As the liaison, Feng Yi had been staying at Zhuyu Bay in northwestern Yangzhou these past days, responsible for coordinating the transfer of supplies and personnel.
Since the Right Divine Martial Army had already pressed close to the banks of the Han Canal, after receiving the warning from Yin Peng and Wang Jun, Feng Yi and his two attendants had to evade the scouts and reconnaissance cavalry the Right Divine Martial Army had dispersed. Unable to gallop freely across the open wilderness, they led several fine horses through forests and gullies all the way, not reaching the Baiti Ridge camp until deep into the night.
At this time, the camp’s council hall was still brightly lit. Seeing Han Qian, his brother Feng Liao, Guo Rong, Kong Xirong, Su Lie, Han Donghu, He Liufeng, and Dou Rong who had recently migrated north with the association members all gathered together, Feng Yi said: “You all already know about the unusual movements of the main naval forces?”
“Seven days ago, the grain supplies escorted from Yueyang didn’t unload at Shuzhou as scheduled for grain delivery, but instead both ships and men were all incorporated into the Jingkou Naval Camp at Runzhou. We sensed something abnormal then. Today on the Yangtze River, large numbers of warships went from Caishi heading east, and cavalry near Chuzhou City also advanced eastward in great numbers. No matter how slow we are, we know what’s happening,” Han Qian said, holding a charcoal pencil behind his back, looking at the utterly exhausted Feng Yi and asking, “You rushed back urgently from Yangzhou—did you obtain some more specific information in Yangzhou?”
“If I’d known you’d all already anticipated it, why would I need to make such a hard trip?” Feng Yi complained endlessly. “Today in the wilderness west of the Han Canal, Right Divine Martial Army scouts and reconnaissance cavalry were everywhere. All the way we went through forests and waded rivers—it was truly difficult!”
Then Feng Yi explained in detail how Censor-in-Chief Zheng Chang traveled by boat overnight and arrived at Yangzhou City at dawn to deliver the decree, saying: “This time the Privy Council showed some competence. They arranged almost all lines synchronously and advanced simultaneously. The Yangzhou side had no prior detection and was caught completely off guard. Under Zheng Chang’s pressure, Wang Wenqian couldn’t wait to request instructions from Chuzhou and was ultimately forced to first agree to withdraw Huaidong troops from both banks of the Han Canal back to Yangzhou City, allowing the main naval force’s warships to advance north through the Han Canal…”
Feng Liao nodded and couldn’t help but praise as well: “Transmitting messages has many inconveniences, but the main naval forces advancing east along the Yangtze River, the Right Divine Martial Army cavalry traveling east by land, the Imperial Guards’ troops stationed in Chuzhou relocating and mobilizing, Zheng Chang traveling by boat overnight to Yangzhou to deliver the decree, and the various preparations made in Runzhou and Chuzhou in the early stages of this surprise attack operation—under such time constraints, with countless tasks to accomplish, while maintaining strict secrecy from subordinate officers and officials, for the Privy Council to arrange things to this degree is truly quite good.”
“Apart from Duke Changguo being ambitious but lacking in talent, Zhou Bingwu was one of the six great founding generals. Serving as Defense Commissioner of Yongjia with only about ten thousand troops under his command, he could prevent the separatist forces entrenched in central Fujian from coveting southern Zhejiang with watertight security. Zhou Bingwu currently presides over the Privy Council’s daily affairs, and moreover the Privy Council’s officials are basically all selected strong generals and capable administrators, not inferior to the Privy Council of Niu Gengru and Wen Muqiao’s era.”
Guo Rong had interacted with Zhou Bingwu several times and had high regard for Zhou Bingwu, who had formerly served as Yongjia Defense Commissioner and was transferred to the capital to serve as Vice Commissioner of the Privy Council after Yang Yuanpu ascended the throne. His evaluation of the officers and officials serving in the Privy Council was also quite favorable.
“Even though most of the Privy Council’s officers and officials are scions of aristocratic families, they all just participated in the Battle of Jinling not long ago. Most are in their productive years, able to advance proactively with thorough planning—this is as it should be.”
“So you’re saying the court has a very good chance of success this time?” Feng Yi asked with great interest.
“Xu Mingzhen clearly overlooked the possibility of the main naval forces rapidly advancing north through the Han Canal to attack Hongze Lake,” Feng Liao said. “As things currently stand, west of the Han Canal there are no signs of Shouzhou scouts’ activities. Perhaps not until the naval warships enter Fanliang Lake will the Tower Ship Army’s spies lurking deep in the lakes and marshes become aware. But by the time these spies relay the message back to Haozhou City and the Tower Ship Army dispersed in various camps west of Hongze Lake readjust their deployments, time may be insufficient…”
“Ah, once the Tower Ship Army suffers heavy damage, it means the regions west of Fanliang Lake and Hongze Lake, including Shiliang County, will all become heartland strictly controlled by the Imperial Guards!” Feng Yi said, furrowing his brow.
