That night Han Qian signed the order document. He kept Feng Yi in the command tent for drinks, then early the next morning had him rush to East Lake to transfer naval forces to Xuzhou. After the Anfeng Canal weir embankment was destroyed, the Tangyi navy and the Left Tower Ship Army temporarily had no waterways for engagement. Idle was idle—intruding into Chen Prefecture territory from downstream could also force Wash Ying and his father to divide troops to defend cities like Chenyang and Ruanling. Why not do it?
However, when Feng Yi reached East Lake with the hand-written order and spent a day having Lin Zongjing assemble two battalions of elite naval forces, before they could exit the Yuxi River mouth from Chao Lake to enter the Yangtze, they were intercepted by Shen Yang and Censor-in-Chief Zheng Chang, who had dragged an extremely reluctant Han Daoming aboard the Textile Bureau’s official ship.
The Textile Bureau had only one official ship, measuring no more than six zhang from bow to stern. Unable to master Xuzhou’s cloth sail weaving methods and special textile materials, it could only use rigid mat sails. At this moment it lay across the Yuxi River mouth, blocking the path of over ten Tangyi navy warships, demanding that Han Qian come over for talks.
Whether Feng Yi or Lin Jinghai, even without considering that Elder Lord Han Daoming was aboard, neither dared rashly launch an attack to forcefully ram aside the Textile Bureau official ship carrying Shen Yang and Zheng Chang.
Feng Yi and Lin Jinghai were forced to lead the navy back to the East Lake naval main camp, inviting Shen Yang, Zheng Chang, Han Daoming, as well as Yao Xishui representing the Cishou Palace, Chen Prefecture Chief Administrator Cao Xiushi, Zhou Qinian representing Hunan Pacification Commissioner Huang Hua, and a whole group of others to lodge in the East Lake City courier station.
Han Qian delayed two days before handing over all Shoudong military and administrative affairs to Lin Haizheng, Zhao Qi, Xi Fa’er and others to manage. He and his subordinate officials Guo Rong and Feng Liao, surrounded by several hundred guard cavalry, returned to East Lake.
After returning to East Lake, Han Qian wouldn’t hurriedly rush to the courier station first thing to see Shen Yang, Zheng Chang and the others.
He first returned to the inner residence to relax his aching muscles and bones from the rapid horse ride. Feng Yi dragged Wang Zhe over first, loudly crying injustice: “That woman Yao Xishui really is willing to lose face—unable to clean up her own mess, she actually had the gall to beg Premier Shen and Zheng Chang to intervene. It’s all your fault for forcing me to drink in Shoudong, delaying us one whole night. Otherwise if we’d headed west before they arrived, where would all this trouble come from?”
“No matter how formidable Shen Yang is, they only have one broken ship. Considering appearances, if we don’t ram it over, couldn’t we just squeeze past it?” Han Qian said irritably.
“Really tear off all pretenses? Isn’t that going too far? Besides, even if we squeeze past them, Huang Hua at the Dongting Lake mouth or Ruan River mouth will definitely find ways to obstruct our passage anyway,” Feng Yi asked.
“They’re blocking the road—squeezing past them counts as tearing off pretenses? Don’t you know that our warships on the way back to Xuzhou would have even more to discuss?” Han Qian said.
“The reasoning really is that reasoning, but seeing that old man Shen Yang makes my heart feel contrary. Probably got scolded too much at the Linjiang Marquis mansion back then, so I advised Lin Zongjing to withdraw first—this matter’s my fault,” Feng Yi said dejectedly.
“Then you take people to clean up the front courtyard hall, then go with Minister Guo and Minister Yuan to invite them over,” Han Qian said, handing reception matters to Feng Yi, Guo Rong, and Yuan Guowei who had been staying in East Lake as Military Commissioner responsible for military merit rewards and punishments. He called Wang Zhe over to inquire about the latest developments in the Jinling capital during this trip.
Although Han Daoming had also been dragged over by Shen Yang and Zheng Chang, to show distinction between public and private matters, he was staying with Shen Yang and Zheng Chang at this time and hadn’t come to see Han Qian separately. But Wang Zhe had previously gone to Jinling to deliver memorials and transmit messages, and this time returned to East Lake aboard the Textile Bureau official ship together with Han Daoming, so he understood the developments in Jinling City these past two days.
