Seeing Qin Wen’s brow tightly furrowed, as if he had different opinions about Zhang Xian’s words, Shen Yang asked:

“How do you view this matter?”

Qin Wen said with furrowed brow: “The western front problem doesn’t merely involve Zhao Mengji and Wang Xiaoxian publicly expressing their intention to surrender to the Mengwu people, and Li Zhigao possibly surrendering to the Mengwu people. The main issue is still whether the Liang army can establish a firm foothold in the He and Luo regions. The Ministry of War just produced intelligence from scouts in the He and Luo regions. According to the intelligence provided by the Ministry of War, though the Liang army currently entrenched in the He and Luo regions still has eighty thousand troops, there are too many wounded and sick. These past years they’ve been gritting their teeth and fighting while at a disadvantage—their combat effectiveness has declined severely, with many who fear battle and dread combat. The regions currently controlled by Western Liang forces have suffered serious destruction of agricultural production, with material supplies scarce. When the Mengwu people and Eastern Liang army finish reorganizing and again attack the He and Luo regions from three sides, the Liang army truly may not be able to withstand it. The court must consider the possibility that the He and Luo regions could entirely fall into Mengwu hands and the Liang army remnants be completely annihilated. Should this situation occur, the Eastern Liang army occupying the vast regions east of the Ying River, with no one restraining them from the western flank, will shift their main forces entirely toward the Huai River banks. The Mengwu people occupying Guanzhong will then also be able to advance southward with full force due to having no one restraining their flanks, attacking Liangzhou via the Tangluo and Chencang roads, and attacking Jun Prefecture via the Wuguan Road. At that time, if Li Zhigao entrenched in Liangzhou surrenders to the Mengwu people, the entire western front situation might be even worse than what Minister Zhang described…”

“What does Minister Qin mean?” Zhang Xian looked toward Qin Wen and asked hesitantly.

“We cannot sit and watch Deng and Jun prefectures fall into Tangyi’s hands,” Qin Wen naturally wouldn’t openly speak for Tangyi. After brief contemplation, he said: “I think that for pursuing and suppressing Li Zhigao’s remnant forces westward along the Han River, either the Right Martial Guard Army or the Right Martial Prowess Army—just one elite division would suffice. The other forbidden camp elite force could completely exit through Wuguan to attack the Hu cavalry in Guanzhong. Hasn’t Han Qian always emphasized his worry about the western front situation deteriorating, which is why he insists his forces must deploy from Wuguan to coordinate operations with the Liang army? I think now we only need either General Zhang Xiang or General Zhao Zhen—if one of them can shoulder the responsibility of deploying troops from Wuguan, I believe besides withdrawing his forces from Deng and Jun prefectures, Han Qian would have nothing else to say…”

Speaking thus, Zhang Xian couldn’t suspect Qin Wen of speaking for Tangyi. In fact, Qin Wen had proposed a feasible plan that would make the Tangyi army withdraw from Deng and Jun prefectures.

However, the problem was: could they persuade either Zhang Xiang or Zhao Zhen to willingly shoulder the responsibility of deploying troops from Wuguan?

Defending strategic passes and vital routes by blocking enemies beyond Wuguan, versus deploying troops from Wuguan into Shangluo or even launching offensives from Shangluo against enemy forces entering the Weinan plains—these were completely different concepts.

Whether Zhang Xiang or Zhao Zhen, as Great Chu’s numbered veteran generals, neither would be timid about defending Wuguan where ten thousand men couldn’t force the pass. But to contest Shangluo or even the Weinan region with superior enemy forces—the battle conditions compared to simply defending Wuguan and Jingzi Pass would absolutely be several times more brutal.

Before seeing sufficient benefits, who would willingly throw their direct troops into a battlefield destined to be like a meat grinder?

If Chu forces merely defended Wuguan and Jingzi Pass, the Mengwu people occupying Guanzhong need only dispatch a small number of elite troops to block off Chu forces’ northward advance from another strategic pass on the other side—they could even ignore any unusual movements at Wuguan and directly deploy forces in other directions like Shu or the He and Luo regions.

But if Chu forces entered the Shangluo region—the northeastern foothills of the Qinling Mountains—they would directly threaten the Weinan heartland of Guanzhong. Before the Mengwu people resolved this threat, or rather before forming stable defensive lines on Shangluo’s northern flank, they wouldn’t even dare commit full strength from the western flank to attack the He and Luo regions.

The logic worked in reverse as well. If Chu forces truly wanted to support the Liang army in establishing a firm foothold in the He and Luo regions from the western front and prevent the He and Luo situation from collapsing, they must have elite combat forces exit Wuguan, enter the Shangluo region, and even need to advance their military might directly toward Weinan to effectively restrain enemy forces.

