After requesting permission to leave the palace, Yao Xishui, Chun Shisanniang, and the Lady in Black Veil disguised as Cishou Palace Director guarding Princess Consort Wang didn’t exit the palace and enter Prince of Tan’s mansion on the eastern side of the palace city for a private meeting with the person from Tanzhou until past noon.
“Marquis?!” When Yao Xishui and the others walked into Prince of Tan’s inner mansion and saw Prince of Tan’s Consort Li Yao accompanying her father, Marquis Xinchang Li Pu, seated in the warm pavilion of Xiaoxiang Court, they received a terrible shock.
She had thought that even if earth-shattering events occurred, having Chai Jian or Li Chong rush back to report would already be extremely remarkable. She never imagined it would be Li Pu himself rushing back.
Li Pu currently served as Right Vice Minister of the Hunan Regional Command, making his status extremely sensitive. If he didn’t show his face in Tanzhou City for a few days, the news would spread everywhere and cause an uproar—there was simply no way to hide it from the eyes Anning Palace had planted in Tanzhou.
Yao Xishui truly couldn’t imagine what could have happened to make Li Pu decide to secretly rush back to Jinling himself.
“It’s excellent that Princess Consort left the palace, otherwise it would have taken much more effort.” Seeing Princess Consort Wang directly leave the palace to rush to Prince of Tan’s mansion for a meeting, Li Pu breathed a sigh of relief and sat down to say: “Regarding Shen He’s poisoning, Han Qian and His Highness did not secretly memorialize His Majesty through Yuan Guowei and Jiang Huo. We’ve been kept completely in the dark!”
“What?” At this moment, Yao Xishui was so shocked she almost jumped up. She suddenly understood why, after arriving in Jinling, so many things seemed incomprehensible no matter how much they thought about them.
Because in their hearts they were certain the Third Prince and Han Qian had already secretly memorialized Emperor Tianyou about Shen He’s death by poisoning through Yuan Guowei and Jiang Huo.
When Emperor Tianyou transferred Han Daoxun to serve as Capital Magistrate, they had even thought this was a measure Emperor Tianyou took after learning these matters, having made up his mind to establish the Third Prince as legitimate heir.
Who could imagine Han Qian and the Third Prince had concealed such an important matter from this side?
“Why? Why did that scoundrel Han Qian instigate His Highness this way? And why was Han Daoxun transferred from Xuzhou to the capital to serve as Capital Magistrate?” The Lady in Black Veil also couldn’t suppress her inner shock and asked.
“Not only Chamberlain Bureau Deputy Director Shen He—Han Qian judged that Emperor Tianyou has been deeply poisoned, his life completely fallen under Anning Palace’s control. He believed that once they secretly memorialized about Shen He’s poisoning, even without alerting the enemy, Emperor Tianyou would hastily only transfer Chuzhou troops to cross the river. So he instigated His Highness to conceal this information in order to gain more time!” Li Pu said. “Han Daoxun knows absolutely nothing about what Han Qian and His Highness plotted in this matter. Before his diplomatic mission to Shu, Han Qian also hadn’t anticipated Emperor Tianyou would transfer his father to Jinling. Only after learning of it in Shu territory was he forced to send Zhao Wuji to secretly meet His Highness in Tanzhou to adjust the deployment. In Tanzhou, I felt Han Qian suddenly sending Zhao Wuji back to see His Highness was too suspicious. Under my questioning, His Highness revealed the inside story!”
Yao Xishui, Chun Shisanniang, the Lady in Black Veil, and Princess Consort Wang all stood there stunned, feeling a chill shoot straight up their tailbones. They hadn’t expected that to gain more time for the Dragon Sparrow Army, Han Qian would dare instigate the Third Prince to tell such a heaven-deceiving lie!
Although four months had peacefully passed since Shen He came to Tanzhou to deliver the imperial edict, and the Dragon Sparrow Army and various provincial militia had completed their first round of training with the Hunan Regional Command’s system of governing eight provinces initially established and the Yueyang Naval Camp set up, thinking of how Han Qian dared instigate the Third Prince this way still left everyone deeply shocked while also unable to suppress their anger at being manipulated.
“I worried that if Chai Jian or Li Chong returned, you might have difficulty making decisive decisions, so I requested leave from His Highness and rushed back myself—Zhao Wuji has already led a contingent of Han family troops to Jinling City to rendezvous with Han Daoxun. What unusual movements have there been at Lanting Lane these past two days?” Seeing everyone was safe and sound, Li Pu breathed a slight sigh of relief and pressed to ask about recent movements within Jinling City.
