The complete public explanation was that shortly after the Third Prince arrived in Xiangzhou, he discovered poison in his food. A secret investigation revealed that the Guard Battalion had been infiltrated by Liang Kingdom spies. However, when apprehending two key individuals, excessive force was used during interrogation, causing both spies to die under torture before divulging useful information. Unable to thoroughly purge the Guard Battalion internally in the short term, under current circumstances they could only entirely replace the protective forces around the Third Prince.
The Third Prince had been assassinated not long after leaving the palace to establish his residence last year. Now, shortly after arriving in Xiangzhou, he encountered enemy agents poisoning him. The matter was extremely sensitive. Du Chongtao didn’t want to invite suspicion, so he treated it as a private matter concerning the Third Prince’s household and showed not the slightest intention of inquiring further.
Han Qian had immediately accompanied the Third Prince to see Du Chongtao to report the matter. Seeing that the Third Prince’s personal freedom was unrestricted, Du Chongtao treated it as if it had never happened, so no information leaked from his end.
After Han Qian withdrew the Left Bureau scouts and some of the men Li Zhigao had left him from the Third Prince’s temporary residence, Shen Yang, his face grave, personally went to invite Chen De, Guo Rong, Guo Liang, Gao Chengyuan, and the others to enter and pay their respects to the Third Prince.
“With such sudden developments occurring, to avoid unnecessary alarm, we didn’t send advance notice to you all,” Yang Yuanpu said. Though the matter had passed six or seven days ago, he still couldn’t conceal his inner excitement as he looked at everyone. “Master Shen has already selected from the army a group of young warriors of clean background. For now, I will use these young warriors as my attendants. Henceforth, I will rely heavily on Master Shen’s mental and physical labor for many matters around me…”
“With His Majesty’s entrustment, Shen Yang dares not be negligent,” Shen Yang returned the courtesy, still emphasizing that his loyalty to the Third Prince originated from Emperor Tianyou’s decree.
Guo Liang and Gao Chengyuan could guess that matters weren’t as simple as imagined. After all, what the Third Prince’s expression revealed wasn’t fear or anger, but rather a trace of barely concealed excitement and the sharp quality of an unsheathed sword—making it easy for them to detect some clues.
However, having Shen Yang oversee matters at the Third Prince’s side and personally select a new batch of guards was extremely advantageous for Guo Liang and Gao Chengyuan themselves.
Though Guo Liang and Gao Chengyuan, like Li Zhigao and Zhou Shu, were vice commanders each leading a division of the Dragon Sparrow Army, the mid and low-ranking officers under them were basically all trusted confidants of the Marquis of Xinchang’s mansion, preventing them from truly controlling the troops under their command.
Even though Guo Liang was somewhat better off than Gao Chengyuan—after all, he still had two to three hundred veteran Dragon Sparrow Army soldiers who had followed him for many years—he was similarly sidelined by the battalion commanders and unit leaders under him.
Now with Shen Yang remaining at the Third Prince’s side to oversee matters, though he wouldn’t immediately be able to suppress the Marquis of Xinchang mansion’s influence, it was foreseeable that whether Guo Liang or Gao Chengyuan wished to cultivate and promote brave warriors selected from the rank-and-file soldiers, or wanted to discipline unruly officers who refused management and training, the resistance would be much less than before.
Chen De wasn’t a fool either, but his temperament was much more lazy. Seeing that the Third Prince was fine, he didn’t bother to investigate what subtleties lay hidden in the complete replacement of the Guard Battalion or how serious the subsequent effects might be.
Guo Rong, however, was both shocked and suspicious.
He guessed that something extraordinary must have happened, but unfortunately he hadn’t accompanied Yang Yuanpu on the overland route to Xiangzhou immediately. Even among those attending Yang Yuanpu these past days, not one was his direct subordinate, so he had no way of knowing what had occurred and could only accept the facts that had already transpired.
However, his gaze scrutinizing Zhang Ping was full of doubt. Only now did he learn that Zhang Ping would replace him as mansion supervisor, meaning from today forward he would merely serve as supervising army commissioner and could no longer interfere in matters around the Third Prince.
