The Third Prince Yang Yuanpu traveled by boat to tour troops along the Dan River line. Naturally, Zhou Shu’s forces from the Dragon Sparrow Army’s Third Battalion, stationed west of Xiang Prefecture City, also broke camp and advanced west along the southern bank of the Han River. No one felt there was anything abnormal about this.

Yang Qin and Feng Xuan had brought two newly constructed fast sailing ships from Xu Prefecture this time.

Although shipbuilding had extremely strict requirements for timber, fortunately Xu Prefecture had ready supplies of shipbuilding lumber in storage. Ji Xiyao could purchase and use them for constructing new ships without needing to prepare the shipyard starting from storing lumber.

These two newly constructed fast sailing ships were still experimental vessels. Compared to traditional wide-bowed flat-bottomed boats, they adopted an entirely new sharp-bottomed long spindle-shaped hull. When fully loaded with cargo, they drew over ten feet of water. Though they couldn’t beach on shallows anytime like flat-bottomed boats, when sailing at high speed against side winds, their resistance to lateral drift was extremely strong.

At the same time, besides greatly increasing the cargo hold volume below the waterline, the new ship design also minimized cabins above the waterline as much as possible, causing the hull’s center of gravity to drop substantially.

This also greatly enhanced the new ships’ self-righting ability and capsizing resistance—all prerequisites for fast sailing ships to travel rapidly on open rivers.

Cloth sails replaced cumbersome mat sails. The ship sails could be made taller and larger. The sail area supported and spread by three masts to catch the wind was fully double that of traditional rigid mat sails.

Traditional sailing ships traveling from Xiang Prefecture City to Canglang City, a water route of 160 to 170 li, sailing against the current, rushing as fast as possible, required at least a full day and night.

However, Han Qian accompanied Yang Qin, Shen Yang and others in boarding at the dock north of Xiang Prefecture City at the hour of Hai. At this time, the north wind howled, blowing across the northern bank’s wilderness and through the river, making the sails flutter loudly. Borrowing the clear starlight and moonlight after the snow stopped, they advanced west at full speed. When daylight broke, they could already see Canglang City lying quietly in the morning light at the confluence of the Han River and Dan River, at the southwestern foot of Black Dragon Mountain.

The new ships were so fast they were only slightly slower than horses galloping at full speed. Calculating the time, they were actually nearly twice as fast as traditional sailing ships.

The disadvantage of sharp-bottomed boats being unable to beach on shallows could almost be ignored when it came to transporting bulk cargo.

If not for Shen Yang suspecting that Han Qian standing together with Zhang Ping and Chai Jian again, instigating the Third Prince’s western tour had other schemes, he would have wanted to first study what mysteries these two ships newly constructed in Xu Prefecture possessed that allowed them to travel so fast even against the current.

These two ships had already arrived in Xiang Prefecture before the New Year. Previously they hadn’t attracted attention because these two ships traveled in formation with other transport vessels and warships, not displaying their speed advantage.

When Han Qian returned to Xiang City this time, he had to meet Chai Jian midway, so he rode horses and returned with Yao Xishui, traveling separately from Yang Qin who was providing waterborne support.

Besides the square earthen Canglang City measuring over a hundred paces on each side, located between Canglang City and the Dan River and Han River were three palisade wall camp fortifications. Besides the Left Section scouts and the Xu Prefecture Battalion composed mainly of convict soldiers and slave soldiers, the hired mountain stronghold soldiers led by Zhou Dan were also stationed in the riverbank camp at the northwest corner of Canglang City. There were also over seven hundred mountain stronghold laborers rushing to repair city fortifications and dig trenches. The previously desolate ruined city now gave people a sense of bustling activity.

The boats docked at the wharf. Han Qian accompanied the Third Prince Yang Yuanpu, Shen Yang, Zhang Ping, Chai Jian and others in going ashore.

Everyone entered Canglang City. Han Qian had just summoned Tian Cheng, Zhou Dan and others to pay respects to the Third Prince Yang Yuanpu when they heard furious cursing coming from an earthen room on the left side of the city:

“You dog slaves and bastards from the Marquis of Linjiang’sMansion, with no regard for law, inverting black and white, making false accusations! Without half a shred of evidence, you dare accuse us of aiding the enemy. If you have the guts today, kill us to silence us. Otherwise, we will definitely go to Jinling to petition the throne…”

“…” Shen Yang looked over. Those few rooms all had iron-barred windows—presumably temporarily serving as prison cells—and there were soldiers standing guard outside. He asked Han Qian suspiciously: “Who is being held there?”

