Han Qian sat properly with Zhang Ping in the side hall waiting. Going west from the side hall was Chongwen Hall where Emperor Tianyou conducted daily affairs and handled business, while going east from the side hall and crossing a palace gate led to the Privy Council, which managed all of Great Chu’s military and strategic affairs.

Although Shi Yandao had been appointed Prime Minister as Vice Minister of the Secretariat and concurrent Chief Minister under the Secretariat, with authority over the Six Ministries, in newly established Great Chu, the true core of military and state policy decisions lay in the Privy Council.

Following the tradition inherited from the previous dynasty of valuing military over civil officials, even as chief of civil officials commanding the Six Ministries, Shi Yandao’s position among Great Chu’s court officials wasn’t the most important.

The position of Privy Council Commissioner had initially been held by Duke Jingguo Xu Mingzhen. Since Xu Mingzhen had led troops to garrison Shouzhou as Military Commissioner of Shouzhou, the position of Privy Council Commissioner had remained vacant, with council affairs mainly presided over by Vice Commissioners Niu Gengru and Wen Muqiao.

Prime Minister Shi Yandao was naturally qualified to attend the Privy Council meetings that truly decided Great Chu’s state affairs, but the presider had always been Niu Gengru or Wen Muqiao. Thus in the minds of Great Chu’s court officials, Shi Yandao’s status was secondary to the two Privy Council Vice Commissioners.

For major military and strategic matters, Emperor Tianyou mainly consulted with Niu Gengru or Wen Muqiao.

Emperor Tianyou had risen in Huainan. Before serving as Military Commissioner of Huainan, Wen Muqiao had already been the Army Supervisor dispatched by the previous dynasty to the Huainan forces. However, he had an excellent relationship with Emperor Tianyou, contributing strategies for Huainan’s rise with extraordinary merit. At that time, Niu Gengru had been Central Gatehouse Commissioner under Military Commissioner of Guangling Xu Shi.

When Military Commissioner of Guangling Xu Wen died of illness, young master Xu Mingzhen was only in his early twenties. With subordinate general Zhou Hou rebelling and leading troops to attack Yangzhou, young master Xu Mingzhen, at the urging of Niu Gengru and other generals, led his troops to pledge allegiance to his brother-in-law Emperor Tianyou. After quelling Zhou Hou’s and other generals’ rebellion, also through the efforts of Niu Gengru and other generals, the forces of the Guangling Military Commissioner’s office quickly merged into Huainan, thus truly establishing Great Chu’s foundation for rising in Jianghuai.

Niu Gengru had become famous in his youth and even now was just fifty years old, while Wen Muqiao was much older, already over seventy, and burdened by old war injuries and illnesses, he wasn’t active at court.

Wen Muqiao had long wished to retire to his hometown and had petitioned several times, but Emperor Tianyou repeatedly refused permission.

At this moment, Han Qian’s gaze passed through the hall doors and palace walls, looking at the dimly lit Privy Council, thinking that Emperor Tianyou probably hadn’t found someone whose qualifications and prestige could suppress Niu Gengru, and could only let the aged Wen Muqiao continue supporting things.

Of course, Li Yu, who was retired in Hongzhou, was the best candidate to replace Wen Muqiao, but even when the Jingxiang situation was so critical, Emperor Tianyou hadn’t summoned Li Yu to court. He probably still feared that Prince of Zhedong Li Yu together with Marquis Xinchang Li Pu assisting the Third Prince would only become another hidden danger in his heart.

By comparison, although Marquis Xinchang Li Pu seemed quite ambitious, in Emperor Tianyou’s mind, the mediocrely talented Li Pu was probably easier to control than Li Yu.

At this moment, Emperor Tianyou was summoning Niu Gengru and Wen Muqiao to discuss major military affairs. The Third Prince could attend at the side, while he and Zhang Ping could only wait patiently in the side hall.

Han Qian knew that his handling of the Left Bureau during this period and his performance in the Imperial Mausoleum case had quite satisfied Emperor Tianyou, but he couldn’t guess why Emperor Tianyou was summoning him at this moment. For now, he could only take things one step at a time.

