Although the Right Guangde Army had Gu Zhilong and Chen Mingsheng as Commander and Deputy Commander, and both indeed possessed some capability in commanding troops and managing armies, the true core of the Right Guangde Army consisted of the Prince’s Mansion officers led by Li Xiu and Li Qi.
Particularly Li Xiu and Li Qi, as representatives of the Prince’s Mansion’s younger generation, had performed extremely outstandingly in the battles at Liyang and Nanling, several times serving as anchoring pillars and mainstays.
When the Right Guangde Army absorbed Xuanzhou forces, with nearly over half the soldiers being sons of Xuanzhou, the fact that Li Pu still dared to let Gu Zhilong serve as the Right Guangde Army’s Commander—frankly speaking—relied on Li Xiu, Li Qi and their men.
If they could truly win over Li Xiu and Li Qi, without needing excessive explanation, Yao Xishui’s heart clearly understood how significant this could be.
Currently, it appeared her elder brother led the Left Dragon Sparrow Army in campaigns north and south with outstanding military achievements, and was about to shoulder the responsibility of commanding the general assault on Jinling. But compared to Han Qian, her elder brother truly had too few direct trusted subordinates who could be used to accomplish great things.
If anything were to happen, Left Dragon Sparrow Army Deputy Commander Guo Liang and commanders Zhou Dan, Gao Long and others would not heed her elder brother’s orders. As for the forces of Marquis Xinchang’s mansion and Wanhong Tower exposed on the surface, currently they would only follow Li Pu’s lead.
Yao Xishui dreamed of having Li Xiu and Li Qi serve her elder brother.
However, the discord between her elder brother and adoptive father Li Pu was already almost an open secret in Yueyang. Not to mention Li Qi—Li Xiu and Li Pu were still blood uncle and nephew. Moreover, there was still Marquis of Linjin Li Changfeng. How could they possibly win them over easily?
Of course, during the final period of Li Yu’s life, though he went to Maoshan mainly wanting to closely observe changes in the Jinling situation, hoping to do something, the fact that he could associate with Yun Puzi—Yao Xishui thought that no matter how worthless this Yun Puzi was, in Li Yu’s eyes he still held some position.
Furthermore, Yao Xishui thought that for Yun Puzi to enter Fanchang City at this time, someone must have guided him. Perhaps that person even knew Yun Puzi was visiting her elder brother tonight. If she truly killed him with one sword, it would instead leave difficult-to-remedy flaws and future troubles.
Thinking this, Yao Xishui stared at Yun Puzi and said: “My elder brother’s household lacks a senior guest. I wonder if Taoist Yun would be willing to condescend?”
“Elder brother?” Yun Puzi hesitantly scrutinized Yao Xishui for quite a while. After a moment, he suddenly realized: “I wondered why seeing Miss Yao always felt so familiar—so Miss Yao resembles the Princess of Lu! Miss Yao, you can’t blame me for failing to recognize you. After all, back at the Prince of Lu’s mansion, I only saw the Princess twice. So many years have passed—it’s natural my impression wouldn’t be deep. However, speaking of it, Lu Qingxia is truly formidable. No wonder I fell into her hands back then. Li Pu will probably never understand until his death what kind of chess piece Lu Qingxia planted beside him! Send word to Lu Qingxia—though I, Gu Yunpu, am resentful about being expelled by her years ago, I truly wish to pledge loyalty to the Young Prince. She knows I can be trusted!”
“How were you able to enter Fanchang City?” Yao Xishui was curious about who Yun Puzi was acquainted with that allowed him to enter Fanchang City, which was guarded as strictly as the imperial palace.
One must know that Fanchang City’s defense was completely taken over by the palace guards, with county residents all driven out. Normally it was policed and managed according to imperial palace standards. Even Li Zhigao, Han Qian and others could only bring a dozen closest attendants to live in the city—their other guards and escorts all had to stay in military camps outside the city.
For Yun Puzi, someone without official status, to bring his disciples to visit friends in Fanchang City—clearly his connections were not ordinary.
“When I was in Chizhou, I encountered an old friend serving beside Princess Qingyang. I actually entered Fanchang City with Princess Qingyang’s entourage,” Yun Puzi said, seemingly without concealment.
Yao Xishui felt secretly fortunate. Someone serving beside Princess Qingyang who was also an old acquaintance of Yun Puzi must necessarily be a former member of the Divine Mausoleum Bureau’s Shu Division. Even if they didn’t know Yun Puzi came to visit her elder brother tonight, if Yun Puzi and his two disciples truly disappeared in the city without cause, they could easily find clues.
“The hour is so late—if I don’t return, that old friend of mine might come looking for me,” Yun Puzi straightened his robes and made to take his leave.
But Deng Tai didn’t dare let him leave easily, saying to Li Zhigao: “Who knows if once he turns to leave, he’ll betray you, Elder Brother?”
Yao Xishui also stared at Yun Puzi warily.
“It’s fine. Since Taoist Yun could peacefully cultivate at Maoshan for seventeen years, he can keep this small secret,” Li Zhigao signaled Deng Tai to make way, letting Yun Puzi leave.
