Accompanying his father to take up office in Xuzhou, it had been early summer when they left Jinling. Now returning to Jinling, it was already deep autumn.

In three more months, it would be the fourteenth year of Emperor Tianyou’s reign. Han Qian deeply felt time flying like a shuttle—the time remaining for him was truly insufficient. If he could not see any turning point within two years, he might have to consider staying put in Xuzhou and not returning to Jinling.

After four months apart, Li Zhigao remained imposingly martial, sporting two black mustaches on his upper lip. His lean face had distinct contours. Even wearing casual clothes, he exuded a sharply aggressive bearing. Seeing Han Qian standing on the deck facing the wind, though not as jubilant as Feng Yi and Kong Xirong, he still revealed a genuinely gratified smile.

It was already afternoon. The fleet entering the city through the water gate required inspection and tax payment—the procedures were complicated.

Li Zhigao did not call for Han Qian to come down. He, Feng Yi, Kong Xirong, and others directly abandoned their horses to board the ship and meet with Han Qian. The horses were handed to their guards to take directly back to the city.

Of the various matters that occurred in Xuzhou, apart from particularly secret things that could only be transmitted orally—such as recruiting Feng Xuan and Gao Bao for their use, and private dealings with Tanzhou that could not be written in letters—for other matters, as long as they were things the Bureau of Operations could investigate by sending people back into Xuzhou, Han Qian would write a letter every half month, have someone deliver it back to Jinling and submit it before the Third Imperial Prince, maintaining contact while also reporting Xuzhou’s latest developments.

Han Qian introduced Yang Qin, Feng Xuan, Feng Zhang, Gao Bao, and other representatives sent by the Four Surnames to escort the ships to Li Zhigao, Feng Yi, and Kong Xirong. Li Zhigao had long known from letters about Yang Qin, Feng Zhang, and others’ backgrounds and identities, and greeted them all very courteously.

Great Chu had several major prefectures with over one hundred thousand registered households. As a lower prefecture, Xuzhou’s three counties combined—native-registered and guest-registered—totaled only twelve thousand households. In recent years with nationwide division and incessant warfare, Feng Zhang, Gao Bao, and others counted as well-traveled and knowledgeable figures in Xuzhou, but had never entered a city as prosperous as Jinling.

Li Zhigao was the eldest son of Marquis Xinchang, Feng Yi was the son of Vice Minister of Revenue Feng Wenlan, and Kong Xirong was the son of Right Divine Martial Army Deputy Commander Kong Zhou—all were proper and legitimate sons of powerful officials. In terms of status, they were all higher than Han Qian, the son of a lower prefecture governor. Li Zhigao, as Dragon Sparrow Army Commander, was equivalent to a lower prefecture vice governor, or an upper prefecture military administration officer, provincial garrison commander, or military commissioner.

None of them showed the slightest arrogance upon boarding, which greatly improved Feng Zhang and others’ impression and slightly reduced their wariness about being bullied.

Part of the fleet’s cargo was tribute from Xuzhou to be delivered to the Ministry of Revenue for official inspection and receipt. Setting up checkpoints at the water gate to collect transit taxes was the business of the Salt and Iron Commission office—the procedures for entering the city were complicated.

Fortunately, Feng Yi was the son of Vice Minister of Revenue Feng Wenlan. Middle and lower-ranking officials of the various Ministry of Revenue departments and the Salt and Iron Commission office all had to give him face, not to mention that Han Qian’s group also had Li Zhigao accompanying them.

The fleet passed through the water gate without being made difficult for. After inspection according to the records, paying transit taxes at the assessed price, and unloading tribute at the warehouse designated by the Ministry of Revenue, it was nearly evening. The fleet then sailed into Shitang River and moored before the warehouse dock at the end of Tieli Lane.

Over the past four months, Han Qian had left Fan Dahei and Lin Haizheng in Jinling. Together with Chun Shisanniang, they were responsible for the Secret Bureau Left Division’s basic construction.

The Tieli Lane warehouse dock had been completed. According to Han Qian’s established plan, Fan Dahei had added thick walls to enclose the six courtyards along Shitang River in Tieli Lane, Lanting Lane, and Kaoshan Lane into one unified compound, like an independent ward, to serve not only as a warehouse but also as the Secret Bureau Left Division’s core base within the city.

Currently, it mainly transported lime, blue bricks, and other products from the workshops into the city for distribution here.

After the fleet from Xuzhou moored at the warehouse, the range of products that could be distributed into the city through the warehouse became much richer than before.

Some goods to be sold in Jinling City—such as medicinal materials, tea, copper and iron implements, and even more precious gold and silver vessels, jade, rhinoceros horn, and ivory—were directly unloaded into the Tieli Lane warehouse. Other bulk commodities like grain, preserved meat, leather, and iron materials remained on the ships. Han Qian planned to deliver these to the garrison military headquarters tomorrow.

