When news that Great Chu’s main naval forces had suffered a catastrophic ambush in the western waters of Hongze Basin—nearly completely annihilated, with the Left Five-Tooth Army reduced to only three thousand soldiers who abandoned ship on the eastern side of Zhongli City to rendezvous with the Right Divine Martial Army’s cavalry and infantry that had captured Zhongli City—reached Zhuyu Bay north of Yangzhou City by fast horse, goose-feather snow was drifting down from the overcast sky.

At that moment, Duke Changguo Li Pu was sitting across from Vice Censor-in-Chief Zheng Chang discussing past and present while watching the snow outside the window. As if struck by lightning, he stared in shocked disbelief at the messengers sent by Chen Mingsheng and Li Chong from Zhongli, unable to imagine this was real:

“How is this possible? How is this possible? The main naval forces—strong ships and capable commanders—how could they be defeated so catastrophically? Gao Chengyuan, Fan Xiang, two commanders and over twenty thousand soldiers—were they made of paper?”

Zheng Chang was also shocked, but he remained slightly calmer than Li Pu. After thinking carefully for a moment, he said:

“Perhaps Gao Chengyuan and Fan Xiang were too careless, losing Jingzhou through negligence at Hongze Basin and falling into the enemy’s trap. But with Chen Mingsheng and Gao Long having captured Zhongli, the situation isn’t too dire. The key is that we cannot continue lingering in Yangzhou.”

“Yes, yes, we cannot linger in Yangzhou…” Li Pu said.

Great Chu’s main naval forces had only entered Hongze Basin three days ago when news came of the entire army suffering devastating losses. Though Duke Changguo Li Pu still didn’t know the more specific details, the possibilities he could imagine at this moment were far too numerous.

Even if Huaidong knew nothing of this entire affair, even if it wasn’t a conspiracy jointly orchestrated by Huaidong with the Palace of Tranquil Peace and Xu Mingzhen, after Huaidong learned that Great Chu’s main naval forces were annihilated at Hongze Basin, whether they would deploy troops to detain him was another matter entirely.

The only plan now was to lead the three thousand cavalry of the Right Divine Martial Army to withdraw from Zhuyu Bay at the first opportunity, before Wang Wenqian and Zhao Zhen learned the news.

With the main naval forces annihilated and only two to three thousand remaining defeated and demoralized troops who had all abandoned ship to come ashore from Hongze Basin’s western shore, their continued presence at Zhuyu Bay controlling the Hangou Canal waterway had become completely meaningless.

But after leaving Zhuyu Bay, where should they go?

Along the western shore of Fanliang Lake to Zhongli, to rendezvous with the Right Divine Martial Army main forces led by Chen Mingsheng and the naval remnants?

Or return directly to Chuzhou City?

“Your Grace should return to Jinling at this time!” Wen Ruilin stepped forward and said through gritted teeth.

Seeing Wen Ruilin still dare to speak up at this moment, Li Pu wanted nothing more than to kick him out the window.

“That Chen Mingsheng and Gao Long could successfully lead the Right Divine Martial Army to capture Zhongli City fully proves Your Grace’s analysis and judgment of the situation was not wrong. The navy’s defeat at Hongze Basin was perhaps, as Minister Zheng said, due to being too careless…” Wen Ruilin said.

Li Pu loved hearing these words from Wen Ruilin—his first thought had been the same. Calming down slightly as he sat back at his desk, he gestured for Wen Ruilin to continue.

“Currently, with Chen Mingsheng leading the Right Divine Martial Army main forces defending Zhongli City, having Li Xiu and Li Qi lead cavalry to Yandun Mountain for support will suffice. But if Your Grace doesn’t return to Jinling now and court officials slander you, Your Grace will have no way to defend yourself,” Wen Ruilin said, disregarding Li Pu’s unpleasant expression.