“When the Ying Prefecture fleet passed by here yesterday while transporting military supplies and grain to Xichuan, the waterway at the bay north of Iron Crocodile Ridge was blocked by Liang forces. I advised them to stay at Canglang City for a day or two first, but they wouldn’t listen to my advice and insisted on continuing north. I suspected them of colluding with the enemy. In extraordinary times, out of caution, I could only forcibly detain them for verification,” Han Qian explained with a smile. “Now it seems it may truly have been a misunderstanding. I’ll have them released right away…”

Han Qian signaled Xi Chang to go release them. A moment later, Xi Chang brought over several Ying Prefecture convoy officials who had been detained yesterday.

Although they hadn’t been tortured, these people had been tormented badly last night. Not only were they starved for a day, but they were also deliberately kept from sleeping. Only just before Han Qian and the others entered the city were the wooden gags removed from their mouths, giving them the opportunity to curse and attract Shen Yang and others’ attention.

When these men were brought before the Third Prince and Shen Yang, they no longer dared to curse with foul language. At the same time, they were extremely exhausted now and could only force themselves to rally their spirits to emphasize how Han Qian and his men had tyrannically detained their boats yesterday, asking the Third Prince to uphold justice.

Han Qian apologized profusely. These men also felt bitter in their hearts, thinking to themselves that they were merely minor convoy officials from Ying Prefecture—how could they really do anything to the Marquis of Linjiang’sMansion’s running dogs? At present, they only wanted to leave this troublesome place as soon as possible and proceed to Xichuan to join with Prefecture General Xia Zhen.

“You’re so exhausted. If you don’t want to rest in Canglang for two days before leaving, then travel with us—His Highness just happens to also want to tour and inspect the defenses at Xichuan. If we travel together, we can also prevent anything unexpected happening to this batch of grain!” Han Qian said.

These men rather hesitantly glanced at Han Qian and the Third Prince Yang Yuanpu. Naturally, they had no qualification to refuse the Third Prince and Marquis of Linjiang’sMansion from traveling together to Xichuan.

“I think it would be better to first accompany His Highness to Xichuan and Jingzi Kou, then return to Canglang. Advisor Shen, what do you think?” Han Qian asked Shen Yang.

“Good.” Shen Yang was very suspicious of Han Qian’s intentions, but at this moment he also didn’t detect any suspicious points and nodded in agreement.

Since they were touring the western front, they naturally had to see key heavily defended positions like Jingzi Kou and Xichuan. Moreover, Shen Yang also worried that the situation could change at any time. Visiting Jingzi Kou and Xichuan first, where retreat routes could easily be cut off, then turning back to inspect the defenses at Iron Crocodile Ridge and Canglang City—even if battle became urgent then, he could first escort the Third Prince in withdrawing to Xiang Prefecture City.

The Ying Prefecture fleet was all moored in the river port, with provisions and military supplies not yet unloaded.

However, besides the Ying Prefecture fleet, Han Qian additionally incorporated over fifty Left Section scouts into the Xu Prefecture fleet, together with the Guard Battalion escorting the Third Prince, Shen Yang and others to Xichuan for inspection.

……

……

With thirty to forty ships in mixed formation, the fleet’s northward speed slowed. Midway they also moored at Iron Crocodile Ridge for most of half a day to meet with Li Zhigao and Guo Liang. For a water route of over ninety li, it took until nearly midnight passing the Xi River to reach Xichuan City.

The forward fortifications built by the Liang army were only twenty-some li from Xichuan, but the Liang forces hadn’t yet pressed close to Xichuan City’s outskirts. Things on the Xichuan City side were still relatively calm.

Zheng Hui and Xia Zhen had received notification before nightfall that the Third Prince would arrive at Xichuan with the supply grain fleet for inspection. They and the city’s military officers waited in the city until midnight before the Third Prince arrived. They also hurriedly led their escorts, raising torches high, out of the city to the riverbank dock to welcome the Third Prince.

Li Zhigao commanded the generals of the Left Forward Section. Initially, Zheng Hui and Xia Zhen each defended Xichuan and Neixiang. Because the waterway leading to Neixiang City was narrow and silted with shallows, making it difficult for large ships to pass, supplies transported to both cities over the long term were all unloaded at Xichuan, then transported via the old post road to Neixiang, over thirty li away.