The Dragon Sparrow Army and garrison military headquarters still found it difficult to be self-sufficient in grain and meat. Iron materials, leather, and fine materials of mulberry wood for making bows were also urgently needed by the garrison military headquarters at this time.

Even without reminders from Marquis Xinchang’s household and Evening Red Tower, Han Qian was very clear in his heart that if he could not reduce the pressure on the garrison military headquarters to some degree in this regard, why would Li Pu and the others, with nothing better to do, expend such great effort supporting his father to take office in Xuzhou, and even allow him to mobilize the Secret Bureau Left Division’s strength to escort his father to his post and help his father gain a foothold in Xuzhou?

There was no free lunch in the world. The current problem was that Han Qian worried Marquis Xinchang’s household and Evening Red Tower’s appetite was too large.

Not only had the Third Imperial Prince Yang Yuanpu sent someone to wait in Lanting Lane in the afternoon, but just after they finished unloading, he sent two more groups of people to urge and ask Han Qian to bring everyone to hurry to the Marquis of Linjiang’s residence for a banquet.

With Fan Dahei and Lin Haizheng presiding over the warehouse, and Guo Nu’er and Lin Zongjing also incorporated into the boat guild to guard Wuli Lane without problems arising, the large number of boatmen, sailors, and guards were also temporarily settled by them. Han Qian accompanied Li Zhigao, Feng Yi, and Kong Xirong, bringing Yang Qin, Zhao Wuji, Feng Xuan, Feng Zhang, Gao Bao, and others to rush to the Marquis of Linjiang’s residence for the banquet.

If the situation within Jinling City could remain stable, Han Qian did not want to create any major disturbances in Xuzhou. He would prefer to use commercial profit to win over the Four Surnames and even native-registered great clan forces upstream on the Yuan River, ultimately maintaining stability in Chen, Xu, and other prefectures while promoting integration between native-registered and guest-registered peoples.

In letters written to the Third Imperial Prince Yang Yuanpu, Han Qian also repeatedly emphasized this concept.

Given the current situation, even if it was to numb the Four Surnames’ vigilance, Han Qian also planned to treat Feng Zhang and these figures representing the Four Surnames escorting ships into Jinling with the courtesy of honored guests.

Besides bringing Feng Zhang and others together to the Marquis of Linjiang’s residence for the banquet, he also instructed Fan Dahei and Lin Haizheng to properly entertain Feng Zhang’s subordinates brought directly from Jingyun Stockade, even allowing them to visit high-quality, affordable pleasure quarters to experience Jinling City’s boundless charms.

Changing from boats to horses, everyone arrived at the Marquis of Linjiang’s residence as the sky darkened.

Before Han Qian and others could dismount, they saw the Third Imperial Prince Yang Yuanpu impatiently stride out from the main gate. Even though Guo Rong, Chen De, Chai Jian, Li Chong, and others were unwilling, they could only accompany Yang Yuanpu out of the marquis residence’s main gate to welcome Han Qian.

“Han Qian pays respects to Your Highness!” Han Qian quickly joined Li Zhigao and others in trotting to the steps before the marquis residence’s main gate to salute the Third Imperial Prince Yang Yuanpu.

“After several months apart, I constantly thought of you, imagining that going to remote Xuzhou, unable to adapt to the climate and water, you would certainly return much thinner. A few days ago mentioning this to Zhigao, thinking your return date was near, I specially had Yao Niang prepare some tonic medicines these past two days…” Yang Yuanpu descended the steps, grasped Han Qian’s arm, and said with joy and excitement.

People are not grass or wood—they cannot be without feeling. Hearing Yang Yuanpu’s sincere words, Han Qian was also quite moved.

After several months apart, Yang Yuanpu had grown taller again, actually not shorter than Feng Yi, Guo Rong, and others. His body was also much sturdier, his skin dark, showing that he had not slackened in the slightest this summer. The palm supporting his arm also had calluses. Han Qian could not help thinking: if they could truly work together with one heart, there might not be no chance at all!

Han Qian also examined Yang Yuanpu several times before joking: “Seeing Han Qian raised white and plump in Xuzhou, is Your Highness disappointed?”

Yang Yuanpu resided deep in the palace. In his youth, he could be said to be constantly fearful all day, also able to feel his mother consort’s bone-deep terror. Initially he was not very clear about Xuzhou’s situation. During this period, he had specifically listened to Shen Yang describe the poor mountains and treacherous waters of the southwestern prefectures, the fierce folk customs, and the continuation of nearly a thousand years of loose-rein governance, before more deeply knowing how difficult it was to gain a foothold in Xuzhou and accomplish anything.

Yet now, not only had Han Qian returned, but he had also invited native-registered great clans to escort ten ships of cargo to arrive in Jinling. The Secret Bureau Left Division, just newly established, had already demonstrated extraordinary strength, causing the secret forces directly controlled by Bureau of Operations’ Zhao Mingting to suffer setback after setback. How could Yang Yuanpu not be excited?