Since several blue-robed inner palace eunuchs were present in the side hall, Han Qian sat quietly, not talking much with Zhang Ping.

As a eunuch official and Internal Affairs Director of the Prince’s Manor, whenever the Third Prince entered or left the palace, Zhang Ping had to accompany him, but only to accompany—he almost never appeared before Emperor Tianyou, mainly waiting in this side hall before the palace gate.

On the journey here today, he hadn’t had the opportunity to speak privately with Han Qian, but he clearly understood that Han Qian accompanying the Third Prince to the palace must mean he was being summoned by Emperor Tianyou.

Emperor Tianyou had arrived at Xiangzhou City and twice summoned meritorious generals from the bloody battle at Xichuan in mid-to-late April. Half a year had passed since then—what made Emperor Tianyou decide to summon Han Qian at this time?

Was it Han Qian’s dutiful conduct and low profile over the past half year, or did Emperor Tianyou have other purposes?

After waiting a while longer, a crimson-robed inner palace eunuch carrying a whisk came over, stood in the corridor, and beckoned Han Qian to follow him. Upon reaching the great hall entrance, he told Han Qian to wait under the corridor.

Over ten palace guard officers stood before the hall corridor, looking at Han Qian with curiosity. Han Qian kept his eyes on his nose and his nose on his heart, following palace rules and not daring to look around carelessly.

At this moment, Niu Gengru and a white-bearded elder stepped out from inside. Seeing Shen He carefully supporting the elder’s hand from behind, Han Qian knew this person was Wen Muqiao. When Emperor Tianyou had personally led the campaign to Jingxiang, Niu Gengru had been Campaign Chief Administrator. Han Qian had seen Niu Gengru from afar but didn’t know if Niu Gengru recognized him.

When Wen Muqiao first came to serve in Huainan, his position had been much higher than Emperor Tianyou’s, who was then only a deputy general in Huainan. But from the start, he had recognized Emperor Tianyou as no ordinary man and vigorously supported him. If not for the special existence of Xu Mingzhen, Wen Muqiao would have been the natural choice for Privy Council Commissioner.

At this moment, a palace guard general standing before the hall also stepped forward to support Wen Muqiao. By the light of the high-hung lanterns, Han Qian saw he was in his early forties with features somewhat resembling Wen Muqiao’s, and knew he was Wen Muqiao’s second son, Left Military Guard Commander Wen Bo.

Wen Muqiao’s eldest son had died of illness in earlier years. His second son Wen Bo was the current head of the Wen clan.

Han Qian had just been following rules and not looking around, never expecting he had been standing right behind him.

As Niu Gengru and Wen Muqiao stepped out of the great hall, both men’s eyes simultaneously turned toward Han Qian.

Han Qian felt a great headache, truly not knowing what Emperor Tianyou meant by letting Wen and Niu know of his presence and that he was being summoned at this time. Was it to tell these two that he intended to establish the Third Prince? Or was he continuing to create confusion, making everyone unable to guess where his sacred will truly fell?

“Han Qian pays respects to the two Privy Chancellors!”

Regardless of whether Niu Gengru and Wen Muqiao recognized him, Han Qian stood outside the great hall entrance and bowed.

“Han Qian?” Wen Muqiao, aged and doddering, looked at his own son with confusion, as if he had never even heard the name Han Qian.

Han Qian only felt this old fellow was overacting, secretly sensing that his performance of being oblivious to affairs outside his window was perhaps only to signal to Niu Gengru that the succession struggle had absolutely nothing to do with the Wen clan, with no intention of getting involved.

“The grandson of Senior Commander Han Wenhuan, the only son of Xuzhou Prefect Han Daoxun, currently serving at the Third Highness’s manor—His Majesty will be summoning him shortly,” Wen Bo introduced by his father’s ear.

“Heroes emerge young, heroes emerge young indeed.” Wen Muqiao nodded toward Han Qian, then supported by his son Wen Bo, walked down the steps.

