Although Han Qian inevitably felt somewhat disappointed at not receiving a summons, what concerned him more was when the military provisions and funds that the Left Division had advanced, as well as the ships of the Xuzhou shipping guild that had been destroyed while assisting in defending Xichuan, would be compensated.

The casualties among soldiers had pensions, and military merit didn’t require Han Qian’s attention. These matters of the Longque Army were primarily handled by the consistently fair Shen Yang, who wouldn’t shortchange Han Qian’s side. However, besides advancing over thirty million coins in military provisions this time, the Left Division had essentially squandered the massive sum borrowed from the Linjiang money house.

Moreover, the Xuzhou shipping guild and the Four Surnames shipping fleets had lost a total of four two-thousand-stone ships, twelve thousand-stone ships, and over forty other medium and small vessels from the absorbed Yingzhou grain transport fleet that had been destroyed.

If these matters weren’t handled as a priority, not only would the Xuzhou shipping guild and Four Surnames shipping fleets be completely paralyzed, but the workshops, warehouses, and money houses would all grind to a halt.

Although the run on the Linjiang money house had temporarily subsided after Shen He stepped in to mediate, with no one daring to cause trouble, the amount of capital they could subsequently gather had greatly decreased, barely maintaining interest payments.

Once even the interest became unsustainable, the Linjiang money house would suffer another severe blow.

Although Han Qian had always kept the Left Division’s accounts separately, with two clerks specifically responsible for this matter, Han Qian could not bypass the Longque Army and the Marquis of Linjiang’s household to directly settle accounts with the Bureau of Military Provisions. While stationed at Xichuan and Neixiang, he could only spend all day pressing Shen Yang, hoping to divert more funds from the provisions allocated to the Longque Army for emergency use.

Not to mention that Jingxiang had been devastated and numerous cities urgently needed reconstruction—at this time there were also over one hundred eighty thousand troops stationed in Dengzhou, Junzhou, Xiangzhou, Yingzhou, and other locations. Additionally, Du Chongtao needed to construct connected fortifications linking the western foothills of Tongbai Mountain and eastern foothills of Funiu Mountain at Fangcheng Pass as quickly as possible. The required funds and provisions were simply a bottomless pit, devouring Great Chu’s already extremely strained treasury.

Even though Emperor Tianyou had repeatedly and strictly ordered the Bureau of Military Provisions not to withhold the Longque Army’s funds and provisions, Han Qian had initially offered recruitment bonuses to the stronghold recruits that were too high. In this campaign, they had recruited over six thousand stronghold soldiers and an equal number of able-bodied laborers.

Although the Longque Army had achieved such great merit, and even if they wanted to falsely report some military provisions, Zhou Xianglong of the Bureau of Military Provisions who had accompanied the western campaign would absolutely not be so tactless as to report them to Emperor Tianyou, the military provisions were truly too tight. He had to first ensure all soldiers could eat their fill and not go hungry. The Longque Army’s side could only be supplied with basic rations.

No matter how much Shen Yang urged, aside from basic rations, Zhou Xianglong used every means possible to default and delay payment of the other portions to the Longque Army.

Seeing Han Qian urging him to go find Zhou Xianglong about provisions just after arriving at Xiangzhou City, Shen Yang was quite annoyed and told him to go directly to the temporary office of the Bureau of Military Provisions himself, having him represent the Longque Army in collecting the debt.

Unlike Shen Yang, Han Qian naturally did not have the qualifications to directly meet with Zhou Xianglong, who held equal status with the Minister of Finance and the Salt and Iron Transport Commissioner. He guessed that the officials from the Bureau of Military Provisions who had accompanied this campaign might not take him, Han Qian, seriously at all. But thinking that he had nothing else to do in Xiangzhou City, making a visit to the Bureau of Military Provisions’ temporary office to network and cultivate relationships would be good.

On the second day after arriving at Xiangzhou City, Han Qian took Xi Ren to the Bureau of Military Provisions’ temporary office in Xiangzhou early in the morning, but after spending half the day, he still hadn’t met any official who could actually discuss matters. He could only walk out in extreme frustration with Xi Ren, who was disguised as a male servant.

Just as he emerged, Han Qian saw Feng Yi and Kong Xirong returning on horseback from the eastern city, beaming with joy. Thinking that Feng Yi had better connections at the Bureau of Military Provisions than he did, he walked over with a smile and asked: “You two fellows, all wreathed in smiles—what good fortune have you encountered? Or which family’s young maiden or young wife have you victimized now?”