Since childhood, Yang Yuanpu had seen too many conspiracies and schemes, seen too much scheming and calculation. Toward the secret forces controlled by the Bureau of Operations or Secret Bureau Left Division, he felt both fear and a natural desire to master them for his own use.

Han Qian presented the gift he had specially prepared for the Third Imperial Prince this time—a scale-patterned short sword with an ivory handle, meteorite iron-forged blade, and crocodile leather sheath—then exchanged greetings with Guo Rong, Chen De, Chai Jian, Li Chong, and others.

Chen De thought Han Qian was benefiting from his father’s influence and laughed heartily while standing on the steps.

Chai Jian held deep wariness toward Han Daoxun and his son Han Qian, but also had to admit that Han Daoxun and his son possessed divine schemes and ghostly strategies. At least Anning Palace’s side temporarily had no way to deal with them.

Li Chong’s feelings were much more complex, while Guo Rong stood there even more rigidly.

Anning Palace’s faction could dominate the court. Guo Rong never imagined that this father and son would actually use a heaven-deceiving scheme to help the Third Imperial Prince establish the Dragon Sparrow Army. As someone who watched the Third Imperial Prince daily, he was completely unaware and kept entirely in the dark.

Although Anning Palace’s side had not removed him from the Third Imperial Prince’s side, Guo Rong guessed that was only because they temporarily did not want any rash actions that would alarm and anger His Majesty. He himself felt deeply ashamed, having failed the heavy trust placed in him.

Regarding Zhao Mingting’s subsequent arrangements targeting Han Daoxun’s assumption of office, Guo Rong was not privy to the secrets. But he knew Zhao Mingting’s methods and Anning Palace’s vengeful ruthlessness—they absolutely would not truly sit and watch Han Daoxun take office in Xuzhou and become a regional high official.

Although Guo Rong had been neglected by Anning Palace’s side and lacked firsthand news of many matters, watching the Third Imperial Prince’s alternately joyful and worried appearance, he also knew that Zhao Mingting had employed numerous methods against Han Daoxun and his son Han Qian over these four months.

The relatively public signs showing Zhao Mingting and Han Daoxun and his son in fierce covert struggle were mainly two matters.

One was Jiangzhou’s memorial regarding the Yang Tan Water Stronghold case, accusing the bandit leader of plotting to assassinate the new prefectural governor. Jiangzhou dispatched troops to clear out the stronghold, but after Han Daoxun assumed office in Xuzhou, he submitted a memorial requesting merit for the bandit leader, claiming that the Yang Tan Water Stronghold case’s principal offender had seen the error of his ways when robbing them, and even performed meritorious service to atone for crimes, escorting and fighting river bandits numerous times along the way. His merit more than offset his crimes and he should even be rewarded.

The second matter was the provincial prison riot case on the very night Han Daoxun and his son arrived in Xuzhou. In one night, seventeen officials and jailers died in the riot, and one hundred forty-seven prisoners were suppressed.

No matter where this occurred, it would be a major case shocking the empire. Yet ultimately the Court of Judicial Review, Ministry of Justice, and Censorate all did not dispatch officials to Xuzhou to verify, but completely accepted Han Daoxun’s account, allowing these two matters to pass calmly.

Guo Rong did not know if Anning Palace’s side had some weakness in Han Daoxun and his son’s hands and was unwilling to have the lid lifted, or if His Majesty personally indicated the ministries should handle it this way.

In any case, these two major cases that should have stirred up tremendous waves just passed like that.

Now today, with Han Qian bringing this quite large fleet back to Jinling, everyone could confirm that Han Daoxun had gained a foothold in Xuzhou, a place with extremely complex and tangled circumstances where imperial commands were difficult to reach.

The young eunuch in blue who came the second time to invite Han Qian to the banquet was someone from Guo Rong’s side. He had run back earlier to tell him about the scene of ten large ships loaded with goods mooring at the Shitang River dock. Guo Rong could not help thinking: could it be that the Third Imperial Prince truly has some hope?

Of course, seeing the Third Imperial Prince actually come out of the residence to welcome them, those most excited inside were still Yang Qin, Gao Bao, and others.

Whether openly or secretly following Han Qian, they were all compelled by circumstances with no choice. But even with no path to choose, their hearts were still anxious. They knew how great the dangers they faced were, yet worried that the future Han Qian promised them was only a flower in water, a moon in a well.

Seeing that with the Third Imperial Prince’s exalted status, he actually came out of the residence to welcome them, they truly believed that Young Master Han Qian indeed might promise them a bright and brilliant future.

Even if the road ahead was full of danger, thinking of the rewards the Third Imperial Prince’s successful succession struggle would bring them—things they had never dared dream of before—also invigorated their spirits…

Feng Xuan was somewhat calmer.