“A great many facts all indicate that Han Qian was already in Jinling as early as June or July of last year, secretly gathering large numbers of former Left Guangde Army members. I’d like to ask Prince Shou—if the naval main force hadn’t been annihilated at Hongze Lake last autumn, and if the Shou Prefecture army hadn’t defected to Liang forces and invited the wolf into the house, what would have happened afterward?”
Inside the Lingyun Pavilion, which served as Prince Shou’s main hall, bright candles burned high, illuminating the vast hall as bright as day.
Shen Yang and Prince Shou Yang Zhitang sat facing each other across a table. Xue Ruogu, Zhang Qian, and Qin Wen, along with several guests from Prince Shou’s residence who deeply enjoyed Yang Zhitang’s trust, sat in order at the lower positions, listening as Shen Yang revealed to Prince Shou Yang Zhitang the many secrets hidden beneath the surface in Guangde Prefecture since Xue Ruogu had taken up his post in Lishui County.
Prince Shou Yang Zhitang’s expression was dark, revealing nothing of what he was thinking. But Zhang Qian noticed that several of Yang Zhitang’s subordinates who had always enjoyed great trust and reliance showed undisguised shock and doubt in their eyes, clearly indicating they had previously been completely unaware of matters concerning Guangde Prefecture and the former Left Guangde Army.
In the battle to seize Liyang, when Tan Xiuqun led the Tianping Division’s elite troops into Tangyi, he had obeyed Han Qian’s orders without reservation, fighting enemy forces to the death. This was nearly enough to confirm that the civil unrest Tan Yuliang, Tan Xiuqun, and others had stirred up in Sizhou had definitely been supported and instigated by Xuzhou behind the scenes.
And it was precisely the Sizhou civil unrest that had forced the court to adopt a relatively moderate conciliatory strategy toward Guangde Prefecture, allowing Chen Jingzhou to become prefect of Guangde. Yet after the Sizhou civil unrest, Han Qian had secretly come to Jinling and covertly summoned former Left Guangde Army members. His ambitions were truly not difficult to deduce.
It was also hard to imagine what devastating blow it would deal to Jiangdong and Great Chu’s foundation if tens of thousands of former Left Guangde Army members occupied Fuyu Mountain and stirred up civil unrest?
Yes, once fundamental trust was lost and mutual suspicion arose, the “truth” pieced together from all the details would inevitably be distorted.
Otherwise, who would believe that Han Qian’s intention in secretly coming to Jinling to gather former Left Guangde Army members was to prevent civil unrest, rather than to stir up civil unrest so he could use the threat to increase his own importance and satisfy his wolf’s ambition and aspirations?
And the two principal parties in the Shang Wensheng assassination case—Han Donghu and Su Lie—were both serving as generals in Tangyi at this very moment.
As for why the former Left Guangde Army members hadn’t subsequently risen in revolt, that too was not difficult to deduce. It was truly because Duke Changguo Li Pu had proposed that the naval main force raid Hongze Lake, allowing Han Qian to see a better opportunity to return to the central court.
“Your Highness!”
One guest sitting at a lower position couldn’t contain himself first, calling out to Yang Zhitang to indicate he had something to say.
Zhang Qian also recognized this guest, named Liu Chengsi. He was a scholar from Yuanzhou who had joined the then Yuzhang Prince’s residence as an aide ten years ago and enjoyed the deep trust of Yang Zhitang and his son Yang Fan.
After the recovery of Jinling, Yang Zhitang had been enfeoffed as Prince Shou for his merits. Though he wasn’t directly granted a fiefdom like Prince Xin, his princely residence also had the right to establish Guard Commands, Personal Affairs Offices, and Internal Account Offices to accommodate guards, attendants, and household officials.
Prince Shou’s direct household guards consisted of six battalions of three thousand elite troops—the most elite fighting force in Jinling City apart from the Palace Guards and the Capital Prefecture patrol soldiers.
And this Liu Chengsi, as the prince’s Chief Clerk, occupied a role equivalent to what Shen Yang had undertaken in the Linjiang Marquis residence years ago.