Qin Wen pointed out the core problem: whether the responsibility of deploying troops from Wuguan should be borne by the Tangyi army or by Zhao Zhen’s or Zhang Xiang’s forces—not simply forcing Tangyi forces out of Deng and Jun prefectures.

Seeing Shen Yang hesitating indecisively, Qin Wen added: “Should we go sit at Marquis Yang’s mansion tonight?”

In the First Huai River Campaign, Tangyi had gained considerable advantages, but regarding the overall situation in the realm, even before the Ministry of War provided more detailed intelligence, Yang En had insisted that the Mengwu people—having captured Yongzhou and occupied the vast majority of Guanzhong’s prime regions—had already achieved strategic advantage.

If Yang En were asked to state his position now, Qin Wen believed without doubt that Yang En would support his proposal. Beyond the covert guidance of embedded personnel, the court’s understanding of the Mengwu people and the He and Shuo regions was also quietly undergoing some changes. With the Changxin Palace’s insistence, the court couldn’t openly suppress voices supporting Tangyi from emerging. At this time, having the Tangyi army withdraw from Deng and Jun prefectures was fine, but the court must have elite troops enter the Shangluo region from Wuguan—only this way could Great Chu grasp a certain degree of strategic initiative.

Shen Yang could naturally guess Yang En’s attitude. He said hesitantly: “Zhang Xiang’s forces currently guard Xiangcheng. Theoretically he should continue being responsible for suppressing the northern Xiang rebels. But whether Zhao Zhen is willing to command troops out of Wuguan—perhaps we still need to send someone to communicate with Prince Xin…”

Seeing that Shen Yang had clearly been persuaded by Qin Wen, Zhang Xian and Zhou Qinian found it temporarily inconvenient to refute further. Everything would wait until after sending someone to communicate with Prince Xin Yang Yuanyan. If Zhao Zhen’s forces or even more elite troops from the former Chuzhou army could enter the Shangluo region for combat, this too would be something they’d be happy to see.

At this moment Shen Yang’s carriage arrived. Just as Qin Wen was about to respectfully see Shen Yang off first from the Ministry compound with Zhou Qinian and Zhang Xian, they saw Vice Censor-in-Chief Zheng Chang leading several officials walking hurriedly toward them.

Shen Yang stopped, not knowing what matter the Censorate had that required Zheng Chang to rush directly to the Ministry so urgently that he couldn’t even wait for the time it would take to dispatch an official to report and request audience.

“Empress Dowager Xu and imperial grandson Yang Fen have arrived at Jinghai Gate wharf!” Zheng Chang approached and said in a lowered voice.

“Empress Dowager Xu arrived in Jinling alive—what about Zhang Xinchun?” Qin Wen was also startled and interjected in confusion.

Zheng Chang didn’t mind Qin Wen’s interruption. Even at this moment he still felt considerable uncertainty, saying: “I just had someone go to Jinghai Gate wharf to take custody. The messenger said that all the criminals being sent to Jinling for trial should all still be alive, I suppose?”

Shen Yang furrowed his brow tightly. Zhang Xian and Zhou Qinian also looked at each other in dismay.

Regarding Emperor Liang Zhu Yu dispatching people to escort Duke Chu Yang Fen, Empress Dowager Xu, and Zhang Xinchun south for return, Tangyi had sent word to Jinling several days ago. Theoretically, the Court of Judicial Review or the Censorate should dispatch officials to cross the river and take custody.

However, both the Court of Judicial Review and Censorate held their positions without dispatching anyone across the river.

The Political Affairs Hall ministers also played deaf and dumb. Even Shen Yang had prepared himself mentally for Empress Dowager Xu, Zhang Xinchun, and others to suddenly die of illness en route, with Tangyi ultimately sending only Duke Chu Yang Fen into Jinling.

“For the sake of occupying Deng and Jun prefectures, Han Qian wouldn’t even avenge his father’s murder despite such a good opportunity?” Zhang Xian asked with slight contempt and hesitation.

Qin Wen’s brow furrowed slightly as he pondered the meaning in Zhang Xian’s words. He thought to himself: could this fellow Zhang Xian have long prepared to submit an impeachment memorial should Empress Dowager Xu and Zhang Xinchun suddenly die en route, using this as leverage to drive the Tangyi army out of Deng and Jun prefectures?

His previous calculations had come to nothing, but now he was thinking of making an issue out of matters like “father’s vengeance” and “filial piety,” even deliberately highlighting Tangyi’s ambitions toward Deng and Jun prefectures?