“His Majesty just relegated a new batch of criminal officials’ wives and daughters to the brothel camp. As subjects, we must of course always serve His Majesty’s needs. Xirong and I just went to the brothel camp to severely chastise these criminal officials’ wives and daughters!” Feng Yi said with a suggestive wink. “And I must say, there really were a few with decent looks. Xirong and I both waited in line for half an hour, but it was truly worth it…”

When the Liang forces attacked Xiangzhou and Pingzhou, they had encountered some resistance, but when they captured Sui and Yingzhou, eight or nine out of ten local officials had chosen to surrender under the Liang army’s powerful military pressure.

Many officials in Sui and Yingzhou were selected from local powerful families. Emperor Tianyou had long been unable to find an opportunity to suppress local power. This time, with the great army at the borders, after recovering Sui, Ying, and other areas, he naturally would not easily pass up such an excellent opportunity for purges.

Among the eleven counties of Sui and Yingzhou, there were over two hundred officials with ranked positions. Aside from those who died defending cities or fled north with the Liang army, approximately one hundred people and nearly one thousand clerks had been beheaded over the past month. Their wives and daughters who were old and haggard, along with their male relatives, were all relegated to labor camps as official slaves; those young and somewhat attractive were relegated to brothel camps for the enjoyment of officers and soldiers.

Han Qian paid no mind to how ugly Xi Ren’s expression might be behind him. He wanted Feng Yi’s help in navigating the Bureau of Military Provisions, so he said with a smile: “Look at you two worthless pups—what exquisite beauties could there be in a brothel camp?”

“The flavor is different!” Feng Yi asked with a sleazy smile, “Come taste it with us another day and you’ll know.”

“Fine, let’s go broaden our horizons together another day,” Han Qian said with an impassive smile.

“If there’s nothing else, this servant will return first!” Xi Ren said coldly. Without waiting for Han Qian’s consent, she headed straight back to Jinxing Ward. As she passed by Han Qian, she “accidentally” stepped on his foot.

Though Xi Ren’s silk shoes appeared extremely light and delicate, the edges of the soles concealed a ring of refined iron. When she viciously stepped on Han Qian’s toes, the pain made his face twitch.

The pain was so extreme that Han Qian wanted to drag Xi Ren back and teach her a lesson, but he feared that if she fought with him in the street it would be even more humiliating. In the end, he could only curse in exasperation: “This insolent slave truly defies heaven! Wait until I return to properly deal with her.”

“I heard that Lady Xi and her mother were also official slaves. Hearing us discuss such matters, it’s inevitable she’d have a bit of temper,” Feng Yi was quite magnanimous, saying with a lecherous smile, “There are quite a few mother-daughter pairs in the brothel camp. The various pleasures in that—you couldn’t enjoy them even at the Wanhong House.”

“Ahem!”

At that moment, an irritated coughing sound came from behind them, prompting them to make way.

Han Qian turned around and saw that it was Wang Wenqian, the Chief Clerk of the Chuzhou Defense Commissioner’s Office, emerging from the Bureau of Military Provisions’ temporary office. And beside Wang Wenqian was that refined and elegant fair-skinned scholar—who else could it be but Wang Jun?

“Han Qian pays respects to Lord Wang.” Han Qian had not known that Wang Wenqian was currently in Xiangzhou. He thought he must be responsible for coordinating the requisition of reinforcements and provisions from Chuzhou.

Wang Jun’s delicate face was somewhat red, his eyes evasively looking away, staring at his shoe tips. He probably hadn’t expected that Han Qian and Feng Yi could discuss such lewd and debased topics so openly.

Wang Wenqian, however, was quite courteous as he returned the bow: “They say one should look at someone with new eyes after three days apart. The great achievements Lord Han has accomplished this time truly make all under heaven look at you with new eyes!”

“Lord Wang is too kind. Han’s minor accomplishments are merely a matter of slightly better luck, truly not worth mentioning,” Han Qian said with a smile. Wang Wenqian was an utter smiling tiger—he truly dared not accept Wang Wenqian’s courtesy, and moreover, since arriving at Xiangzhou City he had not received a summons from His Majesty, which Wang Wenqian could not possibly be unaware of.

Wang Wenqian only exchanged a few pleasantries before preparing to part ways with Han Qian and his group, taking his daughter Wang Jun toward the left street.

However, after taking only a few steps, Wang Jun gently tugged at her father’s sleeve. Wang Wenqian hesitated briefly, but ultimately stopped.

Han Qian looked at all this with confusion. Seeing Wang Jun turn and walk toward him, he bowed and asked: “I wonder what instruction Young Master Wang has for me?”

Hearing Han Qian bite down particularly hard on the four words “Young Master Wang,” Wang Jun blushed and pretentiously returned the bow: “Wang Jun has a matter to request of Lord Han.”

