Han Qian ultimately disguised himself as part of a team smuggling illegal salt along with Xi Ren, Yang Qin, Zhao Wuji, Kong Xirong, Feng Yi and others, bringing Princess Qingyang through Wuliao territory, traveling south along the Qian River. Then from trails in the southern foothills of Wuling Mountain within Sizhou territory, they trekked through mountains and forded waters, crossed rugged mountain ridges, endured wind, frost and hardship, finally arriving smoothly at Longya City on the fourth day of the second month.
At this time in Xuzhou, it was already the season of spring warmth and blooming flowers.
Looking at the several clusters of winter jasmine hanging from the cliff top of Old Dragon Gorge, Han Qian was filled with mixed emotions.
The strange dream from five years ago seemed to have fused soul fragments completely different from this era into his body, also to some extent making him detached from the world.
His father’s tragic death made him wish he could die from the pain, while also leaving him with a sense of bewilderment, his heart unable to settle anywhere. At this moment, seeing the several clusters of winter jasmine hanging from the cliff top of Old Dragon Gorge blooming brilliantly moved Han Qian with a feeling of coming home.
Seeing Han Qian with disheveled hair and beard, messy stubble growing an inch long around his jaw, sunken eye sockets, gaunt cheeks nearly deformed, his long disheveled hair streaked with white, his clothes tattered and worn, his appearance withered as if he were a beggar, Zhao Ting’er stood with her several months pregnant belly protruding, tears flowing involuntarily down her face.
“Why didn’t you tell me about your pregnancy?” Han Qian took Zhao Ting’er’s hand and asked.
“At first Ting’er wasn’t certain. When the pregnancy became visible, father had already gone to Jinling. Ting’er didn’t want you distracted by this matter, so didn’t rush to mention it in letters. Who could have imagined such a shocking upheaval would happen in Jinling afterward?” Zhao Ting’er wiped the tear tracks on her face and said, “Feng Liao and Uncle Laoshan have properly prepared father’s body and escorted it to Longya City.”
Han Qian stood with closed eyes before Old Dragon Gorge for quite a while, saying nothing, asking nothing, then leaned on a walking stick and headed toward Longya City.
Having traveled once through the treacherous and remote trails of the Qian River and southern foothills of Wuling Mountain, Qingyang deeply understood the hardships.
Even though she had constant support throughout the journey, she suffered immense hardship. But what made her even more unhappy was that Han Qian’s temperament had become cold and sinister, completely ignoring her. Thus forcibly abducted along this arduous journey to Xuzhou, she didn’t know what upheaval had actually occurred in Jinling.
At this moment, hearing Zhao Ting’er’s words and seeing those who came out from Old Dragon Gorge to welcome Han Qian—Tian Cheng, Zhao Qi, Feng Zhang, Lin Haizheng, Ji Xiyao, Chen Jitang, Guo Nu’er who remained in Longya City to monitor movements in Chen, Xu and other prefectures, as well as Feng Liao, Han Laoshan and others who had painstakingly escorted Han Daoxun’s coffin from Jinling to Longya City—all wearing mourning clothes, she was shocked: Han Daoxun was dead?
But she had no opportunity to inquire about details. Xi Ren arranged for people to first escort her by carriage to Longya City, keeping her under house arrest alone in a separate residence.
……
……
News that Han Daoxun had died tragically by being torn apart by five chariots had long since reached Xuzhou, and Xuzhou was immersed in an atmosphere of grief and anger.
Having traveled the entire way in stealth, not wanting to attract any faction’s attention, Han Qian and his group had traveled through wilderness disguised as salt smugglers. Only after returning to Longya City did they put on mourning clothes again.
Han Daoxun’s coffin had been escorted to Longya City half a month ago, but Zhao Ting’er firmly believed that after Han Qian escaped from Shu, he would rush back to Xuzhou at the first opportunity. The ebony coffin still sat in the mourning hall.
All around hung white banners, with incense and candles burning.
Han Qian knelt before the coffin, his heart twisting in pain for a moment. He never imagined the tragic fate of being torn apart by five chariots that should have befallen him would descend upon his father instead.
