“That old codger truly has a poisonous eye!”

Entering the courtyard, Xi Ren couldn’t help but sigh with emotion.

Though she had little respect for Shen Yang and knew he wasn’t aware of how severe the true crisis Han Qian faced was, she was still shocked that Shen Yang could guess so many things Han Qian deliberately concealed in such a short time. She thought to herself—perhaps this was what they meant by “there are always people beyond people, mountains beyond mountains.”

“Emperor Tianyou is deeply suspicious, but his ability to judge people is still first-rate. How could he possibly err in selecting Shen Yang as the Third Prince’s tutor?”

Han Qian said with a smile, though inwardly he thought of Shen Yang’s cold attitude toward him, secretly feeling that from this matter onward, Shen Yang probably no longer considered him one of their own.

Thinking this, he sighed slightly in his heart. At present, he couldn’t fully reveal the conspiracy of the Marquis of Xinchang’s mansion and the Evening Red Tower, so he couldn’t forcefully refute Shen Yang’s accusations.

Of course, his such resolute actions were mainly motivated by self-interest, making it even harder to confidently refute Shen Yang’s accusations.

Even if the ultimate development of events couldn’t achieve the effects he anticipated, stripping Chai Jian of command over the Guard Battalion, thoroughly suppressing Zhang Ping, and preventing them from dictating matters around the Third Prince in Xiangzhou would at least win him the initiative during these few months while war erupted.

Money lending was essentially a snowball process. As long as Han Qian could seize the initiative during the northern war, he could raise at minimum thirty to fifty million cash in massive funds in the name of the Marquis of Linjiang’s mansion. Even if he could only divert a portion of it, he could ransom a considerable portion of the Xi clan members, ultimately making the fleet led by Feng Xuan and the boat guild led by Yang Qin into forces in his hands capable of contending with the Four Surnames.

This force didn’t need to be very powerful—even two or three hundred elite troops would suffice. As long as it could contend with the Four Surnames, it would be enough for father and son to establish themselves in Xuzhou.

As for Li Zhigao, whether Han Qian threatened or enticed him, or whether Li Zhigao disagreed with his foster father the Marquis of Xinchang’s methods and was more pragmatic and capable—the most fundamental reason Li Zhigao was ultimately persuaded by Han Qian was that Li Zhigao had his own burning ambition.

Shen Yang might not know more of the inside story, but he saw through precisely this, which was why he had such strong objections to them.

“Tomorrow when this old codger sees Du Chongtao with the Third Prince, will Du Chongtao easily agree to let the Dragon Sparrow Army draw empty pay for five thousand laborers?” Xi Ren asked with some concern.

She knew that even without a responsible attitude, the money Han Qian borrowed through money lending would ultimately be used to expand the Left Bureau’s power. But even if the Marquis of Xinchang’s mansion and Evening Red Tower chose forbearance again, they would cut off extra subsidies to Li Zhigao’s division.

To fulfill his promise to Li Zhigao, drawing empty pay and the subsequent salt trading matter had to succeed. Otherwise, Han Qian still couldn’t control the development of the situation here.

But she couldn’t understand—what made Han Qian so certain that Du Chongtao would easily agree to this?

“Du Chongtao may harbor different intentions, but his wings haven’t fully grown yet, so he’ll be more concerned with Emperor Tianyou’s attitude,” Han Qian said. “You should know that Emperor Tianyou’s attitude toward the Third Prince is naturally also one of Emperor Tianyou’s attitudes—very likely his most important attitude at present. If Du Chongtao can’t see this clearly, he’s as foolish as the Marquis of Xinchang.”

“…” Xi Ren was slightly stunned. She hadn’t expected Han Qian’s calculations to have reached this step. But then another thought occurred to her, and she said, “When you dared to act so brazenly in Jinling, you were also certain that the Marquis of Xinchang Li Pu and the others would comprehend this point. But the facts didn’t develop as you anticipated, did they?”

“How can one always anticipate the enemy’s every move? Of course, I also misjudged these people’s breadth of mind and vision. Perhaps this is the key to why the Marquis of Xinchang Li Pu is inferior to his brother? Or perhaps Prince Jun of Zhedong, Li Yu, knew of these people’s existence long ago but recognized they were more likely to ruin than accomplish things, so he didn’t conspire with them?” Han Qian said, feeling somewhat weary. “Du Chongtao can be ranked alongside Li Yu and Xu Mingzhen—I believe his vision should be somewhat higher. Of course, to give Anning Palace an explanation, I estimate the specific process will have some complications, or in the end he’ll reduce the scale of laborers drawing empty pay.”

