The capture of Chizhou city and Nanling city, along with the Southern Bureau Forbidden Army fleeing from Tongling, Fanchang and other cities, meant that the passage for the three routes of forces under Yueyang to converge at Fanchang was completely opened.
Fanchang, formerly known as Chungu County, was the first city captured when Emperor Tianyou led the Huainan Army across the river to attack the Shengzhou Military Commissioner’s Office. It originally belonged to Chizhou Prefecture, then was reassigned to Jingzhao Prefecture, serving as the western gate of Jinling.
To Fanchang’s south lay the wilderness of mountains extending hundreds of li from Mount Jiuhua and Mount Yi. To the north, across the Yangtze River, lay views of the Jianghuai Plain. Within its territory, small and medium mountain ridges like Chanlong Mountain, Yinyu Mountain, and Miao Mountain stretched continuously. Going eastward from Fanchang was open terrain west of Jinling city, composed of low hills, river valley plains, and riverine plains.
The first batch of troops from the Yanjiang Pacification Army and Jiangxi Pacification Army, rushing ahead before the twelfth month, advanced east to occupy Fanchang city, which now had only over a thousand county residents remaining.
Although the attacks on Chizhou and Nanling cities had resulted in quite heavy casualties, Yueyang had already completely controlled the prefectures and counties of Jiangxi and eastern Hunan.
As for Jiangnan East Circuit, apart from the southern Zhejiang region which was still quite distant and hadn’t yet sent people to make contact or submit—but with the Southern Bureau Forbidden Army contracting their entire line back to Jinling’s inner defenses, the six prefectures along the Taihu lakefront, plus Liyang, Pingling, Nanling, Dangtu, Fanchang and other cities to the south and southwest of Jinling, were now all under the direct control of Yueyang forces.
The three routes of forces—the Yanjiang Pacification Army, Jiangxi Pacification Army, and Guangde Commissioner Army—successfully converged. Apart from the southeast wing advancing to a line from Lishui to Maoshan, scouts and reconnaissance cavalry on the south and southwest had already established lookout posts along the south bank of the Shuiyang River, compressing the Southern Bureau Forbidden Army’s operating space to barely fifty to sixty li outside Jinling city.
At this point it could be completely said that the general situation was established.
Even though there were relatively large losses in troop strength during the attacks on Chizhou and Nanling, in a short time wounded soldiers could be promptly evacuated to rear cities for recuperation, and new soldiers could be continuously conscripted from rear cities to supplement the ranks. Grain and fodder numbering in the hundreds of thousands of shi from Xiu, Hang, Hu, Qu and other prefectures, commandeering tens of thousands of civilian laborers and pack animals, was also being continuously transported via the northern foothills of Fuyu Mountain into Langxi, Nanling and other cities.
Because the Tower Ship Army’s combat strength was quite formidable and hadn’t yet been crushed, for safety’s sake, the Five-Tooth Army fleet’s warships mainly huddled near Chizhou, not daring to advance too rashly downstream.
The river passage from Chizhou to Fanchang still remained under threat from the Tower Ship Army fleet’s warships. Therefore, groups of troops and cartloads of supplies mainly traveled via the riverside post road along the northern foothills of Mount Jiuhua, departing from the Jiangzhou direction, passing through Chizhou and Tongling to enter Fanchang.
Fanchang city, with its sparse population, seemed to suddenly become bustling overnight with human voices like a boiling cauldron, with people and horses everywhere creating a clamor.
No matter what, even if Yang Yuanpu didn’t directly interfere with the specific arrangements for besieging Jinling, he also couldn’t possibly sit in Yueyang waiting to recover Jinling at this time.
Han Qian, together with Li Pu, Zhang Ping, Gu Zhilong, as well as his grandfather Han Wenhuan, second uncle Han Daochang, and Fu Mo, Wei Zhen, Wu Zun, Chen Fan, Zhou Yuanhe, Li Xiu, Wen Ruilin and a host of others, rushed to Fanchang city to join Marquis Linjin Li Changfeng, Li Zhigao, Zhou Dan, Zhou Yuan, Jiang Huo, Zheng Chang, Yang Fan, Gao Long and others who had already entered Fanchang. The next day, on the eighth of the twelfth month, they exited the west gate to respectfully welcome Yang Yuanpu’s arrival.