Han Qian nodded. He had chosen this place as the Chishan Association’s foothold thinking it was a buffer zone among three forces where no one could strictly control it, giving the Chishan Association space to survive. But if the Tower Ship Army remnants were severely damaged and driven from Hongze Lake, with even Haozhou successfully recovered, the court would inevitably station heavy troops on the southern side of Hongze Lake—equivalent to the Chishan Association’s survival space here being directly squeezed out.
“What should we do here—abandon Baiti Ridge and disperse into small groups?” Feng Yi asked somewhat reluctantly.
Sometimes plans really couldn’t keep up with changes. But truly speaking of abandoning the Baiti Ridge camp they’d expended so much effort building to scale, and dispersing the more than five thousand former Left Guangde Army troops and their families who had already evacuated here into small groups—no matter how one thought about it, one’s heart couldn’t accept it!
Han Qian turned his attention back to the map, comparing the more detailed and accurate information Feng Yi had brought back, considering how to adjust so their countermeasures would have fewer loopholes.
“Oh, when Yangzhou Deputy Governor Yin Peng found me to relay the message, Wang Jun was also present. She specifically mentioned that using the naval forces as a flanking force to attack Hongze Lake was a strategy presented to Yang Yuanpu by Duke Changguo Li Pu, who is ambitious but lacking in talent.” At this moment Feng Yi thought of something and mentioned it.
“What?” Feng Liao asked in shock.
Xi Ren had just brewed tea and brought it over. Hearing Feng Yi’s words, the tea cup fell to the ground with a “crack” and shattered to pieces.
“What? Why do you all have such a strong reaction?” Feng Yi asked in surprise.
Han Qian painfully struck his forehead, almost groaning aloud!
Guo Rong, Dou Rong, Kong Xirong, He Liufeng, Su Lie, Han Donghu and others were all baffled. Like Feng Yi, they didn’t understand why Feng Liao, Xi Ren, and Han Qian would have such a strong reaction upon hearing Feng Yi say that the surprise attack was Li Pu’s strategy.
“Are you certain Wen Ruilin is instigating from behind the scenes?” Feng Liao also found the facts before him somewhat hard to believe and asked Han Qian with some hesitation.
“Wen Ruilin has a problem, and you already knew Wen Ruilin had a problem back when you recovered Wuling City?” Feng Yi asked in shock.
At this moment he also recalled various details from when they captured Wuling City and Wen Ruilin was taken prisoner by them.
At the time, Wen Ruilin had wanted to present Han Qian with a strategy for seizing Tanzhou, but Han Qian ignored it. Later it was Li Chong who secretly left the city to bring his father Li Pu to Wuling City to adopt Wen Ruilin’s strategy. Subsequently, with Wen Ruilin devising plans and strategies, they successively persuaded Ma family generals like Gao Long and Miao Yong to submit, thereby taking Tanzhou extremely smoothly.
At the time he hadn’t thought deeply about it, genuinely believing Han Qian was concealing his abilities and deliberately yielding credit to Li Pu. He never imagined that besides yielding credit and concealing abilities, Han Qian’s deeper intention was to plant a time bomb for Li Pu, their greatest adversary at the time.
Guo Rong didn’t fully understand the details from that time, but from Feng Liao and Feng Yi’s words he could judge the general situation. He also asked in great alarm: “If the entire surprise attack strategy is a trap the Liang Kingdom dug for Great Chu’s naval forces through Wen Ruilin, using Duke Changguo’s hand, what should be done?”
“Truly binding oneself in a cocoon. If I’d known this would happen, I shouldn’t have sent Wen Ruilin to Li Pu as a time bomb! Those who use schemes are always easily counterattacked by schemes—this must be carefully remembered!” Han Qian said with a bitter smile, regretting it so much he almost wanted to slap himself.
“Wang Jun is truly remarkable. She could actually guess there was a problem with Li Pu’s strategy and deliberately had Feng Yi remind us. Otherwise things would be even worse.” Xi Ren crouched down to pick up the ceramic shards, also unable to help smiling bitterly.
Guo Rong asked: “Should we immediately send word to the capital informing them of this matter?”
“Who would believe me?” Han Qian asked with a bitter smile.
Guo Rong also stood there dazed. The court was deploying troops this way fundamentally because they feared Xuzhou and Huaidong might collude with the Anning Palace rebels.
If they dispatched someone now to leak information, not only would they not be trusted, but the Chishan Association’s deployment in eastern Chuzhou would very likely be exposed as well.
At that time, it would further intensify Emperor Yanyu and the court gentlemen’s suspicions of Xuzhou. Perhaps then they would strike the Chishan Association mercilessly, making heads of former Left Guangde Army troops roll!
Feng Yi stood there dazed, not knowing what plan to make. Feng Liao’s brow was deeply furrowed, let alone Dou Rong, He Liufeng, Su Lie, Han Donghu and others.
