Taking a boat to cross the river, landing at Caishi, then riding swiftly eastward through the night, rushing through West Chang Gate when it opened at dawn—Yao Xishui was utterly exhausted. But with time pressing, she had no opportunity to first meet with Lu Qingxia at Changchun Palace. Instead, she directly infiltrated Yang En’s residence with her personal maid Ye Feiying.
After Yang Yuanpu ascended the throne, Yang En had his title of Marquis Liyang restored, but his residence remained unchanged. The estate was still served by the dozen or so disabled veteran soldiers and their descendants and families who had followed him for years.
Yang En resented these household servants for “disobeying orders” and forcibly dragging him away from the front of Changchun Palace. Now bedridden in his residence, he wouldn’t let these servants attend him.
When Yao Xishui infiltrated the rear residence, Yang En had just awakened from last night’s drunken stupor. Holding a wine flask and wrapped in furs, he sat in the corridor gazing at the remaining snow in the garden, gulping down wine mouthful by mouthful.
Seeing Yao Xishui and Ye Feiying climb over the courtyard wall to enter, Yang En merely lifted his eyelids, then continued drinking another mouthful as if they weren’t there.
“When Marquis Yang said at the Changchun Palace gate that Emperor Liang Zhu Yu was skilled at concealing ambush troops, and that if the north bank Forbidden Army forcibly attacked Chaozhou they would inevitably fall into his trap—what evidence did you have?” Yao Xishui approached and asked.
“The ancients said: ‘Arms are instruments of ill omen; the sage does not resort to them except as a last resort.’ Is it merely because using military force is inauspicious?”
Yang En lifted his eyes, carrying three parts intoxication, and stared at Yao Xishui as he asked.
“The navy’s raid on Hongze Lake was already extremely rash. After suffering such heavy losses, isn’t that enough to raise sufficient vigilance? If the Forbidden Army withdraws from Chaozhou and mobilizes Xuzhou’s water forces eastward to help defend Jianghuai, waiting until next year to rebuild the navy before attacking Chaozhou again—wouldn’t that be more stable and offer better odds of victory than staking half of Great Chu’s elite forces on a slim chance? Why must we first confirm whether Liang has a conspiracy before choosing the superior option over the inferior? From Emperor Liang Zhu Yu’s perspective, even if he had no prior scheme, even if the Huaixi Forbidden Army successfully captures Chaozhou City, as long as Great Chu has no usable navy, he could still dispatch a large army southward to join with the rebel forces and besiege the Huaixi Forbidden Army in Chaozhou City. After that, he could send the remnants of the Loushuai Navy into the Yangtze waterway, cutting off communication between Jinling and Huaixi. Must we really wait until that point before issuing an edict to mobilize Xuzhou’s water forces eastward?”
It was known throughout the realm that Marquis Liyang excelled at engineering. Yet Yao Xishui hadn’t expected he would see through the situation so clearly. After hesitating for a moment, she said:
“His Majesty has made up his mind. Prime Minister Shen, the Prince, Duke Li, the two Ministers Zheng, Minister of Finance Han, Vice Commissioner Zhou, and Minister of War Du all support using military force. Even if the Empress Dowager agrees with Marquis Yang’s thinking, I fear she cannot persuade His Majesty to change his mind?”
Naturally, Yao Xishui wouldn’t directly reveal the matter of the Empress Dowager’s secret edict. After all, Yang En’s initial intention to force his way into Changchun Palace was only to have Empress Dowager Wang Chan’er step forward to persuade Yang Yuanpu and the court officials to reconsider. This was vastly different from directly bypassing Yang Yuanpu and the court officials to privately transmit a secret edict—no different from directly implementing a “military remonstration and palace coup.”
“Marquis Qianyang is skilled at using risky strategies and walking the edge of the blade. His Majesty has been deeply influenced by Marquis Qianyang yet deeply suspicious of him, making it difficult to maintain a peaceful mind in governing state affairs. The matter of the Empress Dowager’s regent authority over policy has not been abolished. She should summon the officials separately to reconsider this matter,” Yang En said.
Seeing that Yang En didn’t oppose the Empress Dowager holding court and interfering in government, Yao Xishui’s mind settled slightly, and she said:
“To be frank, Marquis Xinjin Li Zhigao also worries that if the assault on Chaozhou goes poorly, the Liang army will take advantage. He has sent a secret envoy into Changchun Palace to present this matter. However, the Huai River has already frozen over. If Liang has concealed ambush troops in Ying, Xu and other places, even if the Empress Dowager summons the officials to reconsider this matter, I fear there won’t be enough time…”
Yao Xishui wasn’t certain whether the Huai River had frozen solid enough for cavalry to cross, but she hoped Yang En would agree to use a risky strategy. Bypassing Yang Yuanpu and the court officials and having the Empress Dowager directly issue a secret edict allowing Li Zhigao and Han Qian to act at their discretion was undoubtedly another adventure with severe consequences. It would inevitably lead directly to heavy conflicts and serious opposition between mother and son Yang Yuanpu and Wang Chan’er in the future. She could only use the situation to force Yang En into the trap.
