Looking at Han Qian’s eyes—deep as the starry sky yet revealing little emotion—and looking at the soldiers and family dependents around Han Qian surging like a tide with boiling spirits, a sense of powerlessness rose from the depths of Marquis Xinchang Li Pu’s heart.

He too had once led troops charging into battle. How could he not understand the principle of winning people’s hearts?

At this moment, seeing the chaotic mass around Han Qian, with over ten thousand soldiers and family dependents standing on the street’s east side immersed in excitement and elation, he wasn’t without opportunity to seize Han Qian by surprise or directly kill him. But the problem was that even if he succeeded by chance, the soldiers plunged into fury would riot and mutiny, tearing his small force to shreds.

At this moment, hearing rustling sounds behind him, Li Pu turned to see that among the personal guards holding bows and crossbows to seal the breach in the courtyard wall, preparing to suppress the mutinous soldiers and deserters in the courtyard, several at this moment also wanted to walk toward the street’s east side. They only froze when he turned around, but more people, not having received orders, had already put away their bows and crossbows.

Seeing this scene, Marquis Xinchang Li Pu’s nose nearly twisted in anger, but he also knew the general situation was lost. He thought that perhaps not even a few men would follow him in a final desperate struggle.

Though Marquis Xinchang Li Pu believed Han Qian didn’t dare easily kill him—after all, that would cause Yueyang and Xuzhou to completely break relations with hardly any room left for reconciliation—at this moment Marquis Xinchang Li Pu didn’t know how deeply Han Qian hated him in his heart, or whether he might not even consider how serious the consequences of killing him would be.

Li Pu held his long halberd horizontally before him, feeling his palms grow clammy.

“Marquis, regardless of what Han Qian can accomplish after seizing three thousand remnant soldiers and forty thousand women and children, just based on his falsely transmitting orders to seize command, His Highness and the Dowager Consort will certainly not forgive him afterwards,” Chen Mingsheng consoled Li Pu in a low voice.

Honestly speaking, even abandoning the forty-thousand-plus women and children, whether they could successfully bring three thousand remnant soldiers back to Yueyang was still very problematic.

Besides the Jinling area’s river surface being completely controlled by the Tower Ship Navy, from Jinling westward, the five to six hundred li of Yangtze River waterway along Chizhou and Jiangzhou were all under the control of forces that had submitted to Anning Palace. Particularly the Jiangzhou garrison led by Zhong Yanhu was a powerful army whose combat effectiveness had been proven in the Jing-Xiang campaign.

For Yueyang to dispatch military vessels through the Yangtze waterway controlled by Jiangzhou and Chizhou to meet over three thousand soldiers between Jinling and Chizhou presented considerable difficulty.

Honestly speaking, besides the loss of face, leaving the three thousand remnant soldiers and over forty thousand women and children to Han Qian while they traveled light, returning to Yueyang under escort of a small elite guard force, was actually the best choice.

Li Pu released his tight grip on the halberd shaft. Yes, he rather wanted to see what Han Qian could do after seizing the three thousand remnant soldiers and over forty thousand women and children.

If these people suffered total losses under Han Qian’s command, it would greatly reduce his own responsibility for losing troops and suffering defeat.

Handing over these troops, besides losing face, actually caused no real loss!

Han Qian stared at Li Pu and Chen Mingsheng. Seeing their momentum slightly wane, he spoke again: “Marquis Xinchang Li Pu, Military Office Chief Commandant Chen Mingsheng, cowardly in battle and defeated—someone come, relieve them and their close attendants of their weapons and armor…”

“Han Qian, don’t go too far!” Not expecting that seizing command authority wasn’t enough, Han Qian also wanted to confiscate their weapons and those of their close attendants. Li Pu’s tiger eyes glared at Han Qian as he roared in fury.

“Marquis Li, Commandant Chen, if you don’t wish to surrender your weapons and armor, that’s fine, but please temporarily reside with your close attendants in this courtyard. After three days, you may go to Yueyang on your own to receive punishment!” Han Qian’s eyes fixed on Li Pu and Chen Mingsheng as he pointed to the courtyard on the street’s west side.