He had heard absolutely no advance wind of such an appointment, clearly indicating it wasn’t Anning Palace’s will. And if this was His Majesty’s decree, then Zhang Ping should have been dispatched by His Majesty to assist the Third Prince—but why would the Third Prince, Shen Yang, Han Qian, and the others deliberately diminish Zhang Ping’s presence?
When things are abnormal, there must be something sinister. Guo Rong secretly speculated—this Zhang Ping seemed quite worth investigating, didn’t he?
The negotiations with Chen De, Guo Rong, Guo Liang, Gao Chengyuan, and the others naturally fell to Shen Yang to lead. Han Qian stood quietly behind the Third Prince and his party. Seeing Guo Rong scrutinize Zhang Ping several times, he felt his scalp tingle. This arrangement by the Marquis of Xinchang Li Pu and the woman in black gauze was truly too foolish. Single-mindedly thinking they could control the Third Prince and him in the palm of their hand, they assumed Guo Rong and Anning Palace were blind, resulting in flaws everywhere now that couldn’t be plugged fast enough.
Han Qian had no energy to worry about too many things at present. His planned construction at Canglang and having the boat guild undertake salt trading had already been delayed ten days beyond his estimate due to this upheaval, without formal launch.
War had already broken out in the north. Though the flames of war hadn’t yet spread across the Nanyang Basin on a large scale, they couldn’t delay any longer. Everything had to immediately get back on track.
After Guo Liang, Gao Chengyuan, and the others paid their respects to the Third Prince, they returned to Niushou Stockade to await orders.
Yang Yuanpu invited Chen De, Guo Rong, Shen Yang, and Han Qian into the inner hall to discuss matters.
Han Qian’s strong advocacy for Shen Yang to oversee matters was mainly because, aside from the Marquis of Xinchang Li Pu, Shen Yang was the only high-ranking official qualified to submit memorials directly to Emperor Tianyou’s desk.
Of course, the Third Prince Yang Yuanpu could also submit memorials to the palace, but the problem was that Yang Yuanpu was still an inexperienced fourteen-year-old youth. Even if his memorials contained brilliant and correct suggestions, Emperor Tianyou would find it difficult to bring them to court for deliberation by the privy ministers.
Chen De’s ability to serve as deputy commander of the Dragon Sparrow Army was purely because he was the only clan member of the Imperial Noble Consort serving at court. Previously merely a low-ranking military officer, if he submitted memorials, they would receive even less attention—not even a chance to be discussed at privy council meetings.
However, for internal decisions of the Dragon Sparrow Army, Chen De as deputy commander and Guo Rong as supervising army commissioner both had a voice, while Chai Jian, Zhang Ping, and Li Chong—the three entrusted with heavy responsibility by the Marquis of Xinchang Li Pu—could only sit to the side and observe.
“On the north bank of the Han River and both flanks of the Dan River, there are thirty to forty thousand escaped households who fled into the deep mountains to avoid calamity during decades of warfare. These people are mostly controlled by defeated soldiers from previous battles, possessing strong armaments and will to resist. They cannot be forcibly subjugated in the short term,” Han Qian stood in the great hall elaborating his plan fluently, though he deliberately reduced the actual number of escaped households within Junzhou territory. “These mountain strongholds are extremely lacking in salt, iron, and other goods. If His Highness uses salt, iron, and other goods to entice them, they can be made to serve His Highness.”
“Thirty to forty thousand people require two thousand shi of salt annually. If communication goes smoothly, we could obtain three to four thousand laborers for the Dragon Sparrow Army to use in defending the left flank. But the problem is that even if Your Highness and I submit memorials now and His Majesty fully supports granting the three western counties of Deng special dispensation for salt matters, it will still be two or three months before the boat guild can transport the first shipment of salt. I fear distant water cannot quench immediate thirst!” Shen Yang understood practical matters. Having heard Han Qian’s brief explanation, he knew what loophole he wanted to exploit, but the problem was that solving the urgent crisis at hand wasn’t easy.