Niu Gengru also glanced at Han Qian before descending the great hall.

“Sir Han, follow this servant inside. His Majesty will see you now,” Shen He said, seeing Niu and Wen off before calling Han Qian into the great hall.

The Third Prince sat in the inner hall conversing with Emperor Tianyou. Under Shen He’s guidance, Han Qian walked in. Before he had time to look around, at Shen He’s signal he performed the full kowtow ceremony. When he raised his head, he could only see the imperial desk before him blocked by yellow dragon-embroidered curtains.

Although raising his head further would reveal what Emperor Tianyou looked like, according to protocol, before being granted a seat, he couldn’t raise his head higher.

After a long while, with the air seeming to congeal, Han Qian finally heard a low voice from above and to the side: “Grant him a seat!”

After Shen He brought over an embroidered stool, Han Qian sat sideways on it. According to protocol, he couldn’t sit fully on it—truly suffering.

“The Longque Army needs to select a cavalry commander. You recommended Zhou Dan and Chen Jingzhou—explain your reasoning,” the low voice asked again.

Han Qian turned his body. Only then did he raise his eyes for the first time to observe Emperor Tianyou.

In the established historical trajectory, this person who would beat his father to death with rods and have him torn apart by chariots in the marketplace—Han Qian subconsciously harbored no good feelings toward him, feared him, yet had to admit he possessed威严 bearing and sharp eyes that could penetrate hearts.

Although Emperor Tianyou’s temples showed some frost-white, in this age it was hard to associate him with a man over sixty, much less determine with certainty that his lifespan likely had less than three years remaining.

Later historical records had no special description of Emperor Tianyou’s death, which indicated he didn’t die from open political upheaval or assassination.

Of course, if no one altered this period of history, the next forty to fifty years would be complete chaos, and what later historical records documented might not even be historical fact. So anything could happen with Emperor Tianyou.

“Is my question difficult?” Seeing this Han Qian fellow actually spacing out before him, Yang Mi asked again in a deep voice.

“This subject dares not answer,” Han Qian snapped awake and quickly rose to kneel on the ground, responding.

“What daring or not daring—are you afraid I’ll cut off your head?” Yang Mi said.

“If Your Majesty pardons this subject from guilt, this subject dares to speak recklessly,” Han Qian said.

“Speak then. I pardon you from guilt,” Yang Mi said.

“Your Majesty enfeoffed His Highness as Prince of Linjiang, yet His Highness still has a shallow foundation, difficult to contend with the Crown Prince and Prince Xin. Junzhou’s mountain stockade forces have complex origins—descendants of rebel generals, remnants of chaotic troops, offspring of bandit gangs, situated between the three nations of Liang, Chu, and Shu. They seem least trustworthy, yet the battle at Xichuan proved them most trustworthy, having no connections with Liang or Shu, nor with court officials. His Highness has no one usable or trustworthy at court, but selecting mountain stockade sons can make them all direct subordinates. In future, if His Highness wishes to accomplish things, using mountain stockade sons allows entrusting them with life itself. This is why this subject recommends Zhou Dan and Chen Jingzhou to His Highness,” Han Qian said, kneeling on the ground.

Shen He was slightly shocked, secretly feeling this Han Qian fellow truly dared to speak—just short of directly saying he would only serve the Third Prince loyally.

“If you dare say this, you’ve also guessed my thoughts. Then guess again why I’m summoning you,” Yang Mi asked.

“This subject dares not guess,” Han Qian said.

“I pardon you from guilt. Guess wildly,” Yang Mi said.

“Your Majesty obtained the Feng family’s wealth and can barely support military operations against Tanzhou. Your Majesty wishes to assign this task to His Highness, to the Longque Army,” Han Qian said humbly. “Apart from this, this subject has racked his brain but truly cannot think of any other reason Your Majesty would summon this subject!”

With a “snap,” the whisk in Shen He’s hand actually slipped and fell to the ground.

Seeing His Majesty and the Third Highness both look over in surprise, Shen He wished he could dig a hole to bury himself in.