Li Pu was slightly startled, but upon reflecting more carefully on Wen Ruilin’s words, he also felt this reasoning made sense:

Shen Yang, Yang En and others had previously strongly opposed the main naval forces entering Hongze Basin for combat operations. When news of the main naval forces’ annihilation reached Jinling, if he himself wasn’t in Jinling, who knew how Shen Yang, Yang En and these others would pour all manner of filth on his head.

If the Emperor was persuaded by them to push all responsibility for the main naval forces’ annihilation onto him, when he returned to the capital next time, wouldn’t he become a prisoner?

“Minister Zheng, shall I accompany you back to Jinling?” Li Pu looked at Zheng Chang and asked.

Zheng Chang nodded, also agreeing to return to Jinling first.

He also didn’t know what specifically had happened to cause the main naval forces to suffer devastating losses at Hongze Basin, but since the Right Divine Martial Army had successfully captured Zhongli, he also felt the situation hadn’t deteriorated to an irredeemable state. He thought to himself that returning to Jinling first to await further news before discussing subsequent strategies was better than scurrying about like a headless fly.

Besides, the feet were on Li Pu’s body—as Vice Censor-in-Chief, he had no authority to prevent Li Pu from returning to Jinling.

***

Although yesterday large numbers of naval soldiers’ corpses had drifted to the eastern shore, visible to Huaidong forces stationed on Hongze Basin’s eastern bank, it wasn’t until this morning that a few defeated and demoralized soldiers fought their way out of the encirclement and escaped north of Dongyang County, bringing news of Great Chu’s main naval forces’ annihilation to Huaidong.

Wang Wenqian learned of this matter in Yangzhou City somewhat later, but when he summoned Yin Peng, Zhao Zhen and other officials into the Governor’s Office and then sent someone to contact Duke Changguo Li Pu and Vice Censor-in-Chief, informants rushed back from Zhuyu Bay to report:

“Duke Changguo Li Pu and Vice Censor-in-Chief Zheng Chang led three thousand elite troops and departed without notice, withdrawing west of the Hangou Canal!”

“His movements were swift!” Wang Wenqian said with admiration.

He had considered detaining Li Pu and Zheng Chang, but ultimately he didn’t know in great detail what situation Great Chu’s main naval forces had encountered at Hongze Basin, didn’t know exactly what had happened, and even less clear how the situation would develop next, so he dismissed the thought of acting rashly.

But he hadn’t expected Duke Changguo Li Pu and Vice Censor-in-Chief Zheng Chang to flee faster than rabbits.

Since Li Pu and Zheng Chang had fled in panic with the Right Divine Martial Army’s cavalry, Wang Wenqian naturally had Zhao Zhen first dispatch troops to take over defense duties at places like Zhuyu Bay.

No matter what happened, their first step was to strengthen guard defenses within Yangzhou’s territory, while simultaneously dispatching scout cavalry urgently to Hongze Basin’s shores for reconnaissance—this couldn’t be wrong.

Yandun Mountain, Bieziding and other low hills and ridges at the northeastern foot of the Wujian Mountain Range at Hongze Basin’s southwestern corner were over two hundred li from Yangzhou City.

Even if Yangzhou’s scout cavalry didn’t conceal their movements and rode directly there, obtaining further intelligence from Hongze Basin’s southwestern shores would have to wait until dawn.

But after nightfall, Wang Wenqian found himself unable to sleep.

When court forces suffered devastating losses in the Jiang-Huai region, it wasn’t something Huaidong could gloat over.

With Shouzhou pressed by court forces, throwing in their lot with Liang Kingdom had become inevitable. With Great Chu’s main naval forces annihilated at Hongze Basin, whether Liang Army had participated, and exactly what scale of naval forces Liang Army had mobilized to participate—until these circumstances were clarified, how could he rest easy?

Feng Liao didn’t arrive in Yangzhou City to see Wang Wenqian until noon the next day.

This was mainly because Li Xiu and Li Qi had led the Right Divine Martial Army’s cavalry through Shiliang County territory yesterday afternoon, rushing to Yandun Mountain and Bieziding to receive Chen Mingsheng’s forces. The passages south from Baiti Ridge were all under surveillance by the Right Divine Martial Army’s cavalry.

