Within the Great Liang Imperial Palace, the atmosphere became dark, cold, and desolate just past noon. With the Great Emperor’s passing, many court ministers had also requested sick leave. During the morning court session, the great hall appeared even more sparse than it had in the days since the enthronement.
Based on the Black Armor Command, they expanded and formed the Left and Right Black Armor Armies to serve as the new Emperor’s personal guard troops.
After morning court, Left Black Armor Army Commander Chen Kun, Chengtian Bureau Commandant Jing Zhen, Jing Zhen’s younger brother and Right Black Armor Army Commander Jing Hao, Internal Palace Office Minister Lei Jiuyuan, and others were kept behind by the new Emperor. They sat in the great hall with solemn expressions, listening as Chengtian Bureau Colonel Shen Peng knelt on one knee before the imperial desk to report on the latest movements of Chu:
“Shou Province has dispatched thirty thousand troops to garrison Chao Province and Chu Province, but Xu Mingzhen himself remains in Shou Province City. Prince Xin of Chu, Yang Yuanyan, is supervising troops entering Guangling, continuing to recruit soldiers and purchase horses there, and may cross the river to enter Run Province on a chosen day to join forces with Marquis of Xinchang Li Pu. On his western front, Prince Tan of Chu Yang Yuanpu led thirty thousand troops to Yueyang and then halted his advance. Du Chongtao returned from Fangcheng to Xiangcheng, while Zhang Xiang leads troops guarding Jing Province. There are no unusual movements for now—he has not submitted memorials to Jinling, but simultaneously refuses entry to envoys sent by Prince Tan of Chu Yang Yuanpu. As for the Chu army movements in Hong Province, Yue Province, and other areas of Chu, no news has been transmitted back yet… Additionally, scouts returning from Shu report that Princess Qingyang left a letter for the Shu Ruler Wang Jian and departed on the eleventh day of the first month without informing Chu envoy Han Qian—her current whereabouts are still unknown…”
“Han Qian has abducted Princess Qingyang and may have already gone to Yueyang to join forces with Yang Yuanpu,” Chen Kun said, furrowing his brows tightly.
At this time, both Liang and Chu were experiencing earth-shaking upheavals. Though it appeared they had controlled Bian Capital one step ahead, in terms of the situation, they were no more optimistic than Chu. After all, besides internal troubles, Liang still faced the threat of Jin forces to the north—a entanglement spanning decades.
If Han Qian assisted Prince Tan of Chu Yang Yuanpu in stabilizing Chu’s situation first, the circumstances would become even more dangerous for them.
Although intelligence transmitted back by spies lurking in Shu claimed Princess Qingyang had voluntarily left a letter for Shu Ruler Wang Jian and willingly followed Han Qian to Chu territory to marry Prince Tan of Chu Yang Yuanpu, Chen Kun, familiar with Han Qian’s calculations, was certain Princess Qingyang had actually been abducted by Han Qian—of course, if Princess Qingyang truly had voluntarily followed Han Qian back to Chu, the situation would be even more unfavorable for them.
These matters all indicated that while in Shu territory, Han Qian should have learned of the dramatic changes in Jinling earlier than the Shu army’s intelligence system. Han Qian didn’t want to be detained by Shu Ruler Wang Jian, which was why he resolutely fled back to Chu, wasn’t it?
Marquis of Xiangcheng Jing Zhen and his brother Jing Hao ledMansion guards and over eight hundred Chengtian Bureau elite secret troops to control Xianjin Bridge, which was key to the Black Armor Command elite cavalry successfully killing their way into Bian Capital with lightning speed. After successfully forcing the palace and usurping the throne, they naturally became trusted generals relied upon by the new Emperor.
However, these two brothers had always remained in Bian Capital without opportunity to participate in the Jing-Xiang campaign with Zhu Yu, so they had no visceral feeling for the painful setback Han Yuanqi suffered at Xichuan.
Therefore, in their hearts, they somewhat felt His Majesty, Chen Kun, Lei Jiuyuan, and others were overemphasizing Han Qian as a figure.
Zhu Yu sat behind the imperial desk with a gloomy expression but remained silent. Others didn’t know what he was truly thinking, nor did they know whether the many ministers requesting leave from morning court today had displeased him. But regardless, the Great Emperor’s “passing” had created a difficult-to-heal rift between the Liang ruler and his ministers.
“Shu Ruler Wang Jian could originally have observed the situation, or even gone further—even if he didn’t seize the opportunity to capture Jing Province, he would have sent people to incite Zhang Xiang and Du Chongtao to establish separate domains in Jing-Xiang. If Princess Qingyang formally marries Prince Tan Yang Yuanpu, his attitude will undergo some subtle changes to a greater or lesser degree, won’t it?” Lei Jiuyuan said in a hoarse voice.