“On the twenty-second day of the twelfth month, Caizhou Military Commissioner’s Left Command Commander Han Yuanqi led his troops in rebellion, executed Military Commissioner Han Jian, seized military authority in Caizhou, and occupied Caizhou, southern Ruzhou, and northern Guangzhou. He issued proclamations throughout the realm denouncing Emperor Liang as cruel and inhumane with unfair rewards and punishments, and proclaimed himself Prince Cai. At that time Prince Yong Zhu Yu was in Guanzhong, falsely claiming Shu forces were attacking from Liangzhou to assault Chencang, unable to divide forces to campaign against Han Yuanqi. Emperor Liang had no choice but to send Prince Bo Zhu Gui and Deputy Chief Minister, Commander of Imperial Cavalry Feng Tingye to lead eighty thousand imperial infantry and cavalry south to suppress Han Yuanqi. Prince Yong Zhu Yu led twenty thousand elite Xuanjia cavalry out of Tongguan on the twelfth day of the first month, advancing west along the river. Taking advantage of Biangjing’s empty defenses, on the fifteenth day he attacked Bianjing with lightning speed, imprisoned Emperor Liang in Qiuyang Palace, and usurped the throne…”
Besides Tian Cheng, Feng Liao and others at Longya City, the Third Prince along with Shen Yang, Zheng Hui and others had also anticipated that after Han Qian left Shu, he might first return to Xuzhou. They specially sent Gao Shao and Jiang Huo to wait in Xuzhou for news of Han Qian.
Seeing Han Qian kneeling motionless before the coffin like a statue, Jiang Huo didn’t know if his thoughts were on the current situation. He could only steel himself to introduce the current situation in Liang and Chu.
Only at this moment did Yang Qin and the others learn that around the end of the sixteenth year of Tianyou, not only Great Chu but also Liang had undergone earth-shaking upheaval.
After learning in early eleventh month that Han Daoxun had received orders to take up his post in Jinling, Han Qian had further concentrated the scouts and outriders he secretly controlled mainly on Shouzhou, Chuzhou, Jinling and other places, watching movements from the Shouzhou Military Commissioner, Anning Palace, the Eastern Palace, and Prince Xin of Chuzhou.
When they learned in the Shu capital on the seventh day of the first month that Han Daoxun had died tragically by being torn apart by five chariots, they fled south in disarray on the eleventh. The secret agents lurking in Shu also focused entirely on watching movements of Shu forces and Shu-governed prefectures along the escape route, so that Han Qian remained completely unaware of such a great upheaval occurring within Liang territory throughout the journey.
Yang Qin and Xi Ren stood before the mourning hall, listening to Jiang Huo describe the earth-shaking turmoil in Liang and Chu over these two months, their hearts pounding.
Seeing Han Qian unmoved, Jiang Huo continued describing the current situation in Jinling:
“After news spread that Chief Minister of the Court of Imperial Clan Yang Tai, Palace Attendant Shi Yandao, Marquis of Zhenyuan Yang Jian and others enthroned the Crown Prince, and that General Zhaowu, Commander of the Left Divine Guard Kou Shixiong was beheaded by his subordinate officer Chen Qiao, the Marquis of Xinchang Li Pu and the Imperial Consort worried that after the naval fleet was controlled by Anning Palace, Chuzhou forces couldn’t cross the river at the first opportunity, and Dragon Sparrow Army also couldn’t advance eastward along the river at fastest speed. So they abandoned Taowu Garrison and led troops east to occupy Runzhou. Dragon Sparrow Army had over forty thousand dependents at Taowu Garrison, but moving slowly, a large number of women and children were unfortunately intercepted by pursuing troops at the southeastern foothills of Baohua Mountain. Over ten thousand people were taken back to Jinling and executed as rebels for public display. After learning of the upheaval in Liang, Prince Xin assembled one hundred thousand troops in Chuzhou on the eighteenth day of the first month and marched south to occupy Yangzhou’s Guangling Prefecture. He also divided forces to cross the river, his vanguard entering Runzhou to join with the Marquis of Xinchang and the Imperial Consort, resisting the army Anning Palace dispatched eastward. At this time His Highness is waiting with Shen Yang, Zheng Hui and other ministers in Yueyang for Lord Han to come…”
Han Qian waved his hand, stopping Jiang Huo from continuing. Still kneeling before the coffin without turning around, he said: “We have already brought Princess Qingyang out of Shu. Please ask Elder Jiang to take her to Tanzhou and deliver her to His Highness. For the next three years, Han Qian will resign from all official positions to remain at Longya City observing mourning for my father. Elder Jiang telling me these matters is useless!”
Great Chu inherited the previous dynasty’s system, establishing the nation through filial piety. A father’s mourning period of three years was called observing mourning, also one of the most important “inauspicious rites” of this era.
Although when filial duty to family conflicted with loyalty to nation, one could be recalled to duty despite mourning, should he really first go to Yueyang to see His Highness, then have His Highness dispatch ministers to recall him from mourning and summon Han Qian to Yueyang?