Feng Yi lazily went first to clean up the front courtyard hall. Yuan Guowei as Military Commissioner was nominally still Emperor Yanyou’s special envoy, so these two days he stayed at the courier station accompanying Shen Yang and Zheng Chang. On this side were Feng Liao, Guo Rong, Gao Shao, Xi Ren, Guard Cavalry Commander Zhao Wuji, Tangyi Navy Commander Yang Qin, and Wang Jun who had rushed back from Liyang City upon hearing the news to reunite with Han Qian.
Wang Zhe then spoke about his situation in Jinling City these days: “The Elder Lord and Minister Han quite wanted to know the detailed situation in Hebei, so they kept me lodging at the mansion these two days. After Your Lordship’s memorial was submitted, the court showed no response, nor was there any discussion spread—perhaps the memorial could only be seen by His Majesty, the Empress Dowager, and the various participating ministers. I thought no reaction was also a kind of reaction. Originally I planned to go to the Censorate these days to inquire about news before returning, but unexpectedly the night before last, Premier Shen and Censor-in-Chief Zheng, bringing Chen Prefecture Chief Administrator Cao Xiushi and Scholar Zhou representing Hunan Pacification Commissioner Huang, came calling to request the Great Elder Lord intervene to resolve the Chen-Xu Prefecture dispute. Minister Han worried the Elder Lord was aged, so came on his behalf. When leaving through the East Hua Gate, the Textile Bureau Commissioner caught up with the Empress Dowager’s oral instruction…”
Wang Zhe spoke more methodically than Feng Yi. At least on the surface, it was Chen Prefecture Chief Administrator Cao Xiushi who dragged Zhou Qinian to complain to Shen Yang, Zheng Chang, and even Zheng Yu and others. Whether Shen Yang, the Zheng clan, or Prince Shou Yang Zhiyuan and others who hadn’t appeared, obviously none could possibly sit back and watch Tangyi use this opportunity to dispatch troops to annex Chen Prefecture. They could only drag out Han Wenhuan or Han Daoming to forcibly obstruct.
Of course, what Feng Yi said wasn’t wrong either. Though this matter seemed to involve Cao Xiushi and Zhou Qinian coming forward, it must be that Yao Xishui recognized she had fallen into a trap with no strength to struggle out and fled back to Jinling in panic.
Feng Liao furrowed his brow, pondering: “His Majesty hasn’t issued an edict and pretends not to know of this matter, letting Premier Shen come forward to dissuade. But Yao Xishui—or rather Lu Qingxia—ultimately still has no way to pretend ignorance and can only bite the bullet saying she comes bearing the Empress Dowager’s oral instruction. She’s probably afraid Premier Shen and our side will join hands to sell them out, right? Of course, even if Premier Shen and Minister Zheng may not be clear about Yao Xishui’s intent in going to stir up trouble, Chen Prefecture Chief Administrator Cao Xiushi representing the Wash family coming over—wanting to escape calamity, wanting to preserve the Wash family—will necessarily explain the whole story from beginning to end to Shen Yang, the Zheng clan, and even Hunan Pacification Commissioner Huang Hua. Otherwise, even if Shen Yang, the Zheng clan, Huang Hua and others exert full effort to stop Tangyi from dispatching troops to annex Chen Prefecture, they would simultaneously expel the Wash family from Chen Prefecture and have the Pacification Commission directly govern Chen Prefecture—that would most accord with their common interests. By explaining the whole story from beginning to end and forcibly dragging in Yao Xishui and the Wanhong Tower behind her, or rather the Empress Dowager’s faction, only then does Chen Prefecture have some guarantee.”
Han Qian nodded. In analyzing such details, Feng Liao truly was no worse than anyone. Seeing that Guo Rong, Gao Shao and others had nothing further to add, he said: “Then let’s use this as our framework to discuss what their possible reactions might be after coming over…”
……
……
As a chief minister and also as the former prince’s tutor who had taught everyone, Shen Yang naturally sat behind the central main table upon entering the hall. Han Daoming, being both a participating minister and Han family elder, sat at Shen Yang’s sides with Zheng Chang.
Han Qian, the host, instead sat below Han Daoming’s seat, followed by Military Commissioner Yuan Guowei who came monitoring Changyi Army by imperial decree, Yao Xishui representing the Cishou Palace, along with Zhou Qinian, Cao Xiushi, Qin Wen, and Feng Liao, Guo Rong and others seated in succession.