Qin Wen felt a headache coming on. The current court situation wasn’t very favorable to Tangyi. Once Zhang Xian and others covertly guided and stirred up such public opinion, the situation would only become even more unfavorable to Tangyi.

“First escort all the criminals into the Censorate prison. Many matters will wait until tomorrow when we report to the Two Empress Dowagers before further discussion.” Shen Yang didn’t take Zhang Xian’s conversational bait. After contemplating briefly, he spoke.

For now, Shen Yang could only make such a decision. Zheng Chang also nodded. Before having further news, he didn’t want to say much more.

“Over the New Year holidays too, Minister Shen can’t get a moment’s peace. Really don’t know what Han Qian is thinking!” Qin Wen said with neither yin nor yang tone, then beckoned for the carriage to come over and respectfully saw Shen Yang off as he departed by carriage.

Qin Wen then cupped his hands to Zhang Xian and Zhou Qinian before leaving the office compound to return to his mansion.

Though after the palace upheaval the Secret Office had determined Qin Wen as chief, secretly presiding over covert work, to avoid exposure, unless urgent and absolutely necessary, he wouldn’t proactively contact Yun Puzi or Han Daoming.

Therefore, though his heart was filled with confusion about Tangyi sending Empress Dowager Xu, Zhang Xinchun, and others alive to Jinling for trial, and though he knew Zhang Xian and others intended to make an issue of this, he could only hold his position and quietly observe how the situation changed. Qin Wen believed Tangyi should have predicted that Zhang Xian and others would make covert moves—he didn’t need to remind them of anything.

The next day was the final minor court session before the New Year festival. Zheng Chang submitted a memorial reporting that Empress Dowager Xu, Yang Fen, Zhang Xinchun, and other criminals had been imprisoned in the Censorate prison awaiting trial. As Drafter of Edicts and Palace Writer, Qin Wen, Zhang Xian, and Zhou Qinian were qualified to attend minor court sessions and Privy Council meetings of any level.

Clearly, Qing Yang was also quite shocked upon hearing this matter. She only said that with the New Year festival approaching, this matter should be delayed until after the New Year for discussion, temporarily setting it aside.

After this minor court session, except for necessary duty officers, personnel from all ministries, departments, and offices could rest until after the Lantern Festival before reporting to their offices—equivalent to everyone beginning their New Year holiday.

On the first day of the holiday, Qin Wen first spent half the day at his mansion writing spring couplets, welcoming and sending off many officials paying New Year calls. In the afternoon he specifically brought his eldest son Qin Yu with New Year gifts to visit the mansions of Shen Yang, Li Tang, Zhang Qian, Xue Ruogu, and others. Zhang Qian served as supervisor of the Pacification Army. After the Huaidong vassal abolition, Xue Ruogu also served as Prefect of Yangzhou. By the time he returned to his mansion with his eldest son Qin Yu, the sky had darkened.

Seeing two Chinese arborvitae trees showing their tops over the courtyard wall across the street, Qin Wen said: “It’s rare to have leisure time—I should go to Songhe Tower for a pot of tea…”

“Over the New Year holidays, who goes out for tea at mealtime? Look, it’s going to snow!” his wife Zhou Shi complained.

But Qin Wen paid no heed. Without having his eldest son follow, he only had two old family servants accompany him as he walked out of the residence toward Songhe Tower at the eastern end of the street…

Reaching Songhe Tower, Qin Wen had his servants wait downstairs while he went upstairs and requested a quiet room facing the street. After a servant brought brazier equipment and tea snacks, watching snowflakes begin drifting outside the window, he had just brought the first pot of tea to a boil when the east partition wall of the quiet room suddenly opened, revealing a hidden door.

Seeing Feng Liao and Han Daoming enter, Qin Wen was suddenly startled and asked: “What has happened in Tangyi?”

Feng Liao rarely came to Jinling, and even when in Jinling, unless something extremely important occurred, he absolutely wouldn’t easily meet with him. Feng Liao’s profile was too large, too conspicuous—let alone Feng Liao and Han Daoming both entering Songhe Tower to meet him together?

“For the next period, Secret Office embedded personnel must make every effort to create in Jinling the illusion that Tangyi forces will deploy from Shangluo and the He and Luo regions to assist the Liang army in counterattacking to seize Yongzhou!” Feng Liao first stated his purpose for coming, then sat at the tea table with Han Daoming, producing three tea cups and pouring hot tea for himself, Han Daoming, and Qin Wen.

“What’s this? Is the lord sending another elite division to the He and Luo regions at this time? Why?” Qin Wen suppressed the surprise and doubt in his heart as he asked.