Even without considering Shu Ruler Wang Jian’s personal feelings, Princess Qingyang’s presence or absence would actually influence the choices of many figures within Shu.
Particularly the newly appointed Prefect of Yu Province, Marquis of Changxiang Wang Yong—he should originally have been counting on his younger sister Princess Qingyang’s marriage alliance with Chu to expand his influence.
These would all contribute to subtle changes within Shu regarding attitudes toward Prince Tan of Chu Yang Yuanpu.
And Shu’s attitude toward Prince Tan of Chu Yang Yuanpu would in turn influence the choices of Zhang Xiang and Du Chongtao, who occupied Jing-Xiang.
So from this perspective, when Han Qian fled back to Chu, abducting Princess Qingyang was both bold and brilliant.
Although Lei Jiuyuan had also not left Bian Capital these past years, every time intelligence was transmitted back from the Crouching Tiger lurking beside Han Daoxun, a copy would be delivered to him. Lei Jiuyuan understood far more clearly than Jing Zhen the many things the Han Daoxun father-son pair had done over these years, and he also more clearly recognized how great a threat Han Qian posed.
Comparatively speaking, Jing Zhen had just taken control of the Chengtian Bureau only twenty days ago, and during these twenty days Jing Zhen’s main energy still had to be focused on monitoring the slightest disturbances within Bian Capital. He hadn’t had time to study the vast accumulated materials from the past.
“Prince Tan of Chu Yang Yuanpu cannot be relied upon. Shen Yang has administrative achievements but isn’t skilled in strategy. After Han Qian arrives in Yueyang, he will indeed be a thorny problem. Once he uses Princess Qingyang’s marriage to Yang Yuanpu to force the Shu Ruler to ally with Yang Yuanpu, the situation will become extremely unfavorable for us,” Chen Kun consistently maintained that Princess Qingyang’s departure from Shu was entirely a conspiracy orchestrated by Han Qian, and he felt especially worried.
Moving one hair affects the entire body. Their assessment of Han Qian’s destination actually determined their strategic choices in Great Liang’s southern territories.
At this time they had only forty thousand troops in Bian Capital. To intimidate nearby prefectures and counties from making any moves, they couldn’t deploy many troops to campaign against Prince Bo Zhu Gui.
Although Han Yuanqi had sixty thousand troops in Cai Province, after Han Jian’s death, while Han Jian’s many former subordinates all expressed their desire to follow the new Emperor with Han Yuanqi, military morale couldn’t possibly remain unshaken. There was no guarantee some commanders weren’t secretly communicating with Prince Bo. In such a short time, it was difficult to thoroughly sort through them.
Under these circumstances, even if the other four Military Commissioner armies and the Jin forces to the north temporarily showed no movements, wanting to decisively resolve Prince Bo and the eighty thousand rebel troops led by Feng Tingge would still be quite difficult and dangerous.
And if, after Han Qian joined forces with Prince Tan of Chu Yang Yuanpu and learned of the dramatic changes in Great Liang, how could he easily let them have the opportunity to eliminate the Chen Province rebel army?
Once Prince Bo Zhu Gui established a firm foothold in Chen Province and formed horizontal alliances with Xu, Ying, and other areas, Great Liang’s problems would become severe.
“Has the Crouching Tiger lurking beside Han Daoxun been exposed? If this person Han Qian is truly so important, we could order him to find an opportunity to assassinate him and eliminate this worry in our hearts,” Jing Zhen suggested.
“After that Crouching Tiger left Jinling, we lost contact. Even if we send someone to make contact, he may not obey orders,” Shen Peng said worriedly.
Marquis of Xiangcheng Jing Zhen only became Chengtian Bureau Commandant after Zhu Yu ascended the throne, taking charge of Chengtian Bureau affairs. He couldn’t claim to be particularly familiar with the situation of Chengtian Bureau secret troops and lurking spies, but in his heart he also knew that as long as they were human, they would have the seven emotions and six desires. Some spies lurking in enemy territory for too long, no matter how firm their resolve, could easily become lost. They couldn’t possibly truly act like puppets completely obeying Chengtian Bureau’s orders. They even had to worry these Crouching Tigers might betray them and bite back. Many matters were far less simple than imagined.
“Han Qian may not rush to Yueyang,” Zhu Yu finally raised his head and spoke.
“Your Majesty, Han Qian hastily fled Shu and abducted Princess Qingyang to Chu—if he doesn’t go to Yueyang to join Yang Yuanpu, where else would he go?” Chen Kun asked, puzzled.
