As soon as Yun Puzi pushed open the door and entered the courtyard, he saw Yao Xishui standing in the middle of the yard wearing palace attire, her killing intent sharp and fierce, with a short sword partially exposed from her wide sleeves.
Startled, he hurriedly closed the courtyard gate and asked: “Why didn’t Miss Yao send someone to notify me first before directly breaking into my Chongfu Temple?”
Yao Xishui turned her hand to grip the short sword and stared at Yun Puzi, demanding: “How can I trust that you’re not a Xuzhou spy?”
“…” Yun Puzi stood frozen for a long moment before staring at Yao Xishui in shock and doubt, asking: “Where does Miss Yao get such words?”
Seeing that Yun Puzi’s expression didn’t appear false, Yao Xishui withdrew the sleeve sword in her hand and was about to push open the courtyard gate to leave Chongfu Temple, as if she had infiltrated here solely to ask this inexplicable question.
Yun Puzi’s temper flared as well. His snow-white long eyebrows jumped in anger as he blocked Yao Xishui’s path and demanded: “Miss Yao comes when she pleases and leaves when she pleases, truly treating my Chongfu Temple as if it were uninhabited land! If Miss Yao doesn’t explain clearly today and give this old priest an account, then if you want to step into Chongfu Temple again in the future, don’t blame this old priest for turning hostile and refusing to recognize you!”
“Are you truly unaware of whom I just encountered in the city?” Yao Xishui asked.
Yun Puzi scrutinized Yao Xishui suspiciously for a moment before asking: “For an ordinary person wouldn’t make Miss Yao so abnormal—could it be that Han Qian is in Jinling?”
Yao Xishui stood frozen for a moment. If not for Yun Puzi’s appearance being absolutely genuine, she would have suspected he was acting. She said: “That’s correct. Not only is Han Qian in Jinling, but he’s also threatened to obtain the Empress Dowager’s handwritten edict from us so that he can lead Xuzhou’s water forces eastward.”
Yun Puzi seemed startled by this news. After quite a while, he asked hesitantly: “Xuzhou only has three or four thousand troops. Even if he can obtain the Empress Dowager’s handwritten edict, what confidence does he have that he won’t retreat back to Xuzhou after the battle? Could it be that he’s already discovered your siblings’ backgrounds and is threatening you siblings to advance and retreat together with him?”
“He may not have discovered our sibling backgrounds yet, but he already knows my brother has been secretly communicating with us,” Yao Xishui said.
“I’m not surprised by that,” Yun Puzi said, stroking his white beard. “You always thought you were being sufficiently covert, but think about how Han Qian established the Secret Bureau Left Office and Jinyun Tower to collect and analyze intelligence. At this moment, you don’t even know how many people in Jinling City are secretly planted by Xuzhou. You think all your calculations to enable Li Zhigao to command the Forbidden Army in Huaibei were flawless, but do you really believe not a single flaw fell under Han Qian’s eyes?”
“Then Daoist Yun, you tell me—where might we have exposed flaws?” Yao Xishui asked.
How could Yun Puzi not understand that Yao Xishui’s question still carried probing intent? He looked at her with displeasure and said: “Miss Yao, let me say something you and Lu Qingxia won’t like to hear—in this world, one cannot accomplish anything relying purely on conspiracy. Otherwise, the previous dynasty wouldn’t have fallen. If you and Lu Qingxia don’t trust that this old priest can keep secrets, just have Lu Qingxia send over a pot of Zuichun wine.”
Though Yun Puzi exposed her calculations, Yao Xishui felt no psychological burden and continued asking: “What has that person in Changxin Palace been doing lately?”
“Consort Li and Consort Huang have both given birth to heirs, and with the Shu army stirring up military provocations in Wuchuan, Changxin Palace has become even more marginalized. As for what Princess Qingyang is truly thinking in her heart and what other plans she has, forgive this old priest for not saying more. She is, after all, the descendant of an old friend of this priest. In recent years, this old priest has stayed at Mount Mao to cultivate body and mind, and has never thought of sabotaging your affairs. Even though Marquis Qianyang once looked down on me greatly, this time he’s plotting with you—however you decide is a matter between you and Marquis Qianyang. This old priest will not arbitrarily sabotage his and your affairs—saying this, you should be able to understand this old priest.” After saying these words, Yun Puzi closed his mouth, displaying the high consciousness and noble character of a political broker.