Li Pu laughed coldly in his heart. Yanling Ferry was in complete chaos, yet Han Qian feared they would leak news of his coming to Jinling and Runzhou? Even if he seized three thousand remnant soldiers and temporarily concealed from outsiders the news of coming to Jinling, so what?

“Today you falsely transmitted orders to seize command. Let’s see how you explain yourself to Yueyang!” Li Pu threw his war halberd to an attendant beside him, then dismounted and walked arrogantly toward the high-walled compound Han Qian had designated.

Chen Mingsheng and over a hundred personal guards closely followed.

“Homeless dogs!” Seeing Li Pu lacked even the courage to test his limits, Han Qian only smiled coldly in his heart. He designated Shi Ji to select a team to guard the courtyard, not letting Li Pu and Chen Mingsheng have any opportunity to cause trouble.

However spacious the courtyard, it was limited. These people only carried their personal weapons and armor. Their warhorses and such could only be abandoned on the long street for Han Qian’s people to take over.

“I truly didn’t expect to see Master Han here,” Yuan Guowei deliberately avoided mentioning the oral decree, regardless of whether Yueyang would thunder in rage afterwards. At this moment he could only play dumb and get through the immediate crisis first.

“With Elder Yuan here, many matters will be much easier to handle.”

Han Qian and Yuan Guowei clasped hands in greeting. Yuan Guowei not going with Marquis Xinchang Li Pu and being willing to assist him would indeed make many things much more convenient.

At this moment, the clamorous deserters and family members who had just been surrounded in the courtyard by Li Pu’s personal guard attendants about to be shot walked over.

Two of them were soldiers who had deserted from the Shaozhou army. Before being bound and brought to the execution ground, they had already been beaten until bloody and mangled. Having fled Shaozhou half a month ago and traveled over mountains and through rivers, their physical strength was at its limit.

These two men still needed support to kneel before Han Qian without toppling to the side. They pleaded earnestly: “We are not cowards in battle. We only fled back from Shaozhou because we worried about our parents and families. Please investigate clearly, Master!”

“I recognize you two—Xiao Dahu, Dou Rong, both from Xinyang in Caizhou. In the eighth year of Tianyou you crossed the river, displaced along the Qiupu River outside Jinling City. In the Battle of Xichuan, Dou Rong, you defended the east city wall with everyone. In the end, sixteen enemy heads were credited to you. Xiao Dahu claimed twenty-one heads and boasted wildly in the army about beheading a hundred enemy heads, then asking His Highness to grant you a wife. Who dares say you two are cowards?”

Han Qian proclaimed loudly, clearing their names.

“That you two deserted back to Jinling worrying about your parents and families—this matter doesn’t blame you. I ask, who in the world has no parents or family? If we can abandon the debt to parents and the bonds between siblings, how can we stand between heaven and earth? If blame is to be assigned, blame us in high positions for being unable to protect your parents and families so they could live in peace, yet still foolishly expecting your loyalty.”

“Elder Yuan, does the camp still have travel funds?” Han Qian turned to ask Yuan Guowei. “Elder Yuan, please fetch some travel funds. If Xiao Dahu and Dou Rong wish to escort their parents back to their hometown or temporarily find a place to hide, they cannot do without travel funds.”

Yuan Guowei hesitated slightly. Han Qian then turned to face the many soldiers and family dependents and said: “Five years ago, my father presented the ‘Memorial on Epidemic Waters,’ suggesting His Highness recruit famine refugees to rebuild the Vermillion Bird Army. That’s why the garrison military office was established at the southern foot of Baohua Mountain—at that time we also hoped to let soldiers fight on battlefields, earning peace and stability for their families through military merit so they would no longer be displaced. In the Jing-Xiang and vassal reduction campaigns, you soldiers dared shed blood and sacrifice lives, earning military merit. But unexpectedly, the Jinling Incident occurred. My father suffered the cruel punishment of being torn apart by five horses. Your families also again lost their peaceful homes, displaced in the wilderness with heavy casualties. I, Han Qian, have failed you all. If anyone wishes to leave with their families, Han Qian will absolutely not obstruct you. I will do all I can to gather sufficient funds for you to return home or temporarily hide. But if anyone is willing to remain and follow me to protect families, the only promise I, Han Qian, can give you is: while I live, I will never abandon you to flee. Should I violate this oath, may I suffer the punishment of being torn apart by five horses!”