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War sails gathered in clouds on the river surface.
In close-quarters boarding combat, the oared sailing ships built in Xuzhou were inferior to the large tower ships equipped by the Tower Ship Army. However, to protect Prince Tan Yang Yuanpu as he advanced eastward from Pengze city in Jiangzhou along the southern bank post road without being ambushed by the Tower Ship Army from the Yangtze waterway, the Five-Tooth Army fleet still deployed sixteen oared sailing ships in formation to screen the flanks of the land forces.
In medium to long-range surface combat, the oared sailing ships’ advantage of using wind power for rapid sailing became more apparent—and Anning Palace couldn’t possibly send out large tower ships that required hundreds of crewmen to row yet could only sail slowly, traveling hundreds of li from their naval camps across easily-detected river surfaces to conduct any ambush.
The Palace Guard Army, with Chen De serving as Military Virtue Commissioner and Supreme Commander, was Yueyang’s only pure cavalry force. Over a hundred five-colored banners waved in the wind, flapping loudly, seeming to make the wind feel even more fierce.
Over a hundred carriages, either ornate or plain, traveled with the procession.
Dowager Consort Wang Chan’er and Princess Consort Li Yao remained in Yueyang, but on this eastern advance, Yang Yuanpu brought Princess Qingyang along.
After capturing Jinling city this time, Yang Yuanpu would directly ascend the throne and be enthroned in Jinling.
Unless in extremely special circumstances like touring the realm, Yang Yuanpu would no longer have opportunity to return to Prince Tan’s mansion in Yueyang. While the Dowager Consort and Princess Consort Li Yao weren’t rushing to travel, Princess Qingyang along with eunuch officials and maidservants from Changxin Palace and Chengtian Hall accompanying the eastern advance didn’t seem abrupt.
Han Qian noticed Li Pu’s gaze was somewhat unfocused. He smiled inwardly, thinking that in Li Pu’s eyes—someone who considered himself more adept at power struggles—power was more the sweet fruit borne of imperial authority.
Even though he was still in the dark about Li Zhigao’s true background, he should also be clear that beneath the strong surface of the Marquis Xinchang’s faction lurked many hidden troubles. With his heart set on eagerly repairing Yang Yuanpu’s trust in him, yet his own daughter hadn’t followed Yang Yuanpu in the first wave advancing eastward—how could his mood possibly be cheerful?
“His Highness and the others are coming. Father, let’s go over!” Standing before the long pavilion, Li Zhigao gazed at the waving banners in the distance and called to Li Pu, Han Qian and others, walking out of the pavilion together to meet them by the imperial road.
Yang Yuanpu rode on horseback. For someone merely eighteen years old, half a step away from ruling all under heaven, he had just entered his young adulthood.
Though the cold wind blowing from the river surface was biting, Yang Yuanpu seemed bathed in spring breeze.
He deliberately wore scale armor over his golden python dragon robe, with an inlaid gold long saber at his side, his bearing upright and heroic, his gaze brilliant, his spirits soaring. Seeing Han Wenhuan, Han Daochang, Han Qian, Li Zhigao, Li Pu, Li Changfeng, Li Xiu, Gao Long, and Zhang Ping waiting at the city gate entrance after arriving earlier in Fanchang city, he dismounted and, bringing Zheng Yu, Shen Yang, Han Daoming, Zhang Chao, Yang Zhitang and others, strode forward with large steps.
“The punishing of rebels nears completion, the campaign against criminals achieves merit—all relies on Teacher Han’s strategic planning for me. Please accept this gesture of respect from Yuanpu!” Still ten-odd steps away, seeing Han Qian supporting Han Wenhuan and walking quickly forward together with Li Pu and others, Yang Yuanpu from afar performed a deep bow.
Han Qian supported his grandfather Han Wenhuan, walking in front alongside Li Pu, with Marquis Linjin Li Changfeng, Li Zhigao, Han Daochang and other officials who had arrived at Fanchang city earlier behind them.