Not wanting to cause unnecessary misunderstanding and bloodshed, Feng Liao waited until dawn before departing from Baiti Ridge to come to Yangzhou.

Wang Wenqian had only just received the latest intelligence at this time, but the development of the situation west of Hongze Basin only left Wang Wenqian more confused and puzzled, as if a cloud of fog shrouded his eyes and ears.

Wang Wenqian wasn’t surprised that Feng Liao came over.

Even if Wang Wenqian couldn’t see through everything at this moment, Chishan Association’s influence on the western shore of Fanliang Lake was still weak. With such a major upheaval suddenly occurring and no one knowing how the subsequent situation would develop, Chishan Association’s camp at Baiti Ridge was like a fishing boat in raging waves. Feng Liao coming to Yangzhou to strengthen contact with Yangzhou was proper and expected.

Even if Feng Liao proposed that when the situation further deteriorated, Chishan Association’s forces at Baiti Ridge would retreat toward Yangzhou, Wang Wenqian wouldn’t find it surprising.

Of course, Wang Wenqian had another question in his heart that he wanted to ask Feng Liao directly in person.

Namely, whether Chishan Association had participated in Great Chu’s naval forces suffering devastating losses at Hongze Basin.

Chishan Association’s strength south of Hongze Basin and west of Fanliang Lake seemed weak, but if Han Qian had long colluded with the Palace of Tranquil Peace, was Chishan Association’s strength in Shiliang County the same as they had previously judged?

Although Wang Wenqian hadn’t previously discovered any trace of Xuzhou colluding with Shouzhou, the current situation was mysterious and unpredictable—he couldn’t help but consider every possibility.

Besides, who could have guessed that Han Qian would suddenly appear at Zhuyu Bay earlier seeking their cooperation?

“…Minister Wang truly jests,” Feng Liao said. After being brought into the Governor’s Office and hearing Wang Wenqian directly question whether Chishan Association had fanned the flames in Great Chu’s main naval forces’ annihilation at Hongze Basin, he laughed heartily. “Does Minister Wang think that Duke Changguo forcefully advocating for the court’s navy to raid Hongze Basin was also Xuzhou fanning the flames behind the scenes?”

“Before the navy’s defeat, Chishan Association’s forces at Baiti Ridge seemed to show signs of gathering,” Wang Wenqian said. His suspicion of Xuzhou wasn’t entirely without basis. He stared at Feng Liao with doubt and asked, “Where is Han Qian at this moment?”

“Before the navy was defeated, could one not see the signs of its impending defeat?” Feng Liao countered.

No matter what, even for the sake of future public opinion not being too unfavorable to Xuzhou and Han Qian, Feng Liao and the others could never admit externally that Xuzhou had long ago guessed there was a problem with Wen Ruilin.

Although Emperor Yanyou fell into the trap entirely because of his suspicion of Xuzhou and Han Qian, leading to Great Chu’s navy suffering this catastrophic defeat, Xuzhou need not bear any responsibility for it.

However, sometimes human hearts and public opinion couldn’t be reasoned with.

No matter how the outside world questioned them, their unified statement was that when the court’s main naval forces made unusual movements, they had already predicted such a defeat. That was why Chishan Association’s forces at Baiti Ridge unusually gathered to respond to possible upheavals rather than dispersing to hide their traces.

Although those skilled in schemes were naturally suspicious, Wang Wenqian, thinking carefully, found the possibility of Han Qian colluding with the Palace of Tranquil Peace too far-fetched. Moreover, he couldn’t see what benefits Han Qian could gain from colluding with the Palace of Tranquil Peace.

Of course, Wang Wenqian also didn’t believe Feng Liao’s hint that Han Qian had seen signs beforehand of the navy’s defeat. He guessed that like during the Jingxiang campaign when Han Qian had advised Yang Yuanpu in advance to defend Xichuan, this time Xuzhou had perhaps obtained intelligence in advance again, but had no intention of sharing it with Huaidong…