“Please permit Dou Rong and Xiao Dahu to follow at your side, Master. We are willing to swear to follow Master unto death to protect families,” The two burly men Dou Rong and Xiao Dahu, weeping bitterly, kowtowed requesting Han Qian take them in.

“Willing to swear unto death to follow Master to protect families!”

“Willing to swear unto death to follow Master to protect families!”

“Willing to swear unto death to follow Master to protect families!”

Waves of soldiers knelt and shouted. Even more numerous women, children, and family dependents also began shouting. The mountain-collapsing, sea-splitting sound of their voices seemed about to tear apart the dark clouds covering the earth in the early morning, making the earth henceforth bright and clear, no longer shadowed.

Kong Xirong, Zhao Wuji, Shi Ji, Wei Chang and others felt hot blood surging in their chests, wishing they could charge onto the battlefield at this moment for a thoroughly satisfying slaughter.

Yuan Guowei had originally been wondering what use Han Qian rushing over at this time could be. Seeing this scene, he was secretly alarmed. The worry in his heart lessened somewhat as he thought perhaps this was how a desperate army could be used?

At this moment, Li Pu and Chen Mingsheng, isolated in the courtyard on the street’s west side, didn’t really want to stay here for three days. Still thinking of finding an opportunity to leave Yanling one step ahead, hearing the earth-shaking cheers from the long street outside the courtyard, their faces turned pale.

—

The sky had brightened. Clear morning light poured down, making the courtyard before Changxin Palace in Prince Tan’s residence in Yueyang City completely clear and bright.

Yang Yuanpu sat up in his robes, looking at the light before the mica window. Princess Qingyang had already dressed first. Hearing the movement, she immediately led maids over to attend Yang Yuanpu in putting on his robes.

Seeing Jiang Huo’s figure moving outside the sleeping chamber, Yang Yuanpu called him in and asked: “Will elder brother arrive in Yueyang City today?”

Though Zhang Ping was actually the Prince Tan’s household steward, and though Zhang Ping had his left arm crushed to powder by falling rocks while saving his life at Xichuan that year, Yang Yuanpu still couldn’t forget that Zhang Ping obeyed the Madam and Marquis Xinchang as an old associate from the Shenling Bureau. Therefore, regardless that Jiang Huo still had to manage Jinyun Tower affairs, he usually kept Jiang Huo at his side to attend him.

“General Li again sent someone by fast horse early this morning to report to Yueyang first. Your Highness should be able to see General Li before noon. Additionally, Zhou Tong and Hao Zixia’s two elite divisions have both reached the Xiang River bank and boarded ships. Traveling downstream, they’ll reach Yueyang in three days. Your Highness can gather with General Li for three days. Then General Li can lead his forces to garrison Ezhou at the perfect time!” Seeing Yang Yuanpu ask about Li Zhigao’s itinerary, Jiang Huo answered.

“Excellent!” Yang Yuanpu said happily. In his heart he thought that with Li Zhigao leading forces to garrison Ezhou three hundred li away with Yangtze River waterway connections, and with the newly organized Five Fang Army Navy explicitly appointing Gao Chengyuan as Commander—these two matters would ensure that when he spoke in Yueyang City, people wouldn’t dare treat his words as nothing.

“How are lunch preparations? Should I go take another look at the rear kitchen?” Princess Qingyang ran over to ask, concerned about today’s lunch preparations for entertaining Li Zhigao, fearing the slightest oversight.