“Han Daoxun may already know about Emperor Tianyou’s poisoning!” Thinking of Han Daoxun’s morning palace entry, Yao Xishui said hesitantly. “Han Daoxun entered the palace this morning to memorialize about the Internal Affairs Bureau’s market bullying, then dragged Internal Affairs Bureau Deputy Director Zhong Yuli to the Capital Magistrate’s office—perhaps to inform him of this matter…”
“Han Qian committed the crime of deceiving the sovereign, punishable by executing nine generations of his clan without pardon. Would Han Daoxun secretly communicate this to Emperor Tianyou?” Chun Shisanniang asked incredulously.
“If not worried about this, why else would Han Qian conceal this from his father?” Yao Xishui said.
“Exactly. Han Daoxun is quite loyal and compassionate toward the people, the same type as Shen Yang and Yang En. Han Qian and the Third Prince feared they would insist on informing Emperor Tianyou, which is why they deliberately concealed the entire matter!” Li Pu said. “Since Han Daoxun has very likely already informed Emperor Tianyou at this time, the slightest move on their part could very likely alert the enemy and force Anning Palace to desperately jump the wall prematurely. There’s no time to lose—we must immediately leave the city for Yongchun Palace!”
Princess Consort’s request to leave the palace was already an exceptional grace. Leaving the city without permission was even more prohibited. However, thinking the Jinling situation could drastically change at any moment, they couldn’t care about such concerns.
“Jiang Huo may not be easy to get past?” Yao Xishui frowned. “Marquis, did you bring His Highness’s written order back?”
The active personal guards of the Personal Affairs Office and Inner Household Office mainly remained stationed in Tanzhou with the Third Prince. Besides eunuchs and female attendants, the few guards at Prince of Tan’s mansion on Fengxiang Avenue were actually under the control of Jiang Huo, who had returned to Jinling to oversee Jinyun Tower affairs.
Under normal circumstances, Jiang Huo wouldn’t interfere with inner mansion affairs. But for Marquis Xinchang Li Pu to suddenly want to take Prince of Tan’s Consort Li Yao out of the city to take refuge—even though Li Pu was Prince of Tan’s Consort Li Yao’s birth father, she couldn’t simply follow Li Pu out of the mansion and city.
What’s more, this matter also involved Princess Consort Wang?
Marquis Xinchang Li Pu was slightly stunned. Rushing back in haste, he hadn’t realized the situation was already this critical. Although he could make decisions on many matters, taking his daughter and Princess Consort out of the city—Jiang Huo might not allow it.
“I’m here. Would Jiang Huo dare obstruct me?” Princess Consort Wang’s delicate brows furrowed angrily as she urged Li Pu’s daughter to simply pack her things and leave the city with them.
Princess Consort’s words had just fallen when several guards peered into Xiaoxiang Court from outside. It was Jiang Huo, who had just received the news, rushing back to see what was happening.
Confirming it was Marquis Xinchang Li Pu who had quietly rushed back from Tanzhou, Jiang Huo was also startled and asked: “Why has the Marquis returned to Jinling? Where are you all going?”
“We’re leaving the city to temporarily stay at Yongchun Palace for a few days.” Marquis Xinchang Li Pu said with an uncertain expression.
Jiang Huo looked at everyone suspiciously for a moment, then asked Princess Consort: “Your Ladyship is also leaving the city?”
“Are my affairs any of your business?” Princess Consort questioned irritably.
“This humble official wouldn’t dare,” Jiang Huo said neither humbly nor arrogantly. “If there’s no written order from His Highness, this humble official will send someone to inform the Chamberlain Bureau, then personally escort Your Ladyship and the Prince’s Consort to temporarily reside at Yongchun Palace momentarily.”
Marquis Xinchang Li Pu’s brows furrowed deeply. He hadn’t expected that, just as Yao Xishui predicted, they would be stuck at Jiang Huo’s checkpoint unable to pass.
Yao Xishui thought Han Qian should have anticipated the Jinling situation might suddenly turn critical, and asked Jiang Huo: “Elder Jiang, when you returned to Jinling to take charge, did Han Qian or His Highness give you secret orders instructing how to respond if Jinling experiences drastic changes?”
Seeing Marquis Xinchang Li Pu’s return, Jiang Huo also realized the situation was somewhat serious. After brief contemplation, he took a wax ball from his breast and said: “If events occur suddenly and Jiang Huo cannot make decisions, His Highness and Master Han instructed Jiang Huo to open this secret order!”
Seeing the Third Prince indeed had a secret order given to Jiang Huo, Marquis Xinchang Li Pu reached out directly to take the wax ball, crushed it open to extract the hidden secret message inside. It bore several lines of small characters: “If matters are critical and difficult to decide, quickly escort the Prince’s Consort out of the city and inform Marquis Xinchang’s mansion along with the mansions of generals Li Zhigao, Zhou Dan and others without delay. If all matters are undecided, you may consult with Feng Liao!”
“Feng Liao is also in Jinling?” Jiang Huo had thought Feng Liao had been sent by Han Qian to oversee affairs elsewhere. He hadn’t expected Feng Liao had long been sent back to Jinling by Han Qian!
