Having suddenly acquired such enormous wealth, the Prince’s Manor naturally wouldn’t dig a pit to bury it underground. The urgent priority was to spend it as reasonably as possible, converting it into tangible strength.
To this end, the Prince’s Manor convened multiple council meetings to discuss the matter. The Imperial Consort even left the palace again to come to the Prince’s Manor, summoning Shen Yang, Chen De, Zheng Hui, Han Qian, Zhang Ping, and others to personally inquire about it.
The Longque Army had captured large quantities of warhorses, swords, bows, and armor in the bloody battle at Xichuan. Currently, the more important matter was strengthening investment in the garrison military offices, especially the four major military offices in Junzhou, which urgently needed large amounts of money and grain.
After the Jingxiang war, civilian households conscripted from Jiangtan and other places, as well as convicts exiled for crimes, had been continuously relocating to Deng and Jun.
On the Junzhou side, they had to receive over five thousand relocated households from Jiangtan and other places, accept over six thousand military households transferred from Taowu Settlement, and also relocate some mountain stockade refugees into relatively open areas for settlement.
The four garrison military offices needed to manage a total of over fifteen thousand military households. They had to reclaim at least six hundred thousand acres of land to ensure these military households could be self-sufficient while also bearing some land taxes and maintenance costs for weapons and armor.
Previously lacking generous resources, apart from providing necessary rations, they had ordered the garrison military offices to find ways to overcome difficulties themselves. Now that the Prince’s Manor had suddenly acquired such enormous wealth, the first problem to solve was naturally this one.
Shen Yang, leading various bureaus, calculated that Junzhou’s four military offices needed approximately two hundred thousand strings allocated to purchase oxen, farm tools, and seeds to ensure military office land reclamation could proceed smoothly and in an orderly manner as soon as possible, properly settling the military households.
The simplest approach would be to allocate fifty thousand strings to each of the four military offices—Xichuan, Jingzikou, Canglang, and Jingyun—letting them independently purchase oxen, farm tools, and build fortified stockades.
With the Imperial Consort personally overseeing the matter, the final decision was to allocate twenty thousand strings in public funds to each of the four military offices, while concentrating two hundred thousand strings in the hands of Junzhou Chief Administrator Chai Jian.
Besides uniformly purchasing oxen, farm tools, and other reclamation supplies, they ultimately concentrated in Chai Jian’s hands the authority over procuring and manufacturing weapons, armor, warhorses, and even siege equipment for the Junzhou garrison.
After autumn, Yongchun Palace estate needed to build river embankments, dikes, and dig irrigation channels to add twenty thousand acres of good farmland before spring plowing next year. The estate also needed to construct a permanent barracks that could garrison three thousand elite cavalry, requiring an allocation of one hundred thousand strings. At this time, under the Imperial Consort’s advocacy, Zhang Ping undertook this matter.
Having Chai Jian and Zhang Ping undertake these two matters matched their authority. However, previously, because the Third Prince hadn’t yet restored trust in Marquis Xinchang’s manor, he had deliberately suppressed them from managing affairs. This time, with the Imperial Consort’s direct intervention, things were getting back on track.
Shen Yang didn’t know about the Imperial Consort’s connections with Marquis Xinchang’s manor and Wanhong House, but rather felt things should be this way.
After the bloody battle at Xichuan, although many in the Longque Army were ennobled with official ranks and titles, the treasury was empty and the Prince’s Manor was also cash-strapped, never having given monetary rewards.
Taking advantage of the Imperial Consort’s birthday in early October, the Prince’s Manor additionally allocated one hundred thousand strings, along with some scattered land that the Feng family had privately hoarded, to distribute as rewards to everyone.
This time Han Qian received some small compensation. Like Shen Yang and Li Zhigao, he received the highest reward of twenty yi of gold. The next tier—principal generals with distinguished military achievements like Zhou Dan, Chen Jingzhou, Gao Chengyuan, Zheng Hui, Guo Liang, Chai Jian, Zhou Shu, and others—received monetary rewards half of what Han Qian and Shen Yang got.