…

At this moment, Yang Qin led Feng Xuan and Gao Bao inside.

As the main Dragon Sparrow Army force reached Xiangzhou and encamped at Niushou Stockade east of the city, Feng Xuan, Gao Bao, Feng Zhang, and others also led the Four Surnames fleet, fully loaded with eight ships of supplies, to arrive outside Xiangzhou.

“Take these eight ships of supplies to Canglang immediately. The Dragon Sparrow Army will directly requisition this batch of supplies, but payment or equivalent offset supplies will be settled for you in a few days,” Han Qian instructed. “Xiangzhou dare not default on the Third Prince’s provisions, but with troops all concentrating on the western front in the short term, military supply turnover isn’t that quick.”

Han Qian didn’t want to immediately tear his face with the Four Surnames. Temporarily borrowing the Four Surnames’ supplies still required timely settlement of payment or equivalent offset supplies.

However, as long as Du Chongtao agreed to let the Dragon Sparrow Army draw empty pay for three to five thousand able-bodied laborers—though there would be some complications with this matter, Han Qian believed Du Chongtao would ultimately yield—and as long as this money and grain were mainly controlled by him, Han Qian dared to advance the batch of supplies transported by the Four Surnames fleet.

A Ponzi scheme was simply robbing Peter to pay Paul. As long as there was a Peter to rob, Paul wouldn’t fall.

Before Shen Yang selected another two hundred young warriors from the army to strengthen the newly organized Guard Battalion’s forces, Han Qian didn’t dare easily leave Xiangzhou. He decided to have Tian Cheng and Yang Qin first accompany the Four Surnames fleet led by Feng Xuan, Gao Bao, and Feng Zhang to Canglang to lay the groundwork for what he planned to do there.

To fulfill his promise to Li Zhigao, Han Qian also had Feng Xuan transport military supplies worth three to four million cash—including canvas, cotton cloth, wound medicine, tung oil, leather, and other materials—directly to Jingzikou for Li Zhigao to receive.

Xiangzhou would guarantee material supplies for all troops assembled under the Dengxiang Command, but mainly just fodder and horse feed. As for armor, cold-weather clothing, wound medicine, and even the canvas needed for encampment and oils used for kindling fires, the quantities Xiangzhou supplied were extremely limited—mainly requiring each army to provide their own.

Currently, the court’s orders for supplies assembling from Jiang’e and other provinces to Xiangzhou also focused mainly on grain.

The Dragon Sparrow Army lacked too many supplies. Even though Li Zhigao’s division and the Guard Battalion had always received priority material support, there were still serious shortages of cold-weather clothing and wound medicine.

Li Zhigao was barely over thirty but was already a veteran general. With him leading troops garrisoning Jingzikou, Han Qian didn’t worry about major problems occurring. But sometimes one had to admit that troop morale was directly proportional to supply provisions.

The Marquis of Xinchang’s mansion and Evening Red Tower hadn’t yet reacted to Han Qian and Li Zhigao’s military coup. Even if Li Pu and the woman in black gauze received information in Jinling, in the short term they couldn’t reach Xiangzhou affairs. But Han Qian had to prepare to meet their counterattack.

The best preparation was for Li Zhigao to thoroughly control the First Division troops and establish military merit.

However, the main officers of the First Division were still loyalists of the Marquis of Xinchang’s mansion. How many among them Li Zhigao could win over was still unknown at this point. But Li Zhigao had to both suppress his subordinate soldiers from becoming restless while resisting military pressure from the western flank at Shaoxi Mountain (Wuguan Pass)—neither was easy.

After arranging for Tian Cheng, Yang Qin, and the others to depart, Yao Xishui’s voice drifted eerily over the courtyard wall: “With everything already under your control, you should withdraw the personnel from this courtyard and return my freedom, shouldn’t you?”

“How have I ever confined Miss Yao’s freedom? I’m just afraid Miss Yao has a violent temper and might suddenly stab me with a sword!” Han Qian said with a laugh. “I have a simple banquet prepared here. If Miss Yao doesn’t mind, you could come drink a cup of wine.”

