Han Wenhuan and Han Daochang secretly infiltrated Xuancheng. Through Fu Mo, who had once served as a Vice Minister in the Ministry of Revenue at court and three years ago had been implicated in the Mausoleum Desecration Case and retired to live in idle seclusion in Xuancheng, they passed a message to arrange a meeting with Gu Zhilong.

Gu Zhilong’s indecision was merely because he wanted to compare offers from different sides.

When Han Qian sent people to see him, what Gu Zhilong mainly disdained in his heart was that Han Qian’s foundation wasn’t deep, that recruiting slaves and servants into the army had made enemies with aristocratic families, and he also didn’t believe that a Chishan Army assembled from a group of rabble could amount to anything.

Moreover, when Han Qian had sent Zhang Ping, Feng Yi, Feng Liao, and others to seek an audience below Langxi City, Gu Zhilong somewhat suspected Han Qian harbored ill intentions – that beyond making contact, his greater purpose was to make Anning Palace and the Chuzhou Army suspicious of Xuanzhou.

That Han Wenhuan and Han Daochang could come from Yueyang, first entering Xuancheng before arranging a private meeting – although Gu Zhilong still didn’t feel now was the time for him to place his bet and enter the game, he no longer showed negligence.

Beyond Han Wenhuan and Han Daochang’s personal connections and influence in Xuanzhou, which that upstart Han Qian couldn’t compare to, what was more important was that Han Wenhuan and Han Daochang had traveled thousands of li, coming as representatives of the Third Prince, Prince Tan Yang Yuanpu.

If at this time he didn’t even meet them, didn’t even talk, didn’t show a little courtesy and observe proper etiquette, if Yueyang gained power in the future, could he still sell himself for a good price to Yueyang?

However, Gu Zhilong was ultimately still a suspicious person. Especially since the Chishan Army still had eight or nine hundred elite cavalry and over two thousand infantry stationed at Mount Tingzi, twenty li east of Langxi City, he had to guard against Han Qian calculating against him. So he brought along over fifteen hundred of his direct guard troops to escort him back to Xuancheng.

After Gu Zhilong departed, those responsible for staying behind to defend Langxi were his second son Gu Zhao and Langxi County Magistrate Zhou Yuanhe.

When Zhao Wuji and Feng Liao led the cavalry battalion through Miaodian Ridge east of Langxi City and circled to the Xuanlang post road south of Langxi City, they encountered heavy rain. Gu Zhao and Zhou Yuanhe in Langxi City were completely unaware. By the time the rain stopped and the wind ceased, with dawn’s light enveloping the earth, not only had Zhao Wuji and Feng Liao led three hundred elite cavalry already reached the pass in front of Honglin Wharf, but Shi Ji had also led over a thousand infantry and cavalry around Langxi City, advancing to Baima Gully twenty li south of Langxi City to rest and reorganize.

When Gu Zhao and Langxi County Magistrate Zhou Yuanhe received this report, they were bewildered for a while. They gathered the city’s military officials to discuss for quite some time, but still didn’t know what the Chishan Army actually intended to do.

When the warning bell on the east gate tower rang loudly, they hastily climbed the east gate tower. Looking far into the distance, they saw dense masses of troops and horses that, illuminated by the morning sunlight, crossed over mountain ridges from the direction of Mount Tingzi, advancing magnificently and imposingly toward Langxi City. Among their formations were also clustered many tall siege engines. The faces of everyone present immediately turned pale.

“Luring the tiger from the mountain?”

Zhou Yuanhe was over fifty years old. As a member of the Zhou clan of Ningguo County in Xuanzhou, in his early years when serving in the Shengzhou Military Governor’s office, he had been a clerk under Gu Zhilong’s command. When Gu Zhilong was transferred to serve as Xuanzhou Provincial Governor, he was recommended by Gu Zhilong to serve as Revenue Officer in Xuanzhou. Over these years he had consistently been one of Gu Zhilong’s trusted inner circle.

After the Jinling Incident, Gu Zhilong had immediately had someone poison the original Langxi County Magistrate Zhong Jitang and recommended Zhou Yuanhe to replace him, ensuring that Langxi as Xuanzhou’s northern gateway would always remain in his hands, making it convenient to await the highest bidder.

Zhou Yuanhe was also one of the limited few in Langxi City who knew about Gu Zhilong returning to Xuancheng yesterday to meet Han Wenhuan.

Seeing this scene before him, how could he fail to understand what was happening?

His face pale, the hand he pressed against the battlements couldn’t help but tremble slightly. He had never imagined that Han Wenhuan and Han Daochang secretly infiltrating Xuancheng to meet Gu Zhilong was actually bait thrown out by Han Qian to lure Gu Zhilong away from Langxi.

After the Chishan Army had captured Shangjia Fort and their military strength extended into northern Xuanzhou, Langxi City as Xuanzhou’s northern gateway had recruited clan soldiers from aristocratic families, and the garrison troops had quickly increased dramatically to six thousand men.