Twenty yi of gold had a net weight of thirty pounds. After receiving his reward, Han Qian still had matters to handle, so he had Xi Fa’er put the gold into a cloth bag to carry with him to Jinyun Tower.
Arriving at Jinyun Tower, Xi Fa’er nervously fixed his gaze on the cloth bag containing the gold, his eyes not daring to leave it for a moment, as if fearing that with one blink, the gold would be stolen.
Han Qian laughed and scolded, “You’re truly someone who’s never seen money—Xi Fa’er, let me give you a problem: if you converted this gold into copper coins and carried it from Jinyun Tower back to Yandang Islet by yourself, about how many days would you need to carry it?”
In his youth, Xi Fa’er had studied boxing, weapons, and archery. After being sold into slavery, he secretly continued practicing without interruption and hadn’t let it lapse. However, he hadn’t been taught to read or do arithmetic, which was his greatest deficiency. Currently, Han Qian kept Xi Fa’er at his side mainly to supervise him in remedying this shortcoming.
“One yi of gold is twenty-four taels. One tael of gold is worth twelve strings of cash. One string of Tianzhen Tongbao coins weighs six pounds four taels net. Thirty yi of gold converted to copper coins weighs about thirty-six thousand pounds. From Jinyun Tower walking Fengxiang Avenue, exiting the East Flowery Gate, crossing Jinpu Ferry, then turning north to Yandang Islet is about thirty li. Xi Fa’er could only make two round trips per day carrying two hundred pounds, taking approximately one hundred eighty days to carry all these copper coins back to Yandang Islet—goodness, no wonder they say officials travel a thousand li to seek wealth! A single reward like what Sir received would take Xi Fa’er half a year to move back to the estate!” Xi Fa’er exclaimed, smacking his lips.
“When you discuss these things, shouldn’t you consider our feelings?” Feng Yi said resentfully from the side.
To avoid suspicion, Han Qian had sent Feng Liao, Feng Yi, and Kong Xirong into confinement at the Prince’s Manor. For nearly half a month, Jiang Huo and Yuan Guowei had personally arranged for people to guard them.
Although Emperor Tianyou had issued an edict demoting all the Feng family’s close associates and adherents to commoner status, Feng Wenlan’s and Kong Zhou’s wives, concubines, several illegitimate sons, nephews, military retainers, and the manor’s principal stewards—totaling over five hundred people—remained imprisoned until early October. During this time, people were continuously taken away for interrogation by the Inner Palace Bureau.
This showed that the wealth confiscated from the Feng family this time was truly shocking, causing the palace to constantly worry the Feng family was concealing something.
Only the day before yesterday, after the Third Prince returned from the palace again, did he order Feng Liao, Feng Yi, and Kong Xirong released. Han Qian requested to let them organize books and classics at Jinyun Tower, which would at least prevent people from making things difficult for them.
Having encountered great calamity, Feng Yi and Kong Xirong had both grown considerably thinner and showed frightened, fearful attitudes when meeting outsiders. Only before Han Qian did they feel somewhat at ease.
Outsiders might not know, but Feng Yi knew that the reward Han Qian received this time actually came from his Feng family’s confiscated clan property, making his mood even more gloomy.
“You still have the face to complain! If not for your double-dealing, how would you have fallen to such a state? You nearly implicated our Sir because of you!” Xi Fa’er mocked. Previously, Feng Yi had been the lofty Young Master Feng before him.
Seeing Feng Yi’s face turn awkward, Han Qian waved his hand, telling Xi Fa’er to say less.
“Sir Han, could you help us inquire when the Three Judicial Offices will lift the control over the Feng manor? Can our mothers move back to Xuanzhou?” Feng Liao asked.
“I asked Lord Jiang. Your mothers, concubines, and half-brothers will probably need to remain under guard for some time. The others can likely move out of the Feng manor in a few days. When that time comes, I’ll ask His Highness if you can live at Yandang Islet,” Han Qian said.
“Why was choosing Prince Xin the wrong decision for my Feng clan? Could Emperor Tianyou truly be so determined to support the Third Prince’s ascension?” Even having encountered great calamity, Feng Liao still harbored resentment in his heart and asked Han Qian unwillingly.