“…” Yang En stood frozen.
Having returned to the city from Changchun Palace, he had shut himself in his residence these past few days, deaf and mute, without sources of information. How would he know whether the Huai River had frozen solid at this time?
“If the Empress Dowager doesn’t convene the officials for discussion but directly transmits an edict allowing Marquis Xinjin to act at his discretion, is this feasible?” Yao Xishui asked.
Yang En stood there, unable to answer this question for a long time. He hadn’t anticipated this possibility beforehand and clearly understood what it meant.
After waiting a while and seeing Yang En still struggling to decide, Yao Xishui said: “Since Marquis Yang cannot answer this question, Xishui can only return to Changchun Palace and petition the Empress Dowager to sit and observe how things develop. Perhaps recapturing Chaozhou City won’t be as terrible as the Marquis thinks.”
“The Empress Dowager and His Majesty are birth mother and son. If the Empress Dowager holds court and interferes in government to rectify state affairs, once Great Chu is flourishing and prosperous, she will naturally return to rest in the palace,” Ye Feiying interjected.
Yao Xishui glared at Ye Feiying, as if reproaching her for not understanding etiquette and speaking randomly, then made to leave Marquis Liyang’s residence with Ye Feiying.
“This young lady speaks reasonably. His Majesty may be unhappy for a time, but we cannot sit and watch His Majesty continue to sink deeper,” Yang En said through gritted teeth.
How could he know that Empress Dowager Wang Chan’er had long fallen under others’ control? In his heart, he thought that no matter how deep the conflicts between the Empress Dowager and Emperor Yangyou became, there was room for reconciliation. This was always better than risking half of Great Chu’s elite combat power in this gamble with limited odds of success.
Only then did Yao Xishui reveal the secret edict that should have been delivered to Li Zhigao yesterday, saying: “This is the Empress Dowager’s secret edict, intending to allow Marquis Xinjin to act at his discretion. But the matter is of great consequence—one misstep and everything will be lost. Xishui petitioned the Empress Dowager before coming to persuade Marquis Yang to cross the river together to transmit this edict. This might reduce oversights…”
As a core female official serving before the Empress Dowager in Changchun Palace, when Yao Xishui showed the edict and Yang En verified the seal was correct, he naturally didn’t doubt the secret edict was false. However, the drastic change in Empress Dowager Wang Chan’er’s attitude in such a short time was completely unexpected.
What shocked him even more was that Li Zhigao, who enjoyed His Majesty’s deep trust and was able to command the Huaixi Forbidden Army, had realized something was amiss and directly bypassed His Majesty to obtain a secret edict from the Empress Dowager to act at his discretion.
This clearly indicated Li Zhigao had been the Empress Dowager’s person from beginning to end.
Yang En couldn’t help wondering: How many of the old Shenling Bureau members were still entangled and involved, still not clarified even now?
After pondering for a moment, Yang En had some hesitation in his heart, but thought they must first resolve the urgent crisis at hand. He asked Yao Xishui: “Without mobilizing Xuzhou’s water forces eastward, it will still be difficult to turn danger into safety. Does the Empress Dowager have proper arrangements?”
Yao Xishui’s eye twitched slightly. With great difficulty, she suppressed the hostile energy in her heart and said in a gentle tone: “The Empress Dowager has made arrangements. Xuzhou has always had people in Jinling.”
Yang En also decided to only temporarily cooperate with the Empress Dowager’s faction, so he didn’t probe further. He immediately summoned several trusted personal guards to prepare carriages and horses. Yang En didn’t feel he needed to conceal any traces when crossing the river to Chaozhou. Even if people suspected he was going to persuade Li Zhigao, they would only think he was making futile struggles and wouldn’t stop him.
Since Yao Xishui needed to leave the city again with Yang En and cross the river toward Chaozhou military camp, she arranged for Ye Feiying to return to Changchun Palace to report the news and inform them of the new adjustments…
……
……
Outside the main camp, the wilderness with remaining snow was shrouded by an overcast sky. Cold wind swept across the ground, making people’s faces sting.
Wen Ruilin stood before the camp gate, watching Deng Tai, who had returned to camp with only a dozen guards, invite him to rush to Liyang City. He asked with a puzzled expression:
“General Deng, why aren’t Duke Changguo and Marquis Xinjin supervising the battle below Chaozhou City? Why have they gone to Liyang at this critical juncture, and you want me to rush over there now?”
Liyang City was located over ninety li southeast of Chaozhou military camp, at the southeast corner of Chao Lake, facing the strategic location of Caishi Jetty west of the capital across the river.
