There weren’t many empty residences in Jinxing Ward. Gao Shao, Yang Qin, and Feng Xuan had no family members in Xiangzhou City, so after discussing matters, they returned to stay in the barracks dedicated to the Left Bureau scouts.
After practicing a set of boxing forms under the moonlight, Han Qian was about to wash up and go to sleep when he heard the rumbling of cart wheels in the lanes outside, stopping at the residence next door where Zhang Ping and Yao Xishui lived.
Even with his disabled left arm, Zhang Ping insisted on riding horses when traveling. Han Qian assumed it was Yao Xishui returning late at night, wondering where she had gone so late.
Han Qian climbed the wooden ladder to look into the neighboring courtyard, only to see Yao Xishui opening the gate, joyfully embracing Su Hongyu’s arm as they walked inside.
Yao Xishui was quite alert. The moment Han Qian poked his head out, she kicked up a clod of dirt toward his face, saying: “What little thief is this, climbing walls to peek in the middle of the night? Aren’t you afraid of having your eyes gouged out?”
Han Qian got such a fright he nearly fell from the ladder, calling out: “Hey! When Yao Xishui was peeping at me yesterday, why was she so self-righteous about it?”
“Hongyu greets Lord Han.” Su Hongyu pulled Yao Xishui back, preventing her from bickering with Han Qian, and curtsied gracefully.
Han Qian could guess Su Hongyu’s purpose for appearing in Xiangzhou City at this time, but Su Hongyu always carried herself with such graceful, gentle bearing that Han Qian couldn’t develop any deep hostility toward her.
“So Miss Su arrived in Xiangzhou today. Does this mean we’ll soon be drinking celebratory wine at Miss Su and General Li’s wedding?” Han Qian cupped his hands and asked with a smile.
“Hongyu is but a willow beauty of humble origins and lowly background. That Zhigao doesn’t disdain me and allows me to serve at his side already fills my heart with contentment. As for celebratory wine or not, if Lord Han wishes to drink, Hongyu will learn to brew a few jars of fine wine to entertain Lord Han.” Su Hongyu said with a smile.
“Brewing wine is all about proper timing—excess and deficiency are equally taboo. Han here looks forward to the fine wine Miss Su will brew.” Han Qian said.
Yao Xishui was annoyed by Han Qian’s roundabout chatter and pulled Su Hongyu toward the rear courtyard.
Su Hongyu gave an apologetic smile, warm and enchanting, but Han Qian could still detect a trace of distress in her eyes.
Han Qian could only sigh quietly to himself.
Ever since Marquis Xinchang Li Pu and Marquis Zhenyuan Yang Jian went to aid Xichuan, Li Pu and Li Zhigao appeared to have reconciled as father and son, but Su Hongyu’s appearance in Xiangzhou City now showed that Li Pu was determined to place Su Hongyu at Li Zhigao’s side before he returned to the capital with Emperor Tianyou’s triumphant army—even though Li Zhigao’s wife and children were currently living in Marquis Xinchang’s mansion, it still wasn’t enough.
Li Zhigao and Su Hongyu had originally been quite compatible as a couple, but with Marquis Xinchang Li Pu manipulating things this way, the whole flavor had changed.
Han Qian could understand the distress in Su Hongyu’s heart.
Han Qian descended the ladder and returned to his room to find a cup of tea on the table. Taking a sip, the water temperature was just right. He looked at Xi Ren with surprise: “When did you learn to serve people so thoughtfully? Did you see me take in two more maidservants and feel competitive pressure? That’s hardly necessary. With Madam Xi’s methods, handling two young girls should be child’s play. Are you really afraid they’d dare rebel against you in this residence?”
Zhao Ting’er had stayed in Jinling to manage the money shop. During this period, only Xi Ren attended to Han Qian.
However, even though Han Qian didn’t worry that Xi Ren still harbored thoughts of revenge, when she served him, the tea she brought was either ice cold or scalding hot. In the rice porridge she personally served him, Han Qian could always taste quite a bit of sand. The washing water was also either freezing or boiling. In short, whenever she encountered something that made her unhappy, she wouldn’t properly serve Han Qian.
This was the first time Han Qian returned to his room after practicing boxing in the front courtyard to find tea at just the right temperature.
Seeing Han Qian’s earnest nonsense, Xi Ren couldn’t help wanting to roll her eyes. She walked over, picked up the teacup, and was about to pour it out the window.
