Thinking about having to bring out all the gold he had accumulated during this period, Han Qian could not help but feel heartache. Seeing Fan Dahei, Lin Haizheng, and Zhao Wuji standing behind him with ashamed expressions on their faces, and recalling that on the way back these three had actually shown him attitude, he rebuked them unceremoniously: “And you three fools—take all the household soldiers’ children back to the estate, lest Manager Fan find himself short of hands when needed.”
Though it was quite normal for Fan Dahei and Lin Haizheng to have their own thoughts, with the situation so intricate and complex yet lacking absolutely trustworthy people around him, Han Qian’s mood was irritable. He also did not know what these household soldiers would think of him once the matter of his secretly serving Wanhong Pavilion was exposed.
Ultimately, it was because his father had been too lenient with these household soldiers in the past, so that now even wanting to impose strict management was impossible. He could only place his hopes on those household soldiers’ children who were currently still blank slates.
As for settling and recruiting the refugees, Marquis Xinchang’s mansion and Wanhong Pavilion had sufficient personnel to install.
Only this could ensure that the troops recruited from refugees in the future could be completely under their control. Han Qian thought that his side wanting to interfere excessively was also impossible.
However, the majority of the Han family’s household soldiers’ children had been adopted from refugees. Having them return to participate in the relief efforts meant that for this force recruited in the future, he might not be completely without some influence.
Thinking this way, spreading some gold around at this moment was also worthwhile.
Being called a fool right off the bat by Han Qian, Fan Dahei scratched his head and asked with a shameless grin: “If the young master drives us all back to the estate, who will accompany the young master daily to Marquis Linjiang’s mansion to report for duty?”
“Am I missing arms or legs? Without you people, I can’t ride a horse to Marquis Linjiang’s mansion? Hurry up and get out of the city. Don’t be an eyesore here making me upset.” Han Qian waved his hand irritably, wanting to drive Fan Dahei, Lin Haizheng, and Zhao Wuji away.
“How did Dahei displease you?” Han Daoxun asked.
“These three fools actually believe Father wanted to drive the refugees outside the city from Jinling, actually believe I heartlessly ran to Wanhong Pavilion today to make merry. All the way back they showed me sour faces!” Han Qian said. “As for Marquis Linjiang’s mansion, I’m thinking of requesting a few days of sick leave first and waiting to see what moves they make.”
He planned to feign illness and recuperate at the residence for a few days these coming days, not going to Marquis Linjiang’s mansion to see those fools’ faces. If he did not establish some authority now, who knew what these fools might do in the future that would catch him off guard.
“…” Han Daoxun smiled faintly. He did not think there was anything wrong with household soldiers making a small fuss over a misunderstanding. He waved his hand, telling Fan Xicheng and the others to leave first.
…
…
Snow fell from the night sky. Outside the city, refugees were skeletal and sallow, shivering in the cold wind. But this did not prevent Wanhong Pavilion from being filled with orioles and swallows, intoxicated with gold and wine, singing and dancing amid strings and bamboo music in an atmosphere of peace and prosperity.
Deep in the courtyard, in a bamboo pavilion by the pond, the zither music was ethereal. Yao Xishui thought of Han Qian’s arrogant manner as he walked out, still so angry her chest would not calm.
“When I went to Guangling the year before last, I heard people say Han Daoxun was an upright minister in governing the realm, recommended by Chief Minister Wang Jixiong to come to the capital to serve at Hongwen Hall and might be entrusted with important duties. Today hearing him memorialize at court to expel refugees from the four city gates, I thought he had an undeserved reputation and was merely one who fawned on the powerful and pursued influence. I never expected he concealed such a magnificent work as the ‘Memorial on the Epidemic Waters’ without presenting it,” Su Hongyu said, sitting lazily on a brocade couch. Having just heard Yao Xishui explain the entire sequence of events clearly, she was quite moved. She plucked the strings discordantly and asked again: “What did Madam and Marquis Xinchang ultimately decide?”
“Madam is still in that courtyard over there. Fearing this fellow would rely on his grievance to act tyrannically, she had me come over to watch him,” Yao Xishui said, gently paring her fingertips with a foot-long cold blade. “But I don’t know what Madam and Marquis Xinchang will ultimately decide.”
“If this strategy succeeds, it will be of great assistance. But acting too hastily may alert Anning Palace, which would also be undesirable,” Su Hongyu said. “Keeping this Han father and son pair may prove greatly useful. It’s fortunate that you failed that time and didn’t poison him to death in one go. Who would have thought things would turn out well through error.”
“He may be useful now, but that doesn’t mean he won’t become a great calamity in the future. I also misjudged him before,” Yao Xishui said with a cold snort. Her beautiful eyes stared at the cold blade in her hand, not believing that keeping Han Qian was necessarily a good thing. She said: “When he relied on his grievance to act tyrannically earlier, at least half of it was performed for Yang Yuanpu to see. Ultimately he’s still taking advantage of Yang Yuanpu’s youth. If one day Yang Yuanpu trusts him completely, there’s no guarantee Wanhong Pavilion won’t suffer his backlash.”
Earlier in the separate courtyard of Marquis Xinchang’s mansion, both Madam’s and Marquis Xinchang’s attention had been drawn to the “Memorial on the Epidemic Waters.” But Yao Xishui had noticed that while venting his resentment, Han Qian always kept one part of his mind on the Third Prince Yang Yuanpu. This scheming was truly chilling.
Though keeping Han Qian might prove greatly useful at present, though initially she had advocated keeping Han Qian to use as a chess piece, having truly witnessed Han Qian’s profound scheming these last two times, Yao Xishui felt her initial advocacy might not have been correct.
