The burial site was ultimately chosen at the valley entrance on the southwest slope of Longya Mountain. From that elevated position, one could gaze upon the azure-blue waters of the Yuan River as well as see Longya City hidden deep within the mountain’s belly.
Han Qian thought his father’s wishes would not want the funeral to waste people’s resources and wealth. On the day of burial, he merely had over a dozen household soldiers carry the coffin along a small mountain path to place it in the tomb chamber. He didn’t even allow Tian Cheng and Yang Qin to escort the coffin to the burial site.
Han Qian wanted to remain on the mountain to guard the tomb and observe mourning, so he had several thatched huts and bamboo shelters constructed beside the burial site to live in the mountains. Zhao Wuji and Kong Xirong took turns leading elite retainers to stand guard on all sides to prevent malicious actors from harming Han Qian.
The tenth day of the second month was the sixth day since Han Qian had returned to Xu Province. It was estimated the news of Han Qian’s return to Xu Province had only just reached Yueyang. Qingyang decided to accompany Jiang Huo first to Linjiang County to board a ship at Yuan River Bay and embark on the journey to Yueyang to join Prince Tan Yang Yuanpu.
Compared to over half a year ago when Han Qian received orders to go to Shu to escort the bride, Linjiang County City had prospered considerably more. The originally constructed city walls measuring only six to seven hundred paces square had been filled, and now they were expanding outside the city to construct new streets, residences, and workshops on a larger scale. Along the riverside passages, they laid residue left over from coal stone burning, which after compacting wouldn’t become muddy even on rainy days.
After the river embankment was completed, Linjiang County’s terrain was more expansive than Qianyang City, with nearly twice as much land available for cultivation and workshop construction around the perimeter compared to outside Qianyang City.
After the campaign to reduce the provincial powers, the focus of Xu Province’s development and construction fell on Linjiang County, located at the great bend of the Yuan River.
Besides Linjiang County City itself, along Wuliu Creek and Sha River all the way to the foot of Longya Mountain, they continuously built new villages and hamlets and dug new irrigation channels to transform more land into high-yield irrigated fields.
More and more merchant ships traveling the middle and lower reaches of the Yuan River stopped at the Sha River mouth docks, where large quantities of goods were distributed and collected daily.
Standing at the bow, Qingyang found it hard to imagine that two or three years ago, this land behind her had been a desolate beach with only three to four hundred tribal families scattered in simple, dilapidated tribal villages.
Qingyang raised her head to look toward the distant mountains. Under thin clouds, the mountain colors appeared jade green. Before departing, she had ultimately gone to the mourning hall to pay respects to Han Qian, but Han Qian guarded the coffin without even returning the courtesy. She couldn’t figure out whether this scoundrel truly intended to observe mourning in Xu Province for three years or was putting on an act to force her to compromise.
However, regardless, she couldn’t remain long in Xu Province. She still needed to accompany Jiang Huo to Yueyang as quickly as possible. Only after reaching Yueyang and sending someone to Shu to see her father could she know her father’s final attitude toward her “elopement to Chu.”
With both Liang and Chu currently experiencing earth-shaking upheavals, would her father think this was a rare opportunity for outward expansion?
At this moment standing at the bow, Qingyang truly wanted to run up the mountain, grab this scoundrel Han Qian by the collar, and demand to know what he was really thinking.
Jiang Huo also sighed inwardly and signaled the boatmen to raise the sails.
At this time, a black-canopied boat sailed over from downstream. An old man and a young woman stood at the bow gazing at the riverside scene.
The black-canopied boat had a narrow, elongated body with a square bow and flat bottom. Large lacquer characters reading “Wukou Village” were written on it—this was the most common small boat on Yuan River tributaries. However, the old man standing at the bow wore a gray cloth robe. With crane-white hair and hoary head, he appeared seventy or eighty years old, leaning on a cane staff. His face was aged and haggard with a travel-worn appearance, suggesting he had journeyed quite far before hiring a boat at Wukou Village to come here.
The younger person was a beautiful young woman sitting at the bow wearing a light cyan short jacket and skirt, quite plain, but her complexion was lovely and radiantly beautiful.
Qingyang prided herself on her exceptional appearance. As the two boats passed each other, seeing this beautiful young woman, she was slightly stunned. Even though she considered her own appearance superior, she secretly felt this woman was also a rare beauty in the mortal world, emanating an indescribable quality of serene tranquility.
Seeing three robust servants sitting at the stern, powerfully built with bright eyes watching the movements around them alertly, sharp blades hanging at their waists, they were presumably household soldiers for the old man and young woman.
Qingyang wondered secretly—what sort of personage had appeared in Xu Province?