“Don’t, don’t! It’s rare to drink tea personally brewed by you. Even if you poisoned it, I’d still drink it down.” Han Qian intercepted and took the teacup back.
“The pufferfish toxin you ordered Zhao Ting’er to extract was just delivered into Xiangzhou City in a small package. I didn’t believe what Zhao Ting’er wrote in her letter about a fingernail’s worth being able to poison a cow, so I took a fingernail’s worth of powder and dissolved it in the tea. If you insist on drinking it, I’d like to see if the poison is as potent as Zhao Ting’er claimed.” Xi Ren said with a cold laugh.
Hearing Xi Ren’s words, Han Qian’s hand truly hesitated for a moment.
Xi Ren immediately cast Han Qian another contemptuous glance and walked straight out. Of course she wouldn’t mention that seeing Han Qian settle those three other girls today with rarely seen human warmth had made her want to brew him a good cup of tea…
Several days later, the main梁 army forces retreating to Caizhou successively broke camp and withdrew northward to Luoyang and Bianzhou. Apart from the local military preparations in Xu, Cai, and Ru prefectures, the Liang army only left forty thousand elite Imperial Guard troops on the southern front to guard against Chu army border violations.
With the military pressure on the northern front completely lifted, the Longque Army’s commanding generals Chen De, Li Zhigao, Zhou Dan, Chen Jingzhou, Guo Liang, Gao Chengyuan, Zhou Shu, Chai Jian and others, as well as principal advisors like Zhou Yuan, all hurried back to Xiangzhou City to receive an imperial audience.
Yet Han Qian still was not on the list for this audience.
Li Zhigao already had a wife and children in Jinling. Marrying Su Hongyu was taking a concubine, so naturally there wouldn’t be any formal matchmaking ceremonies. Taking advantage of this opportunity to have an imperial audience in Xiangzhou City, he simply set up a table of food and wine in Jinxing Ward. Besides Zhang Ping, Yao Xishui, Chai Jian, Li Chong and others, he also invited Han Qian over for drinks, thus establishing Su Hongyu’s status.
Third Prince Yang Yuanpu still had to be privately notified by Gao Shao, whom Han Qian sent over, before he came in casual clothes to crash the drinking party.
Li Zhigao was cautious by nature. Even though not even Liang army scouts appeared in the Xichuan outskirts anymore, after drinking, he didn’t spend the night in Xiangzhou City. Instead, he prepared a horse-drawn carriage and, with guards clustered around it, carrying his new bride, planned to rush back overnight to his garrison at Xichuan.
Han Qian accompanied the Third Prince all the way to see Li Zhigao off at the ferry crossing.
The waxing crescent moon cast its clear radiance upon the surging river waters. Han Qian reined in his horse at the river embankment, listening to the waves lapping against the shore one after another.
“Father Emperor will depart to return to Jinling tomorrow. I’ll accompany Father Emperor in the advance party. Teacher Han, come with us.” Yang Yuanpu said.
“Junzhou affairs are numerous and troublesome. Let Sir Shen Yang accompany Your Highness in the advance party. Han Qian must linger here a few more days and will travel with Generals Guo and Gao.” Han Qian declined. He insisted on staying in Xiangzhou City a few more days, intending to depart only when Guo Liang and Gao Chengyuan’s troops withdrew to Jinling.
Chai Jian, Li Chong, as well as Zhang Ping and Yao Xishui came together to see off Li Zhigao and Su Hongyu.
Hearing Han Qian and the Third Prince talking ahead, Li Chong couldn’t help but curl his lips slightly, unable to suppress a trace of schadenfreude. Standing somewhat behind, he lowered his voice and said to Chai Jian: “This fellow still knows his place after all.”
Hearing Li Chong’s words, Zhang Ping glanced back but said nothing.
By the moonlight, Yao Xishui glimpsed Han Qian’s expression looking somewhat dim under the moon. Recalling that Han Qian hadn’t said much at the drinking party earlier, she thought to herself that Han Qian had always been proud and arrogant—this blow must be hard for him to bear.