Han Qian stood before the lamp. After a long while, he sighed and said: “I never aspired to be a treacherous hero, but perhaps I’m destined to be one in this life…”
Hearing Han Qian speak thus, Feng Liao’s expression became animated. He said resolutely: “Great Chu’s main naval forces face the worry of annihilation. My lord should lead Xuzhou’s naval camp to take their place, protect the land and pacify the people, making it difficult for Liang forces to covet the Jianghuai region, rather than constantly cherishing your reputation!”
Hearing Feng Liao say this, Guo Rong also realized what decision Han Qian would make and what Feng Liao’s suggestion was.
Put plainly, regardless of how the situation developed and evolved next, they would send people back to Xuzhou in advance to transmit orders to mobilize the naval camp eastward. Simultaneously, they at Baiti Ridge would formally assemble the former Left Guangde Army troops into military formations to prepare for contingencies.
Even if the main forces of the Left and Right Five-Tooth Armies suffered heavy damage in Hongze Lake, for the main Liang forces to cross the Huai River and advance south would still require about a month.
Counting the time for transmitting messages, the Xuzhou naval camp could enter the middle and lower Yangtze River in about a month and replace the annihilated Left and Right Five-Tooth Armies, becoming Great Chu’s main naval forces linking north and south of the Yangtze and preventing rebel and Liang naval forces from entering the Jianghuai region.
However, if it truly came to that, especially after the matter of Wen Ruilin being a Liang traitor was revealed, then everyone in the world would conclude that this was all a conspiracy Han Qian had arranged during the early recovery of Wuling City in the campaign to eliminate the military governors.
Even if Han Qian could control Great Chu’s main naval forces at that time, leaving the court powerless against him, in the minds of people throughout the world, he would be a treacherous hero who would stop at nothing to seize power.
With the precedent of Wang Lin, Han Qian would have no room to defend himself at that time.
If the main forces of the Left and Right Five-Tooth Armies didn’t suffer heavy damage in Hongze Lake and luckily escaped back to the Yangtze River with their strength preserved, while the Xuzhou naval camp’s mobilization—due to the inconvenience of transmitting information in this era—couldn’t be halted at any time, then it would become unauthorized departure from Xuzhou without an edict, equivalent to treasonous rebellion.
At that time, Han Qian would have no choice but to break with Great Chu. Even if he could lead the Xuzhou naval camp and former Left Guangde Army troops back to Xuzhou, he would only have one path: separatist control of Chen, Xu, Si, and Ye prefectures with self-established rule.
At this moment Guo Rong thought of another problem and asked: “With only the Xuzhou naval camp advancing east, the strength is still too weak. Once the Liang forces are repelled, how can we preserve ourselves in the Jianghuai region?”
If they immediately dispatched someone to send word to Xuzhou now, even if Xuzhou forces came out in full strength, it would only be three thousand elite naval forces.
The Xuzhou naval camp might be able to rely on superior warships and military equipment to repel the Tower Ship Army remnants on the Yangtze River, ensuring the north and south of the Yangtze weren’t severed, ensuring the Imperial Guards’ main forces outside Chaozhou City didn’t become an isolated army. But they also had to consider the situation after the Liang forces were repelled.
At that time, Han Qian’s use of schemes would be known throughout the world.
Forget Emperor Yanyu—the court gentlemen would all hate Han Qian to the bone.
Yet Great Chu could still assemble two hundred thousand elite troops in the Jianghuai region and occupied most of the prefectures and counties in Jianghuai. With only the Xuzhou naval camp and former Left Guangde Army troops, even self-preservation in Jianghuai would be problematic.
At that time, perhaps they would again be forced to retreat to Xuzhou, becoming the primary target for the Great Chu court to eliminate.
Guo Rong’s question stunned many people. But Han Qian stared at the lamplight on the table, lost in thought.
Feng Liao looked at Han Qian hesitantly and asked: “Regarding self-preservation, my lord, do you think we can make an issue of Li Zhigao?”
“Once this step is taken, I don’t know if it’s right or wrong. Perhaps this is the only choice. I cannot let the heads of former Left Guangde Army troops roll again!” Han Qian’s eyes revealed some confusion, but it quickly became resolute. He picked up brush and ink to draft the order to mobilize the Xuzhou naval camp to advance eastward immediately.
To prevent accidents, Han Qian simultaneously drafted three identical directive letters, preparing to arrange personnel to take three separate routes back to Xuzhou to transmit the orders.
At this moment, Guo Rong couldn’t help but ask Feng Liao in a low voice: “What issue can be made of Li Zhigao?”
Feng Liao whispered to Guo Rong’s ear for a while. Guo Rong stood there dazed. He truly never imagined there could be such a significant issue to be made of Li Zhigao!
However, just as Han Qian said, how the situation would develop afterward was truly difficult for anyone to predict.
After Han Qian finished drafting the directive letters, he had Kong Xirong immediately arrange personnel to take three separate routes back to Xuzhou to transmit the orders. Afterward, he said to Su Lie and Han Donghu: “All elite combat forces the Chishan Association can mobilize should immediately infiltrate to Baiti Ridge. Everyone else should disperse and hide in place to guard against the unexpected!”