Supplies and troops transferred from the capital and counties of Jiangnan East Circuit mainly passed through Liyang City. The north bank Forbidden Army stationed two thousand elite troops there to ensure smooth communication between Chaozhou military camp and the south bank capital.
“They say Xuzhou has newly manufactured a type of siege weapon with power even greater than whirlwind catapults. Over ten have been transported to Liyang. The Military Commissioner and Duke Changguo rushed over impatiently, wanting to confirm whether Xuzhou was exaggerating. Perhaps tomorrow they’ll transport them directly below Chaozhou City, hoping they can play a major role…”
Deng Tai gripped the reins, his eyes sharp and piercing as he stared at Wen Ruilin while speaking.
Li Zhigao had found an excuse at noon to take Li Pu, who was supervising the final assault preparations below Chaozhou City, together to rush to Liyang to await Yang En crossing the river.
In Li Zhigao’s heart, he thought that if he couldn’t persuade Li Pu to jointly obey the Empress Dowager’s secret edict, he would first detain Li Pu in Liyang City, far from Chaozhou military camp.
Naturally, Deng Tai wouldn’t tell Wen Ruilin the truth at this time. Instead, following the story prepared beforehand, he tried to deceive him into rushing to Liyang City together so that he could find an opportunity along the way to eliminate him quietly. He continued speaking without changing expression:
“…Duke Changguo said Master Wen can recognize the advantages of weapons and ordered me to come find Master Wen to rush over. Running into Master Wen at the camp gate—that couldn’t be better…”
“Please wait here for a moment, General Deng. There’s something I must urgently show Duke Guo and Marquis Xinjin today,” Wen Ruilin cupped his hands and walked into the camp.
Afraid of revealing flaws, Deng Tai didn’t directly send someone to watch Wen Ruilin, and simply waited at the camp gate.
Half an hour passed without sight of Wen Ruilin. Deng Tai felt something was amiss and sent someone into the camp to search, only to learn that after Wen Ruilin returned from the gate, he had taken a horse and directly passed through the camp, exiting through the west gate to flee. His whereabouts were now unknown.
Deng Tai didn’t think he had revealed any flaws just now, but hadn’t expected Wen Ruilin to be so cunning.
With half an hour having passed since Wen Ruilin fled through the camp’s west gate, if he wasn’t intercepted by scouts and cavalry patrols along the way, it was already too late for his side to send people in pursuit. Deng Tai stamped his feet in anxiety but could only first lead his men to rush to Liyang to meet Li Zhigao and discuss remedial measures.
The only fortunate thing at this time was that Wen Ruilin had always served as an adviser beside Li Pu and had no influence in the army. And Li Pu had crossed the river bearing an edict this time mainly to supervise Li Zhigao and the generals in attacking the city, not directly interfering in commanding operations.
So even though Wen Ruilin had fled the camp at this time, at least Chaozhou military camp and the forward positions below Chaozhou City wouldn’t be directly disturbed for now.
Even if Wen Ruilin had the gall to run to other camps spreading nonsense, the commanders of each camp would first detain him and send people to find Li Zhigao for verification.
……
……
When Deng Tai rode swiftly to Liyang City, the sun was already slanting westward.
Yang En, who had crossed the river, accompanied by Yao Xishui and his trusted household servants, had just entered Liyang City at this time and met with Li Zhigao and Li Pu.
They had barely exchanged pleasantries in the rear residence of the county office, with Li Pu secretly pondering Yang En’s intentions, when Deng Tai rushed into the city on horseback with an alarmed expression, saying Wen Ruilin had fled the camp.
Li Pu couldn’t understand for a moment what had happened. Yang En, however, asked with a grave expression:
“What problem does Wen Ruilin have? What’s this about him fleeing?”
Li Zhigao glanced at Li Pu. He still didn’t want to reveal all the true details. At this moment, he could only use different words to expose to Yang En and Li Pu that Wen Ruilin was a Liang spy:
“Father has always sought stability in planning and doesn’t like using risky methods. Yet he advised His Majesty in a way that led to the navy’s main forces being routed at Hongze Lake. I suspected Father was being secretly instigated by someone, but didn’t expect that just as I was about to summon Wen Ruilin for face-to-face questioning, he had already become alert and fled.”
As an adopted son, Li Zhigao still maintained a respectful attitude before Li Pu. But before Yang En could speak, Li Pu seemed to have his tail stepped on. He jumped up, pointing at Li Zhigao and loudly demanding: “How is this possible? How is this possible?”
Li Zhigao stood there without speaking.
Deng Tai’s failure to capture Wen Ruilin and eliminate the root suddenly made the situation much more urgent. But with Wen Ruilin’s guilty conscience and flight from punishment laid bare here, there was no need for further explanation.