Seeing Liu Chengsi’s expression of having something urgent to say, Zhang Qian couldn’t help but breathe a sigh of relief, thinking that if such an important figure in Prince Shou’s residence was going to advise Yang Zhitang to be vigilant against Han Qian’s ambitions, matters should develop in the direction they hoped.
“…” However, Yang Zhitang waved his hand at this moment, signaling Liu Chengsi not to speak.
Seeing this scene, Zhang Qian’s heart suddenly sank again. He truly couldn’t understand what Yang Zhitang was thinking.
“I understand the Prime Minister’s meaning,” Yang Zhitang said, seeming to deliberate over his words, his tone slow and low. “Marquis Qianyang has repeatedly turned the tide to resolve critical dangers. Isn’t this sufficient to demonstrate his wholehearted loyalty to His Majesty and Great Chu? As Great Chu’s pillar of support, Your Excellency would do best not to be disturbed by these rumors. Otherwise, it would definitely not be fortunate for Great Chu…”
Zhang Qian stood there stunned. He absolutely didn’t believe Yang Zhitang truly thought everything Shen Yang said was unfounded rumor. He absolutely didn’t believe Yang Zhitang hadn’t seen through Han Qian’s vigorous ambitions. But why was Yang Zhitang’s attitude like this?
“I understand,” Shen Yang said, supporting himself against the long table and standing up with difficulty, his tone bitter. “Shen has been presumptuous. Perhaps all of this is merely marketplace gossip.”
Seeing this scene, Zhang Qian, along with Xue Ruogu and Qin Wen, hurriedly stood up and followed Shen Yang in taking their leave.
Walking out of Prince Shou’s residence, watching Shen Yang’s faltering steps as he climbed into the carriage—at this moment appearing so decrepit and aged—Zhang Qian looked back at Prince Shou Yang Zhitang and others standing at the gate of Prince Shou’s residence to see them off. He could no longer restrain himself from asking: “With things being this way, why does Prince Shou still speak on Han Qian’s behalf?”
Shen Yang’s stiff hand gripped the carriage shaft and remained frozen for quite a while before he slowly turned around and said: “Perhaps Prince Shou’s residence has contributed considerably to the rumors about the marriage contract circulating through Jinling’s marketplaces and streets…”
“…” Zhang Qian stood there stunned. Turning to see Xue Ruogu and Qin Wen both frowning deeply with grave expressions, he thought to himself—could it be that Prince Shou Yang Zhitang hadn’t failed to perceive Han Qian’s ambitions, but rather had other schemes?
…
…
“Your Highness.”
Prince Shou Yang Zhitang was still quite courteous in escorting Shen Yang out of the residence. Watching Shen Yang and the others board their carriage and depart, he turned back toward the interior of the residence. Liu Chengsi still couldn’t contain himself and opened his mouth to ask.
“The Prime Minister’s words were not wrong—Han Qian does indeed have wolf’s ambitions. Why does Your Highness still shut the Prime Minister out?”
“That old scoundrel Shen Yang sees everything clearly. Why didn’t he expose the Guangde matter earlier? Why did he still obstruct the Right Longwu Army from taking over defense duties along the river and coast east of Runzhou by every means possible?” Yang Zhitang glanced at Liu Chengsi, slightly frowning as he asked.
“…” Liu Chengsi was momentarily at a loss for words, not knowing how to answer this question.
Yang Zhitang gave a cold snort and said: “Shen Yang recognizes that Han Qian has wolf’s ambitions, recognizes that Lü Qingxia and Li Zhigao have wolf’s ambitions. But in that old scoundrel’s eyes, don’t I, Yang Zhitang, also have wolf’s ambitions?”
“…” Liu Chengsi and the other guests all fell silent. They truly had no way to respond to what Prince Shou Yang Zhitang had said.
“Let me ask you again—Zheng Yu, Zheng Chang, Zhang Chao, Zhang Han, Gu Zhilong, Huang Hua—which of them has simple intentions? In this scoundrel’s eyes, it seems everyone under heaven is a wolf-hearted wretch deserving death, and only he alone is wholehearted loyal to Great Chu. Should I truly act today as he wishes and bind myself in a cocoon?” Yang Zhitang stood beneath the hanging flower gate, staring at his assembled guests as he asked.