Seeing these two people, Jiang Huo was also startled. He bowed toward the old man and asked: “May I ask if the elder is Prime Minister Wang?”
“I, Wang Jixiong, retired to mountains and waters long ago. I haven’t held the position of Prime Minister for many years. I don’t know which official recognizes Wang Jixiong?” the old man returned the courtesy.
“Jiang Huo is a minor official in Prince Tan’sMansion. I previously served in the InternalMansion Bureau and once saw Prime Minister Wang from afar. I didn’t expect Prime Minister Wang to come to Xu Province—I hardly dared recognize you.” Jiang Huo said. He wasn’t certain it was Wang Jixiong because the current Wang Jixiong appeared terribly aged and weak. Compared to several years ago, he could truly be described as approaching decaying wood.
The beautiful young woman guarding the old man’s side also bowed respectfully, but she also curiously examined the radiant young woman beside Jinyun Pavilion Director Jiang Huo, wondering to herself—could she be Princess Qingyang, who was said to possess Shu’s most exceptional beauty?
Jiang Huo asked hesitantly again, saying: “Has Prime Minister Wang come to see Han Qian?”
“Has Han Qian already returned to Xu Province?” Wang Jixiong had anticipated Han Qian would find a way to leave Shu territory, but seeing Han Qian was currently in Xu Province surprised him considerably. He turned to look at Princess Qingyang and bowed: “Then this person should be Princess Qingyang. Wang Jixiong pays his respects here.”
Qingyang still wasn’t clear about the full scope of the dramatic changes in Jinling, but old Wang Jixiong, who had a distant relationship with Wang Wenqian, now appearing in Xu Province greatly puzzled and confused her. She thought—this old fellow doesn’t even know Han Qian has already returned to Xu Province. Could he have come to Xu Province to pay respects to Han Daoxun? Looking again at the beautiful young woman beside Wang Jixiong, upon hearing the news of Han Qian’s return to Xu Province, her beautiful eyes brilliantly lit up, but then quickly dimmed, filled with sorrow. She didn’t know what relationship she had with this scoundrel Han Qian.
Though confused, Qingyang still bowed toward Wang Jixiong: “Qingyang greets Prime Minister Wang.”
“The Princess traveled over mountains and rivers entering Chu—the journey must have involved considerable hardship?” Wang Jixiong asked.
Although Qingyang knew that compared to being abducted to Great Chu, her actively eloping to Great Chu would be most advantageous for her future position in Prince Tan’sMansion and in Great Chu, the resentment in her heart could not be dispelled no matter what.
However, with Wang Jixiong asking this, Qingyang could only grit her back teeth and smile graciously: “Fortunately, Official Han protected me throughout the journey, so it wasn’t considered hardship.”
Seeing the beautiful young woman beside Wang Jixiong with a disbelieving expression, Qingyang wanted nothing more than to scratch two marks across this woman’s face, thinking resentfully: Don’t tell me you’d only be happy if I now wailed to heaven and begged on my knees to return to Shu?
Wang Jixiong didn’t care about the truth or falsity of Princess Qingyang’s words. He explained to Jiang Huo his reason for coming to Xu Province:
“Daoxun devoted his whole heart to nation and people, yet suffered cruel torture, his pure reputation also destroyed by false edicts. I am but an old commoner from the wilderness, unable to do other things, so I could only travel over mountains and rivers to come pay my respects.”
Jiang Huo knew Wang Jixiong had been living in seclusion in Run Province countryside after retirement. Thinking how with the current chaos of war, his journey from Run Province here could truly be described as traveling over mountains and rivers enduring every hardship—no wonder he appeared so haggard and aged.
He glanced hesitantly at Princess Qingyang. He thought Wang Jixiong personally coming to Xu Province to pay respects might change Han Qian’s attitude.
Additionally, Prince Tan’sMansion and Prince Xin’sMansion had temporarily joined forces, but after capturing Jinling, succession to the throne still hung undecided. Wang Wenqian was Prince Xin’s foremost strategist. When Prince Xin led troops to occupy Guangling City, Wang Wenqian crossed the river north to serve as Yangzhou Prefect. Although Wang Jixiong had a poor relationship with his son, Jiang Huo still had to guard against Wang Jixiong having other purposes after meeting Han Qian.
Jiang Huo glanced hesitantly at Princess Qingyang.
Although Qingyang didn’t know the full scope of the Jinling upheaval, she understood the relationship between Wang Jixiong, Wang Wenqian, and Prince Xin. She thought—Han Qian insisting on remaining in Xu Province to observe mourning and filial piety, besides putting on an act, could he be waiting to sell to the highest bidder?
