Zheng Xingxuan led the guards standing before the corridor, preventing any idle persons from approaching Chengyun Hall.

Inside the great hall, Shen Yang, Chen De, Zheng Chang, Zheng Yu, Zhou Yuan, Zheng Hui, Gao Chengyuan, Guo Liang, Han Daoming, Jiang Huo, Li Chong, as well as Chun Shisanniang and Lu Qingxia attending Dowager Consort Wang Chan’er who sat listening from behind the curtain—all were core figures within Yueyang City who could participate in the most secret affairs.

Yang Yuanpu had convened everyone to discuss a possibility concerning Yueyang and the realm and state of Great Chu.

That was whether Xuanzhou Prefect Gu Zhilong had any possibility of being won over to Yueyang’s side.

Xuanzhou was located between Fuyu Mountain and Yi Mountain. To the south lay Shezhou.

Departing from Shezhou, heading west through the ancient Yi Mountain post road led to Raozhou.

From Raozhou, following the Xinchang River downstream and crossing the Gan River led to Hongzhou.

Departing from Hongzhou, passing through Yuanzhou led to Hengzhou on the southern front directly controlled by the Hunan Executive Secretariat.

Currently, Hongzhou and Yuanzhou were under the control of Prince of Yuzhang Commandery and Hongzhou Prefect Yang Zhiyuan.

Shezhou and Raozhou, located in Yi Mountain east of Poyang Lake, were in remote and dangerous terrain with sparse population. In Great Chu’s territory, their status was only slightly higher than remote jimi prefectures like Chen and Xu that didn’t face major enemies. The local officials and aristocratic clans had temporarily shown no obvious inclinations after the Jinling incident.

Of course, temporarily no one cared about the reactions of Raozhou and Shezhou.

If Gu Zhilong could be won over to Yueyang, with the Chishan Army, Qiuhu Army and Xuanzhou forces joining together, not only could it temporarily relieve the Chishan Army and Qiuhu Army’s current dire shortage of grain, armor and other materials, not only could it increase the forces loyal to Yueyang on the Jinling southern front to about sixty thousand men, but under the pressure of such powerful forces, Shezhou to the south and Raozhou west of Shezhou would also be pacified by proclamation.

Yang Zhiyuan was also an imperial clan member, a cousin of Crown Prince Yang Yuanwo, Prince Xin Yang Yuanyan, and Prince Tan Yang Yuanpu. No matter who he supported ascending the throne, he would have no psychological pressure.

And Yang Zhiyuan only controlled Hong and Yuan prefectures with troops numbering less than twenty thousand. With the Zhedong Prince’s Manor almost openly serving Yueyang, he presumably wouldn’t have any inappropriate ambitions.

Wouldn’t this open up the overland route spanning over a thousand li from Hengzhou to Xuanzhou?

And at that step, would they still need to worry that Zhang Xiang of Jingzhou and Du Chongtao of Xiangzhou would continue sitting on the fence and watching from the sidelines?

This was also a possibility mentioned in the secret letter Han Qian sent back to Yueyang.

Yesterday, upon receiving the secret letter delivered by Han Qian’s messenger, Yang Yuanpu hadn’t slept all night. He first spent half the night analyzing the situation’s development with Jiang Huo and Qing Yang, then at dawn couldn’t help but dispatch someone to directly invite Shen Yang into the Prince’s Manor to discuss the matter.

By the time more people were summoned to Chengyun Hall for the morning council, it was almost noon. Yang Yuanpu was in an extremely excited state without the slightest bit of sleepiness.

After the Chuzhou Army’s great victory at Jingshan Nunnery, Prince Xin Yang Yuanyan had displayed dazzling martial prowess and military talent, and Yueyang’s atmosphere had once been extremely depressed. The urgency to transfer Li Zhigao to Ezhou, though it included some private calculations from Yang Yuanpu and others, was mainly due to worry that the Chuzhou Army’s progress in Jiangdong was too fast, too swift and unstoppable, requiring early preparations on the eastern front.

When Han Qian acted on his own authority going to Jinling and seized military authority from Marquis Xinchang Li Pu, though Yang Yuanpu approved of this, his heart felt entirely uncomfortable.

After all, for someone only eighteen years old who should be full of high spirits at this time, no matter how much respect he held for Han Qian in his heart, and no matter how much his childhood palace confinement had taught him to endure, he still hoped his will would be supreme over others.