Yang Zhitang led everyone not back to the Lingyun Pavilion that served as the residence’s main hall, but through a corridor into a secluded courtyard in the northeast corner of the residence. Feng Liao and Han Daoming, both wearing long robes, stood in the courtyard, each holding an oil lamp, carefully examining the delicate osmanthus blossoms beneath the moon.
Seeing Yang Zhitang and the others enter, Feng Liao bowed in salute and asked with a smile: “Did the Prime Minister suddenly bring Xue Ruogu to visit Your Highness to angrily denounce that my lord secretly summoned former Left Guangde Army members last year to organize the Chishan Association out of malicious intentions, reminding Your Highness to be on guard?”
Liu Chengsi and the others had no idea that Feng Liao and Minister of Finance Han Daoming were in the princely residence at this time wearing casual clothes. Clearly, Prince Shou Yang Zhitang had just secretly met with Han Daoming and Feng Liao without informing even these trusted confidants.
At the same time, they also hadn’t expected that though Han Daoming and Feng Liao were still in this courtyard, they were completely clear about Shen Yang’s purpose in coming. And judging by these two men’s calm expressions, they seemed to have long anticipated that the Prince would reject Shen Yang and keep him at arm’s length.
They all stood behind Yang Zhitang with shock and doubt.
“…” Feng Liao laughed coldly. “My lord can be said to be wholeheartedly loyal to His Majesty. Organizing plague-stricken refugees into the Longque Army was the merit of my lord’s and the old lord’s counsel. Defending Zhejiang River to repel Liang forces and protect Jing and Xiang was the merit of my lord’s counsel. Developing Xuzhou to pacify Tanzhou—my lord and the old lord provided strategic planning while Xuzhou’s sons fought bravely with their blood. During the Jinling rebellion, the old lord suffered cruel torture, and my lord alone raised the Chishan Army, first resisting Chuzhou, then subduing Xuanzhou, causing the situation under heaven to all fall to His Majesty, establishing the foundation for contending for supremacy. Yet apart from endless suspicion, what else has my lord received?”
Han Daoming stared at Yang Zhitang’s smooth, almost feminine face and said: “Could it be that if my Han family now acts as the Prime Minister wishes and presents over a hundred heads, large and small, with both hands, it would calm His Majesty’s suspicious heart, and Your Highness and all the ministers could thereafter sleep and eat in peace with the realm tranquil?”
Since last year, too many coincidences had made explanation impossible.
Since explanation was difficult, they would no longer attempt to explain.
Since the world all viewed Xuzhou as harboring wolf’s ambitions, then they might as well act with wolf’s ambitions.
Otherwise, should they struggle to argue before Yang Zhitang that everything had unavoidable circumstances, arguing that Han Qian was wholeheartedly loyal to His Majesty and thought only of Great Chu’s state?
Would Yang Zhitang believe it?
Yang Zhitang’s expression alternated between dark and light. What he had just said before his guests had already been quite naked, but he hadn’t expected Feng Liao and Han Daoming to speak even more nakedly.
This speech of Feng Liao’s undoubtedly frankly admitted that Han Qian had instigated civil unrest in Sizhou, summoned former Left Guangde Army members, and even sat by watching the naval main force’s annihilation—all for self-preservation, all so that one day he could return to the central court.
Yang Zhitang remained silent for a long time before slowly opening his mouth: “If this Prince were in Marquis Qianyang’s position, perhaps I too would have no other choice? Oh, these past days the marketplace has been discussing the marriage contract between Marquis Qianyang and Minister Wang Wenqian’s daughter. That old scoundrel Shen Yang suspects in his heart that I, Yang Zhitang, secretly instigated this, but I, Yang Zhitang, haven’t yet forgotten what was done this year. It was your Han family spreading rumors behind the scenes, wasn’t it?”
“Han Qian’s mourning period has ended, and he’s already twenty-six years old this year but still hasn’t married. My father is most worried about this matter, his heart full of hope to embrace a legitimate grandson while he still lives. In acting, he was inevitably somewhat hasty, causing Your Highness to be misunderstood. We are truly quite sorry—however, this matter still requires Your Highness to come forward and make it happen.” Han Daoming cupped his hands and said.