Her manner seemed to completely forget Li Zhigao was the elder brother of Prince Tan’s principal consort Li Yao, thinking only that Li Zhigao was Yang Yuanpu’s most trusted first general.

Yang Yuanpu also liked Qingyang’s attentiveness and care. Recently, with Qingyang’s assistance in handling government affairs, he felt as if he had gained wings.

“…” After Jiang Huo reported on lunch preparations, he prepared to withdraw.

Seeing Jiang Huo’s hesitant expression, Yang Yuanpu asked: “Is there something else?”

“Lin Haizheng says Feng Yi is in Yueyang and wishes to see Your Highness,” Jiang Huo said. “I thought to mention this after Your Highness has met with General Li.”

“What would I see him for?” The Feng family’s crime of treason was determined by the late Emperor. Yang Yuanpu had previously been willing to see Feng Liao because Feng Liao represented Xuzhou. In his impression, Feng Yi still appeared unlearned, unaccomplished, and cynically worldly. He thought perhaps Feng Yi was disliked in Xuzhou and wanted to come to Yueyang?

Even so, Yang Yuanpu didn’t want to see Feng Yi.

“Oh, right—after Feng Liao returned to Xuzhou, he didn’t come back to Yueyang with Feng Yi this time?” Yang Yuanpu asked again. Regarding Li Zhigao and his direct troops’ movements, he hadn’t consulted Xuzhou’s opinion. He guessed Feng Liao’s hasty return to Xuzhou must have meant telling Han Qian everything in Yueyang City. His heart felt somewhat uneasy.

“Feng Liao didn’t return. Just Feng Yi alone has been staying at Lin Haizheng’s residence for three or four days. Don’t know why, but this morning he asked Lin Haizheng to convey he wanted to see Your Highness. He said if Your Highness wasn’t willing to meet, he wanted this old servant to deliver this letter to Your Highness.” Jiang Huo took a white-skinned letter from his robe sleeve and handed it to Yang Yuanpu.

“Playing mysterious—what secrets is he pretending?” Yang Yuanpu muttered in displeasure. Taking the letter, he saw nothing written on the envelope yet it was sealed with wax, ensuring the letter couldn’t be privately opened by others before reaching his hands.

Princess Qingyang didn’t know in her heart what tricks Feng Yi was playing. She leaned her head over. Seeing the letter’s contents, she cried out in shock: “What? Han Qian went to Jinling?”

—

Yang Yuanpu didn’t go directly to Chengyun Hall but first sent people to invite Shen Yang and Wang Lin directly to Changxin Palace’s sleeping chamber for discussion.

Shen Yang rode a carriage directly into Prince Tan’s residence, not alighting until the courtyard before Changxin Palace’s main hall.

This was the special privilege Yang Yuanpu gave Shen Yang.

Wang Lin had to alight from his carriage at Prince Tan’s residence main gate and could only trot behind Shen Yang’s carriage all the way, rushing to Changxin Palace’s sleeping chamber.

He saw Yang Yuanpu’s face dark as he sat behind the long desk. Feng Yi, whom he hadn’t seen for quite a while, now sat formally on a brocade cushion at the lower seat. Lin Haizheng, Feng Xuan, and even Du Qiniang, who rarely showed their faces at the royal residence recently, also stood attending to the side.

Wang Lin’s heart filled with hesitation. What was happening?

Could Yang Yuanpu have encountered some matter requiring Han Qian to emerge, so he first brought the few people Han Qian had left in Yueyang to his side?

How did this unlearned, unaccomplished fellow Feng Yi appear here? Even if Han Qian had matters to attend to, he wouldn’t entrust them to him!

“Han Qian has already gone to Jinling. This is the letter he had Feng Yi bring me.” Seeing Shen Yang enter, Yang Yuanpu’s expression eased slightly. He handed the letter wrapped in white paper to Shen Yang.

“…When did this happen?” Shen Yang was shocked and frightened, nearly stamping his feet. Taking the letter and opening it, he couldn’t help complaining loudly: “What is he going to Jinling to do at this time? What is he going to Jinling to do at this time? Does he think Jinling isn’t chaotic enough?”