After a moment, Yao Xishui led two maidservants gracefully over. Before entering the courtyard, she deliberately rolled up her sleeves, revealing arms that rivaled frost and snow, showing Han Qian, who watched vigilantly, that she wasn’t hiding any weapons on her body.

Han Qian wouldn’t relax his guard because of this. In such cold weather, Yao Xishui and the two maidservants all wore thick padded garments and fur coats. Who knew whether their bulging bodies were genuine material or concealed other weapons? He gestured for Xi Ren to come forward and carefully search Yao Xishui and her companions.

Xi Ren had originally quite admired Han Qian, especially his daring to take such great risks to persuade Li Zhigao, which greatly improved her opinion of him. But now seeing him actually afraid that three women might attack him, she couldn’t help but glance at him disdainfully before reluctantly stepping forward to search Yao Xishui and her companions.

Mature men better understood weighing advantages and disadvantages, making their behavior more predictable. Han Qian maintained stronger vigilance against creatures like women who were easily driven by emotion.

Wasn’t the reason the Marquis of Xinchang’s mansion and Evening Red Tower made such a mess of the situation precisely because of their excessively emotional desire for control?

Therefore, these past few days, Han Qian hadn’t restricted the movements of Chai Jian, Zhang Ping, and Li Chong, but he had sent people to place Yao Xishui under house arrest.

“Have you thought about how to clean up this mess? Or do you simply not care about floods beyond Xuzhou?” Yao Xishui asked, glancing at Han Qian.

“If Miss Yao and Madam can understand that Han Qian’s actions are sincerely for your sake, sincerely for your benefit, then there won’t be any mess to speak of, will there?” Han Qian removed the sword from his waist, placed it on the table before him, and said with a smile.

“You’ve already put a knife to others’ throats, yet you have the face to say it’s for their sake?” Yao Xishui scoffed.

“Miss Yao, this is your long hair and short sight,” Han Qian said, smacking his lips. “Back when you sacrificed your beauty to seduce me, drugged my wine, and tried by every means to create the illusion of my sudden death from illness—tell me, did I complain about you afterward? Didn’t I still work diligently to offer you strategies and counsel? Why could I do this? Because I knew Miss Yao was pointing out a path of unlimited bright prospects for me. Why can’t you figure this out when the situation is on your heads?”

A cold gleam flashed through Yao Xishui’s beautiful eyes.

Han Qian stood up, walked before Yao Xishui, and suddenly reached out to remove the hairpin from her head. Flicking it with his finger—not gold, not silver, but forged from refined steel—he threw it toward the table. The sharp hairpin pierced a full inch into the tabletop.

Yao Xishui hadn’t expected that Han Qian’s talk of her seduction and such was deliberately intended to lure her into revealing a flaw.

“This is merely a small woman’s self-defense item, to guard against anyone harboring improper thoughts toward this small woman. When did Master Han become so timid and fearful? Or does Master Han still harbor improper thoughts toward this small woman?” Yao Xishui asked.

“I’m not afraid of trouble, but I fear death—especially dying inexplicably at a woman’s hands,” Han Qian said.

“Whether to kill you isn’t something I can decide at present,” Yao Xishui said. “At least until I receive further orders from Madam, you’re still safe.”

“…” Han Qian couldn’t help but burst out laughing. Slapping his thigh, he said to Yao Xishui, “When it comes to scheming, none of you are truly my match. Rather than wasting effort here trying to intimidate me, you’d be better off thinking of ways to repair His Highness’s already shattered trust in you! Don’t tell me that even at this point you still haven’t figured out that your greatest losing move was not thinking about how to win His Highness’s trust and thereby win Emperor Tianyou’s trust, but rather attempting to control everything! Could it be that you’ve always had a tradition of controlling monarchs to indulge private desires?”

Yao Xishui’s beautiful eyes narrowed as she stared at Han Qian and said, “Don’t try to use such words to test me.”

“Look, Miss Yao didn’t fall for it this time. Your brain has finally returned to normal levels. It seems in the future I’ll have to ask Miss Yao for more instruction!” Han Qian stood up and cupped his hands, preparing to ask Yao Xishui to leave, with no intention of inviting her to stay for the banquet.