……
……
On the river surface outside Yandang Jetty, a black-canopied boat swayed as it approached from the direction of the river mouth.
Moonlight shone on the river surface, the water shimmering.
Han Qian sat at the bow watching the white snow accumulated on the shore.
Xi Ren sat beside him and said: “The amount of information you revealed all at once is too massive and too shocking. Even without mentioning Li Zhigao and Yao Xishui siblings’ backgrounds, Lu Qingxia and Yao Xishui absolutely never imagined so many secrets would fall under your eyes. If I were them, not being thrown into complete disarray at this moment would already be considered extremely composed. But no matter what, they would need to verify from multiple sources, perhaps even send people across the river to meet Li Zhigao, before making a final decision—I’m afraid they can’t give a clear answer tonight?”
“Lu Qingxia has been immersed in conspiracy and calculation her entire life. As long as you help her straighten out the logic, it’s done,” Han Qian said. “She’ll discover that cooperating with me at this time is the best choice.”
Xi Ren still didn’t believe this matter could be so certain, saying: “I see that Yao Xishui’s vigilance toward you is extremely persistent. Her mindset may be more obsessive and more suspicious than people like Lu Qingxia—truly more difficult to deal with. Moreover, the shock you gave her today was really too deep. I worry you went slightly too far.”
“The proper measure isn’t that easy to grasp,” Han Qian said with a smile. “But tell me, what has Yao Xishui successfully plotted over these years? She can’t decide anything.”
Xi Ren asked: “If we can’t get the Empress Dowager’s handwritten edict tonight and you send someone to contact them again, won’t all that intimidating momentum you put on earlier be punctured at once?”
“Want me to make a bet?” Han Qian asked.
“I won’t bet with you,” Xi Ren said, shooting Han Qian a sidelong glance.
……
……
South of Yandang Jetty, a transverse river branched eastward. A painted pleasure boat was moored on the north bank of this transverse river.
At this moment, a dark shadow leaped onto the bow, knelt on one knee, and reported: “There’s a boat entering Yandang Jetty from the river mouth. Two people rowing at the stern, two people sitting at the bow. On the west bank, they have over ten hidden sentries deployed. Upstream, two small boats are quite suspicious, but we haven’t discovered any personnel deployed on the east bank…”
The carved windows of the painted boat were covered with black cloth, making it impossible to see anything from outside, but inside the cabin, giant candles burned bright as daylight.
“Yun Puzi’s words have no flaws, but they’re not sufficiently trustworthy.”
Yao Xishui stood behind Lu Qingxia, still insisting on her own opinion at this moment.
It seemed that choosing to cooperate with Xuzhou at this time was the best choice, but Han Qian’s scheming mind was too dark and sinister. How could Yao Xishui dare forget the consequences of seeking skin from a tiger?
Things had reached this point. So many secrets they thought would never leak out had actually been exposed to Xuzhou’s eyes. Could they be certain that her and her brother’s secret backgrounds were truly concealed from everyone as they believed, without arousing even the slightest suspicion in Han Qian?
Previously, she hadn’t had such concerns, but after experiencing today’s events, her confidence was shaken.
Han Qian’s calculations were truly sinisterly dark beyond their imagination.
And this directly determined the choice they needed to make next.
If Han Qian didn’t know her siblings’ secret backgrounds, perhaps cooperating with him would not be a bad choice.
However, if Han Qian actually already knew what their fundamental purpose was in secretly cultivating all these years, and had long known that the two sides would eventually completely tear off the facade one day, then who knew whether deeper intentions targeting them were hidden within Han Qian’s current scheme?
Just like before today, who could have imagined that Wen Ruilin would actually be a Liang spy? Who could have imagined that Han Qian had long ago penetrated this secret, only concealing it without revealing it, secretly waiting for just such an opportunity?
How many people in the world could outmaneuver Han Qian?
Rather than seeking cooperation with Han Qian, Yao Xishui more strongly advocated taking the Empress Dowager’s handwritten edict to find Marquis Liyang Yang En and Shen Yang, persuading them to adopt another plan that, even if it required paying a certain heavy price, would exclude Xuzhou and thereby alleviate the current crisis.