No matter what, now was absolutely not the time to counterattack Yongzhou. Conditions weren’t mature on all fronts, and it would be too burdensome for the people. Having Kong Xirong deploy troops from Wuguan into Shangluo served mainly to restrain the Mengwu forces occupying the Wei River plains from the southern flank, alleviating or rather sharing the military pressure borne by the He and Luo regions and Shu.

If Tangyi was now dispatching another force into Henan Prefecture (He and Luo regions), there must be another purpose. To cover this purpose, they needed Secret Office embedded personnel in Jinling to become active, spreading false information from every level and angle to mislead the court ministers.

But for what reason did they need to guide and mislead Jinling like this?

“Emperor Liang is critically ill and probably can’t last many more days…” How to spread information in court so that at critical moments they could divert the attention of Shen Yang, Yang Zhitang, Zheng Yu, and others away required Qin Wen to jointly formulate more detailed response strategies. Naturally key information couldn’t be concealed from him.

“Emperor Liang is critically ill—why then request Tangyi elite forces to garrison Henan Prefecture?” Qin Wen asked in surprise and doubt.

He thought to himself that Emperor Liang being critically ill or dying would very likely severely damage Liang army morale and be exploited by the Mengwu people. But if the Liang army wanted to request Tangyi’s assistance, they should request that Tangyi elites strengthen restraint of the Mengwu forces in Guanzhong and the Eastern Liang army occupying Bian and Xing from both flanks. How could there be logic in inviting Tangyi elites to directly enter their current ruling core of Henan Prefecture?

“Could it be that something unexpected happened to Prince Luo of Liang, Zhu Zhen?” Qin Wen asked hesitantly. He thought that if the successor Emperor Liang Zhu Yu had carefully cultivated, Prince Luo of Liang Zhu Zhen, actually suffered some accident unknown to the outside world during the breakout from Yongzhou, Zhu Yu could only pass the throne to his second son, who was only twelve years old, or an even younger child. This would make the He and Luo situation even more fragile and truly require more direct, stronger assistance from Tangyi. But this still didn’t require going to great lengths to mislead Jinling.

Qin Wen thought of another possibility and could hardly believe it, almost jumping up as he pressed on the tea table and asked: “Or could it be?”

“That’s right, it’s exactly as you guessed,” Feng Liao smiled faintly and said. “Prince Luo of Liang Zhu Zhen is currently fine in Shangluo. Nothing unexpected happened during the breakout from Yongzhou city. Everything was arranged this way at Emperor Liang’s insistence. Lei Jiuyuan, Gu Qian, Zhu Juezhong, Jing Hao, Chen Youtong, and other important Great Liang ministers secretly came to Liyang with the criminal escort forces earlier to discuss the establishment!”

“Emperor Liang is truly an exceptional man! He saw clearly early on that only the lord could shoulder the heavy responsibility of defending against the Hu barbarians externally and reunifying the realm!” Qin Wen couldn’t help exclaiming with emotion.

He truly couldn’t imagine that in his critical illness, Emperor Liang Zhu Yu would actually abandon the idea of establishing his son Zhu Zhen and instead make the He and Luo regions and Tangyi merge into a single force to resist the Mengwu people’s southern invasion. Such decisiveness and sacrifice—he questioned himself and knew he could never achieve it.

Qin Wen couldn’t help asking again: “With Emperor Liang arranging things thus, do Lei Jiuyuan, Gu Qian, and other Liang ministers have no objections?”

“How could there be no objections? Those with conservative and stubborn thinking can still wrangle for countless years over the question of establishing the legitimate heir versus establishing the worthy one, let alone establishing an outsider as new lord.” Feng Liao shook his head and explained all the twists and turns in detail to Qin Wen. “It’s also fortunate that the lord’s heart is broad enough. To resist the Mengwu people’s southern invasion, he could decisively set aside past grievances. These years he provided maximum assistance to the Liang army. In the Huai River campaign he even emptied Huaixi’s entire foundation to help Bianzhou’s military and civilians withdraw. Without all this, there would be no hope of bringing this matter to fruition…”

Qin Wen also felt deeply moved. When the He and Shuo regions experienced upheaval, even he had been deeply surprised by Tangyi’s choice. Emperor Liang borrowing passage through Huaixi to return to Caizhou, and implementing the deception strategy to help Bianzhou’s military and civilians withdraw south, ultimately enabled the Western Liang army to preserve their current foundation territory.

These were the true foundations, while sending Empress Dowager Xu, Zhang Xinchun, and other criminals south could only be said to be the final test or examination to eliminate Liang ministers and generals’ misgivings, right?