Han Qian was slightly stunned. He couldn’t think of anything that Wang Wenqian couldn’t accomplish that would require Wang Jun to directly ask him.

“Please speak, please speak. Young Master Wang, whatever Han can do, I will certainly spare no effort, even unto death,” Han Qian said with a laugh.

“May my father and I visit your residence as guests?” However, Wang Jun did not directly state what she was requesting, but instead asked to visit Han Qian’s home as a guest.

Han Qian’s brow furrowed slightly.

Wang Wenqian’s expression also stiffened somewhat. Finally, under his daughter Wang Jun’s imploring gaze, his heart softened and he cupped his hands toward Han Qian saying: “My daughter and I have been in Xiangzhou City for several days now. These past days official duties have been complicated, so I haven’t had the opportunity to visit the son of an old friend. Since we’ve met in this distant place, might Lord Han not begrudge us a meal?”

“Lord Wang jests. How could I begrudge a meal?” Han Qian said with a smile.

Wang Wenqian had originally wanted to force out a smile, but after clearly hearing Han Qian’s words, he could neither smile nor not smile, knowing that Han Qian still harbored resentment about his previous instigation and attempts to harm him.

Of course, he would not leave in a huff over such a small matter. He said contemplatively: “If Lord Han doesn’t want to run into too many walls at the Bureau of Military Provisions, you probably won’t begrudge us a meal after all.”

“Hearing Lord Wang put it that way, this nephew suddenly recalls that there are indeed a few jars of wine stored at home that haven’t been drunk yet,” Han Qian’s expression changed just as quickly. He immediately gestured invitingly for Wang Wenqian and his daughter, along with Feng Yi and Kong Xirong, to accompany him back to Jinxing Ward.

Jinxing Ward was separated from the Bureau of Military Provisions’ temporary office by just one street—just around the corner.

Han Qian led Wang Wenqian and his daughter, along with Feng Yi and Kong Xirong, into his courtyard in the corner of Jinxing Ward. He saw Lin Haizheng, Feng Xuan, Yang Qin, and others excitedly discussing something, but didn’t see where the fuming Xi Ren who had stormed off had hidden herself.

Having arrived at Xiangzhou City wanting to enjoy a few more days of leisurely life, Han Qian didn’t want to engage in scheming and plotting with someone like Wang Wenqian at this time. Inviting everyone to sit in the main hall of the central courtyard, he asked Wang Jun bluntly: “Feng Yi, Xirong, and I are all close associates. Whatever instruction Young Master Wang has, you can speak of it now, can’t you?”

“Gu Cheng, the Merit Evaluator of Suizhou, once served as a Prison Warden in Chuzhou. Lord Han’s father might still remember him. His daughter Gu Mei has known Wang Jun since childhood. Lord Gu did not loyally serve the nation. When His Majesty recovered Suizhou City, the couple committed suicide in fear of punishment, leaving their orphaned daughter Gu Mei to be imprisoned. Yesterday, Wang Jun heard that His Majesty bestowed Gu Mei upon the Third Prince.” Wang Jun seemed to also know that Han Qian was deeply calculating and didn’t play games with him. Even in front of her father, she boldly and straightforwardly negotiated with Han Qian.

Han Qian was slightly stunned. He hadn’t expected that what Wang Jun was asking him for was to retrieve someone from the Third Prince’s side. But he looked at Wang Wenqian with confusion, sensing inwardly that Wang Wenqian had quite a close relationship with Shen Yang—if he truly wanted to retrieve someone, Wang Wenqian should go directly to Shen Yang.

Han Qian thought to himself that on such matters, Shen Yang would definitely help the Wang father and daughter without making difficulties. He wondered why they would think to seek him out at any cost instead.

“At noon, Wang Jun sought out Master Shen Yang. Master Shen Yang said the person had already been sent to Lord Han’s residence by the Third Prince,” Wang Jun explained directly, being exceptionally clever.

Han Qian had spent the entire day at the Bureau of Military Provisions office and didn’t yet know that more people had been added to the courtyard. He looked questioningly at Lin Haizheng, Yang Qin, and Feng Xuan, who were guarding the courtyard.

Yang Qin and Feng Xuan had all their ships destroyed and spent all day with nothing to do, so they were temporarily helping out around Han Qian.

“At noon, His Highness sent someone to deliver four young women, saying they were slaves bestowed upon you, my lord. They’re currently being held in the rear courtyard. I don’t know if one of them is named Gu Mei,” Yang Qin said.

“Bring them out for me to see. I must at least examine the quality before I can name my price to Young Master Wang!” Han Qian said with a wave of his sleeve.