However, among these six thousand defenders, the most elite were the fifteen hundred guard troops personally led by Gu Zhilong – that is, the personal guard battalion Gu Zhilong had expanded based on his three hundred household soldiers and retainers.

Excluding these fifteen hundred elite guard troops, the remaining forty-five hundred or so defenders were all formed on the foundation of the original Langxi county troops, recruiting sons of aristocratic families and strong slaves, servants, and county residents.

To protect the interests of Xuanzhou’s various families, when conscripting sons of aristocratic families and able-bodied slaves and servants into service, Gu Zhilong allowed the able-bodied slaves and servants to be directly commanded by the sons of aristocratic families, merged under the Xuanzhou Governor’s banner under the name of clan troops and family troops to accept unified command.

Although Langxi’s defenders still numbered over forty-five hundred troops, the difference between having or not having Gu Zhilong’s personally led fifteen hundred elite guard troops was enormous.

Whether the original Langxi county troops, the newly recruited sons of aristocratic families, or the slaves, servants, and county residents who had enlisted as followers – although all were able-bodied men, fully equipped with weapons and armor, and had trained diligently with sufficient provisions these past two or three months – there weren’t many veteran soldiers who had truly been on battlefields and seen blood.

With Gu Zhilong present, he could completely use veteran soldiers to lead new soldiers in defending the four city walls, then concentrate a portion of the elite guard troops in the center for support. In the short term, there would be no fear at all that the Chishan Army had the capability to assault Langxi City. And if time dragged on, besides being able to call reinforcements from Xuanzhou’s heartland, the Chishan Army would be more concerned about threats from the Chuzhou Army on their flank.

In the current situation, the Chishan Army clearly intended to take Langxi City in the shortest possible time regardless of cost. Could their four thousand or so soldiers hold out until reinforcements arrived?

“Quickly dispatch scouts to circle around the west side of Lake Nanyi to Xuanzhou and report this matter to the Governor!” Zhou Yuanhe forcibly suppressed the panic in his heart and said to Second Young Master Gu Zhao, but he himself could feel his voice trembling slightly…

……

……

When Li Pu received the message sent by Yao Xishui, at dawn he and his youngest son Li Qi, with over a hundred elite cavalry, raced all the way. When they reached Mount Tingzi, the over ten thousand troops of the Third Corps – with former surrendered general and original Wuling County Lieutenant Zhou Chu as Chief Military Supervisor, and Zhao Qi, born a government slave who was later given by Third Prince Yang Yuanpu to the Han family as a slave, as Deputy Chief Military Supervisor – had already advanced their forward troops to a ravine less than three li from Langxi City’s east gate tower to organize their formation. It looked like they intended to establish a siege position there.

“Gu Zhilong going to Xuancheng to meet with Old Master Han indicates he already has the intention to submit to Yueyang. Your reckless use of military force at this time will only completely enrage Gu Zhilong and thoroughly ruin the situation on the Chishan Army’s western flank that was finally stabilized,” Li Pu said urgently, his face flushed. Regardless of the military officers present around them, he shouted sternly at Han Qian, “Not to mention you may not be able to capture Langxi City before the Chuzhou Army moves south. Even if you capture Langxi City, if Gu Zhilong leads Xuanzhou troops to submit to Chuzhou, can you withstand Xuanzhou troops and the Chuzhou Army attacking together?”

“Gu Zhilong is awaiting the highest bidder. His submitting to Yueyang may not be impossible, but he definitely won’t choose this time. Guangde Stronghold has provisions to support at most another ten days. After ten days, Marquis Li, do you say the Chishan Army should attack Huzhou, or attack Xuanzhou, or should we choose to attack first whichever is easier to attack and which we’re more confident of capturing?” Han Qian slightly narrowed his eyes and asked Li Pu calmly.

“So this means that Old Master Han and Han Daochang traveling thousands of li from Yueyang to negotiate surrender were also matters you had calculated long ago?” Li Pu had never imagined Han Qian would use his grandfather Han Wenhuan as bait. His spine couldn’t help but feel waves of coldness. He demanded, “Your heart is so ruthless – aren’t you afraid of bringing harm to Old Master Han’s life?”

“That Grandfather and Second Uncle can be loyal to His Highness is their great honor. There’s no need to worry!” Han Qian said.

“Where is Yueyang’s integrity?” Li Pu said.

“His Highness and we ministers must speak of integrity toward Great Chu’s state and altars, must speak of integrity toward Great Chu’s common people. But toward someone like Gu Zhilong who wavers between options and awaits the highest bidder, is there still any need to speak of integrity? Could it be that the Marquis, having studied military affairs following the Prince, still doesn’t know the four characters ‘all is fair in war’?” Han Qian said.