Afterward, as the situation in Jinling changed unpredictably, Yang Yuanpu’s thoughts rose and fell, but he had never been able to find that composure and confidence of having the world’s situation grasped in his hands. His temperament had also become somewhat anxious and irritable.

But what if Gu Zhilong could truly be used by Yueyang?

Yang Yuanpu’s eyes stared intensely at the people below in the hall, his face slightly pale from staying up all night but also showing a trace of excited flush.

“Gu Zhilong served as a general in the Shengzhou Military Commissioner’s Office in his early years. My father secretly persuaded him to surrender and pledge to the Late Emperor, but the man is slippery. He hasn’t dispatched troops to attack the Chishan Army, but that doesn’t necessarily mean he’s willing to place all his chips on Yueyang at this time, does it?” Han Daoming had several encounters with Gu Zhilong. After reading the secret letter Han Qian had sent, he always felt Han Qian’s judgment of Gu Zhilong and Xuanzhou was overly optimistic.

If Yueyang could now take Jiangzhou and also bring over Prince of Yuzhang Commandery Yang Zhiyuan’s twenty thousand troops and Hong and Yuan prefectures, he believed Gu Zhilong might indeed bend with the wind and add flowers to brocade.

However, even if they could now open this narrow overland route between Hengzhou and Xuanzhou caught between treacherous mountains and waters, the significance wasn’t great.

The elite combat forces they could deploy—the Dragon Sparrow Army and Five Fangs Army—were still stationed on the southern bank of the Yangtze at the Yueyang-Ezhou front, separated from Jinling by Jiang and Chi prefectures.

And the Five Fangs Army was newly formed, with water combat capability weaker than the Tower Ship Army that had pledged to the Anning Palace.

In Han Daoming’s view, even if Gu Zhilong pledged allegiance, their odds of severely defeating the Anning Palace and Chuzhou Army in the short term wouldn’t exceed forty percent.

Under these circumstances, would Gu Zhilong stake his entire fortune and life?

“Lord Han is in Jinling. His judgment of Xuanzhou and Gu Zhilong should be more direct and accurate than ours. Regardless, it’s still worth a try!” Acting Ministry of Justice Vice Minister Zhang Chao said, striking the table.

Zhang Chao was the Zhang clan head and also the cousin of Hengzhou Prefect Zhang Han.

During the campaign to reduce feudal domains, Zhang Chao and Zhang Han had led aristocratic families from northern Langzhou and five thousand local troops to pledge allegiance, establishing great merit in the subsequent rapid pacification of the Ma clan rebellion. Together with Zhang Han, they were representative figures of local Hunan forces that had submitted.

Gao Long and Miao Yong, as surrendered generals, currently served as military supervisors under Chai Jian’s command, but they were too deeply involved with the Ma clan. Their influence in the localities at this time was far from comparable to the Zhang clan.

Zhang Chao currently served as Acting Ministry of Justice Vice Minister.

When Han Qian conscripted slaves to enlist in Jinling and promised land grants, as head of the Zhang clan which possessed large numbers of slaves and estates in Langzhou, Zhang Chao’s antipathy toward Han Qian could be said to be no less than the Zheng clan’s.

However, faced with the temptation of greater benefits, people’s attitudes always underwent some subtle transformations.

Zhang Chao’s words also represented the sentiments of most present. They suddenly felt Han Qian wasn’t so detestable, and this matter was completely worth trying. If they couldn’t persuade Gu Zhilong to submit at this time, what would Yueyang lose?

Seeing the expressions of everyone around him, Han Daoming also knew that what should be discussed next was how to win him over, not whether to win him over.

“Since it was Old Lord Han who persuaded Gu Zhilong to serve the Late Emperor back then, perhaps this matter still requires Old Lord Han to personally take action,” Acting Privy Council Commissioner Zheng Yu said thoughtfully.

“My father, he…” Thinking that his father Han Wenhuan was already seventy-six years old and might not withstand the journey’s hardships, Han Daoming wanted to decline on his father’s behalf. But then thinking that if his father didn’t go, he himself would have to personally sneak to Jinling to meet with that brat Han Qian, he closed his mouth.

“If Gu Zhilong is willing to serve Yueyang, his merit deserves the reward of Duke, with hereditary succession for his descendants without replacement, pardoned of all crimes except high treason!” Yang Yuanpu said excitedly, gripping the armrest. He also knew that at this critical juncture, he couldn’t be stingy—he had to offer stakes sufficient to move Gu Zhilong’s heart for this to succeed.