Han Qian glanced downstairs, then said to Feng Liao, “His Majesty may not necessarily favor the Third Highness. If you hadn’t come to find me but had gone directly to Chuzhou Pavilion, the situation would be better than now. Your Feng family’s disaster truly stemmed from being of two minds. This being of two minds wasn’t toward the Third Highness, but toward His Majesty. Whether it’s the Third Highness, Chuzhou, or even Shouzhou, at this time they can only act according to His Majesty’s wishes. You haven’t figured this out even now?”
Feng Yi and Kong Xirong were both wastrel sons who had lived muddled lives until now, but Feng Liao had been regarded by Feng Wenlan as the Feng family’s successor, appointed to provincial posts very early and starting from grassroots clerical work.
The only pity was that, like his father, Feng Liao’s disposition was too gloomy. He never imagined he would ultimately be betrayed by a household slave, nearly dying without a burial place.
At this moment, Tian Cheng entered and said, “His Highness has arrived.”
Han Qian was about to go downstairs to greet him when Third Prince Yang Yuanpu walked straight upstairs.
“If Your Highness has business, you need only send someone to summon Han Qian,” Han Qian said.
Seeing Feng Liao, Feng Yi, and Kong Xirong about to withdraw, Yang Yuanpu waved his hand, letting them continue their work in the room without specially avoiding him. This was his way of appearing more humane.
“The Longque Army should have an elite cavalry battalion. Who does Teacher Han think should be appointed commander?” Yang Yuanpu sat down and stated his purpose.
The elite cavalry of the Xuanjia Army under Liang Prince Yong Zhu Yu had moved like the wind during the Jingxiang campaign, leaving an extremely deep impression on everyone. At that time, the entire eastern Jingxiang front had no time to adjust deployments before being thrown into chaos by the Liang army like cutting melons and chopping vegetables.
The Longque Army only had a small number of cavalry. Previously, with scarce military funds, they hadn’t considered organizing large-scale elite cavalry.
Having obtained this money and grain, the Longque Army’s scale couldn’t expand for now, but everyone was keen to reorganize one division into a cavalry division. Yongchun Palace had even begun constructing permanent barracks that could garrison two to three thousand elite cavalry.
At this time, Yang Yuanpu deeply understood the principle that troops should be valued for quality, not quantity. Part of the Longque Army’s active forces had to garrison Junzhou with Li Zhigao and Zhou Shu to guard against Liang troops from Guanzhong attacking through Wuguan Pass. The standing forces he could directly command in Jinling couldn’t be many. Now with more generous resources, he naturally hoped for an elite cavalry division.
“Zhou Dan or Chen Jingzhou! Your Highness may choose one of these two to entrust with this heavy responsibility,” Han Qian said.
Sitting to the side organizing books, Feng Liao also heard the conversation between the Third Prince and Han Qian. At first he thought Han Qian would recommend Guo Liang or Gao Chengyuan to command the cavalry battalion, never expecting Han Qian to recommend Zhou Dan or Chen Jingzhou, who came from Junzhou mountain stockade backgrounds.
Thinking more carefully about Han Qian’s recommendation, it was indeed more thoughtful than his own thinking.
Zhou Dan and Chen Jingzhou came from mountain stockade backgrounds with quite simple origins. If one had to say with whom they had close relations, it would only be Han Qian. But if one of them were truly transferred to Jinling, they could only be loyal to the Third Prince.
Through this, a group of military officers and young men from mountain stockade backgrounds could be transferred into Jinling. On one hand, the Third Prince’s available direct subordinates would greatly increase. On the other hand, the Third Prince’s control over Junzhou would advance another layer.
“Tonight I will enter the palace to see Father Emperor. Teacher Han, accompany me into the palace,” Yang Yuanpu said noncommittally regarding Han Qian’s recommendation, directly inviting Han Qian to accompany him to the palace that night.
At this, Feng Liao was even more shocked. The Third Prince directly inviting Han Qian to accompany him to the palace—the question the Third Prince just asked was actually asked by Emperor Tianyou, and Han Qian had given an answer that matched Emperor Tianyou’s wishes?