Forget truly observing three years of mourning—under the current urgent circumstances, how could they afford to delay the time spent traveling back and forth?
Moreover, Han Qian didn’t seem to be putting on an act. If His Highness sent ministers over and Han Qian still refused to depart, what then?
Jiang Huo was silently speechless, yet also unwilling to simply take Princess Qingyang to Yueyang to see Prince Tan like this.
Feng Liao crouched and knelt beside Han Qian, saying:
“After the treacherous empress harmed the old lord, his dismembered body was displayed in the Eastern Market. Fan Xicheng was in Xuzhou at the time. Upon hearing the news he rushed back to Jinling overnight, infiltrated the palace to assassinate the treacherous empress to avenge the old lord, but was tragically killed. We took advantage of the street patrol Imperial Guard’s attention being drawn away to seize the old lord’s body, then found a way to transport it out of Jinling and escort it back to Xuzhou. Unfortunately we couldn’t retrieve Lord Fan’s remains…”
Han Qian knelt there dazed, not expecting Fan Xicheng had also died. He turned toward Jinling’s direction and kowtowed three times to thank Fan Xicheng for his loyalty to the Han family.
Feng Liao continued: “Zhao Kuo’s identity has also been clarified. He is a Crouching Tiger—an elite secret soldier raised by Liang’s Prince Yong’s secretly established Heavenly Bureau—who has been lurking beside the old lord all these years.”
“How is that possible? During the Jingxiang campaign when we built the city at Canglang, Zhao Kuo once eavesdropped on our conversation. Knowing we had guessed Prince Yong of Liang was stationed in Wanzhou (Nanyang) at that time, Han Qian was worried he had problems then and specially had Zhao Wuji secretly follow and monitor him for any abnormalities. At that time he directly returned to Xuzhou without communicating intelligence to Liang forces!” Xi Ren found it hard to believe Zhao Kuo was a secret agent Liang had planted for many years.
Feng Liao said: “Zhao Kuo confessed that at the time he believed even if you guessed Prince Yong of Liang’s whereabouts, you couldn’t possibly reverse the Jingxiang situation. He also noticed Zhao Wuji was secretly following him, which is why he didn’t go to Wanzhou to communicate intelligence. He just didn’t expect Liang forces would suffer so badly at Xichuan City.”
Xi Ren opened her mouth but said nothing more.
Since this was all Zhao Kuo’s confession, it certainly wouldn’t be false. Thinking carefully, probably no one had anticipated beforehand that Dragon Sparrow Army had any possibility of holding Xichuan.
“Should we bring Zhao Kuo up?” Feng Liao asked.
The corner of Han Qian’s eye twitched. He nodded, having Feng Liao bring Zhao Kuo up.
Zhao Kuo was shackled, his face withered and hair disheveled as two guards escorted him in. Seeing Han Qian kneeling before Han Daoxun’s coffin, he let out a long sigh and also knelt before the coffin with a thud.
“You had the opportunity to infiltrate back to your homeland. Why did you remain and allow yourself to be captured?” Han Qian pressed his hand on the sword at his waist, staring at Zhao Kuo with sinister eyes.
Zhao Kuo said: “During the military disaster at Guoyang, my parents and brothers all died in the chaos. I carried my young sister begging to survive. Struck by plague in the wilderness with heaven not answering, Prince Yong gave medicine and attended us, barely preserving our lives. Only by repaying with my life could I return this great kindness. Yet the old lord worked day and night for country and people but met such a tragic death—all due to Zhao Kuo’s calamity. Zhao Kuo feels deep shame, yet loyalty and righteousness cannot both be fulfilled. Moreover, before his execution the old lord left a blood letter, entrusting it to a jailer for secret safekeeping. After Zhao Kuo found it, I felt I should personally deliver it to the young lord.”
Zhao Kuo took from his bosom a blood letter written by tearing cloth from a robe hem and breaking a finger to write. Han Qian unfolded it to see several lines of blood characters: “The old matter of Chuzhou, accumulated depression for many years. With chariot execution imminent, this life flashes before my eyes. I truly feel life and death are small matters. My son must not dwell on this…”
Han Qian closed his eyes as a tear streamed down. He waved his hand weakly, signaling the guards to take Zhao Kuo away.
After a moment, a muffled sound came from the courtyard. Everyone in the mourning hall jumped in fright. Feng Liao stepped across the threshold to see Zhao Kuo had already fallen in the courtyard, his skull broken open in a large hole, blood gushing out. The ornamental rock beside him was also stained with blood…
Zhao Kuo had actually killed himself by dashing his head against the rock!