“I, I, I…” Li Pu felt that not vomiting blood on the spot from Han Qian’s provocation already counted as good temperament.

“The arrow is on the string and must be released. Rather than arguing with me here about these irrelevant matters, Marquis, you’d be better off having the Qiuhu Army carefully watch Huzhou troops’ movements,” Han Qian looked toward Li Pu and said. “I’m leading troops to attack Langxi. The Chuzhou Army at Liyang will inevitably mobilize. And as the Marquis said, even if I capture Langxi, Gu Zhilong still has the opportunity to submit to Prince Xin in his fury. I need to transfer as many elite forces from the Chishan Army’s Second Corps to the western line as possible. At that time, the pressure the Qiuhu Army bears may increase somewhat!”

Li Pu forcibly suppressed the impulse to slap his forehead. He had long guessed that Han Qian having the Qiuhu Army occupy Sitian Dun meant nothing good, but he hadn’t expected Han Qian’s plan was actually to have them hold the line in front against the pressure from Huzhou troops, ensuring the Chishan Army’s eastern line didn’t develop leaks.

But as Han Qian said, the Chishan Army had already reached below Langxi City. Like an arrow on the string, it was a situation where it must be released. What other choice did he and the Qiuhu Army have?

Even knowing the situation had already changed, when leaving, Li Pu still couldn’t help but ask, “You, you, you – why don’t you lead the Chishan Army to attack into Huzhou?”

“Xuanzhou is easier to plan for,” Han Qian said, not wanting to waste more words with Li Pu. Four characters ended the topic.

With Han Qian speaking this way, what else could Li Pu demand? He immediately led his youngest son Li Qi, surrounded by over a hundred guards, and hurriedly departed again.

“If Gu Zhilong doesn’t dare kill the Old Master, that’s one thing. But if the Old Master meets with harm in Xuancheng, the infamy you’ll bear will be heavy,” Xi Ren said, wearing leather armor and riding a dark red horse beside Han Qian, speaking in a low voice.

“When my father went to see Wen Muqiao, he knew full well that the situation in Jinling at that time couldn’t be turned around by one person’s strength alone, yet he still went without hesitation, even prepared for his reputation to be ruined – the Chishan Army has struggled step by step to reach this point, still unable to walk out of the quagmire. Retreating even half a step would be a bottomless abyss. How can I afford to worry about so much?” Han Qian said.

In many people’s view, the Chishan Army advancing east would be more advantageous.

Even if fortified cities like Changxing, Anji, and Nanxun were difficult to attack, Hu, Hang, Xiu, and Yue provinces, located on the southern shore of Lake Tai and both banks of the Qiantang River, had flat and broad terrain, fertile soil, and extremely dense population. Large and small town wharves and villages were distributed throughout, with no natural defenses. No matter what, they should be easier to attack than Xuanzhou, and could also obtain more grain to relieve the Chishan Army’s current urgent crisis.

However, the problem was that Hu, Xiu, Hang, and Yue provinces were prosperous regions where the people’s lives were relatively stable. After the Chishan Army advanced east, due to the hatred of aristocratic families and local clans in these provinces, they would be unable to obtain opportunities to peacefully purchase grain. And with each place they plundered, they might even provoke ordinary common people to universally rise up and resist them.

At that time, the chaos around Jinling wouldn’t be alleviated in the slightest, while the entire situation in the Two Zhejiang regions would become increasingly chaotic.

Then, with the situation changing moment by moment, facing increasingly urgent threats from both east and west, Han Qian would have completely no time to stop and do some things to restore production.

Han Qian’s fundamental purpose in entering Jinling this time was still to reduce harm to ordinary people from warfare, reduce the devastation of war on the Jianghuai region, and fulfill his father’s dying wish that he wouldn’t forget even facing brutal torture. He didn’t want the Chishan Army to ultimately degenerate into a refugee army skilled at destruction but incompetent at construction.

His current decision to keep the Chishan Army stationed at Guangde, whether clearing slope lands, implementing merit-based land grants, or establishing schools – for the Chishan Army’s own development, these were urgent matters that brooked no delay.

This simultaneously destined that for quite a long time in the future, the Chishan Army’s foundation would be at Mount Fuyu, at the old Guangde county in the northern foothills of Mount Fuyu.

Gu Zhilong wasn’t making a choice now, awaiting the highest bidder, but he would eventually make a choice one day and throw all his chips into the chess game.

Could Han Qian wait until Gu Zhilong made his choice before considering the security problem on Guangde’s western flank?

In comparison, Huzhou Governor Huang Hua and the aristocratic family forces further east and south, being isolated from Jinling by the Chishan Army, could make their choices later.

In fact, Han Qian’s decision to keep the Chishan Army stationed at Guangde had already destined him to first capture Langxi.

It was just that few people believed he would truly spare no cost to protect those elderly, weak, women, and children, which was why they appeared so shocked.