The earth-shaking crises brewing in both Liang and Chu were like volcanoes ready to erupt at any moment, but thousands of li away in Shudu there was not the slightest awareness—it remained peaceful and calm, with tranquil waters showing no ripples.
Shudu received snow throughout the night, only clearing by early morning.
Shudu’s weather was mild and temperate. A heavy snowfall was rare even over several years. In the early morning, with the city covered in deep snow, the universe appeared especially clear and bright, with light winds and faint clouds.
Guo Rong awoke from his drunken stupor. Though his head ached terribly, he lay in bed wrapped in his quilt before the window, gazing at the accumulated snow on the eaves and courtyard walls opposite. On one hand he secretly sighed at the fierce potency of Xuzhou’s newly brewed plum wine, while on the other he pondered yesterday’s new verse.
When the succession struggle wasn’t so perilous, Han Daoxun had served as Junior Supervisor of the Secretariat. Within the court he could only be considered a refined gentleman—one couldn’t speak of him having power or influence. Guo Rong, admiring Han Daoxun’s literary compositions and calligraphy, had contact with him frequently. He also knew that Han Daoxun didn’t exert much effort on poetry, focusing more on practical statecraft studies.
In other words, that new verse couldn’t possibly have been copied by Han Qian from his father Han Daoxun.
If it were someone else, they might conclude that even if Han Qian hadn’t plagiarized this new verse from his father, he must have plagiarized it from someone else. But Guo Rong had been sent by Anning Palace to Yang Yuanpu’s side these past few years. His depth of contact with Han Qian was beyond what others could match.
Just think—over these past few years, how many times had Han Qian’s stunning performances left him utterly shocked?
Even if Han Daoxun was perhaps the one formulating all the strategic schemes, Han Qian’s own performance was absolutely not weak either.
Otherwise, back then he couldn’t have been played like a puppet right under his nose.
Looking at it now, even if this new verse was composed by Han Qian himself, he wouldn’t find it surprising.
At this moment Feng Yi knocked and entered, holding in his hands a bowl of hot soup with a strong medicinal aroma. Smiling, he asked: “Has Lord Guo’s hangover left him with a severe headache? Han Qian had me bring you some hangover remedy soup…”
After a night of heavy drinking, besides the headache, his stomach felt quite uncomfortable. After drinking the hangover remedy soup, feeling a warmth in his belly, he truly felt relieved.
“I got drunk very early yesterday. I saw Lord Wei’s drinking capacity wasn’t very impressive either. However, Lord Han, Marquis Zhangxiang, and Lord Jing Qiongwen’s drinking capacity should be quite good. How much longer did they drink? Did any of them fall down drunk?” After getting intoxicated, Guo Rong’s memory of last night was somewhat fuzzy, so he asked Feng Yi, who hadn’t been drinking.
After the Feng family case erupted, Feng Yi was demoted to commoner status without official position. Naturally last night he had no qualification to sit and drink with them. He smiled and said: “Han Qian is quite crafty. He knows in his heart how potent the wine he brewed is, so he didn’t drink much. As for Marquis Zhangxiang and Jing Qiongwen, their drinking capacity isn’t any better than Lord Guo’s…”
The Feng Yi of this time was far from the man of three or four years ago who could easily be coaxed into revealing information by Guo Rong. Now he merely used words to placate him, absolutely unable to tell Guo Rong the true circumstances of last night’s banquet.
However, Guo Rong wasn’t so easily placated either. He secretly wondered—if Han Qian was fine, why get so many of them drunk? To show off how fierce Xuzhou’s newly brewed wine was?
Guo Rong also knew that though he bore the title of vice envoy, all actual authority was in Han Qian’s hands. Even if he could guess that beyond the marriage escort Han Qian had other schemes, it wasn’t for him to interfere.
Of course, it wasn’t that being alienated by Anning Palace and sitting on the cold bench at Prince Tan’s mansion prevented Guo Rong from perceiving the crisis brewing in Jinling.