Wang Lin’s heart surged with waves of shock as he stood frozen. Han Qian, without saying a word beforehand, had already gone to Jinling?

If he had carefully considered what choices Han Qian might make facing the current situations in Jinling and Yueyang, even if there were ten thousand possible responses, he absolutely would never have imagined Han Qian going to Jinling was possible.

What did Han Qian want to do in Jinling? What could he do?

Wang Lin moved close to Shen Yang’s side, wanting to see what Han Qian had written in the letter. But Shen Yang folded the letter one step ahead and returned it to Yang Yuanpu, as if this letter, besides himself and Yang Yuanpu, shouldn’t be seen by anyone else.

However, after Shen Yang returned the letter to Yang Yuanpu, his old face still flushed red with anger. He couldn’t stop rebuking: “This is just reckless! This is just reckless! How can he be so reckless without saying anything beforehand?”

Princess Qingyang personally brought tea over, pouring for Shen Yang and Wang Lin at their desks.

Wang Lin urgently wanted to know what Han Qian had written in the letter. Shen Yang felt the letter’s contents couldn’t be shown to more people, lest it directly damage Prince Tan Yang Yuanpu’s prestige.

However, Princess Qingyang had seen Han Qian’s letter before Shen Yang, so naturally she knew what Han Qian had written.

In his letter, Han Qian first wanted to tell Yang Yuanpu he had already gone to Jinling.

Second, he suggested the Executive Secretariat should severely investigate Marquis Xinchang Li Pu and Military Office Chief Commandant Chen Mingsheng’s responsibility for abandoning Qiuhu Mountain and losing troops. He suggested stripping them of command authority over the Taowu garrison military household remnants. He suggested formally reorganizing the Taowu garrison military household remnants into an advance combat force to serve as Yueyang’s presence operating in Jinling, Runzhou and other places. He suggested Yueyang appoint another commander to lead them…

Of course, calculating the time, Princess Qingyang thought Han Qian should have already seized command authority over the Taowu garrison military household remnants from Marquis Xinchang Li Pu by now.

Princess Qingyang knew this fellow Han Qian favored unorthodox strategies, but she never imagined his unorthodox edge would reach this degree.

Han Qian essentially acted first and reported later. If he had half a mind to consult Yang Yuanpu, taking the commercial water route to Jinling, he wouldn’t have failed to stop at Yueyang City along the necessary route!

Han Qian’s series of so-called “suggestions” in the letter were merely to have Yang Yuanpu issue authorization in the name of Prince Tan’s household and Hunan Executive Secretariat, or rather to approve Han Qian’s seizure of power from Li Pu, making everything legally proper.

The problem was—did Yang Yuanpu have room not to approve, or not to accept Han Qian’s “suggestions”?

As for appointing another commander to lead—which commander qualified to lead these troops, at Deputy Military Supervisor rank or above, would be willing to run at this time into the dragon’s pool and tiger’s den, to run before Han Qian to find trouble?

Princess Qingyang pondered for a long time. In her heart she couldn’t help feeling a trace of desolation for Yang Yuanpu. Thinking it over, Yang Yuanpu had no room to refuse Han Qian’s “suggestions.”

Han Qian at this time had most likely already seized command authority from Li Pu’s hands. If Yang Yuanpu didn’t approve, so what? Would he choose to completely break relations with Xuzhou?

At this time, did he have the qualifications to completely break with Xuzhou?

Furthermore, at this time there were still five thousand elite troops in the Left and Right Vermillion Bird Armies whose families remained in Jinling and Runzhou.

Han Qian went resolutely to Jinling in the name of protecting Taowu garrison military household families. If Yang Yuanpu insisted on not accepting Han Qian’s suggestions, how would these soldiers view him?

Military morale among the soldiers was already extremely unstable. Even to preserve the military loyalty of this portion of elite soldiers, Yang Yuanpu couldn’t refuse Han Qian’s “suggestions” after acting first and reporting later, could he?