Han Qian provided full courtesies, but from the moment of welcoming Shen Yang, Zheng Chang and others into the hall, he maintained a cold expression without saying a word. All reception matters were handled by Guo Rong or Feng Liao, and after sitting down he remained even more silent.
Everyone sat down in the great hall, suddenly feeling uncertain where to begin the conversation.
Shen Yang and Zheng Chang didn’t know how to start. Han Daoming had been dragged over only because he couldn’t refuse—seeing Han Qian’s attitude, he naturally sat to the side playing deaf and dumb. Yao Xishui wanted to pretend this whole affair had no connection to her whatsoever, so even less could she be the first to jump out and touch this bad luck.
Finally it was the bitter-faced Chen Prefecture Chief Administrator Cao Xiushi who steeled himself to sit up straight and say: “The Chen Prefecture Wash family absolutely has no possibility of colluding with bandits. Please, Your Lordship…”
“What does Administrator Cao mean by rushing to defend? Have I said you’re colluding with bandits?” Han Qian cut off Cao Xiushi’s words, his tone extremely calm as he said, “I was ordered to defend western Huai to block rebels, but unexpectedly bandits were so audacious as to plunder Xuzhou, killing and burning with every method imaginable. Speaking of it, as Xuzhou Prefect I failed in my duty, being lax in prevention. I hate that I couldn’t sprout wings to fly back to Xuzhou and tear those bandit rebels to shreds. I believe Premier Shen and all you ministers share similar sentiments. However, I have the responsibility of defending western Huai and cannot betray His Majesty’s trust. I can only have Feng Yi and Lin Zongjing lead naval forces to rush back to Xuzhou to strengthen suppression of the bandits, to console the Xuzhou people who suffered plunder and slaughter—have I said, or have Xuzhou’s officers and soldiers said, that the bandit rebels were secretly dispatched by Chen Prefecture?”
“…” Cao Xiushi was thinking how to steel himself to take up the conversation when Han Qian gave him no chance to interrupt, continuing: “Of course, I haven’t said it’s related to Chen Prefecture, but I also haven’t said it’s definitely unrelated to Chen Prefecture. Everything will become clear once we attack Longtan Mountain and capture this band of bandits…”
No one was stupid. If they really let Xuzhou troops forcefully attack Longtan Mountain, kill all the mounted bandits to silence them, then throw down a pile of Chen Prefecture tribal soldiers’ broken armor and spears, wouldn’t that confirm the charge that Chen Prefecture colluded with bandits to plunder Xuzhou?
At that time, with a pile of corpses and broken armor and spears, how could Chen Prefecture defend itself?
“The mounted bandits fled into Chen Prefecture—shouldn’t Chen Prefecture dispatch troops to suppress them?” Cao Xiushi said.
“Administrator Cao, these words are absurd. Both Chen and Xu are Great Chu territories, you and I are both Great Chu officials. If Xuzhou officers and soldiers should pat their backsides and leave after watching bandits who troubled our prefecture flow into Chen Prefecture, wouldn’t my sitting in command of western Huai today become meddling in others’ affairs?” Han Qian slapped the table, staring at Cao Xiushi and questioning, “Administrator Cao, tell me—which Great Chu law says Xuzhou officers and soldiers should watch wide-eyed as bandits leave Xuzhou, then pat their backsides and wash their hands of it!”
Bandit suppression and capture was mainly divided by prefecture jurisdiction, but the mounted bandits committed crimes within Xuzhou territory, and Xuzhou officers and soldiers surrounded the mounted bandits during pursuit. Even if it was within Chen Prefecture territory, according to the previous dynasty’s old laws, Xuzhou absolutely had no reason to withdraw troops—at most they’d let Chen Prefecture jointly participate.
At this time Xuzhou had four thousand elite troops surrounding Longtan Mountain’s base. They also didn’t refuse Chen Prefecture sending troops to participate in besieging Longtan Mountain. Anyway, if Chen Prefecture dared send troops over, they’d kill them first. After capturing Longtan Mountain, whether they found real evidence or planted it, there would be no difference.
The reasoning was that not only would Xuzhou’s four thousand elite troops not withdraw, today he would continue sending reinforcements to Xuzhou, ensuring not one bandit who plundered Xuzhou would escape…