After achieving decisive victory in reducing Prince Tan’s power in Tanzhou, the Third Prince’s momentum was like a rainbow. Even before he had departed from Jinling on this diplomatic mission, there had already been strong voices in the capital calling for deposing the heir apparent and establishing a new one. Not to mention this marriage alliance would further increase the Third Prince’s prestige. But this didn’t mean Anning Palace, Shouzhou, and the Crown Prince’s faction would simply surrender without resistance, nor did it mean Chuzhou would remain completely silent.
Niu Gengru, Zhao Mingting, Wang Wenqian and the others were not easy opponents. That person in Anning Palace might appear kind and benevolent on the surface, but inside possessed the aspect of a wolf watching its surroundings. And that military expert commanding Chuzhou was definitely not a good person either!
If these people were easy to deal with, His Majesty wouldn’t have been so conflicted these past few years. What exactly was Han Qian’s heart planning in all this? Or perhaps he mistakenly believed His Majesty could adequately control the situation?
If so, then Han Qian and the Third Prince were being too optimistic. Perhaps they hadn’t clearly recognized what kind of person that one in Anning Palace was, or perhaps they fundamentally hadn’t realized that the Inner Palace Bureau that His Majesty had personally cultivated within the Palace Domestic Service over these years had already been thoroughly infiltrated by Anning Palace!
Thinking to this point, Guo Rong couldn’t help but shake his head. Why was he worrying needlessly on Han Qian and the others’ behalf?
If the Third Prince truly ascended the throne, it would only bring him harm, no benefit.
“By the way, does Lord Han have any arrangements for today?” Guo Rong asked Feng Yi.
“Han Qian kept Madam Xi in his room overnight last night—how could he bear to get up so early?” Feng Yi yawned and said, “Clear snowy weather is rare in Shudu. If one is constantly absorbed in trivial matters, that would be too dull.”
Guo Rong smiled slightly. If Han Qian could truly become addicted to female beauty, he wouldn’t have created so much trouble for Anning Palace these past few years. But thinking carefully, that Xi clan woman truly did possess exceptional beauty. Even as a castrated person, when he looked at her, she wasn’t much inferior to Princess Qingyang.
“If Lord Guo has no other instructions, I still need to deliver hangover remedy soup to Marquis Zhangxiang—these days I’m not what I used to be. I must serve all you lords properly.” Feng Yi said with feeling.
Guo Rong smiled slightly, thinking the Feng family brothers fawned over Han Qian like this because they must have placed the Feng family’s hopes for restoration on the Third Prince.
……
……
Marquis Zhangxiang Wang Yong had vomited profusely after returning to his mansion yesterday, and drank hangover remedy soup before sleeping. When he awoke, aside from feeling somewhat weak, he didn’t have much pain from the hangover.
He remembered that when leaving the eastern courtyard of Jinhua Pavilion, Han Qian had given him a thick stack of materials. He raised his head and looked around, but didn’t see them in the room. For a confused moment he thought perhaps he’d drunk too much last night and misremembered this matter.
Marquis Zhangxiang Wang Yong was in no hurry to get up. At this moment his mind cleared. He lay in bed carefully contemplating the many things Han Qian had said last night. Not until he heard laughter coming from the garden outside did he, with female attendants’ service, wash and dress. Donning a fur robe, he walked through the snow, seeing Wan’er holding his young son Wang Huan’s and young daughter Sui’er’s hands, playing in the snow in the garden.
Marquis Zhangxiang Wang Yong stood before the corridor with a gloomy expression, staring at the garden for a while.
His young son Wang Huan quickly noticed him. The child’s tender face showed an expectant yet hesitant expression. Marquis Zhangxiang Wang Yong steeled his heart, turned around and walked back to his study, leaving his young son Wang Huan standing in the garden with disappointment written all over his face.
Marchioness Liang Wan felt somewhat melancholy, secretly wondering—being born into an imperial family, did it truly mean one couldn’t have even half a bit of familial affection?