Yang Yuanpu suddenly performing such a grand gesture caught Han Qian off guard. Meeting the complex gazes directed his way, a silent sigh arose from deep within his heart.
At this moment Li Zhigao was also slightly startled. Looking at Zheng Yu, Zheng Chang, Yang Zhitang and others who had walked over following Yang Yuanpu and now stood behind him, all wearing expressions of surprise—apparently they hadn’t anticipated beforehand that Yang Yuanpu would condescend to offer thanks first upon seeing Han Qian. But seeing the slight smiles appearing at the corners of their mouths afterward, they presumably understood what Yang Yuanpu intended by offering thanks to Han Qian first before so many Yueyang officials.
Deep in His Highness’s heart, he ultimately didn’t believe Han Qian would truly hand over the great power of the Guangde Army Commissioner’s Office completely without any conditions attached. That’s why he wanted to make a great show before so many officials of his teacher-disciple affection with Han Qian, the main purpose being to prevent Han Qian from betraying their teacher-disciple relationship, to prevent Han Qian from betraying his trust, wasn’t it?
Or perhaps after arriving at Fanchang county this time, he would directly keep Han Qian at his side to serve, replacing him with someone else to take charge of the Guangde Army Commissioner’s Office?
Without anyone else’s prompting, that previously physically frail, pale-faced youth now possessed such formidable political tactics?
It’s just that if he thought Han Qian’s earlier spreading of news about relinquishing military command after the battle was merely a feint, an advance-by-retreating ploy—wasn’t he underestimating Han Qian too much?
Li Zhigao saw his adoptive father’s eyes glance sideways toward Han Qian, seemingly hiding mockery as if watching Han Qian’s good show. In his heart he only sighed slightly, standing silently behind Han Qian.
Han Qian bowed even more deeply before Prince Tan Yang Yuanpu, declaring loudly:
“The traitorous Empress Dowager Xu acted perversely against all reason, alienating everyone and losing kin. Your Highness possesses brilliant divine martial prowess—punishing rebels and criminals has won all hearts under heaven, with military and civilians devoted to your command. Han Qian merely exercised some small cleverness, borrowing Your Highness’s name and the general situation to accomplish some small matters—I don’t deserve Your Highness’s excessive praise.”
Yang Yuanpu stepped forward to take Han Qian’s arm, then accepted greetings from Han Wenhuan, Li Pu, Li Zhigao and others stepping forward.
“What are they talking about? They’re all smiling, but their expressions are somewhat strange nonetheless?” The Changxin Palace carriage procession fell slightly behind. Qingyang lifted the curtain, watching from afar as Yang Yuanpu and Han Qian conversed cheerfully surrounded by a group of people, asking Du Qiniang who had walked to the carriage side to rest while attending her.
“Perhaps discussing major military and state affairs regarding attacking Jinling,” Du Qiniang said. Her eyes were also gazing in that direction, wondering whether Elder Brother Du Yijun and Younger Brother Du Yiming had come to Fanchang with Han Qian. Calculating the time, it had been almost two years since she’d seen them—she didn’t know if their appearances had changed.
“What’s the rush to attack Jinling? Isn’t it just a matter of sooner or later?” Qingyang said with a smile. “In my view, they must be discussing who should be selected to replace Han Qian in commanding the Left and Right Guangde Armies and the Guangde Army Commissioner’s Office, since His Highness will keep Han Qian at his side during the attack on Jinling to provide strategic counsel.”
Du Qiniang was slightly startled.
Although Qingyang had been somewhat closer to her than before during this period, she still maintained a keeping-yet-distancing manner. She usually had to be summoned before appearing before Qingyang.
All the way from Yueyang, she had heard rumors that Han Qian said he would relinquish military command after the battle, but didn’t know the details, much less what His Highness and various ministers like Shen Yang were thinking.
Standing over a hundred paces away with strong wind blowing, they naturally couldn’t possibly hear what His Highness was saying to Han Qian, and could only vaguely see their faces. She thought that since Princess Qingyang said this, evidently His Highness had already discussed this matter with Princess Qingyang on the road, having long decided to separate Han Qian from the Guangde Army Commissioner’s Office before the final general assault on Jinling?