“The Young Prince is truly a figure who can contend with Han Qian. It seems this old Taoist’s rusty bones about to enter the earth may have opportunity to play some role after all,” Yun Puzi said, quite appreciatively examining Li Zhigao twice. He smiled at Deng Tai: “General Li’s secret currently can’t fetch much money before Princess Qingyang. With this old Taoist mediating, perhaps if Princess Qingyang has any matters in the future, she’ll come to rely more on General Li and General Deng.”
Having said this, Yun Puzi carefully checked whether any bloodstains had gotten on him, then brushed dust from his robe hem, cupped his hands to Li Zhigao, and took his leave. He completely disregarded how the corpses of his two disciples killed by Yao Xishui and her maid would be disposed of.
After Yun Puzi left, Deng Tai closed the courtyard gate again. Only then did Yao Xishui ask: “You just let him walk away like that? How much of what he said can be believed?”
Li Zhigao’s thick brows furrowed tightly. Of course he wasn’t worried that Yun Puzi would reveal his secret at this time, but Yun Puzi’s not revealing his secret had ulterior motives—just like Yun Puzi happening to encounter an old friend of Princess Qingyang’s in Chizhou.
All this made him feel as if an invisible shackle had fallen around his neck, tightening until he could barely breathe!
“Elder Brother, do you feel keeping Yun Puzi will serve some purpose?” Yao Xishui asked hesitantly.
“You can’t just kill people at the drop of a hat,” Li Zhigao said, looking at Yao Xishui’s blood-stained collar and sleeves. He also knew that no matter how much he advised, Xishui might not listen. With a slight sigh, he asked: “How did you happen to pass by here?”
“Han Qian handed over Wang Wenqian’s daughter, and His Highness had me responsible for monitoring her movements in the city. I just had a couple drinks at Han Qian’s place, inexplicably wanted to come see you, Elder Brother, and unexpectedly ran into Yun Puzi,” Yao Xishui said, lowering her head.
Thinking that Xishui had guarded such a terrible secret alone since childhood, whatever words of blame Li Zhigao had, at this moment he couldn’t speak them. He brought Yao Xishui and her maid Ye Feiying into the room warmed by braziers, took out two sets of robes and had them drape these over themselves to cover the bloodstains.
Otherwise, if patrolling palace guard soldiers saw them, even though Xishui was a trusted aide at the Grand Consort’s side, it would still be very difficult to easily cover up.
“Today watching Han Qian and Wang Jun, I always felt awkward. Elder Brother, do you think they might be hiding some irregularity unknown to outsiders?” Yao Xishui asked as she draped on the oversized robe.
“Han Daoxun and Wang Jixiong had a teacher-student bond. Han Daoxun died unjustly, Wang Wenqian was the instigator. Wang Jixiong traveled far to Xuzhou to pay condolences with intent to apologize and clear the name. Wang Jun and Han Qian originally had a marriage contract that was later dissolved for reasons—there are too many entangled grievances here. How could outsiders know the various flavors within?” Li Zhigao said quite emotionally.
“Even if His Highness captures Jinling and ascends the throne, next he must first resolve the Xu clan’s troubles. He temporarily shouldn’t clash heavily with Chuzhou—he might even need to make peace with Chuzhou first. Elder Brother, what do you think—if at this time someone were to bring up Han Qian and Wang Jun’s marriage contract again, wouldn’t that be very interesting?” Yao Xishui looked up at her elder brother and asked.
“Han Qian and His Highness’s current relationship is strange and delicate. I also can’t guess what’s really going on. We should stay out of this matter—you must not do anything superfluous,” Li Zhigao said, startled. He looked up and solemnly warned Yao Xishui.
“I naturally won’t do anything superfluous, but since Yun Puzi says he’s willing to serve Elder Brother, you should seize the time to use him, lest he have opportunity to change his mind,” Yao Xishui said with a smile.
Seeing Xishui like this, Li Zhigao recalled the ruthless and cold smile his wife would occasionally show. At this moment he also realized he couldn’t dissuade Xishui. Besides his headache, he was at a loss.
Deng Tai, however, said quite excitedly: “Though Han Daoxun wasn’t killed by Wang Wenqian, he died because of Wang Wenqian. Han Qian speaks of filial piety on the left and loyalty and righteousness on the right. If someone were to bring up the marriage contract to establish relations with Chuzhou, I wonder if he would compromise and marry the Wang family daughter?”
Deng Tai had completely seen Han Qian’s terrifying nature. In the past, perhaps he felt gratified that Han Qian was their lord’s ally, but after learning their true identities, he realized that Han Qian’s terrifying nature was probably the heaviest shackle on them.
In his heart he knew that if Han Qian truly spared no effort assisting Yang Yuanpu, they would have no opportunity. Therefore he wished nothing more than for the relationship between Han Qian and Yang Yuanpu to break more thoroughly—best if it broke to the point where Yang Yuanpu had no choice but to kill Han Qian, or at the very least, make Han Qian and Yang Yuanpu completely disappointed in each other.