Although the secret message bore no seal, the wax ball had undoubtedly been handed to him personally by the Third Prince and Han Qian. Jiang Huo stood stunned for a moment, secretly sensing that although the secret message didn’t specify the reason, from these arrangements one could glimpse to what degree the Third Prince and Han Qian predicted Jinling’s situation might become critical.
“Han Qian does have some consideration—he still knows to have Feng Liao and Elder Jiang protect the young Prince’s Consort and the generals’ households when matters become urgent,” Chun Shisanniang said with a slight smile. “But he seems to have forgotten about Your Ladyship.”
Yao Xishui glimpsed Princess Consort’s face suddenly darken, but at this moment she had no mind for adding fuel to the fire. She asked Jiang Huo:
“We’re now escorting the young Prince’s Consort and Princess Consort out of the city to Yongchun Palace. Elder Jiang, will you still obstruct us?”
Jiang Huo asked: “Can Miss Yao tell Jiang Huo what exactly has happened?”
Jiang Huo was a veteran official who came out of the Internal Affairs Bureau. How could Marquis Xinchang Li Pu dare let him know the complete truth?
He directly cut off the conversation, not letting Yao Xishui reveal more of the inside story: “Since the secret order doesn’t mention it, His Highness feels some matters are better for Elder Jiang not to know for now.”
After hesitating a moment, Jiang Huo said: “I’ll trouble the Marquis to escort the Prince’s Consort out of the city. I’ll go to Lanting Lane to see Feng Liao.”
As long as Jiang Huo insisted on not leaving the city with them but didn’t obstruct them, and was willing to go rendezvous with Feng Liao, Marquis Xinchang Li Pu wouldn’t force him. They also weren’t just the few people present leaving the city—they still needed to notify the marquis’s household family members and the families of Dragon Sparrow Army generals remaining in Jinling City to bring them out in time.
……
……
When Jiang Huo rushed to Lanting Lane, Feng Liao and Zhao Wuji had also just freed themselves.
Han Daoxun hadn’t returned since leaving Lanting Lane at dawn. In the afternoon he sent someone to have Han Laoshan bring Zhou Che to the Capital Magistrate’s office.
Only then did Feng Liao have an opportunity to persuade the guards to release him and Zhao Wuji, produce Han Qian’s secret message, and regain control over the mansion’s guards. However, at this time Han Daoxun, Zhao Kuo, and Han Laoshan along with several veteran family soldiers were all at the Capital Magistrate’s office.
Feng Liao felt like crying without tears. Han Daoxun had already entered the palace once and used the pretext of Internal Affairs Bureau procurement officials breaking laws to drag Internal Affairs Bureau Director Zhong Yuli to the Capital Magistrate’s office. They couldn’t very well storm into the Capital Magistrate’s office to abduct Han Daoxun!
When Jiang Huo rushed over and mentioned Marquis Xinchang Li Pu had secretly rushed back to Jinling and was preparing to escort the young Prince’s Consort and Princess Consort out of the city to avoid disaster, Feng Liao stamped his feet in anxiety: “This is bad! Master entering the palace to drag Zhong Yuli out may have already alerted the enemy, but even if Anning Palace makes decisions, they couldn’t possibly act tonight—they would necessarily need several days of preparation. But now it’s completely finished. Anning Palace must have eyes watching the Prince’s mansion and Marquis Xinchang’s mansion. Seeing the young Prince’s Consort and Princess Consort suddenly leaving the city without reason, how could they have even half a moment of hesitation or delay?”
“The Marquis should be rushing back to his mansion to collect people right now. If we intercept them now, we might still make it in time!” Jiang Huo said in shock.
“It’s useless!” Feng Liao said in dejected despair. He looked up at the sky—it was almost the hour of Shen. In just over an hour more, the sun would set and the city gates would close.
What kind of people were Marquis Xinchang’s mansion and Wanhong Tower? Without Han Qian deliberately instructing him, Feng Liao also understood. It would be good if they didn’t betray them—how could he expect them to stay and fight for a slim chance?
What’s more, if they succeeded in fighting, it would be Prince Xin, closest to Jinling, who would benefit.
Would people like Marquis Xinchang Li Pu be the type to make wedding clothes for others?
Not only would Marquis Xinchang Li Pu be impossible to persuade, after they left the city he might even fan the flames, making the situation within Jinling City even more chaotic.
Could they really detain Marquis Xinchang Li Pu and his group in the street with their guards?
That way, wouldn’t the commotion be even greater?
Jiang Huo said through clenched teeth: “Whether it will work or not, we must try.”
After hesitating a moment, Feng Liao said with a thread of hope: “Expecting Marquis Xinchang to completely stay his hand is absolutely impossible. Elder Jiang, you could persuade them to come to Lanting Lane—tell them the Young Master has made arrangements at Lanting Lane!”