“Circumstances require flexibility,” Han Qian said. “Seven thousand Dragon Sparrow Army soldiers, supplemented by five thousand laborers for military use—that’s the normal practice. Defense Commissioner Master Du should also match the Dragon Sparrow Army with corresponding supplies. Of course, this matter requires Your Highness and Master Shen Yang to negotiate with Master Du to make it possible.”
Han Qian’s plan was for the Third Prince and Shen Yang to approach Du Chongtao and first report a false account of five thousand laborers, drawing the corresponding supply allocations to offset initial expenditures.
This was also the significance of the Dragon Sparrow Army’s participation in this war to make up for insufficient military resources.
Using salt and iron to entice mountain strongholds, making them provide able-bodied men to build fortifications at Canglang and assist the left forward division’s defense, was a plan that had to be publicly announced for implementation. Han Qian wasn’t afraid that after Guo Rong learned of it, he would transmit the news back to Anning Palace.
As supervising army commissioner, monitoring military affairs was Guo Rong’s duty. But Han Qian wasn’t worried he would arbitrarily obstruct proper military strategy. Presumably Guo Rong clearly understood in his heart that if he dared arbitrarily obstruct legitimate military affairs, Emperor Tianyou would find an excuse to remove him.
At that time, Anning Palace’s greatest spy in the Marquis of Linjiang’s mansion and Dragon Sparrow Army would also be eliminated.
Chen De’s relationship with the Marquis of Xinchang’s mansion had recently grown intimate, and he even knew of the Evening Red Tower’s existence. But strengthening the Dragon Sparrow Army’s power served his own interests and position—there was absolutely no reason to oppose using salt and iron profits to build fortifications and consolidate the left forward division’s defensive line.
After discussion, they ultimately decided that Shen Yang would accompany the Third Prince to negotiate this matter with Du Chongtao, while the specific implementation would be entirely Han Qian’s responsibility.
Guo Rong and Chen De were also exhausted from carriage and boat travel, and with such major events occurring, no one was in the mood to remain for a banquet. After discussing matters, they returned to the courtyards arranged for them in Jinxing Ward to rest.
Shen Yang’s lodgings in Jinxing Ward were quite close to Han Qian’s temporary residence. They left the Third Prince’s residence together.
When there were no idle people around, Shen Yang couldn’t help but ask, “Your discussions today—the goal is probably to establish a new Junzhou and secretly promise to strongly support Li Zhigao taking command there?”
“…” The matter of establishing a new Junzhou was something Han Qian had previously communicated only with the Marquis of Xinchang Li Pu, the woman in black gauze, Li Zhigao, and a very few others. They had merely felt he was being too hasty. But he never expected Shen Yang to deduce so many details so quickly. Knowing denial was meaningless, he remained silent.
“Alas, you and Li Zhigao both have ambition and collude together, yet don’t consider what terrible situation His Highness will face when he returns to Jinling. You waste His Highness’s trust in you,” Shen Yang said. Seeing Han Qian’s silence, he knew all his speculations were true and accused him without courtesy.
“It was the Marquis of Xinchang who destroyed His Highness’s trust in them. How can this be blamed on Li Zhigao and me?” Han Qian retorted sharply.
However, Han Qian also knew his rebuttal lacked much force. After all, he couldn’t speak aloud the Marquis of Xinchang’s true conspiracy. In Shen Yang’s mind, the crisis around the Third Prince was far from reaching the point where it needed to be resolved through military remonstrance.
Shen Yang indeed immediately followed with another demand: “Other matters aside, the Dragon Sparrow Army’s maintenance still requires the Marquis of Xinchang’s mansion to subsidize forty to fifty thousand shi of money and grain annually. And the Left Bureau’s deficit today grows larger and larger—can you really cover this matter?”
“If Li Zhigao leads his division and achieves results on the left flank, and Junzhou is newly established, it can fill the gap,” Han Qian said.
“What if you can’t?” Shen Yang asked.
“With eggs beneath a collapsing nest, what other retreat do we have to choose?” Han Qian could only say with such resolve.
“Alas!” Shen Yang sighed deeply. Not saying anything more to Han Qian, he brought his two family retainers and pushed through the door into the courtyard arranged for him.