“However, to prevent unnecessary upheaval and prevent enemy forces from launching military operations while He and Luo popular sentiment is turbulent, we need to deploy twenty thousand elite troops to accompany the lord into Henan Prefecture…”

Even though Lei Jiuyuan, Gu Qian, and other core Liang figures had already accepted the establishment, if this whole matter truly became reality, there would inevitably be some turbulence among the Liang army’s lower-ranking officers and soldiers and among local forces in the He and Luo regions.

At that time, if Wusu Dashi and Zhu Rang attacked the He and Luo regions from east and west flanks, without direct elite forces, Han Qian would find it difficult to command the previously unaffiliated Liang army units well enough to defend the two flanks of the He and Luo regions.

On the other hand, not everyone in the Liang army would necessarily be willing to see someone who wasn’t a Zhu clan member succeed as new lord. Incidents of subordinates overthrowing superiors—these past hundred years such things hadn’t happened just once or twice. Without direct troops in escort, if Han Qian only brought several hundred guards to Luoyang, even his personal safety might not be guaranteed.

Therefore elite troops must be deployed to accompany Han Qian into Luoyang city for succession.

However, besides guarding against the Mengwu people and Eastern Liang army potentially taking advantage of the chaos, this entire matter had to guard even more against Jinling’s reaction.

Against the Mengwu people and Eastern Liang army, the He and Luo regions would initially spread false news that Prince Luo of Liang Zhu Zhen unfortunately contracted severe plague and Emperor Liang wished to establish his second son Zhu Ye as heir. The Liang army and Tangyi army now and subsequently would maintain high military alert against Mengwu forces and the Eastern Liang army. Whether the Mengwu people and Eastern Liang army fell for it or not, the problem wouldn’t be too great.

However, Prince Luo of Liang Zhu Zhen was currently with Li Qi, and in fact the family members of officers and soldiers in Li Qi’s former Dragon Sparrow Army mainly still remained at Taowu Ji Military Prefecture. Even if Jinling couldn’t win Li Qi over, besides Military Intelligence Office secret agents, even the Ministry of War had secretly sent people to contact officers and soldiers under Li Qi’s command and their families. Trying to spread false news that Prince Luo of Liang Zhu Zhen unfortunately contracted severe plague would be difficult to hide from Jinling.

Therefore, against Jinling they could only use other false information to cover the true intent of Tangyi elites entering the He and Luo regions.

Especially in the early stage, they absolutely couldn’t allow the mobilization and northward movement of Tangyi forces to draw unusual attention from Jinling.

After Han Qian formally entered the He and Luo regions, the news would have to be promulgated to all Western Liang prefectures and counties. At that time, even if Jinling didn’t hesitate to meet with armed conflict, in their shock, whether mobilizing troops or requisitioning great armies, they would need time. This would also give Tangyi an extremely rare buffer.

Tangyi also had to complete more thorough military mobilization and assembly before Jinling reacted, using the pretext of attacking Yongzhou. Only then would they have more advantages to urge Jinling ministers to ultimately choose a peace proposal both sides could accept.

“…” Qin Wen took a long breath. Without Feng Liao needing to explain further, he understood why they had to guard even more against Jinling’s reaction in this entire matter.

If this succeeded, Han Qian would no longer be a minister of Chu but would become emperor of the new Liang State.

Even if Han Qian followed Shu State’s example, calling himself state lord without hastily claiming the imperial title and submitting as vassal to Great Chu, after Tangyi and the He and Luo regions merged and became one entity, it would in fact become a new Liang State independent of Great Chu.

At that time, the southern border of the new Liang State would face Great Chu’s imperial capital across the divide. Not only would it directly threaten Great Chu’s ruling core, but there would even be an enclave located in Great Chu Empire’s southwestern heartland. How many people in Jinling city would be willing to see such a situation occur?

Not to mention Yang Zhitang, Shen Yang, Yang En, Zheng Yu, Yang Yuanyan, and others—even the Changxin Palace, which currently favored Tangyi in everything, once aware of this possibility occurring, would inevitably step forward and use every means to oppose and obstruct it, even possibly not hesitating to meet with armed conflict…

If Emperor Liang truly had little time left, the only plan the court ministers could accept would be for Liang ministers and generals to establish Zhu Zhen as new lord, with Zhu Zhen submitting as vassal to Great Chu in exchange for necessary assistance.

Right now, over administrative jurisdiction of Deng and Jun prefectures, Shen Yang, Yang Zhitang, Yang Yuanyan, Huang Hua, and others were already scheming in every way. How could they possibly be willing to see Han Qian become the new Liang State’s lord?