Yang Yuanpu took back the letter Shen Yang handed over, held it near the candlestick adding light to the sleeping chamber, ignited it with fire, then tossed it into a bronze basin to the side, watching the letter gradually burn to white ash.

“Minister Shen, now that Master Han has gone to Jinling, how should Yueyang handle this?” Yang Yuanpu asked in a deep voice.

Princess Qingyang secretly felt Yang Yuanpu was also somewhat remarkable. With this statement, only the three of them knew the letter’s contents. Looking at Feng Yi, Feng Xuan, and Lin Haizheng—the three seemed to only know Han Qian had led people to Jinling but didn’t know how Han Qian would act in Jinling.

Of course, Princess Qingyang could also imagine Yang Yuanpu’s difficult position at this moment.

She could easily imagine how furiously the Dowager Consort and other people from Marquis Xinchang’s household remaining in Yueyang would rage upon learning Han Qian had gone to Jinling to seize Li Pu’s command authority. Yang Yuanpu not only couldn’t blame Han Qian for acting on his own initiative, but even had to shield Han Qian in Yueyang against the fury and pressure from the Dowager Consort and Marquis Xinchang’s household people, pretending Han Qian going to Jinling to seize command was something he had tacitly approved or permitted.

Though Zheng Yu, Chai Jian and others had all suggested abandoning the Taowu garrison military household remnants and families, recalling Li Pu back to Yueyang early, and though for Yueyang now, Han Qian bringing more soldiers and families back to Yueyang would preserve more strength and vitality for Yueyang—the problem was that in the Dowager Consort and Marquis Xinchang’s household’s eyes, they would most likely view this matter as Han Qian’s counterattack and provocation against them, making their loss of face even more complete.

This time Han Qian had also in fact torn up the tacit understanding of remaining in Xuzhou observing mourning. As long as he returned from Jinling, he would return directly to Yueyang’s center. Then the confrontation between him and the Dowager Consort and her allies would suddenly become severe.

How could the Dowager Consort and her allies be happy to see this?

However, not only did Yang Yuanpu have no choice, seeing Shen Yang’s exasperated appearance, Princess Qingyang saw he wasn’t about to do anything to Han Qian. More likely he couldn’t understand why Han Qian went to Jinling at this time.

Of course, the waves stirring in Princess Qingyang’s heart were far from calmed. In her heart she kept bitterly asking: Why did this fellow Han Qian go to Jinling?

Was he unwilling to just be coldly neglected and forgotten in Xuzhou, so he had to use this method to announce his existence to everyone in Yueyang?

If Han Qian’s purpose was this, then Yang Yuanpu accepting his suggestions and publicly announcing investigation of Marquis Xinchang Li Pu and Military Office Chief Commandant Chen Mingsheng’s responsibility for defeat, announcing authorization for Han Qian to reorganize the Taowu garrison military household remnants as the Wuling Advance Army and command them, representing Yueyang to handle all matters in Jinling and Runzhou—whether actual power or prestige and reputation, all would allow Han Qian to advance further than before.

After pondering for a long time, Shen Yang finally answered Yang Yuanpu’s inquiry:

“Since Han Qian has already gone to Jinling, naturally we must permit him to act expediently in Jinling. As for the Dowager Consort? It’s better this old servant goes to inform the Dowager Consort.”

Shen Yang knew that having Yang Yuanpu face the Dowager Consort would be even more awkward. He decided he should first negotiate with the Dowager Consort, Zheng Yu, Zheng Chang and others.

Shen Yang had never liked Han Qian’s unorthodox strategies. In his heart he had hoped Han Qian would remain in Xuzhou, able to make the Dowager Consort, Zheng Chang, and Zheng Yu wary. But he never imagined Han Qian would act first and report later, directly going to Jinling first to seize Marquis Xinchang Li Pu’s command authority.