“Who knows when Liang State’s situation will stabilize. This matter should be done sooner rather than later. Everything must trouble Old Lord Han to suffer the hardships of travel,” Zheng Yu said, cupping his hands toward Han Daoming, wishing he could right now persuade Yang Yuanpu to summon Han Wenhuan into Chengyun Hall for a face-to-face conferring of secret instructions.

“I’ll return home immediately to discuss this with my father,” Han Daoming agreed.

“Old Lord Han is advanced in years. Perhaps requesting Lord Han Daochang to accompany him would be more secure,” Shen Yang said, still pondering the secret letter Han Qian had sent back in his hands. But seeing everyone inclined toward lavishly rewarding and recruiting Gu Zhilong, after hesitating for a moment he spoke.

It wasn’t that he hadn’t thought of suggesting Han Daoming accompany them, but Han Daoming had left Xuanzhou long ago to serve as an official elsewhere.

In comparison, Han Daochang, who had remained in Xuanzhou year-round presiding over Han clan affairs, was more familiar with Gu Zhilong and other local Xuanzhou figures and had deeper friendships. So he suggested Han Daochang accompany Han Wenhuan.

Of course, Han Daochang’s rank was slightly lower, so he hadn’t been summoned to participate in today’s Chengyun Hall council.

“Then for these many matters, we’ll trouble Master Shen to accompany Lord Han to the Han residence to explain things to the senior and junior Lords Han,” Yang Yuanpu said.

Whether this could succeed was still unknown at this time, but if he directly summoned Han Wenhuan, who had been retired and living in seclusion for many years, into the Prince’s Manor for council, it would be easy for the Anning Palace and Chuzhou’s eyes and ears lurking in Yueyang to notice. Having Shen Yang represent him in accompanying Han Daoming to the Han residence to arrange various matters would be more secure.

Shen Yang didn’t decline. He glanced at Jiang Huo again. Specifically how to penetrate the blockade of Jiang and Chi prefectures and deliver Han Wenhuan and Han Daochang to Jinling to meet with Han Qian and his group at maximum speed would require Jiang Huo and Jinyun Tower to make more specific arrangements.

……

……

Han Jun was originally on duty at Cishou Palace today. It was only when Lu Qingxia and Chun Shisanniang accompanied Dowager Consort Wang Chan’er back from Chengyun Hall that he learned what all the commotion today had been about.

He couldn’t be bothered with the Dowager Consort’s flirtatious eyes hinting for him to remain on night duty at Cishou Palace as well. He immediately requested leave to depart Cishou Palace and return to the family residence.

Han Daoming had brought Shen Yang back to the family residence under the pretext of a family banquet to discuss secret matters.

When Han Jun rushed back, in Mingju Hall besides his grandfather Han Wenhuan, father Han Daoming, second uncle Han Daochang and cousin Han Duan, there was only Shen Yang present.

Not to mention the corridor—even idle persons weren’t permitted in the courtyard. Han Chengmeng personally led people guarding outside the courtyard.

“I’ll escort grandfather and second uncle to Jinling,” Han Jun said gladly as he stepped from the covered walkway into Mingju Hall.

“You serve on duty beside the Dowager Consort with important responsibilities. How can you just leave at will?” Han Daoming said, his brow slightly furrowing.

“There must be someone more familiar with Xuanzhou to safeguard grandfather and second uncle’s wellbeing. For this matter, the Dowager Consort should grant me a few days’ leave from attending to her,” Han Jun said.

Gu Zhilong was a slippery character. As long as they could smoothly reach Xuanzhou, even if they couldn’t persuade Gu Zhilong to pledge to Yueyang, there wouldn’t be any danger. Of course, if he didn’t dare take any risks at all, wouldn’t he spend his entire life being ridden on the neck by Han Qian, who would shit and piss on him?

He currently served as Deputy Commander of Cishou Palace Guard Manor, with rank equivalent to Deputy Military Supervisor, which could be considered entering the sequence of middle and high-level officers and officials. But he knew in his own heart that he could hold this position because the Han family had escorted the Dowager Consort back to Yueyang and traded with the Zheng clan and Marquis Xinchang’s Manor. Not many people recognized his abilities and talents, much less compared to Han Qian.

He was unwilling to accept this and didn’t want to miss the only current opportunity to establish great merit.

Otherwise, when would he possibly have the chance to hold independent command?

Han Daoming looked toward Shen Yang. Shen Yang naturally took no position on the matter.