En’s current position as Commandant of the Right Arsenal. But rank didn’t absolutely determine status. For instance, Wang Wenqian as Chief Clerk of the Chuzhou Defense Command was only fifth rank upper, and Zhao Mingting serving as Director of the Bureau of Operations of the Privy Council was only sixth rank upper—was the power and status they wielded necessarily lower than Feng Wenlan’s?
Not to mention the former Marquis of Liyang Yang En, who dared to argue by pounding the table even before Emperor Tianyou.
No matter how domineering Zhao Mingting was, no matter how unruly in his heart, before Yang En he could only obediently bow together with Feng Wenlan, Wang Wenqian and the others.
Seeing Yang En appear together with Shen Yang, Han Qian worried that Shen Yang’s contact with Zhao Mingting might inadvertently leak information about the garrison military headquarters, but it wasn’t convenient for him to forcefully insert himself.
Just as Han Qian was about to leave, Yang En beckoned him over:
“Han Qian, Han Qian, come here! I’ve been looking for you everywhere. Where did you hide today? The Third Prince is getting married, and you, as an attendant of the mansion, actually dare to slack off and shirk duties? Your guts are really plump, aren’t they?”
Han Qian inwardly cried out at his bad luck. If everyone who encountered him made such a loud commotion, even if Wang Wenqian and Zhao Mingting couldn’t see any flaws before, they might become suspicious now.