After Zheng Hui arrived at Xichuan, he forcibly captured two strongholds at the southern foot of Funiu Mountain to the north, capturing six to seven hundred old and young to repair the city fortifications and dock. This also gave Xichuan quite a presentable appearance.

“This subordinate Zheng Hui, Military Advisor of Huang Prefecture, this subordinate Xia Zhen, Military Advisor of Ying Prefecture, pay respects to the Marquis of Linjiang…”

Both Zheng Hui and Xia Zhen were armored military generals. Standing before the simple dock, they welcomed the Third Prince Yang Yuanpu and others disembarking.

At this moment, several dozen torches illuminated Zheng Hui and Xia Zhen’s features in minute detail.

Zheng Hui’s actions in Xichuan had been quite vigorous and decisive—when nearby mountain strongholds didn’t obey orders, he didn’t hesitate to send troops to suppress them. Yet this man around forty years old had quite a scholarly and refined appearance. His gaze toward the Third Prince was also calm and focused, composed and unhurried.

In fact, the Zheng clan had been a scholarly family in Huang Prefecture since early years, with ancestors for several generations all serving as civil officials in the previous dynasty. Only at the end of the previous dynasty, when warfare frequently erupted in the Jing-Xiang region, did the Huang Prefecture Zheng clan encourage their sons to abandon literature for the military to protect themselves. But people like Zheng Hui still studied classical texts diligently from childhood and had considerable literary reputation in the Jianghuai region.

In comparison, the younger Xia Zhen had far more defiance and unruliness in his eyes.

In fact, besides Zheng Hui and Xia Zhen having very different personalities, the difference in their humble and proud demeanors at this moment was also closely related to the length of time and degree to which Jinling had controlled Huang Prefecture and Ying Prefecture.

Although Huang Prefecture in its broader scope also belonged to the Jing-Xiang region, it was ultimately extremely close to Great Chu’s heartland and had submitted to Great Chu in the third year of Tianyou. To demonstrate obedience, the Zheng clan had already resigned from positions like Prefectural Governor and Commander two years ago, requesting Jinling to appoint officials.

And to reassure the Zheng clan, Jinling insisted on appointing Zheng Hui to command the prefecture battalion. Otherwise, the Zheng clan would have resigned from the Military Advisor position as well.

Meanwhile, Ying Prefecture only submitted to Great Chu in the ninth year of Tianyou, even after Tan Prefecture, just four years ago from now. From Ying Prefecture’s Prefectural Governor, Chief Clerk, Commander, to the six section advisors, they were almost all sons of local aristocratic families like the Xia clan serving in these positions.

When the moment came, Yang Yuanpu couldn’t help but hesitate slightly, instinctively looking toward Han Qian.

Shen Yang caught the hesitation filling the Third Prince’s eyes and didn’t know what scheme he and Han Qian were plotting. Looking again at Chai Jian, Li Chong, Zhang Ping and others who had followed them ashore from behind, their expressions showed no abnormality.

Han Qian pressed his hand on the saber at his waist, as if this were his habitual action as a military general, and moved a step closer to Xia Zhen.

Seeing Han Qian’s resolute attitude, Yang Yuanpu gritted his teeth and stared at Xia Zhen, sternly demanding: “Xia Zhen, you fled without fighting and abandoned Neixiang City without authorization. Your crime deserves execution. Today I order Han Qian to behead you. Are you convinced in your heart?”

Yang Yuanpu’s sudden outburst, questioning Xia Zhen about his crime of abandoning the city and wanting to execute him on the spot, left everyone frozen in place. But by this time Han Qian had already raised his blade and struck. A flash of blade light like the moon slashed toward the unprepared Xia Zhen’s head.

“Bastard, you dare ambush me!” Xia Zhen roared furiously. In the emergency, he tilted his head to the side. Too late to draw his blade, he raised his foot and kicked toward Han Qian’s chest. He felt a sharp pain in his shoulder and saw that Han Qian’s incomparably sharp straight-spine saber, with its three-inch-wide blade, had already broken through the leather armor he’d hastily donned and cleaved entirely into his shoulder blade.

Han Qian was kicked by Xia Zhen so hard he nearly had the breath knocked out of him. But his right hand gripped the saber handle tightly. With the blade chopped into Xia Zhen’s shoulder blade, he couldn’t pull it out for the moment, but this also stabilized his stance, preventing Xia Zhen’s kick from knocking him to the ground. His left hand then drew the dagger from his right waist and stabbed toward Xia Zhen’s face…