When Han Qian first arrived in Xiangzhou City without receiving an audience, many people didn’t think much of it. After all, Han Qian’s rank was still too low. No matter how distinguished his merits, not being included in the first batch of audiences wasn’t particularly significant. But this time Emperor Tianyou had specifically summoned all the frontline commanding generals like Li Zhigao, Guo Liang, and Gao Chengyuan to Xiangzhou City. Even Zhou Dan and Chen Jingzhou, mountain stronghold generals who previously had no connections at all, received audiences. Yet Han Qian alone was excluded. Even the blind could see that Han Qian’s so-called extraordinary merit had actually provoked imperial displeasure.
And since everyone knew he had earned Emperor Tianyou’s disfavor, it was only natural that Han Qian would delay a few days rather than return to Jinling with the first group accompanying Emperor Tianyou and the Third Prince.
After watching the boats carrying Li Zhigao and the others depart from the ferry crossing, Han Qian and the others clustered around the Third Prince and headed back into Xiangzhou City.
Emperor Tianyou would begin the triumphant return to Jinling tomorrow. Xiangzhou City was sleepless through the night, preparing for the dragon carriage’s departure. Everywhere was a scene of people and horses clamoring.
Several thousand scout cavalry had already moved south along both banks of the Han River two days earlier.
Although the Chu Kingdom very much wanted to teach the Liang army—which had ravaged Jing-Xiang and seized Caizhou—a harsh lesson, they were unfortunately willing but unable. The pressing priority was to rebuild the Deng-Xiang defense line rather than venturing deep into enemy territory alone to risk a decisive battle with the Liang army. Moreover, Emperor Tianyou couldn’t remain away from the capital for long.
Even without considering the pressure of provisions, the weather in early May was already somewhat hot. To prevent large-scale epidemic diseases in the army, the withdrawal could not be delayed any longer.
The reconstruction plan for the Deng-Xiang defense line was also formally released in early May. Du Chongtao received neither merit nor reward, continuing as Xiangzhou Prefect and Dengzhou Military Commissioner while concurrently holding the position of Deng-Xiang Defense Commissioner and commanding Junzhou’s defenses—because the newly established Junzhou was nominally administered by Third Prince Yang Yuanpu, it was hard to say whether Du Chongtao’s authority had been reduced or increased.
For the newly established Junzhou, Third Prince Yang Yuanpu held the nominal position of Prefect while also continuing to concurrently serve as Deputy Deng-Xiang Defense Commissioner.
Chai Jian and Zhou Dan were appointed as Junzhou Chief Clerk and Marshal respectively, representing Yang Yuanpu in sharing Junzhou’s military and administrative authority.
Beyond Chai Jian and Zhou Dan, Li Zhigao, due to his outstanding military achievements, was promoted to Deputy Commander of the Longque Army and permanently stationed in Junzhou. In addition to his routine duties as Xichuan Military Commissioner and First General of the Longque Army, should Junzhou encounter enemies, Li Zhigao would represent Third Prince Yang Yuanpu in wielding Junzhou’s military command authority—when the Third Prince was absent from Deng-Xiang, the Deputy Defense Commissioner’s authority would also be exercised by Li Zhigao.
Besides the four new garrison military posts established in Junzhou with settlers brought in for border colonization and farming, eight more garrison military posts would be established on wasteland and wild fields in Dengzhou and Xiangzhou.
In addition to relocating fifteen thousand households from Tanzhou, Yuezhou, and Langzhou under the Tanzhou Military Commissioner’s jurisdiction to Dengzhou and Junzhou, another fifteen thousand households would be relocated from the nine prefectures of Jiang, E, Jing, Huang, Sui, and Ying to Junzhou and Dengzhou as military households to supplement the newly established garrison posts in both prefectures. Each of the above prefectures would also bear responsibility for six months of grain rations for their relocated households.
In exchange, the court exempted these prefectures from two years of taxes.
In fact, to support the Deng-Xiang campaign over the past half year, Jinling had already requisitioned massive amounts of money and grain from the twelve prefectures.
This money and grain was originally to be offset against future tax revenues, and even two years of taxes might not fully offset it. Who would have thought the court would exploit these twelve prefectures again?
Moreover, relocating large numbers of taxpayers would cause these prefectures and counties to lose substantial tax revenue sources.
However, the three prefectures under the Tanzhou Military Commissioner’s jurisdiction, having to shoulder half the relocation burden all at once, had already expressed obedient acceptance. What choice did the other prefectures and counties have but to allocate the burden layer by layer downward?