“Han Daoxun died miserably under extreme punishment. Yang Yuanpu’s mother Wang Chan’er and Li Pu and others all contributed to bringing this about. The more deeply they fear Han Qian, the deeper the rifts within the Tan Province faction. Yang Yuanpu and the Tan Province people cannot fail to consider this point, and Han Qian also cannot fail to be concerned about this. Li Pu perhaps cannot extricate himself from commanding troops in Run Province, but they should think of ways to escort Wang Chan’er to Yueyang to join Yang Yuanpu. At that time, even if Han Qian is in Yueyang, Yang Yuanpu will find it difficult to follow his every word. And besides Han Qian, at this time Li Yu, who has been living in retirement in Hong Province for many years, is also a figure we cannot ignore,” Zhu Yu said coldly.
Lei Jiuyuan and Chen Kun both nodded deeply in agreement.
Prince Li Yu of Chu’s Zhedong Commandery was the only non-Yang prince enfeoffed under Yang Mi’s command. When Yang Mi rose in Huainan and annexed Guangling, then attacked and captured Sheng Province (Jinling) and Run Province and pacified Prince Yue Dong Chang and other campaigns, this person Li Yu’s contributions were indispensable. Also because his achievements were too prominent, after being enfeoffed as Prince of Zhedong Commandery, Yang Mi stripped him of military authority and appointed him Minister of War. Soon after, he was made to retire and return to his ancestral home in Hong Province to live in retirement.
Marquis of Xinchang Li Pu was Li Yu’s younger brother, and Jing Province Prefect Zhang Xiang had also been a great general under Li Yu’s command. Even if at this time Zhang Xiang couldn’t possibly still obey Li Yu’s orders, it couldn’t be denied that Li Yu had an influence over Zhang Xiang that others couldn’t match.
Although Prince Li Yu of Zhedong Commandery remained outside the succession struggle, with Great Chu now turned upside down, he obviously couldn’t continue hiding in the wilderness.
In Hong Province, besides Li Yu living in mountain seclusion, there was another important figure from the Yang imperial clan—Hong Province Prefect and Prince of Yuzhang Commandery Yang Zhitang. Yang Zhitang was the cousin of Yang Yuanwo, Yang Yuanyan, and Yang Yuanpu, the son of Emperor Tianyou’s eldest brother. Together with Marquis of Zhenyuan Yang Jian, they were among the very few important figures among the imperial clan’s younger generation.
Yang Zhitang and Li Yu were truly two key figures who could determine important turning points in Great Chu’s situation.
“Draft a decree to dispatch an envoy to Wei Province to promote Wei Province Defense Commissioner Qin Shixiong to Privy Councilor. Upon receiving my decree, he should immediately set out for Bian Capital. Have Prince He Zhu Rang succeed as Wei Province Prefect and Wei Province Defense Commissioner…” Zhu Yu cast aside worries about the southwest direction and had the attending eunuchs prepare brush and ink to draft the decree.
Compared to worrying about Han Qian’s destination and the choices Yang Yuanpu and others in Tan Province would make, what he first needed to do was stabilize the situation in Bian Capital.
Lei Jiuyuan prided himself on having deep intelligence and foresight, but he also deeply felt that the current situation Great Liang faced was too complex. The slightest carelessness would lead to irreversible disaster. Relying on just these few men, it was difficult to consider all matters thoroughly without any oversights. The key right now was still to get the central government offices operating.
Particularly, once the Privy Council that controlled military affairs returned to normal, the massive system of Bian Capital would start operating. Only then could they calmly proceed with quelling rebellions, rotating military commissioners, and other matters.
Qin Shixiong was not only one of the four Military Commissioner-level regional commanders, he was the most important general who had followed the late Emperor, a core figure in resisting Jin forces on the eastern front, and simultaneously the elder brother of Dowager Consort Qin and the maternal uncle of Prince He Zhu Rang.
When Zhu Yu led troops into Bian Capital, Prince He Zhu Rang, surrounded byMansion guards, fled Bian Capital at the first opportunity and rushed to Wei Province to seek refuge with Qin Shixiong. Qin Shixiong and Prince He Zhu Rang were the force most likely to respond to Prince Bo Zhu Gui by raising troops in rebellion in Wei Province.
Zhu Yu was determined to transfer Qin Shixiong back to Bian Capital to serve as Privy Councilor and control military affairs in Bian Capital, with his half-brother Prince He Zhu Rang taking over military and political power in Wei Province. He hoped through this to resolve the concerns of the regional military governors and eliminate their rebellious intentions, so he could concentrate his forces on eliminating Prince Bo Zhu Gui and Feng Tingge. But whether this imperial decree, once transmitted to Wei Province, could achieve the anticipated effect remained an unknown…