If Han Qian wanted to return to Xuzhou, just let him go.
“Yun Puzi won’t be a problem. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have voluntarily walked into Zhigao’s residence back then. And Han Qian’s calculations are so deep he will definitely guard against us bypassing him to contact Shen Yang and Yang En. As for the Changchun Palace matter, it’s very likely that Han Jun exposed something. As for Zhigao’s side, we indeed made slightly too many moves in getting him to command the north bank Forbidden Army—inevitably, Han Qian would notice flaws,” Lu Qingxia said softly. “Moreover, Han Qian is a person with a sinister and ruthless mind. Since he could sit and watch tens of thousands of water forces be annihilated at Hongze Lake, if he doesn’t get the Empress Dowager’s handwritten edict today, who knows how badly he’ll stir up the situation? Now that he’s so eager to return to the central authority, the situation is at least favorable to us…”
Hearing Lu Qingxia say this, Yao Xishui couldn’t persuade her further.
Since she had already determined Han Qian to be someone who would stop at nothing, if Han Qian truly knew her siblings’ secret backgrounds, and they excluded Xuzhou and Han Qian this time, who knew what he would do with this information?
Perhaps allowing Han Qian to return to the central authority was also a choice. After all, the Empress Dowager was a bargaining chip in their hands. With just this point, they already held sufficient advantage.
“Let’s go see Han Qian,” Lu Qingxia said to Chun Shisanniang, having her instruct the boatmen to steer toward Yandang Jetty.
……
……
Han Qian stood upright at the bow, watching the painted boat gradually approach.
At this moment, the curtains covering the painted boat’s windows were drawn back. Candlelight blazed brightly, and several more lanterns were hung out, joining with the moonlight to illuminate the palace-dressed beauty at the bow.
Lu Qingxia was in any case an old woman no younger than fifty years, yet wearing a green quilted cloak at this moment, under the moonlight, she appeared like a beautiful woman of thirty, gracefully standing at the bow.
This was the first time Han Qian had seen Lu Qingxia’s true face, usually covered beneath black gauze all year round. Even he couldn’t help being slightly startled.
“The Empress Dowager decrees: His Majesty, young and impetuous, was deceived by treacherous sycophants and rashly mobilized troops, causing the Left and Right Five-Tooth Armies to suffer heavy calamity, with grievous deaths and complete loss of vehicles and ships. The capital has no shield, and the hundred thousand Forbidden Army forces are isolated north of the river, facing the danger of total destruction. Marquis Qianyang Han Qian is resourceful and wise, having repeatedly rescued the family and state from crisis, earning this Dowager’s great trust. Therefore, this edict is specially granted, commanding Marquis Qianyang Han Qian to recruit brave warriors and lead Xuzhou’s troops and warships eastward into Jianghuai to resist the enemy invaders, serving as a bulwark for Great Chu. This is decreed.”
Chun Shisanniang walked across the gangplank between boats and presented the Empress Dowager’s handwritten edict to Han Qian.
Feng Yi received the edict. To prevent Lu Qingxia and her group from tampering with the Empress Dowager’s edict, he took out an old edict that Xuzhou had previously received and carefully compared them. After that, he said to Han Qian: “It is indeed personally written by the Empress Dowager. The seal is also correct.”
“Even if it’s personally written and the seal is correct, it can still be disavowed,” Han Qian said with a slight smile, cupping his hands toward Lu Qingxia. “In the future, we’ll all serve together before the Empress Dowager’s phoenix carriage. We should naturally set aside old grievances and work together with one heart. But I’m naturally suspicious by nature and can’t help guarding against Lady Lu keeping a backup plan. And even though Xuzhou holds the Empress Dowager’s handwritten edict, without someone to transmit the edict, it will ultimately be difficult to gain the trust of court officials and common people. I can only request that Shisanniang remain by my side as a guest for a few days.”
“…” Chun Shisanniang was slightly startled. She hadn’t expected that by boarding the boat to deliver the edict, she would be detained by Han Qian to serve as a hostage. Her beautiful eyes glared in anger, about to speak in rebuke.
“Shisanniang, then you shall attend to Marquis Han for a few days,” Lu Qingxia said calmly.