Walking to the study, he saw Qingyang holding the materials from last night, just walking over. Marquis Zhangxiang Wang Yong said in a low voice: “These kinds of documents can only be examined in the study, they cannot be casually taken out. If they fell into the eyes of someone with ulterior motives, how would I explain it clearly?”
“I don’t see what’s so remarkable about them. Do you truly believe the strategy Han Qian spoke of last night is feasible?” Qingyang said dismissively.
“I’ve thought carefully for a long time, but haven’t discovered anything unfeasible.” Marquis Zhangxiang Wang Yong said hesitantly. He knew that once Han Qian received an audience with the Prince Father, he would escort Qingyang back to Chu at any time. The time left for him to make a decision was truly limited.
“Han Daoxun was transferred to Jinling to serve as Metropolitan Governor. Han Qian told a monstrous lie about this matter, and elder brother still wants to use the strategy he proposed?” Qingyang said incredulously.
Even though Marquis Zhangxiang Wang Yong had to remind himself daily to hide his capabilities and bide his time, he had already been living in his mansion outside the palace for thirteen years now, which had worn away his last bit of patience. The two countries demilitarizing from Xia and Jing provinces—this was an opportunity for Great Shu to have surplus troops to manage affairs in Banan, also a good opportunity for him to become involved in military governance. He didn’t want to miss it again. Gritting his teeth, he said:
“Han Qian shouldn’t be foolish enough to think news of his father’s appointment as Metropolitan Governor could be concealed from us. That he didn’t mention it perhaps has his reasons for not mentioning it! Perhaps the situation in Jinling is even more complicated and intricate than what Han Qian described!”
Qingyang stared at her elder brother quite astonished, never expecting someone usually so cautious and careful would ignore such a huge flaw and point of suspicion, yet still want to use Han Qian’s strategy.
Marquis Zhangxiang Wang Yong, having made up his mind to no longer hide his capabilities and bide his time, decided that even if Han Qian’s plan was a trap, he would jump in. His thinking also became resolute. He said to Qingyang:
“Han Qian’s mission to Shu concerns your marriage—you yourself cannot be heartless and act as if nothing’s happening. These next few days you should visit the palace more often, go pay respects to Lady Qi more frequently…”
The court ministers they could rally to speak on their behalf were still too few. Lady Qi’s elder brother, Right Martial Guard General and Vice Commissioner of Military Affairs Qi Lun, was one of the few figures who could have a say in managing affairs in Banan.
Seeing elder brother had made up his mind, Princess Qingyang could only sullenly agree: “Fine!”
At this moment a guard entered to report: “Chu Envoy Lord Han has sent someone to deliver hangover remedy soup to Your Highness.”
Hearing that Han Qian had sent someone over, Marquis Zhangxiang Wang Yong had the guard quickly let the person in. He saw it was Feng Yi bringing two guards, each carrying an exquisite black lacquer food box.
“Yesterday my drunken state made me lose face, yet I’ve troubled Lord Han to think of me and send hangover remedy soup.” Seeing Feng Yi take out a black mystery pot from the food box and pour a bowl of hangover remedy soup with a heavy medicinal smell, Marquis Zhangxiang Wang Yong hesitated slightly, but still drank the hangover remedy soup completely.
“The Consultant Counselor Han has another matter he’s sent me to handle, so I won’t delay here at Your Lordship’s residence.” Seeing Marquis Zhangxiang Wang Yong drink the hangover remedy soup, Feng Yi not only didn’t take back the mystery pot, but didn’t even take the two black lacquer food boxes about two feet tall. He simply left directly with his men.
“What mystery is in here?” After the guard left, Princess Qingyang picked up the mystery pot from the desk and examined it for a while, then suspiciously examined the food boxes Feng Yi had directly left on the desk table, asking in confusion.
Marquis Zhangxiang Wang Yong walked over and felt around for a while. From the bottom of one food box he drew out a hidden panel, only then discovering this food box had a hidden compartment. Within the silk velvet were spread several layers of Hepu pearls the thickness of thumbs.
The Marquis Zhangxiang’s astonished face was at this moment illuminated with lustrous radiance.