“Prime Minister Wang coming to pay respects to Old Master Han—we certainly must invite Prime Minister Wang to visit Yueyang as well. Official Jiang, perhaps we can stay two more days and then depart together with Prime Minister Wang?” Princess Qingyang looked toward Jiang Huo and asked.
“Jiang Huo obeys the Princess’s instructions.” Jiang Huo readily agreed, immediately ordering the boatmen to turn the sails around and follow Wang Jixiong’s vessel back to the river port to disembark.
Although Han Daoxun’s burial site was located between Longya City and Linjiang County, there was no mountain path from Sha River, so they still had to change to horse carriages and first head to Longya City.
No matter how high Wang Jixiong’s reputation, the fact that the Jinling disaster originated with Wang Wenqian was known to everyone in Longya City.
With Wang Jixiong’s body aged and weak, bringing his granddaughter Wang Jun to call, the people of Longya City couldn’t well refuse them entry, though their attitude was quite cold. They merely arranged for them and their servants to temporarily stay in a separate courtyard and sent someone up the mountain to notify Han Qian.
Qingyang was quite confused and pulled Jiang Huo aside separately to inquire about the details.
“Internal Attendants Office Vice Director Shen He, when he came to Tan Province to announce the decree last August, had already been poisoned with an incurable toxin.”
These past two days, Jiang Huo could see Princess Qingyang had definitely decided to remain in Chu, so her marriage to His Highness was only a matter of time. Some matters no longer needed to be concealed from her, so he recounted the details before and after the Jinling upheaval.
“At that time, Official Han and His Highness judged the palace was already controlled by Anning Palace. Not wanting to alert the enemy, they concealed this matter. Old Master Han didn’t know the details at the time…”
“Han Daoxun didn’t know about this at the time?” Qingyang asked doubtfully.
“Old Master Han truly didn’t know. Official Han and His Highness deliberately concealed it from Old Master Han, fearing Old Master Han cared too much about the nation’s security and might not fully consider Tan Province’s interests,” Jiang Huo said. “After Old Master Han was transferred to Jinling to serve as Capital Magistrate, Wang Wenqian secretly incited someone to block the street and cry out grievances to Old Master Han, exposing this matter. Old Master Han entered the palace to report, unexpectedly alerting the enemy, and Jinling underwent dramatic changes. Afterward, Wang Wenqian rushed to Qiuhu Mountain to see the Dowager Consort and Marquis of Xinchang, circulating a proclamation, which further stimulated that master in Anning Palace, ultimately leading to Old Master Han suffering such cruel torture. So to speak, Old Master Han’s death has some connection to Wang Wenqian, no wonder Prime Minister Wang wouldn’t be welcomed here.”
“Han Daoxun was too foolish. After he learned of this matter, why didn’t he take time to deliberate? Why was he so hasty and rushed to enter the palace and alert the enemy?” Qingyang had no reservations about judging Han Daoxun. She instinctively felt Han Daoxun was somewhat foolish for not heeding Feng Liao and Zhao Wuji’s attempts to stop him. But seeing Jiang Huo’s face show an awkward expression, she reconsidered and asked: “Did Han Daoxun already guess Wang Wenqian was scheming behind the scenes and anticipated Wang Wenqian would inevitably lift the lid, so at that time he could only fight desperately?”
“Old Master Han already died under torture. How he was thinking at the time, no one knows. Perhaps he didn’t necessarily conclude it was Wang Wenqian at the time, but with the street-blocking incident occurring, the Jinling upheaval could no longer be reversed. This was also what Official Han and His Highness anticipated. It’s just that Old Master Han ultimately chose not to remain uninvolved.” Jiang Huo sighed softly.
“How truly interesting!” Qingyang couldn’t help but laugh.
Although it was Wang Wenqian who went to Qiuhu Mountain to persuade the Dowager Consort and Marquis of Xinchang Li Pu to jointly circulate the denunciation proclamation, and their doing so already determined they would abandon Han Daoxun, everyone served their own masters. Han Qian could resent the Dowager Consort and Marquis of Xinchang Li Pu for being coldly merciless toward his father, but couldn’t blame Wang Wenqian for his intelligent and adaptable strategies.
However, Wang Wenqian inciting others to block Han Daoxun’s street was truly using a certain-death situation to scheme against Han Daoxun, and he had also anticipated early on that for the sake of the nation and people’s livelihood, Han Daoxun would inevitably step into the trap.
Han Qian couldn’t possibly fail to understand the intricacies here. So tomorrow when Wang Jixiong and his granddaughter, Wang Wenqian’s daughter Wang Jun, went up the mountain to pay respects to Han Daoxun and encountered Han Qian, things would become very interesting…