Su Hongyu thought there might be cause for worry in this matter, but she believed more that Yao Xishui was still brooding over her failure with Han Qian. She laughed charmingly: “If little sister is worried, then watch him more closely. Perhaps you’ll become devoted enemies who turn into lovers.”
Seeing Su Hongyu not only failed to take it seriously but was teasing her about her and Han Qian’s matter, Yao Xishui frowned with considerable displeasure and did not respond.
…
…
The next day, because Han Daoxun had misspoken at the court deliberation, he was ordered to remain at the residence awaiting impeachment and punishment from the Censorate. Han Qian also feigned illness and stayed at the residence, not rising early to report for duty at Marquis Linjiang’s mansion.
However, by the time Han Qian had taught Zhao Ting’er to recite multiplication tables until noon at the residence, he felt some regret.
Han Qian guessed that the matter of expelling refugees would not subside because of Emperor Tianyou’s anger and punishment toward his father Han Daoxun. But with them confined to the residence without contact with others, they had no sources of information—sending Zhao Kuo and Han Laoshan out, they could not gather any news at all and thus did not know to what extent things would develop.
Only at this moment did Han Qian realize that so-called strategic planning and complete confidence were all damn fake.
Had Emperor Tianyou’s anger subsided? Had he thought that his father’s memorial to expel hungry refugees had deeper meaning, or was he still resentful, wanting to further investigate his father’s crimes? How was Marquis Xinchang scheming to take over the matter of settling refugees? How would Anning Palace and the Crown Prince’s faction view this matter? Would they see through the deception? If they saw through it, would they kick his father while he was down? And what would be the reaction of Prince Xin, who seemed to have no activity in Chuzhou, or Prince Xin’s direct lineage in Jinling when they heard the news? All these were variables.
With all these variables uncertain, what complete confidence could there be, what strategic planning—all damn nonsense.
However, having sent Zhao Kuo early in the morning to Marquis Linjiang’s mansion to request sick leave, having already established his authority, even if he could not expect the Third Prince Yang Yuanpu to bring Chen De, Li Chong, Feng Yi and others to visit, he could not run to Marquis Linjiang’s mansion after feigning illness for only half a day to gather information. Where would his face be in the future?
Speaking of Feng Yi, Han Qian had absolutely no idea how Marquis Xinchang Li Pu would seal Feng Yi and Kong Xirong’s mouths to prevent his secret service to the Third Prince Yang Yuanpu from leaking. He felt some regret in his heart—if only he had not put on airs yesterday and had continued to stay and discuss everything thoroughly with Li Pu and the woman in black gauze.
However, thinking again that Marquis Xinchang Li Pu and the woman in black gauze could not possibly trust him from the root, and that his father would absolutely not sit by and watch him collude with the ill-intentioned Wanhong Pavilion, Han Qian was convinced his previous response had not been wrong.
In comparison, Han Qian saw his father was quite composed, burning a brazier in the hall, reviewing poetry and books. He wondered whether his old man, like himself, was only feigning composure.
Han Qian endured until evening, hearing the sound of horse hooves in the alley outside the courtyard approaching from afar.
Han Daoxun disliked household soldiers disturbing the people and normally did not permit Fan Xicheng and the others to gallop through streets and alleys.
Hearing these urgent horse hooves like a sudden rainstorm, Han Qian’s heart tightened. He quickly slipped to the front courtyard to see who was coming. He saw a lame household soldier in the residence open the courtyard gate, and there was Li Chong with a displeased expression, along with Feng Yi and Kong Xirong, dismounting from their horses and handing the reins to household soldiers behind them.
“His Highness was concerned about your illness and sent the three of us to visit. Your complexion looks quite good,” Li Chong said. Knowing this fellow Han Qian was feigning illness at the residence to establish authority, seeing him not even trying to conceal it now, his expression immediately became even more gloomy. He steeled himself and stepped across the threshold into the courtyard.
“Ow, ow, ow,” Han Qian cried out in pain, saying: “This migraine of mine comes and goes. It had just felt better this evening, but with what Young Marquis just said, it’s hurting again.”
Li Chong had come today under orders to console Han Qian and had brought Feng Yi and Kong Xirong to tell Han Qian there was no need to worry about these two. Even watching Han Qian’s clumsy acting now, he could only suppress the urge to hit someone.
Han Daoxun walked out holding a book scroll. Seeing Li Chong, Feng Yi, and Kong Xirong paying their respects to him, he said to Han Qian: “I’m going to find Chief Libationer Zhou to play chess. You keep Young Marquis and the others at the residence to drink wine…”
With Li Chong and the others calling at this time, they would naturally have to stay for a banquet. But with the court deliberation memorial discussion just beginning to stir, Han Daoxun did not want Han Qian accompanying Li Chong and the others out to carouse at this time.
However, the courtyard was cramped. If Han Qian wanted to host a banquet, as an elder Han Daoxun could not conveniently be involved, so he could only find an excuse to leave and make space for them.
Li Chong had no mind to stay and drink. After Han Daoxun left, when Qing Yun brought water to brew tea, he patiently drank a cup of tea, then stood up to take his leave: “Seeing your health is fine, I presume tomorrow you can accompany His Highness in study. I won’t tarry here any longer.”
“This migraine of mine comes and goes. I’m not deceiving Young Marquis, much less would I dare deceive the Third Prince. If I’m well tomorrow, I will certainly report for duty before the Third Prince. But if the headache is severe, I’ll still need to recuperate at the residence for a few days. Please tell the Third Prince for me not to worry.” Han Qian stood up and politely saw Li Chong off.
“…” Li Chong bit his back molars, left Feng Yi and Kong Xirong behind, and stormed out of the Han residence.