Whatever decisions Han Qian made in Jinling couldn’t be determined by Yueyang at all. Yueyang even had to retroactively approve all decisions Han Qian made in Jinling.

This really was making a situation that wasn’t chaotic enough even more chaotic!

Yang Yuanpu’s expression unstable, he nodded.

“Besides this letter, what else did Han Qian have you convey?” Shen Yang asked Feng Yi again.

“Han Qian said that for Yueyang to have everything it has now, the Taowu garrison military households established great meritorious service. No matter what, Yueyang cannot easily abandon the Taowu garrison military household remnants and families. Han Qian said he also knows Yueyang is somewhat beyond reach. Even if they cannot provide more support, it’s unavoidable. So he can only go to Jinling to fulfill this responsibility. After all, the ‘Memorial on Epidemic Waters’ was compiled by him and the old master,” Feng Yi said. “He also wanted me to inform Your Highness and Minister Shen to quickly go to Jinling to meet with him.”

Seeing no fear on Feng Yi’s face, Shen Yang thought that after the Feng family’s disaster, following Han Qian had truly allowed him to mature. He said:

“Don’t rush. Even if His Highness wants to authorize Han Qian to represent Yueyang in expediently handling all matters, he must inform the Dowager Consort. Only then can the Executive Secretariat and Executive Secretariat acknowledge it. I’ll first go to Cishou Palace to pay respects to the Dowager Consort.”

Shen Yang sighed long in his heart, not knowing whether the Dowager Consort’s side would easily yield. Instinctively his head throbbed.

—

“What? Han Qian didn’t remain in Xuzhou observing mourning but privately went to Jinling without permission? You’re not investigating his responsibility for acting on his own initiative, but want to use him to replace Marquis Li, commanding troops in Jinling? Outrageous!”

The Dowager Consort violently threw the cup in her hand onto the stone floor. With a “crack” it shattered to pieces. She glared at Shen Yang through gritted teeth, demanding answers.

Yao Xishui had only returned yesterday afternoon with the speculation that Han Qian had very likely already secretly gone to Jinling. They were still endlessly guessing at Han Qian’s purpose. Unexpectedly, just one day later, not only was the news of Han Qian secretly going to Jinling confirmed, but Pu’er also wanted to investigate Li Pu and Chen Mingsheng’s responsibility for command failure, authorizing Han Qian to reorganize the Taowu garrison military household remnants in Jinling and expediently handle everything?

Shen Yang sat quietly at the lower seat, watching the Dowager Consort lose her temper.

If anyone truly pursued the matter relentlessly, they would only acknowledge that Han Qian going to Jinling was acting first and reporting later. But the subsequent investigation of Li Pu’s responsibility for defeat, using Han Qian to replace Li Pu remaining in Jinling commanding troops, even reorganizing the Taowu garrison military household remnants as the Wuling Advance Army—all this was Yang Yuanpu’s decision.

Only this way could Prince Tan Yang Yuanpu’s dignity be preserved. This way, at least before outsiders, Yang Yuanpu and his Master Han still trusted and relied on each other.

Yao Xishui stood behind the Dowager Consort, her heart shocked beyond measure. Chun Shisanniang suppressed her inner shock and asked Yao Xishui: “Has this fellow Han Qian already made his move, seizing command authority from Marquis Li’s hands?”

From the moment Li Zhigao guessed Han Qian had gone to Jinling first, Yao Xishui had rushed back to Yueyang from Jiufeng City without stopping.

Calculating from when Deng Tai went to Xuzhou to see Han Qian and was refused, Yao Xishui guessed Han Qian should have already reached Jinling by now. Perhaps he had already met with the Marquis. Perhaps he had already seized command authority from the Marquis by surprise…

Compared to the Dowager Consort’s furious raging, what Yao Xishui worried about more was—if the Marquis was unwilling to easily surrender command authority, if Han Qian harbored resentment toward the Marquis and had already moved to harm the Marquis, what would they do?

Yao Xishui suddenly realized that facing Han Qian’s unorthodox strategies, they were so utterly unprepared!